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Tomato and Watermelon Gazpacho Recipe

July 19, 2017 by Brandon Matzek Leave a Comment

I’ve been traveling a lot recently. Everything has been wonderful, but I’ll have to say that it feels good to get back to a regular schedule!

Summer produce—like tomatoes, corn, melons, berries, peppers and stone fruit—is in full swing right now, fueling my inspiration in the kitchen. On hot evenings with ceiling fans whirring about, I’ve been throwing together simple dinners that require minimal effort and oven time like this Tomato and Watermelon Gazpacho recipe. The base of this chilled soup is made of whole peeled tomatoes and juicy sweet watermelon. The two are blended up with celery, onion, garlic, basil, red wine vinegar, olive oil and slices of French bread. All of these ingredients are raw, so the only kitchen work here is chopping and blending! Transfer the soup to the fridge and let chill until ready to serve.

Hued a vibrant shade of red-orange, this Tomato and Watermelon Gazpacho is finished with crunchy croutons, fresh basil leaves, olive oil and a sprinkling of flaky sea salt. Each spoonful is fresh and light. You’ll be surprised at how much flavor this soup packs even though none of the ingredients were cooked with heat! Enjoy this as is for lunch or pair with an effortless salad for dinner. Continue reading for the recipe.

Sweet Tea Pork Chops with Grilled Peaches

June 7, 2017 by Brandon Matzek

Summer is just a few weeks away, and I am ready for warm evenings and al fresco grilled dinners perfumed by the smell of smoldering mesquite charcoal and sweet, floral star jasmine. Perfect for a summer evening, today’s recipe for Sweet Tea Pork Chops with Grilled Peaches is prepared in partnership with The Coca-Cola Company.

Start with two double-cut pork chops brining in an aromatic mixture of Gold Peak ® Sweet Tea , onion, garlic, thyme, bay lemon and black peppercorns. The brine will help keep the pork juicy while it cooks on the grill. Next, cook the chops on the grill over high heat until golden and charred in spots. Finish them off over indirect heat until fully cooked through. The contrast of the charred exterior to the juicy, tender pork within is so delicious.

I’ve thrown some peaches into the mix to complement the smoky, grilled pork, and they couldn’t be easier to make! Toss quartered, ripe peaches with olive oil, maple syrup, salt and pepper, then transfer to a foil pouch. The peaches cook in the foil over high heat until tender. They’re sweet and tart with just a hint of smoke. Continue reading for the recipe.

Rainbow Watermelon Pizza

June 2, 2017 by Brandon Matzek

June is national LGBT Pride Month, and today I’m kicking off celebrations with Ralphs and this Rainbow Watermelon Pizza.

As you may know, pizza is one of my favorite things. This Watermelon Pizza is far from traditional, but it’s super tasty, healthy and so, so pretty. The crust here is made of wedges of juicy, ripe watermelon, the cheese is a luscious mix of mascarpone and Greek yogurt, and the toppings are a colorful array of sweet, summer produce. Berries, nectarines, kiwis, grapes and tomatoes all arranged to form a vibrant rainbow. This simple dessert would be perfect for any summer bash, but especially fitting for a colorful LGBT Pride celebration. Continue reading for the recipe plus more details on Ralphs LGBT Pride support!

Rhubarb Waffles with Lemon Whipped Cream

May 25, 2017 by Brandon Matzek

Don’t you just love a good buttermilk waffle? I certainly do.

We make waffles frequently at our house, so I’m always experimenting with new flavors. Recently I shared this spring cocktail recipe made with a strawberry rhubarb syrup, and while recipe testing, I thought to myself, “Wouldn’t this syrup be perfect for breakfast too?!” After a little additional tweaking and testing, I ended up with these Rhubarb Waffles with Lemon Whipped Cream.

The base here is a simple buttermilk waffle batter infused with butter and vanilla. Sliced rhubarb is then cooked briefly in a mix of sugar and water. The resulting poached rhubarb is folded into the waffle batter, and the remaining syrup is cooked down a little further until it takes on a maple syrup-like consistency. This bubble gum-colored syrup gets drizzled over the golden waffles instead of maple syrup to add more rhubarb flavor. The dish is finished with airy dollops of lemon-spiked whipped cream and a light dusting of lemon zest. With each bite, you’ll get a little sweet and a little tang followed by the buttery richness of the waffles. So. Darn. Tasty. Continue reading for the recipe.

A Special Mother’s Day Brunch Menu + The Spring Garden Cocktail

May 12, 2017 by Brandon Matzek

Mother’s Day is almost here, so today, I’m sharing a special menu for that special mom in your life.

Jorge and I are in New Jersey this week. One my oldest friends (we met in 2nd grade!) is getting married, and we’re here for the wedding. I’m one of the groomsmen!

My parents still live in New Jersey, so after the wedding, we’ll get to celebrate Mother’s Day with my mom. Something I haven’t done in many years! We’re planning on going to a special brunch out, but if I had the chance to prepare a home cooked meal, I’d definitely serve the menu below. Check it out along with a sweet cocktail recipe infused with fresh, spring flavors.

