Baghare Baingan -- Teeny-Tiny Stuffed Eggplants

Baghare Baingan, also known as 'Ennai Kathirikaai' or 'Gutti Vankaya'  is one of my hubby's favorite dish and obviously mine.He grew up eating this quite frequently. I curried favors with my MIL, who is telugu, to get the secret recipe. She is quite forthcoming but I feel hesitant to ask recipes for just about every dish she makes. She is a real queen of her kitchen.Some folks are born with that kind of talent and she is one the fortunate few. I modified the original recipe a bit and ended up with this extremely pleasing,delectable bit of deliciousness. Eat this as an appetizer or as a side to Rice/Roti/Bread.

Ingredients:

• Eggplants - 14 #s, small, quartered without dislodging and with crown intact 
• Red Onions - 3, medium, chopped
• Red Chilli - 2
• Green Chilli - 2
• Curry Leaves - 4 Stalks
• Fennel Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp
• Asafoetida (Hing) - 1/8 tsp
• Sesame Seeds - 4 tbsp, toasted
• Peanuts - 5 tbsp, toasted and dehulled
• Dessicated Coconut - 3 tbsp
• Tamarind - Marble-sized
• Salt for taste
• Olive oil - 5 tbsp

Procedure:

• In a thick-bottomed skillet, heat a tbsp of oil and fry the onions, red chilli, green chilli, asafoetida and curry leaves.
• In a blender, grind the toasted peanuts, toasted sesame seeds to a fine powder.
• Add all the other ingredients including salt to the jar and grind to a coarse thick paste with water.
• Stuff the eggplants generously with this mixture.
• Add the remaning 4 tbsp of oil to the pan and drop the stuffed eggplants.
• Cook on a low flame with sprinkling little water now and then and lid closed.Resist the urge to keep turning the eggplants.
• Continue cooking until the eggplants are soft and the gravy is thickened to the point of getting dry.
• Serve hot by itself or as a side to rice/roti/bread.

Tip: Reserve 1 or 2 chillies while grinding the paste. Check for taste and add more if necessary.

Also sending the following recipes to  "Served with Love" event:

• Sugar Plum Balls Minus the Sugar
• Barley Pilaf
• Orange Marmalade N Teriyaki Chicken
• Turkey Bean Balls N Tennis Racquets

Enjoy!

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Turkey-Bean Balls & Tennis Racquets

Turkey Meat-balls are my go-to comfort food anytime of the year and especially this time of the year. A variation of this dish(Meatballs with raisins and marinara sauce) was posted during my first week of blogging. For this recipe though, meat-balls were made smaller with Sesame seeds, Turkey and Roman beans. Racquet-pasta was used to add a whimsical touch.Looks great and tastes great.

Ingredients:

• Lean cut turkey - 1/2 pound
• Stale wheat bread - 2 slices
• Cooked Roman Beans or Red kidney beans - 1 1/2 cup (Soak overnight and pressure cook it with salt)
  
• Garlic - 5 cloves, 3 if bigger, minced
• Red onion - 1, small, diced
• Baby Spinach leaves- 2 handfuls, cleaned and drained
• Egg white - 1
• Cracked pepper - 2 tsp or more
  
• Salt - for taste
• Racquet Pasta - 3 servings, cooked as per package instructions
• Sesame seeds - 2 tbsp
• Lemon - 1/2, juiced
• Cilantro - 1 tbsp, fine diced
  
• Olive oil - 3 tbsp

Procedure:

• Toast the wheat slices and let it cool. Break the hard slices and grind it to coarse crumbs.
• Smash half a cup of the cooked roman beans and set aside.
  
• Toast the sesame seeds on a low flame until they are browned evenly. Grind 11/2 tbsp of it to a fine powder. Save the rest for garnish.
  
• In a bowl, add the turkey, minced garlic, diced onions, powdered sesame seeds, pepper, salt, juice of a lemon, diced cilantro, smashed roman beans, egg white and finally the crumbs.
• Mix all the above ingredients using hands and divide them into small marble-sized balls.Should come to 25-30 even balls.
  
