Also known as gajrela in states of Delhi & Haryana, you are going to need just 6-7 basic ingredients to make this slow cooked punjabi style gajar ka halwa recipe. When food connects to a memory, there is a sense of warmth that crosses the heart. For me, it is a classic dessert full of nostalgia. Whenever my grandmother used to make carrot halwa, she made a huge quantity with at least 5 to 6 kilograms of carrots....

This is the time of year when soup is on the menu almost every other day. The days are short, and the nights are long and cold. It’s the coziest time of year, and around here that means plenty of soup. The last few days have been bitter cold with blistering wind and snow. It’s pretty much the scene out of a classic Christmas movie, and I love it. It’s going to be hard to leave my snowy little town next week for NYC, but I’m so excited to be heading back to the city to host my very first holiday party....

During the warm weather months, I spend a lot of time grilling up vegetables such as grilled zucchini, grilled mushrooms and these simple yet totally satisfying Brussels sprouts. My favorite way to cook fresh vegetables is on the grill – the veggies take on a smoky flavor and sear quickly under the intense heat. These grilled Brussels sprouts are a must try – they’re packed with flavor and so easy to prepare....

You can’t go wrong with grilled veggies, whether it’s grilled zucchini, grilled asparagus, or this smoky and savory eggplant. You can serve this eggplant as-is, or dress it up to turn it into a vegetarian main course. In my opinion, eggplant is an underutilized ingredient. It’s healthy, inexpensive, and is a neutral palette to absorb the flavors of sauces and marinades. This grilled eggplant is simple to make, yet totally delicious!...

Pineapple is one of our favourite fruits. I love it’s sweet juicy tangy flavour. Though it can be had as it is, last year I tried preparing pineapple squash and preserve. When the pineapple is too sour, I try adding a dash of chaat masala powder and instantly it turns amazing! My love for grilled pineapple was realised for the first time in the Barbeque Nation. Though I love all their starters, it’s this grilled pineapple I love the most....

Gutti Kakarakaya – Andhra Style Stuffed Baby Bitter Gourd Fry is an indulgence and one of the best ways to enjoy the otherwise bitter vegetable. Growing up, the sister and I never liked this vegetable, so however made, we would not touch it. On some Sundays, Amma used to make this special stuffed bitter gourd fry and it used to take a lot of cajoling to get us to try the vegetable, otherwise we would just eat off the stuffing!...

Ingredients Roughly torn, day-old croissants Salted butter Extra virgin olive oil Mixed mushrooms Kosher salt and pepper Garlic Fresh chopped thyme Heavy cream Whole milk Eggs Dijon mustard Cayenne pepper Prosciutto Brie cheese Swiss or fontina cheese Everything bagel spice There are only two days left until Thanksgiving and oddly I am more prepared than ever. Why? Because I’m not cooking! Well, I mean, I will be cooking, but this year I won’t have our usual huge crowd....

Going back to my childhood roots with these oatmeal cookie bars. For any of you that know anything about my mom, you know that when my brothers and I were growing up, she’d have dessert on the table before dinner was even a thought. Her staples were chocolate chip cookies, special K-bars, chocolate cake, and her famous oatmeal chocolate chip cookies that she’s been making ever since her friend Lora gave her the recipe (before I was even born)....

Surprise, surprise, I’m taking it back to my childhood days yet again today with these homemade Nutter Butters. And I could not be more excited. You guys, not only are these cute and fun, but they’re so good. No, they’re delicious. This is one of those recipes that I wasn’t planning on creating. In fact, I had completely different plans for today’s recipe. But after I mentioned the idea of homemade Nutter Butters to my mom, she convinced me that this idea was worth pursuing....

You all? How stinking cute are these fun fruit gummies? I love them! When I was a kid, I never ate much candy, but I do remember loving those Sour Patch Kids. My brothers and I would beg my mom to get us some while we were in the grocery checkout line. When I shared this idea with my mom, she immediately said you have to make homemade gummies! We both thought these could be so fun for to add to your kid’s Easter baskets!...

