Semolina Bread

Interesting recipes are always an intriguing thing for me and if it involves baking, it becomes even more imperative for me to give it a try. This recipe was yesterday posted on a food group that I regularly follow and I immediately got onto the job. The process is similar to any other regular bread with the only difference of adding semolina along with the flour. The result is wonderful crusty bread on the outside and a soft pillowy bread on the inside. For all bread lovers and bakers I highly recommend this recipe. As for my mother, she just cannot believe it when I tell her I no longer buy bread from the market!

Ingredients

For the sponge

1 1/2 cup plain flour

1 tsp instant dry yeast

1 cup warm water

For the dough

All of the sponge

1/2 cup flour

3/4 cup semolina

2 tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp olive oil for rubbing the hands and bowl

Directions

In a bowl, take the flour for the sponge. Mix the yeast in the luke warm water and add it to the flour. Mix well to make a smooth paste. Cover and keep it in a warm place for about an hour or until doubled.

In another bowl, mix the flour, semolina, and salt. Add the oil and the sponge. Rub a little oil on your hands and knead the dough to a smooth elastic but non-sticky dough. If the dough feels too sticky, rub a little more oil on your hands. Once the dough comes together, wrap it tightly in a cling wrap and rubbing a little oil on the sides of the bowl cover and keep it in a warm place to rise until doubled for about an hour. 

On a floured surface, take out the dough and lightly knead it for two minutes. Lift up the sides and fold it back again. Taper the ends giving it the shape of a loaf and cover with a cling wrap for another hour or until doubled. 

Pre-heat the oven at 200 degree celsius. With the help of a knife, make three insertions on the top at an angle of 30 degree. Bake the bread for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown on top and tapping on the top returns a hollow sound. Remove from the oven and cool completely. Slice the next day for a refreshingly fresh breakfast!                             

                               

Melony Raspberry Fruit Cobbler

Baking is one of my favorite means of cooking. I had made a raspberry dessert recently and to garnish it, I had bought a pack of fresh raspberries. However, the dessert did not turn out as expected and so the pack of raspberries was lying in the fridge along with some fresh musk melon. With nothing to do today evening, I decided to try out this recipe found on Allrecipes and I was quite pleased with the result. The preparation time is exactly 10 minutes (probably even under 10)! How I love such easy recipes. It's just as simple as waving your magic wand!

Ingredients

3 tbsp butter

3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup milk

2 cups fruits (raspberry or strawberry or cranberry or peaches or any fruit of your choice)

1 tbsp white sugar 

Directions

Set the oven at 175 degree celsius. Take a 9 inch round or 8 inch square baking dish and put the butter in it. Place the dish in the oven in the upper middle rack and pre- heat the oven while at the same time melting the butter. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add milk and make a smooth paste. Take out the dish from the oven and pour the batter into it. Arrange the fruit pieces carefully on top and sprinkle the 1 tbsp sugar. Bake for about 50 minutes or until golden brown on top and edges start coming off the sides. Serve hot or at room temperature with whipped cream or a dollop of vanilla ice cream and enjoy your deluciously easy cakey fruit cobbler.

                                   

                                   

Herbed Focaccia with Juicy Chicken Stuffing

Wow! That's the first thought that came to my mind when I took the first bite of this perfectly baked delight. I had called over a friend for dinner (who also shares the same plight as mine with husband touring most of the time) and wanted to bake something with chicken. I went through a big array of blogs and sites looking for the "this is it" recipe. However, nothing seemed to impress me. Everywhere it was the same old grills and pies or pizza recipes but nothing that really made me jump into action. Finally, when I had almost made up my mind with a simple quiche, I chanced upon this interesting recipe which would not only serve as a whole meal in itself but also give me the chance of experimenting something new. I had found my "this is it" recipe. While I stuck to the recipe for the focaccia, I did the stuffing differently to give a variation to the original recipe. It was a huge hit and I was a happy baker!

