Aaron McCargo Jr

National Ice Cream Month

2011-07-15T08:07:00.000-04:00

"I scream you scream, we all scream for ice cream!" With most of the country dealing with heatwaves and record temps, I think July being National Ice Cream Month is the perfect time to be "screaming" for ice cream.

As a kid I loved going to Friendly's. When I was in the 6th grade I remember making the honor roll all four marking periods and the reward for doing so was movie tickets to see E.T. and then go to Friendly's afterward. I got the Royal Banana split and loved every bite.

I used to love going to the Cherry Hill Mall back in the day and getting the bubble gum ice cream in a little store next to the Woolworth's-my class of 89 folks and ole heads from the South Jersey area should remember it, if you do, let me know what your favorite flavor was!

Nowadays I'm more of a Mister Softee ice cream kind of guy. I know, I know-I know people are a little freaked out by Mister Softee because of sanitation concerns ("Where do they wash their hands?", "What about the bacteria counts?!") but to be perfectly honest, dirty or not, the double cone with chocolate and vanilla (no sprinkles) with walnuts ROCKS!

Other than that I don't really have any favorite places to go to for an ice cream treat these days, but I'm open to suggestions, so if you know of a place to get a good scoop with the family, let me know!

The temps are soaring, but if you get the chance this weekend, enjoy a nice cone on National Ice Cream Day, which is this Sunday-it's the perfect way to beat this ridiculous heat!

Upcoming Book Signings & Appearances!

2011-06-21T10:05:00.000-04:00

Chef Aaron has been SUPER busy the past few months, hitting the road to promote Simply Done Well Done.

His next stops include an appearance on The 700 Club, June 29th (check your local listings for airtimes), where he'll be whipping up flavorful side dishes that will make your BBQ a hit....

Then on June 30th he's back in Lawrenceville, NJ for a book signing & demo at Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting. He'll be in the Miele Kitchen demoing recipes from Simply Done as well as his new line of Signature Spices. This event is free & open to the public.

Happy Memorial Day!

2011-05-30T18:27:00.031-04:00

Just wanted to take a quick second to say THANK YOU to all our servicemen & women who sacrifice daily so we can enjoy the freedoms we have, as well as those who payed the ultimate price by protecting our freedom with their lives. Thank you also to all of our firefighters, EMS, police officers, and other first responders who protect us daily....

I hope everyone enjoyed some great food and fun with family & loved ones this weekend. I spent the weekend BBQ hopping (I think I hit around 12 in all!) My favorites were a thrown by Christine Henriquez and Lisa & Eric Hansen. I met them when I was doing some local demos, and they said I could always stop by for a bite to eat-so I surprised them this weekend when I showed up!

Both BBQ's had amazing food, and my family & I had a really good time just hanging out, enjoying the HOT weather & great people.

Speaking of my family, BOTH Justin & Jordan have been jonesing for the beach & boardwalk, so I woke them up super early this morning, packed them up in the car, and drove to Atlantic City. I think they had a good time-what do you think?

I've been on the road promoting the cookbook most of the past two months, so having the opportunity to take a break and just be at home with my family this weekend was just what I needed-even if I had to listen to Jordan's new favorite band, The Lemonade Mouth Band the entire time (smile).

-Chef Aaron-

Recipes from Simply Done Well Done in The Courier Post

2011-05-25T12:42:00.000-04:00

BBQ Beef w/Pickled Slaw/Photo
by Lucy Shaeffer

For those of you in the South Jersey area, stop by your local newsstand and pick up a copy of today's Courier Post. It features recipes from Chef Aaron's cookbook, Simply Done Well Done, grilling tips & techniques, as well as some information on Play To Win Inc, Chef Aaron's nonprofit for male youth in the Camden area.

You can also read the article, find the perfect recipes for your Memorial Day or graduation cookout, and watch Chef Aaron manning the grill here.

Chef Aaron on The Nate Berkus Show

2011-05-18T07:00:00.002-04:00

Set your DVRs! Chef Aaron will be in the kitchen cooking it up on The Nate Berkus Show, this Friday, May 20th!

Chef Aaron Partners with Aunt Jemima Frozen Breakfast

2011-05-16T12:45:00.003-04:00

Your mornings just got better! Using recipes from his new cookbook, Simply Done Well Done, Chef Aaron has partnered with Aunt Jemima Frozen Breakfast to help you make your most important meal of the day a quick & delicious one for the whole family!

Chef Aaron & AJFB announced their partnership during a media event in NYC at the beginning of the month, with Chef Aaron debuting a few tasty recipes created exclusively for & using AJFB products. Visit their Facebook page for exclusive recipes, videos, coupons & more, and continue reading below for the official press release.

Food Network’s Aaron McCargo, Jr., Heats Up the Breakfast Table

Creates Signature Recipes for Aunt Jemima® Frozen Pancakes, Waffles and French toast and Demonstrates How Homemade Can Be Simple And Easy

Mountain Lakes, NJ – May 5, 2011 – Aunt Jemima Frozen Breakfast has teamed up with celebrity chef, Aaron McCargo, Jr., to show America why breakfast is the most important – and delicious – meal of the day. Inspired at an early age by watching his own mom at the stove, Aaron McCargo, Jr., has since become one of Food Network’s fastest-rising stars. With the release of his new cookbook Simply Done, Well Done, McCargo is encouraging everyone to get into the kitchen to start their mornings right.

“My love of creating delicious, wholesome meals comes from years of enjoying my mom’s home cooking,” said McCargo. “I was excited to learn that Aunt Jemima Frozen Breakfast products are just like homemade and that the team making them put the same love and care into them as my mom did, and now I do, when in the kitchen.”

With the help of McCargo’s no fuss cooking techniques, the use of simple ingredients and Aunt Jemima Frozen Pancakes, Waffles and French Toast, even culinary beginners will be whipping up tasty breakfast treats while spending less time in the kitchen and more time with family and friends.

Sample recipes from Aaron McCargo, Jr., and Aunt Jemima Frozen Breakfast include:

Buttermilk Pancakes with Homemade Blueberry Compote: Jazz up Aunt Jemima Frozen Buttermilk Pancakes with this easy and light jam-like sauce
Homestyle French Toast Monte Cristo: A classic recipe simplified! Layer slices of turkey, ham and mozzarella between two slices of Aunt Jemima Homestyle French Toast for a quick and satisfying meal
Sun-Dried Tomato, Basil, Bacon and Gruyere Cheese Omelet: Eggs are a great complement to pancakes, waffles and French toast. Nice and light, this is a great summertime dish.

Try these great recipes from Aaron for your next breakfast – whether it’s celebrating Mother’s Day or simply kick-starting Monday morning.

These recipes, coupons for Aunt Jemima Frozen Breakfast products and more can be found at Facebook.com/AuntJemimaFrozenBreakfast. While on the page, watch the video that caught Aaron’s attention and stars three of our dedicated employees from the Jackson, TN, plant: Jennifer Franklin, Charley Schumaker and Susie Tomlinson. Learn how every batch of Aunt Jemima Frozen Pancakes is made from scratch – they use real ingredients, pour the batter on a cast-iron griddle, wait until the pancakes bubble around the edges and then flip them to fluffy perfection.

Links

Aunt Jemima Frozen Breakfast

Review: "Breakfast w/Chef Aaron "Big Daddy" McCargo Jr"/The Culinary Scoop

Review: "Keeping it Simple with Aunt Jemima & Aaron McCargo Jr"/Mom Central

Play to Win "Beef & Beer" Raises Big Funds for Camden Youth

2011-04-27T08:31:00.001-04:00

Chef Aaron and the board of directors for Play To Win, Inc. officially launched with a "bodacious" "Beef & Beer" Fundraiser at Hathaway's Restaurant in Cinnaminsion, NJ earlier this month!

Hoping to raise funds for Play to Win programs that will work to engage male youth in academic and interpersonal activities, the fundraiser drew a crowd of about 200 people, and raised nearly $10,000 to support the after-school program that will be held at Camden’s Academy Charter High School in the fall of 2011.

Hosting the event, Chef Aaron was joined by Christina Pirello of PBS’s Christina Cooks and an instructor

at The Restaurant School in Philadelphia, as well as George Kyrtatas, cookbook author of My Big Fat Greek Feast, food consultant and owner of Hathaway’s Restaurant. Patty Jackson of WDAS FM was also

present to show her support.

Attendees were treated to a three-slider sandwich sampler,each created by Chefs Aaron, Christina & George, as well as Big Daddy's special "One and Done Cocktail", which was sold to the first 100 people in a special “Play To Win” glass.

Attendees were also able to bid on items donated from local business & sponsors during the silent auction. Hathaway’s Restaurant and the Kyrtatas family were the primary sponsors for the event donating all

the food and most of the staffing for the evening. “We are thrilled to be able to help fund this worthy

cause that will help youth in Camden stay on the right path", said Chef George. Other

donors to the event were Gallo Family Wine, Barefoot Wine, Flying Fish Beer, DJ Maki, Janice

Smith Photography, Jack Reynolds Photography, SJ Magazine, Elite Island Resorts and other local

businesses who donated raffle items.

PTW’s goal is to encourage youth to be committed to their academics as they complete their education and develop, and this event was just a start to getting PTW up and running with the after school program.The board envisions a six-week summer program and special trips to educate and expose these young men to a

world them may not know, but they can't do it without the help of the community. To make a donation,
go to www.playtowininc.org.

For to view some pictures from the event taken by the Courier Post, click here, and to see Patty Jackson's wrap up of the "Beef & Beer" visit her YouTube channel.

Chef Aaron on Martha Stewart Living Radio

2011-04-19T15:08:00.000-04:00

Chef Aaron will be chatting with "Morning Living" host Betsy Karetnick about his new cookbook, Simply Done Well Done on Martha Stewart Living Radio! Tune in (Sirus 112 & XM 157) Wednesday, April 20th from 7am-10am ET for the interview! Not a Sirus or XM subscriber? You can also listen to the interview by signing up for a FREE 7-day trial here.

Chef Aaron talks Play to Win with Patty Jackson from WDAS

2011-03-29T15:37:00.001-04:00

To purchase tickets and learn more about Play To Win Inc, visit their website.

To pre-order Simply Done Well Done visit your favorite book retailer.

Links: Chef Aaron's website

WDAS FM/Patty Jackson

HSN Cooks Spring Weekend Event

2011-03-22T13:59:00.004-04:00

I'm heading to sunny Florida this weekend (March 26th & 27th) and paying a visit to HSN to take part in their HSN Cooks Spring Weekend Event, presented by Bon Appétit! It's going to be two days of exclusive products, special offers, cooking tips and much more, it's going to be great!

I'm SUPER EXCITED and really looking forward to it, so please be sure to watch starting Saturday at 6am ET. If you just can’t wait to check out my collection, you can catch a sneak peak right now on hsn.com.

I'll try to take some pictures and post them on Twitter & Facebook...I hope you'll be watching!

Hunger in America: Let's Do More

2011-03-10T13:38:00.003-05:00

I know it's been a couple of months since I've sat down to blog, but I just wanted to take a few minutes and share something with you that I came across on Share Our Strength's website late last week: "1 in 5 Americans Unable to Afford Enough Food for Their Families."

The article talks about a report-Food Hardship in America 2010- just published by The Food Research & Action Center that gives us the cold, harsh facts about hunger here in our country: in 2010 food harship was at an unbelievable 18%. 18% of Americans couldn't afford to put enough food on the table...

Growing up in Camden, I experienced hunger first hand...I also watched my friends and their families struggle with it-I wouldn't want that experience for anyone, but the stats are saying it's still a daily reality for us here in the US.

Having worked with Share Our Strength during the Great American Dine Out and knowing the passion that Billy Shore and Debbie Shore have for this cause, I know how dedicated they are to reducing-no, ELIMINATING-statistics like those. Working with the No Kid Hungry campaign has opened my eyes to how big a problem hunger is, but reading that article left me feeling challenged to do even more. We can help Share Our Strength and other organizations by donating and spreading the word, but we can't just leave it up to them. We have to do more ourselves to get food to people. We have to work not just with Share Our Strength, but with any available resource within our communities to help feed people. Whether it's through food banks, starting a food drive at your kid's school or local grocery store...even reaching out to churches, any church-my church in Pennsauken has a food program once a month and I try my best to be there every month, just passing out bags of food to people in the surrounding community.

Reading reports such as this one can seem overwhelming and like it's too big of a problem to solve, but I know and believe that if we make an increased effort to work together locally through our neighborhoods & communities, we'll see our start to see our efforts make a difference nationally.

I hope this challenges you and makes you think harder about what you can do to help, like it did for me.

For more info on Share Our Strength, you can stop by their website. If you live in the South Jersey/Philadelphia area, I've also listed some links to food pantries & food banks you can donate to.

Until next time, take care and God Bless! Let's make NO KID HUNGRY a reality!

