Cheese and spinach baked mushrooms

Make delicious cheesy mushrooms as a vegetarian starter or turn them into a filling main served with brown rice and a side salad

• Serves: 4

• Prep time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 30ml/2 tbsp olive oil
• ½ medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 75g basmati rice, cooked
• 150g fresh baby spinach, blanched, drained & chopped
• Pinch nutmeg
• 25g Dolcelatte (or any vegetarian blue cheese), crumbled
• 4 flat mushrooms or portabello mushrooms, stalks trimmed

To serve:

• Tomato and lettuce for the salad

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190º C/375º F/Gas Mark 5.
2. Heat half the oil in a pan and gently sauté the onion and garlic until golden, then place in a medium sized mixing bowl.
3. Add the next four ingredients and mix well together to create the stuffing. Divide into four and fill the mushroom caps.
4. Use the remaining oil to grease the base of a roasting tin. Place the mushrooms in the tin and bake in a pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes until cooked.

Chicken with coriander and pineapple rice

This spicy chicken and rice dish is mixed with fresh herbs and juicy pineapple to give you a flavoursome and filling meal that's ready to eat in just over half an hour

• Serves: 3

• Prep time: 10 mins

• Cooking time: 22 mins

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breast fillets (about 500g)
• 1tbsp Bart Creole spice mix
• 2 x 250g packs steamed pure basmati rice
• 250g pack freshly prepared pineapple (chilled), diced
• 20g pack fresh coriander, finely chopped
• 3 salad onions, trimmed and finely chopped
• 1 green chili, deseeded and finely chopped
• 170g tub salsa (chilled), to serve

Method

1. Preheat the grill to its highest setting. Using a sharp knife, score each chicken breast 3 times. Place the chicken and spice mix in a freezer bag and seal the top. Toss the meat in the spices until evenly coated.
2. Place the chicken under the grill and cook for 6 minutes on each side until the juices run clear when pierced with a sharp knife, and the meat is cooked through.
3. Meanwhile, cook the rice according to pack instructions. Tip into a mixing bowl. Add the pineapple, coriander, salad onion and chilli to the rice, mix and season.
4. Serve the chicken sliced on a bed of the warm rice salad, with some salsa.

Quick one-pan sausage pasta

This delicious and comforting sausage pasta is quick and easy to make. It uses ready-made pasta sauce and tins of veg so you won't have to spend ages preparing it.

• Serves: 4

• Prep time: 5 mins

• Cooking time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• 450g/1lb pork chipolata sausages
• 1 x 550g jar (approx) tomato pasta sauce
• 225g/8oz quick-cook penne pasta
• 450ml/¾pt water
• 1 x 415g can (approx) baked beans
• 1 x 200g can (approx) sweetcorn
• 1 courgette, thinly sliced
• 50g/2oz low-fat Cheddar cheese, grated

Method

1. In a large non-stick saucepan, dry fry the chipolata sausages for 4-5 mins, on a medium heat until browned.
2. Add in the tomato pasta sauce, penne pasta, water, baked beans, sweetcorn and courgette. Stir gently while bringing to the boil, then cover and simmer for 15-20 mins, until the pasta is tender and soft.
3. Top with the grated Cheddar cheese and serve with garlic bread and a large mixed salad.

Fresh Herbs Omelette

Main Ingredients:

Eggs: 4
Bell pepper: 1, chopped
Olive oil: 2 tbsp
Fresh baby Mozzarella cheese: a few slices (optional)
Fresh Scallion: 1 tbsp, chopped
Fresh Cilantro: 1 tbsp, chopped
Paprika: 1 tsp
Salt
Pepper


Directions:

1. Saute bell pepper in 2 tbsp oil until tender.

2. Add fresh herbs, eggs, paprika, salt and pepper, and mix well.

3. Place cheese slices on top. Cover and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes.

Scrambled Egg and Vegetables Wrap

Main Ingredients:

Eggs: 4
Onion: 1,chopped
Mushrooms: 3, sliced
Half a red pepper,diced
Ranch sauce: 1 tbsp
Salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable oil: 2-3 tbsp
Pita bread
Low fat Mayonnaise
Cheese


Directions:

1. Heat some oil in a frying pan.

2. Add 4 eggs to the pan and whisk well.

3. Season with salt and pepper or any other desired spice.

4. Cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Scrape the bottom of the pan constantly to prevent the egg from sticking to the pan. Set aside

5. In a separate pan, saute veggies with oil for 2-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

6. Transfer veggies to the egg pan. Mix and cook for 2-3 minutes.

7. Heat up the pita bread or roast burrito bread.

8. Spread some mayo on the bread. Add egg mixture and cheese.

9. Add a little ranch sauce and serve with milk or juice. Enjoy your breakfast!

Sausage and Mushroom Omelet

Main Ingredients:

Mushrooms: 3
Sausage: 1/4 lb (100 grams)
Eggs: 4
Olive oil: 1-2 tbsp
Salt and pepper


Directions:

1. Whisk eggs with salt and pepper.

2. Grill the sausage and mushrooms for 5 minutes or until done. Alternatively, you can fry them.

3. Cut them into small pieces.

4. Heat olive oil in a pan.

5. Transfer mushrooms and sausage pieces into the pan. Pour the egg mixture over them.

6. Cover the pan and cook on medium heat for 5-10 minutes or until done.

Baby Spinach Omelet

Main Ingredients:

Egg: 2
Baby Spinach leaves: 1 cup
Parmesan cheese: 1.5 tsp, grated
Vegetable oil: 1/2 tbsp
Onion Powder: 1/2 tsp
Nutmeg: 1/8 tsp
Salt and pepper


Directions:

1. Beat the eggs in a bowl. Add baby spinach and Parmesan cheese. Season with onion powder, nutmeg, salt and pepper.

2. Pour the mixture into a heated skillet with some oil. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn it over using a spatula and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes.

Blue Cheese Burgers

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef (16-20%)
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) crumbled blue cheese (get Pt. Reyes blue cheese if you can find it)
• 1 egg
• 1 Tbsp water
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1 Put ground beef, mustard, garlic, onions, blue cheese, water, and egg into a large bowl. Use your hands to gently mix the ingredients together until just incorporated. Do not over-mix. Shape into patties, about 1/2 inch thick and larger than your bun. Chill until you are ready to cook.

2 Prepare charcoal or gas grill for cooking over high direct heat. Using tongs and a folded up paper towel dipped in vegetable oil, oil the grill grates. Make sure grill is hot and well oiled before laying down the patties. Season patties with salt and pepper. Place the patties on the clean, well-oiled grill grate. Grill the burgers for about 5 minutes per side. Do not press down on the burgers while cooking.

If you don't have a grill, you can use a grill pan or a cast iron frying pan for the burgers.

Serve on hamburger buns with lettuce and mayonnaise.

Makes 4 burgers.

Cheddar Cheese Puffs Recipe

Cheddar Cheese Puffs Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 stick butter (8 Tbsp or 4 ounces)
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup (4 ounces) grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme (or rosemary)
• Freshly ground pepper

Method

1 In a medium sized saucepan, add the water, butter, and salt, and bring to a boil over high heat.

2 Reduce the heat to medium and add the flour all at once. Stir rapidly. The mixture will form a dough ball that will pull away from the sides of the pan. It helps to use a wooden spoon to stir as the dough will be rather thick. Continue to cook for a couple minutes.

3 Remove the pan from the heat and let cool for a couple of minutes. Stir so that the dough cools more evenly. You want the dough to be warm, just not so hot that when you start adding eggs they cook as they hit the dough. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring after each addition until the eggs are incorporated into the dough. (Do this part in a mixer if you want, or by hand with a wooden spoon.) The dough should become rather creamy.

4 Stir in the grated cheese, thyme, and a few grinds of pepper.

5 Preheat oven to 425°F. Spoon out small balls (about a heaping tablespoon) of the dough onto a Silpat or parchment lined baking sheet, with at least an inch separating the spoonfuls. Place in oven and cook for 10 minutes at 425°F. Lower heat to 350°F and cook for another 15-20 minutes, until puffed up and lightly golden.

Makes about 2 dozen.

So Easy so Good Peaches & Bananas

Ingredients:

3 large fresh peaches, very ripe if possible

2 medium bananas

4 tablespoons sugar

1 cup miniature marshmallow

Directions:

1. 1 Wash and cut up the peaches into small pieces--feel free to peel the peaches first if they are quite fuzzy on the outside.
2. 2 Peel and cut the bananas in small slices.
3. 3 Combine the fruits with the sugar and stir well. If you choose to use an non-caloric sweetener, consider putting at least one tablespoon of regular sugar to aid in the release the juice from the peaches. Obviously the amounts of the ingredients are not critical, but the sugar is the key player in this recipe so don't forget it.
4. 4 Stir in the miniature marshmallows, cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. Serve in individual bowls or cups so this doesn't make the rest of the foods on a plate all wet. The combination of the juice of the peaches drawn out by the sugar and the dissolving of the marshmallows makes an acidic liquid that keeps the bananas from getting brown and creates a wonderful mellow flavored liqueur so the longer it sets in the fridge, the better it gets--and don't throw the juice away, it's the best part! If you leave it long enough, it will ferment. If your bananas end up on top of the fruit and look a little brown before serving, stir them down into the juice and they will look better almost immediately.

Prep Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 10 mins

Easy Simple Sweet Potatoes or Yams

Ingredients:

4 sweet potatoes

1/2 cup salted butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

Directions:

1. 1 Scrub sweet potatoes clean under running water.
2. 2 Poke holes ( all over) in the potatoes with a fork.
3. 3 Bake at 350 degrees f for about 1 hour or until they are soft ( place potatoes directly on rack withour wrapping n foil).
4. 4 Put butter in dish on table.
5. 5 Put brown sugar in dish on table.
6. 6 Score the sweet potatoes down the middle.
7. 7 Serve to everone and have each person put butter and brown sugar ( to liking ) on the potato.
8. 8 Eat.

