tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90730571083616330822012-01-29T09:10:37.825-05:00~Tasty Tales from a Flexitarian Foodie~Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.comBlogger3761100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-57433127453075449462012-01-28T22:15:00.004-05:002012-01-28T22:27:29.852-05:00

BM#12: W2, Day6: Hope my readers aren't bored of seeing only sweet recipes.. Well, for a change, I am posting a savory recipe. Here in this Chili recipe,Chocolate is used as a flavoring agent to enhance the flavor of the Chili. Caution must be used to not go overboard with the chocolate. We want it to be subtly present but never overpowering. Base recipe from Allrecipes. For your Ears: This

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BM#12: W2, Day5:  A "Bada Bing Bada Boom" Milkshake that gets you going till lunch time while keeping all the unhealthy cravings at bay. Super-yum shake that is a must try!! For Your Ears: I was actually thinking about this song as I was making the shake. So thought I would share it..But beware this song is "slightly" risque`. But the tune is so catchy..it made me share anywayz!

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BM#12: W2, Day4: This is actually a re-post...The reason why I am doing a re-post is not because I was a lazybum and didn't have nothing to post about..Its just that I sincerely felt that this dish deserves another go..The Original post was made ages ago when this blog was relatively new and not seen many visitors. So it is very possible that many of you may not have seen it..I thought to

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BM#12: W2, Day3: Take a shortcut to indulgence with this super easy, "under 5 minutes from start to finish" Microwave Chocolate Mug Cake. How awesome is that! I have been wary of trying this in-spite of seeing it in many blogs but the first time I laid my eyes on the pictures in Edible Garden(which was a couple of weeks ago) I gave in to temptation. So recipe inspiration comes from there and

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-22600073806983340722012-01-24T22:01:00.001-05:002012-01-27T17:45:00.411-05:00

BM#12: W2, Day2: I love Dates. I love Nuts. I love Chocolate. With all these three combined, this loaf cake has made me yearn for more. Yum-O! It also has a little bit of coffee for that additional kick. So one could have this in the morning too. Base recipe is from here. Correction: 1 Tsp Baking Soda, I missed typing it which I have added. For Your Ears: Feast your eyes on the cake( where

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BM#12: W2, Day1: Life is Beautiful..Well, I find this line somehow incomplete. There is a "when" missing.. For me, Life is beautiful - When I am with my little boy.  When I am listening to music..Not just any music but the strains of music that has the power to tug a chord in me, irrespective of the language. (I will post a few of my favorite songs that I heard recently, one favorite song

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BM#12: Day7: The same way I had frozen the Apple sauce, I had frozen the pumpkin puree too. You never know when the urge will strike for making Pumpkin Pancakes or Pumpkin Muffins...A couple of weeks ago, I was craving for Pumpkin Tart..I was googling and came up with an egg-less pumpkin pie recipe from this site that I adapted for making this Pumpkin Tart. Round-up of what I posted for Run1

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-58808396680842270392012-01-21T22:30:00.000-05:002012-01-22T10:42:14.581-05:00

BM#12: Day6: With all the apples I picked the last time I went apple-picking, I made some applesauce and froze it so  I can make applesauce cake, egg-less applesauce brownies and of-course applesauce halwa whenever I feel like. So here it is, another Halwa recipe for Halwa lovers like me. :) Ingredients: 2 Cups Unsweetened Store-bought  Or Home-made Apple Sauce 2 Tbsp Maida Flour or Milk

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-41210179520064892652012-01-20T21:41:00.001-05:002012-01-20T21:48:02.287-05:00

BM#12: Day5:  I so love to bake with fruits. This Italian Plums were available in abundance a few months ago. I thought I would use it in a cake recipe.Base recipe for this lovely cake is from Martha's Stewart site. For the same recipe, she suggests baking 2 cakes. Well I like my cake thick and plump so I used the cake batter to just make a thick cake. The taste was splendid! But I have to tell

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-15437872448802945202012-01-19T18:35:00.002-05:002012-01-19T20:53:42.538-05:00

BM#12: Day4: Well, Pongal(South India's Harvest Festival) came and went by last week. That reminded me that I have a "Sweet Pongal(this dish)" post sitting in the draft for the past couple of months. MIL makes kick-ass Sweet Pongal/Chakkara Pongal. So I asked her to make me one last time before she went back to India. Devouring this sweet and mushy rice, generously doused with ghee, plenty of

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BM#12: Day3: Ever since I saw this posted at "Joy the Baker" blog, I have been wanting to bake an avocado cake.I finally made this over the weekend for my sister when I went over to her place for a visit. Anything made out of Avocado tastes exceptionally good and this is no exception. The whole family loved it!   Note: Don't go overboard with the addition of avocados. I was greedy cause I

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-13773565226636831482012-01-17T11:10:00.001-05:002012-01-19T21:30:47.320-05:00

"Ten Little Monkeys jumping on the bed       One fell down and broke his head   Mama called the doctor and the doctor said-      'No more monkeys jumping on the bed' Nine Little Monkeys jumping on the bed .... Eight Little Monkeys jumping on the bed ....                                                              " This is one of my son's favorite Nursery Rhyme...It is a very popular Rhyme and

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-68969887043112235662012-01-16T11:39:00.001-05:002012-01-17T17:19:42.912-05:00

