MEXICAN PULLED PORK & PINTO BEANS

I love this versatile recipe. First of all it is all done in the crock pot in just a few hours with no need to pre-soak the beans and leftover possibilities are endless.

I make this with a 2 pound pork tenderloin, because it is nice a lean, but any pork roast will work. I have a large oval crock pot that tends to run a little hot, and this recipe is fall apart tender for me in 6 hours on low heat. Depending on your crock pot and the size of pork you use, it could take as many as 8 hours, but that is unlikely (just start checking for tenderness at 6 hours).

2 pounds (roughly) pork tenderloin
1 cup dry pinto beans (no need to soak)
(1) 4 ounce can of mild green chilies
3 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dry oregano
1 clove garlic minced
1 cup chopped sweet onion
healthy pinch of dry red pepper flakes (optional , see note)

Brown the pork well and put it in the crock pot. Saute the onions & garlic in the same pan and then mix them with the dry beans, spices, canned chilies then pour over the meat. Add just enough water to mostly cover the beans & meat, it should look like this:
Make sure the liquid gets under the meat as well. After cooking on low for 4 or 5 hours, check the liquid level in the crock pot and add a little more water if necessary, but not too much. This liquid makes the best red gravy!!

Take the meat out of the crock pot when it gets fork tender (remove any fatty pieces and bones) and pull it apart. Thicken the liquid in the crock pot with a cornstarch and water slurry, then put meat back in with the beans and gravy.

On the first night, I like to serve this over rice or corn chips, cheese avocado & sour cream. On the second night, it makes killer burritos like this:NOTE: A word about the heat or spice in this recipe. My hubby doesn't like much "heat" in his food. He likes strong flavors, he just doesn't like "fire" as he calls it. I use a very small pinch of dry red pepper flakes when I make this for him. If you like a little more "fire", just up the dry red pepper flake ingredient.

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STRAWBERRY CHANTILLY

Sweet, light as air, packed with strawberry puree and waiting in the freezer for that special occasion!!

 CRUST
1 cup all purpose flour
¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup butter
½ cup chopped pecans

Cut the butter into the flour & sugar until crumbly, then stir in the chopped pecans. Press into a 9" x 13" baking dish and bake at 300 for 20 minutes. Set aside to cool completely. NOTE: I make this dessert with a spring form pan (it looks prettier). I just bake the crust a few extra minutes.

FILLING
2 egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups sliced strawberries
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Pulse the strawberries a couple of times in a food processor to chop them finely. Add the egg whites, sugar and lemon juice to the strawberries. Beat with electric mixer on high for ten minutes. This will really expand, so use a BIG bowl (it fills my kitchen aid bowl). In a different bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream until you get stiff peaks. Gently fold it into the strawberry meringue mixture. Pour into baked-cooled crust and cover well. Freeze for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. This is OH SO GOOD!!!

I made mine in a 9" x 3" spring form pan and it filled it to the top. Make sure you freeze it overnight. The person I got this recipe from said that she had to take it out of the freezer 15 minutes early for easy slicing, but mine sliced PERFECTLY directly out of the freezer (and it had been in the freezer for 24 hours!).

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Korean Rice Pops, Anyone?

You know all these products and gimmicks coming up when Filipinos have been addicted to Koreanovelas and Korean music? I have been seeing a lot of bright colors and new cuisines around the metro. I thought it stopped a few months ago, but apparently, it never did.


We passed by Magic Pop in Southmall on our way to the supermarket. I was quite amused by the flying rice crisps being thrown in a

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Blueberry-Cinnamon Breakfast Bananas

I’m really fond of eating saba bananas, and I remember my grandmother frying them up as maruya (banana fritters), turon (sweet banana spring rolls), or breakfast bananas, thinly sliced and fried, sprinkled with sugar or served with cereals. Determined as I was to stop Alex from buying all the darned junk foods in our school cafeteria, I brought breakfast bananas so that he won’t be tempted to

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ULTIMATE SHORTBREAD COOKIES

These shortbread cookies melt in your mouth, they are super easy to make (with few ingredients) and they are foolproof!!

