COCONUT-CINNAMON BUNS AND ALOO PARATHAS

Coconut Buns and stuffed Aloo Parathas are my entries to Coffee of "The Spice Cafe" blog. Her event is "Monthly blog patroling" for "Bread" this month.Thanks Coffee!:)

My first bread for MBP:
Ever since I saw these Coconut Buns at Pushpa's blog last year, my kids wanted to have these but then I forgot to bake them until Coffee said "bread" this month!!:D
I would say if you want any baked goods,you should visit Pushpa's blog. She has a great collection of cookies and cakes over there, some are Malaysian style. Look for "Weekend Baking Session" for sweet goodies!:)

What better time to choose and bake these yummy Buns! They were as delicious as I had imagined they would be.I followed the making and baking instruction mostly as it is in her blog except added little Vanilla essence to the dough.(Kids, again!:P)

For filling: To make it easy on me, I sprinkled 1 tsp Cinnamon pd to 1 cup sweetened coconut,2 tbsp brown sugar and 1 tsp of dark Molasses, heated for 30seconds in the Microwave to mix. Baking is at 375F for 18-20mins.

Coconut Buns, from Pushpa of "PuSiVa's Culinary Studio" blog:


I had posted a Cardamom-Raisin quick buns without Yeast few months back which I love, these are similar but made with Yeast,hence very soft and tender.Make sure you use fresh Yeast for the best result. Enjoy!:)

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My second and a successful choice of bread for MBP, Aloo Parathas:
I love Aloo Parathas and I tried several times to make stuffed Parathas but always failed with filling spilling out all over the place and making a mess on the kitchen counter.I just gave up on these.Then I saw Kajal's thick and delicious Parathas with recipe she got from Pooja's blog.I decided to give it a try one more time using Kajal's photos as guide and stuffing method.
They came out so well and delicious without spilling as you can see, these will be on the menu regularly now!! I added a little Turmeric to the Potato filling for color. Excellent!! Thanks Kajal and Pooja!:))

I followed the folding method of making Aloo Parathas exactly as she has shown from Kajal of "Kajaldreams" blog:

Kajal made her Aloo Parathas with recipe from Pooja's blog. Original recipe for Aloo Parathas is from Pooja of "Creative Pooja" blog.

Secrets to the best Aloo Parathas I learnt this time;
1. Make the filling very dry,add powders,chillies and mash Potatoes very well to a smooth dough without lumps.
2. Let the Paratha dough rest for atleast30mins.
3. When stuffing ,make sure there are no air pockets between the dough and the filling. If there is a air pocket,it bursts when rolling out the Parathas after stuffing!Look at Kajal's photos. Eureka moment for me!!!:D
4. Use non-stick pan with little oil sprinkled on both sides of the Parathas for a golden color to avoid using too much oil.

Finally, my favorite aromas in my kitchen are;
1. Baking bread,
2. Aroma of Cinnamon and Sugar,
3. Garlic and onions frying!!:D

That's about it, you will get a perfect stuffed Aloo Parathas, better than the ones you get in the restaurants!!

TAPIOCA-TRICOLOR GRAPES PUDDING ON PASTRY AND BASIC MW TOMATO SAUCE!

Grapes and Tapioca pudding served on pastry, is my contribution "A fruit a month aka AFAM" which is started by Maheswari of "Beyond the usual" blog.This month's guest host is our sweet "Swapna from "Swad of India" blog with her choice of fruit "Grapes".Thanks for hosting Swapna!:))






This is also my contribution to Marta of "An Italian in the US" blog. Her event is "Fresh produce of the Month" and her choice this month is "Grapes" as well! Easy for us, thanks Marta!:)






Beautiful juicy and seedless Tri-color Grapes!!

Grapes grow in clusters of 6 to 300, and can be black, blue, golden, green, purple, red, pink, brown, peach or white. White grapes are evolutionarily derived from the red grape.Grape helps to lower cholesterol levels in the body and thus slows the build up of deposits in the arteries.Grapes have been positively linked to fighting cancer, heart disease, degenerative nerve disease and other ailments. Dried grapes are also called Raisins,Sultanas, Currants and Grapes are used to make Wine, which is found to be helpful in fighting Heart diseases if Wine is consumed everyday in moderation.Info from WIKIPEDIA.

Tapioca-Grapes Pudding on quick baking Crescent pastry drizzled with Grape jam:



You need:
1 can of Pillsbury Crescents pack or any kind of crust you like or even a slice of cake will do too, 1 large tub of Tapioca pudding (store-bought or homemade), 2 cups of washed,dried Grapes, chopped into smaller pieces and 1/4 cup Grape Jam ,thinned slightly with with litter water or any juice.


