Go Diego Go Cake--Sweet Gift by Swati and Surprise on Friday the 13th

 As promised by me and dear Swati, She send me this recipe with pictures for you all. The cake turned out Awesome and any 4 year old would have loved this cake for his birthday. Go Diego Go!!!!! Happy birthday T. May your adventures never end with age.

Over to Swati's message

 Hi all,

This is my first themed cake for my love , my 4 yr old Son “T”.

I baked 3 cakes, two 8 inch round and one sheet cake and used store brought ready cake mix.For water fall icing, I used Whipped Cream with blue color. 

I used some tips from Ashwini of indulge-ashscorner.

I started with the base sheet cake and for cake filling I used Pineapple pudding and covered it with “Green “color. I then added one round section over the bottom of the cake with Pineapple filling and covered with green butter cream icing. Then on top of the round cake I added semi circle /half round cake and for waterfall I used whipped cream with blue color. Then added Diego on top and positioned him a little off to the side.and added some coconut trees and with butter cream icing grass around the waterfall and diego compass. I added some orange colored grass flowers made with butter cream icing with the same tip used for making grass and I finished using some orange border around the edge of the cake.

Finally it turned out awesome (as per my point of view…... :D)

Hope you all like the cake I made.

With Love,

Swati S

One more picture for your viewing pleasure. If you are wondering where Swati used the cupcakes, she told me that they were from the leftover batter and were enjoyed by her son.

Here is the surprise that I have been keeping from you. I was always told that dreaded stuff happens on Friday the 13th. I am not very sure why people say this, But it's like a black cat crossing your path. Reality is I waited and longed for such cats to cross my path when I went for exams. The result day did not affect me much back then, my nightmare was the exam day itself. I was not a very smart kid where studies were concerned, But I was a very street smart kid. I was doing small bank jobs like dropping utility bill checks, depositing checks and all such types where hard money was not even a closer part of it, repairing light fuses around the house under my dads supervision and making soap with my Dad from age 8. I do not speak much about my dad here, but he was/is one talented guy and guess my creativity comes from him in many ways. I even was a proud recipient of the Presidents Award for Girl Guides in year 1992. Why I am telling you all this now, I have no clue. Today I received a surprise in email by none other than Prathibha of Cook-Eze. She showered multiple awards on me. I am overwhelmed with her kindness and these awards do make me feel accepted in the blogland. If you have not yet visited her space, I would like you to do so now like stop reading and check out her blog.

 My belief that Friday the 13th is lucky for me, is getting confirmed  now with such things happening to me on Friday the 13th.. My elder son was born on Friday the 13th(India Date) and  I was promoted from Miss to Mom on that day. Hope you also find all the luck this Friday the 13th.

Tapri Style Indian Veggie Sandwich-Komals Gift rec

well well.. the heat is on and my friends are really getting into the grove and sending me the rec's....I received an email with this classic sandwich rec... and  a wonderfully written blog post.. Komal is  a dear friend, a super mom and  a lady in her own way!!!! Truly a  Mumbaiitte to the Core of being a  Mumbaikar.. her rec is an evidence of how much of Mumbai she has got with her to NJ!!!!!!!! Thanks Komal for being a sport and sending me the rec.. inspite of your hectic routine and long hours of work.........
Love You all.
Ash.

Tapri Style Indian Veggie Sandwich.

While writing this I was constantly thinking of a way to shorten the title. Ash may not be able to fit the title in, I thought amused. But then thinking a little more, I came to the conclusion that the whole name is a necessity.

Growing up in Bombay, near the famous Girgaon Chowpatty, we enjoyed a lot of street food, albeit the strict warnings of our elders. Forget calories, even basic hygiene was given a backseat when one bit into a tempting, tantalizingly hot samosa or wada pav, or gulped down a pani puri made by a bhaiyya, whose hands had never seen a Wet Wipe. It was here that the line between the rich and the ‘other classes’ was forgotten for a moment. Be it piping hot dosa plates on a stall handed out by ‘Anna’ to the rolled down windows of the cars, or the bicycle rider leaning precariously over the curb and quickly grabbing a bite before going about his daily chores delivering courier, the masses gave in to the dire temptation of this delicious so-called ‘evil’. It was here that I was introduced to this healthy dish, which can be fattened up by adding sliced boiled potato or even made ‘carb friendly’ by adding a slice or two of beetroot. I always chided my best friend M, that she used to take it apart, because she had braces and could not eat it whole. I used to say ‘Ur doing a post-mortem of it’. But the best part is (for all you calorie counting, picky eaters) its downright ‘yummy for the tummy’. And the icing on the cake is, it can be made with whole wheat bread and would taste just as delicious.

