tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80525486171983064032024-02-08T01:42:31.046+13:00The Good Life in SuburbiaThe dream is a lifestyle block with chickens, dogs, a couple of cows or sheep, big veggie patches and orchards ... thats the dream. The reality as of June 2012 is a decent size garden and cat in suburbia. bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12223209338487482412noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052548617198306403.post-79373330905671563802014-08-19T13:53:00.003+12:002014-08-21T12:57:28.748+12:00The roast chicken challenge<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">A roast <span class="il">chicken</span> dinner has got to be one of my favourite meals especially on a cold, soggy weekend. While I love to eat the clucky, feathery, idiots (the <span class="il">chickens</span> I have met have been rather foolish if adorable birds), I also want them to be happy <span class="il">chickens</span> up to the point that they squawk. So this means free-range, truly free-range means outdoor space to roam not just a slightly larger cage space (and even then you have to be careful as definitions of free-range can be rather stretched, meaning what is labelled as free-range isn’t necessarily the green field image it conveys … investigating and finding a good brand is worthwhile). As we all know, free-range birds tend to be a little bit pricier in the supermarkets than their unhappy factory squashed counterparts. So in order to spring for the pricier, happy <span class="il">chickens</span> without making me squawk at the checkout till, I need to make the bird stretch for more than just a meal for two and maybe some sandwiches the next day.</span> </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><em>My parent's chickens in England lead a very good life, though they are </em></span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><em>strictly not for </em></span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><em>eating ... unless that blasted Mr Fox gets lucky again!</em></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are lots of blogs/recipes out there for making a <span class="il">chicken</span> go the distance so I thought I would set myself a little <span class="il">chicken</span> <span class="il">challenge a couple of weeks back</span>. How many meals can I get out of a size 14 bird. Now I don’t mean meals where the main ingredient is <span class="il">chicken</span> meat, I’d be starving in no time, but meals where a significant ingredient originated from this one bird! I kind of surprised myself.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">First up was of course the roast <span class="il">chicken</span>, a generous portion of breast meat for the 2 of us, accompanied by all the trimmings. Although I wasn’t stingy, I was a little less heavy handed with the <span class="il">chicken</span> and upped the veggies … not so much that it was noticeable though. <span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"> I put all the leftover meat in a tupperware and the <span class="il">chicken</span> carcass in another. I did contemplate putting a padlock on the <span class="il">chicken</span> meat tupperware as, let’s face it, cold meat is prime grazing material! Instead I issued stern hands off warnings to myself and husband. (2 x portions).</span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><em>Delicious roast goodness, there is nothing better!</em></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I also couldn’t deny another favourite the next day, cold roast <span class="il">chicken</span> sandwiches, with just a little mayo and salt & pepper, delicious. (2 x portions)<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Now here is where it gets serious. The next day carcass was placed in a big saucepan along with carrots, celery etc etc to make stock. This is also where the bird really gives you it’s money’s worth.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I used this recipe here and got just under 2 litres of stock. <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/leftoverroastchicken_92286">http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/leftoverroastchicken_92286</a></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><em>The grisly remains - carcass for stock and half the left over chicken for soup</em></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">From that stock and half the left over chicken I made a batch of soup, chicken and vegetable, nothing better for a cold evening and a great way to use up veggies from the garden if you have more than you can eat. I made some to eat straight away and the rest went in the freezer. (6 x portions)</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Chicken soup packed with veggies, healthy, warm and delicious</span></em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">With the remaining stock and chicken pieces I made a paella, adding in some chorizo and vegetables, unfortunately it got eaten far too quickly for me to remember to take a photograph! It did however add another three portions to the tally (a meal for 2 with some leftover for lunch the next day!)</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">So at the final count:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana;">x2 Roast chicken dinner</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana;">x2 Roast chicken sandwiches</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana;">x6 Chicken and vegetable soup</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana;">x3 Chicken and chorizo Paella</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Not a bad effort, one bird contributed to 13 meal portions! Have you gone one better? Have you tried a similar challenge with another cut of meat, lamb shoulder perhaps? Of course there are the Christmas Turkey leftovers that challenge most people each year, I'd love to hear?</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><em>Dad's chickens even travel in style, making a dashing </em></span><br />
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bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12223209338487482412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052548617198306403.post-68900124728947075592014-06-04T10:33:00.000+12:002014-06-04T10:33:24.728+12:00To Pea, or not to Pea, that is the question!<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I'm having a bit of a pea dilemma, there is nothing better than a home grown pea fresh from the pod, but there is limited space in my veggie patch and I have to weigh up the space/yield/value of everything that I put in there. Broccoli and peas are my go-to vegetables of choice for accompanying an evening meal and while I feel like I can grow enough broccoli to make a dent in the broccoli purchases, I can't grow anywhere near enough peas for them to be more than a blink and you miss them novelty, a cameo appearance in a year of veggie growing.</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Somehow though it seems wrong to leave them out! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Now is the time for sowing peas, they do better in the cooler spring weather, they tend to suffer a bit in summer and succumb to various pea illnesses. So ideally you'd get them in now and then they have done their thing in time for planting out bean seedlings to take you through summer. If you live somewhere super frosty then a plastic bottle of some sort cut in half and popped over the seed/seedling will help protect the young plants.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Given that supermarket peas are frozen almost immediately after picking they are one of the best veggies you can buy in terms of freshness and value for $ so I think I have made my decision, I will forgo traditional peas this year in favour of something that is going to make me feel like I am getting more eats for space! I'm not straying too far though, I'll be planting sugar snaps and mange tout instead :) Delicious in stir fries, curries, salads and even just as they are on the side of the plate. Eating the whole pod instead of just the inner peas makes them go that bit further into the worthwhile growing arena for the small veggie patch cultivator, and given that these seem to be ridiculously expensive in the supermarkets that makes them even more valuable in comparison to their traditional pea counterparts!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Now that is what I call bang for your buck, especially when you can eat the whole pod!</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">They are pretty easy to grow, plant the seeds direct in the ground, or in those biodegradable pots that you can put in to the ground once the seedlings have got going, they don't like to be disturbed too much. Plant about 8 cm apart and the general rule of thumb is to sow them at a depth of 3x the size of the seed. They will need support such as trellises or string between poles and you will need to tie them on until they have got the hang of things and start attaching themselves. Once they start producing pick them nice and early before the pods start to go a bit leathery and pick often to encourage more production.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Last year's plants starting off in biodegradable pots</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">OK decision made, I'd better go plant some immediately!</span>bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12223209338487482412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052548617198306403.post-82814188839101181582014-04-14T11:46:00.004+12:002014-04-14T11:52:34.885+12:00Recipe books from another era<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hello there, I couldn't resist sharing some pictures of these gorgeous old cookbooks, though I'm sure most people have these in the back of their cupboards somewhere or at least in the back of their mum's/grandma's cupboards. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Husband's mum sent down some boxes of books for us and these were included so I've had a lovely Sunday evening sitting by the fire and taking a step back in time. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a name='more'></a></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They are all from the 1950s except one which is from 1933 and they are fascinating to browse through. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>These cookbooks are from the 1930s and 1950s</em></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The dark blue book at the back is produced by the women's division of the Federated Farmers of NZ in 1954 and the one in the middle right by the Plunket Society in Wellington in 1933. I love the Plunket one below in particular as it is well used, with cooking stains and lots of handwritten notes.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf89NifO4btkOQSGSsQQwzZyrfW5dK7NJuidGzVKhJW0g854ESV56FX-dfdUJPfv44cfkCrZsiOEUqUipEoAn2k07AAWRcwDG_J8L2bxfS2Phmui01ODzLT1tH0gx35_LG2odek9i_sxCo/s1600/IMG_2106+(Medium).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf89NifO4btkOQSGSsQQwzZyrfW5dK7NJuidGzVKhJW0g854ESV56FX-dfdUJPfv44cfkCrZsiOEUqUipEoAn2k07AAWRcwDG_J8L2bxfS2Phmui01ODzLT1tH0gx35_LG2odek9i_sxCo/s1600/IMG_2106+(Medium).JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I love the useful recipe on this page as well</span></em></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEzoWnMUIf3bT01L7KcoQqGP2UeN3M_641nIRWqoeZtT9sbAAl2ld72R_kHrJwXTQhl7CuFMOUh-ipPVzS6Gvg_SQpmTV43PijwONKmA8DK9qp7TITK8Dub0p8ZEkN8u8gOrB9SMHfJ1Vc/s1600/ads+(Medium).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEzoWnMUIf3bT01L7KcoQqGP2UeN3M_641nIRWqoeZtT9sbAAl2ld72R_kHrJwXTQhl7CuFMOUh-ipPVzS6Gvg_SQpmTV43PijwONKmA8DK9qp7TITK8Dub0p8ZEkN8u8gOrB9SMHfJ1Vc/s1600/ads+(Medium).png" height="314" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The adverts are wonderful and nearly all addressed to housewives! </span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Electricity seems to be the new 'in' thing for cooking!</span></em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Funny how we take electricity and hot water for granted now, but the adverts in these cookbooks were talking about them as the latest marvel in technology for housewives!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi89CH2bxH0yvYfZH51LrOSjSboX6HzzewpP3AOnH6Kh5ro0Ai55uxlSDU9qPP-Y7vKp-Vauip_TOqhNIQ1nFT3NTWHoN4sdKRhsF7vpix6lEPboRjl4uhbY5DyZ2ugW_ncJXAKvdmF2dVx/s1600/IMG_2116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi89CH2bxH0yvYfZH51LrOSjSboX6HzzewpP3AOnH6Kh5ro0Ai55uxlSDU9qPP-Y7vKp-Vauip_TOqhNIQ1nFT3NTWHoN4sdKRhsF7vpix6lEPboRjl4uhbY5DyZ2ugW_ncJXAKvdmF2dVx/s1600/IMG_2116.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>Be progressive and use the modern means - Electricity!</em></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One section that is still very useful and pretty much unchanged from today's cookbooks it the jams, pickles and chutney section. I've copied out the green tomato jam recipe and the elderberry and plum jam. Not sure about the Parsnip wine and Liver balls though.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuQE4-a4_RwT9EFADyzO1E8Oy9eymyerInKR3CEO8k01Qzqk-reAHy4yrGbYr79Vt2wruGSgw2bFQ3ePDnAd48shxj53eVyvTuYfIS64gQXIjxI3cZwcEw2OmbWVybdZoaxpHSHNy-dqVX/s1600/IMG_2111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuQE4-a4_RwT9EFADyzO1E8Oy9eymyerInKR3CEO8k01Qzqk-reAHy4yrGbYr79Vt2wruGSgw2bFQ3ePDnAd48shxj53eVyvTuYfIS64gQXIjxI3cZwcEw2OmbWVybdZoaxpHSHNy-dqVX/s1600/IMG_2111.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>I'm actually looking forward to trying some of these recipes</em></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All the</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> books had a section on cooking for Invalids, this was obviously a bigger deal back then than it is now. I've tried sweetmeats before and quite liked them but I think the range of offal on this invalid menu would have me leaping off my sickbed just so I didn't have to eat this anymore!</span> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm all for using as much of the animal as possible but I just can't get my mind around some of these recipes. Can you imagine the texture of the invalid sandwiches?</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinKXESK5HEpsFeXFXwQvwIfbkHOHNyXLzk1j8kPXlm3mg0S0h7AUF3zFnhTRo0c4Ob05_7Hux4Mz5y2WdxJ-PfwMSRk0NgQYoYYRLUX3USI6CLhOup_HTCVRs3tqIMxG784Z7Kb193c_5q/s1600/IMG_2113.JPG" height="480" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>If I was an invalid I'm not sure I would appreciate these meals. Brains au Gratin anyone?</em></span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinKXESK5HEpsFeXFXwQvwIfbkHOHNyXLzk1j8kPXlm3mg0S0h7AUF3zFnhTRo0c4Ob05_7Hux4Mz5y2WdxJ-PfwMSRk0NgQYoYYRLUX3USI6CLhOup_HTCVRs3tqIMxG784Z7Kb193c_5q/s1600/IMG_2113.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Invalid Dish in the photo below includes tripe, brains and a few oysters, wouldn't that just have you springing handstands?</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7RW1DZhhkFub-PVYK7l_L5NmhdB2Ez-e7pRjEu7N_e7xurjyE3XjTGilnGAyq7VokfRKYouVMRurNUJOefuYnzAh1F0LpdACIh6KxP-39rzXXdcIp6wrQPHmeO9NT8ss6VKDcvgFTwog2/s1600/IMG_2115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7RW1DZhhkFub-PVYK7l_L5NmhdB2Ez-e7pRjEu7N_e7xurjyE3XjTGilnGAyq7VokfRKYouVMRurNUJOefuYnzAh1F0LpdACIh6KxP-39rzXXdcIp6wrQPHmeO9NT8ss6VKDcvgFTwog2/s1600/IMG_2115.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>I love this advert from W. Gregg & Co too, they still operate in Dunedin as Gregg's <br />and are a recognisable brand throughout New Zealand</em></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">These books really are from another era and they have a fantastic mix of classic favourites still much used today and some recipes that seem completely and disgustingly inedible!! Bacon and egg pie is still such a big hit as a family favourite today but I'm pretty sure the brain and potato pie is no longer on most family lists of luncheon dish options.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1KvLoSCsN1CQmVnnsz-pCS-o7-ovqnHkz_5QIieI0GZkt-VbelcEHTUDRmh0zYhOxht6ZD2feAyGdYf5F6LzP98YWHxCYrnFlfPV5wBmbaZaskdcsT8o-eDB13tvKEFUY6091-jDczRoN/s1600/IMG_2107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1KvLoSCsN1CQmVnnsz-pCS-o7-ovqnHkz_5QIieI0GZkt-VbelcEHTUDRmh0zYhOxht6ZD2feAyGdYf5F6LzP98YWHxCYrnFlfPV5wBmbaZaskdcsT8o-eDB13tvKEFUY6091-jDczRoN/s1600/IMG_2107.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsWNxStXSKk173_InWLFq4MqhaC6f-oMHI659lMRk4al70I8SMceUb9AMGzwMVYTamqFvqYFVpaDzplp2N13311AFiTQULC7IeASCEzpuACpYskTrOAQ0-aedxel3f_KolRl9pcuJBmp6d/s1600/IMG_2109.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsWNxStXSKk173_InWLFq4MqhaC6f-oMHI659lMRk4al70I8SMceUb9AMGzwMVYTamqFvqYFVpaDzplp2N13311AFiTQULC7IeASCEzpuACpYskTrOAQ0-aedxel3f_KolRl9pcuJBmp6d/s1600/IMG_2109.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>I'm not even sure I could buy 6 to 9 sheeps' tongues today even if I wanted to.</em></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I can't imagine a modern cookbook including a section on how to make sandwiches.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikT7i0-9NgJkPELOLqN988A8eZrMz9sX9myAoZbSzMM2KMj0lF1taJ6DrYj92a9WBedmYKKwO7v9YJC98-Hr4lac-cdHH_DfUQxBrf-bKJbzsO4qgVcU2nwt2yyBjbFKPufxBLu3yy_p29/s1600/IMG_2110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikT7i0-9NgJkPELOLqN988A8eZrMz9sX9myAoZbSzMM2KMj0lF1taJ6DrYj92a9WBedmYKKwO7v9YJC98-Hr4lac-cdHH_DfUQxBrf-bKJbzsO4qgVcU2nwt2yyBjbFKPufxBLu3yy_p29/s1600/IMG_2110.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>Instructions for sandwich making, good advice on the seasoning!</em></span></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As well as recipes the books have handy household hints sections ...</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-L7HnGRx1uuMn_A8jumtXk9OXNmPOBelb9G9gsjcgv3C84Lt2FIKX0Zs7sA3zL3TptxI6jcHFE4KMRcbtTEDRNzOyr-6HjGvA1Ul_8ryihfaODOf_a4XC9RYjDnSBbu3ETDYTzsYI3cah/s1600/IMG_2120+(Medium).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-L7HnGRx1uuMn_A8jumtXk9OXNmPOBelb9G9gsjcgv3C84Lt2FIKX0Zs7sA3zL3TptxI6jcHFE4KMRcbtTEDRNzOyr-6HjGvA1Ul_8ryihfaODOf_a4XC9RYjDnSBbu3ETDYTzsYI3cah/s1600/IMG_2120+(Medium).JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>The lost art of how to lay a table, and more importantly which fork to use for which dish!</em></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> think the stain removal guide is genius, I wonder how well some of them work! Why don't we have instructions like this in cookbooks any more? Just because we are generally no longer housewives, women (and men in this enlightened (!) age) still need to know all the modern day household tricks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ME4H50Qeeu_Aa7NbRc3CHWQ-3g0thuXsBAPt27KGN5QV-yIDWMQ03KQaAHgbWHorA-43RjSMdgJXso1VwM0LZg8H4w57yUrA9rHwdzaxzCeZZ8l8KuhftY0rXq2T_4JvvIlqCLn8pT2p/s1600/IMG_2121.JPG" height="640" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>How to remove stains and waterproof clothing, I am going to try and remember the mildew one, I would feel nervous putting silk in the potato water though!</em></span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ME4H50Qeeu_Aa7NbRc3CHWQ-3g0thuXsBAPt27KGN5QV-yIDWMQ03KQaAHgbWHorA-43RjSMdgJXso1VwM0LZg8H4w57yUrA9rHwdzaxzCeZZ8l8KuhftY0rXq2T_4JvvIlqCLn8pT2p/s1600/IMG_2121.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"></span></a><br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you have ever been looking for a recipe that your grandma used, let me know as I am sure it will be in one of these books! Especially the sweet treats. One last photo, I will leave you with this chutney and pickles page, I am going to be trying the red beet relish as soon as my beetroots are ready.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO5axpwh1ZfSBiHLpd4GHHCBnf9ekTNDx6znxAx5YTn48PBFmgwlRgujQKae_WhKiZVdoJsAmGcm-r7_6vMGRUSIYuSmp9mfPDsrXXf4OdoqjhnpT2CrLsyyDzRbuzWG0bMbG3uB-LdUyS/s1600/IMG_2123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO5axpwh1ZfSBiHLpd4GHHCBnf9ekTNDx6znxAx5YTn48PBFmgwlRgujQKae_WhKiZVdoJsAmGcm-r7_6vMGRUSIYuSmp9mfPDsrXXf4OdoqjhnpT2CrLsyyDzRbuzWG0bMbG3uB-LdUyS/s1600/IMG_2123.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Banana and apple chutney - no, but red beet relish sounds great!</span></em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm so pleased to have these, they are a real peice of history to hold on to.</span></div>
