I love all the fresh produce at the farmer's market. I'm always tempted to buy everything on display but I've learned that I have to go there with a plan or at least have a clear inspiration if I'm going to purchase anything. Otherwise, I will end up with a fridge...
Somen salad is a popular cold noodle salad in Hawaii. It has its origins in Japanese cuisine but like many dishes found in Hawaii, has become a fusion dish (as evidenced by the use of Spam or char siu). You'll often find a version of somen salad at a potluck and it...
To kick-off National Salad Month, I'm sharing what will likely be my go-to salad for the summer. Its Mediterranean flavors punctuated with bright citrus and fresh herbs make it a delightful dish and a nice alternative to the usual pasta salad. Mediterranean...
Many years ago I was at a potluck dinner and someone made a green salad with an Asian dressing and kamaboko. Unfortunately I didn't get the recipe and now I can't remember who made it. Usually I can find what I'm looking for, or a reasonable facsimile, by doing a...
Potato salad, macaroni salad, and potato-macaroni salad are all popular in Hawaii. As I've said before, we love our carbs. And while I can't speak for all of Hawaii, I don't remember ever seeing a German-style, vinegar-based potato salad served here. Macaroni salad is...
Cold tofu makes a refreshing meal in the summer. In its most simple form, a dish of tofu only needs a drizzle of soy sauce and sesame oil. This recipe takes cold tofu to the next level, adding veggies and tuna for a satisfying summer salad. An unusual but popular...
I am known as a collector of cookbooks. While I try to resist and even glean my collection from time to time, I find myself constantly adding new volumes. On a visit, many years ago, my friends wanted to cook a meal as a thank you for hosting them in my home. They...
Chinese chicken salad was one of my mom's go-to family potluck recipes. She would often prepare it in one of those disposable aluminum trays, carefully layering the ingredients. Then when it was time to serve, she would shake-up the dressing, pour it over the salad,...
For many, many years, when I lived in Boston, I spent my Thanksgiving holidays with my extended family in Seattle. It was an easier trip to make (half the time it took to fly from Boston to Hawaii) especially when I knew I would be in Hawaii a few weeks later. Among...
When we were young, a cheap and easy snack was a package of dried ramen noodles, crushed into little bite-sized pieces, tossed with a little of the seasoning packet. Later when we got to college, packaged ramen was the go-to cheap meal that could be zhushed up...
Last summer David Lebovitz posted a recipe for Green Salad with Peas, Green Beans, and Buttermilk Ranch Dressing and it changed my salad eating days. In general I prefer to make my own dressing but have stuck to simple vinaigrettes. I almost never made a...
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...
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...
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...
Recently I bought a bag of farro. I'd been interested in cooking with this grain and decided it was time. Unfortunately the bag sat for several weeks because I didn't have a clue what to make. After some research I found that common uses for farro include soups,...