Jalapeno “Man” Burgers

Posted on November 2, 2026 by Ben

Juicy grilled burger topped with jalapeno slices and melted cheese

Jalapenos mellow out when cooked adding a nice, sweet heat to burgers


A long time ago, a few high-school friends and I decided that adding chopped jalapeños to burger meat was the best way to make a burger a little more “manly.” The result was much better than the joke deserved: a juicy burger with a smoky, savory flavor and just a hint of heat.

I’ve tweaked the recipe over the years, but the idea has stayed the same. These are easy to throw together for a cookout, and they’re much milder than people expect when they hear the word jalapeño. They’re usually gone before I get a chance to make a second trip to the grill.

How to Make Jalapeño “Man” Burgers

I typically use 85% lean ground beef, although 90% works if you prefer a leaner burger. Mix the beef with the remaining ingredients and let it rest in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes so the flavors have time to come together. Form the mixture into patties and grill until the patties reach 160°F internally.

You can prepare the mixture a day ahead and keep it refrigerated. The patties also freeze well, which makes these an easy option to have ready for the next cookout.

Worcestershire Jalapeno "Man" Burgers
 
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The jalapeno adds a rich flavor and compliments the beef perfectly. The spice is subtle and perfect for those who don't like things too hot.
Author:
Cuisine: American
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 pound of lean beef
  • 1 small jalapeno, de-seeded and diced
  • ½ onion, diced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, smashed and diced
  • 2 tbs of Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp of allspice (optional)
  • 1 tsp of ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. Combine all of the ingredients into a medium sized bowl and let marinate for 30 minutes
  2. Combine into patties about ¼ pound each
  3. Grill either on a stovetop or outside for 4 minutes on each side
  4. Serve with your favorite condiments and enjoy!
Notes
For those wanting more heat, simply dice the jalapeno (rather than deseeding it)
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Dark chocolate chip cookies with espresso powder

Posted on April 25, 2022 by Ben
Dark chocolate chip cookies with espresso powder

Espresso powder enhances the flavor of any chocolate. Added to these dark chocolate chip cookies, it makes them extra rich and delicious!

I’m a big fan of New York times and King Arthur’s recipes. Both are my go-to for a lot of baking needs. When I was reading King Arthur’s blog post on the use of espresso powder to enhance the taste of chocolate in your baked goods, I knew I had to try it in my go-to cookie recipe, which is based on a NY Times one. It already made an appearance in my chocolate cupcakes, and they are already a crowd-pleaser.

In this recipe, I substituted in dark chocolate and thought the espresso would compliment the intensity of the chocolate, and I was right. This is now my new go-to.

Instructions to make Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees (~180C) and begin gathering your ingredients. Mix your dry powers in one bowl (flour, baking soda, and espresso powder) and set aside. In a stand mixer, cream the butter and add the sugar to combine.

Add the egg and vanilla extract and only beat just enough to mix – maybe 15 seconds. You don’t want to overmix the egg. Add the dry ingredients and again, only mix long enough to make a consistent mixture. Finally hand-mix in the chocolate, separate into cookies and bake for 13-15 minutes.

Dark chocolate chip cooks with espresso powder
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Baking
Serves: 1-2 dozen
Ingredients
  • 185 grams all-purpose flour (1½ cups)
  • 2 grams baking soda (1/2 teaspoon
  • ½ teaspoon of espresso powder
  • 115 grams butter (4 ounces/1 stick)
  • 100 grams sugar (1/2 cup)
  • 80 grams light brown sugar (1/2 cup packed)
  • 2 grams of salt (1/4 teaspoon)
  • 1 egg
  • 5 grams pure vanilla extract (1 teaspoon)
  • 225 grams dark chocolate chips (8 ounces)
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees
  2. Combine the flour, baking soda, and espresso powder and set aside
  3. Cream the butter for ~2 minutes, add the sugar, and combine
  4. Add the egg and vanilla and only beat long enough to combine, like 15-30 seconds
  5. Add the dry ingredients, and again only beat long enough until everything is mixed
  6. Hand mix in the chocolate chips
  7. Form into smallish balls and bake at 350 for 13-15 minutes (picture was 15 minutes)
Notes
Don't let the name fool you; in small amounts, espresso powder doesn't add any coffee flavor to your baked goods. It merely makes chocolate tastes more intense and rich.

