Phir ek Baar.......

Back to school. I've joined Abi's school as a teacher. But I'm not teaching his class. We both go to school together at 8:00 am and come back together 12:30 pm. I don't meet him in between. He wonders where I vanish after dropping him in his class.

My joining school  has definitely helped all of us.The morning scene  has changed for good. First and foremost Abi does not feel bad to get up early in the morning now. He knows naani is accompanying him in going  through the same pain/agony! So he does not say that he doesn't want to go to school anymore. What a relief! (keeping my fingers crossed that things stay this way!). Initially he used to drag me to his classroom and insist I too sit with him. But once I made him understand that he will sit in his class and I'll sit in my class,  he is fine with we sitting in our respective classes. This makes me happy on the one hand that he is so understanding and on the other hand it makes me feel sad that he is quickly growing out of his childhood.Time just flies...

As for my part, I have mixed feelings. Firstly, I'm happy to be back in school doing what I love doing after a 3 long years' hiatus. However, here things are slightly different from what one experiences in city schools. The background of the children is rural and most of them are first generation learners. It is a challenge for any teacher. Before joining the school I thought I'll get to meet and talk to people and have some friends. But it is not so, for whatever reasons. I find the teachers are also different here compared to city teachers. When I'm free I do not see any other teacher sitting in the staff room. Lunch is in the classroom with children. I'm yet to see teachers sitting and talking about the latest fashion or anything for that matter as I've seen in Delhi (mind you, I'm in a private school)! Everyone seems to be ever busy with their work here. I wonder how is it  even possible? So I hardly get to meet and talk to any of them except Abi's teachers. And my time table is also such that I get free by the time Abi gets free.

But all in all, it is a great new feeling to be packing off to school hand in hand with my little grandson :)

EPITOME OF SMARTNESS

     We took admission for Abi in a nearby school so that he can reach school in time without travelling much (given all the early morning drama he creates to avoid going to school). The timings are 07:30 a.m to 12:30 p.m. I had requested the Principal to excuse Abi in case he comes late to school, explaining the morning scene at home, even though I would try to be punctual. He assured me that they are very liberal with nursery class children and are not very particular about timings for these tiny tots for dropping and picking up after school. I could send him a little late and take him home by noon or so. That relieved my tension. 

     A few days back, as Abi entered the school premises, the morning assembly was just getting over. His PTI Sir saw him and told him to come to school on time.  Bhaiya who goes to drop him came and told me this. So the next morning I woke up Abhi reminding him of what the PTI Sir had told him. You wont believe the repartee this 3 and a half year old gave - hold your breath! "Maine sir ko batadiya tha ki main aaunga hi nahin (I told sir that I will not come to school at all)". I was speechless. After pulling myself together, some how managed to pack him off to school in time. After reaching school, he went to meet the PTI sir and told him, " dekho...aaj main time se aa gaya". Now, isn't he the epitome of smartness?

PASSION CONTINUES....

      Back with a bang from a long holiday. All masti is over for both of us, that's me and Abi. He has been admitted to a new school in Cl-Nursery. Needless to mention that he is not at all happy going to school. Its a battle every morning:- waking him up, brushing/bathing, drinking milk and wearing the UNIFORM (he hates it). Once he is in the vehicle and away from our vision he is fine (or so we have been told).Everyday he decides who will come to school to pick him up whether its naanu or naani. If we do not follow it, the battle starts in the vehicle itself while returning. So much so for going to school.  The worst part is doing the written home-work... but I will save that story for some other time.

    I actually began this write up to show how much Abi likes to colour. But we elders always like to complain first about children. So first thing first. It was a Saturday afternoon. All three of us Abi, his mother and me were sitting and playing when his mother thought of donning her painting cap. After a lot of yeses and no's, she  decided to paint a lamp shade. So we took out one old worn-out table lamp shade and decided to make a painted cloth shade for it. After the stitching part was over she was about to start the painting, when Abi jumped over the paints and brushes screaming that he wanted to do it! So we let him play for some time and when he had fully drenched himself in the colours, we let him put his hand prints on the cloth to take his hand impression. 

   Surprisingly, a simple fun filled activity turned out to be so beautiful and the best part was watching Abi enjoying himself so much! His mother covered the lamp shade with it and now he proudly shows it off to everyone saying that has made this shade - one should see the sparkle in his eyes!

Russian Salad

Russian salad is the most favourite one in our home, even Abi likes it (of course without the veggies). How I learnt this is an interesting story which goes back to some 30 plus years. I have published the story elsewhere in my blog. Those were the days when technology was alien to us. We used to learn from each other  in person (not many were willing least the uniqueness/importance of the person goes) or from some magazines. At times, professionals were called to our ladies meet to take classes. This salad I learnt (rather got the recipe) in one such classes. Its only much later I mastered it. I am sending this to BM#58,under 'salads' theme, week 4 Day 3.To know what else is cooking under this, lets Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#58

Ingredients      

• Mayonnaise: 3 tablespoons (I used homemade mayonnaise)
• Potato: 1 no
• carrots: 1 no
• Peas: 2 tablespoons
• Apple: 1 small
• Tinned pineapple slice: 1 no
• Fresh cream:2 tablespoons
• Sugar: 1/2 teaspoon

 Method

• Make mayonnaise and keep it in the refrigerator to chill. 

• Peel, cut and cook all  the vegetables and let them cool. 

