Coffee - My favourite beverage of all time :)

 Reasons why coffee is good for you :

1.Coffee can make you smarter -Coffee contains an active ingredient called caffeine which is a CNS stimulant .It increases the release of neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine thus resulting in net stimulant effect. Coffee not only keeps your awake but also enhances your brain function.

2.Coffee can make you feel happier- Coffee is loaded with nutrients and anti -oxidants . It isnt just black water , in fact coffee is the biggest source of anti-oxidants in the western world. Coffee acts as an anti-depressant , making you feel less depressed , compared to those who dont include coffee in their diet.It has also been linked to lower levels of suicide.

3.Coffee may lower your risk of Alzheimer's-Coffee not only makes you smarter but also have a protective effect on brain in old age. Alzheimer's is a major cause leading to dementia ,a neurodegenerative disorder. Drinking coffee lowers the risk of Alzheimer's in 50% cases.

4.Coffee is good for your liver- Coffee helps to lower alcoholic cirrhosis which is an autoimmune disorder of liver which may lead to hepatic damage and liver cancer.It also helps prevent people from fatty liver disease .

BOTTOM LINE ?  DRINK COFFEE AND BE HAPPY ! :)

The 5 top fat-burning foods !

1.Whole grains 

The body burns twice as much the calories while breaking down whole grain food than the processed food.

2.Lean meats.                                                          

 Proteins have a high thermogenic effect. You burn 30% calories the food contains during digestion

3.Low fat dairy products

t’s important to include some dairy products like milk, cheese and yogurt in the diet as they are packed with essential nutrients that help to keep us healthy. As well as being good sources of protein, zinc and some B vitamins, dairy products are one of the main sources of calcium in the diet, a mineral that helps to build strong, healthy bones.

4.Green tea

Drinking 4 cups of green tea daily helped people to shed more than 6 pounds in 8 weeks . Green tea is the most powerful anti-oxidant and it boosts up your metabolism.

5.Hot peppers

Ingesting hot peppers ramps up the metabolism which in turn switches the body into fat burning mode .

Bread Butter Pudding

serves for 4 
Prep time- 40 min

Ingredients :

1.Eggs - 2 (large)

2.Milk- 2 cups (450ml)

3.Butter-1/4 cup (45g)

4.White bread- 6 slices 

5.Sugar-1/2 cup ( 115g)

6.Cinnamon or nutmeg powder - 1 tsp

7.Salt- 1/4 tsp

Procedure :

1. Preheat the oven at 200 degrees.

2.In a saucepan melt the butter and add the milk.Bring the milk to boil.

3.In a large bowl beat the eggs. Add sugar, salt and cinnamon powder and mix well.

4.Add in the bread pieces.

5.Now add the milk butter mixture into the above mixture.

6.Place the obtained mixture into a baking pan and bake for about 40 minutes.

7.Your pudding is ready if the knife comes out clean when poked into the pudding.

8.Serve hot.

Dance by GSN Group-2k11 CAIMS

STOOD THIRD IN THE DANCE COMPETITION HELD AT OUR COLLEGE . PLEASE DO WATCH AND LIKE THE VIDEO :)




http://www.youtube.com/v/L74TtYOyILU?version=3&autohide=1&showinfo=1&feature=share&autohide=1&attribution_tag=HkDS_7iG6PgHS-Li27eGaw&autoplay=1

Chocolate and vanilla swirled marble cake

Serves 8 
Prep time- 50 min 
Ingredients 
1.All purpose flour - 200 g
2.Butter - 150 g
3.Confectioners sugar- 220 g
4.Eggs - 4
5.Cocoa powder - 3 heaped tbsp
6.Vanilla essence- 1 tsp
7.Baking powder- 1 tsp
8.Buttermilk - 100 ml

Procedure 
1.Preheat the oven at 140 degrees for 15 min.
2. In a bowl mix the butter and sugar until you get a creamy texture.
3. Now beat the eggs in a separate bowl and add them to the above mixture.
4. Add the flour and buttermilk alternatively to the mixture to get it smooth.
5.Add in the baking powder and the vanilla essence.
6.In a bowl place half of the batter and add in the cocoa powder.
7.Grease a loaf pan and place four spoonfulls of vanilla batter into the pan spacing them far enough to create a checker board when you add the chocolate batter. Add the chocolate batter into the spaces to fill the bottom of the pan.Repeat it for the second layer alternating with the vanilla and chocolate batter.
8.Using the handle of a wooden spoon, swirl the batter to create a marbled effect.

