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 tried this recipe from the Pioneer Woman: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/hamburger-soup/ It is hearty, flavorful, and soothing on a wet day. We reduced the amount of minced beef to 2 to 2 1/3 lbs and used minced fresh parsley, fresh thyme, and fresh marjoram as the herbs. The recipe calls for 3 cups of beef broth, which creates a chili-like consistency in the end. We had almost added more broth prior to the 20 minute simmer phase, and we are glad we resisted the urge and stuck with the instructions. Before serving, season to taste as needed – additional tomato paste for depth, a dash of red wine vinegar for brightness, etc. (Sept. 2016)

    Note: You can make this soup healthier by substituting half of the beef with 1 1/3 lb minced turkey (this is the size available at our local shopping club). You may need to add a tsp of beef bouillon concentrate (such as Better Than Bouillon) at the end of cooking to add beefy depth.

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  • Cut one ripe avocado into bite-sized chunks, then gently toss with about 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 clove minced garlic, and about ½ tsp microplaned ginger. Drizzle with about ½ tsp toasted sesame oil and sprinkle with a tsp of toasted sesame seeds. We served this with cooked rice and roasted seaweed. This recipe is loosely based on: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/102049/asian-avocado/ (Sept. 2016)

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  • Preheat oven to 350. Combine 1 lb (16 oz) strawberries, halved or quartered with 6 oz each blueberries and raspberries in a 9×13 baking dish. Toss with 2 Tbsp white sugar and 2-3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar (a 2:1 ratio of regular balsamic and fruit-infused white balsamic), then oven-roast for 30 mins, stirring once midway. Serve plain or a la mode. (Sept. 2016)

    Note: The first time we made this, we used 2 Tbsp sugar and ¼ cup (4 Tbsp) balsamic vinegar, but given the liquid emitted from the blueberries and raspberries, the sauce was too thin.

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  • Preheat oven to 450, with sheet pan in the oven. Cut 2 lb of zucchini (5-6 zucchini) into 1-inch cubes, then toss in 1-2 Tbsp olive oil and about 1 tsp salt. Pour onto the heated sheet and roast until browned and tender (about 30 mins), tossing a few times to brown evenly. Separately, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large Dutch oven, then sauté 1 oz bacon (cut into matchsticks) until browned, then remove bacon and set aside. (Omit bacon if making vegetarian.) Add 3 large cloves minced garlic to the pot, sauté until fragrant, then add 1 cup (about 1 bunch) chopped scallions. Sauté until wilted, then add 29 oz cans peeled cherry tomatoes in juice (here, we used chopped tomatoes), ½ tsp dried oregano (here, a few sprigs fresh marjoram leaves), and ½ tsp each crushed red pepper and salt; bring to a simmer. Fold in the roasted zucchini, then let simmer while you cook 1 lb rigatoni. Taste the sauce and if too acidic, stir in a little sugar. When the rigatoni is al dente, reserve pasta water and add drained rigatoni directly to the sauce. Add 1 cup julienned fresh basil, then serve. Garnish with shaved ricotta salata and the reserved bacon. This recipe is from Joseph and Tanya Bastianich’s cookbook, Healthy Pasta.

    Note: This recipe originally was vegetarian. We modified by adding the bacon for flavor and texture.

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  • Recipe here: http://www.lydiasflexitariankitchen.com/revani-turkish-sponge-cake/ (Sept. 2016)

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  • Heat a medium Dutch oven, add about 1 Tbsp olive oil, then add 1 chopped onion and a ½ tsp salt. When browned, add 1 1/3 lb minced beef until browned, then add ½ white wine and boil vigorously until all the alcohol has evaporated. Add 6 medium tomatoes (grated on a mandolin, with skin removed), then lower heat to medium. Simmer until slightly thickened, then add 1 ½ tsp sugar, 1 bay leaf, 2 allspice berries (here, ¼ tsp ground allspice), ½ tsp cinnamon (here, ½ tsp nutmeg since we find cinnamon cloying), 1/16 tsp ground cloves, and 3 cups beef stock. Season with salt and black pepper. Let simmer for 30-35 mins, until most of the liquid has evaporated. Season to taste with sugar, as appropriate. This recipe is from Cooking with Loula, a cookbook by Alexandra Stratou. (Sept. 2016)

    Note: We found the sauce did not reduce as much as expected. The next time, we will reduce the amount of beef broth from 3 cups to 1.5 cups.

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  • Heat a large Dutch oven, add about 2 Tbsp olive oil, then add 1 chopped onion and 1 chopped and seeded mild pepper (here, an Anaheim pepper). When wilted, add 2 lbs green beans (trimmed and cut into thin strips), sprinkle with ½ tsp salt, cover, and cook on medium heat until the beans turn dark green. Uncover pot, add ¾ cup white wine, simmer, and then reduce until alcohol has evaporated. Add 14.5 oz can of chopped tomatoes, stir, and cook uncovered on medium heat for 8 mins to reduce acidity. Add 2 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock, if vegetarian), 1 tsp sugar, and 1 bay leaf, and cook on medium until beans are tender (the recipe calls for 40 mins, but we found that they were ready at 20 mins). This recipe is from Cooking with Loula, a cookbook by Alexandra Stratou. (Sept. 2016)

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  • We tried this recipe: http://www.mygreekdish.com/recipe/crispiest-greek-lemon-potatoes-patates-lemonates/ (Sept. 2016)

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  • We tried this recipe for 2/3 of a leftover ciabatta loaf: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/arugula-bacon-and-gruyere-bread-pudding-350898 We baked for an additional 10 mins and broiled it on high for 2 mins for browning. (Sept. 2016)

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  • We tried this recipe: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/bucatini-with-sausage-and-peppers-56389445 We used spicy chicken sausage instead of sweet turkey. At first, we found the sauce a bit too thin, but we later realized that this is intentional so that the bucatini can soak up the sauce. We also recommend preparing the sauce in a Dutch oven, since the cooked pasta is added to it eventually. This dish tastes even better the next day. (Sept. 2016)

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