How to Tell if Chicken is Done / Spaghetti Squash with Roasted Tomatoes / Braised Pork Sirloin

Blog Post: Chicken Still Pink After Cooking? Don't Panic

The USDA says that as long as all parts of the chicken have reached a minimum internal temperature of 165°, it is safe to eat. Color does not indicate doneness.

Recipes: Complete meatless meal: Spaghetti Squash with Roasted Tomatoes

Roast in the oven for 30 minutes. Stir in beans and parsley and continue roasting until beans are hot and tomatoes are shrivelled, about 10 minutes. Mound squash on platter and spoon tomato mixture on top.

Blog Post & Recipe: Choosing a Cut That's High on the Hog- Braised Pork Sirloin

Well, the loin is where we get the leanest and most tender pork cuts (all those baby back ribs I just mentioned also come from the loin, so don't get confused). But in general loin cuts are lean. They are what we call "high on the hog". But these cuts tend to dry out if overcooked, so braising is a good way to prevent that.

Vegetarian Mushroom & Cannellini Bean Ragout / Pumpkin Chili with Cornbread Smudges / Fried Green Tomatoes

Blog Post & Recipe: Vegetarian Mushroom & Cannellini Bean Ragout Recipe

The ragout can be made up to 2 days in advance. Store, covered, in the refrigerator. Reheat before serving.

Recipe: pumpkin chili with cornbread smudges

The corn "smudges", as I've dubbed them, were an attempt to make cornbread flavored crackers... they tasted great with the chili, but be warned, they aren't crispy crackers.

Blog Post & Recipe: Fried Green Tomatoes

Tip: They key to fried green tomatoes it to make sure that the tomato slices are not too thick to ensure that they get cooked all the way through. ... Tangy green tomatoes dipped in buttermilk and cornmeal and then fried until golden brown and crispy on the outside.

Braised Fennel / Adobong Puti (White Chicken Adobo) / Stir-Fried Liver & Onions

Blog Post & Recipe: Braised Fennel

After 25 minutes of low-and-slow braising, it's meltingly tender. Adding chopped fronds at the last minute helps bring out the fennel's unique licorice flavor.

Blog Post & Recipe: Adobong Puti (White Chicken Adobo) for Kulinarya Cooking Club

A more common version of adobo is cooked with vinegar and soy, this recipe eliminates the soy sauce, which makes it the “white” version of adobo. Adobo is essentially a stew, usually made with chicken and pork, where the meat is simmered over and the dish is finished by pan frying the meat before serving.

Blog Post & Recipe: The Nasty Bits: Stir-Fried Liver and Onions

I know that my aunt would have stir-fried the pieces of liver with plenty of chili oil, oyster sauce, and rice wine, and leave the centers still rosy. I know that she would have sauteed the onions until they were soft and sweet and brown. She would have eaten the liver with plenty of white rice, her one weakness. She loved rice. She couldn't go a day without it. She would have taken the sauce, made rich and muddy with bits of broken-up liver, and spooned it with relish over her bowl of rice.

The Easiest Way to Poach an Egg / Eggplant Involtini / Tamales Filled with Carnitas in Pipian Sauce

Blog Post & Recipe: the easiest way to poach an egg + 8 reasons to eat eggs for breakfast

I find adding a generous slug of white vinegar to the poaching water – we’re talking a good 3-4 tablespoons, is all you need to get good looking poached eggs, every time.

Blog Post & Recipe: Eggplant Involtini

The eggplant are cut into 1/2-inch slices and broiled briefly to tenderize them. Then the slices are rolled up and around a simple mixture of breadcrumbs, garlic, balsamic vinegar, mozzarella, basil, oregano, red pepper and diced tomatoes (pine nuts too, but I omitted them). Once assembled, you pop the eggplant rolls into the oven to heat them through and melt the cheese.

