Iced Cinnamon Cookies

Iced Cinnamon Cookies

 Soft and buttery cinnamon cookies with chocolate chips and glazed icing is a delicious holiday cookie. It gives you all the Christmas season joy of making and sharing treats. They taste amazing and is so easy to make.While planning to make holiday treats, I asked my kid what is his favorite one. Out of all he answered chocolate chip cookies.Now I get it, not everyone is a big fan of decadent cakes and treats.I also get cravings to eat cookies once in a while and cinnamon flavored cookies are simply irresistible.

 I used the basic short bread cookie recipe recipe.What is best about short bread cookie dough is that it is very versatile recipe.You can make hundreds of adaptions and add different flavorings. Cinnamon and chocolate chips cookies is perfect tea time snack, or just with a glass of milk.If this wasn't good enough,here is another way you can make it even more amazing with cinnamon glazed icing.This recipe will yield around 16 cookies. Try this you will surely love it.

Ingredients

Butter -1/2 stick
 Margarine - 1/2 stick
All purpose flour- 2 cup
Sugar- 1/2 cup
Brown sugar- 1/2 cup
Cinnamon powder- 1/2 tsp
(or pumpkin spice powder)
Egg- 1

Baking soda- 3/4 tsp
Salt- 1/2 tsp
Vanilla extract- 1/2 tsp
White chocolate chips- 4 oz.

For icing
Confectionery sugar-3/4cup
Milk-3 tbs
Cinnamon powder- a pinch
salt- a pinch

Combine flour, cinnamon,salt and baking powder. In a large mixing bowl add butter,  margarine and sugars. Blend till it is smooth and creamy.
Beat in egg and vanilla. When combined gradually add flour and mix well.
Fold in the chocolate chips. Gently roll the dough into a log shape, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for two to three hours.
Slice and shape and place onto an greased baking sheet. Bake in 350 degree over for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and place on wire racks to cool completely.

To make the glaze, in a bowl whisk sugar, milk salt and cinnamon powder, till smooth and has a dripping consistency. Spoon this glaze over the cookies.


Try it,
Hope you will all enjoy!

Pandan Butter Mochi

Pandan Butter Mochi

Butter Mochi is a Hawaiian sweet snack/dessert, full of tropical flavors that you cannot resist.Butter mochi is the Hawaiian version of the Japanese sweet rice cake/mochi. This is a quick recipe with rice flour,coconut and butter. I added pandan paste and pistachios for extra flavor and color. The rice flour used in this recipe is Mochiko/sweet rice flour which you can find in any Asian grocery stores. In this recipe along with Mochiko I  added organic coconut flour which is optional. Butter mochi has a rich, chewy and buttery texture. Try this,you will surely love it.

Ingredients
Mochiko/Rice flour- 2 cups
Coconut flour- 1 1/2 cup
(above two combined or one box of mochiko- 16 oz)
Baking powder- 2 tsp
Sugar- 2 cups
Butter- 1 stick
Egg- 4
Milk- 2 cups
Coconut milk- 1 can/400 ml
Vanilla essence- 1 tsp
Pandan flavor paste- a few drops
Pistachios chopped- 3 tbs

Pre heat oven to 350 degree F.
In a large mixing bowl add melted butter and sugar and mix well.
Add egg and gently whisk till light and fluffy.
Mix pandan paste and vanilla essence and dump the rest of the ingredients along with milk and coconut milk. Mix to form a smooth batter.
Pour this into a 9 x 13 inch cake pan. Bake in 350 degree Fahrenheit for one hour.  Allow to cool in pan. When it cools down completely cut into slices and serve.

Try it,
Hope you will all enjoy!

Bibingka/Filipino Coconut Rice Cake

Bibingka/Filipino Coconut Rice Cake

Coconut rice cakes is a treat for all coconut lovers. Bibingka is sweet, with irresistible flavor and taste.I love this recipe because it is so easy to make.Sweet rice flour and coconut milk makes this cake spongy and light. The crumble topping is crispy and sweet with coconut and palm sugar. I changed the original recipe slightly by adding one cup of all purpose flour,but you can make this is with sweet rice flour.Filipino coconut cakes are usually made in a pan with banana leaves lining.Since I did not have banana leaves I used the regular parchment paper.Try this, you will surely love it.

Ingredients
Rice flour- 2cups
All purpose flour- 1 cup
Baking powder- 1 1/2 tsp
Salt- 1/2 tsp
Sugar- 1 cup
Eggs-3
Butter- 1/2 cup
Grated coconut- 1cup
Thick coconut milk-2 cup
Milk - 1 cup
Palm sugar or brown sugar- 3 tbs

Pre heat oven to 350 degree F. Prepare cake tin and line with banana leaf of parchment paper.

In a bowl mix rice flour, all- purpose flour, salt, and baking powder and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl beat eggs and  sugar till light and fluffy. Add melted butter, coconut milk and milk and mix well. Fold in the dry ingredients along with half cup of grated coconut.
Pour this into prepared cake tin. Mix palm sugar  with the rest of the coconut and sprinkle on top of the batter.
Bake for one hour.  Allow to cool in pan. When it cools down completely cut into slices and serve.

