I’m sharing my minimalist approach to Rhode Island clam chowder using very few ingredients. My goal is to NOT make enough chowder to feed an army. Here’s how you can whip up approximately four cup-sized servings rather quickly. And if you want to make more, feel free to double the recipe… or quadruple it if…
Maple Cornbread Dressing with Clams
Cornbread dressing is a classic American Southern dish made by tons of African-American home cooks on holidays and celebratory occasions. It’s a fantastic way of repurposing leftover cornbread by re-mixing day-old cornbread with some type of stock, meats, veggies, herbs and spices, then bake it all up. So essentially, cornbread dressing is a type of…
Roasted Jalapeño Guacamole
If you like spicy food, my flame-roasted Jalapeño approach to guacamole is what you need in your life. Texture plays and important role in my recipe by way of with finely chopped white onion, while the absence of tomatoes eliminates the “slime” factor. But most importantly, using a pastry cutter to mash everything allows you…
Spicy Lime Chicken Wings
This is a super simple recipe using some ordinary store-bought ingredients, resulting in extraordinary results. As the title would suggest … limes are the featured ingredient in these easy lime chicken wings. That’s a no-brainer. But varying the type of hot sauce and chile powder is where there is room for creativity. The lime has…
Sicilian Tomato Eggplant Soup (Alla Norma)
Pasta Alla Norma is a classic Sicilian dish consisting of pasta tossed in a tomato sauce with fried eggplant. Then Ricotta cheese is frequently added with a garnish of red pepper flakes. But if you’re looking to cut down on carbs, then this tomato eggplant soup is a fantastic way to experience this traditional Sicilian…
Pasilla Lentil and Pumpkin Soup
If you’re not a fan the classic “American” pumpkin, consider switching to a Calabaza pumpkin which is super popular in Caribbean Latin cuisine. It’s not as watery and it tastes more like a butternut squash, which makes it a perfect candidate for a pumpkin soup. This soup is the result of merging two concepts I…
Pasilla Tomatillo Salsa from Chef Rick Bayless
I recently got an education in minimalist cooking with this Oaxacan Tomatillo Salsa with Pasilla chilies from watching Chef Rick Bayless on YouTube. He hooked up this awesome salsa with just 3 ingredients (tomatillos, Pasilla chiles, and garlic) and this will certainly be added to my list of regular things to make going forward. If…
Skordalia Frittata with Calabrian Pepper Sauce
Skordalia is a Greek, potato-based garlic spread I came across in Titan Foods, one of many Greek grocery stores in Astoria. Other than using it as a spread, my first instinct was to use it with broccoli and cheese as a Skordalia omelette. Just randomly drop in a few spoonfuls of Skordalia here and…
Green Tomato Brown Rice
Cooking brown rice requires a good amount of patience. The cooking process is simple, and I’m using some sauteed green tomato sofrito as a plant-based flavor base. You can usually find green tomatoes at farmers markets in the summer and fall seasons. Or, if you grow tomatoes sofrito is a great way to utilize your…
Air Fryer Potatoes with Thai Curry Paste
This “easy idea” recipe has quickness in mind for when you want some crispy home fries. And for lovers of Thai curry and/or anything spicy, you’re in for a treat because these are laced with spicy, aromatic Asian flavors. If you don’t have an air fryer, go get one! I use a Ninja. If you’re…
Thai Curry Lentils and Eggplant
When you really want Thai food but don’t want to spend the money ordering it from a restaurant, using canned curry paste at home is your next-best best option. It’s not made from scratch, but it’s pretty darn good. It will get you really close to replicating any simmered Thai curry dish from a Thai…
Summer Salmon Burger
When you want a burger other than classic beef for a leaner eating experience, salmon burgers are a frequently overlooked choice when it comes to alternative burgers. For these patties the clean flavors of garlic, ginger, chives and coriander mixed in with some honey mustard leave your mouth with a satisfying “umami” flavor. Like all…
Blackeyed Pea Tabouli Salad
People familiar with my food know that I really love serving up bold and spicy flavors. So it’s a good idea to have this mild and refreshing Blackeyed Pea Salad to serve alongside some spicy jerk chicken or some Vegan Jollof Rice as a palette cleanser. This delivers the fresh, lemon-dressed, and parsley-packed experience of…
Pineapple Honey Limeade
