It’s Summer! The temperature is at its peak and in places like my hometown Kerala, the heat is unbearable. I was on vacation a few months ago and although it was way cooler, I struggled to survive. The drastic climate change in the recent years, recurring heat waves, lack of rains, sun burns, etc. take a toll on you and the foremost thing you need to keep yourself healthy is to stay hydrated. How better can it be than this wonderful granita recipe to cope up the heat, the perfect summer refreshment!!!

So, let’s talk about Granita!!

Granita is a semi frozen dessert made from fruit puree, sugar and other flavoring agents. The consistency is similar to shaved ice but with a coarse crystalline texture. Sorbet comes pretty close to a granita in terms of taste, but has a texture which is creamy and is made by a different freezing and churning process.

So how do you make a granita? The recipe is super simple with only three ingredients:

• A fruit puree – which acts the base. Use any fruits like watermelon, berry, mango, orange, cantaloupe, peaches… the options are endless.
• Sugar – you may add granulated sugar or honey for sweetness, although it is completely optional.
• Flavoring agents – like lime juice, lime zest, herbs, or even a dash of alcohol for that extra zing.

Blend all the ingredients together and freeze. The key to transform this frozen puree into a granita is the step which comes next; 3 to 4 rounds of scraping, shaving, and freezing until its turns into a crystalline granular texture.

Serve granita as-is by scraping it into your serving/dessert glasses, or top with whipped cream to make it extra fancy.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

Interested in more Watermelon recipes? Check out this refreshing cooler Watermelon Cucumber Agua Fresca 

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Watermelon Lime Granita

A Light n Refreshing Watermelon Lime Granita… just three ingredients
and you have a Perfect Summer Dessert to keep you Cool…!!!

Course Dessert, Drinks

Cuisine Italian

Keyword granita, watermelon lime granita

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes minutes

Freeze time 5 hours hours

Servings 5

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 4-5 cups of watermelon (cubed)
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup water
• Grated lime zest from 1 lime
• Mint leaves (to garnish)

Instructions

• Puree watermelon along with lime juice and then strain to remove the seeds. Pour the strained puree into a 9*13 inch baking pan or any freezer safe container.
• In a separate pan, combine sugar with water and lime zest. Stir on a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Turn off the flame and allow it to cool.
• Pour the cooled lime syrup into the watermelon puree, and stir to mix it well.
• Freeze for 30 minutes (uncovered). Once it starts to set along the edges, scrape using a fork to break the ice into tiny crystals, and freeze again. Repeat this process at 30-minute intervals for the next 3-5 hrs or until it has formed a shaved ice consistency.
• Keep it frozen until ready to serve. Serve by scraping into the serving glass and top with mint leaves.

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Hey Hellooo… It’s Spring already and I’m all set to welcome the Summer party anytime now! My cocktail glasses are out, spirits lined up, and there you go… Hands down to one of my favorite cocktail drinks; an Orange Lime Crush – Citrusy, Boozy, n Fizzy! I bet for the extreme heat now back home in Kerala(my hometown), this drink would be a best-seller!!

I personally prefer freshly squeezed orange juice over store bought ones, but either ways work for this drink. Although my recipe calls for a spoonful of sugar, you might want to check the sweetness before adding any, especially when using store bought juices as they tend to be sweet already.

If you are not big into cocktails, then do check out my Refreshing Orange Mint Mocktail for which I have received rave reviews and is an all-time favorite!

Cheers!!!!

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Orange Crush

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Keyword cocktails, orange crush

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 2 oz vodka
• 3 oz orange juice (pref. freshly squeezed)
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1 oz triple sec / orange liqueur
• 1 tbsp sugar
• Ice cubes
• Club soda / carbonated water

Instructions

• Add vodka, triple sec, lime juice, orange juice, and sugar to a cocktail shaker and shake to mix well.
• Into a glass filled with ice cubes, pour the mix and top-up with club soda.
• Garnish with orange slices, Enjoy!

Notes

1. Try out this recipe with a berry flavored club soda to top up, an excellent variant which I love.

The post Orange Crush appeared first on Pepper Delight.

I just can’t believe that summer is almost over! The summertime produces in stores will soon get replaced with that of Fall. Pumpkins, apples, & figs would start popping up every nook and corner… Well, in a way that is the beauty of every season. Time flies fast and somehow I feel that I have not had enough of this summer yet, loving this weather so much.

So, before fall arrives let me share one of my favorite drinks which uses a summer fruit as its main ingredient… Peach! The end of August is perhaps the best season for Peaches, they are so ripe, juicy and the aroma makes you want to scream for peach inspired desserts and drinks. Well, then how about a margarita with peach? Yeeppp, that’s a winner!

I’ve always loved a classic margarita, but this peach version takes it to the next level. It’s fruity flavours along with a hint of lime is so refreshing and perfect to beat the summer heat. All you need to do for this recipe is to puree fresh peaches and mix with tequila and triple sec. That’s it & You’re done – in less than 10 minutes!

This drink has a slightly thick consistency quite similar to that of a frozen margarita, but if you want it to be perfectly smooth, then strain the peach juice after pureeing.

