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Wednesday 12 April 2017

Summary of Food Blogs 151-200

I have had numerous requests from individuals for recipes that were published in the past. A couple of people have asked that I publish all of them in a book, and others have suggested a compilation blog, with links to the kitchen blogs only. I'll keep the book idea on ice for now, but here is the fourth installment of the summary blogs in the meantime. Links, photos, and introductory paragraphs all included. Enjoy!
Recipe Blogs 51-100
Recipe Blogs 101-150
Recipe Blogs 151-200

Blog 151 - Making Traditional South African Melkkos
"Melkkos is a traditional South African dish made mainly from milk. There are various interpretations of this favourite recipe, and the one I'm sharing is not mine, but has come to me copied by hand from an unknown source. I still marvel, along with every child anywhere, that this can be called food. I am convinced it belongs on the dessert table, but I am happy with it either way. You are going to love this!"


Blog 152 - Baking A Strawberry-Chocolate Loaf With A White Chocolate Ganache
"It was my mom's birthday and I wanted to bake a small cake as we were going to share a large lunch. I decided that chocolate is always a firm favorite with the family and therefore chocolate cake would be just the way to go. My mom asked for a cake with a chocolate ganache and I decided to make this white as I was already using a very dark cocoa in the cake itself. Then I got some fresh strawberries and the rest was a simple matter of stacking and coating. I walk you through this seemingly intricate cake and show you that it is actually a very simple one to bake, in today's blog."


Blog 153 - Baking A White Durum Wheat Loaf
"I am always looking for ways to spruce up the everyday bread that we use in the house. For today's bread I decided to use a third Durum Wheat, also called Semolina. Being always curious to know what one of my experiments taste like, I cut a slice of the still warm bread to taste ... and loved it. Just at that moment, a whole troop of teenagers came through the kitchen. They finished the loaf in less time than it took to cool down! Fortunately, I had baked two loaves, but it was a good testament to the success of the recipe."



Blog 154 - Making Pineapple Flowers In The Oven
"You may have seen these cute Pineapple Flowers on cakes and other baked goods before, wondering how to make them. I have not discovered this lovely way of treating pineapple slice as food decorations, but I can bring you the tricks of the trade. I show you in a couple of quick steps how to go about making these in today's blog."


Blog 155 - Whipping Up Royal Icing
"Wanting to cut down on my fat intake after a winter of indulgence, I was looking for a recipe for icing that would have a lower fat content than regular butter icing. This was when I recalled royal icing, something I had not used in a long time. The sugar content is still high in this icing, but we eliminate butter altogether. A bonus is that it is simply delicious!"


Blog 156 - Baking A Hummingbird Cake
"Hummingbird Cake is a traditional cake that has nuts, pineapple and banana added to the batter. I share my own version of this very delicious recipe with you in today's blog. Be warned: if you have not tried hummingbird cake before, you should prepare to fall in love. The recipe resembles a carrot cake recipe, aside from the addition of bananas, and the exclusion of carrots. You have to try this cake at least once in your life."


Blog 157 - Baking Cardamom Rolls Using A Sourdough Starter
"We had a large get-together as a family and my mom volunteered to make two large pots of curry. One would be very hot and made with mutton, while the other would be mild and made with chicken. I volunteered to make us a couple of rolls to accompany the curry. Cardamom is one of those spices that goes brilliantly with curries and I added a hint of this to today's recipe, along with some cinnamon. The combination was so popular that a number of people ignored the rice and opted to eat their curry on bread!"


Blog 158 - Baking An Old-Fashioned Rice Pudding
"Many of you will be familiar with rice puddings and some will have heard of it without ever tasting it. It is a pudding that has gone out of fashion, but still holds great nostalgia for those of us who know it and were raised on it. Basically, the pudding is a baked custard that has rice added to it. That does not sound fabulous at all, but the taste is incredible! We had lots of rice left over after a curry and rice lunch and it was time to do something new with it. That is why I have this brilliant opportunity to introduce yet another generation to old-fashioned rice pudding."


