Garden to Plate

Apricot Jam

2010-12-06T15:54:00.004+10:30

Last year I didn't get to make any apricot jam, we use the last of the 2008 jam a few months back.

This year so far I have turned 8 kilo of apricots from our son's tree into jam. Going back again this Wednesday evening to see if we can score more for jam. James doesn't eat the apricots, so this makes it very easy for me to acquire and convert into jam.

Sure going to miss the tree if James ever moves from his rented house.

Duck Eggs

2010-09-16T12:14:00.003+09:30

Ducks are laying 4 to 5 eggs each day and I have been either selling them or cooking with the eggs.

These eggs are fantastic for cakes. I love cooking cakes with their eggs. I'd rather cook cakes with duck eggs all year round if they laid them all year round.

Sponge cakes are amazing and I never have a failed cake using them.

This sponge cake was taken on Monday to our sewing group. One of the ladies has a wedding this weekend when her son is married. As the wedding is in Perth, we had a cake to celebrate back here in Adelaide.

Dundee cake takes 5 eggs and what a great cake this is. Very yummy and full of dried fruits.

More and more people are returning to keeping poultry of some kind in the backyard. I've not bought eggs for 11 years now and I can't see this changing down the track.

technorati tags: cakes, eggs

Cheaper Mince

2010-07-11T10:27:00.005+09:30

On my blog here not only do I show how to use the harvested foods from my backyard to the best value, I also show how I save money elsewhere in the kitchen.

My latest find (been after one for a while now) is a mincer.

I'm not a big fan on supermarkets and the only red meat I buy is the Coles mince as I find this is the less fattiest I can find for our food budget allowance. I only buy the mince when its on special.

Now that is changing. No more buying meat at the supermarket from now on. I can 100% support a whole sale butcher we go to. While still having mince that is 100% fat free.

Check it out. I wasn't going to pay for an electric mincer, this baby was only $40.00 brand new. As a kid I used to help my mum by mincing the lamb meat on the sheep station. Or mincing vegies for my Nanna & Grampa when they made their yummy pasties.

Now when we buy our whole rump for around $7 a kilo I can mince a large slice for Pat & I, with all the fat removed and less than half the price of the supermarkets and I don't have to wait until the mince is on special.

Chicken patties with vegies for tea that night..........

technorati tags: food savings, mince, chicken

Percy's blog

2010-02-10T18:57:00.001+10:30

Have you ever visited Percy's blog??

He's a little toy pig I made and he's been over seas and around Australia. He's become so popular he has a baby sister to help him with visiting people who want to meet him and show him, where they live.

There is also a poll with 6 names for her and you can vote too. So if your feeling down or just want to have some fun ...please pop over and say hi to Percy and his baby sister.

Beetroot.

2010-01-16T13:31:00.003+10:30

Love beetroot, as a hot vegie or on my plate as a salad.

Been thinking about trying my hand at preserving beetroot for a while and I have finally done this.

These lovely volunteers were picked, scrubbed and in the boiling pot before they knew what hit them. Can't get ant fresher than that.

I have used a new recipe from a dear friend, I'll ask her if I can pop the recipe up here. Easy to make and the chooks will love the left over cooked tops, tails and skins of the beets.

Very pleased with the amount I got into these 3 jars. I am also waiting on my friend to get back to me on how long I need to wait before I can start to eat this yummy vegie.

Its a very easy to preserve beetroot and a lot less messy than jam making.

technorati tags: beetroot, food savings

White Eggs

2009-12-31T12:37:00.002+10:30

Not very often we see white eggs in the shops. People seem to want the brown eggs. I read somewhere it was to do with people thinking, brown eggs are like bread..... better for you. When really there is no difference with the eggs.

I have 3 new white chickens and its been years since I have been able to find and buy them for my backyard.

Called them the "Blonde Bombshells", seems to go well with the red chooks I call the "Blue Rinse Set". They have blue rings on their legs, so I can keep track of their ages.

Anyway this is the "first" big egg one of them has laid. I was getting little white eggs the size of a bantam.

