March 21, 2007

PARTAYYY!! :)

Phew!! Last Saturday was hectic, lot of noise and screaming 6 Tweens and two teens loaded with too much sugar and cheese, just glad that's over for this year!!;D
Seriously, we did have a great time. Kids enjoyed the party very much. Daughter got a Laptop and son got a Electric Guitar from us. Well..back to business now!! :)

What's cooking this week?!
I baked yummy light Savory Dill muffins for Saturday breakfast to make the day special for kids and made some Chana dal-Dill Vadas/fritters, a Bhath/rice dish (will post next week) and a delicious Pineapple Phirni for Ugadi (Hindu New Year) on Monday.
My daughter's friend brought us a really delicious dessert made of milk, Jackfruit, Lychees and Jell-O pieces etc, to the party which she said is popular a Vietnamese dessert but didn't remember the name of that dessert in Vietnamese! :D

Light Cheese-Dill Muffins:


You Need:



2 cups plain flour, 1 tbsp sugar, 3 tbsps fresh chopped dill, 3 tsps baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 2 large egg whites (lightly beaten), 1 cup skim milk, 3 tbsp melted butter, 3/4 non-fat cottage cheese.





How To make them:


Preheat the oven to 400F.Lightly grease 12 regular sized muffin cups, or coat with no-stick spray.In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, dill, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.






In another bowl,mix the egg whites, milk, butter, and cottage cheese.Stir the liquid ingredients into dry ingredients just until blended.Do not over mix,it releases the gluten and make Muffins dense.



Spoon the batter into 12 regular sized muffin cups.Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the muffins are lightly browned.Cool for a minute, and remove the muffins on a cooling rack.To heat,place them in the 350F oven for 5 mins to get them fresh again.




A sneak peek inside:

They taste delicious as they are or with some savory Cream Cheese. You cannot keep these muffins for more than two days because of the Cottage cheese. Enjoy!:))
(Recipe adapted fro Beatrice Ojakangas's "Light Muffins" book)

Ugadi goodies:

Chana dal-Dill Vadas:

You Need:


1 cup dry Chana dal, soak it overnight in water and drain next morning to grind.
Chop Green chillies, few red chili flakes, 1" ginger grated, few Cilantro, few curry leaves, 1/2 onion minced, enough salt,(coarsely powdered 2 tsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds,1/2 tsp Ajwain, 1/2 tsp Fennel seeds) 4-6 tbsp chopped fresh Dill leaves . Save 1 tbsp of whole Chana dal and keep it aside.


How to make Them:


Grind Chana dal to a coarse paste without water if you can to a thick paste and take it out into a bowl. Add all the other prepared chopped ingredients including saved whole chana dal and spices, mix all gently. Adjust the salt and make small balls or as big as you want and flatten slightly. Heat oil in a deep pan until medium hot or at 375F.



When the oil is hot, take a ball on your palm and flatten slightly or as thin as you want and gently slide in to hot oil carefully.You can oil sprayed foil to make these. Fry both sides until reddish and crisp, drain them on a paper towel.You can serve these crispy Vadas as they are with Coffee or Tea or with some coconut chutney or spicy dal as dip. That's it..enjoy..


One more look!


Pineapple Phirni:


How make Phirni:
1. Heat 2 cups 2% milk mixed with 2 tbsp Rice flour.
2. Add 2-3 drops of Yellow food color and 1/4 cup(or to your taste) sugar.
3. Add 1/2 tsp Cardamom powder or Pineapple Essence if you have it.
4. When the milk starts thickening,sugar has melted,take it out of the heat.
5. Add 1/2 cup drained Pineapple chunks(canned is better) and stir gently and simmer until you get the right consistency for Phirni.
6. Serve chilled or at room temp.It's delicious! Make sure Pineapple is drained well of all liquid to prevent milk from curdling.

Here is the mysterious but absolutely delicious Vietnamese dessert. My daughter's friend brought it for the party for us:


Some kids' birthday party photos from last Saturday! :)
Daughter's cake with 16 candles:

Son's 12th birthday cake:

Daughter's most wanted birthday gift:

Son's gift, which made him very happy!
Our dog relaxing on the bed!:)

In addition to the excitement of turning 16, my daughter got another surprise package in the mail on Monday which made her very happy. She has been chosen as one of the students for High school National honor society last month!:)







A Medal for Academic achievement and a membership for a "National Honors Society of High School Scholars"















A patch for the same.(She is in Early College program right now ie she graduates one year early from HS and sent by the county to college, with free tuition for the first year of college)










This cord (I didn't understand what or how is this used for when I saw it first since I went school in India) supposedly goes around your neck with your HS graduation gown when you graduate and supposed to be very honorable for a high school student to have. These are all a fitting reward for her hard work and dedication. We, as parents are very proud of her!:)




Have a great weekend and I will you see next week with lots of what else but Tomatoes!:))

150 comments:

Anonymous said...

Asha,

The dill muffins & vada & phirni looks absolutely delicious, I have a long list of ur recipes to try.
I am looking forward for more chicken recipes from u. :-)

Congratulations, you have very smart kids, You are one proud parent. Happy birthday to both of them.

Praba Ram said...

Hello Asha-

Yay!!! First one to leave a comment...a rare opportunity, isn't it?

Happy Ugadi and Happy Birthday to your daughter! Was it your son's too? Didn't understand why so many cakes...

And what a smart girl! Congrats on her academic achievements! Kudos to the Mom for raising such wonderful kids!

Nice vadas. Will try them for sure!

Lakshmik said...

Hi Asha

Nice recipes and a good account of the birthday celebrations. Seems the kids had a lot of fun.

Anonymous said...

Hi Asha,

Guess I am one of the early birds this time.Excellent recipes & beautiful photos of your kids party.Congratulations to trisha on her achievement!

Pineapple Phirni looks delicious. I don't have a blog yet & just enjoy browsing the net & trying out recipes.Looking forward to the tomato tango next week!

Warm Regards,
Kate.

Sia said...

partyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy time:)
cool looking cakes and cool presents. ah!!! let me think. i got bicycle for my 16th b'day:) trisha n tushar r lucky kids:)
my brother's b'day was on 19th march n he too got electric guitarm as present. hopw appa n amma wont regret buying this for him;)
Vietnamese dessert looks sinfully delicious. and dill in muffin? one cool recipe ashakka. i have got big bunch of dill i got from indian store last week. was thinking what to do. vada looks so good too.
hearty congrats to trisha for her achievement. i am so happy for her. u must be beaming i guess:)

Mrs. K said...

