BestPartyEver - An online tool for Event Management

Parties and Events bring excitement to one's life, and also makes one feel valued and appreciated. I, for one, am a huge advocate of parties and gatherings. I love to plan surprises for my friends and family (maybe I'd be better off as an Event Manager:)) In my hunt for party ideas, I was referred to this wonderful site called Best Party Ever, which is like a social network that helps people find and share ideas on Event Planning, Vendors, Recipes, party tips and more, so I thought I'd share my find with you. And if you run out of ideas or have something in mind but don't know how to execute it, this site is something that will set you on a roll. Online Party Planning Tools make it easy to setup an event, manage vendors to hire, monitor a budget, create invite RSVP lists, and create and manage task lists for the upcoming event. Check out the cool features that this new site offers!!

Before I go into the site details, I'd like to say that this is a brand new site and they have just rolled out an Alpha version. The concept appealed to me, and there's tonnes of features that they are adding, but it's new, and hence is undergoing updates every day, so not all features and functionality is working yet.

Getting Started
Even when you've been planning parties forever, there's a chance you can run out of Party Ideas, or are simply bored with the same stuff everytime and crave for some new and exciting ideas. That's precisely what best Party Ever is all about. It is a social website that encourages users to share and gain inspiration from each others ideas. Once you go and register for a free account, you can create your own profile and start browsing for event ideas and suggestions. You can browse the existing ideas and add them to your idea list, or create new ones. What I liked was the fact that you can adjust your privacy settings so that all part of your profile is not displayed publicly.

Creating an Event
You could also create a New Event, where you will be prompted to create an Actual Event that you are hosting, and which would be publicly available for anyone to see. Besides the description, you could even create an Guest List, send invitations, assign and organsie tasks in a Task List, create a budget and track your expenses. They have a bunch of more features coming up, so we know there's room for improvement. I really liked the clean look and feel of the site, and it is quite easy-to-navigate and search for stuff. You can even save some ideas that you've seen, or comment on them and share your tips. There are some really nice ideas already up there for Super Bowl, Valentine's Day, Housewarming and some themed ones like Halloween, Sweet Sixteen or a Superstar Theme Party!!

Searching for Ideas and Vendors
This is the really cool part, and perhaps something that excited me the most! it's easy to get ideas, but it's not often easy to find places or vendors from where you can get all the party stuff. Sure, party City works, but not always! This site has a cool Vendor search, so say I enter "Super Bowl" and search for stuff, it gives me a nice page full of ideas already submitted by others, followed by restaurants, vendors, and other related links. Of course, a lot of this is not functioning right now, but if they deliver on what is promised, I think it would be a cool thing as not many Event management sites offer such a facility right now! Also, it lists over 50,000 vendors including Wedding Planners, Event Planners, Caterers, Party Supply Rental, Restaurants, Limousine Rental, Disc Jockeys, Beauty Salons, and more. So you know you'll definitely find a match.

Party Planning has always been a great business to be in if you have the right attitude and the right touch. This application allows you to take your events to the next level. I think the freshness and colorfulness of this site adds to the party mood; I'd recommend to go and check out this site if you were looking for a new take on event planning.

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Panchvati Garlic Dal (Mixed Lentil Soup) - A Healthier Choice

"Garlic Dal", similar to Lentil Soup, is a favored variation to Gujarati Dal, especially for the people of North India, and this particular Panchvati Garlic Dal recipe is a great wya to enjoy a bunch of lentils at a time! It is called Panchvati, because it combines the goodness of 5 different kinds of dals(lentils) and is deliciously flavored with garlic, spices, ghee, green chilies and quite a bit of cilantro. The mixture of dals gives this a nice thick texture, and the aroma of ghee (clarified butter) makes it a treat to consume even by itself, perhaps as a lentil soup! Combine the Panchvati Garlic Dal with parathas or plain Jeera Rice, and you are all set for a delicious meal!

Ingredients
I used 5 kinds of lentils in the recipe, but you can omit any of them depending on your taste and/or availability of the lentils.

1 cup toor dal (Pigeon-peas or Split Red Gram, yellow colored)
1 cup moong dal (Green Gram or mung Bean, split, without skin, yellow colored)
1/2 cup chana dal (Split, skinless black chickpeas, yellow)
1/2 cup urad dal (Black gram, split and skinless, whitish in color)
1/2 cup masoor dal (Red lentils, Split and skinless, pinkish-red in color)
6-8 cloves of garlic
2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 cup cilantro - chopped, and some more for garnish
1/2 onion - finely chopped
3 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
3 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp garam masala powder (indian grocery stores should have it)
salt - to taste
lemon juice - to taste
2 tsp black pepper powder
2 green chillies - cut finely

Method
Mix all the dals and pressure cook them with 6 cups of water in a pressure cooker until 5-6 whistles. We want all of them to be thoroughly cooked. Once that is done, remove in a bowl and blend them well in a grinder, spinning for about a minute or so, ensuring that all dal/lentils are broken down and a smooth puree is formed.

Take the chopped coriander and grind it with 1 tsp salt and 2 tbsp water to form a smooth paste.

Now take a pan, add the ghee to it, add the cumin seeds, green chillies and garlic, and saute for a couple of minutes. Then add the finely chopped onions and saute again till they turn brownish and glossy.

Next add the garam masala powder, turmeric powder, black pepper and the cilantro paste. Now add the lentils and fill up with sufficient water to achieve desired consistency. Mix everything well, then add salt and lemon juice according to your taste, and let it cook covered, for about 10 mins or so. Stir in between to make sure it does not stick to the base of the pan. When it becomes thick and starts boiling, remove from flame.

Transfer the dal or soup to a serving bowl. Garnish with chopped coriander and some more fresh black pepper if desired, and serve hot with Jeera Rice!

This Garlic Dal is a great way to fill yourself with some protein and fiber, and the beautiful blend of flavors makes it apt for a Lentil Soup recipe too!

Related Recipes:
Gujarati Dal
Mix-Vegetable & Coconut Milk Soup
Roasted Cauliflower & Bell-Peper Soup

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Doodhi/Lauki Kofta Curry (BottleGourd Dumplings) in Almond and Cream Gravy

Kofta Curry is a very famous Indian curry, and goes through endless variations. Though paneer, cheese and vegetables seem to be the favorites, I also like the simple koftas made from lauki, called bottle-gourd in English. This elongated gourd vegetable is quite nutritious too, especially good for your eyes and skin, and due to the rich water content, it can add to the softness in the koftas. This one is a very low-fuss recipe that comes from my mom's kitchen, and unlike the restaurant-style Malai Koftas, these dudhi koftas require minimal preparation and cooking time, and yet can make any meal special. I modified my mom's recipe to pair almonds with bottle-gourd, and also make the curry more richer by using almond and cream in the gravy. The result was delicious, and I urge you to try this bottlegourd kofta curry to serve with your parthas or simple jeera rice!

