Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

 I love this time of year... Strawberries are everywhere in the grocery store and they are ripe and delicious.  My kids and I love strawberries and we can eat a whole cartoon of them and not feel an ounce of guilt.  As much as I love fresh strawberries, the warm weather is upon us and a frozen treat is very much welcome to cool us off.  This is such an easy recipe and you can actually have immediate gratification if you use frozen strawberries because it  whips up into a soft serve ice cream texture.   If you desire a firmer texture, then you can freeze it for a couple of hours and enjoy it then.  I also love mixing in the fresh strawberries into the frozen yogurt because it gives you a chance to enjoy both fresh and frozen strawberries and I never complain about there being too many strawberries in my dessert.  This is one frozen treat I think my family and I will enjoy many, many times this warm weather season.

 Ingredients:
1lb frozen strawberries
1 cup Greek Yogurt
1/4 sugar (or diabetic friendly sugar substitute like splenda)
1/2 cup sliced fresh strawberries
1 Tbs lemon juice

 Directions:
Place all ingredients into blender (except for fresh strawberries) and blend until smooth.  The texture should be that of soft serve ice cream.  Mix in fresh strawberries and serve right away for soft serve ice cream or for firmer ice cream, put into freezer for several hours.  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.

Sweet and Sour Pork with Pineapple (Throwback Thursdays)

This Sweet and Sour Pork dish is not your typical Chinese restaurant version.  The restaurant version usually has the pork battered and fried then covered in a thick "orange" glaze.  I tried to make my version much healthier by omitting the deep frying step all together and just concentrating more on making a savory sweet and sour sauce to cook the pork in.  My kids went nuts when I gave them each a "taste test" and wanted me to give them more on a plate to eat before the rice was finished cooking to serve dinner.  I would say they liked it. : )

Note:  Throwback Thursday is a new series where I take some of my original posts here on  Curry and Comfort and redo them so I can take better photos.

Ingredients:
2-3lbs of boneless pork cut into strips (see note)
2 bell peppers (any color or mix)
1 (22oz) can pineapple chunks in juice
1 Tbs cornstarch
2 Tbs water
1 Tbs grated fresh ginger
1 Tbs grated fresh garlic
salt and black pepper to taste

Sauce:
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1 Tbs Shao Hsing Wine or Sherry ( you can omit this if you do not have either)
2 Tbs apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup of the pineapple juice from a can of pineapple chunks (set chunks aside)
1-2Tbs of brown sugar
1 Tbs of Chili Sambal or Dry red chili flakes to taste
Mix all the ingredients together and set aside until later.

Directions:

Cut pork . To get thin strips, freeze pork for 30-45 minutes to harden slightly so it cuts easily.



Also grate 2 more Tbs of grated ginger and 1 Tbs of grated garlic and set aside until later

Note:  You can substitute chicken, frozen cooked meatballs (store bought or homemade) for the pork.

In a large wok or pan, heat 2-3Tbs of canola oil on high heat.  Once the oil is heated, add the pork and fry about 2-3 minutes.  Next add the grated garlic and ginger from earlier and black pepper to the  pork and fry about 2-3 minutes.

Add the Sweet and Sour Sauce you made earlier to the pan.  Stir well.  Lower the heat to medium and allow the pork to cook for about 15 minutes.  This step is important because it allows the sauce to really flavor the pork all the way through.

Next thicken the sauce with a cornstarch slurry (1Tbs of cornstarch mixed with 2 Tbs of cool water).  Stir well.  Once the sauce begins to thicken, add any color of bell pepper you like.  Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes so the pepper are tender crisp. 


Finally add the chunks of pineapple into pan and mix well with stir fry.   Serves 6-8 people. Serve with Rice.  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.

