5 Must See Recipes For The Week

It's been a breezy week and before I have known it, the week has gone by. Cooked up some nice wings on the weekend and managed to play golf on Sunday, which is an achievement, considering the last 4 weekends that have been lost to laziness and rain.
The food blog world has been exploding with newer blogs getting added and some interesting recipes finding their way into the cyberspace. Though what pains me the most is the fact that I still run into a lot of the normal fare and I still struggle to find some experimentation. I should not really be pointing fingers when this very blog also dishes out regular fare most of the time. This week's selection features mostly classics, one of which I like immensely since I first tried it 10 years back.

1. Ratatouille - Yes! you heard it right. It was the name of a very famous animated movie of recent times. It's a French stewed vegetable dish that originated in Nice. It's full name is ratatouille nicoise. It's a perfect summertime dish, though I prefer to make it anytime. Also, I tend to use much more courgettes than aubergines. It's simple to make and is a good and tasty lunch option.

2. Red Curry Chicken with Vegetables - A much more thicker version of the traditional thai dish. Also it uses more vegetables than you'll find in any other red curry chicken preparation. More spoonful for every spoon is the moral of this recipe.

3. Zucchini and Squash Frittata - For beginners Frittata is an Italian Omelet. I love Frittata's and love to try them out whenever I can. I totally agree with Lydia and would recommend finishing under a broiler or salamander rather than flipping it on stovetop, but the more adventurous can still try it out. For the meat lovers, try adding a few chunks of ham to the mix.

4. Cinnamon Muffins with Pineapple and Mascarpone - I salute the creativity in this recipe. Stuffing pineapple and mascarpone is a great idea and maybe adding chocolate will add more sin quotient to this healthy treat.

5. Pesto Chicken Sandwich with Caramelized Onions and Havarti - Great idea for sunday dinner. The kids will surely love it. The pesto chicken is a fantastic idea and adds a new dimension to the meal.

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5 Must See Recipes For The Week

My weekdays are really becoming extremely busy and I do not have much time to squeeze out. There are so many recipes that I have tried out but haven't found the time to post. There are many more that I have checked out on other blogs, and I cannot get around to try them. Thankfully I tried out the BBQ chicken 'Bama style last weekend and it turned out real yummy.
This week has again got an amazing collection. Must say bloggers around the world are getting more and more adventurous.

1. Stuffed Baby Eggplant - Though Red Bell Pepper is mentioned as optional, I would make it mandatory. Really makes the dish more appealing. An easy to make dish and blends the varied ingredients well. I would also add in some crushed black pepper or paprika for the extra bite.

2. Citrus Fish with Bell Pepper Couscous - If its from Rachel Ray, it has to be good. I have followed her programs regularly and am more than impressed. I have tried citrus fish before (my own version) and it turned out good. An absolute stunner for a hot afternoon. Add some vodka to the marinade.

3. Pickled Mushrooms - Easy to make side dish. I would rather try it out as a filling for a wrap.

4. Spicy Szechuan Green Beans - I have never taken to green beans, but this recipe makes me want to try it out. Just the right blend of ingredients and the marriage of shrimp, beef and greens makes it a winner.

5. Dutch Baby Pancakes with Vanilla Apricot Sauce - I have never made baby pancakes, and going by the photos, they look absolutely delicious. I will try them out with Peaches and probably even strawberries.

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5 Must See Recipes For The Week

It was a nasty weekend. It started pouring on Friday evening and didn't stop till Sunday. What followed in between was total chaos. A lot of areas in the city got waterlogged and flooded. Roads got blocked and almost everyone waited for the rains to stop. Finally yesterday was a relief. No rain, a fleeting glimpse of the sun and life back to normal. One of the reasons I could not post my weekly five in time and was busy ensuring work at office goes on as usual.

This week's selection has been totally exotic. Apart from some usual fare the rest are really out of this world and totally different.

1. Spicy Date Chutney - Sweet, spicy and a little tangy...an explosion of flavors ...excellent for a dip with some fritters and cheese sticks.

