Sesame Turkey Meatballs + Smashed Chickpea Salad

I'm taking this opportunity of free time to crack open some of the cookbooks I got for Christmas, and whipping up some dinner that's besides the usual. (Turns out I have laryngitis and what I think is also bronchitis on top of that, and was ordered from my doctor to take a couple days off work so that I could not talk/whisper for three days to get my voice back).

One of the cookbooks I received is the Smitten Kitchen cookbook from the very popular food blog, smittenkitchen.com. I've been following her blog off and on for some time now, and the first time I actually spotted the cookbook (and found out that there was a book), was in a random bookstore when I was in Taiwan last February. I just couldn't add another heavy item to my already bursting luggage, so I didn't purchase it then. Fast forward to this past Christmas, when my brother asked that I just tell him what he should get me for Christmas, I thought, hey, the Smitten Kitchen cookbook! So of course, come Christmas morning, I found it under the Christmas tree. Yay!

This is the first recipe that I'm trying out of the book. And it turned out great. The family loved it. The meatballs were tender and deliciously flavoured with cumin, coriander, and toasted sesame seeds. The chickpea salad cannot be any easier to make, and the tartness of the lemon juice pairs well with everything else.

I am so in love with the book. It not only has gorgeous photos of every recipe, but the recipes are easy to follow. No fuss. (Okay, maybe I should try a few more recipes before I make that kind of conclusion). What I also love about the book is, Deb also tells a little story with each of her recipes... whether it be about her childhood and cooking with her mom, or how she came about creating the recipe. Well, just like her blog of course. It sorta makes food... not just food, y'know? Can't wait to try the rest.