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NICE & HEALTHY OATMEAL WALNUT COOKIES...& a nice award too!
2008-02-25 04:43:00
"We load up on oat bran in the morning so we'll live forever. Then we spend the rest of the day living like there's no tomorrow."Lee Iacocca OATMEAL CHOCOLATE-CHIP WALNUT COOKIESWhile I was making these cookies the other day, the son was very intrigued by the 'new ingredient' on the counter. Told him it was oatmeal, a wonder grain with the power to give sustained release of energy the day through, healthy & full of fibre etc. He gobbled a couple & then later on, that night, told me that he ran well that day & felt great...'Must be the oat cookies Mama!' . These cookies are crisp, delicious & healthy.Rolled oats are made from the oat groats that are extracted from the oat grain & are often considered to be an excellent choice when it comes to a healthy diet. In general, oatmeal made from rolled oats is understood to help reduce the amount of bad cholesterol in the bloodstream. As an excellent source of dietary fiber, iron, and thiamine, rolled oats can be a ...
More About: Awards , Cookies , Chocolate , Award , Walnut

PIZZA FROM SCRATCH...Winning over yeast!!
2008-02-22 17:17:00
"The belly rules the mind." Spanish Proverb PIZZA FROM SCRATCH...My battle with yeast is an old one...it never seemed to give me results that others proudly displayed. I was beginning to bear a personal grudge against it, when I bumped into Ben! Thankfully we concurred that both our strengths lay in baking powder...YES...and he too was in a yeast dilemma!! As with all battles, this one had to be won, one way or the other. Susan's recipe from Food Blogga came to my rescue...& I can proudly say...this round was mine. I made a pizza from scratch & the daughter declared it was WAY better than Pizza Hut. I thought so too! All credit to Susan for posting such a fab recipe, step by step, & with bits of wisdom thrown in...there was no way I could have lost this one!A delicious slice...baked like we like it!Pizza has always been on my list of things to do, & I have tried in the past with somewhat disappointing results. This one was great...the dough rose like never before &a...
More About: Italian , Winning , Scratch

ORANGE & OLIVE OIL CAKE...Drawing Inspiration!
2008-02-22 11:01:00
"Anytime the perfume of orange and lemon groves wafts in the window;the human body has to feel suffused with a languorous well-being."Frances Mayes, Bella Tuscany 'ORANGE & OLIVE OIL CAKE'This is the 'Orange & Olive Oil Cake ' I made, inspired by the Cenk's recipe. He made his 'Clementine and Olive Oil Cake' inspired by the ?Olive Oil and Sherry Pound Cake? recipe from Alice Medrich?s book ?Pure Dessert?. Inspiration s galore resulted in a lovely, moist cake, with a crumb as light as ever...& no butter! There is a very Mediterranean feel to the recipe...& the taste is even better 2 days later. My friend from the land of the babushkas got me some poppy seeds, & I was wondering what use to put them to? This did seem the perfect place to bung them in. The kids love the cake & the addition of poppy seeds has given it a nice crunch. The other alteration to the recipe is substituting a bit of flour with whole-wheat flour. That is one thing I always try to do w...
More About: Drawing

COFFEE WALNUT COOKIES...Heavenly beans!!
2008-02-20 14:22:00
"Behind every successful woman is a substantial amount of coffee."Stephanie PiroWALNUT COFFEE COOKIES... Yesterday was a busy day; I loved it. I made these scrumptious coffee cookies & a 'Citrus Olive Oil Cake'...both from Cafe Fernando's. This yummy food blog has the most beautiful collection of recipes & lovely pictures. More about the cake in another post...it was delicious too. Have been dying to make cookies ever since I saw them there. It's a recipe she tried from Alice Medrich?s book Pure Dessert...a book which is full of simple and delicious recipes that focus on pure flavor. The amount of butter was the only deterrent, but I thought...What the heck! Once in a while you gotta cross the limit. O boy...the smell of freshly ground coffee put me on another level altogether. These are different from any cookies I've ever made....almost like a coffee shortbread. Nutty, crisp, coffee flavoured & buttery. The coffee is not overpowering at all, & the sugar is on ...
More About: Coffee , Beans , Cookies , Walnut , Walnuts

