Cranberry – Walnut Pumpkin Bread: Yummy Autumn dessert / Halloween Special Post

Hello Foodies,

Halloween celebration is not complete without pumpkin.Halloween is the time when we make recipes with pumpkin. Today I am sharing recipe with the combination of pumpkin and spices:Cranberry walnut pumpkin bread. Combination of pumpkin, spies and nuts gives perfect feel of autumn.I made this bread without butter.
Celebrate your Halloween extra spooky with this recipe.

Ingredients:
 
Pumpkin puree – 1 cup (store bought)
Cinnamon powder – 1tsp
Nutmeg powder – ½ tsp
Clove powder – ½ tsp
Vanilla extract – ½ tsp
Vegetable oil – 1/3 cup
Sugar – ¾ cup
Large eggs – 2
All-purpose flour – 1 ½ cups
Salt – ¼ tsp
Chopped walnut – ½ cup
Dried cranberry – ½ cup
Baking powder – 1 tsp
Baking soda – 1 tsp


Directions:-
1) Preheat the oven at 350 degree Fahrenheit.
2) In a large mixing bowl add eggs and whisk well.
3) Add pumpkin puree, oil, sugar and vanilla extract and whisk gently.
4) In another bowl sieve all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg powder, clove powder, cinnamon powder together. 
5) Now add walnut and cranberry in flour mixture and mix well.
6) Add this mixture in egg mixture and mix well. Make a smooth bread batter.
7) Grease loaf pan and pour the batter in the pan. Sprinkle some chopped walnut on the top of batter.
8) Give a nice taps and bake it in the oven for about 40- 45 mins or until done.
9) Take a toothpick test. Insert a toothpick in it. If it comes out clean it means out bread is ready.
10) Take out the bread from the oven and let it cool down completely.
11) Once cooled, with the help of bread knife cut the half inch thick pieces.
12) Serve with tea/pumpkin spiced coffee.

My notes:

1) You can also use store bought pumpkin spices.
2) You can also use pumpkin seeds in place of walnuts.

Masala Besan Paratha: Spicy chickpeas flour stuffed Indian bread.

Hello Foodies,

Today I am sharing easy and quick recipe with you: Besan Paratha: Spicy chickpeas flour stuffed Indian bread.
For stuffing I used besan, pav bhaji masala, kasuri methi and other spices.
Enjoy this yummy paratha.

Ingredients:-

For making dough:
Whole wheat flour – 2 cups
Semolina/ suji – ¼ cup
Carom seeds – ¼ tsp
Ghee / clarified butter – 2 tbsp
Oil/butter – for shallow frying the parathas
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Salt as per taste
Water as needed

For stuffing:

Besan/ chickpeas flour – ½ cup
Pav bhaji masala – 2 tbsp
Dried kasuri methi – ½ tsp
Dried mango powder – ½ tsp
Garlic powder – ½ tsp
Onion powder – ½ tsp
Oil – 1 tbsp
Red chili powder – ½ tsp
Salt as per taste

Directions:-

1) First we knead the dough. For this combine all the above mentioned ingredients except water in a large mixing bowl. With hand gently mix all ingredients together and take water as needed and knead soft dough.
2) Cover the dough with damp cloth and set aside.
3) Now we make stuffing. For this mix all above mentioned ingredients in bowl and mix it well.
4) Head the griddle on medium flame.
5) Now divide the dough in equal parts and make golf size balls out of it.
6) Make a 3 inch round chapati and place 2 tbsp stuffing in the middle. Carefully close the edges and make round ball.
7) Now again make 6 inch round chapati from stuffed ball.
8) Place it on preheated griddle and let it cook from one side.
9) Flip the paratha and apply oil/butter both sides and cook it until golden brown in color.
10) Serve hot with chilled yogurt.

Veggie Quesadilla with oven roasted garlic tomato salsa – Mexican Recipe

Hello foodies,

Today I am sharing Mexican dish with you – Veggie Quesadilla with oven roasted garlic tomato salsa. Quesadilla is heated tortillas with melted cheese and veggies inside.
I used corn, onion, black beans and spinach. For garlic tomato salsa, I roast all ingredients in oven for that smoky flavor.
Enjoy this recipe.

