What fascinates me about bread baking is every time you bake, you learn something new. It took me some time to understand the yeast and work with it. I can confidently say that now I am comfortable working with yeast but still learning a lot. Homemade bread has its charm. I got into bread baking only after joining the blogging marathon group. And this no-knead wheat bread was the very first bread that I tried with yeast....

How long it takes: 25 minutes Equipment you’ll need: large pot, mixing bowl Servings: 8 (makes 12 cups of salad) I believe that orzo is the perfect pasta for salads. Because it’s similar in size to the veggies, you’re destined to get a perfect forkful of pasta, vegetables, and dressing. I love this spring orzo salad with asparagus and arugula, and my southwestern orzo salad. Everyone loves my bruschetta orzo salad, too (I always get requests for the recipe!...

There are quite a few recipes on the internet for palak paneer. Each one using different spice blends and some blend the spinach to a paste and some use it just as is. I like my palak paneer creamy and smooth. When you think of Punjabi food, this is the first dish that comes to mind. So when I made Amritsari Aloo Kulcha last week, palak paneer seemed to be the perfect side dish to go with it....

Let’s get this over with, shall we? The workday, that is. That last 8 hour stretch before the magical couple of days formally known as the weekend can begin. Only 8 hours (hopefully less than that, by the time you’re reading this) separates you from freedom (granted you have the same schedule as me), and hopefully by the end of this post I’ve convinced you of the absolute necessity for you to immediately go home and make these peanut butter blondie bars....

About These Pizza Lasagna Rolls Prep ahead: At first glance, this recipe might seem complicated. The great thing about these pizza lasagna rolls is that they can be prepared in advance. Simmer the sauce on Saturday, assemble the rolls on Sunday, and you’ve got an amazing dinner to look forward to on Monday. All you’ll have to do is throw it in the oven when you get home from work or your play date or whatever Monday might hold....

So there’s this Mexican restaurant nearby. It’s pretty amazing. Here’s how you know it’s amazing: Every time we go, we wait thirty-five to forty minutes for a table. With children. And then I consume a week’s worth of calories in a single meal, topped off by a killer margarita (on the rocks, sugar rim). How long it takes: 10 minutes Equipment you’ll need: sharp knife, blender or food processor Servings: makes 3 cups And their salsa....

Traditionally Rasamalai is prepared with homemade paneer (malai) which is then soaked in yummy syrup (ras) and hence the name Rasamalai. I have posted homemade rasagulla this Feb and you can find the recipe here. For those who wanted to prepare from scratch, you can prepare the malais as mentioned in that post and use the ras recipe from below. For this instant rasamalai, I used Ricotta cheese and also to speedup the ras preparing process; I used the combo of evaporated milk and regular milk and also condensed milk to enhance the richness....

I was thinking hard to decide which country’s street food to make for the 3rd day of BM# 37. I shortlisted a few dishes to try, but then I realized that I live only a few miles from the greatest city with amazing street food and it would be unfair to try anything else. I’m talking about New York city. Watch this video with 50 different street foods in NYC in 60 seconds....

This Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Tomato and Carrot is a powerhouse of nutrients along with antioxidants. It’s slightly tangy-sweet and has a delicious smokey flavor (as we char the veggies slightly). Perfectly creamy to be served for brunches along with cucumber sandwiches (like I’m doing here) or serve as an appetizer or a healthy meal. Also, you can make it with Red Bell Peppers or Mixed Peppers. Infact, I have used 3 different cooking method to make this recipe: Oven-Baked Red Pepper + Veggies Roast Air Fryer Red Pepper + Veggies Roast Skillet Sauteed Red Pepper + Veggies Roast...

The Best Salted Caramel Cheesecake Caramel lovers, you are in for a serious treat! This salted caramel cheesecake isn’t some mediocre slice drizzled with some caramel sauce…no, this cheesecake is bursting with caramel flavor in every single layer! From the pecan-infused graham cracker crust to the smooth, creamy caramel-swirled cheesecake, this is one gourmet dessert you won’t want to miss. Why you will LOVE my recipe: Incorporates pecans in the crust for even more flavor (but if you don’t like nuts, you can always leave them out, too!...

Monday Blue’s /Manic Monday‘ nothing justifies the love-hate relationship we have with you. As if that wasn’t enough, today, we are greeted us with an equally gloomy-cloudy morning…. I mean “WHY”! After giving us an almost 80+ (temperature) weekend, today was quite a disappointment and is it just me who feel’s that this year the weather is so unpredictable or someone else also feels the same? This calls for an extra tall glass of morning Joe or juice along with some good music (whatever pick’s you up) and to bring that rich color’s of sun, I’m going to share a gorgeous looking and scrumptious recipe of “Sauteed Peppers and Onions” that can be made for lunch or dinner....

