Weekly Roundup 2

Hi lovelies!

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Yeah, yeah, I know. This is becoming a trend - no posts for days, then two in one day, I should learn to schedule things, hey? Truth be told, I wasn't going to post the Tangy Beef Wraps today, but, well, they were too good not to share immediately. So you got them, and today is Weekly Roundup day, and I couldn't let you down, could I?

I've been having a helluva week - if you follow me on twitter, I apologise for my extreme language. I'll try get myself together next week, but this one has been, well, hard. So here's what's caught my eye this week (I've been reading, even if I haven't been writing much!)

1. Beatnik Bazaar: I've followed this lady, Thaya, on twitter for a while. She designed and makes clothes for a little store in Kalk Bay, of the same name as her blog. She has a lovely, cute, vintage sense of design, and a passion for vintage bicycles. I think she's great, and I must drag myself out to Kalk Bay soonest to peruse her gorgeous vintage swimsuit range!
2. My favourite thing this month: my Amaretto Chocolate Cake Truffles. Not to blow me own horn (ah, who am I kidding?! PAAAAAAAAAARP!!), but these were pretty amazing. I'm SO glad I conquered my fear of baking and desserts, and just made these! They blew all the wedding guests away, which was SUCH an incredible feeling.
3. Rebound cookies: Sweet Amandine has been among my favourite international blogs for a while, but the Rebound cookie (a.k.a. the Peanut Butter Cookies with Milk Chocolate Chunks) made me a happy girlie. That was printed and popped into my bag within minutes, because after making the most incredible chocolate chunk cookies a couple weeks ago (which I, horror of horrors, have forgotten to post!), I think these'll be a cinch!
4. Delicious soup: Joy the Baker is funny, quirky and interesting. She bakes the most incredible things (far out of my league) but this soup with goat cheese scones (biscuits) looked so incredible, and so attainable. Watch out for it on a blog near you!
5. Rock on Wood: After Matt from I'm No Jamie Oliver raved and raved about Rock on Wood, I had them out to do a quote for redoing our kitchen, and they're such lovely souls! I'm hoping we can work this out, because I'd like to work with them to get my beautiful! new! kitchen!

Tangy Beef Wrap

Hi dearies!

{Image source: chapparal, flickr - cropped}

Ah, it's summer again (or almost), and with summer comes salads, wraps and all things delicious and cold. But you get nights, especially in spring, where the wind blows cold and the last thing on your mind is a salad. Now, last week I ordered all sorts of fun salad veggies, and then the weather turned cold, and I'm stuck with a ton of salad, and not much desire to eat it. So what do I do? Pop the whole lot into a wrap with something delicious and warm!

Last night, I wanted something quick and easy, and I needed to use up some of the lettuce and other salad ingredients I had lurking in the fridge. I'd worked late, and the hubby was at a work function, so my sister and I whipped these up for a quick weeknight dinner. And can I say something? These were delicious! Tangy from the sour cream, slightly spicy from the cumin and cayenne pepper, and wrapped in a soft tortilla with crunchy lettuce and cucumber to finish it all off, divine! Since the hubby was full of finger foods, I got to take the third one to work today, yippee!!

{Image source: stuart spivack, flickr}

Tangy Beef Wrap

Serves 3
Ingredients:
1 pack of beef goulash (the pre-cut strips of beef sold in PNP. Or, buy a steak and slice it yourself after cooking)
A slice of bacon per person
250ml sour cream (I use Clover, because it seems to last longer if I don't use the whole lot at once)
1 tomato, chopped
1/4 small cabbage, finely sliced *optional
1/2 yellow onion, diced
Lettuce leaves, washed (I used 2 per person, but I had a really little lettuce)
About 4-6 cucumber slices per person
150ml tomato and onion mix
Paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin, white pepper and salt to taste (I'm not using exact amounts here, because I just sprinkled it over a few times, to taste)
Cheddar cheese, grated
Knob of butter
Olive oil

Method:

1. Heat a frying pan, and pop in a small knob of butter, and a drizzle of olive oil. Heat until quite hot, because you're going to use this to brown the meat, and a hot pan is best for that.
2. Unwrap the beef strips, and season the meat. I sprinkled salt, white pepper, cumin, cayenne pepper and some paprika, then covered it with the clingfilm it was wrapped in, and left it while the pan heated.
3. While the pan heats, dice your onion, tomato and any other veggies you have on hand. I had some cabbage, and not much else, so that went in, and I used the salad veggies in the wrap raw.
4. When the oil/butter mix is hot, put the beef strips in the pan and leave for a couple of seconds. Don't move it immediately, you want the meat to brown, not cook right through. Stir after about a minute, and brown the other side. When it's all brown, remove to a plate, and set aside, covered.
5. In the pan,  fry the bacon, and set aside with the meat once cooked to your liking.
6. Into the same pan, pop the onion, and a little more oil if you need it. Turn the pan down, and cook the onion until translucent, adding the cabbage a few minutes in. While it cooks, sprinkle some more of the spices over, but be careful of adding too much. You can add more, but not take it out, so add less now, then taste when you've added the sour cream and add more to taste.
7. When the onions and cabbage have softened, add the tomato, and cook a little more, then add the tomato and onion mix, and heat through.
8. Stir in a couple tablespoons sour cream, and heat, then taste. Add more spices or more sour cream, or even some more tomato and onion mix, depending on what's missing, then add the beef strips, and heat through.
9. Turn off the pan, and remove from heat, to prepare your wraps.
10. Place each wrap into the microwave individually, for 20-30 seconds, then roll when it comes out, to retain flexibility.
11. When they're all heated and softened, lay each out, and lay the lettuce on top, then the slice of bacon. Spoon some meat mixture on top, then the grated cheddar and cucumber slices. Try not to overfill, as it makes wrapping them tough.
12. Fold the sides in, then roll the side closest to you over the filling, pushing the sides and the filling under, and roll the whole thing over, covering all the filling. I serve them whole, because I like to eat them whole, or serve sliced in half on the diagonal.

