Baked Radiattore with Roasted Vegetables and Cheese

Day4 of Blogging Marathon,Category: 7 Ways to Use up an Ingredient:  Whenever I make this or this dish, I make this cheesy pasta dish to round-off a meal.It isn't a tedious process but there is a lot of cutting involved. I make a large batch(like this one) and sometimes freeze a portion of it. Comes handy when you are under a time crunch.
Cheese Used for this dish:

• Borden's 4 Cheese Mexican Blend (Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Asadero, Queso Blanco)
• Mozzarella Cheese
• Parmesan Cheese

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Uncooked Radiattore Pasta
• 1 Green Bell Pepper, cored and cubed
• 1 Green Summer Squash, sliced
• 1 Yellow Summer Squash, sliced
• 1 Japanese Eggplant, sliced
• 1 Small Head of Broccoli, cut into florets
• 1/2 Hot Italian Pepper (Entirely Optional) , seeds removed and finely chopped
• 1-1/4 Cups Pasta Sauce (I used Prego's Traditional HeartSmart)
• 1-1/2 Cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
• 3/4 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1/2 +  1/2 Tsp Salt or as needed
• Cracked Pepper for taste

Procedure:

• Clean and separate the Broccoli florets. Slice the eggplants and both the squash. Cut the green bell pepper into chunks.Add them to a bowl. Drizzle about 1-1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil along with some salt and cracked pepper.Mix with hands to evenly incorporate.

• Spread the veggies along with finely chopped hot Italian peppers(if using) on a foil-lined pizza-pan/cookie-sheet and bake @375 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until they are light brown.Remove from oven and set aside.

• Meanwhile cook the pasta according to package directions in a pot of "salted" water.Drain and add it to a bowl. Pour the pasta sauce over the top and give it a toss.

• Add the roasted vegetables and half of the mozzarella cheese to the bowl and gently combine. Check for taste. Add salt or cracked pepper as needed.

• Grease a 12X8 inch pan with little oil. Spread the pasta-veggie mixture and cover it with leftover mozzarella and the 4-cheese blend. Top it with Grated Parmesan Cheese.

• Bake @ 350 degrees F in the middle rack for about 30-40 minutes or until the tops are slightly browned.

• Serve warm with sides of choice.

Note:

• Goes really well with Orange Marmalade Chicken or Tandoori Chicken

Enjoy!

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Slut's Spaghetti

Pasta Puttanesca/Whore's Pasta or Slut's Spaghetti, as Nigella calls is a super-easy pasta sauce that the "ladies of the night" put together from cans and leftovers in between "entertaining" gentleman callers. I got intrigued by this dish when I saw in one of Nigella's Show on the Cooking Channel sometime ago.

Almost 90% of the ingredients are from cans.As a rule I don't prefer to use canned foods except rarely evaporated milk,crushed tomatoes but for this dish, I made an exception. My hubby who came into the kitchen while I was in the midst of opening all the jars asked me if I can't make this dish with fresh ingredients. If I did I couldn't call this as Slut's Spaghetti or Could I? Sending this as an entry to Forever Nigella - Ciao Italia event hosted at Maison Cupcake.

Ingredients:

• 2-1/2 Cups Hunt's Canned Tomatoes
• 5 Pieces Canned King Oscar Brisling Sardines
• 1/4 Cup Black Pearl Pitted Black Olives
• 5-6 Sclafani Pimento Stuffed Spanish Manzanilla Olives
• 4 Pieces of Dole's Pineapple rings, roughly cut
• 4 B&G Hot Cherry Peppers( or as needed) along with the Vinegar Brine from the bottle, de-seeded and finely chopped
• 1/2 Pound Colavita Whole Wheat Spaghetti
• 1/2 Green Pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 Small Onion, finely chopped
• 3 Cloves Garlic, roughly minced
• 2-3 Tbsp Olive Oil
• Salt as needed

Procedure:

• In a steel skillet warm 3 tbsp of oil,add the minced garlic,chopped onions, sliced green peppers and sardines. Saute until the sardines are crumbled and the onions and browned.