 I have been trying different shortbread cookie recipes for years and they have always been a pain. Either the dough is crumbly and hard to roll out, or the "easier" ones that you pat into a pan look ugly to me (lol) and then there are the ones that handle beautifully, but you don't get that melt in your mouth shortbread taste. Well, I'm happy to report that I have found a winner... todays recipe it is absolutely perfect!!

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2 cups of butter (room temperature)
1 cup of granulated sugar
4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract (see note)
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In a stand mixer, beat the room temperature butter, sugar and extracts until the mixture is light and fluffy (2-3 minutes on high).
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Add the flour, one cup at a time, beating well between each addition.
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Roll the dough into two logs and wrap in plastic wrap, then chill until very firm.
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After "logs" are very firm, roll them in sprinkles nor nuts (optional) and slice into ¼" slices. Bake on ungreased baking sheet in a 350 degree oven for 18 to 20 minutes (mine were lightly golden in 18 minutes). Cool on baking rack.
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NOTE: The coconut extract isn't absolutely necessary, but its such a nice addition. The funny thing is, is that you do NOT taste coconut, but you do taste a richness and sweetness that is slightly reminiscent of those Danish cookies that come in a tin at Christmas (but even better). If you don't use coconut extract, just use all vanilla extract.

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Creamy Scramble With Basil and Tomatoes

Before I started cooking, I watched a ton of cooking shows in the Lifestyle Network. I was especially fond of Jamie Oliver’s show, The Naked Chef. He makes cooking seem like a lot of fun, not focusing too much on those stiffly decorated gourmet-style garnished dishes, but on the rustic side of it which made old-style cooking so much more favorable. 
What I remember most from his show was that he

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Traditional Cocoa Tablea

I remember asking my lola the name of the ugly fruit she was holding at the kitchen almost a decade ago. She said it was kakao, which is what chocolates are made of. I found it extremely hard to believe at that age, but I watched her cut the fruit open, wash the seeds and dry them in the terrible heat of the sun. After which she brought it to the local market to have it ground. She came back

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CHERRY CHEESECAKE PIE

Last week, Debbie, over at Mocha Me, posted a raspberry cream cheese pie that sounded quick, easy and tasty. It had a chocolate crumb crust, a layer of fresh raspberries, a baked cream cheese filling and a chocolate drizzle.
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On the day I wanted to make the pie, we were snowed in with a foot of new snow so I had to improvise on some of the ingredients. The final result was excellent and I will be making this versatile recipe often, thank you Debbie!!

I didn't have raspberries, so I substituted some frozen dark sweet cherries and made a cooked filling to go under the cheesecake layer. I'm sure you could use almost any fresh, canned or cooked fruit under the cheesecake layer (it is a very user friendly recipe).
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CRUST
1¼ cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup melted butter
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Mix all ingredients and press into a 9" pie plate (no need to grease) and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 8 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes (I let mine cool for about 10).
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FRUIT LAYER
2 cups of fruit (I used frozen dark sweet cherries cut in half).
¼ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon almond extract
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Cook the fruit & sugar together until it is tender (the fruit will make its own juice). While its simmering, stir in a slurry of 1 tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon of water. Simmer until juices are very thick, remove from heat and stir in extract. Pour into bottom of crumb crust and set aside.
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CREAM CHEESE LAYER
4 ounces of cream cheese (room temperature)
3 tablespoons lemon juice
14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
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Beat the cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk together, add the lemon juice, vanilla and egg and beat until smooth. Pour over the fruit layer. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Let pie cool on a rack for about 30 minutes before you chill.
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GLAZE
Mix ¼ cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips with ¼ cup heavy whipping cream and heat (over low heat) until the chocolate melts. Drizzle over baked pie. Chill pie for several hours.




NOTE: When chilled, this cuts beautifully.

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Black Cocoa Biscuits from Cowhead

I remember my days as an primary school student. I was still the youngest then, and I can get away with eating nothing but cereals drenched in cold, fresh milk from the numerous boxes in our cupboard. I was most especially fond of the mini toys I can get for free with every box. And the milk just had to be Cowhead's fresh milk. I don't know why but I never really liked other brands, even if my

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CARROT CAKE with PINEAPPLE

This recipe has been in my recipe box for so long, that it seriously needs to be replaced. It is covered with thumbprints and little vanilla splash stains that have accumulated over the last 30 years. Every time I see the card, it reminds me of the times I made this for my children and I can't bring myself to make a new card. It is a deliciously MOIST and easy cake.

