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by bitsofcarey

My 2nd Birthday celebration and Crush launch

July 5, 2010 in Crush mag recipes, out and about, Randoms

14 Comments »

Yes, you read right…2nd!! 2 July 2008, I had a bone marrow transplant, so technically I am two years old! ha ha! To celebrate my rebirth, J took me away to our favourite place, Greyton. This is the place we can see ourselves growing old. We stayed at Barnards. Sneaky J organised Champagne and a mini birthday cake to be sent to our room, aahhhh!

Off we went for dinner downstairs next to a roaring fireplace, so warm and cozy! I was cold and hungry so I had lipsmacking ribs and full on handcut chips! J had an amazing steak. Very simple menu, but what they offer is good. I would’ve enjoyed a choice of starters though. So we made a toast, for my mini Bday and for the launch of CRUSH online magazine. Go check it out http://www.crushmagonline.com/ . We had alot to be excited and grateful for this weekend!

 

In the morning we were served a sit down brekkie and then walked to the Saturday market. We left with bags of pastries and cheese! We pretty much ate and drank all weekend visiting Vanilla Cafe(cutesie cute!), Oak and Vine and Via’s. And of course made time to watch the Germany and Argentina game at Barnards pub! Lots of beer and snack baskets consumed. Well done Germany. We had another toast for Germany – we support them because my bone marrow was donated from a guy in Germany…and the fact that they play so damn well!!!

 

For dinner we tried Savannah Restuarant in the Post House. I just adore this place. Wooden floors, fireplace, friendly and efficient staff. Also simple menu, but great fresh flavours. Lots of wine consumed. No space for dessert. Went back to our room and munched on our stash of bikkies from the market. I read my book in bed and J listened to his I-pod. Bliss! I just love quiet time. Especially when you can have quiet time with your other half and feel no need to talk, but just BE!

 

Another BIG Brekkie on Sunday morning, packed and took a slow scenic drive home.(I just want to add that the staff at Barnards were extremely friendly and accomodating. We will be back there next time!) We stopped at every farmstall on the way back, one I must mention is, Dassiesfontein. This place is food stylist’s dream come true, old school kitchen ware, enamel dishes, antiques and bits and bobs. Also a lovely buzzing restuarant.

 

So here’s to new beginnings, a new week, another year of being in remission, being married to a wonderful man, being part of a new and exciting online magazine(Thank you for believing in me Michael!) and many more years of blogging!

 

Although we loved our US time, we really missed our little sons(Charlie and Fred), and were happy to be home again!

 

 

Will blog about some food soon!

 

See some of my yummy Monday to Sunday recipes in CRUSH! http://www.crushmagonline.com/

 

Happy Monday all!

 

Luv from a very inspired and grateful Carey

xxx

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by bitsofcarey

Recession Soup and Sushi – ha ha!

May 24, 2010 in Randoms, Soups

6 Comments »

I got home late last week from doing a cookery demo and discovered that J got very creative in the kitchen. He ran to me in excitement, “babe, babe, I made the most awesome soup AND this cool sushi you could blog about!”. The first thing I thought was, “how did he manage that?”  there were absolutely NO ingredients in the house for these alleged dishes. To my surprise, out came a clear bowl of chicken noodley soup and “cheese and herb sushi”. Not only did the combinations taste good together, I was also impressed with his creativity of cooking something out of nothing. So I dedicate a blog to J every week to show case his/our adventures of making “something out of nothing”! P.s. the recession may be over, but we all struggle with mid month bank balances!

J’s Recession Soup and Sushi

 

The soup

This soup is so basic, but has so much flavour, must use real chicken stock, Nomu or new Ina’s liquid stock concentrate. The chilli is a must too!

 

Serves 2

 

You will need:

 

15 ml chilli infused olive oil (J infused himself 3 weeks ago)

5 ml chopped garlic

1 onion, finely chopped

1 carrot, finely grated

750 ml homemade chicken stock (had left over in the fridge from previous night, still had bits of chicken in)

a handful of pasta( J used bit of broken spaghetti and some shells)

S&P

 

All you do is:

 

Saute the garlic, onion and carrots in the olive oil until soft.

Add the stock and bring to the boil.

Add the pasta to the boiling stock and cook until tender.

Season with salt and pepper.

Serve with cheese and herb sushi.

 

TIP: if you don’t have chilli infused olive oil, just add some chopped chilli with the onions.

 

Cheese and Herb sushi

 

 

You will need:

 

2 slices of white bread

grated cheese

dried mixed herbs

 

All you do is:

 

Sprinkle some grated cheese over the bread slices.

Melt in the microwave until soft.

Spread the cheese out evenly and roll tightly.

Slice to resemble sushi.

 

 

Hope you found this as entertaining as I did!

 

Happy Monday all!

 

C xx

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by bitsofcarey

A Saturday in the kitchen and a smile for Monday!

April 26, 2010 in Pasta, Randoms, salads, Sweet treats

4 Comments »

A Spinach Feta and Bolognaise Lasagne

Pear and Goats Cheese Salad 

 Homemade Iced Tea

Fred in the Herb Garden

 

 

SFB LASAGNE

 

For the bolognaise:

300 g lean beef mince

1 onion, chopped

15 ml crushed garlic

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 tin of whole tomatoes

125 ml red wine

15 ml tomato sauce

15 ml Heinz Smokey BBQ sauce(inspired by Hubby)

S&P

Fresh basil, torn up

 

Brown the mince in some heated olive oil, followed by the onions and garlic. Saute until soft.

Add the tomatoes(fresh and tinned) and heat through.

Pour in the wine, T and BBQ sauce

Simmer for +- 30 minutes until reduced.

Season with S&P and stir in some basil. Set aside.

