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Thrifty Tip #1: Decide What is Important to You




thrifty adjective economical, frugal, provident, sparing

People decide to become more thrifty for a range of reasons.  You might:
  • want to save for a specific goal e.g. a house, a holiday, education costs, a car, a new pair of shoes, retirement
  • need to pay off debts: this could be consumer debt such as a credit card (or cards), or a long-term debt such as a home
  • need to reduce expenditure to meet basic living costs: a job loss, a new baby, interest rate rises or hikes in utility costs could all lead to the need to manage expenses more efficiently
There are some who need to cut all extraneous expenses in order to simply make ends meet, and there are others who may choose to be thrifty in order to have leeway for things they especially value, whether a hobby, travel, education, cultural  events, giving to charity - or any number of other things.  Most of us have room to cut less important items in order to have more for those things we need or value most.

In the Complete Tightwad Gazette, Amy Dacyczyn - long considered a guru of frugal living - admits that her idea of thrifty living was quite different from most other people's, and might even be considered unthrifty by some, "I had always wanted a large family and a rural pre-1900 New England farmhouse (with attached barn)."  Amy and her husband practiced extreme frugality to attain their goal because it was what they wanted more than anything else.

Beyond necessities such as basic food and shelter, what we spend our money on is a good indication of what we value.  Thriftiness is the decision to spend money on things we need or value at the expense of things that are less important.

What do you need extra money for most? What would you like to have money for, if funds were available?  What would you be prepared to spend less on to achieve your goals?

This post is part of my series, Thirty Days of Thrifty Tips.


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30 Days of Thrifty Tips

A frugal person isn't mean, nor austere, nor stingy, nor a miser, nor a skinflint, but careful, economical in the use of resources and money, saving, prudent and cautious, always looking for value.  The Scots have a word for it - canny .... Frugal people waste not, want not;  they cut their coats according to their cloth; they believe enough is as good as a feast; they try to make ends meet and they simplify, simplify!
                                                    Keith and Irene Smith, The New Hard Times Handbook, 1999

With the aim of sharing some insights I have gleaned over the years - and also to help get myself back into the habit of blogging - tomorrow I am going to begin a series called 30 Days of Thrifty Tips.

Every day in June I will publish a new tip or idea for thrifty living.  I will share successes (and failures) in my own life.  Throughout the month I would love to hear your ideas, whether you agree or disagree with my opinions.

I look forward to sharing my 30 Days of Thrifty Tips with you!
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Mango Delight

Kept some milk to boil, but alas it had split, so decided to go all the way and squeezed in half a lime and waited for the curdling process to complete. Strained the excess water and was just about to place in a muslin cloth when i noticed half a mango in the fridge. There was born a quick dessert idea... 


What i had :

Himapasand Mango- Half [ lovely and ripe]- chopped up
Curdled milk- smooth and light- 1/2cup
Sugar syrup - 1 tsp
Ice cubes- 5-10

Process:

1. In a blender, add all the ingredients and blitz till it becomes smooth
2. Refrigerate/ or enjoy as it is.... It was divine!!!

It is the perfect dessert as Mangos are in season and who would resist a chill dessert on a hot summer day!!
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Triple Onion Burgers


I could eat caramelized onions on just about anything. I'm surprised I don't make them more often just to throw on random food.  They stay in the refrigerator and heat up well.  I might just have to whip up another batch of them. Although, we go through so many onions as it is.  I buy them in bulk at Costco and it is strangely alarming how fast we go through them. 

So of course it was my love of onions that drew me to this burger recipe of course.  I even thought to make an onion dip to top it with. 



Instead I served it with this awesome ranch potato salad. If there is anything that I love more than onions, it's ranch.  It too, goes with just about anything.  The onion burger and the ranch potato salad make for an awesome meal!



Triple Onion Burger Recipe

2 lbs. ground turkey
1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup green onions, sliced
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced

Caramelized onions
2 onions, sliced
1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. oil
Salt and pepper
1/2 tsp. sugar
3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

In a bowl, combine ground turkey, red onion, green onions, salt, pepper and garlic, mix well.  Shape into 6 patties.  Cook in pan or grill until done. 

Caramelized onions:
Melt butter in a pan, add oil and onions.  Stir, cover and cook for about 5 minutes.  Uncover, stir in salt, pepper and sugar.  Heat about 10 more minutes or until onions are golden brown, stirring occasionally.  Add vinegar, stir and serve.

One Year Ago...











Sloppy Maple BBQ Joes


This is linked with:
Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family
Real Food Wednesday at Kelly the Kitchen Kop
Whole Food Wednesdays at This Chick Cooks
Gluten Free Wednesday at Gluten Free Homemaker
The Mommy Club at Crystal and Co.
Bake With Bizzy at Bizzy Bakes
Foodie Friday at Simple Living
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Cheesy Egg Salad



I adore devilled eggs.  What I don't like about them though is the peeling of the eggs.  100 people have told me 100 different ways to boil and peel the perfect egg but rarely does it work well for me. However, it might be my lack of patience. 

