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 had cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and hard cheese on hand, so we tried this recipe: https://memoriediangelina.com/2024/08/08/frittata-al-pomodoro-tomato-frittata/.

    Our modifications: first, we halved the recipe (1 garlic clove, 4 eggs, 10 cherry tomatoes, and 2 Tbsp fresh basil). We discarded the garlic clove after browning it (we didn’t see a later use for it in the recipe). We made sure to caramelize the halved cherry tomatoes and reduce their juices. Second, for the cheese we used a mix of shredded Zamarano (Spanish hard cheese) and parmesan cheese.

    This was an easy and satisfying breakfast. We served it with toasted slices of ciabatta. (Dec. 2025)

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  • On this chilly day, we craved a healthy, warming soup. We tried this recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015767-chickpea-stew-with-orzo-and-mustard-greens?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share. It was very tasty and satisfying.

    Our modifications: first, for the aromatics, we used 1 small fennel bulb, 1 stalk celery, 1 large leek (white part only and in lieu of onion), and two medium carrots.

    Second, along with the minced garlic, rosemary, and crushed red pepper, we added 1 large bay leaf. parmesan rind.

    Third, we favor brothy soups over stews. Accordingly, we increased the chicken broth to 6 cups (and omitted water). We used a combo of no-salt broth and Better Than Bouillon chicken flavor. At this point, along with the canned chick peas (drained), quartered cherry tomatoes, and orzo, we added 1 parmesan rind for umami.

    Fourth, for the greens, we used 1 bunch of mature mustard greens (we missed the note about baby mustard greens). We tore them into bite-sized pieces and added towards the end of cooking. The greens had great flavor, but maintained their crunch. The next time, we will try baby mustard greens, which may become more tender when cooked.

    Finally, at the end of cooking, we folded in 2 Tbsp shredded parmesan for depth. This was a delicious soup; the fennel in particular was a nice touch. (Dec. 2025)

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  • We made these Italian-style turkey meatballs from NYT Cooking: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018723-turkey-meatballs-in-tomato-sauce?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share.

    Our modifications: first, we doubled the recipe. In the doubled recipe, we also reduced the salt in the meatball mixture to 2 tsp (from 1 Tbsp).

    Second, to manage sodium in the marinara sauce, we combined 32 oz (4 cups) Rao’s marinara sauce with 16 oz no-salt tomato sauce. We poured the sauce mixture into the Ultimate pan. We later balanced out the sauce’s viscosity and flavor profile with 1 Tbsp water, 2 tsp olive oil, 1 tsp sugar, and 1/2 tsp Worchestershire sauce.

    Third, consistent with the comments to the NYT Cooking recipe, we tried baking the meatballs instead of pan frying them. How we did it: we preheated the oven to 450, lined three rimmed baking sheets with nonstick foil, and then drizzled 1 tsp canola oil and used a paper towel to distribute the oil on the foil-lined sheet. We then measured out 2 Tbsp of meat mixture per meatball, hand-rolled, and placed on the foil-lined baking sheet. We baked the meatballs for approx. 20 mins, flipping over each meatball midway. (We found that only 1/3 of the meatballs browned at all.) Then we switched the oven to the broiler on Low to brown the tops of the meatballs.

    Finally, we placed the meatballs in the marinara / tomato sauce mixture. We then followed the recipe’s instructions to simmer the meatballs, covered, for 20 mins.

    We served the meatballs over rigatoni (which we cooked and drained separately) and garnished with julienned basil. (Dec. 2025)

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  • My husband had a craving for stuffed shells, and we settled on spinach and ricotta manicotti. We tried this recipe: https://www.recipetineats.com/spinach-ricotta-cannelloni/.

    Our modifications: first, we used 1 lb uncooked manicotti shells, which were the right amount for the spinach ricotta filling. The stuffed shells also fit in a 13 x 9” baking dish.

    Second, instead of passata, we used 28 oz of no-salt crushed tomatoes.

    Third, because manicotti is larger than cannelloni, the pasta took longer than 30 mins at 350 to bake. We increased the baking time to approx. 50-55 mins just to cook the pasta, and then added the cheese and baked for an additional 15 mins.

    Fourth, instead of frozen spinach, we used 8 oz of fresh baby spinach, which we roughly chopped before folding into the ricotta filling. We also used freshly grated nutmeg (from a whole nutmeg).

    Fifth, we found 1 1/2 bags (8 oz each) of Tillamook shredded mozzarella sufficient for both the filling and the topping. We used Del Gioisio shredded parmesan (about 4/5 of the 5 oz container).

    This was a tasty dish. We enjoyed it. (Nov. 2025)

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  • We made a buttermilk-marinated turkey breast for Thanksgiving (see Note 1 below), and we decided to make a post-Thanksgiving recipe inspired from my childhood: leftover turkey slow-cooked broth (gomtang). We also picked up a few tips from this post: https://kimchimari.com/spicy-turkey-leftover-soup-korean/.

