We had a craving for a vegetable-heavy soup with minced meat, so we tried this recipe: https://www.sandravalvassori.com/ground-turkey-soup/ For the vegetables, we used: carrots, celery, onion; Yukon potatoes (skin on), fresh tomatoes (see below); and fresh corn off the cob and baby spinach. This was a delicious and relatively healthy soup. Our modifications: first, instead of…… Continue reading Minced turkey and vegetable soup
Tag: quick meals
Vietnamese-style shredded cabbage salad with fried tofu
We decided to make this for a light lunch: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/12372-vietnamese-inspired-cabbage-salad-with-tofu?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share Our modifications: first, we halved the amount of cabbage (to 3 cups shredded) and the salad dressing. At the same time, we maintained the original amounts of extra firm tofu, carrot, and peanut. Second, for the extra firm tofu, we followed a method from SkinnyTaste…… Continue reading Vietnamese-style shredded cabbage salad with fried tofu
Fried sweet plantains (maduros)
We often bake sweet plantains to make them healthier, but we decided to try this traditional preparation: https://mydominicankitchen.com/fried-sweet-plantain-slices-platanos-maduros-fritos/ We used a large nonstick pan and 3/4 cup canola oil (instead of 1 cup). Immediately after placing the cooked plantain slices on a paper towel-lined plate, we sprinkled them with a little kosher salt. We served…… Continue reading Fried sweet plantains (maduros)
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)
Lebanese crispy meat-stuffed pita (arayes)
We tried this recipe from RecipeTin Eats: https://www.recipetineats.com/arayes-lebanese-meat-stuffed-pita/ We used 1 lb minced beef for the recipe. Our modifications: first, we followed the spice blend in the recipe except that we used 1/2 tsp ground Kashmiri pepper instead of cayenne. we could not find large pita, so we used five Middle East Bakery’s whole wheat…… Continue reading Lebanese crispy meat-stuffed pita (arayes)
Sheet-pan chicken tikka with bell pepper, cauliflower, and shallots
We found this recipe intriguing and decided to give it a try: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025554-sheet-pan-chicken-tikka-thighs?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share This was remarkably flavorful, with great mouthfeel; it’s definitely a keeper. Our modifications: first, 1.25 lb was the smallest unit of boneless chicken thighs we could find, so we slightly rounded up the other ingredients. For the yogurt, we used Fage nonfat…… Continue reading Sheet-pan chicken tikka with bell pepper, cauliflower, and shallots
Simple baked ziti
We had a craving for baked ziti, but we had limited ingredients in our pantry – 1 lb uncooked ziti, Rao’s marinara sauce, and some cheese. We tried this simple recipe that doesn’t use ricotta cheese or heavy cream: https://asimplepalate.com/blog/easy-baked-ziti/ Our modifications: first, to manage sodium for the 3 cups of tomato sauce, we combined…… Continue reading Simple baked ziti
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
Sicilian-style pasta with canned tuna
We craved a quick pasta dish, and we tried this: https://www.recipetineats.com/canned-tuna-pasta/ The capers, anchovies, and garlic remind us of Sicilian cuisine. Our modifications: first, based on our pantry, we used 7 oz mafaldine pasta, two 5-oz cans of no-salt tuna in water (which we drained, saving the tuna liquid separately), 1 tsp anchovy paste instead…… Continue reading Sicilian-style pasta with canned tuna