Home»Signature recipes of my friends.

Signature recipes of my friends.

Jun 28th, 2011 97 Comments

  My Dear Readers!

I present to you the list of outstanding, magnificent and delicious recipes of my friends! I’m lucky that so many talented people agreed to share their signature recipes with me and my readers.

 Grilled Honey-Lime & Rosemary Chicken: Perfect Summer Meal

Since the first time I tried it, I have been completely smitten with this chicken my husband makes on the grill. It’s sweet, tangy, and gives us a reason to use some of the abundant rosemary in our garden. And, it’s super easy to make. Read more

 

 

Butter Mochi with Coconut
A rare baking post for me as I am really not much of a baker.  I dream creating light, fluffy swirls of sugary decadence…the stuff that makes co-workers and family members beg for more.  But no, that’s not  my thing and this recipe?  Definitely not light.  Decadent?
Yes!
I asked a good friend for her favorite “tried and true” recipe for butter mochi, a sort of hybrid dessert with roots from Japan mixed  with Hawaiian-cooking ingenuity. Read more
 

Blueberry Streusel Muffins (vegan & 100% whole-wheat)

We are not vegans around here. We rely on meat for protein because too many of us can’t eat, beans, nuts & soy.  However, due to the other allergies and dietary restrictions we juggle in this crazy house (eggs and dairy and who knows what else) sometimes it looks like we are [vegan]. So…when in Rome……we call ourselves vegan. (That makes absolutely no sense but I thought it was funny so I left it there.) In short, we are not vegan, but sometimes our food is. This food, Blueberry Streusel Muffin(s), is (or are –I’m not an English major and I don’t want to google that grammar rule right now). Read more

Default Pasta: Two Tomato Pasta with Spicy Shrimp

Default Pasta makes an appearance at my dinner table at least once a week. That’s because there is not always time to plan and shop for a specific menu. So Default Pasta is about winging it with what you have on hand. Tonight I did not have much on hand, so I decided to keep this Default Pasta very basic. There is nothing quite as basic as spaghetti with tomatoes and basil. That’s exactly where this Default Pasta got its start. But because this is Default Pasta and not “bored out of my mind pasta”, Read more

Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Spinach and Feta

One of the only ways I can get my son to eat pork is stuffing it with feta and spinach. I’ve been making this for years. One of my best memories with this pork dish is my husband’s late grandfather sitting at our dinner table asking for more. It warms my heart knowing that he really enjoyed something I made. Read more

 

Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Feta and Grapes

This unique chicken dish is inspired by the flavors of Mediterranean cuisine. Sun-dried tomatoes, feta cheese, pine nuts and fresh grapes combine to create a delicious balance of sweet, salty and savory flavors that are a wonderful complement to the tender chicken cutlets. Serve with Minted Orzo (recipe follows) and roasted zucchini or a green salad. Read more

 

Moist Zucchini Chocolate Cake

Back in my Wilton school days, cake decorating students would be served with zucchini bars — it was darn good. And one wouldn’t even taste the bitterness of zucchini — it was the moist and light cake that just begged for attention. And the recipe was just a simple one, no fuzz, not too many ingredients and cake didn’t even require any frosting at all. Read more

Crème Brulée

Isn’t everyone always intimidated by the thought of making crème brulée at home? When I see this on a restaurant menu, there is no doubt what my dessert order will be. The first tap tap of the spoon on that sugary coating makes me feel like a little girl anticipating the first peek inside a wrapped gift. Or, better yet, perhaps its like the final wallop that breaks open the pinata and all the treats reveal themselves; the sprinkling to the ground of such goodness bringing endless delight. My, my, my but my mind does wander… see what the dessert does to me? Read more

Bacon, Asparagus, & Cherry Tomato Flatbread

This recipe is perfect if you’re cooking for two, as each flatbread makes a personal “pizza” for each eater. Simple, fresh ingredients make this recipe a keeper. I’m always looking for new ways to enjoy my vegetables, and what better way to enjoy anything than to serve it on top of crusty bread with bacon and cheese? In the future, I will try this with different cheeses such as gouda or goat cheese. This dish is very versatile in its wine pairings. If you make with mozarella, any Italian white wine will make a great pair. Or, if you use gouda, chardonnay is a must. Goat cheese pairs well with riesling. Enjoy! Read more

Lemon Curd

I am quite spoiled—in the lemon department.

