Happy Ugadi

Dear Foodies,

Nandana Nama Samvatsara Ugadi Subhakankshalu
Ugadi pachadi - jaggery, tamarind, salt, chilli powder, green mango/tart green apple, neem flowers/ground  fenugreek (methi) seeds

Wish all of you a Happy Ugadi | Gudi Padwa or Happy Friday!

No festivity is complete without a pulihara - Nimmakaya/Lemon Pulihara, Dhadhojanam & Potato Bajji's

Sweet Treats to consider - Bobabtlu/Poli;  Paal Payasam ; Pongal ; Kalakhand

Spring is here! | Flower Fields

Dear foodies,

-Carlsbad Flower Fields

I wish I could sit sleep here all day...

Happy Spring!

Vegetable & Quinoa Cakes | Guest post for Anu @ Truth Personified

Dear Foodies,

The last few weeks have been overcast and the temperatures have been lower than usual. Cloudy skies and rain conjure up the need to wrap your hands around a warm cup of tea and crispy, crunchy snack to go with it.  I've been on a quinoa cooking spree lately and trying to use it in as many recipes as possible. This recipe is a result of one such attempt that turned out to be most delightful of them all.

Quinoa (keen-wah) though often grouped into the 'whole-grain' club, is really a seed of plant closely related to beets and spinach. The ancient Incan's considered it scared and gave it the name Quinoa which meant 'mother grain'. I guess the confusion of seed vs grain started early :) In recent times, this South American crop has gained popularity due to its nutritional value. Its a rich source of protein, essential amino acids and contains more fiber, calcium, phosphorous, iron and magnesium compared to wheat, corn or barley. Being naturally gluten-free makes it easy to digest and in general a better choice compared to other cereal grains.

Having been around for such a long time proves that these seeds have learnt to survive. They have a bitter outer coating which keeps birds away from them in the fields but when it comes to cooking with it, that coating needs to come off. Most quinoa that we get in the stores now is processed to take away this bitterness but it still needs a good wash under multiple changes of water (as you would with rice).

 The cooking process is very similar to rice as well, but I like to toast the seeds first to enhance their nutty flavor. So before rinsing, toast them in a dry pan for a few minutes until you hear them 'pop', and then wash under multiple changes of water. While cooking them I use less water that I would with rice, I've had success with 1:1.25 of quinoa to water and that keeps the seeds separate & fluffy.

Quinoa is pretty versatile but it takes some getting used too in terms of flavor, specially if you are a rice lover like me. It has a nutty, slightly bitter and mildly crunchy texture, which now is what I like about it. I try to treat it like rice and substitute it in recipes for tomato rice, mixed veg pulao, chinese/thai fried rice, sambar rice and even pulihora/tamarind rice rice. I was cooking some quinoa for lunch one cloudy, rainy day and decided to make mini cakes with them instead. Chopped fresh fennel bulbs, onions, ginger, garlic and carrots went into it along with some spices. To prevent the mixture from getting too moist I used lemon zest instead of juice. For a binding agent, I did not have bread or breadcrumbs at home and remembered that I loved the nutty toasted besan/chickpeas flour in these corn cakes. Finally, along with some freshly grated parmesan cheese and roasted peanuts the cutlet came together beautifully!

Around this point is when I would jump to the recipe, but this post is special since its headed to Anu for her blog. Many of you might already know Anu from her enthusiastic comments and stories that she shares. She's the author of the blog Truth Personified and there could not have been a more perfectly suited name. Her genuineness and curiosity is what makes her blog a pleasure to read.  I'm sure once you read the stories & recipes she shares, you will be persuaded to stay on. I knew Anu way before either of us blogged, we went to the same high school and later the same undergrad college as well. But we were in different batches and never really got to spend time together. It was again through her comments on my blog that we got in touch again. I was thrilled when she asked me to guest post but the excitement soon turned into major procrastination and I'm glad that she still held on to her invite :D So as a first step, I'm sending over a recipe to her space and hope that eventually we'll get to meet in person too!