Ingredients
1/2 mid-sized bottlegourd
1/2 to 3/4 cup besan (chickpea flour)
1/2 cup blanched almonds
slivered almonds - for garnish
1 medium onion
2 medium tomatoes
3-4 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup whipping cream
1-2 cups water
3-4 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp garam masala powder
3-4 tsp red chilli powder
salt - to taste
2-3 tbsp lemon juice
chopped fresh coriander - for garnish

Method
Take the onions and garlic and blend them to form a smooth paste. Take the blanched almonds, peel off the skin, then blend them with 2 tsp water or milk to form a thick paste. Blend the tomatoes separately and keep aside.

Now take a pan, put 2 tbsp oil and add the cumin seeds. When they start spluttering, add the onion-garlic paste and sate till it turns light pinkish with a glaze. Now add the garam masala, tomato paste, salt, the remaining spices and slowly add the milk, stirring it. Now add the almond paste, a little water to make a rich gravy, then cover with a lid and allow to simmer on medium flame.

Take the bottle-gourd and grate it in a bowl. Then press it through a strain or your fingers to remove all water from the bottle-gourd. It's important to do this else the koftas will break in the gravy. Now add the turmeric powder, salt, red chilli powder, half of the slivered almonds and the besan. You can also add some lemon juice to your taste. Mix well and form small round or oval dumplings from the mixture. Add more besan flour if required to give proper texture and shape to the koftas.

Now increase the flame for the gravy so it starts boiling, then gently add the koftas (dumlpings)into the gravy. Cover with the lid and reduce flame. Let them cook for 3-5 mins, then gently flip the koftas over, taking care not to break them. Add more water to the ravy if required, then add the whpping cream. Stir gently and let it cook so the spices and flavors get soaked in together.

Once its done, gently remove the koftas first and transfer them into a serving bowl, then top it with the remaining gravy. Garnish with chopped coriander and slivered almonds, and serve hot your delicious Doodhi/Lauki Koftas with Parathas or Rice!

Similar Recipes
Malai Kofta Curry
Hariyali Koftas

Spicy-Crispy Bhindi Masala

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Plan a Day Trip to Pfeiffer Beach in Big Sur, California

As the weekend approaches, we look forward to the beautiful summer weather, and I have a perfect place in mind to escape the heat (or enjoy the sun!) and relax in the golden solitude of mother nature. I'm talking about the Pfeiffer Big Sur State park, located 26 miles south of Carmel on Highway 1. There are plenty of places to see in Northern CA, and most of them are great for day trips. But some of these places can get real chilly and windy, so it's always good to carry your coat! Pfeiffer is a beautiful beach, with a lot of scenic beauty and clean sparkling blue water, cliffs and trees. So I thought I'd share my experience with you, in case you ever decide to visit this lovely place.

It is believed that the name "Big Sur" is derived from the original Spanish-language "el sur grande", which translates as "the big south", and the entire coastal region between the San Francisco Bay area and the Los Angeles area comes under Big Sur Region. But the major attraction has always been the Pfeiffer beach, also a state park, or rather, the Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, to be precise. It features redwood, tan oak, madrone, chaparral trees and the most beautiful McWay Falls, an 80-foot waterfall that drops from granite cliffs into the ocean from the Overlook Trail. A panoramic view of the ocean, the beach and the fall with the rocks can be observed from the top of the several trails that run around the park. Between Partington Point and McWay Creek is the Underwater Area, which was established in 1970 and is now a scuba diving area for experienced divers with special permits.

Overlook trail is an excellent place to watch for gray whales migrating southward to their breeding and calving grounds off the Baja California coast in December and January, and returning north to their summer feeding grounds in the North Pacific during march and April. Sea otters can sometimes be seen in the cove, and harbor seals and California sea lions are occasional visitors. This rocky cliff is also home to many sea and shore birds like Sleek black cormorants, seagulls, brown pelicans, and black oystercatchers also make an appearance. You can find more information about other parks at this website

There are several nice restaurants and inns overlookign the sea as you drive up to the park. We stopped at the BigSur Lodge/Restaurant featuring patio dining right next to the Big Sur river. And they had chairs running along the small creek where you could sit and relax, leaving all your troubles behind as the tingling water soothed your feet and mind. The rustic yet luxurious hotels, or the numerous campgrounds cater to your urge for a weekend getaway or the adrenaline rush for some outdoor adventure!! There are also several spas along the coast which are sure to blow you away.

So what are you waiting for?? If you are in the bay area this weekend, try making a day trip to this heavenly place and rediscover your true self!!

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Raspberry Jelly (Swiss) Roll Cake

I have had a fascination for anything sweet, and especially cakes right from when I was a kid! And I had this extra-special affection for swiss rolls, those colorful, spiral cakes that tasted like heaven, and even with the minimal frosting and decoration, they always attracted the attention of dessert-lovers, including me!! I harbor this fascination even today, and the first thing I notice in a pastry shop has to be a swiss roll cake (my hubby can vouch for it:)) Swiss roll is a type of sponge cake baked in a very shallow rectangular baking tray, and then filled, rolled up, and served in circular slices. So did these beauties originate from Swiss?? Not really; although the origins of this cake are unclear, wikipedia says that these are certainly not widely eaten in Switzerland, where they are known as "Biscuitrolle" or "Roulade" . Every country has it's own version, and it is popular in US as the Jelly Roll. It finds a place at many christmas dinner tables shaped like a Yule Log, but for me, it will always be my favorite kind of cake. Here's a simple Raspberry Swiss Roll recipe, but you can use a lot of variations for the filling.

This cake is not too much about the recipe as it is about the technique. Some people think it is really hard to make, but on the contrary, I'd like to say that though it looks tough, and does need a little more work than just popping your cake into the oven, it's simpler and more fun, especially as you can allow your kids to do the filling; and as it's almost always covered with frosting or sugar dusting, the flaws are easy to hide:) If you are still nervous, these two videos at Epicurious and About could prove helpful. I followed the recipe and technique on About, as it was more simple, and easier to roll out too. The only change I did was that I refrigerated the rolled cake (before the filling) for an hour. This gave it a firmer texture so it was easier to spread the filling and cut into pieces while serving.

Recipe Ingredients
3 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup water
1 tspn vanilla
3/4 cup all-purpose
1 tspn baking powder
1/4 tspn salt
Powdered Confectioner's sugar - for dusting
2/3 cup spreadable raspberry jelly/jam (or any other filling of your choice)

Method
Heat oven to 375 deg F. Line a baking pan, preferably (15 × 10 × 1) inches, with cooking parchment paper or aluminum foil. Spray with non-stick cooking spray.

Beat eggs in small bowl with electric mixer on high speed for about 5 minutes or until very thick and lemon colored. Gradually beat in the granulated sugar. Beat in water and vanilla on low speed. Finally add the flour, baking powder and salt, beating just until batter is smooth. Pour into the prepared pan, spreading out well to form a thin even layer.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes (NOT MORE) until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Spread a clean kitchen towel on the platform and sprinkle some powdered sugar on it. Now loosen the edges of the cake, then turn the whole pan upside down upon the towel. Carefully remove the paper from the top. Trim off the hard edges of the cake, and while its hot, carefully roll cake lengthwise from one end to the other. Keep the roll as tight as possible, but apply very little pressure so as not to crack the cake a lot. A few cracks are normal, so don't worry. it is going to be covered with frosting later! Now refrigerate the rolled cake for 40 mins to an hour. (This was the only change I made from the About recipe video)

Remove the cake from fridge and unroll it gently and remove the towel. Beat the raspberry jelly/jam slightly to soften; it's better to use a spreadable jelly. Now spread it evenly over the cake. Do NOT use a lot of jelly as it would ooze out of the cake once you finish rolling it up again.

