Pinterest Projects - DIY Wood Mason Jar Sign

Who doesn't love Buffalo plaid ? It is one of the oldest patterns around but still so current . It is widely used each year to decorate for christmas . The perfect graphic pattern with red, black and white colors . Yet has the traditional holiday colors and looks super festive . You can literally decorate every inch of the house with buffalo plaid for christmas and never get bored . Phew! You can never have enough of plaid decor in the house. Even little additions with this print can instantly transform the house making it look so apt for the holidays . Adding pillows in buffalo plaid to the couch or even porch swing is a great start . Swap table mats, add napkins or even charger plates or dinner plates in this print for the holiday dinner table set up . If you want to keep it simple just use some plaid wrapping paper for your presents . Save the scraps to reuse on gift tags , or mod podge ornaments with them for a rustic decor . Go Green . I mean Go Plaid .  

I was already feeling the buffalo plaid christmas vibe. And of course my craft room had this print in stock . I had vinyl sheets from Siser in buffalo plaid.  So I decided to try some project that I had not done before . I decided to add the vinyl to a laser-cut wood mason jar shape . You can easily find these cutouts at craft stores , Target and Amazon . Next I added some lettering in white vinyl . My Cricut Explore Air 2 came in handy again . Lastly added some jute twine and a tiny foam christmas tree sticker for a little pop of color . I just love the way it looks . A perfect door decor to hang . May be even a little DIY present to my like minded craft lover friend . What do you all think ?

Materials -

1. Mason jar shaped wood cutout

2. Vinyl - in buffalo plaid, black and white 

3. Scissors and a cutting machine ( I used Cricut Explore Air 2 )

4. Twine and embellishments (optional )

Step by step instructions -

 1. Measure the wood cutout  and accordingly cut the plaid vinyl . Stick it to the wood cutout. I added an image on Cricut design space to cut the buffalo plaid vinyl . Instead you can hand trace it on the plaid vinyl and cut it with scissors . 

2. Add lettering to the wood sign already covered in plaid . I used my cutting machine for white vinyl lettering . After weeding carefully I used transfer tape to transfer the lettering onto the wood sign . 

3.  Add a jute twine around the narrowest area of the wood sign . I wrapped it around 3 - 4 times and tied a knot in the end to look like a bow .

4. Add embellishments if you wish. Tiny foam christmas tree sticker came in handy. Love the pop of color in green . The little hint of sparkle is just perfect for the holidays . 

Tips -

1. You can use paint instead of the vinyl. Use a sealer afterwards if you paint .

2. You can also drill holes to add a wire or twine as a hanger .

3. Embellishments can be anything and everything . Foam stickers, felt stickers, tiny wood or real ornaments, pompoms etc. 

 

Thanksgiving 2020

 Thanksgiving is a time for family. It is all about togetherness, sharing a meal with your loved ones ,being thankful and grateful . Given the pandemic it will be a very different kind of celebration this year. Some families may even be doing a virtual thanksgiving celebration this year. It can still be a beautiful celebration if we all act responsibly and do our part to limit the spread of disease. 

I am so blessed and thankful this year that my parents are here with me on this special day. So I cooked a very simple menu ahead of thanksgiving day yesterday . It turned out to be simple but delicious . No traditions, no staples but a simple healthy heartful meal with my loved ones. What else can I ask for? Just feel blessed. My heart is full of gratitude . Sharing my plate with you . 

How do you plan to celebrate this day ?

DIY - Diwali Akashdiwa

 Diwali is next week. I am so excited to decorate the house for this big upcoming festival. Diwali is celebration of lights. Back home I used to make a "kandeel" or "akash diwa " every year to hang in our balcony (or patio ). Every year it was a big ordeal to go shopping for craft supplies along with my mom while she picked out groceries to make "faral " or sweets. So like my childhood days or actually a childhood tradition  I still make akashdiwa every year. Now my kids join in too. Fun crafting time with mommy. So here is our 2020 version of "akashdiwa" or "wind sock" as my kindergartener says .

Supplies -

Paper - Any kind that is thin and easy to  fold- crepe /glitter/cardstock/construction 

Scissors

Glue

Embellishments (optional )

Step by step instructions -

1. Fold the A4 size construction paper in half lengthwise .

2. Leaving a margin of about 1.5cm on either side start making linear cuts lengthwise starting from the folded edge(edge that is still together/bound from the fold ). Do not cut all the way to the open edges. leave about 2 cm from the top.

