Buttercream Icing

Makes about 2 cups

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Ingredients: 3 cups sugar 1/3 cup butter, softened 1 1/2 tsp vanilla essence 2 tblsp milk

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Method

1. In medium bowl, mix powdered sugar and butter with spoon or electric mixer on low speed. Stir in vanilla and 1 tablespoon of the milk.
2. Gradually beat in just enough remaining milk to make frosting smooth and spreadable. If frosting is too thick, beat in more milk. If frosting becomes too thin, beat in a small amount of powdered sugar.

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Sugar Cookie

It's Christmas time and what better time to make sugar cookies. Found this recipe on Internet and it's so easy that my daughter made it with my help in rolling the dough.

Preparation Time: 15 min

Cooking Time: 10-20 min

Makes: about 3 dozen cookies

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Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 1 cup unsalted butter 1 cup sugar 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla essence 1 tblsp milk Powdered sugar - when rolling dough

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Method

1. Sift flour, salt and baking powder.

2. Beat butter and sugar in the electric stand mixer till it becomes lighter in color. 

3. Add egg, vanilla essence and milk and beat till the mixture combines.

4. On slow speed, add flour slowly and beat till the dough starts to pull away from the sides. 

5. Grease your palms with a little oil before handling the dough. This ensures it doesn't stick to your hands. Divide the dough into 5-6 equal parts. Wrap each part in cling wrap and refrigerate for about 2 hours.

6. Preheat oven to 375.

7. Sprinkle some powdered sugar on the counter. Take 1 part out and roll it out. Make sure it doesn't stick to the bottom and to the rolling pin. You can be generous in using the powdered sugar. Cut out desired shapes and place on parchment paper in baking tray. Keep about an inch between the cookies. Use left out dough after cut outs to roll again and cut more cookies. The dough becomes softer as you roll, so you need to be quick. You could freeze the softer dough for quick 3-4 minutes to harden it or roll the soft dough carefully. 

8. Bake for about 9-10 min flipping once at half time. 

9. Cool cookies before icing or enjoy without icing.

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Bread Pizza

I had forgotten all about this breakfast dish that my mom made frequently. When she made it again last month during her visit here, I remembered how quick, easy and healthy this is. Made it for breakfast this morning and the kids are loving it. 

Preparation Time: 15 min

Cooking Time: 5-10 min
Makes: about 6-8

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Ingredients:

Finely cut Cabbage 1 cup

Finely cut carrots 1/4 cup

Finely cut onions 1/2 cup

Finely chopped green pepper 1/4 cup 

Rava 4 tsp

Milk 10 tsp

Salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

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Method

1. Mix all the listed ingredients well. 

2. Spread the mixture on a bread slice. You can put less or more depending on how you like it. 

3. Heat a non-stick griddle to medium to high heat.

4. Place the bread slice with mixture upside down on the griddle such that mixture is on the griddle. Be careful and quick so that the mixture stays under the slice. 

5. Press it down. The mixture needs to stick together and to the bread. 

6. If you want you can apply some butter on the bread. Carefully flip the bread to crisp the bread slice. 

7. Cut into triangles and serve. My kids like to eat it with ketchup. 

Note: 

1. You can substitute the vegetables to what you prefer. 

2. You can substitute milk with heavy cream or malai. 

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Tomato Ketchup

Homemade sauce(ketchup) always reminds me of the long process we had at home growing up. Every year, mom would make 15-20 big bottles of tomato sauce to last us the year. We always ran out towards the end. 

Considering the long process involved in making it, we started buying tomato ketchup from the store till my daughter tasted my Mom's tomato sauce at my brothers home. 

My mom made tomato sauce since my brothers 3 year old daughter loves ketchup and eats everything with ketchup. The sauce was made at home to make sure she eats healthy. My daughter loved this homemade ketchup during our visit so much that she insisted I make it. So here it goes... Got this recipe from my mom... 

Preparation Time: 1 hr

Cooking Time: 2 hrs
Makes: 3 1/2 bottles (wine sized)

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Ingredients:

Tomatoes 7kgs

Onion 600gms

Ginger 400gms

Garlic 150gms

Black salt 4tsp

Sugar 2 cups

Garam masala 1tsp

White Vinegar 12tsp

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Method

1. Make a purée of tomatoes, onion, garlic and ginger.

2. Strain this purée.

3. Boil in a pan for about 2 hrs till the sauce thickens and is not runny.

4. Add black salt, sugar and garam masala.

5. Let it cool,

6. Add vinegar. Mix well and store immediately in air tight bottles. 

Note: Remember to wash bottles beforehand and dry completely. 

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