Bagel pizza series.. Post 1

My new favorite thing to do for lunch with kids is "make your own bagel-pizza"!!   Kids love it cause they are adding all the ingredients and creating something. Mommy loves it cause it I can get them to add healthy ingredients and devour their food super fast!!  So i thought I would share some of my successful recipes with all.  Here is the first of many more to come... 
White sauce pizza!

Ingredients -
Everything thin bagels
White garlic alfredo sauce
Corn kernels
Diced tomatoes
Mexican cheese
Taco seasoning

Method-
Place all the ingredients on the one half of the bagel.  Top off the cheese with taco seasoning per taste.  And bake at 350 degrees for about 6-7min.  Enjoy!!

Good to know...

Chocolate chip peanut butter cookies

Nirav surely has a sweet tooth and loves fresh baked goodies. I am definitely not a big baker.  So I am always looking for yummy easy bake recipe to make for him.  I recently can across this recipe for cookies and tried it out.  This was an instant hit in the house.  My hubby and my baby all approve!

Ingredients:
2/3 cup (58g) old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 large egg
1 cup (250g) peanut butter at room temperature
6 Tablespoons light brown sugar (1/2 cup if u like it on sweeter side)
1/2 cup (90g) semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:
In a medium bowl, toss the oats, cinnamon, and baking soda together. Set aside. In a medium bowl, beat the egg. Mix in the peanut butter and brown sugar with a large rubber spatula until combined. Pour in the dry ingredients and slowly mix until everything is combined. Depending how thick and/or cold your peanut butter is, you'll have to use some arm muscles. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Chill the cookie dough for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Take 2baking sheets and spray on some non stick cooking spray or line with parchment paper. Scoop the dough, about 1.5 Tablespoons each, onto prepared baking sheet. Bake two batches - 7 cookies on each baking sheet. Gently press down on the dough mounds with the back of a spoon to slightly flatten as pictured in this recipe. If you find the cookie dough balls are oily-looking from your peanut butter, blot each with a paper towel.

Bake for 9 to 10 minutes. The cookies will look very soft and underbaked, but that's ok. For crispy cookies, bake for up to 12 minutes.

Allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet. Cookies stay fresh stored covered at room temperature for up to 7 days, if they last that long! Cookies freeze well, up to 3 months.

Salsa

Found this recipe while browsing on pintrest the other day. It tastes yummy charred or not. Feel free to modify it depending on how much time u have and your taste preferences.  Beware... You just may not go back to jarred salsa again!

Smokey Salsa

4 Roma tomatoes
2-3 jalapeños
1/2 small onion
1-2 garlic cloves, peeled
Handful or less cilantro
Juice of 1/4 lime
Salt and pepper to taste

Turn on the broil setting on your oven. Line a large roasting pan with foil and spread the tomatoes, jalapeños and onion on the pan. Roast for few minutes until charred on one side and flip with a large stainless steel spatula. Roast for a couple of minutes longer and take the jalapeños out as they will roast quicker. Continue roasting the tomatoes and onions for a few minutes longer. Take out of the oven and let cool. Stem jalapeños and slice the stem side off of the tomatoes. Add the onions and garlic to the food processor and whizz to a very rough chop. Add the tomatoes and jalapeños and give a couple quick pulses. Add the cilantro and give an additional couple of pulses until the desired consistency is reached. Add lime and salt /pepper to taste and refrigerate overnight.

Cook's note:
If you do not like charred skin you can peel the tomatoes and jalapeños prior to whizzing them in the food processor. If you choose you don't have to roast the vegetables at all or roast just the ones you wish to. I sometimes make this salsa raw. Just adding all the ingredients into the food processor and pulse to the desired consistency.

