September Contest Winner Announcement

Here is the winner for this beautiful pair of Jhumki Style earrings for the month of September 2012:

PARIMALA KOTHAPALLI

Congratulations!!!!!

You can check out how I have selected the winner below:

List of Participants (In the order which Facebook has shown me the list):

1 Suruchi Khamesra, 
2 Rohini Krishna, 
3 Anitha Sathyanarayanan, 
4 Shanmuga Kavitha, 
5 Swathi Madhavapeddi, 
6 Deep 'Globetrotter' Patel, 
7 Swarna Kaveti, 
8 Amaravathi Surender, 
9 Anita Bob, 
10 Haritha Ram, 
11 Sasiadi Rajkumar, 
12 Aruna Siva, 
13 Subha Raman, 
14 Sabitha Thangaraj, 
15 Pinakin M Patel, 
16 Praveena Gangenamoni, 
17 Ramana Kumari, 
18 Suman Bapu, 
19 Pragna Patel, 
20 Poornima Sashikanth, 
21 Nirali Patel, 
22 Radha Patel, 
23 Sirisha Movva, 
24 Sireesha Kandula, 
25 Sridevi Anand, 
26 Rupa Raju, 
27 Swetha Bhathe, 
28 Sharada Boyanpally, 
29 Rashmi Sinha, 
30 Gauri Trivedi, 
31 Parimala Kothapalli, 
32 Ashrita Simhadri, 
33 Bharat Patel, 
34 Shobana Senthilkumar, 
35 Nagashalini Munugeti, 
36 Rashmi Sangamesh, 
37 Deepa Patel 
38 Sravanthi Raj

My First Giveaway 

(Now thru 31 July, 2012)

I'm very happy to say that I'm hosting my first Giveaway thru Facebook. One winner would be chosen randomly and would receive this Fantabulous Pendant Set. To enter, head on over to my Facebook Page, like it and tag yourselves or / and comment on my Giveaway Post! Its as simple as that.

Here are few rules for the Giveaway:

Like my Facebook page AND

1.  Tag yourselves in the Giveaway post picture on Facebook here  (This will be your 1st entry for the Giveaway)

OR / AND 

2.  Comment on the Giveaway post on Facebook here.  (This will be your 2nd entry for the Giveaway)

Giveaway is open only for US Residents.  Ends on July 31st, 2012  and winner will be announced on August 1st, 2012.  Winner will be notified via email and also published on my Facebook Page. Then they have to approach me with their mailing address.  The item is also shipped for free.  If I didn't receive any response from the winner within 1 week, I would choose another winner.

Wishing you all the very best.

Chocolate Banana Pops

What I used:

Medium sized ripe bananas : 4
Semisweet chocolate chips : 1 cup
Wooden skewers or popsicle sticks : 8 nos

How I did:

• Peel bananas and cut them in half crosswise. 
• Insert a wooden skewer or popsicle stick into each banana half and place them on a plate lined with parchment paper and freeze for about 15 to 20 minutes.
• To melt the chocolate chips, place them in a bowl and put that bowl over another bowl of simmering water. 
• Stir until all the chocolate chips are completely melted.  
• Take the melted chocolate in a small cup.  Deep each frozen banana pop into the chocolate few times until it is well coated with chocolate. Chocolate will become firm right away.
• Serve immediately or wrap each banana in foil and store in freezer for future use.

Sending this to Rumana Rawat's event Treat to Eyes - Series 1

Khari Biscuit

What I used:

Puff Pastry Sheets : 1 package
Ajwain seeds : 2 tbsp

How I did:

• Defrost the puff pastry sheet for 40 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 deg F.
• Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface.
• With a pizza cutter, cut the pastry sheet into small rectangles.
• Give a twist to each rectangle in the middle and arrange them on a baking sheet leaving enough (atleast an inch) space between them.  
• Sprinkle the ajwain seeds over them.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. 
• Serve with a hot cup of tea or coffee.

Chickpea and Spinach Salad

What I used:

Chickpeas : 1 can
Boiled green peas : 1/4 cup
Boiled corn : 1/4 cup
Spinach : 2 handfuls
Chopped fresh Mint : 2 to 3 tbsp
Chopped Cilantro : 2 to 3 tbsp
Jalapeno : 1 (finely chopped)
Fresh grated coconut : 2 to 3 tbsp
Lemon juice : 1 tbsp or as required
Chat masala : 1 tsp
Salt and pepper : as required
Seasoned Croutons : as required
Olive oil : 1 tbsp

How I did:

• Drain water from the canned chickpeas and transfer into a mixing bowl.
• Add the rest of the ingredients and combine thoroughly and serve.

Cut Mirchi (Cut Bajji)

What I used:

Prepared Bajjis : 10
Onion : 1/2 (finely chopped)
Lemon juice : 1 to 2 tbsp or as required
Rock salt : 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder : 1/4 tsp
Chopped coriander : 1 tbsp
Oil : for deep frying

How I did:

• Cut the bajjis into 1" pieces horizontally.   We may get 3 to 4 pieces out of each bajji.
• Heat oil in a wok on medium heat till sizzling, add 10 to 12 pieces of bajji and fry for about 2 minutes till they are crisp and the green chillies inside are well fried. 
• Transfer them to a paper towel to absorb excess oil and then to a serving bowl.
• Sprinkle rock salt, coriander powder, chopped coriander and onions.
• Drizzle some lemon juice on top and serve.
• Additionally could serve few thin onion slices and lemon wedges aside.

Note:  If you are making cut mirchi with the leftover bajjis then its fine.  But if you've planned to make them  before even making bajjis, then while frying the bajjis, take them off from the oil as soon as they are just cooked.  Bajjis doesn't have to be cooked completely from inside as you'll be frying them for second time any way.

Vegetable Pasta Soup

What I used:

Small sized pasta : 1/2 cup
Vegetable juice : 2 cups (I used V8 vegetable juice)
Water : 1 cup
Onion : 1/2 (finely chopped)
Green chilli : 1 (chopped)
Garlic : 2 cloves (finely chopped)
Salt and pepper : as required
Oil : 1 tbsp

How I did:

• Heat oil in a stock pot on medium flame, add chopped onion, chopped green chilli and chopped garlic and saute for few minutes until onions are translucent.
• Add vegetable juice and water and bring to boil.
• Add pasta and simmer over low heat for 10 or more minutes until the pasta is soft and tender.
• Switch of the stove, add salt and pepper as per taste and serve hot.