Classic Shrimp Cocktail

North American shrimp cocktail, the one with chilled shrimp and a punchy red dipping sauce. 

Totally different vibe from the Mexican version—simpler, colder, and more about that horseradish kick.

🦐 Classic Shrimp Cocktail

Ingredients

For the shrimp:

1 lb (450 g) large shrimp (peeled & deveined, tails on if you like)

1 lemon, halved

1 tsp salt

Optional: a few peppercorns, bay leaf

For the cocktail sauce:

1/2 cup ketchup

1–2 tbsp prepared horseradish (adjust to taste)

1–2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

A few dashes hot sauce (optional)

Pinch of salt & pepper

Instructions

1. Cook the shrimp (poach, don’t boil hard)

Bring a pot of water to a gentle boil with lemon, salt, and optional aromatics.

Add shrimp, then turn off heat.

Let sit 2–4 minutes until pink and just cooked.

👉 This keeps them tender instead of rubbery.

2. Ice bath

Transfer immediately to ice water to stop cooking.

Chill completely, then drain.

3. Make the sauce

Mix ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire, and hot sauce.

Taste and adjust:

More horseradish = sharper heat

More lemon = brighter

More Worcestershire = deeper, savory

🍋 How to serve

Arrange shrimp around a glass or bowl of sauce

Lemon wedges on the side

Serve ice cold

🔥 Pro tips (these matter)

The sauce should have a sinus-clearing kick—don’t be shy with horseradish

Chill the sauce for at least 30 minutes before serving

Pat shrimp dry so the sauce sticks better

🆚 Quick comparison

Mexican version: soupy, limey, veggie-packed

Classic version: simple, firm shrimp + bold dipping sauce 👀

Mexican Shrimp Cocktail

🦐 Mango Mexican Shrimp Cocktail (No Avocado)

Ingredients

1 lb (450 g) shrimp (peeled & deveined)

1 cup ketchup

1/2 cup fresh lime juice (4–5 limes)

1/2 cup Clamato (or tomato juice)

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

1 cup diced tomatoes

1/2 cup diced cucumber

1 jalapeño or serrano, finely chopped (optional)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1–2 tsp hot sauce

1 cup ripe mango, diced small

Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Cook the shrimp

Boil in salted water for 2–3 minutes until pink.

Ice bath immediately, then chop if large.

2. Make the base

Mix ketchup, lime juice, Clamato, and hot sauce.

Taste—it should be tangy, slightly sweet, and zesty.

3. Build the cocktail

Add shrimp, onion, tomatoes, cucumber, chili, cilantro, and mango.

Mix gently.

4. Chill

Refrigerate at least 1 hour (this helps the mango soak up the flavor too).

🍋 Flavor Tips (important for balance)

Use ripe but firm mango (too soft = mushy)

If your mango is very sweet, add a bit more lime juice or a pinch of salt to balance

If it’s not sweet enough, a tiny splash of orange juice boosts it nicely

🌶️ Optional upgrades

Add a pinch of chili powder or Tajín-style seasoning for a sweet-heat kick

A little finely diced celery adds crunch (surprisingly good here)

🧂 Serving ideas

Saltine crackers (classic)

Tostadas

Tortilla chips

This version leans a bit toward a tropical coastal style—you’ll get that sweet/acid/spicy combo that hits all at once.

Mitch's Dry Rib Rub

Here’s a solid, balanced dry rib rub that works beautifully for oven-baked ribs. It gives you that classic sweet–smoky–savory BBQ flavor, even without a smoker.

🍖 Oven-Baked Rib Rub

Ingredients

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp paprika (smoked paprika if you have it = bonus)

1 tbsp coarse salt

1 tbsp black pepper

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp dry mustard

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)

🔥 How to Use It

Prep the ribs

Remove the membrane from the back (huge difference in tenderness).

Pat dry.

Apply the rub

Lightly coat ribs with a bit of oil or yellow mustard (helps it stick, no strong taste).

Generously rub the mix all over—don’t be shy.

Rest (optional but worth it)

Let sit 30 minutes at room temp, or overnight in the fridge for deeper flavor.

