Episode 7: Chef Aliya introduces Baked Chicken Tikka Wrap

After many yummy yet not so super healthy chicken dinners,  Aliya made some delicious and (drum roll every-one) healthy chicken  wraps.  Wraps were whole wheat, chicken was oven cooked with rub of Tikka Masala, onions, little melted cheese and tomato salsa.  I recommended that this or something similar (health and taste wise) should be part of our weekly diet replacing some of our fav oily friends ;)

I had three wraps and even after three I wasn't stuffed...neither had any "food coma" feeling which normally occurs after eating fried stuff.  

For this Chef Aliya gets healthy food award...  We are already talking about different versions of this wrap in future... 

Baked Chicken Tikka Wrap = 4 - Yummy 

Flashback: Strawberry "No-Bake" Cheese Cake

As we say good bye to summer, I think back to my birthday and backyard party.  In both occasions Aliya made cheese cake, the one where you don't have to bake.  I actually never realized one existed and would taste as good or even better as baked one.

Taste was light, texture excellent, and it came out close to perfect.  Here is a link to Martha Stewart's site... similar recipe (http://www.marthastewart.com/858246/no-bake-cheesecake)

Cheese Cake Birthday (Bottom) = 3 - Love it 

Cheese Cake Backyard Party (Top) = 2 - Close to Perfection

Episode 6: Chef Aliya's Recipe Share - Jalapeno Poppers

Tonight was a night of little bit of Spinach Potato, Lentil Soup and Saag (Mustard Greens).  Watched Storage Wars while eating, nothing special.  It was a break from watching Deborah and Raymond argue and then solve their nightly couple fights.

No food pictures tonight so thought to share what our Salt & Pepper shaker looks like.... yup a tiny replica of the Key West's Southernmost Point Buoy, a Marker monument where I have taken many pictures during my last 3 visits there.  I {heart} Key West! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southernmost_point_buoy) 

So here is THE recipe, hand written by the Chef herself for the yummy Jalapeno Poppers.  Hint: Leave the Jalapeno seeds in :)

Enjoy!!!

Episode 5: You can't go wrong with "Lentil Soup"

After a day of carbs, or should I say weekend of carbs, it was nice to look forward to lentil soup and low calorie bread for dinner.  Aliya made delicious yellow lentil (Lens culinaris) and mung lentils (variety with husk/skin removed, served with good ol pickle and green peppers.  The lentils were topped with Aliya's signature oily bhagar (tiny chopped onion, garlic and ginger sauteed in oil).

It is one of my favorite foods, love the taste and its not so bad esp with all that protein in it.  Going with the health theme, we had fresh Apple/Carrot/Kale/Ginger/Lime juice with our meal and not so healthy side of Pakistani pickle swimming is red oily oil :P

Today's dinner entertainment was an episode of "Everybody Loves Raymond".  Nothing like watching a comedy show about a couple going thru daily life and arguing about pretty silly (& serious) things.

Yellow Daal = 2 - Close to Perfection

Episode 4: A night to celebrate with Biryani

Aliya and I celebrated a few things today to it was fitting that we eat like king and queen;  and that we did.  Mom made Biryani which was delicious and spicy, Aliya made fresh mint, chillies, yogurt and mint chutney dressing. 

We watched Shark Tank (http://abc.go.com/shows/shark-tank) over dinner and then I introduced Jerry Seinfeld's Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee webisodes (http://comediansincarsgettingcoffee.com) which led us to watch an episode of Larry's David's Curb your Enthusiasm.

Episode 3: A Night of Jalapeno's

We had a pretty busy weekend with a visit to American Museum of Natural History, walking around on upper west side and eating at Land West.  So it made sense to cook something quick (yet yummy) to end a good, slightly cool NYC weekend.

Aliya made remaining Jalapeno Poppers and I made some impromptu sauce.  We both needed some serious spices so I recommended to blend fresh unseeded Jalapeno peppers with Thousand Island dressing.  Aliya modified the recipe by replacing Thousand Island with Garlic Ranch.  That motivated me to make few sloppy joes (burgers that melt in your mouth).  I heated minced beef with cheese, lightly toasted Italian rolls in oil on a frying pan (secret ingredient to get the melt in your mouth texture), added mint chutney, onion and ketchup. 

Aliya commented that the burgers simply "melted" and she could eat a dozen.  I liked the creamy jalapeno garlic dressing, it provided a hot kick to the poppers and all in all we ended a really nice weekend with an amazing meal. 

Ratings:
Jalapeno Poppers = 2 - Close to Perfection
Azhar's Sloppy Joes = 3 - Love It

Episode 2: Creamy Spinach and Potatoes to start our weekend

Nothing like starting my weekend (and Fall 2012 season) with a good meal.  Today's dinner was Creamy Spinach with potatoes, served with Naan.  

I always ask Aliya "Did you put butter or cream in it"?  and her response, always, is "Nope". I ended up eating some of her Naan (Bread) and want more as I write this.  
  
PS: Today's Fresh dinner juice was Red Apples, Carrots, Kale, Ginger and Lemon.

Creamy Spinach gets a solid 9 out f 10.

09 - Close to Perfection

Blog Design Contest

We need votes on which design is better for our blog.  Look at designs below and vote on right. Contest ends Nov 4th 2012.

Design # 1

Design # 2

Happy Voting and remember Democracy Rocks!!!

Flashback: The Chicken that started it all

So where did all this motivation came to start a blog about Aliya's cooking.  

One day I went home knowing in advance that Aliya was going to make Chinese Chicken for dinner.  She was finishing her dinner prep and had saved 4 small pieces of fried chicken on the side for me.  I walk in the kitchen and before I knew it, I had one of them in my mouth.  The next 3 pieces of that yummy fried chicken were swallowed so quickly that I went to "fried chicken" heaven.  After dinner that night I asked her to just make just fried chicken for dinner one night.  

On Sept 6th 2012, Aliya made a batch of these yummy fried chicken, served with a side of Basmati rice/chickpeas, a small side of salad, lime, green peppers, home-made mint chutney and a Mean Green drink (fresh juice of Green Apples, Celery, Kale, Cucumbers, Ginger, Lemon)  .  

So there you have it.  My inspiration to start this blog... 4 small pieces of fried delights.

1 - Just Perfect

Episode 1: Nothing Like home-made Jalapeno Poppers!!!

Chef Aliya made Jalapeno Poppers today.  

Jalapeno peppers, melted cheese, cream cheese, crunchy breaded crust all wrapped up in one yummy treat.

Rating 8/10  -  Love It

Chef Aliya's Rating Scale

Cheers
Azhar

Chef Aliya Blog: What is it?

So why would I create a Blog about my wife's cooking.  Well for one thing, she is an amazing cook and secondly within the first 3 months of being married she has amazed me with the level of detail and wide variety of cooking techniques.

So every time she makes something I will blog about it, maybe post a recipe and give it a rating.  I know I know it is dangerous territory but I will take my chances.

Sit back and Enjoy
Azhar