Community Cookbook

“My family makes this during holidays or whenever family is visiting.”

Rada Zunich
PY2

Dish Origin: Serbia
Meal Type: Breakfast, Dessert
Servings: Variable
Prep Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• ½ cup milk
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• ½ cup flour
• Fillings: Nutella, bananas, jams, fruit, etc.

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients.
2. Cook in a small frying plan (like a pancake).
3. Fill with toppings and roll.
4. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.

“My grandmother was one of 11 children growing up in Franklin, NC during the Great Depression. They were a farming family. Her mother used to make this dish for her children as it was something they enjoyed that was inexpensive to make. My grandmother then made it for her eight children, and my mother made it for her four children. I now occasionally make it for my son as a treat. It is more like a dessert than breakfast. It gives me warm memories of childhood.” “It is traditionally served as a liquid topping over warm biscuits and butter.”

Charlene Williams
Faculty- Director of Preceptor Development

Dish Origin: American South – Family Recipe
Meal Type: Breakfast
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp cocoa
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 Tbsp of all
• purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 Tbsp vanilla

Instructions

1. Pour milk and vanilla into a cooking pot.
2. Stir together dry ingredients (cocoa, sugar, flour) in a separate small bowl.
3. Slowly stir dry ingredients into milk mixture.
4. Cook over low heat string continuously until dry ingredients are dissolved and it is at the desired thickness.
5. Serve over warm biscuits and butter.

“Green (and red) chile are staples in Mexican cuisine in the southwest and northern Mexico (Sonoran). Mostly due to the fact that the best chiles in the world are grown along the Rio Grande River. Hatch, NM is famous for their greens chiles, proudly name Hatch Chile, and as a child I remember driving to Hatch every fall to buy bushels of chiles from various farms. Chile growing, harvesting, picking, roasting and cooking is an art and has been perfected by the people of this region. It’s essentially part of the regions identity and its a part of my culture I hold dear. My grandfather made sure I was a chile connoisseur.”

“Chile Verde con Cerdo is so versatile that it is used in many dishes. It can be eaten as a stew or sauce. My favorites are huevo rancheros, smothered over a bean burrito, or with a chile rellano.”

“There are no limits on how you can eat Chile Verde. If eating like a stew, a spoon is the easiest but when I was growing up it was mostly with your hands and a tortilla. Use as a sauce over some of your favorite Mexican dishes.”

“This dish will never come out the same. As the pepper heat, texture, and taste will differ based on the region it was grown and harvest. The green chiles are the star of this dish, so I recommend using fresh Hatch chiles. The best flavor comes from fireroasted chiles. If you can’t find Hatch chiles, Anaheim chiles will do. Don’t have time to roast fresh chile? Use frozen green chile (I can find frozen Hatch chile at Harris Teeter). As a last resort, canned green chiles will work, but is definitely not the same. Chile Verde is better the next days, and the favor profile continues to build. Always allow the Chile Verde con Cerdo to cool completely before storing it in the refrigerator.”

Sara Pettaway
Executive Assistant, Office of the Dean

Dish Origin: New Mexico
Meal Type: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Servings: 6-8
Prep Time: 90 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 lbs pork roast or tenderloin
• 1/2 sweet onion, diced
• 4 Roma tomatoes, roughly diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 5 large roasted green chiles (hatch or anaheim), roughly diced (can use frozen or canned green chile)
• 2 Tbsp of olive oil
• 2-3 cup chicken broth, low sodium
• 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp Mexican oregano
• 1/2 fresh ground pepper
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Cut pork roast into 1/2 to 1-inch cubes.
2.  Place dutch oven or pot on the stove with a medium-hot heat.
3. Dice half a sweet onion. Add 1-1/2 tablespoons of oil to the pot and add the onion and paper. Saute until translucent.
4. Add minced garlic and continue to cook for 3 minutes.
5. Add cubed pork. Stir occasionally until pork is cooked and starts to lightly brown.
6. Reduce heat to medium heat.
7. Add flour, cumin, and oregano. Stir continuously for 3-5 minutes. The meat should continue to brown, but not burn.
8. Add 1 cup of chicken broth and stir until thickened, then add another cup of broth.
9. Add the tomatoes and green chiles
10. Reduce heat to low heat and cover. Occasionally stir and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.
11. Depending on how you like your chile and how it will be served, you can add additional chicken broth to make it soupier. Do not add if you want the chile to more like a sauce.
12. Taste and add salt if desired. The chile will continue to simmer for an additional 40 minutes, so add salt slowly as the taste will develop as it cooks.
13. Continue to allow to chile to simmer while covered for 40 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Note: You can allow to chile to simmer longer if desired. It will allow the meat to tenderize and the chile flavor to develop.