BIRYANI/YAKHNI PULAO...Mingle with a 'One Dish Dinner'
2008-02-19 13:24:00
"In the childhood memories of every good cook, there's a large kitchen, a warm stove, a simmering pot and a mom."Barbara Costikyan LAMB BIRYANI/YAKHNI PULAODecided to make a biryani/yakni pulao for lunch last weekend. Have been procrastinating making it for long as it is just a bit involved. Then I thought, might as well, & went off to dust the cob-webs off my biryani utensil which hadn't seen light of day for a while. Life seems to be all about eating & drinking...so I got on with tying my bouquet garni!! In a strange quirk of fate, after eating the Mughlai dish for lunch, we unexpectedly got invited to see a special screening of the film 'Jodhaa Akbar' that night. The film was a tad disappointing for a period film. It's based on a 16th century love story about a marriage of alliance that gave birth to true love between a great Mughal emperor, Akbar, and a Rajput princess. The high point of the film was beautiful glimpses of extensive shooting done within the palaces o...
More About: Indian , Dinner , Lamb , Dish , Biryani

FLOUR FLOWERS...CLICKETY CLICK!!
2008-02-19 01:19:00
"If I sing when I cook, the food is going to be happy."Pasquale Carpino COLOURING MY WORLD...ICED SUGAR COOKIESMy favourite cookies that I made again a few days ago. A friend was going down South for a birthday & wedding in the family, & her son insisted on taking these & some mini muffins for his cousins' birthday. Got down to baking some of these attractive cookies that add colour to any table & I never tire of making them. I feel like a great painter adding colour to my canvas! Small pleasures, & very therapeutic indeed...Hearts piled high...The basic sugar cookie recipe is the same one that I use for 'Smartie Cookies '. It's a very versatile one, and works well with this recipe. For the icing, I use powdered sugar mixed with just enough water to make it thick & flowing, then colour according to requirement, and drizzle it on the cookies. I leave them to dry out overnight in trays in the oven, and sometimes give them a minute in a hot oven to get rid of...
More About: Flowers , Click , Birthday , Flour

CHOCOLATE-PISTACHIO CAKE...A cake to sleepover?
2008-02-16 10:43:00
"Chocolate doesn't make the world go around ... but it certainly makes the ride worthwhile! "Author Unknown Its a 'Chocolate, Chocolate-chip & Pistachio' cake!There has been palpable excitement in the son's life as he's off for his first sleepover. They've had a day out by the lake - rappling, rock climbing, Burma bridge crossing. Then it's back to school for a bonfire night, star-gazing & studying constellations...finally the much-awaited sleepover! We've almost had to gag & bind him down 'coz he's gone bonkers planning, making lists,sticking reminders...driving us up the beanpole! He woke up this morning with a 1000 watt smile, saying this is the day he's been waiting for "all his life"! Heave-ho, Heave-ho...It's off to school we go!A cake for snacks featured in one of his many lists & reminders. I made this for him last evening.'Sleepover Cake '...or so it's come to be called!I love the combination of chocolate & pistachio nuts...by way of taste...

