Recently I have discovered Blondies. A dangerously addictive cakey slice thing, somewhat like a brownie but not so rich and chocolately. I guess Blondies aren't something that is that common in Australia, however, I don't think that will be the case for too long.
This simple little recipe is so great in the fact that you can change the flavours to what ever you feel like, or have floating around in the pantry. You just take your base recipe and try different things.
A couple of weeks ago I made them with pecans, choc chips and a swirl of left over caramel. They were pretty good, and Grumbles happily took them to work for smoko.
This weekend after reading quite a few blogs, I tripped over a recipe for Peppermint Oreo Brownies. (sorry , I can't find the link again). Now I don't really like peppermint, and I didn't feel like going into the expense of making brownies, so thought about adding the biscuits to Blondie mix.
O....M.....Gawd!
I said a naughty big person word when I tried them. It was divine!! And I think I have eaten close to half a tray over the course of the day. However, They stuck to the bottom of the pan (must use baking paper next time) and the rule is, if it breaks all the calories fall out, so its ok if I ate so much of it.
Now I could post a photo, but those bloody useless re-chargable batteries have gone flat on me again, so you're just gonna have to wait til I can take a pic. And hope I don't eat the rest in the mean time, but here is the recipe.
Blondies
8 tablespoons of butter melted
1 cup of brown sugar
1 egg
vanilla
A pinch of salt
1 cup of plain flour.
This is so easy. I just use a large 1.5litre jug. Melt the butter in the microwave, whisk in the sugar, then the egg and vanilla and the pinch of salt. Then stir in the flour. Then add in your flavours. Today I chopped up about 6 or 7 oreo type biscuits and a handfull of choc chips. Stir them in and then pour into a 8x8" square cake tin, that has been greased (and I suggest lined with baking paper). Bake at about 170 degrees for about 25 minutes. You don't want them cooked to death, you want the centre to be set and stay fudge-like.
Let them cool before you cut them up and then hide in a closet where the kids can't find you with a big glass of milk and scoff!
Next time I'm going to try with Kingston biccies I think.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Monday, April 7, 2008
Growing and growing and growing!
Its amazing. Most weeks I go out and take photos of my second plot with intentions to post, but for some reason don't get around to it, and here I am today finally getting the time and the photos just won't do. My veges are so much bigger than what they were last week. They are doing fantastically and I'm going to have to go out into the gale force winds outside to get some more so you can all see how its coming along.
It is so nice to have a fresh and always ready supply of lettuce. I just trot out the door, take 10 steps, pick a few leaves and then back to the kitchen for a quick rinse. No trudging around the shops, looking through all the half saggy dehydrated offerings trying to find the best, and then handing over $3, for it to be stuffed within 2 days in the fridge. This is why I always want my vege garden.
My tomatoes are growing so strong. This variety seem to be less fussy, and there are quite a lot of flowers. We will have fruit coming out of our ears before we know it. The big test will be to see if we can eat it or if the fruit flies, grubs, bugs and birds get first dibs. I intend on trying the paper bag over then to see if that will help.
This weekend I also finally got around to planting my broccoli, cauliflower and celery seeds. I am so excited about the idea of fresh broccoli and cauliflower for winter. I guess I had better find a way I like cauliflower, as I have been turned since my Mother dished up the over cooked, sloppy, tasteless grey sludge all those years ago. However Chicken loves a good lump of cauli, so I'm happy to grow it solely for her if it means she will eat her veges.
Plot one is still having a nice rest. It has been topped up with compost and manure, and has been sitting for a couple of weeks now. I tossed a packet of bean seeds that our friendly neighbour gave to us (must take her a pumpkin) and will also toss a packet of broad beans in as well to help fix the soil.
*Edit* I just had to come back and say that we pulled everything except our strawberries and garlic out of plot one. We decided it was working so poorly that the ground was in desperate need of R&R, and the pests were winning the war, especially on the cucumbers. Its been like this for a good couple of weeks now, and will probably not get much action over winter because it doesn't get enough sun at this time of the year.*
Pumpkins are still growing madly, but it looks like production has finally slowed down. The vines are starting to look a bit sad and I think we will be coming to the end of it soon. So, I better get our next plants in for when we run out of our dozen or so pumpkins we got this round. Its actually been really rewarding to finally get some 'real' produce from out of the garden. It feel like we have been plodding along and only growing food for the boys (Guinea Pigs) because all the other pests get to enjoy it before us. Learning how to do all this as organic as possible is definitely trying and character building.
It is so nice to have a fresh and always ready supply of lettuce. I just trot out the door, take 10 steps, pick a few leaves and then back to the kitchen for a quick rinse. No trudging around the shops, looking through all the half saggy dehydrated offerings trying to find the best, and then handing over $3, for it to be stuffed within 2 days in the fridge. This is why I always want my vege garden.
My tomatoes are growing so strong. This variety seem to be less fussy, and there are quite a lot of flowers. We will have fruit coming out of our ears before we know it. The big test will be to see if we can eat it or if the fruit flies, grubs, bugs and birds get first dibs. I intend on trying the paper bag over then to see if that will help.This weekend I also finally got around to planting my broccoli, cauliflower and celery seeds. I am so excited about the idea of fresh broccoli and cauliflower for winter. I guess I had better find a way I like cauliflower, as I have been turned since my Mother dished up the over cooked, sloppy, tasteless grey sludge all those years ago. However Chicken loves a good lump of cauli, so I'm happy to grow it solely for her if it means she will eat her veges.
Plot one is still having a nice rest. It has been topped up with compost and manure, and has been sitting for a couple of weeks now. I tossed a packet of bean seeds that our friendly neighbour gave to us (must take her a pumpkin) and will also toss a packet of broad beans in as well to help fix the soil.
*Edit* I just had to come back and say that we pulled everything except our strawberries and garlic out of plot one. We decided it was working so poorly that the ground was in desperate need of R&R, and the pests were winning the war, especially on the cucumbers. Its been like this for a good couple of weeks now, and will probably not get much action over winter because it doesn't get enough sun at this time of the year.*
Pumpkins are still growing madly, but it looks like production has finally slowed down. The vines are starting to look a bit sad and I think we will be coming to the end of it soon. So, I better get our next plants in for when we run out of our dozen or so pumpkins we got this round. Its actually been really rewarding to finally get some 'real' produce from out of the garden. It feel like we have been plodding along and only growing food for the boys (Guinea Pigs) because all the other pests get to enjoy it before us. Learning how to do all this as organic as possible is definitely trying and character building.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Caramel Apple Muffins
While blog hopping about the other day I come across a recipe for Caramel Apple muffins. The pic was gorgeous and scrummy looking, however, it was written in Dutch! Thankfully, so many people asked for it to be translated, the lovely lady also popped the recipe onto her English blog at In My Life .
Now, I didn't have the sort of special caramel she was using, in fact all I had on hand (and no I wasn't driving into town for one thing) was some crappy old Cottees Caramel flavoured ice cream topping, at the back of the pantry. It really is terrible that stuff, but I thought this might be a good way to use it. Quite frankly, next time I will either make the caramel, or even go as far as a good old can of Nestle Caramel Top'n'Fill (I bet that'd be yummy in it), however, these muffins come up pretty darn good, except for that hint of fake caramel through it.
