Category: make ahead

Recipe: Pupusa

Leave a comment

I’ve never actually had a pupusa so I wasn’t really sure how to make these or what they should be like but it did take me two or three tries to figure out how wet the dough should be, how they should be filled, and so on so don’t get too discouraged if your first batch comes out a little interesting – they should still be delicious. This is just a great and quick way to deliver flavor to your mouth and it pairs really well with all types of salsas/sauces and you can fill with almost anything making it really versatile as a starting point recipe.

Continue reading →

Recipe: Tofu-Bean Meatballs

2 Comments

I don’t eat most meat (just birds and fish) so I’ve never been one of those people who is trying to make exact replicas of meat but I just wanted to find a recipe that made sturdier “meat” balls because they’re just such a useful food and these fit the bill. Just make sure that your tofu and beans are both really wrung out and that everything is mixed well together and these will come out with a texture that is only slightly more delicate than a regular meatball. They also taste pretty much like meatloaf which is a great plus in my book too!

Continue reading →

Recipe: Earl Grey Tea Cake

Leave a comment

I’m a big fan of cakes that are soft and creamy tasty and this one is basically the perfect balance between eating a pound cake and drinking a cup of tea. The original recipe had a fairly heavy amount of other flavors and a thick frosting but I decided to go hyper minimalist with this recipe instead and just added orange peel inside and on top and coated them with a thin glaze so they have a slight extra burst of sweetness to match the smokey tea inside.

Continue reading →

Recipe: Chickpea Soup

Leave a comment

This really hearty and delicious stew is great for a cold day or any occasion. You can make this ahead of time without the noodles and just add them as you’re warming it up (if you’re using thin vermicelli style noodles). This is basically minestrone but with slightly different flavors and chickpeas instead of beans in case you need a little variety in your life.

Continue reading →

Recipe: Plum Cake

Leave a comment

This is a great way to use up plums and can probably be used with plenty of varieties of fruit, especially other stone fruit like apricots and peaches. This is a one bowl recipe that comes together so easily I made it with one hand when I accidentally grated my thumb and had to be extra careful about my left hand for a week. This cake has a mild, sweet flavor that contrasts perfectly with the tart plums, and texture like a cream scone making it perfect for an afternoon tea or coffee snack.

Continue reading →

Recipe: Bagels

3 Comments

I’m not the sort of person to tell you that you have to make bagels. Commercially available bagels aren’t particularly good but if you live near a bakery that makes fresh bagels the odds are that they’re going to be cheap and fairly good but if you can’t get bagels or happen to live in a place where they’re not particularly available this is an easy recipe which produces really good results for a home kitchen. You can rest these overnight but I’ve found that I personally like the sweet spot of about 4-6 hours in the refrigerator (at 12 hours these start to deflate for me, your results may vary). Luckily the recipe doubles easily and already made bagels last for up to 4 days without any taste or texture difference. If you can’t find molasses most sweet stuff will suffice: honey, brown sugar, and even dark corn syrup will all produce a crisp outside texture with a chewy inside – just how I like my bagels!

Continue reading →

Recipe: Fesenjān

Leave a comment

This is a delicious Iranian stew with the flavors of pomegranates, walnuts, saffron, and other spices that takes about 3-4 hours to come together but it is well worth it thanks to the richness and depth of flavor that it produces. This is a show stopper for a dinner party or other get togethers and it’ll definitely be something that your friends and family talk about for years to come. This recipe has you make your own pomegranate molasses and walnut paste because they’re not available where I live but feel free to use commercially available shortcuts if you can!

Continue reading →

Recipe: Turkeyloaf

Leave a comment

This recipe is fairly simple meatloaf made from ground turkey that comes together with only a few minutes of actual work but it tastes really great and also stays well in the fridge or freezer once cooked. This loaf is kept moist with lots of vegetables but it still holds together solidly enough that slices of it can to be used for sandwiches. You can play around with the flavorings, vegetables, and glaze to create your own personal masterpiece.

Continue reading →

Recipe: Chicken Adobo

Leave a comment

A set it and forget recipe this takes time but practically no effort to produce delicious and flavorful chicken that is perfect with a nice pile of rice. I always store the leftover sauce and use it to make stir fry. I used only drumsticks the first time but I would actually recommend bone in thighs or a mixture of pieces in the future and to just adjust the cooking time slightly depending on the size of the pieces.

Continue reading →

Recipe: English Muffins

Leave a comment

These aren’t too much work and will produce muffins with pretty good nooks and crannies for a great side dish with breakfast or a nice base for a sandwich. The only downside is that the batter needs to be made at least 3 hours ahead of time but that also means you can make the dough the night before and simply bake them in the morning. I baked mine on the stove in a cast iron pan but you can bake them only in the oven if you do not have a good heavy bottomed pan.

Continue reading →