"Treats for Diwali"- Oat-Almond Laddoo

Besan ladoos, Rava laddoos, Boondi Laddos.....were the traditional laddoos for Diwali back in Pune.Not that I don't like any of them (I LOVE them all!!) ....I wanted to try out something different and a "Healthier Laddoo" would be a 'Icing on the cake'!!

I have made "Oats Laddoo"  before and they come out delicious.Even the most 'Oat hater' ( my very own M) will fall in love with those. I came across a very nice recipe (http://www.7aumsuvai.com/2012/08/almond-oats-laddu.html ) for a healthier Oats Laddoo.These have Oats, Almonds, yellow moong dal and pistachios. Don't they sound yummy to the core!!

Here is my version of the recipe:
Ingredients:(Makes around 25 laddoos)
1 and 1/2 cups Quick cooking oats
1 cup whole Almonds
1/4cup Pistachios
1/4 cup yellow moong dal
1 Cup Sugar
3tbsp Ghee
1tsp cardamon powder

Method:
1) Dry Roast separately almonds, pistachios, yellow moong dal , oats in a pan, till golden brown.Do not let them burn. Let them cool.
2) Powder each ingredient separately.Powder the almonds till they start oozing oil (this will help in binding the laddoos). Powder the sugar along with cardamom.
3) Mix together all the powders in a mixing bowl
4) Heat 3tbsp Ghee. Pour on to the mixture of powders.Knead well. If it's too dry heat another 1/2tbsp ghee and add to the mixture.
5) Make into rounds by pressing and rolling into laddoos.
Garnish with pistachios if you like. Store in airtight container.

Give your Family a 'Healthy Boost' this Diwali with these Delicious  Oat- Almond Laddoos!!

"Treats for Diwali"- Besan Burfi

With Diwali 2012 soon approaching ....I am going to be posting Diwali Faral recipes on the blog.
Wishing you all a Happy and a Delicious Diwali from TheSizzlingPan!! 

**For more Diwali treat recipes from previous years, check
1) http://my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2011/10/treats-for-diwali.html
And
 http://my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/search/label/Diwali%20Treats

Besan Burfi /Besan Vadi

 I love Besan laddoo!! It was my favorite Diwali treat since I was a small kid!! I have made besan laddoos, before..and this Diwali I wanted to try out different recipes.So, I thought why not start the "Diwali Faral" by making this "Besan Burfi"/ "Mysore pak"

I found this very nice recipe with step by step pictures on "Sharmis Passions":
 http://www.sharmispassions.com/2011/10/mysore-pak-recipe-deepavali-sweets.html

1)Mine did not come out as 'yellow' as hers, but that may be the difference in the 'Besan' that she and me used.
2) The only difference I did was, to add crushed Pistachio on top of the Burfi to give a festive look!

3)And yes....I probably saved a 1/4 cup of ghee :0( They needed so much of ghee...my hand could just pour out that much lol!!!)  ...that is why there were some tiny cracks on top of the vadis.

4) But all in all..the recipe is  keeper...and a good start to Diwali Faral!!

"Appetizers"- Grapes coated with Cheese and Nuts

'Navaratri' 2011 celebrations are going on all over.....and we celebrated 'Bhondla' last week here in Columbus! 'Bhondla' is a Maharashtrian 'All Girls' celebration where in......girls and women get together all dressed up in nice clothes.They hold hands and go around in circles singing songs.Some of these songs are hilarious ...praising their 'maher'(mothers side) and talking about how bad their 'in-laws' side is!!!
After the songs ....it's yummy food time!!! Each women brings in some snack/ food item which she won't disclose.Everyone else has to make guesses ....what the dish could be! So...everyone tries to make things that are hard to guess...

Yes...you guessed it.....mine was really very hard to Guess!!!! I made these yummy sweet and sour and nutty grapes.....coated with Cream and blue cheese...
"P' had made similar ones for 'K's birthday with Goat cheese and walnuts .
Ingredients:

1) About 50 Red/ green seedless grapes washed and dried with paper towel
2) 8 oz Cream cheese
3) 1-2 tbsp Blue cheese( If you like....)
4) 2tbsp milk
5) 1 tbsp sugar
5) Finely chopped Pistachios and almonds
6) Grated sweetened coconut flakes

Method:
1) Mix together cream cheese and blue cheese with electric mixer. Add the milk and beat again.
2) Coat the grape with cream mixture with your hands and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment /wax paper

3) Sprinkle sugar on the cheese coated grapes
4)Roll the grapes into chopped almonds/ pistachios/ sweet coconut and place on the wax paper

5) Chill for few hours before serving.Can be made a day or two in advance.

