December 15, 2013 by hanlie green

Birthday breakfast and Paradise found…

I feel innerly warmed to be called a friend of one supercool girl called Evelyn, and also sad that I could only spend one night at Seagull Cottage celebrating Evie’s 40th birthday.

The invite, ALWAYS very exciting receiving invites like this….

Just one hour away from Cape Town lies this little piece of paradise… Churchhaven…. Seagull cottage…

Entering the Westcoast National Park, the views seems endless….

The Atlantic Ocean on the left, Westcoast National Park in the middle and the Langebaan lagoon on the right…

Seagull cottage, when I say Paradise found, I really mean it, ….. this cottage is not the normal “rental”, it is beautiful, a white sandy beach overlooking the Langebaan Lagoon, crisp white linen and fully equipped to the finest detail .

Maya was in charge of supper and whipped up a quick “make yourself” pasta with a baked tomato,feta and oregano sauce…I just love the open plan kitchen where we cooked and laughed till early in the morning…

And tooooo quickly it was morning, and my turn to whip up a quick breakfast before I had to leave…

We started breakfast with a delicious seasonal fruit platter, served with thick Greek yoghurt, Blueberry coulis and drizzled honey…

For the Blueberry coulis simmer together 3 cups of fresh Blueberries and one cup of water, +/- 20 minutes. Drain / strain the cooked sauce, press out the juices from the cooked blueberries and push the juice through a strainer with the back of a spoon.. Discard the pips and skins…

Add 150ml sugar to the strained juice and simmer for another +/- 20 – 25 minutes until slightly thick, add 30 ml’s lemon juice and cool…

Breakfast views…. with pink Pelican’s walking the entire width of the white sandy beach in front of us…

Then it was time to whip out my “little crepe pan” …. which I take everywhere with me, and made omelettes filled with sweet red peppers and brown mushrooms….

And now it was time to go… I really did not want to leave… I did not even go for a walk on the beach as I just knew it would make it more difficult to leave everyone behind and hit the road…. I WILL go back to this cottage, hopefully for two nights and walk the beach….

Thanks for the most amasing fun time, thinking back my cheeks still hurt from laughing…

“hulle is goeie mense….” will never have the same meaning again…

November 26, 2013 by hanlie green

Halfaampieskraal breakfast souffle…. Overberg at it’s best…

Not often that I am without words…. but the 24 hours spend at Halfaampieskraal was pure magic…. thanks needs to go to our hosts Jan-Georg and Cobus who went out of their way to wine and dine our group of eight, my seven supercool friends and the Magic of Halfaampieskraal. Luckily I’ve managed to convince Jan-Georg to demonstrate a “recipe” for my blog, and he was wise enough to suggest a breakfast treat, while the others were in dreamland early Sunday morning, I entered the inner soul of Halfaampies and Jan-Georg cooked… but first… some photies..

Our weekend was planned to the finest detail, a special invite for a special place….

Deep inside the Overberg over rolling hills of screaming yellow canola fields..

Directions…

The ROADTRIP….

All good things starts with bubbles, and no Roadtrip is complete without a bottle or two, even if the wind blew our feathers all over the Overberg.

Waiting “on route” for our friends with our glasses filled, nearly Lunchtime …

Welcome, welcome to Halfaampieskraal, our host helped us unpack, yes one night only but we had loads of stuff, tripods, camera bags, bags with stuff for our dress up dinner, boxes of apples and and and…o yes, boxes of bubbles …

The best decision we made was to request a “light” lunch on arrival Saturday afternoon, ja right, I don’t think the word “light” exists at Halfaampies, it was a sensory overload, not sure if it was from the bubbles “on route” and bubbles pre, during and post lunch but I was on an euphoric high…..

LUNCH is served…on the stoep, overlooking the rolling hills… and our glasses, filled by Jan-Georg…

Layered potato salad, with soft soft leeks, light mayo dressing, sliced egg and caper berries...

Layered potato salad, with soft soft leeks, light mayo dressing, slices of egg and caper berries…

I will dream of soft soothing mayo leeks for nights to come…

Turkish bean, pg 82 of the beautiful coffee table cookbook, "halfaampies celebrates"...

