It is mid-May. Our friends in the plains share their woes about the rising temperature. We are fortunate to be in the hills. It is warm, vivid and green. Full of summer fruits and flowers and frolicking birds. Yesterday, it was bright. It was breezy and by mid-afternoon clouds appeared and started moving, rolling and rearranging themselves in fascinating and sometimes grotesque patterns on the blue canvass. Winds roared and howled and thunderclap deafened the world. The drama ended in the rain sprinkling on the grass, in the garden, and in the valley. The shower was soothing, the gust of cool air delighting, petrichor so intoxicating and elevating the senses to another level. There is something magical about rain. It nourishes the Earth and also the soul.


We sat in our verandah, soaking in the beauty and freshness that comes after a good downpour. We spotted a pair of Brahminy Starling perched in the lower branches of the Yellow Trumpet tree.
The evening was windy and cold. We enjoyed steaming tea with Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Brownies.


Peanut butter was homemade. Living in a small place has its own limitations. We do not get cream cheese in the stores here. We made cream cheese at home. If you wish to make cream cheese at home, follow my recipe given at the end of the post.


It was a pleasure to bake whole grain brownie. We loved the gooey chocolaty Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Brownies.

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Brownies

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Layer

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup Cream Cheese
  • ½ cup creamy peanut butter
  • ½ cup honey
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 egg

Brownie Base

  • ¾ cup whole wheat flour
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder
  • ¼ cup butter softened
  • 2/3 cup sugar powdered
  • ¼ cup thick yogurt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 egg

 Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.
  2. Grease and line one 8x8 inch square cake pan.
  3. In a large bowl, take cream cheese, peanut butter, honey, vanilla extract and salt. Blend well to get a smooth and uniform mixture. Add egg and blend. Keep aside.
  4. To prepare brownie base, whisk together whole wheat flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt.
  5. In another bowl, beat butter and sugar. Add yogurt and vanilla extract and mix well. Add egg and mix till well blended.
  6. Mix dry and liquid ingredients of brownie base till combined.
  7. Spread brownie batter in the pan. Level with a spoon.
  8. Pour peanut butter cream cheese layer on top of the brownie base and spread evenly with the back of a spoon. Level the top.
  9. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. The center should be firm to touch.
  10. Remove from the oven and cool. Refrigerate for 4 to 5 hours.
  11. Slice and serve.


In case if you want to make cream cheese at home, here is my recipe

Homemade Cream Cheese

Ingredients

  • 250 grams Paneer (cottage cheese)
  • ½ cup fresh thick curd

Instructions

  1. Dice cottage cheese into small pieces. Blend to a smooth paste. Add curd. Blend again till you get a creamy mixture.
  2. Line a strainer with a cheesecloth. Place it on a wide-mouthed bowl. Empty the mixture into the lined strainer.
  3. Bring the edges of the cheesecloth together. Tie a knot. Cover and keep it in the refrigerator for about 24 hours.
  4. Discard the water collected in the bowl. Transfer cream cheese to a container and use.






An early morning walk is refreshing and rejuvenating. A sense of accomplishment and happiness pervades when you leave the comfy bed and venture out into the nippy morning air to start the day on a healthy note. The wind rustles the trees.  The dead leaves fall on the road. The East transforms from a mild pink to fiery Orange and soon the Sun peeps out to wake up the tired sleepers.
The morning offers a variety of scenery that makes the walk worthwhile. It makes you appreciate the simple things in life a lot more.


 A group of Plum-headed Parakeets alighted on a Surai plant to feed on the berries.

A glass of hot tea post walk is an elixir. We love to drink tea from tall steel glasses. We wrap our hands around the glasses and enjoy the warmth. No fancy cup can give this pleasure. Early morning is also the time to mull over and plan the day. A list of mundane tasks comes to the mind. A daily routine may appear utterly banal, but this is essential for existence.  A list is made and a visit to a grocer is on the top. We plan to make Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups later in the day. We have a jar of homemade peanut butter. We just need to buy chocolates.


The combination of dark chocolate and peanut butter is simply divine. To die for dessert for those who love chocolates and peanut butter.



