Mini Fajitas ~ One-Bite Appetizers for Parties

For the final day of BM#54, under One Bite Appetizers, I have a mini version of Fajitas. Well you might question me on how these would be termed as Fajitas. I could have called them Quesadilla, somehow Fajitas stuck and I was not ready to change.

I was remembering the mini versions that were served during Vaishali's son reception that we went a year back. The starters were so many that we simply could not even taste all that was being served. I especially loved those mini fajitas. Ok now you know why I couldn't change the name. I was told it was a fajita and I wasn't ready to dispute that. Moreover we had such good time and enjoying the spread that we didn't bother much beyond clicking and eating. I searched for that picture, unfortunately couldn't get hold of that. I had clicked everything that was served as I was planning to recreate it myself.

Fajita as the definition goes, is a tortilla on which a sizzling grilled meat is served with other condiments and fillings. I just took one part of it and made coin cutlets and served with roasted broccoli and cheese. The mini tortillas were fun to cook. Since these are mini, there is no serving control, though there is portion control. In a party you won't really worry about that right. This will surely be a hit if you are planning to host a party for kids.

I enjoyed this one bite appetizers a lot and researched so much on different ideas. I wish I had time to make the rest as well. These are total hit in at regular times with kids, as they seem to love anything that's bite sized and smaller ones.

For me it works out best as well, as I need not make one dish so much and at the same time have a variety going on.

Do share your ideas on bite size snacks that will be a hit at parties.

Mini Fajitas

Ingredients Needed:

For the Tortillas

All purpose flour - 1 cup
Cold butter - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

For the grilled Corn Paneer Coin Cutlet.

Grilled Sweet Corns - 1  cup
Paneer - 1/2 cup
Boiled Potato - 1/4 cup
Bread Slices - 2 slices
Green Chilies - 2 medium
Red Chili flakes - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil for cooking

For Roasted Broccoli
Broccoli, blanched - 3/4 cup
Salt to taste
Red chili flakes

Tomato Salsa
Mozzarella Cheese for topping

How to make the Mini Fajitas

For the tortillas

Take the flour in a bowl along with salt and cold butter, rub the butter well and slowly add water to knead to a soft and stiff dough. Let it rest till you make the toppings.

For the Grilled Corn Paneer Coin Cutlet.

Smear oil over the corn cob and grill over flame until it browns.

Remove the kernels and pulse it along with bread slices to a coarse paste. Make sure the corns are not completely grounded.

Transfer to a bowl, add potato, crumbled paneer and other ingredients. Pinch out tiny balls and flatten.

Heat a nonstick pan with oil and pan roast the coin cutlets till done on both sides.

For the Broccoli,

Blanch the washed broccoli and roast it with oil and season with salt and red Chilies.

Assembling the mini fajitas

When you are ready to assemble, knead the dough again and dust well. roll out a huge disc and using a cutter of the size you prefer, pinch out individual tortillas.

Heat a pan with oil and cook the mini tortillas on both sides.

Transfer to a serving plate and spread the tomato salsa. Place pieces of roasted broccoli, coin cutlets, sprinkle some grated cheese and serve.

Notes:

You could assemble everything and MW for 10 secs just before serving for the cheese to melt and the tortillas to warm up.

Paneer Croissants | How to make Paneer Croissant Sticks

For the second day of Bite size Appetizers, I have a Stuffed Paneer Croissants. These are not your flaky buttery croissants, rather yeasted rolls. However these warm rolls are just right to lighten your time, when you are enjoying time party. In spite of blending in the paneer into the dough, I also stuffed it spiced up, to ensure you get the spicy cheesy dig when you bite into it.

Apart from paneer, I had ideas of stuffing cheese cubes. Then decided that my ideas seem to end up very monotonous, with cheese stuffed into every other snack. I know my kids will love cheese, but including that in everything seems so predictable. I know paneer falls in that category as well.

Just the other day, seeing me work overtime, trying to get all the dishes done for July, Athamma was asking me if I was cooking for the blog for the next two months. I said I have about twenty plus posts to be done for a month. She was shocked and asked what all I plan to make. I said I am aiming at simpler ones and she also nodded saying I must have blogged all of Amma's and hers already! Yes I know, even the simplest chutney has made an appearance. 

So coming back to the paneer Croissants, I hopping on blogs and landed at Archana's. I knew my kids will love it as they enjoyed the twisted Pizza sticks. I thought these might be interesting for them as well. I was very happy when Chinnu tasted it and said he liked it. He went on for second one as well. Konda was going on encouraging him. I know its a good thing he was not eating all purpose loaded stuff. However nothing wrong in just tasting it. So in that way I was much happier.

