tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-358703182011-10-10T04:52:50.669-07:00A newlywed's transplanted abyssVeenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.comBlogger871100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-89929844611980623762011-06-08T09:57:00.000-07:002011-06-08T10:12:52.878-07:00

If you're looking for the most refreshing way to finish off all those fruit piling up in your refrigerator, well this is it! Our church fundraisers sell boxes of yummalicious mangoes which are perfect the first couple of days but need to be put away real quick. Here's my fool proof milk shake recipe that can be adapted to just about any fruit imaginable. The trick is to use frozen milk, yes, as

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-73412962536219243872011-06-08T09:35:00.001-07:002011-06-08T09:57:21.574-07:00

I'm always fascinated by how quickly summer creeps up on us. Its freezing one day, raining for a week and before you know it, its strawberry season and the beginning of summer!!Munchkin and I went strawberry picking a couple of weeks ago with my parents. And since my mother finally convinced herself that freezing fruit was not a nutritional catastrophe, we hauled home 10lbs of loot! In case

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-80774053366830418362011-03-08T06:42:00.000-08:002011-03-08T07:35:34.047-08:00

Its funny how when you're obsessing about what seems like earth shattering emotional problems, life throws you a curve ball to put everything back in perspective.That happened yesterday. I was taking my little guy on a routine trip to my parents house before heading to work. It was so routine that in order to leave early enough to miss rush hour traffic I postponed combing my mad jungle mane and

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-6518772028282072132011-02-14T19:05:00.000-08:002011-02-14T20:37:19.717-08:00

I'd always been a jock growing up. Maybe it was my testosterone driven cousins constantly challenging me or maybe it was my sport junkie dad. Either way I'd always be out on the ground playing badminton, throwball, volleyball or soccer. So really no one would guess that there was a helplessly feminine romantic side. I'd eagerly wait for Valentine's day, hoping each year would be the lucky one

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-9473645444703336392011-01-12T06:47:00.000-08:002011-01-30T07:10:47.814-08:00

Phew! I'm back! Happy New Year everybody! Sorry about being away for so long-- my camera never recovered from the shaking-toddler syndrome and had to be put to rest (and replaced by a shiny new one). But instead of lame excuses I'm going to make it up to you. I'm going to catch you up with everything thats been going around here since October, yep, 4 whole months of catch up. Ready? Here goes...

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-43980924697263882722010-09-07T19:05:00.000-07:002010-09-08T06:16:13.560-07:00

4-day work weeks should be made legal. I'm not particularly politically oriented but any candidate that lobbies this will have my vote, no questions asked. It makes plenty of sense, right? With computers doing a lot of our heavy lifting, we get more done any given day than ever before. Say good bye to Manic Mondays and by the time Wednesday rolls in, its not a hump anymore, the weeks almost 50%

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-23095790750303316132010-08-17T07:29:00.000-07:002010-08-26T19:47:48.390-07:00

There are times when you can actually look at life and think, hmm things are not so bad after all. This summer was just like that it was full of... well, life. My little munchkin is phrasing sentences, helping pick fruit, watering the vegetables, swimming and being the best friend a mom could ever ask for.School is chugging along and I finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, with

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-84845688823733725552010-03-10T06:11:00.000-08:002010-08-26T19:56:00.619-07:00

I did some of my schooling in New England and there was introduced to lobster. My cousin P took me to this place in Boston’s Chinatown called Hong Kong Eatery or Cafe or something like that. It was one of those communal eating places where when things got busy anybody could sit next to you. Yes, I've been there a lot and experienced this way too much. But the very first time we were there, it

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-6593170037457952772010-03-04T16:06:00.000-08:002010-08-26T19:57:52.695-07:00

My little man had a stomach virus the week before and the poor baby suffered as I'd never seen him and hope never to again. And when we finally managed to nurse him back to health, I got the bug! I've never gotten a stomach bug ever, EVER. All those years of roadside feasting in Kuwait and India, never! Anyways, we are all better now and its time to think about cooking, baking to be precise.The

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-58707195962662963952010-02-12T09:22:00.000-08:002010-08-26T20:03:48.919-07:00

'Its a slightly misleading title, but what I really mean is "bye bye old, quick and easy recipe for brioche". With all due respect to the folks at Cooks Illustrated, Dorie Greenspans recipe kicks their behind far and beyond to another galaxy.I'm never usually in a rush to eat brioche right away and dont mind letting the dough sit overnight for far more buttery delicious goodness. The hands on

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-20143947047211107032010-02-10T09:42:00.000-08:002010-02-10T10:32:16.806-08:00

We've been getting a lot of snow around here lately, record breaking amounts in fact. Warnings have been issued to allow only emergency vehicles on the roads. My window and the street outside are covered by this thick fluffy blanket of pristine snow. So beautiful. Its the perfect weather for a bowl of piping hot and spicy chicken enchilada soup and a grilled cheese sandwich dunker.Chicken

