Growing up butternut squash wasn’t something we ate. Looking back I think it was a mix of lack of knowledge about that winter squash, cost and lack of time. The same goes for coconut milk. (We did use desiccated coconut, otherwise known as shredded coconut, once in a while for the odd cake.) Come to think of it I don’t really remember the first time I had this soup. The best I can remember is having it on a date when I lived in Southern California. These days you can buy

Ingredients: 12 Oz Paneer, Cut Into Half Inch Cubes 1/4 Cup Cooking Oil 8 Oz Onion, Finely Diced 1 Tablespoon Grated Ginger 1 Tablespoon Grated Garlic 1 Green Kashmiri Chili, Diced (Serrano chilies would work as well.) 1 1/2 Tablespoons Garam Masala 1 Tablespoon Turmeric Powder 1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper (Optional) 3 Pounds Kale, De-Stem And Chopped 1 Cup Yogurt 2 Teaspoons Kosher Salt 1 Cup Water (Chicken Stock if you prefer) Instructions: Combine the 1/2 teaspoon salt, tur

My rosemary, thyme and sage compound butter, or beurre composé de romarin, thym et sauge if you’re posh, is a simple, easy way to perk up your week night dinners for a fraction of the cost of takeout. Ingredients: 1 Stick Butter, Room Temperature (Salted or Unsalted) 2 Tablespoons Fresh Rosemary 2 Tablespoons Fresh Thyme 2 Tablespoons Fresh Sage 1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt (Optional) Instructions: Roughly chop the rosemary, thyme and sage and place it in a medium size bowl. Ad

Growing up there was one thing my mom did VERY well. Cook Chicken! Fried, baked, bowled, grilled or smoked, it no matter the method she made it look effortlessly and taste amazing. So it’s no surprise that now the smell of a chicken cooking reminds me of home. Ingredients: 1 8-10 Lb Chicken, Whole or Spatchcocked (Butterflied) 4 Oz Room Temperature Butter, Compound or Plain 2 Medium Size Lemons, Quartered 1 1/2 Tablespoon Kosher Salt 2 Teaspoons Black Pepper, Cracked or

Growing up we didn’t have a lot of money. So my family was always looking for a way to stretch a buck. One way we did that was by growing a portion of our meats and vegetables. The times we did buy meats at the stores were normally the cheaper cuts, or when the store would have a sale. One of the things I remember my mom cooking is pig’s trotters. Or as we call them in North Florida, pig’s feet. I remember my younger brother and I thought they were gross. Being kids we’

If you’re looking for an easy, healthy way to perk up your dishes for very little money lacto-fermentation is a great way to do it! It’s been used for centuries to enhance flavor, helps boost our body health, preserve food for leaner months and it still plays a very important part of our lives the world over. In fact, studies on the benefits of fermentation have shown that the consumption of fermented foods is associated with reduced risks of type 2 diabetes, metabolic

Ingredients: Chicken Ingredients 2 Lbs Chicken Wings, Cleaned and divided 3 Cups Corn Starch Enough Cooking Oil To Fry Wings 2 Tablespoon Salt 1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder (Optional) Sauce Ingredients 1 Cup Mango hot sauce 1/4 Cup Honey 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce 1 Tablespoon Black Chinese Vinegar 2 Garlic Cloves, Pureed 1/2 Inch Ginger, Pureed 1/2 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika 1 Tablespoon Oil From Chicken 1 Teaspoon Cumin, Toasted and ground fine 1 Tablespoon Fennel Seeds, toasted a

Growing up we really didn’t eat much fermented food. Once in a while there was a little canned sauerkraut on a hot dog at an impromptu family gathering; or a taste of yogurt when we’re sick; otherwise it wasn’t something we typically ate. So you could imagine my amazement when I moved to Los Angeles in the late 1990s and I discovered what would years later become one of my most used condiments today! The mouth tingling heat from the chilies combined with the amazing ar