Welcome

  • I cook as a hobby, and I maintain this blog primarily to keep track of recipes that my family has enjoyed over the years. I started blogging back in 2015, in response to requests from friends for recipes they had seen me post on Facebook (but that I couldn’t easily catalog). My original blog was on another platform that became less user-friendly over time. I migrated my blog to WordPress earlier this year, and I’ve spent more time than expected reformatting the migrated posts.

    This blog is and always will be a work in progress. For example, I currently provide Tags for posts, but I have not coded for Categories. I also generally try to share the recipes themselves in my posts, but in cases where the recipe is not available online, I try to identify the source (e.g., the cookbook title and author) as needed. In some cases, such as where a family has shared their recipe with me but hasn’t authorized me to share it widely, I post a photo of the dish with that proviso.

    I recently added a Search widget to this blog. On the desktop version, the Search bar appears prominently on the left hand side. But for some reason, it is hidden on the mobile app. If you’re on your phone, tap on the SHOW tab at the top left of the home page. That will reveal another screen with the Search bar.

    I hope you enjoy exploring my blog and find some recipes to try.

  • We followed this recipe but increased the temperature to 450 and reduced cooking time to 20 mins. We also garnished with minced Italian parsley. Details here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/claire-robinson/roasted-grape-tomatoes-recipe.html (May 2016)

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  • We followed this recipe from Real Simple: toss 1 lb roughly cut mixed mushrooms (such as oyster, shiitake, and cremini) and 1 lb halved or quartered button mushrooms with ½ cup olive oil, 6 sprigs thyme, and some salt and black pepper. Roast in a baking sheet (we used a baking dish) at 450 for 30-35 mins, tossing once. A link to the online recipe is here, but it is full of pop-up ads: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/roasted-mushrooms. Our modifications: used only ¼ lb mixed mushrooms, reduced olive oil to 1 Tbsp (proportional to the recipe, which calls for 2 lbs mushrooms and ½ cup – 8 Tbsp – olive oil), added 3 bruised cloves of garlic, used a baking dish instead of a baking sheet to avoid drying out the mushrooms, and garnished with minced Italian parsley. (May 2016)

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  • We followed this recipe but used two pears as well as peaches and cherries: http://cookieandkate.com/2013/balsamic-stone-fruit-sundae/. We modified by increasing balsamic vinegar to 4 Tbsp (¼ cup). (May 2015)

    Note: We like the following ratio of sugar to vinegar: 3 Tbsp vanilla-infused sugar and ¼ cup balsamic vinegar (3 Tbsp regular balsamic and 1 Tbsp fruit-infused white balsamic). (July 2017)

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  • We tried this NYT recipe: http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018114-warm-kale-coconut-and-tomato-salad. The flavor was good, but we found the lime zest overpowering. The next time, we may reduce the lime zest dressing for the tomatoes to just 1 lime. Also, as the recipe advises, be judicious in the amount of ginger-tahini-white miso dressing you add to the roasted tomatoes and kale. (May 2016)

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  • The original recipe calls for minced lamb, but we tried to make it more low-fat with turkey. Preheat oven to 350. Heat a Dutch oven on medium-high heat, then pour 2 Tbsp olive oil. Add 1 chopped onion and 1 chopped and seeded bell pepper (here, a serrano pepper) and sauté until onion is translucent. Add 3-4 cloves minced garlic, then sauté for another minute. Fold in 14 ½ oz peeled, diced and slightly mashed tomatoes (here, crushed tomatoes), ¼ cup minced parsley, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp ground black pepper, and a dash of cayenne pepper. Stir in 1 lb minced turkey, breaking up as much as possible. Cook until turkey is done, then turn off heat. Cut 1 medium, peeled eggplant (here, 2-3 small eggplants) into ¼ inch penny slices.

    In a 8″x8″ baking dish, spread a thin layer of the minced turkey mixture, then place eggplant slices in a single layer on top. Continue until both the ground turkey and eggplant slices are depleted (we ended up with three layers). Spray the top layer of eggplant with olive oil, then cover with foil and bake for 45 mins.

    This recipe is from Barbara Ghazarian’s Simply Armenian: Naturally Healthy Ethnic Cooking Made Easy https://www.amazon.com/dp/1931834067/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_api_uyOmxb02H79BY (May 2016)

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  • Marinate 2 lbs skinless and boneless chicken thighs (about 4 thighs) in the following: the juice of 3 lemons, 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 Tbsp fresh mint, ½ tsp each oregano and thyme (here, we used a few sprigs each fresh), 1 tsp each cumin and salt, ¼ tsp ground black pepper, and 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper. Let marinate for at least 2 hours.

