ONION JAM

Some time ago I gave you a recipe for onion jam.  Yesterday I made a batch, (another batch) for myself... It is fabulous, and so easy in the microwave.  You don't have to be exact with the measurements, but you do have to cook until the liquid is "thickish".  Not too much sugar please.  Makes it sickly.


1kg white onions peeled and cut up into thin chunks.  You can cut it up very small if you want, I cry too much!, half a cup of olive oil, 75g raisins or craisins (I use craisins), 150ml of white vinegar, 1 cup of dark brown sugar.  

Cut up the onions and pop them in a large covered bowl with the oil into the microwave.   Cook in blasts of 6minutes take out and stir.  Repeat until the onion is soft and transparent.  

Whilst that is happening put the sugar, vinegar, and craisins in a jug (a good time to clean up).  

When the onion is cooked, add the contents of jug - sugar, vinegar and craisins.  Stir it in well and microwave for about 10 minutes, then take out and stir.  Repeat until the juice is thick, and mostly absorbed.  Put in jars whilst hot, cap and leave to cool.  Refrigerate when open.

You can eat this with cheese, salad, meat - the meal can be hot or cold.  Definitely gluten free!

Talking about that.  This morning I went into Woodend, and as our usual coffe place is closed for the summer, I went to the Village Larder.  Its been ages since I coffee'd there.  I ordered a soy latte, and asked three times if their muffins supposedly gluten free, were actually gluten free.  They assured me they were, but they just looked AND TASTED absolutely fantastic.  Just like a regular muffin.

As I was paying and waxing lyrical about the muffins, the waitress asked if I had tasted the gluten free bread?  well I haven't but I can assure you I will, and when I do I will report the results here.  It's a good excuse to go out and do it, just so I can tell you of course!

A NATURAL CLEAN-UP

After I wrote to you about the fabulous orange surface cleaner I made another batch for myself, this time I took a picture.  I will have to make it continuously because it smells quite gorgeous, and the colour of it sitting in the kitchen is beautiful as you can see.

HOW:  2 litres of cheap vinegar, the peel (not pith) of1 kg of valencia oranges. Put in a jar and leave for 2 weeks or more.  Bottle and leave in a cool place. Decant some into a spray bottle for immediate use.

That is a very large jar and holds about 4 litres.  I made half (2litres) and suggest that when you do it that you make about the same - certainly no less.  Once you smell it, and know how efficient it is (and it is VERY economical) you will use it all the time.

RECIPE OF THE DAY.
This is a simple GF STIR-UP.  I haven't put quantities here because you can judge for yourself,  I have used what I have made just for me.

Two handfuls of pre-cooked corn pasta, a handful of de-frosted or fresh broad beans, half a cup of chopped herbs (chocolate mint, chives, baby celery, 3 small mildish chillies,  chickory and parsley), 3 balls of baby boconcini sliced up, a sprinkle of sesame oil and a dessertspoon of coconut oil.  Put all this in your bowl and microwave it for about 1 minute, take it out, give the oils a good gentle mix-in, and then cook for another 2 minutes (check when it is done anough for you).  When you are happy with the result, sprinkle with crushed peppercorns, sprinkle liberally with dried shalotts for cruch, and then crunch away.  If you like a little tartness,  squeeze a little lemon juice on top.  Enjoy.

MINTY MELON ICYPOLES

There is a "mocktail" and a "cocktail" version of these gorgeous GF coolers.   You can make them without the sticks, and serve them on a plate with cream and berries as a cooling dessert.

4 cups of de-seeded watermelon cubes
2 tabs of granulated sugar, 2 taspoons of lemon juice, quarter cup mint leaves minced finely, half a teaspoon of sale 1 cup of fresh or frozen blue berries and the required number of icypole sticks (or straws cut in half).  COCKTAIL VERSION - add a splash of vodka.

Combine the watermelon, sugar lemon juice (and maybe the vodka) in a food processor, blender or gradually using a large mortar and pestle.  Stir in the mint (I have a bush of Chocolate Mint which is perfect for this desseert treat),  and salt using a spatula.

