Bringing Indian Food Home

How many of you like Indian food out there? It seems to be very hit or miss, but in this household it is a very big hit! We love Indian food, and one of our favorite restaurants in the area is an Indian restaurant. We love it so much, we decided to try making it at home for a date night. It can get pretty expensive to eat it at a restaurant often, but the ingredients at home aren't so bad. For this particular meal we made a variety of recipes. We have chicken mukany, aloo gobi, naan, jasmine rice and dal. We usually wouldn't eat this much, but it was a date night and we wanted to go all out, then we had to try each dish so it looks like a lot.

We will start today with my personal favorite....Aloo Gobi! This is a tasty vegetarian dish made from cauliflower and potatoes. Pictured on the bottom left next to the naan and across from the rice if this seems completely foreign to you. I found this recipe on food.com!

Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
1 white onion, diced
1 head of cauliflower
3 potatoes
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
1 tsp ginger
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
2 tsp garam masala

Directions

Heat oil in an large pan. Add the onion and cumin to pan, stir until onions are golden. In the meantime, chop potatoes and cauliflower into large chunks. Then add turmeric and salt. Add tomatoes, ginger, and garlic and mix thoroughly. Then add the cauliflower and potatoes. Stir until fully coated in sauce.

Cover and simmer for 20 minutes for potatoes to fully cook. Then add garam masala. Let sit for awhile before serving, it really get the flavors mixed together.

This was a serious hit! I love aloo gobi and it's so easy to make at home :) Even the husband liked this veggie side dish!

My First Try At Homemade Bread

I know, I know. If you cook so much how on earth have you not tried bread before now? Well, let me clear this up. I have made bread. I've made some delicious zucchini bread, pumpkin bread, and any kind of bread with no yeast necessary, but I've always been so afraid of yeast! Silly, I know. Even sillier now that I know how easy it is to make bread on my own!! So, I tried making my very own sandwich bread, and let me tell you I hope I never have to go back to store bought. It is so tasty, easy, and so much less stuffed with words I can't pronounce that I can't imagine buying it again :) So, with that being said you should definitely try this out yourself!

I found this recipe on Pinterest from this Blog 

Here is how mine turned out:

SUPER TASTY!!! Also, it made two loaves, so that is even more exciting :)


Ingredients
3 cups luke warm water
1 packet instant rise yeast
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup oil
1 Tbsp salt
6-7 cups flour

Directions
To start, mix the water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. I let it sit about 10 minutes, if you use fast rise/instant yeast you probably don't need to let it sit, but I do anyway. Then add oil. Add all the dry ingredients together and mix until smooth.

Begin kneading dough until everything is well incorporated and smooth. If it feels too sticky, add a little more flour. The dough should be slightly sticky and should also pull away from the sides of the bowl. Then set in the oven covered with the light on until it rises to the top of the bowl.

Remove from oven, punch the dough down. Divide the dough into two loaf pans. Then let rise again until it reaches about an inch above the pans.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Let bake for 25 minutes until a nice golden color. Remove from oven, immediately remove from pans and place on cooling rack.

Eat when warm if you can bear to touch it ;) So tasty with some good whipped honey or jam! Yummo! Also, we used it as sandwich bread all week and it was such a hit with both myself and my husband all week long!

Have a great weekend!!!

Mushroom and Barley Risotto

OKAY!!! The Winner of the giveaway will close a little later today, so keep your eyes peeled for the results!!

I have yet another mushroom recipe. I hope you guys like mushrooms, I know they are a highly debated fungi :) Not always so popular, but I love them, and they are a great way to fill foods for vegetarians because they don't have many calories or fats or anything. Anyway, this recipe turned out really well! It's quite yummy if I may say so myself. I'm pairing it with some panko fried tofu, but really any protein or protein substitute would work well! Check out the original recipe at Brown Eyed Baker.

Ingredients

2 Tbl olive oil

1 white onion

8 oz mushrooms, sliced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 Tbl parsley

1 Tbl Thyme

1 cup barley

6 cups vegetable broth

1 Tbl butter

goat cheese to top

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Place saucepan over medium heat with olive oil. Slice onion and saute for approximately five minutes. Then add the mushrooms and let them cook until their juices are released. This takes about ten minutes. If the mushrooms stick, add a little water. I didn't have that problem, but it might depend on your cookware. Once the mushrooms are done, add the crushed garlic and herbs. Stir thoroughly and then add the barley and continue stirring. Add four cups of the broth and turn heat to high. Bring to a boil and continue boiling until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Then reduce heat to medium and add the remaining broth 1/2 cup at a time letting it absorb. One it is finished, add the butter and the cheese! Season with salt and pepper if desired.

