Thursday, July 31, 2008

Irish Cream Latte

Ahhhh I found something I really like.

I have had a great day despite the consistant rain. Took Jeandre to the Summer Scheme program at 10am. Then I did some cleaning, read a bit of a Kodak photography book. Put on a Story book CD - stories from the Irish Country side and I knitted while listening to eat.

Made lunch and had a chat with my husband. Picked Jeandre up at 3pm and then went Shopping. We went to a different shop and made more discoveries including the Nescafe Irish Cream Latte. YAY

I have been hoping to find the Irish cream milk that I enjoyed in USA but until this will do.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Doctor, Doctor will I die?

The first thing that jumped into my head when I saw the Heads and Tails theme for this week was a song from a Hand Clapping game we used to play. Its the only one I have taught my daughter. Its really a silly one, no idea where it originates from.

It goes like this:

An east, a west
I met my boyfriend at the candy store
He bought me ice-cream
He bought me cake
He brought me home with a belly-ache
Mama, mama
I'm so sick
Call the doctor
quick, quick, quick
Doctor, Doctor
Will I die?
Count till five and you'll be alive
a one, a two, a three, a four, a five
I'M ALIVE
h

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Unconscious Mutterings Week 287

Hosted by Luna Nina

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Memory ::baking biscuits with my dad
2. Original ::what God created
3. Exclusively ::special, separated, set apart
4. Listings ::phone numbers, addresses
5. Bucket :: of water, kick the bucket
6. Knight :: in shining Armour, A knights Tale
7. Dusty ::pink, sky
8. Choice ::is important, you always have a choice
9. Sunglight ::children, sunflower
10. Change of plans ::are inevitable


Friday, July 25, 2008

Koeksusters/Koeksister


Last week I watched my sister-in-law make koeksusters. This week I tried them out for myself.
The motivation? I promised to bring some for a lady that was helping us settle in here in Northern Ireland and I forgot them in South Africa.

Karliese kindly made some for me to give to Marcy.

The ones I made were such a success that we ate them all and did not share with anyone. Now I desperately feel that I need to return to my diet!!

I grew up eating the Malay Koeksister and my husband grew up eating the Afrikaans Koeksuster. We have many a time argued about which one is the South African koeksister, now Wikepedia has answered our dilemma - THEY both are!

Koeksisters

2 cups flour 1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt 1 tbsp butter
¾ cup milk

1. Rub butter into dry ingredients.
2. Add milk and mix well.
3. Roll dough +- ¼ inch thick, cut into strips.
4. Plait and fry in deep fat till golden brown on both sides (turn over).
5. Put into very cold syrup for few seconds.

Syrup:

4 cups sugar 1 ½ cups water
½ cup orange juice 1 tbsp lemon juice
Grated zest of 2 oranges
1 ½ tsp cream of tartar

1. Boil the above ingredients together for 3 minutes and then cool.

(recipe can be made 2 or 3 days in advanced but cover well with greaseproof paper and keep in fridge).

"A Koeksister or koeksuster comes from the Dutch word koekje, the diminutive of koek meaning "cake". It is a South African syrup-coated doughnut in a twisted or braided shape. Best eaten cold, koeksisters are very sticky and sweet and taste like honey.
Koeksisters are of Cape Malay origin. The Afrikaner version is much more syrupy and crispy while the Cape Malay version's texture is more like that of a cake, spicier, and usually covered in dried coconut. There is also a difference in spelling, the latter generally referred to as koesister."

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Riding in the Park



Last week we visited family in Weston UK. It was really good to see familiar faces and feel grounded after uprooting from South Africa. Jeandre' really enjoyed spending time with her cousins despite the fact that they to still go to school.


Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Stand up, Sit Down

I saw a picture of wedding on another person's Head or Tails for this week - it made me think of church and how in some churches you are not sure when to sit or stand.
I found a poem that went in line with my thoughts:

All Souls
Here we are.
All together.
Fumbling through tradition.

Welcome all.
Stand up.
Sing.
Sit down.

Pray. Confess. Recite.
Stand up.
Sing.
Sit down.

