Easy peesy squares...

'Rain, rain go away, come again another day'
The little children want to play...

But the rain refused to budge, and the children couldn't play. Now, what was that? Well, it was the annual fun day at the kids' school, which had to be cancelled due to soggy grounds. So, there were quite a few long and disappointed faces :-(...ah well, nature has it's own way, doesn't it ?

Now, I do love my snacks...recently, the urge has some what grown, and so has the waistline :-( But I still love to nibble :-P The following recipe grew out of such an urge. The best bit about it is how easy it is to put together...moreover the ingredients do give a slightly guiltless feeling.

The peanut buttter and puffed rice squares which follow...

include the remains of an assortment of seeds, dried fruits and nuts. Feel free to use your own favourite combination. These crunchy squares are an absolute delight...we all loved them. The kids had them as after school snacks as well and a couple found their way into Dinesh's lunch box. They would also form a nice breafkast bar on the move.

What's needed-

3 c of puffed rice/muri
1 C of seeds, chopped dried fruits and nuts( I used raisins, walnuts, almonds, cashews,cranberries, pistacchios; sesame, pumpkin and sunflower seeds)
1 and 1/4 C chunky peanut butter
5 tblsp of low fat blackstrap molasses

How to-

1. Line and grease an 8 inch square dish.
2. Mix together the puffed rice , seeds, dried fruits and nuts.
3. Mix together the peanut butter and molasses. Microwave for 2 minutes, stirring once in between.
4. Add the peanut butter mixture to the puffed rice mixture, and mix quickly using your hands ( be careful, it will be a little hot).
5. Transfer the mixture to the lined and greased dish and press it down as firmly as you can.
6. Cool completely ( placing the dish on a rack helps to speed up the cooling process), cut into squares/bars and enjoy.
   

There ! A delightful, crunchy snack, ready in minutes . As I have mentioned earlier, they can be had as a breakfast on the move...and if you have time to sit down, break a couple of bars in a bowl, pour some cold milk and enjoy ( did that today...superb!)

Enjoy and have a great weekend :-)

Update-
Dear Mansi wanted me to hand these easy and very tasty squares over to her event showcasing Healthy Cooking, and that's exactly what I'm doing. Now, why did I not find it out earlier. Well, at least, she found me :-P.

No more a rainbow...

It was Rengoni's last day as a Rainbow on Friday.

The Rainbow promise...'I promise that I will do my best to love my God and to be kind and helpful'.

Her group, was going to bid goodbye to her and two others. Rengoni has really enjoyed her time in the group, but as she was going to be seven next month, it was time for her to move on. As a gesture of appreciation for the wonderful time that she has had , I offered to bake some goodies for her to take and share with the rest of her mates, for her last meeting. I was invited, by her group leader, to stay back and I am really glad that I did so. It was a real pleasure to see all the little girls' faces, gleam with joy, as Rengoni and I handed round the goodies. I had baked enough, and the adult leaders tucked in too, with great enthusiasm.

I had baked chocolate cupcakes...

and iced, orange flavoured cookies.

Regarding the cupcakes, it was a very random recipe as I just eyeballed the ingredients...I did not see any screwed up faces or complaints as they all thanked me, ...and I was happy to have pulled it off...especially, taking into consideration, how honest and uninhibited children are, in giving opinions :-P They did come out very fluffy. But the cookies, yes, I will definitely share the recipe with all of you...

What's needed-

grated zest of one orange
1 C plain flour
1 and 1/2 C whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
4 tblsp of vegetable fat spread (has much lesser fat content than butter), or butter, melted
a pinch of salt
2 eggs
5 tblsp of dark brown sugar(I used muscovado)
2 tblsp freshly squeezed orange juice
icing sugar and warm milk for the topping

How to-

1. Whisk together the zest, flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
2. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, vegetable fat/butter, sugar and juice.
3. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture,tip in the egg mixture and fold in. Cover the bowl and chill for an hour.
4. Pre heat the oven at 170 deg C and line a baking tray.
5. Make about 30 balls of the mixture and arrange them on the tray, apart from each other.
6. Flatten the balls with the back of a fork, place the tray in the centre of the pre heated oven and bake for 15-18 minutes or till firm and lightly golden.
7. Cool on the tray for a couple of minutes and transfer to a rack to cool completely before storing in air tight containers. They will firm further on cooling.
8. If icing the cookies, mix icing sugar with enough warm milk to make a free flowing mixture and drizzle over the cookies.
   