Enjoy!

Mushroom and Leek Pizza

Today I tried another experiment with things I love, but Josh doesn't particularly enjoy. So, I made a creative Kara pizza! It turned out really yummy!

Ingredients
1 pizza crust
2 Tbl olvie oil
2 cloves garlic
1 leek
1 container mushrooms
1 Tbl pesto
2 oz goat cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese
3 fresh basil leaves

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. I used a premade pizza crust for my pizza, so it was pretty easy and quick to make. Cut mushrooms and leeks to desired pizza size. Chop garlic. Place a medium sized skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. Saute the leeks and garlic for approximately five minutes and then add mushrooms. While they are sauteing, spread pesto over the pizza crust. Then cut goat cheese into pieces and sprinkle on crust. Chop basil. When the mushrooms begin to become darker in color and appear juicier, add to the top of the pizza. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top, then the basil. Bake for approximately 10 minutes or until cheese is nicely melted. Remove from oven, cool, then cut and serve!




 

Homemade Fluffy Pretzels

Ok, when I found this recipe, I was sooo excited!! I love giant pretzels. There is something about them that is just so tasty! I especially like them with mustard, so when a friend of ours brought us some spicy mustard from their vacation, I knew it was time to finally try it! Josh doesn't like mustard, since he is gone I thought this would be a good time to try them. Plus, if they didn't turn out he'd never have to know about my mishap :)

Before we get to the goods...don't forget! We have a giveaway from Kara's Knits going on, and it ends on Saturday!! So get check out my first ever giveaway here!!!

Alright, here's some carb goodness! Makes 4 pretzels! Original recipe was for eight. You can find it at Fifteen Spatulas.

Ingredients
1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1 1/8 tsp instant yeast (half of a packet)
1/2 cup warm water

1/4 cup warm water
1/2 Tbl baking soda
salt for sprinkling pretzels
cooking spray for baking sheet
butter for spreading

Directions
Mix together all of the dough ingredients (the first list) in a large bowl with a spoon. Then knead the dough for approximately two minutes by hand. You can use a stand mixer, but mine is packed away until we move into a house :( Anyway, the dough should be soft, but not sticky. Sprinkle it with flour lightly and place in a bag to rise for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Remove dough from bag and place on baking mat. Cut into four pieces and let rest for five minutes. While waiting, make the baking soda wash. Mix together the warm water and baking soda and mix until mostly dissolved.

Roll each piece of dough into long ropes and shape into a pretzel! If you need help with that, I didn't take step by step pictures because I had to hurry a bit (had to go to work) but the original post does a great job showing how to do it, so check that out for help!

Once you have your pretzels, dip them into the baking soda mixture and place on your sprayed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and bake for approximately 8-9 minutes. Keep an eye on them though because ovens can vary. When nice and brown, remove from oven and spread butter on top while they are still hot. YUM!

I enjoyed mine with the mustard, but they were amazing by themselves too!

   

Peanut Butter Graham Cracker Treats

DONT FORGET!!! My giveaway is going on this week....check it out here :) Now, on to the goods!

My husband is gone this week on a missions trip. I am super excited for him and the youth group because I am sure it will be a great trip, but super sad that I am unable to go. The good part is that I cannot go because I got a job, the sad part is that I will be away from my amazing husband for the first time since we got married. I am missing him dearly already. To quell my longing heart, I decided to make something tasty for myself. I know that Josh is not thrilled by peanut butter like I am, so I'm taking advantage by making peanut butter graham cracker balls!! They are similar to buckeyes in a lot of ways, but also different :) Check it out!

Ingredients
1 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 cup crushed graham cracker
3 oz of chocolate bark
Topping of your choosing (I used crushed oreo and different types of sprinkles)

Directions
Mix together the peanut butter and crushed graham cracker until fairly dry. Roll into balls and place on a wax paper lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes. Using a double boiler, melt the chocolate and dip the chilled treats into the chocolate with a fork. Add any toppings! Chill and eat when completely dry! YUMMY!

I am keeping mine in the freezer so that I can just grab one from time to time when I want, but they won't go bad since I will be eating them by myself for the next few weeks until they are finally gone!

The original recipe can be found at Baby Gizmo.

    

Sweet Chili Lime Tofu

If you haven't eaten tofu, or even ever tried it...for shame! :) Especially if you are a vegetarian. Just kidding, but seriously it is worth a try. It doesn't actually taste like much, but if you can make a yummy sauce for it, it's tasty!

