When I’m at parties I like to dip, dip, dip. You’ll recognize me immediately – I’m the one in the corner, filling up on dip before the meal ever comes. And if, for some reason, I’m not? Just know that’s where I really want to be. When it comes to dips, baba ganoush is everything I never thought it would be. Roasted eggplant, far from bitter, transforms into a smoky and smooth treat , able to fill my belly in just the right sort of way – without that greasy, pop-out-my-bellybutton feeling some foods leave me with. In fact, baba ganoush strikes me as one of those diet foods that is actually as comforting and every bit as delicious as French fries. But I’m crazy like that. Baba Ghanoush has long been in my top favorite dips. While Baba Ghanoush is traditionally made with raw garlic, something about the chill in the air made me decide to roast a whole head of garlic for the soft, warm richness. You can never go wrong eating a …
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Cranberries. Right now. It’s their time to shine. Latvians know what’s up when it comes to the cranberry. They eat it whipped in clouds of pudding, layered with breads, and beyond. Today, however, is about a mountain of sugar. A squiggle of orange zest. A few minutes on the stove and you’re done. It’s really that simple. Here’s what I did: 4 cups cranberries 1 cup water 1 cup sugar, extra to taste 2 tsp strips of orange zest. Quickly look through your cranberries as you put them in the pot – weed out any squishy, yucky ones. Add all the other ingredients to pot. Bring to a simmer and cook 10-15 minutes. Taste and add more sugar if desired. Refrigerate until cold. Don’t be scared of the popping. It’s just the cranberries saying hello. You can add cinnamon sticks, fresh ginger, or whatever suits you to fancy it up. And then, to eat it, dress up in a pretty bowl and spoon the sweet tart goodness all over a thick pork chop, Latvian-style. Eat …
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I used to think rice was a boring, safe choice, back before this Adventure. Then there was Persian Sour Cherry Rice. I died. Rice cooked in banana leaf tubes, called Longton. Lovely. Rainbow Rice. I smile on the inside and outside. Kushary – mixed with noodles, spaghetti and lentils. What? Coca Cola Rice. Who? Bottom line – rice is epic the world around. We’ve done a half ton of cool rice dishes on this Adventure. It goes on and on, and on, and on – no need to ever be bored with rice again. Which brings us to today’s recipe from Laos – sticky, sticky rice, a.k.a. glutinous rice. Another win. Another smile for your face. Sticky rice is a staple in Laos. The good little grains pinch together into little balls, perfect for dipping into sauces like jeow. Another finger food for the win. Traditionally one would use a special basket to steam the rice, but I found a bamboo steamer lined with cheesecloth works very well. Makes 4 cups Ingredients: 2 cups glutinous rice (also …
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It’s time we take back the expression “Have it your way” from that mega corporate burger joint and put it back where it belongs – into our homes, onto our own homemade-with-love meals. Take this soup from Laos, for example. Traditionally served for breakfast, but great any time of day, Foe is a celebration of individuality, creativity and having it exactly how you want it – without chemicals, junk and gunk. Foe is a rice noodle soup from Laos, typically made with beef, pork or chicken. In Laos you might find funny organs floating in your soup and other delectables, but the real star is the bouquet of herbs, sauces, and spices which each person adds to taste, making each person’s soup bowl totally unique. Today we serve the simplest version of all – thinly sliced raw beef which cooks under the heat of the boiling broth and then topped how you’d like it. Inspired to try this soup because of the words in “Big soup, Big Love.” Serves 4 Ingredients: For the broth: 2 quarts beef broth …
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It’s that time of year. Coughing. Sniffling. Sneezing. Right about now we all need a hug. And a big blast of disinfectant. Oh, and let’s face it, something pretty. This lemony, sweet, cinnamony, vodka-tastic drink – popular all over central Asia and eastern Europe – takes care of it all. I especially love that the honey makes drinking it a huge bear hug (and would please grown-up Winnie the Pooh, I’m sure). The vodka is totally optional (Ava loved her booze-free version) but it does help scrub the body of germs. And, overall, it’s better than a trip to the pharmacy. Unless, of course, you go to a Kyrgyz one. Any excuse to travel… Makes 1 quart Ingredients: 1/2 cup honey (agave for vegans) 4 cups water 1 lemon, zested and sliced 1-2 cinnamon sticks Vodka, to taste You might also like to add fresh ginger or other spices… this can be done to taste. Method: Tonight, celebrate the end of long week with the region’s answer to the ever-popular mulled wine. Even my honey …
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Have you ever noticed how salty tomato sauce can be? I have nightmares about it (my husband has high blood pressure so I need to moderate his salt as best I can). Making homemade sauce is a great solution. And, let me tell you, even if you don’t have to watch your salt intake (lucky!), you’ll feel extra epic when you learn how easy it is to make your own sauce. And, while I love a good blast of Italy, today we’re not talking about long, slow-cooked, browned up Italian-style sauce. Today is about Kuwait. Today is about duqqus. It’s easier than skydiving. It’s easier than horseback riding. It’s the opposite of rocket science. Do it and take a lil’ trip to Kuwait today via your stovetop. Ingredients: 3 whole tomatoes 2-3 whole garlic 2 Tbsp tomato paste spicy pepper to kick it up (optional) – I used part of a small poblano 1/4- 1/2 cup water, or as needed to get the blender going Salt Pepper Method: If you have any spicy peppers, this …