Blog Post & Recipe: GCC: Tamales filled with Carnitas in Pipian Sauce [ via ]

But, you can certainly accomplish this dish all by yourself. With a bit of planning and breaking the instructions into manageable parts, it is totally doable. Give yourself 2 days for this one. Gather the ingredients and cook the filling on day 1, and then prepare and cook the tamales on day 2.

Nigel Slater's Salsa Verde / Warm Chickpea Salad with Cumin, Garlic / How to Smoor a Rabbit

Recipe: Nigel Slater's classic salsa verde recipe

Literally "green sauce", this cold accompaniment is made from olive oil, parsley, capers and garlic. Known as the sauce to serve with Italian boiled meats, it is also appropriate with everything from grilled seafood to baked tomatoes.

Article & Recipe: Warm chickpea salad with cumin, garlic

This salad is one of my favorite ways to turn chickpeas into lunch: crunchy with tiny cumin seeds, punched up with a pinch of red chili flakes. Cool, crisp cucumber nestles in between the chickpeas, and sun-dried tomatoes lend a savory note.

Blog Post & Recipe: How to Smoor an Old Rabbit

‘To smoor’ is a Scots and Northern England verb meaning ‘to smother’, and several references indicate that it was a useful technique used against one’s enemies ... It came to have quite a different usage in the kitchen (although the Oxford English Dictionary does not recognise it), where it means to cook slowly in a closed pot.

To smoore an old Coney, Ducke, or Mallard, on the French fashion.

Ginataang Hipon (Shrimp in Coconut Milk) / John Allison's Toad in the Hole / Quinoa cakes

Blog Post & Recie: G is for Gata and How to Make Ginataang Hipon (Shrimp in Coconut Milk)

Half a cup of coconut milk for a pound of shrimp. Roughly.
Use cream instead of milk, when you can.
Devein shrimp but keep heads and shells on.

Article & Recipe & Drawings: Recipe Comix: Toad in the Hole

Here, Allison's intrepid school-age detectives Lottie and Mildred whip up a version of toad in the hole that will turn us all into excellent housewives, even if we previously thought ourselves thwarted by age or gender

Blog Post & Recipe: Polpete od kvinoje / Quinoa cakes

They are actually vegetarian burgers, they hold up very well and bake nicely ... Quinoa is so versatile, you can use it both in savory and sweet dishes. These cakes are a hit, topped with some poached egg, or simply served wit a yogurt/cream or vegetable dip

Pasta with Sugar Snap Peas & Pancetta / Cherry Cream Cheese Turnovers / Basil Pesto Muffins

Blog Post & Recipe: Pasta with Sugar Snap Peas and Pancetta: When you kill the TV

The flavors are bright and simple but delicious all melded together.

Blog Post & Recipe: Cherry Cream Cheese Turnovers

Here’s what you need to know: Fresh cherries. Cream cheese. Sugar. Puff pastry.

Blog Post & Recipe: Much Virtue in Herbs: Basil Pesto Muffins

If you like the flavor of pesto and Parmesan cheese, you will love these. They are the perfect accompaniment to a plate of pasta with red sauce.

Tonkatsu (Japanese Pork Cutlet) / Spice Rubbed Roast Chicken / Tomato & Cucumber Salad with Cornbread

Blog Post & Recipe: seeing red

A traditional accompaniment is sliced cabbage and since you soak it in water for about an hour, it’s advised that you start with that step first. Once you get the cabbage soaking, break out the pork loin! Well, I used pork loin chops. You just need pork loin chops, salt, pepper, an egg, flour, and panko (flaky Japanese bread crumbs – flaky as in texture, not in terms of reliability). And oil for frying.

Tonkatsu (Japanese Pork Cutlet)

Blog Post & Recipe: Look no further roast chicken

Until I came upon Thomas Keller technique for perfect and comforting roast chicken; his philosophy is pretty simple, straightforward and 100% foolproof: the drier the meat, the crispier the skin, the better the roast chicken. All he does is pat dry the chicken with paper towel, season it inside and out with salt and pepper and roast it in a heavy skillet for almost an hour without basting or disturbing until crispy and irresistible.