<br />bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12223209338487482412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052548617198306403.post-31828014022250792432014-04-08T19:32:00.002+12:002014-04-08T19:33:48.133+12:00Easy, effort-free bread recipe to knock your socks off!<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">I can’t claim credit for the recipe but it is
so ridiculously easy, hassle free and above all tasty that I had to share it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you’ve never made home-made bread before
because you think it is too difficult, time consuming and generally not worth
the bother, then give this recipe a try, it is delicious and will give you a
huge smug feeling for the whole day! </span>:<span style="font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is knead-free and prove-free so even if you
already have a good go-to recipe for bread, this recipe is still worth a try on
those days when you are feeling low on energy and simply can’t be bothered with
it all, we all have those for sure! <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="more"></a></span><br />
<a name='more'></a>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">I am a big Masterchef fan and have watched a
few seasons of the Australian and NZ series.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I saw Matt Preston making this bread in one of his masterclasses a
couple of seasons ago and forgot about it until a while ago:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>http://tenplay.com.au/channel-ten/masterchef/recipes/no-prove-bread-with-butter-and-raspberry-jam</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7lHVqwhd9koyTD4Oetnp2JIlILESxoXKNCiovOW9moH1C_7OCyeQ0PoWgxWGgSJ7z4jVgWvSxmxD67VIuTTpi5lnbgnRse0WlHMqtaKrThF4BqrzaGDsZiy13N6qSNnH8kgU099TgtiDP/s640/blogger-image-82552618.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7lHVqwhd9koyTD4Oetnp2JIlILESxoXKNCiovOW9moH1C_7OCyeQ0PoWgxWGgSJ7z4jVgWvSxmxD67VIuTTpi5lnbgnRse0WlHMqtaKrThF4BqrzaGDsZiy13N6qSNnH8kgU099TgtiDP/s640/blogger-image-82552618.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Not bad for a first attempt!</span></i></span></span></td></tr>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">I’ve made this a few times now and it has turned out beautifully each time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I'm giving full credit to the recipe as not all my bread making has turned out so consistently! </span>Fluffy insides and a nice crust, perfect
weekend brunch bread.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It also makes
great rolls for lunches and BBQs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The recipe
recommends a round loaf, a long loaf and two buns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Try it that way first if you are a bread
newbie and then you can play with you own shapes depending on what you
prefer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tend to make it in to a long
loaf and a tray of long, slightly flatter rolls than shown on the website,
almost ciabatta-like and a bit easier to get your mouth around with some
filling!</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqFXwg723AQBI0LPQ19KXYxsGV1-UX3Nyv5S1oOXAsVzGRAQp9vywrEYOciHlYfu-fAqlTE0DM5RG-lRojAhMxX8Rv68M4Oao9hGpLNT91kJLirx1rov2oIxQCrIifSU1M3AeCCCIH4020/s640/blogger-image--918223000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqFXwg723AQBI0LPQ19KXYxsGV1-UX3Nyv5S1oOXAsVzGRAQp9vywrEYOciHlYfu-fAqlTE0DM5RG-lRojAhMxX8Rv68M4Oao9hGpLNT91kJLirx1rov2oIxQCrIifSU1M3AeCCCIH4020/s640/blogger-image--918223000.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">You can't beat a bit of classic ham and cheese in the freshest bread!</span></i></span></span></td></tr>
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<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">It takes about 5 minutes to mix up and stick in
the fridge so I have found myself doing this at seemingly silly times such as 10
at night before heading to bed and even first thing in the morning before going
to work … the latter in particular is a thing of miracles as I am not a morning
person!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a long spell in the fridge
where it gets unbelievably poofy, all you need to do is get it out of the fridge
and let it sit on the counter for about an hour, pre-heat the oven, then plop
it on some trays for baking. RIDiculously easy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Just make sure you use a nice big bowl you won’t believe how much it
rises. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Ji8oBZobF5Q5O3iml1J2adgj6PFIpBktbruyftnXZ-3uVtELg_JCkuVLyJnrxdJyCJXkvvOwFB-752_Q32SdbI3Dm4FYGaXOPTxcN6UTtE3gq3LScweyBF_Zf9j2vlNIm3ml8nhAy2Xc/s640/blogger-image-1226706152.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Ji8oBZobF5Q5O3iml1J2adgj6PFIpBktbruyftnXZ-3uVtELg_JCkuVLyJnrxdJyCJXkvvOwFB-752_Q32SdbI3Dm4FYGaXOPTxcN6UTtE3gq3LScweyBF_Zf9j2vlNIm3ml8nhAy2Xc/s640/blogger-image-1226706152.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Ooops, I used a bigger bowl the second time!</span></i></span></span></td></tr>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Best of all, it is a great bread recipe for palying around with, I've made a long loaf with some different flavours. Feta and sundried tomato was beautiful and so was the garlic, rosemary and salt loaf. Just layer the extra ingredients in the middle of dough or place on top.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK6dP0v_2bvDBCKYAbWr_p6FwZPmRtVqqVfln6pj2T3RmMr01WAkV4Ki3CqHIitWJX4ZmJkQ41cJwobb1wpozjIJjjhnGWTjItBh6mmjloXjZRuFFfrQ-tjScl7Ov3UznkmfRj6MEke7Qp/s640/blogger-image--1558442129.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK6dP0v_2bvDBCKYAbWr_p6FwZPmRtVqqVfln6pj2T3RmMr01WAkV4Ki3CqHIitWJX4ZmJkQ41cJwobb1wpozjIJjjhnGWTjItBh6mmjloXjZRuFFfrQ-tjScl7Ov3UznkmfRj6MEke7Qp/s640/blogger-image--1558442129.jpg" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Experimenting with some different flavours</span></i></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">All of the kudos, none of the effort. Hmmm perhaps I shouldn't have shared the recipe, now my secret is out!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">The recipe is in the link above but as a quick reference, see below for how ridiculously easy it is :)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Ingredients </b></span></span></span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><label for="ingredient-item-125620">1kg bread flour, plus extra to dust</label>
</span></span></li>
<li>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><label for="ingredient-item-125621">1 tablespoon salt</label></span></span>
</li>
<li>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><label for="ingredient-item-125622">1 tablespoon instant dried yeast</label></span></span>
</li>
<li>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><label for="ingredient-item-125623">950ml lukewarm water</label> </span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Method </span></span></b></span><br />
<ol>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For the bread, combine flour, salt and yeast in a large bowl. Stir
in water until well combined. Cover with plastic wrap, then refrigerate
overnight</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Remove bowl from fridge 1 hour prior to cooking, and allow to come to room temperature. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Preheat oven to 220C.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Line two baking sheets with baking paper, and generously dust sheet
with flour. Place half of the dough onto one tray and place in oven for 1
hour or until golden, and the inside sounds hollow when knocked on the
base. Make rolls and a smaller long loaf with remaining half of dough.
Bake in oven for about 40 minutes or until golden and hollow inside.</span></span></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"></span></span></span></div>
bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12223209338487482412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052548617198306403.post-51864399866340227042014-03-12T10:56:00.005+13:002014-03-12T10:56:55.374+13:00Over-winter soil improvement<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">In the last post I covered vegetables that can be grown, and more importantly harvested, in winter. The post was quickly followed by a unseasonal chilly spell, sorry about that guys! :) The cold snap might have persuaded you that you really don't want to be gardening over the winter months or like me, you might not think you will need all of your vegetable beds for your winter veggies. Rather than letting it all go to weeds I've been researching some soil improvement tips as things don't seem to grow quite as well in one half of the patch for some reason. It gets the same amount of sun so I'm thinking it will benefit from some TLC.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="more"></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">My veggies are pretty tightly packed in and it is fairly intensive vegetable garden, so a rest and adding back some nutrients and organic matter will do it some good. Next year I can swap and do the same to the other half.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So after reading a lot of internet and magazines and books here is my plan ...</span></span><br />
<br />
<ol>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I've cleared this area, luckily all the things planted here have finished now. I'm going to dig in a some sheep poo today. I'll give the soil a good dig over to check that there are no lurking potatoes and work in the sheep pellets.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">In a week or so I'll get rid of any weeds that have appeared and then sow some blue lupins as green manure (I guess sheep poo is brown manure!?). This was a new thing for me but apparently if you chop up and dig the plants under the soil in Spring, a few weeks before you want to plant your seedlings they will enrich the soil with goodies for your spring plantings. Other options are mustard and broad beans too, I chose lupins just because they are pretty! Get green manure seed in the big packets rather than ornamental lupins. This will also keep the soil aerated and make digging easier in spring, no wet compacted soil for me! :)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">A lot of my garden goodies are grown in containers as well, I'll go round today and have a bit of a tidy up of those too. Most of my herbs will keep over winter, but I'll empty out all those that need replacing. The outdoor tomatoes are looking a bit sad (understatement) so I will be ruthless and get rid of those too. I'll give the pots a clean up and put in the shed until spring (sob, sniffle). </span></span></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7QjeflBEBCtw0Wy5agPPqKGFDcs3L8L-kWDxfHgB9E0FwNU7F4xu8bkn-h-LwHgKyQjHkXl0x0JZwHMcOgVbBchEADZv4yrm022CnYj9_471ggLIePRPMq7mMFdtGHan6Sxu3IdVOvExg/s640/blogger-image-666087690.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7QjeflBEBCtw0Wy5agPPqKGFDcs3L8L-kWDxfHgB9E0FwNU7F4xu8bkn-h-LwHgKyQjHkXl0x0JZwHMcOgVbBchEADZv4yrm022CnYj9_471ggLIePRPMq7mMFdtGHan6Sxu3IdVOvExg/s400/blogger-image-666087690.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Green and brown manure ready to go</span></i></span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So a little bit of work now and then it seems like you can relax and pat yourself on the back for a job well done and stay by the fire all winter if you aren't planning on keeping the growing going! :) For now though I still have lots of chillies, tomatoes, lettuces and strawberries coming through so I am planning to enjoy as much as I can of 'summer' while it lasts!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Any other good idea out there for the winter months?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Right I suppose after all this talk I'd better get on with it!</span></span>bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12223209338487482412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052548617198306403.post-15386605102570272952014-03-01T19:43:00.002+13:002014-03-01T19:43:22.367+13:00Winter is coming!<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Nope this isn't a post about Game of Thrones, but I've been thinking about what to do with the garden over winter. It seems ridiculous to be planning for winter on a lovely warm summers day (update that was Thursday, 2 days later it's bucketing down with rain and cold, much more appropriate). We’ve already stocked up with firewood while it was going cheap and I’ve been doing a bit of over-wintering research. It is the perfect time to start thinking about it as a lot of summer crops are finishing and it will soon be time to put in some of the slower autumn/winter seeds or seedlings.</span></span><br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_TfPgEabUjJSRhpo1kk3vH7rfaUxLOUMrX2S1mLyWdaP0ZANZlNvUGMzBd-tLopsEq8EkVQ9qFKtF8JFDdd0G2AadEkK2V-X1oUrW157vVvw-g-FovF5Ni0ZvWXHu9CfrhSgiFPtH-5Yw/s640/blogger-image-496803941.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_TfPgEabUjJSRhpo1kk3vH7rfaUxLOUMrX2S1mLyWdaP0ZANZlNvUGMzBd-tLopsEq8EkVQ9qFKtF8JFDdd0G2AadEkK2V-X1oUrW157vVvw-g-FovF5Ni0ZvWXHu9CfrhSgiFPtH-5Yw/s400/blogger-image-496803941.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Half the wood-pile, will be sad to leave summer but I can't wait for the first cosy fire!</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="more"></a><br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">As I see it there are three options for the veggie patch over winter:</span></span></div>
<ol style="text-align: justify;">
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Throw your hands up in the air, let the weeds have at it and forget about it until Spring.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Find some vegetables that will grow happily over winter to make the grey months a little greener.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Work on improving your soil to give you a great start in the Spring.</span></span></li>
</ol>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This will be a 2 part blog because option one really needs no explaining, the weeds will figure it out all by themselves but options 2 and 3 are worth a bit more detail. I think all of the options are pretty good ones really, even option 1. Sometimes you just need a break and to come back in Spring with fresh enthusiasm! I mostly let my patch go as per option 1 last year with the exception of a small corner of broccoli and leeks but I want to see if I can expand on this and find some more vegetables to grow over winter. </span></span><br />
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5cvyO4qTUY40ZATDXIfy81GFIjPjt-Q3nM4TLrMs8uOPluy_jcJlYTDD7FSQ6qo0SqIbn_HEnSXXlr5ctUdc8EUa573Dd1aAaRaipchJhiSwCW9x234ucFcvUancVxtEbhbvGQfT7m_gX/s640/blogger-image-863333991.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5cvyO4qTUY40ZATDXIfy81GFIjPjt-Q3nM4TLrMs8uOPluy_jcJlYTDD7FSQ6qo0SqIbn_HEnSXXlr5ctUdc8EUa573Dd1aAaRaipchJhiSwCW9x234ucFcvUancVxtEbhbvGQfT7m_gX/s400/blogger-image-863333991.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Frosty - last year's leeks, broccoli and lots and lots of weeds!</i></span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I am going to try and put the ramshackle greenhouse in to use this year too, this wasn’t an option last year due to lack of roof! There are still holes and missing panes of glass but it should protect plants from the worst of the elements! If you don’t have a greenhouse you could try fashioning little poly-tunnels fairly cheaply out of hoops and clear plastic.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So Option 2 – Finding some vegetables that will be ready to harvest in winter. As I live in Dunedin I’ve got to find some that will cope with frost too, those of you up North will probably be able to find an even wider range to grow. We’re close to the sea though so the frosts are generally not too fierce but I might have to consider some straw or something similar if it gets a bit freezing! For this to work I am choosing the part of the patch that is in sun all day and putting Option 3 to use in the slightly shadier area, the veggies will need all the light they can get. Raised beds and containers are also probably a better bet as well than a waterlogged prone in-ground patch. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Beetroot </b>- you can <span style="color: #0b5394;"><i>sow these up until the end of April with a break until July, </i><span style="color: black;">harvesting through winter for a welcome bit of colour on your plate in the absence of tomatoes!</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Brassicas - </b>these do better in cooler months anyway with less bug attacks. I'm going to try Cabbages, Broccoli and Cauliflower. <span style="color: #0b5394;"><i>T<span style="color: #3d85c6;">hese can be planted from now until end of April here in Dunners for harvest from June onwards, those of you up north could plant as late as May, lucky things</span></i></span>. :)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Brussel Sprouts </b>- I think my husband will run screaming if I plant these, but you could plant these in <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">April and May for harvest in July </span>onwards</i> if you have Brussels tolerant people in your household!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Carrots - </b>There are a few varieties that can be sown all year round, they'll grow slower over winter so I will have to make sure I sow a short row of carrots every 2 weeks to keep me supplied with a bit of colour and crunch! <span style="background-color: #3d85c6;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="background-color: white;">C</span><span style="background-color: white;">heck packets for all year round varieties.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span></span></span></i></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Garlic </b>- obviously this won't be ready until summer but it will need to be planted mid-winter! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Greens </b>- Spinach, Silverbeet and Kale. I've lumped these all in to one category because they can all be used to put some green on your plates over winter. <span style="color: #0b5394;"><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Winter varieties of Spinach can be sown/planted all through winter, Silverbeet and Kale can be sown/planted in autumn for winter harvest</span>. </i><span style="color: black;"> These could even be grown in containers in a sheltered but sunny spot.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Herbs</b> - Parsley and coriander will grow in a greenhouse over winter I'm told. I feel a bit sceptical but I'm willing to give it a try! There is always the option of a warm kitchen windowsill for some other herbs like basil and chives.</span><i> </i></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Leeks</b> - <span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i>Sow a few batches through autumn</i></span> for winter harvests. These are fabulous in winter warmer casseroles, pies and stews. They'll substitute for onions in some dishes if you run out.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Lettuce</b>
– lettuce in winter!?!?! Lettuce was one thing I was surprised to miss
so much by the end of last winter. There are some varieties though
that will cope with the colder temperatures and shorter days so I am
going to give it a go. I will grow some in the greenhouse too just in
case. I've got some Yate's Winter Triumph seeds, so when it gets too
