I never liked chicken breasts. I found them far too easy to overcook, so I stuck to cooking only thighs and drumsticks. But this recipe completely changed my opinion of cooking white meat. In fact, now I buy chicken breasts just so I can make this recipe! 🙂 I’ve made this several times and these… Continue reading Parmesan-Crusted Chicken
Category: Easy (5 Steps or Less)
Sofrito Eggs
This recipe does not actually contain (tomato-based) sofrito, but instead calls for recaíto (Puerto Rican cilantro-based sofrito). Perhaps, I should have named it Recaíto Eggs, but I learned this recipe from my husband’s side of the family and this is what they call it, so it’s fine by me too. This dish is cooked quickly,… Continue reading Sofrito Eggs
Mushroom Soup
Prior to age 25, the only mushrooms I’d ever eaten were canned or jarred in a tasteless brine, cut up in little bits that I occasionally tossed into tomato sauce and served over spaghetti. One night at a restaurant, I sampled my first fresh mushroom and that was it — I fell in love. I… Continue reading Mushroom Soup
White Chili
Technically, it takes only about 20 minutes for all the elements of this dish to cook through, but the long simmering time allows the beans to break down, which serves to thicken the chili. This chili is very spicy 🌶️🌶️, so if you can’t handle too much heat, try discarding the white membrane of the… Continue reading White Chili
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
Salsa Fresca
I don’t have a recipe for a traditional liquid salsa because I prefer the fresh taste of this simple blend of chopped vegetables. (Though I suppose all one would have to do is pulse in a food processor a couple times to turn this into a chunky sauce…? 🤷🏾 Anyway…) This salsa is spicy🌶️ –… Continue reading Salsa Fresca
Creamy Coleslaw
I’m crazy for cabbage. Wrapped in an egg roll, sauteed with bacon and onions, or raw, shredded and chilled in a tasty slaw, I’ll eat it any way it comes. One of my favorite pairings is hot wings or spicy barbecue with a big mound of cool, creamy coleslaw on the side. I’ve found some… Continue reading Creamy Coleslaw
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. Hayley’s signature recipes lean toward quick and easy so I decided to give this one a try. Creamy, flavorful, satisfying: if that isn’t the definition of comfort food, I don’t know what is. Make… Continue reading Parmesan Basil Orzo
Roasted Chicken Legs
Make this a meal by adding some vegetables to roast alongside the chicken in a large sheet pan. I like this with a couple of sliced up bell peppers and a half pound of baby potatoes. 😋 You can also switch this up by adding or substituting herbs or spices that complement the side dish.… Continue reading Roasted Chicken Legs