    First, remove as much cooked turkey meat from the turkey carcass (here, the breast bone and ribs) as possible. Hand-shred the meat into small bite-sized pieces and set aside in the fridge.

    Second, place the turkey carcass (here, the roasted breast bone plus a frozen, raw turkey back with skin and attached meat) in a pressure cooker. Add 1 medium onion (peeled and halved), 6 garlic cloves (lightly smashed, trimmed, and peeled), 2 bay leaves, and 1 tsp kosher salt. Pour 14 cups water into the pot, (see Note 2 below). Seal the pressure cooker, heat until you reach full pressure (about 15 mins), and then reduce heat (to about medium heat) while still maintaining full pressure for 1 hour.

    Third, once soup has finished cooking, remove from heat, release pressure, and remove the solids (turkey back, breast bone). Shred the meat and place in a bowl, taking care to remove any bones (esp. from the turkey neck). In addition, take the shredded, chilled turkey breast and reheat it by gently dunking in the hot broth (we use this sieved scoop: https://us.josephjoseph.com/products/scoop-plus-colander-black). The total shredded turkey meat probably will yield 2.5 lb.

    Fourth, lightly season the soup to taste. We added about 1/2 tsp each salt and sugar and 1/8 tsp black pepper.

    Fifth, season the shredded turkey meat with “yangnyum.” “Yangnyum” refers to a simple mixture of soy sauce, sesame oil, and some seasonings. For 2.5 lb shredded turkey, the yangnyum mixture will be about 2 to 2.5 Tbsp soy sauce, 2 to 2.5 Tbsp toasted sesame oil, 1 Tbsp Korean red pepper flakes, 1 tsp garlic powder, and 2 finely chopped scallions. This time we also added 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds. (The sauce is according to taste, so that’s why the measurements are approximate.) In the meantime, reheat the turkey broth until it’s steaming.

    Finally, assemble the soup: ladle about 2.5 to 3 cups of the turkey broth into a medium soup bowl (we use a round Japanese ceramic bowl). Then add approx. 3/4 cup of the seasoned shredded turkey meat (see below). Serve with steamed rice (short grain or jasmine) and a side of radish kimchi. (Nov. 2025)

    Note 1: This is the Thanksgiving turkey recipe we make most years: https://cookingadventures.blog/2020/11/26/buttermilk-brined-roast-turkey-breast-we-tried/. This year, we purchased a Shady Brook Farms bone-in turkey breast, which included a turkey back. When preparing the two breast halves for the buttermilk marinade, we carefully removed the turkey back (and backside meat) and froze it. That’s the frozen turkey back we used for today’s broth.

    Note 2: Each pressure cooker / instant pot has a maximum fill line marked on the inside lining. We added 14 cups, but you can add a cup or two less as needed to stay below that max fill line.

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  • Mac and cheese is one of my husband’s favorite dishes. I always imagined it was too complicated to make at home, but we decided to try this recipe from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt: https://www.seriouseats.com/ingredient-stovetop-mac-and-cheese-recipe. It ingeniously calls for 6 oz each uncooked elbow macaroni, evaporated milk, and freshly shredded cheddar cheese.

    Our modifications: first, we doubled the recipe to 12 oz uncooked pasta, 12 oz evaporated milk (which is the standard can size), and 12 oz shredded cheese. Second, to cook the pasta, we used our medium All-Clad pot. We found that 3 to 3.5 cups cold water just covered the 12 oz pasta. We cooked for 6 mins, but may reduce to 5 mins the next time to ensure the pasta doesn’t overcook (it was soft at 6 mins, when we had been aiming for not quite al dente). Third, for the cheese, we used a 7 oz block of Somerset extra mature cheddar, which we hand-shredded into wide shreds and 5 oz Tillamook shredded Mexican cheese (see Note below). Finally, at the end of cooking, we lightly seasoned to taste with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and 1/4 tsp dry mustard. This mac and cheese came together remarkably fast and tasted quite luxurious. (Nov. 2025)

    Note: We highly recommend using a block of cheese instead of using store-bought shredded cheese. The latter had difficulty melting into the pasta mixture. Also, we found extra sharp cheddar too overpowering. So we may try this recipe again with mild or slightly sharp cheddar.

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  • This is an easy recipe with surprisingly complex flavors: https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-swiss-chard-with-garbanzo-beans-249801. The crunch of the Swiss chard steps reminded us of celery without the sharp flavor.

    Our modifications: first, based on our pantry, we used bacon instead of pancetta. Specifically, we cut frozen, center-cut bacon into matchsticks (3 cross sectional slabs). Second, towards the end of cooking, we seasoned lightly with kosher salt, black pepper, and sugar. Third, once we removed from heat, we folded in freshly squeezed lime juice.