BM#12: Day1: Today I start another week of blogging marathon and this time I chose "Something Sweet" as a theme. My kid and I have a few favorite sweet eats --Tea/Loaf Cakes, Cookies and of course the decadent and glutinous Halwa!! So I will be posting a few of my(and my little champion's) favorite sweet eats this week. So stay tuned. These gingerbread man cookies were baked with lot of love at

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-87529283679290337002012-01-14T17:12:00.001-05:002012-01-16T14:31:09.686-05:00

This is a prelude to something "really sweet". Yeah, a decadent recipe with photo-laden post is coming your way. I wanted to add this to that "mystery post" but because that post already has 20+ pictures it didn't seem wise to overload that post. So here is a super quick tip on peeling almonds -- its easy and breezy! Ingredient: 1-1/2 Cups Almond Procedure: Add the almonds to a wide shallow

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-38215233548281850582012-01-11T07:19:00.000-05:002012-01-11T07:19:31.395-05:00

Hiya Folks, howdy? How has the New Year been treating you all? Are you all religiously following the "New Year resolution" list?? I for one, have been busy with work, home and friends...have been running around like a headless chicken. Now I am back with a lovely "vegetarian recipe" that is a family favorite. I tried this recipe from Adukula Vishesham once and have been hooked every since. I

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I wish all my beloved readers a very Happy and Prosperous New Year 2012!! As another year comes to an end, I fondly look back to  see what I posted this year and pick out "My Favorite Fifteen" recipes. Every recipe was created and shared with great love and care. So believe me when I say narrowing it down to 15 from 100+ posted recipes was tough. So here is what made the "Top 15" list -

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BM#11: I was intending to post something else for today but that experiment went awry. Oh, Bummer!! Ergo, I didn't want to post something that didn't end up right. This was the backup post that I have been intending to post sometime next year! But you all get to see it this year itself! Sweet, no?? I find packing lunch  for my son a major challenge! Probably one of the Top 5 challenges ever.

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-36336221824245116212011-12-29T19:57:00.002-05:002011-12-29T23:40:51.109-05:00

BM#11: I wanted to have Oat Flour handy so I can make Oat Flour Pancakes and Muffins for my son. I am yet to put that thought into action cause am still in the process of searching the web for a good recipe that uses Oat Flour. As for making Oat Flour, its easy breezy! See for yourself! Procedure: Add 1 Cup Old-Fashioned Oats (I used Quaker Brand) into a blender. Run the Blender at

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-41583845823863847332011-12-28T22:40:00.002-05:002011-12-29T07:38:04.521-05:00

BM#11:  Fresh scraped/shredded Coconut plays a major role in Indian cooking. It is used for making Coconut chutney, Coconut Rice, making ground masala for curries,as a garnish, for extracting Coconut Milk etc etc. Since we are all under time crunch, the optimal thing would be scraping and freezing it in a large scale. MIL taught me to freeze them into golf size balls rather than a slab cause it

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BM#11: Boiling an egg might sound like an easiest thing to do but that is not the case. For picky folks like me and my son, slightly overcooked or under-cooked egg would mean that it is going into the garbage. So I use this method to always end up with perfectly boiled  eggs. Procedure: Choose eggs that are slightly aged. Farm fresh eggs aren't best for making boiled eggs. We need eggs that

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-51508525645986054602011-12-26T19:23:00.000-05:002011-12-26T22:27:10.540-05:00

BM#11:  I eagerly look forward to Winter season for a few reasons. 1. The holidays, 2. The snow, 3. Chestnuts and then some..While the list is interchangeable, these three reasons almost always manage to stay on the top 10 of my "a few on my favorite winter things".. :)  Why are chestnuts called as "chestnuts?? Something to do with them resembling hearts? Don't know but who cares? It tastes

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BM#11: I have already told you about my new found love about Iron Pots and Pans. I am extending that love towards caring them as well.This is how I care for my Iron pans after I am done cooking with them. Religiously! Procedure: After cooking whatever with the Iron pan- Clean it with warm water and mild soap. Never soak an Iron pan with water. After cleaning I sometimes notice that it

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BM#11:I love Okra! But I hate the slime that oozes from it when cut. So this is how I prep the Okra before I use it to make anything with it. The main mantra to removing/reducing slime from okra is only one thing - "Dry, Dry, Dry". A dry Okra considerably has less slime.  So I make sure that my cut Okra is super dry before it is transformed  into a dish. :-) Procedure: Clean the Okra in

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This post is very special as it is a virtual baby shower for my blog-buddy PJ. When we(the members of Blogging Marathon)  got to know that PJ of Seduce your tastebuds was expecting her second bundle of joy, we wanted to do something special for her. So we decided to cook and click for a post from her blog. I chose this recipe to post as her babyshower gift. While she has a humongous collection

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Mini sweet peppers are available in abundance during Summer. But about a month ago when I tagged along with DH to go shop @ Costco, I was pleasantly surprised to find bags of these cuties. MIL was also with us and she was asking me to prepare a nice and spicy treat for snacking. I set out to make this appetizer/snack without a clue of what I wanted to stuff these peppers with. I just built this

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-30482796154681320782011-12-13T20:40:00.000-05:002011-12-14T07:50:17.438-05:00

