My family likes bananas, but no matter how small a bunch we buy, we can never seem to get to the last one before it goes brown. One overripe banana is just perfect for tossing into a smoothie. But on the rare occasions when several have been neglected, I make banana bread. My recipe is… Continue reading Spiced Banana Bread
Category: Grains
Spinach Tomato Pasta with Chicken
When I think of pasta, my mind usually goes to spaghetti and meatballs or cheesy lasagna. But sometimes when I’m craving comfort food and don’t want to end up in a carb coma, I go for something like this. Still comforting but not quite as heavy and sleep-inducing. It’s a good way to use up… Continue reading Spinach Tomato Pasta with Chicken
Lemon Garlic Rice
I’ve always enjoyed flavored rice dishes but figured it was faster and easier to buy microwaveable rice rather than try to make it on my own. But co-author/daughter Hayley insisted that making my own flavored rice was just as easy and didn’t take long — and it wouldn’t include artificial colors and flavors. Finally, I… Continue reading Lemon Garlic Rice
Spiced Pumpkin Bread
This is my go-to dish for autumn potlucks. I almost always bring this to Thanksgiving or Halloween-themed office parties and Fall Festival school bake sales. This is by design; originally, I was not really a fan of pumpkin, but sought to learn a recipe with this flavor, to contribute something fitting for the season. But… Continue reading Spiced Pumpkin Bread
Spanish Rice with Pigeon Peas (Arroz con Gandules)
Arroz con gandules, or rice with peas is a staple in most Puerto Rican and Caribbean households. It’s one of my favorite dishes to order in Spanish restaurants and I finally decided to try making it on my own. It came out so good I ate it as a main dish instead of a side!… Continue reading Spanish Rice with Pigeon Peas (Arroz con Gandules)
Vegetable Lasagna
I love lasagna with ground beef but when I want comfort food that’s satisfying but not heavy, I make this instead. I try to incorporate seasonal vegetables in my meals whenever possible so in warmer weather, that usually means cold vegetable or pasta salads. But sometimes a cold salad just won’t do. One of the… Continue reading Vegetable Lasagna
Lee’s Sweet Cornbread
There are probably a dozen ways to make cornbread. Southern cornbread tends to be savory and is often served with barbeque or chili. Northern cornbread tends to be sweeter and cakelike. I’m a New York City woman with a sweet tooth, so I lean toward the sweeter version but I still want it to have… Continue reading Lee’s Sweet Cornbread
Chinese-Style Fried Rice
I grew up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, a stone’s throw from Chinatown so I’m kind of picky about my fried rice. Whenever my mom had a few extra bucks, she’d treat me and my siblings to dinner at a small restaurant there, off the beaten path. Sometimes the posted menu was in… Continue reading Chinese-Style Fried Rice
Parmesan Basil Orzo
I never understood orzo. Rice-shaped pasta? Pasta-flavored rice? I was never quite sure so I avoided it altogether — until now. This recipe comes from Hayley — my daughter and co-author of this blog — who’s cooking style leans toward quick and easy so I decided to give this one a try. Creamy, flavorful, satisfying:… Continue reading Parmesan Basil Orzo
Hayley’s Sweet Cornbread
Eaten warm or cold, as is, or served with a pat of butter and a dollop of jam, cornbread is great any way you slice it! (Pun intended. ) Because I use kosher salt for absolutely everything, my version comes out faintly flecked with it, which adds a deliciously subtle hint of salt to this… Continue reading Hayley’s Sweet Cornbread