Ingredients

For the Focaccia

2 1/2 cups bread flour (or 2 1/4 cup all purpose flour and 3 tbsp wheat gluten)

1 1/2 tsp instant dry yeast

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1 cup warm water (a little less than that in actuals)

2 tbsp olive oil

For the stuffing

1 cup boneless chicken, boiled and shredded

2 tbsp worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp tomato ketchup

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 medium onion thinly slced

1/2 inch ginger finely chopped

2 cloves garlic finely chopped

Fresh coriander leaves chopped

1/2 cup mixed bell peppers, chopped

1 fresh red/green chilli finely chopped

2 tsp olive oil

For the topping

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp basil

Few slices of tomato (preferably cherry tomatoes; I used regular ones)

Coarse salt for sprinkling

Direction

In a bowl, add the warm water, sugar, and yeast and let it stand for about 10 minutes till it starts frothing. In a separate bowl, take the flour and salt and make a well in the center. Pour the yeast mixture little at a time and knead a soft non sticky dough. Add the olive oil and continue kneading for another 5-10 minutes till you have a soft elastic dough. If you find the dough too sticky, you can add 1-2 tbsp additional flour. You can transfer the dough on a lightly floured surface for more comfortable kneading. I prefer doing it in the working bowl. Once the dough is done, lightly grease the bowl and cover the dough in a cling wrap. Keep it in a warm place, probably the microwave or the oven, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours till the dough doubles in size. 

While the dough is proofing, prepare the chicken stuffing. In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil and fry the onions till translucent. Add the garlic, ginger, and chopped chillies. Sauté for sometime. Add the three sauces and stir in the shredded chicken. Mix well. Lastly, add the bell peppers and give a stir and remove from heat. Cover and keep aside. Reserve the coriander leaves for last minute addition. 

Meanwhile, your dough must be ready for the second proofing. Punch out the air from the dough without overdoing it and divide the dough into two halves. Keep a greased baking dish ready by the side. Take a cookie sheet and placing one of the dough halves on it, roll it out into a circle. Make sure you roll the dough uniformly and big enough since it will shrink a bit once placed on the greased baking dish. Now evenly spread the stuffing onto the rolled out dough placed on the baking dish. Sprinkle the coriander leaves on top generously. Note that no salt was added to the stuffing as the sauces already contain a fair amount of it. However, check the seasoning as per your taste and liking. Roll out the other half of the dough in a similar fashion and place it on top of the stuffing and seal the edges. You might notice some air bubble between the two rolled out sheets. Gently press the top of the baking dish with the cookie sheet you used for rolling out the dough and let the air bubble release. Cover tightly with either the cookie sheet or a cling wrap and keep aside in a warm place for 45 minutes for the second proofing. 

Mix everything for the topping except the tomatoes and the salt and keep aside. Pre-heat the oven at 175 degree celsius on toast mode. Take out the baking dish and with your fingers, imprint small dimples on the dough. Arrange the tomato slices on the top and finish with generously pouring the olive oil topping. Sprinkle salt and bake for 25-30 minutes until a golden crust is formed. Serve warm.

                                         

                                         

  

Nankhatai

As a child, nankhatai was my first introduction to homemade cookies. Mom used to make them often and me, without caring about the calories, would simply gobble them up. However, as I grew up, the calories consumed then starting showing up on my waistline. Nankhatais became non-existent in the household. Time passed by and while I got busy with other stuff, I almost forgot about this simple Indian cookie until recently when I came across a few blog posts posting its recipes. My husband is not a big fan of baked goodies but I decided to make them anyway, if not for anyone else but for myself.

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup semolina (sooji)

1/2 cup gram flour (besan)

1 1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 cup ghee (or as much required for kneading the dough)

Cardamom and pistachio crushed

Directions

Mix together all the dry ingredients. Make a well in the center and pour the ghee. Make a soft crumbly dough with just enough ghee to put it all together. Cover the dough in a cling wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Prepare a baking sheet and make small balls. Slightly flatten the balls with your palm and make an indentation in the center. Put some crushed elaichi and pistachio and arrange it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat for the rest of the dough. Keep the baking tray again in the refrigerator for 15 minutes while pre-heating the oven at 175 degree celsius. Bake the nankhatais for 12-15 minutes and cool on a wire rack before transferring to air tight containers.

                                         

Choco Chip and Raisin Sweet Coffee Buns

Last evening, I was not in the mood to do any cooking and so decided to get a takeaway from one of the local eateries. I wasn't in the mood for any heavy meal and so picked up some coffee raisin buns for myself while husband decided to binge on some fresh fruits. One bite into the buns and I immediately knew my next baking experiment. Thankfully, I had a recipe to refer to from my friend Farrukh's blog. The result is a restaurant-quality super soft and yummy coffee bun which you can eat any time of the day. 

