Garlic Mini twisted rolls with Pillsbury Biscuit dough - Semi HomeMade!

 Though I love to bake and eat sweets, I am not completely and sweet person. If I get a chance, I would probably go for spicy dishes first, then to the sweet. But I am won't omit sugar completely! :)

I love sugar, tho I can't eat it now a days...it tempts me so! I try to keep myself away from it basically for health reasons. Especially this season, when we look for comfort food and when we are surrounded by chocolates. I do love me some sugar! But ya, for us who are trying to go healthy and all....I keep it to the minimum. This has been a trial using Pillsbury Biscuit dough, but I would surely try to go for whole wheat if possible. To eliminate the use of any extra butter, I used coconut oil. Now a days this ingredients has been given rave reviews as one of the healthiest ingredient around. I am going to try to incorporate it into regular dishes too, other than only baking, which I have been doing till now!

So with Valentine's day around the corner, and with so many 'sweets' around, I thought how about going for something spicy instead. Something easy, garlicky and spicy too. These Mini Garlic Twisted rolls are made of Pillsbury biscuit dough which comes in a cardboard can. Isn't that easy. All you need is this dough, chopped garlic, chopped coriander and few other stuff which may already be in your pantry. I like to have this as a side dish with a salad or soup. It takes under 20 minutes from start to finish. Just a simple way to whats already available and making use of it!

Time: Less than 20 minutes 

Makes 10 rolls

Ingredients:

2 rolls of Pillsbury biscuits dough

10 cloves of garlic, chopped tiny

small bunch of coriander leaves, chopped

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp red chili flakes (optional) (can use chopped green chili instead)

dry Italian seasoning (optional)

1/2 tbsp coconut oil (can use olive oil instead)

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees F.

Lightly grease a baking sheet and keep aside.

Melt the coconut oil and keep aside.

Open a can of Pillsbury biscuits dough.

Lightly flour your surface and attach to dough pieces. Roll them out to make it long or oblong.

Brush on some melted coconut oil. Put some garlic, coriander and red chili flakes on the dough.

Now roll the dough into a log.

Cut in the center of the log to make two sides for twisting.

Twist both the pieces and make a circle out of it.

Brush again lightly coconut oil of the top. Sprinkle garlic powder and Italian seasoning on the top.

Lay them on the baking sheet and bake for 8-9 minutes.

Serve them hot just plain or with some chutney!

Enjoy and Happy Valentine's Day!!!

The first one is plain for my little kiddo, second and third are experiments - with 3 rolls and with 1 roll.

I think using one roll makes it too small and using three makes it too big. Two rolls were a perfect size, but surely you can do what you like.

I just went crazy on the pictures - Sorry for that! But this is my first time trying to edit using my Mac and I am kinda lost. I am still learning and I hope to learn soon! It really get frustrating when you try to switch from one operating system to the other.

Coming to my Handiwork -  I made these cute Valentine's Day bookmarks for my kid's classes.
They are made using Paint chips on one side and scarpbook paper on the other. Small hearts punched out on the side and tied up with a ribbon. Arn't they cute!!

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Gongura Mutton / Sorrel leaves with Lamb or Goat

This post has been sitting in my drafts for a long time...well to say actually lots of recipes are sitting in my drafts for a long time and the corresponding pictures in my pictures folder - resting! They both are not able to get together at all! I am sure the drafts are longing for the pictures and the pictures are longing for their drafts. Hopefully I will be able to bring both of them together soon! :)

Can't believe its 1st of Feb already and maybe that's the reason for all the lovey dovey mushiness going on! Its in the atmosphere, the commercially made atmosphere that is!!!
Well I don't mind it though! Atleast people get one day or one month, which ever the case maybe to declare their undying love or care for their better half or their future better half! I think its a good idea - we may not have time in our every day life and so Valentine's day reminds us to tell that some special person that 'We love them and we care for them'. I hope everyone will 'make use' of this day to it extreme! :) We shall talk about that later!

