Stuffed Paneer


I was looking for variations in paneer and came across Paneer Pasanda Recipe on youtube. I really liked the way the dish was done, especially paneer stuffing and hence I came up with this one after few alterations to the recipe.

Stuffed Paneer
Ingredients
400gm Paneer
2 Spoon Raisins
1/4 Cup Corriander Leaves
2 Green Chillies
1/2 Spoon Maida
1/2 Spoon Corn Flour
2 Tomatoes
1/2 Spoon Jeera
1/4 Spoon Mustard
1/2 Spoon Turmeric Powder
1 Spoon Red Chilli Powder
1/2 Spoon Garam Masala
1/4 Spoon Jeera Powder
1/4 Spoon Corriander Powder
1/2 Spoon Kasuri Methi
1 Cup Cream
Salt to taste
Oil

Method
  • Cut the paneer into triangle shaped pieces - medium sized
  • Grate 3 pieces and rest keep aside
  • With the grated paneer mix, finely chopped corriander, finely chopped green chillies and raisins. Keep aside
  • For the other traingle shaped pieces, slit the paneer from diagonal side such that it gives little butter fly shape when slightly opened
  • Fill-in the stuffing of -paneer and raisins that we kept aside.
  • Mix maida, corn flour and water in a bowl to form paste
  • Dip the stuffed paneer pieces in this mixture and keep aside.
  • Heat oil in a pan and fry the stuffed paneer pieces in a pan over medium flame to light brown colour. Keep aside
  • In same oil, let the mustard and jeera splutter.
  • Add finely chopped tomatoes to this
  • Add red chilli powder, jeera powder, corriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala to this and cook till tomatoes are completely done.
  • After the above mixture cools down, add kasuri methi and grind it in mixie to get smooth paste with fine particles of black mustard, jeera and kauri methi visible.
  • In same pan add this paste and enough water and the fried stuffed paneer. Bring it to boil
  • Add the salt and cream to this and cook for another minute or two.

Notes
I didnt cook kasuri methi before gridning, and kept its quantity little higher which gave the gravy very unique taste.

Bread Sandwitch Fry


This is something similar to earlier posted bread roll but little different in shape and mixture and hence thought of posting it.

Bread Sandwitch Fry
Ingredients
8 Bread Slices
1 Potato
1 Spoon Red Chilli Powder
1/2 Spoon Jeera Powder
1/2 Spoon Corriander Powder
1/2 Spoon Aamchur Powder
Salt to taste
Oil

Method
  • Grate the potato and soak it in the water
  • Drain the water and mix add red chilli powder, jeera powder, corriander powder, aamchur powder and salt to it
  • Remove edges of bread and keep aside
  • Take a bread sice and just put the bread in water for a split of second.
  • Press the bread with both hands and remove the water
  • Fill in the potato mixture in this and close the edges giving it sandwitch shape
  • Fry it in oil over medium flame till brown on both sides.
  • Repeat for all remaining bread slices.

Notes
Do not over dip the bread slice in the water or you wont be able to retain the shape as bread will soak all water and it will become very soggy.

Jheri Jheri Aalu Bhaja


Last week when we went to Ohris for dinner - Bengali Food festival, there I had this and it was so soft that, ajoy and me, we both thought it was more like french fries. So Weekend when I prepared light food, I decided to give this a try. Output was amazing.

Jheri Jheri Aalu Bhaja
Ingredients
2 Potatoes
Salt to taste
Oil

Method
  • Grate the potatoes
  • Wash the grated potatoes and spread it on the tissue paper to remove the water
  • Heat oil and fry the the grated potatoes on medium low flame till golden brown in colour
  • Sprinkle salt to taste and serve

Notes
To get crispy bhaja you have to be patient and fry it slowly on medium low flame
Even after removing from oil it becomes little darker after some time. So do not over fry it.
Also putting the grated potatoes in the water immediately will help in retaining their color.

Palak Paneer


This is another dish to make ajoy eat palak apart from palak puri. I make it frequently but never thought of posting the recipe. But this time since ajoy suggested of same, I am posting it here.

Palak Paneer
Ingredients
2 Spinach
200gm Paneer
2 Tomatoes
5 Spoon Cream
1/4 Spoon Corn Flour
1/2 Spoon Garlic Paste
1/4 Spoon Ginger Paste
1/4 Spoon Jeera
1/4 Spoon Turmeric Powder
1 Spoon Red Chilli Powder
1/2 Spoon Jeera Powder
1/2 Spoon Corriander Powder
1/4 Spoon Kasuri Methi
Salt to taste
Oil

Method
  • Boil around 4-5 cups of water and keep spinach leaves in it for couple of minutes.
  • Drain the water and grind the leaves in mixie and keep aside.
  • Heat little oil in a pan and let jeera splutter in it.
  • Add ginger and galic paste, turmeric powder followed by finely chopped tomatoes
  • Saute for a while and add red chilli powder, corriander powder, jeera powder and kasuri methi
  • Cook on low flame till tomatoes are completely done.
  • Grind this tomatoe gravy along with palak paste prepared earlier adding enough water.
  • Boil this mixture and add the paneer cubes in it. Cook till paneer is completely cooked.
  • Add cream to this mixture.
  • Mix corn flour with 4 spoon of water and add it to the boiling palak paneer and its ready to serve

Notes
Adding cream and corn flour gives the thickness to the gravy. I didnt add only cream because then there wont be palak taste left in the gravy and only corn flour because then it would turn gravy very bland. Adding both gives the right flavour and thickness to the gravy

Meal Plan Week 2

Meal planning for this week has been an all new experience for me. I've discovered the blog $5 Dollar Dinners, and Erin makes supper for a family of 4 for $5 or less! Every night. Pretty impressive. I couldn't get over the price she was paying for items, and thought there was no way I could possibly do that. But I emailed her anyways and asked her how it's done. She has got great articles on her blog for how she saves money, but one of the biggest lessons I learned this week was to sit down with the weekly flyer for your local grocery store and plan your meals according to what's on sale. I discovered the weekly flyer for my Superstore is online as well as all the in-store coupons out for the week. I planned everything according to what was on sale or what I could get for cheap! Erin has opened up a WHOLE new world of possibilities for me.

Day 1: Pizza & Salad
I am EXTREMELY busy this day and found our favorite frozen pizza on sale for $4.97. Combined with a salad that makes for a $5.50 meal....pretty good.