Ingredients (Makes 12 medium sized buns)

41/2 cup bread flour (or 4 cups all purpose flour and 1/2 cup wheat gluten)

2 tsp instant yeast

250 ml warm milk

1 egg

3 tsp instant coffee

1/3 cup castor sugar

1 tsp salt

1/3 cup butter plus more for brushing 

For the filling

Choco chip and raisins

Directions

In a bowl, mix butter, milk, and sugar. Add 1/2 cup flour and yeast and make a smooth paste. Keep aside covered in a warm place for 45 minutes.

In a separate bowl, take the flour and salt and mix well. Add the remaining sugar and mix. Make a well in the center and add the yeast mixture, egg and knead well to a soft and non-sticky dough. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for another ten minutes. Apply a little oil on the dough and cover with cling wrap. Keep in a warm place and let it rise for 2-21/2 hours or until double in size.

Once the dough has proofed, take it out on a floured surface and lightly knead the dough for few more minutes. Prepare a baking sheet. Take large lemon sized balls and make a small indentation in the center. Add about a teaspoon of the filling and close again into a ball. Repeat the process for the rest of the dough. Line all the balls on the baking sheet about an inch apart and keep it covered with a cling wrap for another 45 minutes for the second proofing. 

Pre-heat the oven at 180 degree celsius on the toast mode (both the rods heated).

Brush the buns (which would have again doubled in size) with some milk and bake in the toast mode for 10-12 minutes until golden on top. Remove from oven and brush with melted butter while still hot and cover with a kitchen towel for few minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Your super soft buns are ready to be devoured.

                                           

                                           

Tutti Fruity Blueberry Orange Muffins

While the original plan was to make some macaroons, I ended up making these delicious fruity muffins as the blueberries have been sitting for quite some time in the fridge and I wasn't sure if they will last longer. This recipe has also put to test my cake making skills as I wasn't following any particular recipe. Baking is an art and requires perfect measurements for the perfect result. I am glad to know that I am not that bad a baker! :)

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour (maida)

2 eggs

3/4 cup brown sugar (can be replaced by white sugar)

1/2 cup oil (or 1 stick softened butter)

2 tsp dried orange peel, finely chopped

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

1 cup tutti fruity chunks, floured to avoid sinking at the bottom

1/2 cup fresh/dried blueberries 

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

Almond silvers for garnishing on top (optional)

Directions

Pre-heat the oven at 175 degree celsius and line a 12 hole muffin tray with paper cups.

In a bowl, beat the sugar and oil till light and smooth. Add the eggs one at a time and whip further. Add the orange zest, juice, vanilla essence and beat further at medium speed if using a hand blender. Now fold in the flour and baking powder little at a time and beat to a smooth consistency. Be sure not to overdo it. At this point, keep aside the blender and with the help of a spatula fold in the floured fruit bits followed by the blueberries. Give a gentle stir so that everything gets mixed well without overdoing it. Pour the batter with the help of a tablespoon till half of a paper cup leaving space for it to rise. Sprinkle with almond silvers. Repeat for the rest of the paper cups. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let it cool on an iron rack before transferring to air-tight containers. Can be refrigerated for up to a week. Warm in the microwave for 10-20 secs before serving.

                                        

A British Classic- Shepherd's Pie

It's always interesting to cook new recipes, especially classic ones which you have only read about but never tried. Today's recipe is a classic British pie, traditionally made with minced beef or lamb. Since we do not eat beef and didn't have lamb at hand, I decided to try it with minced chicken. There are also a few tweaks included, which makes this dish "no one can have just one" type of a dish. It is extremely simple and serves as a great meal in itself, served with some salad or pita bread. 