Cheers!!!!

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Peach Margarita

Fruity, Sweet and Refreshing… Peach Margarita. A Perfect Companion to Beat the Heat and enjoy the rest of your Summer!!!

Course Drinks

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword cocktails, margarita, peach

Prep Time 7 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 2 peaches
• 2 oz tequila
• 2 oz triple sec
• 3-4 tsp sugar
• Juice of half a lime
• Ice cubes
• Sea salt (optional, to rim the glass)
• Peach slice and lime wedge (for garnish)

Instructions

• Peal, slice and pit the peaches, and then puree in a blender with sugar and lime juice. You can add sugar according to your sweetness.
• Rub a lime wedge around the rim of each glass and dip in the salt. Set aside while you prepare the drink.
• Combine the peach puree with tequila and triple sec, stir to combine.
• Add ice cubes into the prepared glasses and pour the drink. Garnish with peach slices and lime wedges.
• Enjoy, Cheers!

The post Peach Margarita appeared first on Pepper Delight.

I know I have been preaching Tandoori recipes a lot lately! In fact my recent Tandoori Salmon recipe post turned out be such a hit among my family and friends circle, that I have become pretty obsessed with it. So, as I was finalizing my menu for this year’s thanksgiving holidays, I thought of doing an Indian version with all the masala flavours and aromas to rekindle my vacation memories back home. I did not do a turkey this year, as chicken being a perfect replacement for small family gatherings, suited mine as well.

So how do you like your chicken cooked; with a crispy skin or both charred and crispy? Well I always prefer the latter, and for sure when it’s with a tandoori marinade. Tandoori dishes have to be charred on the surface, as that tells that it has been cooked thoroughly in the clay oven. And no matter how burned the skins looks, the inside is soo moist n juicy. And when paired with mint chutney, it’s a match made in heaven!!

The secret to a moist chicken is the overnight marination in buttermilk. Buttermilk tenderizes the chicken and makes the meat soft and moist. So, plan your Thanksgiving cooking accordingly, with the prep a day in advance.

There is no better combination than Mint Cilantro Chutney for any tandoori dishes. It’s fresh n minty flavours perfectly blends with the smoky juicy textures, you can also serve with Saffron Rice, Naan/ Roti, and a yogurt salad for a full-fledged feast…

Enjoy!

Happy Cooking n Happy Thanksgiving!!!

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Tandoori Whole Chicken Roast

Juicy and Succulent Whole Roasted Chicken… Spiced in a Tandoori Masala & Served with a Mint Chutney…! Happy Thanksgiving…!!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Keyword tandoori chicken, whole chicken roast

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 12 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 32 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken
• 2 tbsp oil

For the Tandoori Marinade

• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp red chili powder
• ½ tsp black pepper powder
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (crushed)
• ⅓ cup yogurt
• Juice of a half lemon
• Salt (as required)

For the Stuffing

• 1 lemon (make small slits on lemon)
• ½ inch sized ginger
• 2 garlic cloves

For the Mint Cilantro Chutney

• 1 handful of cilantro leaves
• 1 handful of mint leaves
• Juice of half lime
• 2 tbsp yogurt
• 1 small onion/1 tbsp chopped onion
• 1 garlic
• Salt (as required)

Instructions

For the Tandoori Chicken

• Take the whole chicken and remove its giblets and pin feathers, clean inside out and pat dry with paper towels.
• Prepare the marinade by mixing all the ingredients of the Tandoori Marinade listed above, in a small bowl.
• Reserve a fourth of the marinade for basting later, and rub the rest generously over the chicken, inside its cavities, and gently under the loose skin.
• Refrigerate the chicken and the reserved marinade overnight, preferably 24 hrs.
• Before cooking the next day, take both out from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for at least half an hour.
• Preheat oven to 425 degree F.
• Stuff the chicken cavity with lemon, ginger and garlic. Tie the legs together with a kitchen twine, and tuck the wings behind by lifting the tips up and over the back.
• Place the chicken breast-side up on the a roasting pan/iron skillet greased with cooking spray.
• Bake for an hour and 12 minutes in total, basting it at 15 minutes intervals with the reserved marinade and dripping sauce from the chicken. Drizzle oil over the chicken after half an hour.
• Towards the end of the cook, check the skin for its browning/charring and measure the internal temperature of the chicken to reach 165 degree F.
• Remove from the oven and allow it to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
• Dispose the stuffed ginger and garlic from cavity; squeeze the lemon (stuffed inside the cavity) over the chicken before serving.
• Serve with Rice, Naan/Roti, Mint Cilantro Chutney, & Salad.

For the Mint Cilantro Chutney

• Blend all ingredients until smooth. Add salt as needed.

Notes

1. You can also prepare this recipe with a store bought tandoori masala from your local Indian/Asian grocery store/World Market, or prepare it at home yourself as per the instructions above.

2. Vary the amount of red chili powder and black pepper powder used in the tandoori marinade to suit your spice levels.

3. The garam masala I have used in my recipe has been bought from an Indian store (Sakthi garam masala). You can also use a homemade masala which is preferable.

