Blueberry Cheesecake Cupcakes

Posted in Desserts, Simple and Delicious by serendibbeginnings

So, this is really part 2 of the 2-part cupcake posting! I have been meaning to make some sort of treat using the blueberry preserves I had recently made. What better way than to test it as a filling for cupcake! So, that was going to be the second cupcake flavor. Vanilla cupcake with blueberry preserve filling and lemon cream cheese frosting! Yummmm!

I am not sure where I came upon this recipe! Since I wanted to stick with the “made from scratch” spree, I decided to whip up this quick cupcake recipe. One warning – be gentle with your mixing if you want to avoid big air pockets in the cake. The cake was totally amazing – especially the frosting! Just the right amount of sweetness with a bit of citrusy tang! Delicious! And the bit of blueberry preserve you get in each bite is just perfect!

(BTW, if you are have leftover frosting, use it as a drizzle for a breakfast treat (sweet rolls or as a spread for crepes!)

Blueberry Cheesecake Cupcakes

Servings: 12
Time: 30 min plus decorating
Print

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons soft unsalted butter
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
1 3/4 cup cake flour
1/2 cup milk

Cupcake filling
1/4 cup blueberry preserve

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
1 8-oz reduced fat cream cheese
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Lemon zest from 1/2 lemon

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners and set aside.
2. Using an electric hand held beater, combine butter, sugar till light and fluffy.
3. Add one egg at a time, mixing well.
4. Combine cake flour, salt and baking powder.
5. Add the flour mixture alternating with milk in two additions.
6. Divide the batter among the 12 cupcake “wells”. Bake for about 20-22 minutes till the top is lightly golden and the center tests done.
7. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove the cupcakes and let cool completely on a cooling rack.
8. To decorate, slowly and carefully cut out a 1/2 inch piece of cupcake in the middle as shown in the picture above. Reserve the cut out piece. Fill the hole with a teaspoon of blueberry preserve and place the cut out cake back on top. Now, cover the top with lemon cream cheese frosting.

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl using handheld mixer. If frosting is too thick, you can thin it by adding few drops of lemon juice.

28Jul2014

Blueberry Preserves

Posted in Breakfast, Sauces and Condiments, Simple and Delicious by serendibbeginnings

OMG friends! I missed posting here! It’s been rough few weeks!

It so happened that a mishap occurred with my laptop….it “somehow” got drowned from the bottom and stopped working! Yes, I nearly crumbled into nothingness when I turned on the laptop and it made this whirring sound. My heart sank knowing something was terribly wrong! The screen was black. I almost collapsed thinking of the many photos saved on it! Can they be retrieved somehow? What about my computer time? Sure, I could have used one of the backup units, but somehow I felt I needed to wait till mine got at least some sort of a CPR.

Long story and ordeal cut short, my laptop did get fixed. Although it took a bit of time (partly because I was too busy preparing for my extended family’s visit and work to bug my husband to do something about it), the unit is back to action – thanks to my brother and my husband!

So, I couldn’t think of any better recipe to post but a wonderful, delectable, vibrant, fresh from the garden to a jar, blueberry preserve!

Yesterday, we had gone blueberry picking. We picked several pounds and after freezing most and saving some for eating fresh, I used up a bunch to make two 16-oz jars of delicious preserves.

If you can get past the beautiful hue of the preserve, I assure you that you will be greatly rewarded by the taste of the spread on a lightly buttered toast or spread on a split muffin or scone! Yummmm….so what are you waiting for??!! Grab the few things you need to start twirling the kitchen, will you!

Bright and Sunny Blueberry Preserve

Servings: two 16-oz jars
Time: 30 minutes
Print

Ingredients
3 1/2 cups of crushed blueberries
2 tablespoons sure-jell low-sugar pectin
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup stevia
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Preparation:
1. Prepare the fruit by crushing rinsed blueberries. Scoop 3 1/2 cups of the crushed fruit and pour into a small sauce pan.
2. Place over medium-low heat and add the pectin.
3. Stir the pectin into the fruit and cook for about 5 minutes.
4. Add the sugar and stevia and continue cooking the fruit for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
5. The fruit may start to bubble and froth up. Stir in the butter to help reduce the froth.
6. While the fruit is cooking, place the two jars in a medium pot of simmering water and warm for about 5 minutes.
7. Remove the jars from the water, letting all the water drain out. Scoop the cooked fruits into the jars, leaving about 1/4 inch of head space. Place the lid and the ring and lightly tighten the lids.
8. Place the jars back into the pan with hot water and simmer for about 10 minutes. Make sure the water mark is well below the lid.
9. Remove the jars from the water and transfer the jars to the refrigerator to cool.
10. Check for seal after about 24 hours. You will see that when properly sealed, the lid will be slightly depressed down.