So taking the lovely Paola's recipe, I made a little change , and made notes for other changes for next time, but here is what I've done already.
Caramel Apple Muffins
250g Plain flour (next time I'll use wholemeal to be extra good)
150g sugar ( I used half brown sugar half caster sugar, and it was yummo!)
2 tspn cinnamon
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tspn bi-carb soda
3 apples, peeled and cut up into small chunks, or you could grate if you prefer less chunky muffins.
2 eggs (free range of course)
Vanilla
150ml milk
65ml oil (I am going to attempt to sub this for apple puree next tiem as well to cut the cals a little)
Caramel
And its your typical basic muffin making method. Put all your dry ingredients in a bowl, add apple and toss it around. In a jug combine all wet ingredients. Pour B into A, mix until just combined.
Now the caramel. Fill your muffin trays only half way, then drizzle about a teaspoon or so of caramel and then top with the rest of the muffin mixture.
Then bake in a moderate oven (180 celicus I guess) for about 30 minutes, give or take the usual differences our ovens all have.
Drizzle more caramel on top after they come out the oven, if you like, then scoff hot with butter!
Also, keep out of reach of children, especially 3 year old boys, or there won't be any left for lunch boxes this week. Worse than bloody seagulls that kid!
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Food Porn Meme
Yikes! My blog is only a few months old and already my tag cherry has been popped!! And I must say, its been tagged with true style as well. The veracious Purple Goddess has tagged me for the Food Porn Meme, started by Rosie of Smokey Mountain Breakdown. So hopefully I get this right, as I haven't had a lot of experince is this blogging world, but food porn sounds almost as exciting as shoe porn!
1. What food do you consider the best “date” food? In other words, what meal or food item do you think is sexiest to eat in the company of someone you would like to look sexy around?
Date food? Ummm, ok.... let me think about this.... Grumbles and I really haven't been on a date in a very, very long time (like 13 years) but if I wanted to be all sexy around him I think it would be something you eat with your fingers, lots of licking and sucking and all that, so maybe ... KFC! Oh, or pizza from this little pizza shop that doesn't exist anymore, where the oil used to dribble everywhere and you were forever licking all that yummy stuff off yourself.
However, if it was 'sex' food.... I think I can quite happily drizzle, mmmmm, yes.... warm chocolate fudge and.... (is it getting hot in here?)
2. What well-known person would you like to share a meal with—with or without clothing. (saying whether or not clothes are involved is optional).
That guy off Supernatural, the one who plays Dean (I have no idea what his name is), him. He can start in his grubby, ass hugging jeans and his dark chest gripping tee and his worn leather jacket, with that cute, half smart ass, half "I want you" grin. And as each course of drippy, saucy, finger licking good food is dished up, he can strip off an item. Dessert can be him.... and warm chocolate fudge sauce.... (really, is it warm, or is it just me?)
3. What does your perfect breakfast-in-bed look like? (Food AND the details, please. Candles? Music? Flowers? Hot tub? Dancing girls?
Like a few other meme writers have said, I don't think food and bed works for me. There's crumbs, and coffee dribbling down your chin, and its just uncomfortable. However, if breaky was served in a hot tub, then your talking. There would be bubbly, and fruit, and croissants, a little cheese, candles, scented bath oils, and massaging.... (seriously, its like 35 degress here!)
4. What do you consider the best application of whipped cream to be?
What else, but to go with the warm chocolate fudge sauce.
5. Oh-God-No, Biff, the yacht is sinking! You are sent to the galley to retrieve the food. What luxury food items do you snatch first? The champagne? The caviar? Smoked Salmon? Truffles? Chocolate? Or something else?
I mentioned this one to Grumbles, and he said "the esky, it'll float so you can hang on to it and it has beer". But I respond with, "do luxury yachts have eskies?" Apparently a fridge will also float, so not only do we have beer (Carlton Dry Fusion please), but there is also the bubbly, the cheese, the dark chocolate (even though i wouldn't normally keep it in the fridge, I would make exceptions for floating in the ocean), and also the eye fillet steaks so we can have a cook up while stranded on a tropical island somewhere... Just us, and island and chocolate fudge sauce....
Ummm, ok, so I'm meant to tag 5 other people to join in on the fun. This might be hard, but I'll see how I go. I don't tend to comment much, I'm usually a lurker, so hopefully these people don't find it odd me tagging them.
Culinary Concoctions by Peabody - I love how she can bake so often, and always do something different and delicious looking and then she can photograph it so I don't even need to lick the screen to see how it tastes.
Diary of a Madcow - Ok, so Madcow writes about her hilarious family life, but I know MC is also a food snob. She assures me foie gras is delectable but I don't believe her, but then I don't eat offal. Still I reckon she will do a pisser of a response to this meme.
Smitten Kitchen - I fell in love with her Blondies on first sight a couple of weeks ago and its been a one sided love affair ever since.
Ummm, can that do for now. If anyone else wants to join in on the fun, let me know. :)
Friday, March 21, 2008
Yum yum! Hot Cross Buns!!
Today is Good Friday, a part of our Easter Holiday. So I admit, I'm not religious, wasn't brought up with religion and sorry if I offend, but it doesn't particularly interest me. So I'm not overly sure of the whole story, but it is about Jesus being crucified and resurrected.Hot Cross Buns at Easter, to me, is like Christmas Pudding at Christmas time. Something you wait all year for, to scoff until you feel sick and then never want to touch again, until next year.
Last weekend, I decided to have a go at making my own for the first time ever. It was fun. I felt like I did something special and productive, but sadly the recipe wasn't quite perfect, it was missing a little flavour, even if the house did smell like heaven at the time. On top of that, silly me has now lost the recipe, so I can't post it, with what I think would be good modifications. I will hunt it down and try it again though.
Anyways, after we all scoffed 2 each, hot, dripping with butter (calories, they are just a fictional creature made up to scare us I'm sure) we still had a few left. So what else do you do with left over Hot Cross Buns that were going stale by the hour. You make Bread and Butter Pudding!
I'm a bit of a 'a bit of this, and a bit of that' when it comes to my B&B pud, but here's my rough version.
Hot Cross Bun Pudding Possumchops Style
3 to 4 x hot cross buns
1 x 300ml carton of cream (thickened or puring, even light is fine)
3 x eggs (free range would be perfect)
A splash of milk (maybe 1/4 cup)
A table spoon or 2 of golden syrup
2 or so tablespoons of raw sugar
A teaspoon or 2 of ground cinnamon
A dash of vanilla
And a good sprinkle of ground nutmeg, although I wouldn't be upset if you used freshly grated .
Ok, so there's no butter, but if you like you could butter your buns.
Anyways, I cut off the crust and cut the buns onto cubes, maybe 1/2 inch square or so, it doesn't have to be perfect. Put those into a medium sized baking dish ( I used a ceramic dish about 17x23cms) that has been lightly greased. You can make it deeper if you like, there are no hard and fast rules here.
In a bowl whisk all the other ingredients except the nutmeg until very well combined. Pour over the buns and do the hokey pokey (I just heard that song on Playschool in the background) so all the bread is nice and soppy. Sprinkle the top with a hearty dose of nutmeg and bake in an oven at around 170deg celcius for about 30 - 45 minutes (You want it to be set in the middle and golden on top).