SJ Food Banks/Pantries:

Food Bank of South Jersey

New Jersey Anti-Hunger Coalition

Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger

January's Fresh Pick: Red Rooster Harlem

2011-01-12T23:09:00.010-05:00

I don't know about you, but it's been a busy start to 2011 for me! January is flying by....I was in Georgia and South Carolina last week helping out a special friend (I'll talk more about it in my next post) and the week before that I was in Harlem, NY...Man, although I've been to NYC alot in the past couple of years, I hadn't been to Harlem in about 10-15. WOW-I was surprised at how much it's changed, I almost couldn't believe it. Of course you know there were about a dozen different food spots I wanted to immediately check out, but I was on my way to a celebrate the opening of my friend Mary Beth OConnor's new film & TV studio, so I had to stick to my plans and keep my appetite in check. (Shout out to Mary-check out her new studio, Ironbound Film & Television Studios in Newark!)

I'm glad I waited-the party was at Red Rooster Harlem , a really nice restaurant with a real cool vibe-laid back, vibrant, lots of great art featured. I loved the atmosphere and the food....man the food was phenomenal! I had their salad with pickled beets & hazelnuts for an appetizer and for an entree, you've gotta try their hearth baked mac & greens with a side of cornbread w/tomato jam-WHAT?! I know it sounds simple, but I'm telling you, it was amazing, I'm getting hungry just thinking about it! If you haven't had the chance to got there or haven't heard of it, you might recognize the owner, Chef Marcus Samuelsson...(btw, my pics are a little blurry-didn't have the digital camera on me, just the Blackberry!)

He won Top Chef Masters Season 2, is a food activist, has several cookbooks,and is amazingly talented, but he's also a real cool, down to earth cat. You know how celebrities open up restaurants and you never see them in there? Not this guy-He was there, walking the floor, talking to people, getting feedback on the food, I loved seeing that-If you're going to own a restaurant-be there, be hands on....

I also had the chance to meet Tichina Arnold,("Martin", "Everybody Hates Chris") and Rueben Santiago Hudson-you probably remember him from "Lackawanna Blues" but I remember him from my soap opera junkie days when he was on "All My Children." Yes, I used to be a soap opera fan-I was into soap operas back in the Luke & Laura days on General Hospital, back when Tad & Dixie were the hottest couple, when Angie wasn't a doctor and Jessie wasn't a detective lol. I was a huge Ryan's Hope fan-anybody remember watching that, or was I the only one? hahaha.

Speaking of the past, I even ran into my good friend growing up and C/O 89 alum, Sidra Smith...you might know her twin sister Tasha Smith from "Why Did I Get Married?" and "Daddy's Little Girls." We all went to school at Pyne Poynt Middle School and seeing her again brought back tons of memories of growing up in Camden in the 70's & 80's....

Well, there you have it-my quick trip to Harlem was a success-I plan on going back as soon as my schedule frees up, so if you have any suggestions on where to eat, email me or leave a comment! And don't forget to check out Red Rooster Harlem-it's well worth the trip!

Next post I'll tell you about my trips to GA & SC-until then, take care & God Bless!

"Big Daddy's House" New Showtimes!

2010-12-27T14:32:00.005-05:00

Attention all Big Daddy's House fans: You can now catch Chef Aaron's show twice a week on Food Network. Big Daddy's House will now air on Friday mornings at 9:30 AM ET/PT and Saturday mornings at 8:00 AM ET/PT.

Links:

Big Daddy's House Episode Guide

-posted by Chef McCargo webteam-

December's FRESH Pick: TerraCycle

2010-12-16T12:34:00.008-05:00

Hey everybody, Chef Aaron here with my fresh pick for this month. Christmas is 9 days away, and if you're still looking for gifts to get your family and friends, or maybe for a coworker for Secret Santa, check out TerraCycle. Before I get into who they are and what they do, let me back up and tell you how I found them.

Late last month, I had a meeting with A'Driane, my social media assistant (she updates my website and helps me keep everything online updated), and when she first got there she sat down and put this bag next to her......

I asked her,"Are those Capri Sun pouches? Did you make that?" She started laughing and telling me how she found this company called TerraCycle that takes recycling to a whole new level. They do what they "upcycle" things like Capri Sun pouches, Frito-Lay potato chip bags, M&M wrappers, and a ton of other things you and I throw out every day and turns them into things like the bag A'Driane has.

I was sold, especially after I saw their website. They sell everything you can think of, but what I really think is cool is that not only do they have stuff you can give your kids to use like pencil cases, kites, colored pencils, etc, but their products aren't expensive at all. They even have what they call "Brigades"-which are basically recycling programs that pay you to send them your trash. Capri Sun pouches, yogurt lids, toothbrushes, candy wrappers, you name it, you, your buisness, or kid's school can collect these items and get paid for collecting it while helping reduce waste-pretty incredible.

So, if you haven't figured out what to get your Secret Santa, or are looking for something different to get the people on your list, visit their website, stop by their store in Princeton, or their "Green Up Shop" in NYC to pick out something neat!

Chef Aaron Launches Signature Line of Spice Blends

2010-11-19T00:02:00.007-05:00

McCargo's, Chef Aaron's new Signature line of blends is now available for purchase through The Great American Spice Company! Now you can bring big, bold, flavors & freshness to your favorite dishes with the Signature Rub, Smoked Salt, Signature Blend, & Seasoning Salt . They are the perfect addition to your spice collection,and have arrived just in time to add some spice to your holiday recipes.

To celebrate the launch of his Signature line of spice blends, Chef Aaron is hosting a recipe contest! Send in your most creative recipe with a photo of the finished dish incorporating one of Chef Aaron's spice blends. Top recipes will be featured as "Fresh Picks" in an upcoming blog written by Chef Aaron, featured on aaronmccargo.com, and the winner(s) will also receive an autographed cutting board. Email your entries to info@aaronmccargo.com. *Note: Only entries with photos will be accepted.* Get creative in the kitchen and send in your recipes now!

-posted by Chef McCargo webteam-

Links:
www.aaronmccargo.com

Great American Spice Company

McCargo's Flavor of Bold Signature Blends

Chef Aaron's "Simply Done, Well Done" out in April!

2010-11-09T13:20:00.005-05:00

There it is-a preview of the cover of Simply Done, Well Done, Chef Aaron's first cookbook!

Due to hit a bookshelf near you in April, Simply Done, Well Done will feature the kind of big, bold flavors and family-friendly cooking you've come to know and love from Chef Aaron, and is now available for pre-order at Barnes & Noble , Amazon and several of your other favorite bookstores. Reserve your copy today!

Links:

Chef Aaron's Website

Barnes & Noble

Amazon

Chefs for Silver Springs & Foxwoods Food & Wine

2010-11-03T14:17:00.007-04:00

Chef Aaron will be joining Sunny Anderson, Alex Guarnaschelli, Anne Burrell, and over 40 other "celebrated chefs, wines, beer, and spirits experts " this weekend at the Foxwoods Food & Wine Festival in Connecticut. Tickets for the festival's events can be purchased online.

But before he heads out to Conneticut, Chef Aaron will be serving up a very special dinner on Friday for the 2010 Chefs for Silver Springs benefit, in West Conshohocken, PA. The fundraiser will benefit the Plymouth Meeting-based Silver Springs-Martin Luther School. You can read more about the event here and on Silver Springs' website.

Links:

Foxwoods Food & Wine Festival

Silver Springs-Martin Luther School

Big Daddy's FRESH Picks: October

2010-10-06T16:43:00.013-04:00

It's a new month so you know what that means-another round of FRESH picks by yours truly, Chef Aaron!

Fall is officially here...the temperature has finally dropped, which puts me in the mood to first do like the animals do and start stocking up for the icy & snowy months ahead. I've already started loading up my deep freezer with all kinds of meats and vegetables. When buying meats, I like to go to BJ's Wholesale Club (you can usually find me at the Moorestown, NJ location, with my cart stacked high LOL). Their meat section always has a high-quality and fresh selection to choose from. When it comes to storing meat in the deep (or even regular) freezer, here are a few tips/suggestions to follow:

1. Have plenty of freezer bags handy-they help protect from freezer burn.

2. Pack your portions right: packing meat away in your freezer in reasonable portions will help prevent you from preparing more than you need for each meal. In other words, don't fill the whole bag full of meat if you're not going to eat the whole bag when you cook it-break it down into smaller portions. That way you won't feel obligated to eat everything you cook, which will help you keep off those unneccesary winter hibernation pounds that are hard to shake come spring time. You feel me?

3. Wrap what you're storing in plastic, (I like to use the press & seal kind) then in foil, and then place it in the freezer bag.

4.The top causes of freezer burn are your freezer being turned up too high and improper storage, so make sure to keep your freezer dial between 1&2; store it like I described above, and you've got up to 6mos worth of meat without having to worry about it spoiling.

5. Label & date each bag...again meat you store should be good for six months from the date it goes in.

I don't just load my freezer full of meat, I like to stock up on vegetables as well. My suggestions are to buy large quantities of green veggies such as broccoli, broccoli rabe, string beans, kale & collard greens. They are a great source of calcium and can hold up very well for at least 3-4 months in the freezer. A few tips/suggestions to ensure they last:

1. Store in freezer bags
2. Blanch veggies in very hot water for 2-3 minutes in very small batches
3. Shock in cold water immediately after blanching
4.Drain completely & dry
5. Bag, label, and store

And just like that, you've got vegetables on hand to last you through the cold months,and the stress of having to buy fresh vegetables that will go bad in a few days is gone. Just ensure you take them out in plenty of time before your meal so they can thaw; add my signature blend (yes, a total shameless plug-get yours today!), some olive oil to saute with and you've got yourself a slammin' side dish! Yes, it's that easy, trust me.

Fall is the perfect time to get in the kitchen and make delicious, warm stews, soups and desserts. I like to support local farmers, so I enjoy going out to places like Johnson's Corner Farm in Medford, NJ, to get fresh goods. This time of the year, they have apple & pumpkin picking hayrides, which are perfect for kids. My kids love them and love using what we've picked to create something tasty to eat later.

Speaking of kids, parents: if you have a CiCi's Pizza near you, I seriously suggest taking them there for pizza night. I went to the one in Cherry Hill, NJ, (on Haddonfield Rd.), and for $4.99 all you can eat pizza, it's cheap, fun & pretty darn good. Your kids will love you for it, and so will your wallet LOL!

Since the fall is usually about storing and putting away things such as extra food and even clothes from the summer, I've found The Container Store to be one of my favorite hangouts. They have cool gadgets that help you in the kitchen and some other neat things, so don't be surprised if you're at the one across from the Cherry Hill mall in South Jersey and spot me browsing through their selection or talking up the staff, trying to get an employee discount! All jokes aside, their associates are friendly and super cool-if you go to the Cherry Hill store, ask for Jen-she rocks!

Speaking of people and products that rock, take a moment and check out a few that definetely get the "Big Daddy" stamp of approval. The first is The Coffee Toffee Company, owned and operated by mother & daughter team, Jessica & Renna. I happened to meet Jessica's fiance Ty while I was staying at the Park Meridian in NYC a couple of weeks ago (I was there shooting a special for Food Network with a few of your other FN favorites), and as we were talking he mentioned his fiance's company and asked if I would be open to trying some. I always enjoy trying out different products that people make and sell themselves, so I said sure and WOW-this toffee has some amazing flavor to it! On their website they talk about how they started Coffee Toffee and how they enjoy cooking together as a family, which as you know, is what I'm all about-putting the love you have for your loved ones into the meals you prepare for them, sharing the love in what you do is always important,and that makes their product even more worth trying out, so check out their site, and if coffee & toffee are your sweets of choice, give them a try. Another person who I met recently who I think rocks is my man Dan Jacobs from DJA Associates . I met him a last month while doing a satellite media tour for Share Our Strength's Great American Dine Out-if you need a videographer, photographer or someone to rock satellite broadcasting for your organization, he's the man to go to! He's just a really cool dude who made it easy to knock out the media tour...Lastly, when I'm on the road I always like to have a good book to read so when I take a break from writing recipes, answering emails, and preparing for appearances or demos, I can relax. I just finished reading "Too True for Lies: A Child's Story," by Stephen D. Matthews, a story that talks about a young boy struggling to deal with the hand he's been dealt in life, as well as issues like abandonment and isolation among others. it's a great read, I highly recommend picking up a copy and adding it to your library. It definetely struck a chord with me because I grew up with friends who were just like him and I see young men like him now everyday, especially in my hometown of Camden; I'm a father to one. When I was on the "Next Food Network Star", I mentioned that I was doing the show not just for my love of creating great food, but to also show my son who was struggling at the time that you can come from a harsh environment and still make something positive happen in your life, and I want to continue to work hard so that I can show other young men the same. (I've started a charitable foundation called Play to Win or PTW and I hope to help young men in these situations, but I'll talk about it in another blog in a couple of weeks. If you'd like more info, drop me an email in my inbox at info@aaronmccargo.com)

Fall also means it's all about cracking open a cold one and enjoying gameday. Football dominates the TV, but I'm also following baseball as well-especially since the Phillies are killing it like usual. When I first started writing this on Friday, I had the Eagles picked to beat the Redskins and my boy McNabb, BUT we all know that didn't happen; I'm still picking them to win the NFC east with Vick on board and we might even make it to the Super Bowl this year. In college football, I'm going to go ahead and go with Alabama to take the title. Of course I'm picking the Phillies to win the World Series this year-did you see Roy Halladay throw a no hitter and make history tonight? Like I said, we're going all the way and bringing it home! Speaking of things to watch on television, have you seen "Minute to Win It?" I know some people hate it, but I actually think it's super cool to watch...and I'm a Netflix fan, so I'm always checking out food-related movies, even if they don't get the best reviews. If you're looking for something food-related to watch, check out 'The Slammin Salmon." Yeah, it's somewhat corny, but it's kinda funny-I liked it.It's definetely not for kids, and have a few drinks before you check it out if that will help you laugh through the corniness LOL.