3. Open the sheet and add crepe ribbons to one of the sides (one that is longer in length )

4. Fold around and glue the sides together (at the shorter length) . 

5. Add embellishments as you wish. I used scraps of blue paper and cut out stars and hearts using a mini punch. Recycle and reuse . 

6. Punch holes and add a string/ribbon/yarn to hang it .

So which color is your handmade akashdiwa ?

International Talk Like a Pirate Day

 

Ahoy, maties ! Happy International Talk Like a Pirate day . You think I am making it up. Aye! Don't you ?  But I am not. Check Wikipedia or do some google search yourself . Here are some fun facts I found online. The idea for this day was born in 1995 in Albany, Oregon. Two friends named John "Ol' CHumbucket " Baur and Mark "Cap'n Slappy "Summers came up with this idea .This movement or made up holiday or whatever you want to say it is has grown over the years. So I thought today will be just the perfect day to share some cool pirate related craft activities. Easy DIY things to dress up as a pirate. Before our rickety ship sails let's get ye educated . Avast ye ! As I work on my pirate literacy why don't you try these crafts ? Yo ho ho !

Materials -

1. Black cardstock

2. White cardstock  (optional)

3. White paint

4. Black thread 

5. Jute twine 

6. Kitchen towel paper tube 

7. Scissors, glue, tape 

Pirate Eye Patch -

1. Cut a circle from black cardstock . Size it such that it will cover your eye. Chop off less than 1/4th part of the circle across. Draw a skull picture with white paint . Add black thread to the back of your eye patch . Tie it on matey !

Pirate Hat -

1. Cut a 2'' wide and very long strip out of black cardstock. The strip should be long enough to cover the entire circumference of your head . Glue the ends together to make a crown/ring to fit around your head .

2. Make 2 cut outs from the black cardstock . The cut outs should look like this picture .

3. Using white paint draw a skull on one cut out and crossbones on the other. Add cutouts to the long strip such that one is in the front (sitting above the forehead ) and one in the back of your head sitting below the crown of your head .Your pirate hat is ready.

Hair Extension -

1.Cut jute twine in 3 pieces depending on how long your hair is. Match it to the same length or just a bit shorter . 

2. Braid the 3 pieces together. Use a hairclip to secure and wear the braid. Your hair extension is ready .

Lastly the kitchen paper towel tube can be used as a telescope. All Hand Hoay !

DIY Cake Bunting

I just love decorating for all occasions . You just name it- festivals, birthdays, parties, baby showers . And  I love DIY decorations more than store brought ones. I know my kids could care less if their mom made decorations or brought them from store for their birthday . But I enjoy every bit of the process of making decorations. During the Pandemic was my birthday. We were in the initial phase when there was a lockdown. All the quarantine talk, social distancing measures  and scary news everyday felt so depressing.  I wanted to do something to cheer me up . So I decided to make a cute little cake bunting. Arts and crafts activities are my stress busters. With the materials on hand I started working on this project. In less than 30mins I finished it too. A cute little bunting was a perfect addition to my home baked eggless date cake. I love the contrast of mint twine against the pink colored triangles. The 3D green flowers were a perfect addition . The green color was so fresh that it brought a smile on my face and heightened the much needed positivity. After all adorable and handmade is what I love and it makes me happy . Did you like my bunting ?

Materials-

1. Cardstock paper 

2. Twine

3. Popsicle sticks

4. Scissors , glue and tape

5. Embellishments (optional )

Step by step instructions -

1. Cut little triangles(or any other shape you like ) from pink cardstock. 

2. Cut the alphabets in white cardstock . I used my Cricut machine to cut the alphabets .

3.  Glue the letters onto the traingles .

4. Using a tape add the triangles onto a baker's twine.

5.Wrap the twine over the popsicle sticks at the edge tying a knot to secure the bunting .

6. Add embellishments to cover the knot which secured the twine to the popsicle sticks. I used the 3D flower stickers .

Tips -

1. Wooden skewers or drinking straws work well to make a bunting . I used popsicle sticks since I did not have anything else at hand . 

2. Spacing is the key to fit the bunting on the cake .

3.You can punch holes and thread the twine instead of using tape. 

4. Replace pre made embellishments with shapes cut from cardstock. Stars, balloons, hearts to name a few . Get creative. 

5.Instead of cutting alphabets from cardstock you can hand write or stencil the letters. 

