Basic Applesauce

So apparently Christmas is the holiday on which EFL students in China give their teachers apples, the less flavorful (Red "Delicious," anyone?) the better. It got to the point that I had a small mountain of apples in a corner of my kitchen, and that's when I started looking at applesauce recipes! The following is a quick and easy one adapted from this recipe.

Chinese-style Slivovitsa

Slivovitsa (сливовица), also known as slivovitz and sliv'yanka, is a plum brandy most commonly produced in the Balkans, but known throughout Eastern and Central Europe. Although genuine slivovitsa is made by distilling plums with yeast, sugar, and an assortment of other ingredients, slivovitsa can also be made with plums, vodka (or another grain alcohol), sugar, and so on. This recipe is of the latter variety.

Massaman Curry Tofu

I loved all things Thai long before I first got the chance to visit Thailand, and massaman curry chicken has been a favorite among favorites. I was reminded recently of how long it's been since I had massaman anything, and so I decided to slightly adapt this recipe to take it from carnivorous to vegan. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

Easy Stuffed Peppers

I've been looking for easy recipes for meals here now that the Prophets' (or Advent) Fast has begun and this fits the bill nicely. It works for me as a meal (a couple of them, actually) when I'm dining on my own, but it could easily work as a side dish for a larger meal as well. I may experiment with a tomato sauce of some sort the next time I make this, but it's perfectly lovely served as is.