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Sunday, January 30, 2011

A Pre- Valentine's Dinner for Two !

Getting into the spirit....a tablescape for two sweethearts...





Using all my families' treasures...


Dreamy....romantic...

                                          The cut crystal sherry glasses date back four generations.....










Champagne and roses....always a good combination....













See you soon!
Shel
Linking to Seasonal Sundays.
    and   Tablescape Thursdays

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Food for my soul!


Living in Loving Kindness....when we live consiously from the highest, we can glimpse in meditation, we are living from the heart. We feel strong , relaxed, focused, accepting, creative and joyful.
An English monk, who wrote "The Cloud Unknowing" declared that God can be known by thought never....only by love can he be known.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Cinnamon Buns!

These little buns are delicious.....I made them yesterday afternoon for tea to feed the "hungry" after their day!
So simple and quick....that's the way I like a recipe.....

The recipe and ingredients....
Ready made dough from your local supermarket
1 pkt vanilla pudding mix
1 tablesp Cinnamon
2 Tablesp sugar
some melted butter


Preheat the oven around 220deg C
Roll out the dough into strips
Brush with melted butter
mix all the other ingred together and sprinkle liberally on the top of the strip
Roll up and put each into a greased muffin pan.
Brush with more melted butter.


 Bake in the oven until nice and brown...around 20 mins



Remove and brush with a coating of thin custard or glace icing would be even better....I just had run out of icing sugar....serve warm!





These were a great hit and really simple....little did my family know just how easy!




Have a wonderful day....
Shel xx

Linking to Made by You and Foodie Friday

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Food for my Soul! My Wish for you ♥


Today I had the privilege of being in the company of a young man starting the first day of his last year at high school together with a very young little man starting his first day of his school career....a wealth of memories came flooding by in just those precious few minutes I spent with the two of them...years of holding his hand, nurturing, listening, laughing,tears of joy and sadness....today...I wished I could have had my dear parents here with me for just a minute....

Good Luck to all of you...those starting out, those dear ones in the middle somewhere of their schooling and to all those young men that have journeyed together with someone
 I have the privilege to call my son!♥

Here's an Irish Blessing for all ....

My wish for you.................


                         I wish you not a path devoid of clouds, nor a life on a bed of roses,
                         Not that you might never need regret,
                         nor that you should never feel pain.
                         No, that is not my wish for you.
                         My wish for you is:
                         That you might be brave in times of trial,
                         when others lay crosses upon your shoulders.
                         When mountains must be climbed and chasms are to be crossed,
                         When hope can scarce shine through.
                         That every gift God gave you might grow with you
                         and let you give your gift of joy to all who care for you.
                         That you may always have a friend who is worth that name,
                         whom you can trust and who helps you in times of sadness,
                         Who will defy the storms of daily life at your side.
                         One more wish I have for you:
                         That in every hour of joy and pain you may feel God close to you.
                         This is my wish for you and for all who care for you.
                         This is my hope for you now and forever.

Anonymous Irish blessing.

Shel ♥

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Plums in Blankets! Tutorial.

Three ripe, juicy plums were going..going...gone! Didn't want to waste these...what to do?



I halved the plums....removed the seed.....


I made a struesel mixture...chopped pecans, sugar, oats,flour and rubbed together with a little butter...



Then for the blanket...puff pastry....



Put the 2 halves of the plum together with the struesel mixture inside, on the square of pastry...gather up two opposite corners....






Add some trimmings...leaves.... leave whole in the centre to allow the the steam to escape....
Then bake in a very hot oven at 230 degree C until nice and puffed and golden brown...sprinkle liberally with sugar....
 



Enjoy with your favourite ice cream or cream, I served it with Rum 'n Raisin...a nice little combo for my sweet.... he wasn't feeling too well....♥





See you soon!
Shel!

Linking to  Table top Tuesdays
and Tablescape Thursdays
and Foodie Fridays

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Warm Milk Cake♥

A good little cake....I tweeked the topping a little~ you should go here to see prettier pics~ None the less, this was a feast for us.


The Recipe.

2 eggs
1 cup of sugar
1 cup of flour
a pinch of salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1 tblsp of butter

for the topping
6 level tablsp brown sugar  ( I used treacle sugar)
1/4 cup of cream
1/2 cup of coconut (I only had dessicated which does not give such a good photo effect!)
1/2 cup pecan nuts
1/2tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 180degree C
Grease the springfoam tin
Beat the eggs and sugar for 3 minutes til pale.
Add flour,salt and baking powder which have been sifted
Heat your milk and butter, but not boiling, just until the butter melts
Add milk to your mixture and stir for 1 minute.
Bake for 30 minutes until the skewer comes out clean.

Topping:
Mix in a bowl all the ingredients.
Pour this over the hot cake. Return to the oven for a few minutes under the grill.




See you soon!
Shel

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Food for my soul! My 100th post.♥

It's my 100th post today! A  peaceful Sunday to you all ~ ♥



"let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." ~ Marcel Proust

Carpetbagger Boeuf en Croete~

I combined the 2 receipes ~
First stuffed the fillet with mussels and danish feta. Secured with toothpicks. Then seared on all sides.
Removed from the skillet and drained on kitchen paper ~ removed toothpicks then covered with puff pastry.
Baked in a very hot oven for 30min. Removed and allowed to rest.
served with "honey glazed" butternut and pumpkin seeds.
Delicious..♥








Sunday, January 9, 2011

Food for my soul!

"Some people come into our lives and quickly go.....some stay for a while and leave footprints on our hearts. And we are never, ever the same....."



I'm linking to Seasonal Sundays...

My African Mielie Bread ~

The Recipe:
Makes 1 loaf:  So easy~

2 x 410g tins of whole kernel corn, drained and minced.
3 large eggs
salt and freshly ground black pepper totaste
2 tsp white sugar
pinch of ground nutmeg
1/2 cup of plain yogurt
1/2 cup of milk
200g grated cheddar cheese plus extra for serving
1/2 cup of cake flour
2 tsp baking powder

1. Preheat oven to 180degree C
2.Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
3. Line a loaf tin with baking paper and pour in the batter, Bake until golden and cooked through...about 1 hour
4. Serve warm, topped with extra cheese.

 So nice as a snack on it's own....or accompanment to a braai.....







A lovely loaf for a gorgeous sunny day in South Africa!
My mistake!.....I didn't mince the kernels.....?? still yummy though!

See you soon.
Shel!