Rose Lemonade

The first whiff of this drink will put you somewhere in the middle east that too in the times when kings and queens prevailed and they often enjoyed exotic drinks from ornate cups. At least that where it put me. Yes, exotic is the right word for this drink. To bring you back to modern times, thaw out of winter and welcome spring while you enjoy your favorite TV show at the end of an exhausting day - it is guaranteed to put a spring in your step - no pun intended. I already spoke enough about the smell and yes that is the best part and what's more, that fragrance makes the crisp bubbly lemonade - the kind that you have had several times before - just that extra special.

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Lemon Crinkle Cookies

If you have been a regular visitor to my blog you must have known by now that I have a clear obsession with chocolate and also most of my baked goodies are either chocolate based or consist of nutella. Every time I think of dessert, I think chocolate. Even when I am online looking for ideas, I type chocolate based search words... even when I am blog hopping, the category I check is chocolate baked goodies. You get the idea.

This time around when I was in the mood to bake some cookies I was again drawn towards making double choco, fudge (God help me :)). But this time I struggled hard and overcame my obsession. It was mainly because of my not-much-of-a-chocolate-fan hubs (how can you!). Baked a lemon cookie instead. I loved the results so much that from now on you will be seeing lots and lots of citrus in my baked goodies lol. These cookies are so fresh, light and flavorful that even a no dessert and only chocolate person like me ate 2 whole cookies (much to my hub's surprise) ha ha!!

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Sparkling Iced Tea Basil Limeade

The world drinks tea hot or at least I thought until I came to the United States. Hot tea was a mystery here up until a couple of years ago when Starbucks introduced the chai latte, which by-the-way is no where close to the hot steaming 'elaichi-adrak' desi chai that I knew growing up. I will be honest here, I have tried the iced tea several times, tried hard to build a liking for it, even tried to convince myself that it might be an acquired taste - did not work (hubs is sitting here nodding his head, he didn't care for it much either). Alright, so much about what I do not like. I sat back and in my head tried to extract the good from the iced tea and compensate for the part that was not so much. My conclusion was that iced tea needed some citrus and some fizz. So that is exactly what I did - some lime and sparkling water and voila it worked great - both as a refreshing crisp citrusy drink made exotic with the goodness of leaf tea and also to revive a tired hubs just back from work - an awake hubs is much more useful than a tired sleepy one *wink*.

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Cookie dough ice pops!

he world famous Florida sunshine is at its best right now, temperatures soaring every day, school closed for summer and an overactive hyper kiddo with an attention span of not more than 7 minutes. Enough things to keep me sweating, no pun intended. These days I am always on the look out for some fun project for her to get busy with. Today was the day to make these pops and FIFI the monster sock puppet! LOL.
She just turned five, a very curious, sensitive and observant girl all geared to start her kindergarten very soon. She questions everything, tries to find a reason behind anything that happens or does not happen around her. She doesn't like to be told what to do (yes she is our drama queen) and believe it or not already has developed a great sense of humor. Like this one time she asked me "mommy what kind of car does Mickey mouse's wife drive?".. "a cute pink car", I said. "No! A mini van" she screamed giggling :)) She is learning to write cursive and she LOVES math (much to my relief lol)

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Mango Lime Cooler

ot sure if its the summer doing it or its just me but lately I have been enjoying making different kinds of lemonades and summer coolers. Takes few ingredients, minimum effort and the result is a tasty drink that everyone enjoys and you get to additionally enjoy the compliments as they come back from school or work and feel the need to cool down. This is one such in the series that I made lately. With the fabulous taste and sweetness from the ripe mangoes and the fresh citrusy lime flavor, it has a feel of a sophisticated mocktail with a tropical twist. Something you would want to sit sipping on the beach on a hot summer afternoon (yes you can put an umbrella in your glass :) A refreshing taste that you will remember and will want to come back often to.

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Pink Lemonade

ot sure if its the summer doing it or its just me but lately I have been enjoying making different kinds of lemonades. Takes few ingredients, minimum effort and the result is a tasty drink that everyone enjoys and you get compliments for as they come back from school or work and feel the need to cool down. This is one such in the series that I made lately.
As the weather warms up, if you are craving for something cold, bright, crisp and refreshing, this is the drink for you! Pretty, romantic and glamorous and a color that is to die for. This drink always leaves an impression. The fabulous hint of the berrylicious fresh cranberry flavor riding over the base of refreshing citrus of lemons, this drink has the taste that you will remember and will want to come back often to.
A wonderful thirst quencher on a hot summer day or any day for that matter. Pink lemonade makes for a delicious party drink or for just a casual get together.

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Strawberry Lassi

uscious plump strawberries so aptly represent the essence of spring and summer in my opinion. Nature at its prime, vibrant and full while the strawberries are gorgeously plump, red, sweet and juicy, a delightful treat for the eyes and taste buds alike. The bright sunshine, the blooms and the flowers make you feel good and you are practically forced into thinking what a beautiful day it is. It just feels like mother nature is... well... happy. That is exactly how I feel at the sight of the red strawberries which are to be seen everywhere. My shopping baskets get filled with the bright reds every time I visit the stores – they are irresistible. Between getting them out of the grocery bags, washing them and putting them away in the refrigerator, quite a few of them are gone already. Hubs being his usual nonchalant self, will open a box, grab one with its leaves on top, take a big bite, chuck the stub into the trash, repeat the steps with a few more of them, emphatically claim that they were awesome, forgetting it as soon as he says it and return to whatever it is that he was doing before he raided the box. Makes me smile every time.

