lazy cooks orange cake with sticky marmalade glaze

Hi guys....howz the heat treating you?Its become unbearably hot out here...and to top it all I'm playing "college student".I have to go to Jammu which is 60 kms from here.....the distance is not much...but the terrain is mountainous ....and I travel by rickety buses,which are, at times,driven by suicidal drivers......so I travel for 2-2 1/2 hours,attend practical classes for 3 hours,then get back to Udhampur.By the time I get back I'm incapable of liftingeven a pencil.This is going to continue till the 12th of June(I'm bunking today....YAY!)...so guys I'll be posting the recipes(mango cake,focaccia,coookies)post that and visiting all your blogs after the 12th of June.......unless I skip another day (which is veeeeeeerrrryy possible!)or I simply drop out of the course which is also very possible!
This is ,sadly ,the only photograph that was worth putting up(can you imagine the state of the rest of them).....but beauty is only skin deep..remember that.The cake is really nice.Its the regular pound cake, modified.You can also juice and zest fresh oranges..I just took the easy way out...I used tetrapack juice and maramalade.
INGRDS
2 cups flour
2tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
3 eggs
3/4 cup orange juice
1 tblsp orange marmalade
a couple of drops of orange colour(optional)
1 tsp of orange essence
GLAZE
4 tblsp orange marmalade
1/2 cup orange juice
METHOD
1.Sieve the flour,baking pdr and salt.
2.Beat the butter and sugar till light and fluffy,add the eggs..one by one..beat well.Now would be the time to add the essence and colour(if adding)
3.Alternate the flour and juice into the butter mix.....lastly add the orange marmalade.....pour into a prepared tin(greased and dusted with flour.......I'm not big on lining tins with butter paper...but if that what you like then please stick to that)
4.Bake in a preheated oven at 180degC for 35-40 mins(till a skewer comes out clean)
5.Take it out of the oven,once it cools down,take it out onto a seerving plate.Poke holes (with a skewer)all over the cake.Now pour the hot glaze(I used a spoon)over the cake.The cake is ready.
GLAZE
Put the orange marmalade and juice in a pan and heat till the marmalade melts(you need to keep stirring)......glaze ready!
NOTE

You will need to refrigerate the cake.........this heat is not good for anything left out on the table.Inc....I put up more pics....the colour in these is washed out due to the over efficient flash..please look at the first pic for the colour of the cake.
Like I mentioned earlier..I used a tetra pack juice and orange marmalade.....please feel free to zest and juice 2 oranges.
If you're still in the mood for something more orangy try out   lazycooks-orange-sponge-drops

lazy cooks mango ice cream

 



Hi guys..........here I go destroying all the good will  I garnered because of those two fat free posts.This is not fat free..by a long shot but it is velly..velly goood....and velly ..velly easy.It's ice cream the way my mom used to make it(before the ice cream maker) ....Actually its a kulfi masquerading as ice cream, but,since it was called ice cream when I was little....ice cream it is!

INGRDS

condensed milk-1 tin

1 lt milk
2 slices of white bread
2 cups mango pulp
METHOD
1.Put the milk to boil in as heavy bottomed pan,till it reduces to 1/2.Add the slices of bread and condensed milk...stir a bit,let it come to a rolling boil,then take it of the heat.
2.Puree the mango pulp ,when the milk mix is cool enough to put into the blender....blend with the mango pulp(you'd probably need to do this in batches...unless you have a really huge blender!)
3.Pour this creamy mess into a freezer safe bowl..with a tight fitting lid..and freeze.
4.It's ready to serve when it sets!
NOTE
1.See me trying to cut some calories!........if you want ,when you're pureeing the whole mix together.you can add a cup of cream..I didn't and it still tasted great.
2.If you want a few drops of colour can be added......I didn't add coz I  wanted this to be totally natural(OK...who am I kidding.....I forgot)
3.If you wait 24 hrs to serve this...then you'll need to put your bowl in the refrigertator for a bit to soften the ice cream.

a bowl of mango ice cream

All fellow food bloggers do read this.
Hello from France
I am very happy to welcome you!
Your blog is accepted in the INDIA section in a minute!

