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 had a craving for yellow dal and stumbled upon this recipe: https://www.eitanbernath.com/2020/03/22/dal-tadka/

    Our modifications: first, we made 1.5x of the recipe. Second, we didn’t have yellow lentils, so we used a combination of split yellow peas (1 cup) supplemented by toor dal (1/4 cup) and masoor dal (1/4 cup), which we soaked together for an hour (see Note below). Third, based on prior experience preparing Indian food, we sauteed the onion, garlic, and ginger (which we microplaned) first, and then once fragrant, we added the tomato. We also sauteed the spices until fragrant before adding any liquid or lentils. Fourth, we added coconut milk as the recipe suggested, and it worked well. Finally, for the tadka we heated 1 Tbsp ghee (the recipe didn’t call for any oil, which made no sense to me) and then added cumin seeds and dried chiles, heating until fragrant. We appreciated the sizzle of the tadka as we poured it over the dal.

    We served this dish with basmati rice with cumin seeds and peas. The dal was pretty good, but not quite at the restaurant level the blogger claimed. (Aug. 2025)

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  • We were in search of a vegetable-heavy Filipino dish, so we tried this wonderful, healthy recipe for sotanghon guisado by Filipino-American food blogger Liza Agbanlog. Although her recipe calls for 2 chicken thighs, we used 6 oz smoked pressed tofu (specifically, Kong Kee brand in a red and white label), patted bone dry, and cut into 1/2″ thick matchsticks.

    First, soak 8 oz bean thread noodles in warm water (see Note below) for 10 mins, then drain and set aside.

    Second, prepare the smoked pressed tofu (described above). Using the Ultimate pan, heat 1 Tbsp canola oil on medium heat and then add the tofu pieces. Saute until the tofu pieces are browned on both sides, then set aside in a bowl.

    Third, using the same pan, heat 2 tsp canola oil on medium and add 1 sliced small onion (I cut in 1/4” slices along the axis) and 2 minced garlic cloves. Saute until onion is fragrant. Then fold in the browned tofu, stir, and add 2 Tbsp soy sauce and 2 Tbsp oyster sauce. Saute for 2 mins, ensuring the sauce coats the aromatics and tofu.

    Fourth, add the following vegetables: 1/2 cup julienned carrot (about 1 medium carrot); 1 cup green beans (we used about 20 French beans, cut along a 1” diagonal); 1/2 cup snow peas (about 15, trimmed); and 1 cup green cabbage (about 1/4 small head, julienned). Saute for 2-3 mins, then add 1 cup unsalted chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover for 2 mins until the vegetables are crisp-tender.

    Fifth, turn off the heat and add the drained noodles, gently stirring until the noodles have soaked up most of the broth. Serve immediately. We garnished with fried shallots for texture. This was delicious and satisfying. (Aug. 2025)

    Note: For the bean thread noodles, we used Lungkow brand (a 10.5 oz pink mesh bag with 8 bundles of noodles). We found that 8 oz = 6 bundles.

    Source: Quintessential Filipino Cooking, a cookbook by Liza Agbanlog (2018).

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  • We craved a quick pasta dish, and we tried this: https://www.recipetineats.com/canned-tuna-pasta/ The capers, anchovies, and garlic remind us of Sicilian cuisine.

    Our modifications: first, based on our pantry, we used 7 oz mafaldine pasta, two 5-oz cans of no-salt tuna in water (which we drained, saving the tuna liquid separately), 1 tsp anchovy paste instead of anchovies, and celery fronds instead of parsley. Second, because we used no-salt tuna, we increased the drained capers from 2 tsp to 3 tsp (1 Tbsp). Third, we replaced some of the pasta water with tuna liquid.

    This was a surprisingly delicious dish that came together quickly. We will make it again. (Aug. 2025)

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  • We stumbled upon this intriguing recipe from Recipe Tin Eats: https://www.recipetineats.com/curried-sausages/

    Our modifications: first, we couldn’t find the type of mild, thin, uncured sausage that the recipe calls for, so we tried mild Italian sausage from the Whole Foods butcher. Unfortunately, the sausage was too thick and heavily seasoned for this dish. We had to not only sear the whole sausages but also slice them and brown them on both sides, which prolonged cooking time. Second, we found that the thinly sliced carrots still needed at least 10 mins to become tender. Third, we made the curry sauce with 3/4 Tbsp McCormick curry and 1/4 Tbsp Jamaican curry spice blend from The Spice Shop in London. The curry sauce was relatively easy to make, but we had to balance the flavors with a dash each salt and sugar.

