Ham and Vegetable Pot Pie

This is most definitely a 1 pot/1 dish weekend recipe!!

Ham & Veggie Pot Pie

Prep Time: 1 to 1.5 hours with store-bought pie crust.

Ingredients:
1) 1 box of Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie crusts
2) 1 lb ham - diced into 1/2 inch cubes
3) 1 big bag of Baby spinach
4) ~1 cup peas (fresh, or frozen)
5) ~1 cup carrots (sliced)
6) ~1 cup celery (diced)
7) ~1 cup fresh onion (diced)
6) 1 egg, whipped, mixed in 1/3 cup water (egg wash)
7) 2 to 3 tbsp all-purpose flour mixed in water (for thickening veggies)
8) 1 tbsp McCormick's Italian seasoning
9) butter, salt and pepper to taste
10) 1 tbsp Wyler's poultry seasoning.

Directions:

Let both pie crusts in the box sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before unrolling the first one. I used a 2" deep dish for this pot pie, so I used a rolling pin to make the crust a tad larger. Lay the pie crust in the dish, roll and crimp the edges if desired. I didn't roll or crimp mine as I am a novice at this ;) and also because I planning on using the second crust as a topping. Make sure to use a fork and poke a lot of holes on the bottom and sides of the pie crust to prevent it from rising away from the sides of the dish during baking.  I pre-baked the pie crust alone for about 10-12 minutes using red kidney beans as pie weights. Thanks to Nupur (http://onehotstove.blogspot.com/) for this idea. Check out her November 25, 2010 post for some pictures on how to use the beans (http://onehotstove.blogspot.com/2010_11_01_archive.html).  Just like her, I now have a jar of dry red beans that are used again and again as pie weights. 

For the filling, in a large deep pan, melt the butter, and fry diced onions and celery until transparent.  Then i slowly added in the baby spinach a little at a time until wilted and then added more. All 3 items added so far, onions, celery and spinach will sweat enough to make the mix pretty wet. Add the rest of the vegetables, and spices and mix well. Finally add the ham. I tend to leave adding the meat until the very end to prevent it from becoming too chewy. Lastly, I mixed in some of the flour water mix to thicken the whole mixture and give it some a white-saucy appearance.  Transfer the mix to the pre-baked pie crust being careful not to damage the crust. 

For the top crust, I had big plans of making a weaved top crust. My attempts failed miserably so i simply placed the strips of crust I'd made in a overlapping pattern resembling a weave. The kids didn't care ... ! You can also leave the top crust whole, with just a few cuts across the top to allow the steam to escape. I used my fingers and a little bit of the egg wash to stick the sides and top crusts together. 

Bake at 375F for 40 minutes. Allow the pie to rest of at least 10 minutes before cutting into it. Despite the spinach, all 3 kids loved it.  This one was a success and will definitely be made again in the Coder household!

Punjabi Chhole (Garbanzo Beans, or White Channa)

Chhole Chawal

I tried this one in the beginning of December. I haven't made Chhole in forever and managed with a pretty good end result. Nothing like what my mommy makes ... but passable with my modifications to the original recipe.

Prep Time: 20-30 min with canned beans

Ingredients:

1) 2 cans of garbanzo beans - if you use dry beans you may need to soak these in hot water for at least a couple of hours (or overnight at room temperature) and use a pressure cooker to soften the beans

2) 1 large diced tomato

3) 1 large diced onion

4) 1 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves (dhania leaves)

5) 1 tbsp ginger/garlic paste

6)  1 tbsp channa masala

7) 1 tbsp cooking oil

8)  2 -3 pieces each of the following whole spices - cloves, green cardamom, black peppercorns,  small stick of cinnamon, bay leaves

9) 1/2 tbsp garam masala

10) salt to taste.

Directions:

A potato masher!! 

In a deep pan, heat up the oil and fry up onions until caramelized around the edges. Add ginger garlic paste, blend it in really well with the fried onions, and then add all the whole spices, fry for a few more minutes and add the tomato. Add about a half cup of water and bring to a rolling boil. If you used dry beans and pressure cooked these, use the water the beans were cooked with, instead of fresh tap water. Once the whole mixture is boiling really well, add the drained beans and turn the heat down to a good simmer. About 10 minutes later, use a potato masher (see pic) and mash some of the beans to the bottom of the pan (this was a trick my G'ma taught me and it makes all the difference in how your dish turns out!!). Then add the spices (chana masala, garam masala) and the cilantro leaves and simmer for a few more minutes.

Chhole are served best over plain white steamed rice, or over a slice of thick white bread .. or if you want to be particularly unhealthy ;-) .. with puris ...  which is basically deep fried bread. Yummy!

