Announcing the "Best of year 2012" Event!

However cliched it has been, let me repeat once again. The year has been so quick, yet so eventful. As we move on to the last month that makes up 2012, I take a moment to think back and ponder. Though I have been consistent in blogging over Spice your Life blog with Blogging Marathon, this space surely missed some action interim. 

I would surely want to think back and see how each month went by and what new dish I made that endeared to my family.

Keeping with the tradition, I would like to invite others who would want to take a moment off and look back and rejoice at what's been.

It can also be whatever else you want to share with me and your readers.

I am just giving few items for you to get started. It can be these or whatever you want to share:

1. Top 5 or 10 recipes of the year
2. Best dish of the month
3. Best recipe prepared from other blogs
4. Best Meal of the year
5  New things discovered in the year (can include anything related to cooking)
6. Best post or picture for each month or year
7. New blogs discovered
8. Cooking resolutions for the Year 2013!

Lets celebrate the new year with a recap of what we did during 2012!

Guidelines for the event.

1. Write your post by 31st December 2012.
2. Please use to the logo to spread the event.

3. In your post, include a link to this announcement.

4. Mail me your details to cooking4allseasons@gmail.com with the subject line "Best of 2012".

 

I hope you will enjoy doing this recap. 

 

Hoping to read the many wonderful things that happened around!

If you have time, do check out my best of the year posts that I did in the past - 2007, 2008,  2009, 2010 , and 2011 here.

Announcing Microwave Easy Cooking Event ~ Let's Party!

Five years ago, when I was just couple of months into Blogging, starting a Food event was really so exciting and I remember spending so much time, coming up with a theme that might interest and benefit so many others. As I remember writing that I was planning on to take a theme on Lunch box or something quick, I had my readers asking for an event on Microwave cooking. I took it on and you see it's been five years since.

I have cooked many dishes, sometimes complete menu from a microwave. It's been exciting, a learning experience on the whole. I know many quote cooking in microwave is harmful. If that was so, why are the microwaves still being sold. Anyway that's a topic for a different discussion. Coming to the event, it has seen so many seasons. Sometimes with so many entries, sometimes with just handful in the round up. Whatever I know this event has greatly helped some, for which I am happy.

Though the Melas have been more successful, I will always cherish this event. And this month five years ago, it was first announced. Most probably I may give this event a break after the two hostess who have agreed to guest host for me. Until then, you will see this happening. After that, maybe a break will do this event some time to pick up again.

So for now, let's have a party!

Details to participate in this Event:

1. Cook for the party, you can bring in any dish you want.

2. Add a link back to this event announcement, and feel free to use this logo.

3. Please send me an e-mail to cooking4allseasons@gmail.com with the following info.

* Subject Line: MEC : Party 2012
* Your name
* Your post link
* A picture of the dish.

4. Non bloggers can e-mail me the recipe and the picture and I will include it in the round up.

5. Deadline is 31st Aug.

6. Both Veg and Non Veg is accepted

Please note that the entire cooking has to be done in microwave mode and not in convection mode. You can use food processor or others for grinding stuffs, but stove top should not be used for any step in the entire cooking.

Looking forward to all the delicious entries.

Blast from the past!

Anniversary 2008
Anniversary 2009
Anniversary 2010
Anniversary 2011


Previous roundups

Announcing 30 Minutes Meal Mela

After the Cookie Mela, I thought I should be thinking about something substantial like a quick meal. Consider this as a quick express meal or under 30 minutes meal.

Entries for this mela, should be a complete meal prepared within 30 mins. Can use ingredients that are pre-soaked, pre-fermented like Channa, Dosa/Idli batter etc. Rest of it is not accepted. Even Rice soaking has to be within the 30 mins.

The entries can be any course, but a complete meal. Be it for breakfast, Brunch, Lunch or Supper. All the dishes showcased should be prepared within 30 mins.

Please don't send just the side dish, you need to account for the entire complete meal to be prepared in 30 mins. If you want to send a gravy, you need to also show what you served it with, be it rice or roti and the time you took to make it. So the entry will quality only if it's a complete meal and not just one dish that you can't eat without any accompaniment.

Logo credits

From now till September 20th, cook up a meal under 30 mins and send them to me!