Lemonade is a classic choice for a refreshing summer drink, but limeade is the citrus beverage that deserves just as much kudos in my opinion. The tartness and tanginess of fresh lime juice is quite intense, which means you don’t need to use very much to yield a good limeade. So, on it’s own, lime…
Red Pepper Tahini Dressing
When you love red bell peppers and find yourself frequently buying jars of them, you’re already on your way to making a fantastic 4-ingredient red pepper dressing. Simply grab a clove of garlic, kosher salt, and tahini. Mash the red pepper and garlic into a paste. Stir in the tahini, then thin it out with…
Maple Cornbread with Berry Preserves
This recipe for maple cornbread is inspired by my obsession with heritage cooking lately. Simply because, as a genealogy enthusiast I constantly wonder what my ancestors were eating. Or, if I was there in that time and place, I like to imagine what I would have cooked with the ingredients that were available. If you…
Curry Sweet Potato Dip with Candied Ginger
This recipe comes close to being a hummus … if only it had chickpeas. Whether you consider this a sweet potato dip, spread, hummus, or mash … it’s still something that showcases a Jamaican-inspired way to prepare this ever-so-versatile root vegetable. I’m not Jamaican but I love the country’s food. And as Neo-Soul food enthusiast,…
Oven-Dried Tomato Slices
Drying food is great for campers and hikers, but home cooks have good reason to use this cooking technique to make oven-dried tomato slices. Why? Simply because they deliver intensive tomato flavor to vegetarian sandwiches . Let’s not forget that tomatoes are technically a fruit and their sugar content is quite high. Without moisture, flavors…
Mexican Quinoa, Quick and Easy
Salsa from a jar is great for nachos, but it’s also great to use as a cooking base. Using it as starter for some Mexican rice – or quinoa – is an easy idea to serve as a side or filler item for burritos. Mexican Red Quinoa is also great substitute in meatless tacos, yielding…
Lean Collard Greens with Smoked Pork Chops
Traditional preparation of collard greens involves slowly cooking down a ham hock. The meat breaks down and the greens are infused with the pork fat that renders off. Nowadays, many people substitute the ham hock with smoked turkey for a healthier version without pork. To take the health factor one step further, I even have…
Artichoke Aioli, Quick and Easy
Cooking an artichoke might not be hugely popular and it may not seem easy, but its refreshing flavor is something very rewarding. Instead of eating artichokes the classic way … scraping the cooked leaves with your teeth … use the flesh to make artichoke aioli. This easy recipe happened because I wanted to revisit this…
Herb Roasted Potatoes
Roasted potatoes are a universal side dish associated with comfort food and making them at home is super easy, filling, and economical. They’re ability to absorb lots of flavor makes them a perfect candidate to carry jam-packed combinations of fresh herbs tossed in garlicky and peppery olive oil. The technique for herb roasted potatoes is…
Andouille Vegan Red Beans
If you have a love/hate relationship with meat like I do, this Vegan Red Beans recipe has you in mind. Even if you love meat, this is an extremely satisfying copycat concept for Andouille sausage. It’s spicy, smoky, and oh-so hearty. And … it’s plant-based! So, after much Andouille seasoning research and recipe testing, this…
Fried Green Tomato Bites
What to do when you’re faced with too many unripe tomatoes? Most people would say, “Fry ‘em up!” A couple months ago I pickled a batch of them when I swore I was done with the growing season. However, seeing so many unripe cherry tomatoes still in my container garden convinced me to hang on…
Pickled Green Tomatoes, the Quick Method
Here’s something super easy to do with unripe tomatoes. The classic pickling process of preserving in jars is intricate and time consuming. Alternatively, if you want to eat your pickled food within a day or two, quick pickling can achieve similar results in a skillet with some oil, salt, and vinegar. It’s super easy. This…
Quick Taco Meat – Classic “American” Style
Taco Tuesday is a breeze once you have the right meat locked down. The meat I’m talking about here is what goes on the classic “Americanized” tacos that many people ate growing up. You know … the super basic tacos with the pouch of meat seasonings, Ortega hard shells filled with layers of diced tomato,…
Green Enchilada Sauce
When you love green enchiladas, making your own green enchilada sauce at home is a must. Green enchilada sauce always wins in my book for a key reason. It’s super easy! But also, the flavor profile of this tomatillo-based sauce packed with citrusy cilantro, aromatic onions and spicy peppers is a personal favorite. If you’re…