Shortly after moving to our house 15 some years ago, my family went on a day trip to Home Depot to look for plants for the front and back yard. My mom chose roses in all sorts of colors; my dad got the standard shrubbery; my little brother didn’t care as he could barely even walk; and I, a lemon sapling. This could have very been a forecast of what’s to come in my future! Read more

Vegan Pad See-Ew

 can’t believe it is finally the last day of Vegan MoFo. It’s been an incredible experience, I’ve discovered and made contact with many new vegan bloggers, but it’s also been exhausting trying to post something new every weekday. I’m really proud of how much I did manage to post, but I can’t keep up with this pace anymore. You were fun, you were inspiring, you were chockful of vegan foodie porn, but I bid you adieu, Vegan MoFo. Until next time. Read more

Raspberry Chocolate Cupcakes

Valentine’s Day, to me, is about baking something super sweet and gooey for my loved ones. Long gone are the little cards you handed out in grade school or the candygrams and carnations you lusted after in high school to ensure you were popular enough. The pressure and expectations of the perfect night or gift is gone too. I love Valentine’s day now! I don’t need a holiday to remind me to show my husband how much I love him but it’s nice to enjoy the “sweet” aspect of the holiday. Read more

Homemade Milky Way Candy Bars

I love it when I have the foresight to buy delicious ingredients at the grocery store to have in my pantry. So on days like this when I search for something yummy (and chocolatey) to eat and don’t find anything, I can make these – Homemade Milky Way candy bars! Read more

 

Spaghetti Carbonara with Homemade Bacon

The cuisine of most countries is often associated with a certain style/focus, like French cuisine is mostly linked to elaborate, complex dishes, German to heavily meat based dishes with hardly any vegetables besides potatoes or Italian to simple dishes with few ingredients. Read more

Southern Style Ambrosia

One of my favorite desserts that my Grandmother made was Ambrosia. We always had it every Christmas, but she would make it in the summer as a special treat. Eating Ambrosia is like stepping make in time, like being in the Old South, sitting in a wicker rocker on a large front porch and as you rocked your chair back and forth, you could here the squeaking of the old boards of the front porch. Read more

Asparagus ravioli
asparagus 500 gr
ricotta 100 gr
2 eggs
200 gr flour
1 shallot
extra virgin olive oil
salt Read more

Deep-Fried Pea Fritters
 
Simply delicious!  Peas like you never seen before – flavored with mint and lemon the fritters are then breaded in sesame seeds deep fried to a golden brown – this is a great side dish with any meal or, I prefer to eat them by themselves! Read more

 

 

Glazed Rutabagas

  • 6 tbsp butter
  • 4 lbs rutabagas, peeled and cut into strips (1/4 by 2 inch)
  • 2 tsp sea salt
  • 2 tbsp walnut oil
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp chicken or veggie stock
  • 1/2 cup toasted and chopped walnuts
  • 1/4 tsp pepper

Read more

Potato soup recipe with pork ribs and carrot

I like to drink this chinese soup whenever I am feeling overworked, tired and stressed. 

potato soupIf you want the potatoes and carrots to be softer, you can lengthen the cooking time to a maximum of 1 hour. If you want a crunchier soup, you can cut bigger cubes.

Do not try to shorten cooking time by increasing heat. Cooking over low heat is important. The flavour of the soup does require more than 30 minutes of simmering to develop.

Read a little true story about this cold relieving soup

Read more

Oxtail Pitcha

Sparky said to an ox,

“Employing some Knox, garlic, onions and wine you’ll transform to refined.” He began the Pitcha with 3 onions and 2 cloves of garlic which, uh at 400 roasted in their skins ’til wilted.For the eponymous recipe of this blog, I felt like we really needed to pull out all the stops – and since oxtails are just not available in the Food Desert, it fell to Sparky to bring this about.

 

Limoncello Shrimp
Do you ever get a recipe idea stuck in your head, I have cooked it 5 or 10 times in my head. Tonight I finally cooked it. I am glad I did as this has to be one of the best recipes I ever invented.
Limoncello Shrimp
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp lemon thyme, you could use any green herb that isn’t real strong flavored
1 tbs olive oil
1/2 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/3 cup Limoncello Read more

Eton Mess

I’ve been a little obsessed by Eton Mess, I admit. My only explanation is that it’s that good. Only three ingredients: meringue, strawberries and cream, but each one has to be very very special. The meringues need to be these ones. The strawberries need to be very flavourful and slightly sweetened, and the cream has to be the freshest, lightest, most ethereal of its kind.

 I stockpiled a whole heap of organic strawberries last year when they were cheap. I hulled them and froze them whole. They don’t unfreeze to the same texture as fresh strawberries, but they keep every bit of their flavour. And anyway, you don’t want whole strawberries in an Eton Mess, you want messy strawberries. Lots of them. Read more

Chocolate muffins

I swear I feel like it takes a long time to reach the weekend and my days off. The work days seem to bleed into one blur of yuck. I am ready to have fun:) I wish we were going on vacation already, but alas it will be one more month until good times. In the meantime I am going to have to find a little cheer that will turn my frown upside down.

