Spinach and Onion Pakoras

I absolutely love Indian food but for most of my life I was too scared to attempt to make it myself. Fortunately, I discovered some dishes that are incredibly easy to put together - like these delicious pakoras! I tinkered with the recipe quite a bit until I got what I consider to be the ideal flavour combination. Despite the fact that they are deep fried, I tried to convince my girlfriends that they are healthy (because of the vegetable content)....they weren't buying it. But the best things in life never are!

Ingredients:

1 bunch spinach
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 green chillis, finely chopped
1 cup chickpea flour
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp tumeric
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp chilli powder
oil for frying

Directions:


Mix together your spinach, onions and green chillis in a large bowl. Add chickpea flour, salt, tumeric, sugar and chilli powder and mix together. Add in water, a few tablespoons at a time, until your mixture reaches a sticky texture. Do not add too much water. You want the mixture to stick together, but not be runny and fall apart.

Heat your oil in a deep-bottomed pan. Drop fritters of any size into the oil to deep dry - I usually use a soup spoon and make my fritters one scoop each. They can be flat or round - however you prefer! Keep them in the oil until they turn golden brown - or a deeper brown if you like them crispy like me. You will likely need to flip them during the process as well.


Once they are fried, transfer them to a paper towel to absorb excess oil.


You can server these with a variety of different sauces and they will all taste delicious. I have a serving tool that holds three different sauces, so I've been really into serving snacks with a trio of flavours. The last time I served these, I used tamarind chutney, mango chutney, and tempura dipping sauce. Thai chilli sauce tastes great too!

Lemon Coconut White Chocolate Cookies

I'm not a huge cookie person, but I needed a recipe that would be quick for my Thursday Bribe last week. I found this one and was stoked - my two favourite dessert flavours (lemon and coconut), in a quick, easy to prepare recipe! Money. My colleagues loves them; and I had enough leftover to bring them to two parties on the weekend!

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup flour
1 /2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1tsp vanilla extract
zest from one lemon
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 cups sweetened coconut flakes
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees C. Spread out coconut flakes over a baking sheet and toast in the oven for approx. 6 minutes, stirring frequently. They will burn if you aren't careful! Once they are golden brown, remove from the oven and set aside.


In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, cream together butter and sugars. Add egg, vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice. Mix until incorporated. Add flour mixture and blend. Stir in toasted coconut flakes and white chocolate chips.


Line your baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop the baking dough onto the sheets - mine were in mounds about the size of golf balls.


Bake for 10-12 minutes. Don't overbake; the idea consistency is soft in the middle, but firm enough to last being transferred to a cooling rack.


I always like to dig into my baking right when it's out of the oven - you get a gooey consistency that you can never recreate. However, I found these cookies tasted much better after cooling and sitting for a day - they were a bit crispy and that added a lot to the experience. Enjoy!

Brie and Sweet Onion Pastries

I snagged this recipe from my greatest inspiration when it comes to hostessing - my Mama :) She is an excellent cook, and she loves to throw parties and try new recipes. She made this particular appetizer at a party a few years ago and I kept talking about it for years until she finally made it again for me last summer. I started making it regularly and now all my girlfriends expect it when I entertain. It's incredibly easy to make - and even easier to eat!

Ingredients:

 

2 onions, thinly sliced
3 tbsp butter

2 tbsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp white wine vinegar

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
4 oz brie, softened, rind removed
1-2 tsp caraway seeds

1 egg
2 tsp water

Directions:
 
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees C. Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions, brown sugar, and white wine vinegar. Saute until onions are soft and translucent.
 
In the meantime, roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. You'll want your pastry to be approximately the size of an 8 x 10 sheet of paper.

Once the onions are finished, let them cool in a bowl to room temperature. Spread the cheese over the entire surface of the puff pastry. Add the onions to the top of the cheese, and then sprinkle with the caraway seeds.

Roll the long sides of the puff pastry inward so they meet at the middle. Slice the roll approximately every 1/2 inch to create individual pastries. Place the slices on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.

Beat the egg with water, and then brush this egg wash on the slices. Place the baking sheet in the fridge for at least 15 minutes for the dough to firm. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until the pastry turns golden brown.

Now you are ready to serve! You'll want to cool the pastries before you serve them, as they will fall apart easily if you try to serve the piping hot. They taste fantastic at room temperate so no worries there!

