My Creative Flavors

Birthday Greetings with Orange Jaffa Cakes and Vanilla-Chocolate Teddy Bear's - With Love !!!

2013-05-26T21:07:00.000-04:00

A walk through the memory lane, I pulled down my glasses to refresh the memories of the final count down for the arrival of my lil' monster to rocking his cradle to the joy of watching him crawl.The very excitement of getting the first teeny-tiny tooth to now-a days loosing teeth and the earnest wait for tooth fairies. Half a dozen books of 'where, why and how' couldn't satiate his question bank and I am in awe with the curious mind of my curious George! The time flew by and today we are celebrating the birthday of a big boy ! Some days are special and they leave a trail of memories like perfect Disney moments in life.

I do wish to pause and freeze time to give umpteen blessings to our growing 'Peter Pan'....!!!

Wohooooo, It's your Birthday............ !!!!!!

We are super excited for his Birthday............... !!!!!!!

This is the time of the year when I do wish him to be my lil' boy for another couple of years and at the same time bless him to grow up fast. I remember each and every day by heart. The memories of days spent in sleeping and nights in playing around... The days of learning the art of writing while making the the first scrapbook...; to days of discovering the world of photography to capture every precious moment in the camera; and finally learning to cook food ...!!!

Some were happy hours for me and him and others were challenging moments, for sure. And I realized that though parenting is not an easy task, It is a MEANINGFUL Journey, where I learnt to LIVE Life again...!
I learnt to be HAPPY in every season...!
I found a new QUEST for learning...!
I started enjoying the simple JOYS of life...!
I found my best buddy ever...!
I learnt the art of Parenting, Cooking, Photography, Writing and Loving the world once again... !

The reminisces of past make me realize that the good old days are rolling up fast. And I need to make the best of the present time. I wish if he could be my little boy for another couple of years so I could hum him rhymes and tell him family fables every night; go for evening strolls and wander at the twinkling stars at night; take out parades of sesame street's Elmo n Cookie Monster at noon; get amazed on flipping the pop up books of superheroes; wait with curiosity for elves and santa; blow bubbles and make sandcastles by the shore of the beach... ! These were definitely holy days but I do wish to see him playing with Lego's and Rubik's. Simply love his handmade 'Love you and Get well soon' cards with 'scrabble signature'. And of course I do feel proud on watching him surfing and skating and let your curious mind doodle its own way... !!!! I wish I could make caterpillars from your bread and stews for you for another couple of years. But I do enjoy him giving me ideas and spending holidays in baking speciality cakes and monster cookies :))

Last year I baked Pirouettes Pearl Chocolate Cake for My Peter Pan and Mini Bundt Cakes for Little Guests. He loved to eat The very hungry Cheesy Caterpillar...This year I was wondering if it is a time to bake a big cookie cake for my big boy or still hangup with mini muffins. A vast array of thoughts were crossing my mind back and forth. After getting a very special Mothers Day celebrations which lasted for almost full one week, it was time for me to bake him a surprise cake for his Birthday.

This year the Special Birthday greetings from Mom and Dad come with,

'Orange Jaffa cakes and Vanilla- Chocolate Teddy bear's for my Bundle of Joy - with Love' !

Jaffa cakes were introduced by Mcvitie and Price in 1927 and is named after Jaffa oranges. The standard jaffa cake has three layers - a sponge base, a layer of orange jelly and a chocolate coating. I explored this cake on my first visit to UK and ever since nibbling it in all seasons..... !!!

A Perfect Day and what a great sight at Tower Bridge

coming out of Westmister Tube Station..

Getting Awesome view of the London City through London Eye !

Finally Hopping on the Iconic Red London Bus !

at Harrods Knightsbridge

I never thought I shall ever bake Jaffa cakes at home, but did it after so many years and with all my passion... !!!! It's as simple to bake as a pie and you are bound to be obsessed with this cake with a orange twist. It was a good choice as he could also take some cake to share with his friends on his upcoming field trip ! My boy was hopping with joy to find the perfect concoction he was always looking for in his after school snack... !

Check out the Simple recipe of Jaffa Cakes.

Home baked Jaffa Cakes :

APF: 1/2 cup
Vanilla extract: 2 drops
Orange zest: 1/2tsp
Orange juice: 2 tsp
Sugar: 1/4 cup
Butter: 1/4 cup (melted)
Egg: 1
Milk: 2-3 tsp as required

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C.
Lightly spray the muffin pan and dust with flour.
Mix the dry ingredients - flour, sugar, orange rind in a medium bowl.

In another bowl whisk egg until light and fluffy.

Add flour mix, orange juice, milk and butter. Mix well to make smooth consistent batter.
Add a dash of vanilla extract.

Fill the muffin pans with 2/3 rd of the batter.
Bake the cakes for ~15 minutes until they are light golden brown.
Let it cool down on a rack.

For Jelly :
Make jelly as per the instructions on the pack.
Mix the jelly powder with warm and cold water and por in a flat container. Let it cool down for couple of hours and cut into round shapes with a cookie cutter.

Chocolate Mix:
Take a handful of vanilla chocolate wafers in a microwave safe bowl.
Microwave for around 30 seconds.
Stir the wafers and microwave for another 30 seconds, till the wafers start melting.
Stir with a spoon to get a lump free thick chocolate mix.
Repeat the process for brown chocolate mix.

Arranging the Jaffa cakes:
Line up the muffins in a tray.

Cut the jelly into rounds and place it on top of muffins.

Quickly pour the warm white and brown chocolate mix on the muffins.

Let it cool down.

Enjoy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A lovely sweet cake with a hint of fresh orange and jelly- IS GOOD FOR SURE !!!!

Homemade Chocolate Teddys Bear's.... !!!!!!

Chocolate Teddy Bear's:

Vanilla white Chocolate Wafers: 1/2 bowl (10-12pcs)
Brown chocolate wafers: 1/2 bowl (10-12pcs)
3 oz. of Teddy Bear candy mold

Recipe:
Take 1/2 bowl approx. of vanilla chocolate wafers in a microwave safe bowl.
Microwave for around 30 seconds. Stir the wafers and microwave for another 30 seconds, till the wafers start melting.
Stir with a spoon to get a lump free thick chocolate mix.
Swiftly, start filling the mini molds with the chocolate mix.
Repeat the process for brown chocolate wafers too.
Let it cool down a bit and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.
Gently tap at the back of the mold to get mini chocolate teddy bears !!!!!
Enjoy !!!!!!!

Jaffa cakes were pure delight for my cake lover, orange lover, chocolate lover,
lego lover and pinata lover !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do I need something else.... ???

My boy muttered with his mouth full of cake, Brilliant Mom....!!!!

And a 'Reward back' Time begins................ !!!!!!!!!!

Rendezvous with Mystic Self & Stroll through Blossoms @ Washington DC !!!!!!!!

2013-04-22T14:21:00.000-04:00

With the onset of spring, as cherry blossoms bloom to their fullest, let the inner Self bloom to what it is meant to be and live happily ever after... ! It's a time for Rendezvous with the mystic Self for New Beginnings in life when we learn to surf in the sea with the waves and believe in the will of God to celebrate Life once again!!!!!!!!
On the podium of life, there are times to get perturbed when relations and things don't go as per the expectations and deeds. The unconditional love and bonds are swapped with ego and pride. It hurts for sure... ! The moments of sweet and sour memories flashes before misty eyes. Tears roll down the cheeks and make you numb... The clouds of love and hatred rush through the mind, and you do pause and wander what life is meant to be.....???

Perplexed by the array of complexities in life, you ponder if you could be ever happy again...???

It's a time for Rendezvous with the Mystic Self...!
It's a time to take a break and a time to Introspect !
A time to Believe in yourself and a time for Faith in some!

It's a time for Rendezvous with the Mystic Self...!

A time to Love the precious and a time to Bless few !
A time to Forgive somethings and forget about others !
A time for Rendezvous with the mystic Self !!!!!!!!

A time to reveal Self and a time to be Happy again !
A time for the Self to bloom !
Yeah, It's a time for Rendezvous with the mystic Self !!!

A stroll through the serene beauty of around 3000 cherry blossom trees on the banks of Tidal Basin in Washington DC in the spring of 2013 gave me an opportunity to streak the darker side of life with hues of pinks and whites, thereby making a blooming self and family by dusk, as it was a time for Rendezvous with the Mystic Self...!

Here is a glimpse of circle of life, beauty and bliss... !

Beauty Blooms @ National Cherry Blossoms Festival, Washington DC, April 10, 2013

Bright Blossoms in Springtime @Washington D.C.

Captivating Glamor of 3000 Cherry Blossom Trees !!!

Rendezvous with Nature!

Warming up Mystic Self with Nature

Fascinating Blossoms at banks of Tidal Basin in West Potomac Park, DC

At this moment , Thank God for all the bright sunny days we've ever seen, for all the rainy and snowy days we've ever enjoyed, for all twinkling stars at night, for all the beautiful mountains and lakes, for all the lovely weekends with family and friends, and all the dishes and desserts we relish every night...!

Thank you so much guys for being here and your continued support, likes and comments !

Love One Another and Hug a tree on Earth Day !

Cheers, Mycreativeflavors

Let It Snow 'n' Let's Bake Corn Bread !!!

2013-03-10T20:59:00.000-04:00

It's snowing.......... !
It's raining.................. !!!
It's has been snowing and raining for quite a while now........ !!!!!!

It seems like soft, fluffy, granular sugar, resonating with white pearls dropping from the blue skies. And for a food blogger like me, snow looks more with a cotton candy and making up for the white days and nights ! After having snowflake lights and decorations around, it is actually swirling and whirling snow flakes !!!!! Yesterday morning I woke up and got completely mesmerised with the view outside my window. The dry bushes and woods were looking so photogenic with 'white lacy trees' and teeny tiny hills of snow and snow covered rooftops. The sun was shinning bright and its golden rays were making everything look more beautiful. The scenic beauty was pure bliss to the eyes and soul ......!

These flurries and snow showers kept us indoors for a really long time. So one day we thought of watching 'Disney on Ice'. It was so much fun to see the uber talented Disney characters spinning, singing and dancing on Ice. My lil' Dennis actually bought a sledge and went for a slide in a nearby park and came out fully messed up tossing himself in and out of slush, still smiling though :)

There was a bright ray of hope.... As Punxsutawney Phil, the king of Groundhogs was awakened from his borrow at Gobblers knob for one hundred and twenty seventh year to give this delightful weather prediction, we all hoped with joy!!!!!!!!

"And so ye faithful, there is no shadow to see. An early spring for you and me."

Got some tinkering in my ears and thought of baking corn bread for our Anniversary. Time flies and we came a long way relishing speciality cakes to a home baked version of sweet and simple cake.
Here is the recipe of Corn Bread !

