You Capture - Sweet

It's been ages since I've participated, but thought it was high time to get back into the You Capture mode. This week's assignment was sweet. And we all know how much I like sweet things!

Happiness Project

We've set up these Random Act of Kindness at school. For the past two days, lovely, sweet treats have found their way to me. 

And while these make me oh, so happy.....

my jeans are not as thrilled.

I'm joining Leigh and her quest for happiness.

What makes you happy?

Cooking With Swarn - Paneer

I love paneer. Really, I do. Years ago I had dinner at a mate's and she made the best paneer dish I've ever tasted. It was a scrambled egg version of paneer. Delicious. So you'll never guess how thrilled I was to discover we'd be making paneer in class this past week!

This week's menu consisted of making our own paneer (yes, making it, not buying it), crumbled paneer with peas, and paneer stuffed paratha.

Paneer is unbelievably easy to make. Or at least Swarn makes it look easy. All you need is milk, once it starts boiling, add lemon juice, and voila! paneer!

Once the paneer was ready, we started on the curry part. Also easy! It's simply tomatoes, peas, paneer and spices!

And, of course, what Indian meal would be complete without the bread? This week we made, plain, and stuffed paratha!

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

1. In My Home

Breakfast!

2. It's Beginning to Look alot Like........

Ethan helps to decorate.

3. Sweet Treat

Mini chocolate tart

4. Time

Friday. 1:20pm. Let the weekend begin.

5. Everyday

Heading into school at 6:30am is mighty early!

Christmas is in the Air

It is summer here, so sometimes it's hard to get that Christmas feeling. But Dar knows how to bring on the festive season. Last night, The Green Room had a little Christmas sale. There were Christmas decorations, gift ideas, bitings for the customers, and what else could bring a group of women to go shopping in the evening...but a glass of wine!!!!

The waiters were even ready to show off their Christmas spirit!

The Return of Jake

Last year we introduce Ethan to the Elf on a Shelf. He decided to name his elf Jake. Jake showed up everyday during the month of December to visit Ethan. Jake even showed up in the hotel in Dubai, and then came to Canada.

Yesterday was December 1st, and guess who showed up at the house.....

..... Jake!

Ethan was very excited. He's showing everyone Jake, and reminding them that you cannot touch him. "Don't touch him!"

Cooking with Swarn - Lentils

Last week's Indian cooking class was a lesson in dal (lentils). Swarn laid out a bunch of different types to show us. Seriously? There are types of lentils? We were making Dal Tadka which needed Moong and/or Masoor Dal.  Amy explained, the confusion with Indian recipes is, when a recipe calls for Moong Dal, how do you know which kind? Which kind? There are now kinds within the types? There's whole lentils, split lentils with the shell, split lentils without the shell. Oh my! No wonder I don't cook!

Once I recovered from the dal shock, it was time to get cooking. Swarn decided it was time for us to make a dessert. And who am I to turn down something sweet. On the dessert menu, was Shahi Tukra. The best way to describe it, is fried bread with cream!

I told you there was cream. We've got full cream milk and sweetened condensed milk that we have to reduce. 

Yes, fried bread!

Place a layer of bread, sprinkle slivered almonds and raisins. Pour over the reduced cream, layer again and repeat.

Swarn decided to make it look pretty with edible foil. 

Now, we didn't come to class to learn how to make dessert only, and after our dal lesson it meant time to make the dal. The lentils were rinsed then placed in a pressure cooker. Swarn told us we could make it in a regular pot, it would just take a little longer. While the lentils cooked, we made the rest of the dal.

We've got tomatoes, onions, chillis and spices.

The dal.

Combine the two, sprinkle some chopped coriander, and yummy!

While these are all fun and delicious, let's be honest. I can't make these! I need something easy! So Swarn brought out another dish for us to make. Bund Gobi with Matar. Cabbage with peas. 

Just like I said, cabbage and peas. Yummy.

And no Indian meal would be complete without the roti! 

Flour, salt and oil.

Add water while you knead.

And roti!!!!!

Have I mentioned how much I love these classes. And for the record, I did some measuring today. That should count as cooking, shouldn't it?