•     Link back to this announcement is mandatory
•     Usage of the logo is appreciated as it helps spread the word.
•     Both Veg and Non Veg are are accepted.
•     Multiple entries are accepted. 
•     The post should have a mandatory picture of the dish. 
•   Archive entries after May 2012 are accepted, provided it has a link back to this announcement. 

Any questions, please send them to cooking4allseasons@gmail.com.

Announcing Cookie Mela & Cookbook Giveaways!

After the mind blowing Indian Thali Mela, I needed some time to just breath. I am yet to complete collecting details for the eBook I promised. So that's another interesting thing that can happen soon.

I realized I was late when I started getting emails on the next mela. So here's the next one. I thought making cookies will be an exciting thing, considering schools reopened in some parts of the world, while some closed down for vacation.

So you are invited to send in all sorts of Biscuits, Cookies, Shortbread etc

According to Wiki, a basic biscuit (cookie) recipe includes flour, shortening (often lard), baking powder or soda, milk (buttermilk or sweet milk) and sugar. Common savory variations involve substituting sugar with an ingredient such as cheese or other dairy products. Shortbread is a popular biscuit in the UK.

And when it comes to Indian versions, some are not actually baked, they are even deep fried as in Thekua.

From now till July 31st, cook/bake anything that is a Cookie/ Biscuit, pack them to me!

•     Link back to this announcement is mandatory
•     Usage of the logo is appreciated as it helps spread the word.
•     Recipes with Eggs are accepted.
•     Multiple entries are accepted. 
•     The post should have a mandatory picture of the dish. 
•     Archive entries after April 2012 are accepted, provided it has a link back to this announcement. 

Any questions, please send them to cooking4allseasons@gmail.com.

The Cookbooks Giveaway!

The giveaway is closed. Check out the Winners

Taste of Home: Cookies: 623 Irresistible Delights

Modern Spice: Inspired Indian Flavors for the Contemporary Kitchen
By Monica Bhide






The last date for the giveaway is July 10th

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5 Years of Blogging, Celebration with Indian Thali Mela & a Giveaway!

Yes it's been 5 years since starting this wonderful space, that has become an integral part of my life! A heart felt thanks to all my readers and friends for all the support I have had for these five years of  blogging. What started as something as a way to something that's been a dream, has become an integral part of my life. Not just me, my entire family has come to love this space.

This blog has given me so much, so many wonderful friends and readers. I have learnt so much through the process and I hope it has helped some in the way.

To celebrate the occasion, I decided to have two interesting events. 

Indian Thali Mela:

No celebration is complete without a Mela. My first blog anniversary was Dosa Mela, and what followed has been such exciting Melas all around.  This time I decided to do the big thing, the Indian Thali. The Indian Cuisine is so well represented by the Thali.

I am so excited to say that I would be creating an eBook with the entries that come for the Mela. I will be selecting the entries on different criteria, like the picture quality, the entries that are included. The entries that make to the eBook will be based on selection criteria. Will either be putting up a polling or have judges do the selection. The judges decision will be final.

PS: By default all entries will be considered for the eBook. If you don't want your entries to be part of this wonderful eBook, please send me an email on the same.

The guidelines for the Indian Thali Mela are as below:

Photo Credit


From now till May 20th, post an Indian Thali on your blog.

• Link back to this announcement is mandatory
• Usage of the logo is appreciated as it helps spread the word.
• Both Veg and Non Veg entries are accepted.
• Multiple entries are accepted. 
• Mandatory picture of the entire thali is a must. 
• Atleast one dish in the featured thali has to be a new dish, you can link to your other dishes on your blog.
• If you are including many new dishes, if you wish you need not post all the recipes in the same post, but post later and link back with the same Thali picture.
• If you want to submit entries from archive, the entries should at least be posted during 2012. If you are posting an archive the post should be updated with a link back to this event along with the Logo.

The Thalis can be of two types:

Festival Thalis that has more dishes and that which is normally cooked during a festival or special occasion. Minimum dishes can be about 7 or more. (though need not stick to 7)

Everyday Thalis: Thalis having 3 - 4 dishes,

Thalis can be breakfast, brunch or meals. It can be of North Indian or South Indian or mix also.

