Pumpkin Spice Cake

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  Pumpkin Spice Cake
  

  
  

  I absolutely love pumpkin desserts and this one is by far my favorite! When Fall season comes around I start craving anything pumpkin. My pumpkin spice cake is a big hit with my friends and family. It is so moist and delicious with amazing flavors that will blow your mind. It is so yummy warm but I love this cake chilled in the refrigerator. Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think.

Pumpkin Spice Cake

• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 (15 oz ) can pumpkin
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
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1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin in a large bowl, then beat with a mixer or by hand, until smooth.
3. Mix the flour with the next 6 ingredients in a separate bowl. Make sure to add the walnuts with the flour to prevent them from sinking at the bottom of the pan. Once they are combined slowly pour the flour mixture with the pumpkin mixture and mix until all ingredients are combined. 
4. Mix well and pour the cake batter in a lightly greased 9.5 x 13.5 x 2 inch glass baking dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.


Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool in the pan. Slice and top with cinnamon whipped topping. 






Cinnamon Whipped Cream


1 pint of whipping cream
3-4 tbsp white sugar  
1 tsp of cinnamon (more if you want a stronger cinnamon flavor)
1 tsp vanilla extract


Mix all ingredients with a hand blender for 5-7 minutes until fluffy.

Southwestern Salad

Southwestern Salad

I love Southwestern flavors and this salad combines them all.  It is so fresh and satisfying you can turn it into a delicious meal. The recipe is vegetarian,  however I love topping it with grilled chicken spiced with Mexican spices.  It is a great side dish when you're making quesadillas or tacos. 

Southwestern Salad

2 Romaine lettuce
Box of grape tomatoes or 3 plum tomatoes
6 green onions, sliced
½ green bell pepper and ½ red or yellow
1/2 cup black beans
1/2 cup sweet frozen corn, thawed
¼ c pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds or slivered almonds
1 avocado, diced
1 handful of tortilla strips for salads I like “santa fe style”
Chopped cilantro as a garnish


Dressing


1 cup of chopped cilantro
1/4 cup light olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice and 2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar OR red wine vinegar
1/2 teas Salt and pepper 
2 clove garlic
1/2 tsp oregano
3 tbs hot sauce


1. Chop salad vegetables, herbs and beans.

2. blend dressing ingredients in blender and chill for at least one hour before using.  

Indian Butter Sauce

Indian Butter Sauce

INGREDIENTS:

15 Plum tomatoes, diced

5 cloves of minced garlic

1 Tbs grated ginger

6 Tbs of butter

2 Tbs oil

8 Whole green cardamon

1/4 Tea powdered mace

2-3 Green chili's

1 Tea chili powder, + or -

1 Tea Salt, or to taste

1/4 Ground cardamon

1/4 Tea sugar

1 Tbs Kasoori

1/2 Tea gharam masala

3/4-1 c Heavy cream

Chopped cilantro for garnish

1. In a sauce pan add 2 tbs oil and 2 tbs butter and add the whole cardamon, minced garlic, and mace for about 2 minutes.

2. Add all of the diced tomatoes and cook for about 20 minutes until the tomatoes get tender.  

3. Blend the sauce in the blender and set aside.

4. In a sauce pan add 4 tbs of butter, grated ginger, and the chopped green chili for 2 minutes.

5. Strain the tomato sauce from the blender and add it to the pan and cook for 10 minutes on medium heat.

6. Add chili powder, salt, ground cardamon, sugar, kasoori, and gharam masala. Now you can add 3/4-1 c heavy cream.

7. Add the chicken and garnish with fresh chopped cilantro. 

Wara2 Dawali (Grape Leaves)

Stuffed Grape Leaves

Coming soon!

French Toast

French Toast

French toast is a delicious breakfast or brunch dish that's so easy to make. The breads you can use are endless but I love Challah  bread.  Challah bread works great because it absorbs the egg mixture very well and gives a nice texture to the dish.  When it comes to toppings you can get as creative as you'd like.   My personal favorites are whip cream, all kinds of berries, sliced almonds, powdered sugar and maple syrup.  

French toast can easily be made in big batches and be frozen in individual slices. Placing wax paper between each slice makes the thawing process much easier.  You simply can heat in the microwave, oven or the toaster. 

French Toast 

1/4 C Flour

1 C Milk

3 Eggs

1/2 Teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 Teaspoon nutmeg 

1 Tablespoon sugar

1 Tablespoon vanilla

Pinch of salt

1 Inch thick slices of Challah bread

Unsalted butter for the griddle

Fruit and nut toppings

1.In a bowl or blender mix in flour, milk, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, vanilla and salt.

2.Cut 1 inch thick slices of the challah bread.

3.When your pan or griddle is hot lightly butter it.

4. Dip each slice in the egg mixture and soak for 10 seconds.

5. Grill for about 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

Toppings:

Whip cream, berries, toasted sliced almonds, powdered sugar and maple syrup.

Sfeeha (Meat Pie)

Sfeha Meat Pie

Coming soon!

Shish Tawook

Shish Tawook Chicken 

Coming soon!