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Yes, there is still time to bake your Christmas Cake!

November 9, 2012 in Uncategorized

Easy Fruit Cake recipe

My mom runs like a well-oiled machine, everything in her life is planned to the T. The countdown to  Christmas is no exception and usually by October mom starts filling the cookie tins and by the end of October my mom bakes her fruit cakes. You can deem yourself very lucky to be on the coveted list for a fruit cake from Ouma Tina! Although Mom bakes her cakes in October, she says that even if you bake them today (a month late) they will still be delicious by Christmas! It is important that you ripen the cake properly, feeding it with brandy or rum before your enjoy it!

In list of ingredients for this cake is so short  that you don’t have to dig into the holiday money to make it either! There are two major issues that need your attention when making this cake.

Issue #1 – The first issues to deal with is prepping your cake tin. It is vitally important that you line the cake tin with at least two layers of baking or silicon paper. Some people even add two sheets of brown paper to that.

Issue #2 – The second issues is to watch your cake mix when you boil it, it burns very quickly and then you have to start from scratch…

Visit My Easy Cooking for the recipe to

Ouma Tina’s Christmas Cake

Easy Fruit Cake Recipe

My Easy Cooking turns a new leaf……………

October 16, 2012 in Uncategorized

It is time……. my favorite line from the block buster Lion King!  Well, it certainly was time to change My Easy Cooking, it was as outdated as my  most comfortable pair of slip slops, yet change is not always easy as one might think. Not only did I have to change my design and “feel”, I also had to move to a different platform and to move with 600+ posts with all the photographs, proved to be a nightmare. It had to be done and after 2 weeks of slogging, spitting fire and swearing never to do it again, I am proud to present to you the new My Easy Cooking! What do you think? Will you change, add or remove something? Please leave a comment and let us know!

For the occasion, I made something really quick and simple, yet delicious and quite snazzy if I have to say so myself!

Savory Cheesecakes with Caramelized Onions

Going Retro with baked Alaska

September 16, 2012 in Uncategorized

Who of you have had this classic dessert, Baked Alaska before?  Simplicity  at it’s best, yet when you serve it, this dessert certainly has a wow factor! In essence it consists of  cake, ice-cream and meringue. You can make it as simple as that or you can add your own personal flavors and textures. I dare you to try it, you are most definitely going to amaze your guests!!

Baked Alaska

More Meringue Recipes

Meringue Roullade

Budget Caramel and Banana Pavlova

Easy Lemon Meringue Pie

Tune in to RSG tomorrow (100-104FM) morning (Thursday)just after 9 when I share a different easy recipe from My Easy Cooking. You can also listen online here!

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Chocolate Cupcakes with Halva Buttercream Frosting

August 9, 2012 in Uncategorized

Chocolate Cupcakes with Halva Buttercream Frosting

While baking chocolate cupcakes  the other day, I couldn’t help wondering just how many chocolate cupcakes I have baked in my life already? I have tweaked them with Guinness and doped them with Amarula, but it doesn’t matter what flavor they come in, my son devours them as if there is no tomorrow!

If you follow the above-mentioned links, you will find an array for different cupcakes and muffins, but when time is the enemy and the chocolate cravings kick in, a mom’s gotta do what a mom’s gotta do…… instant it is…… (you can use any instant cupcake mix)

For the recipe, visit

My Easy Cooking

Chocolate Loaf with Halva Buttercream Frosting

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Ilse Fourie’s Mediterranean Smoked Kipper Quiche

August 7, 2012 in Uncategorized

The last post I wrote about Ilse Fourie‘s Butter Chicken, the standard comment was: “Beautiful….and the food isn’t bad either!” I got it! Loud and clear, with Ilse in the kitchen, my food and photography were taking  back seats and just because she is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside, I was ok with that! Today I  am sharing her delicious Smoked Kipper quiche recipe and I expect profuse drooling, not only for her, but for the quiche too!
During last week’s Easy Cooking Housewife Challenge, Ilse received Mediterranean Smoked Kippers and Mature Dutch Gouda cheese in her mystery basket.Dumbfounded at first, but after serious contemplation with Sue-Ann Allen (runner up Masterchef SA 2012), she felt inspired enough to create this masterpiece. It was a delicious quiche, she added just enough smoked quiche to give it a very subtle smokiness without overpowering it.With just enough cream, milk, eggs and  cheese to bring it all together, the result was a light, fluffy, eggy quiche….divine!!