Wow! Sweet 16! Happy birthday to both of them. Do they have the same birthday? Sounds great. Nice pictures.

swapna susarla said...

Hi ashaji
Hope i am the first one to coment here.So u have a wonderful day .Many happy returns to ur kids.Congrats for Trisha !!!!Great job girl!!Keep it up.It will be so happy for us to listen about ur kids when they are acheiving large things.isn't it?Congrats for u and Arvindji also.All pictures are good.The pineapple dessert is looking great!!
HAPPY UGADI to u and ur family members.

Anonymous said...

Hi Asha,

Great posting. The pictures and the recipes look great. Even i made chandal vada with dil for ugadi. I will be posting the recipe soon.

Madhavi.

J said...

Hey!! I'm first huh?? :) You seem to be up early to post!! So lemme tell you Good Morning!!
Thanks for the comment, pina colada won't be a hazard coz mine won't have a drop of alcohol in it :)

Anonymous said...

First of all heartiest congratulations to your daughter Trisha for her academic achievements :)Its a gr8 feeling when your children do well .
Vadas n muffins look nice, but what caught my eye is the Vietnamese dessert. What are those colourful pieces in it ?
Pineapple phirni looks yum would like to try that :)

FH said...

Thank you Aruna.I will try and cook more non-veg dishes!:))

Hi Praba, Tushar turned 12 on Mar 14th and Trisha 16 on the 16th ,that's why two cakes and one party!:))Thanks,try the Vadas.

They did LK! It was exhausting for me but that party went well!:)

Hi Kate,Tomatoes are coming up!:))Phirni was delicious,hope you try sometimes.Hugs.

Hi RP,March 14th and 16th, exactly 4 yrs apart!:D:D
Thank God I get to do just one party a year!It's more fun that way.

Sumitha said...

Belated Bday wishes to both your kids,do they both share the same bday?They are Pisceans like me too!Congratulations to Trisha for being a wonderful student,you must be such a proud parent!AJ is sooooo cute!I loved the dill vadas and the phirnee,can the phirnee be made with full fat milk too or does 2% make a difference?The Vietnamese dessert looks yum!

FH said...

Sia,you remember what you got for 16th b'day? I can't even guess!!Thanks for making me feel old!!!;D
Tushar starts strumming at 9pm with full Amp on!!Lord save me!!I keep telling him to do that at 5pm when he comes back from school but NO!!:D Presents are very diff. from what we used to get in India,expensive business here to please them these days.
You missed the Beet and Avocado rotis at Aroma.Did you roll for Coffee yet?!:))Have a great day,hugs.

Thank you Swapna.Trisha works hard,so she deserves all that.I am happy for her.Tushar is naturally gifted,grades are effortless for him.It's easy for parents if they don't ask for help!;D Hope you had a great Ugadi too:)

Hi Madhavi,I love those dill vadas,tastes so great ,don't they? Enjoy and thank you for visiting.Hope you had a great Ugadi:)

Hi J! you are #9!!;)
I got to go to a dental appointment today,so got up early to do all the chores and posted this too!:))
Good morning to you too.No Alcohol in Pina Colada?!Man,that's boring!;D

Mishmash ! said...

Heyyyyy, looks like ur kiddos had hell lot of fun and great presents too :)) asha, got inspiration from ur savoury cake and i tried my veggie cake recipe and it turned out so great that we finished the whole cake at a stretch ;) Thanks for boosting my confidence :)

Shn

Anonymous said...

Ohhh I'm so glad to know that ur daughter's name is trisha as i too have little one with same name..Congrats on her achievements n wishing her happiness & luck for coming year n ever ...hoping the name gives luck to mine one too:))

bee said...

3 things:
congratulations to trisha.

i've sent you an e-mail (two in fact) at your "scout" address.

will you adopt me?

Sharmi said...

Hey lovely party yarr!! must have been hectic for you.
btw the blog header looks good! finally I am in FH.
the snaps are too good. My Congrats to Trisha.She did a great job. They deserve such lovely gifts. Managing teen kids is a real challenge though. loved all those recipes. May God Bless Tushar and Trisha!!

cheers
sharmi

sra said...

Asha, how are you? Enjoyed seeing the pix. I saw your earlier post today, never heard of gola kurma earlier, fascinating. The Vietnamese dessert looked yum, too! Any possibility of your posting the recipe?

FH said...

Hello Archana,good to see you.Thanks.Those pieces are Jell-o of diff, flavors!It was so good,I will try and get the recipe.It is great to have smart kids so I don't have to teach them anymore!!;D

Hi shn, good for you girl!:))That's what I want to hear.Hope you bake more:)) Thanks,costs a lot to have and maintain kids!;D

Hello Dhanya,really!!I am so happy too.I was supposed to name her Trishala,but thought Asha and Trisha go together! At that time,I didn't know that Trisha was short for Patricia!!:D She likes her name,so it's all good.Most Indians kids smart and work hard,so don't worry,she will do fabulously:)

Hi Sumitha,thanks girl:))
You can use whole milk or Evaporated milk,tastes better.
Both kids Pisceans indeed,March 14th and 16th! Arvind and I Aquarians. AJ is 6yr old,his b'day is in April!:D

Beccy said...

Belated birthday greetings and congratulations to Trisha on her awards.

Must try savoury muffins I've only ever had sweet ones.

Kribha said...

Hi Asha,
Hearty Congrats on your daughter's achievements.Great post and party. All your dishes are unique. Pineapple phirni is mouth watering. I'm not a good baker, but your muffins makes me want to try them. Happy Ugadi to you and your family.

FH said...

Hi Bee!
1. Thank you:)
2. Oops,I haven't checked e mail in a long time,will do today.
3. No, because I don't want any more kids!;D

Glad you could get in Sharmi,you got me worried there a little yesterday!:D
Yeah,she is in HS and her old Laptop was making noise like a truck,so got her a new one.Once in a while, it's okay to spend little more than necessary.Next year Tushar will a teen too! AH....!!

sra,I am doing great,glad you are back!:))
I will try and get the recipe.It had lot of exotic fruits though.Mainly milk and lot of Jell-O pieces with some fruits.It was yummy.I will try.