cold for the summer lettuces I'll give these a whirl. <span style="color: #0b5394;"><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Seeds can been sown from early autumn through to late winter, perfect</span>. </i><span style="color: black;">You could pop cloches or cut up plastic bottles over them in the coldest frosts.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Peas & broad beans</b> - Normally a spring crop but they can do well in autumn too, <span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i>they can be planted in the garden from April onwards</i></span>, protect with straw in the coldest months. I'm keen to give this a go! </span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Radish </b>- hardy varieties of these can be grown in a greenhouse or under a poly-tunnel apparently, haven't tried this but will give it a go! </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #747474;"><span style="color: black;">So hopefully that will keep me going through June, July and August with veggies from the garden, until it is time to start planting some spring crops. What have I left out, I'd love to hear what you are planning to plant for winter harvests?</span></span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwwhmY3iFTH_m_oY93sBJXwOwOcxnPkCNdzc39whqbzGLFooFa1VwrFdoJim2Zi57hr1u_CG0YHC_Fw7Y28fMMZLDcDFG7CwS3t_UtGRxpgUSbegLYjDl1gGLJfWx0pczR7PDEYFXKMkmw/s1600/Jon-Snow-jon-snow-28167509-1280-720-620x348.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwwhmY3iFTH_m_oY93sBJXwOwOcxnPkCNdzc39whqbzGLFooFa1VwrFdoJim2Zi57hr1u_CG0YHC_Fw7Y28fMMZLDcDFG7CwS3t_UtGRxpgUSbegLYjDl1gGLJfWx0pczR7PDEYFXKMkmw/s1600/Jon-Snow-jon-snow-28167509-1280-720-620x348.jpg" height="223" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">This might have to be my gardening outfit if it gets very cold this year!</span></i></span></td></tr>
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bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12223209338487482412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052548617198306403.post-50124943035253880162014-01-29T11:30:00.001+13:002014-01-29T11:30:09.367+13:00Glut recipes - Tomatoes<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tomato season is well and truly here, I've cleared out some space in the freezer to prepare for the tubs of sauce that will be taking up residence soon. The damp start to summer and the fact that I may have slightly over-crowded the greenhouse has caused a few issues of the fungal variety but I think I've caught it in time and the fruit production doesn't seem to be affected, fingers crossed! </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuF-v3Rw12aHtcj_NMzZI950718o8MLHY7Vg5KdCX0vd9BNWDCyBCJgRq2WRXz-2HWxTnloXtmMKAPV2I8qSyOpqr5KIPuaE2SpIXair3ZVQbAy6OX3HnbcjygoJHQkmkwnxoSj9OMKAAQ/s1600/toms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuF-v3Rw12aHtcj_NMzZI950718o8MLHY7Vg5KdCX0vd9BNWDCyBCJgRq2WRXz-2HWxTnloXtmMKAPV2I8qSyOpqr5KIPuaE2SpIXair3ZVQbAy6OX3HnbcjygoJHQkmkwnxoSj9OMKAAQ/s1600/toms.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The harvest in just one day, delish!</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Verdana;">The sungolds and early fruiting bloody butchers have been fantastic, I can really recommend these variety for taste and yield. The beef maestro are looking wonderful too, very big and plump, but they haven't started ripening so I can't judge the taste yet. Shouldn't be too much longer though. I'm impatiently waiting for my prize tomato ... I've been peering through the glass at it for a couple of weeks now, it is huuuuuge!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFVoZhKicPzttg-PcokIVPsGkiuNLEVvrpjV4hdhtO7q4xdrNwK6S8gmylQw07RBk5c3mObsbUg-H0ECK8vlq23iomvhlgWs3UeMLUMsnXmBLP7SlvqjK1ieRLnrmYAXT-oef-E6EWopFA/s1600/prize.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFVoZhKicPzttg-PcokIVPsGkiuNLEVvrpjV4hdhtO7q4xdrNwK6S8gmylQw07RBk5c3mObsbUg-H0ECK8vlq23iomvhlgWs3UeMLUMsnXmBLP7SlvqjK1ieRLnrmYAXT-oef-E6EWopFA/s1600/prize.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Peering through the glass at my prize tom!</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Same as last year though, I planted far too many cherry toms, I must learn to restrict myself with these, ha!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">In addition to the salsa in last weeks blog, this sweet chilli jam recipe below is a winner for using up a bumper tomato haul. I made some last year and the first batch didn't quite set, it was perfect for sweet and sour stir fry sauce or dipping sauce, the second batch set a bit more jam-like and it was great for accompanying a cheese platter, cold meats or crudites.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I will mainly use the tomatoes for this basic multi-purpose tomato sauce. This goes straight in the freezer and from there, once defrosted, you can use it for a range of pasta sauces, bolognese or chilli. Just add basil (and any other pasta favourites like bacon, mushrooms, chicken etc) for pasta sauce. Fry mince with a oxo cube for bolognese adding in oregano and red wine once cooked then pour in the sauce. Ditto for chilli except add cumin, chillies (or hot sauce) red wine and kidney beans along with the sauce. Easy, quick and warming on winter days when summer is long gone. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIfYHVBh8atDox8OHmg4X3_190_ZHhfsucBzjkvBITHyGiWdSCW7XFFQy8MdGoQjYwX7KWnkviWk8YKyBkvPmJy0ZgrUvvnfK31Z9uz2kDg3CIxqPc4ay8HR4G4oXXqgtHXFX8KkCSMFYO/s1600/sauce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIfYHVBh8atDox8OHmg4X3_190_ZHhfsucBzjkvBITHyGiWdSCW7XFFQy8MdGoQjYwX7KWnkviWk8YKyBkvPmJy0ZgrUvvnfK31Z9uz2kDg3CIxqPc4ay8HR4G4oXXqgtHXFX8KkCSMFYO/s1600/sauce.jpg" height="362" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The start of tomato sauce season ... batch one of many</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">So there are my tomato basics but I am still looking for yet more ideas so that I don't get sick of tomatoes in everything. I even have a tomato pinterest board, feel free to follow and send me pins and recipes, I will be ever so appreciative!! http://www.pinterest.com/belle1207/tomato-glut-recipes/</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Of course the best thing to do with tomatoes is just to eat them ... warm and ripe and fresh from the vine :)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>Tomato Chilli Jam</b></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">500g ripe tomatoes (cores removed and roughly chopped) </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">4 red chillis </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">5 garlic cloves peeled</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">20g ginger (peeled & roughly chopped)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">2 tbsp Thai fish sauce (use soy sauce if you want to make it veggie)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">300g sugar </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">100ml white wine vinegar</span></li>
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<li class="instruction"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sterilise the jars by boiling for 5 minutes or on the hot cycle of a dishwasher. Preheat the oven to 160C/325F/Gas 3. Place the jars upside down on a baking tray and dry in the oven for 10-15 minutes.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Heat chopped tomatoes in a large heavy-based saucepan over a low heat until starting to break down just a little bit.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Add the chillies, garlic, ginger, vinegar and sugar. Bring the mixture to the boil, then simmer for about 30 minutes, or until very thick and you can draw a wooden spoon across the base of the pan so that it leaves a channel behind it that does not immediately fill with liquid.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Add the fish sauce and cook for 2-3 more minutes, then spoon into sterilised jars. If the seal on the jar lid does not give when you press down on it then it should keep for up to a year, otherwise store in the fridge and use within a couple of weeks.</span></li>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Basic Multi-purpose Tomato Sauce</span></span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">up or down scale the recipe depending on how many toms you have, it is worth saving them up to cook a big batch. This is a very simple recipe, but not to worry, you add more flavour with herbs and spices when you turn it in to it's final creation.</span></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">800g chopped tomatoes, I just remove the hard bit at the top & core of the tomato rather than faffing about removing skins and seeds</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">2-4 cloves garlic, minced (preference depending)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">1 onion, chopped finely</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">1 tbsp tomato paste</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">olive oil </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">salt and pepper</span></span></li>
</ul>
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<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Fry the onions on a medium heat in a bit of olive oil until</span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> soft and starting to turn golden. Add the garlic and fry that for a brief minute. Dump in the tomatoes and cook until starting to break down, then add the tomato paste and season to taste. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Continue to cook until the tomatoes have completely broken down and the sauce has lost its watery look and begun to thicken up.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Let cool and then divvy up in to portions for the freezer. I find that half a 1kg yoghurt pot is plenty of sauce to turn in to a meal for 2. </span></span></li>
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</span>bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12223209338487482412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052548617198306403.post-63110258929497028312014-01-15T11:13:00.002+13:002014-01-15T11:13:17.178+13:00Glut recipes - broad beans and spring onions<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The broad beans and spring onions have got to be my success story for the year ... at least so far. I was expecting to have loads of the beans for the freezer but I've been throwing them in everything since husband decided he likes them after all! They've gone in salads, stir fries and pastas, so have the spring onions.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Glorious fresh goodies from the garden</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<a name='more'></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This blog might come a bit late for most of you in NZ so bookmark it for next year ... or it may persuade someone in the UK coming in to spring to plant some broad beans out. I was a bit late getting my plants in and only just harvested the last of them last week after getting back from hols. The hummous recipe below is worth growing them for even if you don't like the beans that seem to hold so much childhood terror! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you have a whole stash in the freezer that you aren't sure what to do with then this would be a good way to use up quite a lot of them! It's a lighter fresher tasting hummous I reckon.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The salsa recipe below is also a great way to use up a few spring onions as well as tomatoes if you have some ripening. I used some of the first of the tomatoes in this last weekend and it just tasted fabulous, very fresh and full of summer :) Most salsa recipes call for red onion but I'm not a big fan of raw onion, the spring onions work perfectly for me, a little bit milder but still a nice bit of crunch to the salsa. Best thing about this salsa is that you can get all the ingredients out of your garden if you plant them! :) My lemons aren't quite ready so I used lemon juice from a bottle (shocking) but they are getting there for next time!</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVeAfQn40Ko5ciHpHHC56lBwf1W-EbXDlRuUqbreuaAsgExVKZRlcMEM5uuAgurptiZ50RW-erJTtLa75Lg4ZYtetC9mCJIQeoe7Yfa6Nhlf4nzANLfmcNWrzAQ7puNBN4rfcDIJNQhlxe/s640/blogger-image-2036265784.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVeAfQn40Ko5ciHpHHC56lBwf1W-EbXDlRuUqbreuaAsgExVKZRlcMEM5uuAgurptiZ50RW-erJTtLa75Lg4ZYtetC9mCJIQeoe7Yfa6Nhlf4nzANLfmcNWrzAQ7puNBN4rfcDIJNQhlxe/s400/blogger-image-2036265784.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Nearly ripe!</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These two recipes make quite a lot, especially the hummous, so halve ingredients if you are just making for you and you don't want to be eating it all week. Otherwise, add friends, wine, cheese and crackers and enjoy the compliments coming your way :) Though I still had plenty for leftovers the next day to make a effort-free lunch, yusssss!!</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIDtaEK1y1cF_5tcyz85KcLKlLa4ut8cb4Zv7WJzKseXh0LMMsGVlwzcbOukbkaFHoRtVeAgS_J5ZPJe2hrN1gQEUdT9BfDQY9IhS9eiWaZu80DMFvJfLpU_z_0LLpFhfsyhqQqrnSMDnZ/s1600/salsa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIDtaEK1y1cF_5tcyz85KcLKlLa4ut8cb4Zv7WJzKseXh0LMMsGVlwzcbOukbkaFHoRtVeAgS_J5ZPJe2hrN1gQEUdT9BfDQY9IhS9eiWaZu80DMFvJfLpU_z_0LLpFhfsyhqQqrnSMDnZ/s400/salsa.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Unfortunately there wasn't much of the salsa left over ... will have to make more! I've been eating the hummous all week though!</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<br />
<b><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Broad bean hummous</span></span></span></b><br />
<br />
<ul class="nl_recipe_ingredients_list">
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="amount"><span class="ingredient_amount" data-alternate-mes-amount="21">600 </span>
<span class="ingredient_type" data-alternate-mes-type="oz"> grams </span> </span>
<span itemprop="name"> <span class="ingredient_title" data-alternate-mes-ing_type="fava beans"> broad beans </span> </span>
(you can top up with chickpeas if you don't have quite enough, I used 400g BBs and 200g chickpeas)</span></span></span>
</li>
<li>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient">
<span itemprop="amount"> <span class="ingredient_amount" data-alternate-mes-amount="7"> 7 </span>
<span class="ingredient_type" data-alternate-mes-type="cloves"> cloves </span> </span>
<span itemprop="name"> <span class="ingredient_title" data-alternate-mes-ing_type="garlic"> garlic </span> </span>
(peeled and roughly chopped) </span></span></span>
</li>
<li>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient">
<span itemprop="amount"> <span class="ingredient_amount" data-alternate-mes-amount="4"> 100 </span>
<span class="ingredient_type" data-alternate-mes-type="fl oz"> ml </span> </span>
<span itemprop="name"> <span class="ingredient_title" data-alternate-mes-ing_type="water"> water </span> </span>
</span></span></span>
</li>
<li>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient">
<span itemprop="amount"> <span class="ingredient_amount" data-alternate-mes-amount="2"> juice of 2 </span>
<span class="ingredient_type" data-alternate-mes-type="small"> small </span> </span>
<span itemprop="name"> <span class="ingredient_title" data-alternate-mes-ing_type="lemons"> lemons </span></span> </span></span></span>
</li>
<li>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient">
<span itemprop="amount"> <span class="ingredient_amount" data-alternate-mes-amount="4"> 120 </span>
<span class="ingredient_type" data-alternate-mes-type="fl oz"> ml </span> </span>
<span itemprop="name"> <span class="ingredient_title" data-alternate-mes-ing_type="extra virgin olive oil"> extra virgin olive oil </span> </span>
</span></span></span>
</li>
<li>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient">
<span itemprop="amount"> <span class="ingredient_amount" data-alternate-mes-amount="2"> 2 </span>
<span class="ingredient_type" data-alternate-mes-type="tablespoons"> tablespoons </span> </span>
<span itemprop="name"> <span class="ingredient_title" data-alternate-mes-ing_type="tahini"> tahini </span></span> </span></span></span>
</li>
<li>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient">
<span itemprop="amount"> <span class="ingredient_amount" data-alternate-mes-amount=""> </span>
<span class="ingredient_type" data-alternate-mes-type=""> </span> </span>
<span itemprop="name"> <span class="ingredient_title" data-alternate-mes-ing_type="salt"> salt and pepper</span></span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="name"><span class="ingredient_title" data-alternate-mes-ing_type="freshly ground pepper"></span> </span>
</span></span></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<div class="nl_recipe_method nl_recipe_section print_width70 no_border" itemprop="instructions">
<ol>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Put the <span class="spelling" data-alternative-spelling="fava beans">broad beans</span> (and chickpeas if using)
into a pan with the garlic and water, season with salt and pepper and cook the beans slowly for 5 minutes or so, stirring
occasionally. Remove them from the heat and leave to cool a little. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Use a food processor, liquidiser or blender. You may need to do this in two batches, I did! Just use half of everything if need be and then repeat. Put the <span class="spelling" data-alternative-spelling="fava beans">broad beans</span>
into the blender with the cooking liquid and process
on high, stop occasionally to stir and
scrape the sides of the blender. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">When the beans are fairly well mushed leave the machine running and
pour in the lemon juice, then slowly add the olive oil and tahini. Stop the machine every now and then to scrape the sides. Taste and add more salt and pepper, or lemon juice if you think is needed.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The hummous should be thick but still pour-able with no big bits of beans still visible. Transfer the hummous into a bowl,leave in a covered bowl at room temperature if you are going to eat soon or in fridge until required. I love this garnished with a sprinkling of paprika served with garlic pita and carrots. You'll never look at broad beans the same way :)</span></span></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fresh summer salsa</span></span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="nl_recipe_method nl_recipe_section print_width70 no_border" itemprop="instructions">
</div>
<div class="nl_recipe_method nl_recipe_section print_width70 no_border" itemprop="instructions">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This is quite a loose recipe as I wasn't paying very much attention ... feel free to increase/decrease ingredients to suit your preferences! Salsa is also one of those recipes that everyone has their own ideas on how it should taste, if you mix it all up and think it needs more of something then get some more and throw it in</span></span><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="nl_recipe_method nl_recipe_section print_width70 no_border" itemprop="instructions">
<ul>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">3-4 medium sized fresh tomatoes, small dices</span></span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">3 spring onions, chopped</span></span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">1 hot chili pepper (stems, ribs, seeds removed), finely diced. I actually used a few splashes of hot sauce as my hot chillies seem to be off the scale in hotness and I didn't want the the salsa to be too hot</span></span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Juice of one lime or small lemon</span></span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">1/2 cup chopped coriander</span></span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Salt to taste</span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<ol>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Chop the tomatoes, spring onions, coriander and chillies (if using, don't forget to wash your hands after, especially if you wear contact lenses like me, ouch!).<b> </b></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Combine all of the ingredients in a medium sized bowl.