Gongura being a very popular for us Andhaites and I am sure many of you have heard about the numerous preparations with it. Here is one more popular dish called Gongura mutton. This can be made with lamb or goat, which ever you like or which ever is available at the time! A big bunch of sorrel leaves and some simple spices make this dish very delicious and yummy!
Though it takes a little long time to cook, the meat cooks, becomes tender and delectable! All the spices marinate with the meat and make a good gravy which can be eaten with rice or with rotis.

Ingredients:

1 lb mutton (bite sized pieces)
1 big bunch of gongura leaves (about 1/2 lb of leaves only)

2 tbsp oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
2 tbsp gasalu kobari paste, poppy seeds (gus gus) and coconut paste ( 1 1/2 tbsp coconut powder and 1/2 tbsp gus gus , made into paste with some water) (This is optional)
2-3 tsp of chilli powder (you may add more if you want it more spicy....I used plenty more)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
chopped coriander leaves
salt to taste

Method:

Chop the gongura leaves, add them to a empty pot, add about 1/4 cup of water, cover it and put it on medium heat. When they are half way cooked through, add some salt and chilli powder. Let it cook fully through, which means, it becomes completely soft and mushy. Use the back of the spoon or spatula to mash it up even more. If you like it totally smooth, just process it using a hand blender or food processor. When cooked it will be about 1 cup of cooked gongura leaves.

In another pot, add the oil and saute the onions until they are translucent.
Add the ginger garlic paste and saute for another minute.
Add the chopped mutton and some salt. Let this cook for about 6-7 minutes. Add the tomato and keep cooking for another 5 minutes.
Now add the gasalu kobari paste, turmeric, chilli powder and keep cooking for another 15-20 minutes, until its cooked through. If they isn't enough water in the mutton, add some.
When the mutton is cooked through, add the mushy gongura leaves, some extra water, garam masala and coriander leaves. Let this cook for another 10 minutes, until the curry thickens to required consistency.
Serve it along side hot steamy rice or some hot rotis.
If you like the sour taste of gongura leaves and like a spicy gravy, I am sure you will like this.
Enjoy!!!

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3rd Blog Anniversary with Condensed Milk kind of Zebra/Marble Cake!

I totally completely forgot about my blog anniversary (which passed by me couple of days ago). This tells you how much out of the loop I have been with my blog! How much I wish I could start posting everyday, but it just not happening. Lots of other stuff take up my precious time. And not only that I have been trying my other hobbies and so they have also kept me away from blogging. Well thats fine!!  :)

Things are going good on my side! How are things on your side? Kids in routine with school and activities and even our life falls into routine with them.
Holidays have come and passed us by. So there goes another year without snow and terrible cold temperatures. Can't complain as we have enjoyed every bit of it! Though I do like snow and wish sometimes that we had snow, won't complain as its not that far away, only a 3 hour drive and we get snow! With that on the back of my mind, I am not missing snow or the cold temperatures! My East Coast friends - I love you all!! :)

Other thing that I am totally hooked on to is Pinterest! I see so many great ideas, recipes and DIY stuff that I am so tempted to try all of them! I have already made a cowl and knitted a few scarves. If anyone is interested you are welcome to checkout my Photo Blog My PicXels. Yes! after a good year last year which was my first year to do a photo blog, I decided to continue with it again this year :) simply because I think I learned a lot about photography, but also because I love clicking pictures! So if you have time do check it out. Right now I am doing a mix of phone clicks and camera clicks so that I am not bored at all. :)


Since I forgot my Blog anniversary, I haven't had much time to prepare. I chose this simple, few ingredients recipe, which I have made a few times now and is fool proof. The only thing I tried new was to try the zebra pattern, hoping it will come out good! ............but I think I could have added more cocoa powder for the darker lines, so more like marble cake maybe! The lines came out very light in color....but overall it tasted good! YUM!!

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
4 eggs
4 tbsp butter (melted)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 can sweetened condensed milk (nearly 400g)

2 tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa powder (increase this for darker lines)

Method:

Mix all ingredients, except for the Cocoa powder into batter using your mixer.

