Hello hello everyone.
(warning, this is the longest blog I've ever written. I'm not kidding.)
First things first, I just wanted to congratulate SG for reaching 3 MILLION fans on their fanpage!! How AMAZING is that?!?!?!
Anyway, had a pretty good past week.
Few things.
I want to comment on language barriers on this site. Being an international site, we obviously have a mixpot of so many different cultures here but do you know what I love the most about the Suicide Girls who can't really speak English?
They try anyway.
I especially have SO much respect for the South American girls. Reading their blogs really warms your heart because you can see how hard they're trying to express themselves in a language that is pretty much just foreign to them. And, they don't have to. There's no stipulation on the site that says English is the only language we can use. They could all just write their blogs in Portugese (that IS the right language, yeah?:whatever
and tell us all to go Google Translate it.
Instead you find the cutest grammar you'll ever see strung into a really hard thought-out sentence that ends up actually making sense.
Good on you girls.
English isn't my first language either, btw. Technically it's only my third or fourth language. But, yes, I do try.
Next, I'd like to take the opportunity to perve on some girls I've discovered this week.
Waikiki
Carrina
Gallows
Overload of hotness right there!!
Okay warning, the rest of this blog is about food. So, if you're hungry, I highly suggest you go make a sammich. Or send your girlfriend to go make you one.
Now this past week was my daddy's 55th birthday (Yaaaaay
) and what my daddy appreciates more than anything else is a home-cooked meal. And I mean COMPLETELY home cooked. Which I LOVE making!
So I set out to make a 3 course meal from scratch. Behind the spoilers after each section you'll find the complete recipe.
Cause I'm sharing like that.
Now, first I juiced some fruits. Don't think you need a recipe for that.
Then, for starters I made butternut soup. (It's really not that impressive, it's pretty much the only soup I made). But I'm sure it was appreciated anyway.
SPOILERS! (Click to view)
What you will need:
1 butternut
2tbs cream
2 whole potatoes
2tbs butter
A pinch of salt and pepper
Method:
Start by washing your hands thoroughly
Peel both potatoes then rinse under running water.
Peel half the butternut.
On a chopping board, dice the vegetable onto thick cubes.
Place in a saucepan and submerge them completely in water.
Bring to the boil.
Continue boiling until all the veggies are completely soft and then transfer the entire contents of the pot (including the water) into a milkshake mixer.
Blend.
Add the salt, pepper and cream then blend again.
Serve hot.
Yes, I promise you, it really is that easy..
For a main I made coconut milk stewed beef with creamy parboiled rice.
It SOUNDS complicated but it really wasnt.
SPOILERS! (Click to view)
First, for the stew..
What you will need:
500g beef
1 small onion
3 baby marrows
3 carrots
2 whole potatoes
1 clove garlic
5ml ground ginger
5ml cloves
5ml origanum
5ml salt
5ml pepper
5ml nutmeg
1 can coconut milk
60ml dry white wine
A handful of cherry tomatoes
Okay this is quite a strong stew spice wise and if its too fragrant for you, omit one of the spices or just water it down later.
Method:
Start by washing your hands thoroughly
On a cutting board, chop your onion very finely before frying in a saucepan with butter.
Cut your beef up into bite size little squares.
Once the onion has become transparent, add the meat. Allow to fry until golden brown.
Chop all your veggies up, slicing the carrots and marrow horizontally into circles and dicing the potatoes into cubes.
Add some water to the meat then add only the potatoes.
Allow to soften.
Once the potatoes arent so hard anymore, add the other veggies as well as all the spices.
Allow all the water to boil out then add the white wine.
Hard boil this.
Now, add about half the tin of coconut milk.
Season to taste.
Serve immediately.
Now, for the rice
2 cups parboiled rice
60ml cream
1 small onion
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
1 carrot(or you can use a yellow pepper)
2tbs butter
1 liter beef stock
250ml dry white wine
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup grated mozzarella
Start by washing your hands thoroughly.
Chop your onion
Finely then fry in a saucepan using the butter.
Once the onion had become transparent, add the rice and allow to fry for a few minutes, stirring continuously to avoid burning.
Add about one cup of stock and leave it to boil until the stock is absorbed.
Repeat this until all the stock has been used.
Now add the wine and allow that to boil out too.
On a chopping board, finely chop the vegetables into the smallest possible cubes you can manage before adding them to the rice.
This will give it colour.
Now, add the cream and the mozzarella.
Season to taste and serve hot.