The post Tandoori Whole Chicken Roast appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Winter has started to kick in with the weather getting chillier day by day, and Thanksgiving is right around the corner! Black Friday deals are already out, everyone is busy planning their holidays, and how are your preparations coming along? Did you give a thought about all the delicious dishes you plan to put up for this year’s Thanksgiving feast? I have started mine! So stay tuned for my upcoming posts will all my favorite Thanksgiving dishes. And to keep the ball rolling, here is a wonderful cocktail recipe… with family and friends coming over, you certainly need a drink to start off your party. I know limoncello is not a winter drink, but this Lemony Flavored Blueberry Cocktail is definitely a crowd pleaser!

This is my first attempt with a limoncello. I did some research to know more about this drink, and came across many interesting articles about the history and preparation of limoncello. This popular Italian lemon liqueur is made from the infusion of lemon peel in alcohol. It is kept covered for weeks, then strained and mixed with simple syrup, creating this yellow neon colored drink which is then served chilled. Being rich in lemon, the combination of limoncello with fruity flavors and other beverages gave rise to many wonderful cocktails, which are tangy, fruity and delicious.

Limoncello with blueberry juice gives you the right balance of sweetness n tartness. Give it a touch of fizzy soda and there you go! Its fun, festive, and refreshing, making it perfect for your parties and impressing your guests alike…

Enjoy…!

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Blueberry Limoncello Cocktail

Jazz up your Thanksgiving Party with this Vibrant and Festive Limoncello Blueberry Cocktail…!  

Course Drinks

Cuisine Italian

Keyword blueberry, cocktail, limoncello

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 2 oz limoncello
• 1 oz blueberry juice
• 5 oz lemonade
• ½ oz soda water
• Ice cubes

Instructions

• Fill a cocktail shaker with ice cubes and pour limoncello, blueberry juice, and lemonade. Place it’s cap on and shake well.
• Pour to a serving glass and top with soda. Enjoy!

The post Blueberry Limoncello Cocktail appeared first on Pepper Delight.

*** Recipe updated on 9/5/2021 with new pictures ***

It’s Pretty outside! Beautiful Fall colors everywhere… Red, Orange, and Yellow; Leaves on the roads, gardens, and some still hanging onto their trees… on their last lap of their journey. It has also started to get cold with the temperature dipping in the evenings. This is my favorite time of the year; relieved that I am through with the peak summers and still weeks away from the harsh winters. The winds and the sudden chills are a bit of a surprise as I’m still in the summer hangover, so something warm and cozy is what I need now. And I can’t ask for anything better than a bowl of hot soup to prep me for this weather. Nothing fancy, just a bowl of classic tomato soup, enough to fill your cravings and warm up you spirits! It’s Rich, Creamy and Tangy, and the freshness of the basil gives it a wonderful balance of flavor!!

Talking about the soups I grew up having, tomato soup was one of the most common versions available everywhere, and then the famous “spicy hot and sour soup” served along with Chinese dishes at restaurants. None of them were creamy, infact I do not remember eating any creamy ones until I moved to the US.  Once I started travelling and exploring, I got to know the many different creamy soups ranging from veg to non-veg versions. The taste initially was quite different for my palate, but over the time I started loving it.

This soup is a no brainer recipe and the key to its preparation is the tomatoes. The riper the tomatoes, the better the soup. Make sure you roast them to perfection, until they are soft and slightly charred, this adds up to the flavour. Ensure not to burn them. You can also use canned – fire roasted tomatoes if you cannot find fresh ripe ones. Puree the tomatoes, saute with garlic, add stock, and simmer. Top with herbs n cream, and your soup is ready!

Enjoy this bowl of delicious hot soup with croutons or grilled cheese sandwiches. Serve them as appetizers for your party or as lunch or dinner.

Interested in other soup recipes? Check these out:

1. Roasted Butternut Squash Soup 
2. Chicken Cilantro Detox Soup
3. Creamy Mushroom Soup
4. Chicken Ramen Noodle Soup

Happy Cooking!!!

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Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup

Cozy, Hearty n Satisfying… a Creamy Roasted Tomato Basil Soup…! Perfect to Welcome Fall & the chilly days ahead…

Course Appetizer, Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword roasted tomato, soup, tomato soup

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 6-7 large ripe tomatoes
• 1 onion (roughly chopped)
• 6 garlic cloves (minced)
• 4 cups (32oz. ) low sodium vegetable stock
• 4 tbsp milk cream
• Olive oil (as required)
• 1 tsp oregano
• Salt and Pepper (as required)
• Fresh basil (garnish)
• Croutons (toppings)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425 degree F.
• Cut the tomatoes into half and spread tomatoes and onion onto a baking pan. Drizzle olive oil generously and season with salt and pepper.
• Place the pan in the oven and bake for 30- 35 minutes until the tomato slices turn soft and charred on the surface. Remove from the oven and allow it cool for 10 minutes.
• Once cooled, puree it in a high speed blender or an immersion blender. Keep aside.
• Into a large pot, pour a little olive oil and heat on a medium flame. Add minced garlic and saute until it turns fragrant.
• Add the pureed tomatoes, vegetable broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to low, add oregano and simmer for 15-20 minutes uncovered.
• Turn off the flame, add fresh cream and top with fresh basil leaves.
• Your soup is ready, serve hot with a drizzle of olive oil, garnish with more basil and croutons. You can also serve grilled cheese as a side.