Last but not least, in the music department, I've got Kem's new album, "Intimacy"-(Loving "Why Would You Stay") and Usher's new one, "Raymond v Raymond" in rotation on the iPod this week along with some ol'school R&B.

That wraps up this month's picks, I hope you have enjoyed reading it, and if you try out a product or tip I mentioned, don't be shy, shoot me an email, or stop by my Facebook page and let me know! If you have a product you'd like to get the "Big Daddy" stamp of approval, email me as well!

Until next month, enjoy the cooler weather and the joy a new season brings,
Chef Aaron

Chef Aaron talks 'Comfort Foods", Marvin Gaye on TODAY

2010-09-28T10:13:00.006-04:00

Chef Aaron stopped by the TODAY Show yesterday morning to share some fall-friendly recipes in their "Today's Kitchen" segment. Chef showed Matt Lauer how easy it is to create "comfort foods" with bold flavors and how Barry White and Marvin Gaye get you in the right state of mind to enjoy them! Watch the video for more!

Links:

TODAY Show

"Bake Me Crazy"-Big Daddy's House Recipes

Chef Aaron & Share Our Strength's Great American Dine Out

2010-09-17T06:00:00.003-04:00

IT'S TIME TO DINE OUT!

Join me, Chef Aaron, Share Our Strength and restaurants across the country as we help end childhood hunger in America.

Starting September 19, 2010 thousands of restaurants of all kinds will be offering great promotions, featuring special dishes, and donating a portion of the proceeds they make to Share Our Strength's programs that aid millions of children right here in America.

If you're going to eat out at all from the 19th-25th, please join me in eating out at any Great American Dine Out restaurant you can find. The more you eat out at a GOA restaurant, the more money you will help raise to feed hungry children right in your own community.

Growing up as a kid in Camden, I remember what it was like watching buddies of mine going without food and asking if they could spend the night-they knew that staying over at the McCargo household meant having a meal or two to eat. Now that I'm older and have kids of my own, I'm doing all I can to help make sure that no child in this country has to experience that ever again.

Please get together with your co-workers during lunches and happy hours, your friends and family, your classmates and those you go to church with and DINE OUT as much as you can September 19-25.

Together we can make No Kid Hungry a reality in America! Visit Share Our Strength's website for more information and to find a Great American Dine Out restaurant. You can also get the latest updates by following SOS on Twitter (@Dine_Out). Facebook it, Tweet it, email it, do whatever you can to get the word out!

From the bottom of Big Daddy's heart, THANK YOU!

LINKS

Share Our Strength
Great American Dine Out

Big Daddy's FRESH Picks

2010-09-14T13:17:00.007-04:00

What's up everybody, Chef Aaron here, taking a break from working on recipes for "Big Daddy's House" to give you my FRESH picks for this month. I get alot of emails and questions about places I like to eat at, products I use to cook with, music I'm listening to, places I like to visit and other things of that nature, so I decided that at least once a month, I'll post a blog answering some of those questions as well as products I think you'll love just as much as I do.

Restaurants

When I'm out on the road, traveling the country one of the first things I do when I stop somewhere is find out what the food scene looks like. One of the first questions I ask people where I'm staying is, "what's the best place to eat around here?" and I make it a point to follow up on their suggestions. When I was in Oklahoma taping "Outrageous Foods," I shot some footage at this AMAZING BBQ joint in Clinton, OK called Jigg's Smokehouse. If you checked out "Outrageous Foods" then you know why this place is famous! They specialize in making outrageous BBQ sandwiches, but make sure you have add a heaping helping of their great and spicy chow chow to your sandwich and have some of their beef jerky...I'm getting hungry just thinking about it...

Speaking of BBQ, if you are in NYC and have a craving for some real BBQ, make sure you stop by Virgil's BBQ at 152 West 44th St @Broadway. Tell em I sent you-anytime I'm in NYC, I make sure to stop by and eat-even if it's just takeout because I have to hit the road, and they always hook me up with great service.

If you're in the NJ/Philly area, some good places to go out and eat are Brio Tuscan Grille (their Gorgonzola Lamb Chops are the best I've tasted), Fish. ( I love seafood with bold flavors) and Square1682, a restaurant with a menu that features organic produce and meat. If you're a deli lover, be sure to stop by my favorite, Carmen's in Bellmawr, NJ (try the Big Daddy Special) and Yellow Submarine in Maple Shade, NJ.

Food Products

When I visit different cities or go to trade shows, people are always asking me to try out their product and give them some constructive feedback and or the "Big Daddy" stamp of approval. I get all kinds of stuff sent in and I try them all. If you have a food product you'd like me to sample, email me at info@aaronmccargo.com and I'll give you the mailing address....in the meantime, check out two I tried and loved: Oogie's Gourmet Popcorn (it's natural, none of that artificial stuff-which means it's a great snack for kids, and it doesn't last long in my house-I'm constantly ordering more-we love it!) and Cookies by Shar (I'm not a big cookie person, but I started changing my mind after trying these-great designs and great taste).

In the Kitchen

I get alot of emails asking about different utensils I use on the show and what I like to use in the kitchen at home. Probably the number one question is what kind of knives I use: they are made by J.A. Henckels and do wonders for me in the kitchen.

Music

There's alot of great music out there right now that I have in rotation on my iPod, but I also like to support up and coming artists. I recently went to a concert to support a local artist in the NJ/Philly area. I listen to all kinds of music (country is one of my favorites), but if you're into the gospel or Christian genres, definetely take a moment to check out Anton Milton & Glorified-nothing but good, inspirationall music to get you going when you need it.

Family Fun

The kids are back in school, summer is over and fall is here but you can still go out and have a good time with the family outdoors. If you're like me and love to have fresh fruits and vegetables in the house, and like to teach your kids about food and where it comes from, take a trip to Johnson's Corner Farm in Medford, NJ. Like I said, it's a great place to take your kids and teach them about food, AND pick up some fresh goods at the same time. I just took my kids and nephew a few weeks ago and we had a ball. (you can read about it in my "end of the summer wrap up") I love going out there so much I'm going to try to invite the owners onto the set of "Big Daddy's House..."

Speaking of the show, I better go before I give away more secrets from this season-I'll be on set in October shooting more episodes, so that only gives me a week or so to develop some more recipes-better get back to work, hope you enjoyed the picks!

End of the Summer Wrap-Up

2010-08-30T21:18:00.028-04:00

Hey everybody, Aaron here, checking in with my "end of the summer wrap-up", letting you know how I spent my summer...Wow, where did the summer go? I can't believe it's already time for the kids to go back to school, it feels like they were just gearing up for vacation. Although I did do some traveling, presenting and doing demos across the country, I was able to spend more time with my family this summer and do fun activities with my kids.....

I love being home. When I'm out on the road, I'm always thinking about what I'm going to do with my wife and kids when I get back. One of my favorites is going to the movies. "Despicable Me" was by far the best movie of the summer, hands down, a blockbuster in my book. I think it made close to or over $60 million it's first weekend out-$55 million was from the kids and I watching it over and over again. I just took Jordan to "Nanny McPhee" and that wasn't bad either, I think I liked it almost as much as she did. I also had the chance to take them to see an awesome kids play called the "Rainbow Fish" over in Collingswood, NJ; Justin and Jordan LOVED it, and it made me feel like a "star"fish, we had a ball watching it.

For their last hurrah before school started, I took them and my nephew Donnie to Johnson's Corner Farm in Medford, NJ. It's an awesome place to take your kids; we picked some fruits and vegetables and took them home to see what flavorful recipes we could make with them....but more about recipes later....

I also took time this summer to pursue some interests of mine. My wife and I both got our motorcycle permits and have been learning how to ride-a HUGE thank you goes out to the ladies at the Cherry Hill DMV-they made the process stress-free, which I wasn't used to when it comes to dealing with the DMV. (I'll post a pic or two of me on the bike soon) I even took a stab at going fishing-my first venture out didn't go too to well, but I'm going deep-sea fishing with my father-in-law in a couple of weeks-any one have any advice or tips to share?
(email me at info@aaronmccargo.com)

I'm trying to make Justin proud of me, so let's hope I catch something bigger!

While I still love eat amazing food like pork, anything BBQ'd and beef, I did focus this summer on trying to find a way to still enjoy the foods I love but eat a little healthier. I also stepped up my cardio workout by playing more tennis, my favorite sport to play. And because it was ridiculously hot this summer, the kids and I spent many days at the pool, cooling off and doing laps , (me, not the kids). I can honestly say I enjoyed eating at some great places this summer, like Fogo de Chao in Philly and Iron Hill Brewery in Maple Shade, NJ, where I spent my birthday, but I had to do some work to shed some of this Big Daddy weight.... (I know the picture is a little dark, but that's me with my wife, mom and family-awesome birthday dinner) (By the way, THANK YOU to everyone who sent me mad love on my birthday-you guys know how to make a person feel special, you guys ROCK!)

Speaking of Big Daddy, or rather "Big Daddy's House," I've spent the last part of the summer in the kitchen, developing and testing out recipes with my no.1 sidekick Justin, for the upcoming season which I start shooting in October. I won't give too much away, but as always I'll be bringing you simple, flavorful recipes that you and your family will enjoy, ones that I hope will inspire you to get in the kitchen and create something amazing for the ones you love.

As always, thank you for all the love and support you send my way, and thanks for continuing to watch "Big Daddy's House."

Until next time, take care and God bless!

Tailgating with Big Daddy!

2010-08-23T13:10:00.004-04:00

It's football season! Head out to your local newsstand and pickup the lastest edition of Pillsbury Magazine where you'll find some of Chef Aaron's BEST recipes for football/tailgating parties! Chef Aaron also shares some helpful tips on how to make your next party a success while saving on money, keeping it healthy, AND eco-friendly.

Make your next party a smash with Chef Aaron's flavorful recipes, but hurry, it's only on newsstands until September 7th!

Links:

Pillsbury Magazine

Tailgating with Big Daddy

Big Daddy's House-Season 5

2010-08-02T16:42:00.004-04:00

Big Daddy's back with all new episodes of "Big Daddy's House." Season 5 of premieres this Sunday at 1:30 EST on Food Network! TUNE IN!

Sunny Anderson's Philly Bound!

2010-07-21T07:00:00.004-04:00

I just got off the phone with one of my favorite people, Ms. Sunny Anderson, and she told me she's in town promoting her party at the Atlantic City Wine & Food Fest and some of her always tasty recipes. Check her out today on The 10! Show, and then turn your radio dial to WDAS-FM to hear her talk with another favorite person of mine, Ms. Patty Jackson, who always shows me love when I visit her in the studio. Check out Sunny's blog to read more about her trip to Philly and where she's going for a cheesesteak! Also if you haven't already, be sure to pick up tickets to Sunny's party on Caesar's rooftop pool, July 31st...I'm sure it's going to be a party you won't want to miss!

Links:

Sunny Anderson
The 10! Show
WDAS-FM
Patty Jackson
Atlantic City Wine & Food Fest

Chef Aaron, Share Our Strength join First Lady's "Chefs Move to Schools" Initiative

2010-06-07T21:12:00.011-04:00

Chef Aaron joined Share Our Strength and 1,000 other chefs from around the country at the South Lawn of the White House for the kickoff of "Chefs Move to Schools", a program created by Michelle Obama to battle childhood obesity in America.

"Chefs Move to Schools" is part of the First Lady's Let's Move! Campaign to help end obesity among children, and pairs chefs from across the nation with schools in their local communities. Participating schools and chefs pledge to educate children on where food comes from, gardening, and healthy eating habits, as well as teaching them how to cook healthy meals they can enjoy.

Chef Aaron joined other Food Network chefs Anne Burrell, Cat Cora, and Ellie Krieger at the kickoff event as well as at a breakfast forum hosted by Share Our Strength. The forum, titled, "Healthy Schools, Healthy Kids: How Chefs Can Make a Difference" featured panel discussions by Share Our Strength's founder, Billy Shore, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, and White House Assistant Chef Sam Kass.

Interested in participating, or know a school in your community that could benefit from such a program? Visit the Let's Move! Campaign's website to sign up. You can also read more about the campaign by visiting White House Assistant Chef Sam Kass' blog.

