3/11/2026 – Made this when Mary was in Houston. The Bluerunner Gumbo was the Yaya Mama version, which is a dark roux. It turned out good.
Continue reading3/6/2026 – This was the first time using the built-in griddle to make fajitas, and likely only the second or third time we have used it to make a meal. The cook went well following Neal Williams’ advice at TheFlatTopKing.com. This post is to cite how much was used on the small griddle and the few changes from the techniques he used. The difference was that he was cooking for 20 and we were for 2.
Continue reading3/6/2026 — Mexican-Inspired Griddle Recipes to Try from his website TheFlatTopKing.com
- Best Ever Blackstone Steak Fajitas (with Homemade Marinade). See the video below where he makes the fajitas along with the other components of great-looking nachos.
- Want an awesome side dish to go with your Blackstone fajitas? Try this Mexican Street Corn on the Griddle (with Frozen Corn)! Packed with flavor!
- Need a chicken fajita recipe for the Blackstone? This large batch Griddle Chicken Fajitas Recipe is perfect to feed a crowd!
- Missing the Mexican rice? Try this easy Blackstone Griddle Mexican Chicken and Rice recipe!
His Steak Fajitas Marinade for 1½-2 lb skirt steak or flat iron, flank, or sirloin steak:
- ¾ cup pineapple juice no sugar added/100% juice
- juice of ½ large orange
- juice and zest of 1 lime
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1½ tbsp cumin
- ½ tbsp chili powder
- 1½ tsp paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tbsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
From his email on 3/6/2026, and his website, The Flat Top King.
| Today [Neal] rounds up some of [his] favorites— from the classic base recipe to some bold flavor twists you might not expect. **One rule applies to every recipe below: always use cold, day-old rice. Fresh rice is too moist and will steam instead of fry. Cook it the night before, spread it on a sheet pan, and refrigerate it overnight. That one step makes all the difference.** |
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| Classic Griddle Fried Rice. The foundation recipe if you get this one down the rest is easy. This is where I tell people to start. It uses simple pantry ingredients and basic technique, and once you nail it you’ll never need to order fried rice from a restaurant again. It’s the perfect side dish for hibachi night or just an easy weeknight meal all on its own. Full recipe here Classic Griddle Fried Rice |
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| Spam Fried Rice. Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it — this is one serious crowd pleaser. Spam is huge in Hawaiian culture, and once you get those crispy caramelized edges on the Spam from the hot griddle, you’ll completely understand why. Try my recipe here Spam Fried Rice |
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| Chicken Fried Rice. We’ve actually made this recipe and tested it side-by-side with 2 different Chinese takeout restaurants, and THIS beat both of the restaurant versions! Thin-sliced seasoned chicken, perfectly fried rice, and a simple blend of soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sesame oil — it always delivers. Get the full recipe here Griddle Chicken Fried Rice |
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| Cajun Shrimp Fried Rice: Southern comfort meets the flat top — bold, smoky flavor. We’re talking Cajun-seasoned shrimp, andouille sausage, bell peppers, okra, and onions all coming together. It’s like fried rice and jambalaya had a baby, and that baby is absolutely delicious. Get the full recipe here Cajun Shrimp Fried Rice |
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| Tropical Jerk Chicken Fried Rice. This one tastes like a vacation on a plate — definitely the most unique recipe in the bunch. Jasmine rice cooked in coconut milk, pineapple, and spicy Jamaican jerk-marinated chicken — the combination of heat, sweetness, and creamy coconut is unlike anything else I’ve put on the griddle. Get the full recipe here — Tropical Jerk Chicken Fried Rice |
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| Mexican Fried Rice with Chicken: Taco night just got a major griddle upgrade. Marinated chicken, fire-roasted corn, black beans, and peppers, finished with fresh cilantro and lime — this one hits EVERY single time. If your family loves Mexican food as much as we do, this recipe will be on regular rotation. Get the full recipe here Mexican Fried Rice with Chicken |
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| Steak and Mushroom Fried Rice, Steakhouse-style, all cooked on the flat top. Your favorite cut of steak, loaded into a buttery mushroom herb fried rice, then drizzled with yum yum sauce — this is the most indulgent recipe in the roundup. Save this one for when you really want to treat the family. Get the full recipe here Steak and Mushroom Fried Rice |
Bang Bang Sauce
Continue reading2/9/2026 – This recipe is a cabbage+bacon+sausage dish with the Cajun Trinity and was very good. It was inspired by the one at Southern Living here. Italized paragraphs are from that article.
Swamp cabbage is traditionally not made from cabbage at all. It’s a dish that is instead made from hearts of palm, and its roots trace back to Native Americans. Over time, Floridians have adapted the original dish to one that’s just as flavorful but a bit more humble, and stretches hearts of palm with cabbage. Swamp cabbage is smoky thanks to sausage and bacon. The hearts of palm have a meaty texture and briny artichoke-like flavor.
Swamp cabbage is a plant that’s also known as a sabal palm or cabbage palm tree. It just also happens to be Florida’s state tree, and you will find it in nearly every part of the state, as it grows throughout the Southeast and parts of Mexico. Tall in the sabal palm, just below the leaves, is a heart, the heart of the palm, and it has been eaten for generations in all sorts of dishes, such as salads and the eponymous swamp cabbage, of course. Eaten alone, it’s a simple dinner that’s bolstered by the bacon and sausage or other meats used to build up flavor. But it’s often served as a side dish, too, alongside fried fish, boiled shrimp, or any number of Florida favorites.
Ingredients
- 8+ oz. hickory-smoked bacon, chopped
- 1 link hickory-smoked sausage, sliced into 1/2-in.-thick pieces (such as Conecuh)
- 1 green bell pepper, roughly chopped
- 1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 3 large celery stalks, roughly chopped
- 8 cups chopped cabbage (from 1 [2-lb.] head cabbage)
- 1 (14-oz.) can hearts of palm, drained and sliced. Next time, try artichokes for more flavor.
- 2 (14 1/2-oz.) can diced tomatoes
- Chicken stock
- Kit’s Creole seasoning
Directions
- Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and bacon is slightly crisp on edges.
- Add sausage, and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and bacon is crisp.
- Add bell pepper, onion, and celery; cook, stirring often, until slightly softened.
- Stir in cabbage, hearts of palm, tomatoes, chicken stock, and seasoning; bring to a simmer over medium-high.
- Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is cooked through and tender.
2/6/2026 – This tomato-based soup with chickpeas, farro, and spinach was very good and filling. It was inspired by the recipe at Two Peas and Their Pod. Servings: 6. Thawed a 1 qt container mostly in the microwave and warmed it on 5/14/2026. It was very good and did not have any freezing aftertaste or appearance. See notes about “next time”.
Continue readingBy Suzy Karadsheh.