Category Archives: Kid-Friendly

Vanilla Ice Cream with Balsamic Strawberries

Made this with my eight year old on a “very bored” summer afternoon. It’s a very simple vanilla ice cream with a swirl of roasted balsamic strawberries running through it, giving it just the right tartness and complementing its sweetness.This ice cream is perfect for a “cool” Mothers’ Day celebrations. From the original site: Saee […]

Whole-Wheat Peanut Butter Cookie

Here’s a whole some cookie (for kids and adults alike), with rich peanut flavour and the goodness and health benefits of whole wheat. From the original site: have some really good “whole-wheat” cookie recipes which I often make and since its summer vacation time, with the kids at home and constantly hungry, we decided to […]

Corn on the Cob: Fast, easy, & No Mess!

My sister in law turned me on to this technique a few months ago, and I’ve used it twice since then.  I don’t think I’ll ever go back to my old method of doing corn on the cob! I love corn, but I hate all the mess and hassle.  I’ve always boiled my corn, but […]

Chicken Stew with Biscuits

Easy and delicious, those two words define this dish perfectly. A perfect dinner (or lunch) dish to share with your loved ones on cold evenings or. like it happens at my place, on game nights. (Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style, 2002 with my inputs in bracket) Ingredients: 3 whole (6 split) chicken breasts, bone in, […]

Mango Mousse

We had a stash of wonderful alphonso mangoes, which I utilized quite aptly, if I may say so- in the form of a mango mousse. Alphonso mangoes come from the western India belt, and are known for their pulpy nature and a dark yellow colour. I have come to learn over many years, that the […]

Conchigliette & Three Cheese with Lobster & Bacon

I’ve created an elegant twist to an American classic and baked it up in a portion-controlled size. Baked simply in ramekins, each one is filled with nutritious whole wheat baby shells and a delicious blend of three cheeses — gruyere, sharp white cheddar and pecorino romano cheese. And for that elegant touch, and to create […]

Perkedel, Potato Corn Beef Patty

These potato patties are crispy on the outside & soft inside, really delicious. I like adding Corn Beef to my recipe but the meat is optional. You must try these if you haven’t & they’re not difficult to make at home. You could also mould them into cartoon shapes for fussy kids to make a […]

Quinoa Chickpea Pilaf

I’d always wanted to try a recipe using Quinoa, but wasn’t quite sure where to begin. Honestly, it took me a while to even get the pronunciation right. I never tasted or used Quinoa previously but had always read so much about how quick and easy it is to cook. I knew I wanted to […]

Spinach and Corn Sandwich

These wholesome sandwiches could be anything from a healthy breakfast, a lunch, an after school snack or a light dinner option. The lovely yellow corn nibbles on a bed of green spinach is a beautiful sight in itself. I love it for the ease with which it can be prepared. From the original site: I […]

Strawberry Yogurt Parfait

I enjoy adding yogurt into everything I cook. So, in our household its a constant on the list of ‘staples’ on the weekly grocery list. With so many different kinds and brands available its tough at times to select ‘a’ specific kind. I use store bought and make it at home, when I can. Of […]

Goat Cheese Spread (Dip) with Spinach-Basil Pesto

I’ve tried this recipe quite a few times and find this to be one of the simplest and easiest appetizers to put together both as a dip and a spread with some water crackers. From the original site:  I customized this recipe for pesto by playing with the key ingredients. I use fresh basil and […]

Sweet Corn Cutlets

A delicious and healthy snack, with a slight sweetness and crunch from the sweet corn and the heat from the chilli. A sure shot hit with kids From the original site: Tea time snacks like samosas, pokodas, bhajjis and bondas are definitely my favorites, but I hardly prepare these at home due to the fact that […]

