Let’s go!

🐟 #1 Smoosh

It’s hot AF right now. I like the idea of a protein and veggie packed “smoosh” sandwich. This one has chicken, basil, cottage cheese and parm. Smoosh onto a nice sourdough or a bed of lettuce.

🐟 #2 Mustarda

Mustarda is SO good. I’ll be making this sandwich with prosciutto, mortadella, or salami. Like the use of Oaxaca cheese here.

🐟 #3 Cabbage

A kitchen quicky on how to cut cabbage.

🐟 #4 Birria Bombs

Birria Bombs? What? I’ve been seeing the birria bomb trend on TikTok where you basically drop one of these birria bombs into water, with some meat and salt and you got yourself some birria. I like this form factor. It’d be cooler if when dropped into water it made a little fizzle.

🐟 #5 🤣

That’s it for the week. What’d you think?

Hit reply to share your own food finds – I'd love to include them here!

See you next Friday.

#DeathToDelivery

—Mister Branzino

Whenever you’re ready:

1. Get Meal Machine OS: 7 Days to Master Dad Cook. This is my complete operating system to cook deliciously simple meals in under 2 hours per week. Get cookin’

2. Subscribe to my YouTube channel

Let’s go!

🐟 #1

I’ve shown you how to cook branzino before, but Samin Nosrat’s version is divine. It’s Persian style with lots of herbs, walnuts and pomegranate. Try this out over the weekend with some crusty sourdough and herb salad.

🐟 #2

Uhhh how come I’ve never thought of this before. I love the idea of taking whatever herbs you have, some chicken, zucchini and some more veggies and make a fritter out of it. (The shallow fry makes it feel more “healthy”). These fritters are a great way to pack a ton of veggies and protein in one bite.

🐟 #3

As a former scientist, I love me some math. Whenever I share my pizza recipe, I often have to explain baker’s percentages. This simple math helps you scale a bread or pizza recipe. If you see a pizza recipe with 70% hydration, now you know how to calculate it.

🐟 #4

AI pizza recipes? I am not against it. To be honest, if AI and ChatGPT is going to get something right, it’ll be food recipes. There are SO many recipes on the internet. I built a recipe tool myself. Check it out and let me know what you think.

🐟 #5 🤣

That’s it for the week. What’d you think?

Hit reply to share your own food finds – I'd love to include them here!

See you next Friday.

#DeathToDelivery

—Mister Branzino

Whenever you’re ready:

1. Get Meal Machine OS: 7 Days to Master Dad Cook. This is my complete operating system to cook deliciously simple meals in under 2 hours per week. Get cookin’

2. Subscribe to my YouTube channel

Let’s go!

🐟 #1 Charro Beans

I know it’s still hot out there but something about a big pot of hot beans and meat cools me down. Give this recipe a try.

🐟 #2 Pasta Salad

This is such a great salad to take to a picnic, pack for kids lunch or pair with your favorite protein. Get in there.

🐟 #3 Wash

When I was a young Branzino, I worked at the USDA where I would inoculate cantaloupes with E.Coli and Salmonella and I designed a wash for fruits and vegetables. Our wash contained thymol (the key ingredient in mouth wash). This baking soda fruit/veggie wash hack is a gem. Stock up on baking soda.

🐟 #4 Olympic Village Muffins

A cafe in the East Village of NYC imported about 300 of these famous chocolate muffins from the Olympic Village. The line was around the block. Check out the full story.

🐟 #5 🤣

Every guy’s fantasy.

That’s it for the week. What’d you think?

Hit reply to share your own food finds – I'd love to include them here!

See you next Friday.

#DeathToDelivery

—Mister Branzino

Whenever you’re ready:

1. Get Meal Machine OS: 7 Days to Master Dad Cook. This is my complete operating system to cook deliciously simple meals in under 2 hours per week. Get cookin’

2. Subscribe to my YouTube channel

For those new here, every week I explore the delicious world of food and share cool things I find from the past 7 days.