Example

Traditional South Indian Breakfast - 1 - Idli, Sambar, Chutney, spice powder
Traditional South Indian Breakfast - 2 - Ven ponga, Sambar, Chutney, Vada and Kesari, -
Rajathani Thali - Rotis, Dal, one subzi, salad, yogurt w/o Sweet (N Indian)
South Indian Thali - Poriyal, Sambar, Rice, Rasam Curd, papad, w/o sweet (S Indian)
Non Veg South Indian Thali - Chicken Pakoda, Chicken Kura, Mutton Pulusu, Rice, Dal and Curds
Kerala Thali - 

The thalis can be of any state, or mixed also. No restriction on this.

You got to post a mandatory picture of the thali in the traditional method or in modern setup.

Should publish at least one dish per post. Other new posts can also be linked to the linky tool.

Any questions, please send them to cooking4allseasons@gmail.com.

The cookbook Giveaway!

Apart from the Mela, I will be giving away a book The Cake Doctor! I have been so much into baking lately, I thought this book will be a great help.

All you have to do is comment on this post. You are welcome to share your thoughts, what you enjoyed from this blog. I will be choosing the winner on April 15th, 10 PM (IST). So start commenting.

Please do share and promote however you wish..:)

The Giveaway is closed, check out the Winner

Check out the Indian Thali Mela Round up

Announcing Kabab Mela!

After a delicious treat with chocolates for the Chocolate Mela, I could only think of Kababs for some reason. When I checked out the wiki, it said it's any food that's grilled, fried, or deep fried and served as small portions or on grill. Well that just suits the mood and I thought I should invite all for a Kabab Mela.

With the summer almost setting in, let's create the scene for a barbecue and enjoy the kababs.

Please check Wiki for more details on what Kabab can be. For your information, even regular tikkis, cutlets are all classified as this. The dish can be barbecued, grilled on stove, in oven, or deep fried as per the explanation goes.

So from now till March 31st, post any dish that fits the theme on your blog.

• Link back to this announcement is mandatory
• Entry can be any dish that is skewer served, grilled, barbecued, deep fried. 
• Usage of the logo is appreciated as it helps spread the word.
• Both Veg and Non Veg entries are accepted.
• Multiple entries are accepted.

Link your entries in the Linky tool.

Any questions, please send them to cooking4allseasons@gmail.com.

Announcing Chocolate Mela!

Hope it's been a great start of the new year for everybody! It's been a different one this time for us, as we were not in town and then as usual it was school reopening for the kids. With almost three days passed off quickly I realized that I haven't done a post yet in either blogs.

If last year I started with a sweet note by posting Mysore Pak, this time round I thought I should begin with a Mela! There is nothing better than a Mela to get into mood of celebrations. Let's begin the year with a celebration and no celebration is complete without sweets, rather Chocolates if you ask me.

I am sure there are not many who will say no to chocolates. If I am not eating these days, it's only because nothing reaches me. I have too many chocolate lovers at home. Infact if I have to bake, at least one batch has to be with chocolate, else kids will not even touch the cake.

For the Mela, make any dish with chocolate/cocoa as the main ingredient. It can be anything from sweets, truffles, cakes, cookies, ice creams, shakes, just about anything with chocolate in it.

So from now till February 20th 2012, post any dish that has Chocolate on your blog.

• Link back to this announcement is mandatory
• Entry can be any dish with chocolate as the main ingredient.
• Usage of the logo is appreciated as it helps spread the word.
• Eggs are allowed.
• Multiple entries are accepted, only with a link back to this announcement

Any questions, please send them to cooking4allseasons@gmail.com.

Please check Chocolate Mela round up

Announcing the "Best of year 2011" Event!

Even if I have been saying the same almost every year, this year does seem the time passed with a major impact on my blogging way. I have been happy that I have been regular in blogging at my Spice your Life blog with Blogging Marathon. 

That also meant I remember to post this event on time. We are at that period in the year when we think back and look forward to the next year. 

So I decided I repeat myself and do the same points again and it will be fun to read about so many new blogs and what they did this year.

If you are interested to take such a time to pause and think back, I would welcome you to share it with me.

It can also be whatever else you want to share with me and your readers.

I am just giving few items for you to get started. It can be these or whatever you want to share:

1. Top 5 or 10 recipes of the year
2. Best dish of the month
3. Best recipe prepared from other blogs
4. Best Meal of the year
5  New things discovered in the year (can include anything related to cooking)
6. Best post or picture for each month or year
7. New blogs discovered
8. Cooking resolutions for the Year 2012!