• In a deep and wide skillet, heat a tbsp of oil and slow cook the meat balls in batches for about 10-15 minutes per batch or until the center is no longer pink.
  
• Remove the balls to a separate plate.In the same skillet, add the spinach,wilt it slightly and set aside.
  
• In the same skillet, heat the remaining oil and add the remaining cup of beans and season with little cracked pepper.
• Add the cooked pasta and the turkey-bean balls. Check for taste. Add pepper or salt if needed.
• Switch off the stove and add the spinach. Mix gently.
• Garnish with remaining sesame seeds.
• Move to a serving plate and consume hot.

Makes 3 Servings.

Enjoy!

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PigeonPeas Stuffed Ballpancakes -- Sweet and Shallow-fried

This recipe comes straight from my MIL's kitchen. She loves making foods that scream "tradition" and is quite an expert at making long-forgotten dishes that people either don't care for or care to make or simply don't have the time to make. Most of us are living in the fast lane after-all. Why bother when we have pre-cooked meal choices, snack bars and restaurant in every corner, right? Well that is where some of us err. Nothing beats home cooked and certainly nothing beats meals/snacks made from scratch.Agreed that it can't be done on a daily basis.But now and then we have to take the time to do things "old school".So here it is..a sensational dish that is a thing from the past..Suyam, shallow fried style. For the uninitiated, Suyam is sort of a cross between Kuzhi Paniyaram(Pancake Puff) and Puran Poli(Sweet-Stuffed Flat bread).
Hey, come back first week of February for yet another sweet surprise in the form or Puran Poli, MIL way. The stuffing is unusual.:)

Ingredients:
Filling:

• Split PigeonPeas(Toor Dhal/Tuvar Dhal) - 1 cup
  
• Jaggery(Un-refined sugar or Raw Sugar) - 3/4 cup, smashed
• Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
• Grated Coconut - 1/4 cup

Coating/Overlay:

• Maida/All-purpose flour - 1 cup
• Rice Flour - 1/4 cup
• Salt - a pinch
• Baking soda - 1/4 tsp 
• Oil - for greasing
  

Tool:

• Pancake Puff Pan - As seen on TV

Procedure:

• Bring water to a roiling boil in a stock pot. Add the split PigeonPeas and cook it until its tender but retaining shape.Drain.
• In a blender, add the cooked dhal, powdered jaggery,cardamom powder and grated coconut. Grind with very little water and make a fine paste.
• If the mixture gets soggy, move it to a pan and thicken before dividing it into even balls.
• In a bowl, add the ingredients under "Coating" and mix it with water to form a thick batter.Let it sit for 15 minutes.
  
• Heat the Pancake Puff pan and add little oil into the wells. 
• Dip the filling into the thick batter making sure its coated completely.Drop it gently into the wells and cook until its browned evenly.

• Serve hot by itself or drizzle honey on top.

Enjoy!

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Baked OrangeMarmaladeNTeriyaki Glazed Chicken Wings/Thighs - A Slightly Sweet Variation of Buffalo Wings

I love "Hot" Buffalo Wings. When I want a slightly "sweet" variation I make this mouth-watering eye-catching Orange Marmalade and Teriyaki Glazed Chicken Wings. It is sure to be a hit at any social gatherings, be it a kid's birthday party or an after-game party or whatever. It has the right amount of heat and sweet to please any taste buds plus a healthy version since its baked.

Ingredients(for Marination and Glaze):

• Hot N Sweet Sauce, Any Brand(I used Maggi) - 1/4 cup
• Orange Marmalade, Any Brand - 1/2 cup
• Rice Vinegar - 1 tbsp
• Teriyaki Sauce - 2 tbsp
• Salt - 1/2 tsp
• Garlic Cloves - 6, finely grated or minced
• Hot Green Chilli or Chipotle Chilli - 4 or Less, finely chopped
  
• Chicken Wings/Drummettes/Thighs - 8- 10 pieces
  

Procedure:

• In a small bowl mix all the above ingredients. Check for taste.
• Move the marinade into a resealable plastic bag, like ziploc.
• Put one or two deep slits in the chicken and throw into the plastic bag.
• Shake well to make sure all the pieces are evenly coated and marinate Overnight or atleast for 4 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 500degrees F.
• Line the chicken in a baking pan and bake at the bottom rack for 30 minutes taking turns to discard the fat and basting the pieces with the Marinade.
• Remove from the oven once they are tender and cooked through.
• Rest the chicken for 15 minutes or so prior to consuming.

