My daughter and I went to see a movie with friends last week and of course we had to stop and have a meal at the Silver Diner first. I had a sandwich that came with a side of coleslaw. There was corn in the coleslaw. I was surprised. I had never had corn in slaw before. So, when I wanted to make fish tacos, which I absolutely love to eat, but usually make with a mango slaw, I decided to make my own corn slaw, and I have no regrets. Not only was it the perfect accompaniment to this taco, but I could eat it by the spoonful. OK, full disclosure, I did. You will love this and add it to your repertoire!

This is Mama Miche, and today in my magic kitchen: Avocado Toast

I came to a realization while working on the 2 e-cookbooks we are ever so close to releasing. That realization was that I've been cooking for a long time, and many of the recipes and techniques that I think are easy may not be easy for a new cook. This recipe is something anyone, even a total novice or newbie, can make. I promise it doesn't get any easier than avocado toast. It's toast. And an avocado smashed with some avocado oil and Twice Stolen Spice™. You can be a purist or top with bacon, fried egg, cottage cheese caprese, chili oil, and so much more! It's simple. You wanna be Sigma in the kitchen?

This is Mama Miche, and today in my magic kitchen: Taco Dip

I love to dip. And if you're not looking, I might even double dip. Dips are used to add flavor or texture to food, such as potato chips, tortilla chips, pita bread, dumplings, crackers, raw and cooked vegetables, fruits, seafood, falafel, and sometimes even whole sandwiches, in the case of jus. According to Wikipedia, chips and dip gained significant popularity in the United States during the 1950s, partly due to a Lipton advertising campaign for their French onion dip. Specialized trays and serving dishes designed to hold both chips and dip were created during this time. Thank you, Lipton… from the bottom of my belly. This taco dip is simply spectacular and can be made in minutes and devoured just as quickly!

Y'all, gazpacho is so damn refreshing! Its origins are in Spain, and it's a cold soup that is perfect on a hot day. Now, I know it's a soup, but it's sort of a finely chopped salad that you eat with a spoon, too, isn't it? I jest not about the refreshing part. It really is an instant body sensation that happens with that first spoonful. It's fresh and zest and delicious. Simple and super easy to make. Perfect for the summertime since it involves no heat source whatsoever. It can be so hot during the summer that you just don't wanna cook. And you don't have to. How cool is that?

This is Mama Miche, and today in my magic kitchen: Smothered Smashburgers

Not to be confused with Smash Mouth or Hulk Smash! A hibachi grill, ground meat, and some aggression are all you need for a great Smashburger. It's a simple recipe that anyone can master, and we like to smother ours with caramelized onions and cheese. Why? Because cheese makes everybody happy… unless you're lactose intolerant (sorry about that). And the caramelized onions hit it with just a touch of sweetness.

This is Mama Miche, and today, in my magic kitchen: Surf and Turf Skewers

It's the unofficial start of summer, Memorial Day, when Americans remember the soldiers who died for our freedoms. God bless them and their families.

It's also the season of food on a stick. From fairgrounds to backyard BBQs. If you were with us last summer, you know that kebabs or skewered foods of any kind are magical to me. I don't know what it is; it's just a vibe.

This is Mama Miche, and today in my magic kitchen: Smokin' BUTT* Shoulder

Y'all know I medicate with cannabis. I micro-dose all day, and that includes smoking it, but when it comes to smoking meat? My hubster is a rock star. He truly is the king of the grill and smoker, and when he upped his own damn game by coming up with the recipe for our Memphis Mojo Rub, he took the smoker to a whole 'nother level. There's an art to smoking meat, and he is the Monet, Picasso, Van Gogh, and Klimt of the smoker.

The unofficial start to summer is Memorial Day, and what a great way to spend it: smoking meat! Any of the long summer holiday weekends are perfect for this delicious recipe. But why wait for a holiday? Make any weekend special with a great smoked butt! (or shoulder)

This is Mama Miche, and today in my magic kitchen: Warm Potato Salad

Y'all hear me talk a lot about easy peasy lemon squeezy macaroni cheesy recipes. This one takes the cake. There aren't any lemons, macaroni, or cake in the recipe. To be clear. But it's all that! It's the perfect side for any protein. Grilled or cooked in the kitchen main dishes all year round, this side of potato salad hits!

This one is relatively new in my repertoire, but it's a keeper!

This is Mama Miche and today in My Magic Kitchen: Kebabs Part 4

The final installment on kebabs. For now. We started with lamb and we will end by doing some lamb again, but oh so differently. We're using ground lamb. This recipe is similar to a Middle Eastern kofta but uses that fantastic and versatile marinade. To the lamb and marinade, we add the crumbs of bread. In the case of the ground lamb meat kebabs featured in this video, gluten-free breadcrumbs and lovingly made using our fabu air fryer as a toaster and our awesome immersion blender attachment. These are bomb kitchen gadgets, and if you don't have them, you should get them. I use them both all the time, if not daily.

Been thinking and talking a lot on these videos about being different and doing things your own way. Not just in the kitchen but in life. Obviously, do what you want BUT harm no one. The Wiccans, Christians, Buddhists, Jews, and most world religions have their own way to express the same sentiment. Many of the same sentiments, in fact.

This is Mama Miche and today in My Magic Kitchen: Marinated Chicken Kebabs (Part 3 in my kebab series)

Chicken thighs. My oh my! These are some juicy and tasty thighs using the same base of compound butter/oil for marinating that we used on the lamb and the vegetables. I'm not gonna lie. This was an experiment gone terribly right. I made a large enough batch of the marinade base and kept it refrigerated. I wanted to try it for a bunch of different recipes to see how versatile it is and I'm impressed. The ingredients of the marinade tenderize meats and they melt in your mouth. It works on vegetables, fish and I'm sure it would flavor plant-based meat substitutes too.

I'm Mama Miche and I'm here to Make Your Kitchen Magic.

This is Mama Miche and today in My Magic Kitchen: Kebabs Part Deux - Featuring Vegetables

This is so easy to make. Pick your favorite vegetables. Maybe even some of your not-so-favorites, because putting them on a stick and grilling them taste different than any other way they are cooked and served. You can always intersperse the vegetables between meats but I like to keep 'em separated sometimes. Obviously, if you keep a vegetarian diet, this is a no-brainer. The veggies I love most on a stick are peppers, maters, shrooms, zucchini, squash, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, onions... you get the picture. They're all good. I marinate them for an hour or two. They don't need more time like meat to absorb the flava flavs. Cook times depend on size and texture as well as how high your heat is. Medium heat y'all, or you'll scorch them. 10 minutes is good for most but some take a skosh longer. Put a fork in 'em to test tenderness. These are great as a side or main.