Family Picnic with #WW #Linky

Welcome to my Picture Perfect
Party Linky #135!

This blog is best viewed in Google Chrome.
Click on the images to view them larger.

Our kids: Jeremiah, Jessica,
Samantha and Amanda

Family Picnic

Our best news this weekend was that Jeremiah came home for his first term break. We celebrated by having a family picnic. The girls start their holiday tomorrow.

Hubby and Jeremiah

Hubby took this photo of Samantha, Amanda and me

Jessica and Samantha

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Craft Beer at the

Banana Jam Cafe,

Caribbean Restaurant,

Cape Town - Part 7

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Here's my latest weekend post:

Easy Chocolate Cake Recipe

*********************

*********************

Now on to my blog hop...

Come link up your Wordless Wednesday

(with or without words) or any picture post

at this Picture Perfect Party Linky.

Join me on this fun and easy blog hop!

If you host your own blog hop(s), then feel free
to link them on my Blog Hops page!

I would love for you to follow me on

Google+

Pinterest 

Twitter 

Facebook 

and

I'm also now on Instagram!

Here are the easy rules:

• Follow me on one or more links above or via email.
• Link-up your post with a picture and follow as many new blogs as you like.
• If possible, copy the button code below and add it on your linked post or blog's side-bar.
• Tell others about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.

The Button Code:

<center> <a href="http://abooksandmore.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Amanda’s Books and More" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitS14XLc-z2uSUW00dIvyZc7lEfLP2tkPgO3qmU3NWi_UObDs_d7XqpYhjp0BBeROyZot-8YlEFU9rguELrZYu3arN1qHHNpB4_ezrb-TlBlfHRSOvP7pBA0VI-j1RkUkF77wJxUc7M7ye/s150/Picture%2520Perfect%2520Party%2520Linky.jpg"/></a></center>

This is a Wordless Wednesday blog hop.



Visit my Blog Hops page to see the hops that I often link up to.

Read More

Easy Chocolate Cake Recipe with Weekend Linky

Welcome to my weekend blog hop -

Make My Saturday Sweet #122!

My blog is best viewed in Google Chrome

Last Saturday I shared a buttermilk biscuit recipe that Amanda and I tried. I've got another one for today that is super easy and yummy. Amanda and I often bake together and I don't share that side of our lives on this blog as much as I could.

It's not going to become my new weekend theme. My weekend posts are pretty flexible. I basically live in the moment.

My recipe is a version of this one by Planning with Kids. You can see my steps by following along with the photos and the ingredients are listed at the end. Amanda (age 7) is doing all the steps, except for one, and I took the photos. She gave me the job to crack the eggs and she took that photo. Amanda can crack eggs, but she doesn't like getting any on her hands.

We baked this cake at night, so the lighting in the photos wasn't always great.

Easy Chocolate Cake Recipe

This cake is best eaten while
still warm on the same day.

Turn the oven on to 180 C / 350 F

Melt butter, add sugar

Add cocoa powder

Stir the cocoa in well

Add vanilla essence

Add the milk and stir again

In another bowl, add the flour

Add the baking powder

Whisk together

Add the chocolate mixture to the flour mixture

Add the eggs

Beat with an electric mixer

Pour cake batter into a greased dish or pan

Bake for about 45 min.
Mine was done before the time

Easy Chocolate Cake

1 c. flour
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
125 g. butter melted
1 c. sugar
2 Tbsp.cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla
½ c. milk
2 eggs
180 C / 350 F
Bake for 45 min. or until sides are pulling
away from the pan and a toothpick
inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Let it cool in the pan on a wire rack.
Best eaten warm on same day

*********************

Now you can order your own personalized
blog buttons with HTML, Facebook covers

or collages (example: Pinterest-ing pins)!

Just visit my page: Blog Buttons to Order

*********************

Make My Saturday Sweet is a weekend blog hop for all family friendly blogs. You are welcome to link your favorite post from the past week(s) and to visit the last link before yours and leave a sweet comment. It's a really easy and fun way to make new friends and to catch up on old acquaintances.

Now on to my blog hop...

