Mouthwatering Treats to enjoy over the weekend!!

I love making sweets. They are very important part of my life.. Making them is as much fun as eating .. Here is some sweets to keep you busy this weekend!! Have fun cooking.!

kaju katli

Frozen Banana Pops

Gulab jamuns

Waffles

Tiramisu Shots

Coconut Pineapple Cake

Eggless Orange cranberry bread

Enjoy!!

Kaju katli

Ingredients
Cashew nuts - 1 1/4 heaped (Like a mountain and not leveled)
Sugar - 1/2 cup heaped
water till the sugar is submerged or 1/4 cup 
Ghee - as required for greasing your hands while kneading
Milk - 1 tbsp or as required

Method

1. Powder the cashews in a dry mixer. You need to be little careful , just grind it in a stretch. Do not pulse, just keep grinding until you get fine powder.This will not take much time. (Never grind the cashew directly taken from the fridge,it has to be at room temperature) .
2. Boil sugar and water. Keep stirring. The syrup should be a 1 thread consistency. 
3. To check the consistency place a drop of syrup on a thumb and it should make one thread while rubbing and pulling the drop between the finger and thumb.
4. Also another way is keeping a little water in a small bowl. just pour few drops in the water to check the consistency. when to sprinkle the drops it should lay a fine thread that doesn't  gets dissolved in water immediately when you touch.
5. At this stage, lower the flame. Add the powdered cashew and keep stirring for 3-4 minutes on a low heat.
6. Once your mixture gets thick and starts boiling, turn off the heat. 
7. Smear your hands with water and test by rolling a small pinch of the mixture in between ur fingers. You should be able to form a non sticky ball. Keep stirring till mixture turns more like a dough.
8. When the mixture is still warm,take it to another clean platform/countertop or plate and keep kneading. Mine was a bit dry, so I sprinkled some milk and kept kneading.The dough was grainy till then, but after kneading the dough really became smooth.
9. If you want u can use little ghee while kneading.
10. Divide the dough into 3 equal parts. For one keep it as it is. For another Dissolve saffron in milk and add to the dough to make it yellowish. And to the last add orange or red food color.
11. Roll the white dough into thin layer and cut it diagonally to make pieces.You can first draw lines lightly with the knife tip and then cut into diamonds to get perfect shapes.Or you can make cylindrical rolls too.
12. From the yellow and orange you can make desired shapes you like. Like apples oranges etc. 
13. you can even add nuts or sandwich them. 
14. Be creative this Diwali and aww you guests!!

Happy cooking!!

VEGGIE SHOOTERS AND CUCUMBER BITES!!

Festive season has arrived! Diwali, Thanksgining, Christmas.. Celebrations are in the air...The time when you host a party and entertain the guests. So here are some appetizers for you. Quick and easy to make. If you have the dip ready then this mini wonders are made in no time. 

VEGGIE SHOOTERS

Ingredients
Carrots - One carrot cut into strips
Celery - 2 Stalks cut into strips

For the dip you will need
Mayonnaise - 1/4 cup
Sour cream - 2-3 tbsp
Parsely and dill - 1/2 tsp
Italian seasoning - 1/4 tsp
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. In a small bowl combine the Sour cream, Mayonnaise, Parsley, dill, salt, Pepper and seasonings.
2. Mix well. 
3. Place about 1 tbsp of dip in each glass. Place the strips of vegetables on top. Serve cold !!! 

CUCUMBER BITES

Ingredients

Cucumber slices of 1 cucumber

Dip used in veggie shooters

Olives 

Method

1. Slice the Cucumbers into 1" slices.
2. You can scoop out the seeds from the centre if you want leaving a little to hold on the dip. 
3. Arrange the cucumber slices on the plate and  Put the dip on each of them.
4. Top it up with olives and insert the toothpick. Serve !!!

Happy Cooking & A very Happy Diwali!!