Apple Nut Muffins Recipe

Step 1:

You will need

• ½ cup butter room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large apples
  
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp cashewnut (chopped)
• 2 tbsp almonds
  

Step 2:

Preheat the oven

We need to set the oven to 400°F before beginning to make the muffins.

Step 3:

Mashed apples

Peel the apples and cut into small cubes. Then boil it in the hot water till it become soft and then mashes it with a spoon or with the blender.

Step 4:

Preparing dough

Cream butter and sugar with an electric hand-held mixer until light and fluffy.Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add apples and vanilla and beat until smooth. Along with this mixture, mix together the flour, salt and baking powder. Stir until dry ingredients are moistened then gently stir in chopped nuts.

Step 5:

Bake

Now put some of the batter into each of the muffin moulds using the spoon. Only fill them to about 2/3 of their capacity since the batter will rise while baking. Place the muffins onto a baking tray and put them into the oven. Allow to bake for about 15 -20 minutes.

Step 6:

Remove from oven

Once the muffins are done, take them out of the oven and let them cool a little before removing them from the moulds. Place them on a serving tray.

Step 7:

Serve

If you like, you can sprinkle the muffins with a little icing sugar. They taste best if you eat them while still warm. Enjoy!


Hint:

You can replace apple with your favorite fruit like bananas, strawberries. No need to boil it. Just mash it or grind it and add along with the mixture.

Niagara falls

Spent a day down in Niagara, was awestruck at the size of the falls. Got a view of them from the water, on the Maid of the Mist boat ride and also from cave of the winds tour. Passengers on the falls-seeing Maid of the Mist boats, are all kitted out in blue raincoats while visitors to the walkways of the Cave of the Winds are all in yellow.

We first joined the blue raincoat brigade. Tourists on the deck of the Maid of the Mist get wetter the closer the boat reaches to the Horseshoe Falls. There’s a cold wind blowing.Me and my hubby loved the Maid of the Mist trip especially the point where it takes you to the center Of the Horseshoe shaped falls and the water seems to be falling all around. It is a lifetime experience. Loved the feel of the chilled water and the mist all around ..and the boat which wobbled with the waves.

Later we joined the yellow raincoat brigade which takes you down by elevator to the base of the American Falls and then follows a wooden walkway from lookout deck to hurricane deck. It culminates in the Hurricane Deck where you stand virtually under the falls. Its more ridiculous to stand under a 180 ft high waterfall in a yellow raincoat. Every second hundred gallons of water arrives on your head at 75 mph on the Hurricane Deck

Chicken nuggets recipe

You Will Need

• 2 chicken thighs/breasts
• 5 oz ready made breadcrumbs or 6 slices of cut bread
• 2 eggs
• 3 fl oz vegetable oil
• 2 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• 2 tsp pepper powder
• 1 oz plain flour
  
• salt as required

Step 1:

Trim the chicken

Take the chicken breast and cut off all excess skin, fat and bones.

Step 2:

Chunk the chicken

Cut the chicken into small chunks so they will fit into the blender.

Step 3:

Dry the bread

To make your own breadcrumbs the bread you use needs to be dry. This means stale bread. If you only have fresh bread, then place the slices in the oven at 200 F for one hour until they are dried – not toasted.

Step 4:

Make the breadcrumbs

Once the bread is dried, break it up into pieces and place it in your blender. Put the lid on and switch it on to the appropriate setting to make your breadcrumbs. Add any seasoning. Once the seasoning is nicely mixed pour the breadcrumbs into one of the bowls.

Step 5:

Blend the chicken

Wipe out the blender with some kitchen paper and add the chicken breasts. Pulse the chicken until roughly chopped. Now add ginger garlic paste,garam masala powder, pepper and salt and switch on the blender again, making sure everything blended well with the chicken. Once that is done, pour the mixture into one of the bowls.

Step 6:

Beat the eggs

Take the 2 eggs, crack them into a bowl and beat them together.

Step 7:

Prepare the coating

Line up the chicken mix, the flour, the eggs and the breadcrumbs in the four bowls.

Step 8:

Shape the nuggets

Rub your hands with some flour to avoid them becoming too sticky! Then take some chicken mixture and roll it in the palm of your hands to create a smooth ball shape about the size of a golf ball.

Step 9:

Coat the nuggets

Now take the nugget and roll it in the flour. When totally covered, roll it in the egg. Next, roll the nugget in the breadcrumbs and place it on a plate. Gently press down on it with the flat side of a knife to form the perfect nugget shape.

Step 10:

Fry the nuggets

Take your frying pan and put the vegetable oil into it. Heat the pan to medium so that the oil is hot but not smoking. Place the nuggets into the pan and cook gently on low heat for about 5 minutes turning them every few minutes so they don't burn.

Step 11:

Serve and enjoy!

Once cooked place the nuggets on kitchen paper to drain any excess oil.

Serve as snack or with salads. Enjoy!!!!

