DAY 86 - BE YOURSELF-DOUGHNUTS...

Though I may be traditional and believe in old fashioned stuff and happily ever afters....
I somehow have not been able to conform, to what everyone thinks is right or wrong ..
And what I abhor most is to be slotted in a group ..
It's been a kind of an allergy ever since I was a kid ..
If everyone went right ..
I would go left ..

Like I chose Economics to graduate in, why?
Because it is tough and very few from my class opted for it ..
Yup I was tearing my hair out, because my finals went on for a month and a half, but I was happy I did this in the end......
Maybe because I don't like to take a path that's often trod...
Maybe because I like to discover life by myself....
And maybe because I'm just plain, stupid enough to jump off a cliff ..
Not knowing where I'm going to land ..

My mum could never understand this about me, because I was your quintessential "GOOD KID" ..
But with a very impulsive non-conformist streak...


Even when it comes to fashion,
I  am really not interested in wearing what everyone is ..
Maybe I have a big ego ..
Maybe I like standing alone ..
Maybe I just do not like being part of a crowd ..
I really don't know ..
Or then maybe I like to tread where angels don't dare ..
But all in all ..
I'm fine with being who I am ..
I like standing solo ..
Even in a crowd..
I'm flawed...
I say what I feel like saying ..and then work my way through it ..

If there is one thing I want my kids to learn .
It is that's it's OK to do things differently ..
It's good to ask questions ..many questions ????
Just because everyone else thinks its right...
Does not mean it is ..
What works for one , may not work for another ..
And yes it's fine to make your own mistakes ..
I think they make the best memories ..
Of what you should not do ..ha ha ha

But want Zeke and Zene to be sensitive to people's feelings ..
Don't hurt any one knowingly ..
Be truthful ..
Stand up for what you feel is right ..

Don't be afraid of saying what's on your mind ..
Don't let anyone walk all over you ..
And it's OK to turn around and walk away from a place that no longer makes you comfortable..
But most of all never give up easily ..
Give it your all and everything ..
Before you decide to walk away ..
I also know , that if in my heart I feel something is wrong..
I may not be right, it may not be all wrong, but it will not be completely all right ..
And so I will go with my heart ..

But I know from life's experience that every person and event in your life , good or bad , always has a positive impact , somewhere down the line ..
And that's what truly makes me happy ..

And so when Zeke wanted to make doughnuts ..
And did not want to make them like the ones you get in the market ..
We decided that we make them any shape we wanted ..
After all it's only the outside that would look different ..
And there is no law laid down saying that doughnuts should look a certain way ..
The inside would still be as yummy ..
And since we had a holiday ..
We decided to go for our doughnuts with flourish ..

Now I have never tried this before, but what the hell, it's always an adventure , when you try something new ..
And what's the worse that could happen ..
It would just not work ..
And then I will try this all over again , with another recipe ..

This is by Lee Drummond..
Also known as the Pioneer woman...
Its fantastic...

Ingredients 

Doughnuts 
1-1/8 cup Whole Milk, Warm 
1/4 cup Sugar 
2 1/2 tsp Fresh Yeast 
2 whole Large Eggs, Beaten 
1-1/4 stick Unsalted Butter, melted 
4 cups All-purpose Flour 
1/4 teaspoon Salt 
Vegetable oil

Preparation Instructions

To Make the Dough:
1. Make sure milk is nice and warm, but not overly hot.
2. Add sugar to milk. Stir to dissolve.
3. Add yeast into a small bowl.
4. Pour milk/sugar mixture over yeast. Stir gently, then let sit for 10 minutes.
5. Melt butter in separate bowl until butter is almost melted. Stir to finish melting so butter won't be overly hot.
6. Add beaten eggs to melted butter, stirring constantly to make sure the butter's not too hot for the eggs.
7. Add the egg/butter mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook.
8. With the mixer on 3 or medium-low speed, pour in the yeast mixture.
9. Allow the dough hook to stir this mixture for a couple of minutes, making sure it's thoroughly combined.
10. With the mixer still going, add helpings of the flour mixture in 1/4 to 1/2 cup increments until all the flour is gone.
11. Stop the mixer, scrape the bowl, then turn the mixer on the same speed for five whole minutes.
12. After five minutes, stop the mixer and scrape the bottom of the bowl.
13. Turn on the mixer for 30 seconds.
14. Turn off the mixer and allow the dough to sit in the bowl undisturbed for 10 minutes.
15. After 10 minutes, transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Toss the dough to coat, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place straight in the fridge.
16. Let the dough prove for at least 4 hours. 

'Dabbie's" Red Velvet ...

So while I put the dough away to prove, I decided to make a red velvet cake for my Friend Shruti , who I fondly call "Dabbie"..
She is just one of the sweetest girls I know ..
We did a play together many many moons ago and we stayed friends..
She is a fellow Sagittarius and absolutely lovable...
And loves food in the same crazy way like I do ...















And so after the dough was proved ..
I got back to it ...


To Make the Doughnuts:
1. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface.
2. Roll out to 1/4 to 1/3-inch thickness.
3. Cut as many shapes as you can, then roll out remaining dough and cut as many shapes as you can.
4. Place both doughnuts on a floured baking sheet.
5. Cover with large tea towel and place in a warm place in your kitchen; I just leave them in my oven.
6. Allow doughnuts to rise undisturbed for at least 1 hour; 1 hour 15 minutes if necessary. Doughnuts should be visibly puffier and appear to be airy.

To Fry the Doughnuts
1. Heat plenty of vegetable oil in a large pot until the temperature reaches 375 to 380 degrees---do not let it get hotter than 380 degrees! 375 is ideal; keep the thermometer in the pan to continually monitor.
2. One to two at a time, gently grab doughnuts and ease them into the hot oil. Allow them to cook 1 minute on each side; they will brown very quickly.
3. Remove doughnuts from the oil with a slotted spoon, allowing all oil to drip off.
4. Place doughnut immediately on several layers of paper towels. Count to five, then flip it over onto a clean part of the paper towels. Count to five, then flip it over again; the purpose, obviously, is to drain as much grease as possible before it soaks into the doughnut.
5. Repeat with remaining doughnuts.
6. Allow doughnuts to slightly cool.

And then I got this recipe of the Chocolate Glaze from Alton Brown.... 

INGREDIENTS1/2 cup unsalted butter 
1/4 cup whole milk, warmed 
1 tablespoon light corn syrup 
2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped 
2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

METHOD

Combine butter, milk, corn syrup, and vanilla in medium saucepan and heat over medium heat until butter is melted. Decrease the heat to low, add the chocolate, and whisk until melted. Turn off heat, add the powdered sugar, and whisk until smooth. Place the mixture over a bowl of warm water and dip the doughnuts immediately. Allow glaze to set for 30 minutes before serving.

