Here’s the thing: we’re a little behind. Yet, we are determined to get this challenge done by 12/31/2010, and get it done we will. We are resilient. We are strong women. We are stubborn.

We might ask beg for help. We might cry. We might throw ingredients at each other, burn onions, forget heavy cream, add too much baking soda, not read the recipe before we start and realize it has to cook for 3-4 hours.

But we will finish.

Our schedule? In the next 11 weeks, we have to make 38 recipes. Sprinkled in there (for fun) is Thanksgiving and Christmas break, which means we lose a week. So in the remaining 10 weeks, we will make 38 recipes. That’s a over 3 a week, for those of you who did NOT go to Emerson College and can do math without a calculator.

Cooking days, you ask? Well, there are 17 of them.

October 14, 16, 17, 19, 20, 27, 31.
November 3, 12, 13, 16, 19, 25, 27, 28
December 4, 31 (A Grand Finale, if you will.)

So we’re looking at roughly 2 per cooking day, with a few that have more, and some weeknight dinners that we’ve already planned. Get ready for lots of updates, lots of pictures, and lots of dishes.

It’s another Daring Cooks edition!! Our October 2010 hostess, Lori of Lori’s Lipsmacking Goodness, has challenged The Daring Cooks to stuff grape leaves. Lori chose a recipe from Aromas of Aleppo and a recipe from The New Book of Middle Eastern Food.

First of all, let us tell you that finding grape leaves is no easy task. (OK, so actually in the end it wasn’t that hard, but we had to try a few stops.) We found ours at a Middle Eastern/Italian market. I also spotted some the other day at a French/Italian market in town. So, I would try a specialty store if you’re looking.

Meet Melissa. She’s our gluten-free help. We’re glad to add a third to our Daring Cooks rotation.

Grape leaves, pre brine wash.

To get rid of the brine, you have to rinse the grape leaves in a couple washes of boiling water.

Meat, along with a handful of spices, makes for a delicious stuffing...

Grape leave-stuffing area, prepped and ready.

Following the directions, very carefully.

The recipe called for a hunk of tamarind. So, we found one. Delicious.

Verdict? Delicious. They were a little tamarind-y, but other than that, I’d eat them again. Make them? Maybe not. They are a lot of work. I would like to try a different filling and see what that would be like. Luckily, we have half a jar left!