If I had to pick one meal as my last it would 100% be Paneer Tikka Masala and Garlic Naan. This carefully crafted South Indian classic has been my favorite meal since I remember. My mother would always make it from scratch for my birthday every year. Whenever I go to an Indian restaurant I order it and compare the dish amongst other restaurants. My favorite would have to be from Moghul Express in Edison NJ. It’s Literally the best Indian food in the area.

The steps to make this dish are quite complicated. First, you must make the Paneer, a cottage cheese, from scratch by curdling milk. To do this you need to boil the milk and then pour it into a bowl with yogurt and lime juice, the acid from the lime curdles the milk making the “cheese”, then straining the cheese curds with a cheesecloth. Now shape the cheese into a rectangle because we are going to cut it into cubes later. Your cheese should be strained, shaped, and cubed and now it’s time to pan fry them. Once pan-fried you are done with the Panner. Yay!

Now for the gravy. I actually don’t know exactly how to make it but I’m going to try to explain what I assume it is made with. So first we are going to saute together some garlic, onions, and some Indian spices like I don’t know maybe cardamom and chilli powder. Maybe throw some saffron in there why not? Then add in some tomato paste and simmer on low heat until it becomes a paste. Then we need to blend this paste to make it smooth. Once smoothened you can now add in some heavy cream to make it creamy. And Voila your gravy is done. All you have to do now is mix the Paneer in and there you have it folks. Paneer Tikka Masala.

The Garlic Naan is frozen so just follow the instructions on the packet for heating.

Eggs and Hot dogs

Ingredients:

-cooking oil

-eggs

-hotdog

-salt

-ketchup

Recipe:

First you start by putting a small amount of cooking oil in the pan, then you break two eggs or however much you think is best for you I usually do 2 but hey it’s your choice!! Next you add a bit of salt and cut the hotdogs into small slices and start mixing the egg and hotdog together. You are up to the part where now the egg is turned into scrambled eggs with hotdog. Next you put your full course meal onto a plate grab a spoon or fork whichever utensil you prefer and for me I like eating it with ketchup so I add that on my meal as my final step. Now you get to sit down, put on a good show or movie and enjoy your meal that only took you 5 minutes to make. 

I learned how to make this quick meal growing up and it was honestly my favorite. I would see my mom and grandma make it for me and my cousins and it was just so easy. If I was ever home alone and was hungry I had my meal ready to go and growing up in a hispanic household your best, easy and quick choice of food was hot dog and eggs. You can have it at any time during your day; it doesn’t matter when. You can also choose to eat it alone or with rice, it’s really your own choice. I usually prefer it with rice but trust me having it alone is still good, it’s still a delicious meal. To go with this meal I usually prefer drinking cranberry juice. It’s my favorite but you can choose any drink!

Ever since I was a kid, there was only one holiday that I looked forward to the most. Apart from Halloween and Christmas, of course. In polish it’s called ‘Tłusty Czwartek’. It falls on the last Thursday before Lent. The english translation of this holiday gives a lot of insight on what we do on this holiday, and it’s translation is “Fat Thursday”. Because Lent is usually a time of fasting, Fat Thursday provides us with a last day of feasting until Easter. Every year my mom never fails to make paczki. Paczki are jelly filled doughnuts with powdered sugar on top, and they are so much better than any Dunkin’ doughnut (which is surprising for me to say as I find myself at Dunkin’ a few times a week). You can fill paczki with a variety of things like strawberry jam, Bavarian crème, custard, and my personal favorite, wild rose petal jam.

