My Favorite Recipes

A spread of Cousin Mike Cooks homemade dishes

I’m Cousin Mike — an untrained, unorthodox home cook who loves to cook and hates to follow directions. Every recipe here comes from my own kitchen, and they all share one idea: there’s usually a single technique that separates the good version of a dish from the version people beg you to make again. This is my full collection, organized so you can find whatever you’re hungry for. Click any recipe for the full ingredients and step-by-step directions.

Quick Answer: Cousin Mike Cooks is a growing collection of homemade recipes — Italian dinners, BBQ and grilling, Thanksgiving and holiday sides, comfort-food classics, homemade sauces and rubs, and breakfast. Each recipe is built around the one key technique that makes it work, so you get restaurant-quality results at home the first time. Browse by category below.

New here? Start with The Ultimate Italian Sunday Dinner — a full Italian menu from garlic bread to tiramisu, each dish with its one key trick.

Italian Favorites

Crispy Chicken Parmesan — Fry the cutlets deep golden first and keep the sauce off the crust so it stays crispy.
Sweet & Spicy Three-Meat Lasagna — Sweet sausage, hot sausage, and ground beef in one rich, never-watery sauce.
Baked Ziti — Undercook the pasta, go heavy on the sauce, and bury a cheese layer in the middle.
Creamy Penne alla Vodka — The vodka unlocks tomato flavors you literally can’t taste without it.
Homemade Marinara Sauce — Tastes slow-simmered in 30 minutes — a spoon of butter off the heat is the trick.
Tender Italian Meatballs — A milk-soaked bread panade keeps them melt-in-your-mouth soft.
Homemade Garlic Bread — Cook the garlic in the butter first so it goes sweet and never turns bitter.
Homemade Caesar Salad — A real emulsified dressing and cold, dry romaine — don’t fear the anchovy.
Classic Tiramisu — A one-second ladyfinger dip and an overnight chill for clean, firm layers.

Thanksgiving & Fall

Southern Cornbread Dressing — Dry the cornbread out completely first so it never turns to mush.
Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes — Warm the dairy, don’t overwork them, and they reheat silky days later.
Silky Turkey Gravy — A cooked roux and warm liquid added slowly — lump-free every time.

BBQ & Grilling

Oven Pulled Pork — Fall-apart tender with a deep bark — no smoker needed.
Smash Burgers with Special Sauce — Crispy, diner-style smash burgers in about 15 minutes.
Honey Bourbon BBQ Sauce — Sweet honey and deep brown sugar for ribs, chicken, or burgers.
Spicy Peach BBQ Sauce — Jammy ripe peach up front with a slow chili heat behind.
Maple Strawberry BBQ Sauce — Sweet, smoky, and easy — great on chicken or ribs.

Rubs & Seasonings

Crispy-Skin Chicken Rub — A baking-powder secret for shatter-crisp skin.
Porcini Steak Rub — A salt-free jar you pair with a day-ahead dry brine for a steakhouse crust.

Sides & Comfort Food

Creamy Baked Mac & Cheese — Shred off the block and melt it in off the heat so it never turns grainy.
Creamy Coleslaw — Salt and squeeze the cabbage first so it stays crisp, not watery.
Grandma’s Skillet Cornbread — Crispy cast-iron edges and a tender, barely-sweet middle.

Breakfast

Fluffy Pumpkin Spice Pancakes — Light, fluffy pancakes with a cozy pumpkin-spice twist.
Apple Pie Overnight Oats — A make-ahead breakfast that tastes like apple pie.

Cousin Mike’s Bonus: The Raspberry Muddle

A little something off-menu. This stunning, tasty drink is a summer-party hit every time I make it — the key is ripe raspberries and a good muddler.

You’ll need: ice, 1.5 oz vodka, 2 oz ginger ale, 1 oz raspberry seltzer, 5–6 fresh ripe raspberries, and a lemon wedge.

Place ice in a red wine glass (or whatever you’ve got), pour the vodka over the ice, add the muddled raspberries, then the ginger ale and seltzer, and garnish with the lemon wedge. Give it a good stir — and watch your friends’ faces when you hand these out at your next party. They’re damn tasty, too.

Common Questions

What kind of recipes does Cousin Mike Cooks have?

A mix of Italian dinners, BBQ and grilling, Thanksgiving and holiday sides, comfort-food classics, homemade sauces and rubs, and breakfast — all home-cook friendly, with the one key technique explained for each dish.

Are Cousin Mike’s recipes beginner-friendly?

Yes. Every recipe explains the why behind the method and the single trick that makes it work, so you can get it right the first time even without much experience.

What should I make for an Italian dinner?

Start with the Italian Sunday Dinner menu: chicken parmesan or lasagna as a main, penne alla vodka or meatballs in marinara, garlic bread and a Caesar salad on the side, and tiramisu to finish.

Which recipes are make-ahead or good for a crowd?

The baked ziti, three-meat lasagna, mashed potatoes, gravy, marinara, and coleslaw all make ahead well, and the lasagna, baked ziti, pulled pork, and mac & cheese are built to feed a group.