restaurant.com

Pfffft. That's the sound of the holidays being slowly, but surely, deflated. Christmas this year felt really anti-climactic. There was all the regular cheer, spirit and zeal while opening gifts...the denouement was just so..meh.

Maybe this comes with maturity or change or unrealistic expectations. Shopping felt like more of a chore this year than it has in the past, but I'm proud to say that I stayed within the $40 limit we set per couples with my cousins. Kudos to the Restaurant.com web site.

I've used this site in the past, though not often. Basically you can buy a discount gift card and use it towards a meal at numerous restaurants listed on the web site. More or less it gets you an ample discount with purchase of another meal or a minimum bill. The Mister and I took my Mom out for dinner at Pescatore's restaurant in Glen Mills, PA. (Excellent service and lobster bisque.) We got a $25 discount off of our meal because we spent $50. You can purchase a $100 giftcard on the site for $40, and I found a 50 percent off coupon code online (there are also 80 percent off coupon codes floating around). Before purchasing, I did a search by zip code to make sure there was a good restaurant selection and most areas have a nice variety of establishments. 

Not bad for $20. 

olive oil chocolate chip cookies

I've really enjoyed baking these past few weeks. The sense of accomplishment, the warm smells, the endless applause...it's all been quite lovely. Quite. 

Just one hitch. Each time I drop in a stick or two of buttery goodness into my creation, I cringe. The problem is that butter is so vital to a good baked product. The texture, the melt in your mouth factor, the mouth watering smell...isn't it worth a few clogged arteries? 

Luckily I was able to find a adequate substitute: olive oil.

These cookies turned out moist and fluffy. In fact, I sent two dozen cookies to work with the Mister and the he came back with an empty plate. In fact, he claimed they were all gone by lunch.

While the pudding cookies are my best work, these cookies are a slightly healthier alternative.  

Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies

from Slice of Feist

2 1/4 cup flour

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tablespoons milk

1 cup of chips (I used mint and dark chocolate)

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in separate bowl. Combine the rest of the ingredients and gradually mix in remaining ingredients. The mixture will be sort of crumbly and should then be molded into small balls on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees, 10-12 minutes. 

I baked them for 10 minutes, then threw them back in for another two minutes.

These are definitely going into my recipe box. They'd be great for a holiday cookie exchange or for a Christmas party.

thanksgiving: new tandoori traditions

I must admit, I was nothing short of skeptical when the Mister announced that he would be making both a tofurkey and turkey on Thanksgiving. For whatever reason, my parents have always opted for Indian food in lieu of the traditional fixings. As a child, I always found this disappointing. As an adult, I was ecstatic to have all my favorite Indian dishes prepared for me during my short visit home.

There was push back after this announcement. I was first to dismiss the Mister's proclamation as ridiculous, and told him to forget it. We always have lamb curry for Thanksgiving, thank you very much. My sister was ambivalent and my cousin was in deep denial. (You would understand our feelings if you've ever tasted my Mom's lamb curry.) We have it every Christmas and Thanksgiving; it’s our holiday tradition. 

My Mom hates to tell her beloved son-in-law no, so she inevitably told him he could make a Thanksgiving lunch. This was acceptable to him, but somewhere along the line the Mister managed to rally my Mom to join him in making a big dinner with all the bells and whistles.

Before I knew it, they were excitedly preparing the new menu. Tandoori turkey, tofurkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, gravy…um, was this really going to happening? Oh, and our delicious mutton curry was moved to Saturday night.

I announced to my husband that I wanted nothing to do with this anti-Thanksgiving tradition. He shrugged and accepted my lack of culpability.

My Mom purchased a 15-pound turkey and a tofurkey at Raisin Rack (organic/veg grocer) in Canton, Ohio. They worked all day to marinate and bake the ‘urkeys. They made Indian-style cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes with chili powder and turmeric, and a beautiful, orange gravy for the turkey.

The Tandoori spices were delicious and the turkey was succulent. You could smell the garlic, coriander and onions. The tofurkey was, in fact, so delicious that the carnivores took seconds. Well, needless to say, I think we have a new tradition for the Bebe.

Tandoori Turkey

Tandoori Tofurkey