Baking Pepernoten

It is mid-November, which means that Sinterklaas is almost upon us once again.  I have to say, it is so hard for me to get excited about this with the kids as it is not my cultural thing...I just want to start planning my Christmas and getting excited about that.  Slowly and surely though I will get into it for the children's sake.  Already Tiger is singing Sinterklaas songs all day long, drawing pictures to go in his shoe and talking non-stop about it.  One thing I do love doing at this time of year though, is baking pepernoten.  They are small spicy biscuits.  We did some today for Christian's nursery class and here is the recipe..

Pepernoten

2 cups self-raising flour
1 cup brown castor sugar
100g soft butter
50ml milk
1.5 tsp spekulaas spice

Heat the oven to 170 degrees C.  Put all ingredients in a bowl and hand mix thoroughly.  Form small balls and place on a baking tray spread with baking paper.  Flatten the balls slightly.  Bake for about 15 minutes.

 

Fabric Pumpkin

I saw fabric pumpkins on pinterest and thought I would try it out.  I am doing a centrepiece with all our collectibles and this could work in it.

and then there were two.  Where will it all end?

 

 

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Easy Oaty Biscuits

These are yummy.  As the kids are more active, we are having a biscuit or two in the evening with our walm milk or tea.  I am running out of my supply though and thought we should make our own.

Easy Oaty Biscuits (Netmums recipe)

75g plain flour
1/2 tsp bicarb of soda
75g brown demerera sugar
75g porridge oats
75g butter or marg
1 Tbsp syrup.

Mix dry ingredients together.  Melt butter in a pan and add syrup.  Roll into small balls - about 24 and bake at 160 degrees for 7 to 15 minutes depending on your oven.

Enjoy!

Kids Pumpkin Crafts

Well I did warn you that more pumpkin carving was afoot and the moment our old carved pumpkins went mouldy, I have had not a moments peace from the kids eager to do some more. 

 This delightful device was given to me as part of a birthday gift..a home-made pumkin carver, made out of a piece of wood and a beer bottle top and it works wonderfully well.  Inspired!!!

Once that was over, we decided to do some painted pumpkins from a website called deepspacesparkle.com.  Firstly we drew a oval inside of the pumpkin using thick black crayon and then expanded it by adding on half rounds on either side...even the three year old could manage this.  We then painted it yellow and started mixing in some red on the paper to make it more orangey.  We were out of black paper - isn't that the case that whether it is baking or craft, there is always something missing.  We painted paper with black paint and then when that was dry we cut out mouths and eyes, eyelids and white eyes and teeth.

 The kids were so happy and could not stop and wanted to do more and more.  Okay okay ENOUGH already with the pumkins!  What a mess to clean up..

Fabric napkins

I want to make loads of fabric napkins.  I like the idea of being more environmentally friendly although still not sure if wet wipes are in fact the holy grail and I should forget about this.  If nothing else, I am practising my sewing skills and finally using my new sewing machine..hoorah!
I am buying material online and am constantly getting cotton that is too thin.  Having gone into a material shop here, I was disappointed with the selection.  So feeling a bit frustrated, but forging ahead anyway with the thin cotton.  I found delightful materials on a website called destoffigejuffrouw.nl

I have sewn one up as you can see and just amazed at how quick and easy this is.  Hope nobody looks too closely at how straight my stitches are though. In love with the colours here though.

Crochet Granny Square Cushion

Finally I have finished my first crochet project...a granny square cushion.  I am so pleased with it.

I got the pattern from Echtstudio.nl
Last night I started work on a very simple double crochet cream scarf.  Well, winter is coming.

Chocolate Rice Crispies

Some days you have to fall of the wagon diet-wise and today was one of them.  As it is school holiday, I wanted a short and easy baking activity for the kids.  We made chocolate rice crispies as follows...

100g dark chocolate
50g butter (can feel my arteries hardening)
3 Tbsp syrup
100g rice crispies (about 4 cups)

Melt the chocolate, butter and syrup on a low temp and mix with the crispies.  Put into cupcake holders and refrigerate for a short while.

We then had to exercise off all this sugar and went for a long walk to the park with the boys on their step and plastic motorcycle.

It was a puddle jumping and mushroom finding day.  The park is gorgeous at this time of year...I love it.