Rachel Khoos rigatoni pasta with mushrooms|Rigatoni pasta in Bechamel sauce

Why walk when you can dance.Right!likewise why have a simple pasta in Bechamel sauce .Make a beautiful garden of pasta,mushrooms,mixed herbs and chilli flakes.Yes..now have it!

Today I am super active,happy and enthusiastic.
I am doing something that is keeping me on my toes(well literally)
I am dancing today....as it is said dancing is like dreaming with your feet!!!

I am practising my Bharatnatyam dance moves(thanking my dance guru every minute).I have been learning dance since 8 years of age!
All the dance Mudras...Pataka ,tripataka ..make me feel as if I am floating and when I tap my feet on every taal,its like poetry of the foot.

The better,more amazing version of you cant happen if you stay where you are.
Dance is helping me meet my better version since childhood.
And now writing all about food is taking me one more step towards a better me.

Life is about taking chances,trying new things.Never be afraid to try something new,because life gets boring when you stay within the limits of what you already know.

You cant buy happiness
But you can buy an ice cream
And thats kind of same thing

With all these poetic and motivational thoughts I present you my idol Celebrity chef Rachel khoo(rachel khoo ) 's Rigatoni pasta with bechamel sauce.

As always this dish is quick to make,good to look and delicious to eat!

Preparation time:30 minutes
Cooking time:30 minutes
Serves:2

Ingredients:
For Bechamel Sauce:

1. 1 cup butter
2. 1 cup all purpose flour
3. 2 cups lukewarm milk
4. 1 cup lukewarm water
5. 2 tsp crushed black pepper
6. Salt as per taste

For pasta:

1. 4 cups rigatoni pasta
2. 2 cups button mushrooms(roasted in 1 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil)
3. 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4. 1 pot full of boiling salted water
5. 3 cups of grated cheddar cheese
6. 1 tsp dried mixed italian herbs
7. Chilli flakes to garnish

RECIPE:

1. To make Bechamel sauce,melt butter in a large frying pan.Add all purpose flour to it and mix well till no lumps.
2. Take the pan off heat,gradually add milk,whisking constantly.Now add water,whisking at the same time.
3. Keep the pan back on medium heat,add salt and black pepper and let the sauce simmer on low heat for 10 minutes.Add milk if sauce is too thick.
4. Put the pasta in boiling salted water and cook for 2 minutes or as per packet instructions.After 2 minutes,drain water and add cold water to the pasta to stop cooking process.Add extra virgin olive oil to the pasta and keep aside.
5. Now add cheddar cheese in the bechamel sauce and stir well.
6. Take 2 small pots as seen in the pictures,arrange the rigatoni pasta upright tightly in the pots.They will look like honey comb.
7. Now pour sauce over the pasta.Tap the pots so that sauce can reach all nooks and corners.
8. Decorate the pasta with mushrooms on top .Garnish with chilli flakes and serve hot.

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Stuffed Dough balls|How to make stuffed dough balls

These stuffed dough balls are inspired by dough balls made by the famous chef  RACHEL ALLEN.

These dough balls were initially made in my kitchen with left over pizza dough.But they are now appreciated so much by my family that I make pizza dough specially for these dough balls.

The famous Rachel Allens  non vegetarian dough balls inspired me to try and make some veg dough balls.And here is the result...soft and delicious lipsmacking doughballs.And guess what ,makking them is not tedious at all.

Preparation time:30 minutes
Cooking time:15 to 20 minutes
Resting time of dough:2.5 hours
Serves:5

Ingredients:
For pizza dough:

1. 2 cups all purpose flour
2. 1/2 tsp salt
3. 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
4. Some more olive oil for greasing
5. 2.5 tbsp active dry yeast
6. 1 .5 tsp sugar
7. 1 cup lukewarm water for kneading

For stuffing:

1. 2 medium capsicum(grate and drain water)
2. 2 medium onion(grate and drain water)
3. 2 cups grated cheddar cheese(cheese block)
4. 2 tsp crushed black pepper
5. Salt as per taste

RECIPE:

1. Mix yeast and sugar in a bowl with little luke warm water and keep aside to rest.Dont touch it for fifteen minutes.Keep it in a warm place to rise like near gas stove.
2. Mix flour,olive oil,salt in a bowl.Pour yeast mixture to it.start kneading with luke warm water.
3. Knead the dough with the help of dry flour for five to eight minutes on  kitchen counter.Stretch the dough and fold again for gluten to develop.This type of kneading will help us get soft and airy pizza or doughballs.
4. Take a bowl.Grease it with olive oil.Place the dough in it and  cover it with dry towel. Keep it in warm area for two hours.Dough will double in size.
5. After two hours knead the dough again so as to remove air bubbles.Place the dough in bowl.Cover it with towel and keep it again for second rising for half an hour.
6. After half an hour dough is ready.Cut the dough into even sized balls.Flatten them a bit and keep aside.
7. Take a bowl.Add capsicum,onion,cheese,salt and crushed black pepper in it and mix.
8. Fill each flattened dough ball with 2 tbsp of mix and close it and roll it into a smooth ball.
9. Place these stuffed dough balls on lightly greased baking tray.
10. Preheat oven to 220 degree celsius.Place the baking tray on middle shelf and bake for around 15 to 20 minutes.After every 8 minutes change the sides of baking tray for even baking.Bake till the balls have puffed up and browned.
11. Serve hot with regular butter/garlic butter  and mixed italian herbs.

