Lemon & Poppy Seed Muffin

Last night S & I went out to Palmer Square at Princeton and were amazed at how lively and beautiful the whole place was. Victorian buildings, tiny little coffee shops and home made ice-cream. Not just that, there was music and couples old and young, so full of love and cheer dancing like no one's watching.

So anyway, we were walking around there a lot just admiring everything and wondering why it took us over a year to find this place that was a stone's throw away. We made mental note of the places we wanted to take our parents to, when they visit us here. And I reminded myself that I would one day own a cute lil muffin shop.

But for now, I have some eggs, an oven and 1 sure customer in my very own home. So this Saturday, we made us some Lemon and Poppy Seed Muffins ! Pair it with some Ginger Chai and a movie - we have a winner !

Plum Buckle

After a very hectic vacation in India and a fairly busy weekend, I needed to do something therapeutic. Some paint and some garden. My mom used to read and I tend to cook.

I went to the market yesterday evening... I like to shop for fruits and vegetables on Saturdays. That's when the fresh farm produce is displayed in aisles, the smell of cinnamon and baked bread fills the air at the local Wegmans Supermarket... the cilantro bunches get a fresh cold sprinkle and wait to be picked up! I usually end up buying more than my fridge can hold. This time, I brought home fresh plums, black berries and straw berries. I also picked up a bunch of asparagus on my way out, thanks to my friend S's recipes on her blog.

Anyway, the berries are likely to end up in the processor along with a few bananas and some milk or yogurt. But, the plums - I had to make something with the plums.  A Buckle? Maybe.. the recipe from William Sonoma sure looked easy!

Applesauce Muffins

Hola !
Am back after a long and much needed vacation @ Puerto Rico. So stepping in here with a quick update, before the next one to India!

Ever gone overboard with buying a dozen apples and then not know what to do with it? Here's a lil something you can try.


AppleSauce

Peel and core 2-3 apples (McIntosh or any semi-tart apple), then chop them up into lil cubes and toss them into a small vessel with hot boiling water. Simmer, and cook partially closed until the cut apples becomes soft and tender. Cool and transfer to a blended and blend until you get it to a sauce like consistency. You may add sugar as you feel necessary.

In an air tight container in the fridge - the sauce will keep up for about 2 weeks.

Blueberry - Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Coffee Crumb Cakes are Awesome. Enough said! The crumbs aren't even that difficult to make. :)
For an 8" cake, here's what you'll need.

Brussel Sprouts with Dill Weed Dip

After trying SV's recipe of Brussel Sprouts the Indian way, I tried to go the easier route and make a simple + flavorful version of it last week. What you'll need is a bag of frozen brussel sprouts (or fresh, if you like it like that) and some lemon & pepper.

Veg Frittatas

Waking up and running right out the door is a regular in my home. What comes with it is a bad breakfast habit. So, in an attempt to not starve, and at the same time not wake up early just to make breakfast... I made some Veg Frittatas today (and hope they last me a couple of days) !

It's rather quick and easy to make. You can stick to the non spicy version, if you'd like.

Onions, Garlic & Shallot Muffins

Some more Indian twists !

Shallots, are chinna vengaiyam (for those of you from South India). It's a diminutive member of the onion family and grows in clusters like garlic with a papery skin. To prepare a shallot, cut the ends, remove the papery skin, slit length wise and mince like you would cut up a small onion.

Jam Filled Muffins

Remember those Jim-Jam biscuits from Britannia ? 

They used to be my favorite, along with Good Day and Marie Biscuits... the pleasure of digging into cold and delicious jam in between crispy layers of biscuit.. aah. Love those! So, I made my own version of Jam Filled Muffins one Saturday, reminiscing fond memories of Adyar Bakery @ Ashok Nagar :-).

Tomato & Goat Cheese Muffins

While cookies and cupcakes are alright, I enjoy a Pakora / Bajji so much more. And since there aren’t that many stalls that sell Indian chaat where I live, I make spicy muffins that last a week. 

Banana-Walnut Muffin

Banana Walnut Muffins as my friend S says in her blog (which is AWESOME btw !) is a quickie. Come Sunday, we do a usual trip to the Whole Foods nearby and pick up " Organic " Fruits & Veggies (thanks to K's obsession with organic food). A week later, it's a pity to see at-least 3 out of every dozen have dark black wrinkled skin in some forbidden corner of our fairly full refrigerator.

Hence, Banana Nut Muffins or Banana Nut bread gets made every week. This week, it's the muffin. Makes for a good snack (morning/ evening)

If you can get your hands on Walnut Oil, I'd recommend using that instead of Canola. It has a subtle flavor, very nutritious and high in unsaturated fat. Store in a refrigerator to prevent from becoming rancid. It will keep up for 3 months.

Butterscotch Coconut Cookies

I was never a big fan of cookies. Am not one, even now. But every now and then, it's a nice thing to take to your workplace. I tried to make these, as Butterscotch and Coconut are 2 of my favorite flavors - and they turned out pretty nice!