3rd Blog Anniversary with Condensed Milk kind of Zebra/Marble Cake!

I totally completely forgot about my blog anniversary (which passed by me couple of days ago). This tells you how much out of the loop I have been with my blog! How much I wish I could start posting everyday, but it just not happening. Lots of other stuff take up my precious time. And not only that I have been trying my other hobbies and so they have also kept me away from blogging. Well thats fine!!  :)

Things are going good on my side! How are things on your side? Kids in routine with school and activities and even our life falls into routine with them.
Holidays have come and passed us by. So there goes another year without snow and terrible cold temperatures. Can't complain as we have enjoyed every bit of it! Though I do like snow and wish sometimes that we had snow, won't complain as its not that far away, only a 3 hour drive and we get snow! With that on the back of my mind, I am not missing snow or the cold temperatures! My East Coast friends - I love you all!! :)

Other thing that I am totally hooked on to is Pinterest! I see so many great ideas, recipes and DIY stuff that I am so tempted to try all of them! I have already made a cowl and knitted a few scarves. If anyone is interested you are welcome to checkout my Photo Blog My PicXels. Yes! after a good year last year which was my first year to do a photo blog, I decided to continue with it again this year :) simply because I think I learned a lot about photography, but also because I love clicking pictures! So if you have time do check it out. Right now I am doing a mix of phone clicks and camera clicks so that I am not bored at all. :)


Since I forgot my Blog anniversary, I haven't had much time to prepare. I chose this simple, few ingredients recipe, which I have made a few times now and is fool proof. The only thing I tried new was to try the zebra pattern, hoping it will come out good! ............but I think I could have added more cocoa powder for the darker lines, so more like marble cake maybe! The lines came out very light in color....but overall it tasted good! YUM!!

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
4 eggs
4 tbsp butter (melted)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 can sweetened condensed milk (nearly 400g)

2 tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa powder (increase this for darker lines)

Method:

Mix all ingredients, except for the Cocoa powder into batter using your mixer.

For the chocolate part:

Divide the batter into 2 halves. To one half add 2 tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa powder.


Grease a pan with some butter and flour it.
Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees F.

Using a 1/4 cup, pour both the batters in alternate pattern. That is, once pour the regular batter in the middle of the pan. On top of that, pour the chocolate batter. Do this until all the batter is used up.

Bake it for 30-35 minutes.

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Junnu - A Sweet Milk Pudding

This is my first guest post. Sreevalli of Ammaji's recipes was so kind to ask me to do a guest post long back. But due to my computer problems I didn't get a chance to get to it till now! Thanks Sreevalli for asking me to do it! :)
I chose this simple sweet recipe for this special post called "Junnu". I am sure whoever has tasted this in the past would really like to revive this memory yet again.

The first milk of cattle after delivering a calf is called 'Junnu paalu' in our language, 'paalu' standing for milk.
This is steam cooked with some jaggery and black pepper to make this awesome pudding known as 'Junnu'.
Because of the thickness and creaminess of this milk, it forms a delicate pudding with a creamy texture without the addition of any other ingredients.
Well this was in the times when the 'first milk' was readily available like in the villages or even in the city, when your milkman would bring 'Junnu paalu' and offer it to you for a nominal price.

I have probably eaten the actual Junnu only once or twice in my lifetime, but the delicate taste has forever made a mark in my brain!
Now during present times, its very rare that we can get 'Junnu Paalu'. So I tried to make this delicacy using the ingredients readily available to us and I think it came out perfect, absolutely just like the actual 'Junnu'.
But I had to use eggs and so its not eggless like the actual and real 'Junnu'. Maybe some day that also will be possible. :)
Its a very simple recipe which churns out this amazing and delicious Milk Pudding. The combination of jaggery and pepper in  the real junnu is perfectly compensated by the sweetness is condensed milk and black pepper. The eggs bring out the right texture in the pudding, very close to the real one.