Vegan Baked Beans with Smoked Tomatoes
My vegan baked beans are a cookout crowd-pleaser for their bold smoky flavor while delivering a healthy-ish, meatless experience. Even better, it’s quite an easy recipe because once everything is all mixed together you pretty much leave it alone. Being a native New Englander from the great state of Rhode Island, baked beans were hugely…
How to Make Awesome Vegetarian Sandwiches
Really good vegetarian sandwiches go beyond the basics of just some lettuce, cheese and tomato. With two key pieces of equipment – a mandolin slicer and electric skillet – you can transform almost any vegetable into a sandwich fixing. Layer them in between two pieces of your favorite bread with some condiments, and you’re all…
Broiled Buffalo Cauliflower
Buffalo cauliflower is an easy idea that combines the two concepts of buffalo wings and meatless cooking. If you love spicy food, this should be added to your repertoire. You get the vinegary cayenne-infused flavor along withthe nutrition of this crunchy vegetable. Also, it’s also super easy. If you want a finger food type of…
Sriracha Kale Slaw
This simple recipe for kale slaw is jam packed with fresh cruciferous vegetables, tossed in a spicy dressing spicy, and lifted with citrus flavors of lemon juice and cilantro. Like most slaw and salad recipes, the amounts are completely flexible and open for interpretation. So, feel free to use this as a guide and put…
Mexican Shepherd’s Pie with Braised Beef
For St. Patrick’s Day I wanted to revamp shepherd’s pie using Mexican seasonings and braised beef. I’m a little Irish but never knew much about Irish food except for Shepherd’s, which my mom (non-Irish) made growing up. So now that I know how to cook, my cultural fusion version as an adult utilizes Mexican flavors…
Chipotle Sweet Potato Chili with Cashew Lime “Crema”
If you love chili, this recipe will convince you that meat has little to do with it. The thick, spicy, and tomatoey sauce with all kinds of textures coming together in one bowl is what seals the deal. Sweet potato chili is quite common among vegan cooking. But for my vegan chili recipe, mashed sweet…
Baked Kale Chips, Here are Some Tips
If you’re skeptical about the concept of turning fresh kale into crispy, oven-baked kale chips, I completely understand. I was doubtful as well. This trendy snack is huge among health food enthusiasts and countless recipes exist on the internet … each has its own signature. Seasonings may vary, but the cooking process is all the…
10 Chocolate Chip Cookie Tips
Through much trial and error from the age of 8, I have developed my own set of chocolate chip cookie tips. In about 1984, my oldest sister burned a batch of Nestle Tollhouse cookies and I whined so much that I was actually crying. Even after that traumatic incident, she made them countless times and…
Sofrito of the American South
If you’re new to the concept of sofrito, it’s basically the blending a bunch of fresh vegetables, aromatics and herbs to use as a sauté base. You can use it in soups, stews, rice, or anything you sauté or boil. Many cultures have their own version, and seeing how I enjoy learning about American Southern…
Buffalo Roasted Chickpeas
In a recent effort to eat less meat, this easy idea came about when I was seriously craving the flavor of buffalo wings and I needed a substitution for the protein. Roasted chickpeas have been oh-so trendy for a while, and dousting them in buffalo sauce will give you a spicy and vinegary plant-based experience….
Garden Salad with Thai Basil Lime Vinaigrette
Growing your own food is super rewarding, no matter if it’s just a few containers or an entire yard. My first attempt at gardening in pots was last year and was able to yield enough veggies to make a salad every now and then. Much trial and error occurs in gardening and thanks to YouTube…
Jamaican Curry Lentils with Coconut Milk
For curry lovers, this Jamaican version of curry lentils offers a quick and easy vegan side dish. Or, to make in a main course you can load it up with an endless combination of toppings as you would do with a bowl of chili. And because lentils are so small this recipe is done cooking…
Sweet Potato “Cold Cuts”
Sweet potato recipes are usually very time-intensive procedures, but not with what I’m about to show you. All it takes is a mandolin slicer to turn this classic American-Southern Soul Food ingredient into a sandwich fixing in only 20 to 30 minutes. It’s as easy as cooking bacon but not greasy and so much healthier….
