A Couple of Simple Snacks.

Recovered from the spill I took - and thanks to those of you who msg me to see how I was doing. Head is fine ( yes there may be those who dispute that statement. lol) and am back to normal. ??? :)

Following is the Velvet Pud recipe, as well as a yummy one I use to have as a lovely winter snack after school. I"d forgotten about it but will have to resurrect it on a night when we just want a quick supper.

                                                    VELVET PUDDING.

3 eggs
1/4 cup of sugar
2 tablespoons cornflour
pinch salt
1 dessertspoon lemon juice
dash of vanilla
1.5 pints of milk   ( 850 ml.)

METHOD.
Bring milk to the boil
Beat egg yolks
Add sugar and cornflour dissolved in a little milk.
Pour this mixture into milk and when thick remove from heat and add vanilla.
Pour into a buttered pie dish.
Beat white of eggs then add 1/2 cup sugar and 1 dessertspoon of lemon juice and beat until it hangs from the fork.
Pour over top of pudding and bake until a light brown.


                                                         
                                            ASPARAGUS RAREBIT SNACK.

1 tablespoon of butter
2 rashers of bacon, chopped
2 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 cups grated cheese
310g tin of asparagus cuts, drained   (of course you can use fresh asparagus, depending on the season)
salt and pepper
6 slices of bread to toast

METHOD.
melt butter in a saucepan and cook bacon for 1 minute
remove pan from heat and stir in milk, mustard, asparagus cuts, salt and pepper, cheese.
toast bread.
top with mixture and grill until cheese is melted and bubbling.

Such simple snacks - but some foods are meant to be just comfort foods without too much fuss and bother. Oh and of course the bacon could be cooked in a non-stick saucepan to make it healthier, and you can cut back on the cheese................ but do you really want to do that?  :)

Interesting Day.

Its been a nice few days. The rain and cooler weather have been very welcome and I can almost see the veges growing.

I took a spill in the chook yard today. Slipped on the wet ground, flung my arm out to save myself and missed the pole I tried to grab, banged my head on said pole and wrenched my back. :) I have had a few back problems in the past from nursing many, many years ago and it was just unfortunate that I fell in such an awkward way. Scared the living daylights out of the girls. Poor little things - there's always some madness happening about the place. Never mind; I think I'll have a hot shower and an early night.


We had a couple of visitors this afternoon - two lovely kangaroos. They came through the back fence and grazed around a bit before heading off when Kim and I tried to get too close. As long as they stay away from the gardens they'll be O.K.

I've found a couple of lovely old recipes, one for a Velvet Pudding which I remember from my childhood.

 I'll post them tomorrow

Farm Visit.

We had a great time on our farm visit to  Purple Pear Organics - you can check it out here. It's a bio dynamic farm and education centre and the owners run classes in permaculture, biodynamics and sustainable living. They are the loveliest couple and fascinating to listen to. We were very inspired by their work and though it was dreadfully hot we had a great time seeing how everything works together. So much to take in but well worth the visit. I have another gift voucher - I think that one is about veges and I signed up for a class in preserving while I was there.
I've always wanted to do soap making as well so I think that might be the next class.
I think the thing I like about growing/ making your own is you know exactly what goes into everything. A friend of mine says if she can't pronounce it she doesn't eat it. lol - not a bad way of looking at it.

We've had the quotes for the air-conditioning and the carpet. We just have to get a blind man (window blinds) to pop in next. I also want to make sure the painting is finished before the carpet goes down - hopefully we can co-ordinate everything. Mark had a concreter come the other day as he's pretty well decided to just get the shed extended rather than buy a container. He asked my thoughts on it all - lol - whatever gets the spare rooms cleared out is good for me!

The garden is loving the cooler days - Lord aren't we all!!!!! Dirt finally ordered for last 2 beds; it will be here next Monday hopefully. Trying to juggle everything can be a little crazy at times; our days don't always go to plan but funnily enough that doesn't bother either of us. It wasn't all that long ago everything had to be done yesterday and if it wasn't I would get annoyed over what I saw as terrible disorganisation. Now we find its easier just going with flow and allowing our plans to be more fluid. Of course there are things that have a time limit (bills spring to mind lol) but you know sometimes a cuppa on the deck or a wander down to the folly is far more important than stressing over a time-table.  :)

Announcing baby Riley.

What a great day its been. We just got the news this evening that our friends first baby has been delivered safe and sound. They are a wonderful couple who have had a lot of problems conceiving but today the tears and sadness were over and one gorgeous little boy (all 7lb 10ozs of him) has started his life with two incredibly lovely people. He is very lucky; as are they. :) Can't wait to shop for him; it's been a long time since I've bought little boys clothes. What fun!!!!

Tomorrow Mark and I are off to our visit to the self-sufficient farm where we're going to do some courses. It's supposed to be some disgusting temperature like 40c - gross! Hat; sunnies and a whole bunch of sun-screen will be in order. I'm really looking forward to the day so I can see how a really successful self-sufficient farm runs. I wonder if  I'll look really dorky if I take notes - lol - like I care. :)

We must have a pretty healthy eco system happening here - every day we see a couple of frogs around somewhere. I went down to turn the pump on to water from the tank this evening and there was a lovely big green fellow with his head stuck under the pump. My son who was visiting popped him into the garden and he had a lovely time enjoying the sprinkling water. This is one that was on the back deck last night.