Two-Berry Jam

Hi everyone,

    Its a busy time here at the Little Homestead, both our red plum trees are laden and dropping fruit daily. The greengage plums have finished, and only had a small yield again. I have a recipe for Greengage and Vanilla Jam which sounds so lovely (if I ever get enough fruit) !!
We're also having a wonderful harvest of tomatoes for the first time in quite a few years. I planted them in a different spot this year..down in the lower garden by the church shed next door.. The sheep are no longer in that paddock as the area has been landscaped and native plants put in. (I mush preferred listening to the sheep and going  down the back to visit them :) plus feed them anything that was about to go to seed..they loved it too !

Back to the tomatoes...(I do tend to go chasing rabbits in my mind)...Maybe the heat coming off that old shed, coupled with shelter has really improved the growing conditions? either way I've been able to make some Tomato Relish and today I made x 9 jars of Salsa. We've also had lots of summery meals where tomatoes have been just about the main feature :) pizza, lots of salad etc...wonderful !

I've bottled a lot of plums - x 18 1 litre jars and x 9 smaller jars..so we'll have plenty of plums to decorate the porridge all winter  long :) The next fruit to be ready in the garden are the apple and pear trees..followed closely by Feijoa's. So they'll be no rest in the canning department for this girl.

~~~

now a little bit about the jam. I wanted to write a little post about Frozen Berry Jam and share the recipe, because its got to be the quickest easiest jam in the world to make. I wish I'd known about it sooner + its delicious !!!. and as I had some Raspberries and Boysenberries in the freezer and only half a jar of  jam left in the house, I knew it was time to get busy and churn some out. Good quality jam is quite costly these days..anywhere up to $5.00 !! for an average size jar...so its definitely worth while making it yourself.

Recipe

Frozen Berry Jam

1 kilogram frozen berries (raspberries/boysenberries)

5 Cups sugar - about 1 kilogram

Juice of half a lemon

1 teaspoon butter

Place the frozen berries and sugar in a larg-ish, deep pan or jam pan. Bring the mixture slowly to the boil, stirring to make sure the sugar is completely dissolved, then add the butter. Boil fast on a medium heat unti the mixture starts to thicken - about 15 -18 minutes. Add lemon juice, boil 2 more minutes. To tell when the jam is ready, simply pour a teaspoon or two into a small dish. I then place it in the freezer for a minute or so. Then remove it and a skin will probably form when it is pushed with the edge of a teaspoon - now your jam is ready. Its most important not to overcook this sort of jam. It will set up firmer over a couple of days. Pour into hot steralized jars and seal.

I added in a some lemon juice  to add a little extra pectin..one recipe recommended that. Look at the size of that lemon - wow our tree's doing great this year !

pouring the jam - the hot messy part.....and oh my.. the kitchen smelt divine :)

The finished product all dressed up & ready to share 3

After I finished up with the jam I did a little bit of baking - 'Peanut Crunch', with a twist. I made 1.5 x the normal recipe, but left the sugar just the regular amount and I thought the finished product needed a little something more, so I added a butterscotch icing :) now its morphed into Butterscotch Crunch Slice. Yum...well at least that's what my husband and son thought :) Its also a great recipe because its easy to change it up and make different variations eg. add some cocoa powder and a chocolate icing, and there you have chocolate slice etc etc...the possibilities are endless. I think I originally got this recipe from my friend Paula ??? 

   Paula's Peanut Crunch :)

(Original Recipe + Icing)

                                                                           

In a saucepan melt  - 2 dessertspons golden syrup and 150grams butter. Remove from heat and add 2 teaspoons vanilla essence.

In a bowl mix: 

1 Cup self raising flour

3/4 cup coconut

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup raw peanuts - smash them up a little

1/2 cup raisins

1 cup cornflakes

Add the butter mixture to the dry and mix well. Bake at 170 C for around 30 minutes, or until golden.

Optional Icing: (this goes on the slice as soon as it comes out of the oven) 1.5 Tablespoons golden syrup, 50g butter, 1.5 cups icing sugar. Melt butter and syrup together. beat in the icing sugar, and put back on the heat a little until the sugar melts some and the mixture just gets easier to spread. Remove from the heat and spread over the hot base. Cool and cut into slices/squares. Enjoy with a cuppa :)

Other things: as I meditate over this past week, and dealing with pain in my back, I'm so very thankful to have a husband who is so caring to me and helpful in the home, especially at the moment..what a blessing :)  This scripture also comforts me..

Blessings to all who stop by ~ Linda
(me in the garden a couple of years back)

me October 2016 with our newest grand daughter Poppy Mae - such a sweet wee girl

* and to close, a pretty rose bud from our garden *

~ ~ ~

St John's Wort & Lavender Honey Soap

Hi everyone,
At the moment I am recovering from hurting my back (again). It's been about a year since I hurt it this bad, so I'd forgotten how awful it is. The up-side is I'm personally testing out a Pain Salve I made (with Arnica & St John's wort infused oils - plus essential oils of Wintergreen, Clove, Fir, Peppermint, Basil, and a few others.  I find St John's Wort to be a fascinating herb !! When the flowers are squeezed a tiny bit of reddish oil oozes out. This red oil is the power house, its the most potent part of the plant. 

 I took some photos last year  when I made a St John's Wort balm to share in a post and never got round to it. The pictures tell their own story of what I normally do when making a balm (if I infuse the oils myself). Often I purchase infused oils when I intend to sell the balms on the website.

gathering flowers and leaves...placing them in the jar (chopped up a bit), then covering with oil.

The oil after 1 month infusing..note the reddish hue

When making balms etc,  I generally refer to my trusty herbal books eg: Rosemary Gladstar for more concrete information and guidelines for usage. The great thing is that anyone can make these if they have enough interest and desire to make their own natural remedies. 

For anyone interested I wrote this little bit of info:

Infusing St John;s Wort in Olive Oil
Leaves can also be infused, but generally the more flowers the better. A lot of people use dried plant material, but I get better results from fresh. I generally gather dry flowers/leaves on a warm day, then let the plants wilt a bit (up to one day) on a tray to further 'dry them out' and remove any excess moisture.
