Tips to avoid stress and impress guests at the same time!!

Entertaining friends and family in your home is a much bigger responsibility than many people realize. There are a lot of things that go into a successful dinner party or a get-together.

Don`t let stress get you down. Pace yourself and enjoy hosting. A good goal to have is to make your event a reflection of you. You want your guests to feel comfortable and enjoy themselves, don't worry about impressing them by going overboard and straining yourself.

So here i come with some interesting tips to avoid stress and impress guests at the same time!!

AVOIDING STRESS

Plan ahead: Get shopping done as early as you can, to avoid the stress later. Make a list of what you need and set out to shop with that list. Purchase only the items that you set out to buy. Nothing is more stressful than running out of money before you have finished shopping.

Lower your expectations: Try not to place high expectations on how events will unfold. Always expect the unexpected . Just have a "what will be will be" attitude. Avoiding high expectations means you won't become stressed out or upset should things not turn out the way you wanted.

Set Spending Limits on Gift Exchanges: Speak with all friends and extended family members that you will be exchanging gifts with and set a spending limit. Keep in mind the overall cost and not the gifts individually. If it is unrealistic for your budget, don`t be afraid to suggest a lower amount. Be sure not to go over the agreed upon price.

Don`t Be Afraid To Ask for help: When you organize a get together at your home, don`t try to be the hero and do it all by yourself. When your guests ask if there is anything that they can do, don`t be afraid to tell them yes. And don`t be shy when it comes to clean up after the party is over either. Delegate by sharing chores. The idea of a get together is for everyone to have a good time and that includes the host/hostess. It's true - many hands make work light - and they also reduce stress in doing so.

Two words: Pot luck. Another great way to limit the stress of planning and orchestrating a party is to unload some of the responsibility. Consider asking guests to pitch in by bringing an appetizer, dessert or beverage to share. It's a good idea to coordinate who is bringing what so you don't end up with an unbalanced table, but it will save you a lot of work.

Stick To Your Routine: Don`t allow yourself to be totally consumed by preparations. Take the time to do some of your regular day to day activities. Go to the gym, take a nap, read a book or go for a walk.

IMPRESSING GUESTS

A little forward planning and attention to detail, and you cannot fail to put together an event that will be talked about for months - even years - afterwards. There are many surprisingly simple ways to impress your guests, and to have them coming back to enjoy more of your dazzling hospitality.

Stock Your Fridge and Cupboards: It is important to be ready always. Expect the unexpected. Stock your fridge with different veggies, fruits, Juices, spreads and dips. Stock your cupboards too.Keep a supply of mixed nuts, cookies, crackers, potato chips and other munchies in the cupboards.

Have Small Gifts and Cards Ready: While doing your shopping, pick up an extra package of greeting cards, a few small boxes of chocolates or cookies. Wrap them up so that they are ready for when unexpected guests drop by. A big smile on their faces will make ur effort less stressful.

Music: Make sure to have a good selection of music on hand. The right music can only add to the festive mood of the get together. Too loud of a music will ruin the environment. So always make sure to keep it soft and low.

Food and drinks: This is the detail that can make or break any event, but it need not be complicated or intimidating. If you're a great cook, now is the time to showcase your skills and dazzle your guests. But if you are not so much into cooking , this is definetely not the occasion to try a challenging new recipe. Instead, keep the food simple and present beautiful. End the show with a good dessert and drink.

I gathered these tips from here and there and some out of experience.If you think these tips are worth implementing, you should definetely give it a try. Will come again with yet another interesting post. Till then stay tuned. This is me signing off for the month.

Desserts with Gram flour (Besan)!!

INDIA is a culturally rich country. Different regions follow different cultures and so the New Year traditions also vary.People in various parts of the country celebrate New Year as per their traditional calender. And since its festive season in the deccan region of India, i thought of posting some interesting desserts which will be apt for festivals of this kind. I'm going to share 2 recipes made with Gram flour (Besan) in this post.

Besan Halwa/Gram Halwa:

Besan Halwa is one of the authentic Indian sweets, it is usually served with main dishes, in an important occasion. It is a heavenly dessert different from any western dessert. The gram flour releases an aromatic nutty flavor when it starts browning. The cardamom and almonds add a subtle dimension in taste. Its main ingredients are gram flour, milk, sugar and ghee. Kids love this sweet.

