Passionate About Baking

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PICTURE PERFECT...far beyond baking!!
2007-10-16 12:53:00
"When all the birds are faint with the hot sun, And hide in cooling trees, a voice will runFrom hedge to hedge about the new-mown mead; That is the grasshopper's...he takes the lead In summer luxury...he has never done With his delights, for when tired out with fun, He rests at ease beneath some pleasant weed." John Keats ... On the Grasshopper and Cricket Guess who we found when we were out catching bugs??The kids were out with their little 2 year old cousin trying to catch butterflies last evening. This lovely looking grass-hopper or locust came hopping by. Neat little guy, who happily came into our butterfly net, and then happily wandered off...without a care in the world!Look closely and you can almost catch the SMILE!!
More About: Baking , Picture , Perfect

BLOG ACTION DAY...Save the Earth
2007-10-14 17:24:00
"We do not inherit the Earth from our parents, we borrow it from our children. "Antoine de saint-Exubery BLOG ACTION DAYSAVE THE EARTH…Environment issues that are hurting the Earth.Raising concerns related to the earth are gaining ground; the more voices that are heard, the better. What better way to additionally spread the message than blogging. Given the reach of the net, it’s time to ‘get involved’ in the Blog Action Day on 15th October 2007. The bigger the involvement; the greater the impact.Speaking from the kitchen, I have to say that I have always believed in home-made stuff to a very large extent. Though it is primarily due to nutrition and health factors, it is also a personal effort to ‘Save the Earth’. In my little way, I believe this cuts down on packaging materials, transportation costs, storage costs etc…. each bit goes a long way!A point that has stuck in my mind for a while is about an article on ‘Bottled Water’ that I read some time back in the new...

ROASTED VEGGIE PASTA PIE...A welcome vegetarian option!
2007-10-13 05:14:00
"Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside." Mark Twain PENNE & ROASTED VEGETABLES IN A PASTA PIE'Enter a Great Recipe Featuring Vegetables and HerbsFrom Monday October 8 until Sunday October 14'...Here is my entry for the Weekend Herb Blogging Two Year Anniversary. I put this together with many inputs from here and there. As always, am forever looking for avenues to get more veggies into the kids, one way or another...the happier the way, the better for me!! My sister suggested roasting a bunch of seasonal veggies and tossing them into cooked pasta with a dressing. I thought...why not!! Once I started roasting the veggies, I had a brainwave. Toss them into a pasta sauce first...that'll disguise 'em. One thing led to another, and everything finally found its way into a pie dish......LOOKED GOOD, TASTED GREAT!! Sweet Basil is an annual or perennial of tropical Asia with spikes of small white flowers and aromatic leave; ...
More About: Vegetarian , Pasta

ACHARI CHICKEN CURRY...A tangy Indian chicken curry
2007-10-12 10:56:00
"Happy and successful cooking doesn't rely only on know-how; it comes from the heart, makes great demands on the palate and needs enthusiasm and a deep love of food to bring it to life."Georges Blanc, Ma Cuisine des SaisonsACHARI CHICKENThis recipe is easy, full of flavour...and has no store-bought mixes. The kids enjoy this one a lot. I avoid these mixes because they have preservatives and additives. See the note at the bottom of the recipe in case you cant find the seeds! Ingredients: Chicken - 1 (700-800gms), cut into piecesOnions - 3 / sliced fineTomatoes - 3 / chopped fineGarlic Paste - 1 tbspGinger Paste - 1 tbspYogurt (curd) - 3 tbsp/thickKalonji - 1 tspMethi dana - 1/2 tspWhole Zeera - 1 tspSaunf - 1 tspBhuna Zeera Powder - 1 tspRed Chilli Powder - 1/2 tspHaldi - 1/2 tspGreen chilies - 2-3/ to tasteLemon Juice - of 1 lemonSalt to tasteFresh Coriander (Hara Dhania) to garnish Method: Slit the green chilies and soak them in the lemon juice. Keep aside. Heat about 4-5 tbsps of...
More About: Indian , Curry , Char , Hari