Now to just increase the ass-widening ability of this dessert I made a nasty, cheats ice cream of 300mls of thickened cream (don't use light this time, you want it to whip up) with half a can of condensed milk. Beat these together with beaters until light and fluffy and then freeze for a few hours. Make sure you don't share the beaters, bowl or spatula with the kids, its too damned tasty to give away to people who don't appreciate sweet creamy treasures.
Serve your pud warm with a nice scoop ice cream. It actually reminded me of Chrissy Pud, with the fruits and the spices of the buns. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and had to work my butt off at the gym this week so as not to gain any weight (shock horror I actually lost a kilo! Woohoo!).
Again, no piccy sorry. Grumbles thinks I'm weird taking photos of food. He doesn't get this blogging thing at all.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
The Possumchops Patch
Sunday afternoon also saw activity in the garden. Our second plot was finally christened with the planting of seedlings. A couple of punnets of mignonette lettuce (seen as my seeds didn't seem to happen), some Ox Heart tomatoes and a punnet of snow peas.
The first plot is trudging along slowly, but the poor thing needs a rest. Our first cucumber has been devoured (crunchy and juicy!), we've lost a baby to the grubs, and the latest one resembles a water balloon, not very big and bottom heavy. My poor cucumber plant is taking a solid hit from some tiny little mites, which I think might be aphids. I have a nice little flock of lady beetles attending to this problem, however, I think the mite is winning. I go out grub squashing every day and that has definitely made a massive difference on how much is being eaten before my eyes, but these little mites are just awful. I don't want to spray, as I don't want to scare off the lady beetles, but I'm not sure what else I can do.
We also lost our first zucchini, I suspect it wasn't pollinated as there were no boys flowers open at the time. This week we have a new baby zuch, and lots of boys, and plenty of bees, so fingers crossed this one will grow big and strong.
All my garlic has sprouted,
I now have 2 rows of beans, and my beetroot, or what germinated is struggling along. We also have about a dozen baby pumpkins on the go. We added dolomite lime and a little 5 in 1 to the soil after all that rain and next thing we knew, we had girls galore.
And Gramps left grasping a fist full of radish's and parsley, happy as Larry.
The first plot is trudging along slowly, but the poor thing needs a rest. Our first cucumber has been devoured (crunchy and juicy!), we've lost a baby to the grubs, and the latest one resembles a water balloon, not very big and bottom heavy. My poor cucumber plant is taking a solid hit from some tiny little mites, which I think might be aphids. I have a nice little flock of lady beetles attending to this problem, however, I think the mite is winning. I go out grub squashing every day and that has definitely made a massive difference on how much is being eaten before my eyes, but these little mites are just awful. I don't want to spray, as I don't want to scare off the lady beetles, but I'm not sure what else I can do.
We also lost our first zucchini, I suspect it wasn't pollinated as there were no boys flowers open at the time. This week we have a new baby zuch, and lots of boys, and plenty of bees, so fingers crossed this one will grow big and strong.
All my garlic has sprouted,
I now have 2 rows of beans, and my beetroot, or what germinated is struggling along. We also have about a dozen baby pumpkins on the go. We added dolomite lime and a little 5 in 1 to the soil after all that rain and next thing we knew, we had girls galore.
And Gramps left grasping a fist full of radish's and parsley, happy as Larry.
Possumchops Bakehouse
So my weekend was full of baking. The house smelt delicious for most of sunday, and I just happened to have on hand some gorgeous Passionfruit and White Chocolate Muffins on hand when Gramps popped around for a visit. Yum, yum, yummy! The only reason I made these was because I had most of a can of passionfruit left over after Chicken requested passionfruit yogurt to be made this weekend (divine BTW!). Glad I did, but darn my poor hips will be screaming at me for weeks now!
I also churned out another Pumpkin Loaf, made a very dodgy attempt at home made LCMs (seemed like a waste of perfectly fine rice bubbles and marshmallows to me), and then had a play with a box of bread and pizza dough flour I discovered a couple of weeks ago.
Specifically, I wanted to make a focaccia for lunch, however, I got distracted and it ended up being a side to a Chicken Cacciatore that we had for dinner on Sunday night. It come out ok. Think the base needed a little olive oil added to the mix, which I will try next time. But basically I just followed the bread making instructions on the box and divided the dough in half. One half I turned into a few little buns, which we scoffed hot out of the oven slathered in butter and vegemite, and the second half we got this:
I topped it with a handful of herbs from the garden, including parsley, oregano, rosemary and garlic, that I bashed in my mortar and pestle with Olive oil (can't use my Jamie Oliver flavour shaker as it has large cracks in it and one of my devil children has gone and lost the ball in it so I can't even get it replaced!) . I poured that across the bread and massaged it in a bit and added some chopped cherry toms, a little salami and crumbled some vintage cheese across it. It was left to proof and then baked on my pizza stone, which always gives the bases such a light and crunchy texture, just the way I love it.
I actually really enjoy making bread. I find the whole kneeding process relaxing, and it just lets you zone out and sort of get closer with your food. Or does that make me sound odd?
Anyways, I'm brewing the idea of making hot cross buns this weekend, and I'm also thinking about dusting off the old pasta maker and making some pasta as well, especially now that I also discovered pasta making flour. That has to work so much better than good old White Wings plain white flour doesn't it?
I also churned out another Pumpkin Loaf, made a very dodgy attempt at home made LCMs (seemed like a waste of perfectly fine rice bubbles and marshmallows to me), and then had a play with a box of bread and pizza dough flour I discovered a couple of weeks ago.
Specifically, I wanted to make a focaccia for lunch, however, I got distracted and it ended up being a side to a Chicken Cacciatore that we had for dinner on Sunday night. It come out ok. Think the base needed a little olive oil added to the mix, which I will try next time. But basically I just followed the bread making instructions on the box and divided the dough in half. One half I turned into a few little buns, which we scoffed hot out of the oven slathered in butter and vegemite, and the second half we got this:
I topped it with a handful of herbs from the garden, including parsley, oregano, rosemary and garlic, that I bashed in my mortar and pestle with Olive oil (can't use my Jamie Oliver flavour shaker as it has large cracks in it and one of my devil children has gone and lost the ball in it so I can't even get it replaced!) . I poured that across the bread and massaged it in a bit and added some chopped cherry toms, a little salami and crumbled some vintage cheese across it. It was left to proof and then baked on my pizza stone, which always gives the bases such a light and crunchy texture, just the way I love it.I actually really enjoy making bread. I find the whole kneeding process relaxing, and it just lets you zone out and sort of get closer with your food. Or does that make me sound odd?
Anyways, I'm brewing the idea of making hot cross buns this weekend, and I'm also thinking about dusting off the old pasta maker and making some pasta as well, especially now that I also discovered pasta making flour. That has to work so much better than good old White Wings plain white flour doesn't it?
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
What lies beneath?
So we were poking around out in the front gardens the other day, which are just a couple of small flower beds which feature mainly gardenias and gerberas and a few petunias to fill the gaps, when we come across these humongous caterpillars! These 'little' guys were devouring one of my gardenias, the poor thing.
And there were heaps of them!
