lazy cooks chocolate turai cake

In all fairness,this is a chocolate zucchini cake ,but we don't get zucchini here....we get turai(same family)......and plenty of it!So the time has come to start puting this in EVERYTHING!.......But jokes aside,the cake is really lovely and moist..and not a hint of the veg.

On a completely unrelated note,I have zero will power(which is why I am not a size 0,or 1 or 2...or heck any of the single digits!).........which is why instead of sitting and doing my assignments(I'm doing my masters in Psychology)I spend all my time(when we have the net connection,that is),on my blog,visiting all of you and generally not even going near my books........So until I finish the damn assignments,I'm not going to come near my laptop........but I love you guys and will get back soon(I hope!)Please keep visiting...and soon...real soon I'll visit all of you:)
INGRDS
1 cup wholewheat flour(atta)
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa pdr
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking pdr
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 1/2 cups grated turai(zucchini)
METHOD
1.Seive the dry ingrds(flour,baking soda,baking pdr,salt and cocoa pdr) and keep aside.
2.With your hand mixer,beat the oil ,sugar and eggs....add the essence,the turai and the flour..beat well.
3.Prepare(butter and then dust with flour)a baking pan,pour the mixture and bake in a pre heated oven at 180 deg C for 40 mins.
4.Once the cake has come out of the oven and is cool,pour the glaze on this(I had dusted icing sugar once....but within minutes it got absorbed into the cake.)..so the chocolate glaze it is then!
Chocolate glaze
50 gms butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons of icing sugar
2 tablespoons of cocoa pdr
a little milk to get the right consistency(1-2 tblsps)
METHOD
1 .My mom used to use only icing sugar,I mix the two because I'm always running low on that...you do what makes you happy

 

2.Melt the butter in a pan ,add the sugar, get it off the heat add the icing sugar,cocoa pdr and a drop of essence,now add a tblsp of milk,...then a little more ...stir well pour on the cake......cut a slice .....yum.....and no guilt beacuse its all healthy...we're eating vegetables!

lazy cooks macaroni salad

Hi folks.....finally time to put the recipe of the macaroni salad........quite simply because this time I remembered to take the pics ..........this miserable heat is kinda evaporating my brain cells!

This is a lovely summer salad,even my dear husband who likes only really hot and spicy dishes...likes this....its actually a complete meal in itself.......paired with a cool fizzy drink...perfect!
macaroni -2 pkts(I used 1 shell and 1 elbow pkt)
1 big mango(chopped-diced)
1 cup corn(cooked)
1 cup diced cucumber
1/2 cup diced cheese(cheddar)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup of hung curd/quark(take approx. 2 cups of curd...put this in a muslin cloth and hang for an hour....you'd be left with 1/2 cup of hung curd.........can also be called quark)
2 tablespoons mayonaise(I used eggless)
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp of Italian sesaoning
1 tblsp of honey(optional)
METHOD
1.In a huge pan of boiling salted water,cut open and topple the contents of the two pkts(Of pasta).Cook till al dente,(should not be mushy....your pasta should have a bite in it),drain,and rinse in cold water.
2.Take the mayo,hung curd,salt,pepper , italian seasoningand honey...mix it well.
3.Take the macaroni,mango,cucumber,onion, cheese,corn....toss the dressing into it,taste and now refrigerate till its nice and cold.........perfect to have for lunch on a hot sunny day.

On a completely unrelated note.......does anyone know how to reduce blood sugar in dogs,my poor Casper has been detected with diabetes,and its a bit of a mystery out here..the docs want to put him on insulin....I've got a week left to get his blood sugar down(I'd asked for 2 weeks to work some magic),I've got this chap eating lauki(bottle gourd),paneer,and baba ramdev meds..........does anyone know anything else that might help reduce the blood sugar?

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 creme apple caramel

Apple creme caramel?...........Creme caramel apple? ...caramel custard with apple?..apple caramel custard?I give up !Whatever the name..this turned out pretty good.You know how it is...you go to the market and pick up apples coz they look good,initially everybody eats them happily..then nobody wants to touch them.This is when that poor apple makes is way into food ..at least in my house!
INGRDS
1. 450 mls milk
2. 3 eggs
3. 2 apples(i know there's just one in the pic..i added another one..i have a lot of apples!)
4.. 1/2 tsp cinnamon pdr
5. 3 tablespoons sugar
7. 1 tsp vanilla essence
8. 5 tsp brown sugar
METHOD
1. Beat the eggs,sugar,vanilla essence till nice and frothy.Grate the apples into this and add the cinnamon pdr.
2.Heat up the milk,get it to a boil..then let it cool a bit..add to the eggy mix stirring constantly.

3. Put  a tsp of brown sugar in each ramekin,now pour the apple caramel mix into all 5 equally.,place the ramekins into a roasting tin.Add enough water to come halfway up the sides of the dishes.

4.Bake in a moderate oven(180degC)..for 50-55 mins(put a skewer into the custard..if it comes out clean..then the custard is done) .Remove from the oven and cool and serve.Take it out of the ramekin onto a dessert plate ONLY after its completely cool. 
sending this tohttp://sravscc.blogspot.in/2012/01/announcing-cooking-concepts-7-dish-for.htmland tohttp://anjali-cooklog.blogspot.in/2012/02/announcing-my-first-event-cakes-cookies.html

Atta halwa

Hi folks.....this halwa happens to be a hot favourite with my kids.I  am not calling it kadha prasad...because the basic requirment for something to be called a prasad is that it be offered to god first.Although the recipe is the same...but i'm going to go with halwa..
INGRDS
1. 1 cup atta(whole wheat flour)
2. 1/2 cup ghee(clarified butter)
3. 1 cup sugar
4. 2 cups water
METHOD
1. In a saucepan put the sugar and water together,heat it ..let it come to a boil ..stir so that the sugar has completely dissolved and put the flame off.
2. In a heavy bottomed pan(i use a kadhai),put the ghee..let it melt..then add the atta and now stir away.You got to keep stirring this or it will stick to the bottom of the pan...keep stirring till the atta turns a nice golden brown....its hard work..i agree....look on the bright side..you're burning calories and you're going to eat the halwa,which is'nt exactly fat free....so stir away.