I picked a bunch of these cute Radishes from the Farmer's market a few weeks ago with the idea of making Paratha(Flat bread with stuffing). But making Paratha became a disastrous affair. Tricky business, that!!! I don't know what went wrong..either the dough was too soggy or the stuffing was too much..whatever! I DON'T CARE! The freaking paratha leaked and I couldn't roll. My Paratha making

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I always ask myself this question -- Why do foods cooked in Cast Iron pan taste better? Is it because of the "mineral notes" it add to the food? Maybe! When cooking in an Iron pan, bits of Iron gets mixed in the food and that is good for us humans because it makes us more lively(Ask the Iron deficient ones and they will tell you how sluggish and lethargic they feel all the time). Well, Iron is

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-83450722882754162082011-11-29T23:17:00.001-05:002011-12-05T06:30:12.316-05:00

Day7of BM#10: I am very emotional today. Emotional, bleak, hopeless and utterly bereft.Color me Gray-Thundercloud Gray.. Tornado Funnel Gray.. Gloomy Day Gray. Here is why - Today, a few minutes before noon, a half-an-hour before lunch -- I get a phone call from my buddy. I didn't pick up the first time. She gives me a buzz again. As I pick up my cell to attend her call,I was wondering why

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Day6 of BM#10: I love Salmon not just for its Omega-3 Fatty acids but also because it is so flavorful. Doesn't need much in the way of seasoning, isn't it?? All I have to do is just pan fry with little salt and pepper and its heavenly. But once in a while I like going overboard with the Masala. This is one such attempt! Don't be frightened by the color. Its the Kasmiri Chili powder that

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-58940752097346141922011-11-24T21:18:00.001-05:002011-11-28T18:02:52.103-05:00

Day5 of BM#10: This has been sitting in the draft for months..I think I made it sometime in March when we had just bid adios to winter but not yet to the chill weather. The flowers had just begun to bloom and I was raring to pack off my thick winter jackets and snow boots. One weekend I had gone to my sister's place to meet her and my parents. I didn't want to go empty handed. So I made two of

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-84225778526782882022011-11-24T20:55:00.001-05:002011-11-27T13:12:27.498-05:00

Day4 of BM#10: This Paneer + Red Cabbage + Zucchini (plus couple more Veggie) Kofta is a dish that was borne out of my wild wild imagination..Do I see someone rolling their eyes?? To answer your unasked question -- Well ofcourse Kofta has been around for quite some time. Certainly I didn't invent that dish. What I meant was this version is totally my brain child! It was exceptionally good too!

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-81572329646581083012011-11-24T19:08:00.001-05:002011-11-30T14:24:39.382-05:00

Day3 of BM#10: A couple of months ago I took my son for apple picking. The orchards in Northeast were badly hit by a major hail storm  that happened a week prior. Almost 80% of the apples were badly bruised and had black spots on them. :-(. Inspite of hearing about it I went cause I felt bad for those Orchard owners. It was a big challenge to pick bruise-free apples.We came back home with a

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Day2 of BM#10:  I wish all my American Readers a very "Happy Thanksgiving". Sorry no Turkey at my Thanksgiving table. What?? No Turkey??Well,  I am following our President Obama's steps. I have pardoned the turkey at my Thanksgiving table. He He.But no worries.. I have my version of this ever-popular chicken recipe up and available just for you all. Actually this was meant to go on the last day

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Day1 of BM#10: Has it really been 3 weeks since my last post? Time does fly. Between work and family I am finding it hard to squeeze time for blogging. But I scraped some free time to cook and click for this edition of BM and my theme is going to be "Winter Specials". For me winter is all about spiced bakes, spicy curries and heartwarming foods in general.. What do you find the most difficult

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 How is it going everyone? Sorry I had to abandon the second run abruptly. Blame it on 3 things -- The computer that had the photos got corrupted with some Malware. Only a few pictures were recovered(Booohoooo!!!) The historic snowfall last week that knocked power in my area (Well, I have pictures to prove) My chaotic life (You only have to take my word for it) Fruit Salad that should have

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-14522259280767317942011-10-26T18:38:00.000-04:002011-10-26T20:11:55.536-04:00

Day4 of BM9:Sprouts are good for you. Take it or leave it. If you want to know the scientific reason behind that, then read the blah, blah, blah on this page that clearly states so.I love sprouting the Mung/Moong Bean cause it is easy breezy and definitely not rocket science. Anyone and everyone can do it. Fresh home-made sprouts can be added to soups, salads, side-dishes etc etc. The

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Day3 of BM9: I usually make a large batch of meatballs.Because my family has a weakness for meatballs. So making them is kind of a weakly affair.I reserve a few cooked or baked meatballs to make this fortifying soup that warms me up from inside out, especially during the cold weather season.Umm Umm Good! I wish all my Indian Readers a Very Happy and A Prosperous Diwali(The Festival of Lights)

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Day2 of BM9: This probably has to be be the leanest version of bisque made with reduced fat milk and very less butter. I make this for my son who is four and who still has some issues with "food of texture". The creaminess of the soup and the slightly sweet tastes makes him down this without much grumbling. Ingredients: 2 Medium Zucchini, cut into thick slices 2-oz Orange Pumpkin, skin

