Kitchen Diary

Today, being the 4th Monday in October, is internationally known as Pink Ribbon Day. As you all know the pink ribbon is worn during the month of October to raise breast cancer awareness.

In honour of Pink Ribbon Day, I made some yummy chocciechai cuppicakes – they were about an A cup size I would say if anyone were to ask me to hazard a guess ) I used my regular recipe for chocciechai cupcakes and instead of making the buttercream frosting I made a strawberry cheesecake frosting….they were delish. Got handed out all over the place for taste testers……

Have you guys read Diane Parker’s blog Journey of Hope? If not do pop over and read about these fabulous ladies who are riding their motorcycles around the country to help and to raise breast cancer awareness. There is also a Journey of Hope website you can visit to read more about it. And if you want to educate yourselves and know more about breast cancer (and yes, MEN too can develop breast cancer) then please go and visit the CANSA website for info.

Here are my cupcakes. I dedicate them and this post to Coach Todd (one of our bloggers) who is undergoing chemo for her cancer and is desperately ill in ICU. Toddy, we are all thinking of you and praying for you and your family.

MOO’S CHOCCIECHAI CUPCAKES

Ingredients:

Method:

Preheat oven to 190^oC

Prepare cupcake papers in muffin pans

Boil together the milk, water, butter & cocoa powder, stir in the chocolate pieces until melted

In large bowl beat the eggs, add the sugar and continue beating on high until very pale and fluffy

Sift together the flour, baking powder, chai and salt, grate in the orange zest and stir

Gently whisk in the sifted dry ingredients

Pour in the still warm cocoa liquid and flavouring and whisk until incorporated

Pour the batter into the prepared papers and bake 10 minutes then turn pan around and bake another 5-10 min or until a skewer comes out clean

When cold cut a small “plug” out of each cupcake with a sharp knife or a melon baller, fill with strawberry or raspberry preserves then replace the piece of cake you cut out.

STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

1 Container Lancewood Superior or Philadelphia Cream Cheese

10 Strawberries – pureed then strained to remove pips

3-4 Cups sifted Icing Sugar

Small pinch Salt

Few drops Vanilla Extract

Beat the cream cheese until smooth, beat in the rest of the ingredients then refrigerate for 10 minutes before piping onto cupcakes.

Decorate each cupcake with a wedge or slice of strawberry

Have a great week blogland and remember…….

wear your pink ribbon, inform yourself, go and have a mammogram

*browniegirl shudders and clutches the girls close*

Keep it real

browniegirl xxx

Right so here I am….dragged from my sick bed by my conscience screaming in my brain to come and relieve everyone from their misery of trying to guess the gadgets………

No 1 was this

Small fine grater hanging from a hook on the utensil rail

Madmom and Griet both guessed correctly that it was a hook – well done you two )

Special mention to Col who managed to see boobs in this photo. If you dont believe me

go back to the original post and take a look… )

No 2……….

A small Olive Oil Can that sits beside my stove

No one guessed this one correctly so 1 to me……….although Vusi did make the statement

that an exhaust pipe is not part of kitchen equipment )

No 3 …………….

The light on the underside of my battery operated pepper grinder

No one guessed what it was so2 to me then……

No 4 ……………

The front end of my pink perspex potato peeler

No guessed this one either so3 to me……..

No 5……………

Corkscrew bottle opener

Supa got this right just in time to open her zesty – well done Supa

No 6 ……………

The bottom of my brand spanking new never been used frying pan

Guessed correctly by that Supasleuth woman again, well done!!

No 7

Potato Masher not guessed by anyone….so 4 to me!!

Well done Madmom, Just Griet and Supa for guessing some of them.

Thanx Sidey for the weekend challenge…and thanx to all who visited and guessed and made my day )

I really enjoy this type of challenge (as you could all guess hey?)

So I am off back to my sick bed again.

I bid you all good night and good week

Hugs,

browniegirl xxx

I DID say I couldn’t resist………..didn’t I? So bare with me while I give you another…….