Zeke and Zene had fun watching me deep fry each funny shaped doughnut ..
Hearts ,flowers, the ginger bread man, Shrek..
Was all coming out puffy and inviting ..
We put them in many layers of a kitchen tissue to absorb all the oil ..(God deep fried stuff, I really do not like )
Then we dipped each piece into the chocolate glaze ..
And licked our fingers..
Then had to wash them , so this process took some time...
But the kind of satisfaction one gets licking your fingers smeared with chocolate is , just something else...

 We then decorated them with sprinklers ..
Well we devoured quite a few of the Shrek ones ..
Biting into the ears first ..
And then went for the ginger bread man , a few hearts were devoured by Zene ..
So typical of a girl to go for hearts ..Ha ha ha ...
Oh hell I do that too...Ha ha ha 

I like doughnuts , when they are fresh , they have a lovely crispness about them that goes away in a bit ..

The verdict by Zeke and Zene ..
And a few other kids ..
Well they liked it ..
Zeke now wants me to make a giant doughnut to take for all his friends to school ..
And smear it with "Nutella"...
Well not at the moment ..

So you see ..
It does not really matter what the outside is like ..
You do not have to be like everyone else ..
You can be who you are ..
You do not have to conform to society or what everyone thinks is right ..
But on the other hand ..
You must retain your basic human essence..
Be kind ..
Do not hurt anyone ..
Love as much as you can ..
Don't be reckless with other peoples hearts,
Don't put up with people who are reckless with yours (Baz Luhrmen - Sunscreen, Thanks Nikhil Chinnapa)
Laugh till you have tears rolling down your cheeks..
Dance with the one you love ..or alone...
Believe in miracles..
Eat well ..
Look after your body ..
And over and above be a good human being ..

Was thinking that when I am no more. how would I like my family and friends to remember me ..
"Always made us smile, and loved and cooked with abandon" "
Is how I'm hoping they do remember me ...

Well I'm not going anywhere at the moment ..
I have still tons of people to meet , so many people I still want to feed and many more mountain ranges to climb ..
With a big fat smile, and all my fantastic trekking gear, shoes, jackets, mufflers, bag et all...

" Its the insides that always matter "

So here's presenting "Be yourself-Doughnuts "
Shaped how I fancy them to be and full of the essence of a goodness that is so familiar to your palette, only from "Maria's Kitchen "....

DAY 85 - LOVE POTION NO.9 ....

They say that a person who is in love, lives on love and fresh air ...
Now is that so ...
I think to a person in love , the morning is just the most beautiful time to wake up to, because it could mean, you wake up to a face you love or then will run as fast as possible to see that one who puts that unstoppable smile on your face ...
And to sleep is just a waste time..

Well in my opinion ..
Which is not open to any kind of discussion, because this is my space ha ha ha (I love it)
I think when you are in love , you kind of LOVE everything about your day and your night...

As for me , I just find that my day has longer hours because they pour into the night and I think sleep is a waste of time...
I find everything beautiful..
Even the rust on my grills..
I find the clouds sending me messages..
I find meanings in various songs that I listen to, that I have heard before, and also find beautiful songs that I have never heard before...
What is most beautiful about love is that though you look at the world through rose coloured glasses..

After some time, you do take it off..
And look at the person in the reality of the day ..
And thats the only way you can separate the chaff from the grain...
Its difficult to do this in candle lite at night , because that is kind of magical and mystical...
So in the reality of the day, when you look at yourself. your eyes will tell you the truth..
If this is really love or just a beautiful tale you have concocted in your head ...
Is there someone really feeling all you do ..
Or you are imagining it all , because you have a beautiful imagination...

Ha ha ha ...
Well you will know your own truth ...

I just know that its wonderful being in love ..
And whats even more beautiful, is finding that same love in the eyes of the one you are looking into...
That feeling is simply irreplaceable... ...

And so today I'm making something that I love making..
Its easy and trouble...like me...
Its pure comfort,, indulgent yet very simple food..
That you can make and sit by a window, or then by a babbling brook or then at your dinning table. with the one you love ...

INGREDIENTS
1/2 Kg Lamb, boneless, cut into medium pieces 
1/2 Kg lamb on the bone, cut into medium pieces
400gm - onions diced
200gm - tomatoes, skin removed by blanching
200gm - Carrots cleaned and diced
200gm - Peas
300gm - Potatoes
500 ml - fresh or tetra pack coconut milk 
1Tablespoon - Garam masala
A small handful of garlic - peeled and smashed or diced
30 gm - ginger, skin removed and finely sliced
4 - medium spiced green chillies 
6 pieces - Cardamon
2 medium sticks - Cinnamon
4 - Cloves
2 - Bay leaves
1 1/2 Tsp - Cinnamon powder
Salt to taste

METHOD

Heat 4 table spoons of vegetable oil in a cooker..
Add the cardamon, cinnamon , bay leaves, cloves and give it a nice stir..
Then add the chili, and the onions..
Cook then till they turn slightly pink ..
Add the garlic and the ginger...
When the aroma of the garlic is released..
Add the mutton and add the garam masala and cook this till the meat turns nice and brown...
add the tomatoes...
Add salt , a tiny pinch 
Lower the flame and cook the meat for about 30-40 minutes till the mutton is about 3/4 done..

Then add the vegetables the carrots, peas and potatoes and 2 cups warm water ..
Shut the pressure cooker and after the first whistle, lower the flame and let two more whistles go by..
Open the cooker when it is cooled...
I normally do not have the patience to wait, so I dunk it under cold water and open the lid..
Then put it back on a medium flame..
Adjust the salt..
Add the coconut milk and bring it to a boil..
Add the cinnamon powder ...

It is now ready to devour...

This is actually a very simple dish ..
But requires a whole lot of prep and effort and patience ...
You must not try and hurry this because you will spoil this lovely aromatic stew..
Do not over do the flavouring ..
Whats lovely about this , is that you can taste each vegetable and the meat like it is , without too much of a masala flavour and just a hint of it...

This is best served with some "Brun pav" or then some "Naan" ..
And if you want it to look like a very up- market gourmet meal , then plate it in beautiful white crockery and serve with some " French bread " and balance some fresh juliennes of carrot on it , with a sprig of curly leafed parsley....ha ha 
Its really that simple ...

So you see , making this stew is exactly like being in love..
If you really want to keep that beautiful feeling .....
You will have to give this love of yours a lot ..
Time, understanding, kindness, acceptance, trust, forgiveness well the list is endless...and supposed to be unconditional ...
I'm not saying this is a piece of cake..
It all depends on how much you value this..

And if you cannot ..
Then I suggest you just stick to making this stew its easier...
And will have no bitter after taste..even if it goes wrong ...

And to the rest who want to have their stew and eat it too...

Well go for it with abandon..
That's the only way you should ever cook and love..
Without holding back..

Don't let your head mess with your heart ....
If you know you have found the one ...