Enjoy!

30Jun2014

Bibimbap-Style Beef Dinner

Posted in Non-Vegetarian Main Dish, Simple and Delicious by serendibbeginnings

OK, so I debated a while about what to name this recipe, which was inspired by a lovely lunch I got from a food cart last week! It was made by someone who has been making it all his life! So, although the idea is similar, I couldn’t bear to belittle the authenticity of the dish by calling it bibimbab. Hence the name you see here! “Bibimbap-Style Beef Dinner”

For ingredients, I guess you could pretty much use a variety of your favorite veggies (raw, steamed or sautéed) and stir-fried beef or pork with steamed rice and cooked seasoned glass noodles. Going back to my food cart reference, I almost didn’t order the bibimbap because the dish was topped with a soft-set egg. I am not a runny yolk person. So, yes, I was a coward and ordered my egg fully cooked.

For this recipe, I used a small bunch of spinach and carrots for veggies. I wish I had bean sprouts, maybe next time! Spinach was just boiled in its own liquids and carrot was briefly sautéed in a small amount of oil. I seasoned the shaved beef in some Korean marinade and sautéed in small batches.

Drizzle a bit of toasted sesame oil and sprinkle a bit of toasted sesame seeds on your served dish and you will have yourself something that may just satisfy your craving for bibimbap until your next visit to a Korean restaurant or a food cart! 🙂

Bibimbap-Style Beef Dinner

Servings: 4
Time: 45 min
Print

Ingredients
1/2 lb shaved beef
1/4 cup Korean meat marinade (bottled)*
1 small bunch fresh spinach
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 medium carrots, julienned
2 cups lettuce leaves, torn into bite size pieces
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
3/4 cup cooked glass noodles
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1/2 cup bottle kimchi, optional
1 jalapeno, sliced thin, optional
1/4 cup sliced red onions, optional
1 cup cooked rice
4 eggs

Preparation:
1. Season the beef with the meat marinade and set aside while you prepare the vegetables.
2. Prepare the glass noodles according to package directions. Add 1/4 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil and 1 teaspoon of Korean marinade. Set aside.
3. In a medium pan, steam the spinach leaves. Drain off the liquid and season with 1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce. Set aside.
4. Wipe the pan and add a teaspoon of oil. Saute the carrots for 2 minutes till they are crisp tender. Season with salt, if desired. Set aside.
5. Heat the pan over high heat and add a tablespoon of oil. Saute half the meat for about 3 minutes till it is cooked through. Remove to a platter and repeat with the remaining meat.
6. Pan fry eggs according to your taste.
7. Divide the meat, vegetables, rice and noodles among 4 plates. Add kimchi, jalapeno and onions, if desired. Lastly, top with an egg and drizzle a few drops of toasted sesame oil over the vegetables and meat.

* NOTE: If Korean barbeque sauce is not available, feel free to substitute equal amount of light soy sauce, 1 clove of minced garlic and 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar (or palm sugar)

25Jun2014

Broiled Salmon with Cool Yogurt-Dill Sauce

Posted in Non-Vegetarian Main Dish, Sauces and Condiments, Simple and Delicious by serendibbeginnings

Salmon is a great fish for broiling, poaching, baking, pan-frying……pretty much any way you want to prepare it! Although it is a great tasting fish by itself or with just a touch of salt and pepper, it does transform into something extraordinary when you add seasoning and spices! I love to make it with an Asian twist with soy sauce, ginger and sesame! That’s usually a frequent go-to recipe! But, I wanted to try something more summery for dinner the other night.

A simple salt and pepper seasoned salmon broiled to perfection topped with a cool yogurt-dill sauce with notes of garlic and lemon juice! Yum, I know!

Since this happened to be a weeknight dinner I scrambled to put together in few minutes, I forgot to take the many pictures I usually do with my recipes! I apologize! But, I hope the picture of the served dinner just in time before I devoured it makes up for it! 🙂

Although salmon is the main character, I think the supporting role wins by leaps and bounds! Yeah, I am talking about the yogurt sauce that you whip up in less than 5 minutes!