The beauty of egg salad is there is no need for perfectly peeled eggs.  What I have here is all the flavor in an deviled egg but in the form of a salad.  Not so neat perhaps but delicious.  I think I enjoyed this more as I was able to use it as a dip with gluten free crackers. 

So how do you boil and peel the perfect egg?


Cheesy Egg Salad
Adapted from Meatless Meals for Meat Eaters

6 hard boiled eggs
1/3 cup onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chipped
3 tbsp. cream cheese, softened
3 tbsp. relish
2 tbsp. mustard
1/3 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 cheese shredded

Put the onions, celery, cream cheese, relish, mustard and seasonings in a bowl.  Chop the boiled eggs and stir them into the mixture.  Stir in the shredded cheese.  Serve in a sandwich or with crackers.

One Year Ago...










Bean & Pineapple Soft Tacos

This is linked with:
$5 Dinner Challenge at $5 Dinners
Made from Scratch at Living with Food Allergies and Celiac
My Meatless Mondays at My Sweet and Savory
Just Another Meatless Monday at Hey, What's for Dinner Mom?
Made for you Monday at Skip to My Lou
Tuesday at the Table at All the Small Stuff
Hearth and Soul Hop at 21st Century Housewife
Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar and Gluten Free
Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family
The Mommy Club at Crystal and Co.
Whole Food Wednesdays at This Chick Cooks
Weekend Wrap Up Party at Tater Tots and Jello


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Menu Plan Monday ~ May 28 - June 3, 2012



Monday: Potluck, I'm bringing: BBQ Meatballs in the crockpot, Smores Crunch 

Tuesday: Smokehouse Chicken & Potato salad 

Wednesday: Steak & Pineapple Veggies

Thursday: Quinoa Pancakes with apple topping

Friday: Spaghetti & meatballs

Saturday: Leftovers

Sunday: Sweet Potatoes and Black Bean Burritos


More menu planning ideas at I'm an Organizing Junkie.


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Pastas con los vehículos (Pasta with vegetables)

I am not talking about something that is Greek or Latin. It is Spanish, but for an Italian dish! 😃

The dish I am talking about is Pasta with vegetables :-)

It was one of those days when the cook had not turned up and we were in the mood for something other than boring Rice- sambar/rasam- curry etc.. I suggested pasta, had to go buy ingredients. Thank god for Nilgiris being close by home:-)

What you need:

Pasta- any kind- 2tbsp per person( I was using farfelle- bow shaped pasta)

Vegetables- capsicum, carrots, mushroom, broccoli, zucchini, olives

Oil- olive oil
Salt- to taste
Water- enough to boil/cook the pasta in
Herbs- rosemary, thyme,basil,oregano

Sauce base:

Olive oil- 1tsp
Walnuts - handful
Red chili- 2- soaked in hot water
Tomato- 3- soaked in hot water

The procedure:

1. In a big pan, put the pasta to cook ( add some salt and olive oil)
2. To this I add the tomatoes and red chilies( pulling them out after a few mins)
3. In another pan, add some oil and sauté the vegetables. Keep mushrooms for the last as they cook fast and tend to release water. ( I sautéed them separately and kept them aside as dad does not like mushrooms)
4. Put all ingredients for the base incl tomatoes and red chillies and purée in a blender . Add water if required. I also add a spoonful of veggies in this( adds nice texture and volume to the sauce)
5. Add this paste to the vegetables. Add herbs and salt at this stage.
6. Once pasta cooked , drain and tumble into pan with sauce and vegetables .
7. Allow it all to come together and turn off stove.
8. If you like, can add cheese on top before serving ..

Bon apettit!
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Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme Stuffing for Roast Chicken

Nearly every Sunday I roast a chicken for our dinner. And I almost always make the same parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme stuffing.

It's really easy.  I collect a handful of parsley, a few sage leaves and a little thyme and rosemary from the garden then whiz them around in the food processor.  Sometimes I add a little lemon zest or a few onion greens or garlic scapes.  Some diced bacon or ham would be good too.

I then add a few bread crusts or leftover, dried out bits of bread and whiz them with the herbs (I keep bread ends in the freezer for this purpose).  A sprinkle of salt and pepper and the stuffing is ready to be stuffed into the cavity of the bird.

Home made stuffing is much nicer and more economical than the mixes you can buy at the supermarket.  And the added bonus is that you know everything that's in it.
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Wookie Cookies


You know what happens when you leave your 10 year old on the computer too long?  He plays Star Wars games and eventually finds recipes for cookies.  Not just cookies.  Wookie Cookies.  The first thing I asked of course was, "Are they made from real Wookies?".  All I got was, "Mom!" as he's rolling his eyes.  Clearly parents are so immature. 



So don't worry, Chewbacca's safe, they aren't made from Wookies but they are extrememly delicious.  We made them and he gave a bunch to his friends. There is a whole cookbook of Star Wars recipes.  We don't have the cookbook but we're thinking of getting it.  The cookbook has Yoda Soda.  I wonder if it's green like Yoda? 