Cajun Red Beans & Rice

So i tried quite a few new and old recipes on li'l Nik Coder this December. I just haven't gotten around to posting all of them. Am trying today, as we wait for the ball to drop .... Happy New Year, everyone!!

Cajun Red Beans & Rice

Total Prep Time: 20 minutes with canned red beans.

Ingredients: 

1) 1 lb spicy sausage - italian, andouille etc.
2) 1 can of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed. 
3) 1 medium onion, diced.
4) 1 large diced tomato
5) 1 tsp Zatarain's Creole seasoning (more if you want it spicier)
6) salt and pepper to taste.

Directions:
Fry up the sausage until almost done and then slice thickly. drain almost all of the drippings so the pan is just barely greased. Fry up onions in the drippings, add tomato and spices and bring to a nice simmer. Then add the sausage back in and add water, or V8 juice, for some extra flavor. Bring to a boil. Add drained and rinsed kidney beans. Cover and let simmer for the rest of the time. In a separate pan, steam white or brown rice. I served mine with steamed white rice, with some peas for a splash of color ... !!    

Maggi Night!

One of the many warm memories of growing up in a houseful of kids ... Maggi noodles (or Ramen noodles) on a cold afternoon after school. I remember we used to love Maggi noodles so much that we wouldn't let mom make multiple packs at once, because we'd feel gypped ;-) .... "Mom... but she got more than I did!!"  ... Of course, mom being a mom, didn't want to 'carb load' us - with no nutrition. So, she used to add all sorts of veggies while cooking our Maggi and it tasted delicious. So that's what Nikky and I had for dinner tonight. Dad and the older boys were at the MGHS basketball game and we had fun at home-  after the freshman game (Bryce's team) was over.

Total Prep Time: 10 min. with frozen veggies.

Ingredients: 
1) 1 packet of Nestle Maggi noodles (or Nissin's Top Ramen) - Chicken flavor
2) 1/3 cup frozen peas or french-cut green beans
3) 1/3 cup frozen carrots
4) 1 tsp Wyler's chicken flavor granules

Directions:
Prepare the noodles according to the packet instructions (add noodles to boiling water, cook for 3-5 minutes until done and then mix in seasoning packet, turn off heat, and let stand for a couple of minutes before serving), with the following exception - when the water starts to boil, add the vegetables and chicken flavoring and bring to a rolling boil before adding the noodles and cook until done. I add the extra chicken seasoning to ensure that the final product doesn't taste watery. The extra veggies need more salt and seasoning and Wyler's works great! I served the noodles with a slice of butter-bread. Needless to say, "like mommy like son". He LOVED the noodles and even got to dipping his bread in the noodles to sop of the broth!! .... and my mommy instincts were satisfied because he ate his beans and carrots too :)!!!

Thanksgiving - Indian Ishtyle

At the first thanksgiving, the pilgrims gave thanks with the Indians. Being the dot, not feather, kind of Indian, I've added my own twist to each traditional dish, and each one has multiple options (I get bored easily!), which I may, or may not use each time. Here's the full meal. With preparations beginning up to 2 days in advance, it still takes me a whole morning, and into the early afternoon to make and serve the whole meal. This ain't no hurried up, quick and easy, Rugrat Chow - that's for sure!!

Turkey Do Pyaza - Decoration centrale!

Ingredients for the Rub: Use multiple of the below-mentioned recipe, depending upon the size of the bird. 

1. 1 tbsp ginger/garlic paste
2. 3 tbsp cooking oil (canola, olive, vegetable)
3. 2 tbsp lime juice
4. 1 tbsp cumin powder
5. 1 tbsp coriander powder
6. salt and pepper, to taste. 

Ingredients for the Stuffing of the Bird: This is one of my options. I use this version, or you can stuff bird with actual bread stuffing (see below), or not stuff at all and leave the cavities empty (note: cooking times are different for stuffed and unstuffed birds!).

1. 4 to 6 shallots, pealed and halved, if necessary.
2. 2-3 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves, chopped. 
3. 1 to 2 tbsp of the rub above. 

Ingredients for the Gravy: A pretty standard gravy recipe. This is perhaps the only thing in this meal that is 100% traditional.

1. Turkey stock & drippings
2. 1/4 to 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3. 1 tsp poultry seasoning (or 1 Wyler's chicken bouillon cube)
4. salt and pepper (freshly ground), to taste

Directions:

Thaw turkey, remove neck and giblets for stock, rinse and pat dry with a paper towel. Mix the rub in a large bowl and rub evenly and thickly on all the cavities. Take a piece of plastic wrap & wrap it around your index finger. Use wrapped finger to separate skin from the bird (works like a charm!!). Massage the rub under the skin, evenly and thickly. Pull skin back to keep juices in. Toss the shallots and cilantro with about 1 or 2 tbsp of the rub. Leave the neck cavity empty. Stuff the big cavity, very loosely, with shallots and cilantro. 