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-3012494222057783722010-01-25T19:45:00.000-08:002010-08-26T20:05:34.803-07:00

Happy New Year everybody! Its been a hectic couple of months around here-- with the holidays, our babysitter traveling, school, work, etc etc. Not that I'm whining...because I'm not...its my resolution not to whine... so I couldn't possibly be whining-- just stating facts :) . But I do have to keep this short. I will be back later and fill you in on what's been happening around here and also give

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-67024754338402542502009-12-17T01:54:00.000-08:002009-12-17T02:16:53.642-08:00

Every so often the perfect song plays itself at the right time. Just as the plane speeds up on the runway with its nose slightly tilted upwards, this song comes on Airtran's sirius radio. Its as if my heart was read like a book and re-written in song. The plane cuts in to the nightsky, leaving Boston and everything it represents below-- beautiful and glittering, traffic flickering on the roads

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-22086547395146947542009-12-15T18:28:00.000-08:002010-08-26T19:44:44.807-07:00

I had a good day today as far as food foraging is concerned, but pretty bad on all other accounts. In all my youthful enthusiasm, I logged in about 14 hours of walking between yesterday and today but since I'm not as youthful anymore my thighs and ankles feel like they are tied down to gigantic spiked lead balls with iron chains. And while we're on the topic of age, today... finally today... I

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-33650640395116921622009-12-14T19:31:00.000-08:002009-12-14T19:36:29.162-08:00

Eating alone is the curse of American society. Why cant we be more like the Europeans and go out every day for communal meals?? Being alone in Boston, I had to do just that and its plain sad. To add insult to injury I was practically sitting on the laps of two couldnt-be-more-than-21 year olds out on what seemed like a date. I had to sit through 20 long minutes of conversation that comprised of

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-24034566901682535072009-12-14T13:04:00.000-08:002010-08-26T20:04:31.933-07:00

Do you know what its like to go back to a place you havent been to in a while? To be a "guest" in a place that was once home for a very long time? You do? Well I didnt quite know what to expect.There were butterflies in my tummy as I got off the plane. Which were quickly replaced by the excitement of getting on public transport again... something I havent done in almost 3 years. I'd picked a

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-66046902977325221792009-11-27T11:24:00.001-08:002009-11-29T06:00:20.740-08:00

The Daring bakers are an online group of people who love to bake and put their skills to the test every month with something new and exciting. The November 2009 Daring Bakers Challenge was chosen and hosted by Lisa Michele of Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drives. She chose the Italian Pastry, Cannolo (Cannoli is plural), using the cookbooks Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen by Lidia Matticchio

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-30900672818364091212009-11-26T08:02:00.000-08:002009-11-26T08:21:38.813-08:00

The butternut squash casserole (absolutely delicious, should post it for you soon) was packed and sent off with the 2 men of the house, the turkey is in the oven and since thats all I'm responsible for this year, I'm left killing 4 1/2 hours turkey-sitting. Keeping me company is the moistest, melt-in-the mouth pumpkin bread. I'd made 3 loaves yesterday and its a good thing because we're already

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-74134696896516069032009-11-24T07:17:00.000-08:002009-11-24T07:56:27.698-08:00

Every introduction to Brioche has to reference Marie Antoinette's French revolution story when she plainly told her attendants that the peasants who couldn't afford bread should eat brioche. Buttery, rich and delicious its more luscious than bread but not quite the level of a cake. It lies somewhere in the middle. Traditionally, you would have to hand-knead endlessly and let the dough sit

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-73496031987868610682009-11-13T09:26:00.001-08:002009-11-25T16:26:10.846-08:00

With T-day not too far away, here are some Turkey tips I'd learned the hard way, constantly haunted by the first and only time my parents roasted one in Kuwait. After 12 hours in the oven, the poor fowl came out with a charcoal crisp exterior and an icy solid cavity. Promptly tossed, it makes for those recurring kinds of thanksgiving nightmares.1. If you're using a frozen turkey, buy it at least

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-85374780306630517152009-11-13T08:20:00.000-08:002010-08-26T20:17:19.973-07:00

At which point exactly are diets supposed to hit adulthood? Please do fill me in, theres simply no excuse for my meals lately, especially yesterday. You really want to know, huh? Ok, ready? 2 boston kreme donuts with coffee for breakfast, 3 chocolate milano cookies + a chunk of brownie for lunch and, thankfully by some random intervention of sanity, lentils and rice for dinner. Yes I know, I'm

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-12978325025679099642009-11-10T13:21:00.001-08:002009-11-10T13:44:08.292-08:00

I've told you this before but please indulge my senility...chocolate bars, are not my thing. That little candy section by the checkout counter in the grocery store does nothing to me. Doesnt tempt me, doesnt call out to me-- does nothing. BUT soft chewy chocolate chip cookies, moist tender chocolate cake, gooey chocolate hazelnut spread on bread, a hot brownie fudge sundae or heck a plain ol'