Thank you Beccy.Our kids have their B'days on the same months too!:))
Hope you try that Muffins,they are tasty but can not keep them for long because of the cottage cheese.Good thing is they don't last long!:))

Sumitha said...

Ashakka 2 pisceans and 2 aquarians!Wow,all you guys would have finished celebrating bdays within the first half of a year!Me too a piscean like Trisha & Tushar!Looking forward to another party post in april for AJ's;)

Anonymous said...

Hi Asha
firstly belated happy birthday to ur kids and congratulations to Trisha for her achievement.
secondly ur vadas look yummy.

regards
shalini

Manasi said...

Everything looks very nice, yummy and ... I wanna eat it! looks like the kids had a fab time!!!
Congrats to Trisha.. THE SCHOLAR!!!keep up the good & hard work!! It is always rewarded (and if the reward is anything like a sony vaio... well, wot more d'ya want!!)
A lot of credit goes to u too Asha!! ~pat~ ~clap, clap~

PS: did u make the b'day cakes too!?!?!!?

FH said...

Hi Kribha,good to see you.Thank you.This muffin doesn't need any skills,very easy.Hope you try:)

Yup Sumitha!! 4 Birthdays in Feb and March.Now you know why I am exhausted!;)
For AJ,may be I will bake some doggy biscuits!:D:D

Hi Shalini,how are you doing?:))
Thank you.No more B'days until next year! Phew!!:)
Hope you try the vadas.

TNL said...

Hi Ashaji,

What a "dillycious" spread! Loved the smiles on all the kid's faces...that says a lot. Many congrats for Trisha are in order!! A big Hug to her!!
You can rest easy now, eh???

Thanks for the comment on my cake...yeah, I did make the muffins, but you can't see the pineapple in it, I used a puree...so decided to send the cake as an entry instead...will post it sometime later!

Hugs,
trupti

Sig said...

Hi Asha, Belated birthday wishes to Trisha and Tushar... They sure are lucky... They look so happy, looks like kids had a blast!
The cakes and the food look amazing... I love those vadas...

Priya said...

Asha:
Congrats to your lovely girl!!!

Nice picture and its fun to party birthdays right.

Loved that yummy vada:)

USHA said...

Hi Ashaji,

Dill muffins, vada&phirni looks awesome...wonderfully selected 2 different cakes for the kids...
Nice to see party snaps, i think kids had their own time..they seems like enjoyed well,,i can see that from their smiling faces....

Happy to see the medal...gifts....Now you are a proud mother....

Anonymous said...

Youuuuu,once again tempting me with all these lovely goodies, liked vadas , What time is the Lunch ?
Asha,my belated birthday wishes to your son and daughter,they seem to have had lot's of fun:)Good day to you & your family.

SJ said...

Hi Asha,
Wish your kids a happy belated birthday! You must be really proud of them. Looks like the party was really a blast! Dill muffins look very interesting.

Deepz said...

Hi Asha,
The food looks yummy as usual. My husband likes pineapple a lot, so I think I will trying out the phirni first. It looks like the kids had a gr8 time. Congratulate trisha. I am sure u r so proud of her.

Anonymous said...

That's it Asha...life is way too short for self-deprivation!! Belated Happy B'day Tushar and Trisha! The spread looks absolutely delicious! Congratulations to Trisha for her exemplary performance..you must be soo.. proud!!

Little Miss Muffet said...

ur blog looks great now! :) and congrats to Trisha..i'm sure u are very very proud of her...looks like u have raised some really great kids :)

karmic said...

I found the dal-dill vadaas very intriguing.

Congratulations to both your kids.
Nice pics as well.

FH said...

Hi Manasi,thank you for pats and claps.I deserve it you know,it is hard to work to raise the kids!:))
Hope you try Muffins,yummy!I didn't bake this time but every year I did.This time too many kids and a 16th B'day,so bought the cakes!

Thanks Trupti.It's not over yet,two more yrs for Trisha and then I am halfway free!;D They are good kids most of the time,so it is easy for me.Can't wait to see the Muffins T!:))

Thanks Sig.Thay had fun screaming and running around the whole house on sugar buzz!;D When they all left ,we just collasped on the couch and took a day to recover!What energy they have?!!

Hi Priya,thanks sweetie.It was fun:))Hope you try the vadas.

Hi Usha,thanks.Yeah, spend so much money,we need to go on Pauper house now!;D No, just kidding.They enjoyed it though:)

FH said...

HEHE!! Lera, unlike you I put up the recipes attached to the photos!:D:D
Thanks ,have a great day too.

Hi SJ,we are proud of her.She is a hard worker indeed.They had blast too at the party:)

Hi Deepz,thanks.I have a fabulous Pineapple cake at Aroma,click on the side bar to go there and try it.It's delicious.Phirni was great too but with Cardamom:)

FH said...

Hi Monisha,right and too short for self hatred too:))Love yourself and love good food,that's the way to go.
We are very proud,not easy beat 120 other 10th graders to become #1!!Takes quite a determination,makes happy:))

Thanks Miss M! Worked on the template and worked the magic on kids too!:D Hope you try the muffins.

Hi Sanjay.Thank you!:)
Dill Dal vadas are my mom's special and with the coriander seeds in them,it tastes divine.Hope you try man.

Seema Bhat said...

Asha,
As always beautiful pictures, lovely recipes. Loved the inside look of the muffins and the vadas look yummy. I am sure gonna try it. Many many congratulations to Trisha on her achievement and to you both ( the proud parents). I am sure the kids had beautiful birthday with all the yummy dishes cooked by their lovely mom.
Hugs
Seema

Anonymous said...

Looks like your kids had loads and loads of fun. A very nice party and cute cakes :). Congratulations to your daughter. Where are your and your husband's pictures? Please post them too.

Loved your dill and pineapple recipes. I keep looking for pineapple recipes as it is becoming one of my fav fruits these days.

J said...

Hi again Asha! I just updated the post. I am looking forward to your experienced advice on the safety moment. :)

Oh, I should have said this earlier. Congrats to Trisha for her achievements. Congrats to you for being such a wonderful parent!