Turkish beans, pg 82 of the beautiful coffee table cookbook, “halfaampies celebrates”…

I love flags… flags everywhere…

Jan-Georg … making us feel truly welcome…

And more lovely flags…

Lunch flowed into drinks on the stoep…. and a surprise early birthday cake for my good friend Evie…. served with coffee and bubbles…

Evie showed me a pic of this cake months ago… I don’t forget…

The main “excuse” for this quick one night away was a “photographic weekend”, well this is proof if it… I even took my camera to the loo for self portraits…(thanks Evie)…

Beautiful welcome letters and dinner menu on our bed…. how perfect can this be…

Time to pack out those feathers and get dressed to fit the theme…. Dress Halfaampies…

TIME FOR THE FUN TO START…

Magriet starting the evening on a high note…

Dressed and ready for dinner… how special, dinner was for us eight only… a real feast…

And yes, we started with trays filled with yummy cocktails.

Dinner, it felt as if we were in a different world,…

Our starter… prawn parcels…

Carol…

Dinner for 8….

Loads of fun..

Me and my good friend…

And then… Dessert…

Halfaampies Velvet Pudding… a velvety baked custard with a thin layer of berry coulis, topped with a crispy but soft mallow meringue…

SWEET DREAMS UNDER PUFFY WHITE DOWN DUVETS…

While the others dreamed of velvet pudding and brandy cocktails… I could not waste a minute in bed… the light of Halfaampies is calling..

Magic hour…

My early morning walking companions.

LETS cook…

Entering the kitchen early morning while the others are still in dreamland was a bit of an “excitement wobble” in my life… according to me the ultimate highlight of our 24 hours at Halfaampies… all for myself!

click on this recipe card for a one page printable PDF recipe card: ->Halfaampies Breakfast souffle…. RECIPE CARD
For the Halfaampies breakfast soufflé you will need:

1 x roll phyllo pastry
some melted butter and a brush
grated parmesan +/- 1 cup
1 or 2 handfuls yellow sultanas
1 tub cream cheese (half plain, half blue)
2 Jumbo eggs at room temperature separated
on tablespoon flour
125ml cream
salt and pepper

Defrost the phyllo pastry in your fridge overnight, cover with a damp tea towel once opened. Layer a 20cm pie dish with layers of phyllo, lightly brush each sheet with melted butter before adding the next sheet. Use +/- 7 sheets. Fold the edges into the pan to create an even edge.

Grate a +/-3 mm thick layer of parmesan on the top layer of phyllo, this will create a salty crust under the sultanas. Add a handful of yellow sultanas on top of the grated parmesan.

In a separate bowl, mix the cream cheese, 2 egg yolks, tablespoon of flour, 125ml cream, salt and pepper.

Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold into the cream cheese mixture. Add to the phyllo, parmesan and layered sultanas and bake at 180 degrees for +/- 20 – 25 minutes until light brown and still slightly wobbly on top when you take it out of the oven.

This recipe can be made with variations of salmon, spinach, bacon and flavoured cream cheese.

After my early morning walk and about an hour in the kitchen with Jan-Georg I think it is now time to go and shake that Princess out of bed and go for my second walk of the day…

Myself and “the princess” stayed in The Greek room, with our own open plan kitchen and upstairs puffy white bed and views from here to never end…from the bed, the bath, the loo, the side kitchen window AND the kitchen door…

Breakfast is served !!

Being spoilt by Carol my “artist, potter, sculpture and photographer” friend, little bags of white lace pressed pottery Christmas tree decorations on our breakfast table…

Visuals from the Breakfast table…

Our breakfast soufflé …. the salty parmesan crust and sweet pop in your mouth yellow sultanas gives an unexpected taste sensation … served with crispy baked salty bacon and thyme flash fried rosa tomatoes…

Our breakfast companion…..

Sadly our food feast at Halfaampieskraal has come to an end…

Our hosts walked with us to help pack our cars… and treated us to a sneak peak at Club Havana…an intimate party or small wedding venue in a little shed on the “Halfaampies Werf”…. a shed from the outside, and a colour explosion on the inside, instantly transferring you to a different world, of feathers, fur and lashes… heavy velvet and music for the soul…THIS is the place to book for that intimate party….your friends will love you forever…

CLUB HAVANA..

