AD Back To School Tips With Tyson!
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Parents everywhere are waving their kids goodbye as they begin another year of school. Some watch as their kids walk away asking themselves where the time went and others race away from school, turning up the music excited for some alone time! It doesn't matter where you fit in, school is still back in session.
As you enter into another busy year, I'm sure you're looking for a few back to school tips that can save you time and money. Don't let another day pass you by without trying these tips! I'm sure your family will thank you.
Back To School Tips
Tip #1 Schedule Time To Sit Down For Breakfast As A Family
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but often gets rushed and maybe even forgotten as parents rush to get their kids ready for school. This year make a goal to sit down for breakfast as a family. This allows your kids to start off their day with a healthy breakfast and quality time with the people they care about most.Our family loves to begin our day with Jimmy Dean® Croissant Sausage Egg Cheese. They're already prepared which is perfect for the back to school season. They're ready to go in under thirty minutes and not to mention it's all real ingredients. None of that fake egg stuff! They're done and your kids are ready for school with a full belly and excitement for another day at school.
Tip #2 Spice Up Your Kid's Lunch
Our family is always looking for creative ways to blend cultures; whether it's Bollywood themed birthday parties or delicious fusion dishes. This year we've decided to make some simple back to school lunches with an Indian kick. One of our favorites so far has been turkey and potato stuffed parathas with cilantro chutney. It's quick, easy, and you can make it in under thirty minutes. You can send it to school with your children or prep it for a homeschool lunch.In this recipe, we used Hillshire Farm® Naturals Slow Roasted Turkey Lunch Meat. It's one of our favorites because I'm always on the hunt for natural ingredients for my kids that they actually like! They can't get enough of this stuff!
Stuffed Turkey and Potato Paratha Recipe
Chutney Recipe
Ingredients:1 bunch cilantro1 green chili2 tbs lemon juice1 tbs sugar2 tbs water1 tbs oil
Directions:Combine all ingredients in the blender until smooth.
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Simple Potato Curry Recipe
Evenings in my house are hectic to say the least. While some people are winding down for the night, my family is just getting started. My kids have had their second wind from nap time and are bouncing off the walls.They jump from couch to couch, flipping cushions, pretending the floor is lava. Come on, why would it not be hot lava that forces them to jump all over my furniture and throw toys to fight the supposed lava beast... They even make sure to let me know how important their fight is because they're saving me of course.Far be it for me to stop them. I just sit there hoping they'll get all their energy out before dinner. It only backfires 5 times out of 10. I'd say that's pretty good odds for a parent...Needless to say, I'm always looking for simple hacks to help my nights run a little smoother. Otherwise my kids end up eating peanut butter and jelly more often than I'd like to admit. Lately, I've been letting Indian cuisine influence my meals plans and I've found the easiest dish you have to try!Whether you're making an Indian meal or trying to sneak an Indian side dish in, potato curry is perfect.
Potato Curry Recipe
Ingredients:
6-7 boiled potatoes (quartered)1/2 diced onion1 tsp turmeric1 tbs black mustard seeds2 tbs butter or ghee1 green chili (halved)1 tbs salt
Directions:
Boil your potatoes until tender. Make sure they aren't too tender otherwise this will turn into Indian mashed potatoes! Set them aside.Heat a small pan on medium low. When the pan is hot, add the butter, onion, and green chili.Cook them for about 5-10 minutes until golden brown. Add in the turmeric, salt, and mustard seeds.Cook for two minutes. Add them into the boiled potatoes and mix.
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Chai Spiced Donut Recipe
The first few days post vacation are a little hectic to say the least. You're running around trying to unpack your suitcases, find everything you packed, and get back into your routine while your kids run rampant through the house.If you're super lucky, you're even dealing with jet lag. So instead of dealing with the chaos fully rested, all you can think about is climbing up into your bed and pulling the covers over your head.Then you have to think about breakfast. You walk to the fridge only to remember you've just been on vacation for a week so you have nothing in the fridge other than the left over you forget to toss before you left that have grown a disgusting fur coat. While looking into your bare fridge your kids run over pulling on your legs telling you they're STARVING...Admit it.. How often have you found yourself in the same predicament I found myself in this morning?Well, I have the solution for you! Pick up a pack of Pillsbury or pretty much any other pre-made biscuit dough and you can make Chai Spiced Donuts for breakfast!