FH said...

Thank you Seema.We do feel lucky plus they both got so many good wishes,they sure have bright future.Having good friends around them is also very imp for school kids too.I know some horror stories about some kids!Somehow,you do the best you can under the circumstances:)
Btw,there is a Pineapple-Coconut cake at Aroma,you will love it,check it out.

Hi Shilpa.I thought about putting up some pics our too and then there are only two of them there and didn't come well either!:)I was running around taking photos and Arvind was filming with Video Camera,we forgot to take pics of ourselves!:))May be next time.Thanks girl.

FH said...

Hi J! I will check it out and see what and how I can do it,plenty of time left,right? Glad it's monthly,weekly events will kill me!:)
Thanks J,I always appreciate hearing a praise because as a stay at home mom,I don't get much credit.Ppl always think we just have too much time on hand,which is not true!We have to manage our time like any pros too:))

Li'l Lite said...

Asha didi!
Hats off to Trisha,i m sure Tushar will follow suit :)

ChrisB said...

Hi Asha
Belated birthday wishes to your children. Congratulations to Trisha's success, she must have worked so hard to achieve this and you must be very proud of her.

The dill muffins look delicious, I will have to try those, I don't think I've ever had a savoury muffin.

The party photos are lovely and I like the idea of a slide show.

Mythreyee said...

Best Wishes to Tushar and Trisha and many many congratulations to Trisha. Academic Excellence medal shows how hard working she is. You should be really proud of your kids.

Is that you in the front yard with Trisha?

I could actually feel the party gallata just by looking at those wonderful photos. May God shower His choicest Blessings on you and your family. Dhrishti suthi haaki, nimma smart makklige. Please do it. My humble request.

Your blog rocks with new header and lots of glittering slide shows all over. I wanted to tell you one more thing, every time when I see the footer that you have posted, Hope to see you again!
Thanks for visiting today.Hope you enjoyed your stay!:)) I really feel that I visited your home. Thanks for the feast. Will surely visit again and again.

Mallika said...

Is that you in the maroon top? It is so nice to see a bit of your life. Happy birthday to the kids - you seem to have done a fab job.

I remember my mom used to say "party's over. Everybody get out." to throw any lagger behinds out. How rude... ha ha.

Manjula said...

Asha,

Each time you break your previous record with a wonderful post and creative recipes. Chana dal vada looks similar to chattambade/masale vade, but you have a better version here. Love the pictures and new
look of your blog.

Congratulations. Your kids have made you a proud.

FH said...

Hi dr, I am sure of that.Tushar is smarter than Trisha!:))Thanks girl.

Thank you Chris.She does works hard for that honor.
Hope you try the Muffins,makes great breakfast with Cream Cheese:)

Hi Myth,I didn't know you speak Kannada!:)My g'ma used to that Drushti suthu every time I would visit her.I will do it for you.
I am not in the picture,red blouse is Trisha and her friend Chau,Vietnamese.You can see me in "Me Me Only Me" MeMe.She looks somewhat looks like me,mainly like her dad:)
You are welcome back Myth,hugs.Thanks.:)

FH said...

HAHAHA!! I feel like saying it but don't Mallika!;D
I invited them for 4 hrs which didn't sit well with Arvind,usually parties are just for two hours.They enjoyed it ,so no problem.
That's Trisha in Maroon blouse with her friend.My photo is somewhere in one of the MeMes I did."Our 20th" has it too.I didn't put our photos this time!:)

Thank you Manjula,I appreciate it:)
They are Masala vadas,in Mysore we call them Kadalebele Vade.I do add some extra spices to make even tastier,hope you try:)

Anonymous said...

Ohhhhhhh you such a sweet mom...the cakes look so delicious...and the presents are really COOOOOOOOOOOOOOL...

Congratulations once again to Trisha !!! She is a very brilliant girl....

The muffins and pineapple phiri are a sure hit...:-)

Lisa Johnson said...

Oh such a great post, where to begin??!! Your new blog header looks wonderful!

Those muffins look scrumptious and you must be so proud of Trisha! Congratulations!

FH said...

Hi Sushma, thanks girl:))
People don't visit Aroma don't know her,so I put it up here!Hope you try some of the recipes.

Hello Anali, thank you.Supriya helped me to create that,so nice of her!:))
Hope you try the Muffins Anali,they are great.

Hi Myth,if you are reading this,these posts are all on single posts as well.You just have to click on each title to open just that post not the whole blog.If they click on just the title or go to recipe index,they don't have to go thru' with it and can choose one recipe and go to that post.
I have already chosen to post individually in the tab since I started blogging,hope that helps:)

Suma Gandlur said...

Asha,
Seems you had a wonderful party.:-)
I am going to try your delicious phirni tomorrow.
Regarding the 'I' event, I have one famous kannada dish in mind, though I am not sure whether it starts with H or I. Waiting for your recipe.

Shionge said...

First of all, Happy Birthday to your darlings :D

What fun & great time... wish I was there really and yes the effort that goes along with all the preparation Asha, you did so well - A good pat on your shoulder....did you receive it :)

I have never seen that vietnamest dessert before, very colourful and interesting.

Good gifts for the kids, they are so lucky :)

Now....I love vadas...and over here, we usually bite one mouthful followed by biting a stalk of fresh green chilli, do you do that too over at your household?

I love all the pictures and I thank you Asha....sorry for long comments but I felt as if I have just walked out of the party myself :D

Happy Birthday once again to the March babies!!! Kekeke...me included :D

Richa said...

looks like the kids really enjoyed the party and such lovely gifts too.
I liked the phirni, had a doubt though? do you cook the pineapple in the milk or do you cook it separately & then add it? I've had some - ahem! lets say not such pretty outcome when I added pineapple directly in the past.
thank you

Anonymous said...

Hi Asha

LOvely post as usual, u are so good.. so creative, please pass some creativity to me too.. just kidding. Happy belated b'day to your kids , yOu are so lucky to have such a wonderful kids. Love all your receipes, i have tried some, especially Radish Gojju came out so good..
Thanks for sharing

Shobha

Anonymous said...

Congratulations Ashaji for Trisha's achievements - she sure is a smart girl. Why dont you start another blog on parenting tips - I sure would love to know how to raise such wonderful children !

phirni and wadas look very tempting. Looking forward to your next tomato post !

