Sugar And Spice... Among Other Things

Delicious, Simplified

Posted on January 28, 2020January 28, 2020 by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

“Kindly send 100gms of cereal preferably rice krispies, corn flakes or cocoa pops along with snack meal for tomorrow”.
(Note from the class teacher in the kindergarten diary)

Enrolling my toddler in kindergarten resulted in all of us learning a couple of things along the way. First thing was that we all experienced school again. From getting the paper cuttings of fishes for the “ocean project” to helping him gather stones, twigs and leaves for the “village project” to sending specific things (like rice crispies, cut vegetables, diced fruits) for the home science project; we parents got into the school mode as well. Second important fact, for which it was greatly appreciated was that home science especially involving ingredients, basic mixing and appreciating cooking in general saw no gender specification. In fact there was no “it’s a girl stuff” or “it’s a boy stuff” classification. Children loved to learn and all this was a part of their experimentation.

Source:https://vk.com/thesemagicmoments

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Coming back to the initial note, the trip back home involved detailed description of their chocolate treats. Known as chocolate crackles (or choclate bubble cakes in certain areas), this popular confection had originated from Australian and New Zealand schools, especially for school fetes and birthday parties (Australian Women’s Weekly, December 1937). Predominantly these are one of the few recipes, not requiring an oven, baking or any tough steps, especially when meant as an activity for young children.

With the basic ingredients of cereal (rice bubble, rice krispies, cocoa pops, corn flakes or crispy fried noodles), vegetable shortening, icing sugar, cocoa and desiccated coconut. First the hydrogenated oil is melted and then combined with the dry ingredients. This mixture is then split into portions, either placed in cupcake pans (within cupcake papas or just as is) and made to set in the refrigerator. The hydrogenated oil re-sets to give each cake its form without baking. To add a little zing to the simple recipe, variations include addition of raisins, chocolate chips, mini-marshmallows or peanut butter. Substitutions for hydrogenated oil include melted chocolate or non-hydrogenated coconut oil.

As these simple recipes comes to life during school hours, recreating those moments, adding new recipes and photographing them creates a memorable album for the rainy days as these young minds mature into the adults in the future.

Source:https://vk.com/thesemagicmoments

Source:https://cakeoversteak.com/salted-caramel-chocolate-crackles/

Source:https://tags.news.com.au/prod/newskey/generator.html?origin=https%3a%2f%2fwww.taste.com.au%2frecipes%2fdouble-decker-chocolate-crackles%2f497aa4e5-8529-4cc1-b35d-26b6d1d80db6&15801754071282926495

Source:https://vk.com/slideshowarts

Source:https://tags.news.com.au/prod/newskey/generator.html?origin=https%3a%2f%2fwww.kidspot.com.au%2fkitchen%2frecipes%2fchocolate-crackles-recipe%2fuhsl6qve&1580175292129693730

Family and Society, Life, Personal Musings, poetry

Beyond the Logic

Posted on January 27, 2020December 21, 2019 by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

Drawing up plans for constructing a new house, my maternal cousins had asked for an appointment for the leading architect in the city to draw up their plans. Imagine their surprise post-consultation, that there was a common element of family connections. As they had dropped in for dinner with their plans, in the due course of discussion, their architect was one of my distant paternal cousins who had decided to break from the family business to follow his dream. Recalling the earlier days, we both had attended the same high school and his passion for art and drawing was simply amazing. On choosing the main subjects for college, it took plenty of inner strength and courage to go away from the regular choices and plan a new path.

“Don’t be pushed around by the fears in your mind. Be led by the dreams in your heart.” Roy T. Bennett

Source:https://vk.com/public75290000

Each of us may have seen similar episodes or events in our lives. From the days of high school to the present day, there will those among us who decide to pursue their dream. Each of us, too may had similar dreams but were held back by the voices either in our head, or echoing around us. Those who go against those voices may reach their dream eventually, either now or later. As for the others, there may be a sense of regrets that may follow. And worse of all, the guilt of “not trying” and “missed chances” makes things difficult all round.

“There will be a few times in your life when all your instincts will tell you to do something, something that defies logic, upsets your plans, and may seem crazy to others. When that happens, you do it. Listen to your instincts and ignore everything else. Ignore logic, ignore the odds, ignore the complications, and just go for it.” Judith McNaught

Unless one tries, one will never know. While the odds mayn’t be in own favour the first time round, keep the drive and inner will. For one day, we will reach the skies in the dreams that we hold true to ourselves. The choice to follow the inner dream lies within. Barring aside the logic, possibilities or probabilities, the most important and main factor is the choice to try. On looking back, that alone makes the biggest difference in all.

