Ricotta stuffed French Toast with Strawberry Compote on top

Nothing can start off your morning  right than a good satisfying whole hearty breakfast.Well this french toast made of wheat bread with flax topped with strawberry compote will definitely set your mood right.

I received this Nature Pride's Hearty Wheat with Flax bread from Foodbuzz . French Toast is one of the quickest breakfast to make when one is hungry and want something in a jiffy.I make this when i want something different than the usual dosas and idlis.

INGREDIENTS

Bread - 4-6 slices
Egg - 1
Milk - 1 cup
Sugar - 2 tbsp
orange or vanilla extract - 1 tsp

For Stuffing:-

Ricotta cheese - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 2 tbsp ( add more or little depending on ur taste)
Orange zest - of 1 orange

For Compote:-

Strawberry - 1 cup ,  sliced
sugar - 1 tbsp
water - 1 tbsp

METHOD

First to prepare the strawberry compote heat a pan and stir in all the ingredients for the sauce.Let it slowly come to a boil.Cook it until the strawberries become soft.Keep aside.

In a small bowl combine ingredients for the stuffing and keep aside.In another bowl whisk egg,milk,sugar and orange extract. Keep aside.

 

Heat a pan.Spread some butter on it.Now take 2 slices of bread and spread some generous amount of the ricotta stuffing on one of them .Place the other one on top.Dip this in the egg-milk mixture and place it on the heated griddle.Cook it on a medium low flame for a 3-4 mins or until it turns brown.Turn it and cook for the same amount of time.Serve it warm topped with the strawberry sauce and some powdered sugar.

ENJOY!!!

Carrot Cake

Hi everyone, hope all is well on your side.I have been away from blogging for a very long time, busy enjoying my new role as mom. Its so difficult to come back ones you are away from it for a long long time.Well now that i am back i intend to blog atleast ones a week. A comeback has to  always begin with something sweet. 

Carrot cake is something both B and me love.When we want it ,we usually buy it from our nearby grocery stores.It comes with this extra sweet thick layer of cream cheese or sugar frosting on top which we are not a great fan of and most of it goes to waste. So decided to bake one at home where we can have all the carrot cake without worrying the frosting going to waste or not. Here was a neat recipe i came across in a cooking book i borrowed from the library- The Complete Cooking Light Cookbook ,compiled and edited by Cathy A Wesler. The carrot cake was soooooooooooooo moist and delicious.The sweetness was just perfect. We didnt miss the frosting at all. You have got to try this one.Here is the recipe.

SOURCE:- The complete cooking light cookbook compiled and edited by Cathy A Wesler

Ingredients

All Purpose flour - 2 1/4 cups

Baking pdr - 2 tsp
Baking soda - 1/4 tsp
Cinnamon pdr - 1 1/2 tsp
Nutmeg pdr - 1/4 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp

Whole egg - 1

Egg whites - 2

Sugar - 2/3 cup

Dark brown sugar - 2/3 cup

Applesauce - 1/2 cup

Vegetable oil - 1/4 cup

Fat free yogurt - 1/4 cup

Vanilla extract - 2 1/2 tsp, (I used 1 tsp of orange extract )

Shredded carrot - 2 cups

Method

Preheat oven to 375deg F. Sift all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl whisk in sugar, egg and egg whites together then mix in rest of the wet ingredients except shredded carrot. Add the wet mixture into the dry mixture ,stirring until just moist.Now stir in the carrots.

Line the muffin pan with paper cups.Using ice cream scoop fill the cups with the batter.Bake for 20-25 mins or until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes clean.Let it cool for 10 mins before eating.

ENJOY



ROASTED PATHRAWADA - made using collard greens

Getting to eat what we crave the most while pregnant is the utmost satisfaction.I have heard that women crave for food that either they should not eat or is not good for them or something that is difficult to make or get.Well through my experience to some extent its true.When i was pregnant I wanted to eat pathrawada . If i was in India then this wouldnt have been a problem since its easy to get hold of colocassia or taro root leaves(ones usually used to make).My mother was in a dilemma since i wanted it so bad.In US these leaves are rarely available in indian storesThen i remembered my cousin Roopa of my kitchen treats had made pathrawada ones using collard greens.I was so excited.Hubby dear bought it immediately since the leaves are easily available in any american grocery stores.
Collard greens have a great aroma and taste slightly bitter.They cook very quickly .So instead of preparing pathrawada the usual method(steaming)my mom roasted it.The result was simply incredible.It tasted very similar to the usual pathrawada .I had no more complains after eating it:).My mom was happy and i was satisfied .I want to thank roopa for the idea and my mom and hubby for their patience:).Everyone should try out this unique dish.