Supplies required to make Corn Bread :

Corn meal:1/2 cup
APF: 1/2 cup
Baking Powder: 1/2 tsp
Baking Soda: 1/2 tsp
Salt: a pinch
Sugar: 1/2 cup
Honey: 2tsp
Milk: 1 cup, add a little more if required
Butter: 1/2 cup
Eggs: 2

Method:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease the baking pan or cast iron skillet with cooking spray. My method of baking is simple. Mix all the dry ingredients and then gradually add wet/liquid ingredients. Blend well and bake. The step wise procedure is like this.
Sift corn meal and all purpose flour in a bowl few times.
Now add baking powder, baking soda and salt. Swirl all the ingredients with a spoon.
Bring the butter to a room temperature and add sugar plus honey.
Now add eggs to the butter and sugar mix.
Blend this mixture with the cornmeal + APF mix made above.
Add milk as required.
Stir all the ingredients once again to make a nice thick batter without any lumps.
Pour the batter into the greased pan/skillet.
Bake for atleast 25 to 30 minutes, till you get the nice golden color, a crack and a fragrance of a home baked cake !
Get yourself ready and grab supermoist countrystlye home baked corn bread.

This is BLISS, or should I say warm and sweet bliss.... !!!!!

This was my first attempt at baking cornmeal and making cornbread at home. The experience was quite satisfying. Earlier I had only made cornmeal flat bread Indian style on griddle with veggies but baking was so much fun and hope to make it more often. Hope you guys also like it and try it...!

Thanks for stopping by my space. Wish you all a wonderful Time !!!!

Blessings for the New Beginnings and Rose TeaCakes !!!

2013-01-24T10:58:00.000-05:00

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep.

But I have promises to keep.

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep."

As we herald into another beautiful and bright year, these lines by Robert Frost and a very popular quote often used by Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru, the First Prime Minister of India always touch my soul to the core. It gives me a meaning to live and a mission to accomplish. From dawn to dusk, there is so much to do for own self, family, society, country and world...The list is endless and so are the wishes ever hoping for the Utopian world.... And here, I made a small wish too ! I prayed to the Great Almighty to bestow His Blessings on Each one of us and may we all get happiest times of the Millennium in 2013 !!!! Wish all my readers and friends a Blessed year from the team of Mycreativeflavors ! May this new year be a perfect year to dig in your potential and be your BEST ! May this year be a dream year to carve out a niche for yourself ! May this year be another beautiful year to make New beginnings in life, a time to unleash a 'New You' !!!! May this year we learn new things and create memories to cherish the joy of cooking and sharing!!!! Hope the healthy and nutritious recipes/posts from this site add flavor to your platter for all seasons and reasons !!!!

Let's move a Mile and Treasure the Past... !!!!!

The holidays just rolled over. We spent time at home while making Ginger bread house, doing Christmas Tree decorations with Lego's, Disney and Sesame toys, making marshmallows in warm Chocolate, marshmallow fudge and some s'mores (coming up in next post). It was great fun catching up with friends, reading and watching the classic holiday stories and just RELAXING... !!!

In hindsight I think I did lot of cooking and baking, but couldn't do much shooting. Should i attribute it to chilly and cloudy days??? The dip in the temperature to below 20 degrees F...snowy evenings makes it never the less a difficult project to squeeze out of the warm and comfortable home and do even grocery. The only thing on your wish is for a hot cup of tea and some vegetable chips with a dip :))) But yesterday I mustered the courage to go out a bit for a quick grocery and make something plus did my down jacket test :) This was followed by alternate cups of tea and coffee and I baked lil' teacakes in teacake pan I got on Christmas. The cakelets are looking like Lil angels in assorted shaped and I added rose flavor to make it more flavorful! Check out the aromatic recipe !

Supplies Required for Egg less Rose TeaCakes:

All purpose flour: 11/2 cupsSugar: 1/2 cup

Baking Powder: 1 tsp

Baking Soda: 1/2 tsp

Salt: a pinch

Yogurt: 1/2 cup

Sour cream: 1/2 cup

Butter: 1/2 stick (melted in microwave)

Rose Essence : 1/2 tsp

Milk: 1/2 cup

Oil spray to grease the cake pan

Recipe for Rose TeaCakes :
Lightly spray the tea cake pan with oil and line the cupcake pan with liners.

Get the butter to room temperature and micro it in a dish for ~ 30 seconds.

In a pan, sift all purpose flour for 2-3 times and add sugar, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Sift all the dry ingredients again.

Beat butter, milk and add one egg at a time. Beat well after each egg with a mixer for about 2 minutes.

Scrap the sides and finally churn the mixer in the bowl on all the sides. (I generally prefer to beat the mixture in one direction).

If the mixture is too thick, then add little more milk to get thick yet running consistency.

Finally add rose essence and run the mixture for another 30 seconds.

Take 1/3 of a spoon and pour the mixture in the tea cake pan.

Pour the remaining mixture in the cupcake pan or ramekins.

I baked it for approximately one hour at 350 degrees till you get a lovely aroma in the kitchen; a light golden brown color; and generally a crack on the top of the cake. It made the cake little dark brown rather than golden brown.

If you want to add eggs, add 2 eggs to replace yogurt and sour cream and bake it for 25 -35 minutes to get golden cake.

Take the customary bake test with a skewer.

Let it cool for 5 to 10 minutes, in the oven and if you cannot resist, it's absolutely okay.

Sprinkle the tea cakes with sugar. Just pick it and enjoy ! You deserve it !!!!!!!!

The assorted tea cakes in shapes of teeny tiny bundts, roses, hearts, chrysanthemums were looking lovely and tasted like soft cookies... !

There is nothing sweeter in this world than a fresh oven baked cake at home sweet home....!

A Rose cupcake draped in rose frill in pale pink.... ! A quick icing is made with 2tsp of sour cream, 2 tsp of sugar, 2 drops of rose essence. Decorate with silver balls... !
RELISH..... !!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you so much for stopping by my space and stay tuned for upcoming posts!

And Wish Each One of You and Your Loved One a Sweet and Warm Winters filled with Loads of Comfort Foods, Happiness plus Blessings !!!!!

With Umpteen best wishes,

Editor in chief: Dr. K.K. Mangla;

Photography & Technical Management: Ashish Gupta;

Author : Dr. Sonia Mangla

Bundle of Chocolate Fudge Bundts with Hot Cafe' Mocha for Christmas Eve !

2012-12-29T20:54:00.000-05:00

"Christmas weaves a magical wand over this world, and behold, everything is more softer and more beautiful" Norman Vincent Peale

It was the night before Christmas. Millions of lights were twinkling..... The Christmas trees were lighted and decorated with keepsakes as per family traditions from zillion years. Many of us were busy tracking Santa on NORAD and eagerly waiting for their surprise gifts.....

Still from the bottom of the heart I was feeling pain for the Li'l angels at the Sandy Hook Elementary School who lost their lives to something so terrible, that - Logic, Reasoning, Religion and Technology all fail to provide us answers to what happened. So many questions are being asked of the psyche of the alleged killer, "why he did what he did?". His 'Actions' brought everybody around the world back to 'square one situation'. Everybody is perplexed looking into this complex 'human behaviour'. Being a Psychologist, my retrospection of the case reminded of the experiment done by Albert Bandura on Bobo Dolls. The behaviour of any individual is determined by interplay of both nature (genetic) and nurture(environmental). The results of the experiment recapitulates the very fact that the kids DO what they SEE. So a very important lesson for all the parents and guardians is to be a good models in front of the children as they learn loads from experiential learning. Let's give a present of 'Unconditional Love, Bond, Faith and Glowing Happiness' to our kids on this Christmas eve, so they grow up to be healthiest and happiest people, and be merry in every season on this planet !!!!

While I was feeling very low, my Son thought of an idea to perk me up. He asked me how about baking a bunch of bundts on the very merry Christmas eve for all the special reindeer's, elves and the Santa on their annual mission of delivering presents. I said Okay ! As he was setting the table for the Santa, calling the reindeer's too, now Dancer, now Dasher, now Prancer and Vixen! On Comet, on Cupid, on Donner and Blitzen and Rudolph, the red rose reindeer.... I quickly took an inspiration from this Nigella Lawson recipe at Food Network website and started off with my mission to bake a 'cake' for each one !!!
I skipped the icing part and instead of using sugar, made the cake with a special sweetener. I made these mini bundts with 'Sweet and Low' and soon had a bundle of bundts !!!!!!!!

Couple of days back I received a cocktail shaker full of 'Sweet and Low' samples to make and bake any dessert this festive season courtesy Dailybuzz Food.

Hence, instead of using white or brown sugar in my bundts, I used 'Sweet and Low'. I also made a warm cafe mocha using sweet and low.
Here is the quickest recipe of Hot Cafe' Mocha:

Ingredients: (Makes 1 cup Hot Cafe' Mocha)

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon Cocoa Powder
1/2 cup coffee, strongly brewed
1 Sachet of Sweet & Low

Method:
Combine milk+half'n'half in a large coffee mug and microwave for 1 minute.
Use milk frother to make froth (takes ~1 min using hand frother)
Brew coffee separately [ I used my Keurig ;) ]
Add sweet and low & cocoa powder to the hot coffee, give it a quick stir.
Slowly add coffee to the milk.
Sprinkle a pinch of cocoa powder on top & we are ready.
Enjoy a real comforting cup of hot cafe' Mocha made with sweet & low in the chilly winters.
Hot cafe' mocha to beat the chill in the holidays :)))

Isn't it a perfect accompaniment to these mini bundts....

These bundts are for all the kids around the world and those beautiful Li'l angels who are shining the lights on us.......God Bless everyone.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas,

Sonia

Disclosure: This post is a part of DailyBuzz feature publisher program. I was reimbursed by Sweet'n'Low and DailyBuzz towards my expenses incurred towards preparing this post.

Garden Vegetable Soup With Pesto For Fa La La La La Days !

2012-12-13T13:36:00.000-05:00

"Deck the halls with boughs of holly,

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Tis is the season to be jolly,

Fa la la la la, la la la la..."

This is the season to be merry and sing Christmas carols, fa la la la la, la la la la. This is the season to sing jingle bells, fa la la la la, la la la la. This is the season to be naughty or nice, fa la la la la, la la la la. This is the season to go gifting, fa la la la la, la la la la. This is the season to bake cakes & cookies, fa la la la la, la la la la. This is the season to make frosty the snowman, fa la la la la, la la la la...

