Do not forget the Dogs!

Since it is such a beautiful day, I decided to wander outside with my camera .....This is what I found. Olivia sunning herself amongst the daisies at the bottom of the garden.

The little view that we have left of the mountain, at least we know we are living in Cape Town! How lucky we are to have this view and this garden.

How could I ignore the natural beauty of the Aloe? I do so love their fat and juicy leaves. Always good to have in the garden, especially if you have a cut or a burn. Just simply split the leaf open and allow the Aloe juice to soothe the burn or the cut. The Aloe is now also being used in drinks, marmalades and pickles. Look out for products by Totally Wild, or visit www.totallywild.co.za

And now back to the original theme of this blog today, the Dogs.....they also deserve special treats, so here is my recipe for delicious Peanut Butter Canine Cookies.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cups Wholewheat Flour
1/2 Cup Cake Flour
1 T Baking Powder
1 Cup Chunky Peanut butter
3/4 Cup Milk

Method:
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and the baking powder.
In a smaller bowl, whisk peanut butter and milk until smooth.
Make a well in the centre of the flour and stir in the peanut butter and milk mixture.
Using your hands, work the dough and make two balls.
Roll out the dough on a floured board and cut out cookie shapes using a cookie cutter.
Place on a lightly floured or lined baking sheet and bake in a pre heated oven @ 200 degrees C  for about 15 minutes, or until lightly golden brown and crisp.
Allow to cool and store....that is if the dogs do not eat them all at once!

                                                      BONE APPETIT POOCHES!!!!!!

Good Morning Granola!

This favourite breakfast treat is always a winner...with health coscious friends and family! Sadly, some folk refuse to eat what they call sawdust!!! But for those of us who enjoy the healthier breakfast choice, this quick and easy recipe will always deliver. One can also jazz it up by serving side portions of extra dried fruit and nuts.

The recipe can be prepared in a flash.....

3 Cups Oats
1/2 Cup Bran or Wheat germ
1/2 Cup Coconut
1/2 Cup Sunflower Seeds
1 Cup Plain Peanuts
1/2 Cup Sunflower Oil
1/2 Cup Honey
1 cup raisins

Mix all dry ingredients together in a roasting tray. ( Keep raisins aside, and add at the end.)
Warm together the oil and honey. Pour over the dry oat mixture and stir until well moistened.
For extra flavour, add a sprinkling of cinnamon or mixed spice.
Place in a pre heated oven on medium heat. Stir occassionaly until lightly golden brown.
Remove from oven, cool and stir in the raisins.
Store in an airtight container.
Serve with warm or cold milk, yoghurt or fresh fruit juice. Enjoy!

An update on my creative side!

Since I committed myself to the 52 Marvelous Makes Madness Challenge, my fingers have been busy, and best of all, my sewing machine is permanently waiting to be used!

Herewith some pictures of the latest results.....beaded shoes, pillow case, pouches and bags, with more to come! I thik I might attack my knitting needles this week end....wait and see what I discover in my workroom!

Until next time, stay creative, in the kitchen, the garden, the workroom, and finally with your life!!

Another pot of Pate!

Herewith a more generous serving of the Pate, in the perfect Pate Pot from France!

Looking through an old Austrian Cookery Book, I note that Pate of Chicken Livers is called Huehnerleberpastete. It is prepared in a similar method to my original recipe.
An interesting option is to create more of a terrine, by keeping aside a few choice pieces of chicken livers, cooking them in a little butter and a swirl of brandy. When assembling the terrine, stir in the sliced up pieces of the cooked, choice pieces of liver into the blended pate. This will add extra texture to the pate.

The terrine can be topped with a layer of clarified butter to seal it, or a traditional layer of aspic jelly.
Serve with sliced French loaf, Melba toast, biscuits or homemade wholewheat farm loaf....and a glass of vino or beer! Prost!!! 

It is Oktoberfest time folks!!!!!!!

So, I created a bit of ooompah pah in my kitchen this morning!

It is the 200th anniversary of this great festival, and unfortunately I am sitting here at home in Cape Town again!

As I  had no salami and wurst, I prepared a favourite of mine, and the dogs, Chicken liver pate.

Here is the simple recipe:
In a saucepan, saute 1 chopped onion, add garlic, two rashers of chopped bacon.
Add 225g Chicken livers, 150 g butter, salt, pepper and mixed herbs. Cook through until the livers are still a little pink in the centre.

Add a splash of brany, sherry or port and a dash of cream if you have! Blend until smooth. Allow to cool and serve with biscuits or bread and your favourite beer! Prost and enjoy.......!!!!!

Apparently over 6 MILLION guests will visit the Oktoberfest and indulge in the finest Bavarian beer @ a cost of 9 Euro's per L.......Perhaps it is best that we are here in Cape Town with that price!!!

