Rava ladoos(Semolina Balls)

500 gms rava (semolina)

450 gms sugar (powdered) for those who want very sweet can use 500 gms sugar

ghee100 gms

milk 1 cup

3 pinch cardamom powder

cashewnut and almond pieces

(raisins can be added too)

Heat ghee in a deep pan (kadai), fry the rava till light brown on low heat.
Add powdered sugar( a little salt),add cardomom powder, add the nuts,
you may taste the mixture and add sugar if required.
Allow it to cool a bit, then add half cup milk, grease palms with a little ghee and shape the mixture mixed with milk into ladoos.

you can add dry scraped coconut  or fresh scraped coconut but Mama doesn't prefer.

Marzipan with cashew nuts

Last year preparing marzipan was the best sweet which Mama enjoyed preparing, with Dada helping her too, that she said that she would make it all through the year.
Anyway this time while almost done doing the marzipan don't know what went wrong, could it be the cholesterol free label csahew nut packet we used which did not release the oil....Whatever it was.
Mama was determined to try again yes but not with the cholesterol free ones.


Ingredients
200 gms cashew nuts, 380 gms sugar (powdered)and 1 egg white

method
Grind the cashew nuts into a blender ,it should be fine like powder. Add the fine powdered sugar and mix well, add the beaten egg white mix well, keep on low heat. Stir continuously, the oil from the nuts too spread evenly. when the mixture starts leaving the sides of the pan, its done, put the mixture on a slab and knead it well though its hot.Oil your hands with ghee so your hands don't turn red. Make small balls and shape it into fruits,dolls,Santa or put in moulds

Mama mixing the sugar with the cashew paste

I quickly helped with this, but Mama said  she has to knead this mixture nicely.

 They look so delicate

They were indeed delicious soft,sweet and luxuriously nuts flavoured unlike the ones we get in the store.

Making of the Christmas wreath

we have been making homemade wreaths last 9 years at home,using thermocol round shaped rings or the rigid embroidery ring as wreath holders but you will be surprised knowing how we make it, yes it was indeed Mama's idea to use the cycle alluminium rims last 6 years. Pass a satin ribbon through one of the hole in the rim to hang the wreath.Now wrap a shining garland or streamer around it.

 Mama wrapping a shining garland /streamer around the bicycle rim.

Don't you think the wreaths looks pretty besides the most easy to make. You can wrap around more decorative strings, just as we did with the green wreath.

 A Christmas decoration given by my friend sharvari in our building 5 days before Christmas.We put this at the centre of the wreath.

 The wreath looked very nice at the centre of our ceiling of our living room.

We put this outside in our small garden

Mama put the crystal ball at the centre of the wreath.( Last year we had a larger rim borrowed from the cycle shop)

Making this wreath took a lot of time as Mama made bows and she used staple and thread to keep the bows and stars in place.

well this rose from the ribbon was made by me,which we put in the centre of the wreath.

The wreath on our front door.

We did make small wreaths to hang along the curtain rods at the centre too.

Shev

Ingredients
1 cup Water
4 cups Besan (Chana daal powder)
1tspnTurmeric Powder
4 tblspn Red Chilli Powder

11/2 tspn ajwain(Carom Seeds)

Pinch of hing(asafetida)

Masala

4/5 green chillies

1 small pod garlic

1tspn Jeera(cumin seeds)

 The batter

Oil for frying

How to prepare

• Mix oil and water in a container.
• Add Salt, turmeric powder, chilli powder, carom seeds
• Grind the masala coarsely in the mixer and add
• Add Besan and keep mixing it well. (This mixture should be thick).
• Add this mixture to shev chakli maker.
• Heat oil in a deep pan and fry noodle like threads of shev using shev maker.
• Keep flame low so that shev does not burn.

Frying the noodles in oil

Ready to eat shev

Poha Chewda

With Christmas coming around Mama prepared thick poha chevda,
the way she prepared

2kg thick poha
500 gms peanuts
500 gms roasted chana dal
tumeric powder/chilli powder/powdered sugar and salt to tasteHeat oil in a deep bottomed pan, take  a fistful of poha and place in a fine metal sieve.
dip it in the oil once done put in a container add a bit of tumeric/salt/chilli powder and sugar.
like this keep doing till you are done frying the poha.
add the fried peanuts and chana dal mix well.
You can also add fried dried coconut finely sliced but Mama dislikes coconut in it

Once done, i took a picture and we enjoyed it with tea. as tasty indeed ,mama stored the rest away in a airtight steel tin.

