Grilled Vegetable Kabobs

 

 

 

After eating the colorful kabobs at the BBQ restaurant, I was very eager to try them myself. If you don't have liquid smoke, just proceed without it. They will still taste good. For Gudiya, I sprinkle just salt and Hubby and I like to sprinkle some taco or tandoori seasoning on the cooked kabobs. They are very simple to make.

Grilled Vegetable Kababs
Ingredients
10 small mushrooms
1 yellow squash- probably only half will be needed
1 zucchini- probably only half will be needed
1 green bell pepper - probably only half will be needed
1 red bell pepper- probably only half will be needed
1 small purple onion

Few drop liquid smoke (Optional)
salt as needed
black pepper ground
Taco or Tandoori seasoning
Oil spray such as Pam

Method
1. Cut all the vegetables except mushrooms.
2. Thread each wooden skewer into a desired pattern of colorful vegetables, starting and ending with mushrooms.

 

3. Heat a grill pan. Spray some oil
4. Place wooden skewers in a single layer.
5. Spray some oil on top.
6. Rotate till nice grill marks appear on vegetables. Switch off the gas.
7. Sprinkle salt and black pepper powder. If you like it spicy, sprinkle tandoori masala or taco seasoning.
8. Cover with an Aluminum foil - as if making a tent till ready to eat.

 

Note -
1. Step 8 is very important. If you keep the kabobs open , they will be dried.

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Grilled Teriyaki Mushroom Burger

 

Teriyaki Mushroom Burger with oven roasted fries and roasted edamame

 

About a decade or so ago, it was very difficult for me to go to the steakhouse/barbeque grill restaurants. I had no idea what to eat. Though I was technically a non-vegetarian then - which meant I ate chicken or seafood only on Sunday - I couldn't eat a huge chicken breast. There were not many vegetarian options. I generally used to land up eating just salad or baked potato or fries.

Now many steakhouses also have better options for vegetarians. Personally, I have gone from chicken may be on Sunday to no-chicken consumption at all policy. (I cook chicken for my family though!)  So when I saw the vegetable kabobs at the usual steakhouse, I was happy. They also had a distinct smoky flavor to it. How do they do it? The mushroom was moist and still it was smoky at the same time! My friend shared that they use liquid smoke. We went to another barbeque grill, where I ordered Portabella mushroom burger, which was marinated in teriyaki sauce, grilled with a touch of liquid smoke. I thought that I was ready to handle the liquid smoke myself.

Grilled Teriyaki Mushroom Burger
Ingredients
3 Portabella mushrooms, cleaned, remove stem and gills

3/4 cup Teriyaki sauce
1/2 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste

Few drops of liquid smoke

Oil/Spray as needed

For assembling burgers
Burger buns
Hummus
Firm tomatoes, cut into circles
Red onions, cut into circles
Boston Bib Lettuce
Ketchup/Relish etc.

Method
1. Clean mushrooms. Remove stems and gills.
2. Mix teriyaki sauce with ginger garlic paste & few drops of liquid smoke.
3. Pour in a ziplock bag. Place mushrooms inside and zip the seals off.

4. Make sure that the mushrooms are nicely marinated.
5. Set aside for at least 1 hour.
6. Heat your grill pan.
7. Spray with oil spray such as Pam.
8. Place the mushrooms with flat side on the grill at about 30 degree angle. Let it cook.
9. Carefully turn and place each mushroom at about 120 degree angle. Let it cook. We are doing this to get a nice criss-cross pattern.

10. Flip and cook on the other side.
11. Meanwhile, assemble your burger buns. Smear some hummus.
12. Place a lettuce leaf on each bun. Place burger. Top with onions, tomatoes, relish, ketchup etc.
13. Serve with oven roasted fries.

Note-
1. Liquid smoke is easily available in the supermarkets where you get barbeque marinade essentials.