Source:https://vk.com/public75290000

Source:https://vk.com/public138314547

Source:https://vk.com/public75290000

Rise Above The Crowd
by Anonymous
The world is full of people,
content to be what they are
Who never know the joy of success;
they lack the will to go that far.

Yet in this world there is a need,
for some to lead the rest
To rise above the average life,
by giving of their best.

Are you the one who dares,
to try when challenged by the task
To rise to heights you’ve never dreamed,
Or is that too much to ask?

This can be your year,
for great purpose to achieve
If you accept the challenge,
and in yourself believe.

Source:https://vk.com/slideshowarts

Source:https://vk.com/slideshowarts

Christian, Life, Personal Musings, poetry, Reflections

Around the Light

Posted on January 26, 2020November 13, 2019 by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

Watching the insects of the night flit around the porch lights had kept the toddlers occupied in the late evening. With a sudden power outage their curiosity grew as they watched the same happen with the candle. The run towards the light and the backing away once when one gets too close to the source. The constant movement keeps the interest of the keen observers alive. What resonates through the mind while being an avid spectator of the scene is the similarity with John Bunyan’s “The fly at the Candle”. Are we like the fly that gets burned by the glory of the World or is the light source that akin to the Words of the Gospel.

“Long is the way and hard, that out of Hell leads up to light.” John Milton (in Paradise Lost)

Source:https://vk.com/thesemagicmoments

As one runs over the pages, the light can always be of the good kind or the bad type. Like the porch lights that offer the attraction of the light but cause no injury to the little insects as they land on them, the light doesn’t harm but offer light through the darkness. While the candle, if one gets too close can burn when directions and steadiness is at fault. While Bunyan had focused on the candle as the Gospel had brought shame to those who lived far from His Words, what resonates through the thoughts is that “light” is always of many types.

One is surrounded by the bright lifts, dim ones, gray ones and coloured ones. Each of them have their own view changing points and features. Each light has their own appeal, aura and wonders around it. Discernment is what brings one to focus in the right kind of light. Add to it, own perception, conscience and innate principles; the beauty of the light can be experienced at the best. Light indeed dispels the darkness. But the point is to see that this light benefits one to live the gift of the life as per His Will, the right principles and own contentment as well as happiness; for that is where the difference between the darkness around or within is dealt by the light.

“Happiness is always there. You just have to choose to see it. There’s no point dwelling in the dark and ignoring the light of the stars.” Carrie Hope Fletcher

Source:https://vk.com/monahos

Source:https://vk.com/thesemagicmoments

The Fly at the Candle

What ails this fly thus desperately to enter
A combat with the candle? Will she venture
To clash at light? Away, thou silly fly;
Thus doing thou wilt burn thy wings and die.
But ’tis a folly her advice to give,
She’ll kill the candle, or she will not live.
Slap, says she, at it; then she makes retreat,
So wheels about, and doth her blows repeat.
Nor doth the candle let her quite escape,
But gives some little check unto the ape:
Throws up her heels it doth, so down she falls,
Where she lies sprawling, and for succour calls.
When she recovers, up she gets again,
And at the candle comes with might and main,
But now behold, the candle takes the fly,
And holds her, till she doth by burning die.

Comparison.

This candle is an emblem of that light
Our gospel gives in this our darksome night.
The fly a lively picture is of those
That hate and do this gospel light oppose.
At last the gospel doth become their snare,
Doth them with burning hands in pieces tear.

– John Bunyan

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Source:https://vk.com/monahos

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Source:https://vk.com/monahos

Food, Stories Around the World

Nuts, Caramel and Snack

Posted on January 25, 2020January 25, 2020 by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

Nearing the end of the first month of the 2020s, the constant battle between sugar cravings, snacking and healthy leads one to explore alternative options. Keeping the sugar, sodium and fats intake to a limit isn’t always an easy task. As for all those health snacks, keeping the hidden sugars in the range is always the catch. Exploring the healthy snack recipes, adding a little sugar to the nuts makes the traditional brittle a healthy snack, especially for the cold hungry wintry evenings.

One of the earliest confectionery types, brittle is essentially flat broken pieces of hard sugar candy embedded with pecans, almonds or peanuts, or simply a mixed range of nuts. Depending on the local availability, the mix can be of walnuts, pistachios (Middle Eastern) or even sesame seeds. While peanut brittle still stays high on the radar, variations and mixes are a local delight. To name a few variations include the French croquant, Greek pasteli, Punjabi chikki or Indian gachak, Chinese Huasheng tang to name a few.