Taste. If too hot, add some more tomato. If not hot enough, add a few of the seeds from the
chilies or more hot sauce. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
Let sit for an hour for the flavors to combine. Can you get any easier?!</span></span> </li>
</ol>
</div>
bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12223209338487482412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052548617198306403.post-53185897628583587682013-12-10T21:28:00.000+13:002013-12-10T21:28:37.603+13:00Sunshine on a rainy day<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hello all, I hope you've all been enjoying the start to summer. There has been some sun in there between the rain and wind!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The veggies have been enjoying it anyway, perhaps not so much the wind, but the change between sun and rain has everything going bonkers. I haven't been planting much out lately, hence no how-to blogs being posted lately, I've just been impatiently waiting for things to harvest until recently. My impatience is being rewarded though, </span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I am starting to get things out of the garden to eat now, hooray! </span><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Spring onions, broad beans, radishes and lettuces have been been fantastic springtime producers. This is the first time I have grown broad beans and they have been great! Husband said he hated them but I have won him over with these home-grown bad boys. We're getting handfuls every other day but I don't think there are going to be any left for freezing, they are getting thrown in to nearly every meal ... salads, stir-fries and pasta.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9qn7JsK1E58_68W9e4u7RR7BkzyTirc_w-T_2IOCIuFsooi_ktwwGyK0da44yGB3ckoK8yzyzjeF7IN3zgFGeCdG4kla2Ci5HQzv2wSeQ4YyibG7utZjSWyqo1_0GI1xYrZ8sbqBw4_6x/s640/blogger-image-858882740.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9qn7JsK1E58_68W9e4u7RR7BkzyTirc_w-T_2IOCIuFsooi_ktwwGyK0da44yGB3ckoK8yzyzjeF7IN3zgFGeCdG4kla2Ci5HQzv2wSeQ4YyibG7utZjSWyqo1_0GI1xYrZ8sbqBw4_6x/s400/blogger-image-858882740.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Bright green jewels, no leathery grey broad beans </span></span></span></span></i></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">here!</span></span></span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">There are many reasons I love having a backyard veggie plot but Sunday gave me the best reason. I couldn't be bothered to go to the supermarket but didn't have much left in the fridge/cupboards, went for a walk around the garden and realised I didn't have to! Luckily I had some milk left so pancakes were made to go with the first generous strawberry pickings and a few almost ripe cherries (need a bit longer but it was a face-off between us and the birds). Breakfast sorted! It was raining so the strawberries were a lovely ray of sunshine on a grey day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilwtc3GOigVe2abd9FfJhNuCHhPigI6mlXtVNFUZe2QNnOZMPM516tyXUfSZZ7hyphenhyphen4yNmEsvMtQRWW02oeJzs8b2In1xuIm4Dpfmy2pPXrBXUCLypF0RpJxyjwXihw4h_ON54IDU6_Kw2JA/s640/blogger-image-2058472029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilwtc3GOigVe2abd9FfJhNuCHhPigI6mlXtVNFUZe2QNnOZMPM516tyXUfSZZ7hyphenhyphen4yNmEsvMtQRWW02oeJzs8b2In1xuIm4Dpfmy2pPXrBXUCLypF0RpJxyjwXihw4h_ON54IDU6_Kw2JA/s320/blogger-image-2058472029.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">MMmm summer</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpmpT58dPASdhJUWTQVg5BgWxJ_V2t6HwsTYvk06jVrqaSF6xNx9IbQeUbywsVY7Av5O0MNzRagxUSh9Mb2pXoiNbTPYBNjK9gdiS7xOZCfP3TjAemyIOBcHp_Rdynds1Rp2TqpEobP9O3/s640/blogger-image-355303639.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpmpT58dPASdhJUWTQVg5BgWxJ_V2t6HwsTYvk06jVrqaSF6xNx9IbQeUbywsVY7Av5O0MNzRagxUSh9Mb2pXoiNbTPYBNjK9gdiS7xOZCfP3TjAemyIOBcHp_Rdynds1Rp2TqpEobP9O3/s320/blogger-image-355303639.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Sunday breakfast, can't beat pancakes!</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I defrosted some soup made from last years home grown leek and potato soup and that was lunch done.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Dinner was a defrosted peice of chicken made in to a honey soy sauce stir fry with noodles, carrots, mushrooms scavenged from the bottom of the fridge and cupboard topped up with lots of spring onions, broad beans, the first of the sugar snap peas, some coriander from the herb patch and dried chillies from last year. Recipe below just because it is so easy and damn tasty.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">In other garden news ... spent a lot of time in the greenhouse last night. The tomato plants are starting to freak me out, they are almost as tall as me. I did a bit of weeding (not too many, hooray), did some lateral hunting and pulling, I broke off some of the lower leaf branches to provide a bit of airflow and to keep things healthy (fingers crossed), and tied a few bits of string from the greenhouse roof to keep the plants straight-ish! Looks much better in there now. There are heaps of tomatoes coming through and some are getting quite big. I am sure the first tomato will ripen while I am away over Christmas, nooooooo!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1RCz4-OzE1SqeqZc8HR-STcbszY3qtx7zf87ZNQt1M9XmmOZsRtb0B73-AcwLlnFxZ84FXtYNUHzzKQpOauu-a8hOjp6iOl1G-ysQ21fbjtC1bdZei7uoM4NfcnqHCiSnWjGwPM1FRJdD/s640/blogger-image--135272154.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1RCz4-OzE1SqeqZc8HR-STcbszY3qtx7zf87ZNQt1M9XmmOZsRtb0B73-AcwLlnFxZ84FXtYNUHzzKQpOauu-a8hOjp6iOl1G-ysQ21fbjtC1bdZei7uoM4NfcnqHCiSnWjGwPM1FRJdD/s320/blogger-image--135272154.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">In two months, the toms have gone from barely visible ...</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0AAe2PvignX2pm2qICOlTipucMwxaeFKM4vJVxX5iCI0amu0Hy9CbSieRL4X7p9WJ1JxMgAX6CdvdrIYqkAI1d0BbsSMQKlF8dXNtUqw1Kc3vDkmTUObIW7QAl6HJGeGCnUSC3l8G6Xam/s640/blogger-image-1993488797.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0AAe2PvignX2pm2qICOlTipucMwxaeFKM4vJVxX5iCI0amu0Hy9CbSieRL4X7p9WJ1JxMgAX6CdvdrIYqkAI1d0BbsSMQKlF8dXNtUqw1Kc3vDkmTUObIW7QAl6HJGeGCnUSC3l8G6Xam/s400/blogger-image-1993488797.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">... to completely bonkers, and forming lots of fruit!</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Really do need to go to the supermarket tonight though, no more excuses! I wish my garden was big enough for some chickens and a cow ... then maybe I could put of the shopping run for another few days! :)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;"><b>Honey soy sauce stir fry - serves 2</b></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;"></span></b><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;"><i>This is infinitely adaptable for using up cupboard stores and whatever veggies you have in the garden, if you want to swap chicken for other meat, omit the honey. Swap veggies in or out willy nilly, though I have to say this combo was pretty tasty, add in nuts such as cashews if you have them ...</i></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">A large chicken breast cubed</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span>
<li><div class="ingredient">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">noodles for 2, whatever you have</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> cooked as per instructions on the packet and left to cool </span></div>
</li>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span>
<li><div class="ingredient">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1 tbsp clear </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">honey</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="ingredient">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1/2 tbsp chopped </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">ginger</span></div>
</li>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span>
<li><div class="ingredient">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1 clove </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">garlic</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span></div>
</li>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span>
<li><div class="ingredient">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">3 </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">spring onions</span></div>
</li>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span>
<li><div class="ingredient">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">½ red </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">chilli</span></div>
</li>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span>
<li><div class="ingredient">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1 small </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">carrot</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="ingredient">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">6 mushrooms sliced</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="ingredient">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">a handful or two of broad beans and sugar snap peas</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="ingredient">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">2 tbsp </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">soy sauce (taste then add more if you prefer)</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="ingredient">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1 lime, </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">zest</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> and juice </span></div>
</li>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span>
<li><div class="ingredient">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">bunch </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">fresh coriander</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Prepare all the ingredients including noodles. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Heat a large wok to a high heat. Add a little oil and once it is smoking hot add the chicken. Seal the meat and when it is half cooked, add the honey and continue cooking until the chicken is fully cooked and a rich golden colour. Remove from the wok and set to one side while you cook the veggies. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Add a little more oil to the re-heated wok and fry off the garlic, ginger and chilli for about 20 seconds. Add the vegetables moving them around so that they stir fry evenly. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Add the pre-cooked noodles and saute for a minute or so before returning the chicken to the pan. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Mix well, add the chopped coriander, seaon by addingsoy sauce and the lime zest and juice.</span> </li>
</ol>
bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12223209338487482412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052548617198306403.post-15282048932936812312013-11-21T12:50:00.000+13:002013-11-21T12:50:21.694+13:00Someone else is living my dream / rampant radishes<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I had a lovely trip over to Central Otago
this weekend to visit friends, got to sit in the sunshine too, fantastic!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also got to visit their mum, a lady who is
currently living my dream and came back to Dunedin full of envy and
determination. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I wish I’d had my camera or phone with me
to take some photos but I forgot. They live on a cherry orchard and have huge veggie
patches with rows of wonderful looking veg, including some of the biggest onions I have
ever seen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Husband did snap a picture of
these on his phone which, alas, I didn’t think to steal for further pictures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apart from the vegetables and orchard, she
has a flock of the cutest, fluffiest chickens, this was the main source of my
envy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One even has the name Mr
Fluffy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These chooks had a big run with
access to the orchard, they looked like they had a great life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I did get to enjoy some of their fresh eggs in an omelette on
my return though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One day … one day I will have
chickens!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDfNSChYaTs1rh79L2roNAF961Hrt7eyEC80nzVvR0HuE_NgF5pLoRgPMEJyfnfs_cPimmYs6e-dVaL-yJyglGluwmkNMttBsPcVDsIJlwEiP94N2Io7MR9PyznClFSgesOpGDMRVT7yon/s1600/giant+onions.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDfNSChYaTs1rh79L2roNAF961Hrt7eyEC80nzVvR0HuE_NgF5pLoRgPMEJyfnfs_cPimmYs6e-dVaL-yJyglGluwmkNMttBsPcVDsIJlwEiP94N2Io7MR9PyznClFSgesOpGDMRVT7yon/s400/giant+onions.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><em>Hard to get an idea of scale from a photo but these giant </em></span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><em>onions </em></span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><em>were grown in groups and were humungous!</em></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">As we were chatting I spotted her radishes and asked if she had any recipe tips, I've only had them sliced in salads. Next thing I know we are sitting down to a plate of raw radishes and salt, and do you know what, it would have been perfect with a cold beer on a hot day :) </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Right, so this is confession time ... I have been cheating on you, with another blog!! I entered a Yates gardening blog competition and they sent me a free packet of radish seeds for signing up. I put these in amongst the carrot seeds and a couple of days later I walked past and was cursing the weeds for reappearing so quickly and then realised it was the radishes already! Two weeks after putting the seeds in I was picking radishes. Three weeks later I am picking full size, bright red radishes and have more than I can cope with, whoops! I can definitely recommend these as any easy fast crop ... it is the first time I have eaten them let alone grown them. I will definitely be growing these again, just in slightly smaller quantities.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;"></span> </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOdm5sb7lBlAyO4RpYkdd1N_mqg6h_5fQdR2Zk_jxd1hlv5A7pHgoaAyBzKkftFj4lxLpSITunpAZ_1eEv43hcltqFl1HTEJf6UVQkiB3gdveLXidDADB5Ck5KIJjRbFc5lHUGx0J1XurI/s1600/radishes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOdm5sb7lBlAyO4RpYkdd1N_mqg6h_5fQdR2Zk_jxd1hlv5A7pHgoaAyBzKkftFj4lxLpSITunpAZ_1eEv43hcltqFl1HTEJf6UVQkiB3gdveLXidDADB5Ck5KIJjRbFc5lHUGx0J1XurI/s400/radishes.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Please excuse the weeds, they are growing as fast as the radishes!</span></em></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They really are so easy to grow so I am not going to bother to take much time explaining how. Get a bit of bare land, make a shallow groove, scatter seeds, or a mix of carrot and radish seeds along the groove and cover shallowly with soil. Sit back and watch them grow, vrooooom! They can be planted pretty much all year round too.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They add a great bit of colour and peppery crunch to salads or asian stir fries, but please let me know if you have any other ideas ... please!!!! Umm would anyone like some radishes?!?!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpF2mcHtpxhe-QYvvey_PqeaIABqU5mjUu1jripmZ08sKZWypjhLuUgdW16zx6Byd32AiKUPMgoosKyjZhL_UKVILWWNv1loVeZ9qf2ij47SVirJ5xv2WaFwG3cCVHiRTTLZ-Uo31uapn7/s1600/sala.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpF2mcHtpxhe-QYvvey_PqeaIABqU5mjUu1jripmZ08sKZWypjhLuUgdW16zx6Byd32AiKUPMgoosKyjZhL_UKVILWWNv1loVeZ9qf2ij47SVirJ5xv2WaFwG3cCVHiRTTLZ-Uo31uapn7/s400/sala.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Pretty salad from the garden, mixed lettuce with sliced radishes and pansies.</span></em></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12223209338487482412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052548617198306403.post-25041819276350476542013-11-04T19:35:00.002+13:002013-11-04T19:35:58.703+13:00A weekend with Annabel Langbein<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well not really, but it felt like it :)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After entering my details on Annabel
Langbein’s website I was lucky enough to be chosen to be a free range foodie
panel member and receive a free advance copy of her new recipe book, a Free Range Life Summer
Annual.</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL_Wt1pX4JG1TZXPp4DpvfWyaeFbjuwizSqwj7OEdSul4hRKDy9lfQevFALGsQmWDDocg1PABC_7ynALAhLsw4gwgl-_m0o0CMW7KkOcCHT0q4FoB3tVcHrJ5iGicH1LVoocD1v6nlnVqq/s1600/book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL_Wt1pX4JG1TZXPp4DpvfWyaeFbjuwizSqwj7OEdSul4hRKDy9lfQevFALGsQmWDDocg1PABC_7ynALAhLsw4gwgl-_m0o0CMW7KkOcCHT0q4FoB3tVcHrJ5iGicH1LVoocD1v6nlnVqq/s400/book.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">A free range life - summer annual</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The ‘catch’ for receiving the free book is to
cook a dinner for friends or family using the recipes and then share a photograph
on social media.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s not a very big
ask for me, I never need an excuse to cook and love having people round for
dinner … and I am quite share-y on the social media front.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In my usual fashion, I went a wee bit
overboard and pretty much spent a whole weekend cooking using recipes from the
book!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hence the feeling like I have
spent the weekend with Annabel Langbein. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There is a whole baking section in the book
that use the same base mix of ingredients,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Annabel’s ‘Magic Baking Mix’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Friday was my turn on the roster for charity baking at work, so it was handy to have a new recipe to try, perfect
timing. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I made a batch of the baking mix
on Thursday night and decided to make Raspberry and White Chocolate Muffins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I prepped all the other
ingredients and decided to get up 10 minutes earlier and put them in the oven
in the morning while I made sandwiches for lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It only took 5 mins to mix it all together
and it was great to turn up at work with muffins still slightly warm from the
oven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yummy too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only trouble is, I’m really am not a morning
person and on returning home on Friday night noticed some butter on the
counter, whoops, it was meant to be in the muffins!! Oh well nobody noticed
anything amiss and there was still lots of mmMMMMmmmms from people, they just
got some unintentionally healthier muffins (already pretty good with banana and
milk taking the place of lots of butter or oil used in similar recipes from other books). I could only find frozen raspberries and these worked fine though the colour did run a bit, I will definitely try again with fresh raspberries when the season gets going! I am a big fan of the raspberry and white choc combo.</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW9KEFfg7j7FcYgWE76soQ7KRGohWrOnnSosmmMhKF4P7s4js6O5i3_b4Sf0kBKppoehWbndBZ8fu72Uj_97u-ivHvmnXew5GC246I0bhm6ErUh4T7HYopSJLNJp8whcIN12rNy3deZcdP/s1600/rasp.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW9KEFfg7j7FcYgWE76soQ7KRGohWrOnnSosmmMhKF4P7s4js6O5i3_b4Sf0kBKppoehWbndBZ8fu72Uj_97u-ivHvmnXew5GC246I0bhm6ErUh4T7HYopSJLNJp8whcIN12rNy3deZcdP/s320/rasp.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Raspberry and White Chocolate muffins</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Saturday was the main event, we had 6 lovely
friends for dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I chose to go with
some BBQ and salad options, we were hoping for nice enough weather to eat
outside to fully embrace the summery feeling of the book and food. It was a bit
chilly and windy so we had a few drinks outside to keep the BBQ chef company
and then set up inside to eat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was AMAZING!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gorgeous flavours and it was great to have a
choice of meats and salads to pass around the table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The salads were mostly prepared ahead so I wasn’t
flapping around the kitchen when people arrived, I could sit down and have a
glass of wine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Husband cooked the lamb and
steaks out on the BBQ (and did a great job, delish) and the chicken went in the
oven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Easy peasy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just a bit of throwing together a few minutes
before we sat down to eat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was the
menu (I hope you have eaten dinner already!).</span></span></div>
