"Sunset" orange drink

The Sizzle From a Guest Kitchen:

Guest: Devashree Shende-Nampurkar

Doesn't it look like a beautiful sunset in a glass? The pretty hues of orange-yellow make it a perfect drink for any occasion. And let me tell you, this drink was as refreshing and tasty as it looks!!
The tangy orange juice with the bubbly soda, hint of mint leaves and the beautiful color of the grenadine syrup gives the drink it's unique taste and beautiful look.

Devashree,made this super easy and refreshing drink for a bunch of ladies, and guess what ..I was the first one to taste it! It was one of the most refreshing drinks I had especially after a long day at work and and hour long drive.

Here is Devashree's recipe as she describes it:

Ingredients:
Orange juice(medium pulp)
Sprite
salt
sugar
Grenadine syrup
fresh mint leaves
crushed ice

Method:
1) Mix Orange Juice(medium pulp), sugar, salt and mint leaves.
2) Add crushed ice in an empty transparent tall glass.
3) Fill the glass 3/4th with orange juice mixture, top with sprite.
4) Add a tbsp of grenadine syrup.Wait till the syrup settles down.

Serve chilled!

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.

"Treats for Diwali"- Baked "Bakarwadi" Karanji (Baked Karanji with 'Bakarwadi like filling)

Thanks for the 'Baked' Crust recipe Uma!!
My friend Uma Gabale, had made 'Baked Peas Karanji" for her daughters birthday. I had loved the texture of the Crust (even though baked,it was not hard or anything.It was nice and flaky/crumbly) .Since then, I wanted to try these out...with a variation.Instead of the 'Peas' filling..I stuffed it with "Bakarwadi" like Spicy -Tangy filling of Roasted Coconut, Sev, sesame seeds, tamarind and spices.!! I thought they will be a perfect Diwali or "Anytime" treat!

My Recipe for "Bakarwadi" Like Filling:

3/4 cup dry roasted grated coconut powder
1 tbsp roasted sesame seeds
1/2cup Thin sev
2tsp Goda masala (maharashtrian curry powder)
1/2tsp garam masala
1tsp tamarind concentrate(i used tamicon)
2tsp sugar (you can add more)
1tsp chili powder (depends on how spicy you want)
1/2tsp Cumin
1tsp oil
salt
1) Dry roast the coconut powder till golden.Keep aside.
 2)Heat the oil, add the cumin and sesame seeds,stir for few seconds.Add the rest  of the spices, roasted coconut,sev,tamarind,sugar etc.Mix. This is a dry filling (and so will increase the shelf life of the karanjis than any moist filling)

Here is Uma's recipe for the crust which she modified from :
http://www.aartipaarti.com/2009/11/04/aarti-paarti-ep-30-baked-samosas/

Ingredients:

for the crust: (Makes about 30 small karanjis)

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup buttermilk (the one you find in grocery stores)

salt to taste

1/2 tsp ajwain seeds

 

Method:

1. In a large mixing bowl/paraat, combine flours, oil, buttermilk, salt and ajwain seeds and mix them until the dough forms. Knead for at least five minutes, tightly cover and keep it sitting at room temperature for at least 15 minutes (I usually end up in keeping it for 2-4 hours before I make anything out of it).

If you don't want to buy buttermilk just for this purpose, then you can use plain yogurt ~ 2 tbsp per cup flour. To get the desired consistency of dough, use water while kneading.

The dough will be softer than that of chapati.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 deg F. Grease a baking sheet.

4. Knead the dough again (it keeps exuding oil while sitting :-) ). Make balls of the dough (as big as you would make for puris). Roll each ball into a puri (not too thin, not too thick). Put 1 tbsp filling in the middle and close the puri into the shape of a karanji(half moon shape). Cut the extra edges with pizza cutter/katane.Press the edges with a fork to get closed edges and pretty look!

5. Place each karanji into the greased baking sheet. After all karanjis are ready, place the baking sheet in the oven and bake. Check after ~8-10min and turn the karanjis once when they are baked from one side. Bake the other side too (takes less time ~ 5 min)

**(After I turned off the Oven, I put the Karanjis back in for another 5-8 mins..to crisp them up)

 

Spicy-Tangy "Bakarwadi" Karanjis are ready for your 'anytime snack'!!

"The Sizzle From a Guest Kitchen"- (Guest -Ananya Joshi) - Roasted Red Pepper and Garlic Hummus Crostini

It was 'House Warming" at A and A's new house and she had planned a perfect Mediterranean menu for the party! Among the appetizers was this 'Roasted Red Pepper and Roasted Garlic Hummus Crostini". The Grill toasted crunchy bread with the smooth flavorful hummus and fresh veggies on top...was just a perfect start to the Mediterranean meal!
I am not a Big Hummus person...but this hummus was so flavorful and delicious ..that anyone will go in for a second helping!!

 Recipe:
A mentioned that she got the recipe from this site and did slight modifications.
http://www.theperfectpantry.com/2011/03/recipe-for-roasted-red-pepper-and-garlic-hummus-crostini.html
Her additions:
In addition I also used siracha sauce. I garnished it with half cherry tomato and cucumber and drizzled some Mediterranean seasoning.

I loved every bite of this pretty-petite- delicious appetizer!!