Now again roll up the cake, which should be fairly easier this time. If you are not ready to serve, place it in the fridge again, so it becomes a bit harder and easier to slice. When ready to serve, place it on a serving dish, with the seams facing down. Sprinkle generously with confectioners sugar, making sure you cover all the flaked ends or cracks and edges that you incurred while rolling it up. You can even cover the whole cake with chocolate icing or any other frosting. Gently slice at a 30deg angle to form beautiful raspberry swiss rolls.

These are my favorites, and I hope you enjoy these delicious dessert cakes too!

Similar Recipes
Coconut and Poppy Seed Cake
Tres Leches Milk Cake
Mango Truffle Cake

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Lachha Paratha (Layered Flatbread) with Potato and Peas Curry

Indian breads are a delight to eat with any kind of curries, and adding spices and stuffings like garlic, potatoes, paneer, onions or other veggies, not only makes them tasty, but wholesome and nutritious too. Wheat flatbreads, popularly known as "Chapatis" or "Phulkas" are light and fluffy, while Parathas are more heavier and come in various shapes and flavors. One such simple variation that uses all-purpose flour is the "Lachha or Layered Paratha". Originated from the northern provinces of India, this is a very simple bread, with no spices except salt, but the beauty lies in the crust and crisp flakiness of the bread. It has several layers and is made by folding the rolled bread over and over again for a few times. It does take some time and patience to make these parathas, but they are an absolute joy to eat when they are served hot with delicious curries! Some people also have it for breakfast with their tea in the morning. Not a bad start of a new day, I must say:) These parathas are heavy, so you might be full with just one, and that saves a lot of time!

Recipe Ingredients
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
Water to make dough
Salt to taste
1 cup ghee (clarified butter)

Method
Mix the flour and salt and knead into a soft dough with a little water at a time. The consistency should be such that the dough is pliable, yet not too hard, nor too watery. It might help to knead the dough with some warm water as that would help obtain a better and softer texture. Cover the dough and keep aside.

There are several different ways of doing this, but the basic idea is to create layers by folding the rolled dough over a few times. Here's how I do mine.

Divide the dough into equal-sized balls, and roll into a round over oval shape using a rolling pin and flat board. Now take a knife and cut to make long 1" wide strips. Layer all the strips on top of one another to form a stack. Then roll the entire stack from one end to the other, length-wise, just like you'd do in a jelly roll cake.

Flatten between the palms of your hands, grease with some ghee, then dip in some raw flour and roll it out again. To see a pictorial representation, click here. Don't try to be very exact in following these steps; as long as you are creating layers, you are fine. Finish the paratha by rolling it into desired shape.

Heat a flat pan on a medium flame. Then cook the paratha on each side; remember to sprinkle some oil when flipping it over so it does not stick to the pan. Cook on both sides till it turns a light golden brown in color. The layers will start puffing up, and make sure you cook it on medium flame only, too high and it may get burnt, but stay uncooked from inside.

The resulting paratha will be crisp and flaky, ready to serve with a curry of your choice!!

Potato and Peas Curry

Ingredients
3 cups cubed boiled potatoes
2 cups boiled gren peas
a pinch of asafoetida
3 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp mustard seeds
4 tbsp tomato puree
salt - to taste
sugar - to taste(optional)
lemon juice - to taste
4-5 tsp red chilli powder
chopped coriander - for garnish
3 tbsp oil

Method
Take a non-stick cooking pan. heat the oil, then add the cumin and mustard seeds and allow to splutter. Then add the asafoetida, followed by the tomato puree, and then the potato cubes and green peas. Add about 1.5 to 2 cups of water, add the salt and sugar, then cover with a lid and cook for 10 mins on medium heat.

When the curry starts simmering, add all the remaining spices. Mix well, add more water if required, then add the lemon juice. Check for taste, then allow to cook for another 5-10 mins on low flame. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish wit chopped coriander.

Enjoy a wholesome meal with the hot and crispy Lachcha Parathas with the delicious Potatoes and Green peas curry!

Similar Recipes
Paneer-Ajwain Parathas
Mung-Dal (Lentil) Parathas

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Egg-Cracker - No more messy egg cracking for you!!

As a person who bakes quite often, I am pathetic at cracking eggs! Seriously, I marvel when I see chefs on TV cracking eggs in a whack without any mess, in fact, with great style! Alas, though I'm a good cook, I'm not a good egg-cracker:) But now I've found this perfect solution to my problem. A kitchen gadget that makes cracking eggs so easy it's like a dream come true. I'm sure many of you must have experienced similar problems while baking. With the recipe book open at one end, and your hand stirring the mixture in the bowl, it's convenient to crack the egg on the rim of the bowl, until you see the egg white dripping from your fingers and some small flecks of shell that conveniently find their way into the batter! You can only sigh and try to remove them with a spoon, creating even more mess than you earlier imagined. So in my quest to be "stress-free" and make my baking a little "mess-free", I found this cute little Egg-cracker which does the job perfectly. I know it's not a great find, but you'll really appreciate it once you start using it and see the results:)

The Egg Cracker from Walter Drake makes cracking eggs for any purpose clean and simple. The gadget is easy to use, compact, cute and extremely easy to clean. and great for kids to help with the cooking! Simply put in the egg in the holder, tap a little, then invert and press - the yolk and whites come out in tact, and the shell is left behind, right where it's supposed to be. Also, it's easier to separate the egg yolk from the whites when it's cracked in such an organised way.

The egg-cracker is Dishwasher safe, and pretty easy to clean. No sharp curves or blades, so it's kid-friendly too; in fact, it's a great way to let your kids help with the cooking! It is small and can be stored anywhere, and fancy enough to look good on your kitchen counter. With all the comfort and convenience, this tiny gadget comes with a price tag of only $6.99!! (from Amazon) Can't beat that one, right? Combine this with any egg-separator and you have the recipe for a perfect dessert. It's simple and efficient, nothing fancy about it, but does it's job well, and that's what makes my life easy. Try it for yourself and see, then come back to share your experiences with us!

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Almond Mocha Iced Coffee (Frappucino)

Simple pleasures in life often come in small packages, and this is something that we experienced last night. Dinner was done, we were playing cards with friends, and suddenly all of us had this huge urge for something sweet. Coffee was another unanimous choice as we had a long night ahead (full of poker can cards:)), and I for once was not in the mood to spend more than 10 minutes in the kitchen. So we settled for some simple Cold Coffee. Ideally, that would be paired with ice cream, but as our fridge did not hold any, I had no choice but to settle for a simpler version. As luck would have it, I had some almond essence, hersheys chocolate syrup, and whip cream! Yes, the result couldn't have been any better at 11 pm at night!! The Almond Mocha Frappucino was a perfect light dessert for our midnight craving!:)

Ingredients
2 cups milk
5-6 ice cubes
2 tbsp Hersheys chocolate syrup
2 tsp almond essence (optional)
2-3 tbsp instant coffee powder
Whip Cream - for topping
cherriies - for garnish

Method
I don't think I need to write anything here, but I'll just be formal. Drop the ice cubes, milk, chcolate syrup, almond essence, sugar and coffee powder into a blender. Blend for 3-4 minutes until coffee has fully dissolved. Then pulse for 5-6 times to create the froth. Pour in serving glasses and top with whipping cream and a cherry! There, your delicious Flavored Mocha Frappucino is ready to dazzle! Who says simple can't be pretty??!!