Prep Time: 5 mins

Total Time: 1 1/4 hr

Simple, Easy Pizza

Ingredients:

3 cups luke-warm water

1 tablespoon yeast

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon salt

8 -10 cups flour

2 tablespoons cornmeal

3 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce

6 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Prep Time: 30 mins

Total Time: 1 1/2 hrs

1. 1 Add water, yeast, sugar, and salt to mixing bowl.
2. 2 Let sit 10 minutes. You should see bubbles of yeast (if not, you may have the wrong water temperature: start over).
3. 3 Mix in flour conservatively - don't add too much. After mixing it in, keep adding until dough is not wet looking and can be kneaded.
4. 4 Knead dough until smooth.
5. 5 Let rise at least 30 minutes (ideally 1 hour) at room temperature.
6. 6 Pre-heat oven to 475 degrees.
7. 7 Split dough into pieces (3-5 depending on size of pizza).
8. 8 Roll dough out each to the size of your pan (toss if desired to help reach appropriate size).
9. 9 Sprinkle corn meal onto each pan.
10. 10 Place dough onto pans, stretching or squeezing if necessary to fit properly.
11. 11 Spread some tomato sauce onto dough, leaving about an inch around the outside without sauce.
12. 12 Spread some cheese on top of the sauce.
13. 13 Add additional toppings as desired.
14. 14 Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until dough is fully cooked. The bottom of the pizza should be at least a little crispy.

Homemade Pizza Recipe

• Prep time: 2 hours
• Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

Pizza Dough: Makes enough dough for two 10-12 inch pizzas

• 1 1/2 cups warm water (105°F-115°F)
• 1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) of active dry yeast (check the expiration date on the package)
• 3 1/2 cups bread flour (can use all-purpose but bread flour will give you a crisper crust)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Pizza Ingredients

• Olive oil
• Cornmeal (to slide the pizza onto the pizza stone)

• Tomato sauce (purée)
• Mozzarella or Parmesan cheese, shredded
• Feta cheese
• Mushrooms, thinly sliced
• Bell peppers, stems and seeds removed, thinly sliced
• Italian sausage, cooked ahead
• Chopped fresh basil
• Pesto
• Pepperoni, thinly sliced
• Onions, thinly sliced
• Sliced ham

Special equipment needed

• A pizza stone, highly recommended if you want your pizza dough to be crusty
• A pizza peel or a flat baking sheet
• A pizza wheel for cutting the pizza, not required, but easier to deal with than a knife

Method

Making the Pizza Dough

1 In the large bowl of a heavy duty electric mixer (such as a Kitchen Aid), add the warm water. Sprinkle on the yeast and let sit for 5 minutes until the yeast is dissolved. Stir to dissolve completely if needed at the end of 5 minutes.

2 Attach a mixing paddle to the mixer. Mix in the olive oil, flour, salt and sugar on low speed for about a minute. Remove the mixing paddle and replace with a dough hook. Knead using the mixer and dough hook, on low to medium speed, until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. If you don't have a mixer, you can mix and knead by hand. If the dough seems a little too wet, sprinkle on a bit more flour.

3 Place ball of dough in a bowl that has been coated lightly with olive oil. Turn the dough around in the bowl so that it gets coated with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap. Let sit in a warm place (75-85°F) until it doubles in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours (or several hours longer, a longer rise will improve the flavor). If you don't have a warm spot in the house you can heat the oven to 150 degrees, and then turn off the oven. Let the oven cool till it is just a little warm, then place the bowl of dough in this warmed oven to rise.

At this point, if you want to make ahead, you can freeze the dough in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Preparing the Pizzas

1 Place a pizza stone on a rack in the lower third of your oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F for at least 30 minutes, preferably an hour.

2 Remove the plastic cover from the dough and punch the dough down so it deflates a bit. Divide the dough in half. Form two round balls of dough. Place each in its own bowl, cover with plastic and let sit for 10 minutes.

3 Prepare your desired toppings. Note that you are not going to want to load up each pizza with a lot of toppings as the crust will end up not crisp that way. About a third a cup each of tomato sauce and cheese would be sufficient for one pizza. One to two mushrooms thinly sliced will cover a pizza.

4 Working one ball of dough at a time, take one ball of dough and flatten it with your hands on a slightly floured work surface. Starting at the center and working outwards, use your fingertips to press the dough to 1/2-inch thick. Turn and stretch the dough until it will not stretch further. Let the dough relax 5 minutes and then continue to stretch it until it reaches the desired diameter - 10 to 12 inches. Use your palm to flatten the edge of the dough where it is thicker. You can pinch the very edges if you want to form a lip.

5 Brush the top of the dough with olive oil (to prevent it from getting soggy from the toppings). Use your finger tips to press down and make dents along the surface of the dough to prevent bubbling. Let rest another 5 minutes.

Repeat with the second ball of dough.

6 Lightly sprinkle your pizza peel (or flat baking sheet) with corn meal. Transfer one prepared flattened dough to the pizza peel. If the dough has lost its shape in the transfer, lightly shape it to the desired dimensions.