Fresh Watermelon Cake

Summer is here!! Now more than ever with two kids and a busy schedule I am always looking for easy and yummy desserts to serve while we chill outdoor enjoying the weather! This is one of the super fun and easy recipes I found that is perfect for summer grilling. Its so easy even Nishika helps out :-)



Yields 12 servings

7- 10 pound whole seedless watermelon

2 1/2 cups/580g heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup/50g sugar

Seeds from one vanilla bean

Mint sprigs for garnish (optional)

Using a large sharp knife, cut the top and bottom off of the watermelon flat and save the ends for later use. Turn the watermelon upright and carve away the rind in downward strips until all of the green and white pith is removed and you're left with a red, ripe center. Carve away small pieces from the sides and top until the center is roughly cake-shaped.In a large mixing bowl, beat the heavy cream on high speed with an electric hand mixer until it begins to thicken. Add the sugar one tablespoon at a time, and then the vanilla bean seeds. Beat until the mixture is thick and spreadable, about 5 minutes.Transfer the watermelon to a cake stand or serving plate and pat the outside with paper towels to remove excess water. Spread the whipping cream over the entire surface of the watermelon. Use a melon baller to cut round pieces of melon from the two reserved ends. Place them on the top center of the cake and garnish with mint sprigs, if using.Store the cake in the refrigerator.

good to know...

I LOVE froyo!! It is my go to thing whenever I am out and about at the mall. My favorite froyo combo is mango/lychee/cheesecake with added fruits and gummy bears. YES I said GUMMY BEARS!! haha.  But couple of days ago I came across this article which is making me think twice about eating this yummy treat now. I don't think I can and will absolutely stop eating froyos now but may have to reduce it to occasionally.

Do you know what's in your fav. froyo?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/08/frozen-yogurt-ingredients_n_3721930.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003&ir=Food

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Ingredients
1 cup thawed, chopped frozen spinach
11/2 cups thawed, chopped artichoke hearts
6 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions
Boil spinach and artichokes in 1 cup of water until tender and drain.
Discard liquid.
Heat cream cheese in microwave for 1 minute or until hot and soft.
Stir in rest of ingredients.

If you would like to make this in advance and serve warm then preheat the oven at 350 degrees. Place the prepared room temperature dip in the oven for about 7- 8 min until slightly bubbly.

Nishi is 1...

Its been awhile since I last blogged. I guess I can say I got caught up in the web of life. My lil baby Nishi is 1 year old already. Just the thought of time flying by so fast brings tears to my eyes. She is truly my pride and joy. Just like her daddy and mommy, she loves to eat too.  She wants to try everything off of our plates now. But so far her fav. foods are String Cheese, Theplas (spicy guju tortilla), Ganthia-papdi (fried gram flour crisps), tomatoes and other little yummy treats mommy gives her every now and then. We just celebrated her first bday on September 28th and the theme was CUPCAKES!!!  She enjoyed her party and so did all her little cousins and friends. We had set up a Sweet Treats table with a 'Decorate you own Cupcake' activity for adults and kids. We had an Italian menu - Spinach artichoke dip, Lasagna and Salad (from Olive Garden) and Arrabbiata pasta.  Overall it was a nice casual evening at a park. Looking forward to more bday parties to come!!

Sushi

I absolutely LOVE sushi. It is right up there with some yum tex-mex and italian food. A well made fresh and  delicious sushi can really make my day!! I accidentally came across this restaurant http://mikasasushibar.ca/ on my recent trip to Montreal. I have to say that I was a little skeptical while ordering the Nirvana Roll (Tuna, salmon, shrimp tempura, spicy kani, avocado, tobiko) and the Ring of Fire roll (Shrimp tempura, tuna, crab stick, caviar, cucumber, avocado, chili powder, Teriyaki sauce) on the servers recommendation but after the very first bite I was in LOVE!!  This so far was the best sushi I have ever had and I have had my far share of it. 

I do understand that not everyone enjoys sushi as much as I do and not everybody knows all the rules of eating sushi, but the most crucial thing is to appreciate the craft of the chef and the beauty of the food.
Here is a link to some of the do's and dont's of sushi eating..
http://www.buzzfeed.com/mattortile/the-dos-and-donts-of-eating-sushi

good to know...

While surfing the internet at 2 in the morning trying to get nishika to go to sleep I came across this site. Couple of neat tricks to get those sticky labels off of glass bottles.. check it out!

http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf/CleaningGroup/Glass/Removing-Labels-from-Glass-Jars.html

good to know...

