"Fusion Cuisine"- Chicken and Red Bell Pepper Spicy Pizza

In the quest to use up the "Rotisserie Chicken" that I bought the other day .....This Spicy and mouthwatering pizza came into being!!! Rotisserie Chicken...by the way is a great value for money... I feel. With a $7-8 Rotisserie chicken you can easily make 2-3 meals. This time I used it to make Chicken Quesadillas, Chicken Alfredo Pasta and this Chicken and Red Bell Pepper Spicy Pizza...
I buy the chicken and shred it into pieces on the same day.I make portions and freeze them, so they are ready to be used for the dish I want to cook....

Ingredients:
1 Pizza Crust
1/2 cup Pizza sauce ( Ketchup or Maggie Hot and Sweet sauce is ok too!)
1 cup Shredded Rotisserie Chicken( Or use grilled chicken or any cooked chicken pieces)
1 Red Bell Pepper chopped into small  bite size squares
1/2 Onion chopped into small bite size squares
8-10 Basil Leaves (Yes...these were from my Vegetable Garden)
1 clove garlic chopped
3 tsp olive oil
1 tsp Kitchen King masala/ Chicken curry masala
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/4tsp Black ground pepper
1/4 tsp Owa seeds/ ajwain ( try it..it goes really well on pizza!)
1/2 tsp Italian Pizza seasoning
salt
1 Cup Shredded cheese( I used Mexican Taco blend cheese...it is very flavorful)
Red chili flakes ( for more spice)

Method:
1) Heat 2tsp olive oil.Add chopped garlic, Shredded chicken, Chicken masala, red chili powder, red belle pepper, onion. Saute for couple mins.Add salt.
2) Preheat the oven to 450 F( follow packet directions on the crust )
3) Brush the Pizza crust with 1tsp olive oil. Spread the Pizza sauce. Add the sauteed topping.Top with Shredded cheese, black ground pepper, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes, Ajwain seeds and fresh Basil Leaves
4) Bake for 7-10 mins till cheese melts and bubbles.

Serve hot!!

"Appetizers"- Vegetable Tikki

Can you guess what all vegetables are hiding in those cute boat shaped Tikkis??? When you become a mom you have to find ways to play 'Peek-a Boo" with your kids foods! Luckily mine are not tremendously picky eaters in terms of veggies (Touchwood!!!!) But it doesn't harm to sneak some veggies in whatever you can!!!

These Tikkis can serve as appetizers or even as main course.. ..if you serve them as 'veggie patties' for burgers!! So versatile and So yummy and So easy to make...it will be your 'Go-To' recipe for a quick fix!!!

Ingredients:
3 boiled potatoes
1/2 cup finely cut Cabbage
1/3 cup finely cut Carrots
1/3cup finely cut broccoli (even the stems are fine too.I used them here)
1 tsp Ginger Garlic paste
1/2tsp Chili powder (add more for spicier taste)
1tsp Cumin seeds
1/2tsp fennel seeds
1tbsp chopped Cilantro (use can add chopped mint too)
 1/2tsp Garam masala powder/ Kitchen King masala
salt
Oil to shallow fry

Method:
1) Mash the boiled potatoes without any lumps and keep aside
2) In 1tsp oil saute the cabbage, carrots and broccoli and ginger garlic paste till tender. Let it cool
3) Mix potatoes, sauteed veggies and all the above ingredients and knead.
4) Make into 'boat' shaped Tikkis
5) Shallow fry on a non stick pan with few drops of oil till golden brown.

6) Serve hot with Ketchup/ Chutney!

() If Serving as Veggie Burgers:
Make into round shaped patties and shallow fry.  Serve in a toasted bun with sliced cucumbers,tomatoes and onions.

"Nutritious and Delicious"- Tofu Chocolate Mousse

I have been wanting to try this for quite sometime now. So easy to make...so lovely looking...and good for you too!!I came across many similar recipes for Tofu mousse all  over the 'blog world"....I thought how cool was it to eat your protein with the rich chocolaty flavor!
When I read the recipes..I thought the chocolate and the vanilla flavor will mask the 'tofuee' flavor from Tofu. But NO.....I could not take out the 'tofuee' flavor from tofu in the combination I tried.
However....it will be a Tofu lovers delight !!! It is smooth, Rich chocolaty and guilt free!!
I got a 50-50 appreciation at home. 'A' did not mind the tofu in the mousse...but 'E' said.."Mumma ..this mousse doesn't taste normal"!!! Hahaha!

