Orecchiette with kale and cannelloni beans. We tried this NYT recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020968-pasta-with-spicy-sausage-broccoli-rabe-and-chickpeas?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share We modified the ingredients based on our pantry: first, kale instead of broccoli rabe, cannelloni beans instead of chick peas, and chicken broth instead of white wine. For the sausage, we used a mix of sweet and hot Italian sausage. (Apr. 2020)

Vietnamese grilled chicken skewers

We followed a bun recipe from Andrea Nguyen’s Vietnamese Food Any Day cookbook, but we served it with green leaf lettuce, cucumber, spearmint, red cabbage, and jasmine rice instead of thin rice noodles. First, start with 1 ¼ lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Using paper towel, pat until bone-dry, trim off fat, and then cut… Continue reading Vietnamese grilled chicken skewers

Cabbage, leek, and potato soup

We tried this NYT recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/12371-cabbage-potato-and-leek-soup?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share Our modifications: first, instead of trying to caramelize the cabbage in the pot, we followed a tip from a commenter and oven-roasted it. After preheating the oven to 425, we quartered, cored, and julienned the cabbage, then tossed in a little olive oil, with some salt and black pepper.… Continue reading Cabbage, leek, and potato soup

Quick rotisserie chicken and rice soup

We had half a rotisserie chicken leftover (about 2.5 lb), so we tried this quick and easy recipe: https://www.backtothebooknutrition.com/rotisserie-chicken-rice-soup/ Our modifications: first, we added 6 baby skin-on Yukon potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces (4 pieces per potato) at the same time as the carrots. Second, for the liquid, we used 8 cups chicken stock (half… Continue reading Quick rotisserie chicken and rice soup

Vegetarian dan dan noodles

We adapted our beloved meat-based dan dan noodle recipe to create a vegetarian version. We kept the noodle seasoning the same, but we changed the topping from minced pork (or minced turkey) to freeze-dried tofu crumbles and dried shiitake mushrooms. Here’s a breakdown of the topping and the noodles. 1) The topping: Inspired by Andrea… Continue reading Vegetarian dan dan noodles

Peanut butter and jelly roll-ups

This is a recipe from my childhood: a home economics class in middle school. I tracked down the same recipe here: https://dancingthroughtherain.com/peanut-butter-and-jelly-rollups/ We used leftover slices of whole wheat bread, room temperature unsalted butter, smooth peanut butter, and homemade Concord grape jam. Because we didn’t have toothpicks, we placed the roll-ups seam-side down and slightly… Continue reading Peanut butter and jelly roll-ups

Pumpkin walnut bundt cake with vanilla bourbon glaze

We followed this recipe (originally intended for two loaf pans) and made a large bundt cake: https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/spiced-pumpkin-bread.html (we added 3/4 cup chopped walnuts). In terms of method, we used a hand mixer instead of a standing mixer; for the paddle function, we switched to a large manual rubber spatula. We baked the bundt in a… Continue reading Pumpkin walnut bundt cake with vanilla bourbon glaze

Palestinian roast chicken with sumac and red onion (mussakhan)

I believe this is the recipe: https://www.themediterraneandish.com/musakhan-sumac-chicken/. (See Note.) After roasting the chicken for 1 hour at 350, we soaked up excess liquid from the red onions and then broiled on low until the chicken and onions were browned. Instead of frying the pine nuts, we toasted them on a foil-lined sheet in the toaster… Continue reading Palestinian roast chicken with sumac and red onion (mussakhan)