We had 1 lb of minced bison and a large head of red cabbage in our pantry, so we tried this recipe: http://www.food.com/recipe/cabbage-and-ground-beef-soup-339284. Our modifications: we used ¼ bunch minced parsley in lieu of celery, increased the beef broth to 6 cups, added 1 chopped tomato, ½ tsp cumin, a dash crushed red pepper, and… Continue reading Minced beef and red cabbage soup
Chocolate-dipped ginger puff pastry twists
This is a relatively easy dessert to make from store-bought puff pastry. Make sure your fridge has room to hold two baking sheets, as refrigeration is required between steps. To retain crispness, store the finished twists at room temperature. Recipe here: http://m.puffpastry.com/recipe/50036/chocolate-dipped-spiced-twists (Feb. 2016)
Palestinian minced salad (salata khadra mafruma)
Chop into bite-sized pieces: 3 firm tomatoes (I removed the juicy insides), 4 Persian cucumbers (or 2/3 large English cucumber), 1 yellow or orange bell pepper, 1 cup red cabbage, and 2-3 jalapeño peppers (I used 2, cut them in vertical halves and into ¼ inch half-moons). Combine all of those vegetables in a large… Continue reading Palestinian minced salad (salata khadra mafruma)
Palestinian beef and cauliflower stew (tabikh zahra)
Recipe from The Gaza Kitchen by Laila El-Haddad and Maggie Schmitt, with some modifications. The cookbook is available on Amazon here: The Gaza Kitchen: A Palestinian Culinary Journey https://www.amazon.com/dp/1935982230/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_UmLjxbD2FAAEH This dish involves two parts: First, make the maraqa (basic spiced beef broth): Pat dry a 1 lb piece of beef (here, bone-in beef shank), sprinkle… Continue reading Palestinian beef and cauliflower stew (tabikh zahra)
Chocolate and pecan croissant bundles
We followed this recipe for triple chocolate bundles, but used only two type of chocolate chips (a 2:1 ratio of semi-sweet to milk) and added pecans in lieu of the third chocolate flavor. Recipe here: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/triple-chocolate-bundles (Feb. 2016)
Pan-seared spam and scrambled eggs over rice
We had two slices of spam leftover from making spam musubi, so we tried this quick and easy recipe: http://eatingrichly.com/spam-eggs-and-rice/. Because spam already is salty, we reduced the amount of soy and fish sauce in the marinade to 1 Tsp and 1 tsp, respectively. We did not add salt or pepper to the egg mixture.… Continue reading Pan-seared spam and scrambled eggs over rice
Japanese-style beef and potatoes (nikujaga)
We often increase the minced beef to 1 lb based on our pantry and sometimes add one additional small carrot. Recipe here: http://www.splendidtable.org/recipes/japanese-style-meat-and-potatoes (Jan. 2016) Note: This recipe is flexible and can be modified. For ex, we have used ¼ cup sake instead of white wine. We also have used a mix of daikon (½… Continue reading Japanese-style beef and potatoes (nikujaga)
Indian samosa casserole
We followed this recipe from The Vegetarian Times, with significant modifications: http://christinehennessey.blogspot.com/2009/12/indian-samosa-casserole.html?m=1. First, we added ½ tsp each turmeric and paprika, ½ chopped jalapeño pepper, 1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, and 8 curry leaves to the filling. We also used chicken broth instead of vegetable broth and sugar instead of agave nectar. We tasted the… Continue reading Indian samosa casserole
Filipino chicken adobo with hard-boiled eggs
We tried a modified version of Classic Chicken Adobo from Marvin Gapultos’ Adobo Road Cookbook: http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2013/05/classic-chicken-adobo-adobo-road-cookbook.html, with the following modifications: (1) slightly over ½ cup soy sauce, (2) 1 cup white vinegar, and (3) two thighs, drumsticks, and wings (each skin-on and bone-in). We also added 6 peeled, hard-boiled eggs to the pot for the… Continue reading Filipino chicken adobo with hard-boiled eggs
Chinese smashed cucumbers with sesame oil and garlic
We had a lot of cucumbers in our pantry, so we tried out this NYT recipe from Julia Moskin: http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017629-chinese-smashed-cucumbers-with-sesame-oil-and-garlic (Jan. 2016)
Cooking Adventures 