Tag Archives: Travelog

Karl’s Five Mushroom Soup

I have been craving oxtails recently. You may wonder what does “oxtail” have to do with “mushroom” soup. It all comes down to my wife’s, Jan’s, gallbladder—or rather the lack of the same.

Karl’s Five Mushroom Soup

Karl’s Five Mushroom Soup

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

Karl’s Sichuan Pickle Salad

This is Eilene’s birthday week, so she got to choose Sunday’s dinner. She wanted spicy chicken and pan fried noodles. While this is a meal in itself, I thought that a cold, vegetable salad would be a nice addition to the meal.

Karl’s Sichuan Pickle Salad

Karl’s Sichuan Pickle Salad

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Filed under Pickles, Salads, Vegan, Vegetarian

Karl’s Dàn Dàn Miàn (Sichuan Peddler’s Noodles)

Dàn dàn miàn (担担面; “peddler’s noodles”) are boiled noodles with a spicy sesame/peanut sauce poured over them. The story goes that lunch peddler’s would carry a dàn dàn—a shoulder pole with a bucket on either end—with the cooked noodles in one bucket and the spicy sauce in the other. When you bought your lunch you were expected to provide your own bowl and the seller would put in some noodles and splash some of the sauce over them.

Karl’s Dàn Dàn Miàn (Sichuan Peddler’s Noodles)

Karl’s Dàn Dàn Miàn
Sichuan Peddler’s Noodles

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Filed under Main Dishes, Pasta, Pork

Karl’s Chili Barbecued Squash

Jan brought home a large squash from the university garden. I think I have identified it as a Ronde De Nice summer squash, a variety of zucchini. I decided to add it to my Labor Day barbecue.

Karl’s Chili Barbecued Squash

Karl’s Chili Barbecued Squash

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Filed under Barbeque, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Karl’s Char Siu (Chinese Barbecued Pork)

Char siu is a common ingredient in many Chinese dishes. There is nothing quite like a fresh char siu baozi for a quick comfort meal. However, in Mainland China most home cooks do not make their own, because most apartments lack the oven necessary to cook it properly—at least in the cities 25 years ago (personal experience).

Karl’s Char Siu (Chinese Barbecued Pork)

Karl’s Char Siu
Chinese Barbecued Pork

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Filed under Barbeque, Main Dishes, Pork, Sauces and Spices

Karl’s Chive Stem and Napa Cabbage Stir Fry

Jan has not been home for dinner the last several nights (four conferences in one week). The one night she knew she would be home was Thursday and she asked for steamed fish. This is normally Eilene’s night with her friends, but finals are coming up so she had told me that they would not be coming over. My dinner plan was for steamed fish and stir fried chive stem.

Karl’s Chive Stem and Napa Cabbage Stir Fry

Karl’s Chive Stem and
Napa Cabbage Stir Fry

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Filed under Chinese, Side Dishes, Stir-fry, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Karl’s Chowder with Crawfish and Langoustine

I made corn chowder earlier this week, but Jan suggested that crawdaddy chowder was what Miriam needed—she is feeling sick from the medicine she is taking. She needs high fat and starches to settle the nausea. A bit of spice to cover the metallic taste in her mouth would also be nice.

Karl’s Chowder with Crawfish and Langoustine

Karl’s Chowder with Crawfish and Langoustine

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Filed under California Fusion, Main Dishes, Seafood, Soups

Our Spring Break

Some may have noticed that I have not posted anything in the last week. We have been on spring break in Death Valley and the Owens Valley. Jan was born in Lone Pine— actually in Bishop, where the only hospital was at the time—and she needs to get back to the high desert every few years to recharge.

While I normally use this blog to post recipes, Eilene has become quite the nature photographer. She took over 500 pictures while on this trip. Here are just a few of the best. Continue reading

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Filed under Holidays

Karl’s Louisiana Red Beans and Rice

Eilene is having her horde of friends over for a Game of Thrones night. I thought I would go Cajun. I lived in Louisiana for a couple of years and I have been craving red beans and rice with hushpuppies.

Karl’s Louisiana Red Beans and Rice

Karl’s Louisiana Red Beans and Rice

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Filed under Chicken, Main Dishes

Karl’s Chervil Green Beans with Mandarin Orange

Jan wanted a simple dinner of brats and potatoes. Eilene wanted more vegetables. I tried to please them both.

Karl’s Chervil Green Beans with Mandarin Orange

Karl’s Chervil Green Beans with Mandarin Orange

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Filed under Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetables