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Kent

PPP Cake (Peel, Pith, and Pulp)

Today’s recipe comes from the NY Times Cooking section compliments of Samantha Seneviratne’s Whole Orange Snacking Cake. When I saw this recipe in my email a few weeks back, I was intrigued and slightly skeptical, but after testing this recipe with Cara Cara oranges, I am hooked. This cake is not only easy to prepare, but it is also downright delicious! If you have a high-speed blender, processing the oranges into a paste is easy, although I read that a food processor works as well. Are you curious to try this dessert? If so, jump on in because you will be very surprised and very satisfied! Save Print PPP Cake (Peel, Pith, and Pulp Cake) Prep time:  20 mins Cook time:&nbsp…

Hot and Sour Soup

Today’s recipe is based on Chef John’s recipe – which produces a tasty Hot and Sour Soup like you get in a Chinese restaurant. The Hot is from the addition of 1/2 tsp white pepper – and truly shouldn’t be substituted. The Sour comes from ChinKiang vinegar, a Chinese black vinegar with a unique flavor profile. Major players in this recipe are shiitake mushrooms cut into thin strips, cubed tofu, and thin strips of bamboo shoots. Ginger and green onion are key supporting flavors and red bell pepper, carrot, and egg provide body and character. This soup is easy to prepare – just be certain to prepare everything before putting a pot onto the burner. So let’s get prepped…

Pasta alla Gricia

Today’s recipe is a classic, simple Italian dish that definitely satisfies – especially on this snowy, winter day. As many of you know from previous recipes using guanciale, I think this ingredient adds a special type of magic to these Italian recipes (pasta all’amatriciana,  spaghetti alla carbonara, and penne arrabbiata ) and should be sought out before just substituting thick-cut bacon. The guanciale renderings are the star of this dish as it is those renderings that form the sauce – that and starchy, pasta water. I used the tips from the Serious Eats recipe to produce a velvety sauce rich in the slightly smoked pork flavor that is so well suited to Romano cheese. There are several keys to this dish that I think…

Experiment: Omurice

Last night I tried my hand at making Omurice – the popular Japanese dish that is a mash-up of fried rice and an omelette. Typically flavored with ketchup (which I am not a fan of as many of you know), I decided to twist the fried rice using a recipe I saw on TV recently. I cooked the rice in a dashi broth – dashi, mirin, sake, and soy sauce – and used that as my primary flavoring. The rest of the fried rice was made with diced onion, minced garlic, diced red pepper, asparagus, and diced smoked ham. The egg mixture for the omelette is easy enough – one egg, some milk or cream, and sesame oil. The “dashi rice” (as I call it…

Swimming Rama

Tonight I am making a delicious Thai dish, Swimming Rama, also known as Swimming Angel and a host of other names. It is simply quickly cooked thinly sliced lean chicken or pork, dressed in a coconut based peanut sauce served over wilted spinach and either rice or rice noodles. I made this dish as an ‘Experiment’ post nearly three years ago so this one is overdue for a real recipe. I am going with chicken breast and rice noodles for a simple, yet elegant meal perfect for this Sunday evening. Give it a try, you won’t regret the effort it requires!   Save Print Swimming Rama Prep time:  20 mins Cook time:  20 mins Total time:  40 mins Serves: 1 &nbsp…

Crispy Teriyaki Tofu with Stir Fried Broccoli and Carrots

How about starting the New Year with something different?  Teriyaki tofu is the plan for tonight. Paired with stir fried broccoli and carrots for a veggie boost and homemade teriyaki sauce for a depth of flavor that can’t be beat! And easy? This dish is super easy to prepare – perfect for a quick dinner after work or on a busy weekend. If you have made the New Year’s resolution to eat healthier or lose weight, this dish will help you meet those goals. Who says you have to skip taste to eat healthy   Save Print Crispy Teriyaki Tofu with Stir Fried Broccoli and Carrots Prep time:  20 mins Cook time:  15 mins Total time:  35 mins Serves: 2 &nbsp…

Ana’s Oatmeal Cookies with Raisins

Happy Holiday’s everyone! Today’s recipe is from Ana and it is her delicious raisin cookies with oatmeal. We named these cookies tongue-in-cheek because of the plethora of raisins – it seems there are more raisins than oats in each cookie and that is not a bad thing (unless you dislike raisins – sorry!) This recipe is pretty easy to prepare and bakes quickly, so there is no reason to not make a batch for some tasty snacking or to share. So enough of my babble, let’s get baking! Save Print Ana’s Oatmeal Cookies with Raisins Prep time:  15 mins Cook time:  20 mins Total time:  35 mins Serves: 24   Ingredients ½ cup butter, softened…

Potato Bacon Chowder

How about a filling and delicious potato chowder recipe – perfect for a late fall/early winter dinner? This is an easy, tasty, and filling chowder that can be augmented and adjusted to meet any desired flavor profile. Add clams and clam juice for a hearty clam chowder. Add flaky white fish like cod for a tasty fish chowder. Even chicken can be used to create a creamy chicken chowder, using herbes de provence to enrich the flavor. But today, let’s keep it simple – just a potato bacon chowder. Save Print Potato Bacon Chowder Prep time:  15 mins Cook time:  45 mins Total time:  1 hour Serves: 2   Ingredients 5 oz thick-cut bacon, cut into lardons (approximately 4-5…

Blueberry Lemon Muffins

After hours of research based on a request from my wife, I found a simple, but absolutely delicious blueberry muffin recipe. No unusual or special ingredients, no tricky or complicated directions, just a simple flour, sugar, oil, egg, and milk recipe. Actually, I can see the base aspect of this recipe as a blank canvas – blueberry, lemon blueberry, apple cinnamon, cherry chocolate, pumpkin spice… you get the idea. Call it breakfast or dessert, these muffins won’t last long once you make them. Which is a good thing, because as easy as these are to make, you can make them several times a week!   Save Print Blueberry Muffins Prep time:  15 mins Cook time:  25 mins Total time:  40 mins Serves:&nbsp…

Japanese Style Chicken Curry

Sometimes, you just feel like comfort food and for me that can be any number of dishes – goulash, chili, pasta bolognese, drunken noodles, and this dish. I love the simplicity – the preparation is where you spend most of your time and let’s face it, cutting up some vegetables and meat isn’t difficult work. The S&B curry cubes also make this dish easy and intensely flavorful. You can choose from Mild to Extra Hot to suit your tastes. I add extra vegetables into mine because why not? Veggies are good for you!  Paired with a simple white jasmine rice and you have a plate full of delicious comfort.  And in these crazy times, who doesn’t need that?! Save Print…