Please make these! They're quick, easy, flavourful, and easy to pack with extra veggies, without making a big fuss! You could also vary the spices, making it more or less spicy, depending on palates, and even use chicken in place of beef. If I'd had some avo, a couple of slices would've been delicious! If you've never eaten a wrap outside of Kauai, PLEASE make these, it'll change your mind!

Ten things...love

Hey!

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So this past weekend, I learned a lot. About myself, about family, about love, and about friends. I realised a few things that I'll share with you, so I don't forget them... Maybe it'll help you remember some things too..

1. I realised that I will go far for people I really care about.
2. There is a lot more I can do, that I think I can't do, but I just hadn't made enough effort before.
3. I see now that family is really important, and although I don't have much of one, I have married into a very tight one, and things that I see as overbearing interference, is actually often just the expression of care. And I should learn not to be so sensitive..
4. The internet is full of options, but sometimes it takes just one kind person to give you what you need. Thanks Claudz!
5. Weddings are amazing, even if they aren't yours. They bring people together, and they bring out all this incredible love and camaraderie. They are such a wonderful expression of love.
6. People can be surprising. Sometimes, you can even surprise yourself.
7. Sometimes, even if you think something will be a terrible flop, it comes out unexpectedly wonderful. So keep trying, and keep going - you never know, it might be amazing!
8. I can cross off "Successfully bake a cake" from my 30 before 30 list. NICE. Must still frost something though.. getting there.
9. People aren't as intimidating as they sometimes look - even beautiful, successful girls who exude confidence can be as vulnerable as their not-so-hot counterparts. Sometimes more so.
10. I love being married. That's all.

So what did you learn this weekend?

Love you all, take care!

Amaretto Chocolate Cake Truffles

Hi dearies!

So you'll never believe what I did this weekend (unless you follow me on twitter, in which case you'll have heard..) I baked a cake! And I made 140 for my friends' wedding on Saturday!! I can hardly believe I pulled it off, it was touch and go for a while whether I would manage, but Claudz from Purple Lips and Perfect Smiles gave me this method, and I knew I was saved. The only catch was, I had to bake a cake, and we all know how I feel about baking...

But, Ree to the rescue! This cake doesn't involve creaming butter and sugar together (thank heaven!) It involves a bowl, a spoon, a measuring cup, and a pot. Oh, and something to bake the darn thing in, and even that can vary. So on Friday night, while everyone was out partying (including the hubby), I stayed in and baked cakes.. and rolled truffles... and dipped them in chocolate.. But doesn't that sound good?

And. They. Were. A. Hit.

These were without doubt the most delicious truffles I've ever had, and people seemed to like them more than the wedding cake, more than the food... more even than their wine. And if that's not a recommendation, I don't know what is.

These are so flexible - you can use any combination of different kinds of cake, different liqueurs, different chocolate to roll them in. I have in mind a chocolate orange version, with some orange zest and Triple sec, or a cranberry and white chocolate one, with white cake, cranberry pieces, rolled in white chocolate. I think this'll make an incredible (and cheap!) gift for all the colleagues and random friends this Christmas, so give them a try! Once you start, it's difficult to know where to stop...

Amaretto Chocolate Cake Truffles


Makes 160 truffles
 
Ingredients:
1.5 chocolate cakes, crumbled
4 tbsps Amaretto (2 for the first cake, 1 for the second half. Or all together if your bowl's big enough)
3 tsps almond essence (2 for first, 1 for second half)
5 slabs milk chocolate (to be melted for dipping, but use good quality chocolate, not baking chocolate)

Method:

1. Bake a cake or pick up one from the shop. This is a great recipe for old cake, but if you want to bake from scratch, I used this recipe from Ree over at Pioneer Woman Cooks. It was easy, and it was amazing - and I followed the recipe to the letter (I know! Can we have a moment of silence for that amazing feat?)
2. Let the cake cool, but not completely. You want it slightly moist still, so it sticks together more easily. 
3. Once the cake is all crumbled, drizzle the Amaretto and almond essence over the cake, and mix it in with a knife, to distribute it evenly, making the cake crumbles a bit sticky - this helps you to form balls.
4. You can probably do this with a cookie scoop or something, but I didn't have one, so I just scooped up some cake into my hands, squeezed it a little to compact it, and formed it into a rough ball. I found the crusty top part of the cake didn't make very pretty balls, whereas the middle part was great.
5. Place the balls on a cookie sheet (or any other flat surface, I made 160 truffles, so I had several trays and cookie sheets) lined with wax paper. (This will be especially important once you dip them in chocolate, because it'll be much easier to remove them once the chocolate hardens.)
6. Once you've rolled all the cake into balls, leave to harden covered for a couple of hours or overnight. (I found that once I was finished rolling the last ones, the first ones were cooled and hardened, but I did a lot so they took a lot longer.)
7. Once the cake balls are cooled, melt some milk chocolate in a wide, flattish bowl. I did this in the microwave - break the chocolate into blocks, and microwave in 30 second burst, stirring between bursts. When the chocolate is almost all melted, stir it so that the residual heat melts the rest, and if its just a little too hard, give it another 10 seconds and stir again. You want the chocolate to be smooth and glossy, not grainy and boiling, so don't overheat it.
8. Take each ball (one by one), and drop it into the chocolate. Using 2 forks, roll it in the chocolate until covered, and place on a wax paper covered cookie sheet. Wash, rinse and repeat for all truffles, breaking and melting more chocolate, as needed.
9. Leave out to harden for an hour or so (in hot weather, you can put them in the fridge, but it was cool enough this past weekend to just leave them out).