So here's presenting, ''LOVE POTION NO.9""...
Flavoursome, hot , aromatic, filled with comfort and an immense amount of love...
In every bite..

You will over indulge , let me warn you ...
So its an ideal meal for a lovely after noon ..
Where you plan to do nothing , but hang with the "one"(and I dont mean Keanu Reeves ha ha ha ), under a tree , listen to some music and read or whisper sweet nothings...cuddle...kiss....whatever...
Well do what ever you want actually..
I'm not the authority on love YOU KNOW... 

'LOVE POTION NO.9"

But like putting ideas in your head...ha ha ha 

Served steaming hot, from the fire into your plate ,with an unstoppable smile only from ''Maria's Kitchen"....
I promise you this..
It will be well worth it...
The stew and all....

DAY 83 - THE CALL OF THE WILD

And so today on the eve of the release of "Ek Tha Tiger" I am going to share with you a trip ,we all took together a few years ago to Ramgarh..

I have muffins baked for the kids and I'm really excited to go watch Kabir's labour of love...

"Ek tha Tiger" muffins..

Well in a way it is Mini's too , because I know how much of sweat and blood goes into making a film...And I know its going to be worth all the time and effort ..
And I wish them all the success and happiness...

And now , ready to tell you about a holiday we took with Mini's side of the family,with the score of "Ek tha Tiger" playing in the back ground...
Now "Ramgarh" is  a name, that I had only heard in Sholay ...
And for most of my life, what it looked like in the film was what it was for me ..

So when Mini invited us all over to "SOULITUDE IN THE HIMALAYAS"in Ramgarh,  to bring in the New Year...

We were all really excited
Now the task of co-ordinating dates and holidays of all the kids , the work schedule of Arshad , Kabir, Mini and Sandhya and Amit,  was quite a task, but when there is a will there is a way...
And so, we all had our queries about the place that we addressed to Manish, Mini's elder brother and proud owner of both these fantastic properties...

Walking in Solitude...

I remember the chaos in the middle ,as we were leaving for the airport..
Getting all the woollies packed, getting the kids ready, amidst calling Amito , to be on time, and then I forgot Zene's pram, and also which terminal we were to go too...
So we were late ,did not have Zene's pram and were at the wrong terminal...
Wow what a start...

But all this chaos we forgot once we touched "Soulitude in the Himalayas"...

Well we  finally reached Delhi and like really good girls ..
We went shopping en route to Mini's home...
We then changed and refreshed all the kids, got them pottied , powdered , woolened up and ready to get on the night train...

Some where in the mountain...

But we all had to go to Kareem's..
So we put Arshad into a monkey cap...
Thank God for the cold...
And slipped into one of the busiest streets in Delhi,Jama Masjid...
Where we ordered barra kebab's , sheermal and a whole lot of other stuff...
And when the barra kebabs , came , all of us including the kids , pounced on them and for the first time after many hours there was silence ...
Since every one's mouth was full...
And then we heard little Vivian say, " can I have some more"
Well we ate in a frenzy ...
Like you see a shark feeding frenzy...
And in no time, the plates were swiped clean and there were extremely satisfied faces all around...
Arshad meanwhile was recognized and took photos with the entire staff...
Now was time to catch the night train to "Ramgarh"...


Well happy and full, we passed out in our berths ...
When we woke up in the morning ...
We were greeted by the fresh fragrance of green and nippy fantastic weather.....
And two and a half hours later ..we reached "Soulitude in the Himalayas "...

But as the barra kebabs have not yet been erased from the memory of my taste buds...
...
I'm going to give you a dish today made with Lamb Rib's ...

No they are nothing like the barra kebabs...
That was sacred and I just cannot make that, as reverence to its royalty and also because I do not have the recipe.... ha ha ha 

But these rib's are really good so here goes...

INGREDIENTS

Lamb Ribs - 2 kg

A handful of garlic with the cover

Onion - 1 , cut in four pieces

Tomato -1 cut in half

Carrot - 1 cut in half

Bay leaf - 2

Thyme - 3 sprigs

Parsley stalks- about 5

Salt and pepper to taste...

In a large thick bottomed pot, add all the above ingredients....

Add enough water to cover all the ingredients..and bring to boil, then let it simmer on the gas for about an hour...

Please spoon off all the scum that rises to the surface...

After about an hour and a little more , turn off the gas, and transfer the ribs to another plate for storage...

You can then sieve the liquid and use it as stock ...

You cam keep these ribs in the fridge over night ...

ROASTING....

Garlic- a handful

Olives- black and green a handful

Kashmiri chili's - 8 de-seeded 

Olive oil

Rock salt

Pre heat the oven to 175 degrees..

In a roasting tin , arrange the lamb ribs...

Scatter the olives and the garlic and the roughly chopped Kashmiri chillies , seeds removed ...

Throw some rock salt over the lamb and drizzle with a generous amount of olive oil...

Roast it in the oven for an hour...

The call of the wild lamb ribs...

So while the chops are in the oven let me tell you about "Soulitude in the Himalayas" where we spent a good many days in bliss..


Manish , was just awesome...

"Manish the awesome"

He looked after us like you would family...
He took us on long treks into mountains..
And we came back to hot delectable food from the "Soulitude in the Himalayas" kitchen...
And we ate like we had never seen food...
It was so yummy , with vegetables and produced grown on his "River-side property" ...
We also met a "Mountain Baba" , who told us how a tiger once slept in his cave on a cold winter night ...

Tiger- baba...

Manish took us on long walks , down paths filled with green ..
Took us into the market, and fed us goodies ..
we went on drives , had barbeque's...

The best "maggie" dhaba ever....

And I will never forget a break-fast we had one morning ..
It was so nice and yummy and we devoured it with a nip in the air..
And we must have had break-fast for at least an hour and a half...
Chatting, smearing our warm toast with Amul butter and jam made in the mountains...
While all our collective kids ran around...

At the end of it ..
I remember we girls just lay down right there in the grass and basked in the warm sun with our full tummies..
As Ratna, Manish's uber talented wife, kept our kids busy, with artistic activities...
She is the most soft spoken person I have met in my life..
And she has done the interiors of "Soulitude in the Himalayas " so aesthetically, nothing is over bearing . or shouts "look at me" and yet you cannot stop gaping ,at the beautiful comfortable aura this place has , filled with pretty corners and interesting nooks...
Well Ratna,  is just awesome with interiors and has a very keen eye for all things fine and beautiful...
And Manish and Ratna's daughter Anahat , is just the sweetest girl and an awesome baker....

There are some times in life that you never forget...
This was one of them...
Simple , filled with great company. fantastic food , from a kitchen that was over-flowing with warmth just like the owners of Soulitude...
And paths that talk to your soul...

 Manish also took us to his place ,on the banks of a lovely water body...

Pristine and inviting..
Think if we were not freezing as it was December, we would all have jumped into its inviting coolness...

