Friday, April 30, 2010

Carrot, Cardamom & Tomato Soup

This is a hearty soup which is made all the more tastier or exotic by the addition of cardamom.I normally use cardamom along with cloves or cinnamon and only in sweets it is the sole hero or heroine as you like it).While browsing I saw several carrot and cardamom soup recipes and decided to make a simple carrot and cardamom soup.

Ingredients:
Veg oil: 1/2 -1 tbsp

Onion: 1 small chopped
Cardamom pods : 4+/-

Carrots: 1.5 cup chopped
Tomato: 2 medium or 1/4 cup chopped
Ginger: 1/2 inch piece

Salt
Pepper:a pinch

Water :1 cup + as needed

Preparation:
Chop the onions finely.Scrape and chop fresh ginger to small pieces or grate/paste the ginger.Blanch whole tomatoes,peel them and chop them to obtain almost 1/4 cup.Peel and chop the carrots into bite sized pieces to obtain 1.5 cups or more.Lightly crush the cardamom pods and then peel the pods and use the black seeds.I used 4 big pods of cardamom as I liked the taste,but add as per your taste.If you are not used to the spice start with 1/2 tsp or less.

Heat oil in a pan,add crushed cardamom and onions.Saute this till the onions are transparent and the cardamom sizzles and flavours the oil.Add chopped carrots,ginger and tomatoes.Mix well adding a little salt and pinch of pepper.Saute for a few minutes till they start to cook and the raw smell disappears.Add water to cook the veggies and bring to boil.Reduce to a simmer and let it cook covered for about 15-20 minutes or until the carrots are well cooked.Let it cool .

Strain the mix and keep aside the leftover liquid and put the veggies in a blender.Blend to obtain a thick puree.Add leftover liquid or water to this puree-as much as you like- to obtain the consistency of a soup.I like my soup a bit thick,but still had to add a considerable quantity of liquid to it.Also on keeping it thickens.Serve preferably warm by reheating it or at room temperature garnishing with fresh coriander leaves.

Instead of water you can use stock or coconut milk which also increase the flavour.I loved the combo of carrot ,tomato and cardamom.The simple soup gets exotic with the use of cardamom.I added just a pinch of pepper and just a small piece of ginger.These are completely optional but if added they enhance the taste.The tasty exotic soup is on way to CWS:Cardamom at Priya's.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Mango Milkshake

Mango and milk is a simple and hit combination.A glass of chilled mango milkshake is perfect for the roaring summering.There are several ways of making a mango milkshake and you must have seen several different versions for healthy and tasty ones.This is my simple way of preparing a hearty milkshake with mangoes,milk,sugar and cardamom.

Ingredients:
Mangoes: 2 mangoes or chopped 1 cup+
Milk: 1/2 cup+
Chilled water: 1/2 cup
Cashew nuts : handful chopped
Cardamom: 1/4 tsp + or atleast 1-2 pods
Sugar:a little adjust with the sweetness of mangoes

Preparation:
Blend all the ingredients together to obtain a creamy shake.Add more milk/water or even crushed icecubes and adjust the thickness and serve chilled.Alphonso mangoes give the best milkshake though any juicy mango will do.Add sugar or any other sweetner accordingly.

You can adjust the quantity of ingredients and the above mentioned are almost guestimates.You can make it more healthy by adding 1-2 tbsp of flax seeds or sunflower seeds or such.This is my first entry to CWS:Cardamom by Priya. This also goes to Srivalli's ThandaMela .

Monday, April 26, 2010

Creamy Cauliflower Mash

This is a simple cauliflower mash or puree which is easy to make and tastes great and is a perfect low fat substitute to mashed potatoes.There are several version of this some rich buttery or made with milk.I have adapted the recipe from Eating well magazine and I have adjusted the quantities to my taste.Do refer the original for exact measurement if you prefer or else heres my recipe.

