Lemon Crinkle Cookies - Eggless

Hello everyone today I have got you all a very simple yet droolworthy recipe of lemon crinkle cookies. They are just melt in mouth and I am pretty sure that you guys are going to fall in love with them just like me. The cookie dough balls are coated with icing sugar and then baked. They get cracks while baking which give them a very beautiful look, hence called as crinkle cookies.

They are basically a cross between a cake and a cookie as they are quite soft and moist but at the same time have a nice crunch like a cookie. Lemon is a king here as it gives a very delicious kick to the sweet cookies. People do add lemon essence to them but I prefer to add fresh lemon zest and fresh lemon juice, which I find to be sufficient enough. Cherry on the cake, its an eggless version with no changes in the taste. You can always add some cardamom powder too but I feel like keeping it Just Lemony :))))

So let's quickly run through the ingredients following the method.

Step by step Video Link : 

 
Ingredients :

• All purpose flour or Maida : 1 cup
• Sugar : 1/2 cup
• Unsalted Butter : 70 gms
• Baking Powder : 1 tsp
• Salt : 1/4 tsp
• Fresh Lime juice : 1 1/2 tbsps + 1/2 tsp
• Lemon zest : 1/2 tbsp
• Milk : 1/4 cup
• Powdered sugar : 1/4 cup
• Yellow food colour : few drops (completely optional)

Method :

• Make the buttermilk : Mix milk (at room temperature) and 1/2 tsp of lime juice, keep aside for 5-7 minutes. You will see that it has curdled a little that means your buttermilk is ready.
• Now in a mixing bowl add in the butter and sugar, beat well unless light and fluffy. Then add lemon juice (1 1/2 tbsps), buttermilk and lemon zest, beat again and mix well. 
• In another bowl mix in the dry ingredients - flour, salt, baking powder.
• Fold in the dry mixture into the wet mixture and try to make a dough. The dough will be very soft as shown in the video. If you feel like its too liquidy then add a couple of tbsps of dry flour (but not more than that), this won't effect the texture. 
• Now keep the dough into the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes. This will make the dough a bit workable. 
• Divide the dough into equal portions, I used a ice cream scooper to make them of equal size. Roll in between your palms to make them smooth and finally coat them powdered sugar. Keep the balls in the refrigerator again for 10 minutes and recoat them with powdered sugar. 
• Bake them in a preheated oven at 180°C for 12-15 minutes depending on the oven. Mine were done in exactly 13 minutes. 
• Let them sit on the baking tray for 10 minutes and then transfer them on to a cooling rack. Let them completely cool and store in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

Please do share your experiences and feedback with me in the below section of comments or on my Facebook page. I too have a You Tube channel please do visit for all the video recipes. All the links mentioned below :) 

YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/user/cookwithpriyanka

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/cookwithpriyanka

Thanks and Happy baking
Priyanka :)

 

Vegetable Lasagna from scratch

Hello everyone, today I have got you all a recipe of Vegetable Lasagna. Its super cheesy and delicious. There are various recipes of lasagna, but I am making this since a long time. Also I found many recipes to be a little bland but I add a little spicy touch to it with chili flakes. Also there is no particular rule for adding the veggies, usually I like the combination of mushrooms and spinach, hence that's on my mind everytime ;)

Usually people think that its a bit difficult recipe, I would say a big NO. It might be a little lengthy but at the same time its super easy and the best part is that you can finish upto the layering part, freeze it and bake it when required. So without wasting any of the time lets quickly run through the ingredients following the method.

Video Link :

Preparing the red sauce :
Ingredients :

• Canned tomatoes : 600 gms (If taking fresh tomatoes, then take 6-7 large tomatoes, blanch and chop)
• Chopped Garlic : 1 tbsp
• Dried talian herbs : 2 tsps
• Chili flakes : 1 tsp (adjust as per the taste)
• Salt : 1 tsp (as per the taste)
• Sugar : 1 tbsp
• Black pepper : 1/2 tsp
• Olive oil : 1 tbsp

Method :

Heat oil in a pan, add chopped garlic and saute. Once done add tomatoes and all the other spices and herbs including sugar. Simmer it for 10-15 minutes or unless it becomes a little thick (as shown in the video)

Preparing the white sauce :

Ingredients :

• Butter : 1 tbsp
• All purpose flour/Plain flour/Maida : 1 tbsp
• Full fat Milk : 1 cup
• Olive oil : 1 tsp
• Salt : 1 tsp (as per the taste)
• Black or white pepper : 1 tsp
• Cheese : 3/4 cup (I used cheddar, you can use any)
• Italian herbs : 1 tsp (totally optional)

Method :

Heat oil and butter in a pan, add flour and roast it unless you get a nice aroma and a little golden colour. Slowly add in the milk and continuously whisk it, so that no lumps are formed. Once nicely mixed, boil it. As soon as it starts thickening up add in the cheese, pepper, salt and herbs (If adding)
If you get lumps in your sauce, no need to worry just pass it through a sieve and it will be fine. Cook it unless you get a desired consistency. 

Make sure you don't thick it up a lot, as it has a tendency to get more thicken up once cooled.

Roasting the vegetables :

Ingredients :

• Mushrooms : 1 cup
• Spinach : 2 cups
• Bell peppers : 1 cup
• Onions : 3/4 cup
• Broccoli : 1/2 cup
• Chopped garlic : 1 tbsp
• Chili flakes : 1 tsp (adjust as per the taste)
• Dried basil : 1 tsp (You can use fresh even)
• Salt : as per the taste
• Oil - 1 tbsp

Method :

Heat oil in a pan, add in garlic and saute. Once done, add in the onions and saute until translucent. Then add in the rest of the veggies - mushrooms, spinach, bell peppers and broccoli (I used frozen broccoli hence added in the end but if you are using fresh, just add in with the rest veggies).