The post Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Tandoori dishes are an Indian Delicacy. They are spicy, smoky, packed with a mix of versatile spices & cooked to perfection, making them always a Winner Dish!! The word “tandoori” is not the name of any dish; it’s in fact a method of cooking. Tandoori refers to traditional Indian style baking/cooking in a tandoor oven, which is a cylindrical shaped clay oven, fired with charcoal or wood and can reach temperatures up to 600 degree F.

The marinade for a tandoori masala is a mix of different spices including garam masala, along with yogurt and lemon juice. The main meat/protein ingredient should be marinated in it for a few hours to absorb the flavors and tenderize. It is then cooked vertically using skewers in a tandoor or horizontally on a grill. The fat and juices from the meat drip onto the hot coal creating a smoky environment perfect for a tandoori recipe. The cooked dish would have a charred coating, but the meat inside would be tender with a distinct aroma from the smoked spices. Tandoori recipes are considered as one of the healthiest foods as it is fat free. Originally, tandoori dishes were a delicacy found only in the royal kitchens with varieties like in naan, chicken, lamb, fish, paneer and vegetables. Down the years it started trickling to restaurants and onto the streets, in fact tandoori dishes gained its widespread popularity through street food stalls, night markets, bazaars, and dhabas. It has also gained immense popularity throughout the world and is a well sought-after dish in Indian restaurants globally.

Having a traditional clay oven at home is not easy, but you can still cook a wonderful tandoori dish in a conventional oven using the right spices and grilling/broiling methods. For this recipe, the Salmon is marinated in a homemade masala and is kept for a few hours (overnight preferably), cooked on both sides and finally broiled until it is charred and smoked on the surface. This dish tastes best with a bowl of basmati rice mixed with fried raisins and cashews, and cucumber yogurt raita. The sweetness and crunchiness from the raisins and cashews, along with the cooler cucumber raita, complement the smokiness and heat from the tandoori salmon, creating the perfect balance of flavors.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking!!!

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Tandoori Salmon with Rice and Cucumber Raita

Salmon in a Yogurt flavored Tandoori Masala… Served on a bed of Fragrant Basmati Rice and Cucumber Raita…! Healthy n Delicious Protein meal. 

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword salmon, tandoori salmon

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 16 minutes minutes

Total Time 31 minutes minutes

Servings 5

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the Tandoori Salmon

• 6 salmon fillets
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 tsp chili powder (add 1 tsp more if u like spicy)
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ¼ tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (crushed)
• ½ of lemon juice (squeezed)
• 3 tsp yogurt
• 1 tsp oil
• Salt (as required)

For the Rice

• 2 cup basmati rice
• 3 cups water
• Salt (as required)
• 1 tbsp ghee / butter
• ¼ cup cashews
• ¼ cup raisins
• Chopped fresh cilantro leaves (garnish)

For the Cucumber Raita

• 1 cucumber (peeled n chopped)
• 1½ cup yogurt
• Chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• Salt (as required)

Instructions

For the Tandoori Salmon

• Marinate the salmon with ginger-garlic paste, chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, cumin, garam masala, fenugreek leaves, lemon juice, yogurt and salt for 4-5 hours (or at least 2 hrs).
• Preheat oven to 400 degree F. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil and spray cooking oil.
• Line the marinated salmon on the tray and bake for 10 minutes in the oven. Then turn up the heat to a broil and cook for 5-6 minutes until it starts to char on the surface.

For the Rice

• Wash and soak rice for 30 minutes and drain the water completely. Cook the rice in water and salt till the water is completely absorbed. Keep aside.
• In a small pan, add ghee and fry cashews and raisins until they are golden. Add to the rice and fluff with a fork, garnish with chopped cilantro leaves.

For the Cucumber Raita

• Mix everything together and adjust seasoning.

Notes

1. Make sure to keep an eye on the salmon while broiling to prevent it from burning.

2. You can also prepare this recipe with a store bought tandoori masala from your local Indian/Asian grocery store/World Market, or prepare it at home yourself as per the instructions above.

3. The garam masala I have used has been bought from an Indian store (Sakthi garam masala). You can also use a homemade masala which is preferable.

The post Tandoori Salmon with Rice and Cucumber Raita appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Quinoa was never on my favourite list until recently when a friend of mine prepared this recipe, and that changed my outlook to explore this wonder food. Trust me; it was a complete satisfying meal! And what threw me off was the simplicity of the dish; raw vegetables with no fancy sauces, just a simple lemon juice based dressing and it was Yumm!!

