Around the World in 12 Dishes: South Africa -- Sosaties

Today we are doing our last post for Around the World in 12 Dishes. The group seems to be a bit defunct right now. There have been no plans for the next season and South Africa is the last country chosen. But I promised Hazel we would continue to explore the world one country a month, so we are going to continue on our own schedule and our link parties. This season I have been writing the introduction posts on Around the World in 12 Dishes website, but as I was about to write the introduction to South Africa I discovered the link code problems which still has not been resolved, so I didn't bother to write it there since there would not be a place to link up. (If I do not get the codes switched to my account by next week I will do my own link codes as a blog hop, so come back and check Bolivia, Senegal and here.) I also added a new picture to my Bolivia post. The arroz con leche looks much better cold!

Johannesburg at Night By Hillbrow_Tower.jpg:Kemptonreporterderivative work: 
Heitor C. Jorge (Hillbrow_Tower.jpg) [GFDL, CC-BY-SA-3.0 or CC BY 2.5], via Wikimedia Commons

Around the World in 12 Dishes: Senegal -- Poulet Yassa

Today we are catching up with January's Around the World in 12 Dishes. We visited Senegal. We read many books about Senegal and some stories from Senegal, but did not find any recipes of things my family would eat in the books, so I found one on-line. Be sure to check out the introduction post I wrote about Senegal. 

Pointe des Almadies, the westernmost point of the African continent (mainland),
located in the area of Dakar, Senegal By Jeff Attaway [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Around the World in 12 Dishes -- Bolivia: Arroz con Leche

 Between Hazel being sick, me being sick, holidays and snow, we have fallen very behind in Around the World in 12 Dishes. However we are going to catch up this week. The group itself seems to be having issues and may be ending, however Hazel LOVES studying a country each month so we are going to keep doing it here and will have link parties in case anyone wants to join in. (I'm in the process of seeing if I can have the codes used in my account instead so the past link parties will be available again.)

La Paz, Bolivia
By Teomancimit (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Malcolm X for Black History Month

Disclosure: Candlewick Press gave me a copy of this novel free of charge to review. All opinions in my review are my own and I did not receive any other compensation. As in all my reviews I am providing links for your ease, but receive no compensation.

Today I am going to share a review of the novel, X by Ilyasah Shabazz with Kekla Magoon. I am also going to share a bit about Malcolm X and what I learned from reading the novel. Ilyasah Shabazz is the daughter of Malcolm X. She based this novel on her father's story. It is a novel since they could not go back an get the exact words and encounters that actual happened in the past. I also found a picture book at the library about Malcolm Little: The Boy Who Grew Up to Become Malcolm X also by Ilyasah Shabazz, which I read to Hazel. 

Playing Grace Thomas Doll Bakery

Have you entered my current giveaway yet?

At the beginning of the year, American Girl Doll Stores introduced this year's doll of the year, Grace Thomas. Now Grace had an adventure in Paris that changes her life and she is a baker/business owner. When they introduced their new doll they gave souvenirs to people who came to see her at the store. Well, Doll Diaries had a souvenir set for a giveaway in January and I won it. Hazel was so excited!! We finally got it this weekend. Hazel immediately wanted to go through everything. She was not sure what the recipe box, recipe cards and dividers are for, but we decided she could use the box as a table for now. She put the Grace apron on her Hazel doll and created her own bakery. She used straws and cupcake liners for supplies since she was too lazy to get out her baking supplies. I however got out the baking accessories for her and set up the bakery.