Apple Cake

It's apple season and fall means apple desserts. Last night, I made this moist and buttery cake with finely chopped apples, topped with sliced apples, a perfect fall cake to complement with a cup of coffee in the morning or as a dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. House smells so good and it's hard not to have seconds.

Salmon Niciose Salad

This year has been pretty challenging for everyone; but all our hope is not gone yet. We are thankful to be healthy and will get through these difficult times. Lets cheer to this holiday season!

Whole Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

Christmas is almost here! Unlike previous years, thing are different and challenging this year. We are thankful to be healthy and hoping everything will be normal soon. While travel fun and dining out are not happening this time and that is quite frustrating, but we choose to make Christmas as joyous as ever. Right after Thanksgiving, Christmas tree was up and house looks very festive. Christmas carols are being played all day long, thinking positive, keeping in touch with dear ones and cooking delicious festive food. That's the spirit of Christmas. 

Eggnog Bread Pudding

Bread Pudding is a comfort dessert with a scoop of ice cream any time of the year. And Christmas time Bread Pudding with home baked Challah and warming spices, topped up with Eggnog Ice Cream and caramel sauce takes it to the next level. This sumptuous festive dessert is so easy to make with available pantry ingredients and this is what Christmas tastes like!

Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

Fall is pumpkin season and so many pumpkin inspired savory and sweet dishes are great treats to celebrate the spirit of the season with family and friends. No big Thanksgiving celebration this year though and it's important staying home, being healthy during this pandemic situation. So we are trying our best to enjoy holiday spirits with family this time!

Pumpkin Loaf

Thanksgiving holiday is all about spending happy time with family and friends and enjoying delicious meal together. But 2020 Thanksgiving is different and it is extremely hard for so many people. This year we are grateful for being alive and staying home to protect ourselves and others. We are keeping this Thanksgiving very simple to enjoy small blessings! Today I bring you one of the all time favorite Thanksgiving treats "Pumpkin Loaf ". Who doesn't love a slice of a fresh Pumpkin Spiced loaf made with fresh deep orange colored pumpkin puree with a hot drink on chilly nights to warm up!

Chicken Tehari

Chicken Tehari/Tahiri, a simple rice and white chicken curry dish is so easy to put together that belongs to Awadhi cuisine of Uttar Pradesh, India. Tehari is in between Polao and Biriyani without fancy ingredients yet full of flavors and quick to whip up for restaurant style weeknight meals. This dish does not need any side dish other than some salad. It's a meal on its own. 

Shrimp Polao

A family favorite Bengali rice dish with shrimp using simple pantry ingredients is served with salad and raita. This fancy one dish rice and shrimp meal can be served for weeknight dinner as well. The rice gets a very rich shrimp flavor prepared with the shrimp shells stock transforming this dish into an aromatic Polao. The shelled shrimp are gently cooked in the spice mixture, then topped over the almost cooked rice and simmered for a while making this one pot rice dish utterly flavorful, delicious and comforting. It may sound daunting but it's not. A must try for shrimp lovers!

New York Cheesecake

Father's day is just around the corner. Lets celebrate Father's Day with this elegant and super tasty New York Cheesecake topped with summer's best glazed mixed berries! It has heavy cream in the cream cheese batter for richer taste and bit dense texture. A slightly sweet sour cream is topped over hot baked cheesecake and baked again until sour cream topping is set. The secrets to the best New York Cheesecake that doesn’t crack are room temperature ingredients, using spring form pan, proper mixing technique, water bath method, chilling completely before removing form the pan and last but not least patience!

Bengali Spiced Roasted Spatchcock Chicken

This is another tasty roasted whole chicken and vegetables with Bengali curry spice. It always comes out amazingly juicy, succulent and lip smacking, a very hearty delicious meal on a busy day. When I crave for simple Murgir jhol/Bengali type chicken curry  but don't feel like going through all these process from cleaning, cutting and cooking, I simple bake chicken with potato and other vegetables. If you prefer to have grain free meal this is absolutely perfect. I like this chicken meal with a fresh leafy salad on the side. It's irresistible! Serve it as appetizer as well. 