Martha’s Perfect Mac and Cheese

If you are looking for an ooey, gooey, creamy and comforting dish for the whole family…you really can’t beat Martha’s Mac & Cheese. It’s like a warm cheesy blanket to keep you warm. From the original site: But, being a mother of two almost-four-year-olds, (where did the time go!?!?) one cannot maintain sanity without some […]

Smoky Baby Back Ribs in the Crock-Pot

I’m a fan of low and slow when it comes to pork ribs, and I usually do them in the oven at 300 degrees for 3 hours. But why not the Crock-Pot? That’s practically the definition of low and slow. Indeed. These turned out succulent, and were no fuss. A win! From the original site: […]

Oranger Pistachio Biscotti

This is a really easy recipe that gives you a great tasting exotic biscotti. Don’t let anyone in on our secret though. Shhh. From the original site: I also discovered a very sweet looking bottle of Oranger from Tunisia. Of course I brought it back.

Capuccino Biscotti with Hazelnut and Almond

It’s great that this biscotti keeps for over a week, but it’ll never last that long in the jar. This recipe adapted from Sur la Table is quick, easy and unbelievably scrumptious! Make lots because you’ll want to wow everyone you know with it. From the original site: They are good make-ahead cookies and keep […]

Banana Bread and Cream Cheese

The slightly sweet bread combined with the tangy soft cheese is heavenly, with a cup of tea or coffee. My children love it, too. From the original site: This pairing seems obvious to me, but often enough when I mention it to people, they have never heard of spreading cream cheese on banana bread and […]

Lucky Koi Mango Pudding

The word Koi comes from Japanese, simply meaning “Carp”. Koi fish the most powerful Feng Shui symbol, symbolizing wealth, harmony & happiness.. It is said that placing a picture of the Koi fish in your home, your dreams will come true.

Review: Stonefire Naan (plus ideas for use!)

  I’ve always loved naan, the Indian flatbread.  It’s so versatile.  I’m sure there are recipes out there to make your own, but I’m not really one for making my own bread, particularly when you can get good bread at the market.  The lovely people at Stonefire flatbreads sent me some samples to try* and […]

Sweet Tomato Basil Bisque

It’s the dead of winter, but I am craving tomatoes. I have a full-on tomato jones going. Best way to fix that is with this tomato soup, made more fanciful by calling it bisque. A bisque (say it bisk) is a rich, smooth, creamy soup often made with shellfish, and thickened with said shellfish including […]

Winchester Sun Pumpkin Pie

This comes from the excellent book, “Southern Pies: A Gracious Plenty of Pie Recipes, from Lemon Chess to Chocolate Pecan,” by Nancie McDermott, a North Carolina cookbook author who has gathered up 60+ recipes for every type of Southern pie you can imagine. Any book sporting the phrase, “a gracious plenty” automatically wins the competition […]

Puff Pastry Recipe

Puff Pastry Snack! From the original site: I know that the traditional way of using puff pastry is to make it from scratch, and I used to quite enjoy the process, but in due course of time, I discovered this easily available option, at a very reasonable price. I therefore, choose to save my energy […]

Tamales!

Tamales are a special treat reserved only for three holidays in Latin households – Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s Eve. Tamales are delicious and are also surprisingly cheap and easy to make as well. Every country and family has their own version of tamales. Because my husband is from El Salvador, my version is typical […]

Quesadilla Salvadorena

Salvadoran quesadilla refers to a type of pound cake, not a hot cheesy filled tortilla. Quesadilla, in El Salvador, refers to a fluffy and moist pound cake that is made with a cheese called queso fresco. Parmesan cheese is the closest American counterpart to this cheese and works great in Quesadilla. Give this pound cake […]

Dark Chocolate Caramel Shortbread

This shortbread {non traditional} topped with a salted butter caramel sauce, then slathered with melted dark chocolate. The result? GOOD DELICIOUS COOKIES! From the original site: “Can I have another squaaaaaaare pleeeeeeease?” You know the cookies are good if that’s what you hear literally reverberating through the house; even better if it’s the call from […]