Oven Fried Garlic Chicken, as seen on George Hirsch Lifestyle

George Hirsch January 29, 2026

Many of you have requested this recipe from George Hirsch Lifestyle TV series. I am delighted to share.

Who doesn’t like fried chicken? However, frying chicken in the traditional manner can cause health concerns and take a long time to prepare correctly. The solution is my oven-fried garlic Chicken. It is as good as it looks. Perfect for making and taking to the tailgate or picnic, it tastes even better the next day! That's if you have any left.

Add a side of Mac and Cheese and wrap up with Double Chocolate Brownies for a perfect homestyle comfort menu.

George’s Oven-Fried Garlic Chicken

Makes 8-10 pieces

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1 whole chicken cut into 8 - 10 pieces or pre-cut from a butcher

Juice of 1/2 fresh lemon

2 cups flour, approximately

paper bag or food-safe plastic bag

For The Chicken Rub

1 teaspoon each: dried basil, oregano, thyme, sweet paprika

1/2 Tablespoon garlic powder

Pinch of fresh ground nutmeg

Pinch sea salt and ground black pepper to taste

Combine all seasonings for chicken.

Add seasoning rub to chicken, coating each piece, then squeeze lemon juice over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Place half of the flour in a bag and add additional flour as needed.

Place two pieces of chicken in the bag of flour at a time, close tightly, and shake the bag, coating the chicken evenly. Remove flour-coated chicken with tongs and shake off any excess flour. Place flour-coated chicken in a low-sided heavy-gauge roasting pan. Repeat until all chicken has been coated with flour. Make sure the chicken is not crowded in a roasting pan. See Tips.

Place chicken in the oven at 425 degrees F. for the first 15 minutes or until chicken begins to color (you will smell the aroma), then lower the oven to 350 degrees F. for 30 - 35 minutes until golden brown or until done. Time depends on the size of the chicken pieces.

After removing from the oven, let the chicken rest for 5 minutes and serve.

Tips:

- For crispy chicken, use a heavy-gauge low-sided pan (to prevent the chicken from steaming).

- Do not overcrowd the chicken in the pan; allow air circulation.

- The oven-baked chicken fries in their own fat. Using just breasts (white meat) does not oven fry as well due to lower fat content; for best results, cook with a mixture of white and dark meat that has a higher fat content.

- Trust the cooking times. Avoid opening the oven door to peek at the chicken while cooking. It will still be there. The temperature drops each time you open the oven door, causing the chicken to steam.

- To keep chicken crisp after cooking, place chicken on a wire baking screen until cool.

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George’s Double Chocolate Brownies

George Hirsch January 26, 2026

Know Your Cookie:

A brownie is a sheet cookie, as its soft batter spreads across a sheet-like pan to bake. Other types of sheet cookies include blondies and rainbow cookies. After sheet cookies are baked, they can be cut into squares, rectangles, or any other shape when cool.

This is an often-requested recipe from George Hirsch Lifestyle. It is ideal for every occasion. Enjoy it as is, or upgrade it by topping it with your favorite ice cream. The brownie derives its character from a deep, rich cocoa base for the chocolate flavor.

Did you know chocolate is a winter mood booster? Dark chocolate contains the amino acid tryptophan, a well-recognized serotonin producer. It’s also one of the best food sources of magnesium, an essential mineral that allows the body to relax.

A one-ounce serving of dark chocolate contains 64 mg of magnesium. That’s 16% of the recommended daily intake. Add to that an abundance of other essential minerals, antioxidants, flavanols, and prebiotic fiber—all of which make us feel better in more ways than one.

Double Chocolate Brownies

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Makes 12-18 Brownies

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 pound (2 sticks) of sweet butter, softened at room temperature

2 cups granulated sugar

4 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans or walnuts

1 1/2 cups semisweet chopped chocolate pieces or chocolate or butterscotch chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour an 8 x 12 x 2-inch baking pan and line it with a parchment paper baking sheet.

In a small bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt well. Set aside.

Cream butter in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add granulated sugar and cream on high speed for 2 minutes, until light and fluffy.

On a low speed, add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, stopping the machine from scraping down the bowl well after each addition. At low speed, add flour and cocoa powder to the butter mixture and mix until flour is absorbed. Do not over-mix.

By hand, fold the pecans and chocolate in with a rubber spatula.

Optional: if using coconut, mix 3/4 of coconut with pecans and chocolate.

Using a spatula, spread the batter into a baking pan, making sure the batter is spread evenly and smooth.

Bake for 25-30 minutes. Be careful not to overbake. Brownies are baked when pressed. The cake springs back when pressed lightly with your finger, or a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 2 hours, and cut the brownies into rectangle or square pieces.

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Gather 'Round the Grill Cookbook, Vintage (new)

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George Hirsch Living it UP! cooking & lifestyle book

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Gameday Chili

George Hirsch January 22, 2026

Entertaining a crowd during Gameday Season?

Then, it's time to fire up the cooktop and start chopping. Those flavors will come together deliciously by gameday. This recipe calls for one bottle of IPA beer, my favorite from my local microbrew. I always advise you to use only what you would drink!

This basic chili recipe combines several flavors of the Southwest.

Options: Turkey and pork can be substituted for beef and combined for ultimate flavor. To make it vegetarian, use eggplant, squash, and extra onion in place of the meat.

