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 misplaced our pie weights, so we weren’t able to blind-bake (prebake) a frozen pie crust. We decided to try this recipe, which calls for a frozen crust: https://startcooking.com/pumpkin-pie-for-beginners.

    Our modifications: first, we placed a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet in the oven before preheating to 425.

    Second, in lieu of 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice, we used 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp ground clove, 1/4 tsp kosher salt, and 1/4 tsp each mastic gum and malepi (crushed with a mortar and pestle).

    Finally, once we finished preparing the pie filling, we prepped the frozen pie crust by placing it on a kitchen counter (not the heated baking sheet) and covering the edges with foil (three 3-4” wide strips that we folded lengthwise to wrap around the rim). We placed the frozen pie crust on the heated baking sheet, and then we poured in the filling.

    We baked at 425 for 15 mins, then reduced the temperature to 350 until a knife came out clean (about 30 mins). We then removed the foil from the pie crust, and then placed under the broiler on the Low setting until browned (3-4 mins). (Oct. 2025)

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  • We had a craving for a vegetable-heavy soup with minced meat, so we tried this recipe: https://www.sandravalvassori.com/ground-turkey-soup/ For the vegetables, we used: carrots, celery, onion; Yukon potatoes (skin on), fresh tomatoes (see below); and fresh corn off the cob and baby spinach. This was a delicious and relatively healthy soup.

    Our modifications: first, instead of Italian seasoning, we used approx 1-2 Tbsp each frozen Italian oregano and frozen thyme (leaves only).

    Second, in lieu of 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes, we followed the tip to use fresh tomatoes (a combo of 1 Roma and a handful of grape tomatoes), which we crushed by hand.

    Third, for the broth we used 1 quart (4 cups) unsalted chicken broth and 2 cups Better Than Bouillon chicken broth (2 tsp bouillon concentrate dissolved in 2 cups hot water).

    Finally, at the end of cooking, in addition to the 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar, we added 1 tsp sugar and juice from 1/3 of a lemon for brightness.

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  • We made this dish, and it was delicious: https://www.sandravalvassori.com/dominican-pollo-guisado-braised-chicken/. We made the recipe in our Ultimate pan. We closely followed the instructions, but had minor modifications.

    First, we used 4 chicken quarters. We skinned the quarters and cut them into three pieces each (drumstick plus the thigh cut into two parts), for a total of 12 pieces.

    Second, for the two plum (aka Roma) tomatoes, we cut them in 16 pieces each (rather than quarters, which we thought might be too large). The recipe was confusing b/c the blogger initially referred to cutting the tomatoes into “quarters,” but later described them as “chopped.”

    Third, we included 1 tsp Better Than Bouillon chicken in 1/4 cup hot water and 1 Tbsp tomato paste. As a result, we reduced the amount of olive brine to 2 tsp (from a few tablespoons) to avoid a too-salty dish.

    We served the braised chicken with jasmine rice and fried sweet plantains (maduros), recipe here: https://piglettedc.wordpress.com/2025/10/04/fried-sweet-plantains-maduros/. (Oct. 2025)

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  • We made this recipe for a BBQ hosted by good friends: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015857-beet-orange-and-arugula-salad?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share. It was easy to prepare ahead of time as components (roasted and dressed beets, orange segments, dressing, arugula, and walnuts) that we later assembled at our friends’ home.

    Our modifications: first, we found the dressing bland and too oily (see Note below). It completely lacked acidity. We rebalanced the dressing with 1.5 to 2 Tbsp Maille whole grain mustard, 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar, juice from 1/2 lime, and 1 tsp sugar.

    Second, for the beets, we roasted at 400 for an hour. We followed this basic recipe: https://piglettedc.wordpress.com/2015/03/25/roasted-beets-this-is-one-of-my-favorite/.

    Finally, we experimented with both baby arugula and baby mixed greens; we definitely recommend arugula for this dish. The arugula adds a peppery edge that complements the roasted beets and orange segments.

    Once we adjusted the dressing to our liking, we enjoyed this dish a great deal. (Oct. 2025)

    Note: We were unable to find grapeseed oil or sunflower seed oil, so we used 50-50 canola oil and olive oil. Perhaps grapeseed or sunflower would have made the dressing less oily.