Give in to your indulgence by drizzling it with more chocolate syrup. These can serve to be ideal individual desserts for your Parties too; all the glory without half of the fuss, now that's what I call Entertaining:)

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Marshmallow-Chocolate Mud Cookies

That chocolate chunks go best in cookies is a well-known fact, but another such ingredient which enhances the flavor of cookies is Marshmallows. Yes, that tiny white, soft and chewy ingredient that imparts taste and texture to your cookies! Mud Cookies are traditionally loaded with chocolate, both dark and white, and are baked a little more than regular cookies to give them the dark brown mud-like color. But don't go by the comparision to mud - it ends in the name!! The double chocolate mud-cookies are very tasty, not too sweet, and make for lovely goodie-boxes for the festive season!

Recipe and Image Source: Southern Living

Ingredients
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tspn vanilla
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tspn baking powder
1/2 tspn salt
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup milk chocolate chunks
1 cup mini marshmallows (optional)

Method
Microwave semisweet chocolate morsels in a small microwave-safe glass bowl at HIGH for 1 minute, stirring every 30 seconds. Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; add eggs, 1 at a time, and beat well. Finally blend in the vanilla and melted chocolate.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt and pass it through a sieve. Add this slowly to chocolate mixture, continuously stirring until well blended. Stir in the chopped pecans and 1/2 cup milk chocolate chunks.

Now take a baking sheet lined with butter paper. Spoon two tbsp of the dough onto the paper sheets. Press 3 marshmallows into the center of each cookie dough.Preheat oven to 350° and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Remove and allow to cool on the wire rack.

Store in an air-tight container and enjoy these lovely cookies anytime of the day. These marshmallow-chocolate chip cookies taste great with plain milk too! So next time your kid throws a tantrum while drinking milk, add a cookie to his glass and see him lick it to the last sip:)

Update (01/24/08): This photo had been wrongly submitted to DMBLGIT and I apologize for the mistake and any inconvenience caused thereof.

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Coconut and Poppy Seed Cake

We all know how colorful and pretty the Poppy Flowers are! But few of us know about poppy seeds, the tiny nutty-tasting, bluegray seeds inside capsules of the flowers. They are generally used to flavor breads, cakes, rolls, and cookies in European and Middle Eastern cooking. In Turkey, they are often ground and used in desserts. In India, the seeds are ground and used to thicken sauces. The seeds are also used in noodle, fish, and vegetable dishes in Jewish, German, and Slavic cooking. I for one, had my first poppy seed exposure on a tasty coffee cake in a cafe, and I liked the crunch it provided in every bite. I have had it in bagels too, but I prefer the pairing with desserts:) They also lend a wonderful aroma to baked goodies. So I tried making this very simple yet rich-looking cake flavored with vanilla, shredded coconut and poppy seeds. I think the combination works very well, and this Coconut-Poppy Seed Cake can serve to be a very light dessert cake, particularly to be savored with your tea or coffee.

Poppy seeds are derivatives of plants from which opium is extracted. Although the amount of opiates in poppy seeds is not enough to produce a narcotic effect in cooking or consumption, some people say that one could test positive for narcotics after consuming 4 poppy seed bagels!! So don't get too carried away by how much seeds you use for your cake! We don't want you to get drugged:) just a few teaspoons that add the crunch factor and aroma shuld be enough:)

Ingredients
1/2-3/4 cup poppy seeds (If you haven't tasted them before, start with less)
1/3 cup honey
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cups sugar (add more to your taste after batter is ready)
4 eggs - whites and yolks separated
3/4 cup low-fat sour cream
1 tspn vanilla
1 tspn baking soda
1 tspn baking powder
1 tspn salt

Method
In a small sauce pan cook poppy seeds with honey and 1/4 cup water for 5-7 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow them to cool. Some people add the poppy seeds dry, but I think soaking this way helps extract their flavor.

Cream the butter/margarine and sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add the cooled poppy seed mixture to this, and beat in the egg yolks(not the whites)one at a time, beating well after each addition. Finally, blend in sour cream and vanilla.

In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the poppy seed mixture to the dry mixture, beating well. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into the batter.

Pour the batter into a lightly greased and floured 9-inch cake pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Allow to cool on wire rack for 10-15 minutes.

Once it's completely cooled, you can slice into wedges and serve with tea or coffee, or as a light dessert with low-fat whip cream. You can also wrap the cake in double-layered plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for upto a month. Make sure to bring to room temperature before serving.

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C&O Cucina Italian Restaurant- Marina Del Rey, Los Angeles

Italian restaurants have a feel of their own, with loads of family photos adorning the walls, the wift of garlic and herbs trickling through the air while the soft romantic music plays in the backgrund! As I see it, italian restaurants are always very lively, and I love the atmosphere as much as the food. One such jewel for Italian-food lovers resides almost on the Venice beach, right in Marina Del Rey in the vibrant city of Los Angeles. C&O Trattoria, the original restaurant (just across from the Cucina) has always been a great hit with the people, but when it became too popular to cater to the growing throngs of hungry foodies, C&O Cucina came to the rescue. This place is much better and livelier than the older one, and you really have to go there to relish the tantalizing food that gells so well with the soothing ocean breeze in the air!

Nestled on Washington Blvd (cross street Lincoln blvd), this fine restaurant is walking distance from the Marina, and has a sufficiently big parking lot. In the casual dining room, a festive atmosphere is fueled by age-old bottles of wine and the soft and melodious playing of "That's Amore" sing-alongs, Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. The upbeat mood is enhanced by generous amounts of wine granted to every table and paid for by an honor system!! There's also an upstairs banquet room, which can accommodate 80 people, ideal for parties celebrating everything from weddings to family reunions or corporate gatherings. The dining arrangement is familiar to the traditional long family-meal settings that italians are known for. But my favorite area is by far The outfoor Patio, where you can enjoy the food along with the cherished summer sun of souther california:)

Even before I get to the Menu, I have to say that my favorites are the complimentary oven-fresh garlic rolls that do wonders to your taste buds!! Their menu is extremely extensive, with almost 20 northern Italian pasta dishes, 20 kinds of appetizers, and a dozen other special entrées, along with the grilled menu, which has turned out to be quite a hit! Even the salads are a class apart, no kidding! To mention just a few names here would be an insult to the rest, so take a moment to check out the Menu attached below. In cocktails, "That's Amore" and the "Sicilian Kiss" are interesting to try, and will stck with you. There's always a Chef's Special Dessert, whcih keeps changing, but my pick is definitely the Classic Tiramisu:)

They also have a special section for Kid's menu, and for the low-carb lovers. And if for some reason you are not in the mood for italina food, they also serve you grilled sandwiches, paninis and burgers. The price is reasonable, and the staff is always smiling and attentive. This place has all the right elements, ambience, food, refreshing sun patio, ideal for family gatherings or for romantic dinners and proposals:) Except for the fact that it's located on a narrow road, I don't see any cons for C&O Cucina. It will always be one of my favorite restaurants in Los Angeles - A walk along the Venice beach followed by a lunch at C&O Cucina, or vice versa, is the perfect way to spend a lovely day!