Day 2: Creamy Chicken & Black Bean Enchiladas with Taco Rice with Corn and Black Beans
I found this recipe a while back and have been waiting for the chance to make it. My husband is all about Mexican food (I guess you can't really call this recipe Mexican), but I've never made enchiladas for him before. This meal will make a lot of food and since I work Thursday, planning to make it this night means we can eat leftovers Thursday.

Day 3: Baked Buffalo Wings with Veggies & Dip and Potato Skins
I found chicken wings on Manager's 50% Off Special this week...they are going to become an appetizer-for-supper meal for my husband and I. We are going to have a date, eat greasy food and watch a movie. I'm excited!


Day 4: Phyllo-Wrapped Salmon with Honey Garlic Sauce with Crispy Potato Pancakes and Broccoli
I'm using the "insides" of the potato skins to make the potato cakes (I'd hate to waste).


Day 5: Grilled Beef Kabobs with Yogurt Sauce on Pitas with Tomato/Avocado/Mozza Salad
Ground beef was on sale this week and our family loves Mediterranean flavors. I have a bunch of tomatoes and avocado's to use up as well.


Day 6: Chicken and Tortellini in Rose Sauce
This is a really good meal. I'm trying to use up all the fresh tomatoes I have so I'm making the rose sauce from scratch.

Garlic Scallion Noodles


Side dishes with personality can be hard to come by.  When I put so much effort into the main entree I don't want to be bothered by anything more than putting on a pot of rice or quickly chopping up some lettuce and drizzling over some bottled salad dressing.  These noodles have the ease of a being quick to throw together (less than 10 minutes start to finish) but you also get a blast of flavor with the garlic and the sweet/savory combination of the sauce.

This noodle side dish is a serious winner.

Recipe from Steamy Kitchen
__________________________________________________________________________________

Serves 4

7 oz skinny dry egg noodles (I found these in the International Food aisle)
1/4 cup chopped scallions
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
3 tablespoons butter

Soak noodles in cold water for 2 minutes. Drain. Soak in boiling hot water for 3 minutes. Drain. Use a fork to separate the noodles well. (if you are using thicker noodles than pictured above, read the directions on the package for soaking times)

In a wok or large saute pan, heat about 3 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat. Before the butter gets too hot, add the scallions and garlic. Fry until fragrant, but careful not to let it burn. Slowly frying on med-low heat will flavor the butter. Add brown sugar, fish sauce and oyster sauce. Stir.

Add the drained noodles. Fry for 2 minutes until the noodles are done. If you are using the thicker noodles - adjust cooking time. Read instructions on the noodle package.

Click here for printable version of Garlic Scallion Noodles
____________________________________________________________________

THE RESULTS?
*Pretty good. I have to admit that I have a shameful secret...I have been giving prepared garlic in a jar a try (I know...I know). I have been giving it a go for the last month or so, and while I do love the ease of use, it doesn't have the same fresh garlic flavor. It gets this weird, funky, vinegary flavor. I even tried making my own to see if that would help. Not so much. I just came to that conclusion tonight as we ate these noodles. I went against my better judgment and used the prepared garlic instead of fresh. While the noodles were good, I could taste that funky garlic flavor. Should have known! Anyways, I've come to my senses and decided to throw my jar of prepared garlic in the garbage.

So yes, the noodles were tasty, but I need to give this dish another fair shot. I will make it again using FRESH garlic cloves, and I might cut back a little bit to using only 2 cloves. I also totally forgot to buy green onions, so while this is a Garlic Scallion dish, there were no actual scallions to be found. They would have been nice. I did however add some chopped cilantro which gave it that pretty pop of green and a nice fresh flavor. I would do that again.

Oh! And did I mention they are super fast to make? Because they are. About 10 minutes is all it took. My hubby made these while I took care of the fish.  He's a good hubby.

*Updated July 29, 2011: I FINALLY made these again using fresh garlic.  AMAZING.  We all just kept eating and eating and eating.  The moral of the story is: always use fresh garlic.

Pecan Crusted Tilapia with Honey Glaze


My Dad is a big fisherman, so I've grown up my whole life eating fish. Now that I'm married, whenever my Dad comes to visit he brings me a couple packages of fish that he's caught and it goes into my freezer, so I'm never short of fish. My only problem is we've ALWAYS had it the same way growing up (and even now) - egg wash, and seasoned bread crumb mixture, then fried. It's delicious, but it doesn't really get me excited when I'm adding it to my meal plan. I'm always like "ah...fish again". For the meal plan this week I was really wanting to use up meat I already had in my freezer, so making fish was kind of a given. Only this time I was clever - I went searching for something a little different that your regular salt and pepper breaded fish. I found this Pecan Crusted Tilapia at steamykitchen.com and couldn't resist. It's essentially the same process as my tried and true method, only the breading has crushed pecans and the fillets are brushed with honey. SO GOOD!

I made the recipe exactly as is and wouldn't change anything (except cooking time; check my note at the bottom). It was extremely fast to put together...probably only 15 minutes from beginning to end.

Recipe from Steamy Kitchen
____________________________________________________________________

Serves 4

4 whole tilapia fillets, cut in half lengthwise - you should have 8 pieces about 6″ x 2.5″ each (I used 9 small perch fillets)
3 tbsp honey
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup crushed pecans (I used my food processor)
salt & pepper
3 eggs, beaten in a bowl

Honey Glaze: 3 tbsp honey mixed with 2 tbsp hot water
3 tbsp olive oil, for frying


Wash your fish fillets and pat dry. Using a brush, brush both sides of the fillet with honey. Generously salt & pepper both sides of the fillet.

Combine the Panko and crushed Pecans. Lay out your ingredients in this order: Tilapia - Egg mixture - Panko/Pecan mix. Dip the fish in the egg, coat with Panko/pecans on both sides, set aside. Repeat with all fillets.

Heat a large fry pan over medium heat. Add olive oil. When the oil is hot, turn the heat down to low. Add the fillets to the pan, make sure the fillets don’t touch each other. You may have to do this in separate batches. Fry on low for 2 minutes until the underside is golden brown. Turn. Fry another 2 minutes or until the fish is cooked through. Pour the honey glaze over the fish.

Note: if you don’t fry on low heat, the panko/pecan coating will burn before the fish is cooked through.

