Emergency Oven Roasted Potato Chips

It was just another evening in front of the tv. Remote in one hand, the famous sitcom 'friends' before my eyes , my feet up on the couch..all that was missing was a bag of potato chips. Yes, I love chips! And I fail to believe anybody who tells me they don't. Too lazy to drive all the way to a store, I decided to take the matter in my own hands. Thus came the creation of my emergency oven roasted potato chips. I didn't bake them till super-duper crispy. I loved how they were somewhere in between crispy and soft, forkalicious! 

The spice blend I used was something available in my pantry, trader joe's 21 seasoning salute. If you care to make this from scratch, here is the ingredient list:

Trader Joe's Spices of the World 21 Seasoning Salute (as printed on the bottle): Onion, Black Pepper, Celery Seed, Cayenne Pepper, Parsley, Basil, Marjoram, Bay Leaf, Oregano, Thyme,Savory, Rosemary, Cumin, Mustard, Coriander, Garlic, Carrot, Orange Peel, Tomato Granules, Lemon Juice Powder, Oil of Lemon, Citric Acid.

You need

• 4 small red potatoes, scrubbed, skin on 
• About a tablespoon of the spice blend, above. You can always use your own and get creative.
• A generous sprinkle of salt : remember, potatoes need more salt than most vegetables . You are free to add more or less
• A generous sprinkle of pepper
• About 1.5 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. Thinly slice the potatoes, with the skin on. I sliced them in rounds, you may cut them into strips, wedges, smiley faces, hearts, whatever you want. This said, be very careful and watch your hands, those babies are precious :). Alternately, you may also use a mandoline slicer to make life easier. 
3. Toss the potatoes in the olive oil, spice blend, salt and pepper.
4. Bake for 30-40 minutes , tossing the slices midway through the baking process. 
5. A good tip is to ensure that the potatoes are in one single layer on the baking sheet. This will ensure even baking. 
6. Once baked fully, or crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, give them one more toss, taste for seasonings and enjoy!! 

Why go to a store, when you can make your own snack in the comfort of your own home !

Enjoy :)

Do you know your neighbors? Part I

Is it me or is it them? Was my effort to make a pie and walk across to get to know my neighbors not good enough for them to welcome me into their home or visit us in our home? Do we live in a cynical society where people have little to no time to embrace newcomers in their lives? And I don't just mean the occasional "hello, how are you". Shouldn't there be a comfort level to walk into someone's home without having to "schedule" it weeks if not months ahead of time? Do I sound like a complaint box? Maybe I do ! So before you judge me or think of me as the creep who wants to barge into your home without prior notice, let me get to the bottom of this "issue" I have had for over three years. I grew up in a society where everybody knew everybody. Yes, this does have its cons, for example, you couldn't go on a date without the whole neighborhood knowing or someone knocking on your door right when you wanted to take a nap. However, the pros outweigh the cons, hence my post. 

As a little girl, I always remember knocking on my neighbor's door wanting to eat what the matriarch cooked in her kitchen, instead of feasting on what my mother prepared. I also recollect my neighbor friends wanting to eat what my mother cooked instead of their's and everyone complied. I wasn't a nuisance to my neighbors and their children were no nuisance to my parents either. We were welcomed 24/7. Back then, this routine was a part and parcel of our lives. Not once did we consider physically saying "thank you" to our neighbors every single day, this was just a way of life, they were family and we loved them. Any nature of formality would have put us into the 'outsider' category. I always considered myself a child of the community. Yes, I have my mother dearest, but my best friend's mother was also another mother and so was the mother of that other friend and that girl who lived next door. Let's not forget the grandmother of that friend, who was also like a grandma to me and that other lady upstairs who always fed me what she knew I loved eating. My friend's father was just as dear to me as my own and till date calls me his darling daughter. It is with utmost sincerity and genuiness that I have a new found appreciation for the 'community' that raised me. How fortunate were we! I have no kids of my own yet, but my prayer would be for them to have the fortune of communal upbringing that we did. 

