Yum! Yum! Yum!

When Abhi said he liked Pistachios, I have been in search of recipes to include some nuts for his snack box. Though I am impressed as he thoroughly enjoys eating the Pistachios as it is with shells (breaking the shell and eating made it fun i guess), to avoid the mess I didn't prefer to give these for snack box for his school. Instead I baked some cookies with Pistachios and Cream cheese which are perfect for his snack box. and also It's been a while that i baked any cookies, now my baking pleasure is also treated. The cookies came out real good than i expected and recipe is quick and made with simple ingredients, definitely it is keeper. Try it,  Here is the recipe, Enjoy!

Pistachio CreamCheese Cookies

Ingredients:
recipe source: Better Homes and  Gardens

Butter - 1/2 c
Cream Cheese - 3 oz
Powdered Sugar -  1 cup
Baking Powder - 1/2 tsp
salt - 1/4 tsp
egg - 1
vanilla extract - 1 tsp
All Purpose Flour - 2 1/2 cups
Pistachio Nuts - 1/2 cup ( finely chopped)


*yields - 2 dozen ( medium size cookies)

Method:

1. Microwave the butter for 30 sec to make it softened. Add cream cheese to the softened butter in a large bowl. Add Egg and Vanilla Extract to it and beat with electric mixer until 1 min. (or until every thing is mixed well.) 

   Pistachio Covered Dough Rolls

2. Swift the flour, add powdered sugar, baking powder and salt. Add this flour mix to the Bowl and mix it with wooden spoon or spatula. It forms like a soft dough.
3. Divide the dough into two portions and make two logs ( with 1 1/2 inch diameter). Roll these logs into chopped pistachio nuts and wrap it in plastic wrap or wax paper and keep it in the refrigerator for 30 min until it becomes little firm. ( firm enough to slice into rounds).  

Right from the Oven...

4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut rolls into 1/4-inch slices. Place 1 inch apart on an un greased cookie sheet.  
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 7 to 9 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack and cool them for 5 to 10 minutes. 

Coconut Cilantro Shrimp

Ingredients:
Shrimp - 1 cup ( medium size, semi cooked and tail off)
cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
onion - 1/2 medium
green chili - 2
Cilantro - 1/2 cup
Coconut Powder - 2 Tbsp
salt - 1 tsp (according to your taste)
turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1  tsp
Lime juice- 1 tsp
Oil - 1 Tbsp

Take a close peek - it's drool worthy...

Preparatory Steps:
First thaw the frozen shrimp. Wash with warm water and drain them completely.
Take a non-stick pan and add the shrimp. Mix 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder to the shrimp.
now heat the non-stick pan until the shrimp becomes small and wilted. You have to stir occasionally.

Salt make the water oozes out from shrimp and you have to stir until all that water goes away. stir it occasionally to make the shrimp not touch the bottom, until all the water goes away. This needs little patience (esp for me). (it took me about 10 min).

Method:

1. Heat the Non-stick pan and add oil. Once the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds. Once they start spluttering, add the ginger garlic paste.
2. Add chopped green chili and onions. Once the onions are sauted, add cilantro and mix it well until it mixes with onions. Now Add salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder and coriander powder.  Keep the flame to low and simmer for 4 to 5 min. (until the cilantro infuses the onion mix.)
3. Now add the cooked shrimp to pan. and Stir-fry along with onions and spices, well. ( 4 to  5 min)
4. Taste and adjust all the seasonings. Now add the grated coconut powder to the shrimp and stir fry for another 2 min. 
5. Switch off the stove and Transfer it into Serving Bowl and squeeze the lime juice on top.

Notes:  
I have used frozen shrimp in this recipe, you can make the same with fresh shrimp also.

will be back with one more recipe...until then take care
-Mythreyi

Today I am posting a simple salad with a mexican touch, where you will witness the whole mexican good stuff and don't feel like just eating the greens. While the black bean adds protein, corn gives the sweet touch, avocado for creaminess and tortilla strips adds the crunch, topped with spring onions for little spice and a dollop of sour cream makes it melts in your mouth. Here is the recipe, Enjoy!