To see more pictures of Chef Aaron on the South Lawn, follow him on Twitter.

Links:
Let's Move!
Chefs Move Schools
Share Our Strength

Chef Aaron Presents at Sunset's Celebration Weekend

2010-05-25T14:12:00.005-04:00

Chef Aaron will be presenting on the IKEA Cooking Stage , Saturday, June 5th, at this year's Celebration Weekend, hosted by Sunset Magazine! Visit Sunset's website to find out what recipes he's presenting and to buy your tickets!

Sunset Magazine

Celebration Weekend

Chef Aaron Comes to Taste! Gourmet Trade & Expo Show

2010-05-11T23:15:00.004-04:00

Attention all you South Carolina Big Daddy fans! Chef Aaron McCargo Jr will be presenting at the Taste! Gourmet Trade & Expo Show this Saturday, May 15th!

Chef Aaron will be at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center, preparing some of his bold and flavorful recipes LIVE!

Tickets are still on sale and are going fast! Buy yours now!

Links:
Taste! Gourmet Trade & Expo Show

Chef Aaron & Share Our Strength Join Oprah

2010-05-03T00:11:00.013-04:00

Join Chef Aaron McCargo Jr, Share Our Strength's Team No Kid Hungry, O, The Oprah Magazine, and over 30,000 others in NYC for the 2010 Live Your Best Life Walk!
The 2 mile walk takes place in the streets of New York this Mother's Day, May 9th!

Share Our Strength was chosen by O, The Oprah Magazine as a beneficiary for this event, and will be represented by Chef Aaron and Chef Mindy Segal. After the walk, participants will have the opportunity to stop by Share Our Strength's tent to meet and greet with Chef Aaron, who will be signing autographs AND passing out samples of his new spice mix! The walk will conclude with a birthday party to celebrate the 10th anniversary of O, The Oprah Magazine with Oprah and special guests.

Team No Kid Hungry is committed to providing healthy meals to children here in America. Even if you can't make the walk in NYC, you can still support Team No Kid Hungry with a donation. Every dollar counts toward ending childhood hunger in America by 2015.

So what are you waiting for? Grab your friends, your walking shoes, or your donation and head over to http://www.lybl2010walk.com/ to register-don't forget to choose Share Our Strength as your charity!

**The top fundraiser for Team No Kid Hungry will win a tour and lunch at the Food Network Test Kitchens!**

Live Your Best Life Walk specifics:

•Sunday, May 9, 2010
•Location: New York City
•Time: Walk starts at 8:30 AM
•Length: Approx. 2 miles
•Walk Route: Start – West Side Highway at 46th Street. Finish – Times Square

Links:
Live Your Best Life Walk
Share Our Strength
O, The Oprah Magazine
AaronMcCargo.com

Chef Aaron Brings Bold Flavor to Dowagaic Dogwood Fine Arts Festival

2010-04-30T09:55:00.008-04:00

Attention all you Big Daddy fans in the Michigan area! Chef Aaron will be doing a cooking demo at this year's Dowagiac Dogwood Fine Arts Festival for their very first "Culinary Arts" showcase! Tickets are on sale now, don't miss this evening of big, bold flavors and fun!

Links:

Dowagiac Dogwood Fine Arts Festival
aaronmccargo.com

Food Network Special - Big Daddy Outrageous Food

2010-04-15T20:46:00.014-04:00

Get your DVR's ready and mark your calendars!

Tune in to Food Network on April 24, 2010 @ 10pm ET/PT for the premeire of Outrageous Food. Big Daddy - Aaron McCargo Jr. steps out of the kitchen and hits the road in search of America's most outrageous food.

LINKS
Food Network - Outrageous Food
Food Network - Big Daddy's House
Chef Aaron's website

Big Daddy's House: SEASON 4!

2010-02-03T13:45:00.004-05:00

Make some room on your DVR and mark your calendars, because Big Daddy's House is bigger, bolder and more flavorful than ever for a 4th season! That's right, Season 4 begins March 7, 2010, and you definetely don't want to miss the flavor Big Daddy's bringing your way!

Links:

Slammin Sandwiches

Tuesday Tastes

Flavor Every Which Way

Bake Me Crazy

Big Daddy hits the Road...and Makes Chili?

2010-01-25T19:03:00.023-05:00

Big Daddy got his new year started by traveling for a new, soon to be aired special on Food Network that features "outrageous foods" from restaurants and eateries around the country. As a result, Chef Aaron has been filming in places such as Quincy, Ma, and even Oklahoma. To read about his stop in Quincy, check out the Patriot Ledger's article on The Fat Cat Restaurant and their "The Ultimate Fat Mac Challenge".
( article photo courtesy of Mike Kellstrand)

Speaking of outrageous food, check out Food Network Magazine and Food Network's website for Chef Aaron's chili cook-off with Melissa D'Arabian in the magazine's "He Made/She Made" feature. You can find the recipe for Chef's "Steak Fajita Chili", and Melissa's "White Chili w/Roasted Garlic" there and once you make a batch, head to Food Network's website to vote for which one you liked the best!

Links:
He Made/She Made: Chili
Food Network.com
Patriot Ledger
Ultimate Fat Mac Challenge
The Fat Cat

Big Daddy's End of Year Wrap Up

2009-12-31T11:15:00.023-05:00

The 4th quarter of 2009 was a busy one for Chef Aaron! Here's a quick recap of everything that went on in Big Daddy's world the past few months...

He got things moving at the end of September by getting millions across the country to participate in Share Our Strength's Great American Dine Out, encouraging us to take a stand and help bring an end to childhood hunger in America. An episode of "Big Daddy's House" even featured the Dine Out and a participating restaurant, Rod's Steak & Seafood Grille in Morristown, NJ. This year's Dine Out broke 2008's record, and raised even more to help children across America through Share Our Strength's programs!

In October, Chef kept it going locally by teaching classes at Cathedral Kitchen, in Camden, NJ, and spoke to it's Culinary Arts Training program participants; giving them instruction and insights on the culinary industry, teaching them various culinary skills, and encouraging them to pursue their goals. At the end of October, he helped Cathedral Kitchen raise money for their programs by hosting their "Harvest for Hunger Silent Auction & Dinner" at the Grand Ballroom in Collingswood, NJ.

In November, Chef Aaron was honored for his efforts as this year's Great American Dine Out spokesperson at Share Our Strength's Conference of Leaders, held in Washington, D.C. There he accepted SOS's Plate of Honor, and brought the house down with his moving speech about growing up and watching his friends, classmates, and members of his community being too poor to afford to eat, and his call for action to not let today's children suffer the same fate.

The following week, Chef Aaron was in Oakland and Napa Valley, California for the 2009 World of Flavor, and to raise awareness about heart disease and stroke with the American Heart Association.

At the World of Flavors Conference, hosted at the Culinary Institute of America, Chef Aaron partnered up with Chef Ida Shen and Chef Bruno Wehren to host Barilla America Inc's take on "World Street Comfort Food";highlighting the different ways pasta can be easily made and enjoyed on your dinner table.

Then Chef shifted gears and helped raise awareness about heart disease and stroke. He went to San Francisco to appear on "The View from the Bay" with Spencer Christian and Janelle Wang, speaking on the importance of eating a healthy during the holidays to reduce your risk of heart disease and how eating healthy doesn't mean you have to skimp on the flavor. He wowed the studio audience and their tastebuds with his Spicy Szechuan Chicken Lettuce Wraps:

From there he teamed up with Vicki Williams and Florence McCray from the American Heart Association, as well as the folks from the Bread Project for a "Healthy Holiday Eating"neighborhood seminar and workshop in Oakland. There he did a cooking demo featuring some of his tastiest and healthiest recipes, met with fans, signed autographs, and shared his story about how having a stroke at the young age of 22 changed his outlook on life and his eating habits.

He later took some time to talk to the participants in the Bread Project's Culinary Arts program, (much similar to Cathedral Kitchen's) encouraging the students to complete the program and be successful in the culinary industry.

(for more pictures from the World of Flavors Conference, View from the Bay, and AHA cooking demo, click here and here)

Once he was done in California, Chef Aaron headed home to New Jersey for a quick break and then in December headed back out to Washington D.C. to do a segment on the 700 Club, sharing his takes on traditional holiday recipes as well as how his faith keeps him going. You can catch his segment here:

With all of that, you'd think he would take a break and just enjoy the holidays right? Come on, now, we're talking about Chef Aaron McCargo here folks. What better way to end 2009 with a bang than by preparing for one of his biggest projects coming up in 2010?

The day after Christmas, Chef Aaron gathered some of his best members of his culinary crew from past and present, a few family members (yes, Donavan was there!) and headed over to Cathedral Kitchen bright and early to start testing out recipes for his upcoming cookbook, slated for a fall 2010 release. (you can catch a clip of the action here)

As you can see, the remaining part of 2009 was an incredibly busy one for Chef, but don't expect him to slow down in 2010! With a cookbook coming out, his charity foundation starting up, a flavorful spice due to hit the shelves and numerous other projects in the works, it looks like you'll be seeing a whole lot more of this dynamic and talented chef in the year ahead.

As always, stay tuned to this blog and his website for all updates! And as Big Daddy would say, health, wealth, and prosperity to you and your family in 2010-HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Chef Aaron's Big Announcement

2009-12-28T23:03:00.004-05:00

Chef Aaron's got BIG news and a BIG project coming out in 2010! Watch the clip to find out what it is!

Big Daddy & Cathedral Kitchen

2009-10-24T09:40:00.020-04:00

Chef Aaron vistited Cathdral Kitchen in Camden, NJ in October talk to it's Culinary Arts Training (CAT) Program students. The program began earlier this year, and is the second class the program has had.

Chef spent the afternoon teaching the class a little Steak 101, going over such topics as "aged" steaks, how to purchase and price them, the differences between choice and prime, high and low grade meat, and how to trim and prepare them for cooking.

Then Chef Aaron took the students in the kitchen to give them some hands on instruction, and showed them how to prepare his Roast Beef with Bourbon Mushroom Sauce.

After a quick taste test, it was the students turn to show Chef Aaron what they had been working on earlier in the day by showcasing their own steak rubs inspired by spices and flavors from Asian, Carribean, and Latin American countries. After tasting each rub and giving the students tips and ideas on how to improve, Chef got down to business and gave the students a brief intro to Grilling 101.

Chef finished off the day on a high note by encouraging the students to continue to push toward excelling in the program and accomplish their goals. Reminding them to keep God first and then themselves, Chef Aaron told each student that they were not alone and that he as well as the staff at Cathedral Kitchen were committed to seeing each of them succeed.

For more information on Cathedral Kitchen and it's Culinary Arts Training Program, click here,
and to see more pictures, click here.

Links:

Cathedral Kitchen

Chef Aaron's Website

Chef Aaron in Courier Post

2009-09-21T21:05:00.013-04:00

(photo courtesy of Faye Murman/Courier Post)

Chef Aaron was featured in this past Sunday's Courier-Post! In the 5 page article, Big Daddy reflected on how his life has changed in the past year but hasn't changed who he is or his passion for people, as well as his aspirations for opening a new restaurant. He also discussed his philanthropic endeavors, most notably the launch of his new charitable foundation Play to Win.

To read the article click here, and don't forget that the Great American Dine Out is going on now thru Saturday, so be sure to get out this week and help eliminate childhood hunger!

Links:

Chef Aaron's Website - www.aaronmccargo.com

Courier Post Online - Chef Aaron's Article

Share Our Strength - www.strength.org

Share Our Strength: Great American Dine Out

2009-08-09T16:32:00.020-04:00

No Child Hungry

Beginning Sunday, September 20, 2009, you and I will have a chance to help make a difference in a child's life by participating in Share Our Strength's "Great American Dine Out."

As spokesperson I want to take this moment to encourage restaurants to sign up and register for this event. To register please visit Share Our Strength's website to sign up and participate in this event.

During last year's Dine Out, nearly 4,000 restaurants designated a portion of their sales and hundreds of thousands of people from all over the country dined out to raise over $500,000. This money went to aid programs and iniatives aimed at helping give children better access to food and food-related programs.

This year I believe we can raise even more, so if you're a restaurant manager or owner, register today!

Links:
Share Our Strength - Main
Great American Dine Out

Big Daddy's Summertime Flava

2009-07-27T03:10:00.021-04:00

Hey guys I know it's been awhile since I hit you with an update about what's going on in my personal life. It's been a busy summer for me, getting ready for the new season of Big Daddy's House, doing some publicity and media stuff as well as going to some food shows.

Of course you know I've been taking alot of time to spend with my family. Two of the best movies I've seen so far this summer would be Transformers (saw it with my wife) and Ice Age 3(saw it with my kids). I loved the action in Transformers, mostly enjoyed it because it reminded me of my days at Poyne Point Middle(in Camden) and all the great times I had with my boys there. (Speaking of school, I didn't get a chance to make it to my high school reunion, Class of 89, but I heard you guys had a great time. Sorry I couldn't make it, but who knows, I just might show up at the next one.)Ice Age 3 is a definite must see family flick, if you haven't checked it out, definetely take the kids to see it, especially since it's in 3D.

