I have to say that food has been on my mind. I’m grateful that I’m able to eat again. We have eaten out most of last weekend in celebration of birthdays, promotions, and anniversaries. We had seafood, Italian cuisine, and Mexican fare. A post by Brizzy May triggered memories of potlucks at the University. Because of the international flavor of the graduate student population, the luncheons were gastronomic adventures. I have eaten foods that resulted in begging for the recipes which in turn have become family favorites. Chicken biryani and Chicken Sabudana Khichdi are two Indian dishes that I make regularly. I also make a Korean dish Ojingeochae muchim made with squid that I first had at a potluck! It is very addicting. Then there are the curries. I have a recipe from a Thai graduate student for a Yellow Curry with Prawns it is very tasty and a little spicy but so very good! A German student shared a recipe for spinach spaetzle. It is a pain to make but worth the effort. I got a recipe for Pad Thai that is a delight. And Nur from Turkey gave me the recipe for her Gozleme (a kind of flatbread pizza thing). I have a Lebanese rice dish called Hashweh that is delicious and easy to make… And I haven’t even considered the desserts!
I’m pretty sure I’d never have tried most of these dishes if they had just been a recipe in a cookbook. Seems that many of the family favorites have come from church picnics, potlucks, work parties, and the like. Currently I’m going to be taking “Frog-eye Salad” to a library function (which was a recipe from a friend at church). And a few days later I’m taking “Thank-you Salad” to another get together which is a recipe from a fellow geocacher that I had at a 3rd of July party. Do you get recipe favorites out of magazines? Or maybe you peruse cookbooks? Perhaps you watch cooking shows or surf the internet? Or are you like me and get recipes after tasting really good dishes at various functions? Do tell!
A Different Perspective 
Oh wow, Val! Now I must make chicken sabudana khichdi. It is amazing how our cooking repertoire expands. I often try from books/magazines or blogs now. I love Irene’s Slice of Mexico blog. During the lockdown I also tried from YouTube.
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I’ve tried a couple recipes from FB and YouTube with mixed results… The sabudana is a big favorite with Sparky. I often make it when I have leftover chicken… I’ll have to look up the Slice of Mexico blog!
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You will find some excellent recipes there.
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I’ll have to check it out!!
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Heeeeeyyy! You can’t tell us that you have two really good recipes that you’re making and not share a recipe for each of them. Uh uh. Please at least let us know what’s in them. (Ref: Frog-eye salad, Thank-you Salad). 😀
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Ha! I’ve posted the Thank-you salad recipe before (complete with photos) but I can’t find it currently or I’d link it. I guess it is time to do a food porn post!! I’ll see what I can do. Stay tuned!
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Ha! I’ve posted the Thank-you salad recipe before (complete with photos) but I can’t find it currently or I’d link it. I guess it is time to do a food porn post!! I’ll see what I can do. Stay tuned!
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I am a snob. I never ask for recipes. Pathetic, no? And I usually do not give recipes that have been in the family, and are known by the family name.
There you go. Secret out!
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I wouldn’t ask for it if it is a guarded family recipe either. it’s too fun to know that they have one like that. But, since she got them from someone else, I have no shame in asking for her to be as sharing as her friends, chuckle.
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Nah you aren’t a snob! If some one loves the dish and asks and you say “sorry it is a family secret” that’s okay. What isn’t is when people instead give you a recipe that leaves out key ingredients or adds things that make it awful. That is too mean for words!
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I suggest you to write a poem to the glory of various recipes: Indian, Korean; Thai, German, Turquet,Lebanese….. This is the nations concert! 🙂 You look like a real Epicurian, Val . 🙂 No French recipe ? 🙂
Love ❤
Michel
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Thanks Michel! I do have a French dish that is in the rotation – a Quiche Lorraine that is a favorite. However in hopes to reduce my cholesterol, I don’t make it as often as I once did… We like to eat different cuisines. I’m happy to say that both sons have an appreciation for the foods of the world!
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We have a family secret : the custard pie but not the current one . This needs the personal art of the kitchener! ❤
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I’m a big fan of custard – in any form! My eggnog pie is not a secret but is a popular favorite at most holiday meals.
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My happiness depends upon minimalism as regards time spent in the kitchen 😀 But I do like reading about enthusiasm for cooking as it helps me with the little time I do spend there. Nice reading this!
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Then you have been misled! I don’t spend much time cooking as most of my favorite recipes are quick and easy!! The biryani takes the longest to prepare of all the dishes. And the Frog-eye salad is also a little time consuming – because it requires the “frog-eyes” to cook and fully cool! (the frog-eyes are really Acini de Pepe pasta)…
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Ha ha! Not misled, just don’t like cooking too much. I do it because other options haven’t worked out given different dietary constraints for each of us that have changed our health and kept us healthy.
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We make sabudana with peanut curry.
