Tag: CLICK

MIXED BERRY & NUT CLUSTERS….Cookies, Cake & CLICK

“If life is a bowl of cherries, then what am I doing in the pits?”
Erma Bombeck
Mixed Berry & Nut Clusters
Aaaaaaaargh…it’s just another of those days when time begins to run out on you even before morning has nicely broken!! Day before was a busyish day. I made cookies out of dried berries & I made chocolate chocolate-chip muffins from Nigella’s recipe @ Food network…asking for trouble to tell you the truth!

The muffins were not nice at all, so not worthy of being posted. Had my dear friend’s kids over from Ukraine, so then made chocolate morsel cookies too. The kids are complete chocolate addicts & will not touch anything even remotely ‘berry’! Manggy, your brother’s got company!!
To make matters worse…no cake in the fridge for early morning indulgence. Donno what I’m talking about? Check out this at Cakespy…to all ya folk who feel guilty at sneaking a slice of cake out for breakfast, cupcakes, muffins included..we’ve got proof. IT’S OK!! Jessie says so & Bill Cosby always said so!! Since the muffins were a disaster, I quickly made a Zebra cake.

Coffee with the Zebra…
As always, this is one fascinating looking cake (recipe HERE), & a cuppa coffee makes it even better. Which gave rise to thoughts in the direction of CLICK July ’08 Coffee / Tea @ Jugalbandi…

‘Bean Thinking Coffee’… my entry for CLICK : July 08 Coffee/Tea

Back to the cookies in question. I’ve had some dried berries lying around for a while. Actually bits & bobs of all sorts, so I decided to clear them one fine day…came up with quite a treasure.
Some craisins, some dried blueberries,currants, raisins etc. Better use ’em up before it’s too late…books opened & a recipe found. ‘Mixed Berry & Nut Clusters’ turned out to be yummy, healthy cookies, best devoured the day they are made or the next. I think they taste best fresh, warm out of the oven with a glass of chilled milk. The kids had 4 each just after I made them. Home made cookies always taste better; it’s been eons since I bought cookies from the store. These cookies had oats too…
Mixed Berry & Nut Clusters…
Adapted from ‘Cranberry & Orange Clusters’, ‘The Colossal Cookie Cookbook’, pg 277
Ingredients:
Butter – 1/2 cup
Sugar – 1/2 cup
Grated rind of 1 orange
Egg – 1
Vanilla Extract – 1 tsp
Rolled oats – 1 1/4 cups
Dried cranberries, currants, nuts etc – 3/4 cup
Flour – 1 1/4 cup
Baking powder -1/2 tsp
Pinch of salt

Method:

  • Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets.
  • Beat butter + sugar + orange rind till fluffy.
  • Add egg & beat again.
  • Stir in the oats & berries, nuts etc.
  • Sift the flour + baking powder + salt into the bowl & mix until evenly combined.
  • Put spoonfuls of the mixtures on the sheets, leaving space for spreading in between. Flatten slightly with a fork. Sprinkle with a little vanilla sugar or coloured sprinkles.
  • Bake for approx 15 minutes until risen & golden brown.
  • Cool on rack. They will be soft when you take them out of the oven, but will become firm as they cool.
  • Dressed up a few with sprinkles I had on hand…just to give the kids happy smiles!

Colour always works up magic!!

Posted by Deeba @ PAB

BLOGGING FOR BRI…GOING THE YELLOW WAY!

“Hope” is the thing with feathers- that perches in the soul…
Emily Dickenson

YELLOW is the colour of hope & we’re here blogging for Bri. Jai & Bee @ Jugalbandi have led the way to spread hope & have embarked on a very inspired edition of CLICK. I haven’t had the good fortune of interacting directly with Bri, but have bumped into her at my dear friend Manggy’s many a time, & at Bee’s too.

In Jai & Bee’s words … “This is a special edition of CLICK, tinged with sadness and filled with hope. Yellow is the happiest colour in the spectrum. It signifies hope and enlightenment. Though the work of the LiveStrong Foundation, it has also come to signify the fight against cancer. This edition of CLICK is more than a photo event. It is a fundraiser for our dear Briana.