I discovered this little trick a few months ago. It's been a staple in our house ever since! They are so easy to make and only require a few ingredients that you usually have on hand in your pantry.My kids can smell them from upstairs! They run down when the smell reaches their room and start trying to negotiate how many they can have.
Now, I know you probably expected this, but we had to kick up the traditional donut recipe. Instead of covering the donuts in cinnamon sugar, we decided to let our Indian culture inspire us and decided to make our own chai sugar!If I'm feeling extremely inspired I even whip up a glass of Indian Chai Tea.
Chai Sugar Recipe
2 cups of Sugar1 tsp Cinnamon1 tsp Ginger1/4 tsp Cloves1/4 tsp NutmegCombine all ingredients and set aside.
Chai Spiced Donut Recipe:
Heat a saucepan with vegetable oil over medium high heat. I used a small saucepan and filled it half way with oil. If your oil is too close to the bottom, the biscuits will burn or cook too quickly.Pull your Pillsbury biscuits apart and flatten them. Then place them to the side. Pull off a small piece of dough and place it into your oil when you think it's ready. You will know it's ready if it instantly starts bubbling around the dough.Place in 2-4 biscuits at a time. Turn the dough when it's golden brown on the bottom (about 30 seconds to 1 minute). Cook the other side until it's golden brown and then place it on your wire sheet. When it's cool enough to touch, you can dip it in your chai sugar.
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Family Friday Series
As we enter into a new year, I want to announce a few changes I'm making. Family Friday's has been a great series. It's given all of you a chance to share a bit of your family with all of us. I want to create more opportunities to hear from all of you!
What Makes Your Family Unique
I've mentioned before just how different all of your families are. Each of your families have a different culture. Regardless of your race, your culture will be different from those around you. There are so many things that make up your culture. It's the way you think, your ideas, what you believe, your traditions, and the way you act. Each of you have a unique family. I want to hear from you. I want to know what makes your family special. When I say family, this can mean your parents and siblings or the family you have started on your own.
Top Family Friday Posts
In the past, Family Fridays has been a chance for you to share family recipes with us. Here are a few of the top Family Friday posts!Drumstick SambharEdamame and Carrot BurgersRaitaVegan-Style Chinese ShaobingI want to hear more about your families! Instead of only recipes, I want to hear about what it is that makes your family unique. You can share traditions, memories, or just tell us about your amazing family.
Your Story
If you would like to take part in my Family Friday series, send me an email (almostindianwife(at)gmail.com) with the following information. Then I will send you an interview form and schedule a time to share YOUR story! -Name-A few sentences on what makes your family unique-A horizontal picture of your family (2-3 pictures preferably)
Family Fridays #17 Nita
This week's Family Friday is brought to you by Nita! Nita Sharda is a Registered Dietitian who maintains a private practice, Carrots and Cake Balanced Nutrition Consulting. She lives in the heart of the prairies, Winnipeg, Manitoba with her husband. Nita supports a balanced approach to nutrition (with room to play) and encourages clients to take joy in preparing simple and tasty meals. In her spare time you can catch Nita dancing to music, cooking and enjoying brisk walks outside.
This recipe is particularly important to me because it was inspired by my Masi Ji (maternal aunt) who in-turn learned about marinating chickpeas in roasted cumin from her relative. And just like that, I managed to perfect the recipe with my Masi and I can share it with my readers on the Carrots and Cake I particularly love how fragrant my house is after I roast the cumin. This is a really important component of the recipe—you simply cannot use “regular ol’” cumin. It is crucial that roasted cumin be used.
Tip: to save your future-self some time, roast a large batch of cumin seeds and store in an air tight container to add into other recipes.It’s difficult to summarize why I feel my family is special. A lot of who I am and who I want to be is a direct result of my upbringing. I recall many memories with my mum and dad managing all aspects of life: from the food I ate, the friends I had, the clothes I wore and right down to my finances. And now after being married for over three years I’ve got another set of parents who similar to my mum and dad are learning to take a back-step on managing our lives and transitioning into being our advisors. It’s a gift, truly. To have people that surround you with love and generosity; this is certainly not something I take for granted.You can find the full recipe here. 
Family Fridays #16 Tript and Prabh
This week's Family Friday is brought to you by the lovely sisters behind Footnotes and Finds. Be sure to follow them on Facebook.
