For the longest time, I hated mushrooms, and now I cannot get enough of them. I realize now I just don't like mushrooms when they're, well, mush. This dip is great if you are like I was because the mushroom flavor isn't super strong and the mushrooms aren't cooked to death. 

This dip is kind of a cross between the texture of hot crab dip with some of the flavors of stuffed mushrooms. It's perfect for gatherings or the holidays because you can make the filling ahead of time, and then it will come together in under 25 mins day of!
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5 oz cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp mayo
2 tbsp sour cream
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 jalapeño, minced
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp dried italian herb blend
dash of worchestershire sauce
3 cups of oyster & maitake (aka hen of the woods) mushrooms, pulled into shreds
2 green onions, sliced and separate the greens from the light green/white parts
1 tbsp paprika
​1 tbsp garlic powder
​1 tbsp Old Bay
​1 tbsp onion powder
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tbsp butter
1.5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp grated garlic
1/4 c panko
3 tbsp grated parm
crackers and/or crudite for serving

1. combine the mayo, sour cream, cream cheese, salt, italian herb blend, and worchestershire in a microwave-safe bowl. whisk together. if it is too thick to thoroughly combine, microwave at 30 second intervals until it can be whisked smooth. whisk in the lemon juice and jalapeño and then set aside.
2. preheat your oven to 375°.
3. in a large skillet, heat the butter and 1 tbsp of olive oil on high heat until the butter just starts to brown. add the mushrooms, toss to coat the mushrooms in the fat, then leave them to get some color on them. you will have soggy mushrooms with little browning if you constantly stir. only stir once you can see the browning along the edges of the mushrooms.
4. once that side of the mushrooms is brown, add in the light green/whites of the scallions and the thyme and toss to combine. once again, leave it be to get some color on that side. 
5. in a small bowl, combine the paprika, garlic powder, Old Bay, onion powder, and mustard powder. 
6. once the mushrooms are brown, toss them in the seasoning mixture. let the raw spice flavor cook off for just a few seconds, then add the mushroom/onion mixture to the cream cheese mixture. stir to combine.
7. using the same pan the mushrooms were in, add the remaining olive oil and grated garlic. stir the combine those, and cook until the garlic is slightly brown. add the panko, and toast until it is golden brown.
8. add the mushroom/cream cheese mixture in an even layer to a large ramekin or small baking dish. top with the panko mixture and a little black pepper. 
9. bake for 10 minutes, then switch it to a low broil until the panko is a little deeper golden brown. 
10. top with the remaining scallions and serve warm.

y'all. this very well might be my new favorite starter. it's the perfect summer app for ​peach season.
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4-5 peaches, sliced
1 8oz wheel of double creme brie with the top rind removed
1.5 oz prosciutto (approximately 5-6 slices)
a sprinkle of each: salt, paprika, fresh cracked pepper, and cayenne
1/2 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp brown sugar
fresh basil, torn
lemon wedge for serving
toast or crackers for serving (i like toasted eggy bread like challah or brioche)

1. start preheating your oven to 350°F. 
2. in a medium size cast iron, lay your prosciutto in an even layer. it can go up the edges of the pan just don't overlap it too much. as soon as you're done doing that, put the pan in the oven. it doesn't need to be preheated. bake that for 10-15 minutes or until crisp. flip if you notice it seems to be burning or cooking unevenly.
3. pull the prosciutto from the pan and set it on paper towels to drain the grease off.
4. in the same cast iron the prosciutto was in, start to carefully lay the peaches in a circle (start from the edge of the pan and work your way in), leaving room for the wheel of brie in the center. since you are working with a hot pan, i find it easiest to lay most of the peaches, put the brie in, then use the remaining peach slices to fill in the gaps.
5. drizzle the olive oil on the brie, and sprinkle the salt, pepper, paprika, and cayenne on everything. put it in the oven, then bump the temperature up to 400. bake for 10 minutes, or until the brie is nice and melty. 
6. at this point i like to use a knife and break some of the rind on the sides of the brie to let it spread out. this will create more surface area to brûlée later. just be gentle and don't completely cut all of the rind... you still want a little bit of structure along the sides.
7. sprinkle the brown sugar on the brie, then broil in your oven until the sugar is caramelized. if you have a torch you can also do that – both ways have worked for me.
8. top with the prosciutto, more fresh cracked pepper, and torn basil (i used a mixture of sweet and purple basils). serve immediately with toast or crackers.

Whenever I make fried rice, it is usually to use up a bunch of random vegetable odds and ends we have in the fridge. Because of this, I end up making a big batch, leaving us with leftovers. Eating fried rice twice a week can get a bit boring, but my fried rice arancini recipe is a great way to repurpose it. This recipe works great with homemade fried rice or leftover take out; whatever you have on hand! Depending on the texture and moisture in your fried rice, you may need to add a little more flour. If your mixture is looking a little dry, you can add a teaspoon of water or soy sauce. 
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2 1/2 - 3 cups of leftover fried rice, chilled
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sweet Thai chili sauce
6 tbsp flour, plus more as needed
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
​1/4 cup sesame seeds
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
oil spray
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1. Whisk the beaten egg, soy sauce, chili sauce, and flour in a bowl. Add the mixture to the fried rice and combine well & evenly. 
2. Using a small ice cream or cookie scoop, scoop out the rice mixture into even balls. Use your hands to roll them until smooth. If the mixture is not holding, your rice may be too wet. Add a tablespoon of flour to your mixture at a time until it comes together. 
3. Combine the panko, sesame seeds, and remaining spices in a bowl.
4. Once you have all of your rice balls smooth, gently toss them into the panko mixture, lightly patting to generously coat each rice ball. 
5. Spray your air fryer lightly with oil spray and lay your rice balls out in an even layer, making sure that they aren't touching (you will have to work in batches!). Air fry on 370 degrees for 7 minutes. Serve with duck sauce, soy sauce, sweet Thai chili sauce, or even my orange chili sauce that I use for wings!