Blog 159 - Leftover Curry & Rice Doublette Pie
"We were left with two kinds of curry, as well as a pot of rice once a family gathering was over. Good as the food was, it was time to rehash it and give it a new face. I suggested turning it into a pie. I used the rice as the base of the pie, put both curies in one dish and then made a very simple liquid crust to top it with. 10-15 minutes in a hot oven and we had a brand new take on a really good dish. I walk you through this easy adaptation in today's blog."


Blog 160 - Baking Ciabatta Using A Sourdough Starter
"Ever feel like you longed for a specific kind of bread? I felt that way today, and the bread I wanted was an authentic Italian Ciabatta (pronounced Cha-BAH-tah). I decided to bake one that was truer to the real thing than the previous recipe I've shared with you. I actually dislike making this version of the bread as the dough is very runny and tends to make a huge mess. But sometimes a girl has to bake what a girl wants to eat and no mediocre version would satisfy this craving. I show you how to deal with the pitfalls of authentic Ciabatta in today's blog."


Blog 161 - Baking A Sorghum Loaf Using A Sourdough Starter
"I bought some Sorghum Meal to make Maltabella with. This is an old childhood favorite of mine. However, making the porridge made me wonder how this tasty flour would work if I turned it into a bread. I simply had to try it. I am delighted to report that this is one of the tastiest loafs I have ever baked, considering I did not add any extra flavours or herbs. You simply have to try this to believe how filled with flavour it is."


Blog 162 - Baking Vetkoek Using A Sourdough Starter
"Vetkoek is such an ingrained part of our culture that we sometimes neglect to give it much thought. Just so with me! I was shocked to discover I have never shared a recipe for baking vetkoek before. I have shared some ideas for making vetkoek with store-bought dough, but it is not quite the same as homemade vetkoek dough. As always, I eliminated the use of yeast and replaced this with my own sourdough starter to mix today's dough. Prepare to enjoy some of the most flavourful vetkoek ever!"


Blog 163 - Baking Apple Crumble
"My mom is to blame for my sharing this recipe with all of you. She has been walking around for the past week, saying how much she craved a proper Apple Crumble. Say it often enough, and we all join in the craving. The apple tree is heavy with brand new apples, but there are no ripe ones yet. I went in search of some leftover bottled apples from the previous seasons and was thrilled to find some. Add two sprigs of rhubarb from the garden, and in no time at all, we had a delicious apple crumble to feast on."


Blog 164 - Baking Simple Sausage Rolls
"I will be honest and admit that I used ready dough to make these lovely sausage rolls. I had every intention in the world of making my own dough, but it was one crisis upon another, as it sometimes is in life, and there was no time. This was when I realized that the same happen to your planning, and that sometimes we need these quick and simple solutions to get us through the day. That is why I show you this very easy way of making your own sausage rolls with store-bought dough. They still beat most of the mass market sausage rolls out there for taste and nutrition, and is a welcome relief to all the miserable pies that is dished up for us these days."


Blog 165 - Baking A Wholewheat Sorghum Loaf Using A Sourdough Starter
"A couple of blogs ago I told you how I experimented with using Sorghum flour in a loaf I baked. Sorghum flour is what is used to make Maltabella Porridge. I fell completely in love with the taste that this flavoursome flour brought to the bread. Initially I thought the flour would be too heavy to use with bread flour, but I decided to try it anyway. I went all out and tested it with Brown Bread Flour, enriched with Wheat Bran. I loved the resulting bread so much that I decided to publish a blog about it. If you like wholewheat bread, you are going to enjoy this one!"


Blog 166 - Making Chili Con Carne From The Lowlands
"I had a fabulous time visiting the Netherlands a couple of years ago and picked up a couple of very interesting ideas for preparing food. I still receive parcels from there every so often and one of these parcels included some lovely ideas for making Dutch variations of international favourites. I share the recipe for making Chili Con Carne in today's blog, but also tell you a little more about some lesser known gems to discover if you ever make your way over there."