Let’s go!

🐟 #1 One Pot Meal

I’m always looking out for one pot meal that combine veggies, protein and carbs. This one does not disappoint.

🐟 #2 🍤

Gambas al Ajillo is SO good. It’s the perfect summer lunch or dinner: shrimp with garlic + crusty bread + little gem salad + some rosé. Let’s go!

🐟 #3 Vegetable Chopper

Guys. I did it. I bought a vegetable chopper. Mine was from Costco for $14. Please don’t hate. I want to involve Little Branzino in the kitchen more and this seems a lot more fun then him holding a knife. My initial review is that it’s fast but you still need to cut veggies in a shape that can fit on the chopper surface. I do get a kick out of smashing veggies into the container.

🐟 #4 Champagne of Kebabs

Bubbly white wine can’t be called “Champagne” unless it comes from the Champagne region of France. Well, the government of Turkey applied to register the name doner as its “guaranteed traditional speciality” across Europe. This means that Europeans (i.e. Germany) can only call that delicious meat sandwich a Doner if and only if it meets designated production methods and specifications for the meat inside. I hope Mexico does this for tacos in the US. We may have a national taco standard!

🐟 #5 Fridgerton

Fridgescaping is a new (and horrible) trend where people turn the contents of their refrigerators into pieces of art. I’m cool.

That’s it for the week. What’d you think?

Hit reply to share your own food finds – I'd love to include them here!

See you next Friday.

#DeathToDelivery

—Mister Branzino

Whenever you’re ready:

1. Get Meal Machine OS: 7 Days to Master Dad Cook. This is my complete operating system to cook deliciously simple meals in under 2 hours per week. Get cookin’

2. Subscribe to my YouTube channel

Let’s go!

🐟 #1 BBQ Prawns

I love fast, simple and delicious meals. This is one of them. Click the video above to watch. If you don’t have all the ingredients for the salad, just use whatever you got. Don’t sleep on yogurt-based salad dressings.

🐟 #2 Lamb Barbacoa

I was in Mexico this past weekend and ate some divine lamb barbacoa. I plan on recreating it using this recipe from La Capital. I made a recipe version in English just in case “no hablo español”.

🐟 #3 Valle de Guadalupe

If you’re interested in trying out some of the places I visited in Valle de Guadalupe, Baja California, Mexico check out this list. Hit reply if you want me to do a deeper dive on Valle, Mexican wine and what to eat.

🐟 #4 Kamala Cooks

I had no clue that our VP was a boss in the kitchen. Check out this playlist of Kamala cooking with various celebrities and politicians. She’s got skills and seemingly good taste. I also pay homage to parting President Biden by showing you how to make one of his favorite meals: Chicken Parm.

🐟 #5 🤣

One day there will be Dad’s Chicken soup on shelves!

That’s it for the week. What’d you think?

Hit reply to share your own food finds – I'd love to include them here!

See you next Friday.

#DeathToDelivery

—Mister Branzino

Whenever you’re ready:

1. Get Meal Machine OS: 7 Days to Master Dad Cook. This is my complete operating system to cook deliciously simple meals in under 2 hours per week. Get cookin’

2. Subscribe to my YouTube channel

Barbacoa Ingredients

• 2 kg boneless lamb cut (trim excess fat)

• 2 rack of lamb lamb (trim excess fat, cut to fit in steamer)

• 10 dried California chilies

• 5 dried Pasilla chilies

• 3-4 dried Chile de Árbol (adjust for spiciness)

• Hot water (for soaking chilies)

• 20 garlic cloves

• Salt and Freshly ground black pepper

• Banana leaves (optional, for lining the steamer can use parchment paper)

• 1 cup dried garbanzo beans (soaked overnight)

• Dill (optional, for additional flavor)

Salsa Ingredients

• 5 dried Pasilla chilies

• 3-4 dried Chile de Árbol

• 1/4 of an onion

• 3 garlic cloves

• Fresh parsley

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Water (for blending)

Directions

1. Trim the Meat: Trim excess fat from the lamb cut and ribs. Slice the lamb cut in half for easier handling.

2. Prepare the Marinade: Soak California, Pasilla, and Chile de Árbol chilies in hot water for a few minutes until softened. Blend the chilies with 20 garlic cloves and a little water to form a thick paste.

