Cinnamon Rolls / Cinnamon Swirls

Cinnamon Swirls

Recipe:

Ingredients:

Dough:

• 1/4 ounce package yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup scalded milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup butter or shortening
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour

Filling:

• 1/2 cup melted butter, plus more for pan
• 3/4 cup sugar, plus more for pan
• 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup raisins, walnuts, or pecans, optional

Glaze:

• 4 tbsp butter
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp hot water
• 2 tbsp hot milk

Method:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees F or 180 degrees C.
• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water and set aside.
• In a large bowl mix milk, sugar, melted butter, salt and egg.
• Add 2 cups of flour and mix until smooth.
• Add yeast mixture. Mix in remaining flour until dough is easy to handle. 
• Knead dough on lightly floured surface for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Place in well-greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in size, usually 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• When doubled in size, punch down dough.
• Roll out on a floured surface into a 15 by 9-inch rectangle.
• Spread melted butter all over dough.
• Mix sugar & cinnamon and sprinkle over buttered dough.
• Sprinkle with walnuts, pecans, or raisins if desired.
• Beginning at the 15-inch side, role up dough and pinch edge together to seal.
• Cut into 12 to 15 slices.
• Coat the bottom of baking pan with butter and sprinkle with sugar.
• Place cinnamon roll slices close together in the pan and let rise until dough is doubled, about 45 minutes.
• Bake for about 30 minutes or until nicely browned.
• Meanwhile, mix butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla.
• Add hot water 1 tbsp at a time until the glaze reaches desired consistency.
• Spread over slightly cooled rolls.

¬ Enjoy!

Recipe courtesy of Paula Deen

Chicken Cheese & Egg Crescent Roll-ups

Chicken Cheese & Egg Crescent Roll-ups

Recipe:

Ingredients: (for two roll-ups)

• 1 roll refrigerated crescent rolls
• 1 large egg, scrambled with salt & pepper
• 2 thin strips of chicken breast
• 1 slice cheese
• 1 tbsp oil
• ½ tsp Knorr Aromat Chicken seasoning
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 egg wash

Method:

• Season chicken with Knorr Aromat seasoning & black pepper.

• Shallow fry the chicken strips and set aside.

• Fry the scrambled egg and set aside.

• Unroll crescent roll dough and separate into triangles like you normally would.

• Place half a slice of cheese on the wide end, then a piece of scrambled egg, then a strip of fried chicken.

• Roll up, stretching the end tip as necessary to allow it to go on the bottom.

• Brush with egg wash.

• Place onto a baking tray and bake at 350*F for 12-15 minutes.

~ Enjoy!

Aaloo Qeema (Potato & Mince Curry)

Qeema Aaloo

(Mince & Potato Curry)

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• ¼ tsp cumin
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• ¼ to ½ cup oil (depending on your preference)
• 450 g beef or 450 g ground chicken
• 1 tsp gingerroot, minced
• 1 tsp garlic, minced
• 1 tsp chili powder / cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp chili flakes
• ½ tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp (or to taste), salt
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 2 tablespoons yogurt
• 2 -3 tomatoes, chopped
• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
• ½ cup green peas (optional)
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 2 green chilies
• A handful of coriander leaves, chopped

Method:

• Fry onions with cumin in a heavy based pan over medium heat.
• When onions are golden, add meat, garlic and ginger and cook over medium heat about 3-5 mins or until all the moisture has dried from the minced meat.
• Add spices (except Kashmiri chilli powder) + 3 tbsp water and stirring constantly, cook another 2 minutes.
• Add chopped tomatoes and yogurt and cook for about 5 mins, stirring constantly.
• Add Kashmiri chili powder and garam masala and stir well.
• If it is beef mince, then cook for further 10 minutes before adding potatoes.
• Add potatoes and peas and mix thoroughly.
• Add ½ cup of water, cover and cook 30 mins over low heat or until potatoes & peas are tender.
• Add chillies and coriander right before serving.
• Serve hot with naan, chapati or rice.

Balti Prawns

Balti Prawns

Delectably rich & bursting with flavour, a toothsome yet easy to make seafood balti!

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 400g fresh uncooked prawns – peeled and black vein removed
• 50ml vegetable oil
• 1 large onion – finely chopped
• 2 medium tomatoes – finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon garlic & ginger paste
• 2 green chili peppers – finely chopped
• 1 cup capsicums (bell peppers) – thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon tomato puree
• 1 teaspoon all spice ground (garam masala)
• ½ teaspoon red chili powder
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ¼ tsp black caraway seeds (kalonji / nigella)
• 1 bunch chopped coriander
• 1 lemon juice
• 1 large slice of lemon
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

• Heat the oil over medium high heat until bubbling.
• Pour in the chopped onions and fry for about five minutes until light browned.
• Add a pinch of salt and fry for a further minute before adding the garlic, ginger and green chilies.

• Stir to combine and add half of the sliced capsicums, the tomato paste, garam masala, chili powder, ground coriander & black caraway seeds.

• Continue stirring while the capsicums cook through.
• Add uncooked prawns and stir-fry for 2 mins.

• Now add about 150mls water and watch carefully while the prawns cook.

