Indian take out at home

 Since the closest Indian restaurant is at least 50 miles away, I have been trying to make my own. Some tries have been more successful than others. The night after Diwali, I made a feast, and it was mostly for me and E, since the kids don’t really like it too much.

I made aloo mattar, not in the instant pot this time- https://www.manjulaskitchen.com/aloo-mattar-potatoes-and-green-peas/

Dal makhani, in the instant pot-https://www.manjulaskitchen.com/dal-makhani/

Chole palak, I used frozen kale because that’s what I had  - https://www.manjulaskitchen.com/chole-palak-chickpeas-with-spinach/

and naan - https://rasamalaysia.com/naan/#mv-creation-11

I thought everything was wonderful. I really like the website I found for most of the recipes. The Dal makhani was a little more soupy than I wanted, but maybe it’s more authentic that way? 🤷🏼‍♀️ 

Thanksgiving 2020

 I made Thanksgiving dinner for just our immediate family this year. I started cooking on Wednesday evening, resumed Thursday morning and cooked all through the day.  The kids helped quite a bit and I had a lot of fun with it.

Menu included -

Vegan seitan roast which I made from scratch since we couldn't find a pre-made tofurkey roast.

Mashed potatoes

Stuffing

Cranberry sauce

Roasted Brussels sprouts with maple glaze

Pecan and chocolate pie

Recent cooking adventures

 Vegan lentil loaf from Oh She Glows-https://ohsheglows.com/2011/01/01/ultimate-vegan-lentil-walnut-loaf/

Drunken Beans/Borracho beans from Rancho Gordo. I think I used pinto or Eye of the Goat -  https://www.ranchogordo.com/blogs/recipes/drunken-beans

Jamie Oliver's veggie burger. This was ok, but still a little mushy. https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/the-best-vegan-burger/

Used this recipe in the summer for garlic scape pesto. I remember it being pretty good. https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015301-garlic-scape-pesto?action=click&module=Global%20Search%20Recipe%20Card&pgType=search&rank=1

Made these green beans to accompany a tofu stir fry: https://dinnerthendessert.com/spicy-chinese-sichuan-green-beans/#wprm-recipe-container-8658

I  have been working on making"take-out" at home. This was mentioned in my dinner FB group, so I thought I would try. I used lemon bc that's what I had on hand. Everyone else did not like it but I thought it was ok. Definitely a different flavor from a restaurant. https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014830-baingan-bharta?fbclid=IwAR1jeskJlooJDarwc1-p1oYCiMSV5fl6jzRlSWwLCawE5yUZ-R1HlcquDLI

These sauteed zucchini almost don't need a recipe, but they were delicious: https://www.kitchentreaty.com/7-minute-sauteed-zucchini-with-garlic-basil/

I think I had a lot of cabbage, so I made this slaw. It was ok, but I think I prefer a creamier dressing. https://downshiftology.com/recipes/vinegar-coleslaw-no-mayo/

I tried making a bread machine challah. I didn't like how it turned out, but I still ate it ...https://www.myjewishlearning.com/the-nosher/bread-machine-challah/

This NYT recipe was a great reason to use up some Ranch Gordo white beans. At this point, I can’t remember what kind I used, but probably some royal Coronas or the Marcellas.
I remember that I was the only person in my family who liked it, but this is not unusual for the bean dishes I make. I probably won’t make this one again though.

Serious Eats pizza dough

I tried another pizza dough recipe in hopes that it would be the one. This time, the Serious Eats pizza dough was ok. I think I wasn’t able to get it thin enough, so it was pretty doughy in the middle. The quest for the perfect pizza dough continues!

Gluten free granola

I said I would make some gluten free granola for my coworker. I didn’t have a whole lot of the gf oats, so I found a small batch recipe and used it. It was a little different from my usual recipe, but I liked it and more importantly, so did my coworker.

Cheesy Squash “breadsticks”

I used this recipe when trying to find something to use up too many yellow squash.it did not come out very good. I choked a couple down, and the kids refused to try them. I would definitely call this attempt a flop.