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Certain times call for celebration. Babies. Birthdays. Finding the love of your life. Daydreaming about the love of your life. When a light turns green at the exact right moment, before you have to apply the brakes. For those times, I present Machboos. Take a dive off the deep end with this beloved Kuwaiti dish that boasts warm hits of cinnamon, turmeric, saffron mingled with sweet caramelized onions and raisins. We made ours with chicken, but you can also make it with fish or lamb. If you get a big enough chicken it can feed a happy collection of people (about 4-6). For our version the traditional preparation involves simmering the chicken in fragrant water (which is then used to make the rice). Next, we rub the chicken with more seasoning and pop it in the oven to brown. All kinds of flavor goodness. It took me to happy town, and it can take you there, too. Ingredients: To simmer the chicken: 1 whole chicken 2 bay leaves 1 cinnamon stick 3 cloves 3 cardamom pods …
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I love presents. Surprises. Happy faces. So does my daughter. Imagine her ecstatic two-year old delight, then, when her dinner was a lidded present filled with a bounty of rice, sausage and beef? But the real surprise wasn’t her reaction – it was Keith’s. My very own Mr. Picky has been asking for stuffed peppers ever since I made them last week.Who knew this man would fall so hard for a simple stuffed pepper. Who knew he’d be so easy to please. He’s right, though. And, for the record, so is Kosovo – the lovely country that inspired this dish. So pull up a chair. Today we’re feasting on chilly autumnal food. Festival fall food. PS. This recipe is beloved in Kosovo where peppers, tomatoes and eggplants are all stuffed. Feel free to add your favorite herbs. Once you try it, you’ll be hooked. Makes 8-10 small stuffed peppers, or 6 large Ingredients: 1/2 lb ground sausage (pork or chicken) 1/2 lb ground beef 2 large cloves garlic, crushed 1 onion, chopped 1 cup rice, cooked (about …
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On chilly fall mornings I like to roll up in my thick downy comforter, cozy and warm. I know that the second I stick my nose out it’ll turn into an icicle, so I don’t. I keep it tucked and cozy. I would lay there for hours, if Ava would let me. I’m like a human burrito. Or … ahem… a human… omelet. You see, I like to think of this rolled omelet as an egg comforter. Even better? A heart-shaped egg comforter. Welcome to Cozy Town. Nothing wrong with that. In fact, I think everyone should have at least one heart-shaped egg comforter in life. So today I’m making yours. You can season the omelet with anything you like, but today we’re going totally Korean and making it with kimchi. Think of it as a spicy blast of embroidery for your omelet comforter. (This totally makes sense in my world.) Makes 1 Rolled omelet Ingredients: 6 eggs 2 Tbsp finely chopped kimchi sesame oil Method: Hitch a ride to the nearest farmer … … …
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Today is my late brother’s birthday – he would have been 34 and into who knows what kind of trouble. No joke. I like to think that, if he were here, he’d take a break from his ornery ways and we’d eat this sizzling Korean specialty together. As it cooked in front of us – at the table – we’d celebrate him with big bursts of goofy laughter. Bibimbap is perfect for celebrating superstars – like him. Like you. Sure, there are days when we don’t feel like superstars. When everything seems heavy and ordinary. But that’s when we can look around with fresh eyes – when we can find the sparkle on a mud puddle or see the sensual curves of a gnarly pumpkin. Or when we can make a beautiful meal out of plain, ol’ leftovers (the original purpose of bibimbap). Our endless capacity for optimism and creativity is what makes us superstars. All of us. We just need to tap into it. When was the last time someone told you that you’re a superstar? A bright …
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Makes 1/4 cup seasoned salt for lots of corn goodness. Can you squeeze a lime? Can you smash chili peppers into a mini mound of salt? Can you grill corn? This is one of those recipes that you make on a day, much like today, when you want to prepare something impressive, but you can’t be bothered to do very much. We owe it to the lovely people of Kenya: take a walk down their bustling streets and you’ll likely find vendors selling roasted corn rolled in a spicy blend of chili, fresh lime juice and salt. The corn is cooked until deeply roasted. It’s for real good. Ingredients: corn on the cob 1/4 cup rock salt 2 small chilies, sliced or more to taste lime juice (about 1/2 lime juiced, or to taste) Method: Let’s head to Nairobi, where – certainly – inspiration will strike. The beautiful thing about this recipe? Everything is to taste. I ground 2 sliced chili peppers into 1/4 cup rock salt… Then squeezed in the juice of half a …
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Serves 2-4 When I look at this photo, my tummy literally rumbles. My mouth opens a little in expectation. I actually find it as appealing as my Guinness Chocolate Cake with Bailey’s Buttercream that I made for Ireland. Weird, but true. What can I say? Mom taught me to eat my veggies. I’ve been trying to convince Mr. Picky. I’ve been working on Ava. My enthusiasm hasn’t started a wildfire. Yet. Still, I’m here to tell you what every Kenyan knows – the simple truth – green food does a body good. Especially when stewed with juicy tomatoes, rich broth and sweet onion. It’s also a fantastic way to stretch resources throughout the entire week – something built into the Kenyan name “Sukuma Wiki,” which literally means “stretch the week.” I’m into it. Simple, affordable, and delicious. What’s not to love? Ingredients: vegetable oil 1 large onion 1 very large tomato (or 2 small) 1 bunch kale (about a dozen stalks) 1 cup broth salt Method: Let’s get started. First, fly to Kenya and pick up …
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