Answering TAG Questions

I have been tagged by Gayathri of Gayathri's Cook Spot and also by Jagruti of Joy of Cooking. Sorry Friends, i couldn't post my reply immediately!!!!So, here is my Questionaire

First Comes Gayathri's Questionaire

1. What is your take on organic food , is it a big deal for you ?

Organic food, a good concept, but too much on the pocket!!!

2. Do you time your breakfast,lunch & dinner or eat when you are hungry ?

It was once, But, I don’t find time to strict to my breakfast routine, Lunch and Dinner goes as planned.

3. What inspired you to write a food blog ?

I Love Cooking. Love to try a lot of recipes!!!! When I bought a New Oven, I started browsing for some MW Recipes. That was the time, I was introduced to Food Blogs!!! Was all excited to see the amazing pics and the comments!!! That’s how I got hooked on to the Wonderful World of (Food) Blogging!!!!

4. You try a new recipe and it does not turn out good,what will you do ?

This has happened many times. First thing, I will be a little Disappointed. Next I wud try to make something new out of it!!! If its not possible, I don’t fret much!!!! Try not to make the same mistake again the next time!!!!

5. Name three ingredients you consciously avoid or eliminate even when the recipe calls for it ?

Eggs, Fennel seeds,Mushrooms(My hubby doesn’t like it!!!)

6. Name three things you have to use in most recipes ?

Onions, Ginger, Coriander/Curry Leaves.

7. How important is eating meals together as a family to you?

I feel it makes a family strong!!! We try to eat atleast one meal together daily, mostly it is Dinner. But on the Weekends, we sit and have all three meals together.

8. You do not like a particular dish at your favorite restaurant, what will you do?

Call the Manager and let him know my Views!!!

I m Passing this on to 5 of my Blogger Buddies to Keep the Ball Rolling

Savitha Ramesh of Savitha's Kitchen

Akila of Akila's Kitchen

Umm Mymoonah of Taste of Pearl City

Jay of Tasty Appetite

Sapthanaa Balachander of Passion4Cooking

The Next set of Questions is from Jagruti

1. Are you a vegetarian, or have you thought about being one?

Yes, I m a Pure Vegetarian. We don’t even use eggs.

2. Who inspired you to cook or bake?

After College, I was living with my aunt. Started to Cook on my Own. That’s how I started experimenting. Love to collect lot of recipes. My interest grew stronger after marriage, since my hubby is a FOODIE!!!! He loves to try a variety of Dishes!!!! It’s obvious, if someone enjoys your food, you love to do more!!!!

3. How do you celebrate Christmas?...or a favorite holiday of your choice?

Definitely with my Family. We sit and Watch Polar Express Movie!!!!  I would love to Celebrate Diwali in India with all my Family and Friends. We Live in Dubai and Diwali here is just another day!!!! Its been a Soundless Diwali for us for the past 5 years. So Would love to go to India/Chennai for a Diwali!!!!!

Favourite Holiday, mmmmmmmmm!!!! We have never been on a holiday till now!!! We wanted our Kid too to enjoy the places we go!! May be this year we might plan a holiday!!!!

4. Do you prefer to celebrate New Year's Eve with friends and/or family, or prefer to ring in the New Year quietly, and privately, at home?

With Family and Friends & Loud Music!!!!!

5. If someone were to ask you to bring dessert to a party, what would you bring? Store bought, or homemade, and if you were to make homemade, what would you make?

100% Home-Made!!!!!! What to make, depends upon the occasion. If its going to a Pooja, then something traditional Like Kheer!!!! If its just a Friends meet for Fun, I would love to bake some Cake/Cookies!!!!

6. How will you celebrate your next birthday?

No plans as of now!!!! I normally don’t plan for my birthday, if its my Hubby’s or my kiddo’s, I always have something in my mind, But mine, I normally don’t!!!!

7. Do you have a New Year's resolution-and will you be sticking to it?

Its always been to lose some excess baggage that I carry around!!!! I was a bit successful last year, let me see whether I m able to make it this time also!!!!

I m passing this to 5 of my blogger buddies

Priya Suresh of Priyas Easy n Tasty Recipes

Nayna of Simply.Food

Jaleela Kamal of Samayal Attakaasam

Sameena of My Culinary Creations

Lataji of Flavors & Taste

Thanks a ton to all my Blogger Friends, who encourage me with their Beautiful Comment. It is so Good to see your comments!!!

Check out my other Marathon Buddies Srivalli, Priya Suresh, Jay, Monika, Reva, PJ, Azeema and Ayeesha

Amazing Toilet Facts!

Everything You Wanted to Know About Toilets...But Were Afraid to Ask!

It's the centerpiece of every bathroom. It's where many of us do our best thinking. It's the good ol' toilet. But it's not just a piece of porcelain sculpture filled with water. The toilet actually has a long and fascinating history. The Horizon Comfort Zone has collected some little-known factoids about the toilet. The next time you head to the seat of honor to take care of business, keep these facts in mind...and you'll be flush with knowledge!



Who Invented the Flush Toilet?

The concept of a flushable toilet -- in which water is used to clean the bowl after its use -- has been around for about 4,000 years! According to archaeologists, the palace at Knossos, Crete (built way back around 2000 B.C.) contained latrines that were cleaned by water stored in a reservoir and delivered to the bowl through a piping system. Similar devices were also used in ancient Persia, Greece and Rome.

