Sunday, August 31, 2014

Curry and Comfort's Weekly Sunday Summary 8/25/14 thru 8/31/14

Yum
 

 Happy Sunday Everyone! 


I can't believe that tomorrow is the 1st of September.  School is starting and this wonderful summer we have had is sadly making it's exit from our lives.  The crazy thing is we have had a pretty "cool" summer here where I live.  It's been only in the 90's a few times in August.  But starting tomorrow we are having a week of 90+ degree days and walking to school and sweating is not going to be fun.  So, maybe summer is not ready to let go of us just yet.

I must admit, that I do love the fall.  The cool, crisp air and the fall foliage always makes me smile. I also love the colors of fall like the orange pumpkins, red apples, and all the trees that burst into color.   Fall brings loads of theme weeks from apple dishes, pumpkin dishes and don't even get me started on Halloween and Thanksgiving.  Okay, let me take a step back and remember this is still the last day of August and summer has not exited the building just yet.  Have a great week everyone!

Here's my week in review....



Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Friday, August 29, 2014

Chocolate Cheesecake Minis

Yum

 Okay... I'm all about low carb these days... but I still like to have a small treat from time to time. Chocolate is my downfall and I crave it after a savory/spicy meal.   I like to make these portion control mini cheesecakes so I can have my cake and eat it too (without all the guilt).   I used reduced fat (not non-fat) cream cheese and sour cream and splenda for the sugar to help with the calorie count as well.  Of course, if you are not counting calories... do all full fat and sugar and really go for it. The mini cheesecakes are decadent and rich so your sweet tooth will definitely get satisfied.  They are perfect for a party or buffet table as well.  This recipe make 24 regular size cupcakes.  Now if you want to make these even more guilt free, use the mini muffin pans with the mini Oreos and make them bite-size. 



Ingredients:
12 oz bag semi-sweet or milk chocolate (melted)
2 (8oz) bricks cream cheese (softened at room temperature)
1 cup sour cream
4 large eggs
1 cup sugar (or splenda for lower sugar version)
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp vanilla
small pinch salt
12 Oreo cookies split apart

Ganache:
6oz chocolate chips (semi-sweet or milk)
2 Tbs butter -softened
1/3 cup milk (warmed up)

Toppings:
Fresh fruit (raspberries, strawberries)
Whipped Topping


Directions:
Melt chocolate over a double boiler.  Simply make a double boiler by placing a heat proof bowl like a pyrex dish over a pot of boiling water.  Do no let the bowl touch the water.   Stir until chocolate is fully melted. 

Allow cream cheese to soften at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.  Then use an electric mixer to blend together the cream cheese, eggs, flour, sugar, salt, vanilla and sour cream.   Next slowly add a ladle of chocolate into cream cheese mixture until it is fully combined.

Then fill a cupcake pan with foil liners (for best result) and add a half of an Oreo cookie at the bottom of each one.  The Oreo cookie acts like the crust.


Fill each well with a scoop of chocolate cheesecake filling.  I used an ice cream scoop to make quick and easy work here, plus it gives you the equal portions.  You will get exactly 24 cheesecakes (use two cupcake pans).  Bake in a 320 degree oven for 30-35 minutes or until cooked. Allow cheesecakes to sit for 1 hour to finish setting up.  
 
  Then chill the cheesecakes for 4-6 hours (or overnight).  30 minutes before you are ready to serve, make the chocolate ganache over a double boiler.  Spoon some ganache over each cheesecake.  Allow ganache to set up.  Top each cheesecake with fresh fruit and/or whipped topping. Served chilled.  Enjoy.






Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Spicy Lentil (Masoor Dal) Soup-Throwback Thursday

Yum


It may be summer outside, but I can eat soup anytime. I love this spicy Masoor Dal soup that is truly a protein packed one pot meal.  Although I did not make this a vegetarian meal, it can easily become one by simply substituting vegetable stock and coconut milk if you want to make it vegan.  Masoor Dal is readily available in Indian Grocers and some larger grocery stores in their international section.  











Ingredients:
2 cups of uncooked masoor lentils (washed)
3 cups of water
1 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder (divided)
10-12 curry leaves (optional)
1 cinnamon stick
1 medium onion sliced
1 finely minced jalapeno
3 cloves of garlic finely minced or grated
2 cups finely diced fresh tomato
4 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
red chili powder-to taste
1 tsp of dried thyme
1 Tbs of lime juice (more for garnishing)
1 cup of coconut milk (or cow's milk)
salt and pepper to taste



Directions:

Wash your masoor lentils well with water until the water runs clear. Boil the washed lentils in a large pan with water, cinnamon stick, curry leaves and 1 tsp ground turmeric until water cooks out and lentils are very soft and tender (do not add salt while cooking lentils). If you need to add more water to get your lentils fully cooked do so as needed.  Remove the cinnamon stick and curry leaves out of lentils. Then set cooked lentils aside until later.
 
In a large soup pot, add 1Tbs of canola oil.  Then on medium-low heat saute onion, garlic and jalapeno for 4-5 minutes.  Next increase stove to medium high heat and add tomatoes and saute for several minutes.  Next add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, dried thyme, salt, black pepper, red chili powder

Now add the chicken or vegetable stock, cooked lentils and lime juice.  Simmer for 10-15 minutes.  Then use an immersion blender or put half the soup into a regular blender to cream up. Only partially "cream" the soup... it's nice to have some texture left.   Finally add the milk (coconut or cow's) and taste for salt and seasoning.  Serve hot.  Enjoy.





Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Spaghetti and Meatball Tacos

Yum

When my kids were little, they loved to watch cartoon shows like Dora.  Now they are getting into "tween" shows like iCarly.  The iCarly show is famous for making "spaghetti tacos".  I have NEVER heard of such a thing, but my two kids have been wanting to try them since they first saw the spaghetti taco episode.   So we decided to do it for Kids in the Kitchen.  My niece and nephew came over to help me along with these these crazy sounding tacos since they have already tried them out before and highly recommend them.  My mother (who grew up in a generation before there was TV or cartoons or even the concept of tweens) also came over to try out this dish.   To tell you the truth, the tacos sounded a little crazy to me so I did not eat them, but the kids each had two tacos and said it was a fun lunch.  My mother said her taco was interesting, but she thought it was crazy too.  I think this is a kid/tween thing so if you have one in your house... this maybe a hit with them. So say hello to Spaghetti and Meatballs Tacos brought to you today by two tweens, one teenager and one little girl that is going from pre-tween to tween too fast. 


 

 Ingredients:
  
For Spaghetti and Meatballs:
1  package spaghetti cooked to just shy of fully cooked
1 bag of frozen mini meatballs or regular meatballs
1 jar (45oz) of favorite pasta sauce (I used Ragu)
1 (28oz) can plum tomatoes (mash tomatoes with potato masher or use hands to crush first)
salt and black pepper to taste
1 tsp sugar (optional) use only if your sauce tastes tart
1 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
red chili flakes (optional)

For Tacos:
Hard Taco Shells
Cheddar Cheese (optional)
Shredded lettuce (optional)
diced onion (optional)


 Directions:
 In a large pot cook spaghetti in well salted water and then drain.  In another large pot cook the plum tomatoes, jar of pasta sauce, granulated garlic, dried basil and dried oregano.

Season with salt and black pepper to taste and add red chili flakes if desired.

Then add frozen meatballs and cook on medium heat for 20-25 minutes.  If you use large size meatballs, cut into half or smaller.   Stir occasionally.  Taste sauce, if sauce is tart, add sugar.  If not, omit sugar.  Once sauce is to your desired taste, add cooked pasta and toss well.    To make tacos:  Place some heat pasta with meatballs into taco shells, top with optional cheese, lettuce and diced onion.  Eat immediately for best texture of taco shell.  Enjoy.

 



Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Sriracha Deviled Eggs

Yum
 Have you tried Sriracha sauce before?  It's one of my favorite condiments and we use it more often at our house than ketchup.  Adding some sriracha is a great way to put some real "devil" into your deviled eggs.  These deviled eggs are really simple to make and that's a good thing because they get gobbled up fast too.  Next time, I will make a double batch to keep the family happy.



Ingredients:
12 Boiled and peeled eggs
1-2 Tbs Sriracha sauce
1 Tbs sweet pickle relish
1 Tbs yellow mustard
1/2 cup mayonnaise (or more as needed to make creamy)
salt and black pepper to taste



Directions:
Boil eggs and peel them.  Cut in half and remove yellow yolk and mix with all other ingredients.  Fill empty white of egg halves and top with a drop of sriracha.  Keep chilled until you serve. Enjoy.



Tip:  Here are the best instructions I have seen for boiling eggs.  You will need a pan with a tight fitting lid.  Place eggs in a pan and fill with cold water to cover eggs.  Bring water and eggs to a rapid boil.  Then turn stove off and place a lid on top of the pan. Allow eggs to sit in the boiled water for 10-12 minutes. Drain away the hot water and replace with cold water.  Peel eggs immediately.

 




Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Monday, August 25, 2014

Waffles

Yum
Yesterday (August 24th) was National Waffle Day.  So I had to make some delicious and fluffy waffles for the family.  These waffles made a perfect Sunday breakfast and kept us full most of the day.  Next time you want a special treat for breakfast, think waffles!


 Ingredients:

Dry:
2 cups All Purpose Flour- sifted
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 Tbs baking powder
1 tsp salt

Wet:
2-3 Tbs sugar
3 large eggs separated
1/4 cup melted butter
2 cups whole milk
1 tsp vanilla 


Directions:
Measure out and sift all dry ingredients. Place in a bowl until needed.  Next separate eggs whites form yolks and place in two different bowls. Add milk, sugar and melted butter to egg yolk bowl.  Use an electric mixer to whip the eggs to stiff peaks.   Then blend the milk/egg yolk mixture.  *if using one set of beaters, always use clean beaters to whip the egg whites first.

 Next mix the dry with the wet ingredients and whisk gently incorporate them together.  Then add 1/3 of the whipped egg mixture and loosen the batter.  Fold in the remaining 2/3 of the whipped egg whites gently.  Butter and prepare waffle maker. 



Fill the waffle wells with batter (do not overfill).  Close and cook for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with Butter and Maple syrup or fresh fruit.  Enjoy.



Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Curry and Comfort's Weekly Sunday Summary 8/18/14 thru 8/24/14

Yum
 

 Happy Sunday Everyone!  



I promised some fun meat dishes this week and delivered three.  Of course I also included a healthy juice and a fruity ice cream because I had to balance out some of those meat filled meals.

Check out my Blog Tour that I was invited to do today here:  Welcome to a Three Blog Tour….

Now here is my week in review...






Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.