THINK SPICE, THINK 'SAFFRON'...PHIRINI/RICE PUDDING
2007-10-11 03:39:00
"Life is unsure; always eat your dessert first."AnonymousPHIRINI/RICE PUDDINGLooks like it's time again for 'beyond baking', and this time I'm hitting the saffron trail! This recipe has finally been typed and blogged thanks to Sunita's World, who runs a really interesting spice event every month. I think it's a pretty neat idea, and also a great learning experience. I missed the last few spices due to the 'tension' of trying to blog. I feel a little more confident now, and a bit more organised of course! Got a loooooooooooooong way to go, but am getting there.Strands of Saff ron ...with the flowers of the Indian 'Haar-Singaar' treeThis months' spice is 'SAFFRON'...the world's most expensive spice by weight. I've just used a few strands, and they seem to work the magic. The recipe is for a creamy, delicious pudding/phirini made out of ground rice. A great vegetarian dessert option which can be set it in individual bowls too!! This is a recipe I have made over and over ag...
More About: Rice , Spice , Pudding

KOROVA COOKIES...sinfully delicious chocolate cookies!
2007-10-06 14:30:00
"Make a list of important things to do today. At the top of your list, put 'eat chocolate.' Now, you'll get at least one thing done today. "Gina HayesStill thinking PINK ... KOROVA COOKIES I found this recipe and trivia while surfing 'A Spoonful of Sugar'...and my daughter decided she just HAD to give it a shot. She had been after me for eons to bake 'something', and then I stumbled on this while surfing. Well, these were really 'SOMETHING'!! Simple to make, and sinfully chocolicious, divinely delicious, blatantly buttery...and quite addictive! The recipe as adapted from Angela's blog...Ingredients:All-purpose flour- 1 1/4 cupsCocoa powder - 1/3 cupBaking soda - 1/2 tspUnsalted butter - 165 gms, at room temperatureLight brown sugar - 2/3 cup, packedGranulated sugar - 1/4 cupSalt - 1/4 tspVanilla extract - 1/2 tspBittersweet chocolate chips - 1/2 cupMethod: Preheat the oven to 165 degrees C. Line or grease 2-3 baking sheetsSift the flour, cocoa, and baking soda. Beat the bu...
More About: Cookies , Chocolate , Delicious , Deli , Cookie

CLICK for Jugalbandi...EGGS!!
2007-10-02 03:33:00
"I longed to arrest all beauty that came before me." Julia Margaret Cameron This entry is for one of the sites I have enjoyed visiting for a while now. It's for an event called 'CLICK' hosted by Jugalbandi, and this months' topic is 'EGGS'!!! These are the eggs in the nest of the Indian Tailor Bird in our front yard. I experienced the truly fascinating journey of the Indian Tailor Bird...from the stitching of the nest, to laying the eggs, the hatching eggs, the chicks being fed, developing wings and loud demanding chirps...and final freedom!! Thank you Jugalbandi for affording me a platform to share my eggciting tale!! The fascinating journey...
More About: Eggs , Click

SMARTIE COOKIES....
2007-10-02 03:32:00
"I am still convinced that a good, simple, homemade cookie is preferable to all the store-bought cookies one can find."James Beard SMARTIE COOKIESI call these 'Smartie Cookie s ' because I once had many bags of Smarties on hand and didn't know what to do with them. So decided to decorate some cookies with them for my son's birthday...this was many years ago. Since they were a HUGE hit, I've always included them on the menu at kids parties. Its such fun to see little hands grabbing at them like there's no tomorrow!! Smarties can be substituted with M 'n' M's.Ingredients:Butter – ¾ cup (room temp)Castor Sugar- 1 cup (I grind sugar crystals in my coffee grinder)Egg – 1 / beatenFlour – 2 ½ cupsSalt – 1 pinchAlmond Essence/Extract – 1 tspVanilla Essence/Extract – 1 tspMethod: Preheat the oven to 190deg C. Keep 5-6 ungreased cookie sheets on hand. Beat the butter and sugar till fluffy and light. Add the salt + vanilla essence + almond essence and beat for 30 seconds.W...