Pour the mix into ice cube trays, filling each opening a bit over half full.

Spear two blueberries on the end of each icypole stick (if you use a straw, then the berries will need to be fresh not frozen).  Place each stick into a slot (blueberries head first into the mush) and then add more mush to fill the slot up.  The sticks ideally should stand up straight.  If they don't and it matters to you, part freeze the mush, the push the sticks in and pop the icypoles back into the freezer.

Freeze for about 4 hours until solid.  Flex the trays carefully to release the pops...  sometimes yanking them out by the tick is not a good idea - the stick may release by itself.

MILK ATTACK

I was up at the Trading Post our postal collection centre and coffee-klatch meeting.  They asked what I wanted and I asked for iced coffee, and because I am up there a lot, I didn't say "soy".  Consequently I was given straight milk.  I am a mess.  I can't write, I am having trouble putting my thoughts together, and I feel totally weak and trembling.  Just one glass of ordinary milk!!!!   To think I used to drink it all the time.  This too will pass, I know that.  But it really teached me what i used to do to my body (without knowing) all the time.  No more real milk for me.

ADVENTURES IN HONEY AND PANCAKES

I had the first peek at the hive yesterday.  It was quite warm and the bees were out doing other things, so John came over and took advantage of the warm weather to look at the production thus far.  It was better than expected.  There are hardly any big stands of flowers or blossom at the moment, everywhere is very dry, nevertheless, the bees had been hard at work.  We had quite a lot of honey.  When he pulled up the frames you could see honey in the uncapped chambers glinting in the sun.  We should get a few kilos when it is full, especially when the "super" (a box on top of the present box) is added.  We do plan a viewing on one of the Teacher Training mornings, but I won't be able to give you notice,  It will happen when conditions are right and when John is available.

I did write in my last blog about the wonderful strawberry/berry cream cheese I made.  Hoping you will too.  It was simple.  I bought a cheap "on sale" tub of yoghurt for 50cents (the big litre tub).  It was on its last used-by-day is why it was cheap I guess, not that the yoghurt bacteria care about the date on the tub!  I got one of our splendid NUT MILK BAGS,  squooshed some berries into the yoghurt,  put the yoghurt in the bag, pulled the drawstring, and hung it above a bowl overnight.  That is it.  Nothing else required.

For lunch yesterday I had three smallish gluten free pancakes with a scoop of my beautiful cream cheese, and some berries on the side.  I could have also dribbled some fantastic liquer acoss the top ("Disaronno" is perfect), but I was going out later, so I didn't do that.  It was lovely just as it was.  The berries in the picture are all from my garden - raspberries, blackcurrants, marionberries (and strawberries in the cream cheese).  Imagine the wonderful honey pancakes with my own honey.....

MY FIRST PHOTOS - CREAM CHEESE

Hi gang,  This is my first ever photo on my blog... isn't it fabulous.

This is LABNE, made from yoghurt.   I bought a BIG tub of yoghurt from coles out of its use by date for 50cents, that's right, 50 cents!!!!  So I stirred some strawberries and blueberries into it,  put it in one of our nut bags and hung it over a bowl overnight, and look what I got, a fabulous berry cream cheese and entirely gluten free, and so easy.  You could do it too.  

MAKING BREAD

I am still recovering froma couple of slices of what was purported to be gluten free 100% rye bread.  It looked good, it  tasted fantastic - but it had a terrible effect.  I have gained about 3 k from only 2 slices.  This used to happen all the time.

I could never (and still have trouble) understand why a couple of slices of bread can make the scales go berserk, my back ache, and my guts go on the blink.  I did the ony thing I can.  I made my own.  Because Wednesday was not warm, the bread took forever to rise (I rested it on a hot water bottle in the end)  The resulting bread is a bit heavy.  However, I added heaps of seeds, and it tastes fantastic - and it will not put the weight on.  I can eat away!   Toasting is the answer.