Me and my other special friend… Evie…(thanks for today’s flowers, what a great surprise)

Time for the road trip home, but not without stopping for a quick roll and group pic…

Halfaampieskraal, pure magic… book it NOW, take 4 couples, book lunch on the Saturday just after arrival, dress WILD for dinner and have a breakfast feast overlooking the rolling hills of The Overberg … and pleassssssssse invite me with…

In January 2014 I will book another weekend, with the same group of girls… I think this will become an annual affair…

Keep your eyes posted for the invite, and I will keep mine posted for the next Party invite at Club Havana…

November 23, 2013 by hanlie green

Christmas wreath, teatime treat…

Christmas…. Whip up this quick and easy very visual Christmas tea time treat, serve it anytime from now till Christmas and spread some Christmas magic.

Some years we have a “big” Christmas and other years we tone it down a bit… and even with a “toned down” Christmas, this delicious tea time treat will put big smiles around you….

Printable PDF recipe cardChristmas wreath teatime treat…. RECIPE CARD

For the Teatime wreath you will need:

1 x roll of good quality puff pastry
1/3 cup apricot jam
+/-300g Glaze luxury fruit mix
OR luxury fruitcake mix
handful flaked almonds
zest of 1 lemon
zest of 1 orange

For the Icing:
1/2 cup sifted icing sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice

1 x egg mixed in a cup for brushing

To serve…. luke warm custard…

Defrost the puff pastry overnight in your fridge or for +/- 2 hours at room temperature.

In advance:

Open the pastry on a flat surface on a clean tea towel, do not roll out flatter. Spread the jam evenly over the full area of the puff pastry sheet. Scatter the Glaze fruit mix evenly over the pastry sheet, leaving +/- 2cm’s on all sides.

Grate the lemon and orange zest over the glaze fruit mix and add the almonds. At this stage anything else can be added, I think of maybe orange peel, slices for preserved green figs…. endless but optional.

Roll up “swiss roll size” from the longer side, using the tea towel to assist with the rolling. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate until needed.

Before serving:

Remove the clingwrap. Grease your baking tray, position a 6 – 8 cm tin in the middle of your baking tray to assist in packing the circle. Cut 3cm thick slices of the pastry roll and arrange around the tin, once done, remove the tin and brush the pastry ring with a little bit of beaten egg. Bake at 180 degrees until golden brown, not too dark.

Remove the baking tray from the oven and let it cool for 15 minutes, slide the wreath off the baking tray onto a pretty flat platter and drizzle with the icing sugar/ lemon juice mixture from +/- 30 cm’s high… if the icing sugar mixture is too thick add a bit more lemon juice.

Serve luke warm with custard…… Christmas perfection!

This wreath looks, smells and taste pure CHRISTMAS MAGIC!

Even the frogs needs a bit of Christmas warmth…

September 11, 2013 by hanlie green

Sweet and crunchy Pineapple, Carrot and red cabbage salad…sleepover at the dam….

Let me start by saying my “most used” recipe book this year is…….. A WEEK IN “THE KITCHEN” by Karen Dudley… a beautiful cookbook filled with “fresh” and “different” recipes… if I think of this book …. the words easy, GREAT GIFT, summer, make in advance, entertain, colours and over the top flavours comes to mind….

The recipe from this GREAT book that I want to share with you is the slightly revised CARROT CUMIN SLAW…

I’ve decided to serve this sweet and crunchy salad at our sleepover “braai” at the dam, in celebration of Melisse’s birthday… we are really spoilt with beautiful mountains surrounding the Elgin Valley, dams, rivers, forests and loads more…

Sleepover at the Dam…

At home: Make the Vinaigrette…
Shake in a jar…
2 tbsp creamy Dijon mustard
2 crushed garlic clove
2 tbsp castor sugar
8 tbsp white wine vinegar
16 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
a pinch of white pepper

Birthday at the dam…

Prepare all the “cutting” elements of the salad in advance at home, I’ve added it to a zip lock bag, ready to mix with the vinaigrette before serving.

Salad prepping…

Add to your ziplock bag:
1 tbsp toasted cumin seeds
1 baby red cabbage thinly sliced
3 carrots, cut julienne style
1 fresh pineapple, peeled and cut julienne style
Salt and pepper

Click on this link for a PDF format recipe cardSweet and crunchy pineapple carrot and red cabbage salad…. RECIPE CARD

While the adults set up camp, the children had the best party in the mud any child can dream off….

Following the stream…

Kayaking on the dam…

The Birthday girl…Happy happy Melissie…

Leila… Abby’s cuddle bunny…

BRRRRR time to get warm by the fire…

After a long afternoon in the dam it was time to light the fires …but first the cake, thanks to Jacques ….

CAKE!!