• Pour 2-1/2 cups of canned tomatoes and chopped hot peppers along with the vinegar brine its been soaking in. Sprinkle very little salt and lid the pan. Cook for about 10 minutes or so. Meanwhile, salt a huge pot of water and bring to a roiling boil.Add the pasta and cook till "Al Dente"

• Add the olives and pineapple to the skillet and stir gently. Check for salt before throwing in the pasta.




• Serve hot and watch it disappear.

Note:

• The Pimento stuffed olives are extremely salty. So go easy on the salt.
• When adding the hot peppers make sure to add the vinegar brine to the sauce. It adds a unique taste to the sauce.
• For a completely vegetarian option skip the sardines.

Enjoy!

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Linguine Mushroom Marinara

Marinara is the most favorite sauce of our family. Its full-bodied flavor, vibrant color, and its diversity as a pasta sauce, pizza sauce, meatball sauce, dipping sauce makes it more appealing than any other sauce. Bottles and Bottles of this delicious goodness is used every month of the year. I honestly don't know what I would do without this hearty sauce. It comes to my rescue every-time, especially when I want to cook meals in a jiffy.This dish here takes less than 30 minutes to make.

Ingredients(For 2 Servings):

• 15#s Medium Brown Button Mushroom, wiped clean with moist tea-towel
• 1/2 Medium Onion, finely chopped
• 2 Cloves Garlic, grated
• 1 Cup Organic Pasta Sauce
• 2 Tbsp Cilantro, finely shopped
• 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1/2 Tsp Cracked Pepper
• Linguine Pasta for two, cooked Al Dente
• Salt as needed

Procedure:

• Cut the cleaned mushrooms into thin slices.

• Heat 2 tbsp of Olive Oil in a skillet and add the chopped onions. Saute till they are almost brown. Now add the grated garlic and quickly stir. (Adding the grated garlic way ahead burns it and ruins the flavor)

• Add the sliced mushroom and toss about in the pan until it gets coated with the onion and garlicky goodness.

• Pour the pasta sauce once the mushrooms start leaving water.Add the cracked pepper and a bit of salt. Very little water may be added at this stage.

• Bring this sauce to a boil for 4-5 minutes until it all comes together.

• Add the cooked linguine pasta and toss with tongs to get the pasta evenly coated.

• Drizzle with the remaining tbsp of oil and garnish with chopped cilantro.

• Transfer to a plate while still hot to consume.

Makes 2 Hearty Servings.

Enjoy!

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Pasta Pizza With Minced Meat, Mushrooms, Spinach and Tomatoes

If you guessed that I am an avid fan of Italian food,you guessed right! Yes, I have a weakness for pasta and pizza.A girl can't live on pudding and desserts alone just because she love them, you know. For today's lunch,I decided to combine both  Pasta and Pizza and make a "Pasta Pizza".Do you remember how I made my version of Tuscan Pot Pie with Macaroni and Cheese?Did you not love the Pasta and Milk Pudding dessert recipe I posted a while ago? Pasta, this way is more fun. Well, the concept of "Pasta Pizza" is not new and certainly not mine but this is how I do it and have been for quite sometime.Go ahead and try my version of this winning dish and you are bound to fall in love with it.
This along with "Baked Turkey N Broccoli-Rabe Meatballs With Linguine", "Sauteed Seasoned Asparagus With Chopped Rigatoni" and "Cocoa N Saffron Vermicelli Pudding" goes as entries to Five Star Foodie's Pasta Themed Event.

Also this goes to this week's Presto Pasta Nights hosted at Once Upon a Feast.

 

Ingredients:
For the Crust:

• Rotini or Raddiatore (Corkscrew) Pasta - 1 cup
• Milk - 2 tbsp
• Parmesan cheese -2 tbsp
• Egg - 1, whisked

For the Topping:

• Ground Meat(Pork/Turkey) - 3/4 cup
• Spinach - 1 cup, packed
• Mushrooms - 3 #s, small, sliced
• Campari Tomato - 1, halved and quartered
• Garlic - 2 cloves, minced
• Onion - 1, small, chopped
• Cracked Pepper - a few grinds
• Salt for taste
• Tabasco Sauce -  a dash
• Bertolli's Tomato, Garlic and Basil Sauce - 1/2 cup
• Olive Oil - 2 tbsp
• Shredded Mozzarella cheese - 1/2 cup or more

Tool:

• 8 or 9 inch All-clad skillet pan

Procedure:

• Cook the pasta according to package directions.Drain it completely of water.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a bowl, mix the cooked pasta, egg and parmesan cheese.
• Add it to the pan and bake for 10 minutes.Remove from the oven.

