Sweet Pea Soup with Coconut and Ginger

Cookbook Club – In Bibi’s Kitchen In October we used Hawa Hassan’s cookbook In Bibi’s Kitchen for Cookbook Club. Hassan gathered the stories and recipes of bibis (grandmothers) from eight African nations: Eritrea, Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, South Africa, Madagascar, and Comoros. To get a taste of the foods we tried from these bibis’ kitchens,…

Lentils with Curried Butternut Squash and Walnuts

Cookbook Club – Gourmet Today For our July Cookbook Club we used Gourmet Today, a collection of over 1,000 recipes which Ruth Reichl compiled during her time as editor in chief of Gourmet magazine. To see all the dishes we sampled from this massive selection, go to my Cookbook Club site. For now – my…

Cheese-Swirled Bread

When I make this bread, my boyfriend will eat the whole loaf in one day. The bread is soft and fluffy on the inside, with a crispy cheese crust on top, and delish herb cheese swirling through the middle. I have tried every combination of cheese and herbs – my favorite is cheddar with green…

Hot-and-Sour Curried Chickpeas

Cookbook Club – Milk Street: The New Rules Cookbook Club is back!!!!! Can you tell I’m excited? It’s been 15 months of COVID craziness – wearing masks, staying away from people, and definitely not having dinner parties. Anyone who knows me knows I love a dinner party, so it’s been rough. But the world is…

Tom Kha Gai (Thai coconut soup)

This coconut soup is one of my favorite Thai foods. Tom Kha Gai is a great accompaniment to other Thai dishes, but its rich and warming broth makes it hearty enough to eat as a main dish as well, especially with a side of rice. Making Tom Kha Gai is a simple 3-step process –…

Spiced Egg Salad

Cookbook Club – The Soul of a New Cuisine For our June cookbook, we used Marcus Samuelsson’s The Soul of a New Cuisine. In it, he includes traditional foods of Africa as well as his own African-inspired creations. I was looking forward to this meal because I haven’t had many opportunities to eat African food,…

Curried Roasted Cauliflower

Cookbook Club – The Seasonal Jewish Kitchen Our March cookbook was The Seasonal Jewish Kitchen by Amelia Saltsman. I’m always angling to get invited to my Jewish friends’ holiday parties because of the food (and the company of course!), so I was excited for this book. You can get a peak into the abundance of…

Do Chua Salad

Cookbook Club – Appetites: A Cookbook This year we lost a titan of the food world, so in Anthony Bourdain’s memory we used his Appetites: A Cookbook for our October Cookbook Club. Anthony Bourdain captivated so many people with his fearless travels, so it’s no surprise that this book of his personal favorites includes recipes…

Crunch and Squash Salad

I like a hearty salad that really gives you something to chew on and fills you up. This is one such salad – with crisp and crunch from the cucumber and jicama, creamy avocado, and roasted squash that adds an almost meatiness. You can of course add in other veg that you like and change…

Avocado Dressing

Avocado is a wonderful fruit that should have many more uses than guacamole and avocado toast. Its natural creaminess lends itself very nicely to making a delicious creamy salad dressing, with the healthy fat! Guessipe 1 avocado 1 bunch cilantro juice from 1 lemon 3 TBSP honey 1/4 cup cane vinegar salt and pepper to…

Pico de Gallo

When I go to a taco place, I always make sure to get a healthy scoop of the Pico de Gallo at the salsa bar. It’s got a little spice, but also adds a nice pop of freshness to any taco. Pico de Gallo is equally good with just some tortilla chips. Or you can…

Jicama Lime Slaw

I love the crunch of jicama. It is great for make-ahead salad, because it stays crisp in the dressing. The sweetness of the apples brings out the sweetness of the jicama, and contrasts nicely with the bite of the lime and vinegar. This jicama slaw is so refreshing I find myself popping into the fridge…