Spice rubbed roast chicken

Blog Post & Recipe: Tomato and cucumber salad with cornbread croutons

But the final piece of the dish—the cornbread croutons—ended up being a bit trickier. On my first attempt, I added them when the salad was marinating, but they soon turned to mush. After some experimenting, I learned the best way for them to stay solid was to add them right before serving. The cornbread croutons will still soak up some of the dressing, but they take on the bright fire of the jalapeños, which is always a welcome thing.

Barbounofassoula (Stewed Borlotti Beans) / Skillet Eggplant & Lentils with Almond Parmesan / Perfect Pan-Roasted Chicken Thighs

Blog Post & Recipe: Fassolia Ηantres Giahni or Barbounofassoula (Stewed Borlotti Beans)

This is one of the dishes I enjoy as they are delicious, with a meatier texture than common beans and a good source of protein and fibre

Blog Post & Recipe: Skillet Eggplant and Lentils with Almond Parmesan

To make Almond Parmesan, process 1/4 cup nutritional yeast and 1/3 cup whole raw almonds in a blender or food processor until crumbly. Store in refrigerator.

Blog Post & Recipe: perfect pan-roasted chicken thighs

Despite it’s simple ingredient list- salt, pepper and a bit of vegetable oil, it’s really about technique and searing the skin to get really crispy results. Did I mention that it only takes 35 minutes?

3 Mushroom Recipes / Creamy Spinach Soup / Fresh Spring Rolls with Spicy Carrot Sauce

Blog Post & Recipes: What’s for Dinner? – Mushroom Masters Dinner Duel

We’ve arrived at the mid-way point of our Mushroom Masters 2011: A Tournament of Taste!

Mushroom Wellington ... Mushroom and Caramelized Onion Tacos ... Marsala Mushroom Cream Sauce over Beer Braised Beef

Blog Post & Recipe: Desperation Dinners: Salad Soup (i.e., Creamy Spinach Soup)

A quick perusal of my refrigerator and pantry saved the evening, producing a couple of bags of spinach, some pearl onions, a block of cream cheese, fresh garlic, chicken stock, and an assortment of dried herbs and spices. While I brought the chicken stock to a simmer, I gave the spinach a quick chop ... then dropped it into the stock, along with the pearl onions, garlic, and herbs. After a quick cook, I added the cream cheese.

Blog Post & Recipe: Fresh Spring Rolls with Spicy Carrot Sauce

I am a fan of cilantro, so for today's post, I thought I would serve up something cool and refreshing, that highlights vibrant herbs and vegetables. Perfect for these hot summers, you will find these Vietnamese-style Fresh Spring Rolls with Spicy Carrot Sauce satisfying with the crunch of carrots and cucumber, the coolness of slippery bean threads (rice vermicelli), succulent seafood, and peppy herbs such as mint, cilantro and basil.

Steamed Pork Buns (Baozi) / Miso Noodle Soup / 3 Cooking With Milk Recipes

Blog Post & Recipe: Recipe: Steamed Pork Buns (Baozi)

For the filling, combine the pork, cabbage, scallions, soy, sesame oil, and sherry in a large bowl. Set aside.

Blog Post & Recipe: Miso Noodle Soup

This is one of those incredibly quick recipes that is perfect when the first cold days of autumn arrives. Have it for lunch or add some tofu and have it as a light dinner.

Blog Post & Recipe: Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's cooking with milk recipes

This week, I'm marinating, poaching and simmering meat and fish in the white stuff, using milk – and buttermilk – to keep the flesh moist and to carry, round out and deepen flavour.

Pork in milk ... Buttermilk chicken ... Cullen Skink

Stir Fried Dried Cuttlefish (Ojinguh Chae Bokkeum) / Daikon Sweet Pickles / Somtam

Recipe: Stir Fried Dried Cuttlefish (Ojinguh Chae Bokkeum)

A staple side dish in most Korean kitchens and lunchboxes. Takes less than 5 minutes to make and will stay good for a long time. Adjust the amount of red chili paste and sugar depending on how spicy and sweet you like it.