All the best for 2010.....

Harvest Time

2009-10-02T13:06:00.004+09:30

After giving gardening a rest due to a bad leg and ankle over the last 8 months. It feels really great harvesting from the vegie patch again.

French Breakfast radishes, oodles still out in the garden. These were topped (rabbit food) and tailed (worm bucket) and into a Tupperware fridge container. Now we have fresh organic healthy food to snack on through out the day instead of sweet foods.

Also broad beans are cropping madly. Shelled pods into the compost bin as the animal aren't that keen on them, bean peels (from the bigger beans) into the worm bucket for the farms.

Nothing is wasted here at our place.

Bean are frozen and used in casseroles, make a great extra vegie on those cold days.

Apple & Rhubarb.

2009-08-22T19:37:00.003+09:30

Apple with fresh organic rhubarb from my garden patch. I never thought this day would come.

I've waited 10 years for this and it tasted bloody beautiful

To find out why it took 10 years..... you can read that here.

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: rhubarb, apple

Postcards From Percy

2009-07-28T12:16:00.002+09:30

Hello everyone. I'm off to Melbourne and then overseas for a month.

If you want to follow my journey and see where I go.... check me out on my very own blog.

Hoping to be able to post about my travels while away.

Focaccia

2009-06-15T18:05:00.006+09:30

I was looking for something different for lunch today. Decided to give the focaccia recipe a run for its money from my bread maker's cook book.

I ended up adding extras like capsicum from my garden along with fresh rosemary from out the back as well. Also home pickled olives from a friend's garden. As well as other goodies from the fridge.

Looks great and smells so good.

Pat & I ate half for lunch and the rest we are eating tonight along with home made chicken vegie soup.

Tomorrow I am thinking I'll try a pizza base and make a ham and pineapple pizza.

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: cheese, ham, herbs, pizza, focaccia

Chicken Nuggets

2009-06-02T15:12:00.007+09:30

When James was little he loved chicken nuggets. I used to pop some on his plate with a small salad as a lunch meal on weekends.

I must say I like them too. Well nothing like an reformed cook who is more in touch with what is in food and what isn't.

The stupidmarkets sell the nuggets either in the deli, meat section or the freezer. If your eyesight is good and you know all the words...you know what is in the nugget.

You can go to one of those chicken franchise shops and pay about $10.99 a kilo for some of their chicken nuggets.

Or you can do what I do and save yourself a heap of money and get a great feed of chicken nuggets.

Lets take a look.

First off you need a healthy salad to go with your nuggets. In the colder months you may need to supplement your own garden salads with some from the green grocer. Now this is all done..the chicken nuggets are next.

This is nice and easy.

I buy my chicken breasts from a butcher who sells them for $8.99 a kilo. One small chicken boob will do just nicely.

Cube the chicken breast into bite size pieces and coat them with some of these crumbs.

That is what the chicken franchise shops use and into some oil the crumbed cubes go.

So there you have it....chicken nuggest that are made with pure chicken meat..and a few crumb to coat the meat.

Why don't you try it and see what the kids or yourself think

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: chicken, food savings, salads

Tomatoes Out Of Season

2009-05-19T13:10:00.004+09:30

Back in the summer months I was saving any soft tomatoes from the vegie patch and freezing them.

Now the colder months are here and the tomato season has come to an end. There is no reason why Pat & I still can't enjoy our home grown tomatoes.

Even though the tomatoes defrosted are on the soggy side, add a couple of sliced onions and what ever herbs you want. Cook until tender and thicken with a small amount of corn flour.

A lovely tomato & onion meal with some home made bread toasted makes for a great lunch. Its full of that home grown tomato flavour.

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: bread, tomato, food savings

Tomato Surplus

2008-12-29T14:34:00.005+10:30

I had a gut feeling (pardon the pun) that I was going to do so well with this season's tomatoes. Well I have done exactly that.

Today I made 4 kilo of my own organic tomatoes into sauce. Last year was my first time making sauce and this was from home grown tomatoes given to us.

