Category: Uncategorized

Baked chicken thighs with mustard pan sauce

We tried to recreate a sublime mustard chicken dish my MIL made for us. Here are her instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Arrange 2.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 10) in a baking dish. Sprinkle tops with paprika (we used 1/8 tsp smoked paprika). Melt 8 oz. (1 cup) butter (we used 1/2 cup,…… Continue reading Baked chicken thighs with mustard pan sauce

Quick-cook barley with Middle Eastern flavors

My MIL made the most delicious, delicately spiced barley side dish. We tried to recreate it, except we used quick-cook barley. First, in a medium pot, melt 2 Tbsp unsalted butter on medium-low heat, then add 1/8 tsp ground coriander, 1/8 tsp ground cumin, and 1/16 tsp ground cloves. Second, add 2 cups pearled, quick-cook…… Continue reading Quick-cook barley with Middle Eastern flavors

Korean radish soy bean paste soup (mu doenjang guk)

I had a craving for a homestyle, simple Korean soup, so we tried this recipe: https://kimchimari.com/radish-soup-korean-mu-doenjang-guk/ Our modifications: first, we halved the recipe, using 6 large dried anchovies (cleaned), 5” kombu, and 4 cups water. Second, based on our pantry, we used 1/3 of a large daikon radish (about 1.5 cups) and 1 large chayote…… Continue reading Korean radish soy bean paste soup (mu doenjang guk)

Cinnamon toast

We were intrigued by this NYT recipe for cinnamon toast: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022153-cinnamon-toast?unlocked_article_code=1.fVA.0Kl3.SI-lOK3lWUOb&smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share We halved the recipe, using 1.5 Tbsp white sugar, 1/2 tsp standard cinnamon, 1/2 tsp Vietnamese cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. We used about 3 Tbsp unsalted butter total. Our one modification was to sprinkle the second side with the cinnamon-sugar and then…… Continue reading Cinnamon toast

Filipino eggplant adobo

We had two small-medium Italian eggplant and decided to try this recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024399-eggplant-adobo?unlocked_article_code=1.e1A.fuJV.bjIhOJxXD2IR&smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share Our modifications: first, instead of frying the diced eggplant, we preheated the oven to 450. We cut the eggplant into 1×2” pieces, tossed in 2 Tbsp canola oil, lightly salted, and spread out along three foil-lined rimmed baking pans. We oven-roasted for…… Continue reading Filipino eggplant adobo

Lebanese rice and lentil stuffed peppers

We love stuffed peppers, and we decided to try this vegetarian recipe from Plant-Based Folk: https://plantbasedfolk.com/vegan-stuffed-peppers-lebanese-stuffed-capsicum/ Our modifications: first, we note that this stuffing was intended for 8 bell peppers, with a few hollowed-out tomatoes just in case. Yet we still had so much leftover stuffing that we recommend halving the stuffing (3/4 cup uncooked…… Continue reading Lebanese rice and lentil stuffed peppers

Oven-baked sweet plantains with coconut oil

Ten years ago, we first made this recipe with canola oil. But we recently revisited the recipe, using coconut oil instead: http://www.natashalh.com/oven-baked-sweet-plantains-healthier-platanos-maduros/ We also experimented with the convection setting in our oven. First, preheat the oven to 400 (at the Convection Multi Rack setting). This made a huge difference for us, compared to the traditional…… Continue reading Oven-baked sweet plantains with coconut oil

Italian lentil and escarole soup

We love lentil soup, and we were curious about escarole. So we tried this recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013354-lentil-and-escarole-soup?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share&cgs=c Our modifications: first, we added 2 celery stalks (diced) to the carrots and onion. Second, the recipe didn’t specify the type of lentils, so we used 1 cup French de Puy lentils (small, dark gray), which hold their shape…… Continue reading Italian lentil and escarole soup

Minestrone soup

We made this Cookie + Kate recipe: https://cookieandkate.com/classic-minestrone-soup-recipe/. This was healthy and tasty. Our modifications: first, for the vegetables we used 1 russet potato (diced), 1 zucchini (diced), and 1/2 cup French-cut string beans, which exceeded 2 cups. As a result, we increased the liquid to 7 cups. Second, we used a combination of no-salt…… Continue reading Minestrone soup