Shakti's Blogs

Once I had a big party and I had to buy several loaves of bread. I bought the nice expensive ones and took a lot of care to have enough.Sure enough I was left with tons of leftovers. I could have passed them along. But then I thought-- I spent all that... -

Some time ago I had written about a Wine and Cheese party. Well if you plan that kind of an event then you will end up with leftovers. I am sure you know how to use the wine.... but cheese. That could be hard. Unless you cook extensively everyday. Or if you... -

Hello! and Happy summer. Now that it is officially here for us.. lets enjoy it. I spent it with a pool party at a friend's house. It was the last day of school and it was time to celebrate. We did it. Survived one more year. What plans do you all... -

You don't really need a reason to have a part. Just have some friends over, have food and some drinks.. and there you have a party. I love to entertain and let me tell you one thing. I used to get so worked up before the guests came that I almost... -

We all use them some more than others. We have our favorites and some are just to BLAH! So tell me your favorite. I have a few listed, not in any particular order. Feel free to rank them or add your own. ... -

It is not just a kid turning to the familiar bottle or the crackers he has been eating since 6 months of age.... comfort food is a respite for grownups too. Stressed out situations calls for familiarity so you can relax and be yourself. What better way than... -

I am asking this question to the coconut sitting on my kitchen shelf ready to be pounded. The name sounds very suggestive and you would think "She herslef is a nut". With the name ending with a nut what else can it be but a nut case.   ... -

A (lemony) town located on the coast of the French-Italian border.. awesome captures.                     (Festival, france, gourmet) -

Every where around us we see people drinking the diet cola. Double cheeseburger with King size fries and diet soda... I don't know the deal, but many a times I have been forwned upon for drinking regular cola. But a recent study has found the ill effects... -

If you are then maybe you are not Healthy, Wealthy or Wise... But do you really think that people you are awake till late night are Morons? According to the saying Bill Gates goes to bed even before his kid does.  As I was surfing the web to learn about... -

Hope you guys are enjoying the holiday weekend. I know I am, I love the dog days of summer.Nice cold drinks, a good book and peace this is how I spent my Saturday. I was going through an old issue of Good House Keeping and came across this article that... -

My other half invited his golf buddy over for dinner after a game. I was in a fix. The kitchen had 1 tomato, 2 onions, 3 garlic bulbs and a shriveled eggplant. Don't ask how I managed that being the cook that I am because I would say IT HAPPENS. ... -

I have been trying hard looking hear and there and trying to please myself. But I just can't seem to find one good pasta salad recipe which is completely different from what I ahve had before. I am not saying that I have had all the kinds of the salad... -

Headstrong determination, A dynamic personality, A sincere concern for people, they all played a role in Debbi Fields' success. It was all about taking control of her life. So Debbi Fields, a young mother with no business experience, opened her first... -

I know that summer does not start until mid June but Memorial day is the start of this lovely weather for me. I just refuse to belive that it is Spring still. The beautiful weather we have in the Northeast right now is a clear indication that I will not be... -

Why does Sea World have a seafood restaurant? I'm halfway through my fishburger and I realize, Oh my God. I could be eating a slow learner. ~Lynda Montgomery Nothing more strongly arouses our disgust than cannibalism, yet we make the same... -

  Being a father is fairly easy, or at least that is what a Mom thinks until it is Mother's day. Picking out the right gift and not watching TV all day while keeping the kids entertained so that mom can relax can be pretty tiring,... -

You realize your true potential only after you become a MOM. I never knew how much it took to be one. No I am not talking about the labor pain or the sleepless nights. I am talking about the energy needed. The job requires skills like multitasking, money... -

As I had mentioned in my previous blog... the association of Easter and eggs was unknown to me. Well I tried reading on the net and asked some of my Christian friends. Here is what I understood. Egg stands for fertility. Easter is the rebirth... -