Before I indulge into the recipe, for those of you who do not know about this superfood Quinoa… it is considered as one of the healthiest food in this planet. The nutritional benefits of quinoa are endless; it’s gluten-free, high in protein (a great option for vegetarians), anti-oxidants, iron and magnesium. Quinoa cooks pretty fast than any other grains and is very easy to incorporate into your daily diet. You can add it to your salads, stir fries, and is also a healthy substitute to rice.

I have used all my favorite veggies in this salad bowl recipe. And YES, there is raw beetroot in this dish. Do you like raw beetroot? I prefer it mostly for my smoothies; check out my Beetroot Power Smoothie (its my fav!).  Beetroot is high in fiber, low in fat and high with anti-oxidants, whether it’s cooked or not.  Having raw beetroot in salad is intimidating at times, as many do not like its earthy smell. But pickling beetroot in lemon juice and salt helps to reduce its muddy taste and smell. In this salad you can use beetroot in many different ways, be it finely chopped/grated, cooked, roasted or even pickled.

Be creative, you can customize this recipe with your choice of fruits or vegetables. Adding nuts to your salad bowl provides hearty fats to your body; Almonds, Pistachios, Cashews are low calorie nuts which you can substitute for walnuts. Just keep in mind to use raw ones.

So enjoy this delicious colorful bowl of goodness!!!!

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Quinoa Salad Bowl

A Veggie Quinoa Bowl, loaded with Vegetables in a Zesty Cilantro Lemon Dressing… Simple, Healthy and Satisfying…!! 

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword quinoa, quinoa salad, salad

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 small beetroot
• 1 carrot
• 1 onion
• 1 bell pepper
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 lemon
• 2 tbsp cilantro leaves (chopped)
• Walnuts (topping)
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

• Peel the skin of the vegetables, thoroughly wash and rinse to clean. Chop them into small bite sized pieces.
• Squeeze the lemons and add salt to it to prepare a pickle juice, soak the beetroot and carrots separately (to prevent mixing of color) in it for 4-5 hours.
• Cook quinoa according to package directions. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool for 15 mins. Fluff it with a fork.
• Prepare the dressing by mixing lemon juice, cilantro leaves, salt and pepper in a bowl. Whisk until smooth.
• Mix cooked quinoa with vegetables, pour the dressing, and toss to mix together. Let it stand for 30 mins.
• Top with walnuts and serve in a bowl.

Notes

1. Make sure you buy fresh beetroots and wash them thoroughly under cold water.
2. You can use beetroot in many different ways for this recipe; finely chopped, grated, cooked, roasted, or even pickled.
3. Substitute walnuts with low calorie nuts such as almonds, cashews or pistachios.

The post Quinoa Salad Bowl appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Summer is coming to an end and you can already find traces of Fall here n there with the greenery slowly turning orange and yellow. This summer was so eventful and packed with festivals & celebrations, but time flew so quickly that I felt I didn’t get enough of it. So before Fall starts, I would like to savor every bit left of this season and enjoy the last few weeks of the heat. What better than a lovely dessert with a delicious summer fruit… a Cherry Crumble!

Cobblers, Crips/Crumbles are a wonderful means to make desserts with summer fruits as it takes minimal effort, especially when serving a big crowd. Last year I made a Whole Wheat Berry Cobbler and a Peach Cobbler, both turned out great. But after trying out this recipe, I guess now Cherry Crumble is my new favorite! The juicy brown sugar sweetened cherries and the crunchy crust with oats and almonds, makes it seriously delicious.

I love to try different cobbler & crumble recipes, but with the baking marathon I was into for the past few months, I had to postpone it. Thanks to Shyam for reminding me to post this recipe, and I finally managed to before summer ended.

So what’s a crumble actually? Crumbles or Crisp are cooked fruits with a topping made with flour, butter and sugar, which is basically crumbled and crunchy. The best part of a crumble is, you can customize it in a million ways:

1. Use any summer fruits like Cherry, Berries, Plum, Peach, Apple or Rhubarb.
2. Replace the flour with whole wheat flour, tapioca flour or almond meal.
3. Vary the toppings with your choice of oats, cereal or desiccated coconut.
4. Vary your nut toppings with almonds, pecans or walnuts.

Enjoy this Dessert Treat …!!

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Cherry Almond Crumble

Cherry Crumble made with Fresh Cherries, Oats and Almonds…!! Crunchy on the Top n Juicy on the Inside... A Delicious Fruit Dessert...! 

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cherry crumble, cobbler, crisp

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 7

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the filling

• 2 cups of fresh cherries (pitted)
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp corn starch

For the topping

• ½ cup old fashioned oats
• ½ cup flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter (softened at room temp, cut into small cubes)
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup sliced almonds
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar (to sprinkle)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degree F.
• Grease a baking pan with butter, keep aside.
• To prepare the filling, add lemon juice, vanilla, brown sugar and corn starch into a bowl. Toss pitted cherries in it, set aside.
• In another bowl mix oats, flour, brown sugar and salt. Add the cubed butter pieces and mix together using your hands until the topping mixture turns into a coarse crumble form.
• Pour the prepared filling into the baking pan. Spoon the topping over filling evenly. Top with sliced almonds and sprinkle granulated sugar.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes until the topping turns crusty and golden brown, and the filling starts to bubble.
• Remove from the oven and allow it to cool down to room temperature.
• Serve with Vanilla Ice Cream (optional).