It might seem a little strange but even though I have claimed our love for strawberries, neither hubs nor I like smoothies the way they make it here. Can't explain why, we just don't. So I have always wanted to incorporate these berries into a smoothie-like drink. This lassi was the perfect answer. It has all the goodness and the perfect texture of your traditional lassi. It is thick and creamy, feels like a mouthful and drenches your throat as it goes down while leaving that tingling taste in your mouth involuntarily making you go for the next gulp.

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Mint Ginger Lemonade

ummer is almost here. It is the season that is welcomed in many parts of the world and dreaded in others. I happen to hail from the part that falls under the latter. Mere mention of summer makes me start thinking about anything cold or refreshing that helps cool you down in the sweltering heat. My foodie brain starts to visualize different kinds of drinks that I can make and enjoy. Guess you can say in some rather strange way summer also gets the creative juices flowing, no pun intended. Refreshing oftentimes to me means some combination of mint and what better to put it together in a drink that I have rarely seen anyone dislike, the lemonade. A simple recipe that done right can get you rave accolades.

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Minty Raspberry and Blueberry Spritzer!

ime flies. Probably the most corny yet the most profound phrase of all time. Summer is already coming to an end. Can you believe it appears like it was only yesterday that we celebrated the New Year 2011 and it it already September, even feels funny writing 2011, want to think its still 2006! While we get ready to welcome the fall with the thoughts of celebrating Dussehra, Diwali and Thanksgiving, this is one pretty pinky summer cooler you must try. Summer is 'berry season' so here is an ode to summer with this 'berrylicious' cool vibrant drink which  is perfect for a lazy summer afternoon or a casual get together or even those fun weekend pool parties. Kids will love this and you can even add a splash of vodka for a little adult treat!

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Minty Fresh Berries and Fruit Couscous Salad

y
hubs is not the biggest fruit lover. Just about the only fruits he likes (read: can eat) are banana,
guava and ripe mangoes. I on the other hand love all kinds of fruit
(except banana and mangoes, go figure) and can live on the fresh fruit
juice and salads for a few days. Also, because of all the goodness of
fruit, I try to incorporate them in our meals at-least once a day. Hubby
always takes one or two bites and I am the one left to finish my plate and his. Same with my little one. She is even stranger with her fruit
habits. She only likes fresh pineapple and orange juice. Her reasoning
why she doesn't like a particular fruit is because of the color,
watermelon is too red, papaya is too yellow, guava is too green. But
then who's to argue with her that my dear pineapple is yellow too, lol!

Anyway,
thats a little 'fruity' detail about my family, back to the post. Summer brings in colors, brightness, vibrancy, fresh fruits and vegetables and 
also the sun and the heat. The local markets got crates of fresh berries and fruits and mostly on sale nowdays which means I completely go crazy and bought us more than we could handle. It was not possible for me alone to finish
(although I did finish most of them all by myself). Now, hubs is a salad fan mainly couscous salad and last weekend I was all set to make some veggie salad and I opened the fridge and saw the rack full of fruits wanting to get my attention and hence this recipe. Some time back I had a similar kind of salad at the salad bar of the local Whole Foods market so this is slightly inspired from that. Mixed in a
few home grown organic mint leaves and a lite lemony dressing. To
my surprise both hubby and kiddo loved it. It was refreshing, gorgeous
and a great alternative to regular salads and helps with your daily fruit intake as well.

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Aam Panna/Green Mango and Mint drink

hopping in air-conditioned malls is the modern trend. If you have ever shopped old-school on the streets in India in the scorching heat of summer you would know that it gives the saying 'shop till you drop' a whole new meaning. Just when you have shuttled around twenty odd stores and looked through scores of dresses and hundreds of accessories and are about to 'drop' from the heat and exhaustion but still want to go to the store around the corner - who knows maybe they have the perfect accessory to go with the dress you just bought - you feel a serious craving for this drink. You crave for a glassful of Aam Panna to give you that much needed relief and recharge yourself. You start looking around for the nearest push-cart vendor or stall that is making them fresh and yes you are bound to find it around every street corner.

This drink basically comes from the streets of northern India and is popular because of its cooling properties. A nice and refreshing drink made of raw unripe mangoes which gives it a tangy flavor and  the refreshing mint that gives a cool fresh taste. Freshly roasted cumin for a smoky taste, the black salt adds the flavor which cannot be substituted by anything else. Complete with the right amount of sugar makes it a perfect thirst quencher.

Back home where I come from it is always made with roasted charred mangoes. Some people also boil the mangoes. It does work both ways, but the charring process gives it a nice smoky touch. Mom would make a big jug full of this Aam Panna during the months of late April and May when raw mangoes were found in markets in abundance.