Pecan Pie Cheesecake

Pie is an integral part of holiday dessert in America and so is cheesecake with seasonal festive flavors. I love to combine cheesecake with pie ingredients; they always turn out darn tasty. If I ever have to choose between pie and cheesecake, I will definitely go for cheesecake. I have shared Pumpkin Cheese Tart, Pumpkin Cheesecake, Pumpkin Custard Pie and Pumpkine Pie. They all are amazingly delicious. 

Vegan Lattice-Topped Apple Pie

Our house smells amazing with the fall spiced of freshly baked apple pie. I was never a big fan of apple pie until I tasted the best one from a farmers' market a few years back. Oh boy, it was truly delicious, a buttery flaky crust filled with sweet tart apple slices, not runny at all and served with vanilla ice cream. Since then I have been baking apple pie and every time it turns out tasty. Apple pie should not have soggy bottom crust and juice should not ooze all over when sliced. That's my kind of pie!

Pumpkin Custard Pie

It's almost time to plan for Thanksgiving holiday meal and it won't be completed without a sweet note of American pumpkin dessert, be it pumpkin pie, pumpkin cheesecake, tart etc. As a pumpkin fan I am always keen to try something new with freshly made big batch of pumpkin puree. Pumpkin Custard Pie is an alternative to the traditional Thanksgiving dessert that I tested long time back. A silky smooth pie with fresh roasted pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice incorporated into the custard batter creates a flavorful festive delight.

Pumpkin Spice Star Bread

It’s fall and baking season begins in the kitchen with the finest ingredients. It's the time of the year I love to bake quite a few items with pumpkin. I have already made pumpkin spice and pumpkin puree from scratch that I would use in some baked recipes and drinks. 

Christmassy Pumpkine Pie

Christmas is almost here and it is one of the biggest festivals we celebrate with family and friends that brings joy and great cheer. It's a season of Santa Claus to deliver toys to kids too. My little one is in Santa's nice list as usual and eagerly waiting to receive her favorite toys from her wish list. The countdown begins. Soon Santa will come down the chimney and I will leave out a special treat to welcome him this time.  

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Thanksgiving, it's the time for family and friends to gather around, to be thankful for being there for each other and of course food. Our traditional Thanksgiving dinner consists of roasted turkey with stuffing, variety of savory side dishes and cranberry sauce followed by dessert  made of pumpkin. My friend  Ranjana makes the awesome juicy and succulent turkey, festive breads and cookies whenever we have Thanksgiving dinner together and I make the rest. Our kids look forward to have some pumpkin dessert to finish  festive dinner. So, tomorrow I am going to serve one of our family favorites "Pumpkin Cheesecake". 

Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate

It's fall and festive season. Of course, it's all about pumpkin, be it breakfast, snacks, main dishes, salads, desserts or drinks. As cooler temperature arrives here in Northern California, we are ready for warm blankets and special flavor hot chocolate to enjoy Fall. A delicious Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate with real pumpkin, spices and coco powder is perfect to warm up chilly fall evenings.  

Pomegranate Martini

Let's toast to a healthy and happy New Year with  delicious Martini.

I have been planning to make this cocktail since Thanksgiving. Due to various reasons, I wasn't able to make it earlier. I had focused on baking and cooking mostly. That's my top priority always. Finally I am ready to make this delightful sweet-tart  cocktail with freshly  home made juice for New YEAR'S  Eve. This is my first time making Martini. Fresh pomegranate juice mixed with good quality Vodka and Cointreau or Triple sec, lime juice and crushed ice make absolutely fantastic cocktail for any holidays. If you are hosting a party, serve this Martini to brighten up the celebration.

Pumpkin Cheese Tart

Pumpkin Pie is the famous traditional dessert for Thanksgiving dinner in America and Canada. I am not a big fan of Pumpkin Pie because of its custardy texture. I rather bake a cake or Pumpkin Cheesecake and everyone loves this over Pumpkin Pie. Yesterday I made something bit different, Pumpkin Cheese Pie in a tart pan with fresh roasted pumpkin puree, low fat cream cheese and spices that turned out delish. This tart is a cross between cheesecake and pie.