Chocolate Banana Bread

Ingredients:

1 cup margarine, softened

2 cups white sugar

4 eggs

6 bananas, mashed

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup lite sour cream

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans.

2. In a large bowl, cream together margarine, sugar and eggs. Stir in bananas and vanilla. Sift in flour, baking soda and cocoa; mix well. Blend in sour cream and chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of a loaf comes out clean.

Sharjah Shake Recipe

Ingredients: 
Frozen milk packet: 500 ml, I used pasteurized milk.
Peanuts: About 100 gms, I used store brought salted and lightly toasted peanuts.
Sugar: 3 heaped tbsp.
Banana: 1 (I used 2 small njalipoovan pazham (plantains); which is commonly available here).
Horlicks: 2 heaped tbsp.
Instant coffee: 1/4 tsp.
Vanilla Ice cream: 1 generous scoop.

Method of preparation:
1. Coarsely crumble the salted peanuts.
2. And mash up the frozen milk.
3. Into the blender, add the banana.
4. Add two tablespoon of salted peanuts.
5. Half the packet of frozen milk.
6. Add 3 tbsp of sugar.
7. Grab your Horlicks bottle...or even Boost or Bournvita will do...
8. Add the rest of the frozen milk and then dunk in 2 tbsp of Horlicks powder.
9. A dash of instant coffee, I used Nescafe....about 1/4 tsp.
10. And blend, for a minute or two
11. Now to assemble this gorgeous chiller.
Into a tall glass, drop in some salted peanuts.

12. Then pour the banana milk shake into it...do not fill up to the brim..just below it.....then again add some salted peanuts...yes!! salted!!...it makes all the difference.

13. Now the best part, a generous scoop of ice cream on top....and again some salted peanuts....and sprinkle some instant coffee powder...(do the same with 3 more glasses...)

Marinated Shrimp With Mediterranean Salad

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/3 cup fresh basil, torn
• kosher salt and pepper
• 1 bunch radishes, thinly sliced
• 2 green bell peppers, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup (3 ounces) black olives, pitted
• 3 ounces Feta, sliced
• 1 5-ounce bag pita chips or cracker bread

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the shrimp, lemon juice, oil, basil, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
2. Stir in the radishes, bell peppers, olives, and Feta.
3. Divide among bowls. Spoon any remaining liquid over the tops. Serve with pita chips or cracker bread.