Enjoy!

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Eggless Banana-Berry-Nut MiniMuffins and an Award

Hey you all, I came back on Tuesday from my almost-2-months vacation in India.Leaving the sunny shores for a cold blustery climate plus seeing my toddler son call for his paternal grandparents has given me the blues. Every morning he wakes up and goes like this - Mommy, where's Granpa? Where's Granny?  and then he picks one of his favorite HotWheels Sedan and goes Vroom Vroom to his grandparents' house. I get very upset when I see him pick the phone, talk to the dial tone and cry his heart out when there is no response. I miss my In-laws as well, especially my MIL. I know this sounds unbelievable but its true. My MIL may be a stern and forthrightly person but she has a heart of gold. I can't tell you how well she took care of me and my baby after I came back from my eye-surgery. Its as though, with my new vision I have acquired a new clarity, a dawning of comprehension if you will.
Anyways, to brighten the mood in the house, I have been making sweet treats and this eggless variation of Strawberry-Banana-Nut Mini Muffin is one such "mood brightener". I also would like to acknowledge an award from a sweet friend, Kitchen Queen.

Ingredients:

• Ripe Banana - 1, mashed
• Strawberry - 5-6, fine diced
• Mixed nuts(Walnut, Cashew) - 3 tbsp, coarsely chopped
  
• Wheat Flour - 3/4 cup
  
• Brown Sugar - 2/3 cup
• Olive Oil - 4 tbsp
• Baking Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Baking Soda - 1/2 tsp
• Butter - for greasing the muffin wells
  

Procedure:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a bowl, add the mashed banana, brown sugar and oil. Mix well.
• In a seperate bowl, mix the flour with baking powder and baking soda.
• Throw the flour mixture into the other bowl and mix gently using a whisk.
• Add the chopped nuts and the diced berries and gently mix.
• Top-off the greased muffin wells with the mixture(For a bigger muffin)
• Bake in the middle rack of the oven for 20 minutes.
• Let it rest for 15 minutes prior to scooping.

Makes 12 mini muffins.
Award from Kitchen Queen:
Thanks a bunch KQ. This certainly has brightened my spirit.

Enjoy!

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Family-Style 3-Cheese Vegetarian Lasagna

Lasagna happens to be one of my Top10 favorite dishes of all time.Here is why-- A decade ago when I was a skinny teenager(Size 0) my dad would rant and rave about how my beanpole body is not going to attract any matrimonial alliance. Every week he would get me Stouffer's FamilyStyle Vegetarian Lasagna from the Supermarket and make me finish at least one fourth of it in one sitting. Gone are those days when my dad's main goal was to make me put some pounds. Now he is politely requesting me to shed some. Lol. Regular gorging of that lasagna did help me develop some curves and attract my hubby. For that I am very thankful to the makers of Stouffer's line.Ask my hubby and he would say something different.If not for that Lasagna, I still would have looked like a stick and he wouldn't have ended up marrying a shrew.Ha Ha. Thats how Lasagna ended up as my all-time favorite.Inspite of this being my favorite I don't make it often due to its high calorific content.

