Raksha Bandan

I made these ice cream sandwiches from molasses spice cookies and mint chocolate chip, butter pecan and chocolate ice creams. Click the Recipe Index tab for the recipe.

The family gathered to celebrate Raksha Bandan in Huntington Beach. For those of you that don’t know: Raksha Bandan in an Indian holiday that celebrates the bond between sisters and brothers. The sisters all make some sort of dish for their brothers and tie a rakhi around their brothers’ (and their wives) wrists. For that they are rewarded with a gift, but more often cash. It is a great time.

This year Suki hosted the festivities in the sunny garden with a menu that included quiche, berry salad, pasta salad, tater tots, buttermilk biscuits, mango, strawberries, tea, water, lemonade and juices. Surabhi brought Desi turkey sliders (the hit of the meal!) and potato salad. Sujata contributed samosas with accompanying chutneys.

For dessert there were ice cream sandwiches, brownies, cupcakes, tollhouse cookies, ras malai, assorted pastries.

Everyone enjoyed the festivities and visiting with those who attending including: Dad, Mom, Vijay Chachi, Surabhi, Subodh, Sujata, Sunil, Bansi Dada, Karen, Sunjay, Dinesh, Serena, Murli Dada, Sangeeta, Maya, Suki, myself and special surprise guest my cousin, Vishnupriya Saksena from India who happened to be in California on business.

Lounging after lunch: (from left) Sujata, Sunjay, Karen, Serena and Sunil.

The lineup from left Bansi Dada, Karen, Murli Dada, Subodh, Sunil and Rita

Sitara made the brownies.

Surabhi brought the potato salad

Cookies made by Karen and Serena.

These are the turkey sliders that Surabhi made. Click on the Recipe Index tab for directions on how to make these.

Fruit salad with blueberries, raspberries and blackberries.

Buttermilk biscuits came with real butter and marmalade.

I made these ice cream sandwiches from molasses spice cookies and mint chocolate chip, butter pecan and chocolate ice creams. Click the Recipe Indiex tab for the recipe.

Ice cream stop

Sapna needed help packing up some stuff just before her move to Minneapolis from Albany, so Shalini and I answered her call. On Saturday we packed up her stuff, but on Sunday we got a road trip that included the charming community of Wilmington,Vermont. While we were there we had one of the best ice cream treats ever at a roadside shack called Creemee Stand. Incredible – thanks for taking us there, Sapna!

Sapna and Shalini enjoy treats from The Creamee Stand in Wilmington, Vermont.