MENU
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
Italian Spinach Soup

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…

11 votes
39441 views
Simple Pasta with Garlic & Olive Oil

Simple Pasta with Garlic & Olive Oil by John Spottiswood

This is a classic recipe that is so simple to make but always delicious. You can serve this as a side dish to any grilled meat or vegetable entree. It can also stand on it's own or be paired with a salad for a light lunch or dinner. It's a great, easy recipe to add to your list of staples. Using a good olive oil is key here. I…

12 votes
24525 views
Cumin Rice

Cumin Rice by Joyce Leung

This rice is a delicious mix of cumin and cinnamon. It provides a nice, slightly sweet flavor, that is a perfect complement to any middle eastern dish. The only dishes I would avoid serving this with are sweet dishes with dates, figs, etc. I served it with my Braised Lamb with Beans. It was great!

7 votes
20775 views
Chinese Vegetable Soup

Chinese Vegetable Soup by John Spottiswood

I love to throw this recipe together when I am in the mood for a healthy and spicy meal. Just about every time I go to an Asian grocery store I end up picking up the ingredients for this tasty soup. This is not from any book...just pieced together from the great bowls of soup I've had in hole-in-the-wall chinese restaurants in the…

3 votes
54013 views
Lentils, rice and fried onions (Mujadarrah)

Lentils, rice and fried onions (Mujadarrah) by Nancy Miyasaki

This is a tasty and healthy side dish that goes well with just about anything. It's filling without being too heavy, and tastes great as leftovers too.

14 votes
16887 views
Easy Persian Rice in a Rice Cooker

Easy Persian Rice in a Rice Cooker by John Spottiswood

Admittedly, this doesn't capture the crunch outside of the normal method of making persian rice. But if you are just looking for a fluffy and buttery rice to serve with a stew or tagine, this works wonderfully and is super easy.

3 votes
13492 views
Garlic Ginger Green Beans

Garlic Ginger Green Beans by John Spottiswood

These are an excellent, healthy side dish to any grilled meat. I highly recommend them with the Chinese BBQ chicken recipe below, but honestly these would go well with just about anything. Unfortunately these were tapped out long before our chicken, so make more than you think you need. They are great the next day too!

6 votes
6284 views
Pasta with Butter and Parmesan Cheese

Pasta with Butter and Parmesan Cheese by John Spottiswood

I've been cooking this recipe for so long, and it is so simple, that I have often overlooked posting it. We had it with our grilled chicken this week, and finally I'm putting it online. Marcella Hazan says this method of cooking pasta has eclipsed all others as the favorite amongst Northern Italians. And I must say it's among the…

6 votes
7333 views
Yellow Split Peas with Vegetables (Dal Takari)

Yellow Split Peas with Vegetables (Dal Takari) by John Spottiswood

Wow, this is such a wonderful dish and so easy to cook! The keys to this dish are the yellow lentils, fried potatoes, and cumin seed. You can change out the other vegetables (spinach is a nice addition as it adds to the creaminess of the dish). Make sure you fry the cumin seed and potatoes over sufficiently high heat that the cumin…

7 votes
7181 views
Mitch's Homemade Dill Pickles

Mitch's Homemade Dill Pickles by Micheline

These homemade dill pickles are so tasty and easy to make. They taste much better than store bought pickles except for Mrs. White's, my favourite. You can make them spicier by adding hot peppers to the brine.

3 votes
13054 views
Easy fennel soup

Easy fennel soup by Easy Cook - Laka kuharica

Light, refreshing and delicious soup that is exceptionally easy to make.

1 vote
4409 views
Japanese Spinach Salad, Ohitashi

Japanese Spinach Salad, Ohitashi by John Spottiswood

This is a delicious way to consume large quantities of one of the healthiest foods on the planet...spinach! I came to love this when I lived in Japan from 1991-1992, and make it frequently now because it is so easy, healthful and delicious. Serve this with any Asian dish, or any meat and potatoes. It's not particularly spicy, but…

2 votes
16005 views
Black Beans and Rice

Black Beans and Rice by John Spottiswood

A Cuban classic, this goes perfectly with all pork dishes, and also with poultry and fish.

3 votes
9748 views
Balinese Special Rice - Nasi Kuning

Balinese Special Rice - Nasi Kuning by John Spottiswood

I served this rice with Balinese Roast Pork, and I think the rice was as big of a hit as the roast! I adapted the recipe from the The Barbecue Bible by Steven Raichlen...one of my favoirte cookbooks. I wasn't sure about a rice dish from a BBQ fanatic, but this is truly awesome! I substituted half brown rice for health, and you…

2 votes
8728 views