Steak in cranberry sauce

I had tried this recipe to send it for an event, but it got well done and I wasn't very pleased with the color. So I opted not to send it for the event. The taste was good and Vivek liked it too. Steak is a very flavorful meal and the first time I had it was when Vivek took me to Texas De Brazil for his birthday a couple of years back. But I don't try it much at home. I served it with creamed mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy, fried spinach and sauteed beans.
You can view the images at this link :  yummy steak


For the steak:
Flank steak
Spice rub
Pepper
Salt
Few drops of lemon juice
Cooking wine - a few drops

Mix the ingredients together and rub the steak with it. Put it in a zip lock bag and put it in the fridge for a couple of hours. Remember to keep it out and let it return to room temperature before grilling it.Heat a grilling pan or a non-stick pan and just spray with cooking oil . Once hot place the steak and do not move it around. After 5 mins turn it over and leave it for 3 to 4 mins. This timing depends on the size of the piece and also gives a perfect medium rare cooked steak. Remove it and cover it with a foil and let it rest for a couple of minutes before slicing it. This

Mashed potatoes:-
Yukon gold potaoes or any potatoes that you use
Whipping cream - 1/4 cup
Milk - 1/2 cup
Salt
Pepper
Fresh parsley

Bring a big vessel of water to a boil and add the peeled and cut potatoes along with salt. Once the potatoes are well done, strain the water and smash the potatoes immediately and make sure there are no lumps left. Warm the milk and add it gradually to the smashed potatoes and return it to the stove on low to medium heat. Once it starts to absorb the milk add the cream and pepper powder and mix it well and just before removing it from the stove add the chopped parsley and stir it well. Cover and let it set for a few minutes before serving. If it becomes dry add some more milk to it. It has to be creamy and smooth...Serve it warm.

Mushroom gravy:
This gravy is optional...
Button mushrooms
Shallot - 1
Garlic - 1 minced
Pepper powder
Salt
Whipping cream - 2 tbsp
Milk - 1/4 cup
All purpose flour - 1 tsp
Paprika - just a little
Oil
Salt to taste

In a non-stick pan heat the oil add the minced garlic and then add the chopped shallot. Once done add the chopped mushroom and saute till the raw smell goes add the pepper powder, paprika, salt and the all purpose flour and stir well add the milk and a little water if needed. Once the flour and mushrooms cook completely add the whipping cream and reduce teh heat. Let it reduce till the gravy thickens and remove from heat.
Fried Spinach:
Oil for deep frying
Baby spinach leaves

Remove the stem from the leaves and wash and wipe them dry. Make sure they are completely dry or else while frying the water might splutter all around you.  Heat a non stick pan and add oil ,once hot add the leaves a few at a time and make sure they get cooked well and crisp. Place them on a paper towel to extract all the oil and keep it aside.


Sauteed Beans:-

This was my first time with canned beans and all i had to to was just strain the water and give it a quick rinse. In a non-stick pan add a couple of drops of olive oil and add the beans and pepper powder and saute for a couple of minutes and serve warm.


Cranberry cinnamon sauce:-

I used dry cranberries, so had to rehydrate them first by putting them in a little boiling water for 30 minutes
Brown Sugar
Cinnamon sticks

Once the cranberries were ready i added the brown sugar and cinnamon sticks and water and let it boil and  then simmer it for 15 minutes. Then grind it into a puree, remember to remove the cinnamon sticks. Strain the mixture and return it to the stove, place the cinnamon back in it and then let it reduce some more.

Plating - pour a couple of tablespoons of the cranberry sause on one end of the plate, place sliced steak on top if it, a big scoop of the mashed potatoes with the mushroom gravy on top, place the crisped spinach on the side of the mashed potatoes and the sauteed beans on the side. Bon Appetite..... The whole meal took me around two hours to get done, hope you guys like it too

Baby food....mixed vegetables

Giving our kids the best nutrition has always been our priority. When my son completed 4 months his doctor told me to start giving him solids and that I could start making them at home. Well that time I didnt read much about the variety that I could prepare so I worked with the methods that my MIL taught me and was glad that I had the help. She was not happy with the words no salt and no sugar until he completed twelve months.

