What do I miss about living in Dallas? Tex-Mex! This creamy, cheesy, queso dip is one of my Tex-Mex faves (minus the Velveeta), and a perfect appetizer when feeding a crowd!

*note: Be sure to shred the cheese yourself! Pre-shredded cheese has preservatives in it  that will make the sauce clump together, preventing proper melting.)

For the taco meat:

1/2 pound of ground beef (or ground meat of choice)

1/2 of a pack of taco seasoning (I use McCormick or make my own seasoning blend)

For the Queso dip:

2 Tablespoons butter

1/3 cup yellow onion, chopped

1 Tablespoon Serrano and Jalapeño peppers, diced (half it if you don’t want as much spice)

4 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tablespoons of all purpose flour

1 can of evaporated milk (12 oz)

1 can of mild Rotel (use hot for added kick)

1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, freshly shredded (NOT pre shredded)

1 cup mild Cheddar cheese, freshly shredded (NOT pre shredded)

1/2 tsp Chili powder

1/4 tsp Cumin

1/4 tsp white Pepper

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

1/4 tsp Sazón seasoning (I use Loisa brand)

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Finger-licking saucy, tender, barbecued goodness! And you don’t even need to fire up the grill! Here’s my simple recipe for meaty beef ribs that you can make right in your oven.

BEEF BACK RIBS RECIPE: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

6 pounds Beef back ribs (this was about 12 ribs)

2 tablespoons Worcestshire

1 tablespoon Liquid Smoke

2 tablespoons Mirin

2 tablespoons Vegetable or Olive oil

1/4 cup Light Brown Sugar

1 teaspoon Ground Mustard

1 teaspoon Onion Powder

1 tablespoon Habanero Sea Salt or kosher salt

1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika

1 teaspoon Sweet Basil

1 teaspoon McCormick Mediterranean blend

Barbecue Sauce to taste when done cooking

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place your ribs out on a cutting board or in a baking dish and evenly pour all your wet ingredients over them (except barbecue sauce— save this for a final step after cooking). Massage these ingredients into the ribs to coat. Then sprinkle all the dry ingredients evenly over your ribs, and again massage, being sure to get the rub distributed over the entire rib. Place ribs into gallon ziplock bags (or cover baking dish tightly with plastic wrap) to marinate for 3-24 hours in the refrigerator.

2. Once marinated, remove your ribs, and place on a foil-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Cover the ribs with a second sheet of foil and fold in the edges all the way around to create a pouch. Make sure these edges are sealed tightly so that no steam can escape while cooking.

3. Place your baking sheet of ribs in a 250 degree oven and slow cook for about 4 hours. You can check after 3 1/2 hours to see if the meat is tender, but 4 hours usually does the trick for me.

4. Once ribs are fully cooked, remove them from the oven and turn on your broiler setting. Carefully open just a corner of the foil pouch and drain the fat from inside into your sink. After draining, completely remove the top sheet of foil to uncover the ribs. Brush them generously with barbecue sauce and place under your broiler just for a couple minutes for the sauce to caramelize. Watch this closely so as not to burn. Remove from the oven, serve with your favorite barbecue sides and enjoy!

Here by popular demand! Today, I’m sharing my super simple Peach Berry Cobbler! I’ve made lots of cobbler from scratch with delicious, fresh peaches, but this recipe is perfect for those times when they sadly aren’t in season, or you just don’t feel like putting in so much elbow grease. This cobbler comes together easily and is always a crowd-favorite. Please be sure to post your photos, and tag me over on Instagram (@siggib) when you make it!

PEACH BERRY COBBLER RECIPE: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 bag of frozen peaches (10 ounce bag)

1/2 bag of frozen mixed berries (the brand I used came in a 16oz bag)

1/4 teaspoon bourbon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon lemon zest, grated

1/2 lemon, juiced

1-1/2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs, beaten

2 sticks butter, melted

DIRECTIONS

1. Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, combine fruit, vanilla extract, lemon zest and lemon juice. Mix ingredients together well, then spread mixture evenly into a sprayed baking dish (I used a 12”x8.5” dish).