 
Ingredients:
1/2 Package Nasoya Tofu (Use Silken Tofu for mild flavor)
2 tbsp Hershey Cocoa powder (use melted chocolate chips for richer taste)
1/2tbsp Hersheys Dark chocolate powder
2-3 tbsp White Sugar
1tsp Vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk
Dark chocolate shavings for garnish


Method:
1) In a blender, pulse together tofu, cocoa powder,milk,vanilla,sugar till smooth and without any lumps.
2) Pour into serving bowls. You know what I used here???? These are 'tea-light' candle holders!!
You can use shot glasses too!
3) Chill in the refrigerator for 30 mins atleast.

"Nutritious and Delicious" - Almond Lover's Homemade Cereal Bar

Love Almonds??? Love Cereal Bars??? Yes, you have arrived at the right recipe!!! I have been trying to make cereal bars at home and love trying out variations in the ingredients. This time I decided to go ...ALL Almondy!!

It has...Sliced Almonds, Almond meal and of course Almond Butter!!

Nuts about Almonds????? Well...you should be!!
Almonds are regarded as one of the healthiest nuts. They are rich in Manganese, Vitamin E and many other nutrients. Here is more information on the health facts about almonds:
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=20

Ingredients:

1 Cup Whole Grain Oats
1/2 cup Brown Rice puffs
1/2 cup Almonds sliced
1/4 cup Almond meal(almonds ground into powder)
1/3  cup Almond Butter
1/4 cup Wheat germ
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
Handful of Raisins
1 tsp Vanilla
Honey for drizzling(optional)
1/4tsp salt
1 tbsp oil
2 tbsp water

Method:
1) Toast the oats and sliced almonds at 325 F for 5-10 mins or toast in the microwave for 2-3 mins.The oats should be light brown and the almonds should be crunchy.
2) Heat brown sugar and water in a pan slightly till sugar melts.Add almond butter and stir.
3) Mix the toasted oats, brown rice puffs,almond meal,wheat germ,raisins, almonds,salt,vanilla,oil etc. Pour the sugar and almond butter mixture.Mix together.
4) Line a 9*13 inch pan with aluminum foil.Spray the foil with non stick spray.Preheat oven to 325F.
5) Press the mixture into the pan.Bake at 325 F for 15-20 mins.
6) Drizzle the bars with honey ( for sweeter taste) and if they haven't bound well.
7) Cut into bars.Makes 12 bars.Store in airtight container.

"For Little Tummies"- Milky Way Teddy Cars and Strawberry Mice

Milky Way Teddy Cars:

Vroom Vrooommmm here they come!!!

 

It was 'E's friends birthday party and I wanted to take along some 'cute' foods for the little people there.

This was the cutest little thing I found on -http://planningwithkids.com/2009/05/27/milky-way-cars/
It was so easy and fun to make....I made a bunch of these in different colors!!
I need not say.......how excited were the little guests when they saw these!

This one is made with - 'Butterfinger egg' instead of the milky way bar.

Strawberry Mice

They ate all the Cheese!!!!

How cute is that????? Kids will love the fruit in this form for sure!!!

I got this idea here: http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/strawberry-mice-687541/

I made the Swiss Cheese 'look alike' Wedges with Apples cored with a straw to look like the holes in the cheese.

"Sweet Treats"- Strawberry Trifle

Short on time...but still want to make a beautiful and luscious dessert??? Here it is buddy!
This is one of those semi-homemade type desserts...which is quick and easy to  make, looks gorgeous and tastes....come on strawberries,whipped cream sponge cake...what can go wrong there???? It  will surely please the pickiest of the eaters!!!

For 6 servings:
Ingredients:
6 slices of store bought/ home made sponge or pound cake.I used store bought blueberry sliced cake.
8-10 strawberries sliced
6 strawberries sliced like a flower for garnishing
1 and 1/2 cups vanilla whipped cream
2 tsp sugar
1tsp Strawberry jam

Whipped cream:
1 Cup heavy whipping cream
2tsp sugar
1tsp Vanilla essence


Method:
1) You can make the vanilla whipped cream ahead and store in refrigerator.Here goes the recipe-
http://www.joyofbaking.com/WhippedCreamFrosting.html

2) To the sliced strawberries add 2tsp sugar and 1tsp jam and let them macerate for 30 mins.
3) Cut the Sponge cake into bite size pieces
4) Assembly-
Place a dollop of whipped cream at the bottom of the serving cup/glass/bowl
Add a spoonful of the macerated strawberries
Place few pieces of cake on top.
Layer with whipped cream....strawberries...cake..cream...
Continue layering till the top of the glass
Decorate with Whipped cream and fresh strawberry.
5) Chill the glasses till ready to serve. 
Done!