Ingredients:
Mixed Greens - 1 cup
Black Bean, Corn, red pepper Mix - 1/2 cup ( Frozen)
Avocado - 1/2 medium
Spring Onions - 2 Tbsp
Tortilla Strips - 2 Tbsp
Sour Cream- 1 Tbsp

Salad Dressing:
Olive Oil - 1 Tbsp
Lime Juice - 2 tsp
salt - 1/2 tsp
black pepper - 1/4 tsp
paprika - 1/8 tsp

Add Lime Juice to the Oil. Mix Salt, Black Pepper, paprika in a small bowl and the oil mixture. That makes your salad dressing Ready!

take a close peek...

Method:

1. Take a medium bowl and arrange the mixed Greens as bottom layer.
2. Thaw ( or heat in microwave for 1 or 2 min) the bean and corn mix. Add to the mixed greens.
3. Top with Avocado cubes. Pour the salad dressing on top.
4. Now top with Tortilla Strips, chopped spring onions and a dollop of sour cream.

Now Dig into to this wholesomeness and that makes your healthy dinner option tonight. Today as I have Mango handy, I have served with mango on the side. Hmm, that makes it more yummmm!

Tex-Mex Salad served with Mango

Note: This weekend we got our furniture shipment, so was busy with setting the house back again. After some time  as i unpack my new kitchen gadgets that I got from India, I will write a post on that.

Keep checking, until then take care
-Mythreyi

As I have told before VJ and myself always agree on Thai when we have to eat out. We used to go to a place called Thai Garden in Plano, TX which is our favorite Thai restaurant since our college days.  Today I am featuring this Yellow Curry dish that I have prepared when i was in Bangalore. I am quite surprised at the availability of all fresh Thai Ingredients in Foodworld and Namdharis stores there in Whitefield. I have always made Thai Dishes with the store-bought sauces or curry mixes. But today the specialty of this dish is it all made from scratch including the coconut milk. Our wonderful Nanny made the coconut milk from the fresh coconut from the tree in backyard in the house we stayed in.  Here is the recipe, Enjoy!

Thai Yellow Curry

Ingredients:
Yellow Curry Powder - 1 Tbsp
Cumin Seed Powder - 1 tsp
Minced Garlic -  4 cloves
Galangal ( or Ginger)  stick - 1 inch
Green Thai Chili - 3
salt - 1 tsp
Fish Sauce - 2 tsp  ( or Oyster Sauce)
Lemon grass - 1 stack
Thai Basil Leaves - 10
Brown Sugar - 1 Tsp

Coconut Milk - 2 Cup

Green Bell Pepper - 1
Red Bell Pepper - 1/2 medium
Fresh Baby Corn - 5
Onion - 1/2 medium
Peas - 1/3 cup
Tofu - 1/2 cup ( cubed)
Spring Onions - 1 bunch
salt - 1tsp
black pepper - 1/4 tsp

Oil - 1 Tbsp




Yellow Curry Sauce:
First grind Yellow Curry Powder, Cumin Powder, with fresh garlic, ginger, Thai Chili, Thai Basil Leaves, Lemon Grass, along with salt and fish sauce. Add Brown Sugar at the end and grind it well.

Mehtod:

1. Heat the Oil in the non-stick pan
2. Add Onion slices, followed by bell peppers, Fresh Corn, Peas and add salt and black pepper.
3. Add slightly sauted Tofu slices and mix well with vegetables. Switch off the stove.
4. Boil the Coconut Milk and add the Yellow Curry Sauce to it. 
5. Let it boil for few minutes until the sauces simmers into coconut milk.
6. Now add the sauted vegetable mixture to the coconut milk and keep the flame in low and simmer with all the vegetables. ( for 10 min)
7. Top with some spring onions and garnish with Fresh Thai Basil Leaves. 
8. Switch off the stove and transfer into serving bowl.
9. Serve it on top of cooked white rice or jasmine rice.

Tips:

• You can add any vegetables, like carrot, cauliflower, broccoli, green beans etc... But Bell pepper, Corn and Peas would be good color mix and will compensate the spiciness of yellow curry sauce.
• Fish sauce or Oyster sauce or little smelly. If you don't like fish you may not withstand the smell. You can avoid this sauce. add little bit soy sauce, mixed with vinegar.
• Add Cooked chicken breast in place of TOFU to make it for non-veg lovers.
• Or add shrimp to this curry if you have a taste for seafood.

