Ddeokguk / Tteokguk / Korean Rice Cake Soup
This soup is one of my go-to Korean dishes that the whole family loves. If you're gluten-free, look for the rice cakes/ovalettes that are made without wheat. They look like this and usually come vacuum-packaged in the refrigerated section of your Korean or Asian...
Basic Hummus
With all the listeria hysteria last week caused by hummus, I thought I'd share a very basic recipe for making it at home. It really is that simple and it really is that good. Many of the store-bought hummus available in our area have additional things like red peppers...
Ingredient Spotlight: Black Fungus / Cloud Ears / Wood Ears / Tree Ears (Auricularia Polytricha)
Auricularia polytricha, or black fungus, is a jelly fungus that grows on trees. It is also known as cloud ear, wood ear, or tree ear, the last two being particularly appropriate because it grows on wood trunks and makes trees look like they have ears. It is tasteless,...
Hot and Sour Soup
It's supposed to be spring! It's 37 degrees F outside. I want my salad and my fruit and my cold soups. Instead I'm back to this. But at least I can eat it by a sunny window. Gotta be thankful for the little things. Hot and Sour Soup, adapted from a favorite, Mrs....
DIY Kimchi
I promised my friend and fellow homeschooling mom Ruth a post on how I make my kimchi. Ruth is the queen of lacto-fermentation. I get so inspired whenever I see her jars of healthy eating and drinking. Hope you and your family enjoy this, Ruth!! First of all you'll...
Chicken with Almond Sauce on St. Frances of Rome’s Feast Day, March 9
Today we're celebrating St. Frances of Rome (click here for her fascinating story), so for dinner I've made a chicken dish which dates back to the Middle Ages. Since St. Frances was a good home manager I could imagine her directing the servants to pound the nuts and...
Green Beans with Coconut-Mustard Sauce
2 tablespoons black mustard seeds 1 medium onion, chopped 1/2 cup white wine vinegar 1/4 cup water 1/2 cup coconut milk 2 tablespoons butter, optional 2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard (I used a raspberry whole-grain mustard that I'm trying to finish up, hence the...
Broccoli “Cream” Soup
Really easy soup for the cooler weather. đŸ™‚ 1 large onion or 2 leeks, chopped2-3 small bunches broccoli or one large3 large garlic cloves, crushed2 tablespoons butter, or extra-virgin olive oil, or 1 tablespoon each4 cups chicken or vegetable broth (I use the bone...
Roasted Sweet Potato and Honey-Roasted Onion Salad with Orange-Cumin Dressing
For the sweet potatoes: 3 large sweet potatoes 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 4 sprigs fresh thyme or about 1 teaspoon dried salt to taste Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Peel, quarter and cut sweet potatoes crosswise into 1/3-inch thick slices. Toss with oil,...
It’s St. John Paul II’s Feast Day!!
Our paper dolls came just in time! So we'll be playing with those in the morning, hopefully while I read aloud Karol from Poland. "Hopefully" because we can't find it right now, though Nino says it's upstairs on his bookshelf. We'll start out in the morning with...
Let’s Talk Chocolate Now
I haven't done a foodie post in a while, and I stumbled upon a link a couple of days ago (I *think* it was Jenn who shared it, sorry, can't remember for sure) -- about chocolate manufacturing practices that are unfair to cocoa farmers, etc. Today I read an article on...
Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Fresh Figs
Was getting a bit tired of our usual veggie salads, and needed more vegetarian ideas, specifically those with more of a Mediterranean bent, so I got me Yotam Ottolenghi's Jerusalem cookbook. I cannot wait to try ALL the recipes. Okay, maybe 99%. I'm not a leg-o-lamb...
Montmorency (Sour) Cherry Lambic Sorbet / Sorbetto alla Ciliegia
I'm in a cherry mood. đŸ™‚ And I've been wanting to make cherry sorbet for a while now, except the recipes I've been running into seem to produce a light rose-colored sorbet, and I wanted to replicate the deep-red cherry sorbet that I tasted in Italy years ago. I didn't...
French Onion Soup / Soupe a l’Oignon GratinĂ©e
Onion soup is a lovely thing to make right after the onion harvest at end of season, when the weather's just starting to cool down. Onion soup is also a lovely thing to start love stories with. Like ours, which certainly didn't begin with onion soup, but has seen its...
Pork Tenderloin Scallopine with Lentil-Vegetable Salad
To make the salad: 1 1/2 cups lentilles de Puy (or use regular lentils)4 tablespoons butter, divided usesalt and freshly ground black pepper to taste3 small carrots, or 1 large, diced1 small zucchini, diced1 medium onion, diced2 ribs celery, diced2 tablespoons extra...