While they light the fire whip out that lovely platter, open the ziplock bag, add the vinaigrette and give it a good shake…

Serve and enjoy…

I cannot think of anything nicer than a sleepover at the dam, the campfire, the tents and loads of fresh air..

And the best part, is to take the dogs for an early morning walk….

Taking Leila for an early morning walk…

And then, jump back into the tent, with wet muddy paws and cuddle till the sun bakes you out of the tent…

Sleepovers at the dam… memories for our children…I love it….

September 2, 2013 by hanlie green

When only the best will do, white chocolate pots served with fresh fruit… The Princess turns 40 …. Part 2 of 2

The secret….. keep the servings as small as possible… two to three tablespoons only, and your guests will dream sweet dreams of smooth creamy melt in your mouth heaven….

This is the ideal dinner party dessert, quick and easy make in advance….

Easy, make in advance…

click on the link for the recipe card in PDF format White chocolate pots ………. RECIPE CARD

For the White chocolate pots you will need:
250 g crème fraiche
250 ml fresh cream
400g GOOD quality white chocolate (I use Lindt or Woolworths organic)
1 x small tub of granadilla pulp
1 x packet crushed nutti crust biscuits
Strawberries OR raspberries

Beautiful strawberries

Crush the nutti crust biscuits until fine.

For jars, add 2 x tablespoons and for espresso cups, add 1 x tablespoon of fine nutti crust biscuits to each jar/cup.

Slowly mix the cream and crème fraiche until well combined (not whipped). Slowly heat the cream/crème fraiche mixture until near bubbling point. Take off the heat, add the finely chopped chocolate and slowly stir until melted, velvety and smooth.

Make sure you use only the very best white chocolate you can find..

Fill the jars or espresso cups with the melted white chocolate mixture, make sure you only fill them maximum half way, or less….

Don’t over fill

Refrigerate until needed….

If you use strawberries, slice them into quarters and stir in the Granadilla pulp, refrigerate and add to the cups before serving. If you use raspberries, top the jars just before serving with the raspberries and spoon over some of the granadilla pulp.

While I topped the espresso cups, the girls got ready for a quick family shot..

Time for a quick family shot…

Just lovely I think..

We served the white chocolate espresso cups as part of a cheese platter… it looked beautiful and decadent and was a great end to an even greater evening…

Dust with icing sugar..

The cheese platter with White Chocolate espresso cups

I use the small jars with a lid for a sweet surprise at a picnic, see the pic below… at the Paul Cluver Amphitheatre. I cannot wait for this year’s summer concerts under the stars in the forest… pure magic…

Picnic dessert jars…

Evie, the lucky recipient of a White Chocolate Jar at the Paul Cluver Amphitheatre…

Come on summer!!

Let the countdown begin to this year’s summer concerts…

August 29, 2013 by hanlie green

When only the best will do, Pear and Leek soup… served with blue cheese crostini, crispy bacon bits, fresh pear and micro greens… The Princess turns 40…. Part 1 of 2

Serve this fabulous, quick and easy soup when you need to impress!

Sweet juicy pears from the farm…

When I was asked to make the starter and dessert for Shannon’s surprise 40th Birthday party I stressed, yes, I stressed a lot, as I knew she would expect only the very best, and I would really like to serve the very best for my foodie friend. I spend three weeks searching for ideas, and instantly knew that “this was the one”, from the Crush! online magazine. I knew that the flavours would work for her, pear, leek, a touch of blue cheese, bacon AND it is visually pleasing.

For the Pear and Leek soup you will need:

Saute the leeks…

50g butter
1 chopped onion
2 leeks, finely sliced
6 ripe pears, peeled and cubed
4 cups of chicken stock
2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
125 ml fresh cream
salt and pepper
FOR THE GARNISH:
1 packet streaky bacon
3 fresh pears
2 hot dog rolls (yes that is right)
1 block creamy blue cheese
one small punnet micro greens (optional)

Click on this link for a printable recipe card Pear and leek soup ………. RECIPE CARD

In advance, if you want to, sauté the onions and leeks in the butter until soft and translucent. Add the cubed pears and sauté for another 5 minutes. Add the cubed potatoes and sauté a further 5 minutes.

Add the boiling chicken stock, simmer for +/- 30 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked. Cool for +/- 10 minutes and liquidize until smoooooooth and creamy. Put aside until just before serving.

