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You'll find over 470 of my favorite recipes here, including ideas for Quick meals, Cooking for 2, Feasting on Leftovers, and cooking with 5 Ingredients or Less. I'm adding new posts regularly; you can subscribe by email or RSS feed if you'd like to receive the latest recipes. Bon appétit!
Spicy Zucchini Frittata
Spicy Zucchini Frittata first caught my eye on a blog called The Bitten Word. Zach and Clay adapted the recipe from the one in the July/August issue of Whole Living Magazine.
Usually, I take the seeds and the veins out of jalapeno peppers, but I followed the recipe and just sliced the jalapeno, seeds and all. That, my friends, is the spicy part of this frittata! It really had quite a kick, which Bob liked. Leftovers seemed even hotter the next day.
If you like things a bit more mild, just cut the jalapeno in half and remove the seeds and veins before slicing.
The recipe calls for 1 cup of corn kernels. A google search tells me that it takes 1¼ medium-sized ears of corn to get 1 cup of kernels. So you’ll probably need 1 large or 2 smaller ears of corn if you’re using fresh. I used frozen corn kernels. (I like Trader Joe’s organic frozen corn.) There’s no need to defrost the corn if you’re using frozen.
This Spicy Zucchini Frittata recipe is a keeper. I like the punch that the jalapeno gives it. The corn offers a nice textural contrast with the zucchini. I made it for dinner, but it would also make a great breakfast or brunch dish. I’ll definitely be making this one again.
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Spicy Zucchini Frittata
(Adapted from a recipe on The Bitten Word whose authors credited the July/August 2012 issue of Whole Living Magazine)
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Serves 4 (If you’re cooking for 2, leftovers reheat beautifully.)
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2 tablespoons olive oil
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced (remove the seeds and veins if you want less heat)
1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
1 cup corn kernels (frozen, or from 1 – 2 fresh ears)
Salt, to taste, for the vegetables
8 large eggs
½ teaspoon salt for the eggs
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1. Heat the broiler and put the oven rack 5 – 6 inches below the broiler coils.
2. Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof pan over medium heat. (A cast iron skillet is ideal.)
3. Add the onion and jalapeno and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
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4. Add the corn and the zucchini. Cook, stirring occasionally for another 6 – 7 minutes. Season to taste with a sprinkling of salt.
I used half zucchini and half yellow summer squash.
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5. Beat the eggs and the ½ teaspoon salt in a bowl.
6. Pour the eggs into the skillet and cook for 5 – 6 minutes, until the sides are beginning to set.
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7. Put the skillet in the oven and broil for 2 – 3 minutes until the frittata is set and browned a bit. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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Homemade Honey-Sweetened Vanilla Ice Cream
I used to be able to buy Alta Dena’s honey-sweetened vanilla ice cream in Seattle, but the store stopped carrying it years ago. I had to learn to make my own.
This recipe does require special equipment. If you have an ice cream maker, this is the easiest ice cream recipe ever! If you don’t have an ice cream maker, maybe you need one. I have to admit, I got mine just to make this recipe.
My Cuisinart ice cream maker came with a little booklet of recipes. The one that appealed to me most was the vanilla ice cream with just four ingredients – milk, sugar, cream, and pure vanilla extract. I loved the fact that I didn’t have to make an egg custard.
So the first ice cream I made was this basic Vanilla Ice Cream, but I substituted ½ cup of honey for the original ¾ cup of sugar. It turned out great, and I’ve been making it ever since!
To get a firm consistency, make the ice cream several hours before you plan to serve it. Put it in an airtight container in the freezer for at least two hours, and it will be perfect.
Honey-Sweetened Vanilla Ice Cream is delicious on its own or with some of the great fruits that are still available. We love it with peaches or berries!
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Homemade Honey-Sweetened Vanilla Ice Cream
(Adapted from a recipe from Cuisinart)
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For best results, leave the freezer bowl in the freezer until you’re ready to pour in the ice cream mixture.
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Makes 1½ quarts
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1 cup whole milk, well chilled
½ cup honey
2 cups heavy cream, well chilled
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
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1. Mix the milk and honey together in a medium bowl until the honey is fully mixed in. (If the honey is very thick, it may help to heat it just a bit so it is a little more liquid.)
