One Day At A Time!

Hey everyone! Hope you all are doing well! Weather is cloudy, yet pleasant in my part of the world. Today's post is about my kiddo's favorite food. I call this Semi-homemade Cooking . Recently, my 10 year old has started enjoying pasta. Alfredo for pasta and Pesto for pizza. These store bought sauces make my everyday cooking easier. Feel free to share your family's go to meals. Ingredients: Alfredo Sauce Tomato Sauce Pesto Sauce Chickpea Pasta Black Pepper Powder Sliced Onions  Sliced Bell Peppers Sour Cream Oil Salt How to cook Chickpea Pasta in 3 different ways: Boil chickpea pasta according to the package instructions.  Drain the water and put the cooked pasta in a microwave safe glass container. I don't add salt while cooking pasta. My kiddo doesn't like veggies in pasta. For my kiddo, I add about 1 - 2 tbsp store bought Alfredo sauce, pinch of salt, pinch of black pepper powder to the cooked pasta. Microwave for about a minute or so. Voila, Alfredo Chickpea pas...

Hey everyone! How is winter treating you guys? Snow in Texas is long gone. We are blessed with lovely weather these days.  As you all know, I have a picky 10 year old who still eats mess free finger food. Today's Toasted Ravioli is another favorite item added to my kid's lunch box menu. Such semi homemade delicacies are a life saver for me. Feel free to share your time saving recipes. Ingredients: Frozen Ravioli - 10  Corn Meal - 1 cup Spanish Paprika - 1 tsp Garlic Herb Seasoning - 1 tsp Egg Beaten - 1 Cooking Spray or Oil How to cook Crispy Toasted Ravioli in an Air Fryer: Grease the air fryer tray with cooking spray or oil. In a bowl, beat an egg with a pinch of salt. In a big plate, add corn meal, garlic herb seasoning and paprika. Mix well. Feel free to use any seasonings of your choice. Add one frozen ravioli in the egg wash. Coat it well and then add it to the corn meal plate. I use a pair of forks to coat the ravioli with the corn meal crust. Repeat the same for eac...

A bright Sunday afternoon in my part of the world. I am watching a Korean movie "Kimchi War" while getting our lunch ready in a microwave. Enjoying my long weekend! Hope your day is going well too! Today's menu... Cheesy Microwave Penne Pasta with loads of rainbow colored vegetables. Ingredients: Dry Penne Pasta - 2 cups Frozen Mixed Vegetables - about 2 cups Half n Half - 1/2 cup Cream Cheese - 1/4 cup Mexican 4 Cheese - about 1/2 cup Italian Seasoning - 1 tsp Ground Black Pepper - 1/2 tsp Granulated Garlic - 1/2 tsp Salt How to cook Penne Pasta with Vegetables in a Microwave: Microwave frozen veggies in a big microwave safe plate/bowl for 2 minutes. Check with a fork if all the veggies are cooked, depending on how soft or crunchy you want the veggies. Microwave another 30 - 60 seconds if required. Set the cooked veggies aside in another bowl.  In the same microwave safe plate/bowl, add dry pasta of any kind you like. Add 1 cup of water and microwave for 2 minutes. Sti...

Hello foodies! How is everyone?  Today's photo credit goes to my six year old. My kiddo is my sous chef these days. And photographer -:)  Lately, I have been cooking pasta in my 2 quart rice cooker. Its convenient and quick. If you have one, try this One Pot Creamy Colorful   Vegetable Pasta . Ingredients: Uncooked Spaghetti Pasta - about 1 cup Mixed Frozen (or fresh) Veggies - about 1 cup Cream Cheese - 2 oz. Mexican 4 cheese - about 1/2 cup Canned Tomato Sauce - 1 tbsp. Italian Seasoning - 3/4 tsp Black Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp Garlic Herb Seasoning - 1/4 tsp How to cook Colorful Veggie Pasta in a Rice Cooker: Pour 1 cup water, pasta, Italian seasoning, black pepper powder and garlic herb seasoning in the rice cooker. Put the lid on and switch it on. Meanwhile, microwave the frozen veggies for about 2 minutes. The frozen veggie mix I used had broccoli, bell peppers, carrots, green beans, yellow beans. Instead of water, you can use vegetable broth or chicke...

