Prevent Ants

To prevent ants inside the house, make a mixture of 2/3 cup water, 1/3 cup white vinegar and 2-3 tablespoons dish soap and spray.

Scuff Marks

Lemon juice will remove scuff marks from leather bags and shoes.

Baking Substitutions

Baking Powder

To replace 1 teaspoon baking powder, use 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar plus 1/4 teaspoon baking soda.

Honey

For
1 cup of honey, use 1-1/4 cups granulated sugar plus 1/4 cup liquid.
You could also try using 3/4 cup corn syrup plus 1/2 cup granulated
sugar. Molasses can be used in equal measure as a honey substitute, but
it will affect the flavor.

Fresh, Whole Milk

For 1 cup fresh milk, use 1 cup skim plus 2 teaspoons butter.

Heavy Cream

A
good substitute for heavy cream in baking can be made with 3/4 cup
whole milk plus 1/2 to 1/3 cup butter and a little flour. You can also
try using an equal quantity of plain yogurt in some dishes.

Maple Syrup

For
1 cup maple sugar, use 3/4 cup corn syrup plus 1/4 cup butter and
flavor to taste with maple extract. You can also substitute honey in
equal measure, but the flavor will be affected.

Shortening

Butter or margarine may be substituted for shortening in equal measure.

Brown Sugar

Use 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup molasses to replace 1 cup brown sugar.

Powdered, Confectioner's Sugar

For every 4 cups powdered confectioner's sugar, use 3 cups granulated sugar well dissolved.

Ammonium Bicarbonate

For 1 teaspoon ammonium bicarbonate, use 1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda. Ammonium bicarbonate is sometimes used in baking cookies.

Chocolate Square

You can replace 1 chocolate square with 3 tablespoons cocoa and 1 tablespoon butter.

White Granulated Sugar

1/2 cup molasses or corn syrup can be used for 1 cup sugar, but liquid in the recipe must be reduced by 1/2 cup.

3/4 cup honey can replace 1 cup granulated sugar, but reduce liquid in recipe by 1/4 cup.

If you don't mind the change in flavor, you can use 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar for 1 cup granulated sugar.

Corn Syrup

For
a simple corn syrup substitution, replace 1 cup corn syrup with 1 cup
granulated sugar and increase liquid in recipe by 1/4 cup.

Baking Substitutions

Raisins

Almost
any kind of chopped dried fruit can be substituted for raisins.
Currants or chopped dates can be used in a recipe with good results.

Chocolate Chips

Chop about 6 ounces of semisweet chocolate to replace 1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips.

Treacle

Corn syrup or light molasses can be substituted for treacle in equal measure.

Eggs

2 egg whites or 2 egg yolks can be used for 1 whole egg.

Sour Milk

Simply stir in about 1 tsp of white vinegar to 1 cup milk. Buttermilk can also be substituted in equal measure.

Sour Cream

As a substitution for sour cream, simply use an equal measure of plain yogurt in most recipes.

Cornstarch

For thickening purposes, you can use 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour to replace 1 tablespoon cornstarch.

Cinnamon

Use 1/2 teaspoon ground all spice to replace 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon.

Cream of Tartar

There is no effective cream of tartar substitute, but you can try using an equal quantity of white vinegar in a pinch.

Molasses

Honey may be used in equal measure, but it will affect the flavor.

Buttermilk

For
1 cup buttermilk, add 1 teaspoon white vinegar to 1 cup whole milk. You
can also use 1/3 cup whole milk with 2/3 cup plain yogurt as a
buttermilk substitute.

Allspice

Use 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon to replace 1 teaspoon allspice.

Cooking Wine

You
can replace red cooking wine with the same quantity of grape juice or
cranberry juice. To replace white cooking wine use apple juice or white
grape juice. The flavor will be affected somewhat.

Lemon Zest

For 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon zest, use 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract.

Marshmallows

Use 1 cup of miniature marshmallows to replace 10 large marshmallows.

Rum

As a substitution for rum when baking, use 1 part rum extract plus 3 parts water.

An article by homemade-dessert-recipes.com

HARYALI PALAK RECIPE

Ingredients:

* 1 bunch palak(spinach)
* 1 chopped onions
* 3 medium tomatoes (chopped)
* 1 chopped green chilli
* 1/2 tsp ginger& garlic paste
* 1/2 tsp Red chilli powder
* 1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
* 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
* 3 tbsp Vegetable oil
* Salt to taste

How to make hariyali palak :

* Wash & Chop palak.
* Heat oil in a pan / kadhai.
* Add chopped onion, green chilli, and ginger garlic paste and fry over medium heat until light golden brown.
* Add chopped palak and salt to taste and fry till tender.
* Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and chopped tomatoes.
* Fry the palak till dry or absorb water.