7 Spoon on the tomato sauce, sprinkle with cheese, and place your desired toppings on the pizza.

8 Sprinkle some cornmeal on the baking stone in the oven (watch your hands, the oven is hot!). Gently shake the peel to see if the dough will easily slide, if not, gently lift up the edges of the pizza and add a bit more cornmeal. Slide the pizza off of the peel and on to the baking stone in the oven. Bake pizza one at a

AJWAIN PARANTHA(flavoured with carom seeds)

Servings : 4

INGREDIENTS Whole wheat flour (atta) for dusting+3 cups Salt to taste Carom seeds (ajwain), crushed 1/2 teaspoon Ghee 4 tablespoons Oil to shallow fry

METHOD Mix together atta, salt and carom seeds. Rub in two tablespoons of ghee. Add sufficient water and knead into a stiff dough. Cover and rest it for fifteen minutes. Divide the dough into eight equal portions. Roll in dry flour and roll into a round chapatti. Spread a little ghee on one side and lightly roll that side in dry flour. Fold the chapatti into half and then again into half to make a triangle Roll into a triangular parantha. It should be a little thick. Heat a tawa. Place the parantha on the tawa and cook for a minute. Flip and apply ghee. Cook for a minute and flip again and apply ghee. Cook till both the sides are golden. Serve hot.

Rani Mukherjee to donate KBC Bangla prize money

Actress Rani Mukherjee, who recently won a considerable amount of money on the Bengali show Ke Hobe Banglar Kotipoti, has decided to donate the entire amount to charity. Though the No One Killed Jessica actress has not yet come up with a final list of beneficiaries, it is expected that the amount will go to the charity organisation close to her heart.


The actress recently played the Bengali version of Kaun Banega Crorepati, which is hosted by cricketer-turned-TV show host Sourav Ganguly. Reportedly,Rani played quiet well and quickly advanced towards the difficult rounds. She even managed to win quiet a large amount of money.

Mukherjee already endorses the Indian Stroke Association, but there are a few other charitable organisations that she secretly donates money. The actress is happy that she could manage to win these money for the charitable purpose.

Nach Baliye 3 from September

‘Nach Baliye’ returns with all the fan fare and more. This time the celebrity based reality dance show will be telecasted not on Star One but on Star Plus. And the show goes on air from September. The ten celebrity couples include Rakhi Sawant and Abhishek Awasthi, Kashmera Shah and Krushna Abhishek, Shakti Kapoor and Shivangi Kapoor, Pooja Bedi and Hanif Hilal, Shweta Keswani and Alexx O’Neil, Karan Patel and Amita Chandekar, Vikas Sethi and Amita Sethi, Karan Grover and Kavita Kaushik, Aamir Ali and Sanjeeda Sheikh, and Kiran Janjani and Ritu Janjani.

So pave way for the Dhamakedaar magnum opus!!!

Though 'Ratan Ka Rishta' is still on-air, the channel people (Imagine TV) have already decided for the next year's bride-to-be in the 'Swayamvar'. The big news here is that it is none other than the Pakistani actress Veena Malik.

Surprised? Well yes, reportedly, the channel people have already approached the present controversial queen Veena Malik for the next season of their 'Swayamvar'. The reports also suggest that Veena has already agreed to give a thought to the offer.

Veena is quite keen on getting married this year and Swayamvar can be the best place to look for a bride groom. This will even boost up the TRP of the channel, which has not earned sufficiently with 'Ratan Ka Rishta'.

Now, the only element that is missing is Ashmit Patel. Hope he takes part in the 'Swayamvar' and emerges out as a winner.

Veena Malik's first Bollywood item number

Pakistani actress Veena Malik, who entered the Indian entertaining industry through the famous reality show Bigg Boss 4, has been scoring big in Bollywood. It was just recently when she bagged a double role in actor Aanand Balraj's directorial debut Daal Mein Kuch Kaala Hai. Now Veena will be seen doing an item number.

The 32-year-old-actress, who is better known as the ex-girlfriend of the troubled Pakistani cricketer Mohammad Asif, has been approached for an item number in Bobby Sheikh's direction Phir Mulakat Ho Na Ho. "We are are in talks with Veena Mallik for an item song in the film. It is almost certain," revealed Sheikh to TOI.

Phir Mulakat Ho Na Ho is the directorial debut of Sheikh, who has worked as an assistant director in films like Rann and Rang De Basanti. The songs in the film are sung by singers like Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, KK and Atif Aslam. It also stars Rajpal Yadav, Kader Khan and Praveen Kumar. It is slated for a September release.

Veena Malik's FIR annulled

Veena Malik's FIR against an ex-employee for her theft at her Lahore home was annulled on Monday. Veena informs that she had filed an FIR against Muhammad Munir and later flew back to India to fulfill her work commitments. Her absence for the case made it invalid.

“I filed an FIR against Muhammad Munir. Due to work commitments, I flew back to India. How can I be accused of not co-operating in the investigation? Why will I have such an attitude when my money (16 lakh) and gold was stolen?”says Veena to TOI.