 

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Fresh Pasta Like a Pro

Posted on April 18, 2022 by Ben
fresh pasta on a cutting board

I no longer buy store made pasta. It’s so easy to make fresh pasta from scratch

Jaimie Oliver is perhaps my all time favorite chef.  I first stumbled upon him browsing TV late one night about a decade ago.  Hooked by his accent and demeanor I quickly went out and bought one of his cook books.  Flipping through his book, one of the first dishes I tried making fresh pasta from scratch.  Thus, I went out and purchased a pasta machine (Ed note: I have a Imperia pasta roller but just about any similar type machines will work) and once I figured out how to make it work, it astonished me how easy it is to make fresh pasta from scratch!

First, Make the Fresh Pasta Dough

Fresh pasta is simply flour and eggs – there is nothing more to it.  Getting the dough right is the tough part and took me a while to perfect, so I wanted to share my results with you!

Generally speaking 3/4 cup of flour (~90 grams) and 1 egg yields about 1.5 servings, and is a perfect portion for my wife and I (adjust accordingly).  First, mix the dough either using a mixer, by hand, or a food processor (I typically start by hand and then move to the mixer with kneading hooks).  From this I mix in more flour, a little bit of time, until the dough is no longer sticky.  You can tell by pinching it together: when the dough is smooth yet can still be formed into a soft, singular ball without easily falling apart, you are ready to proceed.

Separate the dough into racquetball size balls (about 2 balls per egg you used), cover with saran wrap and let rest for about 10 minutes in the fridge. I will sometimes make this the morning of or during a break at work – it’s ok to let the dough rest longer in the fridge

Second, Roll the Pasta Dough into a Sheet

When the dough has finished resting, begin working it through your pasta roller.  Take each ball and it to make it easier to work through the roller.  I follow a three step process when working my dough through the roller.

  1. First, begin boiling your water to cook the pasta
  2. Crank it through your pasta machine a time or two, folding it in half after each pass through
  3. When you have a solid, wide sheet of pasta proceed to the next setting and slightlty dust each side of the flattened dough with flour to prevent it sticking in the rollers.
  4. Click the setting down a notch, repeat Steps 1&2 and when you get to the last setting you are ready for cutting!

Finally, Cut the Dough into Pasta & Boil!

Finally, take each flattened pasta sheet and roll it trough your cutter.  Then take the cut pasta and throw into a pot of boiling water and cook for no longer then two

minutes.  Be mindful, fresh pasta does not need to cook for very long!

Fresh Pasta
 
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Author:
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 3-4
Ingredients
  • 2 eggs
  • 1.5 Cup (~180g) of type '00' or all-purpose flour
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp of olive oil
Instructions
Dough
  1. Form the Flour into a Volcano
  2. In a separate bowl beat the egg until smooth
  3. Pour the beaten egg into the center of the volcano and slowly incorporate the flour
  4. Add the olive oil
  5. Knead the dough for roughly 10 minutes or until smooth
  6. If the dough remains sticky add flour in small doses
  7. Seperate the dough into balls - roughly 2 balls for every egg you use
  8. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes
Pasta
  1. Sprinkle some salt into a large stock pot of water and set on high to begin boiling
  2. Break the dough into small balls roughly the size of racket ball
  3. Roll the dough through each setting of your pasta roller (from thickest to thinnest), dusting the flour each time to prevent sticking
  4. Take the thinnest sheet, dust it with some flour, and roll it through your pasta cutter to make your desired pasta
  5. Take the cut pasta and boil for ~2 minutes
Notes
Using a powered pasta attachment like for a kitchen aid will greatly speed things up.

I always recommend weighing ingredients to get repeatable results!

