Chicken Pasta Caesar Salad#SundayFunday

Hearty and satisfying main-course salad, are so delicious and quick. This vibrant salad is so good on it's own that you don’t need to do much to make them into a delicious meal. This salad bowl will brighten up our dinner table with a colorful mix of veggies and greens.
Ingredients
1 Cup Grilled Chicken Cubes or Leftover Boiled Chicken
1½ Cups Macaroni
2 Cucumbers - chopped in tiny cubes
2 Tomatoes seeded & chopped in tiny cubes
2 Capsicum seeded & chopped in tiny cubes
2 Apple - chopped in tiny cubes
2 Tablespoons Vinegar
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Black pepper
½ Cup Mayonnaise
1 Cup Caesar Dressing - Homemade
1 Teaspoon Mustard paste
2 Tablespoons Ketchup
2 Tablespoons Caster Sugar
1 Iceberg lettuce

For the Caesar Dressing
Ingredients
2 Cloves Garlic - minced
2 Tablespoons Lemon juice 
1 Teaspoon Mustard paste 

1 Teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 
1 Cup Homemade Mayonnaise
½ Cup Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
¼ Teaspoon Salt 
¼ Teaspoon Black pepper powder

Method

Whisk together the garlic, lemon juice, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Add the mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper and whisk until well combined. The dressing will keep well in the fridge for about a week.
Boil the macaroni as per package instructions and keep it aside.
Remove the big leaves of the lettuce. The small one chop it and use it in the salad.

Mix all above together, serve over a bed of iceberg lettuce, chill.
My Notes
I used my homemade Easy In A Minute Super Thick Mayonnaise - recipe to follow 

Labels: Chicken, Salads, Italian, International Cuisine, Main course, Mayonnaise, Homemade

For our event called Sunday Funday, wherein we share recipes our families will love to enjoy on a Sunday. Our host for this week's event for the beginning of the New Year 2022, is Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm.   

• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Asian Chicken Ginger Salad.
• Sneha's Recipe: Chicken Pasta Caesar Salad
• Palatable Pastime: Crispy Shell Chicken Taco Salad 
• Karen's Kitchen Stories: Italian Chopped Salad
• Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Oriental Chicken Salad 
• Food Lust People Love: Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette Steak Salad
• Our Good Life: Spinach Salad with Creamy Hard Boiled Egg and Homemade Garlic Croutons
• Mayuri’s Jikoni: Veggie Pasta Salad

Basil Pesto With Almonds & Walnuts#SundayFunday

Pesto is one of my absolute ultra-flavorful sauces. A great pesto tastes fresh, nutty, garlicky and super delicious. Today, I’m sharing my favorite a pesto recipe with almonds and walnuts. Pesto is the perfect use for your summer garden basil surplus, these leaves are from my kitchen garden.

Ingredients
1 Tablespoon Parmesan Cheese
Olive oil as required
3 Cloves Garlic -  minced
Handful of Leaves Basil
10 Toasted Almonds
5 Pieces  Toasted Walnuts
Salt & Black pepper powder to taste
Method

Grind all to a paste in a blender. Remove this into a glass jar. Add olive oil to cover if you want to retain it color in the refrigerator.

Labels: Pesto Sauce, Basil, Walnuts, Almond, Italian, International Cuisine, Sunday Funday, Gluten free 

For our event called Sunday Funday, wherein we share recipes our families will love to enjoy on a Sunday. Our theme is Pesto Recipe. 

• Avocado Pesto Sandwich by Mayuri’s Jikoni 
• Baked Cod with Asparagus Pesto by Food Lust People Love 
• Basil Pesto With Almonds & Walnuts by Sneha's Recipe 
• Carrot Greens Pesto-Topped Roasted Salmon by Culinary Adventures with Camilla 
• Pesto Cavatappi with Meatballs by Amy’s Cooking Adventures 
• Spinach Pesto Pasta by A Day in the Life on the Farm 
• Swiss Chard and White Bean Soup with Basil Pesto by Karen’s Kitchen Stories 
• Vegan Mint Pesto by Sizzling Tastebuds

Tri Color Pasta & Freedom Haiku Poem

Freedom Haiku Poem

I hear patriotic voices

Makes my heart cheer

Our Constitution give us

The right to freedom

If Freedom was a dish of Pasta

I would cook the way I like it.

And would eat it any time or all the time.

Thank you Stacy for making me rack my brains and write a poem, which is not my forte.

This Tricolor Pasta , represents the color of our national flag. The best thing about this Tri Color Pasta it that you can assemble it and cover with a foil. Just before serving place it in the air fryer or a preheated oven and bake it 180°C for 20 minutes or till it is heated through, I, used the air fryer. 

You also add how ever much cheese you want between the layers, I have used the minimum amount of cheese since, am, health conscious.

Serves 2 -3
Ingredients
3 Cups Penne Pasta 
For The Carrot Pesto
4 Medium Ooty Carrots - peeled
2 Dried Red Chilly - chopped
1 Tablespoon Yellow Bell Pepper - chopped
1 Tablespoon Heaped Toasted Pine nuts
2 Cloves Garlic
1 Tablespoon Heaped Parmesan Cheese
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Salt to taste
For the Spinach Pesto
½ Cup Packed Blanched Spinach
1 Green Chilly
1 Tablespoon Heaped Toasted Pine nuts
2 Cloves Garlic
1 Tablespoon Heaped Parmesan Cheese
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

Salt to taste 
A Pinch of Black pepper powder
For the White Sauce/Bechamel Sauce
3 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Heaped Homemade Cream Of Soup Mix
3 Cups Milk
2 Tablespoons Heaped Shredded Cheddar Cheese
2 Tablespoons Heaped Shredded Processed Cheese
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
A Pinch of Nutmeg powder
Extra Butter as required
Extra Cheese as required

Method 

Boil the pasta as per package instructions. Drain, reserve the pasta water and keep both aside. Divide the pasta into three equal parts.

For The Carrot Pesto

In a pressure pan add the carrot, red chillies, yellow bell pepper and ¼ cup water, cover and cook them on high flame for 2 whistles. Cool the cooker completely, then open it. Remove the carrot and red chillies from the cooker, if there is any water, keep it aside.  

Add the carrot, red chillies and rest of the ingredients for the carrot pesto and blend to a smooth paste, if necessary add the water that the carrot were cooked in. Remove this into a bowl and keep aside.

Carrot Pesto is ready!!
For the Spinach Pesto

Add the spinach (squeeze out all the water), red chillies and rest of the ingredients for the spinach pesto and blend to a smooth paste. Remove this into a bowl and keep aside.

Spinach Pesto is ready!!

For the White Sauce Pasta

Melt butter in a pan. Add Homemade Cream Of Soup Mix  and sauté, stirring continuously till the raw smell disappears, remove from flame and add milk gradually, whisking continuously. Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat and let it simmer. Continue to whisk for 10-12 minutes or till the sauce is smooth and slightly thick.
Add cheddar and processed cheese and keep whisking. Add salt, pepper powder, and nutmeg powder. Divide the sauce into 3 pots/pans.

For The Spinach Pesto Pasta

In one pan add a tablespoon of butter, all of the spinach pesto and one part of the pasta and the white sauce, cook till it thickens a little. 

Do not dry this completely, because we want a saucy pasta. Keep aside
For The Carrot Pesto Pasta

Similarly do the same in seperate pots/pan for the carrot pesto and 

keep this aside too.
For The White Sauce Pasta

In the same white sauce pan add a additional tablespoon of butter, add one part of pasta, taste for salt and pepper powder and add according to your taste.
Now all our Tri Color pasta is ready.

Let's Assemble - Tri Color Pasta 

In a large baking big soufflé dish, butter the dish well. Add the spinach pesto pasta, sprinkle cheese 

then top it with the white sauce pasta, then again sprinkle cheese on top, 

lastly top it with the carrot pesto pasta and again sprinkle cheese. 

It's ready for the air fryer.. see all the layers

Place this foiled covered dish in the Air Fryer basket @ 180°C for 20 minutes. Let it sit in the air fryer for 3 minutes. Remove and un mold it.

I could have turned it into another serving dish, but, since I sprinkled little cheese in between layers, was apprehensive that it would crumble.

This was a truly delicious, worth the effort and time taken to make it.

Labels: Tri Color, Spinach Pesto, Carrot Pesto, White Sauce ,Vegetarian, Main course, Sunday Funday, Pasta & Noodles, Italian, Air Fryer 

April is National Poetry Month. Our Host for  Sunday Funday is Stacy - https://www.foodlustpeoplelove.com asked us to "Share a recipe and a poem about your chosen recipe or motivational ingredient".  

• An Ode to Kung Pao Tacos by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Bacon Queso from Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Chicken Parmesan Pizza by Making Miracles
• Foraging-Shy, a Haiku + Mushroom Ragù from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• I Cooked for Pleasure: Chicken Fried Bacon by Palatable Pastime
• Tri Color Pasta & Freedom Haiku Poem from Sneha's Recipe
• Vegan Thai Iced Tea by Mayuri's Jikoni

Tomato And Balsamic Pasta#Improv

This dish is super quick and easy to put together especially perfect for those when dinner needs to be ready in a hurry. The magic of this dish is the balsamic vinegar, it gives a tangy flavor to it.
Serves 2
Ingredients
1 Cup Heaped Ziti Pasta
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Medium Onion - chopped
4 Cloves Garlic - minced
2 Medium Tomatoes - chopped
1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
1 Cup Vegetable Stock
½ Cup Pasta Water
½ Teaspoon Red Chilly Flakes
½ Teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper 1 tsp
2 Tablespoon Freshly Chopped Basil Leaves
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano as required

Method

Boil the ziti pasta as per package instructions. Drain and reserves ½ cup pasta water.
In large pan heat the olive oil add onions, garlic sauté till the onions are translucent. Now add in tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and vegetable stock, pasta water, bring this to a boil, cover and let this cook till the tomato softens a little. 

