"Potato Masala" Quesadillas

Yes this is one of those "Fusion" Cuisine entries....but it was also totally 'Fixing' Cuisine. I had 'Potato Masala' leftovers from a 'Masala Dosa' lunch...and I had few Spinach tortillas in the pantry....and most important ....hungry tummies in need of something quick!!
This was perfect ...Quick Fix snack/ lunch/ dinner dish...made in few minutes and tastes awesome!

The Potato masala, cheese and the Hot and Sweet sauce make a perfect combination to make your mouth water!!

Ingredients:
4 Large Spinach tortillas
1/2 Cup Shredded cheese
1/4 cup chopped raw onions
4tbsp Maggie Hot and Sweet  Sauce
1tsp oil

For Potato Masala (Like the Bhaji from Masala Dosa)
1cup boiled potato-chopped
1/2 onion sliced
2 green chil1es
1/2tsp ginger garlic paste
few curry leaves
turmeric
1/2 tsp cumin and mustard seeds
salt
2tsp oil

 Method:
1) Heat 2tsp oil, add the mustard and cumin.Let it splutter.Add curry leaves and onions.Fry till golden.
2) Add the turmeric, green chilies, ginger garlic paste and mix.Add the boiled potato, salt and mix.
3) Heat a flat nonstick skillet. On the tortilla, spread the hot and sweet sauce, the potato masala, raw chopped onions and cheese. Fold the Tortilla into semi circle.
4) Toast on low flame on both sides with little oil till slightly crispy and golden brown.
5) Serve hot along with more sauce/ chutney!

'Green Pepper and Feta cheese' Spicy "Caterpillar" rolls

"Caterpillar rolls"......don't they look sort of caterpillars? Well I don't know..what else would you call this shape?

I had seen someone make these and post pictures on the forum I follow on facebook...'ChefatLarge'. I thought the idea was really cool ...the way you shape this dough...and couldn't wait to try it out.
I had some 'biscuit dough' in the refrigerator.I used it to make these "cheesy spicy caterpillar rolls'.
Ingredients:
1  can biscuit dough
Cooking oil spray
2tsp  olive oil
flour for rolling dough

Filling:
1/2 cup chopped Green pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup feta cheese
1/3 cup mozzarella+ cheddar cheese shredded
1/2tsp red pepper flakes
1/4tsp black ground pepper
salt

Method:
1) Separate the biscuit rounds from the can.
2) Mix together the green pepper,onion,cheeses and other ingredients.No need to cook..they will cook in the oven when the rolls bake.
3) Pre heat the oven to 400F
4) Roll out the dough into circle, place a spoonful filling at the top end. Fold the top side upto the center

5) To the bottom half of the dough, cut into strips
(In the pic below, the upper half is yet to be folded )

6) Drape the strips around the folded upper part of the dough

7) Place on greased cookie sheet ( sprayed with oil spray)
8) Drizzle with olive oil and bake at 400F till golden..about 10-12 mins.
9) Serve hot along with Maggie hot and sweet sauce.

The Sizzle From a Guest Kitchen: (Shruti Sanas-Jadhav) ::Cheese Cake with Strawberry Sauce

A Sizzle From a Guest Kitchen:
A section in the blog wherein, I connect with my friends and fellow foodies through their recipes and their kitchen!
Today a dear friend - Shruti, who now lives far away, and I cannot visit her, shares her 'star' recipe with me. Like you would remember your moms kitchen with the amazing 'aromas',the special aromas of the 'weekend' meals,your grandmas 'spicy stuffed eggplants' ......I recollect a friend's kitchen with their certain 'special dishes'. I remember the aroma of  a Spicy Chicken Curry, The Best Chicken Biryani ever and many more from Shruti's Kitchen!!
Today she shares : Cheese Cake with Strawberry Sauce

 Here is the recipe Shruti send me:
Here is my version of cheese cake, as the normal cheese cake recipe needs almost 5 packs of cream cheese , I have tried with one pack. Sufficient for 3-4 people unless u r making for a party. :)) njoy.
Cheese cake with strawberry sauce
Ingredients:
Cream cheese - 1 (8ounce) pack
Egg - 1
Sour cream - 1/4 cup
All purpose flour - 2 tbsp
Graham Cracker - 10
Butter - 2 tbsp
Sugar - 1/4 cup
Vanilla - 1 tsp
sugar - 1 tbsp for crust
Salt - pinch
Lemon juice - 1 tsp

Method :
Preheat the oven at 325 F
In a 7 inch spring form pan grease it with butter and put it aside. Now grind the graham cracker to form crumbs. mix in the melted butter and 1 tbsp sugar. Now put this mixture in the pan and press it with hand or bowl.
In a big bowl, take cream cheese and mix the sugar, beat it for 1 min. Now add the egg, sour cream, flour, vanilla, lemon juice, salt and mix just until combined. Do not over mix.
Pour this mixture in the pan and bake for 40 mins.
After baking the cheese cake will be slightly giggly in center and light brown on border. This is perfect. Cool the cake for 6 hours before serving. Pour the chilled strawberry sauce for added flavor n taste.
Strawberry sauce recipe:
Fresh strawberries - 500 gm
Sugar - 1/4 cup
Salt- pinch
Corn flour - 1 tbsp
Cut the strawberries in quarter.
Mix everything in a saucepan and heat this mixture for 10 minutes until sauce is juicy and thick. Cool it before chilling. And serve with any dessert of your choice.

