In a mood for something cheesy :-D >>> veggie bake in white sauce

I attempted a veggie bake, the other day, and must admit, I liked it more than I like a bake with meat in it.  of course, anything with cheese is nothing but soul food. So I lapped it all up- with or without meat.

I used Broccoli, asparagus, baby corn, fresh sweet corn shavings, potato (par boiled), peas, French beans, carrots, bell pepper- yellow and red- for the color.

Sauté diced chopped garlic (2-3 garlic pods) along with the diced vegetables in 2 tbsps olive oil for about 4-5 minutes. Sprinkle Thyme and Basil over it.

Lay it out as a bed on an oven proof dish.

Pour white sauce over it (method given below).

Grate cheese evenly over the bed of vegetables. I used Cheddar cheese.

Bake in a pre heated oven at 180 F for about 1/2 hour or till the cheese browns evenly.

Serve with Garlic bread.

Method for making white sauce:

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons  all purpose flour/maida

1-2 cups Milk

Salt

Pepper

Sugar- 2 to three pinches.

Optional: 1/2 cheese cube grated.

 

Ooooooohhh la la!!

Roasted!

Are you one of those who can eat just about anything that is baked? I am, and love my oven. Here is a quick veggie roast, if u are in the mood for some diet meals that taste great. The simplest thing I have ever made, this is a must make if you like veggies.

All you need to do is put together your favorite veggies- cut into big chunks. In an oven proof dish, lined with aluminum foil, add the veggies, whole green chillies, whole garlic, sprinkle salt, sprinkle oregano, two teaspoons of tomato based pasta sauce (optional), and spray some olive oil. Bake at 180-200 degrees C for about 30 minutes or till the veggies turn brown.

Eat it like an entree or main with bread.

Variations – use mustard sauce, or just red chilli powder, dhania (coriander powder) and salt.

I used egg plant, tomatoes, beans, onions, capsicum, carrot pumpkin, and potatoes for the roast. Whatever you use, do use pumpkin and tomatoes! You can add bits of chicken, if you can’t bear te thought of just vegetables! Just coat the chicken with pasta sauce and add.

It might not look the most appetizing, but take my word, it tastes out of the world. I should have spent some time in presenting the dish! Next time perhaps. :)

Till then, eat well and cook up some great meals.

Walnut Banana Bread >My Daughter’s Current Favourite

when my daughter says- ‘My favourite’ to something edible, it somehow becomes my moral responsibility to make it myself at home, instead of buying it readymade. I haven’t understood the nature of this mad streak in me, yet, but for now it seems to satisfy her immensely. So be it baby cupcakes or banana bread, I'd rather bake them at home, than pick it from the supermarket or the local baker.

There’s one more thing- each time I make a very complicated dish, like say Dum Biriyani, preparations for which, which span over 2 days, my husband only comments on the taste and never about the effort. But when I bake something like a banana bread or a cheese cake, he  looks at the piece of creation in mock disbelief. Its strange that he never thought baking banana bread at home was possible. That’s R for you.

The bread was awesome, you know. It was my first attempt and it came out just right- like the ones my daughter picks from those Boost Juice bars….so yaaay to my banana walnut bread. Here’s how you make it- its simpler than making a cuppa coffee.

 

Method:

Mash 3 ripe bananas in a wide mouthed bowl. Add 3/4 cup of brown castor sugar and 1/2 cup of softened butter. Mix well with a spatula. Add two beaten eggs to this and mix again. Add 2 spoons of sour cream (optional)to this mixture and beat more till the mixture is creamy.

In another bowl take 1 1/2 cups of self raising flour and sift it with 1 spoon of cinnamon powder. Add chopped walnuts (as much as you’d like- I added about half a cup of them), to this. Slowly add this mixture to the wet batter and mix well. Add 3/4 teaspoon of salt and 1 spoon of Vanilla extract. Fold with the spatula.

Grease a bread making dish and pour batter into this. preheat oven to 180 degree C and then bake the bread for 40 minutes or till its crisp golden brown.

Slice it and have it hot and fresh with a cuppa or leave it for the next day, when you toast it and spread butter over it to be instantly transported to bliss land.

Just Bake it!

Appu’s Two Tier Chicken & Veggie Bake

This one is a classic. I make it very often. Will post a pic when I bake next.

Ingredients:

1. Veggies of your choice – chopped Medium size. (I use broccoli, potatoes, sweet corn kernels, a few French beans, carrot , Mushrooms and peas)

2. Minced chicken (Chicken Kheema)

3. Any Pasta sauce (Tomato based)

4. White sauce

5. Herbs (basil, oregano)

6. Butter /olive oil

7. Garlic – 1/2 spoon minced

Method for making white sauce:

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons  all purpose flour/maida

1-2 cups Milk

Salt

Pepper

Sugar- 2 to three pinches.

Optional: 1/2 cheese cube grated.

Method

1. Melt the butter, add the flour and cook for 2 minutes without browning, stirring continuously.

2. Remove from the heat and add the milk, while mixing it continuously. Mix until smooth. (My mum sometimes uses a hand blender when things go wrong i.e when  the sauce becomes too lumpy- try it, if things go wrong for you too :)

3. Return to heat and cook slowly, stirring throughout until the sauce thickens. Add salt, pepper, sugar and grated cheese (optional)

(The best option is to buy ready white sauce mix :) )

The bake

Take a small wok and pour some olive oil. Add the chopped onions and sauté for a few minutes. Add a portion of garlic and the minced chicken. Add in the Salt and sauté it till the chicken is almost done. Do not brown it. Let the water that the chicken leaves evaporate. Once the water dries up, pour 4 tbs of pasta sauce cook for 2 minutes. Keep this  mixture aside.

In a wok, sauté the veggies in olive oil or butter for a few minutes with garlic and herbs.

If you want to use potatoes then, I suggest you boil them and add to this. Now pour the white sauce into this mixture.

In a baking dish first pour the chicken mixture. Top it with the white sauce and veggie mixture. Grate cheese over it.

Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees for 5 minutes. Now place the dish inside the oven and bake it for about 20 minutes- till the sauce thickens and sets. Do not brown the cheese too much.

Once ready, have it with garlic bread and white wine :).