Wookie Cookies
From Star Wars.com

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup unsalted butter, room temp
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Put the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a mixing bowl.  Stir until well mixed.  Set aside.

Put the butter, brown sugar, and sugar in a bowl and mix until creamy with a beater.  Mix in the eggs and the vanilla.

Add the flour mixture and stir until blended.  Stir in the chocolate chips. 

Scoop rounded tablespoons full of dough and drop on a baking sheet.  Leave about an inch between the cookies because they will spread as they bake. 

Cook for 10 minutes at 350 degrees until golden brown. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

One Year Ago...










Apple Cinnamon Pancakes


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Hot Dog, Ham and Cheese Grilled Cheese


Remember the Food Network Cookbook that I reviewed awhile back? Well, my daughter was paging through the awesome recipes and she spotted this sandwich and fell in love.  I admit, I was at first a little grossed out by making a hot dog grilled cheese sandwich like this.  I'm also not a huge hot dog fan. 

I let her run with it and it turned out really well.  All three of my kids loved it.  The boys ate theirs without mustard though. It sorta reminded me of a Cuban. Only with hotdog.  If you're looking for a way to jazz up your hot dogs this summer, this might be a fun way to do it!! 




Hot Dog, Ham & Cheese Grilled Cheese Recipe
Adapted from Food Network Magazine, 1000 Easy Recipes

1 hot dog
2 slices thinly slices ham
pickles
mustard
cheese (I used colby jack)
bread or roll (I used a Arnold Select sandwich thin)
butter

Split cooked hot dog in half and then in half again.  Spread one side of bread with butter.  Spread the other side with a thin layer of mustard.  Place both sides of the bread on a hot pan, butter side down.  Quickly layer with cheese, pickles, hot dog, ham and then more cheese.  Cook for a couple of minutes until both sides of the bread are toasted.  Flip the other side of the bread on top of the sandwich and remove.  Enjoy.

**You can also use a panini press for this, I would have but I don't have one.




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Goanese Potato a la Chellam

Yes, Goanese potato.. Now stop flipping through your cookery books, this is a different recipe[ kinda sorta maybe] and no the Chellam is not Trisha from Gilli or other movies featuring Prakash Raj, what can i do if this lady is called Chellam...

Anyhow, here is the post- go away, stop distracting me already....

Granparents wait for 6pm, for the power to return[ cos we have powercut between 4 & 6pm- yes, daily], and they attack the TV, well, actually the remote. Evening 6pm is time for the cookery show on Jaya TV[the earth may shatter and winds may blow, but if they are home, they are glued].. Everyday there is a different person hosting the show and my gramma's favorites are - Menu Rani Chellam, Anita Kuppuswamy and Revathy Shanmugam [in that order].

So, yesterday it was Chellam's show and she made a Goanese Potato dish, the minute i heard the name, i plonked myself on the sofa out of sheer curiousity. Mom makes a Goanese potato and it is yumm, and spicy and well, yumm..  This one looked different and so i stayed there for about 10mins.

Chellam is revered at home cos they all love her cooking, mom & few aunts have attended cookery classes conducted by her and they believe her recipes will not fail..

Today morning, i woke up and waltzed into the kitchen only to find gramma getting a whole bunch of ingredients ready, and subsequently she ordered[ well, you cant reallly order her anything... more of a request actually] the cook to grind them before she leaves.

And for dinner, without waiting for gramma to come[ she was reading the Bhagawad gita, daily evening ritual] and mainly because i dint want to miss the CSK IPL match against MI, i got about making the dish. Was almost done when she walked in and was surprised... :-) It was delicious and before i could take photograph, well, it was settling down in our tummies... :D

What you need:

Potato - 4 to 5 [ 1 small per person]- peel and slice like you would for French fries
Green chillies- 2
Cloves- 4
Cinnamon- 1 stick
Tamarind- 1 tiny piece
Turmeric powder- 1 tbsp
Red chilli powder- 1 tsp[ optional]
Salt- to taste
Oil- to cook
Water- to cook the potatoes in

For the masala paste*:
Red chillies- 2
Black pepper[whole]- 5 to 10
Fenugreed seeds[ Vendhayam] -1/2 tsp
Coconut- 1/2 cup
Rice- 1 tsp

How to make it:

1. In a pan, add oil, cloves, cinnamon, green chillies and the chopped potatoes.
2. After a few mins, add the Turmeric powder, salt and Red chilli powder
3. Once potatoes have sauted for about 5mins, add enough water to cook them [till they are soft]
4. In another pan, without any oil- saute the ingredients for the *masala paste. Allow to cool.
5. Grind all the ingredients to a paste [add water if reqd]
6.  in a 3rd pan, heat some water and add the tamarind to it - proceed to make a paste [1 tbsp]
7. Once the potatoes have cooked, add the masala paste and tamarind paste/water
8. Add salt if required
9. Allow to boil till flavours come together

I made myself a few rotis, but grandparents ate it with idli... It was yumm, quite spicy but lovely flavours~
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Broccoli, Ham & Cheese Quiche with Potato Crust


We enjoyed this breakfast casserole so much that I made it again the following week for a friend who was ill.  Sadly, after slicing the potatoes with my slicer, it broke.  The blades slipped and they just won't slice anymore.  So sad as I love to slice potatoes and make chips.  The one that broke was from Pampered Chef, it was quite old and had been well used. 