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Vegetable Potstickers

 

I was introduced to the pot stickers in late 90s/early 2000. A friend who was originally from Minneapolis would rave about a place called Leeann Chin. According to her, it was the best Chinese food ever. So when I got a chance to visit Minneapolis later, I visited Leeann Chin and tried their signature pot stickers. They were delicious. I loved the technique of making Pot stickers where they are shallow fried as well as steamed and in the process they literally stick to the pot and hence the name!

I had bookmarked chef Ming Tsai's recipe eons ago. I couldn't find the round Gyoza wrappers around so I had to make that special trip to the Chinatown. When I was actually assembling the pot stickers, I was too occupied to go to the bookmarked site and actually read the recipe and follow it. So I proceeded with my interpretation.

Vegetable Potstickers
Ingredients
30 Round Spring Roll Wrappers/Gyoza

For the stuffing
1 tsp oil
1 tbsp. ginger paste
1/2 tsp garlic paste
2 tbsp. minced scallions/green onion
2 tbsp. minced red bell pepper
2 tbsp. mined green bell pepper
1 cup grated cabbage
1/2 cup grated carrots
1 cup sliced mushrooms
Few drops of Soy Sauce
Salt to taste
Few drops of sesame oil

Oil for sautéing

Method
1. Thaw the spring roll wrappers in the fridge if they are frozen.

2. Make your stuffing ahead of time. Heat oil in a wok. Sauté ginger and garlic pastes.
3. Add scallions and the remaining vegetables. Sauté for about 5 minutes.
4. Add soy sauce, salt as needed and a few drops of Asian sesame oil.
5. Let the mixture cool down. Adjust for seasoning.
6. Keep the mixture in a huge sieve or colander so excess moisture will drain out.

 Keep this way at least for an hour.

7. Now let's assemble the wrappers. Take about 6 round wrappers at a time.

Meanwhile, keep a pot ready. Add a spoonful of oil, swirl around and keep it moderately hot.

8. Add a spoonful of stuffing in the center. And fold like a half-moon dumpling.
9. Use water around the circumference of the wrapper so it folds easily.
10. Using a fork, make markings.

11. Now, place those dumplings in a single layer on the hot pot.

12. As they crisp up, flip them. Let them get little crispy on the other side. Add 1/4 cup water. Switch gas to high. Cover and let them steam.

13. As the water evaporates, the dumplings will stick to the pot.  They should be soft but look crispy.

14. Proceed with remaining dumplings.

Note -
1. Do not shred the carrots or cabbage. Grate them so they have finer threads.
2. As the dumplings are getting steamed, you can make next batch of dumplings ready by stuffing, folding, using fork etc. But keep them covered with a moist towel till they go into the pot.

Recipe Inspiration/Credits
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/vegetarian-pot-stickers-recipe.html


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Flan

 

 

 

This is wonderful dessert which has different names all over the world. But the great bard has said - what's in name, right?

It's called Flan in Mexico, Pudim Flan in Brazil and Portugal and we call it "Caramel Custard" in India. My aunt's recipe was pressure cooker based and I will share it some other time. But today's recipe is from my co-worker, Maria. According to her, this is the most common recipe for making Flan in her part of the world.

Flan
Ingredients

For Caramel Sauce
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup water

Pudding
14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
Whole milk, use the same can to measure
4 eggs, whisked

Method
1. Let's make the caramel sauce first. Mix sugar and water in a saucepan. Bring to boil on medium flame. Simmer on low flame for about 15-20 minutes. It should have that caramel color.

2. Pour into the bottom of the mold. If serving in individual containers, take about 8 ramekins. Divide the caramel sauce among them. Swirl so it coats the bottom and sides evenly.

3. Preheat oven 350F
4. Use an electric beater and whisk eggs, condensed milk. After pouring the condensed milk, use the same can to measure the whole milk. Mix all three ingredients.
5. Sieve through a strainer.
6. Pour into the cold mold/ramekins.
7. Take a large pan in which the mold or ramekins will fit. Pour water in the pan. Place the molds/ramekins. Cover with an aluminum foil.

8. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour.

9. Take out carefully.
10. Chill in the fridge.
11. Before serving, take off. Loosen the edge with a knife.
12. Invert onto a serving plate.
13. Enjoy!