Toilets using a chain to open a valve and deliver water to the bowl were well in use in England by 1775. These devices were usually built into small closets. To this day, people in the United Kingdom frequently refer to the bathroom as the "water closet" or "W.C."

The kind of flush toilet we're most familiar with today was designed in the late 1800s by an Englishman named, appropriately, Thomas Crapper. Crapper's toilet was the first to employ a device that would automatically stop the water from flowing into the reservoir after it was filled. Before this, many people would leave the water flowing continually to clean the bowl.

For more information, check out History of Toilets!



Fun Toilet Tidbits You Can Share at Your Next Party or Social Gathering!

• Over five billion gallons of water are flushed down toilets each day in the United States.
• The average toilet is flushed eight times a day.
• The toilet uses more water than any other home appliance.
• The average person uses the toilet 6-8 times per day or 2500 times a year.
• The average person will spend three years of his or her life on the toilet
• Women, on average, take three times longer than men when using the toilet.
• The average life expectancy of a toilet is 50 years.
• Most toilets flush in the key of E flat.
• The first toilet tank ever seen on a TV show was on Leave it to Beaver.
• The first toilet being flushed in a motion picture was in the film Psycho
• The first toilet stall in a public washroom is the least likely to be used. It is also the cleanest.
• The French King Louis XIII (1601-1643) had a toilet built under his throne and was known to receive visitors while sitting on the toilet.
• 40% of the world's population has no access to toilets.
• The first commercially available toilet paper was developed in England in 1880 and sold not on a roll, but as individual sheets in a box
• The Scott Paper Company of Chester, PA produced the first toilet paper to be available on a roll in 1890.
• According to a survey by Kimberly-Clark, men prefer to fold their toilet paper and women prefer to wad it.
• According to studies, an average roll of toilet paper lasts about five days in the bathroom.
• Americans use an average of 57 sheets of toilet paper a day.
• On average, the Pentagon goes through 666 rolls of toilet paper in one day.
• Only 30% of people in the world use toilet paper.

Some Well-Known People Who Died While on the Toilet

• Heliogabalus; Roman emperor (204-222 A.D.). Murdered by his bodyguards.
• Arius; Christian theologian and heretic (256-336).
• Edmund II; King of England (980-1016).
• James I; King of Scotland (1394-1437). Assassinated.
• Henry III; King of France. (1551-1589). Assassinated.
• Arthur Capel, Earl of Essex; English politician (1631-1683). Committed suicide on the toilet while imprisoned in the Tower of London.
• George II; King of England (1683-1760). After a breakfast of hot chocolate.
• Catherine the Great; Russian empress. (1729 - 1796). Died of a stroke.
• Lenny Bruce; American comedian (1925-1966). Heroin overdose.
• Evelyn Waugh; English novelist (1903 - 1966). Obsesity and drug abuse
• Elvis Presley; American singer (1935-1977). Arrythmia caused by abuse of prescription drugs.
• Don Simpson; American film producer (1943 - 1996). Drug overdose.

Other Popular Names for the Toilet:

• John
• Head
• Can
• Loo
• Privy
• Chamberpot
• Throne
• Commode
• Porcelain Altar
  

Related Information from Horizon Services....

• Horizon Plumbing Services
• Horizon Drain Cleaning Services
• Horizon Horizon Sewer Line Services
• How To Properly Use a Plunger to Unclog a Toilet, Sink or Tub
• 9 Ways to Save Water

Eggless Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Baked this Awesome Bread from Anushruti's Divine Taste Blog!!!! She has a lot of  Eggless Baking Recipes. Please Visit her blog for Excellent Eggless Baking Recipes. I have bookmarked many of them. Last Tuesday we had a small pooja at home. Invited Some Friends & Relatives and Lot of Fruits!!!! A dozen Banana's lying on the table are yelling for my attention!!! So thought of making some banana bread. This Choco-Chip Banana Bread Recipe from Divine Taste, sounded great, made some today morning. The whole house is filled with the Aroma of Freshly Baked Banana Bread. Everybody @ home enjoyed these tasty treats!!!!I have made slight changes to the recipe. so, please follow the link for the actual recipe!!!!

Ingredients

1 Cup Wheat Flour

1/2 Cup Maida Flour

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Baking Powder

4 Ripe Bananas

1/2 cup Melted Butter

1/2 cup Dark Brown Sugar

1/2 cup White Sugar

1/4 cup Dark Chocolate Chips

A generous pinch of Cinnamon Powder

Method

Sieve together Wheat flour,Maida flour, Baking Soda and Baking Powder. Puree the Bananas. Stir Butter and Sugar together, add the Banana Puree. Slowly, Stir the flour mixture into this. Mix well, Add Chocolate Chips and Cinnamon Powder and Mix well.

Grease a Loaf Pan and Pour the Mix into the Pan and Bake @ 180C for an hour or till the cake passes the tooth-pick test. After pouring half the batter into the pan, i added a generous spoon of Chopped Almonds and covered again with the rest of the batter and sprinkled some more on the top.  The taste was awesome, I would love to bake it again, but next time i would like to reduce the sugar a little.
Check out my other Marathon Buddies Srivalli, Priya Suresh, Jay, Monika, Reva, PJ, Azeema