Apple and Carrot Shortbread

Aren't we all glad that the summer is now over? For all those months I hardly stepped into the kitchen; couldn't bear to be close to an oven in that heat ( Except the one time I baked for my mom ). I don't think I had cravings for anything other than chilled water! But now with the onset of the rains, things are getting better. I love my masala chai and its a perfect companion for a rainy afternoon. But then I found myself hoping I had some cookies to go with it.

I had bookmarked this recipe a while ago and wondered how apples and carrots would go together. Now I know- they are fantastic together! So with this rich nutty shortbread and the comfort of baking again, I am enjoying the start of monsoon. Hope you are as well :)

Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti

There was this quaint little coffee shop I used to visit a while back. And each time I ordered the same coffee with a nice crunchy biscotti to dunk in it. And every time i took a bite of it, I thought "I have got to learn how to make this!"

 Many different things inspire people to cook. Most often I try something at a restaurant (or a coffee shop in this instance) and immediately want to try it at home and see if I can replicate it. Sometimes I succeed. Sometimes my attempts leave a lot to be desired.

Luckily this was one of the good times (Considering they were just cookies I don't know why I was worried!).  I made chocolate biscotti with pistachios. In case they turned out well, I had planned to gift them to a friend.Well all I can say is, there are not enough left for me to send anymore.... next time sweety!

Granola Bars

You know how some people are always hungry? The ones who eat all their meals on time and are still hungry in between? Need a snack every now and then? No!! Don’t call them greedy! God just made them very hungry… Well, I am not claiming to be one of ‘them’ but this Granola Bar would be super for them! It would be great for a midnight snack or even better to carry around in your purse if you were out for the day. And totally guilt-free!! If you ignore the chocolate chips… and the condensed milk… But in spite of these I rarely eat something this healthy.

I’m not really a fan of ‘healthy food’. I would never choose muesli over a cheese omelette or a juice over a milkshake. Sure, I love salads, but there’d have to be some kind of meat in it to lure me. Lettuce and tomatoes just don’t make me ooh and aah the way a bite of steak would! But I think this bar has surprised me. I did have second thoughts about making them but am glad I did. I’d also like to refer to them now on as Energy Bars! All those nuts and fruits can really save your day when you’re too busy to eat (though I hope that never happens to me!!!).

What I absolutely love about them is their versatility. The possibilities are endless. You can add anything you like… avoid anything you don’t… some people switch the condensed milk for honey. So the recipe is just a general guideline but you just do whatever you feel like along the way :-)

Chocolate Crinkles

The past few days have been good. I can now strike out not one but two of the goodies from my to-do list for the month. After the cupcakes, I was in the mood for something quick again. And of course, considering that cookies are my all time favorites to bake, there was no doubt in my mind about what I would attempt next. So chocolate crinkles it was! Much has already been said about them, so I’m gonna keep it short. I love the look of these gorgeous cookies; the white against the dark rich cookie is really appealing. And I’m sure there’s not one person who does not like these lovely soft crinkles.

Cookies are made of butter and love. ~Norwegian Proverb


  One of the reasons I love to make cookies is the wonderful aroma that envelops my kitchen. (The other reason is that I absolutely love them and can devour them by the dozen!). So with a little free time today, I just couldn’t resist making a batch of my favorite oatmeal cookies. It would also be a healthier option than other fat filled varieties.


But as soon as I started mixing up my batter, my pack of chocolate chips started crying out to me and begged to be added. Now who can refuse chocolate? It would take an inordinate amount of self control for anyone not to add little pieces of heaven to their cookies. I have no self control. Not even an ounce. So there went my attempt to make something remotely healthy which I could eat without guilt!

The recipe was quite a simple one and is originally from here. The minor change I made was that I left out the cinnamon and nuts and put in chocolate chips instead.

Recipe


1 cup Butter

1 cup Sugar

1 cup Brown sugar

2 Eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups All-purpose flour

1 tsp Baking soda

3 cups oats

1 tsp salt

Chocolate chips


Method

1) Cream the butter and sugar. Then add the eggs one at a time. Add vanilla.

2) Mix the dry ingredients in another bowl. Then add to the butter mixture.

3) Chill for an hour in the fridge.

4) Preheat oven to 190 degress C.

5) Bake them for 8-10 mins.

6) Cool on a wire rack.

And voila….

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I don't drown my sorrows; I suffocate them with chocolate chip cookies. ~Author Unknown




The chocolate chip cookie obviously needs no introduction! I attempted them today for the first time. I was slightly worried before making them, if I messed this simple recipe up it would be a little embarrassing. To my relief they turned out just right!! I wish I had added the nuts as the recipe suggested, would have had some more texture and fun. Will do so next time! I used this recipe.