Pasta e fagioli, pressure cooker style

We love pasta e fagioli, and we tried this Instant Pot version: https://inquiringchef.com/instant-pot-pasta-e-fagioli/ Our modifications: first, we used diced center-cut bacon strips (about 2 inches, cut into three sets of match sticks) instead of pancetta. For the beans, we used 8 oz dried cannelini beans that we had reconstituted using this 1 hour quick soak…… Continue reading Pasta e fagioli, pressure cooker style

Chinese-style sweet and sour sauteed eggplant

We had an extra eggplant and tried this recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020459-sweet-and-sour-eggplant-with-garlic-chips?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share. Because we had only 1 small Italian eggplant, we halved the ingredients. Our only modifications were to use black vinegar (instead of rice wine vinegar) and add a dash of sugar at the end. This was a nice snack, although the next time we may…… Continue reading Chinese-style sweet and sour sauteed eggplant

Giada’s sheet pan eggplant parmesan

At the beach, we decided to try this simple sheet pan recipe by Giada de Laurentiis: https://giadzy.com/blogs/recipes/sheetpan-eggplant-parmesan This was an easy, delicious meal that needed only a handful of ingredients. The panko topping was particularly good, adding a light crispy texture to the tender eggplant. Our modifications: first, due to a very sensitive smoke alarm…… Continue reading Giada’s sheet pan eggplant parmesan

Filipino minced chicken with green beans (ginisang baguio beans)

We have made a soy sauce-based version of ginisang baguio beans for years, but we decided to try this recipe, which utilizes fish sauce and fresh tomato: https://panlasangpinoy.com/ginisang-baguio-beans-pork/. We enjoyed this recipe a lot and prefer its flavor profile to the soy-based version (which was less complex). Our modifications: first, we used minced chicken instead…… Continue reading Filipino minced chicken with green beans (ginisang baguio beans)

Mung bean kichidi

We had to follow a soft food diet this evening, so we tried this kichidi recipe: https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/dal-khichdi-recipe/ Our modifications: first, we used a medium shallot instead of a small onion. Second, for the optimal vegetables, we used 1 thin carrot and 5 green beans, each diced. We found that these, along with the diced, seeded…… Continue reading Mung bean kichidi

Korean soy-braised baby potatoes (algamja jorim)

We are heading to a friend’s Korean fried chicken potluck. We made this delicious recipe from Maangchi: https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/algamja-jorim Our modifications: first, we did not have rice syrup. To mimic its flavor, we used a combination of molasses, honey, and maple syrup (in equal parts). Second, we had 1.5 lb tricolored baby potatoes, so we adjusted…… Continue reading Korean soy-braised baby potatoes (algamja jorim)

Mexican-style black bean and vegetable enchiladas

After trying Amy’s cheese enchiladas (a frozen meal that is surprisingly tasty), we felt inspired to make a vegetarian enchilada recipe. We tried this recipe from Feasting at Home: https://www.feastingathome.com/vegetarian-enchiladas/ First, for the sauteed vegetable filling, we used: 1 medium red onion, 4 garlic cloves, 1 small Korean sweet potato (skin on), 2 small-medium poblano…… Continue reading Mexican-style black bean and vegetable enchiladas

Matzoh ball soup from frozen chicken, pressure cooker style

In our household, we routinely freeze extra pieces of raw chicken, including bits of fat and skin (e.g., chicken backs leftover from packages of chicken quarters). Today we made chicken soup from frozen, bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (3 wings, 1 chicken thigh, 2 drumsticks, 3 chicken backs and leftover fat / skin trimmings); carrots, celery,…… Continue reading Matzoh ball soup from frozen chicken, pressure cooker style