Broiled Salmon with Cool Yogurt-Dill Sauce

Servings: 4
Time: 30 min
Print

Ingredients
1-lb skinless salmon fillet
dash of salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup plain fat free yogurt
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
3-4 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 clove of garlic, finely minced
Juice from 1/2 lemon

Preparation
1. Preheat broiler at high (525F); Line a baking dish with aluminum foil and place the salmon filet in it.
2. Sprinkle salt and pepper on salmon filet; Drizzle the olive oil on top.
3. Place the salmon pan about 6 inches from the broiler and broil for about 15-20 minutes till the salmon is cooked through. This will depend on the thickness of the fish and heat distribution. Fish should flake easily with the fork when done.
4. While the salmon is cooking, combine rest of the ingredients in a small bowl and set aside in the refrigerator till ready to serve.
5. When salmon is done, serve it immediately topped with the sauce.

NOTE: If you don’t like your sauce sweet, feel free to add a bit of crushed red pepper or reduce the amount of honey.]

24Jun2014

Berry Delicious Strawberry Sauce

Posted in Sauces and Condiments by serendibbeginnings

You can spoon it over a scoop of vanilla ice cream, drizzle over freshly made waffles, use it to dunk pancake bits cooked in ebelskiver pan or use it in whatever else you like! I am talking about a simple yet berry delicious strawberry sauce!

So, you already saw my post about my first ever strawberry preserve recipe! So, here is another recipe using the gorgeous berries! Feel free to cut down the sugar as much as you want – less sugar you use, chunkier the sauce will be, but I promise you, it will still be super delish!

All you need for this recipe is a good amount of fresh berries, bit of sugar and a splash of water! Yes, just three ingredients!

Berry Delicious Strawberry Sauce

Servings: About 1 1/4 cups
Time: 15 minutes
Print

Ingredients
2 heaping cups fresh strawberries, washed, hulled and patted dry
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water

Preparation
1. Combine sugar and water in a small pan and bring to a simmer.
2. Add 1/2 the strawberries to the pan to lightly soften the berries. Scoop the berries out of the sugar syrup and set aside in a small bowl.
3. Repeat with remaining berries.
4. Bring the syrup to a low boil and continue cooking till it reduces to a syrupy consistency. If any juices accumulate in the bowl with the berries, strain into the simmering sauce.
5. When syrup is your preferred consistency, turn the heat off and pour over the berries.
6. Chill the sauce in the refrigerator till ready to use.

24Jun2014

Easy Summer Berry Preserve

Posted in Sauces and Condiments, Simple and Delicious by serendibbeginnings

Warm weather is here and that means strawberries! Bright, red, juicy berries so full of flavor and nutrition that you can enjoy in many ways! That brings me to canning!

I have long admired the talent, passion and patience of folks who make it their summer mission to not only source season’s freshest produce, but also take the time to prepare and preserve them for months to come! When we visited our friends last winter, we had the opportunity to sample some homemade jams and preserves! They tasted so pure and delicious! Best of all, they were free of commercial preservatives and had significantly less added sugar. My friend insisted it was so simple to make! OK!

Since then, I sort of dabbled with the thought of trying my hands at making some homemade jam myself but kept putting it off! So, when the strawberry season came around, I just had to take the plunge! So, we went to the local farm to pick some berries. Ahh….what an enjoyable experience! From toddlers to grandparents, it was an afternoon of fun for everyone!

After a bit of crawling around on piles of hay and red fingers, I managed to keep the family working long enough to pile on about 10 lbs of berries! That was the easy part! Seriously! The hardest part is setting aside the time to sort through, rinse, hull, blot and prepare the fruits!

Since this is the first time making preserves, I wanted to make just enough to fill a few 16-oz jars!

After seeing how much added sugar is in a traditional homemade or store bought jam/preserve, I wanted to control the amount of sugar in my recipe. I heard from a fellow shopper in the pectin aisle that stevia has a weird taste and flavor and she uses raw turbinado sugar to reduce the amount of added sugar. After a bit of contemplation and a quick Google session, I decided to try a combination of few sweeteners – raw turbinado, stevia and regular refined sugar! So, after grabbing a small jar of pectin (for low/no sugar recipes), a large bag of stevia (swallow) and a pouch of turbinado, I raced to get a few canning jars! Armed with a dozen Canning jars, I started to feel like a pro!

Once you clean and prepare the fruits (or if you are lucky, recruit family and friends to do it for you!), rest of the process is very quick and easy.

After a few minutes of cooking, you are ready to scoop into sterilized jars and seal for later! See, I told you the cooking process is easy!

NOTE ABOUT TASTE/TEXTURE: After opening many a jar of store-bought jelly and preserves, the look of this preserve closely resembles other low-sugar versions you get at the store. It’s not as “glossy” looking as regular sugar versions, but I didn’t mind it much. It tastes great and most importantly it was a winner with my kids!

