Turn the cooking-and-serving-guests idea on its head and go all out with a cook and eat session with a few close friends in the comfort of your apartment, not to mention, friends with whom you share your love of food. There is something intimate about cooking together, not only does it make way for candid conversations, but also rejuvenates you by breaking the monotony. In such get-togethers, it is very critical you plan the menu beforehand and even run through the list of ingredients required so that there is no ambiguity over ingredients that are already available with you, and the ones that need to be bought. But don't get carried away setting an elaborate meal plan as you'll remain occupied doing the prep up instead of enjoying some light moments with you pals. It is not to say that you don't try out something new, only avoid making it too tedious for the gang of you.

 

For an occasion like that, an easy three course meal should be perfect. Since the friend I cooked in with is a vegetarian, I am proposing a lavish, green spread comprising a fresh salad, a pasta dish for the mains, and choco muffins for dessert. The recipes can be put together in a matter of few hours, including baking about two batches of muffins. To check on the cupcakes every now and then and watch them fluff up little by little was the highpoint of my time cooking together.

 

Here's presenting the recipes of the three courses we managed to line up. It is advisable to begin with the baking, so that you can have your muffins out of the oven and onto a cooling rack, and then proceed with the salad followed by the main course.

 

Green apple, walnut and lettuce salad

 

Ingredients:

Lettuce 2 nos.

Green apple (or pears) 2 nos.

Walnuts, a handful

Feta cheese 5-6 cubes

 

For dressing:

1 tbsp honey

Salt, a pinch

Pepper, a pinch

2 tsp lime juice

2 tsp olive oil

 

Method:

Strip the lettuce leaves and cut them into smaller shreds. Slice the green apples (or pears), and add them to a large bowl along with the lettuce. Take whole walnuts and add them to the mix. Toss properly. Add the feta cheese from top. Separately in a small bowl mix honey, salt, pepper, lemon juice and olive oil, and stir properly. Dress the salad just before eating so that the veggies and fruits don't lose their flavours or turn soggy.

 

Broccoli and mushroom pasta

Ingredients:

Broccoli 1 floret

200gm mushrooms sliced

Tomatoes 3 nos.

Onions chopped 2 nos.

Green chillies chopped 4-5 nos.

60gm green beans, trimmed and halved

2 tbsp sliced black olives

60gm green peas

Garlic 3-4 cloves, minced

1 tbsp butter

Salt as per taste

4 tbsp olive oil

Oregano

300gm fusilli pasta

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

 

Method:

In a large wok bring water to boil, then add salt to it and pour the fusilli into it and let it cook. In the meantime, heat olive oil in a deep pan and add chopped garlic and onions to it. Keep stirring till the onions are nicely caremalized, and then add the tomatoes and mushrooms together (all the greens and the mushrooms should be boiled before cooking). Add some salt and cook till the tomatoes finely blend with the remainder of the mixture and the mushrooms are soft and crunchy. Finally add the broccoli, green peas, green chillies, green beans, and black olives. You could add a dollop of butter soon after and keep stirring. Make sure you don't break the broccoli florets in doing so. Add salt again if you feel the need. You can also add some chilli flakes if you like your sauce hot. All along keep checking on your pasta whether or not it is cooked. Then drain the water from the pasta and add it to the vegetable sauce. Stir rigorously in medium heat till the sauce forms a nice coat over the pasta. Sprinkle oregano and give it one last stir. Take it out of the fire, and set it in a serving dish. Finally, dust Parmesan over it, and your dish is good to go.

 

Chocolate muffins (makes 8-10 muffins)

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

2 eggs

1 1/2 cup caster sugar

1/2 cup melted butter

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup cream

3 tbsp cocoa powder

Chunks of cooking milk chocolate

 

Method:

Pre-heat the oven at 180 degree C for 20 minutes while you ready the batter. Beat flour, eggs, caster sugar, melted butter and cream till its smooth, then add cocoa powder and baking powder and keep blending. Leave the batter a bit lumpy, but ensure the flour has mixed well. Grease your muffin tins, or if you are using silicon muffin moulds, they pretty much do not require greasing. Fill only half of the mould with batter allowing it some room to fluff up. Then add the chunks of cooking milk chocolate to the muffin cups, and set them in the oven at 180 degree C for 20 minutes. Your first batch of choco muffins will be done in that time. Quickly take them out of the oven and prep up for the second and last batch. Allow them to cool and firm up before having them for dessert.

 

Refrence : Times of India