Address:
3016 Washington Blvd
Marina Del Rey, CA 90292
C&O Cucina Website and The Menu

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Tropical Fruit Punch Lemonade

Some things in life are just too complicated, and decision-making can drain you of all your energy!! But luckily for us, there are some things in life which are extremely simple and beautiful, and they compell us to enjoy that most-coveted moment of simplicity. Here' a simple Tropical Fruit Punch for your game nights and parties, or for a silent and relaxing afternoon. Ingrained with the goodness of oranges, pineapples and papaya, this drink is full of Vitamin-C, and can do a lot of good to your immune system. The vibrant yet refreshing color soothes your eyes, just as the tropical flavors liven up your spirits and tingle your tastebuds. Add in some champagne for a cocktail recipe, or enjoy the classic virgin fruit punch. Any way you choose it, you are bound to be lucky! Let's celebrate simplicity with a stress-free energizer punch!

Ingredients
1 cup orange juice
1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup papaya juice
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
sugar (optional, adjust to taste)
a dash of champagne (optional)
2 strawberries - slit for garnish
ice cubes

Method
Take 3-4 ice cubes in a blender. Add all the 3 juices and the sugar and blend to crush the ice and mix the flavors. Pour in serving glasses, add the lime juice and garnish with freshly cut strawberries!

Now find a silent corner in your house and release yourself of all tensions as you sip this refreshing Tropical Summer Cocktail!

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Foods that Lower your Cholesterol (knowing LDL and HDL)

The human life tends to get busier day by day, and the stress that surrounds us is increasing by leaps and bounds. We all know what harm stress can do to our body, including rising our blood sugar and cholesterol levels. This in turn leads to incresed risk of heart attacks, obesity and osteoporosis, to name a few! So its extremely essential that we take charge of our lives, and do whatever is in our hand to keep our cholesterol under control right from the beginning. It gets more and more difficult to do this as you age, so start right now! Exercise and a check on your daily diet can help lower your bad cholesterol. Though there are several medications now prescribed for the same, there are also a lot of natural food options, and incorporating these in our diet can make it much easier for you or your family member to keep the "High-Cholesterol" fever at bay. So what exactly is "LDL and HDL", and what foods can you take to help fight against the demon named cholesterol?

What is LDL and HDL?
Cholesterol is a type of fat found in your blood. Fats and cholesterol are part of the same family of chemical compounds known as lipids, and is either made by the liver, or found in our food. Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, is known as “bad” cholesterol. When too much LDL(bad) cholesterol circulates in the blood, it can slowly build up in the inner walls of the arteries that feed the heart and brain. Together with other substances, it can form plaque, a thick, hard deposit that can narrow the arteries and make them less flexible. This condition is known as atherosclerosis. If a clot forms and blocks a narrowed artery, heart attack or stroke can result. High-density lipoprotein, or HDL, is known as “good” cholesterol, and constitues about 1/3-1/4th of the blood cholesterol. Medical experts think that HDL tends to carry cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it's passed from the body. Some experts believe that that HDL removes excess cholesterol from arterial plaque, thus slowing its buildup, thus reducing the risk of heart attacks.

Foods that Help you Lower Bad Cholesterol

Whole Grains/Oats/Cereals
These foods are rich in soluble fiber, which helps increase HDL and therby reduce buildup in the carotid artery walss.

Soy Protein
A diet rich in soy helps increase the activity of low-density lipoprotein receptors primarily on the liver that clears it from the body. Eating soy protein increases the activity of these enzymes that break down the cholesterol in the body.

Blueberries
An antioxidant called pterostilbene (similar to resveratrol, found in grapes and red wine), is known to have effectively lowered cholesterol levels in animals. These fruits also have other nutrients and are rich in fiber.

Nuts
Nuts like walnuts, pistachios, pecans and almonds are rich in fiber, phytonutrients and antioxidants such as Vitamin E and selenium. These tasty snacks are also high in plant sterols and fat - but mostly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which have all been shown to lower the bad LDL cholesterol. But limit your intake to a fistful a day, as they are also high in calories!

Salmon and Fish Oil
Fish, especially Salmon, is a good source of protein and omega 3 fatty acids - which has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol. This is also recommended for people with Type-2 Diabetes.

Avocados/Olives
A huge part of fat in an avocado is heart-healthy, unsaturated fats that can increase your levels of HDL cholesterol. The good fats in avocados, olives, and olive oil protect against heart disease and diabetes.

Raw Garlic
This fragrant spice that adds flavor to all our foods, is clinically proven to lower the LDL cholesterol significantly. Eating raw crushed garlic is extremely beneficial to the heart and also lowers blood pressure.

Yogurt
Several studies have shown that the probiotics Lactobacillus Acidophilus and Lactobacillus Reuteri actually help lower cholesterol by preventing the reabsorption of cholesterol back in to the blood stream.

Tomatoes
Tomatoes contain lycopene which is great at stopping the oxidation of LDL cholesterol. Studies have shown that large consumption of lycopene can indeed reduce cholesterol levels, and it is best to eat these cooked, rather than raw.

These are the main foods that can help you lower your Cholesterol. It's not just about being obese; it's about being healthy, and doing your part in helping your heart purify all your blood! A judicious use of the above foods can really reduce the rish of heart disease. Hope this article helps you in making an informed decision.

References and Sources
Sixwise, Medicine.Net, Mayo Clinic and American Heart Association

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Amber India Restauarant - Santana Row (San Jose)

Located in San Jose’s swanky Santana Row area, this upscale restaurant called Amber India serves traditional and contemporary Indian cuisine prepared by award winning chefs. Swathed in eclectic artwork with a refined but definite Southeast Asian bent, Amber India Restaurant is a chic dining venue, and its exotic cocktail menu gets extra points for creativity and flair while pairing perfectly with the cuisine. It represents an inviting atmosphere of modern elegance, comfort and sophistication, and provides a wonderful reprieve to the avid shoppers and night-life lovers on the street!

As you enter the doors, you are drawn to the modern bold shades of blue and green on the walls, showcasing artworks that seem to convey a message. The top of the ceiling is painted deep dark blue, interspersed with yellow twinkling stars! Now if that's not dreamy, what is!!:) Its colorful yet soothing at the same time. The borders on the walls are marked with Sanskrit shlokas, and their english translations, representing Indian heritage in the western world. The dining area is more archaic, with white walls and colorful paintings. The wooden tables are covered with white linen sheets, accentuating to bring out the color of the food. Soft lighting and large space gives a feeling of warmth, and is ideal for family dinners.