On the other end of the entertainment realm, I've been mixing up music on my ipod. I like all kinds of music, and sometimes that comes as a surprise to most people. Most of you would probably be surprised to know that I listen to George Michael and the Culture Club. Better yet, you know who I've had on heavy rotation lately? Garth Brooks. That's right I said it, you read correctly, Big Daddy listens to some country! If you're from or live in Camden and appreciate some good country music, please send me a comment on Twitter, Facebook, or MySpace, and give me some of your favorite songs. I'm also a Bruce Springsteen and Lenny Kravitz fan, but let me stop, I don't want to shock you too much with my musical diversity. I love to listen to anything with a great beat, especially when I'm in the kitchen, so of course you know I'm a huge ol' skool hip hop fan but when it comes to newer stuff, I've been feeling Jay-Z's "Death of Autotune". And of course I've got to have a gospel song on my playlist-Fred Hammond has been making a comeback, and I'm really liking what he has out right now. If you ever want to have a good idea what I'm listening to from time to time, you can check out my MySpace page, I keep a fresh playlist posted there.

When it comes to food this summer, if you've been watching Best Thing I Ever Ate, you know I love buffalo wings, so here's my challenge to you: what's your favorite wing spot? Send me a message/comment on Twitter, Facebook, or MySpace and give me your number one spot. Now know that if you send me rave reviews on your favorite wing place I might just have to check it for myself, so don't disappoint! Speaking of not disappointing, I went back to Bahama Breeze in Cherry Hill, NJ a couple of weeks ago, and enjoyed the food there. I've been trying to get to Chipotle Mexican Grille, have any of you been there? If so, you know the drill-send me a message and tell me what you ate, what you liked or didn't like about it.

One thing I have enjoyed this summer is going to my church, Living Hope Christian Center, in Pennsauken, NJ. Part of the reason I love going there so much is because of the music. Our choir and band are incredible and listening to them perform really uplifts my spirits. Last week I was able to catch their final performance in a talent competition at the Firehouse Cafe in Mt. Holly, NJ, where they took 2nd runners up. I love being with my church family so I really enjoyed relaxing and getting inspiration from some great local talent. I even ran into some friends of mine, people I haven't caught up with in a few months.

On that note I'm going to go ahead and it with some encouragement. I know some people don't like the fact that I include scriptures or talk about my faith, but it's a part of who I am and why I do what I do. So I just want to encourage others out there who might need some hope, or just some words of comfort to read Psalms 37, remembering that God has good things coming to you. It blessed me when I read it and it helps to motivate and keep me going, so I hope it does the same for you.

Again, be sure to send me feedback and comments, and as always thanks for watching the new season of Big Daddy's House, I appreciate all the love and support you all give me, it means so much. I'm going to Ocean City so when I get back I'll be sure to tell you how it went. I'm looking forward to hearing from you guys, take care and God bless!

Big Daddy's House - Grill it Good

2009-07-20T23:10:00.025-04:00

A little rain wasn't going to keep Big Daddy from using the grill this past Sunday. Instead Big Daddy brought the grill indoors and served up some Sweet Pea & Ricotta Cheese Crostini, Grilled Flat Iron Steak with Pistachio-Pesto Butter and Grilled Ham Wrapped Asparagus. He finished by adding a new twist on chocolate ice cream by serving up Chocolate Whiskey Ice Cream.

LINKS:

RECIPE: Sweet Pea Salad & Ricotta Cheese Crostini

RECIPE: Grilled Flat Iron Steak w/ Pistachio Pesto Butter

RECIPE: Grilled Ham Wrapped Asparagus

RECIPE: Chocolate Whiskey Ice Cream

Big Daddy's House - Ultimate Sandwiches

2009-07-13T02:55:00.004-04:00

Big Daddy's House Hit DA SPOT with the opening episode of season #3. Chef brought serious flavor back with two ULTIMATE SANDWICHES - DaSpot Sandwich and a Fall-off-the-Bone Short Rib Sandwich topped with a Kicked Up Cole slaw.

LINKS

RECIPE - Kicked Up Cole Slaw
RECIPE - DaSpot Chicken Sandwich
RECIPE - Fall-off-the-Bone Short Ribs
LINK - Big Daddy's House Home Page - Ultimate Sandwiches
LINK - Chef Aaron McCargo Jr's website

Big Daddy dishes on FN Dish

2009-07-09T15:46:00.010-04:00

Big Daddy served up some major flavor during an interview with FN Dish. Chef dished on what's in store for the new season (which premiers this Sunday), his thoughts on this season's The Next Food Network Star, and how his life has changed since being in the competition last year. You can read the interview here as well as check it out on Twitter.

And of course be sure to catch the 3rd season of Big Daddy's House this Sunday on Food Network, 1:30 EST.

LINKS:

FN Dish

www.aaronmccargo.com

Big Daddy Undercover - Fancy Food Show - NYC

2009-07-01T00:34:00.000-04:00

By now everyone knows that Big Daddy enjoys using different spices and flavors from all over the world to incorporate into his recipes... where does Big Daddy go to find these flavors and inspiration??

There's no better place to find big bold flavors than the Fancy Food Show in the Big Apple featuring both domestic and international creations.

Performing tasty Flavor Research, Big Daddy was able to find fresh inspiration for his creative recipes.

Big Daddy vs. Paula Deen Potato Salad faceoff

2009-06-20T01:58:00.009-04:00

What happens when you put two Food Network chefs and potato salad together? Why you have a "he made, she made "recipe battle on your hands! Visit Food Network.com's recipe section for both Chef Aaron's AND Paula Deen's awesome recipes for potato salad.

Try both recipes at your next BBQ or family dinner and then go Food Network's website to vote for your favorite. Who will come out the potato salad champion? Only you can decide the winner, so get your votes in!

Links:
Food Network
aaronmccargo.com

Big Daddy's BBQ Flavor in Essence

2009-06-20T01:15:00.009-04:00

Looking to throw the tastiest BBQ around this summer? Tired of cooking the same old hot dogs, ribs, and macaroni salad? Ever wonder what a BBQ at Big Daddy's house is like? Then you need to go out and pick up the July issue of Essence Magazine! That's right, Chef Aaron was featured in last month's issue of Essence (have you picked up your copy?), and he's wowing us again in next month's issue, which is on newstands now. The three page spread,(featured in the "Healthy Living/Summer Entertaining" section of the magazine) highlights Chef Aaron's fresh ideas and twists on BBQ favorites as well as some helpful BBQ Do's and Don't's. His recipes will give your BBQ the flavor it's been missing, so be sure to head out and pick up a copy today.

Links:

Essence Magazine

aaronmccargo.com

New Season of Big Daddy's House in July

2009-06-05T23:28:00.002-04:00

The Explosive New Season of Big Daddy's House begins on Sunday, July 12th at 1:30pm ET/PT. Get your DVRs ready !!

The Flavor Is Back !!

LINKS
Food Network - Big Daddy's House
Food Network - Chef Aaron's Recipes

The Next Food Network Star-Season 5

2009-06-04T22:44:00.000-04:00

The search for the next food network star has begun! Check out the premiere of season 5 of The Next Food Network Star starting Sunday, June 7th at 9PM / 8PM Central.

You never know who may show up.....You'll have to watch to find out and you won't want to miss it!

Sunset's Celebration Weekend with Big Daddy

2009-05-28T23:58:00.010-04:00

To all my fans in California: I'll be in your backyard next weekend, June 6 & 7th for Sunset Magazine's "Celebration Weekend" in Menlo Park, CA. Sunset Magazine is known for being the go to guide for all the great things living out West has to offer, and the weekend will be full of wine tastings, speakers from the gardening, culinary, design, and wine worlds, as well as food demonstrations.

I'll be there sharing tips and ideas, showing everyone how to incorporate bold flavors into their meals, Big Daddy style of course. If you are in the area and want to attend the event, you can check out Sunset's website for the full schedule of events and speakers. I love spending time in California, so if you come out next weekend, be sure to stop by the main cooking stage, say hello, and take some pictures. Send them to info@aaronmccargo.com and I'll post them on my website and Facebook! Have a great weekend everyone and God bless!

LINKS:
Sunset - Celebration Weekend

Keeping It Real with Big Daddy

2009-05-17T21:38:00.004-04:00

The Right Stuff ?

Do you have a great food product that’s taken you years to perfect? Are you the co-worker who moonlights as a pastry connoisseur in your off time, selling your tasty creations out of your cubicle? Are you the lady or gentleman at church who sells slammin' fish dinners after service? Do you have a relative or neighbor who is known for their zesty sauce everyone swears should be bottled up and sold to millions? Are you a hometown entrepreneur dedicated to perfecting and selling your product within your region?

If so, then Chef Aaron McCargo Jr wants YOU! Big Daddy is on a quest to find the next great food product. We aren’t just talking about that tasty lasagna dish your kids beg you to make folks, we are talking about a product you’ve put your blood, sweat and tears into and has taken years to perfect. You’ve sold it to family members, church groups, local fairs, supermarkets or even out of your truck or the trunk of your car. From food baskets to fries, empanadas to enchiladas, salads to sauces, dips to dressings and pies to pastries, send in your Great Food Product, and we’ll see if your product has what it takes to get chef’s stamp of approval and we’ll see if you can handle Keeping It Real with Big Daddy.

If you think your product has what it takes, then send in a video of your product and your amazing story!

The top submissions may be used in an upcoming show! Submissions are due no later than June 10, 2009. Send an email with a video link to chef@aaronmccargo.com (Subject line: Keeping It Real). Photo-based submissions will also be accepted but videos are preferred.

Summary
E-MAIL - chef@aaronmccargo.com
START DATE - May 18, 2009.
END DATE - June 10, 2009.

Big Daddy in Essence Magazine

2009-05-16T23:43:00.011-04:00

Next time you're at the grocery store, bookstore, or standing in the check out lane in Wal-Mart, be sure to pick up a copy of Essence magazine's June issue on newstands now. I'm excited about being featured in this month's issue and you can also take a look at an interview I did with Esssence.Com back in February. There you can read about one of my must-have ingredients, as well as take a look at some of my recipes. Can't find the recipe you're looking for? Hey, don't sweat it, just head over to my website where there are plenty more to choose from. If you pick up a copy of Essence, be sure to hit me up and let me know what you think about the feature. I just got into Chicago for the National Restaurant Association show, and I'm loving the Chicago area already! If you live in the Chicago area and are attending the show, I hope to see you there. To everyone else, have a great weekend and God Bless!

Big Daddy & Share Our Strength

2009-05-15T22:28:00.003-04:00

I'll be in Chi-town this weekend for the National Restaurant Association Show, the biggest tradeshow in the restaurant and hospitality industry. Not only will I be there doing demos, doing interviews with food magazines, networking, and going to parties, I'll be there for a much greater reason. While at the show, I'll have an opportunity to use the event as a platform for Share Our Strength, an organization dedicated to eliminating child hunger, an organization I'm honored to be the spokesperson for. I'm looking forward to helping raise awareness about Share Our Strength's events, such as the Great American Dine Out, as well as get a chance to meet professionals from around the industry. It's going to be a super busy weekend, but one well worth the trip. If you happen to be in the area and attend the show, send in your pictures. I'll post them on my website and Facebook.

Links:

http://www.restaurant.org/

http://www.strength.org/

http://www.aaronmccargo.com/

Big Daddy's Back with an Explosive Season 3!

2009-04-15T14:49:00.009-04:00

Season 2 might be over, but don't worry, Chef Aaron's got more in store for you in Season 3 of "Big Daddy's House"!

That's right, back by popular demand, your favorite show and chef are coming back for even more tantalizing recipes to woo your tastebuds!

Bertski and I were able to sneak on set yesterday and see Chef Aaron in action. He even let us get a taste of some of the flava he's got cooking up for the upcoming season, and TRUST me, Big Daddy is coming back with so much flavor, it'll make your head spin!

Be sure to stay tuned to the blog, and Food Network for more information and details from the set. You can also get some behind the scenes thoughts from Chef Aaron himself while he's on set by following him on Twitter.

Also be sure to stay tuned for an update from Chef with a new "Flavor of the Week". If you're excited about the new season, be sure to stop by his Facebook or MySpace page and let him know as well.

Great American Dine Out

2009-04-02T11:20:00.005-04:00

Too many people in this country especially children, are unsure where their next meal is coming from. Helping people is something I'm very passionate about, and that is why I am thrilled to announce that I will be helping to raise awareness about childhood hunger by being the spokesperson for Share Our Strength's 2nd Annual "Great American Dine Out". The week-long event kicks off in September, and I will be encouraging millions across the country to participate in the fight to end childhood hunger.

For more information on the event, or to register your restaurant you can go to GreatAmericanDineOut.org.