Red Enchilada Sauce
Making a really good red enchilada sauce is an extremely rewarding experience. And to be completely honest, it can get rather messy. But it’s the kind of messy that leads to bonding activity with your ingredients when you have to really LOVE cooking. Because that I order enchiladas at least once a week, I couldn’t…
Cucumber Salad with Chili-and-Garlic-Oil
For this cucumber salad, cool and crunchy cucumbers works in tandem with a garlic-infused chili oil to yield a refreshing summer appetizer. A slight tangy is introduced from fresh lemon juice accented with ground coriander. This marinade can be applied to other vegetables, but it works most amazingly with cucumbers due to their absorbent nature…
Jollof Rice, Vegan Style
Countless Jollof Rice recipes from African cooks exist on YouTube, and I wanted to get in on the action. However I really didn’t want to add meat, so this vegan jollof rice is where I ended up. And or the jollof rice enthusiasts, this recipe which follows more of a Ghanian method. There is an…
Sriracha Skinny Coleslaw
If you’re in the mood for coleslaw but not crazy about mayonnaise and enjoy a spicy edge, then consider this vegan alternative featuring Sriracha sauce and grated ginger. You could call it a skinny coleslaw. I uses the term “vinaigrette” loosely because lemon juice is the acidic stand-in for vinegar this coleslaw recipe. And like…
Black-Eyed Pea Dip with Roasted Garlic
Next time you want to serve a bean dip, put down the hummus and consider this faster-cooking Black-eyed Pea Dip to impress any plant-based American Soul food aficionados you may be cooking for. Roasting garlic is a crucial step you certainly don’t want to skip, as it takes only 20 minutes and ideal to be…
Homefries Two Ways
Crispy, well-seasoned, oven-made homefries can enhance any meal if you just follow just a few simple concepts. No matter if you’re making breakfast, lunch, or dinner (or cooking for vegeratians or meat lovers) it seems like EVERYTHING goes well with some homefries. There are a few things you can do to make them turn out…
Shoestring Fried Sweet Potatoes
Naturally sweet and oh-so-crispy bits of fried sweet potatoes in the form of shoestrings are an exciting addition to any sandwich, wrap, or taco. Plus, after they’re fried, they can also be seasoned and turned into a stand-alone snack. No matter if you are vegan, vegetarian, or meat-loving, these fixings are loved by all. Be…
Easy Jerk Chicken from the Jar
While researching recipes for jerk chicken, I was struck by how many home cooks try to add their own “other” ingredients. Non-traditional items including parsley, nutmeg, 5-spice powder, or even soy sauce are in some recipes. To experience the traditional version of this signature Jamaican chicken I turned to YouTube, where it’s easy to find…
Vegan Gumbo with Mashed Yams
Traditional gumbo achieves its thick texture from making a roux at the start of the recipe. But for my interpretation of vegan gumbo, I achieve a similar consistency from mixing some mashed yams into your bowl at the very end. Keep in mind that this is a very loose interpretation of the classic definition of…
Sautéed Collard Greens
This recipe for sautéed collard greens does not involve the classic method of Soul Food preparation. Traditionally the greens endure hours of simmering with a ham hock or smoked turkey wing. Instead, you can try this plant-based option in only 20 minutes of cooking time. These cook much quicker, retain a lot more nutrients, and…
Smoky Sofrito Pulled Chicken Breast
When faced with the challenge of finding new ways to cook chicken breast, consider this easy, flavorful method of stewing for 3 hours so it cooks down into a succulent sauce, then gets delicately pulled apart with a fork. Use this saucy chicken recipe for making pulled chicken sandwiches, chicken tacos, empanada filling, or simply…
Salsa Verde with Roasted Poblano Pepper
When indulging in Mexican food, the most difficult decision for me ends up being the decision of choosing salsa verde or salsa roja — red sauce or green sauce. If you like just a subtle kick of heat, the addition of poblano peppers will convince you that green is the way to go. On the…
7 Tips for Fluffy White Rice
Everyone has varying techniques for cooking a batch of plain white rice and other rice-based recipes. Because of its wishy-washy nature, rice deserves its own blog post to yield an irresistibly light and fluffy batch regardless of which technique you use. After much trial and tragic error, I arrived at these tips that I swear…
