Countdown for 2012 - Countdown Cheese Cake

Countdown Cheesecake Recipe

8-10 Servings 

Prep : 20 min. + chilling Bake: 10 min. + cooling

Ingredients :

1-1/2 cups cracker crumbs

3 tablespoons sugar

1/3 cup butter, melted

FILLING:

2 cartons (8 ounces each) spreadable strawberry cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed

1-1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

Red decorating gel

1 fresh strawberry, halved

Method :

In a bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, sugar and butter. 

Press onto the bottom and 1 in up the sides of a greased 9-in. springform pan. 

Bake at 325° for 10 minutes; cool.

In a bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. 

Fold in the whipped topping. 

Gently spread a third of the filling over crust. 

Arrange strawberries on top. 

Spoon remaining filling over berries; smooth top. 

Refrigerate overnight.

With decorating gel, pipe numerals and the minute and hour hands for a clock dial on the cheesecake. 

Place strawberry halves at the tips of the clock hands. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!

Indian Non-Veg Starters - Fish Rawa Fingers

Fish Rawa Fingers

Ingredient : 

garlic paste 1 tbsp

ginger paste 1 tbsp

lemon juice 2 tbsp

Fish fillet 300 grams

red chilli powder 2 tsp

rice flour (coarse)  1/2 cup

oil to fry

salt to taste

Method :

Clean the fish and cut into fingers (3” x ½” x ½”).

Marinate the fish fingers in a mixture of ginger-garlic paste, salt and lemon juice for half an hour.

Mix red chilli powder, salt and coarse rice flour.

Remove the fish fingers from the first marinate and roll them in seasoned red chilli and rice flour mixture.

Heat oil in a kadai and deep fry in hot oil till crisp and done.

Remove onto an absorbent paper to remove excess oil.

Serve hot with garlic chutney.

Source : VahRehVah

Christmas Rum Cake

Christmas Rum Cake

Ingredients :

1 c. chopped nuts

4 eggs 

1 pkg. yellow cake mix

1/2 c. cold water

1 (3 3/4 oz.) pkg. vanilla instant pudding

1/2 c. dark rum 

1/2 c. salad oil

Glaze :

1/4 lb. butter

1 c. sugar 

1/4 c. water 

1/2 c. dark rum

Directions : 

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 

2. Grease and flour a 12- cup bundt pan. 

3. Pour nuts only in bottom of bundt pan. 

4. Mix all other ingredients together. 

5. Pour over nuts. 

6. Bake 1 hour and cool. 

7. Invert on serving plate. 

8. Prick top.

Glaze : 

1. Melt butter. 

2. Stir in water and sugar. 

3. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. 

4. Remove from heat, add rum, and drizzle over top and sides of cake.

Source : Christmas4Home 

Snacks / Dessert Recipe - Potato & Apple Pancakes

Potato and Apple Pancakes

Prep time:  10 min

Cook time:  20 min

Serves : 10

Ingredients :

1 large uncooked potato(es), peeled   

1 medium fresh apple(s), peeled, cored, quartered   

4 tsp dehydrated onion flakes   

1 large egg(s), beaten   

1/4 tsp table salt   

1/4 tsp black pepper   

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon   

1/2 cup(s) fat-free sour cream  

Method :

Shred potato and apple into a medium-size bowl using the fine-holes of a box grater or shredder; stir in onion flakes. 

Press out as much liquid as you can by hand; drain liquid. 

Set aside mixture for 1 minute and press out liquid again; drain again. 

Stir in egg, salt, pepper and cinnamon.

Coat a very large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. 

Drop potato mixture by tablespoonfuls into skillet and flatten each with the back of a spoon to make twenty 2-inch latkes. 

Leave at least 1 inch between latkes; you will have to do this in batches.

Cook latkes until golden on first side, about 3 minutes. 

Gently flip latkes with a spatula and cook until other side is golden, about 3 to 4 minutes more. Carefully remove latkes to a serving plate; cover to keep warm and repeat with remaining ingredients. 

Top with sour cream and serve. Yields 2 latkes and 2 1/3 teaspoons sour cream per serving.

Source : Weight Watchers Recipe

Indian Chicken Recipe - Curry Chicken !

CURRY CHICKEN

Ingredients :

1 pkg. chicken wing drumettes (3-4 lb.) or

1 med. sized chicken (3-4 lb.), cut into sm. pieces

3 tsp. curry powder

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

2 tsp. sugar

1 1/2 c. water

1/2 of an onion, diced

Optional : 

1 teaspoon of lemon grass powder or fresh lemon grass chop into fine pieces. 

