Cranberry-Jalapeño Sweet & Spicy Dip

  This Cranberry-Jalapeño Sweet & Spicy Dip is so much fun so delicious and made up of such a unique combination of ingredients and flavors as well. The colors and flavors are way too perfect for holiday recipes.! It is the ideal blend of tart, spicy and sweet, and when eaten with crackers, it is simply one of the most “complete” appetizer I’ve tasted, trust me:) The silky, cream cheese offsets the gentle spice of the dip perfectly and compliments the play on sugar and spice. Served with crispy crackers, this dip really is a holiday palate pleaser.. Hope you enjoy it just as much as we did!!

  My #foodiemonday #bloghop Entry for #driedfruit theme. 

Ingredients::
10oz. Dried Cranberry
8oz. Cream Cheese(softened)
1-2 tablespoon Fresh Chopped Jalapeño pepper
1/4 cup Chopped Green Onion
2 tablespoon Chopped Cilantro
1/3 cup Brown Sugar(more or less to taste)
1/2 tablespoon Lemon Juice
Dash of salt
Crackers for serving
Method::

* In a medium-sized bowl, add chopped dried cranberries, green onion, cilantro and jalapeño.

* Pour sugar, lemon juice and salt over cranberry mixture and stir gently until blended.

*Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for at least one hour. If you prefer less tart cranberries, keep in the refrigerator overnight.

* Take cranberry mixture out of the refrigerator and stir all ingredients together. Strain out the liquid using a collander with small holes.

* Spread cream cheese over bottom of a serving plate.

* Pour cranberry mixture atop cream cheese and keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.

* Serve with Ritz crackers.

 

* Enjoy!

 

 

 

Christmas Wreath Treats

                             " Merry Christmas! "
     Don't these cheerful Christmas Wreath Treats just put you in the holiday spirit?!! They are enamored!! No bake Christmas wreath treats made with corn flakes and marshmallows! These only takes 20 minutes to make!! You only need a handful ingredients for these Christmas Wreath Treats- butter, corn-flakes, marshmallows, green food color, vanilla extract, red candies..:) While these treats aren't difficult to make, the dough is super extremely sticky which can be little tricky to shape into wreaths. But after some trials and errors, I found the best way to do this was to pack the cornflakes mixture into greased measuring cup, turn into a cookie sheet, and then wet your fingers or coat them with cooking spray to form the hole in the middle of wreath. You'll want to add the red candies right away so that they adhere while the mixture is still tacky. They are really fun to make and even more fun to eat!!:)

    Today's post is a special because not only it's about holiday or Christmas recipe post but also because I'm going to share this post with my the dearest blogger friend, Pushpita's blog Ei Gi Chakhum as a Holiday Season Guest Blog Post... Now, a short and sweet introduction about P(Pushpita)(I called her P:).-- An Economist by qualification, a freelance writer by profession, a homemaker, a mother and last but not the least a food enthusiast. She is a very talented blogger. Her blog is an attempt to bring her passion for cooking and at the same time sharing, reviving & spreading some inherited authentic recipes (her own community food, Manipuri cuisine), along with fusion and regional culinary delights.. Sounds so interesting, Right? Please do visit her page and follow her for really delicious recipes. It's been a great knowing P through her blog as well as the personal level(even thou we never meet each other in real). Thank you P, for inviting me to write a Holiday Season Guest Post and I wish you good luck for your coming up bright future..
 Let's get started with our awesome Christmas Wreath Cookies' Recipe,,,

Ingredients:
1 stick butter (1/2 cup)

1 bag of mini marshmallows (10.5 oz)

Green food coloring

54cups corn flakes cereal

Mini red chocolate candies (I used m&ms)

Few Twizzler's pull and peels for the bows

Method:

* Line 2 baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
* If using twizzler’s pull and peels to make bows, assemble the bows now. You can place a baking sheet on top of the bows to keep them from coming apart.
* In a medium pot, melt the butter and marshmallows over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the marshmallows are melted.

* Add in green food coloring until you have your desired green color.

* Pour the melted marshmallows over the corn flakes, mixing with a spatula until all the corn flakes are covered.

* To form the wreaths, I found it easiest to spray my hands with a little bit of cooking spray, then take a handful of the corn flake mixture and form it into a ball.

* Use the palm of your hand to flatten the ball into circle.

