*Banana Cupcakes*

Cupcakes are everyones' favourites. They are light and yummy! If you dont want to eat a big slice of banana cake, loaded with calories you can always opt for a small cuppie cake with light frosting.


Today I'm going to blog about "Banana Cupcakes With Frosting:"

(I made a light/thin frosting but you can opt for only banana garnish on top or cream cheese/thick frostings with these cupcakes, too.)



Ingredients:

1 + 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted melted butter
1 + 1/2 cups mashed bananas plus 1 whole banana, for garnish (optional)
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract



Directions:


1.Preheat oven to 180 degrees Centigrade. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper cups. In a bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

2.Make a well in center of flour mixture. In well, mix together butter, mashed bananas, eggs, and vanilla. Stir (do not overmix). Dividing evenly, spoon batter into muffin cups.

3.Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean, approx. 25 to 30 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan; cool completely before frosting. Spread with Frosting. Just before serving, peel and slice banana into rounds, and place one on each cupcake, if desired.


Frosting:

Combine 500g icing sugar + 5 tablespoon water, combine and whisk till smooth. Yellow food color can also be added.






----End Notes---

A few tips & tricks I follow for perfect cupcakes:

Never over-bake or overmix cupcakes they will become dry & chewy instead of moist & and spongy.

Use a good baking pan/muffin tray (if you're into baking, then you must invest in good kitchen utensils)

Bring all ingredients to room temperature before mixing your cupcake batter. Cold eggs & cold butter can never make good cakes.

Cupcakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean so keep close watch of teh oven temperature and time. It's all about the timing.


Hope you enjoy these with your family and I'm sure kids would love it! :)

Product Review: Ramekins & Fondue Set.

Hey! Hey! Blog readers....hope all is well at your end of the world and all you Riyadhi-ians hope you guys are enjoying the SALES!!! Yum! Yum! :D

I shopped for some home stuff before going on vacation but didnt get time to blog so here is a detailed review along with recipes you can try out with the products.

My shopping was for home stuff and got these two beauties. Both for my weakness-my sweet tooth-my love for desserts :)


Ramekins:


A ramekin or ramequin, also known as a bouillon bowl, is a small glazed ceramic or glass serving bowl used for the preparation and serving of various food dishes.
(source-Wikipedia)



I got four of these ramekins from Homecentre at Centre Point and they are just perfect for baking, easy to wash, dishwasher & oven-safe.




Using a ramekin for cooking and baking is an easy way to decorate great dishes, such as creme brulee and many others. You can also use ramekins to make a beautiful plate to present to dinner guests. Just like I used in the molten lava recipe




The ones I used were from IKEA but these I got from Homecentre and if you make the lava cakes in these ramekins you will get the same flower shaped lava cakes like we usually get in Chilis.











Fondue Set:

The second buy is a 6 pieces Fondue set from Homecentre again. Don't confuse Fondue with fondant.


Before I write about the description of fondue sets let's begin by describing a fondue meal. I had my first fondue when I was a teenager and I instantly fell in love with it...! The fondue method of cooking is different than most because you are doing most of the cooking yourself right at your table. You can start with a good quality cheese fondue with bread & vegetables and then switch to grilling for meats, poultry, and fish. End the dinner with the heavenly chocolate fondue with fruits, marshmallows, candy, icecream etc.









In fondue cooking, you have a fondue pot which has melted cheese or chocolate in which you dip your food items with fondue forks. If you have never had a fondue dinner at a restaurant, you need to experience it at least once in your life. Keep reading to find out about home fondue sets.







Home Fondue sets make it easy to cook up a great tasting classic cheese fondue for bread or vegetable, at home, right at your dinner table. Even the meat fondues that are cooked in hot oil or broth are not hard to prepare but the most popular type of home fondues are ofcourse 'Chocolate'.

A chocolate fondue can be a romantic dessert just for two or you can share it with friends and family. If you're intrested in entertaining a big gathering and plan to cook up meat (fish, chicken) look for a fondue pot that can handle high heat while cheese or chocolate fondues can easily cook in thicker pots that don't scorch/burn the contents but still hold heat. Because as we know cheese and chocolate have to melt on very low heat and burn easily.

