Diwali or Deepavali, the festival of lights, is right around the corner, and as expected, here I am with some simple sweets and savories. But folks, you can make these recipes for any occasion, and these are not meant only for Diwali. :-) Fruit Custard is one of my favorite desserts. If you are regularly following my blog, you will know that I always prefer fruit-based desserts. With the goodness of milk, custard powder, and my favorite fruits like banana and apple, it is one of the yummiest desserts....

Since Fall started my cravings for cake has taken a major jump and this Moist Almond Blueberry Coffee Cake was on top our list. It’s rich, flavorful and you just Cannot Stop at one slice….I’d say 2 or even 3 slices is a done deal with hot coffee. This cake is popular by many other names like Blueberry Buckle Cake, Healthy Blueberry Yogurt Cake or Blueberry Streusel Cake. This cake also tops our list as I’ve received multiple requests to post a moist yogurt-based cake after my extremely popular, requested ‘Moist Lemon Yogurt Cake’ which was done almost 4yrs back (gosh I can’t believe its been that long)....

You can use any of your favorite vegetables here. I love making gummadikaya pulusu with pumpkin. Check out the ‘Expert Tips’ section for more veggie ideas. This is a comforting recipe that is perfect to serve with rice for a delicious meal. About the recipe Pulusu or dappalam is a very traditional side dish from South Indian state of Andhra. It is similar to kuzhambu in Tamil Nadu. We make palakura pulusu with spinach, wadiyala pulusu with fried lentil crisps or just plain pachi pulusu....

Oatmeal Scotchies Today’s cookies are similar to oatmeal cookies, but slightly richer, slightly sweeter, and with a butterscotch base flavor. However, I didn’t just take my oatmeal cookie recipe (beloved as it is), toss some butterscotch chips into the cookie dough, and call it a day. That would have been easy, sure, but today’s recipe required a bit more work than that. Oatmeal scotchies revolve around butterscotch flavor. Sure, the butterscotch chips that we’re adding are the most obvious way to drive that flavor profile home, but there’s more to be done with the cookie dough overall....

One pot pasta dinners have to be about the best thing ever. No boiling water, no colanders, no stress. This vegetarian orzo recipe combines all the goodness of perfectly cooked pasta, flavorful veggies, lemony sauce and Parmesan cheese into one delicious dish, and you cook it all in one large skillet! It doesn’t get better than that. How long it takes: 35 minutes Equipment you’ll need: large skillet with lid Servings: 4 main course I love how colorful this pasta dish is....

This is the year of the cranberry sauce. At least on Rachel Cooks. Just go with it. It could be because Costco sells fresh cranberries. I may or may not have bought a lot. So that’s why we had the apple cinnamon cranberry sauce and now this classy orange cranberry sauce with cardamom. Cardamom makes everything instantly classy – didn’t you know? For example, my rhubarb cardamom shortbread bars – classy....

Helllloooo Friday. We’ve made it through the workweek, through long commutes and tired routines with simply not enough coffee to wake our sleep deprived minds. In my case, I’ve been grappling with shaking off the jetlag and regaining a shred of motivation after a great conference and mini vacation on the other side of the United States earlier this week, and getting back on track has been much more difficult than I thought....

Fresh grapefruit juice, lime, tequila, club soda, and lots of ice make this frosty fruity fun cocktail a summer standout. With a spicy rim of salt, sugar, and chipotle chili powder, it’s just a step above the ordinary. How long it takes: 10 minutes Equipment you’ll need: cocktail shaker, glass Servings: 1, but it’s easily multiplied Perfect with tortilla chips, guacamole, and homemade salsa, or other southwestern fare, this drink is destined to quickly become a favorite....

A spicy and hearty side dish with double dose of protein from paneer and beans. Tomato puree, spinach, spices and a dash of cream bring the whole curry together. Try this Indian style paneer side dish for chapati or even rice and I am sure you will love it!! About the Recipe My family loves paneer, especially the kids. They can eat it every single day. Which is why I am always on the lookout for new recipes....