How to make the dessert:
1. Open the can of Crescent, spread on sheet withot separating the triangles,seal a rectangle in the middle.Gather the edges,squeeze to seal like a cup and bake as instructed on the pack.Cool.
2. Chop Grapes and mix with pudding and keep aside. Thin the Grape a little to make it spreadable.Keep it in the firdge until you are ready.
3. Just before serving, place a baked crescent shell on a plate, spoon some pudding along to the lenght of the pastry and drizzle with jam.

That's it! Enjoy. Makes a great light dessert after a meal!

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Basic Tomato sauce cooked in the Microwave is my entry for the event "Easy cooking with Microwave" which is launched by Srivalli from "cooking4all seasons" with a theme of "Basics" this month. Thanks for hosting Srivalli!:))



Basic Tomato sauce which can used in a myriad of dishes!

Though it is botanically a fruit, the tomato is nutritionally categorized as a vegetable. Tomato has an acidic property that is used to bring out other flavors. This same acidity makes tomatoes especially easy to preserve in home canning as tomato sauce or paste.
Lycopene, one of nature's most powerful antioxidants, is present in tomatoes, and, especially when tomatoes are cooked, has been found beneficial in preventing many disease.Info from WIKI.

Here is the step by step of how to make it:


1. Choose about 10 to 15 ripe red Plum Tomatoes or any kind with thick pulp ones.Wash and dry them. With a knife, puncture the skin of each Tomato in 3-4 places to avoid them bursting in the Microwave.
2. Add all of them in a deep microwaveable bowl with 1 cup of water,cover with little gap on top and cook on high for 20mins.Take the bowl put and let it cool for 15mins.
3. Now take a plate and peel the skin (very easy now the Tomatoes are cooked and skin separated) and squeeze the pulp gently to remove the seeds (which makes the sauce sour if you don't), add to a blender.
4. When done with all of those, grind the sauce until very smooth.Let it cool completely.
5. Pour in a clean jar, store in the fridge. Shake or stir the sauce before using and use it within a week!

Ready to go!!:))


Some of the dishes you can with this sauce:
Rasam,
Marinara sauce,
Tomato Paneer,
Aloo Tamatar,
Any gravy which needs a little color and tang,
Tomato Saaru/Sambhar,
Lasagne,
On Pizza and Pies,
Gazpacho,
Any pasta dishes,
etc.,enjoy!:))

EGG KOTTU PARATHA AND A COOKBOOK!

Egg Kottu Paratha flavored with Mustard seeds and Mustard powder along with other spices is my contribution to Sunita from "Sunita's World" blog's "Think Spice..Think.." event.This month's spice is "Mustard seeds", thanks for hosting Sunita!:)




Mustardy Egg Kottu Paratha!:)
Kottu Paratha is a south Indian dish, also very popular in Sri Lanka as street cart snack, similar to Pasta Marinara but using Parathas for Pasta with spicy Indian sauce or like Gujarati Dal Dhokli with a thicker sauce!!

I have seen Kottu Pratha in so many blogs,I always wanted to make this dish but never saved any Parathas to make it. Well..I made 2 parathas just for this and whipped out this mostly following the direction given in the cookbook below, adding extra brown mustard pd.YUM!! You can skip the Egg if you like!
For Parathas; you can make either Malaysian Roti Canai or layered wheat Parathas.

Gather all these first:

2 leftover or freshly made Parathas chopped into 1" squares, 2 sliced tomatoes, 1/2 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1/2 tbsp ground mustard powder(store bought or ground at home),1/4 tsp Turmeric,1/4 tsp chilli pd, 1 tsp coriander powder, salt to taste, cilantro to garnish, 1 egg.
For seasoning:
1/2 tbsp oil, 1 tsp Mustard seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1/2 large red onion chopped fine,1-2 green chillies, few curry leaves and 2 tsp ginger and Garlic paste.

How to make Kottu Paratha:

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil, add 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 2 chopped green chillies, a few curry leaves, chopped onion, and fry until onion is golden.Add ginger-garlic paste,fry for a minute.
2. Add egg, let it scramble and then add all the spices and tomatoes. Fry for two minutes.
3. Add Paratha pieces, mix well, garnish with cilantro, and serve with pepper and lemon slice.

Another look of delicious Kottu Paratha:


Enjoy!:)

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Show me your cookbooks!!