Method :

Put water in a pan big enough to hold all ingredients.

Add all spices. Stir until mixed. 

Add chicken and onion. 

Cook on high until boiling, then lower temperature to medium. 

Stir well, then cover. 

Cook (covered) until sauce has thickened and chicken is well-cooked (30-40 minutes). 

Stir every 10 minutes so chicken is coated evenly with the sauce. 

More water can be added if a thinner sauce is desired. 

Serve with steamed rice. 4-6 servings.

Indian Dessert Recipe : Apple Cake With Almonds !

Apple Cake With Almonds (Badam)

Ingredients :

Sugar  - 2/3 cup 

Butter   - 1/2 cup 

Eggs  - 2 large 

Lemon juice   - 2 tblsps 

Flour, all-purpose   - 2 cups 

Baking powder   - 2 tsps 

Salt   - 1/4 tsp 

Raspberry preserves   - 1/4 cup 

Apples peeled, sliced  - 3 1/2 cups 

 For Topping :

Almonds ground  - 1 cup 

Sugar   - 1/2 cup 

Sour cream dairy  - 1/2 cup 

Eggs beaten  - 2 large 

Flour, all-purpose   - 2 tblsps 

Lemon zest grated  - 1 tsp 

 For Glaze :

Powdered sugar  - 1/4 cup 

Lemon juice   - 1 tsp 

Method :

1.Heat oven to 375 degrees F. 

2.Grease and flour 9 or 10 inch springform pan.

3.Mix  2/3 cup sugar and butter and  beat until  creamy

4.Add 2 eggs and 2 tblsps of lemon juice; beat until well In a small bowl combine 2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt

5.Add to egg mixture; beat at low speed until well blended.

6.Spread in prepared pan. Then spoon preserves over batter; carefully spread to cover.

7.Top with apple slices; slightly press into batter.

8.In medium bowl, combine all topping ingredients; blend well Bake at 350 degrees F. for 55 to 65 minutes or until apples are tender, edges are light golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

9.Cool 10 minutes, then carefully remove sides of pan.

10.In small bowl, blend all glaze ingredients until smooth; drizzle over cake.

11.Serve warm or cool.

Source : Sulekha Food

Indian Rice Recipe - Lemon Rice

LEMON RICE

Ingredients :

2cups boiled Rice

1/3rd cup Lemon Rice

6Tbsp Oil

1/2tsp Black Mustard seeds

Few curry leaves

3-4 green chilies

Salt to taste

1/4th tsp. turmeric powder

1/4th cup peanuts

Method :

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, allow to splutter.

Add turmeric powder and peanuts, fry till brown.

Now add green chilies, curry leaves, salt and fry for 2 minutes.

Take it off from the flame and add lemon juice and mix well.

Now add this to the boiled rice and mix well.

Lemon rice is ready to be served.

Source : Indian Food Forever

Indian Snacks Recipe - Corn Noodles !

Corn Noodles

Ingredients :

1 −12 ounce package yolk−free egg noodles

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped

3 cups diced fresh tomatoes

1/4 cup vegetable stock or water

1/4 cup chopped parsley

3 cups fresh corn kernels

Salt and Pepper to taste

Method :

Cook the noodles in a large pot according to package directions. 

In a large skillet over medium heat, saute onions in olive oil until slightly brown, about 12 minutes.

Add nonstick spray oil during sauteing if necessary. 

Add tomatoes and stock or water; cover and simmer 3 to 4 minutes. 

Stir in parsley, corn, and cooked noodles; 

Simmer until heated through, about 3 to 4 minutes more.

Season with salt and pepper.

Indian Chicken Recipe - Tandoori Chicken

TANDOORI CHICKEN

Ingredients:

1.Chicken legs 

2. Lemon

3.Oil

4.Salt to taste.

Marination:

1.Tandoori masala

2. Ginger/Garlic paste

3.Pepper powder

4.Curd

5.Pinch of turmeric 

6.Chili powder - 2 tablespoons

Procedure:

Make some slits on the chicken legs and put it into a bowl.Now add salt ,pepper powder and thick curd into it and mix nicely for almost 1 mnt. Once this is done keep it for marination for almost 5-6 hrs.   

I avoid deep frying and prefers shallowing frying only. Now lets start cooking, take the cooker and put this marinated Chicken into it and cook it, 3 whistles will be sufficient.Once its done take out the chicken and drain it so that if any water is there it will go.

