Crazy Chocolate Cake (no eggs)

If you've run out of eggs or have someone with
an egg allergy you will thank me for this recipe.

 A few basic pantry ingredients. Whisk flour, sugar,
cocoa, soda, and a pinch of salt in a bowl.

 Make three depressions and put oil in one,
vanilla in another and vinegar in the third.

 Pour the water over all and mix until
dry ingredients are blended in.

 Por into an 8"x 8" pan. You could even
mix the batter right in the pan and
save washing the bowl.

 Bake just until set-about 25'-30'.

 Cool on rack for 5 minutes.

 You can just dust with a little powdered
sugar and call it done, or frost it with
Easy Chocolate Icing.

In a saucepan add 1/2 stick butter.
(that's 1/4C or 4T), with 1/4 C milk and
1/4 C cocoa over low heat until melted.

 Stir in the powdered sugar.

 Simmer for 3 minutes and remove from heat,
Add vanilla and beat until thick. Cool slightly,
and pour over cake.

Crazy Chocolate Cake

1-1/2 C flour

1 C sugar

3 T unsweetened cocoa

1 t baking soda

1/4 t salt

1/3 C vegetable oil

1 T white vinegar

1 t vanilla

1 C water

Preheat the oven to 350º.

Combine the flour, sugar, soda, and 

salt in a bowl and whisk to blend.

Make 3 depressions and put oil in one, 

vanilla in another, and vinegar in the 

third. Pour water over all and whisk

until the dry ingredients are mixed in.

Pour into a 8"x 8" pan and bake

for 25-30 minutes until cake springs 

back when lightly touched. 

Do not over bake. Cool on

rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar

or frost with...

 Easy Chocolate Fudge Icing

1/4 C butter

1/4 C cocoa

1/4 C milk

1 C powdered sugar

1/2 t vanilla

Put all ingredients into a small saucepan

Bring to a boil over low heat and then simmer

for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla.

Beat until thick. Let cool slightly.

Enough for and 8" square cake.

Enjoy!

Links: Rattlebridge Farm,
Between Naps On The Porch

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Pasta Aglio E Olio | Vegan Pasta Recipes

Pasta Aglio E Olio means Pasta with Garlic and Olive Oil in Italian. A simple pasta flavored with garlic and olive oil, it is one of the classic pasta dishes. I added some chopped bell peppers and a little lemon juice to brighten things up, since, you know I love lemony anything. 
I adapted this recipe from a Pasta Cookbook which my friend Denny gave me when we visited her for Christmas. Spaghetti is the best choice for this pasta dish. Since I did not have any spaghetti in hand and wanted to introduce pasta to my 1.5 yr old with a fun shape, I used Campanelle.

Ingredients:
Serves - 3
Pasta - 1 lb box
Bell peppers - sliced thin - 1 cup (I used a combination of green and mini red, orange, yellow peppers)
Garlic cloves - 6 - slivered
Extra Virgin Olive Oil - 6 tbsp
Res Pepper Flakes - 1/2 tsp
Lemon Juice - 2 tbsp
Parsley / Cilantro - 3 tbsp
Salt - to taste

Method:
Cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta boiled water. Drain and set aside covered. Heat 4 tbsp of oil in a wide non-stick pan and add sliced peppers and saute for 2 minutes. Add the slivered garlic cloves and saute another 2 minutes. Throw in the red pepper flakes and toss for a couple of seconds. Add the pasta water and lemon juice with salt and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the pasta, parsley and toss. Add the remaining olive oil. Serve warm.
Linking this up for Priya's Vegan Thursdays.

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Classic Buttermilk Pie

Buttermilk pie is a classic, traditional pie in the

 south. It often shows up at Thanksgiving and

 Christmas dessert tables.  

This custard pie mixes together quickly 

and it doesn't taste like buttermilk.

 Melt the butter in a glass bowl for 1 minute in 

the microwave. Whisk in the sugar, then eggs, 

 Whisk in the remaining ingredients.

 Pour into unbaked pie crust.
I used my easy-as-pie crust recipe.

 Bake until golden and set.

 It reminds me of creme brulee.

Buttermilk Pie

1 9" unbaked pie crust

1 stick butter1-1/4 to 1/1/2 C sugar

3 XL eggs

1 C buttermilk

3 T flour

1 t vanilla

pinch salt

 (nutmeg and or cinnamon

if desired)

Melt the butter in a glass bowl

in the microwave for 1 minute. 

Add the sugar; 1-/1/4 to 1-1/2 C

 (depending on how sweet you want it)

Mix in the eggs, buttermilk, flour, salt

and vanilla. I have sometimes added

 1/4t nutmeg and 1/2 t cinnamon.

Pour into the unbaked pie crust and bake.  

@350º until set and golden.

About 45 minutes. Cool before 

slicing then refrigerate to store.

Enjoy!