Veena had hired Muhammad on cricketer and ex-beau Mohammad Asif’s suggestion. She told, “Asif had recommended him to me. Only God knows if Asif got this done.”

Diya Baati gets its actual title!

Sumit and Shashi Mittal's new show on Star Plus is gearing up for its launch and the latest we hear is that the title that has been circulating in the media has till now been incomplete. The actual title of the show is Diya Aur Baati Hum.

Tellybuzz had already mentioned that Diya Aur Baati Hum will be replacing Sphere Origin's Gulaal and accordingly a source tells, " Diya Aur Baati Hum has been slotted to go on air from 15th of August at 9:00 PM wherein Gulaal is presently on air."

"The promo shoot will take place on 3rd of August, "signs off source.

We contacted Producer Summit Mittal and he said, "I don't want to comment on anything as of now, and audience will get to know about the show as soon as it hits the channel."

Diya Aur Baati Hum indeed seems to be a promising show coming for Star Plus...

Dadaji announces Dev and Radhika wedding in Chhoti Bahu..

Tough days for Dev (Avinash Sachdev) and Radhika (Rubina Dilaik) in Zee TV's Chhoti Bahu - Sawar Ke Rang Rachi are finally over with Rohan (Saurav Chakrabarti) and Maheshwari (Pragati Mehra) getting exposed.

Tonight's episode will see the continuation of major drama wherein Dev will succeed in stopping Padma (Sushmita Daan) from leaving the house. Rajpurohit (Rakesh Pandey) will expose Maheshwari, and to top it all, Rohan will be kicked out of the house by Padma.

Our source tells us, "Rohan will show no repentance for whatever he has done. This irks one and all, which will lead to him being sent out. Maheshwari will however, continue to stay in the house, but will be asked to lead a servant's life".

With all the problems sorted and Dev being declared the next Rajpurohit, Dadaji will make yet another announcement which will make all happy.

"He will declare that it is time for Dev and Radhika to get married. He announces that the family can go ahead with the wedding plans", adds source.

Will this happiness of Dev and Radhika be short lived?

Only time will tell..

Anushka not ready for relationship with Ranveer

Yashraj Films' Band Baaja Baraat could be called as one of the smashing hits of 2010 and the movie also gave us an on screen pair of one of its kind in Anushka Sharma and Ranveer Singh.

The couple became the favourites of media after their sizzling on screen chemistry and their off screen relationship was always a question mark.

Let's see what Anushka said on her relation with the actor on Star World's popular talk show Simi Selects India's Most Desirable

Anushka says, "I like him, he's attractive but we are two very different people. We have a very volatile relationship where we can actually kill each other and rip each other's heads off. Ranveer and I have very different perception of life where he is very practical and I am completely impractical. I do not think we are ready to be in a relationship. For me a relationship can't be very frivolous and I need to be with another man and he needs to calm me down."

She further adds, "I like Ranveer and he's attractive, but it's just a normal reaction. Like any other normal girl I get attracted to men too. The important thing is that the attraction happened after we became good friends. If you ask me why nothing followed, then the thing is that there is always a monitor inside me which tells me that this isn't good. I think this relationship is something that can't be seen as a relationship or love. It was just an attraction where I thought the guy is a nice. We are good friends and we will continue to be."

Well, seems like Anushka has really opened up her mind in the show and catch her on the next episode of Star World's Simi Selects India's Most Desirable.

Mamata Banerjee gifts Big B 'mishti doi'

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan sat in his Mumbai residence and relished some "mishti doi (sweet curd)", gifted to him by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

"And now I as I sip the 'mishti doi' gifted to me last night in a most touching and generous manner by the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee...," Amitabh posted on his blog bigb.bigadda.com.

The 68-year-old recently went to Kolkata to promote his upcoming film "Aarakshan", in which he plays a school principal. The movie, directed by Prakash Jha, releases Aug 12.

Music channel Mastiii to launch two comedy sitcoms

Just three weeks after its launch, Mastiii, a Hindi music-cum-comedy channel, has hit the number one spot among music channels in India. The channel owned by Sri Adhikari Bros promises to bring a smile on India's billion faces with the punch line ‘Mastiii - Comedy Aur Music Ka Sabse Bada Dose’.

Shows such as Raju Ki Adalat, Indian I-Dohl and Pak Pak Pakao are already bringing in good numbers on the channel. And now the channel is planning to launch two sitcoms titled ‘Mujhe Meri Family Se Bachao’ and ‘Gajab Family’ respectively from Monday to Thursday.

The shows are set to go on air from August 1 promising full entertainment and masti. Actress Delnaz Paul who is set to appear in one of the shows ‘Gajab Family’ says that the story of the show focuses on each member of the family who has their own character traits and it’s a situation based comedy. Rupali Ganguly who became a household name with ‘Sarabhai Vs Sarabahi’ adds that working with channel Mastiii is great fun.

Sour grapes for Amit Jadhav on ‘X Factor India’

Well it seems like a case of sour grapes for Amit Jadhav who is the latest to be evicted from ‘X Factor India’. Amit Jadhav clarifies how he was much better than the Sajda Sisters against whom he lost out in face-off. Amit Jadhav, who is a professional singer, speaks of how the show shifted its focus from its real concept.