 

For the Spinach and feta:

 

300 g Spinach, trimmed and washed

2 Feta rounds

Nutmeg

Pepper

 

Blanch spinach in boiling water for 3 minutes max and refresh in cold water. Squeeze all the liquid out. Chop.

In a bowl, crumble the feta and mix with the spinach, season with nutmeg and pepper.

 

White sauce:

 

30 ml butter

30 ml flour

300 ml milk

125 ml grated cheddar

S&P

nutmeg

 

Melt the butter in a small saucepan, remove from the heat and add the flour, mix well to form a roux.

Place back on the heat and add the milk, whisking all the while until thickened to a coating consistency(sauce coats the back of a spoon).

Remove from the heat and mix in the cheese and season.

 

 

 

 To assemble:

 

Spoon half of the mince sauce into a lasagne dish, followed by a layer of lasagne sheets, 1 thick layer of spinach and feta, lasagne sheets, the remaining half of the mince sauce, lasagne sheets and top with a generous layer of white sauce.

Sprinkle with some grated cheddar and parmesan.

 

 

Nom Nom…

 

Pear and Goats Cheese Salad

This is what we had before the lasagne

 

This is literally 1 pear, cored and cut into wedges and fried in a lightly oiled pan until golden.

Chevin (As much as you like)!

2 hanfuls of rocket(from our garden)

Drizzled with Verlaque Cranberry and pomegranite splash.

 

 

Homemade Rooibos Iced Tea 

 

 J and I have been really bad with fizzy drinks lately, we are really trying to live a healthier lifestyle. So we cut down on the caffeine, sugar and fizz…lets see how long it lasts!

 

Makes 2L

 

Place 4 rooibos tea bags in 1 L of recently boiled water

1 L of Peach juice (or granadilla, apple etc)

 

Pour both into a 2 L Jug(remove tea bags) and chill.

 

Once cool, serve with lots of ice.

 

We really enjoy this because it’s not too sweet. We always find juice extremely sweet, so adding rooibos not only dilutes the juice but adds a distinct flavour!

 

 

 

 

Lastly, Fred in the Herb Garden.

 

 

He was caught in the act eating rocket again! No joke! My boy’s got a palate!

 

 

HAPPY MONDAY ALL!

Cx

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by bitsofcarey

Random: Heavenly Foot Scrub and a Warm Potato and Herb salad

April 12, 2010 in Randoms, salads

6 Comments »

EXPERIMENT 1:

My friend and I made this fabulous foot scrub – all natural and divine! What a treat. I’m not really a beauty freak – I loved the idea because it’s food related of course!

HEAVENLY FOOT SCRUB

1 cup of course sea salt

1/2 cup of sugar

Olive oil to moisten a bit

Juice and zest of 1/2 a lemon

fresh lavender

Mix the ingredients all together and scrub. Your feet will be so silky and smooth! It smelled amazing.

EXPERIMENT 2:

I tried Verlaque’s Pomegranite Splash. It has a lovely sweet lemony flavour and it inspired me to make this salad.  I chose to do something very simple to appreciate the complex flavours of the dressing. And I think it’s a cool autumny dish!

Warm Potato and Herb salad:

250 g baby potatoes, boiled until tender

4 spring onions, chopped

a handful of rocket

a handful of basil

Zest of 1 lemon

Black pepper

A generous drizzle of Verlaque Pomegranite splash

Cut the cooked potatoes into wedges and saute them in olive oil until golden and crispy.

Toss with herbs, onions, pepper and zest.

Drizzle with splash.

Other suggestions:

You could roast the potatoes instead of boiling and frying them.

You could add some crispy bacon bits

Or chunks of danish feta

Add a few sauteed tomatoes

Experiment 3:

Spent the whole weekend playing with my camera and lighting.

Have a busy week ahead, but hoping to find time for more experimentation. I love Autumn, feeling so inspired!

Have a fab week all!

Cx

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by bitsofcarey

Toast for Easter?

April 1, 2010 in Randoms

10 Comments »

Well.. I haven’t written in a while because I haven’t been eating!! Yes me! It’s been marmite on toast for 4 days straight!  I must say I’m proud of my new bone marrow for keeping me well for almost a year…I have to accept that I will get a seasonal tummy bug. Not fun. Especially in my line of work, so have been off the whole week. Lost 3 kg’s though – bonus!

I have square eyes from all the day time televison already! I watched Julia and Julie AGAIN and started googling why Julia was not happy with Julie’s blog. I still don’t have a clear answer. I learned that Julie has a really foul mouth though. wow.

I got really creative with my toast this week… brown, white, whole-wheat, marmite, oxo(gross), lightly toasted, medium to well toasted and charred! So if I see another marmite toast again, I will lose it.

Feel my pain… dry toast with marmite and NO butter (to make matters worse!). Let’s not forget flat coke and black rooibos. bluggh!

Apposed to… My usual grilled cheese and tomato toast and a frothy coffee -yes I made that foam myself! (this was 2 weeks ago, I photograph everything, it’s sad)

I bought some Easter treats today knowing that I cant stomach it, but hopefully can on Sunday! The buns freeze well and are even better toasted with LOTS OF BUTTER. And those naughty little lindt bunnies..soon my tiny friends…soon. I know hubby will appreciate them even if I don’t get to them!

P.S found a divine range of different flavour hot cross buns at Spar…extra spicy, toffee, chocolate, original and light(yes, light! ). yummy…

With your left of Hot crossed buns make a “hot crossed bun bread pudding”.  I’ll see if I have time to make it this weekend and upload it.

Well, looking forward to the weekend, we are going to Kleinmond. Should be fun, need to get out of the city for a bit and breathe in some fresh sea air!

Here’s to an Easter filled with love, laughter, family, friends and most of all FOOD.