If at the beginning of this quarantine you stress-bought cans of Spam like I did, and now you’re having trouble thinking up of ways to use it, have no fear because I’m here to help. Sure you can just slice it, fry it and serve it with eggs for breakfast, but Spam is actually quite versatile and you’d be surprised by how much you can actually cook with it. This Spam Hash and Grits that I’m sharing today is the perfect recipe to keep on hand, especially during this difficult time, because it’s easy and because it’s completely versatile. Use whatever vegetables or produce you have on hand. A hash is just a mixture of vegetables and protein that you can switch up a thousand different ways. There are no set rules. Use this more as a guideline instead of a set of rules. This Spam Musubi is also a great snack to make with Spam, just in case you’re looking for some more inspiration.
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I fell in love with Peruvian food ever since I was young and my sister had a Peruvian boyfriend (with the same name as me, which is a story for another day) and he introduced us all to his culture’s food and we’ve been hooked ever since. The relationship didn’t last but it did bring Peruvian food to our lives. So everything does happen for a reason, folks. Over the years, I’ve shared a few of my takes on some classic recipes, like this 
I’m back with yet another quick and easy pantry recipe for you, which I hope will be useful during this difficult time. This Harissa Chicken with Radishes and Herbs literally came together with what I had on hand and with what was left behind at the grocery store (back when I made and shot this recipe at the start of the quarantine). I know it isn’t easy right now, and I know that we’re all doing our best to stay home and be safe, so I’m trying my best to develop some basic recipes that are versatile, don’t take too long to make and hopefully don’t require us to head to the grocery store too often. As with all of the recipes, I’ve listed various substitutions for some of the ingredients, but if you have any other comments or questions, please don’t hesitate to ask below! 
I’m back with another quick and easy pantry recipe for you all. This Spicy Chicken and Pinto Bean Stew is like a soup meets chili meets stew and you can switch it up and flavor it a thousand different ways. Use what you have on hand and stay home! It’s basically one part protein (chicken breast here), one part bean (pinto bean) and chicken stock, but water will work in a pinch. You can use whatever kind of protein you have on hand (shrimp or pork would be amazing) and you can also use whatever canned beans you have in your pantry. It’s one of the easiest recipes you’ll make and one that I hope you’ll want to try again and again. As for the toppings, go in that fridge and use what you have. Sour cream, shredded cheese, or any other kind of fresh produce you have will most likely work. It’s a versatile stew and I hope you love it!
I grew up eating a lot of ground beef as a kid, mainly because it was very economical and so my mom cooked a lot with it. I never saw it as a cheap cut of meat because I loved it so much and to this day I still crave a good ground beef recipe. I think it happens to be the perfect protein to cook with because it is so versatile. You can change it up a thousand different ways and each time would be completely different. This time around I’m highlighting it in these Ground Beef Patties 2 Ways. I’m offering this recipe in particular because it’s a good quick and easy option and a great way to use up what you have on hand or if you do venture out to the store, the ingredients hopefully won’t be too hard to find during this difficult time. Option one, which is the way my mom made them and so my favorite option, is a beef patty with a tomato onion sauce served with rice. So easy. So good. The second option is a “fancier” take and one that I’ll be making again and again. It’s a beef patty with a mushroom gravy, served with roasted potatoes. Again, the point of these quick and easy recipes I’ve been sharing recently is all about using what you have or using the limited ingredients at the store at the moment. Either way you go, you won’t be disappointed. 
It’s a very difficult time for all of us at the moment. No matter where you are, we’re all experiencing the fear and nerves of this situation, but luckily we’re in this together and we will get through it. We already have enough on our minds, and so the last thing we need to be worrying about right now is what to cook for dinner. So I thought it would be helpful if I started to share some very easy recipes with minimal ingredients that you most likely have in your pantry and fridge. You might have a few ingredients laying around and don’t know what to do with them, and maybe you’re in need of a bit of inspiration? I hope these recipes will be helpful to you, as I’ll try to make them as easy to put together as possible, and easy to substitute the ingredients for what you might have on hand. I tried to challenge myself by going to the grocery store today and seeing what was left and make up recipes based on what I found. I grabbed a few ingredients here and there and the recipes evolved as I grabbed ingredients and placed them into my cart. Which was a bit difficult because if you’ve been to a grocery store these days, a lot of the shelves are empty. But I’m here to say that it is not impossible to create something out of nothing. The first recipe up is this Gnocchi Broccoli Cheddar Soup. It’s rich, hearty, and exactly what we need right now. 
