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Passionate About BakingPassionate About BakingThis is about my passion in life which is , you guessed it, BAKING!! Have been baking for more than ten years, and seem to enjoy it more with each passing day. It is totally therapeutic and extremely rewarding. DO VISIT ME!! Articles
BLACK FOREST GATEAU...a southern German dessert cake to die for!
2007-11-27 07:08:00 'Man cannot live on chocolate alone, but woman sure can.'Author Unknown Black Forest Gateau...The Black Forest region ('Schwarzwald') in German y is essentially known for three distinctive features: its highlands, scenery and woods, the traditional cuckoo-clock, & the typical southern German dessert- 'Black Forest Gateau' or 'Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte' ( literally "Black Forest cherry cake") . Hmmmm...a peek into the insides!!The Black Forest gateau consists of several layers of chocolate cake, with whipped cream and cherries between each layer. Then the cake is decorated with additional whipped cream, maraschino cherries, and chocolate shavings. Here's the one I baked for my mother's birthday over the weekend. We don't get maraschino cherries here, so I used regular canned cherries. The gateau was a delicious, light cake...& it disappeared in next to no time!! It was finger licking good. Chill it well for the flavours to mature!YUM! YUM!!Ingredients:SpongeEggs - ... More About: Fruit , Dessert , Cake
STAINED GLASS COOKIES...Hold 'em against the light!!
2007-11-25 16:47:00 'Cookies are made of butter and love'.Norwegian Proverb Festive, fascinating & delicious cookies!A cut-out cookie made out of my favourite basic sugar cookie dough. Then smaller bits are cut-out and filled with broken pieces of hard-boiled candy, and put in to bake. In a while you can see the candy melting beautifully into the cut-outs & the cookie baking to a perfect brown. I make these a couple of times in the winter months; in summer they tend to get sticky due to humidity levels being high. They involve an extra bit of effort, otherwise would love to make them more often! Ingredients:Butter ? ž cup (room temp)Castor Sugar- 1 cup (I grind sugar crystals in my coffee grinder)Egg ? 1 / beatenFlour ? 2 ˝ cupsSalt ? 1 pinchVanilla Essence/Extract ? 1 tspMethod: Beat the butter and sugar till fluffy and light. Add the salt + vanilla essence and beat for 30 seconds. With a spatula mix in the beaten egg. Put in all the flour in one go, and gather together to make a firm dough.... More About: Recipe , Birthday , Glass , Light
ITALIAN CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES...food-as-a-gift for Christmas!
2007-11-23 01:55:00 'There's nothing better than a good friend, except a good friend with chocolate.'Linda Grayson, "The Pickwick Papers" Up, Close & Chocolicious! Italian Almond Chocolate Truffles...I had an old truffle recipe, which I played around with a bit, and made these for the first time a few weeks ago. These Italian Chocolate Truffles tasted divine, and make a lovely gift, especially after the dressing up. They are very easy to make & have an lovely almond flavour. I've made the little boxes with handmade paper & the magical glue gun. Once the boxes are filled, I wrap them in cellophane, add some ribbon & a little card, & they're all set. These truffles last well for 2-3 weeks, so they are great for gifting in the holiday season. These have made an appearance for the second time on my blog to get under Zlamushka's tree for her 'Spoonful of Christmas '! Ingredients:Dark chocolate - 625 gmsAlmond Extract - 2 tspButter - 1/2 cupCastor Sugar - 50gmsGround Almonds - 50 ... More About: Food , Recipe , Dessert
NATURE NEVER CEASES TO AMAZE...a pallette of colours!