I have not yet been able to go back...
But really want to...
Now more than ever...
Because it was peaceful , quaint and nestled in the arms of the beautiful Himalayan mountain ranges...

Secluded and filled with wonderment...
With stories of a tiger that lurks in the night ...


And the nights were black and silent ..
With the stars calling out to you ...
I have never seen a sky so filled with stars like I saw in Ramgarh...
The most mesmerizing sight ...

And then to sit shrouded under the  blanket of an inviting sparkling sky ...
And indulge in some sparkling wine...
can it really get better...
You definitely work up an enormous appetite..

So now, I'm sitting on my terrace , with the Lamb ribs I have made , sizzling out of the oven..
I have just broken some feta and thrown it over the ribs..
And bits of it has started melting ...
Its just the kind of food you want to dig into on a night filled with stars, ...
So with some home- made bread straight out of the oven and this lamb whose aroma transports me to the mountains ...

I dig in...
Hmmmm...
It is succulent meat that just falls off the bone..
And has such a basic rustic , flavour to it ...
With each bite...
You can feel the lamb melt inside your mouth and  I can feel myself walking up into a mountain ...
And the sweet fragrance of the pine in the air ...


So here's presenting..."The call of the wild" ...
Lamb ribs cooked to perfection..
With a memory of one of the nicest holidays , spent in a place that should frankly be kept a secret forever, with friends

that I would travel anywhere with...
Earthy "Call of the Wild- Lamb Ribs" sizzling hot , rustic and simply succulent only from 'Maria's Kitchen"....
 

SOME OF THE LIONESSES....

DAY 82 - SOUL-SISTER BITES

And so today is "Friendship Day"...
and I woke up thinking , how corny...

But then again you can only celebrate something if you have it ...
And thankfully I have wonderful friends...
We have known each other for years , know each others secrets good, bad and ugly...and we are still friends...

Now I think what really tests a relationship is "Time"...
More than anything else..
And today woke up thinking , my friends are my life-line...
And the ones that stay with you after the party is over , are the ones whose names you need to engrave in your heart...
I love my friends and am blessed with a wonderful pride of lionesses...
Of course we love a whole lot of lions too...but I think we function like a  tight knit "chick-gang"..
We watch each others backs..
Tell one another the truth ....
And if someone is getting lost, we get them back home.....
We snarl and sometimes bite and get the errant one into our favorite spot near the water..
And practise tough love or the most beautiful spa therapy, depending on the issue ...
Ha ha ha ...

And I would not want it any other way ..
We have done a lot of madness together and cannot imagine life without the few I take totally for granted and they know they can do the same with me...
I don't make friends very easily and so I like to hold close, the ones I really connect with...
Because they make me a richer person...

And so today going to give you a recipe for chocolate muffins...

Ingredients....

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup brewed coffee (or 1 cup of warm water mixed with 1 1/2 teaspoons of espresso powder or instant coffee granules)
• 1 Tbsp white vinegar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 6 Tbsp (1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp) olive oil

Method...

Cupcakes:

1 Preheat oven to 175 degrees C with a rack in the middle position. Prepare a muffin tin with cupcake liners.

2 In a large bowl, vigorously whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt until there are no visible clumps (cocoa tends to clump up).

3 In a separate bowl, mix together the coffee (or water plus coffee granules), vinegar, vanilla extract, and olive oil.

4 Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir only until they just come together. The mixture should be thin and rather lumpy.

5 Ladle the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about two-thirds of the way full. Place in oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until a tooth-pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

6 Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove from pan and let cool on a rack. Once cool, you can eat plain, sprinkle with powdered sugar, or drizzle or coat with frosting.

This recipe I found on Simple recipes and it is amazing..
I added a hand full of chocolate buttons to the batter...
I made this for my Nephew Kyle's birthday party and they vanished very very quickly ...
You don't really need frosting, But I love it when a cupcake looks at you in that ," awww you have to have me" kinda way ...
And so went ahead and put a frosting on them ..
But you really do not need to, because they are lovely and deeeeelicious just the way they are...


They reminded me a lot of my friends who I'm a very fortunate to have in my life...
So today on "Friendship day" ....ewwww this is soooo corny ...(But I'm still gonna do this.... )
I just want to say , to the ones , you know who you are...
"I love you , with my whole heart and soul, and thank you for keeping me in your life, I know I'm not easy sometimes (ok most of the times), I'm stubborn , ask for advice and do my own thing, silly sometimes to the point of exasperation and drive you crazy with my mercurial behavior..
But I love you and cannot think of my life without you in it...
And if I upset you , which I do and you know I will continue...
Please feel free to tell me exactly what a hatter I am..
But stay and I promise to walk with you till the sun don't rise ...
And promise to make you laugh and entertain you with my funny crazy life...
And feed you , till you don't want any more ...
And if you need a shoulder to cry on ...
Please don't , you know I'm ticklish...
Just give me the name of the person who has caused you tears and a gun with bullets..."

Seriously , I just feel immensely blessed that I have such beautiful and varied souls as my friends...
And so here's presenting, the most feather like and mouth melting chocolate muffins I call, "Soul -sister bites....
Only from Maria's Kitchen ...

To the girls I love and the boys on the side..... ha ha ha ....
Just FYI.....Cup-cakes are not fattening, if you "exercise and think thin" ...
I'm sticking to my theory...
Stop laughing ....

DAY 81 : LOVE ME TENDER GNOCCHI...

I sometimes want to do something..
And I keep thinking about it..
But I'm always fighting against myself or time..
But I'm the kind , that if I really want to do something ,more often than not...
I do find a way ...
Never an excuse...

And sometimes, I feel that probably I should just take a few steps back ..
And sit quietly and do some yoga, go for a run..
And just do everything, but what I want to do ...
So then I go with that, and wait for an answer from the universe..

I'm full of questions..
Always..
And like getting answers to my questions...
And if I don't get answers...
Well then.
I wait and ask a few more questions ..
Ha ha ha

And I have been in a very Italian state of mind...
And have been wanting to make Gnocchi since I learnt it at Tante Marie...
But somehow the whole process is a little long...
And so every time I think of making Gnocchi ...I actually shy away from it...

But you know, for me, when in doubt, I either eat chocolate or then cook..
So after procrastinating for really long..
 I finally made it..
Here goes..

INGREDIENTS

Potatoes - 500 gm

Eggs - 3

Flour - 340 gm

Parmesan grated - 200 gm

Bake the potatoes at 200 degrees for about 45 minutes a night before , if you want to make this for lunch the next day..

(Ritu Dalmia says that you should enclose each potato in foil and so I did that)

Leave them to cool...Do not put them in the fridge , they get soggy)

Scoop out the flesh of the cooled potatoes ...

If you do not have a vegetable mill or sieve, mash them thoroughly piece by piece with a fork...

That's what I did...

