Our Eyes Eat First

Pakoras! (Vegetable Fritters)

2012-01-08T20:01:00.000-08:00

Pakoras are so yummy! If you've never had them - just imagine crossing crispy vegetable tempura with a buttery hush puppy. Pakoras would be their spicy, Indian cousin! : j

They are a great snack for any day of the week, although.... because they are deep fried we try to reserve them for weekends and special occasions.

They are definitely addicting and after you've made them once, you'll be amazed at how easy it was! (Easy to make + addictive = a dangerous combination. You've been warned!.. lol )

Ingredients:
Potatoes
Onion
Green Chili
Cilantro
Cumin Powder
Corriander Powder
Salt
Chili Powder
Besan (Chickpea Flour)
Water
Oil for frying (I used Canola)

Steps:

1. Dice veggies and toss together in a bowl. (Alternatively, instead of dicing your veggies you can leave them whole.)

2. In a separate bowl add besan flour (~1 cup for 1.5 cups of diced veggies)

3. Add the above listed spices and salt to taste to the besan and mix well.

4. Add veggies and water to the besan/spice mixture to make a thick batter consistency.

5. Heat oil in a pan. Test the oil by dropping in a tiny bit of batter - if it bubbles and floats to the surface - the oil is ready!

6. Carefully drop spoonfuls of the pakora batter into the hot oil, leaving a few inches between each one so they dont stick to one another. The pakoras should bubble up, float to the top and brown nicely. Cook for a few minutes on each side and then carefully remove from pan and drain on a paper towel.

7. Traditionally, pakoras are served with different chutneys - mint/corriander chutney and/or tamarind sauce or ketchup like my hubby LOL. However, you might find like I do that these pakoras are fluffy, crisp and delicious enough on their own : j

So gooooodd! Off to make a cup of hot chai to go along with these yummies!

Kheer - Indian Rice Pudding

2011-12-26T16:15:00.000-08:00

If you have a few simple ingredients and a slow cooker - I have a wonderfully simple and decadent dessert for you to try!

Kheer is much more than just "Indian Rice Pudding". Its is creamy, dreamy, rich, flavorful, exotic and familiar all at the same time.

Using a slow cooker is a wonderful way to turn a few simple ingredients into this decadent. rich dessert just in time for dinner.

Heres what you'll need:

Ingredients:
Basmati Rice (1/2 cup)
Milk
(3 cups +/- based on your desired consistency)
Sugar (1/2 cup or to taste)
Almonds, Slivered (optional)
Cardamom Powder (to taste)

Steps:
1. Wash and drain rice
2. Add all of the above ingredients into slow cooker.
3. Set on High and after 30-60 minutes check back to make sure rice is not clumping together. If it is, just give it a quick stir.
4. Continue to set on high and check in intermittently (every hour or so) to check on the consistency. If too thick add more milk, stir and place back on high.
5. After about 4 hours, the rice should be very soft and have absorbed most of the milk and sugar turning the mixture into a thick pudding consistency. Again, feel free to add more milk at this point if desired.
6. Garnish with more almonds and serve.

dangerously delicious!

Ricotta Stuffed French Toast with Caramelized Bananas

2011-11-27T10:51:00.000-08:00

The start of a perfect brunch...

Aaaggghhhh Sundays! Sundays are one of those days you get to sleep in a few extra hours and then have the whole day to catch up on what you couldn't get done during the week... or not.. lol... : j

Sunday Brunch has to be my favorite meal hands down. Croissants, coffee, omelets, fresh fruit, french toast, homefries, waffles, etc etc... It can be a simple spread or more extravagant but either way its always special.

Here is a rich, delicious and unbelieveably easy recipe for stuffed french toast with caramelized bananas that my husband and I had this weekend!

Sweet caramelized bananas and creamy ricotta...

Ingredients:

Italian or French Bread

Ricotta Cheese

Sugar (enough for ricotta mixture and batter)

Whipped Cream

Eggs

Butter

Heavy Cream

Cinnamon

Vanilla Extract

Fresh Bananas

Steps:

1.Slice fresh italian or french bread into 1 1/2 inch slices and then slice that in half without splitting it all the way in order to make a pocket for the ricotta stuffing

2. In a bowl mix together ricotta cheese, sugar and some whipped cream to thin out mixture and set aside.

3. Prepare batter in another bowl - combine eggs, heavy cream, cinammon, sugar and vanilla extract. Mix well and pour into a shallow bowl for dipping bread.

4. Gently open the split slice of bread and spoon ricotta mixture into pocket and spread evenly.

5. Place the stuffed bread into the batter mixture and allow to sit for several minutes to soak batter well and then turn over on the other side and again sit for several minutes.

6. While the bread is soaking in batter, heat a non-stick griddle and melt a small pat of butter in it

7. Carefully lower the batter dipped stuffed bread onto the griddle. Cook on medium until golden brown on both sides.

8. While the toast is cooking, slice up fresh bananas and toss in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar and keep aside

9.Once the french toast is cooked, place on a plate.

10. On the same griddle, add a bit more butter and drop the cinnamon-sugar coated banana slices in and allow it to carmelize on each side. If the bananas are cooked too long, they will become soggy fyi!

11. Spoon the sweet bananas onto french toast, garnish with whipped cream, powdered sugar and serve! No syrup necessary!

Caramel Apple Crumble

2011-11-05T09:25:00.000-07:00

Fall is such a wonderful season! Especially in Vermont where the folliage turn from bright shades of green into lovely jewel tones. Theres nothing better than taking in that scenery while breathing in the crisp autumn air.

Actually theres one more thing that I happen to love more than the pretty leaves changing color - caramel apples!

I wait each season for those sweet, tart, gooey treats to show up on my local grocers shelves to signal the beginning of fall and then proceed to buy as many as I can carry : j

Those yummy treats were the inspiration behind a quick dessert I made after scanning my fridge eagerly for the last caramel apple only to be disappointed after realizing that I probably ate it already. lol...

Heres a simple, grown-up, minus-the-stick version of the beloved caramel apple.

Caramel Apple Crumble

Apple Filling
Fresh granny smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
sugar
cinnamon
salt, a dash
butter, unsalted

Crumble
flour
butter, unsalted
sugar

Steps:
1. combine flour and butter in a bowl until crumbley. then add sugar and mix well. keep aside
1. preheat oven to 375 degrees
3.melt butter in a pan
2. add sugar and allow it to cook down to a gooey caramel
3. add cinnamon and a dash of salt
4. add the slices of apple
5. cook until soft
6. spoon apple filling into individual ramekins
7. top with crumble
8. bake at 375, watching closely until crumble browns well
9. carefully remove, allow to cool a bit and enjoy!

Quick! - Gimme a spoon!

Homemade Series #5 - Achaar/Hot Sauce

2011-09-27T18:51:00.000-07:00

If you love spicy - this is a great blog post for you!

The last days of summer in Vermont have been pretty cool leaving our balcony garden with not much of a yield. But a few days ago my husband discovered that our chili pepper plant had six or seven beautiful red peppers ready to pick!

Hoping to capture a bit of summer for the next few months, we decided to make a pickle of some sort. Lucky for us, my father in law has a wonderful spicy homemade "achaar" (pickled/brined vegetables/chilis) recipe.

Heres it is!

Ingredients:
Chilis
Lemons/Lemon Juice
Salt
Garlic
Ginger
Vinegar

Steps:

1. Coarsely chop chilies, slice ginger and dice garlic

2. Cut lemons in half and juice

3. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and let it sit outside in your kitchen for 1 day (covered)

4. Spoon into jars the next day and then refrigerate

5. Enjoy!

Tangy, Spicy Goodness!

P.S. This recipe can easily be pureed in a blender to make a thick hot sauce to spoon over your favorite dishes!

Spicy Red Chili Hummus and Armenian Lavash Crackers

2011-08-03T09:14:00.000-07:00

If you love hummus this post is for you!

I didn't realize just how simple it was to make your very own hummus until I tried it. And whats better is that you can customize it with whatever ingredients you love! ( I love, love spicy red chili : j )

To go along with your yummy, creamy homemade hummus, bake off a batch of easy-to-make Armenian Lavash Crackers - Amazing!

Keep reading for a quick and healthy snack that anyone can make!

Spicy Red Chili Hummus

* from Martha Stewart

2 cans (15.5 ounces each) chickpeas

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup tahini

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt

Directions

Reserving 1/4 cup liquid, rinse and drain 2 cans chickpeas. Place chickpeas and reserved liquid in a food processor/blender. Add 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, 1/4 cup tahini, well stirred, 2 garlic cloves, chopped, 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and 1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt. Process until smooth.

Before blending also add your favorite ingredients - roasted peppers, red chili, parsley, etc...