ARTISTIC INSPIRATIONS...STRAWBERRY CHOCOLATE SWISS ROLL
2008-02-15 07:56:00
“Find something you're passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it.”Julia Child ARTISTIC INSPIRATIONS OF THE CHOCOLATE KIND! Its amazing how simply you can get inspired from foodies on the wonderful web. And most certainly distracted too. Doughnuts of every kind have been doing the rounds & I have scribbled recipes endlessly trying to zero in on the one I was to make this morning. I had one from Susan's, another from Aparna's & a 3rd from Madam Chow...but I got terribly distracted at the bazaar & picked up fresh strawberries instead of yeast! Perils of an overactive mind!'What's for dessert'?DH's voice last night rung in my head! Hmmmmm...the kids had been on my case to make a strawberry swiss roll (requested the daughter) & a chocolate one (pleaded the son)! How about both...a 2-in-1...like my friend in babushka land mentioned the other day! So I did a strawberry sponge with strips of differently flavoured creams.ALL ROLLED UP & WAITING TO...
More About: Strawberry , Chocolate , Roll , Swiss , Artistic

TOMATO-CARROT SOUP...DELICATELY FLAVOURED WITH STAR ANISE
2008-02-13 12:10:00
"Men are like soup: you always want to have one on the back burner, just in case."Unattributed feminist quote Tomato -Carrot Soup with Star AniseTried my hand at a tomato-carrot soup this morning, flavoured delicately with a spice that has intrigued me endlessly over the past few days. None other than the pretty star anise ! A nice & gentle vegetarian soup, beautifully flavoured & great for the winter chill that has descended upon us...an adaptation on a soup my mother makes almost everyday in the winter months.Star Anise...the pretty spice!Star anise plays a key role in the slow cooked dishes that characterize Eastern Chinese cuisine. Its licorice flavor enhances red cooked dishes. It is also the secret ingredient in many Indian stews and curries. And yes...literally...'No croutons required'!!Ingredients:Tomatoes - 8-10 medium / quarteredCarrots - 2 / chopped roughlyOnion - 1 / quarteredGarlic - 2 clovesRed Lentil (Masoor dal) - 1 tbsp (optional/I add it to increase food ...
More About: Vegetarian

HEARTY ALMOND SHORTBREAD...How deep is your love?
2008-02-12 17:38:00
"I am still convinced that a good, simple, homemade cookie is preferable to all the store-bought cookies one can find."James Beard Almond Shortbread Hearts...delicious to the last crumb!These are one of those cookies that disappear before you can say Jack Robinson! Very easy to make, non-demanding or challenging, & above all, full of taste! Great cut-out cookies! Perfect hearts for Valentines ! Nutty, Buttery & Crisp...goodness in every bite! I made hearts & flowers since I love the flowers too, but you can make an assortment of graduated hears if you like...or heart cut-outs in larger cookies! These are cookies I make just at the whim of it. Not involved or bothersome, these are nutty 'n' buttery ... a treat to have. I practically took under an hour to make these; some for a friend, & between the DH, the kids & their friends, the rest vanished! Boxed some for a friend with a quick card on top...Ingredients:Butter - 100gmsCastor Sugar - 5 tbsps / ground in coffe...
More About: Love , Cookies , Deep

FOR THE LOVE OF FOOD....
2008-02-10 17:15:00
?For me, the cooking life has been a long love affair, with moments both sublime and ridiculous.?Anthony Bourdain Rice Noodles with Stir-fried Chicken & Veggies...& a mild chili sauce!And my search goes on, carrying me further into the far-east in search of pan-asian cuisine. Thanks to Andaliman I've figured out that there are many more sauces than I ever thought there existed. AB from HomemeadeS gave me some more direction, & I made a chunky chili sauce from her blog. I'm getting there....this meal tasted really nice & with a lot of flavour! Me thinks it was the sauce that did the magic! A sauce full of flavour...Not too hot & spicy too!Sambal (chili sauce), is one of Indonesia's traditional food seasonings. Almost every region in Indonesia has its own special chili sauce with different taste and ingredients.Sambal is thicker and richer tasting than Mexican salsa. It ranges in spiciness. There are a number of varieties which are popular in Indonesia. I adapte...
More About: Food , Love

