Date-Nut Bread... Welcome 2012!!

A very prosperous new year, 2012 to all of you :)
Winter has set in...that marks the beginning of baking time in our place...may be because I have more time in hand this time of the year, bcoz its cold outside and we tend to stay indoors with our li'l one :)
I don't know, may be another excuse to bake..I love to bake....not that all my attempts has always been a success...but still I love to bake...
hope you'll had wonderful new year's day celebrations....ours was a low key affair this time....watching ball drop slouched on the sofa, wishing everyone a happy new year, afternoon mass and a lunch buffet....

This date nut bread is something I baked for the first time...I had bookmarked it here
http://kateinthekitchen.com/2008/12/22/national-date-nut-bread-day/

A good bread to munch on as an evening snack...
Here is the recipe

You'll need:
All-purpose flour: 1 1/2 cups
chopped dates: 2 1/2 cups
Butter: 1/4 cup
Boiling water: 1 1/2 cups
Brown sugar: 1/2 cup
Egg: 1 no
Baking powder: 1 tsp
Baking soda: 1 tsp
Salt: 1/2 tsp
Chopped almonds: 1 cup

How to make it:
Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Grease a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan.
Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside.
In a bowl, mix butter and dates. Pour boiling water into this and break up the clumps, if any. Let this cool down for a while.
Mix in the sugar and egg until well blended.
Add the flour mixture into the date mixture, and mix well.
Pour the batter into the greased pan and bake for 50 min or until a wooden pick inserted comes out clean :)

Marble cake.. perfect for holiday season

Hope you'll had a wonderful Christmas :) holiday cheer is still in the air...people visiting their near n dear ones..cooking together, enjoying meals together, shopping together and what not!! enjoy your holidays.....
an easy breezy cake to enjoy with your evening cup of tea when you catch up with your kith n kin....

You'll need:
All purpose flour: 2 cups
Butter: 1/2 cup (1 stick) softened
Sugar: 1 cup
Baking powder: 2 tsp
Salt: 1/2 tsp
Eggs: 2
Milk: 1 cup
Vanilla extract: 1 tsp
Cocoa powder: 2 tbsp

How to make it:


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 by 5 pan and set aside.
Swift together all purpose flour, baking powder and salt.
In a bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well until everything is well mixed together.
Mix in vanilla essence.
Add the flour mixture in batches, alternating with the milk.
Set aside 1/3 of the batter. Pour the remaining batter into the cake pan.
Mix cocoa powder into the reserved batter, until well blended.
Pour spoonfuls of the cocoa batter over the white batter. Using a knife, swirl the cocoa batter into the white batter to give the marble effect.
Bake for 30 to 35 min, until an inserted wooden pick comes out  clean.
Transfer pan to a rack and let it cool for 10 min.

Enjoy your piece of cake. This is how i get mine in my fav coffee shop :)

Chocolate-Vanilla Swirl Cheesecake

This one my all time favorite :) i made this for my hubby's very first birthday after our wedding....a real delicacy :) and with oreo cookie...everyone's fav

The recipe is from Kraft's Food & Family magazine. Kraft publishes this magazine 4 times a year..one for every season...this magazine has really yummy and easy recipes for each season, most of them with kraft products..

Here is the recipe:

You'll need:

Oreo cookie: 20,crushed(about 2 cups, without the cream)
butter: 3 tbsp ,melted
Cream cheese: 4 pkg (8 oz. each) softened
Sugar: 1 cup
Vanilla: 1 tsp
Sour Cream: 1 Cup
Eggs: 4
Baker's semi-sweet chocolate: 6 squares, melted and cooled

How to make:


Preheat oven to 325 degree F. Lina a 13 * 9  inch baking pan with foil with the ends extended over the sides of the pan.(this helps to easily take the cake out of the pan).
Mix cookie crumbs and butter and press the mixture down onto to the bottom of the prepared pan.Use the base of the measuring cup to firmly press it down to the pan. Bake for 10 min.
Beat cream cheese,sugar and vanilla in a large bowl using a electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Now add the sour cream and mix well.
Add eggs one at a time, beating on low speed after adding each one, till blended.
Remove 1 cup of batter and keep it aside.
 In the remaining batter add the melted chocolate. Pour the mixture over the pan with baked cookie crumbs.
Top with spoonfuls of remaining plain batter randomly over the chocolate batter.
Run a fork through the batter a couple of times to make the swirl effect.
Bake for 40 min or until set.
Cool completely, and refrigerate for at least 4 hrs or overnite.
Pull out the cheesecake with the foil handles and cut and serve...sweet :)