Not your typical BBQ sauce

I don't know about you, but I LOVE BBQ... well, I am a canibal really lol

Ok, this is not your typical BBQ sauce, but still nice and not overpowering. Takes about 20 minutes to prepare (if you work slowly)

• 4 Tbs. salad Oil
• 1 Tbs. chili powder
• 1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
• 2 tsp. mustard
• 2 tsp. finely minced garlic
• 2 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. ground cumin

1. In a medium sauce pan, combine all ingredients and bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
2. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
3. Let it set for at least one hour for the flavors to blend together.

You can either marinade your meat in it or just put it on top in the last minutes of grilling....

Cheesy Chocolate Cupcakes

Chocolate cream cheese cupcakes, rich and gooey. Takes no time to prepare and is a big hit everytime I make it. Oh, and you can turn it into a cake

Prep Time: 10 Min (maximum)         Yield 24 cupcakes or one large round cake

1 200gr package cream cheese, softened

1 egg

1/3 cup white sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup white sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon cider vinegar (or any other mild vinegar)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 175C. Line muffin tins with paper cups or lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray (or prepare a 26-28 cm backing tin)
2. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, egg, 1/3 cup sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt until light and fluffy. Stir in the chocolate chips and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the rest of the ingredients. Stir together until well blended. Fill muffin tins 1/3 full with the batter and top with a dollop of the cream cheese mixture. If you make a cake, slightly swirl in the cheese mixture
4. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes (or 35-40 minutes if you make a cake) 

Tip: You can use a wooden spoon for mixing

Squares meet lemon

I have been making these for some time now. I cannot even remember where I got the recipe from...  The lemon taste with the crunchines of the crust is just pure yum. Ok, granted, it is not the best recipe for the those watching their cal intake

2 cups flour

½ cup powdered sugar

200gr softened butter

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

Juice and zest of 2 lemons

3 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

pinch of salt

1.      Preheat the oven to 350 F

2.      For the crust, combine the first three ingredients in a bowl. Mix together with a fork until you get fine crumbs. Press into a 9x13” pan and bake for 20 minutes.

3.      For the filling, combine the rest of the ingredients and beat well.

4.      Pour into the warm crust and bake an additional 20 minutes, until the top looks like the moon surface (you know, craters and all)

5.      Cool and cut into squares.

6.      If you want to you can dust with more powdered sugar.

Dahl with Spinach and Coconut

Beetroots and Apple Salad

Here is a quick and easy salad that is perfect for the winter - although in my family we eat it all year round. This recipe has been passed down from generation to generation. I remember my great-grandma serving it when I was a small child.

3 medium beet roots, cooked and peeled
3 medium apples (granny smith) peeled & cored
Juice from 1 lemon or a little more.....
2 tbsp. full good mayonnaise (you can use low calorie)
3 tbsp. sugar or more to your own taste (you can use sugar substitute)
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup walnuts chopped (optional)

In food processor shred coarsely the beet roots and apples. Transfer to a bowl. Mix in the remaining ingredients. Season to taste.

The salad keeps for about a week (well, in theory anyway). It is better after it has sat in the fridge for a few hours, but tastes good when you just made it.

Note: I was out of lemon juice so I just added a spoon of orange juice. Made the salad a touch sweeter.

Basic Pancake Recipe

Pancakes are very easy to make. You can make them in batches and reheat them for a quick breakfast.

My grandma used to fill them with a sweet cheese filling (quark (white cheese) with rasins and a little bit of suggar according to taste). We used to eat them fresh or the next day when she just banged them into the oven for reheating. The cheese then turned harder. Both ways are totally delicous.

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons each sugar and baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk (milk substitute, water or soda)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil plus oil for frying

In a large bowl, mix together dry ingredients. Mix well. Beat in the in egg, milk and vegetable oil, stirring until wet. Mixture should end up slightly lumpy. Leave the mixtrue for about 10 minutes.
Heat a griddle or large skillet to medium high. Add very little oil to the pan.
Pour some of the batter on the skillet. If you like American style pancakes then you can make several small pancakes a time, depending on how many your skillet or griddle will hold without the pancakes touching and leaving room to be able to flip them. I personally like the European style more, which are large ones and for those I use a medium sized pan.

The pancakes are ready to flip when you see many bubbles popping on the surface. Flip and cook for another minute, the second side doesn’t take as long to cook. Both sides should be a nice golden brown.

Tip: If you want to fill them with a savoury filling leave out the suggar. For those who want to keep it kosher (or follow a diet that doesn't allow mixing different proteins), use a milk substitute or use water or soda (the pancakes will be even fluffier)

Homemade Ice Cream in a blitz

Years ago at a Tupper party the Tupper lady made ice cream using just a few ingredients and this hand mixer/blender. I adapted this for ease to use a food processor.
This recipe will make real nice fruit flavored ice cream in just a few seconds. And the best part: You don’t need an expensive ice cream maker.

2 cups frozen fruit (sliced if necessary)

1/2 cup of sugar (adjusted to taste)

1 cup heavy cream or yoghurt

Put the fruit in your blender or food processor. Add the sugar and a little of the cream and start processing/blending. Keep blending until the fruit is well pureed. Add more cream as needed to get the right consistency. Depending on the fruits you use you may have to put the mixture back in the freezer for a bit.

This recipe works best with berries, peaches, mango or bananas.