Sunday, January 16, 2022

Growing, baking, covid and a new appliance...

 Every day has its own rhythm, but on the weekend I can take things a little slower, though some things stay the same.

I always water the garden just after dawn, check the roses for bugs, trim away dead branches or leaves, fertilise certain plants if they're due...





...and do a little bit of weeding, because the weeds are endless and aggressive. Sigh. 


As it was overcast yesterday morning I took the opportunity to pull my spring onions (green onions/scallions) from their garden beds and pots where they have been growing for almost three years. As these are my most prolific vegetable crop I had them scattered wherever there's a space in the raised beds, however, we're at mid-summer in the tropics and it's time to tidy everything up, rest a few beds, and prepare them for our mid-autumn planting. 


I decided to divide the plants between three pots and no longer have them in garden beds, as being alliums they aren't always good growing companions for other veggies. 

First I pull them up, then I cut the bottom section off, about three inches from the roots. With fresh soil in the assorted pots I've allocated for spring onions, I planted the ends as these will sprout new growth again within 24 hours.




Three pots and twenty six spring onions later, I washed the tops for kitchen use in the coming week or two.




Some of them I chopped finely and stored in a glass container inside the fridge for salads and garnishes. The remainder were sealed in a vacuum seal bag an hour or so later, and stored in the vegetable crisper where they'll be fine for a month or more. By then the rooted stems I planted in pots yesterday will be full grown again and I'll just cut the tops off as I need them, same as I've been doing for three years. (actually they had already grown an inch by this morning!)

I also picked some fresh lemon balm from the huge amount I'd pruned to use in herbal tea this week. 

After two hours in the garden I was dripping in perspiration because the sun was now quite fierce and the clouds had departed, so into the pool for a swim before heading inside to the air conditioning and a refreshing morning tea.

Banana and Raisin Loaf, with sparkling soda water to which I'd added a tiny bit of ginger cordial...


We always have loads of bananas as my husband eats one or two every day, but in this heat they ripen very quickly and I do not like ripe bananas, so this loaf is a great way to use them up and if stored in the fridge it lasts a week. We like it spread with butter, especially when it's more than a couple of days old and has begun to dry out. 

But let's go back a few days...

On Thursday I made that no-knead bread I told you about in my previous post, and I promise you I will make it again!


I'll share the video below. Connie has VERY easy instructions so let me encourage you to give it a try.



Also Thursday...a purchase arrived, one I have had on my wish list for over a year!  An Instant Pot.


After doing a test run with pressure cooking water so that I could acquaint myself with how it works, on Friday night I made something completely different for us - Chicken Taco Soup. I know this sort of meal is pretty common to Americans, but it's not common in Australia. Anyhow, there's a few homemakers I like to watch on YouTube during my morning or afternoon tea break, and one of them is Robin from Faith & Flour (she shares this recipe at 21:40 minutes through the video I've linked). Robin made this soup and I thought, wow, this looks simple, so I chose that as our first Instant Pot meal.

I did have to make my own Ranch Mix for the soup and used another of Robin's recipes to do so because that's another thing we don't use/have in Australia...but I had the individual ingredients in my cupboard so it didn't hold me back. I still can't get over how moist the chicken breast was, but I'd never used a pressure cooker before in my whole life so there may be many more surprises in store for me!

Earlier on Friday...

I hadn't seen Blossom for over a week due to the long wait for a result on my Covid test last Sunday 9th. In home isolation I got lots of odd jobs completed and introvert homemaker that I am, enjoyed the inability to travel, but when my result arrived via text late on Friday 14th as negative I quickly baked a Cinnamon Tea Cake and headed over to her place for some love, hugs and tea with her, Ross and the children. 




On the way home I dropped into the supermarket for a few supplies and found cheese, meat, yoghurt and many other items completely missing. Fortunately we had abundant pantry supplies at home, but I was overjoyed to see loads of fresh fruit and vegetables still available because that's what I wanted more than anything. 