Ingredients:

1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk (14 oz)
2 cups milk
2 eggs
pinch of black pepper
1/4 tsp Cardamom powder

Method:

Whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl along with eggs
Grease a steel bowl ever so lightly with oil.
Steam cook it in a pressure cooker for about 30 minutes.
Remove and cool before flipping over onto a plate.
Flip it twice to bring it right side up.
Serve warm or cold.
Enjoy!!!

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2 minute Microwave Sponge cake in a mug with a sweet chocolatey inside

Days just fly by when kids are at home. Keeping them occupied and entertained is very big hassle which I guess every Mom faces! Same story goes with me. Especially my younger one....he either gets bored very soon or wants to do tons of stuff all at the same time. And so my struggles with him continue...in a sweet way!

Its been a while I posted here...tho I want to post, time just passes me by!....Even tho I am hosting an event on my blog....I am not finding time to write up a post! I feel very bad that I am not able to post. Its not that I am not cooking, but I am, but just to write up and edit the pictures, its become difficult. Something or the other keeps me away from my Laptop.
And then in between there are other stuff which have kept my mind in a turmoil!! I hope everything will be better by the end of summer. Let see...

So in order to send something to my own event, I made this Sponge cake in a mug. I wanted to make this long ago, when I have seen the chocolate version making rounds in the blogosphere. Just to give it a little twist, I inserted Hershey's chocolate kisses to the center to give kids a sweet surprise. And who wouldn't love a cake made just under 2 minutes??


For 2 mugs

Ingredients:

1/2 cup flour
less than 1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 egg
3 tbsp butter
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 of 1/4 cup milk
2 Hershey kisses for the interior for each mug

{1 minute on high + 20-40seconds as needed. (on high power - 1000 watts)}


Method:

Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add in the wet ingredients and mix together.
Pour in 2 microwave safe mugs until about 1/3 full.
Put 2 Hershey's Kisses in the center, into the middle of the batter. they may not get covered completely but, when the batter cooks, they will get covered.
Microwave on high (1000 watts) for a minute.
[you will see the batter rise high and it will go back down again]
After a minute, microwave for about 20 seconds and check if its done, otherwise microwave for another 20 seconds. Microwaving for too long will make the cake dry.
Let it sit in the microwave for 2 minutes.
Remove and its ready to be served. You can let it completely cool or eat it just so!
Enjoy!!!

Sending this to MEC - Simple and Easy Snacks  - event on my Blog

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Coconut Chocolate chip Pecan Banana Bread

Ya I know that's a long name, but what else could I name it?...It does have all the said ingredients and the name should reflect what the product consists of, so that's why the long name :).

I have made so many Banana bread these past few days....why? because I had tons of bananas which were past the eating point. The best way to consume them is to make a delicious banana bread and all are done!

What I noticed is that if I added chocolate chips to the banana bread, it would be finishes faster than the plain one. And I wanted to try a coconut banana bread, so went ahead and tried it! I make only one small loaf at a time, double it if you want a bigger loaf.

I love warm desserts and my old son has taken after me. We both tend go in the direction of warm desserts like warm banana bread with cold ice cream or warm brownie with ice cream. This has been one of our favorites now since I have been making this very often!

Ingredients:

Wet Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter @ room temperature
1 cup mashed bananas, about 3 medium sized
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk

Dry Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups All purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup mini semi-chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped, roasted pecans, walnuts

Method:

Grease a loaf pan with butter and keep aside.
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mashed bananas. Mix in butter, egg, vanilla extract, milk and brown sugar.
In another bowl, stir in the rest of the dry ingredients together, expect the coconut, choco chips and walnuts.
Mix in the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients slowly, being careful not to over mix.
Add and stir in the coconut, choco chips and walnuts.
Pour into loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean.
Serve when warm or cold.
Enjoy!!!

Check out what the other marathoners are cooking up in their kitchens here.