Crispy baked bacon

Also in advance “bake” the bacon in your oven until very crispy, cool and cut into small pieces. Slice the hot dog rolls into 1cm slices and pack on an oven tray, add one thin slice of blue cheese to each of the hot dog rounds. Cover with cling wrap until serving.

Elzaan mastering the monster finger cutter…

30 Minutes before serving:
Warm the soup and add the cream, while warming the soup, toast the blue cheese crostini in the oven until crisp and the cheese melted. THINLY slice the fresh pears.

Add the little bits of very important garnish.

Serve the soup, topped with 2 x toasted blue cheese crostini’s (floating on top of the soup), one thin slice of fresh pear, bacon bits and beautiful micro greens…

Just perfect, for “when only the best” will do…

Needless to say, nearly everyone wanted seconds…. it is very important to add the blue cheese crostini, sweet fresh pear, and bacon bits, it is a flavor and sensory explotion…

Our sexy host, Taryn….

Taryn served a lovely chicken curry and then it was time for the dessert, to follow in Part 2 of 2….

Every party needs a beautiful cake (by Monique) and the VERY BEST wine you can afford (Oak Valley, by Pieter Visser)…

For those who have not turned 40 yet, please promise me you WILL do something nice and exciting for this very special “once in a lifetime” birthday party! Memories forever…

The Birthday girl with her mom and dad..

A special friend…

THE DESSERT to follow in part 2….

August 18, 2013 by hanlie green

Crunchy on top Bran Muffins at the Tip of Africa endurance ride…

After a failed “first attempt” last year to join Evelyn at the Tip of Africa Endurance ride, I made it there this year… Horses, greener than green fields with bright yellow canola fields, prettier than that you cannot get. Horses, let me say this right here, I am a bit scared of horses, but with my camera between me and them I have no fear…

Early morning before the start of the ride at Bredasdorp Megapark

I’ve decided to treat the “horsey girls” with something nice and decided to bake these yummy bran muffins. A recipe that’s been in my “to try” file for nearly 3 years. And I had to keep myself busy with something as being part for the “groom” team I was not really planning to get close to the horses.

Evelyn whispering lovely words of encouragement to Asha..

These muffins are really great and worth a try. I took lovely jam and cheese with, and it was not necessary, they are great as is…. The recipe makes at least 40 – 50 medium size muffins and they will last for up to 4 days in a sealed Tupperware container. The raw mixture can also be kept in the fridge for up to 4 days for daily fresh muffins.

Maya “the best dressed groom”…

For the Crunchy on top Bran Muffins you will need:
3 and 3/4 cup digestive bran
1 and 1/2 cup boiling water
1 and 1/4 cup canola oil
5 Jumbo eggs
2 and 1/2 cup brown sugar
5 cups normal cake flour
3 and 3/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 and 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 packet dates (the hard block type)
3/4 cup soft dried cranberries (optional)
3/4 cup walnuts (optional)
1 cup sultanas or raisins
3 and 1/2 cup milk
(extra brown sugar for on top of the raw muffins)

CLICK on THIS link for a printable recipe card<a Crunchy on top, moist Bran Muffins ………. RECIPE CARD

Add the Bicarbonate of soda over the chopped dates, cover with half of the boiling water.

In a LARGE bowl mix the digestive bran with the other half of the boiling water and let it rest for 10 minutes. Add the oil, eggs, sugar, and mix by hand after adding each ingredient.

Add the salt and flour alternating with the milk. Add the chopped dates and sultanas, soft cranberries and walnuts and allow the mixture to REST overnight in the fridge. This is very important as the dates needs to soften.

Bake in a medium size muffin tin and fill nearly to the top. ADD half a teaspoon of brown sugar on top of each “raw” muffin.
This creates a crunchy top, just lovely. Bake at 180 degrees for 25 minutes. Don’t over bake as it will dry out the muffins.

And off they go…

Early morning start to the Tip of Africa 2013 endurance ride

Now it is time for the “grooms” to jump in their “4×4 bakkies” and believe me we did need it on the slippery farm roads, and meet the riders at the first “Vet check”…Prinskraal Farm between Bredasdorp and Arniston.

Prinskraal, a beautiful farm on the gravel road connecting Arniston and Struisbaai… strangely I’ve driven past this farm so many times before, and never thought I will visit it one day with a lovely picnic table on the green fields..