2007-11-22 02:13:00 'Take nothing but pictures.Leave nothing but footprints.Kill nothing but time.'Motto of the Baltimore Grotto, a caving societyThe 'Peacock' butterfly I think...this lovely creature visited us a couple of days ago. The colours were simply amazing, & so I had to chase DH to chase the butterfly to take a picture as it was far too high for me. Just couldn't believe the beauty and balance of such a perfect,little creature. "Just living is not enough," said the butterfly, "One must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower." Hans Christian AndersonAnd then came along this little yellow one, like a burst of sunshine! And how could I leave out the khaki dragonfly? I seemed to have touched so many colours in the span of a few hours... More About: Nature , Colours , Gurgaon , Butterflies
I'VE BEEN TAGGED...Kiwi Cake & 'Meme' in My 100th POST!!
2007-11-21 01:25:00 'Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!'SeussKIWI FRUIT in a Sponge with Fresh Cream, Almonds & MarmaladeI can't believe that its time for my 100th post. Phew...it's been a long journey by my meagre standards when I entered the world of bloggers a few months ago, with thoughts if I would last it out. Can say I'm having a great time & am still in awe of bloggers who've been around for years. It's a wonderful world out here in the blogosphere which goes by the mantra "THE MORE, THE MERRIER"!!My post for today (commemorative, if I may add) is for one of our faves...the Kiwi Fruit Cake with almonds & marmalade. Have made this cake before, but thought I'd change it a bit. The recipe is the same as before, but without ground almonds in the cake. Instead, I've used a basic sponge recipe as in the pineapple cake, & have added almond essence instead of pineapple essence. I've been tagged for the 'Li... More About: Meme , Recipe , Dessert , Post , Orange
BISCOTTI...The Great Italian Cookie!
2007-11-20 01:43:00 "You'll always make good food from great ingredients,but you will never make great food from bad ingredients." Michael Chiarrello BISCOTTI in 2 TONES!! Here's what I baked yesterday...BISCOTTI. It's been on my mind for really long ever since I've been haunted by a picture posted on Group Recipes.This particular biscotti recipe is from Rogers page on Group Recipes which I have adapted to suit the ingredients I had available. The fact that the recipe uses olive oil & not butter won me over!! The recipe is a wee bit fiddly as it uses no butter which makes the dough quite sticky and squishy; but don't let this put you off. I guess that's the idea...otherwise how would we get such a great crisp cookie, low on fat! The aroma it fills the house with is heavenly. I was literally eating the crumbs off the counter while slicing it up! Suggest you try it when the kids are away... The name biscotti is derived from 'bis' meaning twice in Italian and 'cotto' meaning baked or cooked.... More About: Christmas , Great , Gurgaon , Chocolate
GINGER IN MANY AVATARS...Diversity is the 'Spice of Life'!
2007-11-18 02:49:00 ?Had I but a penny in the world, thou shouldst have it for gingerbread.?William Shakespeare (1564-1616) GINGER GINGER EVERYWHERE...& a pile of it here!Time again for the monthly 'Think Spice' at Sunita's World & it's GINGER this time. Known for its great digestive properties & medicinal value, ginger is widely used in cooking in this part of the world. I love the warm, earthy flavour it imparts to dishes it's added to. I use ginger quite extensively, and thanks to Sunita's spicy thoughts, have been given an opportunity to post a few recipes. With diversity being the spice of life...here goes. GINGER LEMONGRASS COOLER...I found the idea while browsing blogs many months ago while trying to figure out what to do with the lemongrass I had grown. Can't remember which blog it was, but made this with ginger in mind. It tasted very refreshing, and the pinkish hue comes with the reaction of ginger & lemon juice. Lovely ginger flavour!Ingredients:Ginger - 2 inch piece /... More About: Life , Indian , Diversity , Avatars , Cinnamon
ESPRESSO CAKE...Can you smell the coffee??