Nagu from "cooking and me" blog has come up with the idea of a event called "Show me your cookbooks", where you showcase one of your cookbooks and ask us to write what we think of the book. That is a delight to me because I have literally hundreds of cookbooks, it's easy to choose many as my favorites!! Thanks for a great idea and for hosting Nags!:)



Here it is, one of my favorite "honest to goodness" Cookbook!!:D


I accidentally came across a website one day when browsing, which was selling these cookbooks by Mallika Badrinath, who was not at all familiar to me at that time. Her books were not very attractive to look at first and then I thought of testing one or two first because they cost way less than the other books to buy them.Once I looked through these,I was hooked and bought most of her books and still buying them!! Apparently, she is very popular in Tamilnadu and her books and her spice products are well liked! I was late to catch up with rest of the World!!:)

Why do I like her books?! Because she is a very good cook as I can see, a great author(well written recipes) and although her books are not well bound,no photos inside, not glossy and fancy like some of the books,the recipes are very down to Earth, to the point and a delight to try. Most of the dishes I have tried were very good,some didn't work for me but that's okay!! You can't expect 100% success in everything, 98% is quite good too!:D

So I choose this book for this month to show you and I also chose the above recipe from this book too with my own additions and changes.It doesn't really have the "Egg Kottu Paratha" exactly but a recipe for making plain flour Parathas and a Egg Kottu recipe to use with Parathas.I combined the two to make Egg Kottu Paratha!! It was delicious.

Some more additions to Nag's event:

Mallika Badrinath's Microwave cooking:
Great recipes and a good book to follow, as long as you keep the basic rules of Microwaving in mind like not using metal utensils and plastic while cooking! Another gem of a book from the above author.



Four Ingredient cooking by Joanna Farrow:
Great book if you like minimum ingredients and maximum flavor!! The book includes many veg, non-veg, desserts and Bread recipes too with just four ingredients and works very well for those who are tired and want a quick meal, provided if you have all the ingredients!:)



Lastly, Kebabs, Chutneys and Breads by Davinder Kumar:
An excellent book to buy, keep and cook, a non-vegetarians delight, with some vegetarian dishes and Naans too. An authentic array of traditional North Indian fare, the author is a chef for Oberoi group of hotels, also worked in Japan and France and in the food business for more than 30yrs!



Have fun!:))

TOMATO CHITRANNA

Nandita of "Saffron trail" blog is hosting the monthly event "Weekend Breakfast Blogging #15" this Sept. This month's theme is "cooking with Leftovers".Tomato Chitranna, a ever popular breakfast for all Kannadigas or should I say for most South Indians, made with leftover rice (or freshly cooked rice too) is my entry to this event.Thanks for hosting Nandita!:)

Chitra anna in Kannada literally means Colorful rice. You can make this in many variations with Lemon juice, Tomato and grated green Mangoes as well.This is also a quick dish to make in a hurry in the morning. Usually, Chitranna is made with leftover long grain or Sona Massoori rice,heated and mixed with rice for a quick breakfast. It takes about 25 mins to make the whole dish and with some Cashews or Peanuts,it's healthier too. Enjoy.

Tomato Chitranna:


You need about 6 cups of leftover rice, reheated in the morning and grains separated and spread in a wide pan or cook 2 cups of any rice you like,my choice is long grain here which tastes better mixed with Tomato masala.I add 2 cups of rice in a large glass bowl, add 3 1/2 cups water and microwave it uncovered for 15mins on high and cover with lid and microwave again for 5 mins with 5o% power. Now, prepare the Tomato masala.
When the rice is hot,add to a wide pan (Paraat you use for making chapati dough),spread it and let it cool.

You need all these+1/4 cup Peanuts or Cahewnuts and 1/4 tsp turmeric(I forgot to add here in the photo!):

1-2 onions thinly sliced, few Cilantro, 3 plum or 20 Cherry or any kind of Tomatoes you have, salt, 1/4 tsp turmeric.
Season: 2 tbsp oil, 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, few curry leaves,1/4 cup Peanuts or 4 tbsp Cahewnuts, 1 tbsp each of Chana dal, Urad dal, Greengram dal(Moong dal), 3-4 green chillies.

How to make it:

This process with take about 15-17 mins, while the rice is cooling. Heat oil in big pan enough to hold the rice, add seasoning ingredients one by on, and fry until peanuts and green chillies get roasted well to reddish color.Add sliced onions,fry until soft and slightly red on the edges,add salt and tomatoes,fry for another 5 mins.Tomatoes don't have to cook completely,tastes better if they are soft and not mashed.Your Tomato masala is done.


Now, take the cooled rice and add to the dish to mix or add the masala to the rice platter and mix well.Adjust the salt and your Tomato Chitranna is ready!! Enjoy with yogurt raita and Potato crisps if you like!

Have a great weekend, see you all on Monday!:))

LASIK SURGERY; MY EXPERIENCE!!

Here is my own first hand experience of going through the LASIK Custom Wavefront surgery! Lot of you wanted to know the details so you can make your own decisions to go thru' this surgery as well. I must say here that what I write here is just my experience, with photos I found on the internet and some links to great websites to further read about LASIK. LASIK procedures must be done by a qualified and experienced Ophthalmologist who is trained in LASIK and operating for few yrs.Make sure to ask lot of questions and take your time in decided whether to have it or not.For me, it was a bliss not to wear specs after 25yrs and suffer frequent headaches.So read my experience, educate yourself with links I have provided and more before you make your own decision.I highly recommend it if you are a good candidate for LASIK, it has been the best for me personally, with very little discomfort.


