From the category archives:

Appetizers and Snacks

Chili-Lime Pickled String Beans

September 12, 2008

This recipe takes me back to my childhood when my great-grandmother would make me pickled beans. I loved the tangy flavor and how the green beans were like tart and tender french fries. She would make me a batch and…

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Watermelon Salsa

August 8, 2008

And, to conclude my week of watermelon, a savory take on the classic salsa. Although I paired it with some chips, this salsa would go nicely with a piece of grilled fish or other seafood. It’s light and refreshing, but…

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Simple & Savory Watermelon Salad

August 6, 2008

A couple months ago we went to a friend’s house for a lazy Sunday morning brunch and I had the most wonderful watermelon salad. I’ve since seen quite a few variations on it but I think it’s best when kept…

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Healthy spring rolls with peanut sauce

May 7, 2008

I always forget how much I enjoy these easy to make spring rolls. The last time we made them was for a party at our house, everyone loved them. I came across a partial package of spring roll wrappers while…

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Empanadas with Beef Picadillo

April 11, 2008

Last night, dinner wasn’t planned and in all honesty I anticipated reheating leftover pasta. As I finished up my work day, a StumbleUpon friend from Uruguay twittered that he had just eaten spicy empanadas. My stomach grumbled as my eyes lit…

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How to make Paneer, a fresh farmer’s cheese

April 8, 2008

Making cheese is one of those things I’ve always wanted to try. As a baby step, I figured it might be best to start with a simple fresh cheese easily made from common ingredients and without need for complicated devices.…

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Farida’s potato or meat pies, aka Pirojki!

April 7, 2008

Many of us read food blogs every day and when we come across an interesting recipe or idea we bookmark for our ‘to-do’ list. Sometimes, we see something so delicious and intriguing that it bypasses bookmarking, all other activities halt,…

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Curry Kettle Corn — Spicy, Sweet & Salty

March 28, 2008

Seductively spicy, my curried kettle corn creation (lovely alliteration) started earlier in the week when I made an afternoon popcorn snack. The snack coincided with my recent fascination with Anjum Anand and Indian cookery. I wondered whether I could apply…

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Chewy and sweet red bean mochi

March 14, 2008

My pantry holds the goods for many recipes I hope to make, some get made while others do not. I bought a box of mochiko (sweet rice flour) and azuki beans (dried red beans) with the intent of making mochi.…

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Chinese tea eggs for Easter

March 12, 2008

Well, they aren’t exactly the brightly colored Easter eggs that are so common in the US. These ‘tea eggs’ are actually a classic Chinese snack food sold by street vendors and at cafes. Easy to make, the eggs are boiled…

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A gift of 12-year aged sharp cheddar

March 9, 2008

A week or so ago I went through an ‘orange’ phase due to our abundance of fresh oranges. A foodie friend from Wisconsin (Paula) mentioned that she could use a little sunshine to brighten her day. So, I sent her…

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Avocado and Green Pea Hummus Recipe

February 4, 2008

About a week ago, I stumbled upon the Weekend Cookbook Challenge being hosted this month by Foodiechickie. The event will center around cooking from a Nigella cookbook — fortunately, I received Nigella Express for Christmas.

Nigella is one of those people who seems…

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Big Sur Power Bars Recipe

February 2, 2008
Thumbnail image for Big Sur Power Bars Recipe

I’m still feeling a little under the weather but decided to make Heidi’s Big Sur Power Bars to hopefully give myself a boost of much needed energy. We ran errands today and did some light shopping at Whole Foods where I…

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Parmesan Crisps Recipe

January 29, 2008

Well, you’re looking at my lunch for today — the result of an eBay purchase of 2 aluminum baking sheets that arrived this morning. I decided parmesan crisps would be a nice way to christen the pans and make for…

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Olive Oil Cracker Recipe

January 27, 2008

I spent some time catching up on other food blog sites — it’s fun to see what others are doing. I was excited to see that Heidi of 101 Cookbooks recently posted a recipe for Olive Oil Crackers — they looked…

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