Turkey in the NuWave!

Place turkey on the rack. Fold neck skin under the body. Tuck wing tips under each breast and clamp or tie drumsticks together using kitchen twine. Roast in a large roasting pan (450F, lower third of the oven). Approximate calculation is about 30min/lb of stuffed turkey. There are several websites that give roast turkey calculations for stuffed and unstuffed birds. It should be cooked until a thermometer inserted into the fleshy part of the thigh or breast registers 170F. Our option is to use a NuWave oven (a big hurrah for HSN!!!!) and it works great for bird up to 14 lbs. 

Once done, lift the bird by tilting slightly to allow any juices to drip into the pan. Then, lift the bird using turkey forks, or the rack, and transfer to a serving platter. Let the bird sit on a serving platter for 30-45 minutes before carving. This helps preserve the juices. Use the drippings and juices for the gravy.

Turkey Stock:

Boil giblets, neck and liver (usually removed from the big cavity) in 2 to 3 cups of water for about an hour or two and reduce to about 1/2 or 3/4 cup. Remove solids (I use the liver, diced finely, in my bread stuffing!). Mix this stock with juices from the roasting pan and use for preparing the gravy. 

Turkey Gravy:  

Strain the turkey stock/drippings if necessary. In a medium saucepan, bring the stock to boil. Reduce to medium heat. Dissolve all-purpose flour in water. Gradually whisk into the heated stock, watching the whole time for chunks. Season and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the gravy thickens. Voila!

Masaledaar Dabalroti - East-Indian Stuffing:

East Indian Stuffing

Ingredients:

1. 1 to 1.5 loaf of white bread (air dried overnight, and cut into 1 inch cubes)
2. 4-6 tbsp unsalted butter
3. 2 medium red onions - coarsely chopped (I usually cut and refrigerate these the previous evening!)
4. 1 big bunch of celery - rinsed, cleaned and chopped (same as onion, prep work on previous evening).
5. 1 lb mild Italian sausage (deskinned) - this is one of my options. If you use sausage, use half to a third of the quantity of butter. 
6. 1 tbsp parsley (dry), or about 1/4 cup fresh leaves, coarsely chopped.
7. 2 tbsp poultry seasoning (or 2 Wyler's chicken bouillon cubes)
8. 2 eggs, beaten
9. 1 tsp cinnamon powder
10. 2 tsp garam masala
11. 1 cup chicken broth
12. salt and pepper, to taste
13. 1/4 cup raisins, or pine nuts, or chopped walnuts/pecans (optional). I may or may not use nuts, depending upon who's attending. Allergies and other medical problems need to be accounted for ... !!

Directions:

In a large pan, or dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat and add chopped onion and celery and cook until translucent. If using Italian sausage, cook separately, and transfer to the pan in which the stuffing will be prepared. Depending upon how greasy the sausage looks, adjust the amount of butter. Once onions and celery are cooked in with the sausage, add spices, stir. Add cubed bread, mix well. Add nuts or raisins (I generally skip the nuts and raisins if I'm using sausage). Moisten with chicken broth, add eggs, mix well. Transfer to a buttered casserole dish and bake, covered with aluminum foil, at 350F for 30-45 min. Then bake uncovered for about 15 min for a crisp crust. 

Stuffing the Bird: 

If you're stuffing the bird with bread stuffing, bring the stuffing to room temperature. Loosely fill both cavities (remember it expands as it cooks!). Secure neck skin after stuffing with a metal or wooden skewer. Loosely fill body cavity and cover the opening with a slice of fresh bread to hold the stuffing in place as it cooks (or it will ooze out as it cooks!).  After the bird is cooked, check the temperature of the stuffing along with the bird. If the temperature of the stuffing is <165F, its best to transfer it to a casserole dish and cook for another 15-20 minutes, to prevent any chance of uncooked juices from the bird being consumed.   

Masala Aaloo - Spicy Roasted Red Potatoes!

Masala Aaloo

Ingredients:

1. 2 sacks of Russet red potatoes
2. 1 tsp ginger/garlic paste
3. 1 tbsp whole mustard seeds
4. 1 tbsp McCormick's Steak Seasoning (my little cheat non-Indian ingredient!!)
5. 1 tbsp garam masala
6. 2 tbsp olive oil
7. salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Rinse and cut potatoes into halves, or quarters, depending upon the size (with skin). In a separate pan, heat oil until sizzling and add mustard seeds (warning, mustard seeds can pop when added to hot oil, so be careful). As the aroma is released from the mustard seeds (5-15 seconds in hot oil), add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.  Add potatoes and toss well. Transfer to a baking sheet and roast uncovered at 350F until done. 