Keeping our spot…

Finding the “right” spot was very important as the riders needs to rest and “re-fuel” before they can continue the ride to the beach…

Abby, the young groom in making…

Abby really wanted to come with me and I am so glad I allowed her to, she LOVED every moment of being with the horses.

The table…

I had to keep myself busy, ….

And then they came in… busy busy and lots of stress, the heart rates needs to come down,and rest before they can continue with the next loop…

Stones End port… just what we needed in the very cold and wet conditions, next year we will bring a box , not just one bottle… it was a really nice port…

Stones End Port

What I LOVED about this day was the “differentness” of it all… the visual mind blowing scenery with the yellow canola fields, the strangeness of being so close to lots of horses, meeting GREAT people and just a couple of girls having lots of fun.

Meeting lots of new and interesting people…

and then it rained…. no it poured ….. so the “grooms” had to take shelter..

Grooms taking shelter

And here they come again…

On these endurance rides the horses are everything…. they really get pampered and cuddled…

Evelyn and her beautiful Asha

And Abby, she also made friends…

And off they go again, back to Bredasdorp Megapark…. a bit of stress, heart rates needs to come down yet again , a stressful VET check , and then it is all over…

Maya taking the last heart rate check

We did not want to go home, …….

WE had to stop along the road to find a “horse” for Abby to ride in next year’s Tip of Africa endurance tide.

And next year, WE WILL BE BACK… I will have to start thinking what to cook for the girls, the one thing I know is that I will take lots of Stones End Port….

July 17, 2013 by hanlie green

Bean and Butternut winter warmer, in the magical Tankwa Karoo

Another lazy weekend at the Tankwa Tented camp…..

The drive is far, but we see it as a “road trip” and stop along the way. From Cape Town I suggest you take Friday half day and plan to be at the Tankwa Farmstall at around 4, just in time for late afternoon coffee or early sundowners, don’t miss this Farmstall, it is all part of the Tankwa Magic. You also want to get to the Tented Camp before dark and drive in “combo” with someone else, just in case you need some assistance with those dreaded flat tyres.

The last part of the trip from Ceres is really beautiful, long long long flat straight roads with absolutely nothing ….

Pit stop no two..

The Tankwa Tented Camp is a self catering campsite, with tents with bedding on request.

I’ve decided to make this lovely bean and butternut bake as side dish to our chicken braai, it is easy packing, none of the ingredients needs refrigeration, except for the parsley, a real “out of a tin” dish which works for me on weekends away. You need an oven for it, but there’s one at the Tankwa Camp kitchen.

click on the link for a printable recipe cardBean and butternut winter warmer ………. RECIPE CARD
For the Bean and butternut bake you will need:

2 tins drained butter beans
2 tins peeled tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 onions
olive oil
1 butternut cubed
5 garlic cloves, chopped
4 bay leaves
1 tablespoon sugar
baby carrots – optional
1 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
salt, pepper and a squirt of lemon juice
(recipe adjusted from the Halfaampies Celebrates , Gigantes Plaki recipe – what a lovely book)
Pre heat the oven to 160 degrees. Saute the onions with the garlic and a bit of olive oil, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 3/4 cup parsley and bay leaves and simmer for +/- 10 minutes.

Add salt and pepper.

Drain the butter beans and add to a +/- 6cm deep oven proof dish. Add the optional baby carrots and top with the cooked tomato mixture, cover with foil and bake for one hour.

Roast the cubed butternut, drizzled with olive oil on the bottom try of the oven (in a flat oven tray) while the beans and tomatoes simmer on the top try.

After on hour, remove the cover from the bean and tomato mixture, (don’t mix) and add the roasted soft butternut on top of the bean and tomato mixture. Bake uncovered for another 30 minutes at 180 degrees. Serve hot and top with the rest of the chopped parsley just before serving.

Campsite braai…

This warm soothing bean and butternut bake goes well with any kind of braai as a side dish, I prefer chicken….

At the Tankwa Tented Camp you are supposed to unwind and relax, BUT if you want to you can always….

HAVE FUN and go for a run…

RELAX in the hammock…

As long as you don’t swing 2 together and break it like Abby did…

Go for a 3 – 4 km cycle with the kids to the Africa Burn site…

ALWAYS but always take your camera with…

Me and my bike… strangely I did not crash as I was taking pics while cycling….

AFrica Burn fixtures

And Sunday morning, make sure you get up before the sun and go for a walk…

And if you are planning to get married, stroll over to the “wedding” site..

