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Pineapple Chicken

By: Bill
5 October 2026 at 09:51
Pineapple Chicken recipePineapple Chicken is a little bit sweet, a little bit spicy, and full of tender velveted chicken and juicy pineapple chunks. Why Does Pineapple Feature in Chinese American Recipes?  This Pineapple Chicken is a retro Chinese American stir-fry dish that, depending on where you live, you may not see too often.  But once upon a […]

Beef with Garlic Sauce

By: Sarah
3 October 2026 at 09:01
Beef with Garlic SauceBeef with Garlic Sauce is a savory, garlicky, saucy stir-fry that hits all the best notes of Chinese-American takeout. Tender beef, crisp vegetables, and a glossy brown sauce with just enough tang and a hit of garlic, it’s a one-pan meal with meat and vegetables that comes together in about 30 minutes! What Is Garlic […]

Disco Fries (with Our Family Gravy Recipe!) 

1 October 2026 at 09:00
Disco Fries recipeOur recipe for Disco Fries features crispy crinkle cut fries smothered with plenty of melty mozzarella cheese and our literal secret sauce: egg foo young gravy! These are insanely tasty and a real treat!  A New Jersey Dinner Staple For most New Jerseyans, Disco Fries need no introduction. They’re a staple in New Jersey Diners […]

Scallion Pepper Stir-Fry (葱炒辣椒)

By: Judy
27 September 2026 at 11:57
Scallion Pepper Stir-fryA simple stir-fry of scallions and peppers showcases just how delicious each ingredient is. This dish is for anyone who loves strong flavors! It’s spicy, oniony, and definitely a break from our usual. For the Spice Lovers Let me tell you, this unassuming-looking dish is not for everyone thanks to its heat! Plenty of oniony […]

Healthy Chicken Meatballs

23 September 2026 at 07:43
Healthy Chicken Meatballs recipeThese healthy Chicken Meatballs are delicious and fiber-rich. Plus, they’re versatile enough to meal prep and use in all sorts of ways throughout the week!  Your New Favorite Chicken Meatball Recipe  In the past, I’ve made a version of ground turkey or ground chicken meatballs with carrots, a little onion, garlic, and herbs. They’re great, […]

Sesame Chicken

By: Bill
21 September 2026 at 09:26
sesame chickenSesame chicken is one of the most popular dishes on the menu at any Chinese takeout restaurant or buffet. Deep-fried boneless chicken coated in a savory sweet sauce and topped with toasted sesame seeds? It’s a favorite here in America.  That said, there is a lot of subpar sesame chicken out there! Too sweet, too […]

Toum Recipe (Lebanese Garlic Sauce) 

19 September 2026 at 11:33
Toum RecipeWe are all obsessed with this Toum, or Lebanese garlic sauce. It is spectacularly garlicky, creamy, and a little bit tangy thanks to lemon juice. It’s absolutely addictive with lamb chops, salmon, chicken, potatoes, and is one of those sauces that makes anything better!  The Non-Traditional Difference: Egg White Toum is traditionally made with four […]

Miso walnut chocolate chip cookies

By: David
19 September 2026 at 10:20

There are two things I need to tell you about these cookies.

One is that they’re crazy-good. And the other is that they’re huge. The recipe makes just five cookies but each one is so packed with flavor, that you’ll be glad you can have one all to yourself. Your other four friends or guests will be delighted as well. (But they’re quite generous, so it’s okay to share…)

What makes these cookies extra special is their slightly savory, umami note, due to walnuts glazed with white miso. Miso is fermented soybean paste that can be purchased in Asian markets, but has become so popular, you can often find it in grocery stores. In these cookies, it adds a little je ne sais quoi, since it adds a subtle, yet complex note of flavors. Umami is often described as a flavor that’s craveable, and it certainly makes a compelling case for that description in these cookies.

If you don’t have white miso, or don’t want to make the candied walnuts, no problem. Just use toasted walnuts. Pecans, or another favorite nut will also work. You can also leave the nuts out, or swap in dried fruit for them. Do-ahead tip: The walnuts can be made a few days in advance and kept in an airtight container. The glaze will get a little sticky, but the walnuts are perfectly fine to use in these cookies.

Another “secret” to these cookies is to incorporate large chunks of chocolate into the dough. While it may be tempting to use chocolate chips, they’re really best if you chop up chocolate from a bar of good-quality chocolate. I leave the pieces quite rough and irregular, which – when baked – create large pockets and bites of dark chocolate.