Fall Decor Ideas

Fall to me means family, guests, get together. I love to decorate in sync with the season. With the pandemic this year we will not be inviting people over. But that is no excuse to not decorate the house. I love fall and I love decorating the house. Pumpkins, buntings, wreaths , warm knit blankets and so much more. Freshening up the front porch or a change in mantle decor or just setting up the dinning table with a new runner sets in the mood for the season. 

Instead of buying new things for decor I always raid the basement or my craft room. I love arts and craft . So creating new projects for home decor is like my favorite thing to do and a good stress buster too. I recently made a fall bunting from cardstock. it was so much fun and a quick project with my kid K.  I already had the autumn leaves SVG saved on my Cricut Design Space from that project. So I decided to use the same SVG images and create something to co-ordinate with the fall bunting. For this new project I used scraps of paper from the previous bunting project (go green and recycle ). This pandemic has surely taught me to make the most use of all that I already have, buy less and reduce clutter.  I had previously purchased a blank wooden plaque from Michaels. It was just gathering dust in the basement. So I made a small hanging card (if that is even a real word ) and added it to the wooden plaque to make a wall sign. I used Cricut Explore Air 2 to write the words as well as cut the tiny autumn leaves. I had some orange baker's twine that I used to sort of look like hanging leaves on display at an oval window.  I just love how the beige card looks against the color of wooden plaque. What do you all think ?

Pinterest Projects - DIY Fall Bunting

Fall is here. I love fall season. The air, the weather and of course the pumpkins. Give me bread or cake or cookies or chai...just about anything with pumpkin spice flavor in it and I will happily savor it. I also love fall crafts( any crafts for that matter ).  Buntings, wreaths, mantle decorations. It is so much fun to change/update decor as seasons change. So I decided to make an easy fall bunting. Given the pandemic all I had was cardstock in my craft supply basket . So decided to put my creativity and the Cricut machine to use. And this is what I came up with. 

Materials -

Cardstock paper -beige, orange, red, green, black

Orange ribbon

Glue stick

Scissors 

Cricut Explore Air 2 (optional to use it )

Step by step instructions -

1. Cut the bunting pattern. Here i went with a basic triangle shape.

2. Cut the fall leaf shapes in various colors and patterns 

3. Cut the alphabets F-A-L-L

4. Glue the letters to the triangles using the glue stick 

5. Add the triangles to the ribbon. I used a hot glue gun for this 

6. Add the fall leaves in between the triangles in a pattern you like 

7. Cut the ribbon to desired length once all the decor pieces are added 

Tips-

1. You can change the banner shape to any pattern you like

2. Feel free to write or stencil the letters onto the bunting instead of using pre-cut paper letters

3.You can add pumpkin or acorn shapes instead of the leaves or along with the leaves

Paint/write/draw/cut/stencil...use your imagination any any materials you have at hand . So what are your ideas to make a bunting ?

Pinterest Projects - DIY Home Decor Wooden Signs

 You walk into a home decor store and you see them everywhere  . Yes the rustic wooden signs. In all sizes , styles and patterns . I so wanted to make one for our home. And I finally did but at a fraction of the cost they sell for in stores . I had wooden planks left over from some wood work at home . All I did was sanded a plank , painted it and used it to make the sign . I used Cricut Explore Air 2 to make the lettering. Since I had white permanent vinyl at hand I used it for the script . Alternatively you can also make a stencil with Cricut . And then paint the letters using the stencil . I love using fonts . I also love quotes and phrases . Pair them together and a rustic sign for your home is ready . It's that simple.  If you do not have any of these materials at hand no worries at all . You can still make a sign . Yes you totally can . How?  Read the tips below .

 

Tips - 

1.Start with a pizza box to make your sign . It totally works . 

2. Use a paint pen to trace the stencil instead of using a paint and a brush .

3. You can also print the lettering on a regular paper and trace it onto the wooden plank with a blunt lead pencil  . Alternatively use wax paper to make stencils or even to transfer images . 

Pinterest Projects - DIY Giant Paper Lotus

Paper flowers are everywhere . You see them at baby shower events , birthday parties , as nursery decor . Literally everywhere. They make a jaw dropping statement at any event . In my opinion flowers are the most popular item these days when it comes to decoration. They easily add a pop of color to any room . There are tons of ideas out there to make paper flowers. Lots of templates, designs and methods. I finally decided to give it a try . It was super easy and fun to make this giant paper flower. I hand cut everything and glued it together with hot glue gun. I used cardstock from the dollar tree . Party decor on a budget . Woohoo !

