"See the world through the eyes of a creative contributor who loves to illustrate the small adventures that life creates. My hope is to put down in words and portraits especially those things that are apparent yet not always on parchment. Today unique thoughts, accounts, illustrations, and experiences may not remain distinctive but satisfaction can still be derived from the recognizable sentiment of them and from the faithful bonds they create."
Alice, my friend and colleague, gave me a nice recipe which I recently put to great use! The result was an easy and very tasty dish which my hubby thoroughly enjoyed! Here goes.
Ingredients
Eggs - 3 ~ usual 6
Milk - 2 cups
White Bread - 2 slices ~ cubed (we used Tuscan Pane)
Salt - 1/2 tsp ~ calls for 1 tsp
Dry mustard - 1 tsp (optional)
Sausage - 1 lb. ~ browned and drained
Grated cheddar cheese - 1 cup ~ we used Pepper-Jack :)
Method 1. Heat oven to 350F. Beat eggs, add milk, then salt. Add mustard now, if using. 2. Stir in bread cubes. Add cheese and sausage. 3. Bake in lightly greased pan, uncovered for about 45 mins.
It is very very easy to make wholesome smoothies at home . Smoothies are a good way to get rid of those frozen bananas or older fruits! All you need are a few ingredients and a blender. On a hot summer day recently my hubby and I enjoyed this delicious, refreshing smoothie.
Ingredients
Yogurt - 1 Cup ~ plain
Strawberries - 1/2 Cup
Bananas - 2
Sugar - 1 tbsp ~ per taste
Ice ~ per desire
Method 1. Cut up bananas and strawberries (you don't necessarily need to chop the strawberries too small). 2. Place yogurt in blender followed by strawberries, then bananas, blend at high speed for 30 secs. 3. Open and add sugar, mix and add ice, as needed, and blend into a nice smoothie batter!
~Enjoy this nutritious smoothie by itself or with a meal or snack :)
This is one of my most favorite dishes from Kerala! I knew I had to make it one day. The first time, since I used frozen desiccated coconut, it didn't come out well. Second time was a charm. This dish was absolutely delicious. It takes more cooking time, but it is well worth the wait :)
With chappatis
With rice
Ingredients
Roast, Grind, Marinade Dry red chillies - 5 Black Peppercorns - 1 tsp Fennel seeds - 1.5 (heaped) tbsp Cardamom cloves - 4 ~ seeded Cinnamon stick - 1 one inch stick Bay leaves - 3
Also for Marinade Ginger Garlic paste - 1 (full) tbsp Salt - to taste Green chillies - 2-3 ~ to taste Vinegar - small splash Lime - juice of 1/2 a lime Coriander powder - 1/4 tsp
To fry Olive oil - 3 tbsp Mustard seeds - 2 tsp Pearl Onions (Kunjulli) - 6 Yellow onion - 1/2 of one Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp Garam masala - 1 tsp Curry leaves - 18 leaves Tomato - 1 small Coconut pieces - 1/4 cup ~ medium slices Beef - about 2 lbs ~ medium thin cubes Red wine - 2 tsp ~ just a small splash
Method 1. Cut beef into medium thin cubes and place in bowl to marinade. 2. Without oil, roast the first batch of ingredients for about 5-6 mins. Then grind in a mortar pestle and rub all over meat. 3. Add the second batch of ingredients to the meat, mix well and marinade meat on counter top for 30 mins, or more in the fridge. 4. Heat olive oil in a pan, and splutter mustard seeds. 5. Now add both types of onion and cook until golden brown. 6. Add the turmeric powder, garam masala mix well, then add curry leaves. 7. Add the tomatoes and cook for at least 5 mins. Now add the coconut pieces and cook until you can smell the coconut aroma. 8. Now place beef into this mixture and fry in med-low heat, being very careful to mix well, for 30-40 mins. until meat color changes to a dark brown! Add a splash of red wine within 5-10 mins. of frying meat.
I had a craving for coffee cake and then found out that not all cakes have actual coffee in them. I decided to bake a real coffee cake with coffee in it and practically just modified my basic vanilla cake recipe, from a few weeks ago. The result was nice! The coffee flavor was subtle so more can be added per taste. Also, walnuts (which I didn't have) can be added for a nice variety. Enjoy this cake with a coffee beverage or just on its own.
