Category Archives: Starches

Karl’s Chicken Alfredo Casserole

Eilene’s friends are coming over for their usual Thursday night TV marathon—The Avengers this week. I have made mac & cheese for them several times and I am getting a bit board with it. I decided to do a different cheesy noodle dish using an Alfredo sauce.

Karl’s Chicken Alfredo Casserole

Karl’s Chicken Alfredo Casserole

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Filed under California Fusion, Chicken, Main Dishes, Pasta, Poultry, Sauces and Spices

Karl’s Southern Black Eyed Peas

I wanted a side dish to go with my ham steak and roasted vegetables. I know that Jan does not like black eyed peas, but I do. She can just eat more of the vegetables and leave the black eyed peas for me.

Karl’s Southern Black Eyed Peas

Karl’s Southern Black Eyed Peas

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Filed under Beans, Pork, Side Dishes

Karl’s Green Onion and Apple Rice

I am making broiled salmon with dill tonight and I wanted a starch dish to go with it. I thought apples and rice. Then, I thought green onions and tarragon would fit in nicely.

Karl’s Green Onion and Apple Rice

Karl’s Green Onion and Apple Rice

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Filed under California Fusion, Rice, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Karl’s Spanakorzo (Greek Spinach and Pasta)

I am making Greek barbecued lamb for Easter and I wanted a Greek starch side dish. Found a recipe for Spanakorizo (Greek Spinach and Rice). While I did not copy the recipe, it gave me the idea for a Greek-style pasta dish with orzo.

Karl’s Spanakorzo (Greek Spinach and Pasta)

Karl’s Spanakorzo (Greek Spinach and Pasta)

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Filed under California Fusion, Pasta, Side Dishes, Starches, Vegetarian

Karl’s San Francisco Pulao

One of the recent Cook’s Illustrated had a recipe for the perfect rice and pasta pilaf (read Rice-A-Roni™). While this dish is famously San Francisco Italian, its origin is actually Armenia. While the dish made from the box is always passably edible, trying to make it from scratch is usually a disaster—either the rice is underdone or the pasta turns into mush.

Karl’s San Francisco Pulao

Karl’s San Francisco Pulao

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Filed under California Fusion, Pasta, Rice, Side Dishes, Starches, Vegan, Vegetarian

Karl’s New England Boiled Dinner (a.k.a. Corned Beef and Cabbage)

Chris requested New England Boiled Dinner for his birthday. According to Wikipedia: This is a “traditional New England meal, consisting of corned beef, or a smoked “picnic ham” shoulder, with cabbage and added vegetable items, often including potatorutabaga, parsnipcarrotwhite turnip and onion.” This is one of the original American “one pot meals.”

Karl’s New England Boiled Dinner (a.k.a. Corned Beef and Cabbage)

Karl’s New England Boiled Dinner
a.k.a. Corned Beef and Cabbage

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Filed under Beef, Broiling, Main Dishes, Potatoes

Karl’s Ham and Navy Bean Soup

I have a ham bone cluttering up my freeze and I wanted to make a rich ham and bean soup. I have made something like it before, but I thought I would push this recipe a bit further and add some new ingredients. To go with my soup, I thought some beer bread and a cold green bean salad would be good.

Karl’s Ham and Navy Bean Soup

Karl’s Ham and Navy Bean Soup

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Filed under Beans, Main Dishes, Pork, Soups

Karl’s Pot Roast and Smashed Potatoes

Jan wanted comfort food after her family’s visit and she requested pot roast. I have made more complex versions of this dish, but I wanted this to be a home-y version. A hearty “meat and potatoes,” closer to what my mother, Claudia, would have made.

Karl’s Pot Roast and Smashed Potatoes

Karl’s Pot Roast and Smashed Potatoes

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Filed under Beef, Main Dishes, Potatoes

Karl’s Maafe II (West African Sweet Potato and Peanut Soup)

Jan’s friend needed a soft soup after her oral surgery and Jan’s family is descending upon us. Blended soups are the order of the day. In addition to Ezo Gelin and Avgolemono, I will be making MaafeMaafe, at its simplest, is a sauce made with peanuts and tomatoes with onions and sweet potatoes being a frequent additions. After that, the variations for this soup/stew are near endless.  Traditionally, this dish is probably served “chunky,” but I will blend it into a smooth creamy soup for people with problems chewing.

Karl’s Maafe II (West African Sweet Potato and Peanut Soup)

Karl’s Maafe II
West African Sweet Potato and Peanut Soup

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Filed under Main Dishes, Potatoes, Soups, Stews, Vegan, Vegetarian

Karl’s Asian Apple Cabbage Salad

I had decided to have salmon teriyaki for dinner on a week night. Usually I would serve rice and Japanese pickles with this. I decided that I wanted something different, maybe some kind of Asian salad.

Karl’s Asian Apple Cabbage Salad

Karl’s Asian Apple Cabbage Salad

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Filed under Salads, Side Dishes, Starches, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian