No. 30: Fresh Asparagus Salad

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 ½ to 2 lbs. asparagus, not too skinny

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil

• Fresh lemon juice to taste

• Rockerbox Garlic Pepper

• Freshly shaved Parmesan to taste

DIRECTIONS:

• Cut off the woody bottoms of the asparagus spears and discard

• Use a vegetable peeler to remove the dark green outer skin of each spear. You should get 3 or 4 ribbons from each one. Set aside. Cut the remaining stalks crosswise into ¼ inch rounds.

• Combine ribbons, sliced rounds, and tips in a large bowl. Drizzle asparagus with oil, then sprinkle with lemon juice to taste. Season with Garlic Pepper, then top with Parmesan.

This recipe also works with: Original Garlic Dust (add salt), Black Garlic Dust (add salt)

No. 17: Basic Vinaigrette Dressing

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 C extra virgin olive oil
• 3 Tbsp. or more good wine vinegar
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp spice (see below)

FOR THE SPICE, TRY:

• Original Garlic Dust or Roasted Garlic Dust
• Garlic Pepper (omit the salt in the recipe)
• Shallot Flakes
• 1/2 tsp Yellow Onion Dust. 1/2 tsp Garlic Dust
• Italiano Mix
• Everything Bagel Blend (omit the salt in the recipe)
• Garlic Flakes
• Tomato Flakes
• Truffle salt, in place of table salt.

DIRECTIONS:

• Combine all the ingredients in a blender and turn the machine on; a creamy emulsion will form within 30 seconds. Taste and add vinegar a teaspoon at a time, and spice a pinch a time, until the balance tastes right to you.

No. 31: Baked Asparagus

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 bunch of asparagus

• 1-2 Tbsp Olive oil

• Spice (see below)

For seasoning, choose one:

• 1/2 tsp. Black Truffle Salt

• 1 tsp. Black Garlic Dust

• 2 tsp. Garlic Pepper

• 2 tsp. Italiano Mix, plus 1/2 tsp. salt

• 1 tsp. Original or Roasted Garlic Dust, plus 1/2 tsp. salt

• 2 tsp. Sweet Corn Rub

• 2 tsp. Herbes de Provence

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 400F

• Snap off the woody bottoms of the asparagus. (Hold the asparagus stalks, one at a time, near the cut end, and snap it like kindling. Fortunately the asparagus breaks in just the right spot!)

• Place asparagus in a single layer on a cookie sheet, and drizzle the olive oil over it. Roll it around to make sure all the stalks are evenly coated, then sprinkle with the spice. Bake until tender or crunchy depending upon your preference, about 12 to 20 minutes.

No. 40: Creamy Sriracha-Horseradish-Garlic Sauce

This recipe is from the Accidental Locovore

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/4 C Sour cream

• 1/4 C Mayo

• 1/2 tsp. horseradish

• 1/2 tsp. Sriracha

• 1/2 tsp. Rockerbox Roasted Garlic Dust

• 1/4 tsp. Cayenne or chili powder

• Salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

• Mix it all up and use it as a vegetable dip, burger topping, french-fry sauce, taco sauce... you get the idea. (You can make it in advance and leave it in a jar in the fridge!)

SUBSTITUTION: This recipe also works with: Rockerbox Original Garlic Dust

No. 15: "Everything" Cream Cheese

This recipe is about as delicious and easy as it gets! You can follow my lead and spread it into mini sweet peppers, or just leave it in your fridge and spread it on your bagels/toast. Everything Bagel cream cheese is also excellent added to scrambled eggs, omelettes, sandwiches, or just as a dip for crackers. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 x 8-oz package cream cheese, room temp.
• 2 Tbsp. Rockerbox Everything Bagel Blend

DIRECTIONS:

• Mix the Everything Bagel Blend into the cream cheese (it's easier to mix into room temp. cream cheese than cold), and allow it to sit overnight for best results.

No. 14: Baked Broccoli

INGREDIENTS:

• Fresh broccoli, just enough to serve (this recipe isn't great leftover)

• Olive oil

• Spice (see below)

• Optional: freshly grated Parmesan

THIS RECIPE WORKS BEST WITH:

• Rockerbox Everything Bagel Blend

• Rockerbox Italiano Mix (add salt)

• Rockerbox Garlic Pepper

• Rockerbox Original Garlic Dust or Roasted Garlic Dust (add salt)

• Rockerbox Sweet Corn Rub

• Rockerbox Black Truffle Salt (a little goes a long way)

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 400F.

• Chop the broccoli into bite-sized pieces, discarding the tough skin on the stalk. Put it in a big mixing bowl.