2007-11-14 14:05:00 "Everybody should believe in something. I believe I'll have another coffee."Author UnknownMy ESPRESSO CAKE....MmmmmmmThe cake has been put together and is waiting to be cut later this evening. It's a basic coffe sponge base, smattered with luscious whipped cream flavoured with more coffee. Not too overpowering, but just very pleasing to the senses.I've done a real hurried icing, with drizzled white and dark chocolate, and dressed the edges with chocolate scrolls which I made earlier today. YUM! YUM! Post a virtual slice for all of you tomorrow...wish it could be real!!Ingredients:SpongeEggs - 5 (250gms)Powdered Sugar - 125 gmsFlour - 125gms ( flour= half the weight of the eggs i.e. 125gms )Cornflour - 2 tbs (makes the cake texture lighter)Baking powder - 1tspSalt - 1 pinchVanilla Essence/Extract - 1 tspCoffee Essence - 1 tspInstant coffee - 2 tbsp (increase or decrease as desired)Filling/Topping Cream - 500ml (whipping/35% fat)Icing Sugar - 3-4 TbspCoffee Essence- 1 tspInstant co... More About: Cake , Chocolate , Birthday , Espresso
COFFEE IN A TRIFLE....Simple & Impressive Dessert for coffee lovers!
2007-11-12 18:10:00 'Just around the corner,There's a rainbow in the sky.So let's have another cup o' coffee,And let's have another piece o' pie.'Irving Berlin, 1932'COFFEE IN A TRIFLE'...Here starts a brand new week of coffee opportunities. This happens to me every November, when coffee is my favourite ingredient in my month of the 'Scorpio'! In my words, there are very few things that I would attach an 'automatic-droolamatic' quotient to. One of them is this...'Coffee in a Trifle' as I choose to call it, which I made up as I went along the way. Baked a coffee flavoured sponge this morning, for a birthday cake later this week. Nicked some crumbs from the cake, layered it with coffee flavoured whipped cream...attained nirvana in the first bite! This is a must for serious coffee lovers, and recommended for those who would like a change from chocolate. The flavour of coffee grows on you...my kids stand testimony to that! They hungrily lap up my coffee flavoured creations, savouring every l... More About: Dessert , Lovers , Simple , Impressive
LEMON CAKE...Baked as a gift!!
2007-11-11 15:50:00 "I feel a recipe is only a theme, which an intelligent cook can play each time with a variation." Madam Benoit LEMON CAKE sans sour cream...Made my 'twisted' & 'tangy' lemon cake again...keeping in mind Zlamushka's 'Spoonful of Christmas '. This was a gift for a friend, and looked very pretty when dressed up. Convenient to gift too, since it's already in a 'case'! This time I used something very interesting...'Lemon Sugar' that my friend got from Ukraine. They have these satchets of lemon sugar that are very citrusy and add a lovely tang and kick to the cake. This recipe made 2 nice loaves...so we had one too! Yippee!!I plan to make lemon shortbread cookies with the sugar too...in the near future hopefully! Sliced up & ready to be devoured!!Ingredients:Butter ? ˝ cup/100gmsEggs ? 3Sugar ? 1 ź cupsFlour ? 1 ˝ cupsBaking powder ? 1 tspBaking Soda ? ź tspSalt ? ź tspYogurt ? 4 tbsp / thickCream ? 2 tbsp / 25 % fatJuice of 1/2 lemonRind of 2 lemonsLemon Sugar -1 tsp ... More About: Baked , Recipe , Dessert
ITALIAN CHOCOLATE ALMOND TRUFFLES...Home-made for Diwali!
2007-11-08 04:43:00 "If there's no chocolate in heaven, I'm not going!"Author UnknownITALIAN CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES...Its almost time for Diwali...which is also known as the 'Festival of Lights'. I usually try amd make a different home-made sweet on Diwali because we get quite tired of the 'mithais' that do the rounds. It's challenging to be different, and this time I decided to tread on new ground. I had an old truffle recipe, which I played around with a bit. These Italian Chocolate Truffles tasted divine, and make a lovely gift, especially after the dressing up,,,& are very easy to make! They have an intense almond flavour. I think I'm gonna skip the almonds for a few next time , and try a few with coffee, and some with an orange essence...just to experiment! I made these in a tearing hurry...and am glad I did! PRETTY, AREN'T THEY?Ingredients:Dark chocolate - 625 gmsAlmond Extract - 2 tspButter - 1/2 cupCastor Sugar - 50gms Ground Almonds - 50 gms (I run them in the coffee grinder with the... More About: Recipe , Dessert , Home
BEFORE & AFTER ICING THE COOKIES...