Lets celebrate the new year with a recap of what we did during 2011!

Guidelines for the event.

1. Write your post by 31st December 2011.
2. Please use to the logo to spread the event.

3. In your post, include a link to this announcement.

4. Mail me your details to cooking4allseasons@gmail.com with the subject line "Best of 2011".

I hope you will enjoy doing this recap.

Hoping to read the many wonderful things that happened around!

If you have time, do check out my best of the year posts that I did in the past - 2007, 2008,  2009 and 2010 here.

Announcing Snacks Mela

As usual before I could do the round up of the previous Soups and Salads mela, I decided to announce the next one, so that everybody can participate in the event and the event gets more time.

For this edition I thought after Soups and Salads, a dose of Snacks would be simply great.

Snack is referred as a light informal meal, that one can have between meals. In other words it can be anything that is eaten in between meals, can be light if you prefer or heavy depending to whom you are serving!

I was hoping to make this announcement earlier but days somehow have a knack of passing off quickly. For the Blogging Marathon#10 this month, I wanted my friends to dish out guilt free snacks. After all I need to balance out all types. But in general it can be anything that you call as a snack.

So from now till December 31st 2011, post any dish that can be classified as Snacks on your blog. It can be sweet or savory. The dish can be of any cuisine, both Veg and Non Veg accepted.

Link back to this announcement and send me your entries to cooking4allseasons@gmail.com.

Usage of the logo is appreciated as it helps spread the word.

I will try to leave a comment within couple of days, or at least before the round up..:)

Multiple entries are accepted, in fact would be glad to get all different dishes that you have already posted. But please update the post with this announcement post link. This is the least I can expect, but do not link all your archive posts in one post.

The email can be in this format


Subject: Snacks Mela
Name
Post URL
Recipe Name
Picture of your dish.

Last date to send link in your entries will be December 31st 2011.

I hope you will enjoy participating in this event and make it a success.

Those of you who have already sent me the entries, I will upload myself.


Please use the Link Tool to link your entries!

Announcing Soups and Salads Mela

I know I am yet to do the round up of Condiment Mela, will surely do it soon. As the name says, this mela is for all Soups and Salads that you can think of. I know I surely need to increase my collection of both these categories. 

Even during dining out, I know I never go to the table that has these laid out. It's on rare occasion that I find myself checking out these tables. However when I take them I make sure I complete it. So I have always been on the look out of these and what better chance than having a mela for it. 

So from now till November 20th 2011, post any dish that can be classified as Soups or Salads, on your blog. It can be sweet or savory. The dish can be of any cuisine, both Veg and Non Veg accepted.

Link back to this announcement and send me your entries to cooking4allseasons@gmail.com with subject as Soups and Salads Mela. I will be happy if you use the logo.

I will try to leave a comment within couple of days, or atleast before the round up..:)

Multiple entries are accepted, infact would be glad to get all different dishes that you have already posted. But please update the post with this announcement post link. This is the least I can expect, but do not link all your archive posts in one post.

The email can be in this format

Subject: Soups and Salads Mela

Name
Post URL
Recipe Name
Picture of your dish.

Last date to send in your entries will be November 20th 2011.

I hope you will enjoy participating in this event and make it a success.

Microwave Easy Cooking event 4th Anniversary with Potluck Party!

Here I am with another anniversary celebration of my most favorite event, Microwave Easy Cooking Event! As I have said already I am a sucker for traditions, so I am not going to be different this time. For this anniversary too, it's going to be a Potluck Party!

Read about the First Anniversary, the Second Anniversary and the Third Anniversary

For the Potluck party, you are welcome to bring in whatever you like and we can all have one big virtual party. So all of August, plan whatever you want to cook in Microwave! You may use food processor to blend or do other things, but cooking has to be done in Microwave!

Send in as many ever you want, by 31st August, 2011, with Subject line MEC: Potluck Party 2011! Check out the Microwave Cooking Event Announcement for more details.

Please ensure to give clear instructions as cooking in microwave needs specific notes.

Linking back to this post is a must and you can add on the logo too if you wish.

Entries sent to this event can be sent to other events. It can be Veg or Non Veg.