Package into cute little boxes, or pop the lot into a bag, and give them away! You won't know how it happened, but these little balls of delight will slip away from you!

PS. Apologies again, for the horrible phone photography, these were such a rush job, I barely had any time to breathe, let alone take photos, so I was lucky to get even these. And I totally forgot to get a picture of the finished product, I had to pack and hightail it to Langebaan with these babies!!

Weekly Roundup

Hi my lovelies!

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What a week this has been! I've been up and down, backwards and forwards, and out driving around every night, so much so that not much has happened in the kitchen this week. Sure, I made some truffles (they weren't that great) and I made some pretty delicious poached eggs (thanks to my new PoachPods from Yuppiechef - and my sister, thanks Kristin!), but really, it's been all stations go for my friends wedding this weekend.

As I endeavour to pay it forward (you know, pay the universe back for all the incredible help I had at my wedding), I'm running around like a blue-arsed fly trying to make everything happen. And this is why we have been so sadly parted this week. Also (to be fair) I'm doing a lot of soul-searching at the moment, trying to figure out where I want to take my professional life, if I like where I'm going, and what I plan to do to change my future for the better. And that's a tough time, and it's making me a bit sad.

However, there have been some wonderful things that have caught my eye this week, that I'm going to share with you. Because what is life if we don't share?

1. Nosh4Noah: JamieWho? posted about a Noah, a child with autism, whose parents have recently moved to Cape Town in order to ensure that this child receives the best in available medical care. However, this costs, and his parents have launched the Nosh4Noah initiative in order to try to raise money to help Noah receive the care he needs. They have asked foodies (that's us, people!) to get together to raise money for this child (who sounds amazing, by the way, go and read about him on their website). Now, after this wedding is over, I plan to do something for this child. How are you going to get involved? Read more on their website, then come and tell me how you're going to help this admirable cause.
2. 30 days of truth: Claudz over on Purple Lips and Perfect Smiles has been posting daily on various thought provoking topics, such as views on gay marriage, people who you couldn't live without. It's an interesting series, and I'm enjoying reading it, and thinking about my own views on the subject.
3. Doro Wat: Ok, this is more food-related. I love Ethiopian cuisine (if you live in Cape Town and haven't been to Addis in Cape, please go), and Stephanie at A Year of Slow Cooking made the most delicious-sounding Doro Wat (Ethiopian spicy stew, with whole chicken pieces, and usually whole boiled eggs) in the slow cooker, which I will be trying as soon as I get some time. It sounds divine.
4. Giggles: in the middle of a horrible day, when everything was going wrong, I read this post by Marisa at The Creative Pot, and suddenly everything was better. I had a little giggle, and things started looking brighter. Thanks Marisa, you made my day :)

And that's the end of my little link round up. Remember to pop back by and let me know how you plan to help out with Nosh4Noah, or any other brilliant initiatives.

What's been helping you through your week?

Enjoy the weekend, lovelies!

Ten things...summer

Hi there!

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In an effort to regain my mojo, as it were, I've decided to add a weekly post on things I've learned, things I'm happy about and things I'm grateful for. This won't always be about food (but you know me, mostly things I'm happy about ARE about food!) Feel free to skip these (they'll tend to be on Mondays).. they're a reminder for me to remember happiness...

1. I love early summer nights, when it's just started to be warm in the evenings and we can sit in the garden.
2. I realised that simple food is often the best. Braaied lamb chops, a simple salad and corn on the cob ain't blog-worthy, but it sure tastes good after a day in the sun.
3. Markets are the bomb. Big and small, loads of stalls or a few, I love to sit and drink beer in the sun and admire the stalls, produce, food, cupcakes (!), crafts and so on. It sings of summer for me.
4. Lighter mornings make for a happier me. There's nothing that encourages me to get out of bed on a Monday morning, but the sight of the light creeping around the blinds.
5. My friends (actual and virtual) are amazing. Although I'm not always the best of friends, and sometimes I'm a downright grump, my friends never cease to amaze me with their incredibleness and generosity. Thank you.
6. Homemade cookies beat the frikkin pants off any shop bought cookies ever. Chips Ahoy? Never again.. I'm converted to the pure deliciousness of the chocolate chunk cookies I made with Ash this weekend.. YUM.
7. Twitter is soso SO much better than Facebook. I like it when my Twitter friends comment on things, and I want to hit my Facebook friends when they comment on things. Which is why I rarely post to Facebook, and am totally obsessed with Twitter. Explained.
8. Blogs and twitter are my news source. I get news and gossip from both, so why would I visit a news source?
9. I still love to read the Sunday Times on the beach, under my umbrellas, in the sun. It IS summer.
10. Strawberries are the bomb.

Blog Action Day: Water

Hi dudes and dudettes (channeling my inner Happy Days persona)

{Image source: hypergurl, flickr}

I know I said I wasn't going to post this week, and to be honest I still have nothing much to say, but I remembered that today is Blog Action Day, and the theme is water. Not having enough water, the lack of fresh water, people's access to water, what the planet needs with its water. So I'm going to write a quick post about how water affects us, and how our needs and uses affect others.

I'm willing to bet that when you were at school, you did that test, where brushing your teeth with the tap on and off was compared, and you were all told not to waste water by brushing them with the tap on. Yes? Me too. But we weren't told about when to water our gardens, to prevent burning the grass (yes, it happens, that's why people get brown lawns), or how often to water plants to avoid drowning them (yes, I've drowned a plant, you mean you haven't?) Quite frankly, I don't think I learnt enough at school about how to look after the planet and how to manage my water needs, and I wish I knew more.