The executive chef Vitthal Shetty, hails from Bangalore India, and has served in the prestigious Oberoi Hotel. He believes in presenting Indian cuisine by adhering to the authentic & traditional recipes but using local and seasonal ingredients, creating classic dishes with contemporary twists. The Cocktail Menu is definitely recommended, and showcases some really wonderful drinks. The Lunch and Dinner menu is a bit upscale, and features quite a few novelties for vegetarians and meat-lovers alike. For the first-timers, they also have some interesting samplers so you can get a feel of several dishes together. The Tandoori appetizers and some unique main-course entrees are a highlight of the Menu(link below). The spices in the food are generally mild, so if you are looking for some authentic taste, ask the waiters to make it medium-spicy. The Desserts re a class part, unseen in other restaurants, and they cater to an elite clientele, so this could also be an ideal place to take a close a business deal:)

Overall, this is a wonderful place for dinner when you are in the mood to spend a bit more for a memorable evening. The location, friendly and professional service, and the extra-ordinary management give this place at least a 4-star rating. Be warned though, they also have 2 other branches in Mountain View, California, and the restaurant there is not even half as good as the Santana Row location. They also have a Cafe in Mountain View called Amber Bites, which serves more fast-food varieties, and has some interesting dishes like Chilli-Idli Fry and Achari Paneer Tikka wraps. The paav-bhaji is also commendable. I'd say the Cafe is a good place for a quick tasty meal. Amber Indian Restaurant has been rated among the top 10 Indian resturants in the San Francisco Bay Area, and I think they deserve that, disregarding the Mountain View location. Santana Row offers a lovely experience, and I think you should definitely check it out when you get a chance.



Address:
377 Santana Row
San Jose, CA 95128
(408) 248-5400
Amber Indian Restaurant

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Veg Pizza on a Pita with Cilantro Hummus - A Quick-Fix Meal

It's been raining heavily in California since 2 weeks now, and people are already praying that it stops over the weekend. But frankly, though I detest driving to work in this rain and not having a chance to go out during weekend because it is pouring out there, it is good that we received all this rain because it was badly needed! Now you know what rain does to your tastebuds, right? You are suddenly attacked by a bout of those "Give me something hot and tasty now" food cravings, and that is precisely what we felt 2 days ago. But it was late when we got home from work, and though I wanted something tasty, I was in no mood for an elaborate meal. I saw a packet of pita bread and some hummus in my fridge. So did I make pita?? Nope, I decided to go for the Pizza version of the Pita. I had some Pizza Sauce on hand, and I modified the hummus by adding some cilantro and green chillies to add some kick, then we layered the vegggies, sauce, hummus and cheese on the pita breads and tossed them into the oven for a luscious quick-fix meal! Believe me Pizza on a Pita is surely a healthy yet tasty alternative to a pizza craving!

Ingredients
3 Pita Breads
3 tbsp Pizza Sauce (any brand is fine)
3 tbsp regular plain Hummus
1/4th cup fresh cilantro
4-5 green chillies or jalapeno
veggies of your choice (I used onion, capsicum, olives and jalapeno)
some corn for topping
shredded mozarella cheese
ground black pepper

Method
Take the hummus, cilantro and jalapenos and blend them in a mixer to make a smooth paste. That's how you make your Cilantro-Hummus spread .

Now mix the cilantro hummus and pizza sauce and layer it evenly on the pita bread. Top it with all vegetables of your choice like onions, capsicum, mushrooms, olives, more jalapenos, tomatoes, and some corn kernels. Finally spread the shressed cheese onto it and bake it in the oven for 15 mins, or until the veggies are cooked and cheese has melted.

Enjoy while it's hot! This is a great easy-to-make meal, and also good use for some leftover pita bread!

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Announcing an Event - Game Night Party Recipes

Hi everyone! The holidays are over, and the New year has begun, so it's time to start with some more fun! Have you seen people discussing and planning to buy HDTV's (High-Definition TV) lately, and switching from Dish or Cable to DirecTV?? Well, that's because it's the sporty time of the year, and the biggest event in United States is around the corner - YES, the mighty NFL Super Bowl to be played on Feb 3rd 2008 in Arizona!! I will admit it upfront, I'm not a huge fan of NFL, simply because I think it's too violent:) But I do like the strategy part in the game, and believe it or not, when you have a group of friends and enthusiasts surrounding you in your room, rooting at every shot, you are sure to get carried away by the excitement in the atmosphere! So, before you start thinking why I'm blabbbering about Super Bowl on my Food Blog, let me tell you about my intention to host a "Game Night Party" event. Even in India and Australia, Cricket is on in full-swing, and for most of the people, irrespective of their location, Friday Nights are generally Poker Nights!:)

So, in celebration of Sports, I have decided to host an Event which will gather simple yet delicious recipes that can help you plan a stress-free Game Night. I also know that a lot of events are out there in the blogosphere, and it can get tiring to keep up with all of them. So I am tweaking the rules a bit here to allow for previously-posted recipes. The purpose of this Event is to gather and share party recipe ideas so that it's beneficial to everyone; I don't want to stress my blogger friends and readers than they already are:) So go on, read the rules, and start sending in your Favourite Simple and Quick-to-Make Recipes!

This event is completed. Please take a look at the Game Night Party Recipes Roundup for some delicious, and easy finger-food recipes! Thanks everyone for participating!

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Warm Chocolate Muffins with Chocolate Sauce and Fresh Strawberries

As life gets busier and work get more demanding day by day, its easy to resort to "semi-homemade" and "30-minute" meals for preparing our dinners. A full-time engineer myself, I know how difficult it can get at times when you have to sacrifice a gym session just because you still have to cook, and its inviting to gather the semi-cooked ingredients and spend less time cooking, at the same time still winning loads of compliments for your culinary skills(yeah, who knows I used something right off the shelf!:)) But as a cook, I can say that most of the joy and satisfaction that I derive from cooking is in the actual process, making something from scratch, trying out variations and methods, the smells and flavors that fill up my kitchen, getting involved as the delicacy takes shape, form, color and texture in the oven or on the stove, and finally, taking that extra step to make my meal more attractive and appealing! The joy of these small wonders can't compare to the packaged food!

I'm all for semi-homemade cooking, and using ingredients to ease your process is encouraged, but at least don't deprive yourself of the enjoyment while you cook! I needed some tonic for my body after this, and I went home and baked these Simple and Easy Chocolate Muffins, layered with homemade sauce, and served with fresh strawberries. I would use this as a basic muffin recipe, and you can play around with ingredients and flavors to make muffin variations. It works perfect as breakfast served with your morning coffee or as a quick evening dessert.

Note: This recipe makes 6-8 muffins

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup self-raising flour
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 cup sugar
4 tbsp skimmed milk
1 egg
2 tbsp sunflower oil

For the Chocolate Sauce
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup whipping cream
1 tspn vanilla essence

Method
Preheat oven to 350 deg F and grease a muffin pan with non-stick spray. Sieve the cocoa into a large bowl, then add the rest of the dry ingredients. Stir to combine, then make a well in the centre.