• Now cut the apple (cut it just before mixing to avoid discolouring of the apple)

• Take the cream in a bowl,add sugar and beat it slowly till it becomes thick (avoid over beating). Pour it into the bowl of mayonnaise and mix well.

• Now add the vegetables, chopped pineapple, apple to the mayonnaise and mix them well.

• Serve chilled with french bread or dinner rolls. 

P.S:  The quantity of vegetables and fruits  can be of your choice.

Mixed salad with toasted seeds and a mint dressing

   Last winter, my daughter's senior was to come home for lunch. She informed me at the last moment and I had very little time to prepare an elaborate menu. The good thing was that our kitchen garden was in full bloom at that time. So to add some colour to the table and a slightly filling side, I randomly threw available vegetables together. This was also the time when flaxseed was a new found obsession in our household, given its numerous health benefits. So I used it too. 

   The gentleman really liked the salad and so, even though I didnt pay much attention to details while I was creating the salad, I tried making it again a few times to create a more tasty and healthy snack/dish. The final outcome, which we all relished is the one I am sharing here. Fellow bloggers are putting up some gorgeous dishes on their blogs, all of which can be checked out at the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#58.

Ingredients:

• Cooked Rajma (red beans) : 2 tablespoons
• Shredded red & white cabbage: 1/4 cup
• Boiled & julienned beetroot:1/4 cup
• Chopped cucumber:1/4 cup
• Grated carrot:1/4 cup
• Coarsely ground flax seeds: 2 teaspoons
• Roasted, coarsely ground til / sesame  seeds: 1 teaspoon

Dressing

• Til (sesame) oil: 2 teaspoons
• Lime juice: 1 teaspoon
• Salt, pepper & oregano to taste
• mint leaves - 5 to 6 torn by hand

Method

• Prepare the dressing by whisking the  dressing ingredients together nicely.
• Put all the vegetables in a large bowl except the beetroot.
• Pour the dressing over the vegetables. Mix lightly. 
• Just before serving, add the beetroot, ground flax and til seeds to the vegetables. Give it a good toss.
• To garnish, you can sprinkle a few whole roasted til seeds on top. 
• Serve immediately. 

Couldnt resist adding another photo - it was a beautiful sunny winter afternoon here and setting this snack up in our little rose garden for pictures was the highlight of the day:)

Down memory lane : culinary hits and misses

      Russian Salad: the name instantly brings a smile on my face. Even now I laugh at myself for when I think back to my younger days. It was in 1982, still learning to cook. We were in Pune at that time. We used have 'cooking demo' in the ladies club. I attended one such meet where we were taught 'Russian Salad'. With full confidence in myself, armed with  printed paper (no laptop)  recipe and the drive to impress hubby dear, (it was only 3 yrs of marriage) I started making it. One of our very good family friends had dropped in that very day. I was very happy with the idea of showing off my newly acquired culinary skill to him also as he knew me from the time of my marriage and that I didn't know  much about cooking.

     Right at dinner time I told my hubby that I made continental dinner (I wanted to surprise him). Now I can imagine what must have gone through his mind at that time.  As I served the dinner, both men appeared kind of too surprised  to say anything about the food. I thought they were really enjoying it. After dinner, with a cup of coffee in hand as we all sat in the drawing room I anxiously asked them what they thought about my Russian Salad. My hubby reserved his comments for later, but our guest, a true well wisher, hinted politely choosing the words very carefully so as to not hurt me, that it was no where near what one called Russian Salad. I was devastated. But never mind, he said to encourage me, one day I will definitely make the Russian Salad.

     Years went by. In 1986, he happened to visit Delhi and we were also there (beauty of Army life,you keep meeting somewhere or other). Needless to say, we made him stay with us and I had an opportunity to show my improved culinary skills to him again. I once again subjected him to my surprise continental dinner, of course with Russian Salad. Again both men were quiet. But this time I was not at all jittery. And till today he can't stop praising the Russian Salad I made that night! 

     Writing about this has inspired me to share this recipe with everyone. I will do that in my next post.

Golden memories

Moong Sprout Salad

   After all the creamy and cheesy pastas, this simple yet healthy salad is a good change especially for people in their 50's like me. This particular salad is so tasty that my daughter who's otherwise not into sprouts at all, enjoyed it so much! So I thought of sharing it with all of you. In fact we did not even wait till mealtime to have this salad.  It can be served as evening snack as it is quite filling. I have used it as a filling for canopy with a little less dressing than what I've mentioned here. This salad is my entry to BM#58, week 4 Day 1 under 'salads'. Let's  Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#58 

Ingredients

• Moong sprout: 1 cup (Indian)
• Grated carrot: 1 no
• Deseeded, chopped tomato: 1 no
• Chopped cucumber: 1 small 
• Crumbled paneer: 2 tablespoons

Dressing

• Olive oil: 2 teaspoon
• Lime juice:1 teaspoon
• Salt:to taste
• Sugar: 1/4 teaspoon
• Chopped basil leaves: 3 nos

Method

• Pour just enough water to cover the sprouted moong, add a little salt and boil it for four to five minutes. Leave it aside to cool.
• Prepare the dressing by whisking all the dressing ingredients together.
• In a mixing bowl, add the cooked moong and the vegetables and the paneer. Pour the dressing over them. Give it a nice toss.
• Serve warm or cold as a side dish or as a sunday morning brunch.