Cooking 101, Food Cooking 101, Food

10 Easy Steps To Cut A Whole Chicken

Chicken is a huge staple in our house. We use it in chicken curry, chicken noodle soup, chicken tikka masala, chicken masala, fajitas, chicken parmesan, and so much more. It can definitely add up in our grocery bill. One way we save every month is by buying whole chickens rather than pre-cut meats.Cutting up a whole chicken can be extremely intimidating! I know it was for me! Well, I'm here to help you. Here is a step by step guide for cutting a whole chicken.IMG_4993

Step One

Rinse off chicken with water. Pat dry. Grab a pair of sharp cooking scissors, cutting board, and two bowls. One bowl will be for waste and one is for chicken meat.IMG_4992

Step Two

Take the skin off the chicken. The easiest way to do this is start breast side up and put your fingers under the skin. Slowly pull it away from the meat. The goal here is to NOT rip the skin. It is much easier to take it off if it's in one piece. Start at the breasts, then move to the wings, then the lower half of the body, and end with the legs.If it does break, you can use a paper towel to hold it better.IMG_4999

Step Three

This step helped me to handle the chicken better. I broke it in half. All you have to do for this is turn it, breast side down, find the middle, and break by pushing in.IMG_4996

Step Four

In order to cut around the bones all you have to do is find the joints (where the bones connect) Bend the piece back and forth and you can feel where they connect. Cut right in the middle and it's super easy. Here, we are starting to cut the wings.IMG_4997

Step Five

Now find the second joint and cut.IMG_5004-2

Step Six

The neck bone is easy to spot. Smack dab in the middle here. Now, cut down the neck on both sides. You will be cutting small bones here, but it will be easy. You can use the neck bone for stocks.IMG_5008

Step Seven

You have a bit of preference that comes in for this step. If you like bone in chicken, cut it in half and you're good to go.IMG_5012

Step Eight

If you don't like the bones, first cut out the wish bone shown here. Then cut out the rest of the small bones under the breast.IMG_5018

Step Nine

Find the joint and cut the chicken legs. This part is easy enough to tear off as well.IMG_5024

Step Ten

This is the last bit of the chicken. There are a lot of small and large bones so be sure to feel and get them all out. I cut around and pulled off as much meat as I could.IMG_5025Ta-da! Now, that wasn't as hard as you thought, was it? Once you do it the first time, it becomes easier each time.A few extra tips....

  • Make sure you feel through to find any little shards of bone. I like to give mine and extra rinse at the end just to be sure.
  • Hold onto the bones to make a delicious chicken stock.
  • Try making a dish with the large bones in and see how much of a difference it makes.

Did you find this helpful? If so please share!

Read More
Beverages, Dessert, Food Beverages, Dessert, Food

Sweeten Up Your Summer With Mango Lemonade

Sweeten Up Your Summer With Mango LemonadeSummer time in our house gets a little chaotic. I look around and my kids are always shirtless, eating popsicles, leaving popsicle wrappers on the floor and trying to have water fights.Moving to North Carolina has changed up our summer a bit. It's so stinkin' hot here so we're always looking for ways to cool off!My favorite way is to whip up a cold treat. We've been surviving on smoothies and popsicles mainly. Now that mango season has officially hit, I've been trying to think up ways to include mangos into our summer fun.Sweeten Up Your Summer With Mango LemonadeThen mango lemonade was born in our house.We all love lemonade and snack on mangos all summer long. I knew there had to be a way to have the best of both worlds in one cup.Today, the boys and I did a little experiment and it turned out to be amazing. Y'all, mango lemonade. Say it with me...Mango. Lemonade.It's what dreams are made of!We've already made up two batches today! We made one for the video in this post and then we drank it all and had to make more so daddy can try some when he gets home!Don't believe me? Make some today and let your taste buds be the judge.The best part is you can tweak it to your liking as well. You could add in a few strawberries or even some pineapple and then voila! Summer in a cup.Sweeten Up Your Summer With Mango Lemonade[amd-yrecipe-recipe:25]

How are you staying cool this summer?

Read More

Father's Day Is Our Chance To Tell Him How We Feel

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CelebrateAllSummer #CollectiveBias

