7 layer magic bars / cookies

This is one of the most popular and old fashioned american desserts. I tasted it for the very first time last year at halloween. I had taken my little one for a halloween experience at a "haunted house" place.... with my friends. The Dousman Stagecoach Inn museum was a spookily decorated little house with a fortune teller.... and the kids really enjoyed the visit. The package included some treats for the kids and that's when i came across these magical bars. I couldn't help putting 3/4 pieces in my mouth...and they were absolutely delicious. 

The old lady who made these gladly shared the recipe. It's really simple -- layer 7 ingredients one after the other and bake..... :) 

I have come to know many shortcuts and quick fix meals in USA... and this is one of the best desserts you can make which is a hit for any get together or party. People can't stop eating it ...it's bite sized and heavenly..... I made it 3-4 times and the last week, I made it for my friends' baby shower. 

Ingredients:

• Condensed milk 1 can (14oz/396 gms)
  
• Graham crackers crushed to powder -- 1 and half cups
• Unsalted butter -- 1/2 cup (melted)
• Walnuts -- 1 cup (broken to small pieces)
• Dried flaked coconut -- 1 and 1/3 cup
• Dark chocolate chips -- 1 cup
• Butterscotch chips -- 1 cup

Recipe:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees f.
• Line a 13 by 9 inch glass pan with parchment paper or aluminium foil.
• Melt the butter in the microwave.
• Grind the graham crackers in a food processor.

• Mix the melted butter with the graham cracker powder.

• Press down the graham cracker and butter mix firmly on the bottom of the pan.

• Pour condensed milk over the graham cracker crust.

• Spread the chocolate chips and the butterscotch chips over the condensed milk.

• Add walnuts.

• Finally, spread the coconut.

• Press everything down with a spatula.

• Bake in a pre heated oven for 30 minutes.
• Let it cool for about 10-15 minutes, then chill it in the refrigerator.
• Pull out the parchment paper, and lay it flat on a cutting board. 
• Cut into squares. 

Quantity:

• This recipe makes around 24 pieces about 1 and half inch size.

Notes:

• You can change the order of the layers ...with coconut in the middle ...and pour condensed milk in the end.
• You can use other nuts like pistachio, almonds etc.
• You can use white or milk chocolate chips or mini marshmallows.

Tofu coconut noodles

I have been missing Asian food here. Authentic Japanese, Chinese or Thai restaurants...especially thai..... and also thai ingredients..... Things like lemon grass, lime leaves, galangal and basil leaves. Last week, I came to know that my friend Ruchi has a "basil" potted plant at home. She offered the use of her plant and leaves....at my disposal..and as I was craving for some thai inspired meal.... I cooked these noodles....with the ingredients, I found here...

Ingredients:

• 400 gms angel hair or regular spaghetti noodles ( fresh or dried egg noodles would be nice)
• 300 grams of extra firm tofu
  
• green capsicum -- 1 medium sized
• red onion --1 medium sized
• carrot -- 1 medium sized
• frozen corn -- 1/2 cup
• garlic -- 6 cloves
• ginger -- 1 inch piece
• coconut milk -- 1/4 cup
• green chili -- 2-3 according to taste
• oil -- 1 tbsp
• soya sauce -- 1 to 2 tbsp
• spring onion  -- 2 
• basil leaves -- 7 to 8 leaves
• salt and pepper to taste

Recipe:

• Remove tofu from the package and put it in 2-3 paper towels so as to drain the water. Keep aside.
• Boil spaghetti or egg noodles according to the package directions. Drain and wash with cold water and keep aside.
• Chop the onion, capsicum and carrot to long pieces. Grate the ginger and garlic. Chop chilies. Defrost the corn. Keep aside.
• Heat oil, add onion. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes. Then add capsicum, carrot. Stir-fry till it is soft and cooked another 2-3 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic and chilies.

• Add frozen corn, mix well. Add soy sauce and season with salt and pepper.

• Chop tofu to half inch cubes. Add to the vegetable mix. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.

• Add the boiled spaghetti/noodles and mix everything well. Keep the heat medium high.

• Add coconut milk and chopped basil leaves and turn off the heat. Mix.

• Add more salt, pepper and soy sauce if required.
• Garnish with chopped spring onion.

• Serve hot off the pan.

Quantity:

• 3-4 servings

Notes:

• I have used italian dried spaghetti noodles. You can use asian egg or rice noodles.
• You can also use buckwheat/soba noodles or glass rice noodles.
• You can add different vegetables like mushrooms, beans or cabbage.... or even chicken or shrimp.
• You can add fish sauce, about a tbsp along with the soy sauce.

Coconut and rava ladoo

The Indian festival season has begun....! Starting with Navratri in October, Diwali in November and Christmas in December. A season to cook with sugar.... :) I started the celebrations, my style.... with my girlfriends partying in Clarkquay..... three of us have birthdays this month....so that makes it a good start of the festive season. These laddoos (sweet round balls made with semolina, coconut and spices) are a big favorite of my little one, and he has been demanding that I make them. It's quite simple and quick to make them, as compared to other Indian sweets and I usually make them first in Diwali.  There are many recipes, I have tried different recipes and settled on this one for last few years. It's quite quick to make, so start to finish....maybe an hour :)... shorter..if u are fast at handling hot, laddoo mix. I have given the exact measurements, but you can increase or decrease the measures of the ghee(fat) and sugar according to your preferences. 

That comment is a note to myself :) 

Ingredients:

• sooji/semolina/rava about 350-400 gms
  
• sugar 250 gms
• freshly grated coconut 250 gms
• ghee 3 tbsps
• green cardamom 7 (crushed)
• nutmeg (about 1/2 tsp grated)
• nuts(cashew nut/pistachio/almonds chopped) and raisins (about 2 tbsps each) and a pinch of saffron to garnish (optional)

Recipe:

• Heat ghee in a thick bottomed or a non stick pan. (I usually keep a separate pan for cooking sweets/desserts/milk based desserts)
• Add the nuts and raisins and stir fry them in ghee. Take them out with a slotted spoon and keep them aside. (I omitted this step, as I didn't use any nuts)

• Measure the semolina. I have made it with 350 gms and with 400 gms, both turn out to be fine. Also measure the coconut and sugar and keep it ready.

• Add the semolina to the heated ghee. 

• Stir fry the semolina on moderate heat for 5-7 minutes. Keep stirring continuously, so that it doesn't burn in pockets. 

• Once, it changes color a shade darker..and appears roasted, add coconut. 

• Keep stirring the mixture for another 3-4 minutes, after adding coconut.

• Add sugar, mix into the mixture well. Keep stirring, for 3-4 minutes and you will see that the mixture starts coming together in clumps. 
• Add the stir fried nuts and raisins and mix well. (Didn't follow this step)

• Add the powdered cardamom and grated nutmeg and stir it well in the mixture.

• Turn of the heat, and keep it aside to cool for 5 minutes or so. 

• Once the mixture is cool to handle, but still warm enough, take about a tbsp of mixture in your hands. 
• Press and roll/shape the mixture to a ball about 1 inch in diameter.

• Roll out the rest of the mixture in balls.
• Garnish with saffron strands. (optional)

Quantity:

• Makes 28-30 laddoos

Notes:

• You can increase the amount of ghee or sugar according to your preference.
• The amount I have used makes moderately sweet laddoos.
• You can use dry desiccated coconut, instead of fresh coconut. In this case, the mixture will not come together, in clumps after adding sugar. After adding sugar, stir-fry for 3-4 minutes and then add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of evaporated milk or even regular milk, a tablespoon at a time. That will bind the mixture to balls.