Cooking with Legs

02/22/2026

12/28/2022

Seared Ahi Tuna, Porcini Risotto, with yellow squash ans zuchini

05/04/2022

Seared Lamb Chops with Asparagus

https://cookingwithlegs.com/seared-lamb-chops-with-asparagus/

We’ve all been feeling the pain of rising grocery prices. One side effect though is that lamb has become the same price as pork or chicken. I love lamb and figured this price match would cause several people to explore the protein. This is what I’ve found to be my favorite way to prep it.

To do this we’ll need:
50/50 blend of high temp oil and olive oil
1 stick of butter
Herbs:
Basil
Oregano
Tarragon
Parsley
4 toes of garlic
Salt
Pepper
Cavenders greek seasoning
SPG
Fresh cracked pepper

First thing we are going to do is cube and soften the butter. To that we will add the herbs, chopped garlic, a touch of cayenne and some salt.
Blend it together well and fold it inside of some cling wrap then set in the fridge

About 8-10 hours before you cook, add some salt pepper and cavenders to the lamb and place in the fridge.
Be sure to remove the lamb about 20-30 minutes before cooking it.

For the asparagus:
Asparagus- cut off the ends
Garlic
SPG
Good Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar

Chop the garlic and add the aspargus, SPG and about equal parts of olive oil and balsamic to a ziplock and let it rest in the fridge for a few hours to overnight.

Take a cast iron or thick bottom skillet and get it nice and hot.
Add in some of the blended oil. We are blending it because olive oil has a low smoke point and we don’t want it to rancid.
Sear the lamb for about 4-5 minutes a side on medium- high heat.
Drop the heat to medium low and add in some cubes of the compound butter to baste the lamb with. Let it cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Remove it from the heat and place some butter on top. Let it rest for ten minutes before slicing

While the lamb is resting take another skillet and add in the asparagus. Let it cook while the marinade reduced down and the asparagus starts to char:
Remove

Prep the lamb to your preferred temp:
Personally like it around 135.

Rare: 120-125 degrees F
Medium-rare: 125-130 degrees F
Medium: 130-135 degrees F
Medium-well: 135-140 degrees
Well-done: 140+ degrees F

Another side that goes great with this is roasted sweet potato and carrots

Enjoy!!

03/23/2022

Chicken Piccata

https://cookingwithlegs.com/chicken-piccata/

I’m not sure if this is a classic “Italian” dish or “Italian American.” I suspect the latter. Not that it’s an important issue to me; but, I know some people can be a little strict on what we call things. Either way, this is an absolutely delicious dish, that is easy to make and fast, making it an ideal kicker up weeknight dinner. It’s also elegant enough for a weekend, date night or to serve while entertaining.

This really is just that simple, so if you’re still learning to cook, or looking for an easy dish to take some stress off while entertaining this is definitely one to consider.

To make this you’ll need:
AP flour
SPG- 1 part coarse black pepper, half part salt half part garlic powder)
Crushed red pepper
chicken breast - butterflied and pounded even
1 shallot- diced
3-4 toes of minced garlic
Juice of one lemon
One additional lemon sliced
White wine- 1-2 cups
Chicken stock- equal amount as wine
Capers- drained and rinsed
Butter
Good extra virgin olive oil
Parsley- chopped
Pasta or vegetable to serve with - I prefer Angel hair

Once you’ve prepped the shallot, garlic and parsley, you’ll butterfly the chicken and pond them out evenly with a meat mallet.
Season both sides with SPG
Season flour with SPG
Dredge the chicken in the flour and set aside
Get your skillet or pan nice and hot and drop the heat to medium low.
Add in olive oil and butter
When the butter is melted and hot, add in the chicken and cook until browned on both sides (about 4-5 minutes a side)
Remove chicken and set on the side
Into the same pan add in the shallot and garlic (add some oil here if you don’t have enough)
After 30 seconds be sure to scrape the flavor bits off the bottom
Add in the white wine and let reduce by half.
Add in the capers, some parsley, crushed red pepper and the stock then let it reduce down a but more.
Add the chicken back in, along with more parsley and cover with the sauce and the lemon slices

Serve with a side of pasta and/or vegetable.