Yuck, yuck yuck! I'm squirming just at the photos.
I admit, I'm a bit of a princess, I can't touch things like that, and much less can't kill things. So Grumbles had to do all the hard work while I squealed and pointed them out.
Good news is, I've had something else pop up. I believe it is a bromeliade (however you spell that) that I thought I had successfully murdered and it'd gone to spend forever in the big flower garden in the sky. Obviously we just dumped the dirt from the pot in the garden bed. Nice to see something pretty survive and grow on its own accord. One point to Mother Nature. :)
And there were heaps of them!
Yuck, yuck yuck! I'm squirming just at the photos.I admit, I'm a bit of a princess, I can't touch things like that, and much less can't kill things. So Grumbles had to do all the hard work while I squealed and pointed them out.
Good news is, I've had something else pop up. I believe it is a bromeliade (however you spell that) that I thought I had successfully murdered and it'd gone to spend forever in the big flower garden in the sky. Obviously we just dumped the dirt from the pot in the garden bed. Nice to see something pretty survive and grow on its own accord. One point to Mother Nature. :)
Monday, February 25, 2008
Sunday dessert.
I love my desserts, so much so that they are a big reason why I got over 20kgs over weight. Way too much dessert, way too often. However, with my 'new lifestyle' I refuse to deny myself important food groups such as dessert and allow something special once a week, usually Sunday night. So this weekend I tried a new recipe from Taste.com.au, I gave their Pecan and Chocolate tart a test run.
I have never in my life made pastry before, this was my first time and after a couple of attempts, eventually worked out how to get that rolled out pastry into my dish. And the best part, the left over bits. This is one of my fondest childhood memories of my Mum in the kitchen. In all honestly, Mum sucks as a cook, but she does do fantastic hearty desserts. We grew up on rice puds, bread and butter puds, apple crumbles, condensed milk tart (god haven't had that one in years!), lemon and orange tarts and may fav, baked cheese cake (with jelly and cream topping). And the best part, left over pastry being turned into jam tarts! How can I deny my children one of the most tasty simple pleasures in life, so here it is, my very first 'leftover' jam tart.
Its meant to be ugly and daggy, but I tell you what, it tasted so goooooooood, and so much like home. And the kids were delighted at discovering something so easy yet so tasty. Chicken in fact stole the last piece before Grumbles could get to it. As they say, you snooze, you lose. ;)
Anyways, after lots of fluffing around, and questions from the kids, the pecan tart turned out an absolute delight.
I know, I know, I should have taken a photo of it sliced and served with a big dollop of gently whipped cream and sprinkled with icing sugar... But that would have taken too long, I was just dying to devour it. It was divine, and rich and a little gooey... And it was imperative that Grumbles takes the rest to work with him to share because I can not be left alone in this house with that tart, ever!
I have never in my life made pastry before, this was my first time and after a couple of attempts, eventually worked out how to get that rolled out pastry into my dish. And the best part, the left over bits. This is one of my fondest childhood memories of my Mum in the kitchen. In all honestly, Mum sucks as a cook, but she does do fantastic hearty desserts. We grew up on rice puds, bread and butter puds, apple crumbles, condensed milk tart (god haven't had that one in years!), lemon and orange tarts and may fav, baked cheese cake (with jelly and cream topping). And the best part, left over pastry being turned into jam tarts! How can I deny my children one of the most tasty simple pleasures in life, so here it is, my very first 'leftover' jam tart.
Its meant to be ugly and daggy, but I tell you what, it tasted so goooooooood, and so much like home. And the kids were delighted at discovering something so easy yet so tasty. Chicken in fact stole the last piece before Grumbles could get to it. As they say, you snooze, you lose. ;)Anyways, after lots of fluffing around, and questions from the kids, the pecan tart turned out an absolute delight.
I know, I know, I should have taken a photo of it sliced and served with a big dollop of gently whipped cream and sprinkled with icing sugar... But that would have taken too long, I was just dying to devour it. It was divine, and rich and a little gooey... And it was imperative that Grumbles takes the rest to work with him to share because I can not be left alone in this house with that tart, ever!
A busy Sunday
Sunday is my typical busy garden day, or morning rather, I try to have everything done before 10am as it gets way too hot. This Sunday saw lots going on.
Firstly I cut my green manure (or rather grumbles got in there with the lawn mower and cut it for me) and then I got stuck into it with the mattock and stirred it all up. It was great to see the original layers of cardboard that were placed directly on the ground where virtually fully decomposed. The next layer of hay was breaking down nicely as well.
I then added lime and a bag of 5 in 1 (seen as I don't have manure in my compost) and transfered my entire pile of ready to use (almost) compost to this garden, and then turned it all again with the fork. (back? what back... no, its not aching at all..... )
So here is is, all freshly turned and looking nice. It'll sit for another couple of weeks, until the seeds I planted yesterday are germinated and grown large enough to transplant. I would like to mulch it next weekend if I can.
The seeds I have put down are broccoli, cauliflower, celery, lettuce, cucumber and onions. We've never tried onions before. I grow shallots, but onions take something like 30 weeks to mature, so it will be a slow but interesting crop.
Last weeks beans have sprouted, well one row of them anyways. There was a second row, but only the odd shoot so far. That's ok, no doubt they are up today, if I went out to check.
My only zucchini is still hanging in there and growing nicely. I think it should be ready to pick by the weekend, if not before.
And my first cucumber is coming along as well. We have got a couple of little new babies come out this week as well.
This one got tangled in the chicken wire on the trellis, but it should be ok, I'll just have to check it regularly so it doesn't get trapped.
And finally our radish. The leaves are being dined on by caterpillars and grasshoppers by the looks of it. However they still seem to be growing heartily. Only thing is, none of us like them. As far as I'm concerned they taste like dirt and onion, they do nothing for me whatsoever. Grumbles spat his out and the kids where horrified at the fact I tried to feed them something so foul. Lucky Gramps (my Dad) loves them, so will send him a bundle when they are ready.
One other thing I have discovered this weekend while doing some research. The little beetle I thought to be lady bugs, the ones that are a 'good bugs' and eat the bad guys (like aphids), well the beetles I have are in fact bloody well leaf eating beetles! No wonder they were doing so much damage to the leaves they were living on!! I have learned lady bugs only have 18 spots, where as the sort I have in fact have 28 spots. So it's a beetle catching I must go over the next few afternoons and see if we can cull their population. This should be fun, and will at least provide a topic for Chickens show and tell at school this week (gotta think positive).
Firstly I cut my green manure (or rather grumbles got in there with the lawn mower and cut it for me) and then I got stuck into it with the mattock and stirred it all up. It was great to see the original layers of cardboard that were placed directly on the ground where virtually fully decomposed. The next layer of hay was breaking down nicely as well.
I then added lime and a bag of 5 in 1 (seen as I don't have manure in my compost) and transfered my entire pile of ready to use (almost) compost to this garden, and then turned it all again with the fork. (back? what back... no, its not aching at all..... )
So here is is, all freshly turned and looking nice. It'll sit for another couple of weeks, until the seeds I planted yesterday are germinated and grown large enough to transplant. I would like to mulch it next weekend if I can.The seeds I have put down are broccoli, cauliflower, celery, lettuce, cucumber and onions. We've never tried onions before. I grow shallots, but onions take something like 30 weeks to mature, so it will be a slow but interesting crop.
