Friday, May 27, 2011

NAIL Art - Steps coming soon.

Sitting at home, Sunny Sunday no rain...Just perfect weather but the kids asleep so can't go out...while waiting for them to wake up why not pamper myself and share it with you all! Let me know what you think???
Glittery French Manicure
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Polka Dots with a twist
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Colorful Marbling
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Circle Mosaic
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Disco Lights
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Japanese flowers

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Oh so cute abstract

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Blue Green Polka Dots

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It's the time to Disco!!
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Blue pink and White!


View how I used various techniques of coloring my nails.
Items needed:
Base Coat
Different colored Nail paints
Top Coat
Glitters
Dotting tools like - Toothpick, bobby pin, Ball point pen)
Nail paint pens (Optional)
Thin Paint Brush
Nail paint Remover
Q tips( Ear buds)
Creative Mind and Steady Hand


Thursday, May 19, 2011

Miscellanous

Waffle with Whipped Cream and Mango


Fasta Pasta
Ingredients: 
2 Cups Pasta; I used Peene but you can use any type
Maggie hot and sour ketchup 2 Tsp
1/2 tsp Sesame seeds (optional)
1/2 tsp Dried Oregano Leaves
1/2 tsp Dried Basel Leaves 
Zucchini - 1 medium thinly sliced in circles
Onion - 1 medium thinly sliced
Tomato - 1 medium - sliced cross wise big chunks
Lemon salt powder or you can use fresh lemon and salt powder
1 tsp oil
1 tsp soy sauce
Grated cheese(optional)
For Garnishing - Mint leaf Orange slice (both are optional)
Prepares :2 servings
Preparation time: 20 minutes

Method:
1. Boil 6 cups water in a pan add  1/2 tsp salt and 2 drops of oil. Once water boils add pasta and let it boil.
2. In a non stick pan add oil ,heat it and then add zucchini slices...saute for 3 minutes turning sides so it turns golden brown, add onions and saute for 3 minutes. 
3. Add boiled and strained pasta and all the remaining ingredients except grated cheese.
4. Stir for 2-3 minutes.
5. Serve hot with grated cheese sprinkled on top.


Saturday, May 7, 2011

Appetizers

Paneer Tikka Masala
Feeds: 4 people
Prep Time : 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 lb Fresh Paneer
1/2 Medium sized Capsicum of each color -Yellow, Red, Orange
1/2 Medium Red Onion
1 Tb Sp Oil
Spices:
Black Pepper,Red pepper, Salt,Chat Masala, Turmeric, Lemon Juice, Tikka Masala(optional), 1 t Sp soy sauce ; barbecue sauce (Optional)
For Garnishing :
Tomatoes, Onions, Fresh Cilantro leaves, Skewers (Optional),Roasted Pineapple slices (optional)


Method:
1. Cut paneer into 1 inch long or square pieces with a sharp knife.
2. Soak paneer in lightly salted warm water for 15 minutes and Pre heat oven to 375 degrees,while doing the rest of preparation.
3. Cut Onion and Capsicum length wise.
4. In a non-stick pan add oil ,once it turns little hot, Add onions and stir fry for 5 minutes add capsicum and stir fry - 5 minutes.
5. Add Salt and 1/4 t Sp Turmeric pd. Cook in medium flame for 5 minutes occasionally stirring.
6. Add all the spices except Lemon Juice and Soy sauce. Stir and mix spices with veggies.
7. Add Paneer. Gently mix with veggies and cook for another 5 minutes. Add barbecue sauce (Optional)
8. Now put all this in a baking tray and Broil for 7-10 minutes (Broiling time may vary depending upon ovens)
Note: if you don't want to use oven you could use Microwave and heat for 4-5 minutes.
9. You could use skewers and put alternate capsicum pineapple chunk and Paneer piece. or just Garnish with Fresh cut tomatoes,onions,cilantro leaves and roasted pineapple slices.
Enjoy!!


