Today we have some sweet and savory dishes on the menu, the first few recipes are made using popcorn and cereal. Let’s get started with “Corn Flake Encrusted Chicken,” something to try when you wanna change it up from the usual breadcrumb coating. Pound out chicken cutlets and dredge in flour, egg, and a bowl of crushed up Corn Flakes.

The trick is then pan frying the cutlets in a mix of corn oil with a little bit of butter. When they’re done, hit them with a little bit of sea salt. For the sauce, I simply combine honey and Grey Poupon brand Dijon mustard with just a teaspoon of sesame oil and drizzle on top.

Here’s a real unique one I’m sure you’ve never heard of: “Kettle Corn Encrusted Cod.” This is a twist on fish sticks that offer a sweet and savory crunch like no other. The best kettle corn out there today in my opinion is made by “Popcorn, Indiana” out of Englewood (and I’m not just saying that because I used to work for the company). Go grab yourself a big red bag and try this recipe out. Bring a pot filled ¾ of the way with pomace enriched extra virgin olive oil to 375 degrees. Dredge a white fish (cod or tilapia, but I like cod in this case) in flour, egg, and a bowl of the crushed up kettle corn (make sure you crush it up real well—I’d recommend using a food processor). Deep-fry coated fish for eight-ten minutes in the preheated oil until lightly brown. No dipping sauce required, trust me!

On another day (maybe to jazz up a hamburger), try out my very own “JM-17 Sauce” made with (you guessed it) seventeen ingredients. In a large pot, combine the following: ¾ of a bottle of bbq sauce, ¾ of a bottle of ketchup, one can of tomato paste, one can of chicken broth (then one can of water), ½ a jar of Grey Poupon brand onion Dijon mustard, six tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, four tablespoons of worcestershire sauce, four tablespoons of ginger sauce, four tablespoons of butter, four tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, three tablespoons of honey, three tablespoons of diced garlic, three tablespoons of red wine, a hearty handful of salt, fresh cracked pepper, a few cracks of Mc Kormick brand steakhouse grinder spice, sugar and brown sugar. Bring to a boil, then simmer. Once cool, refrigerate in a mason jar and use as your go-to sauce. Great with anything!

Ok folks, these “Sweet Plantain Fries” pair nicely with either of the above two entrées. And you can use the same oil that you cooked the fish in when serving those two together—talk about a Johnny-fied take on fish and chips! First, peel and slice four-five green plantains as if you were making French fries. Drop a handful into the pot of oil until crisp, then immediately scoop out and season with salt, brown sugar and some honey. You will be blown away with the flavors going on with these fries.

Finally, the nice bite of arugula lettuce also goes great with sweet components. This “Orange Poppy Salad” has it all. First, arrange a bed of arugula on a platter, top with cherry tomatoes, orange slices and candied walnuts. The dressing brings this all together and it’s a snap. Combine ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil and ½ cup of balsamic vinegar (make sure you are using the best imported bottles of both), along with juice from a fresh lemon, juice from a fresh orange, a little salt, cracked pepper and poppy seeds (about two tablespoons go a long way.) Whisk together and pour the dressing all over.

In my opinion, you can certainly skip the piece of cake (and dessert altogether) with these meals!