Its been around 6 months now in Miami. I am really enjoying the sunny weather here. My kiddo especially loves her park time. I am missing the beautiful fall colors of Michigan though. Anyways, lets talk about food now. These days I have been trying to include more leafy greens in our diet. Jowar Methi Thepla , Palak Paneer Paratha , Kale White Bean Soup and today's Spinach Pasta are our family favorites. If you are looking for some healthy delicious recipes, try these and let me know. Ingredients:   Dry Elbow Pasta - 2 1/2 cups Baby Spinach Leaves - about 250 gm (8 oz) Grated Parmesan Cheese - 1 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese - 1 cup Whole Milk Sour Cream - 1/2 cup Red Onion - 1 medium Roma Tomato - 2 medium Garlic and Herb Seasoning - 1 1/2 tsp Red Chili Flakes - 1/2 tsp Olive Oil - 1 tbsp. How to cook Spinach Pasta: For the pasta sauce, finely chop onions. Puree tomatoes in a food processor and set it aside. Finely chop the spinach leaves. I used a fo...

I love this time of the year. This bright sunny weather is a perfect time for picnics. This weekend, we are meeting our dear friends in a nearby park for a picnic lunch. I am making a pasta. Pasta makes everyone happy, both kids and adults. While the toddlers run around the grass, we grown ups can chitchat. I am looking forward to this fun day. Now the best part, let me tell you how I made our family favorite Tomato Pasta . Ingredients: Dry Tricolor Rotini Pasta - 3 cups Heavy Whipping Cream - 1/2 Quart (473 ml) Roma Tomatoes - 3  Onion - 1 small Garlic - 2 cloves Dry Italian Seasoning - 1 1/4 tsp Black Pepper - 1/4 tsp Spanish Paprika - 1/2 tsp Olive Oil - 1 tbsp Salt  How to cook Rotini Pasta in a Whipping Cream Tomato Sauce: Finely chop onions and garlic.   Blend tomatoes in a juicer to a fine puree. Do not add water. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan. Add onions and garlic. Sauté until onions turn slightly brown. Next, add dry Italian seasonin...

Lately, I have been cooking Italian couple times a week. Cooking pa sta is easy and quick. Pastas are deliciously perfect for busy weeknight dinners. Last night, I made a Creamy Pasta Salad  with some of our favorite veggies and everyone was happy.

Some weekdays are so busy, I hardly find time to cook. Preparing pasta is the easiest thing to do. I know its high in carbohydrates, but I think its fine once a week. To complete our menu, I cook some veggies like zucchini, brussel sprouts, broccoli in the oven. Today's Italian delight is a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce to go with vegetables enriched rotini pasta.

Everybody loves Italian food. Give me pasta and I am a happy girl. My husband loves pizza. Friday is Pizza night at our place. But, I make pasta too. Fixing a pasta dinner is no big deal if your pantry and refrigerator have all the ingredients. Here are our family favorite Italian recipes.

Everybody likes Italian food. Is it pasta or pizza or both? I like pizza, but I love pasta. I am a big fan of the creamy Alfredo sauce and the creamy tomato sauce. But marinara sauce.... not my favorite. I even order my pizza minus the sauce. Anyways, lets come to today's pasta. This white sauce with cream cheese is my go to recipe for our Tuesday pasta dinners. Ingredients: Rotini Pasta - 2 cups Cream Cheese - 4 oz (110 gm) Whole Milk - 1 cup Parmesan Cheese - 3/4 cup Onion - 1 small Garlic - 2 big cloves Dry Oregano - 1/2 tsp Dry Basil - 1/2 tsp Black Pepper - 1/2 tsp Olive Oil - 2 tbsp Salt How to cook Cream Cheese Alfredo: Add about 8 cups of water to a big pot. Add a generous amount of salt so that water turns salty. When water starts boiling, add 1 tbsp oil and any pasta of your choice. I used vegetable rotini pasta. Cook it for 9 - 10 minutes, stirring it occasionally. Oil will not let the pasta turn mushy or sticky. Or cook the pasta as per the package i...

