From the Mager Kitchen

Cooking

Recipes, experiments & stories from a Chicago kitchen

Cauliflower Garlic Soup

soup

Cauliflower Garlic Soup

Three ingredients, one sheet pan, and a blender. Roasted cauliflower and a whole head of garlic blended into a velvety, dairy-free soup that somehow tastes indulgent.

Golden Dutch Oven Chicken & Saffron Rice

chicken

Golden Dutch Oven Chicken & Saffron Rice

A whole chicken browned on the stovetop, then slow-roasted in a Dutch oven over turmeric-saffron basmati rice. Cozy, hands-off, and spectacular for a Sunday.

Greek Chicken Casserole

comfort

Greek Chicken Casserole

A dead-simple one-dish Greek chicken casserole with orzo, feta, spinach, broccoli, sautéed onion, and lemon. Minimal cleanup, maximum flavor.

Spaghettio Sausage Soup

soup

Spaghettio Sausage Soup

Italian sausage, tiny sea shape pasta, crushed tomatoes, kale, and a Parmesan rind simmered into a brothy, deeply savory one-pot soup.

Chicken Cacciatore Casserole

casserole

Chicken Cacciatore Casserole

A cozy Italian-American casserole featuring shredded rotisserie chicken, San Marzano tomatoes, peppers, and mushrooms topped with melted mozzarella.

Green Chile Chicken Soup

soup

Green Chile Chicken Soup

A slightly spicy white chile with green chiles, chicken, corn, and hominy.

Green Curry Broccoli

comfort

Green Curry Broccoli

A quick and flavorful green curry with chicken and broccoli served over rice - simple weeknight comfort food.

Chicken Enchilada Lasagna

casserole

Chicken Enchilada Lasagna

A delicious fusion of Mexican flavors layered like lasagna, featuring shredded rotisserie chicken, corn tortillas, green & red chile sauce, and plenty of cheese.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

soup

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

A rich and creamy broccoli cheddar soup with sharp cheddar cheese, perfect for a comforting meal on a cold day.

Cottage Pie

comfort

Cottage Pie

A hearty cottage pie made with ground beef, following Alton Brown's method. Perfect comfort food for a cold day.

Slow-Cooked Pork Roast

meat

Slow-Cooked Pork Roast

A beautifully tender pork roast, slow-cooked in savory aromatics with an incredible crust. Works great with pork shoulder or bone-in pork chops.

Coconut Curry Chicken Soup

soup

Coconut Curry Chicken Soup

A light, comforting soup packed with vibrant flavor and healthy ingredients like butternut squash and lentils. It delivers all the richness of a curry without being heavy.

Chicken Pistachio Meatballs

meat

Chicken Pistachio Meatballs

A lighter, bright and nutty take on classic meatballs with chicken and pistachios.

Chimayo Turkey Chili

soup

Chimayo Turkey Chili

A hearty and warming turkey chili with a deep, smoky flavor from chimayo pepper, perfect for a cozy dinner.

Roasted Spatchcocked Chicken

meat

Roasted Spatchcocked Chicken

A reverse sear technique for perfectly crispy skin and juicy meat, every time.

Perfectly Seared Tomahawk Steak

meat

Perfectly Seared Tomahawk Steak

A foolproof recipe for a perfect medium-rare Tomahawk steak. Seasoned overnight with Holy Cow BBQ Rub, seared hot, and finished with indirect heat on the grill.

End Of Summer Grilled Zucchini Lasagna

casserole

End Of Summer Grilled Zucchini Lasagna

A lighter, summery lasagna using grilled zucchini instead of noodles, with mozzarella, ricotta, and a simple tomato sauce. Optionally spicy with Calabrian chilies.

Dutch Oven Pulled Pork

meat

Dutch Oven Pulled Pork

Incredibly tender, flavorful pulled pork made easy in a Dutch oven using a sear-first, low-and-slow braising method.

Meatballs

meat

Meatballs

A taste of Italy anytime, these meatballs will steal the show at any special occasion or a Tuesday.

Mac & Cheese

pasta

Mac & Cheese

My staple mac & cheese, just a few pantry ingredients and a lot of comfort.

Potatoes au Gratin

comfort

Potatoes au Gratin

A creamy and indulgent potato casserole, perfect for holiday gatherings, that will leave you and your guests wanting more every year.

Chicken Lemon Rice Soup

soup

Chicken Lemon Rice Soup

A staple soup that warms the heart and calms the soul.

Detox Chicken Soup

soup

Detox Chicken Soup

A delicious, healthy soup that will reset your system.

Zuppa Toscana

soup

Zuppa Toscana

One of the best soups to kick off the autumn season, a variation that uses chicken sausage

Thanksgiving Stuffing

comfort

Thanksgiving Stuffing

It's not Thanksgiving without the stuffing...

Rigatoni alla Vodka

pasta

Rigatoni alla Vodka

One of my go-to "last meals" that you need to try before you die.

Thanksgiving Turkey

meat

Thanksgiving Turkey

I stole this recipe from the November 2019 Bon Appetit. This expertly spiced & glazed turkey is cut into pieces, dry-rubbed overnight, and glazed continuously during it's slow cook. It's still the best turkey I've ever had.

Quarantine Chocolate Chip Cookies

comfort

Quarantine Chocolate Chip Cookies

Your new go-to cookie recipe, great for quarantining.