VANILLA MINT YOGHURT SHAKE (Indian Pudina Lassi) & COOL CUCUMBER SAILS

Let me begin by suggesting to all of you who reads this how to pronounce LASSI (LUH-SSEE), not as Lassi the movie dog!! I was watching Racheal Ray (Yup! "delish","Yummo" "Groovy" gal) one day cooking Indian food and she said "I love this yogurt drink called lassi"(said as in the lassi the dog).I shut my ears and yelled "NOOOOOOOOO"...LOL...Wish she would research a little before start cooking unfamiliar dishes! Anyway,I forgive her because she is pretty good otherwise.I like her.. :)

In India,Punjabis are known for making this cool,refreshing yogurt drink offered to guests on a hot summer day,which is everyday there!! I chose to make some changes to the original which is made of plain yogurt,sugar,crushed ice ,Rose water and cardamom powder, or salty with cumin powder and pepper.

My appetizers are made of homegrown veggies in my veg garden except ofcourse crackers and Ricotta cheese.It's very refreshing and tasty to eat..Cheers!!


MINTY LASSI:

2 cups Low-Fat Dannon Vanilla Yogurt or any flavor you like
2 Mint Leaves
1/2 Cup Super fine sugar or to your taste
1/4 Cup Ice Water

8-10 Ice cubes, crushed.

1.Blend all these in a blender with a whipper blade if you have it or use regular blender.Idea is to make frothy.If not sour enough,you could add 1-2 tbsp sour cream.
2. Then 1/4 Cup Crushed Ice and blend again.
3. To serve, frost the rim of a tall glass with lemon juice and powdered sugar.Pour in the shake. Garnish with mint leaves,Vanilla seeds and Rose Petals.Stick an cocktail umbrella!! (I didn't have one)

  

COOL CUCUMBER SAILS


1/2 Cup Ricotta Cheese
Salt ,Pepper
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder

6 Keebler Club Crackers
12 round slices of Cucumber
6-12 round slices of Plum Tomato

2 mint Leaves, Minced
l2 long Chives

1. Mix Ricotta to garlic pd ,stuff in a ziplock bag with small hole in the corner
and chill for sometime.You can skip salt to add in later to avoid getting cheese watery.
2.Arrange 6 crackers on a plate,top with two cucumber ,Tomato slices on each cracker.
3. Pipe in Ricotta, sprinkle minced mint (but not too much) on top.
4. Take two long chives and stick into the tomato slices upright.
5. Serve immediately.


  
  

Enjoy!!