You’ll be amazed at how easy homemade magic shell is to make – all you need is 2 ingredients and 5 minutes! This post is sponsored by Galileo Learning. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Dinner at the Zoo possible! There’s nothing better than a bowl of ice cream on a hot day, especially when it’s topped with homemade magic shell! This magic shell ice cream topping is so very simple to make, and it’s doesn’t have any artificial ingredients or preservatives like you might find in a store bought version....

Who’s with me? Pretty sure it’s no secret that here on Half Baked Harvest we love a good homemade pop-tart. Let’s take a walk down memory lane, shall we? First up was the most perfect (literally) homemade chocolate fudge pop-tarts (I think I need to reshoot these photos…mainly because I want an excuse to bake these up again). Then I made these fun cinnamon sugar nutella swirled pumpkin pie pop-tarts....

I’m just going to say this right off the bat, I love this chicken sandwich. I know some people try to play things cool and not be so overly excited about things, but that’s not me. I’m so excited to share this sandwich. It feels perfect for spring and summer! Plus, I don’t make sandwiches often, so this feels fresh and new, which always excites me!! And most importantly, I think you guys will love it....

I’ve been waiting until just the right time to share this peachy matcha with you all. It’s now the second week of July and those sweet summer peaches are finally beginning to taste delicious. Expect lots of peach recipes to come! I first saw this drink at Starbucks as part of their secret menu. Peach lemonade swirled with matcha, then mixed with creamy milk. I think they use coconut milk....

Today in my mini-series on Indian spice powders, I am sharing a beautiful chutney powder recipe. A traditional Tamil style Idli Podi recipe, that makes for a very delicious and quick side dish for idli, dosa or any other South Indian breakfast. Our love affair with breakfast and side dishes is well known on this blog. My spice powder series would be incomplete if I don’t share this chutney powder, I had previously shared it in a short video format on my Instagram and I finally got around making it properly to share pictures here....

You guys, say hello to the jalapeño cheddar guacamole turkey burger…with crispy onions. It’s spicy, cheesy, loaded with avocado, and topped with crispy fried onions. I mean, can you say, so much to love? I came up with the idea for these burgers the other day while hiking and as soon as the thought crossed my mind, I knew I had to come home and make them right away. That’s just what I did…and here they are!...

Kaima Idli is an extremely addictive recipe made with leftover idlis and it in fact is one of the best ways to get rid of a day old idlis that no one wants to eat! Idli is a humble dish made with fermented rice and lentil batter, one of the healthiest breakfast recipes from South India. With leftover idlis, there are many ways to convert them into something delicious – like Idli Upma, Chilli Idli and then this Saravana Bhavan hotel style Kaima idli too!...

Okay, so not ALL of the good things, but a lot of them. This fried rice is pure comfort food. Think take out, but made healthier…and better…and at home. Chicken, bacon, pineapple, RICE and Korean BBQ sauce, aka – really freaking good food! And good food that’s FAST. Like faster than you could call up your favorite fried rice place, order and have it picked up. Seriously. Do you guys remember your first experience with fried rice?...

Did I ever tell you about that time that I throughly failed at making the gravy for the Thanksgiving meal? It was just last year, and I was serving not just my immediate family, but my grandpa, aunts, uncles, and cousins. So over thirty people. I was cooking out of my grandma’s kitchen, which in my defense was not anywhere near set up to cook a Thanksgiving dinner for thirty plus people....

I love one pot meals, some of my favorites include chili mac, pizza pasta and this fresh and delicious Mediterranean chicken. I love Mediterranean food – the flavors are bold and fresh and it’s also healthy. I often cook with ingredients that are found in the Mediterranean diet – whole grains, fruit and vegetables, beans, olive oil and herbs. I took all of my favorite Mediterranean flavors and turned them into a one pot meal, because by now you all know that I’m all about cooking in one pot whenever possible....