So, coming back to the question of how well do you know your neighbors...do you? When I moved into our new home a few years ago, my husband insisted that making some pie for the family residing next door would help me trigger our friendship. No, I wasn't looking to be best buds with the dude, his wife and kids. All I wanted was to get to know them a little bit. They lived next door afterall. If they were out on vacation for a few days, we would keep an eye on their home and vice versa. I would cook us a huge pot of chicken biryani and invite them for dinner every week. The Mrs would call out my name some evening and we would sit out on the porch and drink coffee. The kids would knock my door and expect candy on a regular non-halloween day. We would host potluck parties at each others' homes. Little did my husband know that after two homemade pumpkin pies with homemade vanilla whipped cream, on two separate (thanksgiving and non) occasions, the neighbors only cracked their front door open, grabbed the pie and said a polite 'thank you'. I wasn't invited inside, I could bearly get a glimpse of their home. I wondered if they were creepy and hiding a deep dark secret no one should know of. They smelt normal, the dude even went fishing with his kids and their garage was fairly clean. After almost six months or so, the Mrs gave us a plate of dry home made cookies ( I never said I wouldn't judge her cookies, did I? I also write about food and have been told I should bake for a living ). Her husband also told mine that the pie was delicious. Knowing me, I made them another one but never heard back. Perhaps my judging her cookies also has something to do with the fact that their hearts refused to open up to new friendships. I choose building new bonds over food exchanging anyday. So, we invited them inside but they refused to come. Turns out, the plate of cookies was their 'thank you for the pies' gesture.  A year later, they moved out and we only found out when the family was almost all packed and ready to leave. My first experience of getting to know my neighbors was a flop show. They didn't even bother to remember my name and I remembered theirs, perhaps my memory is stronger? Oh Well!

You deserve not to be overfed with too much of the neighbor chapter at once. So, please await Part II , if interested. Hopefully, a writer's block won't get in my way like it did since my last post. In my defense, I wanted to make a better excuse but there was no other. Until next time... 

Good Night 

xoxo <3 (heart, sideways) . 

Can you cope with change?

Alright, so this is not a food related post but is it crazy that I literally woke up from bed at 12:23AM to start writing? I spent half hour laying in bed wondering about 'change' and all the changes my life has undergone in the past few years. Does your life undergo constant change or does it feel stagnant? 

Don't get me wrong, I have experienced several moments of stagnation too. Little did I know that these 'moments' were preparing me to experience changes that would influence my life forever. Blah Blah Blah.. I could ramble on and on and bore you with my life history. But I am not going to! Long story short...

A few of my friends, who I consider very close to my heart, recently moved. Here's the kicker.. all of them moved around the same time. How often does it happen to you that just when you develop strong bonds with people , their life undergoes positive transformations and they move? Being a little bit of a cry baby, the news of their individual 'changes' brought tears to my eyes. I was obviously genuinely happy for them and will continue to be, but letting go was difficult. 

My family resides far away from me and when I moved, we all cried. It was hard to let go, but the decision I made was embraced by one and all. Everyone was supportive and we were excited for my future and all the experiences we would have when family visited me. And eventually, we sure did and continue to! I miss some of my closest friends spread across the globe : everybody moved everywhere, so did I. But, what is so different about my friends who recently moved? Why was that more difficult for me to embrace than my own move? Was it because as life progresses, one tends to have fewer but more genuine relationships? Or is it because it is harder to meet people after college and the you want to hold on to the ones you know? Hmm...food for thought!

There is a silly thing I have been doing over the years to cope with all sorts of difficult change...haircuts! I usually maintain a long mane but tend to cut it short everytime an uneasy situation occurs. Don't ask me why, call me silly, but in the moment, this works for me. Ofcourse, in the long run and in the deeper self, a physical/cosmetic change doesn't cut it for me.

