Serena Wolf is a chef and food blogger whose latest cookbook, "You Do You," features more than 100 recipes for easily adaptable and flexible dishes.
Wolf joined "Good Morning America" on Saturday to share four recipes perfect for football watch party season.
Check out the recipes in full, then try them at home in your own kitchen.
Yields 8 servings (as an appetizer)
Ingredients
4 ounces thinly sliced Genoa salami, soppressata, or pepperoni (no more than 2 1/2 inches in diameter)
1 cup full-fat ricotta cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino Romano, plus extra for serving
1 tablespoon Calabrian chili paste, plus extra to taste
4 teaspoons honey, plus extra for serving (optional)
Pinch Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus extra to taste
16 fresh basil leaves, 8 roughly torn and 8 stacked, rolled, and thinly sliced
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Arrange the salami in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. (The salami will shrink as it cooks, so it's fine if the slices are touching, but make sure they don't overlap.) Bake for 12 minutes, checking at the 10-minute mark just to make sure the salami isn't burning, or until lightly browned and starting to wave around the edges. Transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to cool completely.
Meanwhile, add the ricotta, pecorino Romano, Calabrian chili paste, honey, and salt to a food processor or the smaller cup attachment of a high-speed blender. Process until very smooth and fluffy with no hint of graininess (this can take up to a minute), stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice if necessary. Add the torn basil and process just until incorporated -- there will be flecks of green in the mixture. Taste and season with additional salt and chili paste if needed. Transfer the ricotta mixture to a piping bag or a small plastic, zipper bag with one corner cut off, or simply use a small spoon to dollop the ricotta onto these bites. (The cheese mixture can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days if you wish to make it ahead.)
Arrange the crispy salami slices on a serving platter. Pipe or spoon a dollop of the ricotta onto each slice. Grate a little Pecorino Romano over the bites, sprinkle with the thinly sliced basil, and drizzle with a little extra honey if you like. Serve immediately.
Yields 4 servings
Ingredients
For the garlic buns:
4 brioche burger buns
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) salted butter, softened
1 garlic clove, grated or finely minced
2 teaspoons very finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
For the burgers:
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 pound ground chicken (ideally 92% lean)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup marinara sauce, plus extra for serving
4-ounce ball fresh mozzarella, sliced into 4 rounds
8 fresh basil leaves (optional)
Directions
Position an oven rack as close to the broiler as possible and preheat the broiler on high.
Place the buns cut sides up on a large rimmed baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, garlic, and parsley. Evenly spread the garlic butter on the cut sides of the top and bottom halves of the buns.
In a medium bowl, combine the egg, ground chicken, Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Use your hands to gently mix just until incorporated. With damp hands (running your hands briefly under water will help you make neater, smoother patties), form the meat mixture into four 3/4-inch-thick patties and place them on a cutting board or plate lined with parchment or wax paper. (The patties will be quite soft.) Make a small indentation with your thumb in the center of each patty to keep it from puffing up as it cooks.
Heat the oil in your largest nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Carefully add the burgers to the pan, thumbprint side down. (A greased fish spatula can be helpful in transferring the soft burgers to the pan, but it should be manageable with damp hands.) Cook for 6 minutes, undisturbed, or until browned on the undersides and beginning to firm, then flip with a spatula. Immediately spread each burger with 3 tablespoons marinara sauce and top with a mozzarella round. Cover the pan and cook for 5 minutes more, until the cheese is melted and the burgers are cooked through.
While the burgers are cooking, place the prepared buns underneath the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the edges of the buns are lightly browned and crispy. (Keep a close eye on them -- they go from golden to burnt very quickly.)
Serve the burgers warm on the garlicky buns with extra marinara for dipping. If desired, add 2 basil leaves on top of each burger for a pop of fresh herb flavor.
Yields 4 servings
Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing
1 small white onion, minced
3/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus extra to taste
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 pound ground pork
2 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra to taste
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Juice of 1 orange (about 1/3 cup)
Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
6 tablespoons yellow mustard, divided
Twelve 6-inch (fajita-size) flour tortillas
12 thin slices smoked or honey ham
1 cup grated Swiss cheese
For the dill pickle guacamole:
2 large ripe avocados, halved and pitted
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons brine from pickle jar
2/3 cup minced dill pickle slices
1/4 packed cup fresh dill fronds, finely chopped
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and salt, and cook for about 5 minutes, or until very soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, just until fragrant. Add the pork, oregano, cumin, black pepper, and crushed red pepper, and cook for about 6 minutes, stirring and breaking up the meat into small pieces with a spatula until no longer pink. (You should have minimal fat in the pan, but if there looks to be more than a couple teaspoons, drain the meat mixture in a colander and return it to the pan before adding the spices.) Stir in the orange juice, lime juice, and 2 tablespoons of the mustard. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 3 minutes, or until most of the citrus juices have been absorbed. Taste and season with additional salt and black pepper if needed. Turn off the heat and cover the pan to keep warm.
Very lightly brush the tortillas on both sides with olive oil. Place 6 tortillas on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 3 minutes, or until the tortillas are very pliable and easy to fold. Transfer the warmed tortillas to a cutting board. Place the remaining 6 tortillas on the baking sheet and bake for 3 minutes.
While the second batch of tortillas is in the oven, start assembling the tacos. Spread 1 teaspoon mustard on one side of each tortilla. Place a piece of ham on each tortilla. Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of the pork mixture to one half of each tortilla, followed by a heaping tablespoon of cheese. Fold the empty half of the tortilla over the filling to close the taco. Press down for at least 10 seconds to help the taco stay closed. Transfer the assembled tacos to the baking sheet, leaving a little space between each one.
Bake the tacos for 7 minutes. Gently flip them over (just nudge each taco onto its opposite side with a spatula) and bake for 5 to 7 minutes more, or until browned and lightly crisped. Transfer the tacos to a paper towel-lined platter or baking sheet to cool for at least 5 minutes. (They will be extraordinarily hot and you're likely to torch your taste buds if you try to eat them right away!)
Meanwhile, scoop the avocado flesh into a small bowl. Add the lime juice and pickle brine, and mash with a fork until relatively smooth. Stir in the chopped pickles and dill. Taste and season with salt if needed and as much black pepper as you'd like.
Serve the tacos alongside the guacamole, or gently open each taco and add a generous spoonful of guacamole inside before closing it up again.
Yields 6 muffins
Ingredients
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2/3 cup stone-ground yellow cornmeal
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup grated zucchini (grated on the large holes of a box grater; about 1 medium zucchini)
1/2 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons honey
1 large egg
Directions
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once it's melted and frothy, turn off the heat and let it cool for a few minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl.
Place the grated zucchini in the center of a clean dish towel. Gather the material around the zucchini, then twist the towel tightly over the sink to wring out the excess moisture. Scatter the dried zucchini strands over the dry ingredients.
Add the milk and honey to the saucepan with the slightly cooled butter and whisk to combine. Add the egg and whisk again.
Pour the wet ingredients from the saucepan over the dry ingredients and zucchini. Mix just until there are no dry spots in the batter. (Really try not to overmix here!) Let the batter rest for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Grease six wells of a standard muffin tin with butter or cooking spray. (You can alternate wells just in case the muffin tops spread a bit.)
Carefully pour the batter into the greased muffin wells. You should have enough batter to completely fill each well.
Bake the muffins for 16 to 18 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let the muffins cool in the tin for 10 minutes before removing.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Recipes reprinted with permission from "You Do You" by Serena Wolf.
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