I have made countless attempts at homemade salsa. I buy a new one each time we run out in hopes that this next one will be like the salsa I get at restaurants. It never is. In a last ditch effort, I tried it with canned diced tomatoes & green chiles. I know what you're thinking - I thought the same thing. It is the best salsa I've had to date, and it is going to be hard for me to go back to a store bought salsa now. 
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3 10 oz cans of diced tomatoes & green chiles
1/2 jalapeno, seeded
1/2 onion, chopped into 3-5 pieces
2/3 cup cilantro
​juice of 3 limes
​2 tsp salt

1. Add the jalapeños, onion, cilantro, lime juice, and salt to a blender and blend until the onion and jalapeno are broken down into small pieces and it is all pretty well combined.
2. Drain 1/2 of the liquid off of the diced tomatoes & green chiles and add them to the blender. 
3. Pulse until it is the texture that you like and chill.

Whenever we visit my grandfather in Florida, we always have to stop at Shaggy's to get some beach balls, what they call their fried, loaded mashed potato balls. It is always something we look forward to, and I got a craving for them this weekend. Since a trip to Florida didn't seem to be in the cards, I decided to make my own version of them. 
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4-5 cups mashed potatoes, chilled
1 1/2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
3 tsp kosher salt, divided
3 tsp garlic powder, divided
3 tsp onion powder, divided
1/3 cup chopped, cooked bacon
2/3 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups italian breadcrumbs
spray extra virgin olive oil
chives or green onions for garnish (optional)
dipping sauce (optional) - I like ranch or my shallot and chive dip
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1. In a large bowl, combine the mashed potatoes, shredded cheddar, sour cream, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 2 teaspoons onion powder, and the chopped bacon. Use a spatula to thoroughly combine. 
2. Using a small ice cream scoop, scoop out individual balls on to a sheet tray. Chill the balls for at least 10 minutes.
3. In 1 bowl, combine the remaining garlic powder, salt, and onion powder with the flour. In the second bowl, whisk the eggs with 1 tablespoon of water. Place the breadcrumbs in the third bowl. 
4. Once the potatoes have chilled, use your hands to form them into more circular balls. 
5. Bread the potato balls. Roll them in the flour, then in the egg, then into the breadcrumbs. Repeat with all of the potato balls. 
6. Spray your air fryer basket with the spray oil then place a single layer of the potato balls down. You will have to work in batches, so don't try to squeeze them all in at once. Air fry at 370 degrees for 6-9 minutes, shaking the basket every so often during that time. 
7. Serve with the dipping sauce of your choice and chives!

I love wings, but, in my past attempts with various cooking methods, I have not been able to get them as crispy as I would like. When I got an air fryer, I knew I wanted to try wings, but I never got around to it. This weekend, the day finally came, and I don't think I can look back. I was craving orange chicken, so I decided to make a healthier version of the sticky glaze it's normally tossed in and y'all. I could eat this sauce by the spoonful. I added it to some wontons that I served with the wings, but you could totally make it a dipping sauce too. 
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1 lb of organic party wings
2 1/4 c orange juice (you could use bottled juice, but I juiced approx. 8 oranges)
1 tsp chili oil, more or less to taste
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground ginger
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toasted ravioli have been one of my favorite appetizers, especially in st. louis (where it orginated) when i visit my grandparents. i've made ravioli several times, but i'd never made them with meat in them up until this point. i decided i would make toasted ravioli for new year's eve, so that i could try out my air fryer that i got for christmas and figure out a good meat filling for ravioli. i'm not going to lie to you, this isn't a 20 minute meal. this will take you a long time, but the end result is well worth the time. there are a couple shortcuts you can take. you can use pre-made pasta dough, you can use fresh ravioli, or you can even use pre-made. frozen toasted ravioli, and you could simply use this recipe for cooking times in the air fryer. 

PASTA DOUGH
1 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp semolina flour
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 eggs
2 tbsp garlic salt (i like Lawry's because it has parsley in it)
a little under 3/4 cup water
3 tbsp olive oil

RAVIOLI FILLING
1/2 yellow onion, minced
2-3 large garlic cloves
​3 tbsp olive oil, divided
4 tbsp garlic salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced (1/2 grocery store packet), optional
1 egg whisked with 1 tbsp of water
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BREADING
3 cups panko bread crumbs
1.5 cups flour
6 eggs
1.5 cups grated parmesan
1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced (1 grocery store packet)
4 tbsp garlic salt
​black pepper, to taste

serve with marinara
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1. cut the pasta dough into 4 equal parts
2. knead each individual part again and form it into roughly a quarter inch rectangle (just make it thin enough to start to get it through the pasta machine
3. run it through the pasta machine, i use the kitchen aid attachment (find it here) start on the thickest setting and work your way down. it's okay if it doesn't run smoothly at first, just form it a little thinner and start on the 1st setting again. you want to get it as thin as possible, i get to the 4 or 5 setting usually

                if it's sticking to the pasta machine, dust the machine with semolina flour

1. lay the sheet out on a lightly floured surface and cut it in half
2. put 1-2 tablespoons of the filling in a ball in the center of the row, leaving 3/4-1 inch in between each ball of filling 
3. brush the egg wash in between the meat mixture balls and anywhere else the pasta dough is exposed
4. lay the other 1/2 of the pasta dough over top
5. start in the middle of the row, pushing the air out in the spaces and sealing off the ravioli
6. cut the ravioli, leaving as much space around the center as you want (i like to use a bench scraper for this)
7. freeze in a single layer on a surface dusted in semolina flour