• Once the prawns are cooked through, add the rest of the sliced capsicum, lemon juice, lemon slice, chopped coriander and remaining green chilies.
• You want the capsicums to be about 50% cooked through so that they are still a bit crunchy.
• Check for seasoning and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

¬ Bon Appétit

Stuffed Potato Cutlets

Stuffed Potato Cutlets 

A really simple yet yummy recipe to delight yourself, your family and your guests. Goes best as a snack with tea or as a side with your main courses. 

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 4 large potatoes, boiled
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder 
• Salt to taste
• ½ tsp black pepper powder
• 1 tsp red chilli flakes
• ½ tsp chinese salt (optional)
• 1 egg, whisked with one/ two pinches of black pepper and salt
• ½ cup Bread crumbs
• 2 tbsp fine chopped parsley
• 2 green chilies, fine chopped
• Oil for frying

For chicken filling:

• Chicken 200gm boiled and shredded
• Black pepper powder 1/4th tspf
• Salt to taste
• cube of Cheddar cheese 

Method:

• Peel the boiled potatoes and mash well.
• Add spices, chopped parsley and green chilies.
• For chicken filling, shred the boiled chicken and add salt and black pepper in it.
• Take a ball of mashed potatoes and flatten on your palm.
• Place a chunk of chicken in the middle and a cube of cheddar cheese over chicken. 
• Make a ball of mashed potatoes around the filling. Flatten it into cutlet's shape.
• Dip it in the whisked egg mixture then coat uniformly with bread crumbs.
• Deep fry on medium-high flame. 
• Serve hot with sauces of your choice as a snack or side.

Stuffed Chicken Breast with Herbed Butter

Stuffed Chicken Breast with Herbed Butter

Recipe:

Stuffed Chicken Breast

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• ½ cup grated mozzarella cheese
• ½ cup chopped bell peppers (or any of your favorite vegetables)
• 1 tbsp fresh basil & parsley chopped
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Knorr Aromat seasoning, to taste
• 2 large basil leaves or thin cabbage leaf cut into two pieces
• 1tbsp olive oil

Method:

• Preheat oven at 220’C or 425’F.
• With a sharp knife, make pockets in chicken breast, piercing from the thickest end and moving the knife inside till the edges. Keep the edges intact so that chicken breast becomes a pocket with opening at the thickest end.

• Mix chopped bell peppers / your favorite vegetables with grated mozzarella and chopped fresh herbs. Season with salt & pepper.

• Stuff the above mixture in chicken breasts.

• In the open end of the chicken breast pocket, insert the basil or cabbage leaf in such a manner that pocket is closed

• Season the chicken with freshly ground black pepper & Knorr Aromat seasoning.

• Lightly heat olive oil in a non-stick frying pan and fry chicken breasts each side for 1 to 2 mins till beautifully golden.

• Transfer chicken breasts to a greased baking dish and bake for 20 mins or until cooked through.
• Take the baking dish out and let the chicken sit for 5 minutes so that juices inside are distributed evenly.
• In the serving platter, cut at angle, the baked chicken breasts into thick slices. Drizzle over with herbed butter and serve with mashed potatoes & veges. 

Herbed butter

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp solid salted butter
• 1tbsp fresh available chopped herbs (parsley, basil, chives, tarragon)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Ground black pepper, optional

Method:

• Mince & mix all the above ingredients in a mortar with pestle.
• Transfer the mixture to heated frying pan and stir quickly till butter is melted.
• Drizzle the butter sauce over stuffed chicken breast pieces, mashed potatoes and vegetables.

~ Bon Appétit!

Juicy Chicken Breast with Basil Sauce

Juicy Chicken Breast with Basil Sauce

Made this really succulent & tender chicken breast drizzled over with delicious homemade rich basil oil sauce and served with homemade smooth, creamy & buttery mashed potatoes.
Yum!

Recipe

Juicy Chicken Breast

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts
• 1 large lemon
• 1tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt & white pepper, to taste
• 1tbsp butter

Method:

• Preheat oven at 200’C.
• Season chicken breasts with salt & pepper.
• Add chopped parsley, basil and lemon juice and rub all over.
• Now coat chicken pieces with olive oil and let sit for 15-30 mins.

• Melt butter in a sauté pan and place chicken breasts with good side (side from where skin is removed) facing the pan.

• Fry it for 3-4 mins till this side is beautifully browned.
• Now flip over and fry 3-4 mins.

• Now if your sauté pan has metal handle, you can place this pan in the oven. Or you can transfer chicken and all the marinate & juices in a baking dish and place in the oven.

• Bake for 20 mins.
• Your chicken is ready.
• Drizzle over with basil sauce and serve with your favorite sides. I did with mashed potatoes & light fried green beans.

Basil Sauce

Ingredients:

• ½ cup packed basil leaves, chopped
• ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ tsp kosher salt
• 1 large clove garlic

Method:

• Place all ingredients in blender and process until smooth and uniformly green. I used pestle & mortar because I love it!

• Drizzle over juicy chicken breasts you just prepared.

Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 2 large Peeled boiled potatoes
• ½ cup Half-and-half (cream and milk)
• Black pepper, to taste
• Salt, to taste
• 4 tbsp melted butter

Method:

• Potatoes were mashed until smooth with half-and-half (milk & cream), butter, salt and pepper.
• Serve with succulent chicken breast you just cooked drizzled over with rich basil sauce.

Bon Appétit!