I was really pleased with the way the cookies turned out...definitely a treat, and perfect for winning over little hearts ;-) However, next time, I would probably add a bit more orange zest for flavour. But, all in all, the li'l lady was definitely pleased.

Enjoy :-)

A light dinner..

Pancakes are usually reserved for our weekend breakfasts. The ones that we all love are whole wheat and banana ones lightly spiced with cinnamon and served with a drizzle of honey. But, occasionally, on other days of the week, I also make some savoury ones which we like to have, not for breakfast, but with some light soup (usually dal), and make a light meal out of them. Huh? Pancakes for dinner ?!!!...well, why not :-P

The pancakes that I make are almost always the crepe like English ones, where the batter is spread out to make them thinner. However, for the following avocado (can't you see, I'm on an avocado roll :-P) infused pancakes, I kept the sizes smaller and slightly thicker, compared to the ones I usually make, as they proved to be quite tricky to turn over. These pancakes would also form a nice breakfast, or a snack, on their own.

This is how I made the avocado and carrot pancakes...

What's needed-

2 ripe avocados, halved, stoned and the flesh scooped
1 small carrot, grated
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 and 1/2 C fof whole wheat flour (atta)
1 tsp of baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 and 1/4 C milk
1/2 tsp (more or less) crushed red chillies
1 tblsp oil
1 egg, beaten
non stick spray or oil to grease

How to-

1. Mix the avocados(mashing them) with the carrots, chillies,onion, flour, baking powder and salt.
2. Add the milk,egg and the tblsp of oil and whisk to make a batter.
3. Heat and grease (with preferably the spray) a pan over low heat.
4. Add a ladle of the batter and gently spread it out with the ladle itself. Cover and cook for approximately 2 minutes.
5. Lift up the pancake, and while still holding it in the spoon, grease the pan again and turn it over to cook the other side for another 2 minutes. During this time, gently press the pancake with a slotted spoon.
   
6. Transfer to a plate covered with kitchen roll, stacking one on top of the other as more are being made.
   

We had ours with some dal (red lentil soup) and some mixed pickle...yummm :-P

The neighbour and some scones...

I remember the day, when we were invited to one of our neighbour' s ( who had recently moved into the neighbourhood) house for dinner. The lady of the house was a pleasant and kindly one, and as there were children too, in the house, we, the kids had no problem accompanying our parents. So off we trudged down the lane to their house.

Everything was going on well...at least, until the food was served. Among the various other dishes was a particular chickpeas curry, although I could not make out it's identity at first...the curry was mushy and somewhat slimy. In fact, in every dish , there was something wrong...too much turmeric, too much salt, not having the right consistency...well, you get the flow. We, especially the kids were having a rough time swallowing anything. But, our parents kept eating graciously, although not as much, and, at the same time giving us that sharp look every now and then; the look which says ''No screwing up your faces...behave ''. While we were fiddling with our food, the children of the hosts were relishing their mom's cooking to their heart's content, reaching forward for more helpings, and me and my siblings were left speechless.

On returning home, ma said that the reason that the children enjoyed the food was because they had grown up on it...being fed by the same pair of hands since they were born, thereby getting used to it. We still had trouble understanding at that time...that has been the worst tasting meal I have ever had till date... but life has made us all the more wiser . Now, when I think of that lady, I think of her genuineness, her kindly spirit...the fact that however she did it, she did make the effort to place a home cooked meal in front of her family, everyday, with a dose of love, makes her all the more commendable.

That's the neighbour done...now, for the scones :-P Coming back to my kitchen, scones, are something that we all enjoy...as a snack, as well as accompaniments with some soup (the savoury ones). I make regular scones like this, but I make more of the savoury versions like this. As time has passed, I seem to have become lazy... well, not really, maybe we could call it being innovative, there..it sounds and makes me feel much better now :-P Earlier, I used to make them in the proper way by rolling and cutting out the shapes. Over time, I have omitted this step and just made balls and arranged them in muffin trays...the last time I made them, I didn't do even that, just dropped spoonfulls into the moulds...I can certainly confirm that it did not affect the taste in any way, so no harm done.

The following scones have been made in exactly the same way as these, but, instead of the carrots, 1 and 1/2 c of grated butternut squash has been used. I have also added a handful of raisins. Instead of rolling, I shaped them into balls and arranged them in a mufin tray. The rest of the steps are exactly the same as the ones made earlier.

The following is the recipe for the goats' cheese and red pepper scones that I made a couple of days ago.

Don't they look as if studded with rubies :-P I am noting down the recipe below as the ingredients slightly differ from the others. Moreover these were the ones where I didn't even shape them in any way, just placed spoonfuls in the muffin tray. This is how I made them...

