Inspired By Travel

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Recipes, restaurants, and cooking
  • Quick and Easy, One Pan to Clean Fajita Tacos

    I LOVE fajitas - unfortunately, they are typically really time-consuming to cook at home because you have to cut pieces of raw chicken, marinate them, and then cook them. That's time-consuming but also messy, and frankly, it's just easier and more enjoyable to go to a restaurant so you get the pomp and circumstance of the sizzling skillet and fresh, steaming hot tortillas. While it doesn't quite bring it to your table, the new Foster Farms Sauté Ready chicken makes things SUPER easy to cook up awesome fajitas at home. All you need to do is add onions, peppers, toppings, and tortillas and you have a great family dinner in just about 30 minutes!

  • Mashed Potato Croquette Recipe and Game Day Cocktail Recipes

    Looking for a tasty treats to keep you warm and happy this winter? Here's some suggestions from our friends over at Guiness and Bulleit!

  • Gluten Free Carne Adovada Recipe

    I'm a fan of big bold flavors and when that combines with travel it's even better. Recently while on a trip to New Mexico I discovered a new recipe that I've now fallen in love with but have never seen outside of the state. It was a deliciously bold combination of red chilis and tender chunks of meat that almost melt in your mouth. So, like any self respecting foodie, the moment I got home I searched for what was in it so that I could make my own version of Carne Adovada!

  • California-Italian Inspired: Sausage, Roasted Jalapeno, Sun Dried Tomato Paccheri Alfredo

    I first met Giada de Laurentiis a few years ago at the opening of her first restaurant - a fabulous spot in the Cromwell Hotel on the Vegas strip. I'd become numb in terms of meeting celebrity chefs and foodpreneuers since most concepts were merely the celebrity's name and not much else. Giada was different though - not only was she there that night watching us take photos and videos but she even criticized us for taking too many pictures and letting the food get cold! So, when her PR person reached out a few weeks ago with an offer to send me some of her new line of Giadzy Pasta... I knew it was going to be good!

  • Super Duper Semi-Homemade Caramel Triple Apple Cake

    It's fall and that means that it's apple season and there is no shortage of amazing recipes to celebrate the harvest. Two of my favorites are Caramel Apples and Pecan Pie, so why not combine the two great flavors into one amazing dessert!

  • Crockpot Chipotle Carnitas Tacos Recipe

    Despite the political back and forth, Americans and Mexicans have a lot in common when it comes to what we love to eat. Sure, we might prepare things a little differently by trading one ingredient for another but at our core we share a lot of similar traditions. One of these that I'm exploring today is carnitas - or pulled pork as it would be called in the Southeastern United States.

  • How Much Does Premium Meat Really Cost a Family

    It's been a pleasure being an Ambassador for Perdue Farms during these past few months. I'm a big fan of premium products and since I was a kid, Perdue Farms has always represented something special. As a young man I didn't really understand my mother's shopping patterns and I was insulated from the sacrifices that my parents made to make sure that the food they served my sister and I was always the highest quality possible. Now as an adult myself and especially in times like this where frankly food and paychecks are both completely lacking in certainty the choice of paying for food that I know is simply better vs the one that is cheaper comes to mind weekly while filling out my delivery order. Should I go for that cheap ground beef or keep buying that one that I know had ethically raised animals by family farmers right here in the United States?

  • Where to Eat In Tucson on a Guys Trip

    Tucson, Arizona is one of the hidden gems for a guys trip. It’s a perfect distance for road trips from Phoenix and while a bit farther from San Diego and Los Angeles, it’s an easy drive for guys looking for golf, history, culture, and of course great Mexican Food!

  • Gluten Free Instant Pot Orange Chicken Recipe

     One of my favorite items to order for Chinese takeout is Orange Chicken. Unfortunately, like anyone with dietary restrictions and those simply trying to eat more healthfully, that's usually not a good choice. However, with a bit of inspiration and some tweaking I've come up with a solution that is super quick and easy to make as well as relatively healthy  for you. Plus, it's gluten free so my wife can enjoy it too!

  • Ultimate Ham, Apple, and Cheddar Grilled Cheese

    I love taking classic items and kicking them up a notch (or three?). One of my favorite lunches to make is a classic grilled ham and cheese. While there’s nothing wrong with simply throwing some random ham and cheese slices between pieces of bread and grilling it – we can do better than that! When you want the ultimate grilled cheese experience, it’s important to focus on the best ingredients available and that’s why this one stars Eckrich Black Forest Ham.

