Early next week the Royals take on the Houston Astros. With its proximity to Mexico, Texas gets a huge boost in culinary influence from its neighbors to the Southwest. There’s nothing that pairs with classic Mexican cuisine or the blended Tex-Mex foods better than a great margarita. This is, in my opinion, the ultimate, end-all-be-all version. No store-bought mix for me. I want the true acidity from fresh s ...

There are so many dishes that New York City is known for.  Black and white cookies are one iconic items that you find in almost any deli or bakery you step into. For the Royals series with the Yankees this weekend I am bringing you a different take on the classic sweet with Black and White Pudding.  You get the mix of rich chocolate and creamy vanilla without the pain of frosting a ton of cookies. To add a ...

The Royals have been taking on the Tampa Bay Rays this week. In honor of the two wins we have over them so far (the 3rd game is being played as I write this today) let’s celebrate by noshing down on a classic Tampa Bay dish: the Cuban sandwich. Obviously Florida has a lot of influence from Caribbean imports and we can be thankful for this inspiration of cuisine. The Cuban has got to be one of my favorite sa ...

In honor of the Royals' series with the Indians this week I am bringing you a sandwich that hails from Cleveland. Big and indulgent, a full meal in and of itself: the Polish Boy. It is a Polish kielbasa piled onto a bun with coleslaw, French fries and barbeque sauce. I’m adding my own spin to the dish by creating a simple coleslaw out of sauerkraut for a bit of extra bite.   Polish Boy Polish Kielbasa ...

One of the best ways to start off any party is to hand your guests a drink right when they walk in the door. A nice way to do this is to have a specialty cocktail available that is easy to mix beforehand and simple to serve, and is light and refreshing to not weigh anyone down right off the bat.   I made this blood orange punch for my last gathering and it was a big hit. It was an excellent aperitif to ...

I love hosting people for many types of parties so I’m constantly trying to figure out the best way to feed a crowd without completely breaking the bank. A pasta dish seems to always be the best go-to when you have a lot of hungry mouths to feed for little dough. A meaty red sauce is a classic, favorite pairing.   Instead of using straight hamburger I add extra flavor and heat with a hot Italian sausag ...

With Opening Day happening earlier this week, minds are turning towards summer. Ready for the sun, warmth, being outdoors, game days, beers in hand. I also find my brain wishing for the summer produce, such as my favorite sweet, fresh, in-season corn on the cob. There isn't much better. But until the day that corn actually shows up in the farmer’s markets I make do with the frozen stuff.   This recipe ...

Going on a bit of a “Mexican Feast” trend for a couple of weeks now here on Batter Up and Fry. Started off last week with an appetizer of guacamole and next week I’ll bring you one of my favorite Tex-Mex inspired sides. This week I have for you a quick and easy main course: quesadillas. This version features the spicy kick of fresh chorizo, a little added heft with mashed beans, and a gooey cheesiness thank ...

One of my closest childhood friends is coming to visit me next week from her current home of Mexico. When I visited her in her there a couple of years ago I spent a lot of time on the beach scooping up big bowls of guacamole. Nothing much better than sun, sand, snacks and cold beer (along with great friends). Though the sun and sand may be far off, guacamole is never more than a few minutes work away. The o ...

There’s the promise of warmer weather on the horizon. Not quite upon us yet, but the first whiffs of spring waft through the windows, the sun feels a little brighter, there are hints of green dotting the parks. I’m longing for the days that I can go for a long walk without a jacket and I know many of you are waiting with baited breath for baseball games to come back full swing. In anticipation of all the ex ...

I am once again conquering breakfast this week. This time with something a little sweeter: doughnuts. I adore a good doughnut but always hate the idea of making them at home—the frying is a pain and ends up making the whole house smell, so when I came across a recipe online for baked doughnuts I was in. These are soft, with a perfectly tender interior, not too sweet on their own (which is great when you are ...

When there is an early game you really need something hearty and filling to help you make it through the hours of cheering and drinking you have ahead of you. That’s why I like to start off with a solid breakfast, like the classic biscuits and gravy. This is a dish I will forever associate with home, family and holidays. You just don’t see it done here in New York City all that often (or at least done well) ...

It’s hard not to love a great deviled egg. This classic picnic/potluck dish is making a big comeback, even showing up on the menus of some of the hottest restaurants in New York City. One of my favorite versions of this humble dish is one I came across while studying abroad in Spain during college: the huevos rellenos at a favorite tapas bar. They were filled with tuna and tomato, creating a protein laden, ...

It’s Valentine’s Day—time to get into the kitchen and whip something up that shows your special someone how much you care. I’ve got just the thing: this creamy, dreamy chocolate mousse. Light, with notes of coffee and rum and just a hint of salt, it is the perfect sweet treat to end any special meal (or perhaps a special game or even to celebrate the 1 year anniversary of writing for your favorite Royals ba ...

Three days after the Super Bowl and I feel like I am STILL recovering from the overdose of heavy, cheesy, game-day foods. With a large group of Midwesterners (and a few others) gathering together in Queens we had quite the spread: little smokies, Rotel dip, cheese plates, jalapeno poppers, pizza, cupcakes, king cakes, meatballs, guacamole, ice cream cake, puppy chow, homemade beer, etc. After consuming all ...

The Super Bowl is upon us. Time for one of the ultimate sports parties of the year: full of beer, snacks, pizza, wings and friends. I know I am definitely looking forward to my friend’s annual potluck party here in New York City. For my contribution this year I will be bringing these jalapeno poppers. I love their heat and creamy, cheesy filling and the crunch from the breadcrumbs baked on top. My favorite ...

It’s cold out there. "Don’t want to step out of your house for fear of your nose falling off" cold. So I am choosing to stay bundled up indoors whenever possible. A special treat to keep you warm as you are cuddled up on the couch this week is a steaming mug of Hot Buttered Rum. The boiling water poured into the cup keeps those fingers from getting tingly and numb and the rich, butter-filled booze warms you ...

I know it is easy to fall into a rut when it comes to side dishes, preparing the same ones over and over. So much focus goes into coming up with a main dish that by the time we get around to what to serve alongside it our energies have been exhausted. This is where I find that scouring blogs and food websites really helps to up my game. There are so many options out there besides simple mashed potatoes or s ...

When the mercury drops towards freezing the first thing I usually make every year is a pot of chili. It is a dish that I love dearly, but just can’t bring myself to eat during the warmer months.  It is heavy, spicy and ideal for warming you up from the inside to protect you from the chill. One of the best things about chili is that you can put almost anything in it, making it hard to screw up. It’s also sim ...

Hope you have all been having a wonderful holiday season. I have been missing Kansas and family more than usual this week of course. To help drown the sorrows of being away from home for the holidays I have been cooking, eating, and drinking like crazy. With New Year’s Eve coming up next week and lots of college bowl games on the horizon (and, oh, yeah… I guess there’s one more Chiefs game to watch) there a ...