For Mother’s Day 2016 my daughter gifted me my website, “Donna’s Daily Dish.” It was a way for me to move from posting recipes on Facebook to a more structured and professional setting. In the ten years that I have been cooking and posting my reviews, rarely do I prepare a dish a second time; sometimes it could be years before I make it again. The other thing that happens is when my husband tries to recall a recipe he particularly liked and then can’t remember the name of the dish.  We both struggle to recall its ingredients and when I made a dish so to narrow down my search.

This latest review of recipes covers shrimp, pasta, pork chops and cookies. The first recipe review is a recipe from Sue Li and her recipe for Sautéed Shrimp and Lemon Caper Dressing found on The New York Times webpage, NYT Cooking. For the recipe you’ll need olive oil, lemon juice, two thinly pieces of lemon, dill, fresh garlic, a pound of shrimp and crushed red pepper. This dish involves 15 minutes of prep and 15 minutes of cooking; perfect for quick summer night suppers.

First, prepare the dressing with olive oil, lemon juice, chopped lemon, dill, garlic and capers. The shrimp are peeled and deveined and season with salt and crushed red pepper.

To a medium skillet you’ll add a tablespoon of olive oil and cook the shrimp until pink and lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes (they should look like the letter C, if they look like O’s, they’re overcooked.) Transfer the shrimp to a bowl and toss with the dressing. They can be eaten warm or cooled to room temperature. The shrimp can marinate in the dressing for one day, perfect for a cook ahead meal.

This was an absolutely delightful meal. The combination of flavors was a party in your mouth. You had the bright, tart flavor of the lemon. A hint of brininess from the capers and the dill added a bright grassy flavor giving the dish a refreshing taste.

Our next meal was a break from pasta with red sauce. I made Miso Mushroom and Leek Pasta. This was yet another recipe from NYT Cooking, from contributor Yasmin Fahr. This recipe can be done in 40 minutes (15 minutes of prep and 20 minutes for cooking. For the recipe you’ll need olive oil, leeks, mushrooms (cremini, shiitake and/or oyster mushrooms), ziti or cavatappi pasta, white miso, Parmesan cheese, sherry or red wine vinegar and fresh chopped parsley.

For this recipe I purchased shiitake mushrooms from Wildspawn Mushrooms from Ringoes, New Jersey. I purchase these and some of their other varieties at the AsburyFresh Market on Sunday in Asbury Park. Wildspawn is owned by Jeff Metz, who is dedicated to cultivating and foraging for mushrooms. It’s nice to meet the grower and learn about the different varieties of mushroom he carries.

While you’re getting your pasta water started; heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or a deep 12-inch skillet (I prefer a Dutch oven). Add the leeks along with salt and cook until they soften. Next, add stemmed and sliced mushrooms to the pot until browned. Here’s a tip, cook the mushrooms in a covered frying pan for several minutes until they release their moisture; remove the lid and the mushrooms brown. It’s another step and pot, but the mushrooms will not pick up any additional moisture or oil when cooked this way.

Cook the pasta until shy of al dente. Remove a cup of the pasta cooking water (I recommend 2 cups as the additional cup can be used to reheat any left-over pasta.). Add the white miso to 1 cup of pasta water and mix until dissolved. Add to the Dutch oven (easier to mix the pasta in) along with pasta, cheese and vinegar. Vigorously stir creating an emulsion that will coat the pasta. Remove from heat, adjust seasoning and add more vinegar if needed. Garnish with chopped parsley and additional Parmesan. You can also add a final drizzle of oil to the dish.

This was a scrumptious meal. The sauce was light and flavorsome. The mushrooms provided a meatiness. The Parmesan, along with the starchy cooking water,  created a light, creamy sauce. I used sherry vinegar which added a complexity to the dish. Overall, a delicious pasta preparation.

