World Cup of Yum

Zuppa Toscana

Zuppa Toscana is the best soup at Olive Garden. It’s actually the only reason I ever go to Olive Garden. So now that I figured out how to make it at home, I guess I don’t have any reason to go to Olive Garden anymore. The Instant Pot makes this extra quick and easy to…

Tuscan White Bean and Sausage Soup

Now that I’ve experienced what quick work the Instant Pot can make of cooking beans, I’ve been much more willing to experiment with bean dishes. I ate a white bean and sausage soup years ago that I still remember and think about from time to time, and now finally got around to re-creating. It was…

Instant Pot Pinto Beans

I rarely cook beans, mostly because it takes FOREVER. But not with an Instant Pot! I finally got one and have been experimenting, with varying levels of success. It’s been a process, gradually figuring out cooking times, liquid quantities required, and seasoning when you can’t taste as you go. This was the first Instant Pot…

Guava Cheese Pastries

My favorite Cuban bakery and my favorite Taiwanese bakery both have Guava Cheese Pastries. They are delicious, and similar enough that it got me thinking I could probably make them at home using my guava jam and the amazing ricotta from my cheese hookup. Guava Cheese Pastries are typically made with cream cheese, but I’ve…

Braided Loaf

Cookbook Club – Magnolia Table, Volume 2 In March, the Cookbook Club explored a little part of the Magnolia cult… I mean “network”… using the Magnolia Table, Volume 2 cookbook by Joanna Gaines. If you couldn’t tell, I was a bit dubious going in, and you can find out whether or not the meal turned…

Passion Fruit Ricotta Cookies

After the success of the cupcakes made with gluten-free flour, I decided cookies might be another good use for that flour. My cheese buddy suggested ricotta cookies, and the local passion fruit plants are dropping ripe fruits right now… so passion fruit ricotta cookies! This guessipe made over 40 cookies, and they were all consumed…

Lemon Ricotta Cupcakes

I was gifted a bag of gluten-free flour, and had absolutely no idea what to do with it. I happened to see an article that said gluten-free flour is actually better for making cupcakes with a more even crumb, and since I’ve been wanting to figure out uses for my gluten-free flour decided – what…

3.14 Pi(e) Day VI

This is actually my 7th annual Pie Day, but last year we did it as a Cookbook Club event. Can you believe it!? Seven times I’ve gotten to stuff myself to the gills with pie… and hopefully many more to come. Savory Pies Nick made a Tomato Cheese Pie. Does that sound familiar? Well that’s…

Passion Fruit Pie with Mascarpone Cream

It’s time again for my favorite holiday… Pi(e) Day! This year I decided to make a Passion Fruit Pie with Mascarpone Cream. I thought the mascarpone would be a nice counterpoint to the tanginess of the passion fruit. And I wanted a crumb crust, but thought that the graham cracker flavor didn’t quite go with…

Warm Cabbage Salad

We tried a new restaurant for my birthday, and the best thing we had was a Warm Cabbage Salad which consisted of a roasted napa cabbage steak topped with green goddess dressing, parmesan, and crispy anchovies. I have been thinking about that salad ever since, so finally decided to try re-creating it at home. My…

Cauliflower Ragu

Cookbook Club – Six Seasons Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables was our cookbook for February. It progresses from spring to early summer to midsummer to late summer to autumn to winter, but since almost all of us were drawn to summer recipes rather than winter ones, we probably should have waited to use…

Ritz Peanut Chocolate Cookies

When I was a kid, one of my favorite snacks that my dad and I would eat together was peanut butter on Ritz crackers. As an adult, I discovered that I could coat Ritz cracker peanut butter sandwiches in chocolate and sprinkle with sea salt to make a more “elevated” treat. With four ingredients that…