Links:
Share Our Strength
GreatAmericanDineOut.org.
http://www.qsrmagazine.com/

Big Daddy's Flavor of the Week

2009-04-02T10:12:00.016-04:00

Hey everybody, it’s your favorite chef, Aaron McCargo Jr, checking in to give you a sneak “peek” inside my world and what I’m doing from week to week. From time to time, I’ll be posting updates about appearances and projects I have going on, as well as sharing whatever is on my mind throughout the week…And if I happen to catch some amazing food at a certain restaurant or come across a helpful tip, I’ll share that too!

As you know, I’m the main chef at my house and cooking dinner for my wife and kids is one of my favorite things to do. This week I happened to cook one of my wife’s favorites: turkey meatloaf stuffed with spinach, roasted peppers, mozzarella cheese and caramelized onions. It was topped with a wonderfully spicy marinara sauce and served with some Carolina yellow rice on the side. My mouth’s starting to water just thinking about it- it’s the BOMB, I’m telling you!

Now, I understand not everyone has the desire or the time to get in the kitchen and cook, and prefer to go out to eat, and that’s fine; the only thing I enjoy more than creating my own flavorful dishes is going out to other restaurants and eateries and tasting amazing cuisine.

If you’re looking for a great place to take that special someone in your life or just want a nice evening out with friends and delicious food, be sure to check out Brio Tuscan Grille.

Since I live in South Jersey, I go to the one in Cherry Hill, but they have several locations across the country, and it’s one of my favorite Italian restaurants.
Speaking of Italian food, if you happen to be in the mood for some pizza and calzones, AND you live in Youngstown, Ohio, be sure to check out a great pizzeria, Inner Circle Pizza. I had the pleasure of eating there while in town for the “Our Valley Cooks” recipe contest and food expo. While there, I did a food demo, serving up some of my recipes from “Big Daddy’s House”, and met thousands of great people who enjoy good food and even better company.
To see pictures of the event, check out my Facebook page.
Quick shout out: OHIO, I had a great time thanks for the hospitality you rock!

While I’m on the road, I enjoy doing two things: watching boxing matches on my iPod and listening to music.I actually enjoy listening to everything that's out there, but this week, the song I can’t seem to get out of my head and is in constant rotation on the ‘pod is “Dreamworld” by Robin Thicke. It’s nice and mellow…if you haven’t heard it, you’ve definitely got to check it out. I’m feeling it so much I even had to put it on my MySpace page!

When I'm not out of town, something I enjoy doing every night at home is to read books to my kids before they go to bed. It’s relaxing and allows me to spend quality time with them, time I cherish. This week I read the one they can’t seem to get enough of at the moment, “ Honey Bunny, Funny Bunny”.

After the kids go to bed, I spend some time catching up on the news and see what’s going on in the world around me. Like everyone else, I have news stories that interest and or bother me. One news item that really caught my interest over the last couple of weeks is the story about Obama’s joke about the Special Olympics, and the reaction people have had to it. Now I agree the Special Olympics and those who participate in them are nothing to be made fun of, but can’t we give the guy a break? Sometimes people take the words of others out of context, and try to twist it to make it sound negative when it might not be. Obama’s having a hard enough time trying to make our country, better yet, the world a better place, and has barely been in office 100 days. Now maybe he should’ve found a different way to joke about his bowling score, but do we really have to crucify him for one bad joke? He’s got a tough enough job to do people, let’s give the man a break!

Enough about that, let’s move on to my last thought of the day. If you know anything about me, you know that I love God and have no problem sharing His word with others to help encourage them. In my devotion this week, I’ve been dealing with believing and having in faith that God has me in His hands, no matter what the situation looks like. Matthew 21:21(NLT) says: “Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done.” Also in Luke 11:9 (NLT) it says: "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” As I go through the days, weeks, and months ahead, I’m going to make it a point to remember that once I’ve done all I can in a situation, I should just stand and wait on God, and I encourage you to do the same. And even though it might be hard to do, while you’re waiting on Him to give you the answers you need, don’t wait with doubt but wait with faith that what ever it is you don’t have answers for or to, God does! All we have to do is just ask Him, and He gives us what we are looking for. Remember, God is never late, and never early, but He’s always on time!

Well everybody, that wraps it up for this week, but more updates are coming soon, so stay tuned!

Take care and God Bless,

Chef Aaron

Links:

Brio Tuscan Grille

TODAY Show!

2009-03-31T22:26:00.007-04:00

Wake up bright and early and set your DVR's everyone, because I will be on the TODAY Show on Monday, April 13, 2009. I can't wait to have Matt, Ann, Al, and Meredith's mouths watering with the flavorful dishes I'll be serving up. After you watch the show, be sure to post a comment on my Facebook page and tell me what you thought of it!

Big Daddy Goes Greek!

2009-03-26T15:53:00.003-04:00

How do you surprise a food savvy friend in the kitchen for their birthday? At Big Daddy's House you take their tastebuds on a trip to Greece for some refreshing Mediterranean dishes, that's how!

To give his friend Valerie Chaney a birthday menu she would remember, Chef gave her his take on a light, refreshing Greek menu by preparing cucumber-flavored Herb Yogurt Chicken, a delightful Eggplant Bruschetta with Pita chips, tasty Grilled Halloumi Cheese, and Big Daddy's Favorite Falafel Sandwhich.

Herb Yogurt Chicken

Chef began by preparing the marinade for the chicken. In a large bowl Chef combined extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, fresh chopped oregano, fresh garlic, and a pinch of salt and gave it a good mix.

Boneless chicken breast with skin were then rinsed well and tossed in a bowl with the marinade, skin side down and wrapped in plastic for 30 minutes.

When it was time to grill, Aaron ensured things didn't get too smoky by keeping the marinade off the grill pan, placing the chicken breasts on the grill skin side down and grilling them for 6 minutes on each side.

The grilled chicken breasts were then placed in the oven andallowed to finish cooking at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

With the chicken finishing in the oven it was time to prepare the cucumber yogurt sauce. Chef began by peeling, seeding, and medium dicing a cucumber.

In a large bowl, he then combined the cucumber with lemon juice, pepper, garlic, 1 cup of yogurt, a pinch of salt and 1 tablespoon of freshly chopped dill and stirred the ingredients until they were well mixed. The sauce was then placed in the refrigerator.

Once the chicken was done it was taken out of the oven and sliced into thin strips...

...and served over a bed of spinach leaves, cherry tomatoes, red onions and topped with the tasty cucumber flavored yogurt sauce. Yummy!

Eggplant Flatbread Bruschetta

For a quick, light refeshing snack, Big Daddy then began to prepare his flavorful bruschetta.

Deciding to go with flatbread due to it's fluffiness and ability to retain flavor, Chef cut it into
wedges and then seasoned with extra virgin olive oil, pepper, and tossed in a bowl until well mixed.

The flatbread was then laid flat on a baking pan and Chef topped it off by crumbling feta cheese over each peice, being careful not to over do it due to the cheese's salt content.

The flatbread was then placed in the oven at 400 degrees for 5-8 minutes

While the flatbread was baking in the oven, Big Daddy moved on to the bruschetta mix.
A medium sized eggplant was sliced lengthwise and seasoned with extra virgin olive oil, pepper, a pinch of salt.

It was then placed on the grill for 2 minutes per side.

Once the eggplant was done and set to the side to cool, Chef then diced and seeded an avocado, plum tomatoes, and placed them in a bowl with lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil.

He then diced the eggplant and added to the mix as well as finely chopped thyme and oregano, as well as salt and tossed it all together until well mixed.

Now that's alot of freshness in one bowl!

Chef Aaron & Kelsey - What A Catch

2009-02-15T21:13:00.000-05:00

Chef Aaron catches up with a beautiful ol' friend from Season Four of The Next Food Network Star - Kelsey Nixon.

Since we all remember Kelsey's amazing Macadamia Encrusted Tilapia recipe from the Next Food Network Star - Big Daddy decided to keep the fresh sea theme going with his own Blackened Salmon with Blue Cheese Sauce, an awesome Lemon Pepper Orzo and a bed of Spicy Swiss Chard greens and an appetizing set of Shrimp Potstickers.

Aaron seasoned the salmon with a rub composed of Italian seasoning, black pepper, paprika, salt and cayenne.
Fish were cooked a coupe of minutes on each side in a large skillet with melted butter and oil. He then transferred the pan into the oven and the happy fish were on their way

Chef created a quick blue cheese sauce by reducing white wine and heavy cream in a medium sauce pan. After adding blue cheese the mixture was whisked until smooth.

Aaron boiled 2 1/2 cups of chicken stock in a medium saute pan, added a cup of orzo and allowed to cook for 7-8 minutes.

He turned off the heat and stirred in grated Parmesan cheese, mascarpone cheese, butter, cream, chives and about a teaspoon of lemon zest.

Chef completed the day by chopping up 1/2 pound of rock shrimp and mixed it in a large bowl with garlic, shallots, parsley, napa cabbage, mascarpone cheese and lemon juice

He then proceeded to lay 12 won ton wrappers on a flat surface and placed 1 tablespoon of the shrimp filling in the center of each wrapper. He then wet edges with an egg wash and brought all sides together with a pinch.

Potstickers were then steamed in a steaming pan for 6-8 minutes and then seared in a large skillet pan slicked with peanut oil. Of course chef wasn't going to leave those potstickers naked so he created a Ponzu dipping sauce composed of soy sauce, orange juice, rice wine vinegar, scallions and some red pepper flakes for heat.

LINKS / RECIPES

WEBSITE- Kelsey's Kitchen
RECIPE - Kelsey's Macadamia Encrusted Tilapia
RECIPE - Chef Aaron's Lemon Pepper Orzo
RECIPE - Chef Aaron's Shrimp Potstickers
RECIPE - Chef Aaron's Spicy Swiss Chard
RECIPE - Chef Aaron's Blackened Salmon with Blue Cheese Sauce

Big Daddy's Favorite Valentine Special

2009-02-08T19:54:00.023-05:00

Chef Aaron surprised his Favorite Valentine - his Mom - with a truly wonderful Valentine's dinner. Stuffed Veal Chops laying in a bed of Smashed Parsnips with Mascarpone Cheese surrounded by a wreath of Lemon Broccoli Rabe.

Big Daddy topped it off with a Valentine favorite - Chocolate Covered Strawberries and finished this special occasion with a Strawberry Bellini drink.

Stuffed Veal Chops

Chef created his stuffing mixture by combining prosciutto, grated sharp provolone, small diced roasted peppers, grated onions, seasoned Italian bread crumbs and fresh oregano leaves in a medium bowl.

After slitting each veal chop and creating a pocket, chef stuffed each veal chop with the stuffing mixture and then seasoned salt & pepper and lightly brushed each side with olive oil.

After grilling on each side for two minutes, chef placed the chops in the oven for 4-6 minutes.

Lemon Broccoli Rabe

Big Daddy chopped and blanched 2 bunches of broccoli rabe.

Garlic was browned in extra-virgin olive oil with red-pepper flakes.

The blanched broccoli rabe was then added to the garlic and topped with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

Aaron then tossed the mixture and added lemon zest, salt and pepper and cooked for 2-3 minutes.

Smashed Parsnips with Mascarpone Cheese

One pound of parsnips were cut into 1-inch pieces and boiled in a large pot of water for 10 minutes.

In another pot, chef melted butter and sugar together and then sauteed half a diced onion until caramelized.

The drained parsnips were then added to the caramelized onions and turned off the heat. Finally chef added the Mascarpone cheese and mashed the mixture while adding parsley.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Big Daddy chopped pretzels and almonds and placed in 2 separate bowls. Chocolate was chopped and added to a double boiler to melt.

Chef dipped each strawberry in the velvety chocolate and placed on a wax paper lined sheet.

The chopped pretzels and nuts were then sprinkled on each strawberry.

Strawberry Bellini

Chef first created a simple syrup composed of 2 parts water and 2 parts sugar. This mixture was brought to a boil and simmered until sugar dissolved.

Aaron then blended one pint of strawberries along with his simple syrup. Once blended the mixture was strained and poured into champagne glasses. You know Big Daddy had to garnish the glass - by simply using sliced strawberries.

After topping with champagne - the drinks were ready and Chef Aaron prepped the table and entrees and Mom was being treated to this very special Valentine dinner.

RECIPE / LINKS

RECIPE: Stuffed Veal Chops
RECIPE: Lemon Broccoli Rabe
RECIPE: Smashed Parsnips with Mascarpone Cheese
RECIPE: Chocolate Covered Strawberries
RECIPE: Strawberry Bellini

Chef Aaron's Awesome Asian Experience

2009-02-01T16:08:00.019-05:00

Chinese New Year is upon us and Chef Aaron is celebrating the Year of the Ox with a handful of Awesome Asian recipes - Big Daddy Style !!

Hoisin-Glazed Cornish Hen

Chef Aaron carefully added a 1.5 pound Cornish hen into a deep pot of heated vegetable oil (350 degrees F). Each side was cooked for 8-10 minutes until golden brown (internal 165 degrees F). The hen was removed and drained on a paper towel.