Amit Jadhav along with Sajda sisters were in the bottom two last week. And in the face off with Sajda sisters, Amit was ultimately evicted from the show. Speaking on his eviction Amit says that his performance was always up to the mark and that it was the Sajda Sisters who lost the rhythm in the opening lines. However, he further adds that he still respects the judges’ decision.

When asked whether he had any regrets of being on Shreya Ghoshal’s team, he denied it but he further added that everyone wanted to be a part of Sonu Nigam’s team, since Sonu is considered as the God of Music by young singers.

Amit further feels that it is the Deewana group who has the X Factor in them to win!

Bodyguard music is average

Sukanya Verma feels Bodyguard's music is very average, as it tries in vain to recreate Wanted's hit soundtrack. Post YOUR reviews here!

Salman Khan is Ready again. This time as Bodyguard.

Indeed, a remake of yet another South Indian, Malayalam to be specific, hit film of the same name. Only it's not Ayesha Takia Asin Kareena Kapoor he's sworn to protect in this unabashedly of/by/for Sal-Man vehicle.

Oddly, there's not much time for song 'n' dance in this Siddique -directed romance masala with only four tracks and numerous remix versions scored by Salman's ertstwhile regular, Himesh Reshammiya Shabbir Ahmed and Neelesh Mishra's lyrics.

The soundtrack opens with Bodyguard to bellow out the merits of the self-proclaimed saviour against Reshammiya's dhinchak overload. The attempt to recreate another Dhinka chika is so explicitly obvious; it's almost pathetic to see the ploy fail.

Perhaps it's the absence of a saucy Amrita Kak and Mika or the presence of Salman recycling the familiar formulaic pattern, verbal swagger et al, Mujhpe ek ehsaan karna, ke mujhpe koi ehsaan mat karna. Most Wanted, anyone? The remixed edition doesn't do anything more dramatic with this already heaving racket of a track.

Putting a stop to the blaring tempo of the title ditty is composer Pritam to the rescue. No wonder, I love you makes such an affable impression in comparison. A smooth play of harmonica blends seamlessly against the upbeat vocals of Ash King and Clinton Cerejo even as the laid-back I love you works its magic that deserves a sweet if not spectacular rating.

A remix follows, doing the usual -- playing up the arrangement in a concurrentrhythmic mold, that's, truth be told, plain unnecessary. Shaan a pleasant surprise with his unplugged rendition of the same, which is quite easily the winner of the lot.

Dhinka chika duo Mika Singh and Amrita Kak are not so AWOL after all. The flamboyant singer team collaborates on Desi beat, lending their brand of verve to whip up one vibrant bhangra cocktail. The comical 'tyaon tyaon' chorus chunks and high-strung energy of this Reshammiya concoction sits favourably in its leading man's predilection for playing to the gallery. Other than the mandatory remix, there's still another interpretation with Mika making way for Alam Gir Khan bringing in further rusticity and zing to The Beat.

Finally, there's Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Shreya Ghosal contributing the so far romantic soundtrack its share of melancholy with the high-pitched despair and lamentation of Teri meri. It takes Khan and Ghosal's collective credibility, skill and input to make a song out of Reshammiya's otherwise standard, banal tune. Oh yes, remix and unplugged avatars of this one are available too.

Giving Salman Khan's at the moment, Bodyguard could well benefit just as well.

Box office possibilities aside, the soundtrack is not write-off material but nothing to write home too with only awful, average and alright on its menu.

Hrithik: It made me cry to send back contestants

Hrithik Roshan, who makes jaws drop with his flawless moves and flexible dancing style, is making his television debut as judge on a dance reality show Just Dance. He calls Michael Jackson and Shammi Kapoor his idols.

The winner of the show gets to dance with Hrithik in a video, pocket Rs 1 crore in cash and drive away in a Swift from Maruti Suzuki. Just Dance airs on Saturday and Sunday at 9 pm, beginning on June 18 on Star Plus.

Excerpts from an interview in which Hrithik reveals how emotional he got on the show, and the importance of time management.

This is the first time you have featured in a music video, to promote your dance show Just Dance. Why did you do it?

In the last six years, if you look at my releases like Jodhaa Akbar, Guzaarish and my next film Agneepath, you will see that I didn't get much opportunity to dance. So, when they came up with this idea, I embraced it.

Why not do this music video where I can do what I enjoy doing most? After seeing the contests dance my eagerness and passion to do something that has not been done is even higher. My dream is to have a definitive dance video.

Warrior princess readies for battle in Shobha Somnath Ki

Zee TV's new show Shobha Somnath Ki is based on the Gujarati legend of the same name which narrates the story of India's unsung heroine Shobha. She fought fearlessly when the Afghan invader Mahmud of Ghazni tried to destroy the Somnath temple in the 11th century.

