Lebanese crispy meat-stuffed pita (arayes)

We tried this recipe from RecipeTin Eats: https://www.recipetineats.com/arayes-lebanese-meat-stuffed-pita/ We used 1 lb minced beef for the recipe. Our modifications: first, we followed the spice blend in the recipe except that we used 1/2 tsp ground Kashmiri pepper instead of cayenne. we could not find large pita, so we used five Middle East Bakery’s whole wheat…… Continue reading Lebanese crispy meat-stuffed pita (arayes)

Sheet-pan chicken tikka with bell pepper, cauliflower, and shallots

We found this recipe intriguing and decided to give it a try: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025554-sheet-pan-chicken-tikka-thighs?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share This was remarkably flavorful, with great mouthfeel; it’s definitely a keeper. Our modifications: first, 1.25 lb was the smallest unit of boneless chicken thighs we could find, so we slightly rounded up the other ingredients. For the yogurt, we used Fage nonfat…… Continue reading Sheet-pan chicken tikka with bell pepper, cauliflower, and shallots

Split pea and ham soup, Instant Pot style

We had a craving for split pea soup and were intrigued by this recipe: https://www.recipetineats.com/pea-and-ham-soup/ As a child, I first had split pea soup with ham at a family friend’s house, and I remember being astonished that it took several hours of simmering on the stovetop. This recipe offers a great way to make this…… Continue reading Split pea and ham soup, Instant Pot style

Korean scallion and egg fried rice (bokkeum bap)

We had a craving for a mildly seasoned fried rice, so we tried this: https://www.koreanbapsang.com/egg-fried-rice-gyeran-bokkeumbap/ We found this recipe simple to make and delicious. It was reminiscent of chaufa blanco, a Chinese-Peruvian fried rice tossed with egg white, asparagus, and toasted sesame oil. Our only modification was to add 1/2 cup frozen peas. This was…… Continue reading Korean scallion and egg fried rice (bokkeum bap)

Simple baked ziti

We had a craving for baked ziti, but we had limited ingredients in our pantry – 1 lb uncooked ziti, Rao’s marinara sauce, and some cheese. We tried this simple recipe that doesn’t use ricotta cheese or heavy cream: https://asimplepalate.com/blog/easy-baked-ziti/ Our modifications: first, to manage sodium for the 3 cups of tomato sauce, we combined…… Continue reading Simple baked ziti

Japanese curry with cabbage and thinly sliced beef

We stumbled upon this version of Japanese curry, and it was delicious: https://www.japanesecooking101.com/pork-and-cabbage-curry/ Our modifications: first, instead of 12 oz thinly sliced pork, we used 10 oz thinly sliced beef. Second, we used less than 1/2 head of a small cabbage – probably closer 1/3 head. Third, we used 1/2 package of S&B hot curry…… Continue reading Japanese curry with cabbage and thinly sliced beef

North Indian-style yellow lentils (dal tadka)

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…… Continue reading North Indian-style yellow lentils (dal tadka)

Filipino sauteed bean thread noodles with vegetables (sotanghon guisado)

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…… Continue reading Filipino sauteed bean thread noodles with vegetables (sotanghon guisado)

Sicilian-style pasta with canned tuna

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…… Continue reading Sicilian-style pasta with canned tuna