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It’s Hot…really hot in St. Louis. Summer is at its peak, rocking the 100s! Every now and then you hear about heat advisories n heat waves in the news. At this temperature if you plan to do a barbeque or an outdoor summer party, you might want to really think about a good refreshment, something which both kids and adults enjoy equally! And if it’s made with berries, I’m sure it’s going to be a winner…

I love to make fresh fruit drinks, especially with berries. The bright colors are so eye catching and appeasing that you know something way cool is coming up! During my early school days in India, the only colorful drinks we had were either soft drinks or squash, both made artificially. Our go-to refreshments were Coconut Water, Lime Soda, and Kulukki Sherbet. Coconut being abundant in my home town, we had no dearth of coconut water which is an evergreen and the healthiest drink of them all. After drinking all the water from the coconut, we used to hand it back to the seller and have him cut it open to then savor the ooey gooey tender flesh. In fact, he used to make a natural spoon out of the husk for us to eat it without dirtying our hands!

Lime soda was preferred more during the summers; lime squeezed into a chilled soda with some salt and sugar. There is no natural energy booster better than a fresh lime soda; one drink and you are all pumped up to get onto your next task of the day.

Talking about Kulukki Sherbet, that was a drink found only in certain towns during those days but now has gained a lot of ground. Kulukki means ‘shaken’ in Malayalam, and the drink was named so after how it was made. It’s a mix of lime juice, sugar syrup, soda, basil seeds, and a few other spices, all shaken vigorously until well mixed and frothy… n that was my Favorite! I remember those days when my brother used to take me to the beach in the evenings and on our way back home we used to stop at the juice stalls in awe to see the art of making these sherbets. The stalls were so crowded in the evenings with people back from a tired sunny day’s work, all looking for some refreshments. The server used to shake the sherbet for minutes and I used to wonder how they kept on doing it all day without feeling tired? But every drop of that drink was worth their effort…!

Anyways let’s get back to my drink of the day… have you tried making ginger syrup? This was the first time I tried one and it was simple, it’s just sugar syrup with ginger infused. So here I have for you today, a light fruit drink with blackberries and YES, it’s non-alcoholic. To prepare this drink, simply muddle blackberries with lemon and mint leaves, stir in the ginger syrup and top with soda. It’s Light, Refreshing and soo Delicious, Cheers!

Enjoy…!

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Blackberry Lemon Ginger Cooler

Cool off this summer with a Blackberry n Lemon infused Cooler in a Ginger Syrup… Flavorful, Refreshing & Light, Perfect to keep the heat at bay…!

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Keyword blackberry drink, summer drink

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For making ginger syrup

• 1 cup water
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 inch ginger (peeled and thinly sliced)

For making Blackberry Ginger Cooler

• 10-12 blackberries
• 8-10 fresh mint leaves (plus for garnish)
• Juice of 1 lemon
• ½ cup ginger syrup
• Ice cubes
• ½ cup water
• Club soda/carbonated water

Instructions

• To make the ginger syrup, combine water, ginger and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring it to boil. Allow it to simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. Turn off the flame and keep the syrup aside to cool.
• Muddle blackberries with mint leaves until properly mashed together. Add the ginger syrup to the mix and squeeze the juice of a lemon, stir well. Strain and pour to the serving glasses with ice cubes.
• Top with club soda. Garnish with fresh mint leaves and blackberries.

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So officially summer is here, and so are the summer fruits! Cherries, Plums, Apricots, Peaches, Berries…and for me that’s the perfect time to bake yummy goodies with all the fresh fruits. If someone asks me what my favorite dry fruit is, I will say “Apricots”. I also love Apricot Jam, but my hubby hates it. In spite of our differences for this fruit, I managed to convince him to buy a big box of fresh apricots from Costco recently. He wasn’t going to eat any and I knew that I have to find a way to finish them before they rotten, or else he is going to kill me. For me, this would be the first time I taste fresh apricots and I hoped to try some new recipes with the rest.

Apricot belongs to the stone fruit family of Peaches, Cherries, and Plums. It tastes like a mix of sweet and tart, wrapped in a yellow-orange skin which is velvety, and strongly resembles peach.  So now since I have tasted it, the real question arises “What will I do with these beauties? “Pies, Galattes and Tarts were my initial thoughts and the easiest too. But my hubby suggested trying some sort of a fruit cake as I had already baked galattes a few times recently after my last strawberry picking trip. Now, an upside down cake was on to-do list from a long time but I kept on postponing it as I wasn’t keen on trying the very common pineapple version. So I finally heeded to his suggestion and baked this beautiful cake with apricots – my first ever upside down cake.  I was so excited to get to the nerve wracking step of flipping the cake and see the surprise beneath; thankfully it came out very well!!

What’s your favorite upside down cake? Let me know in the comment section below.

Enjoy, Happy Baking!!!