Chef constructed a glaze mixture by whisking together hoisin, red pepper flakes and scallions. This mixture was brushed over the cooked hen on both sides. Extra glaze was set aside for a dipping sauce.

The hen was placed in the oven for 7 minutes, removed and brushed over one last time before completing its journey for another 7 minutes in the oven.

Shiitake Mushroom Brown Rice

Big Daddy heated a large cast iron pan with a tablespoon of sesame oil. He then stemmed and sliced 6 Shiitake mushrooms and mixed them into the pan with soy sauce, chicken broth, mushroom broth, scallions and a cup of brown rice.

The pan was covered with a lid and placed in the oven for 30 minutes.

Glazed Chinese Long Beans

Chef Aaron blanched 1/2 lbs of Chinese long beans, also known as Snake beans, in a large pot of boiling water for 2 minutes and set aside to cool.

Chef then diced up ginger and scallions and mixed them with minced garlic in a large skillet with a couple tablespoons of butter. Chinese long beans were added with a pinch of red pepper flakes and cooked for several minutes.

Chef then completed the journey by stirring in chicken stock, honey and sesame oil and seasoning with salt, pepper and sesame seeds.

RECIPES / LINKS

RECIPE: Hoisin-Glazed Cornish Hen
RECIPE: Glazed Chinese Long Beans
RECIPE: Lychee Martini
RECIPE: Shiitake Mushroom Brown Rice
RECIPE: Pork Egg Roll with Broccoli Slaw

Big Daddy - Big Game - Big Recipes

2009-01-25T15:53:00.038-05:00

Chef Aaron (still recovering from the Eagles loss in the NFC championship) decided to cheer himself up the best way he knows how --- Jump in the kitchen and create some SUPER recipes for the Big Game.

BUFFALO CHICKEN CHEESE BALLS

Big Daddy started off by picking the meat off of a cooked rotisserie chicken.

He placed the chicken in a large bowl and added scallions and cheddar cheese and mixed this in with hot sauce and black pepper.
He then rolled the chicken mix into 2-ounce golf-ball sized balls.

Chef Aaron then setup his favorite 3-bowl assembly line. He poured flour, eggs and Panko bread crumbs into their respective bowls.

After setting up the line - he rolled each chicken ball in the flour, then the egg and then the bread crumbs (only in that order) and set them aside until the oil in the deep fryer was hot.

He dipped the batch into the oil for about 2 minutes, removed the batch and dumped them into a paper-towel lined dish.

Spicy Jalapeno Sliders

Chef got himself into a spicy mood so he added a pound of ground beef in a bowl and mixed it with jalapenos (seeded and diced fine), shallots, panko, heavy cream, Monterey Jack cheese and garlic powder.

He mixed all the ingredients and formed several small patties and placed them in the oven for 15 minutes.

HOAGIE STYLE PIZZA

Big Daddy decided to put a special spin on 2 Jersey & Philly favorites, by joining them together in a Hoagie style pizza. He stretched out some pizza dough and drizzled olive oil onto both sides.

He then grilled the pizza dough for about 2 minutes on each side. He then created 2 special "pizza sauces" for his Hoagie Pizza, an Olive Tapenade and a Sun-Dried Tomato Chutney.

Hold up ... seems to me that Big Daddy was doing all the work for the big game, so he invited his buddies over to help him finish the job.

DA BOYZ !!

Wayne, Scott and Big Daddy's lil' bro Donovan went into the kitchen to help finish off the Hoagie Pizza and the Spicy Jalapeno Sliders.

While the other boys - Orion, Al and Tank were ..... ummmmm..... Supervising ??

Chef Aaron on LIVE! with REGIS AND KELLY

2009-01-21T14:04:00.009-05:00

Chef Aaron will make a guest appearance on the LIVE! with Regis and Kelly show on Monday, January 26th.
Big Daddy will launch their ULTIMATE GAME DAY GRUB WEEK series to help prepare you with great recipes for the upcoming Super Bowl.

We LOVE Kelly, especially since she's a South Jersey native... born in Camden County and is a huge fan and spokesperson for Cooper Hospital in Camden, NJ where Chef Aaron was born.

COOL BEANS !! [It's a Jersey thing]

REFERENCES / LINKS

VIDEO: NEW!! - Chef Aaron Video Segment - CLICK HERE
WEBSITE: LIVE! WITH REGIS AND KELLY

BIG DADDY BURGER BONANZA

2009-01-19T01:50:00.033-05:00

Big Daddy was taking it back to that Great American classic - The Burger. During the Burgers, Burgers, Burgers episode, Chef Aaron put his own twist on 3 classic burger recipes with some Jammin' Salmon Burgers, Big Daddy's Sloppy Joe Burgers and the ultimate burger recipe - the Inside Out Burger.

INSIDE-OUT BURGER

Aaron cooked bacon in a large saute pan until crispy and after draining most of the bacon fat, added mushrooms and cooked until caramelized for about 5 minutes and then set aside to cool.

Chef then combined the ground beef, with a diced shallot, black pepper, salt and Worcestershire sauce.

Big Daddy was now ready for his construction project. After forming several top & bottom patties, chef mixed cubed Swiss cheese with the cooled bacon & mushroom mixture and placed roughly 2 ounce portions on the bottom patties.

He then topped off each with the remaining beef patties. Grape seed oil was heated in a large skillet over medium-high heat and the burgers were added to cook for a couple of minutes on each side. The entire skillet was then placed in the oven for 4-6 minutes.

SLOPPY JOE BURGERS

Big Daddy diced a pound of beef tenderloin, and minced onions, green peppers and garlic.

The beef was placed in a large skillet with pepper and salt and after several minutes the onions, green peppers and garlic were added and stirred.

Chef finished off his blend by adding steak sauce, brown sugar, hot sauce and dry mustard. The sloppy joe was cooked until browned and served on toasted brioche buns -- YUMMY !!

JAMMIN SALMON BURGERS

Aaron started by creating a Lemon Dill Mayonnaise for his Salmon burgers by juicing a couple of lemons over a mixture of mayonnaise, dill leaves, salt, pepper and a pinch of cayenne pepper.

Chef then added his Dill Mayonnaise to a mixture of lemon zest, chopped parsley, diced vidalia onion, eggs, black pepper, salt and panko bread crumbs.

Chef completed the mixture by adding the contents of 2 cans of Alaska skinless and boneless pink salmon - completely drained. After mixing well, the burgers were formed and placed to cook in a large skillet coated with 2 tablespoons of grape seed oil.

SEASONED WEDGED FRIES

Big daddy was exhausted after all these burgers so he decided to recruit some help to take this to the finish line. He called up the talented chef, Shane Lyons, a great friend he met during The Next Food Network Star - Season 4.

Shane assisted chef Aaron in knocking out 3 different seasonings for a set of seasoned wedged fries to match up well with his 3 different burger recipes.

LINKS / RECIPES

RECIPE - Jammin' Salmon Burgers

RECIPE - Big Daddy's Sloppy Joe Burgers

RECIPE - Inside Out Burger

RECIPE - Seasoned Wedged Fries

THAT IS ONE BIGGGGG DADDY !!

2009-01-16T00:20:00.004-05:00

Food Network placed a huge building size Advertisement of Big Daddy's House in New York City's Chelsea Market neighborhood in Manhattan.

The building is near the corner of 9th Avenue and West 15th Street.

Shephards Pie, Frittata & California Caeser Salad

2009-01-04T14:37:00.027-05:00

Big Daddy comes back strong starting Season Two with a delicious Mini Shephard's Pie, a Crabby California Caesar Salad and an Egg White Frittata.

MINI SHEPHARD'S PIE
Big Daddy's son, Justin, helped mold the individual pie crusts (made from biscuit dough) which were then placed in a muffin pan and baked in the oven.

Chef Aaron prepared the pie filling by browning ground beef and adding salt, pepper, onions, minced garlic. He then added flour, beef stock and stirred in vegetables and herbs, parsley and rosemary.

After heating up mashed potatoes in the microwave, chef pulled out the crusts out of the oven and filled the bottom layer of the mini pies with the potato filling. The pies were then topped with the beef filling and topped off with cheddar cheese.

EGG WHITE FRITTATA

Chef Aaron then got started on his Egg White Frittata by grilling zucchini on an stove-top grill plate while cooking pancetta in melted butter and garlic - until crisp.

Grilled zucchini, tomatoes and herbs were then added and tossed to combine.

Big Daddy beat some Egg Whites in a bowl and added it to the mixture. Topped it all off with Swiss cheese, coarse salt and black pepper and placed into the oven.

CRABBY CALIFORNIA CAESER SALAD

Big Daddy must've been reminiscing about his old surfing days (yikes!) because his mind was on a Crablicious California Caesar Salad.

Chef created his Caesar salad dressing by combining egg yolk, lemon juice, anchovies and garlic and pulsed the mixture in a food processor. Then he emulsified the dressing with olive and canola oil and finally completed the mixture by adding mustard, salt and pepper.

Chef then tossed chopped romaine with avocados, crumbled bacon and jumbo lump crab meat with the dressing and the only part left was making the croutons.

Justin, Big Daddy's loyal assistant, help toss cubed bread in a large bowl drizzled with olive oil. Croutons were then placed on a baking sheet and into the oven until brown and crispy.

RECIPES / LINKS

RECIPE - Mini Shephard's Pie

RECIPE - Egg White and Frittata

RECIPE - California Caeser Salad

Happy Holidays !!

2008-12-28T14:10:00.004-05:00

BIG DADDY IS BACK - Season Two Coming Soon !

2008-12-04T00:00:00.011-05:00

BIG BOLD BALD-ACIOUS BIG DADDY IS BACKKKKKK !!!

Hey guys we've been busy during the holidays but now we're back. Tune into repeats of Big Daddy's House starting on Sunday, December 7th at 1:30 PM/12:30 CT. New season starts on January 4th.

Bertski's been sneaking on-set of season two and will be posting some juicy tidbits and sneak previews. Some familiar faces ... some new faces. Season two is gonna be great.

Stay tuned ....

Big Daddy Takes On Thanksgiving

2008-11-16T16:45:00.026-05:00

Big Daddy has been invited on the Rachel Ray Show for an Thanksgiving All Stars show.

The Thanksgiving All-stars episode will be airing Wednesday, Nov. 19th. Check your local TV times.

Chef Aaron has been creating new fantastic recipes and has been working hard preparing for a GREAT 2nd season of Big Daddy's House.

Chef has also stayed busy visiting fans and performing food demos - like his latest at Giant Eagle in the Pittsburgh, PA area.

Big Daddy Invades Da Big Apple

2008-10-23T22:14:00.025-04:00

Chef Aaron stopped by Food Network studios in NYC and then stopped by Greenwich village and paid a visit to an old friend that you may all remember from The Next Food Network Star (apply for season 5 here). Watch the video below and see who it is ... and get all of Big Daddy's updates regarding Big Daddy's House re-runs and the new upcoming season.

Big Daddy joined Chef Jeff at the Circle of Sisters convention at the Jacob Javitz center in NYC. Big Daddy created his delicious Parfait for the audience.

Chef Jeff was great, promoting his show, the Chef Jeff Project and his biography and cookbook. Things got pretty crazy when we wrapped up and tried to get Big Daddy to the exits -"Circle of Sisters" everywhere were recognizing Chef and starting a buzz in the aisles -- RUN BIG DADDY RUN !!

Chef Aaron on Rachel Ray Show & Dinner Impossible

2008-10-20T14:28:00.006-04:00

Set your TIVOs and your DVRs. Chef Aaron will be on the Rach to the Rescue segment of the Rachael Ray Show on Tuesday, October 21st, airing at 10am in the NY/NJ region. Show times for the rest of the country are here.

Catch Chef Aaron on the Hospital Hijinks episode of Dinner: Impossible hosted by Chef Michael Symon on Wednesday, October 22nd airing at 10pm on Food Network.

Chef Aaron Gets Keys To Hometown - Camden, NJ

2008-09-27T20:53:00.023-04:00

Chef Aaron was honored by his hometown when Mayor Gwendolyn Faison and City Council presented Mr. Aaron McCargo Jr. with the Keys to the City of Camden, NJ. September 25 is now officially Aaron McCargo Jr. day in Camden.

Chef Aaron along with family and friends celebrated the ceremony with spirited and emotional testimonials honoring Aaron's life, ambitions, his masterful culinary skills and his faith.

LINKS / REFERENCES

Camden, NJ - City Website
Wikipedia - Camden, New Jersey

Big Daddy Celebrates Philly & Jersey Style

2008-09-17T23:28:00.034-04:00

When Big Daddy gets in the mood to celebrate - he gets in the mood for his favorite dish - Extra Crispy Chicken Wings - at his favorite spot in Jersey for wings, the Jug Handle Inn.

Big Daddy was celebrating the great news regarding the renewal of Big Daddy's House on Food Network during a photo shoot this week at the Jug Handle Inn in Cinnamonson, NJ. As you can clearly see, the photographers and Chef Aaron were hard at work (hmmmm ... really?) during their photo shoot.

