restaurant.com

Pfffft. That's the sound of the holidays being slowly, but surely, deflated. Christmas this year felt really anti-climactic. There was all the regular cheer, spirit and zeal while opening gifts...the denouement was just so..meh.

Maybe this comes with maturity or change or unrealistic expectations. Shopping felt like more of a chore this year than it has in the past, but I'm proud to say that I stayed within the $40 limit we set per couples with my cousins. Kudos to the Restaurant.com web site.

I've used this site in the past, though not often. Basically you can buy a discount gift card and use it towards a meal at numerous restaurants listed on the web site. More or less it gets you an ample discount with purchase of another meal or a minimum bill. The Mister and I took my Mom out for dinner at Pescatore's restaurant in Glen Mills, PA. (Excellent service and lobster bisque.) We got a $25 discount off of our meal because we spent $50. You can purchase a $100 giftcard on the site for $40, and I found a 50 percent off coupon code online (there are also 80 percent off coupon codes floating around). Before purchasing, I did a search by zip code to make sure there was a good restaurant selection and most areas have a nice variety of establishments. 

Not bad for $20. 

olive oil chocolate chip cookies

I've really enjoyed baking these past few weeks. The sense of accomplishment, the warm smells, the endless applause...it's all been quite lovely. Quite. 

Just one hitch. Each time I drop in a stick or two of buttery goodness into my creation, I cringe. The problem is that butter is so vital to a good baked product. The texture, the melt in your mouth factor, the mouth watering smell...isn't it worth a few clogged arteries? 

Luckily I was able to find a adequate substitute: olive oil.

These cookies turned out moist and fluffy. In fact, I sent two dozen cookies to work with the Mister and the he came back with an empty plate. In fact, he claimed they were all gone by lunch.

While the pudding cookies are my best work, these cookies are a slightly healthier alternative.  

Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies

from Slice of Feist

2 1/4 cup flour

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tablespoons milk

1 cup of chips (I used mint and dark chocolate)

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in separate bowl. Combine the rest of the ingredients and gradually mix in remaining ingredients. The mixture will be sort of crumbly and should then be molded into small balls on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees, 10-12 minutes. 

I baked them for 10 minutes, then threw them back in for another two minutes.

These are definitely going into my recipe box. They'd be great for a holiday cookie exchange or for a Christmas party.

thanksgiving: new tandoori traditions

I must admit, I was nothing short of skeptical when the Mister announced that he would be making both a tofurkey and turkey on Thanksgiving. For whatever reason, my parents have always opted for Indian food in lieu of the traditional fixings. As a child, I always found this disappointing. As an adult, I was ecstatic to have all my favorite Indian dishes prepared for me during my short visit home.

There was push back after this announcement. I was first to dismiss the Mister's proclamation as ridiculous, and told him to forget it. We always have lamb curry for Thanksgiving, thank you very much. My sister was ambivalent and my cousin was in deep denial. (You would understand our feelings if you've ever tasted my Mom's lamb curry.) We have it every Christmas and Thanksgiving; it’s our holiday tradition. 

My Mom hates to tell her beloved son-in-law no, so she inevitably told him he could make a Thanksgiving lunch. This was acceptable to him, but somewhere along the line the Mister managed to rally my Mom to join him in making a big dinner with all the bells and whistles.

Before I knew it, they were excitedly preparing the new menu. Tandoori turkey, tofurkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, gravy…um, was this really going to happening? Oh, and our delicious mutton curry was moved to Saturday night.

I announced to my husband that I wanted nothing to do with this anti-Thanksgiving tradition. He shrugged and accepted my lack of culpability.

My Mom purchased a 15-pound turkey and a tofurkey at Raisin Rack (organic/veg grocer) in Canton, Ohio. They worked all day to marinate and bake the ‘urkeys. They made Indian-style cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes with chili powder and turmeric, and a beautiful, orange gravy for the turkey.

The Tandoori spices were delicious and the turkey was succulent. You could smell the garlic, coriander and onions. The tofurkey was, in fact, so delicious that the carnivores took seconds. Well, needless to say, I think we have a new tradition for the Bebe.

Tandoori Turkey

Tandoori Tofurkey

swiss chard and goat cheese soup

In my continued domination of leafy greens, I have swiss chard in my sights. Swiss chard is one of those superpower vegetables. Very high in vitamins A, K and C; it's also good for iron and fiber. When eaten raw it tastes nasty and bitter, but when it's cooked properly it tastes like a dainty version of spinach. It's so full of health benefits it's worth adding to our dinner menu.

In my eyes, soup can do no wrong. If I could eat soup every day, I probably would. And now that I think about it, there probably isn't any reason (short of my own laziness) that I can't eat soup every day. I found an easy and tasty recipe on Dianasaur's Dishes recipe blog. 

The recipe is only for two servings, and I adjusted the recipe for four servings and increased the amount of onion. It's very healthy and it doesn't really need the goat cheese. It's a light soup and tastes very fancy. The Mister was really impressed and thought this was the type of appetizer that would be great for a dinner party.

Swiss Chard and Goat Cheese Soup

4 cups chopped swiss chard

6 cloves minced garlic

6 tablespoons finely chopped red onion

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups vegetable stock

2 tablespoons goat cheese

2 tablespoons milk

salt and pepper to taste

Saute swiss chard, onion and garlic in olive oil. Add broth and puree. Combine goat cheese and milk, add to the soup. Taste and add appropriate salt/pepper.

zucchini and chipotle cheese scones

I'm obsessed with making the perfect scone. I've probably had three scones in my life, and once was seventh-grade home economics, and let me assure you, they were all gross. Until this recipe, I wasn't even really sure what a good scone is supposed to taste like.

