5 Must-Know Easy Cooking Recipes For Foodies

Did you know that the term ‘foodie’ dates back to the early 1980s, coined by restaurant critic Gael Greene in one of her reviews?  Although it won’t be until 1984, with the release of The Official Foodie Handbook, that the term would see extensive use. It meant the same as it still does today: someone with a passion for good cuisine.

Foodies will travel from restaurant to restaurant, searching for dishes that can bring maximum satisfaction to their palate. It’s a popular pastime for several reasons: you don’t need a college degree or an overly colossal appetite to be one, among others. You just have to love food and not be afraid to try something new, no matter how odd it looks.

The pandemic hasn’t been good to foodies everywhere, forced to stay at home to limit the spread of COVID. Fortunately, they can still enjoy gastronomic treats at home with a few easy recipes. When paired with luxury food gifts from brands like Purely Gourmet, the experience will be comparable to dining out. 

So ,grab your apron, fire up your stove, and preheat your oven. Here are several foodie-worthy recipes that even a novice can do in their own kitchen:

1. Three-Bean Salad

Who doesn’t love a good salad?  It only requires a few ingredients and can be made in a short time. The recipe for a three-bean salad consists of equal portions of red beans, white beans (preferably cannellini), and chickpeas (garbanzos), with a few veggies thrown into the mix.

Ingredients (for the salad):

1 can (15 oz) of red beans, white beans, and chickpeas each
1 pc medium-sized cucumber, diced
½ pc red onion, chopped
2 tbsp parsley
2 celery stalks, chopped

Ingredients (for the dressing):

3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions: Mix all the salad ingredients in a large bowl; whisk all dressing ingredients in a separate bowl. Pour the dressing over the bean-y salad and mix well before serving.

2. Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

Before anyone asks, it’s pronounced ‘ah-li-oh eh oh-li-oh’ and means ‘garlic and oil.’ This pasta dish is as simple as it can get, although you can throw in more ingredients to spice it up.

Here’s one recipe courtesy of a famous New York chef:

Ingredients:

1 lb dried spaghetti
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp red pepper flakes, crushed
4 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Stir until three-fourths done.
2. While cooking the pasta, saute the red pepper flakes and garlic over olive oil in medium heat. When the garlic turns golden brown, add the parsley. Add a ladle of pasta water to prevent them from overcooking and let the flavors blend nicely.
3. Remove the pasta as soon as three-fourths cooked and add it to the saute pan. Add as much pasta water to stop cooking and form the dish’s sauce.
4. Season with salt and serve on a plate. Drizzle with more olive oil.

3. Pita Pizza

Like pasta, pizza is also simple to make and can be topped with just about anything under the sun. Even better, there’s no need to make the dough from scratch; you can use flatbread that’s available at your local bakery or grocery.

Ingredients:

Several pieces of pita bread
Tomato sauce
Mozzarella cheese
Toppings of your choosing

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400^o F.
2. Cut the pita bread to desired portions and line them on a parchment-lined baking tray.
3. Apply one to two tbsp of tomato sauce and 40 to 50 g of mozzarella on each bread.
4. Top the pita bread with toppings you desire.
5. Bake in the oven for ten minutes or until cheese has started melting.

4. Entrecote Steak With Red Wine Sauce

You can tell that this recipe’s quite fancy, starting with the word of choice. Entrecote refers to a cut of premium-grade French beef around the rib area. Don’t fret if you can’t find French beef in your local grocery; the term is basically synonymous with ribeye.

Ingredients:

2 pcs small ribeye steaks
Salt and pepper for rubbing
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 pc shallot, finely chopped
3 tbsp red wine
1/3 cup + 1 tbsp beef stock
Chopped fresh parsley to garnish

Instructions:

1. Apply a generous amount of salt and pepper on both sides of the ribeye steaks. 
2. Heat a cast-iron pan on high until it begins smoking. Add half of the unsalted butter and melt it on medium heat.
3. Cook the steaks for three minutes on each side (for medium steaks) or until desired.
4. Remove the steaks once cooked. In the same pan, saute shallots for about a minute. Add the red wine and scrape the bits and juices in the pan for the flavors to mix well.
5. Lower heat to medium and pour the beef stock. Cook until the stock’s reduced to half its original volume. Add the remaining unsalted butter and cook until melted.
6. Slice the ribeye as desired and pour the sauce over it. Garnish with fresh parsley.

5. Icebox Cake

Dessert shouldn’t have to be a luxury, especially if you don’t have an oven. No-bake recipes like this one can result in sweets that are just as delicious as oven-baked ones. All you need is a good refrigerator. You do have one, don’t you?

Ingredients:

3 cups of heavy cream, cold
½ cup powdered sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
64 pcs Oreo thins or wafers

Instructions:

1. Using a hand mixer, beat the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.
2. On an eight-inch springform pan, spread the whipped cream followed by an equal layer of Oreos or any cookie of your choice. Repeat until you have four layers.
3. Finalize with a layer of whipped cream on top. Refrigerate overnight.

Endnote

Foodies have as many opportunities to enjoy a gastronomic experience at home as in any hidden or prominent restaurant or bar. Even better, the food doesn’t have to be too complicated to make. Enjoy doing any of these recipes and stay safe.