Now when Diya completed her 4 months her doctor said that I could start the solids but nothing home made until her 6 months were completed. Even she doesn't get salt or sugar until she turns 1 year old. So we have been giving her Gerber, BeechNut, Earth's Best and Yummy In My Tummy baby food along with the baby cereals. This time I started to read on baby food and that it was ok to combine vegetables and cook. The books did have a lot of options. I kinda just wanted to make a blend of what I had at hand. Now she prefers solids more than milk. She loves to drink juice and water a lot, which is a relief as some of the kids I know give trouble to drink water.
She completed her 6 months last friday and since she had her shots done and was fussy, I didn't bother to start with something that she was not familiar with. Today I steam cooked a few vegetables for her. And it does smell great and am I did give it a taste and it wasn't bad at all.
Steam cooking the vegetables is the best method to avoid losing the nutrients.
The vegetables that I cooked today are:-
Broccoli
French Beans
Squash
Sweet potatoes

Steam cooked all together till they were completely cooked and minced them in the processor while they were still warm. Poured them individual serving size containers and refrigirated them and have to put them in the freezer. Now all I have to do is wait and see how much she likes them........

Baked Penne with Broccoli

I wish I could be more regular with my blog, but guess what, with two kids every time I get a free time all I wanna do is just sit without doing anything. This is a dish I made last week and to my realization I haven't made pasta for more than six months.Well so here it is, though a bit rich in flavor but without cheese.

Ingredients:-
Broccoli florets
Shallot - 1 finely chopped
Garlic cloves - 2 finely crushed
Red pepper flakes - for spice
Paprika - 1/4 tsp
Pepper powder
Basil - i used dry crushed herb (1/4 tsp)
Olive oil - 1 tbsp
All purpose flour - 2 tbsp
Unsalted butter - 2 tbsp
Whipping cream - 1/4 cup (i used regular)
Penne

You can cook the pasta as you are getting the broccoli ready.

Method:-
1. Bring a big pot of water to boil and add salt to and the amount of pasta needed. Let it cook al dante.
2. In the meantime in a non stick pan heat the olive oil.
3. Add the garlic and shallot and fry it till the aroma rises.
4. Add the pepper powder and red pepper flakes as per spice needed. Add the basil. If using fresh add around 2 tbsp chopped.
5. You can add a dash of white dry wine if you want, i didn't add it
6 .Add the broccoli florets and fry it for a couple of minutes and add salt.
7. In another non-stick pan melt the butter and add the flour, fry it and add the milk and keep stirring it to avoid lumps.
8. When it is about to boil add the whipping cream and lowe the heat and stir it for a couple of minutes and then add it the broccoli.
9. Switch off the stove and let it rest in that heat itself
10. Pre-heat the over to 350-375 degrees.
11. Transfer the cooked pasta to an oven safe tray and pour the broccoli gravy on top.
12. Sprinkle the paprika on top and bake it for 10 - 12 minutes
13. Serve it hot

If you do not have oven, for step 7 add 1/2 of milk and for step 8 add 1/2 cup of whipping cream.
And let it cook for a while on low heat. Add it to the broccoli and let it simmer for 5 minutes and then add the cooked pasta. Since this is done stove top, when you add the pasta add around 1/4 cup of the water that you used to cook the pasta.

Creamy Mushroom & Spinach Gravy

Last night for dinner we had chapathis and I was lazy to cut veggies or rather spend a lot of time in the kitchen because of the cold that I have.When I saw the mushroom and spinach I wanted to make something easy and tasty. In less than 15minutes time I had this gravy done and it was an instant success. Vivek loved it.

Ingredients:

Button mushrooms - stem removed and cut lenghtwise 1 cup
Thinly sliced onions - 1/2 cup
Garlic - 2 cloves chopped
Spinach - 2 cups
Red pepper flakes - 1.5 tsp (or as needed)
Paprika - 1/2 tsp
Heavy cream - 1.5 cup
White vinegar - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
EVOO
Garam masala - 1 pinch

Method:-

1. Heat a pan and pour in a tbsp of EVOO and when hot add the garlic and onions and let it cook completely
2. Add the mushrooms followed by red pepper flakes, paprika and vinegar
3. Let it cook 3/4 and add the cream and salt and let it simmer for a few minutes
4. Now add the spinach and once the spinach is completely cooked add the pinch of garam masala and switch off the stove and let it rest for a couple of minutes before you serve it.

