June 06, 2007

A BAKE, A SHAKE, A CAKE AND A SALAD!!!

WOO HOO!!! That's what I REALLY wanted to say next to that title!!;D
How are you guys? Our weekend was ok.Trisha was in the local newspaper again as one of the youngest scholars in High School with her photo and parents' name too!(Yup! That's only glory I get!;D)She also had her SAT exam on Saturday,so we had to stay put at home, couldn't do much other than working a little on my veggie patch.
But I got busy on Sunday as you can see,cooked like crazy and enjoyed it too.Took photos at lightening speed before kids get their paws on them!;D

What's on the menu?!
Chicken and Broccoli Bake,( Vegetarians,skip chicken ,add more vegs!)
Summer Apple Salad,(Going Lite for MBP!)
Asparagus with Sesame and garlic Butter,
Texas White sheet cake for dessert,
and wash them all down with a California Sunshine!!(AFAM!)
All these dishes are from "Taste of Home" magazine,an excellent Mag if you really want authentic homely recipes written by various authors.

Our Sunday lunch:

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole:
Here is a very tasty and healthy casserole with all goodness of Chicken and Broccoli with creamy Cheddar cheese sauce.You can skip the meat and add more veggies for a scrumptious lunch.Hope you will try.

You need:1 package(10 oz) frozen cut broccoli,1 lb chicken tenders, diced into bite-sized pieces, 1/2 cup sliced red onions, 1 tbsp butter, 1 can (11 oz) condensed cheddar cheese soup+1/4 cup water or stock, 1/2 tsp ground mustard, 2tsp Mrs.Dash spice mix,salt and pepper to taste, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 1 cup French fried onions,store bought.How to:Preheat the oven to 350. Cook the broccoli, drain. Keep it aside. Heat butter in a pan, add onions, when soft, add chicken pieces and saute until they are white. Stir in soup+water, mustard, salt, heat until it bubbles. In a casserole dish, arrange 1/2 the broccoli, top with 1/2 the chicken, layer 1/2 the grated cheese, repeat the layers. Sprinkle 2 tsp of Ms. Dash spice in between layers or on top, salt and pepper, and sprinkle French fried onions on top. Put it in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.Serve warm.

Summer Apple salad:
Make this fabulous cool and lite salad for a hot Summer day!!It feels so good have this not so sweet salad/dessert! Chill it for an hr at least for a wonderful and tasty salad.Enjoy:)

You need: 1-2 red apple, cored and sliced thin, 1 cup pineapple tidbits, drained, 1/2 cup celery, sliced, 1/2 cup grapes sliced, 1/4 cup sliced baby carrots, 1/4 cup Peaches and Pears (canned is fine),1/4 cup Orange segments,3 tbsp finely chopped walnuts(mix these with 1 tsp lemon juice).
For dressing: mix 3 tbsp cup fat free cream, 1 tbsp sugar,1 tsp Apple cider vinegar,pinch of salt.
How to: In a large salad bowl, combine apples, pineapple, celery, grapes, carrots, oranges,walnuts and lemon juice. In a small bowl, combine cream, sugar, and pinch of salt. Mix and pour it over the apple mixture, toss to coat.Chill and serve garnished with Orange segments or slices.This is going to Coffee from 'Spice Cafe' MBP "Going lite!" event, hosted this month by miss gorgeous herself!!Thank you coffee!:)
I am choosing this salad from this site with my own additions to make it even healthier.

Sesame-Garlic Asparagus:
Asparagus stir-fry!! Fresh,crunchy and deliciously spiced side dish.I should have used fresh but couldn't get tender ones.Canned Asparagus was ok but little soft.Please use fresh for this recipe.


You need:
About 8-10 young tender Asparagus Spears(I usually do this with fresh ones.This time I couldn't get the young spears,so I bought a can!Big mistake!!:D Use fresh ones like I did here. 1 tbsp butter,1/2 tsp Garlic pd,2 tsp Sesame seeds,salt and pepper.
How to: Heat a pan with butter,add sesame seeds.Add in the whole Asparagus spears and saute for 2 mints.Don't need to cook too much,just until tender-crisp.Sprinkle salt,garlic and pepper,take off the heat and stir well.



California Sunshine:
What a cool way finish off the meal! This is originally called "Orange Julia or Julius".It not only looks beautiful,tastes delicious too chilled, served in a great looking tall glass.You can 2% milk too to cut the down the calorie even more.DO NOT use regular fat free milk though!



You Need:
1 can (6 ounce) frozen orange juice, concentrate, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/3 non-fat dry milk powder OR fat free half and half milk, 1 tsp vanilla essence, 1/2 cup cold water, 10 ice cubes, few oranges for garnishing.
How to: In a blender, combine the first five ingredients, and process at high speed for 1 minute. Add ice cubes, one at a time, blending until slushy. Serve, garnish with orange slices.
Note: For a fancy glass edge, dip the rim of the glass into orange juice and then in sugar. Chill in the fridge before you pour in the juice. This is going to Sharmi from 'Neivedyam' blog for AFAM "Orange". Thanks for hosting Sharmi:)






White Texas sheet cake:
Texas sheet cake is light,easy and delicious,very handy for the kids to grab and go or as a after school snack.Add a squeeze of food color to make even more attractive.You can add Egg substitute if you don't eat Eggs.


You Need: 1 cup butter, 1 cup water, 2 cups plain flour or Cake flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 2 eggs beaten, 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp baking Powder.
For frosting: 1/2 butter, 1/4 cup milk, 3 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract,1/4 cup chopped walnuts or use store bought vanilla frosting(heat with 3 tbsp water)to spread thinly and sprinkle Walnuts.
How to:
1. In a large saucepan, bring butter and water to a boil, remove from the heat.Cool a little, stir in the flour, sugar, sour cream, vanilla, salt and baking soda,beat until smooth.Add Eggs beaten and mix well again.
2. Pour into a greased or sprayed with no-stick oil 15"x10"x1" baking sheet, bake at 375 F for 20-22 mins OR until the cake is golden brown, invert gently on a rack which is on the bigger cookie sheet to catch the icing and cool for 20 minutes.

