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.

  • This was a great pantry soup based on leftover Peruvian rotisserie chicken. We generally followed this recipe: https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/rotisserie-chicken-rice-soup/ Our modifications: first, because we had only half a rotisserie chicken, we used a combination of 8 cups unsalted chicken broth, 4 cups seasoned chicken broth, and 2 cups water instead of 16 cups water. Second, we used a halved, skin-on large shallot instead of a small onion. Third, due to time constraints, we reduced the simmering time from 90 mins to 60 mins. Fourth, we used a large hand strainer to remove the flavoring ingredients (peppercorns, cloves, bay leaves, chicken bones and skin, first round of celery and carrots, and parsley and onion), which enabled us the same pot for the final round of cooking. Finally, instead of rice, we added 1 lb uncooked gemelli pasta (we may reduce to ½ lb next time). We added the pasta at the same time as the cooked, shredded chicken and the uncooked celery and carrots. We added 2 Tbsp chopped, frozen dill at the very end of cooking and seasoned with a dash each ground black pepper and onion powder. (Mar. 2018)

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  • We tried this recipe: https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/roasted-baby-potatoes-with-thyme-and-rosemary-237107 We cut skin-on baby fingerings in vertical halves and peeled and cut two parsnips to make them similar in size and shape to the halved fingerlings. We toss them in olive oil, a little salt and pepper, and a few sprinkles (about ½ tsp) dried Greek oregano. We placed the pieces in a single layer, cut side down, on a baking sheet and roasted in a preheated 450 degree oven for 30 mins, turning halfway. (Mar. 2018)

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  • We tried this recipe from Mimi Sheraton’s cookbook, The Whole World Loves Chicken Soup: Recipes and Lore to Comfort Body and Soul https://www.amazon.com/dp/0446676497/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_yvBPAbMQA4ZT4
    Ms. Sheraton adapted this recipe from Nagwa E. Khalil’s cookbook, Egyptian Cuisine. First, cut a 3.5 to 4 lb chicken into large pieces, trying to avoid cutting through bone (we cut into chicken quarters, breast/wing, and the remaining carcass). Place the chicken in a high walled Dutch oven and add enough water to just cover (not to exceed 9 cups) (we recommend using 10-12 cups – see Note below). Add the crushed seeds of 1 green cardamom or a pinch of ground cardamom (we increased to 1 crushed green cardamom and 1 tsp ground cardamom). Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and then skim off scum as needed. Separately, preheat oven to 400. Gently remove the peel (including pith) from a whole lemon (about 4 strips of peel); reserve the lemon flesh for later use. Place on a foil-lined sheet and bake in oven until the edges curl and slightly brown (about 10 mins), and set aside. Third, prepare the other aromatics: rough-cut 4 stalks celery into 2-3 inch length pieces; wash and clean 4 sprigs each fresh parsley and fresh cilantro (we used about 8-10 sprigs fresh parsley only), and bruise and peel 6-8 garlic cloves. Fourth, add the lemon peel, celery, parsley, and garlic to the chicken pot. Simmer, partially covered for about 1 hour or until chicken meat is falling off the bones. Fifth, remove all solids from the chicken pot. Discard all of the aromatics and keep the chicken. Shred the chicken meat and discard the bones. Sixth, return the shredded chicken to the pot. Season to taste with salt and black pepper, and add the juice of one lemon (we increased to 2 lemons, including the peeled one). Garnish with fresh herbs (parsley, cilantro, or spearmint) and dehydrated fried shallots (available at most Thai or Indian groceries), and serve with cooked rice. (Mar. 2018)

    Note: I normally am inclined to boil a whole chicken intact, but as Ms. Sheraton notes on pp. 17-18 of her book, you would need more than 9 cups of water to cover a whole chicken in a pot. By cutting it into pieces, you can place it more efficiently in a pot and cover with less water. However, at the end of cooking, we found that the 1 hour of stovetop cooking reduced the broth to only 4 cups, so we had to supplement with an additional 3 cups of unseasoned chicken broth. It was a little frustrating.