INGREDIENTS
Collard greens - atleast 5-6 os
oil- 1 tsp
pathrawada batter

METHOD
Remove the center vein of the leaves.Wash it thoroughly and wipe them dry.Place the largest leaf on a plate and apply batter all over it generously.
Place another leaf over it and repeat the procedure until you use 5-6 leaves.Now fold the bottom and apply batter.Then fold the sides, apply batter.Holding it tightly on both sides roll the leaves from bottom to top.(For pic instructions on how to fold click here).
Now slice them 1/2" thick.

Heat a pan.Spread a teaspoon of oil.When it gets sizzling hot place the collard slices on it.Close it with a lid.Let it cook for 2-3 mins.Then turn them ,close with lid and let it cook 2-3 mins on that side as well.Finally transfer them onto a plate.Serve warm with tea or coffee.

P.S:-Add 4 shallots while grinding the batter for extra taste.

SLOW COOKED CHICKEN CURRY

My today's post is all about slow cooking.I prepared this dish in a slow cooker.A slow cooker maintains a constant low temperature throughout while cooking and so takes a long time for it to be done.But the advantage with this slow cooking is steady low heat from the gravy infuses flavor into the meat and makes it really soft.I accentuated the flavour of this dish by adding fried onion paste to the gravy.They also help in balancing the spiciness of the dish. Its best to use a bone in meat ,that way ones they are cooked they simply fall apart from the bone.For those who dont have a slow cooker can simply cook on a low heat(simmering)in a vessel on stove top.

INGREDIENTS

Bone in Chicken - 4-5 pieces(i used 2 legs and 2 thighs)
Onions - 1 large,finely chopped
Tomato paste - 1/2 cup

ginger - 1 1/2 tsp

garlic - 1 1/2 tsp

curry leaves - of 1 sprig

Spice mix - 1 1/2 tbsp(recipe follows)

Cilantro - a small bunch,to garnish

Roast and Grind:-

Coriander seeds - 3 tbsp

Cumin seed - 1 1/2 tbsp

Black peppercorn - 1 tsp

cinnamon stick - 1/2 a piece

cardamam pod - 3 nos

Turmeric - 1 tsp
Kashmiri red chilli pdr - 2 tbsp

Fry and Grind:-

Onion - 1 large, thinly sliced
ginger - 1 tsp

garlic - 1 tsp

METHOD

Dry roast the above mentioned spices except turmeric and red chilli pdr until they turn light brown.Then remove from heat and mix in the turmeric and red chilli pdr.Grind them finely.Set aside half of the pdr in a bowl and mix in some salt.Coat each of the chicken pieces with the spice mix liberally on all sides.Let it marinate for 2 hrs.

Now fry the onions,ginger and garlc until they r lightly brown and then grind them to a smooth paste.Set it aside.

Heat some oil in a pan.Add cumin seeds,ginger,garlic and curry leaves.Stir for a minute then add the finely chopped onions.Stir until they become soft and translucent.Add the spice mix (Store the remaining spice in a dry container)and stir.Now add the tomato paste.Add some water if needed to help mix it together.Add salt.Let this cook for about 5-6 mins.Mix in the fried onion paste.Add 2 cups of water.Now pour this mixture into the slow cooker.Check the seasoning.

Coat the bottom of another pan with some oil.On a high heat brown the chicken pieces on all sides,they should not cook fully,we just want to brown them.Add them into the slow cooker and mix it until they are coated with the gravy.Put the lid and switch it on high.Let it cook for 8-9 hrs or until the meat falls apart from the bone.Garnish with coriander leaves.Serve with rice,roti etc.

BROWNIES

"Belated happy new year to all of u".

Let me start this post by sharing a good news with u all. We have a new addition in our family now :).YES!!Hubby and me have been blessed with a healthy baby boy on Oct 19th ,2009.We named him Siddharth.He is 3 months old now .Its a joy having him around.Just cant wait for him to show us his new tricks as he grows.

I wanted to make some brownies for a long time now.Everytime for some reason or the other i kept postponing it.I had to share this good news with something sweet.I found no reason to postpone this any further.Just a week back i came across this very interesting brownie recipe.Unlike other brownie recipes this particular one required an unual ingredient - Avocado.Surprised!!!Well i was too and made up my mind to try it out.The result was astounding.Not a trace of avocado but a gooey rich chocolatey nutty taste.Too good to be true.Every chocolate lover has got to try this recipe out.I made some modifications to the original recipe.


