Lidia's Inspired Sauce With Spaghetti

Lidia's Inspired Sauce With Spaghetti

I am an ardent fan of PBS/KQED... in fact, my kids can identify the news casters from their voices. I get my daily dose of news from KQED. I love all the cooking shows that are aired on Saturday. Seriously, I get glued to the TV..there is so much authenticity in the cooking, the ingredients and  the people. A few weeks back, I saw a pasta sauce recipe on Lidia's Italy and decide to make the same.

Spaghetti gets chowed down easy in my house.

Ingredients

2 ripe tomatoes

1 cup toasted almonds

1 garlic pod

1 cup olive oil

1 cup finely Parmesan cheese

Handful of basil leaves

Lemon rind

Tbsp. of lemon juice

Fresh pepper

and salt according to taste

Process

1. Cook spaghetti according to instruction and keep aside

2. In a food processor add all the above ingredients and blend to fine consistency

3. Now add the pasta sauce and finely chopped parsley and toss well till spaghetti is well covered with sauce.

Serve warm with bread and trust me there is no tussle or war with words in getting the kids to finish eating.
Sent this across to Priya of Once upon a tea time a while ago and wanted to post the same on my blog as well.

My American Girl Doll

Just got back from a fantafabulos vacation to east coast, had lovely time with friends and family, lots of sight seeing, shopping, eating and of course my favorite part taking pictures. I have more than 1500 pics that I need to sort out. This trip was so much more fun because I got to meet up with my childhood friends whom I have not seen in last decade. So it was fun, fun, fun.

Stayed in the heart of Times Square and boy it was party like, really wished I lived in the city. Few blocks down from the hotel we stayed was American Girl store, after coxing and pressuring and to the point threatening boys agreed to come in with me. So while they sat in the corner busy playing with their DS, I wandered around the store and had a kid in the candy store effect.
It was such a lovely experience, can only imagine how excited little girls would be. Such adorable and life like dolls stylish, smart and beautiful. Few pics from my visit.

Store had doll hospital, pet store for dolls with adorable pets, hair salon, it was way to cute.

Now who wouldn't want a tea party like this

Ah the perks of being a girl, if you are visiting New York , I would strongly suggest a visit American Girl store.

Mavidikaya Pulihora - Mango Rice

Mavidikaya Pulihora - Mango Rice

 Ugadi celebrations at home were low key, made traditional Ugadi Pachadi and mavidikaya pulihara as prasadam/offering. Well it sure was a challenge to get the kids out of home by 7.30 with lunches packed and then being able to get to work to attend an early meeting. Some times I think I work and feel like a robot, there is constantly something to do or attend to.

Coming to today's recipe mango rice is a favorite of mine, the raw and sour the mango the better rice taste, we how ever in bayarea are not fortunate  to get raw mangoes that taste sour, for most part the greenest of the mangoes taste sweet, yesterday's was no exception except it was not too sweet.

Ingredients

1 cup rice
1 raw mango peeled and grated
2-3 tbsp of lemon juice ( in case mango does not taste sour or has sweet flavor)
1 tbsp of turmeric

For seasoning
3 tbsp of oil
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp urad dal
1 tbsp jeera
2-3 tbsp Channa dal
1/2 cup roasted peanuts
5-6 green chilies
2 tbsp of ginger finely chopped
pinch of hing
20 curry leaves

Process
1. Boil rice in a rice cooker add tbsp of oil or spray pam and allow to cook, adding oil will make rice not to get sticky.
2. Remove from cooker add haldi, grated mango and salt to the rice and mix till all of them are well incorporated. Keep aside and allow to cool down. You can leave for couple of hours and allow the flavors to soak in.

3. Now heat a pan add oil when oil is warm add all the ingredients mentioned for seasoning.
4. Saute till mustard starts to splutter, remove from heat and add to mango rice.

5. Mix seasoning well and adjust for salt, garnish with coriander leaves and serve.

This tastes even better as left over, wishing all of you belated Ugadi.

Home Made Waffles With Mixed Berries & Maple Compote

Home Made Waffles With Mixed Berries & Maple Compote

Hello spring break, aah have been waiting for tomorrow since a long time, time since we booked our tickets ie. Will be traveling a bit so looking forward to meeting extended family and friends.Just hoping weather would not damper our spirit.

During one of the many Christmas sales last year brought waffle maker/iron, till date I think its one of the best purchase ever made, having been putting waffle maker to test on a daily basis, so much so that I crave warm waffles for breakfast,lunch and dinner. Thanks to the multitude of waffle mixes you never get bored.

Waffles and maple syrup are made in heaven combination, however this weekend during our regular library trip picked up latest edition copy of Martha Stewart Living, I seriously have dreamsof working for MSL, everything about Martha Stewart feels classy, beautiful and absolutely stunning, one look at the berry maple syrup recipe and I knew I had to try it. So here goes my version

Ingredients

 2 cups of William Sonoma's ready made waffle mix

For Mixed berries & Maple syrup compote

1 cup frozen berries

1 cup your choice of maple syrup

1 tbsp of lemon jest

2 tbsp of fresh lemon juice

Process

1. Heat waffle iron and mix waffle mix according to instructions and allow waffles to cook.

For Mixed Berries & Maple Compote

1. Heat maple syrup in a saucepan over medium heat until reduced by half. 

2. Add berries and mush them using  masher. Reduce heat, and simmer until berries are softened, 3 to 5 minutes. 

3.Remove from heat and lemon juice and lemon zest. 

4. Let it cool down for about 20 minutes. (recipe courtesy MSL)

Top warm waffle with compote and serve with chilled apple juice, morning breakfast cannot get any better than this.

Happy spring break everyone :)

Sending this over to Srivall as she celebrates her  3rd blog anniversary.

Sweet Sweet win - Celebrating with Strawberry Lassi

Strawberry Lassi

India’s epic win over the weekend will be a cherished and one of my “take away your breath moment” forever, I feel privileged to have lived to witness this historic win. Mahindra Singh Dhoni played like a true leader, giving an unforgettable high to over a billion people, Indians all over the world are still reeling and are in trance and it’s going to take a long time to get back to reality, 28 years in waiting and what a stellar finish.



Celebrating the occasion and raising a toast to Indian cricket team with my very favorite strawberry lassi so simple yet flavored packed and delicious

Ingredients
1 cup fresh strawberries
1 cup yogurt /Greek yogurt un-flavored (I used homemade yogurt)
3 tbsp. sugar/sugar substitute/agave/honey choice of your sweetener adjust accordingly
1 cup crushed ice
1/2 cup milk
pinch of cardamom powder( totally optional)


Process

Blend all the ingredients until well mixed , I use my mega powered Vitamix

Garnish with fresh strawberries and trust me you would want to lick the glass for that very last  last drop, I promise.


This also go to the very talented  and super creative Rajee who  blog about Styling and Designing Interiors at her blog Styling and Design with Rajee Sood. Rajee is hosting a tea party and what's a party in Delhi without lassi I say !!

Previously blogged lassi recipes

Mango Saffron Lassi

Blueberry Lassi