 

• In another deep skillet, heat olive oil, add garlic, onions, minced meat and saute till the meat is browned for about 5-7 minutes.
• Add salt, pepper, tabasco Sauce, Bertolli Sauce and mix to incorporate.Cook for 5 more minutes.
• Stir in the spinach and switch off stove.
• Top the Pasta-crust with the meat and tightly pack it.

 

• Layer the top with Mushrooms and Tomato and sprinkle with Mozzarella cheese.

 

• Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese melts. Cool for 5 minutes and cut them into 6 wedges. 
• Serve the wedge with some salad on the side.

Makes 3 Servings

Enjoy!

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ReviewAndARecipe:TriColor Rotini With Herbed Shallots, Mushroom N Green Squash

A few of my favorite things - Boiled Potato(Potato),Cooked Chickpea(Chickpea and Salt),Baked Salmon(Fish, Salt and Pepper), Tri-Color Pasta Dish(Veggies, Pasta, Oil and Ariosto Seasonings).Few Ingredient Fixing is what I like best. That doesn't mean I will compromise on flavor. No way! For this dish I used Ariosto's "Aglio e Peperoncino"- A very picante seasoning made with garlic, dry red chilli, sea salt, parsley and spinach.I used only 3/4 tsp for this recipe and that was a little too much. So now you know how spicy and flavor-packed it is.This is probably what I will make whenever "Easy does it" becomes the order of the day. This goes as an entry to this week's Presto Pasta Nights hosted at Thyme for Cooking.

Ingredients:

• Tri-Color Rotini/Corkscrew pasta - 4 cups, cooked
• Mixed Veggies(2 Baby Green-Squash, 10 Button Mushrooms, 1 shallot, 1 Roma Tomato) - 2 1/2 cups
• Olive Oil - 2 tbsp
• Ariosto Seasoning "Aglio e Peperoncino" - 3/4 tsp

Procedure:

• In a skillet, add the olive oil and saute the mixed veggies for 5-10 minutes.
• Sprinkle the seasoning and add the cooked pasta.Mix gently until evenly incorporated.
• Transfer the pasta to a serving bowl and garnish with tomatoes and some shallot slices.

Makes 3-4 medium servings.

Enjoy!

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Baked "Broccoli Rabe, Mozzarella and Lean-Ground Turkey" Meatballs

When in need of comfort, make meatballs. So here I am with yet another version of meatballs that is as comforting as Mother's love. My strict and staunch vegetarian mom would be annoyed and unhappy that I am equating her love to Turkey Meatballs. Sorry Ma, I mean it in a the good way.
The cheese and the broccoli rabe in the meatballs act as flavor and texture enhancers.If you are a meatball lover like me and enjoy them as much as I do, check here and here for alternate choices. They all taste heavenly!

Ingredients:

• Lean Ground Turkey - 1 1/2 pounds
• Mozzarella - 2/3 cup, shredded
• Broccoli Rabe - 1 bunch, cleaned
• Garlic - 3 cloves, minced
• Onion - 1, medium, fine diced
• Stale Whole Wheat Bread - 2, slices, ground
• Fennel Seed - 1 1/2 tsp
• Crushed Black Pepper - 1 tsp
• Egg - 1, beaten
• Tomato-Basil Sauce - 12 ounces
• Red Pepper flakes and salt - for taste

Procedure:

• Chop the broccoli rabe finely and boil in hot water for 2-3 minutes. Completely drain of water and set aside on a dish.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a bowl, mix ground turkey,mozzarella cheese, garlic, onion, pepper, pepper flakes, salt, egg, breadcrumbs and divide them into small balls(This recipe yield 38 mid-sized balls).
• Arrange the balls in an oven-proof dish.
  