3. Season the Meat: Generously salt and pepper the lamb cut and ribs on all sides.

4. Apply the Marinade: Rub the chili paste all over the meat, massaging it in thoroughly. Let it marinate for about an hour.

5. Prepare the Steamer: Fill the steamer with water just below the steaming rack level. Line the bottom of the steamer with banana leaves and avocado leaves for flavor, if using.

6. Add the Garbanzo Beans: Place soaked garbanzo beans in the bottom of the steamer.

7. Steam the Meat: Place the marinated lamb and ribs on the steaming rack. Cover with more banana and avocado leaves, and dill if desired. Steam on high heat until the water boils, then reduce to low heat and steam for about 4 hours.

Check for Doneness: The meat is ready when it is tender and falling apart. Carefully remove the meat from the steamer and shred it.

Preparing the Pasilla Chili Salsa:

1. Soak the Chilies: Soak Pasilla and Chile de Árbol chilies in hot water until softened.

2. Blend the Sauce: Blend the soaked chilies with onion, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper to taste, adding a little water to achieve a sauce consistency. Adjust seasoning as needed.

Let’s go!

🐟 #1 Zaatar Chicken Parm

I have a bunch of chicken breast in the freezer. I’m going to make some chicken parm with zaatar in the breading. I don’t have any halloumi and will still make with mozzarella. For the tomato base, I’m going to make a shakshuka-style tomato sauce with fresh summer tomatoes (see below). Get the full recipe.

🐟 #2 Shakshuka

Shakshuka is one of those dishes that is super versatile and can be eaten for breakfast lunch or dinner. I like this version.

🐟 #3 🍉

It’s hot AF and there’s nothing better than some cold watermelon. Try this watermelon cutting technique. Great for parties and the little ones.

🐟 #4 Grocery Tourism

Ever since I was a kid, we always went to the local grocery stores. To me, this is real glimpse into the culture of a place. I’m glad I’m not the only one. It turns out grocery tourism is a thing. I live near many Erewhon’s in LA and regularly see tourists taking photos of themselves ordering the Hailey Bieber smoothie. Wild times we live in.

🐟 #5 PSA

Prediction: Mocktails will be a gateway for kids to drink alcohol. Let’s talk about it.

That’s it for the week. What’d you think?

Hit reply to share your own food finds – I'd love to include them here!

See you next Friday.

#DeathToDelivery

—Mister Branzino

Whenever you’re ready:

1. Get Meal Machine OS: 7 Days to Master Dad Cook. This is my complete operating system to cook deliciously simple meals in under 2 hours per week. Get cookin’

2. Subscribe to my YouTube channel

Let’s go!

🐟 #1 Feeling Italian

Wanna make something a little special this summer. Try making porcetta—Italian style. I love this dish because it’s a set-it and forget-it type of recipe. (And it feed an big crowd). Full recipe here.

🐟 #2 Bruschetta

Try pairing that porchetta with this ricotta and tomato bruschetta. You can also forget the porcetta and eat this on it’s own with some fruit and a nice glass of mineral-y rosé.

🐟 #3 Top Chef

Not my top cooking shows, but Top Chef is a close 7th. This thread has some cooking golden nuggets in it on different lessons learned from some of the country’s top chefs. I love this banger: “the idea isn’t to change who you are as a chef for a challenge but to bend the challenge to your strengths as a chef”

🐟 #4 Scrambled Pancakes, what?!