Father's Day Is Our Chance To Tell Him How We Feel

Father's Day is right around the corner and my boys are getting excited! They've been planning out the perfect day to let their daddy know how much they love him.I've loved seeing the relationship my boys have with their daddy. In the beginning, they were complete momma's boys. I could tell my husband was nervous that they'd always be that way.Then I saw it happen before my eyes. I'd find them searching through the house looking for dada and the look on my husband's face was always priceless. His heart was completely full in those moments.Over the years, I've seen him do everything he can to be the best dad for his boys. He works harder than so many people I know, he always makes time to throw the ball around the yard with them, and he's showing them what it means to be an amazing man.Father's Day Is Our Chance To Tell Him How We FeelFather's Day Is Our Chance To Tell Him How We FeelFather's Day is our chance to let him know how much we love him.As life get's busy we don't always take the time to tell each other how we feel. We assume they just know what we think and how much we appreciate them.American Greetings is there to help us find the words we want to say. Father's Day is the perfect time to let it all out. These dads work hard all year to be an example to their kids and much like every other parent, they don't always think they're doing great. This is our time to let them know how much we appreciate everything they do.My kids had a blast choosing out their cards. My four-year-old found a card with a "superhero daddy" and my other boys found cards that fit their personalities perfectly.Father's Day Is Our Chance To Tell Him How We FeelThis year for Father's Day, my kids are going to spoil their daddy with cards that tell him exactly how they feel and a delicious brunch. We even decided to mix together two of my husband's favorite things... Indian food and pizza.We've decided to whip up a delicious batch of Curry Spiced Waffle Pizza. If he could survive on Indian food and pizza, I know he would. I let his taste buds be the inspiration for our tasty Father's Day brunch menu.Father's Day Is Our Chance To Tell Him How We Feel Father's Day Is Our Chance To Tell Him How We Feel Father's Day Is Our Chance To Tell Him How We Feel Father's Day Is Our Chance To Tell Him How We Feel[amd-yrecipe-recipe:24]Father's Day Is Our Chance To Tell Him How We FeelWhether you want to find the perfect words to tell dad you love him or you just want to celebrate your best friend, American Greetings is there for you. Sometimes it's hard to find the words to describe how we feel about the close people in our lives, but these cards are perfect.We went to Walmart looking for Father's Day cards and ended up leaving with cards for Hug Your Kids Day and Finally Summer! I had to cut my kids off in the end because they wanted to leave with them all!Father's Day Is Our Chance To Tell Him How We FeelI love American Greetings because they don't just have cards! We were able to get everything we needed for Father's Day in one simple trip! We picked up our favorite cards, a gift bag, and even tissue paper! They have it all!The Perfect Father's Day GiftPick up your American Greeting cards today, but don't forget to use this coupon!Are you an Ibotta fan like me? You should be! They have a ton of great savings! You could head over to Walmart today and purchase any American Greetings® Card at Walmart and Earn $1 on Ibotta ! They've even sweetened the deal by offering another deal! You can purchase any American Greetings® Card at Walmart and Earn $1 on Ibotta !

Read More

Zesty Mango Chicken Bowl With Mango Salsa

Zesty Mango Chicken Bowl With Mango Salsa

This post is sponsored by Saffron Road. As always all opinions are my own. 

Our Family's Obsessed!

Over the years, our family has started to realize how much we love mangos. Okay, we're completely obsessed!As soon as we enter into mango season, we know the first thing we'll smell when we walk into the Indian grocery store is mango. You can buy them by the dozen and trust me... we do!We love mango everything. You'll find us drinking mango lassis, eating mango chia seed pudding, and of course mangos on their own. They're delicious and always mean the start of summer in our house.Zesty Mango Chicken Bowl With Mango SalsaToday, we're making a new mango dish just for you! Are you ready for it?Zesty mango chicken.As your mouth is watering let me also tell you we topped it with fresh mango salsa!It's like summer in a bowl and you have to convince yourself to stop eating when you're full!I love the addition of the mango salsa! You can serve it over your chicken and you can even use Saffron Road's Lentil Chips to scoop it up and enjoy as a summer treat!Zesty Mango Chicken Bowl With Mango Salsa[amd-yrecipe-recipe:22]Zesty Mango Chicken Bowl With Mango Salsa

Spice Up Your Summer With Saffron Road

The best part is you can make it so many ways!You can even fry up some chicken, pour in your Saffron Road Thai Mango Simmer Sauce, and let it simmer for 30 minutes. Then all you need to do is pour your delicious mango chicken and sauce over rice.Their new sauces are the Thai Mango and Pad Thai Simmer Sauces. Let me tell you... They're delicious! They're so easy to make and perfect for a weeknight meal!Saffron Road has made it so simple. You can follow their recipe on the back like I mentioned or you can take it up a notch and make your own zesty mango chicken bowl!They don't stop at simmer sauces. They have Indian frozen meals, Indian simmer sauces, chips, roasted chickpeas, tandoori chicken nuggets, broths, and more!Head over to their website and be sure to pick up your of Saffron Road products today!

Giveaway

Do you want to win a Saffron Road product to try out on your own? All you have to do is comment with your favorite Saffron Road product (they're listed here) and share this post.The winner will be chosen at the end of the week.