Also add in the chili flakes, basil and salt. Mix everything and let it cook unless all the moisture dries out.

Layering :

• Ingredients :
• Both the prepared sauces
• Roasted Veggies
• Lasagna sheets/Pasta sheets : I used precooked pasta sheets. If you don't get them, just use the normal sheets, boil them as per the instructions on the package and keep aside. 
• Cheese: 250 gms of cheddar cheese and 150 gms of mozzarella (Adjust the quantity)

Method:

For layering, take a pan and grease with some oil (I used porcelain 9"x 6" dish, you can use cake tin also)

Pour in a little red sauce and spread, then layer the pasta sheets tightly (as shown in the video)

Spread some roasted veggies and spread. Then pour in some white sauce and again spread. Finally spread in some cheese. Repeat the layering process thrice.

Baking :

Once done with the layering, cover the pan with an aluminum foil and bake it in a preheated oven at 180°C for first 20 minutes, then take out the aluminum foil and again bake for 15 minutes. If you want your cheese to be a little brown just broil it for 1 minute at 230°C (Pleas don't move away during broiling)

Once done, let it cool for 15 minutes and then cut a slice and Enjoy!

Please do share your experiences and feedback with me in the below section of comments or on my Facebook page. I too have a You Tube channel please do visit for all the video recipes. All the links mentioned below :) 

YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/user/cookwithpriyanka

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/cookwithpriyanka

Thanks and Happy Baking 

Priyanka :)

Garlicky Mushroom fried rice

Hello everyone, today I have got you all a recipe of Garlicky Mushroom fried rice. A super duper easy and adaptable recipe. No compulsion with the veggies, you can always put up the recipes of your own choice. A very good option to use the leftover rice and a perfect meal for kids lunch box too. As far as the flavours are concerned, garlic and mushrooms goes very well together, so lets quickly run through the ingredients following the method :)

Video Link :

Ingredients :

• Rice - 1 cup (boiled & cooled)
• Mushrooms : 1 & 1/2 cups (chopped)
• Onions : 1 medium (chopped)
• Garlic : 1 tbsp (chopped)
• Carrots :  1/4 cup (chopped)
• Coloured Bell peppers : 1/4 cup (chopped)
• Cooked Corns: 2-3 tbsps
• Black pepper : 1 tsp
• Chili flakes : 1 tsp (optional)
• Salt : as per the taste
• Spring Onions : A handful
• Oil : 1 & 1/2 tbsps
• Tomato ketchup : 1 tbsp
• Dark Soya sauce : a dash
• White vinegar : 1 tsp

Method :

• Heat oil in a pan, add garlic, brown it a bit and then add onions. After a minute add carrots and saute it for couple of minutes.
• Now add Mushrooms, bell peppers and corns. Mix well and also add seasoning (black pepper, chili flakes & salt), cook it for another couple of minutes or unless the mushroom's moisture dries out.
• Once done, add rice and lightly mix. Add ketchup, soya sauce and vinegar, mix well and its ready :)

Enjoy!

Note :

• Try to prepare the rice a day before and then use it. In this way the rice won't stick neither it will brake.
• You can make it with the veggies of your own choice.

Please do share your experiences and feedback with me in the below section of comments or on my Facebook page. I too have a You Tube channel please do visit for all the video recipes. All the links mentioned below :)
YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/user/cookwithpriyanka

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/cookwithpriyanka

Thanks and Enjoy cooking
Priyanka :)

 

Mango Kalakand (Quick recipe)

Hello everyone, Rakshabandhan is round the corner, so lets prepare some homemade sweets for our brothers and take lot many gifts from them :)))) 

Kalakand is a very well know sweet by all of us. If we are going to follow the authentic recipe, it will take lots of time, but I have got you all a very easy, simple and quick recipe. I have flavoured it with mangoes and hence it will be Mango Kalakand. You can flavour it with only Cardamom or Kesar or may be strawberries or why not pineapple? Various options for you, only the basic recipe will be same. So lets quickly run through the ingredients following the method :)

Video Link :

Ingredients :

• Mango Pulp : 1 cup
• Condensed milk : 150 ml (Click here for homemade condensed milk recipe)
• Fresh Paneer : 1/2 cup crumbled (Click here for Homemade paneer recipe)
• Green Cardamom Powder : 1/4 tsp
• Ghee/butter/oil : 1 tbsp (To grease)
• Chopped Pistachios : to garnish

Method :

• In a heavy bottom pan heat mango pulp for a 3-4 minutes. Once started reducing, add condensed milk and paneer and mix well. 
• Cook it unless the water content is reduced and it starts leaving sides of the pan. Please refer video for the perfect consistency.
• Once done, add cardamom powder, mix and take it out on a greased plate or a board.
• Try to form a 1/2" log, apply the pistachios and let it completely cool.
• Once cooled, cut it into desired shape and serve :)

Enjoy and have fun :)
Happy Rakshabandhan

 

Please do share your experiences and feedback with me in the below section of comments or on my Facebook page. I too have a You Tube channel please do visit for all the video recipes. All the links mentioned below :) 

YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/user/cookwithpriyanka

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/cookwithpriyanka

Thanks and Enjoy cooking
Priyanka :)