This Mother's Day...

Mother’s Day gives me a great opportunity to tell my mom just how much I appreciate, respect and admire her. 

Not only that, but it is a lovely excuse to get our family together and whip up something delicious for that very special lady in our lives.

This mother’s day I will be spoiling my mum with a scrumptious brunch featuring these delightful bacon, egg and toast cups.

Ingredients

·         3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

·         8 slices white or whole-wheat sandwich bread

·         6 slices bacon

·         6 large eggs

·         Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions

1.  Pre-heat oven to 190 degrees Celsius.  Lightly butter 6 standard muffin cups.  With a rolling pin, flatten bread slices slightly and. With a 12cm cookie cutter, cut the bread into 8 rounds.  Cut each round in half, then press the 2 halves into each muffin cup, overlapping slightly and making sure bread comes up to the edge of the cup.  Use extra bread to patch any gaps.  Brush bread with remaining butter.

2.  In a large frying pan, cook the bacon over medium heat, until almost crisp, 4 minutes, flipping once. (It will continue to cook in the oven).  Lay 1 bacon slice in each bread cup and crack an egg over each.  Season with salt and pepper.  Bake until egg whites are just set, 20-25 minutes.  Run a small knife around cups to loosen toasts.  Serve immediately.

Mother

[muhth-er] -noun

1. One person who does the work of twenty.  For free.

(see also: 'masochist', and a 'saint'.)

Happy Easter

With the long Easter weekend fast approaching why not dip into your baking supplies and make these delightful sugar cookie bunnies.  

Ingredients (Makes about 12 cookies)

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out dough 

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Extras 

12cm tall bunny shaped cookie cutter

Ribbon for decorating 

Directions

1.  Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together into a bowl.  Beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy.  Beat in egg and vanilla.  Reduce speed to low.  With machine running, gradually add flour mixture; mix until combined.  Shape into a disk, and wrap in in plastic.  Refrigerate until firm, at least 45 minutes (or up to 3 days).

2.  Preheat oven to 160 degrees celsius. Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface.  Roll to 3 mm thick.  Using a 12cm tall bunny-shaped cookie cutter, cut out cookies.  Space the cut outs about 5cm apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Re-roll scraps of dough, and cut out.  Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes. 

3.  Bake until golden, 12 to 15 minutes.  Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks.  Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature for up to 1 week. 

Fun at the Taste of Cape Town

The Girls thoroughly enjoying the Beef Cakes Stall

Fun at Work!

A big congratulations goes to Jacolene Quinn on winning the lucky draw that took place at one of our units last week.  Jacolene walked away with a hamper full of yummy goodies!  

It's around the corner....

The Mother City's Culinary Event of the year is around the corner.  Have you got your tickets yet?  We'll see you there!

Spoil your Valentine with Heart-Shaped Eggs & Toast

Happy Valentines Day
Using a 7 cm heart-shaped cookie cutter, remove the center of a thick slice of bread and toast it.  
Melt 1 1/2 teaspoons butter in a small frying pan over medium heat.  Place bread slice in frying pan and cook until underside is lightly browned.  Add another 1 1/2 teaspoons butter and flip bread.
Fit cookie cutter, coated with cooking spray, in bread's cutout heart and crack an egg into cutter.  Cover frying pan and cook until egg is set, 2 to 3 minutes.
Use tongs to remove cutter.  Serve with toast heart for dipping into yolk.

Food Trends For 2014

What are your thoughts on the food trends predicted for 2014?  

1.   Locally sourced meats and seafood
2.   Locally grown produce
3.   Environmental sustainability
4.   Healthful kids' meals
5.   Gluten-free cuisine
6.   Hyper-local sourcing (e.g. restaurant gardens)
7.   Children's nutrition
8.   Non-wheat noodles/pasta (e.g. quinoa, rice, buckwheat)
9.   Sustainable seafood
10. Farm/estate branded items
11. Nose-to-tail & root-to stalk cooking 
12. Cooking & serving ancient grains such as kamut, spelt and amaranth
13. Small plates instead of eating larger meals
14. In the dessert category, savoury instead of sweet
15. Using unusual herbs such as lovage, chervil & lemon balm
16. Pickling, fermenting & smoking