Super Spicy Guacamole

A Meliks' Original © Recipe

This receipe was a big hit at my first Super Bowl party 2 years ago. I'd never made guacamole before but I knew I wanted to try something different. It ended up being completed eaten before the game even started! Since then my brothers always request it when I hold parties, it has become quite popular! 

Ingredients:

 

2 avocados

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 red onion, finely chopped

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
1 green chilli, seeded and finely chopped
Juice of 1/2 lime
Salt, pepper and cayenne pepper

Directions:
 
In medium bowl, add the meat of the avocados. Mash them with a fork until nice and mushy. 
 
Stir in garlic, onion, pepper, chillis and lime juice. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place in a serving bowl and sprinkle on cayenne pepper. 

You'll want to make this right before guests arrive - it will turn brown very quickly (although the lime juice helps combat this). I usually chop up all my peppers and onion a day ahead of time, so I can make the dip right when my friends arrive. Another method to prevent the browning is to put the avocado seed right in the dish with the guac

Coconut Shrimp

This recipe combines three of my favourite tastes: shrimp, coconut, and beer. It's also deep fried! Doesn't everything taste better out of a deep frier? Of all the apps I served at the Super Bowl, this one got the most popular feedback. It's a bit time-consuming but totally worth it! I found that there is way more batter than it takes to make 24 shrimp - thankfully I had extra shrimp and coconut on hand - I was able to make about 45 shrimp with the same batter amounts.

Ingredients:

1 egg
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup beer
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups flaked coconut (sweetened or unsweetened depending on your taste)
24 cooked shrimp
3 cups oil for frying

Directions:
 
In medium bowl, combine egg, 1/2 cup flour, beer and baking powder. Place 1/4 cup flour in a bowl, and coconut on a plate. 
 
Hold shrimp by tail, and dredge in flour, shaking off excess flour. Dip in egg/beer batter; give it a little shake to get the excess batter off or you'll ruin some of your coconut. Roll shrimp in coconut until it's fully coated, and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. 

Meanwhile, heat oil to 350 degrees F in a deep-fryer or a cast iron frying pan.

Fry shrimp in batches (as many as will fit neatly in the pan).  Cook, turning once, for 3-4 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove shrimp to paper towels to drain and remove excess oil. 

These taste the absolute best when they're still hot out of the frier - typical of fried food. However the flavour is so good, they still taste great after sitting for a while! I made a batch last month and drive them for over an hour out to a baby shower in another city, and they were still a big hit :) I served them with a trio of sauces; classic seafood sauce, spicy plum sauce, and.....


Orange Honey-Mustard Dipping Sauce

I am not a big mustard fan but I make an exception for honey mustard. This one has orange flavour in it as well which cuts through the sharp mustard taste. As always - feel free to adjust the amount of pepper according to taste!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup orange marmalade
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp hot pepper sauce

Directions:

Mix together and serve! There is no trick to this sauce. The recipe makes way more than you need for the amount of shrimp above, but it keeps great refrigerated!

Red Velvet Cupcakes


Every Thursday at my office I hold a meeting with some of my colleagues. I was having trouble getting people to arrive on time, so one week I rashly decided to offer a Thursday Bribe - I'd bring goodies to the meeting every week, and everyone who's on time would get one. The success of this strategy has been sporadic...people seemed to be coming on time for a while, but I just never had the heart to actually withhold to goods, so they lost all motivation. But it's given me an opportunity to broaden my baking horizons and try a bunch of new receipts. I'll have a sweet treat up here every Thursday as a result! Valentine's Day is a great inspiration for baked goodies; actually, when you're single, that's all it's good for. I've tried red velvet cupcakes in the past but to no success - but this time, I hit the jackpot.  Delicious. I ate three last night alone (I know, it's sad). And I'll make this a double header by giving up my amazing cream cheese frosting.


Serving size: 20 cupcakes



Ingredients:


1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
28 ml red food coloring
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp distilled white vinegar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp salt

Note: I never have buttermilk on hand - who does?? I know the substitute for it would be to add a tbsp of white vinegar to a cup of milk, stir, and let it sit for about 5 minutes. However, I only have skin milk and I wanted something richer. My solution was to mix 1 tbsp vinegar, 3/4 cup whipping cream, and 1/4 cup skin milk. Love it.

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 12 cup muffin pans or line with 20 paper baking cups.  If you really want to go overboard with the Valentine's Day theme, use pink baking cups :)

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs, buttermilk (or whipping cream/skim milk hybrid), red food coloring and vanilla. Stir in the baking soda and vinegar. Combine the flour, cocoa powder and salt; stir into the batter just until blended. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, dividing evenly.  