Ingredients:
Cauliflower: 1 cup chopped
Garlic: 1 clove
Thick yogurt : ( preferably low fat):1 tbsp+
Butter: salted or unsalted: 1 tsp
Salt & Pepper: as per taste

Preparation:
Steam cauliflower florettes along with garlic till they are tender.Allow them to cool.Blend in a mixer the cooled florettes and garlic adding yoghurt,butter and salt and pepper.You will be getting a creamy thick puree.Adjust the salt and pepper and serve as a side to your choice of main course.

The quantities are guesstimates I must say again and the taste was hearty.Rather I must say the taste was surprising.You will not miss the mashed potatoes once you taste this.The recipe is flexible and you can add or remove the items such as make it completely butterless,add more garlic or use onions,chives or use vegan ingredients or even use milk or cream for a rich version.You can grill or roast cauliflower if you like that or you can try this just as you make mashed potatoes and I am sure you will not miss potatoes in this hearty recipe as well.

Cauliflowers and other crucierous veggies have compounds that help prevent cancer.It is rich in folate,Vitamin B and C and also has sizeable quantities of potassium and magnessium.It is almost fat free and is high in dietary fibre as well.So this low fat mash is perfect for HealthNut Challenge 5 : Crucial cruciferous at HealthNut.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Indian Style Tofu Bites

This is a simple tofu recipe where tofu cubed are first marinated in Indian spice powders and then baked to hearty spicy bites which can be served as starter snacks or added to salad.I must thank my dear Blogger friend Madhuram of egglesscooking for this recipe. I have tried tofu in several different ways but this is a hearty Indian style recipe that is alltime favourite in my house.

Ingredients:
Tofu: 1 packet preferably extra firm

Marinade:
Veg Oil: 2 tbsp+
Kitchen King Masala or any other curry powder : 1 tbsp+/-
Redchilli Powder : 1/2 tsp+
Turmeric Powder : a pinch
Salt :as per your taste
Lemon Juice:1/2 lemon or as per taste
Red food Color: optional (I did not add any)

Preparation:
Drain tofu on several paper towels for atleast 1-2 hours.The tofu should be preferably extra firm.Mine was not so and I drained for several hours.Cut the drained tofu in bite sized cubes or pieces.

In a ziplock bag /any container with bowl mix together the ingredients of marinade.Add the tofu cubes and lock/zip the bag/container and shake well so that all the tofu pieces are well coated.You can increase or decrease the quantity of ingredients as per taste.I reduced oil to around 1.5 tbsp and increased the lemon juice and also increased the spice powder quantity to suit my palate.

Keep the bag/container in the fridge where it should sit for atleast 30 minutes to several hours so that the flavours are absorbed into the tofu.

Once this is done,place the cubes from the bag/container onto a lined and lightly oiled baking sheet.It looks like..


Bake the cubes in a preheated oven at 400F for about 15-20 minutes or more until the top starts slightly browning and a wonderful aroma permeats the house.

The original recipe went for 425F and a baking of 25+ minutes.I reduce to 400F and still mine was ready by 12-15 minutes.Also the original recommended broiling for around 10 minutes which I omitted as mine was already started browning at the edges and the tofu cubes looked dry and crispy.So I presume it depends on the size of tofu pieces and also the oven conditions and how you prefer the tofu cubes whether crusty/crunchy/ soft etc.

Well,I had perfect starters thanks to Madhuram and these go straight to WeekendWokking:Tofu an event by Wandering Chopsticks and currently hosted by YoursTruly.Do send in the delicious Tofu entries till May 2,2010 for this event and well enjoy the tofu bites.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Creamy Onion Soup

This is a simple onion soup which looks creamy but is actually creamless.I made use of milk to make this though a combo of milk and half and half works fully well as well.