The very expensive set built in Amgaon near Vapi in Gujarat, has been designed by art director Jayant Deshmukh, who has worked as set designer for television shows Ram Milayi Jodi and Chajje Chajje Ka Pyar and films like Maqbool, Raajneeti, and Aarakshan.

Deshmukh says that making the set was very difficult because "There was no reference about this place anywhere except for some pictures. My team visited Somnath mandir in Gujarat, read books, went to their research department and met archaeologists. Vikasji (writer and producer Vikas Kapoor) helped a lot as he has been working on the story for a long time."

Rakhi Sawant wants Baba Ramdev... and C-strings!

Seems like it's just another day, another eyebrow-raising news from Rakhi Sawant days.

The camera-loving item girl claimed that she wanted to marry none other than yoga guru Baba Ramdev and that she was attracted to his eyes.

She added that she used to be in love with Rahul Gandhi but has now moved on to Ramdev.

The item girl was at a promotional event for her new elevision show Gajab Desh Ki Ajab Kahaaniyaan.

Speaking of which, the producers of the show are facing a tough time, courtesy its anchor, Rakhi Sawant. Apparently, she wants her producers to buy her C-string panties and has given an ultimatum that she wouldn't shoot without them on.

The controversy queen has demanded C-string panties in red, green and purple colours, which are very popular in Hollywood but rarely available in India

Moreover, her constant demands for exorbitant clothes and accessories, leading to sky rocketing bills, have also miffed the crew.

It's hard to tell where Ms Sawant is headed to with her C-string and yoga guru fascination.

Out of X-Factor but popular on Facebook

Lucknow lad Piyush Kapoor is the latest contestant to get eliminated from the music reality show X-Factor. Sanjay Leela Bhansali expressed his disappointment when Sonu Nigam voted against his own protege Piyush.

Piyush says elimination doesn't affect him. "I don't give much importance to it. I am happy with what I have achieved. Now people know me, they like my kind of singing and they want to know more about me. This was evident on Facebook," he says.

He says he holds no grudge against his mentor for voting against him. "I guess it was a completely fair decision because Amit Jadhav was better in the face-off. I was honoured and touched when Sanjay sir supported me. But I felt a little awkward when Sonuji, came and apologised to me after the elimination."

He says most of the contestants were crying, and he had to console them!

He gives Sonu Nigam, his mentor on the show, full marks for his understanding of music. "Sonuji understands the genres and every style of music. The most important thing is the confidence that he built up in me. The one thing that I got to learn from him is that one must know every kind of music."

His best and most memorable performance, he says, was "when I sang Inteha Ho Gayi and I got a standing ovation for it. Sanjay Leela Bhansali said it was the best performance on the show."

Piyush says he will go back to his band that performs heavy rock. "I will continue my struggle to become one of the most successful singers in the country. Rightnow I want to cash in on my popularity and come out with my kind of album."

Piyush's plan to do a tour of Mumbai before he headed back to Lucknow was torpedoed by the bomb blasts last week, but "I will come back to Mumbai after my 12th standard exams. I will do a long distance course and do something related to music in Mumbai," he promises.

Oscar Academy asks Big B for 'Bbuddah...' script

The script of Amitabh Bachchan's latest release "Bbuddah...Hoga Tera Baap" has been invited to be archived in the library of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, says the 68-year-old megastar.

"And... the Academy of Motion Picture and Arts, Los angeles writes to me for the script of #BHTBaap, to archive in their library ..!!" Amitabh posted on micro-blogging site Twitter.

The movie, directed by Puri Jagannath, has Amitabh in a bold and flamboyant role of an old man who feels young.

He revisited his 'angry young man' avatar for the film, and wore bright and over-the-top clothes for it. The movie also featured Hema Malini, Raveena Tandon, Sonu Sood and Sonal Chauhan.

An item girl Koena Mitra grabs an opportunity in Hollywood!

Koena Mitra may not have been very successful innings in Bollywood except a few dance numbers, but the girl’s career in Hollywood has initiated amazingly. She managed to bag a Hollywood project, ‘The Story of Naomi’ along with Kevin Sorbo. The most recent news is that that the film has been directed by fashion photographer, Ash Gupta and the producer is Michael Hirshenson of 'Harry Met Sally' fame.

The movie has already been completed. Though Koena has a romantic relationship both with a man and a woman in the movie, she elucidates that it is certainly not a bisexual role. Her disclosure of the story more about the story of Naomi is that it is indeed a dark film. She plays the role of Kevin’s wife in the movie. It also has another peculiar relationship. This is why the tag line of the movie is Love,Lust, and Betrayal.
It has also been heard that Koena has two more Hollywood projects with her and incidentally the producer is Karen Armstrong. One of them is yet an untitled film starring Miles O’Keeffe and another one has been titled Dark Romance. All our good wishes to Koena and let her traverse more miles by practising the American accent.

Salman aims to outdo all Khans by dancing

With his newly acquired confidence as a box office champ, Salman Khan is now working on proving himself as the best dancer among all the Khans.

This was his brief to his current favourite choreographer Mudassar Khan, when they started shooting the track "Desi beat" for his upcoming "Bodyguard".

