2018 - April - cinnamon fudge, marmite chocolate

10 April 2018

Hope you all survived the Easter bunny’s treats!  I had an absolute feast making ‘hot cross’ fudge …. I just added ground cinnamon and mixed spices (all spices) to a normal recipe of fudge and voila!  Problem was … I tested it all the way!!!

Cinnamon fudge

1 tin condensed milk

2 cups sugar

250g baking margarine

2 heaped teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 heaped teaspoon Mixed Spice (Allspice)

Melt margarine, add sugar and stir till sugar has dissolved.  Add condensed milk, Mixed Spice (Allspice) and cinnamon and stir continuously until it starts to boil.  Lower heat (no 2 on stove) and stir for another 20 min.  Pour into baking tray and allow to set.

Adapted by alma Pretorius from http://justeasyrecipes.co.za/2009/08/27/fudge/

So my solution after I’ve handed out all the fudge?  I embarked on a late ‘lent’ – leaving out refined sugary things for the month of April … but mine started the Thursday before Easter, so how brave was I.  

Two Gorgeous (biggish) Lindt bunnies were given to us … Hein ate his in front of me with total relish … I went and hid mine in my closet.  On my phone calendar, I made a note at the end of April to remove the Lindt bunny from its hiding place.  (If Hein hasn’t discovered it by then.)  A few coconut Lindt balls has since joined the Lindt bunny in hiding.  At the same time Hein decided to leave out beer for the month of April.

I’ve even made a calendar, popped it on the fridge door to track our successes.  So far – so good.  The wooden furniture is still intact (no claw marks) and although I did break a glass … it was an accident.  Heehee.

A friend, Valerie, told me about a pizza crust – made of chicken breasts.  ????  Of course, that IMMEDIATELY triggers something … I had to try it.  Gluten intolerant – Banting dieters – here is a yummy recipe … although I won’t advise putting more chicken on as a topping.

After that recipe, I was inspired to give you recipes using plain, sometimes boring CHICKEN BREASTS.  What fun I had!!!!  Some of these recipes only require 4 or 5 ingredients!  And can be made within 30 minutes!!!!

So without further ado … go buy chicken breasts and prepare dinner!  DO CHECK OUT THE NUT-CRUSTED CHICKEN SCHNITZEL!  Gluten-intolerant or Banting – you can still have the joy of a schnitzel!

GRAB A GLASS, A MUG OR A BOTTLE … KICK UP YOUR FEET AND READ ON ….

Sometimes I have time on my hand … okay, a lot of times I have time on my hand … and then I will walk the aisles of Spar / Pick ‘n Pay / Checkers / Woolworths and check for new products, etc.

A few weeks before Easter our local Pick ‘n Pay started an Easter display … and my eye caught on this really interesting (REALLY EXPENSIVE – R130) chocolate creation …  It was a chocolate jar resembling a pot of Marmite.  Yes, yes, you’ve read it … it looked like a Marmite pot.  It was hollow inside and supposedly tasted like Marmite-flavored chocolate.  Needless to say, I HAD TO TRY IT.  Well, it was rather disappointing.  Although you could detect a slight saltiness after you’ve eaten a piece of chocolate, you wouldn’t recognise it as Marmite.  Sigh.  What’s the point then????

Of course I tried to have my friends taste it … NO GO.  It was just too weird for them. 

Moving on to hot cross buns … I got clever ways of using leftover hot cross buns (although now it’s too late), but I’ll share it with you anyway … think it’s brilliant!

Use it as a Hot cross bun stuffing for chicken:  hot cross buns, chopped raw onion, crushed garlic, seasonings and salt, water.  In processor, chop the hot cross buns into small pieces.  In a bowl, mix the hot cross buns with onion, garlic, seasonings and salt to taste.  Add just enough water to make the hot cross bun crumbs moist. Stuff into chicken and continue with recipe.

Hot cross bun burger:  slice buns into half and use as you would a normal burger.

Hot cross bun ice cream sandwiches:  hot cross buns, halved – ice cream (flavor you like).  Scoop ice cream onto a half bun, top with the other half and serve.

Hot cross bun cheese plate:  Serve halved, toasted hot cross buns with variety of cheeses and preserves/fresh fruit.

Hot cross bun pudding:  like a bread-and-butter pudding (https://taste.co.za/recipes/hot-cross-bun-bread-and-butter-pudding/)

If you want a really nice pizza place and fabulous vibe, head over to Rosebank Zone – opposite the Tasha’s, is Piza e Vino.  (https://www.pizaevino.co.za/#) My goodness, what a treat sitting there, watching all the people and enjoying a fabulous beer on tap and pizza.  On their starter side, they have this fabulous ‘giant’ meatball, stuffed with cheese and spinach, served in a creamy Napoletana sauce … you just want to dunk your head in that sauce!!!!!  Pizzas are thin-crusted and absolutely deeelicious!!!!

If you really want to have fun on your phone, see if you have a free app – photolab.  It’s just sooooo funny!  This app has all kinds of pictures where you then just ‘add’ your photo and it changes the background, or it adds a crown on your head, or even changes your face into a peach.  I have endless hours of fun with this!!!

And now, while your mug/glass/bottle is empty and you are drooling for a piece of fudge, a nipple of meatball or a slice of pizza … I’m going to leave you.

End of April Hein and I are going on a local road trip … so my next issue will be full of new places, new adventures and new foods!!!!  (Luckily by then I can enjoy sweets again and Hein can have a beer.)