2007-11-08 02:42:00 ?Cooking is an art, but you eat it too.?Marcella Hazan Oooops!! Guess what? Forgot to post the before and after pictures of the 'Iced Sugar Cookie s '. I love the way they look both ways....& these photographs are 2 of my favourites!Here are the cookies in my previous post before they were iced. They look quite pretty just like this as well, and taste great too!And now...the cookies post icing! These are my signature cookies. A beautiful splash of colour to cheer up even the weariest soul! The excitement that they give kids is to be seen to be believed. Pure euphoria!! More About: Recipe , Birthday
ICED SUGAR COOKIES...A great gift for any occasion!
2007-11-07 03:56:00 "The preparation of good food is merely another expression of art, one of the joys of civilized living"Dione Lucas Iced Sugar Cookies ...My all time popular cookies that kids love. They add a burst of colour to the surroundings and are fascinating. They are very delicious too as they are almond butter cookies with a sugar icing. I've been doing these for almost 8 years now, and though they aren't very easy to do, they are therapeutic. Made this batch yesterday for someone's birthday...thought of 'Bee' while doing the bees!!An extension of my canvas onto the cookie, its great fun mixing colours and indulging in food art. The trick is to make sure they are crisp after the icing...a bit fiddly for a new baker, but worth the trouble for someone who has time & patience!! The basic cookie recipe is the same one that I use for 'Smartie Cookies'. Its 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 t... More About: Great , Gift , Birthday
"WYF Dessert/Sweet?"...ALMOND-ORANGE SPONGE WITH CHOCOLATE GANACHE is one o
2007-11-05 14:37:00 "Stressed spelled backwards is desserts. Coincidence? I think not! "Author Unknown Time for SnackORama's 'What is your favorite Dessert /Sweet' ? "It can be Sweet, cake or ice cream anything that is sweet like you all ;-)."...so she says.Bring on the festival season!! ALMOND-ORANGE SPONGE WITH CHOCOLATE GANACHE...one of our favourite desserts!!CHOCOLATE, ORANGE & ALMOND...the flavours are outstanding. Each complementing the other beautifully,they get enhanced while the cake is chilled. I have made this a number of times, and have always received compliments. The recipe is here if you'd like to see it. More About: Christmas , Recipe , Gurgaon , Orange
PRETZELS a la CHOCOLATE!
2007-11-03 14:49:00 "If God had intended us to follow recipes,He wouldn't have given us grandmothers."Linda HenleyCHOCOLATE PRETZELSHere's a recipe I've made umpteen times, over & over again. It's from my first baking book I bought after I got married, 'The Baking Encyclopaedia' . The kids love these chocolaty, crisp pretzels. I sometimes colour co-ordinate them with the cake frosting at birthdays; & at other times, like for Christmas, I use Xmas sprinkles. They are great fun to make, & cookies made at home have a wonderful flavour that you can't find in ones that are store-bought! Always worth the bother...these make great gifts too. Pretzels with Iced Sugar Cookies Ingredients:Flour- 1 cupSalt - 1 pinchCocoa Powder - 3 TbspsButter - 1/2 cupCastor sugar - 2/3 cupEgg - 1Egg white - 1/slightly beaten for glazingSugar crystals, dragees, sprinkles etc for decoration.Method:Sift the flour + salt + cocoa powder 3 times. Keep aside.Cream butter with sugar until light. Beat in the egg. Add ... More About: Recipe , Gurgaon , Chocolate , Birthday