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Tofu Bellpepper Scramble / Tofu Bhurji | Vegan Breakfast Scramble

This is a simple Vegan scramble with Tofu and Bell peppers which is a great dish for breakfast or as a snack. It is really versatile that it can be stuffed as a sandwich, rolled in a chapathi like khatti roll or had as a side dish for rice. I got this bag of cute little mini peppers which I had to add in every stir fry dish I make. Peppers are storehouses of antioxidants and Vitamin C and hey, it makes the dish colorful and appetizing. Bell peppers can be readily substituted with chopped boiled carrots, green beans and peas. 

Ingredients:
Serves - 2
Tofu - 1/3rd of a block
Bell peppers - chopped - 1-1/2 cups (I used a mix of mini red, orange and yellow peppers)
Green Bellpepper / Capsicum - 1/2 - chopped fine
Oil - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/4 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp

Method:
Crumble the pressed tofu into little pieces. Heat 1 tsp of oil with the spice powders and a pinch of salt. When it is heated through add the crumbled tofu and fry in medium-high heat for about 2-3 minutes until it starts to become light brown. Remove and set aside. Spray some oil in the pan and fry the chopped bell peppers in medium-high heat until it starts to brown. Add the fried tofu and add salt if needed. Mix well and remove from heat. Serve hot.

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Easy As Pie ~ CRUST

With this mix-in-a-bowl pie crust recipe.

you can make a pie or quiche anytime. 

 

This is a great emergency pastry crust that I have

 used many time when I want a pie or quiche and 

don't have the time or want to bother making 

a traditional pie crust.

You mix flour, salt, sugar, milk, and oil in a bowl

or right in the pie pan.

 

Stir with a fork until combined.

Form into a ball and  then flatten it on 

the bottom of the pie dish.

Keep flattening the dough, pressing it with your 

fingers over the bottom and up the sides.

To blind bake this, prick all over with a fork and

bake @425º until golden, about 12 minutes. 

Cool before filling.

 Or for a standard baked pie, fill and bake 

as your recipe directs.
I'm using it today to make a buttermilk pie.

Easy as pie!

Easy As Pie ~ CRUST

2 C flour

1 t sugar

1/2 t salt

3 T milk 
(whole, 2%, or skim)

1/2 C vegetable oil

Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a

bowl or pie dish with a fork. Whisk

 the oil and milk with the fork and

 add to the flour. Stir with the fork 

until well mixed then pat onto the bottom 

and up the sides of the pie dish. 

Flute edges if desired. For a baked pie

 fill and bake as recipe directs. For a 

prebaked shell, prick all over and bake

 @425º until golden, about 12 minutes. 

Cool before filling. 

Enjoy!

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Carrot Rice for Infants | Infant & Toddler Food Ideas

I had been wanting to start a section for Baby and Toddler Foods for a while now. Kavin is now 19 months and pretty much eats whatever I make for us. Of course mealtimes are fuss times. Now that he had started saying "enough" (in our language), he starts saying enough midway through his meal or sometimes even after the first spoon. On some days when I have leftovers for me to finish, I make some of his favorites. These recipes I will be posting here are Kavin-approved tasty baby foods.

Ingredients:
Serves - 1;
Cooked rice - 1 cup
Carrots - chopped - 1 cup
Water - 1/2 cup
Salt - a pinch
Pepper - a pinch
Ghee - 1/2 tsp

Method:
In a closed saucepan, cook the chopped carrots with water and a pinch of salt and pepper. When the carrots are completely through, cool it a little and puree in the blender. Mash the cooked rice when it is still hot and mix in the ghee and pureed carrots. Serve warm. 
Notes:
Baby age - 7 months and above. Make sure you have already introduced rice and carrots to your baby, not necessarily together.

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Methi Paratha | Roti Paratha Recipes

Every family deserves a healthy wholesome meal. I made this Methi Paratha with Aloo Capsicum Sabzi for lunch one day. Topped with a glass of lassi, it is a complete meal in itself. These winter days when fresh greens are difficult to come by, the frozen greens come in handy. I never fail to buy the frozen methi leaves during my produce shopping. What about you? Which vegetables would you buy only fresh or only frozen?

Ingredients:
Makes 12 parathas; Measurements in 160 ml cup
Wheat flour - 4 cups 
Water - 1-1/4 cups + more if needed
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Methi leaves - 1/2 cup - tightly packed - I used two cubes of frozen leaves
Amchur powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - a big pinch
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt  - to taste
Oil - 1 tbsp + 1 tsp

Method:
Heat a tsp of oil in a kadai and splutter the cumin seeds. Add the methi leaves and saute until it wilts. Add the spice powders and salt and cook in medium heat until it shrinks. Allow it to cool. Mix whole wheat flour, salt and 1 tbsp of oil well. Add the cooled methi mixture and mix well. Make a well in the center and pour water and mix slowly and form a dough. Sprinkle more water if needed. Knead well for 5 minutes. The dough should be soft and pliable. Rest for 15 minutes. Make small-orange sized balls of dough. Dust the balls with wheat flour and roll into thin parathas with a rolling pin. Heat a dosa tawa and place the rolled paratha on it when hot. Flip when little bubbles appear on the top. Cook in medium-high heat by pressing and rotating with a kitchen towel, until it puffs up. Smear with couple of drops of ghee before serving. Serve hot with any curry of your choice. 

