Warm Chocolate Muffins with Chocolate Sauce and Fresh Strawberries

As life gets busier and work get more demanding day by day, its easy to resort to "semi-homemade" and "30-minute" meals for preparing our dinners. A full-time engineer myself, I know how difficult it can get at times when you have to sacrifice a gym session just because you still have to cook, and its inviting to gather the semi-cooked ingredients and spend less time cooking, at the same time still winning loads of compliments for your culinary skills(yeah, who knows I used something right off the shelf!:)) But as a cook, I can say that most of the joy and satisfaction that I derive from cooking is in the actual process, making something from scratch, trying out variations and methods, the smells and flavors that fill up my kitchen, getting involved as the delicacy takes shape, form, color and texture in the oven or on the stove, and finally, taking that extra step to make my meal more attractive and appealing! The joy of these small wonders can't compare to the packaged food!

I'm all for semi-homemade cooking, and using ingredients to ease your process is encouraged, but at least don't deprive yourself of the enjoyment while you cook! I needed some tonic for my body after this, and I went home and baked these Simple and Easy Chocolate Muffins, layered with homemade sauce, and served with fresh strawberries. I would use this as a basic muffin recipe, and you can play around with ingredients and flavors to make muffin variations. It works perfect as breakfast served with your morning coffee or as a quick evening dessert.

Note: This recipe makes 6-8 muffins

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup self-raising flour
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 cup sugar
4 tbsp skimmed milk
1 egg
2 tbsp sunflower oil

For the Chocolate Sauce
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup whipping cream
1 tspn vanilla essence

Method
Preheat oven to 350 deg F and grease a muffin pan with non-stick spray. Sieve the cocoa into a large bowl, then add the rest of the dry ingredients. Stir to combine, then make a well in the centre.

Beat the milk, egg and oil together in a jug, pour into the well, then stir quickly to make a batter. Spoon into the muffin tin, then bake for 15 mins or until risen and firm to the touch.

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips and whipping cream. Remove after 30 sec, the stir, then repeat the process (keep stirring) until smooth. Add in the vanilla, and let the sauce cool a little.

Turn out the muffins while they are warm (not hot!) and pour the custard over them. Slice some fresh strawberries on the side, and enjoy a delicious dessert any day of the week!

Tip: You can make the chocolate sauce and store it in a fridge. Just melt it anytime you want to use it. Also feel free to indulge by pouring some vanilla ice cream on the top to make it one luscious dessert!

Asian-style Spaghetti with Garlic and Cilantro

Pasta or Noodles are the most-favored quick-fix meals in a lot of families. But the recipes we use can tend to get fairly monotonous, and we start craving for a change of taste pretty soon! A few variations would be choosing different styles of pasta, changing the sauces, and adding thai or asian spices to it. But I had tried almost all possible variations, and it was time to try something new, a fusion between the cuisines I enjoyed, a hand at pairing up some unique flavors! So I decided to combine two of my favorite dishes, the Veg Hakka noodles and the Garlic Spaghetti Pasta. I too the basic pasta, and instead of opting for tomato-basil or cream sauce, I went for the soy sauce to make these asian-style noodles. Fo the flavor, I used garlic and Cilantro, a pretty unique blend to noodles, but try it before you feel it's not a good choice! I aslo added some sweet chilli sauce for the thai influence, basic veggies and some chopped green onions. The result, a totally scintillating plate of noodles, with all the right balance of flavors, set off by the unique taste of cilantro and the fresh smell of garlic. Even the soy-sauce glazed onions and capsicums added to the inviting look! Try it, you will surely love it!:)

Ingredients
1 packet spaghetti noodles
5-6 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup of fresh cilantro, and some more for garnish
5-6 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sweet chilly sauce (Maggi)
2 tbsp regular ketchup
salt and black pepper - to taste
1 cup chopped capsicum - long slices
1 cup chopped red onions - long slices
2 tbsp chopped green onions
2 tbsp crushed peanuts (optional)
2 tbsp oil

Method
Boil and cook the spaghetti in water with 1 tbsp oil as instructed on the packet.

Take a non-stick pan, add 2 tbsp oil and add the chopped garlic, onions and capsicum. When they turn caramelzed and have a glaze, add the soy sauce and salt. cover with a lid and cook for 5-7 mins on medium-low flame. Then add the Maggi sweet chilli sauce and ketchup, and throw in the crushed peanuts and the chopped cilantro. Mix well, add the chopped green onions, leaving some for garnish.

Take a serving bowl and transfer the cooked pasta/noodles into it. Add the prepared veggie sauce onto the noodles and toss a little to combine. Finally, garnish with the remaining chopped green onions and a bunch of fresh cilantro leaves, and serve hot!

Similar recipes:
Vegetarian Pad Thai
Fettucini Alfredo with Basil and Rosemary
Vegetable Lasagna with Pesto and Parmesan Cheese

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!

