Icebox Spirals and Bull's -Eyes Cookies

Ingredients 

1. Butter  -1 1/2 stick(3/4 cups) unsalted butter ,room temperature
2. Sugar-1 1/4 cups
3. Eggs-1(plus 1 egg white lightly beaten)
4. Salt- 1/2 tsp
5. Whole Milk-1/3cup
6. Vanilla Extract-1/2 tsp
7. Flour(all purpose flour)-2 1/2 cups ,plus more for work surface.
8. Unsweetened Cocoa powder-3tbs

Method
  1. Making dough:

• Put butter and sugar in a bowl and mix with a electric mixer in low speed until creamy.
• Add eggs and salt mix well.
• Add milk and vanilla and mix until combined.
• Add flour little at a time  ,(in medium -low speed  )    and mix until just combined
• Remove half of the mixture set aside.
• Add coco powder to the rest of the dough ,mix in low speed .

 2.  For Bulls's eyes:

•   Rolls out 1/4 of chocolate dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12inch rod about 3/4 thick.
• Transfer to a baking sheet and refrigerate for 20min.(or freeze it for 3min)
• Roll out half of Vanilla tough on lightly floured parchment paper to 12 by 4 inch rectangle about 1/2 inch thick (it should be as long as chocolate rod and just wide enough to wrap around the rod).
• Transfer to a baking sheet and refrigerate for 20min.
• Brush the top of vanilla dough with egg whites.
• Then place the chocolate rod along the length of vanilla rod.Trim the excess.
• Gently pinch the dough to seal, refrigerate until firm about 20min.

3.Form Spirals:

• Roll out remaining chocolate dough on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper  to 1/4 inch thick and 9 by 6 inch rectangle.
• Roll out remaining vanilla dough on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper  to 1/2 inch thick and 9 by 6inch rectangle.
• Refrigerate both dough for 20min
• Brush egg white on top of each rectangle .
• Then place vanilla dough on top of chocolate dough.
• Starting at on elong side,roll up dough,Gently pinch and press the edge of the roll to seal it.
• Refrigerate until firm,about 20min.

 4. Bake cookies:

• Preheat oven to 350 F.
• Cut logs crosswise into 1/4 inch thick rounds .
• Lined the baking sheet with parchment paper and place the cookies 1 inch apart.
• Bake for 12 -15 min ,until firm but not brown.
• Let it cool on sheet for 3min ,transfer to a wire rack to cool completly.
• Store cookies in air tight container .

Source -Martha  Stewart's

Banana Nut Bread

Ingredients 

1. Bananas-2 large(very ripe) mashed
2. Sugar-2/3 cup
3. Milk-1/4 cup
4. Vegetable oil-3tbs
5. Vanilla essence-1/2 tsp
6. Eggs-3
7. Bisquick Mix-2 2/3 cups(all purpose baking mix or 2 2/3 cup flour,1tsp baking soda and  1tsp baking powder)
8. Chopped nuts-1/2 cup(almonds,cashew and walnuts)

Method

• Heat oven to 350F.Spray  loaf pan with cooking spray.
• In a large bowl stir bananas,sugar,milk,egg,oil and vanilla until well blended
• Stir in Bisquick mix mix well (if using flour ,baking soda and baking powder sift together before adding).
• Mix the nuts to the batter and pour into the loaf pan.
• Bake 50-60 min or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool 10 min .Run knife around the sides of the pan to loosen the loaf.Remove to cooling rack .
• Cool completely before slicing.

Mini Tarts(savory)

Ingredients

1. Flour -1/2 cup
2. Sour cream-1/4 cup
3. Eggs-2
4. Milk-1/2cup
5. Onions-1/4 finely slice
6. Green onions-2num finely chopped
7. Baking powder-1/2 tsp
8. Shredded Cheddar cheese-2/3 cup
9. Worcestershire sauce-1/2 tsp

Method

•  Heat oven to 400 F.Spray muffin pans with cooking spray.
• Add oil in pan and fry onions till light brown
• In a bowl stir egg,milk ,Worcestershire sauce and  sour cream with a wire whisk or fork 
• Now add the flour and baking powder mix until it is well blended.
• Add fried onions,green onions and cheese mix well
• Spoon the mixture into the muffin pan (2tbs)
• Bake 15-20 min or until golden brown.
• Cool 5minutes ,loosen the sides of the tart from pan ,Serve warm .Makes about 12 muffins