Mediterranean Smoked Kipper Quiche

Mediterranean Smoked Kipper Quiche

More Master Chef Recipes

Chorizo and Potato Snack

 Jade de Waal’s Potato and Chorizo Snack

Mediterranean Samoosas

 Sue-Ann’s Mediterranean Samoosas

Thank you Mediterranean Delicacies for sponsoring this event! Visit their Facebook page

All photographs in this post is courtesy of Matt Stow. Thank you Matt!

You will find Mediterranean Delicacies at selected  Shoprite stores, Pick n Pay, Checkers, Spar, Foodlover’s Market and other smaller retailers in your area.

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Chocolate Comfort in a mug!

July 15, 2012 in Uncategorized

Comfort in a mug

My children love hot chocolate. If I’ll allow it, they would start every day with a mug full, but I somehow think all that sugar is not a good way to start a day, but with this extreme cold weather we are experiencing, I find it more and more difficult to say “No!”. This week while the rest of Cape Town spend their days under  blankets or in front of a fireplace, my son played water polo and he needed some sweet comfort chocolate  pudding in a mug……
I have made a self-saucing chocolate pudding before, but this time, I needed more warmth and more comfort in that pud. If I think of winter spices and flavors, the first that comes to mind are ginger, cinnamon, cloves and allspice and nutmeg. I could not possibly put all those spices in one pudding, but it was darn difficult to choose so I chose my favorite ones, which were clove, cinnamon and ginger. All you need is a little of each spice and your chocolate pudding will be different and oh so comforting!

Chocolate Pudding

Warm and spicy!

 

Cheesy Corn Bread, perfect with just about anything!

July 5, 2012 in Uncategorized

Delicious as a loaf or muffins for the lunchboxes

I have always been fascinated South American cuisine, after all what is not to like about chili con carne, fried chicken,( watch this blog for more about this ) gumbo, grits, pulled pork and other barbecue dishes. In the Southern parts of America, corn bread is called skillet-fried or skillet-baked corn bread and  butter is usually browned in a cast iron skillet and the cornmeal batter is poured into the butter and baked in the oven, resulting in a dense crumbly corn bread or cake.

Cheesy Corn Bread

Cornbread with pork roast and tomato relish!

The corn bread that you find at most South African braai’s, is more like the North American version and is usually made with half flour and half cornmeal and other ingredients. The bread is slightly lighter and sweeter in taste. It can be baked in bread shape or made into individual muffins, which are perfect for lunchbox treats…. As I have said earlier, there are so many recipes available, but we like this recipe, because it is moist and just perfect as a side dish, but also delicious on its own, toasted or plain, with or without toppings…

All finished!

More corn recipes

Corn and Country Ham quiche

Corn on the cob

Corn Fritters

3 Easy Steps Lemon Pound Cake and more lemon recipes….

June 18, 2012 in Uncategorized

Tangy, zingy and utterly delicious!

This lemon pound cake is so, so easy to make, only three simple steps and yet the end result is utterly delicious and perfect to serve on its own with a lovely cup of tea and a few best friends. Anybody who knows me or has ever read an article about me, will know that, if asked what my favorite ingredient in the kitchen is, the answer is always lemon.
I love lemons and yes, in my opinion most recipes gets a little face lift with the addition of just a few drops of lemon juice or a little of the zest. I am lucky enough to have two lemon trees in my garden, so this time of the year, I make the most of the abundant harvest I have off my trees. I can hardly imagine grilled lamb chops without lemon, tuna fish cakes lighten up with the addition of lemon juice and zest and for me, the perfect end to a meal must be a zingy Lemon Tart!
I used thick Greek yogurt in this recipe, which made this pound cake moist and rich, but you can also try it with fat free yogurt if you are trying to cut down on fats in your diet.