Ulundu Vadai Bites

"Theeere Baaack...."   Okay... I thought I was done with my series of vadai recipes.  That was until I met the vadai bite.  I love Ulundu Vadai, but they do take some time and care to form the doughnut shape and fry.  My mother and I went to a party at my brother's house a while back and a friend of his made ulundu vadai into small bite size fritters and that impressed us both.  They were so easy with no need to form a shape and perfect as a party appetizer.  So we decided to make one more batch of ulundu vadai with our recipe and just make them into a bite size vadai.  These came together quickly and were a breeze to fry up.  Serve this with coconut chutney and you have a snack or appetizer that will please the whole crowd.  

 

 Ingredients for Vadai:
2 cups Urad Dahl (Lentil) soaked
4 green chilies
1 inch fresh ginger
1 pinch of asafoetida (see note)
1 medium onion chopped
2 tsp cumin seeds
15-20 curry leaves
1 tsp red chili flakes or powder
1/2 tsp  black pepper
salt to taste



Notes:

1. Asafoetida can be found in Indian Grocery Stores.
2. You want to also make sure you get the cleaned urad dhal where the outer dark husk has been remove.

Directions for Vadai:
 Soak lentils overnight until softened.  Drain the lentils very well so all the water is gone (allow lentils to sit in colander for 30 minutes to make sure it is well drained).  Then grind in food processor until smooth with salt.  Remove to bowl and allow the dhal to ferment with the salt for 3-4 hours.   Next grind ginger, onion, curry leaves and chilies in food processes until minced, but not too  mushy.   
 
                                                 

Then mix the ground lentils with the  ground ginger, curry leaves and onion, as well as salt, asafoetida, black pepper, red chili flakes and cumin seeds. Mix well until all ingredients are combined.

 


To make the vadai take a ball of dough in your wet hands (wet hands keep dough from sticking to your hands).  Drop small round balls of dough into the hot oil to fry.  Have oil heated to 350 degrees.  When vadai floats to the top and is golden brown drain on a paper towel.  Eat alone or with coconut chutney.  Enjoy.

 

Ingredients for Coconut Chutney:
1 cup dessicated coconut (not sweetened)
1/2 cup coconut milk
Handful curry leaves
4-5chilies (seeded for less heat if desired)
1/2 medium onion
1 Tbs ginger
2 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp black pepper
lime juice (to taste)
salt (to taste)


Directions:
Soak dessicated coconut in coconut milk for 30 minutes or longer to soften. In a food processor mince curry leaves, onion, ginger, garlic and chilies.  Then add soaked coconut, lime juice, black pepper and salt and mix all ingredients together in processor until well combined. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

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.

Parmesan Ranch Dressing

 If I had to pick only one salad dressing to eat for the rest of my life, it would be ranch dressing.  I can eat ranch dressing on salad, with french fries, with carrot sticks, dip my pizza crusts and the list goes on.   Heck, I would even eat it off my arm. Salads have been on my mind recently and a homemade salad dressing would be perfect to enjoy with all those crisp greens.  I especially liked the fresh herbs that flavors this dressing since I'm finally getting some herbs popping up in my garden.  I know I will be making and enjoying this salad dressing again and again this summer.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Juice 1/2 lemon
1 Tbs rice wine vinegar
1 tsp salt seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp minced fresh dill
black pepper
2 tsp fresh minced parsley
2 tsp fresh minced chives
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

recipe adapted from: Ranch Dressing Food.com

Directions:

Blend all the ingredients except the fresh herbs and Parmesan cheese until smooth.  Finally add the fresh herbs and cheese and stir will. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

 


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.

Zesty Bow Tie Pasta Salad

Yesterday was Mother's Day.  As a mother, I feel like it's my job to get my children to learn to cook so when they get older and leave home they can feel empowered in the kitchen.  The Sunday paper always has a kid's section that gives a recipe for kids to try out with a parents help.  My son saw this recipe and insisted that we make it together.  So I helped him by chopping and cooking the pasta.  He gathered and mixed all the ingredients together.  It was a wonderful  light pasta salad.  My son (who usually is picky) ate every bite of pasta and said he can't wait to make another recipe together. That's music to my ears and heart. :)

Ingredients and Directions:

My Changes:

 I box of Bow-Tie Pasta
16 oz of frozen broccoli florets ( I used more broccoli)
1 bell pepper finely chopped ( I added peppers and omitted the tomatoes)
1 seeded jalapeno finely chopped (I added some spice)
1 cup sliced black olives
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp sugar ( the salad dressing was too tangy and needed some sweetness)
1 cup Italian Salad dressing
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Note:  I omitted the tomatoes because my son ( who was in charge of this recipe) refused to eat tomatoes.   I added bell pepper in it instead.  I think next time some small diced cucumber would be another great add in.