Recently, a new member joined our family and I got promoted to being a Mom. I am enjoying every minute of it. Part of being a parent is eating healthy and making it look appealing to a child's eye. These days I go for more colorful delicacies. Today's Lemon Pasta Salad fits that profile perfectly with lots of bright colored veggies and protein rich beans. My baby doesn't eat solid food yet, but I am getting ready to cook for her. Ingredients: Bow-tie Farfalle Pasta - 2 cups Green Beans - 1 cup Dry Pinto Beans - 1/4 cup Bell Peppers - about 1/2 cup Carrots - about 1/4 cup Celery - about 1/4 cup Tomato - 1 small Lemon Zest - 1 tsp Lemon Juice - 5 tbsp Olive Oil - 4 tbsp Dry Basil - 1 tsp Black Pepper Powder - 1 tsp Garlic Powder - 1 tsp Salt How to make Rainbow Pasta Salad with Veggies and Beans: Soak dry pinto beans in plenty of water overnight. Wash the soaked beans. Add 3 - 4 cups of water in a pot. Bring it to a boil and add the soaked beans. Cook ...

Since I blog about food regularly, you guys already know my love for cooking. But, its exactly opposite when I have to cook something just for myself. And such days, there are no leftovers either.  What are your solitary meals? My lazy lunches are generally salads and grilled sandwiches. Ingredients: Boneless Chicken - 1 pound Lemon/Lime Juice - 2 tbsp Garlic - 2 big cloves Black Pepper Powder - 1 tsp Red Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp Salt Unsalted Butter or Oil Baguette or Thick Sliced Bread Pesto Sauce Red/Purple Onion Bell Pepper/Capsicum Tomato Cheese Slices (optional) How to make Grilled Chicken Pesto Sandwich: Preheat the oven at 375 degrees F. Grease a baking dish with oil or butter.  Crush the garlic cloves and add it to the dish. Place a skinless chicken breast on the baking dish. Sprinkle salt, fresh ground black pepper and chili powder. Add lemon juice and rub the chicken well with the seasonings.  Bake the chicken uncov...

Weather is so gloomy around here these days and all I can think of is comfort food... fried goodness, a comforting bowl of hot soup and the list goes on. But I am much more concerned about calories when I cook our everyday meals. And our menu changed from deep fried to baked crispness. Herbed Eggplant with an onion flavor, steamed broccoli and a hearty Vegan Minestrone Soup . It was more like an Italian meal, with very few carbohydrates. Ingredients: Eggplant/Brinjal/Baingan/Vangi - 1 big Dry Italian Herb Seasoning - 1 1/2 tsp Black Pepper Powder - 1 tsp Red Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoned Panko Bread Crumbs - 2 cups French Fried Onions - 1 cup Cooking Spray or Oil Salt How to bake Crisp Eggplant in an oven: Dice the eggplant into medium thick round slices. In a mixing bowl, add herb seasoning, fresh ground black pepper, red chili powder and salt. Toss the eggplant slices so that the slices are coated well. Cover and set it aside for about 30 minut...

We are living in a land of pancakes, pastas, pizzas and tacos. Eating out is fun here.. excellent variety of exotic food for us. But at times, we do miss our Indian favorites. The list of such food items is quite big... Pani Puri, Samosa, Kachori.. for now, lets taste an Italian pizza with a desi tadka.. Tandoori Paneer Pizza a.k.a Paneer Tikka Pizza. Ingredients: All Purpose Flour/Maida - 2 1/2 cups Olive Oil - 3 tbsp Active Dry Yeast - 2 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder - 1 tsp Sugar - 1/2 tsp Corn Meal - 2 tbsp (optional) Canned Tomato Paste - 1/2 cup Garlic - 2 big cloves Ginger - an inch piece Kasuri Methi/Dry Fenugreek Leaves - 1 tsp Tandoori Masala - 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper/Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp Paneer/Indian Cottage Cheese Cubes - about 1 cup Tandoori Masala - 1/2 tsp Chat Masala - 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper/Red Chilli Powder - 1/4 tsp Black Pepper Powder - 1/4 tsp Lemon Juice - 2 tbsp Mozarella Cheese - about 1 cup Bell Peppers/Capsicum - about 1/2 cup O...

Few days back, I had blogged about Homemade Vegetable Pizza . Many readers loved it and a few readers asked for a Chicken Pizza. Thanks everyone for the lovely response. So, for all chicken lovers, here is a desi style Tandoori Chicken pizza with a few vegetables. Plus, its made of whole wheat flour. Hope you all enjoy this as much we loved it.

Few years back, when I started food blogging, it was all about sharing my Mom's recipes and anything I find easy to cook.  Gulab Jamun , Potato Chips , Rasgulla  and Muffins used to be all store bought in my kitchen. Just because, it was convenient to buy, rather than cook. Nowadays, I enjoy cooking such goodies at home. And baking a Pizza from scratch is one of my recent culinary ventures. If I can make it, so can you.