The zucchini-chipotle cheese scones were inspired by a recipe on Ciao Chow Linda's recipe blog  and was my second attempt at scones.

My first try was not quite disastarous but took a toll on my cooking mentality. The recipe I found was on was on The Foreign Kitchen blog for cheese scones, and looked really promising. The only problem was I didn't read down to the commentary to see that the recipe called for four teaspoons and not four TABLESPOONS of baking powder. Fully expecting the scones to explode, I literally ran to the oven to check on them. Surprisingly, even with the mess up, they were edible. But apparently too much baking soda can cause a little bitterness and they were extremely dry.

With a lot of butter, the Mister dubbed them digestible. But I definitely felt dejected. (The blogger from The Foreign Kitchen was kind enough to apologize for the mistake and it's been fixed.) The photos look so good, I will definitely try them again.

Zucchini and Chipotle-Cheese Scones

2 tablespoon olive oil

2 1/2 cup flour

3 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (I used mostly chives and a little oregano)

1 stick butter, room temperature

2 eggs

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 cup shredded zucchini

1 cup cheese (I used chipotle-cheddar, but I think anything potent will work)

Mix flour, baking powder, salt, herbs. Cut and add butter, stop mixing when the butter is in small chunks. Add eggs, buttermilk, zucchini and 3/4 of the cheese. Pat into 12-inch round circle. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and cut into 8 slices. Preheat oven to 400, bake 30 minutes.

Serve hot!

The scone is a very tasty meal and compliments a nice soup or salad. The Mister really loved these and I think he was truly shocked at how well they turned out. (The first batch was sort of atrocious in comparison to this one.) After inhaling two for dinner, he packed up some more for lunch today and just called me saying someone on his staff wants the recipe!

shout out: the christmas tree shops

Doesn't it feel like every year Christmas starts earlier and earlier? This year I think it was mid-October when the mall started to look like Rudolph barfed up a bunch of tinsel and lights.

Many sane shoppers wonder who this blatantly grotesque display of commercialization is aimed at. Well, wonder no longer. It's me! I heart Christmas and it really can't start early enough for me. I've already put up two wreathes in the kitchen and some jingle bells on the front door. The dining room centerpiece is undergoing a green/red/gold overhaul and the Mister negotiated next week for the stockings. (After exclaiming, "But it's not even Thanksgiving!" while I was scampering down the hall with them.)

Two years ago, I stocked up on decorations for our condo in Philadelphia at Target's post-holiday sale, and at 70 percent off I made some really great buys. But this year I don't want to wait until after the holidays and we have a much bigger space to fill up with red and green. 

Enter The Christmas Tree Shops. Owned by Bed, Bath and Beyond and located throughout New England and the Midwest, The Christmas Tree Shops is an excellent place for a bargain. (It's "shops" and not "shop" because originally it was three shops in one.)

I've found misc for the kitchen, bedrooms, and of course, all the Christmas crap I could carry with my grubby little mitts. My favorite find was a console table that I put in our second floor hallway ($29.99). A new store opened a few months ago in Cherry Hill, NJ and that's the location I visited this past weekend. There were five aisles of wreathes, wrapping paper, linens, centerpieces, candle holders, fake trees and holiday cards. Unlimited and insane. The biggest downside was the crowd. (The amount of rudeness that ensues around the holidays never fails to amaze me.) I guess that's what I get for going on a Sunday afternoon.

My new console table.

If you've never been, it's worth the trip. The Mister loves a great deal, and we probably go once a month. In fact, when my Mom comes to visit she requests making a special trip out to Christmas Tree Shops. 

Check out the online circular for this week's deals.

maternity clothes

Pregnancy is full of little joys and annoyances. As your expectant body changes and grows (sideways), you're left in awe (and hormonal irritation) of your rapidly disappearing waistline. There's the stage where your stomach hasn't quite swelled to give the appearance of pregnancy, but you definitely appear to have put on weight. 

Denial is a scary thing. Rubber bands through the button were used to gain another week out of pants. I eventually gave up on the button altogether and used my burgeoning backside to keep up my corduroys. Finally, the zipper fell lower and lower until it was really best for the public that I investigate some maternity wear.

Perhaps had a adjusted my attitude and accepted the inevitable I may have shopped smarter and spent less money. Yes, I'm only using the clothing for nine months, but given my levels of discomfort and lack of clothing options and I was in a constant state of discomfiture. The reality is that post-partum, maternity clothes are going to be the most comfortable articles of clothing.

Since I was still working, my wardrobe needs were two-fold. Finding clothes with versatility was key. Instead of finding short cuts (for example buying clothing a size up to postpone the inevitable), investing in some staples will be worth your while. I did the bulk of my shopping online, the selection in stores was often picked over. I conducted a plethora of online searches and waddled around countless department stores.

Maggie Maternity

Maggie Maternity was my splurge. The clothes were so soft and fit me through the entire pregnancy (and towards the end everything was busting at the seams). I could use these items for both work and personal. I purchased the Classic Maggie Box ($195.00) with a black figure tee, bump trouser, model tank and silhouette skirt. All the pieces were used for both work and home, and post-partum these were my favorite items. I loved the tank so much I also bought it in plum.