Shakarpara – also known as Shankarpali is a famous bite-size Indian snack that’s a MUST on the festival of Holi/Diwali. They are fried hand then dipped in a sugar syrup to coat them evenly. My recipe is extremely easy to follow and makes 30 small snacks. So this Holi, try this Indian snack and enjoy with your loved ones. Shakarpara – Shankarpali Ingredients: 2 Cups Maida (all-purpose flour) 4 Tbsp Vegetable Oil (+1tsp) – you can use ghee too 1/2 Cup Water 2 Cups Vegetable Oil for Frying...

Today I have a simple South Indian vegetarian thali. Coming up with a menu is quite a task – picking dishes that complement each other is an art. So I took the help of my Dakshin cookbook. The author, Chandra Padmanabhan, has a whole chapter of suggested menus and I picked one of the simpler ones. Here’s what is in (and around) my South Indian Vegetarian thali: Mysore Rasam Cilantro-Onion Chutney (recipe to follow soon) Green Pepper Poriyal Fresh Cucumber Salad (recipe follows) Rice ChipsI loved making these dishes as they are quite easy to make with not much prep work or cooking involved....

Tuesday, I shared a recipe for chili seasoning and today I am sharing our all-time favorite recipe for slow cooker chili. I’m a little nervous to call this Texas Chili because I’m not from Texas. It’s a recipe that is adapted from Emeril’s Chuck Wagon Chili, so I considered that name…and I thought about Chili Con Carne…and then I went down a Google and Wikipedia hole and learned lots about chili but was left still a little unsure about what to call this....

There are many milestones that we celebrate when we reach adulthood but I think one of the most under-appreciated is when suddenly Brussels sprouts go from “ew, gross” to “best vegetable ever” status. How long it takes: 45 minutes Equipment you’ll need: large pot, sheet pan, and a knife, jar, or glass for smashing the sprouts Servings: 4 I’ll take Brussels sprouts any way I can get them, whether it’s smoky Brussels sprouts, grilled Brussels sprouts, or simple sautéed Brussels sprouts, but I think it’s safe to say that these smashed Brussels sprouts are my current favorite....

Sol Kadhi | Konkani Style Kokum Kadhi I have mentioned this many times here on my blog, that I love to explore and try different cuisines. One such cuisine that I studied and experimented is the famous Konkani cuisine. The recipes are delectable yet straightforward, and they sure satiate the taste buds. Simple always wins huh? Last year, I was able to post only one recipe from this coastal cuisine, and it was the White Peas Tonak....

Stovetop Pumpkin Spice Granola: perfect for breakfast or snack. I’m one of the many crazy fans of ‘Pumpkin Spice Mix’… And there is no such thing that gives me more happiness than a hot cup of pumpkin spice coffee with some extra cream on it…. ah total Bliss! Just the mere display of pumpkin spice latte on my favorite Starbucks menu, makes me happy 🙂 Stovetop Pumpkin Spice Granola Ingredients: Quick/Instant Plain Oats Brown Sugar Honey – You may use agave or skip and use more sugar as per taste Butter Almonds – Thinly chopped/powdered Sesame Seeds – Optional Chia Seeds – Optional...

British Strawberry Jam Tarts The next recipe that I am going to share is British Strawberry Jam Tarts. The Wikipedia has the perfect definition, and I can’t put it better than that. So quoting from there directly, “A tart is a baked dish consisting of a filling over a pastry base with an open top not covered with pastry.” Pie, Quiche, and other open pastries fall under this tart category....

The Best Stuffed Acorn Squash This recipe for stuffed acorn squash is perfect to make in the fall, when the markets are overflowing with all types of squash and orchard-fresh apples. Every bite of this stuffed acorn squash is filled with hearty ancient grains, savory sausage, sweet apples, and cherries, with strings of melty cheese. Stuffed squash is a cozy and nourishing meal, and it’s not difficult to make. All the things we love about a recipe!...

How long it takes: just over an hour Equipment you’ll need: cooking pot, large mixing bowl, electric mixer or potato masher, 9 x 13 inch baking dish Servings: 14 (makes 7 cups) If you’re looking for more sweet potato recipes, be sure to try my vanilla bean mashed sweet potatoes or twice baked sweet potatoes. My family also enjoys this sweet potato casserole with a crunchy topping (a nut-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free recipe)....