Paczki are hard to make and take a lot of time to prepare, so I will try to explain it in the best way I can. Here are the things you need to make this delicious dessert:

• 2 1/4 tsp of instant yeast
• 1 cup of whole milk
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 tsp of vanilla
• 2 Tbsp of melted butter
• 1/2 tsp of salt
• 3 cups of all-purpose flour
• Oil (for frying purposes)
• Powdered sugar
• Filling of your choice (in this case it’s wild rose petal jam)

To start you will need to heat the milk in a small pan until it is steaming with small bubbles that form around the edges. Remove it from the heat and let it cool until it is lukewarm. These steps are crucial to not kill the yeast. In a bowl of a stand mixer (large bowl is fine too), dissolve the yeast in the milk and leave it for 5 minutes. After the 5 minutes, add 1 cup of flour. Mix together and leave it alone for 20-30 minutes, so it’s really bubbly. While waiting for that, beat the yolks in a separate bowl until it is light and fluffy. To your yeast mixture, add the melted butter as well as the granulated sugar and mix. Add your salt and vanilla as well as the beaten egg yolks. You should also start adding more of the flour to your bowl in small portions. You don’t need to add any more flour once the dough is moist, soft, but not sticky. Before removing the dough, lightly flour your surface and then kneed the dough for about a minute. If the dough is sticking to your hands add more flour. Form the dough into a ball. Next, grease a clean bowl and add your dough. Cover that bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise until your dough has doubled in size. This process can take over an hour before it rises fully. After the dough has doubled, deflate the dough and pat out onto a floured cutting board. With a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 1/2 inch thick circle (it doesn’t have to be perfect, mine never are). Cut out 3 inch circles and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Once done, cover with a clean towel and let it rise again till it doubled (which can take up to 30 minutes). After that, you’re going to heat oil to about 360 degrees in a large pot. You can now fry the paczki until it’s golden on one side, and then flip it to fry the other side. I usually use a fork to flip them. Once fried, put on a cooling rack for about 30 seconds and immediately roll in powdered sugar. Let them stand until they are completely cooled. Once they have cooled, using a knife, poke a hole on one side making sure you don’t go all the way through the paczek. Use a pastry bag or a ziploc bag with a whole on one corner to pipe the jam inside. And you’re done! Now I know not many are going to want to go through this whole process, but I guarantee you it’s well worth it.

Ingredients: (Portion for 1 Person)
– 2 Bananas
– 1 1/2 cups of Milk
– 3 tsp of Sugar
– 1 tsp of Vanilla Extract
– Ice Cubes

Recipe:
1) Peel the 2 Bananas and break them up into pieces, placing them into a blender
2) Measure out and add 1 1/2 cups of Milk
3) Measure out and add 3 teaspoons of Sugar
4) Measure out and add 1 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
5) Add Ice Cubes (I recommend 3 to 4 unless you have abnormally-sized ice cubes, in which case you should feel out what works for you)
6) Close it up with the lid and blend for about 25 seconds; pour it up and enjoy!

I learned this banana milkshake recipe from my older sister when I was a kid. We would always make it together and experiment with the ingredient amounts. Over time, the recipe described above is what we settled on. Now that my sister lives in a different state, making this banana milkshake is very nostalgic for me. I still enjoy it to this day, as well as my aunt who requests it when she visits on the weekends. My grandma also taxes me and takes some whenever she catches me making it because of just how good it is!

Ingredients:

• Pack of Chicken Breast
• 2 Jars of Alfredo Sauce
• Fettuccini Pasta (or pasta of your choice)
• Cheese (of your choice)
• Onion
• Honey
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• Black Pepper
• Garlic Powder
• Paprika Powder
• Cumin Powder
• Adobo Powder
• Cayenne Pepper Powder
• Old Bay Powder
• Flour
• Eggs
• Himalayan Pink Salt

Steps:

1. Clean your Chicken Breast
2. Season your Chicken with the different powders and honey listed and let it marinate in fridge
3. Season your Flour
4. Coat your Chicken in a egg wash and flour then begin frying
5. Take the Chicken out when it’s gold or browned enough to your liking
6. Let your chicken cool
7. In a separate pot fill with water (a little more than half way)
8. Add a pinch and a half of Pink Salt to your water
9. Add the pasta to the water (break it if you feel like it)
10. Cook the pasta until boiled
11. Once your Chicken is cooled you can begin cutting them into cubes/slices
12. Strain your Pasta from the pot
13. In a separate pot (or the same) fill it with your alfredo sauce and add your extra cheese of choice
14. Once Pasta is strained add to pot of alfredo on low heat
15. Add your diced onions to the pasta
16. Add your Chicken to the the pasta
17. Season your pasta with the powders of your choice (optional; reccomended though)
18. Serve your pasta

What is Dawali (Warak Enab)?