Read More

Quick and Easy Samosas

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #RealFlavorRealFast #CollectiveBias

Quick and Easy SamosasThis week has given us a little taste of the beautiful weather North Carolina has to offer. We wake up in the morning and it's already warm outside. The last thing we want to do on these warm days is heat up the oven. Instead, we go straight outside and turn on the grill.Today, we grilled up a gorgeous piece of Smithfield Marinated Pork. We love using their pork because you can create real flavor real fast! They use 100% pork and none of that nasty added stuff.* It's perfect for a midweek meal because it hardly takes any time at all to cook!It was so easy to cook and it smelled heavenly. It hardly took anytime at all for it to reach the right temperature and then we brought it inside to put together our samosas.Quick and Easy SamosasThe best part of these quick samosas is that you can fill them with anything! My families favorite is meat and potato. They're filling and perfect for any meal!Traditional samosas take a bit of time from your day. You have to make the dough from scratch, wait for it to rise, and then start the rest of the process. Not today. We made it easy by using a tortilla!Quick and Easy Samosas

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:21]Quick and Easy SamosasHead over to your local Walmart and pick up your own Smithfield Marinated Pork. They have so many options on the types of marinades you want to fit everyones tastebuds. You can use them to whip up your own homemade samosas or eat them on their own!They've taken all the work out of it by marinading it for you! All you need to do is sauté it, roast it, or even throw it on the grill! Our family loves to grill up our Smithfield Marinated Pork and then use the left overs in our samosas the next day! Seriously delicious meals two days in a row!

*FDA has determined that there is no significant different between milk derived from rBST-treated and non rBST-treated cows 

Read More

Baked Masala Egg Cups

Baked Masala Egg Cups

Breakfast On The Go

As a momma with three little boys, I've quickly learned some of the best ways to find a smooth morning routine. Okay, I'm not sure about "smooth," but less chaotic. Little boys are full of energy and if I'm not careful, I end up with all of their wardrobe on the floor because they had a battle with a hot lava monster.So what do we do?We start some of our mornings off with a park trip! We're very blessed to live in walking distance to one and there are even a few more close by. It's been the perfect start to our day lately.The boys run around the park, jumping off every play structure they can climb!On park days, we're always looking for a quick and simple breakfast. Sometimes it's a bag of cereal or even a quick trip Chick-Fil-A.This week, we decided to mix things up a bit. I spent my weekend doing some meal prep so we could have quick and easy meals. One of our favorites so far has been our Masala Egg Cups.Can you say... YUM.Baked Masala Egg Cups

Masala Egg Cups

These breakfast egg cups are delicious and quick to make. We made up 2 dozen on Sunday and froze half of them. All we have to do is stick them in the fridge the night before and pop them in the microwave.We love whipping up our Masala Egg Cups and serving them with a warm chapati if we're at home or we take them on the go!Baked Masala Egg CupsBaked Masala Egg Cups[amd-yrecipe-recipe:20]

Pin For Later

Baked Masala Egg Cups

Read More

Mango Lassi Chia Pudding Recipe

Mango Lassi Chia Pudding Recipe

Food Is About More Than Just A Meal

I love seeing how many of my children's memories are associated with food. Food isn't just something to eat for them. It brings them back to the moment they first tried it, the people they were with, the feelings they had at the time, and it's all tied in to each bite.Mango Lassi is definitely one of those sweets for them. Every time we make it at home, they tell me how their Ammamma makes it for them every time they see her. Every sip brings them back to their visits to her house and the special moments they have had together.Food means so much more than I ever could have imagined in Indian families. It's more than food, it's all about the community around the meal. It's about the relationships forged over preparing and enjoying the dishes.I love that we're carrying this on with our boys. I think their bellies are happy too!

Magno Lassi Chia Seed Pudding

As the weather is starting to warm up in North Carolina, the boys and I decided it would be the perfect time to whip up a batch of Mango Lassis. While the boys enjoyed the traditional recipe, I decided to put a little spin on mine.My husband and I have been trying to eat better the last two weeks and incorporating more healthy options into our diet. Chia seeds have been a huge one for us. It has so many health benefits! Their rich with Omega-3, fiber, antioxidant and are great for your metabolism!We've been adding them into our smoothies, granola, cookies, and today we're even making chia pudding!When I told my husband what I was making, he got a little nervous. I could see it in his face.What are you trying to get me to eat now?All it took was one bite and he was hooked. It's so delicious and the added flavors of the mango lassi with it are amazing.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:19]

Read More
Beef, Food Beef, Food

Simple Keema Curry Recipe

Simple Keema Curry

Keema Curry Recipe

If I were to choose one Indian dish I would consider my favorite to cook and eat, I'd have to say keema curry. It's such a simple dish to make and I haven't met a friend that didn't like it.Most of our friends have been initiated into our almost Indian family with this meal. It's full of vibrant flavors and who doesn't like meat and potatoes. For real.. It's so good.This dish is perfect for those busy school weeks too! All you need to do is prep all of your ingredients and let it simmer in a pot while your kids get homework done or you take a few minutes to put your feet up after a long day.If you're feeling extra fancy or you want an on the go dinner, you can make keema stuffed parathas! Follow the paratha recipe and replace the mixture with the recipe below. Voila, dinner you can hold in your hand.It doesn't matter how you choose to eat this, it's so good!

Simple Keema Curry
[amd-yrecipe-recipe:16]
Simple Keema Curry

Read More

20+ Easy Indian Recipes

Are you looking for a few new recipes to try? Check out my round up and see all of my favorite Indian recipes!

