Orange Cake with fresh Oranges

Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour

2 tbsp custard powder

1 egg

1 cup condensed milk

1/3 cup oil

1 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp Orange zest

Pureed Orange segments after removing the skin and seeds

Method

Zest an orange to get about 1 tbsp of fresh orange zest.

Separate the orange segments from the skin and seeds. Pulse in a chopper until coarsely pureed.

In a mixing bowl, whip together condensed milk, egg and oil till frothy. Mix the pureed orange and zest.

Sieve together flour, custard powder and baking powder. Fold it into the wet ingredients. 

Add some milk if the batter is too thick.

Grease a bundt pan and dust with flour.

Pour in the batter. Bake in a 350°F/180°C oven for 25-30 minutes.

Serve warm drizzled with condensed milk and garnished with orange segments.

Chicken Tikka

 Ingredients

1/2 kg boneless chicken cut into cubes

1 big red onion

2 coloured bell peppers

For the marinade

1/2 cup thick yoghurt

1 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp black pepper powder

salt to taste

1" piece ginger

8-10 cloves of garlic

3-4 green chillies

1 small bunch of coriander leaves

1 small bunch of mint leaves

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Oil for cooking

Method

Grind together ginger, garlic, green chillies, coriander and mint leaves to a smooth paste. 

In a bowl, mix together thick yoghurt, dry spices, ground spice paste, lemon juice and salt. 

Cut bell peppers and onions into chunks.

Coat the chicken, onion and bell pepper chunks with the marinade and leave it for a minimum of 1 hr. It will best if left to marinate overnite.

Preheat the oven to 200C .

Thread the chicken and vegetables onto the skewers. Drizzle with oil.

Place the skewers on a baking tray to collect the excess oil that drips off while baking.

Bake in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes until the chicken and vegetables are cooked.

Serve hot with mint chutney.

Garlic Roll Bread Loaf (with egg)

Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour / maida
1 cup wheat flour
1/4 cup quick oats
1/4 ragi flour
1 tsp flax seeds
1 egg
Salt to taste
1 tbsp instant yeast
1 cup warm milk
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp Olive oil

For Garlic spread

2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
3-4 tbsp minced garlic
a handful of chopped coriander leaves
3-4 shredded parmesan cheese

Method

Add yeast and sugar to a glass of warm milk. Set aside for a few minutes until the yeast is frothy.

In a mixing bowl, add all purpose, wheat, ragi flours, oats, flax seeds salt and mix together. Mix in the beaten egg, yeast mixture and knead to a soft and sticky dough. Knead the dough well for 5 minutes.
Smear with olive oil, cover and set aside till it doubles in size.

Punch out the air and knead again.

Meanwhile, mix together butter, olive oil, minced garlic, coriander leaves and parmesan cheese.

Once the dough doubles for the second time, knead and roll out the dough.

Spread the flattened out dough with the garlic spread.
Roll into a loaf.

Place in a bread pan and bake in a 200C pre-heated oven for 20 minutes.
Reduce the heat to 180C for another 10-15 mins.

Remove onto a cooling rack and cut into slices once cooled.

Banana - Coconut Cake

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
2-3 mashed bananas
1/2 - 3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup dessicated coconut
3-4 tbsp oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder
A pinch of salt
10-15 glazed cherries (optional)

Method

Beat together eggs and sugar till the mixture is frothy.
Add the milk, mashed bananas, vanilla extract, oil and whisk well for 2-3 minutes.
Sieve together flour, baking powder and salt.
Add the flour to the wet ingredients and mix well to get a smooth batter.
Fold in the dessicated coconut.
Coat chopped cherries in some flour and fold it into the batter.

Pour the batter into a cake pan.
Decorate with more cherries.
Bake in a 350°F / 180°c preheated oven for 25-30 minutes.

Serve warm topped with ice-cream.

Masala Egg Buns

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup all purpose flour/maida

1/2 - 1 cup warm milk

1/2 tsp sugar

1 tbsp yeast

Salt and Pepper to taste

For the stuffing

5 boiled eggs (shelled and cut into halves)

2 big red onions (chopped)

1 tsp ginger garlic paste

1 tsp green chilli paste

1 big tomato (finely chopped)

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp egg masala

A small bunch of curry leaves

3-4 tbsp milk

Salt to taste

2-3 tsp oil

Method

Add yeast and sugar to warm milk and wait till the yeast is activated and frothy. This will take about 10-15 minutes.

Add wheat flour, maida, salt and pepper to a bowl. Mix well.

Add the activated yeast mixture to the dry mixture and mix well to form a dough. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes.

Cover the dough and let it rest for 45 minutes to 1 hr.

Meanwhile, prepare the stuffing.