December 1, 2012. He woke up with a merry twinkle in the eyes, and sparkle on his face. My pixie elf at home is hopping around in a jolly mood. Like most children through this age, he looks curiously to his Advent Calender for his very first surprise. Hey, it is book on A Christmas Tradition- The Elf on the shelf ! With wondering eyes, he simply loved to flip the book while munching gingerbread cookie with his sweet hot chocolate milk. The customary big stocking is hung carefully and is getting fatter day by day with goodies and candies. The dazzle of the holiday decorations makes it the most beautiful time of the year. The house is decorated with scented candles, pine wreaths, red bows and glowing lights. The Christmas trees around are simply looking gorgeous. For my Lil Lego fan, we made a Lego and sesame themed tree, decorated with silver lights and frills. And we all happily wait for St Nicholas with a nose like a cherry to come on his miniature sleigh, full of toys and eight tiny reindeer to bless us all and make us glitter with joy and glee !!!!!!!

It seems like having the perfect wintry days. There is nothing like snuggling in a warm cozy blanket, day dreaming about sugarplum fairies and watch the very merry Christmas shows of the Disney. There is a knock on the door... Who could it be ??? An early bell by Santa :))

I walk towards the door to see my hubby dear with a bowl of soup and warm bread from Panera Bread. Yes, it is a wonderful bowl of my favorite soup, Sizzling Hot Garden Vegetable Soup with Pesto !!!!

The soup has to take a Pitt stop on the table for camera, lights and action.....!!!!!!

And here we go with one of the best kinds of vegetable soups. Yummmm....!
It is so enticing, satisfying and fulfilling. The addition of fresh pesto made it all the more nutritious plus flavourful... !!!

Ah, Love the earthy color and flavor of freshly tossed veggies and pasta swirling and whirling around. Dunk the bread into the soup and I knew it is a moment to be merry.... !!!!

Cheers to the classic cooking technique adopted by the team of head chef Dan Nish in blending all the secret ingredients so well in a single serving bowl. And I wish for another one and another one... !

The soup was made with diced tomatoes, sliced zucchini, yellow beans, fresh Swiss chard, cauliflowers, bell peppers, and pearled barley in tomato broth. Perfect bowl of soup made in just the right way with right bunch of ingredients !!!!

There is an awesome collection of soups - classic french onion and broccoli cheddar by Panera bakery cafe' to keep you cozy and merry in the winters. Check it out by clicking here and hear some amazing Soup Stories. My favorite is The Amazing Soup Scrambler. It is in fact amazing...!

Thanks for stopping by !
Wish my each and every reader a very merry fa la la la, la la la la days and happy holidays !!!!!!

Cheers, Sonia!

Disclosure: This post is a part of DailyBuzz program . I was reimbursed by DailyBuzz towards my expenses incurred in preparing this post.

You may also like: -

Empire Apple Bundt Cake -Thanks Johnny Appleseed, I'm Loving it :)

2012-10-28T17:20:00.002-04:00

And the beautiful memories and time begins with the delightful apple tale...!

Thankyou so much John ! It's an amazing and inspirational tale for generations to come and we shall always be thankful to you for giving this wonderfruit. The tale begins with Jonathan Chapman, the American legendary Johnny Appleseed for introducing and spreading apple seeds all over the nation and blooming the apple orchards with the fresh and juiciest apples.

This fall, we went to Johnson's farms with our cheese sticks to enjoy the hayride and pick pumpkins & apples for craft & decorations and came back with pounds & pounds of apples. We came home with eight pounds of apples and three pumpkins. can you guess what I made the following night with apples ???? Yeah, I made simplest and easiest ever recipe with apples. Fresh Apples - countrystyle' in the dinner for next couple of days :) And the secret recipe is to wash the apples thoroughly, get the perfect slices with apple cutter and season with fresh lime juice, salt and pepper. That's it and enjoy bowl full of vitamins !!!! The excitement begins to cook more with apples. While watching and discussing the Presidential debate of Mr. Mitt Romney and Obama, the debate over apples began at my place. Everybody is contesting to make 'some special recipe' from their pick. The pounds of apples in the refrigerator actually stirred the neurotransmitters in my both left and right hemisphere of the brain over what should I make with apples ? Cider, cake, pie, soup, sauce, what else ???

Perhaps, I got to bake an apple cake to keep my lil monkey warm and energetic plus to keep up the festive spirit at home with spiced pumpkin candles, some spooky Halloween decor and warm Empire Apple Bundt Cake with Honey Roasted Peanuts ! The best ever cake with one of the best apples in the town... ! Check out the recipe !

Ingredients:
Empire Apples: 3 grated/shred (I used farm fresh)
Honey Roasted Peanuts: a handful
Vanilla essence: few drops
Cinnamon powder: a generous pinch
All purpose flour: 3 cups
Baking Soda: 1 tsp
Salt: a generous pinch
Sugar: 11/2 cup
Vegetable oil: 1/2 cup
Butter: 1/2 cup, melted
Eggs: 3

Method:
Preheat the oven to 325 F. Spray the bundt pan with butter.
In a bowl sift the dry ingredients -flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon powder.
In another bowl, finely shred or grate the apples.
Beat eggs, sugar and oil in a bowl with electric beater for 5 minutes. Add the dry ingredients and mix well. Now add the apples and a handful of honey roasted peanuts.
Pour the batter in the greased pan and bake for approximately 1 hour 15 minutes, till the cake pops and gets a little crack on the top. Double check to get a clean skewer.

The harder part of the baking begins... just feast the cake with eyes and allow it to cool down.
Take out the cake and gently dust with some sugar.

Enjoy a warm, juicy, flavorful cake with a dollop of fresh cream and some berries.
The cake is full of flavors !!!!
Now comes my fave time... to curl up on my couch and gladly polish off the entire empire bundt :)

And now we had a hearty empire apple cake in the dinner. And I'm loving it..... !!!!!!!!!!
Enjoy it with Apple and Almond Soup as well. A big Thanks to Johnny Appleseed and the Johnson's farms to help us pick the juiciest apples in the town and letting our creative juices flowing. My lil blossom had a beautiful day sneaking in and out of the corn maze !!!!!

Thanks guys for checking out the recipe and would love to know your apple specials'.

Have a beautiful time with family and friends !

A bunch of Cheese fingers for takeaway in the Farm Meadows !

2012-09-18T18:35:00.001-04:00

And the Autumn begins... !!!! The time to go for hayrides and harvesting. The nature unlocks its beautiful foliage where every leaf changes color and adapts to the change. It is the time of the year for which I anxiously wait. It is the beautiful season to go for pumpkin picking and apple picking and making your own fresh desserts with the assorted collection of gourds. This weekend while going for my annual visit to pick the seasons bestest and freshest produce, I baked a small batch of cheese finger straws to takeaway with us to munch. The straws were a perfect snack, warm and flaky with appetizing Italian flavors. Bake and take a bunch of cheese straws before venturing out to capture the scenic and photogenic autumn in the lens and memories. Check out the recipe... !

Baked Cheese Fingers with Oregano !

Ingredients: -
Puff pastry sheets : 1-2
Cheddar cheese: 1/2 cup, grated
Salt: a generous pinch
Oregano: a generous spread
Poppy seeds: few
Butter to brush the pastry sheets

Method: -
Thaw the puff pastry sheets and line them on parchment paper in a cookie tray.
Preheat the oven at 375 degrees F.
Grate the cheese and keep the seasoning ready.
Generously brush the pastry sheets with butter and season with cheese, salt, oregano and poppy seeds.
Cut thin strips of the sheets with a pizza cutter.

Season with Cheese oregano !

Bake the sheets for 10-12 minutes till the cheese melts and strips turn light golden.
Take out the tray and cool for a while.
Perfect straws with freshly baked cheese and oregano smells just amazing and tastes awesome !

Melting Cheese is smelling awesome !

Enjoy it with a cup of freshly brewed hazelnut coffee... !
Pack it in a air tight container and can takeaway with you anytime.... !!!

Crispy Cheese fingers !!!!!!!

Thank You so much for stopping by to check out this recipe.

Warm Regards & Love, Sonia

Red Velvet Cupcakes, a Balletic Cakewalk and Treat to Self

2012-08-22T08:57:00.000-04:00

A warm hello to all my friends ! Hope all of you are doing great and absorbing the sun rays and enjoying the showers before fall schedule sets into motion. I had a wonderful summer holidays relaxing more and cooking less. The favorite passtime was curling up on my couch; daydreaming about food, redoing the decor of my home for fall, vacation whilst taking a power nap and flipping a book with my new lamp from Ikea and playing some soft numbers in the backdrop. Sometimes a break from your daily routine is what you need to get Re-Charged. I simply wish I could pause 'these moments' and live in these happily forever ...!!!!

But got the stroke of reality last week when I got an email from my little one's school reminding me about 'back to school time'. It seems just yesterday to me when it was a carnival in the school. It was a fun filled afternoon with so many exciting games and rides. My Lil one took a box of chocolate cupcakes to play the fun game of 'Cake Walk'. The music was turned on and all the toddlers were busy doing a 'balletic walk' to win over their favorite cake from the cake stall. The music stopped at once and the kids were freeze tagged. Aha..what a lovely moment. The kids were rolling their eyes on each other with curiosity to know about the winner. The teacher rolled the numbers and called for number 8. Hey its me, its me ! Shouted and screamed my monster with joy. He won a beautiful Red Beetle Cake and was seen buzzing around the park like a happy honey bee for quite a while. Its exciting to be part of kids activities.

We baked and enjoyed a variety of cakes in these summer holidays. Baking a cake is an art and every time I bake, I learn something new. Recently. I baked a "chocolate peach cake" but it didn't work out well and became more like a peach-submerged-brownie :(( . Last Sunday we brought home Blue Bunny Red Velvet Ice Cream, it was awesome (din't survive > 2days) this was another great treat for me, some who has started loving every food that Red Velvet. Finally I mustered enough courage Ito bake a 'Red velvet cake'. Initially thought of doing everything by scratch and bake a cake with red beets. But keeping in mind my last failure, thought of postponing my plan for a while. I swiftly surfed couple of options and zeroed in on Paula Deen's "Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting" Though her recipes generally call for loads of butter/fat, but the ingredient list of this one sounded good to me. So simply followed her instructions by heart to get a batch of perfect cupcakes. In less than an hour my kitchen had fragrant and sparkling tray of cupcakes.

As I stated above, these cupcakes are inspired by one of my favourite celebrity chefs Paula Deen's recipe Red Velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.

mmmmm......I just loved the house filled with sweet aroma of freshly baked cake. It is so contagious and makes you feel so very good :))) The cupcakes added an instant sparkle in my kitchen...

We all savoured it and hope you too like this recipe and 'Treat Yourself Oneday' !!!!!!!!!

Later enjoyed some cupcake with a scoop of chilled vanilla bean ice cream too !!!

Look, someone's having amazin-lickin fun :)

Thanks a ton to all folks for stopping by my space and Have a wonderful week ahead !

Much Love, Sonia xoxo

Crunchy Taco Bowls and the Aura of Summer 2012 Olympics

2012-07-31T17:40:00.000-04:00

''Winning in Olympics is like celebrating Excellence by conquering over the quest to Excel and be Yourself. Sports teach us to compete with oneself before competing with others; and develop a belief in the magnificent aura of team spirit. A time to salute every parent and mentor in the making of a champion..."

