Potato Rice for Lunch box (Aloo bhath)

Blogging Marathon# 66: Week 3/ Day 2

Theme: Kid's Delight -- Lunch Box Recipes

Dish: Potato Rice with Spice powder 
Both my kids love potatoes and can eat it every single day without getting bored. I'm the one getting bored to make them the same potato curry. So when I saw this recipe on a cooking show, I noted it down and made it for my kids.

This rice has crispy fried potatoes mixed with a homemade spice powder. The use of lentils (dals) in the powder adds some protein to the dish. Serve it with some yogurt for a filling meal.

Read more »

Bean Burrito with Potatoes

Blogging Marathon# 66: Week 3/ Day 1

Theme: Kid's Delight -- Lunch Box Recipes

Dish: Bean Burrito with Potatoes

We are starting a new week of blogging marathon today and my theme for this week is 'Kid friendly-Lunchbox dishes'. I am hosting Valli's Kid's Delight event this month with the same theme. Packing lunches for my kids is quite a task since they are quite picky and it gets really challenging to come up with dishes they would eat in school.

Both my kids have very different tastes. My son likes pasta, sandwiches or wraps to school whereas my daughter prefers rice with broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrot etc. With such varied tastes, it becomes so difficult to make something that both of them would enjoy. Luckily until last year, my little one was going to school only 3 days a week, but come September she will be going full time, which means packing lunch for both for the whole week.

Read more »

Announcing Kid's Delight~Lunch Box Recipes

I am hosting Valli's Kid's Delight event this month and the theme for this month is 'Lunch Box Recipes'. Cooking for my kid's lunch is one of the toughest things for me. I am always at a loss of ideas on what to pack for them. So I'm asking all of you to please share your kid approved lunch box ideas, so that packing lunch is not going to be a chore but a fun experience.
Any and all lunch ideas are welcome (only restriction being they have to be vegetarian -- eggs are allowed). Here's a few things you need to know:

• Cook any kid approved Lunch box dishes with and post in your blog between July 15~August 15, 2016.
• Link to this post and Valli's Kid's Delight announcement post is mandatory.
• Old posts need to be reposted with links to this post and Valli's Kid's Delight event announcement post.
• Do not have blog, but want to contribute, then email me your recipes to cookshideout@gmail.com. I will post them on my blog and include them in the round up.
• Multiple entries are allowed, in fact they are encouraged.
• Only Vegetarian dishes please, eggs are allowed.
• Use of logo is optional.

Here's how to send in your entries:

Email your entries to cookshideout@gmail.com before end of day August 15, 2016 with the following information:

• Your name
• Blog name/ Blog URL (if applicable)
• Entry Name
• Entry URL (if applicable)
• Include a brief description of the dish and how he/she enjoyed it
• I can take the pictures from your posts, but if you have disabled right clicking in your blog, please send me a picture of at least 580px wide. Non-bloggers please email me a picture along with your recipe details.

Looking forward to all your entries.

Chickpea flour Pizza with Pesto

Blogging Marathon# 66: Week 2/ Day 2

Theme: Pizza

Dish: Chickpea flour Pizza with Pesto

After yesterday's Instant pizza recipe, I have another instant pizza today too. This one's made with chickpea flour or besan. The crust tasted a lot of cheela to me, but instead of cooking on the stove top, the crust here is baked in the oven. Apparently this chickpea crepe is also associated to France where these are called Socca and are a popular street food usually served with frosty-cool rosé.

As I was looking for instant pizza bases, I found this Socca Pizza recipe on Cookie and Kate blog. The chickpea base in baked under the broiler until set -- so the longer it bakes, the more crispy and browned the pizza gets.

Read more »

Wheat flour Kuzhi Paniyaram

Blogging Marathon#65: Week 4/ Day 1

Theme: Bookmarked Recipes 

Dish: Wheat flour Kuzhi Paniyaram from Sandhya

We are starting the last week of blogging marathon today and my theme is 'Bookmarked Recipes'. This happens to be one of my favorite themes because it gives me a chance to try some of the recipes that I bookmarked. First up are these delicious Wheat flour Kuzhi Paniyaram from Sandhya.

Sandhya made these instant paniyaram for the mega marathon and they looked too good to pass up. So I bookmarked them and tried them right away. Paniyarams are usually made with leftover idli batter, but this instant version uses atta (or whole wheat flour) and doesn't need any fermenting.