For the chocolate part:

Divide the batter into 2 halves. To one half add 2 tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa powder.


Grease a pan with some butter and flour it.
Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees F.

Using a 1/4 cup, pour both the batters in alternate pattern. That is, once pour the regular batter in the middle of the pan. On top of that, pour the chocolate batter. Do this until all the batter is used up.

Bake it for 30-35 minutes.

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Coconut and Dry red chili chutney

With Holidays around the corner and all sweet and chocolaty all the time is what I see around me. And this is the time I feel like eating spicy all the time. So lets take a different route from the sweet section to the spicy section!
In times of need, you would try anything desperately ...Isn't that right? Well that's how my life works sometimes. Well maybe not every time, but maybe sometimes right.
That applies to when you cook too. what would you do when there is nothing in the house as in ingredients and you decide you want to go big ..haha...well that's how this chutney came up. Little of this and little of that and 'BOOM' a 'chutney' is made. :)
Too much drama know?...well simply said, I prefer to have frozen fresh grated coconut in my freezer almost all of the time. It really comes in handy at time of need. Like this time when I had to make a chutney for our breakfast dosas. And I like like my chutney spicy that's why all the chilies in the recipe. Try it you might enjoy it!
Quick and easy to make, delicious too. Goes good with Dosas, idlis or even hot hot pongal.



Ingredients:

1/2 cup fresh grated coconut (Frozen or fresh works good)
6 - 8  red dry chilies
2 green chillies
2 garlic cloves
less than a marble size of tamarind
salt to taste

Tempering :

1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp jeera or cumin seeds
1/4 tsp urad dal
1 dry red chili
few curry leaves
1/2 tbsp oil


Method:

Grind together the first five ingredients with a little bit of water. Add the salt.
Heat a small pan with the oil.
Add the urad dal, when it browns add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When they start to splutter, add the broken red dry chili and curry leaves.
Add this immediately to the ground coconut and chili.
Mix well and serve with dish of your choice.
Tastes good with idlis, dosas and even upma.
Enjoy!!!

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Pan Fried Masala Fried Fish Fillet

Well December is already here, which means few birthdays in our family and holidays for sure! Which also means lots and lots of cooking. I am hoping I can make some new dishes using some real easy ingredients! I will be sharing them with you guys so stay tuned! Dishes which will be easy to put together in time for busy days!
I am hooked on to Pinterest these days. There are some real cool stuff DIY stuff in there. if you haven't checked it out as yet, be sure to do it! Also knitting and crochet, one of passions, I have been looking at stuff and wish I could do all that I see. Which is like impossible but no wrong in wishing so right! :)
I am going to start on another knitting project, this time on the loom, a big project too, so lets see how it goes!

So with the first birthday in our home..here is what I cooked. Simple and easy to put together for sure. Delicious to eat too! Dish of the day was - Pan fried Masala Fried Fish on a bed of Vegetable pulao with a side of Onion Raita. :) wow big name!! :)


Ingredients:

4 Fish fillets (I used Tilapia, can use any white fish fillets)

Masala:

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp gus gus / khus khus / gasagasalu / white poppy seeds
2 tsp dried coconut powder or flakes
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
1/4 tsp tumeric powder
1/2 tbsp chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp jeera / cumin powder
salt to taste
1 tbsp of oil for 2 fillets of fish.

Method:

Grind the masala into a smooth paste with very less water.
Rub the masala over the fish fillet, more like patting it on the fillet.
Let it marinate for about 1/2 hour to 2 hours.
Heat oil in a large pan and fry the fillets till they are cooked on both sides by flipping them once or twice, on medium low heat for about 5-7 minutes, till the masala also gets fried to brown in color.
Serve with Rice of your choice.
Enjoy!!!