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Day1 of BM9: This week I am doing Soups and Salads. Its going to be an interesting week. :) I almost always have Cucumber and I almost always have "Cherry-Belle" Radishes in the refrigerator. So its no hassle for me to put together this super-simple salad that goes well with anything and everything. Ingredients: 2 Small Seedless or Baby Cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced 2 Cherry Belle

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Day7 of BM9:All feasts end with a sweet pudding that we call as "Payasam". Adding pumpkin that is so plentifully available during the fall season, was a "fun fall thing" to do. I used the Orange Pumpkin that is an excellent addition to making sweet eats like Muffins, Cakes, Waffles and what not. Sago Vs Tapioca: They both come in form of Pearls but what is the difference? ‘Sago’ is from the

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-79087104088197955412011-10-21T21:11:00.003-04:002011-11-20T22:09:01.070-05:00

Day6 of BM9: See I told ya, no lentil recipes today. Finger-Millet, like I told you before, is a preferred grain and people in rural Tamil Nadu make gazillion recipes with it. I have just begun to warm-up to it. When I was growing up I thought it was "too country" for me and used to shy away from it. But the "older and wiser" me realizes the health benefits of this wonder grain. So I asked MIL

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-11002671084319353282011-10-20T21:05:00.001-04:002011-11-20T21:15:15.764-05:00

Day5 of BM9: I know what you are thinking-- Damn, not another Lentil based recipe. Is she nuts? Sorry, I will try not to put a Lentil recipe tomorrow. Okay? This is MIL's special. I never have tried this before.I never had wanted to try this before. I wasn't aware of this before. I wouldn't have given 2 hoots about this before. But not anymore. I have gotten hooked to the taste of Pearl-Millet

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-65305880280810243902011-10-19T18:39:00.002-04:002011-10-20T21:23:21.472-04:00

Day4 of BM9: So many lentil recipes in a row, right? But what can I say, I am big on Lentils, Legumes and such. I did tell you I was raised a Vegetarian till I was 17-ish.. So I am used to eating greens and lentils on a daily basis. And old habits die hard. The fact that its the holy "vegetarian food only" month(Protaasi Maatham) according to the Tamil Calendar doesn't help either. I am

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-58313199465805830472011-10-18T20:17:00.001-04:002011-10-19T06:28:40.400-04:00

Day3 of BM9: The harvest festival of Tamil Nadu, "Pongal" symbolizes the bountiful harvest and a prosperous year ahead.It is also the beginning of a New Year as per the "Tamil" Calendar. It is during this time of the year that the harvesting of Paddy crops are done and the dish called "Pongal" is made with the newly harvested rice. It can be made sweet or savory. On this day this is what is

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-78249507409258839342011-10-17T18:45:00.002-04:002011-10-17T20:50:31.319-04:00

Day2 of BM9: You know what else goes well with the Ragi Dumplings that I had posted yesterday? This skillet Yam fry. I was curious when I saw these Violet colored Yam packets in the freezer section in an Indian store. This is something I only recently discovered. A couple of months ago, I wasn't even aware there was a Violet Yam. It tastes exactly the same as the brown "Elephant Yam". Yum! And

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-40217354102830052472011-10-16T07:32:00.002-04:002011-10-16T11:07:11.091-04:00

Day1 of BM9: For this edition of Blogging Marathon, I will be focusing on authentic "South Indian" Farmer's fare. My great-grandpa on my mother's side and my grandpa on my father's side were all agriculturists and I can safely say I know what I am talking about. With India being one of the largest Millet producers I can understand why this grain is a Farmer's favorite and keep gracing the

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Spinach and Lentil are a match made in heaven. The potatoes and carrots in the curry just accentuate that. This curry with hot steaming rice and chips is nothing short of bliss!The fact that Spinach has a high nutritional value and is extremely rich in antioxidants plus other vitamins and minerals is an added bonus.This is one my favorite "spinach" recipes and I am truly surprised that I didn't

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-26052046604256404692011-10-05T10:30:00.003-04:002011-10-05T10:35:56.795-04:00

My dears, sorry for absconding for nearly 3 weeks. I have been busy with family, friends and other things that made me put my blog in the back burner..but only for a while. How have you been? Hope everyone is doing okay. Today's "Person of Interest" - Alex O'Laughlin: My fascination towards Aussie Alex O'Laughlin started when I first noticed him in Moonlight(08)((mainly due to the long sable

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-50151369325209445762011-09-24T07:16:00.003-04:002011-09-24T07:17:38.317-04:00

My marbling leaves a lot to be desired! This is the third attempt for me to get my Marble Cake "photo-ready"! Oh the taste and texture of this cake was awesome every-time. But what did you expect? This is Dorie Greenspan's Recipe from the baking book "From my Home to yours". This book is one of my favorite baking book ever! I would love to try all of the recipes from that book. What a splendid

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-58246046668582844662011-09-21T17:08:00.001-04:002011-09-22T09:10:02.487-04:00

I make Sweet bread pudding whenever I have leftover bread cause my son loves it but this time decided to concoct a Savory version with Summer and Fall veggies.. The drop in the weather certainly called for something "Un-Sweet". While it tastes good as is, my son wanted to eat it with a healthy squirt of ketchup. He will eat mud if it had ketchup on it. Oh, he is Ketchup-Krazy. So down into his