Then I mixed the eggs , flour, potato flesh and Parmesan together, till it came together like dough..

Do not over mix , or it gets all gooey...

Flour your hands well , divide into tiny portions, that is easy to use , and roll the gnocchi into a sausage..

With a floured knife, cut them into small pieces and shape on a fork..

In a pan of very well salted boiling water, drop in the raw Gnocchi, bit by bit, as soon as it rises to the surface, it is cooked take it out and immerse in chilled water, let the excess water drain, toss in some olive oil and store in the fridge on a clean tea towel...

Ingredients

Butter- 75 gm

Mushrooms - about 400 gm mixed variety

Broccoli - 150 gm

Red and Yellow pepper - 1/2 each sliced

Pepper and salt to taste

A dash of white wine

A sprinkle of Parmesan...

METHOD

First add a blob of butter in a non stick pan...add the Gnocchi, do not stir or toss , till the gnocchi gets a lovely golden brown..

Toss the Gnocchi , so that the other side also gets a bit of colour..

Then place it in a colander to drain..

Add some more butter to the pan, add the mushrooms to it..

When it is all done..

Drain the juices of the mushrooms onto the gnocchi..

To the same pan add a little butter and a dash of wine, add the red and yellow peppers and the broccoli, let it all cook "al-dente"...

Drain this into the gnocchi and the mushrooms...

Now clean the pan add a little water and bring to boil...

Then add a dash of wine and some butter, olive oil and  whisk till a thin emulsion is formed...

Add the gnocchi, mushroom , pepper and broccoli to the pan..

Mix it all together..

Season with salt and pepper and serve piping hot sprinkled with some Parmesan......

Making Gnocchi has a very meditative feeling..
So if you feel like you need to just shut the world out ..
Then make Gnocchi, because you really have to concentrate on each step along the way..
Do not make gnocchi if you are upset or angry, if you are then make bread ..

When you begin the process of making Gnocchi,  its beautiful ,kneading the potato, flour and eggs and Parmesan..
The texture is so soft and delicate...
Its not like making bread , where you have to punch the dough and knead it well..
This is more involved tender process..
Its like the Elvis song"love me tender"
If you are tough with this dough, it just spoils...it gets soggy...
It's like a girls heart, you behave in a heartless manner and you will make her cry ...
You need to be soft and patient and treat the dough with love...

When you cook your gnocchi in a pan with butter..
It looks golden and tastes really wholesome and fluffy..
I love adding wine to food..
So I added a bit of Rose..
Because the flavour is not too intense and not too acidic..
It has the right amount of sweetness and bite...

So here's presenting,"Love Me Tender Gnocchi", fresh, fluffy and very very fussy...
But laced with the most exquisite hint of butter and wine, with mushroom's and peppers 
An ideal dish for someone you really love , over a glass of red and some heartfelt conversation..
only from "Maria's Kitchen"  ...

DAY 79 : SPY PROOF TART....

Kids are too cute..
Specially sometimes when they believe all the wild stories , I make up...
Yesterday was one such day..
As my sister is down with her kids...
Its a full, crazy, running, screaming house...
And I wanted some peace..

And some "me" time..

Feel like a Tart ?????

So I decided to make "Flaky Pastry"...
I did not know what I'm going to make with it..
But the whole process of making flaky pastry is very soothing and calming...
So I got together lard, butter, flour , salt and water and started....

And then in the middle of it all, when my hands were into flour , Zeke and Kyle, decided to run around the kitchen and play "Super-Spy"..
I tried getting them out, but no amount of asking, scolding and then later screaming, was helping..
They were talking loudly in the same room to one another on "spy-talkies"

I thought I'm going to go crazy..
And so changed tactics...

Called them and told them I have a secret to tell them, they love secrets..
And so I whispered "I'm a secret agent"...
Zeke and Kyle..stopped talking..
Then Zeke's eyes lit up...
And Kyle looked at me with a smile, I think he must have been saying"all lies" in his head...

But in the next 5 minutes, they were both eating out of the palm of my hand...

I told them that there are cameras all over our home, so I cant talk loudly..
As I'm really not allowed to tell anyone , as it could be dangerous..
And that I have a special phone that connects me to the main office..
And this, went on..
I put my pastry in the fridge to rest...

And was wondering what to make for dinner...
and had tit-bits of stuff at home..
So decided to put it all together and make a tart..

Ingredients...

Onions -1/2 kg

Tomatoes- 2

Bacon Rashers or Chicken salami or Chicken sausage- about 150gm

Green chili- 2

Garlic chopped- about 6

Lamb minced- 1/2 kg

Milk - 350 ml

Eggs -2

Paprika - 1 tsp

Garam Masala or Mixed Spices- 2 tsp

Salt and Pepper to taste

Butter - 2 tbsp

Olive oil - 1 tbsp

Wheat flour - 1tsp

Heat a tablespoon of butter with the olive oil in a non -stick pan...

Keep 100 ml milk aside..

To the remaining milk add the eggs and beat it well and keep aside...

Add the chili and garlic..

Stir it a bit and add the onions..

Let the onions get very slightly cooked then add the paprika, garam masala and some pepper...

Add the Bacon rashers or chicken salami and the minced lamb..

After about 15 minutes add the tomatoes

Cook it all really well for about 10 minutes more...

Add about 100 ml of the milk and let it cook for 10-15 minutes more , till it all gets creamy...

Take it off the fire and add the wheat flour to it..

Give it a very good stir...

Cool the mix a bit..

Then add the remaining milk that has been blended with eggs..

You get flaky pastry in the market..
If you live out of India..
In Mumbai , some bakery's sell it too..
And so just buy it ready made..if you can...because its a long process to make it...

Roll out your flaky pastry to the size of your tart case...

Do not make it too thin, I kept mine a little more than 1/4 an inch...

Prick the base of the pastry , this stops it from rising while cooking ...

Add the filling , but not till the top...as it rises while baking...

Grate some mozzarella cheese over it ..

And bake it at 200 degrees for 35 minutes if its a 7 inch tart ring ...

And a little more depending on how big a tart you are making..

Cook it till you see that the flaky pastry is nice and brown and has left the sides of the pan..

The cheese will burn, please do not let that scare you ...

So while all this got ready, I was being asked questions about my first spy assignment!
Do spy's only wear black?
How many gadgets do I have..
Do I have my own aeroplane?
Do I have a partner?
How many cases have I worked on?
Do all spy's do yoga?
Does my phone and my car transform?
Do my boots help me fly?
Am I stronger than a guy?

And then like "Calvin and Hobbes"..they made a transmogrifer....
Out of a carton...and very happily chucked all my books out of it ..
And used up all my little note papers to write codes and draw maps..
So now I have two little secret agents Z1 and K1..
Who have begged me to tell my boss to "Please make them part of the spy union, PLEASE ...PLEASE PLEASE..." were the exact words...

