Tips To Convince Your Kids for Dinner Meals

Mom “I don’t want to eat broccoli, its taste is weird. I want to eat something different”. I am a mother of two this is what I get to hear from my kids very often. Isn’t it frustrating and also annoying. I am tired of trying new recipes and convincing them to eat something healthy. Kids are the worst picky eaters on this planet. I thought why not to do some web research on the same to know things more in depth and look out for some solution to curb the their eating problems.

They even check your patience by making their mothers to run after them and feed their kids while walking or watching TV.

Not everyone but some kids have aversion towards certain food textures, colors and smells etc. One day they may eat a particular meal with full interest and the other day they simply won’t open their mouth to eat their favorite meal. 

Latest research from Duke University School of Medicine proves that picky or selective eating habits in kids may point to some psychological disorders like anxiety and depression among them (Source). I thought not to go into the depth of this research rather look out for some other options.

The kids eating nature and behavior has been categorized into three types:

1. The normal picky eaters have aversions to a particular food type like broccoli and cabbage.
2. Moderate ones prefer to have limited meals. Doesn’t matter if their parents serve special meals after every three hours for them. They will eat always in limit.
3. Severe picky eaters are very tough to handle. They are so selective in their food selection and do not prefer to eat with others. They don’t even eat at birthday parties, or any occasion and will often bring their own food. Hence, creating problems for their parents as their eating habits fully interfere with family life.

For those moms who find it hard to deal with their kids, here is the solution.

Cooking Lessons for Roasting Shrimp in Oven

You know what maximum percentage of people in America eat shrimp rather than tuna or chicken. According to consumerreports.org, 18 million servings of shrimp dishes are there in the everyday menu of American households. It’s one of the most favorite’s meals served so it becomes quite necessary to go through every methods and tips of cooking shrimp. Be it in the stovetop, grilling, roasting etc. What we will be discussing here is the roasting of shrimp in the oven. This may seem to be quite easy for many but it’s not that easy. If not done properly you may end up into something dry and tasteless or 

overcooked shrimp in the oven.

To enjoy the hot and juicy shrimp, which is then tossed over your favorite noodles, pasta or rice try to roast it properly in oven. The best part is that unlike other meat types even if they are frozen they won’t take that much time to cook in the oven.

These can be cooked with ease in the oven like other seafood as they do cook fast. I feel it’s a great way to cook them in oven you simply have to put a tray in the shrimp in oven while you are busy with other work in kitchen. You set the time and then you see your shrimp dish is ready to be served.

If you buy the shrimp much earlier than the time when you cook it. It’s better to keep them in the refrigerator rather than the freezer just to make sure it is brought to the normal temperature. Or else you can keep it under standing water for some time to bring it to room temperature.

Now let me discuss how to actually go with the roasting process of Shrimp in Oven.

Ingredients

1. 1 peeled, deveined, medium-sized shrimp with tails intact 
2. Olive oil
3. Kosher salt
4. Black pepper 

Instructions

1. Pre-Heat oven to 400°F: While you preheat oven to 400°F place a rack in its middle part.
2. Bring shrimp to normal temp: Bring the frozen shrimp to normal room temperature for that you can keep it under cold water. Drain off the water from the skin of shrimp to make sure it’s not drenched enough.
3. How to check if it’s dry now: Once shrimp is at the normal room temperature it turns translucent, soft and also bend now. It may take just minutes to test then use towel to pat it dry. 
4. Use olive oil over shrimp’s surface: Just toss it with olive oil.
5. Use salt and pepper for seasoning it: Use salt and black pepper for seasoning it.
6. Place it over baking sheet: Use baking sheet and place shrimp over it to make sure there is a single layer with much of the space.
7. Make sure you bake it for 6 to 8 minutes: Keep on baking it till shrimp may turn   white and pink and opaque from translucent texture. Remove it from oven and then serve it hot.

Now you may wonder what all shrimp recipes are there which you can try. To conclude here are some of my suggestions for tried and tested shrimp recipes from brands like Knorr shrimp recipes such as Roasted Red Pepper Pasta with Shrimp and Realsimple Shrimp recipes and Roasted Tomatoes Shrimp Feta.

My Delicious Chicken Alfredo Recipe Findings

I have discussed it many times that my husband is a picky eater he wants something new in flavors, seasonings in every dish which I serve him. At times I myself feel annoyed as I cannot prepare a variety dish for him at least not every day. But at last it’s me who has to do something to bring smile on his face. After all it’s me who has to put some more pains and look out for some different recipes options that really do need patience. I did some research on web and looked out for some ways to make chicken recipe in a different style. This time I looked for a video on YouTube, this recipe is Spicy Chicken Alfredo, the lady here clearly mentions about the ways of cooking this recipe that too step by step which I loved the most. She has used here Knorr Pasta Sides for making the chicken Alfredo recipe.

