Strawberries dipped in chocolate

If you have extra strawberries in the fridge and don't know what to do with them, because you feel lazy to make a smoothie or a salad and don't feel like eating them just the way they are, below is a wonderful and easy way to a delicious dessert.



Make any occasion extra special.

..wash and clean the strawberries. Remove all the stems and leaves if any.
..Hersey's liquid chocolate is a good option for a dip.
drench the strawberries in the chocolate.

PS- If you are in a mood for even more of the indulgence spray some whipped cream and sprinkle some sugar powder.


Eat Merry!!

Cheese Cake

I wanted to make a cheese cake for a long time and I finally did it during SH's B'day week. So without a delay here is the recipe. SH is been taking a bite of it and wants to share it with no one. So I think lets call it a hit with the hope that I can repeat the act and this does not become a One Hit wonder cheesy cake!!

I decorated it with fresh strawberries, SH's favorite fruit.
Ingredients:
Cream cheese- 1lb
eggs- 2
Sugar- 1/2cup
Vanilla- 1tsp
1 graham pie crust 9 inch
Garnish
Strawberry as many as you like!!

Procedure
take the cream cheese out of the refrigerator and let it soften in room temperature.
take a mixing bowl. beat the eggs, add vanilla and sugar. Good to use a electric mixer or a stand mixer for this. Add the the cream cheese and blend this to a smooth consistency.
Pre heat the oven at 350to 375 degree depending on the strength of your oven.
let this bake for 40 min.
In the mean time cut the strawberries chill.
When the cheesecake is done let it cool and then let this chill in the refrigerator for 2-3 hrs.
Decorate with the strawberries and serve it to your loved one!!!

A B'day menu for you!!

Today is S 's birthday. So the indulgence of today is of big value.
I am a bake person. I love to bake. But, I resisted from baking a cake since the last party in my house. S loves the cakes and I wanted him to enjoy his birthday cake. Remember abstinence, anybody?? I mean cake is a true pleasure.

So hear is the recipe for my cake special for S
Ingredients:
Maida- 1 cup
sugar- 1 cup
Butter/ICBINB- 1 cup
baking soda- 1tsp
Vanilla- 1tsp
eggs extra large- 2 otherwise 3
roasted almonds- a few
chocolate chips- some

Procedure-
Prepare the oven first. Preheat the oven to a toasty 350 degree. My oven is a professional one and has special heating features for cakes, veggies, meat etc. So I hope you understand the working of your oven. Grease the bake utensil with butter and put it in the oven
sieve the maida and mix the baking soda in it. melt the butter.
Take the raw eggs and beat them. once its frothy pour the sugar in it. beat the batter. pour the butter in this and mix it properly. Now pour the maida mix into this batter and beat it to a smooth consistency. Add vanilla and mix. The cake mix is ready.
Add the almonds and chocolate chips in the batter and pour the mix into the bake dish and set it in the oven.
It generally take 50 min to bake. But keep checking and do not let it get too brown.
The B'day cake turned beautifully so it was a tasty and happy midnight celebration for two before we went to bed. There was a whole day of celebrations and culinary surprises.
I made the traditional payash which is the auspicious dish for Bengalis. My MiL expectations of me cant be over looked and it is a favorite. Still I wanted to do something more. I planned to make Cheesecake first but finally I ended up making pathisapta.
Here is the way I made it.

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Patisapta
Ingredients :
Maida- 1 cup
Semolina (sooji)- 2 table spoons
baking soda- a pinch
Khoa- 1 cup
raw milk- half cup
Sugar- half cup
jaggery- half cup
canola oil
Procedure:
wrap:
sieve the maida in a mixing bowl. Add baking soda and semolina. pour a few drops of cooking oil and milk. keep mixing add milk or water and make a smooth fine batter. the consistency is important (if you know how to make pancakes then you know this one). keep this batter aside.
Filling(Poorr)
In a deep pan take a cup of milk bring it to a boil, add the khoa, sugar and jaggery. bring this mix to a boil and keep stirring and let this mixture thicken. Keep aside and let it cool. it will thicken more as it cools.
Heat oil in a flat fry pan. Take the wrap mix and pour it on the heating oil. spread it and make a round wrap like roti/tortilla. toss it to the other side when you think its done on one side. pour a little of the filling in the centre and fold th e wrap from both side. Your first Pathisapta is ready.
ps: I half used half sugar and jaggery which enriches the taste and color.
The surprise does not end here. I made prawn Malai curry for dinner.
will put the recipe for that soon.
Also when I make the cheesecake , I will post the recipe.

Chaler Payesh

This is a bengali sweet dish and mostly associated with aupicious occasions and in remembrance of good and prosperous times. But for me it mostly means a comfort food that helps me cope with my occasional bouts of homesickness and depression sessions.
So today being one of those days I thought of preparing this sweet dish along with another regular fav of any fish eating bengali : Ilish maach (Hilsa).
My ingredient amounts are by my intutions and I will keep it like that.
Sorry for the inconvience to the readers.
My mom is the one to blame for this for she never would tell me the measures while I watched her prepare my favorites and bestowed on me the most exasperated expressions each time I had a question. So my measures are obscure but once done, the dish mostly turns up good to look and taste at my end and I pray the very same for you.
Here's the PaYaSh :
Ingredients
3/4 cup of Gobindo Bhog Rice
5 cups of milk
1/2 cup sugar and a tiny piece of gud (jaggery)
2 crushed cardomon
Tej pata (Bay leaf)
some almonds and Raisins
coconut shredded is optional
Method
wash and Soak the rice in water and keep aside.
Heat the milk on medium flame and keep stirring or else it will boil over.
When the milk starts to boil, add the rice slowly to it. Remember to keep stirring the milk continously. when the rice softens add the bay leaf, sugar and jaggery.
Keep stirring and let the milk reduce and thicken. the time may differ depending on the heat and the vessels. When the milk has thickened and the rice grains has become soft, add cardomon to it and stir gently.
Remove the container from flame and add almonds sliced into half and raisins on top.
Cool the payesh. serve it warm or chilled for a couple of hours.
Enjoy the sweet taste of bengal.