Click here for printable version of Pecan Crusted Tilapia with Honey Glaze
____________________________________________________________________

The RESULTS?

I served this with Garlic Scallion Noodles (also from Steamy Kitchen) and frozen peas/corn. This was such a great meal! My whole family absolutely loved the fish. I would DEFINITELY make this fish again. It was such a nice change from my regular savory version. It has a nice nutty flavor from the pecans and the honey adds beautiful sweetness. If you are trying to get your family to eat more fish, this would be a great recipe to try out. My 14 month old couldn't get enough of it. I think kids would be really turned on by the breading as well as the sweetness. LOVE IT!

*Note: While Steamy Kitchen says to cook the fish on low for 2 minutes per side, I found I had to cook it on medium low for 5 minutes on one side and 3 on the other to get it nice and brown. Could be the change in altitude. Just keep an eye on it because you definitely wouldn't want it to burn.

Changes

I've not only done an overhaul on the look of this blog, but I changed the name as well as the URL. Bare with me as I fix all the links that are now broken! I will try to get them all fixed as soon as possible.

-The Meal Planner

Benefits of Meal Planning

I love meal planning (obviously) and don't know what I'd do without it. If you currently don't meal plan and don't know why you should start, here are some of the benefits of meal planning:
  1. You will EAT OUT LESS
  2. You will have a plan so you will be eating LESS PREPACKAGED MEALS
  3. You will ALWAYS HAVE THE GROCERIES YOU NEED
  4. In turn, that means you will WASTE LESS GROCERIES (how many times have you bought lettuce or broccoli with the intentions of using it and it ended up growing a science experiment at the back of your fridge?)
  5. All these reasons means you will SAVE MONEY
  6. You will eat a VARIETY OF MEALS
  7. Eating out less, and eating less packaged garbage means you will be eating HEALTHIER
  8. Your FAMILY HAS A SAY in what you are going to eat that week -kids are more likely to eat what you have cooked for them, since they may have requested it
  9. AVOID THE ANNOYING "WHAT'S FOR DINNER?" - They can just check the list on the fridge
  10. Work around ALLERGIES (like wheat, soy, etc)
  11. Can PLAN FOR BUSY DAYS
  12. LESS STRESS – no pointless staring at the fridge and cupboards "What the heck am I going to make?"
  13. LESS TRIPS TO THE GROCERY STORE -which also saves you money, since there aren't impulse buys every time you go

Have I convinced you yet?! Meal planning is great....for SO many reasons. If you need ideas on how to get started go to:

How to Meal Plan - Getting Started

Tips for Better Meal Planning

Tips for Better Meal Planning

Once you've got your meal planning down pat, and you are looking to become a little more efficient, a little more organized AND save yourself money, you can try these tips and tricks:

1. Pre-Made Grocery List
You can buy these, but it's just as easy to make one (and more customized to you). I made mine in Microsoft Word so it separates the departments - Produce, Deli, Meat, Bakery, Dairy, Canned Good, Dry Goods, Toiletries, etc. and I arranged the list in the order we walk through our grocery store. I included items we shop for frequently, and left spaces for adding items.
  • Put grocery list on fridge, and mark things as you run out
  • When adding items to your grocery list it’s easy to just check it off or add a quantity beside it
2. Sheet of Paper on Fridge for Meal Ideas
Coming up with meals week after week can be the hardest part of meal planning. It's frustrating and can feel like a HUGE job especially when you are starting from scratch. Having a piece of paper on the fridge that you can add to all week as you get ideas will make it much easier when you go to meal plan.

  • Family members can add to it – helps kids to be more likely to eat what you have made
  • Whenever you come across a good looking recipe write it on your list and say where you've found it (internet address, pg # of cookbook, etc)
  • Whenever you get a craving for something add it to the list
  • Whenever you are eating someone else’s cooking and you love it, ask for the recipe, and add it to your list
This will take SO much pressure off you, and sitting down to make up a meal plan will take only minutes.

3. Organize your Recipes
If you don't have a system for your favorite recipes, you've got to get organized or sitting down to plan your meals at the beginning of the week will be a nightmare.
  • Keep them all in one place – computer, recipe index, etc
  • Make sure they are clearly labeled and easy to find
  • If you try a new recipe, make sure to figure out if it’s a keeper or not and file it away (or throw it away)
4. Correspond Your Meals to Specific Days
I didn't think I'd like assigning a meal to a specific day, but I was kind of forced to when I went back to work. Some days I am at home all day and can spend time cooking, some days I don't get home until 6:30pm so I need something with minimal effort. Assigning your meals will make this easier.
  • Write down each day and what meal you will be having.
  • If you know you will be busy on a certain day then plan to make a slow cooker meal, fast meal, make a big meal the night before and have leftovers on the busy day, or make something ahead of time like a lasagna that can be thrown in the oven when you get home.
  • You will know in advance when you need to take the meat out of the freezer, or if you have to throw everything in the slow cooker the night before, or if you have to make a make-ahead meal like lasagna, etc.
5. To Save Money - Meal Plan Around What’s On Sale That Week
This is something I have just started doing and it's AMAZING how much money you can save by doing this extra step.
  • Get grocery store flyers
  • If you don't get them at home, look at your local grocery stores flyers online
  • You will also find coupons online: You will either be able to print them out, or they will show you what in-store coupons your store has that week.
For example, if you see that ground beef is going on sale, plan a meal with ground beef as well as writing it on your list to get some extra ground beef (for later in the month).

6. Another Way to Save Money - USE UP WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE
  • Look through cupboards and find that lost can of beans – decide to make chili
  • If you bought a huge amount of pork chops last week because they were on sale, find a recipe to use them this week.
  • If there was an ingredient you bought last week but didn’t use it all, find a recipe that uses it up this week.

These tips and tricks will seem like its adding a lot more work to your meal planning, but trust me: In the end, you will save time AND money.

How To Meal Plan - Getting Started

From talking to friends who don't meal plan, and don't know how to, the thought of meal planning is DAUNTING! This is just the basics to help you get started. There are of course tips and tricks to make it more efficient as well as save you extra money, but if you are just getting started start with these steps first. You can always add the other tricks in later when you feel more comfortable with the whole process.