Hmmmmmmmm. Let me think about it. How about….wait for it……Chocolate muffins?
How does that sound? I believe I am heading in the right direction. If I imagine hard enough I can picture myself relaxing somewhere peaceful with no work in sight. Yeah!!!!

Just look at these beauties.  Read more

 

 Hot Roast Beef Po-Boy

Monique went to New Orleans and Baton Rouge this past weekend to visit with family and attend her sisters baby shower, and it was a surprise visit for most of them on Sunday. But on Saturday she wanted to get some local eats while on the whirlwind tour and ended up at a place called Cocodrie’s and ate a “Peace Maker” where Fried Shrimps & Fried Oysters are combined to form one of the best po-boy’s around. When I told Ben about her lunch his jaw just dropped, and then he started talking about the last time I had made some Hot Roast Beef po-boy’s at home. Read more

 

 Banana Berry Muffins

In a moment of sheer boredom I decided to do some baking – always a good idea if you ask me! I looked in my kitchen and saw that I had very little to bake with – thus the Banana Berry Mostly because I am always oversleeping it seems. I actually have to set 3 alarms for myself to make it to work on time! These muffins turned out quite well. I gave some to my coworkers to taste test and they all raved about how great they were. On a side tip from my Mom – I recommend using foil muffin liners if possible because these don’t stick to the muffin – this is a rule to live by when baking any cupcake or muffin! Muffin was born! I am always looking for quick grab and go breakfast items that are clean… Read more

 

 

Italian Egg Rolls

 was looking at my extra egg roll wrappers in the fridge the other day and my creative juices started flowing. I took the basics from my manicotti recipe and came up with these yummy Italian egg rolls. Dunk these in your favorite pizza or marinara sauce for a fun dinner!Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey sausage
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
10 oz box frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1/4 t freshly ground nutmeg
Read more

Quinoa with roasted peppers

Roasted peppers have been one of my favorite things to eat ever since I remember. I think it’s absolutely amazing how the flavor of peppers changes from raw state to roasted. It becomes completely different vegetable. I was never fond of raw peppers but sauteing and even more roasting, changes their flavor and texture into a tender, heavenly deliciousness that melts in your mouth. In my home we never used to buy these popular roasted peppers in a jar. My parents always used to make their own, with a garlic clove which is a fabulously matching component for roasted peppers. We would simply eat them on a rustic bread or in a salad, and the flavored olive oil from roasted peppers was perfect to use in salad dressings. Read more

 

 Anpan
This morning, Satoshi and I were sitting in a bakery that was attached to a large local supermarket. As we had our coffee and pastries for a little mid-morning snack, I noticed a sign that was advertising anpan. Anpan is a bun with sweet bean paste inside. You can usually find it two ways–with koshian (a smooth sweet bean paste) or tsubushian (a sweet bean paste but a little chunky) inside.

I asked Satoshi if he eats anpan. He said, “yeah, but it isn’t really my favorite.” So, I ask him, “if I make anpan, what kind of an should I put inside, koshian or tsubushian?” He said, “tsubushian.” Read more

 

 

SUCUKLU PIDE (Turkish sausage Pita bread)

Sucuk (read: soujouk) is a dry, spicy sausage in Turkish cuisine eaten from the Balkans to the Middle East and Central Asia.
Sucuk consists of ground meat (usually beef, but pork is used in non-Muslim countries and horse meat in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan), with various spices including cumin, sumac, garlic, salt, and red pepper, fed into a sausage casing and allowed to dry for several weeks. It can be more or less spicy; it is fairly salty and has a high fat content. Read more

 

 Dinner Rolls

I got this recipe from Better Homes & Gardens, my most favorite cookbook that I got for my high school graduation as a gift. This is one of the most versatile recipes that I have ever used. If you have ever used Rhodes roll dough, this is it! For me, this is sooooo much better; I don’t have to wait to thaw it out.  Read more

 

 

 

 Vegan Black Beans Spanakopita
People from around the world have come to love spanakopita which is usually made using store bought phyllo which is filled with spinach, green onions, dill and feta.     At this point I can imagine a few of you saying ahhhhh!!!   as this is usually the kind of spanakopita one can eat in Greek fast foods or restaurants or the kind one can buy frozen and bake at home.
 