2. Eggplant Parmesan - Easy to make, great to look and wonderful to eat plus light on the stomach. A great accompaniment to some pasta or a nice go-along with a soup meal. If you don't want to top it with pesto try some salsa.

3. Barbecued Chicken 'Bama Style - I love barbecued chicken and this is a very different recipe. Horseradish makes for a great addition. I have 2 bottles lying in my kitchen shelf and now I know what to do with it. Next on the list, also adding a little wasabi and seeing the difference.

4. Guava Sorbet - Sorbets are back in fashion. I wonder why in the first place did they disappear. This is a fantastic recipe for sorbet utilizing sorbets and guess what it does not use an ice-cream maker. I have been seriously thinking of making sorbets but since I do not have an ice-cream maker, I put it off till now..until now. Coco's post should encourage everyone to try making it, and yes! do not let the weather hold you back. Try adding some crushed cloves to it while you are making it.

5. Dampfnudeln - To be honest, I heard the name the first time when I saw this post. What made me more curious was the way it had been described and the photos. It is a great thing to try out and wow! everyone at home. Get creative with the sauces. :)

Addendum - In all the rain related I forgot that this was my 100th post. It feels GREAT to have made a century. This blog has sure come a long way from when it began.

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5 Must See Recipes For The Week

I have been under the weather for the past few days and believe you me it's quite a bother. With the monsoons finally arriving ( better late than never) and the weather inviting you to stay outdoors...curbing your instinct to party and roam outside and stay indoors was quite a nuisance. Today also happens to be my fathers birthday. He's in Gurgaon and we had to make do with telephonic greetings and celebrations. Last year we were there to celebrate it with him but could not make it this time. He has been the first guy I have seen cook and I guess it was that exposure that make me take to the ladle and pan with ease. Even today, he wakes up early ( he has always been an early riser) and does the mis-en-place before my mom wakes up. She needless to say hates it because then she has to cook whatever he has done the pre-preparation for. A good way to ensure you eat what you want.

1. Pickled Okra - Good recipe to have your crispy faves all round the year. The dill does impart some great flavor to the okras.

2. Pork Chops - The life of a great bbq party. Neat recipe making it look too simple. The key is to know when they are done. Wish had clubbed the recipe of some applesauce along :)

3. Oregano Olive Chicken - I made some Olive chicken a few months back and loved it. This one goes a step forward and adds capers and oregano to it. The aroma is gonna blow you away and stay in the house for some time making everyone feel hungry.

4. Nigel Slater's 24-Carat Brownie - The photos have started the chocolate craving already. It looks absolutely delicious looking just perfectly moist. I hate dry brownies and sometimes the gooey ones can make a mess. No nuts have been added in ( I love it!). Will suggest adding a little rum to it. Overall, this is a great recipe.

5. Classic Pound Cake - We have always had pound cakes in our kitchen. usually, its the variety that we get from the grocery store or local baker. They make a good treat for kids at home and also a good substitute for your sugar craving, This easy to make recipe sets you to bake your own.

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5 Must See Recipes For The Week

It's been raining since last night, and I have had to cancel my round of golf today. To add to it, I had promised my lovely better half that I would help her out with some house cleaning today. As it turns out, it happens to be a perfect day to spend in bed and I think she'll have a tough time to get me out of it and cleaning the junk which I call my studio. The whole idea of having my own place (studio) was that I could keep it anyways I wanted to.

1. Whiskey Sour - If you ask me what this simple recipe is doing on this post, my answer is ...there are still many who haven't discovered this wonderful drink. A piece of caution: go easy on this! You wouldn't realize when you are blanked out.

2. Gumbo - For starters Gumbo is a hearty soup or stew that originated in Louisiana and is traditionally served over rice. I had gumbo a few years back in Texas and I have been a convert since then. This recipe is fantastic and is a must try for all.

3. Chicken with Olives and Apricots - A taste of Algeria with some amazing photos of the dish alongwith an excellently written post that just absorbs you and transports you there as if all this was happening in front of you. I have tried matching apricots with chicken before in a Biryani and have also had the parsi dish of Salli Zardaloo murgi. It'll be nice to check this one out.