This year.....

Tomatoes, onion, ginger cooking away before the last ingredients are added. Once again I have used the Ezy-sauce recipe on the bottle.

Three smaller bottles are for Deb, Josephine & Amy. Five big bottles are for Pat & myself. More so me as I lurv tomato sauce. I had been saving the last of 2008 sauce for special meals. Now I can be a bit more free with it.

Just need to make labels and once cool, stick them on and pop it away in the pantry.

This is where taking food from the garden to our plate makes all those hours in the garden worth while. I feel a sense of pride when I look at the end product and think..... wow I grew and cooked that.

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: tomato, tomato sauce

Meat Savings

2008-12-16T12:30:00.003+10:30

Money is getting tighter and Christmas is next week. How is your freezer looking meat wise??

After going to the shops yesterday, mine is looking a tad bit healthier.

Each fortnight I allow ex amount of $$ for meat and that is it. So I'm always after a bargain and I found this one at our local IGA stupidmarket.

Whole rump going out for $4.99 a kilo, this pack cost us, $24.95 and was cut up into 8 meals for Pat & myself.

This costing us roughly $3.11 per meat meal. I may have got an extra 2 meals if I cut the meat thinner, but hells bells, gotta have rump thick and juicy on the dinner plate with all those yummy organic vegies.

I try and get a feed of meat no dearer than $5.00 per meal for who ever is home for that meal. This time round I scored the jackpot.

Hope you too are scoring some pre Christmas bargains in the meat area to ease the $$$ pain as the silly season gets closer by the day.

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: beef, food savings

Zucchinis & Eggs

2008-12-14T11:02:00.005+10:30

Zucchinis out in the garden are just booming along and its time to make zucchini slice. This is very popular in my house. So popular I have to hide it in the freezer, as Amy takes it to work every day until its all gone. Me, I see it as a great side vegie in the winter months.

All those chook eggs are just so fresh and this slice is a great way to use up those excess eggs.

Fresh out the oven and a couple of squares for my tea hot and the rest in the freezer.

Making another 1 today and maybe if time is on my side tomorrow, another one then.

Also I am making a boiled fruit cake today for Pat.

It's busy time here in my kitchen.

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: cakes, eggs, links, vegetables, zucchini

My Lunch Today

2008-12-04T12:30:00.001+10:30

Tigerella and Black Russian tomatoes sliced on some cracker biscuits for my lunch. Simple and so enjoyable, savoring the flavours of these home grown tomatoes.

Pretty well.... eating our own tomatoes now into the new year.

technorati tags: tomato

More Food Saving

2008-11-30T11:20:00.004+10:30

On payday Pat found some cheap economy 1 kilo packets bacon for $4.99. These packets are usually the end cut offs and such.

Having a food saver machine at home, I bought a packet as its a cheap way of getting diced bacon. Not much good for bacon & eggs as a lot is cut thick and in chunks.

I'm not looking at using a lot of diced bacon at this time of the year, unless I make fried rice or a spud salad. But the 1 kilo pkt was just too good to leave behind. I've seen diced bacon priced at $9.99 in shops. Why pay for the privilege of having it diced for you.

After dicing the bacon, I made small pouch bags and sealed the meat inside. Suggested time frame for pork in the freezer is 6 months. By using my food saver kit, 2 to 3 years in the freezer. So there is no rush for me to use up the bacon in the next 6 months.

Not everyone has a food saver, but still looking and buying bacon this way and dicing at home, will still save you $$$$$.

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: food savings

Apricot Jam

2008-11-28T13:16:00.006+10:30

Last weekend when James was visiting, he told us about his fruit trees (plum, apricot & quince) in his backyard, James had been living there for about a week and Con his dog is keeping the birds away from the trees.

The other day I was lucky enough to score just over 7 lbs of apricots off his tree. Today I have turned it into jam.

One thing I like to do is when given bulk food that is made into a jam or sauce, is give that kind person back a jar of the end product. Even though James said not to bother, I'll pop a jar of jam in his fridge as a thank you.