STRAWBERRY SWISS ROll...Nice 'n' Light Dessert
2007-11-01 09:39:00 On the STRAWBERRY: "Doubtless God could have made a better berry, but doubtless God never did."Dr William Butler, 17th century English writerSTRAWBERRY SWISS ROLL A delicious & light dessert which I made a while ago when I wasn?t quite camera crazy & 'blogged on'. It was loved by everyone; am waiting to see strawberries back this season to make it again. The gateau has this lovely fresh flavour, and the vibrant look enhances the great taste!! Pretty simple and straightforward, this can be made in a day in advance. Keep it covered if you choose to make it the day before.Ingredients:Eggs ? 2Powdered Sugar ? 2/3 cupZest of ˝ an orangeFlour ? 1/2 cupVanilla essence ? 1 tspFilling/ Topping:Thick Yogurt ? 4 tbsp (or fromage frais)Light Cream ? 200ml (20-30%)Zest of ˝ orangeCastor sugar ? 2 tbspStrawberries ? 225gmsMethod:Preheat the oven to 190degrees C.Line a 12 X 8? Swiss roll tin with butter paper. Whisk the eggs + sugar + vanilla essence + rind until thick; approximately 10 ... More About: Strawberry , Dessert , Cake , Roll
CLICK: November 2007...NOODLES
2007-10-31 16:33:00 'It is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all.'Laura Ingalls WilderAm pushing my limits...Between dropping the kids off to school, and now returning to get them back (they come back early today grrrrrrrrr...), I cooked, imagined, clicked,downloaded & am now trying to post.It's been like this since yesterday. The hubby came back after working all night long ( he's an aircraft engineer), to receive a call an hour deep into slumber that there was a diverted flight with a medical emergency. So we all rushed madly in all directions...me to get the kids ready for school, and he to resurrect & hit the road in 10 minutes. The medical emergency had a happy ending with the birth of a really cute little baby girl inflight!! How sweet is that!!Must thank Jai & Bee of Jugalbandi for adding to the general excitement in life! Never thought I would spend sleepless nights trying to think up noodle art & baby girls. Yes, been there & done that too..... More About: Click , Noodles , November , November 2007
BUTTERFLIES...everyone deserves a little sunshine!!
2007-10-29 09:44:00 "Beautiful and graceful, varied and enchanting, small but approachable, butterflies lead you to the sunny side of life. And everyone deserves a little sunshine. "Jeffrey Glassberg The past few days have seen a nice change in the weather and have brought forth plenty of happy butterflies. I love to sit with a book in the garden, watching these fascinating creatures flutter around. The brown one on top, a little one (an inch!) has my favourite colours...beige/khaki & black . The one below , was discovered by my son, fast asleep in the Currypatta tree (Botanical name - Murraya koenigi) in the backyard...the colours reminded me of Halloween! "I've watched you now a full half-hour;Self-poised upon that yellow flowerAnd, little Butterfly! IndeedI know not if you sleep or feed.How motionless! - not frozen seasMore motionless! and thenWhat joy awaits you, when the breezeHath found you out among the trees,And calls you forth again!"William Wordsworth, 'To a Butterfly' "The caterpilla... More About: Nature , Gurgaon , Sunshine , Butterflies , Serve
SMOKED BUTTER PANEER?Paneer-e-Dhungaar is what I like to call it!
