Couple of weeks ago, thanks to foodie blogroll, I won an offer to create my own chocolates from Chocri and I shared the information in this post. We(Me, N, our friends JS and PM) had a really good time creating these chocolates. We thought of all sorts of combinations and added the ingredients you will never think of putting in a chocolate (well if it is going to be custom made, make the combos that are not available anywhere!!)

One fine day, we made up our minds and gave the final nod for the creators to make’em. This weekend, we got the chocolates, all wrapped up delicately in an cooler box(ice box) flown in from Germany! They were delivered on time as promised as well.

We had a really good time tasting them, and the quality of the ingredients were so good that the chocolate literally melted in the mouth. Our chocolate was a combination of chili, lemon chocolate drops, cookie bits, nuts including hazelnuts, peanuts,sunflower seeds, orange pieces, organic camomile with white and milk chocolate as the base

We shared it with our friends over the weekend Lunch and the best part was the ground chili, it hits you the last minute after letting you enjoy all the flavors and just before swallowing it “Boom” pops the chili

I still have couple of more chocolate creations left to do, will share them as we make them..

Interested people can check out Chocri website, it is totally worth it, either for yourself or for a memorable gift.

Last year, just as we were gearing up for the new year celebrations and I was cooking for the recipe marathon, Oraphan had a cookbook contest. I participated in it and though I did not win the Deborah Madison cookbook, I won a prize, a cute box of kitchen sticky notes.

I got the gift this week from Oraphan. They are really useful and handy. Thanks Oraphan. Now you know I will think of you atleast once a day

Garden Update:

Yes, even in this weather. This time I am showing off cauliflowers. They are so cute like a button and as white and firm as they can be. I am thinking of making Aloo Gobi with it. Any other ideas?

If you are wondering why is there a bottle beneath the plant, they are my simple aqua globes. I thought why spend so much to buy something similar to a water bottle, instead I made a hole in a used water bottle and use it to feed my little babies when I am not in town (apart from the sprinklers). We were expecting snow this week in Texas but luckily it did not snow. I am waiting for spring to plant Okras, we almost harvested it every other day last year. That’s all for today, I am already having a wrist pain by constantly checking out blogs and before I lose the eye sight, I think I should call it a day.

Updated Info:

My family had a farm back home in India, from rice to cereals to fresh milk from cows to veggies, I had the best organic food one can get. So, naturally I love growing vegetables and I don’t even bother buying a book to read about it, to be honest, I dont even read the instructions on the back of a seed pack. Before I plant the seeds, I make sure to pump up the land by adding some kitchen wastes (skins of vegetables, rotten veggies) and mix it well. Then I just plant the seeds and within a week-10 days they come out to day Hi

Now if you live in Texas the weather will be so hot during summer and the more you water the more the grass dries up and water bill just triples. At first when we got the house, we did not install a sprinkler system. So to water my plants when I am away, I checked out options and I saw an ad for aqua globes. They look like a crooked jar with a wide base and a small mouth which allows the water to escape by drops.

If inserted near the plant, when the soil dries out, it creates a suction and the water moves from the gadget to the soil. It is as simple as that, and I took the principle and applied with water bottles. Just make a small hole in the lid, fill up the bottle with water, fit the lid, dig a place closer to the roots of the plant and in one quick move, insert the bottle vertically and support it with soil. It will look like a inverted tower (They actually look cute like a bottle with a baby). It works well for a week, and so many times I have found the bottle to be 3/4th empty when I come back with the plants looking fresh as always.

A dozen birds in one stone: save water, feed the plants, no worry about water bill, and use the plastic bottles for something good.

You guys know I love to eat chocolates and cakes and write about it too. When I was browsing the Foodie Blogroll, I saw some amazing offer for chocolates, custom made! I commented on it and was dreaming about what all combinations I can make if I got such an opportunity.

This morning as I was struggling with a tension filled issue and just checked mail, I was shocked for a minute. Sweet shock that is. I have been chosen as the winner of a Gift Certificate for Chocri – Custom Chocolate Bars.

I checked twice to make sure that it was true, and if it was my blog and now I am sharing the win with you all. Thanks Foodie Blogroll!

You can check out the details here.

What a enjoyable way to end a irritating week! Yipeeeee!!!!!!!