  
• Bake the balls for 20 minutes. 
• In a pan, heat the Tomato-Basil Sauce and drop these balls and cook for 10 minutes.
• Serve hot with choice of pasta.

Makes 38 mid-sized meatballs.

Note:

• A portion of the cooked meatballs with sauce can be frozen for later.
• Add more pepper for heat.

Enjoy!

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Sauteed Asparagus With Chopped Rigatoni

I wanted to whip up a quick meal yesterday as I wasn't in the mood for any elaborate cooking(which is the case most of the times). I had some leftover Sauteed Seasoned Asparagus that I had made the previous day that came quite handy for making this excellent and filling meal. My DH gave me 2 thumbs-up for this dish.

Ingredients:

• Sauteed Asparagus - 1 cup (Scroll below for Recipe)
• Rigatoni - 1 cup, cooked and chopped
• Lemon - Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Oil - 1 tbsp

Procedure(For Rigatoni With Sauteed Asparagus - 1 Serving):

• In a skillet, add a tbsp of olive oil and add the Sauteed Asparagus and Chopped Rigatoni.
• Toss it around until they are mixed evenly.
• Move it to a serving bowl and top it with the lemon juice.
• Serve Immediately.

Sauteed Asparagus(Yields 2 cups):

Ingredients:

• Asparagus - 1 bunch
  
• Onion - 1, large, chopped
• Garlic - 3 cloves, diced
• Curry Leaves - 2 stalks, chopped
• Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Green Chilli - 2, chopped
• Olive Oil - 2 tbsp
• Salt for taste
• Curry Powder - 1 tsp

 Procedure(For Sauteed Asparagus):

• Cut off the spears from the asparagus and clean it gently. Set aside.
• Discard the thick ends of the asparagus stalk. Clean the rest and horizontally chop them like thin discs.
• In a skillet, heat the oil, add cumin seeds, garlic, onion, chopped curry leaves and saute until onions are browned.
• Add the chopped asparagus and fry it for a couple of minutes along with turmeric powder, curry powder and green chillies.
• Sprinkle salt and toss around to evenly incorporate. Add the spears and switch off the stove.
• Serve with rice or use it with pasta for a nice filling meal.

This makes its way to Presto Pasta Nights #158.

Enjoy!

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GastronomicGallivant: Tuscan Pot Pie( With Macaroni N Mozzarella)

Although this Tuscan-Style Pot Pie is adapted from TLC Online, this is my take on it. The minute I saw this, I road tasted with "all" vegetarian filling last week.Loved this Tuscan-style shortcut version(that uses refrigerated crescent-rolls dough on the top) so much that I made it again with new ingredients -Meat, Mac,Mozzarella Cheese and Broccoli-Rabe to make it a one-pot wonder. It is a very pleasant alternative to the Savory Pot Pie that I usually do make. Me, my hubby and my little boy polished the entire thing at one sitting. Recipe can be made all-veg or meat-veg with just one ingredient change. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 8 oz Refrigerated Crescent Dinner-Rolls - 1
• Broccoli Rabe or any bitter-greens - 1/2 bunch, trimmed, cleaned and chopped
• Pinto beans - 1/2 cup, cooked or canned
• Macaroni - 2/3 cup, cooked
• Mozzarella Cheese - 1/2 cup
• Finely Chopped Mushrooms - 1 cup (OR) Lean Ground Turkey/Pork/Chicken - 1 cup
• Tart Apple - 1/4 cup, grated (optional)
• Pasta Sauce - 2 tbsp
• Dry Red Chilli - 1, crumbled (OR) Red Pepper Flakes 
• Cracked Pepper - 1/2 tsp
• Salt for taste
• Garlic - 2, cloves, minced
• Onion - 1/2, medium, fine diced
• Olive Oil - 2 tbsp
• Fennel Seeds - 1 tsp

Tool:

• Oven proof 8-inch cast-iron or stainless-steel skillet

Procedure:

• In a wide skillet, heat the olive oil and add fennel seeds, garlic, onions and saute until the onions are browned.
• In a separate pot, bring water to a boil and add the bitter greens. Boil for 3-4 minutes. Drain and plate it on a paper-towel lined plate. Boiling bitter greens lessens bitterness.
• Add the mushrooms or ground-meat and saute for 5 minutes.
• Throw in the Broccoli Rabe, Pasta to the skillet.