Here I go with step by step as I experienced with my LASIK surgery! http://www.trustedlasiksurgeons.com/greensboro_lasik_surgeon_karl_stonecipher_md.htm

"For General Lasik Requirements and Evaluation with an Ophthalmologist" info,please click here and above photo is from this site as well.

My journey to the bright and clearer Universe:
I have been wearing Myopic specs(couldn't see at all far more than about 2 feet infront of me although I could read fine) for 25yrs,since I was 17yrs old.My left eyesight was -7.5 and my right eye was -9.75!! It was way beyond the normal vision.LASIK was a necessity for me, much more than cosmetic improvement!! Although I didn't have any major problems,it was very inconvenient and always gave me a slight headache whenever I focused on too much like reading, which is my life line!:D

When I decided to have the LASIK done few years back, FDA(US) had just approved the procedure and my husband who is a Internist, asked me to wait for few more years just in case. And this year,it just felt that it's time for LASIK and I consulted my regular eye doctor and he recommended me to a Surgeon who has been a pioneer in the area of LASIK and ICL, has been operating for many yrs with great success.

I made a appointment with him. They checked me for all the requirements(above) and my medical history which went well.I have been as healthy as a horse all these yrs,never been to the hospital for anything before except of course to have my two babies!
After going thru' many tests and measuring the depth etc,he decided that I am not a candidate for Intraoccular Lens(insert a soft contact inside the eye which is the latest procedure) but he will try his best with LASIK to fix my problem 100% which he said was not easy bcos of very poor sight on the right eye! Being a doctor's family, we always get a tiny little more special attention than the usual by other docs(birds of the same feather!):)

He gave me a date for the op, a bottle each of Anti-Inflammatory liquid and Anti-biotic liquid and asked me to put the drops in my eyes 3 days before the op and 4 times day but not on the day of the procedure.I did it religiously of course! I was little nervous but not very bcos I chose the best Surgeon in town! Being a positive person also helps a lot in the attitude and healing process as well!:)


D Day!! These show you what they do to cut the Corneal flap to reach in and thin the tissue by laser!!



LASIK was scheduled at 8am, so I got ready,ate my cereal, kissed and hugged the kids and made sure they are fed,clean, their homework packed and went to school on time.Arvind took me to the clinic. I was called in,eyes checked again and the nurse gave me a anti-biotic pill and a calming pill which makes you drugged up. I didn't really want to take it bcos I was too happy to get the surgery done but Arvind insisted that I should take it anyway. Then I was asked to sit inside for 15-20 mins while they got ready.I was surgeon's first patient that day which is always great!





Making the Corneal Flap:
Photos from here and here.



Of the whole procedure,this is the hardest 20 seconds of discomfort they say but not bad at all for me! I was laid down,covered with blanket,numbing lotion was put in both eyes.Then he pressed in a suction ring on my eyeball which makes the eye bulge to get the Cornea raised.Then that machine comes over your eyes,count down begins while it cuts the Corneal flap as you see in the picture above.




Final step before you see the World bright and clear!!:D

How did I feel When the machine goes on your Cornea cutting the flap? Lot of pressure!! The same feeling as when you go at the top of Roaster coaster and they plunge you down and you feel a strange sensation in the pit of your stomach!! Thank GOD, it takes only 20 seconds!:D
After both eyes are done,I was taken to the other room,covered in a blanket and the good doctor lasered my thick tissue to correct my vision back to "normal", you can smell the acrid smell of burning but you will not feel a thing!! He cleaned both eyes,smoothens the flap back and I was asked sit and read the clock. Boy, I read the exact time in mins and seconds in 25yrs without my glasses, which I donated to the charity of course.They have kept the basket there!!They gave me a sleeping pill and kit to go home and sleep it off wearing eye guards taped on my eyes so I don't rub off the still freshly cut flaps!I was told to use the lotions as long as they last,atleast for 7 days.For Questions and answers,check here.

The kit and the Kaboodle to go home with:

After that, I didn't feel any burning,(feeling of Tobasco in your eyes as they told me!),itching and pain.I can see bright and clear, so good that I am looking at lot of imperfections in my kitchen I didn't see before and now I want a brand new kitchen!! Can you hear Arvind saying #@#@#$$?!!!Hahaha!

