Carrot cheese platter

I was given a recipe challenge in a facebook group where a member posts a recipe and tags the next member with one ingredient from the recipe and one as a surprise.... I was tagged with carrots and cheese ....
I made kulfi using carrots and cottage cheese, loaded potato cups and honey glazed carrots and cranberries

Sharing how I made the platter.....

Nutty Carrot kulfi:
Ingredients:

• 500 ml full cream milk
• 1/2 cup condensed milk
• 1 tsp cardamom powder
• Sugar to taste
• 2 carrots grated
• 100 gms crumbled paneer( cottage cheese)
• 2 tbsp dried rose petals
• Some chopped nuts
• 10-12 saffron strands to garnish
  

Directions:

• In a heavy bottomed pan add milk, condensed milk and cardamom powder and bring it to boil.
• Add grated carrots and cook on medium flame till they turn tender.
• Next add crumbled paneer, rose petals and sugar and cook for 5-6 minutes.
• Turn off the flame and let the mixture cool.
• Churn this cooled mixture using a blender.
• Add chopped nuts , pour this mixture in kulfi mould or small matkis and cover with foil and freeze it for 6-7 hours. 
• Garnish with chopped nuts, rose petals and saffron strands before serving.
  

Loaded potato cups 

Ingredients for the cups: 

• 3 medium sized potatoes (shredded)
• 3/4 th bowl mozzarella ( or your favourite cheese)
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp crushed black pepper
• 1/2 tsp mixed dried herbs (optional)
  

Directions: 

• Preheat the oven for 10 minutes.
• Rinse potatoes and squeeze all the water from them, add cornflour, grated cheese, salt, pepper and herbs, mix everything using a spoon.
• Grease the muffin tray, spoon the mixture in the cavities, press potato mixture to the bottom and up the sides to form cups.
• Bake for 35 minutes or till crispy at 200 degree.

While the cups are baking prepare the filling....

Ingredients for filling:

• 3/4 th cup assorted vegetables, chopped( I used carrots mushrooms, capsicum and corns)
• 4-5 cloves minced garlic
• 1 onion chopped 
• 1/4 bowl crumbled cottage cheese
• Béchamel sauce ( see recipe here)
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup processed cheese grated
• 1-2 tbsp bread crumbs
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Directions

• Heat olive oil a wok, add minced garlic, sauté for few seconds.
• Add chopped onion, vegetables and crumbled cheese and sauté on medium flame for 3-4 minutes, pour  1/2 cup of béchamel sauce and seasonings and cook again for 3-4 minutes. 
• Turn off the flame.
• Spoon this mixture into the baked potato cups, top it with grated cheese and some bread crumbs and some butter and bake again for 5-7 minutes at 200 degree or till you get nice crispy brown topping.
• Serve hot.
  

Honey glazed carrots and cranberries
Ingredients:

• 3-4 carrots
• A handful of dried cranberries (soaked in water for 15-20 minutes)
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1/2  vanilla bean pod
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup of water

Directions:

• Peel and slice carrots sticks.
• Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a saucepan, add carrot sticks, sauté for 2-3 minutes.
• Next add  water and salt, cook carrots till tender, pour  honey, vanilla pods and stir. 
• Now add handful of cranberries and sesame seeds.
• Sprinkle some lemon juice and crushed black pepper and serve.
  
  
  

I'am thankful to Farhat for tagging me with such great ingredients to work with :)