Turkey Sloppy Joes

One protein that I got to experiment with after I moved to the US is Turkey. I got introduced to it after a dear friend of mine suggested that it was more lean compared to chicken and the taste is kinda good too. Well it didn't suit our palate, it tasted bland and substituting turkey for chicken was a big n-no to the family until I started making turkey chillis, turkey burgers and then these turkey sloppy joes and believe all these are the best and loved by my family now. As for these turkey sloppy joes, they are the best, they are yummy, they are messy and they are perfect to stuff your face into.

~*What U Need*~ Ground turkey - 1/2 lb Onion - 1/4 cup, chopped Green pepper - 1/4 cup, chopped Red pepper - 1/4 cup, chopped Barbecue sauce - 1/4 cup - 1/2 cup Garlic powder - 1/4 tsp Salt and pepper How I Made it: In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, add the onion and brown it. Add the peppers and saute for a minute. Add the turkey and brown it. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the garlic powder and barbecue sauce. Mix thoroughly. Reduce heat to low and simmer till the sauce is reduced to the consistency desired.

Serve on buns or bread of choice.

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Asparagus Stir Fry

The past one week was chaos in our house. I could even go back and say the past on month has been chaos. It first started with the kid, he got the flu, passed it over to me and then the huss took it from there. And then the second cycle started with the kid ofcourse. This time his temperatures started soaring. His birthday has come and gone with no big deal. We kept it simple with a funfetti cake and his favorite t-rex dino fondant topper. He's starting to recover and we are still not into routine. I am keeping it simple for lunch with rasam saadam for the kid and a simple asparagus or broccoli stir fry for me and the night leftovers packed for the huss's lunchbox.

~*What U Need*~ Asparagus - 1 bunch, cleaned and pat dry Olive oil - 1/2 tbsp Chilli flakes - 1/2 tsp Garlic - 3 cloves, sliced Salt to season How I made it: Clean the asparagus and pat dry. Break the stem till the part of the asparagus that is tender. Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add the garlic and saute till golden brown. Add the red chilli flakes and saute for 20 seconds. Add the asparagus and saute in high heat till it has brown spots and slightly tender but still crisp.

Serve with a salad.

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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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Whole wheat Breadsticks

I just can't stop talking about the weather here. It was snowing non stop last week and the temperature was so low the actual feel plummeted down to -21C. Well actually its better than yesterday. With the weather so cold, I had to take a a day off for pappu. I had to calm him down with some activity and so finally we ended up making straw necklaces. It was a great passtime and it really helped in hand and eye co-ordination for the kid.

Now lets talk winter food. We have been making a lot of soups lately and I make some sort of homemade whole wheat buns to go with it. I made these breadsticks for a change and it was a winner. Pappu totally loved it, he simply soaked it in some garlic butter and devoured it.

~*What U Need*~ Warm water - 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp Olive oil - 1 tbsp Parmesan cheese - 2 tbsp Sugar - 1 tsp Garlic powder - 1 1/2 tsp Salt - 3/4 tsp Dried basil - 1/4 tsp Bread flour - 1/2 cup Whole wheat flour - 1 cup Vital wheat gluten - 1 tbsp Instant yeast - 1 tsp Butter - to brush the sticks How I Made it: Sprinkle the yeast and sugar on the water and allow to activate for 10 mins. Take the flour, cheese, garlic powder, salt, basil and olive oil in a bowl, add the yeast water and knead or 10 mins. Cover and let rise for 45 mins to 1 hour. Once doubled, divide into 8-10 portions. Shape each into a ball; roll into a rope. Place on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 40 minutes or until doubled. Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool. Brush warm breadsticks with butter.

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Cheesy Spinach Mushroom Quiche

I love trying new dishes at home. Its mainly because one ~ I can customize it to our liking, second ~ I can make it as rich or as skinny as I need and third ~ simply because I love trying new dishes at home. This quiche has been in my to-do list for sometime now. Well that list is a long and ever growing one and I would need another lifetime to strike out every single bookmarked recipe from it. And by making this cheesy quiche I am one down.

Talking about this quiche, it is loaded with carbs, rich in every bite and a sure getaway from your regular meal. Its heavy and even a single slice would be heavy on the tummy. But its nice and an occasional getaway from your daily meal plans would never hurt. Next let me talk about the cheese blend. I have used mozzarella, sharp cheddar and aged parmesan cheese here. You can either use a blend or you can use a single cheese type. But I love the flavor that each cheese gives and hence used a mix here.

~*What U Need*~ For the filling: Frozen spinach - 1 box, 10 oz Mushrooms - 8 oz, sliced Garlic powder - 1/4 tsp Large eggs - 4 Whole milk - 1 cup Parmesan cheese - 1/3 cup, grated Shredded cheese - 1 cup, mix of mozzarella and cheddar salt & pepper, to taste For the crust: Butter - 1/2 cup, cold, diced All purpose flour - 1 1/4 cups Salt - to taste Ice water - 2 -4 tbsp How I Made it: Preheat oven to 350F degrees. To make the crust, combine flour and salt in food processor. Pulse once to mix. Add butter and process until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add 2 tablespoons of water and pulse, a few times. Add water by tsp pulsing it after every addition till the dough forms a ball. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Press the dough into a disk and refrigerate for 30 mins covering it with cling wrap. In a skillet, heat 1 tsp olive oil. Add the sliced mushrooms, sprinkle the garlic, salt and pepper and saute on medium high heat for 7-8 mins or till the mushrooms release all the moisture and there is no water in the skillet. Whisk together the eggs, milk, and parmesan cheese until combined. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside. After the 30 mins, roll to about 1/4" thickness. Place in pie plate and press to fit. Blind bake for 8 mins. Thaw the spinach. Squeeze the water out of the spinach using a cheesecloth. After the pie crust is pre-baked, remove from the oven and spread spinach on top. Add the cooked mushrooms and shredded cheeses. Pour the egg mixture on top. Bake the quiche until it is golden brown on top and the center is no longer wobbly around 45mins - 1 hr. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Serve warm!!!

