Skillet Potatoes

Weekend breakfast was always a nice family gathering back home when I was growing up. That was when my dad would usually take the cooking reins and whip up a meal for the family. Other than Corned Beef Hash, my dad would love cooking skillet potatoes with scrambled eggs for our weekend breakfast. And like … Continue reading

Papa A La Huancaina

I made this appetizer in my Peruvian Cooking Class in Lima. In the interest of saving time, the chef had pre-boiled the potatoes and eggs for us. The dish is a relatively heavy appetizer, since it is potato based with a creamy cheese sauce, so it’s a pretty strong start to a meal. Some of … Continue reading

Corned Beef Hash

When I was growing up, corned beef hash was a staple for weekend breakfast in our household.  However, my family would always just buy the pre-made corned beef hash from the can and skillet it up to serve with eggs.  When I decided to surprise my parents with a last-minute trip home and to greet … Continue reading

Auntie Meliza’s Potato Salad

This is my favorite potato salad dish that my Auntie Meliza brings to all our family gatherings — even if it’s not a potluck!  My mom always referred to this potato salad as “Chinese-style” as it uses Spam® which is apparently known as “Chinese ham” to my people (which only included me very recently).  There’s … Continue reading

Christmas Eve Eve

While Jen absconded to her family’s home in sunny California, I decided to host a little holiday dinner for the friends who were still in New York. Most of the dishes had been featured in this blog before, some were new. I baked a cake for the first time in probably a decade. And a … Continue reading

Garlic Parsley Potatoes

This dish is also called our “scrap potatoes” because this was thrown together with a bunch of leftover ingredients from our Thanksgiving Eve dinner.  I used the excess herb butter juices from the Whole Roasted Chicken, extra potatoes from the Purée of Garlic Potatoes, and fresh parsley from the Marinated Mushrooms. Every time I make … Continue reading

Russian Bath Sports Bar, NYC

Russian Bath Sports Bar Cuisine: Russian Neighborhood: Brighton Beach, Brooklyn Price: don’t remember prices, but definitely cheaper than most Russian places in Brighton Phone: 718-332-1676 Address: 1200 Gravesend Neck Road, Brooklyn, NY11229 I don’t know if this technically qualifies as a standalone restaurant, but the food here is so authentically Russian and so delicious that … Continue reading

Purée of Garlic Potatoes

When I first made my own mashed potatoes, I went with a Potato and Oil Purée in my attempt to avoid using fatty ingredients like heavy cream and butter that most recipes required, and instead substituting stock and olive oil.  However, I eventually caved because, well, there is clearly a reason why the majority of … Continue reading

Potato and Oil Purée

I rarely eat mashed potatoes outside of Thanksgiving time, and even then I usually opt for Candied Yams over traditional mashed potatoes.  When I decided to make Thomas Keller’s Sautéed Chicken Breasts with Tarragon, he suggested serving it with a side of mashed potatoes.  However, his  Purée of Garlic Potatoes recipe required a lot of … Continue reading

Our Thanksgiving Eve Dinner!

I hope everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving and ate delicious food to your stomach’s content! For Natalya and me, it’s a bit too far to fly home to California for Thanksgiving (plus we work on Friday) so for the past few years, we have just stayed in New York.  We decided to host a Thanksgiving … Continue reading