Update

OK, this post is going to be a bit all over the place! just wanted to get you updated on what I'm doing :)

Last night I made an Ina Paarman's chocolate cake mix, it was delicious!

On Friday we were going to drama, but were a bit early, so we stooped at Constantia Uitsig to take some photos of the beautiful Autumn vines!

On Tuesday I spent my morning baking, as I had to take tea to Looking Glass. So Mom said I should make some bread and muffins too while the oven was on.

Here is the recipe for the brownies:

• 150 g margarine
• 200 g (1 cup) sugar
• 2 eggs
• 5 ml vanilla essence
• 30 g (62 ml) cake flour
• 50 g (125 ml) cocoa powder
• 2ml baking powder
• 50-100 g pecan nuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 180. Melt the margarine in the microwave, set aside. In a separate bowl beat the sugar, eggs and essence until very pale and thick. Beat margarine into egg mixture. Sift together flour, cocoa powder and baking powder and fold into mixture with pecans. Pour into a greased baking tray and bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Now for the Jewish plaited bread:

• 4 cups of flour
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons yeast
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 egg
• warm water (about one and a bit cups)

Mix all ingredients together. Knead dough until it is well mixed and a pliable dough has been formed. Place bowl in a warm, sunny spot with a tea towel over it and let it rise for two hours, or until double in size. Once risen divide the dough into 3 equal parts, roll into longish fingers, squish the 3 ends together and plait the bread, the squish together at the other end too. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 until browned on the top.

The muffins were from a packet. Enjoy!

A while ago we went on an outing to Soil For Life, here are some pictures...

It was really fun!

Soil For Life is just up the road from Lane Stables. We got to meet some of the horses there, aren't they beautiful?

I am finally done Kade's mobile!

For art we did shadow puppets, Dad helped me make mine, they looked great, thanks Dad!

The cat has found a new place to sun herself now that the sun's rays aren't so harsh, how cute is this????

A few weeks ago it was Monica's birthday, I made her this......

The colours sadly didn't show up so well on the photo.

Mom has been knitting away, preparing for winter...

...She made me some leg warmers...

....fluffy fingerless gloves.......

....and, my favorite, a snood! Thanks Mom, love you!

Here is a pic of Zak's entry into the Chaeli Campaign Art and Poetry Competition! Isn't it great?

We have made a new family tradition, Dad and Josh cook once a month, shopping, cooking, and cleaning up, a meal of their choice. Me and Zak don't get involved since we often help Mom in the kitchen.

For dessert Dad made a lemon cheesecake with a pecan nut praline and biscuit base, delicious! When we asked how he made the base, he replied, with lots of love and patience!

And for the main meal he made paella, it was this first time I had ever tasted it, and I must say, it was amazing!!!!!!

So that's what I've been up to!

~Keren