(HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO BILL’S MOM CAROL!)

If my Thanksgiving break has lacked anything, it certainly isn’t wine.

… or good, delicious and filling food.

Last night Bill decided to make Orangette’s Chana Masala. His parents had never had homemade chana masala, so it was perfect for Thanksgiving eve.

My job responsibilities included photographing everything and mixing spices. Bill started by chopping one onion.

Then it was time to sauté the onion in a little olive oil. We doesn’t use as much oil as the recipe calls for – and I think it’s best that way.

This dish calls for a ton of spices – some you may have and some you may not. I had the pleasure of mixing these together.

Here is all my hard work. Phew, I was breaking a sweat.

You add that mix and some garlic to the onion and cook it up. This is one of the best parts of the process because the room starts to smell like an Indian restaurant, and you decide you never want to leave it.

I’m not super keen on tomatoes, but this next part is also one of my favorites. I love seeing how red the pan can get.

Is there anything more beautiful than this?

Oh wait – this. Yes, this is more beautiful. Chickpeas give any dish an instant charm.

Then you add some greek yogurt for thickness and texture.

And you set a beautiful table with nice place mats and dishware (again, not something I did – I was completely lazy during the cooking of this meal, and it was nice).

I admired the way the naan was ripped apart.

Especially considering it once looked like this. Crazy.

A beautiful meal with beautiful people. Thanks for all your hard work, Bill.

(Afterward we went to the Casino, and I won $11! Wee!)

Happy Turkey Day!