Click on the image to see step by step pics:


For frosting; combine butter and milk in a saucepan, bring to boil, remove from heat. Add sugar and vanilla, mix well. Stir in walnuts,spread over cooled cake or use store bought vanilla icing,add color,walnuts and spread it thin. Cut into squares and serve.




Sumeet!
I got my brand new mixer within 5 working days of ordering from Canada!! Super duper fast (free!) shipping from Sumeet. Blades are slightly thinner than the old Sumeet but grinds better. I made Orange Julius(above) with whipper blade,works great!:)


Have a great weekend.See Y'all with RCI dishes next! Kids' school is over this Friday and they are going to literally hang around me for 2 1/2 mnts! AH..!!! HELP!!!!!;D

157 comments:

DEEPA said...

WOW!!! Ashaji ...Congrats on Trisha's apperance in the local news paper .The cake looks great and yuummmmmy .My mom is having summet mixing for more than 15 years now .She never wants to leave it .It is a great mixy ..What was the first thing that was in it ?...By the way where are you planning for vacations ...

Viji said...

A great post Asha as usual. The The shake and cake are yummy. Salad is cool. Have a great weekend. Viji

Bong Mom said...

Asha
Congrats to Trisha. Way to go little girl :) You must be one proud Momma. It would be very nice if you share her achievements with us at DMC too, and let us know her study routine etc. She will be the role model for our kids you know.

The food is awesome as usual. Should try that Sheet Cake

Kribha said...

Dear Asha,
I knew you would have a feast every week. I was actually about to leave for my last minute shopping. Then, I couldn't stop thinking what you would have posted. I'm so glad that I stopped by. Each and every dish is unique. Couldn't go thru in detail, but will surely check in later.
BTW, where should I go and vote for 'the best food blog'? Thanks for everything. You are the BEST.

Sumitha said...

Hey Ashakka how are you?today it took me quite a time to comment,blogger was acting funny!Congratulations to dear Trisha for being a hard working gal!Among the dishes I loved the simple asparagus stir fry and also the cake and ya loved the title of this post too!Sumeet is my favourite mixie too,have one with me here and cant cook and eat without it.My mom has a Sumeet mixie which is as old as her marriage and it still works great;)Because it doesnt look very glamorous now,dad bought her a brand new kenstar with so many different functions.She was so unhappy that day you know:)She still uses her Sumeet!

deena said...

Hi asha..what a lunch!!..that cake looks delicious ..i already have to try ur fruit bread .this comes next !Have a great whipping,mixing & grinding!!!!

Unknown said...

That should make you a proud Mum Asha! I like the bakes you do, yet to try the pasta tomato bake - love your salad the best, very colourful and perfect for the terrible heat here!

FH said...

Hi Deepa,thank you.She is good daughter!:))
I made California Sunshine in it!It works well.This is my third Sumeet since I got married!!
This summer,we are not planning to go very far like we usually do,just Tennessee.

Thanks Viji.Hope you try the Shake and the cake!;D

Hi Sandeepa,great idea! I might do that next week at DMC!:))
Btw,she is not "Little",she is bigger than me! Can you blame her with all these cake and bake!!;D
Try the cake,it's yummy.

Kribha,thanks for taking time to check.I know you are busy preparing to leave to India!:))
Don't worry about voting,not asking anybody to do that!Not imp to me other than seeing all of you here every week!:)) Hugs.Have a safe journey.

Sumita,thanks.I understand your mom completely!I had 2 Sumeets before and bought many Cuisinart here.None of them works like Summet.
This Summet is little different and has thinner blades.Arvind says they are better to grind finely.I am happy with that.All these other fancy mixers do not match Sumeet!:))

bee said...

i love all your dishes, ash, esp that drink. your sumeet is your third child, looks like. :-D

Coffee said...

Miss gorgeous!!! BLUSH! BLUSH! ;) (It's sipce cafe and not cafe spice :P )

The salad looks delicious for sure!!! And sheet cake!!! How did you think of that! :) Its marvelous!!

Congratulations to trisha.... and her wonderful parents! :)

Anonymous said...

The cake look scrumptious! i am gonna make it soon..:)

Aruna said...

Asha, Congrats to Trisha & to YOU as well!!! As always u have brought a feast here, I couldnt take my eyes of that sheet Cake, Cant wait to prepare & relish it. :):) Thx Dear.

Sangeeta said...

Hi Asha,

Congratulations to Trisha and to you and Arvind too.
That was a scrumptious spread-can't wait to try it all :)

Seema Bhat said...

Congratulations to Trisha!!!! along with loads and loads of best wishes from both of us here. Asha I am just drooling over your sheet cake. Lovvvvvvvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeee it. Looks awesome gottu make it sometime now hee hee. I loved the asparagus dish as well.

Anonymous said...

Hi Asha, contratulations to Miss Trisha and her proud parents! I love your array this week. Reminds me that I used to make a chicken casserole for the kids (not as fancy as yours tho!) -- I should make it now that little m is home from school. Asparagus and fruit salad look great, as does the sunset drink, but I must admit I'm really craving that cake. And I don't even have a big sweet tooth!! I think I know the place you got your Sumeet from -- I think I saw it online. If so, maybe that's where I'll go when I finally plunk down the cash.

Thanks for sharing all your delights and enjoy your new mixie! :)

FH said...