    

Now lets make the tandoori marination.Take a bowl add Tandoori masala, pinch of turmeric, chili powder,Ginger n garlic paste,Salt and make it into a fine paste. Squeeze lemon(lemon juice will make tandoori more tastier) also into this paste and mix. Now take the chickens one by one and dip it into this tandoori paste throughly, make sure this masalas gets into the slits also. Again marinate it for sometime, longer its marinated it will taste good. 

     

Once its marinated , time to  fry it. Take a non-stick pan and pour little oil, now take the chicken one by one and put it into the pan and shallow fry it.Turn on each side 2-3 mnts it will be done. Since the Chicken is already cooked, it wont take much time,as just the tandoori masala have to get cooked a bit. Once frying is over take Aluminium foil and cut it into small  rectangular pieces and wrap it to the lower bone part of the chicken thighs,which makes it easy to hold the Chicken. Garnsih with Cilantro/Mint leaves.

Source : Ashitha Sreejesh & Sulekha

Indian Dessert Recipe - Strawberry & Basil Sundae

Strawberry & Basil Sundae

Ingredients :

2 scoops strawberry ice-cream

200 gm fresh strawberry

1 tbsp basil leaves (finely chopped)

20 gm caster sugar

whipped cream for garnish

Method :

Dice the strawberries into fours.

Mix them with sugar and basil leaves.

Thaw the ice-cream and layer the bottom of a tall glass with it.

Add it fresh strawberries.

Keep repeating the layering process till the glass is full.

Top it up with whipped cream and serve.

Source : TOI

Christmas Recipes - Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

Ingredients :

1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1/4 teaspoon of baking soda

1/4 teaspoon of baking powder

1/2 cup of butter or margarine softened

1 cup of granulated sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla

1 -10 ounce jar of maraschino cherries, drained, reserve juice

1 - 6 ounce package of semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup of sweetened condensed milk

Method :

In large bowl, stir together flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and soda. 

In mixer bowl, beat together butter or margarine and sugar on low speed until fluffy. 

Add egg and vanilla; beat well. 

Gradually add dry ingredients to creamed mixture; beat until well blended. 

Shape dough into 1" balls; place on ungreased cookie sheet. 

Press down center of dough with thumb. 

Drain Maraschino cherries, reserving juice. 

Place a cherry in the center indention of each cookie. 

In small saucepan combine chocolate pieces and sweetened condensed milk; heat over low heat until chocolate is melted. 

Stir in 4 teaspoons of the reserved cherry juice. 

Spoon about 1 teaspoon frosting over each cherry spreading to cover cherry. 

(frosting may be thinned with additional cherry juice if necessary). 

Bake at 350 degrees or until done. 

Remove to wire rack to cool.

Indian Drink Recipe - Mocktails

1) BANANA BONKERS

Ingredients :

3 bananas

1 cup crushed ice

2 cups lemon sharbet

3 cups fresh grapefruit juice

Method :

Puree banana.

Combine the pureed bananas, grapefruit juice and lemon sharbet and crushed ice.

Stir and serve.

2) DESIGNATED APPLETINI

Ingredients :

59 ml fresh apple juice

20 ml lemon juice

30 ml simple syrup

A slice of apple for garnishing

Granulated sugar for rimming

Method :

In a cocktail shaker filled with crushed ice, add apple juice, lemon juice and simple syrup.

Shake it well.

Strain into a glass rimmed with granulated sugar.

Garnish with an apple slice.

Serve it chilled.

Source : TOI

Indian Salad Recipe - Cabbage, Tomato and Onion Salad

Cabbage, Tomato and Onion Salad

Prep Time: 20 Min

Ingredients :

2 cups shredded cabbage

4 large firm tomatoes, chopped

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 green chile peppers, seeded and minced

salt to taste

white sugar to taste

1 tablespoon roasted peanut powder

1 tablespoon clarified butter

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Method :

In a large bowl, toss together the cabbage, tomatoes, onion, chiles, salt, sugar and peanut powder until evenly combined.

In a small saute pan, heat the clarified butter over medium heat. 

Add the cumin and stir until toasted. 

Remove from heat, pour over the salad mixture and gently mix together. 

Chill until serving, and serve garnished with cilantro.

Source : Allrecipes

Indian Sweet Recipe - DAL BARFI

DAL BURFI

Ingredients :

1 cup - Boiled Tur Dal, Moong Dal & Harbhara Dal

3 tsp - Ghee

2 cups - Sugar

1/4 cup - Mava

1/4 cups of Cashews and Almonds

1 tsp - Food yellow Colour

Method :

Take a pan and put ghee in it.