Ingredients

350 gms minced chicken

2 medium onions, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 medium capsicum, chopped

1/2 cup frozen/fresh peas

1/2 cup carrots, chopped

5 medium potatoes, boiled

1/4 cup milk 

1 egg, beaten

1 tbsp butter, softened

1/4 cup grated parmesan

1 tsp oregano

2 tbsp tomato ketchup

1 tbsp worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp cornflour

1 tsp curry powder (I used pav bhaji masala; you can use any curry powder of your choice like meat masala or something similar)

1 cube knorr chicken broth, mixed in 1/2 cup warm water

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp olive oil

Directions

In a medium skillet, heat the oil and fry the onions and garlic till the onions are translucent. Add the chopped capsicum, carrots, and peas and fry for 5-7 minutes. Add the minced chicken and continue stirring till the chicken gets evenly broken and pink. Now add the sauces and the curry powder and give a good stir. Tip in the chicken broth and mix well. Cover and cook till the chicken is tender. Lastly, add the cornflour mix and cook uncovered till the gravy thickens. Add salt and pepper, although I did not find it necessary to add further salt as per my taste. Remove from heat and cool.

In a separate bowl, take the boiled potatoes and mash it with the back of a fork. Add the milk and butter and mash further. It is easier and better to use a hand blender at this point to ensure a creamy texture. Add one beaten egg and whip further. Add a little salt, pepper, and oregano and mix well. If you find the texture too thick you can add 1-2 tbsp milk. 

Pre-heat the oven in the broiler mode. Take a square casserole dish and lay out the minced chicken mixture spreading evenly. Top it with the mashed potatoes and sprinkle grated parmesan on top. Broil it for 10-12 minutes or until you get a golden crust on top. Serve it with a salad if your choice or enjoy it as a meal in itself. 

                                       

                                   

Vegetable and Sausage Bake

What do you do when you have a pack of sausages lying in the freezer for quite some time and there are no takers for it? Well, here is the answer. A healthy, nutritious, and easy-to-make no fuss vegetable and sausage bake. You can enjoy it with your gang of friends over coffee, serve it as a party appetiser, or as a light yet filling dinner served with some steaming hot soup. Choice is yours!

Ingredients

3 eggs

2 cups yogurt, beaten

1/2 + 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp red chilli flakes

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 medium onion, chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

1-2 cups frozen/fresh cut vegetables (carrot, peas, beans, corn)

3-4 sausages, sliced

Olive oil for sautéing and greasing

A handful of fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

Pre-heat the oven at 175 degree celsius. Grease a flat baking dish and keep aside.

In a medium skillet, heat a little oil and sauté the onions till translucent. Add the minced garlic and fry till fragrant. Add the chopped veggies and the sausages and fry for 3-5 minutes till the sausages get a little soft. Season with salt and oregano. Remove from heat and cool.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and yogurt till smooth. Add the flour and the cheese and mix well. Season with salt, pepper, and red chilli flakes. Be a little cautious with the salt as you have already added in the veggie mixture and the sausages will contain a bit as well as the cheese. Add the slightly cooled veggie and sausage mix and give a good stir. Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking dish and garnish with fresh parsley. With a fork, lightly coat the parsley leaves with the batter to avoid getting the leaves burnt. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 45-50 minutes till it is golden brown on top, sides coming off the baking dish, and has passed the toothpick test. Remove from the oven and let it rest in the baking dish for 5 minutes. Turn the dish onto a plate and then to another one so that it is in bottoms down position again. Cut into squares and let it cool on a wire rack to avoid a soggy bottom. 

                                        

                               

             

  

 

   

Fusion Meal- Pita Bread with Dhaba-Style Chicken Keema

Today's world is a world of fusion. Fusion music, fusion fashion, and so on. So I thought why not Fusion meal. The original plan was to serve dhaba-style chicken keema with hot phulkas. However, while surfing the internet, I came across this very interesting yet easy pita bread recipe and I immediately got onto the job (given the fact that I had an open sachet of instant dry yeast and I did not want it to go waste). So here is the dual recipe for both pita bread and the chicken keema.

Ingredients

For the Pita Bread (makes 8 breads)

2 1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup wheat flour (you may make it 1 cup by reducing the quantity for APF)

1 1/2 tsp instant dry yeast

1 1/2 tsp sugar

1 cup warm water

1 tsp salt

1 tsp dried parsley 

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp olive/vegetable oil

For the Chicken Keema

500 gms minced chicken

1 bay leaf

3-4 green cardamom

2 cloves

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 big onion, chopped

2 big tomatoes, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

1 inch piece ginger, chopped

3 tbsp milk

1 tsp each of turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder, garam masala powder

A pinch of hing

1/2 tsp sugar

2-3 chillies, chopped

Salt to taste

1 egg

2 tbsp oil

A handful of chopped coriander

A handful of fried onions for garnishing

Directions

Start with preparing for the pita dough. For that, put the sugar in warm water and add yeast and let it stand for ten minutes. A creamy froth should appear. Meanwhile, mix all the dry ingredients with the flour and then add the oil and the yeast mix and knead a smooth but non-sticky dough. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and continue kneading for 5-10 minutes. Transfer the dough back to the working bowl and cover and keep it in a warm place for 1.5 hours (microwave is a good place to keep).