20+ Indian Recipes
Over the years, I've become increasingly obsessed with Indian food. My husband and I got together and he showed me just how amazing Indian food could be. Then I decided to learn how to make it.The journey to being able to make Indian food was hard! I'll never forget the first dish I made. I decided to surprise my husband with chicken curry one night. He called on his way home from work, asking what I was making for dinner. I told him and you could hear how excited he was right away.I spent all day getting the ingredients, finding a good recipe online, and prepping the dish.When he got home, he expected to instantly smell delicious chicken curry when he opened the door. You could even see him inhale as he walked in. However, his face didn't show the excitement I was hoping for. He looked confused.He walked over to the pot simmering on the stove and turned his head.As we sat down for dinner he took a bite and oh so graciously asked what I used to make it. He said it didn't taste like his moms and he was curious if I used the right spices... First of all, my wonderful and amazing husband has learned over the years to never compare your wife's cooking to his mothers!No one wants to hear that after she spent hours cooking, but over the years I realized just how right on he was!I found an American version of chicken curry and even used a curry powder I found at a local grocery store. I used the wrong type of chicken, the wrong spices, and it took 20 minutes compared to the hours of simmering traditional chicken curry needs.The simple answer is you need to find a delicious traditional recipe if you're looking to taste authentic Indian recipes.

20+ Of My Favorite Indian Recipes

I want to make it easy for you and to prevent you from finding disappointing Indian recipes online! Here are a few of my favorite Indian recipes that have been passed down to me from my in laws. They're delicious and simple to make!

Simple Indian Dinners

Almond Chicken CurryChicken Tikka MasalaBaked Tandoori ChickenSamosa Hand PiesTraditional Butter Chicken RecipeLahori Fish FryKarahi ChickenSimple Pav Bhaji (Vegetarian)Keema Curry

Sweet Indian Desserts

Indian DonutsVermicelli KheerMango Lassi SmoothieChai Spiced Donuts

Tasty Indian Side Dishes

Cumin Salad DressingGarlic NaanHyderabadi CabbageCoconut Green BeansCoconut Chana MasalaKhichidi Lemon RicePappu

Which one is your favorite?

Don't forget to PIN this round up for later!

20+ Indian Recipes

Read More
Chicken, Food Chicken, Food

Almond Chicken Curry With Utha

Almond Chicken Curry With Utha

Welcoming our first guests in our new home!

We've been in our new home for about a month now. It's been a crazy ride moving to North Carolina, but we're already loving it. This week we even had my sister in law and her husband come visit!Krystal and Will have been married for a little over a year now and also have an interracial marriage like my husband and I. It's been so much fun watching them navigate multiple cultures and seeing how eager and excited Will has been to dive into Indian culture.My kids have been counting down the days until Krystal-utha and Will-mama get here. They couldn't wait to show off their new house and spend time with some of their favorite people. The kids even planned out their whole time here!Almond Chicken Curry With Utha

Cooking With Utha

One of the things Liam was the most excited about was to help Krystal-utha make almond chicken curry!Trust me, it's as good as it sounds! If you've had Indian food before, chances are you've tried chicken curry. This dish has a little twist to traditional chicken curry because my sister in law adds a few unique ingredients.I love learning how to make different Indian dishes because the person making it always has a unique touch. My mother in law uses coconut in her chicken curry and my father in law uses tamarind. They're all delicious but you can always tell who makes it!Almond Chicken Curry With Utha

Liam is always my little chef in the kitchen.

He wants to know how to make everything and always asks to try it on his own. It makes me wonder if his passion for food will turn into something as he gets older.Although right now he's decided on becoming an astronaut!The whole time his Krystal-utha was making her almond chicken curry, he wanted to know why. Why are you adding the onions now? Why do you add so much chili powder?Why is it so hot?Almond Chicken Curry With Utha

Baby Luke couldn't help but join in on the fun.

He started asking what he could touch. He was dying to touch the chicken because it was the one thing Krystal-utha asked him not to! As you can tell, the temptation was just too much to handle!All in all it was a special bonding moment for all of them. Liam and Luke were able to learn a few things about cooking a traditional Indian dish, Utha got to spend quality time with her boys, and we were all blessed with a delicious dinner!

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:15] Almond Chicken Curry With Utha

Read More
Chicken, Food, Sponsored Chicken, Food, Sponsored

Baked Chicken Tandoori Recipe

Are you looking for a healthy recipe to try out for dinner this week? This bakes chicken tandoori dish is just what you're looking for! Get the recipe below. 

Baked Chicken Tandoori Recipe

This post is sponsored by Shan Foods. As always all opinions are my own. 