Teekhee-Meethee Gajar - Spiced Candied Carrots!

Candied Carrots

Ingredients:

1. 2 or 3 packs of frozen, crinkle cut, carrots. 
2. 1/2 cup coconut milk
3. 1 to 2 tsp Cayenne pepper
4. 4 tbsp Brown Sugar
5. salt, to taste
6. Freshly chopped cilantro leaves, for garnish.
7. 2 tsp cooking oil

Directions:

In a deep pan, heat oil and add cayenne pepper. Once the aroma is released, add coconut milk and salt and bring to a simmer. Add carrots, cook for a few minutes (do not wait for these to become fully tender, as they will become mushy in the oven). Transfer to a casserole dish, with just a little bit of the coconut milk (save the rest for later). Sprinkle brown sugar on top. Cover and set in oven at 350F until ready to serve. Check periodically to make sure they don't dry out. If needed, add more of the saved coconut milk mixture. Garnish with cilantro leaves just before serving. 

Shakarkandi ki Sabzee - Candied Yams in Coconut Milk!

Candied Yams

Ingredients:

1. 1 lb north american yams (sweet potatoes!) 
2. 1 medium red onion, diced. 
3. 1 tbsp ginger/garlic paste
4. 2 tbsp cooking oil
5. 1 tsp cumin seeds
6. 2 whole green cardamoms.
7. 1 bay leaf
8. 4-6 whole black peppercorns
9. 1 inch cinnamon stick
10. 1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper
11. 1 tsp coriander powder
12. 1 tsp garam masala
13. 1 cup coconut milk
14. 2 tbsp chopped cilantro leaves
15. salt, to taste
16. 4 tbsp brown sugar for topping

Directions:

Peel and dice yams into 1 inch cubes. In a colander, sprinkle liberally with salt and stand for 10-15 min in the sink. Steam (boil) in ample water for about 10 min until barely soft. In a sauteing pan, heat oil and over medium heat, add cumin. Once the aroma is released, add onions and ginger/garlic paste and cook until the onions are a nice golden color. Add remaining spices. In a separate sauteing pan, heat oil and saute yams until golden brown as well. Drain excess oil on paper towels. Add coconut milk to the onion/spice mixture and bring to a simmer. Reduce head and simmer for a few more minutes. Add yams, mix well (should be almost dry, but moist at this stage; do not wait for the yams to become fully tender, as they will become mushy in the oven). Transfer to a casserole dish. Sprinkle brown sugar liberally on top. Cover and set in oven at 350F until ready to serve. Check periodically to make sure they don't dry out. If needed, add 1 to 2 tbsp of coconut milk. Garnish with cilantro leaves just before serving.

Fraans Bean Thoran - Kerela Green Beans!

Fraans Bean Thoran

Ingredients:

1. 2 or 3 packs of frozen green beans (cut into 1 inch lengths or whole beans). 
2. 1 shallot (optional)
3. 1 to 2 tbsp cooking oil
4. 1 tbsp whole mustard seeds
5. 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
6. salt and pepper, to taste.
7. 1/4 to 1/3 cup grated fresh, or frozen, coconut.

Directions:

If using whole fresh beans, cut ends and remove threads. Bring a pan of water to a rolling boil and blanch beans (add to boiling water, boil for 3-5 min, drain, and drench in ice cold water). In a sauteing pan, heat oil until sizzling and add mustard seeds (warning, mustard seeds can pop when added to hot oil, so be careful). As the aroma is released from the mustard seeds (5-15 seconds in hot oil), add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Add green beans and mix well. Add half the coconut at this stage. Mix well. Transfer to a casserole dish, cover and set in oven at 250F until ready to serve. Add the rest of the grated coconut just before serving, for that extra crunch. 

Cranberry Chutney!

Cranberry Chutney

Ingredients:

1. 1 can of whole berry cranberry sauce 
2. 1 can of jellied cranberry sauce 
3. 1 tsp ginger/garlic paste
4. 1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
5. 1/4 tsp black pepper
6. 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon.
7. 1/2 tsp all spice
8. 1/2 tbsp garam masala
9. 1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
10. 1/2 orange (individual pieces peeled, and diced
11. 1-2 inch of orange rind (finely diced)
12. 2 tbsp lemon/lime juice
13. 1/2 cup raisins
14. 1 apple (diced) (optional)
15. 1 tsp Cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions:

Combine vinegar, ginger/garlic paste, sugar and all spices in a heavy sauce pot and simmer for 10-15 min, or until only about 4 tbsp remains (Warning: boiling apple cider vinegar makes the house stink! I usually prepare this at least 2 evenings in advance, as the chutney keeps well for at least a week). Add both cranberry sauces and salt. Mix well and bring to a simmer. Add fruits, nuts (if using) and lemon juice. Simmer slowly for about 15-20 minutes. Bring to room temperature, transfer to a tupperware container and store in the fridge.


