Bakeless granola bars

Granola bars, no baking how easy is that and also they are good for you. You can make it, take them along and the best part is its to your choice of ingredients ( I mean  why buy them at stores, when you can make them yourself, and to  your choice of whatever dried fruits and nuts you want to add)

Crunchy sweet and oh so good for you, so read this simple easy to make recipe and make your self ,and your family and friends happy.

Ingredients:

21/2 cups rolled oats

1/4 cup chopped almonds

1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips ( If your a chocolate fan or else you can substitute with coconut flakes)

1/4 cup mixed nuts, raisins, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, raisins etc.. make it your choice of seeds

1/4 tsp vanilla essence

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup light brown sugar

4 tbsp unsalted butter

                                                          

Cut out granola bars

Bakeless granola 

Method:

1. Using a baking tray lined with parchment or silver foil, toast  oats along with chopped almonds, for about 6 minutes at 350 F.

Take out of oven and stir them around, making sure they don't burn. Put Put them back in oven for another 10 minutes, remove  as they get light toasted. 

2.Pour these toasted oats almonds into a mixing bowl.

3.Heat a small pan add butter and melt it, over low heat. Add light brown sugar and vanilla essence ,close burner.

4.Add this melted butter to oats mixture.At this point you can go ahead and add some of the chocolate chips, don't worry it will melt and help to hold the bars.Mix in the nuts and coconut flakes.

I prefer to using a square baking pan, line it with silver foil, or parchment paper.

5.Pour  granola mixture into this  square pan, and press with a spatula to give it an even surface. Sprinkle the top with remaining chocolate chips. Cover with foil and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Remove the foil, and cut out even sized bars to enjoy!! 

Lavender lemon cookies

These lavender and lemon short bread cookies are very delicate and they have an amazing aroma to it. Lavender and lemon has a very nice combination. Just a little lavender goes a long way.
This recipe was tried by my daughter and son when home for Christmas, and it was a delight.

Lavender and Lemon cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp lavender ( use the culinary lavender and its available easily in the spice aisle, of the grocery store.)
1 tsp finely grated fresh lemon zest
1/2 cup softened butter
1.4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup whole milk

Method:

1. Firstly, using a mixing bowl cream together butter and sugar. Using a mortar grind together lavender, and lemon zest, with  1/4 tsp sugar. Add  lavender and lemon to creamed butter mixture.
2. Sieve flour with 1/2 tsp salt. Add flour to butter mixture, use a little milk, vanilla essence and  prepare a smooth dough. Cover with saran wrap and cool dough for about 30 minutes.
3. Take  dough, and using a rolling pin roll out 1/4 inch thickness. take a cookie cutter of the shapes you like and place on prepared cookie sheet to bake.
5.Sprinkle a little sugar on top and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, at 350 degrees F. Remove as the edges turn lightly browned. Cool on rack and enjoy your lavender lemon cookies.

Blueberry muffins

Blueberry muffins a great start to morning breakfast, so satisfying and scrumptious with the taste of fresh blueberries bursting as you eat into these freshly baked muffins.
Follow this simple recipe and enjoy blueberry muffins at home, and make friends and family happy, by sharing your muffin delights!!
I  came across this recipe on TV and couldn't resist making them, at home. Modified  slightly to suit my taste.

Ingredients
1 cup flour
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
6 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 tsp vanilla essence 
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup milk
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups fresh blueberries

                                                   

Blueberries Muffin Ingredients

Cream butter and sugar 

Add one egg at a time 

Sieve dry ingredients 

Add blueberries 

Muffins batter  in the cupcake liners

Can't wait for them to bake :))

Just baked 

                                                         

Blueberries muffins

Method: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare muffin tins, by greasing with butter or use a cupcake liner in each and grease with spray oil.
1. In a medium mixing bowl, cream butter, add in sugar and using a hand mixer or wooden spoon mix till creamy.
2.Add in one egg at a time, next add vanilla essence. 
3.For the dry ingredients, sieve together flour, salt and baking powder. Start adding the flour to the batter, alternating with milk, till both flour and milk are added.
Next, fold in blueberries and do not over stir. 
4.Add spoonful of muffin mixture to prepared muffin cups. Bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, remove from oven and allow to cool, before eating.

Enjoy 💖

Cannoli, a Sicilian dessert

Cannoli is an Italy dessert, from the region of Sicily. they are tube shaped fried pastry shell, filled with  creamy filling of ricotta, sugar and vanilla essence. You can dust them with powdered sugar. A perfect ending to an Italian or any meal :)
I  first tried these yummilicious cannoli's in a Italian area in Boston, when I went o meet my daughter who studies in Harvard in Boston. The store had a great display of cannoli's and enjoyed the taste, while sipping some coffee, that goes great with cannoli.
This made me want to search for that perfect recipe that would excite my taste buds and here it is tried and tasted!!