Simple Dinner For A Busy Family

Yesterday morning the family and I woke up and were surprised to see our yard covered in snow! I thought I moved away from the freezing cold, but North Carolina decided to throw us a curveball. Although the snow here is completely different than snow in Chicago.We went to church with a snow covered house and came back to no snow at all! Within just a few short hours the snow had melted and we were back to normal.Even though the snow was gone, it was still chilly outside. I started racking my brain to think of the perfect warm dish to prepare for dinner.Then it came to me. Tandoori Chicken...Baked Chicken Tandoori RecipeAdmit it... You're mouth is watering! This is such a simple dish. You can fire up your grill and make it while enjoying the sun shine or you can bake it in the oven. I've prepared it both ways and either way it's delicious!We serve ours with fresh red onions, raita, and way too much rice.The kids immediately flocked to the kitchen when they started smelling fresh tandoori chicken baking in the oven.Baked Chicken Tandoori RecipeTandoori chicken is a popular dish in our house.The kids quickly devour their first helping and beg for more. If we get to the last piece, they all start fighting over it. Even daddy jumps in and tries to plead his case on why he deserves the last piece of chicken.He usually loses and somehow the baby gives everyone a look that seals his fate and he enjoys the last piece.Baked Chicken Tandoori Recipe[amd-yrecipe-recipe:13]

Have you ever tried Tandoori Chicken?

Read More

Celebrating Holi By Making It Colorful

Are you looking for ways to celebrate Holi this year? Here is a great list of activities and a delicious Indian donut recipe to help you #makeitcolorful
How To Teach Your Family About Holi

This post is brought to you by Tea India. As always all opinions are my own. 

How You Can Celebrate Holi

As spring is approaching, many Indian families around the world are getting excited. It means it's almost time for Holi, the Festival of Colors! This holiday has been making its way to the US as some colleges are even starting to celebrate it on their own!It's an opportunity for people to put down their differences and have some fun! During Holi week kids play pranks, colorful powder is thrown (or a color war if you're in our house!), and people are celebrating good over evil.As multicultural families, this holiday may look different to all of us. You may not know about the religious background to the holiday and that's ok. This is a great opportunity to teach your family about the world around them.As parents, we're raising global citizens. We have the opportunity to challenge hate and racism in the world by informing our kids. We can teach our kids about different holidays, customs, and ways of life. Holi is the perfect holiday to teach your kids about!It's all about love and celebration.

How To Teach Your Family About Holi
We've recently been teaching our kids about Holi. As a Christian family, we don't always celebrate all the holidays in India, but Holi is one of our favorites.

Colorful Activities

Another name for Holi is the Festival of Colors so as you can imagine, it's all about color! The time of year it's celebrated alone is all about flowers blooming and life starting fresh.There are so many ways you can teach your family about the Festival of Colors. Here are a few activities my kids love doing around this time of year.

How To Celebrate Holi With The Whole Family
The point behind the activities is to make your life colorful! Find new ways to bring a bit more color into your home and daily routine.

Good Food

One of my family's traditions during Holi week is to prepare a delicious batch of Indian donuts. They're super fun and easy to make with the whole family! I swear my kids have a different sense just for Indian donuts because the second they smell them cooking they come running!

Indian Donuts Recipe
[amd-yrecipe-recipe:12]

Celebrate Holi With Tea India

I've joined with Tea India today to see how we can help you #makeitcolorful! Whether this is your first time celebrating Holi or your family does every year, we want to see how you're celebrating!Be sure to share your traditions and don't forget to tag us!

A post shared by Brittany (@almostindianwife) on

Are you looking for a way to authentically experience Holi this year? Pick up Tea India's Chai moments! Their delicious, single serving drinks are the perfect way to experience Holi this year.I start most of my mornings off with a cup of their Chai Moments Milk Tea. They're so easy to make and even my husband loves how authentic every taste is!Learn more about Tea India's fresh and new products by following them today! You may even see us pop up on their feed!

Facebook/ Website/ Twitter/ Instagram

Read More

Vermicelli Kheer Recipe

This post is sponsored by Shan Foods. As always opinions are my own. 

The Dessert My Family Can't Get Enough Of

Dessert in my house is my children's family meal... Wait. No, that's a lie. It's my whole family's favorite meal!We look forward to it because we always make something delicious. It used to be once a week or so and now we have fun creating our little dessert concoctions each night.I love preparing the dishes with my kids. It's probably because I have countless memories making dessert with my mom as a kid. She was a single mom at the time and she knew how to make it special. We would make cookies, eagerly waiting to lick the beaters.Now, I get to carry on these same traditions with my little boys.

Simple Vermicelli Kheer Dessert

Dessert overall is delicious, but Indian desserts... Come on. They're delicious!Lately we've been making kheer. It's a delicious and simple to make Indian rice pudding. You can make it with rice or vermicelli like we do.The best part is the day after we make it. We usually make enough for one night and a bit extra. The next day everyone starts hiding the leftovers in the fridge and by everyone I'm including my husband! He and the kids start hiding it behind whatever they can in the fridge so the rest of them thinks it's gone.Then the lucky winner sits down with a cold bowl of vermicelli kheer while the rest of them gawk and beg for a bite!

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:11]

Shan Foods Makes It Simple!

When my husband and I first got married, I had every intention of making Indian food frequently throughout the week. Sadly, the reality was much different. Traditional Indian dishes can take hours or even an entire day to prepare.As a busy momma to three little ones, I just didn't have the time. I needed help. Then I discovered Shan Foods.They make it possible for anyone to make traditional Indian dishes in no time! A few of our favorites are pav bhaji, karahi chicken, butter chicken, and lahori fish fry.

