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Category: Main Dish
Here we are, officially remanded to our homes, and quickly finding that eating the same thing is not very fun. It is also a bit of a challenge when running to the grocery store is like a running a gauntlet of coronavirus carrying zombies searching for toilet paper. So here is my take on a simple chicken curry using mostly pantry and basic ingredients. I bought some Thai basil to make Thai Basil Fried Rice and thought this dish would be perfect for the remaining basil. This dish comes together quickly and is full of flavor, perfect for elevating a weeknight dinner after being sequestered on home arrest during this pandemic. Save Print Thai Basil Chicken Curry Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 30 mins Total…
I came across this recipe over the summer and found it interesting enough to bookmark it. I knew there was no way I would make this during the summer, but winter is a whole different story. This dish screams cold weather comfort food to me and after our little brush with snow and below freezing temperatures this week, it is high time I made it. The recipe it is based on feeds 12, so paring this bad boy down to a smaller portion is going to be the challenge. But you all know that is what I set my focus on in writing this blog, crafting smaller portion recipes from wonderful recipes that would overwhelm a single diner (or a small family in this case). I will admit…
Based on a friend’s suggestion, I broke down and picked up an Instant Pot. I scored a sweet deal on the Instant Pot Duo Mini, a small, feature-packed cooker perfect for Cooking4OneandaHalf. Of course, I tested it per the instructions, then tested it with white rice, then with small red beans. The results were good, the time to cook was quick, and overall I was satisfied with adding this device to my cooking repertoire. So, I needed to cook something in it to really showcase the quick and tasty results so often touted by others. I decided on Chicken Noodle Soup. I know, you could claim I was working with a dish that probably has hundreds of recipes on the web – and I did…
From the Kitchn comes this delicious Stuffed Pepper Soup, based on what else – that ever popular dish the stuffed bell pepper. I like this dish for its robust flavor and even more for the fact that it brings all the flavors of stuffed peppers into a soup so easy to make it should be a crime. This version is stove-top, but I wonder if it could be adapted to an Insta-Pot. I bet it could and then it would be even easier and quicker to prepare. So until I work out the Insta-Pot recipe, enjoy this one. It is perfect for those chilly winter evenings here in the Pacific Northwest – or wherever you may be. Save Print Stuffed Pepper Soup Prep time: …
Tonight, I made a new dish for my wife, who had never had swordfish. Well, Trader Joe’s makes that easy to solve so I came up with this mouthful of a meal for her. Using the basics from several ‘miso marinated cod’ recipes to prepare the fish and twisting the final dish by serving it on a bed of rice vermicelli in a miso broth with bok choy and shiitake just to create a unique, yet simple meal. Marinating the fish was made easier with my Vesta Precision Vertical Vac Elite and it’s Marinate function and vertical stance to make easy work of marinating with liquids when time is not available for the typical ‘several hours to overnight rest’ process…
Recently, my wife Ana surprised me with a delicious Dominican dish – sancocho. This stew of beef, chicken, sausage, potato, yucca, plantain, squash, corn, and more is a veritable ‘stick to your ribs’ type of meal. Sumptuous and satisfying, this treat is a labor of love and usually served on special occasions simply with white rice. Well, I can say this – it was a special occasion to come and find this dinner waiting for me! Now to work on the recipe… Thank you baby, te amo mas cariño mio! Enjoy…
Here is a dish you won’t easily find, but is it ever worth trying. My good friend visited the Dominican Republic and came back raving about this dish. So much so, that when he was married there several years later, having this dish at the reception was his only ‘demand’ on the wedding planning. I attended that wedding and tasted ‘chivo’… and all I could say is “Wow!” The flavor was amazing – earthy and intense, spicy but not overly so, and just plain old lip-smacking delicious. Now, three years later, I find myself married to a wonderful Dominican woman and she has taught me a few dishes – staples – in the Dominican cooking repertoire. But chivo…
In honor of Labor Day and the typical end of the summer barbecue bash, let’s enjoy some grilled Middle-Eastern deliciousness on a stick. Yep, that’s right – it is time for Kofta Kebabs. A mix of ground beef and lamb, flavored with warm spices, parsley, onion, and garlic makes for a delicious send-off to summer. Add tahini sauce or tzatziki sauce along with chopped tomatoes, onions, and lettuce inside a pita with the kebab for a full meal. Or make a rice pilaf and grill some vegetables like zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, squash, asparagus, or whatever you like to complete this meal. Just because it is past Labor Day doesn’t mean you can’t still grill – so share this…
Are you ready for a flavor-bomb of a meal? This recipe comes from the NYT and is simply amazing. I adapted it based on comments and personal preferences and I think you will really enjoy the results. This dish works well with salmon or any firm-fleshed fish and it also works well with rice or rice noodles. I have even substituted bok choy (as some of the commenters mentioned) for the spinach. Easy to prepare and amazingly flavorful, this dish is great for a weeknight meal. Give your taste buds a warning though as this dish will give them a wonderful jolt! Save Print Miso Curried Mahi Mahi with Spinach Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 25 mins Total time: 35 mins Serves…
OK, calm down… I haven’t jumped the shark just yet! But I am exploring several vegetarian recipe ideas to support a family and friends that ‘eat clean’ by choice or for medical reasons. The idea for this recipe actually came to me in a dream several weeks ago and sort of stuck in my mind, percolating and brewing into the results below. Yes, I know that sounds weird dreaming about recipes, but it is what it is. I tested this recipe on myself first and was quite impressed with the depth of flavor. If you did not share that it was vegetarian, I bet many people would not realize it lacked meat. And isn’t that the desired result when you try…