Chicken Tikka Masala

Mar 4, 2017

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It’s funny how quickly a new dish can become a go-to.

Indian food has been a challenge for a long time…in restaurants, even when it’s mild it’s usually too spicy for me.  But I’ve also had several recipes I was dying to try.  The intense combination of spices, held together with creamy sauces, is just too much to resist.

I finally pulled myself together over winter break and gave this a try.  Part of that was just making sure I had all the spices I needed.  And I was shocked at how easy this dish was to make, how satisfying, and how great the leftovers were.  So I made it a few days later.  And the week after that.

It’s now in my regular rotation, because the lunch leftovers are unbeatable.  Pair it with some of my delish and easy homemade naan, and you’ve got an exotic and yet comforting winner.  Don’t be scared by the ingredient list, because you make the paste once and it will last you through several batches.

Easy Pad Thai

Aug 22, 2014

I never expected pad thai to become my Everest…

Pad thai is such a great, uncomplicated dish. Simple flavors, not too many extras mixed in—it’s basically thai comfort food. Recipes vary, many more on the authentic route using tamarind paste, fish sauce, and other Asian staples. Others, like this one, stick to the basics. I’ll be trying the more complicated ones later [update: tried, hated, sticking with this one], but this one is a great place to start.

The sauce calls for only three ingredients—brown sugar, soy sauce, and lime juice. And maybe a squirt of sriracha if that’s how you roll. The first time I made this recipe, it came out pretty great. “This is so easy!” I thought. “But honestly I’d like it to have a little more sauce, it’s a little dry. I’ll try it again.”

Cue descent into madness…

I don’t know what was wrong with me but the next few times I made it, something went terribly wrong. First of all, I am the WORST at reading directions, so I had to throw like three different batches of sauce away because I accidentally added the oil to it instead of to the pan. (Don’t be like me, boys and girls.) And then one time I soaked my noodles exactly like I had before and when I added them to the pan they were still super tough and gross. Had to throw the entire pan of food away.

However, I finally got my act together and here you go. It really is a simple recipe, I have no idea why I had to make things so hard. So without further ado, I submit your next favorite 30-minute meal…

Chicken & Avocado Enchiladas in Creamy Avocado Sauce

Jun 24, 2013

So I got a real treat this year for Father’s Day—I actually got my dad! It was a last-minute decision, but we got my dad a ticket down to Atlanta a few days before and so we got to spend a long weekend together. It seemed the travel gods were displeased with us, though, because his flight was super delayed (then cancelled, then he was put on another flight and arrived around 1:00 a.m.) on his way into the ATL, and then his flight leaving was also super delayed. Needless to say, we were tired!

He came down to help me do handyman jobs on my new place, hanging pictures and the like. While we got some down time, we also were super busy and worked hard, so my papa deserved a GOOD meal on Father’s Day! I had bookmarked this recipe a while back, and while it’s not totally in my wheelhouse, it’s definitely in my dad’s.

We attacked it like starving hyenas, totally stuffing ourselves, then finished off our evening with creamy, refreshing lemon cornstarch pudding and some wine. All-in-all, a successful Father’s Day!