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What's on the menu today?? "Cherry-Belle" Radish Sambhar  on a bed of white rice with a Tsp of  Ghee + Hyacinth Beans/Broad Curry With Grated Coconut +  Bitter Gourd/Bitter Melon Curry + Homemade Curd/Yogurt +  Indian Hot Lime Pickle Can the Irish live without Potato? Can Asians((Yes, Indians included!!! So put that question "Are Indians Asians" to rest)) live without Rice? Probably not! Umm, I

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-34922448554075147442011-09-14T16:46:00.003-04:002011-09-14T17:20:28.131-04:00

This is the new favorite chicken curry at my house. This curry has its origin from Goa, an Indian state, which is a former Portuguese colony with plenty of history and a rich cuisine.I have been looking for a perfect Xacuti (pronounced "sha-koo-ty") for ages and my search ended when my Facebook buddy Sadhana asked to check out her recipe. She is a food editor at BellaOnline and she has quite an

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-69623565426250638292011-08-31T11:15:00.000-04:002011-08-31T15:51:32.673-04:00

Day7 of BM8: I am probably the last one to be posting this.I should have posted this like a couple of days ago. But power outage, wedding anniversary and my Picasa database crash kind of delayed things. Late but never too late. :-). But I saved the best for the last and it is well worth the wait! This cake is really one of the best tasting cakes I have ever baked. What makes this cake special

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Day6 of BM8: Sorry for the delay guys. No electricity due to hurricane Irene. Electricity came back yesterday afternoon but it was my wedding anniversary so I had to spend some quality time with hubby. Sunday Early Morning: The Cold Wind Blew and The Leaf fell too.. Hurricane Irene's fury knocked the electricity in our home along with 53% of the homes in my state. It was around 4-ish in the

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-47147094881961851102011-08-27T11:04:00.000-04:002011-08-27T11:07:31.071-04:00

Day5 of BM8:  Today we had plans.Plans of going to Cape Cod for Whale Watching. All ruined by Hurricane Irene.Now everyone is grounded in the house with nothing much to do rather than talk about the weather and watch TV. I am annoyed! I was so looking forward to seeing those majestic whales. The Humpback Whales come to Cape Cod around this time to feed and breed. Last year when MIL alone came

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Day4 of BM8: Making Yogurt at home is a time honored ritual at almost all Indian homes. I also learnt that the Turkish and Russians are equally passionate about making Yogurt at home. One of my hubby's colleagues sent me a gift -- Tibetian Milk Mushrooms/Kefir Grains to make Kefir(Fermented Milk Drink). So I got into the task of "Kefir making" rather enthusiastically. After a week I found it

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-15490410813389859152011-08-25T10:51:00.000-04:002011-08-25T18:53:44.404-04:00

Day3 of BM8: Your morning is guaranteed to be a lovely one if you wake up to this plate of Buttermilk Belgian Waffles with added nuts and berries. At our home we love breaking a few rules and have breakfast for dinner as well.How about you? A few trip photos: Boating in the Underground Lake at Howe Caverns, NY: These caverns are not as impressive as the Luray Caverns(the large and most

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-54416401678624730522011-08-24T11:08:00.001-04:002011-08-24T14:07:03.565-04:00

Day2 of BM8: Last weekend I took my In-laws to NYC. My F-I-L was so excited to go to the top of Empire State Building. His excitement was infectious and I couldn't help but feel excited too. Believe it or not, in all my 13+ years of living close to NYC, I have never gone to the top of the Empire State. Additionally, I have worked in NYC for nearly 5 Yrs passing that building like thousands of

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I know I have been neglecting my space again but I have a valid reason:: My in-laws have arrived for a short stay and we as a family have been busy spending quality time with each other and of-course with "sightseeing". You see, my in-laws don't care for the cold climes and that means we have to see as much as we can before the leaves start falling and the temperature starts dropping in the New

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-31464337106278122652011-08-17T16:07:00.001-04:002011-08-24T10:21:14.012-04:00

I love Black and White pictures. They have a timeless quality about them. Besides that, I love the stark and impossibly clear quality it lends to the pictures. Which is why I have decided to participate in Susan's "Black and White Wednesday" event that welcomes food related imagery. While I have a long way to go before I can excel in still-life and food-related photography, I'd like to think

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I don't usually use the Turnip Greens.Into in the garbage bin it used to go.. But seeing how other bloggers are making use of the pith, seeds and rind to make exotic stuff I realized that I shouldn't be wasting edible stuff like the greens on the Turnips and Radishes. Plus wanted to come up with something fancy too. After making this curry I realized 2 things - 1.Why didn't I do it sooner? 2.

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Remember the guest post I did for "Friendship Chain - Spread the Specialty" about a fortnight ago for Priya of Priya's Easy and Tasty?? Now its time for me to pass that friendship torch to someone else. Blogging has expanded not just my culinary horizon but also brought me closer to many like-minded folks- Radhika of Food for 7 stages of life being the first and foremost. She is one person

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-13228380505429611842011-07-29T22:23:00.000-04:002011-09-09T10:16:08.104-04:00

Day 7 of BM7: Give this curry, a few flat-breads,a dollop of yogurt and my hubby wouldn't ask for anything else.There is something about this curry/chutney that gives that content look on his face. Its certainly a mystery to me. I will let you conclude whats so special about this once you make and taste it for yourself. Okay? I got this recipe from one of the special edition of a local Indian