Please head over to Truth Personified for the recipe - Vegetable & Quinoa Cakes

Baingan ka Bartha - Smoky & Spicy Eggplant Mash

Dear Foodies,

Here is another recipe featuring the King of vegetables and with that it makes its second appearance on this blog (here is the first!). Over the last two years I've slowly but steadily tried to get past my dislike for this veggie by trying various recipes with it. The latest favorite is this spicy, smoky version that is almost mandatory on most Indian restaurant menus. It can be thought if as a spicier cousin of the Lebanese Baba Ghanouj and I definitely like this version better.

Eggplant/Brinjal is unique among other vegetables because it can handle a lot of spices and still hold its own.  Baingan Bartha translates to mashed eggplant and for this dish the larger eggplants are ideal since they have more flesh than seeds. Traditionally, the eggplant is grilled over charcoal which imparts the signature smoky flavor to this dish. An effective alternative is charring the eggplant over a gas flame or using the broil setting in your oven to re-create the intense heat of the coals. Once cooled,  peel the burnt skin to reveal the soft flesh inside which should be almost cooked. Coarsely mashed along with sauteed ginger (lots of it), garlic, onions, tomatoes and lots of cilantro in the end completes the dish. I love the fresh flavor of cilantro is this and so go a step further and add finely chopped stalks of cilantro while sauteing the onions & tomatoes.

A gas stove currently exists only in my dream kitchen & I'm stuck with an electric coil for now. I've never tried charring an eggplant direclty on the electric coil for fear of creating a mess. So I stick the eggplant into a 400°F oven, cut side down, for about 15-20 mins to allow the insides to cook and then place it under the broiler for 8-10 mins in the end while constantly hovering over it. Once the skin begins to shrivel and get all wrinkly pull it out and place the eggplant in a sealed dish. This allows steam to build up within that lifts the skin off, doing half the work for you. If you have a gas stove, then carefully hold the eggplant over medium flame for 3-4 mins on each side until the skin is uniformly charred all around. Picking an eggplant with a firm stem would be really helpful, if not, stick a skewer/chopstick through it.

Sweet, fresh peas are the perfect counterpoint to all the spices in the bartha. With spring making head way, the farmer's market stalls are brimming with vibrant green produce. All of last month I snacked on winter citrus fruit samples while strolling around the market but last week they were offering tender sugar snap peas to snack on! True to their name they were sweet as sugar. After a couple of samples I ended up buying a bag of them and along with it came the fresh pea pods as well.

Baingan ka Bartha

Prep time: 30mins
Cook time: 30mins
Servings: 3-4 (side dish)

Ingredients:-

• 1 - Eggplant/Aubergine/Brinjal, medium size
• 3/4 cup - Onion, finely diced
• 1 - Tomato, finely diced
• 1/2 cup - Sweet peas, fresh or frozen
• 2 tsp - Ginger, minced  (reduce for mildly spicy version)
• 1 tsp - Garlic, minced
• 2 - Green Chillies, minced (reduce if you like it mildly spicy)
• 1 Tbsp - Cilantro stalks, finely diced
• 1 tsp - Cumin seeds (or use freshly ground powder)
• 1 tsp - Coriander seeds  (or use freshly ground powder)
• 1/8 tsp - Turmeric powder
• 2 Tbsp - Oil
• Salt to taste
• Cilantro leaves & julienned ginger for garnish

