Tacoyum cup

Yummy Stater

When I started planning out our party menu for this season, I knew I needed to bring out the snacks and drinks that my guest would really love! but not stressing out too much preparing it. My friends and family loves to spice things up a bit when it comes food choice, and what better way to kick off the start with these delicious appetizer Tacoyum Cups!

You can make it vegetarian or with meat. Both tastes yummy. Just switch Tofu and Chicken for your guest as per their preference. Feel free to use ANY of your own favorite taco ingredients for this dish. This is such a versatile appetizer and they’re really easy to customize to your own liking!

Ingredients

1 lb ground Chicken/Tofu – scrambled

1 packet taco seasoning mix

2 cup cooked red beans

1 package shredded lettuce

1 8 oz package shredded Taco blend cheese

1 avocado – prepared into guacamole

1 cup salsa

Sour Cream

Chopped cherry tomatoes black olives, green onions, jalapenos for optional garnish

Nachos for garnish

9 oz clear plastic cups

Instructions

• Cook ground chicken/tofu and add in taco seasoning according to packet instructions
• Scoop a spoonful of taco mixture into clear plastic cups to use as the base, followed by a layer of each listed ingredient according to your liking. Top with extra cheese , jalapenos, olives, etc.
• Enjoy with Nachos on the Top.

Notes

1 lb of ground Chicken/Tofu is enough to make about 10 taco cups. Consider doubling the recipe if feeding a larger crowd.

Eggless Zucchini cake

Love making Zucchini cake, I make it less sweet but if you have a sweet tooth you can increase the sugar by 1/4th cup.. I and my family love it this way. Also if you are out of apple sauce substitute with banana.. apple sauce gives a better taste to the cake as it does not have its own flavor in the cake. But banana tastes equally good and make the cake more moist.

Follow the recipe and you will get a great cake.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups of all purpose flour
• ½ cup of sugar
• ½ teaspoon of baking soda
• ½ teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon of nutmeg
• 1 cup of apple sauce/ 1 cup mashed banana
• ½  cup of vegetable oil
• 1 heaping cup of grated zucchini

Instructions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees F and grease an 8×4 loaf pan.
2. Squeeze out the water from the grated zucchini as much as you can. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, shift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
4. In a different bowl, whisk together the apple sauce, oil, and sugar.
5. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
6. Fold in the grated zucchini.
7. Pour the mixture into the loaf pan and bake for 45-55 minutes.
8. Let cool slightly and Enjoy ..

Crispy Apple Chicken Skillet

 

A delicious healthy breakfast for a cozy weekend. Use a iron skillet which can go into the oven directly.

Ingredients

1 lb Fresh Ground Chicken

4 tbsp olive oil

1 cup onion, diced

1 medium sweet, crisp apple diced but not peeled

2 tsp dried sage

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

4 cup shredded potatoes

4 large eggs

 

Procedure

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute, until slightly soft, about 2 minutes.

Add the apples and saute 2 more minutes.

Add the ground chicken, dried sage, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Saute for 6 to 8 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Transfer to a large bowl.

In the same skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the shredded potatoes in a single layer and the remaining salt and black pepper. Cook potatoes without stirring for about 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom. Turn the potatoes and cook 5 to 6 more minutes until brown all over.

Top potatoes with the chicken apple mixture and remove from heat.

Using a spoon, make 4 indentations into the chicken-apple mixture. Crack 1 egg into each indentation.

Place the skillet in a pre-heated 375 degrees F. oven for about 15 to 18 minutes or until eggs are cooked to your desired likeness. Remove from the oven and serve hot. 

Instant Pizza Dough

 

This is the easiest, best pizza dough recipe. With just 6 ingredients, this pizza crust requires just one bowl about 5 minutes of kneading, just 30 minutes to rise and less than 15 minutes to bake. 

Let me first tell you the story behind making this Pizza.. As the whole world is going through this pandemic, which is really sad that so many of us are loosing their loved ones. Not at all a good feeling. But lets talk about the positive part here.. According to me people have learned the value of family.. We all were so busy with this fast moving world that we didn’t have time for each other.  But now we do understand .. which is a very good thing. So now coming back to the reason when i thought of making this pizza .. Its been almost 90 days we are not eating any outside food, and we survived .. Have we ever thought that we will be able to ? Anyway coming back.. in my family all were craving for pizza a lot specially my kids .. Wanted to bake Pizza since a long time but was not getting yeast anywhere .. so waited this long, but luckily i found a sachet of instant yeast in my pantry which was hiding somewhere from me 🙂

It’s a little silly how excited I am to share this recipe with you today. It’s just a pizza dough, not exactly glamorous or sexy. But still feel like sharing with you all. Hope it will help some of you. This pizza dough recipe as simple and approachable as possible.