She was 15 when she saw her mother die of breast cancer. Now, she’s waging her own war. Bri is one of the 5% of women diagnosed with breast cancer under the age of 30. That was two and a half years ago. In August 2007, she started Figs With Bri – a serene, beautiful space where she shares with us her creative experiments with wonderful local organic ingredients. A month and a half ago, her worst fears came true. She learnt that her cancer has returned and metastasized to her lungs, her lymph nodes and several areas in her bones and is at Stage IV. (More at Figs with Bri)”
This is an appeal on behalf of a group of food bloggers who are friends of Briana Brownlow @ Figs With Bri.
Bri was diagnosed with breast cancer two and half years ago. A mastectomy, chemotherapy and two years of relatively good health later, the cancer is back. It has metastasized to other parts of her body. At the age of 15, Bri lost her 41-year old mother to the disease. Now, she’s waging her own war against breast cancer. More about it here.
She is going through intensive chemo and other treatments and needs to focus single-mindedly on healing and finding what treatment works best for her. Her health insurance, unfortunately, does not cover holistic alternatives which she would like to try. Bri and her husband Marc have enough on their plates right now in addition to worrying about her medical bills.
The team organising the JUNE edition of CLICK at Jugalbandi has organised a fundraiser to help Bri and her family meet her out-of-pocket medical costs for ONE YEAR.

CLICK is a monthly theme-based photography contest hosted by Jugalbandi. This month’s theme is: YELLOW for Bri

Yellow is the colour of hope. Through the work of the LiveStrong Foundation, it has also come to signify the fight against cancer.
The entries can be viewed HERE. The deadline for entries is June 30, 2008. The fundraiser will extend until July 15, 2008.
The target amount is 12,000 U.S. dollars. We appeal to our fellow bloggers and readers to help us achieve this. Bri deserves a chance to explore all options, even if her insurance company thinks otherwise.
There’s a raffle with exciting prizes on offer. After viewing the list, you may make your donation HERE or at the Chip-In button on any participating site.
Your donation can be made securely through credit card or Pay Pal and goes directly to Bri’s account.
This month’s photo contest also has some prizes. Details HERE.
You can support this campaign by donating to the fundraiser, by participating in CLICK: the photo event, and by publicising this campaign.

Posted by Deeba @ PAB

BEAN THERE, DONE THAT…CLICKETY CLICK!

Pep without purpose is piffle.
Anonymous

Beans & Lentils…Naturally beautiful!
(My entry for CLICK May 2008)

FULL OF BEANS…

It’s the CLICK time of the month @ Jugalbandi, & this time very nearly missed the boat. To begin with my little fellow was unwell, & then I thought I would hone some photography skills before I send in an entry. Messed up LOADS of clicks majorly…NO, I DON’T HAVE A NEW CAMERA YET… (am still busy flogging the old one & it still gives me ample joy).
The theme for May 2008 is CLICK Beans n Lentils
The temptation though is too much once the CLICK theme for the month is announced, & tends to seep into my sub conscience. So I’ve bean, oops, been spilling my beans, sprouting my beans, been not so full of beans…& finally…

BEAN there, done that!

I just got back into good ole auto on my little camera & clicked some pretty beans ‘n’ lentils! To tell you the truth, never once thought beans could be so fascinating. It all started when I was soaking some whole moong dal for sprouts the other night…I looked at them & CLICK!!

Took a handful of those, & found myself reaching out to other lentils on the shelf. Settled for chick peas & horse gram too. I thought the combination was beeeeeeeeeeeeeeautiful! I’m putting the post together for CLICK first, & will hopefully post the ‘Sprouted Moong Dal Salad‘ sometime soon.

Day 1 & then Day 3

  • Found this really interesting article about sprouts on Oprah.com, sprouts are called Superfood No. 9.

“Sprouts are a highly nutritious food. Grown locally year round, sprouts are a good source of protein and vitamin C. A sprout is produced when a seed starts growing into a vegetable. Sprouts can grow from the seeds of vegetables, grains, legumes, buckwheat, and beans. Sprouts vary in texture and taste. Some are spicy (radish and onion sprouts), some are hardy and often used in Asian cuisines (mung bean), while others are more delicate (alfalfa), and add texture and moistness to salads and sandwiches.

All nutrients necessary for life are contained in seeds—a food category that includes grain kernels, beans, legumes, and nuts. Because sprouts are so fresh, and do not sit for days or weeks in warehouses, we know that we are getting optimum nutrition. ”

Also found something very interesting at Indira’s blog @ Mahanadi. She’s calling for mango based food art…for a creative event called Mango Manthram.

In her words, ” The color and shape of the mango are an artist’s dream. Mango tree, mango leaves, mango fruit in various stages of development, and the scrumptious dishes we can prepare with mango – the magic of mangoes is a timeless tradition that is steeped in art, history and romance. Bring your own touch, and interpret your mango memories and experiences through Food Art. The field is wide open”. So you can see how carried away I got. Had the time of my life; was transported back to gleeful childhood where I remember making fishes out of dal! Here I tried my hand making mangoes using the same dals! Was relieved when the boy said “Nice mangoes Mama“, which meant they remotely resembled mangoes, & the daughter declared them COOL!!