<ul>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lamb roast with a Morrocan Spice Rub (I used Silver Fern Farms packaged roast) <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Chimichurri grilled steak<o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Chicken Tikka Kebabs</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Spicy corn and rice </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">New potatoes with a parsley butter </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Caesar Salad (with lettuce from the garden)</span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<ul>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhod5uQkkYo430W5vSxQlguqFBzDNfP3gAem_bmWal_jwoDMahq9Ty79k71mRY8xDPxTJcVZMNouZb2OSadfdsx5f_Kgda7fO6h7d6oCTMaFWwFIAoXi1HbqwccvOwu0IdAeutGQGNHyZn/s1600/IMG_2833.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhod5uQkkYo430W5vSxQlguqFBzDNfP3gAem_bmWal_jwoDMahq9Ty79k71mRY8xDPxTJcVZMNouZb2OSadfdsx5f_Kgda7fO6h7d6oCTMaFWwFIAoXi1HbqwccvOwu0IdAeutGQGNHyZn/s400/IMG_2833.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Spicy corn & rice, Chimichurri steak and new potatoes in parsley butter down this end of the table</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6stVX58oP3W3HgVJ7K7YQEORWfcGRQBNn5hSS3vUaXYFXrgPN2zD7_BXz_pU2P41q747rdcz31gI-JqGTHdjweNQMIvWHlFtVqjGjFq6vGt1sLdwCRFWhklFuZjA5M4mnzrYk7dD06RrX/s1600/IMG_2843.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6stVX58oP3W3HgVJ7K7YQEORWfcGRQBNn5hSS3vUaXYFXrgPN2zD7_BXz_pU2P41q747rdcz31gI-JqGTHdjweNQMIvWHlFtVqjGjFq6vGt1sLdwCRFWhklFuZjA5M4mnzrYk7dD06RrX/s400/IMG_2843.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Chicken Tikka Kebabs will definitely be a regular menu choice</span></i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dessert was prepared the night before and I
managed to remember all the ingredients this time!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was indecisive and made two options, a
Strawberry Mousse or Chocolate Mousse, yuummmmm! Very easy recipes and the use of marshmallows in the chocolate mousse makes a sometimes tricky dessert ridiculously easy. Each couple got one each of the mousses to share ... some shared better than others, heehehe :)</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFb1pVFe9z4J4oHnUY8gZ4G6TVZyQOKNKBNNCryuYNrEogTwV4CaQOfX1dgC0I1EMcAXEmmeY885xuKowHgd8pT4JaslPfGoFlIxWSrSvn0DfsveKB4fYQmng9dLunxPqc2CUohdfjBo94/s1600/IMG_2848.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFb1pVFe9z4J4oHnUY8gZ4G6TVZyQOKNKBNNCryuYNrEogTwV4CaQOfX1dgC0I1EMcAXEmmeY885xuKowHgd8pT4JaslPfGoFlIxWSrSvn0DfsveKB4fYQmng9dLunxPqc2CUohdfjBo94/s400/IMG_2848.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Mine ... all mine!!!</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It was a great dinner, I loved how easy it was
to prepare, especially because I didn’t have to be hot and bothered in the
kitchen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was also effortless to put together
a gluten free menu.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I actually chose all
the recipes first and then remembered there would be a gf guest, looked at my
list and only had to take out one ingredient and made sure I had a gf version
of another ingredient.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the very
best thing was that I had left overs the next day for lunch, hoorah!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was baking mix left for breakfast pikelets too,
HOORAH!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The lamb, corn and rice salad and chocolate
mousse were the most complimented dishes of the night, it all looked so
colourful and pretty on the plates too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was very happy with how it turned out and I think my guests were very
happy to be eating it!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I can see myself using this book heaps over the
summer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love how compatible it is with
all the things I have got growing in the garden, I can’t wait to try out some
of the tomato glut recipes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are
going to be lots of super fresh ingredients to go in these super fresh sounding
recipes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has made me even more
impatient for the first harvest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's
a great stocking stuffer of a book too, only $19.95 in the shops! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And now I am on a Monday diet, but I am still thinking about that chocolate mousse, and how easy it was to make. Oh dear! :)</span></span></div>
bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12223209338487482412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052548617198306403.post-58982559310012632242013-10-30T14:34:00.000+13:002013-10-30T14:34:13.984+13:00Potatoes Part 2 – Planting out<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If, like me, you started chitting your potatoes last month (</span><a href="http://suburbangoodlife.blogspot.co.nz/2013/08/have-you-got-yer-spuds-on-potatoes-part.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">potatoes part 1</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">), then your seed potatoes are probably starting to look a little bit ugly, all wrinkled with alien like sprouts. If you haven’t got started yet then it isn’t too late, you may have missed the boat for Christmas dinner but you’ll still have a lovely crop later in the summer. <u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><u></u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj3_MQnsKMXYcndjerCCOUpooZCRPzvqLz4ZI2w9zxeyzhgJFwspUso6hGQoOHweLoaZWXyl0_nW2uR_I3c5LIlMVc1h_PtLL1-RbfTP84yItxvYGS3z1AXWNE9hLxg0MapBAfAnUDQmQ-/s640/blogger-image-1396150956.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj3_MQnsKMXYcndjerCCOUpooZCRPzvqLz4ZI2w9zxeyzhgJFwspUso6hGQoOHweLoaZWXyl0_nW2uR_I3c5LIlMVc1h_PtLL1-RbfTP84yItxvYGS3z1AXWNE9hLxg0MapBAfAnUDQmQ-/s320/blogger-image-1396150956.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><em>Wrinkly Alien seed potatoes</em></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a name='more'></a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="more"></a>So the wrinkled alien sprout stage (about 1cm long sprouts) means they are ready for planting, mine took ages to sprout for some reason but they were finally ready to go and I managed to find space for them all in the patch and in a couple of containers. The method for planting is similar for both containers and planting in soil in that you need to be able to put more soil on top when the plants start to send up leaves. So for containers the easy way is just to fill the container up half full and leave space for topping up, for planting in the ground you can dig a trench (about 10 – 20 cm deep) to plant the potatoes, cover them with soil and then mound more soil over as needed. Plant the potatoes about 20 to 30 cms apart.</span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIlzwsWwcH459f6pYyL4SUCz50UW_ntT7Btk8xq4pU7pgNDtGOZOUU2NBnFHBijSPgkE5QOna5T4E3JdH17SEAqaJI1w_AU-RrDpALgeyFAeWSvME0TYInxDBEsvEsKzZfWeiVrUakFABT/s640/blogger-image--823852967.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIlzwsWwcH459f6pYyL4SUCz50UW_ntT7Btk8xq4pU7pgNDtGOZOUU2NBnFHBijSPgkE5QOna5T4E3JdH17SEAqaJI1w_AU-RrDpALgeyFAeWSvME0TYInxDBEsvEsKzZfWeiVrUakFABT/s320/blogger-image--823852967.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><em>In the container</em></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The idea is that by covering up the leaves you encourage more underground potato growth rather than useless leafy growth. So for the first four or five weeks when you see the leaves starting to come through push some dirt over the plant until covered with a loose pile of soil, you will gradually fill in the trench and have a little long narrow hillock or you will gradually fill up your container.<u></u><u></u></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdcN1-KPv2r3FQakbAf53hD3Z8KDXV13GoNvcr4jpOUNsOSKMtAsvpC_Bunc0mPOrsDKklc0fDjHvB0VJylZ89YtwQmiX1n-QuBtFwesbphWAqXZOHSD31uu1qvIdVTfc0p08LF6as4JsW/s640/blogger-image--1180470520.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdcN1-KPv2r3FQakbAf53hD3Z8KDXV13GoNvcr4jpOUNsOSKMtAsvpC_Bunc0mPOrsDKklc0fDjHvB0VJylZ89YtwQmiX1n-QuBtFwesbphWAqXZOHSD31uu1qvIdVTfc0p08LF6as4JsW/s320/blogger-image--1180470520.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I'm sure this trench was straighter than it looks in the photo!</span></em></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></span><br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After four to five weeks of creating your hill, leave the plants to grow and keep well watered. It’s worth buying some potato food and feeding periodically according to packet instructions. And that is all you can do until around Christmas time for new potato varieties or about March for the regular potatoes. The beauty is that you can just fiddle around under the plant to find a couple of potatoes as you need them, you don’t need to dig the whole plant up. Just cover up the rest to keep growing. The longer you leave the plants the bigger the potatoes will be.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u></u><u></u></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><u></u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">It’s a great cycle, by the time you are sick of new potatoes or potato salad you will be getting potatoes big enough for roasting or mashing, by the time you are sick of roast or mash they are big enough for jackets or chipping, and by the time you are sick of potatoes in general you’ll have eaten them all and you can have a break! </span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> I’m going to have a go at pre-cooking potatoes for the freezer this year, anyone got any recommendations?<u></u><u></u></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><u></u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The sun is shining today and it is making me think about barbeques so I’ll leave you with my potato salad recipe that goes great with a summer barbeque. It might be a few months away before I can make this with my own potatoes but maybe I can cheat and buy some when I see the first new potatoes appearing in the supermarket.</span><br />
</div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><u></u><u></u></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><em><strong>The best potato salad:</strong></em></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">I have to admit I don't normally follow a recipe and I just put things in a bowl until it looks about right but I've tried to recreate it here ... feel free to amend to suit! This will serve around 8 people as a side for a bbq</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">- 500g new potatoes scubbed but not peeled, if they are large new pots then cut in half</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">- 3 generous spoonfuls of light mayonnaise (you can use the non-light versions, I just normally already have the light stuff in the fridge)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">- a good dollop of light greek yoghurt or sour cream</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">- a heaped teaspoon of wholegrain or dijon mustard</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">- a couple of cloves of crushed garlic</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">- 3 chopped spring onions</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">- a chopped handful of chives</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cook the potatoes in boiling water and then drain and cool (this can be done the night before if you are preparing for entertaining). Mix all the other ingredients in a bowl and then stir through the cooled potatoes. That's it, easy as! If you want to glam it up a bit to make it a meal with a green salad instead of BBQ then it is great with some bacon or salami added to it. mmmmm I want to eat this now dammit.</span></div>
</div>
bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12223209338487482412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052548617198306403.post-55766956222069895782013-10-24T11:26:00.000+13:002013-10-31T13:21:23.124+13:00Faster than the speed of light!<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm liking this new trend for rain during the week and sunshine at the weekend. It is very much the opposite of what I am used to! I've been taking full advantage and the garden looks amazing at the moment.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">However, I am getting VERY impatient, I want to start eating things out of the garden again!! At the moment all that it is producing is lettuce and the herbs, which is great because I did miss these over winter, but still lettuce doesn't get you very far.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><a name='more'></a></span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">The garden is trying hard though, things seem to be growing as I look at them, not quite at the speed of light but seems close! I put down some carrot and radish seeds exactly a week ago and the radish seedlings are already up and about.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYTvgmhZhvwmA9d0SsUVMveLAhEiYixZ1AfOX18uIJI8k-LhnPv_ozmdGEG6nsovrDlSa_e8UuE_5LY_SHwa0dvLif7P_Gey8JipPlZ57L_MvxZtv2EdM4GtWZk3iZGl0W4-oK6IuUKZ-x/s640/blogger-image--2115739663.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYTvgmhZhvwmA9d0SsUVMveLAhEiYixZ1AfOX18uIJI8k-LhnPv_ozmdGEG6nsovrDlSa_e8UuE_5LY_SHwa0dvLif7P_Gey8JipPlZ57L_MvxZtv2EdM4GtWZk3iZGl0W4-oK6IuUKZ-x/s400/blogger-image--2115739663.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><em>Heart shaped radish seedlings - super fast!</em></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I'm just about keeping up with the peas, potatoes and broad beans they are growing as fast than I can tie them/mound them up. I've got a recipe below that I am waiting to try the broad beans out on, the flowers (surprisingly pretty) are fading so hopefully that means that some beans are on the way soon.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFLFVxxzdpZ4sgTysZkPzXU3GZSaX0uVm-CFM_HQvFA-yh74VNVcqPLqcYrGL6iGyDARyDXSVgDzQXAtkMoBm_Bs6H4QeFfc0sxmaQ23zCuI0ONpC-iD8KlAIRCPBzo1vPQFcJC7VuNEqO/s640/blogger-image-1502296597.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFLFVxxzdpZ4sgTysZkPzXU3GZSaX0uVm-CFM_HQvFA-yh74VNVcqPLqcYrGL6iGyDARyDXSVgDzQXAtkMoBm_Bs6H4QeFfc0sxmaQ23zCuI0ONpC-iD8KlAIRCPBzo1vPQFcJC7VuNEqO/s320/blogger-image-1502296597.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><em>Pretty broad bean flowers</em></span></td></tr>
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<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The tomato plants get bigger every day too, husband and I are walking around the garden spotting the differences as soon as we get home from work each day and tomatoes were showing the biggest gain by far. The basil has been upgraded to bigger accomodations, hurry up pesto!!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY_EztkBMuv46AXtZ9mSWWw8tEpsJF3WpXG29VFOXcq3qrzPwRBTn-7RGVP1iJPERJLqy6_F87BCiHpaBsdgy5nAAO0Ub5BBewC-zxucU49SfhsHlgx-JzaGX0RhOPYv280UgMta2k21Jg/s640/blogger-image-240428946.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY_EztkBMuv46AXtZ9mSWWw8tEpsJF3WpXG29VFOXcq3qrzPwRBTn-7RGVP1iJPERJLqy6_F87BCiHpaBsdgy5nAAO0Ub5BBewC-zxucU49SfhsHlgx-JzaGX0RhOPYv280UgMta2k21Jg/s640/blogger-image-240428946.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><em>The basil patch</em></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzNL96TQ5bJL-KqXFZ_yhoukPIey9hid9ZquJBkkbvxLwnWC2bxhTEx6UpVI5EL0O4C4zc2ucxHNpA3hG2WuzdhT0RJdPg3r6LYcmHWczjGScpf8KvsFYwkpHecGvF0eEPBK9qrZ5GOA_l/s640/blogger-image-317019365.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><em>My babies are growing so fast!</em></span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzNL96TQ5bJL-KqXFZ_yhoukPIey9hid9ZquJBkkbvxLwnWC2bxhTEx6UpVI5EL0O4C4zc2ucxHNpA3hG2WuzdhT0RJdPg3r6LYcmHWczjGScpf8KvsFYwkpHecGvF0eEPBK9qrZ5GOA_l/s640/blogger-image-317019365.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span></em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span></a><br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">It's all go, I love this time of year! Probably most exciting so far is that the strawberries are getting flowers and the upgraded and improved strawberry cage has been built! Who knew that my city boy husband had such talents! The cage last year had to be tipped over to pick the fruit, this year it is bigger and has two lids and is sturdy enough to sit on for a bit of fruit picking! Very happy with that :) </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqPYkz3myjzMDqibblEbdhmJ894GPV4HseWaJJZDe7rQ_jvBnUblvxvja5iHrMSo1hy0FJCkquhjmmVLxx2zyJfSxBhPseT1w5tCKuBp_lOI5C0fAVW1DwYrE3Gq99gT86lXWsTKpxkPUa/s640/blogger-image--1550420623.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqPYkz3myjzMDqibblEbdhmJ894GPV4HseWaJJZDe7rQ_jvBnUblvxvja5iHrMSo1hy0FJCkquhjmmVLxx2zyJfSxBhPseT1w5tCKuBp_lOI5C0fAVW1DwYrE3Gq99gT86lXWsTKpxkPUa/s640/blogger-image--1550420623.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><em>The improved strawberry cage</em></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF3E7JtZ1bohblCAbsTuTV-fz6YyCxUTt6MP7MiVEyiECcLV3BkFGBV4n8x7UJEwiTtF9CqxrRmLQQwFLicZl-gKdk47hzO1GGvlSaVhSmrxDe2r-07vy7L0q9wOBal3rT_kWS11wtmJC9/s640/blogger-image--289547661.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF3E7JtZ1bohblCAbsTuTV-fz6YyCxUTt6MP7MiVEyiECcLV3BkFGBV4n8x7UJEwiTtF9CqxrRmLQQwFLicZl-gKdk47hzO1GGvlSaVhSmrxDe2r-07vy7L0q9wOBal3rT_kWS11wtmJC9/s640/blogger-image--289547661.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><em>So proud, and ever so slightly squinty!</em></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">We need to figure out a way to protect the cherries on the cherry tree too, we didn't get a single ripe cherry last year thanks to the birds. They are starting to form so we need to get that solution on soon!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIrqbEV_az_Fh8NZ5UoCo_vC-njfnpRN7vPXkJJ76pwOgKmO_cRONwHTNTVvhSaM5vku-G6gbeuMzCjCnKJuFdLjmR957KeMna9IedYi7hyZJIHZjz0lFm-0QRwqMFPCYO98iBoFCSny-4/s640/blogger-image-1579772954.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><em><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIrqbEV_az_Fh8NZ5UoCo_vC-njfnpRN7vPXkJJ76pwOgKmO_cRONwHTNTVvhSaM5vku-G6gbeuMzCjCnKJuFdLjmR957KeMna9IedYi7hyZJIHZjz0lFm-0QRwqMFPCYO98iBoFCSny-4/s640/blogger-image-1579772954.jpg" /></em></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><em>Cherries forming - will we get to eat any this year?</em></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Remember that plan from a few posts back? Do you remember seeing corn on there!? Neither do I but due to an impulse purchase we now have some in the patch, that'll be amazing if we can get corn on the cob out of the garden! Note to self: do not let husband on unaccompanied trips to Mitre 10 ... on second thoughts it was a pretty cool impulse buy even if it does throw out my plan!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I think that is a full garden update ... Oh I nearly forgot the garlic and onions that are looking very healthy! :) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">OK that's enough now! It's not too late to get started ... still lots of things to plant out!</span>bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12223209338487482412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052548617198306403.post-9660869451933418912013-10-16T19:43:00.000+13:002013-10-31T13:26:22.462+13:00Tomatoes and sunburn<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I had an awesome weekend in the garden, had
a good tidy up and got a lot of weeding done … I also got my first sunburn of
the 2013/2014 summer, whoops!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The carrot
and radish seeds are in the garden finally and I’ve evicted the spare tomato
seedlings to make room for more up and coming seedlings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The handy husband has also been busy, jerry
rigging a plastic tray as a shelf in the greenhouse for seedlings to keep the
out of the way and building this awesome vertical herb garden on the fence for
lettuces and annual herbs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cat is
not being so helpful, a new game appears to be digging up the non-frilly
lettuces or biting and shredding the frilly ones, hence the vertical herb
garden and a liberal sprinkling of skunk pellets.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6-ocDJ6zeU_cUh2UNuNvgOhfSo06yNV4uVXvrI-NvDim1ppIz52p4K-ktjNcyjREHIkumpJmJR6UJfpyxHLyko2qISdxMJ8D2n90cY5tZgcOwe6RahCxoRtcrxI0kvqcWOTLIhRRuGlqU/s1600/vertiacal+herb+garden.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6-ocDJ6zeU_cUh2UNuNvgOhfSo06yNV4uVXvrI-NvDim1ppIz52p4K-ktjNcyjREHIkumpJmJR6UJfpyxHLyko2qISdxMJ8D2n90cY5tZgcOwe6RahCxoRtcrxI0kvqcWOTLIhRRuGlqU/s320/vertiacal+herb+garden.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><em>A vertical herb garden</em></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I over-did it on the tomato seeds a bit and
had a lot of spares, I gave a couple away and sent an email around my workplace
offering the rest for a $1 to cover pot/soil costs, I sold them all and earned
myself a nice little bit of pocket money which I am planning on spending on
