Mushroom Manchurian

Ingredients:
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For Marinade:
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5 tbsp Corn Flour
3 tbsp All-Purpose Flour
Button Mushrooms
1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
1 tsp Soy Sauce
oil for frying

For Sauteing:
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1 green chilli,finely chopped
1 tsp minced Garlic
1 inch thinly sliced Ginger
2 scallions chopped (separate white and green parts)
1/3 cup thinly shredded cabbage
1 tbsp Soy Sauce
1/2 tablespoon tomato-chili Sauce
1 tsp white vinegar
Salt & white Pepper
1/4 tsp sugar

Preparation:
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Thoroughly Clean mushrooms to remove any dirt. Cut in 4 pieces.

Mix the Marinade ingredients together by adding little water and combine the mushrooms completely coating with batter.Keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the Batter coated mushrooms.Strain and remove to a plate.

Heat a pan,Add about a tbsp of oil,Add minced garlic,sliced ginger,choped green chilli,white parts of scallions,shredded cabbage.Saute for a min.Add soy sauce.chilli-tomato sauce,vinegar and sugar.Add the fried mushrooms,toss to combine.Remove and garnish with chopped green parts of the scallions.

Serve with fried rice or as a starter.

Pastry Tarts

These Little quick bites are so easy to make in no time.Serve this as an appetizer or as a tea time snack.You can choose your own vegetables of your choice.

Ingredients:
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Pastry sheets
Vegetables of your choice(I used Plum Tomatoes,onion and green pepper)thinly sliced
Shredded Mozzrella cheese
EVOO(Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
Salt & Pepper

Method:
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Preheat oven to 475 degree F
Thaw the Pastry sheets in the refrigerator if frozen.

Toss the thinly sliced Vegetables with little EVOO.Season with salt and Pepper.Keep aside.

Stretch the dough slightly on a floured surface and cut into individual squares,then press down lightly with your fingertips to make a border.

Arrange the squares on a nonstick cookie sheet.

Fill the pressed-down centers with 2 tbsp cheese Then top with seasoned vegetables.

Bake until puffed, crisp and browned at the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove, transfer to a plate and serve warm.

Savory Crescent Rolls

These Crescent Savory rolls are so easy to bake and makes a great party starter.You can make a variety of fillings with these rolls.

Ingredients:
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1-pillsbury roll
cream cheese with onion and chives
Mozzarella or cheddar Cheese
freshly chopped parsley

Preparation:
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Preheat oven to 400 degree F.

Unroll 1 pillsbury crescent roll on a floured surface.Firmly press perforations to seal,forming one large rectangle.

Spread cream cheese liberally on the unrolled dough.

Sprinkle parsley and cheese over the top.Roll and cut into small rounds with the serated knife.Place the cut side down on a cookie sheet.Brush the top with egg wash.

Bake 12-15 minutes or until edges are golden brown.

Vegetable Lasagna

Ingredients:
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5 Lasagna Noodles
1 handful Spinach
1 cup sliced mushroom
Tomato sauce( i use Ragu 7 herbs )
white sauce(recipe below)
Roughly 2 cups grated Mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp italian seasonng
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1/4 cup onion
1 Loaf pan

Method:
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Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water.

For the White Sauce or Bechamel:
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Ingredients:
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2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
3 cups milk Heated
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions:
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In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, until blended, 1 minute.Add the bay leaf.
Gradually add the Heated milk, whisking constantly.
Reduce the heat to low and continue to whisk until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt,white pepper and Nutmeg.Discard the bay leaf and add parmesan cheese.Keep aside

Saute Vegetables:
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Heat a pan,Add EVOO,when hot add chopped garlic,onion,Mushroom and spinach.Saute for 2 mins.Add chopped parsley and italian seasoning.season with salt and pepper.Keep aside.

Lasgna Assembly:
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I use a loaf pan for making this recipe.Serves 2
Pour a thin layer of tomato mixture into the loaf pan.