Old Navy

If you need a great deal, Old Navy is the place to go. I bought a pair of khaki corduroys and found my favorite pair of preggo jeans (which I used up until a month ago). They also have a lot of basic t-shirts and tanks, which are great for layering. The sales racks were a source of countless finds for me, and weekly visits gave me an assortment of lounge wear.

Gap

For general style and quality, I think Gap was my ultimate favorite. For work, I purchased one pair of black pants and one pair of khaki pants. I also bought some plain sweater dresses and a few long sleeve shirts. Most of their maternity clothes are the same as the regular clothing; you'll find all the latest colors and trends. They frequently send out 25 percent off coupons and they have mark downs all the time.

Ann Taylor Loft

When I was pregnant, they were phasing out their maternity line, which was frustrating. I did snag a corduroy skirt from a final sale rack in Cherry Hill, NJ. Apparently, they revamped and brought it back a few weeks ago. Their styles are classic and I'm sure the quality is on par with their regular line. The prices are higher than Gap and I think they are targeting the "working woman" as their market niche. I've always been pleased with Loft's quality, I'm sure the maternity line is no different.

Target

I purchased a lot of tops and tanks from Target; they have great basics. My favorites were long sleeve shirts in brown, black and white, I also bought tank tops in white and nude. I didn't have much luck with pants (they ran long) or dresses/skirts (the selection was limited in stores). The prices are Target prices, generally reasonable.

H&M

Unfortunately, I couldn't find an H&M locally that carried the H&M Mama label. My sister was kind enough to notice that the H&M in Washington DC did have a maternity section. (If you go the H&M web site, it tells you which stores carry maternity.) I found tanks, dresses, skirts, sweaters and vests here. I'm confident that if I was able to stop in frequently I would have had even more luck.

Figure 8 Maternity

I stumbled across this site during one of my online searches. The prices are reasonable and there is a nice variety offered on the web site. I found the quality to be hit or miss, but for the most part I was pleased with my purchases. If you do an internet search, you should be able to find a coupon code to save 15-25 percent off.

Some of the popular stores, which didn't impress me, were Pea in a Pod (way too pricey for me) and Motherhood Maternity (clothes were a little big and looked cheap overall). Kohl's has a maternity section, but everything was a little big for me, same with JcPenney. I've heard that Gap Outlet is a great place to shop, but I didn't have a convenient location to peruse.

I packed up all my maternity clothes, officially, as of last week. If one bundle of joy is all you can handle, I think ebay will offer a nice outlet for gently used maternity clothing.

product review: trader joe's soy chorizo

Since the Mister is a vegetarian, creativity and research are of the utmost necessity. Sometimes, he'll come home with something new that he's found at the store. For example, Trader Joe's Soy Chorizo. I was initially very speculative; it's very oily and sort of nasty-looking when it comes out of the clear plastic encasement. I thought it was really messy and probably not worth the effort.

I was sort of combative about the Mister putting it in my Mac n' Cheese. I am a Mac n' Cheese purist. I don't like random ingredients such as red pepper flakes, Taco Bell fire sauce or hot dog in my Kraft Mac n' Cheese. And I certainly didn't want some fake soy chorizo that looked like something the neighbor's dog left in our yard. 

He eventually managed to get me to try a bite and I think it's safe to say that I've made an exception for TJ's Soy Chorizo. In addition to macaroni, I've added it to scrambled eggs and rice. It really adds a lot of flavor and substance to any meal. (For the rice, I just fried 1/2 chopped medium onion, 1-cup frozen vegetables and added 6-ounces of chorizo to 1-cup of cooked rice.) 

I found the nutrition facts for the chorizo online. If nothing else, it's a low-fat version of the original. Instead of all the oil, grease and fat of the original (it it wrong that just made my mouth water?) you get the essence of the original. It's the same for all the other faux meat products- bacon, sausage, chicken, meat crumbles...not as good as the real thing, of course, but less fat.

chindian noodles

If you've never tried Indian-Chinese food, you are missing out on the most fantastic fusion fare. My initial experiences with this genre of Indian food was in Goa, India (there is a large Tibetan and Chinese population in Goa). Chili Chicken and Gobi Manchurian are some of the tastiest dishes I've ever consumed. The marriage of Indian food to Chinese spices is magical.

Inexplicably, I rarely see Indian-Chinese offered on either Indian or Chinese menus in America. 

My creation initially started out as an attempt at Chili Chicken, however it rapidly turned into more of a Chinese-Indian noodle dish which, of course, naturally evolved into being named Chindian Noodles. You can make this dish with chicken, seitan or tofu. It comes out saucier with chicken and tofu; I think the seitan actually absorbs some of the sauce. (Personally, I think it tastes better with the seitan.) Seitan emits its own salt, so taste the sauce prior to adding additional salt.

Chindian Noodles 

Marinade

2 1/2 tablespoons crushed ginger

2 1/2 tablespoons crushed garlic

1/2 cup soy sauce

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon worchestire sauce

Noodles

1/2 package of rice sticks (I use Trader Joe's)

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 green pepper, chopped

1/2 red pepper, chopped

1 cup mushrooms

1 cup veggie broth

salt to taste

Marinate chicken, seitan or tofu in marinade for atleast two hours. Chop and fry onions. Add chicken/seitan/tofu, chopped peppers, mushrooms and veggie broth. Cook on medium heat for 15-minutes.

Cook rice sticks (6-8 minutes). Drain and mix with meat/veggies.