We are two sisters born and raised in Vancouver Canada. Our parents immigrated over from India. We come from a big family. We are 4 sisters all together, and in true Indian style we lived with our extended family. For a while that included some aunts and uncles and our grandparents. Eventually our aunt’s and uncles got married and moved away and we were left a comfy family comprising of us 4, my parents and grandparents. 
Living in a household with many people, getting together and sharing meals was an every day occurrence since we all made a point to have a proper sit down dinner with everyday. What was more special than those weekday dinners was weekend brunches. That’s when my mom would pull out the parathas (stuffed bread) and we would feast like kings and be hit with afternoon food comas. My sisters and I are primarily vegetarian (out of choice) and our parents had always tried to make us incorporate eggs into our meals to make them healthier. One egg-based dish that we all enjoyed and didn’t put up much of a fuss over was egg purji. This is a common dish in north India, in particular Punjab (where both my parents are from). This dish is basically an Indian take on scrambled eggs and is normally consumed with a roti (Indian flat bread) and yogurt (if that’s your thing!). So if you are looking for a new egg recipe, it’s great to give it the normal scrambled eggs an Indian twist with this recipe! 
RECIPE (Serves 4)Ingredients:6 large eggs1 tablespoon oilCumin seeds – half tablespoon1 onion – diced½ cup peasSalt to taste ( we used ½ teaspoon )Turmeric – ¼ teaspoonGaram masala – ¼ teaspoonChili powder – 1/8 teaspoon or to taste¼ cup chopped cilantroDirections:In a pan heat oil, once oil is hot add the cumin seeds, stirLet the cumin seeds cook less than a minute – make sure they don’t burnStir in the onions and cook until they are a light brown colourAdd in the spices and salt, stirAdd peas and let it all cook for about 3 minsCrack in eggs to the mixture, mix well and cook until eggs are done to your likingTop with fresh cilantro, mix, and serve!
To hear more from these lovely ladies, check out their Facebook.
Family Fridays #15 Tim
This week Tim is joining us for our 15th Family Friday, to share his famous holiday special with us! Tim lives in California with his beautiful wife and three children.
Crepe’s are a somewhat new tradition for our family. I started making them a few years ago on holiday mornings as a special treat. Usually, I will get up early before everyone else and begin the prep. The batter has to sit for 30 minutes before cooking, so it’s nice having a quiet house while getting it all ready. Our kids now know it’s a special or fun day when crepe’s are being made and it is something we all look forward to as a family on holidays.The most recent time we had them was for Veterans Day, on which we surprised the kids with a special trip to Apple Hill (minus Josh, our oldest, who had a sleepover at a friends house).This recipe makes roughly 20 crepes which feeds our family of 5 just about right. With this recipe you can go either savory or sweet with toppings and/or fillings. I prefer savory, usually putting sausage inside of mine, while everyone else prefers sweet with fresh berries and powdered sugar or whipped cream on top.
Ingredients:4 eggs2 cups flour2 cups milk4 tablespoons melted butter1 teaspoon of saltVanilla to taste (for just a hint of vanilla flavor, ½ teaspoon is sufficient or 1 teaspoon for a more full vanilla flavor)Directions:In a large bowl, beat the eggs well, then add the milk, salt, flour, butter and vanilla and beat until smooth (or put everything in a blender and blend until smooth). Cover the bowl with a towel and let it sit for about 30 minutes. Heat a 9-inch fry pan (stainless steel works great) to medium heat and add a small amount of butter (enough to coat the full bottom of the pan) being careful not to scorch the butter. Using a laddle, scoop in a few tablespoons of the batter and then immediately tilt the pan in a circular motion to encourage the batter to spread out towards the edge of the pan. Let it cook for 30 to 60 seconds until the batter begins to firm up enough to flip. Use a large metal spatula to flip it (or if you’re brave, do a pan flip, the kids love that) and cook for another 10 to 20 seconds. Serve on a plate and either roll it up empty and top it with your desired topping, or fill it with your favorite filling before rolling.Enjoy!
Family Fridays #14 Homemade Macaroni and Cheese
This week's Family Fridays is super special for me! One of my lovely friends Andrea has decided to share a recipe very special to her heart. She has told me about it so many times and I for one can't wait to try it!
When I was little, maybe five or six, my grandma would prop me up on her old, faded, yellow seventies-style counter top in her kitchen. I would sit there visiting her and watch her make elaborate dinners and baked goods for her family with loving hands. All while hoping to get to lick spoons or sneak chocolate chips.
