DATE AND ALMOND TREATS - WHEAT FREE

 This is one of those great recipes that can be made by young and old and is good for teatime with friends (or by yourself), good for lunch boxes or good for a easy gift for someone - no matter how healthy they are.
And the really cool part is even as young as a 2 year old can help you roll out little balls or logs and dip them in the coconut :) so it's good for bonding/baking together or for pre-school teachers to do with there class.

So this is a win - win recipe :)

 Now before making these please take note that you can vary the quantities of the ingredients to suit you and if you have more of one ingredient and a little of another in the house vary it with something similar (like you can swap almonds for some other nuts you have or use some peanut butter if you have only a few dates)

INGREDIENTS
200g dates - fresh sticky dates (you can use the hard block of dates but they are not as good)
50 grams almonds (ground or flaked or whole) which ever you prefer
50 grams pecan nuts
a handful of raisins
1/2 a cup of fine shredded coconut
Extra fine coconut for rolling in

First off pulsate the nuts in the blender until they are varying in size between crumbs and largeish chunks. You can finely chop with a sharp knife if you don't have a blender. Take out the blender and set aside. Take the dates and cut in half, take out the pips and then cut up into small pieces with a knife or place in a blender and pulsate (minus pips).Add raisins and pulsate a little more. Now add the raisins and dates to the nuts and mix with your hands. Add enough coconut to stop the mixture from being to sticky. At this point you could add some whole raisins/nuts/cherries/small copped up pieces of dried fruit or dried berries or dark chocolate and then squish/roll into small balls or logs.
place the extra coconut on a large plate and roll the balls/logs in it coating well.

Serve or package in an airtight container and refrigerate until needed

 

FREE ADVERTISING, BLOGGER LINK UP >>>> PAY IT FORWARD

picture from here

So I was thinking about all you lovely bloggers out there who maybe looking for more traffic - i mean who wouldn't? I certainly do and I know there must be others out there who would like to be seen and heard. So I've been thinking - how do you get more traffic to your site without forking out money? There is google ad words or advertising but they cost money and until my blog makes money I'm not sure sure if I want to pay up yet - there has to be another way.
So this is what I've come up with so far - if you have a blog like me who would like to see if other people may find you and like you and possibly want to read you daily or weekly then I am proposing lets do some sort of link up or refering to each others blogs :) I would really like to show off South African bloggers but everyone is welcome. 
So 1 in the comment section below give me : 

• the name of your blog  
• address of the blog
• catergory of your blog - eg fashion, food, family etc...
• country your blog is from
• your email address (so I can email you about who you reccomending and who is recommending you)

then the 2nd thing I thought  I would do is take all the blogs I got - (even if there is just a few of us it doesn't matter) I would compile a list and give each person 2 or 3 blogs that they need to highlight on their blog to their readers (wether it be a post or a button link) and inturn some one will highlight your blog and hopefully it will spread around the internet. Even if we gain a few more followers or readers it would have been worth the post/link of reccomending someone else.
It is like that movie Pay It Forward - do to others what you would like to happen to you :)
so if you are interested leave the info in the comment section below.

Happy Blogging




ps maybe you'll find a blog below you like and want to read - that would be cool to :)

pps would you like me to group related or non re-lated blogs together? eg: if you have a fashion blog would you like to recommend on your blog another fashion blog or something different like a food or family blog? - thoughts?

THINGS I MADE or ATE THIS WEEKEND

Well the Long weekend was nice :)

• I made pickled chillies
• I didn't braai on friday which was national braai day - shock!!!
• Instead I made mexican wraps  (Tortillas) with home made salsa, avo and sour cream and chicken
• Saturday I had an impromptu dinner at my friends house - salad and chicken - so kind of her :)
• Sunday - sitting in front of the fire we ate more mexican wraps and played cribbage - we couldn't get enough of the mexican this weekend it was so delicious :)
• I really wanted to bake but didn't get round to it - I'm going to try this week :) *fingers crossed*

How was your weekend?

Funny Quote

INVITATIONS for The French Party

 These are my invites from The French Party i did for my 30th birthday - thought you may want to see.

 the front of the invite with the name sleeve pulled over

the invite wording and design once pulled out of the sleeve :)

 I designed the invites in mind that i didn't need to customise put a name on each one before printing. I put the names on the see through sleeves of each invite which was designed to be pulled out and read. I tried to make the look of the invites feel like old school Parisian chic and aptly called the party - A tough of Paris.
Dress code was: Black, white and bling or a touch of paris, so guests could decide for themselves.

Anyway now you know :)

The French Party

So a little over a month or so ago... I had my 30th Birthday. Which of course was a good reason to plan a party :) YAY!!!