STEP 1:
Sit down with cookbooks or the internet and write down recipes (including your tried and true favorites that you don’t even use a recipe for). Include 5 or 6 different recipes.
  • Professional meal planner Sandi Richard recommends a 5-day meal plan, because if people “overplan” she says the plan falls apart. She allots the two extra days a week for eating out, or leftovers.
  • I personally can’t afford to eat out twice a week, so I plan a 6-day meal plan so that there’s the wiggle room for being invited to someone’s house for supper, having leftovers, etc. Something always tends to come up in the week, so I find 6 days of meals works well for us.
  • If you have a certain day of the week that you go grocery shopping (for example Saturday) then you will want to make sure you have enough meals to get you through to that day. We are flexible with what day we go, so my grocery day never falls on the same day of the week - we just go when we run out of meals.

STEP 2:
Look through the ingredients of each of the recipes you have chosen
  • What do you have in the cupboards, freezer, fridge, etc.
  • Put only ingredients you DON’T have on your shopping list.
  • Add to your grocery list other essentials that may not be part of your recipes – milk, bread, lunch stuff, etc.
STEP 3:
Go shopping for your groceries
  • Buy ONLY the ingredients on your grocery list - don't get distracted! No impulse buying!
  • The exception to the rule is if something is on sale for a REALLY good price and you want to stock up - such as ground beef, chicken, laundry detergent. (Meat is your most pricey item so if you get it cheap now, you can meal plan with it later.)
STEP 4:
Hang a piece of paper on the fridge with your 5 or 6 meals for the week and what they are.
  • Each day (or the night before) you can take out the meat you need for the meal you've chosen that day.
  • Cross items off your list as you make them.

Keep in mind this is only the basics of meal planning. If you don’t plan AT ALL, this is a good place to start and ease yourself in. If you start by adding too much for yourself to do, you will get overwhelmed and stop doing it. However, do take a look at Tips for Better Meal Planning and see if you can incorporate any of the tips without getting overwhelmed. They will definitely make your life easier.

If it seems like too much, just stick with these basics for a little bit until you feel more comfortable with the whole process. You will get the hang of it and then be looking for those ways to make your job more efficient ;)

Or if you really want to avoid doing the work of meal planning all together, I've posted my own meal plans, with recipes, and grocery lists...takes all the work out of it doesn't it? Just use my meal plan as your own. You know you usually have to pay for this kind of thing...and I'm just givin' it out for free :)

Linguine Alfredo with Smoked Salmon


My husband, myself and another couple went on an interesting excursion this summer and caught and cooked up some krayfish. Even though the boys caught over 75 krayfish we still only got half a small ziplock baggie full of crawdad meat. My clever friend Lisa thought she'd stretch the small amount of meat by turning it into a pasta dish. She created this alfredo sauce from scratch and I was in heaven! I've always bought the jar of premade alfredo (which is good too), but definitely not the same as homemade. I emailed her and got the recipe from her. She's like me and when she makes up a recipe, it's all by feel, tasting and stirring. She emailed me very loose measurements, and I tried to keep track of them as best as I could.

I used smoked salmon because I bought a large amount of it about a month ago when my husband and I made some homemade sushi. It's been sitting and waiting for me to use it, and I remembered my Dad used to make this dish growing up.

Be warned: If you don't like the taste of fish (or if you are on a tight budget), substitute chopped diced black forest ham (my Mom always used to do that), or sauteed shrimp. This will keep the meal quick and effortless. As is, this recipe takes about 20 minutes to prepare, so subbing in these other meats will keep you on the same timeline. If you like chicken, you could saute a couple chicken breasts as well (keep in mind it will be longer than 20 minutes)...or go completely meatless. It's pretty versatile.

Another substitution idea: This meal comes together really quick but if you don't want to take the time or the energy to make homemade alfredo (even though its really easy), by all means use a jar of prepared alfredo sauce.

Recipe from Lisa Kremer
____________________________________________________________________
Serves 4 very generous portions



Sauce:
2 cups cream cheese
4 tbsp butter
1 lemon, juiced
1 cup whipping cream
2/3 cup milk
3 cloves garlic, grated
2/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

3/4 lb linguine
Small pkg smoked salmon (about 1/2 -1 cup)
2 cup sliced mushrooms
4 green onions, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste


Put large pot of salted water on to boil.

In a frying pan on medium high heat, melt some butter and add sliced mushrooms and most of the green onions (save a handful of the green part). Fry 4 to 6 minutes until the mushrooms are browned and the onions are soft. Near the end of the cooking time you can add salt and pepper. If you add it at the beginning all the liquid will come out of the mushrooms and you will end up steaming them. When done, remove mushrooms to a plate.

In the same pan on medium heat melt butter and add chopped garlic. Saute for about 30 seconds then add cream cheese. Let this melt for about a minute or so. It won't be completely melted yet. Then add whipping cream, milk, and lemon juice. Let this simmer and keep stirring to get out the chunks of cream cheese. When it begins to thicken add Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste.

Add mushrooms back to pan, as well as smoked salmon chopped up (or sauteed shrimp, ham, chicken, etc).

When pasta is done boiling, drain and add back to the pot. Dump the sauce over top, stir together well and serve in a large serving bowl. Garnish with the reserved green onions and serve immediately.


Click here for printable version of Linguine Alfredo with Smoked Salmon

____________________________________________________________________

THE RESULTS?This is a really rich meal, so I lightened it up by serving it with a garden salad. My husband and I thought it was really, really good. It is very "smokey fish" tasting, so if that doesn't turn your crank make substitutions.

P.S. Did I mention my 14 month old loved this meal?

Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup


I work every Thursday and don't get off work until 6pm. By the time my husband gets off work, picks me up, and we pick up our daughter from the sitter, it's at least 6:30pm. If I didn't plan ahead we would end up eating fast food every Thursday! I have found the easiest way for our family to eat supper (without eating out) on those nights, is if I do a slow cooker meal. I prepare the recipe and throw everything into the slow cooker the night before, and put it in the fridge overnight. When we get up in the morning we take the stoneware out of the fridge and set it on the counter to warm up (you don't want to shock the stoneware by putting it straight into the heating element.) Before we leave the house, we put the pot into the heating element and turn it on low to cook all day. Then we come home to a nice hot meal.

