Tuscan bean soup (ribollita)

We craved a plant-forward soup with beans and leafy greens, so we made this: https://www.feastingathome.com/ribollita-recipe/ We followed the recipe pretty closely, and this was very tasty. We omitted the bacon / pancetta, but we used chicken broth (4 cups unsalted, 2 cups Better Than Bouillon). For the white wine, we estimated a "splash" to be… Continue reading Tuscan bean soup (ribollita)

Pico de gallo

We had planned to make guacamole, but due to not-great avocados, we quickly had to switch gears. We don't have cilantro in our beach pantry, so we made this cilantro-free version that uses ground cumin instead: https://poshplate.us/salsa-no-cilantro/ Our modifications: first, we combined 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 finely minced small shallot, 1 finely minced jalapeño… Continue reading Pico de gallo

Simple summer melon salad

We are still at the beach. A local olive oil merchant recommended this simple recipe: peel and cut cantaloupe and watermelon into bite-sized pieces, then drizzle with peach-infused white balsamic vinegar and basil-infused olive oil (in a 4:3 ratio). Lightly toss, then serve. This was refreshing and delicious. If we were home with our full… Continue reading Simple summer melon salad

Simple powdered sugar icing

We are at the beach, without access to our normal pantry or kitchen tools. We baked a boxed devil's food cake, but we didn't want to use prepared frosting. We tried this simple recipe for icing: https://www.culinaryhill.com/powdered-sugar-icing/ We used 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 2.5 Tbsp half and half, and 1 Tbsp… Continue reading Simple powdered sugar icing

Ghanaian eggs with tomato relish (kosua ne meko)

I am a huge fan of Ghanaian cuisine. We decided to try this intriguing recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024548-kosua-ne-meko?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share The dish is delicious, with layers of complex, briny, and refreshing flavors. It also is very simple to make, using humble ingredients. It would make a wonderful appetizer for a summer dinner party. Our modifications: first, because we didn't… Continue reading Ghanaian eggs with tomato relish (kosua ne meko)

Mall teriyaki chicken

We tried this recipe: https://thewoksoflife.com/mall-chicken-teriyaki/ Like the author of the Woks of Life blog post, I have fond memories of eating teriyaki chicken in food courts as a kid. We used 2 lb chicken thighs and followed the ingredient proportions. Our modifications: first, we added 2 scallions (cut into 2" straws) and 1/4 tsp ground… Continue reading Mall teriyaki chicken

Cajun red beans and rice

We tried this Bon Appetit recipe: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/red-beans-and-rice-recipe. Our chicken andouille sausage (a 6 oz link) was raw, so we sliced it and browned before adding to the stew. This yielded a well-seasoned stew, but the broth was too soupy. We added 1 1/4 cups frozen okra in an attempt to thicken it, and this helped… Continue reading Cajun red beans and rice

Cuban beans and rice

We had a craving for moros y cristianos, so we tried this recipe: https://www.chewoutloud.com/cuban-rice-and-beans-recipe/ We substituted red bell pepper for green. We also followed the instructions exactly (except that we thoroughly rinsed and drained the rice to remove excess starch). To our disappointment, the result was overcooked and mushy rice. Otherwise, the flavor of the… Continue reading Cuban beans and rice