published Jan 21, 2022, updated Jun 12, 2024 Indian pakoras come in all shapes and sizes, filled with onions, potatoes, corn — anything you can imagine! But I love my cheese, so paneer pakora holds a special place in my heart even among all the drool-worthy snacks the country has to offer. Paneer is a great ingredient to add to your favorite Indian sauces and curries, like butter masala or tikki masala, if you don’t want to make the dish with meat....

Crispy, crunchy, and so good! These wrapped shrimp in a blanket, aka Thai Goong Hom Pha, aka crispy firecracker shrimp are the perfect appetizer for any party. If you’re hosting a New Year’s shindig, make these. If you’re in charge of Christmas appetizers, make these. Do you run the big game food list? Assign them or make them! They are going to fly off the plate in no time! We start with a base of Vietnamese egg roll wrappers or spring roll wrappers and roll up fresh, cleaned, and seasoned shrimp in the center....

I also love to top my crostini with dollops of homemade basil pesto. Overall, this crostini is something I love to make with my abundance of summer produce. I first made this recipe when I was exploring the Campania region in Italy. Campania is a highly populated region in Southern Italy. Campania’s vast cuisine relies on sun-kissed vegetables and herbs, dried pasta, and fresh cheeses. The famous cheese here is the water Buffalo’s Mozzarella....

And so returns the Little Spice Jar black bean obsession of 2014. Only this time we’re making cuban black beans that are the cheater version to the low and slow cooked traditional cuban beans. And then i’m spicing them up with a little cilantro and lime because that’s how we do. ???? But first, HELLO! ???? It’s been a while, hasn’t it? I mean, I’ve been gone a week but it totally feels like it was kinda sorta forever....

published Apr 22, 2022 My pantry is full of homemade spice blends, but lately I’ve found myself reaching for my homemade curry powder more often than others. Not too hot, not too salty, not too sweet — it’s just right for almost every dish that I put on the table! It might surprise you to learn that curry powder isn’t used in authentic Indian kitchens at all. It was invented by British employees and travelers who loved Indian flavors so much that they tried to recreate them back home in England when cooking....

When Valli announced the A-Z mega marathon, I thought right away that this was a perfect opportunity for me to clean up my bookmark list and cook from it. Over a couple of years of blogging, I have bookmarked several recipes from fellow bloggers to try. Some recipes are so amazing that as soon as I see them, I want to make them. Dulce De Leche oatmeal bar is one such recipe that I chose to make today for the dish beginning with alphabet D....

If you are a fan of vegan curry recipes try out this Chickpea and Butternut Squash Curry! A good, easy lentil curry is a weekday staple in my house. Everyone loves the warm flavours and a hint of spice. I love being able to serve such a nutritious meal. Even better when it makes everyone so happy! Because I was looking for an easy dinner idea, I’ve stuck with simple pantry ingredients that won’t be hard to find....

What are gulab jamuns? Gulab jamun is a delicious, spongy, milk-based donut that is fried and dunked into a cardamom, saffron, and rose syrup. My amma (mom) would turn our home into a gulab jamun-making factory during Diwali time so that we could hand out these sweet treats to all of our neighbors. I made over 200 gulab jamuns trying out different variables and ingredients, including using khoya vs. paneer, changing the ratio of flour and milk powder, and using baking soda vs....

Creamy and quick Thai-Inspired Peanut Sauce This peanut sauce is simple to prepare and makes for a wonderfully versatile dressing, drizzle, or dipping sauce! It’s the perfect accompaniment to healthy summer rolls. In fact, that’s where I first shared this recipe several years ago and have since spent years ‘perfecting’ it. I love the versatility of this easy recipe, too. Just like my tahini dressing, you can use this recipe as a dip and drizzle or adapted to a thinner peanut dressing, so it’s an impressive addition to your recipe repertoire....

