114: Travel: Gorgeous Destin, Florida

Hey all...I am back from my wonderful vacation in Destin, Florida. It was truly one of the most relaxing vacations I have had....all I did was eat yummy brunches, laze of the beach, read books, indulge in some retail therapy and spa treatments.....it was just so rejuvenating. But the best part of my vacation was watching the sunrise every morning at the beach. I have not experienced anything so divine....I took so many pictures of just sunrises and sunsets.

You can check out more pictures from the trip here

113: Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year all......loads of love, happiness and success coming your way....

On New Years day I spent my morning sitting on the beach, watching the sun rise and looking back at 2010. It was only when I thought back, I realized what a blessed year I have had....I am so thankful for everyone and everything that has been a part of my life this past year. I am so thankful for my sweetie - the most supportive hubby, my wonderful family, friends who have been so loving and encouraging, for all the good things that have happened professionally for me (which was beyond what I dreamt of), for all the travel I was able to do and so so thankful for my Blog!!! It has opened a whole new world for me...I am so glad to have this blog to express myself and grow so much personally. I never realized how a simple thing like baking can make such a big difference in my life...what started out as me just trying to make a change in my life,  has become an opportunity for me to feed some of the homeless every week and I am so thankful for this opportunity that came my way.

Its funny how you never remember any of the bad things....only the good memories stay.....so hence forth I shall not fret and worry about something I know is going to pass and be a fleeting memory and will  savor every single happy moment.....Also, dream and believe in your dreams, bcos if you dream with conviction, they do come true..

Have a wonderful year y'all.....I would so suggest looking back and making a list of all the things you are thankful for... its is such an uplifting experience...

112: Recipe: Chocolate Whiskey Cake

I know..I know......this is the second Bundt cake in 2 days......But I just Love my Bundt pan....the cake always comes out perfect.....This was a last minute idea I had as I Rsvp'd for a Christmas party at the very last minute and I needed to take something to the party...Thought the whiskey added a nice celebratory touch and it is Christmas.. the time to make liqueur infused cakes.... this cake is definitely a must try...it is super moist and loaded with flavor....

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process) plus 3 tablespoons for dusting pan

1 ½ cups brewed coffee

½ cup Whiskey (I used a double malted Scotch, as that was what I had at home)

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 cups sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 ¼ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

For the glaze,

¾ cup plus 2 tbsp bittersweet chocolate chips (Use Ghirardelli chips, I am a fan….they are just Awesome!)
3 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. heavy whipping cream

2 tbsp. Whiskey
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325 F. Butter Bundt pan well, then dust with 3 tbsp. cocoa powder, knocking out excess. Heat the coffee, whiskey, butter, and the remaining cup cocoa powder in a heavy saucepan over moderate heat, whisking, until butter is melted. Remove from heat, then add sugar and whisk until dissolved, about 1 min. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and cool 5 mins. While chocolate mixture cools, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Whisk together eggs and vanilla in a small bowl, then whisk the egg mixture into the cooled chocolate mixture until combined well. Add flour mixture and whisk until just combined (Note that the batter will be thin and bubbly). Pour batter into Bundt pan and bake until a fork inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 to 50 mins. Cool cake completely in pan on a rack, about 2 hours. Loosen cake from pan using tip of a dinner knife, then invert rack over pan and turn cake out onto rack. 

To make the glaze, melt chocolate chips and butter together in a medium bowl. Once the chocolate chips have melted, whisking constantly, pour in the heavy cream, followed by vanilla extract and the whiskey. When glaze is smooth (2 mins), pour or spread onto cake. Allow at least 2 hours for the glaze to set.

111: Merry Christmas!!

Wishing you all a wonderful and a happy Christmas...loads of love and happiness coming your way....

Chris Everard

Chris Everard

Chris Everard

Chris Everard

Chris Everard

Dottie Angel

Tine K

Tine K

Tine K

110: Recipe: Eggless Chocolate Almond Bundt Cake

This sure is as yummy as it looks.. it was the first time I ever made a vegan eggless dish. I am a hard core carnivore and most of my close friends around me are the same way too.. But I wanted to make something special for a sweet vegan friend of mine... and found a eggless cake recipe that I modified to end up with this cake...It sure was delish... actually was surprised how good it was... I always believed that cakes without eggs were no good....this definitely proved me wrong.

Here is the recipe,

For the cake,

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 cup water
9 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. almond extract
1 tbsp. white vinegar

For the glaze,

¾ cup plus 2 tbsp bittersweet chocolate chips
3 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 9-inch bundt pan. In a large bowl, sift together flour and cocoa powder. Whisk in sugar, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Pour in water, vegetable oil, vanilla extract , almond extract and vinegar, whisking thoroughly, but quickly, until the batter comes together and is quite smooth. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 40 mins (insert a fork in the center to see if it comes out clean). Allow to cool in pan for 10 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the glaze, melt chocolate chips and butter together in a medium bowl. Once the chocolate chips have melted, whisking constantly, pour in the heavy cream, followed by vanilla extract. When glaze is smooth (2 mins), pour or spread onto cake. Allow at least 2 hours for the glaze to set.

109: Recipe: Medhu Vada

I have been real lazy since the vacations have started....well thats OK I guess.. but I have not blogged and the amount of blog posts I had were piling up... So woke up this rainy Christmas morning deciding to post everything I had....First up is the yummy Medhu Vada recipe....or the deep fried spiced Indian Doughnut :) I must say this is the first time I was actually able to shape it into a doughnut... my previous attempt, they were medhu vada balls....Realized the consistency of the batter is extremely important if you want the shape to be perfect...If all u care about is taste and not the way it looks don't worry about the batter.

Here is the recipe for around 20 medhu vadas (courtesy my darling Aunt Vidhikka....who also gave me the moral support I needed  to make the perfect doughnut shaped vadas)

2 cups split black gram (Urad Dal)
2  tbsp. rice flour
1 tsp. Ginger(grated)
1/2 large onion, finely chopped
8 - 10 whole black pepper (Alternate: 2-3 green chilies, finely chopped)
1 tsp. cumin seeds
Salt to taste

Wash and soak the urad dal in plenty of water for about 6-7 hours. Drain and grind it into a smooth paste. You should be able to feel the fine grainy texture when you rub a little paste between your fingers. The batter should also be thick enough to shape the vadas. If grinding in a blender, grind in small batches with very little water. Add as little water as possible. Once the batter is ready, you can refrigerate this batter for a few days. I refrigerated it overnight. If not, add all other ingredients and beat well. Beating incorporates air and makes the vadas fluffy. Refrigerate for 30 mins before frying.  Heat oil, wet your palm with a little water and take a small ball of batter. Lightly flatten it and make a hole in the middle with thumb. Slip gently into hot oil, repeat for more. Deep fry the vadas on medium heat. Remove when they turn golden brown and drain them on paper. Serve with some delicious sambhar.

108: Few Of My Favorite Things This Week

Here are some pretty little things that have caught my fancy this week....

These gorgeous watercolor paintings by Amilka on Etsy:

These lovely but super expensive sofa and chair from Bokja...they are so expensive that I can only lust after it...

The little golden Buddha Bank from Urban Outfitters....I am definitely getting it..

Sebastian Otto's paintings....there is something so strangely appealing about the expressions and his style of painting...love it...

An amazing vintage photo find on Flickr....Christian Montone's amazing collection of vintage photos...

I soo want to blow up this vintage photo of Times Square and put it up somewhere in the house....

And last but not the least my humble little doodle..... :)

I start my vacations tomorrow....super duper excited!!!  Have a great day peeps...XOXO