Sunshine Muffins

These orange muffins start with a whole fresh orange, peel and all.

They are quickly made in a food processor.

If you don't have a food processor you can puree

the orange and juice in a blender.

Cut the orange into 8 pieces and drop in the bowl

with 1/2 C orange juice.

Puree about 1 minute.

Add egg and melted butter. Blend until smooth.

Add the dry ingredients;

 flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda.

Pulse a few times just until blended.

Pour into sprayed muffin tin.

Bake for 15-20 minutes at 400. 

Let sit for 5 minutes before removing.

Enjoy warm. 

 Butter and raspberry jam would be good too.

Or let the muffins cool and glaze.

You can freeze leftovers.

Sunshine Muffins

1 orange

1/2 C orange juice

1 egg

1 stick butter or margarine, melted

1-3/4 C flour

1 C sugar

1 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

Cut the orange into 8 pieces and 

drop into a food processor.

Add orange juice and puree. 

Add the melted butter and egg.

Blend until smooth.

Add the dry ingredients and pulse 2-3 

times just until blended.

 Scoop into sprayed muffin tins.

Bake for 15-20 minutes at 400.

Let sit for 5 minutes before removing.

optional glaze

1 C powdered sugar

1-2 T orange juice

combine and spread about one tablespoon 

onto the top of each cooled muffin.

Enjoy!

Links: Stone Gable, Designs By Gollum,
Jam Hands, The Lady Behind The Curtain

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Kebab vegetables with Paneer | Indian Appetizers

Tandoored food items are always in my favorite list. Any dish which is cooked directly under fire has a unique smoked flavor which is unique and makes it even more tasty. Though grilling or barbecueing goes hand in hand with meat or fish, vegetables and paneer also make a very good grilled food. So here, I present grilled vegetables with paneer. Feel free to use any vegetables of your choice and the options are endless..

Ingredients:
Barbecue sticks - 8
Paneer - 200 g - cubed
Red bell pepper - 1 - cut into 1" pieces
Onions - Cut into 1" pieces
For the kebab paste:
Curd/Yogurt - 1/4 cup
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Tandoori masala - 1 1/2 tbsp (available in Indian grocery stores)
or a mix of the following
Chilli powder - 3/4 tsp
Chaat masala - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Cumin powder - 1 tsp

Method:

Mix the ingredients for the marinade to a paste. Smear the paste to the cubed veggies, mix well and allow it to marinate for a minimum of 1 hr to 4 hrs. Soak the barbecue sticks in water for 30 mins. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a baking pan with aluminium foil with a overhang on two opposite sides. Pin the marinated veggies in the skewer alternating with paneer. Do not overcrowd the skewer. When done place the skewers on the rims (with foil overhang) of the baking sheet. Grill in the oven for 30 mins, turning once in between. Done-ness can be checked with the light charring of the vegetables. Serve hot sprinkled with lemon juice. 

Sending this to Serve It - Grilled event happening at my space.


Also sending this to Akila's Dish Name Starts with K

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Kadai Mushroom | Indian Curry Recipes

Mushrooms is one of my favorite vegetables. I love its simple flavor and 
meaty texture very much that I grab a box whenever I go for grocery shopping. I try to sneak in mushrooms in every possible dish from pastas to omelets, but every now and then I make mushroom as a side dish for rotis. Did you know mushroom is a great side for curd rice? Try it next time and you will love it. I have tried Kadai Mushroom from Denny's space for a  couple of times but managed to get some clicks this time.

Ingredients:
Original Recipe here
Mushroom - white or button - 1/2 lb - cleaned and quartered
Green bell pepper - cut into 1" pieces - 1/2 cup
Onions - chopped - 1 cup
Tomato - big and ripe - 2 - quartered (Use canned crushed tomatoes if desired)
Garlic - finely chopped - 1 tbsp
Ginger - finely chopped - 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - 3/4 tsp (use 1 tsp if using Kashmiri chilli powder)
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 1 1/2 tbsp

Method:
Crush the tomatoes in a blender until coarsely crushed, do not make a puree. Pulsing for a couple of times would do the trick. Heat oil in a wide pan and splutter the cumin seeds. Add the chopped onions and fry until golden brown. Add in the ginger and garlic and saute for about a minute. Add all the spice powders and fry until a nice aroma comes out. Add the crushed tomatoes and salt and allow it to cook until the oil floats on the top. Add the quartered mushrooms and allow to cook in medium heat for about 5 mins. Do not overcook the mushrooms as it may shrink, we still want it to be meaty. Add the green bell peppers and another 1/4 cup of water and allow it to cook for another 5 mins. Serve hot with rice or roti.

Sending this spicy and meaty low calorie dish to Dish it out - Mushrooms & Onions event by Vardhini and Kalyani and to Let's Cook - Subzis for Rotis event by Radhika.


Also linking this to Bookmarked Recipes every Tuesday event by Aipi & Priya.

Also sending this to Akila's Dish Name Starts with K

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Cranberry Glazed Chicken

Dinner couldn't be any easier than

cranberry glazed chicken. 

Serve with white or wild rice and a green vegetable.

Saute the chopped onion in a little oil. 

Add the cranberry sauce, ketchup, mustard,

 and brown sugar. Heat, stirring until well combined

 and the cranberry sauce melts.

I always use the larger 14-oz can of whole berry sauce

and store the rest in a glass jar in the refrigerator. 

