Madiba 1918 - 2013 ~

An icon yet humble man laid to rest today.
I salute you Nelson Mandela.....1918 - 2013

                                                           ( picture and quote from Google.)

Let us pray that your legacy lives on in our beautiful country!
Hamba Gahle  ......go in peace tata.

Marktfees Port Elizabeth

Anyone who says that there's not enough going on in the friendly city really needs to get out more often!
No excuses needed to be lonely......there is a wide array of festivities and markets at this time of the year!
The creative women of PE and surrounds have been hard at work putting together festive gift and craft ideas to make your Christmas extra special this year!
I was privileged to be accompanied by my son's sweet♥ this morning and..... what promised to be just a quick nipping out from my day job...... ended up in a whole morning affair!

Apart from a dark- haired lady who really ruffled my "fairy wings" trying to find out from my young friend what I intended doing with all those placemats etc, etc, annoying to say the least, I really was not impressed with her!.....it was a stunning morning.

Hats off to the 2 hostesses that pulled this off....what warm- hearted kind ladies who gave their thumbs up to "have a ball snapping away" at their baby.....a mini "Kamers"
......I can only cross fingers that this becomes a regular event and evolves into something as big as a full blown Christmas Market those fortunate citizens of  the bigger centres get to experience!

Here are a few shots I put together from my morning...... rather upsetting that my camera's battery failed as I was about to start....I had to end up using my camera on my cellphone!!!!




You might need to grab a cuppa of your favourite and come sit down here as there's a lot going on at this "fees"
I found a very comfy seat filled with gorgeous cushions for you to lazz in whilst you browse through.....

Loved these cement holders for  the desert roses....and the carrot cake was to die for!

Lovely ideas for the Christmas shoppers..... these holders below to collect your goodies with pretty paper weights.....

 

Don't you just love this little cheese knife.....

 

 

loved  this gorgeous fairy stand for all the little girls visiting...

and "my now famous" placemats for my family and friends to enjoy....

Jarryd's ♥ friend was in love with these.....

pretty bird cages blowing in the gentle breeze....

 

 and this art deco cupboard with its quirky yellow dash and pretty bowls arranged on top!
Someone has an eye for detail!

Some early Christmas shopping ticked off for my special people

 

or  how about this wonderful canvas....with special words...

 

a little treat for moi....

 

 

 

 

thanks for an awesome market!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'll be back with something different soon!
Shel

Grass Roof and my chicken and pesto sandwich~

 Port Elizabeth is bursting at the seams with good restaurants and we are certainly spoilt for choice!
Here's to  trusting that  they can all sustain themselves!
The latest addition to the scene on the Seaview Road ....is the Grass Roof with its quaint and rustic flair!

Unfortunately for us, they were chock 'o block full!! We sat in their hothouse and had a great sauna before opting for a stunning ciabatto loaf and 2 orange juice 'to go' and headed home!

 And here's what I did with that ciabatto loaf! Hmmmm......delicious!

A great "little" chicken and pesto sandwich.....

Recipe~
Skinless chicken breast grilled with salt, pepper and a hint of garlic
Chargrilled peppers
Sour cream and mayo
Pesto
Fresh greens....I have an abundance of frilly lettuce and rocket almost going to seed in my secret garden...
Avocado pear

Assemble as your own creativity permits and savour!!

 

 

 

Perfect way to enjoy that loaf!

 

See you soon!
Shel

Cheats Chicken Pot Pie and Dainty Strawberry Flowers~

Missing my Jozi boy and his little friend  ♥ ♥ :-(  Supposed to get easier as the years go by!!!)
Here is a quick and easy recipe for the young ones~

Chicken Pot Pie~

Here goes the recipe~
One whole chicken that has been lovingly bathed in boiling water together with celery, carrots, an onion, bay leaf and salt and pepper~ Let this gently simmer until tender and the meat is cooked through~
Debone and dice into bite size pieces once cooled.
Fry leeks, garlic, celery, button mushrooms  and cooked carrots in a few tablespoons of olive oil.
Once the leeks are soft and translucent...add one packet of Knorr Chicken Ala King dry mix made up as on the instructions of the packet.....
I then add 250ml of cream and the diced chicken.....
adjust seasoning~
Spoon the mixture into oven proof dishes and top with puff pastry~ Cut a slit in the pastry to allow steam to escape~
Refridgerate whilst the oven is heating to 200deg C
Bake until the pastry is golden brown and flaky!

