What I cooked for Christmas – 2021

I had so much fun doing this post last year that I thought I would do it again! I have to say, this year I didn’t cook quite as much as last year, but what I did cook, I ended up loving, plus I tried some new things along the way. So read on to see what I cooked for Christmas this year.

The ultimate kale salad

Don’t click away, don’t click away! I know some of you are thinking, kale salad? get me out of here! But if you’re not really a kale fan, this salad will change your mind.

If I had a way to do some sort of money-back guarantee, I would. I have made this salad probably 3 times per week for the past 2 years and I’m still not sick of it. So give it at least one try, and see if this kale salad can’t convert you into a kale lover.

Honey Garlic Pork Chops and Papas Fritas with Paprika Garlic Sauce

Phew, is it just me, or is there a lot going on in that recipe title?

I know, I might have gone a bit overboard, but all of the elements in the meal are so delicious, I wanted you to know about each individual one!

So, with so many elements, where should I start?

What I cooked for Christmas – 2020

Christmas is a time for joy, for presents, for family, and of course, for EATING. I have to admit, out of all of the ways to celebrate the season, eating good food was at the top of my list. I was lucky enough to host my inlaws this Christmas, and I couldn’t resist planning a set of delicious meals for them while they were here. I’m sharing everything I cooked for Christmas in this blog post.

Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Walnut Dressing

This recipe was a really awesome find. I usually find my recipes in Pinterest, but this one, I actually found on YouTube. In the past year or so, I’ve started watching Bon Appetit’s YouTube episodes, and one of my favorite chefs to watch is Molly Baz. One of her recent recipes is one for a delicious side dish – crispy smashed potatoes with a salty, oil-based walnut dressing, served over a bed of sour cream and fresh herbs.

I thought it sounded delicious so I gave it a try, and oh man, it did not disappoint.

Summer vegetable salad with cilantro vinaigrette

I’ve been absolutely loving summer fruits and vegetables. I find myself getting so inspired to try different dishes, especially ones with lots of color. I’m so sad that the summer season is almost over — but then again, I live in Texas, so I still have probably another month of hot temperatures ahead of me.

This summer vegetable salad takes all the best summer veggies and combines them with a cilantro vinaigrette and feta cheese to create a delicious, filling salad that goes well on any dinner table.

Hungarian rice and roasted chicken thighs

If I had to choose my one favorite recipe of ALL TIME from my childhood, it would be this dish. In fact, I was home visiting my family recently and my mom asked if she could cook anything in particular for me, and Hungarian Rice was the first thing that came to mind.

I make this all the time at home too, and my husband loves it just as much as I do. Funnily enough, my husband actually is Hungarian, so it’s kind of funny that the main Hungarian dish in our household came from my family (with German/English descent), not from his Hungarian descent. 🙂

Easy pico de gallo and guacamole

Pico de gallo and guacamole are the perfect side dishes or appetizers for any Mexican meal. They not only are great dips for tortilla chips, but they also go on top of almost any Mexican dish such as tacos, enchiladas, or huevos rancheros.

I always make my pico and guac the same way, and, honestly, I think the recipes are absolutely perfect. The cool thing about my recipes is that you actually use the pico de gallo in the guacamole recipe as one of the ingredients (say what!). So read on for how to make my perfect pico de gallo and guacamole.

Warm goat cheese salad

Doesn’t this just sound yummy? It’s a crispy-on-the-outside, warm-and-creamy-on-the-inside goat cheese disc on top of a perfectly dressed leafy green salad. When you break through the crust of the fried cheese with your fork and reach the creamy, steamy, melty cheese inside, you’ll understand instantly why this recipe is one I keep coming back to.

You can serve this as your salad course, or you can bump up the quantity and serve it as a main dish for lunch or a light dinner.

Zucchini Patties

I’m not sure if I could think of a single food that makes me more nostalgic than zucchini patties. These were a constant on the Minion family dinner table when I was growing up. It was one of the recipes that I took with me when I went to college, and was one of the first recipes I made when I moved out and started cooking for myself.

Zucchini patties (which some people might call zucchini fritters, and resemble latkes), are basically savory pancakes. They have grated zucchini, along with cheese and biscuit mix, to create a pancake-like texture. In fact, you cook them exactly like you would cook a pancake.

Read on to see my mom’s recipe for zucchini patties.