plant killer and P.S. diet muffins

You know how some people can grow absolutely anything anywhere and it is said they have green fingers? Their houses are like well-organized jungles and every plant is somehow greener, bushier and full of flowers.

Well… I’m not one of them. I was never able to grow anything but African violets and, unfortunately, it seems like I’m suffering from strong case of deadly fingers. Despite that fact I started thinking of some nice flowery arrangement on the balcony. I mean, wouldn’t it be nice to read and sunbathe among lovely greenery? I even got two hanging plants, but it got so damn hot, I didn’t have a heart to put them out. I figured, let’s just start with few window pots and see how it goes…

 It didn’t… I managed to kill one plant within a week, Cat took it upon himself to play with two others, up to the point when he dragged them out of their pots and murdered like a pro. The sweet lime tree started drying soon after, till I figured it wasn’t some much a window plant, as huge ants colony with few dry branches on top. The only survivor was chili, but I can see that, sadly, its days are numbered too. We took another trip to nurseries few days back, and I would say “so far so good” if I wasn’t too scared to jinx it. 

It’s quite funny that the only plant which doesn’t seem to have any trouble coping with its killer owner is avocado, I grew from the seed. Maybe that’s the key to the success, let them adapt to harsh environment early on?
Anyway, latest experience didn’t do much to make me, window gardener, feel any better. I decided to give it one more go and if it comes to yet another plant funeral, so be it. I will stick to what I know, hoping that Anant develops keen gardening hand one day.

P.S.

For no apparent reason I forgot to post this so I’m adding a little sugar to my dead plants: super tasty diet muffins. And yes, I said no to muffins some time ago, but they are a treat in these hard dieting days…

Recipe for around a dozen muffins

Dry ingredients:

1 cup oats

1 cup whole-wheat flour

¼ cup brown sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

¼ cup almond flour, coconut or any other nut powder

Wet ingredients:

¾ cup greek yoghurt

¼ cup coconut milk

2 spoons oil

2 eggs

Mix dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately then mix quickly and bake for 20 min in 180 degrees.

vicious circle

I’ve noticed that the longer the break from posting, the more difficult it is to get back to it. Especially after some busy days – and it was quite a week! I start writing and after a while I think… I can’t possibly post sth that long! 

So I put it off, more things happen and the vicious circle opens its ugly mouth to swallow me whole. I don’t much care for being swallowed so here it is: the account of my recent business.

First came the carnival and with it the first Goan disappointment. The main event was, of course, parade with platforms, dress ups and loud music. Turns out, it was more of a presentation of local businesses and social causes. It was amusing at time, I can’t deny that, but for much different reasons than any other carnival parade. There came a sound generator provider, pulling on their platform a huge… generator, after that came some other machinery I wouldn’t know… then “stop women abuse” campaign, with procession of sad kids carrying misspelled signs. And so it went… 

Only few people were actually dressed up and even fewer showed some carnival spirit. Mostly, they just looked out of place.  Along the procession some spirited (and much inebriated) kids were throwing colors and water – like during Holi. Afterwards there were some concerts and food stalls which I can’t complain about – they were all well planned and executed.

We made few much needed trips to the sea side and flea market, taking advantage of the last days before the heat hits.

Soon after, came a speedy Bombay trip, and by speedy I mean 3 days total, including two 10hours train rides. During that time we managed to attend a wedding, do some shopping and catch one of Fashion Week’s shows. 

 
For me, Indian weddings are a little bit like going to a fancy dress party, since I still can’t put on a saree and simply feel dressed – not dressed up. Plus there is all these “princess” jewelry and heavy makeup that makes me wonder if I’m a movie star, or 5 year old heading to a ball.

Fashion show wasn’t much different; it’s hard to say what was more interesting: the runway or the audience?! We had just enough time to see Tarun Tahiliani’s late show before catching early train the next morning. I have to say – he didn’t disappoint, though from people’s reaction I guessed that my taste didn’t follow the general public.

I fell in love with his dramatic, graphic contrasts and monochromatic drapes, while others showed more appreciation for bedazzled bridal gowns. 

The shopping part of the trip was, sadly, so rational (yes, reasonably priced basics, I’m talking about you!) that it isn’t even worth mentioning.

After coming back home and cuddling Cat to near death, we realized it is probably last chance to make a weekend trip to our favorite beach. Somewhere, over past few years, it got popular and, sadly, crowded. While I don’t mind caching occasional lunch or dinner in such happening places, for relaxing weekend I always pick more secluded location. Despite the crowd, it was lovely to wake up to the sound of crashing waves and read endlessly in the shade of beach umbrella. We may have to find some new place for the next season though…

spontaneous stamping

After I finally started working on my wedding scrapbooks, it became painfully obvious that, despite all my shopping, I still have great need for more materials. There aren’t many crafts shops in India, most of them  only online, and their offer is well… iffy. They don’t have the best selection to begin with, and one third of products are out of stock. Plus there is waiting for delivery which can take ages… Not that I don’t enjoy getting this big, cardboard box filled with paper treasures! 