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Sprout Moong Chaat

Feeds: 4 people
Pre Preparation: 36 hours (to sprout moong at home)
Prep Time : 30 minutes
Ingredients:
2 Cups Moong
1 Boiled Potato
1 Medium Onion
1 Medium Tomato (Should not be very ripe)
1 Pickle or Cucumber
1 tsp sesame seeds
1 lemon
2 small green chillies (optional)
1 T spoon Crushed Walnuts (optional)
Spices:
Black Pepper,Red pepper, Salt,Chat Masala, Lemon Juice, Kala Namak, 
For Garnishing :
Fresh Cilantro leaves, Mint Leaves
Method:
To let Moong sprout,Soak 2 cups Moong overnight in enough water. Remove water in the morning and store in a plastic container till next morning.
To Prepare the Chaat:
1. Next morning, wash the moong with water and boil it in 6 cups water ,add Salt and Turmeric powder
Let it boil for about 10 minutes. Then strain excess water.
2. In the other bowl add all the chopped vegetables(Onions,tomatoes,potato,cucumber,cilantro,green chilli and all the other spices. 
3. Once moong cools down add that to the vegetable mixture and add lemon juice. Mix well.
4. Add cilantro ,mint leaves and Walnuts for garnishing.




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Suji Dhokla

Servings: 4 
Prep Time : 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 Cup Suji or Semolina
3 Table spoon yogurt/curd
3 t spoons besan
3/4 tsp salt
a pinch of Turmeric powder
Just enough water to make paste of the batter.
1 tsp ENO (Do not add this in the beginning while soaking the mixture. This needs to be added at the end just before you are going to steam it.)

For Garnishing:
1 Table spoon Oil
1 t sp mustard seeds
1 t sp sesame seeds
1 t sp red chili powder
finely chopped cilantro leaves
green chillies
Hing powder

Method:
1. Add water and Soak Suji, besan , salt and yogurt for 5-6 minutes. 
(Note:-  a.) the batter should be idli batter consistency not very runny not very think as suji will soak water and puff up. 
b.) Do not soak it for long time else it will not have great texture.
2. Grease a pan in which you want to make the Dhokla, it should be flat surface. You would need a bigger pot to use as steamer for the pan being used for making dhokla.
3. In the bigger pot add about 1 inch water and heat.
4. Now add ENO to the batter and add little water over ENO and mix well quickly.
5. Pour in the pan and keep it in steamer(bigger pot with water).
6. Cover it with a lid and cook on Medium heat for 12 minutes.
For garnishing:
1. Once you take out the pan, sprinkle red chili powder and sesame seeds on top of dhokla with hot.
2. In a small pan add, oil and heat it, add mustard seeds, once it splatters, add green chili and hing powder
and spread evenly over the dhokla..
3. Now, cut in squares evenly and then add chopped cilantro leaves.
I learned this from Neeta Aunty. Really enjoy eating this for breakfast. I am sure you will like it too!!!
This is served with yogurt chutney. 
Below is the recipe:
Yogurt Chutney:
1. Strain yogurt and add salt to taste and mix well.
2. In a small pan ,heat 1 t sp of oil , add mustard seeds and let it heat .
3. Add a pinch of turmeric powder, a pinch of hing , 2 curry leaves and pour on the yogurt. Just turn the spoon little bit (Do not mix thoroughly).


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Queso and Chips
1.A bottle of thick cheddar Cheese Sauce
2. Strained HOT Salsa(remove extra water from salsa)
Heat Cheese sauce in microwave occasionally stirring to avoid lumps. OR You can heat it on a double boiler.
Add salsa. 
Warm the Tortilla chips and Serve with HOT Queso.Yummy!!!

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Potato cutlets
Make potato cutlets.
Top with the mixture of -
Meethi chutney,Green chutney onions, tomatoes, lemon juice, boiled potatoes,dhania, chat masala.


Potato Balls
Mash boiled potatoes, crush moistened bread , add salt , green chillies and cilantro.
Make balls and deep fry.
Put them in toaster for making them more crisp until guest arrive.
Add chat masala on top before serving. 


Corn Chat
Canned corn washed
Chop Tomatoes, Onions, Cilantro.
Lemon juice
Chat masala
Poodhina powder
Black Salt ( a pinch) - optional
 Mix everything and add spicy bondi in the end.











Yummy Dessert

Rainbow Pudding




Strawberry Sundae
Ingredients
Fresh Strawberries, Premium quality Strawberry Ice-cream, Chocolate chunks or chocolate chip, 1 t sp Unsalted roasted and crushed nuts (your preference peanuts,walnuts,almond).
Assemble:
1. Add 3 scoops of Ice-cream
2. Slice strawberries and spread them in a fan shape
3. Put Chocolate chuck on one side of the Ice-cream or add chocolate chip on top of the ice-cream scoops.
4. Sprinkle crushed nuts 
Enjoy!





Chocolate - I Scream!