2. Stir in the cream and the vanilla. (Stir it in gently; do not whip the cream.)
3. Cover the mixture and put it in the refrigerator until it is really cold (especially if you had to heat the honey).
4. Take the freezer bowl out of the freezer; put it in the ice cream maker. Stir the cream mixture to make sure it is blended well and pour it into the ice cream maker bowl.
5. Turn the machine on and mix until thickened, about 30 minutes.
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6. Put the ice cream in an airtight container and freeze until you’re ready to serve. (2 or more hours in the freezer will give the ice cream a firmer consistency.)
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Goat Cheese with Olives, Lemon, and Thyme
Goat Cheese with Olives, Lemon, and Thyme is very simple but is elegant enough for entertaining. I recently made it when some friends joined us for dinner and it was the perfect appetizer for four people. It could easily be doubled for a larger group.
The key to a recipe like this is to use the best ingredients you can find. I found a local goat cheese at Metropolitan Market from Gothberg Farms. An assortment of pitted olives was easy to find at the olive bar. (Are we just lucky in Seattle, or are olive bars in grocery stores everywhere?) La Panzanella Mini Croccantini proved to be the perfect cracker to serve with the cheese, but you could use any good quality cracker or slices of a baguette.
Once you’ve found the ingredients, it couldn’t be easier to make Goat Cheese with Olives, Lemon, and Thyme. I’m sure I’ll be making it again sometime soon!
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Goat Cheese with Olives, Lemon, and Thyme
(Adapted from a recipe in Gourmet Weekday: All-Time Favorite Recipes)
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Serves 4
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½ cup assorted olives (pitted, if you prefer)
3 thyme sprigs
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 (4-ounce) fresh goat cheese medallion
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For serving:
Crackers or baguette slices
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Gothberg Farms Chèvre
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1. Put the olives, thyme sprigs, olive oil, lemon zest, and black pepper into a small saucepan and heat over low heat until it’s warm and fragrant. Do not boil.
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2. Let the olive mixture cool off, and then pour over the cheese in a small serving dish.
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Zucchini Carpaccio
Need a new idea for zucchini? Zucchini Carpaccio from Gourmet Weekday is fantastic and doesn’t involve any cooking.
Simply arrange the ingredients on a platter or a couple of plates and it’s ready to serve. It can be made a couple of hours ahead of time, so it’s easy for entertaining.
Last night, I served Zucchini Carpaccio as a side dish with grilled chicken. It was perfect on a hot summer night!
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Zucchini Carpaccio
(Adapted from a recipe in Gourmet Weekday)
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Serves 4 – 6
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You want to slice the zucchini as thinly as possible. A mandoline makes it quick and easy.
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1¼ pounds zucchini
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1½ tablespoons lemon juice
Salt, to taste
½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
A few fresh basil leaves (Gourmet used mint leaves.)
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1. Cut the zucchini into very thin slices.
2. Spread the zucchini out on a platter or on a couple of plates.
3. Drizzle the olive oil over the zucchini, and then the lemon juice. Sprinkle with salt. Cover with the grated cheese.
4. Cut the basil (or mint) into thin strips and sprinkle them over the cheese.
5. Serve immediately, or set aside at room temperature to serve within an hour or two.
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Strong Summer Sauce
Strong Summer Saucehas been one of my favorite recipes for many years. The ingredients that make it a “strong” sauce are garlic, olives, capers, red chile pepper flakes, and anchovies. It’s reminiscent of a Puttanesca sauce, but this is a raw sauce – perfect for a quick summertime meal.
The original recipe is from Viana La Place & Evan Kleiman’s Pasta Fresca. They actually have a whole chapter called “Pasta with Raw Sauces”, but I’ve never gotten past the Strong Summer Sauce. (Note to self: Check out some of the other raw sauces this summer.)
Don’t be put off by the anchovies. They are minced and blended in to the sauce. No one will even know they are there, but they do add a lot of umami goodness.
I was not able to score perfect tomatoes. I used supermarket tomatoes. The sauce was still good, but great home-grown tomatoes definitely take this recipe to another level.