Was it all so perfect for me?
NOPE!! While I gained a perfect 20/20 vision with far away objects,I can't focus on reading, Laptop or anything which is a foot from my eyes! My vision is still adjusting everyday.Doctor has told me that I need to rest the eyes for 7-10 days and eyes heal completely in 3 months.I wear plastic guards every night until the 8th day, then I don't have to. Today is the 6th day after the op,I can see the nearer objects lot better than last week but still see doubles and haze around the letters and sensitive to bright Sunlight which is normal after the LASIK. I wake up in the morning and still feel the top of the bedside table for my glasses but then I realize, hey! I don't need it anymore!!:D

That is it so far! I am so glad I went for the LASIK procedure, no regrets.Life is bright and oh so colorful! I see my kids smiles from half a mile away so easily now, a joy itself and worth every penny!That reminds me it cost about $4000 for my Lasik.Usually it costs from $1600 to $4000 for both eyes depending on the condition of your eye sight.I hope reading about my experience will help some of you to decide to try LASIK!:)

Post Op check up update as it happens:
Goal for next 3 months is to heal the cut flap as fast as we can ,so there are no further complications and infection. Got to follow the Doctor's orders meticulously as the days goes by.

2 week check up: my Lasik update; I had a 2 week check up with the eye doctor.Good news is everything is healing well so far but my eyes are little dry,need to use more artificial tear liquid for few more weeks and need to wear Eye guard in the night.

1 month check up: The flap which they cut to do the surgery has healed and sealed only at the bottom part which is great news and both upper parts are still not sealed.So, eye drops and eye guards use continue!

2 months check up: Just got back from the 2nd check up. My right eye flap is completely sealed and left flap is 90& healed and I am instructed to continue with Antibiotic liquid and artificial tears until the next appointment and continue to wear eye guard at night!:)

3 months check up: Great news! Both of my flaps are healed and sealed 100%!! Hurray!!! No more eye guards at night and I am free and clear. I do have one more 6 month's appointment in March and that's the end of it, can't wait!!:))

Again, this is my own experience of having gone through the LASIK surgery.I am not saying it will be this smooth sailing for everybody.Decide for yourself,choose a good reputable doctor and enjoy the experience. People who never suffered Myopia will NEVER understand the joy of looking at the World clearly without that specs perched on your nose!!:P

Thank you, Dr.Karl G.Stonecipher of TLC, Greensboro, NC!:)

SEEDAI FOR LITTLE KRISHNA!! :)

Seedai, a savory snack is my contribution to Latha N, my favorite girl from the really yummy "The YUM blog"! She is requesting Janmashtami festival food items from us for the occasion of Krishna Janmashtami that is Lord Krishna's birthday! Thanks for hosting Latha!:))



As the story goes:
Krishna Janmashtami is the celebration of the birth of Lord Shri Krishna, the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, believed to have been born about five thousand years ago in Mathura in 'Dwapar Yuga'. This celebration is said to be revealed originally by the Sri Krishna himself to Yudhishthira, the eldest of Pandavas, as mentioned in the Bhavishyottara Purana. He was born to Vasudeva and Devaki, who were imprisoned by Devaki's evil brother Kansa and was brought up by Nanda and Yashoda. The birth of Lod Krishna is believed to be symbolic of our imprisonment in worldly illusions, where He took birth with us and led us to salvation and peace, vanquishing all evils depicted by his uncle Kansa in the story.(This info is from here)
To know more about the story of birth of Krishna, click here.

Seedai:
I made a small amount of Seedai just for this event and for Latha, as I celebrate only Deepavali and Shivaratri by choice! Hahaha!

Seedai is made Rice flour and Urad dal flour with spices and deep fried which is made specially for little Krishna's birthday (as I read in Latha's post) for us to enjoy. Since I have made sweets last week, I thought of sending her a savory snack to munch on! :)
Note:
You can double the recipe if you want more. This is the trickiest recipe (tend to explode for some reason most of the time, no idea why!) of all the snacks I made at home so far, results may not be the same for you when you try these. Although it came out okay for me this time, I advice you to experiment with the very small amount of dough and see how it goes for you!

Here is how I made Seedai:
1. Warm 1 cup Rice flour in a pan,add to a bowl. Roast 2 tbsp Urad dal until slightly reddish,cool on paper towel and grind to a fine powder.
2. Take both flours in a wide bowl,add salt to taste,1/2 tbsp softened butter, chilli pd if you like(I didn't add it to keep them creamish in color), 1 tsp crushed Cumin seeds,1 tsp Sesame sesame seeds, mix.
3. Add water 1tbsp at a time to flour,mix to a firm dough.Cover and let it rest for 15-20 mins.
4. Take a small golf ball size lump,roll into a 1" thick long rope, cut it to 1" pieces again and roll them into large marble sized balls gently between your palm.Smear some oil on your palms if it sticks. Repeat with the rest of the dough.(Mine is not exactly round but hey,not bad for a first time try!)
5. Let the balls dry for 10 mins while you heat the oil to 350F for deep frying.

