See ya, 2023, you’re in our rear view window.
It’s time to look forward, to hope, to make new ideas become a reality.
Time for new recipes, new foods, new flavors.
So what’s on your menu for this new month?
24 Likes
Happy new year, everyone! Wishing health and peace for all in the new year.
(And boy, am I glad to be rid of the recurring dumpster fire that was 2023.)
—————-
The visiting half of the family has left, and the rest of us are recovering slowly 
. (I slept for a day and a half 
.)
We are now in fridge and freezer clean-out mode as leftovers have been building up.
Tonight’s dinner plan was home-assembled kathi rolls with frozen chicken seekh kababs, frozen soya chaap (mock chicken) kababs, and ordered-in rumali rotis, but mom made an executive decision to order in my favorite Frankies (egg-coated parathas stuffed with saucy meat or veg) instead so “everyone” (ie I) could relax — after her cousins and my cousins came for a long visit this afternoon.
So we had a lovely time with all the cousins (replete with teatime snacks and tea and coffee), and then I ordered dinner in, which we ate while watching The Crowm.
.
Last night was similarly relaxed: we ordered in tandoori chicken, supplemented by freezer leftovers of butter chicken, soya chaap (mock chicken) biryani, paneer tikka biryani, naan, and rumali roti.
.
Night before was departure night for the half who left, and everyone unanimously voted for Cheesetoast Night. But when I decided to order in some favorite snacks from the club, it quickly turned into Cheesetoast + Indian Chinese + Chaat Night
So, we had regular (closed) cheesetoast with cheddar, open-faced chutney-onion-chilli cheese toast with Amul, and open masala (onion-tomato-cilantro) cheesetoast, plus bhel and sev puri, plus an almost-full Indian Chinese spread of Veg Manchurian, Hakka noodles, pan-fried noodles, burnt garlic fried rice, Soya chilli chicken, and sweet corn soup. Plus two orders of fries — one and a half for the kid who doesn’t eat any of this stuff, half for the adults who insist on poaching his fries after promising they won’t have any when we place the order.
And then I preemptively distributed digestive enzymes and probiotics .
.
More meals over the past few days:
SOUTH INDIAN AT HOME: Dosas (plain, masala, cheese), uttapam, idlis, medu vadas, 2 kinds of chutney, and sambar. Note the skill on the lacy edges of the dosa (not my skill, sadly).
.
PASTA AND MEATBALLS: Capellini Alfredo, mac and cheese, and spicy beyond beef meatballs. We ran out of pasta (shocker) so I had a chicken junglee sandwich later (chicken salad with red onion, green chillies, and cilantro).
.
HOME FAVES: Kheema aloo, masoor dal, french beans, palak paneer, dry potato bhaji, chapatis, and parathas.
.
TEA AND PAKODAS: A vat of ginger-lemongrass tea and fresh moong dal pakodas, perfectly light and crisp.
33 Likes
I said that about 2020. 2024 makes me pretty nervous, to be honest.
13 Likes
Happy 2024 to all! 2023 was a challenge for me due to health issues, losing two (old) dogs, stress of downsizing and moving mom, and two of my best friends leaving the area. But lots of good stuff too, including this community. And exceeding my Goodreads goal by 38%. Small victories, baby
20 Likes
A shit year for many, so let’s look ahead - bc things can only get better, right? Right?
Right.
13 Likes
Deviled Eggs (mayonnaise, mustard, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce) with Bacon
Quiche Lorraine (onion, bacon, thyme, eggs, half-and-half) with a Wilted Spinach Salad with goat cheese, strawberries, hazelnuts and an olive oil and grapefruit vinaigrette
27 Likes
Oh, we’re posting last night’s/year’s meal in this thread? Huh 
Reflecting on the last year yesterday didn’t put me in a celebratory mood, nor did I feel much like performing for our annual First Night gig, but sometimes ya simply gotta put on yer big girl panties and suck it up. Everything went over well, and we had a great & appreciative crowd 
Watched Bad Santa (as we didn’t for our xmas tradition) before we went to a party a couple of friends hosted. We’d shared a bowl of pork chile verde for our drinking base, as last year’s party favors consisted mainly of cheese and crackers.
This year, the host pulled out all the stops: yes, cheese & crackers & charcuterie, but also bacon-wrapped water chestnuts, an umami bomb of lovely braised pork, chicken karaage, and poached shrimp. Nobody touched the crudité I mean veggie tray, as usual 
Our German friend makes oliebollen every NYE, which my PIC looks forward to all year, and he brought the whole damn bowl home. WTF? 
Despite my initial reservations, I had a really good time – we danced, we drank, we laughed. We got home around 2:30am.
And now we are entering “no food” January, which should make for some interesting WFD posts coming up.
Happy New Year to y’all… or at least happier than the last. A girl can dream.
22 Likes
That’s interesting. I nearly always have one and it reliably gets eaten. I felt very weird not offering one yesterday, but there was plenty of food. For us the veggie tray is one of the only reliable ways to get vegetables into our kids who aren’t as into cooked veggies (with some exceptions).
Re: chicken karaage - that looks different than I would have expected. Did they use breast?
1 Like
That might depend on the crowd and/or time of day. This party started at 9pm, after many had already had dinner (including us, even if it was just a small bowl of chili verde), not to mention that it was an exclusively adult event.
The host is also an outstanding cook, so I’m guessing his offerings simply beat out the usual cauli, broc, flavorless cherry maters & stupid “baby” carrots with dip 
As for the chicken, yes, I believe it was breast. I’m not sure if there would’ve been a better way to serve it than in bite-size pieces that could easily be speared with a toothpick while the other hand’s holding a champagne glass. Did I misunderstand your question?
Also, seems I sent you and your betrothed to Nan Zhou hand-pulled noodz in Phila exactly 10 years ago today.
2 Likes
I had to run some errands this morning and stopped by the grocery store looking for some chicken livers. Well, there were none, but… there was this small chicken on clearance for $2. I figure I can stretch two meals out of it (for Sunshine and me). I’m be serving paprika slow cooked chicken tonight. I’ll pair it with potatoes and green beans.
23 Likes
I ate too much for breakfast. And since the people invited to dinner this evening are all staying at home because of over imbibing last night, I am going to have a light meal. Actually, rather happy they are not coming over now to tell you the truth. I knew not to eat so much this morning. Will have to decide what going to cooking. Nothing complicated for sure.
11 Likes
25 Likes
One of our favorite soups to make, will have to try the pomegranate molasses, we typically make garlicky croutons and add chives.
4 Likes
I was wishing I had croutons as well. You need those for texture, and the Pom molasses for a nice acid hit.
3 Likes
Chicken cutlet, squash casserole based on a Paula Deen recipe, and leftover mashed potatoes from last night. Not fancy but at least I have an appetite.
10 Likes
We ate too much at the local Indian restaurant buffet for lunch, but it was really good!
DH had roasted the Christmas roast beast bones and made a broth, so it was French Onion soup for dinner. Lots of caramelized onions, some sherry, toasty bread and Gruyere cheese. Not so much cheese on my bowl, but plenty on his. Was really good on this cold NE evening. Wine.
Back to work tomorrow, maybe some snow by the weekend. Now we grind through January, hope for a February thaw and a kind March.
Cheers to good food and sharing!
25 Likes
YESSSSSS, my Precious!
2 Likes