Making spanakopita from scratch is a total different experience and once you try it you will no longer like any other kind.  You will only realize how much tastier it becomes if you make one for yourself with homemade phyllo and using top quality ingredients.
Read more

Chickladas

So far everyone that I have made these for has loved them and over the years it has become what I crave when I want enchiladas. The recipe was created out of necessity, we had some roast chicken leftovers and not much else in the house besides store cupboard items, now I often roast a chicken for dinner just so we can have Chickladas the next evening. You could just cook a few chicken breasts especially for this recipe and I did try it once but I think that the mix of light and dark meat gives the dish better flavor. If you don’t eat meat see Veggiladas at the bottom of the recipe. Read more 

Blueberry and Banana Bread

Since I’ll be going away this weekend, I want to make sure that I won’t be wasting any fresh food in the fridge. After I went shopping last week, I have so much produce in the fridge, it’s a little crazy! I decided on putting my blueberries to good use, and making some Blueberry and Banana Bread! I’ve never baked with blueberries before, but I’m a huge banana bread baker! I used to make my parents 4 loaves a week, to bring along to their golf trips. Since then, I’ve tried making my banana bread with lots of much needed changes! For one thing, I slash the amount of butter I use, and also have changed to using I can’t believe it’s not butter sticks. I use unsweetened applesauce and also cut out the amount of sugar, by 1/2. Here’s the recipe for the blueberry banana bread, and get ready to have your home filled with lots of sweetness! =] Read more

Tuscan Greens Soup

Tuscans often drizzle fresh olive oil in the shape of a C onto each bowl of soup before serving it. The heat of the soup releases the fragrance and flavor of the oil. Some Italians refer to it as “battesimo dell’olio”, baptizing with oil, so perhaps it symbolizes the casting off of bad taste or evil kitchen spirits. All the more reason to do it.
The traditional Italian green for this soup is Tuscan kale, known as “cavolo nero” (black cabbage). It is a somewhat tangy green that develops a subtle sweetness during cooking. Many American grocery stores, and seed catalogues, market it as “Lacinato” or “dinosaur kale”. Regular kale may be substituted if your greengrocer has not yet caught up with the Tuscan variety. Read more

Chocolate lava cakes with espresso

How can chocolate be so comforting? Its sweet, dark richness never fails to help me when I need to feel better, and I love finding ways to cook, bake and eat chocolate in new ways.Molten lava cake, otherwise known as chocolate fondant, is one of the simplest and most satisfying chocolate desserts. It is a little bit like a flourless chocolate cake in that it has a similar moist and gooey interior, but it isn’t flourless. Read more
 

 

 

Spring rolls

My friends and family’s favorite food are spring rolls/vegetarian spring rolls, and i like to use spring roll pastry/skin for my cooking list, i can make varieties of food with my experiment, mostly is type finger food such as appetizer or dessert ,i made asparagus roll, tilapia roll and cream cheese roll.
i made this spring roll so often, so…is like my signature recipe :) Read more

 

 Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites

I’m hoping that you’re reading this from the comfort of your couch, in your pajamas, with your coffee mug in hand, while your significant other is outside shoveling for you. Sorry, thinking out loud.

We’ve got big, fat flakes here in southeastern MA. My driving skills are atrocious without snow, so I decided not to risk my life or the life of others by driving into work today. I feel like a hero knowing I prevented a few deaths by just staying home today. Read more

 

 

 German-Style Meat Patties

This is another family favorite and one of the few things my very picky 3-year old likes. You can use any kind or combination of minced meat: beef, pork, veal, chicken, turkey. I usually use beef. Depending on your choice of meat, you might want to vary the herbs you use. I like to combine turkey with rosemary, for example. You can use this recipe for meat patties, hamburgers or mini-patties (for finger food). My classic combo for serving is green beans, potatoes and brown gravy. But you are free in choosing any sides you like.Read more

 

Crunchy daikon salad plus daikon 101

Daikon root is a large root that grows underground like a carrot. It is bigger and is able to be stored for several weeks in the refrigerator. It is extremely versatile root and the vegetable’s flavor is subtle and is very remarkable in the ways that it can be used. There are many varieties of daikon that range from small 5” to 18” in length; the root has purplish a greenish color when it is close to the leaves. Daikons are extremely juicy, have a mild peppery, pungent aroma and are generally sweet in flavor. Read more

 

 

 

Love in a Blueberry Muffin

To Die for Blueberry Muffins - a little dramatic with the title aren’t we?

Yields 8 servings – annoying right? Who makes a muffin recipe that yields only 8? Read more

 

 Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

I take my chocolate chip cookies very seriously. Growing up on Long Island I was lucky enough to enjoy the buttery crunchy goodness that is Tates chocolate chip cookies. For those of you who haven’t had the pleasure of munching on one of these amazing cookies, they are the perfect chocolate chip cookie in my opinion. First bite into a Tates cookie and you are hooked. No other cookie will do.