If you have access to wonderful ripe summer tomatoes, do try this Strong Summer Sauce tossed with your favorite pasta. Delizioso!
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Orecchiette with Strong Summer Sauce
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Strong Summer Sauce
(Adapted from Viana La Place & Evan Kleiman’s recipe in Pasta Fresca)
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Serves 3 – 4 (doubles easily to serve 4 – 6)
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1 pound ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and cut into small dice* (see note below)
2 anchovies, minced
¼ cup pitted oil-cured black olives, coarsely chopped (I used kalamata olives.)
1½ tablespoons small capers
½ bunch Italian parsley, leaves chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
¼ teaspoon red chile pepper flakes
Salt to taste
¼ cup olive oil
½ pound orecchiette (Cavatappi, campanelle, or any pasta you like to use for chunky sauces would also work.)
Freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese (Optional)
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Some of the ingredients in Strong Summer Sauce
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1. Stir the tomatoes, minced anchovies, black olives, capers, parsley, garlic and red chile pepper flakes together in a bowl. Let sit at room temperature for 30 – 60 minutes.
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2. Taste the sauce and add salt to taste, if needed.
3. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Toss the pasta with the sauce.
4. Top with grated cheese, if desired.
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I used a vegetable peeler to add a bit of Pecorino Romano cheese.
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*To easy peel and seed the tomatoes, bring a pot of water to a boil. Put the tomatoes in the boiling water for about 20 seconds. Remove. The skin will peel right off. Cut the tomatoes in half, and scoop out the seeds. I find it easiest to use my fingers.
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Korean-Style Grilled Flank Steak
Gourmet’s Korean-Style Grilled Flank Steak proves that you can prepare a flavorful flank steak without marinating it for hours. The recipe is adapted from the one in Gourmet Weekday: All-Time Favorite Recipes.
I have to admit I was skeptical about the method: Grill an unseasoned flank steak and then pour 2 tablespoons of sauce over while it rests for 5 minutes. I was so skeptical that I just shot quick photos with my iPhone instead of taking the time to take better pictures.
Well, I was very pleasantly surprised! Korean-Style Grilled Flank Steak is very flavorful, indeed. And I love the fact that it can be prepared so quickly.
Gourmet suggests serving the sliced steak with soft lettuce leaves, steamed rice, and the extra sauce so each diner can make his own lettuce bundles with beef and rice. I served the steak with steamed rice, a small dish of extra sauce, and a tossed salad on the side.
Bob and I both really liked the Korean-Style Grilled Flank Steak! I used twice as much Sriracha sauce as Gourmet, and it was perfect for us. Well, almost perfect for Bob. He added more Sriracha at the table!
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Don’t let my not-so-great iPhone photos deter you. Korean-Style Grilled Flank Steak is great!
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Korean-Style Grilled Flank Steak
(Adapted from Gourmet Weekday: All-Time Favorite Recipes)
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My grilling instructions are what works on my gas grill. If you’re using charcoal, or a broiler, just cook the flank steak the way it works for your method.
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Serves 4
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Sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar (not seasoned)
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
4 teaspoons Sriracha (decrease to 2 teaspoons for less heat)
2 teaspoons sugar
1½ teaspoons Asian sesame oil
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1 – 1¼ pounds flank steak
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (optional; I didn’t use)
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Steamed rice for serving, if desired
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1. Whisk all of the sauce ingredients together and set aside.
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2. Heat a gas grill for 10 minutes with the burners on high.
3. Turn the burners down to medium. Grill the steak for 4 minutes.
4. Turn the steak and grill for 4 more minutes.
5. Put the steak on a cutting board and pour 2 tablespoons of the sauce over the steak. Let it rest for 5 minutes.
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6. Slice the steak. Top with the green onions (and sesame seeds, if using) and serve with additional sauce and Sriracha to add at the table.
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Chickpeas, Provençal Style
How can such a simple list of ingredients produce such a satisfying dish? When I read Mark Bittman’s recipe for Chickpeas, Provençal Style (in his How to Cook Everything the Basics), I thought it sounded good because I do love chickpeas. I couldn’t help but wonder, though, if it might not need some kind of flavor booster. Then Laura and Byron told me that they had made it and they raved about it!