Most of the time she didn't follow a recipe. She had nearly every ingredient for every dish memorized and rarely ever used a measuring cup. Although, I have memories of much more complicated meals. My absolute favorite was her simple home made mac and cheese. She would make it just for me, it was my favorite comfort food.
She passed away when I was young and I never had a recipe. My mother and I gathered what ingredients we could from memory, and after a few failed attempts, I finally managed to make a mac and cheese that tastes just like grandmas!
Homemade Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
1 pound penne6 tablespoons butter2 tablespoons flour2 teaspoons basil1 cup half and halfI cup milk1/2 teaspoon ground pepper1/2 teaspoon red pepper1 cup of bread crumbs1 1/2 cups shredded white cheddar1 1/2 cups shredded gruyere1 tomato
Directions
Preheat to 375.
Cook penne accordingly. Heat milk in a saucepan and melt butter in a large pot. Add flour and basil.While whisking, add milk and the half and half cook until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in penne, cheese, basil, and pepper.Put the mixture in a baking pan and lay sauced tomatoes on top. I like to sprinkle more cheese over top.Bake 30 minutes.
Tada!
Take a look at my last few Family Friday recipes!
Family Fridays #13 Meatloaf
Welcome to my 13th Family Fridays! Nikki is joining us today to share a delicious recipe!
Nikki is currently a stay at home mom to a beautiful, free spirited little girl. Before her daughter arrived, she taught elementary education. Nikki loved the creativity of planning lessons! It is important for her to bring that same creativity when she teaches her daughter. She loves to cook and bake with her daughter, so she can learn numbers through measurements!
Nikki and her husband have been married for six years and recently purchased their first home. They met while taking the same summer course in college and reconnected a few years later. He is an incredibly kind, patient husband and loving father.Check out her blog!
Photo Credit: Colette Brockman Photography
When my husband, Brian and I were first married over six years ago, neither of us had much experience in the kitchen. In truth, this was one of the best things for us, because it put us on a level playing field. We had to learn to work together in the kitchen if we hoped to cook good meals. As I think back to our first year in the kitchen, I want to laugh… There were a lot of burnt, tasteless meals that ended up in the garbage. There were also a lot of good meals – meals that my husband and I cooked together.
One of those meals was our meatloaf recipe. No, its not a family recipe, passed down from generation to generation. In fact, we found it together one evening while searching the Internet, but it doesn’t make it any less important to our family. It’s the only recipe that the husband still requests on a regular basis. To be honest, the request itself makes me feel like an amazing wife. Although we both know how to make the dish, he loves when I make it. He always says it’s the best meatloaf he has ever had. So for us, this dish brings up so many memories – from where we started, to how far we have come. Sometimes the sweetest things begin with two hearts and one goal.
Ingredients:1-1/4 lbs. Ground Beef1 Egg1TB. Spoon Worcestershire Sauce¾ Cup Yellow Onion, Minced¾ Cup Milk¾ Cup Dried Italian Bread CrumbsSalt & Pepper To Taste½ Cup Ketchup¾ Cup Green Onion, Minced1-2 TB. Spoon Garlic, Minced1 TB. Spoon Margarine or Butter1-2 Cups Carrots, Chopped (optional)1-2 Cups Celery, Chopped (optional)Directions:Preheat Oven to 350 degreesIn a large mixing bowl combine beef, egg, milk, Worcestershire Sauce, bread crumbs, carrots, and celery. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. Place onion, margarine, garlic, and green onion in a skillet on low to medium heat. Sautee until the yellow onion is lightly browned and soft. Combine the skillet mixture in the large bowl. Lightly grease loaf pan and place mixture in pan. Pour and spread the ketchup on top and cook for one hour.To hear more from Nikki, follow her on Facebook.
Family Fridays #12 Apple Crisp
Kylee is joining us today for our 12th family Fridays! She is the voice behind Byky, a brilliant lifestyle blog documenting her and her husband's life. Be sure to check out her blog!