I have mentioned this before, but I am repeating it. Indian festivals are incomplete without sweets, and among them, kheer or payasam, as we say in Tamil, is quite popular and easy to make as well. The beginning of ashada month (fourth month of the Hindu calendar), which usually spans June, July of the gregorian calendar, marks India’s festive season. And it continues till Deepavali and Karthigai. We consider the new moon day and full moon day and Fridays of ashada month as divine and auspicious....

Snickerdoodles With a Peanut Butter Twist These peanut butter snickerdoodles were one of my biggest pregnancy cravings before Ella was born. As you might’ve guessed from the name, they’re a perfect hybrid of peanut butter cookies and snickerdoodles (I almost called them “peanutdoodles” but thought that might inspire an image of a poodle-crossed puppy!). With a distinct peanut butter flavor and a subtle tang from cream of tartar and a sweet, cinnamon sugar coating, they’re absolutely irresistible....

I know I am late in publishing this week’s meal planner. These days weekends are much busier than weekdays. Finally, I did grocery shopping, planned my weekly meals. Then I prepared the idli/dosa batter and chopped the veggies and all set for this post here on my blog. It’s better to be late than never, huh? Meal Prep Days: Even though weekends are busier, try to set aside some time for meal preparation....

My family loves making this potato candy around the holidays, especially for Christmas and Easter. You might even recognize the candy base as I’ve shared it before in my Easter Egg Candy. Be sure to read through the post for all of my most important tips before you begin! If you’ve read this far you’re either really, really intrigued or you grew up making your own Potato Candy and already know how amazingly delicious this recipe really is....

Quinoa is small grain loaded with protein and it’s a rich source of B vitamins, and also dietary minerals and has a modest amount of calcium. It is gluten-free and considered easy to digest. This grain is perfect for kids as they get sufficient vitamins and minerals along with protein. But one thing that I need to agree is quinoa’s taste is acquired. I started including them along with rice then in soups and stews....

How long it takes: 5 minutes Equipment you’ll need: cocktail shaker or small jar, muddler, fine mesh sieve Servings: 1 (it’s easy to make more!) Most recipes for wine spritzers have only two ingredients: an inexpensive wine and a carbonated mixer of some sort. They aren’t super sweet and are somewhat similar to a hard seltzer. A homemade wine spritzer is one of my go-to “cocktails” because it’s refreshing and so, so easy....

Paruppu Usili and Vathakuzhambu is one of the classic combinations and my favorite combo too. :-) But what exactly is this paruppu usili? Paruppu means dal or lentils. This family recipe of ours, calls for equal amount of toor dal and channa dal. Both dals along with red chillies are soaked and they are grinded along with hing, salt and turmeric. These ground mixture is then steamed and then it is broken down again and this broken down steamed lentil mixture is added along with the veggie....

I am participating in the three-day blogging-marathon and the theme for this week is – Explore Southern Hemisphere Countries and Cuisine. When I explored Latin-American cuisine, I bookmarked quite a few recipes. But I never got a chance to post it on the blog. So took advantage of this theme and posting them all now. Today’s recipe is not from the bookmarked list though. :-) Australia is one of the major countries in the southern hemisphere and I when I asked my friend who is living there for vegetarian recipes, she suggested this steak recipe and few other baked goodies as well....

Recipe courtesy America’s Test Kitchen.

These scalloped sweet potatoes are sort of sweet potato casserole’s sophisticated sister. They are rich and decadent, with so much flavor, thanks to bacon and shredded Gruyère cheese. How long it takes: 1 hour Equipment you’ll need: sheet pan, oven, large baking dish, skillet Servings: 8 You all know the classic Thanksgiving sweet potato casserole topped with marshmallows? This is nothing like that. I repeat, this sweet potato casserole is nothing like that one (not that I have anything against that iconic dish)....