Recipe from Sandi Richard - Fixing Dinner
__________________________________________________________________________________

Serves 6

1 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
3 carrots, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 19 oz can mixed beans
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp Italian seasoning (or 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp basil)
Pepper
1/4 cup basil pesto
1 cup macaroni
Optional: Parmesan rind (I save mine in the freezer for throwing into soups)


I did this part the night before, but you could certainly do it in the morning if you have time. The prep is about 10 minutes to pull it together.

Add onions, celery, carrots and garlic to the removable dish of the slow cooker.  Gradually add stock, tomatoes, mixed beans, tomato paste, spices, Parmesan rind and pesto.

Cover with lid and put the slow cooker dish in the fridge if you prepping the night before. Take it out of the fridge in the morning, let it sit on the counter while you are getting ready and then put in your heating element on low for 6-8 hours.

If making right away, turn on low heat until dinner (6-8 hours).

When you get home for dinner:
Fill a large stove-top pot with water and season with salt and bring to a boil. When water is boiling, add macaroni and simmer according to package directions.  When macaroni is done, drain and set aside. Scoop macaroni into bowls and ladle soup over top. Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese.

Click here for printable version of Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup
__________________________________________________________________________________

THE RESULTS?
This was a nice hearty meal to come home to (and cheap because there's no meat). You don't even notice the lack of meat because the soup is so hearty and filling.

I made the mistake once, of adding the macaroni right to the soup...this was fine when we had it for supper, but overnight the pasta soaked up what little liquid was there. There is NO liquid the next day. I would recommend keeping the pasta separate and adding to your bowl as you want it. This recipe makes a TON of soup, so there will be plenty of leftovers.

If you have the time, I think sautéing the vegetables in a saute pan first would add a lot of flavor.

Creamy Coleslaw


My Dad taught me to make coleslaw when I was about 10 years old. We've never used a bottled dressing - I guess when you've been making your own dressing for years, bottled really doesn't compare. I make this recipe by eye, and then taste and adjust. My measurements will be really loose, so I suggest you taste and adjust to your own tastes.

____________________________________________________________________

Serves 4 as a side dish


1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp mustard
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

2-3 cups shredded cabbage (or bag of coleslaw mix - so easy and takes all the chopping out of it. You also get red and green cabbage, as well as carrots)


Mix dressing in the bottom of a bowl. Taste and if it's too sour, add more sugar. Too watery, add more mayo. Too sweet, add more mustard or vinegar.

Add the shredded cabbage to the bowl. If there's too much dressing, add more cabbage. Not enough dressing, mix up a little extra.

(This is the worst, most loose recipe I've EVER posted! Like I said, I totally do this by feel and never measure anything. These are just my guesses.)


Click here for printable version of Creamy Coleslaw
____________________________________________________________________

THE RESULTS?
My husband never liked coleslaw until he tried mine when we got married. Now whenever we are going to make coleslaw he requests this. It's creamy and tangy. I love it.

P.S. I just heard back from my friend who I made this meal for, and she said her 6 year old even ate this coleslaw. She said she doesn't usually like coleslaw but she had two helpings....yeah...I done good.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches


A friend at church got really sick last week and is still out of commission this week. She has a family of 6, with 3 kids to take care of. A bunch of us got together and figured out a schedule to bring this family some meals. I took on Wednesday and as I said earlier, we were really strapped for money this week, so I had to figure out a way to make A LOT of food to feed this family of 6 plus our family of 3. I needed to use meat we already had in the freezer, so I came up with these Pulled Pork Sandwiches. I had a big 5 pound pork roast in the freezer that I bought on sale for around $1 a pound at the beginning of the month. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to use it up. What made it even easier....it's all done in the slow cooker. Can't beat that.

Adapted from Allrecipes.com
__________________________________________________________________________________

Makes 10 sandwiches

1 (5 pound) pork butt (shoulder) roast
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup beef broth
1/4 cup brewed coffee
1 tsp liquid smoke
Your favorite BBQ Sauce

10 buns


Cut roast in half. Rub each half with salt and pepper, and place in the slow cooker. Pour broth, coffee and liquid smoke over the meat.

Turn the slow cooker to low, and cover. Cook for 6 to 8 hours on low, or until the roast is fork tender.

Carefully remove the roast to a cutting board. Pull the meat apart using two forks. If it has cooked long enough, it should easily shred. Strain the liquid from the slow cooker and add about 1 cup of the liquid back into the slow cooker, along with the meat. Turn the slow cooker up to high. Dump in as much of your favorite BBQ Sauce to your liking. If you like it really saucy add lots. If not, add just enough for the meat to hold together.

Let the meat and sauce heat up for 15-20 minutes. You can get the buns sliced and the side dish prepared while you are waiting. (I served mine with coleslaw.)

Scoop meat onto the buns and enjoy!

Click here for printable version of Pulled Pork Sandwiches
__________________________________________________________________________________

THE RESULTS?
Steve and I loved this dish. Steve REALLY loved it. Come to think of it my 14-month old loved it too. We had made this dish before, but only using beef broth and BBQ Sauce. The addition of the coffee and liquid smoke gives it great depth of flavor. Steve loved the liquid smoke so much, he was sprinkling it on his own sandwich. I will definitely keep this recipe and make it again. It's a great way to turn a cheap cut of meat into a delicious meal.

Meal Plan Week 1

While I always stick to my grocery list and rarely ever stray from it (eliminates impulse buying), I will buy meat if it is on sale even if it's not on my list. Meat is the most expensive item each week, and if I can save money and buy a lot when it's cheap, later in the month I won't have to buy any meat. This week's meal plan I was trying to save us MONEY. Our budget for groceries was really tight, so I used all meats that we already had in our freezer. This eliminated a lot of expense because I just had to buy produce and dry goods.

I need to make a LOT of food for cheap and easy this day (I have someone else's family as well as ours to feed).

I'm working, so I want to be able to throw everything in the crock pot the night before and turn this on in the morning.


Day 3: Linguine Alfredo with Smoked Salmon
I had a craving for pasta and have a large package of smoked salmon in the freezer. I will use half of that and throw it into a homemade Alfredo Sauce (which I'm attempting for the first time ;)

I have a TON of fish in my freezer, so I'm excited to try this and do something new. Whenever we have fish, it's same old - same old.

Day 5: Spicy Sausage Linguine with Ceasar Salad
This pasta dish uses two kinds of sausage and has a fantastic spicy kick.

