on this It Gets Butter I get to sit down with long time friend and professional gay, Chuck Henson. Chuck has been on tv, announced for national band competitions, and now is a licensed massage therapist and loves to bake. Here how we got here and how he stays so positive through is all in our first ever "call in" episode.

Apple Strawberry Pie:

The Flaky Double-Crust Dough Yields one top and one bottom crust. Ingredients: 2.5 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cubed 1 tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon salt 6 to 8 tablespoons ice water Instructions: Mix Dry Ingredients: Whisk the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Cut in Butter: Add the cold butter cubes. Use a pastry cutter or your hands to work the butter into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized bits of butter remaining. Add Water: Drizzle in the ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing gently until the dough just starts to come together. It should be moist but not sticky. Chill: Divide the dough into two disks, wrap them in plastic, and refrigerate for at least one hour. Roll: Once chilled, roll the dough on a floured surface to about 1/8 inch thickness. The Apple Strawberry Filling Ingredients: Your pre-cooked, chilled apple mixture Fresh strawberries, sliced 3 to 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour (to thicken the juices) Sugar (to taste, depending on the sweetness of the fruit) Instructions: Combine: Gently toss your chilled apples and sliced strawberries together. Thicken: Sprinkle the flour and sugar over the fruit and toss again until evenly coated. Assemble: Place the bottom crust into your pie plate. Fill with the fruit mixture, then top with the second crust. Vent: Be sure to cut slits in the top crust to let the steam escape—this keeps the crust from getting soggy! Baking Instructions High Heat Start: Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes. Finish: Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling beautifully.

My friend actor/comedian Chris Grace does an episode while we were in Los Angeles. This is the first ever episode on the road, outdoors, and with these mics. We talk about loss, grief, and anxiety. Chris also gives us a couple noodle recipes that are quick, easy, and something for everyone.

Enjoy the recipes and devour the episode.

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

1lb ground beef

Brown ground beef, season with salt, pepper, msg

Add jar of sauce (your preferred jar)

Cook noodles (spaghetti or bucatini)

Combine

A “more asian” dish

Linguini cook and then combine with

Salt, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, scallions (to your own ratio)

This episode I get to talk to a friend and former coworker Brittany Pregliasco. This episode she talks about trusting and believing in yourself as well as meal prepping (so you're ready for the bad days), and a new take on an old classic...Lasagna Soup, which brings up an old childhood memory for me.

Enjoy and try the soup!

Most of the same ingredients used in lasagna are incorporated into this soup.

• Italian sausage: Whether you choose sweet or spicy, sausage is a smart way to add an immediate layer of flavor to soup. It also has more flavor than using ground meat.
• Aromatics: Onion and garlic are must-haves, but a bulb of cored and diced fennel is a nice addition—and it drives home the Italian flavors.
• Seasonings: Store-bought Italian seasoning is not an ingredient we often call for but it's just right here—and can be used for other dishes like meatballs and Bolognese.
• Canned tomatoes: You can use puréed or crushed tomatoes or try our favorite trick: If you have diced or whole peeled tomatoes, use an immersion blender to break them up a bit.
• Broth: Chicken or vegetable broth work for lasagna soup. Even water will do—just add a few bouillon cubes if you have them.
• Lasagna noodles: Break up whole noodles into three or four pieces each before adding to the soup. You don’t need to use no-boil noodles, but you can if that's what you have, and it will reduce the cooking time by about five minutes.
• Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated cheese is just the thing to serve with this soup. We also throw in a Parmesan rind as the soup cooks. We store the rinds from pieces of Parmesanther in a re-sealable bag in the freezer and use one every time we make soup. They bring big flavor and work for everything from chicken noodle and minestrone to creamy potato leek soup.
• Ricotta cheese: Instead of layering the ricotta into lasagna, for the soup version of the dish it is spooned over each serving. It immediately starts to melt into the hot broth.

Italian Seasoning: It's easy to make your own Italian seasoning at home. Simply combine two parts each of dried basil, oregano, rosemary, and thyme with one part ground fennel seed.

Dinner will be on the table in just six easy steps.

1. Brown the sausage: Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot and add the sausage (if it has casings, remove those first). Use a spoon to break the meat into bite-size pieces and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until well browned and cooked through–this will take 6 to 10 minutes. Once browned, transfer the sausage to a plate lined with paper towels. If more than a few tablespoons of fat are left behind, discard some of it.
2. Sauté the aromatics: Add the onions, fennel, and garlic (and a hefty pinch of kosher salt to the pot. Sauté until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. You’re not looking for a lot of color, just for the vegetables to soften.
3. Toast the seasonings: Add the Italian seasoning and let it toast in the fat for a minute or so, just until it smells super fragrant. A little tomato paste can also be added here for more depth of flavor.
4. Add the liquids and bring to a boil: Stir in the broth and tomatoes, add the sausage back to the pot, and let the whole mixture come to a boil. Add a Parmesan rind if you have one. Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes, just until the broth mixture thickens slightly.
5. Stir in the noodles: Add the noodles and return the mixture to a simmer. Cook until they are al dente; this should take 10 to 15 minutes.
6. Season and serve: Before serving, taste the soup and adjust the seasoning by adding salt and pepper. Top each serving with Parmesan cheese, a dollop of ricotta, and a drizzle of olive oil. Some fresh herbs, like chopped basil or parsley, are a nice fresh touch.