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Day 6 of BM7: A nice and filling everyday curry that goes perfectly well with Indian Flatbread "Roti".While Channa Masala and Chickpea Sundal With Shredded Mango and Carrot are my favorite ways to eat chickpea, this will do too.Recipe inspiration comes from The Wholesome Kitchen. Ingredients: 1 Can (1 lb and 13 oz/822 g) Cooked Chickpea, drained and thoroughly cleaned 4 Cups Packed Fresh

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-6643768949659861812011-07-27T23:20:00.004-04:002011-09-09T10:07:12.943-04:00

Day 5 of BM7: When me and my close buddies get together we make sure we bake something new..that is, bake something that requires a little bit of effort and something that none of us have attempted to do before. The last time we all got together under the same roof, we decided to bake this wonderful "Lattice-crust topped Berry Tart". Weaving the "interlaced top" was a bit intimidating but soon

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Day4 of BM7: There are times when all you crave is a simple and easy-to-put together dish and this is a perfect example of one of those. This rice can be made in all of 30 minutes if you don't count the soaking time, that is! The pepper and dill leaves add a subtle but exceptional flavor to the rice that it will be perfect for an extravagant side-dish.This recipe is from the book "Cardamom and

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Day3 of BM7: Believe it or not, this "Meaty" recipe was/is an inspired adaptation from a "Vegan" recipe from the book "Appetite for Reduction:125 Fast and Filling Low Fat Vegan Recipes". What does that tell you? Inspiration can strike anywhere, anytime and from any recipe! True, no?? The original hash recipe had a unique blend of Yukon Gold potatoes and Brussels Sprouts. That had me thinking

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-77151159400142349302011-07-24T21:23:00.009-04:002011-08-22T22:17:40.046-04:00

Day2 of BM7: Mom and dad stopped by last weekend to see how I was recovering from my sinus issues.Remember my sob story?? Having my folks under the same roof itself was a big blessing and I was feeling way better than I would have if they weren't around. So on Sunday evening when it was time to bid adieu, I asked mom if she was willing to taste a new "snack" that I was going to experiment on

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For BM7, I have chosen the theme "Cooking From Books". Like any other food blogger I am a cook-book hoarder. I have 100+ books that I have collected over a decade. Whenever I am upset I flip the pages of a cookbook. They are an instant moodlifter. How about you? ? Coming to this recipe - Recipe adapted from "Gifts from the Kitchen(ISBN: 978-1-4075-7901-6)". When I used to work in NYC, I

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I am back. If you asked me what outlook I had on life this past dozen-days and if I was to sum up my feelings into one word, its "BITTER". As bitter as an uncooked Bitter Gourd/Bitter Melon if you ask me. But not to worry, just like how a bitter melon transforms into a mouthwatering dish after a bit of TLC, I will too-From Bleak to Better, that is! My 10-day antibiotics course got over

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Pain ... has a structure. It has a floor plan. It has designs more intricate than a chambered nautilus(a marine creature), features more baroque than the most buttressed Gothic cathedral.... it is a poem.    --DAN SIMMONS If you are all wondering what the heck I am talking about, read on.. I have a story to tell..Sometimes pain makes people poets,

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Day 7 of Blogging marathon: The last day of Blogging marathon(6th edition) is all about getting paired randomly with one another participant and swapping recipes from each other's space. So I was paired with SriValli. I don't have to tell many of you who she is.For those of you who don't know, she is the blog author of the extremely popular Cooking for all seasons and Spicing You life. When it

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With so many savory cheesy posts for this edition of Blogging Marathon, its time for something sweet.So here it is -- Sweet Berry and Cream Cheese Muffins. I had printed this from Bo's Bowl, a blog full of hearty recipes, ages ago..When my son said today "Mom, make me some muffins", a bulb went on in my head and I was busily flipping through my print-outs. An hour or so later I was "clicking" at

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Day5 of Blogging Marathon: Any leftover Sloppy Joe filling(from the other day) always gets made into a delicious "Sloppy Joe pizza" at my home which is indeed the best way to makeover this leftover. This would also be a "thin crust" pizza lover's dream! Oh, yea! Plus its a super-quick dish to put together if you have all things handy.. Ingredients: 4 Whole Grain 8" Tortilla (I used "Santa Fe"

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Day4 of Blogging Marathon,Category: 7 Ways to Use up an Ingredient:  Whenever I make this or this dish, I make this cheesy pasta dish to round-off a meal.It isn't a tedious process but there is a lot of cutting involved. I make a large batch(like this one) and sometimes freeze a portion of it. Comes handy when you are under a time crunch. Cheese Used for this dish: Borden's 4 Cheese Mexican

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Day3 of Blogging Marathon: While this dish may seem similar to the "Saag Paneer" post I did sometime last year, its not! There are some new ingredients involved in making this one and this is slightly more rich(ie: packed with calories) than the previous version what with using heavy cream and butter!Obviously, my hubby said he likes this version better. Well, what can I say? Heavy cream and

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For Day2 of Blogging Marathon, I decided to make Gozleme and the cheese I used is "Feta". Gozleme is a Turkish pastry with savory vegetarian or meat filling all made from scratch!I find making the pastry from scratch a bit tedious so I follow this "shortcut method" that was taught to me in a Turkish Cooking Class -- Using Tortilla instead of the pastry. You should check out the YouTube Videos of

