Vijay and I went to London to visit my sister for the holidays. We had a wonderful and memorable time sightseeing and spending time with family and friends. Here are some pictures from the trip.

The Tower Bridge

The Tower of London

London Eye

The Palace of Westminster and the Big Ben

Greenwich Time and Prime Meridian Line

Beautiful Bournemouth Beach

Spectacular Swaminarayan Mandir, London

Peaceful Balaji Temple, Birmingham

Snow Girl with Rosemary Hat ~ Made by My Sister’s Daughter

Some delicious options for different occasions, that’s Indian Party Menus.
Hope you would find this new series helpful when planning your party food menu.

Holiday Dinner Party at My Sister’s Place:

Theme: Holiday Dinner get-together
Guest number: 5
Time: for dinner
Venue: Delhi Spicee, Ruislip, UK
Preparation: Restaurant food

Dinner Menu:
Masala Papads
Pani Puri
Chicken tikka

Naans and Stuffed Parathas
Madras Chicken Curry
Chicken Biryani
Malai Kofta
Chilli Paneer
Raita
Mango Lassi

Party Favors:
Lots of laughter and memorable experience

Share your party menus.

Some delicious options for different occasions, that’s Indian Party Menus.
Hope you would find this new series helpful when planning your party food menu.

Holiday Brunch Party at My Home.

Theme: Christmas brunch get-together
Guest number: 5
Time: for brunch
Venue: Home
Preparation: Homemade

Brunch Menu:
Strawberry-Orange Soy Smoothie
Carrot-Cucumber Kosambari

Cumin-Basmati Rice
Chana Masala

Masoor-Tomato Dal (thick soupy like in Sambar consistency)

Dahi

Dessert:
Chocolate -Pecan pie (eggless)
Carrot-Pecan cake (eggless)

Party Favors:
Party food takeout
Some toys and chocolate

Share your holiday party menus.

December Tomato Harvest

Cold front, freezing temperatures and northern winds … winter is here in Houston. Due to frost warning, I had to harvest tomatoes from my September-planted tomato plants. From 8 tomato plants, the yield was about 8 pounds of cherry tomatoes and few Brandywines. They need some time to ripen, and what I have now would be enough to prepare some comforting soopas and sambars for this coming winter.

Some delicious options for different occasions, that’s Indian Party Menus.
Hope you would find this new series useful when planning your party food menu.

Thanksgiving Party at a friend’s home.

Theme: Telugu Thanksgiving in Kaarthika Vana bhojanam style
Guest number: 11
Time: for Lunch
Venue: Home
Preparation: Homemade

Party Food Menu:
Brinjal bajji and onion pakodi
White rice
Chicken Kurma (Kodi Kura)
Spinach Dal
Alu vepudu
Bottle gourd pulusu
Drumstick sambar
Kandi Pacchadi
Onion Pacchadi
Carrot and karela perugu pacchadi
Homemade dahi
Pomegranate(danimma) daddojanam
Papads and dahi mirchi (Majjiga Mirapa)

Dessert:
Paalathalikalu with ghee and mudda pappu
Mango kulfi

Served on:
Paper plates covered with fresh banana leaves

Party Favors:
Party food takeout in ziplock bags

Happy Deepavali, dear friends and readers. I have missed the web world, and it is good to be back and blogging again. Right now, it’s pecan harvest time in Houston. Mature, pecan trees line up the streets where we live and during autumn season you will see families with baskets and bags picking up the pecans that are fallen under the trees. We also joined the fun this year and picked up about five pounds of pecans from our neighborhood pecan trees. There are still plenty more pecans to pick and share. The shelled pecans were of good quality and very tasty.

Vijay and I, we both like pecans very much and we add them to kosambaris, cakes, pies and pralines. Pecans were one of the gifts that we chose to carry to Nandyala on our last India trip. We wanted our families back home have a taste of this wonderful americana treat. As we had hoped, they loved the pecans, particularly the jaggery-pecan pralines we prepared. Pecans truly are autumn wealth, and it’s good to get some directly from generous pecan trees.

Pecan Harvest from Neighborhood Pecan Trees

Shelled Pecans ~ An Autumn Wealth

Some delicious options for different occasions, that’s Indian Party Menus.
Hope you would find this new series helpful when planning your party food menu.

Dasara Party at My Home

Guest Number: 40 (adults + children)
Time: from Noon onwards
Venue: Home
Preparation: Homemade

Dasara Feast:

Traditional Sweets:
Ravva Laddu
Sunnundalu
Kaajalu
Sesama Laddu
Cashew Chikki
Chanadal Payasam (for neivedyam)

Snacks:
Muruku in 3 different shapes
Cashew Pakodi (gatti pakodi)

Lunch Menu:
Tamarind Pulihora
Basmati Rice
Ghee Chapati
Tomato Pappu
Drumstick Sambar
Gongura Pacchadi
Turia (beerakaaya) Kura
Alu+chikkudu vittanaala pulusu kura
Nune Vankaaya Kura (Stuffed Brinjal Curry)
Peas Guggullu (Sundal)
Homemade Perugu (dahi)
Appadam and Vadiyaalu
Fresh Ghee
Fruit Salad with cantaloupe, red grapes, taatinunjalu and persimmon
Homemade lemon sherbet (Lemon juice+honey+salt+plain soda+cumin powder)

Served on:
Paper plates covered with fresh banana leaves

Party Favors:
Turmeric and Kumkum Packets
Fruits and Small Diya
Homemade Sweets and Snacks listed above in ziplock bags

Devi Avatar Alakarana for Navaratri ~ at Sri Meenakshi Temple, Houston

Bommala Koluvu for Navaratri ~ at Sri Meenakshi Temple, Houston

Maa Durge, Maa Ambe, Maa Jagdambe, Maa Bhawani, Maa Sheetla, Maa Vaishnao,
Maa Chandi, Mata Devi. Jai Mata Di.
Shubha Dasara, dear family and friends.