Note -
1. If you don't want to use the oven, you can make this in a pressure cooker as well. Add water to the pressure cooker as usual. Place your mould covering with aluminum foil. Bring to full pressure. Reduce the flame to medium low and steam for 15-20 minutes.


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Special Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

Every December, I get an opportunity to bake cookies for a good cause. This time, however, I didn't yet get chance to blog about these recipes.

 

Hershey's Perfect Special Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

Mix

2 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

 

Beat

1 cup butter, soft at room temperature

3/4 cup white sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

 

2 cups Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate chips

1 cup chopped nuts or white chocolate chips

 

Method

1. Preheat oven 375 F

2. Mix the dry ingredients and set aside.

3. Beat butter, sugars and vanilla extract. Add eggs  - one at a time -  and beat again.

4. Add flour mixture. Mix.

5. Add chocolate chips and nuts

6. Drop on a baking tray lined with parchment paper using a rounded spoon.

7. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes

8. Transfer to the wire rack to cool down.

9. Store in an airtight container afterwards.

 

Note -

1. Do not exceed the baking time. They are done in 8-10 minutes, although they are soft to touch. They get the right crispness/chewiness as they cool down.

2. This recipe gives 5 dozen cookies. This number will vary depending on the size of the rounded spoon!

 

 

Credits
Hershey's Dark Chocolate Chips

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Tyler Florence's Banana Nut Muffins

 

 

 

I had bookmarked Tyler Florence's Banana Nut Muffins for a long time.

During my initial years in the United States, these muffins were quite comforting. As luck would have it, my husband and I were in two different states working on our respective first jobs. We hated this situation. We had rented "our" apartment in one side of the US and I was sharing an apartment with a roommate on the other side. Whatever meager salary I was earning, would go in buying air line tickets and visiting my husband. To squeeze out my weekend stay, I would depart on Friday afternoon - completing 40 hours during the week, and would report directly on Monday morning after taking a very early flight. Even when I think about those days, a sudden feeling of melancholy takes over. How I hated to go back to work, away from my husband! This was more than a decade ago. The airlines actually used to pamper the passengers. That morning flight to the east coast, would welcome the passengers with a huge breakfast box. It contained yogurt, fruit and a huge banana nut muffin. I would feel too reluctant to eat, but a little bite of banana nut muffin would cheer me up.

Tyler Florence's Banana Nut Muffins
Ingredients

Mix
2 cups All Purpose Flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Whisk
4 over ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup melted butter
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Fold in
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts - Leave 2 tbsp. for sprinkling on top

Method
1. Preheat oven 375F
2. Mash bananas and whisk them with sugar, melted and cooled butter, eggs and vanilla
3. Mix flour, baking soda and salt.
4. Mix dry and wet ingredients.
5. Fold in chopped nuts - keep 2 tbsp. aside.
6. Pour evenly in greased muffin tins. Sprinkle remaining walnuts on top.

7. Bake for 18 - 20 minutes.
8. Allow to cool for few minutes.

Note -
1. This recipe will yield 12 - 15 muffins.

Credits
Tyler Florence

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Snicker doodle Cookies

 

 Every early December, I start looking (or rather scouring books) for new cookie recipes. This year, while I was marking such recipes, I found this snicker doodle recipe right under my nose! It was on the back of King Arthur Brand bread Flour. So I decided to try it.

Snicker Doodle Cookies
Ingredients

Beat
1/2 cup butter, soft
3/4 cup sugar

Add
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

Add
1  1/3 cup All Purpose Flour/Bread Flour

Mix in a separate container
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon powder

Method
1. Preheat oven
2. Beat butter and sugar.
3. Add egg, vanilla , baking powder and salt.
4. Now, add all purpose flour.
5. Mix sugar and cinnamon in a separate container.
6. Make uniform balls.
7. Roll them in the sugar cinnamon mixture.

8. Place them on a parchment lined baking tray.
9. Take a drinking glass of 1" base diameter and flatten each ball with the bottom of the glass.

10. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes.