 Sidey’s weekend challenge is as follows:

It’s Friday, early, the birds are chirping happily, I have a cup of coffee and my laptop, and I’m ready to go online.

What about the weekend challenge. Oops! Ok I’ve been brewing it all week I guess.

It’s a photographic one.

Take a picture of a kitchen or household gadget. From any angle you like,

Then see who can guess what it is.

Leave me a message and I’ll keep adding all the links to this post so people can connect to all to see if they can guess what it is.  On Sunday evening post up what the gadget is, and what it’s used for.

OK here’s a few more for you lot playing guessing games……..I’m taking my lousy cold to bed (

a)

b)

c)

d)

e)

Catch you later,

browniegirl xxx

Like I said….I can’t resist these, so here is another one for you………….

 Sidey’s weekend challenge is as follows:

It’s Friday, early, the birds are chirping happily, I have a cup of coffee and my laptop, and I’m ready to go online.

What about the weekend challenge. Oops! Ok I’ve been brewing it all week I guess.

It’s a photographic one.

Take a picture of a kitchen or household gadget. From any angle you like,

Then see who can guess what it is.

Leave me a message and I’ll keep adding all the links to this post so people can connect to all to see if they can guess what it is.  On Sunday evening post up what the gadget is, and what it’s used for.

)

browniegirl xxx

I can’t resist these………….Sidey’s weekend challenge is as follows:

It’s Friday, early, the birds are chirping happily, I have a cup of coffee and my laptop, and I’m ready to go online.

What about the weekend challenge. Oops! Ok I’ve been brewing it all week I guess.

It’s a photographic one.

Take a picture of a kitchen or household gadget. From any angle you like,

Then see who can guess what it is.

Leave me a message and I’ll keep adding all the links to this post so people can connect to all to see if they can guess what it is.  On Sunday evening post up what the gadget is, and what it’s used for.

So here is my contribution…..may not be the last one either………If I have time I shall post another once you lot get this right. I know you will because you are all so clever )

Have a good night blogland,

browniegirl xxx

Some months ago Rose & Thorn from Homemade Heaven blogged about some fishcakes that she had made and I decided it’s about time I made my own and stopped relying on Mrs Woolies to provide a quick delicious meal for hubby who loves fishcakes. We went and did our regular grocery shopping and I found some fresh hake fillets and the Smash (instant mash potato) that would be required to make the said cakies. Now, if you know my brownieboy you will know that the Smash in the trolly would’ve caused momentary panic. Something about his days of army conscription and having to eat copious amounts of bland cardboard tasting, nasty textured instant mashed potato puts a wild maniacal look into that mans eyes. I learned very early in our marriage (like say the first week LOL) that Smash would just not cut it in the culinary department of our marital bliss and so in the ensuing 31 years I have never made that mistake again. Sooooo, when the Smash landed in the trolley the wild look appeared and so, to stop a manic scene in the middle of the dry goods aisle at our local store – remember we were shortly to leave for our first holiday in 10 years and I couldn’t afford for him to get rid of me quite yet ) – I told him the Smash was required for a blog experiment and not for him…….so he relaxed and was happy, the Smash found it’s way into my store cupboard at home, the hake into the freezer and we went on our happy holiday! (Good grief, I just remembered that I still have a lot of blogging to do for that…only managed to get to day 2 or three of blog posts and then my blogging days were cut short by that motorbike accident……so in effect all of you lot have been left hanging around Calitzdorp or thereabouts for the past 4 months or so…SORRY!!!)

The hake was happily grilled or pan seared and eaten months ago and the fishcakes forgotten until I got a gentle reminder from Jo over at Rockstar Rehab asking me how to make fishcakes. Bet you lot didn’t know that instead of a rockstar these days Jo spends her time hanging out amongst the food bloggers pages……yep, she has become an ardent groupie ) So I thought about that Smash languishing in the cupboard and had only a momentary feeling of guilt about brownieboys abhorrence before I rushed out and bought some fresh hake and salmon to turn into our dinner!! The fishcakes were a smash hit (pun intended). Brownieboy declared the recipe a keeper. I have yet to tell him the smashing news about the contents LOL!! Hope he doesn’t smash me when he finds out..if I suddenly stop blogging you lot will know :o)

Here is my recipe for fishcakes……….I used hake and salmon but you can play around with whatever fish you prefer to use or can find. A couple of minced shrimp or prawns would go well too. Remember to ALWAYS use sustainable seafood and keep our oceans alive. If in doubt you can SMS the name of the fish to the number appearing on the SASSI website and receive a very prompt reply telling you whether the fillet you fancy is legal (on the green or orange list) or on the red list (this applies only in South Africa) See under my badges for the mobile number or visit the link.