I have just taken note of the ingredients which you are used in this recipe and are shared here.

Ingredients for Spicy Chicken Alfredo:

• 1 packet Knorr Pasta Sides Alfredo Flavor
• 1 TBSP butter
• 1.5 cups water
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/3 cup onion, julienned
• 1/3 sweet red pepper
• 2 serrano peppers, seeded and diced
• 1 large chicken breast, butterflied
• cajun seasoning for chicken
• olive oil

For directions you can click on the above link and follow the methods from the video that is going to help you out certainly.

This recipe can be served for the dinner and is quite substantial as well. Apart from rest of the ingredients it makes use of Knorr Pasta Sides Alfredo Flavor which actually does the half part of the cooking as it is easily available and easy to use. While looking on the web which other mix of ingredients and seasonings I can add to Knorr Pasta Sides - Alfredo for making varied recipes. I came across Knorr Chicken Alfredo Recipe which can be prepared in just 15 minutes this another amazing recipe for chicken and Alfredo. I have planned to make this recipe sometimes during weeknights when I am really tired from office work and does not want to cook something that takes time.

Actually I have a small TV placed in my kitchen. So while watching the recipe video and following the instructions I prepare my dish accordingly. This I feel is an easy way out if you want to make dish instantly. I feel video is more descriptive rather than penning down the entire direction method on the paper and then looking at the video for making the dish.

I would like people to share their comments and experiences after reading this post. They should really try both of these Chicken Alfredo Recipes rather than sticking to the old ones.  As things keep on change every now and then so do the recipes and their cooking styles.

You can share this post on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+ just to help wives like me who really want to please their family members with different dishes served at dinner table.

My Chicken Treat Recipes for Washington’s Birthday Holiday

Hello everyone I am back with something new and interesting to share with you all. I am penning down my thoughts here. This is all about how I spent my yesterday’s holiday. This weekend I was so much busy that I could not get time to sit and relax even for a second. After successful celebration of Valentine’s Day which I had shared earlier here Valentine’s Day Recipes Serve to Your Lover. On Feb 16, it was Washington’s Birthday which is a federal holiday celebrated in the honor of George Washington, the first President of the United States.

So it was a long weekend for my kids and husband. They all were expecting me to serve something good and really delicious at the dinner table. So being a mom and wife I had to make them feel really happy and serve something different and scrumptious. One thing was there in my mind why not to cook something that is really easy and doesn’t take hours to prepare. I picked up my smartphone and browsed different recipes over the web and came across the below listed two recipes from Knorr. I have been often using Knorr products quite for some time now. Earlier I was using recipes from Kraft and Epicurious. Recipes from these two food brands are also good but as you all know we want always something new and really different to eat. I thought change is must!

I have read about Knorr chicken recipe’s ratings and reviews these are quite satisfactory. I thought why not to look-up for something easy to cook actually I wanted chicken recipes that can be cooked in just 30 minutes. So I zeroed in my search and choose the following two chicken recipes.

Fiesta Lime Chicken & Rice:

This one I choose because as my kids like the chicken and rice combination a lot. Also it can be prepared in less than 30 minutes. Other than chicken which is one of its main ingredient it contains taco toppings shredded cheddar cheese, chopped tomatoes and onion along with tortilla chips which are loved by my kids. You can go through the video of How to Make Knorr Fiesta Lime Chicken & Rice Bowl just for better clarity of the cooking method. This one is twist to the basic recipe for chicken and rice. Isn’t it surprising that such a delicious chicken dish gets ready in just few minutes? Its servings are for four and ours is also a family of four so it was quite a substantial one for all of us. I liked this one as it contains the mixture of lime with rice which gives a superb flavor to this dish.

Coconut-Curry Chicken:

Another chicken dish which I opted for; but this one has chicken with a gravy along with rice. This one was totally different one; which I tried for the first time. We generally take bread instead of rice but for the first time we thought to go for such a combination. I find rice quite a substantial one so opted for this one. Here you need curry powder, bell pepper and coconut milk which are basically required for making a curry so go for them always. Here also I have added a video URL just to know the recipe methods in detail. This video will surely clear all your cooking doubts there is no scope for any goof ups. Have a look at the video How to Make Knorr Coconut Curry which itself is quite explanatory. I followed the cooking instructions as per the video and cooked this dish accordingly.