It's time for another Make My Saturday Sweet blog hop!

Join me (your host) for this fun and easy hop.

All family friendly blogs are welcome!

If you host your own blog hop(s), then feel free to

link them on my Blog Hops page!

I would love for you to follow me on

Google+

Pinterest 

Twitter 

Facebook 

I'm also now on Instagram!

Here are the easy rules:

• Follow Tina (your host) on one or more links listed above.
• Link up a post from your family friendly blog.
• Please try to add my hop button on your post or side-bar.
• Share about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.
• Visit the last link before yours and leave a sweet comment.

Blog Button Code:

<center> <a href="http://abooksandmore.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Amanda’s Books and More" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWaX10yWr7xxEQ5BBMhOqdZxobJ0omJBq-v8ENFn3YNNebsnsYBHwcGyje-XzSlHSJOIlZ1rEOp89LyNI97XrPFZtdeH_AvaNV3F8hOvHfsuwe29ALNQw75ibK34buYq7nhpGGZJ8UTnoB/s150/Make+My+Saturday+Sweet.jpg"/></a></center>

This is a blog hop!

Visit my Blog Hops page to see what link parties I take part in.

Read More

Wild and Tame with a #WW #Linky

Welcome to my Picture Perfect
Party Linky #134!

This blog is best viewed in Google Chrome.
Click on the images to view them larger.

Wild and Tame Animals at Our House

The other day, we had this cute little Cape Robin fly inside our house from the balcony. It stayed for just a moment. I grabbed my camera and tried not to frighten it, but these birds move fast. I managed to capture the photo above before it flew off.

This morning one or more Cape Robins came to the balcony, but it was hard to tell, because it flew away and came back and flew away again several times. The two photos below are from this morning's visit.

Cape Robin

Cape Robin

Pigeon

Pigeons

Prince, the Cat

Prince, the Cat

Sheela, the Cat

Sheela, the Cat

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Here are my latest posts on 1camera1mom:

Cape Epic Special

An international cycling race

in South Africa

World of Birds

My favorite photos of monkeys,

flowering plants and more

*********************

Here's my latest weekend post:

Baking Buttermilk Biscuits

*********************

Now on to my blog hop...

Come link up your Wordless Wednesday

(with or without words) or any picture post

at this Picture Perfect Party Linky.

Join me on this fun and easy blog hop!

If you host your own blog hop(s), then feel free
to link them on my Blog Hops page!

I would love for you to follow me on

Google+

Pinterest 

Twitter 

Facebook 

and

I'm also now on Instagram!

Here are the easy rules:

• Follow me on one or more links above or via email.
• Link-up your post with a picture and follow as many new blogs as you like.
• If possible, copy the button code below and add it on your linked post or blog's side-bar.
• Tell others about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.

The Button Code:

<center> <a href="http://abooksandmore.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Amanda’s Books and More" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitS14XLc-z2uSUW00dIvyZc7lEfLP2tkPgO3qmU3NWi_UObDs_d7XqpYhjp0BBeROyZot-8YlEFU9rguELrZYu3arN1qHHNpB4_ezrb-TlBlfHRSOvP7pBA0VI-j1RkUkF77wJxUc7M7ye/s150/Picture%2520Perfect%2520Party%2520Linky.jpg"/></a></center>

This is a Wordless Wednesday blog hop.



Visit my Blog Hops page to see the hops that I often link up to.

Read More

Baking Buttermilk Biscuits and a Blog Hop

Welcome to my weekend blog hop -

Make My Saturday Sweet #121!

My blog is best viewed in Google Chrome

For those of you who were looking out for last week's Make My Saturday Sweet, the blog hop did not happen. I apologize for any inconvenience that this may have caused you. I am still behind in catching up on comments and hope to get a lot done this weekend.

Amanda and I baked buttermilk biscuits last Saturday for breakfast. We were still in our pyjamas. Amanda is a great helper in the kitchen and I got her involved as much as possible. She even helped take some of today's photos, including a selfie.