Beat the milk, egg and oil together in a jug, pour into the well, then stir quickly to make a batter. Spoon into the muffin tin, then bake for 15 mins or until risen and firm to the touch.

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips and whipping cream. Remove after 30 sec, the stir, then repeat the process (keep stirring) until smooth. Add in the vanilla, and let the sauce cool a little.

Turn out the muffins while they are warm (not hot!) and pour the custard over them. Slice some fresh strawberries on the side, and enjoy a delicious dessert any day of the week!

Tip: You can make the chocolate sauce and store it in a fridge. Just melt it anytime you want to use it. Also feel free to indulge by pouring some vanilla ice cream on the top to make it one luscious dessert!

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Asian-style Spaghetti with Garlic and Cilantro

Pasta or Noodles are the most-favored quick-fix meals in a lot of families. But the recipes we use can tend to get fairly monotonous, and we start craving for a change of taste pretty soon! A few variations would be choosing different styles of pasta, changing the sauces, and adding thai or asian spices to it. But I had tried almost all possible variations, and it was time to try something new, a fusion between the cuisines I enjoyed, a hand at pairing up some unique flavors! So I decided to combine two of my favorite dishes, the Veg Hakka noodles and the Garlic Spaghetti Pasta. I too the basic pasta, and instead of opting for tomato-basil or cream sauce, I went for the soy sauce to make these asian-style noodles. Fo the flavor, I used garlic and Cilantro, a pretty unique blend to noodles, but try it before you feel it's not a good choice! I aslo added some sweet chilli sauce for the thai influence, basic veggies and some chopped green onions. The result, a totally scintillating plate of noodles, with all the right balance of flavors, set off by the unique taste of cilantro and the fresh smell of garlic. Even the soy-sauce glazed onions and capsicums added to the inviting look! Try it, you will surely love it!:)

Ingredients
1 packet spaghetti noodles
5-6 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup of fresh cilantro, and some more for garnish
5-6 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sweet chilly sauce (Maggi)
2 tbsp regular ketchup
salt and black pepper - to taste
1 cup chopped capsicum - long slices
1 cup chopped red onions - long slices
2 tbsp chopped green onions
2 tbsp crushed peanuts (optional)
2 tbsp oil

Method
Boil and cook the spaghetti in water with 1 tbsp oil as instructed on the packet.

Take a non-stick pan, add 2 tbsp oil and add the chopped garlic, onions and capsicum. When they turn caramelzed and have a glaze, add the soy sauce and salt. cover with a lid and cook for 5-7 mins on medium-low flame. Then add the Maggi sweet chilli sauce and ketchup, and throw in the crushed peanuts and the chopped cilantro. Mix well, add the chopped green onions, leaving some for garnish.

Take a serving bowl and transfer the cooked pasta/noodles into it. Add the prepared veggie sauce onto the noodles and toss a little to combine. Finally, garnish with the remaining chopped green onions and a bunch of fresh cilantro leaves, and serve hot!

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Baked Family-size Banana and Walnut Pancake - An ideal weekend breakfast or brunch!

In the everyday din and bustle of a hectic life, families hardly get time to reconnect. Weekends or holidays are the most cherished times when parents and kids are together. But what's a better way to start the day than by gathering around the table for morning breakfast, right? And here's a perfect family-sized jumbo pancake, which is actually like a cake, so that you don't have to make separate servings for everyone. Instead, just bake a large pancake for the entire family, then slice and serve so everyone enjoys it together! I use bananas and walnuts, as they are my best toppings, besides strawberries and chocolate chips:) But you are free to use any other seasonal fruits like peaches, apples, blueberries or raspberries. Just make sure you use firm fruits rather than the canned syrupy ones because you are going to pop this into the oven, not roast it on the griddle. Serve with a delicious topping of powdered sugar or whipped cream, and a large pitcher of orange juice, or freshly brewed coffee. Who says morning breakfasts can't be fun for the whole family!!

Ingredients
1/2 stick butter
1 cup maple syrup (not pancake syrup)
3-4 ripe bananas
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 cups pancake mix (such as Bisquick)
1 egg

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in heavy 10 inch oven pan (like a cake pan) Brush sides of pan evenly with melted butter. Add maple syrup and let it cool a couple of minutes. Slice bananas evenly over the syrup and cover entire bottom of pan with bananas. Do not slice bananas too thin because they will shrink some during baking. Sprinkle a generous helping of walnuts over bananas.

Mix pancake mix with egg, water and vanilla essence, as directed on the packet. Pour batter gently over bananas and spread evenly. Bake in oven about 20-25 minutes until the top browns (like a regular pancake).

Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes. Place a large platter on top of the oven pan, and with one quick motion turn it upside down. Transfer the inverted pancake to a serving dish. Dust with powdered sugar, slice and serve with coffee and some strawberries or other fruits if you like!

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Cranberry-Soy Milk and Green Tea Smoothie

It is a well-known fact that breakfast is by far, the most important meal of the day. Consume a healthy and filling breakfast and it'll keep you on your toes for a significant part of the day. It not only kickstarts your body processes, but also fuels your nerve cells to prepare you for an action-packed morning! So it's imperative to include as many nutrients as you can in your early morning meal. The importance of cranberries for its anti-oxidant properties is known to most of us. Same is the case with green tea, but some of us find it hard to take in the herb tea by itself. So I decided to combine it in a smoothie. I love my smoothies to be milk-based or creamy, and given a choice I would happily add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to my concoctions:) but as we are trying to target a healthy meal, I opted for the soy-milk, which is way more easier to digest, is full of calcium and protein, and less in calorie content. Add a bit of honey and banana and you are all set for a hearty and healthy breakfast smoothie!

Ingredients
1/2 cup frozen cranberries
1 ripe banana
1/2 cup brewed green tea
1/4 cup plain soy milk
2 tbsp light brown sugar or honey

Method
Brew the green tea using fresh leaves or tea-bags. Let it cool down a bit. Then blend all ingredients together until smooth. Pour into glasses and enjoy for a detoxifying, healthy and filling breakfast!

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Teatro ZinZanni - The Ultimate in Dining Experience

When we think of splurging a fortune on food, lights and dazzle, we think of Las Vegas. The spectacular shows and the electrifying atmosphere that this city offers is truly amazing. But what if I tell you that now you can experience these at a place closer to you, and without spending a whole lot of fortune? That will get you interested, right! Welcome to the world of Teatro ZinZanni and prepare to be enchanted! A world where dreams and reality converge, magic and mystery are believable, and all your senses are bound to be satiated in a period of 3-4 hours!! Launched in 1998 by One Reel's Norman Lagill, Teatro ZinZanni now has 2 permanent locations, Seattle's historic Belltown District and the Waterfront location of Pier 39 off Embarcadero in the glittering city of San Francisco. Choose either of these, and you are promised an evening of adventure, sensuality, european cabaret, cirque and excitement, all under a large and gorgeous Belgian "Spiegeltent", and served with a sumptous 5-course meal.

