Braised Turkey Mearballs

 

I love festive western style fall and winter holiday dinners without all the fuss. It’s a big effort if whole turkey is on the menu. I swapped in an easy to make super delicious Braised Turkey Meatballs which is a total game changer. 

They're very simple to make, packed with flavor, and easy to find simple pantry ingredients. It’s definitely for those who love festive vibe without any stress.  

The process is very straightforward. The secret for super tender meatballs are soaked bread crumbs and mashed potato. Form nicely seasoned turkey meatballs, give them a quick bake, then finish by simmering them in a rich, aromatic sauce until cooked through and thickened. Serve over mashed potatoes with other favorite sides for an effortlessly comforting meal. 

I highly recommend trying this recipe for a truly enjoyable and relaxed holiday celebration. 

Broccoli Quiche

Broccoli quiche is perfect for any time of the year for breakfast, brunch or supper made with a smashed potato crust,yet it is full of flavor. It is packed with goodness of veggies, eggs and cheese.

Kerala Chicken Roast

Kerala Chicken Roast is a great treat for spicy chicken lovers. This rustic style also known as Nadan in Kerala cuisine. Unlike traditional oven roast, Kerala style Chicken roast is slow cooked on the stove top in coconut oil along with flavorful spices in its own juice making it a finger licking delicious dry curry. The coconut, coconut oil, curry leaves and warming spices are wonderful blend of flavors and its slow cooking method nicely coats chicken pieces with spices. This dish insanely delicious!

Spaghetti with Asparagus, Shrimp and Roasted Tomatoes

Spaghetti with Asparagus, Shrimp and Roasted Tomatoes is our another spring staple that is easy, super delicious and ready in less than 30 minutes for a quick lunch or dinner. Enjoy with Pinot Grigio or any white wine that pairs well with this spaghetti. This is not too cheesy. I love this light meal all year round with different veggies. Now we are enjoying spring's bounty with a hearty meal more often around this time of the year.

Salmon Niciose Salad

This year has been pretty challenging for everyone; but all our hope is not gone yet. We are thankful to be healthy and will get through these difficult times. Lets cheer to this holiday season!

Whole Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

Christmas is almost here! Unlike previous years, thing are different and challenging this year. We are thankful to be healthy and hoping everything will be normal soon. While travel fun and dining out are not happening this time and that is quite frustrating, but we choose to make Christmas as joyous as ever. Right after Thanksgiving, Christmas tree was up and house looks very festive. Christmas carols are being played all day long, thinking positive, keeping in touch with dear ones and cooking delicious festive food. That's the spirit of Christmas. 

Eggnog Bread Pudding

Bread Pudding is a comfort dessert with a scoop of ice cream any time of the year. And Christmas time Bread Pudding with home baked Challah and warming spices, topped up with Eggnog Ice Cream and caramel sauce takes it to the next level. This sumptuous festive dessert is so easy to make with available pantry ingredients and this is what Christmas tastes like!

Eggnog Cake

Creamy, rich Eggnog sometimes spiked with rum is truly the essence of holiday cheer that I love to make during Christmas time every year. Eggnog is not just a beverage; it makes wonderful desserts as well. Even if do not enjoy Eggnog, you would love it in cheesecake, cake and ice cream. Today I introduce you home made Eggnog infused cake that will get you holiday spirit for sure!

Pumpkin Loaf

Thanksgiving holiday is all about spending happy time with family and friends and enjoying delicious meal together. But 2020 Thanksgiving is different and it is extremely hard for so many people. This year we are grateful for being alive and staying home to protect ourselves and others. We are keeping this Thanksgiving very simple to enjoy small blessings! Today I bring you one of the all time favorite Thanksgiving treats "Pumpkin Loaf ". Who doesn't love a slice of a fresh Pumpkin Spiced loaf made with fresh deep orange colored pumpkin puree with a hot drink on chilly nights to warm up!

Salad Nicoise

Salad Nicoise(niˈswaz), a French creation that looks like a fancy restaurant style salad is easy to prepare at home with seasonal vegetables and fish. I make this decadent salad all year round in different ways, vegan, fish-seafood and chicken versions. The classic Salad Nicoise from the city of Nice, France is not a tossed salad rather a composed salad consisting boiled potato, blanched haricots verts, tomato, capers, olives, boiled eggs, canned tuna on a bed of lettuce and dressed with extra virgin olive oil, red wine-lemon-Dijon vinaigrette. 