It was early 2006 when we visited an Olympics venue in Beijing that was getting ready for the big day. It was great feeling thinking about how one day these super talented athletes from all over the world are going to perform here for their country. The Olympics games are here & it is the time to celebrate the spirit of sportsmanship in each of us. Playing sports is a great exercise of mind, body and soul, a perfect stroke to live a balanced life.

The 2012 Summer Olympics being held in London are a very precious occasion for everyone. It is a matter of great joy to see the representation of all the countries on this international platform. Personally, I had never been a very sporty person in my life and just used to play badminton with my sister once in a while. It was a one fine day this March and that inspirational play date with the world cup champion soccer star Brandi Chastain changed me for good...yes, it made 'me' inclined more towards sports! This summer, while wearing the souvenir tees of Olympics and a mascot in hand for aspiration, we took up plenty of sport activities like swimming, tennis, basketball and a miniature golfing with our little monster and hope to master Ice skating someday. The energetic duo of father and son are just glued to the television watching different games and I am busy cooking for them. Just yesterday, Indian shooter Gagan Narang's Olympic Medal in Shooting brought a big cheer to every Indian, it also filled me with sense of pride. Four years back it was in Beijing that Abhinav Bindra shot to fame with first individual Olympics Gold, and it was special as he is from Chandigarh, my home town. Lets all celebrate the sheer moments of 'pride & honor' during the crowning ceremony with unfurling of national flag and singing of national anthem and getting absorbed in the aura of Olympics :)))))

To enjoy the game and not missing even a single event, I planned to cook a super easy, light and festive recipe. It is 'Crunchy Taco bowls with Beans and Greens' ! Check out the recipe here -

Ingredients:
Tortilla wraps: 2 (I used Tomato flavor)
Rice: 1 bowl, boiled (can also use brown rice)
Black beans: 1/ 2cup, boiled
White beans: 1/2 cup, boiled
Sweet corn: 1/2 cup, soaked in warm water
Baby spinach: 1/2 cup
Spring mix salad: a handful
coriander: handful
Sour cream: 1 dollop
Seasoning to taste with salt, pepper and cayenne powder
Lime: 1
Tortilla baking bowls: 2
Guacamole and salsa for serving

Method:
Gently spray some cooking oil in the baking bowls.
Place the tortillas and bake at 375 C for 15 minutes till it turns light golden brown and crispy.

Let it cool for a while.

Put a handful of spring mix salad in the base, followed by rice, white and black beans, sweet corn, baby spinach.Season the taco bowl mix to taste with salt, pepper and cayenne powder and freshly chopped coriander.Add a dollop of sour cream on the top. Just squeeze some fresh lime before eating and can also add guacamole. Got avocados to make guacamole but found it to be little unripe, so might make it tomorrow.

The wait and garnishing is over and the taco bowls are ready to be savoured.

A wonderful combo of crunchy shells + savoury bean mix + Loads of greens. Ahhh...............!!!!

Thanks for being here !
Have a wonderful time watching summer Olympics & cheering for your fav. athletes !

Much Love, Sonia

Glow in the Dark Milk with Potlis of Butter & Cashew Cookies !!

2012-07-06T21:24:00.000-04:00

Unfurl Yourself and dance with joy as we all celebrate Independence Day... !!!!!
Because it is a perfect family holiday in summers. A warm day with bright sun up in the sky and plush white clouds. And a whole Good Day to catch up with friends on Twitter & Facebook !!! This is pure bliss !

Till last year, it used to be a year long wait for us in Hoboken for Fourth of July Macy's Fireworks and for the terrific Macy's Thanksgiving parade. Though we are almost an hour away from Manhattan now, it is still a matter of neighbors envy and owners pride :) , because now we live just a block away from a grand Macy's Store. My evening walk steps take me automatically towards the store, this keeps me in motion and good mood as I check out the latest trends in fashion every now and then. I keep a check on on everything happening right from the launch of summer special Brasil collection to Glamorama coming up in August. Ironically this year we missed the local live display of colors in the sky coz of the excessive heat warning. To keep up the pace with the times and to have a feel good factor while sitting at home, I opened my Picasa album from last year.

We were seeing the 'majestic fireworks' for three years in a row !
and that too from... from our balcony right across the silver lighted skyline of Manhattan...!
Watching hundreds of boats lining up in the Hudson river; bouquet of people flocking in little batches right from the morning to evening in the pier park; playing flying disk with the kids; fishing on the shore; and enjoying speciality cones from the ice cream truck ! And after a fully fun filled day looking at the array of 'colors and sparks in the sky'. The enthusiastic bunch singing the patriotic songs by side. It was AWESOME...... !!!!! And the best part is reflected in the blue waters of the Hudson...! It was the BEST fireworks of the year. The very wait and watch was worth it.... !
Away from Hoboken this year was different, obviously not so action packed.

Yesterday to celebrate the occasion I gave myself a project to bake a small batch of my favorite 'Britannia - Good Day Butter and cashew Cookies' ! In my quest to make those perfect countryside cookies loaded with goodness of butter and cashews, I tried the following recipe from the book I recently got from a book sale. Once the cookies came of the cooling rack, I bundled them in tiny bag to enjoy as midnight snack.

'I Made cute little potli's of cookies to share with friends

I won't say the cookies were perfect, but good enuff for three of us! Baking these kept my evening busy and we later enjoyed'em over watching fireworks on TV. Cookies were nice and crunchy but in next attempt, I would do two tweaks - One, add brown sugar to get rich brown color and two, lessen the quantity of butter by 2- 3 tsp to make'em crisper. Here I go with the recipe !

Ingredients of Butter & Cashew Cookies:
(Makes 18)
Whole wheat flour: 1 cup
Semolina: 2 tsp
Rice flour: 2 tsp
Cornflour: 2 tsp
Baking powder: 1 tsp
Cardamom powder: a dash
Salt: 1/4 tsp
Sugar: 1/2 cup (brown sugar preferably)
Roasted Cashews : 1 cup (gently crushed and powdered)
Butter: 3/4 stick
Milk: 2 tsp

Method:
Lightly roast the cashews in a nonstick pan for 5-6 minutes till it gets a hue of brownish tinge. Can also spread on a lightly greased tray and roast in an oven for 7-8 minutes. Once it cools down, crush it with mortal and pestle, keeping some small chunks.
Let the butter soften at room temperature.
Whip it with a spatula and add sugar. I used white sugar, but to get a darker shade of the cookies, preferably use brown sugar.
Sift whole wheat flour, semolina, rice flour and cornflour together.
Add salt & baking powder and sift again.
Mix freshly crushed cardamom powder for aromatic flavor.
Add a cup of gently crushed roasted cashews to the mix of flours.
Add butter and sugar mix in the flour mix.
While adding a little milk, knead to make a dough.
Put the dough in zip lock and let it rest for almost an hour in the refrigerator.
In the mean time, pre heat the oven to 375 F and line the cookie tray with parchment paper.
Take out the dough, give it a knead again.
Take a portion of the dough and roll to make small balls.
Spread the balls in the baking tray.
Gently press the balls and make impressions with a fork.
Bake it for 15-18 minutes till done.
Transfer the cookies with a spatula and let it cool completely on the wire rack.

Can't wait to take a bite......ohhh...so sweet and crunchy !

These cookies are so rich and loved the little chunks of cashews !!!

... enjoyed with chilled milk from the glow in the dark mug with a little fireworks', at home :-)

Enjoy it with a chilled glass of milk :) :) :) :) :)

Thanks for being here and Have a wonderful weekend !

Much luv Sonia !

Check out my post on midnight snack- 'Little Hearts'.

Two Happy Feet & a Bowl of Couscous w/ Chickpeas, Blueberries

2012-06-27T22:30:00.000-04:00

Ahh...a perfect warm Sunday after so many rainy days !
The beautiful red rays of the morning sun streaming through the window blinds and in the patio can't be missed. No ways ! I get perplexed looking into the maze of the solar artistry. Each day the path of sunlight into the home changes as the sun makes its seasonal trek north or south of equator. My Morning glory and Marigold pots are basking with the light. The little windmills are swirling in circular motion. These days I wake up each day a little early just to see my plants. Its lovely to see them bloom with first rays of sun. I stepped out on in my balcony with a tiny basket to fetch some toms and flowers. The plants are growing up and to my delight got one ripe red tomato for thought too. The strawberry plant is going away, may be to let blueberries usher. Its a joyful activity of picking fresh bell peppers and herbs, just straight from the pots and making a dish. The smell of wet soil, freshly watered plants is just magical to set the day in motion. I have something to share. This time I experimented with sowing cardamom seeds and kumquats. To my utter surprise the shoots are coming out. So happy, lets wait and watch if I do get few pods and tiny fruits to savor some day. Later I floated the fresh flowers with tea lights in my living room brimming with golden radiance of the sun.
The day started on a happy note but still I don't intend to cook much. The warm and lazy rays of the afternoon sun, beckons me to stretch out like a cat and take a nap. I just wanna curl up on a couch and relax and unwind.... !
What to do now........... ???
No plans for the day and want to let it pass on a lighter note. After whiling away for some time, I switched on the television and started watching 'Happy Feet Two'. Now, I'm a big fan of this beautiful movie about 'team work and joy of being yourself'.

I don't believe that if I shall be ever fascinated with the happiness spirit of the penguin family.
But I actually did and loved it ! This made me pull out the happy penguin picture, which I captured on my last visit to the Central Park Zoo.

Penguins of Central Park Zoo

Some days its just good to roll back and explore the wonders of the world. I made myself a hearty bowl of 'Couscous seasoned with spicy chickpeas, sweet berries and roasted potatoes with lots of coriander' whilst I enjoyed the movie. I just discovered this couscous recipe couple of months ago on foodbuzz. I fell in love with couscous as its just made for people like me, simple no oil recipe made in almost no time. Its so much fun to play with the seasoning, add anything and it floats with it.

Check out the Wonder No Oil Recipe here !

Ingredients:
Couscous: 1 cup
Seasoned Chickpeas: 1 cup (canned or freshly boiled, seasoned to taste)
Blueberries: 1/4 cup
Coriander: a lot of finely chopped twigs
Tomato: 1, finely chopped (I used my garden fresh)
Roasted Potatoes: 1/4 cup (diced into small cubes and roasted with spices)
Salt, Pepper to taste

Method:
Soak a cup of couscous in 11/4 cup of warm water for 5 to 7 minutes as per the instructions on the box.
Take one cup of Boiled chickpeas and bring it to a room temperature, else open a can of chickpeas.
In a pan, lightly roast a potato and again season with a pinch of spices.
Season it with salt, a dash of pepper, spices and finely chopped coriander.
In another bowl keep one chopped tomato and washed blueberries handy.