We can now start with the keema. Heat oil in a skillet. Splutter the cumin seeds and add the bay leaf, cardamom, and cloves. Next, add the chopped onions and fry till translucent. Add the tomatoes, the chopped chillies, ginger, and garlic and fry till the tomatoes are mushy. To this, add the bell pepper and fry till it is deglazed. Add all the dry spices together with the hing, salt, and sugar. Fry for another 3-5 minutes on high flame till it starts leaving oil. Now add the minced chicken and the milk and fry for 10 minutes until the masala and the chicken get well incorporated. Simmer the heat and cover cook for 10-15 more minutes or till the chicken is done and there are oil droplets (or fat) appearing on top. Now, beat the egg in a bowl and slowly add it to the chicken while stirring continuously. Continue stirring till the egg is mixed well and cooked. Finish by adding some chopped coriander and remove from heat. Add some fried onions before serving to enhance the taste.

                                       

By now, the pita bread has risen nicely. Take the dough on a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes. Pull out 8 balls of equal size from the dough and with the help of a rolling pin, roll out uniform circles of 7-8 inch diameter. Ensure that your circles aren't too thick or too thin and are uniform in breadth (just like in the case of pooris). This will help the pita bread to rise uniformly in the oven. Cover the rolled oyt circles with a kitchen towel and keep for 10-15 minutes to rise further. 

Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven at 230 degree celsius. Line the wire rack (or grilling rack) with a cookie sheet and arrange the pita breads 3-4 at a time. Bake them in the pre-heated oven for 5-7 minutes till they puff up and have slight golden spots on the exterior. The second batch will cook faster, so be a little alert. Remove the pita breads from the oven and immediately put them in a brown paper bag (you can also use a thick newspaper) and wrap it tightly and let it cool until just warm. This is a crucial step as it will ensure super soft pitas. You can now cut the puffed pitas into half and give a filling of the chicken keema that you just prepared or have it whole. 

         

         

 

Fresh Blueberry and Almond Biscotti

The other day my Chinese neighbour gifted me a pack of fresh blueberries in return for the Diwali sweets I had given for her family. Since then, I have been getting anxious to do some baking with them. However,there is a family wedding coming up in December and I want to look a tad thinner in the saris that I would be wearing. So I asked my best friend (read Google) and pat came the answer. A healthy, nutritious alternative to cookies with no butter or oil required to bake them. Easy to make and guilt-free indulgence!

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour (maida)

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 tbsp almond/vanilla essence

1/3 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup fresh blueberries (this can be replaced with dried/fresh cranberries, raisins, dates, etc.)

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp lemon/orange zest

Directions

Pre-heat the oven at 175 degree celsius.

Mix the dry ingredients together with the almonds and the blueberries.

In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and almond essence. Add the dry mix little by little till a moist dough forms. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and slightly wetting your hands knead the dough for few more minutes. You may do this in the working bowl as well. Line a baking tray with cookie sheet. Make two giant sized cookies and place it on the tray. Make sure not to flatten the cookie much. At this point, you may dust the top with a bit of sugar for a crystallized effect (I skipped it). Bake in the pre-heated oven for 25 minutes or until firm and golden from outside. 

Take out the giant cookies from the oven. By now, they must have risen to a small mountain-like structure. With the help of an oven mitt, take a bread knife and gently cut out fingers from the cookies while they are still hot. Place the cut biscottis on a cookie sheet bottoms down for another 20 minutes at 150 degree celsius. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack before transferring to an air tight container. Enjoy your guilt-free indulgence with your favorite cup of tea or coffee or as your mid-morning snack.

