Penne pasta with basil chicken balls

This is one of the simplest and quickest dinner idea to put together, especially on the busy and bustling days this can be a life saver. Usually I have a rustic bread to go along with the pasta .

What you need :

Pasta  - 1cup (penne)
Sun dried tomatoes - 1 Tbsp
Chicken balls or meatballs - 7-8 (I used Costco chicken balls)
Parsley - a hand full chopped
Parmesan cheese - 2 tbsp
Garlic - 3 chopped finely
Olive oil - 2tbsp
Salt as needed


Boil  the pasta with salted water, usually penne a little longer as compared to the thinner pastas like angel hair or fettuccine
Heat the pan add the oil , sauté the chopped garlic add the meatballs cook for few mins
Add the cooked pasta with a little water this helps to create these sauce .
Toss together then add the tomatoes, parsley and cheese
Check the salt add more is needed.
Serve with buttered rustic bread and some good wine
Njoy !

Groundnut Chutney

What u need 

• Coconut - 1/2 cup
• Shallots  - 1-2 chopped
• Ginger  - 1 inch
• Curry leaves  - 4-5
• Oil -  1 tbsp
• Salt as needed
• Roasted groundnuts - 1 tablespoon
• Mustard seeds  - 1/2tsp
• Dried red Achilles - 4-5

Roast coconut , roasted ground nuts , red chillies , ginger and shallots in a bit of oil for few minutes  .

Then grind the above ingredients into a paste , add oil in a pan when hot add the mustard seeds as they start to break add the finely chopped shallots and curry leaves,

Add the grand coconut mixture to the oil.

Keep in stirring for few mins then add salt.

Serve it with some crispy masala dosas . Njoy !

Spicy Salmon fish fry

This is a very simple and healthy recipe that U can make  any time , it so happened while I was on my morning walk with my walking buddy and she mentioned that our grocery FM had some really good salmon on sale !
So I headed to the store and got some on my list :)

What U need
Salmon fillet - 2 Lbs
Salt -as needed
Paprika- 1 tsp
Pepper white and black- 1tsp
Turmeric pwd- 1 tsp
Chilli pwd- 2 tsp
Garlic pwd- 2 tsp
Lemon slices
Red onions for garnish
Olive oil for shallow frying

Marinate the fish with the above ingredients at least for 2 hours  or overnight too ,Heat  a non stick pan for  a few minutes add oil and gently slide in the fish.
Fry each side for few minutes till crispy then serve with some sliced lemon wedges and red onions NJoy !

Egg fried rice

What U need ~

•  2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 teaspoons of garlic chili sauce
• 1 teaspoon cut beans  
•  Olive oil for frying (my preference)
• 4 cups cooked jasmine rice, chilled
• 6 large cloves garlic clove, crushed
• 2 green chillies 
• 2 eggs 
• 1 onion, thinly slices
• 1/2 cup cilantro springs optional 
• 1/2 lemon cut quarter size optional

Prepare the ingredients by finely chopping the garlic and green chili. Heat a wok until very hot and then add 1-2 Tablespoons of oil . Add the finely chopped garlic and chilis and stir fry until the garlic is golden brown. Add the onion slices and  cut beans stir fry for 30 seconds to a minute until they are translucent, but still slightly firm. Add the rice and mix together with all of the other ingredients. Once the sauces have been mixed thoroughly with the rice,  make  a center hole in the pan add the eggs that have been beaten scramble it along with the rice add the cilantro leaves and turn off the heat.
Add the lemon on the side serve eat yourself and Njoy !

Happy Easter with yummy Beef Puffs

Easter has always been a special time of celebration coming together and spending time with family and friends . This easter instead of making the beef cutlets I decided to go with a twist beef puffs very similar just a different cover -up :)

What You need :

Puff pastry rolls - 1 box

Beef -2 pounds boiled and highly salted and minced or shredded

Boiled potatoes-1 crumbled 

Shallots chopped-1/2 cup

Ginger finely chopped-1/2 inch

Green chillies chopped as per taste

Cilantro chopped -1 tablespoon

Salt to taste

Oil- 1 tablespoon 

Garam masala - 1 teaspoon

Heat  a pan and add the oil when hot add the onions , ginger sauce for few minutes

Add the shredded meat, boiled potatoes, green chillies, cilantro.

