Poached Pears in Red Wine

The second recipe in my 2 back-to-back desserts is Poached Pears in Red Wine.Probably the perfect and most elegant dessert during the holiday season!!The fruit,the spice and Red Red Wine is what makes it so special.Its got just the right colors that compliment the holidays,so why not try making these for a change to serve your guests!


Its a dessert that not many people make on a regular basis.Wonder why, considering its pretty easy to make.Or maybe it just waits for a special occasion to get its due! Its a dessert that's forgotten in the scheme of things during holidays since most people think of cookies and cakes to be made at this time.


In any case, I have decided to do justice to this and present it to my guests!As I've mentioned earlier we love fruit based desserts and this is one of our favorites.The sweetness from the pears and the Red Wine perfectly compliment the spices and the result is a luscious, rich,red dessert that is just so exquisite!You can also create this dish with peaches instead of pears or a combination of both!Its a delightful dish that can also be a stunning centerpiece at your next party!


Poached Pears in Red Wine
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Ingredients:
Pears- 4 Peeled
Cloves-6


Red Wine Sauce:
Red Wine-1 cup
Water-1 cup
Sugar-1/2 cup
Cinnamon-1  stick
Star Anise-1


Process:


Poke the cloves into the pears and keep aside.

Meanwhile place the sauce ingredients in a pot and bring it a boil.Add the pears.Cover and cook for about 10 minutes until cooked but firm.
Take the pears out and arrange in a serving dish.Continue to cook the sauce until it thickens.Drizzle the sauce over the pears.Cool and serve!
You can also serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream,

Hope these 2 desserts (this and my Easy Lime Cake) will light up your Holidays!!Enjoy!

Easy Lime Cake

For this holiday season I'm going to post 2 easy dessert recipes back-to-back.Both these recipes are a delight to make and delectable!So here is the first one.


I'm in love with citrus flavors in my desserts!They instantly light up any dull day and are such fresh and wonderful treats to have. So this holiday I'm going to make my easiest Lime cake and I can guarantee you that its going to be the firm favorite with your guests as well!The best part is, its so easy to put together and yet so different from the usual.

I use Dr Oetker Vanilla Cake Mix for this recipe.All you have to do is add fresh zest and juice of 2 Limes to get that exotic flavor, that's out of this world!Its a huge hit with my kids and hubby alike and we just can't seem to get enough of these!

Easy Lime Cake
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Ingredients:


Dr Oetker Vanilla Cake Mix(or any of your choice)-1
Zest and Juice of 2 Limes
Eggs-3
Milk-2/3 Cup
Oil-1/2 Cup

Process:


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.Mix eggs,oil,milk,lime zest and juice in a bowl.Whisk for a few minutes until well mixed.Add the cake mix.Whisk again.Grease a cake pan and pour the batter.Bake for about 35 minutes.Your lime cake is ready!Enjoy!

Easy Indian Chicken Curry

Ok, I'm in a mood to make curry again.In cold winters growing-up I remember having all these Chicken and Mutton dishes with Rotis.All the spice and the heat made it extra special and comforting for all of us.Some people find curry quite complicated.Curry doesn't have to be complicated or intimidating.Its something that has to be relished, to be savored and to be enjoyed.The recipe I have written here promises exactly that.


It is a baked recipe without all the effort to make you enjoy a curry in a far easier and quicker way than the traditional method without compromising any of that delectable taste.The flavors combine beautifully in the oven, while you can sit back and enjoy a glass of wine or any drink that you prefer.The only process that needs to be taken care of is the browning of the onions.That can take a few minutes, but makes all the difference in a good curry.So here it is, my Easy Indian Chicken Curry.