Anyway, think about it. We cook, and I can bet that the most used item in your kitchen isn't your fancy chefs knife, or your chopping board, it's the water you use for steaming, boiling, washing, adding to stocks and so on. Water is the central element in our lives, and if we are stupid enough to waste that resource? Then we are destined for failure.

Here are some little facts about water:
Did you know? It takes 24l of water to produce one hamburger. That's over 19.9 billion liters of water to make just one hamburger for every person in Europe.
Don't eat fast food, people. Make your own, it's easy, healthier and better for the environment.
Did you know? Over 17 million barrels of oil are needed to manufacture the plastic bottles used for water bottles, 86 percent of which will never be recycled.
South Africans? DRINK TAP WATER. We have the 3rd cleanest water on the planet, and it tastes great! Fill glass or thicker plastic bottles, and refrigerate it for cool water. You don't need to drink bottled water!

OK. I use 1259 cubic meters of water per year. That's quite a lot, and I aim to bring that down in the next year. Find out how much you use, here, and aim to use less water in the coming year. Wash your car less often, turn off the tap when you brush your teeth, install a low flow shower head, or a multi-flush toilet flusher. Not only will you save money, you'll be helping the environment.

So here's to Blog Action Day, and saving the environment!

Service Interrupted

Hi guys

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So, I owe you an apology. I've not been posting well or regularly just lately..

My hubby is sick this week, I'm writing soul-sucking copy for our company website, and have writers block, and I'm cooking old, favourite comfort food, which really isn't blog-worthy.

I'll be back next week, with a new veggie box (getting it on Thursday), a new will to live (the web copy must be done this week), and hopefully a lighter heart, cos my boy will be better by then.

So thank you for bearing with me, it's times like these when I really appreciate my lovely readers, and feel terrible for letting you guys down.

Back next week!

Spring Baked Mushroom Risotto

Hello!

{Image source: placid casual}

So, it's on my 30 before 30 list. It's been something I've been wanting to do for a while now. And I finally did it! I've been planning to make risotto for an age now (no seriously, I've literally been telling the hubs every night for 2 weeks). I mean, I've have at least a dozen conversations about it over the last two weeks, and Claudz, Marisa, Ally, Matt and Nina have all made it since then, we even had a Twitter Risotto Off planned, that I started. And yet I hadn't made it. That's wrong, right? So I gritted my teeth, and eventually the weather turned a little cooler, and last night was the night. The Night I Made Risotto. Deserves capitalisation, in my book! And I had this package, that I bought at the Good Food and Wine Show a few months ago, a kit with the arborio rice, dried mushrooms, seasonings and one or two other things. I used that, so I think this was a cheat, and I'll be doing it again.

I did, however, peel and shell a whole pack of broad beans for the little fava beans inside, and serve the risotto (I have my in-laws down, it was hard enough getting into the kitchen, without suggesting a purely vegetarian meal!) with pork sausages and sauteed asparagus. And let me tell you, that this was a crowd pleaser! I think I impressed the inlaws.. maybe I'll be allowed in the kitchen more often now.. Oh. And I just realised I bought the wrong cheese - how's that for a foodie fail? Ah well, alls well that ends well, right? And it was still delicious, if not perfect. Just means I'll have to keep at it until it comes out right, hey?

{Image source: elana's pantry}

Spring Baked Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients:
1 package of Cook me! Mushroom Risotto mix (500g)
1/2 an onion, diced
125ml (1/2 cup) dry white wine
750ml (2 1/2 cups) good quality stock - I used veggie stock
1 packet broad beans (here's a good how to for broad/fava beans)
1 bunch of asparagus (half for the risotto, half for serving)
250ml (1 cup) grated parmesan cheese (I used pecorino - foodie fail)
Glug of olive oil and a knob of butter

{Image source: beautiful cataya}

Fresh, unshelled fava beans

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
2. Heat a heavy based pan, and put a knob of butter and some olive oil in.
3. Fry the onion for a bit, until soft and translucent.
4. Pour the rice mixture in, and turn up the heat. Stir to coat the rice in oil, and heat until it pops a little - you really want to toast them a bit.
5. Pour the wine in, and stir until the rice has absorbed the liquid. At this point, you can carry on on the stove top, stirring and incorporating the stock, ladle by ladle, but I had a couple of over things I still wanted to make, that needed my hands. So I decided to bake it.
6. Transfer the rice mixture to an ovenproof dish, and pour in the stock, stirring it gently to make sure the stock is mixed in, and pop the whole thing into the oven for 20 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, steam your fava beans for a few minutes, until the skins wrinkle up and they go a dull, grey colour.
8. Allow to cool, and peel them, revealing a bright green, nutty bean. Reserve, and stir into the risotto when you take it out.
9. After 20 minutes, remove the risotto from the oven, and check that it's wet enough. Add some more stock if it looks dry - the oven is always hotter than the stove top (and mine doesn't seem to have a thermostat), so you'll probably need more liquid to keep it creamy. You'll see that the rice has swelled up a lot, and it'll swell up more and get creamier. Don't add the fava beans now, add them at the end.
10. Put back into the oven for another 20 minutes, and start with the asparagus. 
11. Snap the woody ends of your asparagus, and snap in half. The stalks are woodier than the tips, and need a little more cooking. So in the pot that you steamed the fava beans in, steam the broccoli stems for a few minutes, then add the tips for another. Say 3 minutes for the stems, and 2 for the tips, which brings it to 5 in total for the stems. Remove from the heat, and run under cold water to refresh.
12. Chop the stems a bit smaller, and set aside with the shelled fava beans.
13. When 20 minutes are up, take out the risotto out, stir some more liquid in if it's a bit dry, then stir in the chopped asparagus stems and the fava beans.
14. Then stir in the cheese, handful by handful, getting it all worked in.
15. Quickly stirfry the asparagus tips in some butter, garlic and lemon, and serve all hot.