I’ve adapted the recipe from SIFT: The Elements of Great Baking by Nicola Lamb. Her book explains many of the hows and whys of baking, as well as offering an array of creative recipes. Some are completely original and others are riffs on classics, and it’s a book that I refer to often and these cookies are a big hit whenever I bake them. I hope you enjoy these cookies as much as I do!

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Miso Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

Adapted from SIFT by Nicola Lamb
When you form the five mounds of dough, avoid compacting them too tight. You want to form them into loose balls rather than rolling them in your hands into smooth rounds. They're best when you chop the chocolate from bars of good-quality dark chocolate, and I leave the pieces fairly large – about the size of almonds, but you can use store-bought chocolate chunks if you wish.
I baked my batch of cookies for 15 to 16 minutes, although the original recipe says 18 minutes. All ovens are different, but they're done when they're light brown across the top. The cookies shown in the post were baked on a cloudy day, so may look a bit dark. You want to err on the side of underbaking rather than overbaking. Another tip is that you can sprinkle extra flaky salt on top of each cookie when they come out of the oven.
These cookies are best enjoyed the day they’re made but are delicious the next day as well. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword chocolate, chocolate chip cookies, cookies, miso, walnuts
Servings 5

Ingredients

Miso walnuts

  • 3 tablespoons mirin rice wine
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons (50g) white miso
  • 1 cup (100g) walnut halves toasted

Cookie dough

  • 6 tablespoons (90g) unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 6 tablespoons (85g) light brown sugar
  • 6 tablespoons (85g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg at room temperature
  • 1 3/4 cups (220g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons flaky sea salt or 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling (optional)
  • 9 ounces (255g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chopped in large chunks

Instructions

  • To make the miso walnuts, in a medium saucepan or skillet over moderate heat, warm the mirin, the granulated sugar, and the miso, stirring to incorporate and smooth out the ingredients. When the mixture starts to boil, add the walnuts and cook, stirring frequently, until the walnuts are completely coated and the miso mixture has almost all been absorbed by the walnuts, which will take a couple of minutes. They're done when there's only about a tablespoon of the miso syrup in the pan. Remove from heat and let cool, giving them a stir a few times as they cool.
  • To make the cookies, preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on low speed, or by hand, cream the butter and sugars until well-incorporated for about 1 minute. Do not beat the mixture until it's too light or overly fluffy, which can cause the cookies to spread too much during baking.
  • Mix in the egg. Sift the flour and baking soda together in a small bowl, then mix that into the dough along with the salt.
  • Break or cut the walnuts up a little, but not too much, and stir them into the dough, then stir in the chunks of chocolate. You may need to get your hands in there to get everything thoroughly combined, but don't overmix. The dough can be somewhat irregular.
  • Shape the dough into 5 equal mounds on the baking sheet, each about 6 ounces (180g), placing them evenly spaced apart. Bake the cookies for 15-18 minutes, sprinkling them with additional flaky sea salt after they come out of the oven, if you wish. The cookies are done when they are light golden brown across the top. Err on the side of underbaking rather than overbaking.

Notes

Mirin is a sweet rice wine, available in Asian markets and well-stocked supermarkets. There are some substitutes for mirin here.

Grilled Lamb Chops

By: Judy
17 September 2026 at 07:54
Grilled Lamb Chops recipeConsider this your new go-to marinade for grilled lamb chops. While our choice of spices borrows from Sichuan and Northern Chinese flavors, they have a chameleon-like quality and don’t read “Chinese” at all. They just season the lamb so well, and go with a wide variety of other flavors and side dishes!  Pure Umami  If […]

Chipotle Sauce

15 September 2026 at 20:42
chipotle sauce recipe

This creamy chipotle sauce is bold and punchy! It’s the kind of sauce that takes your meal to the next level, and brings together component-based dishes like tacos and burrito bowls. You can also serve it as an irresistible dipping sauce. It offers a thicker drizzle than chipotle mayonnaise and tastes better, too.

To make this chipotle sauce recipe, you’ll need a few basic ingredients. Start with a base of sour cream (use Greek yogurt if you prefer), chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (more on those below), a dollop of mayonnaise for a silky texture, dried garlic granules for intrigue, and salt and pepper.

Chipotle sauce should be somewhat spicy at minimum, but you control the spice level when you make it yourself. I’ve written the recipe below with a range of chipotle peppers. Start with the lowest amount, then taste, and blend in more if you’d like.

Continue to the recipe...

