We tried this recipe for an easy weeknight meal. Because we wanted leftovers for the week, we doubled the recipe. For the sauce, to reduce sodium, we combined 32 oz Rao's marinara, 16 oz no-salt tomato sauce (two 8-oz cans), and 2 oz water mixed with 1 Tbsp no-salt tomato paste. We reduced the thick… Continue reading Cheesy baked orzo with marinara
Tag: quick meals
Mild kichidi (Indian mung bean and rice porridge)
We are feeling under the weather, and we craved a mildly seasoned version of kichidi. This fit the bill, and it was comforting and tasty. https://myheartbeets.com/instant-pot-khichdi-rice-lentil-porridge/ We halved the recipe: 1/2 cup basmati and 1/4 cup moong dal (but see Note below); 1 Tbsp ghee, 3/4 tsp cumin seeds, 1 bay leaf; 3 cups water,… Continue reading Mild kichidi (Indian mung bean and rice porridge)
Sichuan stirfried chicken breast, mushrooms, and asparagus
We tried this recipe: https://www.chinasichuanfood.com/pork-and-mushroom-stir-fry/ We followed the instructions but made protein and vegetable substitutions. First, we used 8 oz chicken cutlets (thinly sliced across the grain, approx. 1/8″ thick) instead of pork. Second, we dislike biting into ginger or garlic slices, so we microplaned both ginger and garlic. Third, instead of shiitake mushrooms, we…… Continue reading Sichuan stirfried chicken breast, mushrooms, and asparagus
Middle Eastern style lentil and split yellow pea soup
We were craving a legume-based soup and tried this recipe: https://thishungrykitten.com/2013/03/26/middle-eastern-delight-lentil-and-split-pea-soup/ This was comforting, earthy, and tasty. Our modifications: first, we don’t have a slow cooker, so we made this on the stovetop. Second, we increased the ground cumin and supplemented with ground coriander. Specifically, after sauteeing the onion, we added 2 tsp cumin and…… Continue reading Middle Eastern style lentil and split yellow pea soup
Orzo with chick pea in tomato sauce (pasta e ceci)
We tried this recipe: https://www.thekitchn.com/easy-pasta-and-beans-257210 This recipe calls for chicken broth, but if you use vegetable broth, it easily could be vegetarian. Our modifications: first, we halved the recipe. Second, based on our pantry we used 1/2 tsp dried basil instead of fresh, and we added it just before simmering the orzo in sauce. We…… Continue reading Orzo with chick pea in tomato sauce (pasta e ceci)
Vegetable soup
This is a flexible soup recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024427-vegetable-soup?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share We used the vegetables we had on hand in the following order: first, onion, carrots, celery; second, russet potato; and finally, pipian squash (related to zucchini), fresh beans, sugar peas, and corn. We used unsalted chicken broth and added 2 Parmesan rinds for umami, so this was not…… Continue reading Vegetable soup
British cheese on toast
We wanted to find an easy open face sandwich to accompany our asparagus soup (https://piglettedc.wordpress.com/2015/06/13/asparagus-soup-this-soup-tastes-creamy-but-it/). We tried this recipe: https://www.thekitchn.com/cheese-on-toast-recipe-23309869. We used two slices of Mt. Athos bread, which we toasted. Then we moved the toasted slices to a foil-lined toaster oven tray and applied a light spread (1/4 tsp) of Marmite on top before…… Continue reading British cheese on toast
Andouille sausage and vegetable soup
We had a craving for broth-based soup flavored with sausage, so we tried this recipe: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/summer-vegetable-soup-with-andouille-3364832 Our modifications: first, we used 1/2 lb (2 links) Whole Foods frozen, uncooked chicken andouille sausage, which we cut into 1/2" thick slices, cooked thoroughly, and browned in 1 Tbsp canola oil in a stainless steel, low-walled Dutch oven.… Continue reading Andouille sausage and vegetable soup
Simple tapioca pudding
I had a sudden craving for pudding, so we tried this recipe: https://www.food.com/recipe/tapioca-pudding-using-minute-tapioca-107575 We followed the recipe verbatim, except that we garnished each serving with toasted, crushed pistachios for texture. This was tasty and satisfying. (Oct. 2023)
Persian lentil soup
We had a craving for lentil soup and were intrigued by this recipe: https://girlandthekitchen.com/persian-lentil-soup/ Although we used chicken broth (4 cups unsalted, 4 cups Better Than Bouillon), this recipe easily could be vegetarian if made with vegetable broth. Although we try to use no-salt canned tomatoes, we used stewed tomatoes (which are seasoned and contain…… Continue reading Persian lentil soup