Chocolate/Cheese fondue sets often are heated by candles only, but meat fondues will never cook with just a candle. You will also find some fondue sets which are electric powered. Fondue sets are made from cast iron, ceramic, enamel, stainless steel, copper and aluminum. They are usually coated with non-stick, glazed, or enamel surfaces. Now it depends on your taste. choice & preference which type you want and what you plan on cooking.



This particular set that I purchased is light and can be used for light cooking such as cheese & chocolate which are easily melted by candle. It also consists of 4 fondue forks to pick and dip fruits/bread/vegetable etc.



Below are Two Recipes if you plan on buying or already have a fondue set. Enjoy over a light meal, romantic dinner for two or a large gathering.


Bon Appétit :)






Caramel Apple Fondue recipe:

Sliced apples
Chopped peanuts
2 pounds caramels
8 ounces cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Unwrap caramels and melt in microwave. When melted, add sliced cream cheese. Cook for 1 minute in microwave. Stir until cream cheese is melted. Add vanilla extract; stir. Pour caramel into fondue pot. Dip sliced apples in caramel, then into chopped peanuts.







Chocolate Fondue recipe:

milk chocolate, semisweet chocolate or sweet cooking chocolate
milk (to thicken or thin)
dry instant coffee or
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Dippers*

Heat chocolate and milk in heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat. Pour into fondue pot or chafing dish with water bath; keep warm over very low heat. (NOTE: A crock pot set on LOW does a great job of keeping the fondue warm.) Stir in a small amount of cream if fondue becomes too thick while guests are dipping.

Dippers:
Strawberries, banana slices*, pineapple chunks, mandarin orange segments, fresh orange slices, apple wedges*, grapes, melon balls, papaya wedges*, maraschino cherries, fresh pitted Bing cherries, kiwifruit slices, fresh coconut chunks, pound cake cubes, ladyfingers, miniature cream puffs, miniature doughnuts, marshmallows, pretzels, angel food cake cubes and vanilla wafers.

All the fruits followed by a * should be dipped in lemon juice after cutting to prevent blackening of fruits.

Beauty Review-Latest stuff from Boots!!!

I have to admit it....I Love Boots...I can never come out of that place empty handed. Not only is the stuff reasonably priced but also works great!

My latest beauty purchases are a handful and & thery're perfect for winters :)

---------------------------------------------------------------------


Lips dry and chapped? We all know Beesline is one of the best in that department. Their products are natural and love the stick (in the above photo). It is easy to apply with no mess of tubs, pots and tubes-get instant rid of dry, chapped lips. Also along with it got "Bite the Berry" Gloss- Strawberry & Raspberry....sweet scent and not gooey nor sticky like most glosses-Use to moisten and smooth lips :)





I love collecting body mists/splashes, perfumes etc and Vanilla is one of my favourite scents. When I get tired of the heavy perfumes body mists/sprays are the best. Right after shower it's very refreshing, non-sticky & needless to say smells like vanilla which is definitely a plus! :)





Lipbalms-Cant get enough of them hehehe-I have one in each flavour. My favourites are from TheBodyShop and this was the first time I got these apple & almond flavoured balms from Boots-they smell nice and do the job. Almond balm is more intensive and moisturising-a winter staple :)





Last but not the least-Body Scrubs.

Got two from the 'Smooth Me' Range: Vanilla & Brazil Nut, Coconut & Sweet Almond.

Also Pomegranate & Avocado Shower Gel.With refreshing pomegranate extract and moisturising organic avocado oil to help leave your skin feeling soft and refreshed.

My personal favourite out of the three is ofcourse the Vanilla & Brazil Nut because Vanilla and nut is my favourite combination in any scrub or body butter, it smells yummy (please refrain from eating :P) Plus it leaves the skin soft & smooth. It doesnt dry the skin at all.





So all you beautiful readers! have you tried any of these products? How was your expirience...if you do purchase any-your feedback & comments are most welcome! :)

Happy Shopping...! :)

Winter Recipe: Hot & Sour Soup.

Brrr...Brrr! What better than a warm bowl of soup in winters. Nothing beats chicken soup for me but for a change I like to enjoy minestrone, lentil, veggies and seafood in my soup.

Hot and sour soup is one of my favourite soups and I prefer it with shrimps/prawns. But you can add chicken too if you like. Here's my easy peasy recipe and as always you can add or subtract ingredients according to your own taste & preference.





this Recipe makes for 2.