Blog Post & Recipe: Takuwan-Japanese Daikon Sweet Pickles

Making the takuwan yellow comes from the artisan method or old fashioned method of making takuwan in Japan, this longer method can be seen on Takuan/Japanese Pickled Daikon: Basic Recipe by the Shizuoka Gourmet. Mrs. Miyake's recipe is sweet and takes a lot less time.

Blog Post & Recipe: Pok, pok, pok… Somtam!

Somtam comes in many variations depending on the region and personal preferences. In Isaan, or northeastern Thailand, where somtam is often called tam bak hung, plaa raa (fermented fish sauce)—no problem for me in small doses but often an acquired taste for many others—is often added in a papaya salad. The central Thai version often sees the addition of items such as salted egg, grilled pork collar or plaa haeng (ikan bilis, or dried anchovies).

Zucchini & Tomato Flatbread Pizza / Chickpeas with Sage / Stir Fried Chinese Chives

Blog Post & Recipe: Farmer’s Market Flatbread Pizza

I shredded the zucchini, sauteed it with olive oil, and spread it on a toasted flatbread. It got kind of, almost, creamy? Obviously it was a little weird. But totally good.

Blog Post & Recipe: Chickpeas with sage

Using sage from the patio, walnuts from the freezer, leftover chickpeas and butter, I made this instead. It is crunchy, its delicious, it has the subtle fragrance of roasted butter (what the French call beurre noisette). Did you ever try fried sage leaves? You will eat these crispy and dainty gems like popcorn.

Blog Post & Recipe: Stir Fried Chinese Chives | ผัดดอกกุ้ยช่าย

This stir fry of Chinese chives and shrimp is a perfect example. It's made from only four ingredients and literally takes five minutes to cook, but it tastes fantastic. The flavor comes from the Chinese chives, also known as garlic chives because of their very present garlic flavor. To retain as much of this flavor as possible, these chives are stir fried quickly over super high heat for only a minute or two.

Japanese Curry Pot Pie / Asian Stock / Cook Trepang

Blog Post & Recipe: Japanese Curry Pot Pie: Asian Comfort Food

I started to think of my favorite curries and what could possibly make for a good filling — Indonesian beef rendang and Singaporean chicken curry top the list. But I also have a great love for slightly sweet Japanese curries.

Blog Post & Recipe: Asian Stock, the broth that keeps on giving

You can add a cup of this particular recipe to your stir-frys, you can substitute it for water in cooking rice (do this, pop the rice into your fridge & use it the following morning for a garlic-fried rice topped with a poached egg & a side of breakfast meat- delish), really the possibilities are endless.

Blog Post & Recipe: Slugs from the Sea

In Asia, trepang is an enormously important food, and has been so since ancient times. A large part of its success is due to the fact that the flesh lends itself very well to preservation by drying. The following instructions, from The Animal Food Resources of Different Nations (1885), by Peter Lund Smith, explain what the cook then does with the dried product

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes / Autumn Udon with Vegetables / Poulet Antiboise

Blog Post & Recipe: Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

This combination of lemons, raspberries, and blueberries with some ricotta cheese for tang will have you making this batter again and again. You could even make the batter the night before, and that beats a pancake mix any day.

Blog Post & Recipe: Recipe: Autumn Udon with Vegetables

Tara shared with us a recipe from the book that's perfect for fall: a simple udon noodle served with shredded carrots, spinach and shiitake mushrooms. Like much of Japanese cooking, the beauty and taste lies in the simplicity of the recipe.

Blog Post & Recipe: Poulet Antiboise

I was reading The Financial Times and came across this Elizabeth David’s recipe recited by Rowley Leigh, the in-house cook ... Despite the short list of ingredients, this dish was nothing like I’d tasted before. The onion cooked down to something sweet. The olives were salty shrapnels which went very well with the rather neutral chicken.