I watched this Video from All Recipes before proceeding. I've made scones a number of times and the method is very similar. The trick is to have ice cold butter and to not over-work the dough. With us at the end of our South African summer, I had to prepare the butter ahead of time and freeze it. I grated cold butter and dusted it with flour to keep it from sticking and forming one big mass.

For the buttermilk, I used Milk Kefir, which I've been making at home since Amanda's birthday. I was given kefir grains from a friend.

While my buttermilk biscuits were baking in the oven, I whipped up a small batch of Honey Butter. I recommend adding as much or as little honey to the butter according to your liking.

You can find the full recipe below or click on the links provided.

Ingredients for Buttermilk Biscuits
with frozen butter that got a bit clumpy
and my milk kefir instead of buttermilk

We doubled the recipe and put
the extras in the freezer.

Measuring

Whisking

Pouring

Stirring

Folding

Rolling - do this step gently

Amanda took all the photos where you see my hands.

Amanda's selfie

I think I pressed my thumb print more than necessary,
so I used a lighter touch the second time.

Whipped honey butter

You should trim the baking paper.
I didn't the first time and scorched it.

Honey Butter and Buttermilk Biscuits

Delicious Buttermilk Biscuits

CHEF JOHN'S
BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled in
freezer and cut into thin slices
3/4 cup cold buttermilk
2 tablespoons buttermilk for brushing

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
3. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together in a large bowl.
4. Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender until
the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about 5 minutes.
5. Make a well in the center of butter and flour mixture.
Pour in 3/4 cup buttermilk; stir until just combined.
6. Turn dough onto a floured work surface, pat together into a rectangle.
7. Fold the rectangle in thirds. Turn dough a half turn, gather any crumbs,
and flatten back into a rectangle. Repeat twice more,
folding and pressing dough a total of three times.
8. Roll dough on a floured surface to about 1/2 inch thick.
9. Cut out 12 biscuits using a 2 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter.
10. Transfer biscuits to the prepared baking sheet.
Press an indent into the top of each biscuit with your thumb.
11. Brush the tops of biscuits with 2 tablespoons buttermilk.
12. Bake in the preheated oven until browned, about 15 minutes.

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My Latest Book Reviews

Mother Chicken's Eggs
This would make a
wonderful gift for
Easter

Whispers of a Faded Dreamer
Christian Fiction

*********************

Cape Epic Special

on 1camera1mom!

We have a view of this exciting

international cycling race from

our balcony and kitchen window.

I will update it with more

photos later today.

Click on the photos to see them larger.

It's totally worth it!

*********************

Now you can order your own personalized
blog buttons with HTML, Facebook covers

or collages (example: Pinterest-ing pins)!

Just visit my page: Blog Buttons to Order

*********************

Make My Saturday Sweet is a weekend blog hop for all family friendly blogs. You are welcome to link your favorite post from the past week(s) and to visit the last link before yours and leave a sweet comment. It's a really easy and fun way to make new friends and to catch up on old acquaintances.

Now on to my blog hop...

It's time for another Make My Saturday Sweet blog hop!

Join me (your host) for this fun and easy hop.

All family friendly blogs are welcome!

If you host your own blog hop(s), then feel free to

link them on my Blog Hops page!

I would love for you to follow me on

Google+

Pinterest 

Twitter 

Facebook 

I'm also now on Instagram!

Here are the easy rules:

• Follow Tina (your host) on one or more links listed above.
• Link up a post from your family friendly blog.
• Please try to add my hop button on your post or side-bar.
• Share about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.
• Visit the last link before yours and leave a sweet comment.

Blog Button Code:

<center> <a href="http://abooksandmore.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Amanda’s Books and More" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWaX10yWr7xxEQ5BBMhOqdZxobJ0omJBq-v8ENFn3YNNebsnsYBHwcGyje-XzSlHSJOIlZ1rEOp89LyNI97XrPFZtdeH_AvaNV3F8hOvHfsuwe29ALNQw75ibK34buYq7nhpGGZJ8UTnoB/s150/Make+My+Saturday+Sweet.jpg"/></a></center>

This is a blog hop!

Visit my Blog Hops page to see what link parties I take part in.

Read More