30 Dishes Before 30 : Recipe # 2: Hummus

I've been craving hummus lately. It's one of the dishes I put on my list to learn to make before my 30th birthday and since I'm kicking off this little experiment, I decided to make a batch today. I knew it would be one of the easier dishes to make on my list. And, of course, it was. It's simple and delicious and much more fresh than what I usually buy in the grocery store.

I kind-of threw my own recipe together as far as the seasonings went, based on reading a few various recipes online and in my Moosewood cookbook. The most interesting part of the process was finding the tahini (a ground sesame seed paste), which all hummus recipes call to include.

I went to a Mid-Eastern grocery store to find the tahini. Of course, they only accepted cash. And, of course, per usual, my cash was limited so I only had a dollar and some change to pay for the $2.99 item. I offered to go to an ATM and come back, but after having spent five minutes flirting with me and teaching me a recipe for shishkabobs, the gentleman at the check out took my dollar, quarter and handful of pennies in order to pay for my item as long as I promised to come back and tell my friends about his shop. So, out I went, feeling a bit weird, but like I had gotten a good deal on my first tahini purchase.

The recipe was good, and tasted like a standard hummus. I will say, though, I absolutely need my friend Lisa's hummus recipe, which is absolutely amazing. (Much better than my first attempt.) After I get that, I'll share her recipe because it's absolutely fabulous.

Happy snacking!

30 Dishes Before 30: Recipe #1: Chicken Cordon Bleu

My 30 Recipes before 30 challenge has officially begun!

Recipe 1: Chicken Cordon Bleu

I made my first new recipe for my personal challenge this weekend. My lovely friend Jillian was kind enough to brave my first new dish: chicken cordon bleu. I learned that chicken cordon bleu is extremely easy and quick to make. It was so easy, that I'm going to make it for myself for dinner again tonight because I have a little bit of the breading mixture left to use up.

With the new dish, I served a baked potato with dolled up sour cream (little dried onion and minced garlic for flavor), broccoli and a baguette served with olive oil and a delicious Parmesan garlic seasoning mix I bought from Pampered Chef. We also shared a bottle of chardonnay. (A dinner party is not a dinner part without wine!)

The recipe I used was from a favorite cookbook of many, The Joy of Cooking. This recipe I found on Food Network from Tyler Florence is nearly identical. (Of course, I don't think you're allowed to deviate too much to make chicken cordon bleu

Good things that came from my first 30 before 30 dish were:

• I finally bought a meat tenderizer.
  
• Now owning said meat tenderizer, I intend to cook a lot more stuffed chicken and pork chop recipes-- delicious!
• I have no need to ever buy frozen chicken cordon bleu from the grocery store ever again.
• I had a great dinner with a great friend who is always brave and gracious when it comes to my cooking.
  
• We drank a lot of good wine with the dinner.
  
• I got to play hostess. This I like.

So, dish one, I would count as a success. Thanks, Jillian, for being my first guest! I look forward to hosting several more parties between now and September!

Cute Drake Bulldog Video

Maybe I love my alma mater a little too much. Or maybe I work too much with our development office at my job so I just love what a unique way this giving message is presented. Whatever it may be, this video is ridiculously adorable and worth sharing.