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Simple Cuban Black Beans & Rice in a Rice Cooker

Simple Cuban Black Beans & Rice in a Rice Cooker by John Spottiswood

I've loved cuban black beans and rice ever since I lived in Weehawken, New Jersey and ate at the Unica Cafe. This recipe takes some short cuts and uses a rice cooker, but I still think the results are delicious. Try this under any caribbean grilled meat, fish or stew and you won't be disappointed!

5 votes
65067 views
Simple Pan-fried Fish with Indian Spices

Simple Pan-fried Fish with Indian Spices by John Spottiswood

This is a simple dish I throw together with fresh white fish fillets (typically Swai, Tilapia, Catfish, or Orange Roughy). It's easy to make and our whole family loves it. I know it seems crazy to give this four and a half stars, but it's a really great combination of flavors. Try this with rice and a vegetable side dish or salad,…

20 votes
167730 views
My favorite Stuffing without Meat

My favorite Stuffing without Meat by John Spottiswood

This is a wonderful stuffing recipe that is adapted from one by James Beard. It is truly delicious! You could reduce on the butter and oil, but I think it's worth it!

5 votes
11248 views
Lemon & Garlic Green Beans

Lemon & Garlic Green Beans by John Spottiswood

It is rare to have a side dish which everyone keeps reaching for instead of the main dish. That's especially true if its a fairly simple green vegetable side. But these green beans were truly that good. We used packaged, thin french cut green beans from Trader Joes. They are tender and tasty on their own, but I've never had them taste…

8 votes
33840 views
Balinese BBQ Pork Roast - Babi Guling

Balinese BBQ Pork Roast - Babi Guling by John Spottiswood

My cousin Brett recently went to Bali for his honeymoon, so I decided to try the most famous Balinese dish for July 4th this summer. This pork came out soft and tasty like the meat you eat at a Luau, but with a delicious complexity of flavors from the chiles, garlic, ginger, lemongrass and turmeric. The process of slicing the roast…

6 votes
38177 views
Stir-Fried Broccoli with Chili-Garlic Sauce

Stir-Fried Broccoli with Chili-Garlic Sauce by John Spottiswood

My father-in-law has become an amazing cook, and he made this as part of our Easter lunch this year with the fabulous pork tenderloin recipe (see linked below). This version isn't gloppy with extra sauce like you find in many Chinese take out places. It's very flavorful but also relatively light and healthful. He made a TON of it,…

18 votes
42224 views
Brussel Sprouts Sauteed in Garlic & Olive Oil

Brussel Sprouts Sauteed in Garlic & Olive Oil by John Spottiswood

This is a simple, tasty side dish to add to your menu. I've adapted it from Marcella Hazan's recipes for other vegetables. It tastes GREAT with Brussel Sprouts. Broccoli is good too.

25 votes
63857 views
African Chicken in Peanut Sauce

African Chicken in Peanut Sauce by John Spottiswood

I first had this in graduate school when a classmate from Ghana cooked it for an International progressive dinner. I fell in love with the combination of sweet peanuts and pungent spices. This is not a flavor you will easily forget, and it will keep you coming back for more!

56 votes
119788 views
Homemade Pelmeni

Homemade Pelmeni by John Spottiswood

Unlike Oleg's store-bought, no-good, cheater recipe, this is the real thing. You gotta taste it to believe it!

20 votes
52693 views
Roasted Potatoes, Carrots, and Onions

Roasted Potatoes, Carrots, and Onions by John Spottiswood

This is a great side dish for roast beef, pork, or lamb. It would also be great with any grilled meat. The recipe is adapted from an America's Test Kitchen recipe that included brussels sprouts and excluded the onions. I love the flavor that the caramelized onions add to the potatoes and to the gravy if you make it, so I think they…

15 votes
28948 views
Awesome Pizza Dough

Awesome Pizza Dough by John Spottiswood

This recipe is adapted from one perfected at Greens restaurant in San Francisco. The crust is crunchy on the outside but also chewy. I think it's wonderful. I'm going on a pizza making journey and this is stop one. If you've never made your own pizza dough before, it's easy and fun. This recipe makes 2 12-inch crusts. More to…

80 votes
57529 views
Red beans and rice

Red beans and rice by John Spottiswood

I've adapted this recipe from a number that I have used in the past. You can deviate from this and it is still delicious! Normally, I serve this with a jerk marinated chicken or pork, but it also goes well with grilled fish, steak and many other treats. If you serve it with something that isn't spicy, try adding some of the spices…

47 votes
77575 views
Killer Shrimp

Killer Shrimp by John Spottiswood

Nancy and I loved eating at this hole in the wall restaurant in Marina Del Ray called Killer Shrimp. It was in a strip mall and didn't have much character, but their "killer" shrimp drew a loyal crowd. I recently heard that it had closed, so I've tried to recreate it with help from a few others who have tried. I think what most the…

10 votes
25292 views
Cuban-style Steaks in Garlic-Lime Marinade

Cuban-style Steaks in Garlic-Lime Marinade by John Spottiswood

These steaks are a treat and a great way to make an inexpensive cut of meat memorable. You can use bottom round (best), top round, or a thin cut sirloin for this dish. The steaks should be cut about a 1/2 thick. Mine were a little thicker, so I pounded them with a mallet to thin them. In Cuban restaurants, this recipe is called…

5 votes
58860 views
Pasta with Spinach, Ricotta, Ham

Pasta with Spinach, Ricotta, Ham by John Spottiswood

This is one of our family staples. It is healthy and delicious! Two of our kids say it is their favorite dish. We've adapted it from Marcella Hazan. It's easy to throw together and great the next day too.

10 votes
38970 views