Sweet Potato Parcels / Yoghurt Brulee / Blueberry & Basil Habanero Salsa + 2 Recipes Using It

Blog Post & Recipe: Sweet Potato Parcels

Cut the sweet potatoes in to 1.5cm chunks. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Blog Post & Recipe: Nigel’s Yogurt Brulee

Tangy and thick Greek yogurt is given the brulee treatment with a light dusting of sugar.

Blog Posts & Recipes: Blueberry and Basil Habanero Salsa followed by Salmon Bulgogi Tacos with Blueberry Habanero Salsa followed by Salmon Bulgogi Quesadillas with Blueberry Salsa

This summer I have had a lot of success in experimenting with fruit and berry salsas like the chipotle cherry salsa and there was one more that I wanted to try, a blueberry salsa with habanero peppers.

20 Sandwiches / Veggie Summer Rolls with Shiso & Thai Basil / Buckwheat-Filled Mushrooms

Recipes: 20 Fun Sandwiches for Your Sack Lunch

Steak Sandwich with Cucumber, Ginger Salad, and Black Chile Mayonnaise »
Grilled Portobello and Peach Sandwich »
Roasted Tomato and Lentils in a Pita »
Salame ala Diavolo »
Avocado and Sprout Club Sandwich »
Curried Egg Salad »
Roasted Beet, Goat Cheese, and Avocado Sandwiches »
Roast Beef Sandwich with Boursin »
The TMT: Tomato, Mayo, And Toast »
Tomato Mozzarella Sandwich »
Whatta Tuna Sandwich »
Bacon, Pear, and Cheese Sandwich »
Turkey and Coleslaw Sandwich »
Asparagus and Bacon on Buttered Toast »
Grandmother's Egg Salad (Sandwich) »
Deconstructed Club Sandwich Salad »
Deviled Ham Salad Sandwich »
Crunchy Chicken Salad Sandwiches with Bacon »
Broccoli Rabe, Roasted Red Pepper, Mozzarella, and Arugula Sandwich »
Flounder Sandwich Marinated in Fish Sauce, with Sriracha Mayo »

Blog Post & Recipe: Fresh Veggie Summer Rolls with Shiso and Thai Basil

In order to make summer rolls, though, you must have at least two essential ingredients: rice wrappers, and mung bean starch noodles ... You basically make like a burrito.

Blog Post & Recipe: Buckwheat filled mushrooms

I love the crunchy buckwheat and I rather under-cook it just a little than let it go all mushy and porridge-like. Pared with rosemary (a little garlic and lemon zest too , if you wish) and tiny bit of cheese they are such a simple thing to enjoy.

Roast Eggplant with Tomatoes & Mint / 2 Beetroot Soups / Quick Preserved Lemons /

Blog Post & Recipe: roasted eggplant with tomatoes and mint

This is like eggplant bruschetta, except the eggplant is the bruschetta, topped with a Mediterranean summer salsa of a salad.

Blog Post & Recipes: Rich Beet Soup

The winner? The beauty alone of these soups make them worth a try. However, the wonderful earthiness of the Roman recipe can’t quite beat out the overall winning qualities of the modern dish.

Roman-style Beet Soup Recipe ... Modern Beet Soup Recipe

Blog Post & Recipe: Quick Preserved Lemons

So I was pretty thrilled to find out that it's possible to cheat and do a quick preserve. You just chop up some lemons, let them sit in salt and sugar for a couple hours and voilà... they're good to go.

Veggie Pizza with Zucchini, Corn, Cilantro & Lime / Fried Sweetbreads with Carrot Salad / Grilled Fish with Basil

Blog Post & Recipe: Summer Veggie Pizza with Zucchini, Corn, Cilantro and Lime [ via ]

This pizza is all about zucchini and corn right off the cob and feta cheese and sprigs of cilantro and all kinds of summery goodness with a big splash of lime to finish it off.

