CHICKEN BURGER

Burgers are the most popular fast food in America.You can see that with the increasing fast food restaurants all over the country and the world.To name a few popular ones are McDonald's, burger king, Subway etc.These are the ones we rely on when we are traveling.Beef is the most popular meat here for burgers but my favorite is chicken burger.For healthier reasons I wanted to give it a try making them at home.It was a success,my hubby really loved it and so did I.Its one of the easiest thing to make.Its so moist with so much of flavor.Here is the recipe.

INGREDIENTS

Bun /bread - atleast 1

mayonnaise - just enough to spread on the bun

Onions - cut into thin rings

tomato - cut into thin rings

lettuce

dill pickles(optional)

For making the Patties:-(Use the spices and seasonings more or less to your taste)

Ground chicken - 1 lbs

Onion - 1 medium size,diced small

Green pepper - half a piece, diced small

Garlic - 2 cloves, chopped

Egg white - of 1 egg

Red chilli pdr - 2 tsp

Garlic pdr - 1 tsp

Seasoned breadcrumbs - 1/4 cup(can use plain breadcrumbs)

Dried oregano - a few sprinkles

Italian seasoning - a few sprinkles

Cajun seasoning - a few sprinkles

Cilantro - a small bunch,chopped (can use fresh parsley as well)

salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

Heat some oil in a pan.Add the onions, garlic and green pepper .Saute them well on a medium low heat until they become soft and translucent.Add salt and pepper.Ones they are done mix in the chopped cilantro.Keep aside let it cool.

In a bowl ,add the ground chicken,onion and green pepper mixture and the spices.Drop in the egg white for binding it all together.Add salt and pepper.Now use your hands to slowly mix in all the ingredients .Make medium size patties and keep them aside.

Heat a pan and coat its bottom with oil.Ones the oil is hot place the patties and cook them for 3-4 mins.Flip it over and press it down gently using a spatula and cook that side too for 3-4 mins.Using a meat thermometer check the internal temperature of the patties.For ground chicken it should be 165 deg F.If it hasnt reached that temperature continue cooking the patties flipping it every 2 mins.Keep checking the temperature.Ones they are done keep them aside on a plate.

Now keep all the ingredients nearby to arrange the bun.First lightly toast the insides of the bun/bread and apply mayonnaise on it. On the bottom half of the bun arrange the ingredients in the order of lettuce ,onions,tomatoes,dill pickles and the chicken patty.Cover it with the top half of the bun/bread.Serve it alongside ketchup and french fries.

BANANA NUT MUFFIN

Muffins are one of the most popular breakfast item in USA.As you can see they are very similar to cupcakes.So how can you identify one from the other?

Well cupcakes are always made with white flour and are light in weight,sweet and often covered with icing.They are smaller in size.Muffins are bigger in size and heavier in texture and weight,mostly containing some kind of fruit and nuts.Unlike cupcakes,muffins are never iced and not as sweet.They can be made healthier by preparing it with wheat flour,bran or oats.

That said i personally dont like having muffins for breakfast.Even though its not very sweet,its sweet enough for me to have it as a dessert.I like it that way.Here i have prepared banana nut muffins.I used ripe bananas that are firm to touch and not overipe ones.I also didnt mash them fully,kept chunks of banana pieces so that i get a bite of it ones in a while.Instead of using a whole cup of sugar or brown sugar i used 1/2 of both.The result was soft,moist and fluffy.

I am sending this to this months A.W.E.D - American hosted by DK.This is also my post on day13 of RM 2.

INGREDIENTS

All purpose flour(bleached) - 2 cups

Baking soda - 1 1/2 tsp

cardamam pdr - 1/2 tsp

salt - 1/2 tsp

eggs - 2 (room temp)

Ripe bananas - 4(mash it to chunky pieces)

Sugar - 1/2 cup

Brown sugar - 1/2 cup

oil - 1/2 cup

Vanilla tsp - 2 tsp

sliced almonds - 1/4 cup(for topping)

METHOD

Preheat oven to 375 deg F.Sift the flour,soda,cardamam pdr and salt and keep aside.In a mixing bowl whisk together eggs,sugar and brown sugar until it becomes thick.Add the oil,vanilla and mashed banana.Mix it well.Using a spatula slowly fold in the dry ingredients until just mixed.Line the muffin pan with paper cups and grease it with non stick spray.Using an ice cream scoop pour the batter into the greased paper cups.Top it with sliced almonds.Bake it for 15 - 20 mins or until the toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.Serve it warm.

Check what my marathon buddies are cooking in their kitchen today!!!