The post Chipotle Sauce appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Moelleux of Summer Fruits

By: David
12 September 2026 at 16:32

This may or may not happen to you, but sometimes when I’m a guest in someone’s home, where everyone pitches in to make dinner, all eyes (or just the host’s eyes) fall on me to make dessert. Gulp. I happy to pitch in with the cooking or bringing along a few baked goodies for the weekend, but I’m not always prepared to bake on the spot.

If you’re lucky, there may be a scale, a cake pan, a sharp knife, and hopefully sugar, butter, eggs, and flour. If you’re really lucky, there might be a whisk and a spatula, too. But if you’ve ever tried to peel a dozen apples with a steak knife because it’s the only one that’s even close to sharp, or eyeball 1 cup/140g) of flour, you know what I’m talking about. I once did a post on Things I Bring When I’m a Guest for the Weekend, which raised the ire of some, but I require a minimum of a knife, a spatula, a bowl, and a cake pan if I’m going to bake something, like a cake.

You’re likely familiar with the Moelleux au chocolat, the soft warm individual melting cakes that everybody loves. (If you have the kind of friends that have six to eight ramekins, well, that’s great.) I recently saw French food writer and journalist François-Régis Gaudy (his book, Let’s Eat France, translated into English, is a lot of fun and pretty amazing) make a Moelleux à la abricot on his Instagram page, which didn’t require a mixer or any special equipment. Not even a whisk!

His Apricot Cake was a very casual affair, baked in a rectangular mold on a sheet of parchment paper, and came out of the oven rather free-form, looking exactly like something that would come out of a French home cook’s kitchen, when baking dessert for friends. I’m fine with that but didn’t know if you were, so I thought I’d tinker with it and make it in a cake pan, which is easier to slice. I also fiddled around with the ingredients, as well as putting the brown granulated sugar on top (rather than underneath), to give the moelleux a nice sheen.

I used a springform cake pan but you can use any similar-sized vessel; an 8-, 9- or 10-square or round cake pan would work, or even a baking dish. The baking time will vary but if your experience with using a variety of ovens in other people’s homes is anything like mine, you’ll find that each one is different, and what one says is 350ºF/180ºC will be different than another whose dial says 350ºF/180ºC. I don’t travel with an oven thermometer but may add that to things I bring when I’m staying with people.

Tip: If you’re staying in someone’s place for the weekend, you can mix the dry ingredients in a container or zip-top bag then put the dessert together when you get there.

I made one cake with apricots first, which was sensational, but knowing fresh apricots are harder to come by elsewhere, I made another one with plums, which came out great as well. It would work with other summer fruits and berries but I really like the tanginess of apricots or plums against the moist cake layer, so stuck with those two. A handful of berries wouldn’t hurt either, but I do recommend keeping it simple.

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Moelleux aux fruits d'ete

Inspired by a recipe from French food writer and journalist François-Régis Gaudry
The ground almonds are really delicious in the dessert, but if you can't get ground almonds (sometimes called almond meal or almond flour), you can use 1 1/4 cups (175g) of all-purpose flour in place of the mix.
The picture in the post of the batter shows 3 eggs being added, and I took that photo when I first tested the recipe, which I did a few more times after that. The final recipe that I came up with, below, uses 2 eggs.
Course Dessert
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds (680g) apricots or plums (or another summer fruit, see headnote)
  • 3/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons (100g) almond flour
  • 1/2 cup (65g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder preferably aluminum-free
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (230g) granulated sugar
  • 5 ounces (140g) unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 1/2 teaspoon almond extract)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons coarse granulated brown sugar such as tubinado sugar (or granulated white sugar)

Instructions

  • Halve the fruit and remove the pits. Slice the fruit into 3/4- to 1-inch (2-3cm) wedges. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC.) Grease a 9-inch (23cm) springform pan very well with butter or non-stick spray. (If you don't have a springform pan, you can use another cake pan but it may be harder to get the cake out so you may want to also line the bottom with parchment paper.)
  • In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the almond flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. (My preferred tool to use for this step is a silicone spatula.) Add the soft butter and mix it in with the spatula until it's broken up into little pieces, roughly the size of kernels of corn. Stir in the eggs and vanilla extract, until it's almost smooth. It's fine if there are small pieces of butter visible.
  • Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Arrange the wedges of fruit on their sides in concentric circles over the batter, snugly placing the wedges against each other, pressing them gently into the batter as you go. Avoid putting them right up against the sides of the pan. It's best to leave some room for the batter to rise between the fruit and the pan, to avoid juices from the fruit adhering to the sides of the pan as the moelleux bakes. (It's unavoidable - and natural - if using juicy fruits, like plums, to have juice run out. But placing the slices not right up against the sides of the pan will help you get the cake out of the pan later.)
  • Sprinkle the coarse sugar over the top and bake until the center just feels set; a toothpick inserted into the center should come out free of cake crumbs stuck to it, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and set on a cooling rack. If any fruit juices have bubbled up and stuck to the sides of the pan, run a knife around the outside of the cake, which will help it release later.

