What sup: Wine farms in Cape Town

We had a great day out and about!We started at Meerlust with a little wine tasting. The 2005 Rubicon was to die for!If only we had the R240 to spend on a bottle every week!
We also did the chocolate and wine pairing at Waterford in Stellenbosch. 3 wines and 3 chocolates that compliment the flavours in the wine. What an authetic idea.....I loved the Masala Chai chocolate with the Shiraz!Rock salt in chocolate was also a first for me!
We than ended our day at Bodega with our chef friend spoling us to a tappas platter of delights, mussels and parfait (the perfect way to end a perfect meal). I LOVE LIVING IN CAPE TOWN!

Fishy Friday

Its the weekend baby!We off to a restaurant in Kalk Bay called Cape to Cuba. Seafood is a must and can't wait to see what's on offer at this funky spot at the seashore.Must remember to take some photos and not get carried away with catching up on news!

What sup: last min family dinner

So the corn and pepper soup changed into a starter instead of a main meal for hubby and I!

I roasted a chicken with veggies and salad for mains, whole family fed by 8pm. Should have taken the photos before my dad cut the bird though!oooooops. Great evening was had by all!

My mom brought the potatoe salad. I love her recipe because it has a twist....she adds grated apples ( 1 Granny Smith peeled and then grated), gherkin's, onions and mayo. The apple adds such a great flavour!

What sup: Corn and yellow pepper soup

Had this dish at Melissa's ages ago and decided to make it myself. Its ridiculously easy to make! 1 Stock cube, water, 1 yellow pepper chopped up and corn from the cob. Boil all the ingredients the blitz them in your blender one corn cooked! Dinner sorted..... this soup can be served hot or cold and best with toasted pitta bread to dip into the golden soup. I also add a splash of cream and chives at the end for decoration.

What sup: Chinese Supermarket at N1 City

Decided to go for a little shop at the Chinese Supermarket at N1 City. Always an interesting place to shop because most of the cooking instructions and info is in another language (Chinglish) and you can find some really weird and unusual ingredients!
Got asked a year ago if I work at this supermarket (but that is another story entirely).
Made Tom Yum soup (used instructions on the spice pack that I bought at Woolies in Asian section), Edemame (steamed soy beans with a little salt) with some strange beef balls that I found in the frozen section at Chinese Supermarket (very tasty but don't think it was beef inside). Had a ball!!!! :) Check out these odd "mushrooms".

Beef??

What sup: eating out at Woolies cafe, Chenin and fantastic take out from a Spar!

We had a great foodie weekend, this might have something to do with being paid early!
Woolies is always fantastic and a great stop when in Canal Walk and doing grocery shopping at the mall.

Loved the saying on the menu so much that I sent it to my family as an inspiration and because that is exactly how I try to live!

Also had a great time at Chenin (restaurant in old cape Quarter section opposite Andiamos). Jay and I shared a great glass of vino and a Saffron Mussel risotto......Delish!!!!!! We then headed to the Spar in Greenpoint and grabbed some take away sushi for later that evening. LOVE that Spar, its like a Woolies and a deli had a baby shop!

The weekend was also about sharing food with our great friends and family.
Remember to live simply, eat well,say no to nonsense and smile :)

what sup: Greek place at cape quarter

Been looking for a good Greek place in Cape Town for a while and today we found one. Not a cheezy place where you get to smash plates but one with great traditional food and lots of blue and white decor. What a great day out at the new Cape Quarter in town. I would highly recommend the Moussaka but the other meals I saw coming out of the kitchen looked just as good. My dish was so good I forgot to take a photo because I was so busy tucking in. A great day out with momsie and hubby.

Salad

Decided to make the healthy salad instead of the pasta(being a good girl seeing as Im not getting to the gym!)
Used what was in the fridge:
Mixed leaves (I had rocket and watercress)
Sprouts
Yellow pepper
Chicken
Feta

Dressing: olive oil, crushed garlic, white wine vinigar,sage chopped,black pepper and salt

What sup this Thursday.....pasta or salad or both?

Feel like being very healthy with a salad tonight but when the weather is a little cooler like it is in cape town today, the only thing I crave is pasta. A rich creamy tomatoe,basil and pecorino!

Sweetpea: Weekend fab food

Sweetpea: Weekend fab food
http://www.dining-out.co.za/Videos.asp?MemberID=26

What sup: stuffed peppers,roasted chicken breasts and side salad

You will need: red peppers,couscous,feta,pumpkin seeds, chicken breasts, herbs for chicken(sage great),olive oil, rocket and watercress, cucumber.

Marinade Ingredients: garlic,worcester sauce,chutney and tom sauce(splash of wine if you have)
Cut the top of the pepper off so they have a little hat :) and remove the seeds inside. Stuff red peppers with couscous (pumkin seeds and feta added to the couscous with a generous spoon of butter) and bake in the over for 35 min at 180 degrees. Remember to put the hats back on the peppers before you bake them!

Coat chicken breasts in marinade ( Marinade: Mince the garlic and place it in a mixing. Chop the herbs into small pieces and place them in the bowl with the worcester sauce, chutney and a little tom sauce. If you have vino in the house thats even better)and bake with tin foil for 20 min and then remove tin foil and bake for another 20.

The side salad should be simple because the chicken and pepper packed with flavour:Some rocket leaves, watercress, cucumber and a vinigarette.

I will add photos tomorrow but only if it's splediferous!

Stuffed Bell Peppers

What sup: Apricot Tagine

I am always looking for ways to use the spices in my kitchen in a new and exciting way. I wish I had a walk- in cupboard for spices and dried herbs! It is great all year around even though it's full of warm spices -only change I would make.... to serve it with flat bread or pitta bread to soak up the juices!
How to make it:
Heat up olive oil in a frying pan & saute chopped onions, yellow pepper, sliced aubergine & garlic for 5-10 minutes. Add spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, chilly and paprika. Fry cubes of sweet potatoe with a little lemon rind in seperate pan. Add all ingredients together with vegetable stock cube and cup of apricot juice and let it simmer on a low temp.
Add chopped corriander and dried apricot to decorate.

What sup: dinner for 2

Asian Saturday: I decided to cook something with an Asian flair after watching BBC food.
What you will need: any stir fry veg, chicken pieces cut into thin pieces, asian noodles and a Pad Thai sauce(at any shop in spice section). Ginger to garnish and lots of soy, chillie,coriander and garlic which seems to be the base of most Thai dishes. Fried the chicken in oil with garlic and ginger. Added the veg and fried for further 7 min andded the Pad Thai spice in sachet with some chicken stock to ceate a soup. Lastly added soy to taste and the noodles that I cooked up while frying up other ingredients. You could add coconut milk, but I fogot to buy and turned out great! Meal in less than 30 min and so yummy!

Weekend fab food

Got my new mobile phone and with the upgrade I got vouchers to spend (anywhere a Visa Mastercard accepted). Most women I know would spend on a brand new pair of shoes, bag or something glam ..... I decided on an epic shop at Woolworths for weeks worth of great ingredients and lunch at Beluga.
What a treat!LOVE BELUGA, we had duck liver creme brulle with apple preserve and sushi platter. With a good glass of vino to compliment the food :)

Sweetpea starts

15 October 2010: The start of my blog. Have no idea what a blog is or how it works exactly but here it goes. Sweetpea starts!