Easy Pasta Bake

I love pasta,just in any form. It becomes all the more exicting when i see new shapes ,sizes and colors,and all of them are shaped for a purpose to provide a good source to hold the sauce that we make. Today i was kinda lazy and had just a few ingredients in my fridge,and thats what i made my Pasta Bake with... its inspired by AU Gratin recipe,simply layered with a creamy white sauce with a hint of tomato and vegetables of choice and some nice sharp cheddar cheese. I added some breadcrumbs for some extra crunch! overall an excellent meal and with a side of some crusty garlic bread it would make anyone's day!


Easy Pasta Bake

Ingredients

Macaroni Pasta shells 1cup cooked aldente according to package intructions

choice mixed veggies, i have used red pepper,mushrooms,green peas and broccoli 1cup

tomato puree 1/4cup

flour 1tbsp

butter 1tbsp

vegetable stock or water 2tbsp

heavy cream 1tbsp

mixed itallian herbs 1tsp

salt and pepper for seasoning

fresh basil a few sprigs

sharp cheddar grated 1/2cup

olive oil 2tbsp

grated parmesan cheese 2tbsp

bread crumbs 2tbsp

Method

cook the pasta and set aside

heat olive oil saute the vegetables ,don't overcook them.season and set aside

now for the white sauce

heat butter and add the flour,cook under low flame don't burn it,just for a couple of mins,

add the stock and the cream and cook until it thickens.add the herbs and tomato puree and mix well. season with salt and pepper .to make it even more richer add all cream instead of stock.

In a glass bowl 1st add some of  the sauce and then layer the vegetables,top it with the pasta and basil and finally add the rest of the sauce. now sprinkle the cheeses and the breadcrumbs.

now bake in the oven at 400f for 15mins. until its nice and bubbly and the cheese has melted and formed a crust.

serve hot with garlic bread.

Mixed Dal Adai ( Mixed Lentils Pancake)

In todays fast life with work,home and kids ,we overlook our food intake and hardly manage to balance the required amount of fruits,vegetables,protiens ,fats and carbs in our diet. we all think of cutting calories without eating right. somehow getting all the essential vitamins and minerals in our diet is very crucial to keep up a good healthy lifestyle. I think Mixed dal adai once a  week could make some difference as it contains 4 different kinds of lentils,4-5 different mixed vegetables and packs in a great flavor for all the picky eaters.

Mixed Dal Adai ( Mixed Lentils Pancake)

Ingredients

Whole Masoor Dal ( pink lentils) 1/2cup
Channa dal                                  1/4cup
whole moong dal                          2tbsp
Whole black urad dal                   2tbsp
Rajma /blackeyed peas(either one) 2tbsp
long grain rice                              1cup
whole dry red chillies                    7-8
grated mixed vegetables, i have used red cabbage,red peppers, onions and carrot 1cup
currry leaves a few leaves
salt to taste
oil to fry the pancakes.

Method
Soak the rice and dals seperately for approximately 2hrs. grind them with red chillies and mix well the salt to taste. keep this batter aside for 4-6hrs.
now befor making the pancakes add the grated vegetables and curry leaves,adjust the seasoning if required and pour on a hot griddle(tawa) to make thick pancakes (dosas). flip to the otherside and cook until they turn out golden and crisp.
serve hot with any chutney or side.or even refer to tomato plum chutney from the earlier posts,its an ideal combination with a sweet and sour tangy taste.

Once a upon an Avacado!

Whats an avacado? Whenever I used to grocery shop for vegetables and fruits I used to wonder  about this wonder fruit,being said that I had never tasted it before. Then I  had "Guacomole ", its a dip made out of avacados with garlic,onions,jalapenos ,cilantro and tomatoes. I found the taste very nice and made me want to make an Indianised version of it. Then my research about avacados became more and I was amazed at the amount of good nutritional values that this rich yet funny looking fruit had.
Avocados have a decadent, creamy texture that adds a delicate flavor to many foods. This delicious fruit also packs a nutrient punch, by contributing nearly 20 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients to one's diet. Wow... isn't it... for someone who insists on having Indian food almost everyday like my husband.. I had to try and come up with a recipe that he also could appreciate and enjoy the goodness of this fruit.
To know more about avacados please visit http://www.avocado.org/press/nutrition/nutrition-facts
Thus was born Avacado Chutney!

Avacado Chutney

Ingredients

Ripe *avacados -2

Juice of 1lemon

green chillies 5-6

urad dal 2tbsps

salt for taste

for the tempering

mustard seeds 1/2tsp

curry leaves 3-4

asfotedia /hing powder just a pinch

Method

Avacados have a  center pit which ,so carefully with a sharp knife make a cut around the avacados and twist it gently to cut into two halves. with the knife slamm on the pit and twist and remove ,the pit/seed is not edible so discard it. now with a spoon scoop out the meaty flesh of the avacados and keep aside. Avacados like many vegetables or fruits  tend to oxidise and become black or brown in color,so to keep it vibrant green color intact immediately mix in the lemon juice with it.

next heat up some oil and fry the urad dal and green chillies until golden brown. the dal gives the chutney a nice nutty flavor along with some body to the chutney adding to the creamy buttery texture of the avacados. mash the avacados with a back of a spoon and season with salt. grind the dal and chillies and mix well with the mashed avacados. finally temper in some oil the mustard seeds ,curry leaves and hing. mix well and a very delicious,appetizing,nutritional chutney is ready. serve with rice,rotis,breads or dosas.

More information on Avacados.

**avocado = alligator pear = midshipman's butter

Pronunciation: AV-uh-KAD-oh
Rich and creamy avocados are quite versatile. You can dice them into salads, stuff them with fillings, or mash them to make guacamole or sandwich spreads. Their only big drawback is that they're also high in calories and fat, though the fat is mostly monounsaturated, which isn't as bad as other kinds. Since they bruise easily, grocers want customers to buy them while they're still hard and then take them home to ripen at room temperature for a few days. They’ll ripen more quickly if you put them in a paper bag along with an apple or banana. They're ripe when they yield to a gentle squeeze.
To open an avocado, just cut it in half lengthwise around the seed, twist the two halves apart, and then pop the seed out with a spoon or knife. Avocados darken soon after being cut, so serve them right away or sprinkle them with lemon or lime juice to slow the discoloration. Don't ever refrigerate, freeze, or cook avocados.

Varieties: The Hass = California avocado is available year-round and has a rich flavor and creamy texture. This is the best variety for guacamole, but it turns a bit mushy in salads. The skin turns almost black when the avocado is ripe—this, unfortunately, can camouflage bad bruises. The Pinkerton peels easily and has excellent flavor. The Reed is a large, round avocado that slips easily from the peel, and has very good flavor and texture. It will stay firm even when ripe, so it's great in salads, but not a good choice if you're making guacamole. The Fuerte = Florida avocado is in season from late fall through spring. It's not quite as buttery as the Hass avocado, but its flavor is excellent. The bacon avocado is a sweet, smooth-skinned variety that shows up in the middle of winter, but isn’t as flavorful as other avocados. Mexican avocados are small and have shiny black edible skins.

Showing Ripe Avacados( avacados turn brownish black when ripe and they are slightly soft to touch)

below: the cut avacados with its center pit