Ingredients:
White onions: 2 big finely chopped
Butter: 2 tbsp
All Purpose Flour: 1 tbsp
Milk : 3/4 -1 cup

Salt,Pepper,Nutmeg : as per taste

Preparation:
In a thick bottomed pan,melt butter and then add onions.Saute till the raw smell goes for about 2 minutes.They should not turn brown.Stir in flour ,mix well and then add milk.Bring to a boil,then reduce to a simmer and let it cook for about 25 minutes till the milk is reduced to a creamy consistency.You can add more milk or half and half and continue simmering till your consistency is reached.Stir in and adjust salt,pepper and nutmeg.Serve preferably warm or depending on weather,you can chill it in fridge where it sourt of sets more and becomes all the more creamy and looks set like a pudding.



A simple non fussy soup with the normally available ingredients and perfect for hot hotter hottest noons and chilly and rainy evenings.Well, thats the weather in Bangalore these days.This soup is also a perfect entry to NCR:Onions hosted this time at TinnedTomatoes.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Mesir Wat-Ethiopian Red Lentil Stew

Ethiopian cuisine is rich with spicy dishes almost similar to Moroccan and Indian and is rich with vegetarian dishes especially with lentils and pulses.Wat or Wot implies a spicy thick stew which is usually made with spiced clarified butter -nitter kibbeh or ghee with ginger garlic and other spices.Mesir wat is a red lentil stew that is usually served with Injera - Ethiopian flat bread made usually from teff flour.This is again a simple recipe I adapted from here.The dish is similar to and can be mistaken for Indian preparation unless specially mentioned as Ethiopian and can also be served with tortilla,rotis or pita or any bread you have in hand.

Ingredients:
Red Lentils: 1/2 cup

Onion: 1 medium
Garlic: 1 -2 cloves
Ginger: 1 inch piece

Butter/Oil or Nitter Kibbeh :1 tbsp

Paprika: 1/2 tsp +
Cayenne Pepper (Chilli Powder):1/2 tsp+
Turmeric: a pinch

Water/Veg Stock

Salt
Pepper

Preparation:
Pick,wash and soak the lentils in water for about 30 minutes.

Puree together onion,ginger and garlic adding very little or no water to a fine paste.

Heat the oil/butter/nitter kibbeh in a deep dish pan,and add the spice powders of Paprika,turmeric and chilli powder(cayenne pepper). Saute till the raw smell goes.This takes just seconds and you can switch off gas while doing this so that the powders are not burned.

Once this is done,add the onion-ginger-garlic paste and cook it stirring for a few minutes till the raw smell goes.

Add the lentils to the pan along with little ,salt,pepper and water/stock as needed to cook them.Bring to a boil,reduce to low and let it simmer till the lentils are thouroughly cooked usually 15-20 minutes.Keep on adding water/stock as needed to prevent them from burning out and continue cooking till your required gravy consistency is reached.

Serve hot with your choice of bread or even as a soup.




Hearty Ethiopian dal,well that what I felt,can be even enjoyed as itself as a soup.This is just one version of the dish as a google check revealed the addition of tomato puree in some versions.If interested do add 1/2-1 tbsp of tomato paste to the above version along with lentils for a tangy taste.Red Lentils is known as masoor dal as well.Also paprika can be replaced with deggi mirch powder in India or any mild chilli powder.If made with split peas or peas parippu then the mesir wat comes to be known as shiro wat.

Anyway the mesir wat is on way to AWED:African Cuisine,an event by DK and currently hosted by PJ.The dish also travels to MLLA#22 at Ruchika Cooks, an even by the WellSeasoned Susan.


Monday, April 12, 2010

Weekend Wokking: Tofu

Weekend Wokking is a delightful event by Wandering Chopsticks in which we celebrate several different ways in which an ingredient can be cooked.Every month a secret ingredient is chosen and foodies world wide can comeup with awesome ways in which you can cook that ingredient.

The secret ingredient this month is TOFU,chosen by the previous hostess at Javaholic.Do check the previous themes and round ups here. All this month,the foodies are required to cook dishes in which Tofu has the starring role and is the main ingredient. The rules are:


  1. Entries for Weekend Wokking must be written specifically for the event, and the posts cannot be submitted to other food blog events. Exceptions include entries that are also submitted in photo contests.


