Sweet and Savory Waffles

George Hirsch December 29, 2025

At the 1964 World's Fair, Americans were introduced to the Belgian waffle, made fluffy with the help of yeast and egg whites. Once electric waffle irons replaced those inconvenient metal plates, waffles officially became an American favorite.

In North America, Belgian waffles are a variety of waffles with a lighter batter, larger squares, and deeper pockets than ordinary American waffles. Belgian waffles were originally leavened with yeast, but baking powder is now often used.

Tired of toast & sausage for breakfast and brunch? Then opt for a southern treat. These waffles are the perfect accompaniment to my Oven Fried Garlic Chicken, always a family favorite, and I’m delighted to share them with you.

Savory Waffles

Makes 8 waffles

chefgeorgehirsch.com | from George Hirsch Lifestyle TV Series

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 egg yolks

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons pure cane sugar

1 Tablespoon baking powder

2 cups of milk

1/3 cup butter, melted

2 egg whites, stiffly beaten

½ cup cheddar cheese, finely shredded (OMIT for Sweet Waffle)

¼ teaspoon each: (OMIT below spices for Sweet Waffle, replace with 1 teaspoon vanilla)

curry powder, paprika, dried thyme, ground black pepper, hot sauce

2 Tablespoons fresh chopped parsley or dill

Preheat the waffle maker.

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Put all ingredients, except egg whites, in a large mixing bowl. Beat on low until moistened. Increase to medium speed; mix for 2 minutes or until just smooth. Do not overmix.

By hand, gently fold in beaten egg whites. Pour 1/2 cup batter over grids for a regular waffle baker—more for a Belgian waffle. Close the waffle maker, bake until steam no longer escapes, about 3 minutes. Repeat.

Serve while hot with Fried Chicken.

Note: Serve topped with butter and hot syrup, or better yet, with warm fresh fruit compote.

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Meatballs and Quick Marinara Sauce

georgehirsch December 11, 2025

Meatballs started with Italian immigrants coming to America in 1880, and then came the sauce. I have prepared this recipe with inspiration from my Italian Nana. There was no recipe, only years of watching and learning by example. The results have always been the same after making this for my family and huge groups. Nana would be proud, and I'm sure you will be, too, when serving your family and friends. And, enjoy watching the how-to video from George Hirsch Lifestyle TV series. Feel free to share.

George's Nana’s Meatballs

Makes 12 jumbo, 24 large, or 40 mini meatballs

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3 pounds ground beef, 80 / 20 blend; can use a combo of beef, pork, and veal

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 sweet onion, chopped fine

2 eggs, cracked and beaten

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

2 Tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

3 cups day-old Italian bread, pulsed into crumbs

1/2 cup chicken broth to soften bread crumbs (variable amount may have to add more broth to soften crumbs)

Fresh ground black pepper

* Note: all ingredients should be very cold before blending.

**CLICK to WATCH Meatballs + Marinara preperation**

Mix all ingredients in a mixer or by hand until well blended. Dip your hands in ice water before shaping the meat into round balls.

Spray an oven-roasting pan with grease spray.

Use an ice cream scoop to shape the meatballs; roll by hand until they are round. Do not overhandle to prevent over-warming the meat. Repeat until all the meat is used up. Do not overcrowd the meatballs to make it easier to move them while baking.

Refrigerate the meatballs for at least 30 minutes to chill. Prepare the Tomato Sauce below.

Preheat a large, heavy-gauge sauté pan to high heat, or if making a large number of meatballs, brown them in a hot oven at 425 degrees F.

Roast meatballs for five minutes in the oven or on the stovetop until they brown. If roasting, gently shake the pan to move the meatballs to turn over, or use a spatula for the meatballs if browning in a sauté pan. Continue cooking for a few additional minutes (or less if mini) or until the meatballs are brown on the outside. The meatballs will not be fully cooked and will continue to cook in the tomato sauce.

Remove meatballs with a spatula and add to the gently simmering sauce, and continue cooking for 20-30 minutes.

For the Marinara Tomato Sauce:

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1/2 cup minced sweet onion

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 (28-ounce) cans crushed San Marzano Tomatoes

2 (6.5-ounce) cans tomato sauce

1 Tablespoon dried basil leaves

1/2 teaspoon oregano

Fresh ground black pepper

2 Tablespoons each of fresh chopped parsley and basil

In a large saucepot sauté, sauté olive oil, onion, and garlic over medium heat until light brown. Stir in crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Season with dried basil, oregano, Italian seasoning, pepper, and half of the parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cooked browned meatballs and top with fresh chopped parsley and basil before serving.

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Thanksgiving Tradition, Apple Brined Turkey

George Hirsch November 27, 2025

First, start with Turkey 101.

Then, resume with my apple turkey brine tradition below.

Hands down, my Apple Brined Turkey recipe is an all-time winner for a moist and flavorful turkey. Need more kitchen? If your oven is all jammed up – take it outdoors and grill it. Or, a Thanksgiving turkey solution: Cook one turkey in the oven and one on the grill.

George’s Apple Brined Roasted Turkey

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Brining is an overnight process requiring TWO days of preparation.