Meal Planning - A New Start

I have come to the conclusion that this blog is slightly useless. Although I'm sharing my favorite recipes, recipes come a dime a dozen on the internet and what's the incentive to make someone try mine? I'm finding my blog gets about 10 hits per week (that's pathetic!)...people don't care to frequent this blog, and I don't care all that much about posting to it.

I began thinking about what I enjoy about food, and recipes and the whole process of dinner itself. I am obsessed with meal planning and am constantly trying new recipes, scheduling out my week of meals and organizing my shopping list. It's literally the only area of my life that is organized. When talking to friends, I'm finding that dinner time is a struggle in their homes....that they are eating the same things over and over again and getting bored, that they eat out far too often because they don't know what's for supper, or they are resorting to boxed packaged meals because it takes the work out of dinner time. I'm assuming it's not just my friends who feel this way, and maybe if I make my own meal plans available on here, complete with recipes and instructions, grocery lists, and how the recipes turned out, I think that could be really helpful to a lot of people. I meal plan because I love doing it, but some people just don't have the time or patience to go searching through recipe books to plan their own....If I make my meal plans available, as well as the grocery list and recipes for that meal plan, that will take out most of the meal-time battle for a lot of people.

So here's to a new blog beginning!

In which I am a specimen

I am always amused by something or other when I go for for the annual medical examination (which, by the way, I do once in 3 years when threatened at knife point by my Gynaec). For me it is just a chore to be completed to keep my physician quiet for another year (or three) but when I look at the others in the same room I suspect that this may have a far profounder significance - like some sort of a war against disease or something. My amusement starts when I watch people deliver samples of urine and stools. Most people put them in plastic covers and then add a good length of BOPP tape to make sure that the contents don't spill out and then put it in another plastic cover which they staple neatly. Only thing that is missing is a gift wrapping. Outside the room for sample collection, they carefully unwrap the package and deliver the contents. It was the same this morning but even I was shocked when two Kissan Jam bottles emerged out of one such package - I was quite curious to know just what quantity the person decided to give for the test! I think he did not want to take any chances and brought the entire output of that morning!

Ultrasonography is technology's revenge on human beings - that scanner moving on cold gel applied over your abdomen, tickling you all over when your bladder is full is sheer torture. I usually go through it by switching off from my immediate surroundings and letting my thoughts wander to scenes which have nothing to do with water. Normally the doctor asks a few routine questions and goes about his business without engaging the patient in conversation. This one today was also the same but all of a sudden while taking the scanner over my navel he decided to ask me "Actually where are you from?" The question did not register initially and I blurted out: "What?"
I think when you lay on a table with your fat belly and all the abdominal tires exposed, you do not think of manners and politeness. Normally my response would have been "pardon?" or "sorry?" but I said "What?" As plain as that, and the doctor repeated the question. "Actually where are you from?' I do not know why he decided to ask me this question. was this his version of navel-gazing? or did my navel reveal something which made him suspect that I might be an alien creature or something? Did he suspect I was hiding something? I would never know but I gave an honest response and went back to wondering what might have prompted this strange question. Someday when and if I meet the doctor in more pleasant circumstances, I will perhaps ask him for an explanation.

Then came the mammography test. While I was in an unseemly state of undress waiting for the mammogram to be inflicted on me, the technician walked in along with three or four other young girls. I do not know if they are medical interns or apprentice technicians or just some school girls on a trip to the hospitals. I think it might be the last because one girl actually asked "ma'm , is the mammography test only for the breast or is it done for other parts also?" Can this be from a doctor or a medical student? If yes, I am worried about the future of humanity. Anyway, during the mammogram and the mammo sonogram which followed, I found myself becoming a specimen rather than a person who had paid through her nose for the test. Midway through the sonogram, the doctor would stop and tell the girls: "look at these lymph nodes. But presence of these does not necessarily confirm Cancer." And in my mind I would go: 'WHAT? Did she just say CANCER?" and make a mental list of all the things I should do in the little time I may have. When this went on for some time I wanted to protest but then endured it all in the cause of the medical profession. As my reward the doctor cleared my case as having 'no problem'.

Anyway after spending 5k and wasting 5 hours in a million tests, undressing and redressing a few million times, the doctor pronounced what was standing between me and perfect health : 9 kgs.of excess baggage, I mean body weight. As if I did not know that already. This is precisely why I am sceptical of these annual health check-up s (checks-up?) or whatever. I think it is a ruse devised by hospitals to make you pay and then become a 'specimen' on their tables to teach other interns and apprentices. Ok ok, not really but you understand my frustration, don't you? I have had a hard day, please don't argue with me.

Slow Cooker Butter Chicken


My husband and I are obsessed with Indian Food, and over a year ago we went to our fellow foodie friends place for dinner where they served us this Butter Chicken with homemade Naan bread that was cooked in their wood stove. It was INCREDIBLE. I have never before had a better butter chicken. I'm serious, not even at an authentic Indian Restaurant. It's THAT GOOD.

I made it this weekend for some friends who happen to frequent an absolutely incredible Indian restaurant in their city...I was hoping to knock their socks off, and I'm happy to report I did just that. I also just discovered an amazing blog called A Year of Crock Potting where this woman made a New Year's resolution to use her crockpot every day for a whole year. She documents and posts the recipes she makes every day, and has not yet repeated a recipe. I think this endeavor is incredible, so I emailed her a copy of this recipe. She was excited and said she would try it out...eek! Thanks Stephanie! You definitely won't be disappointed.

Recipe by Lisa Kremer
____________________________________________________________________

Serves 4

4-6 boneless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
1 onion diced
3 cloves garlic minced
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp oil

Stir fry chicken, onion and garlic in frying pan on medium heat until the chicken has some color and the onion is translucent. Then pour entire contents of pan into crock pot. Then add:

15 green cardamom pods (can be strung together with needle and thread - I always do it this way, and then a friend informed me putting it in some cheesecloth would be easier...good thinkin')
2 tsp curry powder
1 tbsp curry paste (like Patak’s mild curry paste**)
1 tsp cayenne powder (optional) It’s really hot if you add this
2 tsp tandoori masala*
1 tsp garam masala*
1 can coconut milk
1 cup plain yogurt
1 5.5 fl oz can of tomato paste
Salt to taste

Mix gently and cook on high heat 4-6 hours or low heat 6-8 hours.

*If you live in Canada you can find these two spices (as well as the cardamom pods) at Superstore in the International Foods aisle.

