the brown eyed bookie ,

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Witches Finger Cookies - ShortBread Cookies - Just 3 Ingredients

I am trying to do some Halloween goodies, as because this year Anush started learning more about halloween and the fun things to do during this day, and the second season is that this is my first year hosting the Halloween event at my space....HERE (Oct 5th to Nov 5th). So in my previous post I tried "Cocoa Cake with Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cinnamon Frosting" and this would be the second recipe.

I decided to do these witches finger cookies because it is easy and scary, rest of them seems to involve more artificial food colors and sugary frosting which I would not prefer much and more over I feel it's bit more decorative work to do, for which I am not at all ready on a weekday.

Anyways, this recipe for the shortbread cookies is very simple and extremely easy with just 3 main ingredients and addition of nuts is an advantage.

Method:

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1. In a mixing bowl cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer.

2. Add coconut extract and all purpose flour and mix it with hand to make a ball of dough.

3. Divide it into 12 equal parts, shape it like a finger, pressing in between twice to form the knuckles.

4. Place each finger shaped cookies on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicon baking sheet.

5. Now with a tooth pick draw lines to get the wrinkles in fingers.

6. Brush the top of the knuckles with cocoa powder.
7. Press each almond at the top of the cookie fingers to form the nails.

8. Cover these cookies with a cling wrap, make sure it is not pressed and refrigerate it for about 30 mins.

9. Preheat oven to 350F.

10. Bake these cookie for about 10 to 12 mins or until just a slight brown.

11. Arrange these cookies according to your table Halloween party setting and enjoy.

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Puli Kaichal / Home made Puliyogare / Tamarind Rice | Indian Rice Recipes

Puli Kaichal meaning "boiled tamarind" is one of the ready to eat rice mixes. Puliogare/Puliodharai is known for its long shelf life and is a perfect food for packing during travel. This is DH's favorite and since MIL is here she has been making it quite often. Actually she has been making a lot of her son's favorites.. talk about 'pampering' :). This time I managed some time to click few

Friday, October 26, 2012

Kitchen Basics

I grew up in a family that rarely ate out. In some ways, it was dumb luck. My parents wanted dishes from the old country so the only option was to do-it-yourself. The rhythms of the kitchen – the tuck, tuck of steel on wood, snap of hot oil, gush of water – perpetually played in the background and I soaked it all up.

I moved in and out of many apartments once I left home. Most of the kitchens were tiny and outdated, but they grounded and delighted me and on the worst days offered the comfort of a protective womb. Thanks to my mom’s example, I rejected the silly notion that cooking was costly and burdensome. I ate more happily and healthfully than most people I knew.

For me, cooking has always been critical to self-care. It allows me to avoid monstrous portions. I control the fat, the oil, the salt. But that’s not the real reason I spend so much time in the kitchen. I cook because I want to indulge in the flavors of seasonal produce and other fine ingredients every day. As a singleton, I have never bought into the idea that cooking for one is a waste of time.

I’ve learned through my classes (and the longing looks I get when toting baked good on public transportation), that fewer and fewer people know how to chop vegetables, cream butter, and peel shrimp. I have experienced the joy of cooking for so many years and the realization pains me.

A year ago, I approached an editor at Whole Foods Cooking with the idea of writing a column on basic cooking techniques with illustrative photographs. She bit and we began a very fulfilling collaboration to coax people back into the kitchen. Below I’ve compiled links to all of the entries to date to share with readers at Cardamom Kitchen.

FRUIT