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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.
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The basil and tomatoes came from our balcony garden. Recipe from Ina Garten: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/pesto-recipe.print.html#. This was my first time making pesto, and I loved Ina’s use of walnuts as well as pine nuts. (Oct. 2014)
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I fell in love with this soup at a Salvadoran restaurant in Columbia Heights, and I’m happy that I finally did it justice at home. Using a stockpot, combine 10 cups water, 2 ½ lb boneless beef chuck (cut into small chunks), 1 chopped tomato, 1 chopped onion, 1 chopped leek (white only), 3 stalks celery (chopped), ½ bunch Italian parsley (roughly chopped), 1 bunch cilantro (roughly chopped), 3 small bay leaves, 1 Tbsp salt, and 2-3 tsp beef bouillon (here, low sodium beef Better Than Bouillon). Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and cover, skimming off scum from time to time. Remove the meat from pot, chop into bite-sized pieces (this is not standard), and set aside. Strain the soup, removing the boiled solids, then return broth and cooked beef to the stockpot. Bring to a boil, then add 2 lbs (about 2 medium) cassava, peeled, center stem removed, and cut into chunks. Cover and simmer for about 25 minutes, then add 2 chayote (peeled and cut into large chunks), 2 green plantains (peeled and cut into 1 inch diagonals), half a cabbage (cut into 4 vertical pieces), 2 zucchini (cut into penny slices), and about 2 cups frozen corn. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer, cooking until veggies are tender (about 15 mins). Turn off heat and leave the lid on, letting sit for 5 minutes. This recipe is from Delicious El Salvador by Alicia Maher, with some modifications (doubled amount of chayote and plaintains, added
okra). (March 2014) -
We made two dozen of these as a Thanksgiving appetizer. Recipe to come. (Nov. 2014)
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After having a sublime gumbo at Bayou Bakery, I decided to try a gumbo recipe at home. This recipe is from Chef Emeril Lagasse: https://www.emerils.com/129273/chicken-and-andouille-gumbo. (Nov. 2014)
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Heat 2 tsp oil in a wok, cook 1 chopped onion until wilted, then add 1 lb minced beef (here, bison). Season with a little salt and pepper. When browned, stir in 1 Tbsp flour and 5 oz hot beef stock. Bring to a boil, then add 1 Tbsp tomato paste, 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce, about ½ cup frozen peas, and 2 Tbsp chopped parsley. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 mins. In the mean time, boil 4 Yukon Gold potatoes (peeled and cut into large chunks) until tender, then mash and mix with 1-2 Tbsp butter, some milk (about ¼ cup), and salt and pepper. When smooth, set aside. Using a 8 x 8 baking dish, pour minced bison mixture in, then cover with mashed potato mixture. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 for about 35 minutes, then serve. This recipe is from Sue Lawrence’s Scottish Kitchen, with some modifications (addition of milk to the mashed potato topping). (Nov. 2014)
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Toss together 2 cups chopped cucumber, 1 cup red radish (cut into half-moons), ½ cup diced bell pepper, and 1 cup chopped parsley. Mash together 2 cloves garlic and 1 tsp salt, then whisk in ¼ cup tahini and 5 Tbsp lemon juice. Pour dressing over salad and serve. This recipe is from Classic Lebanese Cuisine by Kamal Al-Faqih, except we omitted tomatoes and scallions. (Oct. 2014)
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The key to this recipe is marinating the beef overnight in burgundy wine and two types of garlic and onion (fresh and powder). This recipe is from Azorean Cooking by Maria Lawton. (Nov.
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While on our honeymoon at ClubMed, we had a delicious soup that inspired us to try our hand at home. First, make the chicken broth by combining 1 ½ lb chicken wings, necks and gizzards (here, 3 lb chicken wings and drummettes), 4 stalks chopped celery, 1 lb chopped and peeled carrots, ½ bunch each chopped cilantro and parsley, 3-4 bay leaves, 7 sprigs thyme (leaves only), 5 garlic cloves (peeled and slightly bruised), 1 medium onion (quartered), 2 cloves, ¼ tsp allspice, and about 2 Tbsp salt with 8 cups water (here, we added 10, but that yielded less broth than expected; we likely will add 14 cups water the next time). Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium, skimming foam frequently until foam ceases. Simmer on medium for 1 hour, then discard boiled solids (note: we kept the carrots and set them aside for the finished soup). Then bring to a simmer, add 2 Tbsp tomato paste and 3 Yukon potatoes (peeled and chopped). A few minutes later, add 2 zucchini, sliced and then cut into ¼ circle wedges. Add cooked carrots, then season with salt and black pepper to taste. This recipe is based on Delicious El Salvador by Alicia Maher, with substantial modifications (addition of tomato paste to the broth and use of potato, zucchini, and carrots for the finished soup). (Nov. 2014)
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After developing a meringue addiction while in Ixtapa, I decided to try my hand at making meringues at home. For this first try, I followed a simple recipe from the Azorean cookbook that involved whipping 3 eggs with 1 cup granulated sugar (here, vanilla-infused sugar) until stiff (about 9 mins on the hand mixer), then dropping them by the tablespoonful onto parchment-lined cookie sheets. Bake at 325 until lightly browned, then let cool (presumably on the stove top, not in the oven). Despite their crackled appearance, these meringues are tasty with a nice mouthfeel. The next time, I will try Ina Garten’s recipe, which was more involved (for example, she advised keeping the baked meringues in a low temp oven for 4 hours) and also included cream of tartar. (Nov. 2014)
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We made chicken satay (technically, a Malaysian dish) garnished with daikon and carrot pickle. Recipes are available in Andrea Nguyen’s cookbook, The Banh Mi Handbook. (Dec. 2014)
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