Spiced Apple Bread Recipe

Fall is the harvest season, and the markets are flooded with lovely golden Apples, inviting us to cook them, drink them, jam them, or bake them into something delicious! This Spiced Apple Bread is one such treat that exudes the flavors of fall in all its glory. Made with fresh apples and chopped nuts, and flavored mildly with cinnamon and nutmeg, I had as much pleasure baking it, and smelling it as it cooked in the oven, as I had in devouring it like crazy with a dollop of butter and orange marmalade! I have never been too keen about Apple desserts, but I love this Apple Bread, and I know I'll be baking it quite a lot! [img credit: hunnybscakery]

Ingredients
2 cups sweet apples - shredded or chopped finely
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup butter
2 small eggs (or 1.5 large eggs)
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup finely chopped nuts (optional)

Method
Cream the butter (at room temp) with the sugar, then combine with the oil, eggs, and vanilla and set aside.

In another bowl, sift the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients to oil mixture gradually. Finally add the apples and nuts.

Grease one loaf pan, or line it with parchment paper. Pour the batter into the pan, and bake at 325 deg F for about 50 mins (check after 40 mins) till its brown on the outside, appears crusty, and the toothpick test passes.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan after switching off the oven, then let it cool completely on a wire rack.

Run a knife under warm tap water, and use this to slice the bread. Store in an air-tight container. Enjoy this delicious Spiced Apple Bread with butter or honey as you celebrate Fall flavors!

Related Recipes:
Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Chocolate Banana Bread
Coconut Pandan Bread

Chocolate-Hazelnut Coffee Cake - From the Archives

Chocolate-Hazelnut Coffee Cake is my all-time favorite, and I never fail to order one whenever I stop at a Starbucks for a hot cup of coffee. I just love the flavor and the taste that blends so well with my mocha. So when I found this Mocha-Banana bread recipe at Amy's blog, I couldn't resist to try out a variation myself. I skipped the bananas, and instead added hazelnut, coffee and nuts. I also changed the sugar and butter contents to make my bread a little more cake-like, just the way I like it! This is kind-of a mix between a coffee cake and a bread, yet it is not as sweet as a cake, so pairs well with your morning breakfast. And with chocolate flvor to bring it all together, there's no resisting a piece of this delicious Chocolate-hazelnut Coffee cake!

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2-3 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter-softened
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp instant hazelnut coffee powder
1/2 cup walnuts and pecans - chopped
Cooking spray

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a loaf pan with cooking spray.

Use a sieve and pass the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder through this and combine all 3 in a medium bowl. Add salt, and break any lumps with your fingers.

In another bowl combine the sugar and butter, beating with a mixer or a wooden spatula until well creamed (about 2-3 mins). Add eggs and beat well. Add the vanilla and the hazelnut flavored coffee and beat again. finally add the flour mixture, stir in the chopped walnuts and pecans and combine and beat until you can see stiff peaks. Do not add milk or water. Spoon the batter into a small greased loaf pan (preferably square or rectangular so it's easy to slice the bread later).

Bake for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow it to cool completely after done. Do not try to slice while hot otherwise the bread will crumble and you won't get clean slices.

Cut into thin cake-like slices and enjoy with a sizzling hot cup of coffee or tea!! This Hazelnut Coffee Cake is a perfect recipe to entertain with at cocktail parties!

Related Recipes:
Espresso Kahlua Brownies
Chocolate-Banana Bread
Persimmon & Chocolate Spice Cake

Raspberry Almond Crumble - Berrylicious Summer Dessert

The easiest way to enjoy fresh fruits as a simple yet delicious dessert is by baking them into pies and crumbles! This lovely Raspberry Almond Crumble made with wholegrain flour is proof enough, don't you think! Crips, Crumbles, Cobblers and Pies all belong to the same family, but technically, they are slightly different. A Crumble is a british dessert containing stewed fruit topped with a crumbly mixture of butter, flour, and sugar. It is then baked in an oven until the topping becomes brown and crispy! My crumble recipe is made from fresh raspberries, crushed almonds, rolled oats and flour, a tinge of orange juice for that fresh citrusy flavor, and a touch of ginger for the perfectly refreshing aroma that'll fill your kitchen as you bake these! You could also try using other seasonal fruits like apple, blackberry, peach, rhubarb, berries or plums. But I have to say I prefer raspberries for their color and taste, and you are sure to love this Raspberry Almond Crumble recipe too!

Ingredients
2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
3 tbsp regular sugar (adjust according to tartness of berries)
2 tbsp orange juice (or 1 tsp fresh orange zest)
1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger

Crumble Topping
1/2 cup wholegrain flour
3 tbsp rolled oats
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 tbsp coarsely-crushed almonds

Method
Preheat oven to 400 deg F; grease one 6 inch baking dish (or 4 small ramekins) with butter or non-stick spray.

Place all the topping ingredients in a mixing bowl and rub them lightly together, using your fingertips, until you have a uniform mixture that resembles fine breadcrumbs or pearl-sized granules.

Mix the raspberries with the sugar, orange juice and ginger in a bowl. Gently toss to evenly coat the berries. Now arrange them in a freased/buttered ramekin or baking dish.

Top the raspberries with the crumble mixture and the crushed almonds, pressing it down lightly to get it even all over, then run a fork gently over the surface to make it crumbly.

Bake it on the high shelf in the oven for 18-20 minutes or until the top is golden. and the fruit starts bubbling from underneath, cutting through the top crust.

Serve it warm topped with some whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

This Raspberry Crumble recipe is a definite winner with guests, and even with kids. Looking colorful and elegant, it tastes even better, and can serve to be an easy dessert while entertaining!

Related Recipes:
Peach Melba with Cardamom Ice-Cream
Raspberry Swiss Roll Cake
Refreshing Raspberry Lassi (Smoothie)

Badam Burfi - Almond Fudge

Burfis, a traditional Indian sweet made with milk, khoya and flavoring comes in varieties of shapes and forms. From saffron to chocolate, pineapple and coconut to mangoes and almonds, Burfis have honored several festivals and gatherings. So to celebrate India's Independence Day, and also the festival of "Rakhi" this weekend, I made these delicious Kesar Badam Pista Burfis. Made with milk and flavored with saffron, you can call it an Indian version of Fudge! Mildly sweet and adorned with chopped almonds and pistachios, they look pretty on a plate and are pretty easy to make! So try this simple badam burfi recipe and spread the festive spirit around!