2007-10-29 09:43:00 "Raising children is presented at first as a true-false test, then becomes multiple choice, until finally, far along, you realize that it is an endless essay. No one knows anything."Anna QuindlenSMOKED BUTTER PANEER CURRY?'Paneer -e-Dhungaar' is what I like to call it! This recipe is the result of trying to keep the dinner table smiling with eager kids. Here's a nice change to the regular Indian style cottage cheese/paneer curry. It combines the best of paneer tikka (which has a smoked flavor) & butter paneer. I made this up one day when the kids were losing interest at the dinner table, and I had paneer on hand which I wanted to add to the menu! The flavour turned out very nice indeed; and the kids enjoyed it a lot. I dare say this would taste just as well with chicken too, but have yet to try it.Ingredients:Paneer/cottage cheese ? 250gms (NOT CUT INTO PIECES)Piece of coal ? 1 smallGhee ? few dropsTomotao Puree ? 200mlOnion ? 1/ chopped fineCapsicum ? 1 / chopped fineGreen ch... More About: Recipe , Call , Butter
CHOCOLATE-CHIP & WALNUT COOKIES...for Halloween
2007-10-28 02:56:00 "Bring forth the raisins and the nutsTonight All-Hallows' Specter struts Along the moonlit way."John Kendrick Bangs Chocolate -chip & Walnut Cookies for HalloweenToday was a day I just wanted to sit & relax in one place till I grew roots!! Obviously the daughter had other plans as it's her friends' birthday tomorrow and they're having a Halloween party. So I got down to work with the pots & pans to make a quick batch of chocolate chip cookies. It's a recipe I've worked around with, by adding whole wheat flour to make it healthier. I've posted it earlier; if you would like to view it, click here . The cookie dough once mixed; ready to be scooped onto the tray. Warm & crisp...just like the season!I've just added a few Halloween sprinkles to get into the mood of things! They're just out of the oven, smelling great...and have led hungry stomachs to the kitchen! 5 cookies seem to have grown bats wings & have mysteriously done the disappearing act!! A very si... More About: Recipe , Gurgaon , Birthday
A PINEAPPE 'n' CREAM CAKE...& the makings of it!
2007-10-26 17:40:00 "We all have hometown appetites. Every other person is a bundle of longing for the simplicities of good taste once enjoyed on the farm or in the hometown left behind."Clementine Paddleford Pineapple 'n' Cream Cake I wonder why the cream always chooses to misbehave on days when I am MOST pressed for time. Well, it was one of those trying days yesterday when things were on an uphill drive. SIGH! I baked the sponge etc a day before, no problemo...it came out beautifully. The next day electricity decided to do the disappearing act, and when the blessed thing came back, the cream made me weep. Just didn't want to get beaten up I guess. The cake went for a drastic make-over, and once I put it together, I dressed it up with light yellow chocolate shavings. When the honours were done last night, it tasted great ! Thanks heavens for small mercies. Never thought something as silly as a cake had the power to drive me to desperation. PHEW!!Anyway, to cut a long story short, here goes. Have po...
THE DRAGONFLY...
2007-10-25 16:56:00 "Deep in the sun-searched growths the dragonflyHangs like a blue thread loosened from the sky."Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Silent NoonThe Drago nfly ...Look who was kind enough to drop by when I was airing out the Jaipuri throws yesterday. This dragonfly had plenty of beans, and was zipping around like it was enjoying the sun! Unfortunately I couldn't get closer...am sure I will one day, and get a better picture (& hopefully a better camera too). This fellow seemed to enjoy my 'melting' company (the sun was HOT!) and kept coming back again & again. These creatures are absolutely fascinating, with boundless energy, hovering around like miniature helicopters! (Off to bake a cake today for the parent's anniversary. Its gonna be a Pineapple Cream Cake on popular demand. Pictures tomorrow hopefully!) More About: The Dragon
A CRUMBLE TO FALL FOR...a healthy Apple Crumble!
2007-10-25 16:53:00 "Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking successive autumns."George EliotSugar & spice & 'FALL' things nice...that's what I'm made up of!Cinnamon scrolls...adding flavour to the Crumble!A twist to the regular crumble to make it healthier. I have substituted the butter for margarine, and lightly toasted (or roasted) the oats to bring out the crunch and flavour. Apple s, cinnamon & walnuts bring out quite the best in each other...as far as taste, colour and warmth go. The only thing missing are the twirling leaves when the south wind blows!! Guess we can sit amidst them & savour the crumble.This is my entry for 3 blog events this Fall ...Blog or Bust #3! where 'The Clumsy Cook' asks a healthy âFallâ dish...'something comfortable, something cozy, something hearty'.HotM 8 where Joanna at 'The Heart of the Matter' is looking for 'heart-healthy baking recipes'....that means 'NO butter and not m... More About: Healthy , Heal
MORAVIAN TARTS...warm up to cookies this Fall!
