One Pot Bechamel

FOR THE PASTA:

1 pound dry penne noodles

FOR THE GROUND BEEF:

1 pound ground beef

1 teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

2 cloves garlic minced

FOR THE BÉCHAMEL SAUCE:

1 stick 1/2 cup butter

½ cup all-purpose flour

6 cups warm whole milk

1½ teaspoons sea salt

¾ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cardamom

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until browned. Add sea salt, black pepper, and minced garlic. Stir and cook for 1–2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant. Set aside.

In a large pot oven safe pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1–2 minutes to form a roux. Slowly whisk in the warm milk, stirring continuously to prevent lumps. Cook until the sauce thickens. Season with salt, black pepper, cinnamon, and cardamom.

Reserve 1½ cups of the béchamel and set aside. Add the pasta and ground beef to the remaining béchamel in the pot and stir until well combined. Top with the béchamel sauce

Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes or until the top is bubbly and brown (you can also broil for 1-2 minutes just to get the top to brown but be very careful because it can burn very quickly).

Lemon Pound Cake

Baking spray with flour

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup (6 ounces) unsalted butter, softened

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups (about 6 3/8 ounces) all-purpose flour, sifted

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 cup whole milk

2 tablespoons grated lemon zest, plus 8 to 9 tablespoons fresh juice, divided (from 3 medium lemons)

2 cups (about 8 ounces) powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 325°F. Coat a 9- x 5-inch loaf pan with baking spray. Line loaf pan with parchment paper; coat with baking spray.

Beat granulated sugar and butter with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until very fluffy, 5 to 6 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well on medium speed after each addition.

Stir together sifted flour, salt, and baking powder. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture on low speed, alternately with milk and 1/4 cup of the lemon juice, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition. Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon zest. Beat on high speed until fluffy, about 1 minute. Spoon batter into prepared loaf pan.

Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, about 1 hour, 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes. Remove cake from loaf pan and let cool completely on a wire rack, about 2 hours.

Place powdered sugar and remaining 1 tablespoon lemon zest in a medium bowl. Whisk in remaining 4 to 5 tablespoons lemon juice as needed to reach desired consistency until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cake.

Poha Chivda

Oil - 2 tbsp.

Cumin seeds- 1 tsp

Asafetida - a pinch

Curry leaves

Peanut - 1/4 cup, roasted

Roasted Channa Dhal - 2 tbsp.

Cashew - 10

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Chilli powder - 1/4 tsp

Salt

Poha - 3 cup, roasted

Heat Oil in a large pan.

Temper Cumin seeds, Asafetida and few Curry leaves.

Add the Peanuts, Roasted Channa Dhal and Cashew; roast until crispy.

Season the mixture with Turmeric, Chilli powder and required Salt.

Now add the Poha and roast until crispy.

Can be stored in an airtight container for upto a month.

Substitute with Corn Flakes to make Corn flakes Chivda