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I sometimes mix the sabudana with a yellow curry but only when I have some sabudana leftover (which doesn’t happen very often). I am not a big fan of peanuts but Sparky loves peanut curry and has pressed me to make it. So far I’ve resisted…
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That is one of the challenges… We eat much healthier than when we were younger. Age make us wiser with our food choices.
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I am also a lazy minimalist, in that I have cooked the same main meal with only slight variations for years! But I totally love all nationalities foods … if you can cut the meat out of those I’ll ask for a few care packages thanks Val 🙂
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The sabudana can be made without the chicken. And there is no meat in the desserts! I’d willingly send you a care package but I doubt the food would make the trip and arrive edible!
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lol my request was tongue in cheque … no direct carrier pigeons I’m afraid 🙂 but really appreciate the thought 🙂
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🙂
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I had to google Frog Eye Salad !
I don’t experiment as often as I used to when working – the dinner parties and pot lucks are fewer and people seem to prefer to catch up at a Cafe or pub ( where the meals are predominately steaks, fish n chips or a schnitty). Lately I have been stuffing and baking a lot of cauliflower, or playing with Wonton wrappers, filling them with different mixes.
Off to have my Vegemite on toast now. Have a beaut day 🙂
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Enjoy your Vegemite (it is something I’d like to try)! I think the salad recipe I have is superior to the ones that come up on a google search but it is made with acini de pepe pasta…
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oh, my i wanted to hide, or .. i can’t cook or i do, sometimes but the kind of dish i would not have the courage to share.. lol…
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You probably underestimate your cooking prowess… You managed to cook well enough to thrive! Some people are afraid to experiment and others are fearful of rejection. Still it can be fun to cook…
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Wow, i didnt realize it Val until you said it..yeah i cook…every now and then …and yes maybe its about time to consider taking it to the next level..
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Yay!! I can send you a recipe that should be a hit (and it is easy to make!)… if you want to try.
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Oh, yeah i would love that Val .😊😊
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Okay – watch your email!!
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And now I have two reasons to covet your husband: he’s got wanderlust AND he’s an adventuresome eater. My better half has many wonderful qualities that I wouldn’t trade, but it would be nice to be able to serve your exotic dishes and meet with appreciation.
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When I first met Sparky, his only experience with Chinese food was Chun King chop suey from a can! Likewise he’d never had curry, or authentic Mexican cuisine. He’d never been exposed to many of the foods I took for granted growing up. He thought my lentil soup was quite exotic! Anyway, over the years he has become acquainted with a variety of foods and now is game to try almost anything! (though it took a little coaxing to get him to try sushi -which is now a favorite)! Sorry – he’s not up for grabs.
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Most of my most used recipes are the ones I have tried other places and asked for a recipe. I will try new recipes on occasion most are on Facebook that look good to Wrangler. And if I want something specific than I search for a recipe.
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Same here but the majority come from having eaten the dish at some function! Saintvi won a contest with her Spiced Pear Pie and when she brought it to a party with Sparky’s family her recipe was requested. My SIL now makes it and it is definitely a winner!
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And I have been asked for recipies. And I put together a recipe book for my brother ans SIL which has a lot of family favorites.
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I put one together for son#1 when he moved to a house when he was at college. It had a lot of favorites that were quick and easy…
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And I have my recipes anywhere I go.
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I imagine that’s important when you are on the road!
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It is more when we visit best friend or MIL that I use them. The truck meals have down where I do not need a recipe.
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Still having them handy is a smart move!
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They are under my Google Drive so I can access them from the computer, phone, or tablet.
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I have to say having cloud storage is very convenient!!
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It is. I love being able to access from any device.
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🙂
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I get recipes from a few food shows I record and watch. Sometimes I try them..most often not since my time is limited and I go with old standbys. 😉
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I am always on the lookout for new recipes but most of the magazines want you to use exotic spices that I don’t have! Same for the cooking shows… Most of the family favorites are quick and easy!
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Penny was a master of squid (Ojingoe). I, of course, spent many labour of love hours, pulling out the beaks and removing the keratin from the tentacles. The finished meal was worth it, though. Nowadays, I make my own concoctions, seldom using any set recipe.
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I’m glad you appreciate the squid! I prefer to purchase my squid already dried and cut into matchstick pieces ready to be prepared! I currently have a can of squid in the pantry. I was going to make pasta using the black ink and then a sauce using the squid proper but I haven’t managed that yet… I’m waiting for a special occasion when it isn’t so hot outside because I don’t want to steam up the kitchen!
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I used to have cookbooks like crazy, and then I had a recipe database called Paprika where I could choose favorites from. Now I just search the internet and keep favorite ones I’ve printed out in a binder.
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I finally put everything in a binder and make sure to copy all the recipes to 3×5 cards. At one point I had snippets and scrap papers stuffed in books and folded in the box… I alphabetized the boxes and now can find everything easily!!
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