Kalua Pork

My dad went to college in Hawaii, and added some fantastic Hawaiian dishes to his food repertoire during his time there. This is one that is simple and great for a luau-themed party, as it makes enough food for a crowd, especially when supplemented with Hawaiian sides like rice, macaroni salad, fresh pineapple, and ramen…

Ramen Salad

I’m not gonna lie… instant ramen is delicious. It was one of my favorite snacks as a kid, and it was only later in life that I discovered it has almost no nutritional value. But it’s still delicious. So use it to make this super easy salad, and you get the flavor you love in…

Lemon Posset

This is a creamy lemon dessert that feels in the genre of panna cottas and mousses, only without all the fuss in the making. With just 3 ingredients and 3 simple steps, a magical food science thing happens where the dessert thickens into silky goodness without having to mess with any of the typical thickening…

Honey Lime Yogurt Dressing

A friend of mine recommended a restaurant to me, raving in particular about a salad she had with an incredible yogurt dressing. I was skeptical that said salad could really have been the star of the show, but the rest of the food she described also sounded quite good, so I decided to give the…

Vietnamese Iced Coffee Pie

It’s that time of year again… March 14… in other words, my favorite holiday – Pi(e) Day!! My Pi(e) Day party has now become an annual event, which I’m delighted that people are excited to celebrate with me no matter what random day of the week 3.14 might fall on. Since I require everyone to…

A Traditional Yannukah Stew

This story begins with a holiday called Dirktoberfest – an annual celebration thrown around the time of Oktoberfest by my cousin Yan’s German roommate, Dirk. The highlight of Dirktoberfest was a contest to present Dirk with a beer he’d never had before, the winner of which would receive a specially reserved piece of Dirk’s homemade…

Savory Watermelon and Pickled Rinds

Any of you who know me must have thought you were seeing things when you read the title. Yes, for the most part, watermelon is still one of the few foods that I could happily live without. But I have been converted by the wonder that is the pickled watermelon rind – a crunchy, tangy…

Avocado Dressing

Avocado is a wonderful fruit that should have many more uses than guacamole and avocado toast. Its natural creaminess lends itself very nicely to making a delicious creamy salad dressing, with the healthy fat! Guessipe 1 avocado 1 bunch cilantro juice from 1 lemon 3 TBSP honey 1/4 cup cane vinegar salt and pepper to…

Mexican Casserole

This is my mom’s Mexican Casserole recipe. It has nacho cheese Doritos in it, so naturally I adored it when I was a kid. Actually, I still adore it now! It is cheesy, crispy, meaty goodness. You can dress it up with sides, but honestly it’s good enough to eat plain. Guessipe 20 oz cheddar…

Pico de Gallo

When I go to a taco place, I always make sure to get a healthy scoop of the Pico de Gallo at the salsa bar. It’s got a little spice, but also adds a nice pop of freshness to any taco. Pico de Gallo is equally good with just some tortilla chips. Or you can…

Split Pea Soup

During this time of year, the holiday ham inevitably makes an appearance. While chowing down on sliced ham has never been my thing, ham is pretty wonderful for making a hearty, warming pot of split pea soup. If you have the ham hock, throw that in too, as it will add great flavor. Otherwise, just…

Peach Ribs

My mom would make these peach ribs. I loved how they were sweet from the peaches and a little tangy. I never enjoyed drinking peach nectar as I found it too think for my liking, but it is great for cooking this dish. Guessipe 4 lbs pork spareribs, cut into individual ribs Salt to taste…