Supply list  - 

1. Cardstock (neon pink and green )

2. Scissors

3. Glue gun

4. Pencil/pen  to draw the template 

5. Cardboard as a base (used an Amazon parcel box )

Step by step instructions -

1. Trace a petal and a leaf  template on cardstock. Once you finalize the shape and size cut one petal and a leaf to trace it several times .

2. Cut out each leaf and petal shape. 

3. Cut midway at the base going towards the tip of the petal but only halfway 

4. Hot glue one side overlapping the slits. 

5. Cut a circular base out of cardboard or any box. Glue the petal onto the base.

6. Add leaves to the bottom of the base cardboard  

Tips-

1.It is very important to choose the right paper for these flowers. Stock up on sales or use a coupon when buying in bulk from craft stores .

2. You can use a craft cutting machine like Cricut or Silhoutte to help cut the templates. Use SVG cut files for templates .

3. Curl edges of the flower petals so they look more realistic. Use a dowel rod or highlighters for the same .

Happy Father's Day

" A good father is one of the most unsung , unpraised, unnoticed and yet one of the most valuable assets in the society . "- Billy Graham 

Growing up the parenting scene in my house was mainly dominated by my mom . It was like mom was solely responsible for all the child rearing . Being a working mom my mom was a supermom then and still is . Cooking, entertaining, work responsibilities and child rearing . There was not even occasional help from my dad back then . 

Today when I look at my family dynamics the scenario is very different . I am a working mom and do try to be a supermom at times. But I have the best help I can ever imagine . My husband is the superdad , a true superhero to my kids . I work night shifts and weekends too . When I am at work he is the dad and their mom as well. He has no complaints changing a soiled diaper or giving kids a bath . He juggles the hardest task of putting the kids to sleep at night with a smile and some bedtime stories . He loves taking them to a nearby park for fun filled evenings so I can catch up on my to do work list or wrap up all household chores . Yes I get the work done at twice the speed with no kids playing or riding toys in between interrupting me . And he is indeed a superdad to do this all after a long and busy day at his work . 

Currently with my parents visiting me I see a whole new dimension of my dad's personality which I had never witnessed growing up . My kids adore my dad . They love listening to stories from their granddad . They sit on his lap and play with him, clapping and learning new songs . They learn yoga poses from him in the morning and sleep on his shoulders at times in the afternoon . My little one interacts the most with my dad . My kids love to build a tower with blocks. What better partner to play with than their granddad . And the best part is knocking off granddad's tower or lego creation with a naughty smile . 

Tomorrow June 21st being father's day we plan to celebrate it with 3 generations under the same roof . I believe that father's day is not just for dads . It should also honor grandfathers, step fathers, single fathers and all the men who act as a father figure . 

So take a moment and let's hear it for all of them .

Happy father's day !

Chutney Cravings - Ginger Chutney

I have been ordering groceries online these days given the Corona pandemic . I am sure most of you are doing the same as well . But many times I find it tricky to identify the exact quantity of ingredients until delivered to my doorstep.  Once I ended up with just one apple instead of a pound of apples that I was banking on for a recipe . My neighbor currently has 6lb bananas instead of the 6 she meant to have . Last week I literally had a small heap of ginger when all I wanted was an ounce of this herb . I know ginger has healing and medicinal properties . Heard about it always from my grandmother while growing up . But what do I do with a heap of this medicianl herb  ? So I turned to my saviour - the google search  . While looking for recipes using ginger I came across several recipes to make ginger chutney . After couple of trials and finalizing on the taste here is the one I approve of . And yes I finished rest of the heap by adding it to my chai daily . No wasting food folks .

Ingredients - 

1.5'' ginger ( washed, peeled and cut into large pieces )

3/4th medium sized onion (diced into big pieces )

2 tbsp chana daal

1 tbsp white urad daal

2-3 dried red chillies

1/2 tsp cumin seeds 

1/2 tsp tamarind concentrate 

1.5 tbsp shredded jaggery 

salt to taste 

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Instructions  - 

1. Roast chana daal, urad daal and red chillies in hot oil till the daals turn golden brown . Set aside .

2. In hot oil saute roughly chopped ginger and onion pieces till the onion is translucent .

3. Add 1/2tsp cumin seeds once you turn off the stove .

4. Once cool blend all the above with tamarind concentrate, jaggery and salt . Flavorful and smooth chutney is ready to serve .