“An Excellent Receipt for Groundnut Candy
To one quart or molasses add half a pint of brown sugar and a quarter of a pound of butter; boil it for half an hour over a slow fire; then put in a quart of groundnuts, parched and shelled; boil for a quarter of an hour, and then pour it into a shallow tin pan to harden.” —The Carolina Housewife, Sarah Rutledge, facsimile copy 1847 edition, with an introduction by Anna Wells Rutledge [University of South Carolina Press:Columbia] 1979 (p. 219) (1847)

Source:https://food52.com/recipes/31826-peanut-brittle-without-a-thermometer?

Source:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chikki#/media/File:Chikki_assortment.jpg

Source: https://www.bakepedia.com/croquant-damandes/

Most of the traditional recipes calls for first caramelizing the sugar, corn syrup or honey and then the nuts are mixed with the caramelized sugar with the spices or leavening agents added last. While some result in a liquid like consistency which is poured out and troweled to uniform thickness; other recipes may have a grainy consistency of which the brittle is then prepared into tiny balls. When the brittle is cooled, it can be had as tiny bite sized snacks.

An interesting variation is the Paraguayan “Ka’í Ladrillo”, a typical dessert made mainly with peanuts and molasses. This high protein snack needs toasted peanuts and molasses. Few varieties include a tinge of sour orange or grapefruit juice to give a bittersweet taste to diminish the excessive sweetness.

Keeping the sugar and fat content in sights, sometimes modifying the good old traditional mixes gives an easy, pack-able as well as feasible options. For life in bite-sized portions saves for some memorable experiences.

“Peanut Brittle I
Sugar, 2 cups
Water, 2/3 cup
Cream of tartar, 1/4 teaspoon
Molasses, 2 tablespoons
Salt, 1/2 teaspoon
Cream, 2 tablspoons
Baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon
Peanuts, shelled, 1 cup
Combine sugar, water and cream of tartar in a heavy saucepan. Plce over low heat and stir until sugar is dissolved; cook without stirring to 280 degrees F. (brittle). Wipe down crystals from sides of pan with a damp cloth wrapped around the tines of a fork. Add molasses, salt and cream. Cook slwoly to 290 degrees F., stirring slowly but constantly. Remove from stove. Quickly stir in soda and peanuts. (Be sure that soda is free from lumps. Pour onto an oiled surface–a shallow pan or marble slab–in a very thin layer. When cool enough to handle, the brittle may be grasped at the edges and stretched into a very thin sheet. When cold break into medium-sized pieces. Note: If peanuts are raw, add a sirup at 250 degrees F. instead of at the end. Makes about 1 pound.”
—Woman’s Home Companion Cook Book [P.F. Collier & Son:New York] 1942 (p. 788-789) [NOTE: Peanut Brittle II consists of sugar, baking soda and peanuts only. This book also offers recipes for coconut brittle, Chocolate-Nut Brittle and Bran-Nut Brittle.]

Source: https://www.tablespoon.com/courses/dessert/bar

Source: https://vk.com/slideshowarts

Source:ttps://www.tablespoon.com/courses/dessert/bar hSourcE: https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/croquant

Sourcce:https://www.tembiuparaguay.com/recetas/kai-ladrillo/

Source:https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/peanut-brittle/

Daily, Family and Society, Personal Musings, poetry, Quotes, Reflections, Work

Strain of the Indisposition

Posted on January 24, 2020October 2, 2019 by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

On the days when the work schedule drags, the events then on tend to go on in a discordant manner. Eventually on reaching home, with the usual things not done like dinner late, homework hours not supervised and the like; the entire mood sours down and the evenings end on an unhappy or dissatisfied note. While journalling such days and reading them later on, at times it’s how one learns to behave when things go beyond the expectation (especially when in a negative manner) that makes the biggest difference in the long run.

“The greatest joys of life are happy memories. Your job is to create as many of them as possible.” Brian Tracy

Source:https://vk.com/thesemagicmoments

Emotional infection is a deadly thing. A chain effect triggered by it can have far reaching consequences; avoidable, unnecessary with a significant negative impact, spoiling relationships and makes the daily hours unpleasant, of discontent as well as unhappy. As the scales of the balance go awry, the urge to initiate the “blame game” and point fingers start soon, as compared to making efforts to try and reschedule to get back on track. Guarantee for everything or anything never exists in reality. There is always a chance of a miss or an error present even in the best laid plans, schedules or goals. When one lets their emotions fly unchecked, the consequences can go deadly and far reaching, be it on the professional, personal or domestic front. To keep the inner peace best within, learning how to handle the unexpected is necessary skill. Though this may take time and plenty of effort, they are all worth when the impact is taken into account. For words and memories have a far lasting effect, than targets or achievements as scored on paper.