PINEAPPLE 'N' CREAM SPONGE CAKE...Totally refreshing!!
2007-09-30 08:05:00
"The secret of staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age. "Lucille Ball PINEAPPLE 'n' CREAM SPONGE CAKEThis post is for you Anne (of Simply Anne's). Here's a picture of the cake I mentioned yesterday. Since it's the first one, it always holds a special place in my heart. It's been a long time, almost 6 years, but I was very pleased with it at the time. This is a pineapple sponge with 3 layers, cream and pineapple bits within, and iced with whipped pineapple flavoured cream. It's very refreshing and fruity (obviously), and light. Have made this several times since!! Ingredients:Sponge Eggs - 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 tspPineapple Essence/Extract - 1 tspFilling/Topping:Cream - 400ml (whipping/35% fat)Icing Sugar - 3-4 TbspPineapple Essence/Extract - 1 tspPineapple Bit...
More About: Cake , Ally

STOP ABUSE!! Blogging for a cause. September 27th, 2007
2007-09-28 12:19:00
"To keep a lamp burning, we have to keep putting oil in it. "Mother Teresa * Animal Abuse * Domestic Abuse* Child Abuse* Political Abuse & more....Let me share a small story about a girl called Ruksana. She is a 25 year old household help, who does part-time work as a maid next door. She hails from an unknown, nondescript village, deep in rural West Bengal (India), and has never been to school. I meet her every morning as she sets off to start her chores at people’s houses, and she greets me with this huge sunshine smile. The other day, I had time on hand, and got talking to her. Little did I know that behind her happy demeanour she had such a poignant tale?She got married 5 years ago. The man was very violent and used to beat her up often. She was expecting their first child, but he still wouldn’t mend his ways. Ruksana, the small Indian village girl, walked out of that place, and has never looked back. Luckily for her, she had the grit, and importantly, family support.She n...
More About: Blogging , Stop , September

Recipe for my Soothing Blue & Green Cake
2007-09-24 16:01:00
"My kitchen is a mystical place, a kind of temple for me. It is a place where the surfaces seem to have significance, where the sounds and odors carry meaning that transfers from the past and bridges to the future."Pearl BaileySOOTHING BLUE & GREEN CAKEHere's one I did for my Dad's birthday. I ran out of ideas; was just browsing around, and saw this design on some linen. My love for the blue-green combo reflects in this cake. The basic cake is from the Hershey's website, and the icing is of whipped cream with vanilla essence and sugar. Ingredients: The basic cake recipe is Hershey's Deep Dark Chocolate Cake For the frosting and filling:Whipping cream - 200mlVanilla Essence - 1 tspIcing Sugar - 3-4 tbs (according to taste) Method: Bake the chocolate cake as per the Hershey's Deep dark Chocolate Cake recipe...http://www.hersheys.com/recipesC ool, and then slice horizontally into 2 layers.Whip the cream with the sugar and vanilla essence till it holds peaks.Adjust the sweetness...
More About: Recipe , Green , Blue , Reci

