Middle eastern-style chicken and chick pea stew. We tried this recipe: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/252878/middle-eastern-chicken-chickpea-stew/ We used 4 boneless chicken breasts (equivalent to two packages of Purdue packets, which we got at BJ’s Wholesale Club). After finding the stew too acidic, we added dash of sugar and about ½ tsp chicken beef bouillon (Better Than Bouillon) directly into… Continue reading

Indian-style curried minced turkey with potatoes

We tried this recipe: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/curried_ground_turkey_with_potatoes/ Our modifications: first, instead of 1 Tbsp garam masala (which imparts a strong cinnamon flavor), we used 1 tsp garam masala and 2 tsp McCormick’s curry powder; second, we used 1 medium-sized Vietnamese red chili pepper; third, we used ½ cup chicken broth in lieu of water; fourth, after cooking… Continue reading Indian-style curried minced turkey with potatoes

Spearmint tea

We had several sprigs of fresh spearmint from our garden, so we tried making spearmint tea. We loosely followed these guidelines: http://www.balconycontainergardening.com/gardening/322-make-mint-tea but made a few modifications: first, rather than steeping just the leaves, we washed, patted dry, and steeped one handful of mint sprigs (including the stems). Second, we placed them in the bottom… Continue reading Spearmint tea

Simply dressed avocado and tomato salad

We cut one avocado and half a tomato into ¼ inch slices, then drizzled with the juice of one lime, seasoned rice wine vinegar (Marukan yellow label), and olive oil. We sprinkled lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and garnished with cilantro. We loosely based this dish on delicious Peruvian sliced avocado salad… Continue reading Simply dressed avocado and tomato salad

Sichuan chicken dumplings

We tried this Andrea Nguyen recipe: http://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2010/10/sichuan-crescent-dumplings-recipe-zhong-jiaozi.html We made the following modifications: first, for the filling, we used minced chicken (dark meat) instead of pork and added 6 oz drained, minced water chestnuts for texture. Second, for the sauce, we used 1 Tbsp neutral vegetable oil (grape seed oil) in lieu of 1 Tbsp chili… Continue reading Sichuan chicken dumplings

Italian-style turkey mini-meatballs

We tried this recipe: http://www.skinnytaste.com/skinny-italian-meatballs-turkey-1-p/ We made the following modifications: (1) we first sautéed 1 medium onion (chopped) in olive oil, then added the crushed garlic cloves and sautéed for a minute before adding the crushed tomatoes and herbs; (2) we replaced half (28 oz) of crushed tomatoes with 29 oz chopped canned tomatoes that… Continue reading Italian-style turkey mini-meatballs

Braised chicken thighs and chayote

We had extra chayote and decided to try this one-pan meal: http://www.chowhound.com/recipes/braised-chicken-and-chayote-27664 First, heat a large sauté pan for 15 seconds, then pour in a little oil and spread it so that a sheen of oil covers the floor of the pan. Once the oil starts shimmering, place the chicken, skin-side down, in the pan.… Continue reading Braised chicken thighs and chayote