Notes

Notes: If you want to make this gluten-free, I'd go with the almond flour rendition, and use a gluten-free flour substitute in place of the wheat flour. If you want to reduce the sugar in the recipe, you could cut it by 6 tablespoons/75g and skip the sugar on top, although I wouldn't.

Chocolate olive oil spread

By: David
12 September 2026 at 10:59

This recipe, from The Great Book of Chocolate, is one of my favorite recipes in the book. It’s a deep-dark chocolate spread that’s just as welcome on the breakfast table with warm croissants or toast, as it is as an afternoon snack, swiped on a slice of baguette.

The recipe comes from my friend Deb Perelman, of Smitten Kitchen, who came to Paris and made it in my kitchen with me. You can watch the full video here.

Since you’re making it at home, unlike store-bought spreads, you know what’s in this delectable. This recipe uses olive oil, which is healthy and delicious with the dark chocolate. I like to use one that’s fruity, which compliments the chocolate perfectly.

Depending on the type of chocolate you use, and it’s percentage of cacao solids, as well as the ambient temperature of your kitchen, the spread can be a bit firm, or soft, at room temperature. If it’s too firm, you can zap it for a few seconds in the microwave to make it more spreadable. If it’s too soft, it can be chilled briefly. In my kitchen, it’s perfect just as it is at room temperature…and I think you’ll love it too.

The Great Book of Chocolate - Revised
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Chocolate Olive Oil Spread

A delicious dark chocolate spread with olive oil that you're whole family will enjoy. The recipe is adapted from my book, The Great Book of Chocolate – now available!
Course Breakfast, Snack
Keyword chocolate, olive oil, spread
Servings 8

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (70g) powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup (25g) unsweetened cocoa powder preferably Dutch process
  • 4 ounces (115g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chopped
  • 1/2 cup (125ml) olive oil
  • Flaky sea salt such as Maldon or fleur de sel

Instructions

  • Sift together the powdered sugar and cocoa powder in a small bowl.
  • Warm the chopped chocolate and olive oil over low heat in a medium saucepan, stirring until the chocolate is melted and smooth. With a whisk, stir in the powdered sugar and cocoa powder mixture.
  • Transfer the mixture to small bowl and refrigerate until it's spreadable, which can take 2 to 3 hours. Check it every 15 minutes until it's the consistency of chocolate pudding. Scrape the mixture into a jar and store at room temperature until ready to serve.

Notes

The spread can be stored at room temperature for up to two weeks. It can be refrigerated for up to one month. Let it come to room temperature before serving. 
For more information about cocoa powder, check out my Cocoa powder FAQs.

Affogato

By: David
12 September 2026 at 10:28

Margot Lecarpentier is one of the best bartenders in Paris. At her bar, Combat, she shakes and stirs up cocktails – with and without alcohol – that are some of the best in the city. One a warm summer day, Margot stopped by to make an Affogato for us to enjoy in my backyard.

In Italian, affogato means “drowned,” and the typical affogato is a scoop of ice cream drowned in espresso, which is delicious. But Margot ramps things up a notch using a blend of rum, coffee liqueur, and amaro, which gives the dessert a lively kick. While you could use vanilla ice cream, Margot likes chocolate as much as I do, so I churned up a batch of chocolate sorbet, which also happens to be dairy-free, and she used that. Feel free to use your favorite flavor.

Cheers!

You can watch the full video of Margot and I making the Affogato in my newsletter here.

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Affogato

A delicious dessert with ice cream drowned in coffee liqueur, rum, and amaro
Course Drinks
Cuisine Italian
Keyword affogato, amaro, coffee liqueur, ice cream, rum
Servings 2

Ingredients

  • 3/4 ounce (20ml) dark rum
  • 3/4 ounce (20ml) amaro
  • 3/4 ounce (20ml) coffee liqueur
  • Ice cream or sorbet
  • 2 shots espresso (cooled slightly)

Instructions

  • In a small pitcher or measuring cup, mix together the rum, amaro, and coffee liqueur.
  • Put one generous scoop, or several smaller scoops, of ice cream or sorbet into two ice cream dishes or small bowls. Douse each serving with the mix of liqueurs.
  • Add a shot of espresso to each portion and serve.