This recipe is a winner even for the most challenged cook! So, give this a try and see for yourself! You still have a few days left of the strawberry season in your local area, so make it a berry fun weekend!

Easy Summer Berry Preserve

Servings: 3 16-oz jars
Time: 60 minutes
Print

Ingredients
4 cups of crushed fresh berries
1/2 cup refined sugar
1/2 cup raw turbinado sugar
1/2 cup stevia
3/4 cup water or strawberry juice
6 tablespoons fruit pectin for low/no sugar recipe
1 teaspoon butter, optional
3 16-oz canning jars with lids

Preparation
1. Wash the canning jars and the two-part lids with dish soap and warm water. Bring a large, wide pan of water to a low simmer and place the jars and the lids. Keep them in the water till the preserve is ready to be poured in.
2. Scoop the crushed berries, sugars and water into a large, heavy bottom pan and place over medium heat.
3. Add the pectin, while continuously stirring so as not to allow the pectin to clump up.
4. Stir in the butter. Increase the heat to medium high and bring the mixture to a rolling boil.
5. Continue to maintain the boil for 2-3 minutes and turn off heat.
6. Using tongs, carefully remove one jar at a time and spoon (or funnel) in the hot preserves, leaving about 1/4″ – 1/2″ space at the top. Using tongs, remove the flat lid from the water and place on the jar. Wipe away any spills from the rim and sides and seal using the lid rings. Repeat with remaining preserves.
7. Place the filled jars into a water bath with boiling water for 10 minutes. Turn off heat, wipe down the jars and place in the refrigerator.
8. Check for seal after about 24 hours. Lid should not have any bounce when you press on top. Your bottled preserves are ready for storage or giving away as gifts.

15Jun2014

Creamy ricotta sausage pasta

Posted in Simple and Delicious by serendibbeginnings

Hey guys, I have a question for you…what is the most versatile thing in your pantry? Hmm…so you too think it is pasta! Oh, good, then we are on the same page!

What is not to love about it, right? It cooks so fast, could be made into a both cold and hot dishes, tastes great with or without meat and comes in many shapes, sizes and varieties! So, yes, I guess they are one of the best things to have around in the pantry, right!

Anyway, I am glad I had one of those boxes in the pantry the other night! Some cooked pasta tossed with sausage, ricotta, tomato sauce and few other ingredients made for a wonderful dinner after a busy day at work!

Adding vegetables into this dish makes for a true one-pot dish that provides a well-balanced meal. Kids will likely eat right through without realizing they are actually eating vegetables! A win, right!

Why don’t you try it out and share your comments!

Creamy ricotta sausage pasta

Servings: 4
Time: 30
Print

Ingredients
1/2 package of your favorite pasta, cooked according to directions
4 links of reduced fat sausage of your choice, sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onions
3 large cloves, finely minced
2 cups thinly sliced kale
1 cup sweet peppers thinly sliced
1 cup tomato sauce
2 tablespoons basil leaves, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon crushed red peppers
1/4 teaspoon crushed oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

Preparation
1. Heat a large non-stick frying pan and lightly brown the sliced sausages.
2. Remove the sausages and keep aside. In the same pan, add the olive oil and cook the onions and garlic for 2 – 3 minutes.
3. Add the veggies and continue cooking for about 5-7 minutes. Add back the sausage.
4. Stir in the tomato sauce, herbs, crushed red peppers, salt and pepper and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Gently stir in the ricotta cheese. Toss in the pasta.
6. Serve immediately sprinkled with a bit of mozzarella or parmesan!

15Jun2014

Creamy and Spicy Southwestern Chicken Chili

Posted in Non-Vegetarian Main Dish by serendibbeginnings

If you have read this blog before, you know I love chili! I make it with beef, ground turkey or chunks of chicken – each one with its unique taste of the moment! This particular chicken chili is made using leftover barbequed chicken rubbed with chipotle chili seasoning and garlic and I must say it was pretty darn good. Now that the warm weather is here to stay at least for the next few months, I thought this could be a recipe to use up your leftover chicken from your backyard barbeque.

This recipe really doesn’t take long to put together at all and it takes very few ingredients, especially because the chicken was well seasoned. If you don’t have spiced leftover chicken, you can substitute any grilled chicken (as long it was not basted in bbq sauce) and add a bit of southwestern or chipotle seasoning.

I added beans and some veggies to make this more wholesome. Feel free to toss in diced sweet bell peppers, carrots, celery etc. along with your favorite beans to make this filling and nutritious.

Stirring in some sour cream towards the end of the cooking makes this dish creamy and a bit tangy which adds to the complexity of the taste. I hope you give this a try!

