17th Birthday Celebrations 2016 - Simple ways to Celebrate

 If you have been following me on Instagram (which you can do here), it was my birthday last month and I have finally had time to get this post up.

 

I had a great week (because if your anything like me you would take advantage of the fact that your birthday only happens once a year and celebrate it for the whole week because you can) - which mostly consisted of cake, food and chocolate!

 

Sometimes I am lost for ideas on how to celebrate birthdays but I've learnt that sometimes keeping it simple it the best option.

 

So what are the ways  that you can celebrate turning 17?

 

- Go out with friends for a cheeking Nandos - I recommend you going for the Churrasco Thigh Burger which is a chicken burger with cheddar cheese, coleslaw (I thought it was weird but it taste pretty good) and salad. I added extra avocado and I can tell you now it was the most satisfying meal with a portion of Piri Piri salted chips

 

- Celebrate with Wilton's Cake - In my area Wilton's is a baker renowned for its cakes and sweet treats. I got the half milk, half white chocolate cake which was very rich, amazing quality and perfect for all you sweet toothed girls and boys out there

 

- Take your first driving lesson - If you haven't started driving yet you really ought to. My family booked me a 2 hr lesson as a surprise on my birthday, I was a little nervous but it was so lovely to have a drive around on a sunny Sunday morning.

 

- See friends you haven't seen in a while because you realise how much you miss them and it makes your day a  whole lot better

 

- Dance - You heard me, just shut your self in your room, put on your earphones and let it all out if your not having a party ( there are so many birthday songs to choose from and they are all made for your special day)

 

- Watch a  comedy / your favourite movie - It is great to have a laugh around the television with your family in the evening

 

- Be grateful - An amazing day can pass just like that but if your grateful for every minute of it, you will remember and cherish your birthday with all the great people around you more than if you just let it pass and complain that you have not been doing anything exciting

 

Let me know what special things that you like to do on your birthday. Does your mum have a special recipes she likes to bang out for everyone or have you had any surprises that have particularly blown your mind?

 

Priyanka xx

Mother's Day 2016 : How Can You Change Your Mother's Daily Life?

Mother's Day is usually spent buying flowers, making breakfast (which must include tea for my mother), writing last minute hand made cards, eating out and many hugs and kisses.

 

This year was no different except that I ate 50% of the chocolate cake I made for my mum, we ate at a family friend's house and I didn't really buy her a worthwhile present. Strange as it seems, I have to admit that I haven't put in enough effort towards my mum simply on the daily basis. For example, she always screams at us for being 'dirty' and not cleaning my own mess etc. but I turn a blind eye to the tantrums she hits us with every single day.

 

How am I going to make a change?

 

As tough as my mood my be and as persistently nonchalant I can be I am going to start making a difference my the sake of my mother's stress and my own (from listening to her whine).

 

I will start to:

- Wash my own tea cups

-Wake up early enough so that we are not late for the bus (that she drives my sister and I to every morning)

-Wipe around the sink so less/no mess is left behind

- Start making an effort to clean my bathroom

- Keep my bedroom clear (to also to transform my space into somewhere I can concentrate and work)

- Do small meaningful things that I might think of to make my mum happier

 

This little target does not mean I have to start washing all the dishes every day and make a huge impact and waste lots of my own time (which I need to study in!) but it  means I can cut out the whining whilst taking virtually no time out of my own schedule.

 

What will you do in order to make your mother's life a little better?

 

Will you pay her more visits?

Call her more often?

Send her flowers regularly?

Tidy up your room?

Keep care of your own mess?

Do things when she asks you to do them?

Speak in a nicer tone?

 

Remember these things are simple and do not require much effort at all but require consistency to make a world of effort.

 

So what will you do to change?

 

Priyanka xx

TGI Fridays Belated Valentine's Day Meal

My mind's telling me no...

 

But my body, my body's telling me yes....

 

So I listened to my body. Oh, yes I did.

 

I've been to TGI Friday's once before in Piccadilly Circus and decided it was time to visit again after cravings for burgers once again.

 

I ordered the Jack Daniel's® Chicken Sandwich which was a grilled chicken breast with  Monterey Jack cheese,  bacon,  tomato, red onion and mayo on a glazed brioche bun. This came with a portion of fries and I also added some onion rings to my meal just because I was feeling cheeky. The cheesiness of the burger was a definite win-win situation and the Jack Daniels sauce was intensively sweet and very different, but equally enjoyable as regular BBQ sauce.

 

I felt that it took a very long time for my order to arrive and that it was overpriced for exactly what is was: a burger and chips.

 

My brother ordered Jack Daniel's Ribs which was coated in Jack Daniel' sauce. The same over sweetening property of the sauce on the ribs were less appealing, in my opinion, because the ribs were almost drenched in the sweet sauce. My brother almost couldn't finish it as 'it was giving him a sugar rush' and (quote) that he 'might not be able to go to sleep'. Oh, he does says strange things sometimes, but hopefully you get his point.