Heat oil in a pan. Saute chopped onions until translucent. Add ginger-garlic-green chilli paste and curry leaves. Cook this for a few minutes. Add dry spices and saute for a couple of minutes. Add chopped tomatoes, cover and cook till the oil separates from the masala. Add the milk, cook for a minute on low heat and turn off the heat. Add salt to taste.

Add boiled eggs (shelled and cut into halves)

Let it cool to room temperature.

Once the dough doubles in size, punch out the air.

Divide the dough into equal lemon sized balls. Flattened the dough balls on the palm of your hand. 

Add the egg masala in the centre and wrap the dough around it to form a bun.

Place the sealed side down in a baking pan. Cover and keep in a warm place till the buns have risen. Brush with some oil.

Bake in 200°c preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.

Serve hot with ketchup.

Bread dough🍞

I have shared several bread recipes on my blog. This is just a basic recipe for bread dough. You can use this dough to make bread, pizza, pav, buns, doughnuts etc.
It can be tweaked according to your taste by adding other flavours like carrot, tomato, spinach, garlic or Italian herbs. The flavour combinations are endless when you experiment with various ingredients.

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp yeast
1-1 1/2 cups warm milk
1 tsp sugar
Salt to taste
Olive oil as required

Method
Add yeast and sugar to the warm milk.
*Make sure that the milk is Not Hot.
Touch the milk to analyze the temperature of milk. If your finger burns, the milk is too hot. Hot milk will kill the yeast.

After adding the yeast, stir and wait for the yeast to be activated. The yeast mixture will be frothy if the yeast is active. If this mixture doesn't become frothy, either the yeast has expired or the temperature of the milk was too hot. In that case, discard and start again.

If the yeast is active and has turned frothy, you can use this to make the dough.

Add the flour and salt to a mixing bowl. Mix the ingredients together and add the yeast mixture.
Make a soft and sticky dough and knead this dough for about 5 minutes.
Smear the dough with some oil and cover the dough with a moist cloth or cling wrap for an hour in a warm place.
After an hour, check to see if the dough has risen and doubled in size. Punch out the air and knead again.
The dough will rise again in 45 minutes to 1 hr.
Knead this dough one more time.
Let it rise again after placing it in the bread pan.
You can do this in 2 ways:
1) After kneading the dough for the 2nd time, shape the dough like a bread loaf and place it in a greased bread pan.
Cover this with a moist cloth and allow to rise.
Once risen, bake in a preheated 200°c oven for 30-40 minutes until the crust is golden brown.

Or
2) Flatten the dough after kneading, smear with some oil and herbs. Wrap it up to form the shape of a loaf of bread and place it in the pan.
Cover this with a moist cloth and allow to rise.

Once risen, bake in a preheated 200°c oven for 30-40 minutes until the crust is golden brown.

Enjoy homemade bread with a smear of butter.

Bruschetta

Bruschetta is an Antipasto dish from Italy consisting of grilled bread rubbed with garlic, olive oil and salt. There are a variety of toppings used - tomatoes, vegetables, cured meat, cheese etc. It is served as a snack or appetizer.

Here is my version of Bruschetta.
I tried Bruschetta for the first time, during my trip to Germany in April 2015 & absolutely Loved it !!!
Once back home, I tried this recipe at home & it was a instant hit & everyone at home love it as much as I do!!!
A very quick appetizer recipe. Enjoy !!!!

Ingredients

 1 loaf Baguette (French bread)

For the topping

2 tomatoes (finely chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic (minced)
2 tsp coriander leaves (finely chopped)
1 tsp Italian seasoning (dried herbs consisting of parsley, rosemary, dill & thyme)
1/2 tsp crushed pepper
1/2 tsp red chilli flakes
salt to taste
2-3 tbsp Olive oil



Method

Slice the baguette diagonally into 1" thick slices. Arrange the slices on a baking sheet.

Pour Olive oil into a bowl. Add chopped tomatoes, garlic, coriander leaves, Italian seasoning, pepper, chilli flakes & salt. Mix together with a spoon.

Scoop a teaspoonful of this mixture and spread onto the sliced bread slice. Repeat with the rest of the bread & topping.

Toast in a 200C preheated oven for 10-15 mins

Serve warm.

Whole Wheat - Garlic & Herb Bread

A healthy Whole wheat bread exploding with flavors of garlic, herbs & olive oil...

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 tbsp yeast

5-6 cloves of garlic (minced)

a small bunch of cilantro leaves (finely chopped)

1 tsp italian herbs

1 tsp red chilli flakes

1/4 cup shredded mozarella cheese

salt to taste

2-3 tbsp Olive oil

Warm water for the yeast + 1 tsp sugar

Method

Add sugar & yeast to warm water. Set aside in a warm place till the yeast is frothy.

