Happy First Birthday

Because everyone has a birthday, I want to wish my Blog one too. Happy Birthday, PreeOccupied.

It was exactly a year ago when on a cold December day I took my camera, got some pictures clicking and posted here. It has been a long, relishing journey since then. No looking back and definitely no end to all my talking! And thankfully they haven't all been monologues.

A full year later, I sit back and feel privileged that I know  you. You show you care for the work I do by leaving your little note of appreciation and suggestion. Sometimes you correct me, other times you even come back and tell me you have tried one of my recipes, or just drop by to say a Hi. You make me feel I have achieved something precious. And then I hunger for more. And just then someone entrusts me with one their family recipes. It truly becomes my honor to not let you down.

At age one, I am just about beginning to crawl, wobble and reach out to so many of you who have become part of my everyday life. Not one, but hundreds of you who have shared and cared with me and continue to do so.

You make my everyday fun and something to look forward to. So please celebrate with me and have a slice of this trifle dessert I made to mark my first year of Blogging. You may get a teeny little share of it, but you know you have a big chunk of my heart already.

No birthday is complete without return gifts. And I hate flouting traditions. So I made this wannabe-Madhubani painting specially as a return gift for you.

Join my birthday party at PreeOccupied and share your views and opinions on improving my Blog space, recipe suggestions, or anything you think needs a facelift here.

Here is how you can have my maiden Madhubani painting!

• Follow this Blog (via Google Friend Connect or NetworkedBlogs)
• Like my page on Facebook, click on Suggest to Friends, and invite your friends on Facebook to join PreeOccupied
• Four comments per person will be allowed. Do not forget to leave your email and a separate comment for each entry
• Blog or Tweet about what you like about PreeOccupied
• This gift can be taken by anybody from anywhere in the world
• I will choose the person who takes this painting home through random.org at the end of day (EST) on January 15, 2011

Thank you all once again for being part of my journey of Blogging. I look forward to another year of cooking adventures with you all.

Lots of love.

Affectionately yours,

Pree.

P.S. Here is how I made the Trifle following Jamie’s recipe.

Happy Birthday, Hubby!

Soccer and BBC are two of his favorite things. I chose to make for him Chingri Maacher Malaikari and Ras Malai, his second set of favorites. Funny, how both dishes have the word “malai” in common.

And I served them in the bowls I made at Pottery School.

P has a bit of a sweet tooth, but he doesn’t admit it. But each time he digs into a bowl of Ras Malai, he reveals himself completely.

When he is in India, my husband can be seen frequently at Haldiram’s, completely surrendering himself to the charms of their Ras Malai. The creamy cheese dumplings floating in a sea of thick, creamy sauce of milk, saffron and pistachios. What man can resist such temptations. P does not even complain about calories then.

Another thing his knees go jelly about is Chingri Maacher Malaikari. Not only can he eat this Bengali classic anytime of the day, he can also cook it with equal aplomb.

The silky-satin texture of the coconut-based Shrimp Curry is worth missing a thousand meals in the restaurant on the eve of his birthday, he says. And I was only too obliging to my birthday boy!

Happy Birthday, Hubby!

This boy is my man, and that girl is his wife who did not get him a cake or a greeting card, just made him his homemade favorites for his birthday.