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.

  • I first heard about cottage cheese pancakes from a NYT interview of renowned food editor Dawn Davis. We decided to try this recipe: https://www.acouplecooks.com/cottage-cheese-pancakes/ This was delicious.

    We cooked the pancakes in ghee (instead of standard butter). We served this with a simple fruit salad (summer fruit tossed with honey and lime juice). (July 2023)

    Note 1: 1 1/2 cups cottage cheese = a 16 oz tub. We liked Breakstones small cheese curd.

    Note 2: Here’s the NYT article: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/12/nyregion/dawn-davis-bon-appetit.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

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  • We have made harira before, but we were intrigued by this recipe’s use of two different types of lentils (red and green) plus chick peas: https://www.feastingathome.com/harira-soup/ We followed the recipe pretty closely, and it turned out well.

    Our minor modifications: first, instead of cayenne pepper, we used 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chili, a lower heat ground pepper. Second, although we used chicken broth (a mix of no-salt and Better Than Bouillon) this recipe can easily be vegetarian if vegetable stock is used. Third, even after adding 2 tsp honey, we felt the need to add a drizzle (about 1 tsp) of pomegranate and quince white balsamic vinegar for balance. Finally, as the recipe suggested, we cooked the broken vermicelli separately; we broke up vermicelli into four pieces and added to lightly salted boiling water. We drained in a fine mesh sieve, rinsed well, and let dry. We added about 2 Tbsp cooked pasta per serving. We served the soup with lemon wedges. (July 2023).

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  • I am feeling under the weather, so we tried this soup: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/vegetable-noodle-soup-recipe-1928029

    We made some modifications: first, we doubled the broth, aromatics, and pasta. Second, for the vegetables we supplemented the carrot and celery with a medium Yukon potato (diced) and 1/2 cup frozen sweet peas. Finally, we added juice from a large lemon, which caused the soup to be too acidic. We stirred in about 1/4 tsp baking soda, which rebalanced the soup (see Note). Ultimately, this was a very satisfying soup. (July 2023)

    Note: We learned the baking soda tip here: https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-rescue-what-to-do-when-131736

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  • We had a 20 oz can of crushed pineapple on hand, and we decided to try this recipe on a whim: https://www.spendwithpennies.com/easiest-ever-pineapple-cake/ Due to our pantry, we skipped the cream cheese frosting.

    We added 1/2 cup chopped walnuts to the batter. To avoid having the pieces sink to the bottom of the cake, we tossed the walnut pieces in the last cup of the dry ingredients before incorporating them into the wet batter. (July 2023)

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  • We had a craving for mujadara, and we tried this version with bulgur instead of rice: https://www.maureenabood.com/lebanese-mujadara/ We followed the instructions pretty closely.

    Our minor modifications: first, we cooked the onions in our Ultimate pan, and we found that it took more time (35 mins) and more canola oil (about 1/2 cup total) to properly caramelize. Second, at the stage of adding the bulgur, parboiled lentils, and water, we added 1 Tbsp ground cumin.

    Finally, we reduced the total cooking liquid to 2 cups (about 1/4 cup lentil broth plus enough water to reach 2 cups).

    This was addictively delicious and satisfying, and it tasted even better the day after it was made. We enjoyed this with hummus and hot smoked salmon filet. (July 2023)

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  • We had a craving for a plant-forward chicken rice soup, so we tried this recipe: https://theschmidtywife.com/simple-vegetable-rice-soup/ This was satisfying and easy to make.

    Our modifications: first, we halved the recipe, but also added 1 extra cup chicken broth and slightly increased the rice to a mounded 1/4 cup uncooked white jasmine rice. Second, for the chicken broth we used Better Than Bouillon (5 cups total – see Note below). Third, we added 3 small baby Yukon potatoes (peeled and diced) to the chopped vegetables. (July 2023)

    Note: The original recipe called for a 50-50 mix of chicken broth and water. We used only chicken broth, which may have been too concentrated. We wil try the 50-50 mix next time.

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  • For our first outdoor grilling event this sunmer, we decided to make white sangria. We discovered a wide range of recipes, and we loosely followed this one: https://www.thespruceeats.com/simple-white-wine-sangria-recipe-3511043

    We combined the following: 1 standard bottle (750 ml) Spanish white wine, 1/4 cup brandy, 1/4 cup orange juice, 1/4 cup superfine sugar, and 3.5 cups fresh fruit. We first dissolved the sugar in the liquid before adding the fruit.

    For the fruit, we used 1 lime (sliced on a mandolin), 1 navel orange (same), 1 ripe nectarine (pitted and thinly sliced), 5 strawberries (sliced), 6 Mt. Ranier cherries (pitted and quartered), and about 10 seedless black grapes (halved).

    We let this mixture sit overnight so that the flavors could meld (although due to our pantry, we added the brandy the next day). When serving, we added 1.5 to 2 Tbsp seltzer to each glass. This was tasty and refreshing. Surprisingly, this amount of white sangria yielded only about 4 servings. (June 2023)

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  • We tried this recipe for 1.9 lb salmon filet: https://www.dinneratthezoo.com/grilled-salmon/ We followed the recipe verbatim in terms of ingredient proportions, but we purposely left the herbs intact instead of mincing them (see Outdoor grilling notes below). We also cut our filet in half to make it easier to flip on the grill (and to create more surface area for the marinade to penetrate).

    This was delicious. The marinade was flavorful without being heavy-handed. We served this with another protein (Vietnamese garlicky roast chicken), brown jasmine rice, grilled Italian marinated vegetables. (June 2023)

    Outdoor grilling notes: first, to make it easier to pick out the herbs before grilling, we left the fresh parsley in relatively large (2 inch) pieces, the thyme on its sprig, and the garlic in visible slices (not minced). We shook the marinade off, patted the skin dry, and lightly oiled the skin (about 1 Tbsp canola) before placing on the hot grill. Second, with excellent hands-on guidance from our friend Mary, we followed these grilling tips: https://www.foodiecrush.com/best-grilled-salmon/

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  • We tried this recipe for a quick lunch: https://moribyan.com/ful-medames-vegetarian-fava-bean-stew/ We followed the instructions, except we used 1 tsp smoked paprika instead of regular paprika. This was a mistake because the smokiness overpowered the dish. The next time we will use regular paprika and may reduce to 1/2 tsp. (June 2023)

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  • We made this recipe from Hsaba Burmese cookbook, except we tripled the proportions and used US measurements. Combine the following in a medium Dutch oven: 3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced; 1 bottle gourd (medium-small) – peeled, seeds removed, and sliced into 1/2″ thick bite sized pieces; 1 Tbsp dried shrimp; 6 cups water; 3 Tbsp fish sauce; and 1.5 tsp black pepper.

    Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer (covered) until squash pieces are tender, about 15 mins. Season to taste if needed (we added about 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp sugar). Garnish with cilantro. (June 2023)

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