Tomatoes and Zucchinis

 

The tomatoes and zucchinis are now flourishing beautifully.

I am freezing the excess tomatoes to make chutney at a later date.

 

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The Vegie Patch and Pickled Beetroot

This is my Lovely New Vegie Patch

I've always worried about the chemicals that are used these days on the fruit and veg we buy, so last year I got serious about becoming more self sufficient and growing my own. Hence, "The Vegie Patch"  was made. I love it... it's so rewarding to grow and eat your own produce, makes me feel healthy just thinking about it and I'm sure I'm a couple of kilos lighter haha! So I was on a roll and now wanted a few chooks, once again we set to work and turned part of our back yard into a chook yard and create the Taj Mahal of chook houses...seriously, I could easily live in it. (more about the chooks later)

My first priority for planting in the new garden was a big crop of basil. Each year in March, our friends from Melbourne come for a huge sauce making weekend and on the Saturday I'm usually running around town to all the vegie stalls collecting as much basil as I can find to add to the sauce.(more on the sauce weekend later :-)) Since then I've had some lovely crops of rocket, spring onions, silver beet, chilli, snow peas, beans and beetroot. We're now anxiously waiting on the tomatoes and zucchinis which are just about ready....yay!

 

 



Isn't this the cutest little zucchini you've ever seen?
 

 

I've just picked my second crop of beetroot and decided to pickle it using the recipe from one of the blogs I follow called down---to---earth.

 

FROM THIS!

 

 

 

By the way this is my WHOLE crop here!

 

TO THIS!

 

 

 

Very happy with the result, thank you down---to---earth. xo

 

 

That's all for today so bye for now xo

 

 

 

 

Very Hot Chilli Jam

 

 

Great idea for a Christmas hamper

 

Goes well with bickie's and cheese and on meat sandwiches.

 

 

This is an easy to make chilli jam, and if you like it hot this is a great recipe. If not just reduce the amount of chilli you add, it's that simple. I used a mixture of different varieties of red and green chillies from my garden and my neighbour's block. As they became ripe I froze them fresh and whole, then when I had enough to make my jam I simply thawed them, cut off the top stems and finely chopped them in my food processor. I used three x 680g jars of my homemade instant pasta sauce (Ingredients: tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil and salt ). You could use instant pasta sauce from a wholesaler or sometimes you can pick up specials at the supermarket.

 

 

INGREDIENTS

 

3 x 680g Instant pasta sauce

12 cups white wine vinegar

12 cups sugar

12 cups chopped chilli

1 x 50g packet Fowler's Vacola Jam Setta with Pectin
(I picked up the Jam Setta at my local supermarket)

 

12-14 jars that hold 400g each.

 

Add instant pasta sauce, vinegar and chillies to a large thick bottomed pan and bring to the boil. When the mixture is boiling add the sugar. When the sugar is dissolved, turn down the heat and simmer until it has reduced by about half. Add the Jam Setta, mix well and boil for about another five minutes. If the mixture still looks too runny you can add more Jam Setta, keeping in mind that it will still thicken up more as it cools. Pour into sterilised jars and screw lid on firmly to ensure a proper seal. Store the jars in the pantry and refrigerate after opening.

 



 

My homemade instant pasta sauce

 

 

High Tea at Ani's

 Early this year one of my talented friends Ani, and I talked about raising money for a worthwhile cause and decided on our local Palliative Care unit. After losing my mother to cancer six years ago I saw first hand how very important their service is to the community and what a special group of people they are. Our first fundraiser was a lovely High Tea catered and planned for by Ani, and with help from Ani's neighbour Sue. We had a lovely afternoon with family and friends in Ani's garden and raised $250.00. So we're excited to announce we're planning another Afternoon Tea for next spring some time.... will keep you posted. We also plan to make and sell goodies to raise money so stay tuned here too.
               
                            Thank you to everyone who came and supported us. xo