Ingredients
1 cup almonds
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup (4 oz) condensed milk
sugar (optional, if needed)
6 tbsp ghee (clarified butter) - melted
6-7 strands of saffron + more for garnish
2 drops yellow food color (optional)
slivered almonds & pistachios - for garnish

Method
Soak the almonds in the milk for a at least an hour. remove the skins, then using a blender or food processor, blend the almonds and milk together into a fine thick paste.

Soak the saffron in 2 tbsp warm milk and set aside to bleed.

Take a deep skillet, set it on low-medium heat, and add the almond paste and keep stirring continuously. After 3-4 minutes, add the sugar, saffron and the melted ghee slowly into the pan (in small increments) while stirring continuously, and cook till the ghee is absorbed by the almonds.

As the mixture thickens, add the condensed milk and the food coloring, then again stir for another 5-7 mins, making sure it doesn't stick to the bottom.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool just slightly. Lightly grease a square baking tray (about 1/2 inch deep). Transfer the mixture to the tray while it is still warm. Garnish with some chopped almonds and pistachios, and the remaining saffron strands.

Now allow to cool, about half an hour. Then cut into diamonds or squares. If its still soft, refrigerate for 15 mins then cut. You can store the burfi in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for upto a week. This goes to Pooja for her Independence Day theme this week, featuring Orange-Green-White colors.

Serve the Kesar Badam Burfi to your friends and family. Here's wishing every Indian a very Happy Independence Day, and I also wish every brother & sister a Happy Rakhi as they celebrate their bond of love!

Related Recipes:
Kesar Elaichi Shrikhand (Yogurt Dessert)
Coconut Burfi (Laddus)
Kesar Rasmalai

Nutella Crepes with Peaches & Raspberry Sauce

I've always preferred crepes over omelettes, especially for breakfasts, but after watching Alton Brown's Good Eats episode featuring Crepes, I have to say I've become a fan! These Nutella Crepes are particularly special as they have hazelnut-flavored Nutella, one of my favorite indulgences! Seriously, there's no way someone could refuse a helping of Nutella; creamy, chocalatey, nutty, gooey, velvety, sweet & tasty, I could go on describing this spread, and Crepes are a wonderful way to enjoy the goodness of this special blend. This is my second heist with crepes, the first one not being good enough to post:). But I think I've mastered it now, thanks to Alton's tips and a tried-and-tested recipe. These beautiful crepes filled with Nutella, then topped with raspberry sauce, and served with some fresh seasonal fruits on the side, are perfect to enjoy as breakfast or brunch, or even as an easy dessert!

I always used to think that Crepes are very difficult to make, and its easier to stick with pancakes. but after seeing Mike's Mango Nutella Crepes, and reading his excellent tips, I was inspired to try these myself. A colleague at work had shared her mom's perfect crepe recipe with me, so I was all geared up to give crepe-making a shot! Unfortunately, my first experience was not so exciting! But, Alton Brown's expert advice once again got me going. I changed Mike's recipe just a little to use some water in place of milk. I served my crepes with some fresh peaches and raspberry sauce, and now I have to say I'm no longer afraid of making Crepes! Thanks Mike, and thanks Mr.Brown, wherever you are!

Ingredients
Makes about 6-8 crepes

2 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1 cup flour
3 tbsp melted butter
butter - for coating the pan

Filling & Garnish
Nutella - for filling
Raspberry sauce - to drizzle on the top
Seasonal Fruits - sliced (I used Peaches)
Powdered sugar - for dusting

Method
In a blender, combine all of the ingredients and pulse for 10 seconds. Place the crepe batter in the refrigerator for 1 hour. This allows the bubbles to subside so the crepes will be less likely to tear during cooking.
Note: The batter can be kept for up to 48 hours.

Now warm up your pan (a 7 or 8 inch skillet works the best) to about medium-high heat, giving it a few minutes to ensure it reaches a steady temperature. Melt down a knob of butter and swirl it around to coat the surface of the pan.

Pour 1 ounce of batter into the center of the pan and swirl to spread evenly. Cook for 30 seconds and flip. Cook for another 10 seconds and remove to the cutting board(or any flat surface), and allow to cool slightly.

Continue until all the crepes are done. Wipe the inside of your pan clean with a paper towel after each crepe, and butter the pan for the next one.

Assembling the Crepes
Spread a generous layer of Nutella on each crepe. You can even add some chopped fruits inside the crepe. Then fold it once in half, then again in half to form a triangle.

Transfer your crepe to a serving plate. Drizzle with some raspberry sauce, and serve with some sliced fruit like Mangoes, Peaches or Strawberries.

These Nutella Crepes are perfectly delicious with coffee for breakfast. To serve these as desserts, top with some ice-cream of whipped cream!

Related Recipes:
Wholegrain Blueberry Pancakes
Mango Streusel Cake
Cranberry Orange & Pecan Bread

Related Tags
fruits, desserts, breakfast-recipes, nuts

Cranberry Orange Bread with Pecans

Cranberry Bread, flavored with zesty Orange and filled with the goodness of Pecans and crushed almonds, and topped with a layer of butter or maple syrup, served with a cup of hot tea or coffee! Does it sound like a scintillating breakfast or not? I, for one, would never refuse a platter like this, and neither should you! Cranberries are a wonderful summer fruit, and when paired with citrusy orange, it invokes a lovely flavor and aroma that is sweet and invigorating. I love walnuts, and pretty much throw them in any recipe that can do with nuts, but this time, I chose to go with Pecans, as something told me they would be great with the cranberries, and I was not disappointed at all! A lover of almonds, I dumped some slivered almonds too into the batter, and the result was a wonderfully soft bread that is pretty enough to be served at feast, and tasty enough to be cherished with family. This moist Cranberry Orange Bread is an out-and-out winner indeed, sure to serve as a fitting start to your day!

