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.

  • OMG, this dish is amazing – savory, with nice mouthfeel.  Recipe is here:  http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/balsamic_parmesan_roasted_cauliflower.html, except that I substituted the marjoram with Greek oregano and reduced parmesan to 1/3 cup.  Thank you to Heidi for sharing this recipe earlier this month!  So glad I tried it.  (Jan. 2015)

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  • Recipe from Aarti Party by Aarti Sequeira.  The next time, we may double the broth to make it
    more soupy.  We enjoyed this with store-bought idli.  (Jan. 2015)

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  • This is an alcohol-free version. Using a large wok, heat ¼ cup unsalted butter. When melted, add 2/3 cup light brown sugar, 3 ½ Tbsp lemon juice, 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract, and ½ tsp cinnamon. Once sauce starts bubbling, add 3 large or 4 medium bananas (sliced on a diagonal) and ¼ cup pecan or walnut halves. Cook on low-medium heat until bananas are heated through. Serve in a bowl, then top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The recipe is from http://treatsofsweets.blogspot.com/2011/03/no-alcohol-bananas-foster.html?m=1 except that we substituted pecans (Daniel’s favorite) for walnuts. (Mar. 2015)

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  • Recipe is here:  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/simple-bolognese-recipe2.html I often modify by doubling the amount of garlic, carrot, and celery, adding about 3 Tbsp tomato paste (for depth), and towards the end, I add 1 Tbsp of vinegar (red wine or balsamic) for brightness. (Jan. 2015)

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  • We had some leftover, unused black-eyed peas from the Ghanaian dish (red-red), so I decided to try out this recipe to use the remaining cup.  Before starting this recipe, I boiled the soaked,
    drained peas in water (about 1 cup peas to 3 cups water) until tender (about 30 mins).  Here is the recipe by Aarti Sequeira:  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aarti-sequeira/black-eyed-peas-pulao-recipe.html.  I also used jalapeño in lieu of Fresno pepper. The dish was fragrant, delicate, and healthy.  Highly recommend.  (Jan. 2015)

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  • We used this recipe: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/French-Toast-40039 but also added a dash of cinnamon.  Daniel prepared the egg mixture.  We love ciabatta bread for this dish.  (Jan. 2015)

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  • We typically make this with smoked turkey wings or drums, but we used smoked turkey necks this time. We made this based on a friend’s family recipe that we are not permitted to share at this time. (Jan. 2015)

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  • Recipe is here: http://thespiceisland.blogspot.com/2010/04/red-red-greatest-recipe-known-to.html?m=1 We reduced the oil to ½ cup (from 1 cup). This recipe calls for dried shrimp, so it is not vegetarian. I read somewhere that West African cuisine utilizes smoked shrimp, as opposed to dried shrimp. To mimic the flavor of smoked shrimp, we combined tiny dried shrimp (from an Asian supermarket) with a ¼ tsp of smoked paprika to add some smokiness. We also used an immersion blender directly in the pot, which was less hassle than removing ingredients to blend and then pouring the mixture back into the pot. In terms of heat, I have found 1 habanero (seeded and minced) sufficient. (Jan. 2015)

    For the sliced plantain, we favor baking them using this recipe: https://cookingadventures.blog/2026/04/19/oven-baked-sweet-plantains-with-coconut-oil/ (Apr. 2026)

    Note: Instead of two 15.5 oz cans of black-eyed peas (31 oz), we use 3.5 cups drained homecooked black-eyed peas. (Sept. 2026)

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  • Recipe is here:  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/chocolate-pudding-recipe.html except that we used 1% milk rather than whole milk and we skipped the whipped cream topping.  (Jan. 2015)

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  • This soup goes great with kimchi (store-bought, in the background).  Soak 5 pieces (about 3 lb) bone-in beef shank in water for about 10 minutes, then placed the drained beef into a large stock pot, covering with about 10 cups water.  Add 2 large onions, halved and peeled, and one head of garlic (peeled and separated into individual cloves). Bring to a boil, then let cook on a rolling simmer until beef is tender and soup smells fragrant (about 2 hours), skimming off scum to keep broth clear.  Top off broth if a significant amount evaporated (we usually add about 4 cups hot water). Remove bones and beef.  Discard bones and shred beef.  Return beef to pot, along with 1 large (2 lb) daikon radish, cut into thin (¼
    inch) half-moons and/or wedges.  Add 3 bunches scallions, trimmed and cut into straws (about 3 pieces per scallion), then continue to cook until radish and scallions are tender.  Season generously with salt and a little black pepper. Serve with short-grain rice.  (Jan. 2015)

    Note: You can use about 5-6 medium purple topped turnips in lieu of 2 lb daikon. If you do, cut the turnip thicker (about ½ inch thick) to avoid having the turnip disintegrate in the broth.

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