    This was delicious and satisfying recipe. We made it twice today (although we swapped out beet greens for Swiss chard). We definitely can make again. (Nov. 2025)

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  • This is an easy recipe that makes a nice, hearty soup: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1026506-sausage-and-barley-soup-with-greens?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share.

    Our modifications: first, we used two links of raw spicy Italian chicken sausage from Whole Foods. Second, for the greens, we found that half a bunch of curly kale was about 6 dry cups. Third, we added a parmesan rind along with the broth and canned tomatoes, and we added 2 Tbsp shredded parmesan. At the end of cooking, we added 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar. Fourth, we recommend adding 1 additional cup chicken broth (for a total of 7 cups) to keep the soup brothy.

    This was a flavorful, delicious recipe. Definitely a keeper. (Nov. 2025)

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  • After having the most delicious chicken rice soup at Nick’s Sandwich Shop (Saddle Brook, NJ), we searched online for a recipe that had similar characteristics. Nick’s scratch version featured a clear broth with a golden yellow hue, dotted with diced carrots and lightly poached, diced chicken breast. The soup was flavorful yet uncluttered, and the long grain rice was perfectly cooked.

    First, we loosely followed this recipe for homemade chicken broth: https://iowagirleats.com/easy-instant-pot-chicken-stock/. For the chicken, we used frozen chicken back, chicken skin and fat (from a few thighs and drumsticks); and 3/4 lb fresh chicken wings. For the aromatics, we used 1 medium skin-on onion (halved along the grain), 1 skin-on head of garlic (halved crosswise), 2 large carrots (each cut into two long pieces), 3 celery stalks (each cut in two long pieces), the white and pale green part of 1 leek (rinsed throughly and then cut in half crosswise), trimmed mushroom stems (from 4 cremini mushrooms), 1/4 bunch of fresh parsley, 2 sprigs thyme, and 1 tsp each salt and black peppercorns. We also added 2 bay leaves (not in recipe). Due to time constraints, we pressure cooked on high for 30 mins (after a 30-min ramp up, for a total of 1 hour pressure cooking), and we did a quick release. After cooking, we strained the broth, saving only the cooked carrots and the chicken wings. This recipe yielded a little over 10 cups strained chicken broth (see Note 1 below).

    Second, loosely following this recipe for soup to rice ratio: https://iowagirleats.com/easy-chicken-and-rice-soup/, we measured out 9 cups of broth and placed it in a large Dutch oven (we have a nonstick black All-Clad). To mimic the golden hue of Nick’s broth, we added 1/2 tsp ground turmeric. Upon tasting the broth, we found it surprisingly bland and lacking chicken flavor (see Note 2 below). We added 1 Tbsp Better Than Bouillon chicken concentrate. We also seasoned to taste with salt, ground black pepper, and a dash of sugar.

    Third, we saved the cooked chicken wings for future use. We carefully diced the cooked carrots and set them aside. Using a separate cutting board, we diced 1 boneless fresh chicken breast and then lightly seasoned with salt and black pepper.

    Finally, we brought the chicken broth to a boil, then added 1 cup uncooked jasmine rice and the diced chicken breast. We cooked the soup on medium heat, uncovered, for 15 mins. We then folded in the cooked, diced carrots and let cook on medium for 1 additional min (to warm up the carrots). We served in bowls and garnished with freshly torn parsley. (Nov. 2025)

    Note 1: We purposely saved 1 cup of the original chicken broth. If the chicken and rice soup has leftovers, the rice likely will absorb broth overnight like a sponge – and you could supplement the soup with some of the extra broth.

    Note 2: The lack of developed flavor in the broth is not a reflection of Iowa Girl Eats’ recipe. We took inspiration from the ingredients in her broth, but we couldn’t pressure cook in two 1-hour rounds (2 hours total).

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  • I love Chinese sticky rice, and I have had a craving for it ever since I stumbled upon this NYT recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014807-savory-sticky-rice-bowls-or-stir-fried-sticky-rice?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share. Unfortunately, we don’t have sweet rice in our pantry, so we tried this recipe using jasmine rice.

    In addition to not using sweet rice, we made a few other modifications: first, we halved the recipe, using 2 cups cooked jasmine rice. Second, we omitted the bacon and onion. For the Chinese sausage (lap cheong), we used a version made of pork and chicken. We included four Cremini mushrooms (in lieu of shiitake), diced.

    Third, instead of Chinese sweet wine, we used Shao Hsing wine and supplemented with 1/4 tsp sugar.

    Finally, to mimic the texture of sticky rice, we drizzled 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil along the perimeter of the rice mixture (after adding the scallion slivers) and seared on medium for a few mins, to create a crunchy, chewy surface where possible.

    This was a good recipe, and we hope to make it again once we have sweet long-grain rice on hand. (Nov. 2025)

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