FOOD & CREATIVITY...ART YOU EAT #1-CHOCOLATE!
2008-02-10 02:29:00
?Some people like to paint pictures, or do gardening, or build a boat in the basement. Other people get a tremendous pleasure out of the kitchen, because cooking is just as creative and imaginative an activity as drawing, or wood carving, or music.?Julia ChildMy canvas on chocolate...Julia Child's words ring so true!Why would I post this cake again? All thanks to an idea from Holly...a mom to 2 sweet boys obsessed with all things cooking & baking. Passionate like me & a buncha foodies on the net!! Holly's had an idea: "We all want our creations to look as wonderful as they taste and there are tons of absolutely gorgeous examples out there of the amazing creations that all you beautiful bloggers create. Why not hold an event that shares the decorating and presentation tips as well as the food? After all, if someone is going to try to recreate your masterpiece, shouldn't it look spectacular too?" YES!! My mantra...'Do It From Scratch'! It must taste as good as it looks, a...
More About: Food , Valentine , Strawberry , Dessert , Cake

FRIENDSHIP, SPICE & THE CHINESE NEW YEAR!
2008-02-07 14:48:00
?Condiments are like old friends -- highly thought of, but often taken for granted.? Marilyn Kaytor STAR ANISE FLAVOURED SWISS ROLL with MARMALADE SAUCEI took some marmalade that I had made last month & spiced it up with star anise, cinnamon, ginger etc. Let it mature for a day...dreamt of a swiss roll last night & created my own dessert this morning. Very proud of this one because I thought it up in my mind, enjoyed the experience a lot & the roll came out looking quite nice. Tasted great too & is my entry for this month's THINK SPICE! MILDLY SPICY MARMALADE SAUCE...Sweet & different! What would you do if the courier brings you a parcel & you open it amidst great excitement to see some starry creatures staring right back at you. Initial dismay of the star anise type!! Exactly what happened to me a few days ago. Arundati said she was sending me the 'Arusuvai' friendship surprise ingredient looooooong ago...& it finally reached 2 days back (much after c...
More About: New Year , Friendship , Dessert , Chinese , Chinese New Year

STRAWBERRIES IN A TRIFLE...Quite Literally So!!
2008-02-05 17:56:00
"That most wonderful object of domestic art called trifle?with its charming confusion of cream and cake and almonds and jam and jelly and wine and cinnamon and froth."Oliver Wendell HolmesDressed up with grated chocolate, melted chocolate, sliced strawberries & fresh mint leaves!I made these in dessert cups with the leftover sponge that I had frozen. Simple & effective, a rocking good dessert in one of our favourite combinations this season...'Chocolate & Strawberry '!! Ready in minutes, with nothing very involved, this is indeed a whimsical way of using left-overs!!Advantage strawberries...making full use while they're in season!A hearty trifle for Valentines ... The word "trifle" comes from the old French term "trufle," and literally means something whimsical or of little consequence. Many puddings evolved as a way of using up leftovers and trifle originated as a way to use stale cake. A proper English trifle is make with real egg custard poured over sponge cake soake...
More About: Dessert , Literally , Strawberries

ROGAN JOSH...A popular lamb curry; Served here with stir-fried cawliflower
2008-02-03 17:32:00
" Vegetables are interesting but lack a sense of purpose when unaccompanied by a good cut of meat." Fran LebowitzLAMB ROGAN JOSH...a passionate curry! A very popular dish from North India & Pakistan, Rogan Josh is just mildly spicy. It gets its fiery red colour from paprika, & like all popular recipes, has many versions. Here is my own simple rendition of Rogan Josh...mild, tasteful & one we all like very much. I like this recipe for a change because it has no tomatoes & isn't too laden on calories. Though traditonally cooked in clarified butter or ghee, mine is cooked in sunflower oil. I served it with a simple stir-fried cawliflower (recipe at the bottom).Rogan josh is an aromatic curry dish. Rogan means clarified butter in Persian, while Josh means hot or passionate. Rogan Josh thus means meat cooked in clarified butter at intense heat.According to Lizzie Collingham's book Curry : A tale of cooks & conquerors, Rogan Josh was brought to India by the Moghuls. ...
More About: Indian , Popular , Lamb , Fried

