Baked oatmeal breakfast with dried fruits and nuts

If you bored of eating bland oatmeal, try this flavorful baked oatmeal recipe enriched with fruits and nuts.

Ingredients:
#1
Rolled oats- 3 cups
Dried/fresh fruits-1 cup (combined)
(use at least two of the dried/fresh fruits: cranberries, strawberries, raspberries, apple, etc.Chop/dice fresh fruits)
Nuts-1/2 cup
(use at least one: cashew nuts, almonds, pistachios, peanut, etc.)
Brown sugar-1 cup
Ground cinnamon-1 tsp
Baking powder-1 tsp
Salt-1/2-1 tsp

#2
Cream/milk-1 cup
Eggs-2
Olive oil/melted butter-1/2 cup

Method:

1. Combine all ingredients #1 in a large bowl 
2. Blend ingredient #2 using a blender/hand mixer and pour it into the large bowl containing #1 ingredients
3. Mix everything together 
4. Transfer and spread the mixture into a greased baking pan 
5. Bake at 350 F for 35-45 min.
6. Allow it to cool and then you may refrigerate if you plan to use on the next day

Serving:

Cut into cubes and you may microwave for 30 sec by soaking it in milk/cream. Serve with chocolate syrup (optional) and your choice of fresh fruits.

Fried Corns

 It has been long since I posted some recipes to third kitchen. I was caught up with some stuff for my degree requirement and moreover not ready to get away from my indolence. 
Any way  finally I did give an attempt to crack that shell..... starting with a very easy "gap filler"--pan fried whole corns ..Yumm..

Ingredients and method:
Whole corns-2
Butter- melted -2 tsp
Salt
Lemon and Pepper powder-for sprinkling

Melt butter in a pan and fry the whole corns and sprinkle some salt. You can either swirl  the pan or turn the corns using a fork until all sides of the corn are light golden brown.
Stick in a pair of corn forks and serve by sprinkling with lemon-pepper powder (You can use any condiments/flavorings like garlic ,honey , paprika, according to your taste)

Enjoy!

Chilly Fish

Ingredients: (Preparation time 30-45 min)


-----for frying fish

• Fish fillets-3 (I used tilapia)
• Chilly powder-1/2 tsp
• All purpose flour-3 tsp
• Soy sauce-1 tsp
• Egg-1
• Salt

------for gravy

1. Onion-2, diced
2. Bell pepper-1, diced
3. Garlic-t tsp, finelly chopped
4. Ginger-1/2 tsp, finely chopped
5. Green chilly-2, sliced lengthwise
6. Chilly powder-1/2 tsp
7. Black pepper powder-1/2 tsp
8. Soy sauce-3 tsp
9. Tomato Ketchup- 2 tsp
10. Vinegar-1 tsp
11. All purpose flour(1/2 tsp) dissolved in 1 tbsp of water
12. Salt
13. Paprika powder-1/2 tsp (for color)
14. Spring onions-1/4 cup, chopped(for garnishing)

Method:
Cut fish into medium sized pieces.
Mix together chilly powder, flour, salt and make a thick batter with soy sauce and beaten egg (you may add roughly 1/2 of one beaten egg).Coat the fish pieces with this batter and shallow fry both sides in a wide pan (take care not to overcrowd). Once it is cooked removed pieces, add more oil and add chopped ginger, garlic and green chillies. Saute for 5 min and add onions. When onions are transparent stir in bell peppers and add fried fish followed by the remaining ingredients (6-13). Cover it and cook 5 more min. Open the lid stir carefully til the gravy is dry. Garnish with chopped spring onions.

Fried Tilapia

 Ingredients:
Tilapia fillets-2
Chilly powder-1 tsp
Black pepper powder-1/2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste-1/2 tsp
Coriander powder-1/2 tsp
Salt
Oil for frying

Method:
Cut the fish fillet into medium pieces. Make a paste of all the ingredients in water and marinate the fish for 30 min. Fry both sides in oil until the pieces became light brown color. Serve with rice.