4. Chai Chocolate Sorbet - Sorbets are back in vogue and so is mixing and matching. Chai or tea has been a much experimented medium for sorbets. We have the green tea sorbets, Earl grey and Pear sorbet and now this. What amazing about this dish is that it is uncomplicated and exotic enough.

5. Watermelon Ginger Punch - Summers are gone, although we haven't had much rain this season in our area( apart from yesterday and today), so it still makes it summers for us :)
Nice punch with a neat kick to it. Though the author recommends not using fresh ginger in large quantities, if you are the ginger ale type, go ahead and indulge. I would infact add a bottle of Ginger ale to it.

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5 Must See Recipes For The Week

Had a horrid round of golf, which can only be termed as forgettable. The weird part was that during the last 4 holes even my pitching wedge failed me. Usually I pride myself for my pitching wedge. I have got almost 200 yards with it and when my golf buddies tee off on a par 3 with an 8-iron I use my pitching wedge. Nevermind, better luck next weekend.
Now golf is like cooking, it requires patience, sticking to the basics mostly, absolute concentration and you have your days. If it's not your day, you can try something as easy as making lemonade and yet goof up!This week's selection is fantastic. I'm sure all those who posted these are the masters of the game :). The must see for this week is as follows:

1. Sweet Potato Wedges - Now I'm not a typical sweet potato fan, but looking at the photos, I'm all set to give it a try. Kevin also finds his way back to this list again. His choice of dishes and his photography can anyone go hungry.

2. Smoked Chicken with curried stuffing - Wow! look at the balancing of flavors in this one. This is just the dish you were looking for to impress your friends on the BBQ. The wide flavors ranging from sweet to mild spicy make it a meal in itself.

3.Two toned Melon Gazpacho - I'm not a soup guy! But the only time I end up having a soup is when someone offers me a gazpacho. The coolness of the soup and the mild flavors just set me off to explore more on the table. Now I've only had a normal tomato based gazpacho, but this one is good.

4. Papa Al Pomodoro - So soups are the flavor of this week. Coming close to the heels of the gazpacho is the tomato and bread soup ( the translation). I like the choice of rock salt to this one and the herbs are so nicely blended, complimenting the soup rather than overpowering it.

5. Heston Blumenthal's popping-candy chocolate cake - What a way to finish this list. An absolute show stealer. I love popping candy and would love to try this one out. Actually will want to see the look on my sons face when he eats a slice.

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5 Must See Recipes For The Week

I'm late again this week. We lost our Dog this Saturday and I haven't been in the mood for the past 2 days to post anything. It was indeed a sad day for all of us. Snuff ( his name) had been a part of the Bhaskar family for 14 years,9 months and 25 days and I still cannot get over it. The whole episode just strengthened my resolve not to get another pet home. The lifespan is too short and the attachment too great. I dedicate this post to him.

Snuff U will be missed !

1. Green Mango Salad with Macadamia Nuts - Spicy, tangy, crunchy ...varied flavors exploding in your mouth. Perfect to have while you can still lay your hands on some green mangoes.

2. Potatoes Gratin - The classic ...no reason needed to have this one. I make it with one exception, a hint of garlic and chili flakes.

3. Rice Ice Cream - Wow! Never knew this existed. A must try for all those who are a sucker for novelty experiments. Read the comments too...nice suggestions given.

4. Cream Cheese Wontons - Nice variation. All of you like me who have a problem finding Wildfire spice, can do with a little ingenuity, like I always do. Who knows, we might create a new signature masterpiece. Personally, I'll make my own desifire spice by mixing some lemongrass, green peppercorns, aniseed and curry powder. As far as the bush tomato chutney goes, I'll substitute the bush tomatoes with some green ones and sun dried ones.

5. Stuffed Eggplants, Peppers & Tomatoes - My wife would absolutely dig this. Just look at the variety it'll add to your table. Vegetarians, substitute the ground beef/lamb with mushrooms and other veggies. Farida ...u truly rock!