Use 3-4 boneless breasts, cut into serving size

 pieces if very large. 

Put into a sprayed shallow casserole.

 Salt and pepper the chicken and pour the sauce over.

Bake at 350 uncovered for 35-45 minutes until glazed.

You can also use cut-up chicken pieces. 

Bake those a little longer, 45-50 minutes.

Cranberry Glazed Chicken

3-4 boneless chicken breasts or

1 whole chicken cut-up

1 T oil

1/4 C diced onion

8 oz can whole berry cranberry sauce

1/4 C brown sugar

1/2 C ketchup

1 T dijon mustard

In a small saucepan saute the onion in oil until tender. 

 Add the cranberry sauce, ketchup, mustard, and

 brown sugar.  Stir over low heat until 

the cranberry sauce is melted and well combined. 

Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

 Place in a sprayed shallow casserole.

 Pour the sauce over the chicken. 

Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes until glazed.

Serve over wild or white rice and add a fresh

green vegetable.

Enjoy!

Links: Savvy Southern Style, Coastal Charm,
Designs By Gollum, Funky Junk, Stone Gable

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Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting | Cupcake (Icing) Recipes

Carrot cake cupcakes are another easy to make bakes, which are as tasty like any other cupcakes. These are so flavorful and aromatic with the addition of ground cinnamon. This is my DH's favorite kind of cake and he always picks up a slice for himself whenever we visit our local bakery. I never dared to bake one by myself, given that he loves the bakery version why take a risk. When I was planning to make something for Carrots event at Reva's blog, I asked him for suggestion for the dish to make with Carrots. His immediate reply was "Carrot Cake!!". So I gained up my courage and started to bake it. Made it as little cupcakes because I think they are cute and are of perfect portion. So if you are searching for a simple, moist and bakery style carrot cupcakes try this and you will love it.

Ingredients:
Makes 10 cupcakes
Adapted from here
For Cupcakes:
All-purpose flour/Maida - 1 1/4 cups
Baking powder - 3/4 tsp
Baking soda - 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon powder - 1 tsp - 1&1/2 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Carrots (grated) - 1 1/2 to 2 cups
Light brown sugar - 1 cup (Can replace with white sugar)
Eggs - 2 (room temperature)
Oil - 3/4 cup
Vanilla - 1 tsp
For the Filling and Frosting:
Light Cream cheese - 4 oz - 1/2 cup
Butter - 2 tbsp (room temperature)
Powdered Sugar - 3/4 cups
Vanilla - 1 tsp

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350F/180 C. Line the muffin tin with liners. Sift/Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Mix the carrots and combine well until the carrots are coated well with flour. Take sugar in a big mixing bowl and mix eggs adding one at a time using a hand mixer or whisk. Add oil in a steady stream while mixing continuously until well combined. Add flour mixture in four additions, folding well after each addition. Do not over-mix, just mix until everything is combined scraping the sides and bottom.
Spoon the mixture to the muffin liners, approximately 1/3rd cup of batter for each muffin cup. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. To check for done-ness, a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. Allow the cupcakes to sit in the muffin pan for 5 mins and then transfer the cupcakes to a cooling rack to cool completely.
To Fill and Frost the cupcakes:
Beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar slowly while mixing continuously. Cream until smooth about 2 minutes. Transfer the cream cheese frosting to a piping bag/ziploc bag fitted with nozzle. Take the cupcake and puncture the center with the nozzle until three-fourth way down. Now squeeze and pull the piping bag upward, when still squeezing. When you reach the top of the cupcake, make circular or any desired patterns to cover the top.

Note:

1. You could add nuts and/or raisins as desired. I preferred to have it simple. 
2. You could add nutmeg, allspice and pumpkin spice if desired. If using add 1/4 tsp each.
3. You could substitute all or part of the AP flour with whole meal or whole wheat flour. 
4. I used light cream cheese and ICBINB. You could use regular cream cheese and butter as desired.

Sending these beautiful cupcakes to Veggie/Fruit of the month - Carrot event by Reva and Priya and also to 'Only'-Baked event by Pari and Harini-Jaya.

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Chicago Style Hot Dogs~Franks For The Memories!

This is the dog of choice for anyone who has

ever lived in Chicago. Chicago dogs are classic and

 a big favorite of sports fans and everyone 

from "hardhats" to "power suits".

 Every neighborhood sells them.

 Everybody eats them!

An all beef frank piled with toppings.

Here are the must-have ingredients 

that you'll need to build one.

Poppy seed buns are a must! 

I couldn't find them in my area so I cheated

 and buttered the buns and sprinkled on poppy seeds.

Cut up and ready to go:
 chopped onions, dill spears, tomato wedges,
 sport peppers  if you can find them.
(I used jalapeno, you can also use
 poblano or pepperoncini)

 Simmer the dogs for five minutes.

I steamed the poppy seed buns

 on a dampened paper towel 

in the microwave for 20 seconds.

Looks great, but something is missing!

The chopped onions....don't leave anything out!

It's the perfect combo of flavors in your mouth.

The toppings must be layered in this order; 

mustard, relish, chopped onion, tomato wedges, 

dill pickle spear, sport peppers.

 It wouldn't be a Chicago dog without 

a  good sprinkle of celery salt, another must.

Don't even think about adding ketchup!

 Now, take a bite!

Sweet Home Chicago!

Enjoy!

Today is National Hot Dog Day

Celebrate!

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