I was really happy with the way this beautiful bread turned out. It was truly a treat with my morning tea. Off this goes to Sia's WBB-Summer Feasts and also to Susan who's hosting SHF-Berries this month!

Ingredients
Makes one 9x5x3 inch loaf

1/2 cup pecans - coarsely chopped
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries(sweetened) - coarsely chopped
3 tbsp slivered almonds
2 cups whole-grain pastry flour
1 cup granulated white sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp orange zest
4 tbsp cold unsalted butter - cut into cubes
1 large egg well beaten
3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tsp vanilla extract

Eggless Recipe
** substitute 1/4 cup sour cream instead of the egg in the recipe

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place rack in the center of the oven. Grease a loaf pan with non-stick vegetable spray and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the beaten egg with the orange juice and vanilla extract. For the eggless version, replace the egg with 1/4 cup sour cream and beat it with the orange juice and vanilla.

In a large dry bowl, whisk the flour with the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and orange zest. Cut the butter into small pieces and blend it into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs.

Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir in the chopped cranberries, almonds and pecans.

Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 50 - 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Then remove the bread from the pan and let cool completely before slicing.

Enjoy this delicious Cranberry-Orange Bread with your breakfast, or as a dessert with some more fruits and whipped cream!

Related Recipes:
Chocolate-Banana Bread with Cranberries
Italian Tomato Herb & Cheese Bread
Hazelnut Mocha Coffee Cake

Related Tags
fruits, desserts, breakfast-recipes, nuts

Sabudana Khichdi (Sago Khichdi)

"Sabudana Khichdi" is a very popular Indian snack often enjoyed for breakfast, during fasting, or as a light meal. Sabudana, also known as Pearl Sago, is a whole-grain similar to tapioca; small white seeds that become soft and spongy when soaked in water and turn translucent when cooked. Sabudana Khichdi is one of my all-time favorite recipes, where these sago grains are mixed with boiled potatoes, peanuts and sauteed along with curry leaves and spices. As Sago tends to be starchy, the trick lies in making the khichdi in such a way that it doesn't stick together and become a clump, so here's a tried-and-tested recipe to make a delicious and crunchy Sabudana Khichdi, which is non-sticky and is sure to please your tastebuds a lot!

To make non-sticky Sabudana Khichdi, it is important to follow the method used for soaking. Too little water, and your sabudana will stay hard and raw; too much water and turns all mushy and sticky. So use only as much water as needed to immerse the sago, and not more! Also, the crushed peanut powder helps lend it better texture and remove some of the stickiness, as well as adding a crunch to the khichdi.

Ingredients
2 cups sabudana/sago
2-2 1/2 cups water - for soaking the sabudana
1 medium potato - boiled and chopped
1/2 cup peanuts - ground into coarse powder
** reserve 1 tsp for garnish
10-12 raw peanuts
3 tbsp ghee(clarified butter)
** Ghee gives it a special taste, but you can substitute with veg oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 green chillies - finely chopped
6-7 curry leaves - whole
1-2 tsp sugar (adjust per taste)
salt and lemon juice - to taste
chopped cilantro - optional for garnish

Method
Take the sabudana in a container, and add enough water that it barely comes above the surface of the sabudana. Leave it like this for at least 6-7 hours(or overnight) The sago will soak up all the water, fluff up to become soft and spongy, so it can be squeezed between your fingers, without feeling sticky or mushy. Drain out any excess water, if remaining.

meanwhile, chop your boiled potatoes into small cubes. Take a non-stick pan and add the ghee to it. When it's a bit hot, add the cumin seeds, chopped green chillies and curry leaves and the raw peanuts.

Cook the potatoes for about 2 mins, then add the soaked sabudana to the pan. Add the coarsely ground peanut powder, salt, sugar and lemon juice and mix well, but gently. Cook the sabudana on medium-flame and stir gently to prevent clumping together. Once everything is mixed, and the sabudana khichdi gets a light-brown color, adjust for seasoning to your taste. Then remove from flame and set aside.

Microwave Method
Nupur suggests a wonderful microwave recipe for sabudana khichdi which can make your job easier! Just toss your boiled potatoes, ghee, cumin seeds, green chillies, peanut powder, and the soaked sabudana into a microwave-safe glass container and cook it for 6-8 mins, in spurts of 2 min each (m/w for 1 min, then let it stand 2 mins, then repeat the procedure till needed). Season with salt, lemon juice and sugar and give it a final whir for another 1 min till your khichdi gets cooked. I've never tried this method, but I'm inclined to try it soon!

Garnish with the reserved peanut powder ( and chopped cilantro if you like) and serve the hot Sabudana(Sago) Khichdi with a cup of tea for a light and fulfilling meal!

Related Recipes:
Aloo Masala Poha
Handvo - Savoury Steamed Cake
Vegetarian Potato Cutlets

Related Tags:
sago, breakfast, potatoes, microwave-recipes

Cheese & Bell-Pepper Pulao (Rice Pilaf)

Cheese is one such versatile ingredient that adds taste and glamour to any recipe. Just as it did to our week-night dinner recipe of this delicious Bell-pepper & Cheese Rice Pilaf (Pulao) which was beautiful to look at and even more wonderful to eat! Generally, rice pulao needs a dal or curry to go with it, but this Pulao Recipe stands all on its own, and is definitely not a sidekick! Mildly flavored with saffron, turmeric and spices, the bell-peppers lend it texture while the cheese accentuates the taste and color, as well as induces a smoothness in each bite.

Standing on its own, this beautiful yellow-colored Cheese Pulao is also a symbol of strength, hope and life! And this is just what Bri needs at this point in her life.

Brianna is a fellow food-blogger, who was diagnosed with breast cancer two and half years ago. But after a mastectomy, chemotherapy and two years of relatively good health, the cancer is back. It has metastasized to other parts of her body. At the age of 15, Bri lost her 41-year old mother to the disease. Now, she’s waging her own war against breast cancer. She is going through intensive chemotherapy and other treatments, but her health insurance, unfortunately, does not cover holistic alternatives which she would like to try. Bri and her husband Marc have enough on their plates right now in addition to worrying about her medical bills.