some more seed raising mix!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHJaKzLRSzjujFYQk-zl1YpdGfgPsdiWuitI2xsowAVzlLEsZTgUwVYus1CkUV3AwilI8u9TbGwWwmXHPE3YKcARud7zHa4JtPmC_jCH1_JKjcaw3QVyYJmfuf2pPS8WFDKucigxTF3ihQ/s640/blogger-image-1452695711.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHJaKzLRSzjujFYQk-zl1YpdGfgPsdiWuitI2xsowAVzlLEsZTgUwVYus1CkUV3AwilI8u9TbGwWwmXHPE3YKcARud7zHa4JtPmC_jCH1_JKjcaw3QVyYJmfuf2pPS8WFDKucigxTF3ihQ/s320/blogger-image-1452695711.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Tomato season starts here<span style="font-size: x-small;">, b</span>arely <span style="font-size: x-small;">visible!</span></span></span></span></i></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUpTg8BQf4pRnA6Boau4nsHuTA8qaODOV5QQszjzlrr23McxhETxdWmeRSc9xkhXvqjbd6mkGDwRU_1fOG2TnhCqulfCYP8MGVpq5wQJfzmgXZ2JDj2408R7gViPD_h3jfVUoT0cCCAJ5c/s640/blogger-image--2003747834.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUpTg8BQf4pRnA6Boau4nsHuTA8qaODOV5QQszjzlrr23McxhETxdWmeRSc9xkhXvqjbd6mkGDwRU_1fOG2TnhCqulfCYP8MGVpq5wQJfzmgXZ2JDj2408R7gViPD_h3jfVUoT0cCCAJ5c/s320/blogger-image--2003747834.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">But just a week later<span style="font-size: x-small;"> ... things are growing fast!</span></span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I couldn’t keep up with the tomatoes last
year and was a bit sick of picking them towards the end of their season, at one
stage I was picking a huge bowlful every day, but they are the thing I have
missed the most once I’d had a break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve
used up all my frozen pasta sauces from the freezer now and I can’t wait to be
able to refill them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve still got a
few frozen whole tomatoes rolling around like snooker balls in the bottom of
the freezer but I may have to resort to buying a few tins before the next
harvest to tide me over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve only
bought 2 punnets of fresh tomatoes since last summer, mainly because they just
don’t taste as good, I’ve been spoilt!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvIzZVbC9cQYRUJsZq2N6YUBA-o0CrvkVh7phf_RIzqhzpO6J7wIuJZMMrFQcri8OeVDeOCj8OA30W6Q01hVpYdGBxk8KzOr024ngGierG-Nb0lW6e2gSMrHcs_UswpyiUezv4xzoAd5T4/s640/blogger-image-983143696.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvIzZVbC9cQYRUJsZq2N6YUBA-o0CrvkVh7phf_RIzqhzpO6J7wIuJZMMrFQcri8OeVDeOCj8OA30W6Q01hVpYdGBxk8KzOr024ngGierG-Nb0lW6e2gSMrHcs_UswpyiUezv4xzoAd5T4/s400/blogger-image-983143696.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Last year's bum<span style="font-size: x-small;">per </span>harvest</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I was a bit foolish and forgot to make a
note of what tomato varieties I planted last year and I didn’t even think about
saving seeds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luckily I had a few
self-seeding cherry tomatoes seedlings in the greenhouse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m experimenting with a container cherry
tomato called Minibelle this year which is meant to be a bushy, compact plant
so it won’t go everywhere like last year’s triffids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve planted more big tomato plants this
year, cherries are great for eating but the bigger ones are more useful for
those pasta sauces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve also planted
some Sungold, yellow cherry tomatoes for a bit of eye-pleasing variety in the
salads.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2wgbW02e0davqy2JvvIWvFfVyvEYbpGcNQHuVfg3-kWHBZDqR2g4S_I9X5or_aAmzQ8ycbp6Nv682Hqo4ie3750OXHcyrRnZoAkAAmRUbFWTj1QlgZ7wk_6l3skx-5jq8ZKqdiilJ2pUO/s640/blogger-image-314677746.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2wgbW02e0davqy2JvvIWvFfVyvEYbpGcNQHuVfg3-kWHBZDqR2g4S_I9X5or_aAmzQ8ycbp6Nv682Hqo4ie3750OXHcyrRnZoAkAAmRUbFWTj1QlgZ7wk_6l3skx-5jq8ZKqdiilJ2pUO/s400/blogger-image-314677746.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Just a few plants can give a <span style="font-size: x-small;">decent <span style="font-size: x-small;">crop!</span></span></span></span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">All the garden centres are chock full of
tomato seedlings at the moment, so go out and buy some, you won’t regret
it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’d need a windowsill or a
greenhouse or even one of those plastic mini-glasshouse things for a couple
more weeks until it warms up a tad more, but then they can be planted in the
garden/greenhouse or containers in a sunny spot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’ll be happy on a patio/deck/balcony/windowbox
as long as they’ve got some support, like a bamboo stake in the pot, or a
trellis, or a friend of mine ties hers to the drainpipe! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">If you are planting out very young
seedlings you can plant them in a deep hole so that just their top leaves are
showing, this means the covered leaves will put out roots and give you a
stronger plant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This can be handy when
the plants have grown taller than you are!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I had to put a little extra soil around the base of a couple of my
plants last year because they were top heavy and the roots were starting to
show, but tying them up with good support will help with this too. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">If you want lots of juicy tasty fruit (I’m assuming
you do, otherwise why bother!), then feed them and they will feed you in return
</span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Verdana; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As soon as the flowers start showing they
will appreciate some food, I used Jobe’s tomato fertiliser spikes as they are
so easy to use, just stick them in the ground near the plants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then when the plants are in full fruit
production and looking a bit tired and maybe a bit yellow around the leaves I’ll
give them a booster with some Thrive soluble plant food. I can almost smell
that smell of a greenhouse full of tomato plants, can’t wait!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">So that’s all pretty easy so far, and it is
really that easy … apart from laterals … there is a lot of panicky sounding
advice about laterals on the interwebs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s really not that hard, I’ll let you google laterals for a
comprehensive explanation but in brief if you don’t pick the laterals you’ll
get a lot of plant and not much tomato. If you pick all the laterals you will
basically end up with a single plant stem with branches coming off it and
hopefully lots of tomatoes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I left some
of the earlier laterals on my plants to give a bigger plant with about 4 main
stems.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Laterals are a bit of a third
wheel, in the photo below you can see the stem and the branch and then this
interloper in the middle, just pinch it off like the photo person is about to
do and you’ll be all nice and tidy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Try and
get them while they are still very small, if the laterals have grown really big
it can do some damage to the plant when you remove it or let in infections
(maybe that is why the internet is so panicky about laterals?) but I normally
just have a hunt for them when I am watering them or picking fruit, it doesn’t
take long.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="http://www.climbingjack.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Tomato-laterals-image.jpg" class="decoded" height="200" src="http://www.climbingjack.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Tomato-laterals-image.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Just twist these bad b<span style="font-size: x-small;">oys off :)</span></span></span></span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I’ll pass on some of my tomato glut recipes
nearer the time, including an awesome sweet & sour sauce or chilli jam,
mmmmmmm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go on, try some tomato
growing!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12223209338487482412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052548617198306403.post-50778402920738361162013-09-30T10:44:00.001+13:002013-09-30T10:48:20.997+13:00Strawberries = summer in a mouthful!<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Imagine this, you wake up and have some
strawberries scattered on your morning cereal, or perhaps some home-made strawberry
jam on your toast, you’ve then got some strawberries tucked in to your lunchbox
for a healthy snack, and maybe for dessert you’ve got a strawberry tart or some
strawberries and other fruit mixed with yoghurt and honey, or maybe it’s the
weekend and you can add some strawberries to your sparkling wine or pimms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are proper strawberries too mind you,
not those hothouse grown, hard, strawberry flavoured bullets, but proper sun-warmed,
luscious, juicy fruit with maximum strawberry taste!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Sounds good? Then get growing! </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a name='more'></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With the clocks going forward at the weekend it means that summer is on the horizon, it<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> will be here before we know it and in my mind, summer = strawberries. It might not seem like it with the suddenly darker mornings and the weather forecast for a week of wind and rain, but I thought it was still safe to expand the patch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Nothing you buy in the supermarket will come close to a home grown strawberry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even
better, you don’t need a lot of space or even a garden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, you could be better off growing them
in one of those funny strawberry towers with the holes at strategic angles, or
even hanging baskets, this way you don’t have to worry about protecting the
fruit from the earth to prevent mouldy strawbs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So a patio or even a window to hang window boxes out of will do the job
nicely.</span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you do grow them in containers you need to
make sure that they don’t dry out, as pots do tend to dry out quicker, you will
also need to figure out a way of bird-proofing, a light-weight net propped up
on stakes should work well. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuFQXczYgT5BM0JAy9Vh4BbRF9_nCjjrKF689px2yQ3Mlk8exKbxbnd2E-AVxHIQNthm4s5GMVvnebHb4ovJa8kzdP5LNNnNWddAWQEfZ1wJfiktUXSpCWGtdHWMtU0wWzb2S2XAs5WR1R/s640/blogger-image--806742410.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuFQXczYgT5BM0JAy9Vh4BbRF9_nCjjrKF689px2yQ3Mlk8exKbxbnd2E-AVxHIQNthm4s5GMVvnebHb4ovJa8kzdP5LNNnNWddAWQEfZ1wJfiktUXSpCWGtdHWMtU0wWzb2S2XAs5WR1R/s640/blogger-image--806742410.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Husband building the strawberry cage last year, he will have to build a bigger one this year.</span></em></td></tr>
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</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’ve got a strawberry patch within my
veggie patch, this takes only a wee bit more effort to make sure the
strawberries stay mould free.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last year
I used weed matting to stop weeds coming through and to keep the fruit from direct
contact with the ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This worked
well until near the end of summer when the weed matting got a bit tired and I
started getting a few mouldy strawberries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I might do the same again this year but add some straw half way through
the season to keep things going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To keep
the birds off I got husband to build a net cage and that worked perfectly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With some booster feeds of strawberry food/fertiliser
throughout the season that was pretty much all that was needed, pretty low
effort expenditure for glorious reward!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></span><br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></span> </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1iI-NQdWHDB4UDuGpBfx_fpQMk6fRqLpMcp5UH7UixwDbHAmCx_sfeBBq9RV8y5p5LHylnwpoZrXEdFWEkLi1ND0KDXrRg0eU18q0HprBGGGoKHWUXWNhRdoZEMe20hNRkSJmiHcTFCIw/s640/blogger-image-619180374.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1iI-NQdWHDB4UDuGpBfx_fpQMk6fRqLpMcp5UH7UixwDbHAmCx_sfeBBq9RV8y5p5LHylnwpoZrXEdFWEkLi1ND0KDXrRg0eU18q0HprBGGGoKHWUXWNhRdoZEMe20hNRkSJmiHcTFCIw/s640/blogger-image-619180374.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><em>With weed matting to keep the strawbs dry</em></span></td></tr>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Depending on the variety, strawberry plants last about 3 or 4 years
before needing replacing and produce their best crop in their second year, so
it is worth trying to keep them warm with straw when the cold weather
arrives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not sure how successful I was
with this bit, despite the mild winter, I’m hoping that they will start looking
a bit perkier with some food and warmer weather!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve added another 6 plants to
my flock ... I want to have strawberries coming out of my ears this year (weird
expression isn’t it?).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">So if you like the idea of strawberries on
tap in summer, now is a good time to get down to the garden centre, it’s a
pretty good value for money thing to grow!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If that doesn’t sound good enough already then maybe the pic of my
strawbs from last year will tempt you! </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3T5gubwO5uP1X0wwVCgElFng0jGoHZXmJ6G0zreS_psmd3bgTgMkgZPUV2QMveQld7LPrHYIpLc7UBndYpQupWV3or1KrgtDO2KMgGgLKBDmHJQ7gUj8djF9w55FsVbE2tYumxlh-g46J/s640/blogger-image--841050892.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3T5gubwO5uP1X0wwVCgElFng0jGoHZXmJ6G0zreS_psmd3bgTgMkgZPUV2QMveQld7LPrHYIpLc7UBndYpQupWV3or1KrgtDO2KMgGgLKBDmHJQ7gUj8djF9w55FsVbE2tYumxlh-g46J/s400/blogger-image--841050892.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">A small but tasty early season harvest from last year</span></em></td></tr>
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<br />It's a shame I don't have a photo of my giant strawberries from later in the season, will have to try and get a photo this year :)</span><br /></div>
</div>
bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12223209338487482412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052548617198306403.post-28957556955579951772013-09-22T13:06:00.000+12:002013-09-23T09:10:31.491+12:00Quietly growing in the background<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_xmtSozO9TQ8XnGmm-MjMOhBqMtMErsnRW5IePFuT_mCCxhhfoBY22wURgpZEozNU0I8IJIS3Heio0N_eHMJDCLQTB7y-3cL5hal8xKqiOPNIO1rXKb-qhH94UmGCkZ2vojCqaaayTxl/s640/blogger-image--834400777.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span></span><br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_xmtSozO9TQ8XnGmm-MjMOhBqMtMErsnRW5IePFuT_mCCxhhfoBY22wURgpZEozNU0I8IJIS3Heio0N_eHMJDCLQTB7y-3cL5hal8xKqiOPNIO1rXKb-qhH94UmGCkZ2vojCqaaayTxl/s640/blogger-image--834400777.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span></span><br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hi all, did you miss me? I was a bit shocked to realise that I haven't posted in nearly a month! I think the blog and I have just been waiting quietly and impatiently for seeds to grow. Also we have been doing more mundane things around the garden like repairing the lawn, shifting dirt piles, weeding, chopping down trees, and re-organising the front garden flower bed, so I haven't been too lazy, honest!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You may remember the <a href="http://suburbangoodlife.blogspot.co.nz/2013/08/spring-promise-of-good-times-ahead.html" target="_blank">seed packet bonanza</a> that I mentioned in a previous post ... well I planted them out in seed trays shortly after they arrived and have been hovering over them like a broody hen ever since ... maybe that has more to do with the reason I haven't blogged, I've been too busy running to the greenhouse every 5 mins to see if anything has grown yet! </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Seeds - day 1. I wish they were instant!</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Out of the many packets I ordered, I've started off by sowing seeds of Cos lettuces, basil, peas, sugar snaps, endamame, beans, Jalapenos and four different tomato varieties. I was getting a bit nervous around the 2 week mark as only the lettuce was showing signs of life, but then two days later there were tiny tiny little basil, pea and tomato seedlings</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Week 2 - things are looking good!</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge6eLuLw83Rwwf8ZObI5mElRBZL9oEbsR3HwI9WtgXEr4vZoEmeojBiI-48Ysl6317lxpLIpqLj-5Ae9qu3bTdIssUlPQpRHugFJLc9p1WvkzViftBYz18Ft_6i48AQp0k35BdiIhVm7yV/s640/blogger-image--583899828.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge6eLuLw83Rwwf8ZObI5mElRBZL9oEbsR3HwI9WtgXEr4vZoEmeojBiI-48Ysl6317lxpLIpqLj-5Ae9qu3bTdIssUlPQpRHugFJLc9p1WvkzViftBYz18Ft_6i48AQp0k35BdiIhVm7yV/s320/blogger-image--583899828.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>The more successful toms</i></span></span></span></td></tr>
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<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I've had a mixed bag success wise ... the lettuce, basil, peas, jalapenos and 2 of the 4 tomatoes have had a great success rate. The endamame are a total no show. The sugar snaps and other 2 of 4 tomatoes are only a 50% strike rate and to be honest, I am not sure what is going on with the beans. However, I'm going</span><span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">to call that a not too bad effort on the first mass seed growing effort!</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyMAMM3sPZj-T3PNXY7XbVQOb4Jftde3SxC15zJfMxSvJlGneLB6dCs8pME70X3PLJBBxnbFx5997Sh7QQCCD1_71GYFKrsPfJdY7j6ccxTvcI3aDVF3dLEc5l9tGRHYVpe-sFR57-Rhzx/s640/blogger-image-930048258.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyMAMM3sPZj-T3PNXY7XbVQOb4Jftde3SxC15zJfMxSvJlGneLB6dCs8pME70X3PLJBBxnbFx5997Sh7QQCCD1_71GYFKrsPfJdY7j6ccxTvcI3aDVF3dLEc5l9tGRHYVpe-sFR57-Rhzx/s320/blogger-image-930048258.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></i></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Lettuces ready for their container upgrade</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The Cos lettuce is ready to be upgraded to a bigger seedling pot, and I will keep them in the greenhouse until the weather is a bit more reliable and then plant out in the garden. The peas are nearly ready to go outside too. I don't think it will be long until the tomatoes need to be upgraded to pots as well.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Peas - with a sadly empty row of endamame!</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The potatoes are looking good as well, they should be going out in the garden any minute now ... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I've got the feeling that next weekend is going to be a very busy time in the garden. So after a few weeks of silence, be prepared from an onslaught of new blog posts ... keep an eye out for potatoes part 2 (to follow the earlier <a href="http://suburbangoodlife.blogspot.co.nz/2013/08/have-you-got-yer-spuds-on-potatoes-part.html" target="_blank">potatoes part 1</a>). </span><br />