 I then pack them (not tightly)  into a jar, leaving about an inch head space from the top of the jar or plant material, depending how much there is. Then I cover with pure olive oil - extra virgin (organic if I have it). I cover the jar with either muslin or a  paper towel and a rubber band. This allows for the mixture to breathe when heat builds up in the oil from the sun (I read this somewhere). I find if it's covered with a lid, moisture can build up on the lid & you don't want moisture !!. The pictures show when I used to use a regular lid.  Then I sit it on a sunny window sill - this is a solar infusion. Each day I remove the cover, and gently stir with a clean teaspoon. I then replace the cover and wait up up to 4 weeks (usually), 6 weeks in coller weather, until all the goodness of the plant has been absorbed into the oil. Usually you will see the oil has changed colour - darkened etc. Then I strain it and make it into a balm.

This is the pain balm I made:

I'm enjoying using it for my back  as its very soothing. I purchased the infused oils in this 

particular balm. 

SOAP MAKING NEWS:

Here's a pic of  some honey/lavender soap I made about a week ago. The smell is very beautiful and I love the soft pale amber colour. Next to goats milk soap I think this is my new favorite soap !!

Thats all for now - Blessings and peace - Linda

Hello again..

It's been 4 years since I posted to this blog. Below is a picture of what has mostly been consuming me for those years: 'soap making'. I fell for it hard..and its a passion I still love. I also make herbal balms, candles, lotion, creams etc and sell them on my website. This year I had a desire to be blogging again..why? I don't really know. Perhaps it was because I got very sick around November 2016..attacked with many virus's, a bout of vertigo that lasted for weeks, where I couldn't work and honestly I think I simply got 'burn out'. I started asking myself - How much can one woman do? I was working a little bit part-time at our local childrens daycare centre, running/making everything for this small soap business, trying to cook, clean, garden, homestead, spend time with my husband, family,/children/grandchildren etc...arrgghhhh..stop life, I need to get off !!! I don't know that I was doing any of the those things very well, but hey I was giving it my all..every ounce of my all. I initially started the soap business to raise some extra money to help with household costs. What I've found is, it's a huge juggling act....that I enjoy most of the time. One of my faults is I start too many new things...I expand and expand, without asking, can I sustain this? So gradually a lot of the things I enjoyed like baking homemade bread, making Ginger Ale, Sewing, tending the flower gardens..all went by the wayside. I simply couldn't do everything..the garden got overgrown and weedy...we buy bread..I don't sew...and I became less frugal with the grocery expenditure too, because I was so busy I needed more 'convenience food'..just the very word makes me shudder..convenience..eee
So 2107 is about finding my 'balance' and 'Joy' in the simple life again. I hate waste and excess..its not the way I choose to live.
So having said all that, I hope to get back into sharing again on here- about life, what I'm cooking, growing, making etc..slowing down a tad and enjoying life more.
Blessings to anyone who stops by and reads this and understands.
 ~ Linda

                              

This was my 'little forest' soap...fir/woodsy scent. The colour is indigo root infusion :)

Beans, Beans & more Beans

~~ Rattlesnake Beans ~~

 

 

Hi all,



I wanted to do a little 'shout out' for these wonderfull beans. A couple of years ago my father in law gave  an envelope of these dried Rattlesnake beans to my husband and said to pass them on to me. He said they were great beans, and they are !!!!

~Dried Rattlesnake Beans ~

The dried bean is similar in flavour to a Pinto Bean. So if you havn't tried this variety before..go buy a packet of seeds :).

 

Below I have included a link to the West Ladies 'Homestead Blessings' utube page. There they've shared some videos of their garden, recipes etc. This particular link is about them making Thanksgiving Pies - specifically a Pecan Pie, with a twist - or poor mans Pecan Pie :) In this recipe, they use about 1/3 rd of the usual amount of Pecans and instead use cooked (dried) Beans !!!

I'd never heard of such a thing, but it sure sounds interesting :)

 

 

http://youtu.be/d34UTDNVWfM

 

They also make a Pumpkin Pie, but use a Butternut, instead of a Pumpkin, they said the texture of a Butternut is sweeter, and drier, much better for baking with. Good for stuffing and roasting, easy to peel, less seeds, and easy to grow - what an all round winner!

 

 

So guess what seeds I am going to be purchasing for the first time, next Spring!! you guessed it - Buttercup :)

God Bless and thanks for stopping by :) - Linda

 

 

 

 

 

Autumn - Broccoli & Blue Cheese Soup

 

Yeh, we are officially in Autumn now :)
My husband reminded me of this, while I was lamenting how cold it felt this morning..(coat weather).
So it got me to thinking about soup!! Last year at the tale end of winter, I discovered a recipe for Broccoli and Blue Cheese Soup, I don't remember where ?..maybe Pintrest?  or a magazine? I loved it so much, especially how quick and easy it was to make and it freezes well too.

 

***

 

http://themightycheeseboard.blogspot.co.nz/2012_08_01_archive.html

http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/22799/broccoli+zucchini+and+blue+cheese+soup

My recipe is very similar to the above link (hers has zucchini and leek, instead of onion.), and also a lovely recipe for Sage Scones :)

Here's my recipe:

~ Broccoli and Blue Cheese Soup ~

1 head Broccoli - divide into florets

1 large potato - cubed

1 onion

Olive oil - 1 teaspoon/Butter - 1 teaspoon)

4 cups of chicken broth or 2 teaspoons of chicken boullion powder dissolved in 4 cups of boiled water

1/2 a small wedge of blue cheese

1/4 cup of cream

salt and pepper

Method:
Heat the butter and oil together. Saute the onion till softened. Add the potato, salt and pepper and stock. Bring to the boil and simmer until the potato is almost tender (about 10 minutes). The add the Broccoli and cook till tender.
Puree the soup, adding in the knob of blue cheese in the last batch. Return the soup to the pan, add the cream, adjust seasonings (salt and pepper.)
Serve in bowls with some extra Blue Cheese crumbled on top.


I serve it with homemade wholegrain bread - toasted and buttered - delicious.

'Only the pure in heart, can make a good soup'

Ludwig van Beethoven

*** God Bless and Keep warm now :) ***

March 2013

** SUMMER **

My grand daughter Lily, enjoying a Summer strawberry..:)

***

~ her favourite ~

~ What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness. ~ (John Steinbeck)



http://www.karladornacher.com/Pages/Cont_Insp.html

Hi
Yes its been a while since I last posted, but life has been busy. Its been a wonderfull, blessed summer, a great Christmas and New Year and now the garden is producing a bumper harvest too. But the most exciting news of all, was our daughter Katie married  her sweetheart John on February 23rd :)

***

LOVE

