Thursday, September 20, 2012

Mystical Orange


~ Mystical Orange ~ 


“Orange is one of God's favorite colors--- He stuck it right 
there between red and yellow as the second color in the 
rainbow. He decorates entire forests with shades of 
orange every autumn. It shows up in sunrises at the start 
of the day, sunsets at the end of the day, and in the glow
 of the moon at the right time of night.”
                                                                  ― Reggie Joiner

Orange is the color of power , it is the color of the warmth
 and  power of sun.  This vibrant mix  of red and  yellow is 
believed to have tremendous powers to boost and  stimulate 
enthusiasm and  creativity.The flamboyant orange of ripe
 oranges and juicy carrots are a perfect way to spice up the 
life and cravings, and a hint of either or both 
is perfect to pamper our taste buds too.  


My family is a great fan of oranges thus on a recent visit to 
the nearby local market I picked up some. Most pleased our 
palates as fruit, fresh  juice and  mocktail (paired some fresh 
juice with club soda  and  a pinch of sea salt  to accompany 
the decadent dessert I had baked and decorated  for a friends
 birthday ) a  few were kept aside  to bake some muffins .


 I just love the spicy aroma of the orange peels , it adds
 a lovely zing to the baked delights and also make the  hands 
smell just so heavenly !!! . 



~ Carrot Orange Muffins ~



Ingredients  
1/2 all purpose flour ( maida), 1/2 cup whole wheat flour ( atta), 
1/2 cup sugar , 1 egg , 1/2 tsp baking powder , 2 tbsp olive oil , 
4 tbsp orange juice, 1 tbsp honey ,2 tsp freshly grated orange zest , 
1 cup grated carrots , pinch each of salt and  baking 
soda, a few raisins / nuts.

Method- 
In a large bowl combine flours, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt .
Whisk egg in a separate bowl, mix in orange juice, honey , zest and oil .
Gently mix in the wet ingredients to the dry. Fold in raisins and shredded
carrots . Spoon batter in muffin cups and bake at 180C for 20- 22
 mins or till toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. 





Monday, September 17, 2012

Pup on my plate



~ My Little Pup ~

Few days back my lil one had to write a few lines
on her pet. Since we don't have a pet at home, I
took her to a friends place so that she could spend
some time with her friends & their cute little pet
puppy & get a brief idea about the topic. Back home
while she wrote some lovely lines on it , I decided
to treat her on a visual representation of the same.


Puppy on my plate

Dinner rolls, cucumber , olives, hard boiled egg.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Bye Bye Mangoes


~ Adieu Mangoes ~

September is the time of the year when we
bid adieu to the ripe juicy mangoes. Although the
supermarket shelves beautifully flaunt some imported
varieties of the king fruit all around the year yet the
magic of the local sun kissed juicy aromatic varieties
are deeply missed during the off season .

Mango is a part of our culture . Besides being our national
fruit , it is believed to be favorite amongst the deities too.
The mango leaves & the mango blossoms are integral
part of the Indian ceremonies . Throughout the
centuries this divine fruit has won the hearts of millions.

Mangoes beautifully reflect the Indian summers.


Aamras or sweet mango pulp is one of the most loved
& easy to prepare mango delicacy. The pulp of the fruit
is churned , chilled & relished with Indian flatbreads or
rotis. Mango season is almost incomplete without it.


Aamras

Ingredients- 2-3 ripe mangoes, 2-3 tsp sugar ( omit if the mangoes
are very sweet & juicy) , chopped dry fruits (opt), 2-3 tbsp water .
Method- Peel & roughly dice the mangoes. Blend with sugar & water
till smooth. Chill for 25-30 mins , garnish with nuts & serve.



Mango Lollies

Treat the lil ones with these homemade popsicles , these
fruities on stick are great as an afternoon snack & are
packed with the fresh fruity goodness.

Just pour the prepared Aamras in popsicle molds & freeze.
De-mold & let the yummmm yummmmm begin .


Bye bye Mangoes we will miss u till the next season.


Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Teachers Day



~ Happy Teachers Day ~

I am indebted to my father for living,
but to my teacher for living well.
- Alexander The Great

September 5th is celebrated as Teachers Day in India.
The day commemorates the birthday of the great Indian teacher
Dr Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan for his contribution towards
our education system . Today's post is a tribute to all the
efforts & love our mentors have put in to shape our
careers & make us what we are today .

Say it with Flowers


Flowers are the best way to say Thankyou ,better still
if they can be touched , smelled & also relished till the
last bite. These edible flowers on stick are quick to make.
Gift them as individual sticks or bunch these into a beautiful
edible bouquet. The little ones will surely enjoy creating
these gifts of love.


Truffle Flower sticks

Makes 8-10 truffles
Ingredients - 8-10 seedless dates, 4 regular cookies or any of your
favorite chocolate cookies crushed coarsely with a rolling pin, 2 tbsp
finely chopped nuts ( almonds, cashews, figs, raisins , apricots -
the choice is yours) 2 tsp nutella or any other chocolate spread .
For dipping & decorating - 100 gms chocolate & few colorful
sprinkles, some lollipop sticks or skewers .
For assembling - colorful craft paper , scissors, cling wrap & some
non- toxic craft clay, some florist tape & paper leaves ( opt)
Tip - adjust the Nutella as per requirement , buttery cookies will
require less while wholegrain / low fat cookies need a bit more.


Method- Grind the dates till pasty. Mix in crushed cookies, nuts &
Nutella. Roll into small balls & keep aside. melt the chocolate in a
double boiler or for 30 secs in a microwave. Dip one end of the lollipop
stick in it & skew in the prepared truffle. Refrigerate for a min .
Remove from the refrigerator , hold the stick & dip the truffle into
melted chocolate, gently tap to remove excess. Top with sprinkles
& refrigerate for 5-6 mins or till chocolate sets. Cling wrap .
For Assembling - Cut out flowers from craft paper .Pass the wrapped
truffle stick through the centre of the flower. Put some craft clay below
the flower to make it stable. You could also cover the stick with some
florist tape & stick a few paper leaves.

If lack of time bothers you pick up some market made candy
lollipops , dip in chocolate & put sprinkles or skip the dipping part ,
just cling wrap & proceed further .


Truffle Card

For making a truffle card- Stick the flowers & leaves on a
thick sheet of paper . Put some double sided tape on the center
of the flower & stick the cling wraped truffle balls . ( Skip the sticks
for this version )


If you have still not joined me on Facebook , this is especially for you.
Check out my fun food article- Treats For Tutors in Hindustan Times





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