Ingredients:

Flour tortillas – 4
Monetary jack and cheddar cheese – 2 cups

For quesadilla stuffing:-

Boiled black beans – 1 cup
Chopped onion – ½ cup
Chopped bell peppers – ½ cup
Boiled corns – ½ cup
Taco seasoning – 1pc (store bought)
Olive oil – 2 tbsp
Lemon juice – 1 tbsp
Chopped spinach leaves – 1 cup
Black pepper – ¼ tsp
Butter – 2 tbsp (you can use butter spray)
Salt as per taste

For tomato salsa:-

Tomatoes – 4
Garlic cloves – 5-6
Dried red chilies – 2
Onion – 1
Chopped coriander leaves – 2 tbsp
Olive oil – 2 tbsp+ 1tbsp
Lemon juice – 2 tbsp
Black salt – ½ tsp
Black pepper – ¼ tsp

Directions:-For stuffing

1) First we make stuffing for quesadilla. For this heat pan and add olive oil in it. Now add onion in it and mix well. Let the onion cook for 3-4 mins.
2) Add boiled corn and bell peppers in it and again cook it for 3-4 mins.
3) Add salt, black pepper, taco seasoning and lemon juice in it and mix well.
4) Mash boiled black beans with the help of masher.
5) Add boiled black beans and mix well. Let it cook for about 5-6 mins.
6) Switch off the flame and let the stuffing cool down.

Directions: - for tomato salsa

1) Pre heat the oven on 375 degree F.
2) In baking pan add tomatoes, onion, red chilies and garlic clove.
3) Pour olive oil on the top and let it broil for about 15- 20 mins.
4) Let the veggie cool down for 10 mins.
5) Now remove the tomato skin and add all broiled ingredients in the food processor.
6) Add lemon juice, black salt, black pepper powder, olive oil and chopped coriander leaves.
7) Blend it few seconds because we need some chunks of tomatoes and onion.

Directions:- Assembling

1) Heat nonstick pan and apply little butter spray.
2) Place one flour tortilla and cook it from one side for 20 seconds.
3) Again apply the butter spray and cook the tortilla from other side.
4) Repeat the same step with one more tortilla.
5) Now spread cheese on flour tortilla and add filling on it.
6) Spread the filling equally on tortilla and again spread cheese on top of it.
7) Now carefully place another precooked tortilla on top of the cheese.
8) Let it cook from one side until golden brown in color.
9) With the help of spatula carefully turn the tortilla and let it cooked from another side. Apply butter as needed.
10) With the help of pizza cutter cut the quesadilla in pizza slice or triangle shape and serve hot with garlic tomato salsa.
11) This shape is little difficult in making you can also try half-moon shape. That is very easy to make.
12) For half-moon shape just place one tortilla on pan. Apply butter and let it cook from both side. Add cheese on half of the tortilla and then add stuffing on it.
13) Again add some cheese and fold the half of tortilla in half moon shape.
14) Apply butter and cook it from both sides until golden brown in color.

My Notes:-

1) You can use veggies of your choice like zucchini, mushroom etc.
2) You can use your choice of melted cheese.
3) Quesadilla also serve with sour cream and guacamole.

Walnut - Pistachios Baklava: Mediterranean Dessert

Hello Foodies,

Today I am sharing a Mediterranean dessert: Baklava. It is very delicious and mouthwatering dessert. Baklava is made with phyllo sheets filled with nuts and dipped in sugar syrup. Baklava can be made with different filling like almond, pistachios, cashews, walnut etc. I made this dessert with my personal favorite combination walnut and pistachios. Enjoy this yummy dessert.

Yield: 30 -35 pieces

Ingredients:

Phyllo sheets – 1 pc (store bought)

Melted butter – 2 cups

For fillings:

Walnuts – 2 cups

Pistachios – 2 cups

Cinnamon powder – ½ tsp

Cardamom powder – ½ tsp

Salt – a pinch

Granulated sugar – ½ cup

For sugar syrup:

Sugar – 2 ½ cups

Water – 2 cups

Lemon juice – 2tbsp

Cardamom powder – a pinch

Directions:

1) First we make sugar syrup because we need cold sugar syrup which we pour on baklava. In a deep bottom pan add sugar, water and cardamom powder. Once the water start boiling lower the flame. Now add lemon juice. Adding lemon juice in sugar syrup will avoid sugar from its crystallization. We need 2 string sugar syrup for this recipe. Let the sugar syrup boiling for about 8-10 mins. Take a spoon test to know the consistency of syrup.

2) To make the filling we need food processor. Add all the above mentioned ingredients for filling in food processor and blend it in course powder.   Save some filling for garnishing also.
3) Preheat the oven at 350 degree F.

4) Working with phyllo sheet is very difficult because phyllo sheets are very delicate and they dry out very quickly so we need to cover it with damp cloth.

5) We need 9*13 baking pan for making the baklava. Cut the phyllo sheets with the shape of baking pan and cover it with damp cloth. We make 3 layers of 10- 10 phyllo sheets and between every layer we add walnut pistachio filling.

6) Apply melted butter in the bottom of pan and place one phyllo sheet. Carefully spread butter on placed phyllo sheet. We need to apply butter on every phyllo sheet before place another phyllo. Repeat this process with 10 sheets.

