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Spicy Smoked Gouda Dip

I posted this Spicy Smoked Gouda Dip as a video a while back on TikTok and it went viral. A bit crazy since I didn’t even think a lot of people would react that much to it. Some people kept asking me to…

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Sprinkled Cake Doughnuts

Nothing beats classic Sprinkled Cake Doughnuts for me. They’re hands down the best doughnut I’ve ever eaten. It’s the one…

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Meet the creator

I’m Jonathan Melendez

I’m a recipe developer, food photographer, content creator and cookbook author. I’ve called this little corner of the internet mine for over 10 years and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Thank you for reading and following along. It wouldn’t be possible without you!

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Cook Dinner With Us: Chili Cheese Dog Hotdish.

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#ad Come with me to @staterbros to pick up a few things for the Big Game. Their carne asada is top tier, which is perfect for carne asada fries—the ultimate game day snack. I also love their fresh cut fruit trays, and don’t forget to check out their bakery for a variety of football themed cupcakes, sweets and cookies. You’ll find everything you need there for hosting the best game day party! #staterbrospartner

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Cute little Boysenberry Hand Pies for this week’s cake stand treat. But really it can be any jam you like. Don’t let me have blow-dried my hair for nothing. Give it a watch!

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1 cup very cold unsalted butter, diced
1/2 cup ice cold water
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup boysenberry jam, or your favorite
2 tablespoons raw cane sugar

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt. Add the butter and work with your fingers or a pastry blender until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add the ice water and mix until the dough roughly comes together.

Transfer to a lightly floured work surface and knead a few times to really bring it together. Cut in half and wrap each half in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 1 hour or overnight. Can also be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Working with one dough disc at a time, roll out onto a lightly floured surface to about 1/4-inch thick. Use a 4-inch round cutter punch out circles. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the edges with egg wash and add about 1 tablespoon of filling onto the center of each.

Roll out the second dough disc and cut out circles as well. Place over the top of the filling and use a fork to crimp and seal the edges. Use a paring knife to poke a hole in the center of each to allow steam to escape. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with cane sugar.

Bake until deep golden brown and puffed up, about 18 to 22 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before serving. Enjoy!

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In honor of Super Bowl coming up, our Cook Dinner With Us LIVE this week (Wednesday 6pm PST) will be this Chili Cheese Dog Tater Tot Hot Dish. Grab the recipe on my site!

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Grab the full written recipe for this Cheesy Beef Enchilada Dip on my site!

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Bang Bang Chicken Wings, recipe below.

Wings:
2 pounds chicken wings, separated
Kosher salt and coarse black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated onion, divided
1 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic, divided
2 teaspoons Sriracha
2 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 cups cornstarch
Sauce:
1/2 cup mayo
1/4 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
3 tablespoons Sriracha
Thin-sliced scallions, for garish

In a large bowl, combine the wings, a large pinch of salt and pepper, 1 teaspoon granulated onion, 1 teaspoon granulated garlic, sriracha and the buttermilk. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour but the longer the better.

In a shallow dish, whisk together the cornstarch, pinch of salt and pepper, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon granulated onion and 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic.

Remove the chicken wings from the marinade, one at a time, and dredge in the cornstarch mixture making sure to pat them firmly so it sticks. Shake off excess and place in a greased air fryer in an even layer. Spray the wings with cooking spray and air fry at 400°F for 15 minutes. Flip over and continue to cook for another 10 to 12 minutes or until crispy and cooked through.

In a bowl, whisk together the mayo, sweet chili sauce and sriracha. Add the wings and toss to fully coat. Garnish with scallions and enjoy!

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Got a fun little retro video camera for Christmas so I’m trying to create some nice memories for Theodore when he gets older. Pasadena, CA // January 2026

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On the site today, these Concha Scones. They’re the perfect weekend bake, great with your morning cup of coffee or tea. Grab the recipe on my site!

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Had some ripe bananas lying around and thought a banana coffee cake would be delicious. And it was. The perfect weekly cake stand treat.

Streusel:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup chopped nuts
Cake:
2 large very ripe bananas
1 large egg, room temperature
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper and grease lightly with baking spray. Set aside.