I lived in the best neighborhood growing up. Our neighborhood had so many families that all had kids around my age. We would have all types of get-togethers through the year from Memorial Day cookouts to Super bowl parties. My family always held the neighborhood New Year’s Eve party. The party was always pot-luck style so everyone would bring a dish of their choosing. Though there were many amazingly delicious dishes at this party there was one that was definitely a crowd favorite – Apple Crisp. Apple crisp, always brought by Sandy Rowe, became a staple of the party and of the neighborhood.It has come to the point where all the kids in the neighborhood are almost in the 20s or older now and some are getting married. I, myself, just got married a few months ago. At my shower, which all the neighborhood families attended, I began opening my gift from the Rowe family. There were multiple parts to this gift but I quickly realized what I was opening. The Rowe family gave my fiancé and I all the tools to make the Apple crisp – the apple corer and peeler, the pampered chef stone, Macintosh apples, yellow cake mix, sugar, brown sugar, and of course the written recipe. I was thrilled – and so was my fiancé Brandon. Ever since he attended his first Kolesar New Year’s Eve party and had a bite of Mrs. Rowe’s famous apple crisp he was hooked. I thought this was such an amazing gift because Apple Crisp is so much more to me than a warm yummy dessert. For me, the preparation reminds of prepping for the annual New Year’s Eve party, the warm melt in your mouth taste reminds me of the neighborhood bonfires we would have in the fall, and the way it disappears so quickly once it’s served reminds of the competitive games we’d play in the cul-de-sac. Apple crisp reminds me of how lucky I am to be able to call all of my neighbors, my extended family.Apple crisp is one of my favorite family recipes. I’ll never forget the first time I tried it or the first time I made it on my own. I’d like to share this recipe with all of you today! Hopefully, you all will enjoy it as much as I do.
Ingredients6 Mactinosh Apples – peeled + cored + sliced½ cup sugar1 heeping tsp cinnamon1 Jiffy cake mix (yellow or white)1 stick of butterDirections:Place sliced apples in a deep dish baker. Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the apples. Pour dry cake mix over the cinnamon and sugar. Melt butter and pour over the top.Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.
Hear more from Kylee by following her on twitter.
If you would like to take part in the Family Friday's Series, here is some more information.
Family Fridays #11 Cabbage Subzi
Share a bit about the recipe and why it’s special to your family or your spouse/partner’s family.
This recipe is not special, but it's quintessential in the Mehta household. My husband adores cabbage and we make it every week for lunch. I can make it with my eyes are closed.
The days I make this subzi, my husband messages me with, "Yummy" or "Good Food."
Tell us a bit about your family and what makes them unique.
If you would like to hear more from Ketaki, check out her blog.
Family Fridays #10 Pretzel Cake
It's that time of week again. Family Fridays! Sirley is here to share a delicious recipe with all of us. Sirley is a lifestyle blogger at Love Ley and she writes about being a mother, food, DIY, and her life. Be sure to check out her blog and follow her on Facebook!
Yeast dough:2 cups all-purpose flour mixed with 2 tbs of instant yeast1/2 cup of butter2 egg yolks2 tbs sugar1 tsp salt1/2 cups of warm milkFilling:1/2 cup of soft butter mixed with 5 tbs of sugar1 cup of raisins (soak these in hot water for 10 minutes) mixed with 1 tbs of flour andcinnamonGlaze:2 heaping tbs of baking cocoa6 tbs sugar3 tbs milk2 tbs butterMethod:Mix together sugar, egg yolk and salt so that it’s slightly frothy.Add warm milk to the mixture. Add the flour and yeast mix and melted butter bit by bit.Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave to proof for 20 minutes. Once the dough has had a chance to rise divide it into two equal parts.Roll the dough out. Cover both pieces with the raisin-cinnamon mix and roll into a long roll. Twist the two rolls and arrange into a circle. Use a knife to cut slits into the dough at regular intervals. That ensures that the glaze will cover the pretzel nicely.Cover with a tea towel and leave for an additional 30 minutes.Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake for 15 minutes then turn the temperature down to 350 degrees and bake for the remaining 25 minutes.While the pretzel is baking mix together the glaze ingredients. Once the pretzel is out of the over, let it cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then cover it with the glaze.Thank you Sirley for sharing this post with us! If you want to hear more from her follow her on Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.
Family Fridays #9 Edamame and Carrot Burgers
This week Priya has come to share a special recipe with you for family Friday! She blogs over at Cookilicious. Be sure to follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.
Who taught you how to make this dish?
