Easy pineapple upside down cake

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This recipe is from one of the most reliable and comprehensive food bloggers on the internets, Elise at Simply Recipes.  I didn't change a thing.  Well, except for adding the cherries. I was very skeptical of my ability to pull this off.  An upside down cake?  Oh dear. I try hardly even to make a right side up cake.  But it was super easy.I let the cake cool and then called my hubby up for the big reveal.  We flipped it over and it slid right out of the pan with perfectly caramelized edges.  I served it with ice cream.  hubby's only critique was that he wished there was less cake and more top. 

For the topping

50g softened butter

50g light soft brown sugar

7 pineapples rings in syrup, drained and 

syrupglacé cherry

For the cake

100g softened butter

100g golden caster sugar

100g self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract2 eggs

Method

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. For the topping, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy. Spread over the base and a quarter of the way up the sides of a 20-21cm round cake tin. Arrange pineapple rings on top, then place cherries in the centres of the rings.Place the cake ingredients in a bowl along with 2 tbsp of the pineapple syrup and, using an electric whisk, beat to a soft consistency. Spoon into the tin on top of the pineapple and smooth it out so it's level. Bake for 35 mins. Leave to stand for 5 mins, then turn out onto a plate. Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream.

Chicken in Bread crumbs...KFC STYLE!

A super easy recipe with unusual combination of few calorie and taste bud on priority!
My goal here is to prove that you can still get the same great taste of fried chicken without it actually being fried, saving you tons of saturated fat, calories & sodium AND to prove that you can make a homemade healthy meal for the family in basically no time at all. Think of it this way, if you’ve got time to drive to KFC, get the food and drive home, then you’ve got time to make this!
So here we go with the recipe.....


INGREDIENTS:-


1 whole organic chicken portioned (2 breasts, 2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, 2 wings)


2 cups bread crumbs (I used Progresso Italian style bread crumbs one can use any other normal form)
2 egg – whisked for 1 minute to lighten
1 tsp paprika/kashmiri mirch powder(MDH)
1 tsp tomato powder (I used knorr tomato soup powder)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
olive oil spray

METHOD:-


Preheat oven to 420°F.


Arrange all the ingredients in a row in the following order: the chicken pieces, whisked eggs with Salt and pepper and paprika,tomato powder added, breadcrumbs.


Begin by dipping the chicken pieces in the egg holding the chicken over the bowl for a few seconds after wards to let excess egg fall off and then coat in the breadcrumbs coating all sides. Pat the crumbs onto the pieces with clean hands to make sure it sticks. Lay on a foiled oven tray. This assembly line is a great time to get the kids involved! my lilttle one loved helping me and licked her messy hands


Once all the pieces are crumbed spray liberally on all sides with the olive oil spray.


Pop in the oven for 20 -25 minutes approx until internal temp of 165°F and the crumbs are crispy and ‘fried’.turn over the chicken and pop into the oven for another 10 mins. That’s all there is to it!


SERVE WITH KETCHUP OR CORIANDER CHUTNEY OR MAYO....I SERVED IT WITH EVERYTHING MIXED TOGETHER YUMMMMM!!!

Basic sponge cake with strawberry jam

A decadent recipe of all times ..basic sponge cake with strawberry jam! sharing with you a very easy and proved method.
ALL IN ONE!!! method  of cake making i.e mixing all the ingredients together which is much easier and provides better results.
For best results make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature and the measurement should be accurate.


Do not be tempted to open your oven whilst the cake is cooking, as the drop in temperature will cause your cakes to sink.


Ingredients


285g self-raising flour or maida
2.5 teaspoons baking powder
285g butter
285g caster sugar
5 eggs
1 jar strawberry or raspberry jam or any other jam of your choice


Method


Pre-heat the oven to 170C / 340F


Grease and line 2 round cake tins with butter and greaseproof paper


Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl


Add the butter, sugar and eggs (make sure the butter is at room temperature)


Mix together using a wooden spoon or electric whisk until light and fluffy


Divide the mixture into the 2 cake tins


Bake in the oven for 35 - 40 minutes


gently press it- if it springs back when touched, then it's ready


Allow to cool for 5 minutes before carefully turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely


When the cake is cool, spread one cake with a generous layer of jam. Then top with the other cake 


Relish the home made cake....slurrrrrp!!!

Baked spaghetti with vegetables and eggs

A very healthy and fulfilling recipe for kids and us too ! just requires assembling all the ingredients and popping in the oven...Here you go:)


1)fresh vegetables ( I have used broccoli,carrot,capsicum ,onion, green bean)
2) 3-4 tomatoes chopped or 1/2 can of chopped tomatoes.
3) spaghetti 
4) oregano-1 tsp
5) salt and pepper
6) Grated Parmesan cheese
7) 2 eggs
8)2 tbsp butter


Method

1. Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook tomatoes and onion over medium heat until it has consistency of a sauce add oregano salt and pepper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk 1 egg, Parmesan cheese and butter. Drain spaghetti; add to egg mixture and toss to coat.
3. Place all the vegetables in first layer,2nd layer of  the spaghetti mixture in a greased baking dish. Top with the tomato mixture break the second egg on the top and sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese.
4. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 10 mins.
5. Serve hot!

strawberry ice-cream shake

Make yourself a naughty but nice summery treat, justified by lots of fruit!