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Okay, before you let your jaw drop, I have to tell you that I eat "this much" ONLY after an intense 1-hour workout session. I come back from the gym with a dinosaur-like appetite that only subsides after I eat "this much". So my post-workout breakfast consists of Fluffy omelet and cheese on a whole-wheat burger bun with POM/Orange juice to flush it down A handful of Special K "red berries"

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Hello Peeps, how are you?I am doing okay, thank you! Sorry for going "AWOL" on you. I have been extremely busy dealing with other issues in my life..So had to put my blog/blogging in the back burner for a bit. But no worries, I am back and I plan to avoid going away for long periods of time. Has it really been 3+ weeks since I did my last post? Hmm, time does fly real quick, doesn't it? I wish

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This has been sitting in the draft for sometime for the lack of a bright picture. I dunno, whenever I decide to make this bread the rain gods decide to bestow upon my town a downpour that quickly turns to deluge with nary a ray of sunshine for a bright picture.. By the time the sun decides to come out I have got no bread left! So what gives? Do dying bananas and rain have a connection?  Now why

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-7756037474718921242011-05-21T11:35:00.014-04:002011-05-23T11:42:34.171-04:00

Hey Everyone, I have a new assistant in the kitchen named Imogen(E-Mo-Juhn). With her sturdy arms and savvy ways, she is here to make mixing and kneading a breeze! She comes in a sexy package,an alluring shade of purple that gives my kitchen the much needed face-lift. Why did I choose her? Purple is the gorgeous lovechild of vibrant red and cool blue. Well, Purple screams royalty!And that wasn't

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-17863686399693081962011-05-19T07:23:00.001-04:002011-05-19T09:19:59.323-04:00

What should I call this post? A re-post?? A Phoenix post or The return of the Vanishing post? I think calling this a re-post is appropriate since it did come back with my intervention. No thanks to you Blogger! For new peeps who don't know what I am talking about, this post was initially posted about a week ago and it was cruelly/mercilessly Finished-off/Finito/Remato when Blogger was taken down

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-23967891561747366362011-05-17T16:13:00.001-04:002011-05-17T16:58:27.880-04:00

Winter may be long gone but I am not ready to give up on Winter vegetables -- especially Sweet Potato and Pumpkin. This past winter I have been eating more than my fair share of sweet potatoes in one or the other form -- as a curry, a stuffing for a curried bun, a muffin or even in a lasagna "Chatti Pathiri". I never get tired of this versatile veggie that is a nutritional powder house with so

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-66681182037591238032011-05-15T21:29:00.003-04:002011-12-10T07:42:43.536-05:00

Day7 of BM#5:: Someone from the BM team was asking me why I am posting vegetarian posts when I happen to be a meat-eater. Well, I dunno. Most of the days I am content eating vegetables, greens and beans. I make an exception when hubby asks for turkey, shrimp or chicken. The last time he asked for chicken curry, which was a couple of weeks ago or so, I made this for him. He gave such rave reviews

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-88749826118204797442011-05-14T21:16:00.004-04:002011-05-15T08:23:47.019-04:00

I am not a picky eater, I love trying all new cuisines and willing to sample everything that's out there except beef, organ meats and definitely not exotic meats(= the ones that Andrew Zimmern is fond of - fried critters, jiggly innards, rodents and pests etc etc. By saying this I didn't mean to offend anyone who are into it. Just that I am not that much of an exotic food taster, is all). Having

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-50433630584579081742011-05-13T22:03:00.003-04:002011-05-13T22:13:43.243-04:00

With blogger undergoing a major housekeeping, I am wondering when I will get back my previous post "Eggplant Chettinad". I waited and waited but decided to go ahead with the posting with the "Curry in a Hurry" theme. So without further ado I am moving forward with Day5 of BM#5 with this super delicious curry dish really that can be made under 30 minutes from start to finish since all the

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-58915649518111270802011-05-11T09:44:00.003-04:002011-05-13T15:49:29.534-04:00

Day3 of BM#5:: I know many folks who despise Beets. Its totally understandable given that they taste like dirt. Besides staining the hands while cutting,ruining the manicure, it also stains your stools injecting a healthy dose of fear in you.Seriously, if one sees dark reddish poo it does make one think that they have one foot in the grave. Hey don't heckle me for "poop watching"..each

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-51709468624446596232011-05-10T10:49:00.004-04:002011-12-10T07:41:50.226-05:00

Day2 of BM#5:: There are a few things that make me go weak in the knees - My hubby in black denim shirt, the sight of my son, Mango Lassi (I know Bobby Flay will scoff at this, given that he hates Mango Lassi -> Pureed Ripe Mango + Cardamom Powder + Yogurt..Hey, what's not to like??) and anything made with Paneer. Paneer, an Indian Cottage Cheese is made from Cow's milk and is super easy to make

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-37421897139335305962011-05-09T10:48:00.001-04:002011-05-09T11:31:19.578-04:00

The infamous London Gherkin built by Sir Norman Foster, has been compared to many things - The vegetable "Gherkin/Ivy Gourd" and a few other things not appropriate mentioning in my "G" rated blog. Even with all the exciting comparison, this vegetable doesn't stir the least bit of interest in me. If I was to judge the most boring vegetable of the world, I will choose this in a heartbeat. Can

