Spicy - Oven Baked Bread Casserole

I love casserole anything! this is my version of spicy baked casserole with veggies, cheese, eggs on a whole wheat bread.
Ingredients:
Whole Wheat bread - 6 slices
Veggies: Spinach, peas, red pepper, green pepper.
Mozzarella Cheese - 3 tbsp
Milk - 1/2 cup
Eggs- 3 large
Salt and pepper


Preparation:
Beat the eggs, milk, salt and pepper together, add the chopped veggies in it.
Pour half of the egg mixture in the greased baking pan, arrange the breads in layer.
Pour the rest of the mixture on top of it.
Add the cheese 'generously' on top of it :)
Cover the pan with foil, let it rest in refrigerator overnight.
Bake at 350F next morning for 20-25 mins.
Fantastic spicy breakfast is ready!


Wednesday, May 26, 2010 | Category: , | 65 Foodies Review

Dinner Served on a Palm Leaf Plate
Thanks to Marx Foods for the  palm leaf  plates. I haven't seen anything like this around here, until I find this in Marx food website. I love these plates! They are made of  palm leaves from forest floor, hand-stretched, flattened and heat-pressed in to different shapes. They look Authentic too.
I remember having the food served on those plates when I was in India :) these plates are extremely earth friendly for the below reasons, more than that they look pretty cool and won't get soggy unless soaked.

Its very light, extremely durable, bio-degradable and compostable.  They are made of a leaf. No trees are cut, leaves are harvested from the Forest floor :) isn't Awesome?

My DH friends are coming to Detroit from India tonight...and I'm hosting a dinner party! as you know its an Indian tradition to serve food on a banana leaf :) umm.. I'm thinking of serving it on a Palm Leaf plates.

Have you seen these plates or used them before?


Friday, May 14, 2010 | Category: , | 37 Foodies Review

Avocado Berry Smoothie

I love this Smoothie! It was so rich and creamy. I got a bunch of berries and avocado's from farmers market this weekend, All I could think of, is mixing them together! and the combo worked really well.

Adding berries gave extra taste to the creamy smoothie.

Ingredients:
Avocado - 2
Berries- 3
Milk- 1/2 cup
Honey- 1tbsp


Preparation:
Blend the avocado chunks, honey, milk and ice cubes together in a blender.
Before serving add the chopped berries.
Enjoy the rich and creamy smoothie.. Yummy.
Thursday, May 13, 2010 | Category: , | 43 Foodies Review

Sautéed Drumstick Leaves

 Moringa oleifera or Drumstick tree. Drumstick leaves has unique taste, flavor and very nutritious. It does not require much effort to cook, other than removing those tiny leaves from its stems. A simple saute will taste awesome! This is used as a holistic medicine for diabetes. It's also an excellent source of Vit A, C, iron and calcium.
I was so happy to get this fresh in local store.
 

Ingredients:
Drumstick leaves - 2 cups
Oil- 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds- 1tsp
Urad Dal - 1tsp
Salt
Pepper

Preparation:
Heat the oil in a pan, add the cumin seeds and urad dal.
Mix the leaves and give it a stir. If needed add a 1tbsp of water.
Add salt and pepper, cover and cook for 5 mins.
Serve as a side for any rice dish or just as a salad

I planned to serve this as a side for my main dish, but, the aroma was so tempting and... I ended up having it as a salad!

Tuesday, May 11, 2010 | Category: , | 42 Foodies Review

Chocolate Cake
This cake is for my Friend : Happy Birthday to Sumo and Advanced Happy Mothers day to all readers!


 Thanks to Betty crocker recipe! This devilish chocolate cake is super simple and sinfully yumm with a rich and creamy milk chocolate frosting from Betty crocker.  I never did frosting on my cakes before, the ready made frosting from Betty looks delicious and simple to give a try.


 Added one ripen banana to the cake flour and it turned out super soft and fluffy! not sure if I like my cake to be that soft! but the chocolate frosting made this cake to be in my 'W.A.N.T.E.D' list.


  
Topped it with pecans and white chocolate chips to make this more ...guilty!
Please let me know if you have any easy, no-messy frosting recipe, I would love to give a try.