So, I finally got around to making Chickpeas, Provençal Style and we loved it! I think it is perfect just the way it is.
The delicious chickpea-cooking liquid is such an integral part of this recipe; I would not substitute canned chickpeas.
My chickpeas had been in the cupboard for awhile, I think. They took about an hour and a half to cook. It might take less time if you have really fresh chickpeas.
Chickpeas, Provençal Style is definitely a recipe that I’ll be making again! It’s a fantastic vegetarian entrée when you’re craving a meatless meal!
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Chickpeas, Provençal Style
(Adapted, barely, from Mark Bittman’s recipe in How to Cook Everything the Basics)
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Serves 4
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1½ cups (12 ounces) dried chickpeas, rinsed and picked over
1 teaspoon salt and freshly ground pepper
4 thick slices French or Italian bread
1 tablespoon minced garlic
¼ cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley for garnish
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1. Put the chickpeas in a large pot and cover with water so they are about three inches below the surface of the water. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
2. After 30 minutes, start checking the chickpeas to see if they are beginning to soften. You should be able to squish one between your finger and your thumb. If they’re still hard, continue to simmer and check them every 15 minutes or so. Make sure they are always covered by at least one inch of water. (My older chickpeas had to cook for almost an hour before they started to soften.)
3. Once they are starting to soften, add the teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Continue to simmer, covered, until the chickpeas are tender. After you have added the salt, it will take 15 – 45 minutes more for the chickpeas to be done. Check them every 15 minutes making sure they are still covered with some water. Add more water if needed.
4. While the chickpeas are cooking, cut the bread into bite-sized pieces and spread them out on a baking sheet. Bake in a 400˚ oven for 5 or 6 minutes. Turn them over and continue to bake for another 5 or 6 minutes, until lightly toasted. Set the bread cubes aside; there’s no need to keep them warm.
5. When the chickpeas are done, stir in the garlic and the ¼ cup of olive oil. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed.
6. Put some bread cubes in each bowl. Top the bread with the chickpeas and some of the broth. Drizzle a bit of olive oil over all and garnish with the parsley.
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Delicious! 🙂
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Spicy Cauliflower “Steaks”
In Vij’s at Home (a fabulous cookbook) Meeru Dhalwala writes that she often teases her husband, Vikram Vij, about his love of meat. She created Spicy Cauliflower “Steaks” with him in mind; it’s a vegetable recipe that he can eat with a knife and fork, just as he would eat a steak.
Spicy Cauliflower “Steaks” is a very easy recipe. A large cauliflower is cut into 6 or 8 wedges (the “steaks”) and then simmered in a wonderfully flavorful tomato masala. Meeru says you can also break the cauliflower into florets and simmer it, but I thought it was kind of fun to have the “steak” cuts!
So how was it? This is possibly the best cauliflower I have ever had in my life! The seasonings are perfect. Bob loved it so much that he ate half of the recipe and he insisted that I had to blog it. I served it with sautéed shrimp and a salad, but I thought my Spicy Cauliflower “Steak” was definitely the star of the meal!
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Yes, I did eat this for breakfast this morning!
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Spicy Cauliflower “Steaks”
(Adapted from Meeru Dhalwala’s and Vikram Vij’s recipe in Vij’s at Home)
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Serves 6 – 8
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The canned tomatoes I used had no added salt; I used the 1½ teaspoons of salt called for in the recipe and it seemed just right. If I were using salted canned tomatoes, I think I would add all of the ingredients except the salt and then taste it to see if it needed more salt.
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The recipe calls for, and I used, ½ cup oil. Next time I may reduce that to 1/3 cup.
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1 large head of cauliflower
½ cup oil
1½ cups pureed or crushed canned tomatoes (about one 14.28-oz can)
1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
1½ teaspoons salt, or to taste (see note above)
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
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1. Cut the stalk and the leaves from the cauliflower and cut it into 6 or 8 wedges.