Roasting Chiles

1. Preheat the broiler to 425°F and line a baking sheet with foil.
2. Lightly coat green chiles with olive oil and place them on the baking sheet.
3. Place the baking tray in the upper third of your oven, and roast for about 10 minutes, until the chiles start to blister and brown.
4. Using tongs, turn the chiles over to roast on the other side for another 10 – 15 minutes. Rotate if needed to prevent burning
5. After the chiles skins have blistered and blackened, remove from the oven.
6. Place the roasted chiles in a bowl (while hot), and cover with wet paper towels and plastic wrap.
7. Once cool enough to handle, peel the skins of the peppers. I recommend wearing gloves. If you don’t like heat, consider removing the seeds and membrane from the chile peppers while peeling the skin.

Note: This process can be done in advance; just let the roasted chiles cool and then place in the airtight freezer bag. Store in the freezer until ready to use.

“Due to the vastness of China, every province has its own unique cuisine. My family is from Fuzhou (Fujian province), and bàn miàn is one of the most popular dishes there! I remember eating this when I was a child living with my grandparents in Fuzhou. My mom also made this for us when we were growing up, so it is definitely a comfort food for me.”

“Bàn miàn is a very easy and quick dish that can be eaten as a snack or for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It is found on most street corners in Fuzhou as well as in Little Fuzhou in NYC. It is served simply on a plate or bowl.”

Aimee Ho
PY2

Dish Origin: Fuzhou, China
Meal Type: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snack
Servings: 1
Prep Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

• One serving of noodles (any kind is fine but the best are thick wonton noodles)
• 3 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce (more or less depending on preference)
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil (more or less depending on preference)
• Couple Tbsp of water you used to boil noodles (to thicken the sauce)
• Handful of green onions
• Sprinkle of chicken stock powder (optional)
• Dash of rice vinegar (optional)
• Cilantro for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Cook noodles according to package instructions.
2. Mix peanut butter, soy sauce, and sesame oil (and chicken stock powder and rice vinegar if using) in a separate bowl
3. Add couple tablespoons of water you used to boil noodles to the sauce to your desired consistency.
4. Combine noodles and sauce. Mix well.
5. Top with green onions (and cilantro if using)

“I learned to make this when I studied abroad for a semester in Ghana during undergrad.”

“You can eat it with a fork, spoon, or your right hand. For cultural reasons, Ghanaians consider using the left hand to be rude.”

Christian Brown
PY2

Dish Origin: Ghana
Meal Type: Lunch/Dinner
Servings: 5
Total Time: 25-30 minutess
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients

• Olive or avocado oil to coat pan

• 1 heaping tsp of minced garlic

• 1 heaping tsp of minced ginger

• 1-2 medium red onions, sliced

• 2 -3 medium green bell peppers, sliced

• 3-4 Roma tomatoes, diced

• 6 oz can of tomato paste

• 6-8 large eggs

• 2 shrimp Maggi cubes

• 1-1.5 cups white rice

• Pepper and garlic powder (optional)

Instructions

1. Prepare rice according to directions or preference.

2. Heat oil in 5 qt pan

3. Lightly brown garlic and ginger.

4. Lightly saute red onion and green pepper slices (max 1 cm thickness).

5. Add diced tomatoes and tomato paste.

6. Dissolve Maggi cubes in 1 tbsp of hot water and add to vegetables.

7. Scramble eggs in a mixing bowl and add spices if desired.

8. Add eggs to vegetables and cook, turning frequently.

9. Serve over rice and enjoy

“This fun fact is about American fried chicken in Japan: people often get a bucket of KFC on Christmas, largely due to a marketing campaign in the 1970s. It’s so popular that you can order ahead of time to

guarantee your chicken and it even comes with cake.”

“It’s usually serviced with a slice of lemon and a side of rice. You can dip in mayo if you want (use Japanese mayo if you’re feeling adventurous). It’s sold at a variety of restaurants but I enjoy it the most at an izakaya, which serves small plates and alcohol similar to tapas. My mom also always stuffed leftovers into my bento box which was something to look forward to.”