 

Also, on the same point of overcharging, my parents SHARED a steak dish at around the price of £20 and asked for the steak to be removed and replaced with chicken. It turned out that the meal was infact very small but expensive for no particular reason.

 

Overall, I enjoyed my dining experience and love the American vibe of the whole place. Have you been to TGI Friday's? What is your favourite dish on the menu?

 

Priyanka xx

Creamy and Cheesy Carbonara Pasta Recipe

Ingredients:
-1/2 Pound Pasta
-3/4 can Evaporated Milk
-1 Pack Bacon
- Olive Oil
-1 heaped Tbsp.. Butter
-Large Handful Spinach
-3 Eggs
-Cheese of choice (for topping)
-Salt
-Garlic Powder
-Ginger Powder
-Chilly Powder
-Other spices of choice

Method:
- Cook pasta in a little olive oil and salt according to the instructions given on the pack
- Cook bacon in oven / chop and fry bacon with 1 medium onion also roughly chopped (into small cube pieces) in a large frying pan.
- Allow for the bacon to fully cook and onions to be golden brown
- Mix in salt and spices of choice and of quantities (you can always modify after a taste test later)
- After pasta is fully cooked drain the pasta leaving a significant amount of the cooking water with the pasta
- Carefully stir the cooked pasta and water into the onion and bacon mix in the frying pan. Keep mixing as the spices begin to blend into the pasta
- Start to add the evaporated milk to the pasta in small quantities and mix under a low heat.
- Finally, finely chop the spinach  and stir into the pasta alongside a heaped Tbsp. of butter. Mix the pasta to make sure everything is evenly mixed and taste/add salt or spices to meet your preferred taste.

- Once everything is done, serve the pasta in bowls with cheese on top. You can microwave the pasta to melt the cheese and enjoy!

I really liked this recipe when  I made it - I don't even like pasta that much, so that is really saying something.

I hope you enjoy this recipe! Comment your modifications / your own recipes below for me to try out next time.

Priyanka xx

Things That Make Me Happy #9 My Mother's Rice Pudding

Its been a (long) while since I have done a 'Things That Make Me Happy' post.

 

I guess I place all my excuses into being busy, stressed, tired, busy and busy. However, I am trying to get back to the happy place in my life that I was a year ago from now. It has been a strange and unexpected period that almost made me forget what I love the most in life.

 

But, no doubts here.

 

I do love a little (or a little bit too much) rice pudding. Now, the Muller Rice Pudding Pots you can grab from Asda simply do not classify as 'REAL' rice pudding. For you to have tasted 'REAL' rice pudding you must have tried my dear mother's or grandmother's one.

 

Honestly, it seems that generations of women from the Indian culture have been taught to cook rice pudding in several varieties from a young age and now behold many years of skill, practice and a specific taste to the puddings that they make.

 

My favourite type of rice pudding is a version make with long rice, date juice (which has been boiled to harden into a solid and melts in heat - I'm not quite sure of the name!) and milk. The rice is usually cooked slowly in the hot milk and then sweetened.

 

Oh my world, does this taste incredible.

 

Maybe its the fact I don't get a chance to eat it often or that it is simply damn incredible to me....sometimes even adding Rice Crisps / Puffed Rice adds a special dazzle.

 

Have you ever tried Indian style rice pudding? Which type is your favourite?

 

Priyanka xx

Europe Trip 2015: Day 5 | Interlaken and Jungfrau, Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland

Interlaken is probably the most beautiful, vibrant, turquoise lakes I have ever seen. As we drove past the lake and stopped to take photos all I could really think was how beautiful the area truly was. I remember feeling greatly in awe from what I saw in front of me and through the entire drive I kept thinking how immensely fortunate I am to visit just breath taking places  with such a wonderful family.

 

I hope these photos have illustrated visually how beautiful the day was...

 

Do you like long drives around beautiful views? I know I do.

 

Priyanka xx

 

Europe Trip 2015: Day 4 | Alpschaukäserei Cheese Factory and Swiss National Day Celebrations

Whilst we were in Switzerland, we went to visit Alpschaukäserei Cheese Factory; unfortunately we didn't manage to watch the cheese being made nor does anyone in my family particularly like eating cheese. That being said we do like taking photos of pretend cows and making friends with goats past apparently...

 

Since my parents travelled to Zurich before, they wanted to see this place because they had visited the area many years ago.

 

 Later on during the day we went bowling and played mini golf before going to watch the fireworks in the city centre to mark the Swiss National Day. The evening was particularly enjoyable because I was wrapped up warm in layers of clothes and we all enjoyed the firework display from the side of Zurich lake.

Have any of you been to Switzerland on their National Day (1st August)?

 

Let me know how you enjoyed your stay.

 

Priyanka xx