Quite to my surprise everyone in my family loved it. My husband who is a picky eater and is always particular about the texture of the served chicken. He was quite surprised as these two chicken recipes tasted different to him. The first word that my husband uttered after eating them was “Delicious”.

You know what heart-in-heart I was quite happy as I could cook something quite different and delicious being it my first attempt at cooking of these new chicken recipes. These chicken dishes made my day and I was feeling satisfied and happy.

My Second New Year Celebrations for January 14

Everyone’s Christmas and New Year hangover must be almost over now. They all must have started up their daily routine of busy lives. But for those who have faith in Orthodox Christian their time for celebrating festivals just started with Christmas celebration on Jan 7 and New Year Celebration on Jan 14.

So tomorrow is their New Year.

Actually why am I writing all about it reason being like me I thought you all must also not be familiar about it. My grandparents believe in this and they celebrate Jan 14 2015 as their New Year. So for me I am gearing up myself for the New Year celebrations for the second time for the same year.  There is not a public holiday observed here in the US but you can get to see huge traffic and parking around Orthodox churches all over the US.

Discussions apart. Now I have come up with such an easy dinner recipe which I could make at home to rejoice both my grandparents and parents. This was a big responsibility as I did not want to end up with something bad. So I browsed the web and came across these two   Knorr dinner recipes and My Recipes dinner recipes as their respective cooking time were less so I choose them.

Have a look at their recipes here one by one.

1:- Knorr Chipotle Chicken Pasta 

Recipe Serves 4 | Preparation Time 10 min | Cooking Time 18 min

Ingredients

1. 1 1/4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
2. 2 Tbsp. I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!® Spread, divided
3. 1 large red bell pepper
4. 1/8 tsp. ground chipotle chile pepper
5. 1 can (11 oz.) whole kernel corn, drained
6. 2 cups water
7. 1 package Knorr® Pasta Sides™ - Chicken flavor
8. 1/4 cup sour cream
9. 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (about 2 oz.)

Directions

1. Season chicken, if desired, with salt and ground black pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon Spread in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook chicken, stirring occasionally, 4 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Remove chicken and set aside.
2. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon Spread in same skillet over medium heat and cook red pepper and chipotle pepper, stirring occasionally, 4 minutes or until red pepper is tender. Stir in corn and water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in Knorr® Pasta Sides™ - Chicken flavor and return to a boil.
3. Reduce heat to medium and cook covered, stirring occasionally, 6 minutes or until pasta is tender. Stir in chicken and sour cream; heat through. Sprinkle with cheese.

2:- My Recipes Beach Shrimp Recipe

Ingredients

1. 3 pounds unpeeled, large raw shrimp* $
2. 1 (16-oz.) bottle Italian dressing $
3. 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly ground pepper
4. 2 garlic cloves, pressed
5. 2 lemons, halved $
6. 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
7. 1/2 cup butter, cut up $

Direction 

1. Place first 4 ingredients in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish, tossing to coat. Squeeze juice from lemons over shrimp mixture, and stir. Add lemon halves to pan. Sprinkle evenly with parsley; dot with butter.
2. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes. Serve in pan.
3. 3 lb frozen peeled, large raw shrimp, thawed according to package directions, may be substituted. Prepare recipe as directed, reducing pepper to 1/2 tsp.

I am going to try both of them and will certainly share my experiences with you all.

Till then try them at home again Happy New Year.

Beef Recipes Cooked With a Different Style

Tired of repeating same style of cooking beef every time. I have come up with some delicious beef recipes which you can actually cook differently. These healthy and easy ground beef recipes do not need much of your time. Always go for the healthy and organic beef meat which is easily available in the supermarkets near to you.

The ground beef recipes has good nutritional benefit as it is enriched with nutrients like vitamins, minerals and is also loved by many.

Let me share beef recipes which are one of my favorites and are also filling and a crowd pleaser.

Beef Stir-Fry:

This is very simple stir-fry Chinese dish that is great in taste. It can be served with steamed rice. It is quite filling meat and hence can be cooked for everyone in the family anytime.

Caribbean beef curry:

Simply season beef with curry. Heat them a bit in oil. Read the rest of the instructions in the link. This is my favorite among rest as it is made into a delicious curry which makes it a lighter touch. The beef meat cut used here is good with herbs and seasonings and fresh vegetables which make it taste amazing.

I will be posting much more beef recipes in future as these are my favorites apart from chicken recipes. Drop your comments in the box below I would like to know how you people found them.