Send in your entries to cooking4allseasons@gmail.com

I sure hope you all will join the fun and enjoy

Announcing Sandwich Mela

After the fantastic fabulous Breakfast Mela, I couldn't get myself rest without announcing the next mela. I know I was missing the melas myself. And promise to make more for the mela this time round. So how does Sandwich sound to you? Those tasty quick bites or something elaborate? Whatever be it, I love sandwiches. But for a change I thought I should include anything that fits the meaning.

Well by that I mean, you can literally sandwich anything in between and it need not be bread slices. I have read about Idliwich, Dosawich, doesn't that sound interesting! Another wonderful example will be cream biscuits, with the biscuits sandwiching the cream. So entries can be made with Bread slices, buns, biscuits or whatever innovation you want to come up with. Ground rule is, you just got to sandwich something in between.

For  more ideas on Sandwich fillings, check out my post on Sandwich Filling Ideas on Spice your Life

So from now till July 20th 2011, post any dish that you can call a sandwich on your blog. It can be sweet or savory. It can be served for breakfast, a meal by itself or as a dessert. The dish can be of any cuisine, both Veg and Non Veg accepted.

Link back to this announcement and send me your entries to cooking4allseasons@gmail.com with subject as Sandwich Mela. I will be happy if you use the logo.

I will try to leave a comment within couple of days, or atleast before the round up..:)

Multiple entries are accepted, infact would be glad to get all different dishes that you have already posted. But please update the post with this announcement post link. This is the least I can expect, but do not link all your archive posts in one post.

The email can be in this format

Subject: Sandwich Mela

Name
Post URL
Recipe Name
Picture of your dish.

Last date to send in your entries will be July 20th 2011.

I hope you will enjoy participating in this event and make it a success.

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Sandwich Mela Part 1
Sandwich Mela Part 2

Celebrating 4th Blog Birthday with Breakfast Mela!

It's not everyday we end up thinking of how to celebrate a milestone right! I somehow seem to have got on a tradition to celebrate the blog birthday with a Mela and so be it. The Melas seems to have taken a break and I thought it was high time I started it again.

Reasons being I met couple of blogger friends who expressed that I should start back the Melas. I could not really say no and this seems to be a good way to celebrate the blog 4th Anniversary as well! Keeping in traditions and having fun on the way too.

So during one of my discussions with Champa, the different rhyming titles came up and she was cool enough to throw lots of ideas.

It's been a fun filled, completely addicted four years of Blogging. And I can't thank enough my readers, blogger friends and more importantly my family for the support they have given me all along.

It's been quite sometime in the recent days that I have actually cooked anything new or specially for this blog. I have a huge pile of pending recipes, all clicked, some recipes forgotten. I feel sad that I missed to note down the recipe of some of them. But I am sure I will get around making them again to post here. Off late my energy is spent more in getting Spice your Life awareness. Hence I thought a Mela will be motivating enough to get me cook new dishes for the celebrations.

So join me in celebrating the Blog Anniversary by making and sending me Breakfast dishes.

You can read about how the third Anniversary was celebrated, which also has the previous Mela entry stats.

So from now till May 20th 2011, post any dish that you serve for a Breakfast on your blog. This dish can be of any cuisine, both Veg and Non Veg accepted. Of any variety be it rice, cakes or whatever that you serve for your breakfast! For example, I often make Ragi Sangati with Groundnut Chutney for breakfast. So you get the draft!

Link back to this announcement and send me your entries to cooking4allseasons@gmail.com  with subject as Breakfast Mela. I will be happy if you use the logo.

Multiple entries are accepted, infact would be glad to get all different dishes that you have already posted. But please update the post with this post link.

The email can be in this format

Name
Post URL
Recipe Name
Link

Last date to send in your entries will be May 20th 2011.

I hope you will enjoy participating in this event and make it a success.

******************************************************************

Check out the Four part Round ups

Breakfast Mela Part 1 
Breakfast Mela Part 2
Breakfast Mela Part 3

Breakfast Mela Part 4

Announcing Microwave Easy Cooking Event ~ Curries & Gravies!

Finally after many months MEC lands here again. Of course it wasn't by design, Vidhya was not able to take up hosting this month and my call didn't reach far enough for others to pinch in. Well I thought I might do it myself.

