Red Velvet Cupcakes

Red velvet cupcakes are delicious dessert topped with the popular cream cheese frosting or any frosting of your choice. 

Buttermilk is essential in baking red velvet cupcakes as it adds the tangy flavor to the cupcakes and also makes them moist. The additional vinegar makes the batter color brighter and when reacted with baking soda makes the cupcakes super light and fluffy.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour - 2 1/2 cups
• Sugar - 1 1/3 cups
• Cocoa powder - 2 tbsp
• Baking soda - 1 tsp
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Oil - 1 cup
• Egg whites - 2
• Red food coloring - 1 tbsp
• White vinegar - 1 tsp
• Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
• Red colored sugar for decorating (optional)

    To make buttermilk

• Milk - 1 1/2 cups
• Lemon juice/White vinegar - 1 1/2 tbsp

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line a 12 cup standard muffin tin with cupcake liners and keep aside.
3. To make buttermilk, in a small bowl stir lemon juice into milk. Allow it to stand for 5 mins or until thickened and slightly curdled.
4. Sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl and keep aside.
5. In another bowl, mix buttermilk, oil, egg whites, food coloring, vinegar and vanilla extract together until combined.
6. Make a hole in the middle of dry ingredients and pour the wet mixture. Mix until combined.
7. Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 full with batter.
8. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out clean or with few crumbs, not wet batter.
9. Cool in the muffin tins for 5 mins and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Frost the cupcakes with cream cheese frosting or buttercream frosting and sprinkle with red colored sugar, if using. Enjoy!

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Sugar Cookies

Sugar cookies are popular delicious treat consumed on different occasions. They can be cut and decorated for any season or holiday. It's a perfect snack for both kids and adults. Let the kids get creative and have fun decorating the cookies. These cookies contain lots of sugar and are not good for health if consumed regularly.

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter - 1 cup
• Sugar - 1 cup
• Vanilla extract - 1 1/2 tsp
• Egg - 1
• All-purpose flour - 2 1/2 cups
• Baking powder - 3/4 tsp
• Salt - 3/4 tsp

    For the frosting

• Powdered sugar - 3 cups
• Milk - 3-4 tbsp
• Light corn syrup - 2 tbsp
• Vanilla extract - 1/2 tsp
• Food coloring (optional)
• Sprinkles or colored sugar crystals for decorating (optional)

Method

1. Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until creamy and fluffy.
2. Add the vanilla extract and egg and beat until combined.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk/sieve together the flour, baking powder and salt.
4. Gradually add the flour mixture to the cream mixture and mix well until combined.
5. Divide the sticky dough in half. 
6. Cover each dough ball in a clear plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours/overnight or until firm.
7. Take one cookie dough and place between 2 sheets of parchment paper. Roll it out to 1/4"or 1/8" thickness (optional but recommended - refrigerate for at least 1 hr)
8. Preheat oven to 350F.
9. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
10. Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes and transfer the shapes to the lined tray using a spatula.
11. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges start to turn brown.
12. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

   Sugar Cookie Frosting

1. Mix sugar, milk, corn syrup and vanilla extract in a bowl until combined.
2. Add more sugar or milk until it reaches the desired consistency.
3. If coloring the frosting, divide into bowls and add color. Mix well.
4. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag/ziplock bags and pipe on the cookies.
5. If using, decorate the cookies with sprinkles and colored sugar crystals.
6. Allow the frosting to set, then store in an air-tight container.

Notes

- If not frosting the cookies, sprinkle with sprinkles and colored sugar crystals before baking them.

- The dough can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.

- Instead of piping the frosting, the cookies can be dipped top side down into frosting.

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Black Bean Patties/Cutlets

Patties/Cutlets are popular snacks in India. These are usually crumb coated so that they get crispy. This recipe is very simple to make just by mixing all the ingredients together. The cutlets are not coated in breadcrumbs in this recipe, yet turned out crispy and delicious. These can be eaten as snacks with ketchup or can be used as patties for burgers.

Black beans are rich in antioxidants, fiber, protein, Vitamin A and minerals like Iron, Calcium and Potassium.