Refrigerate while baking crackers

Armenian Lavash Crackers

* from Epicurious

1 package dry yeast

1 teaspoon salt

2 Cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 Cups warm water

2 Cups whole wheat flour
toasted sesame seeds

Directions

Sprinkle yeast into warm water in large bowl and stir until dissolved. Add salt.

Combine all-purpose and whole wheat flours and add enough to yeast mixture to make stiff dough.

Turn out on floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes. Shape into ball.

Place in greased bowl and turn to grease top. Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.

Punch down and let rise again until doubled, about 30 minutes.

Divide dough into 8 pieces and roll each out on lightly floured surface to very thin circle about 9 inches in diameter.

Place, one at a time, on baking sheet and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake at 400 degrees F 5 to 6 minutes, or until bread appears dry, lightly browned and blistered.

Run palest side under hot broiler until lightly browned.

Cool and store in dry place.

A Perfect Pair!

Homemade Series #4 - Ghee (Clarified Butter)

2011-07-19T16:30:00.000-07:00

Have you ever tasted ghee or clarified butter?

If you haven't stop what youre doing and try this. There is nothing in this world that tastes like pure, rich, clarified butter.

It is a sinfully indulgent staple in Indian homes and gives Indian food a special "just cant put my finger on what that ingredient is but I love it" taste.

Heres what you need:

1. Unsalted Butter
2. A pot
3. A wide mouth bottle with a top
4. Slotted spoon
5.Sieve

Heres how you make your very own!

1. Melt unsalted butter in a pan
2. Allow mixture to come to a low boil and then turn the stove down to let the butter simmer. Be sure to watch the butter carefully as it can burn/scorch and turn a nasty bitter brown color.
3. The milk solids from the butter will start to slowly rise to the top. With your slotted spoon you can carefully start to skim off what you can but if you dont get all of it dont worry. Whats left at the bottom is ghee!
4. Once the butter separates you will notice a rich, nutty aroma develop. At this point carefully pour the melted, separated butter through the sieve into the glass jar.
5.The ghee will turn back into a semi solid at room temperature and is ready to spread onto anything you like! YUM!

South American Cheese Breads!

2011-05-15T16:51:00.000-07:00

Who's in need of a getaway?!

It has been said that the quickest way to visit another country is to try their food. So today we're going to visit Brazil, Colombia and Paraguay!

After living in Miami for several years, Ive had the pleasure of tasting delicious food from several different Latin American/Carribean cultures. Most of all, I miss the breakfast I would have at least once a week - a fresh-baked, warm Pan de bono (a Colombian cheese bread) and a sweet, creamy Cafe con Leche. - So good!

Ive sooooo been missing that yummy combination since moving up (waay) north and finally decided to make it and share it with you. In the midst of looking for a good Pan de Bono recipe I also happened upon Brazilian (Pão de Quejjo) and Paraguayan (Chipa) versions of Pan de Bono. So I said "why not?" and ended up making all three versions!

Pão de Quejjo (Brazilian)

I found a great authentic recipe from here but be mindful that it may be difficult to find the exact ingredients (you cannot substitute the manioc flour) but you may be able to substitute the type of cheese (I used mozzarella/parmesan)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 1/4 cups whole milk

2 tsp salt (more or less, depending on the cheese mixture you're going to use)

1 lb (500 g) polvilho azedo (Brazilian sour manioc starch)

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup shredded queijo da canastra (or you can try a mix of 2 parts sharp cheddar cheese and 1 part mozzarella, or 1 part mozzarella and 2 parts parmesan cheese, or any other mix of melting, strong-flavored cheeses you like)

1. Combine oil, milk and salt in a sauce pan. Heat to just below boiling point (watch closely - when the mixture starts to rise, remove immediately from heat and use mixture in step 3).

2. Place the polvilho azedo in a large bowl.

3. Pour boiling mixture all over the polvilho azedo and, using a wooden spoon, start stirring the dough.

4. When the dough is cold enough to be kneaded by hand (but still hot), add eggs and cheese and knead until it is very sticky and elastic, about 15 minutes (you will need a spoon or scraper to get it off your hands).

5. Let the dough rest while you preheat the oven to 450^oF (it is very important that the oven is at high temperature when you bake the pães-de-queijo; if they start to get too brown on the bottom before getting golden brown on top, reduce the temperature a little bit).

6. Oil two large baking pans. Oil your hands with vegetable oil and form golf-sized balls with the dough (40-45). Place them 2-3 in apart in the pan, as they grow considerably when baked. (You can, at this point, freeze the balls and then store them in zip lock bags to bake them straight from the freezer at your convenience - they will take a little longer to get ready, though.)

7. Bake until puffed and golden brown (about 15 minutes). Serve hot.

put on your fave Gilberto/Jobim song and munch away!

Chipa (Paraguay)

yuuuuuummmmmmmmm!!

Again a great authentic source a recipe found here turned into a delicous cheese bread!

1 kg cassava, yuca, or mandioca starch
2 cups of milk
1 1/4 tablespoon salt
1 cup of vegetable oil or butter
2 cup grated fontina or gruyere and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
5 eggs

1. Sift starch into bowl and mix in cheeses.

2. In a pot, bring milk, oil, and salt to a simmer. Bring to a simmer.

3. Little by little pour liquid into starch and cheese mix until dough becomes very lumpy. Let it sit for a few minutes.

4. Add the eggs, one or two at a time, mixing well by hand, until a smooth texture is achieved.

5. Add milk if the dough is not soft enough. Let dough sit for ½ hour.

6. Shape the dough into little ping pong size balls by rolling in your hands.

7. Place on a well greased baking sheet (or on baking sheet with parchment paper).

8. Top balls with some grated parmesan to add a golden colour once baked.

9. Bake in oven preheated to 350 degrees until chipas slightly golden.

Note: Freshly baked chipas will have a soft doughy center while still warm. Do not think that the dough is raw and undercooked, when in fact it should be cooked if the outside is golden, that's how it is supposed to be.

Pan de Bono (Colombia)

cant describe how good this is!

My fave! Here is where I found a super simple and deeeeliisshhh recipe.

1 cup yellow masarepa (precooked cornmeal)
1/2 cup tapioca (cassava, yuca) flour
2 cups grated farmer's cheese, or queso fresco
2 eggs
2 teaspoons sugar
salt to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Mix the two flours and the sugar in a bowl.

3. Stir in the grated cheese and the eggs. Mix well with a wooden spoon. Taste for salt, and add salt as needed. (Some farmer's cheeses are saltier than others).

4. Knead dough until smooth. If the dough seems too dry, add a few teaspoons of water.

5. Roll dough into balls that are slightly larger than golf balls. Or shape dough into small bagels. The rolls do not have to be perfectly smooth - they will puff up in the last several minutes of baking.

6. Place rolls on a greased cookie sheet and bake, about 20 minutes or until golden in color and puffed.

Serve warm.

Salud!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Manu from www.manusmenu.com, a wonderful blog with amazing pictures, for passing along the versatile blogger award! : j

Here are some great blogs with great writing and pictures who also deserve this nice honor!

http://definitelynotmartha.blogspot.com/

http://belachan2.blogspot.com/

http://www.fivestarfoodie.com/

http://kitchensojourn.blogspot.com/

http://lindselicious.blogspot.com/

http://pearlandpine.blogspot.com/

http://torviewtoronto.blogspot.com/

http://sandraseasycooking.blogspot.com/

May Flowers!

2011-05-05T14:13:00.000-07:00

Its been a long, dreary winter.

I dont remember looking forward to Spring so much! To welcome Spring I whipped up a simple but delicious batch of flower sugar cookies with icing. For "leaves" I dyed the dough with a bit of food coloring and used a mini heart shaped cookie cutter. Turn the green hearts upside down and they look like leaves! : j

I found a simple great recipe from all recipes: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/the-best-rolled-sugar-cookies/Detail.aspx.

The icing was just as simple! You need two different consistencies of icing 1. piping icing which is a bit thicker and is used to outline the cookies. and 2. flooding icing which is used to fill in the outlines made by the piping icing.

I love youtube and found a wonderful "how-to" video on icing cookies.

Here it is:

cookies and cold, yummy milk!

Painting a Portrait..... with Chocolate!

2011-04-29T08:09:00.000-07:00

Get ready to be blown away.

So, I was in the middle of cooking dinner and needed a quick "how to" on something. As usual I "google'd" my question and an interesting link about chocolate paintings of all things popped up. I clicked on it and was led to http://eyecandy.nanakaze.net/?p=313.

Needless to say my jaw dropped. That's a painting! Made out of chocolate! That looks so real! I knew I had to try this.