Last weeks beans have sprouted, well one row of them anyways. There was a second row, but only the odd shoot so far. That's ok, no doubt they are up today, if I went out to check.
My only zucchini is still hanging in there and growing nicely. I think it should be ready to pick by the weekend, if not before.
And my first cucumber is coming along as well. We have got a couple of little new babies come out this week as well.
This one got tangled in the chicken wire on the trellis, but it should be ok, I'll just have to check it regularly so it doesn't get trapped.
And finally our radish. The leaves are being dined on by caterpillars and grasshoppers by the looks of it. However they still seem to be growing heartily. Only thing is, none of us like them. As far as I'm concerned they taste like dirt and onion, they do nothing for me whatsoever. Grumbles spat his out and the kids where horrified at the fact I tried to feed them something so foul. Lucky Gramps (my Dad) loves them, so will send him a bundle when they are ready.One other thing I have discovered this weekend while doing some research. The little beetle I thought to be lady bugs, the ones that are a 'good bugs' and eat the bad guys (like aphids), well the beetles I have are in fact bloody well leaf eating beetles! No wonder they were doing so much damage to the leaves they were living on!! I have learned lady bugs only have 18 spots, where as the sort I have in fact have 28 spots. So it's a beetle catching I must go over the next few afternoons and see if we can cull their population. This should be fun, and will at least provide a topic for Chickens show and tell at school this week (gotta think positive).
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
The great pumpkin bake off.
So as you can imagine, with all this talk of pumpkins recently, that I in fact am far from short of supply. The thing is I don't actually 'like' pumpkin. Well not roasted or mashed or as a soup. Doesn't interest me, would much rather sweet potato. However, I do like pumpkin in baked goodies.
My Mum gave me a pumpkin scone recipe years ago when I left home. And it never really worked for me, and quite frankly the enjoyment of flavours was from the jams I used to eat them with. So this time I decided to hunt around and see what delicious pumpkiny baked goodness I could find.
As usual Taste.com.au come up with the goods, with this Pumpkin Loaf , and today I gave it a shot.
This recipe was easy to follow. I used jap pumpkin instead of butternut and found that 650g of pumpkin that is cooked and pureed does not equal 1 cup. I have a 2nd cup in the fridge waiting to be used for something else later. The tonne and a half of brown sugar is a little scary though. I am yet to pop this one in the calorie counter because then it might mean I won't be able to ever eat it again without making sure I sweat it out at the gym for 2 hours before hand.
The smell of it is divine! I just love that freshed baked spicy cake smell in the house, it makes everything feel so homely, especially on a windy drizzly day like we are having. I couldn't wait anymore than 10 minutes before I cut it for Buggles and myself to sample.
Of course it should have butter on it. Why waste a perfectly good opportunity to add butter to a freshly baked loaf of something delicious. And it was delicious! It was sort of like date loaf, spicy and sweet but not as heavy. More flavoursome than banana bread (I'm getting tired of banana things honestly) and definitely something you want to go back for more of. And again, like all things I bake, perfect to freeze and pop in lunch boxes. Just don't tell the kids there's pumpkin in it until after they tell you how yummy it was.
So with Pumpkin Loaf tested and highly appreciated, I did a bit more hunting and popped the word pumpkin in to the search engine at TasteSpotting.com . OMG! This site has you gain weight just looking at the photos. Everything is so ..... droolalicious!
Just a few that I fell in love with at first sight, and some I might just test out are:
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins from Vicarious Foodie
These look similar to the loaf recipe and again would make great lunch box filler, along with the Pumpkin Streusel Maxi Muffins care of canarygirl.com.
However, for something more decedent and for a special occasion, Peabody at Culinary Concoctions by Peabody has the heartwarming and gooey Pumpkin Raisin Bread Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce , and yes, it looks as good as it sounds. She also has Pumpkin Cheesecake Towers. How can this not taste awesome?! I am thinking of an excuse for a dinner party just so I have an excuse to try this one out.
Now, I best go find something to make with that cup of pureed pumpkin in the fridge. And make sure my gym gear is washed because I just know I need to go tonight!
My Mum gave me a pumpkin scone recipe years ago when I left home. And it never really worked for me, and quite frankly the enjoyment of flavours was from the jams I used to eat them with. So this time I decided to hunt around and see what delicious pumpkiny baked goodness I could find.
As usual Taste.com.au come up with the goods, with this Pumpkin Loaf , and today I gave it a shot.
This recipe was easy to follow. I used jap pumpkin instead of butternut and found that 650g of pumpkin that is cooked and pureed does not equal 1 cup. I have a 2nd cup in the fridge waiting to be used for something else later. The tonne and a half of brown sugar is a little scary though. I am yet to pop this one in the calorie counter because then it might mean I won't be able to ever eat it again without making sure I sweat it out at the gym for 2 hours before hand.
The smell of it is divine! I just love that freshed baked spicy cake smell in the house, it makes everything feel so homely, especially on a windy drizzly day like we are having. I couldn't wait anymore than 10 minutes before I cut it for Buggles and myself to sample.
Of course it should have butter on it. Why waste a perfectly good opportunity to add butter to a freshly baked loaf of something delicious. And it was delicious! It was sort of like date loaf, spicy and sweet but not as heavy. More flavoursome than banana bread (I'm getting tired of banana things honestly) and definitely something you want to go back for more of. And again, like all things I bake, perfect to freeze and pop in lunch boxes. Just don't tell the kids there's pumpkin in it until after they tell you how yummy it was.
So with Pumpkin Loaf tested and highly appreciated, I did a bit more hunting and popped the word pumpkin in to the search engine at TasteSpotting.com . OMG! This site has you gain weight just looking at the photos. Everything is so ..... droolalicious!
Just a few that I fell in love with at first sight, and some I might just test out are:
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins from Vicarious Foodie
These look similar to the loaf recipe and again would make great lunch box filler, along with the Pumpkin Streusel Maxi Muffins care of canarygirl.com.
However, for something more decedent and for a special occasion, Peabody at Culinary Concoctions by Peabody has the heartwarming and gooey Pumpkin Raisin Bread Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce , and yes, it looks as good as it sounds. She also has Pumpkin Cheesecake Towers. How can this not taste awesome?! I am thinking of an excuse for a dinner party just so I have an excuse to try this one out.
Now, I best go find something to make with that cup of pureed pumpkin in the fridge. And make sure my gym gear is washed because I just know I need to go tonight!
Monday, February 18, 2008
This weekend in the patch
The weekend saw some activity and excitement here in our little vege patch. We have babies!
Our first zucchini for the year! Its about 2 inches long at the moment. Its so exciting. I was out yesterday pottering around and there is was. Finally! Something has grown. :)
And our first cucumber. My mouth watered when I saw it. The fresh crunch of home grown cucumber filled my head. I hope it hurries up, I'm so hungry for it! (sorry about the blurry pic)
And this is just to tease. How yummy do home grown strawberries look!