LOL!! Deena,it's true.Lot of grinding and whipping is going to go on with that!Thanks.Bake the cake,you can down the sugar a little too:)

Hi N! Great to see you here.Salad was really good chilled,very refreshing for a hot day.We had a terribly hot week too here,was so exhausting inspite of having AC 24/7!! Keep cool there ,hugs:))

HeHe!! It has become third child indeed!:)) Those Cuisinart blenders are sissies compared to this.I heard that India doesn't sell these anymore there but there are plenty here and in Canada!!Enjoy the Orange Julius Bee:)

Coffee! Looks like I am dyslexic!!Hee Hee! I will correct it.Trisha is hard worker,she deserves it!:))
Enjoy the cake.I got it from a book which has many Grandma's recipes.Try it.

Kalpana.Hope you do try and you can cut down the sugar in the cake a little as I found it little too sugary,unless you like sweet:))

Rachna said...

Asha, what a proud moment for you, kudos to trisha.....I love the cake, bookmarked it to try...

FH said...

You are welcome Aruna and thank you:)) Try the cake and enjoy.

Sangeeta,thanks.She is a good girl!:)) Enjoy all the goodies.Bake was very tasty,enjoy.

Seema,thank you.Trisha loves challenges and works hard for it.I am proud of her!:)
Try the cake,use store bought Duncan Hines frosting thinned a little,easier than making all that at home:))

Linda,thanks.She had SAT too last Sat,waiting for results.11th grade is her last year of HS and she goes to college 1 yr early,so it's better,she gets all these done in time:) Enjoy M's visit,I bet she would love the casserole!
Sumeet has another model with just a small chutney size jar like coffee grinder and another mixie with just 2 jars which is cheaper than this as well.Go to that link and check out.Enjoy!:)

Thank you Dumela.Look how many well wishers she has! She is lucky girl!!:))
Enjoy the cake, hugs.

USHA said...

Hi Ashaji,,

Convey my wishes to Trisha.So a happy to hear that our girl is achieveing here a great steps...

Wow!!all the recipes are amazing...huh!!!i can't really restrict myself from falling on the sheet cake after seeing it...OMG!!!the flowing icing is so tempting.....

Mishmash ! said...

haaaa...My Lady ...what do I say ?? :)
Congrats to Trisha and her proud mom :)

Your salad did capture my interest and will be trying soon and then ofcourse the cake...beautiful pic and a great shot of the shake...how did you manage that shot...it's quite difficult to take pics of drinks..HUGS..HUGS :)

Shn

Richa said...

orange julia looks yum, that is something i want to make asap :) i like the orange+milk combo :) also that sheet cake looks so sleek, a must try! congrats to trisha!! these memories are so precious!! great spread, you sure were busy!! salad looks good for the summer!

Anonymous said...

i couldnt get that sumeet out of my mind. i need one :))
vl try that asparagus sometime. someone told me it tastes like tinda.....is it true?
cake looks juicy....
orange juice.....if i take orange juice out of the fridge....it just goes into my stomach :lol:
but it sure looks great to try with milk n concentrate
finally apple salad is heavenly.
:)
www.talimpu.com

Anonymous said...

hey asha
congrats to trisha(luv the name)
and to u guys
whats SAT score?

Kribha said...

Dear Asha,
I know that you did not ask me to vote. But I really want to do it. So, if you can direct me to that it will be really helpful.
One more thing...
I forgot to mention this in my previous comment. Hearty congrats to Trisha's on her accompishment. You must be one proud mom. Bye dear.

Nee said...

Loved the title, loved the recipes (as usual). Congrats to Trisha!!

Sia said...

ha ha ha ashakka...u r not only all-rounder but have very good sense of humour too:) i have been checking ur blog from 12-1.30 for ur wednesday post. was away in meeting till now and sitting there(half drowsy) i was thinking what u gonna parade today:) that texas cake looks unbelivably smooth and delicious... can i say? bombat aagi kanatte;) i thought u r talking abt weather when u said californian sunshine and immediately say AFAM. if i was not a food blogger i would have definately thought u must be talking abt weather instead of drink;) LOL....
i am so proud of trisha's achievement and a tight hugs to her n tushar from me:) they will be hanging around u for 2 n half months? cool... send them to UK... we will have fun;)

Sia said...

and u had to showcase ur sumeet mixi right? LOL... first that ice cream maker n bread maker and now sumeet, so whats next?;)

TheCooker said...

Everything looks gorgeous as usual!
Texas sheet cake is a favourite of mine.

FH said...

Hi Usha,thanks.She works hard.I took that cake photo before the icing was firm!;D Try it.

Shn,thanks.I agree.It was hard to take that beverage shot,had to do lot of of circus for that one photo!Hugs to you too!;D

Richa,Orange Julia tastes great.At first,I wasn't sure about milk and OJ,but it dos taste amazing.Try it:)

Anusha,good that I didn't have to drag you here this time!:))Thanks.Try the cake if not juice.
SAT is a Aptitude test which every HS kid has to go thru' here,specially in the south if they want to apply for college.The higher score you get,the better chance of getting into great colleges.There are 3 parts,total score of 2400 pts.Let's see how much she gets!:))

sra said...

Hey, I like the title, very snappy! Congrats to Trisha, and to you too, on your newspaper mention!

Julie said...

Terrific menu, the food looks delicious. But I have to say I was drawn to the cleverness of; "A Bake, A Shake, A Cake and a Salad", really great title.

Padmaja said...

My hearty congrats to trisha and huge hug to mom!!!
u must be over the moon right!!
great achievement!!
and as usual u'r feast is amazing!!!

Manasi said...

First off... Hearty congrats to Trisha!! and ofcourse to U both, proud parents!!!
bakeshakecakesalad (whew!) look niiiiiiiiiiiice!

Anonymous said...

Ashaji:

congrats to dear Trisha, and for sure, she will ace he SATs!
What a lovely menu, I really liked the salad and the Sheet cake......how cool!

Sumeet mixer rocks!
oh, thanks for the mail...will keep you updated!

hugs,trupti

FH said...

Thank you so much Kribha.I do feel proud.It helps her future!:))
Here is where you have to go for voting.
http://www.bloggerschoiceawards.com
Anali sent me a e mail with my blog's nom number but I don't remember!Sorry about that!There are so many of them,it's hard to find.