 You will love the smooth chilled fluffy whipped cream with the juicy strawberries and the cake soaking up all those juices!! Layer by Layer......satisfy your sweet tooth!

"Appetizers"- Asparagus-Chicken Kababs

Aren't they gorgeous and mouthwatering????
I just love myself, when I make something which looks this good and makes everyone drool!!!
These are perfect little bundles to have as an appetizer and also to grill outside,especially now since the summer is sizzling!

I had invited a couple friends over...and was pondering on what to make as appetizers to go along with Chicken Biryani.. as the main course. While grocery shopping.....I found these "Asparagus Tips" at Jay-C ..and in my head sizzled this idea..of Asparagus- Chicken Kababs!!!!

Ingredients:
1 bundle of Asparagus Tips

Chicken Kababs:

1lb minced chicken/kheema

1 medium onion chopped finely
2tsp mint paste/ dry mint powder
1tsp ginger garlic paste
1tbsp chopped cilantro
1tsp Cumin seeds
1/2tsp chicken curry masala
1/2tsp garam masala
 2 tsp red chili powder
1/4tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin-corainader powder
1/4tsp black pepper
salt to taste
oil to brush hands

Olive oil to shallow fry/ grill the Kababs

Method:
1) Wash and dry the Asparagus tips and keep aside.
2) Mix together all the above ingredients for the kababs.Do not over mix,otherwise the kababs will come out tougher.
3) Take couple asparagus tips and cover the center part with Chicken mixture cylindrically.Use oiled hands to press the mixture on the tips.

4) Heat a nonstick pan. Place the Kababs on the pan and drizzle with little olive oil. Cover with a lid. In a couple mins(once the kababs brown up on one side), turn them to the other side.Cook till browned from all sides and the asparagus looks tender.

5) Serve hot by themselves or along with sliced caramelized onions. Your guests will love these kababs for sure!!

"Appetizers"- Spinach-Rice Vadas

Potluck Potlucks potlucks...sometimes I run out of ideas..what should I make??? I remembered my friend 'S' telling me about how she uses up the leftover rice.
I thought why not try these vadas and add some spinach so that you feel just a bit less guilty about eating fried food ;)

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked rice (leftover or cooled)
1/2 cup finely chopped spinach (you can add more for more greener vadas)
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1tsp finely chopped green chilies (add more for spicier vadas)
1tsp finely chopped garlic
1tsp cumin
1/3 cup Chakali bhajani or  Rice flour  ( they will be tastier with chakali bhajani)
salt
oil to fry

 Method:
1) Mix together rice, spinach and all the above ingredients. Mix well.
2) Make into 'doughnut' or medu vada shape.
3) Deep fry in oil till golden brown. Drain on paper towel

4) Serve hot with your favorite chutney/ hot and sweet sauce

My Kitchens Aroma gets a makeover!

My Kitchen's Aroma will now be...... 'The Sizzling Pan'
www.thesizzlingpan.com

Hope you will love the new look and name of My Kitchen's Aroma and visit the newbie....."The Sizzling Pan".
Thank you for your support and visiting my blog!
You all are the BEST and inspire me to cook,click and blog!!!
 Spread the word and this link-
www.thesizzlingpan.com
Also, bear with me a few weeks..... as I will be experimenting with the design and layout of the blog.
Thanks,
Deepti

"Everyday Cooking"- Chicken meat ball curry/ Kheema ball curry

We have a little 'Dinosaur" or to be precise "Triceratops" at home and he has been liking 'Dinosaur food" lately!! Yeah..that's what my 4.5 year old 'E' has been telling me. Since Dinosaurs ate 'meat'....he loves anything with the word 'meat' in it.
The other day I made these as appetizers and he gobbled like 4 of them...which is very unlikely of him. He said he lovedddd the 'Meat balls'.
http://my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2009/11/appetizers-chicken-kheema-balls-minced.html

Other one of his favorites for a long time now is.. 'Naan' and 'Orange bhaji' (that's what he calls the red colored Punjabi curries')
I made this 'Meal Ball Curry' to go along with his favorite Naan...

