Frank Cooks

Frank Cooks Sharing life & recipes picked up along the way. Italian roots, fresh flavors..the way we did it.

15/06/2026

Happy Sunday folks! As it gets to fig season here in Jersey, wanted to share a favorite recipe of mine: Chicken Fico. Simple, delicious, and perfect for a summer dinner.

Chicken Fico

Ingredients
⁃ 5-6 Thin Chicken Breasts
⁃ 1.5 Cups of Shiitake Mushrooms (Sliced)
⁃ 3 Dried Figs (Cut)
⁃ 3 Fresh Figs (Cut)
⁃ 2 Cups Heavy Cream
⁃ 1 Stick European Butter
⁃ 2oz Brandy
⁃ Salt and Pepper to taste

*Can be served over pasta (optional)*

Instructions
1. In a large sauce pan on medium high heat, melt butter and add chicken breasts; season with salt and pepper. Cook for approximately 3-4 minutes each side.
2. After about two minutes, before flipping chicken, add dry figs and mushrooms to saucepan.
3. Once chicken is cooked, temporarily turn off heat and add brandy to saucepan. Immediately turn gas back on and allow brandy to cook out.
4. Add heavy cream to pan and let cook until reduced to thicker sauce.
5. Add fresh figs and do not mix. Allow figs to sit on top of chicken and cook for about a minute.
6. Serve immediately and enjoy with friends and family!

08/06/2026

If you’ve been wondering where I’ve been the last few weeks… I’ve been right here at Sunnybrae Little League. ⚾️

I’ve had the opportunity to spend this baseball season cooking for some amazing families, players, coaches, and volunteers, and it’s been such a great experience.

Today I’m sharing two of my favorites from the menu: a classic cheesesteak and our pork roll hamburger. 🔥

A huge thank you to everyone at Sunnybrae for making me feel so welcome this season. It’s been a lot of fun being part of the community and seeing everyone out enjoying the games.

Now the real question… are you ordering the cheesesteak or the pork roll cheeseburger? 🍔

28/05/2026

Hello folks! As the weather (finally) gets warmer, I wanted to share a simple, easy family favorite: summer pasta. Looking forward to making this dish on some upcoming days down the shore. If you’re from NJ, what’s your favorite shore town to visit?

Summer Pasta

Ingredients
⁃ 1 lb. Mezzi Rigatoni (Or pasta of choice)
⁃ 1 Vidalia Onion (Rough Chopped)
⁃ 2 Roma Tomatoes (Largely Chopped)
⁃ 3 Cloves Garlic (chopped)
⁃ 1/2 Cup Chicken Stock
⁃ 1 Cup Shiitake Mushrooms (Chopped)
⁃ 1 Cup Carrots (Rough Chopped)
⁃ 1.5 Cups Asparagus (Chopped)
⁃ 2 Cups Zucchini (Chopped)
⁃ 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
⁃ 3 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
⁃ 1 Cup of White Wine
⁃ Pecorino Romano Cheese (Grated)
⁃ Salt and Pepper to Taste

*Can be made with any type of protein if desired*

Instructions
1. In a Large pot, cook pasta in salted water according to “al dente” instructions. Do not drain!
2. Separately, in a large saucepan on medium heat, add olive oil and add garlic until fragrant; add onion and cook. Be carful not to burn the garlic.
3. Add carrots and cook for 3-4 minutes or until they soften.
4. Add mushrooms, zucchini, asparagus, and tomatoes. Add salt and pepper to taste and cook for 3-4 minutes.
5. Add white wine to deglaze pan. Once pan is deglazed, add chicken stock; mix to incorperate.
6. Add butter to the pan, creating a hint of creaminess to the sauce. Continue mixing until butter is fully melted.
7. Add “wet” pasta by transferring from pot to saucepan using a slotted spoon.
8. Sprinkle some Pecorino Romano onto the pasta and mix to incorporate.
9. When serving, add an additional sprinkle of Pecorino Romano.
10. Enjoy a refreshing summer dish with friends and family!

21/05/2026

Hello folks, it’s nice to see you all again! We took some time off, but we are BACK with a family favorite- Chicken Marsala! We missed you all but happy to be back in the kitchen sharing our favorite meals together. Here’s my recipe, the way we’ve always done it.