Chicken Jambalaya

We love this Louisiana specialty Chicken Jambalaya, a comforting one dish meal with rice, chicken, smoked Andouille sausage(pork free) and some veggies in a slightly tangy tomato, garlic and herb sauce is so easy to prepare, great for week night dinner and any big crowd. Its perfect seasonings and little spicy kick makes a very satisfying meal for all chicken lovers.

Coffee Ice Cream

I have never made so much ice cream before; because of the Covid-19 pandemic situation around, I am trying to make everything at home. I am sharing another decadent ice cream dessert for coffee lovers. Rich creamy coffee ice cream with freshly brewed dark roast coffee absolutely satiates sweet tooth. It is so smooth, creamy, rich without any topping and it is perfect for hot summer days. 

New York Cheesecake

Father's day is just around the corner. Lets celebrate Father's Day with this elegant and super tasty New York Cheesecake topped with summer's best glazed mixed berries! It has heavy cream in the cream cheese batter for richer taste and bit dense texture. A slightly sweet sour cream is topped over hot baked cheesecake and baked again until sour cream topping is set. The secrets to the best New York Cheesecake that doesn’t crack are room temperature ingredients, using spring form pan, proper mixing technique, water bath method, chilling completely before removing form the pan and last but not least patience!

Spanish Caramel Flan

Spanish Caramel Flan is so popular dessert all over the world. This sweet is a creamy custard with eggs, milk, vanilla and sugar baked in a water bath for smoother and creamier texture. All you need to give the custard several hours to set in the fridge. It's a quick and elegant dessert to impress family and friends.

Chocolate Cake

A scrumptious  Chocolate Cake with chocolate ganache is so easy and quick to make for indulging sweet tooth. All you need is just a few ingredients you can find in your pantry. 

Dungeness Crab Chowder

A flavorful bowl of crab chowder with crusty bread and a leafy salad on the side is so heart warming on cold winter night. I love crab chowder with fresh dungeness crab that tastes absolutely out of this world! It is bit time consuming but well worth it. It's simple and great for family supper. I bought two fresh steamed dungeness crab from the Asian super market to skip the cooking part at home. I patiently de-shelled crabs for 45 minutes and I got almost 2 cups crab meat. It wasn't that complicated. The best part of home made chowders is more satisfaction with the quality than restaurant made and if you have a strong aversion to salt pork/bacon, this recipe is a keeper. 

Cranberry Orange Rolls

A month long Christmas spirit comes with loads of activities, putting up and decorating Christmas tree with festive color ornaments, shopping, warping presents, playing secret Santa game, listening-singing carols, watching Christmas movies, reading stories, strolling through the neighborhood to see Christmas lights. It's truly Christmas spirit everywhere we go. It never mattered whether we belong to this faith or not. Our Christmas spirit is very high, the biggest festival in our family! It's the season to be jolly to share, care and receive. 

Croquembouche

Croquembouche(krow kham boosh), a beautiful vanilla custard filled cream puffs also known as choux pastry in France stuck together with caramel in a cone shaped tower with spun sugar wrapped around it. This dessert is served during French weddings and other festive occasions. 

Cranberry Orange Jam

It's a delicious winter jam with amazing festive color and requires only three ingredients. Freshly squeezed orange juice and zest add a wonderful flavor to this jam. This jam is perfectly balanced between sweetness and tartness. Orange flavor comes trough without overpowering the jam. It's a versatile jam; enjoy it on toasted bread, bagel, flatbread and cracker. It's a perfect filling for pie, bread roll, jelly roll, cheesecake etc. It also makes a lovely glaze on chicken and turkey with the addition of red chili pepper. Last but not least, this makes great holiday gift!!

Eggnog Cheesecake

This scrumptious yet easy to make cheesecake with a nut crust is another show-stopping dessert for holiday gathering. If you enjoy eggnog you will fall in love as well with this luscious cheesecake blended with eggnog. I baked this one in a water bath. It was perfectly smooth looking, no cracks at all and topped with nutmeg infused whipped cream cheese! Celebrate holiday season with this unique Christmas flavor.