Ingredients:
Chicken Meat balls :
2 cups Ground Chicken
1 small onion chopped finely
1tsp ginger garlic paste
1tsp  Chicken masala/garam masala/kitchen king masala
1tsp Chili powder
2tsp chopped mint
4tsp chopped cilantro
1/2tsp cumin
1/2tsp turmeric
salt
1tbsp oil to fry
Baked version of meat balls:
http://my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2009/11/appetizers-chicken-kheema-balls-minced.html

Curry:
2 large onions finely chopped
2 tomatoes finely chopped
1tsp ginger garlic paste
1tsp chicken curry masala
1tsp chili powder
1/2tsp turmeric
1/2tsp shahi jeera
1 bay leaf
2-3 cloves
4-5 Black pepper corns
salt
oil
Cilantro for garnishing

Method:
1) Mix together ground chicken, onion, mint and all the above ingredients. Mix till well distributed.Make small lemon size balls.
2) Heat 1 tbsp oil in non stick skillet. Place the balls and fry til brown on one side. Turn/ flip the balls gently and fry till golden on all sides.Drain and keep aside.
3) In the same pan ( with the left over oil of the meat balls), add the shahi jeera, pepper, bay leaf and fry for few seconds. Add the onions and cook till tender and browned.Add the tomatoes and ginger garlic paste. Fry till cooked.
4) Add the dry masala powders, salt and water and boil.
5) Add the meat balls and boil for 2-3 mins. Garnish with lots of cilantro.

Serve hot with hot Naan/Roti or Rice

"Pat a Cake"- Zebra Cake with Chocolate Whipped Cream frosting

It was 'M's birthday , and like every year...I wanted to bake a special cake for him. I knew ...he loves the Zebra cake ( there is still a kid in him!!) and I didn't have to think much on what to make.
I decided to frost the cake with a Chocolate whipped cream frosting as I had wanted to try it out for so long.

The cake I baked was from the recipe I found here on AZ Cookbook:
http://www.azcookbook.com/zebra-cake/
I did everything as the recipe said ...except I added 2tbsp powdered sugar to the 'cocoa batter' ( last time i tried it...it was less sweet for my taste)

For Extra Moistness-
*****Once the cake was baked, I let it cool and spray it with Sugar-vanilla syrup to make it extra moist and delicious
Recipe-
Boil 3/4 cup water with 1/3 cup sugar for 8 mins. Let it cool.Add 1/2 tsp vanilla essence.Spray with a spray bottle on the cake and let it soak for 40-50 mins before frosting the cake.

Chocolate Whipped Cream frosting:
http://www.joyofbaking.com/WhippedCreamFrosting.html

The icing tasted heavenly!!! But it was a lot thinner/softer to make good icing patterns.
Next time I am going to try the gelatin in the icing to make it sturdier....

Finally....
I grated/ shaved some Dark chocolate onto the cake to give it that extra chocolaty taste and pretty look!
Garnished the cake with a fresh strawberry.


'M" loveddddd the cake and it was gone in no time...

My Kitchens Aroma coming with a fresh new look and name soon....

Hi friends,
 Due to the similarity in the name with some other blogs....I have decided to rename My Kitchens Aroma.
I am still looking for possible names.Do you have any suggestions????
Hope you will visit and love the fresh and new look of the blog...

Deepti

"Sweet Treats"- Thumbprint Cookies

Aren't they gorgeous? So pretty....... but yet so simple to make!

Couple weeks ago, 'N' made these for the tea party.They looked cute as a button and I couldn't wait to try them out.'N' had used Ina Garten's recipe, but I made mine with a twist....
I made mine along with Flax seed meal and Wheat germ(that's why you see those brown specks in the cookies) and made two toppings- Strawberry jam and the other Peanut butter with Honey and a dark chocolate chip tucked in.

Here goes the recipe:
Ingredients:
1.5 cup All purpose flour
1/8 cup Wheat germ(you can skip this and add all purpose flour instead)
1/8 cup Flax seed meal((you can skip this and add all purpose flour instead)
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4tsp salt
1tsp Vanilla essence
1 egg
2tbsp orange juice

Topping:
Strawberry jam
OR
Peanut butter mixed with honey + chocolate chips

Method:
1) Bring butter to room temperature. Cream sugar and butter with hand mixer.
2) Add the egg and mix again.
3)Add all the other ingredients and mix till blended.

4) Wrap in plastic wrap and chill the dough in refrigerator for 1 hour
5) Preheat the oven to 370F

6)Make small rounds of equal size.Press in the center with your thumb/pointer finger/ melon baller

 

7) Bake the cookies at 370F for 10 mins.

8) Place a little Strawberry jam/ Peanut butter+honey+ chocolate chip in the center of the cookies

9) Bake again at 370F for 5 mins.Do not let them brown. Cool before storing.