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-156867811964510602009-11-05T08:05:00.001-08:002009-11-05T09:41:10.109-08:00

"This is your room", the watchman said as I rolled my gigantic suitcase to a stop. The room was locked and outside on the ledge of a wall facing the courtyard, two girls sat talking. They spoke and dressed differently from anyone else I'd seen in Madras till then, in fact, they spoke and dressed just like me! All pangs of loneliness and homesickness temporarily fluttered away, quickly replaced by

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-31771989052375733902009-10-30T20:39:00.000-07:002009-10-30T20:57:29.136-07:00

I've gone on a produce binge (again) this week. I have more cauliflower, kale, broccoli, apples, quince, bananas and tomatoes than I know what do with. An aunt visiting from California brought some Fuyu persimmons to add to the list. But here’s the problem. I was minding my own business and walking by the kitchen the other day when I saw IT. Scurrying from the trash can to the oven...a little

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-53490301443135327172009-10-26T06:14:00.000-07:002009-10-26T07:55:43.076-07:00

Its amazing how time flies. Feels like it was only a few months ago that I was waddling my 60lb heavier than usual self from one class to another, watching my stomach morph shapes as the baby inside me moved and then shortly after that the (literally) gut wrenching pain of my little one's fight to get out. Lying on the metallic operating table was the most helpless I'd felt in my entire adult

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-3328944626796244102009-10-22T07:29:00.000-07:002009-10-22T07:38:35.864-07:00

Pizza is the best medium to eat just about anything. In fact, theres this little place in Towson called Pasta Mista that even puts different kinds of pasta on their pizza. They have pretty uncommon combinations including a chicken parmesan pizza, chicken ranch pizza and, a favorite that I havent had since leaving Boston, buffalo chicken pizza. Its great! If I could eat there every single day,

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-31215848311058373192009-10-21T18:19:00.000-07:002009-10-21T21:49:52.055-07:00

Its been one of those weeks. An RNA extraction that should have taken a normal biologist 45 mins takes moi, the bioinformatician, 5 hours by which point the RNA is probably degraded beyond rescue. Ever hopeful (hoping against hope even maybe) by some random twist of fate there will be salvageable RNA.Then there was the lab journal club presentation. While working on the powerpoint which in my

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-20746802765142344032009-09-19T13:50:00.000-07:002009-09-19T14:49:51.491-07:00

Everybody around me seems to be big on lamb and quite frankly I don't get it. For the longest time I couldn't even tell the difference between that and beef. Even now if you were to put a plate of each in front of me, the only way I could tell them apart is that lamb is just a bit "gamier", read stinkier, than beef. But since eating alone is among the few things I dislike more than a root canal,

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-20465418368044821922009-09-18T06:38:00.000-07:002009-09-18T07:28:05.642-07:00

Lately its been pretty cloudy here in Baltimore with the occasional shower here and there. Now, I love the sun, ice cream, swimming and basically all things summer related just as much as the other person. But lately I've found it terribly comforting after a long wet day at work to run inside a nice warm home and snuggle in front of the TV in cozy wooly p.j's. It also helps being kept company

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-81994327369298558002009-09-01T12:38:00.000-07:002009-09-01T12:57:32.383-07:00

So for days I've been trying to make sense of R. I've been told by many people that although the learning curve is "steep" its very useful in the "long run". B.S.The learning curve wouldnt be that steep if there was some decent documentation with simple instructions. After about 3 weeks, I've finally figured out how to generate a simple scatterplot. Even perl with its primitive GD and chart

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-82624533101033933262009-08-31T09:19:00.001-07:002009-09-01T09:13:31.511-07:00

Rusty autumn leaves hang onTo a miserable lifeless existanceAwaiting that cold windWhich spiralling will bring them down.Trapped inside a happy exteriorHumiliated, sometimes beaten into a mouldThe model wife, an efficient homemaker.Life of the content, shirtless beggarShe dreams-- subconcious escapism,Longing those timesWhen being herself was enough.Time will heal, never.Like the fall leaf, she

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-6043850360435310332009-08-25T06:13:00.000-07:002009-08-25T07:07:52.121-07:00

When I used to live in Boston, directions revolved around the different T (metro) lines. You had to take the Red line to Davis Square which had a theater that played Indian movies, a trip there was never complete without ice cream from JP Licks. You would take the Blue line to and from the airport, a trip I'd make every other month or so to visit my parents in Maryland. A house hunting trip once

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-86201818393998704392009-08-24T13:56:00.001-07:002010-03-04T18:31:03.001-08:00

I cant remember the first time I've thought of visiting Europe. Must have been all those Indian movies I grew up watching-- none of them were simply complete unless there was a Switzerland-based song. I'd always wondered how the guy was allowed in a suit while the poor heroine had to wear skimpy mini skirts and flimsy tank tops and still be expected to prance around love struck. In any case,