9. Place in the oven and bake for 40 min. The cake is done when it turns golden brown on the outside and a cake tester comes out clean when inserted into the middle.

10.Cool on a rack for 10 min and then unmould and cool completely.

Blueberry mascarpone tart

Serves 6-8 people 
Prep time - 20 min 
Ingredients :
For the crust 
1.Cookies - 3 cups
2.Sugar- 45g
3.Butter-76g
4.Salt- 1 pinch

For the filling 
1.Mascarpone cheese -1 1/2 cups (or) 400 g
2.Egg- 2
3.Vanilla essence- 1 tsp
4.Confectioners sugar -1 heaped tbsp
5.Blueberry preserve- 100 g

Procedure:
To make the crust 
1. Crush the cookies in a blender till you get a coarse powder .
2. Add the butter, sugar and salt to the cookie powder and mix well.
3.Spread out the above mixture on the base of a tart pan evenly.
4. Now refrigerate the crust for an hour.

To make the filling 
1. Beat the egg whites into soft peaks in a bowl.
2.Now take a different bowl and beat the mascarpone cheese and add the vanilla essence and sugar and beat till you get a creamy yellow consistency.
3.Now fold in the egg whites into the mascarpone mixture .
4.Take out the crust from the fridge and spread out the above mixture onto the crust .

5. Top the mixture with blueberry preserve and refrigerate for 30 min.

Classic chocolate cake

Serves 7 people 
Prep time- 60 min 
Ingredients :

For the cake 

1.Confectioners sugar - 420 g (or) a little over 2 cups 

2.Unsweetened cocoa - 170 g (or) 3/4 cup

3.All purpose flour- 228 g (or) 1 cup 

4.Butter- 114 g (or) 1/2 cup 

5.Milk-114 ml (or) 1/2 cup 

6.Eggs- 3 (large)

7.Vanilla essence- 1tsp 

8.Baking soda- 2 tsp

9.Salt- 1/4 tsp

For the topping 

1.Butter- 120 g (softened) 

2.Cocoa-114g (or) 1/2 cup

3.Icing sugar - 550 g (or) 2 1/2 cups 

4.Milk - 76 ml (or) 1/3 cup 

Procedure 

1. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a bowl and keep it aside.

2. In a bowl beat the eggs with the help of an electric mixer  and add in the sugar and butter to get a smooth texture.

3.Add the mixture which was kept aside to the mixture containing the eggs, sugar and butter and mix it until you get a smooth texture.

4. Add milk to the mixture.This will make the mixture runny.

5. Add the vanilla essence.

6.Preheat the oven at 320 c for 15 min.

7. Grease a pan with cooking oil and pour the mixture into the pan.

8.Bake for 45 min at 200 c or till the sides of the cake leave that of the pan.

9.Insert a toothpick into the cake , if it comes out clean then your cake is ready !

For the topping:
1.With the help of an electric mixer churn the butter until it just turns creamy.

2.Add the cocoa and icing sugar in parts alternatively.

3.Now add in the milk and the vanilla essence.
4.If you feel your topping is too thick you can add some more milk.
5.Now spread out the frosting evenly onto your cake(make sure you cool your cake before spreading out your frosting) . Refrigerate before serving.

Upside down pineapple cake

Serves 7-8 
Prep time -50 min
Ingredients :
 For the topping 
1.Tinned pineapple- 8 slices
2.Brown sugar - 1 cup
3.Butter , softened - 55g

For the cake 
1.All purpose flour - 200g
2.Eggs- 3(large)
3.Confectioners sugar- 210g
4.Butter- 150g
5.Vanilla essence-1tsp
6.Preserved juice of the tinned pineapple- 50ml
7.Baking powder-1tsp
8.Sour cream or yogurt - 100g


Procedure:
1.Melt the 55 g of butter and spread it on the base of the pan ( I used a springform pan )
2.Now sprinkle the brown sugar evenly on the butter.
3.Cut the pineapple slices into small wedges and place them on top of the evenly distributed sugar as shown below.
                                                           

4.Now in a large bowl combine the eggs and confectioners sugar . Add the butter , flour , essence and the preserved juice . Add the sour cream and baking powder and mix it with the help of an electric mixer until you get a smooth texture.
5.Now pour this mixture onto the pineapple slice placed in the tin as shown below.