Sunday breakfast...

I tend to have the same breakfast most days - fresh fruit and coconut yoghurt, soy decaf cappuccino, and a little bowl of our mega-vitamins. Hubby adds cereal to his breakfast.


We've been doing mega vitamin therapy for about five years now, and every day we take things which serve a purpose in our health and support our shared auto-immune disease. We choose good quality vitamins and supplements and have found them to be amazing for our overall health. 

4,000 mg Vitamin C; Zinc Picolate; Niacinamide; Vitamin E, Vitamin D3, Phosphatidylcholine; Tumeric; Hemp Seed Oil; Multivitamin; Magnesium...and Thyroxine medication for our Hashimoto's Disease.

At the start of a cold we increase the Vitamin C to 10,000 mg per day and it's usually gone the next day or within 48 hours. 


Sunday afternoon as I write this...

I've thrown out the old dry roses from my vases, and replaced the kitchen vase with my favourite variety, a beautiful scented pink bloom. 


Now we're about to clean up and head off to Blossom's for a visit. I have some of the Chicken Taco Soup to take with us, plus an old animated movie we used to love but have not seen in many years (I bought it last month off eBay) - The Iron Giant. Do you remember that one? I much prefer the old animated style to the new one...back when children knew it was a cartoon and not real. Nowadays the animations are far too lifelike and the themes far too adult for children. Just my opinion. 

Bless all of you as we embark on a new week. Like a new year, there's no mistakes in it yet, so chin up my dears and put a smile on your lovely faces. There's so much beauty in the world, and though at times we have to look hard to find it, the effort is worth the result. 

God bless you and keep you safe in His care always,

hugs


18 comments:

Sharm said...

Happy Sunday Jennifer! I do have to admit that bread looks very good and I will likely give it a go ..... but so does the cinnamon teacake and I haven't had that for many years!!! I made one of your little bookmarks this weekend and I now know exactly what I'll be doing with that material you gave me way back when we ad that lovely cuppa and time together xo Have a good week my friend xo

Joanne said...

Hi Jennifer,
Bread looks great !
An Instant pot ! Cool ! I've seem them around on youtube ! Enjoy the new cooking adventure !
Thanks for sharing your days !
Gardening while it's so warm and humid there ! Glad you have a pool and airco !
hugs, take care,
Joanne

Pink Rose said...

Hi Jenny I can’t wait to get back into cooking and starting a veggie garden,I enjoy reading your posts and what you are up to ,I find you very inspiring in so many areas,thankyou Jenny and take care lovely lady xx

Material Girl said...

You will love your instant pot. I purchased mine to make Greek yogurt but I love it for soups and stews. The fresh tomato soup is one of my favorites and I love the 6” cheesecakes. Perfect for two. There are some good recipes at Rootitoot.com. Thanks for sharing.

Chris said...

Love, love, love my Instant Pot! I actually have two now, a 6-qt and a 3-qt. I love the 3-qt for rice and oatmeal (my husband would never eat oatmeal before and now actually asks for it!). We, being Americans, love Taco soup and I agree--chicken taco soup in the Instant Pot is amazing. I'm excited for you!

Remembrances said...

I always love reading your posts - they bring such a light into my day! I grow onions like that as well. I showed a friend of mine how I do it and she was amazed! The bread recipe looks good, I may have to give it a try. Taco soup is a staple in our home, but I haven't made it in the IP yet. I do make my yogurt in the IP and it turns out great! Thank you again for bringing some sunshine into my day!

Karin
Phi. 4:13

Ondrea said...

Such a lovely visit around your garden. I am not surprised that you were dripping with perspiration in that heat. I tend to perspire doing anything these days , without the heat lol. Enjoy your new apliance. So glad you are covid negative and it is so good that you can now enjoy the company of Blossom and the children. That is the worst of it, not being able to see family. Stay safe x

Farm Quilter said...