Strawberry cakes......from Ideas October 2013

Makes 6 small cakes or 1 20cm ring cake~
270g cake flour
30g cornflour
4ml bicarb
5ml baking powder
210g castor sugar
125g butter, softened
2 large eggs
250ml sour cream
130ml milk
Strawberry sauce~
125g fresh strawberries hulled and sliced
30ml sugar
Icing ~
250g icing sugar
freshly squeezed lemon juice
pink food colouring

For the strawberry sauce~ Heat the strawberries and sugar with 30ml water. Simmer for 20mins until thick. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
For the cakes ~Sift together flour, cornflour, baking powder and bicarb.
Beat the sugar, butter and eggs together until creamy.
Fold in the cream and milk into the sugar mixture alternately with the dry ingredients.
Spoon half of the mixture into 6 mini cake tins. Make hollows in the batter. Spoon some of the strawberry sauce onto the hollows.
Top with remaining batter and bake for 25mins depending on the size....
check with a skewer. Cool and remove.
Icing~ Mix the icing sugar with a little lemon juice to make a glace icing. Add a touch of pink food colouring and spoon over the cakes.

Met the most gorgeous girl this past weekend.....full of " chutzpah"........crossing fingers...
No pics yet!! soon soon....I promise!

Have a happy one!
Shel! xx

Our boy is home again~

I truly cannot believe how awesome it always is to have him home~
and this time with a little sweetheart ......
nothing beats a mother's love for her children....

here's my chocolate cake (a little dry-oops tired so overbaked)
but nothing with chocolate can be a flop~

Recipe~

560g cake flour
800g sugar
160g cocoa
20ml baking powder
4 eggs
7ml salt
500ml buttermilk
500ml cooking oil
10ml vanilla
500ml boiling water

and the best part
Add all the ingredients to your mixer and blend well on medium speed.
Bake at 150deg C for 1hr and 15mins....my oven (1hr....hence the dryness)
Leave to cool and decorate as desired.

A couple of quiches ready in the freezer! and you all set to enjoy your the kids! (and a few good glasses of wine of course!!)
Bon Weekend~
Shel

Another week at Solomon

Just a lot of food for my soul this week~
We are painting and renovating here...so long overdue ....
I'm feeling much the same as my home.....in need of a makeover :-)
but more important things in life than that!....like travelling, good food, good wine and spending time with my dearest people who care as much as I care for them.....

Spring in my garden.....

My tissue paper roses have started flowering in the garden again...... 

Spring bunch from a friend far away.....

Fresh Tomato and thyme tarts from my herb garden....

 

 

I tried out a healthy cake this weekend...full of rooibos, dates and apple.....
I will share the recipe on my next post.....
 lots and lots  of preparation for unexpected visitors this weekend....we are so looking forward to .......

“I'm choosing happiness over suffering, I know I am. I'm making space for the unknown future to fill up my life with yet-to-come surprises.” - Elizabeth Gilbert

See you all soon soon xx



 

Heritage and "Braai" Day!

24th September is Heritage Day or fondly also known as "Braai" day!
The day to head outside and light a fire!
We were actually working so ours (just the 2 of us!) started rather late....

However, as in any country it's the day to remember all things cultural and pay respects to our "roots"!

First of all, we honour this great man along with a few others....

 

Potje kos, cooksisters and vetkoek! 

 

 

 

For all the above recipes, you will find them on the righthand side bar as you scroll down.

 

I set a table with lemons and sunflowers as I had done before.....as these are my favourite things of spring this year.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and a large tray filled with lemonade and koeksisters for dessert!

 

 

and how about our traditional melk tert

     and these are a must in South Africa , just not so good for the waistline...but who cares at my age!!
Our tradtional curry bunnies....we had these for lunch!

 

 

with a nice local frostie!

and then onto a traditional braai later ......local is lekker!

together with some delicious Pumpkin Fritters......

Off course biltong and droewors are all local flavours as well.....

  ...I trust yours was as awesome!

(The next 2 images are courtesy Google Images)

 

   
                                Whether near a gorgeous stream in the mountains

                                 or on the golden beaches of our beautiful land

 

 ...I trust yours was as awesome!

 

 

 

Dare we forget the history of the land and try to move on......

remembering with fondness....

Remember Africa, my land, Africa, my home!

We still give hope of a single, united nation in the years from now!

 

 Shel