Jan came down with another cold today. Why do sick junior professors and students always want to meet face to face? It was time to whip up another garlic chicken soup.
Author Archives: karllueck
Karl’s Oatmeal Mini Scones with Orange Infused Sugar
Originally adapted from Sarah on AllRecipes.com
This recipe started life as a blueberry scone but over the last year I have been experimenting and changing it depending on my mood and available ingredients. I like to make these as mini scones, because everyone knows that three small scones are less fattening than one big one. Actually this is true, three mini scones may be the same as one big one, but if you ate just the one big one you might think, “I only had one! Another half isn’t going to hurt.” Whereas, if you are eating the mini scones you would think, “I won’t have another, I’ve already had three!”
Filed under bread, Breakfast, Side Dishes
Karl’s Orange Infused Sugar
Last Christmas Jan made Grand Marnier Balls as giveaways. The recipe she created called for candied orange peel, which is surprisingly expensive. I decided to make my own, to avoid the cost this year. Once I was done, I was left with about two cups of orange infused sugar.
Filed under Other, Sauces and Spices
Karl’s Beef with Chive Stem and Oyster Mushrooms
The challenge this weekend is reconciling Jan’s diets and a guest’s Ketogenic diet. Jan has to eat low fat because she is missing her gall bladder. A keto diet eliminates most carbohydrates and emphasizes protean, oils and roughage to force your metabolism into ketosis. These diets are polar opposites.
Filed under Beef, Main Dishes
Karl’s Mapo Doufu (Mapo Tofu)
Mapo Doufu is Jan’s favorite dish. She also prefers it the traditional way that Mao Zedong liked it, made with “stinky tofu.” Mapo Doufu actually takes days to make it properly, because first you need to let the tofu go “bad.” Fortunately she also likes it with made with fresh tofu, which is what I will be doing today.
Filed under Main Dishes, Pork
Karl’s Spicy Chinese Broccoli, Carrot and Bamboo Stir Fry with Sichuan Pickles
Tonight’s dinner is Mapo Doufu and Beef with Mushrooms, neither of these dishes is heavy on the leafy greens. I need a side dish to go with them. Everyone in my household likes Chinese Broccoli (gai lan), so this is just another stir fry.
Filed under Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetables
Eilene’s Onigiri (Rice Balls)
Onigiri is the Japanese equivalent of a PB&J sandwich, something to take for a school lunch or on a picnic. One of Eilene’s friends in Japanese class taught her how to do this a couple of years ago. Rice ball is a bit of a misnomer, since you make them into triangles.
Filed under Side Dishes, Starches, Vegan
Karl’s Sichuan Chicken and Pan Fried Noodles
Eilene is graduating from High School today and last night I decided to make one of her favorite dishes, spicy chicken and pan fried noodles. We lived in Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China for a year and a half back in 1988-90. While I have tried to replicate many dishes that we had during that stay, this recipe is closer to one from Cook’s Illustrated. I have wandered far from that original recipe.

Filed under Main Dishes, Poultry, Vegan
Karl’s Teriyaki Tofu Burgers
I would not have anyone believe that every dish I make is a grand success. The recipe I am posting was successful, but the variation pictured was less so. One of the down sides of constantly tinkering with recipes is that not every change works. While these failures are rarely inedible (one day I may tell the story of brine turkey) they are not always popular with my family. If you are lucky your family will tell you when something doesn’t work. Yes, I get “pouty” when they say that they didn’t like something, but that is better than making the same mistake twice thinking they loved whatever it was you had made.
Filed under Main Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian MD
Karl’s Cold Sichuan Noodles, California Style
This dish has become my “go to” dish for potlucks (as in “We’re having a potluck. Karl’s going to bring his Sichuan Noodles, isn’t he?) This is one of the dishes that I included in my niece’s wedding recipe book. Many members of both families provided their best recipes to start off Katie’s married life with good food.
Filed under Salads, Side Dishes, Starches, Vegan, Vegetables









