the friday feed: spices

When having a house full of people, resorting to sheet pan meals is such a time saver. It's a technique that allows you to cook an entire meal on a single baking sheet. It's so efficient. All ingredients cook together in the oven at the same time, minimizing the need to monitor multiple dishes. Clean-up is easy. Only one pan needs to be washed after cooking, unlike using multiple pots and pans for different components of a meal. Sheet pan meals save time spent in the kitchen, which means more time for visiting and playing with the grandkids.

Last week the New York Times published a recipe for a Sheet Pan Chicken Tikka with Vegetables. I don't do much Indian cooking but this sounded really good, I knew most of my family would like it, and I wanted to try something new. Such a blend of spices, none of which were in my spice cabinet. How I wish stores would sell spices in smaller quantities. I would gladly pay more for a smaller amount.  But they don't so now these four spices are part of the seasoning repertoire. I know I will use the turmeric, ancho chili powder, and cumin seeds. The garam masala has a distinctive taste, one that Todd doesn't care for, so I will look for a new spice cabinet for that jar to get some appreciation and good use.