** I made a simple rice cooker pulao to go with it. Ground all the dry masala and sauteed with the vegetables of choice, only till they are half cooked. Substituted 1 cup of rice for the rice with coconut milk. Some coriander leaves and mint leaves to go with it. Everything goes into the rice cooker to cook.
Another method: Simple Rice Cooker Pulao

** Onion raita

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Happy Deepavali 2012 / Happy Diwali

Wishing everyone a Happy and Prosperous Deepavali!! May your life be filled with happiness, health and wealth. May you be happy always and may positive energy surround you always! :)

I hope everyone had a fun day today eating all the yummy goodies and lighting lots and lots of diyas. I hope people in India and elsewhere where you are able to play with firecrackers have had loads of fun, enough that you will be waiting to do this again all over again next year!
Well we had some fun! Played with a few sparkles and lighted a few diyas! I just hope my kids are able to enjoy it and will not forget our culture and our festivals.
Tho they won't be able to enjoy like we did when we were young. They really won't know what a ladi is or what a atom bomb or a hydrogen bomb is..:) or what a Boo chakra or a vishnu chakra or even what fountain is! But at least they will know what Diwali is and I hope they will continue the tradition way into the future!

Once again Wishing each one of you a very happy, fun and safe Diwali!!

Here is what went into our goodies at home...Recipes will soon follow!

Kajjikayalu, Rosettes, Rice flour Murukku, Besan burfi, Whole Wheat Diamond cuts (Limkilu), Mixture, Chekkalu, Boondi Ladoo, Almond Mysore Pak.

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Atte ka Halwa / Maida Halwa / Sweetened flour with nuts and raisins

Its so easy to get side tracked with  so many "other stuff " to do in life. Thus is the story of my blog. Side tracked to the bottom of my 'to do' list and feeling the pressure of neglect for the past few months!
Too bad of me know!! I am not going to promise anything, I know I have made promises to get back on track, but never could keep up with any! I will just try!!

With Diwali around the corner and with the on going festival season, I am sure everyone must be preparing to make lots and lots of sweets and hots...ahh you know what I mean! What?? Diwali is next week? was my reaction when I thought about it. Well I guess its been on my mind, but didn't think it would sneak upon me like this. Like a few of you know, how I like to prepare well ahead for Diwali, but this time I am still so much behind. I just wish I could get up and go do something! :) Well I will be be surely doing something soon...but you guys be sure to go through my Diwali posts for something to make which are easy and quick.

Here today I am sharing Maida Halwa. This brings on nostalgia. I remember this from my childhood, when I was in Trinidad, where they used to make this or should I say this dish was a very important part of any festival celebrated. And I used to love it, never got bored of it once! I like it little bit drier and less sweet than usual. Hence I use less water.
Here I wrote a recipe using on 1/2 cup flour, since I make it in very less quantity at home, otherwise I have to end up eating it in the end.
As with any halwa, ghee makes a very big difference...How much you add is the key. Just to keep everything on the healthier side, I used Ghee in combination with olive oil.



Ingredients:

1/2 cup All purpose flour, Maida (dry pan roasted)
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup water
pinch of cardamom powder
1 tbsp cashews
1 tbsp raisins
3 tbsp ghee, clarified butter + 1 tbsp extra
3 tbsp olive oil

*Adding color is optional*

Method:

Dry roast maida, APF in a pan on low heat, stirring continuously, till it starts to turn color to light brown. Remove from  heat and keep aside.
Melt Sugar in water on medium heat. Then turn down to low or sim. Add the pinch of cardamom powder.
*You can add color to the sugar syrup if needed*
In 1 tbsp of ghee, roast the cashews and raisins to light brown and keep aside.
Put the maida back on medium heat.
Add the 3 tbsp ghee and stirring continuously until its all absorbed into the flour.
Add the 3 tbsp oil in a similar way, stirring continuously, it will seem gooey.
Stirring again, add a ladle of sugar syrup slowly, one ladle at a time, giving it time to get absorbed while stirring continuously. Do this till all the syrup is done.
If you prefer drier halwa, add lesser syrup.
Add the roasted cashews and raisins and mix it up well.
Serve warm or cold.
Enjoy!!!

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