• Sprinkle Salt, Pepper, Pepper flakes and stir gently.
• Switch off the stove and add beans, pasta,mozzarella cheese and grated apples if using.
• Cool the mixture partially.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Transfer the mixture to the 8 inch oven-proof skillet and tightly pack it with a spatula.
• Unroll the dinner-rolls dough and arrange it on the top of the pan so the points meet at the center.

• Bake on the top rack for 12 minutes and cool prior to serving.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Enjoy!

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Pesto Pasta and A Prize (Yes, A GIVEAWAY -- Giveaway **Closed**)

March 29th officially marks six months of my ACTIVE blogging journey. And what a journey it is! I have come to know brilliant folks from all around the world,their splendid posts, all working towards a common goal - sharing something they are passionate about - cooking! While I was pondering about how to make my half-year milestone special,the PromoTeam from Counter Stools have come to the rescue.

Counter Stools(a division of AllBarStools), an online shopping haven for all stools ever imaginable, is a branch of CSN Stores network, a humongous online shopping mall with 200+ online stores, that stocks and sells almost every household item, has generously decided to help me in doing a giveaway. WOOOHOOO!AllBarStools has Free Shipping on plenty of products with competitive prices and an ongoing 15% OFF(Promocode: BarStool15) on purchases more than $349 dollars. Something to keep in mind if you plan on furnishing/re-modeling your kitchen/bars. Do check these incredible Counter Stools to see just what I am talking about.

**My My, What a Hot and Happening Week for me. When Life gives you lemons, you may make lemonade but I shall make Lemon Meringue Pie or die trying to make one. :). When Open Book, a sassy Londoner, of My Kitchen Antics gave me a wonderful opportunity to do a guest post at her spot  I readily agreed. Do check  my "Curried "Where's The Meat" Veggie-Pea Stew. While you are at it, spread some love and give her your loyal support. She may be relatively new to the blogging world but her posts scream "Seasoned"** 

Now to the Contest:
All I have to do is is this: 1.Select a few choice items from their site/from one of the network's sites and 2.Pick a lucky winner from US or Canada for them to ship ONE incredible prize(the winner's choice). How Sweet! I am a firm believer that some of the best things in life are 'indeed' free. If you believe the same too, here is your chance to win one of the exciting choices offered here- Winerack, Bar Stool, Le Crueset Baking Pans, Mortar&Pestle etc etc.Scroll down and check all the links for an eyeful.

Please read the following Rules carefully:-

**Contest is only for people who RESIDE in US or Canada**

Rules for the Giveaway:

• Become a Follower of "Pan Gravy Kadai Curry"(Followers will be entered thrice in the contest. Yup,triple your chances of winning by becoming a follower).
• Leave a comment on THIS post:-- Mention your location(US or Canada) and if you are a former/new follower.
• Highly Desired but NOT Compulsory:--Tweet or mention about this incredible giveaway in your latest post.

So what are you all waiting for? Hurry up,check these incredible choices and get down to business my dears.
**The lucky winner will be announced on March 29th**
Then the winner gets to pick ONE incredible choice from the following fourteen choices: 

