If you know me, you would know my passion for food and cooking. I am a foodie. I have my TV on Cooking Channel and Food Network all the time (of course, except when the kids want to watch Paw Patrol or Trolls). I am constantly searching for recipes and inspirations. I love all kinds of cuisines, and I try all of them, as long as they fit some simple criterion:
- Recipe calls for common, easy to find ingredients. In other words, I am not that willing to make a dish that requires me spending hours scouring each isle of the super market, or even specialty stores and still may not find it. Unless, (of course, there is always an exception – unless for some reason, the idea of making that dish would stick to me, and I just can’t get it off my mind until I make it. There will be some blogs about some of these dishes)
- Recipes doesn’t require some not-so-common tools, such as certain baking molds (I only have a few common shapes, such as 8″ square pan, 9 x 13 dish, cup cake pans and mini cupcake pans), or a dehydrator, or a deli meat slicer, you get the idea. Let’s face it, some people do have a dehydrator or a deli meat slicer in their kitchen, but I don’t like storing some tools or gadgets for a year or two and only use it the day I get it.
- Recipes that don’t require days to plan and make. On the other hand, I love marinating meats over night, or slow roast for a few hours, it always gives the dish extra depth of flavor. As long as that long waiting time is “inactive” time, and I can just forget about it and walk away.
- Recipes that are kid friendly. Let’s face it, I have 2 toddlers, since the day each child was transitioning to solid food, I have been religiously searching for ideas to make healthy and nutritious food to feed them, and I don’t have to feel like Neil in Matrix, dodging rejected food projectiles. There is nothing more comforting watching the kids devouring what I make (that just made me sound like a grandma a little, doesn’t it?)
- Recipes that are portable, or can sit on the counter for a bit, don’t require immediate serving… and now, as the list goes on and on, it became clearer and clearer in my head, I am looking for yummy and lazy recipes that I can feed the kids and adults without feeling guilty.
In reality, if I don’t find exactly what fits all the above 5 criterion, I always attempt to alter it a bit, based on what I have on hand, and what I see there is a corner that can be cut, and still keep the main quality (shhhhh….)
As always, I do not like taking credit if that’s not mine. I will always try my absolute best to disclose where my inspiration came from, and let the true chefs take the credit they deserve. But, if by random chance, I forget to mention the inspiration source, please kindly remind me, I will be gladly add it.
Stay tuned, hopefully I can inspire your inner chef some day too! Also, I’d love new ideas as well, if you feel adding some thinly sliced green onions at the very end would elevate the dish, please do tell me! Thank you in advance!