• Drizzle the broccoli with olive oil, tossing it around the bowl to coat. You don't want your broccoli swimming in oil - you just want to lightly coat it. Then, sprinkle with your favorite spice until it's well-seasoned. Make sure each floret gets some spice - that's what makes this recipe so delicious.

• Empty the contents of the mixing bowl onto a baking sheet, spreading the broccoli out into a single layer.

• Bake for 10-15 minutes, checking at around 10 minutes to be sure it doesn't burn. If you like it crunchy, take it out just as the florets begin to brown. If you like your broccoli more well done, leave in for another few minutes. You can taste as you go (let it cool for a minute, if you do!)

• Remove from the oven and toss with freshly grated Parmesan, if you choose.

No. 13: Chai & Chia Smoothie

This recipe has endless possible combinations and variations. Don't be afraid to experiment - if you have a blender, add any kind of fresh or frozen fruit. Bananas, pears, and apples pair especially well with Chai. You can use fruits like this instead of using honey or maple syrup to sweeten your smoothie.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups milk (Any kind will work: dairy, soy, coconut, almond, etc.)

• 1/2 C chia seeds

• 1/2 C Greek yogurt

• 1/2 tsp. Rockerbox Chai Spice

• Honey or maple syrup, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

• Place all ingredients in a blender or mason jar and mix for 1 minute until completely smooth.

• You can drink it immediately, but the texture will be better after the chia seeds have had some time to gel. They'll absorb a lot of the liquid in the smoothie, thickening the overall texture.

TIP: When I'm in a rush, I avoid using a blender (so I have one less thing to clean), and opt for a mason jar and a blender ball, instead. Blender balls can be used for a lot of things, for example mixing up salad dressings.

No. 38: Mulled Apple Cider

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 cups apple cider
• 4 tsp Rockerbox Mulling Spice
• Optional garnishes: 4 cinnamon sticks, 1/4 C fresh cranberries

DIRECTIONS:

• Place all ingredients in a covered saucepan over medium heat for 8-10 minutes. Turn the heat off and let it steep for 30 min. Reheat, then strain and serve.
• Optional: Garnish each mug with a cinnamon stick and a couple fresh cranberries.

TIP: Try to get your hands on some fresh-pressed, unfiltered apple cider. It makes all the difference!

No. 37: Garlicky Meat Platter

This isn't so much a recipe as a suggested use for pickled garlic. It can be eaten just like a pickle, which means it pairs well with many different kinds of meats. I like to serve it alongside chunky mustard and salty/spicy cured meats. The vinegary, garlicky crunch of the pickled garlic is a really nice juxtaposition to the fatty, chewy, salty cured meat. Enjoy!

No. 36: Black Garlic & Charcuterie

This isn't so much a recipe as a suggestion: Black garlic pairs beautifully with cheese, much in the same way fruit does. It's simultaneously sweet and savory, and goes well alongside many different cheeses, meats, fruits, and nuts. Its presence on a cheese board is very striking if it's peeled, but can add an element of intrigue (and a conversation starter) if it's left unpeeled.

No. 12: Best Tuna Salad

This tuna salad is a year-round lunchtime favorite of mine. You can make it just a couple minutes, and it's a healthy salad that can be eaten as-is or on bread/toast. 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 green apple, skin on, cored and julienned (or diced)

• 2 stalks of celery, diced

• 1 can tuna in water

• 1/4 C mayo

• 1-1/2 tsp Rockerbox Garlic Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

• Mix together mayo and Garlic Pepper.

• Drain the tuna, and mix it into the mayo mixture.

• Add the celery & green apple, and serve.

SUBSTITUTION - This recipe also works with Original Garlic Dust; just add 1/2 tsp salt and some fresh black or white pepper, to taste.

No. 11: Slow-Cooked Chicken Chili

TIP: 

Optional toppings: Additional cilantro, shredded cheese, chopped green onions, thinly sliced red onions, sour cream.

If you don’t have a slow-cooker, you can also use a large oven-safe pot. Simmer on the stovetop at 350°, stirring occasionally, for 3 hours.

Add 1 tsp Yellow Onion Dust or Green Onion Dust for more depth of flavor.

This chicken chili recipe has unmistakable Mexican flavors, which is what makes it my ultimate favorite chili recipe. Bonus: it's super healthy and freezes well.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

• 1 x 16 oz. can black beans

• 1 x 16 oz. can kidney beans

• 1 medium chopped yellow onion

• 1 minced jalapeño pepper, or 2 Tbsp. minced Rockerbox Pickled Jalapeños

• 1 chopped green bell pepper

• 10 oz. pkg. frozen corn

• 1 x 8 oz. can tomato sauce

• 1 x 28 oz. can diced tomatoes

• 1/4 C chopped fresh cilantro

• 2 tsp. Rockerbox Garlic Flakes

• 2.5 Tbsp. Rockerbox Fiesta Mix

• 1 tsp. salt

DIRECTIONS:

• Combine all ingredients except the chicken and cilantro in slow-cooker. Stir to combine. Place uncooked chicken on top and cover. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours, stirring occasionally.

