Box brownies with Mexican flavors

We started with a 20 oz box of Ghirardelli dark chocolate brownie mix. We added 1 tsp ground cinnamon and ¼ tsp cayenne pepper to the dry ingredients, stirring to make sure the cinnamon and cayenne were evenly distributed throughout the mixture. Then, following the instructions, we added the wet ingredients (1 egg, ¼ cup… Continue reading Box brownies with Mexican flavors

Rotisserie chicken noodle soup, version 1

This was a great pantry soup based on leftover Peruvian rotisserie chicken. We generally followed this recipe: https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/rotisserie-chicken-rice-soup/ Our modifications: first, because we had only half a rotisserie chicken, we used a combination of 8 cups unsalted chicken broth, 4 cups seasoned chicken broth, and 2 cups water instead of 16 cups water. Second, we… Continue reading Rotisserie chicken noodle soup, version 1

Roasted parsnips and baby fingerling potatoes

We tried this recipe: https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/roasted-baby-potatoes-with-thyme-and-rosemary-237107 We cut skin-on baby fingerings in vertical halves and peeled and cut two parsnips to make them similar in size and shape to the halved fingerlings. We toss them in olive oil, a little salt and pepper, and a few sprinkles (about ½ tsp) dried Greek oregano. We placed the… Continue reading Roasted parsnips and baby fingerling potatoes

Egyptian chicken broth with lemon and garlic (khoulaset feraak bel lamoon wal tom)

We tried this recipe from Mimi Sheraton’s cookbook, The Whole World Loves Chicken Soup: Recipes and Lore to Comfort Body and Soul https://www.amazon.com/dp/0446676497/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_yvBPAbMQA4ZT4Ms. Sheraton adapted this recipe from Nagwa E. Khalil’s cookbook, Egyptian Cuisine. First, cut a 3.5 to 4 lb chicken into large pieces, trying to avoid cutting through bone (we cut into chicken… Continue reading Egyptian chicken broth with lemon and garlic (khoulaset feraak bel lamoon wal tom)

Chicken sautéed with Meyer lemon

We tried this recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/12312-sauteed-chicken-with-meyer-lemon We made minor modifications: first, we substituted the leeks with one large shallot. Second, we increased the amount of pickled Meyer lemon to 1 ½ (instead of 1). We still found this dish lacked acid; we may add some standard lemon juice or apple cider vinegar at the end to… Continue reading Chicken sautéed with Meyer lemon

Chicken stewed with tomato and garlic

Details here: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/chicken-with-tomatoes-and-garlic/ We generally followed this recipe except: first, we used 2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (each cut into three pieces) and 6 drumsticks. Second, we added a shallot (rough cut) and sautéed it with the chicken in butter and oil. Third, for fresh herbs, we used one large sprig each thyme and rosemary… Continue reading Chicken stewed with tomato and garlic

Lebanese fattoush salad

We followed this recipe: http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/lebanese-fattoush-salad-with-grilled-chicken-422438 Our modifications: first, we omitted the radish and onion from the salad. Second, we served the salad with cutlets of chicken shawarma (recipe here: http://piglettedc.tumblr.com/post/171465741451/chicken-shawarma-we-followed-this-marinade)rather than using the chicken recipe. (Mar. 2018)

Chicken shawarma

We followed this marinade: https://www.recipetineats.com/chicken-sharwama-middle-eastern/ Our modifications: first, we used 2 lb (3 pieces) boneless skinless chicken breast cut into half lengthwise (yielding 6 cutlets). Second, we reduced the amount of cardamom from 1 Tbsp to 1 tsp to avoid any cloying flavor. We also reduced the cayenne from 1 tsp to ½ to ¾… Continue reading Chicken shawarma

Minced bison and turkey chili

We tried this recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/7985-turkey-chili We made the following minor modifications: first, we used 1 lb minced bison and 1 1/3 lb minced turkey (a mix of white and dark). Second, we used 2 ½ Tbsp chili powder and 1 ½ tsp smoked chipotle pepper powder. Third, for the canned tomatoes, we substituted half of… Continue reading Minced bison and turkey chili

Middle Eastern wheat berry, chick pea, and chicken stew (haleem)

We made this recipe from Faye Levy’s Feast from the Mideast. First, we picked over, rinsed, and drained 1 cup dried chick peas and 1 ½ cup wheat berries. We set them aside. Second, using a high walled Dutch oven, we heated 2 Tbsp olive oil on medium heat and then added 2 large, chopped… Continue reading Middle Eastern wheat berry, chick pea, and chicken stew (haleem)