* Next use your finger to poke a hole through the middle of the circle and reshape as needed until you have a wreath shape.

* Place on the lined baking sheet and add the chocolate candies right away while the marshmallows mixture is still sticky. Add a twizzler bow if desired

* Place the Christmas wreaths in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes to set. 

* Remove from the fridge, serve and enjoy. Store in an airtight container.

*Enjoy!!

               Merry & Bright Christmas to all my reader!!


**Check some more Chritsmas or Holidays Recipes::

Snickerdoodle Cookies

Red Velvet Cookies

Pecan Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

                             


Red Velvet Cupcakes in a Jar

**Thanks for stopping by!!**

Bread Spinach Kabab

  A twist on the classic spinach kabab, these bread spinach kababs as the name suggests are prepared with a very common ingredients, bread and spinach. And believe me, you can make these rich flavor kababs in no time, very easy-peasy recipe with full of deliciusness:) Try the recipe and fall in love with this Bread Spinach Kababs...

 My #foodymonday #bloghop entry for #wintervegetable..

Ingredients:
3 Fresh Bread Crumbs (crush bread in food Processor)
1/4 cup Chopped onions
1 1/2 cup Spinach (crush spinach in food processor)
1/3 cup Rice flour
1 tablespoon ginger-garlic-green chilli paste
1/4 teaspoon Garam masala
1/4 teaspoon red chilli powder
Salt to taste
Oil for frying
Method:
* Crush the fresh bread in food processor and keep in big mixing bowl.
* Crush spinach in food processor and mix with bread crumbs.
* Add salt, chopped onion, rice flour, ginger-garlic-green chilli paste,
garam masala and red chilli powder into bread & spinach mix.
* Mix all ingredients well.
* You may add 1 or 2 tbls rice flour at this stage, if needed.
* Take a small portions and give kabab shape.
* Make small Kababs and keep on side.
* Heat the oil for frying.

* Fry the kababs until gets crispy.
* Serve them hot with any chutney or ketchup.

* Enjoy!!

 

Red-Velvet Cookies

       A moist and soft cookie that is perfect for the holidays! They really are DELICIOUS! An easy Red Velvet 3 Ingredient Cake Mix Cookie recipe, done in less than 25 minutes!

Ingredients:
1 Box Red-Velvet cake mix

1/3 cup Oil

2 Eggs

Powder sugar to roll cookies (optional)
Some white chocolate chips (optional)
Method:

* Pre-heat oven on 350* degrees.

* Mix red-velvet cake mix, oil and eggs in a mixing bowl.

 

* Make thick batter.

* Spoon into balls and roll in the powder sugar.

 

* Place on the cookie sheet leaving about 2" between cookies.

* Place the baking try in to oven.

* Bake them for 8-10 minutes until cookies gets brown slightly from edges.

* Sprinkle some powder sugar again if you want too or insert some white chocolate chips..

* Let them cool down on cooling rack..

* Enjoy red velvet cookies this holiday!!

                                           Checkout some more cookie recipes::

Pecan Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

Snickerdoodle Cookies

 

Pecan Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

   The traditional oatmeal cookies gets a festive makeover with the addition of Pecan and Cranberries!! If you like thick, chewy, delicious oatmeal cookies, then this recipe is for you!;)  And a perfect treat for holidays!!

  My #foodiemonday #bloghop #cookie entry for this Monday..
Ingredients:

3/4 cup All-purpose flour

1/2 tsp Baking soda

1/2 tsp Cinnamon powder

1/4 tsp Sea salt

1/2 cup Butter (room temperature)

1/2 cup Light brown sugar (packed)

2 Tbsp Granulated sugar

1 large Egg (room temperature)

1 tsp Vanilla

1 cups Rolled oats

1/2 cup Dried cranberries

1/2 cup Chopped pecans

Method:

* In a medium bowl, whisk flour, cinnamon powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

* In the another mixing bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars on med-high until pale and fluffy (approx. 3 minutes).

* Add egg and beat on high for 1 minute.

 

* Add vanilla.

* Turn mixer to low and add flour mixture, mix until combined.

* Add oats, cranberries, and pecans.

 

* Mix until just combined.

 

* Chill dough in the fridge for at least an hour.

* Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment or a Silpat sheet.

* Using a small cookie scoop, place cookies on baking sheet 2" apart. I did 11 cookies per sheet. Press cookies down slightly if desired (I didn't).