So I told them, that there are rules..
1. You cannot tell anyone, that I am a spy..
2. You have to first learn to talk softly..
3. You have to be fantastic in your studies, specially since you will need maths, science, history and geography in all field work..
4. Have to learn at least one foreign language..
5. Need to play at least one musical instrument(Zeke says drums, so I'm doomed)
6. Have to be super in martial arts..
7. Must know how to cook.
8.  Must be able to make friends with animals..
9. Must treat all girls and everyone smaller than them with care.
10. And the most important of all, must start with first listening to Mama, because you cannot do anything you want when you work as a spy, you have to follow orders and listen to instructions...

Ha ha ha , I was rolling on the floor laughing inside my head, looking at the wonderment in their eyes..
And then I notched it up a bit..
I looked and Zeke and told him"Baby last year, when I went to London for my chefs course"...
"You were on a secret mission???" he completed...
"And you were only pretending to cook?"...
Ha ha ha I love little boys...

And at the end of 30 minutes, the tart was ready..
Steaming hot and the aroma was bursting with excitement...
Zene, who also wants to be a trainee spy, helped me set the table..
Zeke , Kyle , Cruz and Zene...

Sat down and ate without any "choo-cha"...
"Awesome Mama, awesome"..
I think that's their favorite word...
Then I pretended like it was some work call , and told them that , they are being watched and if they follow all the rules, then after they have finished their studies ...
They may get chosen as secret spy's...

I sometimes am amazed at my imagination...
And more at the innocence of little kids..
They live life full of wonderment..
And I live it with them...
I love today...
I love tomorrow..
And I love my yesterday...because it made me find so many little things about me today ...


And so as I take a bite, the crunch of the flaky pastry and softness of the filling...makes a wholesome tasty bite of complete comfort...
I'm thinking this can get very very addictive...
Hmmmm ...its the perfect meal for a Saturday night..
And so here's presenting, "Spy Proof Tart"...hot out of the oven and straight onto a plate ....
Only from "Maria's Kitchen".....

P.S. ANd as im posting this, I have been asked by my Zeke to please take him to my head- quarters to meet my team....ha ha ha ...

Dear God,
I thank you eternally , for making me a mom, and giving me these little ones...
And a chance to feel a love so pure, that wants nothing in return...
Your Favourite,
Maria...

 

DAY 78 : I CAN HAVE MY CAKE AND EAT IT TOO..

And so after running in the rain and stuff like that, I decided to join Crossfit ..
Why ?
Because I went for two sessions in the holidays at a bizarre hour of 6am..and loved it ...
Why 6 am in the holidays???
 I can hear you think ...

Painted by my cub Zeke..

Well I really don't know, what I was thinking ..
Oh wait! I was not thinking ...

So after stopping all exercise in the holidays ..
And indulging myself completely...
My body really started craving some kind of crazy exercise...
(it has crazy thoughts sometimes)..
And so after indulging in early morning running in the rain..
I finally joined Crossfit again in July...
And bonus, my friend Mini also works out there..
And it's always more fun hanging with her..

And so every morning after dropping my cubs to school...
 I head straight to this mad crazy place, filled with everyone who just loves the rush, and the pain of a kick-ass work out , and all come back for more ...

And no it's not like a normal gym , with shiny mirrors every where , and everyone checking themselves out..
Here you get so destroyed that you do not even want to look into a mirror..
It's basic and fantastic...
Straight to the point ...
And that's exactly how I like it ...

Well it's now two whole weeks and frankly , I think I'm kind of getting fully addicted..
Cross fit is just an awesome place to work out ..
And Dipesh is truly inspirational...

All the trainers there Jehangir, Mihir, Mrinav, Akash, Karan are just so dedicated and push you to do more than you think is possible...
And are always around, so there is no chance of an injury due to incorrect form, or if you are a beginner and have never exercised...
 I have never been to a place so sorted...

I'm the worst candidate in a gym..
I'm an outdoor person and a yoga person...
Hanging with dumbells is just, not what I do ...

I don't know what to do with them , frankly ...
And even if I was told..
I just do not remember...

The last time I really enjoyed working out was with my trainer Vilayat, who used to do functional training with me...
All kinds of crazy things ...
He is simply out of this world...but I lost him to cricket ..
He is a cricket coach, and the most gentle soul you could meet...
Who would make sure I did my routine in his very silent persuasive way, and would ignore my "excuse face"...

But Crossfit is Vilayat on steroids ...
Here we all work out in a group and do all kinds of everything, from pull ups, push ups, jumping on boxes, carrying weights, doing some crazy stuff with them, burpies and other technical terms I have never ever heard...and then at the end of an hour ...

Lakshya ..destroyed...

We all just lie there on the floor..
Destroyed  , glowing and happy ..
And totter off very slowly to a day , that is always fantastic...
Because of the crazy amount of happy hormones kicked in...

And so most days after I'm completely destroyed ...
I go back and cook something healthy ...

And so a few days ago , Dipesh made me taste a lovely concoction of a fruit smoothie, that I promptly went back made and drank up greedily...
And then after another work out..
He made me taste brownies, that were healthy....
Maybe I always look hungry...that's why most people are always offering me food...
Oh and the fact that I suffer from low BP...
(And thought that I'm going to pass out one day after my work-out ...)

And so I asked Dipesh what all went into that brownie....
And decided to make a healthy cake to share with the  batch I workout with, after our Friday the 13th work out...

I do not have the proper recipe..
Because I was just putting stuff together , tasting the batter and the consistency, and adjusting it ..
But I can tell you all the ingredients I used ...

INGREDIENTS

Dates

Figs

Apricots

Prunes

Raisins

Cocoa powder

Eggs- 3

A fresh coconut scraped...

Coconut water

Apple-1

Courgette-1

Carrot-1

Almond flour

Baking powder - 1 tsp

Bicarbonate of soda - 1tsp

Vegetable oil - 3 tbsp

A handful of walnuts, coarse lay chopped ...

Oats...

METHOD..

Pre-heat the oven to 175 degrees.

In an electric mixer, blend all the dried fruit , with the eggs , honey and vegetable oil ..

When it is blended ,add the cocoa powder and taste it, adjust more sweetness in terms of dates and prunes, or more chocolate , with the cocoa powder..

Grate the apple, courgette and carrot and keep aside ..

Mix the almond flour with the baking powder and soda bicarbonate and keep aside ..

Pour the puréed contents of the mixer , into the grated fruit and vegetables..

Add the dried mix of flour to it ..

Mix well..

As this was done without measurements ..

I tasted the raw batter and adjusted the sweetness, and the consistency with coconut water ...

I added the hand broken walnuts last ..

I then weighed and divided the batter into half ..

Into one I added a hand-full of oats.

But you have to see that you do not over add as the consistency may go all wrong ...

Bake the cakes for 30 minutes, or till a tooth-pick inserted in the center of the cake , comes out clean...