Read more »

Easy Bananas Foster with Homemade caramel sauce

Blogging Marathon#65: Week 2/ Day 3

Theme: 1 Sauce -- 2 Dishes

Dish: Easy Bananas Foster with Homemade caramel sauce

For the final day of this week's marathon, I have a very simple and very delicious dessert with banana, caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream. It is called Bananas Foster and is a dish that was created in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Traditionally bananas are cooked in butter and sugar until browned and then alcohol (rum or banana liqueur) is added and ignited. This cooking process of adding alcohol to a hot pan and creating a burst of flame is called Flambé (which means flamed in French). This dish puts on quite a show when served this way. But today's recipe doesn't have any alcohol or the special effects in it.

Read more »

Chocolate Pudding Pops

Blogging Marathon#65: Week 2/ Day 2

Theme: Kid's Summer Vacation Recipes

Dish: Chocolate Pudding Pops

So for the final day of this week's blogging marathon, I have any sweet treat for the kids. The recipe for these Chocolate pudding pops is from Nupur's blog and I knew I would make them as soon as I saw her post.

Both my kids son love chocolate and these pops are perfect afternoon treat for a warm summer afternoon. They are very easy to make, make some chocolate pudding, pour into molds, freeze and serve.

Read more »

Lemonade Concentrate

Blogging Marathon#65: Week 2/ Day 2

Theme: Kid's Summer Vacation Recipes

Dish: Lemonade Concentrate

Whenever my son thinks he needs money to buy something from school, he asks if he can open a lemonade stand. My answer is always is 'go ahead, but don't ask me to make the lemonade'. He doesn't really get the concept that he has to spend money first to earn later.

But I wanted to make him lemonade anyway because my husband bought 2 huge bags of limes and lemons and as they say when life gives you lemons (and limes), make lemonade. Which is exactly what I did :-)

Read more »

Baked Maple Doughnuts

Blogging Marathon#65: Week 1/ Day 1
Theme: Recipes for Kid's Summer Vacation

Dish: Baked Maple Doughnuts

We are starting a brand new month of blogging marathon today and my theme for the first week is 'dishes you would make for kids during their summer vacation'. That's quite a long name for a theme :-) but that is how difficult it is to feed hungry kids when they are at home.

I asked my kids what they would like me to post for this week and they gave me a few options, so for the next 3 days I've 3 dishes that are kid friendly and approved by my kids.

Read more »

Vegan Rich Chocolate Mousse

Today I have a rich chocolate mousse recipe that is guilt free and sooo delicious. The secret ingredient in this mousse is soft silken tofu. I was initially skeptical about using tofu in a dessert because I've had some really bad experiences with tofu based desserts years ago and I have not gone back to it till now.

I saw this recipe in Vegetarian Times magazine and wanted to give it a second chance. I was pleasantly surprised how chocolaty and creamy this mousse turned out and there was no tell-tale sign of tofu. I made this last weekend to eat as a movie night treat and both my kids absolutely loved it.

Read more »

Afghan Cookies for #Food of the World

It seems like Super Tuesday today with 3 posts back to back. It's time for Food of the World monthly event and we are exploring the beautiful island country of New Zealand this month. I really had no clue what the food in New Zealand looks like. Even though it is one of the countries that I think I was very familiar -- blame it on the cricket matches I used to watch as a kid (they were quite a tough team to beat at the time).

So I googled and found out that New Zealand cuisine is largely based on local ingredients. Similar to it's neighboring country Australia, New Zealand cuisine is a diverse British based cuisine. Historical influences came from Maori culture, the indigenous polynesian people of NZ.

Read more »

Chocolate Ricotta Muffins

Blogging Marathon# 62: Week 1/ Day 3

Theme: Kid's Delight -- Chocolate

Dish: Chocolate Ricotta Muffins

Today's recipe was born out of necessity. I had another chocolate recipe planned for the third day of Kid's Delight -- Chocolate event being hosted by Kalyani, but the container of ricotta needed to be used up before anything. I landed on Joy of Baking recipe for these muffins and made them right away.

Ricotta cheese makes these muffins extra moist and gives them almost-cheesecake like texture. I used part-skim ricotta but the original recipe suggests using whole milk ricotta. I replaced all of the all-purpose flour with wholewheat pastry flour and even with that the muffins turned out soft, fluffy and moist. I subbed the eggs with some egg replacer powder (flaxseed meal will be a great alternate too).

