#SpicyChat Dishes of 2012 That Dazzled on Their Own!

In Ms. Child’s words: “This is my invariable advice to people: Learn how to cook- try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all have fun!”

Did I mention that I have been cooking since the tender age of 12? And each day, I strive to do a little bit better than yesterday. Striving to re-invent the popular and ‘expected’ taste. Yes, I am proud to claim that I am one of those people who ‘lives to eat or shall I say cook’. Cooking is in my blood and is as integral as love is to my well-being. That said, this year flew by as fast as a concord plane. Needless to say, there were few mishaps along the way, and few recipes that I didn’t have the time to share. Amongst the ones I did share, and were tried, tested, and adored by all, here is a compilation of the top 12 popular recipes from The Primlani Kitchen #SpicyChat Series. There is no specific order to these except that I have categorized them according to the courses.

BEVERAGE:

Blackberry Prosecco Freeze created for #SpicyChat tribute to Fourth of July with Blue Ice Vodka. Designed especially for ’21’ and older, this is the drink I would choose instead of dessert after a big meal or if I am throwing a summer pool party.

APPETIZER:

Empanadas inspired by my trip to King Arthur’s Blog and Blake Event – Hands down the most flaky and buttery crust ever. And the best part of King Arthur’s recipe for the dough is that anyone can create the perfect crust within minutes. All you need is KA flour, butter, and loads of TLC.

MAIN COURSE

#SpicyChat tribute to Fusion Cuisine was a Vegetarian Burger I created for vegetarians like my mom. After numerous trial and errors, I managed to create a vegetarian burger which the omnivores in my family were glad to devour too.

Inspired by from chilies by Gourmet Delights this Spicy & Aromatic Meatball Tagine received a standing ovation from my family. Beautifully seasoned spicy meatballs slowly simmered in a delicate melange of herbs and aromatic spices creating an intoxicating mix of flavors. Poach a few eggs in the divine sauce, and it is sublime!

The perennial questions, if you were to be stranded on an island, what food would you carry or what would your last meal include? For me undoubtedly it would have to include CHEESE, preferably Parmigiano Reggiano, Soccetterne, or an aged Mimolette. For cheesy lovers such as myself, I created a #spicychat Mac & Cheese with roasted poblano bechamel with goat cheese. Since I enjoy a crunchy crust and crave the creaminess, the textural interplay of walnuts and panko seals the deal, making it irresistible.

SAVORY SIDES

A permanent fixture on our Holiday Table, this Wild Rice Pilaf is amazingly fresh, flavorful, and healthy; the nutty flavors of the wild rice, earthiness of mushrooms, and sweet cranberries is a match made in culinary heaven. Another major advantage is that it is vegetarian and gluten-free.

Pizza, Pizza, Pizza! a slice of heaven! Be it thick or thin, one topping or a garbage pie, cheese or no cheese, white sauce or red sauce; there is something to please all ages and cultures in this little one slice. After years of practice, playing with crust, oven, temperature, and toppings I have finally created few of my own pizzas which are the ONLY pizza now my family eats. You will be surprised how EASY it is to create your own home made pizza and most of the cooking and assembly can be done ahead of time.

The creamiest Mashed Potatoes: The A to Z Blog Challenge on alphabet G got me to Garlic. So, here’s a question for the garlic non-lovers. Do you like butter? Have you tried roasted garlic? Huh! Did I manage to bewilder you? What’s the relevance between butter and garlic? Try this recipe and you will be hooked for life!!

There is nothing quite like waking up to the mouth-watering aromas of freshly baked bread. Needless to say that since my trip, King Arthur Flour has been stalking my dreams. I chose to make these Perfect home made Burger Buns – I particularly like this recipe is because not only is it easy and simple but it is fool proof.

DESSERT

I don’t consider myself a ‘baker’, that said to hone my baking skills I have been religiously practicing by creating sweet dishes, ranging from home-made burger buns to decadent layered cakes. The year 2012 has been quite an adventure in the baking arena. For my daughter’s birthday I made a 7 layer rainbow-colored cake, my husband I teased with an X-rated cake. Needless to say, I had to up the ante when my son’s birthday celebrations came along. Hence came the 12 Layer White Chocolate and Strawberry Cake.

Thirty layers of lacy, whisper-thin handmade crêpes enveloped in tiramisu cream kissed with vanilla sweetness, and crowned with cocoa and confectioners sugar. Yes, it is a slice of heaven in each bite. So for you brave souls out there, get your strong-arm and professional mixer out. This one is a ‘keeper’.

Home Made Oreos: I suspect once you try your hands at these buttery goodness sandwiches, you may never look at the store bought ones the same again, being in the Halloween spirit, I added orange coloring to the filling, feel free to play around with different colors and sprinkles…Let your kids join in making them too. It should be easy for them since the dough feels just like play-doh!!

“You’ll never know everything about anything, especially something you love.” ― Julia Child. That said, join me as I embark on a brand new year in 2013 and continue to nourish and nurture our mutual passion for food and all things delicious!!

Join Us Every Thursday at 8 PM EDT for #SpicyChat Twitter Chat to bring some spice in your lives! We Love to share ALL recipes. Simply add the #Spicychat hashtag to your link, we will RT and also add your recipes to our Pinterest Board. For more spicy inspirations, join our #SpicyChat FB Page.