@archivedchefthe end result was👍🏼🥞😋✨ #ScrambledPancake #PancakeRecipe #BreakfastIdeas #Foodie #TikTokFood #CookingHacks #EasyRecipes #Yummy #FoodLovers #BreakfastInspo #Delicious #HomeCooking #QuickMeals #TikTokRecipe #FoodTrend​ #satire #jokes

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Scrambled pancakes are a new viral trend. Apparently this style of pancake is an old Austrian/German delicacy. What do you think? Would you eat these?

🐟 #5 Crocs

🤣

That’s it for the week. What’d you think?

Hit reply to share your own food finds – I'd love to include them here!

See you next Friday.

#DeathToDelivery

—Mister Branzino

Whenever you’re ready:

1. Get Meal Machine OS: 7 Days to Master Dad Cook. This is my complete operating system to cook deliciously simple meals in under 2 hours per week. Get cookin’

2. Subscribe to my YouTube channel

Let’s go!

🐟 #1 Get Shredded

If you’re trying to get a shredded dad bod this summer, try this meat slaw. I love how you easy it is to adapt to whatever veggies you fancy.

🐟 #2 Too Hot!

It’s getting hot out there. It’s time to make some fish tacos. Pair these fish tacos with homemade pico de gallo, guacamole, chips and some cold drinks. Get the full recipe.

🐟 #3 Corny

Summer = corn. Corn = vegetable candy for kids. If you don’t have time, just pop a corn on the cob in the microwave for 3-4 minutes. Cut off both ends and peel the husk. Butter and salt, baby.

🐟 #4 The Bear Is Back

The Bear Season 3 was just released yesterday. I know what I’m watching this weekend. Only on Hulu.

🐟 #5 🤣

Was the chili that spicy?

That’s it for this week. What’d you think? Hit reply to share your own food finds – I'd love to include them here!

See you next Friday.

#DeathToDelivery

—Mister Branzino

Whenever you’re ready:

1. Join Meal Machine OS: 7 Days to Master Dad Cook. This is my complete operating system to cook deliciously simple meals in under 2 hrs per week. Get cookin’

2. Subscribe to my YouTube channel

You’re probably reading this because you’re like me.

You’ve got a demanding tech job, you’re a father, husband, friend, and constantly torn in different directions.

You want to cook for your family, but who has the time? Am I right?

This is exactly how I felt when Little Branzino was born. How could I possibly balance all these responsibilities and still cook?

After staring at a fridge full of takeout boxes and feeling the sting in my wallet, I decided to apply some productivity hacks from my tech job to cooking.

These tips will give you the confidence to cook and still be there for your family.

Here are 8 productivity tactics (in no particular order):

1. Make the “first thing” the first thing

For me, the most important things are my health and ensuring my family has delicious food. That means I wake up early (4-5am), exercise, hydrate, and start prepping for dinner. It could be as simple as making a marinade or taking out meat to thaw.

Your priorities are shown through your actions.

2. Batching and frequency

There’s a great piece by Paul Graham that talks about manager vs maker schedules.

Cooking every day is tough with so many demands on our time. I batch cook on dedicated days, freeing up the rest of the week to enjoy family time.

Constraints will set you free!

3. Programming

Knowing how to program your cooking is the difference between an newbie and a pro.

For me, I like to use themes per day so I don’t have to think about what we’re eating that day.

I use daily themes to simplify meal planning:

• Sunday - Batch cook

• Monday - Salad Bowl

• Tuesday - “Tacos”

• Wednesday - One-pot/pan

• Thursday - Leftovers

• Friday - Eat out

• Saturday - Special meal

4. Working Backwards

There’s a great book from the folks at Amazon that build and ship products by working backwards with the end in mind.

To make cooking more efficient, visualize the end result first. For me, that means setting the table first.

Work backwards will calm you down in the kitchen.

5. Leveraged tasks first 

I use the LNO framework from, , to figure out how to prioritize my cooking.