BAIGAN KA BHARTA RECIPE

Ingredients:

* 1 medium Brinjal (Baigan)
* 1/2 cup Cooked green peas
* 1 chopped onions
* 1 chopped tomatoes
* 1 chopped green chilli
* 1/2 tsp ginger& garlic paste
* 1/2 tsp Red chilli powder
* 1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
* 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
* 3 tbsp Vegetable oil
* Salt to taste
* Chopped green coriander leaves for garnishing

How to make baigan ka bharta :

* Brush brinjal (baigan) with oil and roast it on a gas burner over medium heat.
* Frequently turn the brinjal (baigan) upside down, until fully roasted.
* Once done, hold it under cold running water or in a bowl full of water. Cool it and peel off the blackened skin.
* Mash the flesh.
* Heat oil in a pan / kadhai . Add green chilli, ginger and garlic paste, and onion and fry over medium heat until light golden brown.
* Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and salt and stir. Add tomatoes and cook until tender.
* Add green peas and mashed brinjal (baigan). Stir well. Fry the baigan bhartha for 5-7 minutes over medium heat.
* Garnish the brinjal (baigan) bharta with green coriander leaves and serve hot.

VEGITABLE BIRYANI RECIPE

Ingredients:

* 2 cups Basmati Rice
* 1 cup Mixed Vgetable (cauliflower, potato, carrot, french beans)
* 150 gms Green Peas
* 3 Finely Sliced Onion
* 2 Finely Sliced Green Chillies
* Salt to taste
* 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
* 2 tsp Cinnamon(dalchini), Caraway Seeds(zeera)
* 4 Cloves (laung)
* 1/2 tsp Black Pepper Powder
* 4 Tomato
* 1/2 cup Yogurt (curd)
* 4 tbsp Vegetable Oil
* 1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
* 3 tbsp Dry Fruits (cashew nuts, raisin)

How to make vegitable biryani :

* Wash the basmati rice well before cooking.Then take rice with 3-3/4 cup water and a little salt added to it and 2 tbsp of dry fruits.Cook it in pressure cooker or in a pan or microwave.
* Cut all the vegetables into small thin pieces and fry each one of it separately in oil. Fry the green peas also.
* Take 1 tblsp oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, green chilli, cinnamon and caraway seeds powder, cloves, black pepper powder and stir for about half minute. Then add onions and saute them for a minute ot till they get pink in color.
* Add salt and red chilli powder and stir.
* Add fine chopped tomatoes and fry till they are properly cooked.
* Take the yogurt and make it fine by putting in a blender for just 2 rotations. Add this fine yogurt and stir well.Heat it for about 10 seconds.
* Add all the fried vegetables.
* Add the cooked rice and mix well with very light hands so that the rice grain doesn't break. Cook for about 3 minutes.
* Take this vegetable biryani out in a rice serving dish.
* Garnish with dry fruits and green coriander leaves.
* Serve the vegetable (veg ) biryani hot with raita and pickle.

INSTANT JALEBI RECIPE

Ingredients:

For Jalebi batter :
* 1 cup maida flour
* 2 teaspoons besan flour
* 1/2 cup plain yogurt, beaten (dahi)
* 1/2 cup water
* 1 pinch baking soda
* 2 to 3 pattels of saffron (kesar)
* 500 ml ghee or oil

For Sugar Syrup: 
* 2 cups sugar
* 1 cup of water

How to make sugar syrup:

* Dissolve the sugar in 1 cup of water and simmer for 5 minutes till the syrup is of 1 string consistency.

* Remove from the fire and keep aside.

How to make instant jalebi :

* Mix the flour mixture, baking soda, ghee, sugar and kesar with 2/3 cup of water to make a thick batter, making sure that no lumps remain.

* Keep aside for 10 minutes till ferments.

* Heat the ghee in a frying pan.

* Fill the jalebi batter into a piping bag with a single hole nozzle or a thick cloth with a small hole in the centre which is finished with button-hole stitch.

*Press out round whirls of the batter into the hot ghee working closely from centre to the outside of the whirl

* Deep fry the jalebis till golden brown and transfer into the warm sugar syrup.

Drain immediately and serve hot.