Read more »

Individual Brownie Trifles

Today's dessert is probably the most simplest to make and doesn't even require a recipe. But I'm going to give you one anyway :-)

Read more »

Homemade Hot Cocoa (using Raw Cacao powder)

Blogging Marathon# 62: Week 1/ Day 1

Theme: Kid's Delight -- Chocolate

Dish: Hot Cocoa

We are starting a new edition of Blogging marathon today and my theme for this week is 'Kid friendly Chocolate dishes'. Kalyani is hosting this month's Kid's Delight event with this universally loved ingredient as the theme.

Read more »

Fudge Brownies for Valentines Day

Valentines day is just around the corner and these cute little fudge brownies are just perfect for the occasion. I saw the recipe in King Arthur Flour's newsletter and have been itching to bake them. 

Just in time my daughters school had Valentine's day party today and I signed up to make some brownies. These brownies need just one bowl (or a saucepan). Unsalted butter is melted first (either on the stove or in a microwave) and then sugar is added. The mixture is heated once again and this heating ensures more sugar to melt and gives the brownies a nice shiny crust. Once the sugar is melted, all the  other ingredients go in and then it's baked until done.

Read more »

Nutella Star Bread

Bake-a-thon 2015: Day 9

Bake of the Day: Nutella Star Bread

Star bread has been on my to-make list ever since I saw this beautiful loaf on Nalini's blog. Finally I got to make it for Bake-a-thon. Instead of Nalini's savory bread, I made a Nutella filling star bread and the whole family absolutely loved it.

I followed the recipe from King Arthur flour. The filling for this bread can be anything from cinnamon sugar to Nutella to even garlic and cheese. Since Nutella is one of my kids favorite I wanted to try it with that, but I'm definitely going to make the savory version sometime soon.

Read more »

Nutella Pretzel Nachos

Blogging Marathon# 59: Week 1/ Day 3

Theme: Bring on the Nachos

Dish: Nutella Pretzel Nachos

After 2 savory Nacho recipes, I have a quick and easy sweet nacho recipe today. Recipe is from Food Network and I knew right away that my kids will enjoy these. I wasn't wrong, they loved these nachos and even posed for the clicks.

This is a no bake recipe and all it needs is layering the ingredients and you are ready to enjoy in no time. Our favorite pretzel chips are these thin pretzel crisps, they are great to eat with some hummus and salsa and taste even better smothered in warm Nutella.

Read more »

Pizza Popcorn

Blogging Marathon# 57: Week 4/ Day 2

Theme: Kid's Delight -- Cooking with Whole grains

Dish: Pizza Popcorn

I'm running a little late to post for day 2 of this week's marathon. It has been a busy weekend with back to back Navratri dinners on Friday and Saturday, so couldn't find time to make this dish until today. Luckily I made the pizza spice mix couple of days ago, so all I had to do today was to pop the corn and mix with the spice blend.

Sending this over to Kalyani's Kid's Delight -- Cooking with Whole Grains (an event started by Valli). Popcorn is a whole grain food that is very low in calories and a good source of fiber. But those buttered or artificially flavored popcorn is not the way to go. It is best to pop your own corn and then flavor it as needed.

Read more »

Vegan Banana Rabanada (Brazilian French Toast)

Buffet on Table: Breakfasts across Countries

Day 18: Brazilian French Toast

Another week of mega marathon starts today and this week, we are going to explore the world of 'Breakfasts'. So for next 6 days you will be treated with delicious breakfast recipes from all around the world.

First stop is in Brazil and here's a Brazilian version of French toast. It is served around Christmas time. Recipe is from 'Vegan Brunch' cookbook and is made with bananas and cornstarch and no eggs.

Read more »

Cookies and Cream Ice Cream (Eggless Recipe)

Blogging Marathon# 55: Week 4/ Day 1

Theme: Bookmarked Recipes

Dish: Cookies & Cream Ice cream

My theme for the final week of this month's blogging marathon is 'Bookmarked Recipes'. Since it is almost the end of summer (sigh -- why does it have to end so soon!!!), I thought it is time to post the ice creams that I made during summer.

First up is 'Cookies & cream ice cream'. I read somewhere that 'Cookies & Cream' flavor is one of the most popular ice cream flavor and I told this little tidbit to my son. From that point on he started pestering me to make it for him (thanks to the summer vacation, he had too much free time on his hands to pester me).

Read more »