Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

Merry Christmas to all of you ..It is finally Christmas Day before I could post this recipe.

It is the Holiday Season!! It is that time of the year when there are festivities everywhere! It is a season of giving.. It is also the season of meeting deadlines before the Christmas break. That with all the events happening, not to mention regular work, it leaves very little time to go on a baking spree. You still want to make stuff.. That's why I made these crinkle cookies!! The good news: they were a huge hit at work and everywhere I brought them! 

The best news: they are super easy and a no-brainer to make. It takes very little time. The reason being that they are made from a red velvet cake mix by Duncan Hines. You can find the recipe on the box and online here.

Today I am sharing this recipe with you.

Servings: makes around 30 medium sized cookies.

Prep time: 15-20 mins Cook time: 16-18 minsTotal time: 30-40 mins

Ingredients: 

Red Velvet cake mix : 1 package 

Eggs: 2 large

Butter: 6tbsp, melted

Lemon zest: 1 tsp

Powdered sugar ( confectioner's sugar): 1/2cup

Cornstarch: 1/2 tsp 

Method:

Preheat the oven to 375 deg F. 

Line a baking sheet with parchment or grease it and keep ready.

In a bowl mix together cornstarch and powdered sugar and keep ready.

In a bowl mix together cake mix, eggs, butter and lemon zest until well mixed. 

Pinch a little of the dough and make a 1 to 1.5 inch ball. I used an ice cream scoop to do this. Do this with all available dough.

Now roll each of the balls in powdered sugar mixture and place it on the baking sheet 2 inches apart. 

Bake for 8-10 mins or until a toothpick when inserted comes out clean.

Cool on a cooling rack. 

Store in airtight container when cooled. Stays fresh up to 10 days!

Enjoy!

I am sharing these delicious cooking at my dear friend Angie's Fiesta Friday #203. If you haven't partied there yet, you should. It is super fun!

Cooking made easy: 

Keeping the cookie dough in the freezer for some time makes it easier to handle the dough. 

Tip for healthy living: 

Making snacks at home is much healthier and better for them than store bought ones. 

Food for thought: 

Christmas is the day that holds all time together. Alexander Smith

Please do share your thoughts. Your opinion matters!

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Cilantro-Coconut Chutney/Dip; Meatless Monday

For time immemorial, Cilantro is the most commonly  used herb in India. It is used in chutneys, dips, sauces, and for garnishing. It gives the dish a nice flavor.I often make cilantro-coconut chutney to go with my dosas and idlis. It is healthy, delicious and super-easy to make. You can also make cilantro chutney without using coconut.

The recipe for that is slightly different as it is usually made by grinding cilantro using lemon juice so as to increase it's shelf life. With coconut, the chutney has a very short shelf life as the coconut goes rancid pretty easily. Unless it is for chaat, I like the coconut-cilantro chutney more as it has a very hearty deliciousness. Here is the recipe for the cilantro-coconut chutney made in my home.

Servings: Makes around 2 cups

Ingredients:

Cilantro: 1 bunch, leaves separated from the stems; stems discarded.
Freshly grated coconut: 1 cup
Green chillies: 2 small
Fresh ginger: 1 inch, peeled.
Garlic: 2 small cloves
Tamarind: if dry marble sized. If using the pulp, 1/4 tsp.
Salt: as per taste
Water: 1/2 cup

Tempering: ( optional)
Coconut oil: 1 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves: 1 sprig

Method:

In a blender, add all the above ingredients except cilantro and grind them.When coconut is almost ground to a fine paste, add the cilantro and blend it to a fine paste. You could add a little more water while grinding as needed as per your desired consistency of the chutney.

Tempering ( optional):
Heat coconut oil in a small frying pan. Add mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add curry leaves and turn off the flame.
Add this tempering to the chutney.

This chutney could be served with samosas,rotis, fritters, rotisserie chicken, kebabs etc. It could also be used in sandwiches.

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:

For chutneys, it is best to pluck the cilantro leaves from the stem and use it. The use of the stem part in the chutney can make the chutney taste bitter.  Reserve the stems and use it in dishes like tomato saaru, dal and sambar. When added in this manner, the stems add flavor and aroma to the dish.

