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.

  • When our friend Mary gifted us two baby bell peppers and an ancho chile from her garden, we felt inspired to make stuffed tomatoes and peppers, along with a stuffed purple topped turnip (mainly to keep the vegetables snug in our 6 quart pot). We followed this recipe: https://jamiegeller.com/recipes/middle-eastern-stuffed-vegetables-4-ways/

    Our modifications: first, we identified the vegetables to be stuffed, and then we placed them (uncut) in a pot to make sure they would fit snugly. Second, based on our quantity of vegetables, we halved the filling. Third, based on our pantry, for the minced herbs in the filling we used a combo of: 2 Tbsp each parsley and spearmint, and dill; 1 scallion; and 1 large shallot. Fourth, we added 1 ½ tsp baharat (instead of 1 tsp, which would have been half) and ¼ cup pigeon peas (toor dal), along with ½ cup basmati rice and ½ lb minced beef. (We still had about 1/3 of the filling leftover, so we’ll probably use that for two additional large bell peppers tomorrow.) Fifth, instead of adding a diced tomato to the filling, we used the chopped innards from the four cored tomatoes. Finally, for the simmering broth, we used chicken broth instead of water. After pouring the broth over the stuffed vegetables, we brought to a boil, reduced to a gentle simmer, and then covered and simmered for 45 mins (not the full hour). (Sept. 2020)

    Note: Unlike other dried legumes, pigeon peas do not need to be cooked before being added to the filling.

    Note 2: To the extent possible, try to select vegetable vessels that are relatively uniform in height. Otherwise, the stuffing in taller vegetables may be too high above the broth, resulting in uneven cooking. (Feb. 2021)

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  • We tried this recipe: https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/spiced-moroccan-vegetable-soup-with-chickpeas-cilantro-and-lemon-harira

    Although this recipe calls for 7 cups chicken broth, it could easily be substituted for vegetable broth to make the soup vegetarian. For the spices, we found it slightly underseasoned; we recommend adding 50% more harissa, cumin, and turmeric. (Sept. 2020)

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  • We had about 3 cups leftover cooked rice and one leftover roast chicken thigh. We tried this recipe: https://www.recipetineats.com/nasi-goreng-indonesian-fried-rice/

    Our modifications: first, we used 3 small Thai chilis, 2 garlic cloves, and 1 medium shallot. Second, we didn’t have kecap manis, so we used 1.5 Tbsp Chinese thick soy sauce (made of molasses and soy) mixed with 1 tsp brown sugar (instead of 3 Tbsp kecap manis). Third, because we had only cooked, shredded chicken, we stirfried it only for 30 seconds, adding only 1 tsp (not 1 Tbsp) of the thick, sweetened soy sauce. Fourth, when cooking the rice, we added the remaining thick, sweetened soy sauce and 1 tsp shrimp paste (reduced from 2 tsp). After sauteeing, we added ½ chopped scallion. After removing from heat, we seasoned to taste with ½ tsp fish sauce. We separately fried 2 sunny side-up eggs (one per serving), and we served the rice with the egg on top. (Sept. 2020)

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  • We tried this recipe: https://lemonsandzest.com/the-easiest-homemade-pop-tarts/

    For the filling, we used our homemade strawberry plum jam. First, we found that ¾ Tbsp per pop tart was sufficient. Second, we used store-bought pie crust (1 box, which had 2 layers). We strongly recommend rolling out each layer of dough to no more than 1/8″ thick for a delicate crust, or else the crust will be too dense, and the dough-to-filling ratio will be off (this is particularly important if you try to roll out scrap dough to make additional tarts). After applying the egg wash, we refrigerated the filled baking sheet for 10 mins before placing in a preheated 400 degree oven. We skipped the icing. (Sept. 2020)

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  • Inspired by the baked pasta dish we made while on vacation, we decided to try this recipe: https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/baked_ziti/

    Our modifications: first, for the pasta we used 1 pound of rigatoni instead of ziti. We also preheated the oven to 350 at the start of preparation. Second, for the sauce we used ¾ lb spicy Italian sausage (removed from casings), 24 oz (reduced from 32) Rao’s marinara, one large onion, and 4 cloves garlic; we skipped the other herbs and pepper flakes to avoid overseasoning the dish. Third, we found the recipe inconsistent in terms of the written instructions, which did not follow the video. So here we summarize the actual method that we followed to assemble the casserole: (1) In a large mixing bowl, combine the 1 pound of cooked pasta with one scoop of the sauce. (2) Lightly oil the casserole dish with olive oil, then coat the bottom with a thin layer of sauce. (3) Evenly distribute ½ cup of ricotta cheese (about 5 dollops) in the casserole dish. (4) Place all of the pasta, which is lightly coded in that sauce, in the casserole dish. (5) Add the remainder of the sauce over the pasta. (6) Evenly distribute the remaining half cup of ricotta cheese – again, about 5 dollops. (7) sprinkle 8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese on top, then sprinkle the grated or shredded Parmesan cheese (we used about ¼ cup total, reduced from 1 cup). Finally, bake for 20-25 mins, and then place in broiler for a few mins to lightly brown.