I made two cakes..
One without oats - this was very very soft
One with oats - this was soft but had a bite ...

I'm really ecstatic..
This cake has no butter, no sugar and no flour ...
I don't know if I can make it healthier than this ...
They came out soft and did not have a very heavy chocolate aroma ...( which I'm going to sort out the next time)

I CAN HAVE MY CAKE AND EAT IT TOO...

But it was yummy and not in a healthy way...
You know what I mean, everyone thinks that if something is healthy , it cannot be tasty and vice-versa...
I thought that the cake was nice, and really light and moist ,but I would have liked it sweeter...

I gave some to Arshad , while he was trying to exercise ..because I wanted an opinion..
I sent some to Mini's ....

And took some to the gym, for our Friday the 13th Workout ...
And frankly was not so dead today ...
Maybe it was easier today..
Because Dipesh was feeling generous and wanted us to have a relaxed weekend ..
Ha ha ha ..

Dipesh...

Well he works out like a beast and pushes everyone too...
And he is such a lovely gentle soul...
Who causes us all a lot of pain , but " sweet pain"...

Well I shared the healthy cake with all...
And the consensus was "it's good ! is it really healthy?"
Its nice to see a bunch of health conscious guys and girls dig into cake, with no guilt at all...

I follow Kabir, if he stops, then I know its enough.

I'm definitely going to be making this more often...
I cannot believe I actually made a cake , from scratch, with no real recipe to follow ..
I just followed my instinct and my taste buds..
Well I think I want to make this slightly sweeter..
And also have a little more chocolate feel to it...

But I think it's a start, I don't think I'm going to stop cooking what I do cook,but will add a whole lot of healthy options also...
I'm really liking this way of life...
Vegetarian, fishitarian and paleotarian...
(who sometimes cheats with red meat, who to me is like the dark handsome guy in soppy fictional love stories..ha ha .)

And at the end of the day..
It's respecting your body...
And that is as important as respecting yourself and others...

No I'm not striving to be size zero or skinny...
But I definitely want to be a very healthy and fit me...
So that I can still climb trees with my cubs and go up a mountain, swim in the deep blue..

Good health is not a legacy...
It's something we earn, if we respect our life...

And frankly I'm extremely happy and really hope I continue this ...
Err I even have funky glitter silver Vibram shoes ..

These shoes are meant for "cross-fit"ing

That I can't wear anywhere else, so I better go to cross-fit  ..
Ha ha ha ...

And now "I can have my cake and eat it too" ...
Is that not the coolest ...
How many of you can do that ...



So I cut  some banana and some mangoes, and arranged it onto this very healthy yummy brownie-cake, and poured some organic honey onto it...

So here's presenting my concoction of , " I can have my cake and eat it too" ...
Fresh and made without a recipe...
Filled with dried and fresh fruits and full of healthy goodness , for the ones who are nuts about being healthy and fit ..
Only from " Maria's Kitchen"...

DAY 76 : UNPREDICTABLE MANGO JAM...

UNPREDICTABLE MANGO JAM...

Oh yes ...
And after Spain won the UEFA 2012 last night beating Italy by 4 fantastic goals..
I just had to celebrate...
Why???

Because I love Spain..the place, the people , the food , the language , the Sangria, the beaches..the mountains...Xabi Alonso..(who is yummy...)
And how amazing that place just makes you feel..
Sun-kissed and very happy...
I was there last year on holiday with my girl-friends and made memories that are gonna last me till I do'nt lose my memory ...ha ha ha .
And so what I made actually reminds me of the golden in the Spanish flag..

And so ,here I'm at it again...
Can't help it ...
Trying to keep the flavour of mangoes with me for a longer time than possible..
And so I have been devouring them like they are zero calorie ..
Using them in salads, dressings, desserts and even put some in my face pack...
And it was "Deeeelicious"...
I don't know if it did anything for my skin...but I was busy licking my lips...
Because the honey, lime and mango combination was just too yummy...
And Taz was looking at me, like I was his dessert....wagging his tail, ready to lick my face ....
Ha ha ha...

And so I made something , I saw my mummy make every year ..
And store in huge glass jars in the fridge...
And for a very large part of the year..
We had yummy mango jam , mango ice-cream, mango chutney etc...etc..

INGREDIENTS

Fresh Mango pulp-1.2 kg...(that's because, I had quite a number of Alphonso mangoes at home)
Castor sugar- 1 1/2 cup
Sour limes -3 squeezed..

Method..

In a non stick pan..
Stir all the ingredients together on a medium to low flame...
You have to keep stirring it, till the consistency changes to thick and very glossy...
It took me approximately an hour , fifteen minutes and a little more...
You know you are done , when you run your spatula through the pulp and it parts like how Moses parted the waters of the sea to save his people..
Err but not till all the horses had run through..
Just count 1...2...3... And you can then take it off the fire..and let it cool completely before transferring it into a clean and dry glass container or Tupperware of your choice...
You are done ...

That easy, probably my easiest recipe till date , and one that is really deeply satisfying ....
Now keep a little out, for daily"  greedumption " my version of greedy consumption..
And the rest store in the fridge..

So while I was stirring the mango pulp and inhaling the aroma, of probably the last mangoes this season..
(Because now, on account of the rains, the mangoes in the market are not upto mark...)
I was just thinking , that this. is just an ideal way of keeping with me .all who I don't want to let go off...

So are there more like me..
Making jam of what they want to keep with them...

Longer than a season ,for a reason known best to them...
Simply because who has really seen a life-time....

How nice , if we could also add lime and keep with us ,the people we love..
So when we miss them..
All we have to do is go to the jar ,say marked "Betty-boo" or "Ninja", my golden-retriever and my Boxer...
And there ,they are with me, all over ,again...
Jumping , bouncing, wagging their tails ...

Unfortunately life is not as easy as making Jam...
You cannot put anyone in a bottle, or hold on to them...
More than they want to be held....

We were meant to be free,  that is our true essence...
And it is that fragrance that permeates through our very being...
And the choices we make in "complete freedom" are the only ones we can truly stand by...

In my opinion , how a person behaves with you while exercising his complete 'free will', is directly proportionate to where you stand in their life and vice versa..
It's easy to ask for what you want , or put limitations or expectations onto any relationship...
But for me, free will is the "clincher" the deal " maker" or" breaker"..

There are no "genie's " in any bottle...

And no amount of preservatives can keep anything forever...
But while it is with you, if it brings you unboundable happiness, then it's worth it..

As you know, everything in a bottle comes with a shelf life...
But thank fully some relationships don't...

And the ones that do...
Well....I don't know...????

And I'm sure that's why God gave us "memories" ...
That we can visit , each time we are missing someone ...
All we really have to do is visit our memory of that person, and smile again...
All the little moments, you shared everything that made you laugh, giggle, cry, fight, scream, sing, eat, cook, argue, talk, stay silent, run, walk, travel, drink coffee, have green tea, get drunk with champagne, swim, jump, dance, whisper, play in the rain, drive...everything...

