For the past few days, I have dreamt of a molasses cake that I used to buy in the early aughts at Marvelous Market, a now-defunct local chain that served delicious baked goods. They sold their molasses cake in square-shaped slabs, similar to the freshly baked cornbread at Whole Foods. The cake had notes of…… Continue reading Molasses cake with fresh ginger
Tag: nostalgia
Simple pumpkin pie with a frozen crust
We misplaced our pie weights, so we weren’t able to blind-bake (prebake) a frozen pie crust. We decided to try this recipe, which calls for a frozen crust: https://startcooking.com/pumpkin-pie-for-beginners. Our modifications: first, we placed a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet in the oven before preheating to 425. Second, in lieu of 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice,…… Continue reading Simple pumpkin pie with a frozen crust
Easy banana chocolate chip bread
We had three overripe bananas, so we decided to try this recipe: https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/banana_bread/ Our modifications: first, we used 1/2 cup white sugar. Second, after folding in the flour, we added 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips to the batter. (Oct. 2025)
Classic scrambled eggs
We make scrambled eggs only a few times a year. This is one of those dishes that we take for granted as basic, yet has mixed results if the proper technique isn’t followed. This was a good opportunity for us to refresh best practices: https://www.seriouseats.com/fluffy-scrambled-eggs-recipe (Oct. 2025)
Split pea and ham soup, Instant Pot style
We had a craving for split pea soup and were intrigued by this recipe: https://www.recipetineats.com/pea-and-ham-soup/ As a child, I first had split pea soup with ham at a family friend’s house, and I remember being astonished that it took several hours of simmering on the stovetop. This recipe offers a great way to make this…… Continue reading Split pea and ham soup, Instant Pot style
Korean scallion and egg fried rice (bokkeum bap)
We had a craving for a mildly seasoned fried rice, so we tried this: https://www.koreanbapsang.com/egg-fried-rice-gyeran-bokkeumbap/ We found this recipe simple to make and delicious. It was reminiscent of chaufa blanco, a Chinese-Peruvian fried rice tossed with egg white, asparagus, and toasted sesame oil. Our only modification was to add 1/2 cup frozen peas. This was…… Continue reading Korean scallion and egg fried rice (bokkeum bap)
Japanese curry with cabbage and thinly sliced beef
We stumbled upon this version of Japanese curry, and it was delicious: https://www.japanesecooking101.com/pork-and-cabbage-curry/ Our modifications: first, instead of 12 oz thinly sliced pork, we used 10 oz thinly sliced beef. Second, we used less than 1/2 head of a small cabbage – probably closer 1/3 head. Third, we used 1/2 package of S&B hot curry…… Continue reading Japanese curry with cabbage and thinly sliced beef
Kimchi fried rice, version 2
We made this recipe based on pantry ingredients: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018097-kimchi-fried-rice?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share Our modifications: first, we used whole radish kimchi (chonggak kimchi), which we diced. Second, we omitted meat from this version. Finally, at the end of cooking we garnished with chili crisp (house made by Hanabi Ramen). (Aug. 2025)
Matzoh ball soup from frozen chicken, pressure cooker style
In our household, we routinely freeze extra pieces of raw chicken, including bits of fat and skin (e.g., chicken backs leftover from packages of chicken quarters). Today we made chicken soup from frozen, bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (3 wings, 1 chicken thigh, 2 drumsticks, 3 chicken backs and leftover fat / skin trimmings); carrots, celery,…… Continue reading Matzoh ball soup from frozen chicken, pressure cooker style
Korean cucumber salad (oi muchim)
We tried this straightforward recipe from Maangchi: https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/oi-muchim Our modifications: first, we used 3 Persian cucumbers instead of 1 English cucumber. Second, we omitted the onion. Finally, we added the optional ingredient, about 1 tsp sugar. This was a quick and tasty recipe, probably our favorite version of this Korean cucumber dish. (July 2025)
Cooking Adventures 