As you can tell  I love planning parties and especially ones that I can do whatever I want. So being my own party I could decide exactly what i wanted to do :) which was double YAY!
Then there was the moola (money) I needed to pull off my awesome killer party - life size props and dancing waiters and giant birds :) just jokes but my brain was filling to the brim with ideas if money were no issue but I don't have a limitless gold card so I needed to consult my other half (the husband). After chatting to him we came to an agreement of a budget (which is good or i would've gone over the top and spent way to much money). He was great (he was also realistic) and then I was let loose to make it happen. Of course being the woman that I am I wanted everything (dancing birds, oops i mean dancing waiters - OK just kidding) as much as i could get for my money so:
I bought quality food and set pieces of decor.
But the other little pieces of decor that i wouldn't be keeping after my party I searched second hand charity shops for - and boy did i get some bargains :) what woman doesn't like a great bargain?
And so My PARIS PARTY came to life :) this is what i did:

the bar counter that we redid and bar chairs that we painted / my husbands old record player he's had since a child

an old pine desk that we restored and painted white (chocolate mousses and creme brulees are in the open desk drawers for guests to take) An old lamp and lamp stand that we painted and recovered. / old type writer that i picked up at a charity shop

cheese board with old silver butter dish / screen we got made and then hung black and white printed french pictures on (frames i bought from charity shops and then spray painted black)

Creme brulees housed in the white painted desk drawer / the corner seating with white painted box for a "coffee" table - black and white painting done by Lorraine Burt

our bar counter we made-over and then added a nice vase of white flowers and ofcourse champagne which is very french  / chocolate and turquoise macarons

chocolate mousses nestled in the desk drawer /  eiffel tower vinyl

Hoped you enjoyed looking at my french party. I enjoyed every minute of planning it :)
oh i didn't take any pics of my chandelier that the husband bought for my party - oh well, next time.

HAPPY FRIDAY

 So i thought i would write what makes me smile at the moment: (in no particular order)

. my lovely family and friends who put up with my craziness
. loud music in my car while driving
. a warm cup of tea when my hands are cold
. pretty blogs (especially ones with good recipes)
. my understanding man - even when I am hormonal and make crazy ridiculous remarks
. the mind of a small child :) they are so encouraging and honest
. a good walk on the beach - beautiful waves and fresh air
. accomplishing a clean kitchen - dishes and all


So what makes you smile? go on do share :)

CUPCAKES WITH A HINT OF LEMON

original recipe from here   - thanks to Lana of Lanalou who takes the most gorgeous photos of her once a month recipe (sweet treats) and blogs about it - i make these cupcakes often and use them for all the party cupcakes i make :) I have changed and tweaked the recipe to suit my family  - as we are wheat free and love to use real vanilla from the pod. Ofcourse you can use vanilla essence if you don't have vanilla pods or leave it out if you prefer.

Cupcakes with lemon zest

100g butter
⅔ cup sugar (i use brown organic sugar)
1 cup wheat-free flour (you can use regular wheat self raising flour too just leave out the baking powder below )

1 heaped teaspoon baking powder
6 tbsp milk
2 large eggs
pinch salt
1 vanilla pod - seeds scraped out in mixture
1 tbsp grated lemon zest

Mix all ingredients together starting with the butter and sugar - slowly add the rest once the butter and sugar are nicely mixed together,  beat well
Pour the mixture into cupcake cases
Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until golden brown at 180°C
 Makes ± 12 cupcakes depending on what size cupcake cases you use
         

LITTLE BIRDS BABY SHOWER

  

On Saturday I had the pleasure of decorating for my sister in laws baby shower. It didn't take much brain storming to come up with a theme for her baby shower as she knows she is having a girl and her nursery is going to have accents of little birds - so we went with pink and white with little birds :) taaa daaaa

 

 

 

 

  

Working along the theme of little birds we added bird related things like feathers and eggs- All in pink of course :) I added wording "baby bird" and "baby girl" to a few special cupcakes and the top of the cupcake display had two little birds facing each other.

 My sister in laws mom arranged all the eats to be brought and so to try and keep things as coordinated as possible i brought extra little fondant birds and a butterfly or two to be added to various plates and platters to tie them all together with the theme.  

I also printed a picture of little birds and their babies put it in a frame and used pink ribbon and tuile on the table and scattered little pink flowers. Of course it helps that I have a little girl so pink fabric etc is easy to come by in my house :)  

Some of the Pink and white eats included were: turkish delight, scones with strawberry jam and cream, strawberries dipped in chocolate (red but also ties in with the pink nicely), Cream cheese with sweet chilli sauce and crackers, speckled eggs (all the pink and purple ones), pink decorated cupcakes (which i made and decorated).

 

Champagne and Cupcakes

 i baked chocolate cupcakes and had some pretty champagne at my party

As I sit here and type this at 2.20 in the morning - it is deathly quiet outside and I am content with the world.
I have had a very productive and crazy last 2 weeks (hence the lack of blog posts). My husband is on leave and my 30th birthday is over and done with (phew). Food has been baked and eaten and dishes have been washed and mostly packed away. My lounge is yet to be re-arranged as i quite like how it looks from my party :)
I had a grand time and was so happy and blessed with all my family and friends who took the time to celebrate and spoil me - (Thank you oh crazy friends)
I did manage to take some photos (look at the one above) but have still got to sort and edit them and try to sort out in my head how to post party photos as well as before and after photos oh how my hubby and I decorated/remade our furniture etc....