MINI VANILLA CUPCAKES
2007-09-23 07:41:00
"When baking, follow directions. When cooking, go by your own taste." Laiko BahrsMINI VANILLA CUPCAKESThis recipes was passed on to me by a friend's mother who had been using it for almost 20 years. This is a popular cupcake recipe, which is easy to make, and is very light and spongy. You will find many versions like this one...Ingredients:Flour – 2 cupsBaking Powder – 2 tspSalt – ½ tspButter – ½ cupSugar 1 ¼ cupEggs – 2Milk – 1 cupVanilla Essence – 1 tspMethod:Preheat the oven to 190deg C.Grease well or line 2 mini-muffin trays.Sift together flour + baking powder + salt 3 times. Keep aside.Cream the butter and sugar well on high speed until light and fluffy.Beat in vanilla essence, followed by eggs beaten in 1 by 1.Now beat in flour and milk alternatively till well incorporated.Put about a tsp full in each mini muffin casing, about ¾ full, as it will rise.You can add sprinkles on top if you like.Bake at 190deg C for 10-15 mins till golden brown.Remove immediately...
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CHOCOLATE SNACK CAKE for HUNGRY KIDS!!
2007-09-22 17:52:00
"Chocolate is cheaper than therapy and you don’t need an appointment"AnonymousCHOCOLATE SNACK CAKE FOR HUNGRY KIDS... Here's a chocolate cake recipe I conjured up for the kids for when they come home after school. I was working on a cake without frosting...and while doing the lemon cake, thought I could give it a shot in chocolate. The results were very welcome indeed!! I used big chocolate chips which sank to the bottom...maybe smaller ones will suit this one better, but the kids liked the taste of the big, gooey, chocolate chips at the bottom. Here goes...Ingredients:Butter – ½ cup/100gmsEggs – 3Sugar – 1 ¼ cupsFlour – 1 1/4 cupsCocoa – ½ cupBaking powder – 1 tspBaking Soda – ¼ tspSalt – ¼ tspYogurt – 4 tbsp / thickCream – 2 tbsp / 25 % fatVanilla Essence – 1 tsp Method: Preheat oven to 180 deg C. Grease well and line bottom of 8� ring tinSift the dry ingredients together. Keep asideMix the yogurt + cream in a small bowl. Keep asideBeat the butter +...
More About: Kids , Cake , Snack , Hungry

LEMON POUND CAKE SANS SOUR CREAM?my twist to the cake!
2007-09-22 17:44:00
"We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons."Alfred E. Newman Here?s one of our favourite 'anytime' cakes?with a tangy,fresh lemon taste and a light crumb.Doesn?t need icing, and is lovely for an evening tea. I've worked on the recipe for a while to find a good substitute for sour cream. This cake always gets me rave reviews.Ingredients:Butter ? ½ cup/100gmsEggs ? 3Sugar ? 1 ¼ cupsFlour ? 1 ½ cupsBaking powder ? 1 tspBaking Soda ? ¼ tspSalt ? ¼ tspYogurt ? 4 tbsp / thickCream ? 2 tbsp / 25 % fatJuice of 1 lemonRind of 2 lemonsLemon Extract - 1 tspOrange Essence ? 1 tspVanilla Essence ? 1 tspWater ? ¼ cupSugar ? ½ cupLemon Juice of 2 lemonsOrange Extract ? ½ tsp (optional)Method:Preheat oven to 180 deg C. Grease well and line bottom of 8? ring tin.(Tends to stick otherwise)Sift the dry ingredients together. Keep aside.Mix the yogurt + cream in a small bowl. Keep aside.Beat the butter + sugar well unti...
More About: Recipe , Cake , Pound

CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE-CHIP POUND CAKE
2007-09-22 17:43:00
"Chocolate is nature's way of making up for Mondays."Anonymous CHOCOLATE & CHOCOLATE-CHIP POUND CAKEAnother recipe I tweaked to suit the ingredients available on hand. I have great fun playing around with recipes...and always have eager testers on hand. The daughter is always the first one to check and grade a new experiment, with the son not far behind. This one got a THUMBS UP!!!Ingredients:Butter- 1 cup or 200gmsEggs - 4 (large)Sugar - 1 cup, granularFlour - 1 1/2 cups Whole-wheat flour - 1/2 cupCocoa ? ½ cup (dissolved in warm milk to form a pasteBaking powder - 1 tspSalt - 1 pinchChocolate chips - 1/2 cupVanilla Essence - 1 tspMethod: Grease and flour a 10" bundt pan.Preheat oven to 325deg/175deg Sift tog flours + baking powder + salt Cream butter and sugar Beat in eggs 1 by 1, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla essence. On low speed, beat in the flour bit by bit in 3-4 lots.Divide the batter into two halves.On low, beat in the cocoa mixture into one half, ...
More About: Recipe , Gurgaon , Cake , Birthday