Method:-

1. If using an oven, place one rack close to the broiler with engouh room to slide the eggplants, and one in the middle of the oven. Pre-heat to 400°F. 
2. Preparing the Eggplant: Wash and dry the eggplant, slice in half and coat the skin with a little bit of oil (or use an oil spray). Place cut side down on an greased foil sheet or non-stick mat and cook for 15-20 mins in the middle rack until it begins to soften. Now change to broiler setting and move the eggplants to the upper rack. Continue to cook for 8-10 more mins until the skin shrivels but constantly monitor them as each oven's temperature is different. Once they are done, move them to a deep bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap for 10-15mins. When cool to handle peel and discard the outer skin, a few bits and pieces of it is still fine. Coarsely shop and reserve the flesh and any juices collected at the bottom of the bowl.
3. While the eggplants are in the oven, chop and mince rest of ingredients. In a pestle and mortar lightly crush cumin and coriander seeds.
4. Heat oil in the wide pan (I use a cast iron skillet) and add crushed cumin & coriander seeds. As they turn fragrant add ginger, garlic and chillies (Have your exhaust fan on at this stage as these ingredients could be very pungent) and cook for about 20-30 seconds before adding onions, a pinch of turmeric and salt.
5. The onions don't have to gain color or soften completely, add tomatoes next and cook until they loose texture and become mushy. 
6. Add eggplant, chopped cilantro stalks & salt next. Without breaking up the eggplant chunks to much mix all the ingredients and cook for a few more minutes allowing the flavors to meld. Taste and adjust for seasoning and add fresh peas towards the last 5 mins of cooking time.
7. Serve warm, garnished with cilantro, fresh ginger julienne's and lemon wedges. It goes really well with Indian breads like naan/paratha/phulkas/rotis or with rice dishes.

Notes: Be very watchful when the eggplant is placed under the broiler as it can get out of hand very quickly. When chopping the eggplant keep them chunky as this isn't supposed to be a fine mash.
- I love the heat of ginger, chillies and fresh cilantro in this dish and so use more of them, but adjust quantities to suit your tastes. I use more ginger than garlic but you could surely swap quantities based on your preference.
- I like the flavor of crushed coriander seeds, but if you like a more subtle flavor use coriander powder instead, adding it along with the tomatoes.

The charred flavor of the eggplant, intense combination of ginger, garlic and chillies make it nothing but a show stopper. This is one eggplant dish that I now cannot resist. The flavors are most intense right off the stove but it mellows down a bit as it sits. Despite the use of all these strong elements they come together beautifully and each flavor hits your palate differently. Biting into the juicy, fresh peas brings respite from the spice and just keeps you going for more. If you only have only smaller eggplants (Indian/Thai eggplants) but want to make this, no worries, go ahead and cook them the same way. I've done it and the bartha was still amazing. You'll have as much seeds as eggplant flesh in the dish but the flavor will still be great.

Bread Upma

Dear foodies,

Weekday mornings are a rush to get out of the house with breakfast being a speed bump in the process. Weekends on the other hand are days when I relax and cook a leisurely breakfast which more often that not ends up being brunch if we are lucky or a very late lunch. The food typically served for breakfast/tiffin in India are some of  my all time favorite foods. Indians detest sweet things first thing in the morning have come up with a myriad choice of delectable savory foods to kick start the day. A variety of dosa's, idli, upma, puri and all the condiments that go with each one of them are fabulous examples of Indian home cooking. Tiffin is the colloquial name given to these meals - a light meal that could be perfect for breakfast or a mid-day snack. 

Upma, for those unfamiliar with the dish, is a savory porridge made from Semolina/Rava/Sooji. The word upma/uppindi (Tamil/Telugu) comes from: uppu -salt, maavu/pindi - flour, combining to mean seasoned flour. But don't be fooled by its humble name, made well it could be an explosion of flavors & textures. This is also the famed dish that got Floyd Cardoz his final win on Top Chef Masters! Upma is traditionally a breakfast item and has as many variations are there are cooks. It can be made rich & divine by cooking it with ghee and toasted cashews (jeedipappu upma) or made healthy & colorful with seasonal vegetables. Wrapped inside a pesarattu (green lentil dosa) it's bound to make you take long nap :)

Upma begins with the rava/semolina lightly toasted in a pan and reserved. Ghee/oil is then seasoned with mild spices, veggies of choice and water are added and the whole thing is brought to a rolling boil. Rava is then slowly streamed into the seasoned water and allowed to steam for a few minutes. Served with a tiny dollop of ghee this is divine! This basic recipe evolved and transformed into many delectable variations that use ground whole wheat (dalia), vermicelli, noodles, poha (flattenned rice), oats, tapioca pearls/sago, bread and even left over idli's. There might well be other variations that I'm not aware of.