PANNA COTTA with STRAWBERRY COULIS...Elegant & Sublime!
2008-02-02 16:15:00
"Good food gladdens the heart."Author Unknown Panna Cotta with Strawberry Coulis...An elegant, simple Italian dessert. Creamy & incredibly satisfying! Having read about it several times, I always wondered of how beautiful & versatile something like this would be. Somehow never got down to making it till now when strawberries started showing up in the market. Sublime ...& a sure winner. DH loved it & the kids found it AWESOME!!The pudding before it was sent to chill!!I scored plenty of recipes on the net, & I finally settled for this one from Good Morning America by Chef Emeril Lagasse...I had to do one with strawberry coulis. Coulis is a French sauce which can be sweet or savoury, depending on what it is meant to accompany.There are as many sauces as there are versions of panna cotta on the web. A hot caramel sauce, a mocha sauce, a chocolate sauce, a mango sauce...the list is endless. And then the versions...a chocolate panna cotta, strawberry, mango, pistachio, ...
More About: Elegant , Valentines

SEVILLE/BITTER ORANGE MARMALADE...Bittersweet pleasure!
2008-02-01 02:10:00
"And the fruits will outdo what the flowers have promised."Francois de Malherbe SEVILLE/BITTER ORANGE MARMALADE...locally called 'TANGERINE MARMALADE'I sent my daughter & her friend off to my neighbours house to get a bagful of these tart little oranges; also referred to as 'narangis' here. My neighbours' tree was laden with them & she was more than happy to see them put to good use. I sent her a jar too, & distributed all but one, as I have a long list of bitter marmalade lovers waiting for their anual share! Most people here grow these plants for ornamental value. I got this British-style recipe from a friend of my mothers'. British-style marmalade is a sweet preserve with a bitter tang made from fruit, sugar, water, and (in some commercial brands) a gelling agent. American-style marmalade is sweet, not bitter. BITTER ORANGESThe name "bitter orange" refers to a citrus tree (Citrus aurantium) and its fruit. Many varieties of bitter oranges are used for their essen...
More About: Orange , Bitter , Pleasure , Bittersweet , Marmalade

SWEET AFFAIRS OF THE HEART...Small Tarts Have Big Hearts
2008-01-29 07:52:00
"Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand."Mother TeresaSMALL TARTS WITH BIG HEARTS! Its time for event # 2 at the Mini Pie Revolution HQ - "Small Tarts Have Big Heart s". ..time to show off our small tarts for Valentines. Manggy sent me to the Mini Pie HQs...& I was hooked. Have always had this penchant for making small bites/petits fours...thanks a ton Manggy! Mini Pie Revolution Event # 2 'Small Tarts Have Big Hearts'.TOPLESS TARTS...hmmmmmmmm?As the Mini Pie Revolution HQs say 'Tarts, being sexy little things, like to go topless. Some tarts leave a little more to the imagination with strategically placed whipped cream or garnishes. No tart likes complete coverage!'. All that is required is that they must be mini-tarts (bite sized), sweet & baked from scratch. An assortment of topless tarts on the platter.A combination of chocolate, strawberries, cake, sprinkles etc. Great fun to make for your valentine...great fun to make anyway! I made ...
More About: Sweet , Affairs

I'M A DARING BAKER...& I dared to make a LEMON MERINGUE PIE!
2008-01-28 01:49:00
"Ability is of little account without opportunity." Napolean Bonparte LEMON MERINGUE PIE...testing times!A new year with a new challenge...and this ain't a challenge for the faint-hearted. There are bakers & then, there are 'daring bakers'. 2008 began with me joining the DARING BAKERS. A new challenge is thrown open every month...this months challenge is the 'Lemon Meringue Pie'. With this challenge, the baker in me has been pushed to the limit & I have got my feet firmly back on terra firma. My heart has sank with the sinking hearts on the edge of my pie crust while they slid down as it baked & shrank!! PHEW!! No mean challenge this!!The Pie Today......The pie's role in modern day society is legendary. Winston Churchill was not only fond of big cigars, he was renowned for eating huge 4" deep pies before making his historic war time speeches. Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon, attributed his fitness levels to a diet including the good old American favourit...
More About: Make , Baker

