Xmas time-2

~Merry Christmas-2 ~

(Our 5 min breakfast art) 

Christmas is the season of sharing , caring and 

loving. It is  the time to spread happiness and

joy amongst  friends and family and a perfect

 time to involve kids in loads of holiday games 

and DIY crafts too. This morning our family 

decided to extend the Xmas cheer to each 

others  bowls !! The table was laid with  three
 bowls of oatmeal,some fresh fruits and nuts 
and each one of us had to create an arty 
breakfast in 5 mins. Daughter was creating 
art for me, Mr LFJ  for daughter and I for him.

Frosty the Oatman .....

Oatmeal topped with grape eyes, dried apricot 

nose , choco chip smile and plum hat. 

Daughter decided to make an orange nosed frosty 

the snowman Oatman  for me ..... she was the first

 to decide n quickly take the tiny treasure bowl

 (read choco chips) totally under her custody. 

Santa 's Oatmeal 

 Oatmeal topped with grape eyes, pomegranate

 strawberry cap, apple beard n moustache

Christmas is incomplete without the jolly 

old man or our beloved Santa who loves his red

cap and white flowing  beard ....ahhh i must tell

 you how the kiddo loved this edible version all 

the more coz it was made for her by her dad :) 

She loved gobbling up santa's crunchy beard

 and moustache. 

Rudolph - the Oatdeer 

Oatmeal topped with grape eyes,  plum antlers 

strawberry nose and cheek dots.  

After getting through all the chopping , 

clicking pictures etc I didn't have enough

 time in hand to think too much for my 

 canvas ..... so Rudolph my red nose Oatdeer

 came in as a perfect rescue n just took less than a 

minute to get all set for the brekkie party !!

Had so much fun creating n eating our 

cute christmas icons today :) :) Truly 

a morning well spent. 

Xmas time

~ Merry Christmas ~ 

When temperature dips and teeth begin to 
chatter we know that Christmas has finally
 set in !!! It appears that  the advent calendar
 and Indian winters seem to share a wonderful 
bond.... From the very beginning of the month
 the mercury starts dipping and by the Christmas
 eve the weather becomes freezing cold . While 
the  extreme north gets enveloped in snow,we in
 capital city enjoy cold foggy mornings and 
bit sunny afternoons. 

Xmas tree Salad 

Sliced cucumber, grapes, blanched beans n bell peppers .

Our Christmas tree was already up and 
dazzling since early this month  but we were
 still in mood to decorate some more .......
 thus while drawing and crafting various
 paper versions we came up with this super 

easy idea !! While I sliced the veggies n fruits , 

daughter arranged it on the platter...

To  ride out cold breezy days and keep lil one

 occupied we have been  baking some festive treats, 

nurturing our little balcony garden , capturing the 

gorgeous reds and greens of the local market n

 spending time creatively in loads of  xmas crafts. 

The winter season here is synonymous with vibrant 

flowers and luscious juicy fruits and veggies -

heaps of strawberries, grapes, pomegranates, kiwis ,

 winter cucumbers, colourful bell peppers, broccoli 

and cherry tomatoes  flood the local  markets, making 

it truly a veggie lovers paradise. Each visit to  market
tempts us to fill our our grocery bags up to the brim !!  

After making loads of  Santa cap cards and 

gift tags  for friends and family we decided to 

treat ourselves on one too !!! The firm strawberries 

made way to salad while the extra  pomegranate
 arils made way to the  juicer . It was the day of xmas
 salad .....  and holidays surely have this magical 

way of bringing out the child in all of us !!! 

Santa Cap 

Diced Strawberries, pomegranate, cucumber 

Xmas time !!

~ Merry Christmas -1~

Christmas is all about spending time with family, taking

 out kids for an adventure walk, making tonnes of christmas 

crafts or just lazying around with them at home and watching a

  wonderful movie of their liking. Adventure walk was surely on

 top of our things to do list but owing to some ongoing projects n

 some pre festive assignments ,daughter and I decided to stay at
 home ,watch her favorite movie and munch on some easy peasy
 x-mas cuties at home ....

X-mas buddies ....

Crackers topped with cheese, tomato , olive and red berries 

(Indian ber) with savory star snack . 

While picking up tomatoes from the local market yesterday,
the pointed tips of a local Roma type variety set my creative 
juices to thinking , while driving back I turned off the music
to keep the upcoming ideas intact in my mind- I know it 
sounds crazy but this is what creative addiction is all about!

Back home we enjoyed the movie truly Christmas style !!!
Movies are incomplete without hot buttery popcorns , I quickly 
popped some southern spice  flavored ones and brought it to life 
with tomato and olives. Of course no one loves to be disturbed 
between the climax of a movie , but it was nothing less than a 
surprise when kiddo paused the movie and made a cute face 
with a loud loving "Awwwwww "....exclamation and kept 
admiring the Rudolph  before finally popping the popcorn .