At home, my mom is the go-to person for all things upma, well all things food! But bread upma, as far as I remember has been my Dad's domain (I know I'm going to hear about this). This is probably one of the few dishes I've seen him help out with consistently over the years. He came up with this neat technique to transform dry, stale bread into tender, flavorful chunks by sprinkling buttermilk over the bread cubes. It instantaneously gives it tang, very much like sourdough and makes the bread tender and moist again. And once you have buttermilk as the vehicle you can enhance the flavor with a dash of chilli powder, some turmeric for color, a few pinches of tandoori masala/garam masala or any other spice mix of choice. So if you have stale bread lying around this is the perfect way to use it up.

Bread Upma

Prep Time - 15mins
Cook time - 20mins

Servings - 3

• 10-12 slices - day old bread slices (any kind would work)
• 1/4 cup - Yogurt/Curd, homemade or store-bought 
• 1/2 cup - Water
• a pinch of Turmeric
• 1/4 tsp - Red Chilli powder (optional)
• 1/4 tsp - Garam Masala/Tandoori Masala/Sambar Powder/Coriander Powder (optional)
• Salt to taste

• 1" round of Ginger, thinly sliced or grated
• 1/2 cup - Onions, sliced
• 3/4 cup - Tomatoes, cubed
• 1-2 - Green chiles, slit or 1/2 tsp - Red chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp - Garam Masala/Tandoori Masala (optional)
• 1/8 tsp - Turmeric
• pinch of Asafoetida/Hing
• 1/2 tsp - Mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp - Cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp - Urad/Channa dal
• 6-8 - Curry leaves
• 2 Tbsp - Oil

Method:

1. Prepare your vegetables first, have everything sliced and ready to go. In a bowl whisk together yogurt, water and seasonings. Spread bread cubes on a wide platter and sprinkle the seasoned buttermilk as evenly as possible over all them. You don't want them to be entirely soaked in buttermilk but just barely moist, so use as much or little as needed.
2. Heat oil in a wide, shallow pan and add mustard seeds, cumin and dals. Once the seeds begin to splutter, add turmeric powder, hing, onions, curry leaves, ginger and slit green chillies. Sprinkle some salt on the onions and cook until they are softened slightly.
3. Add cubed tomatoes and cook until they begin to fall apart and become mushy. Add the spice powders next, if using.
4. Carefully stir in bread cubes, coating them with the onion-tomato gravy without breaking them up. Increase heat to medium high and spread them out in a uniform layer so they can cook and char around the edges a bit. Cook undisturbed for 2-3 mins and then carefully stir so the other side chars as well. This is crucial step that adds needed texture to the otherwise mushy center of the bread cubes.
5. Finally garnish with cilantro and serve hot with some tomato ketchup & lime/lemon wedges on the side.

This is a quick, filling breakfast to make and that will leave you with more time devour weekend newspapers and channel surf. Its a great way to use up stale bread lying around on the kitchen counter as well so you can stock up again for the week ahead. Fresh green peas are in season now and they would be great in this upma, and so would grated carrots or roasted peanuts.

Citrus fruit & Berrries are back in season again!

On another note, my camera gave up on me last week! :( An Err99 message showed up and after much anguish we found out that the shutter needs to be replaced. I am planning to upgrade to another camera instead of investing more on the old one (Rebel XSi). I am leaning towards a Canon T3i/600D but haven't decided yet, any inputs/tips/advice ?

Spicy Basil & Sun-dried Tomato Pesto

Dear foodies,

Pesto is one of the reasons I'm in love with Italian cuisine. A dollop of this green concoction has the ability to lift a mundane dish to something sensational. It could be pasta, a slice of fresh toasted bread, puff pastry, or roasted veggies, everything it touches is golden. The jar bought stuff doesn't even come close to the potency of fresh pesto. I also like using basil leaves in pasta dishes and when making marinara sauce at home. Since buying the leaves isn't always easy keeping both availability & cost in mind I've tried growing basil... multiple times. Sadly for me it always ends in failure,I buy them lush and full of life but just in a few weeks I manage to bid adieu to them. Even now there is a frail branch holding onto its last signs of life...I'm blaming the cold weather for it this time, sigh.