Cook Italian in Your Kitchen on this Columbus Day

Do you really need any reason to cook an Italian dish for your family? Don’t feel confused yes you have a reason and it is the Columbus Day celebration. So I have come up with three Italian recipes which I am planning to prepare this Columbus day which falls on coming Monday. This Columbus Day is called a national holiday in the United States.

Since our childhood we learned about Christopher Columbus. He was the person who said yes earth is round and in late 15th century many people believed that.

It may be quite surprising to know that Columbus found many new and amazing food that too in bright colors and bold flavors. He used to discover new food items which he and his seamen ate on their way. He was fond of eating Italian food that too with toppings of different colors which made the dish quite striking.

Let me discuss here some of the Italian recipe which I am going to make this Columbus day.

Four cheese pasta with shrimp & spinach:

You can prepare this creamy, cheesy pasta with juicy shrimp, sweet roasted red peppers, and spinach in just flat 15 minutes. Does it really sound good? This dish is ready in just minutes simply by the use of Knorr Italian Side - 4 Cheese Pasta. This dish can be easily changed into the meal for four that will surely be substantial for a small family. Click here for recipe.

Red, white and blue bruschetta:

Bruschetta is an appetizer which can be easily pre-made on the grill or in oven just in minutes. This classic toasted bread appetizer is made with a topping of red sun-dried tomato, bowl of blueberries, feta cheese crumbles and much more to make it more appealing. Click Here for recipe.

Columbus Day Oil Poached Tuna Salad:

This is a perfect Columbus Day recipe which can be served with salad on cold greens that can take tuna salad to new rise. Simply dash here salad greens with dressing.  There is no need to use canned tuna here instead cook the tuna on your own which helps to retain its quality. This is usually liked on the medium-rare side. There is no need to use a grill for preparing tuna. You can use poaching olive oil for making it moist and also flavorful. Click here for recipe.

Let’s celebrate Columbus Day with these Italian dishes and say thanks to him for his great discoveries. 

What’s For Dinner Tonight?

Ever wondered what will you cook for the dinner everyday? It is really a complex question that arises in the mind of any lady be it working or a housewife. Cooking dinner every night can be quite difficult when you don't know what to cook actually or you are not ready with the required ingredients.

Offcourse for busy working moms it becomes quite hectic after a long day of work to figure out what to serve in dinner. Always eating outside food is not an easy thing to do. Looking for a restaurant where you can get food of your own choice and wherein reservations are available is at times a challenge. 

In my previous postings I have been posting dinner recipes out of which my favorite two are simple and easy dinner ideas for family wherein I had shared dinner ideas separately for two people and kids which was quite well appreciated by readers.

Another one is Crustless Simple Quiche Recipe that is a great dish to be served at dinner. It is made with unbaked pastry shells, different veggies e.g. spinach which is rich in vitamin K, C and B6.

This time also I have come up with such an easy dinner recipe which was loved by all in my family.

The name of this dinner recipe is Pan-Seared Salmon with Kale and Apple Salad served as dinner rolls with combination of apple, cheese, almonds and seasoned with pepper which adds a tangy taste to it.

Pan-Seared Salmon with Kale and Apple Salad Recipe

Total Time: 40 min Prep: 20 min Inactive: 10 min Cook: 10 min Yield: 4 servings Level: Easy

Ingredients:

·        4 whole wheat dinner rolls

·        Freshly ground black pepper

·        Four 5-ounce center-cut salmon fillets (about 1-inch thick)

·        3 tablespoons olive oil and fresh lemon juice

·        3 tablespoons toasted slivered almonds

·        Kosher salt

·        1 bunch kale, ribs removed, leaves very thinly sliced (about 6 cups)

·        1/4 cup dates, finely grated pecorino

·        1 Honeycrisp apple

Directions:

1. Firstly you will have to make sure salmon is brought to room temperature 10 minutes before    cooking it.
2. Simultaneously, take a large bowl and keep on whisking together 2 tablespoons of lemon   juice and olive oil with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Then add the kale, toss it to coat and let it stand there for about 10 minutes.
3. While the kale is kept on the stand, cut apple into the size of matchsticks and dates into thin slivers. Now add the apples, dates, cheese and almonds to the kale. Spice it with pepper, toss well and set aside.
4. Dash the salmon all over with 1/2 teaspoon salt and some pepper. In a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat remaining oil. Raise the heat to medium-high. Keep the salmon, skin-side up in the pan. Cook it on one side for about 4 minutes till it turns golden brown. Make sure the fish is cooked well until it feels firm to the touch within 3 minutes it is done.
5. Finally divide the salmon, salad and rolls equally among four plates.