Scrambled eggs with chives

Ingredients:

• Eggs-4
• Chives-1/3 cup, chopped
• Tomato-1/2, chopped
• Onion-1/2, chopped
• Green chilly-1, sliced or chopped
• Salt
• Oil 

 Method:

• Break eggs and beat nicely with all other ingredients except oil
• Heat oil in a pan and pour the egg mixture and scramble until it is done.

Chicken and Spaghetti

Ingredients: (Serves 4)

1. Chicken breast : 1 lb
2. Fresh parsley : 1/2 cup, chopped
3. Garlic- 2, crushed
4. Mint leaves -6, chopped
5. Salt
6. Olive oil-2 tsp
7. Pepper powder-1/2 tsp
8. Thin spaghetti -1 lb
9. Marinara sauce -2 cups
10. Parmesan cheese
11. Mozzarella cheese-1/2 cup
    
12. Bell pepper -2 tsp, chopped (optional)

Method:

Cook noodles according to the instruction given in the package.Cut the chicken in to strips and rub the ingredients 2-7. Cook the chicken pieces in 1 cup marinara sauce. When chicken is cooked add one more cup of marinara sauce and spread this and mozzarella cheese over cooked spaghetti. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese and chopped bell pepper.

Herbed chicken fry

Ingredients:

1. chicken breast slices- 1 lb, (4-5 pieces of 1/2 inch thickness)
2. ginger garlic paste-1/2 tsp
3. parsley flakes-3 tsp
4. chives-3 tsp, (finely chopped)
   
5. mint leaves- 5-8 nos, (finely chopped)
6. lemon juice-2 tsp
   
7. soy sauce-3 tsp
8. salt
9. pepper powder-1 tsp
   
10. bread crumbs
11. olive oil-3-4 tsp

Method:

1. Marinate the chicken pieces with the ingredients 2-9 and keep in refrigerator for at least two hours
2. Coat the pieces with bread crumbs. Heat oil in a non stick pan and cook both sides until brown (or bake at 350-400 C 20 min each side).

Broccoli Salad

Ingredients:

1. Broccoli florets-3 cups
2. Red onion-1/2, chopped
3. Raisins-1/4 cup
4. Green peas -1/4 cup
5. Almonds/pistachios or cashew nuts-1/4 cup
6. Bell peppers-3 tsp, chopped
7. Bacon-3 slices, fried and crumbled (optional)
   

For dressing:
Mayonnaise-1 cup
Sugar-2 tsp
Honey-2 tsp
Vinegar-1 tsp

Salt
Pepper powder
Method:

1. In a bowl, mix together the ingredients for dressing.
2. Combine ingredients 1-7 in a separate bowl, add dressing to this and mix well.
3. Add salt and pepper powder

You can slice each florets into 2 or 3 pieces
It is a perfect side dish for BBQs

Kothu Porotta

Ingredients:

Kerala porotta -4, (medium sized, chopped)
Onion-1, medium ( chopped)
Tomato-1, medium ( chopped)
Green chilly-2
Ginger garlic paste-1/2 tsp
Chilly powder-1/2 tsp
Coriander powder-1/2 tsp
Meat masala-1 tsp
Egg-1
Cilantro-1/3 cup(chopped)
Curry leaves-few
Oil
Salt to taste
Mustard

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add mustards and curry leaves followed by ginger garlic paste, onion and green chillies.
2. Add chilly powder, coriander powder and masala powder when onions are brown
3. Saute for a while and add tomato and stir. Cook covered until it became a paste
4. Add chopped porottas along with 1/4 cup of water and salt, stir and cook covered in medium heat for 5 min. Crack the egg in the middle of the pan and stir continuously until it is dry.
5. Finally add cilantro and serve hot

Semiya Banana Payasam

Ingredients:

1. Roasted vermicelli (Semiya)-100g
2. Milk-4 cups
3. Sugar-1 cup
4. Ripe banana-1, finely chopped
5. Cashew nuts- 15-20
6. Raisins- 15- 20
   
7. Cardamom-2, crushed
8. Butter-1/8 stick (1 tbsp melted butter)

Method:

1. Melt butter in a pan and fry cashews and raisins. Keep them aside
2. Cook vermicelli in milk and sugar until it becomes soft.
3. When it is cooked add chopped bananas, fried cashews and raisins, crushed cardamom and simmer for 5-10 min till the preparation begins to thicken. You can serve it either hot or cold

Note: Roast vermicelli in 1 tbsp of butter if it is not roasted.

