Our Happy place,filled with giggles,unicorns and Superheroes!
Just a photo post today..I have so much to say,yet,so tired today.So,here’s a pic of my sunshines.They were peacefully sharing the iPad,while they waited for dinner. It was one of those rare occasions when there was no screaming or crying,just playing nicely..both of them were playing some balloon popping game first and then Temple Run and I even heard occasional chuckles..:)I leave you with a picture..I’ll back with my words,tomorrow:)
Harry Potter has major fan following in the Sunshine household.Both SD and I were big fans and then along came Aadya and by the time she was 4,she had watched all of the movies in the Harry Potter series. And literally,in the last 16 months since Nanhi’s birth and even through my pregnancy,a HP movie was enough to cheer her up.
Tonight,I don’t have to cook..I put together a goat curry in the slow cooker and for some reason I am in the weekend mood.So,we planned a movie night in..and obviously the movie of choice was HP!
The girls are snuggled up on the couch with their drinks,Mango Tang.Nanhi called me to sit next to her and she is squeezed in between me and her didi and time there is a loud sound,she startles,then looks at me for assurance and then goes back to the movie!
I think she just might be the the youngest Harry Potter fan!
Any other Harry Potter fans here?Show of hands,please!!
I am having one of those lazy kind of days today. SD had some work so he dropped Aadi at school and I could just stay in my PJs.After SD came back,we had chai and brekky and then I had to go in to finish some of my work.But,it being a non-operative day,I could go in my Pjs trackies …So I went in finished the work and now,just lazying around.Nanhi is taking a nap,so is SD-he is officially off work now,until early next year!
I can use the time to cook,after all I have a whole lot dishes that I could cook after my big grocery run..but I just couldn’t be bothered. But,the meals are not going to cook themselves..So…I M.U.S.T get up! LOL!
I am loving these daily posts-Instead of having a silent dialogue with myself,I can put it out here,not really best-seller material..but really what else would you expect on a personal blog?:P
In other news,I have been going crazy on Pinterest looking for the perfect present for Aadi’s teacher..Sometimes I feel,I love her more than Aadi does!LOL! And she has worked so hard with Aadya this year,I really want to show her how much we all appreciate her. I mean seriously,if Aadya eats her school meals today,all the credit goes to Mrs.W.
Check this out,loads of ideas for DIY presents here 🙂
And now I should step away from the laptop and start cooking..:)
We had so many things planned for today and so,I had the brilliant idea of blogging on the go..I decided that I will keep writing snippets through out the day and then have a great blog post..Only problem,I forgot to open the new post on WP on the iPad and without internet access I couldn’t open it.Anyway,long story short,here’s some snippets from my day today..
Aadi and Nanhi lying on the mattress,we dragged out to the living room(it was too hot last night) and Aadi telling Nanhi.. “Mumma is older than you,Papa is older than you,Tuku(masi) is older than you,Nanu is older than you,Dadu is older than you,Dadi is older than you..etc etc..”till she had accounted all the family members..Nanhi listened quietly and then nodded wise,”hmm”.
I took Aadi for a painting workshop today..she had so much fun and I am seriously considering enrolling her in a painting class.I wasn’t much older than her,when I first learned to paint and I am so glad I did.After the workshop,we came home and I cooked lunch-a quick semolina pulav,which Aadi refused to even try. I have managed to get my hands on a copy of Vegie Smugglers and I am hoping it will help me get some veggies into my fusspot!
After lunch,it was time for swimming..SD went in the water this time and I sat with my iPad with all the intentions of blogging..but there was no internet,so spent the time playing Panda Jam..my latest obsession.
After swimming,Ms.Aadya wanted a cupcake so we went to the cupcake bakery for coffee,the girls had cupcakes and we had our coffees.
And then,it was time for a grocery run!There is nothing I love more than a well stocked fridge and pantry.SD bought loads of marinated kebabs,so thats what we had for dinner-kebabs with steamed rice and moong daal.