Creamy and Spicy Southwestern-Style Chicken Chili

Servings: 4
Time: 30 min
Print

Ingredients
2 cups diced/shredded leftover cooked spiced chicken
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced sweet peppers
1 cup thinly sliced kale, stems removed
1/4 cup finely chopped onions
1/2 jalapeno, finely chopped (optional)
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup light sour cream
1 8oz can tomato sauce
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed well
Additional chipotle pepper rub or other southwestern seasoning to taste (optional)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Optional toppings
Grated Mexican blend cheese
Diced avocado
Crushed tortilla chips
Sour cream

Preparation
1. Heat olive oil in a medium pot. Add onion and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add celery, kale, carrot and peppers and continue cooking for 5 minutes.
3. Add the chicken, additional seasoning if desired, beans and tomato sauce and simmer for 10-15 minutes over medium heat.
4. Adjust seasoning and remove from heat.
5. Serve immediately with your favorite toppings.

(See, I told you it is an easy recipe!)

6Jun2014

Easy Weeknight Beef Fajita

Posted in Non-Vegetarian Main Dish, Simple and Delicious by serendibbeginnings

No matter how well you think you planned for the week ahead, don’t you have those days when all that so-called planning amounts to nothing? Yesterday was one of those days for me! 6:40pm and no idea what to serve for dinner! Hmph, not a good feeling.

As usual, I first do a mental inventory of what ingredients I had on hand that could be quickly transformed into a meal that the family will enjoy. Yes, I had chicken in the freezer, but I didn’t have the patience to deal with the defrosting process! Ahhh…..then I reached for the shaved beef. Really, I don’t think they are not all that bad for you! Their fat content is significantly lower than a typical burger and they are so versatile.

You could transform this super thinly sliced meat into a cheesy Philly steak sandwich, spicy fajitas or a stir fry with Asian veggies. But this time around, I gravitated towards a spicy fajita with the typical toppings – a simple avocado/tomato relish, shredded lettuce and purple cabbage (yes, yes, purple cabbage is one of my obsessions now a days, so I throw them fresh into whatever I can!), salsa, sour cream and …..no cheese (ran out of cheese! :-O).

With minimal preparation and immense amount of flavor and well-balanced nutrition, this weeknight dinner ended up being a big success. So, what not to love about it! C’on, give it a try – I promise you will appreciate the ease of it all!

Easy Weeknight Beef Fajita

Servings: 4
Time: 30 min
Print

Ingredients
1 lb package shaved beef
1 packet low-sodium fajita seasoning (or make your own)
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 small red pepper, sliced into long, thin strips
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 avocado
1 plum tomato
1 green onion
1 tablespoon lemon juice
pinch of salt
1/2 cup thinly sliced romaine
1/2 cup thinly sliced red cabbage
8 small flour or corn tortillas, warmed
1 jalapeno, thinly sliced, optional
Bottle salsa, optional
Sour cream, optional

Preparation
1. Begin by preparing the avocado-tomato salad. Peel and dice the avocado. Combine with diced tomato and thinly sliced green onion. Toss with the lemon juice and set aside.
2. Heat one tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over high heat and cook the beef till cooked through. Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the meat and continue cooking for additional two minutes. Remove the beef onto a serving platter and keep warm.
3. Wipe down the pan and add the remaining oil. Reduce heat to medium-high and stir fry the red peppers till lightly browned. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and transfer onto the beef.
4. Warm the tortillas in the microwave (30 seconds) or in a warm skillet. Serve immediately with the meat and all desired toppings.

2Jun2014

Cinnamon-Walnut Bundt Cake

Posted in Breads, Breakfast by serendibbeginnings

Coffee cakes are great not just in the afternoon with a cup of coffee or tea, but really anytime you have the craving for something sweet. Having said that, these cakes usually are quite unhealthy with lots of sugar and butter. Although this holds true for this original Cooking Light recipe as well, it does give more than 16 servings (so about 1 teaspoon butter per serving and a tablespoon or so of sugar).

This cake did keep well for at least 5 days (the time it lasted in our household).

Feel free to substitute pecans for the walnuts. Although the original recipe called for all all-purpose flour, substituting at least 1/3 of it with wheat still tasted great!

Lastly, this recipe is really quick to put together. So, while your first pot of coffee is brewing, whip up the cake and sip your coffee while enjoying the aroma of the baking cake! 🙂

p style=”text-align:left;”>

”Cinnamon-Walnut

Servings: ”16″
Time: ”60
Print

SerendibBeginnings

Where this journey begins….