This is a bit long winded, but you get the picture. The baked risotto is slightly less creamy, but I hear adding a cup of liquid right at the end helps with creaminess. It also means you're free to do other things, whether that's frying up some sausages, or hanging the laundry, which all helps in the end, right?

I still plan to try the stovetop risotto, when it's just the two of us. My boy can take a vegetarian meal, but the in-laws are rys, vleis en aartappels mense (rice, meat and potatoes people). They enjoyed this, I served it with some pork sausages, which they eat rarely, and I think it made a nice change for them. I would've liked it a bit creamier,but that gives me a great excuse to make it again, right?

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Cups

Good morning, dearies!

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So, it's Monday morning, but it's a special Monday morning. Today is my friend Rachael's birthday, and I managed to do what I've always wanted to do, which is make a friend a birthday present! I'm terrible at remembering birthdays (I swear, if facebook didn't remind me, I'd forget most of em) so as my friend, you're lucky if you get a greeting, let alone a handmade present! But since Rachael and my birthdays are only 6 days apart, and since we're all stations go for her wedding in just 3 weeks, I wanted to make her feel a bit special on her birthday.

(Enter from stage left, peanut butter cups). Rachael and I share a love for chocolate. And peanut butter (crunchy, not smooth). And when I found these Peanut Butter Bars from Our Best Bites, the deal, as it were, was sealed.

However, we all know that I'm not-so-great at following recipes, not least because I just cannot be trusted to always have the ingredients on hand. Such was last night when, after a weekend away in Witsand, I started making these, and realised I had absolutely no icing sugar. Bugrit.. And I'd already crushed the graham crackers (tennis biscuits for my locals), and had dirtied my blender, a spoon and a dish. So there was no turning back. Nope. So I spooned out the peanut butter (and a little bit more, just to be safe) and the butter, willfully ignoring the lack of sugar. And you know what? They turned out just lovely. Peanutty. Chocolatey. And the birthday girl is happy. What more could a girl ask for?

Peanut Butter Cups

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups tennis biscuit crumbs (that's about 375ml - my blender has cup markings on it, which helped)
1 cup and 2 tbsps peanut butter (this turned out to be most of a jar of smooth peanut butter - I know, I prefer crunchy, but the recipe said smooth. I'll try crunchy next time, believe me)
1/2 cup butter, softened (I used margerine, I know I know.. I only had salty butter)
1 cup chocolate chips

Method:

1. Process your tennis biscuits to crumbs, using a blender.
2. In the blender bowl/jug, spoon the peanut butter, and mix together.
3. Add the butter, and mix.
4. Spray 2 silicone mini muffin pans, or a large flat dish with cooking spray. I wanted these to me admin-free, and the original recipe said there were some issues cutting the big one into bars, so I decided to make individual ones, and see how that went. I ended up with more peanut mixture than I have space for, but that's never a bad thing, is it?
5. Take teaspoonfuls of the peanut mixture, and press into the muffin depressions. Aim for a flat top, as the chocolate will go there.
6. Melt the chocolate chips in 30 second bursts in the microwave, stirring between bursts. When the chocolate is nearly melted, stir, allowing the heat in the chocolate to melt the rest. If it's still too thick at that point, give it another 10-20 seconds. Be careful not to burn the chocolate, you want it to be sleek and shiny.
7. Spoon some chocolate over the peanut mixture, and smooth with the back of a spoon. I used two teaspoons, one for spooning it on, and another for smoothing.
8. When all the cups are covered, pop the whole lot into the fridge overnight. 
9. In the morning, pop out of the cups (that's why the silicone works so well for this), and serve. If you'll be serving them later, try to keep them cool if the weather's warm.

Serve with big glass of milk, I promise, you won't regret it!

Enjoy!

PS. Please excuse the phone photography, I wanted to show you what they looked like, and had to take a sneaky pic of them while Rachael was out to lunch. All I had was my phone and not too much time. In other news, you can tell I'm not much of a photographer!!

Restaurant Review: Lunch Spots in Cape Town III

Hi there!

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Today I'm going to talk a little bit about Bree Street. In recent years, Bree Street has gone from being the much lesser known sibling of the cooler Long Street, to being the infinitely more classy sibling, if you can take the metaphor that far. Bree Street has, in fact, gotten so cool, that there's even a blog dedicated to it. Bree Street is now lined with restaurants and cool places to hang out, from &Union and Caveau to Jardine (and Jardine Bakery) and Rotisserie 360. But today I focus a little more locally, and bring you two places that are not only close, but actually neighbours.

In the bottom of the old church that lies in Heritage Square parking lot, there are a lot of little, tiny shops and restaurants. &Union is probably the most well known, as their beers have spread far and wide in Cape Town, attracting a larger and larger market. Brilliant for them, and good for their neighbours. As more people head for Bree Street, little places like Cheyne's and Piroschka can flourish, providing us poor office drones with someplace nice to go for lunch.

So for a friends recent birthday, we popped into Piroschka's and for a farewell lunch, we went to Cheyne's. Both delicious. Both on Bree Street. Both tiny. Here you go. Thank me later.

Cheyne's

So Cheyne, the chef and owner, used to be a private chef. He's good, really good. He opened up this tiny spot a little while ago (I think just over a year ago, but I stand to be corrected on that). The restaurant is tiny, with space for probably less than 30 people inside, and a long table outside on the mini terrace. They're open for breakfast and lunch, and private dinners by appointment. I know prominent Cape Town blogger JamieWho threw his wife's birthday party there, and was blown away. So give that a try.