Top with a layer of lasagna noodles placed side-by-side. Add a layer of sauted vegetables; sprinkle some of the mozzarella cheese over the vegetables.Top with a layer white sauce.

Add another layer of lasagna, more tomato sauce, another layer of Vegetables, mozzarella cheese, and white sauce; Continue building the lasagna, alternating layers of noodle, red sauce,Vegetables,cheese,white sauce until all the noodles are covered. End the lasagna on a layer of red sauce and top it off with the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 15 minutes until the noodles are tender and the cheese is melted and golden brown.

Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 15-20 minutes to let the lasagna set. Cut with serated knife.Serve.

Coconut Macaroon

These coconut macaroons tastes wonderfully chewy inside and crispy on the outside.They taste even more better the next day.Cool completely before you taste them.

Ingredients:
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14 oz Condensed Milk
14 oz Sweetened shredded coconut
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large egg whites(room temp)
1/4 tsp cream or tartar
Use Parchment Paper only

Preparation:
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Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Combine the coconut, condensed milk, and vanilla in a large bowl.

Whip the egg whites with an electric mixer until medium-firm peaks.

Carefully fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture.

Drop the batter onto sheet pans lined with parchment paper using either a 1 3/4-inch diameter ice cream scoop, or 2 tsp.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown.

Cool on wire racks.

Yields about 20

Grilled Chicken Taco

Ingredients:
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For Chicken Marinade:
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4-Chicken Breast(Grill Slices)
Salt & Pepper
1 tsp-Garlic Powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tbsp mixed herbs(i used fresh thyme and parsley)
1 freshly squeezed Lemon Juice or 1 tbsp vinegar
1 tbsp chili flakes
1/4 cup-Olive oil

Garnish:
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Avacado
Sour cream
shredded Ice berg lettuce or Cabbage
Pico De Gallo

For Southwest Pico De gallo:
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1 small Onion chopped
1 Jalapeno sedded and minced
1 small Tomato
few sprigs chopped Cilantro
1/4 cup Black Beans
1/4 cup Corn
1 freshly squeezed Lemon Juice
Salt & Pepper

Mix all the ingredients listed under Pico De Gallo and keep aside.

Preparation:
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Wash the chicken slices and pat dry.Add garlic powder,cumin,paprika,lemon juice,mixed herbs,chili flakes,salt,pepper and olive oil.Marinade atleast 2 hrs or overnight.

Heat the Grill ,Spray or Brush the grill with olive oil.Place the marinated grill slices and cook 4 mins per side until the chicken is lightly charred and cooked through.Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover with foil.Let sit for 5 mins.Cut the grill chicken into strips and serve with warmed corn tortilla.Top with with pico De Gallo,shreded lettuce,avacado and sour cream.

Breakfast Biscuits

Ingredients:
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3 cups all purpose flour
1-1/2 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
9 tbsp unsalted Butter cold or shortening ,cut into small pieces
1-1/4 cup cold milk
1 cup Cheddar Cheese(opt)
Extra Butter for Brushing the Top

Method:
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Preheat oven to 450°F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or use cooking spray on aluminium foil .

Whisk all the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. Add Butter or shortening and cut in with fork or cutter until the mixture resembles course crumbs to the size of a pea.Add Cheese which is optional and then Pour milk slowly working gently with a wooden spoon or spatula just until combined.Do not overmix which will make the biscuits tough.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gather into a ball Kneading the dough 2 or 3 times and pat out to 1/2 inch thick.

Cut the biscuits into rounds using a 2 or 2-1/2″ biscuit cutter.Pull the cutter straight down and up without twisting the cutter to get a fluffier Biscuits.

Place the Biscuits on the parchment-lined baking sheet.Brush the top with some melted butter and sprinkle one of your favorite herbs(opt).

Bake in Preheated oven for 10-12 mins until golden brown on top.

Yields: 1 dozen 2″ biscuits.