2007-10-25 16:52:00 "Seeing is deceiving. It's eating that's believing. " James Thurber MORAVIAN TARTSThis is a recipe from âThe Great Cookie Bookâ, and was one the first cookie recipes I tried almost 5 years ago. These seem just right for the season, with the warm flavours of cinnamon with walnuts; complement Fall beautifully! Very nice as a gift, and great with tea. You can use pecans too if preferred, which is what the original recipe uses. I believe that Mora vian tarts belong to the Pennsylvania Dutch bouquet of recipes. Ingredients:Butter â ½ cupCastor Sugar â 2/3 cupVanilla Essence â 1 tspSalt â 1 large pinchEgg â 1, beatenFlour â 1 cupSoda bicarbonate â Âź tspCinnamon â 1 ½ tspEgg white â 1, lightly beaten35 walnut halvesMethod:Sift the flour + soda bicarbonate + ½ tsp of cinnamon and keep aside.Cream butter + ½ cup sugar + vanilla essence + salt till light and fluffy.Gradually add the egg, beating constantly.Stir in the flour mix, bit by bit into the above.Form into ... More About: Cookies , Tarts , Ravi
SIMPLE, EVERYDAY BROWN SUGAR MUFFINS...with walnuts & chocolate chips
2007-10-21 17:29:00 âFrom morning till night, sounds drift from the kitchen, most of them familiar and comforting....On days when warmth is the most important need of the human heart, the kitchen is the place you can find it; it dries the wet sock, it cools the hot little brain.âE.B.White (1899-1985)BROWN SUGAR MUFFINS with WALNUTS & CHOCOLATE CHIPS...comfort food!It's one of those days you wake up in the morning with the 'bakers' itch'...gotta bake something, & fast. And one of those days where its got to be 'sans chocolate'. This is just a simple recipe (with a bitta PINK) with a good feeling about it, to relax with a cuppa coffee or tea, and read that book which has been beckoning you for ages. While I talk about books, here's a nice one that makes for hilarious reading..."A Spot of Bother" penned by Mark Haddon, which I am currently reading. It's a funny, humane, witty, sometimes poignant and thoroughly entertaining book. Ingredients:Flour â 2 cupsBaking Soda â 1 tspSalt â... More About: Sugar , Brown , Muffins , Chocolate , Brown Sugar
THINKING PINK CAKE FOR PINKTOBER...
2007-10-21 11:14:00 "And I will pu' the pink,the emblem o' my dear, For she's the pink o' womankind, and blooms without a peer."Robert Burns, O Luve Will Venture In Its almost here, PINK RIBBON DAY. The Pink Ribbon is the symbol of support for the many women who have been affected by breast cancer globally. This year Pink Ribbon Day is on Monday 22 October. To VOTE for the PINKTOBER event, click here.My entry for PINKTOBER is below...my first entry to any blog event. Gosh, I was so enthusiastic, that I almost drove everyone quite crazy. Minko asked if the husband appreciated the PINK effort. He more than appreciated it...he spread the word, lauded Minko's event & effort, and last, but not the least, enjoyed the cake!!!The colours for the frosting.First pictures of my PINK cake! Click HERE if you wish to view the recipe & making of the cake. Quick pictures before the cake was history...THINKING PINK!!And finally...a slice of PINK!!A comment left by Swapna when I first posted the cake...how ... More About: Cake , Thinking
EASY YOGURT DIP...Serve with Chips/Crudites.Always a hit at any gathering!
