Cross Culture

Last night my friend Alissa came over for dinner. I met her through the global social net-working site, CouchSurfing. She spent the last year travelling around the world. The whole thing. Well ... lots of it, anyway. So she dropped by to tell me stories and try out my first attempt at making dal. I used a Bittman recipe but doubled the garlic and managed to add the onions in too early. Also I think I added a lot more cilantro than what qualifies as "garnish."

Still, it was mighty tasty (I opted out on the butter so vegan, yay) and Alissa insisted that it was as good as anything she'd had on the streets of India. Afterward I was silly enough to think that making cookies was a good idea (hello, winter weight) but I'd been dying to try Betty Crocker's gluten-free chocolate chip cookie mix. Oh man. It was worth the wait. TOO yummy. Actually, leftover cookies are all I've eaten today.

I know. Healthy.

Stay tuned for my friend Phil's black-eyed pea salsa recipe! And thanks, mum & dad, for the Whole Foods gift card. Perfect Chrismukkah gift.