INGREDIENTS

All purpose flour - 1/2 cup

Cocoa powder - 1/2 cup

Instant Espresso powder - 1 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Almonds - 1/2 cup
Cashew nuts - 1/2 cup

Dark chocolate - 3.5 oz

Canola oil - 1/2 cup

Ripe Hass avocado - 1 large

Eggs - 6 nos
Granulated sugar - 1/4 cup

Dark brown sugar - 1 cup

Dried cranberries - 1/4 cup

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350 deg F.In a bowl sift together flour,cocoa,espresso pdr and salt.Light roast the nuts and chop them into small pieces.Mix it with the flour and cocoa.Chop chocolate also into small chunks and mix it with the flour and keep aside.In a blender mix together eggs, avocado, sugar, oil to a smooth paste.Now pour this mixture into the bowl with flour and cocoa and slowly mix it using a whisk.

Pour this mixture into a baking dish coated with butter.Pu the cranberries evenly on top. Bake for 30-35 mins.Let it cool completely before cutting.Serve at room temperature.

CRANBERRY CHOCOLATE COOKIES

It was a really nice long weekend for us.I made some delicious cranberry chocolate cookies for valentine's day.It may not be the appropriate sweet for the day but anything with chocolate in it sounds good to me.And if its combined with something like cranberries then there is no doubt.This heavenly combo is what attracted me to this in the first place.I saw these cookies on HC's My kitchen treasures blog and i knew it right away i have to make it.They were absolutely delicious.A little crunchy but i didnt mind that at all as long as i get a chocolate and cranberry in every bite.

The only small change i made is i added equal quantities of white and dark chocolate chips.Thank you HC for this wonderful recipe!!!

PALAK RICE

Recently i have been trying to recreate the dishes that i ate during my college days.Palak rice is one among many such dishes.It brings back the nostalgic memories of my good old college days.I prepared the rice in coconut milk instead of plain water and then mixed in the paste made of spinach,coriander leaves and green chillies.It was truly delicious.It tasted close to the one i ate in manipal.It tastes great on its own but one prefers a side dish then a spicy fish curry or lijjat pappad is the best combo.

INGREDIENTS

Basmati rice - 1 cup

Chopped ginger - 2 tsp

Chopped garlic - 2 tsp

Cinnamon stick - 1/2 of a small stick

Canned coconut milk - 1 cup

water - 2 cups

Ghee - 2 tsp

oil - 2 tsp

shredded coconut - 1 tbsp, to garnish

salt to taste

For Grinding:-

Spinach - A whole bunch

Cilantro - A small bunch

green chillies - 4 nos

METHOD

Wash , clean and soak the rice for about 15-20 mins.Grind the required ingredients and keep aside.Mix the canned coconut with 2 cups of water and keep aside.

Heat a large deep pan on medium.Add ghee and oil.When it gets slightly hot add ginger,garlic and cinnamon stick.Saute for a few seconds and then add the rice.Saute that for about 2-3 mins and then add the coconut milk mixed in water.Add salt.Leave it uncovered.Let it come to a boil and cook until 3/4 th of the water evaporates.Ones it comes to a boil keep stirring it frequently.After most of the water evaporates slowly stir in the spinach,cilantro and green chilli paste little by little.Remove from flame and garnish it with shredded coconut.Serve it warm with lijjat pappad or spicy fish curry or like me eat it just like that.

EGGPLANT PICKLE

Pickles are a must for me while having meals.Eggplant pickle was something i had heard of before but never tried.I had a couple of chinese eggplants in stockand so i wanted to give it a try and WOW!!it was simply delicious.Even my husband who is not fond of pickles loved it.The base of my pickle is made of garlic and pearl onion paste.It also adds a lot of flavour to the pickle .For heat and the red color i used a lot of kashmiri red chilli pdr.This gives the right heat without making it too spicy.I baked the eggplant pieces before adding them into mixture.The end result is too good.Other than with rice , it tastes great with chapathis too.

INGREDIENTS

Chinese eggplant - 2 nos, diced small

Pearl onions - 10-12 nos, peeled

Chopped garlic - 2 tsp

turmeric pdr - 1 /2 tsp

Kashmiri red chilli pdr - 2-3 tbsp(If you dont have kashmiri red chilli pdr then reduce the amount of red chilli pdr)

Asafoetida - a pinch

mustard seeds - 1 tsp

curry leaves - of 1 sprig

Tamarind paste - 2 tsp

Vinegar - 1 1/2 tsp

lemon juice - 1 tsp(optional)

salt to taste

METHOD

Preheat oven to 375 deg F.Arrange the diced eggplant pieces on a baking dish.Sprinkle with some salt and let it bake for about 15-20 mins or until they become soft and tender.

In the meantime grind the pearl onions to a smooth paste and keep aside.

