2022's cookbook challenge

[conuly]

So sorry I took so long to post! I've been attacked with a general sense of malaise and ennui.

The rules are as follows:

1. Pick a commitment that works for you - don't sign up to one new recipe a week if you'll never be able to pull it off. There's no judgment if you overestimate your abilities, but try to be realistic.

2. Use only recipes that are already in your possession, either in a physical copy or bookmarked in your browser. No fair picking out new recipes to try! That's fun too, but that's not the point of the challenge. Physical recipes don't have to literally come from a cookbook - if they're on Grandma's old index card or the back of a mayo jar, that's fine.

3. When you've cooked one of those backlogged recipes, post about it, either here or in your journal. Make sure to copy out the recipe, credit it properly, and note any substitutions or changes you had to make. If the recipe comes from a website or from a book that can be purchased online, then consider posting a link.

4. Once a month I'll post a roundup. If you didn't post in the comm, post a link to your entry in the comments.

5. This is a fun challenge. No judgment. The only goal is to support each other as we make our way through our piles of hoarded recipes, at whatever pace we can manage.

If you want a formal way to mark your own commitment, fill in the poll.

Poll #26591 Cookbook challenge sign-up

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 19

View Respondents

What commitment are you willing to make?

View Answers

One or more recipe a week
0 (0.0%)

Three or more recipes a month
2 (10.5%)

One or two recipes a month
5 (26.3%)

Six or more recipes over the year
3 (15.8%)

Two to six recipes over the year
3 (15.8%)

At least one recipe over the year
5 (26.3%)

Unsure/rather not say
1 (5.3%)

I'll sit this one out, but cheer from the sidelines
0 (0.0%)

( Banner images )

If you'd like to do this with a bingo card, there are some ready-made ones here. Or, you can go here to generate your own!

January 2021 roundup

Curried Squash and Red Lentil Soup with Coconut

[monksandbones]

I've historically focused on cooking stew-type things in my slow cooker, but this weekend I decided to try one of my slow cooker soup recipes, which I left simmering while I was at work today, just in time to be my January post for my new 1–2 posts a month 2022 cookbook_challenge commitment!

The recipe is from Judith Finlayson, The Vegetarian Slow Cooker.

( Curried Squash and Red Lentil Soup with Coconut )

The soup turned out to be decently tasty, and worth experimenting with making again! I think if I made it again I'd want it spicier–more red pepper flakes, definitely, and more curry powder and more effort to hunt down the right kind of fresh hot pepper as well. I think I would also try a smaller amount of tomato. The big can of tomato made the tomato flavour a little overpowering to me, especially compared to the squash. Finally, I would definitely use light not regular coconut milk next time. I don't know what I was thinking! Regular coconut milk is really rich and this is not that much soup for the amount of coconut milk!