6.Preheat the oven for 15 min . Now place the tin on the upper rack of your oven and bake at 200 c for 30 min. Then change the oven temperature to 150 c and bake for 35 min or until your cake turns to golden brown as shown below.

7.Let it cool for 10 min .

8.Enjoy your cake with a big scoop of ice cream !!

           

Raspberry muffins !

A great combination of ingredients all within one scrummy muffin ! Made these for my family and they just loved 'em! This makes 12 good sized muffins.So here is the recipe that i evolved and have been using to make raspberry muffins , and yes! its my very own !

Serves 12 people 
Prep time- 25 min 
Ingredients:

1. All purpose flour - 250 g 

2.Unsalted butter- 220 g

3.Confectioners sugar -265 g

4. Eggs - 3 (large)

5. vanilla essence - 1 tsp.

6.Baking powder - 1 tsp

7.Butter milk- 30 ml 

8. Raspberry preserve- 3 tbsp.

Procedure:

1. Preheat the oven at 220 degrees.

2. In a bowl, mix the butter and sugar together until creamy. 

3.Then add the eggs , flour , essence , baking powder and finally the buttermilk . Beat the mixture till you get a smooth texture . 

4.Grease a muffin tray with some butter and pour the creamy batter into the moulds . 

5. Now add the raspberry preserve on top of each mould filled with the batter and swirl with a butter knife. 

6.Place the muffin tray in the middle rack and bake for 20 - 25 min . this will vary depending  on the amount of batter you put in and on the oven. 

7. Leave to stand for a few minutes after you take them out of the oven. 

Foods that help you to sleep better

1. Nonfat popcorn - The carbohydrates in nonfat popcorn help bring the amino acid tryptophan into the brain where it is used to make a sleep inducing neuro transmitter called serotonin. Since eating a heavy meal within 2 hours of bedtime can keep you awake , this nonfat popcorn is a great late night snack.

2.Mango lassi - packed with antioxidants , vitamins and protein , this treat satisfies your sweet , creamy craving as well as ice cream without the sugar bomb. To make a mango lassi cut up one fresh peeled mango and put it in a blender . Add a handful of ice, a small scoop of plain Greek yogurt(strained yogurt)and a splash of water or milk.Add a dash of sugar for extra sweetness if desired. 

3.Chickpeas - They are rich in vitamin B6 from which our body produces seratonin.Try adding chickpeas to salads , soups and stews when you need sleep.

4.Chamomile tea-  This herbal tea lacks caffeine found in traditional teas and it has calming effect on the body. Also, a warm liquid before bed can make you sleepy by raising the body temperature.

5.Honey - A rise in blood sugar can reduce the production of orexin in the brain. Orexin is a recently discovered neurotransmitter that has been linked to wakefulness.Try drizzling a smal amount of honey into your chamomile tea.A different route to sleep: avoid desserts which are high on sugar.

How to make sour cream instantly

Prep time- 15 min 
Ingredients :

1. full fat cream - 227 gm (or) 1 cup 

2. Lemon juice- 1tsp 

Procedure :

1. Place the cream in a bowl and add the lemon juice to it 

2. Whisk the mixture with an egg beater

3. You will find the mixture getting thicker in a few minutes. 

4. Your sour cream is ready to be used in your recipes !

NOTE : You can change the consistency of the sour cream by adding a little more of the lemon juice (for thicker sour cream) or by adding a little more cream (to make it a little runny).

Say CHEESEcake !!!!

So here are a few simple steps on how to bake an awesome blackberry cheesecake ! 
Serves 8-9 
Prep time - 80 min 

Ingredients: 

For the crust :

1.Graham cracker crumbs (or) any other biscuits- 2 cups (or) 454 g 

2.Unsalted butter - 1/3 cup (or) 76 g 

3.Sugar- 45 gms 

4. Salt - 5 g (optional)

For the filling:

1.Blackberry preserve- 1/2 cup (or) 113 g.