Dawali, also known as Warak Enab, is a Middle Eastern cultural dish commonly referred to as stuffed grape leaves. It originated during the Ottoman Empire and is most well-known in Palestine. However, variations of the dish can be found across other Middle Eastern countries, with each region adding its own unique touch. Due to the time and effort required to prepare Dawali, it is typically served during family gatherings or special occasions. The dish symbolizes the perseverance of the land of Palestine and its heritage.

Ingredients:

The Broth:

• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon salt (adjust to taste)

The Filling:

• 1 pound jasmine rice (or Basmati rice)
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup melted butter
• 1½ teaspoons ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon salt (Depends on how salty you’d like your food)
• 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses

To Assemble the Grape Leaves:

• 1 pound jarred grape leaves (or fresh grape leaves)
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 medium tomatoes, sliced crosswise
• 3 medium potatoes, sliced crosswise
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Plain yogurt (for serving)
• 1 medium-sized chicken (cut into 4 or 8 pieces)

Directions:

1. Prepare the Filling: In a large bowl, combine all ingredients listed under “Filling” and mix well until you see all ingredients incorporated. 
2. Prepare the Broth: In a medium bowl, combine the chicken stock and the rest of the ingredients listed under “Broth.” Mix thoroughly and set aside.
3. Prepare the Chicken: Clean the chicken and season it to your liking. Place it onto a porcelain baking dish.
4. Assemble and Cook:
   • If using jarred grape leaves, drain them and gently pull them apart. Place the grape leaves in a medium bowl and pour boiling water over them. Let them sit for 15 minutes, then drain. Cut out the central stem from each leaf.
   • Lay out as many grape leaves as you can on your kitchen table. Place about two teaspoons of filling in the center of each grape leaf (portion may vary based on the size of each leaf). Make sure the central stem side is facing you.
   • Fold the sides of each grape leaf inwards to cover the filling. Roll the grape leaf away from you, but avoid rolling too tightly.
   • Repeat until all grape leaves are filled and rolled.
   • Arrange the sliced tomatoes and potatoes at the bottom of a pot. Layer the stuffed grape leaves in the pot, preferably in concentric circles.
   • Place a plate slightly smaller in diameter than the pot on top of the grape leaves to weigh them down, this is to make sure they don’t float when adding the liquid.
   • Pour the prepared broth over the grape leaves.
   • Place the pot on high heat. Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 2 hours. Add the lemon juice five minutes before removing the pot from heat.
   • After turning off the heat, let the pot rest, covered, for 20 minutes.
   • Invert a serving platter over the pot and carefully flip the pot to put the grape leaves onto the platter. Gently shake the pot to release the grape leaves, then remove the pot carefully.
5. Cook the Chicken: While the Dawali is cooking, preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C). Place the chicken in the middle tray of the oven and bake for about 1 hour.

Serving: That’s all! Serve the Dawali with plain yogurt and the delicious baked chicken on the side! Enjoy!

