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

Toad in the hole

After watching The Crown, we felt inspired to make this classic British dish: https://www.seriouseats.com/toad-in-the-hole-recipe-11746714 Our modifications: first, we didn’t have British sausage, so we used three Polish country sausages (about 1 lb total), halved lengthwise. The Polish sausages were fully cooked, but we browned them in oil. Second, we lightly coated a 9x12" glass casserole… Continue reading Toad in the hole

Baked rigatoni

Inspired by the baked pasta dish we made while on vacation, we decided to try this recipe: https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/baked_ziti/ Our modifications: first, for the pasta we used 1 pound of rigatoni instead of ziti. We also preheated the oven to 350 at the start of preparation. Second, for the sauce we used ¾ lb spicy Italian… Continue reading Baked rigatoni

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

How to steam store-bought Korean sausage (soondae)

Method for steaming uncooked soondae links from a soondae shop. (Soondae is a traditional Korean blood sausage similar to boudin noir and haggis.) Tightly wrap the uncut sausage link (about 12 inches long) in saran wrap, place in a gallon storage bag, and refrigerate (do not freeze). Bring water to boil in a large Chinese… Continue reading How to steam store-bought Korean sausage (soondae)

Leftover rice and Chinese sausage frittata

I had a craving for a frittata with Asian flavors. We had about 1 cup of leftover cooked jasmine rice, so I experimented as follows: Preheat oven to 400. At the same time, heat 1 Tbsp neutral vegetable oil in a large (10") cast iron on the stove top on medium heat. Add 1 large… Continue reading Leftover rice and Chinese sausage frittata

Polenta with sausage and spiralized butternut squash

Details here: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016103-butternut-squash-polenta-with-sausage-and-onion Our modifications: first, for the polenta, we used 5 oz spiralized butternut. We also added about 1/3 cup water slowly over time while simmering to make sure the polenta mixture wasn’t too viscous. Second, we used a mix of hot and sweet Italian chicken sausage (2 links each). We also sautéed the… Continue reading Polenta with sausage and spiralized butternut squash

Hakka claypot rice with Chinese sausage

We followed this recipe from Linda Lau Anusasananan’s The Hakka Cookbook, with some modifications: first, measure 2 rice cooker cups of jasmine rice, rinse well, and then measure water (I used a rice cooker inner pot to get the right ratio). Pour the rice and water into a large - 1400 ml (5.1 cup) -… Continue reading Hakka claypot rice with Chinese sausage