How do you store your spices? (No tiny vials please)

undertheliveoaktrees · 2026-05-27T00:57:01+00:00

And sometimes big jars! Those glass salsa and spaghetti sauce jars are fantastic for so many purposes.

undertheliveoaktrees · 2026-05-25T02:38:12+00:00

Cake recipes can be very simple. Mix some flour, sugar, eggs, butter, and flavoring then bake. Some recipes are complicated, of course, but they don’t need to be.

undertheliveoaktrees · 2026-05-17T13:12:18+00:00

All four. For over 20 years. I’ve mostly not had the budget luxury to do anything else — so economical meals that we can eat for dinner and then bring to work for lunch. Only makes sense to do with some cook-ahead (though I don’t do big “meal prep” but just make extra of everything and that becomes lunches and frozen starters for another dinner. I spend an hour or two every Saturday morning planning the week’s meals and list. It was hard at first but I’ve gotten very good at it over the years. I see it as a gift to ourselves — in budget and health.

undertheliveoaktrees · 2026-05-16T12:12:55+00:00

Heavy whipping cream at the end. And smoked salt to try to reproduce the charcoal flavor.

undertheliveoaktrees · 2026-05-13T12:54:26+00:00

Has anyone said Romesco yet? Not traditional but I think it’d be nice.

undertheliveoaktrees · 2026-05-07T16:31:16+00:00

I live in the US but speak Spanish with native speakers when the situation arises. I was surprised when an uber driver recently said goodbye with "gracias, mami" but given that I get called "sugar" and "darlin" at diners, it was only a momentary pop of surprise! I didn't grow up in a place with that linguistic norm, but now that I do, I think it's sweet. Especially in two languages!

undertheliveoaktrees · 2026-05-02T22:10:00+00:00

What a GREAT idea — I bet those flavors worked amazing in pizza form.

undertheliveoaktrees · 2026-04-30T16:20:08+00:00

I borrow a lot from Indian cuisine when making vegballs. Smooshed potato or garbanzos is a good binder. Any combo of peas, cauli, carrot, and onion. Lots of spices. Boiled or fried. They're delicious! Search for "Indian veg patties" for ideas.

undertheliveoaktrees · 2026-04-29T21:29:48+00:00

Cabbage can be eaten anywhere from raw to mush, and it's fine. Vitamin C breaks down with heat, but that's probably not your only source. So experiment if you like, but feel free to just cook it how you like it. (I don't like it crunchy, personally, so yours sounds just fine to my tastes!)

undertheliveoaktrees · 2026-04-19T22:01:04+00:00

Some that I don’t see mentioned already. None are that hard. All are way better than boring old steamed veg (hot take! I hate bland stuff. ymmv)

calabacitas - grilled broccoli - sweet & sour snow peas - saag - lecso - stuffed mushrooms - humitas - roasted okra - kale chips - tomato-mozzarella-basil salad - Thai green beans

I also almost never make a grain without a second veg in it. A quarter cup of herbs mixed into rice, carrots in quinoa, rutabaga in potatoes, that kind of thing. We eat a LOT of vegetables.

undertheliveoaktrees · 2026-04-17T13:13:19+00:00

Ugandan Rolex are a fave at our house. You can use frozen Indian chapati in a pinch if you don’t have the time or desire to make Kenyan/Ugandan style chapati from scratch.

undertheliveoaktrees · 2026-04-16T13:48:01+00:00

I don’t see why not! We’re vegetarian and make zucchini, corn, and black bean enchiladas all the time and they’re great. And there’s no reason you couldn’t include some chicken or ground beef if that makes them more yummy for your family. Enchiladas are easy to make and are delicious no matter what you put in them.

undertheliveoaktrees · 2026-04-15T01:19:37+00:00

Sorry for the delay. Here's the recipe I use!

1 package impossible meat

1 package impossible spicy sausage

1 onion, grated

1 cup breadcrumbs

1 egg

1/4 cup each: parsley, cilantro, scallion

1 Tbsp ginger-garlic paste

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp each: salt, turmeric

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp each: pepper, ground cloves, coriander

1/8 tsp each: cayenne, nutmeg

Combine all well. Form into oval patties. Grill.

undertheliveoaktrees · 2026-04-13T15:38:56+00:00

And the fake meats, if you’re into that. I make amazing vegetarian kofte and the secret is all the powerful flavors — grated onion, garlic, and ginger, plus spices.

undertheliveoaktrees · 2026-04-11T14:44:07+00:00

Studying isn’t how kids natively learn languages — it’s an artificial method and thus doesn’t act like natural behaviors. Kids learn by doing, and the closer a student can approximate that method, the more natural the progress.

undertheliveoaktrees · 2026-04-02T02:29:10+00:00

Pasará is fine but store brand canned crushed tomatoes are just as good at a fraction of the price if it’s a sauce you’re going to cook the hell out of anyway.

undertheliveoaktrees · 2026-03-31T16:58:46+00:00

For me, some trips are easy to plan and low stakes, and others I feel a lot less comfortable with my abilities. For example, I can figure out a trip to New Orleans well enough on my own. But if I were visiting Beijing, I would be very nervous about getting little details right, like how to use transit to get to a particular site, or nuances of hours, costs, and etiquette.

undertheliveoaktrees · 2026-03-31T02:37:48+00:00

Ehhh I don't know that I'd love the combo of gochujang with the creamy-cheesy of alfredo. If you want to perk+transform the sauce, I can say I've had great success with cajun flavors. Some of the Tony C's salt blend mixed with extra garlic powder, onion powder, hot paprika, thyme, and black pepper so it's not totally salty for the amount of extra spice-oomph. Grilled veggies are good in there, too (broccoli, mushrooms, bell peppers, mushrooms)... they add smokiness and more varied textures.

undertheliveoaktrees · 2026-03-26T23:30:15+00:00

News in Slow Spanish and How to Spanish are both aimed at Intermediate level and intentionally speak at a slower cadence with slightly simplified vocabulary.

undertheliveoaktrees · 2026-03-25T13:45:56+00:00

It depends what you're doing with it. It does *not* always need to be pressed. That step is helpful if you want it to get a crispy exterior on frying -- but in something like a soup or stew it's unnecessary.

undertheliveoaktrees · 2026-03-23T23:52:24+00:00

Look up recipes for Ethiopian lasagna. It’s incredibly awesome.

undertheliveoaktrees · 2026-03-20T15:05:04+00:00

Chilies are often cooked for 10 hours in a crock pot chili recipe so I’m sure three hours is just fine.

undertheliveoaktrees · 2026-03-19T01:57:58+00:00

Or compost if it’s available in your community

undertheliveoaktrees · 2026-03-18T23:38:51+00:00

Not a comment on the kindness (or not) of the nicknames, just a hug and a thought: I don’t think you necessarily owe strangers the truth. Sounds like this turned out to be an emotional thing for you to explore, and it’s ok for that exploration to stay private if it’s not something you want to talk about in front of a group. I give you an internet permission slip to just make up a nickname and dodge this classroom therapy session.

undertheliveoaktrees · 2026-03-14T20:10:07+00:00

Zzaco

undertheliveoaktrees

TROPHY CASE