Sophia Nies
PY2

Dish Origin: Japan
Meal Type: Lunch, Dinner
Servings: 2
Prep Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients

• 300 grams of boneless chicken thighs with or without the skin
• 1/2 lemon
• 3 Tbsp cornstarch
• 3 Tbsp flour
• 2-3 cups of oil
• 1 Tbsp Japanese cooking sake (can substitute with dry white wine or milk)
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp grated ginger
• 1/2 tsp grated garlic

Instructions

1. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces.
2. Add the chicken, cooking sake, soy sauce, grated ginger, and grated garlic in a bowl and mix. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 min.
3. Add flour and cornstarch to the bowl and coat the chicken evenly.
4. Add about 2 cm of oil to a pot. Bring the oil to 170 C and add the chicken. Cook on medium heat for 4- 5 min or until cooked through.
   Pro tip: don’t add too much oil. The crisp comes from being exposed to the air, so deep fry one side and then flip halfway to cook both sides. If you REALLY want the chicken to be crispy, fry the chicken twice by taking it out of the oil, raising the temperature to 190 C, and adding it back in the oil for one minute, but this is optional. Also, the temperature of the oil will drop when you add the chicken so let the temperature rise in between each batch.
5. Take the chicken out of the oil and place it on a plate lined with a paper towel. Cut the lemon into wedges and plate the chicken if you’re fancy but if not just squeeze the lemon on the chicken. Enjoy!

“This dish is popular in Russia, but obviously sriracha is not very traditional. My mom has actually tweaked the recipe to make it her own and I follow her recipe to the letter because I like her version the best.”

Anastasia Bordai
PY2

Dish Origin: Ukraine/Russia
Meal Type: Dinner
Servings: 6
Prep Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 6 pork chops (boneless)
• All purpose flour (for dredging)
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sriracha
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 3 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

1. Tenderize pork chops (pound until less than half an inch thick)
2. Mix mayo, milk, sriracha, paprika, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder into a container.
3. Add pork chops to the above mixture and allow to marinate overnight
4. In a separate bowl whisk eggs and water together to make an egg dredge
5. In another bowl add flour to make a flour dredge
6. Add olive oil to a medium pan and apply medium heat
7. Dredge pork chops in egg then flour. Then fry in pan until golden brown (4-5 minutes each side)

“My nonna (which means “grandmother” in Italian) showed me how to make this meatball dish when I was little and it was a Sunday-dinner-staple growing up. While I love the southern comfort food North Carolina has to offer, I always make sure to stock up on frozen meatballs and tomato sauce when visiting home because I haven’t been able to find any Italian food that lives up to what I grew up with.”

Mia DeMarco
PY3

Dish Origin: Naples, Italy
Meal Type: Dinner
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef (can use ground chicken or turkey, but they will add some additional moisture)
• 1 cup of Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup of grated romano cheese
• 1 egg
• 3 cloves of garlic (or 1 teaspoon of chopped garlic)
• 1 small onion (or half of a large onion)
• 1/2 tsp of pepper
• 1/4 tsp of salt
• 1/4 cup of chopped parsley (fresh is best, but dried works great too)
• 1 Tbsp of olive oil

Instructions

1. Chop up your onion and garlic.
2. Measure and pour the bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, romano cheese, pepper, salt, and parsley into the large bowl.
3. Mix the dry ingredients so they’re roughly uniform.
4. Add the egg, ground beef, chopped onion, and chopped garlic to the bowl.
5. Mix/knead the contents with your hands until everything sticks together. The consistency you’re aiming for is similar to playdoh. If the mixture sticks to your hands too much even after a few minutes of mixing, try adding some more bread crumbs. If it’s too dry and crumbly, you can try adding another egg.
6. Now it’s time to start breaking off pieces of your giant mixture and rolling meatballs! I tend to roll them between my hands until they stop breaking off into pieces. Little meatballs cook faster and can be good in soup, while larger meatballs can be added to pasta dishes or just eaten on their own.
7. Once your meatballs are rolled, set them aside on your plate and add your olive oil to a frying pan and turn your stove to medium heat.
8. As the stove is heating up, add your meatballs to your pan in one layer. Keep an eye out for when they start to brown since that will be your cue to flip them with your tongs or fork.
9. Once the other side browns, feel free to add a sauce of your choosing to the frying pan to ~elevate~ your meatballs.