Ingredients
1 Cup Melt-able chocolate chunks
Your favorite dry fruits
Your favorite ice cream
Fresh fruits optional
Wafer Biscuit - 1/4 piece (if possible match it with Ice cream flavor)

Preparation time: 15 minutes; Setting time :1 1/2 hour

Procedure to Prepare:
To make the chocolate cups: 
1. Cut  4 - 4 inch square clean medium thin plastic pieces (like cling wrap). 
2. Melt the chocolate chunks on double boiler.
3. Turn 4 glasses upside down and keep them ready.
4. Using a flat spatula or a knife Spread out the melted chocolate on the plastic in a roughly circular shape.And place them on the flipped glass.It will form like a cup. 
5. Put this in refrigerator and let it set for an hour. Then in Freezer to prolong their shape in hot weather.
Extra Tip. Keep the serving items... like plate bowl in Fridge to let them be cool as well. 

When Cups are ready... Slowly remove the cups from the plastic sheet . Now, you gotta move little fast so the bowls don't melt.. Put Ice cream scoop and add all the topping you like. Enjoy!




Dates Rolls
Ingredients:
Pitted Dates,
Nuts of your choice(walnuts,cashews,almonds)
Saffron leaves (optional)
Sesame seeds or grated coconut
2 tsp ghee

Preparation time: 15 minutes; Setting time :2 hours

Procedure to Prepare:
1. In a non stick pan add ghee , heat a little and then add dates.
2. On medium -low flame, keep stirring dates until they are soft and can easily be mashed with the spoon.
3. In a food processor coarsely chop nuts of your choice.Do not make powder.
4. Put dates in the processor and pulse grind for 4 - 5 minutes.
5. Mix nuts with the dates. Roll it over shredded coconut powder or sesame seeds.
6. Put some ghee on hand to prevent the dates mixture from sticking to your hand make a long roll.
7. Put it on  the foil and wrap it up.
8. Let it set in Fridge for 2 hours 
9. Remove foil and cut into 1/2 inch circles.
Enjoy!!


Oh! So easy Sandwich Ice Cream

Ingredients:
Ice cream  - Your choice
8 Round little soft cookies - Chocolate chip or plain. (I baked cookies in the picture these using Cake mix -all ingredients as mentioned but no water for about 10 minutes at 275 degrees)
Decoration options : Sprinkle OR Grated Coconut OR shopped colorful Tutti Fruti OR Any Nuts chopped coarsely.

Preparation time: 10 minutes; Servings: 4

Procedure to Prepare:
1. Add 1 scoop of Ice cream on a flipped cookie.
2. Add another cookie on top of Ice Cream.
3. For professional finish, wet your finger in cold water and run it around the edge of the Ice cream between the cookies and roll it over the chosen sprinkle.
Very simple, very pretty , very tasty.


Rainbow Pudding











Cake Art

Cherry Cheese Cake

Ingredients
Gingerbread cookies- crumbled up in food Processor
Unsalted butter - 6 Table spoons
Cream cheese - 1-  8oz. pack
Jello Vanilla  Pudding mix
Pre-made cherry sauce - 1 Can
Process:
1. Add moistened butter to crumbled cookies and set on the flat glass bowl. 
Keep in Fridge for 15 minutes.
2. Mix Cream cheese and Jello Pudding mix with a hand blender and pour on the Cookie crumbs set in the bowl.
3. Let it cool for 1 hour and Add Cherry sauce from the can.
4. Keep in Fridge for 2 hours. 
It turns out just AMAZINGLY delicious!
 Please send your comments how did you like the recipe.

Strawberry and Cherry Cake

Orange Dream Cake

Pink Chocolate Forest Cake
Delicious Orange Kiwi Cake

Chocolate Peach Flower Cake
Pineapple Cherry Upside Down Cake

Chocolate Almond Cake

Chocolate Coffee Marbel Cake


Birthday Cake
Birthday Cake

Pink Snowflakes Cake







































Egg less cake made with cake mix
1. Pillsbury yellow cake mix
2. 1 Cup milk
3. 1 tsp Baking powder
4. 1/2 tsp Baking soda

Egg less chocolate cake
1. Pillsbury yellow cake mix
2. 1 Cup milk
3. 1 tsp Baking powder
4. 1/2 tsp Baking soda
5. 1/2 C Butter
6. 1/2 C condensed milk
7. 3 Table spoon Sugar
8. 3 Table spoon Cocoa Powder