Ingredients

• Black beans - 1/2 cup
• Sweet Corn - 2 tbsp, frozen(optional)
• Onion - 1, small sized
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala - 1 tsp
• Egg - 1
• All purpose flour - 1/4 cup
• Bread crumbs - 1/2 cup or as needed
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Oil - to shallow fry the cutlets

Method

1. Soak black beans in water with little salt overnight or about 8 hrs and pressure cook for 10 whistles. 
2. Drain the beans and let it cool completely.
3. Add all the ingredients along with the cooked beans except oil in a blender.
4. Pulse a few times until the ingredients are combined but still slightly chunky.
5. Transfer the mixture into a bowl. Add more bread crumbs if it is too wet or sticky. Mix well.
6. To make uniform size perfect patties, use the lid of a jar to shape the patties. Cover the lid in plastic wrap. Place some mixture inside the lid and press it down evenly. Flip the patty out. Repeat the same for all the patties.
7. Refrigerate the patties for about 1 hr.
8. Heat oil in an iron skillet. Shallow fry for 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
9. Use the patties for burgers or can be served as cutlets with ketchup/green chutney.

Notes

- To get all the health benefits of black beans, rinse the beans thoroughly in cold water and soak them. Bring the water to boil for about 2-3 minutes. Turn off the stove and leave it overnight or about 6-8 hours.

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Okra Yogurt Gravy|Vendakkai Mor Kuzhambu|வெண்டைக்காய் மோர் குழம்பு

Mor kuzhambu is a curd based gravy and is very common in most South Indian households. The recipe shared here is made with okra which is a popular version of this gravy. You can use any vegetables you like. It tastes delicious and goes well with hot rice and appalam.

Okra is low in calories and a good source of fiber which can help ease digestion. It contains potassium, vitamin B, C, folic acid and calcium.

Ingredients

• Lady's Finger/Okra - 10 -15 nos, chopped into 1 inch pieces
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Yogurt - 1 cup
• Salt - as required
• Sesame oil - 1 tbsp

    To grind

• Toor dal/Chana dal - 1 tbsp
• Boiled rice - 1 tbsp
• Grated coconut - 2 tbsp
• Green chillies - 2
• Ginger - 1/2 inch
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves - 1 sprig

    For the seasoning

• Sesame oil - 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
• Shallots - 5, diced
• Asafoetida/Hing - a pinch
• Red chillies - 1, broken
• Curry leaves - few

Method

1. Soak toor dal and boiled rice in water for 15 minutes and grind along with grated coconut, green chillies, ginger, cumin seeds, coriander seeds and curry leaves into a smooth paste. 
2. Whisk the yogurt well and dilute in water as per the desired consistency.
3. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan. Add chopped okra and salt. Saute them in medium flame until roasted for about 5 mins. 
4. Add 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder and sprinkle some water. Cook until slightly soft for about 1-2 mins. Do not overcook and make it soggy. Keep it aside.
5. Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.
6. When the mustard seeds start to splutter, add urad dal and fry until light brown.
7. Add red chillies, hing, curry leaves and shallots. Saute until the shallots turn golden brown.
8. Add the roasted okras, ground paste and 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder. Cook in low flame for couple of minutes.
9. Add yogurt to the gravy.
10. Adjust salt to taste and cook in low flame until it comes to a boil.
11. Turn off the stove and garnish with curry leaves.

Notes

- The ground paste should be thick and smooth so use as little water as needed while grinding the ingredients.

- Do not cook in high flame or boil the gravy after adding yogurt as the yogurt will curdle.

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Avocado Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwich

This sandwich is delicious, nutritious, quick and makes a perfect breakfast. It is stacked with layers of pesto, avocado and cheese. I have used Artisan bread in this recipe but you can use any bread you like. 

Avocados are high in healthy fats and loaded with fiber, potassium and antioxidants. They are weight-loss friendly, heart healthy, tastes delicious and could go with many types of food.

Ingredients 

• Bread slices - 4
• Pesto sauce - 4 tbsp
• Avocado - 1, mashed
• Cheese slices - 2
• Butter - 1 tbsp

Method

1. Spread the butter on one side of a bread slice and place it buttered side down.
2. Spread the top of the slice with 1 tbsp of pesto sauce, half of mashed avocado, and place a slice of cheese.
3. Spread the butter on one side of the second bread slice and spread 1 tbsp of pesto sauce on the other side.
4. Place the pesto side down onto the sandwich.
5. Heat a pan and grease with butter.
6. Place the sandwich in the pan and toast until both sides of the bread are golden brown.
7. Repeat for the second sandwich.

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