“Margaret Eubanks, a dear sweet lady filled with Southern charm.”

“Presented in a fine china bowl and served with a silver serving spoon, but best with whatever comes from a family’s kitchen cabinet and served with love.”

Dottie Forthman
Administrative Support Specialist, Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery

Dish Origin: American South
Meal Type: Dinner
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 can Le Seuer Sweet Peas, drained
• 2 Tbsp butter (can substitute margarine)
• 1/4 cup sugar (or sugar substitute)
• 2 tsp sesame seeds (roasted if you wish)

Instructions

1. Open can of peas and drain liquid.
2. Empty peas into medium pot.
3. Add butter and sugar
4. Heat through until bubbly.
5. Pour into serving bowl.
6. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top to garnish.
7. Enjoy!

“My grandma used to wrap dumplings and freeze them so whenever we ever ran out of food in the refrigerator we would take them out and pan-fry/cook them for a quick lunch/dinner. Also, when wrapping the dumplings it was a family affair so we would all get around the kitchen and make our own (even as kids). Usually, dumplings are not really for special occasions (with the exception of Chinese New Year), but we would serve it with a dipping sauce of soy sauce + raw garlic or hot sauce (Siracha).”

Christopher Wang
PY4

Dish Origin: Taiwan/China
Meal Type: Dinner
Servings: 12
Prep Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

Dumpling Skin

Dumpling skin/wonton wrappers from your local Asian supermarket

Dumpling Filling

• 1 lb ground pork
• 1/4 head of Napa cabbage (salt for a few minutes and squeeze out water otherwise the dumpling will get soggy)
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 Tbsp grated ginger
• 3/4 cup of green onion (sliced)
• 4 Tbsp of soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp of sesame oil
• 1 beaten egg
• Few dashes of white pepper powder

Instructions

1. Mix the dumpling filling together and set aside.
   Note: You will probably need to watch a Youtube video to figure out how to fold the dumplings properly. Alternatively, you can try to make them however which way you would like.
2. Place 1 spoon-full of pork filling onto each dumpling/wonton skin.
3. Moisten edges with water and fold edges over to form a half-circle/triangle shape.
4. Seal edges by pressing the skin together to seal in filling.
5. Set dumplings aside on a floured surface to prevent sticking until ready to cook.
6. Heat oil in a large pain and place the dumplings bottom side down and pan-fry for a few minutes before turning town to medium heat and adding 1/4 cup of water and cover with a lid.
7. Cook for about 5-10 minutes depending on the size of the dumpling.
8. Serve with a dipping sauce or pre-made dipping sauce!

“My mom taught me to cook growing up.”

Kristy Ainslie
Vice Chair, Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics
Professor, Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, UNC Department of Biomedical Engineering, UNC Department of Microbiology and Immunology

Dish Origin: Family Recipe
Meal Type: Dinner
Servings: 8
Prep Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups water
• ¼ cup butter
• ⅓ cup raisins
• 1 (6 ounce) package low sodium stuffing mix (such as Stove Top)
• 1 Tbsp poultry seasoning
• 1 apple – peeled, cored, and chopped
• 1 (6 lb) whole bone-in turkey breast with skin
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 Tbsp poultry seasoning

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place a rack into a roasting pan.
2. Place the water, butter, and raisins into a saucepan; bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, stir in the stuffing mix, cover, and let stand until the stuffing mixture absorbs the liquid, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir into stuffing 1 tablespoon of poultry seasoning and the apple lightly into the stuffing. Allow the stuffing mixture to cool.
4. Ask a butcher to debone the breast and remove the skin. Make sure they know to keep the skin and to try and keep in a single piece if possible, as well as keep the breast in a single piece. Also, you can debone and skin the breast via instructions from an online video or another source. Carefully remove the turkey breast skin in one piece without tearing the skin, and set aside.
5. Layout the breast with the inside facing up. Sprinkle the inside of the breast with salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of poultry seasoning.
6. Spread the stuffing mixture all over the inside of the breast meat piece, and firmly roll the stuffed breast into a compact roll. Spread the reserved turkey skin out, and place the stuffed roll in the middle of the skin. Pull and roll the skin over the stuffed meat, and tie the stuffed roll together with cooking twine. Place the roll onto the roasting rack with the seam side down.
7. Roast the stuffed breast in the preheated oven until the skin is golden brown, the meat is no longer pink inside, and the temperature of the roll, measured at the thickest part, reads 170 degrees F (75 degrees C), 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Allow the roast to stand covered with a tent of aluminum foil for at least 10 minutes before removing the twine for slicing.