Chicken Marsala

Ingredients
⁃ 3/4 Stick of Unsalted Butter
⁃ Flour
⁃ 4 Chicken Breast (pounded thin)
⁃ 1 Cup Veal Demi-glace
⁃ 1 Cup Shiitake Mushrooms (sliced)
⁃ 1 Shallot (diced)
⁃ 1 Cup Marsala Wine
⁃ Salt and Pepper to taste
⁃ Fresh Parsley (for garnish)

Instructions
1. Dredge chicken in flour and set aside
2. In a large saucepan on medium heat, add butter and melt until lightly simmering.
3. Add chicken, season with salt and pepper and cook for approximately 2-3 minutes.
4. After 2-3 minutes of cooking, flip chicken and add sliced mushroooms; add additional salt and pepper if needed.
5. Add marsala wine to saucepan to deglaze; let cook down for a few minutes.
6. Add Demi-glace to pan and cook on medium high heat for about 8 minutes or until sauce reduces and become slightly thicker.
7. Plate and add fresh parsley for a garnish (optional)
8. Enjoy with friends and family!

*Can be served with/over pasta of choice*

13/04/2026

Happy Sunday friends! Here’s a quick and eat recipe my grandmother would throw together- frittata. As ways, recipe listed below!

Egg Frittata

Ingredients
⁃ 2 potatoes (diced)
⁃ 1 cup Spinach
⁃ 10-12 grape tomatoes (halved)
⁃ 1/2 sweet onion (rough chopped)
⁃ 1/2 cup gruyere cheese
⁃ 12 eggs (beaten)
⁃ EVOO
⁃ Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
1. In a large bowl, add eggs and beat until smooth; set aside
2. In a medium saucepan pan, heat olive oil on medium high heat and a splash of vegetable oil; add diced potatoes and cook until browned (approximately 10 minutes)
3. After potatoes are cooked, add salt/pepper to taste; drain oil and set potatoes aside.
4. Add approximately 1 Tbsp of EVOO back to the saucepan on medium high heat and add onions and tomatoes; cook for 2-3 minutes or until onions are desired texture
5. Add spinach and cook until incorporated.
6. Once mixture is cooked, add potatoes back into the pan and mix to incorporate.
7. Add in eggs and don’t mix until edges are established. After a few minutes, work the edge of the pan with a spatula.
8. Place pan in the oven at 350 and bake for 20 minutes.
9. Remove from oven and slide frittata onto a serving plate.
10. Enjoy with friends and family!

“

06/04/2026

Happy Resurrection Sunday, He is risen! I spent today celebrating with my family so I wanted to go all the way back to the beginning for today’s video. However you spent today, I hope you all know how grateful my family and I are for each and every one of you. Happy Easter friends. Here’s the video that started it all: Nonni’s Meatballs 🧡

Nonni’s Meatballs
Ingredients
1.5 Lbs. Ground Beef
1 Large Clove og Garlic (chopped)
3 Tbsp Parsley
1 cup of Pecorino Romano cheese (grated)
2 Eggs
1 cup of breadcrumb or stale bread
Salt and Pepper to taste
Olive Oil

1. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, cheese, parsley, breadcrumb, garlic, salt, pepper and two eggs. If using stale/hardened bread, crush into bowl.
2. Mix with your hand until ingredients are well combined.
3. Roll into two-ounce meatballs. Do not roll tightly.
4. Using a saucepan, heat oil on medium heat. Oil should take up about a third of your pan. Oil amounts may vary depending on pan size and amount of meatballs.
5. Add meatballs to pan and let cook for approximately 3-4 minutes before rotating to ensure meat is cooked all the way through.
6. When cooked, remove meatballs from pan and place on a paper towel to absorb excess grease/oil. Let rest for a few minutes.
7. Enjoy with friends and family!

01/04/2026

Hello folks! Today I’m sharing a family favorite- good ole Pasta n’ Peas, just like my grandmother used to make. If you have a dish passed on by your family, drop it in the comments. Would love to hear your stories. As always, recipe listed below. 🍝

Pasta n’ Peas
Ingredients
⁃ 3 Cloves of Garlic
⁃ 1/2 Onion (rough chopped)
⁃ 1 Can of Peas
⁃ 3 Slices of Prosciutto (chopped)
⁃ 1, 8oz can of Tomato sauce
⁃ 1 lb Linguini Pasta
⁃ EVOO
⁃ Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
1. In a large saucepan on medium high heat, ad EVOO and sauté garlic until fragrant; add onions and cook for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add can of tomato sauce; stir to incorporate.
3. Once incorporated, add drained can of peas to sauce along with chopped prosciutto. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until sauce thickens.
4. *Optional* Remove Onions from sauce.
5. Cook pasta separately in salted water according to al dente instructions.
6. Using tongs, remove cooked pasta and add directly to saucepan without draining; mix with sauce to incorporate.
7. Enjoy a budget friendly meal with friends and family!