Thankfully, I found a huge bunch of basil for great price at the farmer's market this week. And I was also saving a stash of pine nuts for just this occasion. Pesto comes from the word 'pestare' which means to pound or crush, so by no means is pesto limited to basil alone. Just like chutney isn't the sweet mango stuff that's sold in jars! This recipe for pesto calls for red chilli peppers & sun-dried tomatoes that add a tart and spicy zing to it. Fresh pesto is very potent and a little bit goes a long way. As an added bonus it stores beautifully and can be frozen as well.

Being a very simple dish with few ingredients, the quality of each affects the final taste of the dish. Olive oil brings the ingredients together and adds flavor to the pesto. This time I picked up a olive oil from Greece at a Middle Eastern store and love the grassy and peppery notes it has. Unfortunately for me, I found that fresh baked bread dipped in this oil is addictive...

Spicy Basil & Sun-dried Tomato Pesto

Yield - 1 cup

Prep time -15mins

Ingredients

• 1 bunch - Basil, washed & dried
• 2 cloves - Garlic
• 1/4 cup - Sun-dried Tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 2 - Red chilli peppers
• 1/4 cup - Pine nuts or Walnuts or a combination, toasted
• 1/2 cup - Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (optional) 
• 2-3 Tbsp - extra virgin Olive oil
• Salt & pepper to taste

Method

1. In the bowl of a food processor, add lightly crushed garlic cloves, sun-dried tomatoes, red chillies, pine nuts and pulse a few times. Add basil leaves next and stream in olive oil to help out the blades, as needed, while continuing to pulse the ingredients until it reaches the consistency you like. Stir in parmesan cheese, if using, and taste before adding salt & pepper. 

Note: -To store, transfer the pesto into a clean jar, smooth out the top with a spatula and cover with a thin layer of olive oil before refrigerating. You could also freeze pesto in ice cube trays to get a longer shelf life. - Use sun-dried tomatoes not packed in oil or water for this if available. - You can use toasted walnuts or almonds in place of pine nuts. - I add cheese only if I plan to use up the whole batch immediately. When storing for later I prefer to add cheese when I prepare the final dish.- Cilantro instead of basil also makes for a really potent pesto here!

 If you are prepping for a game day party this weekend then this pesto will serve you well. Spread it on thawed puff pastry and roll into pinwheels before baking them for the perfect snack. Use it instead of marinara sauce on your favorite pizza dough or flatbread. A dollop of pesto stirred into mayo or greek yogurt makes a great dip for fries and veggies. This pesto is also fabulous stirred into warm pasta, quinoa, farro or any whole grain. Its great with roasted veggies or as a spread for panini's & sandwiches as well. All I'm saying is you won't run out of uses for this condiment.

This pesto is part of my plan to stock my pantry & fridge with condiments and spice pastes that will help me make a quick week night meal. Any suggestions ?

Friday Frames | Homemade

Dear Foodies,

these perfectly sized jars are waiting to be filled up

Red & Green Thai chillies, garlic, galangal, lemon grass, shallots & lime leaves -
no points for guessing where I'm headed!

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Thyme & Roasted Garlic

Dear foodies,

I hope all of you had a great start on 2012 after a fabulous holiday season. I think I'm ready to face the challenges and joy that the year ahead has in store. When a new year comes around it feels like we have a clean slate to begin with and mistakes of the past can be set right. There is a sense of rejuvenation and the want to do good and be good. Have you made any resolutions for the year ? I can never stick to a resolution long enough and so don't attempt to make one these days. I reckon, if the resolution is good enough I can take it up any day of the year and not have to wait for Jan 1st to come around...or may be I'm just to lazy! But I do hope I can begin to improve my fitness levels and enjoy more fruit.