* Bake for 10mins or until edges are lightly browned but center is still soft and unset.

* Cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet, then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.

* Enjoy them anytime.

Notes:
--If you prefer your cookies to be less puffy, just press down on the tops a bit before putting them into the oven.  
-- You can add your choice of dry-fruits in this recipe too, just like almonds, raisins, chocolate chips or any other..

 

Instant Bread Mysore Dosa

   Instant Bread Mysore Dosa-- a unique combination of ingredients and a modern way of preparing a instant dosa. This recipe is for those people who crave for fresh south-indian breakfast, but is always short of time in the morning. A hassle free recipe for Dosa lover:) Let's check the recipe real quick;)

 

 My entry for #foodiemonday #blohop #southindianbreakfast theme....

 

Ingredients:

8 Bread slices

½ cup Sooji (semolina)

2 tbls Rice flour

¼+1tbls Yogurt

½ cup Water or more as require

Salt to taste

Oil for roast Dosas

1 cup Mysore Chutney (quick recipe below)

Method:

Mysore Chutney:

*Roast 2tbls chana dal with 1 tsp oil till the chana dal turns golden brown. To the same pan add 1/2 chopped onion, 3-4garlic and 1 in. ginger and 3-4red chillis. Fry for 2-3 mins till the raw smell goes away.take all roasted ingredients in a blender along with some aamchur or small amount of tamarind paste,  turmeric and salt. Adding very little water blend to a smooth paste.

 

Dosa:

* Take 8 bread slices and cut the edges.

* Crumble the bread slices well with you hand. Make sure there are no big pieces of bread

* Now add half cup sooji (rava / semolina), rice flour, yogurt,  water and some salt to taste.

* Mix well and allow to soak for 20 to 30 minutes.

 

* Now throw the mixed soaked ingredients into a blender jar and blend to smooth dosa batter consistency. (add some water if required)

 

* Heat the griddle.

* Smear some water over the tawa and wipe off with wet paper  towel.

* Sprinkle some oil and wipe off again.

* Pour a ladleful of batter and spread out in a circular motion.

* Apply some oil on top of the Dosa.

* Cook it from both sides.

* Spread some Mysore Chutney inside of the Dosa.

 

* Cook for 10-15 seconds or till it turns golden brown and crisp.

* Fold Dosa  into your favorite shape and serve it with your favorite chutney or sambhar...

Note:

* you can use any filling for this dosa.

* you can make it masala Dosa from this batter too.

* You can also prepared the Dosa plain.

* Instead of using oil, you can use butter or ghee for roasting Dosas.

* You can prepare Uttapam pour this Dosa batter bit thick and some toppings of onion and tomatoes.

 

 

 

 

White Chocolate Cheesecake (no bake)

       A beautifully, creamy and sweet white chocolate cheesecake that everyone will want another piece of! Go on, you deserve it! Reward yourself with a cool slice of cheesecake featuring the rich, creamy taste of white chocolate inside... Also this is spectacular party dessert with a terrific do-ahead feature simply because cheesecake always get better after 2 or 3 days in the fridge. Easy-peasy because no bake!

Ingredients:
1 pack(8 oz.) Cream Cheese
1 pack JELL-O White Chocolate Flavor instant Pudding
1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
4 oz. Melted White Chocolate( melt white chocolate in double boiler)
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 tablespoon Confectioners' Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Lemon Zest
1/4 teaspoon Orange Zest
For crush;
1 1/2 cup Graham Cracker Crumbs(crush in food processor)
1 stick(4 oz.) Unsalted butter, melted
2-3 drops Vanilla Extract
Some cocoa powder and pomegranate seeds for garnishing.. (optional)
Method:
For Crush;
* Mix graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and vanilla extract in a bowl.
* Press the mixture across the bottom of the nine-inches springform pan.

* Put crush in refrigerator while you mix the filling. 
For filling;
* Bring cream cheese to room-temperature.
* Take a mixing bowl.
* Add cream cheese, heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract and sugar.
* Beat all with whisk or electric beater until blended.
* Add dry pudding mix, melted white chocolate, orange zest and lemon zest and blend again until fluffy and smooth.

* Pour the cream cheese mixture on the crush.

* Refrigerate at least for 4-5 hours.
* Garnish with cocoa powder and pomegranate seeds before serving.

* Serve with smile.:)