3. In another bowl, combine flour, sugar, and eggs. Stir until flour starts to clump together in small pieces, taking on a “crumbly” appearance. Do not over mix.

4. Pour the flour mixture evenly over the top of your fruit in the baking dish.

5. Evenly pour melted butter over the flour.

6. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 45-55 minutes. (Note: sometimes I like to finish off the last few minutes at 425 degrees just to deepen the color on the crust. Optional!)

7. Let cool 5 minutes before topping with some vanilla ice cream and serving. Enjoy!

The moment you’ve all been waiting for: My signature fried chicken! This dish is my go-to for feeding large crowds, and honestly, needs no further introduction, so I’ll just give you the deets:

BUTTERMILK FRIED CHICKEN RECIPE: Makes 8 servings

USEFUL TOOLS FOR THIS RECIPE:

Instant Read Thermometer

Metal Tongs

2 Wire Racks

Dutch Oven

INGREDIENTS:

4 pounds of chicken (approximately 30 wings, tips already cut off)

3 quarts of Vegetable oil

BUTTERMILK MARINADE:

32 ounces Buttermillk

4 tbs Kosher salt (about 1 tbs per pound)

2 tbs Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning

1/2 yellow onion - cut into large slices

5 cloves of garlic - smashed

1 bay leaf

FLOUR DREDGE:

(*note: I make two separate bags of this)

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning

1 teaspoon ground mustard

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon granulated garlic

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper (optional, but it’s the right amount of kick

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place your chicken in a large mixing bowl. Add all your marinade ingredients over the chicken, then use your clean hands or a wooden spoon to mix thoroughly. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8-24 hours (no more than 24 or chicken texture will break down. I’ve found that around 15 hours is my sweet spot.)

2. When your chicken is done marinating, remove it from the refrigerator. Put together all your flour dredge ingredients in a large ziplock or paper bag. Seal your bag tightly and shake vigorously to mix all dry ingredients well.

3. Begin the first round of flouring by using tongs to remove one piece of chicken at a time from the marinade. Shake excess marinade off, and drop the piece into the flour dredge. Once you’ve dropped in 5-6 pieces, close the flour bag tightly and shake to coat each piece well with flour. Remove each floured piece from the bag with your tongs and place in a single layer on a wire rack on top of a baking sheet. Repeat this flouring process, a few pieces of chicken at a time, until you fill your wire rack.

4. Once full, place the entire baking sheet into the refrigerator to rest for 20 minutes, which will allow the coating to stick properly to the chicken.

Making one of my all-time favorite recipes for you guys: a juicy, flavorful turkey burger! Try these out, and be sure to tag me in your photos over on Instagram (@siggib). Please like, subscribe, and comment below!  Thanks for watching! -Siggi

TURKEY BURGER RECIPE: Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound ground turkey (I prefer dark meat)

1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce (I use Trader Joe’s Island Soyaki)

1 tablespoon olive oil

A few shakes of Liquid Smoke

1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

A few shakes of red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt (Diamond Crystal is always my brand of choice)

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 slice whole wheat bread, toasted and crumbled

1 tablespoon fresh Parlsey, chopped

1/4 cup yellow onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

TOPPINGS I LIKE:

Brioche burger buns

Barbecue sauce

Pepperjack cheese

Lettuce

Beefsteak tomato slices

Dill pickle chips

Caramelized onions

Bacon

Sautéed mushrooms

Bleu cheese...

The possibilities are endless!

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Wet hands with cool water (so that the meat will not stick to your hands) and mix everything together well.