Hi Nee.Thank you.She is getting there slowly and next yr she has to do 5 APs!! Hope you are doing well there,not getting too bored.Enjoy the recipes:))

Hi Sia.LOL @ half drowsy at the meeting! If you had eaten all these ,you would have been zonked!!;D
Got AFAM and MBP in one post! YAY!!:))
Do you know how many ppl asked me about Sumeet? I should be paid by them for promoting! Love the Summet.As Bee said it's like my third child!;P
In UK? Are you kidding? Both of you work outside and they will tear your house apart out of boredom!!It takes a LOT to keep these kids entertained here.Not like us in India,living on the trees,playing with friends the whole day in hot Sun and eating all fresh fruits out of the tree!Nostalgia!:)
Man! I don't know what to do for 2 1/2mtns,it's scary!May be I will teach them bake cookies etc.
What's next? Got a new Cell phone today!! Idea!!!;D

ushaprashanth said...

Hi Asha!
That's great news!!!! Congrats to trisha! I love the texas sheet cake!
salad is indeed cool!! all the items in the menu is lovely..

Sreelu said...

Asha,
you always amaze me with yourrecipes, your words and the way you put your post.
You must be very proud of your daughter, great job !!

Love your title tooooo.

FH said...

sra,thanks.That was the first time I had my name in the papers!!Living thru' my kid's glory!!;D
Did you see the Sumeet? YAY! India's loss is Canada's gain!:))

Thanks Julie.Rhymes,doesn't it?!!;D
Hope you try the cake and the shake!:)

Hi Padmaja.We are! We knew it was coming in the papers but didn't know when.It came as Sunday supplement.We are proud!:)
Enjoy the recipes.

LOL! Manasi,you say the title better than me girl!:)
Thank you about Trish.They recognize and encourage her so much here at school.We are glad to help her in anyway:))

Anonymous said...

now looks i need to drag u to my site
lol
i thought sat score is instantaneous
then good luck :)
click now and let me know how u liked it ;)
www.talimpu.com

FH said...

Hello TC, everybody seems to be attracted to the cake!:D Give it try.Enjoy the recipes:))

Hi T! Thank you.With all your wishes and blessings,I am sure she does well in SAT too!:))
Try shake and cake,they are yummy.Good luck with all you do there friend and wish you all the success in the world.Hugs to you too:))

Thank you Usha.Hope you try the cake.It's easy and little different from the usual:))

Hello Sreelu.Thank you.It takes about 3 days to put all together every post and cooking is the easy part for me!:))
Trisha makes us proud indeed,thanks.

Amanda at Little Foodies said...

Congratulations on having such bright kids! Yay! Schools nearly out! We have to wait until the middle of July for the school holidays but I can't wait - probably mad, maybe it's because they're still small. Great food as always! Amanda

Little Miss Muffet said...

congrats to trisha! :) and u too of course :D..the cake and shake looked absolutely yummy...would like to make them immediately but am trying to lose wt :(

FH said...

Anusha,I did see Poha Laddus already!!HaHa!!
Yeah! Everything depends on how high you score in the exams,nothing to do with natural intelligence!!:D

Amanda,school starts again on Aug 25th.Yeah,it's easy to entertain little ones than these teenage monsters!:D
They act like crazy if they don't have anything to do for a day,on the phone most of the day or online with friends.Oh well..got to get thru' it all somehow!;D
Enjoy the recipes.Thanks Amanda.

HeHe! M!! Orange Julia is great for dieting too if you use fat free milk pd.Cake is out though!;D
Thanks.Trisha is a good daughter,lucky to have her.She is very self sufficient and don't get sucked into peer pressure like so many teenagers do.It's a very different society than we know back home you know!:))

Suganya said...

The sheet cake is out of this world. Those teeny-tiny walnut pieces makes it so inviting. I wudnt mind having a piece :D

RML said...

Hi Asha,
Congrats on Trisha's appearance in the local news paper.You must be one proud mama.Grt Job!

And coming to the recipes awesome as usual.I should try the cake .Looks delicious and yummy....(I always hesitate to bake cakes fear of screwing them up.)And I love the asparagus stir fry.
Sumeet is my favourite brand of mixies too.Guess what I am getting a new one too in a couple of days.Same pinch.
Have a nice day!
Madhuri

Meena Kandlakuti said...

Too good spread Asha!...and nice tag to spread too:-)). I just loved the cake recipe and shake too. As far as salads , to be frank Iam very poor at this. As far as salads are concerned..I just cut fresh vegetables, if needed sprinkeled with pepper and salt. That's how I offer to my guest too:-).Thanks for sharing this..I shall try different salads.They are healthy too.

Anonymous said...

Asha, everything looks terrific, but that sheet cake, well, it takes the cake!

FH said...

Suganya,what a treat for you,eh? I still got 6 pieces left,would you like to come over?:D
Thanks ,Try it,it's not that hard.

Madhuri,YAY!! Blades are little thinner than the old Sumeet and looks different but works well.Enjoy.I think Sumeet is the best mixie too.
Thanks about Trisha.I am proud!:))

Sharmi said...

Dear Asha, How do you do so much? really amazing. you manage all this post, comment on other blogs, the kids, OMG. sometimes I go sick and feel like taking a long nap. so many wonderful recipes with so much effort.
thanks for the entry. please email me the details.

FH said...

Hi Meena,good to see you.You are back blogging!:))
Thank you.You can make so many salads,may be I should do just salads in one post one day!Try this salad,great for a hot day:)

LOL! E, that was a good one.It does take the cake,everyone seems to be drawn to it!:) Enjoy making it too.

Sharmi,I have cooking and baking for 20yrs girl,easy for me.I can't afford to be sick and tired ever!;D
Thanks.I have already sent you the details in the morning.Check your mail!:))

Roopa (KitchenAromas) said...

