Palak Paneer (Cottage Cheese in Spinach Sauce)

Ingredients:

1 - 10 oz box frozen spinach
1 1/4 cup paneer cubes
1/2 tsp jeera (cumin seeds)
1 medium onion, chopped
1"ginger
2 cloves garlic
2 long green peppers or 2 green chilies
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp haldi (turmeric powder)
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1/4 cup half and half
salt to taste
oil

How it's made:

Defrost spinach.
Cook spinach in a sauce pan. Cool and puree with ginger, garlic and chilies.

In a frying pan, heat oil. Add cumin seeds. When they change color, add chopped onions. Cook until translucent. Add spinach puree and salt to taste. Cover and cook for 2-3 mins. Add red chili powder and haldi. Cook for a minute.
Add paneer cubes and garam masala powder. Cover and cook on medium high flame for 3-4 minutes. If the sauce is too thick add 1/4 cup of water ( a little at a time). Adjust seasoning. Add half and half and give one quick boil. Serve hot with puri, roti or rice.

Serves: 3-4

Cantonese Chicken

I googled a little before I could post this recipe as I knew for sure that this wouldn't be the traditional recipe. This was my mothers version which we all enjoyed.

Ingredients:

2 cups uncooked boneless chicken cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
6-8 green chilies, finely chopped
2-3 spring onion, green only, chopped
1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 cup chicken stock or water
1/2-1 tsp cornstarch
salt
pepper

For the marinade:
1/2 tsp ginger, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 green chilies (optional), chopped fine
1/2 tsp vinegar
1 tsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)

How it's made:

Marinate the chicken with the above ingredients and refrigerate for an hour or two.

Heat a few tsp of oil in a deep wok or frying pan. Saute chicken on high heat until chicken changes color and is light brown in color. Set aide.

In the same work, heat a tsp of oil. Fry Onions, green chilies and spring onions. Fry until light brown. Add chicken. In the meantime, in a jar with tight fitting lid, combine, soy sauce, chicken stock, cornstarch, pepper and shake well. Add sauce to chicken. Combine well. Adjust seasoning and garnish with spring onions. Serve with Chinese fried rice or plain white rice.

Serves: 2-3

Birthday Cake - Lawn Mower

This was baked a few weeks ago for my husbands birthday. He maintains the lawn like any professional landscaper and I thought this would be a perfect cake for him.

Personally, I think the cake would have been nicer if it was a rectangular one rather than a round! The grass is made with butter cream frosting with a star tip. Wilton carries grass tip which is next on my list to purchase.

Birthday Cake - With Fondant Flowers

A close friend of mine recently had a week long birthday celebration. She lives her life to the fullest and has a fantastic sense of humor.  She loves the art of creativity and creates amazing creation on crochet.

I decided to try fondant flowers for the first time with the fondant tool kit that I had recently purchased. It took awhile but was a lot of fun to work.

The cake was regular butter cake flavored with lemon juice, lemon zest and marbled with green food coloring.