I decided to switch to Nellie’s all-purpose cleaning spray and loved it (we use their laundry detergent which I recommend). Plus, it sounded like it was pretty harmless, just 4 ingredients. It has alcohol in it so it really cut through greasy surfaces much better than some other brands I’ve used before. Just 4 ingredients, 2 of which I already had in the house. So I bought the rest and tried a few times to make a good dupe.

And now, this is the only all-purpose cleaner I use. It’s AWESOME. Works like the actual product (and don’t get me wrong, I love Nellie’s so buy their stuff), and if I can make it for a fraction of the price and don’t have to waste another single use plastic bottle, I’m gonna do it.

Tomato sauce made from fresh tomatoes are an entirely different thing. The sauce is light and tangy, but satisfying way that canned tomatoes can’t achieve. This pasta dish is a household favorite, lovingly called “the red pasta,” and has 5 ingredients (most of which you probably have already).

This is not a recipe to measure in cups or minutes. Use the directions below as guidance but this is one of those recipes that you just use your senses to determine when it’s ready. As you cook the tomatoes down make sure you’re checking on them occasionally as they can burn pretty easily if the moisture from the tomatoes evaporates. If you start to see this happen, just add a big splash of water.

Luckily this is super simple to make at home. And if you don’t like coffee you can switch this up with lemonade or a fruit juice. Lemon granita was a huge hit for us too!

Pro tip: eat this with some flatbread to soak up all the delicious sour flavorful and creamy dressing at the bottom of the bowl.

The combination of tomato, anchovies and garlic is new to me, so of course, after throwing together this salad dressing and loving it, I’ve been asking: why aren’t we adding tomatoes to dressing all the time? IT’S SO. GOOD.

This dressing is bold, tangy, sour, and packed with intense and umami-rich flavors. It will hold up to the study and bitter greens. Here I’ve made my salad with frisee and arugula since I like their textures. The leaves can be swapped out for whatever you want, but the star combo here for me is this tomato anchovy dressing with very thinly sliced celery and pine nuts… ooo that celery soaking in the dressing… Actually, come to think of it, I could just eat the celery marinated in the dressing and I think I’ll give that a try next time.

I recently discovered liquid shio koji, and I. AM. HOOKED. I’ve been marinating everything from beef to fish to chicken in this Japanese fermented rice water (technically aspergillus oryzae, salt and water). I’m annoyed with myself that I didn’t know about it sooner. That’s how good it is.

Shio koji tenderizes protein and just enhances its natural flavor with a boost of umami. I don’t even add salt. Just add 1 tablespoon of shio koji for about 1 pound of protein and let it marinate for 4 hours to 24 hours. That’s it. There’s a bunch of science happening here that I’m not qualified to explain, but it feels like magic is happening. The result? You get the most moist, tender, and flavorful meat. On a steak, it almost replicates the flavor of dry-aging.

A few tips for how to use this because there is a bit of a learning curve. Since the fermentation develops natural sugars, the meat can burn kinda quickly. Two tips: (1) pat off the shio koji with paper towels before searing (if you’re using the paste version rinse it off and pat dry) and (2) adjust your heat. Usually for a steak, I would get a skillet very hot and sear the steak on super high heat. With shio koji I’ve had to adjust to about a medium heat. Mostly, just keep an eye on the searing.

The protein I love the most with shio koji is chicken though. It really transforms what usually is kinda dry and flavorless (especially breast) into something deeply flavorful and beautifully browned. If you’re searing your chicken, again just watch your heat and lift the chicken frequently to make sure it’s not carbon-ing. Roasted in an oven, the skin turns a perfect golden brown.

Shio koji comes in either a liquid or a paste. If you’re using the paste just make sure it is all rinsed off before searing. You can buy this online or at a Japanese market. Please do it now!!

Pro tip: add a dab of yuzu kosho (a spicy and salty pepper and yuzu paste that goes amazing with a shio koji marintaed steak!

