An Italian classic, gets a south of the border twist! My husband Raj loves mexican food, he likes the spiciness of it, but you can only have tacos or enchiladas, but after a while that becomes boring. So I combined one of my favorite foods Lasagna, with the flavors and ingredients that my husband loves so much!
Ingredients:
3 corn tortillas ( available at Trader Joes )
1/2 can of black beans
1/2 small can of sweet corn kernels
1 small roma tomato finely chopped
1/2 onion thinly sliced
1/2 large red/yellow bell pepper
1/2 tbsp of chopped cilantro
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp tabasco sauce ( or less depending on how spicy you like it! )
3/4 cup mexican cheese blend ( available at Trader Joes )
1/3 cup salsa sauce
1 tsp cumin seeds
4 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp cumin powder
Method:
In a small saucepan, put in about 2 tsp vegetable oil and let it heat up at medium heat. Put in the cumin seeds and let them crackle. Put in the 1/2 can of black beans and 1/2 can of corn kernels and stir it till blended. Put in the tomatoes and cilantro, salt, pepper, tabasco sauce and cumin powder. Mix it all well, and leave it for about 5 minutes at reduced heat. This mixture is ready.
In another flat pan, pour the remaining 2 tsp of vegetable oil, heat it at little more than medium heat. Add the thinly sliced bell pepper and onions and saute it for about 5-7 minutes until the onions are browned and the bell pepper has specks of black on it. This mixture is ready.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
To assemble, put about a tbsp of salsa sauce and spread it at the bottom of a square baking pan. Put a corn tortilla on the top. Put half of the vegetable mixture, and spread it evenly on the corn tortilla to cover it properly. Put half of the black bean mixture and spread it evenly and thinly. Put half of the remaining salsa sauce, and spread it evenly. Put 1/3 of the mexican cheese blend and spread it evenly.
Cover this with another corn tortilla and repeat the above assembling procedure. Top it off with the last corn tortilla and spread the remaining 1/3 of the cheese on top. Cover the baking pan with an aluminum foil and put it in the oven to bake. Keep it in for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove the aluminum foil and keep it on broil for 2 minutes for the cheese on the top to brown and melt really well.
Cool it for 2 minutes after removing it from the oven and its READY!!! Cut it into 4 pieces and eat away this delicious Mexican Lasagna with guacamole and salsa and Doritos!!!! :)
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Monday, March 26, 2007
Berry Crisp
Do you love pies but find that the crust leaves you feeling heavy and weighed down? Well, I have the perfect recipe for you. Its my berry crisp! One part berries, one part buttery flaky crust and all parts yummy and triilicious! :)
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries
1 1/2 cups black berries
1 cup blueberries
1/2 lemon
1/3 cup + 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 cup + 1 tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 cup rolled oats ground
1/2 stick unsalted cold butter diced into cubes
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup sliced toasted almonds
1/2 teaspoon of salt
Method:
Put all the berries in a bowl with the lemon and 1/2 cup granulated sugar and a tbsp of flour. Mix it to just blend it and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes to release the juices.
In another bowl, mix 1 cup flour, the remaining granulated sugar, light brown sugar, ground oats, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Whisk it enough to blend it well. Add the sliced almonds and also the cold butter and start mixing it well with your hands to let the butter incorporate into the flour mixture. It should form a lumpy mixture.
In a baking dish, pour the berry mixture and spread it evenly onto the dish. Top it off with the flour butter mixture evenly on the berry surface to form the crust for the berry crisp.
Preheat an oven to 375 degrees. Place this baking dish on a cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil to not let the juices overflow at the bottom of the oven. Let the berry crisp bake for about 50 minutes. And voila! Its ready!!
Have it with a scoop of vanilla icecream and I dare you to limit yourself to one serving! :)
Note: You can even divide the mixture into ramekins to make individual portions.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries
1 1/2 cups black berries
1 cup blueberries
1/2 lemon
1/3 cup + 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 cup + 1 tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 cup rolled oats ground
1/2 stick unsalted cold butter diced into cubes
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup sliced toasted almonds
1/2 teaspoon of salt
Method:
Put all the berries in a bowl with the lemon and 1/2 cup granulated sugar and a tbsp of flour. Mix it to just blend it and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes to release the juices.