Now the girls are in bed and we are watching Talaash..SD is on leave from tomorrow so I am hoping to get a break atleast in terms of school runs:)
More later
Today’s post is a part of the theme blogging from the Marathon Blogger’s group,the theme being “A photo Memory-a blast from the past”
The pic I am sharing is from -My Haldi ceremony..:) I wanted a very traditional wedding..the Yash Chopra kind of wedding..with all the rituals done..every custom followed to the tee and the works.And really,my dad made sure it was a wedding fit for a Princess.:)
The old Photographer Uncle loved clicking my pics..He kept telling my dad and everyone else,he had never seen another bride,so ready with a smile..even when she had tears in her eyes…:)
And because he was always clicking pics,I have so many precious moments captured on camera..the pic above is one such..
Frisky is my first baby..He was a gift from SD,when I lost my pup to snake-bite.
When I saw the theme,I knew instantly this was the pic that I was going to share..after all it is the month we got married..and my mind is flooded with memories of all the preparations and celebrations:)
Yesterday I was in a mopey kind of mood..getting irritated about everything,feeling sorry for myself.SD asked me if something was bothering me or was it just PMS! I started to say something…but he came forward and gave me a hug and that made me feel a little better.
I spoke one of my Besties in the morning and that was nice,I was distracted for a bit.I hung up and was feeling mopey again.
I called up one of my other Besties and spoke to her at school pick up.. again I perked up.. but when I hung up that feeling was back.
Later when SD went for his cricket practice,I worked out and ended up being super-sore.The kids wanted pasta so I made that for them and there was some left-overs from lunch and when SD came back I asked him,what he wanted to eat for dinner,so I could cook that.He took one look at my face and asked me to rest and made us both some maggi with his own special twist..and it was the most delicious meal ever.
A little later I was talking to a friend and when I mentioned I was trying to put Nanhi to bed,he teased..that it was his wife’s job. Another friend I was chatting with said something about being clueless about changing his 1 year old’s diaper.And I just laughed it off…
And then as if right on cue,SD came and took Nanhi off my hands,so I could talk to my friends in peace.And I realised,how good I had it.I cannot tell you,how quickly my mood changed then… I didn’t feel sad or dejected anymore..all I felt was this warm fuzzy feeling..and ohh!So much love for SD!
And he did get some extra brownie points for letting me eat the last ice-cream cone in freezer.. sometimes a girl needs her chocolate ice-cream..and if a man can share the very last one with her,when he is craving it equally bad.. he needs to be appreciated.. he needs to be put on the pedestal!! He deserves a special blog POST! 🙂
That’s why this post had to be written..:)
Love you,SD!
A simple ribbed Mug Cozy.Thanks Pooja for deciphering what I thought was complicated!!;)
Its funny ignorance leads to fear.I didn’t know how to knit an i-cord and I was so scared to try it…It sounds so silly now!! An i-cord is the simplest knitted object(?) ever!!
I think it would make a cute gift..what do you say?
Ohh an update on the squat challenge : I couldn’t do my squats yesterday..So today I did 30 squats and 30 ab crunches..Anan kept hopping on and off me in between!!LOL!Ohh and the cutest thing EVER- When I was doing my squats,Anan was doing them with me and groaning and counting too!! And now I am sooo sore..C.A.N.T W.A.L.K!!!!
Ms.Aadya was going to the zoo today and its sort of a tradition in this house that Mumma has to bake her something special for such occasions.I asked her what she wanted and she said,”Carrot Cake”..So,that’s what I baked. I have to tell you,it was quite an experience,cracking eggs,when I had my own cheer-leading team of midget sized people! With every egg that I cracked,the girls cheered..I whisked and they sang and danced..:) I had only just creamed the oil and sugar and Aadi wanted a taste.Nanhi didn’t like the look of the creamed brown sugar,but she threw a tantrum because only didi got to taste it!! Oh! the joys of sibling rivalry!
