Mushroom-Greens Torta

Photo: Kristian Blaich
One of my less likely friendships is one I’m especially glad to have.  It’s funny how things work out.  My friend, Kristian Blaich, was originally my college history professor.  It’s quite possible that had I not taken his engaging classes, I might never have gone abroad, studied German, met my husband. . .well, [...]

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Football Food: Spinach Artichoke Dip

I’m excited to introduce a new guest blogger, Chris Ferrera, whom I’ve known since we were gangly teenagers wearing braces and carrying ugly purses (me, at least). We’ve been best buds since the time when a big night out was meeting at the mall to gossip over virgin piña coladas and spinach dip.  Ah…the days [...]

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Using Leftovers: Fried Quinoa Cakes with Mushroom Ragout

The other night, while my husband made a delicious roast pork loin, I was in charge of cooking the side dish.  I followed the German instructions on my package of quinoa (which called for too much water and cooking time) and ended up with a soggy, risotto-like pot of mush. So much for stereotypes about [...]

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Chunky Potato Cream Soup

Image via The Big Blend
Cool weather just screams out for hearty, homey food, don’t you think? The weather dropped a good 15 or 20 degrees (Fahrenheit…have to specify now!) this past month in Berlin, and I’ve been craving comfort food. This chunky, creamy potato soup fits the bill without being a total fat-bomb. [...]

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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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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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D.C. Cheap Eats: $5 Well Spent @ Shawarma King

Today, I reached sandwich nirvana.  Do you ever eat felafel, those little croquettes made of chickpeas, fava beans, bulgur, parsley, and a medley of savory spices?  They’re often done wrong—restaurants typically pre-fry them in big batches and just reheat as needed.  Not surprisingly, this turns them into overcooked, bland, oil-logged little hockey pucks, tolerable only when drowned [...]

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Cream of Broccoli-Potato Soup

This soup manages to be creamy without adding loads of heavy cream. My Uncle Joe invented it when I was a kid, and he called it “Low Cal No Cow Soup.” My version is inspired by his (although there’s a little “cow” thanks to the butter.) This could easily be made vegetarian by substituting [...]

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