Cranberry Pie !!!

                                    Easy No-Bake Cranberry Pie 

This has become our Fall favorite dessert (cause this the only one I can make) .... This Pie is a perfect combination of creamy and tart flavors.

As curious eaters me and my husband would buy any strange looking fruit or vegetable. So one fine fall day my husband got a package of fresh Cranberries. We liked cranberry flavored juices,so the fresh fruit would definitely taste good. So after tasting our first ever cranberry we realized you can't eat them raw. And I was left  with a package of fresh cranberries  and Google to find the easiest and quickest recipe. Cause I have no patience or skills to bake or make fine desserts.


And Aarav was happy to make any Pie (Fall=Pie). And even happier when he got to do pretty much everything to make the pie and anyway he wants to do.

So here is the recipe for our favorite (favorite goes for pretty much all the desserts) dessert. Few tips to make it perfect every time.

                                              Tips :

• You can use fresh Cranberry sauce or Canned one.
• If you are using fresh one it's a good idea to make it ahead of time and let it cool before using for pie.
• If your sauce is too syrupy it is a good idea to drain the syrup a little. 
• Add some water or any other drink to the drained syrup to make Cranberry flavored drink !!!
• If you like big layer of cheese or cranberry sauce don't hesitate to add or cut the ingredients. 
• You can use the store bought whip cream BUT there is no match for homemade. It will stay on your pie till you enjoy the last bite of the biggest piece of Pie.

                                           Cranberry sauce

Prep    Time  :   5  Minutes
Cook   Time  :   15 minutes

Ingredients :

1  Cup   water 
1  Cup   Sugar
1  Package  fresh Cranberries

1)  Mix water and sugar in a deep pan.Let it come to boil.
2)  Add cranberries.

3)  Let it cook for 10-12 minutes until the water evaporates.

                                           Assemble the Pie 

Prep   Time  :  15 Minutes
Cook  Time  :  10 Minutes

Ingredients :

1  ready made  Pie Crust
1  8 OZ.  Pack of Cream cheese
1/4  Cup sugar 
1  TBS   Vanilla extract 

Cranberry sauce made from 1 pack of fresh Cranberries or 1 can of sauce

Whipped Cream as much as you like !!!

1) Mix Cream cheese,sugar And Vanilla extract  in a bowl with fork.

2) Spread cream cheese mix in the Pie crust.

2) Spread Cranberry sauce.

3) Let it rest for at least an hour before serving.

4) Serve it with a big dollop of whipped cream on top. 

Planning to make your own whipped cream, click here. It takes less than 5 minutes and trust me you will never buy the Only-Air-Little-Cream cans again.

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Gulab Jamun !!!

                                                                GUB JAMBOO

This is one of the first few words that Aarav learned. And One of the first foods he liked. Whenever I asked him what he wants for dessert ? GUB JAMBOO was always the answer. Growing up I always saw my parents make Gulab Jamun for my brother. We would order fresh Khoya (Mawa) from a special shop. And both my parents would be lovingly create this beloved dish.

As for my cooking skills and interest 7 years ago I wouldn't have thought to even try making Gulab Jamun. But after moving to USA it like make it just think of it. Cause Ready made wasn't near to what we have had for years and making Gulab Jamun from Instant package wasn't satisfying either.


Here in USA you can't have fresh Khoya (Mawa). And making one from milk is a task too long for my patience level for cooking. So when I found Mava powder in the grocery store I thought to give a try. And the result was definitely better than Instant package.





                                                  Tips :

• Add some flavors in the Jamuns (balls). They taste heavenly with little bit of flavor in them.
• Fry the Jamuns(balls) on medium-law hit.
• Very hot oil will burn them from outside and won't cook from inside.They will taste like dough.
• Add a few drops of lemon in the  syrup to prevent it from crystallizing.
• Syrup and Jamuns both should be hot when you add Jamuns to syrup. So the Jamuns will absorb the syrup quickly.
• Wait at least for an hour after adding the Jamuns to the Syrup before tasting. I know it's difficult but if a little boy can wait  you sure can. 

Prep Time   :    20 Minutes
Cook time   :    40 minutes

Ingredients :  For 10 medium size Jamuns

For Syrup :

2      cups  Sugar 
1 /2  cups  Water
A pinch of Cardamom Powder
3-4 strand of Saffron
1 TSP  lemon Juice

For Jamuns :

1/2  cups  Milk OR Mawa powder (5 TBS)
1     TBS  All Purpose flour (Maida)
1     TSP  Ghee (Clarified Butter)
1/4   cup   Milk   (use only as much as needed)
1/8  TSP   Baking Soda  (A little more than a pinch)
1     TSP   Cashew nut powder
1/4   TSP  Cardemom powder and saffron   

Oil to fry

Let's start cooking.

Syrup:

Mix Sugar and water in a medium pan. Put it on a low heat for 8-10 minutes.

When  syrup start bubbling up add Lemon Juice, Cardamoms powder and Saffron.

Jamuns :

Mix Milk OR mawa powder, All purpose flour,Cashew Nut Powder, cardamom-saffron and Baking soda in a bowl. 

Add ghee and mix thoroughly.

Start Adding milk little by little. Don't add to much at a time. Or you will end up with too lumpy dough.

Cover it with wet cloth for 15-20 minutes.

Knead the dough for 2-3 minutes until its smooth and starts to come off easily from the bowl.

Make small round Jamuns. (Any shape kids can make) Jamuns will rise in size after frying and again after soaking it in the syrup. So keep this in mind when you make balls.

Make sure to cover the dough and Jamuns with wet cloth until you are ready to fry them. Cause drying will cause cracks once fried.

Put the oil in medium size frying pan to heat up.

Check the oil temperature by adding the a small ball. If the small ball comes on top immediately then the oil is ready to fry. 

Fry few jamuns at a time.

Add them to syrup immediately.

Let them sit for at least an hour before serving. 

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