A paw full of spice makes everything nice
Whatever happened to pork chops? Do people still eat pork chops? Are they celebrated with great joy and gobbled down with sheer food lust like Homer Simpson? Granted it has been over 13 years since I have lived in my home country so I am not sure if they are still quite as popular…
If you are a follower or even a fan of this blog, you’ll know that I love roasted red peppers (also pork belly, pasta and all things chicken but I digress). No offense to fresh, crunchy, raw red peppers, but roasted is where it is at. Soft, sweet and the perfect accompaniment to cheese (which…
How do I describe this pork and king oyster mushrooms stir-fry? Well, it’s difficult to put in words. Have you ever eaten something that made you question why you don’t eat that exact same thing every day? A food that is so tasty, so layered in flavor, succulent, juicy, salty and just a little…
We’re big fans of carbs in this house. Can’t get enough of them. I know in this day and age, a statement like that can be controversial given the popularity of low carb diets and cauliflower everything. However, my husband is an avid cyclist who needs to (seemingly constantly) carb load for race…
Nam Prik Pao, or Thai chili paste, is a delicious concoction of mild red chilies, garlic, shallots and a tad of shrimp paste. Sweeter than it is spicy, Nam Prik Pao can very easily be transformed into a sauce that can rescue even the dullest of dishes. Stir fry some vegetables with the chili…
There needs to be more anchovy pasta in the world Nowhere do I like anchovies more than in this pasta dish. Minced garlic and anchovies slowly cooked in olive oil and tossed with added breadcrumbs to soak up the oil and provide a bit of texture. Since I’m American and can’t help putting cheese…
What is kedgeree? Kedgeree is a British breakfast dish inspired by the Indian rice and lentil dish of khichdi. To anglicize to fit to British tastes, the lentils were swapped out for the beloved breakfast fish that is the kipper (smoked herring). When it came upon my turn to make this dish, I…
Pizza, pasta and more This tomato basil sauce is as versatile as it is quick and easy to make. Use it as a base for your homemade pizza or pour it over some pasta for a quick meal. I personally love it spooned over crispy chicken to make Chicken Parmesan. Just take…
The evolving fajitas recipe Let me preface this by saying that I know fajitas were originally made with skirt steak. Some food purists would argue that steak is the only way to have fajitas but I disagree. You gotta change with the times if you stay current and fajitas NEED to stay…
Salty Spanish Chorizo in a light garlic and tomato sauce with a bit of added heat. Serve over pasta for a delicious and easy meal.
Beef Stroganoff is one of those dishes that remind me of my childhood. The tender beef, the succulent mushrooms all in a creamy sauce over a pile of egg noodles. The only problem with trying to recreate it now is that my mother…
Springtime is here! In Italian, Primavera means springtime. Springtime with its awakening gardens and brighter days. So it makes sense that a pasta primavera be filled with all the garden has to offer. A colorful rainbow of fresh vegetables and mushrooms. Now if I am going to toss all those lovely fresh vegetables together with…
For me as a kid, nothing was as big of a bummer as being served Hawaiian pizza. This was a time in my life when I keep the sweet and savory completely separate. To quote my father, “Leave the fruit in the bowl”. So I did just that and painstakingly removed all…
Wok-fried beef noodles are my go-to ‘meh…not really feeling like putting in that much effort dish’. You know that feeling. Even people such as myself who love to cook can sometimes just get tired of it. That’s why I love this simple recipe. Just marinate the beef, chop up the…
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again – no one cooks better vegetarian and vegan food than countries in Asia. Some of my favorite foods are vegetarian and vegan: Karela chips from India, traditional Bibimbap from South Korea, tofu of all kinds, and of course, any vegetarian Indian…
Beef liver gets a bad reputation. Some people say that it is gritty and has a strong metallic tang to it. However, when I remember my grandmother’s liver and onions, I don’t recall either of these traits. Why is that? Was it a special magic spice she coated it with? Nope. She…
I started to worry that I would eat it all fo this fettuccine in Marsala cream before getting a decent photo of it. In between takes, I was sneaking bites. It’s difficult not to be tempted by this plate of pasta. As food goes, this is quite a sexy dish. I can’t think…
An Ex-pat staple food Whenever sitting down to eat in any restaurant in China, the wait staff would usually turn the menu pages to the Kung Pao Chicken picture knowing that I, an American ex-pat living in Beijing, would insist on ordering the dish. It’s true. I will ALWAYS order Kung Pao Chicken. I can’t…
For me, a meal isn’t complete without a big heaping pile of vegetables. However, I’m married to a man who thinks potatoes are the only vegetable he will ever need. Don’t get me wrong, potatoes are a great vegetable but I like a little color and variety on my plate. Recently, I’ve been…
You can’t go wrong with a curry Hoki, known as blue grenadier or blue hake, is a delicate and slightly sweet white fish with a medium flake. When it comes to cooking this delicious fish, my all-time favorite method of cooking it is to poach it in a spicy broth. Since I live in the…