HAPPY HOLIDAYS

 

• I've had the husbands work function and there was lots of eating and merriment
• I'm tired of getting generic email Christmas cards from large companies in my inbox.
• I have made a concerted effort not to stress this year and even though the stress is less I still felt a little stress pressure to find the perfect present.
• I didn't get to bake a Christmas cake and even though I really wanted to it's OK. It was better for me to be happy and in the moment than in the kitchen and missing being with my family.
• What do you think of the picture? I am trying various things for a new header/ new look.
• Christmas with my family is ALWAYS interesting and our homemade crackers were a big hit :)
• I may just bake that Christmas cake anyway :) even if Christmas is over.

Happy Holidays and Seasons Greetings

Gorgeous Home Made Vanilla Ice Cream

INGREDIENTS
7 Egg yolks
500ml cream - 2 tubs of cream (250ml each)
1 cup (250ml) milk
2 vanilla pods (seeds scraped out)
125ml organic brown sugar
3 tablespoons honey (optional)

METHOD:
Place the milk and cream in a heavy based saucepan along with the seeds from the vanilla pod and the empty pod. Slowly bring to just below boiling point. While you are waiting for it to heat up separate the eggs and mix very well with the brown sugar and honey.
when your vanilla cream mixture has been heated to just before boiling point take off the heat and stand for a few minutes (it must cool slightly) take out the vanilla pods before SLOWLY pouring it (while stirring) into the egg mixture.
Keep stirring. Once the egg mixture has been incorporated properly (and hasn't curled - if its to hot it will curdle)  put it back in the pot on the stove and warm slowly until it has thickened slightly to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Take care not to heat to quickly as the eggs will scramble once it has thicken you can now place the custard in a bowl in the fridge to cool down for a few hours (atleast 3 hours).

Go shopping or look through your cupboards and decide if you would like to add anything to your ice cream mixture - tiny chocolate chips or a caramel sauce or some chopped up glace cherries, finely chopped nuts - the possibilities are endless :) 
When you custard mixture is nice and cold place in an ice cream machine and make according to your machines instructions. Add choc chips etc half way through :)
*If you don't have an ice cream machine place the mixture in a low sided metal pan or bowl and place in the freezer. Take out every 30 - 45 minutes and beat with an electric beater until nice and smooth and the ice crystals have been broken up - the more time u beat and return to freezer the smoother and creamier it your ice cream will be :)  You can add some choc chips or what ever you fancy are the first beating.

Enjoy

ps you can thank me later :)

An interview with Myself..... I'm Strange - Aren't I?

The Fun Heidi from I am Farm Girl   tagged me for the "I Love Your Blog" interview.

Here goes: 

1. Why did you create your blog?

To photograph and write down my recipes and cooking adventures so one day I can turn it into a book of some sorts (even if it is just to print personally so my daughter has my recipes one day) 

2. What type of blogs do you follow?

All kinds - but I particularly like visually strong and inspiring creative blogs - eg parties, decor and pretty ideas

3. Favorite make-up brands: mmm I'm not a huge make up fan though i do wear some - probably Elizabeth Arden

4. Favourite clothing brands: mostly I swop around from various brands and love new and old pieces of clothing (vintage and trendy mixed - I try to dress for my short body type :) and I love shoes

5. Your indispensible make up product? Black Mascara 

6. Your favourite colour? For my home - white, silver and grey. For me to wear in clothing - black

7. Your favourite perfume? i have 3 -  Miss Dior Cherie L'eau, YSL Elle, YSL Parisienne

8. Your favourite film? wow that is a tough one - I love films and my top 3 would have to be - Eat Pray Love, Notting Hill, and Avatar

9. What country would you like to visit and why? Italy and most of europe - but Italy is the top of my list :) it looks gorgeous and has amazing food - I have to go!

10. Write the last question and answer it yourself....

What is your wish for this Festive Season? 

I wish to have all my presents made and wrapped before 23rd December and be able to relax with out have to stand and cook to much 

PLUS to have a kick ass new years eve party at my house - but somehow everyone always has other plans - who cares this year me and the husband are rocking it no matter who comes over :)

I'd like to tag these people to do the blog interview :) and check out their blog they totally rock!

Being Brazen

Lipgloss Ninja

Fashion Jazz

I would usually have invited

I am Farmgirl and bobbylicious tobut they have both already done this interview :)

• Christmas time is always the busiest time of the year - and having a kid makes it even busier! 
• going a way for the weekend is really nice, So i need to do that more often :)
• I owe I am Farmgirl a blog post interview thingy - sorry
• I am looking forward to the Cape Town bloggers get together tonight although a little nervous
• baking miniature cookies is almost as much work as making normal sized ones!!!
• I want to go to the hairdresser but just not sure if I'll like what they do to my hair. (going through a phase)
• Right now all I want to do is drive my car with the music blearing along a nice traffic free road 
• It is the husbands Birthday on Sunday and he has requested .... wait for it.... Apple Pie
  

how is everything going with you?

COOKIE DOUGH APPLE PIE

So I came up with this concoction for the husband the other day and dare say so myself - it is DELICIOUS!
You see the husband loves apple pie and I didn't feel like making gluten free pastry etc.. So I just chopped up some apples baked them in the oven and then put my trusted cookie dough recipe i always use on top and baked it and OH WOW, Why haven't I tried this sooner?

Find the easy recipe below

COOKIE DOUGH APPLE PIE

INGREDIENTS
apples
cinnamon
raisins (leave out if you dislike them)
roughly 3 tablespoons brown organic sugar
125g butter
1egg

1 generous cup brown organic sugar

1 vanilla pod
1 generous cup gluten free flour (i use health connection)
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
cream


METHOD
Peel and cut up enough apples to fill your pie dish (i used 6)
Then sprinkle with raisins, brown sugar and a generous amount of cinnamon.
Place in the oven and bake at 180 degrees celcius, stir occasionally and cook until the apples are starting to soften but not fully cooked yet.
While the apples are baking assemble the cookie dough.
Beat the butter, egg, sugar and scraped out seeds from the vanilla pod in a medium bowl until smooth
Then stir in the flour, baking powder, and bicarbonate of soda ensuring that everything is well mixed. Add more flour if you need to the mixture should be nice and soft but not runny.
Once the apples are semi soft baking away in the oven take out the dish and plop/dot the cookie dough all over the mixture - yes it looks messy but it will spread out. The idea is for there to be little blobs of cookie dough all over your apple mixture but you can still see little bits of apple peaking through. You may have to much cookie dough for your pie - you can either bake some cookies or put it in the fridge in a sealed container for a second cookie dough pie tomorrow :) trust me you'll want another.
Turn the oven down to 150 degrees celcius and bake until the cookie dough has spread, risen a little and is light brown on top :)
cut up and serve with cream poured on top or with a good vanilla ice cream