"Sweet Treats"- Pineapple Sheera

Past week and a half has been pretty rough.'M' was out for work for 4 days..the kids were sick...then the Connecticut tragedy got me shaken to the core...and..illness in the family in India...All in all... I don't feel like doing much...

I  had made this Sheera for lunch before 'M' left for Mexico last week.Even a simple thing like Sheera with variations...can become a whole new dessert!

Ingredients:

1) 1 cup rava/sooji/cream of wheat

2) 1&1/2 cup water

3) 1 cup whole milk

4) 1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar

5) 1/4tsp Cardamom powder

6) 1 pinch saffron

7) 1 pinch salt

8)1/8tsp nutmeg powder

9) 3/4 cup butter/ghee

10) 1/2 cup Canned pineapple pieces(bite size)

11)4tsp sugar to saute the pineapple

12) Dried cranberries

Method:

1) Boil water+milk together

2) Roast the rava in butter/ghee till golden in a deep pan

3) Add the hot water+milk to the roasted rava,mix.Cover and steam for 1-2 mins on low flame

4) Add saffron,cardamom,nutmeg,sugar,salt and mix well. Keep aside.

5) Saute the pineapple pieces in 4tsp sugar for 3-4 mins.

6) Mix the sauteed pineapples in the sheera. Mix

5) Garnish Dried cranberries

6)Serve warm.

 

 

"Sweet Treats"- Mango-Pineapple-Cream cheese Gelatin molds

From the last weeks ''Mango Sago pudding"...I had Mango pulp and condensed milk leftover. To use that up and to make some snack/ dessert....these pretty  Gelatin molds came into being!!
'E' loved snaking on these after coming from school,, and we made Gelatin hearts and flowers with the cookie cutters!
I had loved this dessert- 'Mango Cheese Cake' that 'S' had made.
http://my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2011/07/aroma-from-guest-kitchen-guest-soniya.html

On similar lines with few modifications, I made a tropical "Mango-Pineapple Cream Cheese gelatin mold"

Ingredients:
1 Cup Mango Pulp(I used Kesar Mango pulp)
4 oz Cream cheese
1/2 can of Sweetened Condensed milk
1 pkg Jello Island Tropical Pineapple gelatin
Mango slices for the garnish
Cookie cutters for cutting shapes

Method:
1) Bring cream cheese to room temperature. Microwave for 4 secs just to make it soft.
2)Heat 1 cup water. Dissolve the Pineapple gelatin in the water by stirring.
3) Mix the mango pulp,condensed milk in the gelatin mix.Stir the cream cheese. Use hand /hand mixer to blend it well and make it smooth.
4) Pour into a flat  glass tray/dish.Spray the dish with cooking spray before pouring the gelatin.

5) Let it set in the refrigerator for few hours.
5) Serve cold by cutting 'pie' shapes or by cutting various shapes with a cookie cutter.Garnish with sliced mango.

"Everyday Cooking"- Grilled Pineapple

A side dish as easy as breeze...or a dessert you can make in minutes...how good does that sound??? Grilled pineapple can be served as a side dish to any of your menu or serve it as a simple fruit dessert or use it to top it with Ice cream.....even better huhh???
We had planned a 'Chinese' menu for 'G' 's parents. So the usual Fried Rice,Veggie Stir Fry, soup, Noodles etc were all there. So this turned out to be the extra 'special' side dish..which everyone(even the kids) loved...the Juicy pineapple...with hint of sugar and salt and those gorgeous grill makes....won over everyone!!!

You can either grill it on your outdoor grill or just on the a Stove top grill pan...just like what I did!

Ingredients:
1 Can of Pineapple Slices ( In Juice)
salt
sugar (very little- or you can skip it)
Non stick Cooking Spray

Method:
1) Drain the pineapple juice from the can well.
2) Heat the Grill pan.Spray with Cooking spray
3) Place the pineapple slices on the hot grill pan.
4) Sprinkle salt and sugar
5) When you see grill marks on one side, flip to the other side.Done!!!
6) Serve warm/ Cold....as is for a side dish.....or with ice cream for dessert!

