Roasted Brussels Sprouts
I’ve never liked brussels sprouts. It’s probably because I didn’t eat them growing up and have rarely had good ones since. Brussels sprouts are cruciferious vegetables along with cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage. I’ve developed a real affinity for caramelized cauliflower and roasted broccoli, and I like to grill some bok choy as a side for my barbecue, so I figured I’d try to roast some brussels sprouts as well. The results were better than I hoped. I...
Read MoreBacon-Wrapped, Pimento-Cheese-Stuffed Jalapeño Poppers
My Creamy Pimento Cheese recipe makes almost 2 quarts of the delectable southern spread. I usually make it for guests, but I also make it for the wife when she’s craving some. In those situations, there’s always a good amount left over. I try to be creative with the ways I incorporate it into other dishes. We make things like pimento cheese grits, pimento cheese burgers, and pimento cheese omelets. But my favorite way to finish off the leftovers is to make jalapeño poppers. Do you...
Read MoreHomemade White Pizza
I’ve been experimenting with white pizzas lately. White pizza is a northern, olive-oil based pie that’s made its way south with the growing prevalence of NY-style pizzerias. It can be as complex or as simple as you want to make it. I still haven’t mastered the art of making good pizza crust. Much of my disappointment stems from the fact that I can’t replicate a domed, brick oven at home. There are all kinds of hacks to superheat the top of a conventional oven, and...
Read MoreThe Best (And Cheapest) Way To Make Schnitzel
The wife and I love wiener schnitzel. Every couple of months, I’ll wreck the kitchen by preparing a table full of schnitzel, spaetzle (mini dumplings), sweet and sour cabbage, and German-style potato salad. My only problem with schnitzel is that veal is so expensive. And when you’re buying scallopini, you pay even more for less. At some point—I’m not really sure when—I stopped using veal in my recipe altogether. Frying foods is a bit of a production. If you’re...
Read MoreChinese Marbled Tea Eggs
When the wife and I were at the Lu San Chinese Garden in Portland, we sat down for some tea and snacks. I ordered a marbled tea egg, which is an egg that’s been hard-boiled and simmered in a mixture of tea and soy sauce and other aromatics. I thought it was delicious and decided I’d try to make some myself. Apparently, The marbled tea egg is the Chinese equivalent of the American hot dog. It’s sold in malls, at sporting events, and on street corners. I can’t decide if...
Read MoreSautéed, Fresh Green Beans
A year or so ago, the wife went to the farmers’ market with me. That’s a very rare occurrence since she hates grocery shopping the way I hate being stranded in large department stores, forced to “watch the cart while I try this on.” Anyway, she bagged a couple of pounds of fresh green/string beans while I was in the cooler doing something or other. She asked how I usually like to prepare them, and I replied, “from a can.” She decided she would cook them...
Read MoreHomemade Lox (Gravlax)
I love lox, or gravlax, to use the precise word. There are few food combinations that I think go as well together as lox, capers, and crème fraîche. Purists will argue that there are cultural and culinary differences between lox and gravlax. That was definitely true in 1913, but it’s not so true in 2013. Cured salmon seems to merely be referred to as lox unless the smoke is an integral part of the brand marketing process (or unless it’s from Nova Scotia). Buying lox in large...
Read MoreScallops With Jalapeño Vinaigrette
As I mentioned before, I’m trying to cook seafood at least twice per week. I’m pretty good at cooking fish, but I’ve had to check out some cookbooks from the library to keep our meal rotation from getting stale, so to speak. I stumbled upon a recipe from Chef John’s Food Wishes blog that really impressed me. Not only did it taste delicious, but it went from the refrigerator to the table in about 20 minutes. There’s even a video that displays all of the steps...
Read MoreGrilled Portobello Burgers
I love mushrooms. This is one of the few ways the wife will eat mushrooms at all, so I embrace it. We’ve been trying to cut the fat and cholesterol in our diets. That doesn’t mean we’re avoiding meat. It just means we’re swapping out a standard ingredient every now and then for a healthier alternative. We’ve been grilling portobello mushroom burgers for a while now, and it’s one of the best grilled sandwiches you can make. Grilled Portobello Burgers 2 large...
Read MoreClam & Shrimp Chowder
I love clams. Actually, I should specify that I love canned clams. Growing up, I used to eat them straight out of the can as a snack. You can imagine the looks I got from people trying to figure out why the hall in my fraternity house suddenly smelled like a fish market. “What’s that smell,” they would sneer impertinently. “It’s heaven,” I would reply. One of the best things about Lent is the excuse to eat seafood on Fridays. As part of my new eating...
Read MoreThe Best Oatmeal
I’ve dropped about 15 pounds in the last four weeks. As part of my new eating regimen, I’ve been heating up some oatmeal each morning. It helps to keep my cholesterol down, keeps me full until lunchtime, and tastes great. I didn’t like oatmeal growing up. That was because I ate the pre-flavored instant varieties that taste like flour and have the consistency of wallpaper paste. I figured I could do better, and I did. I started by buying what’s commonly accpeted as the...
Read MoreShrimp & Grits
Shrimp and grits was originally a peasant dish, meaning it’s supposed to be cheap and easy. That’s why I have a problem paying $20 for it at restaurants that have jumped on the haute southern cuisine fad of late. My version of the dish isn’t necessarily the cheapest or the easiest, but I think it’s one of the better versions out there. My version of shrimp and grits follows the traditional Charleston method of preparing the grits with some chicken stock, and my shrimp...
Read MoreDIY NC-Style Barbecue Sauce
My family makes Christmas gifts for one another. Although I usually do a little woodworking, I also like to make some consumables. Last year, I made some homemade BBQ rub. This year, I made some homemade BBQ sauce. Although I’m in South Carolina, I’m in the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains. My county line is the state border, so I’m surrounded by mustard-based, SC-style BBQ, as well as vinegar and pepper-based, NC-Style BBQ. I like both sauces (my mustard-based sauce...
Read MoreAbout The Author
Chad Chandler is a strategic marketing consultant and web developer to small businesses in the Upstate region of South Carolina. Learn more. 
As an experienced marketer and an avid social media user, I keep a hobby blog. It mostly exists as a public scrapbook for my out-of-state family. Feel free to take a look around and see what you like.
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