My entry for Mango Manthram @ Mahanadi

Posted by Deeba @ PAB

FRESH, LIGHT & ‘AU NATUREL’…BASKETS A LA MELON!

“Give me book, fruit, French wine, and fine weather and a little music out of doors played by someone I do not know.”
John Keats
Basket a la Melons!! Spring is in the air!
To my delight, this month’s CLICK at Jugalbandi‘s is ‘Au Naturel’. This is my entry for one of the most inspiring foodie ‘visual’ events. It’s an eye-opener to creative photography!

Doing away with decadence, though very temporarily, it’s Spring in the air. Melons are beginning to show up here. These pretty yellow fruits are probably called cantaloupes, casabas or melons overseas, but are called ‘sarda‘ locally. Till last year, they were imported from Afghanistan & were priced quite steep. I didn’t buy them last year because I like to subscribe to the’ grown within the 100 mile radius’ way of life. I’m not completely steadfast though; will buy the odd kiwi etc.
Make Melons Part of Your 5 A Day Plan…

This year the prices are way more affordable because these pretty melons are being grown in nearby farms. Fresh, juicy & ever so sweet! That’s why I went & bought a couple the minute I got to know. Just helps in looking after the environment in my small way & so I tend to buy locally. I also believe that fresh produce bought locally is more nutritious & hasn’t been doused with stuff to keep ’em going for longer! Transporting, packaging, use of preservatives burden an already burdened planet which is struggling to survive. Give it a thought…eat what is seasonal & try to eat local!

As ‘Sustainable Table’ says…The concept of buying local is simply to buy food (or any good or service) produced, grown, or raised as close to your home as possible. With industrialization, our food is now grown and processed in fewer and fewer locations, meaning it has to travel further to reach the average consumer’s refrigerator. Although this method of production is considered efficient and economically profitable for large agribusiness corporations, it is harmful to the environment, consumers and rural communities.
Sarda…or Melon

Muskmelon (Cucumis melo) is a species of melon that has been developed into many cultivated varieties. These include smooth skinned varietes, such as honeydew, and different netted cultivars known as cantaloupes. It is an accessory fruit of a type that botanists call a false berry. It was first cultivated more than 4000 years ago in Persia and Africa.
Samarkand melon vendor in the 1910s (Photo courtesy Wikipedia)

Melons are generally rich in vitamin C and also contain moderate levels of Potassium, Vitamin A and Folate. While they are mostly consumed around the world as raw fruits, melons are known to be cooked, pickled and preserved.


Nothing much to what I did…no cooking, baking etc.

  • I just cut the melon in a zig–zag manner across the centre with a sharp steak knife. You can draw a light line with the knife if you like; I did it extempore.
  • Then I took a sharp smaller knife & gently cut out the flesh of the melon & chopped it up. Be careful you don’t puncture the outer skin.
  • Tossed the cut melon pieces with craisins, walnuts, kiwi, grapes. Actually, that’s all I had. For those who have access to colourful fruit, this would look lovely with oranges, berries, strawberries, cherries, watermelon etc too. You can use the melon baller for fun round shapes too. Top it off with fresh mint.
  • I plaited some lemongrass stalks into handles for the baskets. (I have some growing in the far end of my garden). Secured them to the sides with wooden picks…& I was ready to go!

I got them ready for the kids afternoon snack…they were thrilled to see them. Even though the son doesn’t enjoy the taste of melons, he polished off the smaller basket because it looked like fun! The daughter on the other hand relished each morsel, using wooden picks as a fork, & asked if she could have another basket! She said she felt like she was on a tropical island !! PHEW…I just sliced up the other melon for her the 2nd time round as the baskets took quite a while!!

This would make a nice picnic centre-piece…

…& seems like just the thing to send to Monthly Mingles where the chosen topic is Spring Fruit Sensations.The event is the brainchild of Meeta @ What’s For Lunch Honey…a delightful concept which has been thoroughly enjoyed by foodies across the blogosphere. This month onwards, it’s been passed on to different hosts & this times host is Abby of Eat The Right Stuff. In her words…”One of the things I love about blogging is the inspiration it provides me with. However, inspiration is only half the story. taking that exciting spark of an idea and turning it into something on the plate in front of me, is the real challenge. “

My thoughts are quite the same…the inspiration is untold!

