Distance makes the heart grow fonder

Kids can get onto my delicate nerves in a matter of seconds but when they are away the house seems strangely quiet. No fight overs the remote, computer or messy rooms.

My kids have been visiting their Grandparents. They do it every summer and all of us( Kids, Grandparents and we) eagerly look forward to the same for varied reasons. The boys are getting back today and I have spent a part of my morning making some of their favorite dishes. I have made the 5 cup ice cream( scroll down for the recipe; one of my earliest posts) with mango( added an extra dash of cream), also made some Raspberry jelly . For some strange reason kids just love jelly. My early memories of jelly is having it together with custard at an aunt's place in Delhi. It was also our first big holiday all the way to Kashmir. Every evening after our 'sight- seeing' tour we would land up at this aunt's place. Dessert was always custard with jelly, I loved the combination. Most people who have grown up in the 70's would recall custard as the standard home-made dessert- fast to cook and good to eat. Today I hummed the ad line which went " jolly jelly for your belly" as I stirred the jelly. I have set it in a ring mold though I rarely manage to upturn it right. I envy people who can do this feat with ease. I plan to serve the jelly plain. Kids typically gobble it up in seconds.

Had also been shopping this morning and have picked up some sponge cake and muffins. I store them in the refrigerator(makes portion control easier) and then warm them up for about 40 seconds before I serve them( picked up this tip from a foodie friend). The taste is just like the oven fresh ones.

Watched an interesting show called " Do it sweet". All those sweet toothed readers are going to love the show's tag line, it goes " If you have to cheat, do it sweet". Watched the gorgeous Maria Coretti( host on the show) wolf down cream filled French toast. I must of course keep miles away from all things sweet and satiate my desires my cravings virtually.

Have picked up Roopak Shikanji Masala. Shikanji is big in Delhi during the summers. I have also stocked up on Rooh Afza and Thandai Mix. Though it did rain last evening and the mercury has dropped a few notches. But I am not taking any chances.

Happy eating!