Soulful Creations

It has been hot, hot, hot here in Houston. Ever since we landed here, the temperatures have been in the triple digits. Add to that " stay-at-home " all day situtation- you get one cranky little lady (well may be not little but definitely cranky). So to remind me of some cooler weather- here is an easy dessert that combines most of my favorites- strawberries, lavender and whipped cream Ingredients (adapted from the minimalist's version ) 1 cup strawberries 1/4 cup raw sugar 1/2 cup heavy cream 2 tbsp vanilla powdered sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp lavender- I just crushed it using my mortar and pestle Method Hull strawberries, wash them and chop into 1/4-inch-thick pieces. Toss with half the sugar, and wait 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they give up their juices. Place half the strawberries and all the juice in a food processor, and purée. Pour purée back in bowl with the remaining strawberries. Whip the cream with powdered sugar, crus...

A very long post- beware! I know I have not wished any one on moving on to 2011- so here it is folks, HAPPY NEW YEAR! Neither do I look back nor do I die for a peek into the future (now I am going to let you in on a secret- despite being the rational, logical researcher- I love my daily dose to Yahoo Astrology!). I do not usually celebrate the arrival of a new year (I might have, when I was a kid, but come on I was just a kid)- to me it is just another day, another year! On to the event at hand-  இனிய போங்க நல்வாழ்த்துக்கள், a.k.a HAPPY PONGAL! Celebrated to usher in the new month of "thai" (தை மாதம்), this festival finds it roots during the sangam age between 200 b.c. and 200 A.D. It is the dravidian harvest festival which means that the harvest season is celebrated in most parts of India around this time. In the south, it is three day long celebration beginning with Bhogi pongal (when people burn things, an act that implies that old paves way for the new), surya (sun) po...