The team at Jugalbandi has organised a fundraiser to help Bri and her family meet her out-of-pocket medical costs for ONE YEAR. CLICK, a monthly theme-based photography contest hosted by Jugalbandi has chosen the theme as: YELLOW for Bri, as an attempt to gather at least 12,000 U.S. dollars. There’s a raffle with exciting prizes on offer. Your donation can be made securely through the Chip-In button below, using credit card or via Paypal and goes directly to Bri’s account. We appeal to our fellow bloggers and readers to help us achieve this. Bri deserves a chance to explore all options, even if her insurance company thinks otherwise. We appreciate your contribution for this cause, and you can support us by making donations, or by sponsoring prizes for Click and spreading the word! This is my entry for the event "Click- For Bri"



And now, for the recipe, which will also go to Astrid, who's hosting this week's WHB, an event started by Kalyn!

Cheese & Bell-Pepper Rice Pilaf

Ingredients
3 cups long-grained rice (Basmati) - washed and cooked
1 medium-sized green bell-pepper - chopped long and thin
1/2 cup yellow cheese - shredded
1/4 cup fresh mozarella or italian cheese - shredded
1/2 onion - finely chopped
2 green chillies or jalapenos - finely chopped
6-8 pieces of cashews - split in half - roasted
2 tbsp fresh cilantro - chopped for garnish
1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
3 tbsp oil
salt - to taste
lemon juice - to taste
1/4 tsp saffron strands - dissolved in warm water
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp garam masala

Method
Wash and cook the rice as you normally do. Using long-grained rice like Basmati helps give it a better texture, but you can use normal rice too, without compromising the taste.

Warm 2 tbsp water and add the saffron strands to it. Let it bleed while you prepare the rice.

Take 1 tbsp oil and roast the cashews in it till they turn light brown in color.

Take a wok, add oil and cumin seeds to it. When the latter start spluttering, add the green chillies and chopped onions and saute till they become soft and glazed.

Now add the chopped green bell-peppers and saute again. Add all the dry spices and salt, and cook covered for 5 mins, till the peppers are tender and cooked through.

Add the roasted cashews to the wok.

Next, add the dissolved saffron along with the water, and add the cooked rice to it. Mix everything together so it gets colored and the spices are evenly distributed. Add the lemon juice and half of the shredded yellow cheese, then allow to cook for another 8-10 mins.

When the rice looks cooked and emanates the aroma of saffron, take it off the stove. Gingerly sprinkle the remaining cheese and chopped cilantro and mix just to combine.

Serve with some Raita or a curry of your choice. This Cheese & Bell-Pepper Rice tasted so good we just gobbled it up as soon as I took it off the stove. It's so good, you'll hardly ahve any leftover remaining. And if you do, try using them to make these delicious Rice & Cheese Cutlets

Similar Recipes:
Lemon & Coconut Rice
Vaghareli Khichdi & Kaddhi
Spinach & Corn Pulao

Coconut Cookies with Vanilla Icing

I've always been a fan of Coconut Macaroons or Coconut Cookies, and it was finally time to start the oven and bake some cookies over the weekend. Starting with the simpler of the two, I opted for Coconut Cookies, which are similar to the macaroons, except that they are a lot more easier to make! Just to add some glamour, I decided to add a simple vanilla icing on the top. The cookies came out great; and with the perfect balance of sweetness and taste of coconut, these cookies did not survive in the jar as long as I had imagined they would! They came out chewy, yet not too much, and have a wonderful texture due to the toasted coconut adding a wonderful aroma as well as the texture. To kick things up a notch, just use some vanilla or flavored icing and drizzle it onto the cookies to transform these simple coconut cookies into something more suited to a festive occasion.

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tspn baking soda
1/4 tspn salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tspn vanilla extract
1 cup flaked coconut
1/2 tsp coconut essence (optional, but recommended)
ready-made icing - as required

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C.) Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt and set aside.

Take 1 tbsp butter, melt it a little, then add the shredded coconut to it. Saute lightly to get a golden, toasted look and aroma. Divide into 2 parts and keep aside.

In a medium bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla and coconut essence until light and fluffy. Gradually blend in the flour mixture, then mix in half of the toasted coconut to it.

Cover with a plastic wrap and freeze the dough for 10-12 mins.

Take a little dough at a time, grease your palms with oil and roughly shape the dough into a cookie. I like the corrugated edges in my cookies so I use this method. You can even use a long fork to make some marks on the cookies for a fancier effect. Instead, you could even drop dough by spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

Roll each cookie dough in the remaining shredded coconut, or simply sprinkle a little on the top. Place the cookies about 3 inches apart on the baking sheet.

Bake for 5-8 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly toasted. Then turn the cookie sheet around by 180 degrees and bake for another 5 mins until lightly browned on the top. Cool on wire rack till completely cool.

For the icing, take the ready-made icing and add 1 tsp of vanilla essence. You could even use lemon zest or orange zest for a delicate flavor. Use a piping bag with a thin hole (about 2mm) then gently pipe the icing on the cooled cookies in any pattern you want.

You can store the coconut cookies in an airtight container (without icing) for about 20 days. As the cookies themselves are not very sweet, the icing adds a nice touch though.

These coconut cookies are on their way to Suganya who's hosting AFAM-Coconut this month!

These Coconut Cookies with Icing are a wonderful treat any time of the day. Without the icing, they taste like coconut macaroons, albeit a bit less sweet; with the icing, they are fancy enough to be served to guests at a tea-party, and I think I'm going to try orange icing next time!

Similar Recipes:
Chewy Chocolate-Chip Cookies
Thumbprint-Jam Cookies
Eggless Almond Cookies (Nankhatai)

No-Bake Mini CheeseCake - Orange & Pistachio

These "semi-homemade" No-Bake Mini Cheesecakes are a perfect recipe for an extremely simple and fuss-free dessert! They are so cute and adorable, and can serve to be perfect individual desserts for dinners or cocktail parties. The best part about cheesecakes is their versatility; blend some chocolate & liquer with cream cheese for an "adult dessert", or combine fresh seasonal fruits and berries for an all-time favorite recipe. As we move to warmer weather forecasts, I decicded to try a citrus flavor for my easy instant cheesecake. Oranges and Pistachios dominate this delicious sweet treat, coming beautifully together for a smooth creamy center with an invigorating burst of orange flavor!