Xmas popcorn !! 

Popcorn, olives, halved tomato and cucumber

Christmas-2

~Merry Christmas - 2 ~  

Dull gloomy days of winter are perfect to involve lil ones in 

DIY holiday crafts and keep them occupied. To ride out  cold breezy 

days with loads of fun and frolic we have been making lots of christmas 

crafts- santas, snowmen and  christmas tree both on paper and plate ...

These christmas themes salad plates are not only easy to make but

 also great to eat !! Even the smallest hand would love to get involved ..

HoHoHo Santa on the go ..

Guava, banana, black grapes , red pepper , cucumber , pea, cheese 

and savory stars. 

This year my little one  had taken the responsibility of decorating 

the Christmas tree. From the big box of last years decorations she 

picked out some of the vibrant pieces and tied them up all on her own. 

Truly kids grow up so soon .........

With delicious guavas in abundance , our second creation was also 

with similar ingredients .....but you can  replace the guava slices 
with juicy  pineapple slices too .

Frosty the guavaSnowman 

Sliced guava, cucumber, banana, black grapes, pea, red bell pepper 
and cheese (Use a piece of drinking straw to cut out tiny circles from
 a cheese slice) 

If you are planning a christmas party for kids these tiny fruity
easy to  make edible crafts are sure to be a hit !! 

Merry Christmas !!!! 

Merry Christmas

 ~ Merry Christmas ~ 

Sesame crackers with Tomato apple  relish 

Jingle bells jingle bells , jingle all the way , 

Oh what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh...

Christmas is in the air ..Chill wind and  fog has engulfed the northern
 part of the country, the mornings are biting cold but the afternoons 
are slightly  better. The markets have  transformed to tiny santa lands
 with the wide array of colorful displays ,beautifully decorated
 christmas trees, shimmering  decorations and gorgeous red 
Santa ensembles ,the streets seem to radiate in a sea of red n green  .
With just less than a week on the advent calendar its time to 
gear up with the holiday goodies. 

Christmas is synonymous with  hearty heavenly baking. Sugar cookies , fruit loaded 
rich buttery plum cake, gingerbread houses and marzipan encased petit fours ....ah 
the list is endless ....but  we decided to start the festivities with some savories.

Winter season brings in rich luscious tangy apples and ripe juicy tomatoes too. Their
 abundance in the market was truly a perfect excuse for some culinary experiments. 
While lil one was busy decorating the christmas tree with cute lil santa , bells and 
baubles , I was in the kitchen kneading the cracker dough . 

Sesame Crackers with Tomato apple relish 
A wonderful alternative to readymade crackers , these are perfect 
for holiday munching .

  
Ingredients for Crackers 

1 cup whole wheat flour ( atta), 1/2 cup refined flour (maida), 

1tsp baking powder, 2 tbsp vegetable oil or butter, 2 tsp sesame seeds, 

 1/2 tsp dried rosemary ( or fenugreek leaves for an indo version) .

1/2 cup warm water , salt to taste . And a star shaped cookie cutter 

Method

Combine everything and  knead to a stiff dough.

Divide into two large balls .

Roll out the dough , cut into stars and prick with a toothpick .

Bake in a preheated oven at 180C for 18-20  mins or till golden.

Cool on a wire rack and store in air tight box.

 Tomato apple relish 

Ingredients 

5 large tomatoes, 2 medium size onions , 1 apple, 2 tbsp sugar,

 2 tbsp raisins, juice of 1/2 lemon , 1/2 tsp grated ginger , 

pinch of pepper & cinnamon , 1/4 tsp rock salt , 1/2 tsp toasted 

sesame , 1 tsp vegetable/olive oil. 

 Opt-  2 tbsp finely chopped red and green bell

 peppers for garnishing 

Method 

Peel , core and  grate the apple . Chop the tomato and onions and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan , add ginger and onion and saute till pink. Mix in grated apple 

and chopped tomato along with raisins, sugar n spices. Cook for 10-12 mins till the
tomatoes are mushy . Add in toasted sesame and  lemon juice . Gently mash the

  pulp with  a ladle or potato masher. Cook for a min . Garnish with chopped red 

 green bell peppers for an added Christmas zing. 

Serve the dip with  crackers and  Cheesy Xmas trees . 

Merry christmas-2

~ Merry  Christmas  ~
 (Christmas party  for lil tummies)

Christmas is incomplete without sweet treats and  beautifully 

decorated  X-mas trees. Be it the traditional christmas pudding 

or the yummy spiced Christmas cookies , the cheer of holiday 

season is a perfect excuse to sink your tooth into a generous

 holiday indulgence.

I just love the colors of Christmas , its  the time for celebration 
 everywhere.  Once you step out of your house, you are simply  bound to
 be a part of the ongoing activities all around the town.The gorgeous
 decorations at all the shops , malls and  hotels seem to be silently
 competing to draw the maximum attention and highest  footfall .