Ingredients:

• Lasagna Noodles - 12, uncooked
• Breadcrumbs - 1/2 cup, for topping
  
• Grated Parmesan - 1/2 cup, for topping

For the White Sauce/Bechamel Sauce:

• All-purpose Flour - 1/3 cup
• Butter - 1/3 cup or more(FYI: 1 stick makes 1/2 cup)
  
• Milk - 2 cups
• Salt - 2 tsp
• Nutmeg - a pinch

For the Stuffing:

• Carrot - 2, small, peeled
• Spinach - 1, frozen 10 oz pack, thawed and completely drained
• Broccoli - 8-10 florets
• Red Onion - 1, small
• Garlic - 3-4 cloves
• Parmesan Cheese - 1/2 cup, grated
  
• Mozzarella Cheese - 2 cups(about 8 ounces)
• Ricotta Cheese - 30 oz (2 15 oz cartons)
• Parsley - 2 tbsp, finely chopped
• Oregano - 1 tbsp, chopped (optional)

Procedure:

• Partially cook the lasagna noodles for 15 minutes. Drain on paper-towel lined dish.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a pan, melt the butter,add the flour and keep stirring constantly. Just before it turns brown, add the milk, salt and a pinch of nutmeg.
• Remove the sauce from the stove once it thickens slightly.
• Add the spinach and all the vegetables, herbs under "Stuffing" to a food processor. Finely dice.
  

• Add the spinach and all the vegetables, herbs under "Stuffing" to a food processor. Finely dice.
• Mix the diced veggies with all the cheese under "Stuffing" and set aside.
• In an ungreased rectangular pan(13 X 9 X 2 inches) add a small amount of white sauce. Top with 4 noodles followed by the Veggie-cheese stuffing. 
• Repeat the above step until all the noodles are used.
• Top with a mixture of grated Parmesan and breadcrumbs.
• Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for about 45 minutes and uncovered for another 30 minutes or so until the top is bubbly and slightly brown.
• Remove from the oven and let it rest for about 15-20 minutes before cutting and consuming.

Makes ~12 servings.

Enjoy!

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RecipeReplica: Nutty Grapefruit Rice and An Award

This is a recipe that I borrowed from Sailaja's kitchen. Sailaja can be called as a "culinary scientist" because she is constantly experimenting with food. Her blog is a hub of novel recipes and I love visiting her spot.She was generous enough to let me try out this recipe of hers.For the life of me I couldn't have figured it for what it is if I didn't know behorehand that it was made with grapefruit.Tasted as good as Lemon/Lime rice and it would go well with Lamb/Chicken Kebabs or any spicy sides.

Ingredients:

• Basmati rice - 2 cup
• Red Grapefruit - 1, juiced
• Onion - 1, small, diced
• Cashews and peanuts - a handful
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Split Black Gram - 1 tsp
• Olive oil - 2 tbsp
• Cilantro - For Garnish

Procedure:

• Cook the rice as per package directions and cool.
• Brown the nuts in a tablespoon of oil.Set aside.
• In a deep saute pan, heat oil, add the mustard seeds and black gram. Once the seeds begin to splutter, add the onions and brown it.
• Add the rice and give a gentle mix.
• In a cup, mix the juice of grapefruit with turmeric powder and salt. Pour that into the pan and mix gently for a minute. Switch off the stove. Garnish with chopped Cilantro, browned nuts.

Makes 4 servings.

The beautiful Blogger award is Sailaja's New Year Gift to every blogger:

Enjoy!

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Award With a Demand

This is an interesting award given to me by Saju of The Novice Kitchen. I thank her sincerely for rewarding this to me.The reason why this is interesting is because this award comes with not one but seven demands.Looks like I have been tagged. Be patient and read on.

The seven demands:

1. Copy the award to your blog.
2. Thank the person giving the award.
3. Place a link to their blog.
4. Name seven things people don't know about you.
5. Nominate 7 bloggers.
6. Place a link to those bloggers.
7. Leave a comment to those bloggers letting them know about the award.