In another bowl, mix 1 cup flour, the remaining granulated sugar, light brown sugar, ground oats, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Whisk it enough to blend it well. Add the sliced almonds and also the cold butter and start mixing it well with your hands to let the butter incorporate into the flour mixture. It should form a lumpy mixture.
In a baking dish, pour the berry mixture and spread it evenly onto the dish. Top it off with the flour butter mixture evenly on the berry surface to form the crust for the berry crisp.
Preheat an oven to 375 degrees. Place this baking dish on a cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil to not let the juices overflow at the bottom of the oven. Let the berry crisp bake for about 50 minutes. And voila! Its ready!!
Have it with a scoop of vanilla icecream and I dare you to limit yourself to one serving! :)
Note: You can even divide the mixture into ramekins to make individual portions.
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Mediterranean Rolls
My husband Raj and I like going to California Pizza Kitchen many a times, and we ate these appetizer rolls once and really liked it. It had simple ingredients and looked pretty easy to replicate! I have made a few varitions to this appetizer and it comes out really tasty every single time! Its well received by whoever has tried them! So go ahead and try it out:)
Ingredients:
1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper thinly sliced
1 japanese eggplant thinly sliced
1 1/2 small white onions thinly sliced
7-8 crimini mushrooms cut into cubes
6 garlic cloves roughly chopped
4-5 sun dried tomatoes
2 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozarella + Fontina cheese
5 large flour tortillas
olive oil to brush
salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Put the cut bell peppers, onions, eggplant, mushrooms, garlic and parsley in a large bowl and mix it along with 1/4 cup olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.
Grill these veggies on a hot grill pan, until the veggies look done, well charred.
Once cooled, mix the veggies with chopped sun dried tomatoes. Take a flour tortilla, and spread 1/5 of the mixture in the middle of the tortilla. Put parmesan cheese, fontina and mozarella cheese in the middle on top of the veggie mixture. Roll the tortilla from one side, onto the veggie cheese mixture and slowly start rolling it over until it forms a thin wrap. Cut it diagonally into 3 pieces. Do the same for the remaining 4 tortillas.
Take a baking sheet, covered with aluminum foil. Put these cut rolls on a sheet, brush both sides with olive oil and bake it in an oven at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Turn each roll and brush it again with olive oil and bake it until golden brown for 12 more minutes.
They are ready to eat! DELICIOUS!! :)
Ingredients:
1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper thinly sliced
1 japanese eggplant thinly sliced
1 1/2 small white onions thinly sliced
7-8 crimini mushrooms cut into cubes
6 garlic cloves roughly chopped
4-5 sun dried tomatoes
2 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozarella + Fontina cheese
5 large flour tortillas
olive oil to brush
salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Put the cut bell peppers, onions, eggplant, mushrooms, garlic and parsley in a large bowl and mix it along with 1/4 cup olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.
Grill these veggies on a hot grill pan, until the veggies look done, well charred.
Once cooled, mix the veggies with chopped sun dried tomatoes. Take a flour tortilla, and spread 1/5 of the mixture in the middle of the tortilla. Put parmesan cheese, fontina and mozarella cheese in the middle on top of the veggie mixture. Roll the tortilla from one side, onto the veggie cheese mixture and slowly start rolling it over until it forms a thin wrap. Cut it diagonally into 3 pieces. Do the same for the remaining 4 tortillas.
Take a baking sheet, covered with aluminum foil. Put these cut rolls on a sheet, brush both sides with olive oil and bake it in an oven at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Turn each roll and brush it again with olive oil and bake it until golden brown for 12 more minutes.
They are ready to eat! DELICIOUS!! :)
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Methi(fenugreek) theplas
This is a savory bread, like roti but with a lot of fresh and dry spices, and greens! Its really tasty and can be eating with yogurt and pickle or with potato bhaji(potatoes in spices). Its another one my dear mom's concoction.
Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
salt to taste
1 1/2 bunch of fenugreek leaves
2 tsp sesame seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
2-3 tsp freshly ground garlic
1 tsp ground green chillies
a pinch of asefoitida(optional)
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander
1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 cup yogurt
Enough water to bind the dough(start off slowly)
Method:
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and bind it together into a dough like consistency until its malleable and not sticky! Keep binding it to incorporate it in a proper manner.
Once completed, apply little oil on the entire surface. Cover the bowl and keep it for about half an hour before rolling it out into thin rotis using little flour on the board so that it doesnt stick to the surface.
On the pan, at medium heat, put a little bit of oil, on both sides so that it turns out crisp and delicious!
Eat it hot with yogurt and pickle and relish it!
Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
salt to taste
1 1/2 bunch of fenugreek leaves
2 tsp sesame seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
2-3 tsp freshly ground garlic
1 tsp ground green chillies
a pinch of asefoitida(optional)
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander
1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 cup yogurt
Enough water to bind the dough(start off slowly)
Method:
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and bind it together into a dough like consistency until its malleable and not sticky! Keep binding it to incorporate it in a proper manner.
Once completed, apply little oil on the entire surface. Cover the bowl and keep it for about half an hour before rolling it out into thin rotis using little flour on the board so that it doesnt stick to the surface.
On the pan, at medium heat, put a little bit of oil, on both sides so that it turns out crisp and delicious!
Eat it hot with yogurt and pickle and relish it!
Dudhi(bottle gourd) theplas
This recipe is for a friend Sonia, who's husband Sameer does not like dudhi!;) Hopefully after she makes these theplas, he will start liking dudhi.
This is a savory bread, like roti but with a lot of fresh and dry spices, and a vegetable! Its really tasty and can be eating with yogurt and pickle or with potato bhaji(potatoes in spices). Its one my dear mom's concoction.
Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
salt to taste
About 1/2 dudhi(bottle gourd) peeled and finely grated
2 tsp sesame seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
2-3 tsp freshly ground garlic
1 tsp ground green chillies
a pinch of asefoitida(optional)
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander
1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
Method:
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and bind it together into a dough like consistency until its malleable but not sticky! Use the water from the bottle gourd to bind the dough. If needed, add more water, but ONLY IF needed! Keep binding it to incorporate it in a proper manner.
Once completed, apply little oil on the entire surface. Cover the bowl and keep it for about half an hour before rolling it out into thin rotis using little flour on the board so that it doesnt stick to the surface.
On the pan, put a little bit of oil, on both sides so that it turns out crisp and delicious!
Eat it hot with yogurt and pickle and relish it!
This is a savory bread, like roti but with a lot of fresh and dry spices, and a vegetable! Its really tasty and can be eating with yogurt and pickle or with potato bhaji(potatoes in spices). Its one my dear mom's concoction.
Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
salt to taste
About 1/2 dudhi(bottle gourd) peeled and finely grated
2 tsp sesame seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
2-3 tsp freshly ground garlic
1 tsp ground green chillies
a pinch of asefoitida(optional)
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander
1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
Method:
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and bind it together into a dough like consistency until its malleable but not sticky! Use the water from the bottle gourd to bind the dough. If needed, add more water, but ONLY IF needed! Keep binding it to incorporate it in a proper manner.
Once completed, apply little oil on the entire surface. Cover the bowl and keep it for about half an hour before rolling it out into thin rotis using little flour on the board so that it doesnt stick to the surface.
On the pan, put a little bit of oil, on both sides so that it turns out crisp and delicious!
Eat it hot with yogurt and pickle and relish it!
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Chocolate Tiramisu
I got this recipe from one of my favorite chefs, Giada DeLaurentis. I have been watching her show since almost a couple years now and she is brilliant. Her recipes are simple, elegant in presentation and yummy. I have tried a lot of her recipes and they have all turned out excellent! I was lucky enough to go for her book signing too ;)!! So here is the recipe!