Churros

Ingredients

1. Butter-1/2 stick (1/4 cup)
2. Water-1cup
3. Sugar-2tsp
4. Flour-1cup
5. Orange Zest-Zest of 1 orange
6. Nutmeg-1tsp
7. Eggs-4
8. Sugar-1/2 cup
9. Cinnamon powder-1/2 tsp
10. Oil for frying

Method

• Heat butter in nonstick pan ,now add the water and sugar stir well and let it boil.
• Reduce the heat to medium low and Now add the flour,nutmeg and orange zest and stir vigorously until you form a soft ball.Switch off the gas.
• Now transfer this to a bowl and mix it with a electric mixture  in low speed ,this will help to cool down the mixture.About 2min
• Now add the eggs one at a time and mix well.Now you will have a smooth batter.
• Transfer this batter to a pipping bag with a star tip . 
• Carefully squeeze out 4 inch long strips of dough directly into the hot oil, you can cut them with sissors. Fry till golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove from hot oil to drain on paper towels.
• Stir together the sugar and cinnamon; roll churros in the mixture while still hot. 
• Serve warm.

Source-Food network(Paula Deen)

 

Vegetable Fried Rice

Ingredients

1.  Cooked Rice-2Cups
2. Vegetable oil -3tbs
3. Onions -1 chopped finely
4. Red bell pepper-1/2 chopped finely
5. Garlic-3cloves ,minced
6. Green peas -1/2 cup(i used frozen)
7.  Carrot-1 ,Peeled and finely shredded
8. Eggs-2
9. Soy Sauce-3tbs

Method

• Heat 2 tbs oil in the wok over medium high heat .
• Add onions ,pepper and garlic.Cook stirring constantly,until softened ,about 3min
• Add Rice,peas and carrot .Cook ,stirring constantly ,until vegetables are tender ,about 4min.
• Push the cooked ingredients to the edge of the wok.Pour the eggs and stir until scrambled. Slowly stir in the rice mixture until blended.
• Add soy sauce .Cook ,stirring constantly,until well blended ,about 1min.Serve hot.

Note-For tufu fried rice ,fry tofu and add them in the last step .

Banana Fry(Plantains)

Ingrediants

1.  Plantains-2 num
2. Flour -11/2 cups
3. Baking Powder-1/2 tsp
4. Sugar-2tbs
5. Coconut Powder-1tbs mix in 1/4 cup warm water
6. Milk-1/4 cup
7. Cardamon Powder-1tsp
8. Oil for frying

Method

• Make a batter using flour ,baking powder,sugar,cardamon powder,coconut powder and milk.The batter should be thick enough to coat the plantains , if it is thin add more flour.Keep it aside for 1hr
• Peel plantains and cut plantains in the middle and then slit each plantain  into 3 horizontal pieces.
• Heat oil in a pan ,dip the plantains in the batter and deep fry till golden brown.

Muruku

Ingrediants

1. Rice flour -2Cups
2. Urad Dal -1/2 cup
3. Chilly Powder-1tsp
4. Coconut Powder-2tbs
5. Warm Water-1/2 Cup
6. Ajwain(imodakam)-1tsp
7. Sesame seeds-1tsp
8. Oil-2tbs
9. Salt-1 1/4 tsp
10. Oil -for frying

Method

• Dry roast Urad dal and grind to a fine powder.
• Mix the coconut powder in 1/2 cup warm water and keep aside
• Mix Rice flour ,Urad dal powder ,Ajwain,salt,chilly powder and sesame seeds mix well .
• Add 2tbs oil and mix well.
• Then add the coconut milk and mix well to form a soft dough ,add more water if needed
• The dough should be soft .
• Heat oil in a pan .
• Now fill the chakli(use the star shape) with the dough and shape it like muruku in a parchment paper.

• When the oil is hot take the muruku with a spatula and drop it in oil (keep the flame in medium or else muruku will turn brown).After 1 min turn the muruku and cook till light brown .

Tip: If you are not able to make the shape(if it's falling apart)the mixture is dry add little more water.