Recipe: Udon with Stir-fried Peppers and Onions

Udon with Stir-fried Peppers and Onions

Bon Appetit Magazine, Feb 2023, p. 25
4.5 stars

This dish was good, but not amazing compared to other ramen and udon-based Asian dishes we've made. It was SPICY so see tips below.

Ingredients: udon or ramen, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, onion, scallions, garlic, ginger, sambal oelek, sriracha, soy sauce, unseasoned rice vinegar, honey, vegetable oil, Kosher salt, toasted sesame seeds

Tips:

• Reduce sambal oelek to 1.5 Tbsp instead of 2 Tbsp
• Reduce sriracha to 0.5 Tbsp instead of 1 Tbsp (more can always be added at the table)
• Added firm tofu and also edamame to the dish for added protein

Recipe: Chipotle Cauliflower Tacos

Chipotle Cauliflower Tacos

Bon Appetit Magazine, Feb 2023, p. 24
4.7 stars

Super duper easy weeknight recipe! Lots of flavor and overall healthy! 

Ingredients: corn tortillas, cauliflower, adobo sauce, cilantro, sour cream, limes, ground cumin, red onion, jalapeno, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt

Tips:

• Pickled the onions
• Served with black beans mixed with quinoa and some spices (like cumin) on the side to add protein to the meal

Recipe: Lentil Veloute with Cabbage and Toasted Brioche

Lentil Veloute with Cabbage and Toasted Brioche

Food & Wine Magazine, Oct 2019, p. 85

4.7 stars

(I couldn't find this recipe online so have not linked it here.)

I had set aside this recipe back from 2019, thinking we might make this super interesting recipe one day.... 

We had some cabbage left over from another dish so decided to give this a try. I was mostly intrigued because of the coffee whipped cream that tops this soup. 

This soup was delicious and something I'd expect to find at a high end restaurant. The recipe is from the restaurant Lauza in southern France.

In short, there is a lentil veloute where a cabbage and mushroom mix is added along with a topping of coffee whipped cream. A lot of components and levels of flavor and textures which I love.

Lentil Veloute Ingredients: green lentils, yellow onions, garlic, heavy cream, parsley springs, thyme springs, bay leaves, olive oil, unsalted butter, Kosher salt, black pepper, water

Cabbage and Mushrooms Ingredients: bacon, green cabbage, shiitake, unsalted butter, Kosher salt, black pepper

Coffee Whipped Cream Ingredients: heavy cream, brewed coffee, Kosher salt

Additional Ingredients: brioche slices, extra-virgin olive oil, microgreens for garnish (optional)

Tips:

• Cooked the lentils for 30 minutes instead of 45
• Next time, add 8 cups of water instead of 10 so it's less watery
• We wanted some lentil texture so only blended half of the lentils
• Topped with bacon instead of mixing in with the cabbage and mushrooms so the bacon stayed crispy
• The coffee whipped cream took quite a while to whip because of the coffee liquid
• Add salt to taste -- the 2.5 teaspoons is a lot

Recipe: Grilled Cobb Grain Bowl

Grilled Cobb Grain Bowl

Bon Appetit Magazine, Jun 2015, p. 53

4.6 stars

I really liked this super simple bowl that we served with falafel. Look how short and simple the ingredients list is! The mint, avocado and pistachios are key to the dish.

Ingredients: quinoa, avocado, mint, toasted pistachios, cherry tomatoes, scallions, lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, pepper, flaky sea salt

Tips/Notes:

• As noted above, served with falafel
• "Grilled" the scallions and tomatoes on the stove -- may want to double the amount OR reduce the amount of quinoa

Recipe: Quinoa Risotto with Lemon and Roasted Tomatoes

Quinoa Risotto with Lemon and Roasted Tomatoes

Food and Wine Magazine, Jan 2014 p. 70

4.7 stars

Really nice dish, almost elegant, but definitely needed an accompaniment. We had plant-based sausage along with this.

All components are definitely needed to bring the dish together for flavor and texture -- the panko, parsley, creme fraiche.

