FOUR-INGREDIENT BLISTERED SHISHITO PEPPERS, simply fried (or grilled), are popular appetizers in Japanese izakaya, casual after-work bars that also feature small plates menus. The slender, pleated green peppers have a delicate peppery flavor. Mostly mild, one in ten randomly packs a tiny bit of heat. Continue reading “Simple Japanese finger food: Blistered Shishito Peppers”
Six delicious baked fruit desserts to keep us happy and safe from cyclospora.
DELICIOUS SUMMER FRUIT IS IN FULL SWING RIGHT NOW. Unfortunately, so is a health alert advising us to cook our fruit as a safety precaution. Cyclospora, the dastardly parasite wreaking digestive havoc across the country, is most effectively killed by cooking fruits and veggies to 158ºF. Well, these desserts bake at 350ºF or higher for long enough to hit that internal temp. Done. Continue reading “Sweet summer fruits, deliciously, safely cooked”
Mediterranean-inspired Roasted Eggplant with Butter Beans is a healthy, delicious vegetarian-friendly meal. Recipe below.
EGGPLANT (OR AUBERGINE, DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU CALL HOME) is one of those “actually, it’s a fruit” foods generally treated as a vegetable. If it’s treated at all. Other than as the venerable Eggplant Parmesan, it doesn’t see a lot of action in many home kitchens, and that’s a shame. It’s deliciously creamy, mild and meaty. And it’s chock full of health benefits. Our easy-to-make, easy-to-reheat Roasted Eggplant with Butter Beans ticks all those boxes. Continue reading “Roasted Eggplant with Butter Beans”
LOOKING TO UP YOUR PROTEIN INTAKE? Try adding some cottage cheese to the mix. Being a source of high-quality protein tops Mayo Clinic’s list of its six health benefits. Just a half cup of cottage cheese provides about 11 grams of complete protein, “containing all the essential amino acids your body needs.” It also supports healthy weight management, helps manage blood sugar and diabetes risk, supports pregnancy and maternal health, promotes bone and dental health, and may support gut health. Continue reading “Protein rich, healthy and delicious: Weeknight Pasta with Cottage Cheese and Chives”
Korean-inspired Roasted Kimchi Gochujang Salmon is weeknight quick, healthy and delicious. Recipe below.
SALMON IS OUR GO-TO FISH, especially if Terry’s cooking. It’s easy to prepare and delicious. It’s also very healthy (more on that later). Looking for a new way to prepare it, we thought about combining it with another delicious, healthy food: kimchi. We now have another go-to weeknight-quick dish. Continue reading “Roasted Kimchi Gochujang Salmon”
Mint and a drizzle of curried yogurt give this creamy (but cream-free) vegetarian soup the vibrant, fresh taste of spring. Serving it room temperature makes it an elegant, surprising first course.
WE’VE BEEN EATING A LOT OF BROCCOLI LATELY, for all the right reasons. It’s super healthy, of course, but it’s also delicious. Recently, it reminded Marion of a soup she’d made with broccoli and mint long ago, like before we met long ago. It was served room temperature fresh and springlike. She thought maybe she would try to make it again to share here at Blue Kitchen. I reminded her that we had done it years ago. That’s the problem with doing a food blog for nearly 20 years—when you think of trying something, chances are you’ve already done it. We’re going to make it again. You should give it a try, for all the right reasons. Here’s the original recipe.
GRILLING SEASON IS OFFICIALLY HERE. Last weekend, we attended our first barbecue party of the year. The menu was pork, more pork, beef, brats and even salmon. All was delicious, but there was no chicken in sight. For us, chicken is perfect for grilling. It’s flavorful and forgiving, even when overcooked. It’s also versatile. Here are seven of our favorite recipes, borrowing ingredients and techniques from all over the globe. Continue reading “Seven grilled chicken recipes, many global influences”
Fiber-rich, protein-rich Instant Pot White Bean Bacon Soup makes a satisfying meal on its own or a delicious side. Recipe below.
WE’RE TRYING TO EAT MORE FIBER THESE DAYS. Well, even more fiber. We’ve always been fans of various pulses in various forms—lentils, split pea soup, bean soups, chili (with beans, of course)… So it occurred to us to treat some of these favorite main courses as sides, swapping out smaller portions for potatoes or rice or pasta, and serving them with fish or chicken or meat and a salad or other green vegetable. Which led us to this dish, Instant Pot White Bean Bacon Soup. Continue reading “Hearty meal? Healthyish side? Yes. Instant Pot White Bean Bacon Soup”
Glazed Strawberry Bread comes together easily to create an impressively delicious dessert. Recipe below.
DON’T YOU LOVE IT when a recipe is way easier to make than it tastes? This simple Glazed Strawberry Bread is exactly that. Continue reading “Simple, delicious Glazed Strawberry Bread”
Red braising, a popular Chinese cooking technique adapted here for slow cooker, produces flavorful, fork tender pork ribs. Recipe below.
AH, IMPULSE PURCHASES! Not looking for country-style pork ribs at the grocery store recently, we came across some nice looking ones and bought them anyway. Then digging in the pantry, we came across not so much an impulse purchase as an over-purchase, a large bag of star anise. We do use star anise, just not in such impressive volumes. Looking for a way to use both, we came across a classic Chinese cooking technique that I know we’ve experienced when eating out, but never heard it named: red braising. Continue reading “Slow Cooker Red Braised Country-style Pork Ribs”