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Cardamom Pancakes with Mango Saffron Compote/Chutney

ather's day this year was special as it has been for the last four years since we were blessed with our little princess. Now she is daddy's little girl so this Father's day I figured I'd make something that would be manly enough for papa and would be fun for his little princess to make and eat and they can sit together and enjoy. Little and I made these incredible pancakes for dearest papa this Sunday ~ warm, fruity, rich, decadent and gourmet breakfast/brunch with the best mango compote/chutney ever (dad is a BIG mango lover)... and yes if you look closer, these are pancakes with no eggs! The feedback from both of my critics was very positive :) Hubby later explained how amazed he was that the pancakes were as light and fluffy as the ones with eggs except only better as they did not have the eggy taste. Me personally am not much of a pancake fan so cannot say much about it but I surely have a thing or two to say about the compote. If this is any proof, every time I open the refrigerator I lick a fingerful of this chutney :) Tangy and sweet, very fruity taken to the level of exotic with the dash of saffron flavor. You will never go back to your syrup again.

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Strawberry Basil Sorbet

othing screams summer more than this refreshingly delicious strawberry basil sorbet! A sweet and refreshing summer time treat. Luscious plump strawberries so aptly represent the spring and summer in my opinion. Nature at its prime, vibrant and full while the strawberries are gorgeously plump, red, sweet and juicy, a delightful treat for the eyes and taste buds alike. The bright sunshine, the blooms and the flowers make you feel good and admire nature and so is the sight of the red strawberries which are to be seen everywhere. My shopping baskets get filled with the bright reds every time I visit the stores – they are irresistible (and also very cheap lol:)) And so as you have guessed I have been making a lot of things with these beauties lately. Basil is my most favorite herb after of course cilantro. I have a big beautiful basil plant in my little kitchen garden that entices me with its sweet aroma every time I pass by. After making strawberry basil lemonade I thought of taking the combo and making a sorbet out of it. An exotic combination of sweet strawberries and fragrant basil intensifies the flavors of this sorbet. It is a delight with fresh flavors and we could not but fall in love with this one.
Sorbet is a frozen dessert made from sweetened water flavored with iced fruit (typically juice or puree), chocolate, wine, and/or liqueur. The origin of sorbet is variously explained as either a Roman invention, or a Middle Eastern sharbet, made of sweetened fruit juice and water. The term sherbet or charbet is derived from Turkish: şerbat/şerbet, “sorbet”, from the Persian sharbat, which in turn comes from the Arabic sarrbāt meaning “drink(s)” or “juice.” Sorbet is sometimes served between courses as a way to cleanse the palate before the main course. (Wiki)
Ice cream is based on dairy products whipped to make it light. Sorbet has neither dairy nor air. It is fruity- dense and slushy.

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Orange Dark Chocolate Chip Muffin ~ Eggless

K, so I have no idea what to write. I am sitting here staring at my laptop for the last fifteen minutes and I literally can think of nothing! Lots of vague thoughts ~ but I am trying hard to put the words into a decent meaningful sentence - "writer's block" anyone! 
So lets cut to the chase..for today I have a orange dark chocolate chip muffin for you guys, the combo which I absolutely adore. These are light, fluffy, citrusy, chocolaty and summery. Also, here's some excerpts collected from the glorious world-wide-web for your reading pleasure :)
Did you know the word Muffin either comes from the French word moufflet, meaning a soft bread, or from the German word muffe which is the name for a type of cake. As we all know there are two types of muffins which are famous, English and American. American-style muffins  are like little cakes, consisting essentially of butter, sugar and usually made with baking powder and soda. English muffins, on the other hand, are a cross between a bread and a cake and are are made from a yeast based dough.
So here goes the recipe that has the ability to make you sunny and chirpy..make sure you stock up on these for those times when you want to have cake but would rather eat something light.

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Sparkling Italian lemonade and a Win !!

Basil infused lemonade..how does that sound..refreshing..cool..and so Italian na!..So its Giada time again and this time it is her Sicilian sparkling Italian lemonade which I had bookmarked the moment I saw  the ingredient list... lemon n basil... now I just love the flavor of basil the slight minty and an unique refreshing flavor which I like to put in everything... pesto, pasta, pizza... it just tastes awesome! Never put basil in drinks though so made this and It is out of this world good... crisp and delightful!! The basil is very subtle and surprisingly good with the lemon. I diluted it with a little bit more water because it was a bit strong for my taste, but overall we loved it. 

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Ginger tea lemonade

t may sound a little unusual for an Indian household but we do not drink tea in our home. Neither me nor hubby really liked it ever. The concept of iced tea however always had our fancy but again we never liked the taste, funny eh! So this recipe met me one day while I was watching Giada's show (again). As I usually like lemon flavors in my drinks, be it lemon tea, lemon soda or lemonade (you get the idea), this recipe struck home with me as she was making it. I went ahead and tried making it as-is and it was fabulous. It has a feel of a sophisticated mock-tail with tea and lemon flavors and a hint of ginger. Something you would want to sit sipping on the beach on a hot summer afternoon (yes you can put an umbrella in your glass :)

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