Simple and simply comforting Apricot Balsamic Pork Chops

Apricot jam, balsamic vinegar, garlic and thyme flavor these delicious weeknight-quick pork chops.

I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT THE EARLY DAYS OF THE PANDEMIC, maybe because we both just got our latest COVID-19 vaccine. We are always grateful when we do, remembering back to the beginnings of the outbreak—pre-vaccines, pre everything—when we wore homemade masks, washed our hands constantly and basically hunkered down. Most of us cooked a lot then too, afraid to go into restaurants, or anywhere really. Looking through our archives, we came across this comforting recipe from that time when comfort was so needed, Apricot Balsamic Pork Chops. Continue reading “Simple and simply comforting Apricot Balsamic Pork Chops” →

Serious gingerbread, with an easy chocolate upgrade

MARION’S GINGERBREAD IS AN ABSOLUTE GO-TO DESSERT for our family. With dark molasses, black pepper and Chinese five-spice powder, it is a big-flavored gingerbread with plenty of spicy bite. So imagine our delight when she recently devised a simple, delicious upgrade: chocolate. Continue reading “Serious gingerbread, with an easy chocolate upgrade” →

Filipino comfort food for breakfast: Lugaw

Lugaw is a savory rice porridge, flavored with ginger and chicken, and served as breakfast in the Philippines. Recipe below.

WE FIRST TASTED THIS CREAMY, COMFORTING RICE PORRIDGE at Uncle Mike’s Place, a diner in Chicago known for its “Famous Filipino Breakfast.” Before you even order from the menu, welcoming bowls of lugaw (LOO-gaw) are placed in front of each guest. At its heart, it is creamy, savory and gingery, rice slowly cooked in broth until it becomes thick and rich, with bites of tender chicken. It’s topped with garlic chips, scallions and a half slice of lemon. No big flavors jumping out at you, just subtle, soothing deliciousness. Continue reading “Filipino comfort food for breakfast: Lugaw” →

Kimchi Carbonara Linguine

Pasta carbonara, a bacon-rich Italian favorite, gets a cross-cultural makeover with kimchi, Korea’s national dish.

Linguine Kimchi Carbonara — Kimchi Carbonara Linguine

WE RECENTLY CAME ACROSS A RECIPE for a kimchi carbonara. It sounded like a terrific mashup of one of our favorite Italian dishes and the delicious tangy funk of kimchi, the Korean national dish made with vegetables—often Napa cabbage—fermented for months with various spices. Looking for other recipes for variations to riff on, we came across our own recipe. Continue reading “Kimchi Carbonara Linguine” →

White Bean Soup with Chicken, Fennel and Mustard Greens

White Bean Soup with Chicken, Fennel and Mustard Green is comforting, healthy, lively and weeknight quick. Recipe below.

I LOVE WET FOOD. SAUCY PASTAS, GORGEOUS STEWS, BRAISES… If it’s very liquid, I’m already inclined to love it. I’m also puzzled by criticisms of wet food. Years ago, I remember reading a restaurant review that chided the chef for serving an entree that was swimming in a sauce, rather than lightly coated with it. I was at once hurt and indignant. You mean liking a lot of sauce is…. wrong? So as you can guess, I absolutely adore soups. Continue reading “White Bean Soup with Chicken, Fennel and Mustard Greens” →

Hello, healthyish! Zucchini Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips

Fresh zucchini brings impressive health benefits to this decadently satisfying bread. Recipe below.

I’M NOT GOING TO GO INTO HOW WE HAPPENED TO COME INTO POSSESSION OF A GIGANTIC ZUCCHINI. A big, fat, smug zucchini the size of a healthy, lively newborn. (A healthy, lively newborn happened to be on hand for comparison.) I just want to say that, when you and your friends are planning your personal gardens next spring, you should collectively agree that only one of you—just one—should be the designated zucchini grower. That will still mean dozens of zucchinis in your culinary future, but at least you won’t end up with more zucchinis than all of you, along with everyone else in your neighborhood, could possibly consume. One delicious way to consume at least some of the zucchini overload is this Zucchini Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips. Continue reading “Hello, healthyish! Zucchini Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips” →

Yummy, healthy Oat Fruit Bars

Healthy oats and a mix of fresh fruits make a delicious breakfast treat or snack. Recipe below.

Oat Fruit Bars with Peaches and Strawberries

OAT FRUIT BARS ARE SWEET, SURPRISINGLY HEALTHY breakfast treats or snacks. Made with an oat crust and your favorite mix of fresh fruits, this easy recipe takes advantage of the beautiful fruits that are so readily available at this time of year. Continue reading “Yummy, healthy Oat Fruit Bars” →

French-inspired Chicken and Wine

CHICKEN AND WINE IS THE FIRST THING I COOKED FOR MARION. I cooked it on our second date. She had cooked dinner for me on our first date. I’ve read somewhere that cooking for a date is a big deal step that should be saved until you’ve been dating a while, and it’s really easy to scare someone off. I guess Marion and I aren’t that easily spooked. Continue reading “French-inspired Chicken and Wine” →

Spicy Chicken Salad with Giardiniera

Hot giardiniera gives this summery Spicy Chicken Salad a little heat and big flavor. It’s great on sandwiches or on its own.

Spicy Chicken Salad with Hot Giardiniera

WHEN SUMMER TURNS UP THE HEAT, most of us try to turn down the time we spend cooking in a hot kitchen. With store bought rotisserie chicken and a handful of other store bought ingredients, you can make Spicy Chicken Salad with Giardiniera without turning on the stove. And like summer, it packs a little heat, but in a delicious way. Continue reading “Spicy Chicken Salad with Giardiniera” →

Pan-Asian Noodles with Ground Chicken

A mix of globetrotting Asian ingredients creates a delicious, weeknight-simple meal. Recipe below.

PAN-ASIAN IS KIND OF A CATCH-ALL COOKING TERM. Chefs sometimes use it to refer to an intentional mixing of cuisines and cultures to create something new. But many Asian ingredients are in fact pan-Asian, maybe originating in one country, but crossing borders to be used in kitchens throughout Asia. Pan-Asian Noodles with Ground Chicken falls in the latter camp, using ingredients from China, India, East Asia and Southeast Asia to create a dish that is not distinctly any one cuisine, but is distinctly delicious. Continue reading “Pan-Asian Noodles with Ground Chicken” →