Cranberry-Soy Milk and Green Tea Smoothie

It is a well-known fact that breakfast is by far, the most important meal of the day. Consume a healthy and filling breakfast and it'll keep you on your toes for a significant part of the day. It not only kickstarts your body processes, but also fuels your nerve cells to prepare you for an action-packed morning! So it's imperative to include as many nutrients as you can in your early morning meal. The importance of cranberries for its anti-oxidant properties is known to most of us. Same is the case with green tea, but some of us find it hard to take in the herb tea by itself. So I decided to combine it in a smoothie. I love my smoothies to be milk-based or creamy, and given a choice I would happily add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to my concoctions:) but as we are trying to target a healthy meal, I opted for the soy-milk, which is way more easier to digest, is full of calcium and protein, and less in calorie content. Add a bit of honey and banana and you are all set for a hearty and healthy breakfast smoothie!

Ingredients
1/2 cup frozen cranberries
1 ripe banana
1/2 cup brewed green tea
1/4 cup plain soy milk
2 tbsp light brown sugar or honey

Method
Brew the green tea using fresh leaves or tea-bags. Let it cool down a bit. Then blend all ingredients together until smooth. Pour into glasses and enjoy for a detoxifying, healthy and filling breakfast!

Similar Recipes:
Strawberry Colada Smoothie
Protein-packed Peanut Butter-Banana Smoothie

Teatro ZinZanni - The Ultimate in Dining Experience

When we think of splurging a fortune on food, lights and dazzle, we think of Las Vegas. The spectacular shows and the electrifying atmosphere that this city offers is truly amazing. But what if I tell you that now you can experience these at a place closer to you, and without spending a whole lot of fortune? That will get you interested, right! Welcome to the world of Teatro ZinZanni and prepare to be enchanted! A world where dreams and reality converge, magic and mystery are believable, and all your senses are bound to be satiated in a period of 3-4 hours!! Launched in 1998 by One Reel's Norman Lagill, Teatro ZinZanni now has 2 permanent locations, Seattle's historic Belltown District and the Waterfront location of Pier 39 off Embarcadero in the glittering city of San Francisco. Choose either of these, and you are promised an evening of adventure, sensuality, european cabaret, cirque and excitement, all under a large and gorgeous Belgian "Spiegeltent", and served with a sumptous 5-course meal.

Teatro ZinZanni breaks new artistic territory with a unique and intoxicating blend of interactive theater, spectacle, fine arts and fine dining. Once you enter the tent, it looks like you are attending a family wedding. The soft mood is created by beautifully placed circular tables, adorned with simple tapestry, flowers and flickering candles. The seats are pre-assigned, but you can request to have a table closer to the center of the tent, and right next to the performers. The gourmet-style 5-course Menu(link attached below) keeps changing, but there's plenty to choose from, even for vegetarians or vegans, starting with Appetizers, Soup, Salad, an Entree, followed by the Dessert and a house-special, custom-roasted Caffee Vita! You can inform them in advance about your food allergies and they'll prepare a special meal just for you! Yes, everyone here takes an extra step to make your experience a truly memorable one. Some of the highlights include Baked Ravioli-Filled with Roasted Autumn Vegetables Cashew Basil-Pesto, Roasted Chicken Breast with Pork and Mission Fig Stuffing and desserts like Molten Valrhona Chocolate Cake.

Describing a little about the shows, it's like a bewitching evening of European Cabaret and Cirque, Divas and Madmen, Spectacle and Sensuality combined with Live Music. The Cirque is as splendid as the actual Cirque De Soleil in Las Vegas, and they have the best artists in every field, be it dance, acrobats, comedy or cabaret. We were spellbound by the theatrics, and seriously, I think I've used all the superlatives that I know of and yet nothing can capture the essence of this experience as witnessing it live! It's truly one of the best dining and theater experiences in San Francisco.

And now for the price that you pay for this experience. The general admission costs $104 per person (which includes the show and the gourmet meal), with a little more for Premium Seating and Special Holiday Performances. I think it's a small price to pay for a lifetime experience, and definitely the best way to spend a special occasion. Reservations are strongly recommended, and you can get all other details on their website. I would not recommend taking your kids with you as some of the content may not be suitable for them. Also, it is advisable to attend this on weeknights and non-holiday periods for a better value for your money! It can get really over-priced during the holidays.