What a spread! I love the texas sheet cake - reminds me of hershey's cookies n cream! :)

The asparagus looks great too, Asha! Thanks!

- Roopa

ChrisB said...

Congratulations to your daughter. I love the look of the casserole but I don't like frozen broccoli so would use fresh. We have been having wonderful asparagus from the local market but it's only held once a month worst luck. Your new mixer looks really good -enjoy :)

Anonymous said...

You always rock Asha:) My new post got messed up while was playing around with code. Its gone and you had left a comment. Hope you don't mind.

FH said...

Hi Roopa,you are welcome.Hey.cookies and cream sounds great too.Enjoy!:)

Thank you Chris.Fresh always tastes better of course.We do fast convenient way!;D
Most of the time ,we get tender Asparagus here,but they are little mature which is not so good to eat.Try the casserole Chris.Enjoy.I am missing Beccy!:))

Pavani said...

Hi Asha,Congrats to Trisha and to both of you too. Sheet cake looks delish, never tried this before.. Salad looks refreshing. Have a great weekend.

S said...

hi ashaji....h r u?after many days i visited ur blog...i wasbit busy as my husband fell sick....we r good now...
i have to defnitely try ur texas sheet cake....its superb that i cant express in my words...ur salad is grt....shake,bake cake are cool rhyming words in ur blog...
ur mixer is nice...reminds of moms cooking

FH said...

Hi Pria,no worries.Happens sometimes:)) Blogger has been behaving funny since yesterday on me too!

Thank you.Hope you try the salad,it's very refreshing.Have a great weekend as well.Hugs:))

Hi Shanti,hope you are all doing well now.Don't worry,you have to care of the family first!:))
Hope you try the cake.Have a great weekend:))

Kribha said...

Thanks Asha for the directions. I did go that site and nominate you. I wish many people must come across your nice recipes.

Prema Sundar said...

Congrats to trisha and to the proud parents too.
I agree with Sandeepa too. I was thinking of asking you this for a long time Asha.. why don't u write abt it in DMC.. I mean how did u prepare and work out for her academic excellence? What steps did u take to specialise her in diff areas and what hard work did she do, right from the beginning(from kindergarten). We all have young kids and if u share ur ideas and thoughts it would be of great help to many.will be looking forward to ur post in DMC.
Needless to say all the items are wonderful, especially the cake..it really shaked my taste buds.

indosungod said...

Asha, like your title like the name of a dance.Congratulations to daughter and you the mommy as well. You did your part too!

Love the color of the icing on the cake and lovely looking Apple Salad.

Roopa said...

Wow lol! what a great post! This is sure a treat for your kids. Congrats to Trisha for her achivement and making her lovely parents so proud of her! Hey Asha Sandeepa has a nice point you shd share how she was inspired to studying its so tough these days to make kids understand.
I am bolded by the sheet cake it looks awesome yestondu try madodu ide. This was the model of summeet i was looking but sad to say i could not get it in India gotta. the main reason i liked the small grinder which is just enough for the chutneys.

Once again congrats and a tight hug to Trisha for her achivement hugs:)

Shionge said...

My dear friend...I know I won't go hungry when I visit you here and bet I would add on some weight if ever I do visit your house too.

You are an amazing cook :)

archana said...

First Congrats to Trisha and You!
This is a fabulous feast :)Most of the dishes I would be able to prepare. We even get asparagus here that too fresh and tender.
The cake and the salad are looking super. In fact all the dishes are looking excellent.

A, mama of twins said...

Hi Asha!

Great spread. Congrats to your daughter on her celeb status!

The drinks and cake is calling me!

Cheers!
Archana

Keshi said...

WOW Trisha is a young genius ha! COOL.

somehow I dun like broccoli...but I love ur recipes and Im sure they make the brocolli edible by Keshi. :)

Yummy pics Asha!

Keshi.

Anonymous said...

Congrats to Trisha and her wonderful parents :-)

mouthwatering spread once again, wow !! That apple salad looks particularly delicious :-) I have got to try that !!

Anonymous said...

Congrats Trisha and Asha too!Great going

Seena said...

Asha,
I congratulate the proud mom,convey my wishes to Trisha..

Sunday's lunch looks delicious..you did it in a hurry?!can't imagine...Have to learn many things from you..

sallywrites said...

That's interesting Ahsa. I always put my title in last - after the post...... You obviously do it the other way around :~)!

Love the recipes as always!

And well done to your daughter!

FH said...

Thank you Kribha:)) I didn't link it,so most probably don't know where to go!

Prema,I thought about Sandeepa's suggestion and I will write about it.It might take some time though,may be in 1 or 2 weeks! Thanks.She does most of the hard work,we just help.Enjoy the cake:)

Thanks Indo.With all your blessings,she will do even better next year I am sure!:))
Salad was great,hope you try.

Thank you Roopa.Some kids are naturally intelligent,we just guide them in a right way.I will write about it at DMC:))
Small grinder is also excellent for making pd and the middle size is best for making wet masala etc., get it:)

FH said...

Hi Shionge.HeHe!! You are right.You probably put on LOT of weight and they won't let you fly back to Singapore!!;D
Enjoy.You might like the Broccoli bake!:)

Thank you Archana.Hope you try at least some.We had a week terrible hot weather here,may be that's why vegs got little scarce here.It's cooler now.Enjoy:)

Hi Kesh.Nah, Trisha works hard for her grades.Geniuses are little loonies ,aren't they?;D
Hey,Broccolis are good for you,EAT UP!:)) Have a great weekend Keshi.Hugs.

Thanks Archana,enjoy all of them.There are 2 Archanas ,I think you are the same ,right? Saying hello just in case you are two Archanas!:D

FH said...

Hi Abha,great to see you.Hope you are feeling little bit better now after your friends moved.
Thanks,try the Salad,you will love it:))

Thank you Madhuli.I appreciate it:))

Hi Seena,thank you about Trisha.
Well..it took about 2 hrs to cook all that,not bad,eh?:)) Try some of them.