Heat some oil in a wok/kadai.Add mustard seeds.Once they start to crackle add curry leaves and garlic .Saute for a few seconds.Then add turmeric and red chilli pdr.Add the onion paste and some salt.Stir it for a couple of mins.Add a pinch of asafoetida.Now add the baked eggplant pieces .Mix it well until the eggplant pieces are well coated with the mixture.Add the tamarind paste and mix it well.Using the back of a wooden spoon mash the pieces into the mixture.Remove from heat and add the vinegar and lemon juice.Mix it again.Let it cool.Serve it with rice or chapathi.Refrigerate the remaining.

PINEAPPLE RASAM

Rasam is a spicy soup ,very popular in South India. Pineapple rasam is one of the different kinds of rasam prepared in south India.I hadnt even heard of it until my hubby mentioned it to me.He had eaten it in his hostel in madras during his college days.First I was quite hesitant to make it as i didnt know how this new kind of rasam would turn out and i loved the regular spicy rasam .Well i gave it a try and i was quite amazed as to how good it tasted.Pineapple gives the right amount of sweet and sour taste which is not at all dominating .From then on i prepare pineapple rasam more often than the regular spicy one.So friends those who havent tried pineapple rasam yet should definitely give this a try.

INGREDIENTS

Tomato - 1 cup, chopped

Canned pineapple - 1/2 cup, chopped

pineapple juice - 1/2 cup,unsweetened

Toor dal - 1/2 cup, cooked

water - 1 1/2 - 2 cups (depending how thin one wants it)

garlic - 2 cloves,chopped

turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Red chilli pdr - 1 tsp

Rasam pdr - 1 tbsp

red chillies - 2 nos

curry leaves - of 1 sprig

cilantro - a bunch, chopped

salt to taste

For Rasam pdr:-

Corinader seeds - 2 tbsp

Cumin seeds - 2 tsp

Black peppercorn - 1 tsp

Red chillies - 3-4 nos

METHOD

Dry roast the ingredients for rasam pdr and grind it to a fine pdr.Keep aside

Heat some oil in a wok/kadai.Add mustard seeds.When it starts to crackle add cumin seeds,curry leaves,red chillies and garlic.Saute for a few seconds.Then add turmeric pdr,red chilli pdr ,tomatoes and pineapple pieces.Saute for a couple of mins and then add the rasam pdr and toor dal.Stir well.Now add the pineapple juice and water.Add salt to taste.Simmer and let it come to a boil.Add cilantro leaves.Serve hot with rice.

VEGETABLE PUFFS

Vegetable puffs remind me of my good old school days.After school my friends and me used to hog on these crunchy puffs from the bakery before heading for our tuition classes.I loved it so much especially the egg puffs.Thats for later ,today its vegetable puffs.Its very easy to make this goodie as long as one has these store bought puff pastry sheets in their refrigerator.One can make any kind of filling,cheese and spinach or a sweet filling or a chicken filling.The one i have made is a simple potato and onion filling.I have taken this to so many get together parties and its always a hit.
INGREDIENTS

Puff pastry sheets - 1

For Filling:-

Boiled potatoes - 2 nos

Onion - 1 medium size, sliced

Frozen peas - 1/4 cup

Fresh ginger - 1 1/2 tsp, chopped

Fresh garlic - 2 cloves, chopped

curry leaves - of 1 sprig

turmeric - 1/4 tsp

red chilli pdr - 1 1/2 tsp

cumin seeds - 1 tsp

coriander pdr - 2 tsp

cumin pdr - 1 tsp

amchur pdr - 1/4 tsp

chaat masala pdr - 1 /4 tsp

coriander leaves - a small bunch, chopped

salt to taste

METHOD

Mash the potatoes and keep aside.Heat some oil in a pan.Add cumin seeds, ginger, garlic and curry leaves.Saute for a few seconds and then add the sliced onions.Saute it until they turn soft and translucent.Then add turmeric pdr,red chilli pdr,amchur pdr ,coriander pdr,cumin pdr and chaat masala pdr.Stir well and add the peas.Add salt and stir in for a couple more mins.Now add the mashed potatoes and mix well.In the end stir in the chopped coriander leaves.Keep aside and let it cool.

Follow the box instructions and thaw the puff pastry sheets.Preheat oven to 400 deg F.Sprinkle some flour on both sides of the pastry sheets and roll it out a bit.Cut it into 9 equal squares.take a spoonful of the filling and place it on the center of the square. Close it by lifting the opposite corner over the filling and pressing it tightly.Apply some water to help seal the edges.Bake for about 10-15 mins or until it turns golden brown.Serve it warm with coffee or tea.