Follow Shan Foods Today

Facebook/ Twitter/ Instagram

Read More

Enjoy Family Dinner With An Indian Fusion Cucumber Salad!

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MangiaTonight #CollectiveBias
Enjoy Family Dinner With A Cumin Cucumber Salad!

Dinner Time Is More Than Just A Meal

At the end of the day families start to wind down and put dinner on the table. Whether it's just you and your spouse or the entire family, dinner time is special.It's one thing most cultures across the globe agree on. Since marrying into an East Indian family, I've seen just how important meals are. Everything is created around them.Special events, birthday parties, engagement ceremonies..You name it and I bet you it's tied in with a big family meal. Dinner time isn't just about food, it's about community.

Enjoy Family Dinner With A Cumin Cucumber Salad!

Creating memories together as a family.

As my kids are getting older, I'm finding it harder to have one on one time with them. We get so busy throughout the day with our own tasks that we forget to take time to spend with one another. It only gets more difficult as children get older.This is exactly why dinner time in our family is something we fight for. It would be easy to set up dinner in front of the TV and just relax from the chaotic day, but we choose not to. We choose to turn everything off and enjoy dinner together.It's the one time during the day that I have my children's undivided attention and they have mine.We've created memories around our dinner table. I look at it and see giggling children, silly conversations, and a happy family.Don't let life distract you from making memories with your family.What do you do during dinner time? Do you sit around the dinner table talking about your day? Do you ask silly questions like we do?

Enjoy Family Dinner With A Cumin Cucumber Salad!

On The Table Tonight

Tonight, my family is enjoying delicious Bertolli® Chicken Florentine and Farfalle pasta served with a cumin and lemon cucumber salad. Can you say yum?!The best part of dinner tonight is that most of it is done for me! Bertolli® understands how busy families get and they don't want anything getting in the way of dinner time with the family. We picked up their family size pasta and simply had to fry it up on the stove.Within minutes it was done and the family started rushing into the kitchen asking what I was making.I even kicked things up a notch by adding in a refreshing salad.

Enjoy Family Dinner With A Cumin Cucumber Salad!
[amd-yrecipe-recipe:10]
 

Bring Bertolli® Into Your Home

Bertolli® understands how important meals are to the family. Their slogan even drives the message home!Don't just eat. Mangia! Enjoy Family Dinner With A Cumin Cucumber Salad!Mangia means eat in Italian. They're reminding families that dinner isn't just about good food. It's about having fun with your family and eating together.

Enjoy Family Dinner With A Cumin Cucumber Salad!
Head over to your local Kroger store today and pick up your own Bertolli® pasta dishes! If you pick them up in the month of February you'll see the lowest prices of the year!Not to mention, Kroger stores are family friendly! My kids beg me to go! They pick out their kid racing cart or they even offer little carts kids can push around!Enjoy Family Dinner With A Cumin Cucumber Salad!

** Kroger owns the following stores: Dillon, Fred Meyer, Fry's, Gerbes, City Market, Kessel, King Soopers, Quality Food Centers, Ralphs, Smith's. Also Cala Foods, Bell Markets, Owen's, Jay C, Pay Less, Food 4 Less, Hilander, Marianos.**

Bertolli® is a registered trademark of R&B Foods, Inc., used under license.

Pin For Later

Indian Fusion Cucumber Salad

Read More

Samosa Hand Pies Recipe

Are you looking for a quick and simple snack? You're in the right place! These samosa hand pies are delicious and simple to make!

Samosa Hand Pies Recipe

The Perfect On The Go Snack

Over the last few years my day to day routine has become extremely chaotic. There are so many pieces to the puzzle throughout the day. I can't just pick up and go whenever I feel like it. Now, I have to plan out the whole day and decide on how many diapers I need, how many changes of clothes for the "uh-oh moments," and of course snacks.Snacks are one of the most important things... according to my three boys!If I don't bring a quick on the go snack, they end up "starving" and begging me to buy every snack they see.I'm sure those of you with kids in school, multiples like us, or working parents fully understand! The moment you pick them up they're hungry! They're looking to see what goodie you brought them.Or maybe you're trying to find a quick snack in between sports practices or ballet?Easy To Make Samosa Hand Pies

Simple Samosa Hand Pies

I've got you covered! I have the perfect on the go snack! You can whip up a delicious batch of Samosa Hand Pies! These little pockets of goodness are so easy to make and they're a fun twist on your every day meals.Our family is obsessed with samosas! They're traditionally served as an appetizer and look more like triangle pockets. It's also our go to appetizer every time we go out to an Indian restaurant with the kids! The only problem we ran into with traditional samosas is that they were a little tricky as an on the go snack.These little samosa hand pies are the perfect on the go meal! You can make them smaller like we did today or larger for a tasty lunch.The filling is what makes these little beauties so amazing. You can fill them up with meat and veggies or just veggies! Either way they're tasty!One of our favorite things to serve our Samosa Hand Pies with is cilantro chutney. YUM.Easy Samosa Hand Pies Recipe[amd-yrecipe-recipe:8]Cilantro Chutney Recipe

What's your favorite on the go snack?

