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!

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

Elote is Spanish for corn on the cob. To make elote, corn cobs are grilled over an open fire, coated in lime juice and chili powder, slathered with crema, and sprinkled with crumbled cheese. My first taste of this legit mouthgasm was at Las Tortugas in Memphis. Yes, Memphis, TN, and it was authentic, as was every delicioso morsel on the menu. Every taco, torta, soup, and salad was ridiculous. I still feel my mouth water, thinking about their food. The fact that the owner's son was eye candy and very personable, as well as easy on the eyes, made every visit special.

This is Mama Miche, and today in my magic kitchen: Crab Rangoon

It's as American as baseball and apple pie. That's right. In case you didn't know, this appetizer may have the name of the Burmese city of Rangoon but was probably invented in the United States by Asian American chef Joe Young in the 1950s working under Victor Bergeron, founder of Trader Vic's. That's the story.

This is Mama Miche, and today in my magic kitchen: Chicken Wonton Cups.

In New York, the joke is, "How do you get an actor's attention? Waiter." In Nashville, that's how you get a singer/songwriter's attention. Lucky me, I got to be a server in both cities. Yippee. The life of an artist, at least the struggling artist, is fraught with bullshit jobs needed to just pay the bills and hopefully have a minute to actually make art. The best gigs I had were catering jobs. Hard work, but always in a different setting and usually with like-minded people.

This is Mama Miche, and today, in my magic kitchen: Deviled Eggs

The deviled egg dates back to ancient Rome, but the devil adjective wasn’t added until the 18th century when deviled was used to describe something spicy or fried. Today, most deviled eggs are mild in flavor but can be kicked up a notch by adding some cayenne or hot mustard. I only use Colman's dry mustard exclusively to devil my eggs. And I don't add any pickle relish or any other nonsense. I've had deviled eggs that way, and they've been okay, but I prefer mine to be relish-free and heavily seasoned with mustard and paprika. Sometimes, I top it with crispy bacon. Sometimes, I top it with a slice of avocado or some Everything but the Bagel seasoning; sometimes, I get crazy and load it with all of the above and, of course, my standby, our Twice Stolen Spice™.

Today in My Magic Kitchen we are making a popular treat that we serve at our parties. There are many recipes for bacon-wrapped smokies and they’re all very simple. You can just wrap the smoky with the bacon and leave it at that. I mean it’s bacon for God's sake! It’s perfect as it is, right? The Memphis Mojo Rub™ can be used in so many ways, it’s not just for smoking meats, and it really adds so much to this recipe. You can have a touch of maple syrup for your favorite barbecue sauce, which will soon be Jeffro’s own sauce when we bring it to a store near you.

We started calling this crowd-pleasing appetizer favorite “Sin In Damnation” because it is an artery clogger and it’s definitely not kosher. They are so cute, bite-sized, and tasty so it’s easy to overindulge. Never do I recommend doing that. With anything this addictive, exercise caution and moderation. That old expression “too much is never enough” does not apply here! In my experience, it never applies. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing. A little bit of sin in damnation is good for the soul, but too much is bad for the butt!