Just toss all the ingredients together and gently mix with a fork.
A hearty bowl of couscous with spicy chickpeas and sweet blueberries is ready to roll out !!!

Its too good to eat, so fulfilling, loved this bowl full of healthy and nutritive ingredients.

So follow the sun and relax yourself with this comforting bowl of couscous.
No wonder it has been on my favourite breakfast menu from so long... !

...For a Dad who Rocked My Cradle to My World !

2012-06-17T12:26:00.000-04:00

I wish Happy Fathers Day to all the Happy Dads in the Happy World of Happy Kids !!!
It's a short & sweet story of mine meeting with Four wonderful guys in my life. I know the first one, my pa and second, my grandpa from ages. I have always looked up to my father and Grand father as a person being par excellent with a vast reservoir of knowledge and grounded values & principles in life. They have beautifully portrayed being the best parents they could to another parents in the making...The timeline begins and I met another guy, third one who was fairly rough and tough, with a Tall and handsome built. Perhaps, today is a different day. The heart beat of this macho man was almost audible to me. The face was radiating and I could see the tiny sweat drops, looking more like dew drops on his forehead. The moment was intense and so were the interplay of emotions. I think he was getting too emotional, yet refrained from showing it off. I saw an all together different person standing across the table from the person I knew. After a while, the doctor broke the news about the arrival of the baby. After becoming 'a father' I saw and met a new guy in the hubby dear, a wonderful Dad, very unlike this time before...!

Once the baby came, both of us mirrored the same gush of feeling 'thrilled and contended' on seeing a very quiet & serene face. And here I met the fourth guy in my life. We started resonating his feelings and emotional makeup - always being calm and happy in our own skin. He was the first one to cuddle a real tiny tot against his giant shoulders. That day we realized how grown up and self sufficient we are. Within few seconds the little baby lied down cozily and made him comfortable on the belly and slept off. When the baby came home, he made him rest in his cradle, full of balloons, and rocked it day and night whilst humming lullabies. One day to a fine surprise, the baby stood up and started shaking his hands...then after few months he learnt his first baby steps while standing on top of his toes. And today he is rocking my whole wide world... !

I'm gonna cherish the times, how he learnt his first baby steps; The crazy times when he fiddle with his food and the happy times we enjoyed in doodling at his first Doodle pad; the joy of the first hay ride; to field trips of picking berries in the strawberry fields. The fun in watching him in the Halloween costume; to the pride in marching on the graduation day. I Feel, it is the story of every house and we all owe our lives to Parents and bow down to them, to share our gratitude. The parents rock the cradle and set the stage by making them the best parents in every respect, correcting the misdeeds and always encouraging to reach the pinnacle of success in personal and professional lives. And all this experiential learning, one day becomes the platform to rock the world ! Today is a special day to appreciate all the special efforts taken by all the Dads in making their family so special !

My personal notion of God and parents is reflected in this poem, which has always been very dear to my heart. Its very simple...If we believe in God, we believe in Parents ! No matter, we sail through happy or tough times, parents always come, becoming Elves at times and Nick at others..!

Footprints in the Sand

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.

Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.

In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.

Sometimes there two sets of footprints,

other times there were one set of footprints.

This bothered me because I noticed

that during the low periods of my life,

when I was suffering from

anguish, sorrow or defeat,

I could see only one set of footprints.

So I said to the Lord,

"You promised me Lord,

that if I followed you,

you would walk with me always.

But I have noticed that during

the most trying periods of my life

there have only been one

set of footprints in the sand.

Why, when I needed you most,

you have not been there for me?"

The Lord replied,

"The times when you have

seen only one set of footprints,

is when I carried you."

Mary Stevenson

Got another inspiring story for all parents and kids alike from GSpirt. The message of the story is that Money doesn't make us rich but a simple Life with rich ideas and blessings of God, surely makes us humane human beings and lead richer lifestyle.
...One day, a rich dad took his son on a trip. He wanted to show him how poor someone can be. They spent time on the farm of a poor family. On the way home, dad asked, "Did you see how poor they are? What did you learn?

The son said; "We have one dog - they have four, we have a pool - they have rivers, we have lanterns at night - they have stars, we buy food - they grow theirs, we have walls to protect us - they have friends, we have encyclopedias - they have a Bible." Then they headed, "Thanks dad for showing me how poor we really are."

A dad has a request - No cooking today and Put the dishes away;
Don't upload the recipes today, as it is his big 'Fathers Day' !
A Dad always bless and today I bless Dad.
He may always Sparkle & Shine and we may always eat together our Christmas pie !!!!!

I really hope we keep growing the repertoire of learning from our prudent Fathers and forefathers and keep the legacy flowing !!!

Life is Good with Coconuts, Ice creams or Shall I say Both !

2012-06-10T14:57:00.001-04:00

Good Morning Folks, I have a question?
Do you all crave to "Eat Something - sometimes or most of the times" ?
I do and would rate myself quite high on scale of 1 to 10, very often. At the same time not sure exactly what I am are looking for ?... Then I close my eyes and wish for a fairy with a magical wand to come and fill my table with the aromatic and refreshing dishes. The dish list is contingent upon the level of activity in my amygdala, sometimes feeling romantic and at times nostalgic, at times oozing out with energy and at times down with lethargy. I always wonder how these highs and lows of emotions nestle quietly in my mind. Then after a while get a straight call from the amygdala craving for a 'typical food'. I think, its time for me to stop contemplating about my hunger waves to be in congruence or not to my mood waves and enjoy the last weave of spring. And at bottom of my heart I always want to keep the sprig of spring with me - be it summer or fall as I do get enchanted with the fresh flair of flowers, giving us ample reasons to lighten up the mood and relive our life !
Taking a break from life is good. It rejuvenates the mind and soul. Last week I took a break and went on a small vacation with family. We were thrilled to see the fresh coconut trees lined up across the streets and fresh fruits hanging like jewels on the top. the fresh coconut water served in the green shells makes it for the best summer drink. At that very moment I got the 'Aha' moment. Got the answer for a new thrilling recipe to share with 'All of You'.

Coconut Splendor...

This week I'm gonna share a recipe based on Coconut. Can you guess WHAT ?????? Initially got to make fresh coconut salsa to enjoy with idlis or Thai curry. But as the temperature touched to 80s, I was craving to have a soothing homemade dessert. After flipping through my old and new cookbooks, finally zeroed in to make a sizzling 'Coconut Ice cream'. The nutty icecream seems to be so light, fluffy, creamy, chewy yet appetizing.

Fresh Home made Coconut Ice Cream !

I got satiation only after eating the whole cup of ice cream :) , Not too bad - after all I deserve my cup after a little hard work that I did. So lets lets check out this recipe !

Ingredients:
Coconut Milk: 2 cups
Fresh coconut : 1/2 cup (finely shredded)
Heavy cream: 1/2 cup
Splenda: 1/4 cup (for less calories, else use sugar)
Vanilla essence: few drops
A pinch of salt

Coco Goodness !

Method:
The only difficult thing in this recipe to do is peel the coconut, with a little skill and caution and take out the coconut pieces.
Wash and dry the shell to serve the ice cream or dry nuts, later.
Finely shred or chop the fresh coconut with the help of grinder.
In a bowl, open the cans of coconut milk and add splenda (or sugar to taste).
Whisk the coconut milk and sugar.
Add a pinch of salt and just few drops of vanilla essence.
Now, its time to add the freshly chopped coconut to our mix & blend it in a blender for 3-4 mins on high speed.
Once done, pour all the ingredients in the ice cream maker and churn it for 20-25 minutes (or according to the manufacturers instructions).
On completion. transfer ice cream into an airtight container and chill it for about half an hour for it to firm up.
The wait is over and ice cream is ready to be licked and loved.......!!!!!!!!
Scoop it out and serve in coconut shell, topped with fresh mint leaves.

Mmmmm... Fresh & Chewy !

I am so glad to see the bowl of my first successful attempt at making coconut ice cream this summer.

Closing in From the Top ...

And so determined to make it more often. Learning and cooking new recipes is an amazing way to turn an ordinary weekend to a memorable weekend with your 'loved ones'. After all, it was so simple and too delish to relish on the special weekends !!!!!!!!!

Stay tuned for my special Fathers Day Recipe, coming soon !

You may also like: -
1. Fresh Home made strawberry ice cream
2. Luscious Avocado ice cream
3. White chocolate Matka kulfi

The Very Hungry Cheesy Caterpillar !

2012-05-27T14:43:00.001-04:00

Every celebration starts with food + smile and definitely ends on a happy note with a "Cheese, Smile" :)))
The happy and cheesy moments give a handful of pictures to cherish, and a bag full of memories of the beautiful time spent with family and friends. Revisiting the memories of all the parties I had at my place or have been to reminded of the fact that 'cheese' is our companion at all happy and special occasions in our lives. Cheese is there in the celebration and makes the party look so special, be it an appetizer, a main course or a dessert.
Couple of years back I visited my sister's place and she gave me an a book on 'Cheese' ! Yes, it wasn't a recipe book as at that time I had little ventures and adventures in the kitchen. The book was on a business fable "Who Moved My Cheese" by Dr. Spencer Johnson. The book has an amazing message on how to deal with change in your work and in your life. That day I learnt a different perspective of looking at Cheese. It gives a message of being soft and warm to yourself and others and quickly adapting to change. 'Cheese' is a metaphor of what we want to have in personal and professional life @ job, relationship, health, wealth, name & fame :) Each of us have our own idea of what cheese is and we pursue it because it makes us feel happy. If we get it, we feel attached to it and if we lose it, we feel sad and it changes our lives :(
I appreciate the opportunity given to me by the team of Foodbuzz tastemaker program to make a post on 'Kraft Singles' and share my precious memories. I sat back and reflected to realize that a plenty of cheese dishes roll out in my kitchen every 'day and night.' Perhaps my favorite memories are when I was a kid and used to make a cheese tomato sandwich for midnight snack during the exam days. The recipe is simple yet classic and withstands the present time. The very soft texture of the cheese singles makes it a perfect pair with breads, cookies and soups. I used to make a lot of 'Cheese Cookie Sandwich' to nibble a snack made in no time and satiating hunger for quite a while !
This post of mine is inspired by the famous book The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. Here we end our circle time, take a break to have a look into"The Very Hungry Cheesy Caterpillar" !

Cheesy-Toasty, What-say ?

Ingredients:
Bread Slices: 4-5 (White bread cut into round circles with cookie cutter or lid)
Cheese Slices: 5-6 (By Kraft Singles)
Campari wine Tomatoes: 4
Salt, Pepper: to taste
Roasted peas: just few to decorate
French beans: 2, to decorate
Broccoli florets: 2, to decorate

Lovely ingredients - Kraft Singles & Veggies !