This is a block of tofu...pretty boring and gross...scroll down for the goodness :)

Dry saute the tofu

Add yummy sauce

Cook until sauce thickens

Enjoy!

Ingredients

1/2 block of tofu, firm or extra firm

3 Tbl soy sauce

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 clove garlic, crushed

3 Tbl sugar

1 Tbl lime juice

Directions
Cut tofu into preferred shape (I like triangles) and place into skillet over high heat. As you saute, press down firmly on tofu with spatula to let natural juices release. While it is cooking, mix together the soy sauce, sugar, red pepper flakes, lime juice, and garlic thoroughly. Pour mixture into the skillet and cook until sauce thickens. Then serve! We served this with tortilla chips and a fruit salad!

  

 

"Royal Red" Burger

My husband and I enjoy Red Robin from time to time. It's a really yummy burger place. Plus, they substitute all sandwiches with a boca patty AND unlimited fries...be still my heart! Anyway, my husband happens to enjoy this burger I find very odd called the "Royal Red" its a burger with a fried egg on it. It couldn't sound less appealing to me, BUT he loves it, and I've heard good things from others who have tried it, so I attempted my own version of such a thing. Check it out...

Ingredients
1/4 cup ground turkey (shh..don't tell my husband it's not beef)
1 egg
1 slice cheese (your choice)
1 bun (or 2 slices of bread if you're us)
ketchup
lettuce
any other burger toppings you fancy

Directions
Shape ground turkey into a patty shape and using a glass, punch out the middle of the patty and add to the edges of the burger. Place onto skillet and begin to brown. Crack egg into the middle of the burger and cook until cooked all the way through. Place on bun, add condiments and enjoy!

Finished burgers! Husband loooved them :)

Also, I'd just like to say that I am a big advocate of making things the way you like them! Get crazy and add other weird toppings, this blog is just a way to get our family favorites out there so that you can be inspired to create your own version, and hopefully, it's a hit for you too!!



 

Strawberry Yogurt Bread

If you're like me, strawberries (and all berries in general) scream summer! Now that the heat wave is over, baking is definitely back in full swing! Today I made strawberry yogurt bread...let's just say YUM! I'm a big fan of bread, and zucchini used to be my summer staple, but perhaps this is the new one! Anyway, this recipe involves some of my favorite things...greek yogurt, strawberries, and bread, what more could a girl want? I found the recipe here. I'll keep you from waiting and show you the goods...

Ingredients
2 sticks of butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 Tbl lemon juice
 2 1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
8 oz greek yogurt
12 oz strawberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream together the softened butter and sugar. Then add and mix in eggs one at a time. Stir in lemon juice. In a separate bowl mix together  2 1/4 cup flour, baking powder, and salt. Then slowly add in flour mixture and yogurt alternately. (I did 3 parts of flour and 2 parts of yogurt) In a small bowl mix together chopped strawberries and remaining 1/4 cup flour. Fold strawberry mixture into the batter. Pour the mixture into two separate, greased bread pans and bake for 1 hour.

Remove from oven, let cool, enjoy!

I'm pretty sure this bread would be amazing with any berry really :) The greek yogurt gives it so much moisture and goodness!

      

 

Stuffed Zucchini

We love zucchini, but I have to take a break from time to time because we need a change of pace. Well, we are finally back to a week of zucchini! Tonight I decided to try the stuffed zucchini on my Pinterest!

We changed, as usual, to our liking just a bit! So check out this yummy (and healthy) goodness!

Ingredients
2 zucchinis
1 tsp olive oil
1 small white onion
1/2 tomato, chopped
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder (or use one clove chopped garlic, will do next time!)
pinch of pepper
1 Tbl greek yogurt
Parmesan cheese to your liking

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut zucchini in half, lengthwise. Scrape out the middle of zucchini, leaving about 1/2 an inch of zucchini "wall" to create a type of boat. Place the insides of the zucchini in a separate bowl and mash.

Chop the onion and tomato. Place a skillet over medium heat and add olive oil and the chopped onion. Cook until lightly brown and add to the bowl with zucchini. Then add in tomato, thyme, salt, garlic powder, pepper, and greek yogurt. Stir until mixed well, and spoon into zucchini boats.

Sprinkle with cheese, place on a cooking sheet and put into the oven. Let cook for 20 minutes. Remove
from oven and enjoy!


I paired this with a caprese grilled cheese! Yummy pair :)