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The creation of this new blog "directory", allow a rapprochement between different countries, knowledge of different cultures and share traditions.et us different passions, fashion, paintings, crafts, cooking, photography, poetry and so be able to find in different countries in other people with similar passions.
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The more people and more opportunities that will, yes, I confess, I need people to know this blog!
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lazy cooks baked onion rings

Hi guys........guilt free onion rings.....did you ever think there could be something like it?..........wonder when someone is going to dream up a guilt free chocolate cake,with guilt free truffle icing topped with guilt free whipped cream....with the taste intact.The taste HAS to be the same.....till then we indulge in desserts and "guilt free" other stuff.

These got done because they have to go to Nupur's event...from-fried-to-favourite..suffice it to say..that they turned out pretty nice and I'm  a convert....I will def. making these as well as the baked samosas again

INGRDS
onion rings .....of 3 onions(I only took the outer rings...for symmetery)
2 tblsp cornflour
milk as reqd.
salt,pepper to taste
2 tblsp crushed corn flakes
olive oil to brush the tray


METHOD
1.Make a slurry of the cornflour,salt,pepper and milk.Dip the onion rings..individually in this..then roll/dust with the crushed cornflakes.Do not put the cornflakes into the cornflour to save time....it just doesn't work!
2.Brush a tray with olive oil,put these rings on it...bake at 190degC...for 20-25 mins(it'll depend on your oven)
3.Serve hot with ketchup.........we had it with pizza......and my kids put chaat masala on some of the rings!).Which ever way you would like to have this is good..........and fat free! 

lazy cooks baked samosas

Hi...everyone...there is this wonderful event started by Nupur fried-to-favourite I'll keep my stories for another time...coz there is a storm brewing up..which means that soon..very soon I'm going to lose the net.Check out Nupur's page for the details...........I tried the baked samosa's out........ I agonized for days,bout how I was going to make the covering as fat free as possible....I think it worked out fine!Thanks Nupur.....I seriously would never have considered baking samosas!..........Here goes my version of the baked samosa...........the filling is -masala-potatoes....The cover/wrap is as follows

INGRDS

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ajwain(carom seeds)

2 tsp olive oil

cold water to knead the dough..as reqd

METHOD

1.To the flour....add the salt,and ajwain...now add the oil and rub it into the mixture..try and get it to look like bread crumbs.....add the cold water and knead well..it should be a fairly tight dough.

2.Let the dough rest for 1/2 an hour(prepare the filling),then break off walnut sized pcs of dough ,roll it between your palms to get a nice n round ball .......roll out  with a rolling pin into a circle  ,cut the circle into half put the filling in and pinch the sides together.

3.Brush olive oil on a baking tray and in a preheated oven,bake at 180degC for 20 mins,then brush the samosas with a little olive oil ,flip 'em over and bake for another 20 mins.

4.Serve hot with chutney or tomato sauce.

 NOTE

After sending these to a few friends for their input..the following points are to be noted

1.The wrap should be a little thicker.

2.The oil in the wrap could go up a bit and finally

3.The ajwain could be done without......this is optional

lazy cooks neiman marcus cookies and award

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!!!!!!!
Hi all........please get the background of these cookies from here neiman-marcus-cookies....so, I tried them out and they are awesome!!!!!!!!the only thing I would do the next time is def. reduce the sugar...the kids thoroughly enjoyed the sweetness..I personally felt it needs to go down....I made 1/4th of the orignal recipe and I got about 38 cookies.(I think !..because while I was busy clicking pictures..some cookies from the other tray vanished into thin air!!!!!so my count could be a cookie or two out)

INGRDS

1/2 cup butter

170 gms chocolate chip(i used dark and white)

1 cup flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/4 cup oats

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup chopped nuts(I used walnuts)

125 gms dark chocolate ..........grated

METHOD

1.In a bowl,beat the butter,essence and both the sugars with an electric beater..add the egg..beat again.

