cooking as therapy – Page 3

How to Make Edible Parmesan Cheese Baskets in Three Simple Steps with just One Ingredient (the Cheese!)

These are so easy to make. They take just a few minutes and you will add the “wow” factor to a salad. The only ingredient you need is the Parmesan cheese, and only three basic tools are required: a pan (I used non-stick, but steel or cast iron would work as well), a spatula (eitherContinue reading “How to Make Edible Parmesan Cheese Baskets in Three Simple Steps with just One Ingredient (the Cheese!)”

Tuna and Chickpea Meat(less) Balls

Is it just me or are foods that are ground, seasoned, and then shaped into balls or patties really delicious. Versatile, too. These are a play on the classic fish meatballs found in Mediterranean countries; in this recipe I substituted half the amount of fish with chickpeas. And I have to say the outcome was/isContinue reading “Tuna and Chickpea Meat(less) Balls”

Two Loaves and a Pie…

This evening I made a couple loaves of honey-whole wheat bread, and as is sometimes the case–like tonight–I pinched off a piece of the dough to make a pizza for dinner (some believe that this was actually the origin of pizza…the bakers made themselves a little something to eat while the rest of theContinue reading “Two Loaves and a Pie…”

Verdure aglio e olio (due ricette)

Okay. By now–if you’ve been to this blog before–you know that I like things cooked with olive oil and garlic. A lot. I could eat it in variation nearly every day…and I almost do. I posted a similar recipe about a month ago but this combo was too good not to share…whole wheat penne withContinue reading “Verdure aglio e olio (due ricette)”

La Quiche…

Mmm…Quiche Lorraine. Incredibly decadent and delicious; simple to make, too. The beauty of this is that you can have all of the ingredients ready (including the pre-baked shell) and put it together and bake it a half hour before serving. Heck, you can pre-bake and slice the entire thing–if you think you’ll be pressed forContinue reading “La Quiche…”

Sauteed and Spiced Paneer

Okay, so yest, these tasty little spicy and crispy pillows are as delicious as they look. They are sauteed cubes of homemade paneer, or Indian Cheese. Paneer is an ingredient in one of my favorite Indian dishes, Saag Paneer, or spinach and cheese (I’ll post a recipe soon). To make paneer is as easy asContinue reading “Sauteed and Spiced Paneer”

Whole Wheat-Cheddar Tortillas with Smoked Paprika and Turmeric

Okay, so yes, these are as delicious as they look. And they are just as easy to make. You can add or subtract whatever seasoning you like, or use none at all. Use them for tacos or burritos or just simply as bread to snack on or to scoop up dip. The method is thisContinue reading “Whole Wheat-Cheddar Tortillas with Smoked Paprika and Turmeric”

Middle Eastern Inspired Fried Chicken

This is a variation on traditional American-style fried chicken in a few ways. Firstly, there are no bones in the chicken legs (they cook quicker with the bones removed and are much more flavorful than the breast). Also, the chicken is first marinated in yogurt, herbs, and spices, then dredged in whole wheat flour, whichContinue reading “Middle Eastern Inspired Fried Chicken”

Turkey Meatballs with Red Pepper, Green Onion, Jalapeño, and Feta

These tasty little nuggets are a variation on a theme…I used turkey for this recipe but they can be made with nearly any protein you like (meat, fish, or fowl). They are really delicious but the best part is how easy they are to make…mix everything together and cook them. Simple as that. Turkey MeatballsContinue reading “Turkey Meatballs with Red Pepper, Green Onion, Jalapeño, and Feta”

Spicy Vegetable Ragout (or a really hearty soup)

So a few things about this recipe. The first is that it is really delicious (really, really delicious). Another is that it–like most recipes that I post on this blog–can be tailored to suit your needs or cravings. I am not by any means a vegetarian–though I have flirted with the idea–but sometimes I simplyContinue reading “Spicy Vegetable Ragout (or a really hearty soup)”

Baked Lamb Ragù with Macaroni and Three Cheeses

So I have to start this post off with a word that comes to mind…Yum! Geeze o’ man is this delicious; I made this tonight for dinner for my son and myself. This is the type of recipe that can be tailored to your own tastes. It would work equally well, for example, with beefContinue reading “Baked Lamb Ragù with Macaroni and Three Cheeses”

Crispy Spice-Fried Bean Curd with Salsa Verde

Okay. So this is as delicious as it looks. Whether you are a carnivore or a vegetarian this is really good…and really easy to make, too. I used both these recipes as ingredients for tacos tonight for dinner, but these are so versatile they could be used as of a “center-of-the-plate” type of a vegetarianContinue reading “Crispy Spice-Fried Bean Curd with Salsa Verde”

Two Recipes Made for Each Other…

I made these tonight for my son and myself…Penne and Halibut Fra Diavolo and Spaghetti Squash Aglio e Olio. How was it, you may be wondering? Let’s just say there is not much left 🙂 Delicious. Both recipes are really easy to make and bursting with flavor. If you want more pic and the historyContinue reading “Two Recipes Made for Each Other…”

Egg Strata: Layers of Textures and Flavors

Strata < Latin strātum literally, a cover, noun use of neuter of strātus, past participle of sternere to spread, strew, equivalent to strā- variant stem + -tus past participle suffix Okay. Firstly, let me explain what this is. And by this I don’t mean classically (in the culinary world) but what it was to me;Continue reading “Egg Strata: Layers of Textures and Flavors”

Egg Strata: Layers of Textures and Flavors

Bananas Foster!

Okay. So a few things first. This dish is so easy to make you won’t even have to think about it. It is really, really delicious. But it’s also really rich (every so often is ok, right?). The image above is the recipe in large quantity; I made it today for 120 people (in thatContinue reading “Bananas Foster!”

Lebanese-Inspired Brown Rice Pilaf with Lamb, Vermicelli, and Green Beans

This is a really colorful, fragrant, and delicious rice dish. In the recipe I used lamb, but it could just as well be made with beef or chicken (or vegetarian). The only difference(s) from the recipe pictured and the one listed below is that I also added a pinch of turmeric to the rice withContinue reading “Lebanese-Inspired Brown Rice Pilaf with Lamb, Vermicelli, and Green Beans”

Parmesan and Black Pepper Grissini

Pencil-thin breadsticks…grissini. Beautiful, aren’t they? Easy to make, too. These are coated with Parmesan and black pepper making them even more tasty. But you may be wondering why I am making bread with refined flour (opposed to whole wheat). Well, I do now and again. But the real reason is that I just received thisContinue reading “Parmesan and Black Pepper Grissini”

Two Plus Pi…

I bake bread about once a week, sometimes more frequently. And most often it is made with whole wheat flour. Sometimes the bread making coincides with dinner time, as it did tonight. So after the first rise I will sometimes pinch a piece of the dough off and make a small pizza for dinner asContinue reading “Two Plus Pi…”

Broccoli Falafel with Taratoor (Yum!)

Falafel is of course that awesome and healthy snack food that can become an entire meal when served over a salad or wrapped in flat-bread. And when paired with taratoor (tahini-garlic sauce) it is nothing short of culinary genius (in my humble opinion). This is a variation on the classic chickpea falafel in that itContinue reading “Broccoli Falafel with Taratoor (Yum!)”