Chewy Fig Walnut Bars

I’m lucky to have a friend with a giant fig tree in her backyard, and around this time every year I reap the benefits of her fig harvest. One year when I was in the mood for a chewy treat, I made these bars with figs, shredded coconut, and toasted walnuts. Yum! Now I make…

Grown-up Filet-o-Fish

I still had some yellowtail in the freezer from my awesome fishing excursion, and was pondering yummy ways to use it. For some reason I flashed back to when I was a kid on the extremely rare occasions that my parents would take us to McDonald’s. My mom, I guess in an attempt to get…

Asian Slaw

This is a super easy slaw with an Asian slant that I like to whip together especially during the summer. Works great as a sandwich topping, or a side salad. Guessipe 1 head Napa cabbage, thinly sliced salt and pepper to taste DRESSING 3 TBSP miso 3 TBSP honey 1 TBSP Dijon mustard 5 TBSP…

Sticky Asian Eggplant

My favorite kind of eggplant is the long thin Asian variety. They are so good in this sweet garlicky sauce. Guessipe 2 Asian eggplants, sliced into angled 1-inch thick pieces 1 tsp salt 1 TBSP corn starch Neutral oil SAUCE 1 TBSP kecap manis 1 TBSP soy sauce 1 TBSP brown sugar 1 TBSP water…

Lemon Sesame Broccoli Salad

Blanched broccoli is so good for making a salad because it’s got great crunch and the tops absorb dressing super well so you get lots of flavor. And you definitely want all the sweet lemony nuttiness of this lemon sesame dressing. Guessipe 1 head broccoli, cut into florets DRESSING 1 TBSP lemon juice 1 TBSP…

Spicy Long Beans

Long beans are sort of like green beans, but super long! You can get them at the Asian market. They have a bit more crunch and firmness and hold their color better when stir-fried, so if you can get them it’s nice to mix things up every now and then. But if you can’t, green…

Spicy Sweet Cabbage and Noodles

This spicy sweet noodle dish is a great side dish, but also hearty enough to be a main course. You could add fried tofu or your favorite meat to make it even more robust. I love meat, but when I’m in a pinch and don’t have any on hand, this dish still does the trick….

Kimchi Fried Rice

I’m always tempted to get Kimchi Fried Rice when I see it on a menu, but then I remind myself how easy it is to make at home. It’s great for using up leftover rice, and all of the other ingredients are things I pretty much always have on hand. So it’s a perfect weeknight…

Pina Colada Pie

March 14 is upon us, and that means my favorite holiday… Pi(e) Day! I throw an annual Pi(e) Day Party, with cost of entry being a homemade pie. I tell people they get bonus points if they invent a pie. Not that points count for anything haha, but since I’m asking my guests to do…

Creamy Corn Fish

There was a homestyle Cantonese restaurant my family used to go to, where my favorite dish was fried fish smothered in a creamy corn sauce. When I moved away, I missed this dish so much I decided to recreate it. Guessipe 1 lb light white fish filets, cut into 2-inch pieces 1 tsp salt 1…

Turkey Pot Pie

Turkey is one of my least favorite meats, but what’s one way to make it better? Combine it with one of my favorite foods… pie! While I don’t look forward to the Thanksgiving turkey meal, I do look forward to turning that leftover turkey into a creamy savory turkey pot pie. If you want to…

Dry-Fried Green Beans

This was the only way I’d ever eaten green beans for a long time, so I kind of thought it was the only way Chinese people ever cooked them. Even if it’s not the only way, I’m pretty sure it’s the most common way. And for good reason – it’s simple and delicious. Guessipe 1…