                                                                                   Pics clicked at Grand Hyatt Goa

Little guests on christmas surely need some more pamper and

 an extra welcome with a large slice of yummy cake but what if

you come to know about their visit the very last moment !!
Keeping in mind my  lil one who dosen't relish the deep flavors n
soaked fruits of Christmas cake the  answer had to be something
 beyond traditional- a  wonderful nutty banana choco cake :) :) 
for sure. While the aroma of the cake wafted in the house - 
I was  busy with the preparation of some quick

 Gingerbread cookies !!!!!Christmas party means lot of 
homemade stuff ....isn't it ???

To add some more fun to the tiny party , the kids had to decorate 

some  gingerbread cookies too - with less time on hand , piping 

some royal icing decorations was jus out of question - so the 

 colorful edible food markers surely came in for rescue. (Thanks

Sailaja,for the lovely gift- I just loved scribbling with it too :) :) )

Baking for Lil ones

Nutty banana choco cake 

Ingredients-
1 cup refined flour (maida),1/4 cup whole wheat flour (atta)
1/4 cup cocoa powder , 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/2  cup yogurt 
(room temp),1/2 cup mashed banana,1 tsp baking powder,
 3/4 tsp baking soda, 1/3 cup olive oil , 2 tbsp choco 
chips , 3 tbsp chopped walnuts ,raisins n  almonds.

Method-
Preheat oven to 180C. Sift together  flour and cocoa n keep
 aside. In a large bowl whisk together yogurt , mashed banana 
& sugar to a smooth creamy consistency,  mix in baking
 powder & soda to it. Keep aside or 3-4 mins till the mixture
is slightly frothy. Gently mix in oil & the flour mixture. 
Add half the nuts & choco chips & reserve rest for topping.
Pour the mixture in a 7" loaf tin , top with remaining nuts & chips 
and bake in a preheated oven for 40- 45 mins or till toothpick 
inserted in the centre comes out clean.Cool for 10 mins in the tin 
& then remove to cooling rack .Cool completely. Slice and serve.

The best part of blogging is the passion that it instills in oneself 
about creating , cooking , clicking & sharing. Sending my alcohol free 
 festive cake to  Jungle frog's Christmas cakes & Monthly mingle. 


Easy peasy Ginger bread cookies 

Ingredients 
1/3 cup butter softened , 1/2 cup castor  sugar ,1 egg beaten,
1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp mixed spice ( powdered nutmeg, clove,cinnamon,
 1/4 tsp fresh ginger juice,  2tbsp honey, 1/2 tsp baking powder.

Method
Whisk together butter and sugar for 4 mins or till pale. Mix in rest of the 
ingredients and knead to a smooth dough (sprinkle some flour if required)). 
Shape the dough into a flat disc , cling wrap & chill in the refrigerator 
for 45 mins. Preheat oven to 180C. Roll the dough on a floured surface to
 3 mm thickness & cut out fancy christmas shapes. Transfer the cookies
to a lined baking tray & bake for 10-12 mins.Cool completely on a wire 
rack before serving.



Do check out my fun food creations 'Santa's Goodies' in the
 Dec issue of Child magazine , India on Pg 60-61. Cute x-mas
pizza, star shaped crackers some easy DIY decorations on cupcakes/
muffns & cookies can surely give a new twist to the party :) :) 

Merry Christmas-1

~ Merry Christmas ~

Beautiful Christmas trees with lovely colorful baubles, 

wreaths of  aromatic pine on the house doors, jingling 

bells & shining LED stars all across the pathway of the 

church, tiny little hands making the beautiful holiday

 crafts and the heavenly smell of cinnamon n nutmeg from

 the bakery shop kitchens remind that its Christmas

 time once again....... 

The real magic of Christmas lies in happy children and 

their tiny peals of laughter . Add a touch of the fun to the 

festive spirit by transforming  simple crackers  into

 objets d'art. 

These cuties are perfect if you are looking forward  to pamper

 your tiny  guests a little more than just a regular bite . 

Rudolph- the Red nose reindeer 

With his spunky spirit and shiny red nose this cute symbol of

 Santa's legend  is sure to bring a smile on the tiny faces. 

Veggies- capsicum, cucumber, olive & tomato dabbed with

 some flavoredcheese & topped on a cracker.

Frosty - the Snowman

Dress up your regular crackers to make this super cute

 snowman. Add a zing with some green peppercorns or 

add a milder punch by substituting it with capers. 

Veggies-  cucumber, olive  tomato& green peppercorn

dabbed with some flavored cheese & topped on a cracker.

Crunchy Christmas tree 

These holly jolly trees are a perfect treat to the little 

tummies. Top the cracker with some cucumber moons 

or make a sweeter version with some peanut butter & 

sliced & halved kiwis. 

Cucumber dabbed with some flavored cheese

 & topped on a cracker.