It took me a long time of testing out different recipes to finally be able to have a home made chocolate chip cookie that I am proud to say rivals my favorite baked treat growing up. Read more

Jerk Me Pork

There’s a restaurant on the other side of the island run by an Australian Chef. He’s quite a character. For example, he’s probably got one of the best lines ever spoken in Caymanian courts. After losing his patience while waiting for his matter to be heard, he stood up in the middle of Summary Court and told his attorney he was done waiting, he was needed elsewhere.
‘I need to go jerk me kangaroo.’
Brilliant.
While Deep Dish will one day take you to Chef Ron’s restaurant where you can get ‘kangabangers’ or a ‘roo steak,’ I’m hoping today you’ll be satisfied with just this lovely jerk pork chop recipe. Read more

Pan de Jamón
Ingredients:

Flour, 1 kg
Yeast, 2 envelopes
Butter, 200 gr
Eggs, 3
Sugar, 200 gr
Milk, 1/2 ltr
Salt, 1/4 teaspoon

Read more

 

Nutella Challenge Nutella Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies

Have you ever eaten nutella? I’ll wager most people have. I have seen it in the stores. I have seen it on the web. I have seen it in the magazines.AndI have seen it on some food blogs.But I have never eaten it. GASP!! Not until a few days ago that is.

My daughter saw the jar stashed in my baking pantry and actually tried to eat it. Can you believe the nerve? I asked her if she had ever eaten it and she said YES! Read more

 

Ricotta blintz casserole with strawberries

This is the brunch cake for a Saturday morning. Especially a Saturday with a sister, around 11-ish a.m. in your mom’s kitchen.

It’s not so much a casserole as a fantastic set of layers – a ribbon of feather-light cheesecake runs between a couple of buttery coffee cake layers, which has a super-thin sugar-cinnamon crust.

Each piece is served warm from the oven, topped with a few saucy strawberries.Read more

 

Agave Citrus Kebab Medley

This dish is a great way to keep your summer meals fun, delicious, and light; all in one. This is a slight deviation from our usual fare, as it’s not wholly a freezer meal; however, the make-ahead process works several days in advance, so you can prepare the whole meal the weekend before a camping or boat trip!

These kebabs also make a great make-ahead “hybrid” meal. That is, you can prepare the meats several weeks ahead of time to freeze, and then hit the farmer’s market the morning of your grill to get the fresh, sweet local fare that only that local produce can provide.  Read more

Hearty Miso Soup with Soba Noodles

Being a new mom, I’m all about quick, healthy (and delicious :) ) meals these days. When Dave and I made a trip to Japan a few years ago, I became enamored with all the noodle soups and ate one almost everyday. I do not have hours and hours to create my own special broth and roll my own noodles, so I came up with this version to cure my craving.
This recipe may not transport you to a little Japanese noodle shop, but it sure is satisfying and tasty. I happened to have some leftover steak in my fridge when I made this, but it would also be great with chicken, pork, or tofu. Feel free to use whatever meat and vegetables you have on hand. Enjoy! Read more

 Vegan stuffed peppers for dinner

Good evening!

I studied with Diran half of the afternoon and went to the grocery store. Then, it was dinner time!

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup dry quinoa (I mixed red and white)
  • 3 small to medium bell peppers
  • 1-2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 1/4 white onion, chopped Read more

 

Pesto

The first time I made pesto seems like so long ago.Yesterday, I decided to increase the fancy factor of my eggplant non-parmesan meal and make a spinach pesto to go alongside the dish.Not just any spinach pesto, a nutless spinach pesto.Well that is just unheard of. Pesto with no nuts? What’s next, quinoa for breakfast?I bet the majority of you are not even a little surprised at that statement. Aww, you know me so well! Read more

 

 

Bonet Dessert

Here I am, struggling with my first recipe typically, all-Piedmontese: I’m talking about a great traditional dessert, maybe THE Piedmontese dessert par excellence, the Bonet (you may not know that, but it reads bunet). The Bonet that I know of is from the Langhe, but this dessert has spread throughout the Piedmont, so there are several variations, some involving coffee, others replacing rum with Marsala wine.
As with all traditional desserts, this one brings stories: in fact, why the Bonet was called Bonet? Read more

 

Oven Roasted Tomato Caprese Lettuce Wrap

These are my Washington Iowa Copy Cats. Quartered and roasted in the oven, I like to eat them while they’re still warm, just as my dad did in the field. With a generous helping of salt and pepper, the juices danced around my mouth. Here I used them in a caprese lettuce wrap topped with a balsamic reduction. My Midwest roots never tasted so good. Read more

 

 

Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

So I live in D.C. where there are an abundance of cupcake bakeries. And it occurred to me one day….that I could do that. Okay. Maybe not in mass. But I was certainly capable of making something better than a funfetti cupcake! I am starting off the first post of this very new blog with this cupcake. Because this was my first attempt at making a “fancy cupcake”. And it is one of the most scrumptious things I’ve ever made! The thing about those other pretty cupcakes is that you take one bite….and you are left holding the top of the cupcake with a huge blob of icing! For some it’s about the frosting. But for me…it’s about the cake. I prefer a more dense cupcake that will hold up to the icing. And this cupcake was just that. Dense but moist. And oh so chocolatey! Maybe this was my first cupcake. But it definitely won’t be my last! Read more

 

Pisang Goreng (Banana Fritters)
Pisang Goreng literally translated means fried bananas. These battered and deep fried bananas are very popular in Malaysia and Singapore. Sold by street vendors, they make great tea time snacks. They are best eaten straight out of the pan while the fried batter is hot and crunchy and the banana is sweet and warm.
 