As a footnote I leave you with a great blog that my dear friend Harry writes. It has some great home remedies for prickly situations and issues. A must see and add to your favorites to visit time and again when u get caught in those situations.

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5 Must See Recipes For The Week

Finally on target for this week's selection. It's been fun exploring some real killer recipes that really worked up my appetite. Infact, in between one of the recipe search sessions I had to leave and go to the closest subway to pick up a footlong. This week's fab five must see and must try are:

1. Hot Dog with a twist - Lore correctly points out that Hot Dog is most closely associated dish with the US. I love the hot dogs in the US. Even the ones that I had in UK and other European countries could not match up to the ones from US. This is great recipe. Frankfurters wrapped up in a Puff Pastry with caraway flavoring should really be fun and tasty. Go easy on the mustard though :)

2. Chicken and Zucchini Brochetas - Great idea when u got guests coming over. Would recommend some Chipotle sauce in the marinade.

3. Tandoori Tofu Kebabs - Great variation with Tofu. Would be great on their own. I though, have another variation in mind. Make a wrap with them. Make the Kebabs and arrange in a roti alongwith some shredded lettuce, Mayo mixed with Mint Chutney and some chopped onion and tomato. Voila!

4. Chocolate-Banana Wontons - Amazing idea to wrap up a Chinese meal rather than the usual Lychee's with ice-cream fare at home.

5. Black Forest Ice Cream Cake - The piece de resistance. A tasty mouth watering blend of chocolate and cherry ice creams with chocolate cake and vanilla cream. Need I say more!!!

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5 Must See Recipes For The Week

One of the reasons that I have been late in posting the 5 must see recipes this time has been the intermittent net connection which has been troubling me. Finally I'm up and alive on the cyber space and it is such a relief to be floating online. Without wasting any more time, these are the must recipes for last week:

White Peach Gelato - A perfect way to bid goodbye to summers and do it while we can. This is going to be a great dessert, fruity, creamy and very light. As the author points out, replace the water with milk for making it more creamy.

Fried Chicken - A very simple way to make southern fried chicken. Franks Sauce has been known to work wonders and I always use it to make chicken wings. The only close substitute would be Anchor Bar's sauce. Add in a dash of curry powder to get that little kick.

Onion Dip - Great dip for parties. I have always wanted a recipe to make this. Finally I have it and its not too difficult. You can also use to stuff this into some backed jacket potatoes and sprinkle some ham on top. Yum!

Chicken Curry - Rather than putting it as another chicken curry, I would say chicken curry with a difference. Very, very unlike an Indian chicken curry recipe. And that too a little mild for a curry and a little creamy. Add in some ginger and red chili powder, if you want to make it more spicy. Worth a try as it is.

Seasoned Potato Wedges - Great for a poolside barbeque (alongside your lamb chops) or a last minute snack when some friends drop in. You can even match them with the onion dip on top.

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5 Must See Recipes for the Week

Another week gone by, another selection of recipes. The week has been a mixed one. I managed to catch a movie in between ( actually had seen half of it and watched the other half this week). The movie in question was Lucky number Slevin and it was a good movie. I would recommend it highly. Starring stalwarts like Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, Ben Kingsley and few known names like Josh Hartnett, Lucy Liu and Stanley Tucci it had some good moments especially the ending. Looking forward to completing the rest of the movies I have had on my must see list and which are gathering dust on my shelf, notably, Pedro Almodovar's 'What Have I done to deserve this' which is the next on my see list. I am still waiting for the latest from Sam Rockwell who happens to be one of my favorites and yes! Farhan Akhtar's Rock On.
My two posts last week were fairly controversial and they elicited a wide range of emotions from all those who did comment. I loved it, and would really want to do it again. Watch out for me trying to ruffle some more feathers.
Work has been demanding and exciting both. Home front is much the same as work. Thinking of doing some justice to my other hobbies as well now that everyone in the household is busy with their lives.
My weekly selection this time is a little different. It's in the form of a menu that you can cook up or take your pick and only cook the ones you want to :)

Chilled Asparagus Soup

(Thick, creamy and healthy. You can use a vegetable stock instead of the chicken broth. Asparagus are really cool and once you get hooked to them...this by the way is one way to do it....you can experiment with them)

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Lamb Keftas with mint yogurt

(After a nice chilled conti soup, transport yourself to some spicy morrocan affair. The mint yogurt will cut the mild spiciness.) Serve with some nice peas pulao. Veggies can substitute Paneer (Ricotta) in place of Lamb.