In a bowl, add the dry ingredients & mix.

Pour in the yeast solution. Mix & knead to form a soft, sticky dough, adding flour as required.

Smear with Olive oil. Cover & place in a warm place till the dough has risen double its size.

Once the dough has risen, punch down & knead again.

Transfer the dough to a bread pan smeared with Olive oil. Cover & allow to rise again.

Brush the top of the dough with some olive oil.

Bake in a 200C pre-heated oven for 30-35 mins till the top is crusty & golden brown.

Cool the baked bread & de-mold.

Cut into slices & serve warm.

Cheesy-Veggie Pesto Macaroni

Ingredients

1 pk hashbrowns

2 cups elbow macaroni
1 red onion
1 cup chopped veggies
1 tsp italian seasoning
1/2 tsp red chilli flakes
1/4 cup pesto sauce
olive oil

1/2 cup cheese blend (mozarella and cheddar)
1/2 cup milk

Method
Spread the hashbrowns in a single layer in a baking dish. Bake in a 200c oven for 15-20 mins till golden brown.
Meanwhile, cook the macaroni till half done. Drain and set aside. Save some pasta water for later.
Heat olive oil in a pan, add chopped onions. Saute till transparent. Add the chopped veggies. Cover & cook on simmer till soft. Add the pesto, herbs/spices, salt & turn off the heat.
Add the cooked macaroni to the pan & coat with the veggie mixture. Add a little pasta water if required.

Remove the baking dish with the baked hash browns from the oven.
Spread the cooked macaroni on the hash browns.
Mix together milk & shredded cheese. Pour this over the macaroni.
Sprinkle with some italian seasoning & chilli flakes.

Bake in a 200c oven for 20-25 mins till the cheese has melted.
Serve hot.

Whole Grain & Nut - Garlic Swirl Bread

Whole grains like wheat, oats & flax seeds with almonds & walnuts flavored with butter, olive oil, garlic, Italian spices & chilli flakes

Method

Proof yeast in warm milk with sugar. knead together 2 cups whole wheat flour, 1/4 cup oats, 1/4 cup flax seed powder, crushed almonds, walnuts & salt. Set aside for proofing. In a separate bowl, mix together 2 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp olive oil, crushed garlic, Italian spices. Once the dough has risen, punch down & set aside to rise again. Once risen, punch down & roll out the dough. Spread the garlic - spice - butter- oil mixture. Roll the dough inwards to form a swirl. Place this in the bread pan & leave in a warm place to rise again. Spread the rest of spice mixture on the dough & bake in a 200C pre-heated oven for 20-30 mins

Savory Bread Pudding

Ingredients

1 Onion finely chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic (minced)
1/2 cup chopped veggies of ur choice
1 tsp dried Italian herbs
10-12 slices of brown bread
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup grated Mozarella cheese
salt & pepper to taste
1 tsp Olive Oil


Method

Saute onion, garlic & veggies in olive oil...once done, add 1 tsp dried italian herbs & turn off the heat. Add bread pieces & mix well. In a bowl, beat eggs, milk, salt & pepper. Layer the prepared bread mixture in a baking dish, pour the milk & egg mixture. Sprinkle with grated mozarella & bake in 350F oven for 20-25 mins

Eggless Carrot Cake

Its really hard to get my fussy little one to eat some good nutritious food.So I end up experimenting new ways to do that. This cake is very similar in taste to Gajar Halwa (which is nutritious, but my little one refuses to eat). So, I tried to make it in a different form this time & came up with this cake recipe which the kids really enjoyed.

Ingredients

2-3 carrots (peeled & grated)
1 1/2 cups of maida /all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tin sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup butter
cashews & raisins - as required, fried in ghee

Method

Beat together softened butter & condensed milk till smooth & creamy.
Slowly add the flour, fold in & then beat well for a min till well imcorporated.
Then fold in the grated carrots, fried cashews & raisins.
Pour the batter into a baking pan that has been greased & dusted with flour.
Bake in 350F preheated oven for 25-30 mins.

Once cooled, de-mould the cake & drizzle with some condensed milk.

Egg & Cheese Pizza

I wanted to make something different for the kids after - school...They wanted Maggi, but I wanted to give them a tasty..healthier option.

I suggested Pizza...which they both love...but they end up getting rid of half the veggies in their pizza...

So, this is wht I came up with...eggs, finely chopped veggies (carrots, onions, tomatoes & bell peppers...would have loved to add mushrooms too...didnt hv any in stock ..)

The intention was to make an omlette...but instead it turned into a scrambled egg with veggies ...

Then with the usual the usual recipe for pizza...substituting with the scrambled egg instead of regular chopped veggies...topped with mozzarella cheese & a small sprinkling of italian herbs...