1) DK

2) Siri

3) Srivalli

4)PJ

5)Curry Leaf

6)Medha

7)Priya

8)Bhawna

9)Raaji

10)Ruchii

11)Anu

12)Kamala

13)Roopa

14)Divya Kudua

15)Rekha

16)Divya M

17)Lakshmi

18)Raaga

19)Lakshmi Venkatesh

20)Sripriya

21)Viji

22)Pavani

23)Kamalika

24)Karuna

VEGETARIAN 3 BEAN CHILLI

Chilli is something i have always wanted to try.Whenever i see it on tv i would simply drool .Chilli is usually made with beef,tomatoes,peppers and spices.Since i dont eat beef i was on a lookout for a vegetarian version of it .I came across quite a few and finally settled for rachael ray's 3 bean chilli , modifying it a little.In a vegetarian chilli the beef or meat is simply replaced by beans or lentils.A chili can be eaten as an appetiser or as a meal.It goes great as dips with tortilla chips or as a topping for tacos etc.With a little bit of cheese on top it tastes great on its own.One can also make it replacing beans with paneer or potatoes.
This is my day 2 post for RM 2 hosted by DK and Siri .

INGREDIENTS

Onions - 1 large, chopped
red pepper - 1 large, seeded and chopped
green pepper - 1 large seeded and chopped
jalapeno pepper - 1 large seeded and chopped
garlic - 2 large cloved,crushed and chopped
vegetable stock/broth - 1 can for thin version ,1/2 can for thick version
crushed tomatoes - 1/2 can
tomato paste - 1/2 can
black beans - 1 small can
dark red kidney beans - 1 small can
spicy vegetarian refried beans - 1 cup
ground cumin - 1 tbsp
coriander pdr - 2 tsp
chili powder - 2 tbsp
lemon juice as per taste
salt and pepper

Topping:-

Shredded cheese

METHOD

In a deep pot,heat some oil and combine onion, peppers, and garlic. Saute for sometime until its soft .Now pour vegetable stock/broth, add tomatoes, black beans, red kidney beans, and stirring to combine. Spice it with cumin, chili powder,coriander pdr, hot sauce, and salt. Thicken chili by stirring in refried beans. Simmer over low heat about 5 to 10 minutes longer, then serve up bowls of chili and top with shredded cheese. Serve hot with tortilla chips.

Also do drop by my fellow marathoners site to see their delicious posts for the day:-

1) DK

2) Siri

3) Srivalli

4)PJ

5)Curry Leaf

6)Medha

7)Priya

8)Bhawna

9)Raaji

10)Ruchii

11)Anu

12)Kamala

13)Roopa

14)Divya Kudua

BLUEBERRY DUMPLINGS

These blueberry dumplings are totally inspired from Paula's home cooking.Dumplings are "pieces of dough, sometimes filled, that are cooked in liquid " or "sweetened dough wrapped around fruit, such as an apple, baked and served as a dessert.(source - wiki).

Here small balls of sweet dough are slowly cooked in blueberry sauce.Its usually served warm or chilled with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or fresh cream.I love to have these just like that too.Its so mouth watering delicious.YUM!!!

I had to make some changes from the original recipe because of the amount of butter.Original recipe can be found here.

INGREDIENTS

All-purpose flour - 1 cup

sugar - 1/2 -3/4 cup + 2 tbsp

baking powder - 1 tsp

Pinch salt

butter- 3-4 tbsp,softened

milk - 1/4 cup

fresh or frozen blueberries - 2 cups

Vanilla essence - 1 1/2 tsp

Lemon juice - 1 tsp

water - 1 water

METHOD

Stir flour, 2 tbsp sugar, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl. Cut butter into dry ingredients, using a pastry cutter or fork. Add milk to form dough. Set dumpling dough aside.
In a large saucepan, combine berries, 1/2 -3/4 cups sugar(according to ur sweetness), vanilla essence and water and bring to a boil. Drop dumplings into hot boiling berries by the tablespoonful. Cover pot, reduce heat to low, and cook slowly for 20 to 30 minutes. Do not remove the lid before 20 minutes has passed, and do not stir dumplings.Add the lemon juice. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

VEGETARIAN JAMBALAYA

Jambalaya is a Louisiana Creole dish of Spanish and French creation.It is traditionally made in one pot, with meats and vegetables, and is completed by adding stock and rice. There are two primary methods of making jambalaya.

The first and most common is Creole jambalaya (also called "red jambalaya"). First, meat is added, usually chicken and sausage such as andouille or smoked sausage. Then, vegetables and tomatoes are added to cook, then seafood. Rice and stock are added in equal proportions at the very end. The mix is brought to a boil and left to simmer for 20-60 minutes, depending on the recipe, with infrequent stirring. Towards the end of the cooking process, stirring usually ceases.

The second style, more characteristic of southwestern and south-central Louisiana, is Cajun jambalaya(also known as brown jambalaya) which contains no tomatoes. The meat is browned in a cast-iron pot. The bits of meat that stick to the bottom of the pot are what give a Cajun jambalaya its brown color. A little vegetable oil is added if there is not enough fat in the pot. The trinity (of onions, celery, and green bell pepper) is added and sautéed until soft. Stock and seasonings are added in the next step, and then the meats are returned to the pot. This mixture is then simmered, covered, for at least one hour. Lastly, the mixture is brought to a boil and rice is added to the pot. It is then covered and left to simmer over very low heat for at least 1/2 hour without stirring. The dish is finished when the rice has cooked.(Source - Wikipedia)

Cajun Jambalaya has more of a smoky and spicy flavor than creole.
Here i have prepared the Cajun style vegetarian jambalaya but i have added tomatoes into this because i love its flavor in the rice.

