Moist Walnut Cupcakes

How to bake Moist Walnut Cupcakes

                 I crave chocolate. My better half doesn't; so I wanted to bake something else for him on his special day. I chose to bake these delicious treats from Cupcakes by Susanna Tee. I thought it would make us less guilty, if it had at least one healthy ingredient in it (walnuts). The ground walnuts in this cupcake give it a nutty flavor, while the lemon zest & juice adds a zing to it. To make it appetizing to my kids, I chose to add chopped chocolate on top of some of the cupcakes. You can even skip the frosting all together & eat these like muffins, as they are sweet enough all by themselves. Sharing these nutty cupcakes with my fellow bloggers at CCChallenge.

Ingredients for about 8 to 10 cupcakes:

3/4 cup walnuts
4 Tbsp softened butter
½ cup fine sugar
½ cup self-rising white flour (make your own - see notes below)

2 Tbsp lemon zest
2 eggs

walnut halves, to decorate

For the frosting:
4 Tbsp butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered/confectioners' sugar
2 Tbsp lemon zest (optional)
1 tsp lemon juice

Pappa al Pomodoro / Roasted Tomato Soup

How to make Pappa al Pomodoro (Roasted Tomato Soup)

        We love roasted tomato soup, anytime of the year. I knew, there was no stopping me, when I saw a similar recipe in the bon appetit magazine. I made a few changes to suit the Indian palate & Voilà! It was a so... good & a big hit with my family. Serve a large bowl of this soup for a meal by itself or serve along with a tasty sandwich. 

         Pappa al Pomodoro is a hearty & thick Tuscan tomato-bread soup typically prepared with fresh tomatoes, bread, olive oil, garlic, basil, and various other fresh ingredients. The soup equivalent of dipping your bread into tomato sauce. This rustic dish is a summer comfort food. 

Total time - 1 hour

Ingredients for 4 servings:

2 lbs of ripe & juicy tomatoes, cored & quartered

6 to 8 garlic cloves, smashed

1/2 tsp fennel seeds

6 Tbsp olive oil, divided, plus more

sea salt

freshly ground pepper corns

1/2 Tbsp dried basil

1/2 tsp Dry chilli flakes

1/4 loaf of country-style bread, crust removed, torn into 2" pieces (about 1.5 cups), divided

3 cups of water