**I have also used Patak's Hot Curry Paste and it makes this dish have a good kick to it. When serving company (or kids) I stick with Mild.

Serve with basmati rice and warm naan bread.

Click here for printable version of Slow Cooker Butter Chicken.

____________________________________________________________________

THE RESULTS?
Hands down, THE BEST BUTTER CHICKEN EVER.

Butter Chicken


This is one of my favourite in the restaurants, Standard recipy, less spicy and yet delicious.. I had tried this a month back and it turned out amazing, but had not been keeping enough enegry to take up pics and post recipies, so when yesterday when I prepared this, I thought of posting this here.

Butter Chicken
Ingredients
300gm Boneless Chicken
2 Tomatoes
1 Onion
1.5 Spoon Red Chilli Powder
2 Spoon Corriander Powder
1 Spoon Kasuri Methi
1 Spoon Jeera
1/2 Spoon Garlic Paste
1/2 Spoon Ginger Paste
A pinch of Orange Red Color
1/2 Spoon Sugar
1/4 Spoon Tomato Ketchup
1 Cup Cream
4 Spoon Butter
Salt to taste
Oil

Method
  • Cut the chicken into rectangular pieces
  • Marinate them with salt, 1 spoon red chilli powder, 1 spoon corriander powder, 1/4 spoon garlic paste and 1/4 spoon ginger paste
  • Heat oil and fry the chicken pieces for 4-5 minutes. Keep them aside
  • In same oil, add jeera and let it splutter.
  • Add chopped onion, kasuri methi and remaining garlic paste, ginger paste, red chilli powder, corriander powder to this.
  • Add water and let it boil.
  • Add the finely chopped tomatoes and cook till tomatoes are completely done
  • Grind this to paste in the mixer and keep aside
  • In a pan, heat butter and add this paste and salt to it
  • Mix 1/2 cup of water and orange color and add it to the gravy.
  • Add sugar, ketchup and fried chicken pieces and bring to boil
  • Switch the flame to low and add cream and cook for 4-5 minutes

Notes
While adding the cream dont forget to switch the flame to low as otherwise it wont mix properly

Prawns Pulav


This was the quick and tasty pulav I cooked for Ajoy on saturday, when we were out of stock for all vegetables

Prawns Pulav
Ingredients
2 Cup Prawns
2 Cup Rice
2 Onions
2 Spoon Cashews
1 Spoon Red Chilli Powder
1/4 Spoon Turmeric Powder
1/2 Spoon Garam Masala
1/4 Spoon Corriander Powder
1/4 Spoon Cinnamon Powder
1/4 Spoon Cloves Powder
1/2 Spoon Garlic Paste
Salt to taste
Ghee
Oil

Method
  • Marinate the prawns with the red chilli powder and salt to taste. Keep aside for half an hour
  • Cook Rice and keep aside
  • Heat the Oil and fry the prawns and keep aside
  • In Same Oil fry chopped onions and cashews
  • Add Garlic Paste and fried prawns in it and cook for a while
  • Add turmeric powder, garam masala, corriander powder, cinnamon powder, cloves powder and salt to taste. Cook till prawns are completely done
  • Add the cooked rice and salt in this
  • Add the ghee from side and mix well. Cook for couple of minutes

Notes
I used around a spoonful of the oil for frying prawns and onions etc. and then around 2 spoons of ghee for the perfect flavour. Oil was exactly sufficient to cook prawns and ghee to mix rice with the prawns.

Paneer Pudina Tikka


This is another quick and yet interesting dish that I tried on friday for dinner. The dish turned out nice and we enjoyed it over breakfast too :)

Paneer Pudina Tikka
Ingredients
200gm Paneer
1/4 Cup Curd
1/2 Cup Pudina Leaves
1/4 Cup Corriander Leaves
1/4 Spoon Ginger Paste
1/4 Spoon Garlic Paste
4 Green Chillies
Butter
Salt to taste

Method
  • Cut the panneer into cubes
  • Grind pudina leaves, corriander leaves, ginger paste, garlic paste and green chillies with salt in the mixer to fine paste
  • Mix this with the curd
  • Marinate the paneer with this mixture and keep in fridge for half an hour
  • Preheat the microwave to 250C
  • Butter the baking tray and spread the paneer cubes over the pan
  • Bake the paneer on 200C for 5 minutes
  • Flip the paneer to cook on the other side and bake again on 200c for 5 min

Notes
These tastes amazing for dinner. For breakfast it was good but not as good as for dinner. So if you find that you have extra paneer cubes left then save them in fridge and bake whenever required.

Corn Aappe


With ajoy being back, I wanted to prepare something nice for him for breakfast, yet something that is quick. Then this recipe which my mom had told me came to my mind.

Corn Aappe
Ingredients
3 Cup Corn
1.5 Cup Rawa
4 Green Chillies
1/4 Spoon Ginger Paste
1/2 Cup Corriander leaves
1/4 Spoon Eating Soda
Salt to taste
Oil

Method
  • Grind the corns and green chillies in the mixer to form fine paste
  • Mix corn paste, rawa, ginger paste, finely chopped corriander leaves and salt to taste
  • Add eating soda and little water if required to make the paste consistent
  • Heat the aappe pan and sprinkle little oil
  • Add the corn mixture to this and cook on medium flame from both sides

Notes
The paste should be consistent like the idly paste to get the best results.

Date Laadu


Yesterday, while surfing through channels I came across this recipe and I instantly decided to try it out. The ingredients appealed me :) and I had them almost all available at home :)

Date Laadu
Ingredients
2 Cup Seedless Dates
1 Cup Cashews
1 Cup Almonds
1 Cup Grated Dry Coconut
1 Spoon Poppy Seeds
1 Spoon Ghee

Method
  • In a pan heat the ghee and add dates
  • Let the dates cook with constant stirring. Keep aside for cooling
  • Grind cashews and almonds separately and keep aside
  • Grind the cooked date mixture to form fine paste
  • Mix date paste, almond powder, cashew powder, grated dry coconut and poppy seeds
  • Form lemon sized balls out of this mixture.

Notes
The recipe is simple and fast one. Nice item for prasad

Paneer Sandwitch


Today I got an opportunity to experiment on different people and in different location :) Different people being mom and dad and different location is Pune, their place. I have come here for few days and taken over cooking so today for breakfast i just tried this quick and yet tasty item.