Easy Indian Chicken Curry
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Ingredients:


Skinless Chicken Thighs with/without bones or Breasts-6 pieces
Onions-2 Medium chopped
Ginger Garlic paste-1 tbsp
Tomatoes-2 medium chopped
Ground Coriander-1 tbsp
Ground Cumin-1 tbsp
Turmeric- 1 tsp
Red Chilli Powder/Cayenne-2 tsp(depending on your heat preference)
Garam masala-2 tsp
Water-1/2 cup
Oil-5 tbsp
Salt- to taste


Process:


Preaheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In a skillet heat oil and add the onions.Cook until golden brown.Then add the Ginger garlic paste.Cook for a couple of minutes and then add the tomatoes.Follow with salt and all the dry spices and cook until the spices release their aroma (about 5-10 minutes on medium heat).You have the basic curry masala ready.

Now puree the mixture in a blender/grinder.Transfer into an oven proof dish and add the chicken pieces.Mix them properly.Add water and bake them covered in the oven for about 35-40 mins until all the chicken is fully cooked.Boneless pieces will take shorter time.Adjust the seasonings.


Enjoy with Rice or Rotis/Naans!

Goan Style Shrimp Curry

Every region in India has its own unique method of preparing dishes.This dish here is inspired from Goa that is popular not only for its natural scenic beauty but also for its spicy Goan cuisine with the use of coconuts, vinegar,tamarind and red chillies.Being a spice buff, I'm quite fond of Goan dishes and was looking for an easy recipe for some time.


I stumbled upon this one during one my many internet searches.Its adapted from Suvir Saran and Hemant Mathur's Devi (their restaurant in NY) and featured in NY Times.Glad to have found this because, its very easy, quick and delicious to say the least.I have made some minor changes, like adding tamarind  and using a little vinegar, but if you don't have those ingredients you can omit them and still enjoy this recipe.


The aroma is unbelievable, while I'm cooking this.I wish you could smell my kitchen right now!!The heat from the red chillies is balanced by the tanginess of the vinegar and the sweetness of the tomatoes and coconut milk.You can substitute chicken, vegetables or any other fish instead of shrimp.It will surely be a crowd pleaser at your next gathering.Go on give it a try!


Goan Style Shrimp Curry
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Ingredients:


Large Shrimp peeled and deveined- 1 1/2 lbs
Ground Black pepper-1 tsp
Salt- to taste
Cayenne pepper(red chilli powder)-1 tsp
Ginger Garlic paste-1 tbsp
Canned Tomato- 2 cups
Onion-1 finely chopped
Dried Red Chillies- 4
Ground Coriander-2 tsp
Curry Powder-1/2 tsp
Tamarind pulp-1 tsp
White Vinegar- 1 tsp
Turmeric- 1/2 tsp
Coconut Milk-1 1/2 cups
Fresh Coriander(Cilantro)-for garnish


Process:


Place Shrimp in a ziplock bag and mix with some salt, cayenne.Mix well and referigerate.


In a deep skillet, heat oil.Add the dried red chillies.Stir for 1 to 2 minutes.Add black pepper and cook for another minute.Add onions and saute for a few minutes, until translucent.Add ginger garlic paste, coriander, turmeric and cook for  a few more minutes.
Reduce heat to medium low and add the tomatoes and keep stirring often.Increase the heat to medium high and keep stirring for about 5 minutes.Add the tamarind pulp and vinegar.Stir in the curry powder and cook for 1 minute.Add the coconut milk, bring to a boil and add the Shrimp.Bring to a simmer and cook unitl the shrimp is opaque about 3-5 minutes.Garnish with cilantro.Serve hot with rice!


Source-NY Times

Cookie Bloghop: Apple Spiced Glazed Cookies

Oooh, my house redolent of cinnamon and vanilla wafting through the air.Reason?I'm making these scrumptious cookies for our cookie bloghop for this month.Perfect for the holidays, tasty and super easy!

My kids love apple based anything,that's why I keep looking for new apple recipes ever-so-often.I made these for the first time, but seeing my kids gobble them up I think I'll be making these again and again.
The inspiration for this recipe came from http://www.easy-cookies.com.I added vanilla essence and used all spice and cinnamon.