But first, have lunch here. Everyday is different. There is no menu, so don't expect the same old same old. The day we went, there was swordfish and salad, and two burgers, beef and Asian chicken. My friend and I had the beef, and my other friend had chicken. For R48 and R45 respectively, we were served beautifully plated, absolutely delicious burgers. The patties were juicy and full of flavour (and as someone who has made burgers, I know that can be hard to achieve!). They were served with a delectable salad of noodled cucumber, and roasted butternut served on an Asian rice spoon. The bun was soft, and there was a wonderful burger to bun ratio (not too much bread, or too much beef) and there was crispy bacon, to finish it all off.

We all left full, and happy, at just shy of R50 a plate. How often do you find such incredible quality at such a low price? I'm assured that every day is different, with the single theme of tasty food made with quality ingredients. To be honest, I have not heard one bad thing about Cheyne's. And I have nothing bad to say either.

Oh. And they have a bacon and egg roll for R10 between 9-11am. That's good enough reason to go for a start.

Address: 108 Bree Street (below St. Stephen’s Church), Cape Town
Book: 021 422 3358

Opening times: Breakfast 08h00 to 12h00   Mon – Sat
Lunch 12h00 to 15h00   Mon – Sat
Dinner by appointment only.

Email: info@cheynes.co.za

Piroschka's Kitchen

In a slightly different vein, and just one step to the right, Piroschka's Kitchen is a Hungarian-German gem. They also serve a limited menu, but one that tends to stay the same. They offer goulash, flammkuchen (savoury and sweet), soup and one other thing that slips my mind. I can't comment on the other items, but the flammkuchen is delicious! A crispy thin pizza-style base is spread with a combination of bacon, creme fraiche and finely sliced red onion. The whole thing is cut up into tiny diamonds, so it's really easy to eat with your hands and share it with friends. My friends and I had one each, and we were SO stuffed afterwards, and could easily have shared 1 or perhaps 2 between the 3 of us.

They also sell gluhwein by the glass, which I am going back for. But as I had to go back to work, that wasn't going to work out. Sadness. The service is friendly, and while the food is not fast, it is incredibly tasty, and well worth the wait.


Address:

106 Bree Street, Cape Town, 8001

Book: 021 425 76 35

Email: info@piroschka.co.za

So keep these Bree Street gems in mind, next time you're looking for a good lunchtime meeting or social spot. The food is good, and well worth every penny you spend.

**Restaurant images from their respective websites. Visit them for more**

Oven Baked Cheese Stuffed Chicken

Hello dears! 

{Image source: pvera, flickr}

So, you read the title and you realised that there is no part of this that isn't good, right? I mean, we have the main players (cheese and bacon) the backup (chicken) and the stage (oven). What could possibly be wrong here? You were right, nothing! While I was (again) planning to make risotto last night, my sister convinced me to make it when she can come round and share, so I had to make another plan for dinner. And while we've already had chicken this week, I thought it was different enough that it wouldn't matter, and I needed something fast.

These are fantastic to make on those nights when you have little time, and less patience. Just steam some spinach or chard, mix it with some cream cheese, beat the chicken flat, fill, wrap, pop in the oven. Prep takes 10 minutes, cooking takes 20-30 (depending on the size of your chicken breasts). So this is quick, easy and flavourful! Get to it!

Oven Baked Cheese Stuffed Chicken

{Image source: kubina, flickr}

Ingredients:
Skinless, boneless chicken breasts (as many as there are people, more than one per person if you have hungry people. I bought a pack of 4, made all of them and we ate 1 each, with 2 leftover. And mine were small, so its up to you)
Plain cream cheese (or flavoured, if that's your thing. Don't know about salmon cream cheese and chicken though...)
Spinach or Swiss chard, roughly chopped
Small block of feta diced *optional
2 rashers of streaky bacon per chicken breast
Salt and pepper to season

{Image source: pvera, flickr}

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
2. Steam or quickly boil your chard/spinach in the microwave - 3 mins worked for mine. Drain and set aside to cool.
3. Using a can, pan or meat mallet, beat your chicken breasts to about a centimeter thick - you want them quite thin, so you can fill and roll them.
4. Once flattened, season both sides with salt and pepper, and set aside.
5. In a bowl, mix the chard and the cream cheese. You'll have to judge how much you need, based on how many chicken breasts you have, but for 4 small chicken breasts, I used just over 2 tbsps cream cheese.
6. Mix in the diced feta, and spoon the cheese and chard mix into the centre of each breast.
7. Wrap the chicken around the filling, covering all of it with the chicken. You don't want to over-fill these, as all the cheese will leak out when baking. If you fill them properly, it should stay inside.
8. When they are all full, take the bacon and wrap it around each breast, sealing in the cheesy goodness. Mine took 2 rashers per breast, but I suppose if you have enormous chicken breasts you might need more. Judge it. And remember, there's no such thin as too much bacon.
9. Spray an oven-proof dish or cookie sheet with some oil, and place the chicken breasts seam side down into the dish.
10. Pop the whole lot in the oven, and bake for 20 minutes. Take it out, and stab the chicken, if the juice runs clear, its cooked, if not, pop it back in for another 5-10 minutes. You don't want to overcook or undercook the chicken, so keep an eye on it. 
11. If you like your bacon crispy, when the chicken is cooked, turn up the grill and brown the bacon for a few minutes.
12. Remove from the oven, and serve hot with a salad, and sweet potato mash.

This was delicious, fast and easy, and came with leftovers. Plus, it had cheese and bacon which, next to cupcakes, are my two favourite things.

So make this, and thank me later!

Enjoy, lovelies!

Braaied Fish Pate

Hi!

So last Friday was National Heritage Day and National Braai Day, here in South Africa. We had the day off, and we were all amped for a big outdoor cooking-eating-drinking fest, with people posting tons of recipes and ideas for the week prior. Now, the boy and I went to his parents for the weekend, and we arrived pretty late. When we got there, we discovered they'd organised a fish braai (barbeque for my non-locals), making snoek (large barracuda) and angelfish. There being only 4 of us, there were tons of leftovers, and something about fish makes it hard to eat the next day. And so it sat.

