Labor day might officially mark the end of summer but I really don’t want to give two hoots about the start of fall yet. It always seems too soon, especially when you love one season more than the others. It also really doesn’t help that some of the television channels are running Christmas movies right now (what happened to Halloween and Thanksgiving?). Thankfully, the warm weather and I are on the same wavelength with neither of us wanting summer to leave, I know summer will put up a decent fight....

A vegan recipe? on Nicky’s blog? I know! Most of my savoury recipes are usually meat-centred. I am trying to incorporate more vegetarian food into our diet and the blog (check out this yummy garlic bread spaghetti or this nutty noodle salad), but I thought it was impossible to create something we’d all enjoy that didn’t contain lots of cream or cheese. Until I made these! Potato skins, stuffed with velvety sweet potato and a mixture of crunchy, spicy zingyness....

You know when you go to a restaurant for a sunday dinner, how disappointing is it when the roasties aren’t crispy! They’re just a bit browned and chewy at the edges, instead of having that satisfying crunch. So disappointing!! Nope, give me homemade roasties any time. I want that crunchy exterior you can only get from fluffing up those edges and letting them bubble away in hot fat, with a fluffy, light interior....

Pork belly is such an amazing cut of meat, if you haven’t tried it before I’ve got so many great recipes here for you! It’s layers of fat make this meat so succulent and juicy and the skin crisps up wonderfully for crackling. These pork recipes are perfect for main courses and appetizers, and a lot fit into low carb and keto diets. What Is Pork Belly? Pork belly comes from the underside of the pig and is a boneless and fatty cut of meat....

Out of all the cake recipes on my website, there’s a glaring absence. There’s white cake with a pristine soft crumb, vanilla naked cake with a flavorful tight crumb, and checkerboard cake with a whimsical design. What about a classic vanilla layer cake draped in vanilla buttercream? I already have homemade vanilla cupcakes and a vanilla 6 inch cake covered and now in all its crowning glory (and after plenty recipe testing catastrophes), I present you with cake perfection: This is the best vanilla cake I’ve ever had....

This will be my last book-related post before the publication of my book, and I wanted to take the opportunity to revisit one of the esoteric elements of the Flavor Equation, Emotion. Writing a cookbook is an incredibly emotional journey. It is also exciting and, in many ways, a privilege. It’s an opportunity to share my thoughts and food with the world. It also comes with its own set of challenges....

Today I prepared it as an accompaniment with dosas for breakfast and with pulagam (an andhra lentil rice preparation, similar to khichdi) for lunch. This healthy low calorie chutney has a sweet-tart flavor with a subtle spice taste and the key to this chutney is the use of fresh curry leaves. The tempering of the spices like cumin seeds and curry leaves blend with the tomato puree, grated ginger and jaggery, giving it an irresistible flavor....

I usually make small batches of this tomato garlic confit, to eat with fresh baguette. It is one of our most favorite ways to enjoy some fresh bread. What is a Confit? A confit is a preserve prepared with fresh flavors cooked on very low temperature for a long period of time. Confit is a preservation technique originated from France. Any vegetables, fruits or meats can be preserved using this technique....

South Indian Tiffins boast of a variety of Vadas or Garelu like Medu Vada, Masala Vada, Parappu Vadai, Ulundu Vadai or Thayir Vadai aka Perugu Garellu aka Dahi Bhalla (a North Indian style vada smothered in yogurt and tamarind sauce). What ever their name, the vadas or garelu with a crispy and crunchy exterior and a soft and fluffy inside are sure to delight your palettes. Garelu are prepared with whole black gram lentil batter....

The delicately creamy butterbeans (lima beans if you’re in the US) soak up the flavours from the chorizo and tomato to make it a hearty and delicious soup. 20 minutes from start to finish, you could easily serve this with some salad and maybe some crusty bread for a quick, after-work dinner. You can make this soup ahead, and it also freezes really well. I’ve included instructions at the end of the recipe card on this....

