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Whereas chicken soup might be Jewish penicillin, to me minestrone is medicine for the soul. I am longing for Italy and am cooking as much Italian food as I can right now. Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Minestrone ♥ Did you know that bees produce propolis to build their hives? It is … Continue reading Minestrone
The Match opening line: At the age of somewhere between forty and forty-two - he didn't know exactly how old he was - Wilde finally found his father. My blurb: No sooner than Wilde finds his father, he loses him again. With so many questions left unanswered he turns to the next DNA match. But … Continue reading The Match, Harlan Coben
GlassesShop offered me a free pair of prescription glasses in exchange for a review. This offer was too good to pass up, as spectacles in South Africa are quite pricey. And the request came quite timeously as I needed new reading glasses. GlassesShop The company was founded in Michigan in 2004 with the aim to … Continue reading GlassesShop Review
Ilse created a recipe for the SA Olive Industry for an olive and mozzarella bread with capers and thyme. This could be a list of my favourite pizza toppings, but James did not feel the same. So to suit his palate, I adapted the recipe and baked a mozzarella and sun dried tomato bread. It … Continue reading Mozzarella And Sun Dried Tomato Bread
Our Italian Legacy Of Love is a beautiful family story, and the authors have a restaurant I would love to visit. I love the saying "only ice cream belongs in the freezer". This is so true for restaurants who should not be reheating meals that have been cooked in advance and frozen. What do you … Continue reading Our Italian Legacy Of Love, Chiara Viljoen
My copy of The Pasta Man is covered in beet juice from working on this recipe. I made Mateo's vegan beetroot dough which resulted in a lot of waste. But I loved the colour so used it as inspiration to make my own beetroot pasta. It will turn pink once cooked which could make for … Continue reading Beetroot Pasta
Dark Horse opening lines: Some men speak of angels and devils. Some talk about their emotions or unbidden urges. My blurb: Evan Smoak will always help the innocent, but he will not aid criminals. That is on his list of rules. But the rules are being broken and in order to save Anjelina, he must … Continue reading Dark Horse, Gregg Hurwitz
The day Inger shared her recipe for carrot cake cupcakes I printed it out. And I made them that very weekend. These were so good, and received thumbs up from all the taste testers. Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Carrot Cake Cupcakes ♥ I have a UK Sim Card which we have … Continue reading Carrot Cake Cupcakes
The Sneeuberg Brewery And Two Goats Deli is a delightful stop in Nieu-Bethesda. This small village is at the foot of the Sneeuberge along the banks of the Sundays River. Take the winding road down into the valley to experience what life used to be like. You will not find an ATM here, nor a … Continue reading Sneeuberg Brewery, Two Goats Deli, Nieu-Bethesda
This recipe for lemon cream cheese frosting came about for a number of reasons. Firstly, I had leftover cream cheese and icing sugar from making icing for another recipe. And I was making carrot cake cupcakes that needed a perfect topping. I also had a lemon that needed using up so this seemed like the … Continue reading Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
One Step Too Far opening line: The first three men came stumbling into town shortly after ten A.M., babbling of dark shapes and eerie screams and their missing buddy Scott and their other buddy Tim, who set out from their campsite before dawn to get help. My blurb: Frankie doesn't know why she chose this … Continue reading One Step Too Far, Lisa Gardner
Pre Covid one could not get beef cheeks for love nor money. Restaurant chefs grabbed them and they became a luxury item. But now, there seems to be easier availability. And the price is budget friendly. I made a beef cheek ragu reminiscent of what we have had in Italy. Head straight on to the … Continue reading Beef Cheek Ragu
Simply Seasonal is my type of recipe book. As you know, I love to cook with seasonal and regional ingredients. Ilse's favourite season is autumn whereas I love spring. This is because there is so much choice when it comes to fruit and vegetables after winter. Simply Seasonal is a vibrant, visual recipe guide inspired by … Continue reading Simply Seasonal, Ilse van der Merwe
If you are looking for a perfect recipe for a layered cake, look no further than this one for chocolate buttermilk cake. The sweet cake is topped with a tart cream cheese frosting which is the perfect frosting. The cake is soft and will last a week if stored correctly. Head straight on to the … Continue reading Chocolate Buttermilk Cake
Run, Rose, Run opening line: The Louis Seize-style mirror in the bedroom of suite 409 at the Aquitaine Hotel reflected for little more than an instant a slim, fine-featured woman: wide blue eyes, clenched fists, dark hair streaming behind her as she ran. My blurb: AnnieLee has a voice made for singing, and the courage … Continue reading Run, Rose, Run, Dolly Parton And James Patterson
Using the recipe from Simply Seasonal I made this chocolate cream cheese frosting. It was much thicker than the recipe or the photograph suggested. But despite that, it was really scrumptious. Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting ♥ It seemed like an inevitable long wait for our flights last December … Continue reading Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
May 2022 started off with us playing the waiting game. Our Passports had gone into the embassy in April for our UK Visas. And all we had to do was wait patiently for them to be returned. As soon as I got them back I started shopping. I decided to take a lot of gifts … Continue reading May 2022 Showcasing In My Kitchen
After making my own icing sugar, using fructose and corn flour, I am never going to buy powdered sugar again. This is really so easy to make, and means storing one less pantry item. Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Icing Sugar ♥ I am the type of person who can handle most … Continue reading Icing Sugar
A Wedding in Provence opening lines: Alexandra still couldn't quite control her excitement. She was in Paris! My blurb: After Lizzie's wedding, and the sudden appearance of her family from Switzerland, everything has changed for Lexie. She has been told she has to attend a finishing school and on her way there she asks to … Continue reading A Wedding in Provence, Katie Fforde
Get cooking in your kitchen with the technique of pan-frying. This involves oil to transfer the heat, creating steam to cook your foods while rendering them brown and crispy. The results are delicious of course, so here’s what you need to know in this basic guide to pan frying. Is Pan-Fried the Same as Deep-Fried? … Continue reading Basic Guide to Pan Frying