Sourdough Discard Pizza Dough makes a light and crusty pizza crust for your favorite pizza toppings. If you have sourdough starter and feed it regularly, you will be left with “sourdough discard,” which is basically just sourdough starter that you have chosen not to keep feeding. Instead of throwing it out, I use the “sourdough…
Crusty Sourdough Bread Recipe
This Crusty Sourdough Bread recipe produces a loaf of bread as good as any artisan sourdough bread I’ve had. I started making sourdough bread last year, using sourdough starter I bought from King Arthur. However, you can just get some from a neighbor or friend who has sourdough starter. I’ve been sharing my sourdough starter…
Healthy Pantry Meal Plan #1
This Healthy Pantry Meal Plan is designed to help you cook more efficiently, using fresh, dry and frozen pantry items. Stocking a healthy pantry can make weekday cooking easier. It just requires a little planning. This week’s pantry meal plan will hopefully help reduce the amount of time it takes for you to make dinner…
Turkey Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
Turkey Shepherd’s Pie is the ultimate comfort food. I crave comfort foods in times of trouble and uncertainty. For me, these foods are cozy meals like this shepherd’s pie, macaroni and cheese, and pot roast. I first featured this recipe on my blog in October of 2012 when we got hit with Hurricane Sandy and…
Healthy Pantry Recipes
This post contains 50+ Healthy Pantry Recipes for everyday meals. Cooking is made easy when you have a well stocked pantry. A well stocked pantry includes not only dry staple ingredients, but also fresh and frozen foods that keep well. A well-stocked pantry is useful for everyday living. Buying in bulk can save money and…
Crockpot Cuban Black Bean Soup Recipe (Frijoles Negros)
Crockpot Cuban Black Bean Soup is a simple, healthy and delicious soup that can made using pantry items. Dress this soup up with fresh chopped red bell peppers, onions and scallions. Serve with hot sauce on the side for spicy food lovers. Three of my boys love black beans so now that my oldest son is…
Korean Oxtail Soup Recipe
Korean Oxtail Soup is an Asian bone broth that is perfect for bone chilling winter weather. The chili sesame scallion topping brightens up this hearty oxtail soup. I remember my mom making oxtail soup once in a while during the winter. There’s something about the gelatinous meat of oxtail that I love. It’s an acquired…
Slow Cooker Greek Lentil Soup (Fakies) Recipe
This Slow Cooker Greek Lentil Soup is so simple, yet so satisfying. You’ll be reaching for a bowl of this on a cold winter day. 217 calories/2 Freestyle points per serving. I’ve been sitting on this recipe for way too long so I’m finally getting around to sharing it. The weather has definitely turned cooler…
Spicy Korean Beef Noodle Soup Recipe
This Spicy Korean Beef Noodle Soup is made with rich beef bone broth and spiced up with Korean red pepper flakes ~ it will warm up your belly. It was just 15 degrees one day last week (3 degrees with the windchill factor) and this Spicy Korean Beef Noodle Soup was calling my name. I…
Vietnamese Beef Pho Noodle Soup Recipe
Learn how to make Vietnamese Beef Pho Noodle Soup on the stovetop or pressure cooker, and what to serve this traditional noodle soup with. I love shopping at ethnic markets, and although there aren’t a lot near where I live, I’ve managed to find markets of all kinds within a 45 minute radius, including a…
Chinese Smoked Chicken Recipe (Instant Pot)
Chinese Smoked Chicken is tender, delicious and fragrant. One of my Dad’s specialities used to be his smoked chicken. He grew up in Beijing and recently, I learned that smoked meats were quite popular in that region when he was growing up. I found a recipe for Chinese smoked chicken in my late aunt’s Florence…
Lion’s Head Casserole
Lion’s Head Casserole is a traditional Chinese dish that is pure comfort food. I fondly remember this dish from my childhood. My namesake Auntie Jeannette made it on special occasions. Auntie Jeanette was a good cook and always welcomed people into her home. For a number of years, she and Uncle Dick hosted a small…
Florence Lin’s Baked Coconut Sticky Rice Cake Recipe for Chinese New Year
Baked Coconut Sticky Rice Cake is easy to make and a delicious version of Chinese sticky rice cake. This sweet treat can be enjoyed for Chinese New Year or as dessert throughout the year. This year, for Chinese New Year, I’m sharing a very special recipe – my Auntie Florence’s Coconut Sticky Rice Cake. Into her…
Healthy Instant Pot Soup and Stew Recipes
Healthy Instant Pot Soup and Stew Recipes is a collection you will want to refer to when you’re craving comfort food. I love using pressure cooking to make soups and stews. Whether you have a stove-top pressure cooker or Instant Pot, these soups and stews can be made in a fraction of the time if…
Pressure Cooker/Instant Pot Lentil Chili Recipe
Pressure Cooker/Instant Pot Lentil Chili cooks in less than 30 minutes, and is a nutritious, hearty vegetarian/vegan meal. 296 calories/1 Freestyle point per serving. Whether you use an Instant Pot or pressure cooker, this lentil chili is a quick, delicious and healthy dinner. I love using pressure to cook stews and chili when I’m short…
Christmas Salad Recipe
This Christmas Salad is a delight for the eyes, perfect for the holiday season. I made this beautiful, jewel-toned salad for some special friends to kick off the holiday season. Featuring arugula and jewel-toned radicchio, beets, pomegranate arils, Medjool dates and macadamia nuts, this Christmas Salad is as delicious as it looks. This salad was…
Healthy Christmas Holiday Salad Recipes
These vibrant Healthy Christmas Holiday Salad Recipes will lighten up your holiday menu and make your holiday spread look beautiful. Your guests will welcome some healthier options. Christmas is just around the corner so if you’re planning your holiday menu, take a look at these Healthy Christmas Holiday Salad recipes. They’re full of festive, vibrant colors, and they’re…
Brined Sous Vide Turkey Breast with Sage Spice Rub
This Brined Sous Vide Turkey Breast with Sage Spice Rub Recipe ensures a moist, tender and flavorful turkey. I’ve never been a fan of white turkey meat because it’s usually dry and less flavorful than dark meat. So, I was curious if cooking turkey sous vide could produce a softer, more tender turkey breast. I actually made this…
Roasted Kabocha Squash Dip
Roasted Kabocha Squash Dip is a healthy and delicious dip, perfect for a snack or for a party. A generous and very gifted family invited 50 women from our church to their home for a Fall gathering. They put out an amazing spread of food for all of us to enjoy. I was asked to…
Fall Flower Arrangements
These Fall Flower Arrangements will impress your family and friends. I started learning how to arrange flowers a few months ago, and it has become my new obsession. The process of flower arranging is similar to cooking. There is often a list of ingredients (e.g., the type and number of flowers), prepping involved, and instructions…
Spicy Chinese Beef Noodle Soup
Spicy Chinese Beef Noodle Soup is an aromatic dish that is scented with star anise, cinnamon, fennel, cumin and Szechuan peppercorns. My dad used to make a version of this soup noodle dish. Over the years, I’ve made this comfort dish, often following my aunt’s recipe. I love Asian noodle soups, and this is one…