Spicy Bread Masala Recipe

Step 1:

You will need

• 6 Bread slices
• 3 eggs (optional) u can replace egg with some vegetables too
  
• ½ onion (finely chopped)
  
• 2 tomatoes (finely chopped)
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
  
• 10 cashew nuts
• 10 raisins
• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 tbsp Ghee/Butter
• 1 tbsp chilli powder
• Pinch of turmeric powder
• salt as required
• few coriander leaves for garnish

Step 2:

Fry bread separately

Cut the bread slices into small pieces.



Fry it with 2 tbsp of butter for 10 mins and keep it aside.

Step 3:

Start frying the rest

Put a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Add the chopped onions along with the cashews and the raisins to the pan, and fry for about 5 minutes or until the onions turn light golden brown. Stir frequently to stop the onions burning.

Step 4:

Ginger and garlic

Now add 1 tsp of ginger garlic paste. Stir well for a couple of minutes.

Step 5:

Spices

Add
½ a tsp of turmeric powder,
1 tsp of red chilli powder,
and fry for 5 minutes over low heat, stirring frequently.

Step 6:

Tomatoes

Add the finely chopped tomatoes and fry for 2 minutes.

Step 7:

Add eggs

Turn the heat low and add 3 eggs along with bread slices and start stirring . Stir in some salt. Stir continuously till you get scrambled egg like form. When they are ready, turn the heat off.

Step 8:

Garnish and Serve

Finely chop the coriander leaves onto the bread masala and serve.

My husband and I love this recipe. But as you know its very rich. But no other bread recipes can replace its taste. And its very simple to do specially after shopping nights. Enjoy!!!!!

Soya Wadi/Chunks and green peas masala recipe

Step 1:

You will need

• 1 cup soya chunks
• 2 cups green peas
• 1 onion
• 2 tomatoes
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
  
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
  
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• 2 tsp chicken masala powder
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
• few strings of curry leaves
• 1tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 3 tbsp oil
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• ½ bunch of coriander leaves for garnish
• salt as required

Step 2:

Marinating soya chunks

Soak soya chunks in warm water for 10 mins. Drain the water, squeeze the water out of chunks. Then add 1 tsp chilli powder,1 tsp lemon juice and some salt alond with the chunks and allow it to marinate for minimum 1 hour.

Step 3:

Chop:

Peel and finely chop 1 onion, then 2 tomatoes.

Step 4:

Start frying

Put a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add
3 tablespoons of vegetable oil

Add the chopped onion to the pan, and fry for about 5 minutes or until the onions turn light golden brown. Stir frequently to stop the onions burning.

Step 5:

Ginger and garlic

Now add 1 tsp of ginger and garlic paste. Stir well for a couple of minutes.

Step 6:

Spices

Add
½ a tsp of turmeric powder,
1 tsp of red chilli powder,
2 tsp of chicken masala powder,
1 tsp of garam masala powder
and fry for 5 minutes over low heat, stirring frequently.

Step 7:

Tomatoes

Add the finely chopped tomatoes followed by 1 tbsp of cumin powder fry for 2 minutes.

Step 8:

Add the marinated soya chunks

Turn the heat to medium high and add the marinated soya chunks. Then stir in some salt.Then put the lid on and bring the heat down. Then add 2 cups of green peas. Leave for about 10 minutes or until the soya chunks are cooked. check occasionally. When they are ready, turn the heat off.

Step 9:

Garnish and Serve

When its warm mix 1 tsp of lemon juice. Then finely chop the coriander leaves onto the curry and serve


Serve with Chapathi, Kulcha or with naan

Chicken Biryani Recipe

Step 1:

You will need:

• Basmati rice - 2 cups
• Chicken - 1 lb (chopped into medium size pieces)
• Garlic pods - 12 nos
• Ginger - 1 inch
• Green chillies - 8 nos
• Onions(medium) - 4 nos
• Tomatoes - 2 nos
  
• Cinnamon(Karugapatta) - 1 small stick
• Cloves(Grambu) - 5 nos
• Garam masala - 2 tbsp
• Biriyani masala - 2 tbsp
  
• Salt - As reqd
• some cashews and raisins
  
• oil or ghee 3 tbsp
  

For marinade:-

• Black pepper - 1 tsp
• Chilly powder - 2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
• Ginger(minced) - 1 tsp
  
• Garlic pods(big) - 7 nos
• Vineger - 2 tbsp

Step 2:

Marinate

Mix together the ingredients for marination along with chicken in a bowl. Refrigerate it for 6 hours.

Soak the rice in water and keep aside for 2 hours.

Step 3:

Start frying

Put a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add 1 tbsp of ghee or vegetable oil.


Step 4:

Chop

Peel and finely chop onions, then tomatoes.

Step 5:

Grind

Grind together the rest of garlic,ginger and green chillies and keep it aside.

Step 6:

Get started

Heat a tbsp of oil in a pressure cooker and saute the onions. When its half done add cloves and cinnamon to it and continue to saute. Then add ground mixture of ginger, garlic and green chillies. After that add chopped tomatoes and cover with a lid for 2 mins. Then add marinated chicken and saute it for 5 mins.

step 7:

Add the ingredients

Add garam masala and biriyani masala and saute it for 3 mins then add 4 cups of water and add rice to it and pressure cook it for 2 whistles.

Step 8:

Garnishing

Garnish it with chopped coriander leaves,fried cashews and fried raisins.