So friends, this month please get your microwave all ready and cook curries and gravies to send them along to me. Now let's not go deep into what the difference between a curry and a gravy is. Let's just say anything that you might serve for a Roti or Rice. Well that covers much you think?

Guidelines once again.




Please link back to Microwave Easy Cooking Event page or this page

Blog between now and Feb 28th, both veg and non veg is accepted. You can send in as many as you want.

Please read the Microwave Easy Cooking Details and mail me your entries by February 28th 2011 to Cooking4allseasons@gmail.com.

Please send me an e-mail  with the following info.

* Subject Line: MEC : Theme
* Your name
* Your post link
* A picture of the dish.

Non bloggers can e-mail me the recipe and the picture and I will include it in the round up.

Until next week, have a great weekend!

Announcing the "Best of year 2010" Event!

It is that time of the year and I am back with the same event. How much ever I talk about how time is flying, I ought to take a moment to think back about the months that have gone back and look forward to next that is waiting!

Last year I almost forgot about this and announced it much later. Guess this year I have been much more conscious of this.

To save myself some time, I am just writing the same thing I did as last year!

If you are interested to take such a time to pause and think back, I would welcome you to share it with me.

It can also be whatever else you want to share with me and your readers.

I am just giving few items for you to get started. It can be these or whatever you want to share:

1. Top 5 or 10 recipes of the year
2. Best dish of the month
3. Best recipe prepared from other blogs
4. Best Meal of the year
5  New things discovered in the year (can include anything related to cooking)
6. Best post or picture for each month or year
7. New blogs discovered
8. Cooking resolutions for the Year 2010!

Lets celebrate the new year with a recap of what we did during 2010!

Guidelines for the event.

1. Write your post by 31st December 2010. Feel free to use logo.

2. In your post, include a link to this announcement.

3. Mail me your details to cooking4allseasons@gmail.com with the subject line "Best of 2010".

I hope you will enjoy doing this recap.

Hoping to read the many wonderful things that happened around!

Yeah yeah times like this I tend to become sloppy and very sentimental as I have already said, so you can read about the 2007, 2008 and 2009 here.

Announcing Tried & Tasted Event!

When Lakshmi of Kitchen Chronicles mailed me to ask if I could host this month's edition of Tried and Tasted, I felt the tables were turned. There I was when this event started, waited couple of months with blatant breath in fear of being on the spot. Not that I wouldn't mind, mind you! But it is surely gave me a days of sleepless nights..:) Now I can say very happily that I can host this event without a fear!

This is a blog event where a blog is chosen and all other bloggers are supposed to cook from the blog of the month. It is my extreme pleasure to choose Aparna's My Diverse Kitchen as the Blog of the Month!

To be honest, I found it extremely hard to choose just one. I finalized on Aparna's simply because not only is she such a good friend, but she has such a varied collection which always made me want to try them. Her pictures really tempt you to run to your kitchen to make them right away, guess most times I am left admiring them instead of doing just that!

So now is the right time, just browse through her collection, and simply cook away!

Yay, Lakshmi must be wondering why I am yapping so much, let me get on with her rules!

And please before we go on to the rules, there is a roll call for enthu hostess to come forward to host this wonderful event! It is open from November 2010. Please mail Lakshmi at venkateshlakshmi_7@gmail.com or you can leave a comment at her blog.

And before that let me thank Ksenia of www.talesofaspoon.com  for creating the logo for T&T every month. The logo for this month will be updated shortly once I hear from her. Thank you Ksenia!

Now finally for the Rules!

• Cook any recipe(s) from "My Diverse Kitchen" and post about it. Stay as true to the original recipe(s) as possible. Therefore, there is no need for re-posting it, simply link to the original post :-)
• There is no time-frame for the original recipe. It can be as old as my grand-mother or as fresh as a mung bean sprout.
• Have you cooked from Aparna's My Diverse Kitchen before? As this event is all about tasting and reflecting on the taste, older posts are also welcome. Simply link back to Aparna's post, this post and mention T&T event and Lakshmi's post. Please always link to both sites, so both blogs are given credit and you are avoiding copyright fuss. Feel free to use the logo.
• Email me your details with Subject T&T to Cooking4allseasons@gmail.com  with your name, your post URL as well as the original URL and a picture.
• Deadline is 15th September and the round up will be posted within a week.
  Non-bloggers are more than welcome to participate (after all, our posts are mainly being written for them). Simply e-mail me with your experience of what you cooked and please include a picture.
  The round up will be posted during the first week in next month.