• L = Leveraged tasks

• N = Neutral tasks

• O = Overhead tasks

Start on the leveraged tasks first and then neutral then overhead. In the kitchen, this means:

• Start boiling the pot of water

• Turn the oven

• Prep you proteins first, then carbs then veggies

6. Tools don’t matter

In product development, people obsess over what tools to use for managing projects. The tool doesn’t matter as much as clear communication and regular check-ins.

For cooking, I use pen and paper and sometimes Apple Notes to plan meals.

The tools won’t make you an effective cook.

7. NCS (Net Cooking Score)

In product, we use Net Promoter Score (NPS) to measure how likely someone is to recommend your product.

After every meal, I ask the Branzino family on a scale from 1-10 how likely they would want me to make this again. I call this the Net Cooking Score.

Feedback loops are important to improve your craft

8. OKRs

OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) are very popular to measure progress across a company.

Every quarter, set a cooking goal. It could be reducing sugar, exploring a cuisine, or mastering a technique like baking or braising. Focus on one thing at a time – you have decades of meals to enjoy and new things to try.

That’s it for now.

Let me know what productivity tips you enjoyed most by hitting reply.

#DeathToDelivery

Whenever you’re ready:

1. Join Meal Machine OS: 7 Days to Master Dad Cook. This is my complete operating system to cook deliciously simple meals in under 2 hrs per week. Get cookin’

2. Subscribe to my YouTube channel

Been there, done that.

When Little Branzino arrived, it was game over for my pre-kid routines.

Little sleep, endless diaper changes, and the thought of cooking?

Forget about it.

Takeout became our go-to, but the fridge couldn't keep up with the boxes, and neither could our wallets.

Then it hit me – I’m a technical PM, right?

What if I applied my product/tech skills to dad life? And specifically to cooking?

Systems, processes, hacks – everything that keeps me on top of my dad job could work at home too.

Why not?

First, I started meal planning like a typical product – a whole week laid out, just like product timelines.

No more "what's for dinner?" stress.

Batch cooking on Sundays? ✅

Automation tools? Frozen veggies ✅

Here's the kicker – these productivity hacks didn't just save time; they made me a better dad and partner.

Our fridge is clutter-free, our budget is more intact, and I get to enjoy quality time with my family.

Wanna know all my tricks?

Join me LIVE today at 9:15am PT, where I’ll spill all the secrets on how to balance fatherhood and cooking using simple systems and frameworks.

Click here to join 👉 https://youtube.com/live/zNzuOtfeneM

See you there!

#DeathToDelivery,

Mister Branzino

PS. Don’t worry about missing the LIVE. You can always watch on your own time.

Let’s go!

🐟 #1 Grilled Cheese

As a Dad Cook, we need to master the classics. Grilled cheese is one of them. This is a recipe you can pass down to your kids. Get some!

🐟 #2 Salmon Picatta

Having an arsenal of simple, fast, delicious meals at the ready while balancing home and work is key to being a dad cook. Chicken picatta was one of the first meals I mastered as a young adult. I love this salmon version. Give it a try.

🐟 #3 Aguas Frescas

It’s gettin’ hot in here. That means it’s agua fresca time. You don’t need to know Spanish to learn how to make the most delicious aguas frescas (translated to “fresh water”) this summer. My favorite is the lime, mint one from Janet at Jauja Cocina Mexicana.

🐟 #4 Price Fixing? Or Inflation?

The Bittman Project reports that large food corporations blame high food prices on inflation while simultaneously they report records profits to shareholders. Huh? It stands to reason that food companies are price fixing to artificially keep prices high. Why wouldn’t they? Money is everything, right? (← that’s sarcasm)

🐟 #5 🤣

Funniest or meanest wife award? Which is it?

That’s it for this week. What’d you think? Hit reply to share your own food finds – I'd love to include them here!

See you next Friday.

#DeathToDelivery

—Mister Branzino

Whenever you’re ready:

1. Join Meal Machine OS: 7 Days to Master Dad Cook. This is my complete operating system to cook deliciously simple meals in under 2 hrs per week. Get cookin’

2. Subscribe to my YouTube channel

Let’s go!

