With Out you

You are the patty to my burger

The fish to my chips

The viennas to my parcel 

You are the curry to my rice

The cheese to my pizza

The basil to my pesto

Without you I feel tasteless. 

Happy birthday to my sugar and spice and everything nice in my life.

Women Month Give Aways

I believe in this country of ours. No, I love this country of ours. I was recently asked by a close friend if I would emigrate and had a good long think about it. I wouldn't. I believe that this country has amazing potential. That the people are warm and talented and it is the responsibility of the educated and privileged (myself included) to give back.

Now giving back for me is material yes:



But it is also about the old adage of teaching someone how to fish:

The proceeds of this initiative teaches women in Khayelitsha how to bake and gives them the necessary skills to run a business. Thereby empowering them to to start their own micro enterprises. (The CT initiative is on the 2/8/2014 and you can email ishay@gylc.co.za for further details.)

I will be making give aways this Women's month about giving to those who need it most.

Who's with me?

Cheat vs Gourmet White Sauce

There are times when it's okay to cheat (like rewarding yourself with chocolate, cause the cocoa bean is a vegetable, when you're on a diet). And there times when when it's not okay to cheat (using cheap chocolate in chocolate brownies. Come on use the good stuff).

I'm always looking for quick, but delicious shortcuts when it comes to cooking:

- tomato ketchup instead of  tomato sauce

- Anat pizza bases instead of making them from scratch

- Pre-mix potato bake. Just add milk and potatoes

- Woolies Malva pudding and fresh custard. Nom nom.

Here's my delicious take on a classic and the quickie version.

Sauce Mornay (proper white sauce)
I learnt this technique at cooking class

Ingredients

50g melted butter
60g cake flour
400 ml - 500 ml warm full cream milk
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Add flour gradually to melted butted, using a beating and mashing motion, over low heat for approximately 2 minutes.

2. If it has lost it's raw flour taste than it's is done. Be careful not to brown the mixture.

3. Gradually add milk. Beating, scraping and mashing with a wooden spoon. Ensuring that the milk is well incorporated before the next addition. Remove from heat when thickened to desired consistency. 

4. Add the seasoning to taste.

White Sauce (Cheat Version)

50g melted butter

50g cake flour 

400ml - 500ml warm full cream milk

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Add flour gradually to melted butter and whisk while doing so over low heat

2. Gradually add milk while whisking all the while, over medium heat. Remove from heat when thickened to desired consistency. 

3. Add salt ad pepper to taste

Variations

Cheese sauce - Stir in 50g grated cheese till dissolved

Garlic sauce - add one finally chopped clove of garlic

Lemon butter sauce - Return to heat and add 2 tablespoons butter and whisk vigorously. Do not stop whisking when you add the juice of one lemon. Stop whisking only when it is all combined.

What are your favourite variations?

3 minute, 3 ingredient Cheesecake

It was a long night, Laila had cramps, and I barely slept. It feels like everything is happening super fast today (no pun intended). I've lost track of time again. It's 5 'o clock and I haven't prepared anything for ifthaar (breaking fast at sunset). I don't even have any ingredients for supper or anything (not even dates)!

Hubby to the rescue, but only at 05:40pm. So I make my sister's famous, super easy butter chicken, but what about something sweet. I remember that I have the Royal Dansk Chocolate Chip cookies that I received at the Blog Addict meet in our goodie boxes.

3 minute, 3 ingredient Cheesecake (serves 15)


Ingredients

1 x Royal Dansk Chocolate chip (our sample box was 125g)
1 x smooth full cream cottage cheese, whipped (low fat or fat free will give you a softer consistency)
60mls Nutella, whipped


Method

1. Whip together cottage cheese and Nutella until evenly mixed

2. Spoon or pipe the mixture on to the biscuit

Perfect with a cup of Foreign Ground from @Checkers