Read More

Start Your Day With A Mango Lassi Smoothie!

Simple Mango Lassi Recipe

Hectic Mornings And Mango Lassi!

Growing up, I never had the title of a Morning Person. I would sleep in as long as humanly possible, giving myself the exact amount of time I needed to get ready. Every minute of sleep counted and I did everything in my power to get as many as I could!Then it all changed the day I had my first son.As a mother, mornings are a whole different ball game. You don't just have to get yourself ready every morning, you have to get all the little people in your house ready! Not to mention help your husband find everything he can't seem to find on his own...In addition to getting them dressed, reminding them to keep their clothes on, you have to make breakfast!Most mornings in our house mean cereal. It's quick and easy. Not to mention my oldest can pour his own bowl! The day he learned to do that was a huge day in our family!The problem with quick breakfasts like cereal is that it's not always the most nutritious way to start of your kid's day. They need to have a rich breakfast that will help them get the energy they need at school or to get their day going at home.I started talking to my mother in law as well as my husband's Pinnis. I asked them what they give to their kids for good and nutritious breakfasts and their idea was just what we needed!They whip up simple mango lassis!Think mango smoothie, triple the taste, and that's what you get when you make a mango lassi. It's one of my favorite little pick me ups during the day and it's so good for you!

Simplify Your Mornings With BelVita Biscuits

We started whipping these up every morning and serve it with BelVita biscuits. It's great because they give our kids everything they need to start off their mornings! My favorite part... it's as quick as cereal and way better for you!I've had Mango Lassi smoothies in the past,  but I always assumed they would be way too hard to make at home. If only I would have known how easy they were! My kids are obsessed with them! They used to associate them with their Umamma's house and now they think I'm the greatest mom for learning how to make them!Two mom points for me![amd-yrecipe-recipe:4]

Our family couldn't imagine surviving our day without BelVita breakfast biscuits! They're delicious first of all. My favorite is the cinnamon brown sugar. Don't take my word for it, go and try them for yourself! Pick them up at your local Walmart and serve it with your own mango lassi!

What is your favorite BelVita Biscuit flavor?

Read More
Chicken, Food, Sponsored Chicken, Food, Sponsored

Traditional Butter Chicken Recipe

Are you looking for a delicious chicken dish to warm you up over the holidays? If so I have the perfect meal for you! Butter chicken!Traditional Butter Chicken Recipe

This post is sponsored by Shan Foods. As always all opinions are my own. 

Winter Friendly Dishes To Warm You Up

Over the last few weeks, we have received about ten inches of snow! This means it's going to be a white Christmas! I've always loved this season. Probably because cold weather brings about some of my favorite things. I love cozying up in front of the fireplace, scarves, boots, and above all yummy dishes that warm you up from the inside out.

My family has loved all the tasty dishes we've been cooking up. A few of the dishes we've been cooking up are Pav Bhaji, Karahi Chicken, and Lahori Fish.

Traditional Butter Chicken Recipe

Last night we whipped up Butter Chicken! I can always tell when my family likes something I make based on what they do after their first plate is finished. If they struggle to eat the first plate I know the dish wasn't a success. However, if they ask for seconds I start doing a little happy dance!

My whole family was begging for seconds last night!

Traditional Butter Chicken Recipe

I love this dish because it only took me 45 minutes to make! Shan Foods designs their spice packs for busy families! Anyone can whip up traditional Indian dishes using their mixes. Whether you're in college trying to make something simple or you're just plain busy and need something quick to make Shan Foods is perfect for you!

This month they even have a killer deal perfect for every family! You can buy 3 Shan Food's Packets and get 1 free!

Traditional Butter Chicken Recipe

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:5]

See The Video Tutorial Here

Pin This For Later

Traditional Butter Chicken Recipe

Be sure to follow Shan to stay updated on their new recipes and great deals!

Read More
Fish, Food, Sponsored Fish, Food, Sponsored

Lahori Fish Fry Recipe

It's that time of the month again, which can only mean one thing... A new recipe featuring delicious Shan Food spices! Our last two recipes have been Pav Bhaji and Karahi Chicken. Which one has been your favorite so far?

Lahori Fish Fry Recipe

This post is sponsored by Shan Foods. As always all opinions are my own. 

My Kids Have Been Waiting For Lahori Fish!

Growing up I was never a big fan of fish. The texture and the idea of it just freaked me out. Then it all changed while I was pregnant with my second son. I craved it all day long! I even went to an OB appointment demanding to know the type of fish I could have and exactly how much because I knew I'd eat every bit I could.I'm not as obsessed as I was while pregnant, but my love for fish was sparked. I realized it wasn't that I didn't like fish it was that I needed to have it made just right!This is why I was so excited when I saw that Shan Foods had a fish fry box! I picked it up right away and showed my boys, who then proceeded to beg me to make it for dinner!