Apple Spiced Glazed Cookies
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Ingredients:


All purpose Flour-2 cups
Eggs-2 beaten
Brown Sugar- 1 1/2 cups
Baking Soda-1 tsp
Cinnamon-1 tsp
All Spice-1 tsp
Vanilla essence-1 tsp
1 stick of butter- softened
Apples-1 cup chopped
Salt-1/2 tsp


Glaze
2/3 cup confectioner's sugar
1 tbsp milk


Process:


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.Mix butter and sugar together.Add in the egg and vanilla.Combine the flour,baking soda,salt and the spices and add into the butter-sugar-vanilla mix.Throw in the apples and mix them all together.
Grease a baking tray and spoon equal amounts of the mix about 2 inches apart.Cook for about 13-14 mins.Cool and pour the glaze over the top.

I'm co-hosting this bloghop with these 26 amazing foodies.

Please join in on the #cookielove fun by linking up any cookie recipe from the month of December 2011.


Co-Hosts

Badger Girl Learns to Cook- Kimberly-  @BdgerGrl
Baking and Cooking: A Tale of Two Loves- Becky Higgins
BigFatBaker- Erin-  @BigFatBaker
Bloc de Recetas,- Salomé- @Blocderecetas
Bon a Croquer- Valerie- @valouth
CafeTerraBlog- Terra Baltosiewich- @CafeTerraBlog
Cake Duchess- Lora - @cakeduchess
Creative Cooking Corner- Karriann Graf- @KarriannGraf
Easily Good Eats- Three-Cookies-
Georgie Cakes- Georgie Kubarych- @georgiecakes
Hobby and More- Richa- @betit19
Knitstamatic- Deb- @knitstamatic
Mike's Baking- Mike R.- @mikesbaking
Mis Pensamientos- Junia- @juniakk
No One Likes Crumbley Cookies- T.R.- @TRCrumbley
Oh Cake- Jessica Hose- @jesshose
Queen's Notebook- Elizabeth Quirino- @Mango_Queen
Savoring Every Bite- Linda Geiler- @Spicegirlfla
Simply Reem- Reem- @simplyreem
Soni's Food for Thought- Soni- @sonisfood
Teaspoon of Spice- Deanna Segrave-Daly- @tspbasil
That Skinny Chick Can Bake- Liz- @Thatskinnychick
The Art of Cooking Real Food- Laura- @TAofCRF
The Spicy RD- EA Stewart- @thespicyrd
The Wimpy Vegetarian- Susan Pridmore- @chezsuzanne
Vegetarian Tastebuds- Raji- @vegtastebuds
Vegan Yack Attack- Jackie

Indian Style Simple Vegetable Stir-fry

Here's an easy, simple and quick recipe for a healthy vegetable side dish, without any effort literally.I make this many times for our weeknight meals, along with chicken or fish curry.Its simple yet spicy enough thanks to the green chillies(jalapeños).


You can use fresh vegetables or a pack of frozen mixed vegetables.For convenience I've used frozen vegetables here and added the red peppers for that rich color.If you like more texture you can add nuts, shredded coconut etc to further elevate the dish.I have kept it simple here, so go ahead and make it any way you like.The cumin seeds give it that nutty flavor,the green chillies give it the spicy kick and the vegetables make it colorful!




Indian Style Simple Vegetable Stir Fry
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Ingredients:


Fresh or Frozen Mixed Vegetables(peas, beans,corn,carrots)-2 cups
Red Pepper-1 Large chopped
Cumin Seeds-2 tsp
Green Chillies(jalapeños)-2 chopped
Oil-2 tbsp
Salt-to taste


Process:


Heat oil on in a skillet.Add the cumin seeds.Once it splutters add the chopped green chillies (jalapeños).Add all the vegetables and cook for about 10 mins to keep it crunchy and colorful.Serve hot!

