30 minute meals, broccoli, side dish Chris Whonsetler 30 minute meals, broccoli, side dish Chris Whonsetler

ROASTED BROCCOLI

Truly the best broccoli you will ever eat. Bright, crispy, caramelized, savory, it ticks all the boxes!

Straight from Episode 6! Elevate your side experience with this roasted broccoli recipe. Never again will you risk soggy broccoli after trying this. The bright lemon and savory pine nut/Parmigiano Reggiano combo paired with the crispy caramelized florets will leave your taste buds in shock and wanting more. Putting the finishing touches on this dish should be the last thing you do before sitting down for your meal. Its at its best straight out of the oven.

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One of Lodges griddles would be perfect for this recipe! Make sure to preheat and brush with a light layer of extra oil to help prevent the broccoli from sticking.

Shop Lodge Cast Iron

Total prep & cook time ~ 30 min

Equipment:

  • Sheet pan

  • Large mixing bowl

  • Oven/Smoker

Ingredients:

  • 2 large bunches of broccoli cut into florets

  • 4 garlic cloves, sliced

  • 3-5 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 lemon

  • 1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano

  • 3-4 tablespoons pine nuts

  • Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

  • Preheat oven or smoker to 450º

  • Wash and dry the broccoli thoroughly.

  • Place broccoli in a large mixing bowl with the garlic, salt and pepper, drizzle with just enough olive oil to coat broccoli when tossed.

  • Roast in oven/smoker for 20-25 minutes, or until the tips of the broccoli florets are browned to your liking.

  • While broccoli is cooking, toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat. Be mindful the pine nuts take a while to develop color and burn really fast once they start.

  • When broccoli is done transfer to a serving bowl, zest the lemon into the bowl and squeeze the lemons juice over the broccoli. Also add a light drizzle of olive oil if desired.

  • Add the toasted pine nuts to the bowl and freshly grate the Parmigiano Reggiano

  • Enjoy piping hot!

  • Share your meal with us using #OkayestCook

Hot Tips:

  • For an extra flavor kick add a dusting of your favorite BBQ seasoning

  • The Parmigiano Reggiano is where its at! Pre-grated parmesan is ok if its all you have but 100% worth the good stuff. You will not regret.

  • This dish is best reheated in the oven, avoid the microwave, you will regret it. Best case scenario is to finish it in one go.

Support Okayest Cook

Yeti is by far our favorite cooler brand. Outside of keeping things cold we love to rest briskets & pulled pork in ours.

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breakfast, bread, griddle, 30 minute meals Chris Whonsetler breakfast, bread, griddle, 30 minute meals Chris Whonsetler

MILK BREAD FRENCH TOAST

The best french toast recipe I’ve made.

The best french toast I’ve ever made! 90% due to the fact I used milk bread from Amelias (check out our episode with owner Charlie McIntosh). Make with whatever bread you have on hand, just make sure its thickly sliced. I experimented with bread that has dried out overnight and fresh, honestly I preferred the fresh. Didn’t come out soggy with the bread I used. Great solid/crisp texture outside with a custardy interior. I can’t recommend using milk bread. Game Changing Good.

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French toast in a cast iron is an absolutely perfect match! Mine is a little small for this project though.. I’ve got plans to snag the griddle Lodge makes, would make pancakes and big batches of french toast a breeze!

Shop Lodge Cast Iron

Total prep & cook time ~ 30 min - Makes 8 - 10 slices

Equipment:

  • Blender

  • Large shallow bowl

  • Griddle or large skillet

Ingredients:

  • 8-10 THICK slices of MILK BREAD

  • 2/3 cup milk

  • 4 large eggs

  • 1/4 cup flour

  • 1/4 granulated sugar

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (get the real stuff! 100% better than imitation)

  • 3-4 tablespoons butter

  • Pure maple syrup

Directions:

  • Preheat your griddle to ~350º or preheat the skillet over medium heat.

  • Add milk, eggs, flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, vanilla to blender and blend until smooth. The blender is WAY easier to get the flour lumps out, but using a whisk is an awesome arm workout.

  • Pour batter into your bowl and add bread in a single layer, soak bread for 3-5 minutes, flipping once or twice. Experiment this this timing, its more critical than you may think. Also 100% dependent on your type of bread and how thick you slice.

  • Melt a 1/4 TBS pad of butter on griddle and place battered bread on top.

  • Cook bread until a light golden, 2-3 min, flip and cook until light golden.

  • Place on baking tray and throw in a 350º oven for 10 min to finish cooking.

  • Serve immediately with a 1/4 TBS pad of butter and pure maple syrup, or toppings of your choice.

  • Share your meal with us using #OkayestCook

Hot Tips:

  • Stale bread might be better! We recommend buying fresh, slicing and leaving on your counter for a day or 2 before making if you want to go this route.

  • MILK BREAD IS WORTH IT! Find it, make it, you gotta try it out.

Support Okayest Cook

Yeti is by far our favorite cooler brand. Outside of keeping things cold we love to rest briskets & pulled pork in ours.

Shop Yeti
Read More
soup, 30 minute meals, pasta Chris Whonsetler soup, 30 minute meals, pasta Chris Whonsetler

SPICY SAUSAGE TORTELLINI SOUP

A unique soup that will leave you craving more. Creamy, spicy & rich, this soup will tick all of your winter soup boxes.

This is the soup Chris and Stephanie referenced as their notable meal in EP44 Kitchen Accidents. This dish is pure delight. Its the perfect balance of rich & creamy with umami undertones and will satiate the most ravenous of eaters.

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Aprons from Hedley & Bennett are built to stand the abuse from the most rugged cook. have the style options to match any persona. We adore our old school camo print apron.

Shop Hedley & Bennett

Total prep & cook time ~ 30 min - Makes about 10 cups

Equipment:

  • Smoker

  • Stove Top

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound ground Italian sausage

  • 1 yellow onion

  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed then minced

  • 3 Tablespoon flour

  • 1 Tablespoon Spiceology shiitake powder

  • 1 teaspoon dried basil

  • 1 teaspoon oregano

  • 1 teaspoon cayenne

  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce

  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust as necessary, start lighter if unsure)

  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

  • 1 cup heavy cream

  • 5 cups chicken stock

  • 2 cups chopped kale

  • 2 cups cheese tortellini

  • Salt to taste

Directions:

  • Quarter the onion and smoke for 30-60 min at 200º (optional)

  • Brown the sausage (Ep3 You Are Browning Meat Wrong)

  • Dice the onion, add to sausage and cook until soft, about 10 min

  • Add the garlic and cook for 1 min

  • Add the flour and cook 1-2 min

  • Add remaining dry ingredients & stir

  • Add broth and scrape the up fond with a wooden spatula (caramelized bits of food on the bottom of the pan)

  • Slowly add heavy cream, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer

  • Add the kale and tortellini and simmer 5 min.

  • Serve while its hot!

  • Share your meal with us using #OkayestCook

Hot Tips:

  • If making in bulk to food prep we recommend cooking and storing the tortellini separately, it may get too soggy if stored in the liquid too long.

  • We LOVE Tapatío Hot Sauce, choose your favorite

  • MeatEaters Gnome on the Range is a killer substitute for the shiitake powder, just be aware it contains salt, so watch how much you add, you probably do not need more.

Support Okayest Cook

Yeti is by far our favorite cooler brand. Outside of keeping things cold we love to rest briskets & pulled pork in ours.

Shop Yeti
Read More