Sending this to Srivalli's Kid's Delight event  Whats Kids love....For Summer

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Cake pops for 2nd Blog Anniversary and Blogging Marathon

Yes...its that time of the year again!!
I am so happy that 'Smitha's Spicy Flavors' turned two last week. I didn't find much time to write up a post, so now since I am again joining the Blogging Marathon team (Started by Srivalli of Spicing your Life), I decided to do this as my first post.

Thanks for all your support and comments over the past year that I am able to improve myself and do more yummy cooking! I mean experimenting and devouring!

This past year saw many changes in my life, biggest being us moving to California and settling down. There were a few days, maybe I can say months when I didn't find time to writes posts. Such were the times when I couldn't join the Blogging marathon, which I loved to do.

Anyways now I am glad to be back and hopefully will continue to do for the coming months.
With almost 200,000+ page views over the past two years and now with almost 800+ page views per day, tell me who is grinning from ear to ear??

When I first started to write blogs, I didn't even think this is possible and something like this can happen...I am Happy with what I achieved and hope to continue to keep my readers happy with my posts. I would love to hear from you guys about how I am doing and how I should improve. There is always room for more improvement and I would like to do as much as I can.

There are a few interesting things coming up in the next week or two! Keep watching and I hope everyone will participate and help out as much as you can.

Ok back to the post for today...I chose 'Kids Delight - Something Sweet' for the theme for the Blogging Marathon.

Since it was going to be my anniversary post, I wanted it to be something special for sure. Couple of months, I received a very cool gift from my friend in the East coast. It was a 'Babycakes - Cake Pop maker'. I couldn't wait to try it out. Its a very wonderful gift - Thank you guys!!...My kids are enjoying it a lot!

I am all for easy and simple dishes to make and this is the most easiest bake I have ever done!
It a very simple machine, more like a sandwich maker, only here it cooks the batter into small rounds for the cake pops.
Kids can help decorate and sprinkle stuff on it to make it fun looking!
Its so easy that I will be making this very often, and the most important part, easy clean up and 'Portion control' ...haha...but still it is a very cool kitchen gadget!

I made chocolate cake pops, with bittersweet chocolate coating and white chocolate coating. Sprinkled them with some fun colors and they were ready in an hour.
Only waiting time was to wait for them to cool down after baking. After dipping them in chocolate, I put them in the freezer for 5 minutes and the chocolate hardened quickly!

I used a very simple recipe from the cookbook which came with the machine and it worked wonderfully! :)

In case you don't own this piece of coolness....just bake a cake using your favorite recipe. After cooling, crumble it into tiny crumbs, either using hands or using a food processor. You can use jam or frosting to make small balls of the crumbled cake, insert a stick and dip into your favorite dip or melted candy melts. Decorate as you with.

Only difference with the machine is that, you don't need the jam or frosting to make balls, they are already in the shape of balls, into which we stick in the stick and dip!
So its only cake and no extra mess!

Makes about 24 pops

Ingredients:

3/4 cup all purpose flour, maida
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp cocoa powder (I used Hershery's)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 salt
3 tbsp oil (canola or vegetable)
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk
3/4 tsp lemon juice


Method:

Mix together - flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt in a mixing bowl.
Add in the oil, egg, vanilla extract, milk and lemon juice.
Combine well into a smooth batter.
Preheat the machine as directed.
Pour in about 1 tbsp of batter in each hole. Close and bake for 4-5 minutes or until done.
Cool and prepare for dipping.


Chocolate Dip:

3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
2 tbsp vegetable shortening

Melt the chips in the microwave. Add in the shortening and mix well.


White chocolate dip:

3/4 cup white chocolate chips
2 tbsp of oil

Melt the chips in the microwave and add in the oil little by little, only till you get the consistency you want. You don't have to add all the 2 tbsp.