My mom used to make sandwiches back home and that formed the basis for me. She occasionally made aloo tikkis to go in the sandwich which would totally uplift the dish.What makes it special to you and your family? Me and my husband are healthy eaters for the week and cheaters on weekends. I think burgers can be extremely nutritious and healthy if made the right way.Do you have a special memory making this dish, learning to make it, or enjoying it?I think I was the happiest when I created this burger totally from scratch. It was an instant hit. Proud of my creation.Have you shared this dish with your spouse/loved one?What did he/she think? Oh yes, my husband is my tester. He tastes it all and gives me honest feedback. He loved this burger and was begging for more
Ingredients:2 cups cooked Edamame1 cup grated Carrots1 cup brown bread crumbs4 tbsp. oats powder4-5 garlic cloves, minced1 tbsp. ginger paste½ cup chopped spinach½ cup Dill leaves, chopped½ cup cilantro, chopped1 cup onion greens3-4 tbsp. Sriracha sauceSalt as requiredWhole wheat burger bunsFat free goat cheeseMustard sauce as requiredOil as requiredBlack sesame seeds for sprinkleLettuce, slices of onion and tomatoDirections:Coarsely pulse edamame and add it to a mixing bowl. Add carrots, ½ of the breadcrumbs, oats powder, garlic, ginger, dill leaves, cilantro, onion greens, sriracha sauce and salt. Mix it all well. Make medium size burger patties. Roll them over the remaining bread crumbs. Refrigerate it for 30 minutes at least.In a grill pan, pour some oil. Shallow fry the burger patties evenly on both the sides. Sprinkle sesame seeds as well.Warm the burger buns in microwave for 15 seconds. Spread some almond butter evenly on them. You can use regular butter as well. Place a lettuce on one side and the Pattie on the other. Place few slices of onions and tomatoes. Sprinkle some cheese, mustard sauce, sriracha sauce. Close the bun and enjoy your burger.Do you have a recipe you would like to share with us? If so, here is what you need to do!
Family Fridays #8 French Crepes
Today's Family Fridays is very special today. My beautiful friend Andy is sharing one of her family recipes with all of us!
My name is Andy Rodríguez, I was born and raised in Guatemala. I really like to cook like my mom and my grandma. It runs in the family! I like to make dishes from all around the world. It's one of my favorites hobbies and I always enjoy cooking when I'm stressed. I also enjoy cooking for my friends, having them over, and having a great time together.I enjoy cooking with my mom, Marthalidia in my free time. We make a big lunch or a great dinner to share with the rest of my dad Gustavo, my sisters Sofia and Ana Paula, and the rest of my family. We are very close and we always do all kind of things together.This next family recipe is my famous French Crepes that my grandma Lidia thought me how to make. I've loved French food ever since. This is one of my favorites recipes. I really like that you can put whatever ingredients you want inside! You can make them salty or sweet.
Ingredients:For the mix1 ¼ cup of flour1 cup of milk1 cup of water1 egg6 tablespoon of butter (I used blue bonnet sticks)¼ teaspoon of saltFor the filling (salty)3 sweet peppers (red, orange, onion)1 big onion1 lb of mushroomsCheese (Mozzarella, Gouda, or your favorite)HamFor the filling (sweet)NutellaIce-creamYour favorite fruitsDirections:Melt the butter in a small pot.Then add all the ingredients in the blender, when the butter is melt add it to the mix and blend.-And then you have the mix ready for the pan, I always use a big pan because I like big crepes. Cook one side first before adding the filling ingredients, when the edges look cooked you can turn the crepe and add whatever you want, and then enjoy them!*For the salty crepes I always chop all the veggies and then used a little bit of vegetable oil to cooked them on a pan. I cook the mushrooms in a different pan because they have a lot of water, after that I add them to the others and add the ham in little pieces.
Family Fridays #7 Raita
Yesterday, I shared about a new find of mine. I found an amazing company called Bhumroo Kids. They sell products to teach children about the world. They were kind enough to send us a box this month. It was full of goodies that taught my boys about India. Obviously, my boys loved it. They were able to see how far our family is that live in Hyderabad, listen to fun Bollywood music, do some crafts, and make a new recipe!Today, I want to share their delicious raita recipe. Raita is a mixture of yogurt and a few ingredients to make it even better. It's perfect to cool the spicy flavors of different Indian dishes. 
