Lemon peri peri chicken and Mashed potatoes

There are many versions of making a perfect mashed potatoes. Most of the recipe do not add cheese but  I have added my twist to it with a cube of grated cheese. It makes the mashed potato cheesy and yummy for kids to eat!
I have used griddle pan to cook the chicken. Alternatively you can cook the chicken by preheating an oven at  200°C. Brush a baking tray with olive oil to grease. Cook for 1 hour or until the chicken is golden and the juices run dry when the thickest part is pierced with a skewer.

Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
4 medium size potatoes
2 tbs butter
1 cheese cube (grated)
4-5 tbs milk
fresh ground pepper
salt as per taste

Method

1. Wash the potatoes and pressure cook them till they are completely cooked. It may take about 5-6 whistles to cook the potatoes (depends on the kind of potatoes you are using)
2. Warm the milk and butter together in a microwave or pan on the stove. Peel the potatoes and put them in the pan. Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes. Add milk to achieve the proper desired consistency. Add salt, pepper and grated cheese. Mix well. Serve with Lemon Peri Peri Chicken

 Lemon Peri-Peri Chicken
Ingredients
1/2 kg boneless chicken breast (2 pieces)
olive oil to grease and for marination- 4 tbs
6 garlic cloves coarsely chopped
1 inch ginger coarsely chopped
Lemon juice 1/4 cup
coriander leaves or parsley leaves 1 tbs cup chopped finely
chilli flakes 1 tsp
pepper and salt as per taste

Method

1. Wash the chicken under running water. Cut the breast pieces into small bite size pieces.
2. To make the Lemon Peri Peri marinate mix all ingredients (olive oil, garlic, ginger, lemon juice, chilli flakes)  in a food processor. Blend well. Transfer this to a mixing bowl. Add pepper, salt and chopped coriander or parsley leaves. 
3. Marinate the chicken pieces by adding the Lemon Peri Peri. Keep for marination for 2 hours.
4. Heat a griddle pan. Brush the pan with olive oil. Add the marinated chicken pieces and change the sides of the chicken so that it is cooked evenly from all sides. This will take about 1/2 hour to cook. Serve with mashed potatoes.

Tri Colour Pasta in homemade white sauce

You can use any pasta of your choice. I particularly used this one because my little one likes the colors of this pasta. The sauce is made from wheat flour, therefore I call it 'healthy pasta'. I have added shredded chicken in the pasta to make it more yummy for kids! If you do not want to add chicken, try mushrooms, broccoli or corn to make it more colourful!


Ingredients
3 tbs wheat flour
1 tbs amul butter
1/2 tsp of pepper powder
milk 2 cups
Amul cheese cubes 2 (grated)
mixed herbs 1/2 tsp
boneless chicken 150 gms
tricolor pasta 2 cups (or any pasta of your choice)
salt as per taste

Method

1. Cook pasta as per the instructions on the packet. Add little salt and oil to the boiling water so that the pasta does not stick to one another.
2. Cook the chicken with little salt and shred it into bite size pieces. Keep is aside.
3. White Sauce-
   Heat a pan and add the butter. After the butter melts add the wheat flour and stir for a while till the color changes to light brown. Add milk and stir continuously. See to it that no lumps are formed in this process. Add salt, pepper powder, mixed herbs and grated cheese. The sauce will start thickening after sometime. Keep stirring continuously so that the sauce is not burnt from the bottom. If any lumps are formed you can use a hand mixer or blend the sauce by using a mixer. The white sauce is ready.
4. Take a microwave safe cookware and add the pasta, chicken and mix well. Add the sauce. Preheat oven at 180 degrees and cook the pasta for 10-12 minutes.
   
   * The white sauce can be stored in deep fridge for about a month

Wheat Ladoos

Is your kid a fussy eater? These wheat laddos are the best option to give them as a mid day snack. Wheat is a healthy option to use in making ladoos. I have also added **'dinka', almonds powder to make it more healthier for kids. My little one loves to take these ladoos to her school or eat it as a mid day snack

Ingredients
1 cup of wheat atta
1/2 cup of desi ghee  (clarified butter)
3/4 cup of powdered sugar ( as per the sweet taste)
dinka 1 tbs
15 almonds

Method

1. Take some ghee in a kadhai,  add the wheat atta and roast till wheat changes colour to light brown or till you get that heavenly smell of the atta getting roasted.
2. Make almond powder by using a mixer grinder. Add this powder to the roasted atta. Mix well.
3. Take the remaining ghee in a small pan and fry the 'dinka' till they popup and become crispy. Cool the 'dinka' and crush well using back side of a 'katori'. Add the ghee to the roasted atta, add the 'dinka' powder, powdered sugar to the atta and mix all the ingredients well.
4. Make small ball shape ladoos. Can store the ladoos till a week.

** 'Dinka' is edible gum in English or popularly known as 'Gond ' in Hindi. It is very good source of calcium and growing bones