Getting the batter right is key to this dish. It should have a light and crispy texture after being deep fried. To achieve this, I use rice flour for the batter and crushed rice cereals for the coating. Once coated, the bananas should be dropped gently into hot oil and fried for just a couple of minutes. For best results, use sweet and ripe but firm bananas. Bananas that are overly ripe will be too soft and soggy after frying. Read more

 

Bailey’s and Coffee Brownie Cupcakes
Bailey’s and Coffee is my favorite after dinner drink.   I love the the smoothness of the Bailey’s in a hot steaming cup of coffee, there’s nothing better.  So when I wanted to make cupcakes for St. Patrick’s Day, there was no question,  I wanted Bailey’s in the cupcake. I’ve been missing my cupcakes lately.  Remember my friend, Stef, from Cupcake Project?  She had made cupcakes with Irish coffee, but I much prefer Bailey’s. After all, Bailey The Wonder Dog is named for the Irish cream liqueur, because of her cream and caramel coloring. You can check Stef’s Irish Coffee Brownie Cupcakes. I did adapt my cupcakes from Stef’s recipe Read more

 Pineapple Jam Tartlets
Remember what I said earlier about anytime being a good time for pineapple tarts? Well, here it is in the month of September, still some months away from angpow season. It somehow comes with some kind of celebration as the chinese term for pineapple is “ong lai” (hokkien) and “wong lai” (cantonese) which means “prosperity comes”. But then, I’m the worst Chinese example when it comes to the language and its traditions. So, if I’ve got that definition wrong …. my bad. We’re celebrating here anyway. Ramadan is a couple of days away and my brother and sis-inlaw are visiting from Florida. And she’s given me a BIG hint about pineapple tarts being one of her favorite cookies. Happy to oblige! This is for you , L ! Read more
 

Margarita cupcakes
We were invited a to birthday BBQ over the weekend for our friend Erin and I wanted to make cupcakes for her. I poured over all the saved cupcakes in my Google Reader – Black Bottom cupcakes, chocolate peanut butter cupcakes, lemon cupcakes, Irish Carbomb cupcakes… None of them were really striking me. Then I saw these – Margarita cupcakes! Two of my favorite things together in one glorious little dessert! And they were as good and light and fresh as I hoped they would be! Out of the 24 cupcakes, all but 3 were devoured at the party, even though there was also a chocolate cake, a yellow cake, and 2 different kinds of cheesecake. There’s one guy who I’m pretty sure ate four himself…Read more

 

Kang Kai with Chicken

Woop Woop! Another low carb recipe for you guys! But be careful – this one is SPICY, and not for the faint of heart! Presenting…

Read more

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strawberry & chocolate chips cheesecake (no-bake)

like all the cheesecakes in the world! Cause I am addicted to cheese and I love desserts. When it comes to quick desserts that pop into my mind, the recipe below is the winner – a no-bake cheesecake with fresh strawberries, spotted with chocolate chips.
 
The recipe is slightly adapted to local ingredients so feel free to ask me if there is anything confusing .
 
I might call it my comfort food as I ate it all!!! Read more

Blueberry and Thyme Peach Pie

So…apparently the Cherry Sour Cream Pie I made a few days ago did not cure my pie cravings, despite its deliciousness. Visions of plump and juicy fruit pies still plague my dreams, their buttery crust beckoning me. Once again, giving into temptation, I went to the store in search of the perfect ingredients. The peaches were ripe and smelled divine, making them the obvious choice. Wanting to mix things up a bit, I decided to add some thyme, which paired nicely with the peaches. The blueberries weren’t really necessary, but they looked pretty and I had some in the fridge I needed to use up.

The sour cream base for the cherry pie was so yummy, that I decided to use it again. The nice thing about using sour cream in a pie is that it keeps the pie from tasting too sweet. It also adds a nice creamy, custard-like texture.Read more

 

Baked Lemon Cheesecake with Orange Syrup and Cocoa

My husband loves cheesecake. He especially loves cheesecakes baked at home. To give him a surprise, I made this cheesecake for his birthday.

