Quinoa, Brown Rice Turkey Chilli

The thing about chillis is that they are so damn easy to put together, they taste yummy and it is protein rich. Well the last part depends on what you put into the chilli. I make chilli atleast once in a month because that is the only way that my son and huss take beans. And also I can add all the other stuff that they hesitate to eat into it and they never complain. This chilli is kinda a leftover version. I had some quinoa and some brown rice which couldn't be made into dishes of their own and hence I made this chilli. Warm chilli on a wintery night is bliss I would say.

~*What U Need*~ Quinoa - 1/2 cup Brown rice - 1/2 cup, cooked as per instructions Black beans - 1 can, rinsed and drained (15 oz can) Kidney beans - 1 can, rinsed and drained (15 oz c Corn - 1/2 cup Ground turkey - 1/2 lb Olive oil - 1 tbsp Onion -1 , chopped Garlic - 3, minced Diced tomatoes - 1, 15 oz can Tomato sauce - 1/2 of a can Chilli powder - 1/2 tbsp Cumin powder - 1 tsp Salt, pepper Cilantro leaves - 2 tbsp Juice of 1/2 lime Avocado - 1, diced Sour cream How I Made it: Rinse the qunioa and set aside. Heat oil in a large pan, add garlic and onion and cook till brown. Add the turkey and cook till almost done. Add the quinoa, brown rice, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, and 2 cups water. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Reduce heat to low; simmer and cook until thickened, about 30 minutes. Stir in beans, corn, cilantro and lime juice, and heat for another 3 mins.

Serve immediately with avocado and sour cream.

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Lemon Poppy Seed Sour cream pound cake

My first experience with a lemon pound cake was a failure. It was not good, it was artificial and there was this lingering aftertaste which just made me go yuck. I mostly withhold myself from buying cakes from the grocery but that single slice of lemon cake was so tempting and with that bright yellow color and speckles of lemon zest peeking out, I had to give in. And since it was a single slice I knew that it would not go to waste. But one bite and I knew that it was goner.

Something told me that that should not have been my first lemon cake. The all-time famous Starbucks lemon pound cake just didn't seem right and made me skeptical. I knew it had to be homemade for me to get the flavor profile in the cake right. This cake is what I have waited for in my life. Make this in winter and you will savor spring in very bite. Make it during spring and it will freshen and liven your senses. Make it anyday, for guests or family or friends or for yourself, it will elevate your mood right away.

~*What U Need*~ All purpose flour - 3/4 cup Baking soda - 1/8 tsp Salt - 1/8 pinch Unsalted butter - 1/4 cup, room temperature Granulated sugar - 1/2 cup Large eggs - 1, room temperature Lemon juice - 1/8 cup Lemon zest - 1/2 tbsp Sour cream - 1/4 cup For the glaze: Cream cheese - 2 oz, at room temperature Icing sugar - 4 tbsp Milk - 1 tbsp or as needed How I Made it: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a mini loaf and a small ramekin(just in case you have excess batter). Dust pan with flour and tap out the extra. Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium sized bowl. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter until fluffy. Add the sugar gradually and beat for 5 minutes. Add the egg and mix until combined. Rub the lemon zest with 1 tbsp of sugar so that the sugar becomes fragrant and the zest releases its oils. Beat in lemon juice and zest mixture. Stir in the dry ingredients with a spatula. Finally, add the sour cream and fold it in to the batter. Spread the batter evenly in the pan. Bake for about 20 -25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Release the cake and remove it. Cool it completely on a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar or glaze if desired. For the glaze, mix everything till smooth and pouring consistency. Place the cake over a wire and pour the glaze over. Allow to set.

Serve with sweetened whipped cream.

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Broccoli Cheddar twice baked potatoes

Sorry for being MIA the past week. It wasn't because I was busy, it was because I was lazy or to put it out decently I could say that I was hit by the writer's block. Well I can even say that I am blocked. I have not been cooking properly, I still have to do the laundry and then there are all the other household chores. Sometime you need a break, a break from daily routine and thats what I took. I am slowly coming out of my slumber. There's not much cooking up in the kitchen and that's why I am sharing a super simple recipe here which you can put together in a matter of mins and is delicious with all that ooey gooey cheese on top.

