Bailey's Bread Pudding

Bread pudding has always been a part of my childhood. My grandmother made it for us when we were kids. It was pushed on the back burner in favor of other favorites for a while. I saw this recipe on Betty Crocker's blog while i was browsing for something else. Since i already had everything needed for it i decided to try it out. She doesn't mention Bailey's but since i had it on hand i added it anyway. 

Ingredients

2 cups milk

1/4 cup butter or margarine

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp Vanilla essence

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 cups soft bread cubes (about 6 slices bread)

1/2 cup raisins, if desired

1 cup or more, if desired, Bailey's Irish Creme

Directions

Heat oven to 180 degrees. In a saucepan, heat milk and butter over medium heat until butter is melted and milk is hot.

In large bowl, mix eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt. Stir in bread cubes and raisins. Stir in milk mixture. Pour into ungreased deep round pan. 

Bake uncovered for an hour and 20 mins ( check after 45 mins as the cooking time varies for each oven)or until knife inserted 1 inch from edge comes out clean. 

Serve warm or cold.

Baked Pasta in White Sauce with Veggies

My kid loves to eat pasta. Pasta Arrabiata is a routine in my house however this time i wanted to try something different. I do not like white sauce. I yet i decided to try a fairly simple recipe for dinner this week. From among my numerous bookmarked pasta recipes this is the one i thought i could follow without going worng. The recipe is from kidszone.sailusfood.com. I modifies it a bit and added more oregano and pepper than was mentioned as i did not want the bland taste of white sauce.The recipe is hers but the accolades were mine :).

Preparation: 30 mins

Serves 3-4 persons

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Ingredients:

2 cups boiled whole wheat pasta (penne or fusilli)

3/4 – 1 cup mixed vegetables (sliced or cubed and par boiled)

1 onion, finely chopped

2 crushed garlic flakes

2 tbsps grated cheese (I used Amul cheese cubes)

1 tbsp butter

3/4 tbsp maida/all purpose flour

1 onion, finely chopped

1/2 tsp mixed dried herbs or oregano 

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

1 cup low fat milk

salt to taste

1. Cook penne or fusilli in salted rapidly boiling water, add a tbsp of oil and cook until al dente, drain completely. Sprinkle a tbsp of olive oil and keep aside.

2. Heat butter in a vessel, add chopped onions and garlic saute till transparent.

3. Add the maida and saute for 2-3 mts. Add the par boiled vegetables and combine. Slowly add the milk and go on combining till it forms a creamy consistency. Add a tbsp of grated cheese, salt, mixed herbs and pepper to taste and combine. Add the cooked pasta and combine.

4. Remove onto a baking dish, sprinkle cheese and bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees C for 10-12 mts.

I served this with warm garlic bread. 

Baby Potatoes in Chunky Coriander Sauce

The husband is out of town and its just me and lil pumpkin at home so i decided to experiment a bit with my cooking. I read a lot of recipes across the internet for  potatoes with herbs and i really wanted to try them out. So i decided to make something that would suit my tastes and still be yummy enough for the kiddo to eat.

Ingredients

10 baby potatoes, boiled and peeled

Coriander/ parsley - 1 cup chopped roughly

4 -5 cloves of garlic

1 green chili

6-7 almonds/cashews/walnuts, whatever is at hand

Dried oregano - 1 tsp

Olive oil 2 tbsp

Processed cheese - 2 cubes

Method

Peel and cut the baby potatoes in half. In a pan, add 1 tbsp of olive oil and add the potatoes. Keep stirring to coat the potatoes with oil. In a blender combine the coriander, nuts, garlic chilli and the remaining olive oil and blend till the mixture turns 'not so chunky but not smooth'. I used a few almonds and a couple of cashews as i did not have walnuts at home. Mix the sauce with the potatoes and stir till the potatoes are properly coated. Add a cube or two of grated processed cheese as per your preference...i added 2 coz the kiddo loves anything with cheese. Season with salt and oregano and cover and cook for a few mins till the cheese melts. 

Stuffed Tomatoes in Yogurt Gravy

This is one dish that i make quite often on Sundays. I love potatoes and tomatoes extremely and i use them in a lot of other dishes of mine. This dish tops my'what to make when DH invites people over for dinner' list.
The recipe is from Monsoon Spice with a few alterations of my own.

Ingredients:

8 large Tomatoes

For Stuffing:

2 Potatoes, cooked and mashed

2 tbsp Cheese/Paneer, grated

1 large Onion, chopped finely

1 tsp Ginger Paste

1 tsp Chilli Paste

½ tsp Turmeric Powder

1 tsp Kitchen King Masala

½ tsp Red Chilli Powder

1 tbsp Coriander Leaves, finely chopped

1 tbsp Mint Leaves, finely chopped

Salt to taste

For Gravy:

1 medium Onion, finely chopped

1 tsp Jeera/Cumin Seeds

½ tsp Turmeric Powder

1 tsp Garam Masala

1 tsp Kitchen King Masala

½ tsp Coriander Powder

1 cup Fresh Yougurt

2 tbsp Ghee/Oil

Salt to taste

Method:

Remove the top of tomato by ½ inch using a small, sharp knife.

Spoon out the pulp inside using small spoon and reserve this pulp.

Combine all the ingredients for stuffing and mix well.

Make small balls of this mixture and stuff them into the tomatoes.

Place these stuffed tomatoes into non stick pan and cook with the lid on for 7-8 mins until they are cooked and slightly wrinkled.

In a mean while, chop the tomato pulp into small pieces.

Heat ghee/oil in a heavy bottomed pan.

To this add cumin seeds and sauté it till they starts spluttering.

Then add chopped onions and sauté them till they become soft.

Now add coriander powder, garam masala, kitchen king masala, turmeric powder, tomato pulp and salt.

Sauté them for another 2-3 minutes in a medium flame.

To this add yogurt and mix well.

Reduce the flame and arrange baked tomatoes.

Cover the lid and cook in low flame for another 5-6 minutes till the outer skin of tomatoes starts wrinkling.

Serve these stuffed tomatoes garnished with coriander leaves. 

Tastes delicious with rice or chapaties/roties.

Summer Salad

A handful of boiled peas,
a handful of boiled macaroni,
a handful of chopped coriander,
one cucumber, roughly chopped
one tomato, roughly chopped,
some thick curd and salt an pepper to taste. 

Yeild - A delicious summer salad. :).