Note-
1. Makes 3 dozen cookies.

Credits
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/buttery-snickerdoodles-recipe

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Patty Pan Saute

Patty Pan squash has now become a regular in my daily cooking. Of course, they are available only during summer - fall. Last time, I just sautéed them along with oven roasted tomatoes. Gudiya asked for seconds and thirds!

Patty Pan Saute
Ingredients
12 baby patty pan, quartered
2 tbsp. oven roasted tomatoes in oil
Salt
black pepper powder

Method
1. Heat cast iron skillet
2. Add oven roasted tomatoes with oil.
3. Add patty pan and sauté on a medium flame.
4. Keep stirring from time to time, till cooked and crispy.
5. Sprinkle salt and pepper.

Note -
If you like it spicy, add a pinch of crushed red pepper

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Pineapple Bundt Cake

I wanted to bake a cake and was looking for a simple from the box kind of recipe. The birthday girl didn't care for too much frosting. Pineapple Poke Bundt Cake from Dole was just right. Any simple cake recipe gets elevated to another level after baking in  bundt pan.

Pineapple Bundt Cake
Recipe from Dole.com
Ingredients
1 box Yellow Cake
4 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 Instant vanilla pudding
1 can (20oz)Crushed Pineapple, drained {Save the juice}
3/4 cup Pineapple Juice
1 tbsp. vanilla or pineapple extract

Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp. butter
Remaining Pineapple Juice
1 tbsp. vanilla extract

Method
1. Preheat oven 350 F
2. Beat yellow cake mix with oil, eggs, vanilla pudding, pineapple juice & extract. Stir in crushed pineapple.
3. Grease bundt pan. Pour the batter.

4. Bake for about 40 minutes or till the inserted toothpick comes out clean.

5. Mix powdered sugar, remaining pineapple juice and vanilla extract.
6. Poke the baked and still warm cake with a skewer. Drizzle the glaze all over the cake.
7. Invert the cake on to a serving platter.

8. Let it cool down.
9. Enjoy!

Note -
1. You can also use pineapple extract instead of vanilla extract.

Recipe Credit
http://www.dole.com/Recipes/Pineapple-Poke-Bundt-Cake

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Lemon Ricotta Muffins

Addition of ricotta cheese to any muffin recipe reminds me of Mava cakes sold at Irani bakeries of Mumbai. So whenever I come across such recipes, I jot them down immediately. I discovered this recipe in my pre-blogging recipe diary. I think this recipe may be from Cooking Light or Good Housekeeping. Unfortunately, I am not very sure. This Italian muffin recipe sure will win the hearts.

Lemon Ricotta Muffins
Ingredients
Mix
2 cups All Purpose Flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Whisk
1 cup part skin ricotta cheese
1/3 cup milk
6 tbsp. butter, melted
2 eggs
2 tsp. lemon zest

Garnish
2 tbsp. sugar

Method
1. Preheat oven 400F
2. Mix and whisk ingredients shown above.

3. Add wet mixture to the dry mixture.
4. Do not over mix. Stir till moist.
5. Grease 12 - 15 muffin cups lined with wrappers.

6. Pour the mixture.
7. Sprinkle sugar on top for garnish.
8. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or till done.
9. Serve with your afternoon tea or morning coffee!

Note

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Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Marinara Sauce

Though Gudiya hasn't told me so, I have a feeling that she thinks that the best cook in the entire world is - not her food-obsessed, food-blogging mother but - her school head cook/cafeteria manager. After all Mrs. C whips up the most delicious spudsters, mashed potatoes and gravy, pulled pork sandwiches, meatballs and so on. Gudiya's almost vegan mom doesn't even come close!!;-)

