Pregame Honey-Lime Sriracha Salmon

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Pregame Honey-Lime Sriracha Salmon

Contributor: LeBron James.

LeBron James requires no introduction. I’m fairly certain that the entire world knows who LeBron is. And rightly so—he has won two NBA Championships, four NBA Most Valuable Player Awards, two NBA Finals MVP Awards, two Olympic gold medals, an NBA scoring title, and the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. He’s also incredibly charitable and is featured in many international advertising campaigns by multiple brands and in feature films. (I think he was the best part of the movie Trainwreck.) He’s even hosted Saturday Night Live—and was funny! (If you missed it, go Google “LeBron James Solid Gold SNL” right now.) I asked LeBron (thank you, Maverick) to share his favorite game day meal, and he sent me this recipe for seared salmon over coconut quinoa with steamed broccoli, topped with a Sriracha-cilantro-lime drizzle and shredded coconut. It’s not only a tasty, colorful dish to serve at your fangate, but it’s also a fantastic dish to eat if you’re an athlete fueling up for game day. Enjoy!

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Bacon Guacamole

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Bacon Guacamole

I mean, be serious. Guacamole is one of the most delicious foods on the planet. But as I discovered while I was tinkering around in the kitchen in preparation for an afternoon of World Cup viewing, guac can be so much better with bacon! I like this rendition of my more classic guacamole recipe (page 247) because it’s got great texture. Guacamole is a bit mushy, but when you add in the crispy bacon, there’s so many more layers to enjoy. And I don’t use just any bacon to make this recipe—it’s thick cut all the way for chunks of crispy, porky goodness in every bite!

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Black Bean Salsa

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Black Bean Salsa

Contributor: Mark Schlereth.

If you’re like me and watch ESPN regularly, then you know Mark Schlereth. In fact, that’s where I met Mark—when I was up at the campus visiting. Mark’s both a talented radio and TV sportscaster. And certainly it goes without saying, with an NFL career like his, he was a pretty good football player, too. During his 12 years in the NFL, he played in two Pro Bowls and won three Super Bowls—one with the Washington Redskins and two with the Denver Broncos.

This is Mark’s black bean salsa recipe, which he recommends you serve with his Green Chile Eggs Benedict.

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Smoked Old-Fashioned

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Smoked Old-Fashioned

Courtesy of THE TENNESSEAN Hotel

Wood chips
2 oz. Angel's Envy Bourbon
1/2 oz. Simple Syrup (1 part sugar and 1 part water)
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
2 dashes Fee Brothers Old Fashioned Bitters
Garnish: Orange twist and cherry

Invert an old-fashioned glass over smoldering wood chips for a few seconds until the glass fills with smoke. Set aside, upside down, to trap the smoke. Add the remaining ingredients to a mixing glass. Fill with ice and stir. Strain into the prepared old-fashioned glass and add a large ice cube or sphere. Garnish with an orange twist and a cherry.

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Crème Brûlée Cheesecake

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Crème Brûlée Cheesecake

Makes 1 (9-inch) cheesecake

Crust:
2 cups firmly packed vanilla wafer crumbs
1⁄3 cup sugar
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1 large egg white, lightly beaten

Filling:
4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 1⁄2 cups plus 1⁄4 cup sugar, divided
6 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup sour cream

Garnish: sugared fresh raspberries

Preheat oven to 300°.

For crust: In a small bowl, combine vanilla wafer crumbs, 1⁄3 cup sugar, melted butter, and egg white, stirring to combine well. Press firmly on bottom and up sides of a 9 1⁄2-inch springform pan. Bake for 8 minutes; set aside to let cool.

For filling: In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and 1 1⁄2 cups sugar with a mixer at medium speed until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour, beating just until combined. Stir in sour cream. Spoon batter into prepared crust. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes; turn oven off. Leave in oven with door closed for 4 hours. Remove cheesecake from oven. Gently run a knife around edge of pan to release sides. Let cool completely in pan. Cover, and refrigerate for 8 hours.

Evenly sprinkle remaining 1⁄4 cup sugar on top of cheesecake. Caramelize sugar with kitchen torch until sugar is melted. Remove sides of pan to serve. Garnish with sugared fresh raspberries, if desired.

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Pumpkin Trifles

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Pumpkin Trifles

Makes 8 Servings

  • 1 cup canned pumpkin
  • 1 (8-ounce) container frozen nondairy whipped topping, thawed and divided
  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, divided
  • 11⁄2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup gingersnap cookie crumbs
  • Garnish: whipped cream, pumpkin pie spice, gingersnaps

 

In a medium bowl, combine pumpkin, 1⁄2 container whipped topping, 1⁄2 cup confectioners’ sugar, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until well combined; set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, remaining 1⁄2 container whipped topping, remaining 1⁄2 cup confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth.
In small glasses, layer cream cheese mixture, gingersnap cookie crumbs, and pumpkin mixture. Garnish with whipped cream, pumpkin pie spice, and gingersnaps, if desired.
 

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Sweet Potato–Sage Soup

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Sweet Potato–Sage Soup

Makes 1 1/2 Quarts

  • 4 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (32-ounce) container chicken broth
  • 6 sage leaves
  • 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and
  • chopped
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Garnish: cooked bacon, sage leaves

 

In a Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon, and set aside. Add onion to Dutch oven and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, and cook for 1 minute. Add broth, sage, potatoes, and curry; cover, and cook until potatoes are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat, and let cool for 30 minutes. Puree potatoes with an immersion blender, or in 3 batches with a regular blender. Return to heat, and add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with bacon and sage, if desired.
 

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