Seven things people don't know about me:

• Sucker for warm-oil scalp massage, mango lassi and paranormal-genre movies.
• An Emotional wreck when listening to melody- find Instrumental music like smooth jazz, classical and blues very soothing and powerful.Such kinda music strikes a chord and I start my waterworks.Quite embarassing in public.
• Unusual love of fridge-magnets and miniature Lord Ganesha idols - a recent development.
• Morbid Fascination of Skulls, Bones and Corpse's  rotting pattern - my dream trip would comprise of all the catacomb tours in europe and end with a trip to the Body Farm in University of Tennessee where scientists leave plenty of corpses outside to study its rotting pattern.
• Fear of ceiling fans, empty swinging-swings and billowing curtains- don't ask me why. My heart beats faster and louder than a vehement drumbeat if I have to sleep under a ceiling fan or look at an empty swing moving back and forth in a park. And my house has heavily-lined curtains.
• Extremely merciful and kind hearted towards old people - had I been a geriatrist I would have been extremely successful.
• Believe in life after death - very curious (BUT NOT READY YET) to know about a soul's journey into the afterlife.

Now passing this to seven fellow bloggers. Wanted to Tag many others like Sara, Tina and many more but Saju beat me to it.

1. Rohini
2. Radhika
3. Sumi
4. Asha
5. Yasmeen
6. Priya
7. Sanjana

Enjoy!

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Pongal/Sankranthi Special: Persimmon Kesari

The procedure for this recipe is pretty much similar to the Chocolate and Berry Kesari recipe that I had posted a while ago. The only difference is the I used pulped persimmon.But, what a difference a fruit makes. Ripe persimmon is considered as a fruit of the gods by Greeks. I almost wept in joy when I consumed this for the first time. The bright color is entirely due to the fruit and no artificial coloring was added. Now that is an added bonus.I wish all my buddies a very Happy Pongal/Sankranthi.

Ingredients:

• Sooji(Cracked Wheat) - 1 cup
• Cashew, Raisins and Craisins - 1/8 cup, roughly smashed & coarsely chopped
• Butter - 1/2 stick, softened
• Water - 1 cup
• Skimmed Milk - 1 cup
• Sugar - 1 cup each
• Ripe Hachiya Persimmon - 3, skinned and pulped

Tool:

•  Ice Cream Scoop

Procedure:

• In a skillet, add a little bit of butter and roast the dry fruits and nuts. Set aside.
• In the same skillet, add a little of butter and fry the sooji until its slightly browned. Set aside.
• In a thick bottomed pan, bring water and milk to a boil. Stir in the Sooji slowly to avoid any clumps.After cooked, add the sugar, persimmon pulp and dry fruits. Stir until thickened. Set aside.
• Line a flat cookie sheet with slightly greased aluminum foil. Fill the icecream scoop with the kesari and arrange the kesari balls on the cookie sheet and to cool.
• Insert a raisin on top for an added appeal. This step is entirely optional.

Makes 12-15 balls.

Enjoy!

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RecipeReplica: Paneer and Mixed Veggie Pilaf

I am always partial to Pilaf because of its multi-dimensional appeal -color, taste, fragrance. When I came across Rohini's innovative Paneer Pulav recipe, I just had to give it a try. I tweaked the recipe a bit, added some colorful vegetables  and it debuted on Thanksgiving day. It was love at first chomp for me and my guests. Thanks Rohini and Welcome back. I hope you had fun in India.

Ingredients:

• Basmati rice - 1 cup, soaked for 30 minutes in cold water prior to cooking
• Mini Peppers - 2 each of Red, Orange, Yellow, julienned
• Cubanelle Pepper - 1, julienned
• Paneer - 1/2 cup, cut into 1" inch chunks
• Red Onion - 1, medium, vertically slit
• Tomato - 1, cubed
• Mint Leaves + Corainder Leaves - 1 cup, finely chopped
• Green Chilli - 4
• Cinnamon - 1/2 stick
• Cloves - 3
• Cardamom - 1
• Cracked pepper - 6 peppercorns, coarsely ground
• Marati Moggu(Dried Capers) - 1
• Bay Leaf - 1
• Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
• Mango Powder(Amchoor) - 1/2 tsp
• Olive Oil - 3 tbsp
• Water - 1 1/2 cups
• Salt for taste
• Saffron - a pinch, soaked in a bit of milk (optional)

Procedure:

