Cherry picking and Cherry Almond cake

We went on an amazing day trip to Ceres to visit the beautiful Klondyke Cherry Farm

...and pick cherries...

It was HOT...but an outing that is a must...it was even worth the...

 'are we there yet'...'are we there yet'...in the car!

They encourage you to test the cherries and pick from the trees you like 

(it was amazing to see the different cultivars)...

this was really great...and yummy to pick warm, sweet cherries 

and pop them straight into your mouth...

  

We have really enjoyed eating fresh cherries...what a treat!!

...we had a huge bowl to go with dessert on Christmas day too...

But sadly they have come to an end, and I decided to use the last few to make a  

cherry cake...

 You will need:

2 Tablespoons butter

2 cups Castor sugar

4 eggs

2 cups flour

3 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup milk

Cherries

flaked almonds

sauce:

1 cup milk

1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

100g butter

Cream the butter and Castor sugar, add the eggs and beat until light and creamy.

Sieve in the flour and baking powder, and add the milk.

Spread into an oven dish. 

Wash and de-pip the cherries, cut into halves and spread over the mixture - you can use as many as you like. 

Sprinkle some flaked almonds over the top.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for about 30 - 40 minutes.

Place all the ingredients for the sauce into a pot and bring to the boil, turn down the heat and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, pour the sauce over the cake. The cake will absorb the sauce and become sticky.

Serve with fresh whipped cream or ice cream...and some strong coffee...

 Enjoy!!

 Thank you family M for an awesome day spent out with you.

So its Christmas 2012...

 We always like to make our Christmas wrappings, cards and tags...

So this year we stamped, stamped and stamped some more...

Christmas wrappings

Christmas gift tags

More Christmas Wrappings

Our Christmas Card

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

Isaiah 6 verse 9

Our South African Christmas tree

Wishing you all a beautiful Christmas and Holiday season. 

Thank you Jesus for the greatest gift you have given us...

Shells

Simple Wrapping Paper - hand prints

 We love to make our own wrapping papers for birthdays and special occasions...

Well it was my dads birthday and we decided to make hand print paper...what fun...

My knight chose red and his cute sister chose blue...

Needless to say Grandpa loved his handmade paper...

We used a big sheet of newsprint and blue and red acrylic paint. 

Just brush a little paint onto their hands using a paint brush and let them stamp...

My knight

Cute Little sister

 A simple and memorable craft...

Frozen Cheese Cake

Our wonderful friday group had a year end braai - what alot of fun was had...

I decided to make this very yummy dessert...it went along with delicious homemade ice cream, I need to see if I can squeeze the recipe out of my dear friend (lol)...mmm...

will keep you posted... 

You will need:

250gr smooth cottage cheese (full cream)

1 small egg

10ml vanilla essence

1.5 packets Tennis Biscuits

125ml castor sugar

125g soft butter

12 cherries

Icing

Butter

Cocoa

Icing sugar

Cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg and beat well.  

(It must be a small egg or you can even use half - you dont want the mixture to be to runny!) 

Add the cottage cheese and vanilla essence. Mix well.

Arrange 12 biscuits on a large piece of tin foil (3 x 4). Spread 1/3 of the mixture over the biscuits. Arrange a second layer of 12 biscuits (3 x 4) on top.

Spread the remainder of the mixture onto the biscuits.

Put a line of cherries down the center (long side).

Carefully using the tin foil bring the sides up to form a triangle.

Close up the tin foil, using it to keep the triangle shape nicely.

Place the dessert in the freezer.

Once nicely frozen ice with chocolate butter icing and return to freezer to freeze again.

Cut into slices and serve...

Enjoy

Its been a little quiet here...been busy busy busy...

Awhile ago I posted on chocolate biscuits that we had baked as gifts...

Although we homeschool there are many lovely people who pour into my childrens lives...gymnastic coaches, sport coaches, music teachers, woodwork teachers...

well we are Thankful for them and like to bless them with a little gift at year end...

These are our cards, we all have a hand in them...baby Jesus is done with finger prints, then my knight drew in the manger and straw...cute little sister loves to punch the stars...

and mom puts it all together...

Advent 2012

 We made an advent calendar this year... 

an exciting time as we count down the days to the celebration of our Saviours birth...

(mom had to do quite a bit as my knight fractured his collar bone last week!) 
Each little character is a toilet roll inner, and inside is a little suprise for my knight and his cute sister...bath beans, bath fizzies and choccies...

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. " 

Isaiah 9 verse 6

"And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!

 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
    and gave him the name that is above every name,
 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father."

Philippians 2 verses 8 - 11

AMEN