Now,let's talk Acceptance. Quite a few of the spiritual books I have read over the years mentions the significance of acceptance. If you accept whatever is occuring around you and simply surrender to the divine, life begins to flow. Living in the moment and simply soaking up every ounce of that 'change' and accepting it is bound to make your life easier. I accompany my physical coping mechanism (aka haircuts), with prayer for comfort, prayer for surrenderance and prayer for acceptance. I will not quote any specific author here as this is simply my understanding of whatever I have read and experienced over the years. This includes my conversation with like-minded individuals and seekers of the ultimate truth (whatever that truth might be). Everything in life is a learning process and experiences help oneself evolve. 

So, I certainly have accepted the fact that my friends have moved and I can finally relate to what my family must have felt like when I moved. Thanks to all that technology, especially Skype, for connecting us to the rest of the world. Advancement in air travel will only shorten distances in the near future and as far as the rising costs of airfare goes, coping with it is something we can all manifest. 

A wise person once said, "Change is inevitable...Impermanence is the only thing that is permanent". 

Good Night :-)

Pasta .... Tweaked

I must admit I have been a little busy lately. But I am not one to order pizza every night to satisfy my appetite. And in this scenario, who wants to spend hours chopping up veggies and meat in the kitchen anyway? My solution to busy days and nights... shortcuts!! A little buying, a little chopping and you will have yourself a delicious meal. My lunch today..Pasta with store bought Vodka Sauce.. tweaked ofcourse! Here's what you need to cook this pasta for one...

1/2 - 3/4 cup uncooked pasta ( I use Rotelle)
1/4 onion, thinly sliced 
Store bought pasta sauce (I just eyeball)
1/2 - 1 tsp red pepper flakes (or more :))
A tiny pad of butter 
Olive oil 
Salt and Pepper, to taste
A saucepan and water

Method 

1)Pour water in a medium size saucepan and bring it to a boil (takes about 10 minutes on medium heat, could take more or less).

2) Once the water comes to a roaring boil, add lots of salt and a splash of olive oil. Adding the salt is key here as this is your only chance to add taste to your pasta. The oil prevents the pasta from sticking. Give this a big stir and throw in the uncooked pasta, stir again. 

3) While the pasta cooks, thinly slice the onion. Let me tell you why, in a bit :)

4)Once the pasta cooks to al-dente (to the bite), reserve some pasta water , drain the pasta, toss it a little, and set aside. Now comes the tweaking part...

5)In the same saucepan ( yes, why would I want to wash yet another utensil ! ), on medium-low heat, add a splash of olive oil, a tiny pad of butter and throw in the sliced onion. Now add a teeny bit of salt and stir it up. Yes, I am caramelizing the onions (yummy). The salt releases the juices from the onions which help them cook well and ultimately caramelize. 

6) Now, you might reach a point of being impatient (just like I did). Add couple spoonfuls of water into the pot in 5 minute intervals and stir. This accelerated the caramelization process. Regardless, be patient, take a small walk around your home, throw in the laundry or dance or something. 

7)In about 10-15 minutes, this is what happened...

8) The onions continue to caramelize after another splash of water. Once they reach a slightly darker shade than the picture above, add the red pepper flakes. Notice the color of the onions now :)

9) Ok, give it one more stir and add the pasta sauce. Your almost done, I promise. Next, wait a minute until all the ingredients incorporate and add the cooked pasta. You might want to add the reserved pasta water if the sauce is too thick for you. Check seasonings, I like a little pepper. 

10) You know whats next!!!

and one more...

I watched an episode of sex and the city and enjoyed this pasta. What better way :-)

Bread and Milk ... just like my grandmother made it, with my twist ofcourse!

I don't make this that often, but my occasional craving for some dessert leads me to make something from whatever available in my pantry and refrigerator. Tonight, I am enjoying a comforting bowl of sweet milk and bread. This is something my grandmother made us once in a while. My version has coconut sugar. Between my husband and I taking the photos, spilling the milk and being partially clumsy, it took us 10 minutes to create this bowl of cozy. 