The potato crust was fantastic!  So much better than the frozen hashbrowns that I so often use in a breakfast casserole.  This is extremely versatile and could be filled with many other things.  Bacon or red peppers would be awesome.  I even want to come up with a buffalo chicken version of some sort.   



I loved it so much that I doubt that I will go back to the frozen hashbrowns again.  At least once I replace my potato slicer. 




Broccoli, Ham & Cheese Quiche with Potato Crust
Adapted from Secrets from the Cookie Princess

3 medium potatoes
Cooking spray
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 - 1 1/2 cups broccoli florets
3/4 cups ham, chopped
4 eggs
4 egg whites
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used colby jack)

Spray a pie pan with cooking spray.  Scrub and rinse the potatoes.  Thinly slice the potatoes, arranged, slightly overlapping to cover the bottom and sides of the pie pan.  Try to cut the potatoes as thinly as possible.  Spray potatoes with a bit of cooking spray and season with salt and pepper.  Bake at 375 for about 10 minutes. 

Cook onion with a bit of cooking spray, seasoning with salt and pepper.  Saute the onion for about 5 minutes.  Chop broccoli florets into small pieces and add to onions and saute for 3 - 4 minutes. 

When potato crust is done, spread broccoli onion mixture, ham and cheese evenly over the crust.  In a medium bowl, beat together eggs, egg whites, milk and salt and pepper until combined.  Pour egg mixture over the crust and filling. 

Return to oven and bake for 30 - 40 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before cutting and serving. 

One Year Ago...










Chicken Enchilada Stuffed Pasta Shells

This is linked with:
Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family
Real Food Wednesday at Kelly the Kitchen Kop
Whole Food Wednesdays at This Chick Cooks
Gluten Free Wednesday at Gluten Free Homemaker
The Mommy Club at Crystal and Co.
Bake With Bizzy at Bizzy Bakes

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Veggie Fried Rice


It's hard to get my kids to all eat the same things.  I often have to make different meals for everyone. Which of course, is quite annoying.  One thing that we all agree on is fried rice.  You know, the take out kind that has so much grease that you can take a paper towel to it and blot it?  It's good, of course but oh-so high calorie.  I've made fried rice before but the kids haven't eaten it.  That was a couple of years ago so I wanted to try it again. 

This was really good. We ate it with chicken egg foo yung.  The boys did not go for the egg foo yung but they DID like the rice!  Score!  They ate theirs with some ham which was find with me.  At least all of us liked the rice.



Veggie Fried Rice
Adapted from Annie's Eats

2 tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup frozen peas
 1 cup bean sprouts
3 green onions, chopped
4 cups cold cooked rice
3 tbsp. soy sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a large skillet.  Once the pan is hot, add the eggs.  Cook, stirring until they are lightly scrambled but not dry.  Transfer the eggs to a plate and set aside.  Wipe out the pan and return to the heat. 

Add the other tablespoon of oil to the pan.  Add the carrots and onion to the pan.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are slightly tender, about 5 - 7 minutes.  Stir in the peas, bean sprouts and green onions.  Cook briefly, about 1 minute.  Add the rice to the pan and stir, breaking up the clumps.  Stir in the soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste.  Continue the cook, stirring occasionally, until completely warmed through.  Stir in the eggs.

One Year Ago...






Smokey Chipotle Meatloaf

This is linked with:
$5 Dinner Challenge at $5 Dinners
Made from Scratch at Living with Food Allergies and Celiac
My Meatless Mondays at My Sweet and Savory
Just Another Meatless Monday at Hey, What's for Dinner Mom?
Made for you Monday at Skip to My Lou
Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family
The Mommy Club at Crystal and Co.
Whole Food Wednesdays at This Chick Cooks


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Menu Plan Monday ~ May 21 - May 27, 2012


Monday:  Bean Cassoulet with tons of veggies

Tuesday: Fish & Fries for the kids, leftovers for me

Wednesday: Black Bean Burgers, Carrot Salad

Thursday: Quinoa Pancakes with Baked Apple Compote

Friday: Falafel Pizza

Saturday: Roasted Poblano Chicken Salad

Sunday: Leftovers

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 More menu planning ideas at I'm an Organizing Junkie

One Year Ago...

Cabbage Patch Kidney Bean Stew




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Vegetarian Chili Pizza Tortilla



I'm always on the lookout for a quick and easy dinner.  Quite often, quick and easy dinners have something to do with tortillas. 



I make a double batch of the tomato paste mixture and just kept it in the refrigerator. That way it's a snap to whip one or two of these up.  My daughter and I have been eating these a lot this week!



I had some leftover chopped onion that I put on too. Get creative and add what you want!  They are delicious, satisfying and super filling!