7) On the 10th sheets apply butter and evenly spread walnut pistachios filling on it.

8) Again place the 10 phyllo sheets and repeat the same process.

9) On next 10th sheet, again add filling and again place 10 phyllo sheets. Cut it on your desire shape diamond or square.

10) Apply butter on the top phyllo sheet and bake it in oven for about 25- 30 mins or until golden in color.

11) Once top phyllo sheet is golden in color take out the pan from oven and pour the sugar syrup on the hot baklava and let the sugar syrup combine completely in baklava.

12) We need to pour the syrup on hot baklava unless out dessert become soggy.

13) Garnish the top with filling and serve.

14) You can eat the baklava with vanilla ice-cream.

Paneer Frankie

Hello Foodies,

Today I am sharing famous fast from Mumbai: Paneer Frankie. Frankie can be made with different stuffing like: potato, veggies, paneer etc. we can make it with store bought tortillas or home cooked chapatis. I served it mint coriander chutney.  It is very easy to make and yummy in taste. Enjoy the recipe.

Ingredients:

For Paneer Stuffing:

Grated paneer/cottage cheese – ¾ cup

Chopped onion – ½ cup

Chopped tomatoes – ½ cup

Pav bhaji masala – 2 tbsp.

Garlic powder- 1 tsp

Red chili powder – ½ tsp

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Coriander powder – ½ tsp

Salt – as per taste

Lemon juice – 2 tbsp

Oil – 2tbsp

Cumin seeds – ½ tsp

For Mint Coriander Chutney:

Roughly chopped coriander leaves – ½ cup

Roughly chopped mint leaves – ½ cup

Garlic cloves- 5-6

Green chilies – 3(small)

Yogurt – 3 tbsp

Black salt – ½ tsp

Cumin powder – ½ tsp

Dry mango powder – ½ tsp

Salt – as per taste

Water – as needed

For assembling:-

Tortillas – 4 (store-bought)

Sliced onions – ½ cup

Butter – for frying frankies

Directions for paneer stuffing:-

•    Heat oil in pan and add cumin seeds. When seeds crackled add chopped onions and sauté well.
• Add garlic powder, pav bhaji masala, salt red chili powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder. Cook it for about 30 sec.
• Add chopped tomatoes and mix well with masala. Add little water if needed.
• Add lemon juice and mix well.
•  Add grated paneer in the masala and again mix well. Cooked it for about 2-3 mins and switch off the flame.

Directions for mint coriander chutney:

•   In a mixture jar add mint leaves, coriander leaves, green chilies,lemon juice, salt, water and garlic cloves. Blend it into smooth paste.

•  In another bowl add yogurt, dry mango powder, black salt and cumin powder and mix well. Make sure there are no lumps in the batter.

•  Mix chutney paste in yogurt batter. Mix well and serve.

Assembling:

• Place one tortilla on flat surface. Apply chutney mix on tortilla. Vertically place paneer stuffing in the middle of tortilla and add sliced onion on it.Now carefully fold tortilla in cylinder shape or in frankie shape.

•  Heat griddle on a medium flame and apply butter on it on place frankie on it and let it cook for 5-6 mins.Apply butter on the top of frankie and cook it from another side.Shallow fry the frankie until light golden in color.

• Serve hot with mint coriander chutney or tomato sauce.

Besan Ladoo

Hello Foodies,

Ladoo is very famous Indian dessert and usually made during the festive. Today I am sharing easy and delicious ladoo recipe: Besan Ladoo. I made this on the occasion of Ganesh Chathurathi. Besan Ladoo is made from gram flour, clarified butter, nut and sugar. Let's try this mouthwatering dish.

Ingredients:-

Coarse Gram flour - 2½ cups

Granulated sugar - 1 ½ cups

Clarified butter - 1 ½cups

Chopped nuts - ½ cup (almonds and cashews)

Cardamom powder - ½ tsp 

Sliced pistachios - 2 tbsp.

•  Step 1: Heat clarified butter in a deep bottom pan and then adds gram flour.
•  Step 2: On medium heat mix gram flour and clarified butter. Stir continuously until mixture is golden in color. Keep eye on stirring unless mixture got burn.
• Step 3: Once mixture is golden in color add chopped nuts and cardamom powder and stir again for 30 secs.
• Step 4: Switch off the stove and set the mixture aside and let the mixture get cool for about 10 mins.
• Step 5: Once the mixture get cool down add sugar and mix it well with the help of hands.
• Step 6: Divide the mixture in equal parts and make golf size balls.
• Step 7: Garnish ladoos with sliced pistachios and enjoy the delicious ladoo.

My Notes:-

·         You can add 3 tbsp semolina in gram flour if you don’t have coarse gram flour.

·         You can also decorate the ladoos with silver foil or varakh.