Spicy, tangy Korean comfort: Kimchi Soup with Pork Belly and Tofu

The savory, pungent, spicy goodness of Kimchi Soup with Pork Belly and Tofu will fend off just about anything winter throws at you. Recipe below.

Compared to Boston and other points east, we’re not having a bad winter in Chicago. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t getting to us. Multiple days of mostly single digit temperatures and sub-zero windchills have gotten old. And then there were the unexpected snow squalls Sunday, wrecking our plans for the day and causing a 38-car accident on a downtown expressway. It was time for some serious comfort food. Continue reading “Spicy, tangy Korean comfort: Kimchi Soup with Pork Belly and Tofu” →

Recipes for an unreserved Valentine’s Day

SO IT’S ALMOST VALENTINE’S DAY, and you haven’t scored a restaurant reservation. Or maybe you’ve chosen to abstain from the madness of one of the busiest nights for restaurants. Whatever the case, you need a delicious Plan B for this most romantic of holidays. Here are some ideas from the Blue Kitchen archives that might be just what you’re looking for. Continue reading “Recipes for an unreserved Valentine’s Day” →

Oregano dials up the savory in one-pot Braised Chicken Thighs with Potatoes and Peas

Dried oregano, garlic and onions create an aromatic base for a weeknight quick one-pot dinner of chicken, potatoes and peas. Recipe (and thoughts on dried herbs) below.

I go through phases with herbs. For a long time, herbes de Provence showed up in everything (I even added it to scrambled eggs for a while). More recently, it was tarragon—fresh from our yard up through the fall, then dried. Now I seem to be cooking with oregano a lot. Continue reading “Oregano dials up the savory in one-pot Braised Chicken Thighs with Potatoes and Peas” →

Microwaving gives Skillet Potatoes a head start

Nuking potatoes instead of parboiling them makes skillet-sautéed potatoes even quicker to fix. Fresh herbs add a nice finish. Recipe below.

A FRIEND OF OURS—AN AMBITIOUS, ADVENTUROUS HOME COOK—does not own a microwave oven. He announces as much with the smug tone usually reserved for saying you don’t own a television. Continue reading “Microwaving gives Skillet Potatoes a head start” →

Skip risotto’s obsessive stirring: Risotto-style Orzo with Porcini Mushrooms

Orzo—rice-shaped pasta—stands in for rice in this earthy, less fussy version of risotto, flavored with dried porcini mushrooms, saffron, leeks, garlic and lemon juice. Recipe below.

For years, we bought rice in 25-pound sacks at an Asian market, and we went through those sacks at an alarming rate. Until finally, we didn’t. The change wasn’t abrupt, but it was there. The giant sacks of rice were lasting longer, then ultimately becoming impractical, taking up too much room in our cramped pantry. Continue reading “Skip risotto’s obsessive stirring: Risotto-style Orzo with Porcini Mushrooms” →

Lemony Lamb Burgers with Dijon Mustard

Lemon zest, garlic, fresh parsley, a scallion and Dijon mustard liven up this simple lamb burger. Recipe below.

Lamb Burgers with Lemon Zest and Dijon Mustard

I WAS IN COLLEGE THE FIRST TIME I ATE LAMB. I can’t pinpoint the precise meal. My girlfriend’s family ate lamb frequently, so it could have been leg of lamb for a holiday meal. Lamb chops for a big Sunday dinner. Or ground lamb patties for a quick weeknight dinner. Whatever the case, I was immediately hooked. Continue reading “Lemony Lamb Burgers with Dijon Mustard” →

Christmas memory leftovers

OKAY, IT’S CHRISTMAS EVE. I could post a recipe here, I suppose. But even if you were inclined to add it to what you have already planned, would you have the time, energy and open stores to track down ingredients and put it together? Yeah, I didn’t think so. Instead, I’m going to share a holiday story with you. Continue reading “Christmas memory leftovers” →

Smoky, savory and sweet: Chipotle Pot Roast with Onions and Sweet Potatoes

Beef pot roast, a winter comfort food stalwart, gets livened up with sweet potatoes, onions and smoky, spicy chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Recipe below, with tips on adjusting the heat and smoke.

Turkey and I are taking a break. After some intensely enjoyable time together—Thanksgiving dinner, a delectable soup of dandelion greens, white beans and stock made from the turkey carcass, numerous sandwiches, and random pieces of cold turkey eaten with nothing more than a shake of salt—we hit a bit of a wall. So we both agreed I should see other animal proteins for a while. Continue reading “Smoky, savory and sweet: Chipotle Pot Roast with Onions and Sweet Potatoes” →

Plenty to be thankful for on Thanksgiving

No recipe this week. Just some random thoughts on Thanksgiving, food and family.

We had a full house this Thanksgiving weekend. Both daughters were in town, as was another guest—quite a crowd for our two-bedroom apartment. With an inflatable mattress, the living room was pressed into part-time duty as a bedroom. The five of us shared our apartment’s one bathroom. The more skittish of our two cats often found herself trapped behind closed bedroom doors. Transportation for various needs involved scheduling turns with our one car, walking or taking public transportation. And we all loved it. Continue reading “Plenty to be thankful for on Thanksgiving” →

Cooking the basics: Homemade Marinara Sauce

Marinara sauce, a classic Italian red sauce with garlic, onions, herbs and not much more, is easy and weeknight quick to make. Recipe—and variations—below.

This post is about breaking old habits and overcoming fears. In our kitchen, both for the blog and for everyday cooking, we try to work with real ingredients as much as possible, not overly processed foods. (We do count certain canned and frozen goods as ingredients—beans, tomatoes and spinach, for instance.) But for some reason, I’ve resisted making my own marinara sauce. Continue reading “Cooking the basics: Homemade Marinara Sauce” →