After the weekend, we were sent home with leftovers, and (surprise!) a huge piece of braaied fish. Now, my hubby, lovely though he is, is a bit particular with leftovers. He'll eat almost anything fresh, but leftovers, particularly fishy leftovers, just don't appeal. And I can understand that. The hard, weird looking scaly beast was yummy when fresh off the fire, but a day or so later, and it starts looking funny. But do I just throw out a perfectly good piece of fish? No sirree! This was destined for the blender!

Now, we've all had tuna mayo, and maybe you've tried smoked snoek pate from the supermarket. But with some leftover fish, a little sour cream and a little effort, you can have your own fish pate, and you're safe in the knowledge that you didn't waste the precious fish!

Again, this is more method than recipe. Depending on how much fish you have, vary your other ingredients to taste.

Braaied Fish Pate (Snoek and Angelfish)

Makes about 250 g pate

Ingredients:

Leftover braaied fish

Sour cream

Mayonnaise

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. De bone the fish, and crumble the fish into smaller pieces. Make sure you get ALL the bones out, as you don't want to choke people. This is the most time consuming stage, but it's worth it, I promise!
2. Put all the deboned fish into a dish, and add a heaped spoon of sour cream, and 2 spoons of mayo.
3. Whizz all of it together with a stick blender (or put the whole lot in a food processor and whizz there).
4. Scrape down the sides, and add more sour cream or mayo, blending until you get the desired consistency. I like mine a bit thicker, and use it as a spread for bread, but you might want it a little thinner to use as a dip with chips!

And there you have it! Easy, quick, and a wonderful use for leftover fish!

Enjoy!

PS. Please forgive the absolute lack of pictures on this.. I couldn't find anything on the web that worked, and although I had the best intentions of photographing it, it was all finished before I had the chance. There'll be a next time, so I'll take photos then (yes, even with my bad photography) and I'll repost it then. Sorry!

Sweet Sticky Chicken and Blue Cheese Sauce

Hi there!

{Image source: Oakmonster, flickr}

So I had EVERY intention of making my risotto last night for the twitter #RisottoOff, but then I got tired. And lazy. And I couldn't get visions of sticky chicken out of my head. And we had leftover potato bake to eat. So sue me, I didn't make what I'd planned. SUCH a rebel.

And while I was thinking about the sticky chicken, I remembered that last months Fresh Living Magazine insert (Fresh Ideas) there was a sticky chicken recipe. So as usual, I looked at the recipe looong and haaard, and then I did my own thing. It's a curse, I tell ya. Their version looked fantastic, and my version was pretty amazing too. The hubby and I were licking our fingers and making those mmmmmm sounds of delight, so I'm pretty sure you'll like this one. And the blue cheese sauce I made to go with it? Well, I'll add that in as a bonus, because the sticky chicken just wouldn't be the same without it!

This is more of a method than a recipe. I mostly tossed things together, and tasted it, and added other things. So go wild! You want some spice? Add a pinch of chilli flakes, cumin or cayenne pepper. Want it fruitier? Mix in some pineapple juice. This is a flexible dish, so be creative with what you want... And with that, I give you:

{Image source: wwny, flickr}

Sweet Sticky Chicken
Served 2, with leftovers

Ingredients:
Chicken pieces (I used 5 chicken drumsticks)
Barbeque sauce
Chutney
Juice of 1 orange
2 tsp brown sugar
1 heaped tsp finely minced garlic
Salt and fresh black pepper

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
2. Cut 2 deep slashes into each piece of chicken, more if its a big piece, like a thigh or a breast. This helps the marinade/sauce mixture penetrate more deeply.
3. Mix all the ingredients together in an oven proof dish, large enough to hold the chicken pieces.
4. Put each piece of chicken into the dish with the mixture, rolling the pieces around in the mixture to ensure even coating.
5. When all are in, pop the whole lot into the oven, but don't run away! You'll need to keep turning the chicken, to avoid it drying out in the oven. I turned my pieces every 10 minutes or so for about 30-40 minutes.
6. Then turn the grill on, and grill for a few minutes, or until the chicken is sticky and slightly caramelised.

Blue Cheese Sauce

{Image source: Oakmonster, flickr}

Ingredients:
130 ml sour cream
2/3 wedge of blue veined cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
A little milk to thin if necessary

Method:

1. Put the blue cheese and sour cream into a dish. I have a smoothie cup thing that came with my stick blender that's quite good for this.
2. Using the stick blender, whizz the two together until combined. This will both integrate the blue cheese into the sour cream, and thin the sour cream slightly.
3. Dribble in a little milk if the mixture seems too thick, and add salt and pepper to taste. I only added some pepper, since my blue cheese was quite salty

Serve the chicken with a mixed salad and the blue cheese sauce for dipping. This is rich, yes, but delicious, and quite fast! While the chicken is cooking, you can make the blue cheese sauce and salad, and by the time all that has come together, you're good to go.

Enjoy!

Twitter: Risotto Off

Hi!

{Image source}

So, as usual some of us were talking on twitter yesterday, and the subject of risotto came up. Claudz and I were both thinking of making it last night, and while we were talking, Marisa got interested. Before long, we had a #RisottoOff on our hands!

Rules are as follows:

1. You have to have made the risotto yourself.
2. You need to post the risotto between today (Tuesday 28 September 2010) and next Tuesday (5 October 2010).
3. Please link to this post.
4. Have fun!

That is all! Within the next week, we'll all be cooking and comparing notes on our risottos. As you know, this is on my #30before30 list

Creamy Spring Tagliatelle

Morning!