~~~ One of my my other loves....(the garden) ~~~



The garden has outdone it self ...(which amazes me)....even while I was so busy helping katie with wedding preparations in those final weeks, and couldn't water it as often as required, it still flourished abundantly !! Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Zucchini, Corn, Beans, Leeks, Carrots, Herbs, Lettuces, Radishes, Peppers, Chillies, Kale, Pumpkin, Silverbeet.....
I also couldn't water very often, as there is a drought in my area and we were rationed to only watering every second day :( so the vegetable garden would get the most, then the fruit trees, so the poor flowers have sorely suffered. There is a lot of powdery mildew, and yellowed leaves..not very pretty...anyways here some: Garden Updates (Progress and Canning):

Zucchinis:
So far I've made Zucchini Relish (like I always do), 2 batches and we've been eating Zucchini Fritters, with a dollop of sour cream and a drizzle of my home-made Plum Sauce.

http://fitbie.msn.com/2012/12/17/meatless-monday-holiday-appetizers-greek-yogurt#

I use an extra egg in my recipe, and basil and parsley, instead of cilantro (as my husband doesn't like that herb). I also enjoy these fritters with a side of bacon - Yum

Corn: the corn grew well, we just ate it boiled, with some butter smeared on top. I didn't freeze any.

Beans: Wow the beans have been amazing....I love Beans !!!
In Spring I created a Bean Support out of Bamboo Poles, and the beans grew up the suspended strings. We've been eating beans as a side vege all summer and I have frozen and salted a lot of them. Here's a friends recipe, she shared with me, for preserving/salting beans.