                                       

 

Smoked Chicken Sausage Pizza

Pizza has always been one of my favorite dishes but ironically, I hardly get to eat it. The reason being my husband who just hates it. So this week, while he is away, I am giving some priority to my likes and making myself feel good. I had some smoked chicken sausages lying in the fridge which will serve as the main topping for the pizza. You can use any topping that you have at hand. 

Ingredients (makes 1 large pizza)

For the pizza base

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 1/8 tsp dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water

3 tbsp warm milk

1/8 tsp sugar

1/8 tsp salt

2 tbsp olive oil (or any oil)

For the topping

6 tbsp medium spicy tomato salsa (you can use any tomato based sauce for this; i had this lying in the fridge)

1 pkt reduced fat cheese slices (you can use grated cheese as well; the quantity depends on your liking)

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

2 smoked chicken sausages cut into small roundels

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup bell peppers (preferably, in all three colors)

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp parsley

Salt to sprinkle on top

Directions

Take warm water and milk in a small bowl and add sugar and sprinkle in the yeast. Stir the mixture until yeast is dissolved and water has turned a tan color. Let it stand until foamy. This will take about 10 minutes. 

Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, add flour and salt. Then add the yeast mixture and oil. Knead the dough till it is smooth, not sticky, when squeezed. Transfer to a clean surface and knead for another 5 to 10 minutes. You might need to add a little more flour if it is still quite sticky.

Grease a medium bowl with oil and place the dough in the bowl, smooth side up. Cover tightly with a plastic wrap or aluminium foil and place in a warm spot (I kept in the microwave) until doubled in size, about 1hour. Remove the wrap and press your fist into the center of the dough to punch it down. Fold the dough back onto itself four or five times. Turn dough over, folded-side down, cover with plastic wrap, and return to the warm spot to rise again until the dough has doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

Punch down the dough, and transfer to a clean surface. Knead the dough four or five turns into a ball. Lightly flour a clean surface, place the dough, and pat into a flattened circle. Using your fingers, begin to flatten and push the dough evenly out from the center until it measures about 7 to 8 inches in diameter. Do not press the dough all the way to the edges. Leave a slightly raised border, about a half-inch wide, around entire circumference of pizza dough.

Preheat the oven for 20 minutes at 230 degree celsius. 

Arrange the pizza dough into a circle on top of a greased baking flat tray. Leaving the raised edge uncovered, pour the pizza sauce onto the dough. Using the back of a tablespoon, evenly spread the sauce leaving a half-inch border of dough uncovered. Arrange half of the cheese slices on top of the sauce and arrange all the other toppings. Cover with left over cheese slices.

Bake until the crust is golden brown and crisp on the edges and the bottom, 10-12 minutes. Using a pizza wheel, slice the pizza and serve immediately.

            

                                       

  

Perfect Guava Scones

Baking is something which I truly enjoy. Till date, almost 95% of my attempts have been successful and today's recipe is one of them. I had some guavas lying in the fridge and didn't know what I can do with them (am not a fruit eater). So I quickly took help of my best friend (read Google) and she sorted out my problem in just .004 secs with this awesome scone recipe. For a first attempt at scones, I am totally proud of the results. Very easy to make and good to store as a takeaway breakfast item, you must give this recipe a try. You can also replace the guava of this recipe with a similar fruit like apples and pears.

Ingredients (8-10 servings)

1 medium guava, cut into small chunks

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour (maida)

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon powder

1/3 cup butter, chilled

1 egg

1/3 cup full cream milk

Directions

Pre-heat the oven at 200 degree celsius.

Mix together the dry ingredients, that is, flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon powder,  and sugar. Keep aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg and milk. Cut the butter into chunks and add. Whisk together till the mixture attains a crumbly texture. Slowly fold in the dry ingredients and mix well. If you find the mixture too dry, you can add an additional 1 tbsp of milk. The consistency should be lumpy and not that of cake batter. Finally, add the guava chunks and fold everything well. Line a baking tray with a cookie sheet and add lumps of the mixture with a tablespoon. The lumps should not be too big as it will raise further during baking. Bake the scones in the pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes or until the scones are golden brown in color. Serve warm with tea or coffee or store in air-tight containers as a early morning takeaway breakfast. Very light and fluffy yet very filling to last you a good 2-3 hours. Enjoy!!