Source: Foodnetwork

This is itself a unique recipe which contains the nutrition of apple and kale salad with a crunchy, tangy and sweet taste in it.

I keep on posting cooking tips, recipe photos with their resource links on my Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest profiles. If you are socially active and want to share this easy dinner recipe or any other recipe from my blog with your loved ones then just click on the above given Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest links. I'd certainly love to have you follow me!

Pork Chops with Scalloped Potatoes Recipe

Being a busy mother sometimes I really don’t have enough time to spend in the kitchen to prepare dinner. So I prefer to cook an easy dinner recipes pork chop dish is one of them. The pork chop recipe can be easily made with the ingredients on hand.

Pork chops can be served as one of the great meals any time of the year be it summer or winter. The pork chops is made of wonderful flavors that it gives absolutely fantastic taste to any ordinary recipe.

Pork Chops with Scalloped Potatoes Recipe is one of my favorite and easy pork chop recipe which is made up of the ingredients which are readily available at home anytime. None of these ingredients are hard to find if you visit any nearest store.

Recipe for Chicken - Smokehouse Bacon Chicken Carbonara

What to cook for dinner? This thought often comes to my mind.  In my family everyone loves to eat any type of dish where chicken is the main ingredient.  You might think that cooking chicken at dinner time is too much time-consuming but actually there are plenty of quick and easy recipes for chicken available which can help you to make a substantial and tasty chicken dish for the entire family.

If there is leftover chicken in the refrigerator then you can easily think of making a chicken salad with it in just five minutes. For salad take this leftover chicken and add cheese cubes, cherry tomatoes, sauces and add your favorite salad dressing and serve it at lunch.

I generally prefer to use chicken breasts as I feel  chicken thighs are smaller in size as compared to chicken thighs which unnecessarily increase the number of chicken pieces in any recipe.

Let me discuss here one such a recipe called Smokehouse Bacon Chicken 

Amazing Spaghetti & Meatball Recipe

Those who are new to this recipe let me first explain the basic facts about meatball and spaghetti. Meatballs are made up of ground meat properly minced and then filled with other ingredients such as chopped onions, garlic, herbs, spices, pepper. It is one of the favorite dishes in Sweden cuisine and across Middle East countries. However every part of world has its own way for making the meatballs. Beef, pork and even lamb can be used for making meatballs.

For making meatballs in Greek cuisine ground meat is mixed in finely diced onion and mints. French used to mix shredded cheese with the meat. Chinese prefer to eat them in larger size with pastas and noodles.  

The origin of the meatball was from ancient time when farmers working out in lands started mixing any type of meat with nuts, fruits in order to give it a better taste. Also in those times no freezing system was available so they used to preserve the meat with spices, herbs .This way these balls of meat could last for longer time. It was considered a leftover dish made from cooked meat that is shredded by hands and then mixed with spices.

Spaghetti is an Italian pasta with a cylindrical shape and thinner in size. It is made up of semolina and water. This is a main ingredient in the pasta menu and is often served with tomato sauce.

A Wonder Food - Healthy Guacamole Recipes

Avocado is a wonder food. It has so many benefits which cannot be explained. It is very good for your health, eyes, hairs etc. I have seen people eating one avocado a day to build their immunity. It has zero cholesterol and full of vitamin A, C, Calcium, Vitamin D, Iron, and Vitamin B6 etc.

To make sure that my kids eat enough avocado, I have learned the effective as well as different uses of guacamole. With this I make sure that I do not repeat any dish as well as my kids get proper nutrition’s. If you have a full time job along with taking care of your kids then, these are some recipes which are tailor made for you. Try them and you will actually thank me.

Grilled cheese bacon guacamole sandwich- I always made this sandwich when my younger one is throwing tantrums. I think, this sandwich calms him down for some reason. Or perhaps the melting cheese melts his anger. All you have to do is to take a bread (normal or 5 grain), spread some guacamole on it, put some cooked bacon and top it up with shredded cheese. I use Mozilla cheese in this. Put it in a toaster and wait for 3 minutes. The sandwich is ready to be served.

 Guacamole and salsa chips- now, who does not know about this dish. This dish is adored by people all over US. Perfect for hunger pangs and also can be served in a party or at any game night. You can make it hot or just little tangy. It really depends upon your personal taste. You can use tomato, onions, jalapenos etc. while making a guacamole recipe.