Sai said...

Congratulations to you mom for this wonderful spread for the kids's party and to Trisha for her academic honors!

Prema Sundar said...

Hi Asha,
Happy Ugadi to u and ur family..
I can see that u guys had a great party from the pictures.
Phirni, muffins and vadas look great.
Congrats on Trisha's achievement .. Got to get many tips from u Asha on raising smart and intelligent kids.

Dr. Soumya Bhat said...

Hey Asha,
as usual all the dishes are mouth watering.The muffins looks so soft and spongy.Love thos e vada's .Too well in Mangalore.We get this freshly made in one place.Hmm love those too.Cake also looks awesome.Thanks for sharing the photo's.Your kids are so cute.Best wishes to both of them.

Maneka Nirmal said...

hey.... belated happy birthday to dear thrisha. ..

me said...

Happy Belated Birthy to Trisha and Tushar! Also congratulations to Trisha..you must be so proud of her..Both of them infact. The doggie is too cute too :)

Viji said...

Hi Asha, congrats for your daughter first. Beautiful pictures. The muffins, vadas look great Asha. Very nice presentation. So you prepared phirini and i did PA Basundi. will post today :) Enjoyed this post very much. Very lively. Viji

Keshi said...

Ur a proud mum cos u have great kids and ur kids should also be very proud of the GREAT mum that they have!

Lovely pics...those guitar-strumming boys GOTTA be great kids. :)


Trisha sounds brilliant...a great daughter. tnxx for the lovely pics Asha!


Now cud u plz pass me the Vadas..they look YUMMY!

Keshi.

Coffee said...

WAH!!!!! Your kids share their birthdays???? Damn lucky!!! :)

And what lovely presents!!!!!! Kids thise days are surely ahead of us!!!!! I don't remember getting anything beyond some books or clothes!!!!!

Dill muffins look fab!!!!! And how did you think of pineapple phirni!!!!! I am gonna try that for sure!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Well the food looks awesomely tasty as always but I'm really loving all the people photos! Looks like you all had a great time. :)

Ari (Baking and Books)

FH said...

Hi Suma,we did.Thank you.
Phirni tasted very good,I wish I had some Pineapple essence though instead of Cardamom.I already made Idli with a twist and will post later today at Aroma.Can't wait for Kannada recipe!:)

Hi Shi,thank you for your wishes,They had a great time!:)Nobody pats me here except my blog buddies Shi!I am just a 'chopped liver' at home!;D
I cut down the chillies for kids and add some chilli flakes which get milder when fried.But I do like spicy Vadas though!
Dont' apologize,I like your long comments!!Hugs and have a great weekend birthday baby!:))

Hi Richa ,thank you.
A valid question.If used canned Pineapple Chunks,no need to cook at all.Those are soft and cooking them is not necessary.You make the phirni,take off of the heat and add Pineapple and stir well.Just heat thru' gently for a min and take it off.That's it!:) When you start cooking with milk,it curdles bcos of the sourness of the fruit.Make a small amount and see how ot goes.Mine came out very tasty.

FH said...

Hi Shabha,thanks.We are all creative I think when we have time to think thru'!Most of us are so busy these days,it's hard to think like yesterday for me.I was so busy,I got a headache at the end of the day!:))Glad you enjoyed the Gojju!I love it too.

Abha,NOOO!Another blog will send me to Mental hospital!;D You are a great mom too,you don't need any advice!:) Thanks girl,enjoy.

Saayee, thank you! Nobody said thanks to me here girl!!;D
Usually,I don't invite too many kids,this yr it's 16th for Trisha,so it was little more than usual and went well too!:)

Hi Prema,thanks!:)) Well..one big tip for good parenting is do not push them to do anything they don't want to do and let them choose! Indians parents can be pushy and expect too much of kids,that's when they go ther way!

FH said...

Hi Sowmya,vadas are sold in every corner of B'lore and they taste out of this world!We can never get that taste no matter what we add girl!:)) Thanks for the wishes,they are good kids compared to to many I know!

Thank you Maneka!Good wishes are wishes ,late or not!:))They are lucky to have so many well wishers!

Thanks Zuzu!!:)
Doggie's B'day is coming up in April!;D

FH said...

Thank you Viji! Pineapple Basundi sounds so good,can't wait to see in your blog!:))

Hi Keshi girl,thank you for all your appreciation!:) Tushar's friends are great kids.He goes to Public school here,so you can imagine what kinds bad crowd he could get into.Somehow,both kids choose to be with good kids from good family!:)Hope that continues thru' college too.Tushar is in the Performance Arts magnets school and Guitar is one of the regular classes and he is surprisingly good at it,plays by the ear rather than looking at the Music sheets!:D
Trish used take Violin but she is too busy with Early College now,no time for Music.

Hi Coffee,thanks! HeHe!!Two birds with one stone! ;D
I know,right?Even I don't remember what I used to get except elaborate lunch my mom made!:D
I saw the can of Pineapple,thought of Phirni and hoped for the best!!:) It did turn out very tasty,just make sure you don't cook it and heat thru'.

Hi Ari, yup! It was a great day,kids had a blast!I would too if somebody buys me all that stuff!!;D
Thanks Ari,have a great weekend.

Chickoo said...

Ashakka,
Lovely recipes and congrats to Trisha. She is a hell of a smart girl :)
To a great extent the credit goes to you for the way you have raised them.

Congrats once again!
Deepa

Linda said...

Hi Asha, seems I am so crazy busy this week, hardly any time to visit blogs and finally got here :)Hooray, lots of beautiful photos of the kids and pets!! Looks like a grand time was had by all. Happy Birthday wishes to the two sweeties, and congrats to Trisha on NHS! Well done indeed. Kids give us lots to be proud of, hmm? ;)

Loved the dill muffins and the chana vadas... haven't tried those before. Everything looks wonderful, as usual!

By Deepa and Supriya said...

hello proud mom...which I am sure you are!
nice job on the party as well as on raising two great kids! I'll write to you when I need parental advise :) enjoyed the pictures looks like a fun party! The vadas look mouth watering,...i want some now! Have to make pineapple phirni for Uj (hubby).....will love it I am sure :)

FH said...