2007-10-19 10:14:00 "Food is so primal, so essential a part of our lives, often the mere sharing of recipes with strangers turns them into good friends. That's why I love this community."Jasmine Heiler, about recipezaar.com HUNG CURD (YOGURT) DIPA really simple, extremely addictive, & tangy dip which is a great add-on to any menu. Its one of those 'quick to put together', 'nothing can go wrong' sorta recipes, which is a great hit and good for finger food. For kids I serve it with chips, and always add veggies like steamed broccoli, cucumber sticks,baby carrots, baby corn etc on the side. Every single time I have served this, I have been asked for the recipe. Its hilarious to see people begging to remove it from their sight as it's so addictive. I have to add that the dip is very nutritious when served with veggies!Sometimes I include it as a sauce in a grilled chicken/cottage cheese (paneer) wrap as well; in which case, I saute some sliced onions, bell peppers & capsicum to the wrap with ... More About: Yogurt , Easy , Chips , Always , Erin
THINK PINK FOR PINKTOBER CAKE...The cake I made for my dear husband's birth
2007-10-17 10:05:00 "Every action of our lives touches on some chord that will vibrate in eternity." Edwin Hubbell Chapin This is 'Couture Cupcakes' first blogging event, and I think its a great idea.To coincide with Pink Ribbon Day in Australia on October 22, Minko is inviting people to make a pink dish .I baked this cake for DH's birthday today,with only PINK in mind!! Though I don't have a personal story related to the cause, I feel its important to spread the message and lend my support. Pink Ribbon Day aims to raise funds for breast cancer research; offer support services to women affected by breast cancer; and make women 'breast aware'.This is a chocolate cake with a whipped cream icing...where the cake is my canvas! This is pure therapy for me, and I love letting the colours flow!! Hope you enjoy doing this as much as I did... Chocolate Cake The basic cake recipe is one posted by Dariana on 'Group Recipes' for a Heavenly Chocolate Sacher Torte.Ingredients:6 egg whites5 ounces semisweet or... More About: Made , Birth , Think Pink
YUMMY PICNIC CHOCOLATE CAKE...IT'S HEALTHY TOO!!
2007-10-17 09:52:00 "Like love, chocolate is always a delight to receive or to give."MARY JANE FINSAND YUMMY PICNIC CHOCOLATE CAKE Love experimenting with chocolate cakes for the kidsâŚand am trying to get to the perfect chocolate cake sans frosting. I have tried umpteen recipes, and find that the good ones use far more butter than I like, or have to be frosted to taste good. The perfect balance in taste, ingredients, fibre etc is probably yet to comeâŚbut I made this this afternoon, and find it comes quite close. It's simple, straight-forward & from my heart! I tossed in ingredients from the top of my head like an expert, and then stood with my heart in my mouth when I gave my son a slice. The son gave it an instant âthumbs upâ, and am awaiting my daughtersâ return from her trekking trip to get her review. Will post it soon after⌠(P.S. She's back...and she LOVES it!!) Ingredients:Butter â ½ cup (room temperature)Granular Sugar â 1 ½ cupsEggs â 4 small (if the eggs are big; u... More About: Yummy , Cake , Chocolate , Healthy , Picnic
GRILLED LAMB CHOPS...Tangy and tasty!!
More articles from this author:2007-10-17 09:44:00 'The gentle art of gastronomy is a friendly one. It hurdles the language barrier, makes friends among civilized people, and warms the heart.' Samuel Chamberlain GRILLED LAMB CHOPSThis is a nice, feel-good, sort of dish (doubles up as finger-food too), which we like at home for a change from curries etc. The ingredients can be increased or decreased to suit personal tastesâŚwe love the tanginess of the meat off the bone. I grill these sometimes, and at other times pan cook them. These can be served with mashed potatoes/oven baked fries, grilled veggies, a dip/chutney, green salad, dinner rolls or naan bread. The kids love the ease of nibbling chopsâŚwith a squirt of lemon!Ingredients:Lamb Chops â 750 gms (about 10-12 pieces)Yogurt â 4 tbsps /thickGinger-garlic paste â 2tbspVegetable Oil â 2 tbspSalt to tasteJuice of 1-2 lemons (to taste)Roasted Cumin Powder â 2 tspPaprika â ½ tspRed chili Powder â ½ tsp (optional)Garam Masala Powder â 1 tsp (home-made)Orange-red... More About: Grilled , Grill 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 |
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