03/13/2022

-We’ll be back soon-

I wanted to take a minute to apologize for the break.
Over the last few weeks we moved. So, we’ll have a new kitchen setup when we return. I am looking forward to shooting and cooking for everyone in the new kitchen!
For now, here is what we did tonight.
NY Strip with a side of freshly sautéed Brussel sprouts and some classic Mac N Cheese.

For the Brussels, we sautéed them with some butter and olive oil, seasoned with fresh garlic, salt and pepper
For the steak, we seasoned them with Sea Salt and fresh cracked pepper then let them sit in the fridge for 8 hours. Then we seared them on the cast iron and basted them with some homemade garlic/herbed compound butter.

02/08/2022

We’ve been a little short on the posts lately; but, it’s because we were in the process of buying a house. Now that sale is complete and we are starting to move.
We’ll be back and posting with regularity after the move.
Thank you everyone for following and I am looking forward to getting back into the swing of things in the upcoming weeks.

01/27/2022

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01/14/2022

Quick Easy Tuna Salad Lunch

https://cookingwithlegs.com/quick-easy-tuna-salad-lunch/

This is one of the first things I discovered when I started dieting. It’s quickly become a staple for me. It’s reminiscent of my favorite cuisine- sushi. No this is not a form of sushi, it just reminds me of it and helps me fulfill the craving a bit. The best part is that it is ridiculously low in calories, high in protein and ridiculously easy to prepare.

All we need it:
2 pouches of starkest tuna
Sirache
Low or non fat Mayo
Cucumber

In a bowl combine the tuna, sirache and Mayo
Mix to uniformly combine
Slice cucumber into medallions
Put a bit of the tuna on each medalist

Eat and enjoy!
This worlds great as a low fat snack or lunch

01/13/2022

Creamy Avocado and Cilantro Dressing

https://cookingwithlegs.com/creamy-avocado-and-cilantro-dressing/

I’ve always enjoyed salad. Now that I’m trying to eat healthier and lose weight, I love salad even more. I’ve also always enjoyed making dressings and sauces. This dressing has been one of my favorites for a long time. I’ve tried buying similar dressings; but none offer flavor like this.
It’s so easy, you just take everything and drop it in a food processor or ninja, bottle it and you’re done. I’m unsure how long it is shelf stable for, because I’ve never had a batch last longer than a few weeks.

To make this we’ll need
Half an avocado
Your favorite Mayo- I use non or low fat
Handful of fresh cilantro cilantro
The juice of one lime -2 if they are really small
Avocado oil or olive oil if you done have avocado
Again, just throw all ingredients into a blender, mix until combined uniformity, transfer to a condiment bottle and done

01/07/2022

Ramen Soup- some would say this is fancy ramen

https://cookingwithlegs.com/ramen-soup-some-would-say-this-is-fancy-ramen/

This is really similar to Pho, with just a few slight differences incorporated. One of which is that I won’t be rinsing the noodle after they are cooked. I want that starch incorporated in the soup. The toppings will also be a bit different than in the case of pho. Additionally, we will be throwing that seasoning packet in the trash in favor of some bone broth or pho broth. Feel free to use those packets if you want, I’m trying to avoid the sodium overload offered by a packet of salt and chicken bouillon.

All that said what do we need? Use whatever toppings you like, I’m using these:

Ramen noodles- discard the seasoning packet
Green onions
Bone broth or pho soup broth
Garlic - thinly sliced
Ginger- grated or chopped finely
Bok choy- cut in subsections of 1/4 or 1/8 depending on size
Bean sprouts
Grilled or sautéed chicken breast cut into thin strips
Sliced Mushrooms (any kind you like)
Salt, pepper garlic powder
Cilantro -optional for garnish
Lime- optional for garnish

Cut the green onions via separate the white part and slice those large and finely slice the green.
You’re going to set the green aside as a topping.

Cook down the garlic and white part of the green onion until they are just tender then set aside
Cook down the mushrooms in the same manner.
I keep these repeated and will usually cook them in the same pan to save time
Blanch they bokchoy and beam sprouts in lightly salted water then set aside and lightly season with SPG
Soft boil and peal the egg
Heat of the stock in one pot and cook the noodles in the same pot you blanched them Bokchoy in. Do not cook the noodles long; we want them aldente, so that they finish in the bowl with the hot broth. I generally use 1 pack of noodles for 2 servings.

