• Flank Steak Hummus Roll Ups

    Hummus and beef may sound like a weird combination to us westerners who mainly use hummus as a dip for pita, but it’s actually a fairly common combination in middle eastern food. In this flank steak recipe, the hummus is used not only as a seasoning for the meat but also as a glue to help bind the steak together. It’s national hummus day on the 15th, and Sabra is really going all out for the day, I will give you some of the details on their fun giveaways at the end of the post.

  • Amatriciana and Carbonara, the Pasta of Rome

    Last time I made Carbonara on here,(a long long time ago) I got harassed a bit in the comments for putting cream into the sauce. Honestly, I made a decent version of the dish, but just because I added a splash of cream, people got mad. I have looked since, and there are some really really awful and offensive versions of carbonara out there on the web with nothing but nice and happy comments, so I’m not sure why I was singled out. (might have been the aggressive cheesy bread?) Either way, when I was in Rome last week, I made it my duty to seek out some authentic carbonara and see what the fuss was about.

    My journey led me first to a dish called Rigatoni Alla Gricia, followed by Bucatini Alla Amatriciana, and then Spaghetti Alla Carbonara. These dishes had 3 things in common. First, the pasta was very al dente. Like, to the point that I apparently didn’t know what al dente really meant, because the pasta was straight up crunching in my mouth. Second, lots of pecorino romano cheese, and third, ample bits of crispy guanciale, a cured meat similar to pancetta, but made with the jowl instead of the belly. Alla Gricia predates the other dishes by a long shot, and is sort of the vanilla of the three dishes. Add some tomatoes and chile flake, and you have Amatriciana, add some eggs instead, and there’s your carbonara.

    When I got home, I was dying to get into the kitchen to make these two dishes. I wanted to do it for redemption for my last carbonara post, but also to see if it was really just as simple as it seemed. These were my favorite two plates of food I had my entire time in Italy, could they really only take 20 minutes and 5 ingredients to make? You might be tempted to add onion or garlic like many recipes out there… DON’T DO IT! You may also think you can substitute pancetta or even bacon, (like 2008 Dan) but please please go out and find that guanciale. Then just take your time and enjoy cooking and eating something that has been made the same way for hundreds of years.

  • Rice Bun Burgers

    This burger uses two rice patties as the buns. For toppings, cucumber, mint, peanut, and sriracha.

  • Chicken Tikka Egg Rolls

    Charred yogurt marinated chicken tikka wrapped in an egg roll with onion and hot peppers and served with cilantro mayo.

  • Honey Mustard and Pickle Glazed Ham

    When I was young, my Grandfather used to get really upset when he saw that we had a spiral ham at any holiday. I didn’t really understand as a kid. I didn’t like ham that much anyways, was there really a difference? Yes, child me, there is a big difference. I probably didn’t like ham because I had never had good ham like this one from Jones Dairy Farm before! And, yea, yea, we all know this is a sponsored post and they send me ham, but in all honesty, it is so good! Here is an example. The first time they sent me this ham, I kind of brushed it off and cooked it casually for a few people thinking it was no big deal.  Well guess what, everyone freaked out about how good it was, even the people who supposedly don’t like ham!  The SECOND time I got the ham it was like Christmas morning when I opened the package, and there was much fanfare leading up to cooking it!

  • Spicy Herb and Cabbage Calzone

    This was one of those times where you open your fridge and try and put together a meal with lots of ingredients leftover from other recipes. I had tons of different herbs, half a cabbage, some sharp cheese, olives, and pizza dough. Normally when I make a clean-out-the-fridge meal, I don’t take pictures, but this ‘zone came out fantastic, and much different than any calzone I have ever had, so I decided you guys might be interested. It was almost more of an intensely flavored empanada filling in a pizza crust.

  • Korean Style Cauliflower and Dandelion Pancakes

    I was in the mood for some Korean style kimchi pancakes, but wanted to make them with fresh veggies instead of the normal fermented cabbage. I went to the store and just grabbed a couple vegetables I felt like eating and went for it. I tossed the veggies in some vinegar and chile paste to let them marinate a little before adding the flour to make the pancake batter. I loved these pancakes. The crunch of the almost raw cauliflower combined with the crispy browned edges made for a real textural treat, and the deep savory flavors in the gochujang caused a craving for the next bite every time.

  • Arepa Hot Dogs

    A hot dog cooked inside arepa dough and served with a spicy avocado mustard sauce

  • Filipino Pork Belly Adobo

    I’ve been dying to get together with my blogger friend Bianca to cook some Filipino food for years, and the stars finally aligned to make this happen a few weeks ago. She recently quit her job so she could finish up her degree and we realized that we both have Wednesday afternoons completely free. Check out her blog today for more on this same recipe, and again later this week for some other stuff that we cooked that day. Hopefully we can do this again a few more times before her semester is over so I can taste more of this delicious cuisine I have never been exposed to before!

  • Salmon Gnocchi in a Creamy Pea Sauce

    If I was running a diner a couple decades ago, I would probably call these “salmon croquettes”. If I was running a fancy modern american place I might call them “salmon-potato dice” cause they have the fun square shape. I think salmon gnocchi is a good name for them though. This recipe is inspired by the old school salmon and pea pasta, and also by the upcoming spring when fresh peas will soon be available.

  • Caramelized Celery Linguine

    Linguine tossed in a sauce of caramelized celery, celery juice, leaves, and seed for a full celery experience, inspired by Portlandia!