Hi Deepa,thank you sweetie!:))Nobody appreciate the mom here you know! ;D
I appreciate it Deeps.

Hi Linda,thanks.They did have a great time including the dog who got very excited looking at those kids to pet him! ;D
I know,I am so busy these days too,I got a bad headache yesterday!! Stress I guess.I still manage to comment somehow, may be that's why?I need to relax a bit:))
Anyway,take it easy Linda and comment when you can.Thank you again and have a great weekend:)

Nee said...

Hey there Ashamma,

Awesome pics and TnT seem to have had wonderful birthdays with food, friends and fun!

Nee

Cyberkitty said...

The cheese muffins are mouthwatering.

Its nice to have 2 birthdays so close together and congrats to your daughter !

Aahaar Vihaar said...

Hi Asha,
Great party, dill muffins, vada and phirni looks wow!!! Your kids look cute too. Couldn't wait to try your recipes. Thanks.

KA said...

Pineapple phirni looks yummy Asha! You must be very proud to be the parent of smart kids! Way to go!

FH said...

Hi Orchid,thank you darlin'!I am proud,feels good to be a parent when they achieve something on their juice!:) Phirni is great,try it.

Hi Nee,good to see ya!:))They had a blast and very happy with the gifts.Usually I give them money so they can buy something,but this time they knew what they wanted!Try Phirni Nee,it's tasty:)

Hello Cyber Kitty,having fun watching Cricket.Lot of controversy going on ,eh?
Thanks girl, glad it's one party.I don't think I can't handle two!:D

FH said...

Hi AV!! Thanks friend.We did have a good time.Enjoy the recipes and make sure you try the Phirni:))

Hello KA. Thank you so much.It does feel good!:))
Phirni was a dessert for Ugadi.I was so exhausted on Sunday after the party,didn't know Ugadi was on Monday until somebody wished me!:D Then I gathered myself and made some quick dishes on Monday.Hope you try Phirni.

Anusha said...

so are you the most popular mom on the block, now?? did you actually do all this and bake AND decorate both cakes?? Are you one woman? ;)

congrats to your daughter on her achievement! You must be very proud of her :)

Swapna said...

Wow..what a spread..ur kids are lucky:)
Many congrats to Trisha..Tell her to continue with the same spirit.
Swaps

Little Miss Muffet said...

Hi,

Just had to tell u i made your Dal Maharani yesterday.Yummy and so unlike any dal I've tasted! The Better Half liked it so much that he wanted to write you a personal thank you note..told him i'd do it for him :)

Anonymous said...

Am dying to try the muffins recipe...sounds/looks delish!! :)

Unknown said...

Hi Asha,

Belated birthday wishes to Trisha and Tushar !

Shivapriya said...

Hey Asha
Nice picture and delicious recipes. Pineapple phirni looks great. Will try sometime.
Belated wishes to both of them. I'm sure you had wonderful time.

FH said...

Hi @,thanks.I am the popular mom here because they get to spend 4 hrs and eat like pigs!!;D None of the other moms do that more than 2 hrs.

Hello Swaps,thanks girl.I will tell her! She is one more yr in HS and then hope she gets to do what she wants do:)

WOW MM! You made my day!:))
I am so happy,make sure you save the recipe because you never know about this blogspots.
Tell your hubby I said he is welcome and thank you for trying!:))

FH said...

Hi P Inc, hope you do,taste delicious with some cream cheese!Thanks:))

Hi Kavita.Thank you so much for your wishes.My kids are lucky to have so many blessings from all of you:)


Hello P! Thank you,they did have a great time.Hope you try Phirni:)

Latha said...

Hey Asha
Lovely pictures! Glad to see that Trisha and Tushar had a blast!
Congrats to Trish on the medal! You guys must be so proud!
And as usual such a wonderful spread.
Your kids are sooooo lucky to have u for their mom! U superwoman u!
Hugs
Latha

Sangeeta said...

Hi Asha,

What a yummylicious spread :)Both K and I enjoyed drooling over all that great food :)

Belated birthday wishes to both Trishna and Tushar. Congratulations to Trisha for getting the award. That indeed is a great honor.

Looking forward to next week's spread. Have a fun filled weekend.

FH said...

Hi Latha,thank girl.Kids were so happy,it was nice to just click away the photos while they played and ate!:))But I am glad b'days are only once a year!!;D
You have had some fun dinner with girls too,good for you.Just you and girlfriends having a great time sounds so good.I am green!:)Have fun,you deserve it.

Sangeeta and K,thank you both.It makes me feel so good to know that there are so many well wishers:)
You two have a great weekend and make some Phirni,will ya!:D

Unknown said...

Wow..i liked dill muffins and vadas.I have some dry dill..can i use it for these recipes?.

Thanks for sharing the b'day photos.Looks like you guys had a great partaayyyyy...

musical said...

Dill muffins are too tempting, Asha ji.

and daal-vadai.....can i telepost myself to NC :).

Great pictures:Happy B'day to Trisha and Tushar and Congrats to your gal for the honors :).My best wishes to them both.

Anonymous said...

Hey! Looks like a wonderful party! Nice pictures too. How come the beautiful hostess is not featured in the pictures?

Kajal said...

Hi Asha,
First you r a great mother and your son and daughter are lucky. Congrats to Trisha on her achievements. Pineapple Phirni looks delicious. All pictures are good and happy moments you share with all of us. I like it very much.
.

Bong Mom said...

Hi Asha
I have absolutely no time but just had to peek in your blog and it was so lovely seeing the lovely b'day party and the smiling kids that had to leave a comment
A big congrats to Trisha, we are so proud of her and love her Vaio, how come she didn't ask for a pink one :) ?
Hugs to bot Big T and small t.

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful party and your family looks so very happy. You must be soooo proud of them!

Anonymous said...

Wow !! Looks like you kids had lot of fun and you be a proud mom of your daugther. Congratulations!! I like the slide of your post in your side bar.

deepsat said...

Hey Asha... Some very cute pics of such a perfect birthday!!

its beautiful!!

;-))

Anonymous said...

Hi Asha

i visited your blog sometime ago but unlimately lost which was the one.
i finnally iam here from Supriyas blog

Congrats and belated birthday wishes to Trisha

i think i should get some advice from you to make my daughter understand the importance of studies.

i am already listing the recipes to try from your blog.

pictures matte recipes yella thumba channagi kannathe

Roopa

Kalpana said...