The first problem was deciding who to paint... I could paint myself but that would be a little vain.. LOL.. I could paint my husband but he would enjoy that too much : j

Then it hit me. Ill paint one of the most beautiful women Ive seen and she happens to be my favorite singer of all time - Sade. Shes just breathtakingly gorgeous and can I please look that good when Im her age?! Plus it will get me even more excited for her concert in June - Ive been waiting 10yrs since her last tour to see her! Alright - I'm ready. Lets go!

The eyecandy blog had great step by step pictures and I took a cue from that and decided to share step by step pictures of my project with you as well. The finished project was AMAZING and I couldn't believe how quickly it came together. There were a few mistakes I made which I will share with you so that it will avoided next time. Its all about learning from your mistakes! And because its so easy there can definitely be a next time!

1. Find a great black and white picture or one that you can make black and white. What you are looking for are distinct black, white and midtones areas.

she's flawless! (from her "Best of" album cover)

2. Print out this picture. If there is any writing on it be sure to print it backwards as your final product will be a mirror image. Tape to a secure surface like sturdy cardboard. Then take parchment paper and tape it over the picture. You will basically be tracing over the picture with different layers of chocolate.

fyi my parchment paper is unbleached which is why its brown and not white

3. Chop up dark chocolate or use dark chocolate chips like I did. Put them into a sandwich bag and let them sit in a bowl of hot water and melt. Also gather bamboo skewers which you will need.

4. Once the chocolate is melted cut a small tip off of the corner of your bag. Now whereever there is black in the picture trace over that area with the chocolate. Keep steady pressure while piping out with the bag. . Once you outline everything then fill in the black areas with the dark chocolate. Use the bamboo skewers to help you fill in the gaps. You can then use the bamboo skewers to dip into the chocolate to be more precise when tracing over the eyes, lips etc. Refrigerate while you prepare for the next step.

dark chocolate layer done! that was easy...

5. For the next step prepare and melt the white chocolate in the same way. Mix together the white and dark chocolate to get a good mid-tone color.

yum..

6. Take the picture out of the fridge and just like tracing fill in the mid-tone areas to give your painting its depth. If some of the lighter chocolate gets on the dark chocolate don't worry because it wont affect the end product. Once done, refrigerate.

mid-tone colors filled in - that was really quick!

7. After the chocolate has hardened (this doesn't take long 10 minutes or so) its time to do the last and easiest step. This is where I made a mistake and I will tell you how to avoid what I did wrong. First outline the outside of the entire picture with melted white chocolate.

Then pour white chocolate over the entire picture so that it is completely covered. (not pictured) It is VERY IMPORTANT that your chocolate is not too warm otherwise the chocolate underneath will melt. Smooth the white chocolate gently and evenly and be careful not to disturb the layers underneath. This is where I went wrong. I was a little heavy handed and ended up messing up the dark chocolate layer over one of the paintings eyes. Also tap the chocolate on the counter/table to get rid of trapped bubbles. Again, this is something I didn't do enough of so there were craters in my finished product.

Last layer - seriously this is too easy..

8. Once you're done smoothing out the white chocolate layer, place back in the fridge or freezer. When the chocolate has hardened place another sheet of parchment paper over the painting and invert carefully. Peel away the parchment paper and voila! The finished product!

done!

Again I was completely surprised at how easy and how little time it took for how wonderfully professional it turns out! I hope you try it out and surprise someone special with a really unique gift! (How great would it be to surprise your loved one with a personalized chocolate portrait as the topping on their next birthday cake??)

remember: be sure to tap out the trapped bubbles
or else youll be left with craters!

...and be careful when smoothing out your final layer of chocolate.
I wasnt :(

pretty good for a first try but will attempt to fix it....

after a few touch ups : j

Will leave you with my favorite song by Sade (and the beautiful lyrics). Enjoy : j

There must have been an angel by my side

Something heavenly led me to you

Look at the sky

It's the colour of love

There must have been an angel by my side

Something heavenly came down from above

He led me to you

He built a bridge to your heart

All the way

How many tons of love inside

I can't say

When I was led to you

I knew you were the one for me

I swear the whole world could feel my heartbeat

When I lay eyes on you

Ay ay ay

You wrapped me up in

The colour of love

You gave me the kiss of life

Kiss of life

You gave me the kiss that's like

The kiss of life

Wasn't it clear from the start

Look the sky is full of love

Yeah the sky is full of love

You gave me the kiss of life

Kiss of life

You gave me the kiss that's like

The kiss of life

You gave me the kiss of life

Kiss of life

You gave me the kiss that's like

The kiss of life

You wrapped me up in the colour of love

Must have been an angel came down from above

Giving me love yeah

You gave me the kiss of life

Kiss of life

You gave me the kiss of life

Kiss of life

Herbed Turkey Meatloaf and Roasted Parsnip Puree

2011-04-27T05:53:00.000-07:00

Many of you are in the same boat as I am.

There are certain foods you just cant/wont/dont eat. My list includes shellfish, pork, mushrooms (blech!) and red meat (except the occasional lamb for my hubby).

However, I choose to focus on what I DO eat - which is surprisingly A LOT! veggies, fish, chicken and turkey!

One of my favorite meals is a thick slice of delicious turkey meatloaf. Since everyone is always looking for a healthier alternative to their favorite meals, I wanted to share this as a leaner option for those who love the classic beef meatloaf.

I improvised when making the turkey meatloaf. This was the first time I started with a base (ground turkey) and just threw things in that I though would go work well together and taste good. Something I highly recommend. If it doesnt turn out well - youve learned and can just start over. But when it comes out delicious - your foodie confidence gets a nice boost : j Heres what I came up with:

seconds please!

Herbed Turkey Meatloaf

Ingredients:
ground turkey (easily made vegetarian with veggie "meat")
salt
pepper
fresh thyme (its incredible what fresh herbs can do for meat!)
fresh sage
fresh rosemary
egg (substitute with olive oil to make this vegetarian/vegan or leave out all together)
breadcrumbs
yellow mustard
chopped onions
cumin powder
a dash of ground cinnamon/cloves/bayleaf
chili powder
paprika
add whatever else you like i.e grated zucchini, veggies

Tomato Glaze:
tomato paste
paprika
dashes of Worcestershire sauce
salt
pepper
cumin powder

Steps:
Put all ingredients in a bowl and mix together
Form into a loaf shape (or use a loaf pan)
Spread glaze over top
Cover loosely with foil and bake for 45 minutes at 375degrees
Remove cover and bake for another 30 minutes or until when poked, juices run clear.

Roasted Parsnip Puree

So then, to accompany the yummy turkey meatloaf I had to make something healthier than the traditional mashed potatoes, right? I went with something brand new to my kitchen - parsnips! I read several different recipes online for parsnip puree but the one that stuck out the most to me was the Roasted Parsnip Puree recipe found here: http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/pureed_roasted_parsnips/

beautiful fresh parsnips

buttery and sweet naturally!

Whats on your list of "wont eat/touch/look at" foods ?

Haldi & Henna Easter Eggs !

2011-04-23T19:15:00.000-07:00

Easter is such a wonderful time of celebration! Whether you are celebrating Christ's ressurection or the blessing of having time with your family the joyous spirit of the holiday is all around!

I decided to add an "Indian" twist to the holiday this year. Using a natural ingredient - haldi (turmeric) I dyed eggs a bright cheery shade of yellow. This earthy and fragrant spice is usually used in cooking but can also be found in homemade face masks and body scrubs! (honey + turmeric + sandlewood = amazing!)

Mendhi (henna) would not leave the same deep orange hue on an egg's surface as it does on a bride's hands (believe me I tried and failed lol.. ) so I improvised with a couple of non-toxic henna-colored markers instead : j

Here's how to make your own batch of lovely Indian inspired Easter eggs!

Earthy, fragrant turmeric. Found at your local indian grocery store!

Add a few teaspoons of turmeric to a pot of water. Drop eggs into water
carefully and boil for ~ 6-10 minutes (as you would for soft or hard boiled
eggs) PS - you can eat the eggs after !

Remove eggs carefully and allow them to drain on
papertowels. Once cool, they can be decorated.

Using non-toxic markers, make designs with paisleys, flowers
dots, etc. Several templates can be found online.

so pretty!

My wedding day and henna'd hands : j

Happy Easter to everyone!

Sour Cream Marinated Chicken Curry & Sour Cream Cucumber Mint Raitha

2011-04-21T17:08:00.000-07:00

You may not automatically think of sour cream when you hear "indian food" but it's a wonderful secret ingredient that many who love indian cuisine use! Typically its yogurt that is used for marinades and raithas but those who have tried it know that sour cream (reduced fat) makes a wonderful rich, creamy substitute.

