A cake for a Birthday Princess

Author : Manasi      Blog : A Cook @ Heart      Date : 5/6/2013 3:48:00 AM

'Every little girl is a princess, don't you think? And more so on her birthday. My son calls her Tai (meaning elder sister) and she turned 7, Sujata's little Princess is one year older.A few weeks ago, our little Princess and I looked at several cake pictures on Pinterest and made 'expert comments' and she and I both liked one cake, instantly. We decided that I was going to make it for her birthday. I promised her, but I was a bit unsure... I mean, it is one (...)'

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Left over magic: Jazzing up the humble Policha Ladoo

Author : Manasi      Blog : A Cook @ Heart      Date : 4/18/2013 7:07:00 AM

'I woke up in the morning with a dreadful pounding in my head. Red hot hammers were working over time. Letting out a miserable groan, I dragged my feet to the bathroom to brush and swallowed a migraine tablet and stumbled back in bed.What a terrible way to start the day! How I wished someone would soothe my forehead or make me a cup of tea....Through the haze in my mind, I remembered a figure, long forgotten........ Sonu Bai. Sonu Bai was our maid, when I was a sc(...)'

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Handhwo

Author : Manasi      Blog : A Cook @ Heart      Date : 4/5/2013 5:52:00 AM

'I used to be very excited about April Fool's day. I would actually spend time thinking about how I would like to fool  my parents.Maybe it was all those Enid Blyton books I was addicted to. Reading all about how those school going girls tricked their friends and family and teachers would make me yearn to pull one on my near ones too.Of course I realized that there was no store that sold jokes or trick packs in India and had to 'compromise'.I would do silly things(...)'

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Spritz Cookies- Bite size treats!

Author : Manasi      Blog : A Cook @ Heart      Date : 3/20/2013 4:38:00 PM

'Spring break is over. there is an audible sigh in the vicinity.. I join in.It has been a hectic week with  an active child at home. Thank God for perfect weather! While many of you are still wearing thick jackets or cranking up the heat in your homes, we have flung open our windows to let the gentle breeze in, packed all the winter woollies and pulled on the flip-flops! We have donned soft tees, and Capri and for  those who can carry it off, shorts(...)'

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Cooking with friends : Dhebra

Author : Manasi      Blog : A Cook @ Heart      Date : 3/8/2013 5:55:00 PM

'This is the third part of the Sonali Trilogy. Every Tuesday,  when Sonali has  a day off from work, she works on the home front.  All working women out there know what I am talking about.In top gear, she whizzes around the house, cleaning, tidying up, laundry, running errands and  as pre-arranged, we meet at her apartment and she has some nice Gujarati dish for me to taste!For a while now, I have been pestering her for a hands-on session at making something.(...)'

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Puranpoli and a fight against plagiarism, come join us..

Author : Manasi      Blog : A Cook @ Heart      Date : 2/27/2013 7:53:00 PM

'She would stand and roll these to perfection, year after year. She stood alone and I mean, as a person as well as, when making puranpoli. Aaji, my dear Aaji. Her small, gentle hands  had surprising strength, she would knead the puranpoli dough, no food processor. It was hard work, making dough for 50-60 puranpolis. Every Ganpati, we would go to Aaji's. The night before and help my Mama (maternal uncle) put up the decoration for the next day.Then late into the night, w(...)'

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Winners of the Giveaway!

Author : Manasi      Blog : A Cook @ Heart      Date : 2/22/2013 12:53:00 AM

'Thank you, all of you who have participated and supported me in this event and giveaway.While I have to choose 2 lucky winners, to me all of you have sent winning entries and with recipes which I want to try myself!This giveaway is sponsored by Cuponation and the lucky winners  (one from India and the other from the USA) will receive gift vouchers *Disclaimer: I have not received any financial  compensation for hosting this event and giveaway.*Here(...)'

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It's a Sweet Life! Kid Approved : Cheesecake Burritos.

Author : Manasi      Blog : A Cook @ Heart      Date : 2/12/2013 6:09:00 AM

'REMINDER: I am hosting an event and a giveaway (for bloggers in the USA and in India) and it is open till February 14th. Have you sent in your entry? e-mail me your entry at pallavykulkarni [at]yahoo[dot] com. I will post the round up in the following week( so if your entry is a bit late, it is okay) and announce the winners. Now on to today's post. If you are a 70's something child born in India, what I have to narrate will have you nodding in agreement. More so, if you a(...)'

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Date and Nut snack- Clean eating

Author : Manasi      Blog : A Cook @ Heart      Date : 2/7/2013 6:53:00 AM

'Making a move towards clean eating or healthy sounds idealistic, but in reality, sometimes the going is tough. I admire people who have it in them to give up carbs ( except for  an occasional indulgence, maybe once a month! ) and  never to eat any sugar or sweet. I get on that bandwagon only to get off after a short while. I cannot give up  carbs, I try to increase other crucial components, but I crave those comfort foods I grew up eating.Maybe it just needs(...)'

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'I Must Make That' and an exciting giveaway!

Author : Manasi      Blog : A Cook @ Heart      Date : 2/1/2013 6:47:00 PM

'I loved birthdays, wait let me correct that, I loved going to Monginis and ordering my birthday cake. I would love to look at the various designs and decide which one I liked best.I always wondered how did they make that?Then one day I walked into Michaels, and I was fascinated and could not get enough. I loved the pictures and my mind latched on to the cake pictures! Every time after that, for nearly 5 years, I walked into Michaels, I would look at the cake decorating kits and(...)'

