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Life on two acres of arid dirt, on the edge of the Australian outback.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Preserves, jam and cooking

We spent most of the weekend taking care of our nectarines.


Made some jam,

and stewed enough for 27 containers to put in the freezer.

Hubby printed some labels for the jam.


Today for lunch I made some vegetable pasties.


I finely chopped 1 potato, 1/2 sweet potato, small amount of zucchini, 1 carrot, slice pumpkin, 1 onion, salt and pepper. I whizzed it altogether for a few seconds in the blender and added 1 egg to bind. Cut bought puff pastry into four and place a small amount on each square. Folded the sides up and pressed to seal the sides together. Place on tray and brush with a little milk. Cook in moderate oven until brown, around 40 minutes. I put the oven fan on to finish them off.



Then I made some apple pastries the same way. I had leftover cooked apple in the freezer to use up.




The pasties are a big hit with ds.


These are the apple ones.
The square ones are spread with a little jam and folded into an envelope shape.

Ready to serve.






Now I have these to contend with.

These beauties were grown by my son-in-law. (they put ours to shame).



This box full



was sliced



Put into jars





Into the Fowlers preserver




Made 20 large jars of preserves.




The rest of the nectarines we are madly giving away.



40C (104F) today and the same forecast for tomorrow.




Until next time,


Take care,



x Tania

13 comments:

  1. Ohmygosh, How did you manage to do all this with temps like you had today? You must be Wonder Woman!
    I cooked dinner this morning while it was still cool, and we only got to 28 this afternoon!

    Everything you've done looks just beautiful, so I guess I'm going to have to look into the Fowler system. I don't know anything about it, but I miss canning and preserving.

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  2. The Fowlers jars look very nice.

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  3. Beautiful fruits and veggies. I'm jealous here where it's winter.

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  4. We are having high 30's and whoa! Am I feeling it.
    It is hard to make meals here that don't require too much oven work and that the kids will eat.
    Your cooking and preserves look stunning....Yum!
    I have never seen or heard of the fowlers Preserver....But the finished Jars make me want to know more.
    And Jam ...I have to google for a jam recipe to use up a small amount of apricots...
    Well done to you.

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  5. Your garden is amazing. How does that preserver work?

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  6. They look so fabulous and so deliscious to eat. yummo especially love the pastries. My mum and dad have just been preserving apricots. my sister inlaw wants to as well. I might one day I would love too. Apricots were in abundance this year, everyone was so impressed what with the hot weather and all.
    Happy eating.

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  7. You have made me so very hungry...Those pasties and apple-patries look so good!
    ~S. xo

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  8. Hello tania
    Like all the Aussie are saying - how on earth are you able to cook (with an oven to boot) while we have these high temps.
    Might try those pasties some time as yu have made them sound really easy. Wont be this week tho lol
    Take care
    Cathy

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  9. Hi Tania

    You have been a busy girl! Those preserved nectarines look fantastic - you'll enjoy those over winter no doubt. All I did yesterday was stew a small saucepan of apricots that I bought from Woollies! But they are yum on icecream or with cereal. Sorry the hot weather has hit again - it hasn't been to bad here and the nights have been quite crisp.

    - Joolz

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  10. What beautiful fruits and vegetables! It is winter here and I can't wait until spring and we can plant a garden. I will be happy if our garden does half as good as yours has!

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  11. One of the saddest things is seeing beautiful fruit rotting into the ground under a neglected tree. I love that you are so determined to use it all, despite the temperatures. Full marks to you, Tania!

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  12. You have been busy! Your nectarines look great bottled. Pasties are a good idea, I have zuchinnis coming out of my ears at the moment so pasties could be the way to go :)
    Can't wait for the tomatoes to ripen.

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  13. wow you ahve been busy, I love anything in pastry, so should give those a go. Oh those hot temps, I don't miss them. If you ever need to cool down pop over to my blog and see the photos of the snow!!

    Gill in Canada

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