Just 4 Ingredients - Nutella Cup Cakes 

Nutella!!! Yum!!! who does not love Nutella? This recipe is so quick to make with no great techniques to follow. It is a simple mix and bake recipe.

Ingredients
Nutella - 1/2 Cup
Vanilla Essence - 1/2 Teaspoon
Egg - 1
APF or Madia - 5 Tablespoon
Chopped Almonds or Pista - As per taste, I did not add though

Method

• Whisk the egg along with the essence in a bowl.
• To this add the add the Nutella and whisk well.
• Add the Maida or APF and mix till all the ingredients are mixed well.
• Pre heat the Oven at 250C and grease your muffin mould.
• Pour the prepared batter into the greased muffin mould
• Bake at 250 for 10 minutes or till done.

Quiche

I have never made Quiche at home before and believe you in me, once you make this at home, you will not eat it outside.

When you make this at home it tastes so fresh and yummy. Do try this. usually it is made with eggs, however, I have made it egg less.

Ingredients
Wheat - Oats Tart Shell - 1
Spinach  - 1 Bunch (Washed and Chopped)
Vegetables of You choice - 1 Cup (I have used Baby Corn, Broccoli, Mushroom )
Onion - 1 (Chopped)
Paneer or Cottage Cheese
Milk - 1 Tablespoon
Dry Herbs - 1 Tablespoon or to Taste (I have used Dried Thyme, Rosemary and Oregano)
Black pepper powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Red CHilly Flakes - 1/2 Teaspoon or to taste
Garlic - 3 pods
Cheddar Cheese - 4 Tabespoon or to taste
Olive Oil - 2 Tablespoon
Salt - To taste

Method

• Make the Tart shell as per the recipe.
• In a pan, add the olive Oil and add the Garlic and Onion and saute.
• After a minute, add the vegetables and saute for 2 minutes and then add the spinach and cook for 2 minutes.
• During the cooking if the veggies r greens leave any water don't discard, it will be fine once it is baked. 
• Add Salt and Dry Herbs and Pepper powder and stir and remove from flame.
• Allow it to come to room temperature.
• Meanwhile, mix paneer and Milk and keep it.
• Once the spinach - Veggie mix is cooled add the Paneer - Milk mixture and mix.
• Now take the cooled tart and add the Prepared Veggie-spinach-paneer mixture.
• Sprinkle some dried herbs, chilly flakes on top of them.
• On this add grated Cheese as per your wish, the more the better the taste.
• Bake this for 30-45 minutes or till it is done at 150 C. 
• Cool it completely before slicing.

Semolina Bread 

There was so much of posts around this semolina bread in a baking group I am part of, So I decided to try it. I was little skeptical on whether it will rise and taste good. After baking all my doubts were cleared.

Ingredients

• Warm Water -1.5 Cup (Not too Hot not too cold)
• Yeast - 1 Teaspoon
• Semolina (Rawa)- 3.1/4 Cup
• Sugar - 1 Tablespoon 
• Salt - 1.5 Tablespoon
• Olive Oil - 1/4 Cup 

Method

• In a mixing bowl, add the water and sugar and mix well. To this add Yeast and mix.
• Cover the bowl with a plate and keep it aside for 10 minutes till the yeast becomes frothy.
• To this add Semolina, salt and knead it well for 10-15 minutes, add Oil in between the kneading
• In the beginning it may be sticky as you knead it will form a dough.
• Take another bowl and slightly coat it with Oil and place the Dough and cover it with a kitchen towel and keep it aside for 1 Hour or till it doubles in size.
• Once the dough has doubled, bring it to a dusted kitchentop. Dust it with Maida or wheat flour.
• Now punch down the dough and knead it well for 5 minutes.
• Shape it into a loaf and place it in a greased Loaf Pan.
• Cover the loaf pan with a kitchen towel and allow it to double.
• This would take about 30-45 minutes depending of the climate, the quality of yeast etc.
• Once the loaf has doubled, Bake it at 200C for 30 - 45 Minutes. 
• Cool it completely before slicing. 