Blog 167 - Making Mock Kapucijners From The Lowlands
"Kapucijners are Chick Peas (field peas), or Keper-ertjes, for my Afrikaans readers. Among the recipes I learned about while visiting the Netherlands, was this fabulously easy one for making a delicious Chick Pea and Mince meat dish. However, just as I was about to bring the whole dish together, I realized I was all out of chick peas and I quickly had to find an alternative. I added butter beans, which is not the same thing, but now you know why I call it a mock variation of the real dish. The rest of the recipe is true to the real thing and you can easily swap out my butter beans for chick peas. I also share some more of the wonderfully beautiful landscape I traveled with you."


Blog 168 - Baking Carta Di Musica Using A Sourdough Starter
"Today's bread is a paper thin flatbread that originates from Sardinia. This bread looks like musical parchment and derives its name from there. I told you in the past two blogs about some meals I learned about during my travel in the Netherlands, and today I show you what I served it with when I was back in South Africa. With this bread having Italian roots, we almost covered the globe with this interesting combination of dishes; Chili Con Carne, from Mexico, Kapucijners, with a strong Indonesian backbone, and both of these with a Dutch twist. All I can say is: Enjoy an international feast!"


Blog 169 - Baking Seconds Pie With Pinda Satè
"Most of us would squirm if I suggested making a sauce with peanuts and eating it with your meat dishes or 'slap'chips. I was very skeptical about this when I was introduced to it as well. That is, until I tried it. It is unbelievable how well peanut sauce goes with strongly flavoured meat dishes! And chips! Pinda is Dutch for peanut and Satè means sauce. In today's blog I show you how to give your leftover meat dishes a new look by turning them into pies. However, not before we added some Pinda Satè. To top it all, I once again bake two different pies in one pie dish to save on electricity as well as dishes. I share another clever trick for doing this."


Blog 170 - Making Vanilla Fudge
"If there is a single sweet that I find hard to resist, it must be fudge. And nougat. And ... Okay, you get the idea. In any case, fudge is way up there on the list of favourites. I think we are all familiar with the quick and easy microwave fudge. (Or am I mistaken? Should I blog about it?). Yet, every so often, I crave proper old-fashioned stove-top fudge where the sugar and butter has taken its time to caramelize and give me that richly developed flavour that is unmistakable fudge. I share one of my favourite fudge recipes with you in today's blog. The old-fashioned way."


Blog 171 - Perfect Wood Fire Braai (Barbecue) Plan
"Have you heard it said that you can't build a wood fire in your kettle braai? You can. And what is more, you can use this fire to prepare a complete menu. No doubt you will want to swap out some of the items on my menu for your own preferences, but I share some tips for preparing your whole meal on the fire in today's blog. I bake bread rolls, cook 3 different veggies, 2 types of meat, sausage and 2 whole chickens in a pot on one single fire. Want to know how to stretch your fire? Come braai with me in today's blog."


Blog 172 - Bake Perfect Boerewors Roll Buns
"In the previous blog I shared some ideas for preparing a whole meal on your kettle braai (barbecue). Among the dishes I'd prepared for the braai were some mouthwatering delicious buns for making boerewors rolls. I have developed this recipe specifically to enhance the flavours of the traditional boerewors and everyone who has ever tasted it is in agreement that this makes the good old boerewors roll something noteworthy. Want in on the secret? I share my recipe for these flavourful buns with you in today's blog."


Blog 173 - Whole Chicken Pot On The Kettle Braai (Barbecue)
"In the past two blogs I have been sharing recipes and ideas for a braai with you. One of the dishes I prepared on the fire was a lovely green curry chicken in a pot. Whether you make this chicken on the braai, or in the conventional oven, it is sure to be a hit. I share the recipe with you in today's blog."