"Appetizers"- Bruschetta Bites and Toast with Sweet Ricotta and Pineapple

My favorite appetizer!!!! I already wrote a post on this one before...on how to pronounce it and how I got mad at a waitress when she corrected me ...when infact I was the one who pronounced it right!!
(http://my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2009/10/everyday-cooking-bruschetta.html)
Anyways...
I found this really cute little bread called "Party Cocktail Bread" at Kroger the other day. They came in various flavors like white bread..sour dough etc.But I bought the plain white one.The slices were a perfect size for making 'Appetizer Bites' and looked sooo fancy!

I made two types of appetizers with this bread....Bruschetta and Toast with Sweet Ricotta cheese and Pineapple topping.

Bruschetta:

Ingredients:
8 slices of party cocktail bread
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4cup chopped  Roma plum tomatoes
1/2tsp Basil(dried or fresh)
1/4tsp black ground pepper
1/2cup shredded mozzarella (fresh is best)(I used Pepper jack)
1 tbsp olive oil
1clove garlic crushed
1tsp Balsamic Vinegar
salt
 Cilantro/parsley or fresh basil for garnishing

Method:
1) Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2) Mix olive oil and crushed garlic.Apply liberally on the bread slices.Toast in the oven for 5 mins or so till slightly golden.Let them cool.
3) Mix onion,tomatoes,basil,black pepper and salt.Place a spoonful on the garlic toast

4) Add the shredded cheese on top.Drizzle few drops of balsamic vinegar. Done!

Toast with Sweet Ricotta cheese and Pineapple topping

 Ingredients:
8 slices of party cocktail bread
1 tsp melted/softened butter
1/4 cup Ricotta cheese
1/4cup pineapple pieces
2-3tsp sugar

Method:
1) Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2)Apply butter liberally on the bread slices.Toast in the oven for 5 mins or so till slightly golden.Let them cool.
3)  Mix together ricotta cheese and sugar
4) Place a spoonful of the ricotta cheese on the toast and garnish with pineapple pieces.

"Sweet Treats"- Phyllo cups with Yogurt and Fruits

The long weekend was very much relaxing.We did not travel anywhere....but.....met friends, ate, watched movies, slept.Sometimes.... that is all what you are looking forward too!
So, we were going to have 'P-V-K' over for lunch yesterday.I planned a simple menu and a simple dessert.
It's fun to keep it 'casual' when you have friends over. That way everyone is comfortable and relaxed.
Sometimes 'simple' foods are the ones which are comforting and give pleasure.Infact as kids.....even a small 'M and M' or 'Bread and Jam' sandwich is all you need to get a smile on that face! It is so easy to make kids happy.I have seen 'E' enjoy the 'simplicity' of life! Happinesss comes to him in 'simplest' things!
And that's true.....as they say: Life's Greatest pleasures can often be the 'Simplest' ones!
So....
I put together this 'simple' dessert to end  the meal. It is very easy, quick, 'not too sweet' and looks very pretty! Love the crunch of the phyllo cups and contrast it gives to the smooth creamy texture of the yogurt!

Ingredients:(For making 6 cups)
6 sheets of Phyllo dough ( thawed to room temp)
1tbsp melted butter
2 cups flavored yogurt of your choice (I used 'Raspberry' and 'Vanilla' flavors)
1/2cup Pineapple cut into small pieces( I used 'Dole' canned pineapple)
1/4cup Pomogranate

Method:
1) Carefully unfold phyllo sheets.They are paper thin, so be gentle.
2) Place 1 sheet on a big flat surface.Brush lightly wth melted butter.Place 2nd phyllo sheet on top.Smooth out.Brush with butter and place the next sheet.Repeat for the remaining sheets.
3) Cut out 6 squares from sheet and place them in 'muffin' pans, to create 'cups'.

4) Bake at 350F for 15 mins till the cups are golden brown in color.Let them cool.

5) Just before serving: Place 2-3 spoonfulls of yogurt in the cups, top with fruits.

6) Dig in the crisp phyllo cup and enjoy the  'crunch' along with 'smooth creamy cold sweet ' yogurt and fruits!