Thursday, September 29, 2011

Karen's machine rye bread machine winner


I have adjusted "Uncle Wynn's bread machine rye" from allrecipes.com to suit our family.
I have used only a pinch of caraway seeds as the kids find the original 3tsp very very heavy.

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons yeast.
2 cups brown bread flour.
2 cups rye flour.
2 tablespoons wheat gluten
1 teaspoon salt.
3 tablespoons sweet molasses or honey.
2 Tablespoons oil.
1 1/2 cups water.
1-3 tsp caraway seeds depending on your taste.

Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order suggested by the manufacturer.
I used the rye setting and its 3.5hrs.
Otherwise I would suggest the wholewheat setting and light crust.

Monday, September 19, 2011

Getting the car back seat fixed

From 7.30 this morning I started calling McCarthy's auto trimmers every 15 minutes hoping that they would open soon. At 8.30 they opened and I told the chap in the workshop that I am a desperate woman and need my car seen to ASAP. I am very grateful that the chap, who I now know as Andre', when he says I can bring the car in right away.
45 minutes later and my filthy car is being looked at. I am so embarrassed at the state of it. I am sure every mom with little kids knows what I am talking about. Andre' says its not a small job, and they have to remove the whole back seat to sort it out. But, he promises me, it can be done today. I am very grateful to hear this. I quickly remove the bits and bobs out the car and head of to the visitors lounge for a nice cuppa coffee to wait for Tamsyn to come collect me.

My sister is busy packing and wants to know what the weather is like here. Crappy I tell her. Shame, she had hopes of walking on the beach etc. Maybe the horrible weather will clear and all will be well for her visit tomorrow.

New template design

I changed the template of my blog. I think it suits very well.

I would love to hear your comments.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Bread Machine Rolls Recipe - Allrecipes.com

My rolls turned out to be cocktail rolls. Very tasty but not what I was hoping for. I only wanted to make 6 so I halved the recipe. Used about 1 tsp yeast. Was this too little?
Bread Machine Rolls Recipe - Allrecipes.com:

'via Blog this'

Oh dear. Get that fixed ASAP

Jordan wanted the back car seat to go down so she could "sleep". She pulled the lever so hard that it must have snapped and now its stuck in the down position. This is a big problem as I have to collect my sister and family at the airport on Tuesday, and now cant pack anything in the back.
So I have been "googling" fixing car seats- Pajero Cape Town and have found an "auto trimmer" in Diep River. From what I read, I think this is the place to go. I will call them at 8 am tomorrow and hopefully they can fit the car in.

Friday, September 16, 2011

Springbok in my garden shed

Walked into the garden shed and saw this. So cute. Love the bokke flag all laid out on the sleeping bag.

Sent via Karen Lawrence African Shark Eco-Charters. Blackberry.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Shea Butter Baby Soap


I have totally fallen in love with Victorian Garden Shea Butter Baby Fragrance Free Soap.

Since Adam's terrible excema and frequent break out of hives, we have been using very expensive body wash for him. I took him to the nutritionist ( will blog about that), and she recommended Shea butter baby soap. I decided to try it on myself before using it on him. It is FANTASTIC. My skin felt so soft, i suppose from the Shea butter, that I even used it on my face. My face was not dry at all and also felt wonderful. I miss the nice smelly fragrance soaps, but the whole idea is to remove anything that might irritate his skin.

Here is some info on Shea Butter Baby Soap.

Based on old Victorian recipes made during the 1800's, these hand crafted soaps contain natural ingredients with the very best sourced essential oils, plant extracts and cold pressed vegetable oils. During the Victorian era, and during the Tudor era and indeed, in previous times, soap making methods included using the 'cold method' which ensured that active organics do not deteriorate as they do when using the 'hot method' used by most commercial soaperies.
Our soaps are suitable for sensitive skins and are classed as VEGAN. The soap process removes excess alkali from the bars thus creating a very mild soap. Alkali, used to turn oils into soap, and water are the primary non organic ingredients. Most components come from plant based renewable resources which are farmed and processed without chemicals in a sustainable and Fair Trade manner. When you mix oils, alkali and water, they chemically react and turn into soap and glycerin. The glycerin is then stirred back in to add to the moisturizing qualities of soap. Our Bathroom and Soap products all contain natural ingredients.
Ingredients:

Saponified Olea Europaea (Olive) Oil, Jojoba Wax ( Buxus Chinensis), Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Nut) Butter, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Prunus Amygadalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Prunus Armenica (Apricot Kernel) Oil, Triticum Vulgare (Wheatgerm) Oil, Cocus Nucifera (Cocoa Butter), Vegetable Glycerin, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Cucumus Sativus (Cucumber) extract.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

This song is all about coming back to our first love.
The heart of worship by Matt Redman.