2. When sufficiently mixed, begin forming 1/4 pound burgers into patties. Patties should be about an inch thick. Place formed patties onto a plate and cover with plastic wrap. Place the plate into a freezer for about 20 minutes so that the patties can stiffen up slightly and hold their shape when cooked. After 20 minutes remove the plate from the freezer and pre-heat your oiled grill or skillet to medium-high.

3. Once hot enough, place burgers on the cooking vessel and cook for approximately 5 minutes on each side, or to be more exact, until the center of the patty reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit on an instant-read thermometer. Melt cheese on top of burgers, assemble with your favorite toppings, and enjoy!

Let’s get spicy! I’m sharing some fond memories while preparing my favorite burrito bowls! Try this recipe out, and let me know what you guys think! All recipes listed below!

SHRIMP BURRITO BOWL RECIPE

*Note: While I’m preparing my Pico, guacamole, and shrimp, I like to simmer a can of black beans on the stove in a small saucepan on low heat, stirring occasionally. I use the exact same seasoning mix of spices to simmer these beans that I use for my shrimp. This gives the beans enough time to absorb the seasoning and give our burrito bowls some additional flavor. The following recipes makes enough for about 3-4 burrito bowls in my household. Enjoy!

TORTILLA CHIPS

INGREDIENTS:

8 White corn tortillas (use more if you’d like a larger batch of chips)

Canola oil spray

Sea salt, to taste (I used Jacobsen Salt Co. Habanero salt for added spice)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Stack white corn tortillas and cut them into 6ths (or whatever size you prefer).

2. Arrange as many as you can in a single layer on a baking tray (no need to oil the tray or use foil).

3. Mist the tortillas lightly with canola oil spray, then sprinkle with sea salt to taste.

4. Bake tortillas at 350 for 12-15 minutes until crisp, turning the tray halfway through to bake evenly.

PICO DE GALLO:

Ingredients:

4 Roma tomatoes (chopped)

1/2 cup white onion (chopped)

1/2 Serrano pepper (diced) (adjust according to desired heat level)

1/4 jalapeño pepper (diced) (adjust according to desired heat level)

3 garlic cloves (minced)

2 tbs fresh cilantro (chopped)

1 whole medium lemon (juiced)

Kosher salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Add all prepared ingredients to a medium-sized bowl and mix until well-incorporated.

GUACAMOLE:

Ingredients:

2 large avocados

1 whole lime (juiced)

2 cloves garlic (minced)

1/4 of a jalapeño pepper (diced) (adjust according to desired heat level)

1/4 of a Serrano pepper (diced) (adjust according to desired heat level)

1/4 cup red onion (chopped)

1 tablespoon Cilantro (chopped)

White pepper to taste

Salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. With a mortar and pestle (or a spoon and a medium sized bowl) mash garlic up with the diced peppers and lime juice to make a sort of spicy paste.

2. Next, add your avocados to the bowl, as well as the remaining ingredients. Mix everything together with pestle or a fork until avocado is smooth and all ingredients are well-incorporated.

SHRIMP

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound of medium- sized shrimp, chopped into bite-sized pieces (I defrosted and used one bag of frozen 21-30 shrimp, peeled and deveined.)

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic powder

1/4 Onion powder

1/2 teaspoon Smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

1/4 teaspoon dried Oregano

1/2 teaspoon Ground white pepper

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

A dash of cayenne

DIRECTIONS:

1. Prepare your shrimp as needed (peel, devein, pull tails off and chop).

2. In a medium bowl, mix shrimp pieces with all seasonings.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a skillet on medium heat. When hot, add shrimp to the skillet and allow to cook for a minute or so until you can see them begin to turn pink. Once the shrimp has started to turn pink, begin to sauté using a spatula, turning shrimp over to cook evenly. This should only take another minute or so until shrimp is fully cooked and pink throughout.

4. When shrimp is finished, assemble your bowl to your liking! I start with some white or brown rice as my base, then add my seasoned black beans, shrimp, pico, and guacamole. Garnish with some freshly chopped cilantro and serve with tortilla chips on the side!