Try these two dishes and leave your guests wondering how you learned to cook so well while they ask for seconds and thirds!

Sour Cream Marinated Chicken Curry

1. Prepare the dee.lish. marinade. Its super simple ! - all you need are the following ingredients (to taste) and a blender! Blend together: sour cream, fresh coriander, mint, chili powder, cumin powder, turmeric, salt, paprika, coriander powder, lemon juice, onion and a little bit of water.

sour cream is so yummy!

2. Cut up chicken thighs (with bone please! marrow makes this dish amazing) and rinse the chicken pieces with a mix of vinegar, water and turmeric. After rinsing the excess vinegar and turmeric off of the chicken pieces once more, add the blended marinade to the chicken pieces. Add a bit more sour cream to make a thicker marinade if you like! : j Put the chicken in the fridge while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

cant wait til its done!

3. Get your "Mise en place" in order! Cut up onions, open a can of canned tomatoes, dice garlic, puree fresh ginger, grind the following whole spices into a powder (bay leaf, cardamom black and green, cinnamon, cloves, anise) and set each of them aside.

Heat up a heavy bottomed pan (I love my dutch oven! Does some kind soul want to get me a set of Le Crueset? : j ) and add oil. Add mustard seeds to oil and once they start to pop, add the diced onions. Once they are nice and soft, add the ginger and garlic (the more the better if you ask me). Saute until all the ingredients are soft. Push the onions etc off to one side of the pot add a touch more oil and then add spices: chili powder, cumin powder, corriander powder, turmeric and paprika as well as the ground whole spices . Toast the powdered spices for a minute and then mix with the onions, etc. Add crushed tomatoes and then cook for a couple of more minutes.

This smells aaaammmaazzzinngg!!

4. Add the marinated chicken pieces (and a little bit of the marinade as well). Cover and cook for a good 20 -30 minutes stirring in between. Add extra water if needed. Once the chicken pieces are almost cooked, take the cover off and let the sauce reduce into a spicy flavorful gravy.

drool !

finger lickin' good!

Sour Cream Cucumber Mint Raitha

What's a better accompaniment to a spicy yummy chicken curry than a cool creamy raitha? Heres how!

1. Peel, seed and shred cucumbers. Add salt to the shredded cucumbers and let that sit for 5 minutes. (This helps to draw out excess water from the cucumbers)

2. Squeeze out the excess water. Add the shredded cucumber to sour cream.

3. Add cumin seeds, cumin powder and salt and mix.

4. Add chopped mint, mix and serve!

I hope this helps to demystify good home cooked indian food a little bit. I also hope you get a chance to try these two amazing dishes! and by the way it gets better and tastier with practice! : j

365 Days of Vegan Dishes!

2011-04-17T07:43:00.000-07:00

Vegetable Gyoza by Joan Hsu

Have you ever considered giving up meat and/or all animal by-products (eggs, dairy, leather, honey) ? With the "Meatless Mondays" movement gaining momentum it seems to be all the rage. Or are you already a vegetarian or vegan looking for inspiration? If so this post today is dedicated to you!

Truth be told I actually considered becoming a vegetarian at one point and I even tried it for a while - BUT that only lasted for 3 months! My mom's chicken curry was my tempter and I happily obliged. : j

Most likely because I couldn't become one (err..choose... : j ) much like marathon runners and computer programmers I have nothing but admiration for those who choose the vegan lifestyle.

One such individual to whom I was introduced was Mrs. Joan Hsu.

Mocha Almond Biscotti by Joan Hsu

Joan and I are both Seventh-Day Adventists; where healthy living including vegetarianism and veganism is encouraged. As such, I have come across many vegetarians vegans and their yummy food over the years.

However, Joan is doing something quite different and remarkable from any of them. She made the transition from vegetarianism to veganism, but she didn't stop there. Joan has decided to share one vegan recipe for each day this year! She uploads 7 new recipes each Sunday along with beautiful pictures to her facebook account. She has shared over 100 unique and delicious recipes so far and will soon reach the 365 recipe mark!

She has made everything from simple sweet plantains, hearty bean and barley soup and decadent desserts to creative vegan takes on traditional dishes like macaroni and "cheeze".

After looking through her album of delicious treats I knew many more would love to hear about her story and try her recipes!

Here is what Joan wanted to share in her own words:

Curried Lentil Soup by Joan Hsu

"The idea for this project was a result of several events. First, a couple of years ago, having to go on my daughter Janae's diet for a while (she's allergic to eggs, dairy, soy, wheat, and nuts, as well as cats and dogs) which, while not the greatest experience in the world, made me realize that a vegan diet was very possible for me. After I got off Janae's diet, my husband kept telling me we should go vegan, but I wasn't ready for that yet. Then my friend Jed did a "photo a day" for every day in 2010, which I thought was really awesome. Towards the end of last year I was able to watch the movie "Julie and Julia" which is about a lady who did a blog of Julia Child's cookbook and made each recipe once a day for a whole year, which I thought was really cool. Finally I saw the movie "Forks Over Knives" (coming to theaters March 10, 2011). The movie made me realize that I had to do something about my chocolate and dairy (mainly cheese) intake. I eat waaayy too much of both! As a result, I gave away or threw out all dairy from the fridge, and our family is now vegan (at least at home).

Instead of posting a new recipe daily, I'll be posting seven recipes every Sunday. Some of the recipes are my own original ones but some are just copied or modified from cookbooks or the Internet. I know I'm taking on a big project here, but this is not only for my health, but for my family, and becoming vegan will teach me self-control when it comes to food. Also most people, when they hear the term "vegan", think "bland". But it's not like that at all, as long as you have some good recipes to work with. So I hope you'll join in with me on this ride, try some recipes for yourself, and let me know what you think!"

Indian Fajita by Joan Hsu

Heres the recipe by Joan for the beautiful Vegetable Gyozas seen at the top of this post:

#34 - Vegetable Gyoza

This is actually easy to make. Try making them for Chinese New Year.

2 cups, loosely packed minced napa cabbage
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup vegeburger
1/4 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
1 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 Tbsp green onion,minced
1 1/2 tsp miso paste
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 t red chili pepper
1/8 tsp sugar
20 dumplings wrappers

dipping sauce:
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp rice vinegar
Several drops of sesame oil

Combine salt and cabbage and let sit 10 minutes. Squeeze all water out of cabbage. Add the rest of the ingredients except wrappers, well combined. Have a small bowl of water ready. Lay wrapper on a dry work
surface and place a heaping tsp of mixture in the center of wrapper. Moistened half of the edges of the wrapper and fold by pleating the edges. Heat 1/2 tsp sesame oil on medium-high heat. Place dumplings with the pleated-wrapper edge up. Cook 3 minutes until brown on bottom. Carefully add 1/4 cup water and when hissing and splattering die down, place lid on to trap in the moister and simmer. After 2 minutes, when
wrapper appear slightly translucent, remove the lid and raise the heat slightly. Continue to cook until all water has eveaporated and only oil remains (about 2 minutes). Make dipping sauce by whisking the soy sauce and vinegar together then the sesame oil.

If you would like to take a look at her album on facebook - here is the link! (link and all the above pictures are by Joan Hsu and have been shared with permission from Joan)

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=263457&id=749727472&l=d8fa113ae9

So go on. Try these recipes and see what veganism tastes like! (even if its only for a couple of months) : j

Cherry Blossoms, A Wedding and Mini Japanese Cheesecakes!

2011-04-11T20:55:00.000-07:00

(online stock photo not by OEEF)

I loved being back home in MD/DC and seeing all of my family and friends! What made it even more special this time was that one of my best friends got married!

The lovely couple sharing a laugh
among the beautiful cherry blossom trees!

I was also lucky enough to be in town when the cherry blossom trees were in full bloom all over MD, DC and VA. What a wonderful backdrop for an even more beautiful wedding weekend. On the day of the wedding, the bride and groom were blessed with sunshine and beautiful weather. Also the gorgeous cherry blossoms were at their peak of full bloom! The entire bridal party got a leisurely limousine ride into DC and then took pictures among the elegant trees and monuments.

A quick wiki search will reveal that "The Cherry Blossom Festival in DC commemorates the March 27, 1912, gift of Japanese cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo to the city of Washington DC. Mayor Ozaki donated the trees in an effort to enhance the growing friendship between the United States and Japan and also celebrate the continued close relationship between the two nations."

The scene in DC was breathtaking; the water rippling from the cool breeze, sun shining, cherry blossom trees in full bloom and glimpses of the majestic monuments in the background. Beautiful.

With the recent tragedies that have befallen Japan (1 month today) and with the trees all around my hometown as a reminder- I, like many of you, have had Japan on my mind.