Prep time: 15 mins; Cook time: 1 hrs; Serves - 1 ~*What U Need*~ Russet potatoes - 1, washed & scrubbed Broccoli florets - 1/2 cup Italian seasoning - 1 tsp Granulated garlic - 1/4 tsp Sour cream - 2 tbsp Unsalted butter - 1 tbsp Whole milk - 2-3 tbsp Salt and pepper Shredded Sharp Cheddar - 1/2 cup How I Made it: Cut the potato in half. Pressure cook for 2 whistles or till cooked throught. A knife should pass through easily. Allow the potatoes to cool slightly, and scoop out most of the flesh and place in a bowl. In a small pot, warm together the milk and butter until the butter is melted and the mixture is hot but not boiling. Pour mixture over the scooped potatoes along with the sour cream, salt and pepper. Mash the potatoes until smooth and creamy, add the broccoli, granulated garlic, half of the grated cheese and give everything a good stir. Scoop the potato mixture inside each half of potatoes, top with the remaining cheese and bake them for about 15 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted.

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Mango Cheesecakes with Mango Glee

Well Valentine's day is around the corner and you will be having that uncanny feeling to do something nice and romantic to conquer your man. And what better way than food or to be more precise desserts. I have been getting a few requests to share dessert ideas that have no chocolate in them. Well not my kind but I liked the idea. Valentine's day is all about chocolates but this year I thought of taking the road less traveled and in comes mango. These mango mini cheesecakes are the perfect end to your valentines day dinner and what is great about them is that these are make ahead desserts. Grab one and share it between your love and all is well in the world.

This recipe doesn't make too much of cheesecake which is fine for us but if you are feeding a large crowd then triple the recipe and bake in a 8 inch or 9 inch springform pan. Also if are a fan of portion control then make them into cupcakes. All you need to do is reduce the baking time to 18-22 mins.

Prep time: 15 mins; Cook time: 25 mins; Makes: 3 mini cheesecakes ~*What U Need*~ Graham cracker crumbs - 3/4 cups Unsalted butter - 3 tbsp, melted For the filling: Mango puree - 1 1/4 cup Cream cheese - 8 oz, room temperature Sugar - 1/4 cup Sour cream - 1/4 cup Lemon juice - 1 tsp Egg - 1 All purpose flour - 2 tbsp For the Mango glee Mango puree - 1/2 cup Lemon juice - 1 tsp Water - 3 tbsp Gelatin powder - 1 tsp How I Made it: Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl add melted butter and crumbs and stir until evenly moistened. Press the crumb mixture firmly onto the cheesecake pans. Bake for 6-8 mins or until golden brown. Cool completely. For filling: Lower the oven temperature to 300F. Beat cream cheese, sour cream, sugar , salt, and lime juice in large bowl until smooth. Add egg and beat well. Add flour and combine. Add the mango puree and beat until well blended. Pour evenly into the springform pans. Bake for 30-35 mins. The edges will be set but the center might have a slight jiggle. Cool completely. Sprinkle gelatin over the water and allow to bloom for 5 mins. Add mango puree, lemon juice in a saucepan and bring to boil. Once it starts boiling add gelatin and combine very well. Set aside for cooling for about 15 minutes. Then gradually add glee over the cooled mango cheese cake. Refrigerate uncovered overnight.

Serve chilled!!!

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New York Style Cheesecake

Baking a perfect New york style cheesecake has always been in my to do list. I love cheesecakes and the pumpkin pie cheesecake from Starbucks is a must have whenever I visit the place. There is something about cheesecakes that makes me crave for another bite. New york style cheesecakes are known for it denseness and richness. It is not difficult to make a cheesecake but it is difficult to make one without a cracked surface. Temperature plays a major role in getting that perfect cheesecake. You will be baking at a very low temperature till the batter sets with a slight jiggle. Perfect on its own, cheesecake can also be served with a sour cream topping or berries of choice. Most of the recipes that I came across uses 4 cream cheese packages which sounded too much for us and so I scaled down the recipe to suit our needs.

~*What U Need*~ Graham cracker crumbs - 3/4 cup Melted butter - 3 tbsp Sugar - 1 tbsp For the filling: All purpose flour - 2 tbsp Sour cream - 1/2 cup Vanilla extract - 1/2 tbsp Cream cheese - 2(8 ounce) packages White sugar - 1/2 - 3/4 cup Whole milk - 1/3 cup Eggs - 2 Lemon juice - 1/2 tbsp Lemon zest - 1/2 tsp Orange zest - 1/2 tsp How I Made it: Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 8-inch springform pan. Mix graham cracker crumbs and melted butter in a bowl until evenly moistened. Press crumb mixture into the bottom and about 1/2-inch up the sides of the springform pan. Beat cream cheese till smooth. Add the sugar and whisk well. Add eggs one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Beat in the flour, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Stir in the milk. Stir in lemon zest, and orange zest and whisk until just incorporated. Pour mixture into prepared springform pan. Bake in the preheated oven until the edges have nicely puffed and the surface of the cheesecake is firm except for a small spot in the center that will jiggle when the pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour. When the cheesecake is done, turn off the oven and let it cool in the oven for 3 to 4 hours. This prevents any cracks from forming on the top of the cheesecake. Cool completely and refrigerate overnight.