"Salman is hell-bent on proving he's the best dancer among the Khans. When 'Desi beat' was being planned, Salman very clearly told Mudassar that he wants to be the best dancer among all the Khans. Salman shot the song like crazy," a source says.

As if getting his favourite choreographer was not enough, Salman also got on board a song director to shoot the number.

The concept of a song director joining the choreographer for a star is still novel in Bollywood. Sanjay Leela Bhansali served as a song director in Vidhu Vinod Chopra's "1942: A Love Story" even as Farah Khan was the choreographer.

And now Salman, we hear from reliable sources, wants to patent this collaborative style of shooting a song.

"Salman will work simultaneously with a choreographer of his choice and a dance director in all his major song and dance numbers," says the source.

When asked about the "Bodyguard" number, producer Atul Agnihotri confirmed: "We got Mudassar and also a song director, Sumit Dutt. The number rocks."

The collaboration that started with "Dabangg" where Salman gave Mudassar the chance to choreograph the song "Humka peeni hai", has now reached a stage where Salman insists on bringing his blue-eyed choreographer in all his films as a lucky mascot. Looks like, Salman has found his own version of what Saroj Khan used to be for Madhuri Dixit.

For the "Bodyguard number", the source adds: "Mudassar was told to take Salman out of his comfort zone as a dancer. Salman has never done this before. This is the first time Salman has followed a choreographer's instruction to the minutest detail."

Ashmit Patel’s fight with Imran’s friend in a night club!

The newest inclusion into the list of Bollywood drunken brawls is actor Ashmit Patel – a brother of actress Ameesha Patel.

Report has it that Ashmit Patel beat up one of Imran Khan’s close buddy and makeup man, Vicky in the wee hours of Saturday, at around 2.15 am precisely. Vicky was immediately rush to a hospital and has been diagnosed with a fractured nose, apart from other superficial bruises.
It all started when Ashmit began to poke Vicky and his friend Amin, for no particular reason. According to a close source, “Vicky does not know Ashmit, neither professionally nor at a personal level.”

On questioning Patel’s actions, the actor lost his cool and started bashing up Vicky. Ashmit wasn’t alone. Very soon, 12-15 of his friends joined him in the fight. It was Vicky’s girlfriend who finally called the bouncers for help out.

A witness reveals, “But it was too late. Pooja was shocked seeing Vicky bleeding the way he was,”

Further the witness included, “Ashmit was in a very aggressive mood. He was trying to bully people in the nightclub. He just wanted violence.”

A source very close to Vicky tells, “Vicky lost at least three-four litre of blood. His journey from Parel to Borivali made him extremely groggy. Pooja stayed with Vicky, until he was finally operated in a hospital in Borivali.”

Imran Khan’s official representative, on being informed about the incident, told, “What happened is extremely unfortunate. Imran is not in town. And he doesn’t know about this. But if he were here, he would have been very upset. Vicky is very close to him. Imran and Vicky have been working together since Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na. They are also extremely close friends.”

If all this is true, we sincerely hope a strict action is taken against the actor.
Bollywood celebrities criticize all these brawls by any one from bollywood community.

Big B praises Honey Irani for investing well in her children!

Amitabh Bachchan has announced 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara' (ZNMD) a 'delightful' movie and has admired not only the entire team but also Honey Irani, the mother of Farhan and Zoya Akhtar for investing well in her children.

'It is a delightful film, different and presented in such a novel manner. Male bonding over a travel trip and some of the most natural performances recently seen. Farhan and Abhay Deol were a delight to watch and of course Hritik moved like a dream,' Big B wrote on his blog.

'Honey, Farhan's mother has invested well in her children. Zoya, Farhan's sister has directed the film in a most easy and natural manner. Congratulations!!' he included.
Honey Irani was wedded to lyricist Javed Akhtar but they later divorced.

The film, released Friday, also features Katrina Kaif and Kalki Koechlin and has received a warm response from the audiences.

Katrina sings 'Aaya re aaya bodyguard' for Salman!

Katrina Kaif will do the item song 'Aaya re aaya bodyguard' in 'Bodyguard' and Salman Khan, who plays the title role in the film, will match steps with her.

As the song is about Salman's character, so his presence is told to be a must in it. Bodyguard producer Atul Agnihotri confirmed that Salman will be part of the song. Ganesh Acharya will teach him the steps.

'Salman likes to do his own thing in the dance numbers. Everyone knows in 'Munni badnam' he didn't follow Farah Khan's instructions. Katrina will be scrupulously rehearsing her steps for 'Aaya re aaya bodyguard'. She wants it to be as perfect as 'Sheila ki jawaani'.

'Salman's improvisations are bound to distract her. But there is not much she can do about it. Because as Salman pointed out the song is about about him, so he has to be part of it,' told a source.

Previously, Salman had made a special appearance in the song 'Wallah Re Wallah' in the film 'Tees Maar Khan', which had Katrina and Akshay Kumar as lead pair.

'Bodyguard' is a romantic action movie starring Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor. Directed by Siddique, the film is a remake of the director's 2010 Malayalam film of the same name.