2. Chop the ginger and put it in a small bowl along with the other seasonings.
3. Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the crushed tomatoes and the seasonings. Stir well to mix.
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Seasonings added and ready to stir
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4. Simmer over medium heat for about 4 minutes.
5. Reduce the heat to low and carefully place the cauliflower “steaks” in the sauce. Spoon the sauce over the cauliflower.
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6. Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes. Turn the pieces over and cover and simmer an additional 5 minutes, or until done.
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A plate full of delicious Spicy Cauliflower “Steaks”
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In Vancouver, don’t miss Meeru and Vikram’s restaurants: Vij’s and Rangoli. I am super excited about Meeru’s new restaurant, Shanik, coming to Seattle in November!
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Roasted Halibut with Balsamic-Garlic Glaze
Roasted Halibut with Balsamic-Garlic Glaze is a simple recipe. There’s not much to say about it except, “You must try it!”
It’s one of my favorite recipes from Diane Rossen Worthington’s Seriously Simple. She says it’s the recipe that inspired her to write the book, and it’s one of my favorite cookbooks of all time!
If you like halibut, I think you’ll love this quick, easy, and foolproof way to prepare it.
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Roasted Halibut, ready to serve!
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Roasted Halibut with Balsamic-Garlic Glaze
(Adapted from Diane Rossen Worthington’s recipe in Seriously Simple)
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Serves 4 – 6
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2 pounds halibut steak
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
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1. Whisk the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and a bit of salt and pepper together. Put the halibut steaks in a large Ziploc bag and pour the marinade in. Turn the bag several times to evenly distribute the marinade.
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2. Put the bag in a dish and refrigerate for 30 minutes – 2 hours. (I marinated mine for 1 hour.)
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3. Preheat the oven to 425˚.
4. Take the halibut from the bag and place in a roasting pan. (I used a foil-lined baking sheet.) Discard the marinade.
Ready to roast
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5. Roast the halibut for about 10 minutes per inch of thickness, until it flakes easily.
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Potato and Vegetable Salad with Mustard Ranch
After years of making my favorite classic Potato Salad, I have found a new version that I just love! When I saw it in the August 2012 issue of Cooking Light, I couldn’t resist trying Mark Bittman’s recipe for Potato and Vegetable Salad with Mustard Ranch.
Potato and Vegetable Salad with Mustard Ranch is colorful and much more visually appealing than most potato salads. It’s simple to make, and loaded with vegetables and herbs for great flavor.
This is a healthy potato salad that you can feel good about eating! It contains no mayonnaise! Bittman uses 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt. I used Fage classic yogurt (full fat). The recipe only calls for ¼ cup of yogurt and the recipe serves 8, so the difference is pretty negligible.
I highly recommend Potato and Vegetable Salad with Mustard Ranch; I know I’ll be making it again!
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Potato and Vegetable Salad with Mustard Ranch
(Adapted from Mark Bittman’s recipe in the August 2012 issue of Cooking Light)
Mark says you could use any kind of waxy potatoes for the salad, perhaps Yukon gold or red potatoes.
Serves 8 (Just halve the ingredients to make a salad that serves 4.)
2 pounds multicolored fingerling potatoes, unpeeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt (2% or whole)
¼ cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon honey
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 cup chopped red bell pepper (about 1 medium)
¾ cup chopped celery
½ cup finely chopped onion
½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley leaves
¼ cup chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
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1. Put the potatoes in a pan, cover with water and stir in 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Bring to a boil, and then simmer at a lower heat for about 20 minutes or until done. Drain, rinse, and then leave them draining while you finish the rest of the salad.
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Potatoes in the pot
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2. Whisk the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, yogurt, buttermilk, mustard, lemon juice, pepper, honey, and garlic together in a large bowl.
3. Stir the red pepper, celery, onion, parsley, chives and dill into the dressing. Then gently stir in the potatoes.
Nutritional info from Cooking Light (using 2% Greek yogurt):
Serves 8 (serving size: 1 cup)
Calories 107, Fat .7g, Protein 3.7g, Carb 22.4g, Fiber 2.8g, Chol 2mg, Iron 12mg Sodium 318mg, Calc 38mg
In the kitchen with Kath 