Tip for healthy living:

Making chutneys and dip using different vegetables and herbs is a great way to include soluble and insoluble fiber in our daily diet. Fiber helps prevent bowel irregularities and is essential for good gastrointestinal health and function. Dietary fiber also may help with feeling full and satiated and therefore eating smaller meals which in turn helps with weight control.

Food for thought:

The most satisfying thing in life is to have been able to give a large part of one's self to others. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

Mirsange Bajo ( Batter-fried Green chilli peppers)

Like most people around the world, Indians too love fried food. Not only do they love fried food, they love spicy fried food. One such group of popular Indian snacks/appetizers are fritters and fried vegetables. We dip all kinds of vegetables in a spicy batter and fry them . I have previously posted recipes for cauliflower bajo and fried breadfruit. Along similar lines is another extremely popular snack/ appetizer: batter fried green chillies or mirchi bhajias as they fondly call it back home. This is very popular in Maharashtra and Goa, where they put it in a bun/roll with additional chutney( usually cilantro) and eat it. Mmmm Yum! Can you imagine eating hot chilli peppers??? Well, there are several tricks to get rid of the heat of the chilli pepper. Not all chilli peppers are hot. You can use the sweet long green chilli pepper in this recipe too. You see, while my husband  loves this snack, I am not too crazy about it. I never have been, not even when I was younger. I don't like anything too spicy.I rarely make it and when I do make it, I do everything I can to cut the heat. Then too, I may eat just the outer batter coating or just a tini wini bit. One of the ways to cut the heat is by deseeding the peppers. Another trick is to soak it in a solution of vinegar for a few minutes before soaking it in batter. This generally kills the heat. Apart from that, this is a very easy snack to make. You dip it in the batter and deep fry it.

Servings: 2-4

Ingredients:

Long green chilli peppers: 6-8 in number.
Chick-pea flour( besan): 1/2 cup
Hing( asofoetida): a pinch if using powder, 1/4 tsp if using solution.
Cumin ( jeera) powder: 1/8 th tsp
Salt: to taste
Water: 1/4 cup ( enough to make a thick batter)
Oil: for frying( I used coconut oil)

Method:

Wash the chilli pepper, make a slit on the side and deseed the pepper gently without cutting it into two. Do not remove the crown/ stem of the chilli pepper. The chilli peppers I had were really long and I had to cut them into two so that they could fit in the wok that I was frying them in.

If the chilli pepper is the spicy( hot) kind, soak it in a solution of vinegar and salt  for 5-10 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix together the chickpea flour, hing( asofoetida), cumin powder, salt and water and make a thick batter.

Heat oil in a kadai/ frying pan to 400 deg F. You could also use a deep fryer if you have one.

Dip each chilli pepper in the above batter until it is completely coated and drop it gently into the hot oil. Drop one chilli pepper at a time.

Do not overcrowd the pan. Overcrowding results in poor quality of the end product. Fry until  the outer  batter turns a nice golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side on medium flame.

Remove with a slotted spoon onto a plate lined with paper towels so as to soak the excess oil.

Serve hot with some dinner rolls/ burger buns or with a cup of tea,for a quick snack  or as a side-dish for lunch/dinner.

Enjoy! I am bringing this fiery dish to Fiesta Friday's Anniversary Block party! The block party is being celebrated for 2 whole weeks with this week being Appetizers and drinks and next week being the main course! This week is being co-hosted by the very talented bloggers : Hilda@Along the grapevine and Julianna@ Foodie On Board

Cooking made easy:

Another way to reduce the heat of the chilli pepper is to soak it in buttermilk for 10- 15 mins.You could batter fry other vegetables like potato/sweet potato/ eggplant/ bell pepper slices in this fashion.

Tip for healthy living:

Avoid reusing fried oil.This has deleterious effects on life due to the free radicals that are formed during the reheating of the oil.The free radicals attach themselves to the healthy cells in the body and can be carcinogenic.
There are other toxins that are also formed that can cause a variety of health issues in the human body.

