Supreme Chocolate Cupcakes

Thanks to Hershey's I found the perfectly moist and decadant chocolate cupcake. I have posted the Perfectly Chocolate cake recipe in my earlier post and I used that to male 24 cupcakes. I topped them off with a simple ganache . By dipping the cupcake in the icing , a smooth and classy look is achieved. I topped it off with chopped white chocolate. '

Baked Chicken Parmesan

2 chicken breasts- cut into two steaks each with about 1/2 inch thickness
1 cup aurora Italian style breadcrumbs with cheese
1 egg beaten with a little cream
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tbsp butter melted with a few cloves minced garlic
1 jar President's Choice Marinara sauce
Fresh Mozzarella Cheese
Basil leaves

Set up a breading station with a bowl with flour, in another bowl the breadcrumbs, and the beaten egg and cream in another. First dredge the chicken steak in flour, shaking off excess, then dip it in the egg cream mixture again shaking off excess, and finally roll it in the breadcrumbs , making sure it is well coated. Place the steaks in an oven proof dish, which has been sprayed with PAM. Once all the steaks are in the dish, drizzle them with the melted butter and place in a preheated oven at 375 C for about 30 minutes or until cooked. Midway, take the dish out and flip over each steak.
Once cooked, place in an oven proof serving dish, and pour over the marinara sauce and the sliced or shredded fresh cheese on top and place under the broiler for about 8 minutes or until light golden brown and bubbly.

Serve the delicious chicken with some steamed veggies, pasta or mashed potatoes.

Three Course Vegetarian Night Meal

Cream of Mushroom Soup with Puff Pastry
Vegetable Pizza with fresh mozzarella and Basil
Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Cake withe Ganache topping

CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP WITH PUFF PASTRY SHELL

3 tsp Olive Oil
2 tablespoon Butter
3 cups mushrooms(fresh button)
3 cloves fresh minced garlic
1/2 onion(minced)
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup all purpose flour
3 cups Campbell's vegetable Stock
1 tbsp Lemon juice
1 cup half and half
1 tbsp finely chopped green onions or chives

In large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat add butter ; cook onion, mushrooms, garlic, seasoning mix, salt and pepper, stirring occasionally, until liquid is evaporated, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle with flour; cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Gradually stir in stock and lemon juice, scraping up any brown bits; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.Stir in cream; heat until steaming but not boiling. Serve garnished with chives.
(courtesy http://www.canadianliving.com/food/lightened_up_cream_of_mushroom_soup.php)

Pour the soup in individual oven proof ramekins or soup bowls. Cut the Presidents' choice Butter puff pastry sheets into squares and fold them over each bowl. Brush the pastry with beaten egg. And put into the oven at 425 C for about 10 minutes or until the puff pastry is brown.

Pizza

Mixed Vegetables- Green Peppers, Kalamata Olives, Onions, fresh mushrooms
Fortinos Pizza Dough
1 jar Presidents Choice Marinara Sauce
Fresh Ball Mozzarella Cheese

Roll out the Dough into a rectangale 13x9 Dish and spoon over generous amount of marinara sauce. Spread the mixed Veggies and Sprinke generous amount of shredded fresh mozzarella. Bake at 375 C for about 20 minutes or until brown on top and cooked through. Top with freshly chopped basil leaves.

Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Cake

• 2 cups sugar
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a Bundt Pan

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; and then remove from pan
4. When cool, top with a ganache made with whipped cream and melted semi sweet chocolate.
Courtesy http://www.hersheys.com/recipes/recipes/detail.asp?id=184

Easy Peasy Lasagne

Meat sauce
11/2 lb chicken mincemeat
2 bottles President's choice pasta sauce(any kind should be fine)
1 medium onion
a few cloves fresh minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
pinch garam masala, pinch turmeric, pinch corriander (for the desi taste we love)

White Sauce
3 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoon flour
2 cups milk
salt and pepper to taste
shredded mozzarella

Lasagne Sheets (Boiled as per instruction s on package)