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Author : Manasi      Blog : A Cook @ Heart      Date : 1/21/2013 5:24:00 PM

'My hate-affair with Tofu is  CASHEW COCONUT RICE 3/4 cup  basmati Rice'

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Mini (Quinoa and Bean) Burgers in Pita Pockets

Author : Manasi      Blog : A Cook @ Heart      Date : 1/18/2013 4:08:00 AM

'All these years we avoided getting cable TV. It is addicting.And then we succumbed. We included TV in our Internet and wireless account, it was a 'bundle plan'.Finally, about 2 weeks ago, the technician came home, installed  everything and left us with a new remote control, that now controls us.Little S sips his morning milk watching cartoons ( he actually thinks the TV exists only for him and must play cartoons).M comes home, demands the remote, gets it after a small(...)'

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Mexican Pizza

Author : Manasi      Blog : A Cook @ Heart      Date : 1/14/2013 5:22:00 PM

'I like Taco Bell, but do not frequent it very often. And when I do, I usually pick up the 7 layer Burrito and that's it. I hardly bothered with  trying new tastes, an occasional chalupa (?) maybe.That said, I do like Mexican food but I am not too keen on going out to eat, why? because it makes me suspicious. Huh? It has familiar ingredients. Yes, but what if lard is used in anything? Years ago, I read a post by a blogger ( her blog is private now) who mentioned the free use of (...)'

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Goodbye 2012, Hello 2013!

Author : Manasi      Blog : A Cook @ Heart      Date : 12/31/2012 4:41:00 PM

'2012 was such a roller coaster ride. up and down, round and round..... When did it start? And now, it's ending.So many things happened, as they always do, no doubt, in every body's life and we (my little family) are no exceptions.I have lost my patience many more times than I care to remember. I feel ashamed.I have cried, as though my heart was broken, indeed, it felt like that, I survived.I laughed, loudly, I cherish those moments.I made new friends, strengthened the bond of an&nbs(...)'

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Kokum Kadhi- a taste of Khandesh.

Author : Manasi      Blog : A Cook @ Heart      Date : 12/30/2012 5:32:00 PM

'I would  wait for my Mother to make kadhi and khichadi or just kadhi, I loved sipping hot kadhi, in fact, if my Mother would allow it, I would make a meal of only that, like soup, warm, filling and oh-so-very-tasty! Just when I thought there was no match for Kadhi, Lisa(my BFF) made a face and declared, "this is not kadhi", laying particular emphasis on the not. I was stunned into silence. I slowly put down my spoon, un-sipped and stared and stupidly said, " is t(...)'

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Sweet Corn Soup

Author : Manasi      Blog : A Cook @ Heart      Date : 12/28/2012 3:18:00 PM

'Since the weather has made up it's mind to keep low, it is time to bring out the soup recipes. Simple, hearty , filling and brimming with healthy ingredients. Do I need to explain any more?!A steaming hot bowl so capable of spreading warmth and making me feel so good deserves a mention on the blog.My love for soup, when young, was limited strictly to Tomato Soup. Other soups did not exist. Indeed, many restaurants, at that time boasted only of Cream of Tomato soup and some with(...)'

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'Twas the night before....A White Christmas

Author : Manasi      Blog : A Cook @ Heart      Date : 12/26/2012 5:56:00 AM

''Twas the night before Christmas....the man and the child slept peacefully. I sat alone, in the living room, legs tucked  under a thin shawl and curled up in one corner of the sofa, reading. Page after page, I read, then, at one point,  I closed the book, thinking, wondering, imagining, I  shivered a bit, turned and switched on the portable heater to warm my feet. Not that it was so cold, but I felt chilled. It was because of the book I was reading. A few weeks a(...)'

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Inchin's Bamboo Garden- A Review

Author : Manasi      Blog : A Cook @ Heart      Date : 12/3/2012 4:59:00 AM

'It's been a bit over a year that I moved into the Dallas area. The biggest bonus for us was that our neighboring area had tons of Indian restaurants for us to explore. Some we had visited during our previous visit, over 3 years ago. Since then, many others have cropped up and demand attention! Apart from that, there is a local radio station that bombards you with advertisements and promotions, media is a powerful weapon! A few months ago, we went to Plano, a neighboring ci(...)'

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Leftover magic! Phodnicha Bhaat and a Sweet Paratha.

Author : Manasi      Blog : A Cook @ Heart      Date : 11/30/2012 6:42:00 PM

'" Mommy, I want waffles today", my son requests. I bustle into the kitchen, make the batter ( I use ready made mix and heat the waffle iron and serve up golden, delicious waffles with a pat of butter and syrup glistening and running down the corners and hand him the plate.Mom and son, happy! He because he got what he wanted and I, because it was *such* an easy option. Or some days it is just pancakes, easier! No need to lug out the waffle iron ( I live in an apartment(...)'

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Daal Biryani- a quick weeknight meal

Author : Manasi      Blog : A Cook @ Heart      Date : 11/26/2012 6:40:00 AM

'One pot meals are most convenient, whether it is a weeknight or a lazy weekend (especially if you have shopped all night on Thanksgiving) whether you are a working or a stay-at-home Mom / Dad. One very popular one pot meal is Khichadi which is light and mild and pure comfort. but sometimes you just to glam it up. Enter Daal Biryani! For many, Biryani conjures up a very distinct image, aromatic Basmati rice cooked with vegetables and spices and for (...)'

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