Breadsticks

Ingredients:

1. Bread slices-2
2. All purpose flour-3 tsp
3. Corn flour-3 tsp
4. Egg-1
5. Soy sauce-1 tsp
6. Tomato ketchup-3 tsp
7. Potato flakes-3 tsp
8. Water
9. Ginger garlic paste-1/2 tsp
10. Black pepper powder-1/2 tsp
11. Parsley flakes-1 tsp
12. Salt
13. Bread crumbs
14. Oil for frying
    

Method:

1. Dissolve potato flakes in hot water and add corn flour, all purpose flour, parsley flakes, ginger garlic paste, pepper powder, ketchup, egg,soy sauce and salt to make the batter.
   
2. Cut each bread lengthwise into 5-6 pieces
   
3. Coat the bread pieces with the batter. Carefully transfer the pieces from the batter using a long knife or spatula to avoid breaking.
4. Coat with bread crumbs.
5. Fry the bread pieces in oil until it became light brown. Serve hot with ketchup

Banana pancake (Pazham appam)

Preparation time:20min
Ingredients for 6 pancakes:

1. ripe bananas-2
2. rice flour-1/2 cup
3. all purpose flour-1/2 cup
4. milk-1 cup
5. cardamom (crushed)-1
6. coconut slices (small slices)-2tsp
7. vanilla extract-1tsp
8. sugar-3 tsp
9. raisins
10. butter (melted)-3 tsp
11. salt -a pinch

Method:

1. Cut bananas into 3-4 pieces and beat with milk, vanilla extract and sugar in a blender.
2. Pour banana milk mixture into flour and mix well with a spoon. Add cardamom, coconut slices, salt and mix again.
3. Heat half spoon of melted butter in a griddle, pour 1/6 of the batter, spread into desired size and sprinkle raisins. Cook each side for 2-3 min.
   

Serve hot with pancake syrup or honey.

Pepperoni Cheese Sandwich

preparation time: 10min max.
You need:
Bread slices-4
Pizza sauce-4 tsp
Pepperoni-8 slices
Mozzarella cheese- 1/3 cup
Chopped onion-2 tsp (optional)
Chopped bell pepper-2 tsp (optional)
Method:

• Microwave pepperoni slices for 30 sec to make crispy
• Spread one tsp of pizza sauce on one side of bread slices

• Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese (half amount) on two of the bread slices above the sauce coating
  
• Place slices of pepperoni above cheese
  
• Spread onion and bell pepper (optional)
  
• Add the remaining half of cheese and place the other bread slice
• Toast in sandwich maker for 2-3 min.

Sandwich is ready !
Quick and easy recipe for kids lunch box.

French toast

French toast is an easy dish that you can prepare within 10 min. Kids would love this.
You need:
Bread-2 slices
Egg-1
milk-1/4 cup
vanilla extract-1 tsp
sugar- 2tsp
Butter- for frying
honey/ maple syrup
Method:
1) Crack the egg into a medium sized flat bottomed plate add milk, sugar and vanilla extract into this and mix well.

2) Cut the bread into two and dunk each piece in the egg mixture. Flip the bread using a fork and make sure it is coated on both sides.

3) Melt the butter in a frying pan and cook the coated bread pieces until it turns light brown. Flip the bread cook that side too.

French toast is ready and serve warm with honey or maple syrup.

Note: I reduced the size of bread which makes it easy to flip while coating the egg mixture. Sugar will enhance the brown color and make it sweeter.