This weekend I also planted garlic for the first time. I had one clove of S.N.O.G (super natural organic garlic) that we bought from the Eumundi markets ages ago. We held on to this one clove so I could try to plant it and this weekend it went into the ground. I also planted store bought stuff. I am crossing my fingers it will grow but its probably not likely as so many growers now spray so as they don't reproduce. I will give it a couple of weeks, and if nothing happens I will by some seed garlic that I discovered on the net and have a go at that.
I also pulled up my poor weather beaten lettuce. All the heavy rain we had has destroyed my poor lettuce, especially my mignonette's . I dug in lime and compost and a little 5 in 1 (because I don't have manure in my compost) and planted a new crop of dwarf beans. More beans! Yummy. The old crop is just about come to the end of its run. I have a few more to pick, a few flowers left to develop, but I don't expect much more action from those plants.
I also sprinkled a little lime and 5 in 1 about, just to replenshish the soil of nutrients that all this rain has leeched out over the weeks. The zucchinis and cucumbers were sprayed with a 1:9 milk:water solution to help combat powdered mildew.
My next projects are to raise seedlings of lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, celery and onions. Also I will be cutting my green manure next week and adding my compost to my 2nd plot. DH has burnt some wood for me, so I also will be sprinkling my lemon and lime trees with potash. That will all be next weekend.
Our first zucchini for the year! Its about 2 inches long at the moment. Its so exciting. I was out yesterday pottering around and there is was. Finally! Something has grown. :)
And our first cucumber. My mouth watered when I saw it. The fresh crunch of home grown cucumber filled my head. I hope it hurries up, I'm so hungry for it! (sorry about the blurry pic)
And this is just to tease. How yummy do home grown strawberries look!This weekend I also planted garlic for the first time. I had one clove of S.N.O.G (super natural organic garlic) that we bought from the Eumundi markets ages ago. We held on to this one clove so I could try to plant it and this weekend it went into the ground. I also planted store bought stuff. I am crossing my fingers it will grow but its probably not likely as so many growers now spray so as they don't reproduce. I will give it a couple of weeks, and if nothing happens I will by some seed garlic that I discovered on the net and have a go at that.
I also pulled up my poor weather beaten lettuce. All the heavy rain we had has destroyed my poor lettuce, especially my mignonette's . I dug in lime and compost and a little 5 in 1 (because I don't have manure in my compost) and planted a new crop of dwarf beans. More beans! Yummy. The old crop is just about come to the end of its run. I have a few more to pick, a few flowers left to develop, but I don't expect much more action from those plants.
I also sprinkled a little lime and 5 in 1 about, just to replenshish the soil of nutrients that all this rain has leeched out over the weeks. The zucchinis and cucumbers were sprayed with a 1:9 milk:water solution to help combat powdered mildew.
My next projects are to raise seedlings of lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, celery and onions. Also I will be cutting my green manure next week and adding my compost to my 2nd plot. DH has burnt some wood for me, so I also will be sprinkling my lemon and lime trees with potash. That will all be next weekend.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Pumpkin sex for the Goddess
Just for Purple Goddess (who asked about pumpkins in my previous blog), a little bit of pumpkin anatomy. :)
This is what a boy flower looks like. You'll see the long stem and the typical male feature on the inside of the flower.
I don't have any girl flowers, as all the very early ones are being killed off by the rain. This is a photo of one at its very early stages, before the flower is finished developing, but I will take a guess I will lose it too with the wet. But you can see the little bulb of the baby pumpkin is formed before pollination occurs.
And here's one we successfully prepared earlier. Pollinated by Grumbles himself, just pull off a boy flower from the vine and poke a girl flower gently, making sure the two parts on the inside touch.
Tada!
This is what a boy flower looks like. You'll see the long stem and the typical male feature on the inside of the flower.
I don't have any girl flowers, as all the very early ones are being killed off by the rain. This is a photo of one at its very early stages, before the flower is finished developing, but I will take a guess I will lose it too with the wet. But you can see the little bulb of the baby pumpkin is formed before pollination occurs.
And here's one we successfully prepared earlier. Pollinated by Grumbles himself, just pull off a boy flower from the vine and poke a girl flower gently, making sure the two parts on the inside touch.
Tada!
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
15 inches and counting
Yes, thats 15 inches of rain, since Christmas. Not counting the 3 or so inches I can see in the rain guage, and other uncounted rain over the last few days. So as you can imagine I am pretty over it. My yard is a swamp, my seepage trench for the septic is waterlogged and I can't get any washing dry. Not to mention, my poor vege gardens don't actually like that much water. Sad news is, we have a monsoonal low up the coast, and its pouring, and will do for days. Oh yay. :|
Anyways, my poor waterlogged vege gardens. I would have liked to get a closer photo, but I don't feel like getting wet, so here's a long distance shot.
This is plot 1. The oldest garden. Its not that big, and probably overcrowded, but its still nice to have a bit of everything in there. Most of it is still babies. We only just put new lettuce seedlings in 2 weeks ago, the tomatoes are only a foot high, my cucks are only just getting there little curlies onto the trellis and the beetroot have only just popped out there first shoots last week. However, the pumpkin vines have been growing for a while, and they are all over the place. We have them out past the fence so they don't take up all the room, and we are both happy with that arrangement.
Other things in that plot are a few parsley plants, a rosemary plant and radishes. The beans are a dwarf variety, and they have produced really well. The first cop I have picked and eaten most of, and yesterday while out grabbing a handful for dinner I saw all new flowers comeing up, so the next round will be out soon. There are carrots in a cardboard box, its an experiment I'm trying this time, because my beds aren't that deep.
What I shouldn't have done was re-plant lettuce in the same spot as the previous batch I think, but I was stuck for space. Basically I'm waiting for plot 2 to be ready for planting and then I will plant a green manure crop there and let that half of the garden rest for a bit, its had a hard time over the last year.
Behind the garden I have 2 compost piles, one is about 2 weeks off ready to use the other one is just newly started this weekend. And the big mound is a pile of tree chip mulch which we were lucky enough to snavel up when they built the new road running beside our house for free (if you can call listening to house trembling heavy machinery day in day out for 16 weeks straight free!).
Here is plot 2.
Not even fenced yet!
This one was started by laying cardboard and then a layer hay using old bails that had started to decompose. We bought a small load of soil just to get things started and then I have planted it with a green manure crop using a few packets of pea seeds and a few handfuls of guinea pig grain. This is about 3 - 4 weeks on (I'm hopeless with time lines and dates). I will let the peas produce a small crop and then it will all get chopped off and I will then be adding a layer of compost that I have 'cooking' now.
I really should get the fence done. We have the odd night where cows come though our yard and they have mowed my green manure crop once before, and all they left me was one lousy poop!
I'm hoping plot 2 will be ready to plant my winter veges. Broccoli and caulis especially. And I would also like to do some corn. As well a more lettuce, I always want a constant supply of lettuce and salad greens to pick. And I'm also going to attempt the slow growing crop of onions.
This weekend I need to find a posey for garlic. Its time to get that in the ground while its still warm. I'm also going to get Grumbles to do his fav past time, burning stuff! Well, its wood I want. I think my poor old citrus trees need some potash on them. So lets hope this rain will bugger off so we can get a fire happening.
Anyways, my poor waterlogged vege gardens. I would have liked to get a closer photo, but I don't feel like getting wet, so here's a long distance shot.