The preparation and cook time for this meal is quick and painless. The Mister and I can eat this over two days for dinner. I'd like to experiment a little more and come up with some additional Chindian dishes. Gobi Manchurian (cauliflower) may be my next project, I'd like to try a roasted, healthier oven-version.

product review: trader joe's beer bread

I was perusing the boxed mixes at Trader Joe's last week and one of the customer services reps came up behind me. "I love the beer bread mix." Seriously, I looked right through her, confused. Normally random sales people don't just come up to you at a grocery store to promote a product. Especially TJ's. I mean their groceries just sell themselves. Through my bewildered expression, she continued, "It's really, really great!" 

I'm not sure if her job was to socialize with the customers or if she felt that passionately about the beer bread mix, but I threw it in my cart.

I wasn't disappointed; it was quick and easy. Combine the mix with a beer, it turns into dough. The batter has potential to make biscuits, muffins or bread. I used a Corona Light, but I wonder if a darker beer might give it a different taste.

And the smell of fresh baked bread was so warm and delicious, I think my next project is going to be mastering the bread maker... 

crispy kale

Leafy greens are my unsolved mystery - kale, collard greens, bok choy, swiss chard. I don't know the first thing about preparation. Leafy greens sound intimidating and tasteless. In my defense, mustard greens don't exactly sing out tasty. It's a pity because the leafy greens are full of the good stuff: protein, fiber, iron, vitamin c, folic acid and vitamin k. 

After an online search, I found a recipe for crispy kale. Definitely a keeper, I can't wait to make it for my parents when they come visit. It was like eating tissue thin potato chips. I followed a recipe posted for Jacques Pepin's Crispy Kale on Chowhound. I don't know who Jacques Pepin is, but he sounds fancy and experienced.

Crispy Kale

bowl of kale greens

salt

olive oil

Shred leaves into smallish pieces, removing the stems. Dry with a paper towel (they can still be damp). Sprinkle with oil and salt. Spread on baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes at 250 degrees.

Crispy kale was a great snack/appetizer. I think I can offer it up to my in-laws as an alternative to their bhajias (battered and fried veggies) and to my Dad in lieu of his assortment of cashews and peanuts. 

indian style frittata. take 2.

I dated a guy in college who made a killer omelette. His omelettes were always light and fluffy because he added 1/2-eggshell of milk per egg. (This was really the only useful piece of information I retained from the relationship.) 

I applied this ratio to the frittata, and sure enough. Light and fluffy.

Indian-Style Frittata

6-8 eggs

1 egg shell of milk per egg

1 small diced potato

2 cups of diced vegetables (mushrooms, tomatoes, green peppers, peas, etc)

1/2 cup diced onions

1 tablespoon crushed garlic

1/2 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon cumin powder

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup chopped coriander

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 green chili pepper

Immerse diced potatoes in water and cook in microwave for two minutes. Beat eggs, milk, chili powder, cumin, salt and tumeric. Add vegetables, chili pepper and coriander. Spray round baking pan with oil and add mixture.

Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees, or until done.

Serve with Indian pickle or sriracha sauce.

chili-garlic roasted broccoli

I am so over Halloween. In fact, I've been over it since I was thirteen, which is the last time I went trick or treating and willingly dressed up. What I really hate is the 'forced fun' that ensues with some adults. Dressing up like a skanky cat, carving a slimy pumpkin and eating Snickers till I barf holds little appeal to me. 

I even worked at a company where the owner treated Halloween like a national holiday. It was a nightmare where I had to dress up like a fortune telling gypsy and Madonna to fit into the department theme. Forced fun. No fun was not an option.

The Bebe is still too young to appreciate dressing up or all the candy you can eat, but she may be the one to rejuvenate Halloween in our household. 

My in-laws were also over for the weekend and they really did us a huge favor by taking care of the Bebe all weekend and allowing us time to run errands and enjoy dinner at Fellini's Cafe. I usually enjoy Fellini's, but was a little annoyed at our waitress being overly attentive in an attempt to get us out of the restaurant. (Which was empty, by the way.) I'm guessing she had a date to dress like a slutty feline and inhale Smarties till she puked. 

At some point during the weekend, a huge bag of broccoli appeared in our fridge. So huge it wouldn't fit in the vegetable drawer. Apparently my father-in-law stopped at Produce Junction and bought a forest of broccoli. They left me two medium-sized heads. Last night I went on Food Network's web site and put in a search for "broccoli." Good old Rachel Ray has a recipe for Chili Garlic Roasted Broccoli. Say what you want about how annoying Rachel Ray is, but the woman can cook in a quick and efficient manner. A lot of my recipes are Rachel Ray inspired.

Chili-Garlic Roasted Broccoli

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

6 garlic cloves (I used crushed garlic)

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon Montreal Steak Seasoning

1 large head of broccoli

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut broccoli into thin florets. Mix olive oil, garlic, chili powder and steak seasoning in large bowl. Coat broccoli with seasoning and lay on non-stick cookie sheet. Cook for 20 minutes.

The broccoli comes out sort of crispy burnt on the ends. It really hits the spot if you like salty/spicy and you can hardly taste the broccoli. Our chili powder is hardcore, and extremely spicy. I didn't think it would be a big deal, but the Mister couldn't handle it. Wus. 

Next time I'll probably cut the amount of chili powder to 1/2-tablespoon.

As pictured on Food Network's web site

meetup

About six weeks ago, since I don't have enough time for my current friends, I thought it would be a brilliant idea to venture onto Meetup.com and expand my already bursting social circle. Meetup.com is actually a very cool site if you're new to an area or trying to make new friends. You can find anything and anyone on there- cooking, wine, girls night, books clubs, sports, etc. 

