the perfect spring cookies - candied rose petal and chocolate cookies

12 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1/2 cup rose spread

2 1/4 cup rose spread

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups finely chopped semisweet chocolate

for the candied rose petals

2 pink roses, 1/2 cup eggwhite, 2 cups castor sugar

preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius. line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. in a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter, sugar and brown sugar together in the microwave for 15-30 seconds on low power. let the butter-sugar mixture cool, then blend in the egg and egg yolk. add the heavy cream and rose spread. stir until combined and set aside. do not overmix. in a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt and carefully fold into the wet mixture. gently add the chocolate, mixing it well. freeze the dough just until cold and firm, about 5 minutes. using an ice cream scoop, drop the dough 7cm apart onto prepared cookie sheet. bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies begin to brown. transfer cookies to a rack to cool. for the candies rose petals: remove all rose petals delicately from the stem. using a brush, apply the eggwhite onto both sides of each petal and toss them one at a time in the castor sugar. place each petal on a pachment lined baking tray and let them dry at room temperature. it takes about 24 hours for the sugar to crystalize and for the petals to dry.

The Perfect Wedding Cake for a Spring Wedding

Beautiful & Inspirational (Martha Stewart - a culinary genius!!!)

You've gotta love KitchenAidThey've just brought out a range of state-of-the-art espresso machines which, besides being absolutely gorgeous, feature separate brewing and frother boilers that provide the optimal temperature for brewing coffee and abundant steam for frothing milk. If you buy one from our favourite kitchen appliance store - yuppiechef - you will receive a matching KitchenAid Burr Grinder FREE. What a treat!

Worst book ever!

We do not think this a great idea, at all! See further info here

Starbucks Secret Menu

We love the names of these sugary sweet & no doubt delicious coffees!

Next time you're state side order a Green Eye (Three shots of espresso in the regular coffee)

Try the Dirty Chai (Chai latte with an extra shot of espresso; hot or iced)

Zebra Mocha (Can't decide between White or Dark hot choc? This one's for you!)

Cake Batter Frappucino (This has no cake batter in it at all, only vanilla & almond syrup)

And our favourite: The Chocolate Dalmatian (White Chocolate Mocha sprinkle with Chocolate Chips)

source: Huffington Post read full article here

One sure sign of spring are the bundles of fresh asparagus in our grocery stores. The combination of warm tender asparagus, perfectly poached egg, thinly shaved parmesan cheese, a splash of olive oil and a dusting of black pepper is heavenly and makes a fine meatless Monday night meal.

Ingredients (serves 4)

453g asparagus, trimmed and peeled

4 large eggs

extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Tie asparagus into a bundle using kitchen string and steam asparagus until tender. Fill a large saucepan with about 10cm of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium. When water is barely simmering, break 1 egg into a small bowl. Gently tip bowl, sliding egg carefully into water. Repeat with remaining eggs. Cook until whites are set but yolks are soft, 2-3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer eggs to paper towels and drain briefly. Divide the asparagus among 4 plates and top each with an egg. Drizzle with oil, top with Parmesan shavings and season with salt and pepper.

American Cheese Boards

We love this idea! And we love cheese!

from Cup a Jo

What we're eating now...

NAARTJIES!

In season: Peak season for Naartjies lasts from April until September.

What to look for: A good naartjie is is firm or slightly soft to touch and it feels heavy for its size. The skin should be bright orange and unblemished.

How to store: They can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks.

How to eat: Peel and enjoy!

What to cook with them: Naartjie Loaf; use naartjie segments in a salad with roasted beetroot; use in place of Orange for a sweet pancake sauce...

It feels as though spring is just around the corner - we can't wait!

Try this effortless yet delicious goats cheese and sun-dried tomato pasta which is perfect for a warm spring evening and is in keeping with our meatless Mondays.

Ingredients

Serves 4

Coarse salt and ground pepper

340g short tubular pasta

1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced

1/4 cup slivered almonds

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

141g soft goats cheese, crumbled, plus more for topping (optional)

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Remove 2 cups pasta water and reserve. Drain and return the pasta to the pot. Meanwhile, heat a small frying pan over medium heat. Add almonds and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and fragrant, 2-4 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and reserve. Return frying pan to medium heat; add oil, garlic, sundried tomatoes and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally until fragrant 20-30 seconds. Remove from heat. To pasta mixture in the pot, add the garlic, sundried tomatoes, reserved pasta water, cheese and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Let the mixture stand until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Divide pasta among four shallow dishes; sprinkle with almonds and additional cheese if desired.