Naan Bread

My hubby and I have been on and Indian food kick as of late. Every chance we get, we sneak off to our favorite place, Shalimar Fine Indian Cuisine. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

While I never tire of Chicken Tikka Masala, Vegetable Biryani and Samosas, I can't get enough Naan. I love the stuff.

My obsession with the bread necessitated that I find a recipe to make at home. As luck would have it, I struck gold with my first attempt.

The Naan recipe that I used came from Manjula's Kitchen : Indian Vegetarian Recipes. I am looking forward to trying many of the other recipes on the website.


Naan Bread

4 c. flour
2 tsp. yeast
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar
2 pinches of baking soda
4 Tbs. oil
5 Tbs. plain yogurt
1 1/2 c. warm water

This recipe makes 12 Naan.


Dissolve the yeast in the water and let it stand for 10 minutes.


In the bowl of your mixer, combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking soda.


Combine the oil and yogurt in a separate dish.


Add the yogurt mixture to the flour and blend at medium speed until it resembles coarse crumbs.


With the mixer still running, add the water/yeast mixture. The dough will become quite sticky.


Switch to the dough hook and knead the dough, adding a little additional flour if needed, until the dough becomes soft and smooth.


Place 1 Tbs. of oil in a large bowl. Roll the dough in the oil to coat, cover and let raise in a warm place for 2-3 hours. The dough should be nearly doubled in size.


Preheat your oven to 500 degrees F. and place a baking or pizza stone inside. Allow it to heat up for at least thirty minutes. Manjula advises that the heated stone will come close to replicating the temperature of a clay tandoor.

After thirty minutes have passed, turn on the broiler.


Once the dough is risen, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 2-3 minutes. The dough should be soft and smooth.


Divide the dough into 12 equal parts.


Dust your work surface lightly with flour. Roll each piece of dough into an 8-inch oval shape.

Before putting the Naan into the oven, pat both sides of the rolled dough with lightly wet hands. Place two Naan on the baking stone in the oven.

Allow the Naan to bake for approximately 2 minutes, depending on your oven. The Naan should be golden brown on top.

I opted to flip my Naan and allow the bottom to brown for a little less than a minute.


Place the cooked Naan on a baking rack to cool. You can brush them with a little clarified butter or ghee if desired.

Follow the same process for baking the remaining Naan. It is a good idea to allow the oven to reheat for a minute or two between batches.

The process was much easier than I anticipated and the Naan turned out perfectly despite my lack of a tandoor for baking. I hope that you will give this recipe a try. You won't be disappointed.

Baguette with Brie, Honey and Black Pepper

The hubby and I took the boy on an action packed trip to New York City last month. We had a blast. You can read all about our trip over at my other blog. Just click on the September archives.

New York is a city that is known for it's amazing cuisine. One of the highlights, for me, was eating at Les Halles, the French Brasserie where Anthony Bourdain cut his teeth. The food was nothing short of amazing.

My boy, who ordered the restaurant's version of fish and chips, loved the whole dining experience. Since returning home, I have been asked countless times to recreate "that yummy appetizer."

Here is my version of Croûtons de Coulommiers rôtis au miel et poivre (Brie topped with honey & cracked black pepper). It couldn't be easier to make. I hope you will give it a try.


Take several slices of baguette and arrange them on a baking sheet. Top the baguette with a slice of Brie, a drizzle of honey and a grind of fresh black pepper.

Place under the broiler for a few minutes until the cheese is bubbly and the bread is lightly toasted.

This tasty bite has quickly become one of my favorite breakfast indulgences. It goes perfectly with a piping hot cup of coffee.

The Silver Spoon

The hubby bought me a new cookbook, "The Silver Spoon." The book, which is also known as "the bible of authentic Italian cooking," boasts over 2000 recipes. While first published in Italy in 1950, it was only recently translated into English.

The Silver Spoon is a virtual treasure trove of Italian cooking. It contains recipes for everything from basic sauces and marinades, to salads, soups, appetizers, pizza, eggs, vegetables, fish, meat, pasta and baked goods. Each section is color coded to make browsing easy. The recipes are simply written and rarely longer than a brief paragraph.

One of my favorite things about The Silver Spoon is that it truly captures the Italian perspective and approach to cooking. As I've mentioned before, my hubby is Italian. After we were married, I was able to spend some time cooking with his Sicilian grandmother. What a treat!

One of the things that surprised me was the simplicity of her recipes. This book captures that essence... Non-fussy, yet incredibly flavorful recipes that enable any cook to prepare a delicious meal for their family.

After browsing through the book for several hours, I am having difficulty deciding which recipe to try first. It would literally take me years to try them all. Maybe I should make that a personal goal. I can't think of anything more delicious.

Green Chili

Hello dear, ever patient readers. I am afraid that I have been terribly neglectful of this blog. While I am not one to make New Year's resolutions, I have decided to be more deliberate about posting recipes in the coming year.

To kick things off, I would like to share one of my favorites... Green Chili. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Being from Colorado, I love Mexican food. Sadly, good south of the border fare is in short supply here in the south. As a result, I have resorted to making it at home.

This recipe is so versatile, it will quickly become a staple around your house too. The Green Chili is delicious on it's own served like a soup or poured over burritos and other Mexican dishes. You can also use it to make a mean Huevos Rancheros.


Green Chili

1 large pork butt or pork shoulder roast
salt & pepper
garlic powder
1-2 Tbs. bacon grease
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 small cans diced green chilies
1/4-1/3 c. flour
2 quarts chicken stock
hot sauce, to taste
salt & pepper

Season all sides of the pork butt with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Place in a roasting pan fat side up.


Roast the pork at 350 degrees F. for 2-4 hours, depending on the weight. The pork will be nicely browned and the juices should be clear.


Allow the pork to rest for 15-20 minutes, reserving the pan drippings.

Heat a large pot over medium heat and add the bacon grease.


I know what you're thinking... "bacon grease?! Is this woman crazy?" Trust me, it adds a depth of flavor to the Green Chili that is well worth any additional calories.

Add the onions and garlic.


Allow them to cook until tender, approximately 5 minutes.


Pour some of the reserved pan drippings into the pot. It will add incredible flavor to the Chili.


Add the canned green chilies and stir to combine.


Sprinkle the flour over the onion mixture. Cook, stirring, for 3-5 minutes.


Add the chicken stock and continue to stir, making sure to scrape all the tasty bits off the bottom of the pot.

Reduce the heat and allow the Chili to simmer until slightly thickened.


Meanwhile, place the pork butt on a large cutting board.


Remove all the crispy fat from the top.


Go on ahead and pop some of that crispy goodness into your mouth. I hear it tastes just like bacon... not that I would ever eat that stuff.

Cut the pork into smaller, more manageable chunks. Using two forks, shred the pork.


Place some of the shredded pork into the now thickened Green Chili. Allow the pork to simmer in the pot for a few minutes.


Season with salt & pepper to taste. Add hot sauce to increase the heat to your liking.

To serve, place a little additional shredded pork in the bottom of a bowl. Pour the Green Chili over the top and garnish with a dollop of sour cream. Warm corn tortillas are the perfect accompaniment.