Tip the hulled strawberries into a food processor with the milk and ice cream Blend until smooth and creamy.Pour into tall glasses, top with sliced strawberries and ice cream of ur choice.

  Recipe from a friend Leji Aby.

Masala french fries.

Ingredients

5 Large Roasting Potatoes

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to Taste

chilly powder-1tsp

chat masala-1 tsp

Method

Begin with some nice roasting potatoes . While you’re doing that – lets preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Then Peel and Wash the potatoes to prepare for slicing.

Here is my tool a mandoline or just use your knife and be sure to cut the french fries even in size to ensure even cooking.

Once sliced, place the potatoes in a bowl and cover with water.

I like to have the potatoes soak in salted water for about 30 minutes to release some of the starch and allow the fries to crisp up in the oven.

After the 30 minutes elapsed – it is time we dry the potatoes. This is a crucial step. If the potatoes are not completely dry, they will not crisp up as nicely and the moisture will cause them to steam in the oven.

Lets go ahead and lay the potatoes on some parchment paper, season them with salt and pepper and brush some olive oil on the tops of them. Once in the oven, ensure that you turn them periodically to ensure even browning. Bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown.

sprinkle chilly powder and chat masala.

Here is the final product…. crispy and yummy! Get you favorite dipping sauce out and ENJOY!

Nan-khatai - An Indian cookies

Nankhatai puts me in flashback and evokes lots of memories in me mainly because,that is probably the closest I came to baking while I was a child.I don’t remember if I enjoyed eating it as much as I enjoyed seeing it baking in our OTG which my father bought for me just because I insisted him alot.I used to shout in happiness when I saw them puff up and break oh-so-gently on top making it the best and perfect nankhatais ever.One day one of my childhood friend Premu told me that how much she liked the nankhatais made by me though ahan!! she never praised me that time :)..So for you my loving Friend Premu I am putting this recipe first time on my blog :).

Ingredients

Maida/Flour - ¾ cup

Cooking soda - 1/8 tsp

Powdered Sugar - ¼ cup

Ghee or unsalted butter - 1/3 cup[generous]

Cardamom and Powdered Nutmeg - ¼ tsp each

Preheat oven to 180C.

Method :-

Cream the sugar and the ghee until well blended.

Sift the flour with the soda. Add this to the sugar-ghee mixture. Add the cardamom and nutmeg powders. 

Make a dough and divide into small balls. 

Flatten each ball onto a cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes at 180 C.

Allow to cool and store in airtight containers.

veg quassidilla

A quesadilla is basically a Mexican-style stuffed pancake,like a toasted sandwich, made with two tortillas sandwiched together with a cheese-based filling. They are warmed through and served with guacamole and sour cream. 

They are one of my favourite things to eat at office ....'ON NO NONVEG DAYS' though it has non-veg version too.

After watching a cookery show 'Mexican food made simple' on foodnetwork I realized its so simple to make recipe and one dish meal...with a cooking time of less than 10-20mins you are all set to tuck in a wonderful meal.Combined with the crunch of sauteed vegetable and cheese filling, I was quite pleased with the end result my Taste bud( which is tuff to satisfy!!) and top of that my husband and the little relished it. I am happy that there is one more healthy recipe loaded with a lot of vegetables to add to my blog.

Just give it a try !! 

Here comes the recipe...

Ingredients:-

1)readymade whole flour tortilla

2)green peas-1/2 cup

3)green beans and capsicum-cut in very small pcs- half cup

4)finely sliced carrots-1/2 cup

5)sweet corn kernels-1/2 cup

6)finely chopped 1 onion

7)1/2 cup canned tomatoes /2-3 finely chopped fresh tomatoes

5)grated paneer/any cheese(shredded cheddar or mozarella) of ur choice.

6)tomato ketchup-2 tsp

7)salt and pepper

Method:-

1)Heat olive oil/veg oil in a wok and add onions,when it turns translucent add all the vegetables one by one 

2)after sauting for 2-3 mins add chopped tomatoes, tomato sauce,salt and pepper.

3)turn the heat off and add the paneer or cheese or both :)

4)take the tortillas and fill half of it with the filling and flap over it the the other hal and press gently 

5)Pre-heat a griddle and on medium heat roast both sides of the quesadilla brownish. flipping over to toast both sides.

 Ensure that you cook it over medium heat, you want the cheese to melt inside. Drizzle some oil if you want while frying the quesadilla

6)serve with chhese dip spreading on the top..and Enjoy!!

fruity chicken curry for kids!

750 g skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2 cm cubes
1 tbsp oil
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 cm piece ginger, peeled and grated

turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

black pepper 1/4th tsp

50 g sultanas
432 g can pineapple chunks

 200 ml water
15 g pack fresh coriander, finely chopped

method

1. heat oil Add the onion, garlic, ginger,turmeric powder,pepper and salt and sultanas and saute for 2 - 3 minutes

2. then add the chicken and add the pineapple, ansd saute for 5 mins

3. add water and Cook for 20 - 25 minutes.
4. Stir in the coriander, then serve with naan bread and rice.