SIMPLE HOME STLYE LAMB CURRY...FOOD FOR THOUGHT!
2008-01-25 09:57:00
"What is patriotism but the love of the food one ate as a child?" Lin YutangSIMPLE HOME-STYLE LAMB CURRY....Food nostalgia is something I am sure all of us hold dear. My mother was, & is still, a marvellous cook, & is famous for her traditional meals like lamb/chicken curry, biryanis etc. People would flock to our place during festivals to grab a bite. Strangely for me, I have few memories of what I ate as a child. The fault lay with me of course, as I was a distracted soul, with little interest in what I ate. Hardly worthy for someone who has such a HUGE interest in food now...though the problem lingers. The interest now lies in the making & not as much in the eating.Blog about a dish that recreates a memory for you....thus spake the Skinny Gourmet. As Erin says, ' Proust had his madeleines, but we all have something. Food is evocative. It has the power to transport us, to connect us to times and places past.' This dish is for her evocative event!It is with joy that I...
More About: Home , Curry , Lamb , Thought

ESPRESSO CHOCOLATE-CHIP CUPCAKES...Comfort with a cuppa coffee!
2008-01-23 16:02:00
"Food is the most primitive form of comfort"Sheilah Graham Expressing comfort...Coffee & Dark Chocolate Here is where my two most comforting & favourite flavours meet...in these 'Espresso Chocolate-chip Cupcakes'. Meeta's Monthly Mingle this month calls for 'Comfort Foods' & comes just at the peak of winter, where the winds seem to be getting colder by the day. Temperatures are at lows of almost 2 degrees C here in Gurgaon, & we are chilled to the bone. There was frost on the cars this morning & the kids were fascinated. I made these warming cupcakes today...just to get the better of the cold & with the MM in mind. They were really heart-warming & comforting straight out of the oven...warm with a hot cuppa coffee. I used a medium roast instant coffee & Ghirardeli dark chocolate chips...flavours right up my street! With coffee beans sprinkled on top...adding kick to comfort!!This is a fuss free recipe which results in just good taste & a light...
More About: Chip

SAVOURY TARTLETS...Crisp & pretty appetizers.
2008-01-23 07:40:00
"Food is for eating, and good food is to be enjoyed...I think food is, actually, very beautiful in itself."Delia Smith SAVOURY MINI TARTS... TOPPED WITH SWEETCORN & MUSHROOMS...I love the idea of using my spare time creating leftover sweet (or savoury) nothings! There is no 'main dish pressure', the leftovers are mine to use; no demands whatsoever. The end result is always full of suspense! These little tarts are the result of one such experiment...A FRESH BASIL LEAF ADDS TO COLOUR & TASTEI made these teeny savoury tartlets with the pastry dough left over from the quiche the other day. Once lunch was served & done with, everyone retired to whatever they wanted to; I took over the kitchen once again. The tartlets were lovely & crisp; vegetarian too. I cut out circles with a fluted cookie cutter, placed the cut-out circles in a mini tart pan & baked them. Then topped the little bites with left-over corn & mushroom mix from the quiche. They turned out very en...
More About: Appetizers , Pretty

CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY CAKE...Quite the Ultimate Combination!
2008-01-21 01:39:00
"Doubtless God could have made a better berry, but doubtless God never did."William ButlerCHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY CAKE...A combination almost too good to be true!It was my sis-in-laws birthday a couple of days ago...& it was time to bake a cake again! I was really waiting for this cake baking opportunity because strawberries had begun appearing in the market. The idea had been germinating in my mind for long, & I was actually restless to give it a go! I planned to make 2 sponges; 1 chocolate & the other a strawberry flavoured one; sandwich them with whipped cream & strawberries; & top the cake with a ganache. That's exactly what I did...& the cake was just too delicious for words. A droolicious combination!! Almost too good to be true!A burst of flavour & colour! Chocolate & Strawberries are quite the ultimate combination... Strawberries are one of the first fruits of the season and have long been associated with rebirth and Spring. They are the only fr...
More About: Strawberry , Dessert , Cake , Birthday

SOUP FOR THE SOUL...Roasted vegetable soup with toasted croutons.
2008-01-18 06:53:00
?Good soup is one of the prime ingredients of good living. For soup can do more to lift the spirits and stimulate the appetite than any other one dish.?Louis P. De Gouy, The Soup Book (1949) SOUP FOR THE SOUL...Roasted Veggie Soup!Its been a chilly winter so far, with winds threatening to sweep you off your feet. I read about a roasted vegetable soup eons ago, & its always been at the back of my mind to make it someday. A trip to the market tempted me to buy an array of fresh veggies...& then I trotted back home to set to work. Roasting these vegetables enhances flavours & makes the soup taste quite different. The result was a nice, full-bodied & wholesome soup, which I served with oven-toasted croutons made out of wholewheat bread. Healthy, warming & sumptuous all the way! A drizzle of light cream, a throw of croutons & a leaf to top it off! Its fun to garnish & add to visual appeal. I enjoy garnishing everything & anything...even if it means just t...
More About: Vegetarian , Soul , Vegetable

TO QUICHE OR NOT TO QUICHE...A mushroom quiche
2008-01-17 13:30:00
" I asked the barmaid for a quickie. The man next to me said, 'It's pronounced 'quiche' "......(on occasional perils of speaking a foreign language)Luigi Amaduzzi, Italian Ambassador in Britain.A MUSHROOM QUICHE...At home, the lines are firmly drawn as far as the quiche story goes...or more suitably, the 'quiche' war. On one side, stand the son & me, who are not great egg fans at all; me far worse than him! The rest on the other side. It's the quintessential question...to quiche or not to quiche? One wonder's why I make it anyway. Well, firstly the die-hard baker in me overtakes the egg-disliker; & then, I actually like the idea of a savoury pie (which the son might enjoy in time). It's only in the winter months when one can truly enjoy the rather filling slice of savoury pie...eggs + cream + butter! In summer, one would gladly settle for something much lighter! I've made a quiche after almost 4 years. Leafing through a baking book the other day, I chanced upon a p...
More About: Mushroom

COLOURFUL FRUIT KABOBS...Cape gooseberry, Cheddar & Basil
2008-01-14 12:19:00
?A fruit is a vegetable with looks and money. Plus, if you let fruit rot, it turns into wine, something Brussels sprouts never do.?P. J. O'Rourke CAPE GOOSEBERRY APPETIZERSIts winter here in North India & many seasonal fruits are making a welcome appearance. One of them is my favourite, the cape gooseberry, or the 'rusbhurrie' (meaning filled with juice). These little berries are sweet yet slightly tart, & are sold in bunches. In peak season, you will find cartloads of these lining the roads while driving...a sweet sight indeed. When we were kids, they would come each wrapped in its natural husky brown cover, which we would patiently peel & enjoy the fruit of our meagre labour. Times have changed....now they come in bunches (as pictured below), with their husks pulled back neatly & tied with strings to make life simpler. Somehow, for me, the charm was with the husk still on, because there was a certain joy in gently peeling the husk off! Thank heavens for small me...
More About: Fruit , Basil , Cape