MOO’S HAKE & SALMON FISHCAKES

500g Hake – roughly processed
250g Salmon – roughly processed

Small bunch Spring Onions OR 1 small Onion – finely chopped

1 Garlic Clove – finely grated

1 small Red Chilli – seeds removed & finely chopped (use it or lose it if you don’t like chilli)

Small handful of fresh Coriander (Dhania) Leaves – finely chopped (likewise use it or lose it. Use parsley or dill instead)
20ml Mayonnaise
Juice & finely grated zest of 1 Lemon or Lime

50ml Milk
104g sachet of Smash (Instant mash potato) – I used the Country Herb flavour
Sea Salt flakes & Cracked Black Pepper to season
4 slices white bread – crusts removed and made into fine crumbs

Roughly mince the hake and salmon in a processor (or use a handheld blender like I do) or chop very finely (a hassle!!)

Add the rest of the prepared ingredients (excepting breadcrumbs) and mix together well

Rub a bit of cooking oil on your hands then pinch off sections and roll into balls then pat into flattish cakes
Roll in breadcrumbs

Refrigerate for an hour.
Fry a few fish cakes at a time in a little medium hot oil for 2 minutes per side until golden then bake in a preheated oven 180^oC for 10-15min

Serve hot with mashed potatoes and minted peas

My brownieboy loves my homemade Red Pepper Jelly with his fish cakes. I will post a recipe for that one of these fine days )

Have a great weekend….I’ve heard that the glorious weather we are experiencing in Cape Town will be taking a downturn over the weekend (. Oh well, I’ve learned that you have to take the bad along with the good.

browniegirl xxx

My daughter SD’s car has broken down yet again……..so yesterday I took her and Little Jay to his weekly Wriggle & Rhyme activity class. Guess who I saw there???

I was so very excited but alas! Lyndatjie  was not anywhere in sight…sigh!! Anyway, while the cats away the mice will play and little froggie got quite cozy on my knee for a little while…well, until he was hijacked by an excitable raucous toddler that is.. )

Here are a couple of photos of Jay at the class……..he loves it and gives it his all….

and is always up close and personal because of his very poor vision. Roll on next year when he can have his cataracts removed!! I just know it is going to help him a lot!

Fascinated by the finger puppets, loving the bubbles, blowing madly on a noisy whistle of sorts!!

And then, this morning when brownieboy was leaving we found this little fella in dire straits. He had hopped into an ice cream bowl of water that I had put out for our grand dog Leila (SD’s boxer) when they came by after their wetlands walk late yesterday afternoon. Because of the smooth sides of the container the froggie couldn’t get out again and would’ve drowned. Everybody call 911…….browniegirl to the rescue seeing as brownieboy cannot bend yet (especially with that corset he is wearing hehe) and one very relieved and happy little froggie leapt to safety near the birdbath and hid in a corner recovering and  getting his strength back….so another one of Lyndatjies relatives lives another day.  

There is a rich frog and birdlife in the wetlands. Here is a

link if you are interested in reading more info about it.

And now, it’s Pinky Friday so best I get sorted for Ty’s arrival. I’m not too sure yet what he will choose for us to bake yet this evening….

Have a great weekend blogland. And remember….don’t rock the weber )

browniegirl xxx

Yesterday I had a wonderful opportunity to meet up with fellow foodie bloggers Nina from My Easy Cooking & Taz from Cocoa 

It was touch and go for me as I had to re-organize aqua therapy for brownieboy but all fell into place and we found ourselves at Canal Walk for breakfast. Was wonderful reconnecting with Nina again and fabulous to meet Taz!! What happens at a MOB stays at a MOB but some exciting future things might see the light of day from that breakfast ) Right, my lips are sealed!!