Take a close peek...

Have a Good Night and take care,
-Mythreyi

As I perfected the Kova/Mawa at home recently, it's not right, if i don't put that to use. What do you say! Today I am presenting a Burfi sweet that is made with Kowa and now you can make at home. It looks like the one that you will see in the sweet shops (in India) but tastes better as you will use all the ingredients fresh. Today this burfi came out so good that my family and friends did not believe that this is homemade. This is so soft and melts in your mouth and the addition of chocolate did the favor for my chocolate lover at home. ;-)

Chocolate Burfi

Ingredients:
Recipe Source: Spiceup the Curry

Mawa(Kova) - 3 cups
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Milk - 1/3 cup
Coca Powder - 2 Tbsp
Cashews - 20 ( for decorating)

Preparatory Steps:
Grease the Burfi pan with Oil. I have sprayed some PAM oil in my 9*5 inch loaf pan.

Method: 








Let it cool completely and let the burfi set. (Here it is very hot and summer in Texas, so I put it in the refrigerator for 1 hour in order to cool it.)




I have made this for recent Raksha Bandhan Day where the tradition is, sister ties a rakhi to her brother and offers him sweets and brother promises to protect her for life.


Will be back with one more cool recipe, Have a Good Night!
-Mythreyi

This is a easy peasy recipe that transforms your left over rice into perfect lunch box item for you or your kiddos. You can serve 2 serving of veggies along with this rice with less effort. Since i served Sweet Potato and Broccoli Saute to kids, Broccoli became one of their favorite and Abhi is always a fan of Corn (Though he misses the Fresh Baby Corn from BLR days), so this combination of veggies and rice is a real treat for him in his lunch box. Here is the recipe, Njoy!

Broccoli and Corn Rice

Ingredients:
Cooked Rice - 1 cup
Broccoli - 1/2 cup ( or 5 florets)
Sweet Corn - 1/2 cup
Spring Onion - 2 spears
salt - 1 tsp
black pepper - 1/4 tsp
curry powder - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 1 tsp

Preparatory Steps:
steam the broccoli florets or microwave for 1 min on high. Thaw the sweet corn and microwave for 1 min.

Method:

1. Heat Oil in the non-stick pan.
2. Add chopped broccoli, followed by sweet corn. 
3. Add salt and black pepper and mix it well with veggie.
4. Add cooked rice to the pan and stir-fry for 2 to 3min.
5. Add curry powder and mix it well. Taste and adjust all the seasonings.
6. Top with Spring Onions and switch off the stove. Pack in your kiddo's lunch box or serve warm for evening dinner.

Tips:

• usually I make this dish with left over rice.
• this is one way to sneak veggies to your kids diet.
• I have used less spices as I made this for kids, you can increase the amount of spcies accoridng to your taste.

Will meet you here with one more recipe, until then take care,
-Mythreyi

Almond Biscotti

I used to think, there is a lot effort and fancy ingredients involved in this recipe in order to make this, but I was quite wrong, and it is super easy to make, check out the recipe here :-)

Ingredients:
Adapted From : Smitten Kitchen

All Purpose Flour - 3 cup
Baking Powder - 1 Tbsp
salt - 1 tsp
sugar - 1 1/2 cup
Butter - 1 stick (unsalted) ( 10 Tbsp)
eggs - 3
vanilla extract - 1 Tbsp ( or Almond Extract)
Almonds - 1 Cup ( toasted and chopped)

Milk - 1 Tbsp ( to brush on top for glaze)



Preparatory Steps:
Position the rack in center of oven and pre-heat to 350 F. Spread some PAM oil on the Baking tray.

Method:












When Abhi see me posting this, he is excited that Mama is making another batch of Biscotti. Now I got to make one more batch not to disappoint my little man! :-)

Last but not least, I am so excited to announce that this is my 200th post. means, there are already 200 recipes that are out there on Yum! Yum! Yum!, cruise around here and check them all at your convenience.

sending this to BakeFest Event Hosted by Archana and Announced by Vardhini.

Have a Great Weekend you all!
-Mythreyi