Ingredients:

3 cups water
1/2 cup chicken (boiled and shredded-if you like)
1 cup shrimps/prawns (stir fried and fully cooked)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chinese salt
3 tbsp vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 cup cabbage (thinly chopped)
2 carrots (thinly chopped)
1 spring onion (thinle sliced)
1 tsp black pepper
1 eggwhite
3-4 tbsp cornflour
1 knorr chicken cube
2 tbsp ketchup
chilli sauce


How to make it:

Boil water and add chickn cube in it, bring it to a boil then add ALL ingredients EXCEPT egg and cornflour.

Cook for 8-10 minutes.

Dissolve cornflour in cold water and add to soup. Add more if needed to thicken.

Cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add eggwhite and cook for 3-5 minutes more-Keep stirring.

In the end add 2 tbsp ketchup and chilli sauce to taste.

Enjoy hot with prawn/fish crackers :)

Bon Appétit!

^^^CONGRATULATIONS^^^

The winner of the giveaway contest has been announced on the page and will very soon receive their gift-Congrats once again! :)

Am off for a short winter vacation- (yes, again!) and will be off from blogging for about two weeks. Will be blogging about more fun stuff and giveaways when back!

Miss me! ;)

Happy Holidays!

A Great Little Giveaway!

It's Giveaway Time...!! :)





I have a little gift especially Riyadh readers out there, its a small giveaway from my side for thanking you guys for all the lovely comments & appreciation.

This giveaway is NOT sponsored so I will be purchasing the products for the winner.

Arch de Triumph price 40 SR & coin purse 20 Sr plus a sweet delight!

A gift worth 80 SR for FREE!

The details and rules of the game are below get ready, set, go!

The rules of the game are simple & very easy to follow.

RULES:

1.) This giveaway contests is ONLY for blog readers living in Riyadh, KSA.

2.) Participants Must Be Fans Of My Facebook Fan Page. (by simply clicking 'Like' on the page you will become a fan)

3.)Refer a friend to my page. Your friend must mention your name or tag you on My facebook Fan Page. (the more friends you invite, the more points you gain!)



The giveaway starts today 7th December 2011 and ends on 12th December 2011 and is open ONLY for resiedents of RIYADH, KSA.

The winner will be contacted by email/facebook and must respond within 24 hours or another winner will be chosen.

Good Luck Evereyone! :)

Recipe Of The Day: Molten Lava Cakes

And my lovely blog readers one of the most awaited recipes is Finally here! :D

Molten chocolate cake or lava cake, is a popular dessert that combines the elements of a flourless chocolate cake (sometimes called a chocolate decadence cake) and a soufflé. Some other names used are chocolate fondant pudding and chocolate lava cake.

Who can say No to molten lava? Not me! ;)

Moist chocolate cake with a core of rich creamy chocolate filling. A delicious delight. I prefer to make it at home as one of my favorite desserts and now You can too! :)

They’re the kind of thing that you usually only find in restaurants because they look as though they are difficult to make. And there are a million recipes on how to make them and I have tried half a dozen recipes & find this one the easiest and quickest!

Once again this recipe is a step by step guide with each and every step with pictures.

Don't over bake or you will get a brownie-like dessert without the creamy-molten chocolate center-the 'Lava'. They are a little tricky because of the cooking temperature and the baking time but once you master that art...Viola!

This Recipe Makes 4 Cakes.

Ingredients:

4 squares chocolate (bitter or sweet-as you like)
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar (if using sweet chocolate) and 1.5 cups (if using bitter chocolate)
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
6 tablespoon All-Purpose Flour
Baking Spray
whipped cream/icecream/sauce/nuts for Garnish.


How To Make:

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Centigrade. Spray to Grease the cups with butter, four 3/4 cup ramekins.




Heat chocolate on a water bath. When melted add butter on very low heat. Until Smooth.




Stir in sugar. Blend in eggs first then egg yolks. Until Glossy. Cook for few more minutes.

Take off heat and Stir in flour.



Spoon In Cups:



Bake for 12-15 minutes or until sides are firm. Centre will be soft.




Loosen with knife and serve immediately warm on a dessert plate with cream/icecream/sauce & nuts. (turning the cakes on the plate is tricky so be careful)

Cut it to get the beautiful molten chocolate lava :)




Bon Appétit!