Method:
Cut the bread into circular discs of about 11/2''inches with cookie cutter (can also use cap of any bottle as I did). Cut one big disc about 3'' for the face of the caterpillar.

Nice & Round - Simple !

Arrange the bread discs in a platter.
Similarly cut the cheese slices into circular discs and arrange.
Finally cut the tomatoes discs horizontally with a sharp knife. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Here we start assembling this project...

Preheat the nonstick pan and slightly spray with cooking oil or butter.
Roast the bread till it becomes light golden brown yet soft to eat.

Here comes the legs & the Head :)

Arranging the Cheese Caterpillar:
Place the bread face first followed by smaller discs and arrange in the format of caterpillar.
Quickly place all the cheese discs on top of the bread followed by tomato discs.
Close the sandwich by putting another layer of bread slices.

Finally the Guy's here - A Very Hungry Cheesy Caterpillar !

Decorate with more cheese triangles and lightly roasted peas.
The double cheese gave a nice softness to the sandwich, lending it more flavor.
The legs of the caterpillar were made with cutting the french beans into 1/2'' small pieces.
Eyes are made from kids craft (borrowed the eyes from my son's kit). Else olives can be used.
Finally the antennas of the caterpillar were made from broccoli florets.

The very edible and hungry cheesy caterpillar is ready to roll out... :)

My caterpillar is all hungry for classic cheese and tomato sandwiches. So I made plenty of them so that the Sniff, Scurry, Hem & Haw at home amongst ourselves are able to satiate their hunger and enjoy this long weekend !

Disclosure: "As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program, I received a coupon for Kraft singles and a stipend."

You' also like: -
- Ultimate PBJ sandwich
- Fresh & Super-healthy quesadillas

Pirouettes Pearl Chocolate Cake for My Peter Pan !

2012-05-19T22:10:00.001-04:00

May'18th is a big day for us , It's the Birthday of our little man !

And with a merry twinkle in his eyes, my little Peter asked me, "Mommy, what cake are you going to bake for me this year ?", I could feel the mystery expectation for a something Special cake. This pressed me and his dad hard to search a cake made of chocolates and decorate it as per his liking. Our radical surf around the nook and book came to an end with this artfully decorated cake - "Pirouettes & Pearl Cake with Chocolate." Just seems yesterday when we celebrated the first birthday and he was dressed up in pearl white little angel dress handmade by his Grandma, just for him.
The other day his teacher gave him a task sheet at home to be completed, "When I grow up I want to become....." and guess what, he muttered, "A Butterfly".....Yay, I want to stay in the park whole day and will be more than happy to camp in the parks :)))))) It is so much fun to chase butterflies and wave to aeroplanes ! These years were blissful yet the best years are still to come, I guess. This anecdote reminded me of John Lock's Theory of “tabula rasa”. When a child is born, the mind is described as a 'blank slate' in Latin. An individual grows up as a product of interaction between his environment and heredity. A doze of positive reinforcement and modeling helps to develop self esteem and identity in the child. The energies can be channelized to harvest the best potential which will enable a child to carve a niche on the world map. I really wonder if my little one might become Wright Brothers, an Einstein or a Vinci, one day ! Each day I'm growing with him, I'm learning and exploring the wonders of our little world. So it's time to celebrate... !

Featured on Foodbuzz Top 9 on May 21, 2012

Ingredients:

All-purpose flour: 1 Cup

Baking powder: 1/4tsp

Baking soda: 1/4 Tsp

Sugar: 1/4 cup
Salt: a pinch

Milk: 1/4 cup

Vanilla extract: few drops

Eggs: 3

Butter : 1/2 Stick (at room temp)

Unsweetened Cocoa: 1/4 cup
Chocolate Bar: 1 (8oz, melted)
Coffee: a pinch (for richer color)

Pepperidge Farms Pirouettes: 16 (one box full box)
Silver Pearls: for decorations

Pepperidge Farms Pirouettes are perfect to add zing to celebrations !

Crispy 'n' filled with Hazelnut deliciousness !

Chocolate hazelnut spread for frosting:
Mix cream cheese(2 tsp), Butter(1/4 stick), sugar(1/4 cup) and cocoa(2 tsp), Nutella (2 tsp)

Method:

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a bowl, sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, sugar.

Bring chocolate bar to room temperature and grate it or melt it with butter in a microwave.
Set aside .

In a separate bowl whisk milk, vanilla extract, eggs.

Gently fold flour mixture into liquid mixture and chocolate until well blended.

Pour this mix into a cake pan layered with parchment paper.

Else, oil the pan well and sprinkle some flour.

Bake it for 30 - 35 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Assembling & Dressing the Cake:

Let the cake cool down.

With a sharp bowl or knife cut out two small circular cakes to make a double decker cake. (Bake two separate cakes in two pans of equal size).

Layer the two cakes with chocolate hazelnut frosting.

Then smoother the cakes with frosting all around.

The more the frosting, merrier is everyone.....!

Decorate the sides of the cakes by fencing it with Chocolate and hazelnut filled Pirouettes.

Tie it with a ribbon to secure the pirouettes and a pearl string.

Dust the top of the cake with cocoa.

Top Shot.... What 'say !!!

Finally throw a fistful of teeny tiny silver pearls to complete the setting !

Cake made with Love by Mamma & Papa

Awesome........A gorgeous piece of love and art activity is ready !

For his special day he just wanted to have cakes and more cakes through out the day. So the day started with a pan cake, then some cup cakes , some home made pan pizza and finally got his treat of chocolate cake. I'm so glad that the whole project ended as an art and family project and we had fun decorating it with pirouettes and pearls !

'A very Happy Birthday to my little Peter as you happily march from the age of fairytales to age of make believes !' Luv - Mom & Dad

Related Posts:-

Tiramisu with a hint of Baileys

Mini Bundt Cakes for little guests

Whole Wheat Banana Bread

Lentil Cake with Kiwis & a Strawberry Heart for Mothers Day.

2012-05-13T16:29:00.000-04:00

"Mother's Day is a time for warm thoughts and fond memories, for expressing the feelings and words that often go unspoken, for letting those special people in our lives know that they are loved and appreciated - always". A Lentil Cake with Kiwis & a Strawberry Heart made with loads of luv especially for the Idol of love - A Mom. This is an ideal dessert for a mother who makes umpteen recipes to nurture her family with her deep reservoir of affection and love. Isn't it amazing to see how a mom juggles between different roles she plays. She swiftly goes from being an ideal mom to caring wife, from a perfect daughter to a loving sister, playing all these roles with an ease. Today is a special day to honor every Mom for being there for all of us, Always !!!

Featured on FoodBuzz Top 9 , 15th May 2012

This recipe is inspired by a very famous snack food from a state of Gujarat 'Dhokla'. I added hand full of more grain flours to the gram flour mix to make it more nutritive. Next I Topped it with garden fresh fruits (kiwi & strawberries) instead of coconut shreds. Can also top it with any of your favorites - blueberries or raspberries, all taste amazing and is an ultimate combo. Best of all An Instant Cake to Make & Gorgeous to Present to a 'mother - always on the go, who looks after her family 24/7 rain or shine.' .

Ingredients:
Gram flour: 1 cup
Oats: 1/2 cup
Semolina: 4 tsp
Rice Flour: 4 tsp
Lime Juice: 1/2 tsp
Lime zest: 1/4 tsp
Ginger Zest: 1/4 tsp
Sweet Bell Peppers: 4tsp (finely chopped)
Sugar: 1/2 tsp
Salt: 1/2 tsp
Yogurt: 11/2 cup
Eno (fruit salt): 1 sachet/1 tsp

Seasoning & Topping:
Water: 1 cup
Kiwi glaze: Made by combining 4 tsp of sugar to 1sliced kiwi. (Cook for 8-10 mintes on a low heat and add 2 drops lime juice, let it cool down, filter & use)
Fresh slices of kiwi
Strawberry for topping

Method:
In a pan slightly dry roast the oats.
Let it cool and grind with a mortar and pestle, else electric mixture.
Give a quick toss (1/2 minute) to gram flour, semolina and rice flour in the pan. Let it cool down.
In a bowl mix with a spatula moving it in a circular motion couple of times to allow for air circulation.
Add salt, sugar, lime and ginger zest, lime juice and finely chopped bell peppers.
Whip the yogurt with little water. (To avoid lumps in the yogurt and batter).
Gradually add yogurt to the seasoned flour mix, till both are well blended.
Spray a micro wave safe baking dish with little oil.
Finally add 1 tsp of Eno to the batter, it will rise immediately and pour it to the baking dish.
Bake it in a Microwave for 6 minutes. Leave it there for another two minutes.

"A Lovely home grown Strawberry Heart"

Cake Topping:
In a pan, warm up some water on medium heat and gently pour it on the cake.
The cake will soak up the water and will rise a little bit making it soft and spongy.
Top up the cake with fresh slices of kiwi, kiwi glaze and a garden fresh strawberry :)))

Nutritious cake for all the beautiful moms on the go after their kids :)))))

Share this instant and oil free cake enjoy with your family :)

Hugs and kisses to all the Beautiful Mom's of the blogging world, XOXO !

Baked Cauliflower 'Tree of Life' for Earth Day

2012-04-24T16:42:00.002-04:00

"Just as treasures are uncovered from the earth, so virtue appears from good deeds, and wisdom appears from a pure and peaceful mind. To walk safely through the maze of human life, one needs the light of wisdom and the guidance of virtue." {Buddha}.

We all call it "HOME", we all call it "Mother", It is 'Our Planet Earth'.... ! The God created Earth. The earth is the common denominator which unites us all as human beings. And if we love God we need to love its magical creation, Earth or as we call it Mother Nature, becoz Nature blesses us with blissful life...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As we celebrated the annual Earth day on April 22, for the 42nd time, I feel blessed to live on the most beautiful planet of our galaxy "The Earth". Lets Pledge together to make it a green planet by contributing our every little bit to save it from global warming. In our personal quest to carve a distinct niche for ourselves, we start playing and manipulating with nature. No matter how much personal and professional success we acquire, at the end of the day and life, we need to have blue skies and river, fresh air and water and naturally organic food. For all this, we need to obey the Nature to live longer and merrier !!!

We get a beautiful lesson of life and continuity from our epics. Last night I narrated a story to my son about how Every day was a Earth Day for our ancestors and sages. He questioned me,"How"?
I told, they woke up early and started their day with offering water to the first rays of sun and chanted mantras looking at the blue sky; then took a dip in the holy rivers, ate fresh and seasonal fruits/veggies in their meals; and spend rest of their day in sowing and cultivating (to preserve natural resources). It is believed that those who plant a tree/shrub by themselves shall always find plenty of shade. I have seen my dad setting a personal example in front of us by doing his every best to conserve the environment and in turn to preserve our most precious asset "Earth". One fine day he got a Solar Cooker to optimize solar energy plus make nutritious food full of vitamin D. So as kids we used to hop around it like bunnies to fill our little bowls with 'Kheer' (family Indian dessert) being cooked slowly and slowly using natural heat and energy. I still have reminiscences of the 'pure and distinct taste' over stove cooked Kheer.
Now hearing the whole story, my son said, I also want to have kheer made by solar system :)
This post of mine is dedicated to "My Dear Dad"!