I was actually very excited to find a group for Desi-mothers in the area. I even suggested activities like a potluck and a book club. The members were very enthusiastic about both ideas. The book I suggested was even selected; Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri. I really enjoyed Interpreter of Maladies, which I read twice in college. I also read The Namesake, which I found to be a little obvious.

And here we are in the present. I have no idea where October went. (I've been saying this for every month since the Bebe arrived and I stopped feeling every nano-second of my pregnancy.) 

The club meets for the first time this week. I'm on page thirteen and showing no signs of finishing. 

I suck at faking it, thus I'm going to look incredibly smart and impressive on Thursday at 7 p.m

pudding cookies

Two years ago I felt the undeniable urge to bake. It was a one time occurrence and has not been repeated until now. I found a lovely cookie recipe on the Kraft JELL-O web site for pudding cookies. They have a cookie-cake texture and are so moist it's unbelievable.

You can change up the cookie by switching the flavor of the JELL-O. Today I made lemon with white chocolate chips.

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 package instant pudding

1 stick butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 large eggs

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate mini-morsals

Preparation

Heat oven to 300 degrees. Combine flour and pudding mix in small bowl, beat butter in large mixing bowl. Beat in brown sugar, baking soda, eggs, and flour. Stir in morsels. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons two inches apart on baking sheet.

Bake 10-12 minutes.

I don't even like cookies, but I ate so many I have a sugar headache.

Lemon cookies with white chocolate chips.

mexican bake

I found this great recipe for mexican bake in 2003. It was in Parade Magazine. I'm probably the only person in the world who still reads (or ever read) Parade Magazine. I like the celebrity question section on the first page and the cartoons about the big dog in the last page. As such, I do flip through the whole magazine to reach the end. I happened across this recipe and it looked easy enough. It's actually a DASH diet (dietary approaches to stop hypertension) recipe, but I'm pretty sure after my taste enhancements, it's no longer going to qualify as such.

My adaptation involves Morning Star meat crumbles instead of chicken and I also add enchilada sauce. Since I'm obsessed with cheese, I actually use a whole packet on top of the bake instead of the measly one cup that the DASH recipe suggests. If you are indeed looking for something healthy (blech) then here's the original DASH mexican bake recipe.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup cooked rice

1 bag Morning Star faux meat crumbles

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 15-ounce can frozen corn

1 15-ounce can black beans

1-tablespoon chili powder

1 can enchilada sauce (I prefer hot, but go with your comfort-level)

1 jalapeno, sliced

1 packet shredded monterey jack cheese

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread rice in casserole dish. Mix all remaining ingredients in bowl, then add to rice. Mix all together. Top with cheese and bake for 45-minutes covered.

Serve plain or with low-fat sour cream.

I did all the preparation during the Bebe's 30-minute nap. I love when everything comes out of a can! 

middle eastern chickpea (mini)burgers

After three nights of making macaroni and cheese, Morning Star grillers and leftovers, I finally mustered up the motivation to cook last night. This recipe is adapted from a Middle Eastern Chickpea Miniburger recipe from Cooking Light. It's not on the web site, just the magazine. I used regular buns, and the patties were the perfect size.

Ingredients

1 (8-ounce) red potato

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon minced garlic (I used crushed garlic paste)

1 (15.5-ounce) can chickpeas

1 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind (I omitted this from the recipe since I didn't have a lemon)

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 large egg whites, lightly beaten

I tasted the mixture and it was a little bland. I added 1/4 cup feta, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/4 cup chopped onions and 2 tablespoons of parmigiano-romano.

Preparation

Boil potato (this should take around 25 minutes). Peel and coarsely chop, mash in bowl with chickpeas, add all remaining ingredients. Divide mixture into six patties. In a large non-stick skillet heat olive oil. Add patties and cook until bottoms are golden brown. Serve on whole-grain slider bun with desired condiments.

This meal was actually very easy to prepare (took me under 30 minutes) and was very tasty after I made adjustments. It's making the cut into the recipe box, and it's a relatively healthy recipe. (Or atleast it was until I added the cheese.)  You can use mayonnaise for the sauce or mix up some low-fat sour cream with mint flakes.  This would also taste really good in a pita with cucumber yogurt sauce, and I think next time that's how I'll be serving it.

I tried to take a picture, but my camera just isn't cut out for food photography. I'm working on this, but I probably won't have a decent camera until the end of November.

sprinkles

Sprinkles Cupcake Mix (as pictured on the Williams-Sonoma web site)

Yesterday I took the Bebe to an outdoor strip mall to so we could enjoy these last few days of warm weather. I was actually looking for a table runner that was both festive for the holidays and conducive to everyday use. I came back with two table runners from Pier 1 (this is in addition to the two I bought at Target last week, which I need to return), a pair of pants from J. Crew and a belt from Anthropologie.

The Mister and I joke that our Bebe has a built in Aji-dar. (Aji is the konkani word for grandmother). While she throws a suspicious look at anyone under the age of forty-five, she sees an elderly -looking woman and turns up the coos. When Momma is ignoring her to peruse the pants, she's smart enough to identify alternative means of attention and turn up the smiles and gurgles on her unsuspecting victim.