Weekday breakfast is pretty much 4 dishes on constant rotation. Something fast and easy is key so this twist on eggs is now finding its way into our daily breakfast routine. The rice paper creates this chewy outer layer and it’s a household favorite!

We eat it simple, cut up dipped in dashi soy sauce or dipped in soy sauce with thinly sliced Thai chilis. You could get as creative with this as you would an omelette.

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My general theory to getting kids to eat vegetables is if you put enough salt and fat on it, they might give it a try AND like it. Sometimes I see these sad sides of steamed broccoli and carrots that come with kids meals and think — no wonder they don’t want to eat that, I wouldn’t want to either.

Enter pancetta and cheese. This pancetta and peas pasta is so easy and makes for a great lunch. The peas get a brief sauté in salty and fatty crisped up pancetta. I like to use a small pasta like ditalini because it matches the size of the peas and pancetta. The whole thing gets tossed with some pasta water, mascarpone and a hefty grating of parmesan or pecorino. Easiest pasta you’ll ever make and your kids may even forget there are peas in there.

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Another kid-approved and fast recipe, this time using mung bean noodles! This is a Chinese noodle dish that leans spicy due to doubanjiang, a fermented fava bean/chile paste, central to the sauce. You could go full spice by adding in the entire measurement of doubanjiang or what I do for my kids is cut it in half with fermented black bean garlic sauce. You could also substitute with Korean fermented soy bean paste doenjang since you’re really just aiming to get that fermented umami flavor.

The mung bean noodles soak up all that delicious sauce and the little bits of broken up pork look like ants climbing up a tree — the strands of noodles.

PS, this makes for a great school lunch the next day!

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My son said this was the best soup he’s ever had. The. Best. Soup. He’s. Ever Had. That’s like the parent version of wining the James Beard Award ok? So with that let me introduce to you: The Best Soup Ever.

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The elder millennial in me can’t help but extoll the health benefits of sardines, but you gotta watch your heart and brain health, so here I go:

Sardines are incredibly nutrient-dense. They’re rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids that help reduce inflammation and support brain function, and because you often eat the soft edible bones, they’re an excellent source of calcium and vitamin D for strong bones. Sardines also provide high-quality protein to keep you full and support muscle repair, along with iron and vitamin B12 for steady energy and healthy blood cells. They’re also typically lower in mercury than larger fish. And they’re one of the more affordable seafood options.

Beyond all this, they’re really delicious you just need to know how to prepare them. This is a simple lunch that I love making with Riga Gold smoked sardines. I get these at Jons a local LA market chain that carries Armenian, Middle Eastern and Eastern European ingredients. They’re smoked but quite small so the texture and meat is really great (not super flaky or dry like some larger sardines can get). I highly recommend you search these out, they’re delicious!

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This is slow-cooked comfort — deeply savory, rich from anchovies, soy sauce and red wine, balanced with vegetables that melt into the sauce. It’s rustic, forgiving, and tastes even better the next day.

Ingredients

• 5 pounds beef short ribs

• 2 cups red wine

• 4–5 anchovies

• 2 teaspoons soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• 2 teaspoons Better Than Beef or Better Than Chicken bouillon

• 4 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks

• 3 stalks celery, minced

• 1 small onion, minced

• 4 cloves garlic

• 3 bay leaves

• 2–4 cups water

• Olive oil

• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Season ribs generously with salt and pepper.

2. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear ribs on all sides (work in batches). Remove and set aside.

3. In rendered fat, sauté onion, celery, and garlic until translucent.

4. Add wine and simmer until reduced by about half.

5. Stir in anchovies, tomato paste, soy sauce.

6. Return ribs (and juices) to pot.

7. Add enough water to barely cover ribs. Add bay leaves.

8. Cover and cook on low for about 1½ hours.

9. Add carrots and continue cooking another hour, until meat is fall-apart tender and carrots are soft.

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This is deeply savory, tangy and spicy, powered by kimchi and rich pork belly. The soaks up all that fantastic flavor. Dare I say, it’s my favorite soup??