Slice and serve.

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ABC Cake | Apple Banana Carrot Cake | Breakfast Cake

Well if you are looking for a bake which incorporates fruits, veggies, nuts and very little fat, then look no more, for I have a very simple breakfast cake for you today. Its filled with carrots, apple, banana and uses only quarter cup of sugar. Slice them up, toast 'em with some butter and serve it with some freshly squeezed orange juice or freshly brewed coffee and you have a delicious, kid-friendly breakfast to serve. So lets move on to the recipe.

~*What U Need*~ Whole wheat flour - 1 cup All purpose flour - 1/2 cup Brown sugar - 1/4 cup, packed Baking soda - 1/2 tsp Baking powder - 1/2 tsp Salt - 1/2 tsp Cinnamon - 1 tsp Canola oil - 2 tbsp Egg - 1 Honey - 2 tbsp Sour cream - 2 tbsp Whole milk - 1/4 cup Vanilla - 1 tsp Carrots - 1 cup, shredded Apple - 1, shredded Bananas - 2, mashed Walnuts - 1/2 cup Cranberries - 1/4 cup, dried How I Made it: Preheat oven to 350°. In a medium bowl, combine carrot, apple, sour cream, oil, egg, milk and vanilla; stir well. Add the mashed bananas and mix gently. Add honey and mix well. In a large bowl, combine all purpose and whole wheat flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; stir well with a whisk. Add the cranberries and walnuts and mix. Fold wet ingredients with the dry ingredients. Spoon batter into a bundt pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for about 40-50 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cake completely on a wire rack.

Slice and serve!!!

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Funfetti Cheesecake Sugar Cookie Bars

Generally the recipes that you see here on the blog are a week old just because I need time to sit, compose and edit my post and pictures. And with a hyperactive toddler in hand, time seems to be flying. Moreover he hates when I spend time on the laptop. All he does is comes over and with a stern voice says "close". So I generally edit a post when he takes his afternoon nap and that 2 hours is just not sufficient. But then there are certain recipes that needs to be shared immediately because they are 'yummy' and when they are certified yummy by a two year old, it has to go on the blog ASAP. Like these cookies bars.

Pappu has started learning colors. Well, its been a while and whatever he lays his eyes on, he immediately screams out the color. He loves his building blocks mainly because of the assorted colors and he loves anything and everything colorful. And these cookie bars were no less. Whenever he took a bite he would keep chanting all the colors that he saw on the bar.

Adapted with own changes from here Prep Time: 20 mins; Cook Time: 25 mins; Yield: 6 large squares ~*What U Need*~ for the sugar cookie dough: Unsalted butter - 1/4 cup, softened Granulated sugar - 1/2 cup - 2 tbsp Large egg - 1/2 Vanilla extract - 1 tsp All purpose flour - 1/2 cup + 6 tbsp Baking soda - 1/2 tsp Baking powder - 1/4 tsp Salt - a pinch Funfetti sprinkles - 1/8 cup for the cheesecake filling: Cream cheese - 2 oz, softened Sour cream / greek yogurt - 2 oz Remaining 1/2 of the egg Powdered sugar - 1/4 cup Funfetti sprinkles - 1/8 cup How I Made it: to make the dough: Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add egg and vanilla to the butter and beat well. Add the dry ingredients and stir gently until the flour is incorporated. Stir in the funfetti. Chill the dough for atleast 2 hours or overnight. to make the filling: In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sour cream until smooth and creamy. Add sugar and vanilla and beat well. Add egg and mix just until combined. Line a small cake pan with parchment paper leaving to hang on the sides. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Press 3/4th of the cookie dough onto the bottom of the prepared pan. Pour the filling over the crust. Sprinkle with 1/8 cup of funfetti. Crumble the remaining cookie dough in your hands and place over the filling. Sprinkle additional 1 Tbsp of funfetti over the topping. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Cool completely in the pan. Cut and serve. Refrigerate any leftovers for up to 3 days.