My Directions:
Cook pasta as directed by package in well salted water.  You can either microwave frozen broccoli or cook it in the last few minutes of the pasta to heat through (That's what I did.).  Drain pasta and mix with all other ingredients.  Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.  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.

Curry and Comfort's Weekly Sunday Summary 5/05/13 thru 05/12/13

   Happy Mother's Day Everyone!!

I wish all the Mothers, Grandmothers, Aunts, Sisters and Caregivers a very beautiful and loving day.  This is for all the sleepless nights, loving, worrying, tear wiping, meal making,  boo-boo fixing, chauffeuring, teaching, counseling, refereeing of sibling fights, and the millions of other little things that we do in the name of "Motherhood".  Of course if you ask your kids, most of that is taken for granted..... but we wake up and do it again everyday.

I want to give a personal shout out to my wonderful mother who has done all the above and more for not only her four kids, but her grand-kids as well.  She has been mothering for over 50 years and she's a rock-star at it!  Thanks AMMI (Mom)!!

Now here's my week in review... :)

PS... check out my Mug Omelet recipe on the Reader's Digest site: Reader's Digest Mug Recipes

Roasted Poblano Pepper Mac and Cheese

Brownie Pizza

Sauteed Eggplant Salad (Vegan)

Lemon and Chive Warm Potato Salad

Sri Lankan Kokis

 

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.

Roasted Poblano Pepper Mac and Cheese

I love playing around with mac and cheese. My kids will eat it any way they can get it... homemade or right out of the blue box (Kraft).  I love the spicy flavors of this with the poblano peppers and my kids loved it too. I actually made the recipe twice before posting it.  The original recipe I worked on was great, but I did not like the pasta I used initially.  I used orzo pasta and it was more like a risotto fake out than a mac and cheese.  I have posted a picture of the first orzo dish to the right.  This does have a few steps to it... but it's really pretty easy.  I love using a gas stove to roast the poblano peppers easily, but you can also broil them in the oven.  The flavors are smokey, spicy and fantastic.

 Ingredients:
3 large poblano peppers
1 cup chicken stock * or water/bullion equivalent
1 medium onion chopped
1 red or orange bell pepper chopped
2-3 cloves garlic minced or grated
1 tsp cumin powder
red chili flakes to taste
salt and pepper to taste
2-3 Tbs flour
2-3 Tbs butter/margarine
1lb box pasta any shape cooked
2 cups cheese divided

 Directions:

 Take clean dry poblano peppers and roast over an open flame or broil in the oven until outside is blackened.  Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 15-20 minutes so the skins can easily come off.

Remove outer blackened skin.  I use a paper towel to rub the charred skin off and that works well without making a mess on your hands.  Cut out the core and coarsely chop them.  Put into a food processor and blend with 1 cup of chicken broth or water/bullion equivalent and make a poblano puree.




Next boil pasta in salted water and drain 1 minute shy of fully cooked.  In a large pan heat 1 Tbs canola oil and saute onions, peppers and garlic with some salt and pepper.

When onions are softened, add cumin and red chili flakes.  Then add 2-3 Tbs butter and 2-3 Tbs flour to pan.  Stir until flour is cooked and looks like wet sand.

 Add roasted poblano puree and stir well.  Melt in cheese 3/4 of the cheese.

Add pasta to cheese sauce and mix well.  Pour mac and cheese into baking dish. Top with remaining cheese and bake in 375 oven for 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and melted.  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.