A few days ago, my husband savored a brothy lentil and rice soup at a local Italian cafe. That inspired us to make another version of lentil and rice soup, and we tried this Colombian recipe: https://www.mycolombianrecipes.com/vegetarian-lentil-and-rice-soup-sopa-de-lentejas-y-arroz/ Our modifications: first, we finely minced the 1/2 red bell pepper (seeded and quartered) and carrot (roughly cut… Continue reading Colombian lentil and rice soup (sopa de lentejas y arroz)
Tag: 2024
Colombian spicy, acidic aromatic garnish (aji)
We tossed together this quick and refreshing condiment to garnish our Colombian lentil and rice soup. This recipe is simple and delicious: https://www.food.com/recipe/aji-colombian-salsa-377331 We used 2 cherry tomatoes and 1 small jalapeño from our garden. (Sept. 2024)
West African-style okra stew
I love okra and hoped to make a stew with a Ghanaian flavor profile (tomato-based, seasoned with onion, habanero, and ginger). We tried this recipe: https://honest-food.net/okra-stew-recipe/ Our modifications: first, we used only 1 habanero, which provided plenty of heat. Second, because we didn’t want a soupy stew, we reduced the liquid (no-salt chicken broth) to…… Continue reading West African-style okra stew
Chicken curry puffs
We don’t make savory pastries often, but we had a craving this weekend. We tried this recipe: https://onolicioushawaii.com/curry-puffs/ Our modifications: first, instead of 3 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, we used 1 lb minced chicken. We also used 2 medium yukon potatoes and 1 medium onion. We found the seasoning (1 Tbsp S&B curry powder, 2…… Continue reading Chicken curry puffs
Japanese chicken meatballs (tsukune)
My husband loves meatballs of all kinds. So we tried this recipe: https://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2019/09/japanese-chicken-meatballs-recipe-tsukune.html As written, the recipe calls for 14 oz ground chicken, but we had 16 oz (1 lb) from the supermarket. We adjusted the recipe by slightly tweaking the other meatball ingredients (e.g., mounded), but we left the sauce amount the same as…… Continue reading Japanese chicken meatballs (tsukune)
Honey-soy chicken drumsticks and wings
We bought a lot of chicken drumsticks and wings preparing for a dinner party later this week, so we decided to use some extra pieces (5 drums, 5 wings) for this recipe: https://alexandracooks.com/2013/02/26/honey-soy-chicken-drumsticks-thighs-or-wings/ Our modifications: first we slightly reduced the soy sauce to 1/3 cup (down from 1/2 cup) and honey to 7/8 cup (down…… Continue reading Honey-soy chicken drumsticks and wings
Black bean puree with chipotle en adobo
We made this recipe, but with significant modifications: https://vanillaandbean.com/chipotle-black-bean-dip/ Our modifications: first, we omitted the cilantro from the puree, using it only as garnish. Second, instead of pureeing the raw ingredients, we first heated the black beans (no-salt canned, rinsed and drained), garlic, chipotle en adobo, cumin, and a sprinkle of salt (1/4 tsp) in…… Continue reading Black bean puree with chipotle en adobo
Dill cucumber salad
We tried this recipe: https://frommybowl.com/crunchy-cucumber-dill-salad/ Our modifications: first, we used 3 Persian cucumbers, which we halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4″ slices on a diagonal. Second, for the red wine vinegar, whole grain mustard, and olive oil marinade, we added 1 tsp rice vinegar (Marukan green label) and 1/2 tsp sugar for brightness. (July 2024)
Pico de gallo
We made this recipe from Cookie and Kate: https://cookieandkate.com/classic-pico-de-gallo-recipe/ We prepared this condiment to season the bean filling for bean and cheese burritos: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022532-bean-and-cheese-burritos?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share. We used 3 vine-ripened tomatoes (seeds and liquid removed, then finely diced) plus about 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes from our garden (finely diced). We reduced the cilantro to 1 Tbsp. At… Continue reading Pico de gallo
Split pea soup, Instant Pot version
We had a craving for split pea soup, and we wanted to give our new Instant Pot another spin. We tried this recipe: https://www.acouplecooks.com/instant-pot-split-pea-soup/ We followed the recipe closely, except that we tossed in a few sprigs of thyme along with the peas (picked over and rinsed), 1 tsp salt, and 8 cups broth. We…… Continue reading Split pea soup, Instant Pot version
Cooking Adventures 