Ingredients: white quinoa, whole canned Italian tomatoes, panko, chicken stock, shallot, lemon, lemon zest, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, rosemary, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, pepper; creme fraiche and parsley for garnish

Tips/Notes:

• Make triple the amount of tomatoes
• Used vegetable broth instead of chicken stock
• As noted above, serve with something else like plant-based sausage

Recipe: Lentil Soup with Apple and Bacon

Lentil Soup with Apple and Bacon

Food and Wine Magazine, Nov 2016?, p. 85

4.8 stars

I didn't realize this was a Chef Vivian Howard recipe! If you're not familiar with her, she had a documentary series on PBS showing her opening a restaurant.

This was delicious, hearty and healthy. Lots of texture and flavor!!! It was the second time we've made it as I forgot to blog about this the first time.

Ingredients: bacon, green lentils, leek, celery, carrot, Granny Smith apple, chicken stock, apple cider, rosemary, garlic, ginger, cumin, canola oil, Kosher salt, pepper, buttermilk for serving

Tips/Notes:

• Used 2-3 carrots
• Used creme fraiche since we had that on hand (can't seem to find buttermilk without carrageenan very easily)
• Used vegetable stock instead of chicken stock
• Used the apples we had on hand

Recipe: Tofu and Soba Stir-Fry

Tofu and Soba Stir-Fry (Actually it's a Steak and Soba Stir-Fry)

Bon Appetit Magazine, Apr 2013, p. 38

5 stars

I've been going through piles of recipes that I've torn out of magazines over the years. This one looked good -- except that we're not eating much meat right now as we've gone mostly plant-based as we can. This recipe was so good and not hard at all; it just requires a bit of chopping. As you can see below, we've modified the recipe quite a bit to what we like in Asian dishes. This is a recipe where I can't wait to eat the leftovers!

Original Ingredients: soba, skirt or flank steak, bok choy, carrot, scallions, garlic, ginger, vegetable oil, oyster sauce, reduced-sodium soy sauce, unseasoned rice vinegar, sesame oil, Kosher salt, black pepper, sliced almonds

The Ingredients We Used: soba, tofu, broccolini, carrots, scallions, baby corn, shiitake mushrooms, garlic, ginger, vegetable oil, oyster sauce, reduced-sodium soy sauce, unseasoned rice vinegar, sesame oil, Kosher salt, black pepper

Tips/Notes:

• Used tofu instead of steak
• Used broccolini instead of bok choy
• Used 3 carrots instead of 1
• Added baby corn
• Added shiitake mushrooms
• Didn't add salt 
• Didn't use sliced almonds
• Didn't add the water as noted in the recipe
• Made 2x the amount of sauce since we added so many vegetables -- probably could do 1.75x next time
• Added chili crisp to taste at the table

Recipe: Gyoza and Greens with Chile Butter

Gyoza and Greens with Chile Butter

Bon Appetit Magazine, Oct 2022, p. 18

4.8 stars

We were unsure about this dish (take a look at the ingredients list!) but it turned out delicious and pretty easy to make for a weekday meal. Lots of flavors and textures -- creaminess from the yogurt sauce, heat from the chile butter (a lot of heat), crunch from the pine nuts and more. We didn't add mint but I can see that being yet another layer of flavor!

Ingredients: gyoza, kale, labneh or plain whole-milk Greek yogurt, pine nuts, mint, Aleppo-style pepper, ground cumin, smoked paprika, garlic, unsalted butter, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt

Recipe: Easy Chicken and Dumplings

Easy Chicken and Dumplings

Food & Wine Magazine, Sep 2022, p. 42

4.6 stars

Not a pretty dish which is why I didn't include a photo here, but delicious and relatively easy to make. We do prefer America's Test Kitchen's (ATK) Chicken & Dumplings Recipe (I realize I haven't written about it in this blog) as it has a bit more flavor, but this one was good for in a pinch and didn't take too long to cook. I'll need to take a look at the ATK one to see if we can merge their recipe with this super easy one to get the same flavor but in less time.