Tips -

1. You can skip urad daal if you wish .

2. Do not add water while blending as it will reduce the shelf life . It will also change the texture of the chutney .

3. Add a tempering with mustards seeds, asfoetida and curry leaves if you wish . I personally love the pungent taste of ginger . So I prefer the chutney as it is without the tempering .

4. Do not over fry the ginger in oil . Else it will taste bitter .

5. If ginger is chopped too finely it elevates the pungent and bitter taste. Stick to big chopped pieces of ginger for balanced flavor .

My family devoured this chutney with pesarattu . What will you eat it with ? 

Chutney Cravings - 3 Different Ways to Make Cilantro Chutney

What can you do with few minutes of time and a bunch of cilantro ? I say a number of things . And trust me all results are equally delicious. Bright green, zingy and flavorful chutney recipes here for you all . Enjoy the chutneys with dosa, idli, roti, rice, dhokla , chips or even a sandwich . Just yummy !

Method 1

Blend half a bunch of cilantro leaves (washed and roughly chopped ), 4 small square pieces of green bell pepper, 1/2 inch ginger ,dash of lime, 1tbsp peanuts , 1 green chilli . Add salt and sugar to taste . 

Method 2 

Blend a bunch of cilantro leaves (washed and roughly chopped ), 1/3rd cup wet shredded coconut, 1/2 inch ginger, 1 green chilli, 1.5 tsp cumin seeds , 1/4th  cup yogurt . Add salt to taste. Yogurt and coconut give it a creamy texture . 

Method 3

Blend a bunch of cilantro leaves ( washed and roughly chopped ),  8-10 mint leaves  (washed and roughly chopped ) , 3 tbsp  of roasted gram (also called phutana or dala in marathi ) , 1 green chilli, 1 tsp cumin seeds . Add 1tbsp of water as needed to blend smooth . Lastly add salt and sugar  to taste . 

Tips -

1. Bell pepper is the secret ingredient . Given its very small quantity you wont taste its individual flavor . Surely it takes the chutney to just another level of yumminess . 

2. Adding yogurt and wet coconut to the chutney reduces its shelf life. But hey I can assure you there will be no leftovers for long .

3. Mint leaves add a distinct flavor to the chutney . Trust me the flavor goes very well with that of cilantro leaves . 

4. Always thoroughly wash the leaves . You can skip the chopping part if you wish . 

So all in all chutney is an integral part of my daily meal. Which version is your favorite ? Do try and let me know . 

Chutney Cravings - Cilantro Stem Chutney

I love chutney . Who doesn't ? Chutney is a staple in Indian cooking. I find all chutneys versatile in a way . You can eat chutney with rotis, add it to sandwiches , use as a dip with fritters and even with chips . It goes well with pretty much anything and everything . Sometimes I add leftover chutney to sabjis or curry while cooking . There are several versions of cilantro or coriander chutney . Here is my favorite one with the stems of cilantro bunch . Yes you read it right - the stems and not the leaves . I learnt this one from my mother in law . She is big on not wasting food, cooked or uncooked . She uses every single ingredient from the pantry. And of course makes the most of fresh produce too . She always saves the stems of cilantro and makes this chutney . So without any further discussion here is the recipe .

Ingredients -

Stems of cilantro leaves 

Green chillies

Garlic 

Cumin seeds

Salt to taste 

Instructions -

1. Wash and roughly chop the stems of cilantro leaves . Add them to a blender . I used stems from 2 cilantro bunches .

2. Add very little garlic, just half of one small garlic clove for the above stems .

3. Add green chilly . Depending on what kind of chillies you use adjust the amount of chillies. Thai chillies are very hot . I used one small thai chilly for the above amount of stems . 

4. Add 1/2 tsp cumin seeds and salt to taste . Blend all these to a coarse texture. Your flavorful beautiful green colored chutney is ready . 

Tips -

1.This is a strong flavorful chutney . Use very little garlic to balance the flavor .Too much garlic will ruin its taste .

