Microwave Croutons

Want to use those 1 or 2 leftover bread slices?make some microwave croutons and save for your next homemade soup.

Micraowave Croutons

Ingredients:
2 bread slices cut into 1/2 inch cubes.
1 tbsp butter.
1 big pinch of garlic salt or salt to taste.
Big pinch of any dry spices on hand (oregano,parsley,pizza seasoning).

Method:
1.Take butter in a microwave safe glass bowl.Microwave on high uncovered for a minute.
2.Mix in the salt,spices and bread cubes.Stir until the cubes are well coated.
3.Microwave for 3 minutes uncovered stirring for every 30 secs.Let them stand for 5 minutes.
4.Store in the air tight container in the fridge.

Tomato Soup

Goes well with all kinds of soups and salads

Sauteed Shrimp

I love this recipe because i can prepare this dish  in 10 minutes.Goes well as a side dish with rice,pappucharu.

Ingredients:

1 pound jumbo shrimp, unpeeled(22-25 count)
1 tbsp butter+1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp ginger garlic paste or just garlic paste
pinch of turmeric powder
1/4 th tsp red chili powder or pepper.
salt to taste

Method:

1 Clean shrimp using salt and lemon juice and keep side.
2..Heat butter/oil in a large sauteed pan on medium heat.
3.Add ginger garlic paste and turmeric powder saute for 30 second.Now add shrimp saute for 2 minutes .
4.Add salt,red chili powder.Saute for few more minutes and serve immediately.
5.You can sprinkle some lemon juice before eating if you want to.

Chocolate cake balls/pops

This recipe is for all the chocolate lovers like me..Chocolate inside and out..yummmm 
It is not hard as it looks(don't get scared by number of steps).

Chocolate cake pops/cake balls

Yields:35-40 cake balls
 
Ingredients:
1 box of your favorite chocolate mix 
Chocolate frosting 
Lollipop sticks/tooth pics/sucker sticks 
1 package chocolate bark/candy melts

Method:
1. Bake cake according to the package instructions. Let it cool to room temperature.
2. In a large mixing bowl break up the cake into crumbs using fork or hand. Mix just enough frosting into the cake crumbs until you get perfect texture (moist), you should be able to make balls out of the mixture. 

3. Roll out small round firm balls/pops from the cake mixture line them on a cookie sheet /wax paper.
4. In a microwave safe deep bowl melt chocolate until smooth (mix after every 30 seconds to avoid burning of chocolate)
5. Dip stick into the chocolate and press into the center of the cake ball and allow chocolate to harden completely by putting these balls in the freezer for 30min before moving onto the next step. Don’t skip this step.

6. Now pick up each cake ball by its stick, dip in the melted chocolate. Tap off the excess chocolate and press onto a piece of Styrofoam (even block of thermocol works).
7. If you are not using any sticks just use a spoon to dip and roll in chocolate. Lay them on a cookie sheet
8. Refrigerate cake balls until ready to use.

Tips:  
1. Use few pieces of chocolate bar at a time to melt, because it starts to cool off and thicken.
2. If using any sprinkles for decoration, sprinkle them before chocolate coating cools down. 
3.You can mix and match cake and icing flavors and also the coating.Red velvet cake balls goes well with cream cheese frosting.

Dhoodh peda/Milk Fudge

Here is the Thanks giving feast picture. My contribution in this was dhoodh peda and chocolate cake balls.

Thanksgiving feast

Nobody can believe these pedas are microwave version. You can make as many pedas as you want without much effort. Try it for a potluck it will be a big hit.

Milk Fudge

Yields 30-35 pedas
Ingredients:
1 and 3/4th cups milk powder/180 grams approx(I used instant non fat dry milk available at walmart)
1 sweetened condensed milk 14 oz can
½ tsp cardamom powder
1 stick butter/8tbsp
Saffron(optional)

Method:
1.In a microwave safe glass bowl melt butter(will take 30-60 secs) .Add condensed milk and milk powder to this, mix well.
2. Now microwave the whole mixture for 3 minutes with out mixing the mixture after each minute gently.
3. Add cardamom powder.
4. Let the mixture cool down until it can be handled with your hands.
5. Make small bite sized rounds and flatten to form peda (grease your hands)
6. Decorate the pedas with nuts.
7.Pedas stays fresh in the fridge for 1 week.

TIP:

If you want to enjoy more pedas without guilt.You can use only half stick of butter instead of 1 full stick.You may get cracks on pedas due to lack of fat,but it doesn't matter right?

Potato Kurma/aloo Kurma

Potato kurma goes well with rice,roti,puri and also in sandwich.

Aloo Kurma

Cook time:30 min  
Serves:2-3
Ingredients:  
3 medium potatoes(boiled,peeled and cubed)
3-4 green chillies or to taste
1 medium onion thinly sliced
1 sprig curry leaves
1 tbsp chopped coriender leaves
1 and 1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste
1/2 tsp red chilli powder  
1 tsp coriender powder 
salt to taste
1/2 tsp mustard and zeera each  
2 tbsp oil

Method:
1.In a non-stick wide pan heat oil, once hot add zeera and mustard. Let them sizzle
2.Add green chillies and sliced onion saute till light brown.
3.Add ginger garlic paste fry for 2 min,add curry leaves,then add turmeric powder, fry for 30 seconds.  
4.Add potato pieces,saute on high for 2-3 minutes,add salt and close the lid.Cook for 5-7 minutes on medium flame.  
5.Now add red chilli powder,coriander powder.fry for 2-3 minutes without lid. 6.Garnish with coriender leave. 

Pappu,aloo kurma with rice

Fish Tawa Fry

Fish fry

Ingredients:

4 tilapia fillets/cat fish(approx 1lb or ½ kg)
2-3 Green chilies
1 tsp Red chili powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Cumin powder
1/4th tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp Garam masala
1 tsp Ginger garlic paste
1 tbsp lime/lemon juice/tamarind juice
2 tbsps Oil for tawa fry
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves for garnish

Method:
1.Clean fish with salt and lime juice.Keep it aside.
2.Marinate fish fillets with above ingredients except oil for 20-30 minutes(the longer the better).
3.Now take a non stick pan/tawa.Add oil,once it is hot add the fish pieces.Fry them on one side for 3-4 minutes and turn them over.Cook for another 3-4 minutes.
4.Garnish with some more coriander leaves.

Guacamole

Guacamole is one of the most beloved Mexican foods served in the Mexican restaurants as a dip with crispy tortillas along with salsa. It is made with fresh avocados. I like to use it as a substitute to butter on my grilled sandwiches as avocados are loaded with nutrients and healthy fats.

Guacamole with fresh avocados

Ingredients: 
2 fresh soft avocados (cut them into half, remove the seed and scoop the flesh out into a bowl)  
1 small ripe tomato chopped
Cilantro 4-5 sprigs
Half a small onion finely diced
spring onions(optional)
Fresh lime juice
1 jalapeno/Serrano chilies minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Mash all the ingredients together with a spoon or fork. Season it with salt and pepper and serve immediately. If serving later add tomatoes just before serving. Cover it with a plastic wrap to avoid changing color.

Note: 
1.Leaving avocado pit in the bowl with guacamole, this prevents it from turning brown to some extent.
2.Can be eaten with store bought tortilla chips or homemade baked tortilla chips, in tacos or as a spread on sandwiches.

guacamole with papdi