"Cauliflower Tree" Symbolic of Life

This recipe is adapted and tweaked to pure vegetarian version from Vikas Khanna, Chef of Junoon restaurant in NYC. Through this post I wanna share the lesson of life we learn from nature. This Cauliflour recipe, commemorate with flowers, trees and principle of continuity in our lives !

Ingredients:

Cauliflower: 1 (makes for 2-3 trees)
Gramflour: 1/2 cup
Salt, chilli: 1/2 tsp (to taste)
Garam Masala: 1/2 tsp
Ginger powder: 1/2 tsp
Coriander salsa : 1 tsp (churning coriander, ginger and green onions)
Spring onion greens to garnish
Chilli tomato sauce to garnish

Cauliflower Trees symbolic of Life n Happiness

Method:
Wash the cauliflower in warm water with salt.
Completely dry it with paper towel, so it is free of any moisture.
Place the cauliflower on a chopping board. With a sharp knife cut 2 to 3 trees by cutting it vertically from the center.
Preheat the oven to 350 C.
In a bowl, mix gramflour with little water to make a thick paste and season with desired spices to taste. (salt, chill, garam masala, ginger, coriander salsa).
Place the cauliflower in a lightly greased baking tray.
Spray little oil/butter and coat it generously with the gramflour mix.

Baked Cauliflower Trees, 'Indian Pakoras'

Bake it for 15 minutes till it gets light golden color.
Garnish with micro greens and Chilli tomato sauce.

'DO IT WITH DIET GREEN '

After talking and cooking green whole day, we ended up having a tug of war for the last tree bite, all dressed up in the platter. And finally my little boy came and said, 'Shall I' :)))))))))))))

Enjoy cauliflower trees or shall I call baked version of Gobhi Pakoras, with a cup of Green tea :)))

You might also like: -
Tandoori Gobhi with a twist

Blood Orange Cupcakes for the Spring Break !

2012-04-13T08:27:00.002-04:00

My quest for experimenting with intriguing produce continues this week. It all started last weekend when I landed myself a bag full of Blood Oranges. I had been thinking a lot in the past about what I can do with the great color & flavor this fruit might have to offer. Finally a combo of unlikely factors - My Son being home for spring break & having not baked a cake for a few weeks let to this simple yet interesting creation.
I have always loved cream cheese frostings, and I asked my son (knowing his love for anything citrus)- How about he helps me in making "Blood Orange Cup Cakes". By the end of the day we had a Happy Toddler & happy Mom situation :)

So lets see how we went about it !

Ingredients: -

For Cupcakes:

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tablespoon blood orange zest

1 1/2 cup APF

1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup freshly squeezed blood orange juice

1/2 cup melted butter

1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
A few Chocolate Chips, optional

For Frosting:

1 Cup Cream Cheese

1 cup sugar

1 cup extracted blood orange pulp

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon blood orange zest

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Method for Cupcakes: -

Preheat the over to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl mix the sugar with the zest till sugar becomes wet.

At this stage whisk in the APF, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

In another bowl, whisk together the blood orange juice, butter and vanilla extract.

Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry and whisk until smooth–the batter will be quite thin.
Throw some chocolate chips.

Using an ice-cream scooper add batter to muffin tins (lined with plain white cupcake liners), filling each well no more than 3/4rths full.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean

When done place cupcakes on a wire rack for at least 25-30 mins to cool down to room temperature.

Method for Frosting: -

Combine the blood orange pulp, sugar, zest and lemon juice in a medium saucepan and place over medium-low heat for 15-20mins (keep a close eye, don't let it burn).

Cook, stirring occasionally, until the B.O. pulp begins to breakdown, creating a thick, chunky sauce, about 10 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

Set the puree' aside to cool to room temperature (at least 30-45 mins)

In a bowl, whisk cream cheese, sugar, blood orange puree'.

Put this mixture in a ziplock bag and can do frosting as desired.
I cut the bottom of the frosting bag and squeezed out the frosting in circular motion, starting from outer moving to the inner layer and ending at the top.
Really quick and easy :)

These are great when made ahead (at least a few hours) and stored in a tightly covered container at cool room temperature. The flavor grows with time - making in the morning & consuming the evening is a good idea to have balanced results.

Yumm... is what my Kiddo said & by the time my husband arrived from work supplies were diminishing. He helped the cause & things vanished quick :)

Nothing compares to a feeling of satisfaction that you get when your recipes are adored by your loved ones.
Happy Spring break to everyone...Cheers !

You might also like: -

- Proud Lime & Poppy cupcakes

- Mini Bundt cakes for little guests

Indian Culinary World Rocks @ Varli Food Fest in NYC

2012-04-08T16:19:00.000-04:00

Indian Culinary world rocked at the Varli Food Festival hosted in New York on April 5 2012. The Varli Food festival is an Annual Food, Wine and Dessert tasting event that brings the amalgamation of finest Indian chefs from all over the world. The Varli fest was hosted by Emmy Award nominee and Top Chef Host Padma Lakshmi. The event showcased the culinary expertise of top most Indian restaurants and Chefs by sharing their signature dishes. The festival celebrated the success of India's culture and cuisine.

It's 'Me' at the venue - Metropolitan Pavillion, NYC

A glimpse into the Art of Indian Cooking. It was a fabulous experience to see how the constellation of top Indian chefs were sharing their hand made dishes and desserts, each with an underlying different flavor and concoction. The mission of the festival is to celebrate and appreciate the success of indian cuisine in the international food market. I was so glad to experience the vigor and enthusiasm with which people from cross continents were eager to try different indian fusion food and appreciate it whole heartedly. I appreciate all the underlying hard work by Varli Singh, Publisher and founder of Varli Magazine in pulling diverse crowd and making this fest a huge success !!!!!

It was a great moment to see Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor in person.

In sheer excitement, I reached the venue of the event - Metropolitan Pavilion in Manhattan much earlier than the start time 5 pm. Got into spotlight by media, pics plus interview. The first thing first was to feast with my eyes on these various dishes from the finest Indian restaurants in the US.

Assorted cupcakes with Indian Flavors

It was a special experience to sample and taste the delicacies. The terrific presentation and the warmth and smile with which they were shared was making it more wholesome experience. The decor reflected upon the traditional and contemporary India.

Cake representing Diverse heritage and colors of India

Feeling happy to join this fest, I started capturing pictures and pictures whilst enjoying refreshing drinks to desserts. I loved the mango cupcakes, lotus root flowers, dosai rolls, spinach bites...and many more dishes.

Most Popular Indian Sweet - Ladoo's at its best

The live cooking demos by experienced chefs were a great experience. I promise to share more pictures, some newly learnt recipes and tips with you soon.

Sumptuous desserts !

This is my checklist of favorite places to eat. I simply loved their exquisite vegetarian dishes. Next time when you want to give yourself a treat, pamper yourself with the best Indian food around. I was elated to explore that I have tried food at more than a dozen of the participating restaurants.
Some of my personal favorites -
Urban Spice, Moghul, Sarvana Bhawan @ Edison-NJ; Mantra @ Boston-MA; United States; Masala Zone@ Earls court, London; Harry's @ Venice, Italy; Indian Kitchen @ Shanghai, China; Bukhara, Yellow Chilli @ Delhi, Haldirams @ Gurgaon ; Gopals @ Chandigarh ; Chokhi Dhani @ Jaipur, Rajasthan; Dasaprakash@ Agra ; Indian Coffee House @ Shimla, India.

I came back chock'o'bag full of my favorite Indian spices plus a cookbook to inspire me to learn more and share more with you... !!!

Disclosure: All the observations/comments are my personal opinion of the event. I visited the event purely on my discretion as a food enthusiast.

You may also like: -
A Play Date in New York with Kelly Ripa & World Champion Brandi Chastain

Baked Stuffed Kumatoes - for a Sumptuous Sunday Brunch

2012-04-03T21:31:00.000-04:00

Kumato = Brown Tomato ?? , yeah almost... as per wikipedia Kumato is a trade name given to the variety of tomato developed in Spain. It is a green to reddish brown, and sweeter than typical tomatoes. I have always had Kumatoes in varios salad forms. This time I thought of using this stuffed tomato recipe from allrecipes.com to do something different, stuff my Kumatoes with couscous. The recipe is simple, fun, full of flavors & very nutritious. So lets see how we go about stuffing & baking my Kumatoes.

Love these Brown Beauties

Ingredients: -

4 medium Kumatoes

1 vegetable broth

1/4 cup freshly chopped tomatoes.

1 cup couscous

1/4 cup Shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese (for topping)

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or Spinach

1 tablespoon minced fresh mint leaves

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Salt to Taste

Directions: -

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cut the fresh tomatoes crosswise in half and scoop out the pulp; set aside.

Invert the Kumato shells on paper towels to drain.

In a small saucepan, bring the veggie broth and tomatoes to a boil.

Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the couscous.

Cover and let stand for 5 minutes.

Stir in the mozzarella cheese, basil, mint and pepper.

Place the Kumato shells in an 11x7 inch baking dish.

Spoon the couscous mixture into the shells, pressing the mixture firmly into the shells.
Top with some shredded cheddar cheese.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until heated through.

Flavors were yummm & texture of the filling was great, cheese topping perfectly complemented the textured filling.

Loved the way this melted cheese is oozing out !!!

All my Kumatoes disappeared quick, definitely made the Sunday Brunch-eon effort worthwhile.
Hope you liked the recipe & will give it a try.
And yes, dont forget to tell me how you did !!!

Cheers, Sonia

Foodbuzz 24X24 : A Tandoori Feast Party to Welcome Spring !