Anyway, I’ve been searching for few stamps all over the place. Sure, they have it in Europe or US, but guess what – they don’t deliver to India. I also wanted to experiment with stamp making, but again, getting materials is a pain. Last night I reached my limit and decided to take the matter in my own hands – so to speak. I grabbed paper knife and potato (yes, that’s right, its back to primary school for me!) and got to work. I ended up with 2 stamps I’m extremely happy with: one made with potato/hot glue, second with old school rubber.

 

Now, the rubber one was quite obvious: trace the pattern, cut it out and enjoy the effect.

 

 The potato one was kind of an experiment.  Again – I traced the pattern and cut it out.
Then, I covered it with thick layer of hot glue. (After it cools down, it peels right of) This way I got the reverse form. I brushed it with some oil and filled with hot glue again, waited for it to dry and peeled it off.
It needed a bit of sanding to get the proper image, but after few minutes I had my “&” stamp ready. 

It doesn’t give completely smooth print; there is this kind of vintage quality to it. I think it is the matter of filling the form with glue. You have to make sure it really gets into all the cracks. I actually like it a little rough, so didn’t make another copy. Now I just have to figure out what to mount it on…

Fat on Thursday

Fat Thursday is upon us and I intend to eat my way through the entire batch of donuts I made last night. I almost decided to use this year’s lent (not that I ever follow this kind of things) as an excuse to cut down on calories. Again, most of the times I couldn’t be bothered – that’s why I go through three different sizes every year. However, it is getting rather hot here and eating less seems natural, plus I really don’t feel like slaving over hot oven in this weather! The only thing left is to say proper goodbye to creamy desserts, cookies and cakes, and put my pretty cookie tin away…

Donuts

• 600 gram flour
• 25 gram dry yeast
• 50 gram sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 egg
• Vanilla aroma
• 20ml vodka
• 3 spoons of oil

Plus 

• Oil to fry
• Marmalade
• Castor sugar

Mix flour with yeast. Add all the other ingredients except oil and mix well. Add oil and mix again. Let it rest for 1-1,5 hour (to double the volume)

Form small balls with a spoon of marmalade inside. The dough is quite sticky so u may need to cover hands with flour. Put aside for 15-30 minutes.
Fry on both sides till golden brown. It is best to fry in large deep pan and use enough oil to let donuts float. If
the temperature is to high the will burn and not cook through. If it’s too low they will soak the oil. To lower the temperature you can add quarters of potato – I remember using this trick as a kid, when we made donuts at home…
Let it cool on paper towel, then sprinkle with powdered sugar. They are best the same day, but stay fresh a day or two.

Crispy Cookies 

(from this website)

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cups chocolate chips
• 1 cup nuts or raisins (or both)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda and put aside.

In the bowl of your mixer, add butter and both granulated and brown sugars and cream together for 3-4 minutes on high until light and fluffy.

Next add in eggs one at a time beating until incorporated. Then add in pure vanilla extract and beat until smooth.

Turn down your mixer to low and add in flour mixture in three intervals beating after each addition until well-combined. Lastly, stir in chocolate chips and nuts.

Scoop cookie dough in balls the size of a tablespoon and place on parchment paper lined cookie sheet at least 2 inches apart. These cookies spread a lot.

Bake for 14-16 minutes and cool. Tip: Begin checking your oven around 10 minutes to ensure they don't burn or brown too much on one side. Rotate the cookies if needed.  

Store in tight container, they remain fresh for days (if you can stop yourself from eating them all).

 

Jam Cookies 

• 1 cup of milk
• Vanilla aroma
• 100 gram oil
• ¼ cup of sugar 
• 2 eggs 
• 10 grams dry yeast 
• 3-3,5 cups of flour 
• Pinch of salt
• Jam

Mix eggs with sugar. 

Add oil, vanilla aroma and milk (room temperature).

Mix flour with dry yeast and salt. Add wet mixture and knee the dough for few minutes.

Let it rest for 1,5 hours.

(At this stage I usually divide it into 4-6 balls, wrap them in foil and freeze for later. You can work with defrosted dough the same as with fresh one)

Roll the dough quite thin (0.5 cm max) and cut in small squares. Place spoon of marmalade in the middle of each square and bring opposite corners together. Bake in 180 Celsius for about 10 minutes – or until golden.

They are best when sill warm. I have no idea what happens the next day, cause they never lasted more than an hour.