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-61168843972616211602009-08-14T12:59:00.000-07:002009-08-14T13:55:22.726-07:00

The past Tuesday was one of the hottest days this summer here in Baltimore. Temperatures were in the 90's and the humidity actually made it pretty uncomfortable for most but having grown up in Kuwait, I was finally happy for some actual summer heat! The grocery store had some gorgeous heirloom tomatoes which in their natural glory are really not that pretty to look at, well they are pretty but

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-15405703336633345412009-08-14T12:52:00.001-07:002009-08-14T12:59:19.368-07:00

Clotilde's cake was so simple to make and I found it the perfect use of whole plain yogurt that I lately have been overbuying for the little guy. I make at least one of different variants of this cake every week, its the perfect snack cake, moist, light and not too sweet. The one I made this week was particularly good, the glaze had a sweet and sharp tang that went really well with the mellow

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-50851662785212163402009-08-14T12:17:00.001-07:002009-08-14T12:49:56.589-07:00

I'm always fascinated by how the slightest cooking technique variation makes all the difference from one cuisine to the other. Take this recipe for example, the ingredient list is pretty much what one would use for making lamb curry-- Indian ishhhtyle (style) but browning the meat first and cooking everything else in its fat makes it Moroccon and absolutely phenomenal!So without much ado...Lamb

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-58313410344861372922009-07-16T10:26:00.000-07:002009-07-17T13:25:41.359-07:00

Peanuts- I've never quite understood all the hype about them. Don't get me wrong, I eat them. I've eaten them boiled and mixed with onions and chillies, eaten them roasted in their pods, roasted without their pods, ground up in a tangy, spicy chutney, peanut butter and in brittle-- pretty versatile, I'll give them that but still dont get the fuss! My husband on the other hand, can polish off a

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-47963802488760693922009-07-15T06:31:00.000-07:002009-07-15T07:16:11.899-07:00

Ahhh summer!! Lovely weather, zero humidity, vacation frame of mind, bright veggies and perfect fruit meaning my canning/jamming duties have to begin, like, right now! I felt the sudden urgency of stocking up on berries. Yes, I know I'm a tad obsessive, but think of it though, what if blueberry season goes by and I've not made any mildly sweet, utterly delicious, purplish-blue jam?? So I rushed

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-4773755986010200442009-03-18T23:54:00.000-07:002009-03-19T00:13:02.501-07:00

Woke up to a very foggy day-- visibility was less than a mile in most places, which my cabbie would tell me later was fairly common in this part of the world. My day until lunch was not much to talk about really, work work. Since lunch break was a wee bit longer, I decided to sneak off to La Jolla. It was a fun little walk, got my souvenir shopping done and took a bunch of nice pics as you will

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-24543846480242239442009-03-17T20:37:00.000-07:002009-03-17T20:59:49.552-07:00

I thought it would be weird NOT waking up to the 4 toothed grin I've been so used to the past couple of months. But barely having slept all night-- waking up next to nobody was quite the anti climax really. So used to our rigid and rushed weekday schedule I barely could fathom what to do with all my time, top it off with the 3 bonus hours of being on the west coast, no less gorgeous San Diego-- I

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-19413317805751870502009-02-16T12:23:00.000-08:002009-02-16T12:36:04.394-08:00

I dont usually talk about much around here minus food. Much much less movies, mostly because after the little ones arrival we've barely had a chance to watch anything thats not a dvd release. But my sister insisted on us watching this, she even volunteered her fiance's and her own services babysitting while we got away for a bit on Valentine's day. So we took her up on her very generous and

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-2272961271885834832009-01-29T10:14:00.000-08:002010-09-07T19:03:51.173-07:00

I took this gingerbread in to the office just before Christmas and it was such a hit that I made it for the hosts of the two Christmas parties we went to. Its more like a cake than it is the usual cookies you find everywhere in the holiday season. The original recipe called for 2 eggs but I was running short so substituted it with 1/2 a ripe banana and it really didnt make much of a difference.

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-77055229692904659142009-01-29T10:03:00.000-08:002009-01-29T10:14:45.182-08:00

I found and tried this Oregon times recipe (slightly modified) a good while ago. Whenever I've eaten this in restaurants I had no clue that there were carrots and celery in it...I thought it was the most unlikely combination in pasta sauce but really its not. Carrots and celery get cooked to oblivion and its absolutely delicious and just perfect on a cold winter day with a heaping bowl of

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-72924433418327476692008-12-05T12:12:00.001-08:002008-12-05T12:28:47.558-08:00

I understand I've been a bit negligent of my blog "baby" lately but you will just have to believe me when I say its been pretttty hectic around here. School just kicks my butt sometimes and I wonder what business a 27 year old has to still be doing homework and studying for exams. Although I can do without both of the above--for once in my life, I actually enjoy what I'm doing professionally. You