Boil all the dals in it and put two cups of suger.

Stir well and add mava and cups of cashews & almonds

Now add cardamom powder and yellow food colour in it.

Lastly apply ghee on a plate and then put all mixture in it.

Make this into a flat surface in the surface.

Lave this for 10 minutes.

Make this into a shape of burfi.

Lastly add dry fruits to it.

Indian Snack / Meal Recipe - Baked jacket Potatoes !

BAKED JACKET POTATOES

Ingredients :

Oval potatoes : 6 (medium)

Spring Onions : 1 (chopped)

Capsicum : 1 (chopped)

Red bell : 1/2 (chopped)

Yellow bell pepper : 1/2 (chopped)

Chilli : 1 (chopped)

Garlic Flake : 1 (chopped)

Mint leaves (whole) : 10-12

Beaten cream : 1/4 cup

Butter : 2 tbsp

Mustard : 2 tbsp

Grated cheese : 1/2 cup

Oil : 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Method :

Scrub unpeeled potatoes.

Boil but they should be still firm

Refrigerate, use next day

Make crisscross slits 2/3 way down the elongated part of potato.

Make sure it stands firmly.

Apply slight pressure at the lower part to open the slit a bit.

Brush inside with butter, sprinkle a bit of salt.

Heat oil in a pan, add chilli, garlic, capsicum and stir.

Add all other chopped veggies except mint leaves, stir-fry.

Take off fire, allow cooling.

Ass salt, pepper, cream, cheese, mustard and mix well.

Meanwhile, bake potatoes in preheated oven at 200deg C for 3-4 minutes.

Remove gently open slits, spoon in veggie mixture into slits.

Brush potato jackets with butter

Return to oven and bake again at 200deg C for 3-4 minutes.

Remove, garnish with mint leaves on top.

Thanksgiving Day Special : Homemade Turkey Stock !

THANKSGIVING DAY !! 

TIPS OF THE DAY !!

7:30am : Take the turkey out of the fridge. Double-check when you need to put your turkey in the oven, remembering to leave enough time for preheating.

8am : Have a hearty breakfast with plenty of protein and fiber, like this Asparagus, Bacon and Cheese Strata, to keep you going while you prepare the meal, and to cut down on the likelihood of nibbling. 

12:30pm : Have a light lunch low to keep you going so you don’t overdo it at dinner. Take some time after your lunch to have a cup of tea and read a book, even if it’s just 20 minutes hiding in the bathroom. Make it known that interruptions are unwelcome — and unwise! 

3:00pm : As guests arrive welcome them with appetizers, low-fat cheeses, olives, wine, etc.

3:30pm : Take the turkey out of the oven, make the recipe. 

4pm : Bon appetite! 

6pm : Rouse your household for a brisk walk — minus two designated clearer-uppers. 

7pm : Make sure leftovers are safely stored. If you’re feeling generous, prepare doggy bags for guests.

SPECIAL THANKSGIVING RECIPE : Homemade Turkey Stock

Makes about 2 1/2 quarts

Ingredients :

3 pounds turkey wings

Turkey neck and giblets, but not the liver (optional)

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium carrot, chopped

1 medium celery rib, with leaves, chopped

6 parsley sprigs

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp whole black peppercorns

1 dried bay leaf

Method :

Preheat the oven to 425ºF. 

Using a heavy cleaver or large knife, chop the wings between the joints. 

If using the neck, chop it up, too. (If necessary, ask the butcher to do this for you.) 

Using a sharp knife, trim away any membranes from the giblets.

Spread the turkey pieces in a very large roasting pan. 

Roast, stirring occasionally, until the turkey pieces are deeply browned, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. 

Add the onion, carrot and celery and cover. 

Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. 

Stir in 10 cups of cold water, bring to a boil and let simmer, covered, while the turkey roasts.

Add the turkey pieces to the vegetables and water, increase the heat to high and bring stock to a boil, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface. 

Meanwhile, place the roasting pan over two burners on high heat and add 2 cups of cold water. Bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits in the pan. 

Pour into the pot.

Add the parsley, thyme, peppercorns and bay leaf. 

Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 3 hours.

Strain the stock through a colander into a large bowl; discard the solids. 

Place the bowl in a larger bowl or roasting pan of iced water and cool to room temperature. 

Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 6 hours and preferably overnight. 

Scrape off the solidified fat on the surface before using the stock. 

Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat as needed.

Source : Weight Watchers