Cool Down with Summer "Beets"

Attending a wedding in Atlanta in the peak of summer is tough, especially when it's outdoors. I sweat as though I was working out for 2 hours. What a feeling! Nevertheless, it was my friend's wedding and I wanted to be there for him. I bore the heat in good spirits and returned home to Jersey where the weather was a bit cooler. Since I've been back, the weather has been temperamental; hot one day and rainy the next day.
Don't get me wrong, I like sunny weather, but not when it's humid and/or sticky. What better way to cool down in the summer than with dishes made from yogurt like raitas. With so many varieties to choose from, sometimes it's tough to pick just one. One of my favorites is with beetroot. The creamy, slightly sweet flavor of the beetroot raita goes well with seasoned rice, Indian flatbreads and/or chips. All this talk of food is making me hungry. Well, let's start cooking...here's the recipe.

Interesting Fact: Beet root is also used as a dye.

Ingredients:

• 1 Medium Beet root, peeled and grated
• 1 cup Plain Yogurt
• ½ cup Low Fat Sour Cream
• 2 to 3 Green Chilies, cut lengthwise
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1 tsp Whole Cumin seeds 
• ½ tsp Salt
• 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
• 7 Curry leaves, optional

Procedure:

In a microwaveable bowl, add grated beet root and mix in salt. Then sprinkle a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Microwave it for 5 minutes or until cooked and then set aside. Add yogurt and sour cream to the cooked beet root and mix well. In a small saucepan, heat one tablespoon of oil. Once you feel the heat on your palm, add mustard and cumin seeds, curry leaves. When the mustard and cumin start to splutter, turn off the heat and transfer the contents into the beet root and yogurt mixture. Mix well. The beet root raita is now ready to be served. Enjoy!!

***Quick Tips:
Also check out Seasoned Beet root rice with carrots and peas. It's very tasty. We even added French's fried onions for a crunchy texture. 

Atlanta - Indulging In Sweets

Cracker Candy! Really? Doesn't that name sound a bit strange? At first I thought so too but as I started eating one and then two, I stopped thinking about it and just gave into the indulgence. Sometimes I feel we care too much about the names and less about the actual taste.

These remind me of black and white cookies! You know what I'm talking about.

The "candies" were crunchy, salty, sweet and simply yummy. We made these the night before I was leaving, so my friend packed me a goodie bag full of them for the flight the next morning. Isn't she so thoughtful!

I think it's okay to give into your sweet cravings once in a while. Give into your cravings and try it out. Don't let the name deter you from trying. 

Ingredients:
- 2 sticks Salted Butter (do not use margarine)
- 1 (12oz) package of Milk chocolate* chips
- 1 cup of Brown Sugar
- 1 sleeve or roughly 35 saltine crackers (can use Ritz crackers too)

***Preheat oven to 400 degrees***

Procedure:

1) Line baking tray with aluminum foil and arrange the saltine crackers into the tray so they touch each other, making sure there are no spaces between them.

2) Melt butter in a saucepan and slowly add brown sugar. Boil at medium to high heat for approximately 3 minutes until it becomes bubbly. (Hint: Stir constantly to prevent the mixture from burning.)

Immediately pour the liquid over the crackers and spread it thoroughly over all the crackers.

3) Place in oven for 5 minutes and then take it out immediately.

Sprinkle chocolate chips over the caramelized crackers evenly. Set aside for 5 minutes and then spread the softened chocolate over all the crackers. Place tray in the refrigerator or freezer until solid. When it is ready to serve, lift the candied crackers from the foil and cut/break into desired shapes.


***Quick Tips: 
- Dark chocolate may be substituted instead of regular chocolate.  
- If you want to dress them up with M&Ms, peppermint bits, and/or nuts, it's best to do it right after spreading the chocolate over the crackers (when it's still hot).