Congratulations on getting an Instant Pot and becoming a PotHead!! I love mine and use it often! Did you know you can make your own yogurt in it? You can flavor it any way you want!! So glad you were COVID negative - my youngest just got a positive result, along with her youngest (he's 2, and his 4 year old brother has strep). Your garden is simply amazing - an inch of growth in just a few hours??!!

Dots said...

Hi Jennifer, We are in a snow storm at the moment. It is 29 degrees. Cold. Snow started around 4:00 p.m. and we have about 2 inches so far. It is our first real snow in a while. So seeing your garden was refreshing.
Your food looks yummy and good. Instapot make foods taste better. We use them to prepare meats and many things. It makes meats super tender.
The lastest and greatest thing here is, the Air Fryer. I use mine for so many things. To reheat left overs is really good, too. They are noisey. But they crisp things up. I really like it.
Be well, Jennifer.

celkalee said...

As I peer out my window at about 10 inches of newly fallen snow, I admit to envy for warm air, flowers, and garden vege! Glad you are jumping into the Instant Pot community. I have been using a pressure cooker of one sort or another for 45 years. Certain items are perfect for it and there are always new recipes out in the blog world to suit your diet and needs. One pot cooking, no standing and stirring, timed meals all leave you time for other things. I tend to prepare many vegetables in vacuum bags after grocery shopping. In portion sizes they make meal prep so easy and the bags keep everything fresh longer. I keep a little plastic basket in the frige all sorted and stored like little books. Just pull them, put them in the pot and you are good to go. I even pre-portion poultry and meat the same way, store in the freeze. Just yesterday I made an American favorite "Mississippi Pot Roast." It was wonderful and my son and his girlfriend, both isolated due to Covid, really enjoyed it. I usually have a roast on Sundays. I will place a bird on the rack, cook it on the pre setting, then brown it under the broiler. Moist, tender, delicious. Best wishes with all that. Cinnamon Tea Cake? I am not familiar with that one.

terricheney said...

How I love that reminder that like the new year, a new week has no mistakes in it! His mercies are indeed fresh and new everyday!

Createology said...

Jennifer you are always such a refreshing read for me. I have gotten myself overly busy as January 2022 began. I am reworking my use of time and it all boils down to those rabbit holes I fall into when on my iPad. I have selected my word for 2022…perseverance! I do not give up easily.

Angie in SoCal said...

I'm always learning things from you, Jennifer. I'm going to try to grow green onions, but I'll have to do so as an experiment as we live in a semi-desert so that's way different than the tropics. Both bakes look luscious. Blessings,

Tammy said...

Hi Jennifer. What a lovely post today. My daughter gave me a instapot 2 Christmas's back. I never use it but my husband enjoys using it to cook in often. I still use my traditional pressure cooker. My husbands bought a air fryer oven by the Insta pot brand a year ago with a small bonus he had gotten for Christmas And he loves to cook in it too. As he can do a rotisserie style chicken in it and make lots of other things too. I regrow my green onions as well as lettuce and carrots and celery too. Have a blessed weekend Dear.

Carla said...

Okay I may have to try the bread recipe. Maybe... It looked so good. I think my husband is thinking about planting onions this year. No habaneros Please. I had too many of them and I can only use a small piece of them they're so hot. That cinnamon bread looked tasty too.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Mary said...

Made the bread today! Delicious! I did wrap the bread, while warm, in a bread towel and it made it alittle softer. Definitely will make again! Had to make a loaf today, so glad I read your post first!

kupton52 said...

Is the recipe for the Cinnamon Tea Cake available???? hint hint

Debbie said...

The bread does look delicious! I Love anything that involves scripture. I am a pastor's wife in Florida. It is a breath of fresh air. One note I have a very hard time reading some of your fonts when they are in pink. Maybe it is these old eyes! I would suggest a darker pink. Thank you again for your beautiful work!