Garnish with any combo of green onion, cilantro and lime
You’re done!!
It’s that easy, now it’s just time for assembly.

Put some of the cooked ramen in a bowl, cover with your desired amount of broth and then put the toppings of your choice in.
If you are using the egg, be sure to cut the boiled egg on half. If you are using poached eggs, allow the diner the pleasure is breaking open the beautiful yellow yolk.

Hope you all enjoy turning our college life save meal, into a fun adult dining experience!

**tip- some sirache or Thai chili sauce are great little accompaniments for this
Additional tip- a Soft Boiled or Poached egg on top can really makes this soup sing for some**

12/30/2021

Maple Glazed Bacon Wrapped Shrimp

https://cookingwithlegs.com/maple-glazed-bacon-wrapped-shrimp/

This is easily one of Americas Best Classic appetizers! Who doesn’t love bacon wrapped- anything? If the Pig is a magical animal and the shrimps is the fruit of the sea…. Put the two together and you have a marriage made in heaven between the 2 most magical proteins. It’s literally a magical fruit. Not only that but it’s so easy to do, that it’s a crime not to do it.

To make this we need:
A pound of bacon strips cut in half
A pound of pealed and deveined Louisiana Gulf Shrimp (extra large or bigger) -leave the tail on.
Ground mustard
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Salt Pepper Garlic Powder
Cajun or creole seasoning

For the glaze:
Maple syrup
Honey
Half a stick of butter
Brown sugar
Smoked paprika

Peal and devein the shrimp, leaving the tail on.
Rinse and pat dry the shrimp
Mix together: ground mustard, SPG, garlic powder, onion powder and creole seasoning.
Season the shrimps and set to the side
Preheat oven to 400
Cut the bacon in half and place on a dry rack in an oven pan.
Bake the bacon for 5 minutes and remove to cool

While the bacon is cooling make the glaze:
Melt a half stick butter and add in honey, maple syrup, brown sugar and smoked paprika
Bring to boil and cook until thickened into a very thick syrup.
Turn off heat and set aside

Wrap the shrimps with the bacon and put a toothpick through to hold still. [if you wrap the bacon and slip the ends under the wrap you won’t need the toothpicks]

Bake an additional 5-10 minutes
Remove from oven and brush glaze on both sides of the shrimp.

Put into the oven for another 5 minutes then remove and serve
Garnish with green onion, chive or parsley

Enjoy

Tip: add some bourbon to the glaze and really kick it up big time!

12/28/2021

Mixed seafood in Butter and Wine Sauce over Angel Hair

https://cookingwithlegs.com/mixed-seafood-in-butter-and-wine-sauce-over-angel-hair/

This one is more about the sauce. You can put this sauce on a pair of old socks and it would taste good. I normally use this with shrimp or shrimp and scallops. This time; however, we came across a mix of shrimp, scallop, calamari and mussels at the aldi. I figured it was worth a shot, to use it with this foolproof flavor monster. The best part about this dish, aside from the seafood flavor, is that it’s only 550 calories per serving

For the sauce all you need is:
Butter
GOOD olive oil
White wine
Diced shallot
Minced garlic
Diced tomato - fresh preferred
Parsley
Basil
Crushed Red Pepper
Salt Pepper Garlic Powder
Cayenne Pepper
Angel hair pasta
Pasta water
Fresh grated parm cheese

To start off salt your pasta water and get it going
While you’re waiting for the water to boil, add some olive oil to a hot skillet and start rendering down the shallot
When the shallot are fragrant and clear add in:
Tomato, garlic, parsley, basil, SPG and Crushed Red Pepper.
When the garlic is fragrant, add in 2 k***s of butter
Once the butter is melted and incorporated add in half a cup to a cup of white wine, crank up the heat and let it reduce by half
When the wine is reduced add in the pasta to the salted pasta water.
While the pasta is cooking add 2 more k***s of butter to the sauce and let it melt in, then check and adjust seasoning. -add in cayenne
Add the seafood then add in the pasta.
Make sure you get some of the pasta water into the sauce also.
Mix all together and turn off the heat then add in the parm cheese and toss to incorporate

Serve this on a plate and garnish with more cheese and parsley.

Again, this is fantastic with any seafood and/or chicken.