Mushrooms are an excellent source of protein for vegetarians and vegans. Today's appetizers are baked mushrooms stuffed with lots of multi-colored vegetables and cheese. Ingredients: Mushrooms - 12 Onion - 1 small Green/Spring Onions - 6 Mini Bell Peppers - 3 Celery - 2 sticks Jalapenos - 1 Garlic Powder - 1 tsp Italian Herb Seasoning - 1 tsp Black Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp Oregano - 1/2 tsp Dry Parsley - 1/2 tsp Pepper Jack Cheese - 2 slices Olive Oil - 3 tbsp Salt How to bake Mushrooms stuffed with veggies and cheese: Wipe the mushrooms clean with a kitchen towel or paper towels. Carefully remove the stem/stalk of the mushrooms, making a well for stuffing. Finely chop onions, green onions, bell peppers and celery. Discard the seeds of jalapeno pepper and finely chop it. If Jalapeno is not available, you can use any other peppers/chilies or red chili flakes as well. Stuffing: Heat about 2 tbsp oil in a pan. Add onions and sauté until onions soften. Now a...

Regular readers might have read my previous posts and its no secret that I like Italian food. Most Italian restaurants serve fresh baked bread as an appetizer. Our favorite are these garlic and parsley flavored Cheddar Cheese Biscuits popularly known as Cheddar Bay Biscuits . I find these easy as compared to the yeast breads. Ingredients: All Purpose Flour/Maida - 1 cup Cheddar Cheese (Sharp) - 3/4 cup Unsalted Butter - 5 tbsp Milk - about 1/2 cup Olive Oil - 1 tbsp Baking Powder - 1 tsp Baking Soda - 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder - 1 1/2 tsp Black Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp Dry Parsley - 1/2 tsp Sugar - 1/4 tsp Salt How to bake Cheddar Bay Biscuits: Preheat the oven at 400 degrees F.   Line a baking tray with aluminum foil and lightly grease it with butter. In a small mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients - all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, fresh ground black pepper, 1 tsp garlic powder, salt and sugar. Mix well. In a big microwave safe b...

A hearty vegetarian soup with lots of vegetables, beans and pasta. An authentic Italian Minestrone soup is cooked with wine, but we loved the soup even though I didn't use wine. Ingredients: Dry Red Kidney Beans - 1/3 cup Pasta Shells - 1/3 cup Onion - 1 medium Tomatoes - 2 medium Zucchini - 1 medium Green Beans - about 1/2 cup Yard Long Beans - about 1/2 cup Carrots - about 1/2 cup Celery - 2 sticks Spinach - about 1/2 cup Garlic - 2 big cloves Tomato Ketchup - 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning - 1 tsp Dry Parsley - 1 tsp Oregano - 1/2 tsp Black Pepper Powder - 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper - 1/4 tsp Olive Oil - 2 tbsp Salt How to cook Italian Vegetable Minestrone Soup: Soak kidney beans overnight. You can use any other beans like black beans, chickpeas/kabuli chana. Canned beans would also be great for this soup. Wash the soaked beans and cook until beans turn soft. Do not overcook them. Medium chop onion, carrots, celery, zucchini and tomatoes. Cut beans int...

Italian Pastas and Pizzas are globally popular. I love both. For pastas, I like white Béchamel sauce and Alfredo sauce more than the tomato sauce. If you like it too, try this Farfalle or Bow-tie Pasta in a creamy Béchamel Sauce with Spinach. Ingredients: Pasta - 2 cups Milk - 1 1/2 cups Baby Spinach - about 1 cup Butter - 1 1/2 tbsp All Purpose Flour/Maida - 2 tbsp (leveled) Garlic - 2 cloves (minced) Black Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp Dry Oregano - 1/2 tsp Nutmeg/Jaiphal - 1/8 tsp Cinnamon/Dalchini - 1/8 tsp (optional) Salt How to cook White Bechamel Sauce Pasta: Cooking Pasta: Heat 5 - 6 cups water in a big pot. When water starts boiling, add pasta and salt. Cook the pasta for 10 - 12 minutes or as per the package instructions. Use any pasta of your choice. I have used bow-tie / farfalle pasta. You could use any other kind. Whole wheat pasta would taste good too. Preparing  Béchamel Sauce : Heat butter in a thick bottom pan. Add all purpose flour to the mel...