Starters

Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Chicken Gnocchi Soup

I love the Food52 website and I frequent the site for ideas and recommendations for new recipes. This soup was recently highlighted in one of its emails and I couldn't wait to try it. At the same time that I saw this recipe, I was hearing a lot about Trader...

Chook (Chinese Congee)

Chook (Chinese Congee)

Kung Hee Fat Choy! Happy Lunar New Year! Chook is not specifically associated with the new year celebration but I wanted to share it in honor of my popo. Chook is a rice soup and is also known as congee. It's an everyday comfort food in Chinese homes. One of my...

Mediterranean Chicken and Rice Soup

Mediterranean Chicken and Rice Soup

Many years ago when I was sick, a friend sent me containers of delicious chicken soup from the New England Soup Factory. It was just what I needed on my road to recovery. Several years later the restaurant published its own cookbook and it's become my...

Warm Black Bean Dip

Warm Black Bean Dip

Years ago (we're talking 20+ years) a friend shared this recipe with me. I think it came off the label of a can. It's been a reliable, go-to recipe and I haven't changed anything over the years. It's easy to pull together and more than likely I have the ingredients I...

Corn Queso Fundido

Corn Queso Fundido

This recipe is easy, tasty, and great for a crowd. I first made it for the Super Bowl and have made it a few times since. I've made a few minor adjustments but the original recipe really doesn't need much. I enjoy more spice and am still experimenting to find the...

Pan Fried Mandu

Pan Fried Mandu

Our most recent Moveable Feast theme was Korean food inspired by YouTube and food blogger Maangchi. I chose to make her version of mandu which is very different from the mundoo I learned to make. Like with all traditional recipes I...

Mama Chang’s Pork & Chive Dumplings

Mama Chang’s Pork & Chive Dumplings

Becoming a Dumpling Ninja This year as a birthday gift my friends arranged for a cooking class, shopping trip, and dim sum brunch at Myers + Chang. What a gift! My friends obviously know me well. It was one of the coldest days this season and ordinarily I'd spend the...

Time for Tea Sandwiches

Time for Tea Sandwiches

Since my study abroad in London many, many years ago I've loved afternoon tea. I've hosted a few teas over the years and have learned to make things easier on myself by buying pastries from a bakery. But I have a small repertoire of sandwiches that I make, not only...

Smoked Salmon Tea Sandwiches

Smoked Salmon Tea Sandwiches

This delightful tea sandwich is one of my absolute favorites. It comes from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook and features a homemade herb butter that melds perfectly with the smoked salmon. Some variation of this sandwich is often featured on an afternoon tea menu but...

Turkey Tea Sandwiches

Turkey Tea Sandwiches

A turkey sandwich sounds like a boring lunch that you grab on the go. This sandwich is anything but and features smoked turkey, a homemade scallion cream cheese, and a little surprise of a whole fresh basil leaf (or two). It is so simple to make, I've taken it for...

Black Forest Ham and Gruyère Tea Sandwiches

Black Forest Ham and Gruyère Tea Sandwiches

Alice's Tea Cup is a whimsical eatery in New York City. The décor and atmosphere are inspired by Alice in Wonderland. It's a lovely place to spend time with a friend, catching up, and enjoying a delicious meal. This is one of my favorite tea sandwiches, simple as it...

Char Siu Bao

Char Siu Bao

The Joys of Cooking with Friends Eating, for me, is a social event, a way to connect with friends and family while enjoying delicious food. Cooking is just as social. I love having folks in and around the kitchen when I'm cooking and I really enjoy when someone joins...

Crunchy Pea Salad

Crunchy Pea Salad

It's been awhile since I lived in Hawaii but there are still some things that I remember after all these years. One of them is a pea salad from Ryan's Grill, a long-since closed restaurant in Honolulu. We often went there for lunch and I got a salad sampler plate. I...

Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Updated September 2021 Due to work and school schedules, when we visit Disney World it's often in the heat of summer. If anyone has experienced Disney World in the summer you know that you are in for hot, humid weather with daily thunder storms. One respite we found...

Mandarin Orange & Candied Almond Salad

Mandarin Orange & Candied Almond Salad

I love eating salads but I don't love making them. I don't know what it is but if someone else makes a salad, it's amazing. If I make a salad, it's just meh. Not sure why that is and I know I'm not the only one who thinks this way. Thankfully, this Mandarin...

Farro, Chickpea, and Roasted Eggplant Salad

Farro, Chickpea, and Roasted Eggplant Salad

I often post pictures of dishes I make onto Facebook or Instagram. They never make it to my blog nor are they meant to; they are just things I'm trying out and want to share with friends. I received so many nice comments and inquiries about this salad that I felt it...