  • Sexy Ceviche and Tuna Tataki Recipes Zest Up Quarantine Romance

    Quarantine can be tough on all of us and romance can be a big loss when people spend too much time together. I know that initially it was great to spend more time at home but as things drag on... I can't wait to get some time alone. However, almost equally so I can't wait to get out in the world again and explore, relax, and experience new things again with my amazing wife. It seems like the folks at Temptation and Desire Resorts in Mexico agree so they've sent over two awesome "sexy recipes" to help get us in the mood until we can go visit...

  • Ultimate Mac and 11 Cheese Recipe!

    The trouble with going to other people's BBQs is that you can't be "King of the Grill" since it's their domain, but that doesn't mean you can't be king of the table and win bragging rights by having the biggest, baddest dish that everyone will be talking about next week at the office. Sure, anyone can bring "mac and cheese"... for goodness sake, it comes in a box and even college kids can make it. Let's dress this up a bit and make something that everyone will want a piece of.

  • Things You Probably Didn't Know About Matzo Ball Soup

    Matzo Ball Soup is one of my favorite winter treats - though if I was honest, I enjoy it all year round. However, winter is the best time to enjoy a steaming bowl of soup and so that's why I'm excited that we're back in season again. One of the things that is extra special about matzo ball soup though is it's history and cultural impact. While clearly it has evolved from Jewish / Hebrew cuisine but is widely enjoyed by religious and non-religious foodies worldwide today. Let's take a look at some things that make matzo ball soup special and why it continues to endure as a popular dish thousands of years later.

  • Cheesy Sausage Cups Recipe

    It's almost gameday and you need something manly that is easy to make, easy to cleanup and easy to eat on the couch. Here's a recipe for Cheesy Sausage Cups that you are sure to love and it features ingredients sourced entirely at Smart & Final.

  • Where to Get the Best Cheesesteaks in Philadelphia: An Eater's Guide

    Philadelphia is the birthplace of the cheesesteak, and where to find the best sandwich in town can be a contentious issue. For those looking for guidance, we've assembled a list of our favorite spots to get your hands on one of these iconic sandwiches.

  • Cinnamon Sugar English Muffins French Toast Recipe

    While many people might look at English muffins simply as a platform to hold melted butter and some jam, for me they are much more versatile than that. In fact while I love them for breakfast and brunch there are a bunch of other uses for them as well. You can find more of those on the Bays English Muffins website, but for today we created a special recipe that combines two of my favorite flavors – French Toast and Cinnamon Sugar Toast.

  • A Taste of New Orleans Food, Cocktails and Craft Beer

    New Orleans is a fascinating city with an incredibly unique blend of cultures and that makes it an amazing city for anyone looking to try something new. Like cities such as LA, New York, Chicago, and San Francisco, people think differently here and normal rules don't always apply. However, what New Orleans has that those other "foodie cities" don't is hundreds of years of deeply rooted traditions to help guide the influences of those different cultures. This results in not just "great restaurants" in different silos, but almost a bouquet of foodie options that generally traces it's way back to either Cajun or Creole roots. For me, this makes it infinitely more fascinating and enjoyable to explore.

  • Crunchy Rainbow Baked Chicken Tenders Recipe

    Sometimes you just need to have fun and that's what this recipe is all about. Chicken tenders are one of my favorite meals to order out at restaurants but they are insanely easy to make at home too. Let's have some fun though and kick it up a notch by adding some color and funky fruity flavor in the mixture. Everyone in your family will love these Crunchy Rainbow Baked Chicken Tenders... even adults!

  • Taking a Deeper Look at Keto Recipes - Sausage Bites and Roasted Radishes

    Everyone seems to be talking about doing a Keto Diet recently, but I'd never really looked into it that deeply. Plus, One of my resistances to going back on a diet like this was how people all too often abuse "Atkins" style diets. There's absolutely no debate in my mind that this style of diet works - I lost over 100 pounds following a very strict regimen... but then gained more back after quitting. The key to being able to succeed though is focusing on balance and creativity. So, with that in mind I walked around my local grocery store a few days ago and dreamed up two easy to make keto recipes. My conditions for success were: 1) it had to taste great 2) it had to have good colors that were visually interesting and 3) it had to be easy to make. Plus, ultimately it had to follow a fairly strict interpretation of the keto nutrition guidelines.

  • Frito Chili Pie Instant Pot Recipe

    Like most guys, I LOVE chili. I don't just love one style, I pretty much love them all. But no matter what I'm making, it tends to be a pretty labor and time intensive endeavor. However, with some help from Stubb's Cooking Sauce and my Instant Pot, the process is a lot faster. So, today I'm going to make one of my favorite meals - Frito Chili Pie!