Chili Pizza Tortilla Recipe
Adapted from Green Lite Bites

1 can tomato paste, 6 oz.
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
Salt to taste
Baby spinach, chopped small
Kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Colby Jack or Mexican cheese
Cilantro
Corn tortillas

Mix tomato paste, chili powder, cumin and salt.  Heat kidney beans in the microwave until warm.

Toast one side of a corn tortilla on the stove in a pan.  Remove when just slightly browned on one side.  On toasted side, spread a thin layer of tomato paste mixture. Top with chopped baby spinach, kidney beans and cheese.  Carefully put tortilla back on the pan and cover.  Cook for 3 - 4 minutes until bottom is toasted and cheese is melted. Serve.

One Year Ago...


















Churros & Elephant Ears




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Blur Cafe, Chennai

So, the Best friend is in town and we made plans for Lunch & Movie. There was no confusion in deciding on the movie because we both had decided to watch Hugo together, even before she landed in Chennai. 

Now, the question was "lunch", where? I kept wracking my brains trying to zero in on a place that is close to Sathyam Cinemas and not too far for either of us, she was coming from Ashok nagar and moi from Chetpet. Finally, thought why not head out to Blur Cafe in Sathyam, and have lunch there. I had heard about the place, seen it while spending hours in the bowling arcade, but never eaten there. Trusting my instincts, messaged my friend "Lets meet at Sathyam cinemas around 1.30". 

She was there on the dot, and alas, i was late by a few minutes.. Once i spotted her standing waiting for me in the lobby, ran and gave her a hug, before waiting for the elevator. We went up to the 5th floor, and onto the Cafe that was enveloped in Orange. 

The tables were rounded and orange in colour with thin beaded lights running along the sides. The chairs were funky plastic moulded ones and cutlery was stainless steel on white plates. The place was pretty empty but for another couple. Sat ourselves, got comfortable and started catching up on our lives [ well, not that it had been long since we had last met, or spoken to :-) but still, we seem to never have dearth of topics to talk about]



My friend then looked at me and said "shall we go see whats in the counter?"
Me: Chalo. 
My friend: dang, i have changed, wouldnt have done this few years ago.. now i dont know me
Me: Good for you girl :)

We spent a few minutes oggling at the desserts laid out in the counter- Chocolate crumble, pana cotta and so much more. Right beside this was the ice cream collection- there was fresh coffee ice cream, vanilla bean ice cream among other flavours.

The waiter [sweet chap, forgot his name though] gave us the menu card, a few minutes and then came over to ask if we were ready to order. After a bit of deliberation, we asked him to recommend. Only criteria being vegetarian. He said we could try the Wood fire pizza... Ran my finger through the list of pizzas and chose the Guiso [Pesto with different vegetables- thin crust 9inch pizza] and my friend suggested we order a Vegetable Grilled sandwich as well.



She had a bad cough, and when asked if they served green tea, the waiter recommended the Masala Chai, which landed in our table within a few minutes along with food.

The pizza was thin, light and filled withe flavour. It had a bunch of lightly roasted garlic amidst fresh basil leaves. The pizza toppings were - Olives, Cherry tomatoes, capsicum, and cheese over a pesto sauce. Each bite was sinful, and we polished it off within minutes.



The grilled sandwich looked quite appealing. It was brown bread with mix of colour peppers, tomato served along with a small serving of onions, capsicum and cabbage shredded finely.  It was simple, filling and packed with flavours... Good we dint order too much, there was one slice of pizza that we decided to finish off amidst all our chats. 
 

Seeing the time, i noticed it was close to 3pm and the movie was at 3.30pm. I looked up to catch the gleam in my friend's face.. "Shall we try one of those yummy looking desserts, we will share one, ok?" .. Well, i can never say No to her[she will give me a earful and a lecture to boot, such a mom she is], and we ordered the Panna cotta. The waiter told us it was what he would recommend and that it came with Blueberry Compote.

Alrighty!! [Now i have had Panna cotta in Tuscana couple of times and loved it, so expectations were high] and when this one landed on our table, it looked good. My mind was already doing the "find the 5 differences between the two- this was served in a cup, while the other is on the plate, this looked a little hard, the other looked like jelly or caramel custard.. and so on..." Breaking away from my thoughts, we took a spoon each and went in for it... 

It came away easy on the spoon, and then was the taste test. My friend loved it, it was the 1st time she was eating such a dessert, but i kinda was still playing the 5 differences... :-) It tasted good, but texture was a tad thick. The blueberry compote was gooooood.... But it was sheer joy watching my friend devour the dessert, right down the last drop. All the 5 differences flew out the window and replaced with happiness :)

Phew... what a lunch that had been. The meal worked out to Rs550 [incl tax and Service charges], which i thought was reasonable. We left the place thanking the waiter with a big grin on our faces and all set for the movie!