What's needed-

3 eggs
250 gms of goats' cheese
4 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp salt
2 C whole wheat (atta) flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tblsp dried mint
1 tsp crushed red chillies
1 red pepper, finely chopped
a little milk for brushing the tops and a few sesame seeds for sprinkling on the top

How to-

1. Pre heat the oven at 180 deg C and grease a muffin tray.
2. Whisk the eggs.
3. Add the goats cheese and whisk till smooth.
4. Add the salt, olive oil, mint and red pepper and whisk again.
5. Sift together the flour and baking powder and fold into the egg mixture.
6. Drop tblsp of the mixture into the moulds,brush with a little milk and sprinkle the sesame seeds on the top.
7. Place the tray in the centre of the pre heated oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes or till golden.
8. Cool in the tray for a few minutes, run a spoon round the sides of each scone and transfer to a rack to cool completely if storing for later. Reheat in the microwave or wrap in foil and heat in a pre heated oven.
   

We had our soft scones for dinner, with the avocado and cucumber soup I posted a couple of days ago...

Enjoy your weekend :-)

Related posts-

• Savory scone
• Plain scones

On moms and a soup/dip...

As your children grow up, you hear them using words you would not want them to... vague ideas picked up from their surroundings, most of the times, not even realising what they actually mean. Their minds are like sponges, constantly soaking up all that they see and hear around them. And when they are away from home for most parts of the day, the soaked bits of information may not be the best ones, at times... the ones you would like to hear. Then, they need to be told...no, talked to. They need to be explained in such a way that their still growing minds would be able to grasp the meaning and at the same time, realise the seriousness of the situation and how it affects their personality. At the same time, you would not want to lecture them off too much, to the extent, that, next time, they would think twice before opening up to you. No, that would not do at all. Tact, is the name of the game. And no, mothering is not easy...giving birth is probably the easiest bit.

It was my ma's birthday yesterday. When I called to wish her, my sister , cousins and aunts were all celebrating it. I longed to be there...to wish her in person, to give her a hug, to tell her what a wonderful mother she has been for us...for did I not mention a while ago, that it is definitely not easy. Such feelings always evoke something more...makes me think of the future...after many years, when both my children will have grown up, will they have the same feeling...will they feel that tug in their hearts, that longing that I now feel for my mother, not just because she is one, but because she is a good one; but then, let's leave it to the future...time will reveal all :-)

Coming to the kitchen front, avocado is one fruit, that does not find it's way too often into our shopping bags. It is indeed, not a regular guest.

Well, probably, once in a blue moon, for some guacamole, but that's it.

It was one of those rare days when a couple of them made their way into our house. And this time, instead of a guacamole, I combined them with cucumber to make a really refreshing soup. This soup, can be served hot or chilled and can also double as a dip for your tortilla chips and what not. It is ready in minutes and I must say, that the neglected avocado ( in our household) does need to be welcomed a bit more openly :-)

The following is the recipe for the avocado and cucumber soup/dip...

What's needed-

2 firm avocados, halved, stoned,peeled, chopped and coarsely blended with 1/2 a cucumber (regular size), peeled and chopped
1 red onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
1 C plain yogurt
1 and 1/3 C of milk
1/2 tsp ( more or less) crushed red chillies
1 tsp roasted and ground cumin
2 tblsp of extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

How to-

1. Heat the oil and cook the onions and garlic, stirring constantly, till the onions are softened.
2. Add the coarsely blended avocado and cucumber, along with the cumin and chilli and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes.
3. Add the yogurt, stir for about 10 seconds and add the milk.
4. Simmer for a few minutes...it will turn frothy. Keep stirring, for it might stick to the botom of the pan.
5. Remove from heat and blend everything together in a food processor till smooth...I did leave ours very slightly coarse for a little bite.
6. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
   

As I mentioned earlier, this thick soup tastes great, hot or chilled.

Of this goes to Archana for AFAM-Avocado.

And thaks to JZ (yum yum blog) and Usha( blogging with a purpose) for passing over the following awards...thank you :-)

Wind, rain and pies...

After a weekend of tennis overdose, it's time to start another new week...hope you all had a great start to it. We were greeted by howling winds and lashing rain. At times, the sun does seem to peek out of nowhere for a few seconds...probably reassuring us of it's existence. Sonny boy was not in the highest of spirits today, has come down with a slight cold, but, was raring to go back to school. They've still got a couple of weeks to go before breaking up for the summer holidays...really looking forward to it!

But, now , the best part. I had made a few mini pot pies quite some time ago ( make that 3-4 months).

