Indian Sloppy Joes

I was first introduced to Indian food by mother whose simple chicken curry ignited a love of spice in me. From there, my love of the cuisine grew as I experienced new dishes at Indian restaurants in both the U.S. and abroad. There was even one memorial curry dish I had on a Virgin Airlines flight from Boston to London. I've since acquired my fair share of Indian cookbooks as I've begun to experiment cooking the cuisine on my own. Although many Indian dishes are complex and require ample time and supply of exotic spices, there are still ways to incorporate the pungent and diverse flavors into your every day meals. This sloppy joe recipe from The Food Network's Aarti Sequeria is a perfect way to introduce these flavors to a more approachable and familiar dish.

We chose to pair our joes with a carrots and wilted spinach in a peanut-coconut sauce from the bible of Indian cooking aka Raghavan Iyer's 660 Curries. If you're looking for a comprehensive book on Indian cooking, this is it. Or if you're new to Indian cooking, feel free to pair the joes with something a bit more familiar say sweet potato fries with a simple curry yogurt dipping sauce. Whatever you choose, I'm sure you'll enjoy this meal!

Margarita Season is Upon us!

Weather is really starting to improve in New England. Last weekend we were up into the 90s! With all this warm weather, a margarita or two is much needed. Here are my two favorite recipes. Cheers!

Blood Orange Margarita (serves 1)

1 1/2 oz Espolon Blanco (or your favorite tequila)

1 oz Patron Citronge (or triple sec)

Juice of ½ Lime

Juice of ½ Lemon

Juice of ½ Blood Orange

Dash of Agave or more if you want sweeter

1 cup ice

Mix everything together and serve over ice in glass with salted rim. 

Frozen Raspberry Margarita (serves 1)

1 1/2 oz Espolon Blanco (or your favorite tequila)

1 oz Patron Citronge (or triple sec)

Juice of ½ lime

1/2 cup raspberries

1 cup ice

Pop all ingredients in a  blender  and mix until smooth, then pour in glass and enjoy.