Ingredients:1 large cucumber2 cups of whole milk yogurt1.4 cup of chopped mint1 tsp ground cumin1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper or chili powder1 pinch of saltDirections:Wash the cucumber. Grate the cucumber and cut it into small pieces. Mix together the cut cucumber, yogurt, cumin, cayenne or chili powder, and salt. Add the mint to the top. Keep refrigerated until you're ready to serve. This is great with keema, meat curry, chicken tikka, and pretty much any Indian dish. Yum!To find our more about Bhumroo Kids, check out their website!
Meal Plan #1
We all have little things we do that make our weeks go just a bit smoother.For the longest time this was sticky notes for me. I would have sticky notes spread all over my room. They would have little reminders, ideas, bible verses, inspirational quotes, etc. It helped to put all of my ideas on paper. When I met my husband, my technology obsessed husband, he helped me transition from sticky notes to a computer. Little does he know, I found an application on my computer that allows me to have little sticky notes on my desktop. After I had kids, I realized sticky notes wouldn't be enough to organize the daily chaos in my life. I needed something else, so I started meal planning. It was perfect. I could look at my plan and see what prep work it required and how soon I needed to start the prep. Before I started meal planning, I wouldn't decide on what to make for dinner until four and then it wouldn't be ready until six or seven. This was difficult because my kids go to bed at seven. It created a lot less stress in our evening routine to have dinner ready and prepped at a good time. Do you want to try a meal plan? Here is one just for you.Monday: Chicken Keema Curry and riceTuesday: Simple Meat Curry and rice Wednesday: Pappu, Sharline's coconut green beans, and naanThursday: Chicken Curry and riceFriday: Keema Curry, rice, and a fried eggSaturday: Chicken Tikka Masala and rice Sunday: Left oversHere is a Meal Plan #1 Grocery List just for you.
Family Fridays #4 German Marble Cake
Linda Dunsmore is German/American but lives and works in South Korea. She has a lovely Korean fiancé and writes about their intercultural relationship. Linda has a wonderful blog and also writes about life in South Korea, China, language learning and traveling.You can find her at her blog: www.lindalivinginchina.comOn facebook On twitter 
One of the many advantages of growing up in Germany was the traditional cuisine. My mother and grandmother are master chefs and bakers which results in regular coffee and cake time and elaborate dinners. Cakes and pies take up a great amount of German cuisine and it’s common to drink coffee and have pastry or cake with it in the afternoon. One of y favorite cakes is “German Marble Cake”.I grew up in a bicultural household – my mother is German and my father is American. Even though I consider myself “German American”, I see Germany as my home and it’s where my heart lies. Now that I live in South Korea, it’s hard to stay connected with where I am from. German restaurants are a rare sight here and without the proper tools it’s hard to create authentic German dishes. The expat life isn’t always easy, especially when you miss home a lot and cannot find homemade food. However, even just one recipe can turn the world around make you happy in an instant when you’re having a bad day in your host country.If you want to know more about Germany or life in South Korea, visit my blog.
German Marble Cake
(Original recipe makes 1 -10 inch tube cake)
- 1 cup butter
- 1 1/2 cups white sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons dark rum
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour one 10 inch tube pan.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter with the sugar. Beat in the eggs, then the milk and almond extract.
- In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Beat the flour mixture into the creamed mixture. Turn half of the batter into another bowl and stir in the cocoa and rum.
- Layer the light and dark batters by large spoonfuls and then swirl slightly with a knife.
- Bake the cake in at 350 degree F (175 degree C) for about 70 minutes or until it tests done with a toothpick. Transfer to a rack to cool. Makes about 14 to 16 servings.
What I love about this recipe is that the cake looks really difficult to make due to the marble look but is actually easy to bake! Also, you can keep the cake for a long time and don’t have to eat it all up in a couple of days! It’s great for breakfast and/or a snack at school or work!Nobody can say no to a German Marble Cake!-Linda
Family Fridays- Chicken Tikka Masala
It's my favorite time of the week, Family Fridays!! This week we're doing it a little differently. Instead of a reader sharing a recipe on here, I'm sharing a recipe on Mixed Roots Stories. Today's super delicious recipe is Chicken Tikka Masala! This is probably the most popular recipe I've shared. Who doesn't like moist chicken in a creamy tomato sauce paired with some really good naan? Exactly. I learned this recipe about four years ago. We went to visit my in laws and we all decided to spend the weekend enjoying great food. We had chicken curry, naan, parathas, fish cutlets, and more. One night, while we had a few pots of Indian food simmering on the stove, Stevie-nanna (my father in law's brother) taught me how to make Chicken Tikka Masala. I've made it three times a month since! I even got so bad while I was pregnant with Levi and made it three times a week. What can I say? I had to give the baby in my belly what he wanted and he wanted himself some amazing Chicken Tikka Masala. If you'd like to see the recipe, go check it out at Mixed Roots Stories.