    To bake in the oven: Preheat oven to 425. Place chicken thigh pieces in a single layer in an 8×8 baking dish, drizzling with about ¼ cup marinade. Bake until chicken is fully cooked (about 20-25 mins), then remove from oven and cover with foil for 10 mins.

    The marinade recipe is from Barbara Ghazarian’s Simply Armenian: Naturally Healthy Ethnic Cooking Made Easy https://www.amazon.com/dp/1931834067/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_api_fj-lxbY3VBSAN, but it calls for grilling the chicken. The oven instructions are from http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-boneless-skinless-chicken-thighs-in-the-oven-180140 (May 2016)

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  • Preheat oven to 425. Break one head cauliflower into bite-sized florets, toss in olive oil to lightly coat (about 1 Tbsp), and add a few sprigs each marjoram and thyme (leaves only). Season with salt and pepper, then roast for about 40 mins (turning once). Remove from oven.
    Separately, make the tahini sauce: combine ¼ cup tahini with about 1/3 (or slightly more) cup lemon juice (about 2 ½ lemons). Using a mortar and pestle, mash 3-4 cloves garlic with 1 tsp salt. Whisk the garlic salt mixture into the tahini-lemon juice.
    Serve the roasted cauliflower on a serving plate, then drizzle with a few Tbsp tahini sauce. Garnish with some minced parsley. (Reserve the rest of the sauce as dressing for a salad such as Lebanese Farmer’s Salad, here: http://piglettedc.tumblr.com/post/114585960131/lebanese-farmers-salad-with-tahini-dressing)
    This recipe is loosely based on one from Barbara Ghazarian’s Simply Armenian cookbook. Our major modification is that we oven-roasted and seasoned the cauliflower instead of boiling it. (May 2016)

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  • Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large Dutch oven on medium heat. Add 1 ¼ cups coarse-grain bulgur wheat (here, buckwheat kernels) and sauté until toasted. Add 1 medium onion (chopped) and sauté until fragrant, then add 3 cloves minced garlic. Sauté for a minute, then add 3 stalks celery (diced) and cook for a few more mins. Fold in 29 oz canned peeled and chopped tomatoes (here, we added 4 peeled and chopped fresh tomatoes and one 14 ½ oz canned tomatoes), 28 oz drained and rinsed canned chickpeas, 1 ½ chopped and seeded fresh jalapeño peppers, 1 tsp each sugar and salt, ½ tsp each cumin and ground black pepper, and ¼ tsp cayenne pepper. Pour in 1 ½ cups water and stir. Cover and reduce to a simmer until most of the liquid has been absorbed and bulgur/buckwheat is tender (about 20-25 mins). Season to taste; we added a little more salt and a dash of white balsamic vinegar (infused with cranberry and pear). Recipe from Barbara Ghazarian’s Simply Armenian: Naturally Healthy Ethnic Cooking Made Easy https://www.amazon.com/dp/1931834067/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_api_Sn3lxbEYB8Y46. Our modifications: buckwheat instead of bulgur and the addition of jalapeños and white balsamic vinegar. (May 2016)

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  • Preheat oven to 400. Trim top and ends of three medium yellow summer squash, halve vertically, then cut into 1 inch chunks. Toss with about 1 Tbsp olive oil, then season with a little salt, black pepper, and marash pepper. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet, then roast in oven for 45-50 mins (tossing about halfway). Recipe based on: http://www.craftycookingmama.com/summer-yellow-squash-roasted-in-lemon-olive-oil/, but we skipped the lemon. (May 2016)

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  • This is a great recipe if you’re feeling under the weather. Using a medium Dutch oven, bring 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth to a boil. Separately, using a small pan, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil (the recipe calls for 2 Tbsp) on medium heat then sauté 1 small chopped onion. When onion is halfway cooked, add 3 cloves minced garlic (my modification) and continue to sauté until lightly browned and fragrant (a total of 10 mins), then set aside. When chicken broth comes to a boil, stir in 6 oz tomato paste, making sure tomato paste fully dissolves. Then add 1 cup fine-grain bulgur (bulgur #1), 1 tsp salt, and ¾ tsp black pepper. Fold in the onion-garlic mixture, then cover and reduce to a simmer for 10 mins. Add the juice of one lemon to the pot. Season to taste (we added 1 tsp sugar), then serve. We garnished with parsley. This recipe is from Barbara Ghazarian’s Simply Armenian: Naturally Healthy Ethnic Cooking Made Easy https://www.amazon.com/dp/1931834067/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_api_yk4kxbK0ZXXME (May 2016)

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