1. Winsome Basics 6 Bottle Wine Rack - 99619 ($47.99)
2. Winsome Saddle Seat 24" Counter Stool in Walnut - 94084 ($42.99)
3. French Home Gourmet LaRochere 7 Ounce Wine Glass in Versailles Motif (Set of 6) - 6316.01 ($40.99)
4. Demeyere Resto 3.5 Quart Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl ($36.95)
5. Certified International Hot Tamale Ice Cream Bowls (Set of 4) - 14275 ($36.50)
6. Granite Fieling "David" Mortar and Pestle Set ($35.00)
7. Hamilton Beach Classic Chrome 2 slice toaster ($34.99)
8. Le Creuset 9" Square Baking Dish with Bonus 5" Baking Dish in Caribbean - PG071523-17($34.95)
9. EuroQuest 11-inch Oval Baking Patterned Pan ($33.00)
10. Ittala Origo Black Bowl ($30.00) 
11. Pfaltzgraff Sedona 10" Tortilla Warmer - 025398442768($29.99)
12. Euroquest 8 oz Standard Coffee Mug - Pattern DU60 - 872-DU6, Set of 2($29.00)
13. Corelle Bamboo Leaf 12 piece Bowl Set ($27.99)
14. Lenox Dinnerware Meadow Yellow Butterly Cup and Sauce Set of 2($25.90)

PS:Thanks in advance for letting me know about broken links.

Now onto the recipe of Spinach Pesto Pasta(This makes its way to the 6th Mediterranean cooking event held at Tobias cooks.):

Ingredients:

• Angel hair Pasta (Spaghetti) - For 2-3 People, Cooked as per package directions

For the Pesto Sauce:

• Spinach - 3 cups, leaves torn
• Pine Nuts - 3tbsp + 1/2 tbsp, toasted
• Grated Parmesan Cheese - 1/2 cup
• Good Quality Olive Oil - 1/3 cup
• Garlic - 2, medium cloves
• Salt for taste

Procedure:

• Blend all the ingredients under "the sauce" in a food processor.
• Mix it with the cooked pasta and garnish with a Parmesan cheese and toasted pine nuts.

Makes ~2-3 Servings.


Enjoy!

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Pulled Chicken Noodle Soup and An Award

Last week I had a bad case of the sniffles and sore throat. This soup came to the rescue as always. Everyone has their own version of this famous "keep-the-flu-at-bay" soup and this one is mine.Sip the soup and feel the burn! Don't restrict the soup to just when you are feeling under the weather. It can be had anytime of year too.

Ingredients:

• Moist, Cooked and Pulled(Shredded) Chicken- 1 1/2 cup
• Garlic - 2 cloves, minced
• Onion - 1, small, diced
• Homemade Chicken Stock - 4 cups 
• Bay Leaf - 1
• Frozen peas - 1/4 cup
• Cooked Noodles/Pasta - 1/2 cup
• Cracked pepper - 1 tsp or more
• Salt for taste

Procedure:

• In a stock pot, heat a tbsp of oil and add the minced garlic cloves, bay leaf, onions.
• Saute the mixture until the onion browns, add the shredded chicken and peas.
• Pour 4 cups of the homemade stock and sprinkle the pepper and salt.
• Bring to a boil and throw in the cooked noodles.
• Switch off the stove and pour the soup into serving bowls.
• Serve hot by itself or with some crackers on top.

Makes ~ 3 large bowls of soup.

Sending this as an entry to Presto Pasta Nights # 154, hosted @ Kirsten's blog. 
Enjoy!

Award:

This award comes to me from Love2Cook-Malaysia and Spicy Lounge with some conditions. I am honored that these 2 wonderful bloggers thought of me to pass it on to.
Rules in a nutshell: Thank the giver, display the award and brag about it, say 10 new things about yourself and pass it forward to 10 people -

People who didn't have enough of me after reading this can proceed here:

Who Am I? Not a very interesting/intriguing person,really. But you may beg to differ. :)

