Thursday, May 27, 2010

A Gift, A Beautiful Red Tulip, and Eyesight for Colton

A few weeks ago Carol Egbert @ carolegbert.com asked a simple question!! The question concerned the name of a certain fruit that I love: the Loquat. A correct answer won me a wonderful gift :)

Monday, May 24, 2010

Delicious Macaroni and Cheese Bake

Mac & Cheese is the ultimate comfort food! We adore mac and cheese round here. I generally use different ingredients each time I make mac and cheese and so have developed several versions of this lovely dish. A couple of weeks back it suddenly turned cool around here. There was even frost on the ground!! Craving something very comforting and warming, I decided decided to make a classically creamy baked version of mac and cheese.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Fresh Apple, Pecan, and Cinnamon Cake

Its been some time since I baked a cake. So when I caught a break on Tuesday evening, I decided to pull out the flour, sugar, and eggs and have a go at it!! I baked a fresh fruit and nut cake with apples, pecans, and cinnamon. This cake is soft and spongy, but it also have a great crumbly texture. Its great with a hot cuppa but you can serve it as dessert with a dollop of fresh cream!

Monday, May 17, 2010

Daring Cooks Challenge: Spicy Green Chile, Two Bean, and Zucchini Enchilada Bake

Spicy Enchiladas are always a welcome treat and home made ones do taste the best!! Barbara and Bunnee gave us a fabulous May 2010 Daring Cooks Challenge. My version of this recipe included the home made corn tortillas, a green chile sauce, two bean and zucchini filling mix, and grated basil-tomato cheese! For the Green Chile Sauce, I broiled the chiles and the tomatillos in the oven but added no onions or garlic in it. For the filling, I made a vegetarian mix of two beans, zucchini, tomato, and fresh corn, with loads of onion and garlic. The tortillas were easy to make and came out very soft and delicious. I did not fry before baking. I made the bake more like a baked lasagna dish, lining the baking pan with the tortillas rather than making individual stacks. It was easy to cut through the bake for individual sized portions. This is a great recipe and we really enjoyed it. I will definitely make this dish again!!

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Chana Dal Dudhi | Chana Dal Lauki | Bottle Gourd with Bengal Gram Lentils

It is raining cats and dogs again - its as if the rain just does not want to leave our area! I am almost beginning to feel as though I am stuck in the middle of the monsoons here, albeit a monsoon of a rather chilly and windy variety!! Our rather optimistic weatherman assures us everyday that there is some sunshine out there - waiting to pop right out of the clouds - umm... say.... day after tomorrow :)

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Sweet Mango Cardamom Cream

Its Mango Season in India and I was craving the fruit!! Anyone who has tasted any Indian mango can relate to this craving. Regardless of which part of India the mango may come from, each type has its own unique identity and sublime taste. Though the Alphonso is the most well know, mangos like the Kesar, Dussheri, Langra Banarasi, Chausa, Safeda - to name just a few are well loved for their colour, fragrance, and taste.Of course, none of these can be found here - though in England Kesar and Alphonso was easily available!!

Friday, May 7, 2010

Warm Pasta Salad with Lima Beans, Bok Choy, and Walnuts

Pasta salads are always fresh, vibrant, and full of taste. They are wonderful in summer when one really does not want to go anywhere near hot food!! But what do you do when you get that pasta salad craving and you are in the middle of cold spring showers? Make a warm pasta salad, of course! They are just as delectable, comforting, and delicious. I made mine with warm macaroni, oven grilled soysage (soya sausage), lima beans, bok choy, onions, and walnuts!!

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Pomegranate: The Healing Food for May

The Healing Foods Event focuses every month on a single item of food. The aim is to highlight the health benefits and nutritive value of that food. This food event which was initiated by Siri @ Siri's Corner challenges you to share your recipes via the blogosphere in their most healthy form. This May, I will be the guest host for Healing Foods. The food I have chosen to highlight at this event is the Pomegranate!!

Monday, May 3, 2010

Tuscan Ribollita Or a Hearty Reboiled Soup from the Simple Kitchens of Tuscany

A staple of the simple Tuscan Kitchen is soup. And amongst soups, one of the most popular is a soup called the Ribollita. A peasant soup, the term literally means reboiled. With a tangy tomato base, this soup calls for any leftover vegetables lying in the pantry and a generous spoonful of basil pesto sauce. For the uninitiated, think Minestrone without pasta and with loads of beans. This was one of the soups that I made for supper last week. I served it with hunks of Kalamata and Olive Focaccia!!

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Hare Pyaaz ke Kulche | Flatbread with a Spring Onion Stuffing

Last week my brother asked me if I had a good recipe for naan!! Of course I did!! But then he asked me if it would be without yeast - some dear friends had requested him for a recipe of naan that could be made without yeast. That got me thinking, and I remembered the great kulchas we got in our school canteen in Delhi!! Chole and kulche was a staple on the menu.