I’ve probably eaten my weight in spareribs over the years but wasn’t sure I could ever make them successfully at home — until I made them in my slow cooker. You’ll need to finish them in the oven but only for about 15 minutes. The hot oven helps the sauce caramelize and cling to the… Continue reading Slow Cooker Spare Ribs
Category: Simple (5 Ingredients or Less)
Strawberry Sauce
I came up with this one a couple years ago, when I wanted to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but was all out of jam. I had recently learned how to make simple syrup (boil a 1:1 ratio of water and sugar until sugar dissolves) and figured, cooking down some fruit into the… Continue reading Strawberry Sauce
Roasted Carrots
When I was a kid, the only carrots I consumed were tasteless orange lumps floating in soup or stew, or worse, canned carrots mixed with peas — also devoid of taste and texture. As a result, I didn’t care much for carrots at all. But nutritionists are always urging us to eat plenty of colorful… Continue reading Roasted Carrots
Limeade
Though typically regarded as a summertime drink, limeade has become a year-round staple in my house. For the past six years, not a week has gone by when we haven’t had a full pitcher of the stuff in our refrigerator. It’s a nostalgia thing. For me, it brings back childhood memories of rolling lemons for… Continue reading Limeade
Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan
For years, asparagus was one of those veggies I only ate in restaurants. It just seemed too exotic to make at home, probably because I was raised mostly on the usual boring variety of canned vegetables: peas, corn, and string beans. As my cooking skills improved and I bade goodbye to canned vegetables forever, I… Continue reading Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan
Hard-Boiled Eggs
For years, I’ve been using a pretty surefire method for hard-boiling eggs in such a way that the shells don’t stick: the cold start method – submerge eggs in water, bring to a boil, let steam 10 minutes, then shock in ice water before removing shells. But I’ve just tried an even better method: the… Continue reading Hard-Boiled Eggs
Shortbread
You’ll need a kitchen scale for this one. A proper shortbread adheres to a strict 3-2-1 ratio – 3 parts flour, 2 parts butter, and 1 part sugar. My version is a little less exact, using a bit less flour, which brings out more of the sweet and buttery flavor. The taste is still subtle… Continue reading Shortbread
Parmesan-Crusted Chicken
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
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
Marinara Sauce
This basic marinara — calling for only five ingredients — is proof of how little is needed to deliver satisfying flavor. Some cooks sweeten their sauce to balance the tomatoes’ acidity, but I don’t find this hack necessary. Raw tomatoes may start out a little bitter, but that acerbity disappears all on its own if… Continue reading Marinara Sauce