I am sending this to mixed rice varieties event hosted by easycrafts of simple Indian food.

INGREDIENTS

Rice - 2 cups

Onion - 1 medium size, diced

Green pepper - half a piece, chopped fine

Mixed vegetables in cajun sauce - 1 can or (1 chopped celery stick and 1/2 cup of cooked kidney beans)

garlic - 2 cloves, chopped fine

green chillies - 2 nos,chopped fine

red chilli pdr - 1 1/2 tsp

paprika - 2 tsp

cajun seasoning - according to ones taste

tomato paste - 2 tbsp

oil and butter - 1 tbsp each

water - 3 1/2 cups

salt

METHOD


Wash,clean and soak the rice for 1/2 an hr.Heat oil and butter in a wide ,deep bottom vessel.Add garlic,green chillies,onions, and green pepper.Add salt and saute until the onion turns translucent.Drain out the water from the can and add it into the pan.Stir it for a couple of minutes and add the spices and stir for a couple more mins.Then add the tomato paste and combine it well with the rest of the ingredients.Now add the rice and stir for sometime.Pour water,check salt,cover and let it cook until the water evaporates.Do not stir the rice in between.WAit till all the water is evaporated.Serve it hot.

FRIED GRITS with VEG. TOPPING - Arusuvai 1

I always used to read in blogs about Arusuvai frienship chain and the surprise ingredients that they receive and always wondered if i will ever be lucky enough to receive one.Little did i know that 2 months later my wish will come true.I received a mail from Madhuram of egglesscooking if i was interested in receiving surprise ingredients from her.I was so excited and happy and so you all can guess what my reply was.

The package arrived sooner than i expected and i was so eager to see what was in it.It contained 3 packets - 2 of which contained the ingredients and the 3rd one had some yummy australian ANZAC biscuits that madhu prepared.We (hubby and me) gobbled it up in no time.It was really really delicious.Thank you much for those madhu:).

Now coming to the ingredients.I was asked to guess both of them.The one in the bigger packet had the texture similar to rava , so i thought it would be polenta but as you can see i was wrong.She told me that if i couldnt guess then the answer was right there behind the stamp.I just couldnt stay in the dark anymore so pulled off the stamp and was very happy to see that it was QUICK GRITS.

Grits was something that we wanted to try after seeing the comedy movie "My Cousin Vinny". This is one of the most hilarious movies i have ever seen. In a way grits do play a role in winning the case.The ones who saw the movie will know what i am talking about and the ones who havent seen please watch it.Its a must see.

Since this was my first time cooking with grits i didnt want anything to go wrong.So browsed for recipes and stumbled upon an interesting one in Epicurious.com .I made slight changes to this recipe and made my own topping which one can choose to totally avoid.Hubby loved it without the topping and i loved with the topping.So here is the recipe.

FOR GRITS

INGREDIENTS

water - 2 1/2 cups

quick-cooking grits - 1/2 cup

grated sharp Cheddar - 1 cup(i used italian 4 blend cheese reduced fat)

garlic pdr - 1 tsp (optional)

unsalted butter - 1 tablespoon(i used 1 tsp)

Salt to taste

FOR TOPPING:-

Button mushroom - 4-5 nos,clean using wet cloth and dice small

Green bell pepper - 1/4 cup , diced small

zuchini - 1/4 cup,diced small

gin-gar paste - 1 tsp

red chilli pdr - 1 tsp

worchestershire sauce - 1 tsp

salt

FOR COATING:-

Flour paste ( mix flour and water to form a thin paste)

bread crumbs

METHOD

In a heavy saucepan bring 2 cups of the water to a boil, add the grits in a stream, stirring, and cook them, covered, over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, for 7 minutes, or until they are very thick. Add the Cheddar, the butter, and salt to taste, stir the mixture until the cheese is melted, and spread it in an 8-inch-square baking dish. Chill the grits mixture, covered, overnight.

Heat oil in a pan.Add gin-gar paste and red chilli pdr.Saute for a few seconds and add the vegetables.Stir on high flame.When it softens slightly add salt and sauce.Lower the flame and let it cook until its done.

Have ready in separate bowls the flour paste and the bread crumbs. In a pan add some oil for shallow frying. While the oil is heating cut the grits mixture into squares or any shape you like. I used a heart shaped cutter.Working in batches, dip the grits into the bread crumbs first,then flour paste, letting the excess drip off, then coat them again with the bread crumbs, and fry them in the oil, turning them carefully, for 2 minutes on each side, or until they are golden, transferring them as they are fried to paper towels to drain. Serve the topping spooned over the grits.

Also my friend Siri of siri's corner is hosting a cool summer event - Frozen yogurt . Click on it for more details.