King Arthur’s gluten-free brownies

We purchased King Arthur’s gluten-free flour for a different recipe, and we now have a lot of this special flour leftover. We tried this brownie recipe: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/gluten-free-brownies-recipe Because we used dark cocoa powder, we omitted the optional chocolate chips. We did include the optional 1 cup walnuts, and we used superfine sugar (as recommended by… Continue reading King Arthur’s gluten-free brownies

Filipino minced beef with string beans (ginisang baguio beans)

I first learned this recipe many years ago from a college friend. I misplaced her recipe, so we tried this one: http://www.russianfilipinokitchen.com/2014/07/30/sauteed-green-beans-with-ground-beef-filipino-style-ginisang-baguio-beans/ Our modifications: consistent with my friend’s recipe, we used ¼ cup white vinegar instead of water. We added the vinegar at the same time as the soy sauce, salt, and black pepper. Second,… Continue reading Filipino minced beef with string beans (ginisang baguio beans)

Chocolate haystacks

We tried this recipe: https://addapinch.com/chocolate-haystacks-recipe/ We made a half-recipe: 1 cup chow mein noodles (which we eventually increased to 1 ¼ cup); ½ cup pecan pieces, pistachios, and slivered almonds (lightly toasted together); 12 oz Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips (microwave-melted in a medium-sized ovenproof glass mixing bowl); and a sprinkle of kosher salt over the… Continue reading Chocolate haystacks

Sichuan bean thread noodles with minced pork

We tried this recipe: https://www.chinasichuanfood.com/ants-climbing-a-tree/ Our modifications: first, we reduced the bean thread noodles from 200 g to 160 g dried (4 small bundles from an 8-pack). We also used ½ lb minced pork as a proxy for 1 cup. Second, we reduced the doubanjiang to 2 tsp from 1 Tbsp (3 tsp). Third, we… Continue reading Sichuan bean thread noodles with minced pork

Banana everything cookies

This is a kitchen sink recipe that uses banana as a binder in lieu of eggs and butter, plus chocolate chips, walnuts, and oats. We tried this recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1012904-banana-everything-cookies?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share We used 1 large, ripe banana. Instead of spraying the baking sheets with oil, we lined with parchment, which we then sprayed with corn oil. We… Continue reading Banana everything cookies

Pasta with roasted grape tomatoes

This is a great pantry recipe. We used ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan instead of pecorino cheese and ¼ cup matzoh meal instead of bread crumbs. Details here: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1778-penne-with-roasted-cherry-tomatoes?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share When tossing the al dente pasta with the roasted tomatoes, we used about ¼ cup pasta water and 1 additional Tbsp olive oil. We also sprinkled… Continue reading Pasta with roasted grape tomatoes

Lasagna with roasted Brussels sprouts

We made this recipe: https://piglettedc.tumblr.com/post/188332589976/spinach-lasagna-we-tried-this-mark-bittman-nyt Instead of 1 ¼ lb fresh spinach, we used 1 lb Brussels sprouts that we had trimmed, quartered, and roasted. We generally followed this Brussels sprout recipe but omitted salt and black pepper: https://piglettedc.tumblr.com/post/180053950436/oven-roasted-brussel-sprouts-we-followed-this While we love Brussels sprouts, we found the flavor overpowered the overall dish. A neutral vegetable… Continue reading Lasagna with roasted Brussels sprouts

Pasta with mushrooms and gremolata

Gremolata is an intoxicating combo of garlic, parsley, and lemon zest. We tried this recipe, and it was delicious: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/12791-pasta-with-mushrooms-and-gremolata?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share Our modifications: first, based on our pantry, we used 8 oz (½ lb) cremini mushrooms (instead of 1 lb mixed mushrooms), cut into ½" slices. We found the amount of mushroom to be sufficient. Second,… Continue reading Pasta with mushrooms and gremolata

Sicilian-style pasta with anchovies, capers, and roasted cauliflower and cremini mushrooms

First, preheat the oven to 425. Wash ½ head cauliflower (about 2 cups) and cut into medium-size florets (about 2"x1"), pat until bone-dry, and toss in 1 Tbsp olive oil and black pepper. Wash 8 oz (½ lb) cremini mushrooms, pat bone-dry, and cut into large bite-sized pieces (1" thick). Toss with 1 Tbsp olive… Continue reading Sicilian-style pasta with anchovies, capers, and roasted cauliflower and cremini mushrooms