2.Add the rest of the ingrds.......butter the baking trays,then  spoon the mixture at equal intervals(it will spread on baking)......put into a pre heated oven(180 deg C)for 10 mins...let it cool down..then taste...DIVINE!!!!!!!!!!!!
3.Guys do try them out...Those in New York...do tell if the taste is the same as the famous(infamous????)Neiman Marcus cookies.:)

I have to thank Ambreen of simply sweet n savory.and Reena of achus amma s kitchen for passing on the award.....do check their blogs out..their recipes are simply great.......Thank you guys for thinking of me:) I have to pass it on.....I would love to name all my wonderful blogger friends...but I'm supposed to name 5...and two people have passed it on ..that makes10...so here goes 1) maayeka

2)http://konkanikitchen.blogspot.in/
3)priya easy n tasty recipes
4)aromatic-cooking.
5)noe lcollections
6)my italian kitchen
7)

Spice up the Curry

8)thoughts of paps

9)erivum puliyumm.
10)treat n trick
10)mahas lovely home.

lazy cooks kheer(creamy rice pudding)

Hi guys..I was all set to try out those cookies(neiman marcus)but I had to buckle down and concentrate on completing an order for cake and chocolates,which is when I decided to make kheer....because its the easiest thing in the world......and soooo very tasty!

Before I start with the recipe..I must tell you,taday was the day I decided to start my new diet(I just want to lose a little weight....OK...make that a lot of weight).Starving..aka..dieting is beyond me...so I decided that I would have a late breakfast....an early dinner  and fruits for lunch.There I was .9am..breakfast for a king....1.30pm..lunch time..a big bowl of watermelon....and I walked off for my a'noon siesta(Horrid...I know)..3.30pm I helped myself to lunch....and I'm seriously looking forward to dinner!Why.....why doesn't praying help to shed the extra tyres???I promise to pray each and every day..dear god..please make me slim!BTW...........this kheer is great as a dessert............or even as a snack!
INGRDS
3/4 cup basmati rice...wash and soak the rice for atleast half an hour
2 l milk(full fat.....please I insist)
4-5 cardamom pods
12 teaspoons of sugar
a few saffron strands soaked in half cup of warm milk
1/2 cup of almonds(blanched)(dipped in boiling water..left for a while...then peel the skin off)
1/2 cup of cashewnuts(soaked in 1 cup of water)
a handful of raisins
METHOD
1.Put the rice and milk together in a heavy bottomed pan,stir once in a way..let it come to a boil..then reduce the heat and let it simmer away...........just remember to stir once in a while.
2.Grind the almonds and the cashew(without water)...I normally do not grind this smooth...keep it granular..with some biggish pcs.
3.After what seems like an eternity,the rice would've cooked and the milk reduced...we're looking for a nice and creamy kheer.....add the ground nuts,raisins and the sugar...keep stirring...now would be a good time to taste and see whether more sugar is needed or not...add the soaked saffron..stir again.
4.Refrigerate....and serve cold.Garnish with some almonds

Another garnish that looks really nice is some chopped up desi gulab(an edible and extremely fragrant rose variety)

 These are the cakes that I had done recently.

They are both dark chocolate cakes,sandwiched with whipped cream(with a hint of rum).....the icing on the first one is whipped cream sprayed with wilton's golden spray.............the second one is covered in truffle icing..and whipped cream..and golden spray.

One reason why this goes to this event ......because both the cake and the kheer were taught to me  by my mom!