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-59482351807620401982008-09-29T08:14:00.000-07:002008-09-29T08:46:00.564-07:00

Sometime earlier this year, hubby came across this bakery near where he was working then called CakeLove. As the name would suggest the speciality here was cakes, particularly to die for are their cupcakes. All sorts of combinations but my favorite is the simple yellow cake with coffee buttercream...yummm. When I found out that owner Warren Brown was coming out with his own cake bible, I knew I

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-49027260694825090572008-09-24T10:12:00.000-07:002010-09-07T19:04:22.321-07:00

Maybe this recipe is a sign, a sign that I've finally come to peace with Maryland. I've always liked being associated with Boston, you know, its hip, its cool and next to it suburban MD just seemed the frumpy cousin. But crab with Old bay seasoning is as MD as it gets and quite deliciously so! This pasta salad is simple and the use of fully cooked imitation crab meat makes it quick and great for

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-39588116675273447762008-08-19T05:48:00.000-07:002008-08-19T06:28:18.056-07:00

On a recent trip to Bar Harbor, ME, we went to this Irish pub/restaurant-- the only place that would take 15 of us half an hour before closing. This restaurant, McKays, seemed pretty casual and laidback, set in an oldish looking Victorian with a beautiful front garden. The chairs and tables were traditional, almost plain wood, again adding to the oh so casual ambience. But let me tell you the

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-82288957199230639492008-08-18T07:39:00.001-07:002008-08-18T08:24:03.249-07:00

My father had lots of Filipino friends in Kuwait. In fact our neighbors across the street from us had loads of parties and we were always invited. There were some party staples I always searched for-- Pancit (a noodle dish) , the most amazing fruit salad (still looking for ingredients to make this) and what they called Lamington pudding. I looooooved the "Lamington pudding", I could make dinner

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-18472626041367698382008-07-13T07:24:00.000-07:002008-07-16T07:44:27.464-07:00

I hate venturing to new locations in ghetto downtown Baltimore. Even if by some random chance of luck you find where ever it is you're going, you may not find parking, so you go into some strange street but find its a one way, then you have to go to another street and one road leads to another and before you know it you are in gangster country.That's why I very carefully made my first trip to the

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-20325359809268705562008-07-11T06:47:00.000-07:002008-07-11T08:25:37.792-07:00

I know its been more than 8 months since my disappearance but with all the sleep deprivation that comes with raising a baby it feels like my last post was only yesterday. For all my faithful readers who keep visiting and checking in-- thank you. Your support is probably why I'm slowly picking up the remnant pieces of this blog and good news, I have lots of plans. I hope to start a new series--

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-5030072165268884622007-11-01T09:48:00.000-07:002007-11-01T10:21:38.729-07:00

Rushing along lifes tempest ways,Fighting to keep a bobbing head upAbove the crowd, above the rut.Never the time to think or give up.Always defensive, always scaredNever to let the wrong one ensnare.Feelings, emotions quickly, tightly lockedBy pragmatisms everstrong hold.But as a zephyr, in you gently blewUnplanned, unknowing, unassuming.While I wondered what to do,You opened your eyes, flashing

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-16057617029208508672007-07-21T11:25:00.000-07:002010-09-06T14:30:24.710-07:00

I love food- cooking, eating and everything else thereof but have always been a wee bit of a health nut. Ok maybe sometimes bordering obsessive compulsion, especially when it comes to working out and keeping fit. So the fact that now I'm just packing pound after glorious pound with no end in sight really, really frightens me.Now dont get me wrong I love (or am learning to love) the fact that I'm

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-92140787849330235042007-05-12T09:39:00.000-07:002007-05-12T10:55:55.061-07:00

I am a big fan of individually wrapped raw meat- its just convenient, saves room in the freezer (especially a tiny one like ours) without having to touch slimy cold flesh and washing hands a million times after (I get a tad OCD sanitizing after handling meat). So, when we saw this huge pack of individually wrapped wild catch Atlantic salmon fillets at Costco- it was a no brainer. And I had the

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-6244132944229350212007-02-19T15:32:00.000-08:002007-02-19T20:44:12.856-08:00

My sister and I have very different food tastes. Shes an only-fish-eating-vegetarian and yours truly will try any animal- be it vegetarian or not ;) at least once. Barring starkly different diet preferences, pleading requests for our favorite school meal (our fifteen minute break around 11am can hardly be considered lunch), tuna-potato cutlets, were competitively fervent. We would eat this for

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-13744670929829057562007-02-17T14:15:00.000-08:002007-02-19T09:34:46.141-08:00

The past February the 14th was our first Valentine's day. My husband is not romantic and meself is jaded into a cynic. Nonetheless, our being hitched for life warranted a semi-brokeworthy splurge into this oh so commercialized celebration. Hubby got me a basket full of flowers, chocolate and a diamond studded ring, all handed over at my work parking lot in the romantic confines of his car (