Or then sometimes we keep photographs...
Because photograph's do not change , even if the person in them has...

So yes while I was busy stirring this very rich mango pulp, that was soon starting to look like a beautiful sun shining , satiny  quilt , that you would like to drape around you on a rainy day ...
And the aroma of which was driving me slowly but surely insane ...

In my head, I had a number of people that I would have liked to make into "Jam" ..
So that I could hang on to them longer than what life intends...

But since thats not possible...
In this crazy kitchen that exists in my head....
I have these little bottles in different colours...
And they have smiling photographs on all of them, of the ones that I love...
And inside I have a corresponding spice or ingredient...

Ha ha ha ..
And I just cannot share the names or what ingredient each one stands for...
Because I don't want to get beaten up...
The whole exercise then ,would be counter active...

But in my head at the moment I'm having a mad laugh fest...
And all these bottles are walking around and I'm having a wonderful tea party with all of them...
And yes, Mad-hatter , the Cheshire cat and the Rabbit are very much part of it ...
And the man on the moon...

Bottom line..

My mango jam is really nice ,wholesome, and very basic,has the flavour and essence of fresh mangoes..
It has a beautiful rich colour and an uneven texture..(I left pieces of mango in it, for ....unpredictability)
There is nothing artificially flavoured or coloured..
What you see ,is what you get..
Or rather what you put into it, is exactly what you get back... ha ha ha ....

Blue pancakes

Settled 1/3 of my cookery books..

And it's , just going to be a pleasure biting into a slice of toasted multigrain bread with  Mango Jam, smeared generously on it..
When it's pouring cats and dogs here in Mumbai , and there are no more mangoes available in the market ...

So here's presenting wholesome , flavoursome , simple ,"Unpredictable Mango Jam" inspired by my mum...
Made with tons of old and new wonderful memories..
That are lying in bottles marked with smiling faces in the kitchen of my heart...

As I'm busy licking my fingers only in , "Maria's Kitchen

DAY 74 - SILENT MOMENT MUFFINS

Mini ...my voice of sense and reason ......always...

I'm going to start today's blog with what my friend Mini Mathur wrote on Twitter...

My sentiments exactly...

In this short life of ours..
We are given families that we are born into ...
And then we meet strangers in life , who by a strange twist of fate become our friends..
"Friends are the families we choose for our selves.."
And in between our families and the friends in our Life...
We all do have our favorites and the ones we love more than others...

A star for each one in my life...

And yes we all really have very busy lives and are constantly juggling between home , kids, work , social commitments and trying to find some me time..
 And sometimes we take for granted friendships and relationships..
And I guess that's where we make our biggest mistakes in life..

We were all born on this Earth for a purpose...and we will all one day have to leave planet earth..
So should we not make the most of the time we have here , and spend quality time with the ones we love..
Rather than live in regret when we can't anymore...

Yes all relationships have their bouts of anger, love, disappointment, happiness, beautiful happy highs and horrible lows...
But I think if we are able to cross a bridge..
Say sorry if we have wronged someone ..
Or then just forgive , without holding a grudge...
I think we will lead a richer life...

I'm not saying be part of a one sided relationship, or a selfish relationship or an abusive relationship...
But don't let your EGO get in the way of someone you like, love  or someone who does bring a smile to your face...

I feel that love or friendship need not make you laugh like crazy ...
But it should definitely not make you cry...
Then something is wrong somewhere..
Maybe then you can keep this person in your heart but not in your life...
And if you are really large hearted ,then in your life too....

I'm happy that I'm blessed with family that is amazing ...
And friends who are my family...

And today made muffins, because I was thinking about everyone who is part of my life..
Some physically, some mentally , some emotionally and some spiritually..
Yes I bake when I'm pondering about life too...

 INGREDIENTS

Butter-50 gm
Dark Chocolate - 40 gm
Castor sugar - 100 gm
Egg - 1/2
Vanilla extract -1/2 tsp
Flour - 130 gm
Butter milk - 140 ml
Bicarbonate of soda - 1/2 tsp
Dark chocolate chips  -85gm

METHOD..

Pre heat the oven to 200 degrees C.
Melt the butter with the chocolate in a bowl over hot water  ...
Or zap it in the micro wave..
Stir in the sugar, egg, vanilla and butter milk..

Teal Blue..I love you ...

 Sift the flour with the soda bi-carb and add the chocolate chips to it...
Mix this into the wet chocolate mix..
Do not over work the batter..
Spoon it into tiny muffin cases and bake for 15 minutes or till a toothpick inserted into the muffin , comes out clean...

I then made a drop consistency of sugar icing and let it flow over the cold muffins ..
Sprinkled them with stars ... 

These muffins I made in silence..(no don't laugh)
Yup ....I do stay quiet tooo...
Very very quiet..
And was thinking about my life this past year to be precise..

All the places I travelled to , all the wonderful friends I met, all the soul connections I established..

All the laughter , all the fun, all the memories of this year gone by..
And yes my year starts with the kids holidays and ends with them starting school.
And was thinking of the ones who are really part of my life....
The ones who have always been there for me and the new ones I have included in my life..

No I'm not the easiest person to be friends with ...

I talk too much...
I ask too many questions..
I argue too much..
I eat too much ...
I do everything too much ...
And I'm sure I'm a pain, even though in my head I think I'm a good soul to have in ones life...
I'm far from perfect...

But I am also am very forgiving ...
And I love too much ..
And I do not like losing the ones I love..
It kills me..

And so if the ones I love , want me part of their life..
I will be there armed with all my love and a big bright smile and all my nonsensical madness..
And if I feel that I'm not wanted, then I try and win them back ..and if that does not work ..
Then I finally let them go ...

But I don't want to live life in regret..
Of not having said "I love you" to the ones I love...
Of not having said, " I miss you like crazy" if I'm missing someone..
Of not crying my eyes out and fighting with them if I'm feeling hurt..
And then also retracting back in my shell...when I feel , that's all that I can do..

But, I still just want to say , " Never give up on the things that make you smile"
And frankly , " The best things in life are not things" ...

To everyone who is part of my life ..
Thank you for being there...
And I'm sorry if I have knowingly or unknowingly hurt you ..
And to the ones I love with all my heart..
Thank you for allowing me to love you with all my eccentricities , faults and puppy-dog kinda love ...
And before I sign off I  need to quote Jackie Chan from a film, whose name I don't remember, ''Family isn't whose blood you carry, it's who you love and who loves you ''.

So here's presenting "Silent moment muffins"...
Warm, with a dollop of  'Teal Blue, I love you" icing..sprinkled with stars , that represents each and everyone I hold dear in my life...
With a long siggghhhh,  only from "Maria's Kitchen"...