Lemon Pound Cake

make one large loaf

Ingredients

For the loaf
210 gr cake flour
10 ml baking powder
½ t salt
250 ml greek yogurt
250 gr sugar
3 large eggs
zest of 1 large or two medium lemons
125ml vegetable oil
For the glaze
125ml sugar
juice of 1 large lemon
For the Icing 
50 ml lemon juice
1 cup icing sugar – sifted

Preheat your oven to 180C and line a large loaf tin with baking or silicon paper. Sift together the dry ingredients, flour, salt and baking powder. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, eggs and lemon zest and then slowly mix the dry and wet ingredients. Lastly fold in the oil until it is fully incorporated into the batter. Pour batter into the prepared loaf tin and bake for about 45-50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the loaf.
Meanwhile heat the lemon juice and sugar in a small pot on the stove until all the sugar has dissolved. When the loaf comes from the oven, leave in the pan for a couple of minutes, because it will break if removed from the pan to quickly. After about 10 minutes, remove the loaf from the pan, place on a wire rack  pour the lemon syrup over the loaf and allow to soak in a little t a time.
When the loaf has completely cooled down, almost just before serving, mic the sifted icing sugar and lemon juice until it becomes a smooth paste and drizzle over the pound cake. Delicious!

Grab a slice before it is all gone!

More awesome recipes with Lemon

Lemon Tart

Lemon and Blueberry Scones

 Lemon Meringue Pie


Apricot and White Chocolate Blondies and other lunchbox ideas…..

June 13, 2012 in Uncategorized

I (heart) blondies

When I invented this recipe for the Apricot and White Chocolate Blondies, I had no idea that it would cause such a reaction in my family. After just one bite, hubby was ready to kiss my feet and the children were literally fighting each other for the last square to go in their lunch boxes! Perfect with a cup of coffee or tea or ideal for filling those lunchboxes.Reminds me of energy bars, just better!

Just in case you wonder what the heck a blondie is….. Blondies are brown sugar based dessert bars resembling  traditional chocolate brownies, except blondies’ predominant flavor comes from sugar and not chocolate although some may contain chocolate chips…

Chewy, moist and just perfect with a cuppa...

Do tune in to RSG every Thursday morning just after 9. We share delicious recipes, hints and tips to make your time in the kitchen memorable!

More tasty lunchbox treats

Chocolate Squares

Coffee Crunchies

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Brownies

Greek Honey Cakes

May 20, 2012 in Uncategorized

Drenched in honey.....

I had these Greek Honey Cakes in my mind the minute I woke up yesterday morning. For a change we had no sport, no birthday parties and no shopping to do….just a chilaxing Saturday with my own little family. I also like to do a few recipes on Saturday mornings just to get ahead with my posts for the week. Hubby and the children normally watches a movie together and I get to spend a quiet morning in my kitchen……

My husband only laughs when I tell him this, but I swear, I “saw” these Greek Honey Cakes. In my mind they were this deep golden brown color with a honeycomb texture, absolutely drenched in butter and honey… I searched a bit for a recipe, but to no avail……it was then that I remembered my mom’s vanilla cake recipe with the light honeycomb texture. I decided to go with that recipe and just added the “Greek” elements which was the lemon and honey….

The end result was everything I had hoped it would be. While busy styling and shooting(still in my pajamas), the doorbell rang and friends came over for a cup of coffee. Imagine how special they felt when they were treated to these delightful Greek Honey Cakes. (The truth is that they had to help me finish the shoot before we could devour these cakes)

Greek Honey Cakes

A delicious Teatime Treat

For more delectable sweet things………..

 

 

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