The Final Serve:
Here's how I progress through this dinner. I get all the sides ready and in the oven, at about 220F while the turkey is getting done. The potatoes are tossed in the spices and sitting on cookie sheets, ready to pop in the oven. Once the turkey is done, and is resting, I get the oven up to 350F and let all the precooked sides get nice and hot. After about 10 minutes, I get the gravy going (may need a second person to keep that going) and start removing the other sides out of the oven and add final garnishing touches. In go the potatoes for about 15 min. If not done in 15 min, transfer the potatoes to a microwave safe casserole dish and nuke 'em for 3-5 min to get them nice and tender. Once the potatoes are out of the oven, increase the temperature to the desired temperature for store-bought dinner rolls. While the rolls are going, get the side salad (if serving one) and salad dressing out of the refrigerator. Set butter out for the rolls, and get a bread basket ready. While the rolls are in the oven, start carving the turkey (remember to get some of the dark meet sliced as well). We usually say a prayer in thanks ... and then enjoy the spread!! I served my dinner with a couple bottles of prechilled Gerwurtraminer (and my cousin brought a couple bottles of sparkling cider which worked great as well!).   

Prelude to "An Indian Thanksgiving"

So, if my blog is called 'rug rat chow' ... and my lovely adorable rug rat loves Indian food, loves traditional thanksgiving fare and loves his mama as much as she loves him, I'm guessing it is in good taste to post recipes from my Indian Style Thanksgiving!! Looking forward to preparing everything tomorrow .... !!

Rajma Chawal (Red/Black beans & Rice)

The first snow in Central Ohio. Tony wanted to have Chili (how blah!). So i decided to introduce li'l Nik Coder to a tried and tested Punjabi staple for cold Sundays ... 'Rajma Chawal' .. or simply put 'Red/Black beans & Rice'.

Rajma Chawal

Total Prep Time: About 20-30 min.

Ingredients:

1) 2 cans* of red/black beans, drained and rinsed (Rajma).

2) 1 tbsp ginger/garlic paste**

3) 1 6 oz can of tomato paste (or a fresh medium tomato, puree'd).

4) 1 small bay leaf

5) 3 small whole green cardamoms

6) 1 tbsp Garam Masala***

7) 2 cups basmati rice (chawal).

8) 1 tsp cumin (jeera) seeds

9) 1-2 tsps cooking oil (olive, canola, vegetable!)

10) 1 medium/large red onion, diced.

11) salt to taste.

Directions:

Li'l Nik Coder LOVED it!!! 

In a deep pot, saute onion in cooking oil until it begins to brown at the edges. Add ginger garlic paste, mix well and add in tomatoes. Saute for another couple of minutes and then add beans. Mix well, bring to a boil and add 2 cups of hot water and all remaining spices (except the cumin which i like to add to the rice). Mix well and allow to simmer on the back burner.

In a separate pot, boil rice and 1 tsp cumin seeds in ample water. Drain. Serve Rajma Chawal in a bowl, pour rajma over the rice!!!

For the weak of heart, the mild heat of the garam masala can be toned down with a dollop of sour cream, or plain low-fat yogurt. Enjoy!!!

Footnotes:

* I used canned beans. If you want to use dry beans they will need to be soaked overnight and then pressure cooked for at least 30-40 min. in advance of anything else.

**  Available at most Indian stores, or you can use fresh ginger and garlic, diced.

*** Available at most Indian stores; Fortunately :) I use a homemade version my mom sends from India.

Dal Chawal (Yellow lentils & Rice)

Lazy summer days and rainy winter nights - both call for comfort food and nothing meets that need more than a bowl full of "Dal Chawal" .. or simply put 'Yellow lentil curry and boiled rice'.

Tadka Dal

Jeera Waale Chawal

Total Prep Time: About 20-30 min.

Ingredients:
1) 1 cup dry yellow lentils (Toor Dal)
2) 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
3) 1 medium tomato - diced.
4) 2 cup basmati (Indian long grain) rice (chawal).
5) 2 tsp cumin (jeera) seeds
6) a pat of ghee (clarified butter) or unsalted butter (works just as well).
7) salt and pepper, to taste.

Directions:

I use a pressure cooker for cooking dal but a deep soup pot works just as well (although the cooking time is prolonged to around 45-60 min for the dal alone). Wash dal in running water, a couple of times, and then add to the pressure cooker with 2 cups of tap water, 1/2 tsp turmeric, salt and diced tomatoes. Steam in a pressure cooker for 12-15 min and allow the steam to dissipate before opening the lid. Mix well and the dal should be ready for its "tadka" (cumin and butter garnish).

