Baked Eggplant (Aubergine) with Tomato and Mozzarella
I was perusing Jen’s Essential Mediterranean Cookbook (newest edition here) looking for inspiration for a few meals for the week, and came across this hearty side dish. We both love eggplant and had leftover mozzarella cheese, so this was a done deal. I followed the recipe pretty closely, except substituted dried herbs for fresh parsley … Continue reading
Fish Cooked in Paper
This recipe is also inspired by The Essential Mediterranean Cookbook. I was craving fish because I wanted something light after a Sunday night meat marathon at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que. The recipe seemed simple and healthy, so I decided to try it. I tried two different fish — the Wild Pacific Dover and Turbot. The former was … Continue reading
Maria’s Broccoli Rabe
Natalya was making Pollo alla Diavola and the recipe suggested to serve the chicken with Broccoli Rabe or roasted potatoes. I decided to try to make Broccoli Rabe as an accompanying side dish, mainly because I had no idea what this vegetable was and I figured, “Why not?” I looked up what the vegetable looked … Continue reading
Harissa Salsa
When I attempted my first “Kei Kurobe” recipe, Roasted Beets with a Curry Vinaigrette, I had to buy a lot of spices that I had never used before, such as whole cumin seed and coriander. When I asked him when I would ever use these spices again, Kei sent me this recipe in response. Of … Continue reading
Housemade Ricotta
When I told a friend I was trying to make my own ricotta, she responded: “Leave a cup of milk in your fridge for 90 days and BOOM! Ricotta cheese.” – Shanmei So that is not really how one makes ricotta and I highly do not recommend trying it to see what happens… Ricotta, which … Continue reading
Pollo alla Diavola
I was reading my boss’s Men’s Health magazine at work and came across this recipe which seemed fast, healthy, and tasty. I copied it and decided to try it out during the week, because the preparation and cooking time are not too daunting to necessitate a weekend. Traditional Pollo alla Diavola, or the “devil’s-style chicken,” … Continue reading
Mushroom Risotto
Growing up in a Chinese household, I ate steamed white rice by the buckets. When I had first heard of risotto, the idea of essentially soggy, mushy rice did not sound too appealing. It was not until recently that I tried risotto that I realized I had been missing out! I was preparing a meal … Continue reading
Insalata Caprese
Simple and refreshing salad! We also like to make mini caprese salads using cherry tomatoes and bocconcini (the smaller fresh mozzarella balls). You can stick them together with toothpicks and it is a great appetizer to bring to parties! Insalata Caprese Ingredients: 4 Roma tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick 1 lb fresh mozarella, sliced 1/4 … Continue reading
Spaghetti and Meatballs
On top of spaghetti, All covered with cheese, I lost my poor meatball, When somebody sneezed… – Tom Glazer (1963) Oh what an epic tale of a lost meatball in the form of a ballad… there was no point to that, I just had the song in my head. Anywho, classic Italian-American dish: spaghetti and … Continue reading
Shrimp Scampi with Linguine
The first time I made shrimp scampi pasta was with my friend Susie, and I was amazed by how quick and easy this dish was to make! We simply sautéd garlic and onions in butter, poured in half a bottle of 3 buck Chuck white wine, threw in some frozen shrimp and some spinach as … Continue reading






















