Rolo Biscuits.

We have an Afrikaans foodie magazine, Kos, that I love to get my hands on.
The latest edition has so many wonderful recipes of biscuits....
I tried my hand at these....
they are a keeper......

 

Straight out of the oven.......

The recipe~
2 packets of Rolo Toffee chocolates
140g butter
200g brown sugar
200g white sugar
2 eggs
30ml milk
5ml good vanilla
100g cocoa
350g cake flour
5ml baking powder
1ml salt
castor sugar to roll the little dough balls in before baking

Method~
Put the Rolos in the fridge at least an hour before using
Heat oven to 180deg C
Put the butter in an electric mixer. Add the sugars slowly until light and fluffy.. Beat milk, eggs and vanilla together....add to butter mixture and sift the dry ingredients together and add slowly to this mixture until a dough forms.
Take out desertspoonful and form into a ball. Push a Rolo into the centre and shape into a ball.
Roll in castor sugar. The cookies must be 2cm apart on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 12 - 15minutes until they begin to crack. Take out the oven and allow to cool~
we loved them hot when the caramel oozed out the centre.~
Trick rather add 2 Rolos so the centre is nice and oozy!
Taste like lovely brownie biscuits with chewy centres...delicious!!

 

 

 

 

Hopefully I will be able to get up another post today!!
Shel :))

 

La Dolce Vita~

Beautiful living.....
a stunning weekend....
I spent Saturday tagging along with a very sweet girl ♥
to her modelling shoot and I really loved every minute.....
and then spent the rest of the day having a little fun in my kitchen baking...
arranging my window sill again with special gifts sent to me and other pretty pieces
 and then giving some loving attention to my kitchen garden...

In the yacht basin at the harbour....

 Really so many reasons to visit our beautiful city ♥

Something we really enjoyed were these dainty morsels....
cherry and choc  shortbread....

The recipe~

1 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
2 cups plain cake flour
1/2tsp salt
1 cup maraschino cherries, chopped
1/2 cup white/ dark chocolate chips
1/2 tablespoon vanilla
8 ounces white or dark chopped chocolate

In the food processor, beat the butter and sugar, dust the cherries with a little of the flour, sift the flour and salt and add to the butter mixture. Add vanilla and fold in the choc chips and the cherries.
Leave to rest in the refridgerator for 30mins
Roll into balls and bake at 180deg C for 15minutes until nicely golden.
They end up having a pink glow when baked. Drizzle with melted chocolate~
Awesome little biscuits~ ♥ that didn't last!

Have a wonderful weekend ♥
Shel

A little of Allsorts from February~

I've been missing my blog....sad that it's the last thing I get to attend to yet really it's what I get the most enjoyment from.....
Well, just for today I will take some time out to enjoy and just jot down a little of my journey through life at present........
Although missing here, life is far too hectic for this 50 something year old!
Last month there were so many occasions to celebrate and yet so many things that saddened me, all extremely close to my heart and also a lot of time still needed to heal my heart and theirs......
Those dear, both near and far away from me, know just how much I was and still am hurting....
alas ....life continues for me and for those who have been touched by life's unpleasantness!
What I did come to realise....is that I want to save and comfort all, but alas, it's  impossible to please everyone~
So from my ♥  ~Solomon and I will always be here for you ~

Somehow, my kitchen is always such a comforting place, even when there's hardly any groceries due to lack of time to shop and grocery shopping is my pet hate! We always manage to concoct a little plate of comfort or time for a quick pot of tea!

Eddie and I had time to slip away for a wonderful weekend with our friends and I really have to say, this place, so close to Port Elizabeth, is really a must for your bucket list! (However, just a little warning!!! please take insect repellants, lotions,etc with as we were struck by horrific Tick Bite Fever! ) This is just a fact of any bush or wild you might find yourself in...we were just a bit blase'... Still, it's a great place to walk, to meditate and just be left in peace.....surrounded by beauty! We were also so very fortunate to have the entire lodge to ourselves! What a bonus!

Here are some pics of the stunning Huntshoek Lodge !  (Huntsdrift)
perched high on top of a mountain overlooking the vast Fish River....

With the Fish River snaking its way below..........

There's just such peace and  beauty in the flora and the inquisitive  fauna.....

  

and this cute little guy appeared amongst the thorn trees too....

