My sister passed this recipe on to me after receiving it from some American guy. This is almost as easy as buying and making the snowflake ready mix stuff and seriously gooood!

Very Yummy Brownies

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups flour

½ tsp salt

1 cup soft margarine

2 cups sugar

4 beaten eggs

2 tsp vanilla

½ cup cocoa

1 crushed milk choc (optional)

Method:

Mix together with an electric beater.

Bake at 180°c for 20-25 min in a baking tray. (Not a cookie sheet)

I usually cut them when they are cool so that you get straight edges but I understand if you can’t wait that long because they’re just too delicious!

The Helderberg Farm

This lovely picnic, petting zoo is just outside of Somerset West on the R44 going towards Stellenbosch (directions to Helderberg Farm). There is lovely green grass to sit and picnic or if you don’t want to get that close with nature, there are chairs and tables. They serve a small “coffee shop” menue and often have produce on sale from the farm at reasonable prices. Around strawberry season they sell boxes of  “canning strawberries” for R30. I made jam for a small colony.It’s simple but very sweet place and unlike many places, it’s free.

I have been there when they have had a slip slide up for a children’s party and there are old tractors and harvesters for the children to climb on. It’s a great venue for those summer babies birthdays. The little petting zoo is most exciting for the little ones where they can pay R5 to get a bag of food to feed the animals. They can climb into the rabbit hatch and cuddle with the rabbits too.

I like it there and visit often!

The Helderberg Nature Reserve

This little reserve is no Kirstenbosch but it is one of my favourite places to take Rooster. It includes the Helderberg Mountain so that can be your land mark in getting there. (Directions to Helderberg Nature Reserve)There are two large grassed fields with plenty of tree cover. There are little streams that we play in and they have recently built a jungle gymn at the reserve. There are very pram friendly wooden walkways around the duck pond as well as a little mainly shaded trail around the base of the mountain. There are obviously more adventurous walks and even running routes in the forest.

I can say that this place taught my Rooster what a tortoise is. They have a few very large tortoises which are very entertaining for the little ones. The birdlife is incredible. There are turtles in the pond and if you’re lucky the bontebok will pay you a visit too. They are beautiful. There is an educational center there too for those teachers looking for a lovely, educational outing and for the eternal munchers, a little coffee chop.

To enter the reserve it is R10 an adult, R5 per child over two years and R5 per car. However, I have just bought a year pass for R85. Seeing as Rooster is under two he doesn’t pay. The family pass is R170 no matter how large your family is. Not bad, I say! You can buy this year membership from the first of March till the end of April. You can’t just buy it any time of the year.

Love this place. Love it! Love it!

Wiggle Worms

Music and movement for your little one that is fun and very relaxed. It’s run by a lady called Lynette Calver who also runs her business Music and Movement in the nearby pre-schools. It is 30-45 minutes where moms and tots (ages 0-3) get to get working on some cool dance moves, play with instruments and learn basic theory of music from “Crocodile Crotchet”, “Semi-breve Seal”, “Minum Monkey and “Quacky Quaver. I’ve been taking Rooster there since he was about 3 months and his love for music can definitely be attributed to Wiggle Worms. Lynette is such a warm and caring person that she makes the kids feel relaxed and comfortable almost immediately!We’re a small group of moms with children of varied ages but we all enjoy the time together.

Lynette (or Netty as she is affectionately called) runs Wiggle Worms from her home in Heldervue, Somerset West on a Wednesday morning starting at 9am. The programme does not run in the holidays. Her contact details: 082 792 000. Her daughter also runs a music academy for older children called Dolce Music Academy so if you’re looking to get your family into music, this is the family to contact!

Indoor Play Gymns

These indoor play gymns as I call them is a large jungle gymn and play area for kids. In the Helderberg Area we have Kids at the Mall(in Somerset Mall outer complexes) and Kids Zoo (In Gants center off the N2, near Virgin Active and BMW dealership). They both have two sections one for the little guys up to the age of three and then there’s the rest of the place for older children. These places are designed with a coffee shop where you sit and keep and eye on your kids while they are assisted by the gymn’s staff. You are charged hourly for the time your children have played and you can purchase food items while you sit and pay as you leave. They also cater for kids parties.

The only real difference between these two places was the price. Kids Zoo was slightly cheaper at R25 and hour whereas Kids at the Mall was R30 an hour. It may seem quite pricey but I found one hour sufficient and can be a lifesaver on a rainy day.

Child Friendly Coffee Shops

Baby Inc- This is also in the Somerset Mall Outer complex next to Treehouse. They sell designer baby items, cots and rockers as well as there is a breastfeeding clinic there. The coffee shop is simple but has a lovely enclosed little are for little ones. There prices are good and so are there portion sizes.

Mondeor- Come fetch your gardening supplies and then relax with a cuppa tea while the kids play on the jungle gymn or in the kiddies pool. Very near to Monkey Town just off the N2 heading towards Sir Lowry’s Pass.

We had fun, we thought it looked cool and it tasted nice too.

What you will need:

• A sponge cake recipe. (I doubled the Beat and Bake recipe which has been in our family for ages-apparently flop proof. This made two cake loaves)
• 2 cup cakes halved with the top section cut off (for the wheels)
• Liquorice twists that I cut in half (In SA you get the little packs- I bought 3)
• Food colouring
• Marshmallows
• Sour wheels (Bought from Pick in Pay- it’s a real of flat candy that I used for around the wheels.)
• Icing (Frosting)

We cut the one loaf to be smaller which went on top, the bottom layer forming the bonnet (hood). My husband used a electric carving knife to curve the bonnet (hood) and cut off the unwanted top section. It worked well. Then we iced it (frosting on) and decourated. Easy-peasy!

