A celebration of cultural icon Shaquille O’Neal’s love of food, family, and fun, with 80 low-stress comfort food recipes for busy families. “The flavors and recipes in this book are big, bold, and fun just like Shaq Daddy himself! If you love the man, you’ll love this book!”—Michael Symon, author of Fix It with Food Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal loves food. A lot. In fact, fans of Inside the NBA know they’ll most likely hear Shaq tell his co-hosts all about what he ate for dinner while they analyze the action in the paint. Shaq’s love of food, eating, and family cooking began in his childhood home, where his mom cooked for him and his three siblings. With his own family, he carries on the commitment to creating family connection and fun through food. In Shaq’s Family Style , featuring his inimitable sense of humor, he shares eighty recipes for bringing family together around the table, plus 100 photographs to whet the appetite. From Loaded Potato Waffles to One Pan Baked Southern Mac & Cheese, Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potato Bake, and Spicy Jambalaya with Andouille Meatballs, these are meals that busy home cooks can get on the table after the kids’ practice or when there’s a houseful over to watch a game. Even novices will be able to cook these recipes with confidence the first time—and on replay. When the plates are cleared, it's time for banana pudding (there's always banana pudding!) or one of Shaq's other family-favorite desserts. It's the Shaq Attaq! . . . in the kitchen. “If there’s any teammate I trust in the kitchen, it’s my man Shaq! All I can say is . . . pass me a plate!” —Dwyane Wade, three-time NBA champion “Shaq had me at “Breakfast for Dinner.” Get ready to create new family favorites. These easy-to-follow recipes are a slam dunk.” —Carla Hall, author of Carla Hall’s Soul Food Shaquille O'Neal is one of the world’s most successful athletes-turned-businesspeople, whose accomplishments on and off the court have translated into his highly sought-after consumer brand. As an entrepreneur, sports analyst, DJ, restaurateur, and brand ambassador, O’Neal brings his signature “Business of Fun” mantra to each of his endeavors. The fifteen-time NBA All-Star’s unprecedented athletic career spanned nearly two decades and earned him countless awards and honors, including NBA Most Valuable Player, NBA Rookie of the Year, four NBA championships, and a first ballot NBA Hall of Famer. Currently, O’Neal is an analyst on TNT’s Emmy Award–winning Inside the NBA. O’Neal, who has a PhD in leadership and education, established The Shaquille O’Neal Foundation, which provides resources for underserved youth. He also gives back through a number of annual philanthropic programs, including Shaq-to-School, Shaqsgiving, and Shaq-a-Claus. The launch of his Las Vegas eatery Big Chicken further elevated O’Neal’s visibility as a successful restaurateur. In 2015, O’Neal partnered with Authentic Brands Group (ABG), a brand development, marketing, and entertainment company. The transformative alliance focuses on managing and growing O’Neal’s brand around the world and building on his legacy through strategic partnerships that tap into his tremendous personality and broad appeal. Rachel Holtzman is a former book editor turned cookbook coauthor. Matthew Silverman and Matthew Piekarski are Shaquille O’Neal’s executive chef partners. Eva Kolenko is a food-centric, lifestyle, portrait, and travel photographer whose work has been featured in many print and digital advertising campaigns, magazines, and cookbooks. She is based in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she also pursues her passion for kitchen gardening. Introduction I know what you might be thinking: What is a basketball Hall-of-Famer doing writing a cookbook? What could I possibly know about food and cooking? Well, I’m gonna tell you something: You don’t get to be 7'1", 325, with a 7'4" wingspan and size 22 feet, without knowing a thing or two about how to eat. As I like to say, I got a G-14 classification—the special clearance you get when you’ve won titles—for knowing a thing or two about a thing or two, and that includes what makes for a good meal. For a long time, I didn’t have to think too much about what I’d be stuffing into this big mouth of mine. I had my sisters and my mom—my job was to look out for them, and they spoiled me and cooked. And they did it well. Mac ’n’ cheese, fried chicken, barbecued chicken, banana pudding—they played the hits. Oh, and plenty of spinach, too, because I thought I was Popeye, and it was the only vegetable I’d eat. Even though we didn’t have much, we always had good meals. I don’t know how my mother did it, but every day was a hell of a breakfast, hell of a school lunch, and hell of a dinner. Lucille O’Neal was also a stretcher—she knew how to make a lot from a little. She figured out how to take inexpensive ingredients, like eggs and chicken, and change ’em up over t