Chicken Masala
Oh, new recipes. I love them. This week's new recipe is chicken masala. Think chicken curry with an edge of tomato-ey goodness to it.
We've been enjoying a lot more Indian food since we moved. It's been my chance to try all of my Indian food on my husband's family. A lot of my husband's cousins are in town for summer break. What better way to spend time with them than around food.
Not to mention, my father in law has a second stomach for Indian food. I always joke that my husband has a second stomach for pizza and now I understand where he got it. It doesn't matter how much we eat for a meal, my father in law will always have Indian food after. I love it.
This week, I decided to try my hand at chicken masala. Wow. It had the spice level for my husband and the vegetables that I like.
I was also able to see my kid's spice tolerance has gotten better. They devoured it. Now, don't worry. If you don't have the same love for spice, you can adjust it. I noted the different options for the chilies and chili powder. Try it out and see what you think. It's always better to get more mild and add some putchady to it.
Ingredients:
2 lb of drumsticks
1/2 an onion (diced)
1-2 green chilies
1 tsp turmeric
1 bay leaf
1 tbs ginger garlic paste
1 tbs butter
1 tbs oil
1 tsp-1/2 tbs of Indian chili powder
1 tbs tomato paste
1 cup or water
1/2 tbs cumin powder
1/2 coriander powder
3 potatoes (diced)
1 tbs garam masala
1/2 tbs salt
4 tomatoes (diced)
1/4-1/2 cilantro
Directions:
Heat oil and butter in a deep pan, over medium low heat. When the butter melts, add in the onions and chilies. Brown the onions and add the tomato paste. Cook for 2-3 minutes and add the turmeric, bay leaf, ginger garlic paste, chili powder, cumin powder, cumin, coriander, garam masala, and salt. Cook for two minutes.
Rinse chicken and cut the skin off. Add the chicken into the pot and mix well. Cook the chicken on low for ten minutes.
Mix in the tomatoes, cilantro, potatoes, and water. Cook on low until the chicken and potatoes are done.
You can serve this with rice and yogurt.
How To Eat Indian Food With Your Hands
I've shared with you guys before on what happened when I met my in-laws for the first time. I was thrust into a situation with dozens of new people, new traditions and customs, and a boyfriend who forgot to give me a little heads up on what to expect.Thankfully, my in-laws were all amazing and very gracious. They continued to give me little hints and tips all weekend on what was going on each day. One of the first things they shared with me is the fact that they all ate Indian food with their hands.I was more than eager to try (while secretly insecure because I had no idea what I was doing.) I wanted to give the best first impression possible, but now I was asked to be vulnerable and attempt something I would probably be horrible with at first.I quickly learned that being in an interracial relationship meant I would be in vulnerable positions like frequently. It wasn't just on my part either, it was just as much for my husband. There were times we would just have to remind each other to trust us and then try something new. These moments have always brought us closer together over the years.Looking back on my first time using my hands to eat Indian food, I didn't do as horribly as I thought. They taught me the etiquette you were supposed to have while doing it and helped me get the hang of it. A few years later I was able to teach my boys the same thing.Now it's become a normal part of our family's routine, granted a few of us enjoy it more than others. To be honest, it's become such a normal routine for us that we don't even bring out silverware when we eat Indian food for dinner. We dish up the plates, find our seats at the table, and dig in.Sometimes we find our four-year-old sneak away to find a fork and we just smile.
(Read more about our kid's thoughts on hand feeding here...)
Now it's your turn! If you’re going to try Indian food, make sure you try the whole experience! You learn more about other cultures by stepping in and trying new ways of doing things.
4 Steps To Eat With Your Hands
1. Using only the tips of your fingers, mix your main dish/side dish with yogurt/rice, in a separate place on your plate.2. Scoop up your food into a ball. The yogurt or rice will help you to do this.3. Using the tips of your fingers and your thumb, pick up the ball of food.4. Now, use your thumb to push the food into your mouth.See, that’s not too tricky! The more you try it, the more comfortable it will feel and the better you will do it.