My Grandma Was an Amazing Self-Taught Cook—Here’s What I Learned From Her

Allrecipes Allstar Amy Shen shares the inspiration behind her low-fuss (or no-fuss) recipes.

Meet Amy Shen: One of the 60 million cooks in our Allrecipes community and an Allrecipes Allstar. Amy's curiosity in the kitchen stems from loving to eat and wanting to be able to create her favorite dishes for herself. And she credits her grandmother for getting her started.

"My grandma, who recently passed, was an amazing self-taught cook. I have a goal to learn her recipes so my son can taste some of the foods I remember from childhood. I loved her peanut mochi and steamed cupcakes." But what is top on the list? Amy says, "She made the best egg rolls. We would always have them at family gatherings, and so for me, they remind me of my childhood when I eat them."

Creating new memories with her own family is important to Amy, thinking back on her own upbringing. "We used to have large family gatherings that my grandmother would cook for. I can vividly remember all of the delicious foods while spending time with extended family that we didn’t see very often."

Amy has carried on such traditions in her own way, hosting family and friends whenever she can, to share a meal and a laugh. "Entertaining in my house means having delicious food for everyone and making sure no one goes home hungry...I always send home goodie bags full of leftovers and treats for guests to enjoy later."

Turning Cravings Into Easy Homemade Meals

In her own kitchen, Amy is known for turning cravings into homemade delights and experimenting with dishes ranging from hearty soups and chilis to Asian-inspired dishes like noodles and dim sum—especially once the temperatures outside start dropping. Congee is her nostalgic go-to, which she says is "always comforting and reminds me of my childhood. We always had it with peanuts and pork floss (and still do!)."

Her pro tip? "My meal-prep hero is my freezer. I double (or even triple) most recipes without adding too much time, then I freeze the extras. My future self is always thankful to have a freezer stash!"

Another recent cooking trick she likes to pull out is to make healthy swaps in recipes without sacrificing taste. She uses ground turkey for ground beef when possible and notes, "In most dishes, we don’t notice the difference and sometimes like it even better." A perfect example of this is her turkey curry empanadas. "I wanted to make something similar to curry beef pastries my aunt used to make growing up but healthier."

Lucky for us, she shared it here. And it just so happens that it's her most requested recipe from family and friends as well. Her grandma would be proud.

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Getting to Know Amy Shen

We caught up with Amy at home in Bothell, Washington, to discuss all things culinary, from her favorite kitchen appliances to her best cooking tips. Here's what she has to say.

• Tell us about yourself! I am a stay-at-home mom and love spending time with my husband and son, cooking, baking, gardening, and traveling. I cook and bake anything and everything. If I’m craving something, I will usually try to figure out how to make it at home.

• What's always in your fridge? Sparkling water, eggs, fruit (like Sumo Citrus), veggies, cheese, and too many condiments.

• Your pantry? Rice, beans, noodles, nuts, popcorn (favorite late-night snack!), and chocolate. And maple syrup since we have waffles or pancakes every Sunday.

Fun Fact

When asked what her last meal on earth would be, Amy gave the honor to a beloved local restaurant, Deru Market, where she'd choose "the best burger, fries, and my favorite coconut cake."

• What kitchen tools can you not live without? My air fryer, electric griddle, and Instant Pot. Also my SodaStream and Nespresso machine (to make Americanos).

• What’s your go-to meal when you want to raid the fridge and pantry and avoid cooking? We usually have mini homemade chicken pot pies in the freezer. I can bake those for an easy meal. Air fryer chicken nuggets or dressed-up ramen are also staples in our house.
  

• So tell us, what is for dinner tonight? Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes from Chef John. My husband has made this for me multiple times, and it’s delicious!
  

Hot Tip

When it comes to baking, Amy says, "Start simple and follow the recipes as written. Read recipes completely before making something." And she's speaking from experience: "I once forgot to put sugar in zucchini bread, and I didn’t realize it until it was baked and my friend tested it." In this case it was a happy accident, "I have since modified the recipe and have an amazing zucchini bread that we love!"

To Amy, being a home cook means “cooking delicious meals and finding creative ways to repurpose leftovers.”

Check out Amy's profile for helpful recipe reviews and favorite dishes she's saved along her journey as an Allrecipes Allstar.

What is an Allstar? Food bloggers, registered dietitians, and more home cooks (just like you!) make up our enthusiastic squad of 100+ brand ambassadors. This crew of food lovers has submitted thousands of recipes, photos, and reviews over the years, plus share their cooking expertise all over our website and social channels. In short, they make all of our cooking adventures more successful. Interested in becoming an Allrecipes Allstar? Learn more, and sign up here.

Read the original article on All Recipes.