 Imagine a delicious meal ending with heavenly peanut butter cups. You will love to bite into them at any time of the day!


Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Ingredients

  • 150 grams bitter chocolate
  • 150 grams dark Chocolate
  • 80 grams milk chocolate
  • ½ cup peanut butter
  • A pinch of salt
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter | Coconut oil (vegan option)


 Instructions

  1. Line one standard 12- cup muffin tray with paper liners.
  2. Break chocolate slabs into small pieces.
  3. Measure and melt half of the chocolate in a double boiler.
  4. If you do not have a double boiler, take a heat safe bowl. Add chocolate pieces. Take a wok. Fill half of it with water. Place the bowl in the wok and turn on the heat. Bring water to a boil and let the chocolate melt.
  5. After about 30 seconds, stir for about two minutes to get a smooth texture.
  6. With the help of a spoon, pour and distribute melted chocolate evenly into each cup. Level the top by gently thumping the pan on the counter.
  7. Place the tray in the freezer for 15 minutes.
  8. Meanwhile, take peanut butter in a bowl. Add salt and melted butter. Whip with an electric hand mixer until smooth. You may also do the same with a ladle.
  9. Remove muffin tray from the freezer.
  10. Add peanut butter layer with the help of a spoon. Distribute the mixture evenly in the pans. Level the top by thumping the tray gently on the counter.
  11. Place the tray in the freezer for 15 minutes.
  12. Place the remaining chocolate in the double boiler. Melt for 30 seconds and stir to get a uniform texture.
  13. Remove muffin tray from the freezer and add melted chocolate with a spoon distributing evenly in the pans. Level the top. Put the tray back into the freezer for 15 minutes.
  14. Remove the paper liners.
  15. Serve chilled for a firmer texture. Serve at room temperature for a creamy texture.






It was a pleasant evening. It was breezy and the clouds were drifting in the sky. Soon, everything changed and the breeze sounded angry and large gathering of clouds began to change colour. The wind howled and the sky became a scary gray. There was a fierce storm. We could see leaves, papers and a lot of things flying helter-skelter.  The branches creaked and cracked and fell. The wires snapped and storm assumed monstrous proportions. Soon the rain was drumming on the window panes and on the terrace. The wall of rain moved from one end to the other. Nature displayed its fury and strength and also the puniness of the man.

The morning was beautiful. 


A Purple Sunbird flitted on the branches of the yellow trumpet.

The skies were clear and calm as though the storm never occurred. The only evidence was broken branches and uprooted trees. The storm also damaged the fruits. Late morning was spent in collecting the raw mangoes that were strewn on the ground in large numbers.

Every storm in summer leaves us with raw mangoes. Raw mango preserve or murraba is made in every household and is very popular in north India. We all have our own versions. Some add cardamom, some love with saffron and we love with heeng (Asafoetida ) and fennel seeds. It will pep up the meal and is a great accompaniment to parantha and toast.


Raw Mango Preserve | Aam Ka Murabba (Vegan)

Ingredients

  • 7-8 medium size raw green mangoes
  • Sugar (as required)
  • 1 teaspoon Asafoetida (heeng)
  • 2 teaspoon Fennel Seeds (saunf)
  • ½  pinch salt per one cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Oil


Instructions


  1. Wash and wipe dry mangoes.
  2. Peel the mangoes
  3. Grate the mangoes. Discard the seeds
  4. Take a steel wok. Measure the grated mangoes using a cup. For every cup of the grated mangoes, add one cup sugar.
  5. Add salt. Mix with a spoon. Cover and keep for 3-4 hours. Sugar will dissolve and release a lot of juice.
  6. Cook on medium heat stirring continuously. By the end of cooking, the colour of the preserve should become golden and it should become thick and coat the ladle. It should be almost jam-like in consistency.
  7. Turn off the heat. Leave to cool.
  8. Heat oil, add asafoetida. Add this tempering to the preserve.
  9. Roast fennel seeds lightly. Cool. Grind coarsely. Add to the preserve.
  10. Store in a sterilized jar.



  


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