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This dish is from Brazil, where it is often served after a heavy, meat-laden churrasco meal (primarily to tourists), with the idea that the papain enzyme will help dissolve the pile of meat you just consumed. Don't know if it works, but it is definitely delicious. Typically it is made with vanilla ice cream to a pudding-like consistency, but I like this lighter, zingier, smoothie version. 1 c. ripe papaya chunks 1 c. plain yogurt 2-3 Tbsp. sugar 1-2 Tbsp. crème de cassis or Ribena 1 pinch salt 1/4 milk (optional) Wait until your paypaya is super-duper ripe--I wait until it is on the verge of developing mold and attracting an armada of fruit flies. Peel it and take off some flesh with the peel to get rid of the bitter outer edge. Cut into chunks. I get the big red papayas from the Mexican grocery, but you can use the smaller pear-shaped ones too. Blend together the papaya, yogurt, sugar, salt, and a dash of the  crème de cassis. Add the milk if you want it to be a smoothi...

I received a request to share my fried rice recipe, written for a kitchen beginner. There are a lot of subtleties for making awesome fried rice, which would make it a lot easier to teach in-person; this step-by-step is the next best thing. I'm going to shout a bit in this post, but listen to me if you want your rice to fulfill your every hope and dream! TWO KEY THINGS YOU MUST HAVE: LEFTOVER rice (at least one night in the fridge, ideally a few days old). If you try to make it with fresh rice it will be mushy.  A BIG-ASS non-stick pan. Don't try to be a cowboy with cast iron or some other shiz. I am serious--if you are a beginner, DO NOT PASS GO without fulfilling those requirements or you will be disappointed and frustrated and never try cooking again. For rice I recommend a long-grain Thai jasmine rice, but other types will work. If you don't have a GOOD non-stick pan, I recommend Swiss Diamond . If you are concerned about carcinogens or whatever tin-foil hat b...

These cookies are super simple, and quite healthy for cookies! Ingredients: 2 c. almond butter (or any nut butter)* 2 c. chopped dates (I like to buy whole dates and chop them myself so they become very sticky) 2 c. oats (I prefer quick oats because they are smaller) optional: coconut, honey, maple syrup, vanilla extract, seeds Method: Mix well with a spoon and/or with hands. The mixture should stick together well. Use a tiny amount of water if too dry. Add more oats if too wet. If the mixture is too sticky to work with, but you don't want to change the consistency, you can leave it (preferably covered) in the refrigerator up to one hour before rolling the dough into balls. I store these in plastic airtight containers. If you are concerned about them sticking together, you could use wax paper to separate layers of cookies. These keep well in the refrigerator for at least one week. A similar cookie that is also delicious: Form balls out of mushed dates and crushed wal...

I made this not quite realizing that it was a real recipe - I was thinking of making shish barak (see Mimi's recipe for that), which is kind of like Middle Eastern ravioli. However, I had no patience for making all those little ravioli, but I really enjoyed that sauce. Only later did I realize that this is a legitimate, traditional recipe, called Kufta bil-laban, "Kufta in yogurt." (Not so helpful for everyone, but here 's a recipe for it in Arabic.) Ingredients 1.25 pounds lean ground beef 2 tsp. allspice 1/2 tsp. cumin 1/4 tsp. white pepper 1/4 tsp. black pepper 1/4 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional) Dash nutmeg 2 cups yogurt (or 1.75 c. yogurt, 1/4 cup water if yogurt is very thick, like greek yogurt. Middle eastern yogurt is normally a bit watery) 3 tsp. corn starch 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 Tbsp. (or to taste) cilantro, minced (optional) Olive oil for sauteing Preparation Preheat oven to 450, or broiler if yo...

I finally figured out the key to good crockpot pulled pork--ignore 90% of the recipes out there and don't add the BBQ sauce until the end. In fact, doing it this way you could go full Southern style and not add BBQ sauce at all. If you add the sauce at the beginning it winds up watery and thin and doesn't let the meat or the sauce really shine. If you wanted it to be smoky & spicy you could substitute canned chipotle peppers for the paprika and cayenne. I used Sweet Baby Ray's on this last batch and it was too sweet for me. Try to find a BBQ sauce that suits your taste. I am a crockpot skeptic, but this recipe really works! Picnics are way more fun as a grown-up...even when it's -11 outside! 1 large 3+ lb. pork shoulder or Boston butt 2 medium onions, sliced 1-2 c. water 1 chicken boullion cube 2 bay leaves 1 Tbsp. paprika 1/2 tsp. allspice 1 pinch cayenne salt and pepper 1 jug BBQ sauce buns Rub the spices onto the pork. You don't actuall...

Eating your greens has never been easier! (Though no one in this family has ever thought it was hard). This makes a hearty side dish with any kind of winter greens--collards, kale, turnip greens. In fact, I don't think this truly needs a main course. It would be great with baked sweet potatoes or polenta. I got the recipe from The Noshery. Dan's requested birthday dinner--hard to say no to a request for collard greens, especially when they're only $0.69 a (huge) bundle at Cub! 2 bundles collard greens 1/2 lb ground beef 1 large onion, sliced 3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced 1 beef bullion cube in 3/4 c. boiling water 1 Tsp. Maggi seasoning (or soy sauce) 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 tsp. ginger, minced 2 tsp. cumin seed 1 tsp. ground coriander 1/2 tsp. allspice 1 tsp. sugar 1 tsp. vinegar salt to taste oil for cooking Wash the collard greens thoroughly. Grasp the stem in one hand and pinch the leaves together in the other and pull out the stems. Lay the...

What to do when you have some leftover long grain rice and you want some spice? Fried rice, Indian style. You can make it vegetarian, or add some meat or shrimp (leftovers work great). You could also mix in some peas or cooked lentils at the end. 3-4 c. leftover long-grain rice 1 jalapeno, sliced 2 tsp. whole cumin seeds 2 tsp. black mustard seeds  2 cloves garlic, minced 1 Tbsp. ginger, minced 3 green onions, sliced 1 Tbsp. turmeric 1 tsp. black pepper 1 chicken boullion cube 1/2 c. boiling water 1 Tbsp. tamarind sauce 1 c. cooked meat chunks (optional) 1 tomato, diced 2 eggs  handful of cilantro, chopped salt to taste oil for cooking Heat a large nonstick pan, adding a generous amount of oil. Add the cumin and mustard seeds and heat until they begin to sizzle and pop. Add the ginger, garlic, jalapenos and the white part of the green onions and fry until lightly brown. Add the turmeric and black pepper and toss to combine. Break up the rice so it ...