Baked in the oven for 20-25 mins...
Egg & Cheese Pizza...loaded with eggs, veggies & cheese...
Nutritious & filling

The best part...is the compliment from my little one..."Amma...its soo tasty...I love your cooking...u make things taste soo gud" 

Glazed Orange Cake

A tangy  citrus  flavored  cake with warm glaze that makes it tender & moist....makes you craving for more...

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup softened butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp orange zest
1 tsp  orange extract

For  the  glaze

1/2  cup  orange  juice
1 tsp orange zest
1/2  cup  sugar

For  the  cake

Sieve together flour & baking powder & set aside. 

Cream together butter  &  sugar till frothy. Add one egg at a time & beat well.

Reduce the speed of the mixer & add the dry mixture alternating with milk. Add the orange extract & zest.

Pour in a cake  or loaf pan. Sprinkle some zest on top.

Bake in a 350F preheated oven for 30-45 mins.

Prepare  the  glaze : Mix together  orange juice, zest  &  sugar.

Cook on slow heat for a few mins till the sugar has dissolved.

Drizzle  the  glaze  over  the hot cake & the cake soak up all the glaze.

Cool  the cake  completely  before cutting into slices.

Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

Focaccia with carmelized onions & tomatoes

Focaccia (Italian pronunciation: [foˈkattʃa]) is a flat oven-baked Italian bread,^[1] which may be topped with herbs or other ingredients. It is similar in style and texture to pizza, but not considered to be the same.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups flour
1 pkg Active Dry Yeast
1 tsp honey
1 tsp minced garlic

1 medium red onion thinly sliced
1 tomato sliced
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
salt to taste
olive oil as required

Method

In a medium bowl, stir together yeast & honey. Set aside for a few mins in a warm place till the yeast is frothy & bubbly.

When the yeast is frothy, add some olive oil. Mix in flour, minced garlic & salt. Knead to form a smooth dough.

Cover with plastic wrap or a moist paper towel & set aside for 45 mins to 1 hr till doubled in size.

Press the dough onto a greased baking sheet. Using your finger make little hole like dents on the surface of the dough. Drizzle with olive oil. Let the dough rest for 15-20 mins till puffy.

In a pan, heat 1 tsp oil & caramelize thinly sliced onions.

Top the dough with caramelized onions & sliced tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt, freshly ground pepper & grated Parmesan cheese.

Bake in a 425F preheated oven for 15-20 mins till golden brown.

Remove from the oven, cut in slices & serve.

Stained Glass Cookies

Beautiful & delicious cookies for Christmas....

Ingredients

4 cups flour
1 cup sugar + extra for rolling
1 large egg
1 (14oz can) condensed milk
1 cup butter (softened)
2 tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt
2 tsp vanilla extract

a handful of colorful fruit flavored hard candies (crushed)

Method

Beat together softened butter & condensed milk in a bowl. Add the egg, sugar & vanilla extract & beat again till frothy.

Sieve together flour, salt & baking powder. Gradually add to the wet mixture beating on slow speed.

Divide the dough into four parts & wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for 2 hrs.

Roll out the refrigerated dough to 1/8 inch thickness & cut out using cookie cutters.

Cut out holes to create the stained glass effect. Place them on a greased baking sheet.

Sprinkle the crushed candies in the holes cut out in the cookies.

Bake in 350F preheated oven for 6-8 mins till the sides are light brown or till the candies are melted.

Remove from the oven & cool for 10 mins.

Carefully remove the cookies from the baking sheet.

Enjoy!!!

Potato Gratin

This is Giada's Potato Gratin customized by me...a great recipe for ThanksGiving....

I know its past ThanksGiving & Christmas is almost here. This is one of the dishes I prepared at home for ThanksGiving but didnt get a chance to post it till now.

Ingredients

4-5 Yukon gold potatoes (You may use any variety of potato you like)

1 large onion chopped
2-3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning (dried herbs)
1 cube Knorr Boullion seasoning
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

1 cup 3 cheese blend - Asiago, Cheddar & Romano

Method

Slice the potatoes into thin rounds & keep covered with a moist towel.

Meanwhile heat oil in a pan & add minced garlic & chopped onions. Saute till they are translucent. Add the heavy cream & dried herbs. Crush the cubed seasoning in the palm of your hand & add to the cream. Mix well adding salt & pepper to taste. Remove from heat.

In a buttered baking dish, arrange 1/3 of the sliced potatoes topping with 1/3 of the cheese blend. Repeat the next 2 layers & pour the prepared cream mixture onto the layers. Sprinkle extra cheese on top. Cover with aluminium foil.

Bake this in a 400F preheated oven for 30 mins. After 30 mins, remove the foil & bake for another 15-20 mins till it is golden brown.

Remove from the oven & serve hot.