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-24140117371729460892011-05-06T16:55:00.002-04:002012-01-25T20:49:09.479-05:00

A couple of poems that touched my heart, I dedicate to my loving mom: Hundreds of dewdrops to greet the dawn,   Hundreds of bees in the purple clover, Hundreds of butterflies on the lawn,   But only one mother the wide world over. ~George Cooper No painter's brush, nor poet's pen    In justice to her fame Has ever reached half high enough   To write a mother's name. ~Author Unknown   I

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-51208630306431986182011-04-28T16:00:00.000-04:002011-12-31T19:41:46.646-05:00

Here is a chicken curry that is both spicy and sweet and a breeze to make. The tempering step for this curry is entirely optional but highly desired- There's something to be said about tempered curry leaf and mustard seeds that does wonders to a curry. Ingredients: 4 Chicken Thighs, skinned and cut into pieces 1 Medium Yellow Onion, vertically cut 2 Medium Tomatoes 1/2 Cup Fresh or Canned

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-49872918679661492212011-04-24T22:27:00.000-04:002012-01-12T21:06:59.765-05:00

Saturday was a washout. It started off with a drizzle steadily progressing to an incessant pour.Around noon I saw signs of the rain slowing down which made me to fervently hope that the Sun god would show mercy and send at-least a ray of sunshine for me to shoot pictures of my mouth-watering sliders.Then a thick blanket of fog settled down on my town.While some would think it romantic, an ideal

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-86004826489892752812011-04-23T08:45:00.005-04:002011-12-10T07:13:27.481-05:00

My son is many things - Smart as a whip( for his age). For Example, he is very good with numbers. When his grandpa visited a couple of weeks ago, we asked him to test A with a number quiz. So grandpa typed "7" on the laptop. A said the right answer. Grandpa then typed "17". The answer was Seventy-One. We  had a good laugh. Grandpa then decided to challenge him by typing "915". Nine hundred and

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-64096207026832694752011-04-22T09:18:00.003-04:002011-04-22T09:24:39.657-04:00

Day5 of BM#4: An interesting conversation between myself and my bossy 3-yr old- A: Mom, what is your problem? Me: What's the matter, A? A: Take me to the library. I want Max and Ruby book. Me: Hold on, Pudding. We will go in a bit, ok? A: (2 seconds later) Mom, come away from the computer. Its your last warning. Me: Puttu, you can't talk to mommy like that. A: Yes Mommy. I will put you in the the

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-80439715381567137082011-04-21T10:30:00.005-04:002011-04-21T16:46:46.564-04:00

Day4 of BM#4: My neighbors, a gay couple sold their house last week and moved out. I mean why would anyone want to sell their house when its not a seller's market?? Found a bigger house?? Can't afford to pay the mortgage?? Don't know what the reason was but I am sad to see them go.I will especially miss "hubby#2" cause he was a true example of perseverance and discipline. There wasn't much of an

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-86722506914616434162011-04-20T12:13:00.005-04:002011-04-21T10:17:19.093-04:00

Day3 of BM#4: Today I don't have a great story but I sure have a great Brunch/Sunday Breakfast item -- Stuffed Lacey Pancakes. Remember the Malaysian Lacey Crepes step-by-step recipe that I posted ages ago? It can be stuffed with any dry Vegetarian or Meat filling. My son loves watching me make these doily style crepes. I tell him that I will let him hop on the counter to sit beside the stove to

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com42tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-8680937631514530342011-04-19T10:41:00.007-04:002011-04-19T12:38:05.651-04:00

When I was young I used to hate a couple of things - waking up on a Sunday morning and Cinnamon. You might wonder what the connection is. Well, there is a connection. Growing up as a staunch vegetarian amongst meat-eating neighbors meant that I have to endure the strong smells of Spiced Biryani and Mutton Kurma wafting from their kitchen and assaulting my nostrils in a very bad way. So besides

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-14202019030677329192011-04-18T10:23:00.005-04:002012-01-10T22:26:35.737-05:00

Hello, I am back after a week of laying low. Well, I was gearing up to post for 7 consecutive days. Yes, I will be doing one a day, every day for a week with posts that are Kid-Friendly..especially my son-friendly. He is a very fussy preschooler but he has a few favorite(s) -- anything noodle-y, anything colorful, anything soft and fluffy, anything with unusual patterns, anything burger-y,

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-31352807696236322302011-04-08T14:33:00.004-04:002011-04-11T17:27:04.376-04:00

My son loves meatballs.As a matter of fact, we all do. Ergo,I always make large batches and freeze a portion of them in single serving boxes cause I never know when or how often he(we) would want it..badly! Meatballs are an ultimate comfort food for many and its no different in our family. I am constantly experimenting with new ingredients, alternating between baking and stove-top cooking but

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9073057108361633082.post-81023935501473662192011-04-06T16:32:00.008-04:002011-10-11T21:17:05.843-04:00

I love greens. I have been eating one kind or the other since I have been very young. While it was more because of mom's compulsion before, I have to say I genuinely enjoy eating greens now. Furthermore, I have developed a healthy respect for their iron-rich properties. These days Spinach, Broccoli Rabe, Collards, Kale, Swiss Chard, Fenugreek Leaves are all consumed enthusiastically by the

Cool Lassi(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01684674429288564424noreply@blogger.com21