You will Need:

...1 cup gram flour/chick pea flour (Besan)
...1 cup milk
...¾ cup sugar
...½ cup pure ghee
...1 tsp. cardamom powder
...2 tbsp. finely sliced almonds
...2 tbsp. finely sliced pistachios

Directions:

...In a sauce pan, heat the ghee and add gram flour to sauté until it turns golden color and an aroma emanates from it (approx for 5-6minutes).

...Be careful not to burn the Besan.

...Now add milk, sugar and cardamom.

...Keep stirring until the mixture turns thick. ( 8-10minutes).

...Then place it on a serving dish.

...Garnish with almonds and pistachios. I used only almonds.

Serve hot. Do not refregirate this dish. A chilled dessert might not be so tasty as it loses its softness.

Remember...hot foods should be served hot and cold foods should be served cold.

Besan Laddu/Chickpea Flour balls:

Besan Laddu or Chickpea Flour balls are an all-time favorite. The best way I can describe this dessert is a cookie ball. These Laddus are popular all over North-India. Thanks to my friend Raji for sharing this recipe and wonderful pics.

You will Need:

...1 1/2 cup gram flour/chick pea flour (Besan)
...4 tsps Sooji/semolina
...3/4 cup Sugar
...1/2 cup Ghee
...2 tbsp. finely sliced almonds

...2 tbsp. finely sliced pistachios

Directions:

...Take a non stick pan. Put besan, semolina, ghee one by one and mix them thoroughly for 5 mins.(without flame)

...Now turn on the flame to low heat and keep on stirring for 15-20 mins until....

A)The raw smell of besan goes off and pure aromatic smell comes out of the pan.
B) The besan begins to start browning.

...Be careful not to burn the Besan.

...Remove the cooked flour from the heat and add sugar, Pistachios, almonds.

...Mix them thoroughly with hands to make into a dough.

...With Ghee greased hands, make the dough into small lemon sized balls(laddus).

...Garnish them with almonds and pistachios.

Tips to Garnish:

Gently dip the top most tip of the laddu in ghee and then dip in the nuts.Also, alternatively you can roll the Laddus in sugar.

Hope you find these recipes interesting. To all those who are celebrating the new year today, i wish a harvest of happiness and prosperity.

Wishing you good luck for the year ahead!

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ONE N ALL!!

Time for me to say adieu. Will come soon with yet another interesting post. Till then stay tuned and keep visiting my blog!!!!!

Condensed Milk Pound Cake!!

Here i come again with yet another interesting recipe. The name says it all.....A Pound Cake made with Condensed Milk. Its a very easy and delicious recipe that can be prepared by using just a few ingredients. I recently saw the making of this cake in food network and watching its scrumptious results, i was motivated to make the cake. I had all the ingredients in hand and I love condensed milk, so today was the day. It turned out so so so good. Sharing the recipe with you.

You will need:

---11/3 cups all purpose flour

---1 cup powdered sugar

---3/4 tsp baking powder

---1/2 tsp salt

---3 large eggs

---1 cup sweetened condensed milk

---1 cup whipped unsalted butter

---2 tsps pure vanilla extract

---Greased round or square pan

Directions:

---Preheat the oven to 325° F.

---Generously butter the cake pan and set aside.

---Sift(filter) together the flour and baking powder and set aside.

---Take a big mixing bowl and put the sugar in it.

---Add the butter and salt and mix until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl occasionally.

--- Add the condensed milk and pulse until well incorporated, about 15 times, scraping down the sides of the bowl once. (I used a big spoon to beat the butter, sugar and condensed milk but you can use a beater).

---Add the sifted dry ingredients (flour and baking powder) and pulse until no traces of flour remain, about 10 times.

---Add the eggs and pulse just until combined, about 5 times.

---Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, add the vanilla extract and finish mixing by hand to fully incorporate the eggs.

---Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan ( fully greased).

---Bake until the top is dark golden brown and a tester (usually a toothpick) inserted in the center comes out clean.

[I baked my pound cake for 45 minutes!]

---Cool completely in the cake pan on a rack, then unmold.

---You can transfer the cake on to a plate or a cakemate as per your choice. Also you can cut the cake into your desired shapes( i prefer triangular) and preserve them in air tight container for 1 week to 10days.

PS: Use store bought Carnation sweetened condensed milk and use the whipped butter at room temperaure . In that way it will be very easy when you mix things.