I happened to be in Cranford last week watching my granddaughter after an early dismissal from her school due to the hot weather (school isn’t air conditioned). I stopped at Perrotti’s Quality Meats and one of the items I purchased was bone-in pork chops. Their pork chops always cook up moist and delicious. I was using them to prepare Pan-Seared Pork Chops with Charred Pineapple from Ali Slagle, a NYT Cooking contributor. Besides the pork chops and pineapple, you’ll need soy sauce, white vinegar, toasted sesame oil, fresh garlic, hot green or red chile (or cayenne pepper), granulated sugar, salt, a neutral oil and cilantro leaves and stems.

As I was only preparing this dish for two, I opted to use sliced canned pineapple  and just cut the slices into chunks. I also substituted cayenne pepper for fresh peppers.

First thing that is done is to prepare of the soy dressing. This is made by combining soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, chile and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Next, the pork chops are seasoned with salt and sugar, the sugar will promote browning. 

In a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, oil is added to the pan. Once the oil is hot, the pork is cooked until browned on both sides. They are removed from the pan and placed on a rimmed platter, whereupon the soy dressing is poured over the chops. In the same skillet, the heat is turned to medium and the pineapple is added to the pan. The pineapple is cooked until golden and slightly charred. When done, the pineapple is laid among the pork chops and can be garnished with the cilantro.

This was a very tasty preparation of pork chops. The sauce gave the meat a lovely savory flavor, but didn’t overwhelm it. The pineapple provide a bit of acidity and tart sweetness to the dish. The pork chops from Perrotti’s were tender and juicy. A luscious meal.

As you know, I bake a batch a cookies every week. While we have our household favorites, I recently listened to Ina Garten’s podcast “Be my Guest with Ina Garten.” The episode I heard featured Michael Barbaro, a journalist for The New York Times. Ina prepared Spicy Hermit Bars which is a flavor combination of ginger and molasses, something Mr. Barbaro enjoys. For the recipe you’ll need unsalted butter, light or dark brown sugar, an egg, unsulphured molasses, all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, kosher salt, golden raisins, crystallized ginger, confectioners’ sugar, dark rum and grated lemon zest.

These cookies were very easy to make as they’re baked as logs then cut into slices. It has an active time of 25 minutes and a total time of 2 hours and 15 minutes, which includes chilling the dough and cooling the cookies after baking.

Using my stand mixer and paddle attachment , I creamed the butter and brown sugar using until light and fluffy. Reducing the mixer speed, I added the egg, scraped the side of the bowl and added the molasses and mixed again.

In separate bowl, I pre-measured my dry ingredients. Reducing the mixer to low, I gradually added the dry into the wet ingredients just until combined. Now it was time to add the raisins and crystallized ginger followed by a 30-minute rest in the refrigerator.

Once chilled, the dough was cut in half and rolled into approximately two 12-inch logs. These were then placed on a parchment lined cookie sheet and baked for 20 minutes. While the cookies were in the oven, I prepared the glaze that is made with confectioners’ sugar and rum. After the cookies are done baking, yet still warm, the glaze was drizzled over the cookies. To further enhance the cookies, a dusting of lemon zest was grated on top.

This was a divine, savory cookie with its ginger flavor further enhanced by the addition of  crystallized ginger. The molasses gave the cookies a soft, chewy center, with a slightly firm, chewy edge. The addition of the glaze added just a hint of sweetness and the lemon zest, though a small amount, a brightness to the cookie. My husband and I enjoyed the taste of this cookie and it would be perfect on a fall afternoon with a cup of coffee or chai tea.

Sautéed Shrimp with Lemon-Caper Dressing

By Sue Li

The New York Times/NYT Cooking

Updated October 1, 2025

Ready in 30 minutes

Servings: 2 to 4

Ingredients

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

¼ cup lemon juice, from 1 large lemon

2 very thin slices of lemon, deseeded and coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped dill

1 garlic clove, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon capers, coarsely chopped

1-pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Kosher salt

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

Preparation

1.In a large bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons olive oil with the lemon juice, chopped lemon, dill, garlic and capers; set aside.

2.In a medium bowl, season the shrimp with salt and the crushed red pepper.

3.Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until pink and lightly browned on the edges, 3 to 4 minutes.