Ingredients
Butter - 1/2 cup ~ melted
Sugar - 1 cup ~ or less
Eggs - 2
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
All purpose flour - 1 & amp ; 1/4 cup
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Baking soda - 3/4 tsp
Salt - 1 pinch
Yogurt - 1/4 cup ~ may need additional bit
Instant coffee (Nescafe) - 2 tsp
Hot water - 1 tbsp
Method
1. Heat oven to 350F. Add sugar to melted butter and whisk until it looks and feels light and fluffy. I literally hand-whisked 200 rotations! 2. Drop in eggs one by one and continue whisking. 3. Add vanilla, then strain in flour, baking powder and soda. Mix well, then add yogurt to form a thick batter. 4. Place half of the above batter into a greased/floured 8" pan - leave gaps in between. 5. Mix the instant coffee with the hot water and add this to the rest of the flour in bowl with batter for a chocolaty-brown color. 6. Now add the chocolate colored batter in the gaps you left previously in the batter in 8" pan - it should look like a checker board. 7. Take a fork or knife and gently swirl the batter once or twice. 8. Bake in oven for 35-40 mins. Check at 30 mins. ~Bon Apetit!
I have enjoyed this dish time and time again at my friend's house and finally got the recipe from her dad, Uncle Manohar. The next day I was hunting for goat meat at the local grocery store, totally unaware that grocery stores don't really sell goat meat but that the lamb they do sell is a nice substitution! Here is some lamb curry :)
Ingredients
Olive oil - 1 tbsp ~ or less
Onion - 1/2 of one ~ finely cubed
Ginger Garlic paste - 1.5 tsp
Tomatoes - 1 small ~ chopped fine cubes
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp ~ to taste
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Meat (mutton) masala - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Water - 1/2 -1 cup
Meat - 2 lbs or so
Method 1. Heat oil and then brown onions. Add ginger garlic paste and cook for at least 8 mins. 2. Add tomatoes and again cook for another 5-8 mins. 3. Add turmeric, red chilli powder, garam masala, meat masala and cook for another 6-8 mins. 4. Place goat meat in pan, then add salt and fry up for 4-5 mins. 5. Pour in the water (more water for more gravy but meat will also add to the gravy), simmer for about 15-20 mins with lid on. Stir in between. 6. After meat has fully cooked, simmer covered, and turn off stove.
My hubby and I made a sausage souffle recently using a recipe from a friend's collection. It was so simple to make and the bread tasted so good I thought, why not try the same recipe for something sweet, like bread pudding! I am so glad I tried it because it was easy and delicious!
Ingredients
Eggs - 2 ~ whip
Milk - 1.5 cups
Cardamom - 10 pods ~ finely powder
Sugar - 1/3 cup
Bread - 2 slices ~ we used Tuscan Pane
Method 1. Warm oven at 350F. Slice bread into small cubes. 2. Beat two eggs in a bowl. Add milk, cardamom, sugar, and mix well. 3. Now stir in bread cubes and nix in well. 4. Bake uncovered for 35-40 mins.
Angel hair pasta or any kind - enough for number of people served
Potatoes - 3 ~ I used 1 large and 2 medium, cut in medium cubes
Lime - 1 whole
Garlic cloves - 6 large pcs
Chicken legs - 8 pcs
Salt and ground black pepper - a few tsps.
Dry basil - a good tbsp ~ fresh basil is better
Green chillies - 1 ~ finely chopped
Red pepper - 1/2 of one ~ finely chopp
Yellow onion - 1 small - chopped thin lengthwise
Roma tomato - 1 small
Chilli-ready diced tomatoes - 1 can
Chicken Broth - 1/4 Cup
Olive oil - a few drops
Rosemary - 1 stalk ~ rip up
Thyme - 1 small stalk ~ rip up
Method 1. Preheat oven to 350F 2. In salt water, cook pasta and drain. In another dish, cook potatoes with whole lime and garlic cloves for 12 mins. Drain and toss so the sides are rough. Take the lime and garlic cloves out and puncture the lime a few times. 3. Rub chicken with salt and pepper and place in fridge. I skipped this step and instead smeared chicken in stage 5. 4. In a 8x11 pan, layer with canned tomatoes, then add a bit of chicken broth. Now add the lime and garlic pcs. 5. Add the chicken legs (smear with pepper and salt if haven't already marinaded in 3.). Add a bit of olive oil to chicken. 6. Add onions, red pepper, tomatoes, green chillies. 7. Now add potatoes on and around the pan. 8. Sprinkle the basil, then add rosemary and thyme over the potatoes. 9. Place in oven for 45 mins (potatoes get roasted very well]). Bring chicken to the top and roast. After another 45 mins. turn chicken around and place in oven for another 30 mins. Total cook/roast time = 2 hrs.
~ Remember the chicken will give off juices too so you can omit the canned tomatoes and chicken broth for a dryer version. I made more gravy because I can use this atop the pasta in the end :) We also had some with idlis!
With an international education and friends all over the world, Benita is a true global soul. When not attempting to compose blogs, she loves to read, create design work, watch good movies, cook when inspired, and travel with the hubby. The world wide web continues to be one of Benita's greatest networking assets. She enjoys connecting with friends and professionals worldwide.
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