Ingredients

• 2-2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour OR bread flour
• 1 packet instant yeast (2 1/4 teaspoon)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and/or dried basil leaves (optional)
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil + additional oil for brushing 
• 3/4 cup warm water** (175ml)

Instructions

• Combine 1 cup of flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. If desired, add garlic powder and dried basil at this point as well.
• Add olive oil and warm water and use a wooden spoon to stir well very well.
• Gradually add rest of flour. Add any additional flour as needed stirring until the dough is forming into a cohesive, elastic ball and is beginning to pull away from the sides of the bowl . The dough will still be slightly sticky but still should be manageable with your hands.
• Drizzle a separate, large, clean bowl generously with olive oil.
• Lightly dust your hands with flour and form your pizza dough into a round ball and transfer to your olive oil-brushed bowl. Use your hands to roll the pizza dough along the inside of the bowl until it is coated in olive oil, then cover the bowl tightly and place it in a warm place.
• Allow dough to rise for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
• Once the dough has risen, use your hands to gently deflate it and transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead briefly until smooth (about 3-5 times).
• Use either your hands or a rolling pin to work the dough into 12″ circle.
• Transfer dough to pizza pan (dusted with flour or cover it with parchment paper) and either pinch the edges or fold them over to form a crust.
• Drizzle additional olive oil (about a Tablespoon) over the top of the pizza and use your pastry brush to brush the entire surface of the pizza (including the crust) with olive oil.
• Use a fork to poke holes all over the center of the pizza to keep the dough from bubbling up in the oven.
• Add desired sauce, toppings and bake in a 425F (215C) preheated oven for 13-15 minutes or until toppings are golden brown. Slice and serve.
• See below few pictures for reference.

Notes

*I’ve found that all-purpose flour yields a softer crust while bread flour gives a slightly crispier exterior.

**Ideally your water should be between 105-115F (40-46C).  Make sure that your water isn’t too hot or it will kill your yeast!

mixing the ingredients to make the dough

Resting the dough for 30 mins

Making incision to prevent bubbles during baking

 

No Bake Triple Chocolate Cheese Cake(egg less)

Chocolate, just the word makes most people go gaga.Cheese cake is most people’s dream dessert . And if its a Chocolate Cheesecake???? This is a guarantee you have my full attention now 🙂

It was my younger ones birthday and as a ritual I was going to bake a cake for her. I asked her what she wants she immediately said “Chocolate Cheesecake”

Chocolate lovers, you’ll understand once you make this triple chocolate cheesecake. It’s for real chocolate lovers because man..it’s rich chocolate on chocolate on chocolate! it’s so ridiculously smooth and creamy, You can’t help but marvel while your fork glides so effortlessly with each bite.It’s such an experience that you need to experience. 

Although this triple chocolate cheesecake is ridiculously easy and requires no baking,  Some people can’t even tell it’s not baked. However, feel free to garnish the top any way you want. Raspberries, strawberries, Kiwi, or other variety of fruits, cookies, chocolate curls, you really can’t go wrong here.

Ingredients

CRUST

• 2 cups Oreo Cookies or any chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs(about 25 cookies) 

• 4-5 tablespoons butter melted

FILLING

• 2.5 pound of cream cheese (room temperature)
• 2 cup milk chocolate melted
• 1 cup white chocolate melted
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar sifted
• 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream whipped to stiff peaks

GANACHE

• 6 oz dark chocolate
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• Garnish raspberries, blueberries, mint, etc.