2. Add yogurt while eating to mellow down the punch if you wish .

3. Use this while cooking lentils especially black eyed peas , moth beans and green moong . 

Pandemic Pantry - Pesto Panini Sandwich

I had cooked an elaborate lunch yesterday . Perfect 4 course weekend lunch menu . I had assumed it will suffice for dinner as well. However to my surprise ( and a bit disappointment in anticipation of more cooking for dinner ) we had hardly any leftovers. Everyone loved it so much that it was all gone . I was not looking forward to cook again for dinner . I was so tired . My inspiration to cook for dinner was running a little dry . Alas I glanced at my pantry . I was like mehhhh . But then the loaf of bread grabbed my attention . Given the massive surplus of pesto I had I decided to make this panini sandwich . Perfect way to make use of the George Foreman Panini Press .Worked like a charm . Very little efforts and this awesome delicious cheesy goodness was ready . Ten minutes later our whole family was enjoying these panini sandwiches around the kitchen island . Glad i had another quick weeknight dinner menu to add to my list . What is your favorite panini recipe ?

Ingredients - 

 Bread

 Butter

 Basil Pesto

 Mozzarella Cheese sliced

 Onion cut into rings 

 Tomato sliced into circular rings

Instructions - 

1. Spread thin layer of butter on one side of each slice of bread .

2. Spread basil pesto on the other side of each slice of bread . 

3. Layer two slices of bread with onion, tomato and mozarella cheese inbetween them  .

4. Preheat panini maker . Place sandwiches in maker and press down . Cook for 3-4 minutes until golden . Serve immediately .

Tips - 

1. Use a skillet instead of panini press. You will still get exact same sandwich minus the        grill marks .

2. Add sliced avocado for a creamy flavor .

3. Switch up the basil pesto with spinach pesto . You can add couple basil leaves in the sandwich just for its flavor . 

Concrete Words - Dove Chocolate Wrapper

This post is a part of a series where I choose and write about a particular "Concrete Word ". Check my previous posts here .

Concrete words are terms that identify things and events that can be measured and observed. Concrete words are tangible in some way. So I decided to write about such "concrete words ".

Sometimes you need a boost to start the next project . Just a little push to take that leap. This Dove chocolate wrapper message did just that for me . About 10 years ago I moved to Macon to pursue my further studies . It was a bitter sweet moment for me . Bitter because I had to move away from my husband . He was still finishing up his studies in a different city and was not able to move to Macon with me . Sweet because I had worked so hard to achieve this . I wanted to pursue post graduate studies and this was it . A start to my new academic year . On my very first day someone at the new Macon office gave me a Dove chocolate . I am not a huge chocolate lover . But the gesture was sweet and so was the chocolate . I unwrapped the chocolate to eat it . Just then I caught a glimpse of the message inside . I saw Macon first before the message . It was a unique moment with a special message . 

With that silky smooth message ( just like the chocolate ) I embarked on my journey in this new town . The message was a good omen in my mind . All I needed was a boost in my confidence and a little chocolate I guess . 

Do you have any chocolate moment to share ?

Pandemic Pantry - Spinach Quesadillas with Desi Twist

• I love quesadillas as they make quick weeknight dinner . Seriously simple and tasty recipe. It is one of my favorite lunchbox menus as well . I have made them with tortillas in the past . But with no tortillas at hand during pandemic times I decided to try these out with rotis instead of tortillas . And surprisingly they turned out equally good . I make fresh whole wheat rotis daily . Instead of eating rotis with a curry I loved this new option to enjoy fresh rotis .  A desi twist on quesadilla . Savor these quesadillas with salsa and sour cream. Incredibly easy to make and budget friendly recipe .Your family is sure to give you oohs and aahs with these tasty quesadillas . What is your favorite filling inside quesadillas ?
• Ingredients -
• Spinach washed and chopped 3 cups
• Onion chopped finely half of a medium sized one
• Sweet Corn 1/3rd cup ( optional )
• Oil or butter for cooking 
• Garlic powder 1/2 tsp
• Chilli powder or flakes 1/2 tsp
•  Salt as per taste
• Mozarella Cheese 
• Rotis or Tortillas 2
• 
  