2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 cups grated carrots
1 cup crushed pineapple (most of a 20 oz. can)
1 cup chopped pecans
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Mix the dry ingredients and set aside. With an electric mixer, beat eggs and oil until very well combined. Add the dry ingredients and beat until smooth. Stir in the nuts, grated carrots & pineapple (squeeze it dry then measure it...it will take most of a 20 ounce can). Stir until smooth.
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Pour batter into a greased and floured pan. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven. If you are using a 9" x 13" pan, bake it for 1 hour. If you are using a large tube pan, like an angel food pan, bake it for 1 hour and 10 minutes. There is just a little too much batter for MY bundt pan, but if you have a BIG bundt pan, bake it for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Test for doneness with toothpick.
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Let baked cake rest for about 10 minutes, then turn it out of the pan.

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Tri-Flavor Kesar Pista Choco Malai Kulfi

( click image for enlarged view )

Since last week the temperatures has been rising in chennai and my younger sister who came to visit me had requested me to prepare a regular malai kulfi as she had seen on my blog earlier but I thought I could prepare a interesting variation . It came out pretty well and she was so delighted to have three flavors in one kulfi. So here is the recipe

Ingredients

• 8 cups organic whole fat milk
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 bread slice
• 1 tbsp corn flour
• pinch of saffron (kesar)
• 1/4 cup pista
• 1/4 tsp crushed cardamom
• 1 /4 chocolate chips
• drop of saffron color ( yellow )
• drop of green color

( click image for enlarged view )

Cooking Procedure

In a non stick pan boil the 8 cups milk, once it starts boiling reduce it to mediumflame n stir occasionally until the milk reduces to half quantity.

In the meantime finely chop the pista n keep aside. Take the bread slice n remove the sides n cut it into small pieces,soak it in the 1/3 cup milk, add the corn flour n blend it nicely to a smooth paste n keep aside.

When the milk which was kept for boiling has reduced to half, add the above bread mixture to it n stir for 2 min until it begins to thicken then divide to three portions.

Melt the chocolate chips in microwave and blend it nicely with the first portion and fill this mixture to 1/3 level into the molds and freeze it for 1 hour

To the remaining 2 portions add the sugar and cardamom powder and stir still sugar melts and let it cool.

Then to one portion add the chopped pistachio, cardamom powder and green food color and fill the mold to to 2/3 level and freeze for 1 hour

To the third and final portion add a pinch of kesar and yellow color and fill the mold completely and freeze for 3 hours

Before serving take the mould from freezer n keep it under running water for a min and slowly remove the kulfi.

Enjoy your tri-flavor kulfi

I am sending this recipe to two wonderful events :

Bookmarked recipe hosted by Priya and Aipi and to another wonderful event Hearth and Soul

I am also send sending this recipe to a new and exciting event

"Celebrate Sweets - Ice Cream" hosted by Niveditha

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Meatballs in White Gravy

I have been guilty of playing with the ingredients in our kitchen today. Somehow waiting for our graduation day has been extremely tiresome especially when you have to listen to some lecturer for eight whole hours at school. And I give credit for that for not being able to grasp any inspiration to cook at all. So I made meatballs, in a sauce I like to call white gravy.

White gravy, in

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Don Henrico's Buffalo Chicken Pizza

We went for a late lunch over at Don Henrico's in Ermita before going to the movies. It's located outside Midtown, and it's a lot more peaceful in here than the restaurants inside the mall, which were bustling with hungry people at the moment. 
Upon scanning the menu, Alex ordered a big pan of their Buffalo Chicken Pizza, and a big platter of large, crisp onion rings, together with iced tea. The

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CLASSIC BREAD PUDDING

"Classic" recipes are classic for a reason; they are great old recipes. Bread pudding is one of those classic recipes that most people have a fond childhood memory of. It doesn't take any special ingredients, it is inexpensive and easy to make. It is total comfort food, so it works well for any family gathering or holiday.