Anyhoooo, I popped out to the shops later in the day and found a beautiful piece of Norwegian Salmon with my name emblazoned across it in bold print….now I could not refuse to pop it into my basket could I??? NAH!! And in the fresh produce aisle I came across this fabulous stuff………..

Beetroot Sprouts!!! Slightly peppery and earthy, gorgeous colour and so palatable!!

I rushed home with my stash and thought about what I would do with the salmon. After some debating and looking at different options I decided to go fairly simple……this is what I did……..

A good glug of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon (or lime)

1 Garlic Clove – finely grated

Small piece of fresh ginger – finely grated

1 Small Red Chilli – finely chopped (no seeds – gotta remember brownieboy doesnt do chilli too well hehe)

Few sprigs of coriander – finely chopped

A good drizzle of honey

Sea salt flakes & freshly cracked black pepper

Mix all together well and pour over the fish in a bowl – marinade for about 20 minutes turning the fish over half way.

Grill 2-3 minutes each side over high heat on a griddle or frying pan until done to your liking.

I fired up the gas braai (barbecue for those over the big pond) and flash grilled my salmon that way.

I left my fish in one whole piece but you could cut it into cubes and thread onto dampened wooden skewers

if you prefer to make kebabs

I served the salmon on a bed of just wilted red baby spinach, a baked red skin potato, roasted baby tomatoes, roasted asparagus, honey cinnamon swede batons….and the beetroot sprouts!! You could say I saw red last night teehee!

YUM YUM YUM!!!

Well, the southeaster is living up to its name of Cape Doctor and blasting all that is not fastened down right out to sea! It is not pleasant out there I tell you.

Have a great Wednesday evening,

browniegirl xxx

Shoot, whatever happened to the day??? I am so sorry I totally forgot to mention in my earlier post about a special birthday today in blogland…..they were working on the bug squashing and upgrading stuff and I realized it was happening so posted before I lost my entry and then forgot to do another one later…….

Anyhooooo, here I am with 20 minutes to spare before pumpkin time to wish

 Dinx

a

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

It has been a very difficult year for you dearest Dinx friend

and I salute you and admire you for the way that you have coped with so much that has happened.

Love you bunches and praying that God will bless you in a very special way and that the year ahead

will be paved with amazing blessings and love for you

and then, rather late in the day I also found out that it is

frootcake‘s birthday as well….

Happy Birthday dearest Frootzie

May your year ahead also be filled with God’s rich blessings. Hope your day was wonderful

do take a look at her blog entry for today. A wonderfully inspiring piece of writing.

Big hugs to you both,

browniegirl and brownieboy xxx

What a magnificent day in the Cape….WOW!! The sun is shining, the wind is just a light breeze to cool things down, brownieboy is at work…………..WHAT?????? Brownieboy is at work???? Oooooh yes blogland!! I told you he was on the comeback trail!! The specialist was very happy with him on Thursday so he gave the go ahead for him to return to work today, only for a few hours at a time mind you. He has driven the car a bit over the weekend just to start getting into things. He attended church yesterday morning for the first time since his accident and received a hero’s welcome there. Made him feel really special. He does get tired quite easily which is a good thing otherwise I just know he would be overdoing it!! We are thrilled at the way that he is healing. He is still going for his aqua therapy with his physio lady and that is going well….so things are looking up in brownieville! Thank you to each and every one of you once again for all the love, support. prayers and good wishes. God has indeed answered a lot of prayers! And you lot here in blogland are a very special bunch of people. Very inspiring and very encouraging….

Briefcase in hand, name tag in place & ready to work!!

After I dropped brownieboy off at work I headed down to granny’s stunning beach for a little walk with my camera. It was breathtaking down there at 9.30am. I almost had the whole beach to myself….

Have a wonderful day and week blogland

Hugs,

browniegirl xxx