For dessert (the BIGGEST mission) I made lemon tart and vanilla ice-cream.
Now I know a lot of people find the idea of making their own ice-cream rather daunting but its really not that difficult a process. It just takes patience.
SPOILERS! (Click to view)
First off, lemon tart..
What you will need:
2 large lemons
150g butter
3 large eggs
1 cup milk
150g castor sugar
A pinch of salt
2tbs plain flour
Method:
Start by washing your hands thoroughly.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees (Celsius)
Whip your egg whites into stiff peaks. (the best way to test if theyre stiff enough is to hold the bowl over your head upside down. If it stays put, you did it right. If it doesnt, clean yourself up and start over.)
In a separate bowl, cream together your butter and sugar. Add the egg yolk and whisk until thick and yellow.
Juice your lemons and add the juice to the egg mixture. (if you wanna add the rind from the lemons, you can. But I didnt)
Now add your flower then fold in the egg whites.
Spoon the mixture into an oven proof dish.
Bake until golden brown.
Cut into squares and serve hot.
(This tart was REALLY yummy. i made it yesterday and, by this afternoon, it was already finished!!:whatever
Now, ice-cream.
Look this is a French recipe, Im sure you could find a lot less complicated methods somewhere on the net but what I will say is that this ice-cream is REALLY good and definitely worth the extra effort!
What you will need:
250ml cream
6 egg yolks
1 vanilla pod
500ml milk
150g castor sugar
Start by washing your hands thoroughly
Place the vanilla pod in a saucepan. Add the milk and, over low heat , bring slowly to the boil.
In a bowl, cream together the eggs and sugar.
Add them to the milk and stir continuously.
DO NOT allow this to boil as the eggs will curdle and youll have to start over.
Stir the mixture until it becomes thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Remove from heat and stir in 100 cream.
Place the bowl over an ice bath and stir in the remaining cream very slowly.
Try not to get water from the ice into the mixture.
Now pour the mixture into a flat container and put it in the freezer.
Every half hour or so, take the mixture out and stir it again.
This is because itll start to freeze from the outside in and this will help it to all freeze at the same rate and avoid lumps etc.
Once the whole mixture has set, eat and enjoy!
And now.. Teatime.
I made custard cupcakes.
Yummy!!
SPOILERS! (Click to view)
What you will need:
2 cups self-raising flour
2 eggs
1 cup milk
125ml custard powder
5ml vanilla essence
100g butter
150g castor sugar
Method:
Start by.. well, Im sure you get it by now.
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees (Celsius)
In a bowl, sift together the flour and sugar
In a separate bowl, mix the custard powder with the milk, sieve this if you get any lumps.
Add the eggs and vanilla essence and beat well.
Next add the butter. Mix again.
Now slowly pour the fluid mixture into the dry mixture, stirring all the while.
Divide the mixture into an oiled cupcake tray and allow to bake until golden brown.
Once its cooled, you may add a simple butter icing flavored with a little custard powder.
And you know what's really impressive about this menu?
I made everything simultaneously in a total cooking time of 3 hours. I started with the ice-cream. While that was freezing, I fried the meat. While that was frying I boiled the rice. While that was boiling, I mixed the tart. After that I got the soup started. Then I finished off the stew, and mixed the cupcakes. While the cupcakes were baking, I was finishing off the rice. Then I mixed the soup. And whil we ate, I popped the tart into the oven.
How's THAT for multi-tasking?!?!
I'm, gonna make such a badass mother/wife someday
If I havent bored you with my little "Journal of a Housewife", thanks for reading this blog.
It took me an hour to type so I hope you're all very grateful.
Also, if anyone tries one of my recipe's, please inbox me to let me know how you liked it!!
That's it for now, will be making another blog in a few days.
Hope you all enjoy the rest of your week, love you!!
I can't agree more on your take about languages. English is my fifth language I think by now its probably the best language I speak and write, but it wasn't always like that. I have great admirations about those who put all the effort to write in English and I smile when I read their gramar, because that's how my sentences must have been about 20 years ago
You are an amazing cook! Thank you for sharing your cooking experience in such detail, for a moment it feels like being right there. I love cooking too, but I don't do as often anymore. Yeah, its hard work I should remark that you are demonstrating amazing management skills as well! To finish all those dishes in 3 hours requires a lot of planning and focus!
I can't agree more: You'll be "such a badass mother/wife"!
Already looking forward to your next blog.
Have an awesome weekend!