When we fall in love we vow to be true till death do us part. Sometimes we want to go beyond the scope of human world and meet in the other. Some want to die together, that is what is known. Yet in some in this life alone meet and seperate. Love has... -

For all those bottled water fans out there. Read on before buying the next bottle. Ameicans  drank a whopping 5 billion gallons of bottled water in 2001.That's about the same amount of water that falls from the American Falls at Niagara Falls in... -

Have you ever been to a cocktail party?  A few years ago I was invited to a party which said Cocktail Attire? What in the world is that? I know cocktail drinks but dress? I thought mixing to outfits was ridiculous.  Well I had to wear something formal... -

So you have a date for the day but where are you going to dine. Here is a list of places from some of the metros in the U.S. New York Savoy his warmly lit restaurant feels more like a country inn -- complete with a roaring fire in the... -

I read an interesting article about giving gifts on Valentines. It is difficult to choose gifts for this occasion because you will have to be careful about what it conveys. It can be tricky. The meaning of your gift also varies according to the seriousness... -

By William Shakespeare: Let me not to the marriage of true minds Admit impediments. Love is not love Which alters when it alteration finds, Or bends with the remover to remove: O no! it is an ever-fixed mark That looks on tempests and... -

From various sources on the internet: There are varying opinions as to the origin of   Valentine's Day.  Some experts state that it originated from St. Valentine, a Roman who was martyred for refusing to give up Christianity.  He... -

Being from Allahabad I grew up with the Kumbh mela every year. It filled my city with almost a million more people. I had visitors frm far coming for a dip in the Holy Ganga. I could not understand as a kid what the big deal was about taking a bath in the... -

LOS ANGELES, California (Reuters) -- A U.S. sheriff opened an investigation Wednesday into the death of a 28-year-old woman who died after taking part in a California radio contest in which contestants had to drink as much water as possible. ... -

Are you familiar with American Chop Suey? I know we get it in a Chinese restaurant.. How come it has American at the beginning? Well curious me decided to explore. I got my answer on several sites On of them www.snopes.com reported that ... -

I just came back from a trip to the west coast of America. I was so excited about it right when I booked the tickets in August. I was to land at Vegas airport around 8 in the evening. I knew it would be 10 by the time I reach the Excalibur hotel and... -

Including spices in your meal transforms it. Herbs from around the world are readily available. Here is what I think is a must for every cook. Spices Cardomom The pods are used whole to flavor rice. The seeds are crushed and used to... -

Sugar is the sweetner for all our desserts. It adds moisture and texture to our food. It comes in all different forms and although you can interchange the texture of the goods can change. Lets sweet talk about them. The RAW variety is the unrefined... -

Bones become brittle because of calcium-loss and this leads to the condition called osteoporosis, which literally means porous bones or pores in bones. Patients of osteoporosis, most of whom are women, are always looking to build stronger bones. To make their... -

Its on my shopping list everytime I visit the supermarket, its used in my kitchen more often than I think I do... But still cabbage is not one of the most loved vegetable. Well to begin with cabbage is very high in fiber, it has tonnes of vitamin C... -

There are few foods that people feel as passionate about -- a passion that goes beyond a love for the "sweetness" of most candies or desserts: after all, few people crave caramel, whipped cream, or bubble gum. Chocolate is, well, different. For the... -

One of my non Indian friends once said to me " I have always eaten out when I have a hankering for Indian food." I asked him why he did not try preparing some at home? His reply was obvious... dishes seem mysterious, things taste so different by... -

What is it Well it is a dairy product made by fermenting regular cream. Its very high in fat. Bacterial culture added to fresh cream produces lactic acid which turns the cream sour and thick making sour cream The low fat variety is made from half and half. -

1) Always preheat the oven for 15-20 minutes before putting the cake in.  2) Butter used in baking recipes should be soft not melted.  3) When making wheat flour cookies use butter for crunchy and oil for softer cookies. ... -