Baptize.
Sprinkle the head.
Vow. Recite. Repeat.
Stand up.
Sing.
Sit down.

Pray.
For war. Church. Missions.
Stand up.
Sing.
Sit down.

Whats new.
Consult the scripture.
Stand up.
Sing.
Sit down.

"Turn to God."
Prostitutes. Sinners. People.
Stand up.
Sing.
Sit down.

Here we are.
All together.
Dying in tradition.
Posted by Kevin Ross


Monday, July 21, 2008

Knitting

I bought 3 balls of wool with a scarf pattern and knitting needles. Still waiting for my craft stuff to arrive in the post. This should keep me busy till then.

Got a few swap-bot projects to work on as well.

Hoping to visit some knitting groups over the next few weeks.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Unconcious Mutterings on 20 July

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Flicker ::fire, photographs
2. Styling ::hair
3. Episode ::The Pretender (what I am watching at the moment)
4. Sexier ::I'm too sexy (the song)
5. Studious ::hard worker, studying
6. Mushroom ::poison, omelets
7. 8 minutes ::a day (exercise book)
8. Bald ::hair, vulture
9. Immunity ::set free, protected
10. Sectioned ::seperated

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Free association

Hosted by Luna Nina

Week 285

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Intimidated ::nasty, unfair,strikes
2. Brush ::hair
3. Masquerade ::pretend
4. Procedure ::the way things must be done
5. Tattoos ::butterfly
6. Square ::round, bowl, make dessert
7. Tuck ::Nip & Tuck, big stomach
8. Boyfriend ::mmmmmmm........ should not be thinking about past ones
9. Badass::huh?????
10. Thousand ::BC

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Short term

I don't feel like am a position to make any long term plans. there are still many uncertanties like how will the budget work, what kind of work will i find and when etc...???

What i do have going for me at the moment is a few challenging swaps which will include improving my computer and photography skills. Some sightseeing and writing. Starting my 4 Win Diet plan and continuing to blog weight and health progress on my
4 Day Win Blog.

One of the swaps is to write a 4 page family newletter. I am hoping I can put that onto my website and send it to my family.

Got some sightseeing to do and learning how to use all the appliances in my house. Got a few things I never used before like a foodprocessor, slow cooker and dishwasher. Last week I accidently too the dishes out the dishwasher before it was actually done - oops - thought the machine was broken - hehehehe.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

TUESDAY HOTTIE

I almost did not play this week and then I got this on facebook and thought it was really funny.




100 Ways I can Make a Difference

Copy the code below and paste it on your site:
Swap-bot swap: 100 Ways I can make a difference
I swap with Swap-bot!
Swap Homepage: http://listof100.wordpress.com/swaps/
Swap Coordinator: Simone (contact)
Swap categories: Challenges Letters & Writing Newbie
Number of people in swap: 9
Last day to signup/drop: July 17, 2008
Date items must be sent by: July 25, 2008
Number of swap partners: 1
Description:

If you are joining this swap for the first time read the blog, it explains what the swap is all about and who inspired it.

Those who have been playing along for a while will notice that I skipped over a few swaps. If you would like to host any of the ones i have skipped on the list please let me know.

OKAY Lets get down to the the business of this swap!

1. You can either write or type a list of 100 ways you could or have made a difference.
2. Does not have to be full sentences - just key words or phrases.
3. Don't worry about eliminating repeats - they reveal something about your thinking.
4. You can add in something extra for hearts - i suggest making it profile related.
5. Optional extra: join our blog and post your list there too.

International swap. Open to newbies and swappers with ratings 4.4 up. Please note that some of us are collecting our 100 lists. Please send your list

Friday, July 11, 2008

Baking adventure continues

Milktart made with condense milk
Traditional South African Milktart
My favourite food - macroni and cheese

I am a bit concerned that the middle dish does not taste like traditional SA milktart, I have put it into the fridge to cool down then I will test taste it again.

I am happy with the first one, it was also quick and easy to make. I may just take that with me to the Barbque this evening. The mac & cheese is for a Potluck lunch for tommorrow. Still got to make salad for tonight and tommorow.

