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An ideal appetizer/side dish for your Christmas or New Year Eve. Simple and delicious tartlets. 

Ingredients:
30 tartlet shells,
250gms (around 1/2 lb) mushrooms (portobello, button, wild, shiitake,oyster, or any other of your choice), chopped,
1 small shallot; chopped,
2 cloves of garlic; chopped,
150 gms (around 1/4 lb) goat cheese; grated,
Few leaves of parsley; chopped,
Salt and pepper to taste,
Butter for roasting.

Method:
In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add the shallot and saute for few minutes. Then add garlic and roast for a minute. Now add chopped mushrooms and cook them stirring occasionally till all the juice is absorbed. Season with salt and pepper. Add parsley and little cheese (reserve some for topping later) and remove from flame.
Preheat the oven at 350 degree F (175 degree C) for 10 minutes. Now place spoonful of the mixture in each tartlet shell, top with grated goat cheese and place on the baking sheet. Bake these tartlets on the same temperature for 10 minutes or till the crust is golden brown. Serve immediately.

Ingredients:
225 gms wheat germ (suji),
225 gms sugar,
225 gms butter,
7 eggs; separated,
340 gms currants or dark raisins,
340 gms golden raisins,
200 gms chopped almonds,
1/2 tsp clove powder,
1 tsp cinnamon powder,
1 tsp nutmeg powder,
2 1/2 oz brandy,
2 1/2 oz honey,
2 1/2 oz rose water,
2 tsp almond essence,
A pinch of salt.

Method:
Mix the chopped fruits and nuts with brandy and soak them at least for a day, stirring occasionally. Next day, roast the suji in a pan, on a low flame stirring continuously till it is lightly fragrant. Melt the butter and add to the suji. Beat together the sugar and egg yolks till the mixture is light, creamy and stiff. For this add a yolk to the sugar at a time. Then add honey , spices, rose water and almond essence gradually mixing well. Add the soaked fruits, nuts and the roasted suji and butter mixture, mix well. Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt till stiff and fold lightly into the cake batter. The cake should be lined with two layers of greased paper. Pour in the mixture and bake in a hot oven at 350 degrees F for about 45 minutes or till the cake starts to brown. Cover the cake with two folds of greased paper to prevent it from burning. Continue to bake from another three hours or until dry when tested with a toothpick or a fork.

TIP:
1. You can substitute almonds with walnuts or cashew nuts or use all.
2. This cake is prepared in Christmas and hence you can prepare it in advance, and brush the top with rum or brandy every other day.

Ingredients: (Makes around 30 clusters)
1 cup all-purpose flour,
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa,
4 ounces (110 gms) unsalted butter; at room temperature,
1/4 cup granulated sugar,
1/2 tsp vanilla extract,
A pinch of salt,
1/2 cup toasted almonds; chopped,
Confectioners sugar.

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Sift flour, cocoa and salt. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter with an electric mixer. Then add sugar and vanilla extract and beat till it is creamy. Fold in the flour and cocoa mixture with a spatula till the mixture is even. Now add almonds and knead this dough.
Grease a baking sheet. Make small balls and arrange on the baking sheet at equal distance. Bake at the same temperature for 15-20 minutes or until they are firm. Remove from the sheet to a dish/tray and let their temperature drop down. When they are still warm sprinkle confectioners sugar to coat them well. When they completely cool down store them in an airtight container for 4-5 days.

Ingredients: (Serves 2)
A handful of flat rice noodles,
10-12 chicken strips,
2 tbsp finely chopped garlic,
2 spring onions; thinly sliced,
1/2 cup long shreds of cabbage,
1/2 yellow and 1/2 red pepper; shredded,
1/4 cup sprouts,
1 tsp red chillies; thinly sliced,
1 tbsp lime juice,
1 tbsp tamarind paste,
1 tbsp sugar,
1/4 cup peanuts,
1 tbsp fish sauce,
Salt to taste,
2 tbsp olive oil,
Water.

Method:
Boil water and set it aside for few minutes. Then add the noodles to it and let them cook in this water. These noodles should not be overcooked.

Heat a pan, add olive oil, add garlic, saute till  it turns pink. Then add chicken strips, cabbage, spring onions, peppers, sprouts, salt and stir well.

Cover and cook for few minutes till the chicken is cooked. Add chillies and mix. Now add a beaten egg to the pan, keep mixing till it is cooked. Add the noodles, lime juice, tamarind paste, sugar, peanuts, fish sauce and stir fry the noodles. Transfer to a serving dish and serve with chilli sauce.

A very easy and quick recipe for vegetable and cheese sandwiches that can be prepared in less than 10 minutes. Kids love these sandwiches and is a healthy option to go in their lunchbox. A sumptous breakfast for all.

Ingredients:
4 slices of multigrain or brown bread,
1 cup grated Mozzarella cheese, (or any other that is available)
2 tbsp chopped red or white onion,
3-4 tbsp chopped red,yellow and green peppers (or whichever is available),
6-7 black or green olives; sliced,
2 tbsp chopped tomatoes,
Few leaves of spinach; blanched,
1/2 tsp red chilli flakes,
1/2 tsp dry mixed herbs.

Method:
Heat a griddle or choose to grill you sandwich. Butter the bread if you like, else use as it is. Mix together all the other ingredients and divide into two equal portions to prepare two sandwiches. Stuff the cheese mixture in between two bread slices, press and place on the griddle or on the grill. Roast or grill on both sides till crisp and brown. Cut each sandwich into two pieces diagonally and serve hot as breakfast with juice or milk.
TIPS:
1. Veg Cheese Balls: Use the same filling to prepare cheese balls. Prepare the filling, make small balls, coat them with bread crumbs, egg, again with bread crumbs and bake or deep fry them.

2. Veg Cheese Nuggets: Add little mashed potatoes to the cheese mixture, make small flat balls, coat with bread crumbs and fry. You can add more vegetables to the mixture.

3. You can use this filling in parathas too.