Hot and humid summer weather dictates that I use my stove as little as possible for the shortest possible amount of time. Fresh fish is always a good choice for summer meals since it cooks so fast. Sometimes I pan-fry or bake salmon with just a sprinkling of salt and pepper, other times I like
I like to eat bananas when the skins are spotted and ripe because they’re sweeter, but they can go mushy pretty fast. So what do you do with an overripe banana too messy to eat by hand? Make banana muffins! But most muffin recipes make too many for a person who lives alone. Recently I
I’ve always loved mini-meatballs. Beef, turkey, or Swedish, I could eat them as a meal or snack any day of the week. The first time I had Asian chicken meatballs as part of the dim sum menu in a restaurant, I had to figure out how to make those too. Soy sauce, rice vinegar, and
I whip out this dish when I crave Chili Con Carne, but am all out of ground meat. And since this version is just as hearty, I don’t miss it. The beans are the star here and I use whichever I have on hand—kidney, pinto, black, or a combination of these—it doesn’t matter. (Kidney beans
I prefer making quick-fix recipes, but chili is one of my exceptions. Though it only takes about 20 minutes for all the elements in any chili to cook through, a long simmering time is essential–to allow time for the beans to break down and thicken the sauce. This recipe as written has a mildly spicy
Pasta with meat sauce is a favorite comfort dish. I’ve made it a million times when I wanted something familiar and filling or when I was short on cash. I used to just open a jar of commercial spaghetti sauce, add some basic spices, and heat it up in five minutes. Now I start from
I don’t typically cook a big, hot breakfast. Most days, I like a quick fix, or I skip the meal altogether. But if I’ve got potatoes in the pantry on a leisurely weekend morning, you can bet I’ll make home fries with eggs. My version of home fries differs from my mom’s in that my
I love classic American beef stew but sometimes I crave something similar but a little less heavy; something beefy without the stick-to-your-ribs potatoes and carrots. That’s when I think of this meat stew known as Ropa Vieja. I serve it over hot white rice but if you drain off some of the sauce, you can also
If you’re familiar with this blog, you may have already started to notice a pattern between my and my mom’s dishes. She’s more of the chef, making good use of her trusty cast-iron skillet—and I’m more of the baker, (perhaps a little too) obsessed with chai spice. Part of the reason I gravitate toward baking
This refreshing salad is my new favorite no-cook summer side dish. Its simplicity makes it a snap to assemble and though the feta gives it a Greek/Mediterranean vibe, it’s really versatile enough to accompany a wide variety of mains, like Pan Fried Codfish. — H. Weal INGREDIENTS 1/2 pound plum tomatoes (about 3 medium), finely
Lying somewhere in the middle ground between flavored water and juice, the classic Mexican drink aguas frescas (lit. “fresh waters”) comes in many different varieties, often featuring fresh fruit. I use frozen strawberries in my version because they are already a staple ingredient in my kitchen and come conveniently pre-hulled. Garnish with a sprig of
I’ve beefed up (pun intended!) my marinara recipe into a sort of Americanized version of ragù alla Bolognese. Can’t technically call this Bolognese, as it is lacking the requisite soffritto base, but like that classic Italian dish, this hearty meat sauce is perfect to partner with short pasta noodles or as part of the filling
Karaage [ka-RAH-gay] has become one of my favorite snacks. It’s kind of like popcorn chicken with an Asian twist. This recipe requires marinating to make sure the chicken is well-seasoned–which you can do in an hour or so, but I like to marinate overnight. Karaage is often served in Japanese restaurants as an appetizer with a
I will admit, avocado is an acquired taste. I didn’t become a fan of the fruit–yes, it’s a fruit; a berry to be exact–until recently. For me, it’s best used for its creamy texture than for its taste. More specifically, I treat it almost like a soft, melty cheese. This open-faced sandwich is a perfect
My family of four is evenly split between early birds (me and our eldest) and night owls (my husband and our youngest), so we don’t typically eat breakfast together. But whenever those occasions crop up where we all have to be on the same schedule, Oven Roasted Bacon helps us get coordinated. It’s a set-it-and-forget-it
When we were kids, my dad would take me and my sibs to the diner across the street from his job whenever we would visit him there. No doubt my love for simple American diner food began right there. Over the years, I’ve visited diners all over my local tri-state area and have become a little
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
I had my first bowl of picadillo many years ago in a local Cuban restaurant and it was love at first bite. Picadillo is sort of like a sloppy joe with a twist — and a kick. If you can manage to get the olives, capers, raisins, and tomatoes all in one bite, you’ll be
Italian meatballs are often fried to develop a crispy exterior, but I find I can achieve the same effect — without adding oil — by roasting them instead. If you prefer soft meatballs, cook them in pasta sauce over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes. These are small enough to make a nice appetizer. Just
Trust me, this is just as good as traditional meatloaf. I made this dish three times before my family realized it wasn’t beef! I still make beef meatloaf occasionally (using this recipe), but I prefer turkey now because the meatloaf comes out less greasy. I like to serve it with a side of roasted vegetables
