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: Simple (5 Ingredients or Less)
Sofrito Eggs
This recipe does not actually contain (tomato-based) sofrito, but instead calls for recaĂto (Puerto Rican cilantro-based sofrito). Perhaps, I should have named it RecaĂto 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
Steamed Crab Legs
To me, snow crab legs are practically the perfect food. High in protein, low in fat, they can go from freezer to table in less than an hour. Commonly served at all-you-can-eat buffets, they’re often boiled before being tossed onto the steam tables. Do yourself a favor: don’t boil these beauties. Boiling leeches out some… Continue reading Steamed Crab Legs
SazĂłn (Puerto Rican Seasoning)
The counterpart to adobo seco, sazĂłn is another Puerto Rican seasoned salt – the difference being that while adobo is primarily used to flavor meat, sazĂłn is primarily used to flavor vegetables. Traditionally, sazĂłn contains ground annatto (achiote molido) for color, but I can only find whole annatto seeds in my area. I’ve learned the… Continue reading SazĂłn (Puerto Rican Seasoning)
Adobo Seco (Dry Marinade)
Adobo seco is a Puerto Rican seasoned salt. Sprinkle generously on meat before cooking, to add a distinctive Latin flavor to your meal. Most basic recipes also include onion powder, but I modeled mine after a certain beloved store brand, which omits onion entirely, so now I prefer it that way. I’ve also added a… Continue reading Adobo Seco (Dry Marinade)
Applesauce
In an effort to eat more healthfully, I’ve removed sugar from some of my recipes. This simple chunky applesauce recipe is an early success, as it rightfully makes apples the star of the dish by taking advantage of their natural sweetness. After making this dish, it always bothered me to just throw away the apple… Continue reading Applesauce
Masala Chai
Often when I order “a chai” in a cafĂ© or specialty coffee shop, the server asks – or tries to “correct” me by saying – “Do you mean a chai tea latte?”. I have to reply with a yes, to get what I want, but I can’t help but find this Americanism incredibly irritating. The… Continue reading Masala Chai
Chai Spice
My all-time favorite tea is masala chai – a milky spiced black tea drink originating from South Asia – which I got my first taste of from a handful of delis and specialty coffee shops near my job. But enjoying it at home was difficult. Back then (circa 2003), the few offerings available on supermarket… Continue reading Chai Spice