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-19615722197290049052007-02-11T21:23:00.000-08:002007-02-17T15:22:06.587-08:00

We got this recipe book from B&N the other day, and it has to be the coolest ever! Its a compilation of Better Home and Garden's Test Kitchen Favorites from the '30s-'90s, with excerpts and write ups from every decade. I've been dreaming of trying the recipe for "feather-light Orange Bowknots-you'll be voted best cook in town" ever since I laid eyes on it. The only catch was that I've never baked

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-68446538758590969042007-02-10T09:04:00.000-08:002007-02-12T06:56:28.263-08:00

I'm not a night person for that matter I dont even think I'm a morning person, I'm just a sleep person. Let me sleep from 8pm to 11am and I'll still have trouble waking up. Ergo, any and every incentive I get to rise and shine, I will take. A delicious breakfast usually goes a long way, the smell of dosas on the griddle, sambar and chutney, coffee... for more reasons than one it has to be my

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-26198081687086069662007-02-10T08:07:00.000-08:002007-02-10T09:04:06.205-08:00

TRRRRING!!A quick glance at caller id.Me: Hi ma!Mamma: Hi baby, how are you?Me: Good ma, what are you doing?Mm: I'm at work, just going for lunch.Me: mmm...what's for lunch?Mm: I made grandma's egg curry, pappu (lentil gravy) and rice.Me: Wow! Ma I want some!!Mm: It's so easy. Just fry 2 big onions and chillies (about 2 slit lengthwise). When onions carmelize add tomato and karam (chilli powder),

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-29919286162136802012007-02-09T13:22:00.000-08:002007-02-09T14:05:34.564-08:00

Hidden under a shroud of modesty or just plain lethargy are my husbands excellent cooking skills. His steak meal, courtesy our humble backyard grill, could put the best of the best to shame. In less than a mere 40 minutes he can put together a couple of perfectly seasoned NY strips (medium well- just the way I like 'em), crusty fluff centered baked potatoes, grilled vegetables, garlic toast AND

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-11133145744985001262007-02-06T13:27:00.000-08:002007-02-15T14:52:37.364-08:00

3. English words in a Tamil song: When will my people realize that English rap and hip hop are best left out of Indian songs. The "yo-yo" and "whatzzup" dont have the same American street slang effect when sung in an accent soaked like a Vada in Sambar. For instance, in one of the new chartbusters is the word, Mobile made to sound like mo-bbiile-ahh. Further wince worthy is the current

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-28554043915186122352007-02-05T08:13:00.000-08:002007-02-05T20:01:48.591-08:00

Its Saturday evening. Hubby and I are driving around, running random errands at the same time recuperating from the events of our respective schedules. He from a busy day at work and myself, like a good docile desi wife, housecleaning. And then, as if a test of endurance, Fate lodged a nail snug in the warm comfort of our car's front right tire which we notice in the Indian store's micro parking

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-35996944848606230522007-01-06T08:40:00.000-08:002010-09-12T16:31:20.884-07:00

There is this real quaint family owned restaurant near where we live. It almost looks like a run down old outhouse till you catch a glimpse of the sign fighting nested creepers and vines that reads in cartoon letters akin to fallen tree trunks, Amano's. Having been there a few times before hubby highly recommended it, although he warned that sometimes they run out of food, but whatever they do

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-9370897262093068952007-01-05T06:43:00.000-08:002007-01-05T10:46:19.833-08:00

I've come to the realization that I know more potato recipes than can possibly be healthy. But what the hell, I'm Indian (conveniently blame my roots) and we love our starch-- Atkins wouldn't survive a second in our society. A Telugu roommate from college used to make this HOT stir fry. The right way to eat this, is to press open the crusty coating of each baby potato till the fluffy cottony

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-70405823423595802362007-01-04T06:19:00.000-08:002007-01-04T07:19:30.090-08:00

Just plain chocolate does nothing for me. The most exclusive, decadent creamy, filled droplets of truffle heaven could beckon less. But starchy, gooey, chocolate goodness in forms of brownies, double chocolate chip cookies, chocolate chunk cookies (Clear Flour bakery in Boston, miss you!), cake, yuuuummmmm. Well, if truffles are heaven this recipe is just pure sin. And if you make sure you dont

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-73368561854235847872007-01-03T09:43:00.000-08:002007-01-03T15:49:56.816-08:00

I need to catch up on my food blogging soon, I have loads of pictures and recipes that are itching their upload. But 2006, filled with evenly distributed mini explosions of unanticipated changes, deserves an apt postlude. So in the true spirit of Bridget Jones, here goes:2006:1 perfect 25th birthday.1 amazing dream school Phd offer.1 not so dreamy, long dying relationship buried.1 loss of a best

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-67759601563821345372006-12-28T11:32:00.000-08:002007-01-03T09:43:05.384-08:00