" The Sizzle From a Guest Kitchen"- Guest: Pooja Shah(Recipe-Spinach Brown Rice and Kutchi Beer)

Taste of Columbus 1st Place Winner in "One Dish Meal" Category- Pooja Shah

Recipe: Spinach Brown Rice with Kutchi Beer

(Sorry...I don't have  a good picture of the Spinach Brown Rice)

I had loved Pooja's 'Kutchi Beer" recipe. The name got me interested and I looked it up on the net...why this 'Light Green, frothy, gingery, minty ...non alcoholic yogurt drink'...is called 'Beer'???? The fun fact is...this 'masala chaas' became so popular in Kutch region...that......the drink was sold in beer bottles...and hence called...KUTCHI BEER!!!!

Ingredients:
Spinach Brown Rice
1 cup brown basmati rice
1 cup chopped spinach fresh or frozen
1/2cup chopped cilantro
1tso cumin
1 clove garlic chopped
1 bay leaves
1 stick cinnamon
2 cloves
1/2tsp turmeric
1tsp garam masala powder
1tbsp butter/ghee
10-15 raisins
Roughly chopped cashews
salt
2 hot cups water

Method:
1) Wash rice 3-4 times. Soak in water for 30 mins.
2) Put the spinach in the blender and make smooth puree
3) Heat ghee, add cloves, bay leaves, cinnamon,cumin, garlic and saute'
4) Add cashews and raisins,turmeric,Pour the spinach puree and allow to boil for few seconds and then add garam masala.Mix well.
5) Add the washed rice , add hot water and allow the rice to cook. Let it sit for 30 mins before serving.


 Kutchi Beer

Ingredients:
1 Cup Greek yogurt (I used plain Dannon yogurt)
1 small green chili
small piece of ginger
few mint leaves
few cilantro leaves
1/4tsp cumin
1tsp sugar
1tsp lemon zest( I didn't add any)
salt
water

Method:
1) In a blender add green chili, mint, cilantro, ginger, cumin and make into smooth paste
2) Add yogurt,some water, salt, sugar and make into smooth consistency..like lassi just little thinner.Add lemon zest.
3) Allow to cool in refrigerator for some time.Garnish with mint/lemon. cilantro.
4) Enjoy this cool drink along with a meal or on it's own!

" The Sizzle From a Guest Kitchen"- (Guest-Dr.Sharvari Kolhatkar-Deshpande)- Hello Kitty Sandwich

DR.SHARVARI KOLHATKAR-DESHPANDE

Consulting Dietician and Naturopath

"Taste Of Columbus" Cooking Competition - 1st Place winner in the "Lunch box for Kids" category

Hello Kitty Sandwich-

Sharvari says:

Being a big time cat lover since childhood, I was always fascinated by HELLO KITTY. It’s a simple thing to make and nutritious.  Because of good presentation I believed that Kids will eat it with smile..:) There is always a scope to show your creativity in making meal for Kids. And I exactly did that...

Sharvari's Recipe:

 

Ingredients-

4 Whole wheat bread slices

2 tbsp Tomato, finely chopped

2 tbsp Onion , finely chopped

2 tbsp Capsicum , finely chopped

2 tbsp Whole green gram (sprouted)

1 tbsp grated mozzarella cheese

1-2 chopped curry leaves

A pinch of black pepper powder

Salt to taste

1 tsp olive oil

How to make it-

Cut the whole wheat bread slices in desired shape and size.

In a pan, take 1 tsp oil and heat it. Sauté onion, tomato, capsicum.

Add 1 tbsp grated mozzarella cheese in it and mix well.

Add curry leaves, black pepper powder and salt to taste and mix.

Take on slice of bread (which is already cut into desired shape) and spread the above mixture evenly on it.

Place the other slice of bread on it and press gently.

Give this sandwich in the lunch box with chutney or tomato sauce.

" The Sizzle from a Guest Kitchen"- (Guest- Ananya Joshi) Eggplant Pesto Burger)

Guest- Ananya Joshi
Recipe= Eggplant Pesto Burger

Ananya and I were neighbors since we moved to Columbus. Like they say "Like minds think alike"...many a times....we end up cooking similar meals. Co-incidently..we have cooked Sandwiches (of the same type....that too ...three colored!!!!), Misal Pav, Idlies etc on similar days!!! The other day..I made a  'Bean burger' for dinner and the very next day....Ananya sends me this picture and recipe of a Eggplant Pesto burger!!

Eggplant pesto burger!!! How good does that sound! I have never had a Eggplant burger before. I love Eggplant Curries, Bharit, Eggplant Parmesan...but hardly make it at home (Well, because....M is not a Eggplant lover). He hates the eggplant mushy texture when cooked in curries. I guess...He wouldn't mind a Eggplant burger....that too, so flavorful with the fresh Basil Walnut Pesto and the Maggie-Mayo(see the recipe below! )

I can't wait to try it myself!!!

Recipe-
Pesto:
1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup walnuts
2 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
1 green chili, minced
Combine the basil with the walnuts, pulse a few times in a food processor. Add chopped garlic, green chili, cheese and pulse it few more times while slowing adding olive oil. Add salt if needed.

Eggplant Patties:
1 whole eggplant, 1 inch diced
1 Tbs parsley (dried)
1 Tbs Oregano (dried)
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 tsp minced garlic
Handful of chopped coriander
Salt, red chili powder, cumin powder as per taste
Oil to shallow fry the patties
Saute eggplant on low heat till grey and very soft.Mix together eggplant and all the rest of the ingredients, except oil, let rest for ½ hour in refrigerator. Form Patties and cover them with corn meal/rava/bread crumbs. Shallow fry each side of patty for about 5 mins on medium heat.
Toast burger buns and assemble with cut onion, pattie, maggie-mayo (Maggie hot and sweet sauce and mayo mixed together) on one side and pesto on other side.