• Coarsely powder the dry spices- cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, cracked pepper either in a blender or mortar/pestle and set aside.
• Brown the paneer cubes in a tbsp of olive oil and drain on paper towels. Set aside.
• Grind the ginger, garlic, red onion, tomato, green chillies, cilantro and mint with little water.
• In a wide thick bottomed pan, heat the oil,add the ground dry spices and bay leaf.
• Add the cut vegetables, fry them for a minute and pour the ground paste.
• Add the Garam masala and Mango Powder and gently mix.
• Close the lid and let it cook for 5 minutes.
• Add the soaked rice followed by 1 1/2 cups of water.
• Sprinkle salt and gently stir taking care not to break the rice.Close the lid and cook on a low flame for 8-10 minutes.
• Throw in the browned paneer cubes and cook for a couple more minutes.
• Pour the soaked saffron strands and gently mix.
• Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot with cold Onion Raita or by itself.

Makes 2 servings.

Enjoy!

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Olive and Garlic Hummus - Best Partner for Wheat Crackers

This dip is a crowd-pleaser.No one can resist the incorporated taste of chickpea, olive and garlic blended to perfection with a little bit of olive oil. In my opinion, nothing tastes as good as this dip with wheat crackers.

Ingredients:

• Chickpea - 1 cup, cooked
• Canned Black Olives - 1/2 cup, large, pitted
• Garlic - 1 clove, peeled
• Olive oil - 2 tbsp

Procedure:

• In a blender, add the chickpea, olives, garlic and olive oil.
• Puree the contents to a fine paste.
• Move it to a serving bowl and serve with plain or flavored wheat crackers.

Makes ~2-3 servings

Enjoy!

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Baked WheatBran Coated Veggie-Bean Crunchies

Rather than going with the usual bread-crumbs as a coating,  I wanted to use wheat bran as a coating for this dish and see how it fares. I have to say, it fared well. Crunchy on the outside and smooth on the inside it was an instant hit. Since it was an experiment,I had made only a small batch of this yummy crunchies. The plate got emptied in no time. Later I wished I had made more. This is one dish that will make you wish for more.Always! Do try it sometime.

Ingredients:

• Garbanzo Beans(Chickpea) - 1/2 cup, cooked and smashed
• Multi-colored mini peppers - 5-6, diced
  
• Cubanelle peppers - 2, diced
  
• Sweet-pea - a handful, cooked
  
• Cracked pepper - 1 tsp or more
• Salt for taste
• Wheat Bran - 1 cup, for coating and mixing
• Olive oil - 1 tbsp
  

Procedure:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a greased cookie sheet, arrange the diced peppers and bake for 10 minutes.
• In a shallow pan, add the wheat bran and set aside.
  
• In a mixing bowl, add the cooked chickpea, sweetpea and roughly smash.
• Add the pepper, salt and baked peppers.
• Gently mix all the above ingredients and check for salt prior to making even sized balls.
• Coat the balls in wheat bran and arrange it on a cookie sheet.
• Bake for 10-15 minutes and serve hot with ketchup.

Enjoy!

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RecipeReplica: Almond-paste Stuffed Dates

When I started making list for my Thanksgiving menu, I made it a point to browse for recipes from some of my favorite blogsites. When I came across this recipe in Yasmeen's blog, I knew I had my first dessert recipe. Yasmeen is a talented girl who excels in making easy dishes look elegant and elegant dishes easy. This dish is one such example that is so simple to make, so complex in taste, so nutritious a paste. That pretty much sums up this dessert. Enough said.

Ingredients:

• Dates - 25#s, pitted and slit open to make a cavity
• Almonds - 1 1/2 cups, saoked and blanched
• Honey - 2 tbsp (optional)
• Toasted Pistachios - 2 tbsp, coarsely powdered (optional)
• Skimmed Milk - 1 cup

Procedure:

• In a blender, add the almonds and a cup of milk. Grind to a fine paste.
• In a thick bottomed pan, add the ground paste with remaining milk and stir until the paste is thickened.
• Cool the paste completely and stuff the hollowed almonds generously.
• Sprinkle the coarsed pistachios on top of drizzle with honey. Both the choices are purely optional.
• Serve at room temperature.

Enjoy!