Buying organic foods definetly has its plus. But we dont need to really buy all foods organic.

Check out this link to the foods you dont and do need to buy organic...

http://www.eatingwell.com/blogs/health_blog/trying_to_save_money_15_foods_you_don_t_need_to_buy_organic

Corn and Avacado Salsa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

2 cups cooked corn, fresh or frozen
1 avocado, cut into cubes

1 large tomato, diced
1 cup finely diced onion

Couple sprigs on green onions thinly diced

Dressing
2 tablespoons olive oil 

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Chipotle Seasoning (1 - 2 tablespoons or to taste)

2 teaspoons light Brown sugar

salt and pepper to taste

Combine the corn, avocado, green onions, tomatoes and onion in a large glass bowl. Mix together the dressing ingredients in another bowl. Pour over the dressing over the mixed ingredients and gently toss.

 

Enjoy over tacos, chicken or plain with tortilla chips! 

Other suggestions: mix in diced mangoes, black beans and lettuce to serve as a yummy summer salad.

Middle Eastern Sloppy Joe

+Nirav Trivedi  made this delicious and healthy meal for my bday dinner last year. I have been hooked ever since. This is a very versatile recipe. Vegetarians can easily sub the ground chicken for ground soy and it will taste just as delicious!! :-)

Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 bunch scallions (white and green parts separate), thinly sliced
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
2-3 teaspoon red chilli powder
2 teaspoon garlic, minced
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup golden raisins
1 pound lean ground chicken or ground soy
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
4 (4-inch) whole wheat pitas with pockets, tops trimmed and warmed

Suggested servings: Sriracha sauce, feta cheese, sliced tomato and cucumbers

Directions
Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat, add the scallion whites, onions, cinnamon, salt, and pepper, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the garlic, tomato, red chilli powder and raisins and cook over high heat until mixture is almost dry, about 6 minutes.
Add the chicken and cook stirring until meat is cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the green part of the scallions, yogurt, and pine nuts.

Serve mixture stuffed into warm pita with feta cheese (optional), tomato slices and cucumber slices. Add Sriracha sauce per taste.

Taco Bells Crunchwrap Supreme

The secret is out... I can now make my own version of my favorite taco bell menu item at home. I cant wait to try making this!! To make it vegetarian I can easily just sub the ground meat for ground beans with the same seasoning.

Check out this link for the recipe break down

http://shine.yahoo.com/shine-food/taco-bells-crunch-wrap-supreme-home-181600836.html#

good to know...

How to Seed a Pomegranate

Here’s an easy, mess-free way to get out every last one.

Step 1: Cut off the pomegranate’s crown. Score the skin into sections, cutting where the membrane is thickest (this will minimize damage to the seeds).

Step 2: Submerge the pomegranate in a bowl of water and gently pry it open into sections. Still working under the water, remove the internal membranes and gently pull out the seeds. The seeds will sink to the bottom of the bowl; the membranes will float to the surface.

Step 3: Discard the pieces of skin and skim off the floating membranes, leaving only the seeds behind.

Step 4: Lift the seeds out of the water and transfer them to a paper towel to dry. The seeds can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Mediterranean Pasta

So like most days I was asking +Nirav Trivedi what he would like for dinner the other night. Now those who know him know that he will sometimes just say random words that come to his mind when he doesnt have a definitive answer to my questions.. here is our conversation from just last week.
Nikki - so what should we make for dinner tonite?
Nirav - hmm.... maybe pasta?
Nikki - i guess.. but wat kind?
Nirav - i dunno.
Nirav - i feel like eating something Mediterraneanny
Nikki - REALLY... pasta and mediterranean ??????
That night with some inspiration from Tyler Florence and to Nirav's surprise, I cooked up some Mediterranean Pasta!! 

