Confuscious say prior to starting whipper snipper ensure wasps have not built nest in exhaust !!!
Things to do
1. Put Roof On "C" Tainer. Not Done should now read Sandblast and paint .Should now read buy new ctainer
2. Put Roof on Patio over Varandah. Done.
3. Paint inside of house.
4.Finish Kitchen.
2. Put Roof on Patio over Varandah. Done.
3. Paint inside of house.
4.Finish Kitchen.
Animals
Animals we have
Steers for steaks Yummy, We currently have 1 cow and One steer left, The Cow is Blondie and she is quite a Beauty Then there were the three steers and they were Curly Larry and Moe. Curly is the last one left.
4 Muskovie Ducks ,all females and I am now looking for a new Male. Finaly found a big white Male and he is turning out to be good for the little flock.Hopefully we will be able to look foreward to some little ducklings.
Chooks
2 Sussex Hens, 1 Sussex Rooster 3 Black Australorp 2 little red hens 2 young Sussex Hens 1 Blak Austalorp and Sussex and 1 little brown hen and sussex cross.
and of course Mister the horse who is 17.5 hands high and a perfect gentleman(not) Windsucker YES.
7 female Turkeys and 1 big male and 1 male teenager. These Birds roam the Garden during the day and eat 80% of there feed in the paddock. They dont't scratch all the mulch of the plants and are just lovely to have around. and they have great eggs
We did hope to get sheep but as our grass is wholly Unsuitable for sheep we have given that idea away.
Steers for steaks Yummy, We currently have 1 cow and One steer left, The Cow is Blondie and she is quite a Beauty Then there were the three steers and they were Curly Larry and Moe. Curly is the last one left.
4 Muskovie Ducks ,all females and I am now looking for a new Male. Finaly found a big white Male and he is turning out to be good for the little flock.Hopefully we will be able to look foreward to some little ducklings.
Chooks
2 Sussex Hens, 1 Sussex Rooster 3 Black Australorp 2 little red hens 2 young Sussex Hens 1 Blak Austalorp and Sussex and 1 little brown hen and sussex cross.
and of course Mister the horse who is 17.5 hands high and a perfect gentleman(not) Windsucker YES.
7 female Turkeys and 1 big male and 1 male teenager. These Birds roam the Garden during the day and eat 80% of there feed in the paddock. They dont't scratch all the mulch of the plants and are just lovely to have around. and they have great eggs
We did hope to get sheep but as our grass is wholly Unsuitable for sheep we have given that idea away.
Recipes
Yummy things to eat
Christmas cake and Pudding and things
Christmas Cake
Ingredients
225g (8oz) plain white flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
pinch of salt
125g (4oz) dried pineapple, chopped
1 large Bramley apple, grated
125g (4oz) roughly chopped hazelnuts
125g (4oz) dried pears, chopped
275g (10oz) raisins
450g (1lb) sultanas
a pinch of saffron
175g (6oz) butter, softened
grated zest of 1 orange
175g (6oz) muscovado sugar
4 eggs
5 tbsp dark rum
To finish:
4 tbsp of apricot glaze made by placing 150g (5oz) of apricot jam in a saucepan with 3 tbsp water and heating gently. When the jam has melted, it needs to be sieved and then is ready for use.
450g (1lb) almond paste, either home-made or ready made
675g (1lb 8oz) ready roll fondant icing
prep and cook time: over 2 hours servings: 8
You will need a 9 inch round cake tin. Grease and line this with a double thickness of greaseproof paper. Tie also a double thickness of brown paper band around the outside to the tin.
Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/gas mark 2.
Into a bowl, sift the flour with all the spices and salt. Then mix all the fruit, nuts and saffron together in another bowl with half the flour mixture.
Take a large bowl and beat the butter with the orange zest and sugar until pale and fluffy. Then beat in the eggs one at a time.
Now fold in the flour and then add the fruit and flour mixture. Now pour in the rum and pop the mixture into the prepared cake tin and level the surface. Bake in the oven for 2 hours.
To check if it is cooked, take a skewer and insert into the centre of the cake. If it comes out hot and clean, it is cooked.
Leave to cool in the tin for 30 minutes and then turn out and cool on a wire rack.
Now wrap tightly in greaseproof paper ready to be fed with 1 tbsp of rum a week!
To finish the cake: Place the cake on your cake board and brush with the warm apricot glaze. Now roll out the almond paste and cover the top and sides with it. Leave for a couple of days before icing to make sure the oil from the almonds is dried and therefore doesn't stain your finished cake.
After a couple of days, roll out your icing and cover the cake, top and sides with one application.
Christmas Pudding
Ingredients
225g (8oz) seedless raisins
225g (8oz) currants
225g (8oz) sultanas
75g (3oz) chopped dried pear
25g (1oz) chopped dried pineapple
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
225g (8oz) fresh white breadcrumbs
75g (3oz) plain flour
1 tsp ground mixed spice
1/4 tsp salt
225g (8oz) shredded suet
225g (8oz) soft light brown sugar
dash of angostura bitters
4 large eggs, beaten
55ml (2fl oz) dark rum
55ml (2fl oz) Calvados
75ml (3fl oz) milk
For the rum butter:
100g (4oz) unsalted butter
75g (3oz) dark brown sugar
4 tbsp dark rum
Prep and cook time: over 2 hours servings: 6
Lightly grease 1.6 litre (2 3/4 pint) pudding basin and line the base with non-stick baking parchment.
