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,…

Roasted Garlic Ricotta Pasta

I was trying to come up with ways to use my bounty of ricotta and I hit on this idea that a creamy sauce of roasted garlic and ricotta with oyster mushrooms and corn over pasta sounded pretty freaking good. I am so glad that I figured out how to easily make roasted garlic in…

Taco Pasta

Cookbook Club – Guerrilla Tacos For August’s Cookbook Club we used Guerrilla Tacos, a compilation of the recipes LA local Wes Avila created for his very popular taco truck of the same name. To get a taste of all the tacos, go to my Cookbook Club site. For now – my dish! I know, I…

Saltado de Vegetales

I introduced my boyfriend to Peruvian food and he became obsessed with Saltado de Vegetales, begging me to figure out how to make it at home. The waiter at my favorite Peruvian restaurant informed me that the key is aji amarillo paste. So I acquired some aji amarillo paste and got to work. My boyfriend…

Kabocha Squash with Ground Pork

I love the taste of squash, but it can be hard work to cut, remove the seeds, and peel. Kabocha is one of my favorite squashes because the skin is edible. It’s so much less work when you don’t have to worry about removing the skin, and it makes a hearty and delicious stir-fry with…

Spicy Garlic Tofu

Thanks to the air fryer I’m not avoiding frying tofu anymore, so I’m free to experiment with what I can do with fried tofu. At a local restaurant recently my boyfriend had a spicy garlic tofu that he wouldn’t stop talking about. I tried a bite and it was indeed tasty – spicy sweet with…

Japanese Egg Salad Sandwich (Tamago Sando)

Before I went to Japan, people kept telling me I would love the 7-Eleven food there. I was skeptical to say the least. I have never eaten anything from 7-Eleven in the US, and with all the incredible food spots I had lined up for my trip, I just couldn’t imagine why I would want…

Air Fryer “Roasted” Garlic

I found another situation where the air fryer comes in super handy… roasted garlic! I love roasted garlic, but then again, who doesn’t? Once roasted, garlic becomes sweet and mellow, perfect for cooking, making dips, using as a spread, or just eating as a snack. Despite my adoration for roasted garlic, I rarely made it…

Pantry Chilaquiles

Whether for breakfast or dinner, these chilaquiles are great because they are made from items I’ve almost always got in my pantry and fridge (except for maybe avocados, which are an optional topping). You can use store-bought tortilla chips, or use an air fryer to make your own. Guessipe 28 oz can diced tomatoes 2…

Banchan – Radish Kimchi

A Banchan collection isn’t complete without what is probably the best known of all the Banchan – kimchi! While you can make Kimchi using a variety of different vegetables, cabbage is the most common. But of all the kimchi my favorite is Radish Kimchi. I can’t get enough of the firm crunch of the radish,…

Banchan – Korean Bean Sprouts

Another Banchan that I really like is these Korean Bean Sprouts. Bean Sprouts are so inexpensive and they have such a nice pop when you bite into them, which I feel somehow gets enhanced when you cook them. Bean sprouts are an underutilized vegetable in my opinion. This is one great way to use them….

Banchan – Sesame Bok Choy

Continuing my Banchan series… this dish is more commonly made with spinach (which is good too), but I like the extra crunch of Sesame Bok Choy. The combination of sesame oil and sesame seeds really brings out the sesame flavor I love. Guessipe 8 baby boy choy, separated into individual leaves marinade 3 green onions,…