With all the feasting over the last few weeks, eating healthy seems to come as a natural reaction whether you resolve to do so or not. Our mind and body craves for fresh, vibrant produce making up light & healthy meals. But with the cold weather making it through into the new year along with rest of us a warm soup much preferred over a cold salad. I cannot seem to get enough butternut squash this season and I'm going to start off this years posts with a stunning soup. Butternut squash is great in stews, simply roasted or sauteed but they really do shine through in soups. The squash is mildly sweet but it its robustness allows for use of strong herbs & spices too.

Roasting squash is the easiest option for me - toss it in a little olive oil, season with herbs & spices and in it goes for 35-40mins. Since you have the oven going you could choose to roast other veggies like carrots, peppers, onions, zucchini and even garlic to add to your meal. Just make sure you don't overcrowd the pan. My sister-in-law mentioned a recipe she came by for a roasted veggie dip which sounded really good -simply blend up the seasoned roasted veggies with cream cheese and its good to go.

When the squash is out, turn it into a salad on its own using this recipe, add it to greens with some feta cheese, its also good on cooked pasta/couscous/quinoa. This time around I blended the squash with some vegetable stock to get a silky, richly flavored soup devoid of any cream, milk & butter.

Roasted Butternut Squash, Garlic & Thyme Soup

Prep time-20mins

Cook time- 45-50mins

Servings- 4-5

Ingredients:

• 4 cups - Butternut Squash, cubed
• 6 - Garlic cloves, with skins on
• 4-5 - Thyme sprigs
• Salt & Pepper
• 1 cup - Pumpkin puree (optional)
• 3-4 cups - Vegetable stock (low sodium & organic)
• 1/2 cup - Onions & Red pepper, finely diced
• 1/2 tsp - Cumin
• 1/4 tsp - Ginger powder
• 1/8 tsp - Nutmeg, grated &
• 1/2 tsp - Paprika & Cayenne (optional)
• 3 Tbsp - Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Carefully peel, de-seed & cube butternut squash into fairly uniform pieces. Spread them on a lined baking sheet and coat evenly with 1-2 Tbsp olive oil, salt, pepper and a sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves.
3. Coat 6 cloves of garlic with a few drops of oil and fully enclose in parchment or aluminum foil. (You could also use a whole garlic bulb, sliced in half here and use the extras for another recipe)
4. Bake in the oven for 30-40mins until the squash is lightly browned around the edges.
5. In the mean time, leisurely dice onions and red peppers. Heat around 1/2 Tbsp of olive oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. Once they begin to splutter add onions, peppers, salt and a pinch of red pepper flakes (optional). Cook for 4-5 mins until softened but still having a bit of crunch. Take off heat and reserve.
6. When squash is out of the oven and cool enough to handle, transfer to a blender jar adding a cup of stock to the jar first. Squeeze garlic pulp directly into the blender along with pureed pumpkin. Cautiously blend the squash, adding more stock as you go to help out the blender and to get the consistency you like. I left the soup coarse, with a bit of texture and fairly thick.
7. Transfer blended soup to a saucepan on medium heat and add spices - dry ginger powder, grated nutmeg, paprika. Taste test and add salt, pepper & cayenne accordingly. A tiny pinch of powdered cardamom/cloves/allspice would also work well here. Stir to combine and simmer for a few minutes allowing the spice to meld together.
8. To serve, ladle warm soup into a bowl, top with a couple of spoons of reserved onion-pepper mixture, a few fresh thyme leaves and a light drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Note: You could experiment with using different herbs like rosemary & sage instead of thyme.
- Seeds from the squash make a great snack too. Clean and spread them out on a plate, cover with a paper towel and microwave for 40-50seconds until you hear them pop. Sprinkle with salt & pepper if desired.