Instructions

• • Line an 8-inch spring form pan with a circle of parchment paper. Set aside.
  • Crush the Oreo cookies to make a fine powder
  • In a large bowl combine Oreo cookie crumbs and butter, until mixture has a wet sand texture.
  • Press mixture firmly into prepared spring form pan.
  • Freeze until rest ingredients are ready.
  • Whip the chilled heavy cream until stiff peaks are formed.
  • In a large bowl mix the cream cheese until smooth.
  • Mix in the melted milk chocolate and white chocolate.
  • Mix in the sifted unsweetened cocoa powder and powder sugar.
  • Once everything is well combined, fold in the whipped heavy whipping cream, using a large rubber spatula.
  • Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth out.
  • Cover and refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours. Overnight is best for a firmer set.
  • Gently run an offset spatula along the edges of the pan to loosen the cheesecake.
  • Open the spring form pan and remove the cake, smoothing the edges out with the spatula if needed.
  • To make the ganache, place dark chocolate in a bowl.
  • Heat heavy whipping cream in a saucepan until boiling.
  • Pour hot heavy whipping cream over dark chips, stirring until chocolate has melted.
  • Let mixture sit until it is thick yet pourable.
  • Pour ganache over cheesecake.
  • Garnish cheesecake with berries and mint leaves and place back in the fridge for a few minutes for ganache to harden.
  • Serve and enjoy every bite of it guilt free!

One of a series of shots showcasing the creation of a flourless chocolate cake by a female chef / baker in a high-end professional / home kitchen environment. Shot features a medium closeup of the chef / baker pouring batter into a non-stick springform pan sitting on a marble surface. There are additional shots of this recipe process in the series.

Tandoori Alu

Baby potatoes marinated and stir fried with yogurt and Indian spices

How ever hard I try to restrict potato in our diet but some way or another it is always present in our menu either in some curry or in a snack. I made this starter with baby potatoes which everyone enjoyed a lot.

Ingredients

• 15 Baby Potatoes 
• 1 cup Yogurt
• 2 tbsp Oil 
• 1 tsp Ginger paste
• To Taste Salt 
• 1.5 tsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder
• 1/2 tsp Carom Seeds
• 3/4 Tsp Roasted Cumin Powder
• 3/4 tsp Dry Mint
• 1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
• 1/2 tsp Chaat Masala
• 1 tbsp Lemon Juice 
• Few drops Food Color red (optional)
• 2 tsp Chopped Coriander (garnish)

Instructions

• Par boil potatoes in water with a tsp of salt added.
• Peel the boiled potatoes .
• In a big bowl add yogurt, oil,1 tsp lemon juice and all the spices in it.
• Mix well and add the boiled potatoes in it.
• Cover the bowl and let the potatoes marinate for 2-3 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
• Take a oven safe wide and thick bottom pan and add the potatoes in a single layer in it.
• let the potatoes roast on 350 degree F. for 45 mins. Stir occasionally.
• When the marination almost dries up and potatoes get roasted then remove from the oven.
• Drizzle some lemon juice and garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.

Tips

1. Instead of roasting in the oven you can also roast the potatoes in a nonstick pan on the highest temperature for about 15 minutes.
2. You can arrange the marinated baby potatoes on a skewer and grill on a B.B.Q
3. If baby potatoes are not available then can use big chunks of par boiled potatoes.

 

Veg Bread Ring

Bread Ring is one of the appetizer which is my kids and friends love. Also the fusion cuisine is combination of elements of different culinary traditions and so easy to make that my elder one happily makes it now.

Ingredients

• Bread slices – 10
• Paneer (cottage cheese) grated 1/2 cup
• Green capsicum finely chopped -1 small
• Grated Cheese 1/4 cup
• Green chillies chopped 1-2
• Crushed black pepper 1 teaspoon
• Salt to taste
• Fresh oregano 1 sprigs
• Red chilli flakes 1 teaspoon
• Fresh coriander leaves chopped 2 tablespoons
• Butter 2-3 tablespoons
• Tomato ketchup 1-2 tablespoons

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
• Cut bread slices into roundels with a round cookie cutter.
• Place a smaller round cutter in the middle of bigger roundels and cut to get the shape of a doughnut.(See picture below for reference)
• In a bowl mix cottage cheese, capsicum, green chillies, crushed black pepper, salt, oregano, chilli flakes and coriander leaves in a bowl and mix well.
• Add cheese and mix again.
• Mix butter and tomato ketchup in another bowl to make a paste
• Take a bigger bread roundel and apply the butter-ketchup mixture generously and place the doughnut shaped roundels over these roundels.
• Top it with cheese mixture .
• Brush the outer roundel with butter.
• Bake in the preheated oven for about five to seven minutes.
• Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Saga Mahura

Saga Mahura is a typical odia dish mostly made in temples without onion and garlic. Its very popular in our Puri (City of Sri Jagannath). Try this and let me know how it turned out.Made it for our bhajan sandhya and all loved it.