Looking forward to enjoy a very diverse cooking!

Microwave Easy Cooking event 3rd Anniversary with Potluck Party!

I am a sucker for traditions, at least those that I come to cherish! And Microwave Easy Cooking Event is surely one of them! Ok for the history part, as I happen to love history too. I was hoping to create history by starting an event that was to be the most sought out and most favorite of all. Yes in a way even if MEC, as it is fondly referred by all, isn't all that expanding at its brim, it is surely one of the favorite of many bloggers!

Read about the First Anniversary and the Second Anniversary and I am sure you will know that we are going to have another Potluck Party!

Clicking those links shows that I am way behind in updating the links of the round up, will surely do that end of this month!

Though I shared the hosting of MEC from end of 2008, I always wanted to host the August month as the party month. And continuing with the tradition, this month through August it's going to be a month of enjoying with dishes made in Microwave!

You may wonder how 365 days of Microwave Cooking is going to be. Simple, for this month alone, it is going to be same. 

So to mark this special month, lets have a party! A Potluck party. You are welcome to bring in whatever you like and we can all have one big virtual party. So all of August, plan whatever you want to cook in Microwave! You may use food processor to blend or do other things, but cooking has to be done in Microwave!

Send in as many ever you want, by 31st August, 2010, with Subject line MEC: Potluck Party! Check out the Microwave Cooking Event Announcement for more details.

Please ensure to give clear instructions as cooking in microwave needs specific notes.

Linking back to this post is a must and you can add on the logo too.

Entries sent to this event can be sent to other events.

Send in your entries to cooking4allseasons@gmail.com

365 days of Microwave Cooking!

Do I see many heads shaking in disbelief at the sheer audacity in announcing something like this? Well you can rest your poor head for a while and read what draft I got to say.

Before that let me tell you all a story. We had a regular oven, which served us true for many years and dished out some lip smacking pizzas, grilled chickens, melt in your mouth biscuits and what not. Then one fine day it died, without any signs or clues, it simply refused to start again.

Given that we were so used to its assistance in the kitchen, Amma said we should buy another one. This time smart pants that I am, suggested we buy an oven. Almost a decade ago, Microwave ovens costed a lot. Still promising Dad that we would surely make the fullest use, bought one and kept it home. Kept is the right word, because we hardly used.

The one time I tried making Chicken Korma, the insulator burst. The second time I tried making a Veg Gravy, the glass plate cracked. The pizza base which normally used to come so soft and crusty came out hard. Then we silently agreed that we were not going to tax it much. And so it was part of my kitchen and it so dutifully remained so.

Until one fine day, read after I started blogging, I announced a wish to start an event. I actually wanted it to be on Lunch Box, some suggested one such event already existed. So why not on Microwave Cooking. Thus came into existence Microwave Easy Cooking Event. This event is soon going to celebrate its 3rd year too.

Coming to the point of this post. Because I was the initiator of this event, I can't be seen without having an entry myself right. So after many years, the oven found day light. I started cooking in it. But more than regular cooking, we used it so much for reheating purpose.

When my oven gave up on us, Athamma was so dejected at not having this handy. Though we used the microwave oven to the fullest, hubby dear didn't believe I did justification to that. And after so much persuasion, meaning to say I will make Chicken Tikka for him, he finally bought us a new microwave oven.

Whether my old oven had all these features or not, I am not sure. But I have been using the new one quite efficiently. The possibilities are mind blowing and fantastic. Right from par boiling, to making a complete dish, I am simply enjoying my cooking. Of course one has to get used to the cooking mode.

So coming back to 365 days of Microwave Cooking is simply that. It will be a page to showcase 365 recipes and more.

Update: By the title I meant that I will be cooking and collecting recipes from other bloggers to meet the 365 days. I will not be cooking everyday in Microwave...:)

If you are interested to be part of this project, you are most welcome. 

• Simply link back to this post and send me the details to cooking4allseasons@gmail.com
• End of the month I will update all the recipes that were made during the month. This is not theme based, so you can actually cook whatever you want.

