We felt inspired by this shortcut recipe: https://www.whiskedaway.co/blog/2015/10/05/jewish-grandma-approved-matzo-ball-soup Our modifications: first, instead of using matzoh ball mix, we followed Joan Nathan’s recipe for matzoh balls, which is: in a medium mixing bowl, combine 4 eggs with ¼ cup schmaltz (we used olive oil instead), then stir in 1 cup matzoh meal and ½ tsp salt… Continue reading Rotisserie chicken matzoh ball soup
Afghan kidney bean curry
Details here: https://www.thecuriouschickpea.com/afghan-kidney-bean-curry/. We made slight modifications: first, we toasted the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and ¼ tsp dried epazote (which we used in lieu of ½ tsp dried mint) in a small pan without oil, and then used a mortar and pestle. Then we heated 2 tsp vegetable oil in a low-walled Dutch oven,… Continue reading Afghan kidney bean curry
Chinese steamed cod fillet with black bean sauce
This recipe is from Grace Young’s The Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen, which used a whole sole fish. First, thoroughly rinse 1 lb cod fillet (in lieu of sole) in cold water, pat dry, and sprinkle the front and back ½ tsp (we used ¼ tsp) salt. Peel and julienne a 2" knob of ginger… Continue reading Chinese steamed cod fillet with black bean sauce
Chinese cabbage stirfry with bacon and chicken
We tried this recipe: https://thewoksoflife.com/chinese-cabbage-stir-fry/ Our modifications: first, for the protein we sauteed bacon (about 2 strips) cut into matchsticks, and then once the bacon rendered a bit, we added one boneless chicken breast, cut into ½" thick slices (each piece about 2x2"). Second, we hand-tore ½ small head of red cabbage. This dish was… Continue reading Chinese cabbage stirfry with bacon and chicken
Post-Thanksgiving curry puffs
This was a good use of 1.5 cups shredded leftover roast turkey breast, 1 cup mashed potatoes, and ¼ cup chopped roasted parsnips and carrots, in addition to a small shallot (in lieu of an onion), ¾ cup peas, and 2 Tbsp minced parsley plus 2 Tbsp lemon juice (in lieu of cilantro). We made… Continue reading Post-Thanksgiving curry puffs
Curry fried rice with leftover roast turkey
We tried this recipe: https://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2015/05/fried-rice-tips-curry-recipe.html Our modifications: first, using a large nonstick frying pan, we browned 1 cup chopped, roast turkey in 1 tsp vegetable oil, then seasoned lightly (about ½ tsp) with Maggi Seasoning, and then set aside. Second, we added 2 tsp vegetable oil, then sauteed chopped raw vegetables (1.5 celery stalks, 2… Continue reading Curry fried rice with leftover roast turkey
Buttermilk-brined roast turkey breast
We tried this recipe for our small Thanksgiving meal: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021522-buttermilk-brined-turkey-breast?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share Our modifications: first, we used a 5 lb bone-in Butterball whole breast, which had been marinated in a light saline solution. Second, to offset the sodium, we reduced the sea salt to just 1 Tbsp but increased the buttermilk to 2 quarts (8 cups) to… Continue reading Buttermilk-brined roast turkey breast
Orzo with parmesan and peas
We tried this recipe: https://www.melskitchencafe.com/toasted-orzo-with-peas-and-parmesan/ We reduced the parmesan to ½ cup. We added freshly squeezed juice from ½ lemon. The next time, we will add ¼ cup toasted slivered almonds for texture. (Nov. 2020)
Baked rigatoni, version 3
We tried this recipe: https://www.dinneratthezoo.com/baked-rigatoni-pasta-recipe/ Our modifications: first, we added 4 oz chopped, trimmed fresh cremini mushrooms and 2 chopped roasted baby Yukon potatoes (about ¼ cup) to the 2 lb mince (1 lb beef, 1 lb hot Italian sausage without casing). Second, for the sauce we used 24 oz Rao’s marinara plus 15 oz… Continue reading Baked rigatoni, version 3
Hungarian-style minced beef goulash
We tried this recipe: https://www.yummly.com/recipe/Ground-Beef-Goulash-1424816 We had a high-walled, large stainless steel pan, so we managed to make this recipe without using the second pot (instead, we held the cooked beef and onion in a large mixing bowl before adding them back into the pan later, along with the 1.5 cups chicken broth). We reduced… Continue reading Hungarian-style minced beef goulash
Cooking Adventures 