November is usually a low-key month for me, and this year was no exception. I cooked a lot of great food at home and have started a list of my go-to recipes that I need to finally document here in the new year:

  • This seems like something from another era, but I had an epic night out that started with celebratory drinks with Krishna at Cactus Club to toast her last day at her job, followed by me running through First Canadian Place to meet my work besties at King Taps for a reunion dinner. Probably very basic of me, but I don’t care; those are two of my favourite places for after-work debauchery and I miss them (and the Szechuan Lettuce Wraps + Kona Pizza) so much!
  • I had a little staycation this month and treated myself to a Toronto Adventure Day. I went to the AGO for the first time in probably 20 years, followed by Maker Pizza, and then a visit to Stackt Market to check out New Pie Co (which you may remember me obsessing over in this post). I had a slice of Ube Coconut and Chocolate Pecan and they were both INCREDIBLE. I think I need to take one of Shiela’s classes, because her pie has the flakiest, crispiest crust I think I’ve ever had.
  • I didn’t bake too much this month (besides what I posted), but I saw this recipe on Ambitious Kitchen (The Best Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls You’ll Ever Eat) and had to put it to the test. It was fine, but I don’t know if I’d say it was the best ever (see here and here).
  • Jen and I binged the first season of Ted Lasso, and we ordered a feast from Coriander Green after Ted goes to an Indian restaurant in one of the episodes. I didn’t know about this restaurant, even though it’s been in Oakville forever, but I’ll definitely be ordering from them again.
  • And now the regular recap of what I was cooking this month, broken down into three categories:
  • Stuff I made from the archives: Sweet Potato & Black Bean Burrito Bowls, Butternut Squash & Chickpea Salad, Cheesy Butternut Squash Rigatoni (wow, a very root vegetable themed month!)
  • Some of my favourite go-to dishes: Panko Crusted Fish & Broccoli Crack, Skillet Cheesy Chickpeas, Coconut Curry Salmon, Everyday Meatballs & Caesar Salad
  • New things that I tried and liked: Sunday Chili, Rotisserie Chicken Salad

Other non-foodie things I was obsessed with this month:

  • My hairstylist is back from mat leave, so I’m happy to say I’m BLOND again! Yay! I (regrettably) coloured my own hair with a box dye during lockdown so I’m so happy Kim fixed me up, and I feel more like myself.
  • Alexis and I went to a Raptors Game! It was truly THRILLING to be back in the ACC and it really hit different after only being able to watch on TV for the past two years.
  • I had a great reading month and I think The Mothers is the best book I’ve read this year. Five Little Indians was quite bleak, but a good read and motivated me to read more non-fiction about residential schools. Finally, I read A Slow Fire Burning on one snowy Sunday – I can never see what twists are coming in a thriller/mystery, so I liked it!

Flashback!