A small clarification, this has nothing to do with MEC, which will continue to be hosted by my dear blogging friends. And it naturally will be on a theme. Each month it will be hosted by other bloggers who are interested. And whose interested to send according to theme can send to the hostess. This project can also have those entries and other non theme based dishes that you many make during a month.

Looking forward to 365 days of Microwave Cooking!

Celebrating Three Years Blogging with Thanda Mela Event!

Each day comes bearing its own gifts. Untie the ribbons...

Every day is important and every minute spent rightly is worth you many memories. Still some days are more important than others. Like your birthdays or anniversaries. It's on that day you embarked on a new journey, a journey of a lifetime. Each journey makes you what you are. And on this day three years back, I created a space which has come to mean so much to me.

When I was addressed by an acquaintance as 'Oh Cooking 4 all Seasons' Srivalli' recently, I didn't know if I should be upset or elated with the reaction. Well I choose to be elated about it. What is better than celebrating with friends the day I created this blog. To celebrate my first anniversary I had Dosa Mela, followed by 6 different themes. Each mela was an instant hit with entries that left me spell bound.

Due to various reasons, I stopped after Mango Mela, which happened July 2009. Ever since I have been asked so many times by friends and readers when I was going to have the next Mela. One of the biggest constraint was having a rhyming name. I have been dallying around with themes and names. I knew I was nearing the date for this announcement and I had to hit on an apt name. As I was running short of ideas, I even asked Alka to suggest some names. Then I was pestering hubby dear since yesterday. I think out of sheer frustration he finally hit on a name. He just said have Thanda Mela!

Before going into the details of the event, I would like to thank all my readers, friends who have supported me and my work. I really wish for once all my lurking readers de lurk and give me their feedback and suggestions. I would love to get fresh ideas to improve and make this space more interactive.

So thank you everybody for letting me share.

Now for the Thanda Mela details!

Ok, to give you an idea on how many entries I am expecting, here is the data on the past Melas.

Dosa Mela got about 200 entries
Roti Mela got about 280 entries
Curry Mela got about 350+
Rice Mela got about 350+
Mithai Mela got about 320+
Mango Mela got about 160

From now till May 31st 2010, post any dish that is served cold, be it sweet or spiced on your blog.

Link back to this announcement is mandatory as it will help spread the news.

Multiple entries are accepted, infact would be glad to get all different dishes that you have already posted. But please update the post with this post link.

When I said spiced dish, I refer to cold soups etc. To be more specific you can send in Refreshments, Smoothies, Shakes, Ice creams, Cold Payasams and anything and everything that you may serve cold!

Please fill in the details in the event form. I have sent auto notification, and will be checking on everyday basis. So you need not worry about the entry not reaching me.

Still you can contact me through mail if you have a doubt.

Announcing the "Best of year 2009" Event!

I really don't know how I forgot but at this time every year I always keep thinking back on how the days, months rolled away so quick. Since blogging I have been recording what I have been doing in blogging. The many new things I learnt and the many new friends I have made.

The past two years have been great. Though I am not yet close to publishing my book, I am happy that my eBook is published and received well. I am just waiting for the day I write about my printed book.

Since I hosted the Best of 2008 last year, I remembered I haven't done anything like that this year. Ok another reason to pause and think about how this wonderful year has been and being thankful for whatever has come our way.

If you are interested to take such a time to pause and think back, I would welcome you to share it with me.

It can also be whatever else you want to share with me and your readers.

I am just giving few items for you to get started. It can be these or whatever you want to share:

1. Top 5 or 10 recipes of the year
2. Best dish of the month
3. Best recipe prepared from other blogs
4. Best Meal of the year
5 New things discovered in the year (can include anything related to cooking)
6. Best post or picture for each month or year
7. New blogs discovered
8. Cooking resolutions for the Year 2009!

Lets celebrate the new year with a recap of what we did during 2009!

I have pretty much mentioned what I did last year.

Guidelines for the event.

1. Write your post by 31st December 2009. Feel free to use logo.

2. In your post, include a link to this announcement.

3. Mail me your details to cooking4allseasons@gmail.com with the subject line "Best of 2009".

I hope you will enjoy doing this recap.

Hoping to read the many wonderful things that happened around!

Times like this I tend to become sloppy and very sentimental, so you can read about the 2007 and 2008 here.