Japanese Curry with Crispy Tofu Cutlets (Tofu Katsu Kare)

Rumor has it that curry made its way from India to Japan during the colonial period via the British navy. There it morphed into a mild, savory-sweet roux-based sauce that’s the perfect counterpoint to a crispy piece of pork or tofu.  If you’re used to eating coconut-milk laden or incredibly spicy curries, Japanese curry [...]

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Julius & Rachel’s Fennel Sausage Pasta

I’ll be the first to admit: this is not the most photogenic dish to ever appear on Culinspiration. But although it’s not much to look at, this sauce is so good it had me pestering my friends Rachel and Julius for the recipe for weeks. Weeks! I couldn’t get the perfect melding of flavors out of [...]

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To Try: Hearty Veracruz-Style Black Bean Soup

Credit:  Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
This recipe comes from Martha Rose Shulman of the New York Times, who publishes a ton of great-looking vegetarian recipes.  Beans are not only a protein- and fiber-rich food, they’re also super economical.  And if you have any leftover bags of spinach lurking in your refrigerator, this recipe [...]

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Cheesy Baked Greek Pastitsio

If you like lasagna, beef bolognese, or even Cincinnati chili, you’ll love this dish hailing from Greece.  Pastitsio is a layered casserole of tubular pasta tossed with hard cheese and topped off with meat sauce (spiced with cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and oregano) and lightly browned bechamel sauce.  With so many delicious ingredients, how could it not [...]

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To Try: Grandma Maroni’s Smackdown Italian Meatballs

Okay, okay, so technically this 100-year old recipe beat Bobby Flay in a “throwdown,” but “smackdown” just sounds so much better.  That guy can be a cocky S.O. …well, you know.  I haven’t tried them yet, but intend to soon—just as soon as I come up for air amidst all this wedding planning.  This week I’ll also be [...]

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Not Quite Carbonara

Cooking for one is sometimes an (unexciting) necessity.  To me, it’s much more fun to cook imagining someone else groaning in pleasure after taking a bite.  (Hey, a girl can dream, right? )  But anyway, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to cook up a big pot of soup or whole roast when there’s just one mouth to [...]

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To Try: Tender Crock Pot Beef Brisket

Another recipe from Taste of Home, this one comes from reader Jenni Arnold.  She says, “Brisket can be difficult to cook, but this recipe always turns out great. I live in the country and have a 60-mile commute to work each day, so I use the slow cooker often. It’s a great way to get [...]

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Penne with Roasted Tomatoes, Feta & Kalamatas

If you haven’t guessed, I’m a food blog junkie, so it’s no surprise this recipe started with one from a charming blogger, The Wednesday Chef.  Chopped, sauteed zucchini might also be nice.
-1/2 c. olive oil, divided
-1 lb. good canned plum tomatoes (or whole, peeled plum tomatoes), halved lengthwise, seeded
-1 tsp. dried oregano, 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
-scant [...]

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