10 slices of white bread cubed (see note)
¼ cup melted butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of ground nutmeg
½ cup raisins (soaked)
6 eggs lightly beaten
¾ cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
3 cups hot milk
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Preheat oven to 375 and spray a 9" x 13" baking dish with cooking spray. Put your raisins in a small dish and cover them with boiling water and ½ teaspoon of rum extract (if you don't have rum extract, just leave it out, but its very good).
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Cube the bread (you can leave the crusts on or take them off, whichever you prefer). Place the bread cubes in the prepared baking dish and set aside.
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Heat the milk, sugar, butter and salt until the butter melts (I use microwave), add vanilla & spices and whisk in the beaten eggs (whisk while adding the eggs).
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Drain the raisins (throw away the liquid) and sprinkle them over the bread cubes. Pour the egg -milk mixture over the bread cubes. Let this sit for 15 minutes (important).
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Before baking, sprinkle the surface with a little cinnamon sugar (or just sugar) and bake 30-40 minutes (my oven takes 35 minutes). Bread pudding is done when knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Serve warm (not hot) with whipped cream or ice cream.

NOTE: This recipe works better with bread that isn't super fresh/soft. Specialty breads like brioche or egg bread work well.

NOTE: When making this for company, I use raisin bread, and I let it sit out in the air for a couple of hours to remove some of the breads moisture. I don't add other raisins.

NOTE: I hope you will all go over to Sweet as Sugar Cookies and take a look. Lisa, is hosting the neatest "Sweets for a Saturday" post. Tons of sweet goods to inspire you!!!

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Muffins De Chocolate

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Last week my younger sister came to visit me, she is studying college and stays in hostel near chennai and she was missing a lot of good food and came with a big wishlist. She loves chocolate and I prepared these muffins for her. She was so delighted with these muffins and kept asking for more

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup tutti frutti
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour(Atta)
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tbsp butter at room temp
• 1/8 cup any cooking oil
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest
• pinch of salt

Cooking Procedure:

Put the microwave in convection mode and preheat to 225 C

Take a large bowl sieve the whole wheat flour,all purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking power , baking soda , cinnamon and salt all together.

In another bowl beat the eggs and sugar for 3 min with a hand blender with medium speed till it become fluffy.Then add butter,cooking oil,milk,lemon zest and again blend till it all mix nicely.

Take the flour and slowly add to the above egg mixture and stir till it blends properly .This can done with hand blender or even with a spatula.

Now add all the tutti frutti and chocochips to the above mixture and stir softly with spatula.Take 12 muffin cups, spray some oil n pour 3/4 batter each cup.Top some chocochips n fruit bites to the prepared muffins.Then place this tray in the microwave and let it bake for 20 min.

You muffin is ready to be served after it cools

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SUBWAY SWEET ONION CHICKEN TERIYAKI SANDWICH

This is a "knock off" recipe for Subway's sweet onion chicken teriyaki sandwich. It is delicious, only about 370 calories and very quick to fix (as long as you make the sweet onion sauce a day ahead).

 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins
.¼ cup soy sauce
¾ cup pineapple juice
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon dry mustard
¼ teaspoon white pepper
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
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Bring everything but the chicken to a boil and simmer for about 5 minutes or until it starts to reduce. Cool completely and pour over the chicken, cover and refrigerate the chicken for about 30-60 minutes.
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When it's time to eat, take the chicken out of the marinade (throw marinade away) and grill or broil the chicken until done (don't over cook).
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Place chicken pieces in grilled bun & add favorite toppings. Drizzle with sweet onion sauce. Mmmmmmmmmmm!!! Makes about 6 sandwiches.

SUBWAY SWEET ONION SAUCE This is SO tasty and I find all sorts of uses for it. It is not overly onion-y and not overly sweet. Make it a day ahead of time to let the flavors blend and mellow.

½ cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon finely minced vidalia onion
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons white distilled vinegar
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon buttermilk powder
¼ teaspoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon poppy seeds
1/8 teaspoon salt
pinch cracked black pepper
pinch garlic powder
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Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil for about 30 seconds. Whisk well and cover and chill overnight.

NOTE: If you don't have vidalia onion, a white onion will work, just mince it VERY finely. I've even used re-hydrated onion flakes successfully, although the vidalia onion is best.

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Feed Homeless Children With Your Spare Change!

