Garlic naan... from scratch!

Last year I tried Indian food for the first time, and now I make chicken tikka masala at home! :)  But I think my favorite Indian food is the bread....  NAAN.  Especially garlic naan.

I'm not much for making bread from scratch; I don't like waiting for it to rise!  But with the help of a friend, I discovered you can easily make this to accompany your favorite homemade Indian dishes or even just some hummus.  If you've never had it, it is kind of like a cross between a pita and a more doughy bread... reminds me of the samoon bread I had in Iraq!

This recipe is also great because it creates smaller servings of naan, and you can grill it instead of using a brick oven like the restaurants do.  (I used my Cuisinart Griddler!)

Eat any kind of bread in moderation; I often choose bread over dessert when I'm indulging!  Don't go overboard... except on the garlic.  I think I doubled or tripled the garlic. Because I want to burp garlic for days when I eat garlic naan...

I bet I could make an awesome flatbread pizza on this stuff!

Garlic Naan (from AllRecipes.com)

Ingredients

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast

1 cup warm water

1/4 cup white sugar

3 tablespoons milk

1 egg, beaten

2 teaspoons salt

4 1/2 cups bread flour

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes, until frothy. Stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface, or until smooth. Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise. Let it rise 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in volume.
• Punch down dough, and knead in garlic. Pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf ball. Roll into balls, and place on a tray. Cover with a towel, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
• During the second rising, preheat grill to high heat.
• At grill side, roll one ball of dough out into a thin circle. Lightly oil grill. Place dough on grill, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until puffy and lightly browned. Brush uncooked side with butter, and turn over. Brush cooked side with butter, and cook until browned, another 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from grill, and continue the process until all the naan has been prepared.

Lessons Learned from Sewing

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People often ask me why I took up sewing; even with the popularity of shows like Project Runway, most find it to be an old-fashioned hobby.  And a twentysomething single gal who takes up sewing?  Add a few more cats and it just screams SPINSTER to them.

But sewing is more than the tedious, time-consuming sweatshop work I think most people imagine it to be.

Sewing sparks creativity.  I love to shop, but sometimes it seems like the clothes out there weren't made to fit my body or personality.  I truly enjoy being able to choose a sewing pattern/design, choose a fabric, and customize a garment into something that I really like.  Sure, the fit isn't always perfect, and sometimes it takes longer than expected, but to choose how something is made from start to finish is really awesome.  Sleeves or no sleeves?  What length?  What color?  The options never end.

Sewing teaches patience and attention to detail.  Learning to sew wasn't second-nature to me.  It took me a while to learn to thread my machine without a manual!  And everything from cutting fabric, to pinning, to pressing (ironing) all along the way makes a huge difference in the finished product.  I can tell when I got tired or sloppy, because I skip the steps that make things look tailored and clean.  You have to maintain focus, and sometimes you just have to walk away for a while!

Sewing is cathartic.  It's a solitary activity, so you really fall into a rhythm with the sound of your machine.  You're working with your hands, guiding the fabric, piecing a puzzle together.  And in the end, the reward is sweet: you've created something for yourself or someone else, something you made from start to finish.  It's a great escape, and it can actually be soothing.

So you see, it isn't just an "old lady" hobby!  :)  And unlike my baking habit, it won't add to my waistline.

Switcheroo: a post about food

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I used to post about food all the time on this blog, but lately it's been taken over by sewing.  I still love to cook, but in the interest of my waistline and health, I took a detour from my baking marathons and calorie-laden meals.

But I love pasta.  I love pizza.  I love bread.  I love cheese.  I love frosting.  I love cake.  And I don't eat my veggies.

So you see, it's been a challenge, nay, a struggle! not to bake the many delectable delights I consistently pin to my boards on Pinterest.  I mean, Snickerdoodle Cupcakes?  Krispy Kreme Muffins?  I think I just drooled on myself.

I've been working on my fitness New Year's Resolution for nearly a month now, and I'm not giving up!  I'm proud of the 5 lbs. I've lost thus far, flying high on the endorphins from consistent workouts, and learning to eat better along the way.  One of the ways I am trying to accomplish this healthier eating is through substitution.

We all know deprivation doesn't work, so substitution is the easiest way for me to adjust my eating habits, along with portion control.  And so far, it's working!