1. I was a Lacto-Vegetarian till 17 years. My initiation to eating meat was fast and furious with people practically threatening to shove it down my throat if I don't wipe the plate clean. I despised that bully tactics yet I am so very thankful to "them" for broadening my range of consumption much to the disappointment of my mom. As much as I love to try new things, I draw a line when it comes to eating blood pudding, endangered species, snake soups, toad legs and organ meats etc etc.
2. I try not to hate anyone or anything of God's creations. Yet I find it very very difficult to love reptiles and certain bugs..they give me the creeps.
3. I don't believe in zodiac signs and what they predict but I can't help but notice that I seem to depict most of the traits true to my sign - Scorpio!
4. I have come to realize that amongst the many shades of love, "Baby Love" is the best love. My son is the beat of my heart and pulse of my vein. Sounds very dramatic, but very true.
5. I have a color preference that is all over the place - love almost all shades of red, pitch black, beige white, charcoal grey and metallics. 
6. I am of the opinion that the best view to be had is the bird's eye view. What I wouldn't give to be a bird, to soar in the sky with the wind beneath my wings. I know what you are thinking. Skydiving isn't for me.
7. I have a weakness for scarves, shoes(Read Red Shoes), shades, bags,jewelery, Le Crueset /All-Clad Pots and Pans, Spode Cups and Mugs as much as the next girl and not necessarily in the same order.
8. I love phrases, proverbs, poems and idioms..a lot. My 2 most favorite phrases of all times are: 
Time is the school in which we learn, time is the fire in which we all burn - Delmore Schwartz 
Be the change you want to see in this world - Mahatma Gandhi 
9. I love day-dreaming about a lottery win that will take me to all the "101 places I want to see before I die".Not very productive but certainly brightens my spirit.
10. I am a girl who firmly believes in culinary therapy as much as retail therapy.

I am passing this on to 20 people. No rules, just a token of appreciation:
Bo, Ushnish, Tina, Sarah, AskKuku, Rachana, Cicily, Sook, 3 Hungry Tummies, Radhika, Fimere, Sanjana, Nithu Bala, Mia

New wonderful blogs I recently discovered and are award-worthy:
Kristy Gourmet, Dakshin- Meena, Ruchi, Pearlyn,Foodie With a Little Thyme, Fresh Local And Best

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Pasta Pudding, Bulgur Pudding - 2-Way, Have it Your Way

Why the double treat?  I just won my first "Winner Badge" for "Semi-Homemade" cooking with an Indian Spin@Rahin's blog Lazzat. Ergo, I felt like treating you all with some pudding creations from my kitchen.I may be a new follower of Rahin's blog but I have taken a liking to her Coconut-Raspberry Jam Cookies.
   The puddings in the post are so simple and straight-forward to make that you don't have to be a rocket scientist.My mom makes this often with Semolina(Vermicelli)/Rice/Orzo pasta, Cracked Wheat instead of Bulgur (Wiki: Bulgur is a quick-cooking form of whole wheat that has been cleaned, parboiled, dried, ground into particles and sifted into distinct sizes) and we call it "Payasam".
Other Puddings that you might be tempted to try:

• Persimmon Pudding(Thick)
• Persimmon Pudding With Pomegranate Arils
• Almond Pudding 
• Carrot Pudding

Ingredients:
For the Pasta Pudding(With Fresh Strawberries,Cashews and Raisins):

• Cooked Tiny Bow-tie Pasta - 3/4 cup (Pasta should be cooked without salt)
• Partly skimmed milk - 3 1/2 cups (For a creamier version use whole milk)
• Cardamom Pods - 3#s, smashed and shells removed
• Fresh Strawberries - 4, 3 diced, 1 for garnish
• Cashews - 6#s, roughly broken
• Raisins - a few
• Butter - 1 tbsp 
• Sugar - 3 tbsp or more

For the Bulgur Wheat Pudding:

• Cooked Bulgur - 3/4 cup
• Jaggery(Unrefined Brown Sugar) - 3/4 cup 
• Milk - 4 cups
• Cardamom Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Halved Cashews + Raisins - 1/4 cup
• Butter - 1 tbsp

Procedure:
For the Pasta Pudding:

• In a thick bottomed pan, add a tbsp of butter and add the cashews. A minute later, add the raisins and fry until the cashews are browned. Set aside.
• In the same pan, add the milk and heat it on a low flame. Add the sugar slowly and stir continuously until it is completely dissolved.
• Throw in the cooked pasta and keep stirring until a desired consistency is reached.
• Sprinkle the fried nuts/raisins, coarsely powdered cardamom seeds and switch off the stove.
• Stir in the fresh chopped berries and serve warm or cold.