Check out following recipes too:

Deep Fried poached eggs|How to m ake deep fried poached eggs,Plum and apple jam|How to make jam at home|Homemade jam,Paneer Manpasand recipe|How to make paneer manpasand,Vanilla Cupcake| Basic Cupcake recipe| How to make Cupcake recipes,Baked Kaccha kela kabab| Baked Raw Banana Cutlet|How to make kaccha kela kabab

Mexican Stuffed French Toast sandwiches recipe|How to make Mexican stuffed French Toast sandwiches

This Mexican stuffed french toast sandwich is nutricious,delicious and quick.

It can be conveniently called STAR amongst breakfast recipes....and at my place it is eaten as Breakfast,Lunch and Dinner(literally!).
So all you multitasking ladies,fresh cooks and teenagers who want to throw a party,this dish is a crowd pleaser.

Preparation time:10 minutes
Cooking time:10 minutes

For Stuffing:

1. 3 tbsp vegetable oil
2. 1 capsicum (choppped)
3. 2 green chillies(finely chopped)
4. 1 tomato(chopped)
5. 1/2 cup boiled corn kernels
6. 2 medium potatoes
7. Salt as per taste
8. black pepper crushed(as per taste)

Other Ingredients:

1. 6 big white bread slices
2. 2 tbsp milk
3. 2 large eggs
4. 2 tbsp butter
5. 2 cups grated cheese(cheese block will  do)

RECIPE:

1. Boil the potatoes and chop them roughly.Donot mash.
2. Take a pan.Add oil to it.Add capsicum,tomatoes and green chillies to it.Saute it for 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Add potatoes and corn kernels to the pan and saute for 2 more minutes.Take it off heat.
4. In a small bowl,whisk egg and milk together.
5. Now take a skillet over medium heat .Add butter to it.
6. Now dip 2 slices of bread(both sides) into egg milk mix and place them onto buttered skillet.
7. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes till light brown.Do this for both sides of breads.Place the stuffing and grated cheese onto first slice and cover it with second slice.
8. Now cook for 2 to 3 minutes more till all cheese is melted.Remove from heat.
9. Repeat and make two more sandwiches.Serve hot!

Check out following recipes too:

Banana kiwi fruit smoothie,Plum and apple jam|How to make jam at home|Homemade jam,Paneer Manpasand recipe|How to make paneer manpasand,Vanilla Cupcake| Basic Cupcake recipe| How to make Cupcake recipes

Penne pasta in white sauce

I love pasta.Its a great comfort food,easy on stomach,filling,delicious and most importantly fuss free.

So my dear ladies,new cooks and youngsters this one dish is for bookmarking.I have opted for penne pasta but elbow/macroni pasta work equally fine in white sauce.

 Preparation time:25minutes
Cooking time:30 minutes

Ingredients:

1. 250gm penne pasta
2. 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil(for adding in pasta)
3. 1/4 cup all purpose flour
4. 2 cups milk
5. 3 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil(for making sauce)
6. 1 big onion
7. 4 cloves of garlic
8. 3 tbsp Extra virgin Olive oil(for vegetables)
9. 4 to 5 florets of broccoli
10. 1/2 cup corn kernels(boiled)
11. 1/2 tsp dried mixed herbs
12. 1/2 tsp oregano
13. salt and crushed black pepper as per taste
14. 1 cup grated cheese (locally available)

RECIPE:

1. Take a medium sized bowl full of water.Add pasta to it and cook till al dante.Drain the pasta.Wash the pasta in cold running water to stop cooking process.Add olive oil to pasta and set aside.
2. Take a pan.Add olive oil to it.Add finely chopped onion and galic to it.Donot sauté them brown.Just soften them in oil.Add broccoli and corn to pan  and saute them for two minutes.Keep aside.
3. Take another pan.Add oil to it for white sauce.Now take a bowl and make a mix of milk and flour.Whisk it so that there are no lumps.Add the mix to pan.Keep whisking so as to avoid lumps.
4. Now add black pepper,sauteed vegetable and salt to the sauce.Add herbs and oregano.Let it simmer for one minute.
5. Add cooked pasta to pan followed by cheese.Give a quick mix and take it off heat.Serve hot with 

Garlic bread|Homemade Garlic Bread

                    check out the below mentioned recipes too:            

Banana kiwi fruit smoothie,Plum and apple jam|How to make jam at home|Homemade jam,Paneer Manpasand recipe|How to make paneer manpasand,Vanilla Cupcake| Basic Cupcake recipe| How to make Cupcake recipes

Garlic bread|Homemade Garlic Bread

With Pizza outlets starting everywhere in India few years back,I was introduced to a dish which I (didnt realise then)was going to stay in my recipe book forever.