Mix well saute for few minutes more, add salt and garam nasal towards the end.

Next step is to cut up the pastry I usually cut one roll into 6 pieces, so one box will be enough to make 12 puffs. Then stuff these rolls with the meat mixture pinch on the edges like in the picture and lightly pat the top .

Once all these puffs are stuffed arranged them on a tray with a 1 inch space between each of them 

Bake at 400 " for 15 mins you can always brush the top with egg whites for an extra shiny glaze too.

After 15 mins the Beef puffs are ready to be devoured , serve with a tangy chutney or ketchup and NJoy !!

 " Wish you all a very happy and joyous Easter "

Cajun Rice

• What you need :
• 
  
• 1 cup uncooked rice
• 2 cups water or chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 lb sausage cut up
• Cajun or Creole Seasoning
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cups diced onions and bell peppers
• 
  
• Combine rice, water (or broth) and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer . Remove from heat and set aside when done. Keep covered.
• 
  
• Cut the sausage into bite-sized pieces, about 1-inch cubes. For extra flavor you can use chorizo too . When the oil is very hot, add the sausage  in a single layer. Brown on one side, about 2-3 minutes, then flip and brown on the other side. Remove the sausage to a plate and set aside
• 
  
• Add the remaining olive oil to the pan, increase heat to high, and when the oil is hot, carefully add the onions and bell peppers. Add more seasoning and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and browned.
• 
  
• Add the onions and bell peppers, then add the sausage back in, along with any juices that may have collected on the plate. Add the cooked rice and stir until well combined. 
• NJoy !

Happy new year 2017

Let’s give a warm welcome to the year that starts a new, cherish each moment that the year shall behold, so let’s come together and celebrate a blissful start to the New Year. Happy New Year.

Merry Christmas 2016

" May this Christmas bring joy and love to your heart and soul, and may you start the New Year on a beautiful note. 

Wishing you the best Christmas and a safe and happy New Year "

Happy Thanksgiving

“It’s a gift to be able to give many thanks for the small things in your life. For the kind words and smiles. May the candles burn brightly and offer you peace. 
On this special day, 

May your blessings increase!”

Green coconut chutney

What u need

• Fresh grated coconut - 1/2 cup
• shallots - 1-2 chopped
• ginger  -  1 inch
• curry leaves - 4-5
• oil - 1 tsp
• salt as needed
• green chillies - 1-2  
• mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Grind coconut, green chillies ,ginger and shallots in to a fine paste , add oil in a pan when hot add the mustard seeds as they start to break add the finely chopped shallots and curry leaves .
• Keep the heat on low so that nothing gets burnt.
• Add the coconut mix and stir on medium heat .
• Keep in stirring for few mins then add salt.

Serve it with Idlis or Dosas. NJoy !

Chicken Tikka Quesadilla

  

Quesadilla is one of the easiest quick fix dinner ideas at my place. On days when I don't want to stand and cook for long and do not have the time to do so, this one comes in as a rescue , and a very yummy one too :)

What u need :
Quesadilla - 1 pack small
Cooked chicken - 2 Lbs ( I used pulled chicken or the baked chicken )
Shredded cheese - 1 pack ( Cheddar and Monterey jack )
Chicken tikka masala - 2 teaspoon (this is the kicker  I used Rajah brand)
Hot salsa sauce- 1 bottle
Sour cream - 1 tube
Chopped red onions - 1/2 cup
Chopped red tomatoes- 2
Chopped cilantro - 1/2 cup
Lemon juice- optional
Butter - 1 tablespoon

• Use a heated pan add some butter add the pulled chicken cook for few mins as this is already cooked does not take long just get the juices going. Add the chicken tikka masala I used Rajah tikka masala very authentic taste and flavor , cook for few mins more then put the heat off . 
• Take  a flat pan and heat it up , rub some butter and  put the quesadilla on the pan rub butter on the same too. Make sure there is butter on both sides, keep the flame low-med don't want to burn the quesadilla.
• Add the sour cream spread it on the quesadilla this works well to hold all the veggies and chicken together
• Add the pulled tikka masala chicken , then the cheese pile little of the onions , tomatoes, cilantro ,some more sour cream YUM ! 
• then few drops of the spicy salsa sauce and pack this one up .
• Just like in the picture all piled up goodness before getting rolled up 
• Bite into this & NJoy!