This weekend we are taking around our old fridge for him, so I'll see if I can collect some more apricots as well.

Apricots in the sink having a rinse. Not many bird beak marks on them, Con keeps the birds out of the backyard. I know these aren't a "Moorpark" apricot as that is what we had in our backyard before it died.

Lovely new thick spoon for stirring the fruit. One year I actually snapped my jamming spoon in half. Pain in the bum when that happened. At this stage I had the sugar warming away in the oven.

After the sugar was added, I let it boil (stirring all the time) making sure it doesn't catch or burn.

While this goes on, Pat helps by washing all the jars & lids in water so hot, I can't put my hands in it. Removes any labels and glue. Then into the oven to dry and sterilize them.

All that needs now is to cool down and make & stick labels on them. That big jar is for Debbie, she keeps me in sheep poo through out the year. Red lid jar is for my niece Jo and the little green lidded jar is for James. One of the front jars is for Amy & Benny and the rest if for me & Pat.

Now I'm going to tell you my recipe as people say my jam is sooooooooooooooooo lovely.

This is between you and me okay? No sharing this around with family members....

7 lbs apricots
5.5 lbs sugar warmed
1 cup water

Cut your fruit up and add to heavy pan with the water. Bring to boil slowly and simmer for 20 mins.

While that is going on...warm your sugar up in the oven. (Figured this is done, so when added to the fruit it doesn't cool the mixture down)

Pop a plate in the fridge and get it chilled. Then later on your ready to see if the jam is setting or not, and if ready for popping in jars.

Add the sugar gradually and boil till the jam sets on that plate in the fridge.

I use jars with metal lids. As the jam cools, it tightens the lid and becomes air tight and the jam will last for years. Debbie's jar has a clear preserve cover on it, as I couldn't find the lid.

Okay so you have your apricots be they yours, neighbours, families or bought cheap at the markets....... what are you waiting for ...get some jars and make yourself some beautiful jam.

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: food savings, fruit, jam

Grubs Up

2008-11-22T19:15:00.003+10:30

My dinner tonight, just finished and was it yummy. There was 7 food items harvested from my vegie patch today.

In the green vegies there was asparagus & broccoli.

Steamed potatoes were harvested this morning, variety is "Nicola". The taste is a clean, crisp full flavour.

In the mushroom sauce I made from scratch (no packet food here) with spring onion from my garden.

In the butter, was my own fresh garlic and chives. The garlic is fresh and when using my garlic press, I could hear the crunch as it was pushed through the press.

You know if I had more land, the steak could have come from my own cow too.........

All that playing out in the garden is paying off and has been for weeks now. Soon I'll be harvesting tomatoes, eggplants, climbing beans plus even more.

I know what has gone into the soil to feed the plants. I'm on a first name basis with what I ate tonight and the best part is...... its organic and freshest as it can be. Unless I move my kitchen out next to my vegie patch.

Have you checked out my main blog? If not have a look as there is a lot happening.

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: garlic, herbs, vegetables

Strawberries

2008-10-29T14:59:00.004+10:30

While out shopping today Pat & I came across these strawberries at our local green grocer. Roughly the weight came to 1 kilo, costing $2.50.

I don't want to guts into them, so none are wasted. How do I save the best ones for later on early next week?

After washing them and patting dry with some paper towel (which is then composted) I put the fruit that wasn't bruised or soft into the "food saver" canister.

By removing the air in the canister and refrigerated, these strawberries will keep in this condition for a week.

To open the canister I just have to press the little gray button and once the air stops hissing out, I can open it.

Nothing worse than spending money and food wasting through poor storage. Or too much and not doing something with it.

I want to buy more of these canisters as I can store spinach or lettuce as well, without damaging the food.

Off now to have a feed on strawberries and cream

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: food savings, fruit

Drying Herbs

2008-10-26T10:03:00.004+10:30

My parsley is starting to go to seed. With so many healthy leaves still on the plants, I thought I'd take advantage of this and dry some.