Teatro ZinZanni breaks new artistic territory with a unique and intoxicating blend of interactive theater, spectacle, fine arts and fine dining. Once you enter the tent, it looks like you are attending a family wedding. The soft mood is created by beautifully placed circular tables, adorned with simple tapestry, flowers and flickering candles. The seats are pre-assigned, but you can request to have a table closer to the center of the tent, and right next to the performers. The gourmet-style 5-course Menu(link attached below) keeps changing, but there's plenty to choose from, even for vegetarians or vegans, starting with Appetizers, Soup, Salad, an Entree, followed by the Dessert and a house-special, custom-roasted Caffee Vita! You can inform them in advance about your food allergies and they'll prepare a special meal just for you! Yes, everyone here takes an extra step to make your experience a truly memorable one. Some of the highlights include Baked Ravioli-Filled with Roasted Autumn Vegetables Cashew Basil-Pesto, Roasted Chicken Breast with Pork and Mission Fig Stuffing and desserts like Molten Valrhona Chocolate Cake.

Describing a little about the shows, it's like a bewitching evening of European Cabaret and Cirque, Divas and Madmen, Spectacle and Sensuality combined with Live Music. The Cirque is as splendid as the actual Cirque De Soleil in Las Vegas, and they have the best artists in every field, be it dance, acrobats, comedy or cabaret. We were spellbound by the theatrics, and seriously, I think I've used all the superlatives that I know of and yet nothing can capture the essence of this experience as witnessing it live! It's truly one of the best dining and theater experiences in San Francisco.

And now for the price that you pay for this experience. The general admission costs $104 per person (which includes the show and the gourmet meal), with a little more for Premium Seating and Special Holiday Performances. I think it's a small price to pay for a lifetime experience, and definitely the best way to spend a special occasion. Reservations are strongly recommended, and you can get all other details on their website. I would not recommend taking your kids with you as some of the content may not be suitable for them. Also, it is advisable to attend this on weeknights and non-holiday periods for a better value for your money! It can get really over-priced during the holidays.

Locations:
222 Mercer St,
Seattle (Belltown)
(206)802-0015

Pier 29/Embarcadero
San Francisco
(415)238-2668
Teatro ZinZanni

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Roasted Cauliflower and Bell Pepper Soup

I think the major reason people flock to the western coasts of California is the beautiful weather that we are blessed with. But looks like mother nature is playing games with this blessing that we have started taking for granted. It's been record lows this winter, and we have to turn on the heater every night! Well, not that I should complain a lot though, because a lot of my friends in the east coast have a way more hard time shovelling their driveways and uncovering their snow-clad cars in the morning, layered themselves in jerseys and overcoats. Anyways, one of the ways I think we can comfort ourselves against the cold is fuel our bodies with something hot, healthy and delicious. Yes, you guessed it right - Soups! Generally when we think about making soups, we go with chosen favorites like tomatoes, pumpkins, mushrooms, chicken or veggies in a creamy broth. But recently I came across a cauliflower soup recipe on Southern Living, and it caught my eye. I had also seen a tomato-bell-pepper soup on Coffee's blog, so I decided to combine the two and make this simple recipe for a rich, healthy and totally comforting Roasted Cauliflower and Bell Pepper Soup!! The best part is right from the time you start roasting the peppers in the oven, your kitchen is filled with a fragrant and soothing aroma. Combine that with cauliflower cooking in sauteed garlic and you have a winner:)

Ingredients
6 large red bell peppers
1 tbspn olive oil
2-3 cloves of garlic - minced
2 tspn salt (adjust to taste)
1/4 tspn cayenne or red chilli powder
1 medium-sized cauliflower - cut into florets
1 tbspn sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice (adjust to taste)
freshly ground pepper
fresh chives - chopped, for garnish
1 tspn cream - for garnish

Method
Turn on the oven with the broiler set to high. Arrange bell peppers skin side up on baking sheet. Broil, watching carefully, until skins are blackened, about 10 minutes. Remove peppers from oven and let them cool. Peel over a bowl to collect juices; set peppers and juices aside.

In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat olive oil on low flame. Add garlic, salt, and cayenne and cook for 2 mins. Add water and cauliflower. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 mins. Add bell peppers with juices and cook, covered, until cauliflower is tender, say 10 more mins. Puree in batches in a blender and add sugar and salt as per your taste. Finally add in the lemon juice and freshly ground black pepper.

Serve the Roasted Bell-Pepper and Cauliflower soup while its hot, garnished with a drizzle of cream and some chives! I so enjoyed this soup last night, my legs folded under me on my couch, watching a series of my favorite show - "Friends"; I didn't even care that it was in the low 40's outside!(and yeah, that's chilly for California weather guys!!)

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Palak (Spinach) and Corn Pulao

After baking lots of cookies, I have this strong urge to cook a little healthy and low-calorie diet. And when I think healthy, spinach is always at the top of my list. So, rather than the traditional Palak Paneer, I thought I'd use spinach puree in my Rice to make this delcious and pretty-looking Palak and Corn Pulao. It's basically similar to fried rice, but just with indian flavors instead of asian spices. Vegetable Pulao is traditionally cooked with long-grain basmati rice and you can add your choice of vegetables to it. And to get that balance of crunch with a bit of sweetness, I added the corn kernels. It was very wholesome, and you could add a whole lot of other veggies like brocolli or potatoes, carrots or beet to this pulao. The color is very inviting and fresh-looking, and decked up with tomatoes and fresh coriander, you'll actually feel like you are "eating green"!!

Ingredients
3 cups long grain Basmati rice
1 packet of spinach leaves
1/2 medium sized onion - chopped finely
2 green chillies - diced
1 cup kernel corns - frozen or fresh
3 bay leaves
2 tsp cumin seeds
salt - to taste
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp ghee
3 tsp garam masala or biryani masala
2 tsp turmeric powder
chopped coriander - for garnish
thin tomato wedges - for garnish

Method
Wash the basmati rice under running water for a couple of times to remove the starchy content. Take a rice cooker and cook the rice as you normally would. Just make sure you keep stirring them occasionally. If you are using a stove, take a large crockpot, add 1 tbsp ghee, then add the rice and water and cover it with a lid just partly open to allow the steam to escape; stir in between and cook on medium flame or heat.

While the rice cooks, take a large fryikng pan, add 3 tbsp ghee, cumin seeds and the bay leaves. When they start spluttering, add the green chillies and the chopped onions. Saute till they turn a light golden in color.

Meanwhile, wash the spinach leaves and blend them to make a fine puree. Thaw the kernel corns if you are using the frozen ones by microwaving for 10 seconds.

Now add the puree to the onions and mix well. Add the salt, garam masala powder, turmeric and lemon juice. Cover with a lid and cook for 7-10 mins until it starts bubbling a little. finally add the corn kernels and reduce to low-flame.

Once the rice is almost cooked, add it to the gravy mixture and mix well gently with a spatula. Taste for salt and spices and make necessary additions per your choice. Remove from flame and let the spices and spinach blend with the rice.

Transfer the Spinach and Corn Pulao to a serving dish. Take a firm tomato, cut it into thin wedges, removing the pulp. Chop some fresh cilantro and garnish the pulao with these . Serve hot with Gujarati Kaddhi or Gravies (Malai Kofta Curry )

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Lemon and Coconut Rice with Sambhar
Vegetable Fried Rice

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