For the meat sauuce, fry the onion 1/2 cup oil, till it caramalises and becomes a nice brown, then add the minced garlic until it gives off a nice aroma. Then add the meat until it browns evenly and fry on medium heat. Cook for 10 minutes then add the spices and the pasta sauce. Cover the pot and leave to simmer on low heat for about 1/2 hour so that the meat is fully cooked.
Meanwhile, prepare the cheese sauce. In a saucepan, heat the butter and then add the flour until it is brown in color and gives a nice aroma. Add the milk in slowly so that the mixture does not clump. Once heated through, cook for 10 minutes until the sauce is thick, then add the salt and pepper and the cheese.
In a large oven proof dish, layer first a little of the pasta sauce so that the lasagne sheets do not stuck to the bottom, then add more meat sauce and the white sauce. Keep on layering until all is used up and in the middle, shred some fresh mozzarella and also at the top add some more shredded fresh mozzarella. Once complete, sprinkle some Italian seasoning on top and bake in covered for 20 minutes in a 350 oC oven and then remove the foil and bake it for another 15 minutes until nicely browned on top.

Best Ever Banana Bread

1 large ripe banana or 2 medium ones
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon water

Mix and let set for atleast 15 minutes

2 beaten eggs
1/2 cup shortening(I use vegetable oil)
1tsp salt
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (optional but it tastes amazing with it)


Mix all together with a large spoon and add the banana mixture to it. Mix well and pour into a greased and floured loaf pan. Bake in preheated oven at 325 F for about an hour or until done.

Steak with mashed potatoes

Chicken Steak !

6 chicken breasts- sliced in two and pounded to a half inch thickness
salt and pepper to taste
2 1/2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp chili sauce
21/2 tsp steak sauce
chopped garlic

Mix the breasts with the above ingredients and leave to marinate for a few hours.

Heat a grill pan on the stove and melt some butter and add some olive oil. when its hot place the steaks on the grill pan and do not touch them for atleast 10 minutes or until they ae cooked on one side. Then flip over the steaks and let them cook for another 10 minutes or until cooked through. This should be done over medium heat , it should not be too high or too low.

Mashed potatoes
Add about 5 boiled potatoes to a pot and add about 1/2 cup butter. On medium heat mash the potatoes and butter together until well blended. Add salt and black pepper to taste . Add 3 tbsp of light cream, 1/2 cup cream cheese (use the philly light version) and blend it togther. once done, dish it out and add some frewshly chopped parsely on top. Serve with steak and also some boiled veggies on the side.
Enjoy...!!

Chicken Spinach and Veggie Pulao

Packed with nutrients and great taste, even the fussiest of eaters will hopefully enjoy my recipe. I came up with this recipe to somehow get spinach and chicken broth into my son, who does not eat meat or veggies. I hope you enjoy making this dish for your family and friends and of course the little bratz who turn up their noses at almost everything!!

3 cups rice
2 pound Chicken Drumsticks
1 packet frozen spinach-thawed
2 medium onions-thinly sliced
1tsp Zeera
1tsp garam masala
2 green chillies-whole
1tsp garlic paste- or finely chopped garlic
1 cup peas
1/2 cup corn kernels
Salt and Pepper to taste

Wash the rice thoroughly and soak it in water.
Meanwhile, in a saucepan add the chicken to boiling water. Add salt and pepper to taste. When the chicken has cooked , remove the pieces from the water and measure the remaining stock. Discard the bones and chop the chicken.
In a non stick pan, add about 1/2 cup olive and canola oil mix and fry the onions in it. Once they are golden brown add the zeera. Then add the chopped chicken and fry the pieces for about 10minutes or so until they too are a nice golden brown.Then add the chopped garlic. Add the measured stock and the entire liquid added should be about 5 cups. So if the stock is 3 cups add 2 cups of water. Add salt and garam masala and the green chillies. Leave them whole so as to avoid excessive heat. When the liquid boils, add the rice and put the stove on low -medium. Let it cook for 20 minutes , until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is cooked through. Turn off the stove Leave the lid on for another 15 minutes.

Enjoy!!