Up early before the sun gets onto the plants as this can lower the flavour of the herb. I was enjoying the early morning out the back with my ducks and chooks making noises.

I should get enough jars to see me through those lean days where parsley is scarce in my garden. A jar for my dad too, as he loves the flavour the parsley gives off in his cooking. Dad said its so much nicer than the bought variety.

If you don't have a dehydrator and want to dry herbs, you can use a microwave or your oven on low. I tried the oven way once...... forgot the herbs were in there, boy did that stink the house out . First time I used a dehydrator I borrow one from a friend and that sold me on getting my own.

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: food savings, herbs, drying food

Almond Chocolate Fingers

2008-10-18T19:59:00.005+10:30

Due to receiving a request for the almond fingers, I have decided to post the biscuit recipes here, over the next few days. They can be found on my main blog

60g (2oz) butter
125g (4oz) ground almonds
1/2 cup castor sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons plain flour

TOPPING

60g (2oz) butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup liquid glucose
125g (4oz) flaked almonds
2 tablespoons water
90g (3oz) dark chocolate
30g (1oz) copha

Base:

Place butter, ground almonds and sugar in small bowl of electric mixer.

Beat until well combined.

Add eggs, mix well.

Add sifted flour and stir through.

Grease a tray (I used a biscuit tray) and line with greaseproof paper and grease lightly again.

Bake in moderately hot oven for 7 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove and spread with topping while still warm.

Return to oven and cook another 5 minutes or until topping turns a pale golden brown..

Cut into fingers while still warm and cool on a wire rack.

Melt the copha and chocolate in a double saucepan simmering over hot water. Pour topping into a bowl and dip biscuits into the chocolate. Placing on an alfoil tray to set. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

This is a very sickly biscuit and so make the finger sizes small rather than big. I also harden the biscuits off once dipped in the chocolate in the freezer, to set them quicker. Also make sure your tray is chilled before placing the dipped biscuits on it.

Note:

I found it a bit fiddly trying to remove the grease paper, so I turned the slice out onto a clean table and peeled the paper away and cut the slice up.

Resource: The big book of beautiful biscuits by the Woman's Weekly.

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: biscuits

Whitening Leeks

2008-10-08T14:51:00.004+10:30

Ever wondered how those leeks are made so lovely and white?? People have different ways of blanching them. I thought I'd tell you how I blanch mine.

These leeks were picked last night for the chicken pie I was cooking for tea. I popped a pencil next to the leeks, to give you an idea of their size.

The whiter the stalks the more tender the leeks are and also less waste. I used toilet rolls or kitchen toweling paper rolls cut in half.

By the time the leeks are big enough for harvesting, those leeks have become lovely and white. Perfect for the dinner plate.

All sliced and ready for the chicken pie. Toilet rolls are not wasted either, into the worm farm they go.

If you haven't grown leeks, give them a go. Great flavour and a good fill in for when you run out of onions in the kitchen.

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: leeks, food savings

About That Pasta Meal.

2008-08-20T19:46:00.001+09:30

How about that photo?? Doesn't it look yummo??

Well I am very proud to say it was such a hit and the pasta came up beautiful. Very pleased with how the whole meal turned out.

So pasta is taken off the shopping list and I have another food item I can make from my chook eggs.

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: eggs, pasta

Eggs Equal Pasta.

2008-08-20T12:11:00.004+09:30

I have found another way to make good use of the chook eggs I collect each day.

Today I made ribbon pasta for the first time. Never even seen it being made or tasted home made pasta. Tonight we will be guinea pigs for my first pasta batch.

It was my birthday on Sunday and Pat bought me the pasta maker. Seeing the pasta dough going from this stage to.....

This stage and thinness, so easy was really interesting and way so cool.

The end result, ribbon pasta for tonights meal with cream chicken & mushroom sauce to go on top.

Even if it's a flop....I'll post a photo tomorrow of the end result of the whole meal.

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: chicken, eggs