Let's cook. And eat.

So remember Mr. M. He and his boys made a meat lasagna for Thanksgiving. And that inspired me to make a spinach and mushroom lasagna.  Went looking for a recipe on the web, and found this one that pretty much worked for the most part.  https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/vegetarian_spinach_and_mushroom_lasagna/ I did end up making just a couple of changes.  First I used fresh rolled pasta sheets. And so I did not have to boil the pasta. Just used it as is.  I used Rao's marinara instead of the tomato paste and can of tomatoes. And I did add 2 eggs to my ricotta mixture along with some black pepper and salt.  The coolest part was dry sauteing the mushrooms. I did not even know that was a thing till I saw the recipe above. New skill learned.  But the funnest part was definitely cooking with my little man. Master S has been really handy in the kitchen this year ever since we went into quarantine. Small silver linings. 

Finally got around to making home made pasta. So good. And fairly easy. Not going back to storemade pasta anytime soon.  Recipe followed:  https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/homemade-pasta/ Used 2 cups all purpose flour and 1/2 cup semolina. 

This is another great recipe by Lady S.  Her instructions were simple:  Cook orzo according to direction but use broth instead of water Olive oil, red pepper flakes, frozen spinach , salt, garlic powder, black pepper. Mix orzo with spinach. Taste On top I added some Parmesan and sun-dried tomatoes. Came together in no time and definitely a winner. 

Everyone in the family loves focaccia. And with a sourdough starter at hand, it was not long before I got tempted to make a focaccia using the starter.  The recipe for focaccia was:  https://foodgeek.dk/en/sourdough-focaccia-recipe/ I would say it was pretty reliable but you can use any basic focaccia recipe. And then just go crazy with any colorful veggies you like to create your gardenscape.  (Tip: I played with the design and veggies on a flat baking sheet and then transferred it to the dough quickly once I had dimpled it with the fingers)

It’s a simple-quick recipe.  https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/asparagus-soup-with-lemon-and-parmesan.html I did not have stock/broth so I used water. And I added cashews for some creaminess. Master S lapped this one up with gusto. 

One of my favorite things to do with left over pizza dough is to make pizza rolls.  You break up the dough into small balls of flour, roll it out. Put some filling, pinch back together and then bake. And then eat it with some marinara.  For filling this time I modified an Ottolenghi recipe - a little bit of sour cream, a small piece of Brie, some chopped basil, a couple of semi dried tomatoes and topped with a Parmesan.  (Semi dried tomatoes - take cut grape or cherry tomatoes, toss them in oil and salt, and bake them cut side up at 375 F for about 45-50 minutes) Put the balls seam side down in an oil sprayed  pie dish. And brush them with butter infused with garlic salt. Bake at 425 F for about 20 minutes. 

Risotto is a complex dish. Though it may seem easy to make, to get a good risotto requires some skill (and a good recipe). But when done right, its a flavorful dish - not too heavy, with vegetables that still have the crunch a bit, the rice is al dente and there is a sprinkling of parmesan on top. So trust me (and save yourself some heartbreak) when I say this is a winner recipe. Its by a dear friend - we will call her Lady S. What you see below is an exact copy-paste of the recipe she shared. And true to her wonderful self, right after sharing the recipe she made a fresh pot for us for a weeknight dinner. Lady S is really something! I have known her for almost 18 years now. And every time I meet her I learn something new - She taught me how to peel garlic easily and I have never peeled it any other way since. Here is her recipe: Set IP (Instant Pot) on sauté and add: - 1 Tbsp olive oil - Red pepper flakes to taste - 1/2 shallot diced - 2 cloves garlic minced - Sauté for 30 ...

The star of this salad is Arugula or rocket. I love this crisp salad leaf with its slightly peppery, almost spicy taste. To complement the flavor, we add strawberries- sweet and cold. It’s a simple salad - Arugula, strawberries, corn, feta and balsamic vinaigrette. Toss and enjoy fresh.  Option: Use toasted walnuts and Parmesan instead of the corn and feta. 

Polenta is a big hit in our family. And this particular dish comes together with minimal effort. Open polenta in a tube. Cut it into rounds about 1cm thick. Drizzle with some olive oil and sprinkle some garlic salt. In it goes into the oven at about 425F for about 30 minutes.  Next in a pan sauté some onions and mushrooms in olive oil along with some garlic salt till the mushrooms are cooked and all the liquid has dried up.  To assemble the dish, lay the baked polenta rounds in a dish. Later with the sautéed mushrooms and onions and then top with some chopped green onions and shredded Parmesan cheese. Serve hot.  Master S says it is the most awesomely awesome food in the galaxy - clearly he liked it. 

Remember I said I love food that is colorful. These biscotti were up there when it comes to delicious and colorful food. The recipe followed was simple:  https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/10638/cranberry-pistachio-biscotti/ Followed it as is. But the Indian in me did get me to add a little cardamom essence. Cardamom pairs well with pistachios - every Indian knows that. You can take the girl out of India but not India out of the girl!