Happy Ugadi and Happy B'day to both of your smart kids. You made it a memorable one for them. Good recipes too. With Love, Kalpana.

Gattina Cheung said...

Asha, the slide is empty for now... but for other photos, your kids are so beautiful/handsome and BRIGHT! And Trisha academic achievement... WOW!!!

indosungod said...

Asha, Congrats to your dear daughter on her achievement.You must be proud.
Pineapple Prini looks awesome. Dill seems to be the theme should try it out sometime. Both the Muffin and Vadais look good.

marriedtoadesi.com said...

I love the muffins and your crispy vada!

FH said...

Hi Mahesh,thank you,we did:) Nah,dry dill tastes like grass to me,get some fresh ones which has great flavor.

Thank you Musical:) I appreciate it,hope you try the dill-dal vadas.

Hi TDNA,hostess was running around clicking photos and forgot herself and the host was with the Video camera!!:D Next time. Thanks man:)

Thank you Kajal:)) Hope you try Phirni,tasted so good.

FH said...

Sandeepa,thank you so much for taking time darling!:) Lot of bloggers are taking a break,that's okay.Take care and T and t are blessed to have you and others to wish them well:)
Oh! Trisha is a Tomboy and hates all girly things including pink and purple!;D

Thank you Kristen.We enjoyed the party so much!:))

Hi Jas,thanks friend:) Slides are the best, little tacky but I like it!;P

Hi Roopa,tumba dinave aagide neevu illige bandu!:) Write down the URL,that's what I do when I find somebody,it is so hard to remember so many bloggers.Thank you for your wishes and hope you try some recipes:))

FH said...

Thank you Deepsat!:)) I tried my best to give the girl her best 16th b'day!!Boy is going to be 13 next year.Ayy!!!:D

Hi Gattina,thank you.Slide is alright now.Yeah! Kids had a great time screaming and eating etc!:)) Made us happy too.That's all it matters in life,you know!:)

Hi Indo,thanks friend.I know,I saw many Dill dishes too!:)It tastes so good,more the better.Hope you try the Phirni.Hugs.

Thank you Kanchana.Hope you try making them:)
I love your profile photo by the way!Have a great weekend.

Life said...

hello ashaji,

vada ..mmmmm they are my fav..thanks this time my fav dish

cong to both of them on their birthday..and yes they are smart......

its always pleasure to be here and thanks for sharing ur family functions

Take Care
Vikas{V}

FH said...

Hi Vikas,how are you doing? Yup! As you can see I have been busy and thank you for visiting man!:))
Have a great weekend.

Bong Mom said...

Asha
Need to discuss something with you. Can i have your e-mail id please ?

Menu Today said...

Hi Asha,

Congrats Trisha on your Academic achievement...
All dishes looks great!!! Thanks for the visual treat:-)
Take plenty of rest. New template looks nice.

FH said...

Hi Sandeepa, say 'do not publish' and leave me your id in my comment,then I will e mail you back.Privacy,don't want to be spammed!:)or if you have e mail in your profile,I will e mail ASAP.

Hi MT, thank you so much.You are always so gracious to all of us.Glad I met you.Have great weekend:) Hugs.

Lotus Reads said...

Asha, this was such a delightful post! I enjoyed reading about your lovely children and seeing pictures of the party - everything looked so festive and everybody seemed to be having such a great time!

Congrats to Trisha for the honor and the medal, wow, she is a bright girl and has wonderful future ahead of her.

The pineapple phirni looks WONDERFUL, I am going to have to copy the recipe to make it sometime.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations to Trisha. Looks like a fun party.

Like the new header. Snazzy.

I made those dill muffins once. Delish!

Margie said...

Hi Asha
The muffins look soooo good!
I love all the pictures....
Sounds like it was a wonderful party...cakes look so very yummy!
Congrats to Trisha on her medal.

I'm taking a break from posting for a while, but I'll do my best to stop on by and visit you while I'm away.
So much going on now...just to busy to be writing and posting.

Well, take good care!
See you Asha!
Have a great weekend!

Margie:)

FH said...

Hi Lotus,thanks buddy.Well..it was 16th,so had to make it special!:))They had fun,we oldies got tired but happy.Hope you try Phirni,it's quick and tasty.

Hi Pearl,thank you.Supriya made that Blog header for me,I like it too!:))Dill muffins so flavorful,isn't it?Enjoy the weekend.

Hi Margie,Spring makes everybody busy and happy,isn't it?!:)
Take a break,don't worry about commenting.Thanks for visiting.Write when you can,I enjoy it! Hugs.

ServesYouRight said...

Asha,

How fun! Reading your blog makes me feel like I'm part of the celebrations!

vasilisa said...

Wow, you even make muffins healthy... I'm gonna try that out. If I ever have time to get into the kitchen again :-)

And can't wait for the tomatoes post... My ultimate favourite food of all time!

Happy Birth Days to your kids! Mine will have their Birthdays a couple of weeks apart, so I guess I'll have to do two back to back parties -- but there is always Foodie's Hope to get me through :-)

Me said...

Everybody looks like they're having so much fun, and I'm not suprised with the kind of food you have around you.

FH said...

Hi S! Thanks girl.It's just fun to make these happen and look back many years later!:)

LISAAAA!!!! You had the boy!!!YAY!!!
I will visit you buddy,I was so busy this past week,couldn't comment on too many blogs.Congratulations and I am soooo happy that you are well and baby is well.Hugs and kisses.I will see you later.

Hi Orhan,I know!!:D So many well wishers and so many blessing for my kids,it's overwhelming! Hope you are doing well.Have a great week friend and be well.:)

Cynthia said...

Asha, your blog is such a welcoming space. You make us all feel like a part of your family. Thanks. The food, the party, the achievements - congrats to Trisha.

FH said...

Thank you Cynthia! I am fortunate I have so many friends now because of this food blogging.It has become a wonderful second family!:)

musical said...

Asha-akka, my blog is up and running now :)

FH said...

Hello Musical, YAY!! :))
Thanks little sis,I will check it out tomorrow.Hey, I thought you are a Punjabi kudi and you are calling me Akka! Hmm...!!suspense and intrigue!!;D

Anonymous said...