Salt Cured Beans

Ingredients:

1kg Green Beans (Young)

225g sugar

500g plain salt (not iodised) 

Method:   Slice the beans  thinly on an angle, or use a proper bean slicer gadget.  Mix with the salt and sugar, toss well and leave overnight spread out in a plastic dish.

The next day, brine would have been drawn out of the beans. Place the whole lot, beans, brine and all into a wide mouth crock or preserving jars. Cover tightly with glad-wrap and store in a dark place, or they can be covered with some sort of lid, and also weighted down in the jar, so they stay submerged in their brine (but Diane doesn’t bother about this step).

How to cook salted beans:  Rinse the beans in a sieve under cold running water. Place in a saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Drain and repeat this process one or two more times, depending if they still taste salty. They should be cooked and taste fine at the end of this process.

Tomatoes:

Wow the Tomatoes have outdone themselves! I did prepare the soil well, plenty of manure and rotted down compost etc. I sowed most of my garden from seed this year, (started the seedlings off inside in little planters on the window sills)..The house looked like a mini garden centre :)

I planted several different varieties, this year, Hierloom, Beefsteak and one which was called 'Siberian Tomatoes'. They are a frost resistant variety and also ripen in cooler weather :) They actually cropped quite heavily and were a sprawling variety. The cost initially was $7.00 a packet (phew) ..and it didn't include many seeds, but they all sprouted. I have saved some,by spreading them on a paper towell and drying them, and label which ones they are).The yellow tomatoes in the picture are especially sweet and juicy :)

I have canned Tomato Relish, Tomato Sauce, Pasta Sauce and Salsa this year..phew and now I am about over canning tomatoes for this summer !
I was especially happy with the Salsa recipe, very easy to make too.

Tomato Salsa

http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/canned_tomato_salsa/

(The above image is from simplyrecipes site, and that recipe looks good too :)

My own recipe is below..enjoy :)

Ingredients:

8 cups tomatoes, peeled, chopped and drained

2 1/2 cups onions, chopped

1 1/2 cups green peppers

1 cup jalapeno pepper, chopped

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons cumin

2 teaspoons pepper

1/8 cup canning salt

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup vinegar

1 x 425g can tomato puree

1 x 350g  can tomato paste

Directions:

1. Mix all together and bring to a slow boil for about 15 minutes, or until the mixture is cooked.

2. Seal in jars and cook in hot water bath for 10 minute.
3. This is a medium salsa. This is also a chunky salsa so if you want a smoother salsa cut your veggies into smaller pieces.
4. Yields 3-6 quarts or pints.


Back to the garden produce...

Raspberries: I planted the Raspberry canes (given to me from my friend Jane, about 2 years ago. This year they have down very well, and I have picked a few small bowlfulls. The other evening we went  to a 'bring a plate' evening , so, going along with my frugal, simple theme, I decided to bake a cream sponge cake and fill it with sweetened whipped cream and fresh raspberries from the garden

Here's pics and my recipe:

** Never Fail Fairy Sponge **

 Ingredients 

4 eggs
3/4 Cup Chelsea White Sugar
1 Tbsp flour in cup. Fill up rest of cup with cornflour
2 tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp boiling water

Method:

Seperate the eggs and beat 4 egg whites with 1 Tblspn of boiling water until stiff. Add 3/4 cup sugar slowly. Beat until dissolved. Mix in yolks one at a time. Put flour in a cup, fill up the rest with cornflour. Sift with baking powder. Fold into mixture. Put into two sponge tins, which have been buttered, lined with baking paper on the bottoms and floured around the sides, to prevent any possible sticking....now bake at 180°C for 20-25 minutes.
Drop sponges on bench when taken out of oven.

Filling:
Raspberries
300 ml cream (add 2 teaspoons icing sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla - whip together)
Jam - berry or plum
Icing Sugar

Cool the sponge cakes, spread jam on the top of the base, spread over the sweetened whipped cream cream, dot with raspberries and place the other cake on top. Dust the top with sifted icing sugar..voila :) - Enjoy

In winter I get up at night
And dress by yellow candle-light.
In summer quite the other way
I have to go to bed by day.
~Robert Louis Stevenson

~ Some Beans I let dry on the vine...

thankyou beautifull garden for your bounty,

but most of all, thankyou Lord for your unfailing love and provision ~

Its a blessing to open the refrigerator and see Plum Jam, Marmalade, Plum Sauce, Salsa, Tomato Sauce and Chow Chow Pickle..all waiting to be used and all prepared by my hand at a fraction of the cost, if I had purchased them from a store.But more than that, they are prepared with love and are organic..its gotta be better for one :)

God Bless - and Happy 2013 :)

~ Linda ~