Preserving (Canning)

For some time I have wanted to learn to preserve fruit - I know my mother preserved (bottled as she calls it) however she really only pulled out this skill after I had left home and she moved to the country so I never really saw her do it - and hense forth - I never learned to do it myself. Soooo with the help of my friend Hannah ( my oldest friend - she and I have been friends since I was 5 and she was 4) and some phone calls to my mum I have started my foray into preserving.

This process has been helped by the acquisition of a beautiful big preserving pan that I picked up from my local market for only $5 - a total bargain!!!

So far I have used it to preserve apples and feijoas. I got both lots of fruit for free and my darling mum has furnished me with jars seals and rings - which is very generous of her - I think its because she is proud of me for preserving the old ways ( excuse the pun)

Whoa that was a lot of feijoas it took me half the morning to peel and cut them all

and the result 7 big jars of feijoas and two icecream containers of feijoas to freeze for later use :D

I also did a bunch of apple and feijoa, some peaches and some pears :D

All in all it has been an enjoyable experience and I am glad to have gained a new skill since I am now a stay at home mum to be :D

Passing on the heritage of a good name

Shawn and I have just enjoyed 4 days with his mom Freda. She came up for a quick visit and to come to my 25 week scan. She had never seen a scan as they weren't invented when she was having her babies and this is her first grandchild. She was thrilled to see her unborn grandbaby... and tickled pink (or in this case tickled blue) when we had it confirmed we are expecting a little boy. She had 3 boys, two still living - Shawn's dad died a couple of years ago and as yet has not had any grandbabies to carry on the family name. She gave me a poem that used to hang in the boys room when they were young. It's beautiful so I thought I would post it here.

Your Name

You got it from your father,
t'was the best he had to give,
And right gladly he bestowed it
It's yours, the while you live.

You may lose the watch he gave you
and another you may claim,
But remember, when you're tempted,
to be careful of his name.

It was fair the day you got it,
and a worthy name to bear,
When he took it from his father
there was no dishonor there.

Through the years he proudly wore it,
to his father he was true,
And that name was clean and spotless
when he passed it on to you.

Oh there's much that he has given
that he values not at all,
He has watched you break your playthings
in the days when you were small.

You have lost the knife he gave you
and you've scattered many a game,
But you'll never hurt your father
if you're careful with his name.

It is yours to wear forever,
yours to wear the while you live,
Yours, perhaps some distant morn,
another boy to give.

And you'll smile as did your father,
with a smile that all can share,
If a clean name and a good name
you are giving him to wear.

                                   - Edgar A. Guest

Babushka Excitement

Lately I have been getting excited about Babushka Crafts.... I have always had a fascination with wooden Babushka dolls- I have 3 or four.

When I started to teach my self to crochet - I had a great idea to make a hot water bottle cover for myself with a Babushka doll on the front... it was an interesting learning curve however I ended up completing it and it turned out pretty well for my first attempt :)

This is the front and I made the back multi-coloured stripes

Then I discovered a fabulous pattern for Babushka key rings on www.lisapay.com and made some of these little beauties ...

soooo cute I have four more in different colours on the go right now... When I posted this pic on facebook, a friend mentioned they would love a babushka door stop - so I got right to it ... this is the result ...

She loved it :D and to be honest I enjoyed the challenge, as I didn't really know how I would make it - trial and error turned out pretty well. I am looking forward to making more Babushka crafts and will stay on the look out for new patterns and designs :D

Feta, Onion and Garlic Pull-Apart Bread

Feta, Onion and Garlic Pull-Apart Bread
                  

Yields 1 loaf

Ingredients

2 teaspoons active dry yeast  (or 3 ½ teaspoons of Edmonds sure bake mixed in with the flour)

1 1/3 cups barely warm water 

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 

2 teaspoons salt 

Finely diced onion or spring onion (sautéed till translucent)

3 1/2 cups all purpose (or bread) flour 

1/2 cup butter, 

150g diced firm feta cheese

3 cloves garlic, minced 

Method

·         In a large mixing bowl, stir together the yeast and water. Let sit 5 minutes until yeast is foamy (if using Edmonds Surebake Yeast, mix it in with the flour rather than float it in the water).

·         Mix in the olive oil, salt, and flour (and Surebake if using). If you have a stand mixer, attach the dough hook and knead the dough for 5-6 minutes, or until elastic. If you are doing this by hand, knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until dough is elastic, 7-10 minutes.

·         Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Allow to rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until dough is doubled in size.

·         In a frying pan, combine butter, onions, and minced garlic sauté gently till onion is translucent. Set aside.

·         Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)

·         Punch down the dough. Tear off small pieces of 
dough (roughly the size of the bowl of a medium spoon), coat in the butter mixture, and place in the bottom of a medium casserole dish or cake tin. Repeat this process until you have one layer of dough balls.

·         Sprinkle on ½ the cheese and onions. Continue layering the dough balls till dough cheese and onions are used up. Cover the pan with a clean towel and allow to sit until dough has doubled in size, 20-30 minutes.

·         Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until bread is golden brown. 

Chicken Pad Thai Noodles - Recipe

Tonight I cooked Chicken Pad Thai Noodles for the first time ever .... and Oh My Goodness!! It was awesome!!!

Here is the recipe in pictures -  have a go at making it - it's really easy and absolutely delicious!!!

Chicken Pad Thai Noodles

Take 2 spring onions, chopped and 3 cloves of garlic crushed and stir fry gently until translucent in 2 Tbsp of peanut oil.

Slice 2 chicken thigh fillets and add them to the pan along with 2 Tbsp of chopped chives and stir fry.

Add 1/2 a Cup of lemon juice, 3 Tbsp of brown sugar, 1/2 a Cup of chopped unsalted peanuts and 2 Tbsps of Fish Sauce to the pan and continue to stir fry.

Take a pack of Pad Thai Noodles and cook in boiling water until soft ( about 6 minutes)

While the noodles are softening, take two eggs and stir fry them with the chicken mix.

When soft, drain the noodles and stir fry with the chicken mix

Rinse a good handful of beansprouts in cold water, and them into the chicken and noodles in the last 30 seconds of cooking.

 Serve in bowls and garnish with chopped coriander 

(cilantro) YUM!!

Crust- Less Ham, Spinach and Feta Quiche

My mum gave me some delicious home made feta cheese, however since I am pregnant I couldn't eat it fresh as she made it from organic unpasteurized milk- so I decided to use it in a Quiche and here is the result :) 

Crust-less Ham, Spinach and Feta Quiche
Serves 4

Ingredients:

1/2 C plain flour

1/2 C dry bread crumbs

8 eggs

1/2 C milk

diced ham - to taste

diced feta - to taste (be generous- Greek works best)

1 onion grated

2 carrots grated

3 cloves of garlic crushed

3 frozen spinach cubes defrosted - (I used fresh out of my garden)

Salt and Ground pepper

Method:

Set oven to 180C

Beat eggs and milk in a good sized bowl, mix in flour, add carrots garlic and onions, softened spinach, ham and feta, add salt and pepper, and then mix in the bread crumbs.

Pour mix into a baking paper lined Quiche dish and cook until firm and golden brown on top :)

20 week ultrasound

Yesterday we got to see our baby kicking around inside my tummy- it was wonderful. We also found out that we are most likely expecting a boy!