  2. Entries are encouraged to be original recipes created by the submitter, but if you made someone else's recipe, please include a link to that person's recipe. You are allowed to revisit your recipes, provided that the photos and post are new and created specifically for the event.

  3. Submissions must include the words Weekend Wokking and a link back to this post. Submissions must include a link to the round-up's host -ME


  4. One recipe per entry, one entry per person please

  5. Send me your entries by May 2,2010 to my id "tastycurryleaf@gmail.com" with Weekend Wokking as the subject along with

Your name or what name you would prefer to be called

The name of your blog

What part of the world you want identified as your residence

The title of the recipe

A permalink URL to the recipe

Expecting several amazing TOFU dishes .....

Friday, April 9, 2010

Vegan Buckwheat Crȇpes with Strawberry Coulis

Crȇpe is a type of thin pancake belonging to French cuisine and usually made from flour,eggs, butter,milk and salt. The word is derived from the Latin 'crispa' meaining curled.The crepes can be served with a variety of fillings -sweet as well as savoury and generally belong to two categories -crêpes sucrées or the sweet ones with sugar in the batter or galettes or crêpes salées which do not have sugar and are traditionally made with the gluten free buckwheat flour.

I have just made basic crepes referencing the recipe of David Lebovitz who gives the authentic buckwheat crepe recipe in his restaurant as well the crepe recipe in 'Complete Vegan Kitchen' by Jannequin Bennett. The recipe in the book had around 1 tbsp of potato flour that acts as a binder as well since eggs are not used.I adapted mine from both.

Ingredients:
All Purpose Flour: 1/2 cup
Buckwheat Flour: 1/2 cup
Salt: 1/2 tsp
Potato Flour or Instant Potato flakes: 5 tsp

Soy Milk: 1-1and 1/4 cup
Water: 6 tbsp +
Vegetable Oil: 2 tbsp

Vegan Margarine/Shortening/oil/oil spray: for greasing the pan (optional)

Preparation:
In a big bowl,mix together the flours and salt.Add oil,6 tbsp of water and 1/2 cup of soy milk.Mix well removing lumps adding more soy milk as needed to obtain a smooth batter.I needed total 1 cup for this.

Chill the batter overnight or atleast 30 minutes.

Gluten free flours tend to give heavy end results or crepes in this case.Chilling the batter will allow the particles to swell absorbing the liquid and the resulting crepes will be lighter.So chilling for atleast 30 minutes is amust.Normally the crepes derive the structure from the gluten in the flour,milk,fat and the eggs added.Since these items are avoided/reduced here or replaced by their vegan counterparts we need to do something to the batter so that it will hold its shape while being cooked.This is the information that I have got while googling for vegan crepes and since the crepes came out quite nicely or just as they are supposed to be, I suppose they may be right.I chilled the batter for about 2 hours.

Take out the chilled batter and let it come to room temperature.Add more liquid if needed.The batter will be very thick or the consistency of thick cream.I had to add about 1-2 tbsp of additional water and 4 tbsp+ of soy milk to get the pouring consistency.

Heat a pancake pan,apply cooking spray to it or melt margaring/horteninh on it.As the fat sizzles,ladle spoonful around 2-4 tbsp of batter on it.Tilt the pan so that the batter spreads out in a circular fashion or you can even use a spatula to spread it like dosa.But tilt is the traditional way.

Cook the crepe till the edges start browning about 30-40 seconds and then flip on to the next side and cook it for another 20-30 seconds.
The stages from batter to plate is shown as ....


Serve warm with your choice of accompaniments.I served it with strawberry coulis.

Strawberry Coulis:
A Coulis is a strained sauce made from fruits or vegetables.I have adapted the simple recipe from here.

Strawberries: few hulled and chopped
Powdered Sugar: as per taste
Lemon Juice: a small squeeze

Blend together all the ingredients and strain it.Adjust the sweetness and optionally spice it with your choice of spices and serve.