With that, its only fitting to share an elegant Mini Japanese Cheesecake recipe! (made with the mini cheesecake pan given to me as a housewarming present by my BFF!) .

Here is my step by step pictorial guide on how to make Mini Japanese Cheesecakes! Dont let the term "cheesecake" fool you. The Japanese version is super light, creamy and cottony soft. You can totally have a second helping : j

(recipe from allrecipes.com)
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese
1/4 cup milk
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup white sugar, divided
2 egg whites
1/3 teaspoon cream of tartar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
Steps:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease mini cheesecake pan.
Then warm the cream cheese and milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until cream cheese is melted. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat egg yolks and half of the sugar until light and fluffy using an electric mixer.

Gently mix in or fold the cream cheese mixture into the yolks

Sift the flour and cornstarch.

Stir sifted flour into egg yolk and cream mixture until blended.

In a separate bowl, using clean beaters, whip egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy.

Gradually sprinkle in the remaining sugar and continue whipping to stiff peaks.

Fold egg whites into the cream cheese mixture.

Pour into the prepared cake pan. *Instead of a traditonal waterbath, I just poured water into a shallow pan that sat one rack right below my mini cheesecake pan.*

Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce the heat to 300 degrees F. Continue to bake for 15 more minutes.

Let the cake cool before removing from the pan.

Run a knife around the outer edge of the cake pan, and invert onto a plate to remove the cake.

Top with freshly made whipped cream and a few slices of fruit.

The whipped cream was light and the pear slices were perfectly sweet and delicate!

The American Red Cross and other organizations have set up simple ways for you to give. You can support the rebuilding efforts through a phone call, by visiting the website or through a simple text message. For more information on how you can help visit : http://ow.ly/4y5rV

200 likes!

2011-04-09T10:41:00.000-07:00

A big THANK YOU! again for all of you who are supporting this blog with your visits, comments and especially with your "likes" on our facebook page! www.facebook.com/OurEyesEatFirst .

I made a commitment when this blog was first launched to make this more than just about beautiful and delicious food. There are so many who go to bed with hungry, grumbling bellies all around the world, everyday. My passion for cooking and food would not be justified without thinking of and supporting them as well.

As I have mentioned before: I hope that by attracting visitors to this website and blog, that that attention can then be turned towards many deserving charities. At 100 facebook page "likes" Our Eyes Eat First was able to highlight and give to a wonderful charity - Martha's Table.

Martha’s Table is a not-for-profit organization which serves our nation’s capitol in several ways. One of which is by providing “meals to the homeless 365 days a year at various sites throughout the city, as well as providing meals to senior shut-ins and community holiday meals”. I have had the opportunity to personally volunteer with Martha’s table and have seen first hand the difference they make.

Now that we have reached the 200 likes mark (and more) it is my privilege to spotlight and donate to another worthy cause. Earlier, I posted a poll asking you, the readers, to help choose which charity to give to next. The overwhelming response was to support the Share Our Strength organization.

Share Our Strength’s goal is to end childhood hunger in America. Working with others, we believe we can do this by 2015.

It’s not enough to make sure America’s children have enough to eat; we must make sure they are getting the nutrition they need to live healthy, active lives.

That is why Share Our Strength’s highest priority is to make sure that every child in America gets the nutritious food he or she needs to learn, grow and thrive. We are doing this by improving the access that families all across the country have to healthy, affordable food and by working at the state and city level.

What a wonderful and worthy cause! I invite each of you to take the No Kid Hungry Pledge today: http://nokidhungry.org/

So please continue to enjoy the website/blog/facebook page and then please pass the link along to others who also love food! Not only will they get to see great recipes and nice pictures, they will also have the opportunity to hear about some worthwhile causes - to eventually give those charities more of the attention they deserve.

Thanks again!,

Jas

Homemade Series #3 - Grapefruit Marmalade made with 4 simple ingredients!

2011-03-21T09:28:00.000-07:00

Seeing the word "homemade" always gets "ooohh's and aaahhh's" because it seems soooo complicated and time consuming. But after trying out some great homemade recipes I realized just how wrong that misconception is. Making homemade food can be easy and simple! Yes, there are steps to follow and it may take a couple hours out of your day; but it is worth that small effort to use and share something special made with your own hands.

What I also appreciate about making food at home is that for the amount of effort that it takes initially, what you make can last a long time. A great example is homemade jam/jelly/marmalade. To make a nice batch it may take the better part of a morning or afternoon but the results last for months and months! Plus you can share that hard work with others to enjoy as well!

I invite you to try out at least one of the homemade series' recipes this weekend. : j

The combination of sweetness and slight bitterness of marmalade has always been a favorite of mine. For a new and different twist on the traditional marmalade that is made with oranges, I decided to incorporate grapefruit instead.

Ingredients: source: http://southernfood.about.com/od/jamsjellies/r/bln361.htm

2 large grapefruits, thick skinned

1 large lemon, thick skinned

2 cups water

4 cups granulated sugar

Steps:

1. Peel grapefruit and lemon; cut away inner white part of peel, leaving rind and white pith. Cut rind into slivers 3/4 inch long and 1/8 inch wide. Chop fruit coarsely, reserving juice.

2. In an 8-quart nonreactive heavy kettle over moderately high heat, simer rind, chopped fruit, reserved juice and water, uncovered, 10 minutes. Pour into a large heatproof glass bowl and let stand, covered, in a cool place overnight. **I wanted my marmalade to be a clear with bits of rind in it, so I placed the chopped fruit in a cheesecloth during the cooking process**

3. Return mixture to kettle. Add sugar and set over moderate heat. Insert a candy thermometer and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Continue boiling, stirring occasionally, until thermometer registers 218 degrees F to 220 degrees F.

4. While that mixture is cooking, sterilize jars and lids.

5.Remove from heat, skim off foam and ladle into sterilized half-pint canning jars, leaving 1/4-inch head space. Wipe rims, seal jars and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (15 minutes for altitudes abouve 6000 feet).

6. Remove jars from water bath, let cool for 12 hours and test for airtight seals. Label and store in a cool, dark place. If you decide not to sterilize and process jars, refrigerate marmalade and serve within three weeks.

yummmmmmmmmm

After it cools, try a bite with a simple piece of toast. Amazing!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Cheryl and Adam from http://picture-perfectmeals.blogspot.com

for being so kind and passing along the "Lovely Blog Award" to Our Eyes Eat First.

Here are some other bloggers who are also deserving of recognition as well!

Congrats!

Happy Un-birthday!

2011-03-15T11:11:00.000-07:00

Birthdays. Love 'em or hate 'em?

I love them. Not just my own, but all of my family's and friends' birthdays as well! The candles, cake, food, parties, deocorations, presents - I love it all.

My favorite part of a birthday celebration is that special moment when everyone gathers around singing Happy Birthday, the lights are dimmed as the glowing cake is brought out and the birthday girl or boy takes in a deep breath to blow out the candles and make a wish.

At precisely that moment I imagine the whole universe coming to a halt as it waits to hear what the next birthday wish will be; and I remember a quote from The Alchemist -

"When you want something the whole universe conspires to help you achieve it." - Paulo Coehlo

My little sister had a birthday recently which inspired me to make these yummy "Birthday Cake Truffles". Although she is in a different state I decided to make them anyway to celebrate her birthday and my un-birthday. : j They are super easy to make plus these little bites are just as filling as a huge slice of cake. A cute twist on the traditional birthday cake. Enjoy!

Birthday Cake Truffles

Ingredients:

1 box of Yellow Cake Mix (or make your own )

Milk Chocolate Melts

Sprinkles

Steps:

To see a step by step with pictures guide to making cake truffles see this post I wrote earlier: http://oureyeseatfirst.blogspot.com/2011/02/step-by-step-rose-and-white-chocolate.html

Substitute with the yellow cake and chocolate melts.

Once the cake rounds have been dipped in chocolate top with sprinkles and if you like, add candles!

Whether its your birthday or your un-birthday, make these adorable birthday cake truffles and wish away!

Homemade Series #2 - Roti and Naan (and the secret to a happy marriage!)

2011-03-13T20:11:00.000-07:00

Rice, Roti and/or Naan are a must as an accompaniment to most Indian meals. It is a great way to scoop up yummy, spicy curries or to just nibble on on their own.

I grew up in a home where we mostly ate rice and my husband grew up in a home where he almost never ate rice and ate rotis instead.

After we got married what would we do? An avid rice lover and a die-hard roti/naan fan? We would just have to......... have both! There are other things I could possibly bend for. But giving up rice? Nah.

Now theres the secret to a happy marriage - really good food with a bit of compromise (...for the right reason) : j

Rice is a fairly simple dish to make especially since the invention of the handy dandy rice maker. Indian flatbreads on the other hand are more involved. Here are the recipes we use when we make delicious roti and naan at home!