Frying the balls immediately after rolling them will result in mini explosions! DO NOT DO IT PEOPLE!

6. When the oil is ready,drop them carefully by the handful and fry to a slightly golden color.Drain on the paper towel. When cooled,store in a glass jar ie if there are any left!:D
Enjoy munching the crunchy Seedai!

Happy Birthday to you butter stealing (Benne Kalla!) little Krishna!:D
This image is a result of the Internet search.I forgot the site where I got it from.Thank you whoever you are who created this beautiful animation!:)

Happy Krishna Janmashtami to all of you. Enjoy!:))

TOMATO, FENNEL BULB, BASIL-WALNUT PESTO PASTA

Tomato, Fennel with Walnut Pesto Rigatoni is my contribution to Marta from "An Italian in US" blog's event called "Fresh produce of the month". She selects a produce every month to get creative with it and this month it is "Tomato!". What a great produce to select for this year's HOT Summer,atleast here in the South! Thanks for hosting Marta!:)


Well.. as I said, it is HOT here in NC and you know what that means.Gallons of Tomatoes and other produce thriving in the Sun if you are lucky enough to have a garden patch in your backyard. Boy, do I have it?! I am getting so many Tomatoes,I am running out of ideas what to cook with them! :D

Homegrown Cherry and Pear Tomatoes:



Just after I gave a big bag of Cherry tomatoes to my neighbor, I remembered this Tomato event and thought I would use my rest of Tomatoes to make this pasta dish.I am using Cherry and Pear Tomatoes along with fragrant Fennel bulbs with Basil Walnut pesto to add to cooked Rigatoni pasta. Sounds good or what? Enjoy:))




Basil Walnut Pesto Pasta flavored with Fennel bulbs and Tomatoes:

You can use just Basil Pine nuts Pesto which has a gorgeous green color,adding Walnuts makes it a healthier with a nutty taste and gives a brownish green color.Your choice!:)

You need:

1 cup peeled and thinly sliced Fennel Bulb,mostly white part and some green leaves too, 8-10 Cherry and Pear Tomatoes (you can use any tomatoes you have at hand),1 tsp any spice seasoning mix like Steak spices etc which has dried onion,garlic,herbs etc, 2-3 tbsp Basil pine nuts and Walnut Pesto, homemade (recipe below) or store bought, salt, pepper or chilli flakes, and finally 1 cup dry Rigatoni or any pasta cooked until Al Dente(to the bite) and keep it aside mixed with little butter to keep them separate ready to add to the Fennel stir-fry.



How to make it:

Heat a pan, add 1 tsp of butter. Put in a chilli flakes,all the the slices if Fennel bulb and greens,stir fry for 2-3 mins or until they get a slightly golden color on the edges.Add in Tomatoes,salt and stir fry again for a minute. You don't have cook the Tomatoes to a mush but roast until skin is shiny and slightly wilted but they should remain whole.



Sprinkle spice seasoning,mix.Take out to a big glass bowl.Add cooked warm Pasta and add a tbsp or two of Pesto and mix well.Taste and adjust the seasonings. If you find Pasta is little dry,add 1 tbsp hot water(I save some water in which Pasta is cooked before draining the pasta). And there is your yummy Dinner! Serve with Bread sticks and Garlic Bread have a wonderful meal!:)


My Cherry and Pear Tomatoes harvest this year:


To make Pesto at home: Pulse 2 cups fresh basil leaves,1/4 cup each grated Parmesan,3 peeled garlic cloves,1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts or both mixed equally, slightly roasted,Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste in a blender until coarse mix.Then start pouring 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil thru' the top spout with the blender on low until you get a paste.Take it out to a glass jar and store in the fridge.
Have fun!!:)

(Latha N, I made something for your event too, coming up on Wednesday here.Didn't have the time to type in although I have the photo!)

CARIB CREAM AND MICROWAVED LAUKI HALWA!

I am making a delicious and refreshing cold non-alcoholic cocktail called Carib Cream for Meeta from "What's for lunch honey" blog's Monthly Mingle with the theme of "Liquid Dreams" this month. Thanks for choosing a much needed Summer theme Meeta! We are burning up in the heat wave here in NC!:)

I have an old Cocktail book ,the only one I own,which I bought in England. It has many many cocktails with Alcohol and at the end of the book, thankfully they have spared few pages for Non-alcoholic cocktails too. Of all the recipes they have ,I chose the easiest and tastiest. Kids loved it, so here it is!!

Carib Cream:



How to make Carib Cream:

You need: 2 small bananas, chopped,1 small measure lemon juice, 2 large measures 2% milk or half and Half or cream,1 small measure Orange juice, 1 tsp Vanilla essense.
For garnish:1 tsp finely chopped walnuts.
Walnuts are optional. This cocktail is best served immediately to avoid the bananas from turning darker even with the addition of lemon juice.