Recipe: Sunday Supper: Fried Sweetbreads with Carrot Salad

Sweetbreads are the thymus or pancreas (neck and stomatch sweetbread, respectively) of a calf. They are subtly flavored and have a delicate texture, and are an excellent introduction to those who are a little wary of offal. Sweetbreads are a treat. This is a simple preparation that adds some crunch to the soft nuggets of sweetbreads.

Blog Post & Recipe: Simple Grilled Fish with Basil

Let me start by saying that I almost always cook bass-like fish whole. Why? They have huge heads for their size, and big, round rib cages. This means you get a paltry yield off them if you try to fillet the fish. Unless you are very good, your yield will be barely 30 percent of live weight. Contrast that with salmon, where you can get upwards of 60-70 percent.

Beetroot, Peach & Radicchio Salad + Artichoke & Silverbeet Risotto / Panang Curry with Beef / China Chilo

Blog Post & Recipe: Passionate by design

Red salad (beetroot, peach and radicchio) ... Artichoke and silverbeet risotto

Blog Post & Recipe: Panang Curry with Beef | แกงพะแนงเนื้อ

I followed the general protocol for most Thai curries - heat the thicker part of the coconut milk over medium heat until it just starts to bubble and separate, add the curry paste, cook the meat, add more coconut milk and/or water, and adjust the seasonings.

Blog Post & Recipe: China Chilo

In The Spirit of Cookery: A Popular Treatise on the History, Science, Practical, Ethical and Medical Import of Culinary Art, (1895) by J.L.W. Thudicum, this was described as “a ragout of green peas and mutton, stewed with some onions, lettuce, butter and spices, to be served with rice boiled in broth and moistened with butter. This is a most excellent dish, and is most conveniently eaten with a dessertspoon.’

4 Recipes from Sri Lanka / Veal Brains alla Milanese / Corn and Tomato Pie

Blog Post & Recipe: Recipes from Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a culinary paradise, showing off the delights of delicate spicing – and lashings of fresh coconut milk

Cardamom and yogurt cake recipe ... Quick Sri Lankan greens recipe ... Beetroot badum recipe ... Lobster curry recipe

Blog Post & Recipe: Using Your Grey Matter: Veal Brains alla Milanese

Thus, the dish you see before you is a play on the combination of eggplant parmigiana and veal or chicken milanese: a roasted eggplant-wrapped package of red sauce and mozzarella seats a pair of breaded and deep-fried brains in cross-section.

Blog Post & Recipe: Corn and Tomato Pie

With field tomatoes being at their peak right now it was difficult to pass up on a pie that used them along with the corn that I had started the search for. Add to that the use of mayonnaise, cheddar cheese and fresh summery basil and you had a winner that was impossible to resist! I tweaked the recipe a bit replacing the chives with green onions and adding some applewood smoked bacon for even more flavour.

Cheesy Chickpea Quesadillas / Portobello Mushroom Eggs Benedict / How to Peel a Peach

Blog Post & Recipe: Cheesy-Chick Quesadillas

My daughter likes them simple with chickpeas and cheese only. I prefer my cheesy-chick quesadillas with the addition of roasted veggies.

Blog Post & Recipe: Portobello Mushroom Eggs Benedict

Roast the mushrooms while you’re making the sauce. Meanwhile, have a pan of water simmering away so you can crack your eggs into it when you’re ready.

Blog Post & Recipe: How to Peel a Peach

First, get everything ready to go. You're going to need a bowl with some ice water, a pot of boiling water, some fresh peaches, a paring knife, and a slotted spoon.

Perfect Roast Beef / Mini Peach Custard Pies / Chickpea Snackers

Blog Post & Recipe: The Perfect Rocking Roast Beef

• Always bring the beef to room temperature before cooking. I leave mine out for about 30 minutes (or up to an hour if it’s been chilling in the coldest part of my fridge).