But I have no issues there. Mrs. C is a fine lady and I love her dearly. She is not only a good cook but she is an inspiration. She has taken Mrs. Obama's school lunches to another level. She has encouraged school kids to plant and grow vegetables in the school backyard. So kindergartners plant seeds in small cups. When the seedlings grow, kids take turns to plant, tend, water, harvest vegetables. They even go to school during summer vacation to tend to their garden. All the kids get delighted to see where the food is coming from. They are not afraid to pop that juicy cherry tomato and make a mess. They laugh and enjoy their harvest when they see it appear on the salad bar of the school cafeteria. Every once in a while, Mrs. C hosts "Taste" event to introduce a "new or not tried before" vegetable. Two weeks ago, she hosted "Spaghetti Squash Taste Event". So even if students are not buying their lunch from the cafeteria, they get a chance to taste the unknown vegetables. Gudiya was really gung ho about spaghetti squash. Now, I always knew the theory - Roast'm, Scrape'm and eat'm! But I wasn't sure about how to proceed. I met Mrs. C during her Master Gardeners event with kids and she shared her recipe with me and also encouraged me to make it.

I found 2 good-looking and smallish spaghetti squash on sale at Sprouts. So I decided to try her recipe. I microwaved each squash for a minute so it was easier for me to cut into halves. This trick I had learned from Anupama's Food and More.

Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Marinara Sauce
Ingredients
2 Medium Spaghetti Squash, rinsed, patted dry
Oil Spray
Salt and black pepper as needed

A jar of Marinara Sauce - homemade or store bought

Garnish
1/4 cup Mozzarella cheese
A sprinkle of crushed red pepper (Optional)

Method
1. Preheat Oven to 375 F

2. Microwave each squash for about a minute. Cut each into halves.

3.Remove all the seeds and flesh.

4. Spray oil over the squash. Apply generously.

5. Sprinkle Salt and black pepper
6. Place cut-side down on a greased baking sheet.

6. Bake for 45 - 60 minutes.
7. Take out and leave aside for 10 minutes or so till it's easier to handle.

8. Flip the halves.

9. Using a fork, scrape the squash so "threads" or "Spaghetti noodles" are seen.

10. Add Marinara sauce

11. Sprinkle Mozzarella cheese if using.

12. Put back in the oven for 5 minutes till cheese is melted.
13. Serve immediately. Sprinkle crushed red pepper if desired.

Note -
1. I remove the seeds from the squash, wash and pat dry. I then place them onto a baking sheet and let them roast along with the squash to get the roasted seeds.




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Chocolate Mint Oatmeal Cookie

 

 

 

Grandma's cookies and warm milk is one of the most loved combos in America. I didn't grow up eating cookies. My grandmothers didn't even know about "cookies". The first ever cookie, I met in my life , was my friend's precious little Pomeranian. :-) Later, sometime in 90s, "Cakes & Cookies" opened up near Bandra Station, but I didn't bother to try any cookies then.

After coming to America, this chewy  fresh baked (mind you, not freshly baked!) cookie showed up everywhere -  vending machines, subway, office parties, crunch day, Christmas - you name it!

Now, I bake cookies every year for Christmas. They make perfect gift for Gudiya's teachers/instructors. I also bake cookies for  good cause. This gives me an opportunity to try out several recipes. I try my hand at new cookie recipes each year. Since Chocolate Mint is Gudiya's favorite flavor, I used King Arthur's Oatmeal Cookie recipe and added Andes Chocolate Mint chips.

Chocolate Mint Oatmeal Cookie
Adapted from King Arthur & CKC
Ingredients

Beat
1 cup butter @room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar

Add
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp. vanilla extract

Mix together
2 cups All Purpose Flour
1cup Quick or Old Fashioned Oats
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Stir in
2 1/2 cups Andes Mint Chips

Method
1.Preheat oven 325 F
2. Beat butter with sugars till light.
3. Add egg, yolk and vanilla.
4. Mix flour, Oats,baking powder, salt and baking soda
5. Add to the butter mixture to mix.
6. Stir in Andes chocolate mint chips.

7. Scoop a spoonful on the parchment lined baking tray

8. Bake for 12 - 15 minutes.
9. Cool the cookies in the pan for 10 minutes.

10. Transfer to a cooling rack.

11. Keep in an airtight container after cooled down.

Note-
1. Above recipe gave me 3 dozen cookies.

Recipe Credit
King Arthur & CKC




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