A pot pie is a type of baked savory pie with a bottom and top completely encased by flakey crusts and baked inside a pie tin to support its shape (more here). But, although enjoyed long ago, I still remember the way in which we relished them and how much joy they gave us. In fact I thought that I had posted them and have been ransacking the archives to revisit them...seems almost criminal not to have shared them. The brain does seem to be playing tricks nowadays...I must be getting old :-(

While grazing around, I also found this interesting bit on pastry, and I quote...

Today pastry is a form of dough which can be made using a variety of different ingredients. However the main ones seem to be flour, butter, shortening, eggs as well as baking powder and will then be used to make a variety of different dishes.

In most cases today pastry will be rolled out using a rolling pin in order to be the base for a variety of different baked foods including pies, tarts and quiches. So in order for a person to make perfect pastry they must time the time to blend the ingredients correctly. It is important that the flour and fat are mixed together thoroughly before any liquid is added. By doing this it will ensure that the flour coats the fat adequately and prevent the production of gluten which can cause the pastry to become tough as it cooks.

But pastry has been around for many centuries now and was originally used by those living in the Mediterranean regions of Europe during ancient times. However it was until the crusaders began to return home from the wars that pastry begun to become much more popular in the Western parts of Europe including Britain. But as well as the people of the Mediterranean using pastry in their cooking there is strong evidence to show it was also being used by Egyptians, Greeks, Phoenicians and Romans as well.(more here)

I usually try to keep away from the butter in most of my pastries. The pastry for these pies were olive oil based and did come out quite nice.

Now, before the brain plays havoc again, here's the recipe for the pot pies...

What's needed-
For the crust-

2 and 1/2C of whole wheat (chappati) flour
1/4 C chilled water(more or less)
7 tblsp of plain yogurt
1 tsp salt
6 tblsp of extra virgin olive oil
1 tblsp of dried rosemary
1 egg, beaten

For the filling-
3/4 of a medium sized butternut squash, chopped, boiled and peeled
1 C peas
5-6 spring onions, chopped
1 inch ginger, finely chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
3 stalks of asparagus, chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp each of dried rosemary and sage
1/2 tsp crushed red chillies
1/2 tsp sugar
a few raisins
2 tblsp of olive oil
100 gms of grated cheddar cheese

How to-

1. Mix together the flour, salt and rosemary.
2. Add the yogurt and oil and rub in.
3. Add the water, a little at a time and knead very lightly to make a dough ( you may need slightly more or less water, just add enough to form a soft and smooth ball of dough.
4. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for an hour.
5. Meanwhile, make the filling...heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds.
6. When the seeds splutter, add the peas, spring onions,ginger, garlic and asparagus and fry for 2 minutes.
7. Add the squash, roughly crumbling it, along with the salt, pepper,chilli, rosemary, sage and sugar.
8. Stirring constantly, cook over medium heat for 5-6 minutes. Keep aside and cool completely( a hot filling makes for a soggy crust).
   
   
   
   
   
   
9. Pre heat the oven at 200 deg C.
10. Divide the dough into five portions.Roll out each portion into about 2mm in thickness and line the bottom and sides of mini tart pans of 4 and 1/2 inches. Trim the edges and keep aside the trimmings.
11. Prick all over gently with afork and bake in the centre of the pre heated oven for approximately 10-12 minutes or till lightly browned, and keep aside to cool If it puffs up while baking, gently press it down.
12. With the trimmings, roll out some 4 and 1/2 inch discs and make a4 intersecting cuts in the centre.
13. Fill the crusts in mounds, with the butternut squash mixture and sprinkle some cheese over it.
14. Brush the sides and of the crust with the egg and cover them each with a disc, taking care to seal. Brush the tops with the rest of the egg...
    
    
    
    
    
    and bake in the centre of the oven (200 deg C) for about 20-25 minutes or till nicely browned and bubbly.
15. Cool in the pan for a minute and remove to a rack to cool completely if saving for later. Reheat before serving.
    
    
    
    

Apart from the ones in the pans, I also made a couple of free form(not made in a pan) pies. So you need not fret if you do not have the pans :-P. I rolled out the dough into 4- 4 and 1/2 inch discs, pricked them all over with a fork and baked them on a lined tray till very lightly browned and cooled them. The filling was placed in mounds in the centre,sprinkled with cheese, the edges brushed with beaten egg, covered with another disc with cuts like in the other tarts and the edges sealed with a fork; they were then brushed with egg ; I also cut out small leaves with the tiny bits of leftover dough and stuck them onto the lid...not seen in the following picture, though :-(.