Lemon Tart

Are you a Lemon Lover? Then this recipe is a keeper. It is so yum and refreshing and simple recipe to put together. Lemon Curd can be made ahead and kept in refrigerator.

The Tart base is made with Wheat and Oats so it is healthy too.

Ingredients

Whole Wheat Oats Tart Shell - 1
Lemon Curd - As required (If you use the amount specified in the recipe, it will adequate)

Method

• Pre heat the oven at 150C for 10 minutes.
• Pour the Prepared Lemon Curd into the Tart shell (Should be at Room temperature) and bake at 150 C for 20-20 minutes .
• Allow it to cool and then keep it in refrigerator till serving
• Slice and serve. 

Ganesh Chathurthi/Vinayagar Chathurthi Recipes 

In my earlier posts, I had already written about Ganesh Chathurthi is a important festival at our house and how elaborately we celebrate.This year Ganesh CHathurthi is celebrated on 29th August .

 Happy Ganesh Chathurthi to all!!!

Click on the below links for the recipes

• Ammini Kozhukattai
• Aval kozhukattai
• Sweet Kozhukattai/Mothagam
• Paal Kozhukattai
• Kara Kozhukattai/Ulundu Kozhukattai
• Pidi Kozhukattai
• Channa Sundal/Kondakadalai Sundal 

Lemon Curd 

This is the first time I made Lemon Curd, funny thing I never knew Lemon Curd does not have Curd. This tastes yum and refreshing. I got this recipe from here.

Ingredients

Eggs - 3 Eggs
Lemon Juice- 1/3 Cup
Lemon Zest- 1 Tablespoon
Unsalted Butter - 4 Tablespoon
Powdered Sugar - 3/4 Cup

Method

• In a bowl, whisk eggs, Sugar and Lemon Juice. 
• Use Double Boiling method, place the bowl with Egg,sugar and Lemon and top and whisk continuously.
• If you do not stir continuously egg will get cooked.
• Keep whisking till the mixture gets thick (For me it took 12 minutes)
• Remove this mixture from the flame and add butter and Lemon zest and mix well.
• Cool this mixture, the mixture will become thick as it cools down.
• You can store this in refrigerator for a month. 

Lunch (Brunch) Recipe 15 - Whole Wheat Buns, Pumpkin soup, Cucumber Raita and Broccoli -Channa Tikki 

It is been a long time since I posted a Lunch menu, so thought of posting one, however this is not a Lunch menu, but a Brunch menu.

Click on the links below for the recipes:

• Pumpkin Soup
• Broccoli - Channa Tikki 
• Whole Wheat Buns
• Cucumber Raita (I have used both Cucumber and Onion in this recipe)

Krishna Jayanthi Recipes - Janmashtami Recipe Collection 

Krishna Jayanthi/Janmashtami is celebrated this year on 17th or 18th August 2014 depending on you are a saivaiite or vaishnavite.

Immaterial of when you celebrate it, Krishna Jayanthi is so much fun. Drawing of those small Krishna feet, Bhajans, loads and loads of sweets and savory to eat, I just love it

I have given a collection of Krishna Jayatnhi Recipes. Happy Krishna Jayanthi.

Click on the Below links for the recipes:

• Thattai
• Seedai
• Boli/Poli
• Pal Kozhukattai/Paal Kozhukattai with Jaggery
• Kesari
• Pull Halwa
• Gulab Jamun
• Kaju Katli
• Semiya Payasam

Curry Leaves Gravy - Karruvepillai Kuzhambhu

I love curry Leaves, their wonderful aroma is something I love. I already have the recipe for Curry Leaves Powder/Karruveppillai Podi on my blog. I was craving for the Karruveppillai Kuzhambhu one day, so I made this and had with some Rice and Appalam. They tasted out of the world.