THE BUZZ ABOUT NATURE...of butterflies & bees!!
2008-01-13 15:17:00
"There is a way that nature speaks, that land speaks. Most of the time we are simply not patient enough, quiet enough, to pay attention to the story."Linda Hogan CHRYSANTHEMUMS...Nature continues to amaze...In the first week of December '07, I posted a picture essay about 'Chrysanthemums'...from bud to flower. I tracked another set of plants over the next few days, the ones pictured above. Most of the chrysanthemums are sadly on their last few days now, having given us endless pleasure day after day. With just a few flowers remaining, they continue to provide a platform for butterflies & bees to land on...& proudly showcase the colours of nature! Just sitting in the garden the other day, DH asked me to quickly click the blue bumblebee ( I think that's what it is) that landed on a flower near him. Before I knew it, the bee, undisturbed by my close presence, dived right into the heart of the flower for nectar! Hot on its heels was the butterfly, checking out nectar in th...
More About: Buzz , Gurgaon , The Buzz , Bees

CHOCOLATE TARTLETS...Mini pastry shells filled with chocolate ganache.
2008-01-12 04:51:00
"If you get melted chocolate all over your hands, you're eating it too slowly."Author Unknown CHOCOLATE TARTLETS......Mini pastry tarts filled with a ganache, topped with marzipan. Ever since I've seen these mini bites, I've been fascinated by the little things & was looking for an opportunity to make them. There's something very attractive about single sweet morsels because each piece has a 'complete' look . Eventually made them for the daughter's birthday, & coordinated them to match the colours & look of her 'YIN YANG Chocolate Cake', pictured below. The recipe for the pastry cases / pie shells is from a quaint little book of contemporary recipes called 'What's Cooking Chocolate' by Jacqueline Bellefontaine. I made these & some jam tartlets too, using the same pastry recipe. On Latha's request, am posting these as soon as I can. Here's the recipe as adapted from her book...Ingredients:Flour - 1 1/2 cupsButter - 1/3 cup ; chilled & cut into piec...
More About: Gurgaon , Birthday , Pastry

JAM TARTLETS.....Pretty Ruby Petit Fours
2008-01-11 11:34:00
?The rule is jam tomorrow and jam yesterday, but never jam today.?Lewis Carroll JAM TARTLETS...Petit FoursA Tart is defined as a single-layered base of pastry (plain or puff) with a sweet or savory filling baked in either a shallow tart pan that has straight, fluted sides and a removable bottom or a metal tart ring placed on a baking sheet. The tart is removed from the tart pan or ring before serving. Broadly, the term 'tart' encompasses flans, quiches, and pies. Depending on the type of tart made they can be served as appetizers, entrees or desserts. Their size ranges from bite-size (hors d'oeuvre), individual-size (tartlet) to full-size (tart).'...quoted from 'Joy of Baking'...one of my favourite net-stops! Sweet tarts have fillings of fruit, jams, custards, flavored creams, or nuts.What do miniature tuiles, eclairs, fancy cakes, macaroons, glazed or candied fruits, tartlets, ladyfingers, cigarettes, etc. have in common? They all belong to a category of small fancy cookies,...
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THINK SPICE...GARLIC ; My favourite flavour..with brocolli this time!
2008-01-10 04:28:00
"Garlic is a habit and a passion."Kim Upton, Chicago Sun-Time sThis time the THINK SPICE spice is GARLIC! One of my absolute favourites in savoury flavours. A friend once gave me a Thai basil chicken recipe & said put as much garlic as you think is enough...& then just double the amount! How right that was...in the end, the garlic was perfect & the flavours out of this world. That's the power of garlic!Steamed Brocolli tossed in a zesty garlic dressing...For Sunita's World's monthly spice event, I've decided to post another great easy recipe that works well as a cold salad or side dish, & can be put together in next to no time. Steamed brocolli tossed in a garlic dressing...its full of flavour (primarily garlic), very healthy, crisp, tender & fresh with the zing of lime. All ingredients can be adjusted to personal tastes. I make this quite often these days as brocolli , or hari gobhi (green cawliflower) as the local vegetable sellers call it here, is available...
More About: Spice