Blog 174 - Baking A Pizza Roll Using A Sourdough Starter
"Today's loaf makes absolutely the best sandwiches you can ever dream of. What makes this ideal, is that the flavour is baked into the bread, freeing your time up in the morning when rushing to get everyone out of the house.  All you need do is to slap on a slice of ham and cheese and the sarmie is ready to go. It tastes like pizza and the rolled layers makes it very pretty to look at as well. I bake this with brown bread flour to make it that little bit more healthy. Your kids are gonna love this!"


Blog 175 - Making Pork Curry
"Pork Curry is not something that we are very familiar with, yet it is a very delicious meal. I bought a pork pack from the butcher's the other day and was rather disappointed with the cuts included. Aside from the roast and four chops, the remainder of the pack was filled with an assortment of very badly cut meat pieces. This is the ideal meat to put in a stew or curry. I opted for the last. Let me show you how to transform your unwanted pork cuts into a delicious curry that will have your guests coming back for seconds."


Blog 176 - Preparing Slow-Cooked Pork Roast & Potato Wedges
"I bought a pork pack with a beautiful leg of pork in it. This absolutely begged to be slow-cooked int a lovely roast. Once cooked, this meat is delicious if thinly sliced on sandwiches, or even for putting out on a meat platter. You can serve it hot, or cold and makes for the perfect meat to have ready in the fridge over the party season when scores of hungry children or unexpected guests can be known to flood the house at the little or no warning. I cook this roast in today's blog and show you how to make some deliciously crispy potato wedges while we're at it."


Blog 177 - Baking Curry Seed Knots Using A Sourdough Starter
"There is a recipe I have for making buns that has people returning to the bread table time and again. That is my recipe for curry seed knots. In essence this is a very typical brown bread bun that I have upgraded a bit. I add some delicious curry seeds to the dough and then tie the dough into adorable little knots before baking it. As always, I will be using my sourdough starter, but I also give hints for using alternative raising agents in the blog."


Blog 178 - Making Date Balls
"I had some dates that had been forgotten in a stow-away container and when I rediscovered them it was obvious that I would need to use them urgently if I wanted to have any use of them. Fortunately it is the ideal season for snacks and sweet things, especially with the kids regularly coming to visit straight from the swimming pool. Date balls is a firm favourite with all and this was all the excuse I needed to make them. I share the recipe with you in today's blog, along with a neat trick for rolling those sticky balls."


Blog 179 - Baking Fruit Roll-Up's Using A Sourdough Starter
"Having made the date balls in the previous blog, I was inspired to make a few more things with dates in them. I love both Chelsea Buns as well as Cinnamon Rolls and these two traditional recipes inspired me to come up with my own version of a semi-sweet delight that reminds one of these delectable treats. I call these rolls my Fruit Roll-Up's and use my sourdough starter as raising agent. You will love these! I baked them with teatime in mind, and ended up having them for breakfast the next morning. They are that good."


Blog 180 - Baking Quick Pizza Using A Sourdough Starter
"I love pizza, but I seldom order mine from the shops. Sometimes, though, I simply do not have the time to wait for dough to rise. That is when today's recipe is absolutely wonderful. I show you how to mix your own pizza base in no time at all and then give you some ideas for toppings, although I hate being pedantic about this, as everyone has their own likes and dislikes. With not needing any time to rise, this pizza base is sure to be a favorite with the whole family."


Blog 181 - Turning Leftovers Into Rice Salad
"It is the time of year where we entertain and invite friends over for meals and snacks. If your house is anything like ours, you will also be sitting with small containers of little bits of leftovers. I show you how to turn those leftovers into a wholesome rice salad in today's blog."


Blog 182 - Home-Made Ginger Beer Version 3
"The days are long and hot and we have a bit more personal time on our hands. This is the ideal time for home-made ginger beer. I have shared my two grandmothers' recipes with you in previous blogs (see links in the blog), but have been reading and experimenting with a couple more recipes. I think I have finally nailed one that will be pleasing to the palette. Let me know what you think."