Bake in the preheated oven until cooked, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan set over a wire rack. When cool, frost with....

The Best Cream Cheese Frosting You'll Ever Taste

A Meliks' Original © Recipe

I'm not a fan of frosting in general. But especially not cream cheese frosting. I enjoy cupcakes, but the frosting is just too sweet for me. And cream cheese to me should only be used on a bagel, or in a cheesecake. However, when you're baking for someone else, you leave your preferences at the door. I decided to wing this one and come up with something on my own - and I was amazed with my own brilliance (she says humbly). It's got a great texture, nice and creamy; some tartness from the cream cheese but it's not overwhelmingly cheesy. This recipe makes enough to cover the 20 cupcakes and then some.


Ingredients:
 

1 package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup  butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract


Directions:

In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and the cream cheese until it's smooth and creamy. Mix in the vanilla with a spoon, then gradually stir in the powdered sugar. And that's it. Done! If you have some leftover, toss it in a fridge for a rainy day...or just go at it with a spoon.
 

This frosting was the bomb on the red velvet cupcakes - but it would also be great on anything that would classically use cream cheese frosting. I'm already planning to use it on a carrot cake, and it would be great on cinnamon/sticky buns too!!

Pulled Pork Sliders

I'm a HUGE fan of pulled pork. I visit as many RibFests as I can every year, to experience that juicy goodness. It never even occurred to me to try making it myself until I had dinner at my Aunt's house one night. It was a weeknight and she just pulled some leftovers out of the freezer - some delicious barbeque, including pulled pork. She told me that my Uncle had made it on the weekend! I've been dying to try it since then - but when would it make sense for a single gal like me to cook up ten pounds of pulled meat? The SUPER BOWL - that's when! I created the dry rub myself but stole the sauce recipe from the Food Network's Sunny Anderson - I am a huge fan. Take this opportunity to be creative with your spice rub - I really just tossed on whatever I had handy and didn't really pay attention to portion size :)

Serving size: A lot. I cooked 10 pounds of pork, had enough to feed 12 dudes and froze half of it for myself - I can't say exactly how many sliders it produced. The amount of sauce was perfect for the amount of meat - feel free to adjust accordingly.


Ingredients:

10 lb pork shoulder or Boston Butt

Spice Rub:

2 tbsp paprika

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp chilli powder

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp tandoori massala

1 tsp cayenne pepper

3 tbsp sea salt

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp dijon mustard

Barbeque Sauce:

2 tbsp unsalted butter

2 tbsp olive oil

3  medium onions, finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp paprika

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup apricot jam

1 cup ketchup

2 tbsp hot pepper sauce

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Directions:

1. Mix all spice rub ingredients together in a medium bowl. Prick your pork with a paring knife and then add to the mixture. Coat the pork evenly. Tightly wrap with plastic wrap and toss it in the fridge (I marinated my pork overnight, but any amount of time over an hour would be fine I'm sure).
2. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F. Place your pork in a roasting pan, cover, and cook for 6 hours. If you don't have a roasting pan, you can be creative like me. I used a Corringware dish covered in tin foil and it worked great!
3. About half an hour before your 6 hours are up, you can begin your sauce.
4. Melt your butter and oil together in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender.
5. Add the garlic and paprika and cook 2-3 more minutes - if your garlic starts to brown, turn down your heat.
6. Stir in the brown sugar, jam, ketchup, and pepper sauce, stirring after each addition. Bring to a simmer, then stir in vinegar. Add salt to taste.
7. Remove your pork from the stove and let it rest for about 10 minutes. Remove your pork from the pan and drain some of the juices - but leave about 1/2 an inch in the bottom of the pan.
8. 'Pull' your pork using two forks, knifes, whatever you like. You know what it's supposed to look like. Then toss it back in the pan with the juices, and add your barbeque sauce. Coat the pork thoroughly so it's nice and juicy. Then....eat!!!

I thought the sauce was far too sweet when I tasted it, but after combining with the pork and the juices it was perfect. I planned on making coleslaw or deep fried pickles to serve on my sliders, but I ran out of time - I just served it plan and it tasted fantastic! As for the leftovers in my freezer, I plan to try it with cornbread, in a southern-themed salad, with french fries...the possibilities are endless!