Recipes for side dishes.
An article by Eliana Rivero goes into great detail about some of the cultural dishes of Cuba, including a dish I decided to try for this week’s column, congri. According to Rivero, “The name comes from the Creole French words congo and ris (beans and rice) to produce what today is widely consumed by Cubans …
Continue reading “Everyone will want to ‘congri’gate around your table for this dish”
When we were stuck in the house for lockdowns at the start of the pandemic, I (like everyone else) started getting a bit stir crazy and began looking for ways to reorganize different parts of our house. One of my first projects was my horribly organized spice cabinet. The way it was all stacked in, …
Continue reading “‘Tajin’ up the flavor with yummy seasoned rice”
Even though I try not to heat up the house with my oven too often in the summer, I am definitely willing to make an exception for the right recipe. Last week, that exception came when I decided I didn’t want one of the typical cold summer sides like coleslaw, potato salad or a green …
Continue reading “Roasted vegetables will be the ‘bell’ of the ball this summer”
I’ve written before that I have some random, mostly mild food allergies that make certain recipes difficult for me. Specifically, tomatoes cause me trouble, and I have to limit how often I include them in my diet, no matter how much I love them. Because of that, I’m sympathetic to readers who sometimes email me …
Continue reading “Customizable pasta dish is worth every ‘penne’”
An article on the website “Atlas Obscura” called “What the Heck Is Crab Rangoon Anyway?” lays out the history of the crispy little Chinese restaurant staple. The article notes that while crab rangoon are not from China, they’re an invention by Chinese-Americans, who began serving Chinese dishes to Americans of other backgrounds when they came …
Continue reading “Air fryer rangoon can keep you from ‘wonton’ eating”
In an online article, author Ossiana Tepfenhart explains that there are lots of foods we now consider “fancy” that were once “poor man’s food.” Dishes that fit the bill include lobster, oysters and even caviar. Another dish that she could have included? Ratatouille. The summer stew, native to Nice, France, was once considered a humble …
Continue reading “Want to be a French chef? You can d’ouille’ it!”
Joey and I tied the knot back in 2010, which meant our 10-year anniversary was pretty anticlimactic last summer with COVID in our backyard. No date night out on the town. No restaurant dinner. We still enjoyed one another’s company (I mean, it’s not like we could be apart while quarantined in the same house.), …
When it comes to cooking indoors, Joey and I share the load pretty evenly. We each take on lunch or dinner regularly, with both of us having our specialties. But when it comes to cooking outside, I definitely fall far behind. Joey has really perfected the use of his kamado-style grill, mostly opting to create …
Continue reading “Grilling cheese is more than just o’queso’”
As the extremely proud aunt of a fantastic three-year-old, I have been around for quite a few meals of macaroni and cheese the past several years. I definitely can’t argue with her taste in good food. Joey makes fun of me for ordering mac and cheese regularly, and while my niece’s dish of choice is …
Continue reading “Huge casserole will make you say, ‘Cheese, Louise!’”
While I have always thought of collard greens as something eaten mainly by southerners, an article from the website “What’s Cooking America” notes that even the ancient Greeks and Romans enjoyed the leafy greens. For the U.S., the tradition of cooking collard greens with pork—often using a ham hock to simmer in the broth—came from …
Continue reading “Tasty collards will ‘leaf’ you wanting more”