Ingredients: ( To prepare the dough for pastry shells)
1.5 cup flour
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp cold unsalted butter cut into pieces
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup white wine( I prefer to use white wine, original recipe also says Marsala wine, choice is yours )
                       

                                           

    

Ingredients 

For filling 
1.5 cup ricotta cheese ( strain the excess water out from ricotta cheese, you can use a muslin or cheese cloth and drain the water out) at least 30  minutes before  using, refrigerate.
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla essence 
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips ( optional , you can use pistachios or any other nuts, or candied cherries as a topping)
1 egg for egg wash
Vegetable Oil for frying 
Powdered sugar to dust over prepared  Cannoli

Method: for preparing dough
1. For the dough sieve together flour ,salt and sugar into a mixing bowl. Add the cold chopped butter, rubbing the butter into the flour with your fingers, till it appears coarse. Add in egg and mix in wine . Form a dough ball and flatten over a flat surface. Wrap a plastic wrap and allow the dough to cool.

Sieved dough, salt,sugar and cold butter 

Add egg yolk and white wine to dough

Knead and wrap dough in plastic wrap

Method for preparing filling.
1.Put the drained ricotta, into another mixing bowl, add sugar, vanilla essence and cinnamon.
2.Mix heavy cream with a whisk, and using a spoon gently folded cream into  ricotta.Stir in chocolate chips and put this  filling mixture into a pastry bag, that has no tip and refrigerate till ready to use.
                         

whisk ricotta cheese, sugar 

Add cinnamon powder, vanilla essence

Add whipped full cream and choco chips 

Fold carefully and store as filling in refrigerator 

For preparing  Cannoli's
1.Remove the plastic wrap, and place  dough on to a flat surface, dusted with flour. Using a rolling pin, roll out a thin sheet of dough approximately 1/4 th thickness.
2.Using a glass bowl or any bowl that is about 2 to 3 inch in diameter cut out disc's of  dough.
3.Using  cannoli mold, wrap each cut out circle onto the mold.Seal the ends with a little egg wash, and flare the ends, this alos helps with the filling later on.
4.Heat oil to 250 F and using kitchen tongs carefully submerge the wrapped cannoli to cook the shells, on medium heat. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, and remove the cannoli mold from oil , using a tong onto a paper towel. Gently using a towel,hold the mold and slide off the prepared shell off the mold.
5.Repeat the process to complete making all the pastry shells.

                                   

Dough 

Divide dough into halves

Roll out dough as big as 1/4 inch thickness 

Using a cup cut out smaller circles of dough and wrap each on a cannoli mold 

Seal ends with an egg wash 

Filling the cannoli shells:
1. Just before serving, using a pastry bag without a tip squeeze out the filling into both ends of pastry shell.
Even you can use a ziploc bag, fill the bag with ricotta filling, seal from one side and clip off a slit on the corner of the other side.
Dust with powdered sugar and serve, enjoy with coffee or after a meal :)
       

Cannoli's 

 One can  prepare the Cannoli's about 60 minutes before and refrigerate to enjoy later. Don't store filled shells for longer time as crispy shells is better.

Sticky Date Pudding with toffee sauce

This dessert is very special to me  and one of my favorites. In 2014 my family and my sister's family were having a holiday trip to the Great Barrier reef, Australia, where we got to enjoy this dessert together. We were delighted with the presentation and taste was just awesome. 
I always wanted to try making this at home, so when I came across this recipe, I decided to prepare it and was very happy to share this dessert with my family and  friends.
My son was so helpful in helping me make the toffee sauce, it came out delicious!
Do try out this easy dessert and wow everyone :))
The taste of this desert is unforgettable!!! 
First you bake date cake, and then prepare the toffee sauce using light brown sugar, butter , full cream and very little vanilla essence.

                                               

Chop pitted dates

Add baking powder and water 

Add baking powder to flour 

Beat butter and sugar

Add one egg at a time 

Add sieved flour 

Add dates 

Add mixture to a greased cake loaf tin

Prepare toffee sauce 

Sticky date cake with  toffee sauce 

Ingredients (For Date cake)
1 cup pitted dates, chopped 
1 1/2 cup water to boil  dates
1 stick butter 
3/4  cup light brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
2 eggs
2 cups flour 
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder

Ingredients (For Toffee Sauce)
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup full cream
1/2 stick butter
1/2 tsp vanilla essence