 

 

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Chicken Tinga with a Homemade Salsa Verde

Posted on April 1, 2022 by Ben
chicken tinga

A little spicy, chicken tinga is a perfect way to enhance otherwise boring chicken breasts

Chicken tinga (known as tinga de pollo in Spanish) is a Mexican dish made with shredded chicken in a sauce made from tomatoes, chipotle chilis in adobo, chorizo, and sliced onion. The basis of the dish is Tinga Poblana, the Pueblan equivalent of a good Italian meat sauce that is utilizes the smokiness of chipotles. Just as every Italian Grandmother has their own special sauce, variations of the dish are rampant.

This is how we make chicken tinga at home and I based it on several versions I have read both online and in books to make it quick, easy, and palatable at home.

How to Make Chicken Tinga

Begin by bringing a pot of water boiling and adding the whole, skinless chicken breasts with a half onion, some smashed and peeled garlic cloves, and a bouillon cube. Bring it down to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes or until the chicken is about 165 degrees. Pull the chicken out, shred it with a fork and set the pot of water aside – don’t toss it! We’ll use a little of the liquid later.

While the chicken is cooking begin the tomato puree – open the windows (it can get smoky!) and broil the roma tomatoes with the garlic and tomatillo for the salsa verde (I recommend broiling the ingredients for the salsa at the same time) until the tomatoes blacken in spots (a few minutes) flip and repeat. Puree the roma tomatoes and see the below section on how to finish the salsa.

While the tomatoes are broiling take a heavy, large frying pan and heat over medium heat with olive oil or lard. Add the onion and cook until brown and then add the chorizo and cook until its crumbly, about 8 minutes. Stir in the chipotle chilies, followed by the puree, and add a few tablespoons of the chicken reserved liquid

Cook the sauce until it’s been reduced by half and then add the chicken and and toss to coat. Serve on warmed tortillas with some salsa verde, onion, and cilantro. Congrats you just made chicken tinga!!

How to Make Salsa Verde

As mentioned above begin by opening the windows (it can get smoky!) and broiling the tomatoes, garlic, and tomatillo.  For those super adventurous I’ve also done this part on the Green Egg over charcoal! Broil them for a few minutes and then flip half way. The goal is to get a few black spots on each side (but not burnt!).

You want the tomatoes to be soft and juicy as the broiling will help caramelize the sugars. This will make a slightly sweeter salsa verde vs just using raw ingredients.

Take the roasted tomatoes, onion and garlic and blend them with the Mexican oregano and honey to get a puree. Set aside to let cool – easy!

Chicken Tinga with Salsa Verde
 
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Author:
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
Salsa Verde:
  • 1 whole onion, halved
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic
  • 1 pound of tomatillos
  • 1-2 serrano pepper
  • 1 tsp Mexican oregano
  • 1 tsp honey
Chicken Tinga:
  • 1 whole chicken breast
  • ½ pound of mexican chorizo
  • 1 pound of roma tomatoes
  • 1 whole onion, 1 half diced the other half whole
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1-2 whole chipotle peppers from can (with adobo sauce) chopped and some reserve adobo sauce
  • Chopped cilantro (optional)
Instructions
Salsa Verde
  1. Place the unpeeled onion halves, whole serrano, unpeeled garlic on a over tray and broil for a few minutes, flipping half way until blackened in spots
  2. Peel the garlic, onion, and remove the serron stems and place them with the rest of the ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth
  3. Set aside to cool
Chicken Tinga
  1. Boil a pot of water and add the whole, skinless chicken breasts with a half onion, some smashed and peeled garlic cloves, and a bouillon cube.
  2. Bring it down to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes or until the chicken is about 165 degrees.
  3. Meanwhile, Broil the tomatoes for a few minutes on each side, until blacked in spots. Puree
  4. Heat a large frying pan at medium with olive oil or lard for a few minutes to warm
  5. Add the onion and cook until softened and then add the chorizo and cook until its crumbly, about 8 minutes.
  6. When done, remove the chicken from the pot, shred it with a fork and reserve a few tablespoons of liquid
  7. Stir in the chipotle chilies, followed by the roma tomato puree, and add a few tablespoons of the chicken reserved liquid
  8. Cook the sauce until it's been reduced by half and then add the chicken and and toss to coat.
  9. Serve on warmed tortillas with the salsa verde and some diced onion and cilantro
Notes
You can adjust the spiciness by adding more or less chipotle and serrano peppers.