• 30 minutes before serving, pull the chicken breasts apart with two forks. Stir shredded chicken into slow-cooker and continue cooking. Top with fresh cilantro or any other desired toppings. Pairs well with cornbread or tortilla chips.

SUBSTITUTIONS - Garlic Flakes for Original Garlic Dust or Roasted Garlic Dust

No. 6: World's Best Hummus

Once you try Everything Bagel hummus, you won't ever want the plain stuff again. It's insanely delicious, and ridiculously easy to make.

INGREDIENTS:

• A 10-oz container of your favorite plain hummus (not the favored kind).

• 2 Tbsp Everything Bagel Blend

DIRECTIONS:

• Mix the Everything Bagel blend into the hummus and allow it to sit overnight. Serve alongside pita chips, pretzels, carrots, celery sticks, cucumber spears, or spread onto a sandwich for an extra savory component.

If you prefer to make your own hummus (which I definitely recommend trying!), here's Smitten Kitchen's "Ethereally smooth hummus" recipe.

SUBSTITUTIONS: This recipe also works well substituting Garlic Flakes for Everything Bagel Blend, for a purely garlicky hummus.

No. 4: Garlic Bread

Tip: The paste that you spread on the bread can be made ahead and stored in your fridge for up to a month. I like to make a few batches of it at once, and then making the garlic bread with dinner is a breeze - half of the above steps are already done!

When you have good garlic powder, making garlic bread is always a breeze. Just mix the powder with a little butter, spread it on bread, and toast it. BUT, if you want to go the extra mile for the PERFECT garlic bread, give this a try:

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

• 1 tsp Garlic Dust (Roasted or Original)

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

• 4-5 garlic cloves, grated to paste with a rasp-style grater

• 1 tsp water

• 1 loaf supermarket-style Italian bread, halved horizontally

DIRECTIONS:

• Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position. Heat oven to 450F. Combine garlic dust and water in medium bowl. Add salt, cayenne, and half the butter; set aside.

• Place remaining butter in a small bowl and microwave, covered, until melted - about 30 seconds. Stir in grated garlic and microwave, covered, until butter bubbles around edges, about 1 minute, stirring halfway through. Add this to the garlic powder-butter mixture. Whisk until a loose paste forms. (If the mixture melts, set it aside and let it solidify before using.)

• Spread butter mixture evenly on cut sides of bread. Lay bread cut side UP on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until butter mixture seeps into bread, 3-4 minutes. Remove from oven. Flip bread over and gently press baking sheet on top. Return to oven, leaving second sheet on top, and bake until sides are golden and crisp, 4 to 12 minutes, rotating halfway through baking. Cut each half loaf into 8 slices. Serve immediately.

SUBSTITUTION: This recipe also works with: Garlic Pepper (leave out half the salt)

No. 10: Easy Pan-seared Chicken

TIPS: 

-  Use vegetable oil or canola oil for pan-searing, because they have a high smoke point. That means the oil won't burn as quickly, which is what you need when you're trying to cook meat on the stovetop.

- This recipe is so quick and easy, it's great for a weeknight meal, or for guests. It's easy to translate this to smaller servings, too - this recipe only calls for 6 thighs because that's about the limit of what can fit into a standard cast-iron pan. To cook just a couple thighs, use a smaller pan (if you can). Cook time might be slightly less.

Dry rubs are the easiest, most rewarding way to season meat. Rockerbox BBQ Rub is perfectly formulated to season any cut of meat with the perfect balance of salt, garlic, onion, black pepper, brown sugar, and other complimentary spices. The best part about using dry rubs (as opposed to marinades) is there's no wait. You just rub the spice on the surface of the meat and toss it in the pan. All the flavor of the spice actually adheres to the meat. This isn't true for marinades, which actually don't permeate very deep and are left in the marinade bowl instead of in the pan. So, get creative - use any combination of dry rubs on your meat - this recipe is as flexible as it gets!

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs

• BBQ Rub

• Vegetable oil or Canola oil

DIRECTIONS:

• Pat chicken parts dry with a paper towel, and cut off excess fat, leaving the skin on.

• Preheat oven to 475F.

• Rub BBQ Rub over the chicken, coating every surface.

• In a cast-iron (or heavy oven-safe) pan, heat 2 Tbsp cooking oil on medium heat for 1 minute, until hot but not smoking.

• Nestle chicken in the pan skin-side down. Occasionally rotate the pan and rearrange the chicken thighs to evenly distribute the heat, until the fat renders and the skin is golden brown - about 12 minutes.