Prepare for dipping:

First dip the stick into the chocolate dip and insert into the cake pop. Let it dry. For quicker drying, put it in the freezer for 5 minutes.
Next, holding the stick, dip the cake pop into the chocolate dip.
Slowly tap the stick so that the excess will fall out, if not it will drip down the stick.
You can let this dry or immediately sprinkle it with sprinkles.
If you want to add the other chocolate dip on top, let it dry then dip in the next one or use a fork to draw lines.
Let it dry completely before serving.

This machine came with cake pop stands which are convenient to let the cake pops stand and dry. Otherwise you can use a piece of foam to stick the pops in to dry.

Enjoy!!!

Sending this to Srivalli's Chocolate Mela

to Kavi for 'Kid's delight - Something Sweet'

to Srav's for her 'Chocolate fest'

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 12

In the meanwhile, I got some awesome awards from some awesome bloggers....Thanks You everyone....you are too kind.
Sharing these with all the sweet people who patiently read my blogs....please receive them and put them on your blog! Love you all!

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Eggless Banana Muffins for T&T from Chef In You

This is the second time I am baking with banana within 2 weeks time and this time from Chef in You.

Chef in You has soo many yummy recipes...its so difficult to decide what to make. I love all her yummy baked goods and keep drooling at the pictures...
This time I decided to try her delicious and healthy Eggless Banana Muffins, which are also low fat and low sugar...something good for me. Me who likes to munch on goodies, low sugar and low fat, would do me some good!! don't you guys think!??

Its not always that when you decide to make something from someone's else's blog, that you find everything required is in your pantry. I try not to make any changes to the recipe and follow it 'HU BAH HU", but since I didn't have any oranges or any rolled oats, I substituted it to vanilla extract and quick cooking oats. These changes haven't compromised any taste changes. :))  The muffins have come out delish, soft and moist.
So I am convinced eggless is also as tasty as something baked with egg!!

Changes made:
Mixed a few walnuts in the batter.
Zest of orange = 1 tsp vanilla extract
Rolled oats = quick cooking oats

I didn't have any cup cake liners either, so baked directly in the muffin tray, greased with vegetable shortening.

Verdict: Another keeper recipe. I am sure to make this more often whenever I crave for banana bread! since low fat and low sugar is good for me...lol!!

Sending this to Tried and Tasted event hosted by Priya for this month, brainchild of Zlamushka, currently taken over by Lakshmi of Kitchen Chronicles.

Sending it to Cooking for Kids event, hosted by Suma Gandlur of Veggie Platter, Started by Sharmi of Neivadyam.

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A lovely Eggless Chocolate cake for T&T from Chef in You

Its the first time I am taking part in a Tried and Tasted event. I have always thought about it but never found time to actually do it...I know its a lame excuse...but its true...yada..yada..yada
So this time, I went ahead and baked a lovely cake from DK's Chef in You for T&T, hosted by Priya, brainchild of Zlamushka currently taken over by Lakshmi of Kitchen Chronicles.

There were always a few blogs which I used regularly check from time to time prior to my blogging days and this was one of them. When I was going over as to what to make from the site, and something simple and quick, I settled on the yummy baked items here and the Eggless Chocolate Cake was one of them.

I am sure my kids are going to enjoy this thoroughly, thats why I stopped at this for today and had all the ingredients on hand!:))

Followed the recipe step by step, no changes...very easy, will be ready in less than 40 mins.

I used a 9in  round pan, using a smaller pan will give you a thicker cake. Buttered and floured the bottom and sides for baking. Dusted only powdered sugar on the top after baking.

Verdict: This recipe is a keeper...The cake is so very moist, soft and fluffy, its just heavenly!! Thanx DK!! :)) ...and the cake is going to disappear faster than I blink!

Enjoy!!!