Planning a Pasta evening tonight?

It is quick and easy to whip up a great bowl of pasta and sauce if you are keen.
Boil up a pot of your favourite pasta, remembering to keep it al dente....literally 'to the bite'.
Saute an onion, garlic and some fesh, organic tomatoes. Add either mince or tuna and cook through. Add a can of tomato and onion mix, a splash of wine, salt, pepper and mixed herbs.
Leave to simmer, adding more liquid if required.
Serve up in your favourite pasta bowls with freshly grated or shaved parmesan cheese on top.
Enjoy with your best red wine and great company.

Look out at your local deli for The Olive Grove products, such as their tapenade, olives and sun dried tomatoes. They will add loads of punch to your pasta dish!

If you have green fingers, then go ahead and plan your vegetable patch and plant some tomatoes, spinach, basil, parsley and whatever takes your fancy....you will reap the rewards!

Happy gardening and Cheers to a wonderful week end!

As a student in the Food and Clothing Department at Cape Technikon, we were told...........

......never to have bought biscuits or rusks in our cupboards at home!!!!
So, I shall uphold this comment and head off to the kitchen and bake my favourite Buttermilk Rusks.

There can be no better way to enjoy a great cup of tea or coffee than with a HOMEMADE rusk or cookie!!!
Go on...accept the challenge and head off to the kitchen!!! Happy baking!

From tomato thieves to compost queens.......

Yes, my dogs of course....Purdy and Olivia decided that the freshly turned compost was a delicacy to be experienced! It is a delight to make one's own compost. It means that our rubbish collection for a week is ONE bin bag only!!! We recycle paper, glass, tin cans and plastic....so after that there is not much left to dump!

So, go ahead and become a recycling Queen as well.

My favourite place to relax on a balmy , Spring evening is........

Well, an easy one to guess....on the Dragon Boat, down at the Waterfront with a wonderful team of Mujaji paddlers, and my sweet Olivia of course.

There is no better way to experience the beauty of the Waterfront, than from the water.....the ever changing activities at the V & A, the wonderful aroma's wafting around from the various restaurants and cafe's, and best of all, the inspirational comments we receive from enthusiastic supporters of our sport !!! Nothing can beat a sunset on the water with the majestic Cape Grace Hotel, glowing in its coral coloured paint, as the sun disappears........

Another magical day in Cape Town......

Just the perfect day to head off down to the beach for a sundowner....or just be creative and imagine that you are on a tropical island somewhere.......set out bright coloured cushions, flowers, candles and of course your favourite bottle of chilled wine! My choice today would be Buitenverwachting's Buiten Blanc. Enjoy.......

What a beautiful day for a picnic.........

Why wait for the week end before packing your next picnic?
 Dust off the basket from the top of the cupboard, pack your favourite pate ( homemade of course), fresh bread, crackers, cheese, pickles, and most importantly, a bottle of your favourite wine! After my wine tasting last night, the choice is easy, Warwick Estate's 2010 Professor Black Sauvignon Blanc.....full of tropical fruit, guava, the typical Warwick note of naartjie peel also lingers as you slowly sip this chilled wine.

For those who prefer a good red, the easy drinking First Lady 2008, aptly called that after Norma Ratcliffe was recognised as the first female wine maker.This wine is lightly wooded with burgundy oak barrells giving it the character. This red will be just great with your pate or pastrami....Go ahead and enjoy!!!

I have honoured my commitment to myself and my workroom!

Here is one of the results!!! After our dogs managed to destroy our bedroom net curtain I decided to rescue it. Well, eventually I did....and here is the result of  the rescue mission.  Not too difficult with a strip of fabric attached over the patches of destruction!

Now we need to see if the curtain will stand up to the dogs !!!!

My challenge to be creative and use up fabric and be creative continues into the second week. The secret is to have my sewing machine next to my laptop......so it is always begging to be used!
So, please excuse me....I am moving back to my sewing machine!

Can you feel it, see it, taste it?

Well what you might ask? The answer is Spring of course!!!!!

 Our garden is fragrant, green and lush. The birds are tweeting early in the morning....our bottlebrush tree vibrates with enthusiasm ........and our favourite visitor, the Hadeda Ibis is as noisy and entertaining as always! We had one try walk through the glass doors yesterday!

Where is Spring today?

I may not have spring daisies in my garden....but, I have the most beautiful orchids in my courtyard. The total number of flowers is 52, with another small spike waiting to open!

The sun is trying to shine....so go ahead and put some SPRING into your step today!!!
Go and find some flowers and herbs and share spring with someone special. I took a bunch of lavender and mint to a patient at UCT Academic Hospital yesterday....so she was ready for the fragrance of spring today!