This time you don’t have to choose one, because we are gonna be using BOTH. This dish can serve as a good breakfast/lunch/dinner or even a snack if you insist. Essential ingredients are any type of cooking oil, salt, and of course what can we do without potatoes and eggs. Almost any other ingredient can fit this dish, depending on your taste. To start, wash your potatoes, peel them, cut them to your size/shape preference (I prefer making them the shape of French fries) and put them in a bowl with water in order to keep them fresh while you pour oil in your pan just about to where it covers floor of the pan, and what for the oil to heat up. Once the oil is hot, place your potatoes in the pan and wait until they become lightly more brown, which should take around 5-7 minutes. If you like cheese, you can drop a handful of grated cheese into the pan and mix it around. Some might be wondering, “but aren’t everyone’s hands sized differently? A handful of cheese is a different amount for everyone…” Not necessarily, because generally, the bigger your hands are the bigger you are, which means the more food you would want. Anyways, Whenever your potatoes turn light yellowish brown, wash your eggs, crack them, pour them into the pan and mix them with the potatoes to even out the amount of eggs and potatoes everywhere. The eggs should be ready very soon: 1 minute or so. That’s the reason we put the eggs in when the potatoes are almost ready. I love to add some black pepper, not too little to the point when you can’t see it, but not too much to the point when a whole quarter of the surface area is black. Now, freedom and experimentation are in your hands. You can eat it straight off the pan or you can add some vegetables. You can make a toast on the side and choose a drink of your choice. You can even drizzle it with honey if you really feel like it. So don’t be shy, experiment.

This dish holds a special place in my heart because my dad always made it when I was a kid and it was my favorite food. He still makes it whenever he wants something fast, easy, and delicious. This is a very popular dish and that is exactly what it’s known for: fast, easy, delicious. What I love most about this food though, is the unlimited possibilities of making it your own and adding things, experimenting with flavors. So enjoy the food, and stay cooky!

Guacamole has to be one of my favorite sides in the entire world. It is my comfort food. It’s what I look for when I feel like I just want a snack to have to disconnect from the world. Being Mexican, I was first introduced to it at home with my mom making it to be a side for the dishes she would make. I fell in love with guac from the first time I tried it and as I grew older, it just stuck with me. Whenever I do long study sessions or spend a long time doing homework or whatever it is that I am doing where I am extremely focused, I will make a bowl of guac and eat it with tortilla chips. Going into my first semester of college, guac is going to play a major role in keeping my sanity intact during those long study sessions. Being my favorite side, I HAD to learn how to make it myself so that I can make it whenever I want. This homemade recipe took a lot of trial and error but eventually, I was able to (somewhat) perfect it. This step-by-step guide will go over the secret to making the perfect guac.

Step One: Prep

Organization is key in creating the perfect workflow, in this case creating the perfect guac. To make a bowl of guac I use the following: three avocados, one plum tomato, one white onion, a batch of cilantro (we won’t be using all of it), and 2 whole limes. The items that you will need to create this masterpiece are one kitchen knife, one fork, a bowl, and a wooden cutting board (if you have any plastic cutting boards please save yourself by throwing them out right now, I am making this part of the guide now). I say organization is key because what I want you to do next is organize your ingredients neatly in your workplace. I want you to put your avocados together on the left and continue to the right with each ingredient, putting them in separate groups. Not only will this make it easier to pick your ingredients but it will also make you feel like a professional (at least for me it does).