Ingredients:

Beat the following ingredients together until light and fluffy.

125g margerine or butter

1cup sugar

2 eggs

Then add:

1 1/2 cups of flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla essence

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup milk (leave out when making cup cakes)

Place in greased baking trays and bake at 180 degrees celcius for 30 minutes. If using a loaf tin bake for approximately 45min and cupcakes for about 12-15 min.

I made two major observations at this fare. The first was the excitement on several “fairies” faces as they purchased goods for their oven buns. I observed this, with eyes that remember the feeling of wanting to purchase or acquire any product that was going to make my babe look cute, feel comfortable, become smart or make me look cute, feel comfortable or become a smart mommy- despite the pregnancy porridge brain. I also noted the moms pushing prams who had mastered the “no thank-you” nod as they were approached by sales people. They were there for business, come in, get the free stuff, get the cheap stuff, watch the Barney Show and then head on out.

That brings me to my next observation. (I said there were two) If babies and toddlers could vote, Barney the Purple Dinosaur would be president of the world. I have never experienced such baby hysteria. Hundreds and hundreds of kids shouting for Barney, cheering, clapping, singing for Barney. Of course my little one would not be one of these followers. He would not succumb to the catchy tunes and cheerful characters. He would be different.

Ok, ok. I admit. My son was no different. He clapped, head bobbed, danced and looked at me countless times as if to question me as to why I had been keeping this “Barney” away from him for so long. It was amazing to witness how thoroughly entertained these children were. More than this was the enjoyment that the parents got out of the Barney show too.

It seems like Barney is part of many a happy family!

Here are some activities you and your little one can do on the ball. My boy’s only nine months so there seems to be no age limit.

• Drum Ball: The ball has a lovely hollow sound when hit like a drum.
• Bouncing Ball: You bounce the ball and your babe tries to help bounce it.
• Bouncer Ball: Sit your little one on the ball and while holding him/her, bounce up and down.
• Roller Ball: With his/ her feet on the ground, roll the ball and lift your babe as is rolls so that he/she rolls with the ball.
• Thigh Master: Sit your baby on your lap, place the ball on your outstretched legs and lift them so that the ball rolls toward your baby
• Bicycle Ball: Place your little one on its back. Raise the ball over his/her feet and let them kick at the ball as if riding a bicycle on his/her back.
• Peek-a-boo ball: Hide behind the ball then roll it away to surprise him/her.

As scary as the thought may be, having the gymn ball out for entertainment may encourage it to be used for exercise!

Being a teacher, you get to taste a variety of cakes that the mom’s send to school on their kids birthday. This one was seriously delicious and practical because you send the cake to school and then forget about it. No need to worry about the tray or your favourite cake tin. The trouble though is you have to aquire a beer box and if you’re from a family like mine where nobody drinks, it could be a task but the cake is well worth it.

Ingredients:

• 8 large eggs
• 630g castor sugar
• 500ml boiling water
• 150ml sunflower oil
• 150ml cocoa
• 5ml vanilla essence
• 420g cake flour
• 30ml baking powder
• Pinch of salt

Method:

Whisk eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in remaining ingredients mixing thoroughly. Pour batter into *prepared box and place in the oven for 35min at 180 degrees celcius. Cool and ice as desired.

For plain vanilla cake- 4 changes

• leave out cocoa
• addmore flour: 60g
• reduce sugar to 525g
• Mix in juice and grated rind of a large lemon

*Cover the inside of the box with tinfoil and greese the tinfoil with butter.

Thanks Mrs Birch

Here’s my version:

• 2 cups of cut up marshmallows
• 1/4 cup of butter
• Cocopops
• liquorice strips (optional)
• smartie eggs or speckled eggs

Melt the butter and the marshmallows, stirring frequently. Stir in the cocopops. Immediately press this mixture into a muffin pan. Also press in the liquorice to form the handle and allow to cool and harden, preferably in the fridge. If you’d prefer them to look like birds nests, then leave out the liquorice. Once the baskets/nests have hardened, fill the baskets/nests with the smartie eggs or treats of your choice.

You will need: 

• A packet of marshmallows
• A packet of marie biscuits
• A box of smarties or jellytots
• 1/4 cup icing sugar
• Water
• A slab of chocolate (optional- but yummy)
• kebab sticks

Place a single marshmallow in the centre of a marie biscuit and put it in the microwave until the marshmallow begins to balloon. Remove from microwave and press the kebab stick into the marshmallow (and the optional chocolate piece) and put another marie on top to make a marshmallow/ kebab sandwich.

Next is decorating the pinwheel: I cut slices of marshmallow with a scissors to form petals and used smarites for the middle of the flower. I used the icing sugar mixed with a little water to become the consistency of toothpaste to stick these decorations onto the maries. For a little more colour, add food colouring to the icing.

Playdough:
Put all of the following ingredients into a medium sized pot:

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 cup plain flour

½ cup salt

1 tablespoon oil

1 cup water 2 teaspoons food colouring

Put your pot on the stove on a medium to high heat and stir ingredients together so it all mixes, you will notice it starting to pull away from the sides, keep mixing it and until it forms together in a ball, take it out the pot and kneed it once it cools down a little. Voila! Your own playdough, I promise it takes less than 5 minutes. Keep it in a plastic packet in a sealed container and it will last quite some time.