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!!

Ketchup girl's favourite recipe

J darling, your frantic chatting, scrapping, calling smsing for the sake of a recipe has prompted me to create this blog. I already know I will devour each and every word that i write :). Simply because, i love eating more than I love my husband. Well, that's just a kind of comparison to express my love for food...the statement MIGHT not hold the entire truth.

So then, I open out to the world, my secret and most favorite recipe: Spinach( Palak) Mushroom/babycorn/paneer(cottage cheese)/tofu/Alu/sweetcorn - take your pick.

Ingredients required:

- 2 bunches of Palak (Spinach)
- 1 medium sized chopped Onion
- 5 table spoons Milk
- 1 teaspoon fresh Cream (Optional)
- 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
- Pinch of Amchoor
- 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric (a little lesser actually)
- Salt to taste9. Your choice of combination: paneer/sweet corn/mushroom/tofu etc.
- 2 teaspoons Oil

- Sugar - to taste (about two pinches)

-Dried fenugreek leaves (Kasuri Methi) - optional.

- chilli powder

- garam masala Powder

Method:

Wash the spinach thoroughly and place in a pan on low fire. Cover pan with lid and leave for 5 minutes. Open to find the spinach reduced to half and steamed. Place the spinach in cold water (retains the beautiful green colour). Leave for sometime. Drain water and puree the palak in a grinder.

Chop mushrooms/paneer- your choice of whatever, and keep aside. In a pan, add oil and add the onions to it, stir and wait till it turns translucent. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for half a minute. To that add turmeric, chillipowder, salt and dried fenugreek leaves. saute. Add the mushrooms and saute further . Add the spinach paste and about 1/4 cup water. To that add sugar, milk, Amchoor powder and bring it to boil. Add water according to the consistency you like.

 

Top it with Garam Masala Powder and Fresh cream. If you have used paneer, garnish with grated paneer or place two roasted red chillies for the glamorous- hotel like food look!

Tastes best with rotis and a mug of chilled KF beer.

Ketchup Girl's extra advice: Puree the spinach and store it in Fridge. Use it when you are in absolute hurry. It takes exactly 6 minutes to make this if puree is ready.