For the streusel, in a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Add in the melted butter and work with your fingers until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the oats and nuts and chill until ready to use.

For the cake batter, in a large bowl, mash the bananas until smooth. Stir in the egg, brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, buttermilk and vanilla until well combined. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and stir until evenly incorporated. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan and smooth out evenly. Top with the streusel and press down gently.

Bake until the center has set and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before slicing and serving. Enjoy!

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Cook Dinner With Us: Easy Ground Beef Sesame Noodles.

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These broccoli, cheddar and ham pot pies are the perfect weeknight meal. Super comfy super cozy super yummy. Grab the recipe on my site!

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In honor of @sumocitrus season, I’m resharing these incredibly delicious Sumo Citrus® Shortbread Bars. They’re the perfect winter treat and a great way to use up all that #SumoCitrus.

Crust:
1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons fresh Sumo Citrus® zest
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and diced
Filling:
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons fresh Sumo Citrus® zest
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
6 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
¾ cup fresh squeezed Sumo Citrus® juice
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
Powdered sugar, for serving

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.

For the crust, in a food processor, add the flour, sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon and zest and pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the dough roughly comes together. Dump out into the prepared pan and press down into an even layer. Bake until lightly golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.

For the filling, in a large bowl, combine the sugar and zest. Use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar to bring out the flavor. Stir in the flour and salt. Add the eggs, vanilla, Sumo Citrus and lemon juice and stir until well combined.

Pour into the pre-baked crust and return to the oven. Bake until almost fully set in the center, about 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 2 hours. Remove from the oven, dust the top completely with powdered sugar and then slice and serve. Enjoy!

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Happy 40th Birthday to the one and only @thejulianclark. Like a fine wine, he just gets better with age. A hard worker. An amazing father. And, probably most important, a very sexy husband. Really though, he has me to thank for fixing his style, his hair and telling him to grow out a mustache. 💁🏻‍♂️ All jokes aside though, I’d be lost without him. Lucky to get to spend my life with this man. ❤️❤️

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Why settle between chicken salad or chicken pot pie when you can have both? This chicken pot pie salad is perfect in sandwiches!

Aioli:
1 whole egg
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 cup avocado oil
2 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves
Chicken Salad:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
2 ribs of celery, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt and coarse black pepper
4 sprigs fresh thyme leaves
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
3/4 pound shredded rotisserie chicken

Combine the egg, lemon juice, white vinegar, mustard, salt, oil, garlic and tarragon. Using an emersion blender blend on high until well combined, thick and creamy. Set aside.

For the salad, melt the butter in a sauté pan. Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic and cook until softened, about 10 to 12 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt, pepper and fresh thyme leaves. Turn off the heat and stir in the frozen peas. Allow to cool completely.

In a large bowl combine the shredded chicken, cooled veggies, and as much of the homemade aioli as needed to create your desired chicken salad consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour before serving in sandwiches or with crackers or sliced vegetables. Enjoy!

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Cook Dinner With Us: Chicken Tortilla Soup.

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Took a much needed work break for the holidays but back with something crazy.

1 1/2 cups warm water
1 teaspoon sugar or honey
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
2 cups crushed hot Cheetos

Combine warm water, sugar and yeast i. The bowl of a stand mixer. Allow to rest for 10 minutes until foamy. Add the flour and stir until combined. Then add the salt and half of the crushed up hot Cheetos. Mix with the dough hook on medium until the dough comes together and is smooth.

Transfer to an oiled bowl, cover and let rise for 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface and add the remaining crushed up Cheetos. Knead and fold in the chips and shape into a ball. Transfer to a proving basket, cover and let rise for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, place a Dutch oven in the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F.

Place a sheet of parchment paper on top of risen dough and invert. Make a slit on top and carefully transfer to preheated Dutch oven. Bake covered for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes or until see golden brown.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!

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🍷 & 🧀 Advent Calendar Countdown to Christmas Day 22.

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These savory everything bagel shortbread sandwich cookies, from the archives, are always a must during the holidays!

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🍷 & 🧀 Advent Calendar Countdown to Christmas Days 20 & 21.

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🍷 & 🧀 Advent Calendar Countdown to Christmas Days 18 and 19.

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