 And one for MY bucket list ....a Zip line just down the road....exhilirating .....

 really felt like Tarzan and Jane!

The inside is elegantly rustic! We weren't afraid to make ourselves comfortable .....

Our sleeping bungalow attached to the main lodge ...... 

The showers all had breathtaking views and nothing beats a steaming hot shower with the cold of the night air on your body! 

Glorious baths.... on our deck!!

But best of all....these awesome sunsets....

  My friend was teaching me some tricks....the wooden railing framing of the sun setting....
However....I really need her beautiful camera....mine is just really going beyond its means!!

with these glorious Caipirinhas she had made for us!

 Salute'

The lodge really has so many unusual finishes like these towel rails using warthog tusks! How cute....

And in the morning a beautiful birthday breakfast for someone!

 Don't you just love the flowers she arranged from the local flora!
and the All Gold Tomato Sauce especially for all our expats!

The boardwalk connects the main area to our little huts.... Africa is truly magnificent....blessed to live here!

Wonder where to next Mrs Westcott!!!!   Blessed beyond comprehension.....

See you soon!

Shel

  For more info on this place in the Eastern Cape, log on here!
I thought I'd share this at Tablescape Thursdays here...

Pumpkin Fritters

Really something so easy to make ....serve as a pudding or as a side!
Indulgent.....

From the start....step by step.....

Here is the recipe~

2 cups cooked pumpkin, mashed
1 egg, beaten
5 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4tsp salt
butter or oil for frying
To garnish: cinnamon, sugar mix and lemon wedges

drop spoonfuls in hot oil, fry on one side until golden brown
turn fry further until puffed and golden brown on the other side.
drain on paper towel and dredge in sugar mixture

serve either as a side........



or as a delicious pud with vanilla ice cream! 
My very dear friend, Ingrid, serves it this way!

Enjoy!

Steak Sosaties

My husband has taken up a new hobby! He likes to experiment in the kitchen of late....
I  think a good friend has had quite an influence on him and he fears being left behind!

So this morning he decided to try his hand at steak sosaties....
he used "manly sized" pieces on the sosatie sticks and used a marinade that I use for lamb chops I bake in the oven...

Here goes the recipe~
15ml olive oil
1tsp crushed garlic
1/2 tsp steak spice
1 kg sirloin/rump steak
1 cup of tomato sauce
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 medium onion cubed ( to thread with the steak)
1tbsp dried Italian herbs

Make sure your coals are very hot and spread out.
Mix together the oil, garlic and meat spice and rub into the meat cubes
Mix together the tomato sauce and Italian herb. Pour this mixture over the steak and leave to marinade for about an hour.
Thread the meat and onion cubes on the sosatie sticks that have been soaked in water.
Braai over the coals until done to your liking.

I served them with potato croquettes and greens and tomatoes from my little herb/ veg garden in my back lane.
This made 4 sosaties ( 1/2 a portion was enough for me!)

Hope you have an excellent week....wherever you might find yourself!
Shel x

Bacon and Onion Marmalade Puffs

Something quick and easy peasy to put together just before you light your fire for the braai this evening .....a  lovely aperitif!

1 pkt all butter frozen puff pastry
grated cheese (I used both cheddar and Parmesan)
2/3 dessertspoons of onion marmalade jam
crispy fried bacon

Roll out the pastry
spread with the onion marmalade
grate strong cheddar and  Parmesan and sprinkle on top of jam
sprinkle the crispy bits of bacon
roll up and refrigerate until required.
Cut into 2 cm pieces and put these into greased muffin tins
Bake at 200 degrees C until nicely puffed and golden brown and the marmalade starts to ooze out and there's this glorious sweet  aroma that fills my home!!

Really not good for the hips but delicious with an extra sprinkle of Parmesan and a crisp dry white glass of  Haute Cabriere chardonnay pinot noit!  (My flavour of the month)

See you soon!
Shel

Holidays that made me happy

Just a few happy moments from our December holiday....

loved been at the sea....

no time to cook or bake....

needed time out from my kitchen.....

enjoyed my home....

enjoyed the sand through my toes.....

almost got washed away by a ferocious tide on 2 occasions...

learnt to play golf....at last!

spent time with my beloved camera....

but most important.....

caught up with good friends, family and more importantly....

myself! 

Now that's food for the soul!