I also stopped in Williams-Sonoma on my way back to the car. Not to look for anything in particular, but I was hungry and hoping they had something warm and delicious for me to mooch. Sure enough, there was some yummy fall harvest bread. I enjoyed my second sample of fall harvest bread (the Bebe turned on the charm and distracted "Anne") and feigned interest in the mix.  But after I ate all the samples ( and from Anne's knowing expression, I wasn't as stealth as I thought), I was obligated to hear a sales pitch. This weekend I'm heading to my cousin's place in Baltimore and I never go empty-handed. She took me to the Sprinkles Cupcake Mix, apparently some well-known bakery in Beverly Hills. I bought a box of the pumpkin mix for $14.00. It's a bit steep for cupcake mix, but I don't mind spending the money on a quality product (plus I'll get all the credit for making them). The mix comes in other flavors like lemon, spice, chocolate, vanilla, lemon and red velvet. I don't see the pumpkin on the web site, so maybe it's just available in the stores.

crock pot tonak

Tonak is a traditional Goan dish with beans, potatoes and onions, generally eaten with bread, naan or rice. 

Ingredients

Canola oil

1 small onion (chopped)

1 1/2 tbsps garlic

2 1/2 tbsps garam masala

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

2 tbsp tamarind paste

1 tbsp low fat sour cream

1/4 cup or two cubes coconut milk

1 can of chickpeas

1 small potato (diced)

1 cup water

Preparation

Heat up crock pot and oil on high heat. After oil is warm, add mustard seeds. In frying pan, mustard seeds should pop when ready for onions, however in the crock pot they will change color to sort of a grayish/purple. Either look for the color change or wait 5-10 minutes and add the onions and garlic. Once onions are clear, add remaining ingredients. If you’re on a time crunch, then throw diced potatoes in the microwave in a bowl of water for two minutes before adding to pot.

If you have all day, then leave the crock pot on low heat for 8 hours. If you begin preparation in the evening then leave on high heat for an hour, then move to low heat until ready to eat. I think a minimum for cook time is at least four hours for this to turn out to optimal levels of tasty. This way the spices can really saturate the chickpeas and potatoes.

disappointments and successes

I'm cranky because of the weather and I think it's effecting my energy in the kitchen.

I haven't posted any recipes (besides the asparagus, which even a Domesmita could do) this week because I've been an absolute atrocity in the kitchen. Instead of feeling frustrated and dejected (which is usually followed by me getting angry and avoiding the kitchen for X amount of time), I'm going to use my culinary catastrophes as a learning experience.

Disappointments: Indian Frittata and Brownie Cookies

I'm deleting brownie cookie post because it's just a bad recipe. The cookies keep fusing together into a ghastly chocolate conglomeration. I tried using a muffin pan to keep them separate and they were too crispy around the edges and fluffy in the middle, nothing like cookies. I'm still taking them over to my cousin's house for Diwali tomorrow because because the men in my family will eat just about anything. Even funky half-muffin, half-crappy-brownie, not-cookies.

The Indian frittata (based on my Mom's Indian omelette) actually tasted really good, but did not resemble a frittata. I couldn't flip it in the pan and so it ended up sticking to the bottom and in the end was a mess of egg and veggies. I'm encouraged because it was very tasty and I received positive feedback. I'll have to figure out a more efficient method to bake before I post the recipe. Most frittata recipes involve half stove/half oven, but I don't have a pan that does both.

Successes: Crock Pot Chickpea Tonak

Tonak is a saucy dish with beans and potatoes to be eaten with bread, naan or rice. I've made this before in a frying pan, and I always get compliments. I'll post the recipe on Monday, it's actually very easy to make and I think it tastes better with the crock pot because the spices really soak into the food. 

Happy Diwali!

my baking accountability

It sits atop my kitchen island, a vacant home beseeching to be filled with delectable baked tenants. 

It is the cake dome.

I was seized with an inexplicable urgency to buy the dome, and it then sat empty on the kitchen counter for weeks. There was an in-depth conversation with my sister and her boyfriend about the invisible cupcakes, cookies and cakes that existed within the cake dome. Sometimes visitors would walk up to the dome and simply stare, perhaps wishing that some cupcakes would miraculously materialize.

The final straw was when I was gifted some banana bread muffins and I put them in my dome. A relative that was over, asked if I made the muffins. When I said no, there was a look of understanding that passed through her eyes as she sauntered away having solved the mystery of the baked goods that I could not have possibly made.

Since then, I have been a baking fiend. No one really cares if Dunkin Hines provides assistance in your baking endeavors. You still get the same credit as if they were prepared from scratch. Last night, the Mister complimented me on the fluffiness of my carrot cake muffins and asked me how I did it. Well, I followed the directions on the back of the Betty Crocker box. Check out my skills.

Unfortunately, cookies are different. There is a hierarchy of cookies and from scratch is at the top. With Christmas coming up, I'm going to have to figure this out soon.

Pictured below is the cake dome I purchased from Macy’s for $29.99.

easy asparagus

I am a big fan of easy. A complex preparation is just not up my alley.

Usually a side of vegetables for our dinners comes out of a frozen bag. It's not romantic or interesting and doesn't taste great. I was at Trader Joe's the other day and, feeling like a walk on the wild side, I picked up some fresh asparagus. I wanted to incorporate some leftover parmigiano romano and almond slivers. 

Ingredients

15 shoots of asparagus

parmigiano romano cheese

olive oil

almond slivers (optional)

Preparation

Coat the asparagus with olive oil, cover with cheese. Bake at 400 degrees in a traditional oven for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with almond slivers and serve.

The preparation was so easy it was almost embarrassing to post the recipe. But it tastes so good, I wanted to share. The Mister was impressed and asked what I used to season the asparagus. Of course, I would not divulge any information that would detract from his rave reviews. 