A pic from our last trip….. a wedding…

And when the sun comes out the smell of coffeeeeeee will draw you back to the camp…

And then it is time to go home, as I said a weekend can work, and if you make a “roadtrip” of the driving it is not too short, in Friday, back Sunday…

Make sure you take an extra tyre…

As this road eats tyres…. and

inspire your kids to also take lots of pic’s ….

A helping hand..

And you know it was a GREAT weekend if you feel TIRED…. luckily the long drive home will give you enough time to “recover”, just make sure you are not the driver…..

We need to explore the hidden treasures in our area…. like the beautiful Tankwa Karoo….

July 15, 2013 by hanlie green

Celebrate winter citrus scents, at Babylonstoren

Babylonstoren, the perfect, perfect choice to celebrate a very special 40th Birthday.

After months of talk about visiting Babylonstoren, we eventually booked a garden tour and lunch during mid winter, yes we are a bit mad to do it in winter, a vegetable garden in winter… brown and dull… yes right, think again. We’ve heard so much about this beautiful Cape Dutch Farm founded in 1690, and it felt as if we were the only people who have not yet visited this much talked about farm between Franschoek and Paarl.

Our garden tour started at 10:00, and remember to book well in advance.

The start of our Garden Tour with Gundula

INSPIRATION, VEGETABLES, FRUIT TREES, BERRIES, BEES, DUCKS, CHICKENS, BABEL, THE GREEN HOUSE/TEAHOUSE, and lots lots more, all manicured to perfection.

Perfectly manicured walkways..

Touch…..

Waterblommetjies…

See…

Waterblommetjies

Learn…

Different depth trout ponds..

Fun..

The birthday girl dancing around on the secret stones.. getting wet..

Our starter… Guavas

Seeing out lunch starter at Babel, still hanging on the tree…

Our salad…

Entertainment…

Entertainment along the way…

Our starter of sweet potato getting digged out…

Part of my soft roasted vegetable skewer, getting prepped for the kitchen…

And then, it rained… can you smell the soil?

Smell the soil after the rain…

The happy chickens…

The chickens…

And the secret paths to the Clivia tunnel which we will visit in spring..

Secret paths..

The prickly pear maize..

More smells along the way..

Citrus aromas…

Smell citrus..

Taste Citrus…

Taste citrus, loquats…

Creative beauty…

Creative beauty..

Gundula our very informative guide..

Gundula..

Quiet spaces..

Quiet areas in the garden..

More tasting..

Tasting Tree Tomatoes…

The Beehives…

Enter the hive area..

Different hives..

Getting up close and personal..

Making new friends…

Meeting interesting people along the way..

and then, a well deserved rest at the GREEN HOUSE / TEAROOM

During spring, we will have lunch here…

Visuals of the GREEN HOUSE

Themed, Citrus..

Refreshments in the GREEN HOUSE after our garden tour…

Refreshments..

Visual stimulating Green House…

Pretty things…

A sneak peak at someone’s snacky lunch at the Green House..

Snacks at the Green House..

AND NOW…

It is LUNCH TIME…

At BABEL…

BABEL…

WINTER AT BABEL… Citrus..

WINTER at BABEL..

Difficult choices..

What to choose…

GIFT TIME… a friendship “memory” book…

Friendship memories, captured over the last 7 years... preserved forever...

Frienship memories, captured over the last 7 years… preserved forever…

No words can describe our delicious starters… freshly from the garden…

And our mains…

and yes yes yes we did share dessert…

Honey and lime crème brule with winter fruits…

Remember to wear comfy shoes…

Not sure if Babel was ready for my farm boots but it fitted right in and was lovely and warm..

and then, at the end of the day… it was time for one last small gift from Shannon’s husband, and I had the privilege the give it to her… hope you get the clue… and next June…

The “small” little gift box from Mike..

And then we heard the ducks, we’ve forgotten all about them… and here they come, quack quack quack all in a row, all by themselves, going to their home in the middle of the garden.. this was just too sweet, and they kept coming… later on I was lying on my stomach to get the right shot, it was perfect timing , and we realized that it was time to go home…

Everything at Babylonstoren was what we expected and soooooo much more…

We will be back in Spring…

and Summer

and Autumn…

June 23, 2013 by hanlie green

Crimplene Pudding at the De Hoop Nature Reserve, and a fathers day concert on the dunes..

