DIY/Homemade Cream Of Soup Mix / Condensed Soup Mix

This is a super delicious and easy way to make your quick creamy soup.  Just mix this in milk or water and you will have creamy soup ready in minutes.

250 Ml Cup measurement

Ingredients 
1 Cup Level Dry Milk Powder - I used Full Cream
3/4 Cup Level All-Purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon Dehydrated Onion Flakes -Homemade

¼ Cup Level Potato Starch 
¼ Teaspoon Heaped Dried Herbs 
¼ Teaspoon Heaped Dried Thyme
¼ Teaspoon Heaped Dried Basil
¼ Teaspoon Heaped Dried Parsley

 ¼ Teaspoon Heaped Black Pepper powder 

Method

In a blender add all the ingredients and just pulse it once or twice.

When you are ready to make your condensed soup mix 1/2 Cup level of the mix  for Cream of Mushroom Soup

My Notes

 Label and store this in the refrigerator.  It stay's good for months.

To Make it Gluten free use Gluten Free All Purpose Flour.
To Make this Vegan / Dairy Free, use Coconut Milk Powder instead of Milk Powder,
If you do not have Potato Starch Powder then use Corn Flour Powder

Labels : Full Cream, Milk powder, Potato Starch, Soup, Dehydrated, Onion Flakes, Dried Herbs, Thyme, Basil, Parsley, Vegan, Gluten free

Creamy Mackerel Tulip Salad For Two#FishFriday

These are so beautiful , make very good appetizer or salad. When you have a party surprise to your guests with these tulips. they are one bite and delicious too!

Ingredients 

1.1/2 Tablespoons Mackerel Paste
1.1/2 Tablespoons Cream cheese
A Dash of Dried Basil and Smoked Paprika
A Sprinkle of finely chopped Scallion greens

Method

In a bowl, combine the mackerel paste, cream cheese, dried basil and smoked powder and scallion green.

Wash cherry tomatoes, wipe and cut a cross on top (not all the way through). 

Scoop out the seeds and with kitchen shears 

snip off any inner tough membranes. 

Insert a skewer  at the bottom of each tomato.

And cover it with scallion green.

They are so pretty and  ready to be filled. 

Fill each tomato with the mixture.

Place tomatoes in the serving plate.. ready .... 

Serve as an appetizer or salad. Enjoy !!

Labels : Fish, Mackerel, Cream Cheese, Smoked Paprika, Dried Basil, Cherry Tomatoes, Fish Friday, Salads, Appetizer

Welcome to the Feast of the Seven Fishes, hosted by Karen of Karen’s Kitchen’s Stories for Fish Friday Foodies. 

• Artichoke Crab Dip Pasta Bake from Food Lust People Love
• Baccala Soup from Palatable Pastime
• Baked Mussels from Caroline's Cooking
• Creamy Clam Dip from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Creamy Mackerel Salad for Two from Sneha's Recipes
• Italian Seafood Salad (Insalata di Mare) from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• La Vigilia di Natali from Culinary Adventures with Camilla, who made new dishes for all of the courses for this Italian Christmas Eve dinner! Fun fact: She once spent a year in Rome and learned the food traditions of Italy. You need to check out her menu! 

Sorrel/Hibiscus Fruit Bundt#BundtBakers

Sorrel /Hibiscus, also known as Flor De Jamaica (pronounced HA-maica), sorrel, Ambadi flowers, karkade and other names in different countries is an edible flower sold most often in dehydrated form abroad, here we get fresh flowers and only in this season. 

To make this cake, I soaked the flowers by steeping them in boiling water, honey,  for about 2 - 3 hours. 

Once soaked, I removed the petals of the flowers, strained the liquid and then just pulsed the petals it in the blender.  

The flowers were vibrant and saturated with not so  deep "ruby red" liquid as the flowers looked.  Dried flowers impart more red color than the fresh ones.

This cake was  delicious and  when I took this for our breakfast party no one believed that this was made of the flowers that we see every day in the forest. 

This cake did not have the color, that I, wanted , however, it was  delicious as any cake could be!

Ingredients 
30 Sorrel/ hibiscus flowers (see notes)
½  Cup Boiling Water
3 Tablespoons honey
200 Grams All-purpose flour
1 Teaspoons Baking powder 
½ Teaspoon Baking soda
150 Grams Salted Butter, at room temperature
150 Grams Caster sugar
3 large Eggs
2 teaspoons Vanilla essence
125 Grams Mixed Fruits

Method

Combine the flowers, boiling water, honey, in small bowl, mashing with fork to ensure flowers absorb liquid evenly. Allow flowers to steep until softened and liquid has been almost completely absorbed, about 2 to 3 hours.  

Once soaked, I removed the petals of the flowers, strained the liquid and then just pulsed the petals it in the blender. 

I had 275 Ml sorrel Puree with the Honey.

In medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda,  set aside. 

In large bowl, beat butter on medium speed until creamy. Add sugar, continue to beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, continue to beat until completely incorporated. 

Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the puree. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl with rubber spatula. Fold the mixture well. Add vanilla and mixed fruits,  mix just to combine.

Pour batter into prepared 10" bundt pan. Bake  in a preheated oven at 170°C for 35 to 40 minutes or until, cake tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean. 

Transfer cake to cooling and cool in pan overnight.  Invert cake onto plate . 

Slice the cake,

Enjoy!!

My Notes

Dried flowers impart more red color then fresh. Next time I, am going to make this with dried flowers and double the quantity. 
For the mixed fruits , I used candied cherries, mixed peels, raisins and nuts.

See what our other bakers have baked this month , the theme is "Fruit Bundt" our host is Stacy Thank you for hosting this event.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.


Applejack Bundt Cake from Palatable Pastime
Cake aux Fruit Bundt from Patyco Candybar
Cranberry and Apricot Fruit Bundt Cake from Making Miracles
Dried Fruit and Pecan Bundt Cake from I Love Bundts
Dried Fruit Bundt Cake from Living the Gourmet
Gram's Famous Fruit Cake from Food Lust People Love
Macadamia and Tropical Fruit Bundt Cake from All That's Left Are The Crumbs
Sorrel/Hibiscus Fruit Cake from Sneha's Recipe
Spiced Rum Cake from A Day in the Life on the Farm

#BundtBakers is a group of Bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake Bundts with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all of our lovely Bundts by following our Pinterest board. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about BundtBakers, can be found on our home page.
Labels: Sorrel Flowers, Candied Fruits, Bundt, Bundt Bakers, Honey

Eggless Chocolate Dipped Cookies#FantasticalFoodFight

Was craving for some cookies so I made these.  These cookies look so yummy that one would want to finish them in no time.  They are so addictive.  

Ingredients 

190 Grams All purpose flour
1/2 Teaspoon Baking powder

1/4 Teaspoon Baking soda

 100 Grams Sugar powdered

100 Grams Unsalted Butter
1 Teaspoon Vanilla essence

6 -8 Teaspoons Milk

For Dipping the cookies
1 Cup Chocolate - melted

Method

Sieve the flour, baking powder and baking soda, keep aside

Cream the butter and sugar well till fluffy, add the essence and flour  and mix well till incorporated. Add a teaspoon of milk at a time and from a soft dough.   Roll the dough in a cling film and keep it in the refrigerator to chill for 10 minutes.

In the meantime preheat the oven at 150 degrees.

Roll the dough between two plastic sheet or butter paper about 1/2 inch thick.  With a cookie cutter cut into desired shape and bake for 12 - 15 minutes.  

Let it cool for 3-4 minutes in sheet then remove it on cooling rack and let it cool completely.  Then dip each cookie in the melted chocolate and enjoy. 

Serve with tea or coffee.  Kids will love these dipped cookies. 

Labels: Biscuits & Cookies, Eggless, Fantastical Food Fight, Chocolate, Baked

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Maple Yogurt#FoodieExtravaganza

Maple Yogurt is so easy and delicious!  When we buy  the sweetened commercial yogurt it has so of much sugar and also preservatives.  Add maple syrup  in your yogurt and you have   delicious homemade preservative free version! After making this yogurt, trust me, , you will never want to buy commercial yogurt again! 

I  have added orange zest just for garnishing.  

Ingredients 

1 Cup Full Fat Milk
1 Tablespoon Plain Yogurt
1 Tablespoon Heaped Maple syrup
½ Teaspoon Orange Zest - optional
Method

Heat the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until your little finger feels warm (see my notes).  Switch off the flame and let cool a little. Whisk in the yogurt and maple syrup, till combined thoroughly.

Pour this  into serving bowls and keep it to set at room temperature in a warm place. 

When it sets, add the orange zest and keep it to chill in the refrigerator. 

Enjoy chilled  thick maple yogurt with your  meal or as breakfast dish or  in a sandwich.  Super delicious, my hubby loved it. 

My Notes

I pour  the milk  in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for a minute. Then whisk in yogurt and maple syrup well.  Keep it in the microwave to set. 

Any remaining maple yogurt can be kept refrigerated up to 2 -  3 days, just add a tablespoon of fresh milk on top (do not stir it) and it will stay fresh and sweet, for week even.

Labels: Maple Syrup, Yogurt, Homemade, Full Cream, Milk, Foodie Extravaganza Party, Delicious, Preservatives free, Yogurt

This week we are celebrating National Maple Syrup Day with all things Maple for #Foodie Extravaganza  and our host is Juli Meyers. 
Maple Pecan Caramel Corn Palatable Pastime
Pecan Streusel Maple Coffee Cake Food Lust People Love
Oatmeal Maple Bread Karen's Kitchen Stories
Maple Brined Pork Chops Making Miracles
Maple Yogurt Sneha's Recipe
Maple Coconut Cookies A Day in the Life on the Farm
Mapled Pink Banana Pumpkin Pie Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Canadian Maple Beaver Tails Pandemonium Noshery