Zuppa Toscana is the best soup at Olive Garden. It’s actually the only reason I ever go to Olive Garden. So now that I figured out how to make it at home, I guess I don’t have any reason to go to Olive Garden anymore. The Instant Pot makes this extra quick and easy to…
Tag: Main
Tuscan White Bean and Sausage Soup
Now that I’ve experienced what quick work the Instant Pot can make of cooking beans, I’ve been much more willing to experiment with bean dishes. I ate a white bean and sausage soup years ago that I still remember and think about from time to time, and now finally got around to re-creating. It was…
Cauliflower Ragu
Cookbook Club – Six Seasons Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables was our cookbook for February. It progresses from spring to early summer to midsummer to late summer to autumn to winter, but since almost all of us were drawn to summer recipes rather than winter ones, we probably should have waited to use…
Fish in Black Bean Sauce
Fish in Black Bean Sauce is a common dish in Chinese restaurants, but it’s actually pretty easy to make at home! The black bean and garlic sauce is what makes this dish, and it works with a variety of different kinds of fish. Guessipe Toss the fish in 1 TBSP corn starch and set aside….
Thai Basil Chicken
When I go to the Asian market, I grab Thai basil so that I can make this super easy Thai Basil Chicken. It’s a great dish for weeknights because it comes together in minutes. The only reason to get this at a Thai restaurant instead of making it at home is if I can’t get…
Dan Dan Noodles
Dan Dan Noodles are typically served layered (sauce at the bottom of the bowl, then noodles, meat, and vegetables), and you’re supposed to mix it yourself before eating. But I’ve found that I can cook many of the ingredients together, cutting way down on the number of steps and still resulting in a delicious bowl…
Ravioli in Pumpkin Cream Sauce
I had some more of the incredible ricotta from my cheese guy, plus a pumpkin that I had pureed after it had served its purpose as a holiday decoration. So I decided to make ravioli with a pumpkin cream sauce. The meal came out so good that my boyfriend said it was like eating in…
Peruvian-Inspired Pie
I decided to do a Peruvian theme for a recent dinner party, since I had some aji panca paste I’ve been itching to use. Arroz Tapado (ground beef layered with rice, peas, and carrots) is one of the traditional dishes that uses aji panca, but one of my dinner guests doesn’t eat rice, so I…
Peach Basil Meatballs
I had some leftover meatballs from when I made Meatball Cheese Crisps, and I had some end-of-season peaches that were ok but not the peak of sweetness we experienced a few weeks ago. Plus my basil plant has been doing really well lately. So I decided a savory dish might be a good use for…
Caramelized Zucchini and Onion Pasta
It’s summer squash season, and the abundance of zucchini everywhere got me thinking that it might be good caramelized along with onions. The combo of caramelized zucchini and onion came out even better than I expected, making a buttery sweet pasta sauce that I’ll definitely be making again. Guessipe 6 TBSP butter 1 onion, thinly…
Thai-Inspired Salad
We’re in the midst of summer right now, and it’s just too hot to be cooking and eating a hot meal. I was craving a salad that was hearty enough to be my dinner, but cool and refreshing to eat in this heat. While not an exact match for any traditional Thai salad, I used…
Best Burger Ever
I had to pry two pizza dough buns out of my boyfriend’s hands in order to make these burgers, which he resented at first. Until he took a bite of this burger. That’s when he declared this was the “Best Burger Ever”… and who am I to argue? Guessipe shredded parmesan pizza dough buns sriracha…