American on Bruce loves to cook

Oklahoma fried onion burger

Sun, 11 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The fried onion burger is a classic diner burger; sweet, savoury, and simple.

Mechanic

The onion is smashed into the patty, not cooked beside it. A ball of beef goes on a hot griddle under a pile of paper-thin onion, and a heavy press drives the onion into the meat. The beef browns underneath while the onion steams in its juices on top; after the flip, the onion fries in the beef fat until it’s sweet and browned at the edges. Use about 2 parts beef to 1 part onion by weight: less onion and it’s a smash burger with a garnish, more and the patty won’t hold together. The onion has to be sliced paper thin, or it won’t cook through before the beef is done.

Pulled pork

Thu, 20 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Pulled pork is a great base for dozens of dishes, including sliders, chilies, tacos, macaroni, rice bowls, and more.

Mechanic

The pork braises in stock and aromatics only; the barbecue sauce is a separate reduction of vinegar, ketchup, and liquid smoke, not the strained braising liquid. Keeping them apart means the sauce flavour doesn’t depend on how much fat and pork juice ends up in the pot.

In-N-Out burger spread

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Sometimes I’m craving a diner-style griddle burger with a classic hamburger sauce. This is a fairly close match to a popular burger chain that hasn’t made it to our region yet.

Classic French dressing

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

French dressing is a classic early restaurant memory for us. The emulsified version is a North American twist, but it works just as well as an oil and vinegar dressing.

Baked mac & cheese

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This is a classic baked mac and cheese. You can sub in pretty much any combo of cheese, though some are better than others: cheddar, Jack, and something like Gruyère or Edam make a great base, or you can lean towards a creamier sauce with provolone, smoked Gouda, and Edam. I’ve seen people use cream cheese, but it doesn’t add much flavour (provolone or mozzarella gets a similar effect while adding some needed funk).

Chef John’s hamburger buns

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Based on a recipe from Fooooood Wishes Dot Com. If you didn’t sing that in your head, go find John’s videos on YouTube and watch them until you do.

Even on your first try, these buns are better than what you can find in most markets, mostly because they’re fresh and you have to work for them.

Chocolate chip cookie for one

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Ever want a quick snack and have a stocked pantry? This single cookie can serve 2 modestly, or 1 decadently. It’s based on a recipe from the Savvy Cookbook, with some tuning for our pantry.

Hot Buffalo chicken dip

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This is a classic chicken dip, mildly spicy, tangy, and tasty.

In 2023, Ann stayed in Calgary to house/dog sit for cousin Rachael, and during that trip, also had a visit with Auntie Diane who always spoils me when I’m visiting. She made this dip and I insisted on the recipe which she forwarded from Pinterest. It took over a year for me to finally make it, for Jay & Taylor’s Back Home Wedding Celebration, and it was a huge success which means it gets added to our family recipes!

Hot crab & artichoke dip

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A dip for crabby people. Recipe provided by a coworker.

Ingredients

1 cup mayonnaise (do not use Miracle Whip, m’kay?)
1 cup cheese, shredded (Asiago, Parmesan, or a lazy pack of 3-cheese grated Italian)
1 small can (120 g) crab, drained, or 1 cup shredded crab meat
1 can (398 ml / 14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained, dried, and chopped
1 tsp lemon juice
1–2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or pressed
pepper, to taste

Method

Heat the oven to 175°C (350°F).

Hot ranch spinach and artichoke dip

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

From a grocery store card.

Ingredients

¾ cup creamy ranch dressing
¾ cup sour cream
½ cup Parmesan
1 can (398 ml / 14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 package (300 g / 10 oz) frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 green onions, finely chopped
salt, pepper, and hot sauce, to taste
2 cups dry mozza, grated

Method

Heat the oven to 175°C (350°F).

Pan-fried chicken burger

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This is a sort of copy-cat recipe of the BK classic chicken sandwich, which is a lightly breaded, pepper-forward, minced patty made from mostly white meat. I like them with fresh onion, mustard, lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, and mayonnaise. The goal is something with a few layers of crunch, some bite, and a good kick of savoury fatty goodness.

Pulled BBQ-style chicken

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This is a simple pulled or shredded BBQ-style chicken that can be made without a smoker or BBQ. It’s a braise, so it works on the stovetop, in the oven, in a crock pot, or in a pressure cooker. I prefer making it in the oven, in covered hotel pans.

Quick crispy wings

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

I like to save wings from the whole chickens that I roast for weekly dinners by stashing them in the freezer until I have enough for a wing day. In 3–4 weeks I’ll have 5 birds’ worth of wings, which when split at the elbow makes 20 winglets. That’s enough for 2–3 people, served with some veg.

Turkey burgers

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

It can be difficult to make turkey into a great burger without some extra oomph. This recipe uses extras packed with flavour to add savouriness, improve texture, and help browning.

Hoagie rolls

Sat, 18 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Soft, chewy hoagie rolls built for serious sandwiches. A hoagie roll is a sort of baguette for sub-style sandwiches, and these swap in for beef dips, subs, po’ boys, or even hamburger buns (halved). They have body and a bit of crust, and hold up to robust fillings.

Breakfast sausage

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

These make great patties, sausages, or crumble, with no casings needed unless you have the equipment and time. I use this sausage in pastas, on breakfast sandwiches, and in stir-fries.

McDouble

Tue, 01 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

A very cravable burger. This is the closest I’ve gotten to perfecting it, along with its little sibling, the single drive-thru hamburger.

Mechanic

The McDouble is built on two thin patties, a single slice of cheese between them, and a sharp dressing ratio. Double-grinding the beef (or triple-grinding, for softer still) is what gives the patty its soft, almost pillowy texture rather than a coarse, chewy one. The seasoning is a 4:2:1 ratio of salt, MSG, and black pepper by weight, plus 0.25 parts onion powder if you like.

Chicken patties

Sun, 01 Jan 2023 00:00:00 +0000

I love chicken sandwiches. The ground chicken patties bread nicely, but are also great on their own.

Mechanic

Two separate formulas. The brine is for whole breast fillets pounded thin: the vinegar tenderizes and the salt firms the texture. The ground chicken follows a percentage formula per kilogram, which scales cleanly for larger batches. Added water and a little baking soda raise the pH, so the meat holds more moisture and turns springy and substantial, like Vietnamese or Chinese beef balls.