Chad starts most of his mornings with a smoothie. His go-to flavor is banana and peanut butter with protein powder. Every once and a while, I try to vary his smoothies a bit. He really enjoyed this one. As with many smoothie recipes, the amount of the ingredients listed are mostly estimates. They can easily…
Mongolian Beef
Despite its name, Mongolian Beef is actually a Chinese-American dish. I usually love Mongolian Beef, but it is often overloaded with onions and too sweet when ordered from Chinese take out restaurants. It is so easy to recreate and home and customize to personal taste. This recipe uses green onions, but leeks would be a…
Sunomono (Japanese Vinegar Salad)
During most of my pregnancy with Evan, my biggest craving was for Japanese food. I spent many weeks making numerous recipes from the two Japanese cookbooks I own and scouring various food blogs/foodgawker for more ideas. This sunomono recipe was the result of one of those searches. Unfortunately, the vinegar was a big trigger for…
Dakkochi (Korean Chicken Skewers)
Dakkochi (Korean Chicken Skewers) are a common street food in South Korea. The chicken is marinated and basted in a sweet soy glaze. I used an indoor countertop grill and the chicken still came out tender and succulent (this is the word Chad used to describe the skewers). Serve these with rice and gochujang (Korean…
Karotte-Ingwer Suppe (Carrot Ginger Soup)
While on my honeymoon in Munich, I bought “Meine Bayerische Küche” von Alfons Schuhbeck in one of the local bookstores. It is filled with recipes from Bavaria and goes far beyond the “usual” bratwurst, spätzle, schnitzel, sauerkraut dishes so often associated with German cuisine. I have about 4 pounds of carrots sitting in my refrigerator…
Honey Almond Coffee Cake
I would make this cake for the topping alone. Almonds toasted with brown sugar, honey, and cream add a crisp texture with every bite. This is best the day it is made. It starts to dry out with time. If using a springform pan, place it on a baking sheet when baking the cake. The…
Spaghettini with Mushrooms, Garlic, and Oil
When menu planning for the week, I try to schedule the more time consuming recipes on the weekends when Chad is around to help with Evan. The easy to put together meals are better during the week, because Evan will only watch me from his high chair for up to 15 minutes at a time….
Orange Cardamom Bread
I may have a slight problem when it comes to bread. I try not to make it too often, because we always end up eating a large portion in one sitting. Once, during my third trimester with Evan, I made cinnamon swirl bread and ate the whole thing before Chad got home from work. Ok,…
Masala Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
The great part about making your own pumpkin puree or carving those jack-o’-lanterns are all the pumpkin seeds! They are simple to prepare and many flavor combinations are available. These are spiced with garam masala, chili powder, turmeric, salt, and lemon. Chad really enjoyed them and said they reminded him of barbeque chips. The quickest…
Spiced Orange Buttermilk Biscuits
November marks the beginning of orange season here in Florida and I am excited about the large influx starting to come in. Oranges are such a versatile fruit, making their way into many recipes from savory to sweet. Navel oranges are usually the first to be ready with their long growing season, from November to…