It so happens that Helen selected a Citrus theme for this month's SHF#43, and I had these lovely tangerines waiting to be juiced and put to good use! Plus, it's my birthday this weekend, the stunning summer dress that was gifted to me by a special someone fits me perfectly, and so I'm all excited and in a mood to indulge!! And when I get excited, I need to eat something sweet (yeah, people have their addictions!:)) I had some ready-made mini tart-shells and a packet of cream cheese in the fridge, which sparkled the idea for these glorious cheesecakes. They are simple to make and wonderful to eat. Let your imagination run wild and experiment with whatever flavor you like. For now, here's the refreshing Orange & Pistachio Mini CheeseCake, to soothe your sweet-tooth cravings!

Ingredients
Makes 4 to 6 mini cheesecakes, depending on size

4-6 ready-made graham-cracker pie shells
1 packet(4 oz) Philadelphia cream cheese
4 tbsp cool whip (or use heavy cream, whipped a lot)
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp gelatin
4 tbsp water
6 tbsp orange juice (adjust according to taste)
1 tsp grated orange zest
chopped unsalted pistachios - for garnish

Method
Warm the 4 tbsp water till its almost boiling, then sprinkle the gelating and stir well. Set it aside and allow to bloom for 3-4 mins.

Meanwhile, whip the cream cheese, cool whip, orange juice and sugar in the blender. Whip it all together to form a smooth topping, or whip with a hand-mixer till smooth and creamy. Check for taste; adjust orange flavor and sugar to suit your taste.

Now add the bloomed gelatin to the cream mixture and again mix everything together.

Fill the pie-shells with the cream-cheese mixture and gently tap around to spread evenly.

Allow to refrigerate and chill for at least 1 hour so the gelatin sets the mixture. Insert a toothpick to see if it comes out clean, else leave in the refrigerator for some more time. I'd generally recommend at least 2-3 hours before serving.

When its time to serve, Garnish with some freshly-grated orange zest and finely chopped green unsalted pistachios.

We loved these fresh and flavorful mini-cheesecakes! It's such a simple and easy alternative to the traditional recipe, perfect for entertaining guests or whipping up a dessert on very short notice!

Similar Recipes:
Kahlua Cofee Cheesecake
Low-Fat Strawberry-Vanilla Cake
Marbled Cream-Cheese Brownies

Whole Grain Blueberry Pancakes

There's nothing that can keep me away from IHOP and its whole grain and nut pancakes, except an absolutely full stomach! Pancakes serve to be ideal breakfast in many american homes, and if you can make them healthier, there's nothing better! These healthy whole-grain blueberry pancakes were a perfect weekend brunch, and if you feed these to your kids, you won't feel guilty either! Loaded with the goodness of whole-grains, and the antioxidant power of blueberries, these pancakes are the ultimate balance of "tasty & healthy". What more could you ask from food, right?!

Pancakes are never out of fashion. And there are plenty of ways to mix-and-match and customize the basic recipe, which makes it interesting too! They go well with tea, coffee or orange juice, and as far as variety is concerned, the possibilities are endless! I love whole grain pancakes; they have an earthy texture and are very filling indeed. Here, I combined the classic whole-grain pancakes with blueberries and some coconut milk which brings a fresh tartness that nicely balances the sweetness of maple syrup. And they are light, fluffy, healthy and filling, all at the same time! Try experimenting with different berries; adding shredded coconut and some nuts wouldn't be a bad idea either!

Ingredients
Makes about 6 pancakes

3/4 cup white whole-grain (wheat) flour
1/4 cup oat flour (or substitute the oat flour for regular or whole-grain one)
1 tspn baking powder
1/2 tspn baking soda
1/4 tspn salt
1 cup fresh blueberries (or frozen and thawed)
1 cup buttermilk (or milk)
1 large egg - lightly beaten
2 tbsp butter - melted
1 tbsp coconut milk (or plain water)
confectioner's sugar - for dusting

Method
Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter to this.

Stir all the remaining ingredients until they are just combined. Don’t worry if the batter is a bit lumpy, you don't want to over mix. Finally fold in the blueberries.

Heat your skillet, pan, or griddle to medium-hot and brush it with a bit of butter. (If a drop of water dropped onto the pan starts to sizzle, the pan is hot enough). Now pour about 1/3 of a cup of batter into the skillet. Wait until the pancake bottom is deep golden in color (about 30 seconds), then flip with a spatula and cook the other side until golden and cooked through. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Serve with a dab of butter and maple syrup, or simply dust them with some confectioner's sugar! These whole grain blueberry pancakes are simply delicious! In fact, I could say this is my best pancake recipe ever!

Similar Recipes:
Whole-wheat Chocolate-chip Pancakes
Low-fat Blueberry Muffins
Banana-Walnut Pancakes

Cilantro and Walnut Pesto

Many people have a misconception that "Pesto" can only be made with Basil. But actually, the name pesto comes from the same Latin root of "pestle," which means a sauce made by crushing a few key ingredients together. Basil, parmesan and pine nuts have been primary for the basic italian Basil Pesto, but lately, parsely and cilantro have become favored alternatives to the traditional recipe. I used cilantro, sweet-corn, parmesan cheese and walnuts for my Cilantro-Walnut Pesto, and added some jalapenos for the spicy kick. This pesto has a smooth texture, and serves to be a great dipping sauce with chips or any other finger food.

Ingredients
1 and 1/2 cup fresh cilantro - washed and chopped
1/4 cup sweet corn kernels
1/3 cup walnuts
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
6-8 tbsp olive oil
2-3 jalapeno rings (or serrano chillies, adjust to spice level)
1 tbsp lime juice
salt - to taste

Method
Take half of the cilantro and the sweet corn kernels and grind in a mixer with 2 tbsp oil. When properly blended, add the remaining ingredients and pulse. With the food processor running, slowly keep adding olive oil as you blend to form a smooth paste. It should resemble a smooth dipping sauce as shown in the picture.