The crepes are going to be a part of Priya's Pancake Event and both the coulis and crepes are on way to Its a Vegan World :French,an event by Vaishali and currently hosted by Graziana .

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Spaghetti al Burro

Fettucine Alfredo is a simple yet classic dish made with fettucine pasta and Alfredo sauce.Now alfredo sauce is nothing but a mix of butter and parmesan cheese.In Italy,this dish is known as pasta al burro or pasta with butter. It was popularised in US by chef Alfredo di Lelio who attached his name to the pasta which came to be called pasta alfredo or to be exact fettucine alfredo as it is excellent with fresh fettucine pasta and traditionally made so. You can know more about this dish from Wiki.

There are several version of this dish some with cream and butter and parmesan while some go for a sauce made from butter,milk,cornstarch/flour as thickeners etc.As per wiki the original recipe in the MSNBC site has just butter and parmesan cheese and quite easy to make.I was a bit sceptical whether it was authentic and I found Simona of Briciole's recipe and was confident to make my own version with spaghetti pasta. There is nothing to the dish just mix the ingredients and enjoy.

Ingredients:
Spaghetti: 1/3 rd of the packet

Butter: 2 tbsp+
Parmesan Cheese : 2tbsp

Preparation:
In a bowl mix together butter and grated parmesan cheese.The butter should preferably be at room temperature otherwise also it works.Also I must say that my parmesan cheese is powdered and not the fresh one.So I added more butter to get a sauce though if you try this do so with fresh parmesan.

Meanwhile boil the pasta in salted water till al dente.Take out the pasta with a ladle and put in in the bowl with butter and cheese and stir well.The heat from the pasta will melt the cheese and butter and a smooth rich sauce will be formed which can be made more liquidy or thin with the addition of little pasta water.Serve in bowl as such or garnished with pepper or your choice of spices and herbs or topped with grilled/roasted/steamed veggies.I served it as such.




Simple,delicious and buttery.I hope Sowmya accepts my version of pasta al burro for Cooking with Pasta


Welcome to TastyCurryLeaf Greek Taverna

The AWED :Greek conducted here whole of March presents a simple round up with delectable vegetarian and vegan dishes. These are presented in 4 courses and I hope you enjoy the menu.

Mezze -
Meze or Mezzethes is the collective name of small dishes which are more than appetisers.These are served with wine or ouzo and can generally range from snack to light meals and includes dips,sauces,small sandwiches,etc.

  1. Kolokythakia Tiganitas from PJ or crunchy zucchini battered in flour and soda water and deep fried to perfection

  2. Tzatziki from Cooking Foodie -a classic Greek Dip made using thick Greek Yoghurt,cucumber and dill -perfect coolant

  3. Spanakopita starters from Sumathy -Filo rolls with spinach and feta cheese filling baked and presented as a filling starter.

  4. Greek Sauce from Niloufer a delicious sauce made with cucumber and yoghurt and she also sends

  5. Greek sandwich -made with falafel,olives ,tahini and greek sauce rolled in Pita bread Hearty indeed

  6. Bourou bourou from yours truly - a simple veg and pasta soup from Corfu
Simply Salads


  1. Pantzaria Salata from Priya - Chilled Beet & Garlic salad perfect for summer and can be made quickly

  2. Corn and Olive Salad from Marina -hearty and filling salad made from black olives,corn and white beans with salty feta this is simple and filling


Sensational Sides



  1. Fasolia gigantes me plaki stou fourno from Ivy - a hearty dish made from lima beans baked in tomato sauce,this is a staple in almost all the Greek taverna and must not be missed.

  2. Patates stou fourno from DK -the Chief Chef of Awed has baked lemony and garlicky potatoes thats another staple side in the tavernas or if you ask me this mouthwatering dish can be served even on its own.

  3. Greek roasted potatoes from Priya Mitharwal is a perfect dish as a side or stuffing or snack or whatever way you like it and from what I read is definitely kid friendly.