Posted by Deeba @ PAB

FLOUR FLOWERS…CLICKETY CLICK!!
“If I sing when I cook, the food is going to be happy.”
Pasquale Carpino

COLOURING MY WORLD…ICED SUGAR COOKIES

My favourite cookies that I made again a few days ago. A friend was going down South for a birthday & wedding in the family, & her son insisted on taking these & some mini muffins for his cousins’ birthday. Got down to baking some of these attractive cookies that add colour to any table & I never tire of making them. I feel like a great painter adding colour to my canvas! Small pleasures, & very therapeutic indeed…

Hearts piled high…

The basic sugar cookie recipe is the same one that I use for ‘Smartie Cookies’. It’s a very versatile one, and works well with this recipe. For the icing, I use powdered sugar mixed with just enough water to make it thick & flowing, then colour according to requirement, and drizzle it on the cookies. I leave them to dry out overnight in trays in the oven, and sometimes give them a minute in a hot oven to get rid of any moisture (depends on the weather actually). Though a bit fiddly to ice, practice makes them better each time.

‘Wheat ,FLOUR,Flowers…& bees for company!’
This is heading as my entry for Jugalbandi’s Click February 2008…the topic for the month being ‘Flour’. The bees seem to be there for Bee…(donno how to make a Jai)!
Assorted cookies – hearts, flowers, stars, bees , leaves…
…in the rays of the rising sun.

I had so much fun doing these…

“Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures.”
Henry Ward Beecher
Posted by Deeba @ PAB

JAM TARTLETS…..Pretty Ruby Petits Fours

“The rule is jam tomorrow and jam yesterday, but never jam today.”
Lewis Carroll

JAM TARTLETS…Petits Fours

A Tart is defined as a single-layered base of pastry (plain or puff) with a sweet or savory filling baked in either a shallow tart pan that has straight, fluted sides and a removable bottom or a metal tart ring placed on a baking sheet. The tart is removed from the tart pan or ring before serving. Broadly, the term ‘tart’ encompasses flans, quiches, and pies. Depending on the type of tart made they can be served as appetizers, entrees or desserts. Their size ranges from bite-size (hors d’oeuvre), individual-size (tartlet) to full-size (tart).’…quoted from ‘Joy of Baking‘…one of my favourite net-stops!

Sweet tarts have fillings of fruit, jams, custards, flavored creams, or nuts.

What do miniature tuiles, eclairs, fancy cakes, macaroons, glazed or candied fruits, tartlets, ladyfingers, cigarettes, etc. have in common? They all belong to a category of small fancy cookies, pastries, or confections called “petits fours”. The name petit four seems to have originated from the name of the ovens (petit four meaning ‘small oven’) they were baked in. In the 18th century the ovens were made of brick and once the large cakes were baked, small cakes were placed in the ovens as they were cooling down.
Petits fours can be eaten in one or two bites and these fancy pastries are further divided into “sec” or “glacé”. “Sec” meaning “dry” and “glacé” meaning “iced or frosted”. …Joy of Baking again!

‘LIQUID RUBY PETITS FOURS’…

I made these sweet little ‘Liquid Ruby Petits Fours’, with a jam filling, for my daughter’s birthday…& in all the confusion & excitement, forgot to put them out! What a feast my kids had over the next few days; it was tartlets all the way!! Since this months CLICK event has a liquid theme – ‘LIQUID COMFORT’, I’ve thought of sending in this one above as an entry…its atoms move freely & it took the shape of the pastry!

Moving on from there, the recipe for the pastry cases / pie shells are from a sweet little book of contemporary recipes called ‘What’s Cooking Chocolate’ by Jacqueline Bellefontaine, which she uses to make mini chocolate tartlets. I made those & some of these as well, variety being the spice of my life!!

Here’s the recipe as adapted from her book…
Ingredients:

Flour – 1 1/2 cups

Butter – 1/3 cup ; chilled & cut into pieces
Castor Sugar – 1 tbsp
Chilled water – 3-4 tbsp

Method:
  • Sift the flour into a mixing bowl.
  • Rub in the chilled butter with your fingertips to get a breadcrumb like mix.
  • Stir in the sugar.
  • Add enough water to make a soft dough.
  • Cover & chill for 20 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C.
  • Roll out to 1/4-1/8″ thickness & line the pastry/tart shells or mini muffin trays with them.
  • Cover the pastry with foil, put in pie weights ( I used beans) & bake blind for 15 minutes approximately till light brown.
  • Cool completely on racks & store in an airtight tin until use. I made mine 3 days in advance.
  • Heat about 1/2 cup of jam with 1 tbsp water in the microwave, 30 seconds at a time, until jam is runny.
  • Pour carefully into prepared tart shells, use sprinkles if you like, and leave to set.

‘Ruby don’t take your love to town’…this song has been playing in my head all the while I have been putting this post together. Kenny Rogers at his very best!! Used to be one of my favourite numbers & am glad to renew the link!!
Posted by Deeba @ PAB
Please wait...

Subscribe to my newsletter

Want to be notified when the article is published? Do enter your email address and name below to be the first to know.
SIGN UP FOR NEWSLETTER NOW
Exit mobile version