Ingredients: chicken thighs, yellow onion, carrots, celery, chicken stock base, all-purpose flour, self-rising flour, buttermilk, unsalted butter, thyme, Kosher salt, black pepper, water

Recipe: Butternut Squash Rigatoni Pasta Pie

Butternut Squash Rigatoni Pasta Pie

HalfBakedHarvest.com

5 stars

This is now one of my FAVORITE pasta dishes we've made. There is a salty-sweetness to this dish with the sweetness coming from the butternut squash, and the fresh sage and gouda add nice layers of flavor. Can't wait to make this one again!

Ingredients: rigatoni, butternut squash, gouda cheese, mozzarella cheese, prosciutto, salted butter, shallot, garlic, milk, honey, sage, oregano, chili flakes, extra virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, black pepper

Tips

• Add enough chili flakes to make it spicy
• Used 10 slices of prosciutto -- the prosciutto shrinks in the oven!

Recipe: Malaysian Char Kway Teow / Chow Fun

Malaysian Char Kway Teow / Chow Fun

@veganbowls featuring @foodpassionical on Instagram

5 stars

This is first dish I've made from a recipe posted on Instagram (see recipe at link above). So easy for a weekday meal and so delicious!!! I love that the white pepper flavor comes through, and adding garlic chili sauce adds a whole new dimension.

Ingredients: flat rice noodles, tofu, choy sum, onion, mung bean sprouts, garlic, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper, dark soy sauce (optional), water, oil

Tips:

• Couldn't find chow fun (flat) rice noodles so used other rice noodles instead
• Used broccolini instead of choy sum
• Doubled the amount of sauce since we had quite a bit of broccolini and bean sprouts
  
• Didn't use dark soy sauce

Recipe: Light & Bright Chicken Potpie

Light & Bright Chicken Potpie

Martha Stewart Living, Mar 2022, p. 56

4.5 stars

Usually we make Thomas Keller's Chicken Pot Pie recipe, but we decided to give this one a try especially since we had some pie dough left over from another dish. There are two different toppings for this -- either a pie crust or phyllo clusters as you can see from the recipe link.

This recipe is much easier and involves a number of different ingredients. It was good, but not as good as Thomas Keller's recipe where the bechamel and herbs give it a great flavor. This was a good pot pie recipe for a weekday meal.

I did like the addition of leeks and artichoke hearts!

Ingredients: chicken, leeks, carrots, celery, Yukon Gold potatoes, peas, artichoke hearts, dry vermouth or dry white wine, low-sodium chicken broth, flour, tarragon, unsalted butter, Kosher salt, black pepper; either phyllo clusters or pie crust

Tip:

• Used rotisserie chicken to get that rotisserie flavor and to cut down on time
• Used the Dutch Oven for ease instead of a pie dish

Recipe: Salmon-Shiitake Rice Bowls

Salmon-Shiitake Rice Bowls

Martha Stewart Living, June 2021

5 stars

I've been so impressed with the recipes in Martha Stewart Living magazine -- they definitely test their recipes, and there has rarely been a recipe we've tried from the magazine that we didn't like.

This one is restaurant-worthy. One of the best salmon recipes... and overall meals we've made!

Ingredients: jasmine rice, salmon fillets, English cucumber, shiitake mushrooms, frozen peas, white or yellow miso paste, honey, unseasoned rice vinegar, unsalted butter, Kosher salt, pepper

Recipe: Baked Shells with Gremolata Breadcrumbs

Baked Shells with Gremolata Breadcrumbs

Food & Wine Magazine, Nov 2021 p. 48

4.8 stars

We love mac 'n cheese! We've tried a number of recipes -- this one looked "different" because of the amount of half and half (3.5 cups!!!), fontina as one of the cheeses and the amount of seasoning like onion powder, garlic powder, white pepper and nutmeg. It turned out delicious... it's definitely is not low calorie!!!

I preferred the mac & cheese without the gremolata breadcrumbs on top which made it a little to garlicky for me.

Ingredients: pasta shells, fontina cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, half-and-half, whole milk, flour, panko, extra-virgin olive oil, unsalted butter, parsley, lemon, garlic, onion powder, garlic powder, white pepper, nutmeg, black pepper, Kosher salt

Tips:

• Zested lemon instead of mincing lemon peel strips
• Added the salt and black pepper when mixing in the onion powder, garlic powder, white pepper and nutmeg

Recipe: Cheddar Cornbread Waffle BLT with Chipotle Butter

Cheddar Cornbread Waffle BLT with Chipotle Butter
HalfBakedHarvest.com
5 stars

Wow - this was as good as the title of the recipe sounds. Restaurant worthy (it could be served at a restaurant), and I enjoyed every single bite. Each bite had some much flavor and texture!