This is plot 1. The oldest garden. Its not that big, and probably overcrowded, but its still nice to have a bit of everything in there. Most of it is still babies. We only just put new lettuce seedlings in 2 weeks ago, the tomatoes are only a foot high, my cucks are only just getting there little curlies onto the trellis and the beetroot have only just popped out there first shoots last week. However, the pumpkin vines have been growing for a while, and they are all over the place. We have them out past the fence so they don't take up all the room, and we are both happy with that arrangement.
Other things in that plot are a few parsley plants, a rosemary plant and radishes. The beans are a dwarf variety, and they have produced really well. The first cop I have picked and eaten most of, and yesterday while out grabbing a handful for dinner I saw all new flowers comeing up, so the next round will be out soon. There are carrots in a cardboard box, its an experiment I'm trying this time, because my beds aren't that deep.
What I shouldn't have done was re-plant lettuce in the same spot as the previous batch I think, but I was stuck for space. Basically I'm waiting for plot 2 to be ready for planting and then I will plant a green manure crop there and let that half of the garden rest for a bit, its had a hard time over the last year.
Behind the garden I have 2 compost piles, one is about 2 weeks off ready to use the other one is just newly started this weekend. And the big mound is a pile of tree chip mulch which we were lucky enough to snavel up when they built the new road running beside our house for free (if you can call listening to house trembling heavy machinery day in day out for 16 weeks straight free!).
Here is plot 2.
Not even fenced yet!This one was started by laying cardboard and then a layer hay using old bails that had started to decompose. We bought a small load of soil just to get things started and then I have planted it with a green manure crop using a few packets of pea seeds and a few handfuls of guinea pig grain. This is about 3 - 4 weeks on (I'm hopeless with time lines and dates). I will let the peas produce a small crop and then it will all get chopped off and I will then be adding a layer of compost that I have 'cooking' now.
I really should get the fence done. We have the odd night where cows come though our yard and they have mowed my green manure crop once before, and all they left me was one lousy poop!
I'm hoping plot 2 will be ready to plant my winter veges. Broccoli and caulis especially. And I would also like to do some corn. As well a more lettuce, I always want a constant supply of lettuce and salad greens to pick. And I'm also going to attempt the slow growing crop of onions.
This weekend I need to find a posey for garlic. Its time to get that in the ground while its still warm. I'm also going to get Grumbles to do his fav past time, burning stuff! Well, its wood I want. I think my poor old citrus trees need some potash on them. So lets hope this rain will bugger off so we can get a fire happening.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Comfort food
I'm a hormonal cow at the moment. Ideas of murder and gluttony fill my head and the last thing I want to eat is salad.
I want carby goodness. Cakes, chocolate, anything that is loaded with calories and will stick fast to my behind. But I'm trying to to cave so today I adapted a muffin recipe I've been using for a few weeks to see if I can improve it.
Muffins are normally full of butter or oil. The original recipe used to have butter and white flour but I changed it a little, and they come out just delicious!
I want carby goodness. Cakes, chocolate, anything that is loaded with calories and will stick fast to my behind. But I'm trying to to cave so today I adapted a muffin recipe I've been using for a few weeks to see if I can improve it.
Muffins are normally full of butter or oil. The original recipe used to have butter and white flour but I changed it a little, and they come out just delicious!
Wild Blueberry Yogurt Muffins
2 cups SR wholemeal flour
1/4 cup sugar (raw, white - I don't care, I just grab whats handy)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Put them in a big bowl and mix them together.
In a jug or a second bowl you want to whisk together,
1 cup of Blueberry yogurt (I use my home made yogurt , flavoured with St. Dalfour Wild Blueberry jam )
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1 mashed banana
Then add your wet ingredients to your dry and mix until almost combined and then add 1 grated apple, and stir through.
Spoon these into your fav muffin tray, which you have greased. Then pop about 1/2 teaspoon of blueberry jam to the top of the muffin and then poke it in a little so it sinks into the muffin. Bake these for 18-20 minutes (for a 12 muffin tray) in an oven pre-heated to 180 degrees celcius.
Only 137 calories each (using my own yogurt recipe, may vary if using higher fat yogurts)
You can use whatever flavour yogurt or jam you have handy. I have tried blueberry and rasperry, the original recipe was apricot. It up to your taste buds and fridge. They also freeze really well for kids lunch boxes, if you and the SAH kids don't scoff them all first. *grin*
1/4 cup sugar (raw, white - I don't care, I just grab whats handy)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Put them in a big bowl and mix them together.
In a jug or a second bowl you want to whisk together,
1 cup of Blueberry yogurt (I use my home made yogurt , flavoured with St. Dalfour Wild Blueberry jam )
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1 mashed banana
Then add your wet ingredients to your dry and mix until almost combined and then add 1 grated apple, and stir through.
Spoon these into your fav muffin tray, which you have greased. Then pop about 1/2 teaspoon of blueberry jam to the top of the muffin and then poke it in a little so it sinks into the muffin. Bake these for 18-20 minutes (for a 12 muffin tray) in an oven pre-heated to 180 degrees celcius.
Only 137 calories each (using my own yogurt recipe, may vary if using higher fat yogurts)
You can use whatever flavour yogurt or jam you have handy. I have tried blueberry and rasperry, the original recipe was apricot. It up to your taste buds and fridge. They also freeze really well for kids lunch boxes, if you and the SAH kids don't scoff them all first. *grin*
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Why do I do it to myself!
Nectarines! I love them, my daughter adores them they are delicious.... as long as I DON'T buy them from Woolies. Why do these 'fresh food people' insist on murdering these lovely fruit? They never ripen properly, are devoid of juice and flavour and waste my money.
Note to self : DO NOT buy stone fruit from Woolies. (Actually, must stop buying all fruit and veg I can't grow from Woolies)
I don't know why I did it. I must have been brainwashed somewhere along the line, lost in the convenience of buying all under one roof, gases upon entry to the store. There must be a reason for my lapse in judgement to do something so silly.
I have gotten nice fruit from one of the local fruit and vege stores, and even the IGA has done a better job previously, but for some unknown reason I bought nectarines from here. Silly woman! But never again. Never ever again.
If only I had access to markets where all fruit and vege is local, and handled with care, and of good quality. Some is great, like the local asparagus I bought on Sunday, beautiful, freshly picked, not sat somewhere for a week with the ends shriveled up and dehydrated. I even found a bag of vine ripened, lovely tomatoes (so Hubby tells me, I don't eat raw tomatoes), but so much all comes from the same place, often put in cold storage, gassed or put in packaging. I like to pick things up, feel them, smell them, choose my own pieces. I don't want plastic between me and my capsicums or cucumbers, I want to feel it fresh and firm under my fingers. I want a farmers market like I hear about so often in the big cities and down south! If only there was one nearby. *pout*
Note to self : DO NOT buy stone fruit from Woolies. (Actually, must stop buying all fruit and veg I can't grow from Woolies)
I don't know why I did it. I must have been brainwashed somewhere along the line, lost in the convenience of buying all under one roof, gases upon entry to the store. There must be a reason for my lapse in judgement to do something so silly.