Whether eaten with soup or eaten with cheese and sun dried tomatoes as starter,Garlic bread is a crowd pleaser.My mouth is drooling as I am a bread lover and can eat bread even without seasoning.

My kid doesnt eat garlic daal but give him this bread at anytime and the whole tin gets empty.

                     

Preparation time:2 .5 hours

Baking time:25 minutes.

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups of all purpose flour
2.  15 garlic cloves
3. 1/2tsp salt
4. 2 tbsp. sugar
5. 2  tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
6. 2 tbsp. dry active  yeast
7. 1 cup lukewarm water(for kneading)
8. 1/2 cup lukewarm water(for making yeast mix)
9. 1 tsp dried mixed herbs

RECIPE:

1. Peel garlic cloves and roast them in a pan for one minute.
2. Mash roasted garlic in a mortar and pestle and keep aside.
3. Add sugar in water and stir.Now add dry yeast and keep aside at rest for 5 to 10 minutes.keep in warm place for yeast to bloom.
4. Take a bowl and add flour,salt,extra virgin olive oil, mashed garlic and yeast mix to it.
5. Add Lukewarm water and knead the dough very well for 5 to 8 minutes.
6. Now place the dough in a greased bowl.Apply little  olive oil on the dough and cover it with a dry kitchen towel.
7. Keep the bowl in a warm place for two hours for dough to double up.
8. After 2 hours take the dough and knead so as to remove air bubbles.
9. Make a log of that dough and place it in a greased bread tin.
10. Cover the tin with towel and let it rest again for 30 minutes more.
11. After 30 minutes,apply  dried mixed herbs on the dough(donot knead now). Place the tin  in a preheated oven(at 180 degree Celsius) for 30 minutes.
12. Remove the tin after 30 minutes and let it cool on a wire rack.
13. Serve the delicious loaf of bread with butter, cheese and toppings of your choice.

Check out the following recipes too:

Dahi Vada,Penne pasta in white sauce,Bread Bonda(Fried bread and potato dumplings)  ,       Bharva Karela(Bitter Gourd Veggie)   , Bharva Gobi(Cauliflower Veggie) ,   Garlic bread (a loaf)                 

                    

Home made pizza base

Pizza has a very big and colourful history.It is an Italian dish but is now available all over the world.

I am sure it must be a loved dish in your households too.My son has certified me the best mom on earth beacuse of this one dish

.

Preparation Time:3 hours
Baking Time:20 to 25 minutes
Serves:2


Ingredients:

1. 2 cups of all purpose flour
2. 1/2 tsp  salt
3. 2 tsp sugar
4. 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
5. Some more olive oil for greasing
6. 2.5 tbsp active dry yeast
7. Readymade pizza sauce
8. Toppings of your choice(like chopped tomato,capsicum,boiled corn) with added salt and crushed black pepper
9.  Mozzarella cheese(available in super markets) as much as you want 
10. Luke warm water

RECIPE:

1. Mix yeast and sugar in a bowl with little luke warm water and keep aside to rest.Dont touch it for fifteen minutes.Keep it in a warm place ( like near gas stove) to bloom.
2. Mix flour,olive oil,salt in a bowl.Pour yeast mixture to it.Start kneading with luke warm water.
3. Knead the dough with the help of dry flour for 8 to 10 minutes on  kitchen counter.Knead the dough by stretch and fold method.This type of kneading will help in getting soft and airy pizza base.
4. Take a bowl.Grease it with olive oil.Place the dough in it and  cover it with dry towel. Keep it in warm area for two hours.Dough will double in size.
5. After two hours punch the dough  so as to remove air bubbles.Knead for five minutes and place it back in bowl.Cover it with towel and keep it again for second rising for half an hour.
6. After half an hour Pizza dough is ready to roll.Cut the dough in small pieces with the help of a knife and use a rolling pin to flatten it.Pizza base is thin in centre and little thicker at edges.Poke fork at various places of the rolled base so as to avoid it from rising or inflating during baking.
7. Dust the baking tray with flour.Place the rolled base on baking tray with the help of pizza lifter.
8. Preheat oven at 180degree celsius.Either you can bake the base and keep it for later use or you can place pizza sauce,toppings and cheese and make a fresh pizza ready to serve.In both cases baking is to be done for 20 to 25 minutes.The result is  a soft,fresh and hygienic home made pizza !!!Whats more...it is made by you so your little one will love it all the more.

Deep Fried poached eggs|How to m ake deep fried poached eggs,Plum and apple jam|How to make jam at home|Homemade jam,Paneer Manpasand recipe|How to make paneer manpasand,Vanilla Cupcake| Basic Cupcake recipe| How to make Cupcake recipes,Baked Kaccha kela kabab| Baked Raw Banana Cutlet|How to make kaccha kela kabab,Stuffed Dough balls|How to make stuffed dough balls