2012-03-25T11:18:00.000-04:00

~~~ Spring is Nature's way of saying, "Let's Party!" ~~~

This quote by Robin Williams inspired me to start partying as spring is already in the air. The Plants are the first to feel the spirit and start blooming with happiness. The spring indeed sets the mood to be merry and have loads of fun n frolic. I am so glad to welcome official onset of the spring (though enjoying warm sunny days for almost a month now)... Thanks to Steve Jobs for keeping us hooked to his itech world in the shady winters and stay tuned to our family n friends. But now its already spring and I like to go for morning walks sans my ipod. Is time to enjoy listening to the natures music over your favorite numbers - the majestic rattle made by bells and chimes; chirping of the birds; quacking of the little ducks; blooming of flowers and bursting trees nodding to the fresh breeze in the air. The glowing grass with dew drops is perfect to step out and have power yoga in fresh air and doing some gardening with sowing seeds in my tiny pots. I simply love everything about spring and I'm Loving it more this season... !!!!!!!!

Spring is in the air... Yay !

So one thing is for sure that spring brings hope, happiness and lots of party time. It's time to spread love... ! It's time to relish food and cherish the moments spend with family and friends. This weekend I planned to have a small party with friends to welcome spring and a fabulous opportunity to join hands with passionate team of 24 bloggers across the globe during 24 hour period to make and share meals for Foodbuzz 24x24. Here is the Menu of A Tandoori Indian Cook Out Party @ Home !

We started with Appetizers: -

Tandoori Achaari (pickled) Potatoes on a Stick

Who can resist this... raise your hands !!!

Recipe of Achaari Aloo (Potato) Kebabs:

Baby Potatoes: 10-12 (Washed and parboiled)

For Marinate :

Yogurt: 2-3 tsp
1/2 tsp Olive Oil

1 tsp Ginger garlic paste

Salt & Red chilli powder to taste

1/2 tsp Chaat masala
Achaari Masala: 1/2 tsp
Tandoori Paste: 1/2 tsp

1/2 tsp Jeera (cumin) powder

Finely chopped Cilantro leaves

Method:

Wash and par boil a bowl full of baby potatoes.
Heat Olive oil in a pan. Add ginger garlic Paste & all the spices. Roast lightly for 5-6 minutes.

Add this mix to Yogurt in a bowl and gently mix to make a paste like consistency.
Now put the potatoes with jackets in the mixture and toss to coat all the potatoes well. If you want, you can peel the skin too.
Cover the bowl and keep in refrigerator for atleast 45 mins to 60 minutes.

Take a wooden skewer and put the marinated potatoes.
Repeat the process to make more skewers.
Spray oil on the grill and slowly lay the skewers.
Turn the skewers around after 5-6 minutes to ensure all the sides are grilled.
A dash of chat masala on skewers makes it little more tangy.
Enjoy with Fresh Mint/cilantro chutney...!!!

Mini Sweet peppers on skewers with a Healthy Diet of Greens

Fresh Lot of smoky mini peppers ready to go...

followed by some piping hot Grilled Tomato & Cilantro Shorba (Tangy Curried Indian Soup).
and a visit to Kiddie special snack bar

Kids loved these little Choco Eggs...

Moving on to main course: -

Stuffed Paneer Steak (Indian cheese marinated with spices, stuffed with mint sauce & grilled to perfection)

Love the color !!!

Recipe of Paneer Steak:

Paneer (Indian Cottage cheese): 250gms

Fresh mint sauce (mint- coriander Chutney): 2 tsp

Tandoori Paste: 1 tsp
Sweet tamarind sauce to garnish

Cilantro to garnish
Chaat masala - dash to sprinkle on top

Method:
Thinly paneer into squares almost 1.5 inch X 1.5 inch.
We need two squares to make one steak (2=1; 8=4).
Spread chutney on a paneer slice & place another slice on top of it.
Gently coat it with tandoori paste.
Leave in refrigerator for min 45 mins.
Grill for 7-8 minutes on each side, till you get the smoky flavor.
Sizzle a dash of sweet tamarind chutney and garnish with cilantro.
Sprinkle some chat masala on top, & here you go...

Onion Kulcha - Oven roasted Indian bread served with Tangy Onion spiced chickpeas

These disappeared in no time !!!

For sides we had: -

Spicy Indian Fried Rice

Healthy Tomato Rice with spinach greens

And finally desserts: -

Gulab Jamun with Ice Cream - an all time fvt at all Indian Parties :)

Roasted nuts Panjiri Mix - we made a fresh batch for the occasion

Crunchy & Yumm... Best for last !!!

We had a great time having our friends over, cooking & eating with them. Hope you enjoyed this virtual feast. I plan to share some more recipes in coming posts. So watch the space.

Enjoy life churning your best self to the hilt till the sun rises with spring surprises for your dear ones. Take Care .........!!!!!!!!!!!

Intriguing Kumquat Marmalade with a hint of Ginger

2012-03-18T08:10:00.001-04:00

Every day has a new beginning and I simply love learning new recipes from different regions and cultures from across the world. I learnt cooking from the scratch, umpteen dishes and desserts from all YOU awesome cooks. Recently, I experimented making some marmalade with kumquats. I have always been fascinated by Kumquats, the lovely plant with its lush green leaves and bright tiny Kumquat fruit. Last weekend I was lucky to have found much awaited wintery/spring fruit-fresh kumquats at the local Trader Joe's. After capturing plenty of shots of these beauties, I threw a couple of these in my bowl of salad.It was a blend of sweet and tangy. Then I thought of making Kumquat salsa to enjoy it with crackers but eventually made a marmalade so that it lasts longer :)

Little Gems are Gorgeous !!!!

My wish to make these stay at my house still persists, so with utmost care I took out the seeds, washed and dried and sowed a few in my little Pots. Now keeping my fingers crossed and really wish that seeds germinate real fast ....!!!!!!!

Ingredients:

Kumquats: 1 Cup (finely chopped & de-seeded)

Orange: 1 (peeled, de-seeded)

Sugar: 1 Cup

Lemon Juice: 1/2 tsp

Ginger: a dash (squeezed to juice 1/2 tsp)

Method:

Wash and thinly slice the kumquats.

Peel one orange, deseed and add to the bowl of kumquats.

3 Step Process - Cut in Half horizontally, de-seed, thinly slice

Add powdered sugar and let it sit for at least 4-5 of hours (preferably overnight).

Now take this mix in a pan & start simmering over low heat for 10-15 mins.

Bring the mix to boil, & keep it boiling for 5 mins
Now, lower the heat again, keep at low heat for 20-25 minutes till you get a jelly kind of consistency (natural pectin in the fruit will start oozing out & gelling at this stage).

Squeeze in lemon juice and add a dash of ginger juice.

Simmer for at least 5 mins more.
Skimm of the foam if any, remove from heat & keep ready to unload into a glass jar.

Now fill the marmalade into your glass jars.
Let the jars cool down to room temperature before putting on the lid.
Seal the jar & refrigerate.
If you can sterilize the jars ahead, with hot air - it will keep longer.

Enjoy a generous spread as the marmalade is rich in antioxidants (Vitamin A,C,E) essential oils and fibre.

We have been loving our kumquat marmalade on our toast every morning since last week.
I like biting into a spoonful every now & then - it's tangy, sweet & Yumm !!!!
Hope you will like this creation & give it a try.

You would also like: -

A Play Date in New York with Kelly Ripa & World Champion Brandi Chastain

2012-03-13T18:24:00.000-04:00

"And then ultimately what I tell the kids is: coaches can give you information, they can give you guidelines, and they can put you in a position. But the only person who can truly make you better is you...And to learn, you have to be willing to push yourself." - World Champion Brandi Chastain

This is a very special season for me. Can you guys guess why ?????? Courtesy FoodBuzz & Electrolux -Me & My 5 year old had a wonderful playdate with none other than Kelly Ripa and World Cup Champion, Brandi Chastain at Chelsea Piers, New York......Wohoooo!!!!!!!

Today I'm gonna share my "Memorable Moments" with one of the America's fave role models of our generation. The Soccer icon - Brandi and Celebrity Spokesperson - Kelly exhibited a perfect blend of being a loving moms and a true professionals who have carved a coveted niche for themselves on & off screen. Both the women are utterly busy yet always supportive of a noble cause. Both KR and BC with a bunch of bloggers moms teamed up for raising funds for cancer at the meticulously planned event by Electrolux "Kicking and Cleaning' in association with Foodbuzz.

The Chosen Few - Us Blogger Moms with Kelly & Brandi

7th March 2012 was a perfect sunny and warm day. Me and my little 5 yr old were all set in the morning, feeling thrilled to capture clicks of these amazing women with my camera.

Lovely Ladies & Cutie Pie Kids ...

I was moved from the core of my heart on getting words of inspiration for my budding sportstar.
So here are some snapshots from the trip:-

Brandi was so warm & friendly , made us feel at home immediately !

Tanish & Brandi - The Inseparables

His highness being treated special by the World Champion !

Electrolux is raising awareness for Cancer Research Fund with its campaign of 'Best Moments'. Electrolux will donate $1 toward OVRF for each best moment shared on http://www.facebook.com/Electrolux. A little step of this social responsibility towards other humans is a HUGE HUMANITARIAN ACT... !

And a great cookie in a bag to go !

It was a whirlwind of a trip and we returned exhausted yet happy. Thank you so much to FoodBuzz & Electrolux for inviting us to be a part of such an important event and a noble campaign.

Disclosure:

My participation in this event was sponsored by Electrolux in association with FoodBuzz who provided me with travel arrangements to and from Chelsea Piers, NYC.

Classic French Onion Soup - to warm up your afternoon

2012-03-04T19:58:00.004-05:00

French Onion soup is an all time classic that'd been sitting on my recipes to do list for some time now. Like all things french I'm normally a bit cautious playing around with the french recipes. In all fairness following a classic french recipe brings out the best in ingredients, so why play !. Here I am trying my hands on a recipe which is mildly inspired by a method I found on foodnetwork website. Being a vegetarian I have done some minor tweaks, which I'm happy to state worked out well. So let's see how we go about it.

Featured # 1 at Foodbuzz on 6th March 2012

This French Beauty turned out Lovely.. What say ??

Ingredients: - (serves 2)

2 medium yellow onions

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cups apple cider

1 cup vegetable broth

Thyme sprigs, 1 chopped garlic clove, bay leaf and parsley

1 French baguette, sliced

1 teaspoon sugar

Black pepper powder

2 slices low fat swiss cheese
Spring Onion Greens to garnish

Method: -

Peel the onions and thinly slice them.

In a skillet take butter and let it melt.

Now add sliced onions in form of a layer and sprinkle with a little salt.

Now start stirring occasionally & wait for onions to turn golden brown.

This should take approx 15-20 mins. Make sure you don't burn the onions.

Stir in vegetable broth, apple cider, garlic, bay leaf, thyme and sugar; Bring all the ingredients to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium; and simmer for another 20 minutes.

Pour the soup into an overproof bowls.

Top the bowls with a slice of baguette each and top with Swiss cheese. Can also add a dash of pepper over here.

Place bowls under preheated oven for 2-3 minutes at 350 C until cheese is melted & bubbly.

The lovely aroma indicates that our soup is done. Take it out with a caution and season with some finely chopped green onion and now simply ENJOY............!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Its nice, subtle in taste and am loving the blend of cheese & bread over it...
Hope you like my version of French onion soup.

Have a Warm week... Sonia!

You will also like:
- Apple almond soup
- 15 Bean Soup

Sending this recipe to Tidy Mom for the SoupaPalooza "Come join SoupaPalooza at TidyMom and Dine and Dish sponsored by KitchenAid,Red Star Yeast and Le Creuset"