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<br />bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12223209338487482412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052548617198306403.post-30122364760221516102013-08-26T18:51:00.001+12:002013-08-26T18:51:40.027+12:00Have you got yer spuds on? – Potatoes part 1<span style="font-size: x-small;"> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I</span> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">think potatoes were the most satisfying thing I grew last year, so easy to grow and when they are ready it is like digging for treasure. The only thing I did wrong with these last year is to not grow nearly enough.<u></u><u></u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It’s time to get the seed potatoes ready, it’s called ‘chitting’, but all that involves is keeping them in a warm (but not hot), dry, airy place so they start sprouting … so basically what happens when you leave your eating potatoes in the cupboard too long! I keep mine in a tray in the bottom of the pantry, it seems to work well enough on my bag of supermarket spuds so why not. Other suggestions are an egg carton on a windowsill, they need a bit of light but not too hot. It is important that the resting spot you choose is dry otherwise you will end up with mouldy potatatoes. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Chitting the potatoes before planting</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do try and buy properly certified seed potatoes rather than using potatoes from the supermarket, as they will be treated for diseases etc and be a bit stronger for producing lots of potato babies. I’ve got some Jersey Bennes and Agrias going at the moment for new potatoes and everyday potatoes. I might try and get another couple of more interesting varieties to go in a bit later on.<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Place potatoes in a single layer on your tray/egg carton and try and get them eye side up (eyes are those little knobbly bits). After a couple of weeks they will start sprouting, you want three good strong sprouts of about an inch long. If the potato has any more than three sprouts you can just rub off the extras.<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Don’t have a veggie patch? They sell growing towers and plastic tubs that work well for potatoes, especially the new potato varieties. When we were living in a flat in London we had a tiny outdoor space which was basically the roof of an extension on the flat below that was overlooked by the tube tracks. My husband grew a lovely lot of potatoes in one of those plastic tubs with some holes poked in the bottom. Potatoes grown in containers tend to be a bit paler and thinner skinned for some reason, which is probably why it suits new potatoes better. They are still great to eat though.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Posing with the London potatoes shortly before harvesting, </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My only warning is, that if you are planting them in the garden, choose a spot where you won’t mind potato plants appearing the following year! We were finding potato plants EVERYWHERE in the garden last year, even in flower beds and the front garden. I left a couple to grow and got a great harvest from those so that was a bonus, but unless you thoroughly dig down and out you are pretty much guaranteed to find a plant growing there next year.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To be continued ...</span></span></span><br />
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bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12223209338487482412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052548617198306403.post-75378522598252137592013-08-25T16:31:00.001+12:002013-08-25T16:31:56.028+12:00Halloumi - Brunch of Champions<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We made Halloumi yesterday. We've made it a few times now and it's the easiest and least time consuming of all the cheeses we've made so far. It is very similar to making Feta (<a href="http://suburbangoodlife.blogspot.co.nz/2013/05/making-feta-feeling-smug.html" target="_blank">see here</a>), but seems to take less time and less attention</span></span>. <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The best thing is that it can be made and ready to eat in an evening</span></span>,<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> hooray!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Full instructions will come with a kit you can buy. I use Mad Millie's, they have pretty muc<span style="font-size: small;">h </span>everything you need in the kits barring the milk. But just to give you an idea<span style="font-size: small;">,</span> and to show how easy, these are the basic steps ...</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Like Feta you start with heating milk, adding some rennet etc and then putting it in a insulated tub to keep at a steady temperature. Once it is set and you can cut through it and leave a clean break, you run a knife through to cut it in to cubes and then stir to break up a bit and spoon in to a colander lined with cheesecloth. Wrap the cheesecloth over the cheese and then place a heavy bowl (or bowl full of water) on top so it drains properly. You only have to leave it a while until it has that Halloumi rubbery texture. While that is draining, heat a big saucepan of water to boiling. When the Halloumi</span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> is drained slice it in to pack sized portions and pop in to the boiling water. When the Halloumi floats to the top, it is done and you can take it out and place on a coo<span style="font-size: small;">l</span>ing rack. Then all that is left to do is sprinkle a bit of salt on each side of the cheese, it doesn't take much ... don't omit this bit, it gives the cheese most of it's flavour. </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And just like that, you have Halloumi at about 4 packs for the price of one from a supermarket. It keeps for weeks in the fridge too.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>Stages in the Halloumi making process</i></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We've had a busy weekend in the garden so I thought we deserved a decent brunch to keep us going. I don't like to brag but this is possibly the best brunch ever!! Try this with store brought if you don't fancy making your own, mmmmmmmmm!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i style="color: #3d85c6;">Halloumi Brunch (ingredients per person, multiply by however many you are feeding!)</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">- 2 slices bread, ciabatta or a good crusty loaf work well </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">- 2-3 slices, Halloumi</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">- 2 rashers, Bacon</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">- 3 Mushrooms, quartered</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">- Baby Spinach, a handful each, it shrinks down! </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">- Cherry tomatoes, a few each, halved</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">- Pesto</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">- Olive oil </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">- Basil leaves </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Brush bread slices with a small amount of olive oil and set under the grill. Fry bacon and mushrooms in a large frying pan. When bread and bacon almost done cook Halloumi with a little olive oil in another hot pan until nice and golden on each side. At the last minute put the spinach in the pan with the bacon and toss through, it won't take long. Spread a little pesto on the bread, top with the bacon, mushrooms and spinach, finish with Halloumi and tomatoes, garnish with a few basil leaves.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i>B<span style="font-size: x-small;">runch goo<span style="font-size: x-small;">dness</span></span></i></span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">That set me up nicely for the gardening activities for the day! We got the shed cleared out and tidied up so I can find everything again, lawns mowed, seeds sown and fruit trees sprayed. I've got seeds started in the greenhouse for tomatoes, lettuces, basil, peas and Jalapenos, they don't look very exciting at the moment, but hopefully in a few weeks they will all be starting to show signs of life!</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span><span style="color: #3d85c6;">The messy shed is <span style="font-size: x-small;">tid<span style="font-size: x-small;">ied up ready for the new season<span style="font-size: x-small;">, which star<span style="font-size: x-small;">ts here with the new seeds</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></i></span><i><span></span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Hope you have all had a wonderful S<span style="font-size: small;">u</span>nday in the sun ...</span></span>bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12223209338487482412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052548617198306403.post-66520489310665355292013-08-18T11:53:00.000+12:002013-08-18T11:53:26.936+12:00Spring - the promise of good times ahead<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My plans for a weekend in the garden have been rained off, it's a bit yuck out there. Can't say I'm really complaining about a rainy Sunday on the sofa though. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are signs that Spring is on the way though ...</span></span><br />
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<tr style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Magnolia is blooming</span></i></td></tr>
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<a name='more'></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicGGC9ct63WWcX4xxxXN-u-uKGVZBXUukQIdERlXeawNizLZmWR3KxMG6DX3e2tH9-CBXyNVDQCmxCKGe0tl6QcFl5XWXjmy0m-uuQis8EiXO77BVwUHL82I8bm2lOIZ6dI24JFR1HIjEY/s640/blogger-image--1269122552.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicGGC9ct63WWcX4xxxXN-u-uKGVZBXUukQIdERlXeawNizLZmWR3KxMG6DX3e2tH9-CBXyNVDQCmxCKGe0tl6QcFl5XWXjmy0m-uuQis8EiXO77BVwUHL82I8bm2lOIZ6dI24JFR1HIjEY/s400/blogger-image--1269122552.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>The bulbs are coming up everywhere</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Ene6EWGfqKHtdr8uK3Qbs4t7aIDuWTp6JqexVTpeHE48ifgdhKHUU3_B0ijz7_tjZRGZmrZJzFjc0irPa3JJTM8CMGIctai2MUlrjLfzZkOy3a1dQyVNnvZRLO8QPUKaK7SPWo9TVEUq/s640/blogger-image-77962274.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Ene6EWGfqKHtdr8uK3Qbs4t7aIDuWTp6JqexVTpeHE48ifgdhKHUU3_B0ijz7_tjZRGZmrZJzFjc0irPa3JJTM8CMGIctai2MUlrjLfzZkOy3a1dQyVNnvZRLO8QPUKaK7SPWo9TVEUq/s400/blogger-image-77962274.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Cat photobombing the daffys</i></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbacFVOYLVHKMAOuFxmVjzgL_nKlSxWId3YxRVVx_MJT0umCRjg4KvDI6CNvxN1qFhNCAzaSrxuDvC0rO5ZKu91jfoBuSgfbc2gfgPqxiFZJEYy_ba8hWAhhTYVjEyVHJIjui_l6q-Jx_r/s640/blogger-image--850795677.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></i></a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbacFVOYLVHKMAOuFxmVjzgL_nKlSxWId3YxRVVx_MJT0umCRjg4KvDI6CNvxN1qFhNCAzaSrxuDvC0rO5ZKu91jfoBuSgfbc2gfgPqxiFZJEYy_ba8hWAhhTYVjEyVHJIjui_l6q-Jx_r/s400/blogger-image--850795677.jpg" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></td></tr>
<tr style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">The poor dilapidated greenhouse has had a partial face lift in </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">anticipation of the tomato glut</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We replaced the greenhouse roof and bed borders to get the greenhouse through another year at least. Last years dirt was dug out and replaced with compost. That makes digging out the mountain of compost from the huuuuge pile the previous owners had created worth the effort!</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So the greenhouse is waiting in anticipation for all these seeds ... most of them will get a head start in there ...</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH7PpaTgqEjt9f-e9jaYo6_aBpJpVlTLm0MjEbWLO7LCtvhT90PV4yAUd8YTAPEi9kbhOT2P0GQBvZ3OFJGlk9hF-TCU782KsBC8Qi1ElBBoE-YhZHq_k8_fJFJ9_XeCvcyZPRT0I_ik51/s640/blogger-image--1119146062.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH7PpaTgqEjt9f-e9jaYo6_aBpJpVlTLm0MjEbWLO7LCtvhT90PV4yAUd8YTAPEi9kbhOT2P0GQBvZ3OFJGlk9hF-TCU782KsBC8Qi1ElBBoE-YhZHq_k8_fJFJ9_XeCvcyZPRT0I_ik51/s400/blogger-image--1119146062.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">I may have gone a little crazy ordering seeds online, and this is just the start!</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Normally at this time of year I am desperate for sunshine but we've been spoilt with a mild winter. I am still looking forward to summer though ... </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I can almost smell the summer BBQs and hear the neighbourhood lawnmowers, I can't wait! </span></span></div>
bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12223209338487482412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052548617198306403.post-39415911288601865182013-08-06T20:35:00.001+12:002013-08-06T20:35:41.293+12:00The Onion Patch <br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For someone that is not that keen on onions, I’m
sure growing a lot of them!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do use
them in cooking a lot, but as more of a hidden vegetable in things like Bolognese
or Chili.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not the flavour I don’t
like, more the texture!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could never
eat a raw onion slice or bite in to a chunky bit of cooked onion, blech!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The milder spring onions on the other hand I’m
quite keen on.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I spent this Sunday afternoon planting out the
onion patch in the sunshine, I’ve now got Spring Onions, Shallots, Red Onions
and the everyday Pukekohe longkeepers (brown onions) in the ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Onion seedlings are good to plant out now in
August, and then again in April<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(make a
start in Feb or Jun if you are going to try from seed).</span></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Onions are meant to have a better chance in
life if grown from seed and sown where they are to grow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t have much luck with the last lot of
onion seeds that I tried so I just bought some seedlings from the garden centre,
two for the price of one so was cheap enough that seeds wouldn’t been too much
of a saving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a bit fiddly work separating
out the seedlings, I got given some last year and didn’t realise that there was
more than one seedling in each little pocket in the seedling tray so had to go
and spread out the onions once they had grown a bit and my mistake became
apparent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wouldn’t recommend that,
though they seemed to survive even if they never quite reached their full
growth potential.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So yep, I was very
carefully pulling apart all these little seedlings … they go in looking like
wispy blades of grass.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWkXCfkVWSW4Vi3SHY-22JsspeCYTa4-bYD_LwV-VnKVARUyaRWG5hixeKMJaj1n4du9wr8jms6rQWkM48r_IR5v6fioiGufnLAmiDTcHwt9JDxqkpV_gzZjBHJwK8yfiK1a4D3OcqmWxp/s1600/onion+ptch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWkXCfkVWSW4Vi3SHY-22JsspeCYTa4-bYD_LwV-VnKVARUyaRWG5hixeKMJaj1n4du9wr8jms6rQWkM48r_IR5v6fioiGufnLAmiDTcHwt9JDxqkpV_gzZjBHJwK8yfiK1a4D3OcqmWxp/s400/onion+ptch.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Doesn't look like much yet, but from little blades of grass will come great things!</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can just use something to poke holes in
your prepared ground and slide the seedlings in and then water and gently press
around to fill the hole in. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or you can
cheat like me, I used my hand to make a shallow trench in the soil, laid the
seedlings against one wall of the trench and then pushed the soil gently to
fill the trench in and then gave it a good watering, it saved a bit of fiddling
around!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The onions can go in about 5 to
10 cm apart, the spring onions can cuddle up a bit closer , maybe a finger
width apart.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwrK9mBxNc5HRbGC_Y1-i6A-tw8VbZ54hRr6EaPh83AMdQ8IddAgYl0Oeiorf4tyDMTMlpNIQkz2KU9WSIWpEFFd_U0g_Z4VPZMH-U4reFdWYJToa5Qfsv0rrD_udAE_8O5-pFUXmTZAJ9/s1600/rows.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwrK9mBxNc5HRbGC_Y1-i6A-tw8VbZ54hRr6EaPh83AMdQ8IddAgYl0Oeiorf4tyDMTMlpNIQkz2KU9WSIWpEFFd_U0g_Z4VPZMH-U4reFdWYJToa5Qfsv0rrD_udAE_8O5-pFUXmTZAJ9/s400/rows.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Rows and rows of seedlings</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The onions will take about 6-8 weeks to grow,
depending on varieties/weather etc etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You know when they are done as they push above ground and sort of sit on
top of the soil so you can start picking them as soon as they look big enough
to eat … don’t cover them up again, they are meant to do that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the tops start falling over and looking
dry pull them all up out of the ground and leave them somewhere to dry for a
few days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They can then be stored in a
cool dry place, you can use nets to store or weave the tops together and hang
them, French style!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The brown onions
will keep a lot longer than the red onions. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The spring onions will take 8-12 weeks which I
found a bit weird last year, you think the ‘spring’ onions would be ready
before the big onions right?!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Shallots are best planted in the winter months,
I’m a bit late with mine, but they can be planted up to the end of
September.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are planted as bulbs in
a very similar way to garlic (see here).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I like them as they are a bit milder than onions and don’t have that
crunch that weirds me out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’ll take
about 12-15 weeks and can be dried and stored in a similar way to brown onions,
just save a couple of the plumper bulbs and you can keep your crop going for
eternity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t have quite enough to
do this last time and they didn’t grow very big so I’m hoping for better
results this year!</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You don't have a veggie patch? Apparently onions make great container growers, I'd choose a nice deep trough style of container and make sure it is well draining. Plant as above and don't let the pots dry out, you might need to give them a bit of a fertiliser boost occasionally too! </span></span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Just don't grow them with peas ... they aren't good bed buddies apparently!</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I normally give a recipe at the end of veggie blogs
… I can’t really this time as I don’t think that a recipe that calls for
chopping up the onion in to the smallest pieces humanly possible really does
the onion full justice!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sure
everyone knows something that they can do with an onion anyway, they are just
so versatile.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p>Well onion seedling photos aren't exactly exciting unless you have that pride in having planted them all, so I'll leave you with some photos of emerging spring instead!</o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBIVOR7jFtZerl3Cn_KXgCfAwMh5bkq32NrZxGETi5B54tMxqXdYDBDnFej-vq2CbtSi4-us_JYlpLShyphenhyphenxN7ZrpMLlEBBAJTfUSIZvhOYgX2K0WsQZ2u0krPWpCNrRQ73nRONv-6saCOe9/s1600/tulips.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBIVOR7jFtZerl3Cn_KXgCfAwMh5bkq32NrZxGETi5B54tMxqXdYDBDnFej-vq2CbtSi4-us_JYlpLShyphenhyphenxN7ZrpMLlEBBAJTfUSIZvhOYgX2K0WsQZ2u0krPWpCNrRQ73nRONv-6saCOe9/s320/tulips.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Tulips have appeared out of nowhere</span></span></i></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh85mJ16_vWIjUU8vORI5t9q7Ne4ABMO42jVJ5bJmcZmTZCwDdZe5Ub-_USdw8BHYsDfhI4suyLjWt8zbfsz_sZo5Wqh1Lv3vcXmu7VL7YuoMUNig32w6GMygMyWLAFPs-xyYB3NA0yZTtL/s1600/photo-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh85mJ16_vWIjUU8vORI5t9q7Ne4ABMO42jVJ5bJmcZmTZCwDdZe5Ub-_USdw8BHYsDfhI4suyLjWt8zbfsz_sZo5Wqh1Lv3vcXmu7VL7YuoMUNig32w6GMygMyWLAFPs-xyYB3NA0yZTtL/s320/photo-3.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">These will grow in to a huge bush of flowers within a month or so and make great companions for the veggie plot</span></span></i></td></tr>
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<br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></span></span>bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12223209338487482412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052548617198306403.post-19903013764312235282013-08-01T11:48:00.003+12:002013-08-01T12:58:28.424+12:00Garden design – planning ahead for a vegetable bounty<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Happy New Year!! Well gardener's New Year that is. I've got a couple of gardening books that are basically my bibles for telling me what to plant when, they both start in August and today is 1st August! I certainly have that feeling of being about to start a brand new year of veggie growing, I'm excited!! </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNJEknIt65qqqrHgctV_RSrl7Ymj8N-9vvUcJcsjmo9MHAMuOVL2r8ZsDwdsuAGO2wSZljAD2-4hNR2ns-DnoF88YBFYFogAODe3eUmR6LNBMGFQjFWdj0IUMtXnCp4qFXzv7Ijugtmokl/s1600/IMG_2806.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNJEknIt65qqqrHgctV_RSrl7Ymj8N-9vvUcJcsjmo9MHAMuOVL2r8ZsDwdsuAGO2wSZljAD2-4hNR2ns-DnoF88YBFYFogAODe3eUmR6LNBMGFQjFWdj0IUMtXnCp4qFXzv7Ijugtmokl/s320/IMG_2806.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The blank canvas</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: xx-small; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I deliberately didn’t plant many winter
crops, I wanted to reach the end of winter with more or less a blank
canvas to start on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We moved in to the
house in June last year and by the time we’d unpacked and settled in, it was
time to start planting and I kind of panicked and threw a load of seedlings at