Hahaha!!Nice one Sally!Woo Hoo!;D
Thank you.Good to have smart kids who WANTS to achieve!!No pushing from us required!:))
Enjoy the dishes.Have a great weekend Sally.

Saju said...

Asha,
I love your blog. The asparagus looks so yummy, and the chicken / brocholi too!
I am in Canada (for a conference and holiday) so am going to look for that food processor!

Chickoo said...

Ashakka - Thanks a bunch for giving me the link to Sumeet. Lovely recipes as usual, especially that texas cake it looks super cooool.

Chef Jeena said...

Hi Asha what great recipes you have with this post. They look fantastic :)

FH said...

Saju,you are in Canada! WOW! You might get it for cheaper there too.Try and get it:))
Have a great holiday,may be you could say hello to Trupti there in person!

You are welcome Chickoo.Thought I would alert you about Sumeet! Enjoy the recipes.Try the salad:))

Thank you Jeena.Healthy recipes too except the cake og course.You would love that as well!Now and then ,it's ok to indulge,right?:))

Arts said...

One question Asha!!
Do u really have such a grand feast each week?? and if so, how do u maintain urself?? :D
All dishes look awesome!

FH said...

Hi Arts:)
Just on Sundays for lunch girl.That's only day we all are at home and eat together.Saturdays,we eat out.I love cooking,so no problemos!;D
Thanks,enjoy:))

Sharmi said...

hey sweetheart pls check out dear. I didn't get your email:( do resend. sorry!

Cynthia said...

Congratulations Trisha!

Love the title of the post Asha :) As always, your menu is something to aspire to and find the time to try. Thanks as always, for sharing.

Li'l Lite said...

caku beku!!!haha...
So Trisha strikes again!I m sure getting into a good college will be a CAKEwalk for her!

Mandira said...

asha, congrats to Trisha! that's wonderful, I'm sure you're one proud mama ;) The sheet cake looks amazing and the chicken casserole is calling out to me :))

FH said...

Hi Sharmi,will resend it to sharmikomal@gmail.com
I don't know why you didn't receive it but will send again,don't worry:))

You are welcome Cynthia,my beautiful Caribbean friend!:))
Give them a try.Thanks about Trisha.She is a hard worker.We are proud.

Hi Dr,cake beku andre ,maneli madabeku!!;D
Thanks about Trisha.She will strike again once the SAT scores are in!:D Have a great weekend dear girl.hugs:)

FH said...

Hi Mandira.Thank you!:))
We are proud,she deserves it too.Try the casserole and the salad.They are yummy.

Sharmi said...

honey the email id is right but still dint get it. dont know what could be wrong? ok will take it from your site. what to do. my bad luck.

Sharmi said...

hey it was in my Spam mails. don't worry got it.

FH said...

HeHe!! Sharmi,we could write a story about this fiasco!!;D
Glad you got it.You have to put AFAM word in your safe list,so you don't get all the entries into spam too. Good luck with round up.

Vini K said...

Congrats Asha,your daughter is holding her and your heads high up!my best wishes and blessings to her.Glad you got your sumeet!Oh how I miss it.I have to make do with a blender here:(..The broccoli bake, and the shake looks great.Loved the texas sheet cake too.

By Deepa and Supriya said...

o.k..i missed your last post and that is a first for me..will read it now..but this was a woohoo post really!
Congrats to Trisha, thanks for the info on the Sumeet mixer and yes will try atleast the shake, the cake....i don't eat meat :(
Take care and have fun this weekend!

Jyothi said...

Hi Asha! hmm.. all looks yummy. Congrats on Trisha's appearance in the paper. Thanks for sharing such a wonderful recipes. Have a nice day.

Anonymous said...

I love the cake and the salad... I will surely try both Ashakka

FH said...

Hi ViniK,when I was in England,I don't think I had Sumeet either.I don't know how I survived!It was easy to get it here.
Thank you,she needs all blessings!:))

Orchid,missed the veggie soups!!;D
Try one of them.They are good.
Thanks about Trisha,feels good.Have a fun weekend:)

Thank you Jyoti.I appreciate it.Have a great weekend:))

FH said...

Hi Dee, salad is great for a hot day.Enjoy and have a great weekend.Hugs:))

Meena Raj said...

Hi Asha, Thanks for ur comment on my blogspot. Love your work. You seem to have collected fairly unique recipes. I am hosting a baby shower next weekend and "California Sunshine" is a sure thing on the menu. Also, Congrats to your little girl Trisha. You should be really proud of her.

Keshi said...

aww either way Trisha is a shining star.

I'll eat my Brocolli if u bake a cake for me. LOL I know, I can be pretty demanding!

hv a good one Asha!
Keshi.

swapna susarla said...

Hi ashaji
that was really wonderful.congrats to trisha.
the dessert part is lovely!!!!
have a great weekend.

Kajal said...

Great!!!!!!!!!!!
Congrats to Trisha.
My mom is having summet mixchar for more than 20 years.....I say change it but they like.....same as deepa says.
Your cake looks delicious......with orange juice. My mouth is watering.:)

Prajusha said...

A Big congrats to Trisha and her proud parents..
ur sunday lunch looks delicious.
i liked the apple salad a lot. will surely try sometime..

sunita said...

Congrats on Trisha's achievement...must be such a euphoric feeling...loved all the recipes, especially the bake and the cake...

Lisa Johnson said...

First, congratulations to Trisha! Wonderful! And the meal looks really good. I've never made a sheet cake before. This looks like a nice easy one to try.

And lucky you with your new mixer! I don't know what's going on with my appliances. My microwave just died and I dropped my mini-chopper and broke it! I'll be doing some appliance shopping in the next few weeks!

FH said...