Piña Para la Niña Cocktail Recipe

May 2, 2017 by Brandon Matzek

Cinco de Mayo is just around the corner, and today I’m sharing a fun cocktail recipe along with menu ideas for a spirited May 5 bash.

First, let’s talk about this Piña Para la Niña. Over the past year, Olmeca Altos has been my preferred tequila of choice, and today’s drink starts with their silver tequila muddled in a cocktail shaker with slices of fiery jalapeño. Pineapple juice, lime juice and a vanilla-infused syrup are added to the mix, bringing a bright and balanced taste of the tropics. Everything gets shaken with ice, then strained into a coupe glass. The citrusy notes of Olmeca Altos Plata blend beautifully with the pineapple and lime juice, while the jalapeño adds a little spark of intrigue. Sipping one of these from a coupe glass looks quite sophisticated, but the flavors are fresh and approachable. Continue reading for the recipe along with menu ideas for a Cinco de Mayo party!

Bagels with Smoked Salmon and Herbed Avocado Spread

April 28, 2017 by Brandon Matzek

Did you know that there are around 87 million pounds of avocados purchased for Cinco de Mayo celebrations here in the US? Crazy, right?!

Well given that we’re going to be in an avo frenzy over the next week, I thought I’d take a moment and share a recent project I’ve been having a lot of fun with! For the past few months, I’ve been developing recipes for the California Avocado Commission’s blog, The Scoop, and it’s been quite the tasty adventure. I’ve always been a big fan of avocados, but this recent project has really pushed me to use them in creative ways. For example: Bagels with Smoked Salmon and Herbed Avocado Spread. Ripe, creamy California Avocados are blitzed with lemon juice, cream cheese, chives, dill and black pepper until smooth. The finished spread is fresh, tangy and perfect on a toasted everything bagel. Blushing slices of smoked salmon are draped on top of the bagel, then adorned with traditional accompaniments like red onion and capers. Make this dish for a special brunch celebration or on any morning you just want to treat yourself. I’ve got a link to the recipe below!

Oh, and if you’re looking for tasty ways to use avocados for Cinco de Mayo, check out these recipes: Green Goddess Guacamole, Bacon and Tomato Guacamole, Roasted Fennel and Apple Guacamole.

Spring Lentil Salad with Asparagus and Burrata

April 13, 2017 by Brandon Matzek

Spring produce has officially arrived, and I am so excited.

Last week, I featured rhubarb in a tasty baked oatmeal recipe. This week, a vibrant lentil salad green with watercress, asparagus and fiddlehead ferns. The base of this salad is made of al dente green lentils tossed in a verdant watercress dressing. Asparagus and fiddlehead ferns are then quickly blanched and tossed into the mix along with more watercress. The salad is finished with luscious burrata and a sprinkling of flaky sea salt and black pepper. Each bite is so light and fresh. It’s spring made edible!

I’m actually partnering with Lentils.org on this recipe in celebration of their Spring Cleanse (more details below!). The green lentils in this recipe cook up in just 15 minutes, taking on a toothsome texture similar to al dente pasta. As soon as they’re drained from the hot water, they’re tossed with a vinaigrette infused with watercress, parsley and garlic, allowing them to easily absorb all those good flavors. The salad can be enjoyed warm or at room temperature! Continue reading of the recipe.

Strawberry Rhubarb Baked Oatmeal Recipe

April 6, 2017 by Brandon Matzek

Here’s a fun and seasonal baked oatmeal recipe perfect for breakfast this weekend!

Old fashioned oats are spiced with ground ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg, and baked with a vanilla scented mix of eggs and cashew-almond milk. Sliced rhubarb, flavored with sugar, orange and ginger, is swirled in before baking, and maple-sweetened nuts and seeds are sprinkled over top. As the oatmeal bakes, the rhubarb softens to al dente while the crunchy bits on top turn golden and glazed. Hot out of the oven, the oatmeal is finished with a mound of sliced strawberries. Each bite is warm and custardy with sweet-tart pops of rhubarb and strawberry. Perfect for a special brunch or just a casual weekend morning! Continue reading for the recipe.

Smoked Curried Chicken Salad

March 29, 2017 by Brandon Matzek

If you’re a fan of curried chicken salad, then you are absolutely going to love this recipe.

For the past 4 years, Jorge and I have smoked a turkey for Thanksgiving using a regular charcoal grill. Results are stellar, but the process is far from hands-off. Well, the good people over at Char-Broil recently sent me this Deluxe Digital Electric Smoker, and I’ll have to say, it makes smoking so easy. Simply place meat (or fish, or fruit or whatever) on the racks, add wood chips, set a temp/time, and walk away! The unit will regulate the heat source to maintain an even temperature, and one box of wood chips will last up to 10 to 12 hours! You can cook by setting a time or by internal temperature (measured with an attached probe). And the smoker even comes with a remote, so you can monitor temperature and time from inside the house. I’m not an expert at smoking, but the chicken I smoked for this recipe came out tender and juicy with a mouthwatering smoky flavor. So simple! Continue reading for some shots of the smoker plus a flavor-packed recipe from one of my new favorite San Diego restaurants.