Manny’s Steakhouse in Minneapolis is famous for serving steaks so tender you can cut them with a spoon. That’s tender! I recently took a trip to Florida to visit my friends Laurie for a three-day recipe writing get away. During my stay, Laurie taught me to make a lemon and garlic roasted chicken so tender, just like one of Manny’s …
Turkish Börek
Have you ever considered where a recipe got its start and how it came to be? Take for example apple pie. Who was the very first person to ever create a dough and discover the process of baking it into a shell? Or for that matter, pouring fruit on top, covering it with another layer of dough and successfully creating …
Persian Yogurt And Spinach Dip | Borani Esfanaaj Recipe
Borani Esfanaaj is a Traditional Persian appetizer made with Yogurt and spinach. I first tasted this delightful dish at a dinner party hosted by my gorgeous friend, Sohiela, who makes the most wonderful Persian food. The word “Esfanaj” in Farsi means Spinach and “Borani” is the yogurt part of the dip. What I love about Sohiela’s version are the fresh …
Israeli Lamb Kabobs
The Middle Eastern Culture, specifically Turkey, has gifted the world with a delightful dish called kabobs, originally named Shish Kabobs. In the Turkish language, “Sis” means sword and “Kabobs” means meat. Using swords to grill pieces of meat over an open fire, this technique of preparing food soon spread to other regions and countries. As each culture adopted this style …
Schloof – Suryani Eggplant Dish
Last year I visited my friend Laurie in Florida for a long weekend of recipe testing her collection of recipes for my book. That is when I was introduced to Schloof, a traditional Suryani recipe served as an appetizer or side dish. To be honest, I didn’t think the usual combination of basic ingredients found in the many Mediterranean dishes …
Sichuan Peppercorn Oil Recipe
In today’s world of global cooking, many recipes call for specialty ingredients and oils that can be hard to find in local grocery stores. Sichuan Peppercorn Oil is one of those elusive ingredients but is worth having in your pantry. This Chinese oil gives just the right amount of heat to stir fries, sauces, dressings, and more. The challenge of …
Chinese Spicy Chili Sauce Recipe | 辣椒酱 Làjiāo jiàng
Sichuan China is known for its spicy cuisine. Chinese Spicy Chili Sauce is a recipe created by my friend, Rachel, who was born in Sichuan and she brought her technique of creating authentic Chinese cuisine with her when she migrated to the United States many years ago. Rachel created this recipe for her Chinese Sichuan Beef. A recipe you can find in …
Chinese Spicy Beef Recipe | Shaved Beef Bites
Chinese Spicy Beef is a recipe I learned to make from my friend, Rachel, who makes simple Chinese cooking look like a walk in the park. She has an incredible gift of taking basic ingredients and turning them into a feast fit for a king in less time than it takes most people to get the dishes done. This beef …
Garlic Sesame Vegetable Trio
Some of my favorite recipe creations happen purely on a whim. That’s how this dish was born. Creating a dish where all the flavors and textures work in harmony takes imagination to pull together. But when it works, it really works. I try to incorporate global flavors into most of my dishes to experience food from a different perspective. However, …
Energy Blast Breakfast and Snack Granola
I don’t know about you, but for me breakfast feels like the most challenging meal of the day. Maybe it’s just early and the morning coffee hasn’t woken my creative brain quite yet, but consistently coming up with new and inspiring breakfast meal ideas that my family will love and doesn’t leave me with a ton of kitchen clean-up is …