If you are wondering why those ribbons seem to make an appearance, well those are my boy's handiwork. On a Sunday with about seven dishes to cover, I hardly have energy to set this up. So I ended up asking their help. They decided these ribbons will be great. I didn't want to discourage them. I am hoping with time and exposure, they will learn the coordination soon. 

Paneer Crescents

Ingredients Needed

For the Dough

All purpose flour - 2 cups
Salt - 1.5 tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp
Paneer, crumbled - 1/4 cup
Melted Butter - 2 tbsp
Instant Yeast - 1.5 tsp
Warm Milk - 1/2 cup and water as required to knead to a soft dough

For the Stuffing

Paneer, crumbled - 1/2 cup
Red chili flakes -1 tsp
Salt to taste
Butter for glazing

How to make the Paneer Crescents

In a mixing bowl, take the flour, salt, crumbled paneer, instant yeast, olive oil, sugar and warm water. Mix everything well together. Knead well.

Finally add the melted butter and continue kneading till you get a soft dough. cover and let it rise. Mine rose by 45 mins.

When read to bake, punch it down softly and knead for couple of mins again.

Dust and roll out as to a disc. Using a sharp knife slice through the middle and do a crisscross to get 4 pieces. Slice each again to get a thinner triangle.

Place a small serving of the spiced paneer in the outer wider place and start rolling from outer to inner, ensuring the stuffing is fully covered.

Continue with rest and place everything on a greased baking tray.

Bake in pre heated oven at 185 C for 20 mins.

Brush with butter on top and bake for another 2 mins.

Serve warm.

Notes:

Stuffing can be more spicy if you want, can stuff with cheese as well. top it with more spiced butter or any other topping if required.

Just before serving you can warm it for 20 -30 secs in MW and pour spiced butter or sauce. You can serve this with some spicy dips as well.

Tadka Dal | Dhaba Style Mix Dal Fry

For the second day of cooking Lentil in 3 different way, I have yet another Tadka dal. I know you must be wondering after having posted so many different dals, what more can I possible have! Even I thought so and was surprised that combining different dals, can get you such differently tasting and so delicious dals.

Infact I had tough time deciding on what lentil recipe I could post. I had this teen dal recipe written in my dairy and seeing it was a combination I am yet to try, I decided to make it. Hubby dear liked the dal a lot and infact wanted me to make this quite regular.

So even if it might sound regular, you should try this combination. I always stock a pack of Masoor dal always. I simply put it in the freezer and forget. So it really comes handy when I make such dals. I somehow like how simple a masoor tastes.

Or you could simply check the Dals collected over the years!

All this means that, end of the day even after a heavy dose of rich food, our comfort food will always be a dal.

Nothing like a simple dinner that can get done under 30 mins, with both these dals and roti.

Dhaba Style Mix Dal Fry

Ingredients Needed:

Toor dal - 1/2 cup
Split Yellow Moong dal - 1/4 cup
Masoor dal - 1/4 cup
Onion minced - 1 small
Green Chillies sliced - 3
Ginger grated - 1/4 tsp.
Whole Cumin seeds    1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder  1/4 tsp.
Ghee/ Butter - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves, finely chopped    1/2 tbsp.

How to make the Tadka Dal

Mix and wash dals well. Pressure cook for 3 whistles, till soft but not overcooked.

Once the pressure falls down, remove the lid and mash the dal when it is still hot and add enough water.

Heat ghee/butter in a deep non stick pan.

Add cumin seeds, then add onion, ginger and green chilies. Stir fry till soft and nicely browned

Now red chilies and salt, mix well. Add the cooked dal, mix everything together well.

Bring to a boil. Simmer for 3-4 minutes.

Garnish with chopped coriander and lemon juice.

Serve hot with rice, rotis, etc.

Bikaneri Paratha | Dal Stuffed Bikaneri Paratha

We are starting the third week of BM#54. I will be cooking lentils in three different ways. Lentils provide all the protein to a vegetarian and one has to include all different dals in a meal, if one has to get the required protein intake.

Though I have been a vegetarian for the best part of my life, I have never really given much importance to it. A year back I went on a severe exercise regime and ignored my diet. Result was ending up with bad cramps, that none of the doctors could even understand. I finally realized myself and when I told that to my ortho, he was shocked that I am a vegetarian. He then went on to say how one must include at least three different lentil in a meal to compensate or even to get just enough for us to be alright.