So,the recipe-this one calls for oil instead of butter.My mom was forever looking for ways to replace butter with low-cal options,so you can imagine her joy when a friend told her that she could replace butter with vegetable oil.Since then all the cakes in our house were made using vegetable oil.And every now and again,I play around with the basic recipe to add flavors.
Without further ado,I present :
Ingredients :
Yields 1 Glad BBQ pan (29cm X 19cms X 5cms)
3 eggs
1 and 1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup chilled water
2.5 cup self raising flour
2.5 cups grated carrots
1/2 cup chopped nuts(almonds,walnuts,cashews and pistachios)
1/2 tsp baking soda
a pinch of salt
1 tsp cinammon powder
1 tsp nutmeg powder
Method:
Pre-heat the oven at 180 degs (160 fan forced). Grease and sprinkle some flour on the cake pan.
Cream the oil and Sugar together,making sure that all the lumps are broken.Add one egg at a time.Add the flour,walnuts,carrots,salt,spices and the baking soda.Mix it together gently,adding little water at a time.
Pour the batter in the baking pan and bake for 30-40 minutes,till the fork comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and let it cool..
Once cool,you can frost the cake and garnish it.I used Philadelphia Frosting It was divine and for garnish I used chopped nuts(walnuts,almonds,cashews,pistachios)
If you want to make your frosting from scratch,I totally recommend this recipe from Taste.com
60 gm cream cheese
30 gm butter,softened
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
3/4 cup icing sugar.
Place cheese, butter and vanilla in a bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat until pale. Gradually add icing sugar mixture, beating until combined.
So quick and it turns out so nice and fluffy..ohh yumm!
I still remember the first time I tasted a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting at starbucks in a Borders Book store in Delaware and my first reaction was..umm why cheese? But with every mouthful,I liked it a little better..and now I can’t think of any other frosting that will compliment a carrot cake as the Cream cheese.
That being said,I know my daughter and though Aadya insisted on the CC frosting,I knew it that she wouldn’t like it.I let her taste it,before I frosted the cake..she did and when I asked,she said..hmm not bad…I frosted the cake,she waited patiently and then worked her way through her piece slowly..very slowly..and then,she said,looking extremely shattered..’OK Mumma..I need to tell you the truth about the frosting..I don’t quite like it’
SD and I couldn’t stop laughing..I removed the frosting and she gobbled the cake up.
But she is like me.. she is warming up to the cream cheese.. every now and again,she wants to take a little lick of the frosting…
I heart this cake..because its so light and moist and not very sweet.Its just perfect to school snack or after-school snack or even great with the afternoon cuppa.
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do..If you try the recipe,please leave me a comment tell me how you liked it:) and also send me pictures,so I can add them to my reader’s pictures page!
Its that time of the year..In the last two years our list of gift-giving has grown and the most important people on that list are Aadya’s teachers and why not,after all they spend so much time with her,nurturing her.Last year’s teachers were even more special,because they watched out for her,even more,specially since I had a new baby and they were my support system for her.So,I wanted to give them something special,something with a personal touch.After a lot of thinking,I came up with these goodies baskets for her Kinder teachers-
They contained-Christmas tree cookies(that Aadi helped make),Rocky Road Fudge,Chocolate Candy CookiesOhhh! so yumm!,Chocolate brownies,some Hershey Kisses and hand-painted candles and a card that Aadya made. They were so happy to recieve these. I also made smaller goodie boxes using noodle boxes,filled with Rocky Road and Cookies. Those were for her activities instructors.
Here’s a pic of my little Princess and the finished gifts..She was so proud of her mumma,she made it a point to tell all her teachers that her mummy made all the things all by HERSELF!
I thought I should spread some Christmas joy and what better way,than with some chocolate.
Here’s my recipe for Rocky Road fudge:
Ingredients:
500 gms of semisweet cooking chocolate( chopped )
200 gms of mini marshmallows
1/2 cup unsalted roasted almonds-chopped
2 tsp butter.
