India - Dinner - Chicken Tikka Masala

A few days ago, my friends and I went to this amazing Indian café in Wellesley. We got the lunch buffet and the dish that I enjoyed most was the chicken tikka masala. I had never had it before, and was already planning to make it for my senior project. I loved it so much, especially when I dipped their naan in the sauce. I had it over white rice and was full for the rest of the day. Here is a healthier version of chicken tikka masala that I found. The recipe includes veggies, and I incorporated whole wheat rice (even though I like white better oops).

Greece - Dinner - Pastitsio

Before this senior project, I didn't really know that much about Greek culture except what I watched in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Mamma Mia, 300, Clash of the Titans, Troy and Disney's Hercules. I went to my resident Greek friend and asked what I should make for dinner. She immediately said pastitsio, which I discovered is essentially Greece's lasagna. There are many different versions of pastitsio depending on which Mediterranean culture you're cooking for (Italy, Greece, Malta, Cyprus and Egypt all have their own versions). We're going to stick with Greece for this project, but feel free to research and explore different recipes! I used this one, which I adapted below.

France - Dinner - Coq au Vin

I chose to do two dinner recipes for France because in France it is traditional to serve a three course meal consisting of an entrée, main course and a dessert. French onion soup was my entrée, so coq au vin is my main course. Coq au vin is a dish of chicken braised with red wine, lardons and mushrooms. When searching for recipes, in my mom's extensive cookbook collection, I came across a vintage copy of Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, which was given to my mom after it's owner, my grandmother's cousin Ellen, passed away from cancer. The book was found in her house, and it was stuffed with little mementoes from the time period, including a Time Magazine cover with Julia Child on it and a handwritten family recipe for French croissants. It was so lovely to enjoy this meal and toast her with my family, and I hope you can give it a try!

Spain - Dinner - Vegan Paella

My family never really got into Spanish food (we basically have Italian food every night), so I relied on my friends' recommendations when asking what I should make for my senior project. Paella was one of the first dishes that came up, and I butchered the pronunciation at first but figured it out eventually (who knew two L's make a Y sound? I guess I knew because of the word tortilla...). This dish I created following this recipe is so healthy and delicious, using vegetable stock and all kinds of good fruits and vegetables. It was fun and easy to make and made the whole house smell good. Enjoy!

Japan - Dinner - Sushi

When I was in third grade in Connecticut, we did a project on Japan, and my mom came in and made sushi for our whole class. I don't think I had any then because I immediately wrote off sushi as disgusting since it was made out of seaweed, but I really should have had it. I had sushi for the first time in the fall, and I fell in love and now crave it weekly. Homemade sushi, I think, can be so much better than restaurant made, and it's a lot cheaper. We made about eight rolls with all our ingredients, which added up to maybe $40. At a restaurant like Takara, eight rolls could cost you $80! Here is how I made my sushi. I didn't follow a recipe, so I will try and explain how to make it the best that I can!

France - Dinner - French Onion Soup

When I had dinner at the oldest restaurant in Paris, À La Petite Chaise, they served me French onion soup as a starter. I had had Panera's French onion soup before, but nothing compares to the warm, gooey goodness that I ate that night! Since then, I have sampled French onion soups whenever I can, so it was a no brainer to include it as a part of my senior project. This recipe was so simple to follow and turned out very well. If you have extra at the end, I love to put the onions in between a French baguette with extra cheese and a little bit of the broth for a French onion soup sandwich!

Italy - Dinner - Mushroom Three Cheese Quinoa Risotto

Pasta is by far my favorite thing to eat, but it's full of carbs and not very healthy (I still have it every friday night religiously with my family, often with my mom's homemade red sauce). But on other nights, quinoa is a nice substitute for pasta, including risotto. If you don't know, quinoa is the only grain that has protein and can be used in a variety of ways. It's also very high in fiber, is gluten free and is loaded with good antioxidants and minerals. I followed this recipe by Mark Bittman from The New York Times for a very yummy dinner!