  

Mexican BLT with guacamole- I like to introduce my kids to all kind of culture as well as their food. Once my Mexican friend shared this recipe with me and I have just amended this recipe with a guacamole because my kids do not like spicy food. This foot long has the goodness of chicken, vegetables and of course avocado.  You can even put cheese in it if desired however, it does complicate the flavor little bit. If you are putting the cheese in it, let me know how you have liked the flavors.

Guacamole devil eggs- devil eggs is such a perfect appetizer for Saturday evening. I usually make this when my husband has his friends over for the cards. I mean I keep making them and they keep eating without realizing how much they have eaten already. But, I guess men will be men that ways. Guacamole brings a new twist to our humble devil eggs. Try it, simply add the avocado paste to your mixture and see the magic.

Today, I am in a mood for making some more experiments with avocado and you never know I may come up with something called “Sylvia special-guacamole”. Sound so fun, isn’t?

The types of dinner I like- Quick & Easy

Yes, it is true that dinners are very important meal and it’s the only meal which we eat with the family etc. I know and I am ready to accept everything however, it is also true that every evening we come back home tired and exhausted. No one wants to spend lots of time in the kitchen and grill themselves further

.

Over a period of time, I am collecting some quick recipes which I have kept in my cupboard under the sticker of quick dinner ideas. Funny? No I guess it’s practical and today I will be sharing one recipe from this box only. I hope you will like this recipe as much as I do and enjoy it with your family.

The recipe which I am sharing with you today is- Bubble Pizza

Ingredients-

1. 2 cans of buttermilk biscuit
2. 1 jar of pizza sauce or you can also use homemade red sauce
3. 3 cups of Mozilla cheese
4. Pork and chicken topping (actually use any topping you like and is you are a vegetarian, use veggies)
5. Cooking spray for layerin

Method-

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut the buttermilk biscuit into quarters. Take a big bowl and mix biscuits with pizza sauce, half Mozilla cheese, pork and chicken topping. Make sure that the biscuits are well covered with sauce.
3. Now, spray the oven try with cooking oil. Spread it well and transfer the biscuits in the tray. Top it up with Mozilla cheese.
4. Bake it for about 30-35 minutes or until the biscuits are not done. Do not peek before 25 minutes, it will kill the heating air of the oven.

You will see that this dish will become your family favorite. Most of my family members were skeptical in the beginning about this dish but they got the hang of it. Now, they specially demand this dish from me once a week and honestly I am very happy to oblige.

Personally, I feel that quacking for your loved one’s is important however spending time with them is more important. Hence, I always look for the recipes which are really easy to cook yet delicious to eat. If you also have such kind of recipes, do share them with me. I will feature them in my blog as well as try them at my home J.

Loads of love,

Sylvia

Perfect Dinner Is Ready In 15 Minutes - Shrimp Scampi With Rice

Do you also feel lazy in summers? At least I do, I just want to enjoy the sun during the day time and watch TV at night. Sounds so nice, Isn’t? I think we all must have some recipes which can be cooked in flat 20 minutes. Sea food is one type of protein which can be cooked very fast, so most of my recipes which comes under 20 minutes of less belongs to this family of protein.

Easting seafood on regular basis makes our body lean and our hair very healthy. Most of the seafood items are very rich in protein and C-cod. Shrimps are one type of protein which is very easy to cook (as it cooks very fast) and delicious to eat.

Today, I am sharing a recipe with you all which can be prepared in 15 minutes. You can serve this dish with rice or pasta. As a standalone, this dish can be served as a starter. So, let’s cook this yummy shrimp scampi recipe-

Simple and Easy Dinner Ideas For Family

From the moment we get up from the bed, we are in hurry. We are running to get to the office, we are running to get our lunches, we are standing in the grocery shop queue etc. Life is very draining from Monday to Friday. Still, there is one meal which we all take with our family and share our day with them. I look forward towards this meal every day.

My friends ask me about the recipes which they can cook for the dinner and I keep telling them that besides the recipes, you need to spend time with your loved ones. So my post is dedicated to all the women who regularly think of innovative family dinner ideas.

Dinner Ideas For Two:-

If you are planning a dinner just for two of you than consider the dishes which your partner likes. Give him the special treatment he deserves. You not necessarily have to go overboard with decorations and table spread but just a simple dinner for two of you will do the trick. You can create these dishes.

1. Thai salmon burgers- these burgers are so delicious that your partner will fall in love you with all over again. You can adjust the hotness of this burger as per your liking. You can even ask your partner to help you in kitchen, you two will have ample of quality time when the stuffing will be cooking in the oven. Click here to get the recipe.
2. Chocolate pudding- This is the one thing which can bring smile on anyone’s face. The recipe which I am going to share here is easy to cook and believe me, you partner will lick the sauce off his plate. Click here to get the recipe.

