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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.
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We followed this recipe from the Kitchn: http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-couscous-165983 We first toasted the couscous in 1 ½ Tbsp melted butter before adding 1 cup hot chicken broth (we skipped the salt). Then we stirred, covered, and turned off the heat and let the covered pan sit for 10 mins undisturbed. (Nov. 2016)
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Middle eastern-style chicken and chick pea stew. We tried this recipe: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/252878/middle-eastern-chicken-chickpea-stew/ We used 4 boneless chicken breasts (equivalent to two packages of Purdue packets, which we got at BJ’s Wholesale Club). After finding the stew too acidic, we added dash of sugar and about ½ tsp chicken beef bouillon (Better Than Bouillon) directly into the pot (without mixing with water) for depth and balance. We served this over couscous. (Nov. 2016)
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We tried this recipe: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/curried_ground_turkey_with_potatoes/ Our modifications: first, instead of 1 Tbsp garam masala (which imparts a strong cinnamon flavor), we used 1 tsp garam masala and 2 tsp McCormick’s curry powder; second, we used 1 medium-sized Vietnamese red chili pepper; third, we used ½ cup chicken broth in lieu of water; fourth, after cooking the turkey potato mixture for 10 mins, we added the tomato and peas and simmered for an additional 10 mins; and finally, at the end, we seasoned to taste with a dash of sugar, salt, and black pepper. The next time, we may reduce the potato from two large Yukon to just one. (Nov. 2016)
Note: This recipe is intended to be eaten with rice or naan, but I think it would a great filling for a casserole topped with puff pastry similar to this recipe: http://piglettedc.tumblr.com/post/138424189866/indian-samosa-casserole-we-followed-this-recipe
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We followed this recipe: http://busycooks.about.com/od/sidedishrecipes/r/sauteedbroccoli.htm but instead of parboiling in salt water, we microwaved the broccoli pieces in a covered glass dish until crisp-tender (about 1.5-2 mins on high) before stir-frying in garlic-infused olive oil. (Nov. 2016)
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We tried this NYT recipe: http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014640-oven-poached-pacific-sole-with-lemon-caper-sauce It was fairly simple, but very sensitive to timing. We served this with lemon-garlic stirfried baby broccoli. (Nov. 2016)
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We had several sprigs of fresh spearmint from our garden, so we tried making spearmint tea. We loosely followed these guidelines: http://www.balconycontainergardening.com/gardening/322-make-mint-tea but made a few modifications: first, rather than steeping just the leaves, we washed, patted dry, and steeped one handful of mint sprigs (including the stems). Second, we placed them in the bottom of a heatproof, lever-lidded jar and poured in about 7 cups of near-boiling water. We closed the lid and let it steep for 10 mins. After straining the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve (to remove the sprigs and any debris), we served the tea with honey. (Oct. 2016)
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We followed this recipe: https://food52.com/recipes/29879-turkey-lentil-chili but we increased the amount of chicken broth to 6 ½ cups. We were lucky enough to have dried epazote, a Mexican herb, from our friend Enrique. (Oct. 2016)
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We cut one avocado and half a tomato into ¼ inch slices, then drizzled with the juice of one lime, seasoned rice wine vinegar (Marukan yellow label), and olive oil. We sprinkled lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and garnished with cilantro. We loosely based this dish on delicious Peruvian sliced avocado salad that we had in NY a few months ago. (Oct. 2016)
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We tried this Andrea Nguyen recipe: http://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2010/10/sichuan-crescent-dumplings-recipe-zhong-jiaozi.html We made the following modifications: first, for the filling, we used minced chicken (dark meat) instead of pork and added 6 oz drained, minced water chestnuts for texture. Second, for the sauce, we used 1 Tbsp neutral vegetable oil (grape seed oil) in lieu of 1 Tbsp chili oil and minced the garlic cloves rather than merely crushing them.
We also used store-bought wonton skins. This yielded about 40 dumplings, which we laid out on two parchment-lined cookie sheets. (Oct. 2016)
Note: We served this with baby broccoli stir-fried in garlic-infused oil; we followed this recipe for yu choy: http://piglettedc.tumblr.com/post/144782993986/chinese-yu-choy-stirfried-with-garlic-infused-oil
Source: Andrea Nguyen, author and teacher, Vietworldkitchen.com.
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Quick and easy breakfast. Recipe here: http://simplegreenmoms.com/skinny-fried-egg-avocado-toast/ (Oct. 2016)
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Cooking Adventures 