English Trifle

My favorite dessert of all time is the English Trifle.Its a perpetual craving for this dessert, that I satisfy to my heart's content whenever I visit the UK.I love cakes with custard and this just takes it to another level altogether.The English have enjoyed this dessert for over three centuries now and I consider it to be one of their culinary treasures that HAS to be savored.

The English Trifle is made up of many layers using Jellies or Jams, Cake, Custard and Whipped topping.Its topped off with fresh fruits or nuts giving it that incredible look, making you want to dig in right away.You can layer it in a large trifle bowl as I do or in individual glasses.The layers don't have to be perfect, in fact the imperfection gives it the distinctive look!Its a great make ahead dessert that can be prepared a day before your party and kept in the refrigerator for the flavors to combine nicely.

I am making a Strawberry Trifle here. My layers consist of Strawberry Jelly, Vanilla cake and Custard, topped with whipped topping and fresh Strawberries.I mix up a 16oz pack of strawberries into my jelly mix for that authentic texture.You can use any flavor for your trifle.I've also made these using Blueberry jelly.So next time you visit the UK make sure to try these!

English Trifle
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Ingredients:


Fresh Strawberries-1 16 oz pack
Strawberry Jelly- 1 pkt
Vanilla cake or sponge cake-1 lb cubed
Custard-2 cups(prepared)
Whipped Topping-for the topping
Fresh Strawberries- 1/2 pkt cut into halves lengthwise


Process:
Make the jelly according to instructions.Keep aside.Bake your own sponge cake or get a store bought cake.Prepare the custard according to instructions.
The next process involves layering these into the trifle bowl.Start with the Strawberry jelly at the bottom.

Follow with the cake and then custard.

Repeat the layers again in the same order of Jelly, Cake and Custard.

Top it up with whipped topping and arrange the fresh strawberries on top.Your Trifle is ready.Keep it in the refrigerator overnight and serve chilled!

Elegant Indian inspired Thanksgiving Menu

I'm not a big Turkey fan, something to do with an unpleasant aftertaste everytime I eat it. Hence I normally cook Chicken instead of Turkey during Thanksgiving.This time I'm inspired to give it an exotic Indian touch,something I haven't done before.


Yet I don't want to spend the entire day cooking in the kitchen, instead enjoy the Holidays with my family outside the kitchen as well.That said, food still has to be top-notch.So I came up with idea of  keeping it simple yet elegant at the same time, sort of "East meets West". I am making Indian style Spicy Couscous with Cranberries,Raisins and Slivered Almonds served with Indian Spiced Roast Chicken.

Sounds tempting?Wait till you try it.The combination of sweet with the spicy gets your tastebuds dancing.The Roast Chicken transports you into the Indian heartland with its aroma and a piquant taste that makes it irresistible.


You don't have to wait for Thanksgiving to make these dishes. You can make them any time of the year.You can serve the chicken as an appetizer for a gathering with some chutney, or you can use it on a bed of rice with salad as your weekday or weekend meal.


If you are  a vegetarian you can enjoy this delicious Indian style couscous on its own or with a salad on the side.The possibilities are endless, so go ahead and give it a try!


Spicy Couscous with Sweet Cranberries,Raisins and Slivered Almonds
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Ingredients:


Couscous- 2 cups
Water- 2 cups
Oil-2 tbsp
1 medium Onion- chopped finely
3 Green Chillies(Jalapenos)-chopped finely
Black Mustard seeds-1 tsp
Curry Leaves(available in Indian stores)- 3
Sweetened Cranberries- 1 cup
Raisins-1/4 cup
Slivered Almonds- for garnish
Salt-to taste


Process:


Boil 2 cups of water with some salt.Once it starts boiling add 2 cups of couscous.Turn off the heat and cover the pan.Leave it for 2 minutes.Your couscous is cooked.Gently stir it with a fork.Keep aside.