Dinner Ideas For Kids-

Dinner becomes very trick when you have a family because kids make those funny faces when you serve them healthy vegetables. You have to keep thinking of the ideas to serve them the vegetables. I have huge experience in feeding my kids with some green vegetables. You can cook these dishes if you are cooking for your kids.

1. Sloppy Joe Biscuit Cups - These cups look so cute that your kids automatically wants to eat them. I top these cups with some tomato ketchup, it adds some color to the dish as well as enhance the taste of the dish. You can create these cups in bulk as they are great for leftovers as well. Click here to get this recipe.
2. Oreo peanut butter pie- There is not even a single element which your kid would not love about this recipe. I use all the fat free versions of the ingredients for this recipe, you can pick the same too. I have served this recipe in my kids play date as well and every time it was a hit. Clickhere to get this recipe.

I hope you all will like the above given  dinner ideas. In my next post, I will share some more international cuisines which can be cooked at home very easily. I would love to hear what you feel about the above said dishes so kindly comment!

5 Best Ways of Recipe Transformations

We all have great grandmother’s recipes which are to die for. But it is not possible for us to be indulged in them because they are full of fats and calories. Even it is not possible to digest all that fat, butter sticks etc. But it doesn’t mean that you have to forget those recipes or you have to through them out of your window.

I cook my grandmother’s recipes on regular basis however, I do make some alterations in those recipes. So today, we shall be discussing how one can create healthy alternations in the food and transform the recipe into a healthy one.

Below given are some ways-

1. Substitute the butter with margarine: I have been reading a lot about how margarine is healthier than butter and honestly, I am convinced with the fact that margarine is better than butter. So, use margarine as a butter substitute for cooking. Even the bakers only use margarine while baking because it is light and it gives amazing taste to the final product. So, you can even use the margarine when you are in the kitchen and in mood for some baking.
2. Whole wheat pasta vs. enriched pasta: while purchasing never forget to read the ingredients of the product you are purchasing. Substitute the same product with the healthier ingredients. The market is filled with whole wheat products, purchase them. Try and avoid enrich pasta as much as you can. These days even five grain pastas are also available. Purchase them instead of white refined flour.
3. Restrain some ingredients: one does not have to follow the recipe till the end point. It is ok and healthier to cut back on some ingredients which are not adding to the taste of the dish such as cheese garnishing or 1 tablespoon of butter for that extra creamy flavour. As a cook, one has to make healthy decision for their family. Only put the ingredients which are necessary for the dish. 
4. Change in the cooking pattern: these days, so many techniques are available which can lead you to healthy lifestyle. Instead of cooking opt for baking. No don’t deep fry your food, it is always better to air fry your food. Never refrigerate food for longer, cook fresh and eat warm food. Frozen food have lots of calories and added preservatives. Also, never cook in large quantities, cook in small quantities and as per your body requirement.
5. Cut down your portion size: this is the most common mistake people make when they are eating food. Always cut down on your portion size, never over eat and at one go. Eat slowly in the small intervals in small portions. Take lots of fiber in your daily diet.

Lot of people I know swears by the above given 5 principles to lead a recipe transformation. By this method, you can still enjoy all your favorite dishes and it will also not be reflected on your waist line. Live healthy!!

Devilish Egg Benedict – Deviled Egg with New Twist

Deviled eggs are one of the simplest and best recipes that have stood the test of time. It’s a crowd pleaser and perfect for parties and get together. There are plenty of people who don’t like the egg yolk part but when mixed with other ingredients like salsa, spices and other scrumptious sauces and ingredients and stuffed back again, this whole egg recipe reach to an another level. The deviled name comes from the fact that hot sauce is usually mixed with the yolks along with mayonnaise, salt and pepper, but the seasonings can be changed easily. So in the history of century’s food which is spicy or hot in flavors are rather considered as “deviled”. In this mustard, pepper and other types of chilies are used to make this recipe hot.

To make a perfect deviled egg, it is important to boil egg properly. Perfectly hard boiled eggs are required for this recipe. One easy tip – Older eggs peels much more easily than the new ones. So, whenever you are making a deviled eggs use the one week old eggs for it.