Method
1. Take pitted dates and chop finely. Add water and baking soda. Heat for about 5 to 6 minutes till they appear softened. Close burner and allow to cool. Keep aside. 
2. Take flour , add baking powder and sieve, keep aside.
3. Soften  butter and brown sugar in a medium size bowl, using a wooden spoon or electric hand beater. As it appears creamed, start adding in  eggs, one by one and mix together.
4. Add in vanilla essence to  butter and sugar mixture. 
5. Add in  flour slowly and next add dates mixture.  Mix gently and pour this cake mixture into a greased cake loaf tin. Bake at 350 F for about 40 to 50 minutes. Check later by sticking in a tooth pick, that comes out clean showing the cake has cooked well from inside too.
6. Prepare toffee sauce by heat, butter and brown sugar, allow to bubble, slowly add in full cream and vanilla essence. Cook about 5 to 6 minutes and close burner as sauce bubbles.
7. Allow baked cake to stand for about 5  minutes, next using a fork pierce gently on the cake surface to make tiny holes. Pour 1/4 of toffee sauce over the cake. 
8. Keep remaining  toffee sauce, while serving the cake. Vanilla ice cream goes well too with this awesome dessert. The warm toffee sauce, along with warmed cake and cool ice cream , great combination. Enjoy !

Sticky cinnamon rolls

Cinnamon Sticky rolls!! hmm... a dessert or some like it for breakfast with their coffee. Loaded with melted butter, brown sugar dust of  cinnamon and nuts makes them totally mouth watering and difficult to resist!!!
I came across a cooking show and the way it was prepared , seemed not so difficult, so I thought why not give them a try, and here I am making them on a weekend, and the freshly baked sticky buns, fills the whole house with a sweet aroma !!
For spending less time making these, use store bought Filo dough ready sheets. Remember to take out of the freezer and thaw at room temperature for  a good 30 to 40 minutes before use.

                                                    

Ingredients

Beat unsalted butter,light brown sugar together

Brush butter over the filo dough sheet and add  light brown sugar, cinnamon and raisins

Carefully roll the filo dough

Using a knife cut out disc's

                                                       

Baking till almost brown and crisp on top

Sticky Cinnamon rolls!!

Ingredients
1 package of frozen puff pastry 17 oz or 2 sheets (preferably Pepper ridge farm pastry)
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter room temperature
1/3 cup of light brown sugar
1/2 cup pecans/ walnuts your choice
1 tsp honey (optional)

Filling
2 tbsp unsalted butter melted
2/3 cup light brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon powder

Method:
1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, beat 1 1/2 sticks of butter and 1/3 cup light brown sugar. Add in honey 1 tsp (optional) and mix together.  Using a tsp place a 1/2 tsp  of this mixture into the bottom of each of 12 muffin cups.Distribute  chopped walnuts/pecans as  topping over butter and sugar mixture.
2.Dust the board with flour and carefully take out each puff pastry sheet, handle with care as pastry sheets are very delicate. Melt 2 tbsp unsalted butter and lightly brush the middle of  sheet with melted butter, leaving about 1/2 inch around the edges.
3.For  filling spread evenly 1/3 cup light brown sugar, again leaving an inch from the edges and next add cinnamon powder and raisins.
4.Starting with the end carefully start rolling the sheet, rolling it into a cylinder shape, cut out the front edge and cut into round discs and place each cut out dough in each of the muffin cups. 

Caramel Custard Pudding

Caramel custard has always been one of my favorite desserts. The custard is baked and the combination with caramelized sugar coating on the top, is simply divine. This dessert has its origin from Roman times and has been popular since with both French and Spanish people.  An elegant dessert and enjoyed world wide.

Ingredients
4 eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 cup sugar for adding to custard
1/2 cup sugar for caramelizing 




                                                  

Ingredients

Warm milk to Luke warm

Add few drops to caramelize sugar 

Add milk to eggs slowly to avoid curdle

Pour caramelized sugar into ramekins

Bake at 350 F, for 30 minutes and as the tops appear golden brown

Baked custard     

                 

Caramel Custard!!!

Method:
1. In a sauce pan, over low to medium heat , caramelize 1/2 cup sugar, along with few drops of water. As it starts to brown (caramelize), close the burner. Pour equally into 4 ramekins, rotate to evenly coat the bottom of the ramekin cups. Keep aside to cool.
2. Beat  eggs in a bowl, add in vanilla essence and sugar.
Heat milk in a sauce pan for a few minutes. Slowly pour this little warm milk into the beaten eggs mixture, slowly as to avoid curdling. Pour the remaining milk, and form a custard.
3. Fill all 4 ramekins, with this prepared custard. Place these ramekins, into a tray and add 1 cup hot water around the ramekins, carefully.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes.After they cool, refrigerate for another 20 to 30 minutes. Then carefully, turn each ramekin upside down, so that the caramelized top shows on top.
5. Serve cold and enjoy every bit :)
An easy to prepare but has a wow factor and all love it!!!