Paneer Sandwitch
Ingredients
12 Bread Slices
2 Cup Grated Paneer
4 Green Chillies
Handful of Corriander Leaves
1 Spoon Red Chilli Powder
1/2 Spoon Jeera Powder
1/2 Spoon Corriander Powder
1/4 Spoon Amchur Powder
Salt to taste
Butter

Method
  • Mix paneer, finely chopped green chillies, red chilli powder, finely chopped corriander leaves, jeera powder, corriander powder, amchur powder and salt to taste
  • Butter one bread slice and keep the buttered side facing plate
  • Spread the paneer mixture on top of this bread slice
  • Put the other bread slice on top of it and butter the slice again
  • Grill the sandwitch and serve hot
  • Prepare remaining sandwitches following the same method

Notes
Buttering the slice before putting the mixture helps in not spreading the mixture while transfering to griller

Heaven is a place where there are friends

There is this yuppy couple in my neighbourhood. Their life represents all the aspirations of today's younger generation - dream jobs in which they are successful; a large house fitted with the most modern equipment, art on the walls, dream kitchens (used by the servants and cooks) and elegant bathrooms, a small gym and a mini swimming pool in the basement. Their cars are large and one of the two, ofcourse ,is an SUV. Their weekdays are packed with them coming home just in time for dinner. Their children get the best of everything that money can buy. Only thing they cannot afford them is time of which they have so little. Their weekends are busy too with getting ready for the next week and obligatory socialising. They hardly know their neighbours nor seem to care. There are times they are face to face with you but forget to smile - either they are too preoccupied and do not recognise you or they are hurrying from or to something. They have two small children and this family of four uses the services of a cook, a live-in domestic help, a part-time domestic help, a driver and a guy who comes to walk and groom their dog.
Yes, a dog to complete the picture of perfection. And not just any dog - a dog from a line of superior dogs. He is a dog who loves people and craves human company. He is a bundle of energy, highly intelligent ( his comes from a breed of highly intelligent dogs) and a gentle soul with the sweetest temperament and of course a very alert guard. Like their kids, he gets the best money can buy - imported food, best veterinary care, shampoo baths in dog care clinics, an ex-policeman to come and train him. But does he care? No, all he wants is a little socialising - a little ruffling of his luxurious coat, a few minutes to bounce the ball to him and to sleep at the feet of his master. And he tries telling them that in the only ways he knows to communicate - he barks and furiously wags his tail to catch their attention every time they walk in and out of the house and all he gets is a firm "NO." When they are inside the house he waits outside the door, stretching his ears to catch any sound from inside and when they are out of the house he waits at the gate for them to return. Hoping perhaps that one day they will notice him and give him a hug. Not realising that for him they may be his family but for them he is just a worker.

And then last month, the man of the house had to leave on his new posting abroad. And so the wife and two children have shifted to another apartment they own just a km away, along with the domestic helps. And he is left all by himself to guard the house - they have employed a person to feed him, groom him and take him for a walk but it is heart-breaking to see him rush to the gate every time there are footfalls on the street outside his house. When I wake up I see him at the gate patiently waiting and when I go to bed he is there hoping they'd come and may be take him with them. Does he wonder where everyone has gone? Does he wonder why they have abandoned him?

I am reminded of Ulysses and his dog Argos. I think of a colleague who was transferred to Mumbai where he could not take his dog because of the apartment rules and his dog stopped eating and died in 3 months' time. I go to him and try to talk to him as often as I can but I can see it is not the same. I have been angry - the kind of anger which harms you because you are helpless to do anything about the cause. I offered to take him in or to find him a house but their response has been rather vague perhaps because they have invested so much and would like him to guard their house now empty.

Why do these creatures have to be so attached to their masters? Haven't they lived long enough with humans to learn of their selfishness and to expect a lot less from them? I think there ought to be strict laws on who can own a pet and their obligations towards them which should cover a lot more than just giving them the best money can buy. But then, I do not blame these people too. It seems that this is the way they treat people too, their own children and parents. Their way of expressing love and care is to buy expensive gifts for them. Only difference is people seem to be ok with it while dogs still seem to have different priorities. Too bad fellow, learn the rules.
Never get attached to one employer. This will stand in the way of your growth and progress.
Loyalty is passe. It is all about the best deal you can get for your services.
And above all, don't have high expectations from your masters. They are , after all, human.

P.s.: Ok, rant over. But I had to get the steam off my chest. This was bothering me so much for the past week that I have been rather depressed. I hoped to feel better after putting it down here but I don't. I suppose this whole situation could be just a matter of perspective - how I perceive it vis a vis the reality. May be the dog feels no such separation anxiety and I am just anthropomorphing my anxiety about the situation as the dog's. Perhaps he is happy to wait at the gate forever and has no perception of the passage of time. Perhaps he seems to have lost weight because he is gaining in height. Perhaps I am totally wrong about the situation, I sincerely hope so.
Further reading optional...

*******************************************************

This is an email forward that made me feel better . Read on and you will know why:


A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead. After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road.. It looked like fine marble. At the top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight..

When he was standing before it he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like mother-of-pearl, and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold. He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk to one side.

When he was close enough, he called out, 'Excuse me, where are we?'

'This is Heaven, sir,' the man answered.

'Wow! Would you happen to have some water?' the man asked.
'Of course, sir. Come right in, and I'll have some ice water brought right up.'
The man gestured, and the gate began to open.

'Can my friend,' gesturing toward his dog, 'come in, too?' the traveller asked. 'I'm sorry, sir, but we don't accept pets.'


The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued back the way he had come with his dog.


After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road leading through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed. There was no fence. As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book.

'Excuse me!' he called to the man. 'Do you have any water?'
'Yeah, sure, there's a pump over there, come on in.'
'How about my friend here?' the traveller gestured to the dog.
'There should be a bowl by the pump.'


They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old-fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it. The traveller filled the water bowl and took a long drink himself, then he gave some to the dog.


When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree.

'What do you call this place?' he asked.

'This is Heaven,' the man answered.
'Well, that's confusing,' the traveller said. 'The man down the road said that was Heaven, too..'
'Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope That's hell.'
'Doesn't it make you mad for them to use your good name like that?'
'No, we're just happy that they screen out the folks who would leave their best friends behind'