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  • We decided to make this for a light lunch: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/12372-vietnamese-inspired-cabbage-salad-with-tofu?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share

    Our modifications: first, we halved the amount of cabbage (to 3 cups shredded) and the salad dressing. At the same time, we maintained the original amounts of extra firm tofu, carrot, and peanut.

    Second, for the extra firm tofu, we followed a method from SkinnyTaste to reduce excess water: as a first step, we placed the block b/w two paper towels on a rimmed cutting board, then placed a heavier cutting board on top (to further press down on the tofu and squeeze out water). We left the tofu in that press while prepping the salad dressing and shredding the cabbage and carrot. Then rather than frying in slabs, we went ahead and cubed the tofu (3/4” cubes), dried them off one last time with a new paper towel, and then pan-fried them in a preheated nonstick pan with 1 Tbsp canola oil. We made sure to sear most sides of the tofu cubes, and then we placed them altogether in a mixing bowl with the soy – fish sauce mixture (rather than brushing each piece individually). Once the tofu cubes were coated, we removed them from the bowl and discarded the excess sauce (to avoid saturating the tofu).

    Third, for the salad dressing, instead of peanut oil, we used 1 part roasted sesame oil to 2 parts canola oil. We also found the amount of jalapeno insufficient for heat; we may double it in the future.

    Finally, as garnish we used not only freshly roasted peanut halves (we didn’t chop them) but also 2 Tbsp fried shallots and 1 tsp minced parsley (we skipped the cilantro). This was delicious and refreshing, and we found the higher ratio of tofu to cabbage worked for our household. (Oct. 2025)

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  • We have been curious about Senate navy bean soup for a while, and we decided to try this recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1027174-slow-cooker-senate-bean-soup?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share

    Our modifications: first, we converted this recipe from a 6-8 hour slow cooker recipe to a Instant Pot (120 min high pressure) recipe. We based this conversion on RecipeTin Eats’ recipe for pea and ham soup: https://www.recipetineats.com/pea-and-ham-soup/

    Second, following tips from others, we added 2 whole cloves along with beans, potatoes, carrots, etc. (The cloves were challenging to fish out at the end of cooking.)

    Third, at the end of cooking, we added not only 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (per the recipe), but also 1.5 tsp Gravenstein apple vinegar, 1 tsp Worchestershire sauce, and 1 tsp sugar for balance. (Oct. 2025)

    Note: We used 2 ham hocks, which added a lot of depth but did not yield much meat at all.

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  • We tried this picadillo recipe: https://www.sandravalvassori.com/turkey-picadillo/. This recipe is our favorite picadillo recipe to date.

    Our modifications: first, we used a mix of minced turkey (1 lb) and minced chicken (1/2 lb). Second, for tomato paste and tomato sauce, we used no-salt versions.

    Third, based on our pantry, we made some substitutions: 1/2 cup caper berries (stems removed) with 2 Tbsp caper berry brine instead of Queen olives and brine; and 1/2 cup red wine instead of 1/2 cup white wine. We also added 1/4 cup Zante currants (a type of raisin). At the end of cooking, we sprinkled about 1/4 tsp of sugar for balance. We omitted the cilantro and the sazon seasoning, both of which were optional ingredients.

    We served this picadillo with jasmine rice and fried sweet plantains (maduros). The caramelized maduros were a wonderful complement to the briny notes of the picadillo. (Oct. 2025)

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  • We often bake sweet plantains to make them healthier, but we decided to try this traditional preparation: https://mydominicankitchen.com/fried-sweet-plantain-slices-platanos-maduros-fritos/

    We used a large nonstick pan and 3/4 cup canola oil (instead of 1 cup). Immediately after placing the cooked plantain slices on a paper towel-lined plate, we sprinkled them with a little kosher salt.

    We served the maduros as a side dish for picadillo and rice, and it was the perfect complement. (Oct. 2025)

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  • We had three overripe bananas, so we decided to try this recipe: https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/banana_bread/

    Our modifications: first, we used 1/2 cup white sugar. Second, after folding in the flour, we added 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips to the batter. (Oct. 2025)

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  • We make scrambled eggs only a few times a year. This is one of those dishes that we take for granted as basic, yet has mixed results if the proper technique isn’t followed. This was a good opportunity for us to refresh best practices: https://www.seriouseats.com/fluffy-scrambled-eggs-recipe (Oct. 2025)

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