Hope you liked this recipe......so its your turn to try it out!!

Desserts with Carrot!!

Ah, a dessert with carrot, don't you just love it?? Y not...when it is one of the richest food! When the talk is about Indian desserts, the name that undoubtedly comes into every person's mind is our favorite traditional Carrot halwa recipe.

It is just the perfect sweet dish to be relished post dinner. Talking about the nutritional value of carrot halwa, it contains proteins, carbohydrates and fat content. And also very few of you must be aware of yet another fantastic dessert, Carrot Kheer recipe which i'm going to share shortly.

Preparation of Carrot Halwa:

You may need:

Shredded carrot - 2 cups
Evaporated Milk- 1 1/2 cup (Store bought CARNATION Evaporated MILK)
Sugar - 1/4 cup
Cardamom powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Unsalted butter/ghee - 4 tablespoons
Cashews and raisins to garnish

Directions:

...Take the carrots, wash them properly and shred them.

...Roast the cashews and raisins in a little ghee and keep it aside.

...In a nonstick pan melt the butter/ghee and stir fry the shredded carrot on medium heat for about 10minutes so that the carrots leave the raw smell and slightly change the colour.

...Take care the carrots do not get burnt.

...Add the evaporated milk and cook for about 10-15 minutes until the milk gets completely absorbed.

...Add the sugar and stir well. Cook for 5 more minutes.

...Now add the cardamom powder and cook till the halwa starts leaving the sides of the pan and the ghee starts oozing out.

...Garnish with the roasted cashews and raisins.

Serve hot or cold. Chilled dessert tastes yummy. So try this dessert for your next occasion and do let me know your comments.

Another interesting recipe that i was talking about is Carrot kheer. It is also a very simple yet nutritious dessert. This is shared by my friend Raji, i would like to thank her once again for sharing an interesting recipe.

Preparation of Carrot Kheer :

You may need:

Carrots: 2cups
milk: 500ml
sugar: 1/4cup
almonds, cashews, raisins: to garnish

Directions:

...Cut carrots into thin rounds and pressure cook them.

...Soak almonds,cashews and raisins in water for 10-15 mins.

...carrots when cool, grind them to fine paste along with cashews,raisins n almonds.

...Boil milk on a low flame.

...Add sugar followed by the ground paste and stir.

... Serve chilled kheer.

Hope you liked the 2 recipes that i shared. Will come again with another interesting post. Till then as i say always Eat Healthy 'n' Stay Healthy.

A trip to Mexico City!!

We had been to a different country this week. It was a business trip for my husband, but i joined him to make it a pleasure trip :).Thought of sharing my Mexico city trip highlights and its tempting history.

México City is...the capital of México, very old, the worlds largest city, the financial, political and cultural center of México, the nightlife capital of México, one of the worlds great cities, huge, one of the world's most difficult cities to drive in, filled with exciting things to see and do, an energetic metropolis or just an incredible place to visit. It is set high in a Central American mountain valley.

Modern Mexico City is a sprawling behemoth whose sheer size and vivacious spirit can dizzy the newcomer. Flowers sellers tote their colorful baskets around the streets, all kinds of vendors peddle their goods everywhere you turn, and street performers sing, dance, play, juggle, swallow fire to get some applause and a few pesos(Mexican currency).

About the worth visiting places:

Plaza del zócalo: In many cities in Mexico, a zócalo is the main plaza or square, set in the heart of the town. This is unique to Mexico. Zócalo in Mexico City is 240 meters square, making it one of the largest city squares in the world. The plaza used to be known simply as the “Main Square” or “Arms Square,” however it is called the “Zócalo” today.

Metropolitan Cathedral: The Mexico City Zocalo is bordered by this Metropolitan Cathedral (Spanish: Catedral Metropolitana de laAsunción de María). It is the largest and oldest cathedral in the Americas. The cathedral was built in sections from 1573 to 1813. The cathedral has four facades. The two bell towers contain a total of 25 bells. Over the centuries, the cathedral has suffered damage. A fire in 1962 destroyed a significant part of the cathedral's interior. Its undoutedly a worth seeing place. It looks amazing in the night with the surrounding lights.

Palacio de Bellas Artes ("Palace of Fine Arts"): It is the premier opera house of Mexico City.The theatre is used for classical music, opera and dance. Construction of this massive neoclassical building began in 1904, the palace was not completed until 1934. It is the home of Mexico's National Symphony Orchestra, the Bellas Artes Orchestra, the Bellas Artes Chamber Orchestra, the National Dance Company, and the Bellas Artes Opera. Most of the world's great orchestras and dance companies have performed here.

