Dan Dan Noodles

Dan Dan Noodles are typically served layered (sauce at the bottom of the bowl, then noodles, meat, and vegetables), and you’re supposed to mix it yourself before eating. But I’ve found that I can cook many of the ingredients together, cutting way down on the number of steps and still resulting in a delicious bowl…

Ricotta Cheesecake

What do you do when someone gives you 8 lbs of ricotta? Experiment with ricotta cheesecake! After testing out a variety of combinations, my boyfriend declared this one was the best cheesecake he’s ever had in his life, so it seemed my experimentation was complete. Using a mixture of ricotta and cream cheese gave the…

Ravioli in Pumpkin Cream Sauce

I had some more of the incredible ricotta from my cheese guy, plus a pumpkin that I had pureed after it had served its purpose as a holiday decoration. So I decided to make ravioli with a pumpkin cream sauce. The meal came out so good that my boyfriend said it was like eating in…

Whipped Ricotta Cream Dessert

Got some more ricotta from my cheese hookup and homegrown persimmons from a neighbor, which turned out to be the makings of a perfect dessert for the season (you could also use different fruit though). I squeezed it into 4 glasses, but they were heaping and people were super full after eating them, so you…

Banchan – Tteokbokki

Another of my successful new banchan was this Tteokbokki (stir-fried Korean rice cakes). I’ve made Tteokbokki several times before, but never been really satisfied with the Guessipe until I hit on this one. Typically Tteokbokki is made with the cylindrical rice cakes, but I prefer the way the sliced ones get crispy edges. Guessipe 1/4…

Banchan – Danmuji Muchim

I made Korean food for a dinner party, and tried a couple new banchan which were really successful. Danmuji is yellow pickled radish – I buy it at the Asian market and usually just slice it up and serve it as-is. But this time I decided to season it, making Danmuji Muchim. Turns out I…

Lemon Curd Mousse

I needed a quick dessert, and was able to turn some leftover lemon curd into a delightfully refreshing lemon mousse. It tasted great, presented beautifully, and came together easily… definitely a keeper. Guessipe 1 cup heavy cream 3 TBSP powdered sugar 3/4 cup lemon curd berries Whip the heavy cream and powdered sugar in a…

Aji Verde

No Peruvian meal is complete without Aji Verde (Peruvian green sauce), so of course I had to make some for my Peruvian dinner party. It’s a refreshing sauce that is automatically delivered to your table at most Peruvian restaurants, and I like to put it on basically everything I order. Which is why I love…

Huancaina Sauce

Another one of my Peruvian favorites is Huancaina Sauce. I learned how to make this from a friend who is actually Chilean, but it tastes just like the Huancaina at my favorite Peruvian restaurant, so I’m going with it. It’s typically served with potatoes, but as you know by now potatoes aren’t my thing. Also…

Peruvian-Inspired Pie

I decided to do a Peruvian theme for a recent dinner party, since I had some aji panca paste I’ve been itching to use. Arroz Tapado (ground beef layered with rice, peas, and carrots) is one of the traditional dishes that uses aji panca, but one of my dinner guests doesn’t eat rice, so I…

Peach Blueberry Yogurt Cake

Still had some not-quite-peak-season peaches, as well as some blueberries that were a bit on the tart side. I thought baking them into a cake might be nice, and it was! I liked the aesthetic of the white and yellow peaches too. Guessipe 4 TBSP butter, softened 1 cup + 2 tsp sugar 2 eggs…

Peach Basil Meatballs

I had some leftover meatballs from when I made Meatball Cheese Crisps, and I had some end-of-season peaches that were ok but not the peak of sweetness we experienced a few weeks ago. Plus my basil plant has been doing really well lately. So I decided a savory dish might be a good use for…