Method:
Grease and line a 9″ square cake tin.
Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler,taking care not to burn it.Add the marshmallows and roasted nuts,mix well and immediately transfer it to the baking dish.
Allow it to cool either at room temperature,till its firm or cool it in the refrigerator.
Once firm,cut it into squares and store in an air-tight container.
Tip : For Roasting Almonds: Line a cookie sheet with some baking paper and spread the almonds in a single layer on the baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes at 160 degs.Keep checking the nuts,as soon as you get the beautiful nutty smell,remove it from the oven to prevent it from burning.I love roasting my own almonds only for this reason..the aroma lingers on for a long time.
Hope you enjoy this Fudge as much as we did 🙂
Every week,we start eating healthy/clean.But by the time its Friday evening,all good intentions fly out the window.Weekend mood kicks in and that’s it..who really wants to cook then. And then starts my downward spin :Eat-out on Friday night,followed by eat-out on saturday afternoon,may be cook something or else,eat out on Saturday night.Sunday morning starts out good-I cook a big breakfast and then we go for swimming at 2..But by the time we finish,everyone is starving and the first stop before home is fast-food!!There I have said it all now!
I work so hard to lose weight during the week- I workout,I walk,eat healthy..and then I go and ruin it all in the the 2.5 days,that is the weekend.This weekend,I was feeling horrible and told SD that something needs to change.
Hence the cookout today.
For my cookout menu today,I am making-
A big batch of chapati dough-ready,
Chicken curry-chicken is getting marinated,
sprouts curry – ready and
Cabbage-mixed vegetable stir-fry- Cabbage is chopped.
While I cooked the Sprouts curry,I did my 25 squats for the day.I had a big workout this morning,one that involved a lot of punching on a punching bag..I am sore all over and I have to tell you the squats hurt like H.E.L.L!!! SD was sitting right there,as I grunted my way through them..Oh!Dear God! The man has seen me in every form now!!LOL!
I leave you with a recipe for the sprouts curry:
Ingredients:
3 cups of mixed sprouts(mung,chickpeas,peas,lentils)
1 medium onion( fined chopped in the chopper)- Very fine,but not just puree’ed yet!
1 small tomato (fine chopped in the chopper)
1 tbspn ginger-garlic paste.
salt ( to taste)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp garam masala/curry powder
3 cups water.
oil( 2 tsp)
1 tsp cumin seeds
Fresh Coriander& grated fresh coconut(optional) for garnish
Heat oil in a pan and and add cumin seeds.When they start to splatter,add the chopped onions and fry till they turn translucent.
Add ginger garlic paste and fry for one minute,and add the tomatoes,fry well till all the water from the tomatoes has dried up.
Add the sprouts and add the spice powders and the salt and toss it all together,gently.
And lastly add the water.Bring it to a boil and then cover and let it cook on a low flame till the beans are soft.If the water is drying up and the beans are still not stop,add a little more water.But you don’t want the curry to be too watery.
Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and grated coconut.Serve hot with Chapati or steamed rice.
This dish tastes good even with plain bread slices to dunk in.At least that’s how it was served in our college canteen.It was the most sold item and so wholesome,specially for those days,when you were slogging in a chemistry lab from 7:30 am to 11:00 am and only had an hour or so before the lectures began.I can tell you,I had wolfed down food that fast,before or after those wonder years!
Oh and I am so excited!! My blog just crossed the 10,000 visitors.I am especially thrilled because its been a year since I bought this domain,but I actually migrated all my blogs here and started blogging regularly only since August.So,A big Thank you to all of you,who didn’t give up on me through all those url-changes..and A big thank you to ALL of you,who take the time to visit,read and comment.
Thank you!thank you!thank you!!!
And if you are just a lurker,why not leave me a comment ..Go on..don’t be shy 🙂
15 Marbles 