“My mother used to make this dish frequently when I was a child, the recipe was given to her by my grandmother. Traditionally eaten during various holidays but we did not follow any sort of guidance on how and when to eat it. Served as a side dish at dinner. It is usually in a casserole dish to be cut and served. Also known as noodle pudding. Kugel can technically be made with other starches but is most popularly made with noodles.”

Brendan Collins
PY2

Dish Origin: Jewish culture
Meal Type: Dinner
Servings: 8
Prep Time: 90 minutes

Ingredients

Kugel

• 1 lb cooked egg noodles
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 lb small curd cottage cheese
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 2 cups milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 large container of sour cream

Cinnamon for topping

• 4 cups crushed corn flakes
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 stick melted margarine

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients (except cinnamon) in a large bowl.
2. Pour ingredients into greased 9 x 13 pan.
3. Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake at 350° for 1 hour.

Note: If making with crunchy topping, simply add topping prior to baking and cook as normal. May take a few extra minutes to completely bake through.

“These eggrolls were a staple of every Filipino party I grew up attending. My mom makes them best I have wonderful memories of learning how to make these with her, and her teaching my two daughters to also wrap the perfect eggroll. This is typically served as a snack or appetizer at parties because it makes a big batch. Eggrolls can be served whole or cut (slanted) in sections for smaller portions.”

Suzanne Harris
Assistant Professor, Division of Practice Advancement and Clinical Education
Director of Well-Being and Resilience

Dish Origin: Indonesia, Philippines
Meal Type: Appetizer, Dinner
Servings: 20-30
Prep Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 lb of lean ground pork
• 3/4 cup uncooked shrimp, finely chopped
• 1 cups water chestnuts, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup onion, finely minced
• 3 stalks fo green onion, finely chopped
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Thin egg roll wrappers (large)
• Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

1. Combine and blend well the top seven ingredients.
2. Add salt and pepper.
3. Separate eggroll wrappers into single sheets. Cut into half, diagonally, to make 2 large triangles.
4. Spoon a small amount (2 tbs) of meat mixture and place horizontally in a thin line in the long edge of the wrapper.
5. Wrap into rolls, tucking in ends half-way through wrapping. Try to keep wrapper tight.
6. Wet the last corner edge of the wrapper with a touch of water for sealing.
7. Should get a long, thin eggroll. Continue steps 1-7 for remaining meat mixture and wrappers.
8. In skillet/wok or over medium heat, pour in vegetable oil. When oil is hot, fry egg rolls.
9. Fry both sides until golden brown, cut open one to ensure meat is cooked thoroughly.
10. Extra, serve with any side sauce of choice (e.g. sweet and sour sauce).

“This is my great-great-grandma’s recipe. It is over 100 years old!”

Libby Powell
PY2

Dish Origin: Ireland
Meal Type: Baked Goods
Servings: Variable
Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 cups of brown sugar
• 1 cup Crisco
• 4 cups flour
• 2 cups sour milk (to make sour, add 2 tablespoons of vinegar
• 2 tsp baking soda dissolved with a little hot water
• 1 tsp cloves
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup of nuts of your choice
• 1 cup of raisins

Instructions

1. Preheat oven for 350 and grease bread pan.
2. Mix first 3 ingredients in a bowl.
3. Remove ~1 cup of the mixture for the topping.
4. Then add the rest of the ingredients and mix thoroughly.
5. Put in a bread pan (should be about 1/3 full) and add the topping.
6. Bake for 45-55min at 350F.

“I first made it with my younger son Max when he was five.”

Kristy Ainslie
Vice Chair, Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics
Professor, Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, UNC Department of Biomedical Engineering, UNC Department of Microbiology and Immunology

Dish Origin: Family Recipe
Meal Type: Dessert
Servings: 25
Prep Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) package phyllo dough, thawed if frozen
• ½ cup melted butter
• ½ (13 ounce) jar chocolate-hazelnut spread (such as Nutella®)

Instructions

1. Defrost phyllo dough in the refrigerator at least overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
3. Place one sheet of phyllo dough on a work surface. Brush half the sheet with butter; fold sheet over.
4. Spread about 1 tablespoon chocolate hazelnut spread in a 1/2-inch strip 1 inch from the bottom and sides of the folded phyllo. Spread butter over remaining dough surface.
5. Fold the sides of the phyllo dough over the ends of the chocolate layer, and roll into a cigar shape, starting from the bottom. Place on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining phyllo, butter, and chocolate-hazelnut spread.
6. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

“My mom would make these cookies every Christmas and hand them out to neighbors and friends. Now this is my younger son’s favorite recipe because he likes to decorate the cookies. Both my sons like to eat them. We make them for just about every holiday and in between for co-workers and friends.”

