Fruit and oat bars with Middle Eastern flavors

We tried this recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013145-white-house-fruit-and-oat-bars?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share We made substantial modifications, including Middle Eastern flavors (pomegranate molasses, dates, and pistachios): first, for the syrup, we combined 6 Tbsp canola oil; ¼ cup each light brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, and pomegranate molasses (for a total of 1 cup sweetener). Second, for the fiber, we used 2 cups… Continue reading Fruit and oat bars with Middle Eastern flavors

Indonesian fried rice (nasi goreng)

We had about 3 cups leftover cooked rice and one leftover roast chicken thigh. We tried this recipe: https://www.recipetineats.com/nasi-goreng-indonesian-fried-rice/ Our modifications: first, we used 3 small Thai chilis, 2 garlic cloves, and 1 medium shallot. Second, we didn’t have kecap manis, so we used 1.5 Tbsp Chinese thick soy sauce (made of molasses and soy)… Continue reading Indonesian fried rice (nasi goreng)

Simple garlic bread

We had about half a baguette leftover, so we tried this recipe: https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/garlic_bread/ Based on our pantry, we omitted the parsley and parmesan. (Sept. 2020) Note: If the bread is too soft when you cut it, you can toast it in the oven (350 for 5 mins) or even lightly place in the toaster for… Continue reading Simple garlic bread

French-inspired hard-boiled egg sandwich

During this pandemic, I felt inspired by a French baguette sandwich I had in Bordeaux many years ago. Based on our pandemic pantry, we used ¼ baguette (halved lengthwise), mayo (enough for a light spread on both sides of the baguette), 2 hardboiled eggs, ½ tomato (three ½" slices), and 1 Tbsp minced parsley. Here… Continue reading French-inspired hard-boiled egg sandwich

Fisherman’s pie

This essentially is a seafood version of shepherd’s pie. We took inspiration from this recipe: https://www.sandraseasycooking.com/2019/06/easy-fisherman-pie.html, but we halved the ingredients and used our own mashed potato topping. First, preheat oven to 375. At the same time, boil two eggs until they are hard-boiled, and then set aside for later use. To prepare the fish… Continue reading Fisherman’s pie

French-style carrot salad

We tried this recipe: https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/french-grated-carrot-salad.html Our modifications: first, instead of grating the carrots, we peeled and trimmed four medium-large carrots and then peeled them into ribbons. Second, we halved the dressing recipe. Instead of lemon, we used juice from 1 small lime. We also used 3/4 tsp Maille whole grain mustard as well as 3/4… Continue reading French-style carrot salad

Lasagna with roasted Brussels sprouts

We made this recipe: https://piglettedc.tumblr.com/post/188332589976/spinach-lasagna-we-tried-this-mark-bittman-nyt Instead of 1 ¼ lb fresh spinach, we used 1 lb Brussels sprouts that we had trimmed, quartered, and roasted. We generally followed this Brussels sprout recipe but omitted salt and black pepper: https://piglettedc.tumblr.com/post/180053950436/oven-roasted-brussel-sprouts-we-followed-this While we love Brussels sprouts, we found the flavor overpowered the overall dish. A neutral vegetable… Continue reading Lasagna with roasted Brussels sprouts