This soup is absolutely fantastic, if I say so myself, and you cannot deny how gorgeous it looks in a bowl.  You could serve it with homemade croutons or toasted bread on the side to dunk into it. The strong spices go very well with the mild squash and make for a warm and hearty soup that could very well be a meal in itself. As you draw in a bit of onions & peppers into each spoonful they make for a nice textural difference that keeps thoughts of baby food far far away. Don't skip the cumin seeds in them either because you'll welcome the occasional crunch they lend to the soup. I also tried a tiny drizzle of pomegranate molasses and it was surprisingly good, so if you have some do give that combo a try as well. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator tightly sealed for a few days.

Cookies Galore - Sweet, Salty & Spicy!

Dear Foodies,

Is your baking done, kitchen cleaned, gifts wrapped & mailed ? Sigh! My kitchen counters are still covered in flour, sticks of butter softening and the to-do list has a few more pending things on it. Since this is the one time I take up baking I try as many recipes as I can and there's just soooo many tempting treats popping up all over. It's extremely difficult to stop myself from trying just that o.n.e more cookies recipe. So if like me you have a few more batches to make, I've put together a very easy recipe that you can customize to your liking and crank out goodies in just a few hours!

The next three cookies are based on my shortbread cookie recipe here & here, both fantastic by themselves. This has become my go-to recipe because its really easy to create variations. The basic formula  used for all of these is - 1 stick (1/2 cup) Butter, 1/3 cup Sugar,1 cup AP flour + 1/2 cup Almond meal (or 1.5cups AP flour), a pinch of Salt  - then I add flavorings to make each batch unique.

Lets begin with chocolate, shall we...

3Tbsp unsweetened Cocoa powder + 1/2 tsp Instant Espresso powder + 1/2 cup toasted Walnuts +1tsp Vanilla extract

1/4 cup each chopped apricots & cranberries + 1tsp Vanilla extract

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese + 1Tbsp chopped Rosemary + 1/2 tsp Sea Salt + 1Tbsp Sugar (instead of 1/3 cup) + substitute 1 stick butter with 3/4 stick butter + 1/4 cup extra virgin Olive Oil

You can make so many more combinations of these shortbread cookies - different fruit & nut combo's -Apricot & Walnut, Cranberry + Pistachio, Cherries + Almond - Thyme + Parm cheese, toasted Cumin, Lemon zest & poppy seed, Deb has one for margarita cookies!!

Another great thing about this cookie dough is that it freezes really well. If you don't want to bake them right away then freeze the dough wrapped in cling wrap. Bring the log out whenever you want fresh cookies and slice just as many as you want. A fresh baked cookie will never be far off with a log of these in your freezer. For the detailed recipe see this post.

Chocolate Crackle Cookies

This is a recipe I tried the same day that Jen @Use Real Butter posted it, and the cookies were fantastic! Soft and chewy in the center with a crisp crust of sugar on the outside. It has a rich chocolate flavor and isn't overly sweet at all despite the outer coating.

I meant to post detailed recipes for the Linzer cookies & Gingerbread but with all the other stuff going on I was pressed for time. I wanted to at least share the ideas here before everyone gets busy with celebrations, so here you go....

Linzer cookies were based on Ina Garten's recipe, the only change I made was to substitute with 1.5 cup of almond meal for AP flour and added zest of 1 Lemon & Clementine. The best part though - homemade Raspberry jam & Peach Ginger jam.

My first batch of gingerbread cookies! This recipe is from Deb @smitten kitchen. I halved the recipe, added 1/8 tsp All Spice powder & 1Tbsp finely grated crystallized Ginger - fabulous! I also tried her recipe for goldfish crackers and they were sooooo good and easy to make and taste so much better than the store bought ones, but that's obvious I guess.

Homemade Cookie Sampler

I saved up to-go plastic containers that came with my sandwich lunches and turned them into the perfect cookie box. The savory cookies get their own little bag so they don't get a coating of sugar. And voila! You have a fantastic selection of cookies to please everyone. A little round of fruit cake wraps up the gift box and its ready to delight a loving family or friend. I think I'm done working with butter and sugar for another year, phew!

Have a beautiful holiday season filled with the things you love!