“I am convinced that the greatest legacy we can leave our children are happy memories: those precious moments so much like pebbles on the beach that are plucked from the white sand and placed in tiny boxes that lay undisturbed on tall shelves until one day they spill out and time repeats itself, with joy and sweet sadness, in the child now an adult.” Og Mandino

Source:https://vk.com/thesemagicmoments

No matter how many precautionary measures one may take; when things go haywire, take a quick breathe and continue on. The art of learning to manage any curve-ball lies in the way we behave to these sudden turns. Instead of fretting and getting dejected on the “why me, why now” aspect, settling and finding effective be it temporary or permanent solutions may help make the days (or evenings) end better. More than achievements, goals or occasions, what stays etched in the mind are “feelings”. The feeling of calm and happiness in the children as their parents return from work, the approach that another person feels or learns as the crisis period is sorted and the cumulative efforts taken to settle any environment are just few of the better emotional memories that linger and stay on as the years pass through.

“I’d like the memory of me
to be a happy one.
I’d like to leave an afterglow
of smiles when life is done.
I’d like to leave an echo
whispering softly down the ways,
Of happy times and laughing times
and bright and sunny days.
I’d like the tears of those who grieve,
to dry before the sun
of happy memories
that I leave when life is done.”
Helen Lowrie Marshall

Source:https://vk.com/we_live_a

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Source:https://vk.com/thesemagicmoments

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Christian, Daily, Life, Personal Musings, Reflections

Shelter when Lost

Posted on January 23, 2020October 13, 2019 by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

While going for a walk with a rambunctious pet, getting caught in the wet fury of the nature and her elements was an unplanned and unprecedented event. Scrambling for a cover, it was a blessing to find the shelter in the barn. As the flashes of lightning began and the pounding of the rain increased in full measure; while the fortunate ones may have escaped the fury by Providence or His Grace, the reality that there may be many others who had been caught unawares would be drenched and soaked by now makes one feel blessed in the present circumstances.

“When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by.” (Exodus 33:22)

Source:https://vk.com/thesemagicmoements

Source:https://vk.com/public75290000

Source:https://vk.com/public138314547

Every now and then, in our lives, one may reach certain points or stand stills wherein the tempest roars strong crushing the spirit both in the physical, mental and emotional sense. In those moments, all one longs is a brief respite, a form of shelter to regroup and regain the inner strength. That respite is found when under His Shelter. As experienced by the wayfarers, the gift of peace and shelter in His Wings had no precedent or parallel.

Echoing the opening lines of the hymn “Rock of Ages,” with its opening lines, “Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee ”; the saving grace and mercy of God is such that His Presence will be with each one of us, helping us find refuge in Him at all times and on all occasions. As we experience and battle the unexpected furor or unprecedented upheavals, seeking the shelter of a temporary respite in His Hands helps us find our way back home.

Source:Source:https://vk.com/public75290000

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Life, Personal Musings, Reflections

Roads that Curve

Posted on January 22, 2020November 7, 2019 by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

While visiting university friends who had relocated to another city, getting to the city wasn’t an issue but finding their residence was. With Google giving directions, the traffic being routed by the city police and previously gotten directions, we eventually got there but it was an enlightening experience.

Source:https://vk.com/thesemagicmoments

The entire journey reminds one of how similar our lives get to be. As one goes through the days, there would be plenty of instructions, chaotic thoughts, previous knowledge, creative ideas and misled information to sort through before nightfall or the eventual end. Amidst all the hullabaloo, to take control or discernment of the right isn’t easy.

“A highly developed values system is like a compass. It serves as a guide to point you in the right direction when you are lost.” Idowu Koyenikan

While on some days, following set instructions maybe easy other days it isn’t as direct. Along the process one makes plenty of errors, experience more downhills than uphills and redefine own understanding. Amidst all this chaos one learns to direct the self with the help of inner values, instincts, conscience, humaneness and Faith. These are few of the many factors that take the lead in finding a way out through the pandemonium thoughts and situations. Letting them all lead in solo may’t help us, but together, the mayhem settles and the terminus maybe in sight.

“Your beliefs become your thoughts,
Your thoughts become your words,
Your words become your actions,
Your actions become your habits,
Your habits become your values,
Your values become your destiny.”
― Gandhi