Some 2014 Updates, A Time To Recalibrate And A Guaranteed Winner Recipe

Dates that come around every year help us measure progress in our lives. One annual event, New Year's Day, is a time of reflection and resolution.

Joseph B. Wirthlin

Happy New Year Folks !

Inarguably, one of the most hyped terms associated with new years is the "New Year Resolution".

More often than not, don’t they end up being broken before the end of the first month of the year?

Then why do we make them in the first place?

Few people are brave enough and do not need a particular day or a year to make tough decisions, start over or break bad habits. But several others including myself need an additional shove in the pretext of a new year resolution.

So when procrastination has become your daily routine and if you have been unable to kick off that new hobby or make that much needed lifestyle change, new years can possibly become the best excuse to introspect on the year that has gone by, learn from your mistakes, reset your clock and start off on a clean slate.

If you ask me, I can contentedly declare that 2014 was one of the best, eventful and fulfilling years of my life. I would like to express gratitude to the Almighty for showering me with blessings in my life especially during the last year be it personally, professionally, emotionally and if I may dare say creatively.  2014 left me with fond memories of beautiful times with family, a chance to build closer bonds with both mine and my husband’s families and awing us with the miracle of life.

Key updates of 2014

· We were blessed with the birth of our baby girl- “Gargi”.

· I was recognized at work with a keenly awaited promotion.

· I was fortunate to see my first ever article in print in a local circulated magazine,Society. Here  

  is the link to the article and can be found on pg 40.

And for the upcoming year, who's stopping you to reach for the stars? Isn’t it only you and your willingness to say YES. With almost two weeks into the new year and the end of the holiday season, there is no time like the present to start afresh. The key is keeping things simple, realistic and achievable. Could be any of those top ten things that you have been intending to do since eternity but never got around to in reality. It can be as uncomplicated as reading some quality books in 2015/ learning a new language/ visiting a dream holiday destination stretching up to giving up smoking or exercising regularly or saving up much more.

Next question, how do I ensure to sustain myself through this? With the advent of multiple social media platforms, it has never been easier sharing around your bucket list. This can used as an opportunity to tick mark off those items in your list while reminding you about the eyes watching you. You could even post a monthly/quarterly update on your progress.

Wouldn’t you want to feel that sense of achievement on seeing that check marked list at the end of the year? Not to mention the experience you have gained from doing them and realizing how you have been able to push your limits farther than you had even imagined.

My 2015 Bucket list

1.  Read 12 books

2.  Learn basic spoken and written Arabic

3.  Learn how to use the DSLR camera and click decent photographs

4.  Complete part I of a financial course I registered for last year

5.  Learn cake decorating using fondant

6.  Experiment authentic recipes from 12 different cuisines and record those experiences

7.  Cook atleast 3 recipes from each of the cookbooks I own

So what's yours?

Signing off by wishing you a very happy new year once again filled with happiness, good health and achievements! And a stunner and fail-safe recipe that is sure to win souls and hearts of those who taste it. We absolutely loved itttttttt and that would be an understatement. The only downside being that I cannot make it as often as I would want due to the richness this dish comes with.

CHICKEN , MUSHROOM AND SUN-DRIED TOMATO QUICHE

 (Completely adapted from Maria’s menu with a few personal touches)

Have only mentioned what I did different:

·  For the filling, I used two boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approx 200-250gms). I pressure cooked them with salt and pepper for about 20-25 minutes. First leave it on high and once the steam appears, reduce the flame to medium-medium low and further allowed it to cook for about 15-20 mins so that chicken gets cooked till tender. Shred the cooled chicken breast using a fork or hand and the stock can be reserved for making soups/pasta etc.

·  Also added 4-5 chopped sun dried tomatoes to the cooked onion and mushroom mixture. After adding the above mentioned chicken, gave the mix a stir and added ½ tsp each of oregano and thyme. Don’t be tempted to add more of the herbs.

·  For the pastry, I did a blind-bake at 180C for 10-12 mins by covering the base with a parchment paper and adding some red kidney beans as weight. Post which, added the filling and the egg-milk custard and further baked for 30 mins. Also broiled the quiche in the end at 200 C for 2 mins to get the deep golden colour.