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  • We had about 3 cups of leftover tortilla chips, but no salsa on hand. We followed this recipe: https://www.thekitchn.com/chilaquiles-recipe-268271

    For the salsa, we had to adjust based on our pantry (and lower volume of tortilla chips). Our modifications: 14.5 oz can diced (no salt) tomatoes in lieu of fresh; 2 garlic cloves; 1 small onion (or shallot); 1 small serrano and 2 shishito peppers in lieu of 1 jalapeño; and ¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth (divided into ½ cup for sauce and ¼ cup in reserve). If you use vegetable broth, this easily can be a vegetarian dish. Also, we served scrambled eggs (4 eggs plus 1 Tbsp milk) on top. (Sept. 2020)

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  • Flush with homemade strawberry-plum jam, we tried this recipe: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/11314/delicious-raspberry-oatmeal-cookie-bars/

    Our modifications: first, instead of raspberry jam, we used strawberry-plum jam, recipe here: https://piglettedc.tumblr.com/post/628996606180655104/strawberry-plum-jam-while-on-vacation-with-a. Second, we baked ours at 350 for 45 mins (we found 35-40 mins insufficient). After baking, we placed under the broiler (on low) for about 2 mins. We let it cool, then carefully placed the foil-lined (uncut) mass on a cutting board, and then using a special serrated plastic cake knife, we cut into 9 bars. (Sept. 2020)

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  • While on vacation with a limited pantry, I had a sudden craving for peanut butter-jelly roll-ups. Because we did not have jam or jelly, I decided to make a micro-batch based on what we had on hand: 6 strawberries (cut into quarters), 1 plum (peel-on, pitted, and cut into ½” pieces), ½ cup white sugar, and fresh lime juice (about 1/3 of a lime). This yielded about ¾ cup of jam. We loosely followed these instructions (except that I added the lime juice before cooking): https://foodinjars.com/recipe/small-batch-strawberry-plum-jam/ (Sept. 2020)

    Note: When we returned home, we made the full recipe for strawberry-plum jam. We ended up increasing the plums to 1.5 lb (about 5 medium red plums, which has more pectin than strawberries) and increased sugar to 2.5 cups. We also added zest from one lemon, in addition to its juice.

    Method: We sterilized two Mason jars and one rubber-sealed clamp jar following these instructions: https://www.thespruceeats.com/how-to-sterilize-canning-jars-1327595, including simmering the lids and rubber seals after sterilizing the glass jars in rolling, boiling water for over 10 mins. If you want to freeze jam, here are useful instructions: https://theviewfromgreatisland.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-freezer-jam/ (Sept. 2020)

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  • While on vacation with a limited pantry, we loosely followed this hash recipe: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/wild-mushroom-yukon-gold-hash-2111863

    Our modifications: first, we used 6 oz cremini mushrooms and 1 shallot. Instead of sauteeing them, we oven-roasted them at 425 until browned (about 20 mins). Second, instead of boiling the potatoes, we used ½ lb leftover oven-roasted fingerling (baby yukon and purple combined) and 1/3 lb oven-roasted Korean sweet potatoes. Leaving the skin on, we diced them, sauteed them in about 2 Tbsp butter on medium-high heat (to give them a sear), and added 2 minced garlic cloves. We lightly seasoned the potato mixture with salt and black pepper. We then folded in the roasted mushrooms/shallots, drizzled with 1 tsp olive oil, and added a splash (about 2 tsp) white wine vinegar. We found the hash quite tasty. (Sept. 2020)

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  • While on vacation with a limited pantry, we tried this recipe: https://www.thespruceeats.com/baked-ziti-with-ground-beef-cheese-3057389 Our modifications: first, we used a yellow bell pepper (diced), ½ large onion (diced), and 1 clove minced garlic. Second, in lieu of dried herbs, we added about 8 oz Rao’s marinara sauce to the 14.5 oz can of no-salt canned diced tomatoes and 8 oz of no-salt tomato sauce; this ended up being the correct total amount of sauce for us (not too dry). Third, to avoid a finished casserole with overcooked pasta, we parboiled the pasta (8 oz rigatoni) until not quite al dente. Finally, we had only 1 cup shredded mozzarella (down from 2 cups) and modified accordingly. (Sept. 2020)

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