Put the raisins, currants and sultanas in a large mixing bowl with the fried pear and pineapple, lemon zest, breadcrumbs, flour, mixed spice, salt, suet and sugar. Stir to mix.
In another bowl whisk together the eggs, a dash of the angostura bitters, rum and Calvados and milk. Add to the fruit mixture and stir well.
Spoon into the pudding basin and press down well. Cover the surface with a disc of greaseproof paper. Cover the whole basin with some more paper and foil, making sure to pleat in the centre for expansion. Secure with some string.
To cook: Place the pudding basin into a large saucepan and pour enough boiling water in to come halfway up the basin. Now bring up to the boil, cover the pan and boil steadily for 5 hours, making sure the saucepan doesn't boil dry. Top up with boiling water only.
Once cooked, remove from the pan and allow to cool completely. Then recover with some fresh greaseproof paper and foil. Store in a cool, dark place for 6-8 weeks.
To reheat on the day.
Steam pudding for 2 hours as above and then turn out onto your warmed serving dish.
Warm some rum in a pan, and set it alight with a match. Pour this over the pudding and decorate with holly.
Rum butter: Mix the ingredients well until completely combined, store covered in the fridge.
Christmas Pudding Ice Cream
Ingredients
25g dried mango
4tbsp brandy
25g dried apricots, chopped
25g cranberries, dried
25g raisins
600ml double cream
70g light brown sugar
85g brown breadcrumbs
25g walnuts
1/2tsp ground cinnamon
25g glace cherries, chopped
25g mixed peel
Decoration:
icing sugar
strawberry coulis
melted chocolate
servings: Serves 6-8
Mix together all the dried fruits with the brandy and leave to soak. Beat the cream and 15g of the sugar in a bowl until thickened. Transfer to a freezerproof container and freeze the sugar and cream stirring every 30 minutes for at least 2 hours.
Mix the remaining sugar with the breadcrumbs, walnuts, cinnamon and place on a baking sheet in the oven for 5-10 minutes until golden and caramelised.
Remove the frozen cream from the freezer and fold in the soaked fruit and caramelised breadcrumb mix.
Return to the freezer.
Mincemeat Pie
9 inch Double crust pastry*
28 oz. jar mincemeat
1 1/2 cups chopped apple
1/3 cup chopped nuts
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
*Use your favorite recipe.
Heat oven to 425F/ 220C Gas7 .
Prepare pastry. In large bowl, combine mincemeat and remaining ingredients. Pour into pastry-lined pie pan.
Cover with top crust (cut slits to allow steam to escape); seal and flute edge.
Bake at 425F / 220C Gas 7 for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.
Baked Ham in Cider
1 (9-lb) boneless ham
1 lb Light brown sugar
1 Ltr Dry Cider
3 tb Honey
1 1/2 ts Ground ginger
1 1/2 ts Dry mustard
Pineapple slices (opt.)
Spiced apples (optional)
Score ham and place on rack in baking tin. Cover top with 1 cup brown sugar and pour over 1/4 Ltr Dry Cider
Bake at 325F / 190C Gas 5 for 2 hours.
Combine remaining Cider, remaining brown sugar, honey, ginger and mustard and bring to rolling boil in saucepan.
Lower heat and simmer while basting ham every 15 minutes until done.
Garnish with pineapple slices and spiced apples, if desired.
Makes 15 to 20 servings
Pumkin Soup
Ingredients
1 1/2 Tbl spoons butter
1 large diced onion
2 cups peeeled diced pumpkin
7 cups chicken stock
1 clove Garlic
salt & pepper to taste
Method
Saute Onion in butter. Add diced pumkin and crushed Garlic saute all together till war.
Add Chicken Stock dash pepper (add salt when tasting at end if needed)
Heat to biling and simmer for 10 minutes
Blend.
If its a bit thick add a little more water. However thick soup is great for freezing and thin before using.
To make a big batch to freeze just double all ingredients
Enjoy
1 1/2 Tbl spoons butter
1 large diced onion
2 cups peeeled diced pumpkin
7 cups chicken stock
1 clove Garlic
salt & pepper to taste
Method
Saute Onion in butter. Add diced pumkin and crushed Garlic saute all together till war.
Add Chicken Stock dash pepper (add salt when tasting at end if needed)
Heat to biling and simmer for 10 minutes
Blend.
If its a bit thick add a little more water. However thick soup is great for freezing and thin before using.
To make a big batch to freeze just double all ingredients
Enjoy
Cucumber Soup DeliciousUse Pumpkin soup recipe but use peeled & deseeded Cucumber instead of Pumpkin.
Absolutely delicious Get yourselves some giant russian cucumber seeds, Very prolific. |