Hey Ash! Love your new template. Mainly because it lets me comment! :)
How proud must you be of your kids! They are absolutely adorable & their long list of accomplishments will only get longer! Looks like all the kids had fun on their b'days! I love dill aambodes and yours looks just like my mom makes. Phirni looks delicious. Am curious about what went in the Vietnamese dessert. It looks good too. Good post, Asha!

sunita said...

Asha, kudos to Trisha, she seems to have turned out really well..my...you must be so proud of her...the kids must have enjoyed the day...belated wishes to both of them.

FH said...

Thanks Vani.That Viet, dessert is made of milk,sugar and lots of fruits and Jell-O!It has a unique and beautiful taste.
That old template gave lot of trouble!Glad I changed it:))Good to see you Vani,I read M is doing well.Yeah,kids had fun on thrie b'days.M's birthday is coming up I guess and soon:)

Hi Sunita,thank you.Yes, they are good kids and work hard for thrie grades!:)) We had a great time too:))Have a great week:)

Jackie said...

Happy birthday to the kids. I see they are Pisces like me :)

Congrats to Trisha on her medal.

Yum, you have some great recipes to try.

Anonymous said...

Ashaji whats ur email id?

FH said...

Hi Jackie,thanks and glad you found FH too!:) I do mainly cook vegetarian dishes,some times non-veg.
Yeah , both are Pisceans!:D

Hey SP!! Can't tell you the e mail here,it's private and don't want to be spammed but I will e mail you if you have your ID at your blog later!:)

Kay said...

How on earth, did I miss this beautiful blog? :)

Wow! to you, Birthday wishes! to your kids and Congrats! to your daughter!

We used to live in NC, before we moved to Canada. Miss that lovely weather.

Keshi said...

Convey my best wishes to Tushar...he has great taste in music!

Keshi.

FH said...

Hi Kay,welcome.I have been here since July last year!:) Glad you found me.
Thank you.Canada is more peaceful than NY,US..don't you think!:D Enjoy my log and hope to see you back here again.

Hello,Keshi girl,how are you doing?:)
I will tell Tushar,thank you.I didn't think he was into music until he started strumming songs without the sheets!!:D Kids are full of surprises sometimes.Unfortunately,Trisha isn't keeping up with her Violin,too much studies,gets even tougher next year!
Have a great day Keshi,hugs!:)

sallywrites said...

Hi Asha!

So do your kids share exactly the same birthday or are they are few days apart? My brother and I are a day apart, my mother shares a birthday with my sister in law, my other sister in law and one of my kids share a birthday and hubby and I are only 6 days apart (same year) and my Dad's birthday is 8 days after mine! It's weird isn't it? Why are families often born st the same time of the year?

And MANNERS!!!!!!!!!!! I would NEVER invite that woman's children into your house again!!! How dare she?!!! Manners cost nothing do they?

The food looks brilliant as always.
Good blog!

FH said...

Hi Sally,so many birthdays so close together in your family.My kids are born on Mar 14tha and 16th 4yrs apart,so I do one birthday with two of everything!:D Easy for me and they don't mind.
Yup,that's exactly what I said to my hubby but her son is a good kid,so I just endure her antics.It shows how they are brought up Sally,oh well...

Thanks and have a great week Sally:)

Anonymous said...

hi asha ji

thx for the comment on my site
i cant get enough of your photos
dill muffins.....sounds awesome
just like blueberry muffins ;)
but y dont u do something with ur template. imho the present one is not that appealing :)

FH said...

Thanks Anusha,hope you try the Muffins:))
Template; I had a nice looking one but it gave lot trouble for some readers like not letting them into the blog or comment,so I had to change that.This one is little boring and working well!!;D
Suggest a template you like and I will see if I like it.Blogger has very limited choice of Templates!

Mandira said...

Birthday wishes to both of them, looks like they had a great time. Congratulations to Trisha on her achievement, it's wonderful.
Your vadas look perfect - crunchy and crispy. Will surely try them soon.

Dalicia said...

congratulations to your daughter :)
vadas looking good....!!

Kribha said...

Hey Asha,
Is riccotta and cottage cheese the same? Does it matter if I use whole milk instead of skim milk? Please Clarify. Thanks.

FH said...

Hi Kribha,cottage cheese is more like Paneer or curdled milk and Ricotta is thicker,creamier and smells different and better tasting than Cottage cheese.
You can use whole milk to replace low fat milk.It's just lighter recipe to cut calories.You can use Ricotta and whole milk if you like:)

mommyof2 said...

yayyy, congrats to trisha & inspiring family:-) and belated B'day wishes:-)

Anonymous said...

Hello Asha,

My first comment here for channa dal vada.

Adding dill, have not heard, but tried for tamil new year and it was so good & yummy too.

One doubt-after coarse grinding, the dhals fell apart and hence, had to sprinkle some more water and after one grind, could be able to pat into shapes.

But, heard many people telling that no water should be added. In my case, it is not happening for the last few times, can you suggest how to overcome this problem?

Thanks.

FH said...

Hi rama,I happy to hear that dill vadas turned well for you.Adding dill is very Karanataka style!:))

I always add just enough water to grind it in the blender.In India,with the stone grinder ,you can grind it smooth without adding water but can not in the blender.That's the reason why I add about 1 tsp of corn starch to bind it together,or besan will do too.

Another thing you can do is grind 3/4 of dal smooth and add 1/4 dal at the last minute to grind.

Grinding without water does make Vadas crisp but electric blender doesn't let you do that unfortunately unless you stop every minute and keep on scraping the sides down.Hope it helps:)
Happy Vishu.

Amanda at Little Foodies said...

Hi Asha, As a relative new comer I need to play catch up so I read a bit more every time I visit. This is fantastic about your daughter. How clever! You must be very proud.
I don't really need to say about the recipes, of course they're great!
Amanda

FH said...

Hi Amanda,browse slow or you will be overwhelmed!;D
Trisha is a smart girl,does very well in school.I am proud:))

Gloria from Rocklin CA said...

I will be trying the dill muffin recipe tonight and hope you will be starting up your blog again soon!

FH said...

Savory muffins are my choice as well Gloria, enjoy. I hope to blog soon, just being lazy right now! :)