Ambiance: 8/10 [ It was nice and quiet, but am guessing there are times when the place is buzzing with noise and crowd
Food: 8/10 [ Pizza and Sandwich were yummy, the pannacota was alright]
Price: 8/10 [Meal for 2 came to Rs550]
Overall Rating: 8/10

Address:
Level 5, Sathyam Cinemas
Royapettah
Chennai - 600 014
Tel.: 044 43920341
Open from 11am to 11pm

PS: Please to pardon the quality of photographs, they were taken on my poor Blackberry Curve 8520.
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Buffalo Chicken & Potato Casserole


We planted potatoes this year. I don't usually plant things, they don't do well. My friend told me about planting potatoes in a bucket rather than the ground.  Put dirt into a bucket, plant seed potatoes and keep covering the sprouts with dirt as they grow.  By the end of the season, we should have a whole bucket of potatoes.  Hopefully I won't mess this up.

I've been avoiding recipes that call for cream of something soup.  I loved how this recipe called for a cream of something soup that was gluten free! This was perfect and worked wonderfully!



Buffalo chicken is one of our favorites!  Franks buffalo sauce is a staple here.  I poured a bit of ranch over mine, go ahead and use blue cheese if you'd rather.

This recipe makes a LOT.  Feel free to halve the recipe if you'd like.  Otherwise, I would imagine that one would freeze well too. 



Buffalo Chicken & Potato Casserole Recipe
Adapted from As Good As Gluten

1 1/2 lbs. chicken, cooked and shredded
5 lbs. potatoes, diced into cubes
1/2 cup Franks buffalo sauce
1/2 cup ranch dressing
1 cup shredded colby jack cheese
1 prepared Cream of Anything soup base (recipe below, use 1/3 cup of base with 1 cup water)
3 celery stalks, finely chopped
1/2 cup cornflake crumbs
2 tbsp. butter, melted
3 - 4 green onions, chopped

Spray a 9 x 13 in pan AND and an 8 x 8 in. pan with cooking spray. 

In a large bowl, combine potatoes, ranch dressing, shredded cheese, prepared soup base and celery.  Mix well and spoon into baking dishes.

In a separate bowl, stir together shredded chicken and Franks buffalo sauce. Spoon over potato mixture.

In a small bowl, stir together corn flake crumbs and melted butter.  Sprinkle over the top of the chicken in the baking dish.

Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake 30 - 40 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender.  Sprinkle the top with green onions and serve.

CREAM OF ANYTHING SOUP BASE

1 cup non-fat instant dried milk
3/4 cup cornstarch
1 tbsp. onion powder
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. black pepper

Mix ingredients together in a bowl.  Store in an air tight container.

To prepare for use in recipes:  When ready to use, mix 1/3 cup prepared dried soup mix with 1 cup of water in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for one and half minutes or until thick.  Use as a substitute for one can of condensed cream soup.




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Loaded Potato Chips with Raspberry Chipotle BBQ Beef


I love finding new blogs. I don't always have time to peruse blogs as much as I would like.  We all need about 2 extra hours a day for that! Wouldn't that be nice!  I love the Secret Recipe Club as it allows me to easily find new blogs and I've found many that are so, so wonderful! 


This month I was assigned Heavenly Treats and Treasures. Grace has a wonderful food blog with so many delicious choices! I chose her Loaded Homemade Potato Chips with Raspberry Chipotle BBQ Pulled Pork.  Just the name alone sounded awesome!  While I did make several changes, I think it turned out quite similar.  The ingredients were pretty much the same, it was just the method of cooking I changed. 

I love using the crockpot so I chose to cook the meat in the crockpot.  The smell of meat cooking in a delicious chipotle sauce is so awesome! 

I also chose to bake the potato chips rather than deep fry them.  They turned out beautiful and were delicious!  The next day, I put the meat and cheese sauce over a baked potato for lunch.  That was awesome as well!  I forgot to snap a picture of that though. 

This recipe may seem complicated but it really wasn't.  The meat just cooked all day and was a snap to put together.  I used my mandolin with the potatoes so those just took a couple of minutes. And if you get the kids to grate the cheese while you make the roux, the cheese sauce comes together super quick!


Loaded Homemade Potato Chips with Raspberry Chipotle BBQ Pulled Pork Recipe
Adapted from Heavenly Treats and Treasures

For Meat:
2 lbs. beef chuck roast (she used pork tenderloin)
BBQ Rub:
1 tsp salt
Heaping 1/2 tsp. of each pepper, celery seed, cumin, garlic powder and smoked paprika
Pinch of dry mustard


1/2 can rootbeer
1/2 cup white vinegar
few drops of liquid smoke
1 1/4 cups BBQ sauce, I used Sweet Baby Rays
1 chipotle pepper with 1 tsp adobo sauce
1/2 pint fresh rasberries

For Potatoes:
3 large potatoes, sliced fairly thin
Salt

Gruyere Cheese Sauce
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. flour
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup milk
2 - 4 tbsp. chicken broth
2 tbsp. sour cream
1 cup shredded gruyere cheese
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste

Garnish with pepperjack cheese, green onions and sour cream if desired.