 
Wednesday, May 05, 2010 | Category: | 44 Foodies Review

Banana-Nut Coffee cake

Super simple, delicious and flavorful cake. You can add any flavored coffee if you want, I prefer original taste.

Ingredients: 
Flour - 2 cups
Granulates Sugar - 1 cup
Baking Soda - 1 tsp
Salt - 1 pinch
Large Eggs - 2
Banana Mashed - 1/2 cup
Brewed Coffee (cold) - 3tbsp
Melted Butter- 1/2 stick
Milk- 1/4 cup
Chopped pecans- 1/4cup

Preparation:
Pre-heat the oven to 345F.
Mix the Banana, melted butter, milk, eggs, and coffee.
Slowly shift the flour, salt and baking soda altogether in to the wet mixture.
Gently fold the chopped Pecans in the mixture.
Pour the mixture in a greased cake pan and bake for 45 mins or the toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Let it cool for 10 mins before slicing.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010 | Category: , , | 50 Foodies Review

Paniyaram

Paniyaram is made of rice-lentil batter or idli batter using the mold. One of the famous traditional South-Indian breakfast item, with sweet and spicy version.
I made the Spicy one by adding onion, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, ginger, chilies and curry leaves. Below pic is the traditional utensil, which is used to prepare Paniyaram.

Ingredients:
Idli batter -  2 cups
Mustard seeds - 1tsp
Cumin Seeds- 1tsp
Onions chopped - 3 tbsp
Red or green chilies- 2 count
Ginger grated - 1 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp

Preparation:
Heat a tsp of oil in a pan; add mustard seeds, cumin seeds.
Add the chilies, onion and curry leaves. Fry till the onion turns golden brown. Let it cool.
Mix the fried onion mixture in to the Batter, add salt and mix well without adding water. Batter has to be in pancake mixture consistency.
Heat the Paniyaram utensil at low-medium heat, add a drop of butter or oil in each holes. Pour a spoon full of batter in to it, let it cook for 2 minutes.
Use chopstick or metal skewer to push one side of the Paniyaram, this will make the Paniyaram to turn upside down. Cook 1-2 mins or till its cooked.
Serve Warm with any type of Chutney.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010 | Category: , | 50 Foodies Review

Baked Asparagus with Herbs
                                        
         Not a huge fan of Asparagus, but couldn't resist buying them when its was super fresh in farmers market...Baked it with Rosemary and garnished with Mozzarella cheese.

Ingredients:
Asparagus - 1 Bunch
Rosemary - 1 tsp
Olive Oil- 1 tbsp
Salt - 1tsp
Pepper- 1 tsp
Mozzarella Cheese Grated- 1 tbsp

Preparation:
wash and cut the lower end of the asparagus, about 1 inch. Spread them in a baking sheet/tray.
Drizzle oilive oil, herb, salt and pepper. Give it a toss to make the herb mix well.
Bake at 350 for 10 to 15 mins or till its cooked.
Add the grated cheese on top of it.
Serve Warm and Enjoy!

Saturday, April 17, 2010 | Category: , | 43 Foodies Review

Pizza
 
Finally!!!! Made a veggie pizza from scratch, which was due in my must-try items for almost a year now! It really turned out good(meaning of my good is not the same as you know). I loved the thin crust, no intention of making  it thin, but it just happened to be a thin crust!  and the flavors of  the herbs like basil, oregano, garlic was giving me a satisfaction it smells like pizza. In addition to prove I'm an amateur pizza baker, I have added a tsp of chat masala on top of crust before adding the mozzarella cheese.  

Added decent amount of veggies like color peppers, onion and spinach. After all this! I was generous to leave some pizza on my plate, My intuition was telling me not to take risk alone...you know?!

If at all anyone courageous enough to try my version of pizza, I'm so honored! and please follow the recipe  very strictly :)

Ingredients:
            All purpose flour 51/2 oz
            Warm Water 1/2 cup
            Dry yeast- 1tsp
            Salt 1tsp, Olive oil tbsp

For toppings:
           Tomato paste 2 tbsp
           Chat masala 1tsp
           Chopped veggies 1/2 cup
           Mozzarella cheese 4 oz

Preparation:
Mix the dry yeast in the warm water.
Mix the salt and flour together, add the warm water in to the dough and knead well using mixer or hand. add a tbsp of olive oil and mix well. 
Allow to rise for 3 hours in a clean bowl covered with a kitchen towel. It rises about double the size.
Put the dough on the working surface, use little flour to avoid sticking, roll it and place it over the baking sheet.
Shape the outer layer of the pizza dough.