But when Big Daddy celebrates - he doesn't just dream about wings - he also dreams about his favorite hoagie spot - Carmen's Deli in Bellmawr, NJ.

But when owners Ron & Elaine challenged Big Daddy and claimed their newly minted cheesesteak was as good as their award winning hoagies -- Big Daddy (and bertski) had to investigate.

We take cheesesteak claims very seriously in the Philadelphia/NJ region so Big Daddy ordered 3 cheesesteaks and we put them through the official 3 step Philly/NJ cheesesteak tasting protocol ---

open mouth
enter steak
tummy happy.

Awesome cheesesteak. Heaping portions of steak covered in melted American cheese and onions and covered with the official "hot pepper" of NJ - Hoagie Spread.

Big thanks to Ronny and Elaine from Carmen's Deli.

LINKS / REFERENCES

Carmen's Deli - 42 E. Browning Road, Bellmawr, NJ
Jug Handle Inn - Rte 73 & Fork Landing Rd, Cinnaminson, NJ
Think you have better wings? Leave a comment below or Email info@aaronmccargo.com

Big Daddy Is Back! Bigger & Bolder - January 2009

2008-09-11T17:54:00.008-04:00

You asked for it !! You begged for it !!

YOU GOT IT !!

Big Daddy's House will be back in January 2009. Stay tuned to the Food Network and http://www.aaronmccargo.com/ for all the deliciously spicy details.

I'll also try to get Aaron on the video blog - giving us his reactions to the great news.

LINKS
Courier Post Online - Renewal Announcement

Mentor Madness at Big Daddy's House

2008-09-07T15:00:00.024-04:00

Big Daddy was in the mood to celebrate mentorship and played mentor to a very special guest - his baby brother Donovan.

Chef gave a big shout-out to his mentor - Clem - who was instrumental in inspiring Chef Aaron to pursue his creative soup development.

Chef must've had Philly fever (GO EAGLES !!) and decided to construct a hearty Cheesesteak Soup. After chef sliced a juicy beef tendorloin into cubes - he dipped them in seasoned flour and placed the cubes on a bed of sauteed onions cooking in a large stockpot.

Once the meat started to brown, Chef Aaron added water and beef bouillon and brought it all to a boil. Heat was turned off and yellow cheese was added start it's slow melt.

It was time to start the Fried Fish Sandwich so chef created another one of his famous assembly lines composed of 3 bowls - 1 for flour - 1 for eggs - 1 for Panko bread crumbs.

Once fish made it through the assembly line and coated they were added to a pan containing Grapeseed oil to start a quick fry.

Big Daddy started beaming when thinking about his special mentor - mom - and started constructing his carrot slaw and had Donovan help him start mixing ingredients for a Sweet Potato Pie

Donovan started getting the bread bowls ready for the Cheesesteak Soup as the McCargo brothers sprinted to the finish line.

REFERENCES / LINKS

Love Big Daddy? - Let the Food Network know - Here
Food Network Recipe - Cheesesteak Soup
Food Network Recipe - Fried Fish Sandwich
Food Network Recipe - Sweet Potato Pie
Food Network Recipe - Carrot Slaw

Breakfast In Bed With Big Daddy

2008-09-01T09:51:00.025-04:00

Big Daddy's wife Kim loves breakfast in bed - so chef decided to wake up early and start rocking in the kitchen.

Chef Aaron started out by preparing an Eggscellent Bean and Beef Burrito.

Chef scooped out some refried beans, added some sour cream and heated the mixture. Whipped up some eggs, added salt, pepper and chives.

Chef then browned ground beef in a large saute pan and then added onions, garlic and pepper.

After heating up the eggs in another pan - burrito construction began by laying out the tortillas, spreading the refried beans, adding beef mixture and folding.

Topped off with the egg and some cheese and Big Daddy was ready for Part Two - the Super-Stuffed French Toast - a Camden Police favorite !!

Chef started by prepping slices of brioche bread by pressing down and forming small pockets into their centers. Using cherry and apple fruit filling - chef started filling the bread pockets with the fruit.

More bread slices were brushed with egg and served as tops for the stuffed french toast before they were popped onto a grill press.

Once grilled - Chef made it snow powdered sugar

Big Daddy reminisced about the Camden police led by Jason begging for breakfast at the ol' restaurant but this breakfast was for Big Daddy's wife so he finished off with a strawberry garnish.

Chef Aaron decided to cook up some breakfast grits - so he diced up bacon, onions, scallions and sliced some American cheese.

After pouring the grits into a boiling mixture of milk and water and stirring - Big Daddy added the cheese and stirred until creamy.

The grits were topped off with the sauteed bacon and onions and scallions and were ready to eat.

You know how we finish it up at Big Daddy's House - with a cocktail or a treat - this time we went with a Big Daddy Parfait.

Chef sliced and diced bananas, strawberries and a pineapple. In a large martini glass he added granola, yogurt and then fruit in layers. Chef then made it snow again and topped it off with a sugary, coconut and orange zest flake fest !!

REFERENCES / LINKS

Love Big Daddy? - Let the Food Network know - Here
Food Network Recipe - Eggscellent Bean and Beef Burrito
Food Network Recipe - Super-Stuffed French Toast
Food Network Recipe - Getcha Goin' Grits
Food Network Recipe - Big Daddy Parfait

Video Blog - Big Daddy Loves the Fans

2008-08-29T21:42:00.007-04:00

Chef Aaron McCargo Jr. - Speaks To Family & Fans

2008-08-28T00:50:00.007-04:00

Feeding Frenzy at Big Daddy's House

2008-08-25T14:51:00.031-04:00

Big Daddy was reminiscing about his days working as an executive chef at the Steakhouse.

So he decided to put together a frenzy of dishes and drinks for his ol' steakhouse pals.

Chef started the day by preparing his rubs for his Oven-roasted Prime Rib and prepping up his potatoes for his Garlic Cheese Mashed Potatoes dish.

Once he had the potatoes boiling, Chef put his teacher's hat on and schooled his students on the different aspects of the meat and techniques for preparing it.

He then started seasoning the gorgeous loaf with his rub and dressed it with some Worcestershire sauce before he popped it on a pan to help sear the meat on several sides.

Chef then used a couple of the potatoes to help prop up the rib in the pan to help develop an even sear across all sides - gotta love all those neat little tricks the chef has up his sleeve. He then placed the seared Prime Rib into the oven.

Chef started piling up the ingredients for his Garlic Cheese Mashed potatoes dish. He developed a cream by mixing butter and heavy cream heating in pan. Removed from the flame .. chef mixed in some cheddar cheese and dropped the potatoes into the bowl. Big Daddy then started his yearly workout by getting into a mix-n-mashing session and then placed the covered bowl of mashed potatoes into the oven - since the Prime Rib was getting lonely.

Chef started prepping his Broccoli-Cheese Casserole by cutting his cheeses and blanching the broccoli in a large pot filled with water for several minutes.

Now building his casserole - chef dropped the broccoli and the cheeses into a casserole dish and topped it off with a unique blend of crushed crackers and spices and placed it into the oven.

All coming together - chef sliced the Prime Rib and started building his ultimate cocktail - the One and Done.

Let the Frenzy Begin !!

REFERENCES / LINKS
Love Big Daddy? - Let the Food Network know - Here
Food Network Recipe - Oven-Roasted Prime Rib with Horseradish Sauce
Food Network Recipe - Garlic-Cheese Mashed Potatoes
Food Network Recipe - Broccoli-Cheese Casserole
Food Network Recipe - One and Done Cocktail

Big Daddy & Donovan's Beach Picnic

2008-08-17T14:10:00.025-04:00

Big Daddy invited over his brother Donovan for a "beach picnic" in Chef's backyard during the Life is a Beach episode of Big Daddy's House on Food Network.

Chef Aaron and Donovan reminisced about the childhood beach picnics their daddy used to cater for the family - wondering aloud about the lack of a "real beach" and the lack of flavor of the soggy macaroni salad.

It was time to rectify the culinary mistakes of the past as Big Daddy got to work on some Funky Fried Chicken, Big Daddy Ribs, Mega Egga Macaroni Salad and seasoned corn.

Chef started working on his special rub mixing brown sugar, kosher salt, smoked paprika, ground cumin, hot chili powder, cayenne, ground black pepper and red pepper flakes.

After rubbing down his St. Louis style ribs and letting them sit for 30 minutes, he popped them into large roasting pans while adding water and cola and cooked them for 1.5 hours.

Once cooked - some ribs were glazed with an apple cider-buttermilk sauce and then grilled to perfection.

For the Funky Fried Chicken - Big Daddy used granulated garlic & onion, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, cayenne, paprika for his seasoning. He let the seasoned chicken sit for 15 minutes and then tossed the chicken in a seasoned mix of flour. He then dropped them for a fry in canola oil.

Chef continued with his rich, creamy Mega Egga Macaroni Salad composed of hard boiled eggs, onions, celery, relish, mayonnaise, salt & pepper and to add that special kick - hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce.

Chef finished off his "beach picnic" with some grilled corn topped off with a seasoning composed of Old Bay, cilantro, salted butter and lime juice.

Donovan was ready to throw down !!

LINKS / REFERENCES

Food Network - Big Daddy's House Feedback Email
Food Network Recipe - Funky Fried Chicken
Food Network Recipe - Big Daddy Ribs
Food Network Recipe - Mega Egga Macaroni Salad
Food Network Recipe - Sock Em' Seasoned Corn

Big Daddy Enjoys A Dream Dinner

2008-08-14T01:19:00.055-04:00

Big Daddy was on fire during the 2nd episode of Big Daddy's House on Food Network.

Chef Aaron treated himself to his Dream Dinner - a delectable Herb Potatoes au Gratin dish, a rich, colorful Grilled Asparagus & Sun-Dried Tomato Salad and the featured dish - NY Strip Steak au Poivre.

Chef initially prepared the Potatoes au Gratin dish by composing a pan-based sauce using butter, flour, milk and heat - he then added cheese, bouillion, nutmeg and black pepper.

Panko bread crumbs were mixed in a bowl with butter and smoky paprika.

Sliced russet potatoes were then topped with the pan cheese sauce and the au gratin was sprinkled on top before it all went into the oven.

Chef proceeded to build his salad by cutting his Asparagus lengthwise and seasoning them prior to popping them unto a stovetop-based grill.

Asparagus was then combined with julienne-sliced sun-dried tomatoes and sauteed shiitake mushrooms.

Big Daddy started getting excited as he smashed some peppercorns that were smeared on both sides of his steaks and then dropped in a pan and seared.

Steaks were then topped with a brandy & shallot based roux.

What dream dinner would be complete without a sweet treat at the end. Big Daddy raised the heat in the kitchen as he topped off his dream dinner with a sinful plantains foster dessert.

LINKS / RECIPES
Food Network - Big Daddy's House Feedback Email
Food Network Recipe - NY Strip au Poivre
Food Network Recipe - Herb Potatoes au Gratin
Food Network Recipe - Asparagus and Sun-Dried Tomato Salad
Food Network Recipe - Plantains Foster

Big Daddy's House Scores Big Daddy Ratings

2008-08-07T22:19:00.009-04:00

Big Daddy's House scores a super debut on Food Network - premiering Top 5 in it's target W25-54 demographic.

Congratulations to Chef Aaron !!

NOTE: Big Daddy is calling a TIME OUT from his crazy schedule -- so he can talk to his fans, answer fan mail and respond to blog comments -- Chef Aaron's video blog coming soon -- check back daily.

LINKS

Big Daddy's House - Boys Night In

2008-08-03T14:14:00.030-04:00

The Premiere episode of Big Daddy's House aired on Food Network. Chef Aaron prepared a 3 course family fun meal with a special guest appearance from Mini-Chef Justin McCargo.

Chef Justin inspired Big Daddy with a unique recipe for a Chicken Tenders Salad.

Aaron smashed up tortilla chips to provide the crust for his chicken tenders (nacho-cheese and blue corn tortilla chips).

Big Daddy dropped the tenders for a quick fry while constructing a tasty salad bed featuring Romaine Lettuce, Tomatoes, Jalapenos and Cheddar Cheese.

Big Daddy's oldest son inspired the next dish - a popular item at the ol' McCargo's restaurant - Josh's Roast Pork with Broccoli Rabe.

Aaron seasoned, seared, roasted and sliced a beautiful pork loin while blanching up a pot of broccoli rabe. Once cooked, the pork and broccoli rabe were placed between inverted slices of ciabatta bread topped off with provolone cheese.

Finally, Chef Aaron pressed the assembled sandwich with a grill press - to provide the perfect texture to the perfect Roast Pork sandwich.

Oven-baked seasoned fries wrapped up 3 fun-filled courses.

Big Daddy sat down with Justin for the most anticipated part of the day - Dinner Time !!

LINKS
Food Network - Big Daddy's House Feedback Email
Food Network - Big Daddy's House - Boy's Night In
Food Network - Big Daddy's House - Next Episode - Aug. 10