Make Pork:
Mix BBQ rub and rub into roast all over.  If you're able to let it sit in the refrigerator over night great, otherwise just stick it in the crockpot.  Pour root beer, vinegar, BBQ sauce and chopped chipotle pepper with the adobo sauce in the bottom of the crockpot. Cook for 7 - 10 hours on low until meat is able to be shredded.  Shred meat and return to pot to continue cooking in the juices.  Puree raspberries with a bit of the sauce in a food processor and pour into crockpot.

To Make Potatoes:
Slice potatoes thin, I left the skins on.  Place on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray, sprinkly with salt and bake for about 30 - 35 minutes at 350 until slightly browned.  Keep a close eye on them!

To Make Cheese Sauce:
Melt butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat.  Sprinkle flour over butter and stir for 2 minutes to form a roux.  Add garlic and stir for a minute.  Slowly add milk in a steady stream, whisking constantly.  Add 2 tbsp. chicken broth and continue stirring until mixture thickens.  Add another tablespoon or two of stock if sauce is too thick.  Remove from heat and add grated nutmeg, sour cream and gruyere cheese.  Whisk until smooth and cheese is melted.  Add salt and pepper to taste. 

To Assemble:
Place chips on plate.  Top with BBQ pork, then drizzle some of the gruyere cheese sauce over top.  Sprinkle with pepperjack cheese, green onions and a dollop of sour cream if desired. 

This is linked with:
Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family
Real Food Wednesday at Kelly the Kitchen Kop
Whole Food Wednesdays at This Chick Cooks
Gluten Free Wednesday at Gluten Free Homemaker
The Mommy Club at Crystal and Co.









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Fresca Pizzaria by Sandy's, KNK Road

Do you want to get a sneak peek into something nobody has seen/experienced till date? That is all it takes for my interest to get piqued and antenna to go up .. So, when i got a text asking if i would like to be a part of the 1st group of people who were going to experience the "yet to be opened" Fresca Pizzeria by Sandy, i jumped right in. Yes, this is same Sandesh Reddy who brought in Sandy's Chocolate Laboratory and Maya to our city... Actually, Fresca is what you will find if you go looking for Maya Restaurant [which is moving to a different location].

A Four Course Neapolitan meal with a price tag of Rs1000/- and let me tell you, it was well worth the money, infact it was a steal. This was part of Chennai Food Guide Diner's club initiative!!

Trivia on Neopolitan Cuisine [a la Wikipedia]
Neapolitan cuisine has ancient historical roots that date back to the Greco-Roman period, which was enriched over the centuries by the influence of the different cultures that controlled Naples and its kingdoms, such as that of Aragon and France. The contributions and fantasy of the Neapolitan people has been extremely important in further developing an autonomous culinary culture.
Since Naples was the capital of the Kingdom of Naples, its cuisine took much from the culinary traditions of all the Campania region, reaching a balance between dishes based on rural ingredients (pasta, vegetables, cheese) and seafood dishes (fish, crustaceans, mollusks). A vast variety of recipes is influenced by the local aristocratic cuisine, like timballi and the sartù di riso, pasta or rice dishes with very elaborate preparation, while the dishes coming from the popular traditions contain poor but nutritionally healthy ingredients, like pasta e fagioli (pasta with beans) and other pasta dishes with vegetables.


I landed at the venue at 7.45, spotted Shadir on the phone, and went ahead to the basement looking for the others. The place looked pretty much the same as it did when Maya was around, Sandesh mentioned he was getting an artist who would do a mural/art on the ceiling and some of the paintings on the wall would be replaced. We were offered the largest table in the restaurant, that could seat 15.

Dark interiors, Deep red sofas and chairs, White cutlery with Black napkins, a menu sheet rolled up with a pretty ribbon on each place. Not only this, but after every course, the cutlery was replaced, there was someone refilling our water glasses every few seconds.. All this is what you call Attention to detail and it definitely adds to the impression and experience.


The night began with Sandesh giving us a brief on Neopolitan Cuisine, the fresh ingredients he was using, and the process he went through when finalising the menu, the equipments being used and so on. It was quite fascinating listening to him because for many food is just food, well, you order a pizza, dig into it, and once your hunger is satiated, you are done with the meal. Very few relish the ingredients, want to learn about the process of baking, cooking, reduction, and so on. 

Course 1 - Appetizers 

from L to R- Carpaccio, Stewed Figs, Appetite Teaser[ smoked Gorgonzella cheese with Poached Pears]
Ajo Blanco and Bruschetta 

1. Ajo Blanco[ Soup] -
Stewed green grape, gastrique
It was a divine cold soup, that was so rich in flavours, we were all dumb struck.