The Cloning of Dolly (circa 1996) was a scientific breakthrough most definitely not without haunting emotional hang ups of the dark power of man. It was one of those findings, that marked the end of an established era with scientists and laymen alike questioning their readiness or even willingness to embrace novelty. A tad bit unnerving, but most found comfort in that the technique itself was not

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-4559535559685167642006-12-21T10:27:00.000-08:002007-01-05T10:34:46.162-08:00

I can never get this Telugu verbalization in English text business...for simplicity sake, fish curry will work. This traditional recipe was handed down by my mother's mother's mother's mother's mother (you get the idea), basically its been in the family a very long time. Growing up my sister and I split our mixed south Indian heritage right down the middle, she would represent all that was Telugu

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-86603464850811418132006-12-21T10:25:00.000-08:002006-12-23T08:30:06.818-08:00

Every now and again, I feel like something inside of me slips out of my body, a slow escape. Drifting, ever so gently my vision elevates, all the vehicles and traffic lights ahead, are now beneath. I'm not sure what this is that escapes, what this is that lets me see the world with a third eye, the eyes of a touring foreigner. Whatever it is looks from above, and gradually the scenes change, all

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-87233156824049809582006-12-20T19:06:00.000-08:002006-12-20T19:33:27.629-08:00

I found this recipe in Home and Garden's Christmas edition. The original asks for a tree cookie cutter and the pictures of that were simply adorable. Unfortunately I couldnt find a fir shaped cutter and just made them regular rounds. Never having worked with dough of this consistency I was a little baffled at first but had it down by the second batch. More below. You will need For cookies: 1 cup

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-124117337192302692006-12-20T13:45:00.000-08:002008-02-07T18:32:53.341-08:00

This deliciously sinful dessert made its debut the past thanksgiving when my mom who rarely tries ANYTHING that her mother and her mothers mother didnt make, decided to break the shackles of tradition. Her poor cheesecake had survived so many mishaps during the course of its creation from the loss of the original recipe to being overcooked the first time around to being almost burnt when

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-45824310999010308852006-12-18T10:50:00.000-08:002006-12-18T20:37:12.621-08:00

I used to hate Excel and thought every decent software professional worth her/his pinch of sodium chloride would never touch the tool even with a substantially long stick. TILL in my previous workplace I was shown wonderous things that perfectly sound unix proficient bioinformaticians did with Excel (given data was less than 65,535 rows).So earlier today I needed a quick and dirty way to

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-66597437125019184312006-12-13T15:37:00.000-08:002006-12-13T19:36:50.001-08:00

The last time I made Helen's Onion tart, Selvin said that he wished there were more vegetables in it other than just onions and tomatoes. End product? A perfectly delicious, mega nutritious Veggie Tart.Veggie TartYou will need:1 1/2 cup mixed mushrooms (I used oyster, shitake, button)5 cloves garlicA dash each of (dry) oregano, rosemary, thyme1 red onion1 tsp balsamic vinegar1 cup sliced red and

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-28229209010932150362006-12-13T15:22:00.000-08:002006-12-19T15:54:01.185-08:00

This recipe is in continuation of the Christmas sweet series. The dough used for these biscuits (no relation to the American variety served with fried chicken) is very similar to short crust pastry but is less sensitive to flakiness and for that matter, skill. A simple munchie to make but what can be more addictive than deep fried dough!Butter BiscuitsYou will need:2 cups all purpose flour1/2

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-27534907191887664942006-12-13T13:55:00.000-08:002006-12-13T19:39:14.910-08:00

Kesari is a derivative of Kesaravara, which means saffron in Sanskrit. Traditional kesari (the desert) gets its name from its color. The desert itself is a just pudding of sorts with rava or cream of wheat being the star ingredient. I'm always amazed by how different cultures use similar ingredients for similar tasting dishes. For example, there is an Arabic version of kesari called Basboosa, in

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-66413272178863058362006-12-12T13:16:00.000-08:002006-12-12T19:34:03.936-08:00

You know those days when you have barely anything in the refrigerator and you most certainly dont have the energy to go out to grab something to eat. I find this happening more so since moving to AZ-- our home is at least a 10 minute drive to any remote indication of civilization. So this recipe is the outcome of one those circumstances. And this chicken tastes so good that now I have to make

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-12123427257998237472006-12-11T18:00:00.000-08:002006-12-12T19:44:13.332-08:00

Contrary to the obvious connotation this "chutney" has nothing to do with blending raw egg into a spicy sauce. I'm not even sure how my sister and I came up with this name but this was the title deemed to a humble (East) Indian style scrambled egg supper. Super quick, super easy and very flexible as far as the spices and ingredients go. Chapatis, unleavened bread made with whole wheat flour, are

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-46165669328129575202006-12-04T13:37:00.000-08:002006-12-05T13:14:08.911-08:00