You can refriferate this Cilantro-Walnut pesto and preserve for upto a week. For longer use, freeze it and store. Thaw to room temperature before using. Serve with your favorite veggie platters of finger food! We enjoyed ours with some gluten-free savoury pancakes!

I'm sending this to Anh who's hosting this week's edition of Kalyn's WHB event.

Similar Recipes:
Cilantro and Cucumber Dip
Roasted Tomato & Peanut Sauce

Pear and Almond Yogurt Cake (Low-Fat Snack Cake)

How does a low-fat pear & yogurt cake sound for today? As we herald spring in California, seasonal fruits and vegetables can be seen in all their glory, and a trip to the farmer's market can turn out to be a visually delectable experience! This weekend I decided to bake a delicious and Healthy Pear Cake. Belonging to the apple family, pears are packed with a lot of health benefits. It has antioxidants that protects our body from free radicals, promote cardiovascular health, and are a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin C, copper, and vitamin K. And best of all, these fibrous fruits are a great way to naturally sweeten your cakes and muffins as well as provide them with shape and texture. I combined my pears with almonds and whole-wheat flour to make an almost fat-free and healthy yogurt cake/muffin that can be used as a snack any time of the day!

I did not use any butter in this recipe. The all-purpose flour was substituted by the whole-grain one; the recipe uses only 1 egg and some oil; the yogurt provides texture to the cake, but as there is no butter, this cake will not be as soft and moist as the others. If you are not looking for a healthy version, feel free to modify the ingredients to use 3/4 cup butter instead of yogurt and add 2 eggs instead of one with all-purpose flour.

Ingredients
1-3/4 cups whole-grain pastry flour
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup fat-free plain yogurt
1-1/2 tspn baking powder
1/2 tspn baking soda
3/4 tspn ground nutmeg (optional)
1/2 tspn salt
1 large egg
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tspn vanilla extract
2 ripe medium pears -peeled and cut into 1/2" chunks
2-3 tbsp slivered almonds

Method
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9" x 9" baking pan with cooking spray. Instead, you can also use individual ramekins like I did.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk the sugar, egg, and oil until smooth. Whisk in the yogurt and the vanilla essence. Finally, stir in the cubed pears.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until blended. Scrape into the prepared pan or the ramekins. Sprinkle the slivered almonds on the top.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes (about 25 mins if you are using the ramekins), until the cake is springy to the touch, shrinks from the sides and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. This cake will not be too dark on the top, so if you like the color, change oven setiting to BROIL and bake for another 40 seconds, not more. Let cool for 20-30 minutes on a wire rack, then slice and serve!

Tip: Roasting the almonds a little can add more flavor to the cake. If your pears are not too sweet, increase the sugar in the recipe as this recipe tends to be a little less sweet compared to others.

This light and low-fat pear and almond cake can be relished for breakfast or snack any other time of the day without feeling guilty. The pears make it soft while the almonds add a crunch to each bite.

Related Recipes:
Low-Fat Blueberry Muffins
Healthy Cranberry-Pistachio Biscotti
Eggless Cranberry-Walnut Scones

Banana-Walnut Fluffy Yellow Cake

More than 80% of the people love bananas, and I guess 90% would go nuts over the deadly combination of Bananas and Walnuts, whether it's in a muffin, a pancake, sweet bread or cakes! I strongly believe that some pairs are made in heaven, and these two entirely fit the bill!:) Plus, they both have nutritious value, fiber and flavor; the crunchy nuts with their oil content nicely balance the sweet and mushy texture of the bananas, resulting into a perfect marriage of foods! Ok, enough of love and heavenly pairs, let's get back to food! Unlike traditional white cakes, a yellow cake contains just the egg yolks, while the former contains whole eggs; a lot of people like the way the yellow cake rises and is fluffy to the touch, but the inherent "egginess" might be a no-no for a few of us! This is especially true while using ready-made yellow-cake mixes, so I've included a recipe for making your own cake-mix at home! The Banana-Walnut combination also helps balance out the egginess in yellow cake, and works well to create a delicate and spongy dessert cake.

I've used Betty Crocker's yellow-cake mix before, and it was actually pretty good! But this time, just to control the egginess, I tried Shuna Lydon's recipe for homemade yellow cake. The key in making your own though is to separate egg yolks from egg-whites so that not a speck of white goes into the batter (try using an egg-cracker). Shuna has really explained it well on her post. As for the cake, you can use Pecans or other nuts with Bananas, but experience tells me that Walnuts taste the best!

Ingredients

Homemade Yellow-Cake Mix
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter - softened
1 cup sugar

Place the flour in the bowl of a food processor. Add the sugar, baking powder and salt. Process until blended. Cut the butter into large chunks and add to the flour mixture. Pulse and process until the butter is completely incorporated. You can even combine butter in the flour mixture with your hands till it forms grain-like crumbly mixture. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. This can be stored for about one month.

Banana-Walnut Cake
2 cups yellow-cake mix (specified above)
2-3 large eggs (egg yolks only)(use less if you don't like it too eggy)
3/4 cup whole milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 banana - mashed (leave a few round slices for garnish)
1/2 cup walnuts - chopped

Method
Making a good yellow-cake uses a Dry-Wet-Dry-Wet method. You DO NOT dump all ingredients in together!

Take half of the yellow-cake mix, then half of the milk and the vanilla. Mix well to incorporate everything. Add the egg yolks, beating well after each addition.

Add the remaining flour mixture, then the rest of the milk, and mix thoroughly until smooth. You can even use a food-processor for this. Keep scraping the sides as you blend or beat the mixture. This is one cake recipe in which the more you beat, the fluffier it gets and more it rises!

Next add the mashed banana and the chopped walnuts, folding in just to mix it well.

Grease a cake-baking pan, or use muffin molds for individual cakes. I used a 12-muffin pan. Fill them only 2/3rd full as this needs more room to rise. Even if you use a cake pan, do not fill more than half of it.

Preheat oven at 375 degrees and bake for 20 to 25 minutes (muffin size) until cake springs back when lightly touched near center, and the sides pull away from the pan. If you are using a cake pan, it may take a little longer, but keep checking if its done after 20 mins.