Food for thought:

Believe and act as if it were impossible to fail. Charles Kettering

Butternut Squash Fries; Meatless Monday

Like anybody else, I like French Fries! Well, who doesn't??? I remember when I was pregnant with my first-born, all I used to crave for was French fries! The best tasting ones were from McDonalds! God knows what they add in there to make it so tasty! Anyways, all that is in the past. Many a water has known under that bridge! Not only do I avoid fried food, I do not eat potatoes anymore! For health reasons of course! That's puts a damper on that! Even before I used to make baked French Fries! Now I do not make them at all! That does not mean that ones in a while I don't crave them.. Well, I do... But I have swapped the potatoes with sweet potatoes! And I like the taste of it. Not too long ago, at the fiesta Friday, I came across butternut Squash fries! You know I had to try them! Especially, since I have butternut squash at home all the time!They looked sooo good! I must say that I tried it and I liked it! Thanks Andrea for sharing such a wonderful recipe with all of us. This one is a keeper! Who knew making fries was this easy! You can find the original recipe here.

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

Butternut squash: 1 medium
Corn starch/ corn flour: 2 tbsp
Olive oil: 1-2 tbsp
Salt: to taste
Black pepper: 1/2tsp, freshly ground (optional).

Method:

Peel the butternut squash using a regular peeler, remove the seeds and then cut it into 0.75 centimeter thick sticks/strips.

Preheat the oven to 400 deg F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and keep ready.

Place the butternut squash strips in a plastic bag/ ziplock bag. Add corn flour, close the bag and shake it well until all the butternut squash pieces are coated with it.

Place the butternut squash strips on the baking sheet in a single layer. DO NOT OVERCROWD. If you overcrowd the strips will not become crisp. You might have to use more than one baking sheet or make more than one batch. I made 2 batches using 2 big sheets.

Lightly brush the butternut squash pieces with olive oil.

Place the baking tray on the middle rack. Bake for 15 mins, after which rotate the tray and bake for 15 more minutes or until the fries are crispy enough for your taste. Don't let them get burnt.

Take the tray out, sprinkle salt and black pepper, toss the fries with it.

The fries will be crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. They shrink significantly upon baking, so you might end up with a much smaller quantity than what you started with.

Serve hot, straight out of the oven with some ketchup.

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:

Cutting and peeling gourds/ squashes can be challenging.The easiest and best  way to do it is to peel it first using a regular peeler and then slice/cut it any way you wish.

You can also place it for a few minutes in the oven/ microwave and then cut it. This method however does not work for fries!

Tip for healthy living:

Butternut squash  is a very nutrient-rich  food. It is one of the first vegetables that my children stared eating.

Food for thought:

Bring ideas in and entertain them royally, for one of them may be the king. Mark Van Doren

Cucumber Kosumbari (Cucumber-Moong bean lentil salad)

Kosumbari in Kannada/Konkani are basically salads. These are dishes whose ingredients are raw and are seasoned with lemon juice, green chillies & salt.Cucumber Kosumbari is a relatively common one and is  a nice combination of vegetable with a little protein  hidden in it in the form of moong- bean lentil. It is quick and easy to make, healthy and tasty to eat.

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

Cucumber: 1 medium, peeled and finely diced.
Moong Dal(Moong- bean lentil): 1 tbsp
Green chilli: 1 small, finely chopped
Lemon juice: from one small lemon
Salt: to taste
Cilantro: 1 tbsp, chopped
Freshly grated coconut: 1 tbsp for garnishing.

For tempering:

Coconut Oil:1 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves: 2-3 leaves
Hing( asofoetida): a pinch

Method:

Soak the moong-bean lentil for 30 mins in water. Drain and keep aside.

In a bowl mix together the moong-dal lentil, chopped cucumber, green chillies, salt, cilantro, lemon juice and freshly grated coconut.

Heat coconut oil in a small pan. Add the mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds splutter, switch off the flame, add the curry leaves and a pinch of hing( asofoetida). Add it to the bowl.

