Butter Chicken

It's 2 am, I can't sleep, so what's a girl to do? Blog it would seem.You'd think I would be tired after all the garage cleaning and flat organising I did the past two days. Who knew housework would be such a great workout? Time to rethink that gym membership methinks...

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Worsjuweel (Sausage Gem)

Say it with me now: Vhawrrs-you-viel ah-seh-bleef ('Worsjuweel asseblief'). There. Now you can ask for this dish in Afrikaans and any South African will be happy to oblige. Of course you would have to thank them by saying by-a dun-key ('baie dankie') afterwards, otherwise they might not be so hospitable next time. Just joking, we South Africans are a super friendly bunch!

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Fusilli with Green Velvet Sauce

Do you detect the recurring theme here? Quick and easy meals invariably call for pasta at casa del Creative Pot and it seems that peas are a regular partner in crime. The reason for this is simple - peas are one of the only frozen veggies I have available, so when there's nothing else in the fridge, the humble pea leaps forward with both feet and demands that it be given centre stage.

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Cappucino Choc-Chip Bars

These are supergood! Chewy and chocolatey and coffee-y all at once. These are truly some of the best cookies I've had/made in a long time. And so quick and easy to make too. Make some right now!

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Beef Rogan Josh

Rogan Josh seems to strike fear in the hearts of non-curry afficionados. It's flavourful yes, but it's quite hot. According to Wikipedia Rogan means oil, while Josh refers to heat or passion. So I think it's fair to say that this is as passionate as they come!

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Pissalidière

Don't you just love that background? It's a print that I fell in love with on my visit to Hermanus on Tuesday and I was lucky enough that my mom bought it as a gift for me. Have I got the best mom or what? Okay you have to agree with me, 'cause this is my blog so I get to make the rules. Cool right? 

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Ham, Cheese & Sweetcorn Muffins

Good friends of ours had their first child this afternoon. And what am I doing? Baking muffins. Multiple batches for the proud parents. Oh, that's besides BEAMING with pride & joy, as TheHusband and I are B's godparents. And boy oh boy are we gonna spoil that kid! I've only seen him on a photo and I'm already head over heels in love with him. This does not bode well... Welcome to the world little B!

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Rainbow Rice Salad

This weekend was like those you dream of having. Relaxing, full (but not TOO full) of great friends, and even including an afternoon nap or two. Just what the doctor ordered. And on a relaxing weekend, you want a relaxing time in the kitchen too, right? This light salad promises just that. And look how pretty it turned out! I love colourful food... *smile*

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Malva Pudding (Malvapoeding)

Literally translated as mallow pudding, this is a well-loved traditional South-African pudding. It it seriously sweet and seriously rich but oh-so-mouth-meltingly-delicious. I think every South-African has fond memories of malva pudding, either lovingly made by their ouma (grandmother), or on the poedingtafel (pudding table) alongside jelly and custard at the annual kerkbasaar (church fete).

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Curried Chicken Noodle Soup

I've been feeling a bit under the weather for the last few days. It started with a scratchy throat on the weekend and progressed into some minor sniffles yesterday. Highly annoying as we're just entering spring - colds should be a thing of the past now! 

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Creamy Pea and Salmon Spaghetti

What do you make when you've only got about 10 - minutes to whip something up? The answer is usually pasta, and this is one of the quickest ones I know of. Granted, it's nothing spectacular, but it's simple and tasty. And let's face it, on most weeknights, that's all you want.

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Broccoli-Cauliflower with Cheesy Spinach Béchamel

(Sformato di Cavolfiore e Broccolo con Balsamella di Spinaci)

It's not that I don't like broccoli and cauliflower. It's just that it's difficult to find recipes that really allow them to shine. Know what I mean? I mean sure, there's your basic steamed broccoli/cauliflower with a white sauce. Booooooooooooooring. 

 Or you could throw them into a stirfry - that at least showcases their nice crunchy texture and colour. 

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Roasted Butternut, Pear and Blue Cheese

Have I mentioned that I love butternut? I adore it in all it's forms - roasted, stuffed, turned into a soup, you name it, I've tried it. In my opinion butternut tends to get a bad rep because of it's high carb content, but really people, these are goooood carbs. Say it with me now: not all carbs are created equal!

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Italian White Bean Stew

I've gone and done it. Taken a pure wholesome dish by Vegan Dad and bastardized it with the addition of bacon. Yes, those crispy bits from formerly cute little piglets. But come on now, doesn't everything taste better with bacon? No I'm serious about that - I had the pleasure of tasting chocolate covered bacon in Hermanus 2 weekends ago and let me tell you it was a glorious thing. I was skeptical at first, I'm not gonna lie to you, but when I tasted that first biteful of salty crispy bacon and sweet creamy chocolate... well! It was like discovering a dirty little secret. And we all know how good those are, right?

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Herbed Summer Pasta Bake

 With summer sticking its head around the corner every so often (half the time it's still chilly here in the Western Cape - helloooo it's October already!), I'm feeling like some lighter and more summery fare, but at the same time not quite ready for crisp and crunchy salads. That's when the idea for this pasta bake started taking hold. Summer squash, sundried tomatoes and fusilli smothered in a creamy sauce and baked until crispy on top. Not-quite-summer perfection.

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Stuffed Beef Rolls (Rulle Pølse)

One thing I've noticed about Scandinavians during this last month: they like meat. A lot of it. Oh and potatoes. But mostly meat. And this Danish dish is no exception. Not that I have a problem with meat. Far from it. It's just a little bit more than I'm used to. I mean stuffing beef with more beef? That's meatlovin' dedication! These were a nice change of pace, although if I'm honest, not my favourite.

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Moroccan Roasted Vegetables on Couscous

I've been meaning to make more of an effort with Meat-free Mondays, but since we have our ballroom lesson on a Monday, it's usually somehow more convenient to settle for something like hotdogs. Yes, very gourmet-like of me, I know, but it's quick and TheHusband goes gaga over them. Apparently we all have our less-than-glamorous moments...

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Chocolate Beetroot Cupcakes

These were supposed to be red velvet cupcakes, but the beetroot colour clearly wasn't strong enough to permeate the darker cocoa. Nevertheless, these were excellent both in texture (fluffy and deliciously moist at the same time) and in taste (chocolatey with a hint of sweetness from the beetroot). The creamcheese frosting complemented these perfectly. I don't think you could ask for a happier accident! 

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Jansson's Temptation

See that thumb in the left-hand corner? Isn't it the sexiest thumb you've ever seen? Huh? Oh this is a cooking blog? Not a look-how-gorgeous-TheHusband-is blog? My bad. But come on - you have to admit, that's a good-looking thumb!

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