Blog 183 - Baking Seeded Durum Wheat Loaves Using A Sourdough Starter
"Are you looking for a delicious recipe for sandwiches that has the power to sustain the kids while away from home until late in the afternoons? Today's blog offers you a brilliant solution. We bake a loaf where we combine three flours, of which one is low GI durum wheat, or semolina. We then add three seeds to increase both flavour and stamina, and add our sourdough starter to ensure the addition of natural pro-biotics. It doesn't get much better than this."



Blog 184 - Baking A Potato & Mustard Seed Loaf Using A Sourdough Starter
"I have promised you more bread recipes that incorporate veggies and almost forgot about this promise. I make true on my word in today's blog when I show you how to turn potatoes into wholesome bread. To make it a little more interesting, I add mustard seeds and a little turmeric to the dough to add both flavour and colour to this very tasty loaf."


Blog 185 - Bake A Rye & Dill Loaf Using A Sourdough Starter
"I love Rye flour and every so often I bake yet another rye loaf. Today's loaf has white bread flour added to make it slightly lighter, resulting in approximately 33 % Rye flour. I then add a couple of dill seeds to the dough for flavour. Dill and rye complements each other wonderfully. If you love rye, you are going to love this recipe!"


Blog 186 - Bake A Chicken & Corn Pie
"One of my favourite pies of all time has to be chicken pie. In today's blog, I combine this favourite with corn, rather than the expected mushrooms. I show you how to mix your own dough, but you can always simply use store-bought puff pastry, if you don't have the time to make your own dough. This deliciously wholesome pie has all the fatty parts removed and veggies added, making it a wonderful healthy alternative to the fast food versions."


Blog 187 - Baking A Carrot & Poppy Seed Ring
"I was experimenting with healthier variations for breads when it suddenly dawned on me that I was attempting to reinvent the wheel. Cakes had already paved the way! There are few cakes as delicious as a carrot cake. Why not take from this, leave out the sweets, swap the flours and bake a bread. I experimented a little with this idea and the recipe I share today is the result. I added some poppy seeds for subtle flavour, but mostly for visual appeal. Those black seeds against the golden backdrop makes one salivate!"


Blog 188 - Making Traditional Cabbage-Wrapped Meatballs
"My grandmother used to make us meatballs wrapped in cabbage leaves. I absolutely adored these. After my grandmother passed away, there was no one to make these any more. That was when I decided to step up and do it myself. It doesn't sound great, but wait till you taste these. Even the teenage boys in my life had to concede that it tastes 'brilliant', after initially pulling their noses up at it. Here is to reviving a traditional dish!"


Blog 189 - Baking Breakfast Buns Using A Sourdough Starter
"Today's buns are packed with all the goodies we normally find on the breakfast table. This is a slightly heavier bun that is packed with nutrients and roughage. The incorporation of oats is also beneficial to diabetics. You will love the flavours and crunch that these buns pack. As normal, I use a sourdough starter to make the buns rise, but discuss the use of alternative raising agents in the text."


Blog 190 - Baking A Cereal Loaf Using A Sourdough Starter
"Today's loaf is very similar to the Breakfast buns we baked a couple of blogs ago. It is a very crusty loaf, that is filled with flavour and nutrients as a result of all the grains that go into it. This loaf is very filling and will last you a long while. I love this for breakfast in the mornings and it goes brilliantly with egg."

"Calzone is basically a pizza that has been folded over to take the shape of a traditional pie. In today's blog we mix the dough, using our sourdough starter to add flavour. I give you some ideas for a filling and then I show you how to fold it so that the goodness is trapped inside the calzone. Your family will love this one. What I like about this, is that you can hold the calzone in your hand and eat it on the go. That is, if you can wait for it to cool down first!"