  4. Arakas me Anitho from Yours truly is simply sensational dilled peas with bell peppers and a perfect side or as itself.

Tantalizing Mains




  1. Kritariki me Fakkes by Peter Minakis -a hearty combination of orzo pasta and lentils this is the dish perfect for lent and or any season comfort food as per me.
  2. Whole grain Spanakopita Pie from Yasmeen - made from scratch using whole wheat flour rather than the easier filo sheets and filled with lots of healthy greens and low fat feta this is heaven and is guilt free main course.

  3. Spankopita Pie from Nisha Thomas - never a great fan of Greek cuisine,she fell in love with this and made from the tradiotional filo and spinach-feta filling this has become a regular in her brunch sessions and I suppose she may be trying other Greek recipes as well :D

  4. Vegetarian Moussaka from Swathy- A classic three layer dish of eggplant,meat and bechamel sauce she used a combo of potatoes,mushrooms and zuchhini replacing the meat layer and reduce the amount of cheese to make it less in calories but definitely hearty and filling and more tasty.A time consuming preparation but hearty and a must try.

  5. Vegetarian Moussaka from Cooking foodie - A tasty twist on the classic dish this one has eggplant,potato and zucchini and the meat layer is replaced with split yellow lentils which makes the dish more more hearty and filling.

  6. Greek Macaroni and Cheese from Lisa -A Greek touch to the tasty mac and cheese makes it more hearty.Made from a combination of cheeses like Gruyere and feta along with fresh spinach and kalamata olives this is an excellent main course.

  7. Couscous Salad from Nayna -she fell in love with it whilst on a holiday in Greece and later tried at home.A hearty and simple and filling salad made with couscous,cucumber,bell peppers,etc this is another dish that can be put together easily.

  8. Spanakorizo-Greek Spinach Rice from Yours Truly - a hearty rice dish made with long grain rice and fresh spinach,dill and parsley this is mouthwatering and filling.

  9. Lagana-Greek Flatbread for Lent from Yours Truly - the finest of Greek breads attempted here and though amateurish the bread was hearty.


Delicious Desserts



  1. Revani-Greek Semolina Cake with Syrup from Priya - A rich semolina cake which is soaked in lemony sugar syrup and is perfect with a cuppa or post lunch dessert.

  2. Loukomades- Greek Honey Puffs from Priya -a deep fried pastry drizzled with honey or served with sugar syrup this is a gastronomers delight. I can't wait to try this out

  3. Galaktoboureko-Greek Custard filled phyllo pastry from Priya - A milk or custard pie this has buttered phyllo/filo layered in a pan stuffed with a rich custard made with semolina,eggs and sugar flavoured with orange or lemon and baked -a rich lipsmacking dish indeed.

  4. Halva Moraitikos-Greek style Semolina Halva from Yourstruly -a fuss free dessert made from semolina,butter,sugar and water spiced with cinnamon and baked studded with almonds.


Complete Platter

Kalyani of Adiruchi celebrates Greek cuisine with a delectable platter having Pita bread,Hummus, baba ghaoush and Mujjadara. Greek was her favourite cuisine but when she found she has not cooked much Greek she went ahead and gave us a complete feast.

The taverna has 17 chefs who has ready a total of 29 dishes what more do you need to enjoy one of the finest cuisines of the world.Hearty Thanks to all the contributors and do let me know if I has missed anyone or given a wrong link.

Do stop by at AWED: African Cuisine all this April after a hearty Greek feast
Hope you enjoy heartily from this simple taverna with a delectable hearty menu.Kali Orexi!

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Chilled Garlic Soup

This is a simple soup that I have tried from the book 'Under the Tuscan Sun'.The easiest one was Basil -Mint Sorbet.This one also belongs to the summer recipes and is a simple fuss free recipe that comes together quickly.