It does taste good with rice also. Tried tasting it and it was good.You guys should try it.

Bruschetta

Bruschetta is an Italian dish which is normally consumed as an appetizer, I turned it into dinner.I have made it a couple of times as a starter but i was feeling a bit lazy to cook dinner last night.
I like spicy food so i made a few changes of my own. If you like you can also add chopped olives in it.






Ingredients:

Loaf of french bread
Grape tomatoes 1 small box
Jalapenos - 2 nos chopped
Red cooking wine - few drops
Worcestershire sauce - few drops
Garlic - 3 cloves finely chopped
Parsley - 2 tbsp chopped
Shallot - 1 finely chopped
Spinach
EVOO
Salt to taste
Pepper
Mozzarella cheese

Method:-
1. Heat a non-stick pan pour in a tbsp of olive oil
2. Once hot add the chopped garlic






3. Add the chopped shallot








4. Add the jalapenos or if you like you can add red pepper flakes








5.When completely cooked add the wine and sauce and let it simmer for a couple of minutes






6.Put the cut grape tomatoes and stir well







7. Add salt and pepper







8. Add chopped spinach (optional) and let it cook for a couple of minutes








9. Mix in the parsley just before preparing the bruschetta







10 Set the oven in broiler mode and set temperature at 400 degrees
11. Cut the bread side ways and and drizzle the bread with EVOO and place it in the preheated oven for a couple of mintues




12.Take the bread out and spread the tomato spread and








13. A few spinach leaves








14.A little mozzerella cheese on top and then place it again in the oven until the cheese melts.







Serve hot.


Please note :The image that I took has whole spinach leaves on top and it got stuck to the cheese and it was a bit difficult to eat it without making too much mess. So the second batch i made with chopped spinach which I mixed in the tomato mix along with the parsley and then placed it in the oven.
So when you try it make sure you chop the spinach.

Rice Kheer with Almonds

Thought of starting this years recipes with a sweet dish. On New Years day my close friend had made rice kheer with almonds and saffron and it was divine. I have eaten rice kheer before but never with almonds... My son who hardly likes anything with rice had a big cup of it as dinner. It was rich in flavor but not heavy. Today I thought that I should try to re-invent in my own way. The only thing missing in my pantry is saffron and still could not resist the temptation to try it.
And so here it goes.




Ingredients:-
Raw rice - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Saffron - a few strands
Sweetened condensed milk - 1 small tin
Almonds - 1 cup
Milk - around half a litre


Method:-

1. Soak the almonds for a few hours and then peel the skin and run it in the mixie for a few seconds till it gets coarsely ground without water.

2. Cook the rice as usual with the required amount of water. Do not over cook it.

3. In a non-stick vessel heat the milk and add the ground almonds and keep stirring so that it doesn't get burnt at the bottom.

4. Add cardamom powder, saffron and the cooked rice and stir it for a few minutes before adding the sugar.

5. Stir it until it melts.

6. Add the condensed milk and stir it continuously. Check if it is sweet enough. If you like it to be very sweet you can add more sugar.

7. After 5 mnutes pour everything into the rice cooker and let it cook until it thickens. If you do not have a rice cooker you can pour it in a vessel and place it inside a pressure cooker and stir it every 5 minutes until it thickens.


8. Once done switch it off and let it set for a few minutes before you remove it to the serving dish.






You can serve it warm or cold. Do try it out and let me know.
This is my son tasting it and he said,"amma good job".

Happy New Year!!

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year and year filled with happiness and joy.We were blessed with a baby girl on Aug 26th 2009, things have been both busy and crazy for some time now. We have named her Diya and she has become the center of our life along with our son who is so loving and caring of his baby sister.... Am so proud of him!!
I am trying to get back to blogging again this year and am having my fingers crossed to make sure it works out. Diya expects me to stay in sight and she doesn't sleep much during the day. I hope to start trying new recipes and also send you guys some of mine.
Happy blogging everyone and am so glad to be back...
This is their most recent pic...