Cilantro can be a controversial ingredient. It's banned in our house but feel free to add it to either the chicken tinga or salsa verde.

If using store bought tortillas, warm them a bit on a griddle or cast iron skillet and put wrap them in a kitchen towel to make them soft before adding the tinga.

 

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Smoked Tar Pit Chicken Wings on the Green Egg

Posted on February 4, 2019 by Ben

Tar Pit Wings on the Green Egg

Smoked wings are one of the easiest and quickest things one can cook “low and slow.” Typically, at 225° wings can be done in as little as 2.5 hours, far faster than pork shoulder or ribs. Smoking wings make them tender, juicy and finger licking good. Prepare to be amazed!

I was browsing online for ideas for this year’s super bowl party and I came across these amazing looking wings on the Washington Post.  I’m still relatively new to the Green Egg, but since I got, I adapt every recipe for grilling on the Green Egg. If you don’t have one, this recipe should do well on any type of smoker.

These wings are easy, tasty, and will be gone quickly! Their salty sweetness balances well with a mild wood (I used Cherry). The original recipe called for baking at 400 degrees, which the Green Egg can do, but I wanted a low, slow smoked flavor. The higher heat causes the sauce to become sticky as the sugar caramelizes. To replicate that stickiness, I boiled down the leftover sauce to get it nice and thick and then gave the wings a second coat about an hour in to the cook.

How to Make Smoked Tar Pit Chicken Wings

  1. Prep the ingredients and combine the sugar, ginger, soy sauce, and dry red wine in a small sauce pan over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved
  2. Coat the wings in the sauce and set in the fridge to marinate for at least 30 minutes. Take a sip of that leftover wine, you deserve it.
  3. While the wings are marinating, prepare your smoker for 225. 
  4. When the grill is prepped and the wings have marinated, place the wings on the smoker but save the sauce, you’ll need it later!
  5. Put the leftover sauce in a small pan and reduce until it’s nice, and thick – about half
  6. About an hour into the cook – take the now reduced sauce and give the wings another coat on both sides
  7. You have a thermometer right? The wings will be done when they hit an internal temperature of 165. This should be about 2~2.5 hours.

Try these out and let me know your results. I’m always learning!

Recipe and Instructions for Smoked Tar Pit Chicken Wings

Smoked Tar Pit Chicken Wings on the Green Egg
 
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Easy, tasty, and with salty sweetness that balances well with a mild fruit wood (e.g., Cherry, Apple). Guaranteed to be gone quickly!
Author:
Recipe type: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • ½ cup Soy Sauce
  • ¼ cup Dry Red Wine
  • ¼ cup + 1 tbs Sugar
  • ⅛ tsp Ginger (Ground or freshly grated)
  • 2 pounds of Chicken Wings
  • Charcoal and wood smoking chips or chunks for the grill
Instructions
  1. Combine the Soy Sauce, Wine, Sugar and ginger in a small sauce pan and heat until the sugar is dissolved
  2. Coat the wings in the sauce and set in the fridge for at least 30 minutes
  3. Prepare the grill for smoking at 225
  4. Begin smoking the wings
  5. Take the left over sauce and boil down until it thickens (i.e., reduces by half)
  6. About an hour into the smoke, coat the wings in the reduced sauce and flip, coating the other side
  7. Finish smoking the wings until a thermometer registers at least 165, about 2 to 2½ hours depending on the grill
Notes
Chicken does best with milder fruit based wood. I use cherry but apple would work too.

The original recipe called for ground ginger, I substituted a small sliver of freshly grated ginger.

If you are in a time crunch then smoking at 250 or 275 should speed things up.

An alternative to reducing the sauce would be to recoat them after smoking and broiling the wings in the oven for 5~10min.

 

 

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Tennessee Silk Pie – Jack Daniels Infused Chocolate Pie

Posted on May 5, 2017 by Ben

Tennessee French Silk Pie

A creamy chocolate pie with a hint of whiskey? What more could you want!?

