Being Crafty

So right now I'm on Spring Break. Lovely, wonderful, get to sleep in until 12pm Spring Break! I did not want to waste the whole thing and I thought that I should finish a project I took on forever ago, so I did.

I have these two matching shelves that belonged to my grandmother. They're on the smaller side, but have been incredibly useful for storage, especially since we have SO much stuff crammed into a tiny apartment. I love these shelves, but they just weren't pretty to look at. They are in my dining room along with my solid wood table SO MUCH BROWN IN ONE TINY ROOM!!

I really wish I had remembered to take better "before" photo's, I forgot BOTH times. I guess that part wasn't meant to be.

I took these plain old wooden shelves and painted them white. I though they looked fab! However, I knew that I could step it up a notch. 

I (Raj) measured the space of each shelf (they don't come out) and cut that measured size out of foam cardboard. Then I wrapped each piece with fabric and stuck it in the back. I am now SO in love with these I just can't even. The best part about the foam board is that I can remove them and change the backing anytime! Thanks pinterest!

The only bad thing, is that I'm still needing to use them in my dining room for storage, so with everything on them it's hard to see the pretty backside!

That's okay though! Hopefully we'll be moving in the next year and I'll find a better use for them!

So I just thought I'd share what I had been up to over my break and hopefully spread out some inspiration! =)

Capsicum Paneer

I had been meaning to post this recipe for a long time. Whenever I'd make it, I'd either forget to take photo's or forget halfway through. Well, today I got everything I need! Finally!

This dish is ideal for a day where you might be craving a "light" meal. I always service it with dal and roti. I'm starting to crave it just thinking about it!

Let's get started!

Ingredients:

• Capsicum (bell pepper); Red, green, yellow, one of each
• 2-3 roma tomatoes, pureed
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2-3 tsp coriander powder
• 2-3 tsp cumin powder
• 2-3 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp tumeric
• Salt, to taste
• About 1 c. paneer, cubed (learn more about paneer here)
• 1 tbsp oil

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a pan. Once it's hot, add cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Once those start popping add the chopped onion.

2. While the onions are cooking, wash and cut your bell peppers! 

3. I usually start by cutting them julienne style 

4. Then I line them up and chop them into small, but size pieces

5. Have I mentioned that this dish is actually super pretty? So, so colorful! =)

6. Don't forget to stir your onions occasionally while cutting your peppers! Once the onions are cooked, add your pureed tomatoes. If you like it more dry, only use 2 tomatoes, and use more if you like more gravy. I usually use three, but you'll find what you like!

7. Let the tomato puree cook for a minute or two and then you can add the coriander, cumin, red chili, and tumeric powder. Also add some salt.

8. Give this a good stir and now you're ready to add your cut up capsicum

9. I add a little water to keep it from sticking. As you can see I added a liiiiittle too much, but that's okay! Most of it evaporated anyway 

10. Cook this for roughly 5-10 minutes, or until the peppers start to get tender. You can add water as needed if it starts sticking, and stir often.

11. While this is cooking, cut up your paneer into bite size cubes. The amount you use is up to you, Raj really loves his paneer so I tend to put more, but you can adjust!

12. Once the bell peppers are tender, add in the paneer

13. Let this cook for a few minutes warm, or until the paneer is heated through and viola! Yummy, delicious, light capsicum paneer!

Paneer

I felt that it was necessary to make a post dedicated to paneer, as I know a lot of people may not know what this is, American's especially.

Paneer is a type of Indian cheese and we actually use it quite frequently in our home. Rather than explaining what it is in every recipe that requires it, I'll just have this as a reference!

Raj once explained paneer to me the first time I had it. My first ever Indian food experience was at a restaurant called the Taj Mahal (so cliche!). He ordered our food for us since I had NO idea what any thing was. He ordered us paneer as the appetizer. He said to think of cottage cheese, the curds to be more exact. So I'm here imagining cold cottage cheese and then the waiter comes out with big cubes of this fried . . . stuff.

I won't lie. I wasn't a fan at first, it was too weird for me, but now I looooove paneer!

We usually purchase it from our local Indian grocer, however I've found it at our international market so you may have to look around to find it. I like to buy it frozen, but I've seen it in the refrigerator section also. You could also try and make your own!

My boyfriend's friends'

Hello! It's been far too long since I've posted. I'm in the final months of my program and things have been terribly busy! Rather than taking time I don't have to cook, I've been prepping my meals weekly (this also doubles to help in weight loss!) so I haven't had any new recipes to publish, don't worry though, I have tons more to share.

I had something on my mind tonight and I thought I should write about it. Raj has some amazing friends. I've had boyfriends in the past who had friends that I truly didn't care for. Everyone of Raj's friends that I've met so far have been some of the nicest, sweetest people I've ever met.

I had met other Indian's, in college. They all seemed so quiet, stand offish, and shy. I shouldn't generalize and I don't mean to, but this is just in my experience, so Raj and his friends came as a surprise! I feel that they've all been very supportive of our relationship, and that means so much!

Despite the fact that most of his friends now live far away, out of state, we do have one that lives in the same complex as we do. We hang out often!Yesterday he invited us over to try his culinary skills, and he whipped up this big, amazing dinner for us. It was very touching actually.

Raj enjoying that awesome dinner!

So, for those of you in a multicultural relationship, how do you get along with your significant others' friends?