I now wonder why I have not visited the De Hoop Nature Reserve before, it is a real outdoor experience with lots of class, a photographic paradise and lots lots more….

We visited the De Hoop Nature Reserve during the Fathers day long weekend in June, and stayed at the De Hoop Village. It is not often that you walk into a self catering cottage and am completely blown away by the high standard and quality of the unit, white puffy duvets, a fully equipped kitchen with lovely crockery, platters and bowls, (yes that is what’s important to me), a beautifully set table and views that goes on forever… and when you open the back door, you see Bontebok grazing in your back yard.

Our lovely De Hoop Village cottage

Hans, Carey and Isabella joined us for the weekend, and sorry guys but I just need to post this pic to explain the friendship…

A special friend…

Hans was on “food duty” on Saturday night and cooked up a storm to impress the “blog girl” with his food… Hans from now on you are on permanent “food duty” whenever we go away together…

Hans had lists, printed recipes and loads of ingredients… and Thyme… in a tin, yes you add water and it still needs to grow…. Hans, that was very funny… we should have started the process and left the “herb garden in a tin” in the kitchen windowsill for the next guests.

Thyme in a tin, oeps it still needs to grow…

And the “baby potato” mash, not sure if it was meant to be baby potato’s, but it showed us the strong friendship bond you share with Bruce, as he got up and without giving you “lip”, helped you peel the little baby potatoes for the mash.

The lovely “laid back” dinner served by Hans and Carey… I am impressed… Oven roasted salmon on herby mash with roasted baby tomatoes and a homemade vinaigrette.

Bruce’s happy dance while Hans cooks our dinner…

Fathers day started with a 3.5 km Vlei walk, with a couple of moans from the little ones but it was beautiful, a floral and fynbos explosion, birders paradise, lots of buck and a stunning view over the “Vlei”.

The 3.5 km Vlei walk..

Hans Carey and Isabella

A nice view of “die melkkamer” accommodation

Fathersday fun

I was in charge of the fathers day lunch, a slow roasted leg of lamb with baby potatoes, sweet pumpkin fritters, roast vegetables and pesto tomatoes…

And for dessert, I thought I need something traditional, and what better than a delicious dessert from my new cookbook, HALFAAMPIESKRAAL CELEBRATES, the Crimplene Pudding….. we will visit Halfaampieskraal later this year in September..

It is important to select the correct serving dish for this dessert, either a flat serving platter or individual clear glass bowls…. I could not find a clear glass platter, and stopped in Bredasdorp at a lovely pottery shop and found this beautiful white platter with a light blue protea print, just perfect for De Hoop.

My Mothersday gift and my new Cookbook, a beautiful book…

For the Crimplene Pudding you will need:

half tin condensed milk
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
125g cream cheese (a soft type)
1 large bottle or 2 small tins guavas in syrup
some water
1/2 tablespoon custard powder
1 x readymade swiss roll thinly sliced
1 teaspoon of icing sugar
Click on THIS link for a printable recipe card in PDF format:Cimplene pudding ………. RECIPE CARD

Line the serving platter with thinly sliced swiss roll. Mix the condensed milk, lemon juice and cream cheese until smooth and spread over the layered swiss roll slices.

Add 150 ml water to a saucepan with the juice from the guavas and the custard powder, simmer until thickened and let it cool.

Layer the guava halves onto the cream cheese mixture and pour the cooled custard mixture over the guavas. Refrigerate for +/- 2 hours. Serve with dusted icing sugar.

Emma liked it with loads of custard…

After lunch it was time to visit the De Hoop Dune area and beach, the De Hoop Nature reserve is one of the best coastal areas to view whales from June to December each year. It is a marine reserve and a World Heritage Site. The high dunes gives a great viewpoint for spectacular whale sighting. We will be coming back in early November to walk the five day Whale Trail, and after our short visit I know it’s going to be whale watching paradise.

The children decided to surprise the “dads” on Fathers day with a concert on the dunes with the whales flapping in the background. It was stunning with the sun setting in the distance, magic hour, with the sky turning from blue to any colour pink you can imagine and the violin stings playing on the dunes…

The surprise Fathersday concert…

Thanks to Hans, Carey and Isabella for a great weekend,… I now cannot wait for our five day De Hoop Whale Trail walk in November… and we will be back to try out all the other cottages in the De Hoop Collection..

Hanlie Green

A blog about my passions… photography, food, my "always with me" recipe book and life in general.,