Try it,
Hope you will all enjoy!

Double Chocolate Brownies

Double Chocolate Brownies

Brownies are addictive with rich chocolate flavor.  These brownies are rich,moist and melt in mouth. If you are a chocolate lover what richer and more delicious taste can you think of than a rich and gooey decadent brownie. This is the first desert I tasted when I first came to the US several years ago. Ever since I have been hooked to this dessert. I have many failed attempts trying to recreate the same taste and texture.  I found this recipe from the book Hershey's Fabulous Desserts and followed the exact recipe. This is my go to brownie recipe and it comes out perfect.Try this,you will surely love it.

Ingredients
All purpose flour- 1 1/2 cup
Cocoa powder- 1/2 cup
Sugar- 1  cup
Baking soda- 1/2 tsp
Salt- 1/4 tsp
Boiling water- 1/2 cup
Butter- 1/4 cup melted
Oil- 2 tbs
Egg- 2
Vanilla extract- 1 tsp
Chocolate chips semi- sweet- 3/4 cup

Pre heat over to 350 degree.Grease 9 inch square baking pan and set aside.
In a medium bowl combine baking soda, cocoa, butter and boiling water. Whisk till the mixture thickens. Stir in egg and sugar and stir till smooth.
Add flour, vanilla and salt and blend till mixture is smooth and even.
Stir in chocolate chips and pour into prepared pan. Bake for 25- 30 minutes,until the brownie begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Allow it to cool down completely and the slice into squares. You can also frost the brownies with butter cream frosting.

Try this,
Hope you will all enjoy!

Paneer Tikka

Paneer Tikka

Paneer tikka can be best served as a appetizer or a starter and is loved by both vegetarians and non vegetarians. Can you imagine an Indian outdoor summer party without paneer tikka or chicken tikka as a starter? The enticing smoky flavor of grilled paneer and its tangy spicy marinade makes it everyone's favorite.Here paneer is placed on skewers and roasted along with vegetables like bell pepper, onion and tomatoes.


Ingredients
Paneer - 400 grams
Red bell pepper- 1
Green Bell pepper 1
Onion-1 medium

For the marinade
Roasted gram flour- 2 tbs
Ginger garlic paste- 2 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/3 tsp
Kashmiri Chilly powder- 1 1/2 tsp
Garam masala- 1 tsp
Cumin powder- a pinch
Chat masala- 1/2 tsp
Yogurt- 1 cup (hung curd)
lemon juice-1/2 lemon
Mustard Oil- 3 tsp

Cut paneer into two inch thick cubes. Cut the veggies also into similar sized cubes.
Mix in all the ingredients listed under marinade  into a thick paste. Add the cubed paneer and the veggies and mix till it is all coated with the marinade. Cover and set aside for at least two hour
Arrange the paneer and veggies in skewers. First place paneer followed by the veggie(soak the bamboo skewers in water for at least half an hour or it may get burned easily ..you can use satay sticks or tooth picks).
Place these  paneer skewers in a drip pan or on a greased baking pan turn on the broiler and broil for 3 minutes. Slowly roll the skewers and broil till the other side start browning up. If you do not get it properly browned in the oven you can place on a greased non stick pan  and slightly tilt it towards the flame. Enjoy with chaat masala and chutney.

Try this..
Hope you will all enjoy..

Stuffed Bread sticks

Enticing flavors of fresh baked bread is something that every one loves.This stuffed bread stick is inspired by the cheese stuffed bread sticks but an Indianised version and is a delicious appetizer or a great option for picnic.


Ingredients
For the stuffing 
Cooked potato- 2 medium
Cooked and shredded chicken - 1/2 lb
Chopped carrot-1
Onion- 1
Garlic paste- 1/2 tsp
Green chilly- 2
turmeric - a pinch
pepper powder- 1/2 tsp
Garam masala- 1/2 tsp
Chopped coriander leaves
salt to taste

For the bread
Flour - 2 cup
Yeast - 2 tsp
warm water- 1 cup
salt - 1/2 tsp
Sugar- 3/4 tsp
oil - 2 tsp
melted butter- 2 tsp


First to make the stuffing heat oil and saute onions till translucent.Add in garlic paste and fry till raw flavor disappears. Add in chopped carrots and stir fry for a minute. Mix in cooked chicken ( cook chicken separately with 1/2 cup water, turmeric, pepper and salt) and potatoes mix well. Finally add coriander leaves and allow this to cool.

For the bread mix in sugar and warm water and add yeast and set aside for 5-6 minutes till it is frothy. Mix together flour and salt,yeast and oil to knead to form a smooth dough. Cover with damp cloth and let it rest to raise for one hour or till it doubles its size. Knead it a little more and using a rolling pin flatten it into a square.cut into equal size long stripes. Fill in the stuffing and seal the edges. ( or just roll them and make a well in the center and fill in the stuffing).Allow to rest for another 10 minutes. Bake for 15 minutes till golden brown for 15- 18 minutes. You can brush it with a little butter after taking out from the oven and allow to cool.

Try this..
Hope you will all enjoy.