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!

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!

Vanilla Custard Sauce (British) by Marlin Rinehart

This sauce is served over steamed puddings, fruit crisps (crumbles), and any dessert that would be enhanced by a creamy vanilla sauce. It's the perfect homemade replacement for Byrd's Custard powder. One warning, however: 1) use a small, "thick-bottom" saucepan, and 2) cook over low heat and don't allow the mixture to boil or it will…

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…

Italian Spinach Soup by John Spottiswood

Suprise, surprise. Another amazing recipe adapted from Marcella Hazan's Essential's of Italian Cooking. This is one of my bibles. Not only did I love this spinach soup, but all four of my kids did too! Everyone had mutiple servings. We served it with simple sourdough toast, though Crostini (Italian croutons) is what Marcella…

Cheesy Garlic Mashed Potatoes by Mary Joseph

Blueberries with Lime Sugar & Citrus Confit by Amos Miller

This is one of my absolute favorite berry desserts and comes from Tony Bourdain and Les Halles Restaurant in NYC. I have had the audacity to make just one minor modification to the recipe, but I have no regrets, and neither will you. We grow blueberries all season long at Walnut Ridge Farm, so there are always opportunities to try…

Zesty Salsa for Canning by Krista Goben

Makes about 6 (16 oz) pints or 12 (8 oz) half pints (I double this recipe to make 7 quarts, it usually makes a little more so I have about 5 pint jars ready in case!) **note: When I make quarts, I boil for 30 minutes.

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!

MANGO PUDDING by Linda Tay Esposito

A newer addition to the dim sum repertoire, the mango pudding is influenced by Western desserts techniques (since the Chinese are not too big on desserts! "Not too sweet" is always a sign of a good dessert for the Chinese!). Instead of heavy cream, you can substitute with coconut milk to give it a more tropical flavor.

Harira Soup by John Spottiswood

This is the traditional soup served at sunset to break the daily fast observed during the 30 days of Ramadan. Recipes vary from family to family throughout Morocco and the rest of North Africa. I'm particularly fond of this version. If you have not had this before, you MUST try it. It is truly delicious!

Curry Lentil Soup by John Spottiswood

This is a surprisingly light and tangy lentil soup. If you are used to thick and heavy lentil soups, this one will surprise you. It's very tasty and was a great complement to the pizza recipe I just put up. This is also adapted from a Greens restaurant recipe.

Curried Lentil Stew with rice by Nancy Miyasaki

This curried lentil stew is an awesome winter dish. It will warm you and sooth you with its soft texture and rich flavor. Vegetarians can leave out the bacon and ham. Those who relish Indian flavors can double the tumeric, cumin, ginger, and cloves.

Hearty Red Lentil Soup by John Spottiswood

This is a wonderfully flavored soup that our whole family really enjoyed. I'm a huge fan of traditional Turkish Red Lentil soup which has more exotic flavors, but I was impressed by the down home goodness of this soup. I had three medium sized helpings, and even then I nibbled a bit more as I was putting the remainder into the…

Classic Cioppino by John Spottiswood

This is a traditional Cioppino base recipe for you to play with. Cioppino is a simple and hearty fish stew originally cooked by Italian fisherman on the California coast. Don't worry too much about what sort of fish or shellfish you put in it. Just keep it simple with these basic ingredients. The easier the better...so you'll be…