And;
1. Add the chopped bananas, lemon juice , Orange juice , Vanilla and milk in a blender with some crushed ice and blend until you get smooth liquid.
Pour into a cocktail or any tall glass and sprinkle the chopped walnuts on top just before serving. Photo of Oranges from WIKI



Note:
1. Bananas usually turn dark after a while no matter how much lemon juice you add to prevent the browning. Blend this cocktail just before serving.
2. If Carib Cream is too thick for your liking,(depends on the size of the Banana fruit),add a little more fat-free milk to thin it out.
3. If you don't like to chew on Walnut pieces, powder it or throw them in the blender when blending the cocktail.Sprinkling Walnuts on top is just for garnish.
4. That cocktail measure you see up there is 2 tbsp each for smaller side and larger measure is 3 tbsp of any liquid.Adjust the Lemon and Orange Juice to your taste, no hard and fast rules there!

Enjoy!!:))


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Lauki Halwa cooked in the Microwave is my entry for a new event "Easy cooking with Microwave" which is just launched by Srivalli for "Cooking 4 all seasons" with a theme of "Desserts" this month. Thanks for a great idea and for hosting too Sri!:))


Microwaving the Halwa!:))
Cooking has become so much simpler with the invention of the microwave,specially in summer when you don't have to slog before the hot stove most of the time! When I saw my gourds which are growing in lightening speed in this heat,I thought of making this dessert and in a Microwave too! It was so easy, even I wondered why did I cooked this on the stove top all the years!;D
We in Karnataka, also call this dessert as "Dumrote", and usually Lauki/Doodhi Halwa in rest of India, a very tasty and quick dessert to make in the Microwave. I used a whole Bottle Gourd peeled and after cleaning the insides, I got about 4 cups of grated pulp and after it is cooked ,you get about 1 1/2 cups of delicious Halwa!! Enjoy!:)

Lauki Halwa or Dumrote:
Dumrote,a typical Karnataka dessert, is usually made from Ash Gourd (Boodukumbala kai in Kannada),which gives this dessert a glass like appearance.I used to Bottle Gourd with the Dumrote recipe with pinch of Saffron for color! Enjoy!:)



Here are the ingredients you need to make Halwa:

Add all these to a big bowl 3 times bigger than the contents; 3-4 cups of grated Lauki,1/3 cup or more brown Sugar,(I don't like any dessert too sweet, so add more sugar if you like),2 tbsp Almonds peeled and sliced,1/4 cup heavy cream, 2 tsp butter,pinch of Saffron,1/2 tsp powdered Cardamom, 1/4 tsp Ginger powder, 1/8 tsp Clove pd, pinch of salt to bring out flavor.
To Make it:
1. Mix all the above, microwave it for 10 mins on full power ie on HIGH, stir once and microwave it for another 5-7 mins on HIGH, stir again.
2. Once the liquid evaporates, be careful not to burn the Halwa and Microwave for shorter periods like every 2-3 mins and keep stirring in between.
3. Taste and adjust the sugar and any flavors before microwaving. When the Halwa looks shiny with butter on top and semi solid, it's ready to eat warm or chilled.
4. Total time it took for me is about 23 mins to make this.I have 50% power in my Microwave, I used that for the last few mins to prevent burning.Please use your judgment and enjoy the beautiful looking and tasting dessert!:)

My out of control Bottle/Bird House gourd plant growing on my deck!!



Here are few Microwave tips:
1. Always use a dish twice as big as the food you are cooking to avoid spillage.
2. Do not use gold or silver edged dishes or dishes which are not meant for using in MWs.Always use the lowest cooking time specified in your recipe. It is easy to dry out food in your microwave.
3. Arrange even sized food in a circle on the turning plate for more even cooking.
4. Thicker foods should be place toward outer edges for faster cooking. Food cooks better if cut in uniform sizes.
5. Always stir at least once or twice during the cooking cycle.
6. Cooking time varies than recipe given because of the different power in Watts your MW has, so your judgment when cooking!
7. Clean the MW immediately after each dish is done. Let a bowl of water heat inside for 3 mins without the lid, take it out and clean with a dish towel to loosen the dry, hard splatters inside the walls of the MW if any.
Here is a site about lessons 101 on how to use Microwaves.

Have fun this week!

ALL AMERICAN BREAKFAST WITH A SWEET TWIST AND FOOD SAFETY TIPS!