Lahori Fish Fry Recipe
I couldn't believe just how easy it was to prepare! The kids even decided to get their hands a little dirty and help me get it ready!It has quickly become a family favorite in our house and the kid are already asking when momma's going to make it again!
Lahori Fish Fry Recipe

Lahori Fish Recipe

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:6]

*All Shan Foods boxes can be found at your local Indian grocery store*

Pin For Later

Lahori Fish Fry Recipe
 

Read More
Chicken, Food Chicken, Food

Karahi Chicken: Indian Spiced Chicken Recipe

As promised, I'm back with more delicious Indian recipes from Shan Foods! Last month I shared their tasty Pav Bhaji recipe with you and it was a hit! I've had many of you tell me you tried it and loved it! I can't wait to hear what you think of Karahi Chicken!

 

Karahi Chicken: Indian Spiced Chicken Recipe

 

This post is sponsored by Shan Foods. As always all opinions are my own. 

I've developed such a deep love for Indian food over the years. I love all the spices that are infused with each bite.

The ability to learn about my husband's culture through food has been what fueled my love. I wanted to learn how to make Indian food so that my husband could share his memories of it growing up and start our own memories with our kids.

Karahi Chicken: Indian Spiced Chicken RecipeMy kids are obsessed with Indian food and ask for it everyday! The hard thing is that traditional Indian food can take hours to prepare. With three kids and a traveling spouse, I rarely have the time.Karahi Chicken: Indian Spiced Chicken Recipe

This is why I love Shan Foods! They have made it so easy! Instead of hours it's done quickly! Not to mention it's so easy! They've done all the hard work and have given us traditional Indian dishes!

Karahi Chicken: Indian Spiced Chicken Recipe

Whether you're new to Indian food or have been making it for years, Shan Foods can help!

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:7]

*All Shan Foods packets can be purchased from your local Indian grocery store*

Pin For Later

Karahi: Indian Spiced Chicken

 

What's your favorite Indian dish?

 

Read More
Food, Vegetable Food, Vegetable

Simple Pav Bhaji Recipe

Are you looking for a quick and delicious dinner recipe to try out this week? How about Pav Bhaji! It's a simple veggie dish with an Indian kick!Simple Pav Bhaji

This post is sponsored by Shan Foods. As always all opinions are my own. 

Big News!

If you follow me on Twitter, you probably saw my big announcement! I just signed on to work with Shan Foods all year! This means you will be seeing delicious recipes each month!

Simple Pav Bhaji

Now, I have a nit of nostalgia when it comes to Shan spices. When my husband and I first got married I had no idea how to make and Indian dish. My first experience was horrible! I spent an entire day shopping for spices and prepping to make chicken curry. Let's just say my husband was excited all day and the moment we sat down for dinner... you could just see it in his face.

He was trying not to laugh because he knew how hard I tried, but wow. It was even the wrong color! Instead of finding a traditional Indian recipe, I looked online for the simplest one I could find. I didn't even go to the Indian grocery store for spices! I went to our local grocery store. Needless to say I learned my lesson.

The biggest thing I learned through it all is the importance of good recipes and authentic spices. Whether you have made a ton of Indian dishes or you're a novice, Shan Foods is the perfect thing for you. They combine all their spices in a simple to use package. They even have a recipe on the back!

I wanted to show you just how easy it could be and I was looking for an excuse to try out a new recipe!

Simple Pav Bhaji Recipe

This has become one of my new favorite Indian dishes. It's called Pav Bhaji and wow. Think Indian sloppy joes with delicious veggies!

You create your delicious Pav Bhaji mixture and then put it in a buttery bun. This dish is famous where I live and people go crazy to find the best rolls or buns to serve with it!

This is the time to pull our grandmas famous roll recipe!

Simple Pav Bhaji Recipe

Simple Pav Bhaji Recipe

Ingredients:

4 Medium Potatoes1 Medium Tomato3/4 Cup Green Peas1 Onion Chopped1 Green Chili1 Cup Cauliflower1/2 Green Pepper Chopped1 Tsp Cumin Seeds1 Tbs Ginger Garlic Paste3 Tbs Shan Pav Bhaji Spice Mix (You can order this online or at your local Indian grocery store)3/4 Cup butterSimple Pav Bhaji Recipe

Directions:

Roughly chop your potatoes and cauliflower. Add it to a large pot along with your peas and enough water to cover your vegetables. Cook until tender and then roughly mash. Set aside.In a bowl mash your green chili and ginger garlic paste until the chili becomes a paste. Set aside.In a pan heat your butter until melted. Then add in your cumin seeds. Cook them until they start to splatter or pop. Add in your ginger garlic paste mixture. Cook for two minutes then add your Shan Pav Bhaji Spice Mix.Add in your onions and green pepper. Saute them until your onions are translucent.Add your tomatoes and 1/2 cup of water. Cook your mixture until the tomatoes have been cooked well and the water has cooked down. You don't want a water mix, you just want the water to help cook the tomatoes completely.Mix in your roughly mashed veggies. Add salt to your taste.Voila! You're done! Now you just need to put it in a delicious butter bun and garnish with coriander, lime, and onions.

Save For Later

simple pav bhaji recipe

Read More