Kristy Ainslie
Vice Chair, Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics
Professor, Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, UNC Department of Biomedical Engineering, UNC Department of Microbiology and Immunology

Dish Origin: Family Recipe
Meal Type: Dessert
Servings: 36 cookies
Prep Time: Overnight, 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 cup flour with extra for rolling
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup sour cream, light or low fat can be substituted

Instructions

1. Sift or stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl and set aside.
2. Cream together the margarine/butter, shortening, and sugar until smooth.
3. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
4. Alternate flour mixture with sour cream, mixing at each stage.
5. Wrap dough and chill overnight in refrigerator.
6. Remove dough from fridge 15 minutes before using. Preheat oven to 350 degrees C.
7. Divide dough in thirds. Take one-third and cover liberally with flour. Flour the rolling surface and rolling pin. Roll dough into 1/4 inch thickness and add flour to prevent sticking.
8. Cut with cookie cutters of your choice and move to ungreased cookie sheet with a spatula. Place cookies at least 1/2 inch apart.
9. Dough can be kneaded together and rolled out approximately 2-3 more times until stiff.
10. Bake cookies 8-10 minutes until light golden brown on edges.
11. Cook on cooling rack before frosting. Colored sugar crystals can be added to cookies prior to baking if desired for decoration. Excess flour can be removed from cookies with a brush if desired.

“My grandma learned the recipe from family members that immigrated to America from Armenia in 1917 during the Armenian Genocide. The women who immigrated from Armenia provided for their families by coming together in the basement of their church to cook and prepare traditional dishes that they would then sell to the public. This particular recipe was my great-grandma’s spin on the traditional “American” cookie that she thought was “too bland. They should be thick cookies with a slight crunch on the outside but very soft on the inside. Eaten by dunking them in coffee/espresso or by themselves. Just as great at room temp as they are warm.”

Emily Vanerian
PY2

Dish Origin: Armenia
Meal Type: Dessert
Servings: 18 cookies
Prep Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter
• 1 cup white (granulated) sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp real maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp Nescafe Clasico instant coffee + 1 Tbsp water
• 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 3.5 cups all-purpose flour (substitutes: oat or almond flour, or combining both)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp sea salt (flaky) or 1/2 regular salt
• 1 10oz bag of Nestle 53% Cocoa Dark Chocolate Chips
• 1/4-1/2 12oz bag of semisweet chocolate chips (pref Ghirardelli or Godiva)

Instructions

In 1st big bowl:

1. Combine with your wooden spoon the white and brown sugar with your ~softened~ butter until it’s looking pretty creamy
2. Add 2 eggs and vanilla, mix it up some more
3. In a little bowl or cup, mix the instant coffee and a little bit of water (no more than a tablespoon), then add that to the big bowl
4. Add your real maple syrup (emphasis on the real, it’s for flavor, not sweetness)
5. Lastly, add all your chocolate chips (the more the merrier)

In 2nd big bowl:

1. Put all the flour in, don’t worry if you overdo it, but aim for 3.5 cups
2. Add baking soda and baking powder (make sure ingredients aren’t expired, these two things make the ~chemistry~ happen)
3. Lastly, add your salt and mix it all together

Back to the 1st big bowl:

1. Start by adding 1/4 of your flour mixture to the sugar mixture, and stir that all together
2. Continue adding flour in parts until it’s all mixed together Baking instructions:
3. Roll about 1 quarter cup of room temp dough into balls (make sure they are pretty spherical)
4. Place dough balls approx. 2 inches away from each other on parchment paper on a baking sheet
5. Bake for 12 minutes at 375. These shouldn’t spread out that much. Once you see slight browning on the surface, it’s time to take them out. (try not to open the oven to check because that lets the heat out)
6. Take the cookie sheet out of the oven and let cookies sit on the sheet for approx. 3-5 min (they will continue to cook)
7. Remove cookies from the sheet with your spatula, bc they are still hot, and put them on a plate. Don’t cover plate until they have completely come to room temp
8. You can reuse the parchment paper for baking a couple of times over

Note: If you choose to refrigerate the dough, make sure you wrap it tightly in plastic wrap so it doesn’t dry out. Also, when baking cold dough, I recommend that you increase the time to 15-17ish minutes, but watching the color is the best indicator for when they are done.