Yes, the Lenten season is almost here, and from what I can see, I haven't really given back to charity much aside from donations of clothes, books, and toys during the holiday seasons or whenever a calamity struck. It really is painful for me seeing young children begging for food at the streets, most especially when they are looking at us through the clear glass windows of the food

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Flavorful No Onion No Garlic Meal

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I had prepared this meal ( Mint Pulav, Paneer Makhani and Palak Raitha ) for my mom who visited me this weekend.

According to ayurveda our ancient traditional medicine system of India there are three formats of food rajasik, tamasik and saatvik, foods simple and wholesome in nature are saatvik by nature, onion and garlic have sharp flavors and they fall under the "tamasik" category.

The theory is based on the fact that "tamasik" food tends to excite the negative feelings such a anger, violence, and deceit and therefore should be avoided. It is a hindu custom to have saatvik food on sacred days. Also practised by the wonderful krishna conscious devotees ( ISKCON photogallery ) around the world. So here is the recipe for the complete meal.

Paneer Makhani (Adopted from Nita Mehta Recipe)

Ingredients

• 200 gms paneer (cut into cubes)
• 3 large tomatoes
• 1 inch ginger
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp oil
• 4-5 almonds or cashew
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tsp kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
• 1 tsp tomato ketchup
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 2 green cardamoms crushed
• 3 tbsp cream
• salt to taste

Soak the almonds or cashew in 1/4 cup milk for a 1/2 hr and blend it a smooth paste.

Microwave tomato and ginger with a 1/2 cup water for 5 min.Blend it to a smooth paste.

Heat oil and butter in a pan, add salt,sugar,garam masala,crushed cardamom and chilli powder and stir for 30 seconds and add the prepared tomato paste and ketchup and mix well and cook till oil begins to separate.

Add the cashew paste and kasuri methi and stir well, add 1/2 cup water and cook on medium flame for 5 min.

Now add paneer and milk to get a nice gravy. Mix well and cook for another 5 min

Now add cream and serve hot.

Mint Pulav

( Click image for enlarged view )

Ingredients

• 1 cup rice
• 1 tbsp clarified butter or ghee
• 1 handfull of mint leaves
• 1 handfull of coriander leaves
• 1/2 green peas
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 inch cinnamon stick broken into pieces
• 2 crushed cardamoms
• 4 black pepper
• 1/4 tsp pepper powder
• 1 tsp chopped green chillies
• salt to taste

Soak rice in water for 30 min and stain it and keep it aside.

Heat ghee in a pressure cooker, add cumin seeds, cinnamon stick , cardamom and black pepper and fry till cummin seeds splutter. Add the chopped cilantro, mint leaves and green chilli fry for a min. Then add green peas,salt and pepper powder and stir for 30 seconds. Now add the soaked rice and mix nicely.

Add 1.5 cup water, stir nicely and close the pressure cooker. Let it cook for three whistles and switch off and let it cool.

Once the pressure cooker cools , open the lid add 1 tbsp ghee on top of it and mix carefully and serve hot with your choice of side dish and raitha.

Palak Raitha

( Click image for enlarged view )

Ingredients

• 1 cup curd
• 1 cup chopped spinach
• 1 green chilli
• salt to taste

For tempering

• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp oil
• a pinch of hing (asafetida)

In a micowave safe bowl cook the spinach with some sprinkling of water for 2 min, when it cools blend it with the green chilli, then add curd and salt to this mixture and whisk nicely till it becomes really smooth.

Now prepare the tempering , heat oil in a tempering pan, add cummin seeds and asafetida , once cumin seeds splutter transfer this tempering on to the above curd raitha.

Your palak raitha is ready. Serve it with chappati and any other choice of your rice.

I am sending this recipe to two wonderful events :

Bookmarked recipe hosted by Priya and Aipi and to another wonderful event Hearth and Soul

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Yummy Seafood Dishes at SuperBowl of China

Shrimp and Seafood Curry Hot Pot - Php 295
Alex and I were both having seafood cravings while strolling around Midtown and looking for new stuff to buy. Which made Superbowl's seafood dishes so welcoming when the waiter placed the hot, steaming dishes on our table.
Yang Chow Fried Rice with Shrimp Toppings - Php 240
We ordered Shrimp and Seafood Curry Hot Pot, Roast Jellyfish with Century Egg,

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RASPBERRY CHOCOLATE SHORTBREAD BARS

These dainty bars are delicious. They have a super tender shortbread base, a layer of sweet jam, then a layer of sweetened cream cheese & white chocolate and finally, a soft chocolate frosting.

