Agricultural Show

Today my girls and Dad went to the Agricultural Show which is like a County Fair. We won a few prizes, which was pretty good I thought. I was a little disappointed that there wasn't a section for our apple sauce, they only offered tomato and plum, which is fair enough I suppose.

Our dog got two show ribbons, second place ones. My youngest daughter entered a doll and did a floral saucer and got two red second place cards. My middle daughter got a first prizes for her photography, and a caterpillar made from the tomatoes she grew herself.

When I was a girl (boy)

I saw this song on CMC music awards last night, Sara and her brother talk about the influences on them as children. Sara talks about collecting eggs, baking a cake and having a cup of tea, helping her Mum rather than her Dad. Also making cubbies (cubby hut) in the scrub (bush). I made cubbies at school, we made booby traps in the pinetrees. And I'd rather hang with Dad. Nana's had footy on the radio.

Savoury Mince

This is my husband's version of two merged recipes we enjoyed recently.

Savoury Mince with Soft Polenta


Ingredients (serves 4)
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 3 carrots qtrd and chopped
* 400g Creamed corn
* 1 large brown onion, chopped
* 4 garlic chopped
* 500g lean beef mince
* 1 can 400g chopped tomatoes
* 2 tablespoon tomato paste
* 2 cups water , 2 beef stock cubes
* 2 ½ teasp worcestershire sauce
* 1 can 400g peas (or frozen)

Method
1. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add mince cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up mince, for 6 to 8 minutes or until browned, then after cooked then add onion, garlic and carrots.

2. Add tomato, tomato paste, stock and worcestershire sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat to low. Add corn and peas. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes or until peas are tender. If too thin thicken with plain flour.


Soft Polenta

Ingredients (serves 6)

* 1 cup milk
* 1 cup water
* chicken stock cube
* 3/4 cup instant polenta
* 20g butter
* 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese


Method
1. Place savoury mince in a large saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until heated through.

2. Bring milk and 2 cups of cold water to the boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add polenta in a thin, steady stream, stirring constantly until combined. Reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes or until thick. Remove from heat. Stir in butter and 1/4 cup of parmesan.

3. Spoon polenta onto plates. Top with the savoury mince. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan and basil. Serve.

Menu for Five

Our weather is humid, but not too hot to cook on the stove. We are slowly getting used to our new family size, but I think it will be awhile yet.

Tuesday ~ Beef & Broccoli Almond Stirfry
Wednesday ~ Japanese Pancakes
Thursday ~ Impossible Quiche (Chorizo)
Friday ~ Singapore-styled Fried Rice
Saturday ~ Pink Salmon Patties with Zucchini, Corn Cobs & Green Beans
Sunday ~ Spaghetti Bolognaise
Monday ~ Stir Fry Beef & Vegetable Chow Mein
Tuesday ~ Pork Chow Mein Noodles (pork mince)
Wednesday ~ Sausage Casserole (chipolatas)
Thursday ~ Stir Fry Noodles with Pork & Boc Choy (pork mince)
Friday ~ Tacos with Chicken & Beans
Saturday ~ Tuna & Mushroom Spaghetti
Sunday ~ Tuna Casserole
Monday ~ Vegie Patties with Chips


We were supposed to have Vegie Patties last time but made these instead:

Onion Pancakes with Vegetables & Chilli Sauce

The things that went well were the Tomato Onion Salad with Tamarind, definitely a keeper, the Japanese Pancakes were just as delicious with beef strips rather than pork mince, and Pork Chow Mein Noodles (we had them already) are absolutely gorgeous even without the special Chinese wine in the sauce, and with more plain vegetables. They have a similar taste to each other.

We had a mince dish that was a hit too (hamburger). I grew up on savoury mince and I thought is was lovely. Char-grilled Vegetables Savoury Mince with creamed corn rather than corn kernels.

5 Acre Happiness

Childhood Memories Retained & Built On

This a photo of my childhood home. In it is my beloved mandarin tree, amaryllis, and elm trees. My mother put the four citrus trees there, and in the foreground she had a fence. She had the verandah enclosed on this side for her sewing room at the time. I have a photo of my Great Grandma around the other side from when she owned the house.

To me the mandarin was not that tasty but I still ate them. I often was walking around the grass, obviously with not much else to do. I spent a lot of time on the verandah as well, and Mum dried our clothes there when it did nothing but rain.

Mum doesn't live there now, but she does still get to have input into the garden, she is very lucky as we actually went to live in town, it was a family owned property, but we lived 30 miles away for many years. It is nice that my girls were able to visit recently and take this photo. It is owned by my brother now. I have moved to this remote location, but must try to visit sometime.

Top Up Menu & Shopping List

It is hard getting used to left-overs. We had some tuna casserole for lunch that we could have had for tea which is Australian for dinner, well, in some houses.

Friday ~ Garam Masala Omelette (needs eggs)
Saturday ~ Tomato Onion Salad with Tamarind (needs cherry tomatoes)
Sunday ~ Vegie Patties with Chips
Monday ~ Mushroom & Caper Pasta (needs red onions & parsley)
Standby recipes to include broccoli and/or cauliflower plus pantry staples e.g.
Lentil & Cauliflower Dahl

List:

Eggs, cherry tomatoes, chips. Maybe red onions & parsley