Blog Post & Recipe: Mini Peach Custard Pies

I love this recipe because the custard only has five ingredients. It also puts the peaches on beautiful display. You could also use apples, any type of berry, or whatever fruit you like, really.

Blog Post & Recipe: Chickpea Snackers

As with the kale chips, this is a highly adaptable recipe so feel free to swap your favorite spice blend for the paprika. I prefer to use dried chickpeas and cook them myself because I think they result in a better texture and a more distinct nutty chickpea flavor. However, if you don’t have the time or patience for soaking and cooking chickpeas, go ahead and use canned — just make sure to rinse and dry them thoroughly before roasting them.

Puré de Frijol y Plátano Maduro (Bean and Ripe Plantain Puree) / Chicken Turnovers / Magic Sauce

Recipe: Puré de Frijol y Plátano Maduro (Bean and Ripe Plantain Puree)

This Bean and Ripe Plantain Puree is a traditional Colombian side dish. I know it doesn’t look good in the picture, but it is delicious and easy to make and goes perfectly with grilled beef, pork or chicken.

Blog Post & Recipe: Chicken turnovers (a.k.a. chicken pie)

Lay a puff pastry sheet flat. Place about two to three tablespoonfuls of the filling at the center of the sheet. Fold one edge over the filling. Lightly brush the very edge with egg. Fold over the opposite edge, overlapping over the egg-brushed edge to completely enfold the filling. Flip over so that the seam is underneath.

Blog Post & Recipe: Magic Sauce Recipe

I call this magic sauce. In part, because it makes everything it touches shimmer with deliciousness. It's magic like that. Technically, it's a riff on a chimichurri sauce - one that veered off the rails in a big way. Much tweaking has rendered it a distant second cousin. If that. In fact, the hallmark of that sauce, parsley, I skip entirely.

Key Lime Pie / 2 Marinated Garlic Recipes / Spinach Strata

Recipe: Fresh Key Lime Pie

The key to making this pie delicious is the homemade crust and whipped cream.

Blog Post & Recipes: Marinated Garlic… two ways

As I strolled the aisles of my international food store the other day, I saw jars of marinated garlic. Inspiration struck! Here are the two versions I came up with… Herb & Spice Marinated Garlic and Japanese-style Soy-Miso Marinated Garlic. Enjoy!

Blog Post & Recipe: Spinach Strata

To me, spinach + olive oil + lemon is a trio made in heaven. At dinner, I love the leaves dressed simply - with a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon. But at breakfast, fresh spinach decorated throughout a rustic strata and combined with a bit of feta and oregano is the perfect way to start the day.

40-Minute Hamburger Buns / Roasted Zucchini Pasta / Greek Style Baked Beans

Recipe: 40-Minute Hamburger Buns

They are substantial enough to stand up to the messiest burger creation without being heavy.

Blog Post & Recipe: Roasted Zucchini Pasta

This pasta – a big mess of roasted zucchini, garlic and onion tossed with pasta, fresh basil and Parmesan – can stand on its own.

Blog Post & Recipe: Greek Style Baked Beans

These are similar (and I mean similar) to the Greek favourite known as “gigantes plaki”. Gigantes translates as giant baked beans. They are traditionally cooked with a tomato based sauce in the oven and as with many Greek dishes there are a few variations. I’ve used lima beans for today’s recipe but you can use butter beans if you wish. I’ve also added a few extra ingredients to the original recipe my mother makes (I can’t help it!). I like to fry off a little bacon and add some of my home made tomato ketchup and sugar to the mix.

Slow Cooker Green Salsa Chicken / Bacon Vodka-Spiked Cherry Tomatoes / Punjabi Chana

Blog Post & Recipe: Slow Cooker Green Salsa Chicken

So really, this is just a shortcut version of Pollo en Chile Verde because I needed something quick and flavorful to save me from feeding my family fast food this super packed few days.