Then add red chilies, black pepper, basil leaves and pasta, give this a good mix and let it simmer it for 2 - 3 minutes, on medium high flame, stirring at intervals.

Serve it up in a bowl with lots of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and with a fried egg (optional).... Enjoy!!

Labels : Vegan, Italian, Serves Two, Tomato, Basil, Balsamic Vinegar, Pasta & Noodles, Improv Cooking Challenge, Parmesan Cheese, Main course, Italy, International Cuisine

Improv Cooking Challenge:April 2021

Tomatoes & Balsamic 

Stuffed Caprese Chicken by Making Miracles 

Tomato and Balsamic Pasta by Sneha’s Recipe

Tomato Tart with Balsamic Glaze by Sid's Sea Palm Cooking  

Balsamic Braised Chicken Breasts by A Day in the Life on the Farm   

Homemade Whole Wheat Sun-dried Tomato Pasta and a Salad by Magical Ingredients  

Asparagus Bacon Caprese Salad By Cookaholic Wife

Classic Minestrone Soup#Soupswappers

This Classic Minestrone Soup is a hearty Italian Vegetable Soup made with tomato broth, pasta or rice.
Minestrone is traditionally made to use up leftover vegetables, so use any seasonal vegetables and greens you have on hand or whatever you have in your pantry.

This hearty , delicious minestrone is easy to make and worth the effort. This soup is great for lunch or dinner, it tastes even better the next day.

This classic minestrone soup recipe is healthy, easy to make and tastes awesome. It’s vegan, too, if you don’t top it with cheese.

Serves 3 -4
Ingredients
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Small Onion - finely chopped
1 Carrots peeled and diced
1 Stalk Celery diced
¼ Teaspoon Red Chili Flakes
¼ Teaspoon Dried rosemary
Salt to taste
Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste
2 Large Tomatoes - peeled and chopped
1 Large Tomato - pureed and strained
1 Medium Potato - peeled and diced
¼ Cup Cabbage - thinly sliced
¼ Cup Dried Cannellini beans - soaked and boiled
4 French Beans - trimmed and cut into 1-inch bits
1 Clove Garlic - minced
Few Leaves Fresh Basil - optional
Grated Parmesan cheese as required for serving
2 Cup Vegetable Stock
1 Cup Water
1 Bay Leaf
1 Cup Orecchiette, elbow or small shell pasta
1 Teaspoon Lemon juice

Method

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, add the chopped onion, carrot, celery, and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables have softened and the onions are turning translucent.

Add the tomato puree and sauté for 2 minutes, add , garlic, oregano and thyme. Cook until fragrant while stirring frequently, about 2 minutes.
Add in the diced tomatoes, broth and water. Add the salt, bay leaves and red pepper flakes. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper.
On medium-high flame bring this to a rolling boil, then cover the pot with the lid, leaving about a 1” gap for steam to escape. Reduce flame to medium low so as to maintain a gentle simmer.

Cook for 15 minutes, then remove the lid and add the pasta, beans and cabbage Continue simmering, uncovered, for 15 to 18 minutes or until the the pasta is cooked al dente and the greens are tender.
Remove the pot from the heat, then remove the bay leaves. Stir in the lemon juice and drizzle a teaspoon of olive oil. Taste and season if necessary with more salt and pepper until the flavors according to your taste.

Garnish bowls of soup with grated Parmesan, if you’d like

or for vegan without the cheese. 
Labels: Soup, Soup Swappers, Vegetarian, Italian, Minestrone Soup, Vegan, Parmesan Cheese, Healthy

For this month our Host is Camilla M. Mann , and our theme For March is "Let's put a little Spring in our minestrone".  

• Classic Minestrone Soup by Sneha's Recipe
• Green Vegetable Minestrone by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Kale and Pasta Minestrone by Magical Ingredients
• Minestrone Napoletana by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Putting Some Spring in My Minestrone + Bouza 2017 Albariño by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Vibrant Spring Minestrone Soup by Making Miracles

Torta al Limoncello With Homemade Limoncello#BundtBakers

For Bundt Bakers this month our host is Hosted by Patricia Pilar Ramirez Moreno, asked us to "Bake your favorite Italian dessert with us this month as a Bundt cake"

This cake was on my to do list for a long time, since Limoncello is not available here delayed making this. Incidentally while surfing the internet one day found a recipe of Homemade Limoncello, then researched this by seeing so many recipes on the net. At last made by own. The taste is so awesome, simply loved it, it taste exactly like the one I, enjoyed in Europe.
The Cake turned out so soft and spongy the Limoncello made it simply awesome.