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  • We tried this recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/12312-sauteed-chicken-with-meyer-lemon We made minor modifications: first, we substituted the leeks with one large shallot. Second, we increased the amount of pickled Meyer lemon to 1 ½ (instead of 1). We still found this dish lacked acid; we may add some standard lemon juice or apple cider vinegar at the end to brighten the dish. (Mar. 2018)

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  • Details here: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/chicken-with-tomatoes-and-garlic/ We generally followed this recipe except: first, we used 2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (each cut into three pieces) and 6 drumsticks. Second, we added a shallot (rough cut) and sautéed it with the chicken in butter and oil. Third, for fresh herbs, we used one large sprig each thyme and rosemary (from our freezer). Third, to thicken the sauce at the end, we added 3 more Tbsp tomato paste; however, this flattened the flavor, which we then had to balance with a dash each of: traditional balsamic vinegar, fruit-infused white balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, sugar, crushed red pepper flakes, and 1 Tbsp unsalted butter to smooth out the sauce. We served this over gemelli pasta. This dish, while not technically Italian, has Italian flavors. (Mar. 2018)

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  • We followed this recipe: http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/lebanese-fattoush-salad-with-grilled-chicken-422438 Our modifications: first, we omitted the radish and onion from the salad. Second, we served the salad with cutlets of chicken shawarma (recipe here: http://piglettedc.tumblr.com/post/171465741451/chicken-shawarma-we-followed-this-marinade)
    rather than using the chicken recipe. (Mar. 2018)

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  • We followed this marinade: https://www.recipetineats.com/chicken-sharwama-middle-eastern/ Our modifications: first, we used 2 lb (3 pieces) boneless skinless chicken breast cut into half lengthwise (yielding 6 cutlets). Second, we reduced the amount of cardamom from 1 Tbsp to 1 tsp to avoid any cloying flavor. We also reduced the cayenne from 1 tsp to ½ to ¾ tsp. We increased the lemon juice to 1 full lemon. Third, we marinated the chicken cutlets for 1 hour before roasting it on a lightly oil-sprayed baking rack (placed inside a foil-lined baking sheet) at 400 until a knife came out clean (about 15 mins total); we turned the sides once midway. We then finished it under the broiler on high until browned on each side (about 3-5 mins). We served this chicken with this Lebanese fattoush salad: http://piglettedc.tumblr.com/post/171465853771/lebanese-fattoush-salad-we-followed-this-recipe (Mar. 2018)

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  • We tried this recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/7985-turkey-chili We made the following minor modifications: first, we used 1 lb minced bison and 1 1/3 lb minced turkey (a mix of white and dark). Second, we used 2 ½ Tbsp chili powder and 1 ½ tsp smoked chipotle pepper powder. Third, for the canned tomatoes, we substituted half of the amount with a 14.5 oz can of whole peeked tomatoes, which we squeezed into pieces by hand (this provided more textural contrasts). Finally, to reduce sodium, we used no-salt versions of canned tomatoes, canned kidney beans, and chicken broth. (Mar. 2018)

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  • We made this recipe from Faye Levy’s Feast from the Mideast. First, we picked over, rinsed, and drained 1 cup dried chick peas and 1 ½ cup wheat berries. We set them aside.

    Second, using a high walled Dutch oven, we heated 2 Tbsp olive oil on medium heat and then added 2 large, chopped onions until fragrant and slightly browned. We then stirred in 1 tsp each paprika and cumin and ¼ tsp turmeric, and then we added 2 lb (4-5 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs), making sure to coat each piece in the onion mixture.

    Third, we added the drained chickpeas and wheat berries. We then added 7 cups water to the pot, brought it to a boil, and then reduced to a simmer. (We also sometimes add 1/8 tsp aleppo pepper at this point for some heat.) We covered the pot and let it simmer for about 1 hour.

    Fourth, we removed the chicken from the pot and set it aside. We added one 14.5 oz can of chopped tomatoes (including liquid) to the pot, then covered and continued simmering until the chick peas and wheat berries were tender (about 50 mins). During that 50 min simmering period, we periodically stirred in water (1/3 cup at a time) when the stew got too viscous; we added about 1 cup water total over that period. At the same time, we deboned and skinned the cooked chicken thighs, and shredded the chicken into 1 inch shreds (along the grain). We then added the shredded chicken to the stew for the last 30 mins of cooking. We sometimes add freshly squeezed lemon juice for brightness.

    We garnished the stew with minced Italian parsley, and we served it with the Middle Eastern green salad with herbs and radishes. (Feb. 2018)

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  • We roughly followed a recipe in Faye Levy’s cookbook, Feast from the Mideast. First, we tossed together: 4 romaine lettuce leaves (cut into bite-sized cut into 2 inch pieces), 6 red radishes (cut into ¼ inch half moons), and 2 Tbsp each chopped Italian parsley and spearmint. Second, we whisked together the juice of 1 ½ lemons and 2 Tbsp olive oil with a little salt and pepper. For each serving, we drizzled the dressing over each individual salad plate. (Feb. 2018)

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