Ingredients:-

Raw Banana – 1 no.

Pumpkin – 1/2 cup

Eggplant – 1 no.

Arum – 2 nos.

Potato – 1/4 cup

Sweet Potato – 1 no.

Red leaves or chad or Koshala Saga – 1/2 Bunch

Grated Coconut -3-4 tsp

Mustard seeds (1 tsp) + Fennel Seeds (1/2 tsp) + Red Chilly – Make a fine Paste

Grated Ginger – 1/2 tsp

Roasted Fennel n Cumin Seeds Powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp

1/2 tsp sugar

Salt to taste

For Tempering :-

Ghee – 2 tsp

Panch Phutan – 1 tsp

Dry Red Chillies – 2 nos.

A Pinch Of Asafoetida (Hing)

Method:-

Wash and cut all the veggies in small size. Boil them with half cup water with a pinch of turmeric powder and salt. Make a fine paste of Mustard seeds + Fennel Seeds + Dry Red Chillies. When the veggies are semi cooked add the paste, add chopped green leaves and again cook for 5-10 minutes. Add grated ginger and a pinch of sugar.

For tempering, Heat ghee in a pan. Add panch phutan, crushed dry red chilies, hing. When it crackle, add the boiled veggies to the seasoning and sprinkle little roasted fennel and cumin powder. Add grated coconut for enhanced look and taste. Switch off the flame and now its ready to Serve..

Tips:- Soak Mustard seeds in White Vinegar for 20-30 mins to remove its bitterness.

Gulab Jamun Parfait

Gulab Jamun the traditional sweet from India usually loved by all. I tried giving it a twist  taking it a notch higher and serving it in a parfait.This gives it new and refreshing feel in every bite. Made it over this weekend for a potluck .. Instantly became a hit.

Ingredients

• 20 Gulab Jamun
• 2 Cups Plain Yogurt -drained nicely
• 1/2 Cup fresh Cream whipped
• 1 Tsp Saffron
• 3 Tbsp Milk
• 1 Tsp Honey
• 1/4 Cup Pistachio – chopped

Instructions

1. Take gulab jamuns and thinly slice them.
2. In a large bowl, mix yogurt and cream together.
3. Heat milk in a pan, add saffron and bring to a boil and turn off the heat .
4. Once the mixture is slightly cool, add honey, mix well and keep aside.
5. Now, take a small glass cup/glass serving bowl and add 2 tbsp yogurt mix.
6. Place, few thinly sliced gulab jamuns and spread 1 tbsp yogurt mix over it.
7. Spread 1/2 tsp saffron mix and add 2 tbsp yogurt mix.
8. Decorate top with gulab jamun slices, saffron mix and pistachio.
9. Complete all the serving glasses similarly.
10. Once the parfait are made, place all the glasses in fridge for 30-40 minutes.
11. Serve Chilled.

 

Mango Mousse

Mango mousse is super and tasty dessert . This one is egg-less, gelatin free recipe and believe it or not its yummy. My family is extremely addicted for mangoes. We long for  banganapalli mango from India. But in US we don’t get those, here mangoes are different, but still when mangoes are in the season no grocery trips are without mango.
But fortunately when mangoes are not in season we still can enjoy the desserts all year long with the mango puree sold here. But let me tell you the dessert with fresh mangoes taste is out of this world.

Ingredients

• Mango Puree – 1/2 cup
• Heavy Cream – 1/2 cup
• Mango puree – 5 tbsp for topping
• Sugar – 5-7 tbsp or as per your taste
• Mango essence – 1/4 tsp
• Egg less vanilla sponge cake – crushed – 5 tbsp
• Chopped mango pieces

Procedure

• Make mango puree with 2 tsp water is making it from fresh mango. Add mango essence and keep it aside.
• In a separate bowl whisk heavy cream with sugar until stiff peaks are formed.
• Keep some of the whipped cream separately for decorating
• Add the mango puree to the rest of the whipping cream and fold it gently and your mango mousse is ready.
• Take small clear glasses and layer it with crushed cake
•  Fill in the glass 3/4th with the mango mousse.
• Top it with little bit of mango puree
• Decorate it with Mango pieces and whipped cream.
• Put it in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours and serve it chilled.