Along with peppermint bark, peanut butter balls, and rum balls, this is one of my favorite non-cookie goodies to fill a holiday cookie platter. Have you ever tried these before? They’re a super popular phenomenon and you’ll find recipes for them all over the internet. My dear friend, Amy, and I have been making them every December for nearly 2 decades. You need just 4 ingredients, and people always, always rave about them....

Why This Will Be Your New Favorite Way To Make Corn On The Cob Fast. Made in less than 30 minutes, even with your preheating time.Easy. Shuck your corn, spritz with oil, and cook. That’s it!Inexpensive. Many of your local farmer’s markets or big box stores love to sell corn on the cob at a very affordable price in the spring and summer months.Family-Friendly. A perfectly sweet and buttery bite, your whole family will love this vegetarian Air Fryer Corn on the Cob!...

Why I Love These Almond Flour Cookies So Much Fast. Done in under 30 minutes.Easy. Simple enough the kids can help make them.Delicious. Taste just like the real thing.Low Carb. Only 1.5 net carbs per cookie.Gluten Free. This recipe uses almond flour to make it gluten-free. At Christmas time, I used to make these butter shortbread cookies with my sons when they were little—the kind you spritz out of a cookie gun....

Ammini Kozhukattai ~ a savory rice flour based dish that is popular in Tamil Nadu is a special festival dish prepared for Vinayaka Chavithi. Steamed marble sized rice flour balls are tossed in a tempering of spices which include asafoetida and aromatic curry leaves. In Andhra, it goes by the name Undrallu Guggillu or Talimpu Undrallu similar to Talimpu Senagalu. Usually, left over undrallu rice flour dough is used to prepare this kara aka savory style dish....

Did I just invent potato skin croutons? No, I don’t think so. I thought I did, but after a quick google search, it seems nothing is really new in the recipe world. Oh well. They are flippin awesome though. Baking the sweet potatoes gives a thicker, smooth and ever-so-slightly smoky flavour to the soup. Normally I would probably just eat the leftover skin with a bit of butter (I’m definitely a potato-skin girl), but not this time!...

The addition of onions which are caramalized provide crunch along with urad dal which is a vital ingredient in this recipe along with crushed garlic. The key is to serve it warm, when the flavor is mellow as you bite into the soft, crisp garlic-scented potato. Serve with rice and rasam OR rotis and dal. 1 Heat oil in a cooking vessel, add the mustard seeds and as they crackle, add the cumin seeds and urad dal and allow the dal to turn red....

Whip up a family favorite: old-school Tex-Mex beef tacos with crispy shells, juicy seasoned beef, and everyone’s favorite toppings! What You’ll Need To Make Beef Tacos Step-by-Step Instructions In a medium bowl, mash the beef with the baking soda and salt. Let sit for at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour. This process raises the pH level of the beef, making it more alkaline and resulting in a more tender texture....

Why You Should This Homemade Bone Broth Recipe Easy. Add the ingredients, cook, and skim the fat.Nutritious. High in collagen and great for your gut health.Delicious. Extremely flavorful and a great addition to many recipes.Low Carb. Delightfully filling and great for a low carb lifestyle.Versatile. You can make this in your Instant Pot, slow cooker, or on your stovetop. Bone Broth is making a comeback, and this Bone Broth Recipe has got to be the easiest way to make it....

Why This Is The Perfect Side Dish Fast. Ready in under 30 minutes with the help of your air fryer. Easy. A simple pour and cook recipe.Low Carb. Only net carbs per serving. Gluten Free. A bubbly cheese topping replaces a traditional cracker or breadcrumb topping. Vegetarian. A tasty vegetarian side dish that is flavorful and filling. Ingredients You’ll Need If you’re living a low carb lifestyle, you likely already have all of the ingredients in your kitchen....

It’s been a year in the making. I’m proud to finally share my version of caramel cake, a new cake recipe inspired by a favorite that my mother-in-law enjoyed when she was younger. What is Burnt Sugar Caramel Cake? This burnt sugar caramel cake is a wonderfully sweet and buttery cake flavored with homemade burnt sugar syrup. The syrup combines caramelized sugar and water, a mixture you cook on the stove until it’s dark amber in color....