“The cookies come from the Italian side of my family and I learned to make them from my mom. My family makes these cookies for many holidays. We like to switch up the color of the sprinkles to match the season (e.g. red and green for Christmas, pink for Easter). Once the glaze on the cookies has set, set the cookies out on a large tray. These cookies are very light and make a great after dinner treat served with coffee. You can prepare this recipe ahead of time and freeze the iced cookies in a tupperware container for a few weeks; they will stay fresh. Just be sure to pull the cookies out early and let them defrost when ready to eat.”

Lauren Passero
PhD Student

Dish Origin: Italy
Meal Type: Dessert
Servings: 40
Prep Time: 2 hours

Ingredients

Cookies:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 4 eggs
• 4 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/4 – 1/3 cup sour cream
• Extra flour for rolling cookies

Icing:

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 Tbsp milk
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• Optional: colored sprinkles

These ingredients make a lot of cookies! You can always freeze the dough for later if you don’t want to make all the cookies at once.

Instructions

1. Mix butter and sugar well in a stand mixer.
2. Add eggs, vanilla, and sour cream to stand mixer and blend.
3. Add salt and baking powder and mix.
4. Add 4 cups of flour one at a time mixing at a low speed. If you mix at a high speed, the flour will go everywhere!
5. Once the dough is fully mixed, cover with plastic wrap or a clean towel and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. You need to chill the dough so it will hold its shape when forming the knots.
6. Clean a space on your kitchen counter and cover with flour. This will be your workstation for shaping the cookies.
7. Take the dough out of the refrigerator and divide it into 4 sections. Roll each section of dough into a large cylinder (like a soda can). Cut the cylinders into 1/4 inch pieces. Roll each 1/4 inch piece into a long thin cylinder, approximately 5 inches long and a half-inch in diameter. Twist/tie the dough piece into a knot and place it on a cookie sheet. Rolling the cookies can take a while. If the dough is starting to get sticky and difficult to work with, you can sprinkle a little bit more flour on top or put the dough back in the refrigerator for a while.
8. Bake the cookies for 8 minutes at 350 degrees. The cookies should become browned on the bottom, but not on the tops. Remove from the oven and cool. You must let the cookies cool before icing or they will fall apart.
9. Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and milk in a small bowl. Mix well until a glaze forms. The icing should have the consistency of a thick smoothie.
10. Take each cookie and dip the top into the glaze. Set on wax paper with the glaze facing up. If you want to add sprinkles, sprinkle a little bit on the top of each cookie after glazing.

“I came up with this in college and it was based on a dish that was discontinued from one of my favorite restaurants on campus (Freshii- University of Kentucky).”

Elizabeth Caudill
PY1 Student

Dish Origin: Family Recipe
Meal Type: Lunch, Dinner
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 bag of fresh spinach
• 1 package of cherry
• tomatoes
• 1 package of rice noodles
• 1/2 jar kalamata olives
• 4-6 oz feta cheese
• 1 lime
• salt
• pepper
• ~ 6 oz pesto (add to taste)
• Grilled chicken (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat water in saucepan
2. Turn off heat and put rice noddles in for about 10 min or until fully cooked, then strain
3. (optional) Cook chicken however desired and chop if you are going to add it to the bowl
4. Dice cherry tomatoes (could cut them in half or 1/4s depending on preference)
5. Cut kalamata olives in half, cut limes
6. Warm pesto in small bowl then add salt, pepper, and lime juice (to taste)
7. Add spinach, rice noodles, tomatoes, olives, and feta cheese to large bowl
8.  (optional) Add chicken
9. Top with pesto sauce and mix
10. Serve in a bowl and enjoy

“This is my no-fail, works every time, banana bread! In my house, no one touches the ripe bananas when there are just 3 left so I can make this bread!”