Here are the recipes for the first two dishes if you are interested in trying them out. Let me know what yours taste like. I will be trying to make the traditional afrikaans koeksisters in a few weeks time.

Milk Tart: Condensed Milk
1 tin condensed milk
500 ml milk
2tbs custard powder
1 egg
cinnamon
2 tbs cornflower (Maizena)
5ml vanilla
Tennis biscuits
Boil condensed milk and milk together. Stir continuously to prevent burning. Mix custard powxer, cornflower, egg and vanilla with some of the milk.
Add custard powder mixture to boiling milk and stir till it thickens.
Pour over crust of Tennis biscuits and sprinkle with cinamon.

Milk Tart Traditional:
7 ml butter
1ml salt
1 stick cinnamon
750 ml boiling milk
10 ml custard powder
15 ml cornflour
15 ml cake flour
25 ml cold milk
125 ml white sugar
4 large eggs, seperated
2ml almond essence
Cinnamon sugar (5ml ground cinnamon for every 56 ml sugar)
500 g puff or flaky pastry.
Line 2 pie plates with the pastry and make a raised edge for each.
For the filling, add butter, salt and cinnamon to boiling milk. Mix the custard powder, cornflour and flour to a paste with the cold milk. Stir in a little of the hot milk mixture. Stir the custard mixture into the hot milk, add 50 ml of the sugar and bring to the boil, stirring continuously. Remove from the stove when it has thickened and discard the cinnamon stick . Beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Gradually beat in the remaining sugar. Beat the egg yolks lightly and stir in a little of the custard mixture. Stir the yolks into the custard mixture then add the almond essence. Gradually fold in the egg whites. Pour the mixture into the pastry cases and bake at 200C for approximately 10 minutes. Lower the temperature to 180C and bake for a further 10 to 15 minutes or until filling has set. Cool slightly and sprinkle the tart with cinnamon sugar.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Shopping and Upcoming Baking Adventure

I dropped Jeandre' off at the Banbridge leisure centre for their summer program. Then I went shopping at Tesco. I was there for 2hrs. I think i know where to find most things. There are at least 2 isles i avoid, alcohol as I don't drink and the meat aisle. While we are not vegetarian, we hardly eat meat and I am pretty fussy about what I do eat. So we will avoid meat till we settle down or maybe become vegetarians.

I want to make milk tart. We are going to a Barbque tomorrow night. Our hostess likes milktart and has had many South African friends. We forgot her koeksisters in South Africa, so I need to make up. The only thing is I could not find custard powder in Tesco, not sure if I will find it here. Now I can make milktart without it. Being overseas forces me to cook traditional dishes I would normally buy or get from a friend. My other challenge is that I have only made milktart 3 times in my entire life. The first 2 were 10 years ago when I was Au Pairing in the USA.

Will let you know how it turns out. Not sure I can promise photos. My husband is still setting up the laptop.

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Sort of Connected

We have internet at home - YAY. Unfortunately we only have one computer and its a laptop.
The keyboard is different and I really dislike not having a mouse.
We are still setting up the computer to make more user friendly so it will be some time before I share photos and other interesting stuff.

Next week we will be in England for 5 days. My husband's work is having a 3 day induction for new employees. Jeandre' and I will get to spend time with my sister-in-law and her 2 daughters. Looking forward to that.

Settling in slowly. So far we have been very happy with the service we have gotten. Waiting for a few more things eg. Bank Cards. Yesterday we applied for our National Insurance number and next week we will finalise our registration with the GP after a physical.

Friday, July 04, 2008

Safe and Sound

I have arrived safely - busy feeling my way around.
Jeandre and Weiers are both still sick - that does not help.
People have been very friendly and helpful.

Our home phone got connected today - should have internet next week.
Then I need to format the computer so that I feel comfortable with it.

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Share a Summertime Memory

Watching my daughter play at the beach - Summer Holiday
We just got our new camera. We were camping along the east coast of the Western Cape.

TAILS: To play or see other particpants visit the Heads Or Tails Blog