Serve with love.

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Chicken Parmesan Sandwich

Sandwiches are a staple at house. Whenever I am lazy to make lunch for us I make sandwich for self and a simple paruppu saadam for pappu. Well, the huss eats at office, ofcourse. Since its sandwich just for me, I like to play with the fillings. Add something of this, something of that, give it a taste test, season it some more, more garlic would never hurt. This is how I go about when I make salads or sandwich fillings. Its really therapeutic when you make a delicious cheese laden sandwich which you know that no one is there to share it with.

I love grilled cheese sandwiches, can have them anytime but sometimes I like these cheese laden sandwiches too... And when its got parmesan in the filling its just the best.

~*What U Need*~ Bread slices - 2 Chicken breast - 1, cooked and chopped Basil - 1 handful, chopped Mayo - 4 tbsp Garlic powder - a big pinch Salt, pepper - to taste Parmesan cheese, grated - 3-4 tbsp Sour cream - 2 tbsp Butter How I Made it: Mix the chicken with the basil, mayo, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours. When ready to serve, butter the bread slices, place the filling in between and toast in a medium hot pan or preheated grill.

Serve warm!!!

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Easy Chicken Sandwich | Sandwich recipes | Easy Party Ideas

I try new recipes mostly for dinner. Like different soups and salads, loaded focaccia breads, pizzas and many more. Remember the pot pie that I mentioned in my last post, that was made for dinner too. The pot pie was brilliant, the crust perfectly flaky and the gravy rightly seasoned. Then again I was not able to take pics as I have very bad lighting in my place and it was night. Many such good stuff are getting missed here at the blog and thats making me sad, very sad indeed. I am feeling the need to document those recipes somewhere and here on I am going to share a casual shot of the dish and how to cook it in my fb page. Whenever I get to take a decent picture of the dish I will update my blog with step by step pictures. Lets see how this is gonna work out.

Do you still remember the rotisserie chicken that I had bought a week back. This is what happened with the leftovers. A simple and easy chicken sandwich which could be had for breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack. This makes a perfect kids lunchbox recipe too. I had some light sour cream on hand and so used that for dressing. You could easily replace it with greek yogurt or mayonnaise. I kept the seasonings simple but you could jazz it up too with italian seasoning, paprika, onion powder or anything that your heart wishes at the time.

~*What U Need*~ Cooked chicken - 1 cup Garlic powder - 1/8 tsp Low fat Sour cream - 2 tbsp Salt - a pinch Pepper - to taste Spring mix - 1/2 cup Bread slices - 2 Cheese slices - if needed Cooking spray/butter - to grease pan How I Made it: Mix the chicken, garlic powder, sour cream, salt and pepper. Chill in the fridge for 2 hours. When ready to serve, spread the salad on the bread slices, top with the spring mix and cheese if using and close with the second bread slice. Heat a tawa and when medium hot, grease with butter and cook till crisp on both sides.

Serve warm!!!

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Chicken Salad | Easy & Healthy Chicken Salad

I have always eyed the rotisserie chicken that they sell in walmart or sams. It looks so juicy and whenever I see one I always dream of making potpies, salads and sandwiches. Whenever I think of buying one or whenever I ask the huss to buy one, he always says 'get it if you think that you can finish it'. And then I back off. That word means that the chicken is meant for me and only me. Finally I mustered all my courage and bought a rotisserie chicken last week. We had it on sandwiches and then I made pot pie one day and finally I finished it by making a big batch of this salad which I had for lunch with a side salad and then with some soup for dinner.

~*What U Need~* Cooked Chicken - 1 cup Celery - 1/4 cup, chopped Green onions - 2, chopped Grapes - 1/2 cup, chopped Almonds - 1/4, slivered For the dressing: Yogurt - 1/4 cup Mayonnaise - 1 tbsp Sour cream - 1 tbsp Coriander - 1 tbsp, chopped Brown sugar - 1 tsp Vinegar - few drops Salt - to taste Pepper - to taste Red chilli powder - a pinch(optional) How I Made it: In a mixing bowl, mix mayonnaise, yogurt and sour cream, vinegar, brown sugar, red chilli powder and salt and pepper to taste. Add chopped coriander and mix well. Do taste test and season as needed. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Chill well.

Serve on a bed of lettuce or side of salad or in a sandwich.

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