home grown

Mr and I have been marvelling at the success we are having with our latest vegie patch. We have been in the blue mountains for over 6 years and this is the first year that we have actually been able to eat the fruits of our labour. Spinach, carrots, parsley, coriander, basil, potatoes and tomatoes. Usually the frost gets the plants or the dogs dig through the garden. But this year we put some real effort in to make sure the plants all had a real good chance of survival!
Mr, being one to share our success was down the street talking to somebody telling them how the vegie patch is going. They were an avid gardener too but also knew of a gentleman who has his own vegie patch in his front garden and what he can't eat he puts in a box out the front of his house and with a sign that invites you to  help yourself.
Mr came home with a few surprises, a yellow squash and a green and yellow zucchini (which he couldn't wait to cook up - check out the photo he had chopped the zucchini before I got a happy snap!). He couldn't believe how big they were.

the squash and the chopped zucchini

Now Mr is carrying around one of his basil plants (it's legendary - survives in the blue mountains with frost!) when he goes to work, in case he passes by again and sees the guy to say thank you for his generousity and obviously find out how he got his squash so big!

A New Year reSEWlution

New Year's Resolutions - eat healthy, exercise more, make time to do crafty things, eat less chocolate........

I've learnt a thing or two over the years and one of them is that I am no good at making or keeping new year's resolutions. 

So instead I have found a project to get my teeth into. A Quilt for Charity. Its a Quilt Block Drive for 65 Roses Day to raise awareness of Cystic Fibrosis. Kathreen is looking for people to make blocks, which will be made into a quilt comprising of 65 blocks and then auctioned at the CF Australia annual gala event in Canberra later this year.  

In the craft world, I have avoided the lure to make a quilt. I know I already have too many projects on the go and know that my house could not withstand more bits and pieces if I were to get addicted to quilting, so I thought getting involved with this and supporting a great cause would be a way to starve off the quilt urge.

So now off to hunt out some wicked fabric and get my rose design sorted. Check out this fantastic project or join in.

It's time for a break

just signing off for a couple of weeks to get through and recover from the silly season
relax, be safe and enjoy the time with loved ones
until 2010.....

magic pudding

Last Christmas I must have had a bit of spare time on my hands as I decided to make a traditional boiled christmas pudding - the way my Gran used to make it, as our contribution to Christmas day lunch. 
As everyone was expecting a christmas pudding on Christmas day, I had to make sure I had a recipe that worked (My Gran's old pudding recipe has since long disappeared). I found a recipe, bought a bottle (or two) of rum, heaps of dried fruit, new calico and got the fruit soaking for about a week in the rum. After all the rum was dried up by the fruit, I made the pudding mixture, got it wrapped in the calico cloth and had it on the stove boiling for 6 hours. And the test run pudding was created. 
What! Is she crazy? I hear you all say, making a test run pudding! Well it all worked out, the test run was a hit. So I went on to make the "real" pudding for Christmas day. 
Alas, expectations have been set. So the pudding order for Christmas day 2009 was placed again. Of course Mr wanted the test run pudding as well, and as I don't trust his sweet tooth home alone with the Christmas day pudding, I have given in and already made the test run pudding. If only is was a magic pudding, my work in the Kitchen would be done!

My Magic Pudding

Going Bananas

OK.

So I love to cook.

Maybe it's my captive audience of Mr and the 2 dogs. They love anything I cook, sweet savoury, you name it!

Maybe I find it therapeutic measuring, mixing and relishing in the finished product!

Maybe I enjoy the peace knowing that Mr will leave me alone while I am in the kitchen!

Maybe Mr will build me a new kitchen and buy me a new stove! (well a girl can dream huh!)

Even so, I am always on the lookout for quick, easy and wholesome (i don't think healthy is the right word) sweets, cakes, puddings and more, to meet the high demands of Mr's sweet tooth. I have several recipes that have become my favourites, (ie chuck all the ingredients in one bowl, mix with a spoon and put in the baking tray) in particular a carrot cake, but I will share this secret recipe with you another time. 

The newest edition to my repertoire is this date and banana loaf that I was so impressed with I just had to share with you. To my surprise I discovered the recipe on the side of a weetbix pack (well it was a pack of no name brand wheat biscuits!). 

My version of date and banana loaf straight out of the oven (note: Mr has already sneaked a slice when I went to get the camera) on my favourite Johnson Sunflower plate - always makes things taste better - but definitely not needed for this one - it was gone in a  day!

The Recipe

5 whole wheat biscuits (eg weetbix)

1 1/2 cups self-raising flour

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup finely chopped dates

2 ripe bananas, mashed

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup low fat milk

1 extra large egg, lightly beaten

Directions

Pre heat oven to 180 degrees C.

Combine wheat biscuits, flour, sugar, dates, banana and cinnamon in a large bowl. Mix in milk and egg until well combined.

Spoon into lined loaf pan (215 x 115 x 55mm) and bake for 45-50 minutes until cooked when tested with a skewer. Serve warm or cold with butter!

After you have made this once, you will want to make it again! Next time try fruits that you may have around the home. I have used a mango and banana mush and dried cranberries which, like the original recipe, was a hit!

Go on, give it a try! And don't forget the butter!

Timing is everything

I would like to share an adventure we had recently.

Mr, the 2 dogs and I decided on a long weekend of camping. Having found an awesome sounding place on the web called Riverwood Downs that was dog friendly, had reasonable camping fees and a river right next to where the swags would be swung, we thought it would be three days of relaxation and river swimming. 

The dogs enjoying the ride

I should have known it was all too good to be true! (Especially as the weather forecast was for flooding in Northern NSW).

We headed down the mountain, took the back roads, the "scenic route" through Wiseman's Ferry, along the Old Northern Road, checked out convict relics, stopped in at St Albans Pub, again at Wollombi Pub (the home of Dr Jurd's Jungle Juice) where there was an added attraction of woodchopping, for the annual Wollombi Festival. 

Depending on whether you are a glass half full or half empty person, fortunately or unfortunately, it was getting dark. We found a riverside camping reserve at Broke, set up camp, had a great dinner, a few beers and settled in for the night falling asleep to folk music drifting across the river from the nearby music festival. 

The next morning we were up early and heading for our destination. The dogs were happy as ever - they could smell the river getting closer and we could see the weather closing in!

The lovely view from the vehicle 

Needless to say it was a tad wet. But we soldiered on and made it to Riverwood Downs. There was a break in the storm. We checked out the place, pulled up next to the River and had a bite to eat. Little were we to know we were about 2 minutes ahead of the deluge. Soggy sandwiches in hand and our clothes soaked to the bone, we graciously admitted defeat and headed back home vowing to return when the North Coast is not in flood!

Although we were only there for a matter of minutes, we were impressed with  Riverwood Downs, the property the people and hope there are others out there that check it out if you are heading that way.

Looking for something to do tomorrow?

Why not head for the cool and fresh air in the hills, to Springwood in the Blue Mountains.
If you need to do some shopping in preparation for the silly season, or are just looking for someting special that is handcrafted, check out Celebrating Design this Saturday 21st November at Springwood.

Celebrating Design is an exhibition and sales of handcrafted works, direct from over 30 designers and artisans including gifts, jewellery, leather, woodwork, ceramics, glass, textiles, clothing and more!
It is at Springwood High School HALL, Grose Road, Faulconbridge from 10am - 5pm, Saturday ONLY!
There is a small entry fee of $5 adults, $10 family, $2.50 concession and children under 12 are free. There will also be a cafe running throughout the day. All proceeds go towards the Springwood High P&C


Hope to see you there....