Step Two: Showtime

Now we start the process. First, take an avocado and cut into it using your knife. Once you hit the stubborn ball of pure evil (the ball thing in the middle), use your knife to cut around the avocado, it should just glide through. Then take one half and twist it to break the avocado into two parts. Use the heel of your knife to stab the ball of pure evil and twist it then pop it out using the knife. Once the ball is removed, use your fork to scoop out the avocado into your bowl, separating the avocado from the shell. Repeat this process with the other two avocados. Now we move on to the tomatoes, take one tomato, and make sure one end is facing up and the other touching the counter. Cut in half from end to end and then lay them down flat. Cut the ends just to where it is flat-ended but hasn’t been cut too much, just the ends. use your fork to scoop out the gooey-like substance with seeds in the middle until it is just the bare tomato. Face the tomato to where one end is facing away from you and one is towards you. The side that is longer is the side you want to cut, parallel to your knife. There should be long pieces of tomatoes. Then you want to cut sideways, perpendicular to the long pieces of the tomato you just cut. This will dice the tomatoes which will enhance the flavor of the guac in the end. Follow these steps with the other side of the tomato. Now, you have your avocado and tomatoes in your bowl. Let’s move on to the next ingredient, onions. First, cut the onion in half lengthwise, then cut the ends just as we did with the tomato. This time we won’t need to scoop anything out the middle. If you’re not crying at this point I applaud you but if you are, stop being such a baby (I’m crying too). Next, peel the outer layers of the onion if you haven’t already. I like to do this at this step because I find it the easiest to peel off from here. Now cut the onion the same way you did with the tomato, cutting the onion with the long side parallel to your knife so that it creates longer pieces which we will follow with cutting perpendicular. When cutting perpendicular, your hand should be covering the onion and your knife should be sideways as you cut into the onion, your hand moving backward as you continue to dice the onion. We’re almost done with just a few more steps! Now we move on to the cilantro. Start by picking the leaves off the stem of your cilantro batch until you feel that it’s good enough to your proportion and liking as I don’t really know the measurements for this. I personally like a good amount of cilantro in my guac so I make sure to pick more than usual. Once you finish picking, push the picked leaves together so that it looks like a bush. With your hand, hug the leaves together and cut just as you would cutting the tomato or onion, perpendicularly. The knife should be sideways as your hand slowly moves back to allow for you to cut seamlessly into the leaves, chopping them into smaller pieces. Repeat the process of hugging the leaves together and cutting again to ensure that all the leaves have been cut into smaller pieces. An easier way to cut the cilantro is by hugging the cilantro together then with your knife facing down and your hand placed over the spine of the knife in the gesture of a high five, cut the cilantro leaves quickly, fast chopping them. Congratulations, your ingredients are now ready to be mixed.

Step Three: Mixing

Now it is time to mix. Your avocados and tomatoes should be in your bowl right now so all we have to do is add the onions and cilantro as I forgot to tell you to add them to your bowl, my bad. Once all your ingredients are in the bowl, Use your fork to mash the avocado into that creamy guac substance. As you mush, mix the other ingredients with the avocado you are mushing. Repeat this process until the avocado is completely mushed and then just start mixing it all around so that the ingredients are all mixed together. However, we are still missing one more thing.

The Most Important Step: Lime

Yes, this one ingredient, needs its own step. Lime is such a great ingredient to add to any dish you make. I love to use lime for whatever I make, whether it be chicken, rice, shrimp, salmon, or even sandwiches. Lime on steak does taste weird so that is probably one dish I wouldn’t add it to. Alright, let’s get back to this recipe. Take one lime and cut it width-wise. Each halve of your lime should still have the end attached, this makes it easier to squeeze and not miss out on any of that secret sauce (lime juice). Do the same with the other lime and finally finish your guac by squeezing all four halves of lime into your bowl and mixing it one last time. Now you’re done. Take some time to admire the masterpiece you have just created. Spam call your loved ones and when they answer, let them know that you just made some fire guac. You’re welcome.

Bibim myeon

Bibim myeon is a simple Korean dish that brings me many memories. I remember after school coming home practically starving and ready to eat anything but there’s just no food that’s cooked and ready to eat. Being laid back and lazy after school, I hated cooking but one glance at the instant noodles that read Bibim Myeon. I was ready to be a chef. For 10 minutes max.

I started by just grabbing a pot and filling it up with some hot water. Placed it on the stove and let it boil up. I ripped open the packaging and took out the crimson-red sauce packet. I then grabbed 1 egg and the noodles from the package and placed them into the boiling hot water. I waited for 5 minutes before taking out the egg and placing it into some cold ice water. I drained the noodles and let them cool for a bit before opening the sauce packet. I stirred the noodles and let them soak up the spicy tangy sauce. I cracked and peeled the egg from its shell and placed it onto my now blood-red noodles. Finally, I sat down in peace with my freshly cooked instant noodles and enjoyed a movie.