WBB #14 which is started by Nandita's "Saffron Trail" and being hosted in August by Glenna from "A Fridge full of food" blog.This month's theme is "Ethnic Breakfast with a twist".Thanks for hosting Glenna!:)

There is a new twist in this month's WBB!! We are supposed to make something other than what we eat normally, to cook some other country's breakfast other than where we are from! That sounds great because I am from India, grew up on a very South Indian style breakfast like Dosas, Idlis, Chapatis, Upmas etc.I could have whipped up those in minutes without much thinking involved!!:D
But wait!! I need to make something other than what I know!! No problems I thought, how about all American breakfast with a side of Southern US hash!!Yippee! To make the deal even sweeter, I topped the pancakes with sauteed Apple cinnamon and walnuts for crunch.Tasted so good, we loved our special Sunday breakfast even more than usual! Here is our Sunday breakfast!:))

Cinnamon Apple Pancakes,Sausages and savory Hashbrown:

Usually for us, weekday mornings are always Cereal, or Muffins or toasts along with OJ and coffee. We are too busy and not very hungry for a hearty breakfast. But weekends are always relaxed and we as a family are all ready for late breakfast. We make Waffles and Bacon on Saturdays and Sundays are always Pancakes and Hashbrowns for us which keeps the kids very happy the whole weekend! :)

What you need:


For Pancakes:
1 large egg, 1/2 cup milk, 2 cups store-bought pancake mix,Enough water to mix, 1/2 tbsp cinnamon powder,1 granny smith apple, peeled and grated.(skip the egg of you don't like it) Mix, whisk all to a thick batter, keep aside for a minute or two.
Sausages: I buy Johnsonville Maple and brown sugar links. They are sweet and not much fat as others sausages, which I like.You can choose whichever you like.
Hash: Hash is basically a southern breakfast dis made of cubed Potatoes, onions,Peppers, salt ,cilantro and pepper sauteed in little oil until they are crisp and golden, delicious!:)
I buy the ready to eat frozen Onion flavored Hashbrowns and add other vegs to add to the heated,chopped Hashbrowns to speed up the process.
Apple Cinnamon topping: You can either buy apple Cinnamon can or make yourself,see below for the recipe.
Maple syrup to drizzle on top.Few crushed walnuts to sprinkle.

Sauteed Cinnamon sugar Apples:


To make Cinnamon sauteed Apple: 2 tsp unsalted butter, 2 tbsp packed brown sugar, 2 tsp cinnamon pd, 1 cup peeled and sliced Granny Smith apples, 2 tbsp apple butter or maple syrup.

How to make it:

Heat a non-stick skillet, Pour 2-3 tbsp of pancake batter in circles or in any shape you like sing molds, let it get golden on the bottom.Flip and cook the other side.Place on a plate.Put some sausages and Hashbrowns on the side to cook while you make Pancakes.When Hashbrown cooks to golden color,cut them to pieces.




To make savory Hashbrown: Cook 4 store-bought onion flavored Hashbrowns until golden on a electric or plain non-stick skillet. Add 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion,chilli flakes, salt and pepper and roast it alongside the Hash.Mix them all up,put it on the plates and garnish with cilantro.If you using cubed Potatoes, use a separate pan to make the hashbrown.Heat the ready to eat Apple or make Apple cinnamon in a pan.


To Plate your hearty weekend breakfast:
Stack 3 pancakes on the plate, top them with 2-3 tbsp of Apple Cinnamon,sprinkle with crushed Walnuts and drizzle with maple syrup.Place 2 sausages on the side along with savory hashbrowns.Get a fork and a knife and dig in! Don't forget your OJ and/or coffee!:))


Orange Juice or Coffee or both!!:)



Enjoy!:))

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Food Safety is the theme this month for Safety tips event which is hosted by Jyotsna from "m" blog. I found some great tips for food safety in USDA site, thought I would share them with you. Thanks for choosing a great theme J, will surely help us all!:))


Here are few important points to remember when it comes to food safety!
1. Clean; Cleanliness is a major factor in preventing foodborne illness. Always wash hands with warm, soapy water, before handling food; after handling food; after using the bathroom; after changing a diaper; after tending to a sick person; after blowing nose, coughing, or sneezing; and after handling pets.Wash dish clothes often in the hot cycle of your washing machine.
2. Separate; Keep cutting boards clean,use two separate boards for meat and vegetables. Wash all surfaces that come in contact with raw meat, poultry, fish, and eggs with warm soapy water.Keep pets, household cleaners, and other chemicals away from food and surfaces used for food.
3. Cook; Wash vegetables and rinse meat before cooking. Don't use the same plates and utensils that held the raw meat or veg to serve the cooked dishes. Any bacteria present in the raw meat or vegs can contaminate the safely cooked dishes.When using a food thermometer, it is important to wash the probe after each use.
4. Chill; Always refrigerate the leftover food immediately.Do not keep raw meat in the fridge more than 24hrs, freeze them if you don't use them ASAP.Because of the bacteria everywhere, cleanliness is a major factor in preventing foodborne illnesses.
Be safe and take care!:))