I used fresh lemon juice, fresh orange, cocoa powder, cream cheese and condensed milk to create this masterpiece. :) Hope you’ll find this recipe interesting. Feel free to share your views. Read more

 

Veggie Bake
This dish is a favourite of my kids and hubby too . This is the only way I can get my kids especially my son to eat his vegetables . This is quite a flavourful dish and very easy to make too . I make this very often due to popular demand and by this you can imagine how good it is as kids are asking for it . It is just a handful of veggies sauteed in oil and baked in a creamy white sauce so here goes……….

Read more

 

 

Seafood Casserole
40 min | 15 min prep SERVES 8

Ingredients

2 cups chopped onions
3 cups chopped celery
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder  Read more

 

Blackberry Stuffed French Toast
spent my Saturday morning watching Kyleigh play softball.  I know she’s 10 years old, but this is her first year playing and she’s in fast pitch!  She is a bit intimidated by the girls who are really good pitchers and has stopped swinging at the ball.  I don’t know… I guess she is hoping they will walk her.  We started an incentive… her papa gives her a dollar if she hits the ball and gets on base! Read more

 

 

 

Earl Grey and Honey Barmbrack – the fortune-telling loaf

This is probably one of the most politically incorrect cakes that you’ll ever sink your teeth into. I guess back in the days when it was the norm to be missing most of your teeth by the time you hit your twenties, you didn’t mind breaking the remaining enamel on the various fortune-telling items that might be concealed in the cake. Read more

 

 

 

 

Indonesian Yellow Spiced Grilled Lamb Chops Recipe

This Indonesian Yellow Spiced Grilled Lamb Chop was posted before in my blog in 2007. However, I took down that the recipe and renewed the pic. The recipe was originally adapted from mbak Estherlita’s Sate Kambing Bumbu Gule (Goat Saté with Gule Spiced). I specifically write gule not gulai which I am intended to say this one the Javanese style curry not the Sumatran curry. Javanese curries have a lighter version of spices compare to the Sumatran ones. Read more

 

 

 

Chicken Adobo slow cooker recipe

Here’s a recipe for some awesome chicken adobo. It has been a while since I’ve made a slow cooker meal, and this recipe is just perfect for the slow cooker. The sauce is so flavorful and tasty. The chicken meat just falls off the bones and is delicious. Using a mix of coconut milk and chicken broth works very well. I used a light coconut milk since it is less fatty. In the past, I usually use just chicken broth. The coconut milk gave the dish a slightly sweeter flavor. Read more

 

Grilled Spring Leg of Lamb
THIS was our Easter dinner.  Boneless and buttlerflied, I think this is by far the best lamb I’ve ever made.  The essence of garlic, lemon and rosemary and a big hit of fresh chopped herbs and more lemon at the end makes this a truly memorable meal. I got this idea from a Suzanne Somers recipe years ago (Get Skinny on Fabulous Food, 1999, Crown Publishers, NY, NY:  Page 219).  While SS’s version is tasty, over the years, as cooks often do, I played around with it a bit until I came up with a cooking method and the exact flavors that we really like.  Like Paula Deen says, “Make the recipe the first time the way the cook intended it to be made, then make it your own.” 
Read more

 

Eggplant rolls

A summer dish devotee!
eggplant rolls can make with different fillings such as mozzarella, meatballs, meat sauce, ricotta, etc.
The current version is a dish with ingredients commonly available in our fridge. Read more

 

 

 

Wholesome Buckwheat Muffin With Black Grapes

It’s nearly impossible for me to buy fresh berries here, I mean my living area. What I can find at the local fruit stall or market place are mostly local fruits and some common imported fruits. I have been eyeing on these black grapes long long time ago and totally attracted to the size. Very tiny just like blueberries! And was wondering if I can use them in my baking too. You know, if it’s still a good baking option! :o ) Read more

 

 

Funky Chilled Century Egg Tofu Recipe

The first time I ate the Tofu was at a decent Japanese restaurant many years ago. I was fascinated by it & started to experiment with it almost immediately, while the taste was still lingering in my mouth. It was a fruitful trial & my guinea pigs (hubby & son) love it. Following that, I confidently introduced this dish to my guests, serving it on numerous occasions. To date, the response has been heart-warming.  Read more

 

 

Double Chocolate Praline Fudge Cake
Every now and again I miss Georgia.

I don’t miss the 110 degree weather with 200% humidity, swarms of gnats, living in the middle of nowhere, dealing with snarky college students, or being in grad school… but I do miss living near Savannah and fresh pralines on River Street.

Savannah is a city with character- not to mention home of the great Paula Deen and her fabulous restaurant Lady & Sons (I’ve been lucky enough to eat there not once, but three times and man oh man, her fried chicken is good!) Read more

 

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms…. 

 We made these Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms last year and it is still one of our more popular posts. Easy to see why, these mushrooms are AMAZING! This is a great appetizer to bring to a party, but if you do, make a double batch, because they go fast Read more

 

 

 

 

Chicken Pepperonata

Ingredients

8 skinless Chicken thighs

2 Tbs. Whole -Wheat flour

Tbs. Olive oil

1 small Onion slices thinly

1 Tsp. minced Garlic

1 each large Red, Yellow and Orange Bell Peppers, seeded and thinly sliced.