If preparing a frozen turkey, be sure to thaw it in the refrigerator well in advance. Brine the turkey in a large stockpot or a large food-safe plastic bag. The turkey must be completely submerged in brine, or you must turn the turkey every couple of hours. I prefer turkeys no larger than 12-14 pounds for the best tenderness and flavor. If grilling, I have my butcher split the turkey for ease of brining and grilling. Cook additional turkeys if serving more than 12-14 people. As a guide, figure each pound of turkey on the bone feeds one person.

STEP 1: First day

On the day prior to cooking: Brine for a 12-pound turkey; prepare a double brine recipe for a larger turkey.

Apple Brine Mixture

8 cups apple cider

1/4 cup Maple syrup

2/3 cup kosher salt

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 Tablespoon black peppercorns, coarsely crushed

2 bay leaves

To prepare brine, combine ingredients in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes or until sugar and salt dissolve. Cool completely.

STEP 2: First day

Add Flavor Ingredients to Apple Brine Mixture:

6 garlic cloves, peeled & cut in half

1 onion, quartered

1 rib of celery, chopped into two-inch pieces

2 Tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled & sliced

3 each sage leaves, rosemary sprigs, thyme

4 cups ice

Remove giblets and neck from turkey; reserve for making gravy. Rinse turkey with cold water; pat dry. Trim excess fat. Stuff the body cavity with orange quarters, ice, onion, ginger, sage, rosemary, and thyme. Place turkey in a large stockpot or food-safe plastic bag. Pour the apple brine mixture over the turkey. Depending on the size of the turkey, refrigerate for 6 hours for a split turkey or 12 hours for a whole 12-pound turkey, turning occasionally. Add one hour of bringing time per additional pound of turkey.

Spice Rub

1 Tablespoon fresh sage, chopped

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

To Roast:

1-yard kitchen twine

2 cups chicken broth or stock

4 Tablespoons butter

fresh ground black pepper

6 slices of pancetta or bacon

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Remove the turkey from the brine, and discard the brine and orange quarters. Rinse turkey with cold water; pat dry. Lift wing tips up and over the back; tuck under turkey. Tie legs together with kitchen twine. Place garlic, sage, thyme, parsley, onion, and broth in the bottom of a roasting pan. Place the roasting rack in the pan. Arrange the turkey, breast side down, on a roasting rack. Brush turkey back with 1 tablespoon butter; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bake at 450 degrees for 30 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 350º. MORE INSTRUCTIONS Below

Remove the turkey from the oven. Carefully turn the turkey over, breast side up. Put the turkey neck and giblets in the pan. Brush the turkey breast with one tablespoon of butter; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon pepper; lay slices of pancetta over the breasts. Bake at 350º for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the center meaty part of the thigh registers 170º.

If the breast of the turkey browns too quickly, cover it loosely with foil. Remove the turkey from the oven and let it stand for 30 minutes. Pour off the drippings and remove the turkey neck and giblets for gravy; cover the turkey to keep it warm.

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Roasted Success

George Hirsch October 5, 2025

This is one of those no-fail chicken recipes you can always count on and deserves to be a regular dish in your dinner repertoire. My lemon and garlic roast chicken is also perfect for entertaining; it can be cooked ahead and is ideal to serve at room temperature for large gatherings.

side suggestion: my mousseline potatoes

Lemon and Garlic Roast Chicken

Makes six servings

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

For the dry rub:

2 teaspoons each:

Spice rub: Powdered garlic, thyme, rosemary, basil, paprika, cumin, black pepper, sea salt

Mix all dry ingredients in a small bowl.

One 5-pound chicken

2 Tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped

1 head fresh garlic, peeled and roughly chopped

1 fresh lemon, cut into quarters

2 Tablespoons olive oil

Fresh ground black pepper

Wash and dry chicken. Rub dry rub over the outside and interior of the chicken. Refrigerate overnight or for at least 4 hours. Before roasting the chicken, rub it with 1/2 of the fresh garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil. Place remaining fresh garlic, lemon quarters, and fresh parsley inside the chicken cavity and truss or tie up the chicken.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Place chicken on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast the chicken for 25 minutes until it becomes a light brown color. Lower the temperature to 400 degrees F; roast for 30 minutes. Baste the chicken with the drippings every 10-15 minutes.

Lower the temperature to 350 degrees F for an additional 1/2 hour or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh, and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.

Remove chicken from oven. Allow chicken to rest for 20 minutes before carving.

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Eggplant & Squash Gratin as seen on George Hirsch Lifestyle

George Hirsch September 4, 2025

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With a simple eggplant, squash, and tomato, you can make magic. Layers of flavor come together to create this meatless wonder. And the gratin only tastes better the next day, served hot or cold.

Eggplant Squash Gratin

Makes 4 - 6 servings

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

Slice lengthwise the peeled eggplant and squash. Coat lightly in flour. Sear in olive oil with a few whole garlic cloves. Turn the eggplant and squash when light brown, remove. Cool. Slice the tomatoes thick. Layer vegetables in an ovenproof casserole, lightly oil, layer eggplant, squash, tomato; repeat using up vegetables. Optional parmesan between layers. Place whole sauté garlic on top of layered vegetables, sprinkle with fresh ground bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, fresh basil sprigs, fresh chopped parsley, and drizzle with olive oil on top.

Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Serve warm or cold.

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