Who doesn’t love pot stickers? The first time I posted the photo below of my newly assembled pot stickers, my social media feed blew up with likes. There is just something enticing about biting into a hot tender potsticker (or dumpling as some like to call it) filled with all kinds of flavorful ingredients. From shrimp and eggs to chicken, …
Jamaican Coconut Bread with Tropical Cream Cheese Dip
Once in a while, an unexpected combination of ingredients creates pure decadence. Jamaican coconut bread with tropical cream cheese dip is that unexpected recipe. You wouldn’t guess it by looking at the photograph, but one bite in and you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. After returning from Jamaica last year, it inspired me to get creative in the kitchen. …
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 …
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, …
Authentic Italian Arugula Salad Recipe with Artichokes and Prosciutto
This fall we hosted an exchange student, Ignacia, from Chile. I admit I was unfamiliar with this South American country. Aside from Chilean Seabass, I was unfamiliar with traditional Chilean cuisine but excited to learn more. In Chile, they make a salad similar to an Artichoke Carpaccio. The Italians prepare this traditional dish with thin slices of raw beef topped …
Chinese Smashed Cucumbers
Here in Minnesota, Chinese restaurants are a popular option amidst the sea of eating establishments. I love the five flavors of salty, spicy, sour, sweet, and bitter infused into traditional Chinese cooking, but prefer to avoid the MSG found in most of the food at these restaurants. I asked my friend Rachel to teach me how to make delicious, healthy, …
Herb Roasted Root Vegetables
I recently saw an eye-catching photo of an extra thick chocolate chip cookie with creamy melted chocolate oozing from its center. There is something about melted chocolate that convinces me to throw all restraint for eating healthy out the window. Can you relate? The same level of excitement isn’t there for me with root vegetables. Until recently, I had never …
Israeli Cheese Bourekas
Who can resist a freshly baked puff pastry filled with all kinds of yumminess? Definitely not me. I confirmed my weakness when I tasted, my friend, Vivi’s cheese filled Bourekas. After one bite I was hooked. Bourekas are delicious, breaded hand pies that originated in the Middle East. Israeli cuisine is famous for making some of the most delightful bourekas …
Easy Homemade Gravy Recipe
Growing up, meals at my mother’s table often included homemade gravy. She was one of those outstanding home cooks who had ten great recipes she perfected, and one of them was her rich and creamy lump-free gravy like the chicken gravy above and her beef gravy below. We could never get enough of her delicious gravy so we poured it …
Sweet Milaya Rice
Print Recipe Milaya Sweet Rice Recipe Yum The combination of sweet raisins and carrots with sauteed onions and rice makes this dish a perfect side to almost any meal. Course Sides Cuisine American, European Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 25 minutes Servings people Ingredients 1 1/2 cups cooked basmati rice1 cup finely shredded carrots use fresh shredded carrots only1/2 …