Christy Holland
Staff

Dish Origin: Family Recipe
Meal Type: Breakfast
Servings: 8-10
Prep Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

• 1 stick of butter, softened or melted
• 1 cup of sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Prep loaf pan with butter or nonstick spray.
2. Stir together butter and sugar.
3. Add eggs, bananas, and vanilla. Stir well.
4. Add remaining dry ingredients. Stir well.
5. Pour batter and spread evenly in a loaf pan.
6. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until browned and the middle is set.

Kim Swain
Staff

Dish Origin: Family Recipe
Meal Type: Lunch, Dinner
Servings: 2-3
Prep Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 – 15oz cans of black beans
• 1/2 C bottled salsa
• 1 TBS chili powder
• 2 C chicken broth

Instructions

1. Place beans (including liquid) in a saucepan and partially mash with a potato masher. Heat on high, then stir in salsa, chili powder and broth.
2. Bring to a boil.
3. Ladle into soup bowls.
4. Garnish with shredded cheese, avacado and/or sour cream as desired.

“Gingerbread cookies have become a staple during the Christmas holiday but the cultures who made it what it is today is quite diverse: Ginger root was first cultivated in China where it was commonly used in medicinal treatment, recipes for gingerbread have been reported as far back as 2400 BC in Greece & gingerbread houses originated

from Germany in the 16th century. So as you’re mixing this recipe together, think of it as a “melting bowl” of diverse cultural impacts!”

Danielle Shelton
PY3 Student

Dish Origin: Virginia/Christmas Traditions
Meal Type: Dessert
Servings: 8-10
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cheesecake Prep: 15 minutes
Cheesecake Bake Time: 40-50 minutes
Gingerbread Cake Prep: 15 minutes
Gingerbread Bake Time: 25-30 minutes
Frosting Prep Time: 10 minutes
Assembly & Decor: 20 minutes

Ingredients

For the Gingerbread Cake:

• ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temp
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• ¾ cup molasses
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs, room temp
• 2 ¾ all purpose flour
• 2 ½ tsp baking powder
• 3 tsp ground ginger
• 3 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp salt (if using salted butter then leave out)
• ¾ cup milk
• ¼ cup water

For the Cheesecake:

• 2 Packages (8oz each) cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs

For the Frosting:

• 3 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
• 1 ½ cup butter, softened
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2-3 cups of confectionery sugar

Instructions

To make the Cheesecake:

1. Preheat oven to 325F.
2. Line bottom of a 9-in spring-form pan with parchment paper – grease paper.
3. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth (no lumps!). Beat in sour cream and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time; beat on low speed just until blended (don’t over mix the eggs into batter!).
4. Pour into 9” spring-form pan. Place on a baking sheet. Pour water into another casserole dish or separate baking pan – place on oven rack below cake. Bake cheesecake until center is set, 40-50 minutes.
5. Cool on a wire rack 10 minutes. Loosen sides from pan with a knife. Cool 1 hour longer then refrigerate until ready to assemble – covering when completely cooled.

To make the Gingerbread Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Prepare two 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper circles in the bottom and grease the sides.
3. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light in color and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Add the molasses and vanilla extract and mix until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure the molasses gets combined.
5. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until mostly combined after each. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.
6. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl (flour, baking powder, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, salt) then combine milk and water in a small measuring cup.
7. Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until well combined. Add the milk mixture and mix until well combined. Batter may look a little curdled. – Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Batter should smooth out and not look curdled anymore. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.
8. Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans and bake for 27-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs.
9. Remove cakes from the oven and allow to cool for about 2-3 minutes then remove to cooling racks to cool completely.

To make the Frosting:

1. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract until smooth.
2. Gradually beat in enough confectioners sugar to reach desired consistency & sweetness.

Assembly:

1. Flatten the gingerbread cake layers if needed to ensure a flat surface for stacking.
2. Spread ~1/2 cup frosting onto the top of the cheesecake layer.
3. Place one gingerbread layer on top of cheesecake layer.
4. Then place a serving plate upside down on top of the stacked gingerbread layer (with cheesecake under). Flip the 2 layers upside down onto the serving plate.
5. Spread with ~1 cup frosting onto the top and side of the 2 layers.
6. Top with the remaining gingerbread cake layer.
7. Frost top and sides of cake with remaining frosting (~1 cup).
8. Decorate the cake with optional rosemary, cranberries, & gingerbread men.
9. REFRIGERATE OVERNIGHT BEFORE SERVING!
10. Optional Décor: Gingerbread men, cranberries, and rosemary.