3. When the atta turns a nice golden brown,add  the sugar syrup..stir like crazy...keep stirring the lumps will go away..i promise.When there are no lumps and the halwa comes together nicely(this happens pretty fast)...get it of the flame ,put in a serving bowl and serve!My kids were standing with spoons ready to dig in...i had to fight them off to the the pics!N'joy.

lazy cooks blackcurrant cheesecake

Hello all!How are you?I was in a real blue funk because of a really weird friend.She was unwell,i sent her some food.....She handed over the whole lot to her maid...because she considered the food that i had sent across dirty.......because i have dogs at home!!!!!!!!!!I oscillated between being upset,being angry and now i'm just confused.....anyway onto better stuff....I made this cheesecake to cheer me up.It is a rachel allen recipe tweaked like crazy.I don't get mascarpone out here..nor do i get blueberries...I do get amazingly fresh cottage cheese..which is what i have used...I sent some across to my friend manisha ,coz talking to her is also a great "pick me up".
INGRDS
1.200gms biscuits(use digestive if you have...i had glucose biscuits)
2.75 gms butter
3.400gms paneer(cottage cheese)
5.150 gms sugar
6.1/2 -3/4 cup of milk
7. 3eggs
8. 3 tablespoons of blackcurrant crush(or any crush that you have )
9. a springform tin.(loose bottomed tin)
METHOD

1.Pound the biscuits a little(i pound them a lot...good for  venting steam!),throw them in the mixer and powder them.Melt the butter,pour over the biscuits,mix really well,then spread on the bottom of the springform tin.Smoothen it out and put in the refrigerator.

Process

2.Take the paneer,chop up roughly and throw in the food processor. Process for 1 min...it'll totally crumble......now add the rest of the stuff(sugar,eggs,milk(first only 1/2 cup)and the blackcurrant crush)Process away...till you get a lovely creamy consistency(i had to add the rest of the milk.)BTW.....i processed for 2 mins....it was enough.

3.Pour the mix onto the biscuit base..and put into a preheated oven at 160degC for 50 mins. 

4.After the cheesecake has cooled down,take it out of the tin and put more blackcurrant crush on top.Thereafter cut a nice big slice for yourself and feel better about life! sending this tohttp://pumpkinfarmfood.blogspot.com/2011/12/bake-fest-new-year-event-2012.html further linked tohttp://vardhiniskitchen.blogspot.com/p/bake-fest-hosting-schedule.htmland to ramyashttp://ramyasrecipe.blogspot.com/2012/01/abc-series-desserts_06.htmland tohttp://teenzyummydelights.blogspot.com/2012/01/sending-lil-valentine-love-your-way.html
and tohttp://anzzcafe.com/event-valentines-special/#comment-3053

lazy cooks chocolate peppermint cupcakes

Hi everyone....you know your friends are good friends when you meet after years and years and it seems like you'd met yesterday.In Mumbai on the 5th of jan i met up with an old friend  after 12 years and it was great!This one's for you Cheryl.

this is an old and grainy photograph..we're not THAT old!
INGRDS
1 2 cups flour2 1/2 cup cocoa pdr
3 1tsp baking soda
4 1/2 cup oil

5 1 1/4 cup of sugar
6 3 eggs
7 1 tsp vanilla essence
8 1 cup of butter milk(since i never have this...i simply put 2tsp vinegar in 1 cup of milk and leave it for 5 mins)
ICING
1 100 gms dark chocolate
2 100 gms cream
3 100 gms condensed milk(why not?)
4 peppermint essence..a few drops
METHOD
1.Pre-heat the oven(180degC)
2.Sieve the dry ingrds together(flour,cocoa pdr and baking soda) 
3.Beat the sugar,oil and eggs...add the vanilla essence...then the dry ingrds and the buttermilk.Beat till bubbles appear.Thereafter,put the cupcake cups in the muffin pan..and pour the mix in it till 3/4 of the cup.I find it easier to simply put it into a measuring cup and pour from there.
4. Bake for 17-20 mins.
ICING

1.Thawack the chocolate ,so that there are no big chunky bits,put in a pan along with the cream and condensed milk,put this pan on the stove on a low flame...it'll melt and come together,when it's nice n smooth take it off and add the peppermint essence(a few drops are good enough)

2.Now hold the cupcake by its bottom and dunk it in,take it out and ...sprinkle it with sprinkles real quick...and we're done.

sending this to Karen at tea time treatshttp://www.lavenderandlovage.com/2012/01/new-tea-time-treats-january-challenge.html

and to Sarvshttp://sravscc.blogspot.com/2012/01/announcing-cooking-concepts-6-chocolate.html

andto kavi'sLinking to Kid's Delight hosted by Edible Entertainmentand tohttp://teenzyummydelights.blogspot.com/2012/01/sending-lil-valentine-love-your-way.html

and tohttp://anzzcafe.com/event-valentines-special/#comment-3053

and tohttp://tasteofpearlcity.blogspot.com/2012/01/any-one-can-cook-series-39.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TasteOfPearlCity+%28Taste+of+Pearl+City%29