In a small sauce pan, to prepare the tadka, melt and heat ghee (or unsalted butter). Add 1 tsp cumin seeds, allow the seeds to sizzle for just a couple of seconds (until the aroma is released) and immediately pour the tadka on the dal.

In a separate pot, boil rice and 1 tsp cumin seeds in ample water. Drain and serve. Voila! 

Vegetables & Pasta in Fresh Tomato Sauce

A lazy Sunday evening calls for some heartwarming food. I tried Vegetables and pasta in fresh tomatoes today ... It was quite refreshing and warm on this rainy day!

Ingredients:

1) 1 large (or 2 medium) tomatoes - diced.

2) 1 carrot - sliced

3) 1/3 cup frozen green beans

4) 1/3 cup frozen peas

4) 1/3 cup frozen sweet corn

5) a pat of butter

6) 2 cups pasta (any kind)- boiled in salt water and drained. 

7) Seasonings (whatever you think you'd like!) - I only used garlic salt and pepper.

8) Shredded cheese (mozzarella) for garnishing

Directions:

A definite hit with li'l Nik Coder!

In a deep skillet melt butter and add diced tomatoes. Saute for a couple of minutes and add the rest of the veggies and seasonings. Cover and simmer while the pasta is cooking. Once the pasta is drained, check veggies and sauce for to make sure they're done. I like to leave the veggies a little crispy. Mix in pasta. Cover and allow it to sit for a couple of minutes to let the juices seep into the pasta.  Garnish with cheese on individual plates. 

Nik ate his whole plate (well almost his whole plate!) and clementines for dessert. I love it when he eats well!!

Cheesy Chicken Rollup

After a few months of silence, I'm back with a really easy adaptation of an adult dinner. We were having chicken tacos and Nikhil finds it difficult to hold those. I honestly feel sorry for him if he's eating plain tortillas because all the stuffing fell out of his taco. 

Prep Time: 2 min over and above the time spent on the adult dinner.

Ingredients:

1) 1 or 2 corn/flour tortilla(s)

2) Cooked chicken, 2 little pieces.

3) Shredded mexican cheese mix (store bought)

4) taco seasoning

5) salsa 1 tbsp

Directions: 

In a small bowl, shred the chicken with a fork until well separated (Nik doesn't like to eat big chunks of meat so I shred it, you could also use small bit sited pieces, instead!). Add taco seasoning, if needed and about 1 tsp of salsa, and the shredded cheese; mix well. microwave on high for 15 seconds, just enough to allow the cheese to melt. Mix well again and spread a dollop on the tortilla, and roll it up while the cheese is still gooey and make sure that you push the stuffing around enough to stick the last bit of tortilla to itself. Voila! Cheesy Chicken Rollup!! Serve with a dollop of mild salsa. Always a hit!!

Southwest Style Eggs, Sausage & Toast



The Tejas Connection

 So after about 10 days of take-outs and packaged heat-and-eat foods, I was again guilty enough that i just had to make a decent breakfast at home for Nik. I remembered an old favorite - Breakfast tacos - but had no fresh tortillas at home, so instead, we settled for Southwest style eggs. I know everyone knows how to make eggs ;-) but this is a tasty twist on the usual scrambled!

Total Prep Time: 10-15 min

Ingredients:

1) 2 medium eggs

2) 2 tbsp Pace Mild (or medium for adults) & Chunky salsa

3) 1/8 cup milk for eggs

4) 1 sausage link

5) 1 slice of bread for toast

6) butter for toast and for making eggs

7) salt and pepper to taste.

Directions:

Whisk eggs in a bowl, and then mix in milk, salsa, and salt and pepper to taste. Add a pat of butter to a skillet and cook eggs - either scrambled, or an omelette I make Nik's scrambled so he can eat by himself! Cook sausage link in a separate skillet (or in the microwave if thats the kind you prefer! I cut Nik's into little pieces!). At the same time get the toast ready, and buttered.

Always a hit!!!!

Nani's* Tahiri

Nani's Summer Tahiri

Memories of long summer vacations spent at Nani's house always bring about fond memories of tahiri on summer afternoons. Yellow rice with spices and peas, with dahi (plain yogurt) on the side and nimbu-pani (lemonade) could cool down any hot summer day. So that is what we had for dinner today - "Nani ki Tahiri". I also made some ham to add some protein, and while my nani was pure vegetarian ;) Nikky and I sure aren't!!