• Instructions- 
• 1. In a skillet add butter or oil 
• 2. Once oil or butter is hot add onions and saute till they are translucent 
• 3.Add corn and mix for 30 secs till soft 
• 4.Add spinach and cook until spinach is wilted. 
• 5. Add garlic powder, chilli powder and salt .Cook for a minute or two to mix in the flavors .
• 6. Remove from heat . Add shredded mozarella cheese and mix well .
• 7. Top half of each tortilla with spinach mixture; fold other half over filling. 
• 8. Place on a griddle coated with cooking spray or greased with butter.  Cook over medium heat until golden brown, 1-2 minutes per side. Cut quesadillas in half and serve hot . 
• 
  
  
• Tips -
• 1. Get your fiber serving by using whole wheat tortillas 
• 2. Substitute garlic powder with Taco seasoning for a different flavor 
• 3. It looks like a lot of spinach at first, but it shrinks down a lot in no time during cooking. 
• 4. Switch up the sweet corn with other veggies like black olives or mushrooms 

Pandemic Pantry - Dairy Free Pancakes

I was craving pancakes for past few days. Aah! All the things you wish to eat but can't have easily available in these pandemic times . I was out of my Bisquick pancake mix (pantry panic mode on ) . So I started searching the internet for easy and eggless homemade pancake recipe . A dear friend A D came to my rescue who shared this recipe. And ( wink wink ) the pancakes came out amazing . Easy recipe and yummy results -  what else can I ask for .  Also a healthier version since I used whole wheat flour . Using jaggery instead of sugar made it taste so much better. I could cut down on the added syrup that l otherwise liberally drizzle or just pour over my pancakes. All in all mission accomplished . These pancakes taste good with anything and everything including  maple syrup or whipped cream or peanut butter or just ghee . Numerous delicious options indeed .  You can add fresh fruits / nuts / chocolate chips or M and M's as toppings.  I bet kids will want to eat these pancakes all the time because mine surely do . Make these pancakes a few times and they will become a part of your weekly routine . So are you ready to try this recipe ? What do you eat pancakes usually with ? 

Ingredients -

Water 1 cup

Whole wheat flour 1 cup

Jaggery 1/4th  cup 

Salt - just a pinch

Baking powder - 1/4 tsp

 Instructions -

1. Heat water on stove top or microwave it for a minute.

2. Add shredded jaggery to the hot water and mix well till it dissolves completely 

3. Once water has cooled down add wheat flour slowly while continuous stirring with a spoon to avoid forming lumps. The consistency should be such that you can easily pour the bater .

4. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle.  Brown on both sides and serve hot.  

Tips -

1. Use shredded jaggery as it easily dissolves in hot water 

2. Add a pinch of cardammom powder or 1/4 th tsp vanilla extract for added flavor 

3. Adjust heat as necessary . Usually first batch will require higher heat than subsequent batches.

Pinterest Projects - DIY Deco Mesh Wreath

 With the current pandemic we are homebound . Little K who is not a toddler anymore has lot of free time now that schools are closed down . I wanted to keep little K busy. As always I was on the lookout for some fun craft projects to do together. I had seen this wreath on pinterest couple years ago . It looked so beautiful. I was sure it needed lot of supplies and was a complicated task. But contrary to my belief it was a very easy method of making a wreath. And also a DIY project on a budget . All I needed was deco mesh, ribbon and some embellishments . Thankfully I had found them at a local Dollar store back then . Somehow I never got to the project until now.  Surely these supplies came in handy at this time for this wreath . A beautiful wreath for just 6$.

So lets get started . 

Materials needed  -

1. 3 spools of deco mesh (1 in each color )

2. Pipe cleaners or bag ties 

3. 1 Spool of ribbon ( optional )

4. Wire Wreath 

5. Wooden Easter sign 

Step by step Instructions - 

1. Cut entire roll of each deco mesh into 12'' pieces. Once cut the pieces start to roll themselves.

2. Also cut pipe cleaners in to about 2''pieces. Cut one strand of pipe cleaner into 2 equal parts . I used bag ties that I had .

3. Place one piece of each color diagonally on top of each other. Add a small piece of ribbon (optional ) to the bundle. Tie the bundle with a pipe cleaner or bag tie. 

4. Place each bundle on the wire wreath frame. I started at 12, 3 , 6 and 9' o clock positions.  

5. Then I added  the remaining bundles randomly to make it appear dense. 

6. Finally I added the pieces from Easter hanging sign as embellishments to make this beautiful wreath . 

Isnt it an easy DIY project ?  A great way to involve your little ones to help you along. I bet they will enjoy this activity as much as you do . So what occasion are you planning to make such wreath for ?