"Appetizers"- Spinach-Cheese Swirls

How many times have you actually read the 'Recipe Ideas' which are printed on the carton when you buy something? For me atleast...not many times.I am pretty much decided what I want to cook before I open... or sometimes... even before I buy the ingredient.So very few times have I actually read a recipe and saved it.This one is.... one of those few times!
I was looking for a 'appetizer' recipe for a dinner party at my house.We had invited our friends and their parents visiting from India.Now, I did not want to make the same old typical appetizers...pakodas,vadas,samosas etc especially because I wanted to make something 'new' for my friends parents.So while searching for a 'novel' appetizer....I came across this recipe...Where???.....In my freezer! Hahaha!
I had some Pepperidge Farm puff pastry in my freezer.Just before making my weekend brunch favorite 'Veggie puffs' ,I happened to look at this recipe on the back of the box.And Tadah!!!!! I had the appetizer recipe idea for the dinner party the next week! Everyone devoured it and none was left over after the party!
Here is the recipe from Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Carton: (I modified it a little bit to suite our taste and for my convenience)
Ingredients:
1 Puff pastry sheet
1 bag Spinach,cooked and well drained OR Use frozen-thawed and well drained
3/4 cup Pepper jack cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 onion chopped
1/2 tsp garlic paste
1/4tsp Black pepper
1tsp oil
1 egg
1tbsp water
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
Salt to taste

Method:
1) Thaw Puff pastry sheet as per packet instructions and preheat oven to 400F
2) Heat 1tsp oil, add garlic paste stir.Add chopped onions and fry for 2 mins.Add the cooked, well drained spinach,salt and fry for 2 more mins.Let it cool.
3) Beat 1 egg and mix 1tsp water - use for brushing puff pastry
4) Add the cheeses,red pepper flakes,black pepper to the Spinach mixture and mix well.
4)Unfold puff pastry on lightly floured surface.Brush with egg mixture.Top with spinach and cheese mixture.Spread evenly.
5) Starting at the short side closest to you,roll like a jelly roll.Cut horizontally into 20 slices.
6) Place slices,cut side down on baking sheet ( sprayed with cooking spray).Brush with egg mixture.
7) Bake for 15 mins or until golden brown.
8) Serve warm with Ketchup/Hot chili sauce.

I actually made the rolls and slices the day before the party and froze them on a baking sheet in the freezer.On the day of the party,half hour before I wanted to serve it,I just popped them in the oven and ....Voila! We had our delicious Spinach Cheese Swirls!

"Around the World in 30 Weekends" -Weekend 1-France

Dish name: Spinach and mushrooms ‘Quiche’

Though Tokyo and London has unseated Paris as the world’s culinary capital, for all practical purposes, ‘French cuisine’ is still considered as the ultimate cuisine.
What better place could I start my culinary journey of ‘Around the world in 30 weekends’ other than France?
I decided to make ‘Quiche’. In French cuisine, a quiche is a baked dish that is based on a custard made from eggs and milk or cream in a pastry crust. Other ingredients such as cooked chopped meat, vegetables, or cheese are often added to the egg mixture before the quiche is baked. Quiche is generally an open pie (i.e. does not contain a pastry covering), but may include an arrangement of tomato slices or pastry off-cuts for a decorative finish. Quiche can be eaten warm but is more commonly eaten cold, making it a suitable component of the food served in a typical summer picnic.

I have baked quiches several times before and this one is my favorite vegetable combo. It is a great way to get kids to eat vegetables and eggs. ‘E’ loves to eat this quiche with ….what else???…Ketchup! Its ‘M’s favorite dish too. Whenever we go grocery shopping to Wegmans, he wants to pick one up from the eatery section. I always promise him to bake one myself .....yes..I do!

So here we go to France…

Ingredients:
1 Ready to bake frozen pie crust
6 eggs
1 bag baby spinach finely chopped
1&1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
¾ cup pepper jack cheese
½ cup mozzarella/cheddar cheese
1tbsp whole milk/heavy cream
½ tsp red pepper flakes
1/8tsp black pepper
1tsp olive oil
Salt to taste
Method:
1) Preheat oven to 375
2) Bake the empty pie crust for about 8 mins.
3) Heat 1tsp olive oil; add the finely chopped spinach and 1/2 of the mushrooms. Saute for 3-5 mins. Add salt, black pepper. Turn down the heat. Keep the pan in slanting position to drain all the excess liquid. Gently press the vegetables and get out all the excess liquid. This can be used in soup later.
3) Whisk 6 eggs and milk. Add the cooked vegetables and half of the pepper jack and cheddar cheese.
4) Pour into the half baked pie crust, top with remaining cheese, red pepper flakes, arrange remaining mushrooms in circles and bake for about 45-50 mins till the eggs set and top turns golden brown.
5) Cut into wedges and serve (with Ketchup if you like!)