2. water - 1/4 cup (use as little as possible ) 

3.Philadelphia cream cheese - 8 oz (or) 227 g.

4. Sugar- 1 1/4 cup (or)283 g.

5.Sour cream - 1/2 cup (or) 113 g. 

5.Vanilla essence-2 tsp.
6. Eggs - 5.

Procedure:

1. Preheat the oven to 45o degrees. 

2. Create a water bath by placing a large pan filled with about 1/2 inch into the oven while it preheats. 

3. Combine the blackberry preserve with small amount of water ( start with one tbsp)  in a medium microwave safe bowl . Heat for 1 1/2 min on high in your microwave. Stir until smooth . Strain to remove the blackberry seeds, then let the strained preserve sit to the side to cool.  

4.Mix the cracker crumbs , butter , sugar and salt together . 

5. Press the mixture on to a bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.Use the bottom of a drinking glass to press the crumb mixture flat into the bottom of the pan and about 2/3 the way up the side. Refrigerate in the freezer till your filling is done.

6.Use an electric mixer to combine the cream cheese,sour cream , sugar and vanilla.  Mix  until the mixture gets smooth and creamy.Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl and then add them to the cream cheese mixture.Blend the mixture just enough to incorporate the eggs.

7.Remove the crust from the freezer and pour half of the cream cheese mixture into the crust. drizzle the blackberry preserve over the entire surface of the filling and swirl the blackberry preserve using a butter knife .Pour the other half of the filling into the crust.

8.Carefully place the cheesecake into the water bath in the oven.Bake for 12 min at 450 degrees, then turn the oven down to 350 degrees and bake for 45 min.After 45 min turn the heat down to 325 degrees and bake until cheese cake jiggles slightly in the middle and the top is golden brown. 

9.Remove the cheese cake from the oven to cool and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving .

Homemade cream cheese

Cream cheese is easy to make at home . Traditionally , it is made from unskimmed milk enriched with additional cream. When made at home , it is much cheaper and making it is pretty much easy .

Ingredients:

1.Whole fat milk- 1 litre 

2.Lemon juice - 1 1/2 tbspn (or) vinegar - 2 tbspn

3.Yogurt- 1 tbspn 

Procedure:

1.Boil milk and add the lemon juice and continue to stir until you find the whey separating from milk as shown below . Switch off.

       

                               
2. Now pour this into a muslin cloth  and drain the water . Wash it at least twice in cold water to get rid of the lemon flavour.
 
 

3. Now add curd and mix well . Transfer this mixture into a food processor and grind it to get a smoth paste .

           
   
4. Again place this mixture in a muslin cloth. Tie the ends together to make a knot and hang it on hanger or a cupboard handle .Leave it aside for 5 - 6 hours to drain the liquid completely .
         
5. Now your cream cheese is ready to be used in your recipes !!

How to fold ingredients in baking ? - Cut and fold technique

What does it mean to "fold in" an ingredient into the mix?  

Well , folding is a more gentle mixing technique than "stirring" and "mixing. Folding is usually used for items where something has previously been whipped or where tenderness is required and thus less mixing is advisable. 

Here are 4 simple steps on how to fold ingredients :

1.You will need a metallic spoon or a rubber spatula . The thinness of the implement you are going to use is important for making it easier to fold correctly. 

2. Always add the delicate mixture to the heavy mixture.Never do it the other way round so as to avoid bursting of air bubble.

3.Use the spatula in a cutting action. Cut down to the centre of the two mixtures and bring the heavy one on top. Turn the bowl as you do this to ensure that the folding has been done evenly. 

4.Continue until both mixtures are combined fairly .

                                               

How to make buttermilk at home ?

Ever been happily making a recipe only to find that it needs buttermilk ? Your first thought is how the heck are you gonna make buttermilk at home ? well here is a very simple recipe on how to make buttermilk:

Procedure:

1. Place one cup (240 ml) of milk in a bowl.

2. Add 1 tbspn of white vinegar (or) a pinch of lemon juice. 

3. Allow the mixture to stand for 5 min. 

4. Now your buttermilk is ready to be used in your recipes !