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 - 1 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts, cubed
1 (8 1/2-ounc) jar sun-dried tomatoes, julienned

2 diced roma tomatoes
5-6 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound pasta of your choice (i have used farfalle here)
1 (8 1/2-ounce) can artichoke hearts in water, quartered and drained (1 cup)
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted (1/4 pound)

1/4 cup roasted pine nuts
6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons oregano(dried or fresh)

pinch of crushed red peppers

2 teaspoon red chilli powder

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Boil water for pasta in a pasta pot. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Brown chicken pieces until no longer pink. Add sun-dried tomatoes and garlic to skillet. Saute for 3-4 minutes. In the meantime, add the pasta to boiling water, cook until al dente, as per box instructions.

Now add the tomatoes, artichoke hearts, olives, oregano, red chilli powder, salt and pepper to the skillet. Saute 5-7 minute then stir in the cream. Toss in the fresh cooked pasta, roasted pine nuts and feta cheese, serve warm. May add some stock to achieve desired consistency in the sauce. Garnish with crushed red pepper and extra feta cheese if desired.

If you like to make a vegetarian version just skip the chicken or can add another protein of your choice! 

good to know...

"When making mashed potatoes, after you drain the potatoes, return them to the hot pan, cover tightly and let steam for 5 minutes. This allows the potatoes to dry out so they'll mash to a beautiful texture and soak up the butter and cream more easily." - Wolfgang Puck

Tomato and Garlic Pizza

My love for garlic and homemade pizza has inspired me to make this super easy and super tasty recipe. This recipe is a part of my homemade take out foods collection.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 frozen pillsbury pizza dough

6 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/3 cups, grated pasteurized mozzarella
2 tomatoes, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
6-7 garlic clove, minced

6 fresh basil leaves or oregano thinly sliced, plus extra for garnish
1/2 teaspoon salt

pinch of red pepper flakes

In a small bowl mix olive oil, minced garlic, salt and red pepper flakes. Keep aside.

Follow the directions (5 minutes of prebake and 10 minutes cook) for crisp pizza from the frozen pizza can.

Remove the prebaked pizza dough and spread all the olive oil mixture on the surface.

Arrange the tomato slices in a single layer over the cheese over the oil. 

Sprinkle mozerella cheese and oregano/basil. 

Cook for additional 10 minutes as per the can instructions until the cheese is nice and bubbly.

Cut the pizza into wedges and serve immediately with some extra parmesan cheese and/or red pepper flakes.

Enjoy.. :-) 

Quick Dal Fry

Serves 4

Ingredients
1 cup red masoor dal (split red lentils)
1/4 cup yellow moong dal (split yellow lentils)
2 green chillies, slit
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon grated garlic
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
salt to taste

For the tempering
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds (rai)
pinch of Hing (asfoetida)
1 dry red chilli
1 onion, sliced
1 tomato, chopped
2 tablespoons ghee

For the garnish
3 tablespoons chopped coriander
1 tablespoon butter

Method
1. Wash the dals together.
2. Combine the dals, chillies, ginger, garlic, turmeric, salt and 3 cups of water and pressure cook till the dal is tender.
3. Remove the chillies and discard. Whisk the dal till it is smooth. Keep aside.

For the tempering
1. Heat the ghee in a pan and add the mustard seeds, hing and red chilli.
2. When the mustard seeds crackle, add the onions and saute till they are translucent.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes and saute for another 3 to 4 minutes.

How to proceed
1. Add the dals to the tempering, mix well and bring to a boil.
2. Serve hot, garnished with the coriander and butter.

Garlic and Herb Focaccia Bread

My new found obsession with baking fresh bread at home has lead me to this yummy treat! This is so easy and fast to make that it has become a staple with italian meals in my house.

makes 1 loaf

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 tablespoon active dry yeast1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1 pinch ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup water2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup mozzarella
1/4 onion thinly sliced
pinch of paprika

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt, sugar, yeast, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, basil and black pepper. Mix in the vegetable oil and water. knead until smooth and elastic.

Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place for 20 - 25 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Punch dough down; place on greased baking sheet.

ready for baking

Pat into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle. Brush top with remaining olive oil. Sprinkle with sliced onions, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese and paprika.

Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Fresh out of the oven

Let it cool 5 - 6 minutes before trying to slice it.

