Who doesn’t heart a comforting treat of mac and cheese? My kids are not an exception either! The plain flavors of this classic pasta dish have its own gastronomic appeal, but few add-ons give it a yummier makeover! A dash of tomato-laced ragu sauce works wonder to the pasta and my kids gobbled up this version of macaroni and cheese in no time! The freshness of the basil and the crunchy outer crust complemented the tart sauce and made the ensemble taste yummier. [Read more…]
Coriander Chutney: Gujarati Style
I love the company of chutneys with my main dishes and always churning up some every alternate day to soothe my cravings. Coriander chutney happens to be my favorite but when it comes to preparing it, I am a bit conservative; until I eat this chutney at my Gujarati aunt’s place. The moment it touched my tongue, the flavors blew my mind! It has the aromatic flavors of cilantro, but there was something else which made it taste “WOW”! I asked for the recipe and she noted it down in a small piece paper. The ingredients made my jaw drop! What the…….this is so unusual!! [Read more…]
Bow-Tie Pasta with Tomatoes, Basil, and Olives
This dish is all about freshness, simplicity and a mélange of flavors. The tangy tomatoes, aromatic basil and the mellow kalamata olives teams up with the bow-tie pasta to bring out the authentic Italian essence in this dish. My kids are in love with its vibrant colors while I’m bowled over by its simplicity! After all its one of those few pasta dishes which calls for minimal cooking. Simply toss the ingredients together and this pasta salad is ready to please everyone. [Read more…]
Spicy Pumpkin Hummus
I have found another delicious way to use my homemade pumpkin puree – pumpkin hummus. This creamy, orange-hued dip is to die for! The natural sweet flavors of the pumpkin, along with a dash of spices spike up the yum factor manifold and is bound to make its takers happy. Apart from being great taste wise, this pumpkin hummus also gives you a chance to show your own creativity.
Eggless Pumpkin Cake with Buttercream Frosting
With some homemade pumpkin puree lurking at the corner of my fridge, I decided to use it for making eggless pumpkin cake. The outcome was a moist, fluffy baked delight which melted in the mouth with every bite. Most cakes tend to turn dry after few days – but not this cake. It remains moist throughout! With buttercream frosting for company, eggless pumpkin cake is bound to make your sweet tooth sing! [Read more…]
How to Make Pumpkin Puree
As the autumn kicks off, the supermarkets are flooded with ripe, luscious-looking pumpkins. And the very sight of these vibrant beauties has tempted me to make a big batch of pumpkin puree for my future culinary ventures. While jarred varieties are good, nothing compares to the freshness of homemade pumpkin puree. Their natural sweetness adds sparkles to dishes like desserts, soups, spreads and dips like hummus. However, make sure you choose the smaller, blemish-free pumpkins which are heavier than they appear for yummier results. So whip up a large batch, freeze and use whenever you have a pumpkin craving! [Read more…]
Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Shake
My daughter, Sheena, loves to chomp on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. But plain bread, peanut butter, and jelly sandwiches can get a little boring for her after a while. So swap jelly with chocolate syrup and whiz it into the blender along with Greek yogurt and a blob of peanut butter to prepare a quick breakfast or snack within less than 5 minutes. [Read more…]
Spicy Penne with Broccoli and Garlic
Most Italian pasta dishes are drenched in either creamy white sauce or spiced up with tomato sauce. Booorrriinnggg! I was on a lookout for a pasta recipe without any sauce but full of flavors and resorted to few recipes doing the rounds in the blogosphere. This particular recipe of spicy penne with broccoli and garlic grabbed my attention as its one of those rare pasta fares without a speck of sauce in it. It used only garlic as well as red pepper flakes for the flavors and broccoli to make it heartier. Though, I wasn’t too sure about how it would actually turn out, but I did give it a try! As expected, it was bland and the pasta was too dry and chewy for my palate. May be pasta do needs a sauce to shine! [Read more…]
Veggie Lover’s French Bread Pizza
My entire family is a football fanatic and that includes me! Though my kids are yet to understand the nitty-gritty of this game, but they love to prance around as their parents cheer their favorite team with claps, catcalls and shouts.
Last night, we all gathered up around the TV; after all, the football final was supposed to be on air in 15 minutes! And then my elder kid suddenly had a craving for this ‘Mommy-special pizza’. Now this is called one helluva wrong timing! Making pizza in 15 minutes with no ready-made pizza dough in my cupboard? Impossible! Though I couldn’t afford missing the football game, but really shouldn’t keep my lil’ baby hungry too. Thank god I had stocked up on French bread loaves in my pantry yesterday– they were my ultimate savior!
Simple and Quick Cheese Quesadillas
If you are on a search for a simple yet yummy dish, then look no further. My cheese quesadillas fit the bill perfectly. Between cheddar cheese and buttered flour tortillas, you are set for an ultimate gastronomical journey with cheese quesadillas.
This crispy quesadilla with the gooey cheese filling has a more-ish appeal to it. It’s yummy enough to please the little picky eaters while completely fuss-free and keep the Moms happy too! All you need is three basic ingredients lurking in most kitchens and hardly 5 minutes of your time to whip up this lip-smacking Mexican treat. While it’s simple and fast, you may also use your creativity to pep things up when cooking to entertain. Why not fill it up with assorted deli cheese for an exotic touch or slather bean puree onto the tortilla for more flavors? After all, when it comes to filling quesadillas, sky is the limit.