the veggie patch and hoped they’d stick, then I got given more plants and it
just ended up a bit of a jumble and I kind of ran out of room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having said that most things turned out
great, well perhaps except for the no-show parsnip and feeble cauliflower.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">So this year I have come up with a plan, I’ve
figured out what I want to plant and where to plant them, I know the garden a
bit better this year too so I know where works best for different things. Last
year I pretty much just had one crop of everything, I managed two crops of
carrots and broccoli but everything else just had one shot. I’m hoping that
with sore careful planning I can manage to keep a bit more of a constant
stream of freshness coming in from the garden, rather than just one huge glut
of everything in one go (rookie mistake!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So rather
than planting the whole packet of carrot seeds, I’ll plant one row and then a
couple of weeks later go back and put another row in etc etc …<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course the sod’s law of all this careful
planning means that everything will probably die and I’ll have to go back to the
chuck it in anywhere and hope for the best method for the next year!</span></div>
</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCFa3kLMlzKlL0ieMfq2a1bRK27L1cLy0LMIhi4oGeZVpOe0uv8rgecAdUYI3amygotjSr9hNC7ORia0qQ3YrGmHpHjw5ULuPtIa_AOzr3b4d5-S6z_LIsAkJN24UNWq5RUQIHrph4oJhB/s1600/blank.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCFa3kLMlzKlL0ieMfq2a1bRK27L1cLy0LMIhi4oGeZVpOe0uv8rgecAdUYI3amygotjSr9hNC7ORia0qQ3YrGmHpHjw5ULuPtIa_AOzr3b4d5-S6z_LIsAkJN24UNWq5RUQIHrph4oJhB/s400/blank.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>What I've got currently, including the weird Dead Zone where nothing seems to grow, just kind of shrivels and dies</i></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: xx-small; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With the glorious sunshine of Sunday we managed
to get the soil prepared and it just looks like a glorious empty space waiting
for gardening inspiration (and a trip to the garden centre!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjITy57CAjMwXK7yd2zMXHCtfBHQy84KIko8Ec4eGnRyQgYnEtU_jynD6dAztKH48JNQcvGJBDDghGVLnhQGHyDbYe92mIEwPagxII-kPaZlm-1hRgYgr6IN2S8UIcZYjJUvbuVeL6jS-eB/s1600/aa2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjITy57CAjMwXK7yd2zMXHCtfBHQy84KIko8Ec4eGnRyQgYnEtU_jynD6dAztKH48JNQcvGJBDDghGVLnhQGHyDbYe92mIEwPagxII-kPaZlm-1hRgYgr6IN2S8UIcZYjJUvbuVeL6jS-eB/s400/aa2.png" width="397" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><em>The plan! A full patch, with potatoes and </em></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><em>peas in tubs on the patio</em></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: xx-small; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">This weekend I am going to be planting:</span><br /><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: xx-small; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">
- Beetroot<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: xx-small; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- Lettuce<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">- Peas</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">- Sugar Snaps /Mangetout </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: xx-small; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- Shallots<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: xx-small; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- Spring Onions<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: xx-small; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- I've got Strawberries already in from last
year, but if you are thinking of growing some this year then the garden centre
has some already, just give them some frost protection in case we get a sneaky
chill).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: xx-small; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then in a few weeks, mid-August I’m going
to plant:<br />
- Onions<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: xx-small; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- More lettuces<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">- Tomatoes (seeds in the greenhouse)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">- Chillies (in the greenhouse) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: xx-small; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- Potato (will start the sprouting for
planting in September<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: xx-small; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When the time is right (a wee while later
on …), the following things will go in <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: xx-small; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- Beans (runners)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: xx-small; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- Broccoli<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: xx-small; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- Carrots<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: xx-small; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- Celery<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: xx-small; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- Leeks<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I don’t think I will give the parsnips or
caulis another shot, hmmm maybe!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have I
missed anything?! What are you guys planting?</span></div>
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bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12223209338487482412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052548617198306403.post-90165351984451298962013-07-24T16:57:00.000+12:002013-07-24T16:57:46.150+12:00High Tea Perfection<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Still
not much news on the gardening front … the pre-spring tidy up continues
but it is still too early to do much, the weeds do seem to be starting to grow again and the bulbs I've planted are coming through so it must be spring soon. I still haven't quite got the hang of the up side down seasons here. If the weather is nice
this weekend I am going to try and plant some shallots, spring onions
and peas/mangetouts. I can’t wait! Then when mid-autumn rolls around I
am going to go nuts planting a whole lotta stuff, watch this space!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So while I wait for August, to keep me occupied and out of trouble I went to a High Tea perfection class with a friend on Sunday. If I can't garden, there is always food right!? It was held at <a href="http://www.theinspiredpantry.co.nz/" target="_blank">The Inspired Pantry</a> in Dunedin and it was great fun, lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon, and best of all we got to take home the goodies we made.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC1LBR2hMZpLE0ghkwMUV4PyEw815g-rEh4JdGnguriCt-ZT2fiC2o0rjirsZumWCkO-0InZ6eVAUuutq74c37BaFHpT7pG-X61CslaSE6-K6oJD-cea_SpKUu1n-xCGcBvgHiS6pQNFmq/s1600/high+te-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC1LBR2hMZpLE0ghkwMUV4PyEw815g-rEh4JdGnguriCt-ZT2fiC2o0rjirsZumWCkO-0InZ6eVAUuutq74c37BaFHpT7pG-X61CslaSE6-K6oJD-cea_SpKUu1n-xCGcBvgHiS6pQNFmq/s400/high+te-2.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">These are just some of the goodies, scones, cinnamon wheels and decorated cupcakes. Unfortunately my cupcakes had a bit of spill in the car on the way home so please be assured that they looked way better originally!! </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The two ladies who ran the class were great, it makes such a difference when your teachers have a passion and enjoyment of their subject. We were taught ridiculously easy recipes for scones and meringues, I can't wait to re=try the meringues in particular. We were given tips on all sorts of decorations for cakes ... I would have gone to this class just to learn how to make the candied nuts that were used as a decoration topping, mmmmmmmm! I also took away the fact that I now want a kitchen-aid mixer, damn and I only just had my birthday! </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I'll be back for more of these classes I think ... anyone fancy the breadmaking?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I think this is the first class I have been too since uni days, but next weekend I'm straight in to another one, a rose-pruning workshop ... we inherited a lot of roses when we bought the house and beyond knowing that roses need pruning, I am clueless. So on Sunday, husband and I are off to learn how to prune at the Dunedin Botanic gardens, it will be such a wonderful place to learn how. I think after that my transition from a relatively youthful person to little old lady will finally be complete! Ha :)</span></span><br />
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<br />bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12223209338487482412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052548617198306403.post-72995973737738408052013-07-09T11:03:00.000+12:002013-07-09T11:17:44.907+12:00Messing with the natural order of the Universe<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Well in my last <a href="http://suburbangoodlife.blogspot.co.nz/2013/07/hurry-up-spring-recovering-from-wild.html" target="_blank">blog post</a> I was wishing for
Spring, and for a few glorious days it looked like I got my wish, so much so
that I was a bit worried that I had messed with the natural order of
things!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sun was shining, it was warm
enough to brunch outside without a coat and one of my roses is flowering,
whoops, hang on, I’m not that ready for Spring after all!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s OK though the big duvet was back on the
bed last night and it is back to being rather chilly, still got some beautiful
blue skies though.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The good weather at the weekend means that
the greenhouse is cleared and torn plastic removed, got to wait for a slightly
less gale force winds before we can put the new plastic back on the roof (any
volunteers to help with roof-raising, I’ll provide beer/wine or tomatoes in
summer!?).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The garden paths have been
de-mossed and are less of a slippy hazard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We’ve got rid of all our fallen trees now and the veggie patch just needs
a good going over and then I will be ready for lots of seedlings and plantings
in August which is fast approaching, hoorah!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The winter break is obviously doing me good, I have renewed enthusiasm for
gardening and growing rather than wishing death on my tomatoes. I'm replanning the whole garden for maximum veggie production and also thinking I might need a bigger freezer!</span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Remember those <a href="http://suburbangoodlife.blogspot.co.nz/2013/07/hurry-up-spring-recovering-from-wild.html" target="_blank">leeks</a> and those <a href="http://suburbangoodlife.blogspot.co.nz/2013/06/a-pumpkin-hunting-holiday.html" target="_blank">pumpkins</a> …
still have rather a lot to use up so I went to my favourite go-to recipe finder
for something that would use those up. I was feeling a bit cold so thought a
casserole would do the trick … I found this one and substituted the shallots with
the leeks and the sage with rosemary (just because that’s what I had in the
garden) and added a generous slug of red wine. <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/sausagepumpkinandsag_92737"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/sausagepumpkinandsag_92737</span></a>.
My god it was good, highly recommend it and would also recommend serving it
with a ciabatta from Gilberts if you live in Dunedin, so so good!! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJGgPASAVXFKUQlf9_bpVDVjUDMM9CNlA6lUR9L1wJP3UVczLoi4s7A8gbd0aIB5-Q7cR5CcqhuYY5mkdMfZlcfQwGNMKpW5Cojj0mg4H0Qi8wK4oYjXFvTIZ0yMsEC6ZZDQ78CecUxBbZ/s1600/Soss.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJGgPASAVXFKUQlf9_bpVDVjUDMM9CNlA6lUR9L1wJP3UVczLoi4s7A8gbd0aIB5-Q7cR5CcqhuYY5mkdMfZlcfQwGNMKpW5Cojj0mg4H0Qi8wK4oYjXFvTIZ0yMsEC6ZZDQ78CecUxBbZ/s640/Soss.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Sausage, Leek & Pumpkin Casserole - yum!</span></em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Does anyone have any other pumpkin recipe
recommendations?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve still got 2 and a
half pumpkins left to go :)</span></div>
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</span><br />bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12223209338487482412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052548617198306403.post-26587323576412622572013-07-02T17:50:00.000+12:002013-07-02T17:50:00.059+12:00Hurry up Spring – Recovering from the wild weather<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I miss lettuce. I’ve spoilt myself for supermarket lettuce, I bought a couple of bags after it got too cold to grow in the garden and didn’t like it, it just smelled weird. The broccoli has been fantastic but I miss lettuce in my sandwiches and summer salads … hurry up Spring!!</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Monster broccoli, my pride and joy!</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The broccoli is almost finished and there isn’t much else coming up in the garden so I am going to have to resort to supermarket veggies for a while I think. Next winter I plan to have a lot more going on in the greenhouse to get me through but unfortunately the greenhouse is in a bit of a sorry state thanks to windy weather. We also lost a beautiful tree. Husband and I spent Saturday chopping and hacking the tree to pieces and pruning a big dog rose bush that had flopped over in the winds, we now have a lot of scratches and a giant pile of tangled thorny branches to get rid of … sigh. Hurry up Spring!!</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So sad, the fallen tree ... frosty mornings ... wind trashed greenhouse</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On the chores list for next weekend is greenhouse repairs, earth shovelling and poo distribution to get the garden in tip top shape for spring plantings. Later in July I can plant some peas and spring onions and then in August I can go crazy with lots and lots of lovely things including the first tomato seeds … I miss my prolific tomato babies, I didn’t think I would be saying that after getting sick of the sight of them in their peak over-abundance! Hurry up Spring!!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But most of all, although I am grateful for the generally mild winter we have been having and the gorgeous frosty but sunny weekend, I’m ready for lighter mornings and evenings. We’re almost out of firewood too, despite having a motherload of it at the start of winter. HURRY UP SPRING!!</span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>I'm dreaming of my garden's summer bounty!</i></span></span></span></td></tr>
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bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12223209338487482412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052548617198306403.post-2838525341979256692013-06-16T13:15:00.000+12:002013-06-16T13:15:54.353+12:00Pinterest Sunday - Mason Jars, sofa & duvet and Cushions for Katie<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pinterest Sunday is a very close relation to Lazy Sunday and Hungover Sunday. All three Sunday varieties start the same way with me looking out of the window and thinking 'hell no, I am not going out there'! </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ_SFrdmMcP9NfNnvFPz9odSxbNfQ34HA6V1DQdU3KusHGZE1cZPZ56WNB0eRzJ9oZZW4ij8sYBkRuQUDqzleCjkPmzKsOPnxRlf6pXn1ZGpNb8DXy-o6J0RY8msqtdrPGK3lh1x4gpiMF/s1600/rainy+day+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ_SFrdmMcP9NfNnvFPz9odSxbNfQ34HA6V1DQdU3KusHGZE1cZPZ56WNB0eRzJ9oZZW4ij8sYBkRuQUDqzleCjkPmzKsOPnxRlf6pXn1ZGpNb8DXy-o6J0RY8msqtdrPGK3lh1x4gpiMF/s320/rainy+day+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">far<span style="font-size: x-small;"> to<span style="font-size: x-small;">o rainy to think<span style="font-size: x-small;"> about gardening</span></span></span></span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But that's OK, the garden is pretty much put to bed for winter, still got a few leeks and broccoli coming through but it will be a few weeks yet before I start getting things ready for Spring. I do have to repair the greenhouse and get rid of all the fallen apples, it can wait though, Pinterest Sunday wins.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwm133pOWLEPFxlpJ0Y3k-IdVBAevEDL3sSLl00YLeBfeQU2tPhfIGhH-T_RrDuFJfX5Jdqmi5Qaa_f9rb0jXSpmCY8jJ5R61rPR3EQKV7a3dmGyy6gc5lNGgIj1Y8zGwVPz6qJnwuYdH4/s1600/aaa.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwm133pOWLEPFxlpJ0Y3k-IdVBAevEDL3sSLl00YLeBfeQU2tPhfIGhH-T_RrDuFJfX5Jdqmi5Qaa_f9rb0jXSpmCY8jJ5R61rPR3EQKV7a3dmGyy6gc5lNGgIj1Y8zGwVPz6qJnwuYdH4/s400/aaa.png" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicEFai108CqVI7RQBjO0R0e8HNkqNXoFx_mYE96YO_SHjSlghr4Ur4U6toTLUWu-H99R-x7ghAgxXWQIDrJEami0aKwvvlCFajUEbC9ApDm-9mRwQHYQr38CcYXIuPJfF01E0xfNgIh4A0/s1600/strawberries.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i>Strawberries in their cosy winter blanket</i></span></span></span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So after looking out of the window and</span> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">deciding that the garden is a no go, the next step is to migrate to the sofa, duvet optional depending on the weather, fire up my tablet and waste a good few hours trawling through Pinterest. Although the novelty has worn off somewhat I do still spend far too much time on it. After a couple of hours I've redecorated the house, reorganised the garden, made some amazing craft things and cooked some delicious meals all in my head! Now where Pinterest Sunday diverges from lazy or hungover Sunday is that looking through all those images will give me the inspiration to actually get off my ass and actually go and do one of the things that I've been looking at!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some of the previous results from Pinterest Sunday have been new recipes tried out in the kitchen, a cleaner bathtub, a Mason Jar turned in to pincushion and ribbon storage, and cushions</span>. <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We had a stack of large mason jars after husband bought some that were far too big in a fit of tomato related over-enthusiasm. They were perfect for this though and another jar found the perfect use as storage for some strong Indian cooking spices, still got to find a use for 6 more though! I've been tempted by a light feature like this but it might be a bit beyond me ... http://pinterest.com/pin/254946028878673601/ . Pinterest ideas can be more practical though. I promised some cushions as a birthday present to a friend, Pinterest taught me how, but I thought I'd better practice on some for myself first :)</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvDTwln1FywWhYeI6s_MVLFgKAVCguqai0kAcjTVVqXJV33X_ZSqAHSkkQJBM21gYTaACbLlZWd4GHL-RodZkFLi1TIw7qHgtc2cFtu2srtVCGyQLcZ3-N055ZY-s5hyxQTkkNpeXAJxf8/s1600/pinterest.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvDTwln1FywWhYeI6s_MVLFgKAVCguqai0kAcjTVVqXJV33X_ZSqAHSkkQJBM21gYTaACbLlZWd4GHL-RodZkFLi1TIw7qHgtc2cFtu2srtVCGyQLcZ3-N055ZY-s5hyxQTkkNpeXAJxf8/s400/pinterest.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>Two <span style="font-size: x-small;">of my Pinterest inspir<span style="font-size: x-small;">a<span style="font-size: x-small;">tions</span></span></span></i></span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's too soon to tell <span style="font-size: small;">which wa<span style="font-size: small;">y it is going to go today, <span style="font-size: small;">I think it is <span style="font-size: small;">goin<span style="font-size: small;">g to be a Pinterest <span style="font-size: small;">Sun</span>day, though I do h<span style="font-size: small;">ave to get so<span style="font-size: small;">me quilting done<span style="font-size: small;">. It needs to get finished soon<span style="font-size: small;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>The w<span style="font-size: x-small;">ork in progress</span></i></span></span></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Maggie, however, is hoping for a lazy Sunday</span>. <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is us on a lazy Sunday a few weeks ago, as you can see, it involved nothing much over a 4 hour period. Believe it or not, each of these photos was taken about half an hour apart, as evidenced by the appearance and disappearance of husband in photo 3, whoops, far too lazy!! Oh well, a lazy day is good for you every now and then.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Laziest of Lazy Sundays</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">God I love Pinterest on a rainy day ... I'm here if you want to follow me :) http://pinterest.com/belle1207/boards/</span><br />
bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12223209338487482412noreply@blogger.com0