Nauseous yellow bulbAbove my headStinky, delivery foodBy my bed"Energy for tomorrow", you said,Leaving for the night.Devoid of strength,On my bedIn this filthy roomI wait, I think.I used to be loved,Had a family that cared.Now abandoned by allAlone, aching,I reminisce.We were in love,Childish abandon, youthful rebellion.Anxious to grow, curious to knowThis wasn't supposed to happenFairweather

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-69336133996204787782006-12-02T08:52:00.000-08:002006-12-02T09:59:49.711-08:00

I've always thought lemons were a summer fruit, but its December and the grocery stores are selling lemons at throw away prices here in sunny Phoenix (today is quite chilly actually). Wait I lie, grocery stores WERE selling them at throw away prices the last time I went to one, which was before thanksgiving. Any case, the point I've been trying to get at is that I have a whole bunch of lemon that

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-30460149911149206902006-12-01T14:00:00.000-08:002006-12-02T10:00:16.477-08:00

Its Friday and I'm doing a little Kokopelli dance in my office chair, limiting it to my lower limbs (of course) don't want to risk being caught by other overtly sociable people on the floor-- my officemate, sadly, has come to terms with the weekly ritual. Even more exciting is its the first weekend of December and time to (pardon the cliche) "deck the halls" and get our hitherto bachelor pad more

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-1164088615414957502006-11-20T21:26:00.000-08:002006-11-20T21:57:02.420-08:00

I love to try out new cuisine, just about anything at least once. But today was one of those days where I just wanted something homecooked, Indian, and super spicy. Considering we are leaving for the holidays in a couple of days, I had to make do with whatever was lying around. So, I decided to use methi to make a Gujarati flatbread and traditional Telugu potato curry. Simple but oh so, delicious

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-1163925507010081082006-11-19T00:05:00.000-08:002006-11-19T20:59:48.533-08:00

Mexican food, as is sushi, is slowly creeping up on my list of favorites. I'm not confident enough yet to serve raw fish but mexican cuisine doesnt intimidate me too much. I got the inspiration for this dish from Food network's Rachel Ray. I love her simple dishes, with flexible measurements AND ingredients. I couldn't watch the entire episode but got enough of an idea to try this. Such a variety

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-1163922787806484652006-11-18T23:16:00.000-08:002006-11-20T18:13:54.480-08:00

There are many things from my undergrad days that are best buried, but there are some memories I will always cherish. Among the memorable, are the adventures in our girls-only hostel. Sneaking naps during study hours, stealing food from the dining room, dancing in the monsoons, midnight birthday parties, rooftop shooting star rendezvous, gigantic lizards fighting in the computer room...that last

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-1163920555172324142006-11-18T22:39:00.000-08:002006-11-20T18:16:26.890-08:00

I was trying to prepare my first meal for my parents as a married woman. Goodness knows the number of calamities they've witnessed during many of my culinary experiments growing up. But now that I'm married, I wanted to make them a meal that was just perfect. My mom loves dessert, especially anything custardy. Having found an entire creme brulee kit hidden in the deepest bowels of my husband's

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-1163886873904430282006-11-18T10:54:00.000-08:002006-11-18T13:54:33.936-08:00

Saturday noon, my parents flight lands in 4 hours. I'm trying to squeeze in grocery shopping, prepping dessert for dinner, as well as dinner itself, house cleaning touchup, a pedicure AND lunch. So, I scan the fridge for what I can put to together with as little time and effort as possible. My gaze falls dead on white rice leftover from dinner the night before, another quick 360 degree scan

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-1163145559281400822006-11-09T22:53:00.000-08:002006-11-18T10:15:58.886-08:00

After a rare late day at work, I found myself stuck in sickeningly slow traffic that lengthened my commute three fold. Ever since the move to Phoenix, I have only explored surface streets and the remarks that follow are based on close observation of the same and are not affected by any predisposed misconception of desert folk (well, at least not too much).See, I would be a little more

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-1163050131243295522006-11-08T21:15:00.000-08:002006-11-19T21:09:40.996-08:00

Searching for a Gujarati recipe that my ex-roomie once made for me, I came across one beautiful cookery blog, Saffron Hut that led me to yet another gourmand, Beyond Salmon. Simply gorgeous food presentation and interesting write-ups. I was just captivated by the simplicity of the Tomato Onion tart, so much so, that I had to try it and guess what? Served alongside a pear-pecan salad, it was a big

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35870318.post-1163048485108824762006-11-08T20:23:00.000-08:002006-11-09T09:42:38.683-08:00

I've always felt blogs were for the dilligent cataloguer, you know the kind if in a lab have 20 full logbooks for a week's work. Or they were meant as a ubiquitous vent for people like my sister who at any given second have a million things to say. But some mindless blog browsing did boost my confidence...material not essential, eloquence not crucial, intelligence-- dispensable. Sometimes its

Veenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907302969101729337noreply@blogger.com0