Quick-soaking cannellini beans, pressure-cooker style

We had 1 lb dried Great Northern aka cannellini beans, and we tried this quick-soaking cooking method: https://www.hippressurecooking.com/cannellini-and-mint-bean-salad-lesson-4-quick-soaking-beans/ We found that 1 lb dried yielded 2 1/3 cups dried, so we added ½ tsp salt (down from 2 or more tsp) and 9 1/3 cups water. We made sure not to fill the pressure beyond… Continue reading Quick-soaking cannellini beans, pressure-cooker style

Chicken salad with mustard and lemon flavors (mayo-free)

We tried this recipe to use up some leftover rotisserie chicken: https://www.healthy-delicious.com/chicken-salad-sandwiches-no-mayo/ Our modifications: first, we toasted the pine nuts in the toaster oven at 300 until lightly toasted. Second, for the mustard, we used ½ tsp Dijon and 2 tsp whole grain mustard (instead of just 1 tsp Dijon). We also finely diced the… Continue reading Chicken salad with mustard and lemon flavors (mayo-free)

Simple steak and tomato salad

We had half a serving of carne asada leftover, so we tossed together this simple salad with Mediterranean flavors: first, combine a finely minced shallot (about ¼ cup), 2 minced garlic cloves, 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar, ½ tsp dried Greek thyme, ½ tsp sugar, and a dash each of salt and black pepper. Second,… Continue reading Simple steak and tomato salad

Bacon-wrapped meatloaf

We tried this Pioneer Woman recipe: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/meatloaf-recipe-2042541 Our modifications: first, to reduce sodium, we omitted the seasoning salt and salt from the meat mixture. We also reduced the parmesan to ¾ cup (from 1 cup), and we used Kraft shredded instead of grated. In lieu of ¼ tsp seasoning salt, we used ¼ tsp homemade… Continue reading Bacon-wrapped meatloaf

Roasted vegetable, rice, and cheese frittata

We made a version of frittata based on our pantry: leeks, asparagus, bell pepper, and mushrooms. First, preheat the oven to 425. Take out two rimmed baking sheets. Wash and dry 6 asparagus spears, ½ bell pepper (we prefer any color but green), and 8 oz (about 8-9) cremini mushrooms. Cut the asparagus into 1.5-2"… Continue reading Roasted vegetable, rice, and cheese frittata

Chicken with lemon and olives

We tried this recipe, but halved everything: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017258-braised-chicken-with-lemon-and-olives?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share We found that 4 large thighs nicely in a deep 2-quart glass casserole dish. We used a large regular lemon instead of Meyer, and it was fine. For the 1-hour part of baking, we covered the casserole dish tightly with foil. At the end of baking, we… Continue reading Chicken with lemon and olives

King Arthur’s gluten-free brownies

We purchased King Arthur’s gluten-free flour for a different recipe, and we now have a lot of this special flour leftover. We tried this brownie recipe: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/gluten-free-brownies-recipe Because we used dark cocoa powder, we omitted the optional chocolate chips. We did include the optional 1 cup walnuts, and we used superfine sugar (as recommended by… Continue reading King Arthur’s gluten-free brownies

Filipino minced beef with string beans (ginisang baguio beans)

I first learned this recipe many years ago from a college friend. I misplaced her recipe, so we tried this one: http://www.russianfilipinokitchen.com/2014/07/30/sauteed-green-beans-with-ground-beef-filipino-style-ginisang-baguio-beans/ Our modifications: consistent with my friend’s recipe, we used ¼ cup white vinegar instead of water. We added the vinegar at the same time as the soy sauce, salt, and black pepper. Second,… Continue reading Filipino minced beef with string beans (ginisang baguio beans)

Chocolate haystacks

We tried this recipe: https://addapinch.com/chocolate-haystacks-recipe/ We made a half-recipe: 1 cup chow mein noodles (which we eventually increased to 1 ¼ cup); ½ cup pecan pieces, pistachios, and slivered almonds (lightly toasted together); 12 oz Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips (microwave-melted in a medium-sized ovenproof glass mixing bowl); and a sprinkle of kosher salt over the… Continue reading Chocolate haystacks

Sichuan bean thread noodles with minced pork

We tried this recipe: https://www.chinasichuanfood.com/ants-climbing-a-tree/ Our modifications: first, we reduced the bean thread noodles from 200 g to 160 g dried (4 small bundles from an 8-pack). We also used ½ lb minced pork as a proxy for 1 cup. Second, we reduced the doubanjiang to 2 tsp from 1 Tbsp (3 tsp). Third, we… Continue reading Sichuan bean thread noodles with minced pork