7 layer magic bars / cookies

This is one of the most popular and old fashioned american desserts. I tasted it for the very first time last year at halloween. I had taken my little one for a halloween experience at a "haunted house" place.... with my friends. The Dousman Stagecoach Inn museum was a spookily decorated little house with a fortune teller.... and the kids really enjoyed the visit. The package included some treats for the kids and that's when i came across these magical bars. I couldn't help putting 3/4 pieces in my mouth...and they were absolutely delicious. 

The old lady who made these gladly shared the recipe. It's really simple -- layer 7 ingredients one after the other and bake..... :) 

I have come to know many shortcuts and quick fix meals in USA... and this is one of the best desserts you can make which is a hit for any get together or party. People can't stop eating it ...it's bite sized and heavenly..... I made it 3-4 times and the last week, I made it for my friends' baby shower. 

Ingredients:

• Condensed milk 1 can (14oz/396 gms)
  
• Graham crackers crushed to powder -- 1 and half cups
• Unsalted butter -- 1/2 cup (melted)
• Walnuts -- 1 cup (broken to small pieces)
• Dried flaked coconut -- 1 and 1/3 cup
• Dark chocolate chips -- 1 cup
• Butterscotch chips -- 1 cup

Recipe:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees f.
• Line a 13 by 9 inch glass pan with parchment paper or aluminium foil.
• Melt the butter in the microwave.
• Grind the graham crackers in a food processor.

• Mix the melted butter with the graham cracker powder.

• Press down the graham cracker and butter mix firmly on the bottom of the pan.

• Pour condensed milk over the graham cracker crust.

• Spread the chocolate chips and the butterscotch chips over the condensed milk.

• Add walnuts.

• Finally, spread the coconut.

• Press everything down with a spatula.

• Bake in a pre heated oven for 30 minutes.
• Let it cool for about 10-15 minutes, then chill it in the refrigerator.
• Pull out the parchment paper, and lay it flat on a cutting board. 
• Cut into squares. 

Quantity:

• This recipe makes around 24 pieces about 1 and half inch size.

Notes:

• You can change the order of the layers ...with coconut in the middle ...and pour condensed milk in the end.
• You can use other nuts like pistachio, almonds etc.
• You can use white or milk chocolate chips or mini marshmallows.

Mexican vegetarian lasagna

2015 .... a first post in the new year.... haven't been blogging ...though I cooked and tried a lot of old and new recipes in the final months of 2014. I find photographing difficult in my kitchen here.... I do not have any natural light.... but, hoping to change and blog more, about the recipes I learnt.

Asian cuisine ingredients are difficult to find here, but you can easily get mexican cuisine stuff. I have started liking mexican food here....and this is one of the mexican inspired recipes.... I have used some store bought ingredients for it, but you can make the sauces at home too. It feeds many and a good recipe to take to a potluck.

Ingredients:

• Corn tortillas 1 pack -- I used about 18 for 3 layers
  
• Picante sauce -- I used Pace brand available in my grocery store, about 1.5 cups
• Salsa sauce -- I used Red Gold medium spicy, about 1.5 cups
• 1 can -- black beans
• 1 can -- pitted and sliced black olives
• 1 red onion
• 200 grams button mushrooms
• 1 green capsicum
• 3 small carrots
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 2 cups mixed mexican/southwestern blend cheese
•  5 cloves garlic
• 2-3 green chilies
• 2 avocadoes
• salt and pepper and about 1-2 tsp olive oil

Recipe:

• Prep and chop the fresh ingredients. Peel and grate the garlic. Wash vegetables and chop the onions, garlic, chilies, mushrooms, capsicum. Defrost the corn.

• Heat the oil in the pan.
• Saute the chopped onions, till they are translucent.

• Add the garlic, chilies, capsicum, carrots, mushrooms and finally the corn.

• Keep sauteing on medium heat till the vegetables are cooked. Add salt and pepper and keep them aside to cool.

• Cut the corn tortillas in half and heat them on a skillet for about 30 seconds each side.

• Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees farenheit.
• Assemble the lasagna.
• Take a glass or metal baking pan. (I used 13*9 glass pan). Layer the bottom of the pan with 2-3 tbsp of salsa sauce.
• Place the corn tortilla halves in single layer on the salsa.
• Spread 2-3 tbsp of picante sauce on top of the tortillas.
• Spread the prepared vegetable layer.
• Sprinkle beans and olives.
• Finally, add cheese.
• Repeat all the layers. 
• I made about 3 layers.

• Top the lasagna with picante sauce and more cheese and olives.
• Bake for about 30-35 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the lasagna in hot oven for about 5 minutes.
• Take it out and let it rest for 10 minutes more.

• Garnish with chopped avocados and /or sour cream. 

• Serve hot.

Quantity:

• Makes about 8-10 servings.

Notes:

• You can make it with chicken mince. Add about 2 cups of chicken mince to the vegetarian ingredients.
• You can use either salsa or picante, or both.
• Increase or omit cheese and avocados.
• Also, a big tip is to top the lasagna with avocado slices just before serving. Cut the avocados only when you are going to serve. If u leave them they will turn black soon.  (as you see in the following picture )

Tofu coconut noodles

I have been missing Asian food here. Authentic Japanese, Chinese or Thai restaurants...especially thai..... and also thai ingredients..... Things like lemon grass, lime leaves, galangal and basil leaves. Last week, I came to know that my friend Ruchi has a "basil" potted plant at home. She offered the use of her plant and leaves....at my disposal..and as I was craving for some thai inspired meal.... I cooked these noodles....with the ingredients, I found here...