Serve warm with a dipping oil. I like to serve it with a mix of 2 tablespoons of good olive oil and 3/4 tablespoon of nice balsamic vinegar.

Refried Beans without the Refry

2 cans (16oz) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2-3 cloves of fresh garlic
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 tblspn black pepper
pinch of paprika
5-6 tblspn of taco seasoning
1 tsp butter

6 - 7 jalapeno slices (from jar)
salt to taste

Combine the beans, garlic, jalapeno and taco seasoning in the food processor and mix until it forms a paste. You may add water as needed to attain desired consistency.
In a saucepan melt butter and onions. Fry onions until fragrant and lightly browned.
Add the bean paste along with black pepper, salt and paprika. Mix well.
May add extra taco seasoning according to taste. 
Serve warm.

Spinach Cutlets

If you have traveled by rail in India you would have very likely come across vendors selling aloo cutlets in the rail cars. I absolutely loved those cutlets as a child. They were one of the reasons I would look forward to traveling by trains. A year or so ago I was craving that delicious childhood treat and decided to try making some at home. I made these cutlets and served it in between a slice of white bread and some ketchup. It made me so nostalgic. Here is the recipe I came up with :-

Serves : 2-3

Ingredients:
1 cup finely chopped spinach (frozen with water squeezed out is fine too)
1/4 cup finely chopped coriander leaves
1 1/2 cups boiled, mashed potatoes
1 tblspn all purpose flour
3 green chilies ground into paste
1 tspn ginger paste
1 tspn garlic paste
1 tspn pav bhaji masala (or garam masala)
Oil
Salt and sugar - to taste
Sooji/rava

Method:
Mix all the ingredients except sooji/rava. Make into ping pong sized balls.
Press each ball into cutlets. Roll these cutlets in sooji/rava.
Spread some oil on a tava and shallow fry the cutlets. Serve hot.

 

Angelika at Mosaic

There is a new theater that recently opened up near our home. It is a state-of-the-art boutique cinema. They also have chef inspired menu which you can enjoy right from your sit while watching the movie. BUT being a mommy to a 7 month old, this is what got me super excited!!  http://angelikafilmcenter.com/angelika_event_calendar_detail.asp?hID=3854&ID=2203 They have CRYBABY MATINEE....hahah! love it!  Now only if they had this during the weekends it would make it even more perfect.

Baby food

Nishika is growing up so fast. She is already rolling over, sitting up by herself, trying to crawl on her tummy to grab her toys, has a little tooth peeking thru her gums and eating solid foods. I couldn't possibly be any more proud of my little darling. You must have read from my previous blog that I have been making food for her at home. After the success of Lentil and Carrots puree, here are couple of other Nishika approved homemade combos I have tried so far :--

1. Rice Cereal with pureed Blueberries and cinnamon.
2. Avacodos (plain and mixed in with some garlic powder)

I have also made some pulp free Watermelon juice which she loved!! :-)  I am really enjoying making these yummy foods for her and will keep sharing more food combos as I try them out. If you could hear Nishika's babbles she would say "mmm..aammm...aammm".

Lentils with Carrots

Another successful recipe I created for Nishika is Lentils with Carrots. Now that I know she is ok with carrots and cinnamons I introduced her to dal (lentil). Split Yellow Moong Dal is said to be wonderful for children, elderly people and those who are ill because it is so easily digested. Moong dal cooks into a nice mushy texture and tend to cause less gassiness. I love this particular lentil too so it was a easy choice.

2 cups of water
3/4 cup of yellow lentils
1/2 cup peeled and diced carrots
teaspoon of desi ghee (clarified butter)
1/2 clove of pressed garlic

Combine water, dal and carrots in a large saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil and then simmer for approximately 20 minutes. Check on the level of the water and add water as needed. The mix will finish cooking when the carrots are soft and the lentils have "melted".
In a small tempering pan heat ghee and add garlic.  let it cook for like 30 - 40 seconds.
Add the garlic ghee to the cooked lentils.
Blend the Lentils with carrots and ghee as needed to create a texture acceptable for your baby.
Please make sure there is no chunks of garlic remaining before you serve.