                                         

                                         

Baked Omelette with Tomato and Feta Cheese

This week, starting from today, I plan to observe a "only bake" theme in my kitchen. There are two reasons, of course. First, my husband is out of country for good 8 days and I am left with nothing much to do at home. Cooking for myself has always been quite boring. So in a bid to make this week interesting, I thought of honing my baking skills. As such, I love baking and is also a good time to experiment since I can then recreate the successful attempts when hubby is around and garner a few compliments. Secondly, Diwali has just got over and New Years is round the corner. It's now time to put a check on your diet and get back in shape to look stunning for the 31st night party. I hope you will enjoy my healthy and tasty baked goodies and return for more!

Ingredients (servings 1)

1 egg 

2 tbsp milk

1/2 tsp dried herbs (oregano/thyme/parsley/anything of your choice)

1/2 tsp pepper

1 slice of bread, cut into small chunks

A handful of chopped tomatoes

A handful of crumbled feta cheese (can be replaced with cottage cheese or paneer)

Salt to taste

Note: You can create a lot of variations with this recipe by adding veggies of your choice, buttering the bread slices, topping up with cheese, or anything that your imagination calls for!

Directions

Pre-heat the oven at 200 degree Celsius.

In a bowl, beat the egg and milk. Add all other ingredients except the bread. Mix well. Lightly grease a oven-safe dish and transfer the egg and milk mixture. Top it up with the bread chunks slightly pressing it down so that it gets lightly soaked in the egg milk mixture. Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes or till the bread chunks get well toasted and the egg is set. Your healthy and tasty breakfast is ready to be served with your favorite cup of tea or coffee.

                                             

Baked Chicken and Veggie Delight

Chicken curries can sometimes get boring and we start looking out for some interesting recipes which are healthy as well as tasty, not to mention the ease of cooking. Today's recipe is just that and especially dedicated to people like me who are always pressed for time and ease.

Ingredients

300 gms boneless chicken fillet (you can use with bones as well; this is what I had in hand)

1/4 cup sliced button mushroom

1/4 cup baby carrots, slit lengthwise 

1 medium onion, diced

1/4 cup brocoli florets

1/2 cup bell peppers (you can use all three colors or whatever you have in hand)

1 medium potato cut lengthwise

1/2 tsp ginger grated

1/2 tsp garlic grated

1 tbsp dark soya sauce

1 tsp dried parsley 

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp chilli flakes

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp brown sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp olive oil

Aluminium foil

Directions

In a oven safe dish, place the washed and cut chicken fillet pieces. Add the veggies and all other ingredients and mix it well. Cover with an aluminium foil and keep it in the refrigerator for at least two hours. 

Pre-heat the oven at 200 degree Celsius. Bake the chicken and veggie mix for 35-40 minutes, giving a stir once halfway. Remove the foil and cook for another 10 minutes so that the liquid gets a little dry and the veggies and the chicken get a nice brown crust. Serve with your choice of herbed rice or pasta.

                                               

Savoury Spinach Muffins

I have always struggled with breakfast items, especially with those that can be packed the previous night and husband can just open the fridge and take it away without me having to get up in the morning. I recently came across this interesting recipe of savoury muffins which looked so yum yet so easy to make. I decided to give it a try on Sunday so that my breakfast woes are done away with for a couple of days. They turned out superb and even easier to make than what i thought. Thanks Shazia for this wonderful recipe.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup plain flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

6 tbsp butter

1 egg

1 cup milk

1 cup fresh spinach (roughly chopped in a grinder for 2-3 pulses; else, if you are good at chopping, you can do it on your own)

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Red chilli flakes as per taste

1/2 tsp kalonji

Directions

Seive the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and keep aside. Melt the butter and add the egg at room temperature to avoid scrambling. Once mixed well, add the milk and stir again. Make sure the milk is at room temperature; else, the butter will thicken. Now add the spinach, cheese, and chilli flakes. Give everything a good stir and ensure there are no lumps formed. Next, fold in the dry ingredients, little at a time, till everything is mixed well. Do not mix too hard.

Preheat the oven at 175 degrees and line a muffin tray with muffin cases. Sprinkle the kalonji seeds over each muffin and bake for 25-30 minutes till golden brown. Once done, take them out in a wire rack and let it cool before transferring to an airtight container. Before each serving, warm it in the microwave for 10-20 seconds and your delicious spinach muffins are ready to be savoured.