Just thought I would give you a hi/ hello world, I do still exist and a happy thank you to my friends, being brazen and simply Mel B and various others for sharing my birthday with me :)

well odious 20's and hello 30's

nighty nighty *yawn* I really should go to bed

 

This time next week .....

 So this time next week the guests will be arriving for my birthday party and everything will have been set up and ready! everything will be in GO mode and i hope i will be dressed and ready for the fun... camera in hand :) So i apologize now for my lack of posting as i tick off and arrange and tidy up ahead of time for my party. I will be sure to share it with you afterwards with photos. I must say I already feel behind with things - the list is as long as my arm of things i need to get, make arrange and clean! oh darn - but it will be worth it in the end and i do have my lovely sweet husband off this week to help me so i intend to milk that for all it's worth - Go hubby Go!

Happy Saturday


Fingers crossed for a fabulous week :) I'll be sure to check in once or twice - but write a blog post, I'm not so sure.



ps I am happy to have 50 followers :) thank you! I appreciate everyone of you :)

sunset on the beach and still painting

Just thought i would share with you another one of my photos i took from the train the other day on the way to the fan walk in Cape Town (for the FIFA world cup soccer/football). I really like this pic of the river running into the sea at sunset.
Anyways i'm still paining stuff in my house for the P A R T Y  - so not much cooking is getting done.


So 17 more sleeps and counting .... to the big 3 0


 
A.K.A Bernice Griffiths

30 new followers for my 30th

so it is 20 sleeps till my 30th Birthday!!! woooo dude. So I am busy making my house pretty for my party that will be happening here on my birthday weekend. My hands are full of paint half the time or a rag making things clean. stuff is being packed away and things straightened. It is choas yet all part of the planning right now. I really hope it comes together in the next 19 days.


anyone want to get me 30 new followers for my 30th birthday present :)  cheeky hey :)



have a super monday

THINGS I MADE or ATE THIS WEEKEND

Well i decided i should try make more effort to do my monday morning (used to be regular) post of things i made or ate this weekend.

•  I had a great time eating cheese and biscuits - which are always easy to prepare and delicious to eat

•  Enjoyed a great dinner with fellow blogger and friend Being Brazen and our other halves - Brazen made roast lamb and veggies, while i made creme brulee - it was delicious!

• Braaied (BBQ for non South Africans) with my family - delicious sausage and salad

• My husband and i did the Fan walk for the world cup in cape town - we ate nothing but just thought i would share this random news cause it rocked!

• Ate chocolate mousse while the hubby and I watched movies - it was good too, recipe to follow :)

• All is well in my world! :) How was your weekend?

 
If you like cheese and biscuits remember to add some dried fruit or fresh fruit and a nice jam or fruit sauce for a delicious dimension to your cheese board.A good salami or parma ham adds a nice savoury dimention. Red or white wine for wine drinkers is always a nice touch too!
If you follow these ideas and place on a nice wooden board you are bound for some very classy looking entertaining that is easy and tasty with minimum effort

 

LAZY MANS PIZZA

You know when you are chatting with someone about what you are going to eat for dinner and they tell you they are going to have something really nice like pizza and then you realise you feel like pizza too - but you don't feel like making it from scratch cause you've had a long day or just feel like minimal effort. Well i decided that when i'm feeling lazy i'm allow to do the next best thing and make lazy man's pizza or pizza toasts as it's called in my house. So here is some early easy weekend food for you :)

INGREDIENTS
2 - 4 slices of bread of choice per person (we use gluten free)
*homemade tomato relish (recipe below) or tinned tomatoe and onion mix -but not as good!
a nice big block of cheese grated - cheddar or mozzarella or a mix of what you have in the fridge
Pizza toppings: - eg. mushrooms, avocado, banana, pineapple, bacon, chicken, salami, etc.. (whatever you like and have in the fridge).
some garlic finely chopped
oregano and basil

METHOD
Put your bread in the oven and grill till crispy on both sides but not to brown or the edges will burn later when you melt the cheese. Then layer with tomato relish  (recipe below), then cheese then toppings of your choice and then a little more cheese and a sprinkle of garlic, oregano, basil and salt and pepper.
Put under the grill and leave till bubbling and golden - eat hot straight away
- preferably eaten with a good movie :)




*RELISH
4/5 tomatoes peeled (place in boiling water then peel). Finely chop 1 to 2 onions then fry in some sunflower oil until lightly golden and add the peeled and chopped tomatoes. Add salt, pepper, basil and oregano and some sugar. Keep adding sugar until the sourness of the tomatoes has been balanced out. lightly simmer for roughly 20 min. And serve on your toasts - goes well on burgers or hot dogs or boerewor rolls.


Have a lovely weekend everyone - so excited that it is friday tomorrow :)

Betty Bake