Blog 192 - Baking Sour-milk Buns Using a Sourdough Starter
"My mom had made us some hamburger patties and chicken fillets and talked about getting some buns in town. I stopped her and told her that I would quickly bake us some fresh buns. I knew the sour-milk buns would go wonderfully with both meats, especially the chicken and started mixing the dough. As I had not shared this recipe with you before, I grabbed the camera to record the steps as I went along."


Blog 193 - Baking A Ginger Beer Bread Using A Sourdough Starter
"Today's loaf is a truly interesting one, and not what you would imagine it to be at first glance. It has absolutely nothing in common with ginger bread cookies, but is an actual loaf of 'everyday' bread. What I have done, is to add actual ginger beer, not ginger ale, to the dough as added raising agent, along with the sourdough starter. You can always swap out the ginger beer for actual beer in this recipe, but that feint whiff of ginger in the background, gives this loaf extra flavour in my opinion."


Blog 194 - Baking Peach Pudding Using A Sourdough Starter
"It is summer and the trees are ripe with peaches. Sadly, one of the branches of the tree with cling peaches, gave way under the weight of the fruit. We recovered the fruit was ripe and near ripe to eat or bottle, but I had another idea for at least some of these. As I was already busy baking bread, I decided to make us a 'bread pudding' by mixing up a special dough and then wrapping it around some peaches. A thin custard to pour over the bread after it is baked, and we had a delicious 'fresh' pudding."


Blog 195 - Baking A Triple C Loaf Using A Sourdough Starter
"Today's loaf uses three words starting with C to derive its taste from. We add Cocoa, Coffee and Chilies to the dough! None of theses flavours will dominate the loaf, but each is added in moderation, resulting in mildly flavoured loaf that is good for your normal everyday loaf, but will impress your guests at a dinner party as well. The rich brown colour adds visual interest and will have everyone guessing as to how you achieved it."


Blog 196 - Baking Two-Toned Garlic Braids Using A Sourdough Starter
"These buns are absolutely delicious with a braai. I mix two kinds of dough, a wholewheat and a white one, and then I braid the dough together to make these buns that are both packed with flavour, as well as being visually appealing. Your guests will admire the beauty of the bakes and when they get to the taste, they will be in awe."


Blog 197 - Making Traditional Dutch Croquettes
"I was first introduced to croquettes by a Dutch colleague, who had made some for the staff. I could not believe how delicious this variation of meatballs was! When I visited the Netherlands a couple of years later, I was astonished to find that this delicatessen was widely available as a fast food from take-away stalls. I was excited to buy some, but incredibly disappointed at the taste. The fast food market did not deliver the traditional croquette, but merely a rushed reminder of it. There was only one thing to do; learn to make them myself! I share this very traditional recipe with you in today's blog."


Blog 198 - Baking A Fruity Pudding
"It has been months since Christmas, and yet I never got around to sharing my recipe for a fruity Christmas pudding with all of you. This pudding is filled to the hilt with fruit and is sure to touch the hearts of all the fruit cake lovers out there. It seems intricate, but is actually very easy to make. I show you how in a few simple steps in today's blog."


Blog 199 - Bake A Fruit & Seed Beer Bread Using A Sourdough Starter
"I was looking for a delicious new bread to accompany a braai we were going to have when I was reminded of the Christmas pudding I had baked in December. Everyone seemed to love the fruit, so why not add that to a brand new bread recipe? I added some seeds and used beer (actually well fermented ginger beer) to assist in the raising process. This free-form bread was such a hit that people went for seconds on the bread. This is normally unheard of when there is still meat left on the table. I decided to share the recipe so you can enjoy it too."


Blog 200 - Baking Apples On The Braai
"There isn't always time for intricate puddings when you are preparing for a braai. The apple tree in the back garden was groaning under the weight of the fruit and I have had numerous requests for Apple Pie. Yet, I simply could not get around to it. As a compromise, I baked some apples on the braai and served it with custard. This quick and easy way of preparing apples holds all the nostalgia of apple pie, without the effort. I share this delicious and healthy alternative to puddings with you in today's blog."


Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy the books here:
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