Notes

You can use your favorite brands of liqueur here. In this recipe, Margot used Rabarbaro Nardini amaro, but others, such as Fernet-Branca or Ramazzotti, would work.
Nowadays there are non-alcoholic versions of most liqueurs, including the ones used here. If you’re avoiding alcohol, you can use non-alcoholic alternatives. 
For serving, feel free to shave some dark chocolate over the top of each affogato.

Steamed Chicken Legs with Sand Ginger

By: Bill
9 September 2026 at 08:09
Steamed Chicken Drumsticks with Sand GingerThese Steamed Chicken Legs are an easy-to-make comfort food. Marinated with shallots, garlic, fresh ginger, sand ginger powder, and chicken bouillon, the result is tender, perfectly silky chicken with a delicious aroma and concentrated chicken flavor.  Another reason to try this recipe? Chicken drumsticks or leg quarters are by far the most affordable cut of […]

1-Bowl Honey Almond Snack Cake (Gluten-Free)

8 September 2026 at 10:00
1-Bowl Honey Almond Snack Cake (Gluten-Free)

Honey almond snack cake!? You know you want to jump in on the fun! This GORGEOUS loaf is perfectly moist with a lightly floral flavor and beautiful sponge texture. Bonus? It’s made without gluten or dairy, but no one will know.

It’s the perfect cake for afternoon tea, brunch gatherings, and beyond! Just 10 ingredients, 1 bowl, and simple methods (no mixer) required. Let’s bake!

1-Bowl Honey Almond Snack Cake (Gluten-Free) from Minimalist Baker →

Back to School Recipes

5 September 2026 at 09:01
Teriyaki Mushroom Bento, thewoksoflife.comWe’ve collected a bunch of back to school recipes, with tons of meal ideas to help you get into the swing of the school year hustle. Summer may be ending, but we hope you can find some ideas—from on-the-go breakfasts to packed lunches and busy weeknight dinners—to soften the blow! Delicious weeknight and school lunch […]

Blackberry Cobbler

3 September 2026 at 23:10
blackberry cobbler recipe

This blackberry cobbler recipe is a summertime delight! It features jammy blackberries underneath a tender, golden, scone-like topping. I’m quite smitten with this recipe—something borderline magical happens when you bake blackberries. The heat of the oven seems to enhance their floral undertones and make them taste extra special.

This is a simple dessert that you’ll want to make over and over again. Lemon zest, a touch of cinnamon, and a dab of tangy Greek yogurt add some flavor intrigue. Your guests might ask, “Why is this so good?”

It also happens to be gluten free, since I used almond flour in the topping instead of conventional all-purpose flour. Almond flour is very easy to work with and offers a subtle almond flavor that pairs beautifully with berries. If you’ve tried my peach cobbler or blueberry cobbler, you’re already familiar with it. I hope you’ll give this one a try!

Continue to the recipe...

The post Blackberry Cobbler appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Fried Eggplant, Chinese-Style

By: Bill
3 September 2026 at 09:29
Fried Eggplant recipe, Chinese-styleThis Fried Eggplant is dangerously easy to eat. Crispy sticks of eggplant are cooked til tender and seasoned with a universally loved savory blend of salt, white pepper, and five spice powder!  This recipe is best as one of multiple dishes in a meal, or as a delicious appetizer / finger food with an ice […]

Stuffed Poblano Peppers

31 August 2026 at 21:56
stuffed poblano peppers

These stuffed poblano peppers are boldly flavored and legitimately hearty, boasting 20 grams of protein per pepper. They’re stuffed with soft, blended black beans followed by two kinds of cheese. The cheese turns gloriously golden in the oven while the chili peppers become nicely tender and caramelized.

Two layers of red salsa, one underneath and one drizzled on top, bring this crowd-pleasing vegetarian main dish together. Consider it a simpler alternative to enchiladas or layered casseroles that’s just as satisfying.

This recipe will be perfect for game days and casual home get-togethers as the temperatures drop. I hope you’ll make them again and again this fall—I’m already looking forward to my next batch.

Continue to the recipe...

The post Stuffed Poblano Peppers appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

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