Meena,thanks:))
Orange beverage will be fab party drink.With concentrated OJ,it will be economical too.Enjoy:))

HeHe! Okay,that's a deal Keshi.Eat healthy Broccoli first and ruin it all with the cake!!;D

Thanks Swapna.It feels great about Trisha.Enjoy your weekend too:))

Kajal,thank you.Sumeet seems like everybody's fav. mixie.I heard that you don't get it India anymore!

FH said...

Thank you Prajusha.She works hard.
Hope you try some of them and enjoy!:))

Sunita,it does feel great to see the kids achieve by their own hard work:))
Enjoy the salad.

FH said...

Hi Anali,thank you!:))
Sheet cake is easy and so very tasty.I loved your cc cookies too.I love gadgets,keep on buying them!:D
Enjoy shopping for appliances,exciting for me just to think of that!:))

Alapana said...

Ashaji,i came here yesterday itself to check the post,as i mentioned in my post,i am feeling bad that i am unable to leave comments:) do read my reply at my blog.
well,after reading your blog i think of your kids and say "wow,what luck,you get to eat so many varities, lucky kids to have such a great cook as mom" wish my kids say the same when i have them;p

Anonymous said...

Really nice spread Asha. Congrats to TRisha.I would love to try your sheet cake sometime.It looks very tempting. Enjoy fun time with the kids at home :).

FH said...

Alpana,don't worry about it.I post every Wednesday,so you do have plenty of time to say hello to me!:))
Kids happily eat these kinds of food.I am sure your future kids will be very happy with a mom like you too.Hugs!:)

Fun time with 2 bored cranky kids?! Bah!!;D We will,may be I get them to cook.
Thanks,try the sheet cake,it's so easy.You might want to cut down the recipe to half since you are just 2 ppl right now at home and use a smaller pan to bake.Have a great weekend Shilpa.Let us know when parents are here:))

Anonymous said...

I ahve seen chocolate Texas Sheet cake but never vanilla..YUM! I want to try it..Love your blog..Love the "WOuld it kill ya to comment " picture...I can SO identify!

Lotus Reads said...

First of, Asha, congrats to Trisha and congrats to you for bringing up and nurturing such a brilliant girl! Loved all your recipes for the week...I find all of them to be most useful and I will definitely find the time to make the Asparagus with Sesame and the summer salad. Had never heard of "Taste of Home" before this so thanks very much for the heads up!

FH said...

Hi Marye, thanks for saying hello.I have to try the Chocolate Sheet cake now,sounds great to me:))

Lotus,thanks about Trisha.She is doing really good although school is not that great.We are lucky.
I love Taste of Home mag and they publish hard bound books every year as well.Enjoy the recipes:))

Dr,NOOOO!!!!:D
I have 4 MeMes to do already and your's is the 5th!!I will check it out.Thanks:)

Deepak Gopi said...

That piece of cake is really tempting :)

FH said...

Hi Deepak,thanks:))
Try at home if you can,it's delicious.Have a great weekend.

J said...

Hi Asha! I left a comment here and blogger ate it up!!! Congrats to Trisha and you the proud mom!!:)) i like your title, makes me want to dance!!!!:)) Loved that sheet cake, how did you think of it??

FH said...

Hi J! Sorry about the blogger acting up.Yesterday was tough to even to comment for me too.
Thanks.I have many many cookbooks,flip a page and it it's easy enough,I will cook it!:))
Dance away girl, it's good for you!:D

Anonymous said...

I have heard of chocolate Texas sheet cake but never vanilla. That looks really delicious!
Congrats to your girl! Yay!

FH said...

Thank you Kristen.Good to have a smart kid,eh?:))
Chocolate sheet cake sounds great,that will be next!

ServesYouRight said...

Congratulations mom AND daughter!! way to go!!! Brunch looks LOVELY!! Can't wait to see what all you will make with the new Sumeet :-)

Smita

Ramya's Mane Adige said...

Hey!! Congrats to Trisha!!! and what a lovely weekend meal!!! It looks yummazing!!! :)

FH said...

Hi Smita,thanks girl!:)) Made some Uddin Vada and chutney!;D

LOL @ *yammazing!* Thank you Ramaya.Enjoy the recipes.

Have a great Sunday both of you:))

Anonymous said...

lovely post as always ben...great range of skills you have...lovely salad, looks so lovely and summery...thanks for sharing

Shilpa said...

That sheet cake looks like a real winner! :) And broccoli and cheddar is positively one of my favourite combinations ever! :) I made 2 cauliflower dishes this weekend, but still finding the inspiration to write about them! :)

FH said...

Hello Dilipbhai,good to see you!:)
Thanks.Sunday lunches are little special for us.Enjoy the salad.

Hi Shilpa.Texas sheet cake was great,that was my first time baking it too!:))
I love Cauliflower.Try and post them girl!:)

karmic said...

Loved the recipes, esp the cali sunshone and the sheet cake. Congratulations on the kiddos name in the newspaper.

FH said...

Hi Sanjay,good to see you.Yeah,both kids did very well this year!School's out now,my life just got busier!:P
Thanks,hope you try the Cal.Sunshine.It tastes great!:))

Shivapriya said...

Congrats Asha to you both and also to Trisha. Yummy spread.

Shivapriya said...

BTW I saw ur comment, I'll check back next week for RCI.

Li'l Lite said...

No worries Asha didi!do the tag when u feel like!u could also post a yummy recipe on the 123rd pg of ur cookbook ;)(thats just a suggestion from stupid me...lol)...anything/anytime :)

FH said...

Shivapriya,thanks for being so prompt.I can't believe I published it and didn't realize!;D
Trisha is a hard worker,she deserves it:)

Hi dr,MeMes are coming in 2 weeks.In fact,I am doing multiples in one post including your's.I loved writing about it too(nah,not a dish or recipe).Thanks for tagging me:)

Mona said...

Asha! Congrats about Trisha. A big ((((HUG))) to you & trisha!!

This is such a treat! I wonder what substitute I'll use for Ms Dash spice though.