Mustard Chive Mashed Potatoes

Slow Roasted Plum Tomatoes

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Copycat Cheesecake Factory Oreo Cheesecake

( Regulars on the blog know my obsession with cheesecake and nothing better than this one. The original is heavenly. If this one even comes close to it, it'll be a winner).

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Hope you like this selection for the week. Also, check this post on how to taste Olive Oil.

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5 Must see recipes for the week

You must say of late there have been only roundups on this blog. It's true. Work has been ensuring I do not get the time to post anything else. Home front hasn't been kind either with the better half starting her new job and my elder son's school starting. Not to forget my broadband that has not been working for the last one week. Finally had to ask my sweet wife, if I could use her laptop and post this one.
Here I go with this week's collections with a promise that there will be more of my usual stuff apart from this very soon.

1. French Onion Soup - Very classical indeed. Incase you are planning to throw a nice continental dinner for friends. This is a great soup for the soup course. The recipe listed is simple and the soup looks inviting. The secret as the author says is a good stock and nothing like a beef stock to give that perfect flavor. I have personally tried it out with different stocks, but beef stock is best.

2. Red Wine & Tomato Lamb Stew - Truthfully, the photo reminded me of Roganjosh.But this is tasty, healthy and full of flavor. A good combination of lamb, wine and chickpeas. I would ahead a little curry powder to get that bite and work up a sweat.

3. Meatballs : This is a great concoction cooked up by Melissa. The use of Harissa is sure to set tongues on fire. Made some Harissa for myself last month and it was fiery. If you are making Harissa yourself be sure to add Carum.

4. Napa Cabbage & Pork Steamed Bun ( Choy Yoke Pau) - Have always wanted to know how to make steamed chinese buns, till I hit jackpot with this recipe. You can use mutton mince or chicken mince if you don't want Pork.

5. White Chocolate Mousse with Green Lemon - A perfect way to round of the weekly selection. A delicate dessert that is easy to make. I must say I was a little confused on the green lemon part though. Please add in some rind of green lemons into the mixture.

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5 Must see recipes for the week

Last week has been dog crazy with the Cab operators strike almost paralyzing the offices in the city. Hardly found the time to post anything with just spending most of the time running around to ensure work goes on as smoothly as possible.
So, without wasting any more time, here are the 5 must see for the week. Now I could not miss this for anything, could I ?

1. Tea Sauce - Scouting around for some recipes involving the use of tea, I came across this recipe. Fairly versatile and can be used for marinades and as a dipping sauce. Would go excellently with some Drums of heaven or maybe use it for your chicken wings next time.

2. Rose Tea Rice Pudding - Now this has got exotic smeared all over it. It looks great esp. the rose buds and must taste good too. I'm trying to get my hands on some rose tea, so the next time someone travels to China, I know what to get myself, and yes! after sampling the tea on its own, this is what I'll try out. I guess, I'll use regular milk instead of soy milk.

3. South American Fishcakes - An amazing fishcake recipe by the master of the kitchen himself. I've always loved watching Jamie Oliver because of his connect and his ability to take the simple and make it look so exotic ( yet simple to make). This one is a damn good variation that I'm bookmarking for my next bash. I'll also throw in some cilantro and bell pepper to this.

