Gustosi foodie links this year

My kids wanted to make cookies today which is always fun. They love to help and it they get to learn some new skills like measuring and following instructions. They measure the ingredients and add them to the bowl then put the blobs of dough on the cookie sheet. The kids love these ones and they are the favorite of my wife. I like the spice and tend to do 'heaping' on the spice measures. The Corn Flakes add a wonderful crunch. These go fast in my house so I always make a triple batch.

Even a chocoholic like me succumbs to a fruity dessert like this. This panna cotta encases all the ripeness and aromas of a fresh strawberry. It smells fantastic and tastes incredible. The combination with the balsamic red wine syrup is unbeatable. An explosion of flavors

Madhuram of www.egglesscooking.com, has posted this refreshing and beautiful drink, which is a combination of fresh/frozen raspberries and lemon juice. She has also made popsicles, using the same. Both look absolutely gorgeous.

The best bolognese I have eaten was, surprisingly not in Italy! It was actually at the Sheraton in Doha, Qatar. The chef was a humorous Swiss guy. I literally grew up on the stuff, when I would dig into a huge plateful of pasta bolognese at least once a week. When I finally got around to training in the kitchen of the Sheraton at the age of 19, I was lucky enough that the Chef was still around. My first day with the chef was memorable. He had me cutting vegetables in the tiniest of cubes for the whole day. I was irritated because all I wanted to do was make that bolognese. The next day he winked at me and put a huge sack of onions and garlic in front of me. I have never cried and cursed so much in my life. On the fourth day, he finally took me under his wing and showed me how to make the prized bolognese.

The Perfect Party Cake for the Daring Bakers challenge. Mine are mini versions with fresh raspberries. Simply gorgeous!

The Maroccan stuffed tomatoes is pretty much my own concoction inspired by the Mexican Stuffed Bell Peppers. Strong flavours of maroccan spices blending in nicely with the tender minced beef and complemented by the refreshing tanginess of the oven-roasted tomato.

Ever since our holiday in Singapore, we both are hooked on the chili crab and black pepper prawns. Varieties of street food there are endless, but the those are still the top two. Everytime we fly through Singapore for a day or two, we MUST stop for a plateful of steaming chili crab or black pepper prawns....

Grilled Tofu marinated in thai sauce, then drizzled with a typical mandarin sauce made with red-curry paste, soy sauce, sesame and peanut sauce. Sweet-n-sour, with a spicy red-pepper & wasabi kick, you don't want to miss this recipe!