Next time I'm going to try this recipe with cauliflower, minus the almonds.

mocha, coco or caramel? 'tis all brown

Interestingly enough, there are more than 1 million Indians in America and no Indian dolls to represent. As a result, we’re forced to adapt and make due with available resources. For example, I remember my Mom bought some cloth from Jo-Ann Fabrics and made a tan doll with a red dot sewn onto her forehead. And that was my Indian doll. The rest were all blonde-haired moppets withvacant blue eyes; they came with names like Cynthia, Adrianna and Melanie.

The Bebe has a very diverse assortment of dolls, but she is brown and I’d like some of her toys to reflect her ethnicity. I’ve done countless searches online and checked out various educational stores. None of them are genetically Indian, but what they don't know won't hurt them.

Beige Baby Stella

I discovered Stella (and promptly dubbed her Bhavani) a few months ago at an educational store on State Street in Media, PA (the store was having a going out of business sale). “Beige Baby Stella” is a workablee shade of brown. You can also find her on Dolls Like Me. The Mister thinks I’m ridiculous for renaming her, and yet, he does refer to her as Bhavani when she makes an appearance...who’s ridiculous now?

The Dolls Like Me web site is cool because it offers dolls in colors like caramel, coco and mocha. I believe the purpose is to give the shopper options on what they feels is an appropriate skin tone for their child. They have a nice selection of Asian, African and Latin dolls.

Livia

Last week I was looking for some baby winter shoes and I stumbled across “Livia” on the Old Navy web site. I was pleasantly surprised to see she was a nice shade of chai with dark hair. Suuure, she’s probably intended to be African or Latin, but now she’s one of us and is reincarnated as Mita. There were three other dolls with an ethnic appearance (Kat, Suki and Sydney). I thought it was very interesting that Old Navy, of all places, would offer such distinctiveness in their dolls.

Indian Barbie

Through the years, Mattel has produced various Indian Barbies. I’d really prefer that my daughter did not associate Barbie, but she will one day be a little girl who likes to dress up dolls and you can’t fight City Hall. The latest Barbie was supposed to be modeled after Aishwarya Rai Barbie, which was kind of exciting. Apparently she turned down the offer and instead Katrina Kaif (another Bollywood movie star and her alleged nemesis) is going to be featured. The doll was scheduled in September, but I was unable to find so much as a photo online. Below is Diwali Barbie.

While the limited selection is better than nothing, it's mildly insulting that toy manufacturers find brown folk to be so interchangeable that they generify their dolls to reflect this opinion. 

I wonder how Livia would look with a bindi....

eggcellent curry

When the Mister is on call, as a courtesy, I ask him what he wants for dinner. Occasionally it happens (usually it doesn’t). Last night, he requested egg curry. 

Egg Curry

Ingredients

6-8 eggs

1 large onion chopped

1 medium tomato chopped

1-tsp turmeric

2-tbsp minced garlic

1-tsp chili powder

1-tsp cumin

2-tbsp garam masala

1/2-cup low fat coconut milk

1-cup water

coriander leaves for garnish (optional)

The fact that garam masala is necessary for this recipe may be a little intimidating. What the hell it is and where you can get it? Garam masala is a mixture of Indian spices. My Mom makes her own masala (although a lot of people don’t) and that’s what I use in all my Indian cooking. From what I gather, she fries her chosen spices then grinds them in a coffee bean grinder. I sort of skulk away when I see her making anything that may be a lot of work. I prefer our current set up where she miraculously shows up with a fresh baggy of garam masala. No questions asked.

Most grocery stores carry a generic mixture of garam masala that will suit your needs, if you have an Indian or Asian grocery store nearby I would suggest going there. It’s cheaper and the spices will probably be more fragrant. You can also purchase the chili powder, turmeric and cumin there on the cheap.

Be forewarned...Indian people can be rude and once you enter their territory all bets are off. If you’re not brown, you’ll get suspicious stares – as if you’re there on a surprise audit or to commit some type of felony. As a rule, Asians find it completely acceptable to hone in on someone who is different and make them feel uncomfortable by staring at them with trepidation and, eventually, amusement. Often, they will talk about you in “Indian” while you stand there paying for your goods. They’ll even look right at you and laugh a few times while they make fun of you. (And I’m not saying that Indians are shady, but I would check your receipt to make sure there aren’t any extra zeros.)

While you're there, I really, really like this sauce. It’s called Maggi Sauce and the chili garlic flavor tastes like spicy, tangy ketchup. I put it on my grill cheese with some onions.

Preparation

Fry the onions and garlic. Add the chili powder and turmeric. Once the onions are translucent, add the tomato, cumin and water. Add the garam masala, coconut milk and salt to taste. Bring to a boil. Taste it to make sure it’s to your liking. If it’s too spicy you can add a little more coconut milk, if it’s not saucy enough, you can add a little more water. Once you are happy with the sauce, add your eggs. Cook them until the yolks are cooked…probably 10 minutes.

I freeze the leftover coconut milk in ice cube trays. When frozen, throw them into a plastic bag. Next time you need coconut milk, you can use the cubes.

Serve the egg curry with bread, naan or bread.

do you speak Indian?

I was in DC visiting my sister this past weekend and didn't get back until around 7:30 p.m. last night. We ordered from Shere-E-Punjab on State Street in Media. (Overpriced and inconsistently tasty Indian food.) Thanks to leftovers, there will be no cooking today. 

Instead, prompted by the cashier at the Gap who said, "I used to have an Indian girlfriend," and "I eat a lot of Indian food," here are my top five pet peeve questions.