Keep it refrigerated until ready to be served.

Enjoy.

Cooking made easy:

For those of us who don't have access to fresh curry leaves, here is a nice method to store large quantities of curry leaves for longer times. Wash and clean the leaves thoroughly and dry them in a single layer only until they are wilted ( not completely dry and brittle). Now store them in ziplock bags or in airtight container. Lasts for months together. I get my stock from India and it lasts for more than one year. You could use it just the way we regularly use. It becomes fresh when put in curries. You cannot tell the difference whether fresh or dried ones were used!

Tip for healthy living:

Studies have found a positive co-relation between gum disease and heart health. People who have gum disease are more prone to heart problems. Hence maintaining good oral hygiene is essential. This could be achieved by regular brushing, flossing and the use of antibacterial oral rinses. This should ideally be done after every meal.

Food for thought:

In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different. Coco Chanel

Meatless Monday Cornmeal Upma/Savory Cornmeal ( Cornmeal cooked with vegetables)

Upma with vegetables is one of my favorite breakfast choices. But since I have been avoiding gluten for almost 18 months now, I don't eat this anymore because Upma is made with cream of wheat or wheat semolina. I do make it for my family though. One day I decided to try it with cornmeal.I made it with white cornmeal.

It was a success! My husband liked the taste too. In fact there is not much difference in the taste between the two! So now I regularly make cornmeal upma or savory cornmeal with nuts and vegetables. It makes for a wholesome complete breakfast and is quick and easy to make.Today I have made this dish using yellow cornmeal.

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

Cornmeal : 1 cup ( I used yellow cornmeal, you can use white too).

Earthbound farm frozen peas : 1/4 cup
Earthbound farm frozen corn: 1/8 cup
Earthbound farm frozen green beans:1/8 cup
Carrots: 1/4 cup,diced and cooked.
Ghee( clarified butter): 2 tbsp
Cooking oil: 2tbsp
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves: 1 sprig
Urad dal( split black lentil):1/2 tsp
Chana dal( split chick-pea): 1/2 tsp
Cashew halves:1 tbsp( optional)
Earthbound farm Onion: 1 medium, diced small
Earthbound farm tomato:1 small, diced
Green chillies: 2, slit lengthwise
Ginger-garlic paste: 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder(haldi): 1/4 tsp( optional). I did not use today as I was using yellow cornmeal.
Sugar: 1/4 tsp
Salt: to taste
Water: 2 cups
Cilantro leaves: 1 tbsp( for garnishing)
Freshly grated coconut: 1 tbsp for garnishing.

Method:

Boil 2 cups water in a saucepan/ kettle.

Cook all the frozen vegetables as per  the instruction on the package and keep aside.

Dry roast the cornmeal in a sauté pan on low heat until fragrant( around 5-8 minutes) Put it in a plate/ bowl and keep aside.

In the same saute pan, now heat oil and ghee . Add mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add the urad dal,chana dal and cashew halves. Sauté for few seconds.

Add the split green chillies, curry leaves, ginger-garlic paste and chopped onions. Sauté until onions turn transparent.

 Add the turmeric powder and  tomatoes and saute until it wilts a little.

Add the cooked peas, carrots, corn and beans.

Now add the roasted cornmeal and mix well, salt, sugar and 2 cups hot water.

Add the water little by little, mixing well in between. The cornmeal quickly absorbs the water.

Cover and cook on very low flame for 3-4 mins, stirring in between. 

You know the upma is done when it easily leaves the pan upon stirring.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.You can also garnish with freshly grated coconut as well.

Serve hot. Like any cornmeal dish, it does not taste good cold.

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:

You could use different combinations of vegetables for this dish or even mixed vegetables. You could use only peas, peas and carrots or even baby Lima beans or soy beans( endamame).

Tip for healthy living:

Eating healthy is very essential for our well-being.Breakfast kick-starts the metabolism and keeps you from being hungry during the day and from binge eating. A wholesome breakfast would be the perfect way to start the day.

Food for thought:

The greatest gift in life is to be remembered. Ken Venturi