Cape Town...a little bit of this and that....

Sharing some interesting vistas and scrummy delights from our beautiful Mother city.....

 love, love  this little shop...in Franschhoek....everytime I go back, I drag my family in here.....you can get everything for your kitchen, from "elegant" aprons to madeleine moulds.....

The Mountain City.....views from Hout Bay, a pretty Cape Dutch House with the mountain as it's backdrop and our beloved proteas that grow abundantly on the mountain

 
The next collage is from the cutest little breakfast cottage we stopped at in Newlands.....

                  ......................     from Camps Bay to Franschhoek..... le petit farme, haute cabriet winefarms are always a must if in the area.

and this gorgeous bakery in the Canal Walk

                      ................      vistas from my son's balcony..........

                      and on to Franschhoek for lunch.........and many many wine tastings

                  and a collage of the Hout Bay Organic Market which is a must next time you visit....

So long beautiful city......I'll see you in October for the Kamers vol Geskenke festival at Lourensford Wine Estate.

See you soon.
Shel


Sharing with Pink Saturday! Happy 4th birthday!
and Mosaic Monday....please visit these sites.

Blondies or Choc Chip Cookies..take your pick!

This is a great recipe I jotted down whilst watching Barefoot Contessa....

You can use it for Blondies or as the crispiest choc chip cookies......

Recipe.

1/2pd unsalted butter at room temp

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

Cream all the above together 'til nice and fluffy.

Sift together:

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt.

Then add 2 tsp vanilla to cream mixture and 2 room temperature eggs.

Add dry ingredients slowly

Add 1  1/2 cup pecan nuts (optional ...the recipe said walnuts)

1 1/2 pd of choc chips (750g)

Spread into a greased pan and bake at 190deg C for 30 min to make the blondies. Ready when still slightly wet.

For the choc chip cookies:

Drop ice cream scoops of the abtter on parchment paper lined biscuit tray.

Bake for 15 min at 190deg C.

Enjoy your weekend.....I'm off  here......

Photo Credit......Safarinow.

Happy Mother's Day.

Prov 31:28-31 Her children speak well of her. Her husband also praises her, 29 saying, “There are many fine women, but you are better than all of them.” 30 Charm can fool you, and beauty can trick you, but a woman who respects the LORD should be praised. 31 Give her the reward she has earned; she should be praised in public for what she has done. (NCV)

There is no one Mother better than the next....there is no greater love than a Mother's love.
A mother's love is instinctual, unconditional and forever......

Happy Mother's Day!

Shel

Cinnamon Roll Cake.

A while ago I found this delightful recipe here and here.
Truly a delicious little treat and easy to make.

Here is the recipe.

Cake:

3 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

4 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 cups milk

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup (120g) butter melted (real butter!)

Topping:

1 cup (sticks) real butter softened

1 cup brown sugar

2 tablsp flour

1 tablespoon cinnamon

3/4 cup chopped pecans (you can leave these out)

Glaze:

2 cups icing sugar

5 tablsp milk

1 tsp vanilla

Method:

Preheat oven to 180deg C

In an electric beater, mix flour, salt, sugar, b/powder, milk, eggs and vanilla.

Once combined, slowly add1/2 cup melted butter.

Pour batter into a 9 x 13 inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, mix 2 sticks of butter, bown sugar, flour, cinnamon and pecans til well combined.

Drop evenly over cake batter by the tablespoonfuls and use a knife to marble/ swirl trough the cake.

Bake at 180deg C for 25 - 30 mins until a toothpick comes out clean. It must be done!

Place icing sugar, milk and vanilla in a bowl. Whisk til smooth. Drizzle over the cake while warm. Serve warm (preferably) but room temperature is good too!

Scrummy!!

Shel x

Participating in Foodie Friday!

Wedding Fever @ Solomon Street

I have been missing for a while, I know.....with good cause! There has been quite a bit to celebrate at my home during the month of April......firstly, my children were home for Easter and then my young neighbours celebrated their beautiful wedding on the outskirts of our city.....The Plantation Venue.....and what an exquisite venue this is......

The Terblanches' were lucky to have a reunion of their own as the two lovebirds have been part of our lives for nearly a decade being friends of my son and nephew....so we were very much involved and we got to have all our children together for a very long weekend of love and laughter.

The theme of the wedding was purple which is very fashionable here at the moment and the bridal couple looked stunning.....to coin a phrase from my son, Wesley,......they "cleaned up" exceptionally well!

Stacey must be the most organised bride I have yet to meet.....as she had stamped her own unique ideas by deciding on all the decor, her bridal bouquet had to include irises, the colour scheme had to be a specific shade of purple and having her own "blue book".....a dream bride for anyone to work with.....I particularly enjoyed going along with her to see the bridal gown she had chosen.

Enjoy!

Detail of the bridal bouquet.......

Bridesmaids' posies........

 Corsages and buttonholes

The exquisite chapel at the Plantation in all its splendour........

 for the pews of the church......

My statement.....

The radiant bride....

The train detail of her dress.....

on either side of  the steps of the church we had these arrangements in cement urns......

 Waiting to escort them to their photo shoot.....

Just loved these hearts filled with stones and doted along the pathway to the reception venue....

 The banqueting room.....

the main table....call me a stickler for the traditional.....but truly my style......

the guest tables......in shades of deep purple and lilac.....

The sweetie table......and guests favours......

fresh lemon syrup that I had made that morning (the recipe is on my side bar)

Stacey had her cake made by a local baker but designed the lovebirds and heart herself.....

I particularly loved these shots of the couple......

this one below shows off the bridal bouquet from the side

(photo credits from the family)

 And now, forgive me while I indulge my own family and add a few of all of us......

I loved the idea of a photo booth......go to www.booth.co.za

What a beautiful day!

Thank you Steven and Stacey

See you soon!

Shel

Joining Pink Saturday 

and The Tablescaper

aTeatime Tuesday at Rose Cottage

and Tablescape Thursday