IPA Chili

Makes 6- 8 servings

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2 pounds sirloin or chuck - cut into 1/2 inch pieces or a ground beef combo

4 slices maple maple-cured bacon, chopped

10 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup sweet onion, chopped

4 scallions, chopped

2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped

1 fresh serrano chili pepper, chopped

1 Tablespoon each: cumin, oregano, basil, and thyme

1 teaspoon cinnamon

12 ounces of a good microbrew IPA

2 cups canned plum tomatoes with juice, chopped

1 Tablespoon cider vinegar

1 16-ounce can of red beans, rinsed and drained

2 Tablespoons cilantro

Preheat a large soup pot over medium-high heat.

Add bacon and allow the bacon to get a light golden color. Add garlic, onion, olive oil, scallions, jalapenos, and serrano, and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beef and cook until it becomes lightly browned. Drain off any excess fat. Season with cumin, oregano, basil, hot pepper flakes, and cinnamon.

Add beer and reduce liquid for one minute; add tomatoes and vinegar.

Lower the temperature to a gentle simmer. Stir, cover the pot, and cook for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add beans and cook for 30 minutes or until the meat is tender.

**LISTEN SATURDAY Feb 10th and SUNDAY Feb 11th at 10AM**

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13 EPISODES on 4 HD-DVD Disk Set, season one

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Gather 'Round the Grill Cookbook, Vintage (new)

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George Hirsch Living it UP! cooking & lifestyle book

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In Hot Chocolate Caramel

George Hirsch January 20, 2026

The winter season is upon us, so hot chocolate seems like a very appropriate beverage. Homemade hot chocolate is everyone's favorite, even us big kids. This is my spin on hot chocolate, and it has put smiles on many faces.

One study has shown that the smell of chocolate may actually relax you by increasing theta waves in the brain. Yes, we all have them.

Does chocolate contain any nutrients? Yes, it does, in small amounts. A 1.5-ounce milk chocolate bar contains recommended daily values of the following vitamins and minerals:

• 3 grams of protein • 15% of the Daily Value of riboflavin • 9% of the Daily Value of calcium • 7% of the Daily Value of iron

George's Hot Chocolate Caramel

Makes 6 Servings

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1/3 cup pure cane granulated sugar

1/3 cup unsweetened good cocoa powder

1/3 cup water

8 caramel candies

6 cups milk (whole milk for best results)

mini marshmallows or whipped cream

1 ounce brandy (optional) see Directions Below

In a large saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa powder, and water. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Add candies and stir until melted. Stir in milk. Heat through. Top with brandy. Pour into a mug and top with mini marshmallows or whipped cream.

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13 EPISODES on 4 HD-DVD Disk Set, season one

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Gather 'Round the Grill Cookbook, Vintage (new)

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George Hirsch Living it UP! cooking & lifestyle book

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Sour Cream Coffee Cake

George Hirsch January 17, 2026

Would you like a slice of old-fashioned-style cake that is equally good for a morning coffee break, mid-day snack, and even dessert? Then this is it.

What I really like about this cake is that it isn't overly sweet. I created this recipe using all-purpose flour, not cake flour, which makes a denser crumb with a nice texture. The dairy mix of sour cream, yogurt, and milk is a harmonious trifecta in achieving a light and flavorful addition to every slice. Use good fresh eggs + butter, and you'll have a hit.

I do warn you with caution - when you catch the first aromas of this cake baking in the oven, you will be tempted to stand by with a knife at the ready. But please wait for the cake to cool completely for a couple of hours. Slicing this coffee cake prematurely will allow steam (or moisture) to escape, thereby making for a drier cake when it cools. So please resist until it cools. This recipe also doubles as a test of patience. Enjoy!

No bundt pan, no problem! Coffee Cake Pie

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Makes a 9" Bundt Pan, about 10-12 slices

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For the Crumb Topping:

1/2 cup light brown sugar

6 Tablespoons sweet butter, softened

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Place the butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and vanilla in a bowl and crumble together with your fingers until it forms a crumb mixture. Add in the nuts—reserve and mix the cake batter.

For the Cake: SEE RECIPE BELOW

1/2 cup sweet butter, one stick softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs, beaten

2 cups All-Purpose Flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt

1/4 cup 2% milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon fresh-grated orange rind

Grease and flour two 9-inch pie pans, or a tube, Bundt-style, or a regular-sized 9 1/2-inch baking pan.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Mix in eggs, vanilla, and orange zest, one at a time. Scrape the sides of the bowl again.

In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, yogurt, and milk. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternately in three stages with the sour cream, yogurt, and milk mixture, stirring and scraping the bowl with a spatula after each addition. Mix until just blended. Do not over-mix.

Place half the batter in the pan and sprinkle with half the topping mixture. With the back of the butter knife, swirl the batter slightly to mix the crumb mixture slightly into the bottom of the cake batter. Add the remaining batter, then the crumb topping.

Bake coffee cake in a preheated 350°F oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until the cake tests are done. Cool for 15-20 minutes; remove from the pan by placing a large plate over the top of the cake, and invert the pan. Tap the sides of the cake pan to free the cake from the pan, place a serving platter over the bottom, and invert again. The crumb topping should be on the top side to serve. Allow cooling at least 2 hours (if you can) before slicing!

Cover the cake once fully cooled.

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