sending this tosrav's culinary concepts

Neiman Marcus cookies

Hi guys........I read this really interesting post at Melissa's blog..and just had to share it with all of you.I haven't yet made the cookies..but I will..right now I have the sniffles and don't feel like doing a thing(sniff!).....OK ...nuff said..read what the lady has to say.. . . .from-    baking makes things better ..(.people no matter how many times I've tried to correct and update the sequence of events ....blogger refuses to oblige.....the first two paragraphs are at the end of the post...then continue )
“This is a true story... Please forward it to everyone that you can.... You will have to read it to believe it.I called Neiman's Accounting Dept. and told them that the waitress said it was "two-fifty," which clearly does not mean "two hundred and fifty dollars" by any POSSIBLE interpretation of the phrase. Neiman-Marcus refused to budge.. They would not refund my money, because according to them, "What the waitress told you is not our problem. You have already seen the recipe - we absolutely will not refund your money at this point." I explained to her the criminal statutes which govern fraud in Texas. I threatened to refer them to the Better Business Bureau and the State's Attorney General for engaging in fraud. I was basically told, "Do what you want, we dont give a damn, and we're not refunding your money." I waited a moment, thinking of how I could get even,or even try to get any of my money back. I just said, "Okay, you folks got my $250.00, and now I'm going to have $250.00 worth of fun."
..
I told her that I was going to see to it that every cookie lover in the United States with an e-mail account has a $250.00 cookie recipe from Neiman-Marcus... for free..She replied, "I wish you wouldn't do this" I said, "Well you should have thought of that before you ripped me off", and slammed down the phone on her.. So, here it is!!! Please, please, please pass it on to everyone you can possibly think of. I paid $250.00 dollars for this... I don't want Neiman-Marcus to ever get another penny off of this recipe....”
This letter has been doing the rounds on email since 1996....I think it sounds authentic enough...anyway for me..the cookie recipe rules....its great....though when I  do mke this I would go  with 1/4 th the recipe.....if you try these out before I  do let me know how they turned out.:)
the recipe
2 cups butter
680g chocolate chips
4 cups flour
2 cups brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
500g chocolate, grated
5 cups blended oatmeal (measure oatmeal and blend in blender to a fine powder, I used oat bran instead)
4 eggs
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups chopped nuts (optional, I used peanuts)

Preheat the oven to 180°C.  Cream the butter and both sugars.  Add eggs and vanilla, mix together with the flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.  Add chocolate chips, grated chocolate and nuts.  Roll into balls and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes.





My daughter and I had just finished a salad at Neiman-Marcus Cafe in Dallas & decided to have a small dessert. Because both of us are such cookie lovers, we decided to try the "Neiman-Marcus Cookie". It was so excellent that I asked if they would give me the recipe and the waitress said with a small frown "I'm afraid not." Well" I said, "would you let me buy the recipe?"
 With a cute smile, she said YES". I asked how much and she responded, "Only two fifty, it's a great deal!" I said with approval, "just add it to my tab".. Thirty days later, I received my VISA statement from Neiman-Marcus and it was $285.00. I looked again and remembered I had only spent $9.95 for two salads and about $20.00 for a scarf. As I glanced at the bottom of the statement, it said, "Cookie Recipe - $250.00". That's outrageous!!!

lazy coooks banana walnut cupcakes

 Hello there people....I had a real fun evening yesterday..A whole bunch of friends ,my kitty party crowd (ahem)  had come over for tea...well I had invited them,it was my turn to host the party and it was great...girl bonding rocks!.I had the tea..savoury stuff catered (shame on me!!!!!!being a food blogger and all..you can't see me but I've hung my head in shame!)..that left the sweet stuff for me.I did a dark chocolate cake..and these cupcakes.These are really good and get done in a jiffy.

ze ladies in udhampur mess



INGRDS

2 cups APF(maida)
2 tsp baking pdr
50gms butter(melted)
1/4 tsp sugar
1 egg
1 cup milk
1 over ripe banana
1 tsp vanilla essence
For the topping
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon powder.
METHOD
1.Mix the topping ingrds together.
2.Sieve the flour with the baking pdr.
3.Put the banana,egg,milk and melted butter and essence in the blender..and blitz for a few seconds..DO NOT make a shake..it just needs a few seconds....
4.Pour the banana mix onto the flour..mix.
5.Add 1/2 the topping mix...mix again..and fill up the cupcake wrappers till 2/3.
6.Now add 1 tsp of the leftover topping on all these beauties...bake at 180degC for 15-20 mins.
7.Serve...no other beautification necessary.Cheers...girls..looking forward to many more evenings together.
sending this toshowcase-desserts.