Imagine my shock. I hardly ever include more than one and talk about three or more! Anyway the moral of the story was, I should stock up my lentil recipes and make them more. This weeks theme is no where near me making them all the time. Still it was worth the efforts.

The day one recipe is something I made long time back from Sapana's space. The parathas were very good, I wonder why i never posted it, lucky me, it was all there for me to just post it now! The picture setup was inspired by Nalini, who had done a similar setup during the time I had made this. Mine were no where close to how wonderfully Nalini plates her dishes, still it was worth the try.

These dal stuffed parathas are a great source of energy for breakfast. You could make the stuffing ahead and freeze if required. Even just refrigerating will do, you can just make parathas for morning breakfast.

Bikaneri Paratha

Ingredients Needed

For the outer layer:

Wheat flour - 1 cup
All purpose flour/ Maida - 1/4 cup
A pinch salt
Water as required
Oil for cooking the parathas

For filling:

Split Yellow Moong dal - 1/4 cup
Handful of channa dal
Green Chilli - 2 medium
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Ginger, grated - 1"
Red Chilli powder 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Amchoor powder - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp

How to make the Paratha:

Knead the flours together with salt and ensure the dough is soft, yet stiff. Keep it covered till you make the filling.

Wash and soak Moong dal in water for 1 hour. Drain and grind to make a smooth paste.

Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds, once it splutters, add the grated ginger and chopped green chillies.

Add the salt, spice powders and let it get cooked well. This takes about couple of mins.

Now add dal paste and mix well. Let it get cooked well and the mixture dries up.

Set it aside to cool. Divide into small balls.

To make the Bikaneri Paratha

Pinch out equal balls from the dough. Dust well and flatten on the sides. Place the dall balls and enclose on all sides completely.

Dust again and gently roll it out.

Heat a tawa and cook the Paratha on both sides using oil.

Serve with curds and pickle.

No Bake Chocolate Lasagna ~ No Bake Dishes

For the second day of No Bake Dishes, I made a Chocolate Lasagna. The recipe was pretty long, however  I made over two days and I didn't find it so tough. The dessert ends up being very rich, so take caution on how you portion it. 

Since I took them right off the fridge, the cups got misted and I couldn't clear it long enough for the kids to hold!

Do check out the Nutella Chocolate Milkshake as well!

No Bake Chocolate Lasagna

Ingredients Needed

For the Oreo Layer

Oreo Biscuits - 15 without cream
Oreo Biscuits - 5 with cream

Cream Cheese - 1/2 cup

Whipped Cream - 1/2 cup
Icing Sugar - 3 tsp

Chocolate Pudding Regular / Dark - 1 cup
Chocolate Ganache

For topping
Chocolate chips
Orea Biscuit Cream
Chocolate Shaving

How to make the Tart

Blend the orea biscuits to ensure you get a fine powder. Mix in butter and make the crust. In an individual serving cups, first fill in the oreo layer. Refergerate for 10 mins.

Prepare Cheese Cream and have it chilled

Prepare Chocolate Pudding either regular or Dark.

Prepare Chocolate Ganache and keep all the layers ready.

Whip the cream with icing sugar and chili.

When ready to layer,

On the oreo layer, layer it with cream cheese, then follow with a layer of chocolate pudding, followed by cream cheese, then with ganache, finally top with whipped cream.

For topping, place the orea cream, chips chocolate shavings.

Chill and serve it as dessert!

No Bake Chocolate Oreo Tart ~ No Bake Desserts

We are starting the August edition of BM and the week 1 is going to be No Bake Desserts. I didn't realize that I ended up picking up two dessert themes, I am doing Nutella Dishes in Spice your Life! And no Bake dessert here and naturally that also means I end up making something with chocolate only.

I was getting into the kitchen after a long time and all I could see on the counter were different chocolates and moulds that had to be decked up. I was making about 4 to 5 in one shot and somehow my regular capabilities were not up to the mark. I managed somehow. Obviously kids were so delighted to have so many chocolate treats for the weekend!

For day 1, its a No bake Chocolate Oreo Tart. The Oreo cookies were bought couple of weeks before, I was hoping I would be able to make it and boys were warned not to look at it. They were happy knowing they will anyway get to eat them in a different form and this tart was so enjoyed to their heart's content. I was inspired by this. I was so happy with the final taste!

That one slice is all I got to taste!