4.Transfer the shrimp to the bowl with the lemon dressing and toss to coat. The shrimp can be served right away, or cooled to room temperature and served. The cooked shrimp can marinate in the dressing for up to 1 day and can be served chilled or at room temperature.

Miso Mushroom and Leek Pasta

By Yasmin Fahr

The New York Times/NYT Cooking

September 11, 2024

Total Time: 40 minutes

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

Salt

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed

2 medium leeks, trimmed, white and light green parts thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

1 ½ pounds mushrooms (such as cremini, shiitake and/or oyster mushrooms), sliced

1-pound short pasta, such as ziti or cavatappi

2 tablespoons white miso

¾ cup grated Parmesan, plus more for garnishing

1 tablespoon sherry or red wine vinegar, plus more to taste

1 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves and tender stems

Preparation

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a Dutch oven or deep 12-inch skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Add the leeks, season with salt and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. If they look dry at any point, add a drizzle of oil.
3. Add the mushrooms to the leeks, season lightly with salt, and cook, stirring every 2 minutes, until the mushrooms have browned, about 10 minutes. (If they are done before the pasta, then adjust the heat to low.)
4. When the water is ready, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Halfway through the cooking process, reserve 1 cup of water and let cool slightly on the counter. Drain the pasta in a colander and drizzle with olive oil if done before the mushrooms.
5. When both the mushrooms and pasta are done, stir the miso into the reserved pasta water until mostly dissolved. Add it to the Dutch oven or skillet over medium-high heat along with the pasta, cheese and vinegar, stirring vigorously until a cheesy sauce forms and coats the noodles, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and season to taste with more vinegar if needed.
6. Garnish with the parsley and more cheese; serve with a final drizzle of oil.

Pan-Seared Pork Chops with Charred Pineapple

By Ali Slagle

The New York Times/NYT Cooking

Published February 24, 2023

Total Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

¼ cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 hot green or red chile, thinly sliced, or ½ teaspoon ground cayenne

Granulated sugar

6 thin (½-inch) boneless pork chops (about 1 ½ pounds total), patted dry

Salt

2 tablespoons neutral oil (such as grapeseed)

3 cups of 1 ½-inch pineapple pieces (from ½ a pineapple)

Handful of cilantro leaves and stems, coarsely chopped, for garnish

Preparation

1. In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, chile and a pinch of sugar; set aside. Season the pork chops all over with salt and 1 teaspoon sugar.
2. Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add the pork and cook until browned underneath, 3 to 4 minutes. Press the meat with your tongs or spatula so it doesn’t buckle. Flip and cook until just cooked  through, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off the heat, transfer the pork to a lipped plate or platter and pour over the soy sauce dressing.
3. Set the skillet over medium and cook the pineapple, undisturbed, until golden and charred underneath but not soft or cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Nestle the pineapple in the dressing among the pork chops. Eat right away or let sit for up to 15 minutes. Serve the pork and pineapple with a spoonful of the dressing and the cilantro on top.

Spicy Hermit Bars

Recipe by Ina Garten

From her website “barefoot contessa”

Also appearing in “Cooking for Jeffrey,” Clarkson Potter/Publishers ©2016

Ingredients

¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup light or dark brown sugar, lightly packed

1 extra-large egg, at room temperature

¼ cup unsulphured molasses

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

1½ teaspoons ground cloves

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ cup golden raisins

1/3 cup minced crystallized ginger (not in syrup)

1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar

Dark rum, such as Mount Gay

Grated lemon zest

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Place the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, add the egg, scrape down the bowl, then mix in the molasses.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing just until combined. Mix in the raisins and crystallized ginger. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Turn the dough out onto a very lightly floured board, form it into a disk with lightly floured hands, and cut it in half. Roll each half into a log 12 inches long and place them 3 inches apart on the prepared sheet pan. Bake for 20 minutes; the logs will still be soft in the center.

Meanwhile, whisk the confectioners’ sugar with 5 to 6 teaspoons rum to make a pourable glaze. While the logs are still warm, drizzle the glaze back and forth across the logs with a teaspoon and sprinkle them with the lemon zest. Allow to cool. Cut each log crosswise into 1½-inch-wide bars.