The cake sounds & looks so delicious!

Pravs said...

Congrats to Trisha !! wow, you must be so proud of her :D
Bake, shake,cake and salad looks so goood...way to celebrate.

Keshi said...

:):) true!

Keshi.

Seema said...

Heyyy proud Mommyyyyyyyy...way to go...am sure you're feeling on top of the world and Trisha's made u proud...with lotsa wishes to Trisha for more to come her way...cheers !!!

The sunday menu is so tempting....the desert's set me drooolinggggggggg already not to mention the Chicken and Broccoli is absolutely inviting and simple to do !
I have made up my mind...this is my ultimate COOK BOOK...i dont need any other !
You take care and have a lovely week ahead...

FH said...

Hi Mona,thank you.Hugging you back!:))
Mrs.Dash is a mix of;
pepper,chilli p,ajwain,Oregano,cumin,Basil,Bay leaf,Marjoram,Thyme,Coriander seeds,mustard,Rosemary,dry onion,dry Garlic,Tomato,citric acid,lime!(got it from the back of the bottle)Skip anything not available there:)Try the cake:)

Hi Pravs,thanks girl:))
Enjoy the recipes.Yeah,they had fun eating all those too!:D

Hello Keshi!:)) Have a good day mate!

HeHe!! Thank you Seema.Glad you liked them.Try the casserole,it's good.You can add any meat to it.
Thanks about Trisha.She always been a great student,we are proud:))

Cyberkitty said...

Congrats on making it to the papers. I like your Texas Sheet cake, seems a simple enough recipe...I think I'll try it out !

FH said...

Thank you Cyber kitty! That's the only way I can get on the papers!!;D
Sheet cake is easy,try it:))

So So Simple said...

Yes Asha we are thinking alike
So easy those 1 dish meals.
Love your chicken and broccoli.
Really good for a crowd.

Margie said...

Hi Asha
I've been missing all your wonderful recipes, so I had a few free minutes to come by for a visit.
I love everything here, and will be trying all of your recipes.
Thanks Asha....you always have the best of the best!
The Summer Apple Salad I am going to make tomorrow night.

Oh congrats on Trisha...you must be so proud.
Take care.

Margie:)

Sai said...

Love the recipes.

Congrats on your daughter's appearance in the local newspaper. This must be the best mother's day gift for you!

Lakshmi said...

Hi Asha! I was droooooling over your sheet cake pic. :) Congratulations! you are a proud mummy.
We have been using Sumeet mixie for :-? almost 5 decades (from ajji to mummy to me). I would never prefer other brands.

FH said...

Hi Gilly,Casseroles are the best!:))

Hi Margie,so good to see you:))
Hope you are enjoying the break,thanks for taking time to say hello.Thanks,enjoy the Apple salad:)

Hi Sai,thank you:))
Yeah! There is no joy greater than having good kids who have goals, and achieve it too.Hope you are doing well.Hugs:)

Lakshmi,I love Sumeet too,seems like it lasts for generations,but I heard that they are not selling Sumeets anymore in India!What a loss!Try the sheet cake:)

Dalicia said...

congrats to your daughter!!! great job

FH said...

Thank you Dalicia!:))

Raaga said...

Y
U
M
M
Y!

FH said...

T
H
A
N
K
S!!:)

Reeta Skeeter said...

Dats wot i love about u.. u kp the vegetarians in mind always :) and ah wot a lovely title besides the food :)HB!

FH said...

Hi Reeta,thanks girl.Most bloggers are vegetarians,so got to do the right thing!;D
I was on vacation,I just found your comment here:)

Anonymous said...

Hey Asha,I just tried you california sunshine for the mixed drinks event.Hope u dont mind :) Have a look here. http://homecooked.wordpress.com/2008/03/24/california-sunshine/

FH said...

HC, enjoy the sunshine in the glass. I am on break now, will check it out later. Hugs to you, thanks for choosing my drink!:)

Unknown said...

Asha,I enjoyed browsing ur wonderful space,Oh my god the cake looks so sinful and delicious, I loved the color of the icing.

Asha it is just tea time here now but ur menu shaked me up !!!!!!!!

FH said...

That makes me happy Pearl!:)
I love that cake too, hope you try. Recipe is not complicated at all, just need a big baking pan.It's really delcious.Usually, it's always made with chocolate!

Seena said...

thanks Asha! I expected your reply, since there would be no one with that much experience in cooking various dishes and using so many gadgets in kitchen! Yeah, surely I checked sumeet too, have to buy one soon. I need your opinion about an icecream maker too for home use.. :)
Now your Texas cake is in mind.. drooling.. :)

FH said...

Seena, newer Sumeet is not as sturdy as the old ones but the best to grind smooth I think. Texas cake is excellent, hope you try!:)

Mohs said...

I just baked the cake and its excellent.liked it without the frosting as it was too sweet for me...thanks a lot

FH said...

Thanks Skeeter and Mohs. Enjoy the cake.
I don't like frosting much as well Mohs, I do it for my kids and also I spread the icing very thin so it won't be overly sweet. You can also just sprinkle/dust some icing sugar on top as well, looks petty to serve for guests! :)

kavita Naik/Parsekar said...

Hi Asha,the texan cake looks yummy, had some few queries rgrds texan cake- can i use it as a base for making as pastry search as pineapple pastry.... is it to sour coz of the sour cream, how does it tastes?

FH said...

Kavita, because of the sour cream this cake will be tiny bit sour but balanced with sugar,it won't be be that sour. This cake is very delicate, so adding fruits to batter to bake is not recommended.
But could add Pineapple or Oranges or Strawberries on top just before serving a slice and a sprinkle of icing sugar on top makes elegant dessert! Enjoy! :)

kavita Naik/Parsekar said...

Thank you Asha,will definately try it as a base for pineapple pastry byy adding pineapple pieces n whipped cream on top.

FH said...

You are welcome, enjoy! :)