Family members on our Christmas Tree

Aunt Julie had gifted us a set of photo frames as in picture, did some drawings with Christmas themes on the wooden frame. And we put pictures of our dear ones who are in heavenly abode.

My Grandfather (Nanaji) Domnick Fernandes

I will be there
Though you may not see
I'll smile and remember
The last Christmas, 
with you and me

My Grandmother(dadi ji) Milagrina Gonsalves

I stand by you all, just like 
an Angel, will be always there for you.

uncle Robert

Think of me as I will be thinking of you.  

              

My Great Grandmother

I'm never far away,
My memory will always stay













The memorial was the best ornament on the tree

Christmas decorations(candle making)

We had some stock of paraffin wax bought months ago,so we put the remaining to use to make candles.

Paraffin wax

Different shaped glasses

                                                                                                                                                                                               

the first one done

As seen in picture take a twig like this tie the wick. place the stick with the wick in the centre,.pour out the melted wax in the container We used our crayon shavings for color, one can use a liquid dye or wax chips preferably..

So now i am sure you are not going to throw away the leftover melted candle wax but reuse to make candles like these.

You can use bees wax,bayberry wax,gel,soy wax.

Pretty blue

Mama made these.

Christmas Decoration(Santa bags)

Mama made Santa bags for the Christmas Tree hangings. She cut in shape and hand stitched the bright red velvet material.Stuck decorative piece on it with fabric glue.You can make this yourself. Don't forget the stiching space for the hanging string. It definitely makes a beautiful hanging on the tree.

The Santa Bag on our Tree

Christmas Decoration(toran)

 

This year Mama made a different above door hanging,we bought this silver ribbon with cross design,there was not much of a choice at the store.Mama stitched bells and there our door hanging was ready, Used as a Toran, especially in Indian culture,to welcome a guest on  joyous festivals.

The Toran just above our main door

Christmas Bell

Mama said it's time to bring out the stored decorations and put up the Christmas Tree and decorate the home.As we sorted out we wanted to throw out some discolored bells. After an afterthought Mama suggested we could paint them. Aha that's what we exactly did.

The lost sheep are found by the sound of the bell, it should ring mankind to the fold. The bell symbolizes guidance and return. 

Kindly read this passage  (Exodus 28:31-35)  in the Bible  

our painted bells on the Christmas tree

                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

The symbols of Christmas

Christmas is the celebration of the birthday of Jesus Christ. The occasion promises life, enthusiasm, love, care, affection and family bond.

As we were putting up up our Christmas Tree, Mama said we should know why we are using these decorations. So here is what we learn't. 

Paper Mache(papier mache) bought in Kashmir

 The Star: A heavenly sign of prophecy fulfilled thousands of years ago, reflecting our thanks for the Star of Bethlehem. A beautiful example of light, as a symbol of the coming into this world. 

 bell bought at our local market

The Bell:  The sound of bells at midnight Mass, announces the birth of Christ on earth. Ringing the bell symbolizes medium between heaven and earth.

Alrich brother decorated this candle

The Candle:  represents Jesus guiding us from darkness of the world. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. And Jesus said to us, "Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

The Candy Cane: The shape of candy cane is letter ‘J’ which stands for Jesus; Jesus called Himself the Good Shepherd. It also represents the shape of the shepherd's staff, used to bring lost lambs back to the fold.

Mama's last years handmade wreaths

The Wreath:  A symbol of the never-ending eternal value of love. The wreath has no beginning and no end it symbolizes at Christmas that the love of God never ends. the circular shape of the wreath represents God, with no beginning and no end.

Gifted by Uncle Francis

The Gift Bow:  we should all be tied together in bonds of goodwill always.

Imitation of the Poinsettias in our vase

The Poinsettia: The Bright, flaming red, star-shaped leaf pattern Poinsettias symbolizes the star of Bethlehem. The Mexicans call it the "flower of the holy night," and associate it with a story about a little girl who cried on her way to church on Christmas Eve because she had no gift to bring. So she took this wild flower while passing by the road.Also known as the Flame Leaf, it’s the famous beloved Christmas flower in American cities. 

Decorating the Tree at home

The Christmas Tree: Always Evergreen, shows everlasting life.  The needles point up to heaven and the constant presence of God.

Mama's handmade Christmas decoration on the tree

The Gift:  What gift should we give baby Jesus, this is what we should be asking ourselves, what should he deserve from us? Christmas is a time giving,receiving gifts. 

The only gift is a portion of thyself (Ralph Waldo Emerson). I love and will remember this quote for a very very long time.