Command Decisions, Inspiration, and a Few New Recipes

Since I've gotten a bit of a late start on this week, and I really want to do this cuisine justice (they literally invented cookbooks, after all), I'm making the command decision to extend Iraq week until next Wednesday (the 24th), and pushing out Brazil to be the last week.  I know I know, I was excited for pao do queso and all manner of rice and bean and meat yumminess too, but the fact is, deep down, I'm lazy.  I don't want to update every single one of the weeks to bump everything back by a week, so I'm just removing Brazil and tacking it on to the end.  I. am. sorry.

As for the rest of next week, I'll be enjoying the cajun/New Jerseian cooking of my heritage with my family...it is Thanksgiving, after all.  I may give a token effort to trying to make something Brazilian, but chances are good that won't happen.  Sorry. I'll do better at Christmas, I promise. 

As soon as we all stop crying, let's move on.

Unfortunately, I'm still feeling pretty gross tonight, so I'm going to opt for comfort food again (which, ironically, means we're going to our favorite Mexican place in town...I feel like I'm cheating doing that, but it is what it is.  I don't even have the energy to come up with something witty to rationalize it.)

However!  There is a light at the end of this tunnel!  I'm making progress!  I'm committing!

Here are some recipes I'm going to try this week, come hell or high water (even if Nick's the only one eating anything):

http://recipes.wikia.com/wiki/Simple_yet_Elegant_Babylonian_Apricot_Jewels - Hopefully these will turn out to be super yummy so I can serve them at this year's Christmas party.
http://recipes.wikia.com/wiki/Crystallized_Ginger_Cookies This one I might actually make tonight, just to say I've at least attempted an Iraqi recipe.
http://recipes.wikia.com/wiki/Iraqi_Cardamom_Cookies_%28Hadgi_Badah%29 - I might try these too.
http://iraqifamilycookbook.blogspot.com/2010/11/stuffed-grape-leaves.html - Not really sure where I'll find grape leaves, but it's about time I man up and really go to a foreign grocery store.  Seriously, this time I'll go. Seriously.
http://iraqifamilycookbook.blogspot.com/2008/06/saffron-rice-with-meat-dressing.html  - A special occasion recipe, but it looks yummy.
http://www.food.com/recipe/kebab-iroog-424152 - In Iraq, kebabs are baked or fried, not grilled.  Which is good, since it's getting cold out and I don't want to grill.  :-)
(While I was looking at that recipe, I found this one:
http://www.food.com/recipe/grilled-pineapple-kebabs-with-tequila-brown-sugar-glaze-95502
Yup, will definitely be trying that one soon.)
http://www.iraqicookbook.com/contents/poultry.html - Chicken Drumsticks Baked in Fig Sauce? Um, yes please!

So, starting tomorrow, I'm cooking Iraqi.  For serious this time.

Tonight, I need tortilla chips and chiles rellano.  However you spell it.

For more menu plans, see Org Junkie!