Love Muffins? Then try this easy Banana, Raisin and Nut version

Then there are the days when you want a quick and tasty 'anytime' treat. 

Looking around, you find the bananas seem to be slightly over ripe  but there's a wonderful way to deal with that.

Then look into the kitchen cupboard, find things, pre-heat the oven and its time to bake.

Banana, Raisin and Nut muffins

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour 

1 cup sugar 

1 teaspoon baking powder 

Half teaspoon salt

Cashew nuts chopped into bits 

20 raisins 

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature 

2 eggs 

a dash of vanilla extract 

2 ripe bananas.

All set to proceed

Method

Pre heat oven to  100 C and prepare the muffin cases by lightly greasing them from inside.

In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nuts. 

Combine the mashed bananas, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla in a large bowl.

Add the flour, baking powder, sugar and blend into the banana mixture.

Spoon this batter into the muffin cases, leaving enough space for them to rise.

I managed 11 large muffins

Bake until muffins are  golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Looking good and smelling delightful!

Once they are ready, you can serve them with honey drizzled on top, or try vanilla ice cream and honey.

Best of all, just sit back and enjoy one with a large mug of coffee..

             Golden brown and smelling great

Which is exactly what I'm going to do next!

Hangout With Honda -In the All new Honda Jazz

The tagline for the All New Honda Jazz says it all-"A whole lot more. Never seen before" and I agree.Entirely!

So if you are  someone who never settles for less and you want it all, the all new Honda Jazz is the perfect match for you.

Comfort, space, technology, power and innovation-Sedan like comfort in a sporty new design and a power packed performance that returns segment leading mileage.

Topped by segment first features like Auto AC with touch screen control panel and a a paddle shift.Best in segment space and innovative it really does score very high on all fronts it all.

That is the All new Honda Jazz for you.

And when a  fantastic opportunity to drive one of these vehicles on the Buddh racing circuit came up recently, it was one of the most memorable days of my life. 

In the All new Honda Jazz

F1's newest showpiece, Buddh International circuit, has been designed as one of the fastest, most exciting motor racing circuits in the world, and is well-suited to the requirements of powerful, high-spec racing of cars and motorcycles. After successfully hosting two F1 Indian Grand Prix in 2011 and 2012, the BIC has hosted some of the most challenging motorsport events on the planet.The 5.14 km track has a combination of 16 corners, high-speed straights and dramatic changes in elevation that has been designed to provide ample opportunities for overtaking, which is what makes motor racing exciting. At the same time, in terms of adherence to safety norms and regulations, run-off areas, medical facilities, facilities for the media and overall 

Some finer points about the All New Honda Jazz- The Jazz has 2 engine options - the 1.2 litre petrol though has been borrowed from the Brio but has a slightly higher power output of 89bhp though is tuned for efficiency. You can opt for either a 5-speed manual gearbox or a CVT with paddle shifters.The 1.5 litre i-DTEC diesel engine puts out exactly the same figures (98bhp, 200 Nm) as the diesel City's because of course it's the same motor and also gets the same 6 speed manual. But the downside of the diesel motor is that it doesn't very refined like we saw on the Amaze and the engine clatter creeps into the cabin. The car accelerates easily and since peak torque kicks in pretty low, wading through city traffic will be a breeze also because the peak torque kicks in fairly low.

The fuel efficiency numbers of the Jazz are impressive with the diesel engine claiming 27.3Km/l, just 0.3Kms behind the newly launched Maruti Celerio diesel, making it one of India's most fuel efficient car. The petrol CVT delivers 19Km/l, while mileage claims on the manual are at 18.7Km/l. -very impressive for a car this size.

To close on the same thought as I started-"A whole lot more. Never seen before" So if you are  someone who never settles for less and you want it all, the all new Honda Jazz is the perfect match for you.

Food memories and associations- Going down memory lane and remembering some special people

Think about it for a moment and you will understand exactly what I mean.Food plays such an important role in every aspect of our life. For instance, if there's a celebration we try to come up with the best, or as the case may be, the most appropriate menu for the occasion. Alternately, if someone dies anywhere in the world, the close family and friends organize a 'wake' where good food and drink is served while people gather around in memory of the departed soul.

Food is also something that can really taste best when eaten in company. For me, the term 'breaking bread' with someone beautifully depicts a scenario where good food tends to taste even better with good company In fact, I'd go so far as to say that even a pastry  and coffee or a croissant and a coffee had with a friend is something that becomes really pleasurable and many a time, truly memorable. Top of my head, I can recall at least  ten instances when I've enjoyed the meal/coffee so much more because of the company on a particular day.

Shared with family

Shared with  friends

Then there are some food memories which are very dear to one's heart by virtue of the fact that they centre around the food that either someone cooked for you in a way that was really special or then it could be about a  savoury or sweet dish that you cooked  for or shared with someone and he/she loved it best just the way you made it.

Which then leads me to  a chain of bitter sweet thoughts.

For instance, I can never eat sweet rice,  or better known in Punjabi as 'Meethe Chawal' without remembering my grand mother in law, 'Beeji'. For Beeji made the best Meethe Chawal in the world as far as I was concerned. And always, always made it for me whenever I asked for it. Never mind that I was a grown up married lady and she was already in her seventies when we first met.

I can also never eat 'Kadhi Pakore and Chawal' ( a yogurt and gram flour based Punjabi dish) without remembering Jairam, my parents'  cook for over thirty years who makes the most delicious Kadhi on earth.As also my friend Amrita in Muscat who makes sure she personally delivers a box of her special home made Kadhi to our home whenever she makes it.

I can never eat a peppermint without drinking water  right after it to check if my mouth really feels cool because that is exactly what my 'long lost and never found again; friend Christine Bose from my school in Calcutta used to do.

I can never drink 'Elaichi' ( cardamom ) tea without thinking about my mother because she always drinks hers that way.  

I could go on and on but I find  that I actually have a pain in my heart remembering  some people close to me, now deceased, so I think I will stop here.

But not before I say that what really brought on this chain of thought in the first instance was when I was making Rajma Chawal  (a North Indian delicacy made with red kidney beans cooked in thick tomato based gravy) this morning specially for my daughter Neha  when I remembered a friend of mine Akhila, who passed away in the prime of her life last year.

For whenever I made Rajma or Maa Ki Daal,  I would always send her a big bowl, or better still, drop it off to her place personally because she said that it was the best she'd ever eaten.....