Total Prep Time: 20-30 minutes

Ingredients:

1) 1 cup long grained basmati rice (washed and soaked for 10 min)

2) 1 tsp turmeric powder

3) 1 tbsp cumin seeds

4) 1/3 cup peas (thawed)

5) 1 tbsp canola oil

6) 2 cups water

Directions:

Preheat the canola oil and fry cumin seeds and turmeric powder for a few minutes before quenching the heat with the peas. fry peas for a few minutes and add rice and water. Bring to a rolling boil and then turn the heat down to medium low and cover the pan. Test the rice after about 15 min and if done, turn off the heat and let the rice sit for a few minutes (in India that is called "Dum" with a soft D ... which means to give it strength ... or something like that!!).

In a skillet, I heated thick ham slices for just a few minutes on either side. For Nikky I diced one of the slices into bite sized pieces. Overall - it was a hit!!!

* Maternal Grandmother

Zucchini, Turkey and Cheese Muffins

So, I've been wanting to try some kind of Zucchini muffins for a while. I finally found a recipe that I could make work for Nik. If the boys and Tony liked it - it would be a hit!! So here goes ..

Ingredients:

1) 1 cup medium ground corn meal

2) 1 cup all purpose flour

3) 1 cup grated zucchini (1 medium sized!)

4) 1 cup grated cheese (italian blend)

5) 6-8 slices of medium deli slices of roast turkey

6) 1/2 cup shortening

7) 1/2 cup plain yogurt (I used greek yogurt)
8) 2 large eggs
9) 2 tsp baking powder
10) 1/2 tsp baking soda
11) 1 tsp salt
12) 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Didn't make the cut with my clan :(

Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl. I just mixed everything in my KitchenAid stand mixer. Then add all the wet ingredients and mix everything together until well blended. Spoon the mixture into a well greased 12 cup muffin pan. Bake at 375F for 20-25 min. Makes 12 muffins.

So, Nik ate half a muffin and drank all his juice before quickly declaring that he was "All done!". Tony made a face after 1 bite. Alex had about two bites and Bryce refused to even look at them!

Hrmpfff!! So this one was a definite miss with my clan!!

Shrimp & Tater Flats

Here's a recipe I tried a while back. It was before I started this blog so I just wrote down my little experimental recipe and didn't take a picture of the food :( ... Oh well! Here's a picture of Nik instead - he's such a ham!

I'm 2 :)

Ingredients:

1) 1 medium potato, pealed & grated

2) 7-8 shrimp, thawed and finely diced

3) 1 egg

4) 2-3 tbsp plain bread crumbs

5) garlic salt and pepper for seasoning

6) butter for frying

Directions:

Mix potatoes, shrimp, egg and seasoning together. Divide the mix into 7 or 8 portions. Form each one into a flat cutlet, roll in dry breadcrumbs and fry in butter until golden brown. These look like flat tater tots - so I called them Shrimp & Tater Flats :) !! I served these with some marinara sauce. Turned out pretty good. Nik was "so-so" in his enthusiasm that day - but this was also the first time he had tasted shrimp. Since then, he's done pretty good with shrimp and seems to like them!! I'm going to try it again soon!

Rotini with Homemade Meat Sauce

Since its a Sunday, lazy me decided to actually spend some time cooking :) !! I first prepared this pasta sauce on one of those evenings last winter when everyone in the family wanted spaghetti and we had no Prego/Ragu at home and neither Tony, nor I, really wanted to step out in the bitter cold to run to the store. It's now a regular family favorite. Tony and all 3 boys LOVE it!!

Total Prep Time: About 45 min or so.

Ingredients:

1) 2 large fresh tomatoes (diced very chunky) or 1 can (14.5 oz) Hunt's Diced Tomatoes
2) 1 tbsp minced garlic
3) 1 can (6 oz) Hunt's Tomato Paste
4) 1 tbsp butter
5) 1/2 lb sliced button mushrooms (optional)
6) 1 Wyler's Chicken boullion cube (or even a vegetable boullion cube if that's all you have around)
7) 1 lb ground hamburger
8) 2 tbsp McCormick's Italian seasoning
9) A sprinkle (or 2 or 3) of Cayenne pepper powder
10) 1.25 cups water
11) 1 lb Rotini - boiled/cooked and strained
12) 1/3 cup shredded mozarella cheese
13) salt and pepper to taste

Directions:



Here Ma-maa, you take a bite!

Fry up the hamburger in a skillet, with 1/2 a tbsp of italian seasoning and just a little sprinkle of salt. Once done, drain the fat and set the meat aside until ready to mix into the sauce. In a large saucepan on medium heat, add butter and garlic. Once the garlic begins to sizzle, give it a few seconds and then add the diced tomatoes and cook for a few minutes; add the mushrooms (optional) and cook some more. Then add the tomato paste, and the rest of the italian seasoning and salt/pepper. In a microwave, heat the water with the boullion cube for about 2-3 minutes (this helps dissolve the cube quicker!) to prepare a chicken stock 'of sorts'. Or you can simply use 1.25 cups of chicken stock. Once the tomato paste is well blended with the tomatoes, add the chicken stock; mix well and bring to a boil. Mix in the meat and then, reduce the heat and simmer the sauce while the pasta is cooking. Just before adding the pasta add a quick sprinkle, or two, of cayenne pepper - it doesn't make it hot (I promise!) .. just takes away some of the tomatoey tanginess and gives it some extra zing. Then, add the cooked pasta to the sauce pan, mix well, re-cover and let stand so that the sauce can penetrate the pasta.