Ingredients

To Grind into a paste:
Gram Dal  - 1 Tablespoon
Urad Dal - 1/2 Tablespoon
Pepper - 2 Tablespoon
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 Teaspoon
Dry Red Chilles - 2 Nos
Asafoetida - a Generous Pinch
Curry Leaves - 1 Cup

For the Gravy:
Tamarind Extract - Gooseberry size soaked in 1 cup of warm water 
Onion Shallots - 15 - 20 shallots
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 Teaspoon
Garlic - 15-20 Pods
Oil - 2 Tablespoon (Preferably Gingelly Oil)

Method

• In a pan, add one teaspoon of oil and dry roast the ingredients in the following order, Gram dal, urad dal, pepper,red chillies and cumin.
• Roast them till you get a nice aroma. 
• Just a second before switching off the flame add the curry leaves and asafoetida and immediately switch off the flame.
• Cool it and grind into a smooth paste and add water if required.
• Now warm 1 tablespoon of Oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and allow it to splutter.
• Then add the Onion shallots and Garlic saute them.
• To this add the Tamarind extract, The paste that we prepared, salt and cook them.
• Based on the water you have added to make the paste, you may add some water. 
• Cook till the oil oozes out from the gravy.

Basic Whole Wheat Oats Pastry Shell / Whole Wheat Tart 

Pastry shell or Tart shell is a basic base to make any Tart or Quiche. It is usually cooked with loads of butter and Maida, so I did some searching and found this healthy version of Shell.

Believe you in me, this Tart also tastes just as amazing as the regular Tart shell. I plan to post the recipe of the Maida version too very soon. It is high time I need to work on my time management, these days with too many things my time management is going hay wire, need to fix it soon.

Ingredients

Whole Wheat Flour  - 1 Cup
Rolled Oats - 1/2 Cup (I have used Quaker)
Olive Oil - 1/3 Cup (Use Melted butter for a buttery tasting shell)
Dried herbs - 1 Teaspoon (Optional)
Garlic Powder - 1/2 Teaspoon (Optional)
Baking powder - 1/2 Teaspoon
Salt -  1/2 Teaspoon
Milk - 1/2 Cup (Can use water too)

Method

• Dry roast the Oats for couple of minutes and then grind it into a powder.
• To this mix all the ingredients except milk and Oil
• To this mixture, add butter and oil and rub it in till it looks like bread crumbs.
• To this add milk little by little and knead it into a smooth dough
• Cover it with a cling film and rest it in refrigerator for 15 minutes. You can skip this step, if you are pressed for time.
• Now take a tart tin or Pie dish and slightly grease it with butter or oil
• Roll the prepared dough into  big circle and place it on the Tart tin and cut off the extra edges.
• Poke the Tart shell using a fork so the base is crispy.
• Bake it for 10-15 minutes at 200C or it is golden brown.
• Using this we can prepare Quiche, Tarts or Pie. 

Whole Wheat Garlic Scones 

Scones are a fantastic accompaniment with Tea/Coffee. I make them Crispy outside and slightly chewy inside so I get the feel of layers of texture. I have tried this recipe with garlic powder and fresh garlic and they both taste great. I used the recipe from here.

Ingredients
Whole Wheat Flour - 1 Cup
Quick Cooking Oats - 1/4 Cup (I used Quaker)
Fresh Garlic - 6 (Grated, adjust to taste, I like garlic so I have used it more)
Curd - 1/2 Cup
Oil or Cheese - 1/4 Cup (I used a combination of Rice Bran Oil and Cheddar Cheese)
Milk - 1/4 Cup  (You can use Water or combination of water and Milk)
Baking powder - 1/2 Teaspoon
Red Chilly powder - 1/2 Teaspoon
Salt - 1/4 Teaspoon

Method

• In a big bowl add all the ingredients except milk and mix them well.
• Once everything is mixed, add milk little by little and knead till you get a dough consistency.
• Rest it for 10 minutes.
• Place the dough on a floured surface and roll it using a rolling pin.
• The thickness can be 1/2 inch.
• Now using a cookie cutter cut them into desired shapes.
• Place this on a baking tray lined with aluminium foil or Parchment paper.
• Prick the scones using a fork.
• Bake it in a pre heated oven for 10-15 minutes or till it is slightly golden brown at 180C.