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For those who enjoy a hearty breakfast at home, this one’s for you. Matt Pool of Matt’s Big Breakfast shares the recipe for Chop & Chick that was once featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives several years ago. In the episode, host Guy Fieri chows down on the pesto marinated pork chop and deems it “fantastic.”

“We make everything from scratch the old-fashioned way,” Pool says. “The home fries remind me of something you’d have in your grandma’s kitchen.”

If you want to try the dish before attempting it at home, scurry down to Matt’s Big Breakfast and learn from the experts. But be prepared to wait. This place is hella popular.

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As a kid growing up in Texas and Louisiana, TEXAZ Grill owner Steve Freidkin now has fond memories of his mama’s mashed tater salad. So when he got tired of throwing away the leftover mashed potatoes at his popular Phoenix restaurant, he recalled the potato salad of his youth. “I thought, well, dang. It worked for my family. Maybe it will work here.”

The verdict? “Some people like it and some people are a little freaked out by it,” he says. “It’s a little different, but c’mon, it’s got bacon in it so it’s got to be good.”

Freidken uses russet potatoes with the skin on and makes the dressing separately from the salad. “It has most of the ingredients of a Southern-style potato salad, but it’s got a little Louisiana flair to it.”

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Pineapple-topped guac on chips from The Mission.

Earlier this month, 14 chefs gathered at The Camby hotel in Central Phoenix for the Rock the Guac competition in honor of National Guacamole Day and benefitting Free Arts of Arizona. Their challenge? Creating different guacamoles designed to stand out.

I know taste testing 14 different guacamoles may seem like a dream, but let me tell you that guac has the tendency to taste more or less the same after a few scoops. But in the name of journalism, I persevered.

The sweetest (perhaps weirdest) take was from Tarbell’s in Phoenix that whipped up a chocolate mousse dessert topped with an avocado mousse/puree. It was tasty but let’s face it, couldn’t pass as guacamole. I can’t say there were any competitors that I flat out didn’t like at all, but my favorite was The Market by Jennifer’s. I loved that the chef used focaccia instead of the hackneyed tortilla chip and how she managed to seamlessly blend many different flavors and textures together.

Below are four guacamoles that stood out, both to me and the official judges, plus a recipe for the first prize winner.

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As we approach cooler autumn nights, it’s hard not to dream about simmering soups and soul-satisfying stews. It’s almost time to turn on the oven again.

To that end, Chef Jean-Christophe Gros of Voila! French Bistro shares a recipe for traditional beef bourguignon that he serves at his Scottsdale Ranch restaurant. He’s fond of the recipe because it reminds him of moments he’s shared with his family over the years.