Locations:
222 Mercer St,
Seattle (Belltown)
(206)802-0015

Pier 29/Embarcadero
San Francisco
(415)238-2668
Teatro ZinZanni

More Restaurant Reviews

Roasted Cauliflower and Bell Pepper Soup

I think the major reason people flock to the western coasts of California is the beautiful weather that we are blessed with. But looks like mother nature is playing games with this blessing that we have started taking for granted. It's been record lows this winter, and we have to turn on the heater every night! Well, not that I should complain a lot though, because a lot of my friends in the east coast have a way more hard time shovelling their driveways and uncovering their snow-clad cars in the morning, layered themselves in jerseys and overcoats. Anyways, one of the ways I think we can comfort ourselves against the cold is fuel our bodies with something hot, healthy and delicious. Yes, you guessed it right - Soups! Generally when we think about making soups, we go with chosen favorites like tomatoes, pumpkins, mushrooms, chicken or veggies in a creamy broth. But recently I came across a cauliflower soup recipe on Southern Living, and it caught my eye. I had also seen a tomato-bell-pepper soup on Coffee's blog, so I decided to combine the two and make this simple recipe for a rich, healthy and totally comforting Roasted Cauliflower and Bell Pepper Soup!! The best part is right from the time you start roasting the peppers in the oven, your kitchen is filled with a fragrant and soothing aroma. Combine that with cauliflower cooking in sauteed garlic and you have a winner:)

Ingredients
6 large red bell peppers
1 tbspn olive oil
2-3 cloves of garlic - minced
2 tspn salt (adjust to taste)
1/4 tspn cayenne or red chilli powder
1 medium-sized cauliflower - cut into florets
1 tbspn sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice (adjust to taste)
freshly ground pepper
fresh chives - chopped, for garnish
1 tspn cream - for garnish

Method
Turn on the oven with the broiler set to high. Arrange bell peppers skin side up on baking sheet. Broil, watching carefully, until skins are blackened, about 10 minutes. Remove peppers from oven and let them cool. Peel over a bowl to collect juices; set peppers and juices aside.

In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat olive oil on low flame. Add garlic, salt, and cayenne and cook for 2 mins. Add water and cauliflower. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 mins. Add bell peppers with juices and cook, covered, until cauliflower is tender, say 10 more mins. Puree in batches in a blender and add sugar and salt as per your taste. Finally add in the lemon juice and freshly ground black pepper.

Serve the Roasted Bell-Pepper and Cauliflower soup while its hot, garnished with a drizzle of cream and some chives! I so enjoyed this soup last night, my legs folded under me on my couch, watching a series of my favorite show - "Friends"; I didn't even care that it was in the low 40's outside!(and yeah, that's chilly for California weather guys!!)

Palak (Spinach) and Corn Pulao

After baking lots of cookies, I have this strong urge to cook a little healthy and low-calorie diet. And when I think healthy, spinach is always at the top of my list. So, rather than the traditional Palak Paneer, I thought I'd use spinach puree in my Rice to make this delcious and pretty-looking Palak and Corn Pulao. It's basically similar to fried rice, but just with indian flavors instead of asian spices. Vegetable Pulao is traditionally cooked with long-grain basmati rice and you can add your choice of vegetables to it. And to get that balance of crunch with a bit of sweetness, I added the corn kernels. It was very wholesome, and you could add a whole lot of other veggies like brocolli or potatoes, carrots or beet to this pulao. The color is very inviting and fresh-looking, and decked up with tomatoes and fresh coriander, you'll actually feel like you are "eating green"!!

Ingredients
3 cups long grain Basmati rice
1 packet of spinach leaves
1/2 medium sized onion - chopped finely
2 green chillies - diced
1 cup kernel corns - frozen or fresh
3 bay leaves
2 tsp cumin seeds
salt - to taste
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp ghee
3 tsp garam masala or biryani masala
2 tsp turmeric powder
chopped coriander - for garnish
thin tomato wedges - for garnish

Method
Wash the basmati rice under running water for a couple of times to remove the starchy content. Take a rice cooker and cook the rice as you normally would. Just make sure you keep stirring them occasionally. If you are using a stove, take a large crockpot, add 1 tbsp ghee, then add the rice and water and cover it with a lid just partly open to allow the steam to escape; stir in between and cook on medium flame or heat.

While the rice cooks, take a large fryikng pan, add 3 tbsp ghee, cumin seeds and the bay leaves. When they start spluttering, add the green chillies and the chopped onions. Saute till they turn a light golden in color.

Meanwhile, wash the spinach leaves and blend them to make a fine puree. Thaw the kernel corns if you are using the frozen ones by microwaving for 10 seconds.

Now add the puree to the onions and mix well. Add the salt, garam masala powder, turmeric and lemon juice. Cover with a lid and cook for 7-10 mins until it starts bubbling a little. finally add the corn kernels and reduce to low-flame.

Once the rice is almost cooked, add it to the gravy mixture and mix well gently with a spatula. Taste for salt and spices and make necessary additions per your choice. Remove from flame and let the spices and spinach blend with the rice.

Transfer the Spinach and Corn Pulao to a serving dish. Take a firm tomato, cut it into thin wedges, removing the pulp. Chop some fresh cilantro and garnish the pulao with these . Serve hot with Gujarati Kaddhi or Gravies (Malai Kofta Curry )

Similar Recipes:
Lemon and Coconut Rice with Sambhar
Vegetable Fried Rice