Ingredients: buttermilk, sharp cheddar, bacon, tomatoes, arugula, avocado corn kernels, jalapeno, eggs, all-purpose flour, stoneground cornmeal, honey, baking powder, salt, Kosher salt, pepper, maple syrup, salted butter, chipotle chiles in adobo

Tips/Notes:

• Lightly char the corn next time to give yet another dimension of flavor/texture
• We would've liked more spice (the jalapeno was not hot) so have a couple of jalapenos and/or a serrano on hand
• This recipe made 6 waffles
• Great with a bourbon cocktail!

Recipe: Avocado and Bulgur Salad

Avocado and Bulgur Salad

Bon Appetit Magazine, Aug 2022, p.15

5 stars

Delicious, restaurant-worthy salad. Love the different textures and flavors!

Ingredients: bulgur, arugula, avocados, scallions, pistachios, cilantro, ground cumin, extra-virgin olive oil, lemon zest and juice, jalapenos, Kosher salt, pepper 

Tips:

• Yes, use all of the scallions
• Added different mixed greens to the arugula

Recipe: Saucy Tofu Noodles with Cucumbers and Chili Crisp

Saucy Tofu Noodles with Cucumbers and Chili Crisp

Bon Appetit Magazine, Feb 2022, p.46
5 stars

Great flavor (just look at the list of ingredients!) and pretty easy for a weeknight meal -- there are a number of steps, so it's easier to make with two people cooking it.

Ingredients: ramen, extra-firm tofu, shiitake mushrooms, cucumbers, shallot, ginger, garlic, cornstarch, unseasoned rice vinegar, soy sauce, light or dark brown sugar, tahini, toasted sesame oil, black (Chinkiang vinegar) or balsamic vinegar, chili crisp, vegetable oil, Kosher salt

Tips:

• Used the alternative balsamic vinegar instead of black Chinkiang vinegar
• Serve with gyoza or vegetable eggrolls next time

Recipe: Peach and Prosciutto Sandwich

Peach and Prosciutto Sandwich

Bon Appetit Magazine, June 2022, p. 56

4.8 stars

Super easy weeknight meal especially during the summer. We made them open-faced sandwiches vs. in a baguette, and we used white peaches (YUM!). This could also be a summer appetizer.

Ingredients: baguette, peaches, cheddar, prosciutto, basil, red wine vinegar, chili crisp, Kosher salt

Recipe: Potato Soup with Sage Butter and Rye Crumbs

Potato Soup with Sage Butter and Rye Crumbs

Food & Wine Magazine, Mar 2019, p. 95

4.8 stars

Easy soup recipe that is so flavorful and restaurant-worthy! 

Ingredients: rye bread slices, Yukon Gold potatoes, leek bulbs, fresh sage leaves, butter, white verjus, heavy cream (optional), sea salt, water

Tips:

• Toasted the rye bread twice in a toaster instead of in the oven
• Used white wine vinegar instead of white verjus (researched online and found that this is a good substitute)
• Made 1/4 of the sage butter and made it in a small mixing bowl instead of making the food processor oily. Honestly, I don't think the sage butter is truly needed! I think we could just blend the sage into the soup next time to cut the butter calories out.
• Did use the heavy cream -- blended it in (vs. stirring it in)

Recipe: Breakfast-for-Dinner Burritos

Breakfast-for-Dinner Burritos

Martha Stewart Living, May 2022, p.55

4.8 stars

I love having breakfast for dinner!!! These breakfast burritos were super easy to make (especially for a quick weekday meal) and flavorful. 

Ingredients: tortillas, eggs, bacon, Yukon Gold potatoes, scallions, hominy, cheddar, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, pepper, salsa or hot sauce

Tips

• Yes, use the amount of scallions it calls for!
• Added New Mexico chile powder to add some flavor/complexity to the potato mixture
• Definitely add salsa on top -- nice addition