14 ounce can of chopped Tomatoes ( do not drain the Tomatoes)

1 Tbs. chopped Oregano Read more

Incredible “Rabbit” Pineapple tarts/ rolls

Tomorrow is Chinese New Year. In order to celebrate Chinese New Year, I made pineapple tarts/ rolls which is one of a definite cookies being served during Chinese New Year. But then, I made it with a shape of a rabbit face since according to the Chinese zodiac, this year will be the year of the Rabbit :) Read more

 

 

Mango and Pineapple Salsa
After all the soups and stews and roasts and casseroles of wintertime, I was feelin’ kinda rebellious today. I have some blogging friends from the southern hemisphere and they have been all about the grilled fish and salsas and fresh fruit salads and coconut cakes and all that summertime stuff … darn it!

We had more snow today, and while we consider snow at this time of year ‘sugar snow’, I am heartily sick of it. Don’t get me wrong. I will go out to the nearest ‘sugar shack’ in the next few weeks and grab my quart of maple syrup and thank Mother Nature for her bounty, but right now I am ready to hop a flight to southern climes, rub some suntan lotion on my chubby parts, and bask like beached tuna. Case closed. Read more 

Prinzregententorte, or ‘Prince Regent Cake’

I’ve been wanting to make a Prinzregententorte for months. It’s an elegant cake, a royal cake … an epic cake. The kind of cake you get from Limnos or Cassis. It takes hours and hours and hours to make, and it’s such a risk to invest that much time and energy (not to mention money!) into something you’ve never seen or tasted for yourself. But I made it anyway. And it was worth it Read more

 

 

Corn Soup (Indian Style) – Vegetarian

Indian style soup is normally made with spices and quite a bit of garnishing ingredients,  for example coriander and spring onions and also adding in green chillies,shallots and the list goes on. For these type of soups, we normally pour over the rice and eat it with other dishes served for the day. Instead of vegetable stock, I broke two whole corns into 3 to 4 pieces and boiled it to extract the flavor to be used as the broth/stock. Why not try out this soup for a change? Read more

 

Crispy duck salad with grilled figs and parma ham

This is a perfect salad for a day like today. It is a combination of naughty crspy duck and fresh salad, so you can feel good about eating it and it won’t leave you with a stodgy feeling afterwards. I was inspired by a combination of recipes in – Barbecue by John Willoughby how I did it Roast the duck in the oven for a few hours until the outside a crispy, this takes a few hours, depending on weight, follow instructions on packaging. Keep the heat reasonably low as it creates lots of fat, I actually used a raised roasting rack. This is takes the longest so you can leave the preparation of everything else until about half an hour from the end. Read more

 

 

Dark Chocolate ROOT Cake
 have wanted to try to incorporate ROOT into my cooking for a while now. ROOT is basically the alcoholic version of root beerThe spirit contains birch bark, smoked black tea, cinnamon, wintergreen, spearmint, clove, anise, orange, lemon, nutmeg, allspice, cardamom and pure cane sugar so I thought it would go really well in a chocolate cake. I used this rum cake recipe as a starting point, and substituted in ROOT and dark chocolate, as well as a little instant espresso coffee to enhance the chocolate flavor.
Read more

Papaya Smoothie

Every Sunday I usually have for breakfast Melon and Papaya with some natural yogurt.
Yesterday we went to the supermarket and the melon wasnt looking very pretty, so we decided to just take the papaya, Since I still can’t eat solid stuff for the tooth extractions,
My mom told me to make a Papaya Smoothie I said yes!
 Read more

 

 

A Lemony Orzo Salad Recipe

Servings: I have no idea!
Prep and Cook Time: 30 to 45 minutes

This recipe makes a huge bowl of pasta! This salad can be served hot, cold or at room temperature making it a great dish for parties, potlucks, and picnics, or really – just anytime you want it. There’s no meat, mayo, egg or anything to go bad if it sits out for a few hours.Read more

 

Lasagna from scratch,locally
Step 1:  Start the sauce.
Try roasting your local or home-grown tomatoes,garlic and onions in the oven with olive oil and whatever fresh herbs you have on hand.  (I got this idea from a friend who is also a “localvore.”)  Add salt and pepper and roast in a 400 degree oven for about an hour.   Puree and cook down further with some red wine.    Eccellente! 

Read more

 

97 Responses to Signature recipes of my friends.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

CAPTCHA Image

*

* Copy this password:

* Type or paste password here:

208 Spam Comments Blocked so far by Spam Free Wordpress

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>

s2Member®