One of the most common way to cook deviled egg recipe is mixing the yolk with salsa sauce. However, trying new recipe each day doesn’t make any struggle here. In fact, it’s always advisable to experiment in the kitchen in search of some new flavors and taste. Mixing the ideas of two recipes together really makes an interesting twist here. Mixing the egg yolks with hollandaise sauce can make the recipe really smooth and yummy. Ideally hollandaise sauce is served over the egg benedicts but mix this sauce with yolk, add some tangy lemony flavors, spices and bacon pieces. This combination would have make you drool for sure. Eggs and bacons are the most favorite combo loved by all of us. And serving hollandaise sauce over this recipe is just cherry on the top. 

Stuffed Meatloaf Recipe with Spinach and Tomato

Meatloaf recipe for dinner is the perfect solution, kids are happy as well husband. Everyone love meatloaf. Whether you make it with chicken or beef you can never go wrong with this recipe. If you does then you definitely made some major flaws while making it.

A meatloaf will prepared with great precision and accurate measuring of ingredient. Anything in access can make the loaf very runny and gooey or if you don’t add moisture it becomes very dry and chewy. So while adding eggs, chicken stock you have to make sure it’s added under precision. Nevertheless, a meatloaf does need some practice and experience.

I remember I always seek for some secret tips and tricks from my grandmother, mother and aunts while making any authentic recipe. Meatloaf recipe is one of the traditional recipe that is prepared from centuries in many families. And it’s not even surprising that some on the ingredients and spices changes as the place changes and so does the flavors and taste too.

A classic meatloaf is prepared in plenty of ways whether you make a whole loaf in a baking tray or make mini loafs and for that matters meatloaf in cupcakes or bite-size are also commendable. But today I am sharing an interesting meatloaf recipe which you can also make in parties. Rather than making a classic meatloaf recipe make a nice stuffed one.

Stuffing could be of anything, like cheese, bell peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach or even any combination of assorted veggies and cheese. So when you have a bite of a meatloaf these ingredients give nice flavor and taste compared to a regular dish. I personally like the combination of spinach, tomatoes and cheese. It’s a perfect hidden spot to make your kid eat veggies. Try kale and chopped broccoli or peas etc. if your kid doesn’t like to eat vegetables.

Nevertheless, let’s start cooking this wonderful recipe –

Top 5 Recipes with Alfredo Sauce that You Should Try!

One of the most versatile Italian sauce is Alfredo sauce which was made for pasta recipes especially. This sauce is made by adding a nice amount of parmesan cheese which just bring the flavors, aroma and magic of food all together. In the culinary world, if someone wants to describe Alfredo sauce it could be explained as a creamy sauce that can be served with pasta and chicken. The basic ingredients of Alfredo sauce are cream, butter and parmesan cheese.

One of the classic recipe made by alfredo sauce is fettuccine alfredo in which fettuccine noodles or pasta are used to make this cuisine. There are plenty of chicken recipes too that is made by alfredo sauce. There are different variation of this alfredo sauce like sauce made from egg yolks to also gluten free or dairy free version made from cauliflower. At the end, this sauce is creamy, smooth and flavorsome which actually uplift any pasta recipes.

In today’s post, I will share some interesting and different recipes with alfredo sauce which are classic yet family approved. So, whether you bake it in potatoes au gratin or spread it over your pizza, Alfredo sauce is sure to make it back to your plate time and again. So let’s not waste time and jot down these recipes –

Baked Fish in White Sauce with Dirty Rice

In my previous post, I shared an easy recipe i.e. Tangy Tilapia and Steamed broccoli. That recipe was healthy and a boon for the health freak people. In today’s post, I thought to carry on with tilapia fish with some interesting twist and flavors. Baked fish are always delectable and taste amazing with rice.

So, the menu for tonight’s dinner is Baked Fish in White Sauce, Dirty Rice and Baked Tofu Stuffed Tomatoes. To find the recipe of Baked Tofu Stuffed Tomatoes, Click Here.

There are plenty of baked fish recipes that you can make for dinner but personally I like this white sauce baked fish. The flavors are delicate and blends perfectly with rice and stuffed tomatoes. In this baked fish recipe, tender fish fillets are seasoned with herbs and they are topped with sautéed onions and baked in a light, smooth creamy milk sauce and this classic and easy recipe is originally from Colombia's Pacific coast.

In this we also add some thyme, basil and anise herbs that give this sauce an excellent flavor and believe me you will try this recipe again and again for your dinner. I am using tilapia fish for this recipe but you can use any fish of your choice like salmon or cat fish etc. Tilapia fish, as I shared earlier is not just a good source of protein but they are pocket friendly too and it got no-fats in it. So fairly a beneficial deal for everyone. Nevertheless it’s an easy recipe that you can make even in your busy weeknights and since fish take less cooking time, so you are done with the whole recipe in 30 minutes or so.