Here is the ingredient list:

1 small leftover bun of white bread, torn into pieces (no offense to whole grain bread but I do prefer the white version for this recipe).
1-2 teaspoons of coconut sugar 
3/4 glass of milk 

I love the nuttiness of the coconut sugar. For adding another photo's sake, here is the bowl of bread.

Method

1) Warm up the milk in a saucepan or microwave (My impatient self chose to use the microwave). 

2) Sprinkle the coconut sugar over the torn pieces of bread. We added only a spoonful of sugar. Thanks to the blurry image, my husband had to pose for another one. 

3) Spill the warm milk over the counter for some good luck (oops!).

 

4) Now, pour the warm milk over the bread and sugar mixture.

5)Press the bread into the milk, very gently and wait a few seconds before you indugle. Let the bread soak up all that sweetness.

Good Night :-) 

My childhood favorite snack.. rediscovered!

To everyone who grew up eating this snack, this post is dedicated to you...

I, like most of you, love snacking. This said, I do not promote unhealthy foods at all. A lot of you grew up eating one or the other snack that has found its place in your heart. One of my favorite was this particular fried tubular chip snack made with rice flour, salt, vegetable oil and baking powder. Growing up in Goa, India, this was widely available on roadside stalls or ma and pa shops. My mother would not let us eat too many at a time (considering the fact that these are fried). The best way to enjoy them is to stick each tube in your finger and munch away (pardon my fingers but I fed these to myself, so it doesn't really matter :) ) Don't ask me how to make these, I will never learn and never master the art. I will not dare to. 

I was ecstatic to discover these at a local Indian grocery store yesterday. I couldn't remember the last time I ate them, so you can only imagine how excited I was to find one of my childhood favorite snacks in America. Do you have a childhood favorite snack you would like to tell me about? Go ahead. 

xoxo

Masala Chai

I am starting my blog with my favorite beverage .. Masala Chai. This morning kick starter and afternoon-slump fixer is near and dear to my heart. At an age when we were allowed to drink it, my mother made us chai every morning. Her magic touch added extra sweetness to this already delicious beverage. I wasn't very good at making chai until about two years ago, when a close family friend shared her version of it. Every family has their own version of chai and I cannot say that one is better than the other.

I must admit I have cheated here a little bit, by purchasing a pre-made chai spice blend (which in my defense, a lot of people do). So, let me stop rambling away and share with you one of my recipes for Masala Chai. 

Here is the ingredient list (for one cup of chai):

1/2 cup milk (I used 2% organic)
1/2 cup water 
1 heaping tablespoon loose black Indian tea leaves 
1 teaspoon chai masala
Sweetner to taste ( I used organic honey instead of sugar )
A strainer 

                     Method:

        1) Add to a saucepan, the milk and                           water. 

   Those are only bubbles from adding the liquids (the mixture hasn't started boiling yet). Turn up the heat to medium. 

     2) Add the chai masala into the liquid                       mixture. 

And then, this is what it looks like:

    3) Bring the blend to a boil (on medium heat itself). Be patient here, but do watch the saucepan. Spilt milk is obviously a headache to clean :)

    4)Once the mixture comes to a boil, add the tea leaves. This is what the brand I used looks like. 

5) Let the mixture come to a rapid boil. At this stage, you might want to turn the heat high and medium-low in intervals. This ensures the even distribution of the tea leaves in the liquid (do I sound like a science nut? haha). So, this is what it should look like. You can occasionally stir the mixture (Do NOT take your eyes off the chai).

6) Give it one last stir and strain the chai directly into your mug. You didn't think I could strain AND take a picture at the same time, did you? 

Here is the final product:

7) Lastly, add your sweetner. I chose honey instead of sugar.

Enjoy..this said, the rains and piping hot samosas will be the icing on top of the cake for this chai!!