I have gotten nice fruit from one of the local fruit and vege stores, and even the IGA has done a better job previously, but for some unknown reason I bought nectarines from here. Silly woman! But never again. Never ever again.
If only I had access to markets where all fruit and vege is local, and handled with care, and of good quality. Some is great, like the local asparagus I bought on Sunday, beautiful, freshly picked, not sat somewhere for a week with the ends shriveled up and dehydrated. I even found a bag of vine ripened, lovely tomatoes (so Hubby tells me, I don't eat raw tomatoes), but so much all comes from the same place, often put in cold storage, gassed or put in packaging. I like to pick things up, feel them, smell them, choose my own pieces. I don't want plastic between me and my capsicums or cucumbers, I want to feel it fresh and firm under my fingers. I want a farmers market like I hear about so often in the big cities and down south! If only there was one nearby. *pout*
What to do with beans.
Disappointing blog this time, no pic sorry 'cos I ate it all!!
So those delicious, fresh, crunchy homegrown beans I had an abundant supply of was getting my brain ticking. I want to cook them, eat them, enjoy their wonderful homegrown-ness. But what to do?
I cruised my fav recipe website Taste , to see what tasty ideas they had to offer. Plenty, but they weren't quite enough. I mean beans with garlic crumbs is ok, but not enough to go beside my yummy piece of fillet steak that I just paid $34/kg for. So after a little searching I come up with a blend of different recipes and it was divine.
What I did was take a spud or 2, sliced it into 5mm thick slices with the skin on, and par cooked them in the microwave for about 6 minutes. I then shallow fried them in a pan (or you could roast with a spray of oil to make it healthier). I boiled my beans for about 2 minutes, and then refreshed under cold water. Together these were dressed in a dressing made up of a crushed garlic clove, about a teaspoon of seeded mustard, and white wine vinegar and oil oil (I used a 1:2 ratio of tablespoon measures - or thereabouts roughly), a little salt and pepper, and I wish I had some flat leaf parsley to add to my salad. Then on top of all that I sprinkled crunchy garlic bread crumbs (process a clove of garlic and a slice of bread or two, then cook in a pan to crunchy). And it was fantastic! Can't wait to try it again. :)
So those delicious, fresh, crunchy homegrown beans I had an abundant supply of was getting my brain ticking. I want to cook them, eat them, enjoy their wonderful homegrown-ness. But what to do?
I cruised my fav recipe website Taste , to see what tasty ideas they had to offer. Plenty, but they weren't quite enough. I mean beans with garlic crumbs is ok, but not enough to go beside my yummy piece of fillet steak that I just paid $34/kg for. So after a little searching I come up with a blend of different recipes and it was divine.
What I did was take a spud or 2, sliced it into 5mm thick slices with the skin on, and par cooked them in the microwave for about 6 minutes. I then shallow fried them in a pan (or you could roast with a spray of oil to make it healthier). I boiled my beans for about 2 minutes, and then refreshed under cold water. Together these were dressed in a dressing made up of a crushed garlic clove, about a teaspoon of seeded mustard, and white wine vinegar and oil oil (I used a 1:2 ratio of tablespoon measures - or thereabouts roughly), a little salt and pepper, and I wish I had some flat leaf parsley to add to my salad. Then on top of all that I sprinkled crunchy garlic bread crumbs (process a clove of garlic and a slice of bread or two, then cook in a pan to crunchy). And it was fantastic! Can't wait to try it again. :)
Friday, February 1, 2008
Child free day!
Today is my first child free, work free day since before Christmas. No children in my ear, no work or customers, just me time.
My day started with an easy 3km run, nothing to strenuous, and then I went to the gym for a pump class, a lot more strenuous. Then I come home to this:
A long hot soak in the bath (which I had to fish toys from and clean first) with my delicious Body Shop Shea nut butter bubble bath and body scrub. I soaked, I scrubbed, I buffed, all while being serenaded by Bon Jovi. I sipped on icy cold mineral water with lime juice, I nibbled on yummy chunks of apple and fresh grapes. I relaaaaaaxxxxeed in peace without hearing "MMUUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMM" and it was divine! *sigh* I feel so satisfied.
Every Mum should do this.
My day started with an easy 3km run, nothing to strenuous, and then I went to the gym for a pump class, a lot more strenuous. Then I come home to this:
A long hot soak in the bath (which I had to fish toys from and clean first) with my delicious Body Shop Shea nut butter bubble bath and body scrub. I soaked, I scrubbed, I buffed, all while being serenaded by Bon Jovi. I sipped on icy cold mineral water with lime juice, I nibbled on yummy chunks of apple and fresh grapes. I relaaaaaaxxxxeed in peace without hearing "MMUUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMM" and it was divine! *sigh* I feel so satisfied.
Every Mum should do this.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
I'm addicted!
I'm never one to really take notice of recipes on packets of food. Usually I just cook what ever I'm going to cook with it and leave it at that. However, while doing some real honest to god popcorn, in a saucepan, like the old days (not that microwave crap Grumbles loves), I noticed a recipe for Caramel Nut Popcorn on the back of a Riviana Popping Corn packet. I couldn't help myself, after days of thinking about it, dreaming about it, I just had to make it (less the nuts because we are still unsure if Buggles still has his peanut sensitivity).
OMG, it is delicious! (would be even better with nuts I think) Between myself, Grumbles and Chicken, we ate half a batch in one sitting. I'm too scared to work out how many calories is actually in it, but I'm pretty sure its going to be scary. Note to self: MUST DO EXERCISE TODAY!
Don't you just wanna lick the screen?!
OMG, it is delicious! (would be even better with nuts I think) Between myself, Grumbles and Chicken, we ate half a batch in one sitting. I'm too scared to work out how many calories is actually in it, but I'm pretty sure its going to be scary. Note to self: MUST DO EXERCISE TODAY!
Don't you just wanna lick the screen?!
Home grown always best.
Yesterday we got to sample some of our delicious home grown beans. they are just a simple dwarf bean, easy to grow, low maintenance, and tasty. Check out these babies, my first harvest of beans from this crop. They don't look anything like some of the old rubbery, banged up and dehydrated things you see in the supermarket at all.
We had them dished up with a very average corned beef, spud bake using Grumbles Mums recipe and other veges. I swear, I am never buying corned beef from bi-lo again. It really was blah. I normally (almost always!) buy my meat from my friendly butcher. Everything always tastes so much better, you know its fresh and you get personalised service, although you do pay extra for it at times. However we have been struggling money wise recently when hubbys former employer went bust, and we were without income for a couple of weeks. It really puts the brakes on the grocery and meat budget in a hurry. Thankfully we will be able to a good quality steak again soon, much to Grumbles' delight as he hasn't had a t-bone in weeks!
We had them dished up with a very average corned beef, spud bake using Grumbles Mums recipe and other veges. I swear, I am never buying corned beef from bi-lo again. It really was blah. I normally (almost always!) buy my meat from my friendly butcher. Everything always tastes so much better, you know its fresh and you get personalised service, although you do pay extra for it at times. However we have been struggling money wise recently when hubbys former employer went bust, and we were without income for a couple of weeks. It really puts the brakes on the grocery and meat budget in a hurry. Thankfully we will be able to a good quality steak again soon, much to Grumbles' delight as he hasn't had a t-bone in weeks!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)