• Transfer skillet to oven and cook 13 more minutes.

• Flip chicken, continue cooking until skin crisps and meat is cooked through, about 5 minutes longer.

• Transfer to plate; let rest 5 minutes before serving.

SUBSTITUTIONS: BBQ Rub for Garlic Pepper or Roasted Garlic Dust (add salt)

No. 3: Easy Mussels & Butter

TIPS:

- Especially in a dish like this where the butter is a key ingredient, I love to use Kerry Gold Irish butter. It has a ton of buttery flavor.

-  If a mussel doesn't open even after you allow it a few extra minutes over the heat, don't eat it.

INGREDIENTS:

• Fresh mussels in the shell (a good rule of thumb is 1 lb per person for an entree)

• 1 stick (4 oz) Salted butter

• 2 cups dry white wine

• 3 tsp Garlic Flakes

• 3 tsp Shallot Flakes

• Fresh bread (optional)

• Lemon (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

• Rinse and scrub mussels under cold water

• Using your fingers or paring knife, remove beards (strings that hang from the mussel shells), and discard.

• In a large stockpot set over medium heat, combine wine, butter, and spices.

• Simmer 2 minutes.

• Add mussels and cover, increase heat to high.

• Cook until all mussels are open, about 5 minutes.

• Remove from heat, divide mussels and broth in bowls to serve. Serve immediately, with lemon wedges and grilled bread.

SUBSTITUTION: Garlic Flakes for: Garlic Pepper (use unsalted butter), Original Garlic Dust, or Roasted Garlic Dust, Italiano Mix

SUBSTITUTION: Shallot Flakes for: Green Onion Dust, Yellow Onion Dust

No. 7: Tuna Avocado Salad

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 ripe avocado, mashed

• 1 x 5-oz can Tuna in water

• 1/2 medium red onion, diced

• 1/4 C fresh cilantro, chopped

• Juice of 1/2 lime

• 1-2 tsp. Garlic Flakes, Original Garlic Dust, or Roasted Garlic Dust

• Salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

• Mash all ingredients together in a bowl, and let sit for 20 minutes, for flavors to meld.

• Spread over toast or eat with tortilla chips.

TIPS:

- Make the night before and store in an airtight container overnight. This is one of those dishes that's even better the day after.

- Add 1/2 tsp Yellow Onion Dust for more depth of flavor.

No. 8: Crispy Potato Sticks

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb. Potatoes (any kind will work, but my favorite are thin-skinned red, purple, or Yukon Gold because I can leave the skin on)

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil

• 1 Tbsp. Spice* (or to taste)

• Salt, to taste

*This recipe works best with the following Rockerbox blends:

• Everything Bagel Blend

• Italiano Mix

• Truffle Salt (use truffle salt sparingly)

• Garlic Pepper

• Roasted Garlic Dust or Original Garlic Dust

• Fiesta Mix

• Green Onion Dust

• Sweet Corn Rub

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 450°F.

• Slice potatoes into steak-fry shapes, and toss in a mixing bowl with olive oil, spice, and a sprinkle of salt (if there is no salt in the blend you're using).

• Spread on a baking sheet, allowing space between each piece. Bake on top rack for 30-50 minutes, or until potatoes are very crispy. Serve alongside your favorite BBQ sauce, ketchup, aioli, etc.

No. 5: Pico de Gallo

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 red onion, finely chopped

• 4 ripe plum tomatoes, seeded & finely chopped

• 2 fresh jalapeño peppers, seeded & diced

• 1/2 C fresh cilantro, chopped

• 2 tsp. Rockerbox Garlic Flakes

• 1 Tbsp. lime juice

• Salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

• Mix all the ingredients together, and allow them to sit for at least 1 hour prior to serving.

TIPS:

• No need to pluck the leaves off the cilantro - the stems taste just as good, and have a great crunch.

• Serve with tortilla chips, or use as a taco topping.

• Add a 1/4 tsp of Yellow Onion Dust for even more oniony flavor.

No. 9: Mulled Wine

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 medium lemons

• 2 medium oranges

• 1 1/4 C water

• 2 bottles dry red wine

• 1 cup granulated sugar or honey (optional)

• 1/2 cup brandy (optional)

• 2 Tbsp Rockerbox Mulling Spice, or one small jar.

DIRECTIONS:

• Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from the lemons and oranges in wide strips, avoiding the white pith. Place the zest in a large saucepan.

• Juice the lemons and oranges, and add the juice to the pan. Add the mulling spices to the saucepan.

• Add the sugar and water, and place the pan over high heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is reduced by about one third (about 20 minutes).

• Add the red wine and brandy, stir to combine, and bring just to a simmer (don't let it boil). Remove from heat, and strain into mugs. Serve hot.