The Home Cooks Guide with Megan O'Donnell

This weeks episode is making an Aspargus Gruyere Tart! Even the most amateur of home chefs knows that Asparagus is a spring veggie that - TBH off season is quite bland, so practice patience and wait to indulge in asparagus during its proper season- you’ll also notice how much more affordable it is during the spring time.   In season asparagus is a very sweet vegetable & it begins to lose the sweetness once it’s harvested, so fresh is always best here - if you have access to a farmers market head there when you can & indulge in the highest quality you can find. Link to recipe - https://www.instagram.com/p/C1FKlW6s5We/?hl=en Be sure to follow @meganthehomecook to follow my foodie adventures & get show updates! 

Today’s episode is all about Chicken Au Poivre. You may be familiar with the iconic french dish, Steak Au Poivre, which is traditionally a filet mignon coated with coarsely cracked peppercorns smothered in a lovely delicate cream sauce, but today we will be REMIXING the classic with chicken instead of Steak. Of course, we love steak here at the home cooks guide, but with the rising cost of beef as well as the negative health ramifications from eating too much beef, we will be swapping the filet mignon for a humble chicken leg.Link to recipe - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEYN3Ek9J44Follow @meganthehomecook on insta to follow my foodie adventures & to get show updates!xxMegs

This episode about is all about the la scala chopped salad, which for normal people it's basically an ice berg lettuce salad, with some yummy fixins and topped of with chickpeas marinated in a fabulous dressing. La Scala is a restaurant in Beverly Hills, California that opened in 1956 by Jean Leon, a french chef who heads to Lala land to make overpriced famous salads. This restaurant was a hotspot for whos whos in hollywood - the lore has it that Jean Leon delivered dinner from La Scala to Marilyn Monroe on the evening she passed away, that James Dean was a financial backer of the restaurant and he supposedly the exclusive caterer for Elizabeth Taylor’s while was shooting Cleopatra.  More relevant stars like Kim Kardashian and Leonardo DeCaprio are fans of this salad and naturally Kim’s mention of this salad helped propel into the highest echelon of esteemed salads! Link for dressing - https://www.goodfoodstl.com/2021/02/chopped-salad/Salad ingredients - https://gabriellaquille.com/la-scala-chopped-salad/Mezzaluna Knife - https://southernseason.com/products/mamma-marias-rocking-chopper-knifeBe sure to follow me on social media at @meganthehomecook on instagram!

As most home cooks know (or maybe dont know), a black bean burger can very quickly turn into a mushy lump of black mess on a bun & most black bean burger recipes i've made have been trash - UNTIL NOW. Kenji's recipe to a black bean burger solves all of your black bean burger issue!There must be the general disclaimer like any recipe, this is not a beef burger, so it won't taste like beef, but lean into trying something new and enjoy the feeling of not having a gnarly stomach ache after dinner.Kenji Lopez Alt's Black Bean Recipe - https://www.seriouseats.com/the-best-black-bean-burger-recipeChipotle Mayo - https://www.seriouseats.com/sauced-chipotle-mayonnaise-recipeBe sure to follow @thehcgpodcast on social to follow my foodie adventures and show updates!

On today’s ep, we are making a dish that is not only deeply flavorful and a visual masterpiece, but it has such an elegant presentation that is only meant for the highest caliber of guests. HERB CRUSTED LAMB CHOPS!If you're new to eating lamb in general, then welcome to the party! Lamb has a delicate, subtle gamey flavor and is a common alternative to beef. It typically has less marbling, which means less fat and more nutrients, such as zinc, iron, and vitamin B12. Health and wellness, baby!Link to the recipe - https://www.keyingredient.com/recipes/983210/gordon-ramsays-herb-crusted-rack-of-lamb/Link to an example of Frenching a rack of lamb - https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_french_a_rack_of_lamb/This to me is a dinner that you'd make for your boss who is coming to your house after you receive a life changing promotion. I’m still waiting for that life changing promotion to happen for me, but when it does by golly i’m inviting my boss over for some herby lamb chops! Be sure to follow @thehcgpodcast on social for all my foodie adventures + show updates!xxMegs

This week's episode highlights Broccoli Chicken Alfredo! This pasta and chicken duo will blow your socks off. Yes, you’ll use many pots and pans and make a bit of a mess, but give it a try & let me know what you think! You can find the recipe from Matty Matheson here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_-7WVSedQMBe sure to follow HCG on all Social Media platforms @thehcgpodcast!

This our Valentine's Day episode all about LOVEEE - and that is my LOVE for ROASTING CHICKENS. The home cooks guide is coming in hot to save your valentines dinner from being bland and boring to something sexy and fun. I’m not sure if other people think roasted chicken is sexy, but I sure do. We will be making Ina Garten's “Engagement chicken” which is just a silly name for a simple roasted chicken served along with a silky onion lemon gravy. Link to the recipe - https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/engagement-roast-chicken-recipe-1948980Link to carving a chicken - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owUitkVtubkBe sure to follow @thehcgpodcast on social media for show updates and my foodie adventures!

Amp up your Super Bowl meals with a personal Frito Pies for your guests! A Frito Pie isn’t exactly a savory PIE like a chicken pot pie (LISTEN HERE!), but a Frito Pie it’s basically just a serving of beef and bean chili over a individual bag of crunchy Fritos topped with a mountain of toppings like cheddar cheese, maybe a lil guacamole, maybe a dollop of daisy - the possibilities are endless. This dish is also ideal, because the chili can be made the day before or the morning of, so if you do plan to actually watch the game, you can quickly reheat the chili + prep your toppings without missing too much of the game. Link to original recipe - https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a10344/frito-chili-pie/Follow @thehcgpodcast for all show updates + my foodie adventures :)

This week's episode highlights Emily Mariko’s Salmon Rice Bowl! We loooove a viral dish, but this one takes the cake because it’s healthy, comes together quickly & encourages home cooks to try some fun new ingredients (IE - KEWPIE MAYO, FURIKAKE, KIMCHI, ETC!)! Try the recipe + let me know your thoughts! You can find the recipe from Pop Sugar here - https://www.popsugar.com/food/salmon-rice-recipe-tiktok-48532478 You can find Emily's video here - https://www.tiktok.com/@emilymariko/video/7244278467280260395?lang=enLinks to fun products -- Kewpie Mayo - https://www.amazon.com/Kewpie-Mayonnaise-Japanese-Sandwich-12-Ounce/dp/B09V1KCLTX/ref=sr_1_2?crid=33947V6YRMYZV&keywords=kewpie+mayonnaise&qid=1706384636&sprefix=kewpie%2Caps%2C86&sr=8-2Kimchi - https://www.amazon.com/Mother-Laws-Kimchi-Cabbage-House/dp/B00P2QI5Y0/ref=sr_1_10_f3_0o_fs?crid=2Y25UM40K81K6&keywords=kimchi&qid=1706384646&sprefix=kimchi%2Caps%2C81&sr=8-10Furikake - https://www.amazon.com/Nori-Fume-Furikake-Rice-Seasoning/dp/B07WJ39MZF/ref=sr_1_5?crid=3BSCE91M1XIY5&keywords=furikake&qid=1706384676&sprefix=furi%2Caps%2C83&sr=8-5Be sure to follow HCG on all Social Media platforms @thehcgpodcast!