🧑‍🍳 Oven Method (Foolproof)

Wrap ribs tightly in foil

Bake at 275°F (135°C) for 2.5–3.5 hours

They’re done when tender and pulling back from the bones

Optional finish:

Brush with BBQ sauce

Broil 3–5 minutes for a sticky, caramelized top

👍 Tips (from experience)

If you like a less sweet rub, cut the brown sugar in half

Want more “smoky BBQ”? Add 1 tsp liquid smoke to the ribs before rubbing

For a crustier bark, unwrap for the last 30 minutes of baking👍

After 3 hours at 250F, the ribs are very "bendie".

I got a new cookie sheet and new tin foil.  I heavily slathered the ribs, bottom first, flipped and then the top.  Closed up the tin foil and back into the 250F oven.

It has been about 2 hours, all wrapped up in the tin foil.  

Now is the home stretch.  I opened up the foil.  Now the BBQ Sauce can "caramelize" and dry out a bit.

Back into the 250F oven for the last hour.

I have made Cole Slaw for the side dish.  Although French Fries would be lovely as well.

Grabbed a "taster" while watching the Blue Jays game.

Margherita Pitcher

Oh yeah—let’s fill that Ninja properly 🍹

A 9-cup blender doesn’t mean you have to hit the absolute max (you want good blending room), but we can comfortably scale this to about 7–8 cups total volume for perfect texture.

🍹 Ninja 9-Cup Frozen Margaritas (Party Batch)

Ingredients (~6–8 servings)

4 cups ice

1 cup (8 oz) tequila

½ cup (4 oz) orange liqueur (triple sec)

½ cup (4 oz) fresh lime juice

¼ cup simple syrup or sugar (adjust to taste)

½ cup orange juice (optional but recommended)

Optional: tiny pinch of salt

Instructions

Add liquids first, then ice into your Ninja.

Blend on high until smooth (30–45 seconds).

Check consistency:

Too thick → splash of OJ or water

Too thin → handful of ice and re-blend

Yield

About 7–8 cups total, which pours into:

6 large margaritas, or

8 medium ones

Flavor Tweaks (same batch)

Stronger: bump tequila to 1¼ cups

Sweeter: add another 2–3 tbsp syrup

More tart: squeeze in extra lime

Pro Tip for Big Batches

Blend in two stages if your Ninja struggles:

Half ingredients → blend

Add the rest → pulse + blend again

Gives you a smoother, bar-quality texture instead of chunky ice.

Deep Dish Pizza Dough using Food Processor

Alright—now we’re talking 😄

Deep dish is a whole different beast from regular pizza dough: more tender, almost buttery, and pressed into a pan instead of stretched. This version works beautifully in a food processor.

🍕 Deep Dish Pizza Dough (Food Processor)

Ingredients

2¼ cups (280 g) all-purpose flour

½ cup (60 g) cornmeal (key for texture!)

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp sugar

2¼ tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast

¾ cup (180 ml) warm water (40–43°C / 105–110°F)

3 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp melted butter

Instructions

1. Bloom the yeast

Mix warm water + sugar + yeast

Let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy

2. Dry mix

Add flour, cornmeal, and salt to food processor

Pulse a few times

3. Add liquids

Turn processor on and pour in:

Yeast mixture

Olive oil

Melted butter

Process until it forms a soft dough (20–30 sec)

4. Quick knead

Let it run another 30–45 seconds

Dough should be soft and slightly tacky—not stiff

👉 Add a sprinkle of flour if sticky

👉 Add a teaspoon of water if dry

5. Rise

Form into a ball, place in oiled bowl

Cover and let rise 1–1.5 hours

🧈 Pan & Shape (this is where deep dish magic happens)

Generously oil a cast iron skillet or cake pan (9–10 inch)

Press dough into the pan:

Go up the sides (like a pie crust)

Thickness should be about ¼ inch

👉 No rolling needed—just press it in

🧱 Build Your Deep Dish (Chicago-style layering)

Cheese first (mozzarella slices or shredded)

Meat/veggies

Sauce on top

Sprinkle parmesan/oregano

(Yes—sauce goes on top. Feels wrong. Is right.)

🔥 Bake

425°F (220°C)

20–30 minutes

Crust should be golden and crisp on the bottom

🔥 Pro Tips (these matter)

Butter + oil combo = flaky, rich crust

Cornmeal = signature slight crunch

Don’t overload sauce or it gets soggy

Let it rest 5–10 minutes before slicing (it sets up)

⚠️ Texture check (important for you!)

This dough should feel:

Softer than your previous “mixer-killer” dough

Slightly greasy (from oil + butter)

Easy to press—not fight you

👉 If it fights back = too much flour again