Ingredients:
Garlic Cloves: 17+

Olive oil: 2 tsp
Onion: 1 medium chopped finely
Potatoes: 1 medium

Water/Stock: 1 cup +

Red Chilli Flakes (optional)
Thyme : fresh or fried
Salt
Pepper

Preparation:
Use as many garlic cloves as you like and leave them whole.Cook the potatoes and peel and cube them.Finely chop the onions.


Heat olive oil in a pan,add onions and saute till transluscent.Add garlic and on low heat cook them for a few minutes.Make sure they do not get browned as the soup may turn bitter.Add the stock,cubed potatoes,little salt,pepper,chilli flakes(optional,its my addition and not in the original recipe) and thyme and bring to a boil.Reduce the heat to low and then let it cook for around 15 minutes till the flavours blend .

Remove from heat and cool slightly.Blend in a blender to a fine paste and return to heat.Warm through adding more stock/water as needed to adjust the consistency.Adjust the seasonings and serve in bowls with your choice of accompaniments.I served it with Cheddar crisps.



The first taste was like just an ordinary soup with no extra special taste of garlic.I was wondering about it as I had added around 17 cloves of garlic.Then I decided to chill the soup as per the recipe and again reluctanlty tried it the next day again with fresh crisps. The taste was great and obviously garlicky. May be the flavours intensified as the time passed.But still if you are a garlicky person add more garlic as you like.I like garlic but do not overuse it.I want it to be hidden in a dish just adding its flavour to the overall dish and it was the first time I had used as much as 17 cloves.

Anyway the soup is onway to Weekend Wokking: Garlic,hosted at Javaholic,an event by Wandering Chopsticks.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Cheddar Crisps

"Can you Keep a Secret ? " by Sophie Kinsella follows the same manner of her shopaholic series. I can assure you that you won't keep the book down.Even if you turn pages with a derision for such books you just cannot ignore the book.Well,I loved it.It is not a serious life changing book but simply a timepass book with revenge,love,dreams etc and while reading through we get a 'deja vu' feeling if you have read the shopaholic series but its a laugh riot and we feel refreshed which is a must for any book.

The book tells us about Emma Corrigan who is an assistant marketing executive and wants to make it big in the Panther Corporation -or rather a Marketing Executive in the company.She wants to stick to the job as she wants her family to know that she is not a disappointment or one who leaves things half done or loses interest midway and simply drifts through life.She wants to prove a point to her cousin who being orphan has been her family's pet.She has several such small disappointments and fears which she has not told anyone including her best friend.But on a flight -she is scared of flying - she pours her heart out to a stranger during turbulence and what do you know next ? He's her Boss or rather the owner of her company !!.Well, read the book to know more,its my secret. :D

As for food references there were odd example of crisps and quiches and roasted nuts (which were very expensive) and coffee.One of the complaints /secret she had was the office coffee tasted yuck.And the first thing the owner did was change the vending machine.I wish I had such a boss (well,its not a secret anymore that I gave up working along time back,but whats in a wish?)



Anyway I went for the easiest one the cheese crisps or rather the Cheddar Cheese crisps.No flour,no mixing or buttering,just grate and bake and eat.

Ingredients:
Cheddar Cheese :grated 1 cup
Pepper: optional as per taste

Preparation:
Grate the cheese in a bowl .

Take a rounded table spoon of cheese and place it in a parchment lined baking sheet.Spread with our fingers into a thin circle. Repeat with the remaining cheese and leave a gap of few inches between each round as it will expand on baking.
Sprinkle with pepper on these rounds if required.Else you can leave it plain or add other spices intead of pepper.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350F for 4 minutes onwards till the cheese rounds start browning.Take it out of the oven let it cool on the baking sheet and then slowly with a pancake turner peel them off the parchment and onto a paper towel.

Serve them with dips or with soups.I served it with chilled garlic soup.


The exact time depends on the oven and how thin you have made the rounds.Start with just 4 to 6 crisps so that you can get an idea of the baking time.The crisps harden as they cool so leave them in the baking sheet itself.
Lets see what other have cooked for Emma and Sophie?

Thanks for visiting my Blog

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