4. Banana Lemongrass & Coconut soup - This is a great site with some great recipes and insights into different chefs. All the dishes were great be it Tuna Tartare to inspiration ( a delicate blend of chocolate and sea salt). I chose this one because it was a great combination of so many tastes, cuisines and ingredients one never thought could be married together in one dish and that too a soup. Prepared by Chef Ashley James at the Gardens at Four Seasons, this one is a real winner.

5. Puritan's Pride - A great refreshing non alcoholic mocktail. Must try for those sunday afternoon parties ( that's unless you are having beer :D). The cranberries, ginger and cider would be a whacko combo. Saving up for my wife.

Parting Notes :

A great article on testing meat for doneness and another one on the right way to shell peas. Surprisingly, bought back old memories from college. I still follow the same guidelines as in these articles and as I was taught decades ago (only 1 ).

Note:
One whole week without awards is killing me. Actually thanks to all you readers guess I'm a little spoilt by now :) ...though the bloggers choice awards option is still open. All you need to do is click the link and search by my blog name. :))

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5 Must See Recipes For The Week

Another week, another roundup and another set of awards. Thanks to Jayasree and Swati for passing on the below mentioned awards to me. The first one is the Nice Matters Award passed on by Jayasree.
“Nice Matters Award is for those bloggers who are nice people; good blog friends and those who inspire good feelings and inspiration. Also for those who are a positive influence on our blogging world.”

Thanks for the award Jayasree and I in turn pass it on to:
Diva
Arundati
Divya

My second one comes from Swati at Chatkhor. It is the Good Chat Blog award with all the ladies chatting in the pic. Per Swati they were talking about my blog. Swati, it is ironical, since the business I head deals with chat :)

I pass this on to:

Jayasree
Srivalli
Sangeeth
Arundathi

Ladies, Please accept these awards even if you have received them earlier.

With the season being of awards, and I being getting a few in the last few weeks, I now think I should unashamedly request every visitor on this site to go to blogger's choice award and vote for me :)

Leaving that aside and focusing on my weekly roundup, here are the 5 that I found a must try.

1. Cardamom Honey Baklava Ice Cream in Phyllo Cups - Amazing stuff, literally, very unique and the ice cream is a real scene stealer. For anyone who hasn't tried Baklava before, please have it first. After you get hooked onto it, then you can get to this one.

2. Creme Brulee - A classic for all occasions. Creme Brulee or Burnt cream in plain English is a custard dessert topped with a layer of hard caramel created by either burning sugar under a grill or by a blowtorch, and served in a ramekin. You can work with different flavors and add liqueurs to it. It's simple to make and yet elegant. Amy's dessert looks wonderful and elegant. It just made my resolve to get that Blowtorch that I have been postponing for so long.

3. Lettuce Soup - Absolutely brilliant. I have leftover Lettuce so many times and really am at my wits end on what to do with it. This is just great to have and use.

4. Pollo Alla Birra (Chicken in Lager) - I tried out the beer can chicken some years back on my grill in Cleveland and loved it ( actually the whole idea was thrilling enough). This one is another good one to try out. They say don't mix drinking and driving. I support it. But, Drinks in food ,...I support that too :)

5. Whole Wheat Sesame Noodles with Spicy Peanut Sauce - I love this dish, cos I love Rachel Ray's cooking. Whole wheat pasta is a healthy choice and coupling it with Peanut Sauce will make this dish out of the world. Call it my weakness for Peanut sauces and peanut butters and Snickers (wow). This is a great recipe when you are entertaining.

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5 Must See Recipes For The Week

I'm back with my weekly 5 selection. There's a spring in my voice ( now you can't hear it) and in my writing ... the reason I got my first award. Sangeeth of Art of Cooking Indian Food was kind enough to pass on the Yummy Food Blog Award to me. It's given to the blog with most Yummy Photos/recipes. Really felt good.

