Homemade Fruit Icelollies

250g Strawberries (fruits can vary)
50g Sugar
60ml Water
The Juice of one whole Orange (or in my case a good pour of Vodka)

This is a very simple recipe and will take minutes to make, firstly place the sugar and water into a small pan and boil for 3 to 4 minutes, once this has turned into syrup, leave to cool right down.

For the Strawberries, puree these in a blender, and then sieve to get all the pips out. All of the ingredients can then be added together, including the Vodka or the juice of one orange, stirred, poured into a mold and placed into the freezer over night.

It's that simple, enjoy!

Time to make some Pesto Pasta

Pesto traditionally uses expensive ingredients like Pine Nuts and Parmazan cheese, which if you're like me, you don't tend to stock everyday. So, here is a nice and easy variation on this, that won't cost the earth and with ingredients you're bound to have at home.

1 Courgette, sliced into long strips
300g Dried Pasta Shapes (any variety)

Pesto Sauce:
1 small handfull of Basil
1 small handfull of Mint
1 small handfull of Baby Spinage Leaves
1 small handfull of Rocket Leaves
2 Garlic Cloves, grated
120g Nuts - peanuts, brazil nuts, etc...
100g Feta Cheese
150ml Olive Oil
1/2 Lemon

For this recipe, start by cooking the pasta of your choice in sligthly salted water in a pan and cook as instructed on the packet.

While the pasta is cooking, in a small blender add the herbs, salad leaves, grated garlic, selection of nuts and lemon juice and blitz until roughly chopped. Add half of the oil gradually to the mixture and blitz to a paste, then add the rest of the oil. This can then be put into the fridge till needed.

Heat a griddle and cook the courgette strips, which have been cut into slices with a potato peeler, for a couple of minutes on each side until they browned off. Once cooked place on some kitchen towel cool down.

Once cooked drain the pasta and place in a bowl. Pour the pesto sauce over the pasta and crumble over the feta cheese. Mix together, move to a serving bowl, place the courgette over and add more cheese, oil and lemon as needed

The pesto sauce can be kept in a container and stored in the fridge for up to a couple of weeks if needed.

RIP - Lost a hen last weekend

RIP - Yellow Tag (Doris)

Unfortunately one of our girls passed away last weekend...she will be missed.

The other hens do seem to be taking her loss badly...hopefully this is a one off and there will go back to there normal self's soon.

Finally the honey bees have arrived "Carniolan" a couple of weeks ago...there still getting settled into there new home...so watch this space!

Spring Plans for 2018

So there has been some time since we have last posted on the Blog.

It has been a busy family time last year with a new member of the family "Marley Bloom" and Oscar is growing up so fast!

But with a new season comes a new plan!

So with the help from a lovely gardening app we have planned out this years veg garden.

So far we have 4 different Basil plants on the go...Thai, Genovese, Dark Opal, Lemon

2 Weeks old:

In time will look like the following:

Dark Opal

Lemon

Thai

Genovese

We also planted outside our Garlic Bulbs "Provence Wight" (just before the winter frost) and there are looking very happy!

Also just started Propagating some Pumpkin plants and looking good only 1 week old.

Also Catnip...

Homemade Apple Cider

As we await all the chillies we have been making Apple Cider. What do you think?



Time to Bottle!



We are still not finished this will need to sit for couple more weeks to clear.



WE WILL UPDATE YOU!

time to preserve this seasons Jalapenos

Step 1. Assemble the ingredients:

• vinegar -- white distilled, apple cider, or a combination of the two (I use half and half)
• jalapeños
• garlic
• kosher or pickling salt (regular table salt not recommended)
• spices -- bay leaves, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorns
• sugar or honey (optional) -- I like to add just a little bit of sweetness to balance the tartness of the vinegar. You can omit it, if you prefer.

• WARNING: Wear plastic gloves when you're working with chiles. The hot residue is difficult to wash off of your hands. If you accidentally touch your face or eyes, you may feel a very unpleasant burning sensation. I prefer to use disposable gloves, because it's difficult to wash off the hot residue.

Step 2. Sterilize jars/lids and keep them warm (see link to instructions above)
Step 3. Heat the vinegar and water (plus optional sugar or honey) almost to the boiling point--steaming, but not bubbling; cover and keep it hot until needed.

• Step 4. Slice the jalapeños into thin rounds, approximately 1/8" thick. Hold them by the stem end as you slice, and discard the stems when you're through. I add them to a large measuring bowl as I slice--you need 8 cups of slices to fill 4 pint jars.

Step 5. Add seasonings to each of the hot, sterilized jars.


Step 6. Add jalapeño slices to each jar. Press them down firmly as you add them in order to pack the slices tightly into jar. For a more attractive appearance, insert some slices vertically around the edge of the jar (otherwise, they tend to stack like coins). I used a chopstick to position some of the slices around the jar edges.


Step 7. Add hot vinegar mixture to each jar, leaving 1/2" headspace. Insert a bubble remover down the side of the jar and press toward the center to release any bubbles (you can use any long, thin object like a chopstick).



Step 8. Clean jar rims with a wet paper towel. Add a jar lid to each jar. Screw on a ring until it is "finger tight."



For refrigerator pickled jalapeños, you're done! Let the jars cool to room temperature, then put them in the fridge and let them marinate for a few days (at least 3 days) before eating them. They will keep in the fridge for several months.
For canned pickled jalapeños, proceed with the following steps:
Step 9. While you're preparing the peppers and filling the jars, get your water boiling. Add water to a water-process canner or large pot that is tall enough for the water level to be 1" higher than the jars. Bring water to a boil, cover, and keep hot until jars are ready.
Step 10. Use a jar lifter to insert each jar vertically into the boiling water.
Step 11. Cover and return water to a rolling boil. Process jars for 12 minutes. Turn off heat and remove lid; leave jars in hot water for 5 more minutes. Use the jar lifter to remove each jar vertically and set on a towel.
Within 30 minutes after the jars are removed from the water, you know they've safely sealed if the center of the jar is slightly indented (it shouldn't give when you press it); sometimes you'll hear a popping noise when they seal.  Leave  your jars out to cool undisturbed for at least 12 hours.


If any of your jars don't seal, let them cool and move them to the fridge where they should be good for several months. (They're now refrigerator pickled peppers instead of canned/sealed peppers.)
Store your sealed, processed jars in a cool, dark place (a cabinet or pantry is fine as long as it doesn't get too hot); a basement is ideal. Although you can eat them within a few days, the flavor is better if they cure for 4-6 weeks before being opened. They are shelf-stable for at least 1 year.