🐟 #1 Keep it light

We’ve had a lot of family get togethers this week with a lot of eating out. It’s time to keep things light. Make a big batch of this salad and thank your future self for making it.

🐟 #2 Big Mac Taco

Burger tacos? I like the idea of using a tortilla instead of a bun. You’re into this am I righ? I’m going to make this with Little Branzino and report back.

🐟 #3 Kitchen Quicky

I mentioned about a month ago that I was going to do a series called Kitchen Quickies. Well, I did it was awesome. Check out the playlist and let me know if you’d like me to do more. I had a lot of fun making these.

🐟 #4 Dad’s Diet Matters

Thanks to member , I learned that a Dad’s diet before conception has an effect on child development. If you’re trying to conceive, get your diet straight. Food is medicine.

🐟 #5 🇲🇽

A few weeks ago the family and did a weekend in San Diego. We had a free morning and popped into Tijuana to get brunch at Carmelita Molino y Cocina. It was absolutely divine! It even got a Bib Gourmand from Michelin Guide. Do not sleep on TJ, people.

That’s it for this week. What’d you think? Hit reply to share your own food finds – I'd love to include them here!

See you next Friday.

#DeathToDelivery

—Mister Branzino

Whenever you’re ready:

1. Join Meal Machine OS: 7 Days to Master Dad Cook. This is my complete operating system to cook deliciously simple meals in under 2 hrs per week. Get cookin’

2. Subscribe to my YouTube channel

Let’s go!

🐟 #1 Chicken + Rosti

Iron Chef Dad is the best. The love he puts into the food for his family keeps me going as a dad cook. I like the simplicity of the cornish hen and rosti. It’s going in my rotation for sure.

🐟 #2 Hummus and Beef

I made a version of this hummus and beef this past week for dinner. Wow. It reminded me of home. You can make this with ground beef/turkey and it’ll be divine. I also made some homemade pita bread for the win.

🐟 #3 SWICY

Americans like it spicy. Spice is slowly being added to foods like chips and peanuts. The new trend is spiced sweet drinks. Some people are calling the trend “swicy”. I think spicy is here to stay.

🐟 #4 Why?

Would you drink this? And no this is not a joke.

🐟 #5 🤣

This English tradition seems more dangerous than the running of the bull. That cheese better be good. Learn more about Cooper’s Hill Cheese Rolling and Wake.

That’s it for this week. What’d you think? Hit reply to share your own food finds – I'd love to include them here!

See you next Friday.

#DeathToDelivery

—Mister Branzino

Whenever you’re ready:

1. Join Meal Machine OS: 7 Days to Master Dad Cook. This is my complete operating system to cook deliciously simple meals in under 2 hrs per week. Get cookin’

2. Subscribe to my YouTube channel

In this video I share my journey to becoming a Dad Cook. You are not alone and you CAN turn things around.

You can also get the audio version here

I told Mrs and Little Branzino as we left a local Mexican restaurant where we paid $13 for chips and guacamole. 

(I know. SoCal prices are absurd.) 

The restaurant marketed this guacamole to be fancy AF because of the “spicy pepitas” and house made chips. Those pepitas got me. 

Well, between the look and consistency, this guacamole was on par with what you get from a  supermarket.

Yuck. 

AND we just burnt $13 + sales tax + tip into our wallet. 

I was pissed. 

We had avocados, scallions, cilantro and lime at home. 

I coulda made this same dish for a fraction of the price AND better. 

Well, guess what I made today? 

REVENGE GUACAMOLE!

This is what life has become for me as a Dad Cook. 

Sometimes I don’t feel like cooking and I want to go out. 

When I pay for something I can make better at home, I get fired up. I want to get better at this.  

I’m proud that I have the confidence to make a dish that my family will love. 

I get to show care for my family through food. 

I get to make memories with Little Branzino (AND save money to boot). 

Today I’m going to share my journey to becoming a Dad Cook and why I identify as one.