Floating Gardens of Xochimilco: A highlight of any trip to Mexico City is a visit to the canals and gardens of Xochimilco. This place is known as Venice of Mexico city! The name Xochimilco means "flower field place”, the flowers that lined the streets of the city and its rooftop gardens took root here. It is pronounced as sotʃiˈmilko in Spanish. The touristed canals are lively, particularly on weekends. Boat ride is the speciality of this place.Brightly-colored, squarish boats carry up to a dozen passengers. There are always plenty of vendors (in smaller canoes) with food and drink, souvenirs, and music. Hire a floating mariachi band..Three songs for 200 pesos, they will entertain you with their music through out!

Basilica de Guadalupe: It is an important piligrimage site and is visited by several million people every year, especially around December 12th, Lady of Guadalupe's Feast day. The Basilica is considered as the second most important sanctuary of Catholicism just after the Vatican City. The modern basilica was built between 1974 and 1976. It can accomodate 50,000 people to take part in a mass or other ritual celebrations!

The Pyramids of Teotihuacan: One of the important places that we missed in our trip was the pyramids of Teotihuacan, a must-see when visiting Mexico City.The name means “place where gods were born,” echoing back the belief that the gods of the world created the universe here. The Teotihuacán Pyramid is the second largest in the New World (after the Great Pyramid of Cholula) .Teotihuacán history is an enthralling web of mystery.

If ever you get a chance to go to mexico city, do not miss the chance. We tried to cover most of the places in this short trip. Hope you liked my presentation and find this post informative.

Food Presentation Tips!!

The way food is presented affects a person’s perception of how it will taste.The perfect dish includes food that tastes as good as it looks. Much of the artistry of cooking comes after the food has been cooked and it is time to transfer it from pot to plate.

Since most of us eat our main meals at home, attractive food presentation is just as important at home as it is in a restaurant. A dish that looks good is more likely to be eaten. Even picky kids will eat food if it looks appealing and properly arranged.

Whether you’re entertaining, preparing a special meal or jazzing up an old favorite, these food presentation tips that i gathered from here n there will set your dishes apart from the crowd.

Balance: Select foods and garnishes that offer variety and contrast, while at the same time avoiding combinations that are awkward or jarring. Two or three colors on a plate are usually more interesting than just one.

Portion size: Portion sizes are another important food presentation tip.Match portion sizes and plates. Too small a plate makes an overcrowded, jumbled, messy appearance. Too large a plate may make the portions look skimpy. Balance the portion sizes of the various items on the plate , size does matter a lot.

Plating the Food: Plating is the act of arranging the meal on the individual plate immediately before it’s served. Presentation should look natural. It should feel as though everything that is on the plate is meant to be exactly where it is. Try to strike a balance between having enough food on the plate to convey hospitality without overcrowding the plate. After you have put the food on the plate, check to see that the plate is clean. Clean spills or sauces away with a moistened clean sponge or paper towel.

Decorate the Frame: If the food is the masterpiece, plate is its frame. Buy beautiful bowls and plates in a variety of shapes and colors. For small appetizers, part of the presentation is making the display platter look beautiful. If you’re decorating a plate that will hold hot food, be aware that by the time you’re finished garnishing the plate, the food may not be hot. Therefore In some cases, you can garnish the plate before you plate the food.

Temperature: It goes without saying that hot food should be served hot and cold foods should be served cold; always check the temperature of your food before you serve it to a guest.
Your arrangement of beautiful food will not make much of a final impression if you forget this important food presentation tip.

Mix Shapes, Colors and Textures:Food is naturally beautiful. Combine foods with different shapes, colors and textures on the same plate. Try to integrate a variety of shapes in each dish. It will have a lot of impact.

Dining table: Not only the food and the plate has an imp role to play in the presentation, a proper place for dining is equally important. Make sure the table where the food is served is neatly arranged much before the guests arrive. You can make a simple yet elegant arrangement. Keep everything in place.

The more beautiful the presentation is, the more anxious a diner gets to dig into the food , and the more anxious a diner is, the more likely he/she is to love it. So making an event special n memorable is purely in your hands. These tips r worth implementing. Hope you find them useful.