ROTI

Roti aka chapathi aka phulka, no matter what you call it, is just as important as rice when serving an Indian meal. There is something about eating with your hands that makes food even more tasty : j

Ingredients:

Duram Wheat Flour ( I use Golden Temple Brand)

Warm Water

Oil

Steps:

This is best made in a stand mixer but can be kneaded by hand as well.

Add flour (start with ½ cup) into stand mixer fitted with a dough hook and start on low.
Add warm water to flour a little bit at a time, turn up to medium speed and mix until the dough is sticky. At this point, check to see if you have made the amount of dough you want. If you would like more dough – repeat step 2 until you reach the amount you would like.
Once the dough is sticky, drizzle oil (I use Canola) onto the dough until coated and no longer sticky
Take out of stand mixer and store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. You can also freeze the fresh dough!
Set a tava or flat non stick pan on stove to warm up.
Pinch of a golf ball size pieces of dough and on a floured surface roll out to a flat 5-6 inch round.
Let roti cook for 1 minute on one side or until you see bubbles forming on the surface. Then flip over and cook until browned on both sides.

**Hint – during cooking take a clean kitchen towel and gently press down on the roti. This should cause the roti to puff up and steam***

NAAN

Heres the recipe I used from allrecipes.com. I did not grill the naan. Instead we broiled it in our oven. We watched each piece carefully to make sure they didn’t burn.

Ingredients:

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast

1 cup warm water

1/4 cup white sugar

3 tablespoons milk

1 egg, beaten

2 teaspoons salt

4 1/2 cups bread flour (I used wheat flour)

2 teaspoons minced garlic (optional)

1/4 cup butter, melted

Steps:

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir in 1 tablespoon of sugar with the yeast. Let stand about 10 minutes, until frothy.
Stir in the rest of sugar, milk, egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface, or until smooth.
Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise. Let it rise 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in volume.
Punch down dough, and knead in garlic if using.
Pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf ball. Roll into balls, and place on a tray. Cover with a towel, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
During the second rising, preheat grill to high heat. (or oven)
At grill side, roll one ball of dough out into a thin circle. Lightly oil grill. Place dough on grill, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until puffy and lightly browned. Brush uncooked side with butter, and turn over. Brush cooked side with butter, and cook until browned, another 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from grill, and continue the process until all the naan has been prepared.

Serve either with your fave Indian recipe! Find one at www.OurEyesEatFirst.com : j

Cashew Nut Brittle Cupcakes

2011-03-10T15:00:00.000-08:00

Cashew Nut Brittle Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting
and Homemade Cashew Nut Brittle!

I am that girl.

As soon as I get a box of chocolates. Its over! I take a bite out of almost every single one hunting for those yummy nutty pieces!

I love the combination of salty walnuts, cashews, pecans, and sweet caramel and sweet chocolate. Simply divine.

I wanted to bring those same flavors into a beautiful cupcake and heres what I came up with:

candied cashews! do they look like unicorns or is it just me... : j

The lovely homemade cashew nut brittle was especially easy to make! I even experimented with making candied cashews with a beautiful loooonnnng tail! So elegant and super easy to make. Heres where you can learn how to do it yourself!

The flavors are unique and work wonderfully together.

Heres how I made them!

Cupcake – adapted from food network’s Ana Olson’s recipe.

This recipe is for cashew butter cupcakes. I added 1/2c of Cocoa Powder and 2 tablespoons of freshly brewed espresso to add more depth of flavor. The espresso heightens the cocoa flavor without lending the coffee flavor. If you would like more of a chocolate flavor, I suggest using a basic chocolate cupcake recipe to start with and then add the cashew butter into that.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup cashew butter (you can grind your own in a blender or food processor)

1/3 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup 2 % milk at room temperature

½ cup of cocoa powder

3 tablespoons – fresh brewed coffee

Steps:

For cupcakes, preheat oven to 375 °F and grease muffin tins or line with large paper cups
Stir cashew butter before measuring to re-incorporate nut oils.
Beat cashew butter and butter together until light and fluffy. Beat in brown sugar, then add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
In a separate bowl ,sift flour, baking powder and salt (add cocoa if using).
Add flour alternately with milk (add espresso to the milk before adding to butter/cashew mixture), stirring after each addition just until incorporated.
Spoon batter into paper cups and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, when a tester inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Allow to cool before frosting.

Frosting - adapted from www.chow.com

Salted Caramel seems to be everywhere these days! I happen to love sweet and salty together and I figured this would be a perfect pairing for my Cashew cupcakes! This was by far the best, lightest, fluffiest frostings Ive made. Tasted like it was from a bakery! I creamed the butter for a while to incorporate A LOT of air : j

Ingredients:

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons water

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), at room temperature

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup powdered sugar

Steps:

1. Briefly stir together granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue cooking, without stirring, until mixture turns dark amber in color, about 6 to 7 minutes.

2. Remove from heat and slowly add in cream and vanilla, stirring with a wooden spoon until completely smooth. Set aside until cool to the touch, about 25 minutes.

3. Combine butter and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed until light in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low, add powdered sugar, and mix until completely incorporated.

4. Turn mixer off and scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add caramel. Beat frosting on medium-high speed until airy and thoroughly mixed, about 2 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until stiff, about 45 minutes, before using.

Cashew Nut Brittle – adapted from www.allrecipes.com

I did not have corn syrup on hand and I read you can use maple syrup instead. I chose neither and the results were super light and crisp and delicious! The only thing I would have change is to not have cooked the sugar as much – It ended up with a slightly bitter taste – but still yum!

Ingredients:

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup water

1 cup chopped cashews

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 teaspoon baking soda

Steps:

1. Grease a large cookie sheet. Set aside.

2. In a heavy 2 quart saucepan, over medium heat, bring to a boil sugar, corn syrup, salt, and water. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Stir in peanuts. Set candy thermometer in place, and continue cooking. Stir frequently until temperature reaches 300 degrees F (150 degrees C), or until a small amount of mixture dropped into very cold water separates into hard and brittle threads.

3. Remove from heat; immediately stir in butter and baking soda; pour at once onto cookie sheet.

4. With 2 forks, lift and pull peanut mixture into rectangle

5. Cool. Snap candy into pieces.

the end.

Laissez les bon temps rouler!

2011-03-08T10:46:00.000-08:00

Let the good times roll!

This phrase must have been heard in various languages all over the world as several Carnival(s) and Mardi Gras celebrations reach their peak of partying today.

Few realize that this indulgent and fun season is actually deeply rooted in religion and food!

Carnival and Mardi Gras signifies the time leading up to Ash Wednesday or the First Day of Lent.

Lent is the 40 day period, representing the Temptation of Christ, when Catholics and many Protestants and Orthodox Christians practice penitence, prayer, alms giving and self denial. This includes refraining from eating meat and for some; even meat byproducts. Although many do avoid meat, others decide to give up a different indulgent habit such as facebook or chocolate. (yikes!)

"Carnival" in Latin literally translates into "Put away the meat" and Mardi Gras translates into "Fat Tuesday" - the fat, food- filled day before Lent when you would eat extra fatty, extra meat filled meals . Sounds delicious : j

My mom, who was raised Catholic, observed Lent but I grew up in an Adventist (protestant) home where it wasn't. However, this year I just might : j

And I thought, instead of just giving up a bad habit (like eating too many pastries and cursing.. I know terrible..) why not start a good habit too! : j

So, Let the good times roll !!

"mmmmmm..... roll... ooooohh.. sweet delicious cinnamon rolls.. oohh that reminds me of yummy King Cake! that would taste sooo good right now!!..........*d@&%$*f#.!....."

(How long is 40 days again?) lol...

no choking-- hazard baby doll in this one : j

Here's a super quick "King Cake" recipe to get your fix just in time!

King Cake is a decadent, deep fried cake decorated with tri-colored icing or sprinkles. Traditionally, there is a mini baby doll (supposedly to represent baby Jesus) or coin snuck inside. The person who finds the doll or coin is King or Queen for the day, has good luck and has to bring/make next year's King Cake!

Ingredients:
Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls with Icing
Food Coloring or Purple, Yellow and Green sprinkles

Steps:
1. Make cinnamon rolls as per package (or to mimic the real thing pinch all the rolls together in a bundt pan and bake into a ring)
2. dye the icing with food coloring (purple, green and yellow)
3. decorate with icing and/or sprinkles and serve!

Homemade Series #1 - Plain Yogurt and Greek Style Yogurt

2011-03-06T14:35:00.000-08:00

fresh, creamy yogurt!

In this short series, I will be sharing the how-to’s of making some super easy ingredients at home!