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Apricot Upside Down Cake

Celebrate the Summer with an Apricot Upside Down Cake… Moist and Tender, topped with Buttery Brown Sugar Sweetened Apricots! Perfect for the Holidays…!!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword apricot cake, apricot upside down cake, cake

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the fruit base

• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• ¾ cup light brown sugar
• 10-12 fresh apricots (pitted, sliced lengthwise)

For the cake

• ½ cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1¼ cup flour
• 1¼ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup milk (at room temperature)

Instructions

For the fruit base

• Butter a 9 inch cake pan and keep aside.
• In a small saucepan, melt butter on medium heat. When it is completely melted and starts bubbling, add brown sugar. Switch off the flame and stir continuously until it turns into a smooth paste.
• Spread the paste onto the prepared cake pan. Layer the apricot slices over the paste and lightly press to sink in.

For the cake

• Preheat oven to 350 degree F.
• In a medium bowl, sift together the dry ingredients; flour, baking powder, salt, and keep aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat butter until creamy. Add granulated sugar and beat well.
• Beat in egg and vanilla extract.
• Add the dry ingredients alternating with milk, mix well until the batter is combined. The batter will be slightly thick.
• Pour the batter into the cake pan and layer over the apricot slices.
• Place the pan in the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. I baked mine for 50 minutes.
• Allow the cake to cool completely for 15-20 minutes. Carefully flip the cake into a cake stand/plate or any flat surface. Enjoy!

Notes

• Keep your apricot slices ready before preparing the butter/sugar paste, so that you can layer them immediately once the paste is poured into the cake pan. This helps the slices to sink to the bottom of the pan before the paste thickens, and would look pretty once the finished cake is flipped upside down. It also helps the sugar to coat the slices better making it sweeter.
• If you find any fruit pieces stuck to the pan after flipping, don’t worry! Just place it back on the cake to create the beauty as like before – no one will ever know!!!
• Apricots usually tend to be less sweet and may not taste ideal for cakes. So adjust the sugar as needed while making the fruit base.
• I prefer not to remove the skin of apricots as it may turn mushy without skin while baking.

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I hope you all remember the Strawberry picking trip from my recent Peach Strawberry Galatte post, we had an amazing day at the Eckerts Belleville Farm, Illinois and came back home with bags full of strawberries. After making a few galattes & smoothies, I still had some strawberries left and with summer around the corner we decided to finish them up in style by making this yummilicious Strawberry Ice Cream. Like any other gal with a sweet tooth, I too love Ice Cream…! And this is the time of the year you can eat it guilt-free. Homemade Ice Creams were always an un-accomplishable dream for me earlier, as we didn’t have a churning machine I thought we couldn’t make one without it. But, the success of my last year’s No-Churn Oreo Ice Cream gave me the confidence to make my summer Ice Cream batch for the year.

I have used graham crackers in this recipe to resemble the textures of a strawberry cheesecake, but the difference here is that I am not using cream cheese. Using graham crackers is purely optional; you can replace it with fresh strawberry slices, pistachios or any nuts. In a no-churn ice cream recipe, the condensed milk provides the sweet base while the whipped cream gives the creamy texture. When blending the strawberries, make sure not to do it too long as we do not want it to puree, instead do it just enough to break down the fruit. And the end result is an Ice Cream which is Creamy and Smooth…!

Make sure to store the ice cream in an airtight container before freezing or wrap the pan air tight. Allow it to stand at room temperature for a few minutes before serving. This is one of the easiest no–fail fresh fruit desserts which can be prepared in advance for parties and get together.

Enjoy this delicious summer treat…!!!

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No-Churn Strawberry Ice Cream

Beat the Summer Heat with this Homemade Cool Treat…! No-Churn Strawberry Ice Cream with Crunchy Graham Crackers and Fresh Strawberries… Super, Easy n Delicious…!!!!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword ice cream, no churn, strawberry ice cream

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 2 cups strawberries
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14oz.)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4-5 graham crackers (crushed)

Instructions

• Wash and hull strawberries. Slice into half and blend the strawberries in a blender just enough to break it down, do not puree it.
• Crush the graham crackers and keep aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk heavy whipping cream, sugar and vanilla extract until soft peaks form. Fold in condensed milk.
• Line a parchment paper to a standard loaf pan, add half of the whipped cream mix. Pour half of the strawberry sauce evenly as the second layer. Using a toothpick or chopstick, make a swirl (this is purely optional; I love that swirl style on my ice cream while I scoop it). Top with crushed graham cracker bits.
• Repeat the process by pouring the other half of the whipped cream mix, strawberry sauce and graham crackers.
• Wrap it tightly and freeze for at least 6 hrs.
• For best results, let it stand in room temperature for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!!!

