Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!

It's Turkey Day!!!!  And I sill plan to celebrate it, why not?  I never cook a whole turkey just the breast because my husband and children are not fans of turkey.  I have to this year so I looked for different recipes and decided to brine a turkey.  That's right,  I am brining a turkey!  I got the recipe from Ree Drummond otherwise known as The Pioneer Woman (I love that girl).    Here is the recipe in case you decide to try it next year or this year if you have time (which you probably won't because I'm not posting this until I have the finished product).

Ree Drummonds Turkey Brine

Ingredients

• 3 cups Apple Juice Or Apple Cider
• 2 gallons Cold Water
• 4 Tablespoons Fresh Rosemary Leaves
• 5 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1-1/2 cup Kosher Salt
• 2 cups Brown Sugar
• 3 Tablespoons Peppercorns
• 5 whole Bay Leaves
•  Peel Of Three Large Oranges

Preparation Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Stir until salt and sugar dissolve. Bring to a boil, then turn off heat and cover.

Allow to cool completely, then pour into a large brining bag or pot. Place uncooked turkey in brine solution, then refrigerate for 16 to 24 hours.

When ready to roast turkey, remove turkey from brine. Submerge turkey in a pot or sink of fresh, cold water. Allow to sit in clean water for 15 minutes to remove excess salt from the outside.

Discard brine. Remove turkey from clean water, pat dry, and cook according to your normal roasting method.

It was super easy to make and it smelled awesome.

I didn't have a bag to put it in so I improvised……...

So here is the final product.

It was delicious!!!! I buttered that bird down, it has a to die for tan.

The turkey has been conquered!!!!!!!!  

I have a new love Paula Deen, her name is Ree Drummond!!!!!! The turkey was moist and full of flavor.   I also made her mashed potatoes, they were so good and it was so simple.  I made southern stuffing, gravy, rice (I know, what the heck does rice have to do with anything, my husband is Puerto Rican need I say more?).  Oh and a ham, it was a very good meal indeed, except for the mac and cheese.  Something went very wrong there, some people should not pin things on Pinterest.  I should have done a test run but I thought,  "It's mac and cheese how can it go wrong?" Oh it can, believe me it can.   I was going to call 911 to have my stomach pumped but I had guest.  All and all it was a good Thanksgiving!

From South Africa With Love,

Table Mountain

We took the cable car up to Table Mountain, it was a wonderful experience and by we I mean everyone but my husband (he hates heights).  It was breathtaking, our friends Mekell and Rae were visiting from the states and we just had to go.

Me on the cable car, it rotates so that you can see from every angle.

It was a steep climb but the ride was so smooth that we barely noticed.

When we got to the top we were speechless….

A birds eye view of Cape Town

It is so pretty, living on the tip of South Africa has it's advantages.

Unbelievable

Rae wants to build a house there.

Can you blame her?

It was awesome I can't wait to go again, next time I'll hike up…… The last picture is of my daughter, she has a chronic condition that is triggered when she spots a camera.  That girl does love to pose.

From South Africa With Love,

The Waterfront/Victoria and Alfred Waterfront

These guys were performing when we went to the Victoria Wharf Shopping Centre located on Victoria Wharf ( I now want to play the xylophone, I should have exerted a little more effort in middle school music) . This is one of Cape Town's many, many malls. It is one of the most beautiful malls that I have  ever seen, the musicians were performing just outside of the mall by the waterfront. I got a few shots of some of the sites but it was my first visit and I was more concerned about seeing as much as I could instead of taking pictures.  Our time there was limited, so was my exploration of the wharf.  Here are some of the other pictures:  

This gun was made as a plea to stop violence

My husband's friend Mekell demonstrating violence on a sculpture about non-violence. 

Ferris wheel located on the waterfront.

One of the many restaurants located there with a view of the ocean and the boats docked there.

There was so much more to see and photograph, but I was caught up.  Once the newness wears off I'll be able to focus.  Or maybe not……..

From South Africa With Love,

Tribal Dance

This video is very short but very cool. We went to the Market Place to outreach and some of the children were there in their tribal garb dancing.  I wish that I would have got more footage but I didn't, next time I will be prepared.  

From South Africa With Love,

Sand Art (Censored)

Took a stroll on the beach and noticed this sand art, how cool and time consuming.  I don't have the patience nor the time to do it.  I've seen more elaborate things but I like the African twist on these.  The second one is interesting indeed, I am yet to see someone in tribal garb so an accurate comparison cannot be made.   

This last one was obviously done by a pervert and had to be censored.  I could tell this was a woman without it being anatomically correct!!!  Perversion is also universal.  She's wearing a necklace but no top, you took the time to make a necklace a detailed one!!!  We have friends coming in this weekend so I have more sights to show you (I have to drag this thing out, so I will slowly reveal South Africa and it's many wonders to you).  Until then……..

From South Africa With Love,

For Vanessa

This post is dedicated to Vanessa (she is forcing me to do this).  Vanessa is my oldest daughter (not really but she calls me Mom), I apparently did not equip her with the knowledge of cooking and am being blamed for her lack of culinary skills. Side note: I have known her all of 1 year and the weight of this should not be on my shoulders but she blames me none the less.  So I am rectifying the wrong that I have apparently done by giving her recipes via this blog and random shouts out to her as needed. So...... I came all the way to Africa to learn how to make Mexican Wedding Cookies (as seen above).  They were so easy, I should have attempted them sooner.  Here is the super easy and super quick recipe:

Mexican Wedding Cookies

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups ground nuts (I recommend pecans)

2 teaspoons vanilla or almond extract

confectioner’s sugar for rolling

Beat butter till creamy, add in sugar and beat again. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Dough will be crumbly. Chill dough for about an hour. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Roll dough in to 1 inch balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Lightly flatten them (just so they don’t roll around) Bake for 12 minutes. Roll cookies while still warm in confectioners sugar, let cool completely then roll in the sugar for a second coating.

They turned out well, I'll be making them again.  I didn't need 12 minutes to bake them though, my oven is a furnace.  Until next time........... I hope that this makes you happy Vanessa (brat).

From South Africa With Love,

Gone Fishing

I was not on this little excursion to the beach, those feet belong to my daughter.  She is an avid fisherman.  She loves it.  She can tell you what bait to use, the names of all the different fish, the best times to go.  She was taught by her Dad, when she was old enough to hold a pole.  All of my kids love the ocean and almost everything in it.  It was a beautiful day, sunny with a cool breeze and a great 

view.  The beach was pretty much deserted because everyone was at work or at school.  That will soon change because Christmas is right around the corner and these people love Christmas.  Seriously, everything pretty much shuts down for the holidays.  Everyone goes on vacation, it's the beginning of summer here.  I've been told that it is  a sight to behold, and I can't wait to see it!!!

From South Africa With Love,