In a skillet, heat oil and add the mustard seeds and curry leaves (pic above).Once it splutters add the onions and green chillies. Saute until onions are light brown.Mix into the couscous along with cranberries and raisins.Garnish with slivered almonds.Your couscous is ready!

Indian Spiced Roast Chicken:
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Skinless Chicken Thighs or Drumsticks-5 pieces
Oil-1 tbsp
Salt-to taste


For the Green paste:


Coriander leaves-1 bunch
Ginger-1 inch chopped
Garilic-4 cloves chopped
Ground turmeric-1 tsp
Ground Coriander-2 tsps
Ground Cumin-1 tsp
Red Chilli powder(Cayenne pepper)-1 tsp


Start by preheating the oven to 420 degrees F.Now to the next step,make the green paste using all the ingredients above.

Once the paste is ready, you can go ahead and start the marination process.Place the chicken along with oil,salt and green paste into a ziplock bag.Seal firmly and mix the contents together.Leave it in the refrigerator for 4-5 hours.


Place the marinaded chicken pieces on an alumimiun foil on top of a baking sheet.Bake for about 40-45 minutes, turning the chicken once so that both sides are golden brown.

Serve your Indian Style Thanksgiving meal!Enjoy.

Pumpkin Bourbon Pudding

What better way to spend a rainy day, than with some great food,friends and fun!Had a good time with my girlfriends yesterday.Our group is nicknamed
G-10(since there are ten of us) by the better half!It was our usual monthly potluck that we have been doing for quite sometime now.The theme was "Indian Appetizers".As you can guess there were mouth-watering dishes of all sorts.


I brought a Dessert item that I'm going to share.The flavor of the season being Pumpkin, I made a Pumpkin Bourbon Pudding.I know that doesn't tie in with the 'Theme", but when you have a dessert like this, who's complaining?Certainly not the G-10!I'm not going to take the credit for the recipe, since I got it from "Better Homes and Gardens" magazine.It figures in their list of Warm and Cozy Desserts for Autumn.


Its one of those decadent desserts that's not to be missed this season.Its very easy to make and pretty healthy as well.Its not loaded with butter or cream.The orange juice, brown sugar and raisins add the sweet element and the pumpkin pie spice adds the aromatic touch that fills the house with the festive feel of Thanksgiving!I used orange juice instead of Bourbon and with my obsession of serving warm with cold, I ended up serving it with a scoop of Vanilla Ice-cream.The G-10 gave their seal of approval, so I guess it was a pretty good combo.


So here is the recipe

Pumpkin Bourbon Pudding
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Ingredients:

• 2
  tablespoons bourbon or 2 tablespoons orange juice plus 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4
  cup golden raisins or dark raisins
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1
  slightly beaten egg white
• 1
  slightly beaten egg
• 1
  15 ounce can pumpkin
• 1
  5 ounce can (2/3 cup) evaporated milk
• 1/2
  cup packed brown sugar
• 1
  teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/3
  cup quick-cooking rolled oats
• 2
  tablespoons brown sugar
• 2
  teaspoons butter or margarine, melted
  
  
  
  

Process:
In a small saucepan heat bourbon or orange juice and vanilla just until hot (do not boil). Add raisins; set aside to cool.Lightly coat eight 6-ounce souffle dishes or custard cups or one 1-quart casserole with nonstick cooking spray. Place souffle dishes or custard cups in a shallow baking pan for ease of handling; set aside.


In a large bowl combine egg white, egg, pumpkin, evaporated milk, the 1/2 cup brown sugar, and the pumpkin pie spice. Stir in raisins and any liquid that is left in the saucepan. Spoon pumpkin mixture into prepared dish(es). In a small bowl stir together rolled oats and the 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Stir in melted butter. Sprinkle over pumpkin mixture.


Bake in a 375 degree F. oven about 30 minutes for souffle dishes or custard cups, 40 to 45 minutes for large dish, or until a knife inserted near the center(s) comes out clean. Transfer to wire rack; cool for 1 hour before serving.Enjoy!