Would you believe I’d hadn’t even heard of a Texas blueberry cobbler up until last year? At this point, I’ve lived in Texas most of my life now, and somehow I’d skipped right over the worlds easiest dessert, right on to all the other things. I had my first Texas blueberry cobbler at a local bbq joint. I can still remember the day; it was blustery cold outside, and we stood in a line that seemed like forever....

It’s strong but sweet, rich, smooth, and utterly delicious it’s pretty much like your after-dinner coffee, liqueur, and dessert all in one. If an Irish Coffee is your thing you’re guaranteed to love this! The best part is how quick and easy it is to make, all you need is four easy ingredients and a cocktail shaker. If you want to impress at your next dinner party serve this alongside your dessert to really blow your guests away or serve it at the start of the night to really kick things off!...

Hayyy there! Just here to remind you that tomatoes and basil are what summer is all about. Have you seen how they’re taking over the weekend market stalls, grocery stores, and if you’ve got a green thumb, your garden? While we’re on the topic, what do you call it when you have the exact opposite of a green thumb? Black thumb? Yes, let’s go with that; that’s what I have....

Another reason I love making these fish tacos is just how easy they are to customize. You can use a variety of white fish and load them up with whatever your favorite toppings are. You can set everything out so your family can build their own tacos, and everyone’s happy. Want to make this into a taco bar? Make my shrimp taco recipe and lobster tacos recipe as well!...

For the legendary classic version, try our always-popular Spaghetti Carbonara! As much as I love to cook and hanging out in the kitchen is one of my winding down times, I can’t imagine how I would survive without super speedy recipes that come together in 10-15 minutes. Pasta carbonara is one of those recipes. I learned making it from my friend Angela who is 100% Italian and proud. The main lesson I learned from her about Italian cooking is that the key to mastering Italian dishes is improvisation and simplicity....

If you are short on time and want to have dinner on the table in under 30 minutes try my Easy 30-minute General Tso’s Chicken, with a side of Garlic Fried Rice! General Tso’s Chicken is my all-time favorite take-out dish. It’s my go-to whenever I order Chinese takeout. This General Tso Chicken recipe turns out incredibly tender and juicy way better than the takeout version. It is coated in a sweet and tangy sauce....

A giant skillet chocolate chip cookie is the ultimate treat! A warm chocolate chip cookie with a golden crust around the edge with a gooey, melty middle. No need to make cookie dough balls, pop the entire blob in a skillet, and bake. Plop a giant scoop of vanilla ice cream on top when the cookie is still slightly warm. Watch it melt as it hits the hot cookie and melty chocolate....

It is fun to explore different cuisines and choose recipes that the whole family would enjoy. The Andhra-style Allam Pachadi has been on my list for a long time but never got it until now. I researched quite a bit and came across several different versions of the Ginger chutney and was quite confused about what is authentic. It really helps to be a part of a very big blogging family where I can always ask for help....

I love simple sweet treats and baked goods over the holidays! Try my Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread for Thanksgiving, or my Cranberry Orange Bread for Christmas this year! There is nothing better than baking over the Christmas Holidays. From cookies and quick breads to dinner rolls, Christmas is the season for all things baked! This simple Gingerbread Loaf Recipe is one of my absolute favorites. It’s ready in just an hour, and it tastes like Christmas!...

Looking for more chicken salad recipes to make for lunch? Give my Curry Chicken Salad or Southwest Chicken Salad a try! Chicken Harvest Salad with apples I absolutely love how this Harvest Chicken Salad brings together so many amazing textures and flavors! You’ve got the creaminess from the mayonnaise and sour cream base and the crunchiness from diced apples and nuts. The cranberries add a hint of sweetness, while the mustard and vinegar add just a bit of zip to keep things interesting....

It’s all about that sauce. Homemade chimichurri sauce it so good to me. Mostly because you can customize it with whatever the you fancy. It’s great to put on freshly grilled steaks, chicken, and pretty much anything else you please. You can even use it as dressing in a pasta salad. The tasty possibilities are endless. Maybe i’m just a lover of almost all things dipped in sauce. Maybe that’s how we all are?...