Blog Post & Recipe: Bacon vodka-spiked cherry tomatoes

The eternally sublime combination of bacon and tomato, facilitated by the kick of some hard-core spirits, makes these a unique and intriguing choice for a coctail party, or adds a little zing to liven up drinks on the deck.

Blog Post & Recipe: punjabi chana

both punjabi chole and punjabi chana are same. its just another way of naming the recipe. but the chana can be dry or gravied. this punjabi chana has a little gravy and is not totally dry. so now i have 3 punjabi chana recipes including this one, two with white chickpeas and 1 with black chickpeas. i hope my readers find it useful. here’s the list below

The Best Way To Roast a Capsicum / Easy Baked Tofu / Creamy Edamame Soup

Blog Post & Recipe: The Best Way To Roast a Pepper

The most common method of roasting a pepper is to place them whole in a hot oven or over coals. Undeniably, this creates perfectly cooked, juicy flesh but the post-cooking removal of the seeds makes me swear furiously. Those sticky little buggers get everywhere!

Blog Post & Recipe: Easy Baked Tofu

I love it when dishes are good out of the oven and straight from the fridge. The marinade bakes into the tofu so it’s not a saucy dish. Add cubes to stir-fried veggies and serve over rice, toss on a salad, as a sandwich filling, with cooked quinoa, in a rice paper wrapper or just pop them in your mouth

Blog Post & Recipe: the saturday soup – creamy edamame soup

The texture of this is a little thick because of the edamame – think split pea soup. Feel free to thin it out with some more stock or water if it’s too thick for you. I ate this soup warm but I think it’s also a good base for a summer soup served cold or at least room temperature. My version is a simple whiz of the soybeans with a little coconut milk and S&P. Use it as a base to add some curry flavors, some heat from a chili or wasabi or some zing from a bit of ginger.

Iced Coffee Pops / Apple Tarragon Granita / Smoothie Bag

Blog Post & Recipe: Iced Coffee Pops

Mix the coffee with the sweetened condensed milk. Add tablespoon of cocoa powder and adjust to taste

Blog Post & Recipe: Apple Tarragon Granita

In an 8 inch square dish, combine all ingredients until sugar is dissolved. Freeze 1-2 hours and stir with a fork. Freeze 2-3 hours longer, stirring with a fork occasionally. (Once it is mostly frozen it's more like fluffing with a fork than stirring.) Stir with a fork before serving.

Blog Post: {The Basics} Smoothie Bag

Then when it comes to buying fresh fruit...there are plenty of times when it doesn't get eaten fast enough and it's a waste not to use it. That's where the smoothie bag came into play. Any fruit that reaches the still good, but too bruised or soft stage, it gets cut up to freeze. I lay the frozen pieces out on a plastic wrap lined sheet pan and freeze them until hard.

3 Egg Recipes / Chinese-style Steamed Fish / Dry-Braised Stuffed Okra

Article & Recipes: All they're cracked up to be

To store eggs, place them in the fridge for up to one month in their original carton. The pointed end should face downward.

Eggnet omelet with Asian-style duck ... Baked eggs with eggplant, chorizo and tomato ... Brown sugar 'n' spice meringues

Blog Post & Recipe: A healthy cooking technique made fragrant, delicious: Chinese-style Steamed Fish

Bamboo steamers have become the traditional and most popular tool for steaming foods. We certainly love ours. But there are ways to steam food if you don’t have one. One is to set a wire cake rack inside a deep, lidded skillet large enough to accommodate a glass pie plate or other vessel to hold the food you’re steaming. That method works well for this dish.

Article & Recipe: Dry-braised stuffed okra makes for a tender dish

I also wanted to stuff the vegetable, and experimented with a few combinations. Minced anchovy mixed with sweet and smoked paprikas turned out to be a Food & Wine staff favorite. It didn't take a lot of stuffing to fill the lengthwise slit in the okra, and the flavors were plenty intense. You can hold the stuffed okra for several hours before cooking. Brown them in a hot skillet lightly coated with oil, then reduce heat to low, cover and cook until tender.