Make this now: Kimchi Potato Salad

Kimchi—fermented vegetables (and Korea’s national dish)—combines with potatoes, scallions and bacon to become what just may be the best potato salad we’ve ever tasted. Recipe below.

Kimchi Potato Salad

Cabbage and potatoes are our two favorite food groups. Okay, so they’re not technically food groups, but they should be. Cabbage is versatile—think slaws, soups, stews, sideman for corned beef—and it’s one of the healthiest things you can eat. And potatoes… well, they’re potatoes. Continue reading “Make this now: Kimchi Potato Salad”

Simple, no-cook ideas for upgrading rotisserie chicken dinners

When it’s too hot to cook—or you’re too busy—these easy, no-cook ideas can turn a store-bought rotisserie chicken into a satisfying meal.

Rotisserie Chicken Dinner Ideas

The simplest way to make a meal of a rotisserie chicken was once witnessed by Marion’s sister at Costco. A fellow customer purchased his chicken at the store, proceeded to the store dining area and sat down and started eating it. I don’t remember now if some utensils or perhaps a soft drink figured into the meal or not. Continue reading “Simple, no-cook ideas for upgrading rotisserie chicken dinners”

Cuisipro puts a twist on an essential kitchen tool with the Twist Whisk

Cuisipro Twist Whisk

Our limited kitchen counter real estate means we try to edit our kitchen tools pretty ferociously. But one tool that has earned a place is the Cuisipro Twist Whisk.

The Twist Whisk was originally created to beat eggs and cream. If you love the hands-on part of whipping cream or egg whites, this, plus a copper bowl, will make the task lighter. Continue reading “Cuisipro puts a twist on an essential kitchen tool with the Twist Whisk”

No grill needed: Oven-baked Country-style Ribs with Vanilla-Bourbon Brine and Carolina Rub

Brined with bourbon, vanilla and hoisin sauce, then coated with a spicy Carolina rub and oven-baked, these country-style ribs are tender, juicy and bursting with complex flavors. Recipe below.

Country Ribs with Vanilla-Bourbon Brine and Carolina Rub

My first encounter with ribs was oven-baked. Our family did not do barbecuing. That—the standing around a grill on a summer day, while Dad sipped a cold one and worked the flames—was a thing that did not happen. Continue reading “No grill needed: Oven-baked Country-style Ribs with Vanilla-Bourbon Brine and Carolina Rub”

Cookina reusable cooking sheets: nonstick comes to the grill

Cookina reusable, nonstick cooking sheets make grilling, cooking and cleanup simple.

Reusable Non-stick Grilling Sheet

Some things are just made for grilling. Chops, steaks, slabs of eggplant. In my experience, though, fish is not. No matter how carefully I scrub the grate on my charcoal kettle or how much I oil it (and the fish itself), the delicate flesh of even comparatively sturdy fish such as salmon often sticks. So I was delighted to be introduced to Cookina reusable nonstick cooking and grilling sheets at the International Home + Housewares Show this spring. Continue reading “Cookina reusable cooking sheets: nonstick comes to the grill”

Not to get technical, but no recipe this week

Technical-Difficulties

No technical difficulties. Life is just being a little too interesting right now to put together a post. Everybody’s okay, but there is just way too much going on. I won’t bore you with details or excuses (and I think any litany of excuses should be required by law to end with “and the sun was in my eyes”). I’ll just say come back next week for a fresh recipe.

What we’re reading: chicken vs. beef and improving fish farming

What we eat doesn’t just affect our health—it affects the health of the planet. Two recent articles highlight serious food production problems and possible solutions.

Albertus_Verhoesen_Chickens_and_park_vase

Want to help improve the planet’s health? Eat less beef and more chicken. That’s the assessment of James Hamblin’s most recent piece for The Atlantic, “Meats: A Health Hierarchy.” He backs it up with some powerful numbers, like the fact that farming cattle produces about four times as much greenhouse gas as does poultry or fish. To explain the impact of this much greenhouse gas, Hamblin quotes Scott Faber, senior vice president for government affairs at the Environmental Working Group: “If every American stopped eating beef tomorrow and started eating chicken instead—which I don’t expect—that would be the equivalent of taking 26 million cars off the road.” Continue reading “What we’re reading: chicken vs. beef and improving fish farming”

Recipes for a delicious 4th of July

Looking for recipe ideas for your July 4th celebration? Here are a number of our favorites from the Blue Kitchen archives.

Grilled Asian Flank Steak

JULY 4th IS AT THE APEX OF GRILLING SEASON IN THE UNITED STATES. It’s practically written into our constitution that every household shall cook out of doors on this day. So I’m going to start this post with ideas for the meal’s centerpiece. Continue reading “Recipes for a delicious 4th of July”