Here’s the ultra uber simple recipe:

`1 thinly sliced cucumber (round slices)

1 thinly sliced tomato (round slices)

1 boiled beetroot (slice the round part into two if its too big)

1 boiled potato (you can omit this, I love it)

Round slices of onion (onion rings style)

Chaat masala(for the real tapri taste)

Pepper powder (for those who don’t like chaat masala, or coupled with chaat masala)

Slices of bread (preferably white, I use whole grain white or wheat)

Coriander chutney (recipe given below)

Butter (Amul or any low fat butter does the trick)

Take 2 bread slices and slice off the edges if you don’t like them on. Then slather the butter and chutney (in that order) generously on both sides.

On one slice, spread a layer of each vegetable with a sprinkling of chaat masala and pepper powder, salt (optional as chaat masala is salty) and cover with the other slice.

Careful during this part:

Slice the sandwich while holding the sandwich together (clamping your hand on top of it, and the knife under your hand),four ways. 2 sharp cuts should do the trick. It gives you 4 neat tiny sandwiches, just enough to fit into your mouth.(I have always marveled at the skill of the tapriwala to slide the stuffed sandwich off his table, onto the plate, without spilling the veggies, and am close to perfecting it.)

You can serve it with chutney and ketchup on the side or on top, according to each person’s preferences.

Chutney recipe: Grind a handful of cleanly washed coriander leaves(with stalks, as I never let the stalks go to waste), along with 2 cloves of garlic(optional, gives an extra kick though),a slice of ginger ,2 green chilies, according to your spiciness tolerance level, and a sprig or 2 of mint (pudina). Be careful not to add too much water though, as it should be spreadable on the bread and not run or it will make the bread soggy. Enjoy this little piece of healthy streetside snack with a hot cup of tea and it will certainly brighten up your day.

Komal N.

Chicken Balls--Reshma's Gift Rec

The new label has been received well with my friends and readers. I am so happy that my dear friend Reshma send me this rec to share it with you all. To Introduce Reshma, she is a very charming personality who is not only a smart doctor but a smart home maker as well...an excellent example of beauty with loads of brains....I have known her for  a long time now....and it has been a very pleasant experience for me to have been associated with her in many ways....Love you Reshma and wish that only BEST things come in your life!!!!!
Love Ash.

Chicken Balls-Reshma

Here is the recipe for Chicken balls. 

 Ingredients:

 Minced chicken (available in chicken and meat aisle in grocery store)---- I used Perdue company's minced chicken.

 Onion-2 medium
 Garlic cloves- 5-6
 Coriander
 Paprika-1/2 tablespoon,
Cumin coriander powder- 1 tablespoon
Salt to taste
Pepper powder-1/2 tablespoon
Cheese(any cheese will do)-1/2cup
Eggs-2
Bread crumbs(1 cup)
Oil-for making balls

Procedure:

In a mixing bowl first take minced chicken.
Add eggs and mix
Add very finely chopped onions and garlic cloves and mix
Add spices and salt to taste and mix
Lastly add cheese and bread crumbs and mix
Apply little oil to hands (I used olive oil) and make lemon sized balls and place them on a baking sheet.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Put the baking sheet and oven and let the balls bake for 30-40 minutes.
You can check after 15 minutes and turn the balls.

Enjoii when done....

Happy 2nd birthday!!!!! and a new twist!!!

Dear friends;

 Here's  wishing Indulge-ashscorner a very Happy 2nd birthday. Like every 2nd bday comes a Terrible Two's syndrome....so things are also going haywire here at ashscorner....lets just say life gets in its way and things are beyond your reach at times.....with so much snow comes a lot of shovelling and lots of sneezes..wo we all had our rounds of coughing and blowing our little noses BIG WAYY......

Like last year, I am adding new label to the blog," Guest rec.-Diary" Many of my friends are not bloggers but when they try something new they like to share...so this is the post where you can feel free to publish. All you need to do is;
Prepare the rec, take a picture of the entree, write a short post on HOW TO..and send it to me....I will publish it under her name and we will try to connect in our own little virtual world. The recipe called for can be anything but should be presentable and edible.....if your post includes your sweet memories and stories, It will be very much appreciated.. You can request anonimity if you feel like.....or have  a screen name...If you don't wnat to include a rec...but if you are making any project which you would like to share..feel free to teach us  a new skill....

So friends, don an apron and get hooked..someone is eagerly wiating for  a mail from you.......

Looking forward for an amazing new year and an association with you all for the third year as well!!!!

Till I talk to you Again;
Love Ash.