1.) Where are you from? This question is only irritating when you are trying to find out if I’m from India, Iran or Mexico. I was born and bred in Ohio and this makes me an American. However my parents are from India, although they are also American citizens. The correct way to find out my country of origin: What is your ethnic background?

2.) Do you know Ravi Patel or Priya Shah (or any other generic name combination)? I mean come on. Do you know John Smith and Jane Doe? Essentially, that is what I am being asked. Patel is like the Smith of the Indian world. Times a million. And, by the way, all Indian people don’t know all Indian people. 

3.) I like Indian food. I get that this is an attempt to relate to me on some level, but I don’t walk up to those who are melanin-challenged with ‘I like hot dogs’ as a conversation-starter. And further more, if there is an appreciation of Indian food, please know the name of the dish. “That spinach stuff with the cheese chunks” was not on the menu when I last checked.

4.) Do you speak Indian? No, I speak Konkani. And NO I will not say something in Konkani for someone's amusement. Fun fact: India has more than 500 dialects and not one of them is called, “Indian.” Acceptable: What language to you speak?

5.) What’s your tribe? (This conversation actually occurred in 1996 at Ohio State with a dude in a cowboy hat.)

Rando: What are you?

Me: Um..Indian?

Rando: Oh wow really?? That’s so interesting.

Me: Thanks?

Rando: So like, what’s your tribe? Do you live in a teepee? Where do you put your feather?

Just because Christopher Columbus was a navigational nincompoop who thought he was in India, thus proudly proclaiming the inhabitants “Indians,” does not mean we need to continue this idiocy. The correct term is NATIVE AMERICAN. Indians are from India. 

I'm done with my rant now and if just one person doesn't say, "I had some chicken stuff in some sort of sauce?" then I've touched a life in a way that truly matters.

stuffed greek eggplant

The Mister found a large eggplant in our fridge. No doubt leftover from when my Mom was visiting, because I would never purchase an eggplant. Nothing personal against eggplants; they are just very low on my totem pole of vegetables- just below zucchini and above lima beans. (Unlike okra, which is my sworn enemy.) My natural instinct was to ignore this unwanted eggplant and eventually dispose of it's rotted corpse. 

(Un)Fortunately, I'm married to a man who hearts the eggplant. And so, in an effort at a vegetable truce, he did suggest stuffing it with things I like, and piqued my interest. 

Stuffed Greek Eggplant

1 large eggplant

1/2-pound ground beef (we used Lightlife Gimme Lean faux sausage)

1/2-cup garlic and herb bread crumbs

1-cup feta cheese

1/4 cup chopped green peppers

1/4 cup chopped mushrooms

1/2 cup chopped onions

1/4-cup fresh coriander

1 spicy green chili (omit if you’re a wus)

2 tbsp tomato sauce

1 tbsp chopped garlic

1/2 tsp basil

1/2 tbsp parsley

1 tbsp paprika

Clean out the eggplant pulp leaving 1/2 inch on each side (the shape should be retained). Brush with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook face down for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Chop removed  the pulp. (Since the Mister is so infatuated with the eggplant, it became his responsibility.)

Cook the meat and season with the paprika.

In a separate pan, saute the onions, garlic and eggplant pulp. Once they are cooked, add mushrooms, green peppers, basil, parsley, bread crumbs, tomato sauce and half the coriander. If the mixture seems dry, add a little olive oil.

Mix both pan contents together and add half the feta.

Once the eggplant is cooked fill with the stuffing and sprinkle the remaining feta on top. Cook for another 10 minutes at 350 degrees. 

Garnish with the remaining coriander and serve.

goat cheese quesadillas with mango chutney

Goat Cheese Quesadillas (serving: 4 quesadillas)

8, 6-inch wheat tortillas

4 ounces goat cheese crumbles

1 1/2 cups of corn

1/4 cup green onions chopped

1/4 cup coriander (cilantro) chopped

1/2 tsp chili powder

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and spread on the tortilla. Layer with second tortilla and cook in pan until both sides are lightly browned. 

Mango Chutney (serving: 2 cups)

2 cups mango chunks (I like Trader Joe’s frozen mango chunks)

1 green chili pepper

1/4 cup coriander chopped

3 tbsp lime juice

2 tbsp yoghurt

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 garlic clove chopped

1/2 tbsp garlic chopped

1/2 cup water

Blend all ingredients. 

Cut into tortilla into fours and serve hot with a side of chutney as dipping sauce for quesadillas. 

floor cushions : not just for beatniks

I wanted a family room that was cozy, inviting and above all, baby friendly. Does baby friendly = shabby? I really hope not.  There are lots of reasonably priced items out there that can bring color and character into your décor without looking cheap and beat-up.

Floor cushions are a way to combine comfort with functionality. I absolutely love the way they bring both color and texture into the room. (After all, who doesn’t prefer to sit on the floor without losing sensation in their derriere?)  Just last week the Mister and I ate dinner on the pillows picnic-style, and of course, they always come in handy as extra seating for guests. When not in use, I lean them against the couch or stack them in a corner. 

If a $30 cushion is ruined with spit up or juice, I won’t lose much sleep. The best online resources for relatively inexpensive floor cushions are Overstock and World Market; in store, Target, Pier One and Marshall’s Home Goods were my highest success rate ($19.99-29.99). If you want to spend a little more, West Elm and Crate and Barrel are other resources (36.95-49.99). Ultimately, I settled on two cushions I found at Pier One for $29.99 each. 

                                  West Elm                                                  

Pier One

World Market