They were then baked till nicely browned and bubbly. They came out equally nice...so not having the pans should not be a reason, but the filling has to be a dry one.

I can vividly remember how crazy we all were about these cute pies...great for a snack, and along with some salad makes for nice meal too. They can also be packed for picnics and lunchboxes. These are very versatile too and is quite forgiving with various fillings.

Bi - coloured...

I am trying...trying really hard. At what? At using up the hoarded ingredients before they run out of time. Every time I rummage through the pantry, I am ashamed at the amount of unused ingredients that stare back at me. So many things crying out to be picked and transformed into delicious goodies. This time, it was a pack of pasta flour. Do I even remember at what point in time it made it's way from a shelf along the aisles of the supermarket? Of course...no :-((

Let's leave all that aside...for, the pack of pasta flour that was rescued from it's exile was transformed into a very light and summery meal...ravioli style, samosa shaped bicoloured pasta filled with mushrooms, onions, garlic and peanuts. Of course, I did start out with something in mind but, churned out something entirely different. But, that does not matter...as long as what's served at the table tastes good. By the way, am I babbling? Please ignore me...

I have tried my hand with pasta once before...made ravioli, but the pictures were too gory to be posted. This time, I used type 'O' pasta flour, which is basically a mixture of wheat and durum flour. This light flour is high in protein and can also be used for pizza and bread making.

I made two balls of dough with the flour...one kneaded with spinach juice and the other with beet juice. The two were brought together to form a bi- coloured roll of dough , which was then, divided, rolled, filled, shaped, boiled and brushed with a flavoured oil and a sprinkling of spices. Regular flour works fine too.

Now, let's jump to the recipe for the bi - coloured, triangular, filled pasta (don't know what to call it, really) :-( Ahh, but what's in a name , anyway??

What's needed-

For the doughs-

2C + 2C pasta flour(I used Doves Farm organic pasta flour) or regular plain flour, or a mix of plain and whole wheat flour
2C spinach leaves, pureed with 1C water and strained
3-4 cooked beets(uncooked ones are fine too), pureed with 1C water and strained

1 egg, beaten and divided into half
1 tsp salt

For the filling-

1 and 1/2 C peanuts
1 red onion, finely chopped
6-7 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
8-9 chestnut mushrooms, sliced
1/2 C extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp crushed red chillies
3 tblsp of dried oregano

Others ( for sprinkling at the end)-

paprika
freshly ground pepper

How to-

The doughs ( both are prepared the same way)-

1. Divide the flour into two bowls, with 1/2 tsp of salt in each and make a well .
2. Add half beaten egg into each well of dough and mix with the flour.
3. Add the liquid (spinach in one and beet in the other), a little at a time( may or may not need the entire amounts).
4. Knead till the doughs are smooth. They should be soft, but not sticky. If the doughs is too dry, add a little water.
   
5. Cover and leave to rest for half an hour.

The filling-

1. Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the onions, garlic, peanuts, chillies and oregano, and cook, stirring continuously over medium heat till the onions are soft.
2. Add the mushrooms and cook till they soften. Keep aside to cool, separating the solid bits from the extra oil...save the oil for later use.
   

Assembly and cooking-

1. With floured hands,make two long, sausagy bits of dough ( one from each).
2. Entwine one around the other.
3. Cut the roll into small portions ( I made around 24) and roll each out on a floured surface to about 4 inches in diameter and about a mm in thickness.
4. Place a little of the filling in the centre and shape as shown below.
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. Ready the plates to be served in, with some fresh salad. ( I served on a bed of lettuce)
   
6. Drop them , a few at a time into boiling water and cook for 4-5 minutes.
7. Drain and brush with the leftover flavoured oil from the filling. Arrange on the plates and sprinkle a little paprika and freshly ground peppeer.
8. Serve immediately and enjoy an elegant meal, while taking in the sunshine...well, even if there is no sunshine :-P
   
   
   
   

And wait! I haven't finished yet... if you feel that you might like a little sauce with it...what is pasta with no sauce...or you have two ravished, cheese loving kids, then hurry. In a pan, add some tomato puree, a tsp of chopped garlic, finely chopped red pepper, a handful of sweetcorn and some oregano, with enough water, salt and freshly ground pepper, stir and transfer over heat. Simmer for 2-3 minutes and add 1/2 a tsp of cornflour. Simmer for a minute and a nice and light sauce is ready to be drizzled over the pasta. Grate a little cheese over it and there....everyone is happy :-D

So, I'll end with this happy ending and hope you all have a relaxing weekend :-)