This versatile Citrus-Herb Dry Brine is about to be your new best friend. Fresh citrus peels and an herb blend combine with salt to create this powerhouse. There’s no shortage of flavor in it, but the beauty of this spice blend is how versatile it is. A dry brine can infuse your poultry, red meats,…
Side Dishes
Peruvian Inspired Coleslaw (No Mayo Dressing)
This Peruvian Inspired Coleslaw takes the flavors of the best green sauce in history and makes it outdoor eating-friendly. Unlike most aji verde (literally green chili pepper) sauces, which have a mayonnaise base, this version eliminates the need for refrigeration. Instead, crisp red and green cabbages get a mildly spicy green vinaigrette dressing. This is an economical…
Country-Style Potato Salad with Eggs
There’s an unspoken rule at every BBQ/cookout/picnic/family reunion I’ve been to. That rule is this: you must know who made the potato salad before you eat it. If your potato salad doesn’t have a super-flavorful pickle relish dressing and fluffy potatoes, then you need this recipe. With this Country-Style Potato Salad, you’ll not only be…
Puerto Rican Potato Salad (Ensalada de Papa)
Prepare to be scandalized. This Puerto Rican Potato Salad is creamy, loaded with spices and aromatics, and *gasp* a sweet element! No, Messy Boots, it’s not raisins. Stay with me. This flavor-packed side dish has crossed the sea from Puerto Rico to the mainland, and for a good reason. We know what we’re doing when…
Creole Red Beans and Rice with Andouille Sausage
If you’ve never made a batch of Creole Red Beans and Rice from scratch, you are missing out on so much. Canned beans can’t hold a candle to the texture and flavor of beans made from their fresh or dried state. The snap of a bean when you bite it, the spices and herbs that penetrate…
Vegan Lentil Stew: Gluten-Free, One-Pot Meal
This Vegan Lentil Stew will not disappoint you. Take all of the best elements from your favorite curry or stew and pile them into a pot. Add hearty, little lentils, simmer them all together, and you have a stew that even you won’t believe is vegan- it doesn’t matter if you’re the one who cooked…
Black Eyed Peas: A Savory Southern Favorite
I’m participating in the 2021 Black History Virtual Potluck. A collaborative menu of recipes contributed by 40+black bloggers from around the globe in honor of Black History Month. See a sampling of some of the amazing participant recipes down below.I grew up eating Black Eyed Peas and white rice every year on New Year’s Day….
Slow Cooker Cinnamon Applesauce
Let’s whip up a quick side dish to serve at breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, or dessert. With minimal effort and the kitchen workhorse known as the slow cooker, this warmly-spiced Cinnamon Applesauce can be the side dish of your dreams. When it comes to figuring out how to round out a meal, you can’t beat…
Farro Con Gandules (Farro with Pigeon Peas)
When I get bored, one of two things are bound to happen: either I chop off my hair, or I create a riff on a classic recipe. Since I shaved my hair off at the beginning of the year, I decided a new spin on arroz con gandules was more appropriate. So, my friend, I…
Arroz con Gandules (Rice with Pigeon Peas)
Arroz con gandules is a very popular Puerto Rican rice dish. Rendered pork fat and spices flavor the rice before the pigeon peas are added and the whole lot is steamed until fluffy and soft. You’ve probably seen, if not tasted, Arroz con Gandules if you’ve ever had the honor of being invited to a Puerto…