Easy Plain Tomato Sauce
Countless comfort food recipes – especially many for rice and beans – call for a small 8 ounce can of plain tomato sauce. Upon reading the labels on the tomato sauce cans in stores, you’ll notice that pretty much all brands seem to have some trace of “spices”, herbs, or sometimes “red” coloring. Making your…
Rice with Pigeon Peas (Arroz con Gandules)
Pigeon peas (gandules) are quite global but I first encountered these nutritious legumes in a Puerto Rican context from watching chef Daisy Martinez. This was basically her recipe, until I started doing a couple things a little differently. The global concept of cooking rice and beans in the same pot seems quite simple … seasoning…
Jalapeño Poppers Stuffed with Pork Shoulder
Pork shoulder is perfectly suited for jalapeño poppers due to its succulent fibrous texture. This cut of meat allows you to break it apart into long whole chunks that conform easily to the pepper and still remain intact when handled and stuffed into a Jalapeño. Also, the fat rendered from pork shoulder can be brushed…
Adobo Roasted Pork Shoulder
I learned about Puerto Rican style roasted pork shoulder from watching Chef Daisy Martinez on public television when I first moved to NYC, circa 2005. Traditionally called “Perníl” in Spanish, the pork shoulder is marinated in a garlic-based “Adobo” wet rub and a few other key ingredients, all mashed together into a paste using a…
Coquito with Homemade Caramel
Coquito is a creamy coconut-and-rum-based cocktail that is very popular in Caribbean Latin households. It’s similar in concept to egg nog, except there’s no egg. When the Holidays are approaching, it’s common to receive a bottle of homemade coquito from various Puerto Rican friends and/or co-workers, and the concoctions can vary quite a bit from…
Flourless Chocolate Raspberry Torte
Since the emergence of the gluten-free movement, countless flourless cake recipes have surfaced based on the concept of trying to mimic the volume and texture of an actual “with-flour” cake, largely by adding lots of eggs. However, my first recollection of flourless dessert dates back to the late 1990s when flourless “cakes” took on a…
Skillet Baked Mac and Cheese
Recipes for a comforting batch of mac and cheese can quickly go from inspirationally gooey to a tragic cheese casserole of mush if not handled with care. Overcooking the pasta and to many cheeses are the two biggest problems huge problems in my humble opinion. To achieve a smooth and creamy cheese sauce all it…
Cranberry Apple Crisp
As Fall approaches and the temperature begins to drop, apple pie always comes to mind. However, making a really good pie crust certainly has some complicated obstacles, so making an apple crisp is an equally exciting easier option. And even better … both the filling and crumb topping can pre-made and stored in the refrigerator…
Homemade Puerto Rican Sofrito
Chef Daisy Martinez first opened my eyes to the process of making Puerto Rican sofrito, which is a staple in Caribbean Latin cuisine. Basically the concept of is to act as a sautéed seasoning for any oil or fat which contributes to any base flavor in a recipe. Instead of sautéing each vegetable individually, sofrito is a…
Vodka Watermelon Cocktail with Mint
As watermelons begin to arrive in stores when summer arrives, you should also be on the lookout for some fresh mint leaves to make this refreshing watermelon cocktail for summer parties. Guests love to see a carved-out watermelon with floating melon balls infusing with a spiked & minty fruit juice. Not only is the presentation…
Spicy Lime Baked Chicken Wings
If you love a spicy and tangy flavor profile, welcome to the easiest baked chicken wings recipe in the world. Red Devil hot sauce and fresh lime juice are combined with some really standard seasonings to yield succulent chicken wings that fall off the bone with some patience. This recipe is easy, but it’s not…
Bittersweet Chocolate Chunk Cookies
I have been perfecting this recipe for chocolate chunk cookies since I was a kid. It originated from following directions on the back of a bag of Nestle Toll House chocolate chips when I was about 8 years old. My sister burnt a batch of cookies and I made me determined to learn how to…