Orange Loaf Cake - Love at first Bite

Like any apprehensive girl, when the time for finding a suitable partner came, I approched my parents with a "million dollar" question.

Me: How will I know if *He* is suitable for me?

Dad: You will just know!

Me: (scratching my head) what do you mean by that? Comeon dad - dont make this cinematic!!

Mum: It would be cinematic, if we said "Bells will starts ringing", "Butterflies will start fluttering in your stomach", "World will suddenly transform into a rose based aromatic field with you singing duets", "thunderboldts zigzagging",...

Me: Ok Ok stop! Forget that I ever said that...but but, How do I know that he is Mr.Right!

Dad: You will of course not know that *He* is Mr.Right - But the minute you speak to him, you will know! Know that there wont be any major compromises in life - But even if there are, you wouldn't mind doing them. That you would be seeing the world through two eyes instead of 4 - but if you do, you won't mind to see the world through *his* too. That you would struggle, be happy, be sad,in short, live as one instead of two.

Me: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What! Really!!! How!!!!!!!!!!!

Dad: You will know! (sly smile and a mysterious silence!)

Well, I do know now. I know what it is "to know". It happens for many things in life for me now. I don't need the reason..I just know, exactly like what happened with this recipe for Orange Loaf Cake. The minute I saw it, I knew I would love it. I knew that I wouldnt have to tear apart the recipe to enhance it, knew that it would be almost perfect as it and I would love the sensation that it would impart with my first bite.



I first saw this recipe in a Eye doctor's place!(Really!). Went for my regular annual checkup and they had these plethora of mags lying around among which was this Taste of Home edition. I was flipping through it when I saw this recipe. It clicked immedietely and since I had no paper or pen to note it down, I used my phone camera to copy the same. The only changes I made to it(and thats only cos I wanted to use all my oranges and nothing else!) was to increase the Orange juice and decrease the no. of eggs whites from 4 to 2 to accomodate more Orange juice. I also added Orange zest for that extra zing.The rest was just right for me.

Ingredients


• 1-3/4 cup Cake flour
  
  
• 1 cup Sugar
  
  
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
  
  
• 1/2 tsp salt
  
  
• 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
  
  
• 1 cup Orange juice
  
  
• Zest of one orange
  
  
• 2 egg whites
  
  
• 2 tbsp confectioner's sugar for dusting
  

Method

In a mixing bowl, conbine the dry ingredients



Add oil and orange juice, beat until smooth.



In another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.



Fold it into the Orange mixture.



Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan.



Bake for about 1 hour in a pre-heated 350F oven, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out neat.



Cool for 10 minutes, dust the loaf with confestionaer's sugar and enjoy! :)



I loved every slice of it..Make it and tell me..Did you fall in love at first bite just like me?:)

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This Loaf is packed for a picnic held by Trupti at recipe center

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Cranberry Oat Bars - Can it get more simple than this?

If my blog is all about step-by-step pictures with instructions then recipes such as this cranberry oat bars will put me out of business. Why? Cos there arent enough steps to show!! This recipe is as simple as boiling water! Mix, toss, place, bake, cut and the only work you probably end up doing is eat them - which is never work for ppl like me anyways! umm..probably scrub the baking pan would be work but then what are dishwashers for anyways! One gotto use them at some time or the other. I usually use my dishwasher to store my extra dishes! I thought that was o.k until one fine day, I really had to use the dishwasher for its real purpose and it wouldnt work!!! The maintanance guy was shocked when I said that this was the first time I ever used it and he was like, if you dont use it, then its bad for the dishwasher! Now do I need more excuse than that for being lazy ;-)



Anyways dried cranberries and oats are super duper health snacks. While clearing out my pantry, I saw half used dried cranberries and was wondering what to do when I remembered this recipe which I made like an year ago and liked it. I dont recall from where I took the recipe though but its tastes yum. Although I remember the quantity of margaraine in the original recipe a little too much for my tastes and have reduced the amount. I am providing the original recipe along with the change I made. Make your pick :)

Ingredients


• 1-1/2 cups rolled oats
  
  
• 2/3 cup raw sugar ( I used demerera sugar )
  
  
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  
  
• 1/2 cup polyunsaturated margarine, melted (I used 1/4 cup)
  

Method

Stir the ingredients together until well combined. Press this misture in a greased baking pan. Bake it for 20-25 at 375F oven, until golden. As soon as you remove it, score the mixture into squares or any shape you like and leave it to cool for 10-15min.



You can store these in air tight container for 5 days. They are delicious, healthy and filling. They are a ideal snack in the evenings.



Wasnt that simple?

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This is my entry to Pallavi's Event: Sunday Snacks - Grab and Go

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Zucchini / Courgette Crown Bread - Spongy, light yet filling

There is nothing more satisfying than Baking, esp. Breads. If I had time, I would love to make breads everyday! - Oh well at least every other day. Usually my better half always makes fun of me, that since I am vegetarian and don't eat eggs, that surviving in many places around the world would be mighty difficult for me. But then I can survive just on breads, may be little cheese and some basic tomato soup. These are always available everywhere.



Anyways, when it comes to making breads, I am always fascinated with the ones using vegetables. My first experience with one was when I made carrot cakes after which I progressed to making carrot cupcakes..It was inevitable that I use Zucchini a.k.a courgette next.

The taste is something which I will leave to you – since I really can’t comprehend how I am going to explain the diversity of sensations it made on my taste buds. Where do I begin? With the ease of how simple it was to make bread out of it? The minimal preparation time it requires? The texture, which it provided to the bread and how little I had to do with my hands? Or simply just show you the picture and let it do all the talking? I think I will do the last.



I had been meaning to make crown bread for a long while now ever since I saw one at Costco here. They had some for display, dunno what they were made of but I was fascinated at the shape and look that it had to give. I wanted to wait for an apt moment when we had one of those simple Bread and side dish kind’ a dinner. It arrived few days earlier and I made this along with Vegetarian chili - and relished it like a sloppy joe. I saw this recipe in Muffins and Quickbreads book at the library.I dint want to do any adaptation - it was simply perfect for us. The bread really does not require anything else and tastes wonderful on its own. Bookmark this one – You know you will love it

Ingredients


• About 3-4 cups of Zucchini, grated
  
  
• 5 cups of All Purpose flour
  
  
• 2 packets of fast rising dried yeast
  
  
• 4 tbsp grated parmesan
  
  
• 2 tbsp olive oil
  
  
• salt and pepper for sprinkling
  
  
• 1-2 tbsp of Sesame seeds for garnish
  

Method

1. Place the grated Zucchini in a colander and sprinkle it lightly with salt and toss it well. Set aside for 30 min. Then pat it down until dry with paper towels.



2.Meanwhile mix the flour, yeast and parmesan together and season with black pepper.



3.Stir in the oil and the Zucchini and add enough lukewarm water to make a firm dough.



4.Knead it in a lightly floured surface until smooth.



5.Return it into a mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in warm place until doubled in size - about 1 to 1-1/2 hrs.



6.Meanwhile grease a round oven pan - you can use a pizza pan and then line it. Preheat the oven to 400F. Punch down the dough, knead it lightly and then break into 8 balls. Roll each one and arrange them, touching, in the pan like a crown. one in the center and the rest surrounding it.



7.Brush it lightly with milk and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Let it rise again ( about 30 min) and then bake it for 30-40 minutes until golden brown. Set aside to cool.



You can always warm it enough while eating.



I dunno if it keeps well for more than 2 days since, it dint last for that long in our house! It got over in 2 meal times. Dinner and next day tea time. This is my entry to this week's Yeast Spotting hosted by Susan