Ingredients:

• 400 gms angel hair or regular spaghetti noodles ( fresh or dried egg noodles would be nice)
• 300 grams of extra firm tofu
  
• green capsicum -- 1 medium sized
• red onion --1 medium sized
• carrot -- 1 medium sized
• frozen corn -- 1/2 cup
• garlic -- 6 cloves
• ginger -- 1 inch piece
• coconut milk -- 1/4 cup
• green chili -- 2-3 according to taste
• oil -- 1 tbsp
• soya sauce -- 1 to 2 tbsp
• spring onion  -- 2 
• basil leaves -- 7 to 8 leaves
• salt and pepper to taste

Recipe:

• Remove tofu from the package and put it in 2-3 paper towels so as to drain the water. Keep aside.
• Boil spaghetti or egg noodles according to the package directions. Drain and wash with cold water and keep aside.
• Chop the onion, capsicum and carrot to long pieces. Grate the ginger and garlic. Chop chilies. Defrost the corn. Keep aside.
• Heat oil, add onion. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes. Then add capsicum, carrot. Stir-fry till it is soft and cooked another 2-3 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic and chilies.

• Add frozen corn, mix well. Add soy sauce and season with salt and pepper.

• Chop tofu to half inch cubes. Add to the vegetable mix. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.

• Add the boiled spaghetti/noodles and mix everything well. Keep the heat medium high.

• Add coconut milk and chopped basil leaves and turn off the heat. Mix.

• Add more salt, pepper and soy sauce if required.
• Garnish with chopped spring onion.

• Serve hot off the pan.

Quantity:

• 3-4 servings

Notes:

• I have used italian dried spaghetti noodles. You can use asian egg or rice noodles.
• You can also use buckwheat/soba noodles or glass rice noodles.
• You can add different vegetables like mushrooms, beans or cabbage.... or even chicken or shrimp.
• You can add fish sauce, about a tbsp along with the soy sauce.

Gobhi-matar subji (cauliflower and peas curry)

Oh how I used to dislike the gobhi-matar subji ..... until about 2-3 months ago...!! It was my first get-together with my new gal-pals in the US... a girl made this gobhi-matar curry and I loved it..... !! It looked exactly the way, I made it.....but it tasted so better than mine and I wondered how did she make it! She kindly shared the recipe and I m so glad to be sharing it with you.... I got a friend and a new "regular" in my lunch recipe list. Thanks, Ana!!

Ingredients:

• Cauliflower -- about 300-350 grams (I used about half of a medium sized cauliflower)
• tomatoes -- 2 
  
• green peas -- 1/2 cup
• red onion -- about half
• garlic -- 3 cloves
• ginger  -- 1 inch piece
• green chilies -- 2
• mustard seeds -- 1 tsp
• asafoetida -- 1/4 tsp
• curry leaves -- 4-5
• turmeric powder  -- 1/2 tsp
• coriander powder -- 1 tsp
• salt -- about 1 tsp 
• canola or vegetable oil -- 1 tbsp
• coriander leaves -- a handful bunch
• water -- 1 to 1 1/2 cup
• and the last secret ingredient -- Rasam Powder -- about 1 and 1/2 tsp

Recipe:

• Cut the cauliflower to half. Remove the green stalks and break to florets. Clean and wash well in running water. Keep it aside.
• Grate the ginger and garlic and make paste. Slit the green chilies and remove the seeds if needed. Chop the coriander leaves. 
• Chop the onions and tomatoes and grind to a fine paste/puree with a blender. Keep it aside.

• Heat a tbsp or two of oil. Add mustard seeds. Once they crackle, add asafoetida and slit green chilies.

• Add the onion paste. Keep the heat medium and keep stirring till the liquid is evaporated and the paste is darkened and shiny(about 5-7 minutes)

• Add the tomato puree and keep stirring for about 10 minutes.

• Add the ginger-garlic paste and the curry leaves, while continuously stirring.

• Once the "masala" starts coming together (looks like it's getting dry), add the powdered spices -- turmeric powder, coriander powder, rasam powder and salt.

• Stir for 1-2 minutes on medium heat after adding the dry spice powders.

• Add the cauliflower florets and the green peas and saute them in the "tomato onion masala" for 2-3 minutes.

• I cooked this curry in a pressure pan. So at this point, I added about 1 cup of water to the curry, covered the pressure pan with lid and let it cook for 1-2 whistles.

• You can cover the lid, if cooking in a regular skillet or pot after adding water and let it cook for another 7-8 minutes till the cauliflower is done.

• Garnish with coriander leaves.
• Serve hot as a side to chapatis or rice.

Quantity:

• 4-5 servings with accompaniments like rice/chapati, etc

Notes:

• I used only 1/2 of the cauliflower and got a gravy (liquid based) curry.
• If u want the subji to be dry, you can use about 400 gms of cauliflower and cook the subji with less water.

• You can add garam masala or goda masala or any of your favorite homemade mixed spice powder.... that will make it different flavored. I particularly loved the flavor and combination of peas and cauliflower with the rasam masala :)