Where do you stand in your faith today?

When the music fades
And all is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring
Something that's of worth
That will bless your heart

I'll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the ways things appear
You're looking into my heart

I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You
All about You, Jesus
I'm sorry Lord for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You
It's all about You Jesus

King of endless worth
No one could express
How much You deserve
Though I'm weak and poor
All I have is Yours
Every single breath

I'll bring You more than just a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart

I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You
All about You, Jesus
I'm sorry Lord for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You
It's all about You Jesus

Its all about you
Jesus

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Top 15 Biblical Ways to Get a Wife

Top 15 Biblical Ways to Get a Wife

Find an attractive prisoner of war, bring her home, shave her head, trim her nails, and give her new clothes. Then she's yours. - (Deut 21:11-13)

Find a prostitute and marry her. - (Hosea 1:1-3)

Find a man with seven daughters, and impress him by watering his flock.- Moses (Ex 2:16-21)

Purchase a piece of property, and get a woman as part of the deal. - Boaz (Ruth 4:5-10)

Go to a party and hide. When the women come out to dance, grab one and carry her off to be your wife. - Benjaminites (Jud 21:19-25)

Have God create a wife for you while you sleep. Note: this will cost you.- Adam (Gen 2:19-24)

Agree to work seven years in exchange for a woman's hand in marriage. Get tricked into marrying the wrong woman. Then work another seven years for the woman you wanted to marry in the first place. That's right. Fourteen years of toil for a wife. - Jacob (Gen 29:15-30)

Cut 200 foreskins off of your future father-in-law's enemies and get his daughter for a wife - David (I Samuel 18:27)

Even if no one is out there, just wander around a bit and you'll definitely find someone. (It's all relative, of course.) - Cain (Gen 4:16-17)

Become the emperor of a huge nation and hold a beauty contest. - Xerxes or Ahasuerus (Esther 2:3-4)

When you see someone you like, go home and tell your parents, "I have seen a woman; now get her for me." If your parents question your decision, simply say, "Get her for me. She's the one for me." - Samson (Judges 14:1-3)

Kill any husband and take HIS wife (Prepare to lose four sons, though). - David (2 Samuel 11)

Wait for your brother to die. Take his widow. (It's not just a good idea; it's the law.) - Onana and Boaz (Deuteronomy or Leviticus, example in Ruth)

Don't be so picky. Make up for quality with quantity. - Solomon (1 Kings 11:1-3)

A wife?... NOT! - Paul (1 Cor 7:32-35)

A truly amazing bread making site

I really have been struggling to find a good bread making site and this one is great. It is truly comprehensive, and I will be baking a lot in my Panasonic SD255 bread machine this week end.

Have a super week end everyone.


Bread-baking tools and resources for making and enjoying great bread:

'via Blog this'

Friday, September 9, 2011

Rye Bread recipe in bread maker a flop.

I am sure you have seen the last few updates on my face book page to know that I was on the look out for a bread maker. After reading endless reviews on bread makers and finding one that has a rye bread and gluten free bread making function, I settled on the Panasonic  SD255 bread maker.


However, when I wanted to make rye bread today, the only recipe that the booklet didn't have, was that one. I googled a rye bread recipe it from the Panasonic website, and it turned out to be a flop. The top had caved in and it was all doughy on the inside. 

The top has caved in.

Possible causes

  • Too much water was added.
  • Not enough flour was used.
  • Poor quality flour was used.
  • The yeast was old.
  • Water came into contact with the yeast.


The bread also had a lot of flour around the sides.





Some flour remains around the bread.

Possible causes

  • Too much flour was used.
  • Flour was not weighed on scales.
  • Not enough water was added.
  • (This problem is more likely when the flour used - for example, rye or wholemeal flour- is less water absorbent.)

The problem (a) seems to be too much water and (b) not enough water. So, that leaves me just as confused as when I started trouble shooting the problem.
Any idea's?

Warning..this blog is under-construction

Over the next few days I will be redoing my blog template. Please be patient.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Taking blog main stream

As I spend so much of my time on face book and that is becoming my blog, I am wondering how to merge the two.