It’s important to use old kimchi. I actually buy a jar with the intention of just keeping it in the back of the fridge when I’m half way through just for kimchi jjigae!

Ingredients

• 1 cup of kimchi, plus kimchi liquid

• 3/4 pound of pork belly

• 2 teaspoons of gochugaru

• 1/2 yellow onion, sliced thin

• 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced

• 1-2 tablespoons of Better Than Boullion chicken bouillon or any other bouillon

• 1 pack of thinly sliced extra firm tofu

• Thinly sliced scallions

• 1 tablespoon of soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons of sesame oil

• salt

Directions

1. Sautee pork belly until slightly browned and rendered then add onion and garlic and stir until onions have softened.

2. Add kimchi and kimchi liquid and add about 3-4 cups of water and chicken bouillon, soy sauce and sesame oil. Simmer covered for about 20-30 minutes.

3. Salt to taste and add tofu and scallions. Simmer covered for about 20-30 minutes.

4. Serve with steamed rice.

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Ingredients

- 4 ounce pancetta
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 lb ground pork
- 3 carrots
- 4 celery stalks
- 1 large onion
- 4 garlic clove
- 3-4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 14 oz can whole San Marzano tomato
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup of White wine or sake
- Beef or chicken stock
- Bay leaves
- Salt and pepper
- Parmigiano reggiano
- Pasta

Directions

1. Crisp up pancetta in a large pot.

2. Roughly chop up the Parmesan and blend in the food processor. Transfer to a bowl.

3. Roughly chop onion, carrots and celery.

4. Process the vegetables and garlic until smooth.

5. Add puréed vegetables to the pot and cook on medium low heat for stirring occasionally until reduced and soft, about 10-15 minutes.

6. Add beef and pork with the vegetables and brown breaking meat up into smaller pieces.

7. Add sake/wine and soy sauce.

8. Purée the tomatoes and add it and the tomato paste into the pot.

9. Add enough beef broth until the meat is covered and bring to a boil.

10. Add a couple bay leaves. Add milk.

11. Lower heat to a simmer and cook covered for at least 2 hours and up to 4 hours. Checking and stirring occasionally.

12. If the sauce is becoming too dry add more broth.

13. Serve over pasta and top with grated Parmigiano reggiano.

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@imkarenchanYeasted waffles are the better waffle. I don’t make the rules (my kids do). RECIPE: - 1/2 cup warm water - 1 teaspoon dry active yeast - 2 cups room temp milk - 3 teaspoons sugar - 1 teaspoon salt - 3/4 stick melted, butter - 3/4 cup all purpose flour - 1/4 cup cornstarch - 1 cup whole wheat - 1/4 teaspoon Diastatic malt powder - 2 eggs - 1 teaspoon baking powder - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract - powdered sugar - syrup 1. Activate yeast in warm water. Add milk. 2. Whisk in flours, cornstarch, sugar, salt, diastatic malt powder, vanilla extract and melted butter. 3. Cover with plastic and let it sit on your counter overnight. 4. Whisk eggs and baking powder together, add to the batter and whisk to combine. 5. Spray or butter waffle iron and pour in batter and flip if using flip maker. Cook for 5 minutes or however long until browned. 6. Top with siftedpowdered sugar or syrup. #recipesoftiktok #waffles #fyp

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Since moving to the suburbs of LA a few years ago, we’ve had to accept a hard truth: there are no good bagels anywhere near us. So naturally, I started making them myself.

They do take a little time, but technique-wise? Honestly pretty straightforward. I like to think of it as a morning craft project that happens to end in something edible.

There is something deeply satisfying about making bagels from scratch — chewy, golden — and then slathering them with cream cheese you made yourself. This recipe makes bagels with a classic boil-and-bake method and a tangy, fresh cream cheese. I can’t go back to store bought cream cheese now

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