    We may try to make this recipe again once we find the right type of sausage (English, Irish, or Australian). We also may try it using a shortcut (Korean or Japanese curry sauce).

    The curried sausage’s gravy went very well with mashed potatoes (https://piglettedc.wordpress.com/2022/08/15/chef-johns-classic-mashed-potatoes/). (Aug. 2025)

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  • We love pasta e fagioli, and we tried this Instant Pot version: https://inquiringchef.com/instant-pot-pasta-e-fagioli/

    Our modifications: first, we used diced center-cut bacon strips (about 2 inches, cut into three sets of match sticks) instead of pancetta. For the beans, we used 8 oz dried cannelini beans that we had reconstituted using this 1 hour quick soak method: https://www.camelliabrand.com/how-to-soak-your-beans/

    Second, we used a stovetop pressure cooker instead of an Instant Pot. Third, we cooked the pasta (8 oz ditalini) separately. Finally, at the end of cooking we found the soup a little flat. We added a bit of sugar, salt, sherry vinegar, red wine vinegar, and Gravenstein Apple vinegar to taste for balance. (Aug. 2025)

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  • We had an extra eggplant and tried this recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020459-sweet-and-sour-eggplant-with-garlic-chips?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share. Because we had only 1 small Italian eggplant, we halved the ingredients. Our only modifications were to use black vinegar (instead of rice wine vinegar) and add a dash of sugar at the end. This was a nice snack, although the next time we may try to cut the eggplant pieces smaller than 2 inches. (Aug. 2025)

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  • At the beach, we decided to try this simple sheet pan recipe by Giada de Laurentiis: https://giadzy.com/blogs/recipes/sheetpan-eggplant-parmesan This was an easy, delicious meal that needed only a handful of ingredients. The panko topping was particularly good, adding a light crispy texture to the tender eggplant.

    Our modifications: first, due to a very sensitive smoke alarm in our unit, we used canola oil instead of olive oil. As a shortcut for the sauce, we used Rao’s marinara (about 16 oz of a 24 oz jar). Second, we were unable to find Japanese eggplant, so we used 2 small Italian eggplant, cut into four lengthwise slices (about 1/2 to 3/4” thick, with the stem still on). Because there were 8 eggplant slices, we divided them among 2 foil-lined sheet pans (see Note below). Third, we used 1.5x the ingredients (Rao’s and panko parmesan topping) to accommodate the number of eggplant slices.

    Finally, as side dishes we served this eggplant parmesan with garlic bread (https://piglettedc.wordpress.com/2020/09/10/simple-garlic-bread-we-had-about-half-a-baguette/) and mezzi rigatoni. We cooked the pasta al dente, drained, then tossed with the remaining Rao’s (about 8 oz), which we had heated. (Aug. 2025)

    Note: We recommend lightly oiling the foil-lined plans before placing the eggplant slides down. This will mitigate the likelihood of the eggplant sticking to the foil at the end of cooking.

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  • We made this recipe based on pantry ingredients: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018097-kimchi-fried-rice?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share

    Our modifications: first, we used whole radish kimchi (chonggak kimchi), which we diced. Second, we omitted meat from this version. Finally, at the end of cooking we garnished with chili crisp (house made by Hanabi Ramen). (Aug. 2025)

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  • We have made a soy sauce-based version of ginisang baguio beans for years, but we decided to try this recipe, which utilizes fish sauce and fresh tomato: https://panlasangpinoy.com/ginisang-baguio-beans-pork/. We enjoyed this recipe a lot and prefer its flavor profile to the soy-based version (which was less complex).

    Our modifications: first, we used minced chicken instead of pork. Chicken often releases watery discharge (not fat), so we sopped up the liquid from the pan before adding more canola oil. Second, we reduced the amount of fish sauce from 1 1/2 Tbsp to 1 1/4 Tbsp. Finally, at the end of cooking we lightly sprinkled with salt and sugar (less than 1/8 tsp each) for balance. This recipe was simple to make and very tasty to eat.

    We garnished the dish with fried shallots for a crunchy texture and served with jasmine rice. (Aug. 2025)

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  • We had to follow a soft food diet this evening, so we tried this kichidi recipe: https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/dal-khichdi-recipe/

    Our modifications: first, we used a medium shallot instead of a small onion. Second, for the optimal vegetables, we used 1 thin carrot and 5 green beans, each diced. We found that these, along with the diced, seeded tomato and the purple shallot, added a nice pop of color. Third, we followed Swasthi’s pressure cooker method. At first the kichidi looked watery, but after cooling for a few minutes, it firmed up. Finally, at the end of cooking we found the dish slightly undersalted, so we lightly seasoned with salt to taste. (Aug. 2025)

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