Roasted Asparagus

Sometimes I wonder what the people at our apartment complex think about Brad and me. When they see us carrying multiple armloads of groceries upstairs do they think I have some sort of insatiable food addiction? Do they ever catch a glimpse of us through our open windows, bent over a plate full of food, camera in hand, holding a reflector at odd angles to catch the light? Most importantly do our neighbors ever walk through the hall, smell what I'm cooking, and wish they were inside our apartment? I hope so!

Lemon Yogurt Cake

It happens at least once a year, my Grandma makes a brilliant yellow bundt cake slathered in creamy lemon glaze. It is one of the only things she cooks anymore but she pulls it off perfectly every time. If she read my blog and knew I had made my own I would tell her that hers outdoes mine by more than a mile but, in all honesty the first thing I exclaimed after taking the first bite was "It tastes exactly the same"!

Parmesan & Sage Spaghetti with Mushrooms

Whole wheat pasta is just the right vehicle for this lightly indulgent sauce. The hint of earthy fresh sage is a perfect compliment to woody mushrooms, a splash of truffle oil and liberal sprinkling of salty parmesan really puts it over the top. 

Vegetable Samosas with Mint Chutney

I was trying to fall asleep but all I could do was think of recipes, I think there may be a few of you out there who can relate? I wanted to make "curried potato and pea stuffed things" so I wrote that down and fell asleep. Around 2 am I woke up and remembered they were called samosas. The next day I immediately found this recipe in Cooking Light's Way to Cook Vegetarian cookbook so, instead of searching for days on end, I just went with it. I am so glad I didn't waste my time because it was exactly what I wanted. 

Curried Lentils (Dal)

I was hovering over 5 different cookbooks, excitedly flipping pages, trying to decide which interpretation of this Indian dish I wanted to make when I landed on Mark Bittman's version in How to Cook Everything Vegetarian. It was so simple...exactly what I needed considering this was the first time I have cooked lentils on my own and the first time I had ever spiced an Indian dish with something other than curry powder. If I didn't know it before, I definitely know it now: I am completely head over heels in love with Indian food.