Four of my Favorite yummy Desserts that I have tasted are :

Strawberry Cheesecake Infact all cheesecakes ...baked, non-baked, any

Chocolate Mousse ( Still haven't found the recipe I've been looking for...the one they make in Sheraton ...try it out its heavenly)

Gajjar Ka Halwa (Esp. the one my mom cooks)

Poached Pears ( wow nothing like fruits being poached preferably pears and pineapples)

Gulab Jamuns / Jamun-E-Gul ( With Vanilla Ice Cream ...aah! Heaven)

I have to pass this on to four of my blogging friends who have yummy recipes. Here they are:

Srivalli of Cooking 4 All Seasons
Swati of Chatkhor
Arundathi of My Food Blog
Mansi of Fun and Food

Getting back to business, as this post now becomes a regular feature on my blog every week and I scout the web to bring out the five that really tempted me, let me ask you to forward me links of recipes that you felt should make it out here....will make my job a little easier.
The 5 must see recipes for this week are:

1. Red Wine and Mushroom Sauce for Beef - Ward Street Bistro is an amazing blog with some excellent step by step recipes. I chose this one, though the previous one, which showed us how to make a Press-in-the-pan pie crust was a foolproof recipe for all who dread to bake for the fear of failure. The sauce has good consistency, looks extremely smooth and tasty, the mushrooms are righly done, not too mashed up and will go very well with steaks, both beef and lamb.

2. Smoked Gouda and Onion Quesadilla - Since my wife fell in love with Taco Bells, Quesadilla's are once a month must have in our house. Sometimes, I find them in my tiffin at work (all that cheese makes you want a good nap). This was a great recipe. Easy to make, not many ingredients, though I would throw in either some freshly ground black pepper or chilli flakes to spice it up.

3. Ginger-Mint Lemonade - Great way to beat the summer heat. Second only to the quintessential summer favorite here...the aam panna ! I have tried it out and it was great. I also went ahead and added 2 drops of angostura bitters and some soda ....tasted great !!!

4. Kahlua Brownie - The photos are enough to make you go drool ! Just my kind of brownie ...none of those nuts...just chocolate :)

5. New England Clam Chowder - On my list of must haves all then time. Those of you who haven't tried it out...must. You'll be a convert for the rest of your life. I liked Andrea's recipe...very practical and almost like the one I got from one of my friends in Boston...who's a Chowder fan himself.

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5 Must See Recipes for the Week

After flirting with danger last week and coming out with the 5 must see recipes for the week, doubts of whether it will be a flash in the pan to how it will be received, I come out with the second edition this week.
Work has been crazy and health has been taking its toll on me...guess age is catching up. This week, again features my all time favs like cheesecake ( what would I do without them) to some asian food thrown in with good measure. Unlike the previous set which only consisted of the photo friendly desserts, I get a little adventurous this time.
1. Cilantro Chicken with Fresh Water Chestnuts and baby Bok Choy - A very different recipe and good use of chestnuts. I agree with the author on using fresh chestnuts and the note on handling them is excellent. The combination is killing and makes for a good dish. The use of spices in this stir fry will not be unusual for the Indian palate, but will still be welcome. Vegetarians, use cottage cheese cubes instead of chicken.

2. BBQ Tuna Steaks with Pretty Pomegranate & Corriander (With Winter Tabouli on the side) - The post tugs at the strings of your heart. Mother's Day has gone for this year, though for me it always remains round the year... every day of the year.
The marinade ingredients are very finely balanced, no complications or a whole load of ingredients to overpower the dish. Though I would have still gone ahead and added some ginger to it.

3. Honey and Roasted Garlic Baked Brie with Crispy Baguette - Cheesy, creamy and very unusual. Taken from a culinary portal, this one caught my eye. I was already conjuring up on how I am gonna do this one. I'm gonna go with also sprinkling a little Curry Powder on top before I bake it, and yes, lessen the honey to an extent.

4. Strawberry Cheesecake French Toast - This was an unusual use of the cheesecake and it got me into it right from the word go. Easy to make with photographs at each stage makes you wanna try it out. The final result might be a good combo of a cheesecakey ( I know I invented the word) hint with the good ol' french toast taste. It looks sinful and can be a great way to start your day ...provided you have the time to make it for breakfast.