Allow the cakes to cool a little on the wire rack. I pinched in a slice of banana on each cupcake and drizzled just a teeny little bit of chocolate syrup on the top for added glamour, as I send them to Zorra who's celebrating International Women's Day with Yellow Foods!

The texture of these cakes is just amazing, and they turned out much better than I had expected! The individual cakes also work great while entertaining, especially topped with some vanilla ice cream!:)

Low-Fat Cranberry-Walnut Scones (Healthy Breakfast)

It's always great to have a "sweet start" to a day, and as breakfast is the first important meal of the day, having something sweet in the morning balances your caffeine, but it's an added bonus if its a healthy breakfast, like these wonderful Eggless Cranberry-Walnut Breakfast Scones. Low in fat, these semi-sweet scones are packed with the goodness of cranberries and walnuts that make this a healthy sweet treat any time of the day!

This recipe is heavily adapted from Jeanne Lemlin's cookbook Vegetarian Classics. She has a Black-currant Buttermilk Scones recipe which I modified to make these cranberry and walnut scones; I essentially chose to make mine eggless, replaced part of the buttermilk with plain milk and halved the butter content to make these healthy scones. These scones have become a regular breakfast delight in our house because my husband loves the cruncy-chewy and not-so-sweet flavor, at the same time, I can be sure that I am feeding him something healthy and nutritious!

Ingredients
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup brown sugar (or more if you like them sweeter)
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup walnuts - chopped
2 tbsp butter or margarine
1/2-3/4th cup milk

Method
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. You can even do this with your fingertips. Stir in the cranberries and walnuts, then slowly add the milk, just until the dough is moistened. Make a tough dough like cookies.

On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough gently, 5 to 10 times. Pat into a 1-inch-thick round. Cut into 8-12 wedges with a buttered knife; place on a baking sheet, 2 inches apart. Sprinkle some more brown sugar if desired. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack before trying to remove them.

Serve these healthy low-fat cranberry scones with your morning tea or coffee, or with a dollop of jam any time of the day!

Similar Recipes:
Low-Fat Blueberry Muffins
Cherry & Almond Sour Cream Scones
Healthy Cranberry-Pistachio Biscotti
Low-Calorie Pear & Almond Cake

Colorful Spring Salad with Cranberries and Home-Made Bleu Cheese Dressing

Remember those evenings when you have had a rough day at work, end up coming late at home, and have nothing to cook except some cheese and a bag of salad greens gawking at you from your fridge!! believe it or not, I have had more than my share of such evenings, especially when it gets really late and I am determined to go to gym that day at any cost. For days like these, salads can act as a welcome retreat. And yet, using the same store-bought salad dressing every time can get kind of boring. So this time around, I set to make my own dressing, which obviously works way better than the ready-made ones because you choose the type and quantity of ingredients that go inside, and hence can make it to suit your taste requirements. The one we get from outside are always a bit more "vinegary" for me, so I was really happy with my Homemade Bleu Cheese Dressing The bag of mixed spring greens was put to good use, combined with some dried cranberries and toasted pecans, mandarins, some baby tomatoes, a dash of olive oil and lime juice and some fresh black pepper. The resulting salad was not only colorful and soothing to the eyes, it tasted way better and fulfilling, thanks to the homemade dressing!

The Bleu Cheese dressing recipe was adapted from one I had seen on Eating Well some time back. I always prefer tossing my greens in a mixture of olive oil and lemon juice just to preserve their color and impart some extra flavor. You could even add fresh spinach leaves, replace pecans for any other nuts, and add some seasonal fruits like pears or apricots instead of cranberries.

Ingredients
1 bag of mixed spring greens
1/2 cup dried cranberries
3 tbsp toasted pecans - chopped
1/2 cup mandarin slices
a fistful of fresh spinach leaves
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp lemon juice
freshly ground black pepper

For the Salad Dressing
1 cup (about 4 ounces) crumbled blue (bleu) cheese
1-1/2 cups low-fat mayonnaise
1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp fresh or dried parsely

Method

Toss the spring greens with the olive oil and lemon juice and keep aside.

Coarsely grind the pecans in a grinder to form smaller pieces (or leave them whole if you prefer so) Take a pan and roast the pecans on medium-heat, constantly turning them around so they don't get burnt. You can do this step in advance and store the roasted pecans and keep.

For the Blue Cheese Dressing, beat all ingredients together, except vinegar until fluffy. Blend to form a smooth puree (or leave some chunks of cheese if you like that kind of texture), adding the vinegar slowly as you blend it. Check for taste; add more vinegar if you like it tangy. Then transfer to an air-tight bottle. You can refrigerate and store this for about 2 weeks.

Layer the salad greens on a plate, add the spinach,toasted pecans and cranberries, mandarins and baby tomatoes. Then add some fresh black pepper and drizzle with the homemade bleu cheese dressing and enjoy the salad that is both, colorful and healthy!

Cardamom-Flavored Plum Compote (With Walnuts and Raisins)

Seasonal Fruits and vegetables are a cook's best friends, as you can be sure they are not artificially grown or flavored and also because they bring a lot of variety to the table every changing season! We all know how important it is to include fruits in our diet, and the markets in California are flooded with dark and juicy Plums. They have been one of my preferred fruits right from childhood, and I love their juicy fibrous texture and their sweet and tart flavor. There are so many things you can do with plums, but jams, jellies and preserves are the best way to capture their essence so you can enjoy them even after the seaosn is gone! I decided to go for the Plum Compote, which is similar to a jelly, just with a few chunks rather than a puree.



A fruit compote is traditionally made of whole or pieces of fruit simmered in a sugar syrup, simmered over gentle heat. To add flavor, it can be seasoned with vanilla, lemon or orange peel, cinnamon, cloves, ground almonds, grated coconut, candied fruit, or raisins. I chose to add some Cardamom, because I thought it would blend well with the flavors and also infuse a nice lasting aroma! Just looking at the dark red color was a treat to the eyes!