So you’re thinking - “ Uhm, why exactly should I make yogurt or anything else when its sssoooo easy to buy it from the grocery store??”

Really the question is, “Why not?”

Its so simple to make and homemade yogurt is way tangier and creamier than the store bought variety. So when you use it to make smoothies, marinades, frozen yogurt or even to just eat plain ( with chicken biryani or with fruit and granola..yuummm) its just… better!

If saving money is important to you this is a great way to use that about-to-expire gallon of milk that you were going to throw away. Greek Style Yogurt is super expensive.. fyi..

You also get to make and share something that is truly your own : j

Plain Yogurt:

Ingredients:

Left over plain yogurt ( ~ ¼ cup per gallon of milk) – this is used as a starter. Once you’ve made your own batch of homemade yogurt you can keep using it as starter for subsequent batches.

Milk

*If making Greek Yogurt: large bowl, cheesecloth, long bamboo skewers, (or just a collander)

Steps:

1. Pour milk into a large pot and bring to a boil.Once the milk has boiled, take it off the stove and let it cool until almost room temperature (slightly warmer)

2. add the left over yogurt (if you have an almost empty yogurt container you can pour the warm milk into that and swirl around, then pour back into the pot.

3. Pour the milk and yogurt mixture into one big tupperware or you can divide it among several smaller Tupperware pieces

4. Cover with a lid and place in a warm, dark place (like a pantry) or in an oven that is off overnight. I also cover them with a kitchen towel.

5. The next day you will have perfectly creamy, tangy yogurt!

6. If you prefer a thicker yogurt i.e the Greek Style Yogurt à

lay out your cheese cloth in a bowl and pour the fresh made yogurt into the cheesecloth.
Gather all the ends and tie up together.
Take a long bamboo skewer and poke through the knot. (At the this point if lifted up the cheese cloth filled with yogurt should be supported by the bamboo skewers enough for it to hang )
Place each end of the bamboo skewer across a large bowl. So that the cheesecloth with the yogurt will be suspended in air. This will allow the excess whey to drip into the bowl.
Keep the bowl in the sink away from dirty dishes, soap, water, etc. for 24hrs. If you don’t want to do that you can refridgerate it but that will take up to 48 hrs for the excess whey to drip away.

*Another option, if you don’t want to bother with cheesecloth and skewers, is to just pour the yogurt into a colander and let that drain in your sink*

Open the cheesecloth carefully and store your greek yogurt in an airtight container in the fridge!

Stuffed Crust Tandoori Chicken Flatbread (Organic and Homemade)

2011-03-04T05:51:00.000-08:00

Warning: This recipe is serious.

Not only is it 99% organic, everything from the dough to the tandoori chicken (even the yogurt I used) was made from scratch. For the time it took, I have to say that it was completely worth it because it was THE BEST flatbread of life! The ingredients you choose to cook with absolutely make a difference. period.

I realize I wont always have the luxury of time to cook like this, so Im making the most of it now. My husband and my tummy are soooo grateful!

PS. Get your napkins ready for some serious drool factor pictures!

( So when I said organic that meant everything, from the flour and yeast to the chicken to the veggies and the cheese. This was challenging because you have to be much more conscious of what you buy. I almost made it to 100% but, despite my best efforts, I realized too late that my oil was not organic! Also the spices I used were not organic. But its ok, Ill take 99% : j )

Flatbread/Pizza Crust

I made the pizza/flatbread myself from a super easy recipe I found here. Fresh thyme was also added to the crust which was super yum. Add anything you like to make it your own : j
Or grab ready made pizza dough from the grocery store if you dont have the time. (it does takes a few hours to make because the dough has to proof)

Source: http://aspicyperspective.com/2010/02/rise-and-fall-of-dough.html
*substitute above ingredients with organic equivalents

Tandoori Chicken

This part is super simple and tasty!

Recipe Source: Jasmol Sardana
*Substitute ingredients below with organic equivalents

Ingredients and Steps:

Part 1

Make marinade:

tandoori powder (you can find this at any indian grocery store)

ginger/garlic paste to taste

salt/pepper

chilli powder to taste

yogurt

lemon juice

Onion paste – blend a fresh cut up onion in a blender

make a few slits in chicken thighs pieces and add to the marinade and let it sit in the fridge for a few hours

Part 2

place in oven proof dish for 30-40 min(depending on oven) at 375 for 25 minutes and then at 425 for 5 min...

*For this recipe, since the chicken will go back in the oven, it only needs to cook for 20 minutes*

Cheese Layer

After the dough and chicken are ready, make the cheese spread

Delish VT cheese

Ingredients and Steps:

Goats cheese

Neufchatel Cheese

Pepper

Oil to thin to spreadable consistency

1. Whisk the goats cheese and neufchatel (equal parts) together with the pepper and oil until easily spreadable

Veggies/Herbs

Grab your fave pizza toppings and slice/chop them. Then set aside for assembly. I used red onion, green onion, fresh tomato, fresh cilantro and fresh mint

Putting it all together

The best part!

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Roll out the fresh dough into a large rectangle on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet sprayed with Pam

3. spread the 1/2 of the cheese mixture onto the right half of the rectangle and then sprinkle the shredded cheese over the cheese mixture

4. carefully fold the left half of the dough over the cheese layer on the right side (like closing a book)

5. spread the rest of the cheese mixture on top of the dough and sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheese

6. layer veggies over the cheese layer (reserve herbs for the end)

7. After the chicken has cooled, pull apart into chunks and layer on top of the veggies

8. Brush edges with oil

9. Slide Flatbread into the middle rack and bake for 20 minutes or until crust is golden

10. Cut into wedges and serve

sooo worth all the hard work - ridiculously good

Please visit our facebook page www.facebook.com/OurEyesEatFirst as well. We are collecting "likes" to bring attention to and support various food charities.Thanks!

My Big, Fat....

2011-03-02T15:33:00.000-08:00

vermont in the fall

I think Vermont is out to make me a better person.

Moving here has been an eye opening experience. I always had a vision of the people in Vermont as earth loving, Ben & Jerry's grubbing, organic farming, hemp growing, local food eating, hybrid car driving, tree huggers.

And they are! ( But its a wonderful thing : j )

Never have I been to so many restaurants where right on the menu they name the local (literally down the road) organic farm where the turkey (in your turkey burger) grew up and where the cheese (from that cheese platter) was made and the orchard those apples (in your dessert) were grown! Amazing!

It is a way of life here and I love it.

reuse + reduce = responsible

I think being aware of your personal impact on the environment (your carbon footprint i.e. the amount of carbon dioxide that you personally produce from the use of electricity, water, flights, your car, etc) is the first step to becoming a responsible citizen of planet earth.. Then the next step is actually practicing the well known "Recycle, Reduce, Reuse".

Here are the top 5 things I am trying to do to reduce my BIG, FAT carbon footprint:

1. reduce bottled water ( this was hard! we now use a filter and reusable bottles)

2. turning off lights when not in use

3. buying locally grown and organic products when possible (also hard because organic can = more $$)

4. recycling and buying "made from recycled material" products

5. reusing grocery bags and refusing plastic bags when buying small items

some "earth friendly" items I like:

reusable aluminum water bottle

reusable bamboo utensils with chopsticks!
never use a plastic fork touched by a million germy hands again

recycled water bottle gel pen
doctors love a good pen and this one's awesome!

Kerala Fish Cutlets & Brussel Sprouts

2011-03-01T08:47:00.000-08:00

There's ALWAYS fish in my parent's house.

At any moment, you'll find fish in all of its different forms in our house - big fish, small fish, curried fish, fried fish, dried fish, pickled fish, canned fish, and it keeps going... Thats what happens when your parents are from Kerala (a south indian coastal state), where "fish" is a way of life.

My sis and I quickly got tired of fish, eating it everyday. But somehow our parents never did!

It was only after moving out of the house I missed eating fish curry and fried fish. Im too scared to try and make my mom's amazing fish curry. Instead,I made something that had flavors reminiscent of my mom's fish curry but way simpler - Fish Cutlets!

spicy fish cutlets

The following is my mom's recipe but as Ive mentioned before, my mom, mom-in-law nor I cook with exact measurements. I realize many of you would like exact measurements - so I found a comparable recipe online from www.panchakam.com.

Ingredients:

Tuna Fish (canned) - I used the tuna fish variety that is not canned but fresh sealed without oil.