You can sprinkle the cheese over each individual serving - or mix it all in the saucepan and then serve. Nikky's face says it all. Dinner was a hit!

20 min Chicken Nuggets

Even though its a weekend and I "could have-should have" spent time on a lavish dinner, we ate lunch out at our favorite mexican restaurant in Ashland, OH (Casa Fiesta ... yummmy!). So I decided to try a quick recipe that an old friend shared with me a few weeks ago. Thanks Shital!!!

Total Prep Time: about 20 min (or so!)

Ingredients:

1) 1 chicken breast (thawed)

2) 1/2 cup bread crumbs

3) 1 egg

4) seasoning

Directions:

Cut the meat into small "finger-food" pieces (~ 1 square inch). Dip the chicken and then coat with the seasoned bread crumbs. Bake @ 375F for about 15 min. Turning over once in between. Makes about 8-10 small nuggets. I served these with ketchup and steamed buttered green beans. Here's a picture of Nik enjoying his dinner!!Thanks again, Shital ... it was a hit with him just as it has been with Ruhi :)!!! ... as for the green beans (.. not so much today!)!

Cheese Quesadilla with Steamed Buttered Broccoli

Nik was a grouch on the drive home! Super tired according to G'ma Jeanne. Then, when we got home - he wanted to put on his "awwter pants" (aka swimmers) and get in the wading pool. So we had fun in the yard for a good 45 minutes. He was starving by the time we came back in - so dinner had to be made super QUICK!! Even before i had the ingredients out, he was in his chair, all buckled up - ready to EAT!! This one is super easy and super quick.

Total Prep Time: < 5 min.

Ingredients:

1) 1 flour/corn tortilla

2) 2 tbsp mexican cheese mix - shredded

3) a dab of butter

4) 1 bag of Birds Eye Steamables Broccoli

5) salt and pepper

Directions:

Roll the cheese into the tortilla, and put in a buttered pan at medium heat. I used a mini-George Foreman electric grill. Meanwhile prepare the broccoli. Once the quesadilla was done, I cut it into strips with a pizza slicer ... and Niki was eating within 5 min. A hit again!!

Mummy's Peas Pulao

** Update: May 05, 2013: Skip the Oil and switch with vegetable broth or oil and we just enjoy this with hot sauce or plain. No Oil, No Dairy necessary!! ** 

So on my way home from work today I was thinking about what to make for Nik's dinner today. Tony and both the older boys were at Alex's baseball game. So it was going to be just Nik and I for dinner. I had the most of the bag of peas left over from last night's rolls. Nikhil loves rice in any form. I always have a sack of basmati rice from the Indian store so this was an easy decision - the old favorite - mummy's peas pulao.

Total Prep Time: 20 min (wo onion); 30 min max. (w onion).

Ingredients:

1) 1/2 cup basmati rice (washed well and soaked for 5-10 min while the rest of the ingredients are cooking)

2) 1/2 cup frozen peas

3) 1/2 cup coarsely diced red onion (optional)

4) 1-2 tbsp canola oil

5) 1 tsp cumin seeds

6) 1 tsp garam masala (brown curry mix)

7) 1 cup water (to cook the rice in). Usually basmati rice needs a 1:2 ratio of water to cook in. You may need to check the directions on the bag, or use the age-old trial and error method ;)

Directions:

Use a pan with a fitted lid; Heat oil (medium) and add cumin seads and garam masala. Let the spices fry for a few seconds and then squelch the heat by adding the diced onion (this prevents the cumin from burning and tasting bitter). If you're not using onion, use the peas for the same purpose; Allow the onion to cook for a few minutes until it just begins to caramelize; add peas and mix well; cook peas for a minute and then add the soaked rice and water. Allow the water to come to a full boil. Once the water is simmering well, cover the pan with the lid and cook on medium-low heat for 10 min (untl rice appears fluffy and well cooked). I usually pick a grain or two and test it. Turn the stove off and let the rice sit for a few minutes with the lid on (this allows it to absorb any extra water and become fluffier!).

Nik and I ate our peas pulao with blueberry yogurt. It was a hit!!

It also tastes great with plain or salted yogurt, sour cream or cucumber raita (will post recipe soon).