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Strawberries, Apples or Peaches; be it any fruit season and that calls for a day to bake your delicious desserts! This is my first time preparing a galette even though I have baked pies before. Yeah I know what you might be thinking; unlike other newbie bakers, I went from complex to easy! Anyways, my first galette turned out to be awesome…

So what made me do a galette? It all started with my friend’s long time desire to go for a strawberry picking festival and every year she kept on missing it as the picking season is usually for a short span. But this time she kept on tracking the dates and finally was able to plan it out. Although my hubby is not so keen into these events, he surprisingly agreed this time to come along. We all visited Eckerts Belleville Farm, Illinois which was actually a nice drive, giving us a chance to go past St. Louis, the east of it, across Missouri all the way up to Illinois. The farm is vast & beautiful with many varieties of fruits and vegetables being cultivated, including peaches, apples, blackberries, tomatoes and many more. On the day we visited, they had a fair going on with lots of fun activities & kids rides. Also the food at their restaurant and deli were fresh & delicious. We really enjoyed our time there picking strawberries, taking pictures and left back home with bags full of strawberries. If you are in the St. Louis area, check out Eckerts Farms to spend a fun filled day!

I guess this happens to everybody and not only me; whenever I go for any picking I bring back a lot without realizing how much I really need, and then it’s a struggle to finish them. But on the good side, that gears me up to explore a bunch of recipes to finish the fruit in every possible way, be it a cobbler, smoothie, pie, strudel… or even an ice cream!! But I would still end up having leftovers which I finally freeze; I don’t want to see the same fruit thereafter for the next few months, Lol!!

So coming back to my recipe for the day, this galette is so easy to prepare and is nothing when compared to other baked desserts. I have used strawberries and peaches; their sour and sweet flavours complement each other and taste great when combined together. The crust is buttery flaky and its sweet with the fruits, tastes best if served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. You can also try this recipe with other summer fruits of your choice, like Berries, Peach, Apple, Rhubarb, etc, they all make a wonderful Galette.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking!!!

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Peach Strawberry Galette

Buttery Crusted Peach Strawberry Galette… A Quick & Easy Peasy Summer Dessert...!! Serve with a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream, YUMM… 

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword galatte, strawberry, summer

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the crust

• 1¼ cup flour
• 1 tbsp sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 stick of cold butter (cubed)
• 4 tbsp ice cold water

For the Peach Strawberry filling

• 2 cups fresh strawberries (hulled and sliced into half)
• 2 peaches (peeled, pitted and sliced)
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp flour

For decoration

• 1 egg (beaten)
• Granulated sugar (to sprinkle)

Instructions

For the crust

• Combine flour, sugar and salt in a food processor. Pulse until it mixes well. Add the cubed cold butter, pulse until it looks like a coarse meal with some crumbles. Sprinkle 1-2 tbsp ice cold water at a time and pulse until the dough comes together.
• Transfer it into a work surface; gently knead the dough to make a ball. Flatten it into a small disk shaped size, wrap it in a plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hrs (or up to 3 days).

For the Peach Strawberry filling

• Combine peaches, strawberries, sugar, vanilla extract and flour in a medium sized bowl and let it sit for 20 minutes.

For assembling the Galette

• Preheat oven to 400 degree F.
• Place the cold dough between two parchment sheet papers. This helps to roll the dough neatly and it prevents sticking to the bottom. Roll the dough between the papers into a 12 inch circle, trim the edges if necessary to form a circular shape. Remove the top sheet and carefully transfer the dough along with its bottom sheet to a baking tray.
• Spoon the fruit mix on to the center of the dough leaving a 2 inch gap around the border. Drizzle 1-2 tbsp fruit juices from the mix (do not add more as it makes the dough soggy).
• Fold the edges over the fruit mix, pleating it as you fold to give a uniform circular shape. Gently press the edges to seal.
• For decoration and giving the final baked galette a golden crust, brush the beaten eggs on the outer crust and sprinkle sugar.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes until the crust turns golden brown and the fruit mix starts to bubble up.
• Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

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Its berry season and a wonderful time to bake delicious desserts with these colorful fruits which are a pleasure to your eyes and taste. A cobbler to me is the right start… Cake crust with fruits; Yummm, my favorite kind of dessert!

I had previously uploaded a Peach cobbler recipe, but this is a different preparation as the berries are naturally sweet.

Another twist I have tried to introduce is replacing flour with wheat flour, which results in a denser dish… perfect for a quick filling.

This whole wheat berry cobbler is the right combination of sweet and sour flavour. You can either use a mix of different berries or even pick just one, whichever suits your choice and taste. The berry mix on the base is crusted with a cake mix and sprinkled with sugar on top… overall… Delicious…!!!

And to serve, make it a combo with Vanilla ice cream… a picture perfect summer dessert …!!!

Prep time: 30 – 45 minutes
Serves: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups mixed berries
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter (melted)
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• ½ cup quick cooking oats
• ¼ tsp nutmeg (optional)
• pinch of salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Apply some butter on the baking pan and keep aside.
3. Combine berries with lemon juice and set aside.
4. In a bowl, mix together whole wheat flour, sugar, brown sugar, nutmeg, oats, baking powder and salt. Whisk it by adding melted butter until crumbly. Add milk and stir it to aerate the batter.
5. Spread the berry mix in the pan.
6. By using a large spoon, drop the batter on top of the berries.
7. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top.
8. Bake for about 20 – 25 minutes until the crust become golden brown. Allow it to rest for 5 minutes.

Serve with vanilla ice cream.

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