It has been more than ten years since I tore up my teeny front lawn and planted a teeny vegetable garden which yields big results. And over the years it–the garden–has spread to other areas around the house; the side and rear, mainly. But this year–because of various reasons–I have only planted the front yardContinue reading “This is way more fun than cutting a lawn…”
Category Archives: Culinary Freedom
Moules Marinière!
I’ve posted this recipe before but not in a while. It is really delicious and so easy to make…quite literally put everything in a pot and place it over a fire. Anyhow, I made a large pot of these at work this evening (a scoop of them is pictured straight from the pot) and thoughtContinue reading “Moules Marinière!”
Kibbet Batata with Broccoli Cheddar Hashwa and Lentil Salsah
This is a contemporary version (fusion?) of traditional Lebanese kibbeh (pie or patties made with meat or vegetables and bulgar wheat). Most often this is made with meat (and sometimes eaten raw), but there are plenty of vegetarian versions out there as well, and this is just one of them. The vegetable recipes are usuallyContinue reading “Kibbet Batata with Broccoli Cheddar Hashwa and Lentil Salsah”
Fourteen Bean, Grain, and Legume Bread (a meal in every slice)
I’ve posted this recipe some time ago but it is so easy to make and so delicious that I thought I would re-post it. This is really a variation of my Ezekiel Bread recipe (click here or here) but somewhat simplified in that you boil the beans all at once rather than in stages. AndContinue reading “Fourteen Bean, Grain, and Legume Bread (a meal in every slice)”
Black Bean Cheddar Burgers (Yum!)
Yes these are as good as they look, and of course they are easy to make also. If you’ve ever wanted to make your own meatless burger this is a good one to try. And also, as usual, this recipe is simply a guide. Change the beans, seasonings, etc., to suite your person liking. AndContinue reading “Black Bean Cheddar Burgers (Yum!)”
Farfalline with Asparagus, Tomatoes, Chicken Broth, Saffron, Garlic Confit, and Fontinella
This is a continuation of a previous post regarding garlic confit…here’s an example of a recipe in which I used it. I made this for staff lunch at work yesterday. At first glance this may look complicated but it is really very simple…and really delicious. Other than the chicken broth this recipe is meatless butContinue reading “Farfalline with Asparagus, Tomatoes, Chicken Broth, Saffron, Garlic Confit, and Fontinella”
Confit d’ail
The French name for this two-ingredient but flavor-packed recipe translates simply as preserved garlic, but what it is in the literal sense is garlic that has been slowly simmered in olive oil. And this has many great outcomes. The most obvious is that it removes the garlic’s sharpness (but I like that, too). It alsoContinue reading “Confit d’ail”
Put some stuff on it! (or, Pizza: history in every bite)
Pizzas Pictured (from front to back): Za’atar and shanklish; Margherita; boursin cheese with smoked trout and smoked salmon; pesto and portobello mushroom (click the image for a larger view). One of the aspects of food that I have always found interesting—besides cooking and eating it—is its history. And to study food history is in aContinue reading “Put some stuff on it! (or, Pizza: history in every bite)”
Crispy Baked Tofu Marinated in Yogurt and Spices
So I have to start off with what has become a sort of mantra for my recipes on this blog…this is really easy to make and super delicious. It is so delicious, in fact, a carnivore or someone who says they do not like tofu would like this (really). It’s probably pretty good for youContinue reading “Crispy Baked Tofu Marinated in Yogurt and Spices”
Spiced Potato, Chickpea, and Asparagus Pancakes with Roast Red Pepper Coulis
Okay, so you’re probably looking at these pictures and recipes and thinking a few things. (1) This looks really delicious…they are. (2) They and their sauce look really difficult to make/use a lot of pans, etc. to prepare….these are really simple to make and require only a knife, skillet, bowl, and hand grater to prepare.Continue reading “Spiced Potato, Chickpea, and Asparagus Pancakes with Roast Red Pepper Coulis”
Tapenade!
Tapenade. Mmmm. Delicious. I haven’t made this in a while but it once was a staple on multiple restaurant tables where I was chef. And I made this for a dinner I served this evening. It is basically an olive puree seasoned with anchovies, capers, and lots of garlic. It’s of Southern French origin andContinue reading “Tapenade!”
The easiest but also one of the most decadent little cakes you’ll ever make…
Okay. So first a couple things. This cake (or cakes) is likely the easiest you’ll make. It is also super decadent. But the reason I made this is that I became intrigued by a recipe for a 5 minute chocolate mug cake floating around the Internet. I was dubious, and rightly so. I made oneContinue reading “The easiest but also one of the most decadent little cakes you’ll ever make…”
Shanklish!
Okay, so you’re going to love this. It’s a type of homemade Lebanese cheese that is easy to make and super flavorful. It is different from labneh (which is simply strained yogurt) in that it is cooked. It’s more along the lines of a homemade Italian ricotta or Indian paneer, only instead of being madeContinue reading “Shanklish!”
Pizza Primavera (yum!)…cooking like it’s springtime even if the weather won’t cooperate
I made this for dinner tonight and it was another one of those meals where you look in the fridge and realize there’s not much there. In this case I usually either put it (whatever I happen to have) on a pizza, make a sandwich out of it, or toss it with pasta (which isContinue reading “Pizza Primavera (yum!)…cooking like it’s springtime even if the weather won’t cooperate”
Carrot Vichyssoise with Curry, Yogurt, and Parsley Purée
I’ve posted this recipe before but not in quite a while. It is an excellent spring soup and can be served hot or chilled. The only variation in the recipe (there always has to be one) is that I did not include a recipe for the parsley puree. This is done easily by combining washedContinue reading “Carrot Vichyssoise with Curry, Yogurt, and Parsley Purée”
Two Mediterranean Inspired Recipes
These two recipes are both easy to make and really delicious (but don’t I say that all the time). And, other than boiling the pasta for the stew and caramelizing onions for the rice, these are both made in a single pot (easy cleanup). The stew (ragu) that is pictured below (second recipe) was madeContinue reading “Two Mediterranean Inspired Recipes”
Whole Wheat Chickpea Turmeric Bread (yum!)
I haven’t posted this bread in a while, in fact I haven’t made it in a while, but here it is. Delicious and healthy, it is also easy to make. Like any of the Ezekiel Bread Recipes or other whole grain recipes, the chick peas basically dissolve (or get mashed) into the dough as itContinue reading “Whole Wheat Chickpea Turmeric Bread (yum!)”
A Creamy and Delicious "Ice Cream" Recipe that Takes Just Five Minutes to Make and Contains only Two Ingredients.
Okay…so a bit of clarification. This is not ice cream in the classic sense in that it does not contain cream, but it is without doubt delicious. And while it may only take you a couple minutes of prep time it will actually take longer than five minutes because it has to freeze. But, onContinue reading “A Creamy and Delicious "Ice Cream" Recipe that Takes Just Five Minutes to Make and Contains only Two Ingredients.”
Pan-Roast Spiced Chicken with Golden Beets, Potato, Asparagus, and Orange…
There really is nothing more satisfying to me when I cook at home than being able to do it all in one pot or skillet. This (pictured) is something I made for my son and I for dinner this evening. And this post is really more about a method rather than it is an actualContinue reading “Pan-Roast Spiced Chicken with Golden Beets, Potato, Asparagus, and Orange…”
Shawarma Chicken!
So of course I always say how easy and delicious the recipes that I post are (at least most of them) but this time I really mean it. This is a play on the classic shawarma chick (or beef or lamb) that you find at any Middle Eastern or Turkish restaurant. It is basically chickenContinue reading “Shawarma Chicken!”
Urban Simplicty 