Even better easy cocktail sauce

Thanks to Ina Garten and Canada, I am now in possession of an even better cocktail sauce than this one.

First of all, oh Canada - the one thing I brought back from a recent trip is a bottle of ketchup aux tomates because a) the label is in French, and b) I like it better than the American version. My first taste, on some breakfast potatoes in Montreal, I thought, hm different. On the second taste: wait, is it different? Third taste: definitely different. Fourth: omg yummy this is the best ketchup evah!!! I think it's because they actually use more sugar than the U.S. (The label says they use "liquid sugar" but upon some Wikipedia research, I think this is a euphemism for high fructose corn syrup, boo.)

Yogurt accessory

Because I like to eat and cook a variety of food, my pantry is filled with a lot of different types of ingredients - soy sauce and sesame oil for Asian foods; garam masala for Indian; basil for Italian; etc.

It's a bit overwhelming, so I like when ingredients have some crossover appeal. For instance, cilantro is great for both Indian, Mexican/Tex-Mex, and some Asian-inspired foods. I use canned tomatoes for everything from soup to pasta sauce to chana masala. Even instant espresso has some dual usage - I've used it in chili and cupcakes.


Now I can add yogurt to that list. I wasn't sure exactly what to call this yogurt accompaniment - it's not exactly a dressing, not just a dip either. It's kind of a hybrid between ranch dressing and raita. I start with either plain yogurt (full fat or low fat), sometimes strained using a coffee filter (or you could use already-strained yogurt).

Sometimes... coriander rice and beans

Sometimes when I feel like my finances have gotten out of hand, I resort to eating rice and beans, which have developed a reputation for being cheap eats. Here is one of the ways I cope with being poor.

Balancing act

I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with food. If I could, I would probably sit around eating pastries, cheese, fried chicken, and white rice all the time. But I always feel a small pang of guilt when I do. I blame society.

So sometimes, when making meals for myself, I try to balance out the "bad" with a little "good" - like in this quick mac and cheese, with spinach. Who knows if the added healthy elements make a difference, but it comforts me nonetheless.

Quick chips

I started making these "quick chips" using corn tortillas because sometimes I am in the mood for some pico de gallo or guacamole but don't have any chips around. I never have a bag of chips around because I usually devour it right after buying it.


Take a corn tortilla and cut it into wedges. If you freeze your corn tortillas like I do, give them a quick defrost in the microwave, just to soften them a little.


Lay them flat on a baking tray (I use parchment paper just in case there is any sticking). Overlapping results in uneven baking so I don't suggest it.


Toast in toaster oven (I've ranged from 400-450 degrees) for about 5 minutes. I like to toast them until they show little hints of brown on the edges, so sometimes this requires an additional minute. Watch carefully - they burn easily and will turn to ash.


When you can touch them without burning yourself, start munching! These are quick to make, but you've got to eat them quickly too as they do not last like packaged chips.

I've tried it with flour tortillas too, though I feel like corn tortillas produce sturdier quick chips. I've only ever attempted these in my toaster oven because I usually just need a few chips to eat with some chili or for some guacamole. Really if you need a lot of chips, it's better just to buy a bag, but this method is a quick and easy alternative, and also another way to use corn tortillas.

Pasta puttanesca

After trudging through a few hits and misses, I decided to revisit a dish that I hadn't made in a while: pasta puttanesca.


I first learned about pasta puttanesca from watching one of my cousins prepare it for another cousin who was going to be arriving late at night. I believe it was around Christmas, and our family was gathered at my aunt and uncle's. She chopped olives and capers and mixed it into some tomato sauce while the older relatives praised her in Korean about how quick and efficient she was (they love doing that).

I didn't even taste the dish (she had added some meat, and at the time I was diligently vegetarian) but the combination of ingredients had me hooked and I've been making my own variation of it ever since.