No Bake Chocolate Oreo Tart

Ingredients Needed:

Oreo crust:

Oreo cookies - 20 nos
Butter - 1/4 cup

Chocolate Cream filling:

Cream - 1/2 cup
Dark chocolate - 1 cup
Butter - 1 tbsp

To decorate:

Chocolate chips
Sprinkles

Pie moulds - 6" 2 nos

How to make No Bake Chocolate Oreo Tart


To make the crust, crumble the oreo cookies and blend well. Add butter and mix well. Ensure the cookies hold well.

Press the cookie mix to the moulds and freeze for 10 mins.

In a pan, bring cream to boil, remove and add the dark chocolate and butter. Let it dissolve, and then pour over the oreo crust. Decorate with chocolate chips, sprinkles and some Oreo biscuits.

Chill for 2 hours at least, or overnight. Unmold, serve, and enjoy!

Mendiants au Chocolat

We are on the final day of cooking French Cuisine. I know I picked up a simple dish, which practically didn't look like cooking at all to me. However I have been want to make this shape and prepare exactly this way that I decided to make it for this theme.

Infact this was the first one I made when I decided on French Cuisine. My kids do not like dry fruits or nuts other than cashew nuts. So even in a chocolate, if its fruits and nuts, its not touched. Since I do not like cashews, most times those chocolates stay for a while.

However since we thought we should get them try these, we decided to get Konda initiated into the dry fruits. She said she won't mind if I make the chocolates with these. So hubby dear that it was my task to get it done and that's how this came into picture.

I was lucky that I remembered that this is a French specialty and I searched for it.

So wiki tells me that Mendiant is a confectionery originated from France. It has just two ingredients, chocolates and dried nuts and fruits.

Traditionally it was a chocolate disk studded with nuts and dried fruits representing the four mendicant or monastic orders of the Dominicans, Augustinians, Franciscans and Carmelites. Each of the nuts and dried fruits used refer to the color of monastic robes with tradition dictating raisins for the Dominicans, hazelnut for the Augustins, dried fig for Franciscans and almond for Carmelite.

Now this confection has moved away from the traditional combination of nuts and fruits to other combinations incorporating seeds, fruit peels and other items. And I could see recipes using so many different combinations.

When I made this at home, boys didn't even touch it, while the entire batch was enjoyed by Hubby dear and Konda. I used Dark chocolate along with roasted almonds, raisins, walnuts and cashews.

Mendiants au Chocolat

Ingredients Needed:

Dark compond - 1 cup
Cashews, Raisins, Almonds, Walnuts for topping.

MW chopped dark chocolate for 30 secs in two spurts. Temper well and drop a teaspoon of melted chocolate on parchment paper.

Place each nut on top and refrigerate.

No Bake Chocolate Cake ~ No Bake Desserts

For the final day of No Bake Chocolate Dishes, yes I know the theme is supposed to be No Bake Desserts, I ended up cooking only with chocolates, else I won't be finding customers to eat all that I make.

With the adventure I have had over the last few days, making all the No Bake dishes and Nutella dishes, you can imagine how excited my kids will be. This No Bake Chocolate Cake was inspired by this and I couldn't wait to make it.

Infact boys couldn't restrain themselves and touched it couple of times before it could even set. Finally both didn't owe up who the culprit was. Anyway I know it was both. When the final pictures was clicked and given for tasting, they were going ahh and ooh..this surely is the ultimate chocolate bliss!. I am not sure how this can be called a cake, well as I say who bothers what a dish is called, when there is nothing left to even ponder!

I hope you all enjoyed as much I as did cooking and feeding my chocaholic kids!

Check out the Nutella Mousse in Chocolate Cup

No Bake Chocolate Cake

Ingredients Needed:

Dark Chocolate - 1 cup
Heavy Cream - 1 cup
Butter to grease pan
Allspice - 1/4 tsp
Espresso - 2 tsp
Cocoa powder, to serve

How to make the No Bake Chocolate Cake

Grease a mini loaf pan with butter and line it with parchment paper and set aside.

MW the chocolate for 30 secs in two spurts. Whisk well.

In a separate medium pan heat the cream over gentle heat. Stir in the allspice and the espresso, if using. When the cream is very warm / hot to the touch, remove from heat.

Pour the chocolate into the cream. Combine everything together. Pour into the prepared pan, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled throughout, a few hours, or overnight.

When ready to serve, remove from the pan, let set at room temperature for ten minutes or so, dust with a bit of cocoa powder, and slice. Alternately, you can slice and serve from the pan.