Ingredients:
6 ounces container mascarpone cheese
2/3 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tbsp dark rum
Chocolate Zabaglione, recipe follows
2 1/2 cups espresso coffee, warmed
24 crisp ladyfinger cookies (recommended: Savoiardi found in Italian gourmet stores or www.amazon.com)
Unsweetened cocoa powder, for garnish
Dark chocolate shavings, for garnish
Method:
2 tablespoons whipping cream, or heavy cream
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
4 large egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup dry Marsala ( available at Trader Joes )
Pinch salt.Add cream and chocolate to a heavy small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the chocolate chips are melted and smooth. Set aside and keep warm.
Ingredients:
6 ounces container mascarpone cheese
2/3 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tbsp dark rum
Chocolate Zabaglione, recipe follows
2 1/2 cups espresso coffee, warmed
24 crisp ladyfinger cookies (recommended: Savoiardi found in Italian gourmet stores or www.amazon.com)
Unsweetened cocoa powder, for garnish
Dark chocolate shavings, for garnish
Method:
Place the mascarpone cheese in a large bowl and set aside. With an electric mixer, beat the cream and 1/4 cup of the sugar in a medium bowl until soft peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone. Then fold in the chilled Chocolate Zabaglione. Mix the dark rum in this mixture and fold it just enough to blend. Cover and refrigerate.
Whisk the warmed espresso and the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar in another medium bowl until blended. Line a 9 1/4 by 5 by 2 3/4-inch metal loaf pan with plastic wrap, allowing the plastic to extend over the sides. Working with 1 cookie at a time, dip 8 cookies into the espresso, and arrange in a single layer side by side over the bottom of the prepared pan.
Spoon 1/3 of the mascarpone mixture over the cookies to cover. Repeat dipping 8 of the cookies in the espresso and layering the cookies and remaining mascarpone mixture 2 more times. Dip the remaining 8 cookies in the espresso and arrange side by side atop the tiramisu. Press lightly to compact slightly (the last layer will extend above the pan sides). Cover the tiramisu with plastic and refrigerate at least 6 hours.
Unwrap the plastic from atop the tiramisu. Invert the tiramisu onto a platter. Remove the plastic. Sift the cocoa over the tiramisu, and with a vegetable peeler or sharp knife, make dark chocolate shavings and sprinkle over top.
Chocolate Zabaglione:2 tablespoons whipping cream, or heavy cream
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
4 large egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup dry Marsala ( available at Trader Joes )
Pinch salt.Add cream and chocolate to a heavy small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the chocolate chips are melted and smooth. Set aside and keep warm.
Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, Marsala, and salt in a large glass bowl until blended. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, but do not allow the bottom of the bowl to touch the water. Whisk the egg mixture over the simmering water until it is thick and creamy, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Using a large rubber spatula, fold the melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Cover and refrigerate to chill completely.
Friday, March 9, 2007
Spiced Banana Nut Bread
The banana nut bread turns out really moist and its healthy too since it uses whole wheat flour! Try it once and you will not be able to resist it!
Ingredients:
==========
1 cup + 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon + a pinch of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/8 cup buttermilk
2-3 ripe(almost black) bananas
3/4 cup walnuts or pecans
Ingredients:
==========
1 cup + 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon + a pinch of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/8 cup buttermilk
2-3 ripe(almost black) bananas
3/4 cup walnuts or pecans
Method:
=======
Heat oven to 350°. Grease or spray 1 loaf pan.
In a large bowl, mash bananas with a masher or with a fork.
Dissolve soda in buttermilk-- use a larger container as it will foam up quite a bit.
Mix all dry ingredients, make sure its well blended.
In the banana bowl, add the buttermilk, eggs, sugar, vegetable oil and vanilla extract and mix thoroughly until well blended.
Mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients and blend it with a spatula, and add the chopped nuts.
Bake at 350° for 1 hour, or until toothpick comes out ALMOST clean. Totally clean will mean a dryer loaf.
Cool 15 minutes after removing from oven. Remove it from the loaf pan finally. And let it cool completely before slicing it.
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