2. Carpaccio  Non Veg [Salad]
Rocket, Mustard Mango & Parmesan
Well, the guys looked like they had visited heaven and back on tasting this dish

3. Stewed Figs [Salad]
Boccancini, Roasted Zuccini
This was sinful, i love figs, and when  it had been gently stewed and served with zucchini, cheese and greens, it was a delight


Course 2 - Pasta  
 
From L to R- the menu., Spinach Gnocchi, Fromaggio Ravioli, Smoked Chicken Agnoloti and accompaniment herbs
1. The Fromaggio Ravioli
Wine butter, Pickled Vegetables
Oh my, i got no words to describe this dish. It just melted in my mouth, it was orgasmic [yes, stop gasping already, you will understand what i mean when you taste this] and was again so rich in flavours. there were about 3 different kinds of cheese in it, along with Tomatoes and basil. The Ravioli was cooked to perfection, al dente and this dish was a hit, the plates were whizzing from one end of the table to the other, with people polishing it off.

2. Spinach Gnocchi [Made with Spinach, Potato and Semolina]
Butter milk, Gorgonzola
Soft and simple, this gnocchi was nice. It had subtle flavours, and again a bit of cheese in the sauce.

3. Smoked Chicken Agnolotti - Non Veg
Tomato, Basil, Parmesan
Going by the reactions, am guessing this dish was delicious as well.


Course 3 - Pizze

From L to R: Palate Cleanser [Apple & Lime], Pizza:- Pesto & Artichoke , Margharita,Quattro fromaggi  and finally, the trio of Non veg pizza.

What is a Neapolitan Pizza? 
For starts - it is not your regular pizza. The size of a Neapolitan Pizza is around 10-12" ~ about the size of a Frisbee. 1 pizza should fill 1 person. It's a whole pie only, sit down affair. Usually not for a take away/home delivery. Eat if fresh, eat it at table for best results. Your pizza will be soggy as the liquid from the sauce & cheese tend to create a hot, soppy, molten area at the center of the pizza. It takes roughly 2-3 minutes to prepare one Neapolitan Pizza. The pizzas are usually not sliced, will have a charred crust & minimal toppings. Ideally a balance between crust, sauce & cheese. If an Indian were to put in layman terms - it would be an Indian bread (maybe Naan/Roti) with tomato paste, cheese & topping on it! 

Veg - Margharita, Pesto & Artichoke, Quattro fromaggi 
Each of these were lip smackingly good. I personally loved the Pesto & Artichoke , it was oozing with flavour, the crust was thin but not biscuitish, and there was cheese, but nont overpowering.

Non Veg - Grilled Chicken, Pepperoni
These flew like hot cakes. 
There were pizzas being served on our table as if there was going to be dearth for food next day on. That is how amazing these pizzas were. 

The Palate Cleanser was served next, it was a sort of sorbet made with Apple and Lime, and it was a burst of flavour in the mouth. I could taste the apple more than the lime...  And by now, we all knew this meant Dessert was next... ta ta ta daa ...

Course 4 - Dessert 
Top: Bocca Negra and Bottom: Tiramisu 

1. Tiramisu
  Nuttela
I've eaten Tiramisu in plenty of places but this was groovy, and as we got to the bottom of the glass, the liquer took over, it was quite strong. It also has mascarpone and savoiardi biscuits and enough tia maria and dark rum mixed with a lavazza espresso that really kicks in with every bite.
2. Bocca Negra
Vanilla Bean Ice cream 
I ordered this since i thought Bleh, Tiramisu, been there eaten enough.. :-) I got a plate with a scoop of Vanilla ice cream, and a cup with what looked like a molten lava cake.. Well, it was hot, it was gooey and it was chocolate, not over the top, but just right. I loved it from the first spoonful.
Bharat, who dint eat eggs got what looked like Blueberry tart, couldnt get a picture, but he enjoyed it.
The evening began around 8 and went on till 11pm, and it was quite a fun evening. Good company, amazing food, interesting insights, and well, awesome service. What more could we ask for right? Between every course, Sandesh gave us a bit of insight into the dishes, the style of cooking, the battles he fought to keep the item on the menu and how each day would boast a different menu [well as he said not all ingredients will be available all the time]
None of the pizzas or pastas had All purpose flour or Maida in them, he was using a different kind of flour.. How cool is that? And yes, he was here offering people the chance to break away from perceptions, and try new ingredients and dishes!
  
P.S: * I did note that most of the lot on the table, though hard core non vegetarians, enjoyed the veg food immensely.

P.P.S: The Pizzaria should be open in a few weeks time! So keep a look out for the "Now Open" banner when you drive into Khader Nawaz Khan road.

Ambiance - 7/10
Service- 8.10
Food - 9/10
Price - 8/10 [A meal for two will cost about Rs1000- Rs1200/- but remember, it also depends on what and how much you order]

Overall Rating - 8/10

Address:
Fresca Pizzaria
No 32 Platinum Building [Basement],
Khader Nawaz Khan Road
Chennai - 24
It is located in the same building as Benetton, Mehta Jewellery and Cascade.   


Disclaimer:
This was part of a CFG Showcase that I attended and was conducted by Chennai Food Guide.

The reviews posted on this blog are based on my personal experience. Also remember that restaurants and eat outs sometimes change with time, so does their food and service. So, kindly consider these factors while visiting the places. Remember, no two palates are the same. Bon Appétit  :-)
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