Join me LIVE today at 10am PT.

Peace!

Death To Delivery,

Mister Branzino

Let’s go!

🐟 #1 Italian Kabobs

I love how simple this marinade is. I’d bet that almost everything is in your pantry. Will be trying this weekend. Get the full recipe.

🐟 #2 Pizza, Pizza

This pizza recipe is one of my favorites. I like the combo of King Arthur flour and the Italian 00 flour. (If you don’t have any of that just use King Arthur’s All Purpose Flour, it’ll work fine). My recommendation for sauce: do not cook it. Get your self a can of DiNapoli whole plum tomatoes and place each whole tomato (no liquid) in a blender. Add in some salt and olive oil and you have a bright, sweet, delicious tomato sauce for pizza.

🐟 #3 Ring-It-Out!

I don’t know who needs to hear this but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE ring-out your sponge after washing dishes! Your kitchen sink is one of the germiest places in your house. Leaving your sponge un-rung not only fills the sponge with bacteria but can spread salmonella and get your family sick. A clean kitchen is clean food.

🐟 #4 Music is a Flavor Enhancer 📻

Do you listen to music when you cook? It turns out that music can be a flavor enhancer.

Italian pasta company, Barilla, created a series of fun musical playlists for different pasta dishes that match the time it takes to make the dish. I like the Carbonara one.

🐟 #5 🤣

If you have kids, you know what I’m talkin’ about. (Credit to for the dad meme).

That’s it for this week. What’d you think? Hit reply to share your own food finds – I'd love to include them here!

See you next Friday.

#DeathToDelivery

—Mister Branzino

Whenever you’re ready, there’s 2 ways I can help you:

1. Meal Machine OS: 7 Days to Master Dad Cook. This is my complete operating system to cook deliciously simple meals in under 2 hrs per week. Get cookin’

2. Dad Cook Crew: Join a group of other Dad Cooks where we meet once per month, cook together over Zoom and support each other on our journey to feed our family for life.

Let’s go!

🐟 #1 It’s “Broo-skett-ah”

This is such a nice and light weeknight meal that takes no time. While the chicken and potatoes are in a sheet pan, make your bruschetta. Full recipe.

🐟 #2 Burgers, Baby

It’s Memorial Day weekend. That means burgers. (I think). I love a good burger bar for dinner with friends and family. Get some buns, burgers, condiments, a little salad and corn and you got a great meal. If beef isn’t your thing, check out this delicious black bean burger recipe.

🐟 #3 Burger-Making Tips

My fundamental lesson on how to make a burger is to KISS (keep-it-simple-stupid). Less is more. But here are some more burger making tips:

1. Get meat with at least 15% fat in it

2. Season meat with just salt and pepper

3. Temp the burger using a thermometer

4. Potato buns are standard, brioche if you wanna be fancy like me

5. Use a good sharp cheddar

6. Always toast bun before serving

7. Layer like so: bottom bun > condiments (mayo and ketchup for me) > lettuce (to prevent a soggy bottom) > tomato > meat patty > onion > sliced pickles > condiment on top bun > devour

8. Pair with good quality potato chips. With a homemade burger it is the star of the show

🐟 #4 Trad Wife Movement

@jasminedinis2Serving my family is what i do best 👏🏼 #tradwife #conservative #homemaker #traditionalwife #stayathomemom #genderoles

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Eater goes into great depth on the trad wife movement. As a Dad Cook, I find it regressive and ridiculous. The world is moving away from patriarchy to partnership. Cooking a meal and folding socks doesn’t make you less of a man. It’s just a way to be useful, helpful and show care. These traditional gender norms are whacky in 2024.

🐟 #5 🤣

It’s biology. I can’t stop laughing.

That’s it for this week. What’d you think? Hit reply to share your own food finds – I'd love to include them here!

See you next Friday.