Onion(chopped) - I used green onions
Green chillies(chopped) - 4
Garlic paste - 2 tsp
Ginger paste - 1 tsp
Potatoes - 3
(boiled & mashed)
Black Pepper - 1 tsp
Coriander leaves - As reqd
Garam masala - 2 tsp (can be found in any Indian grocery store and some specialty grocery stores)
Oil - 4 tbsp
Bread crumbs - 1/2 cup
Eggs - 3
Oil for deep frying - 2 cups
1 stalk of curry leaves - thinly sliced

Steps:
1. mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl (except the oil for frying)
2. form into patties and arrange onto a sheet
3. once oil is hot, shallow or deep fry one or two at a time *I hardly deep fry anything but these were an exception - Im sure they would actually be very good baked as well!*
4. remove and allow to drain on paper towels.
5. serve with ketchup, hot sauce, etc - i loved it with Sriracha (garlic chili sauce)! So good!

To serve with the yummy fish cutlets, I whipped up Brown Butter Brussel Sprouts! I never grew up eating this adorable vegetable (reminds me of a baby cabbage) and learned to love it just recently.

buttery brussel sprouts

Ingredients:

Brussel Sprouts (you can use fresh but to be quick I used the steam-in-bag frozen variety - theyre amazing!)

Butter or Margarine

Salt

Pepper

Steps:

1. Steam brussel sprouts and cut in half

2. warm butter in a pan and once golden brown, toss in brussel sprouts (non-stick pan is likely best to keep veggies from sticking)

3. toss with salt and pepper

4. serve hot

Another wonderful food blogger - Shabunam from http://yumanddelish.blogspot.com/ was kind enough to pass along a very nice award to this blog - The Stylish Blogger Award. Thank you Shabunam!

Following the rules of the award I have to share seven things about me .

1. I NEVER watch scary movies. ( I usually look up the ending on wikipedia.com so I dont feel left out in conversations )

2. I just recently discovered that I LOVE food photography.

3.Im a 4th generation Seventh-Day Adventist (Christian) where vegetarianism and veganism is not only accepted but encouraged! (I might try it one day : j )

4. My husband is an excellent cook as well.

5. Ive never met another person with the same name as me (Jasmol)

6. The last book I read was One Hundered Years of Solitude by Marquez (awesome)

7. Thanks to my mom, dad, husband, sisters, brother and best friends - I have laughed every single day of my life : j

Im happy to pass on this award to these wonderful bloggers and wished I could choose more!:

1. www.zestyflavors.com
2. muppyat.blogspot.com
3. a-bis-z.blogspot.com
4. morellocherry-frostedrosepetals.blogspot.com
5. mycookingdiarys.blogspot.com
6. www.eizels.com
7. onecreativekitchen.blogspot.com
8. lifewithspices.blogspot.com
9.thatskinnychickccanbake.blogspot.com
10.foodandthriftfinds.blogspot.com

Here are the rules of the award:

1. Thank the blogger who presented this award to me, make a post, and put a link back to the person/s who gave me this award.
2. Share 7 things about myself.

3. Pass the award along to 10 recently discovered great bloggers.

4. Contact these bloggers and personally tell them about the award.

How to Eat Like a South Indian

2011-02-27T08:22:00.000-08:00

Daddy, me (3yo) and Mommy
the year we came to the US

I have to admit that while I love cooking – both Indian food and otherwise, I am quite intimidated particularly by SOUTH Indian cuisine.

Most likely because I grew up in a South Indian (Malayalee) home, eating some of the tastiest meals of my life! – Fish Curry, Appam (rice pancakes), Coconut Fish Curry, Chicken Curry, Payasam (vermicelli pudding), Fish Fry, Dosai (rice crepes), etc. etc.

With memories of those lovely meals are also flashes of the blurred image of my mom darting throughout the kitchen, grabbing a host of different ingredients from here and there – then crushing, roasting, frying, blending, sautéing, simmering, steaming – seemingly almost all at once!

To top it off there were several “gadgets” she used, the likes of which would never be found in a North Indian home, let alone an American or European home. Ever heard of a “puttu maker” or “idli steamer” or “seated coconut grater”? I thought so. : j

One of my most favorite combinations is Idli (fluffy rice cakes), Sambar (tangy vegetable stew) and Coconut Chutney. This meal is not complete unless you have all three components. While I stood watching my mom or other aunties in their kitchens, I remember making a mental note that making any of the three would be too complicated to attempt.

But finally, my craving for the delicious tangy, coconut-y, spicy meal got the best of me! I had to try my hand at making this.

Idli

There was no way I was going to grind the idli batter from fresh rice (like my mom has). So I did the next best thing – I bought a “Gits” brand Idli mix from my local Indian store! : j But one thing still stood in my way – I didn’t have the big clunky idli maker! Out of desperation, I googled “how to make idlis without an idli maker” and found almost nothing. Then, I happened upon a post by TesatHome on making idlis. She had the genius idea of using your rice cooker and cupcake liners. I expounded on that with the addition of cookie cutters to give the idlis a nice shape. And it turned out amazing – Take a look!

Ingredients:

Gits Idli mix – prepare according to directions

1. Set up rice cooker with a colander or steam basket over top. Or on a stove top fill a pan with water and place a flat bottom colander over it (careful to not let the water touch the colander) and place a lid over that.
2. flatten out a couple cupcake liners and set them in the steam basket
3. place the cookie cutter on top of the cupcake liner
4. spoon idli mixture in to the cookie cutter(s) *optional place a cilantro leaf, tomato, ground coconut, etc as garnish in the middle of the batter*
5. cover and steam for ~10 minutes or until no longer runny/raw
6. be careful when removing cookie cutters from steam basket and pop out idlis – TA DA!

Sambar

I have a secret – I like restaurant sambar better than my mom’s homemade version. Is that terrible? I just really loved the Sambar Ive had, especially at Udipi Palace , a great Indian restaurant chain in the

. This was another intimidating dish that I never thougt I could make and only recently attempted.

I found a great recipe online at food.com for the not-so-top-secret, delicious Udipi Restaurant Sambar recipe. No prepackaged Sambar powder here – I was doing this for real. Yikes!! Honestly, it was several more steps than what my mom or mom-in-law do but it definitely was the Udipi Sambar that I love! (drumsticks (the long green vegetable seen below) and all!)

Coconut Chutney

If I was going through the trouble of making Idli and Sambar, I HAD to make coconut chutney too! Here is a (surprisingly) simple and deeeelish recipe! Part of the recipe is actually cooked (tempered/tadka) and then added to the fresh coconut. This is definitely the secret to authentic coconut chutney!

Please excuse me while I go stuff my face. again.

Step by Step - Rose and White Chocolate Cake Truffles!

2011-02-25T08:20:00.000-08:00

I posted this recipe recently and had such wonderful feedback, that I wanted to share the step by step intricacies of making these yummies.

Step 1. Bake a Rooh Afza (Rose) Cake. For recipe: www.OurEyesEatFirst.com (to view entire recipe you have to use the scroll bar on the right of the recipe. Just click on the black circle at the top right hand corner and drag down to read the whole thing)

Step 2. While the cake is cooling, make the simple Cream Cheese Icing. For recipe: www.OurEyesEatFirst.com (to view entire recipe you have to use the scroll bar on the right of the recipe. Just click on the black circle at the top right hand corner and drag down to read the whole thing)

Step 3. Once cooled, crumble the cake into a large bowl. (I didnt use the crust of the cake because it was too hard and it was not as pretty as the pink color of the cake : j )

Step 4. Mix the cake crumbles and the icing together. Then begin rolling out small cake balls.

Once they have all been made, pop them into the freezer to firm up before dipping into the warm chocolate.

Step 5. Melt Baker's White Chocolate over a double boiler. Take out 3-4 cake balls at a time from the freezer. Dip one at a time into the chocolate and then place on parchment paper lined tray. Once the cake balls are dipped - you can drizzle more white chocolate over top to create a design and/or sprinkle chopped pistachios to the top. Place them back in the fridge to cool and firm up.

Step 6: Sharing is caring! Give these yummies to your faves!

Thanks!

2011-02-24T13:19:00.000-08:00

First off, "Thank you!" for supporting this endeavor - www.OurEyesEatFirst.com. This blog was added so there there would be a better platform for updates and new recipes, etc.

I am thrilled and a bit humbled by how much love and support has come this way. This website and blog, has been a medium to share what I love - food and photos - and to also share the opportunity to give. I am sure there is at least one person in your own life who inspires you. For me, it has been my parents and especially my dad's lifelong example of helping and giving to others. Although he is no longer with us, he continues to inspire me to do the same.

I hope that by attracting visitors to this website and blog, that that attention can then be turned towards many deserving charities. At 100 facebook page "likes" Our Eyes Eat First was able to highlight and give to a wonderful charity - Martha's Table.

Enjoy the website/blog/facebook page and then pass the link along to others who also love food! Not only will they get to see great recipes and nice pictures, they'll also have the opportunity to hear about some worthwhile causes -to eventually give those charities more of the support they deserve.