What is Tennessee Silk Pie you may ask?  Well, being from Tennessee I decided to improve on my mother’s classic recipe for French Silk Pie and add a bit of Jack Daniels – because everything is better with a little bit of Jack, right?  The addition of the charcoal filtered whiskey gives the pie a hint of smokiness and caramel, a perfect compliment to the chocolate.  Unveiling the pie at a recent party, I had multiple requests for the recipe – so I knew a hit had been born!

This is a really easy to make recipe but it does take time.  The key to making good french silk pie is spending the time to beat the mixture after the addition of each egg.   Whisking the eggs for the length of time called for in this recipe is what gives French Silk Pie it’s delicate fluffiness, don’t cut corners!  I love this recipe and make it for just about any function where I have to bring a desert.  It’s usually gone in minutes!

How to Make Tennessee Silk Pie

First, start by gathering your ingredients.  I’d say high quality eggs and chocolate will go a long way in the quality of the pie you make.

  1. Pre-heat the oven and bake your pie crust according to the instructions given.  When the crust has baked, let it cool
    1. Note: It is important to poke holes in the crust before baking!
  2. Meanwhile, take the softened butter and cream it with the sugar in a mixer
  3. Add the melted chocolate , vanilla, and whiskey (0ptional).  I melt the chocolate using a sauce pan floating in a pan of hot water to avoid burning it, let it cool for a bit before adding to the mixture
  4. Begin adding the eggs, I start with the yolks first.  Remember it’s extremely important to beat the mixture for 20 minutes after adding each egg & egg yolk.  Remind me to add a stand mixer to my wedding registry….
  5. Finally, add the mixture to the cooled pie crust

Put the pie in the fridge overnight to set and you will be rewarded with a delicious, easy to make Tennessee Silk Pie!!

Tennessee Silk Pie Ingredients and Instructions

Tennessee Silk Pie
 
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French Silk pie emboldened by the addition of Jack Daniels. The combination of the eggs, sugar, chocolate, and a hint of whiskey really make this dessert a treat!
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: French
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 1 Pre-made Pie crust. I use Trader Joe's when they have it
  • 1 stick of butter (unsalted)
  • 2 egg yolk
  • 2 eggs
  • ¾ cup of sugar
  • 2 oz of high end, unsweetened chocolate
  • 1.5 tsp of vanilla
  • 2 tbs of Jack Daniels (optional)
Whipped Cream
  • 1 cup of heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tbs of powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp of vanilla
Instructions
Tennessee Silk Pie
  1. Bake the pie crust according to directions on the box. Remember to poke holes in the crust before baking it to prevent the crust from bubbling.
  2. Soften the butter (Let it sit out for a few hours or with a microwave - careful we want it softened but not liquid!)
  3. Meanwhile soften the chocolate using a double boiler (or in the microwave) and let cool
  4. When the butter has softened cream it with the sugar using a beater
  5. Mix in the cooled chocolate, whiskey (optional) and vanilla
  6. Mix in the egg yolks one at a time, beating for 5 minutes each. Repeat for each of the two eggs for a total whisking time of 20 minutes. Don't skimp! The long whisking time gives the silk in French Silk Pie 🙂
  7. Pour the mixture into the cooled, baked crust and let it sit the fridge, covered, overnight
  8. The next day serve with the whipped cream and enjoy!
Whipped Cream
  1. In a metal bowl pour in the heavy whipping cream and add the vanilla
  2. Using a whisk, begin whipping using wide strokes. The key is to try and introduce air into the milk.
  3. When the cream starts to thicken add the sugar.
  4. Continue whipping the cream until soft peaks begin to form, typically about 5 minutes
Notes
Be sure to keep the pie refrigerated between servings!

For best results, the whipped cream should be made right before serving.

The song Whip It, by Devo played twice is the perfect length of time for making the whipped cream, no joke! Careful though, go any longer and you risk turning the whipped cream into butter!

While the whiskey is what transforms the pie from French Silk into Tennessee Silk, you can easily leave it out and still have an extremely delicious pie!

You should note that the eggs in this recipe are uncooked. While I'm personal ok with eating raw eggs (I mean how many of us snack on cookie dough?) I'd say that this recipe should be avoided by those that are pregnant, very young, very old, or with a compromised immune system. Also I'd try and use the best quality of eggs you can get your hands on.

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