#DeathToDelivery

—Mister Branzino

Whenever you’re ready, there’s 2 ways I can help you:

1. Meal Machine OS: 7 Days to Master Dad Cook. This is my complete operating system to cook deliciously simple meals in under 2 hrs per week. Get cookin’

2. Dad Cook Crew: Join a group of other Dad Cooks where we meet once per month, cook together over Zoom and support each other on our journey to feed our family for life.

Let’s go!

🐟 #1 Achiote Chicken

I made this grilled chicken achiote marinade with a bunch of chicken thighs. It was a winner. It paired so well with tacos, on a salad, with rice and in a sandwich. You will wow your family or your next BBQ. This is the recipe in English.

🐟 #2 Leftover Ricotta

I have some leftover ricotta from Mother’s day and going to make this simple lemon, ricotta pasta from . Pair with a roast chicken and a simple salad or roast asparagus!

🐟 #3 Grocery Store BS

Food marketers are savvy AF at getting you to change your food behavior. Thanks to Bobby Parrish, I now feel hustled when I see chickens labeled as “hormone-free”. Did you know that injecting hormones in chicken has been banned in the USA for almost 70 years? Your head is going to explode when you learn about cage-free eggs.

🐟 #4 Startup Dad

I was on ’s podcast yesterday (released yesterday). Give it a listen on whatever platform you listen to podcasts on. I had a blast talking about being a dad and feeding your family.

🐟 #5 🤣

🤦🏼‍♂️

That’s it for this week. What’d you think? Hit reply to share your own food finds – I'd love to include them here!

See you next Friday.

#DeathToDelivery

—Mister Branzino

Whenever you’re ready, there’s 2 ways I can help you:

1. Meal Machine OS: 7 Days to Dad Cook Mastery. Get my complete operating system so you can become the family hero from the kitchen. Get cookin’

2. Dad Cook Crew: Join a group of other Dad Cooks where we meet once per month, cook together over Zoom and support each other on our journey to feed our family for life.

Let’s go!

🐟 #1 Teriyaki Burgers

I made this teriyaki burger last night with ground turkey. Wow. So good. This is an easy and light weeknight meal. Some notes/additions: I used this teriyaki sauce, added sharp cheddar, threw the burgers on the grill, add more acidity with lime to the cabbage slaw, use a little less bread crumbs then recommended. Get the full recipe.

🐟 #2 Mama Pancake

We can’t be Dad Cooks without the baby-mamas in our lives 😀. If you do nothing else this Mother’s Day (yes, it’s this Sunday) make these lemon ricotta pancakes.

🐟 #3 How to make a an easy vinaigrette

Jacky P is the OG home cook. And knowing how to make a vinaigrette is what separates boys from men. Remember vinaigrette’s are a simple balance of salt, fat (olive or avocado oil), acid (red wine vinegar, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar). Watch this video to get the basics of the ratio and have yourself a delicious salad.

🐟 #4 🛑 Junk Fees

Tired of paying for those “resort fees” at hotels? Well on July 1, California will be banning junk fees that inflate the price of goods and services on top of sales tax. While this ban is great for citizens, it may cause your favorite restaurant to shut down. One side of the argument is that these “junk fees” are the only way to give fair wages to staff. On the other hand, why does it continue to be our responsibility as diners to pay for a business owners bad business practices? I get that service workers are not paid well but I think it’s the responsibility of the restaurant, not the patron to pay for people’s wages.

🐟 #5 MILF Alert

🤣 🤣 🤣 (in honor of mother’s day)

That’s it for this week. What’d you think? Hit reply to share your own food finds – I'd love to include them here!

See you next Friday.

#DeathToDelivery

—Mister Branzino

Whenever you’re ready, there’s 2 ways I can help you:

1. Meal Machine OS: 7 Days to Dad Cook Mastery. Get my complete operating system so you can become the family hero from the kitchen. Get cookin’.

2. Dad Cook Crew: Join a group of other Dad Cooks where we meet once per month, cook together over Zoom and support each other on our journey to protect and provide for our families.