A couple weeks ago was my eldest daughter Sridevi’s birthday, and all she wanted was to have dinner at restaurant Coqueta in San Francisco. Coqueta is a California Spanish tapas style restaurant situated on the waterfront on the Embarcadero in beautiful Pier 5 in San Francisco. This is an extremely popular place and reservations are hard to come by, but Sridevi wanted this dinner so badly that she made her own reservation over a month in advance 😀. Continue reading Spring Vegetable Paella
Category Archives: From the Kitchen
Crustless Mushroom Quiche
Happy Easter!
For those of you who may be having a quiet Sunday and want to celebrate Easter with a simple brunch I wanted to share an egg-based recipe today. Mushroom crustless quiche is a great way to have eggs that taste just a little more decadent. Made with a generous amount of mushrooms, cheese, fresh herbs and eggs, this baked dish puffs up golden brown and tastes warm and delicious. Have it with a simple salad and a Greek yogurt granola parfait and this brunch is sure to feel extra special. Continue reading Crustless Mushroom Quiche
Mango Sorbet with Port
Happy Saturday!
Today I’d like to share a recipe for one of the most unique and delicious desserts I’ve had in a very long time. I had it at our friend Tracy and Carl’s place when we went over for dinner last weekend. What makes this dessert so original for me is that I’ve had port in desserts many times and mostly with berries, in cakes, tortes, chocolate, and vanilla ice cream, but never with a tropical flavor like mango. This combination I have never had before, and let me tell you folks it tastes outstanding. A mango sorbet drenched in port 😋🍨. This is the type of dessert that takes care of dessert and after dinner drinks all in one beautiful sweet treat. Continue reading Mango Sorbet with Port
Pasta Alla Black Pepper with Sugar Snap Peas and Parmesan Cheese
I came upon a rather different pasta while perusing through the western edition of Sunset Magazine with a recipe from cookbook Six Seasons. A New Way with Vegetables by Joshua McFadden with Martha Holmberg. The dish is called Pasta Alla Gricia with Slivered Sugar Snap Peas Pasta Alla Gricia with Slivered Almonds and Sugar Snap Peas. This recipe caught my eye because I happened to have sugar snap peas at hand, and that too cut into slivers just as the recipe required, I also really like freshly ground black pepper and this pasta was loaded with black pepper. This really is a rather different kind of pasta dish. Continue reading Pasta Alla Black Pepper with Sugar Snap Peas and Parmesan Cheese
Dinner with Good Friends Tracy and Carl
Happy Tuesday!
Wishing you a great week ahead.
There is something truly comforting meeting good old friends you’ve known for a long time. Tracy and Carl are our old neighbors whom we’ve known for over 20 years ever since both our families moved into our new homes years ago in the South San Jose neighborhood of Almaden Valley. We were next-door neighbors and we hit it off instantly, both our families had young children and we were all excited to raise them in our new neighborhood. We saw our kids grow up and go to Middle School, then High School and then off to college. Over the years we became more like family, always there for each other and ready to lend a hand. Then the time came a few years back when our family moved from Almaden Valley to the town of Los Gatos in the South Bay, and Carl and Tracy moved to Newport Beach in Southern California, through it all we kept in touch. Then a couple of years ago Tracy and Carl moved back to the Bay Area and bought a new place in the town of Portola Valley in the North Bay. Finally settled into their new home they were eager to have visitors and we were invited to dinner. Continue reading Dinner with Good Friends Tracy and Carl
Moong Daal. Moong Bean Lentils Cooked in Indian Spices
Moong daal is a very common lenil soup prepared in many Indian homes with each family having their own unique recipe depending on the region of India they are from. This moong daal recipe is one that I learnt from my Mom, and she lived all over India – for all I know this moong daal recipe is a smorgasbord of flavors from all parts of India. She grew up in Northern India, lived in Western India after marriage, and is originally from Southern India. Continue reading Moong Daal. Moong Bean Lentils Cooked in Indian Spices
Spinach and Peas in Curried Cream Broth
A light and delicious soup made with lots of springtime peas and spinach, a lightly spiced soup which can also be had ladled over white rice. This has to be quickest soup-like curry one can make. Spinach and peas cook so fast and if you want to go the easy route using frozen spinach and peas makes this dish an even quicker dish to make. Just fry up garlic and ginger, add in the spices, vegetables and protein of you choice (I used tofu) and cook everything for a few minutes until the veggies are tender. Then add a touch of cream and serve the dish as a soup or with a steaming bowl of white rice. Quick, easy, delicious and positively healthy this dish is. Give it a try! Continue reading Spinach and Peas in Curried Cream Broth
Instant Granola Yogurt Parfait
Looking to whip up something sweet and dessertish for an afternoon snack but want to keep it healthy – this instant granola yogurt parfait is the one to try. Delicious, beautiful, and healthy this parfait will satisfy any afternoon sweet craving. Sometimes for an afternoon snack I crave cool creamy yogurt with crunchy granola and fruit but when I’ve run out of granola, this instant yogurt parfait is what I turn to. I just scoop Greek yogurt into a bowl, add some berries, top it with crushed roasted pistachios and drizzle the entire gorgeous bowl of goodness with maple syrup. A granola type parfait without the granola 😀😋. It has crunchy nuts, dried fruits and maple syrup. Add a cup of tea or coffee and you have the makings of a perfect afternoon snack time treat. This little bowl doesn’t require much by way of a recipe, just pile on the good stuff and enjoy! Continue reading Instant Granola Yogurt Parfait
Orange and Avocado Spring Green Salad
It’s April and juicy sweet oranges are still available at the markets, and here in our Bay Area I can even pick them up at street corners where vendors sell seasonal fruits such as oranges in March and apricots, strawberries and peaches in the summer. Last week I bought from a vendor on the corner of our local park a bag of over 20 oranges for $5!! What a deal! These were delicious sweet oranges that the family has been enjoying every day and I’ve been adding an orange to my Greek yogurt and granola routine in the mornings too.
With all these oranges in abundance I made an orange salad to take to my good friend Rose’s place for a low-key springtime lunch last week. Continue reading Orange and Avocado Spring Green Salad
Spring Onion Pasta Primavera
I got this beautiful bunch of veggies in my Farm Fresh to You delivery this week and I couldn’t wait to make something delicious with them. The box had a wonderful assortment of veggies ranging from early spring onions to green onions, leeks, kale, and celery root just to name a few. Continue reading Spring Onion Pasta Primavera
