I have to admit this here – like a huge chunk of the population, I fell for the hype and got an Instant Pot this past November. After I got mine, I found out that it fit into my kitchen routine quite nicely. It paid for itself within weeks of buying, just by allowing me to get food ready quickly on and not having to resort to takeout. You can … [Read more…]
Pasta Fagioli Soup | The Levantess
This is a recipe for a delicious soup consisting of mostly pantry ingredients. I stumbled across a recipe for Pasta Fagioli a few years ago, but I made changes according to what we had and my family’s tastes. Using the marinara sauce gives it more of a long-simmered, rich taste. This recipe specifies Italian turkey sausage, but I have also used … [Read more…]
Beef and Green Bean Curry
This is a curry made up of beef and some flat Italian green beans that I froze at the end of summer. I had been feeling too unwell to go to the supermarket, so this had to be a pantry meal day. You could use regular frozen green beans, or fresh, blanched green beans for this.Peas would also work well. 1-2 tablespoons cooking oil 1 pound beef … [Read more…]
Throwback Thursday : Fall Lentil Vegetable Stew
It appears that this time last year was the same kind of chilly, rainy Fall weather that we are having today. I made a lentil stew then that had carrots and spinach, and nicely spiced with curry, cumin, and allspice. This is a wonderfully homey, satisfying stew that can be made with things that most people have on hand. Thus, I have tagged it … [Read more…]
Creamy Chicken Curry
This is a curry made with madras curry powder, garam masala, coconut milk, and made oh-so-creamy with heavy cream. I consider this a pantry recipe because most of these items can be kept on standby in the pantry and freezer, for those times when you don’t have time to get to the store. It reheats very well, so you could double this recipe for … [Read more…]
Beef and Potato Green Bean Stew
When your son asks for green bean stew, you make green bean stew. He’s actually been asking for a couple of days in a row, but I was too sick to go shopping. Today I realized that we were too low on everything but I am still not well enough to go shopping, so I ordered grocery pick up, including…..green beans! I previously posted a vegetarian … [Read more…]
Chicken Fricassee
Chicken Fricassee, Puerto Rican or Cuban style, is one of my favorite chicken stews. I like it with rice, red or black beans, and salad. If I have unripe plantains, I also love tostones to complete the meal. You don’t have to allow the extra time to marinate, but I prefer the flavor of the chicken when I have time for that step. When I am making a … [Read more…]
Lamb Curry with Potatoes and Spinach
Last weekend, a good friend of mine posted some pictures of her trip to the British Virgin Islands, while I was braving frigid weather in the Mid-Atlantic region. So, naturally, I needed some Caribbean food to warm me up. This is a take on the traditional Trinidadian “Curry Goat”. I did not have any goat meat handy, but I had about a pound of … [Read more…]
Green Beans with Tomatoes and Olive Oil
qqWe got some gorgeous green beans at a local farm, along with ripe summer tomatoes. This is a classic Mediterranean dish. While some versions contain beef or lamb, I prefer the lighter, vegetarian version when I have fresh summer produce. I love this with warmed pita or flatbread.1 tablespoon canola oil 1 small onion, chopped 1-2 cloves garlic, … [Read more…]
Lentil Stew
8 ounces brown or green lentils, picked over if needed, and rinsed 1 carrot, chopped 2 cloves of garlic, chopped 1 cup spinach, roughly chopped 1/4 bunch of parsley, chopped 1 tomato, chopped 2 tablespoons oil 2 cups egg noodles 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon madras curry powder pinch of cinnamon or allspice Water or chicken broth Heat oil on … [Read more…]