For the Bulgur Pudding:

• In a thick bottomed pan, add a tbsp of butter and add the cashews. A minute later, add the raisins and fry until the cashews are browned. Set aside.
• In the same pan, add the milk and heat it on a low flame. Add the brown sugar slowly and stir continuously until it is completely dissolved.
• Add the cooked Bulgur and check for taste. Add more sugar if needed.
• Sprinkle the fried nuts/raisins, cardamom powder and switch off the stove.
• Serve warm or chilled. Tastes good either way.

Notes:

• Couscous, Cracked Wheat can be substituted instead of Bulgur.
• Chopped Bananas may be added to the Bulgur Pudding to enhance the taste.

Enjoy!

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Penne Pasta With Scrambled Eggs N Nuts

This is an excellent choice for a nice, scrumptious mid-winter lazy afternoon lunch that can be made under 30 minutes.

Ingredients:

• Penne Pasta - 2 servings, cooked "tender" as per package direction
• Carrot - 1, small, peeled
• Eggs - 3 (2 Yolks discarded)
• Skimmed Milk - 1/4 cup
• Oil - 3 tbsp
• Parsley - a handful, chopped
• Mixed nuts(Macademia, Brazil Nut, Walnut, Cashew, Almonds) -  a handful, toasted and crushed or use store-bought, like Planters brand
• Salt for taste
• Cracked Pepper - 1 1/2 tsp

Procedure:

• Slice the carrot thinly like bacon and do a fine dice.
• In a small bowl, add the eggs and milk. Whisk with a little salt and pepper and set aside.
• In a skillet, heat the oil and add the diced carrot. Brown them until they are crisped.
• Pour the whipped egg mixture and scramble it.
• Add the pasta while the egg is still cooking and add the parsley.
• Sprinkle salt, pepper and check for taste.
• Move from stove and add the crushed nuts on top.
• Serve immediately.

Makes 2 Servings.

Enjoy!

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Turkey-Bean Balls & Tennis Racquets

Turkey Meat-balls are my go-to comfort food anytime of the year and especially this time of the year. A variation of this dish(Meatballs with raisins and marinara sauce) was posted during my first week of blogging. For this recipe though, meat-balls were made smaller with Sesame seeds, Turkey and Roman beans. Racquet-pasta was used to add a whimsical touch.Looks great and tastes great.

Ingredients:

• Lean cut turkey - 1/2 pound
• Stale wheat bread - 2 slices
• Cooked Roman Beans or Red kidney beans - 1 1/2 cup (Soak overnight and pressure cook it with salt)
  
• Garlic - 5 cloves, 3 if bigger, minced
• Red onion - 1, small, diced
• Baby Spinach leaves- 2 handfuls, cleaned and drained
• Egg white - 1
• Cracked pepper - 2 tsp or more
  
• Salt - for taste
• Racquet Pasta - 3 servings, cooked as per package instructions
• Sesame seeds - 2 tbsp
• Lemon - 1/2, juiced
• Cilantro - 1 tbsp, fine diced
  
• Olive oil - 3 tbsp

Procedure:

• Toast the wheat slices and let it cool. Break the hard slices and grind it to coarse crumbs.
• Smash half a cup of the cooked roman beans and set aside.
  
• Toast the sesame seeds on a low flame until they are browned evenly. Grind 11/2 tbsp of it to a fine powder. Save the rest for garnish.
  
• In a bowl, add the turkey, minced garlic, diced onions, powdered sesame seeds, pepper, salt, juice of a lemon, diced cilantro, smashed roman beans, egg white and finally the crumbs.
• Mix all the above ingredients using hands and divide them into small marble-sized balls.Should come to 25-30 even balls.
  
• In a deep and wide skillet, heat a tbsp of oil and slow cook the meat balls in batches for about 10-15 minutes per batch or until the center is no longer pink.
  
• Remove the balls to a separate plate.In the same skillet, add the spinach,wilt it slightly and set aside.
  
• In the same skillet, heat the remaining oil and add the remaining cup of beans and season with little cracked pepper.
• Add the cooked pasta and the turkey-bean balls. Check for taste. Add pepper or salt if needed.
• Switch off the stove and add the spinach. Mix gently.
• Garnish with remaining sesame seeds.
• Move to a serving plate and consume hot.

Makes 3 Servings.

Enjoy!

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