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Spring is in the air here in the Southern hemisphere, and although we may not always think so, summer is on its way! With the changing seasons, I start to want more fresh veggies and less of the warm, yummy comfort foods I craved over winter. However, spring isn't without its ups and downs, so while we may have fresh spring veggies around, it sometimes feels decidedly colder than it should! Last night it was freezing, and I wanted something warm, but with a spring feel to it, to get me in the mood. Add to that my new amazing veggie box from The Ethical Co-op, and we were away!

{Image source}

This pasta was born from my ignorance in how to prepare asparagus. I've just started buying a weekly organic veggie box from The Ethical Co-op and in it I got a bunch of things I've never used before. You'll have noticed that I tend to stick to the same foods, although I prepare them differently. This is partly habit, and partly just what's available at my local shop. With the veggie box, I pay a flat fee, and get a mixed box of seasonal, organic veggies. I don't choose what goes in, so I'm forced to find a way to use what comes in the box. This last week, I got asparagus, Swiss chard and mangetout, along with some others, and I've never cooked with in my life! So google to the rescue, and I figured things out.. And boy, am I glad I did! This was fresh, tasty, creamy and delicious! I hope you like it..

Creamy Spring Tagliatelle
Serves 3

Ingredients:
1 bunch of fine, early spring asparagus (about as much as you can hold in your hand, while your fingers can touch your thumb
1/2 a pack of mangetout (say, about 10)
4-6 leaves of Swiss chard, depending on size
1 onion, chopped finely
1 handful of cherry tomatoes
2 tsp minced garlic
Half a pack of tagliatelle
100-150ml cream (I use reduced fat, and it was fine)
Blue cheese (I cut 2 sides off a wedge)
Grated Parmesan (to taste)
Reserved pasta water
Salt and black pepper to taste

{Image source}

Method:

1. If you have dried pasta, put that on to cook so long, as it'll be the thing that takes the longest.
2. Prepare your asparagus and mangetout, but breaking off the woody/stalky ends, and breaking into pieces. This early season asparagus wasn't very woody at all, so I just broke off a centimeter or so, and the mangetout, I just broke off the stalk.
3. Separate the tips of the asparagus, as they will not need as much cooking as the stalks.
4. Slice the chard into more manageable pieces, and set all the greens aside.
5. Slice the onion, and fry in a little oil on a medium pan, until the onion is soft, but not very coloured.
6. Add the garlic, and stir, then add the cherry tomatoes. Fry for another couple of minutes.
7. Add the cream, and allow to heat through, letting the cream thicken, and reduce a little. Add the blue cheese and Parmesan, and stir to melt.
8. When the pasta is cooked, drain it, reserving as much of the cooking liquid as possible.
9. Put the asparagus stalks, chard and mangetout into a strainer or steamer and lower into the cooking water. 
10. Cook for a minute, then add the asparagus tips, and cook for a further minute. Remove from the water, but don't throw the water away yet.
11. Add the cooked greens to the onion and cream mixture, and stir to mix.
12. Add the tagliatelle to the same pot, and stir, mixing it into the cream and veggies. If there is not enough liquid, spoon some over from the pasta pot. The starch from the cooked pasta will help make a lovely, silky, creamy sauce for the pasta.

Serve in a bowl, with plenty of cracked, black pepper and Parmesan cheese!

Restaurant Review: Pepenero

Hi lovelies!

So you know I eat out a lot, right? Well, one place I've been kinda keeping under my hat is this jewel, but since my favourite season to go is ending, I figure it's safe now, right? And who knows, maybe it'll become your favourite summer hangout..

What's a bit funny is that, although the boy and I have been going to Pepenero for months, I was asked by them recently to write a review. And I though, yeah. I like that place, why haven't I done a review? And then I realised. Because I didn't want to share (shame on me). So here we are, and now I'm sharing. We can still be friends, right?

You'll thank me for this: I'm talking panoramic sea views, a comfy, covered and shaded outside areas, incredible cocktails and quality food. Right? I wasn't talking rubbish, was I? You can see why I kept this one? OK. To sweeten the deal, they offered pretty good winter specials: R129 seafood platter (big enough for 2), half price on selected sushi (incl. the salmon roses, YEAH!), and R21 cocktails. Ok, there are more specials, but the boy and I are creatures of habit. We had that the first time, and we've had variations on the same theme every time we go there. See, we don't eat fish much (there's not much fish on this ere blog, is there? My bad), so when we crave it, here we go.

And this special is coming to an end. At the end of this month (September, in case you're confused). Click here for their specials, and choose specials.

Anyway, the restaurant is plush, it's comfy, it's fancy and fab, and you really want to spend a good Sunday afternoon, holed up there, loving the view, the cocktails and the food. Because this gem is the reason we love Cape Town. Good food, beautiful people, incredible sunsets. And you know why I love to go there in winter? Because on a cold, blustery day, you can sit inside the panoramic window, warm and fuzzy with your cocktails and your boy, and watch the stormy seas go wild. Yeah. I'm weird like that.

The food is great quality, the seafood and the sushi are fresh, and (after having visited with family), I'm assured that the steak is tasty. The menu is predominantly Italian, with a lot of pastas and Italian main meals, along with seafood and sushi. The wine list is extensive, though (for me) on the pricey side. The half price cocktails, however, are a steal. Have the Sexy Pepper, I always do.

But don't take my word for it. Get thee to Pepenero, especially before the winter special runs out!

PS. Book on the weekends.
PPS. I received nothing for doing this review. They asked, and I realised it was coming anyways. I was not paid or comped for anything, this is a genuine reflection of my experiences.

Contact:
Phone: 021 439 9027
Address:  No 1 Two Oceans Beach, Bay Road, Mouille Point, Cape Town, 8001

**All images stolen without permission from the Pepenero site. I don't have a camera. Sorry guys!**