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Mango cake fruit roll - 100th Post

So I am here with my 100th post....wow...didn't think I would do so many posts when I first started and now I think I won't stop...lol.
I thought some about what should be my 100th post, went thru a few recipes and at last reached here....
With a short spring season (and long allergy season) and the on coming summer season, I love using fresh fruit in making desserts and mango season I love, but here since we get only few very good mangoes, I used mango pulp in the recipe since it available all year round. Therefore, I came up with the mango sponge cake to make a cake roll and then used the fresh fruit with whipped cream for the filling in between.
Usually Jelly is used as a filling in a cake roll, but I made it fruity with whipped cream.

I borrowed the sponge cake recipe from here, but made a few modifications to it because I wanted to incorporate the mango into the cake for the flavor. Moreover I decreased the amount of sugar used in some places, because I didn't want it to be too sweet (mango pulp is sweetened already too) but more fruity and also me and my parents don't eat too sweet stuff, but my kids and hubby don't mind, but won't it be good if its fruity!!!
If you like it sweet, use the actual measurements!

Well the end product was amazing to us. It was less sweet and fruity, everyone enjoyed it a lot. Only problem was that 'I' made it too small, I should have made more...:)
It took me about 1/2 hour to whip the eggs and about 10-15 min to cook the cake. Meanwhile I whipped the whipping cream with sugar and refrigerated it.
So totally about 1 to 1 1/2 hour of prep and cooking time for the final product!

Ingredients (and Modifications):

4 egg whites, room temperature (actual 6)

3/4 tsp. cream of tartar

1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided (1/4 + 1/4) (actual 2/3 cup)

4 egg yolks, room temperature (actual 6)

1/2 tsp. vanilla ( actual 1 tsp, but I didn't want to overpower the mango flavor)

1/4 tsp. salt

6 tbsp mango pulp (fresh or canned) (I used canned, which is already sweetened)

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

Powdered sugar, sifted for sifting on top


Method for sponge cake :

Pre-heat oven to 375°F. Spray oil onto a 9 x 10 x 1-inch jelly-roll pan. Line it with parchment paper. Spray parchment paper lightly.

Using a whisk attachment on a hand mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar in a mixing bowl on high speed until foamy. Continuously whisking, add 1/4 cup of sugar, little by little at a time, until it gets dissolved. Beat constantly until soft peaks are formed.

In a different bowl, beat egg yolks on high speed until it becomes thick and lemon-colored, about 3 to 5 minutes. Slowly beat in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar until it is pale yellow and sugar is dissolved. Gently beat in vanilla and salt. After a minute of beating, add in the mango pulp and beat it until foamy.

Sift flour over egg whites. Add the mango and yolk mixture. Fold gently but completely until color is uniform. Do not stir only fold in gently.
Pour into prepared pan and spread it evenly.

Bake at 375 deg F oven until a toothpick comes out clean, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack, but transfer onto the parchment paper for filling and rolling for easy clean up. Cut corners to straight edges before filling or this can be done after filling too, I just did it before.

Whipped cream filling: (From my Black Forest cake recipe)

473ml or 1 pint heavy whipping cream (found near the milk section in grocery store)(whipped to stiff peaks, takes about 10-15 min with a hand mixer)(if whipped before, store it in the refrigerator so that it doesn't melt)

3 tbsp confectioners sugar or powdered sugar ( actual 5 tbsp + 1 tsp vanilla extract which I omitted)

Fruit Filling:

Cut 1/2 piece Mango into small pieces
Cut 1 strawberry into small pieces
Cut 1 kiwi into small pieces
Cut 4-6 cherries (bottled) into small pieces
1 can crushed pineapple, drained completely

Assembly:

Spread the whipped cream on the cake in a thin layer. Add all the chopped fruit evenly on the cream. Gently roll the cake from one side, making sure the filling doesn't come out. Fold or tuck the open edge underneath the cake roll. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top before serving. Serve cold with icecream if you wish. We ate ours plain. Enjoy!!!

Tip: Since fresh fruit and whipped cream are used, store in the refrigerator. Won't last very long, eat it up soon!!!

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