Wow, you can be our designated eater as well! 
4 Likes
Have a wonderful visit with your mom and sis!
Btw I almost always lose weight when I’m visiting India - even with what seems like SO much more food cumulatively, I think the balance is so much better than my usual eating, however healthy.
Now the real problem is the sweets and the outside food - all those favorites come in to play much more often than when they’re spread out in normal life!
3 Likes
Hi everyone!
No reporting in a while because I was in crazy cleaning + organizing mode before my nephews arrived, and then on an eating spree through my younger nephew’s NYC favorites (which included me NOT eating several meals, which puzzled him deeply, lol).
In case you’re curious what the eating spree included:
- New York pizza - his favorite (ie the one by where he grew up), my favorite (down the street from me), Roman-style (by the older one’s old school, ludicrously expensive but delicious and constituted the occasional after-school treat)
- Dim sum - his favorite (near me, ridiculously expensive, but he only eats 2 things there and looks forward to them all year, so who cares), my favorite (in chinatown, my first visit post-pandemic and it was a slight disappointment tbh), we never made it to my new favorite (because: pizza)
- Bagels - we tried a “regular” one from a deli, then I decided to take him to what’s regarded as one of the top nyc bagels (which was a great bagel, but also a long wait… also pretty sure the guy considered throwing in extra bagels a form of flirting hahaha - I ordered 6, we had 10 when I checked at home)
- Indian - we only made it to South Indian, but it was a big hit, and a great revisit because I used to take the two of them there alone when they were little, and he recognized it unlike many other landmarks
The little one went home, older one is still here doing a summer program, but he’s mostly on his own there so I’m off full-time aunt duty, and thinking about what I want to eat myself again!
Tentative thoughts, may change based on mood and effort:
Mon - We had a HO-down in Flushing’s Chinatown at lunchtime, which lasted me through dinner!
Tues - Umami noodles, using some Chinatown produce (shiitake and oyster mushrooms). Maybe some Viet lemongrass pork chop on the side (marinated and frozen).
Wed - Taking older nephew on a college tour just before dinner, will feed him either Ethiopian or grandma pizza which are nearby. Probably Ethiopian, which he likes but never gets to eat. He’ll go back to his friends and I will proceed to another HO-down - this time in Queens at an Egyptian restaurant.
Thurs - Missing my friends due to unintentional self-imposed hibernation, and also their summer travels / weekend houses. Thinking wine & small bites with one of them around the corner from me at one of our favorite spots.
Fri - Maybe catch up with another friend. He recently separated and moved back into the city, and also has a big surgery coming up. Might be nice to have a casual evening without any of those stressors in play. If not, leftovers from the South Indian restaurant - chhole (chickpeas) plus some carb (the bhatura / giant puri that came with it is probably leather at this point).
Sat - Whatever didn’t happen on Fri.
Sun - Might make biryani. In my freezer rummaging I found lamb that I had marinated for this purpose.
I’m also gearing up to bake my usual brownies and maybe also take a stab at Egyptian Basbousa for tomorrow, as the restaurant apparently doesn’t serve dessert, and one of the non-NYC HO visitors will be celebrating a birthday!
16 Likes
This might be my favorite HO post of 2022 thus far. I had a rough time on my one and only trip to Delhi (we were transiting to Kathmandu). I want to explore the south.
5 Likes
The August discussion is ready for whenever your plan/report is more August than July.
2 Likes
Was just OK. Quite sweet. It’s more cobbler than coffee cake. I added crushed Danish butter cookies and slivered almonds on top for crunch. Skipped the drizzle. I added more cherry filling so it took longer to bake. Fine, but I probably won’t make again unless leftovers are amazing. Sometimes that happens.
3 Likes
I did a mash-up of the two dressing recipes - 4 T lime juice, 3 T oil, 2 T honey, 1-2 T garlic (about 1/2 T), 1 minced jalapeño, about 1 T freeze-dried cilantro, salt and pepper. Mixed and then added a bag of shredded coleslaw mix (green cabbage and carrots) and 2 scallions. It was really good!!
2 Likes
What a great auntie you are, indulging in that spree! I feel full just reading it Amazing food week!
6 Likes
If you want to read about our HO Egyptian group dinner it’s reported here:
I did end up baking both Basbousa (Egyptian semolina cake) and brownies because there wasn’t supposed to be dessert course — but then there was!
Here’s the baking write-up on Basbousa:
5 Likes
I was Very Full and missed a few of those meals 
Kiddo couldn’t understand how I I just sat and watched while he ate the last round of Roman pizza before the airport… insisted I have a bite or two because he thought I was going hungry hahaha
4 Likes
I’ve spent the last week walking by my computer, catching up. For some reason, HO wasn’t telling me there were new posts on this thread. I must not have done something essential. There was very little cooking for me this past month - I was away, Lulu was away, LLD was away. It’s been a nice break from the kitchen. There has been some - mostly easy stuff, and wonderful. I tried the Smitten Kitchen zucchini pizza for just me, and liked it a lot, although I think it could use some garlic. Or, now that I’m thinking about it, maybe something like capers, or marinated artichoke hearts would be good/interesting. Anyway, mostly just posting to say that I’ve loved catching up on everyone’s lives, and I hope to start posting again in mid-August. Happy summer!
12 Likes
You have to set “Topic Controls” at the bottom left of this page to “Watching” (only if you haven’t commented yet - once you comment, it’s automatically set).
Also have to do it for each new month’s post.
You could also “follow” MTT (and/or others here) from your profile page — then any new post she makes will automatically give you a notification, including future threads.
1 Like
Fair assumption
1 Like
Actuals for the last week of July, cooking for 2 in MN. Where evening dinner prep worked around daily live-stream videos of the EAA Oshkosh (WI) Airventure air shows. Just an amazing event that we attended in-person for many years. It’s estimated that 1/4 of all private aircraft in USA fly-in sometime during the week, most families staying several days for the forums, vendors, and daily air-shows. And it’s a good thing Friday’s meal made enough for 3 days, since the weather’s perfect to enjoy touring other people’s fabulous water gardens yesterday and today. Ahhhhh SUMMER.
Mon: noon - Ham/turkey pepperoni/cheddar Grinders on individual hoagie buns topped with great “salad” , a variation on this Julie Pacheco Grinder Sandwiches recipe, Mon evening - Crock pot coffee rubbed pork shoulder - I cook this on HIGH for 6 hours, sweet potato, spinach salad
Tues: Sweet corn beside pulled pork, leftover grinder salad
Wed: Rings pasta salad with chicken, green grapes, mandarin oranges & sliced almonds
brioche mini-buns, Club crackers
Thurs: Rings pasta salad with chicken, green grapes,etc. Hawaiian rolls
Fri: One-pot tortellini w sausage, tomatoes and cream,/ baguette
Sat & Sun: One-pot tortellini w sausage, tomatoes and cream, salad, fresh peach slices, baguette. Dessert: ice cream
10 Likes
That one pot tortellini looks about my speed these days. Thanks for the link.
1 Like