Review: The Body Shop-Shimmer Cube Palette.

The Body Shop is one of my favourite places at the mall. I love their body butters, scrubs, creams and lotions & gift packs...a few months back I tried their makeup and its fabulous too- including this eye palette which I love!

They are little cubes of colours in a small box. They are subtle for daytime wear as well as vibrant for night time-shimmery, glittery, crease resistat, mix easily with other shades & colors, can be used both wet & dry. There are different shades available including warm, blue-grey, purples and greens.


Perfect for a great winter look!



I got this one for 24$ around 85-90SR.

Key Ingredients:

Community Fair Trade marula oil: Marula oil comes from the marula tree, native to Southern Africa. The oil is rich in oleic acid, essential to the maintenance of healthy-looking skin.

Pearl pigments: provide shimmer.

Have you used the shimmer cube palette? Which colour is YOUR favourite?

Recipe Of The Day- "Lemon Chicken"

Chinese is one of my favourite cuisines & I eat and cook it very often. This recipe is from one of my favourite chefs Kokab Khwaja and this was the first time I tried it and it turned out good. It is both sweet & tangy, not very spicy and good for those who like to enjoy different flavours!

Just like many recipes, Lemon Chicken also has different ways to cook & this one is a very simple one (like most of my recipes).





Ingredients: (this recipe makes for 2-4 people)

For the Chicken:

4 Boneless Chicken breasts
1/2 cup cornflour
3 tbsp water
3 egg yolks
salt & pepper to taste
2 spring onions (only the green part for garnish, I used sliced capsicum)
Oil

For the Lemon Sauce

1/2 cup Lemon Juice
2 Knorr chicken cubes
2 tbsp Cornflour (Add more or lessen it according to the thickness you like)
2 tbsp Honey
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp ginger paste
2-3 cups water ( Add or lessen water according to the thickness you like)

Method:

Prepare Chicken:

Add cornflour, water, egg yolks, salt & pepper in a bowl and whisk them all together.

Now slice chicken breasts. (There are a number of ways you can slice chicken, in thin short slices, or thin long slices. I just cut them in thick short pieces).

Now dip the chicken pieces in the above mixture of yolks etc and deep fry for few seconds.

Keep the chicken aside and prepare sauce.

Lemon Sauce:

Mix together All the ingredients for the sauce in a saucepan. Cook till thickens; but not too much just enough to have a sauce like consistency.

You can now either put the already fried chicken piece in the sauce or pour the sauce on the chicken and serve hot. Granish with spring onions. Serve with boiled/fried rice.

Who doesnt enjoy a bowl of hot soup in winters, so this can also be served like below. With Chicken Corn Soup, Plain fried rice and ofcourse a bowl of the tangy, sweet lemon chicken. Bon Appétit!



---End NOtes---

You can always change the amount of ingredients you use according to your taste. For example if you dont like too tangy a flavour, then lessen the amount of lemon juice.

A review: Soap &Glory- The Scrub Of Your Life

Hey, hey! :)

Here's another review for a beauty product I recently purchased, used & loved.

I'm a lot into scrubs, body washes & body butters even more than makeup!

The first thing that attracted me to this tube was ofcourse the Girly Pink colour and pink is a colour whick instantly cheers me up :D

This was my first time using this scrub and I must say Iam Impressed.




The Scrub Of Your Life
Smoothing body scrub

First of all I like the packaging because using a tube is easier rather than the tubs that usually most scrubs come in. Easy to dispense, unlike those tubs of scrub that make a big mess in the shower. As a busy mom, I'm used to having quick showers so I find tubes quick and less messy too!

It's perfect for a quick exfoliation in the shower. Simple to use, yet efficient. This scrub has the right amount of beads which turns into a foam, which has an amazing smell to it. It has a feminine, sweet fragrance(scented with original pink formula).I also like the way it lathers up and leaves skin feeling really soft and silky smooth.

Definitely another amazing product from Soap and Glory!

Moisturise with a good body butter/cream and you're good to go! :)

I got this tube from Boots (they have a whole soap&glory section)

Price is £6.64
200 ML | £3.32 per 100ML. Boots also has 3 for 2 on selected indulgent bathing- cheapest free.

Scrub! Scrub! ;) Have a Great day! :)