This spicy Sichuan party dip has everything we love about our favorite Chengdunese wontons in chili oil except in a totally unexpected creamy, spicy, crunchy dip that’s perfect for scooping up with homemade crispy-fried wonton chips (or any chips!) or crudité. I like to call this stuff Sichuan gold because […]
This har gow recipe with its juicy shrimp filling and translucent dumpling wrappers is the queen of all dumplings and it’s easier than ever to make! Crystal shrimp dumplings can be found at dim sum parlors around the world from Maxim’s Palace in Hong Kong (so delicious!) or Nom Wah […]
This quick and easy homemade strawberry jam recipe (aka strawberry freezer jam) is delicious! It tastes as good slathered toast as it does drizzled over ice cream or used as a strawberry cheesecake topping. And it’s what I use to make one of our all-time favorite strawberry desserts –this Italian […]
This super delicious Italian strawberry crostata recipe is one of our favorite desserts to eat (or buy from our local pasticceria. But it’s so easy to make you don’t have to live in Italy to enjoy it! In fact, this strawberry dessert is an excellent recipe for beginner bakers and […]
This homemade tortellini recipe is 100% made from scratch and it’s easier to prepare than you might think (especially filling and folding them). “Tortellini in brodo” or little meat and cheese stuffed pasta cooked in homemade broth is one of Bologna Italy’s most iconic pasta dishes along with Bolognese ragù, […]
This homemade egg pasta recipe is simple to make and uses just 3 ingredients — a combination of soft wheat Italian 00 flour, semolina rimacinata (twice-milled hard wheat flour), and eggs. If you’ve ever wanted to try making your own pasta, this is probably my favorite recipe on the site. […]
This easy beefy homemade spaghetti sauce recipe is the best! Not only is it super quick and ready in just about 35 minutes, but it uses just 7 ingredients and it freezes really well making mid-week meal prep a cinch. Which by all standards, makes this a perfect spaghetti sauce […]
This is the easiest lasagna recipe you’ll ever make and it could not be more delicious. Mama A’s melty delicious Italian ham and mozzarella lasagna is filled with layers of fresh egg lasagna, delicate slices of prosciutto cotto (Italian cooked ham), generous helpings of shredded mozzarella, grated Grana Padano cheese, […]
This easy 3-Ingredient wonton wrapper recipe is my favorite one on the site. I use it to make all kinds of wontons (including Spicy Sichuan wontons), or sometimes potstickers — they’re especially delicious when fried to make crispy wonton strips for homemade egg drop soup. Plus, you can fill them […]
Crostata di Marmellata is one of our favorite Italian desserts to eat here in Italy and lucky for us, you can find them just about anywhere! There are two components in this recipe for crostata: ‘pasta frolla’ (a forgiving easy-to-make rich and crumbly shortcrust pastry) and jam. But don’t let the simplicity […]
Ready in just 30 minutes (if you use store-bought wrappers), this easy Sichuan wonton soup recipe is one of the most famous of all the Chengdu snacks and it’s one of the easiest things to make at home. Based on my Chengdunese friend, Vivian’s recipe, if you’re already familiar with […]
These crispy-edged light and fluffy pumpkin pancakes are packed with a trio of juicy berries (blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries) and toasted pecans, topped with butter, and drizzled with pure maple syrup for a total fall breakfast win. These blueberry pumpkin pancakes are the perfect recipe to use up leftover canned […]
Ready in just 20 minutes, these café-style soft and chewy chocolate chip pecan cookies are for anyone who doesn’t want the temptation of a whole log of cookie dough hanging out in their fridge (begging to be eaten by the spoonful or baked up hot and warm on a whim […]
This is the very best (and only) Sichuan wonton recipe you will ever need (unless you’re looking for the delicious wonton soup version♡). Vivian’s wontons were one of the first dishes I fell in love with while living in Chengdu. Tender ginger-infused pork-filled meat parcels wrapped in homemade silky egg […]
This steamed chicken and pork buns recipe uses a featherlight tangzhong bao bun dough filled with a slightly sweet and savory Chinese BBQ pork and chicken thigh filling. Homemade Chinese pork buns are truly like the ones you’ll find being sold steaming hot from street trolleys in Chengdu, Chinatown, NYC, […]
Helping busy families cook and enjoy tastier, healthier meals at home. Born and raised in Arkansas, I've lived and worked in NYC, Sichuan China, and now Northeast Italy. Each of these places impacts the way I cook, live, and celebrate life. You'll find a bit of everything here whether you're new to cooking, or you've made it all. If you love to eat, you're in the right place!