Serve the chilled, sweet and sour- cheese and nuts coated grapes and 'wow' your guests!!

"Sweet Treats"- Pistachio-Honey Biscotti

It's been over 9 months I haven't baked Biscotti.Since 'A' was born, life has gotten really really busy.Some friends told us before we had kids that....with 1 kid your life is 'busy' but with 2...it's 'Crazy'...and YES....I DO BELIEVE IT NOW!!!!
Anyways... today was our weekly play date for the kids, which is also a 'food date' for the moms and I decided to bake Biscottis to go along with our favorite tea!

Ingredients:
3 cups All purpose flour
1/2cup toasted Pistachios
2/3 cups sugar
1/3 cup Honey
2 large eggs
1/2 stick unsalted  butter
1/4tsp salt
1and 1/2 tsp baking powder
1tsp Vanilla extract
Cooking spray/Butter for the cookie sheets.
Some sugar to sprinkle on the biscottis after baking

Method:
1) Preheat oven to 350F
2) In a electric mixer, blend together eggs, sugar,vanilla and honey.
3) Bring butter to room temp and beat with whisk till smooth.
4)  Sift together flour,baking powder and salt. Roughly chop the Pistachios and keep aside.
5) Mix the butter with eggs -sugar- honey.Add the flour and mix together.Add the Pistachios to the dough. Form into a soft dough.Mix only till everything comes together well.Oil your hands if necessary as the dough will be sticky.
6) Form into a 'log' shape and bake on buttered cookie sheet at 350F for 25 mins( till it becomes hard on outside and golden brown). Let the log cool.

7) Bring oven temperature to 325F.
8) Cut diagonally and place cut side down on cookie sheet. Sprinkle little (1-2 pinches) sugar on cut side.Bake again at 325F for 7 mins.Turn on the other side and bake again for 7 mins.

9) Let the Biscottis cool.Store in airtight container.

            Enjoy the crunchy biscottis with mild sweet flavor with your favorite cup of Tea or Coffee!

"Sweet Treats"-Ricotta- Kaju-Pista Rolls

For few years now, one of my Diwali favorites has been "Ricotta cheese Kesar-malai pedhas". This year I was trying to make variety of sweets from the same recipe( I made pedhas,kaju-pista rolls from same base recipe). I modified the 'Pedha' recipe a bit and viola! we have Kaju-Pista rolls. Actually Kaju-Pista rolls will be made a lot differently, but the texture issue with sugar syrup and cashew powder is a little daunting for me at times. So I decided to go the easier route....

Ingredients:
For Pedhas:
425 gms Whole milk Ricotta cheese
1 cup Carnation milk powder
3/4th cup sugar
1/4th cup milk
1tsp ghee
1/4th tsp cardamom powder (Elaichi)
1 pinch saffron (kesar)
Pista and almond chips for decoration
Silver leaf/ foil for decoration

For Kaju-Pista Rolls:
1/2 cup Raw Cashew powder
1/4th cup Raw pista powder
few drops of green food coloring

Method:
1) In a non stick kadhai/skillet, melt 1tsp ghee. On medium to low flame add the ricotta cheese. Stir for about 15 mins. First the cheese will melt and then start getting thick again. This is similar to Khoya/ Khava.
Ricotta can burn easily. So, use non stick skillet and keep the flame low/medium!

2) When it starts leaving the sides of the kadhai, add milk (mixed with saffron/ kesar), sugar and milk powder. Stir all together. Cook till it starts leaving the sides of the kadhai. This will take about 15 mins or so. The mixture will become thin first and then thick.

3) Add the cardamom powder. Mix well. Take off the gas.

4) Let it cool.
5) To 1 part of the pedha mixture,add 1 part Cashew powder.Mix well.To the other part add pista powder and green food coloring.

6) Roll out the Kaju mixture into rectangle on wax paper.Apply butter to the paper.

7) On top of that, place the Pista mixture log and roll out with a buttered rolling pin.

8) Make a 'log' by folding from both sides.It should look like green cylinder covered by white layer.

9) Decorate with Silver leaf or pista pieces.

10) Cut horizontally into 1-1 and 1/2 inch pieces.

11) Store in refrigerator.

These will surely make your Diwali 'extra' special!!