Cup Measurement =250Ml
Ingredients
225 Grams Salted Butter
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 Large Eggs
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Teaspoon Level Baking powder
½ Cup Limoncello - Homemade
A Zest Of One Lemon
1 Packet of Vanilla Sugar
For the Glaze
1 Cup Icing Sugar
1/8 Cup Limoncello

Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C  and prepare the bundt pan by greasing it thoroughly.

Place the softened butter in a mixing bowl along with the sugar and blend until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating the mixture well between each addition. 

Sieve the flour, salt and baking powder in a separate bowl.

Add the flour to the butter and sugar batter little by little, alternating with a little bit of the Limoncello at a time.

Mix in the lemon zest and vanilla sugar until well incorporated.

Pour into the bundt pan 

Bake for approximately 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool completely before removing from the pan.

Once the cake has cooled and is ready to be glazed, put the powdered sugar, Limoncello in a small bowl.

Stir vigorously until well incorporated and drizzle on top of bundt cake.

The glaze in this recipe is simply superb, it coats the outside of the cake nicely when it dries but still has delicious taste and a slight kick Limoncello.
My Notes

Add  a pinch of salt if your are using unsalted butter.
Labels : Liqueur,Limoncello,Italian,Italy,International Cuisine,Bundt,Bundt Bakers,Homemade 

Babà Napoletano al Rum Bundtlettes from Food Lust People Love

Frosted Tiramisu Bundt Cake from Making Miracles

Tiramisu Cake from A Day in the Life on the Farm

Torta al Limoncello With Homemade Limoncello from Sneha's Recipe

Torta Caprese al Limoncino from Patyco Candybar

Spumoni Bundt Cake from Palatable Pastime

#BundtBakers is a group of Bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake Bundts with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all of our lovely Bundts by following our Pinterest board. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about BundtBakers can be found on our home page.

Spicy Grilled Shrimps With Pea Risotto#FishFriday

I  made this  risotto with sweet fresh peas for a complete yet a light meal  with  Spicy Grilled Shrimps.  Creole spice gives a nice kick to the shrimps. Try and make this and you will love it.

Single Serving
Ingredients
For the Shirmps
1 Tablespoon Oil
1 ½ Teaspoon Creole Spice Blend
1 Tablespoon Lemon juice
200 Grams Cleaned & De Veined Shrimps

Salt to Taste

For the Risotto
1 + 1 Tablespoon Butter
1 Small White Onion - chopped
2 Big Cloves Garlic - minced
½ Cup Arborio Rice
2 Tablespoons White Wine
1 ½ Cups Vegetable broth 
1/3  Cup Fresh Peas
2 Tablespoons Parmigiana Cheese - grated
Salt & Black pepper powder to taste
1 Teaspoon Lemon juice

Method
For the Shrimp

Mix the oil and creole spice blend and marinate the shrimp in it. Keep it aside for 15 minutes. 

After 15 minutes grill the shrimp in a lightly oiled pan until cooked, about 3 minutes per side.
For the Risotto
In a pan boil the fresh peas till done. Drain the water and keep aside.
In a another heat the stock and keep it simmering on low flame.

Melt a tablespoon of butter in large pan. Add the onion and garlic, saute until the onion softens only, for about 3 - 4 minutes. 

Add the rice  

stir to coat with the butter.  

Add the wine, de glaze the pan and stir while simmering until it is gone.

Add 1/2 cup of the stock at a time and stir while simmering until it is gone 

 and nearly absorbed.

Continue until the rice is cooked al dente. 

Mix in the  parmigiana  and remaining tablespoon butter and stir until the cheese, black pepper powder and butter. Stir it  till the cheese melts. 

Mix in the peas and 

give stir it well.

Remove from heat and mix in the lemon juice.

Serve this in a plate with the grilled shrimps on top. 

Enjoy !!!

Labels : Single Serving, Grilled, Shrimps, Risotto, Arborio Rice, Wine, Green Peas, Italian, Fish Friday, Seafood/Fish, Creole Spice Blend, Mexican

Fish Friday Foodies - July 2019 - Grilled Seafood - Host of the month is Stacy.

Campfire Salmon from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Grilled Gumbo from Palatable Pastime
Grilled Parma-wrapped Stuffed Sardines from Food Lust People Love
Grilled Salmon Sandwiches with Basil Dill Sauce from Karen's Kitchen Stories
Provencal Shrimp and Veggies in Foil from A Day in the Life on the Farm
Spicy Grilled Shrimps With Pea Risotto from Sneha's Recipe