Cecco Extra Virgin Olive Oil

22/03/2026

Every Easter season, one dish I always look forward to making is Roman Cheese Bread. Back in my store, we used to make hundreds of these at a time. The smell alone would fill the whole place, and they never lasted long. It’s rich, cheesy, and packed with tradition. This is one of those things we didn’t mess with… just made it the way we always did.

Roman Cheese Bread

Ingredients
⁃ 10 Cups Flour
⁃ 1 Cup Warm Milk
⁃ 3 dozen jumbo eggs (beaten)
⁃ 4lbs. Pecorino Romano Cheese (grated)
⁃ 1lb. Butter (Melted)
⁃ 1lb. Block of yeast (melted in water)

*Recipe yeilds approximately 6 loaves of bread*

Instructions
1. In a large mixing bowl, add beaten eggs, melted butter, and yeast mixture; mix using hand mixture to ensure incorporation of ingredients.
2. Add Pecorino Romano cheese large handfuls at a time; use hand mixer in between to incorporate. Repeat process until all of the cheese is used.
3. Once cheese is mixed, add warm milk and slowly begin to add flour a little bit at a time; use hand mixer in between handfuls just as we did with the cheese.
4. After flour is incorporated, transfer mixture to bread pans and fill until about halfway. *Be sure to lightly lubricate each pan with a little olive oil*
5. Place pans on top of stove or countertop and cover for 2-3 hours to allow dough to rise.
6. Bake in oven at 350 for approximately an hour. Allow bread to cool before eating.
7. Enjoy with friends and family!

18/03/2026

Happy Wednesday friends! Another special family recipe today with one of my favorite special guests, my cousin Juda. Whether you make this for a family dinner or as part of your Easter dish, it’s definitely a favorite dish they’ll make everyone want seconds! As always, recipe posted below.

Homemade Manicotti

Ingredients
⁃ 5 Eggs
⁃ 1/2 Cup Milk
⁃ 3/4 Cup Flour
⁃ 2 lbs. Ricotta Cheese
⁃ 1 Cup Pecorino Romano (Grated)
⁃ 1 Cup of Mozzarella (shredded)
⁃ Marinara Sauce
⁃ Pinch of salt
⁃ Pepper to taste

Instructions
1. To make filling: In a large mixing bowl, add ricotta, one beaten egg, Pecorino Romano, and mozzarella; mix thoroughly to incorperate. Set aside.
2. To make crepe batter: In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk four eggs until beaten, milk, and flour; whisk until mixture is smooth.
3. In a small frying pan, spread a very small amount of olive oil or cooking spray to the bottom of the pan. Using a ladle, add crepe batter to pan and maneuver pan so that batter covers entire bottom of pan. Cook on medium for about a minute on each side. Once formed, transfer to separate plate. As cooking, layer each crepe on plate with parchment paper in between to avoid sticking.
4. Once crepes are cooled, scoop cheese filling mixture into crepe. Fold and roll so a cylindrical shape is formed; place directly onto a baking dish lined with marinara sauce.
5. When stuffed crepes are lined in baking dish, top with additional marinara sauce.
6. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in oven at 350 for 30-35 minutes; serve while hot.
7. Enjoy with friends and family!

11/03/2026

We finally got some sunshine here in Jersey…perfect time for mussels marinara. As always, recipe listed in caption. Hope you enjoy friends!

Mussels Marinara

Ingredients
⁃ 1.5 Quarts Marinara Sauce
⁃ PEI Mussels
⁃ 1/4 Cup EVOO
⁃ 3 Cloves Garlic (rough chopped)
⁃ Small Jar of Clam Juice
⁃ 1 Cup Dry White Wine
⁃ Salt and Pepper to Taste
⁃ 1/2 lb. Linguini
⁃ Fresh Chopped Parsley for Garnish (Optional)

Instructions
1. In a large saucepan on medium high heat, add EVOO and sauté garlic until fragrant.
2. Add mussels to oil; mix to incorporate. *Make sure all mussels are closed before cooking*. Once mussels are added to heat, they will start to open.
3. After 2-3 minutes, add white wine and clam juice. Cover pan with lid and bring to a boil; cook for 10-15 minutes to allow flavors to incorporate.
4. Add marinara sauce and mix to incorporate; simmer for 4-5 minutes.
5. Cook linguini in salted water; prepare “al dente”.
6. Serve mussels over linguini and garnish with parsley.
7. Enjoy with friends and family!

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