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Banana and Kiwi Kooler

Did I tell you that I am a big fan of smoothies? Why? Because they are super-easy to make and super-healthy for you. This one is a healthy smoothie that looks and tastes great.

Ingredients:

• Kiwi - 2, ripe
• Banana - 1, medium
• Yogurt - 2 cups, whipped and slightly diluted with water
• Honey - 2 tsp, optional

Procedure:

• Peel and chunk the kiwi fruit. Slice the banana.Add to a juicer jar.
• Pour the whipped yogurt and puree the ingredients.
• Divide and pour the pureed smoothie into tall glasses.
• Top with a tsp of honey before serving.

Makes 2 servings.

Enjoy!

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NewYear's Special: Carrot Kheer(Runny Pudding) - A stove-top Sensation

A sweet start for a new year 2010!

Ingredients:

• Carrots - 5, medium, peeled and roughly cut into chunks
• Sugar - 1 cup or more
• Milk - 8 cups
• Cardamom Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Saffron strands - a pinch, soaked in little milk

Procedure:

• Add the carrot chunks to a pressure pan with 2 cups of milk and pressure cook for about 15 minutes.
• Cool the pressure cooked contents and puree in a blender.
• Add the pureed contents to a stock pot with the remaining milk.
• Stir continuously for 5 minutes on a low flame and follow-up with sugar. Add more sugar if needed.
• Add cardamom powder and mix gently.
• Pour the soaked saffron strands and remove from heat.
• Cool prior to serving.
• Garnish with Saffron strands(optional)

Makes ~10 servings.

Enjoy!

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NewYear's Special: Pearls Of Wisdom

On New Year's Day, I want to pass on these meaningful pearls of wisdom to my fellow bloggers and buddies. Even if one does not want to follow, it makes for a good read. So Enjoy!

• Have a firm handshake.
• Look people in the eye.
• Sing in the shower.
• Own a great stereo system.
• If in a fight, hit first and hit hard.
• Keep secrets.
• Never give up on anybody. Miracles happen everyday.
• Always accept an outstretched hand.
• Be brave. Even if you're not, pretend to be. No one can tell the difference.
• Whistle.
• Avoid sarcastic remarks.
• Choose your life's mate carefully. From this one decision will come percent of all your happiness or misery.
• Make it a habit to do nice things for people who will never find out.
• Lend only those books you never care to see again.
• Never deprive someone of hope; it might be all that they have.
• When playing games with children, let them win.
• Give people a second chance, but not a third.
• Be romantic.
• Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know.
• Loosen up. Relax. Except for rare life-and-death matters, nothing is as important as it first seems.
• Don't allow the phone to interrupt important moments. It's there for your convenience, not the caller's.
• Be a good loser.
• Be a great winner.
• Think twice before burdening a friend with a secret.
• When someone hugs you, let them be the first to let go.
• Be modest. A lot was accomplished before you were born.
• Keep it simple.
• Beware of the person who has nothing to lose.
• Don't burn bridges. You'll be surprised how many times you have to cross the same river.
• Live your life so that your 'epitaph' could read, No Regrets
• Be bold and courageous. When you look back on life, you'll regret the things you didn't do more than the one's you did.
• Never waste an opportunity to tell someone you love them.
• Remember no one makes it alone. Have a grateful heart and be quick to acknowledge those who helped you.
• Take charge of your attitude. Don't let someone else choose it for you.
• Begin each day with some of your favorite music.
• Once in a while, take the scenic route.
• Send a lot of Valentine cards. Sign them, 'Someone who thinks you're terrific.'
• Keep a note pad and pencil on your bed-side table. Million-dollar ideas sometimes strike at 3 a.m.
• Show respect for everyone who works for a living, regardless of how trivial their job.
• Send your loved ones flowers. Think of a reason later.
• Become someone's hero.
• Marry only for love.
• Count your blessings.
• Compliment the meal when you're a guest in someone's home.
• Wave at the children on a school bus.
• Remember that 80% of the success in any job is based on your ability to deal with people.
• Don't expect life to be fair.
• Smile Always :-))

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