Ingredients

5 large Fresh plums - deseeded and cut into 1/2" pieces

2 tbsp lemon juice

2 orange rinds

1 cup brown sugar (adjust according to taste and tartness of plums)

1/4th-1/2 cup water

4 tsp cardamom powder

pinch of cinnamon powder

raisins and walnuts - optional for garnish



Method

Take a thick-bottom pan and add the chopped plums, orange rinds, brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon powder and half of the cardamom powder. Let this stand for at least 45-60 mins, stirring and coating once in a while.



Now place the pan on the stove, add about 1/4th cup of water and let it simmer, partially covered, for 3-40 minutes. Keep stirring often so the fruit doesn't stick at the bottom of the pan. Do not overcook else you would break the fruit. Remove ffrom stove once its cooked and before its done upto the point that the fruit breaks down and becomes mushy.



Your Plum Compote (Preserve) is now ready! You can put this in steamed and dried (air-tight)jars to preserve the jam. Vacuum seal the jars and store in a cool, dry place. You could even serve the warm compote topped with golden raisins and walnuts, and a little whipped cream or ice cream for a wonderful light dessert!

Almond Mocha Iced Coffee (Frappucino)

Simple pleasures in life often come in small packages, and this is something that we experienced last night. Dinner was done, we were playing cards with friends, and suddenly all of us had this huge urge for something sweet. Coffee was another unanimous choice as we had a long night ahead (full of poker can cards:)), and I for once was not in the mood to spend more than 10 minutes in the kitchen. So we settled for some simple Cold Coffee. Ideally, that would be paired with ice cream, but as our fridge did not hold any, I had no choice but to settle for a simpler version. As luck would have it, I had some almond essence, hersheys chocolate syrup, and whip cream! Yes, the result couldn't have been any better at 11 pm at night!! The Almond Mocha Frappucino was a perfect light dessert for our midnight craving!:)

Ingredients
2 cups milk
5-6 ice cubes
2 tbsp Hersheys chocolate syrup
2 tsp almond essence (optional)
2-3 tbsp instant coffee powder
Whip Cream - for topping
cherriies - for garnish

Method
I don't think I need to write anything here, but I'll just be formal. Drop the ice cubes, milk, chcolate syrup, almond essence, sugar and coffee powder into a blender. Blend for 3-4 minutes until coffee has fully dissolved. Then pulse for 5-6 times to create the froth. Pour in serving glasses and top with whipping cream and a cherry! There, your delicious Flavored Mocha Frappucino is ready to dazzle! Who says simple can't be pretty??!!

Give in to your indulgence by drizzling it with more chocolate syrup. These can serve to be ideal individual desserts for your Parties too; all the glory without half of the fuss, now that's what I call Entertaining:)

Baked Family-size Banana and Walnut Pancake - An ideal weekend breakfast or brunch!

In the everyday din and bustle of a hectic life, families hardly get time to reconnect. Weekends or holidays are the most cherished times when parents and kids are together. But what's a better way to start the day than by gathering around the table for morning breakfast, right? And here's a perfect family-sized jumbo pancake, which is actually like a cake, so that you don't have to make separate servings for everyone. Instead, just bake a large pancake for the entire family, then slice and serve so everyone enjoys it together! I use bananas and walnuts, as they are my best toppings, besides strawberries and chocolate chips:) But you are free to use any other seasonal fruits like peaches, apples, blueberries or raspberries. Just make sure you use firm fruits rather than the canned syrupy ones because you are going to pop this into the oven, not roast it on the griddle. Serve with a delicious topping of powdered sugar or whipped cream, and a large pitcher of orange juice, or freshly brewed coffee. Who says morning breakfasts can't be fun for the whole family!!

Ingredients
1/2 stick butter
1 cup maple syrup (not pancake syrup)
3-4 ripe bananas
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 cups pancake mix (such as Bisquick)
1 egg

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in heavy 10 inch oven pan (like a cake pan) Brush sides of pan evenly with melted butter. Add maple syrup and let it cool a couple of minutes. Slice bananas evenly over the syrup and cover entire bottom of pan with bananas. Do not slice bananas too thin because they will shrink some during baking. Sprinkle a generous helping of walnuts over bananas.

Mix pancake mix with egg, water and vanilla essence, as directed on the packet. Pour batter gently over bananas and spread evenly. Bake in oven about 20-25 minutes until the top browns (like a regular pancake).

Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes. Place a large platter on top of the oven pan, and with one quick motion turn it upside down. Transfer the inverted pancake to a serving dish. Dust with powdered sugar, slice and serve with coffee and some strawberries or other fruits if you like!

Almond and Pistachio Ice Cream Pie

I've had enough of my holiday baking, and these simple almond & pistachio ice-cream pies are perfect for a stress-free dessert craving! I came across these mini-pie-crusts in Safeway, and they were so cute, I simply had to pick them up. And though I initially intended to make fruit tarts, once I got home and saw a bag of pistachios gawking out of my kitchen cabinets, my plans had changed. I craved for some nuts and ice cream, so naturally, I decided to go for these no-maintenance, extremely simple yet delicious Ice Cream Pie topped with almonds, pistachios and chocolate sauce.

The best thing about these pies is that they can be made a few hours before serving time, and there are a hundred ways to improvise them to suit your tastebuds. Just follow my recipe or substitute it with flavors you like.

Ingredients
Mini pie-shells
A can of almond and coffee ice cream (pistachio or vanilla would be great too)
whole and sliced almonds - for garnish
chopped fresh pistachios - unsalted, for garnish
Hersheys chocolate sauce

Method
Take 6 scoops of ice cream and microwave it for 5-7 seconds. Take the mini pie-shells and fill them almost upto the brim with the semi-solid ice cream mixture. Line the edge of the pie shells with chocolate sauce, then put the shells in the freezer for at least 3-4 hours.

When you are ready to serve these, garnish with almonds and chopped pistachios. You can get as artistic as you want. I think some fresh red raspberries would also add a lovely color to the pie. Do not forget to remove the shell covers/wraps before serving!

These mini ice cream pies are perfect for small-scale entertaining! They look cute, are ready in no time, and are scrumptious to eat!

Related Recipes:
Bourbon Pecan Pie
Fig (Anjeer) Ice Cream
Apple & Pecan Cobbler