                                  Now, The Battle Begins !!  
Heat your oven to 475F and bake your pizza dough for exactly 11 mins, baking more, will burn the crust. Take it out and don't remove the crust from the baking sheet. Spread the tomato paste, add the chat masala, mozzarella cheese and layer your veggies on top of it. Bake  it again for not more than 9 mins in 475F. Remove the pizza from oven and .... Please let me know how it turned out for you.

Hint: Adding the topping and baking the crust at one shot will make the crust little soggy.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010 | Category: | 36 Foodies Review

Carrot Poriyal

Super simple, utterly healthy and tasty menu! I love this with any sort of curry and rice.

Ingredients:
Chopped Carrot- 2 cups
Mustard Seeds - 1tsp
Cumin seeds- 1tsp
Red Chilly - 1
Olive oil - 1tbsp
Curry leaves - 5
Preparation:
Heat a wide pan with a tbsp of olive oil.
Add the mustard, cumin, red chilly and curry leaves.
when it splutters, mix the chopped carrots and saute well.
Add salt and keep in medium heat for 3 mins.
Garnish with Coriander.


Hint: Optional, add grated coconut(2tbsp) to add extra taste!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 | Category: | 41 Foodies Review

Quick Snack
Still figuring out what is the exact English name for this beans ... Anybody?
To my best search, I could relate or call it as Hyacinth bean seeds.

I was excited to see this in frozen section, its been years since I had them. It can be a tasty snack or a side dish too.

Preparation:
Add 1 tsp of olive oil and add Cumin seeds(1tsp),mustard seeds(1tsp), urad dal(1tsp), curry leaves, red chilly powder(1/2tsp), water(1tbsp).
Mix the Frozen beans in to it and saute them for few mins, add salt. Its Done!
Enjoy as a side dish or just as a snack.


Aahhh! the below pic is the traditional south Indian Coffee cup and saucer, not to mention its my New Love in Kitchen. It exactly holds only five sips of coffee, deliberately brought the cute and tiniest one, so I can enjoy my coffee/tea more than twice a day. This is my best buy of this year. what have you got recently?
Saturday, March 20, 2010 | Category: | 43 Foodies Review

Lentil Dumplings Curry
This Super Spicy and tasty curry goes very well with rice or roti.

Ingredients:
Onion- 1/2 cup
Tomato chopped - 1 cup
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp
Fenugreek Seeds- 1tsp
Mustard seeds- 1tsp
Tamarind Juice- 3tbsp
Sambar Powder- 2tbsp
Red Chillies- 2


Dumpling Ingredients:
Channa Dal - 1tbsp
Toor dal - 1 tbsp
Moong dal -1tbsp
Soak the dals in enough water for 2 hours.
Chopped Onion - 1tbsp
Black pepper - 1tsp
Ginger- 1tsp
Salt- pinch
Curry leaves- 5-6 leaves

To prepare Dumplings:
Remove the soaked dal from water and grind them to coarse paste, adding onion, pepper, salt, ginger and salt, use only little amount of water.
Add the curry leaves and Divide the coarse paste in to same size of balls, steam them in idli cooker for 10 mins.(exactly the way you prepare idli) this will help the dumpling to stick together, rather falling apart in curry.
Keep them aside.

To prepare Curry:
Heat the wide pan with 2 tbsp oil,
Add the mustard, fennel, red chilli.
Add the ginger garlic, Onion, fry till onion turns golden brown. Add the Chopped Tomato and salt.
Pour two cups of water and add the Sambar powder. Let it cook in medium heat for 5 mins.
When it comes to a boil, add the dumpling inside the curry slowly.
Add the tamarind juice and give a gently stir.
Let it cook in slow heat for 5 more mins.
Garnish with Coriander and Curry leaves.
Enjoy with Rice or Roti.
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 | Category: | 25 Foodies Review