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Barbecue Pulled Chicken & Sandwiches

Well, its fall here. As in officially. The climate has started getting cooler, the leaves have started changing colors and we have brought out our sweaters and fall shoes. I like this weather but I hate what it has in store and the aftermath. Winter is never our thing. It would be if it was a matter of months. But not when you have to face that thick blanket of whiteness for more than four months. And thats why I hate and love fall.

I have always been a fan of trying new recipes. And the leftover rotisserie chicken called out my name to try something new. Barbecue pulled chicken has been in my head for quite some time and I decided to give it a try keeping in my mind my palate preferences. If you are using leftover rotisserie chicken use the two breast pieces and if you are using frozen chicken then use two chicken breasts.

Prep time: 15 mins; Cook time: 25 mins; Serves - 3-4 ~*What U Need*~ Chicken breasts - 2, 1 lb Onion - 1/2, sliced Chilli powder - 1 tsp Garlic powder - 1/2 tsp Chicken stock - 1/4 cup BBQ sauce - 3/4 cup Salt, pepper - to season Toasted buns of choice - to serve Cheese slices - to serve How I Made it: In the pressure cooker, heat oil, add the sliced onion and allow to brown. Add the dry spices and mix well. Fry for 2-3 mins. Place the chicken breast and mix well. Add the chicken stock, barbeque sauce and give it a toss. Pressure cook for 2 whistles and reduce the heat to low, cook for 10 mins. Release the pressure, season with salt and pepper and if you need more sauce, add as per liking. Cook in medium flame till you get the desired consistency. Using two forks, shred the chicken and toss in the gravy.

Serve on toasted buns with cheese!!!

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Avocado Egg Salad Sandwich | Sandwich Recipes

Avocados have never been a favorite with the boys of the house. But I make it a point to include avocados in pappu's diet twice a week given the numerous health benefits of the fruit. Did you know that avocado is a fruit??? Well, I didn't and I had to browse to know that. Silly me. I like to incorporate avocados in our diet atleast occasionally and I usually make guacamole with tortilla chips for our evening snacks. When it comes to guacamole the huss never complains but when it is avocado in any other form, he just walks away. So I had to resort to another recipe. And this egg salad is what I came up with. You sub the mayo of a regular egg salad with avocado and job done... a healthy and filling sandwich.

~*What U Need*~ Hard Boiled Eggs – 2 Avocado – 1 Lemon – 1 tsp Salt, pepper - to season Italian seasoning - 1 tsp Garlic powder - 1/4 tsp Honey mustard - to serve Lettuce leaves - 4 Bread of your choice How I Made it: Chop the eggs and avocado. Add 3. Add lemon juice, italian seasoning, garlic, seasoning, salt and pepper. Mix well but donot mash them. Slice the bread. Place the lettuce, top it with the salad, drizzle the mustard sauce. Close the sandwich.

Serve with juice!!!

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Spaghetti Aglio E Olio | Aglio E Olio | Pasta recipes

Pasta is not a regular at home these days mainly because the huss is not a big fan of pastas except for the Chicken Tortilleni Alfredo from Panera. He loves it totally and it is always part of his order whenever we visit our local Panera. I like Pasta not love but like because I like to take a break from dosas and idlis with homemade pizzas or pastas. Coming to today's recipe, I made this for my lunch when this sudden craving of pasta hit me. I didn't want anything fancy and this simple aglio e olio was just right for the day.

"Spaghetti aglio e olio ("spaghetti with garlic and oil" in Italian) is a traditional Italian pasta dish, coming from Napoli, as it is a variant of the original one: Spaghetti alle Vongole. The dish is made by lightly sauteeing minced or pressed garlic in olive oil, sometimes with the addition of dried red chili flakes, and tossing with spaghetti. Finely chopped parsley can also be added as a garnish, along with grated parmesan or pecorino cheese, although according to some traditional recipes, cheese should not be added."

Prep time: 10 mins; Cook time: 5 mins; Serves - 2 ~*What U Need*~ Spaghetti - 1/2 a box Extra virgin olive oil - 3-4 tbsp Garlic - 1 fat clove, minced Dry red chilli flakes - 1 tsp Salt, Water Parsley - 1 tbsp(optional) Parmesan cheese - 1 tbsp How I Made it: Cook the pasta as per the package instructions. Drain and set aside. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat and sauté the garlic and chilli flakes. Once the garlic is golden remove the pan from flame and toss the pasta in the oil. Serve warm topped with parsley and parmesan cheese.

Serve with some wine!!!

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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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