The recipe says to chill them, but I think they are even better when they've been out of the fridge for 30 minutes, although when you do that, they are a little messy on the fingers, but Oh! so worth it!! Any flavor jam will work well, I just think that raspberry and chocolate go so well together.

1 cup all purpose flour
¼ cup confectioners sugar
½ cup butter room temperature
½ cup raspberry jam
3 ounces cream cheese room temperature
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup white chocolate chips
3 tablespoons melted butter
3 tablespoons boiling water
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup confectioners sugar
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Preheat your oven to 375 and line a 9" x 9" baking dish with foil or parchment. Leave the ends extra long, so you can use them to lift the bars out of the pan after they chill. This is not a necessary step but it makes them easier to cut.
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Cut the butter into the all purpose flour + powdered sugar until crumbly. Press into the bottom of an ungreased pan and bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside.
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FILLING
Spread the jam over the baked cookie base. In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese and milk until smooth. Melt the white chocolate chips and add to the cream cheese mixture, mix until smooth. Gently spread over the jam (see note). Chill.
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FROSTING
Whisk together 3 tablespoons melted butter, 3 tablespoons boiling water, 3 tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 cup of confectioners sugar until smooth. Gently frost the chilled bars. Put back in fridge to set the frosting. Store completed bars in the fridge.

NOTE: I melted my white chocolate in the microwave, checking on it every 15 seconds or so. I gently spooned the white chocolate mixture on top of the jam layer (tablespoon at a time) then gently spread it out, so as not to keep the layers separate. Chill the bars thoroughly after you do this step. When chilled, then spread the chocolate frosting on.

NOTE: I haven't tried it, but I think this would double easily and bake in a 9" x 13" pan.

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Crunchy Sweet Corn Walnut Salad

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Recently my hubby has fallen in love with salads and I was looking out for salads with different flavors. I noticed in some of them balsamic vinegar is used commonly for salads.Surprisingly he came one day with a bottle of balsamic vinegar, it looked like a wine bottle !!

So it was decided I had to make a lot of varieties of salads , so here is one recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup sweet corn kernels
• 1 tbsp chopped spring onions
• 1/4 cup diced tomato
• 1 tbsp chopped walnuts
• 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp black pepper powder
• 1/2 tsp mustard powder
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• salt to taste

Preparation

Microwave the corn for 2 min and once it cools mix all the above ingredients and refridgerate for minimum half hour

Serve chilled

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Torihamu (Chicken Ham): My First Take

It's quite a big deal in Japan. It's one of those things that is perfect for bento meals, and as I was almost desperately trying to make healthier alternatives for our packed lunches, I started on a three-day project on making my first ever Torihamu or Chicken Ham.


Torihamu wasn't really a traditional Japanese dish, but it was made popular from the internet and now is a permanent addition to

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PEANUT BUTTER CLOUD PIE

If you like peanut butter, this pie is a little taste of heaven on earth. It is super easy to make (even easier if you use a ready made Oreo crust). It is the perfect ending to any meal; it is not heavy at all and it is absolutely delicious frozen.

CHOCOLATE GRAHAM CRUST
1¼ cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup melted butter
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Mix ingredients and press into a 9" pie plate. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes then cool completely before filling.
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FILLING
8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups heavy whipping cream
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Beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar until well mixed; add the peanut butter and vanilla and beat on high until very well mixed and light in color.
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In a large bowl, beat the whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Gently spoon the peanut butter mixture into the whipped cream and gently fold the two together until well combined.
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Pour into baked and cooled pie shell. Chill for several hours or speed chill in the freezer for about 3 hours.

NOTE: Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature for this recipe. If you don't have room temperature cream cheese, you can put it in the microwave for 10-13 seconds (take the wrapper off first).

NOTE: Everyone I have ever served this to has raved about it. I hope you give it a try. I think next time I make it for a potluck, I'm going to double (or triple) the recipe and make it in a big sheet pie.

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NOTE: I like to serve this after it has been in the freezer for 3 hours. If you leave it in the freezer overnight, take it out about 15 minutes before serving.

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