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Aloo Capsicum Bhaji / Bell Peppers Potato Curry | Indian Curry Recipes

Bhaji is a simple curry prepared with vegetables. This is one such curry I prepared aimlessly. To be honest, I wasn't sure what I was going to do and how I was going to make this curry for the Methi Paratha for which I had prepared the dough. All I wanted was a potato capsicum combo, which we love and I wanted to make it little spicy, since LO was not going to eat that. I was planning to give Kavin just the paratha with some yogurt or milk. So I went ahead, out and out to prepare a spicy bhaji to go with the parathas.

Ingredients:
Serves - 3-4
Potatoes - 3
Green Bell Peppers / Capsicum - 2
Tomato - 2 ripe
Oil - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - a big pinch
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder  - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder - 3/4 tsp
Water - 1 cup

Method:
Cut the potatoes and bell peppers into 1 inch cubes. Heat 1/2 tsp of oil in a kadai and fry the potatoes in high heat. It should be enough if the potatoes form a golden crust on them and it is not needed that the potatoes should be cooked through. Remove and set aside. In the same kadai add a few drops of oil and fry the bell peppers/capsicum. Fry until it starts to brown, in high heat. Remove and set aside. Heat 1 tsp oil in a kadai and add the cumin seeds and the ginger garlic paste. After about a min, add the chopped tomatoes with a pinch of salt. When the tomatoes become mushy and cooked completely add the spice powders and mix well. After about a minute or so add the water, cover and allow it to boil. When it comes to a boil, add salt and potatoes. Cover and continue to cook for another 5 minutes. Add the bell peppers now and and cook covered for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve with any paratha of your choice.
Notes:
Freshly squeezed lemon juice and chopped raw red onions are other garnish suggestions. You can always add more water as needed for the curry's consistency. The frying of the potatoes and capsicum prior to making the curry is purely optional. I just like the smoked flavour. 

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Oatmeal Pecan Jam Bars

 Bar cookies are a classic lunch box treat.
These are good anytime!

I used seedless raspberry jam, because
that's my favorite.

You can either mix this in a food processor,
with a mixer, or with your fingers.

A few zaps, scraping down the sides as

you go to get it combined.

  Everything in at once.

 Break up any large clumps.
Reserve 1 cup of this mixture.

Press the remaining into the bottom of a greased
(use the butter wrapper) 9x13 pan.

 If your pecans aren't already chopped, put
them in the the processor and pulse a few times.

Then add the reserved crumb mixture and

pulse again to combine.

 Spread 1 cup of your favorite jam onto
the bottom crust.

 Spread evenly and then top evenly with

 the remaining crumb-pecan mixture.

 Bake @350º for about 35 minutes.

 Or until the crust is golden and the jam is
bubbling through in a few places.
Let cool for 25 minutes before cutting.

Oatmeal~Pecan Jam Bars
3/4 C chopped pecans
3/4 C brown sugar
3/4 C butter, cold and cut up
1-1/2 C flour
1-1/2 C oatmeal
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t sea salt
1 C jam ~ I love raspberry!
Mix together the brown sugar, flour, oats, salt
soda, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Cut in the cold
butter with your fingers until the mixture gets
crumbly.  You can use a food processor. Reserve
about 1 C of the mixture and press the rest into
a greased (I use the butter wrapper for this)
 9x13 pan. Spread the jam evenly over the
bottom crust. Combine the chopped pecans with
 the reserved crumb mixture and sprinkle
over the top. Bake @350º for 35-40
minutes. Let cool for 25 minutes, then cut
into bars or squares.

Enjoy!

Links: Between Naps On The Porch,
Designs By Gollum

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Mocha Pancakes | Eggless Pancake Recipes

If you are a morning coffee person, you would love these for breakfast. If you are not a coffee person, you would love these anytime. This is a super simple chocolate pancake recipe, with no eggs. The touch of coffee is sure to wake your senses and get you geared up for the day. 

Ingredients:
Makes 8 pancakes
Adapted from Sailu's recipe
All purpose flour / Maida - 1 cup
Cocoa powder - 2 tbsp
Sugar - 1 tbsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Baking powder - 2-1/2 tsp
Instant Coffee Powder - 2 tsp
Butter - 1 tsp - melted
Oil -  2 tbsp
Milk - 1 cup
Water - 2 tbsp plus more if needed

Method:
Whisk the dry ingredients together using a sieve or whisk until well mixed without lumps. Mix the butter, oil, milk and water. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and whisk briskly. The batter should be well mixed, but a few lumps are fine. Set the batter aside until the griddle is heated. When it is heated, use a 1/4 cup measure to scoop the batter and pour on the griddle. Let it spread on its own. When bubbles start appear on the top, flip the pancake and cook for another minute or two. Serve with maple syrup or chocolate spread, okay, there cannot be too much chocolate, can it.. 
Notes:
If you want to make it vegan, skip the butter and substitute milk with almond, soy or coconut milk. If the batter is thick, add one or two more tbsp of water as needed.

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