5. Florida Pie - A nice crumbly pie to finish things off. How many times do we come across the use of coconut in a pie.
Caution: Be very attentive while working with Meringue. If possible after you have beaten the egg whites really well, pipe them over. The browning looks good on them.

I leave you all in the end with 3 more posts ...no recipes but informative ones on firstly how rice paper is made in vietnam, the second on how vietnamese bun is made and third, very importantly, on how to measure flour correctly. Happy reading, and Bon Apetit !

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5 Must See Recipes for the Week !

Now this has been going through my mind for a fairly long time and finally I decided to go and do it. Rather than have all visitors to this blog go through my adventures and misadventures of the culinary kind, also give them a once a week opportunity to come here and go through to see other blogs that they probably are missing out on. It's kinda me opening a window to the wider world ( and if its blog listed here, then showing you a mirror ... :-D)
The only glitch was
1. Time : I always blamed time or rather the lack of it, for not doing it. Will I be able to do it regularly, again and again, till blogosphere dries up. To hell with it, firstly there are enough sites that exist. Secondly, lemme atleast give it a try.
2. Criteria : What would be my criteria of judging the best 5? How many stars on different factors? Well, its my blog, I loved these recipes. They are just my opinion. I loved them and am sharing them with you. Also, I'm sure fellow bloggers are pretty forgiving. I can always refine as I go along.
So here I am, publishing my best 5 of this week that I stumbled upon. I'm sure plenty good ones exist, I'm oblivious to them right now. My sincerest apologies to all. Since most of my visitors come in from Taste of India, I've tried to move away from all blogs that list there. For we all, visit those ones. Most of my present 5 recipes are mostly sweet/baked fare. Cannot be helped, they are just picture perfect and I have a sweet tooth. The best 5 are in no particular order, so none of the five are No. 1 and in the same breath all are. :)

Chocolate Non-Bake Cheesecake with Gingerbiscuit Crust and Raspberry Coulis - I ventured onto Diva's site by mistake a few days back from another site. The wonderful photography and use of color struck me. This particular recipe is so easy to make, and is the best thing for summers. Plus, I (alongwith my wife) have this weakness for cheesecakes, me for making them and she for eating them. Hence, a cheesecake had to find its way in this list. The photos look great, especially, the bluebells add in the X-factor to the explosion of colors. The coulis has the correct thickness and the dessert overall is fairly light. This is a perfect dessert for a sunday lunch.

Chocolate cupcakes stuffed with strawberry chocolate ganache and frosted with chocolate glaze and buttercream - An amazingly large name for a small thing. Easy to make and a real crowd puller especially for the tiny tots. You can scroll down on the webpage for other exciting cupcake recipes.

Trifle - Aah! the ever familiar always in vogue trifle. So what if it started out as a Napoleon. So what if the heat wave never let it set fully. It must have tasted heavenly ...did I taste it...certainly no, but it looks inviting and makes me want to go and make some this weekend. So, Kate thinks the photos are awful. I think they look just good ...a little bit of the chocolate mousse dripping down has always looked good. And then there's the walnut brittle to go with it. A delicate blend of chocolate and coffee. If you have some small dessert cups ( glass ones dear), go with this, the layers will keep the audience spellbound and the chocolate and mocha will do the rest.

Tapenade - I have regularly checking out Kevin's blog and the quality of fare on the blog has been superb. Tapenade the latest addition is a pasty provencal dish from south of France and gets its name from Tapeno, the Provencal word for capers. The dish looks good and the Crostini on which it is served looks so perfect. A good starter for an evening with your drinking buddies. It's THE thing that I've put on my menu for Saturday night when I get together with my office crowd.

Monkey Bread - The name's unusual for this dish, and I stumbled upon it while I was not looking for it ( just as the blog author had). Jamaila, I haven't been living under a rock, but I've seriously never eaten one :) . This however looks inviting, more so the name looks even more inviting to give it a try one of these days. With my eldest son, up with his monkey antics throughout the day, should take to it lovingly. Minimal use of ingredients, this one is a sure thing for a quick breakfast that is filling as well.

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