discovering a simpiler life

discovering a simpiler life

Saturday 2 May 2015

In my kitchen ~ May 2015

There has been lots going on in my kitchen this past month, the usual cooking adventures but I'm thrilled to share a little kitchen reno we did (cough, cough ok Mr. GW needs all the credit but I am the ideas person and he then is the practical follow through person :)) and some very exciting purchases I've been waiting years to get which makes for one happy Jan.  
I'm tagging along with other devotees of the "In my kitchen" series hook up with the lovely Celia from Fig Jam and Lime Cordial.  Pop over for a look at others kitchens from all over the globe, it's really quite something!

I've tried to be as frugal as I can just to try and push myself to create something tasty and delicious out of nothing - saving money is also a motivation but I really wanted to get back out of the supermarket every few days habit, so I thought I'd share some of my tight arse treats.  And, if I'm really honest, I've been feeling really poo due to a change in medication which again isn't working or helping my cause but the one thing that gets me up is the thought of cooking something for my hungry family.  It also helps me pay for the extravagant additions to my kitchen this month ;) 


In my kitchen where these bastardised Anzac biscuits.  I used the normal recipe you can find here but I added some of my own spins.  I used chia, flaxseeds, currants and peppitas, some peach leather I needed to use up and a few pieces of chocolate rougly chopped.  I added only half the amount of oats, used agave syrup instead of golden syrup and lastly  used melted coconut oil instead of butter.  I added a few tablespoons more of flour and coconut oil to made a moist 'dough' due to the extra dry ingredients.  So maybe they aren't really an Anzac but a modern spin on one!!  Either way they were scrummy.


In my kitchen has been these heavenly gluten free thick and chewy chocolate chip cookies.  I initially made these for a friend of my daughters who is coeliac but I've now been making them just for us as they are the perfect cookie in my book ~ danger!
In my kitchen was my first ever spaghetti squash that I was gifted.  On expert advice, I sliced it in half and popped it into a baking tray that had water in it and baked/steamed it for 40 minutes.  It was really tasty with a lashing of butter and lots of salt and pepper.
The seeds I washed and roasted to have as an afternoon snack - tossed in sea salt and a hint of cayenne pepper made them lip smackingly morish.  I'll be doing this to my pumpkin seeds from now on too.

In my kitchen I've been making lots of my tomato and onion pie as luck would have it we still have loads of tomatoes coming in.  We have a back room that gets all the sun that has been a dream for rippening the green buggers that just won't on the vine.  I've also made 3 pie dishes worth and frozen them to have on a rainy day.
I got the round enamel dishes from the Salvo's for 20 cents a pop - love them and love a bargain!
In my kitchen are freshly dug spuddies and we've been having them in lots of things - there's hardly a day we don't eat potatoes come to think of it.  I saw this post here that made me think differently about the peelings that the worms usually get.  They have now become our little tid bit of an entree - tossed in some extra virgin olive oil and a good lash of salt and pepper they are make great crispy potato skins.


In my kitchen has been these kohlrabi leaves I've been pinching from the plant before the bulb is ready.  My fav way to use them boil them quickly in water, drain well and toss in coconut oil, a touch of chilli and salt and pepper.  I do the same with beetroot leaves too.
In my kitchen has been lots of bread baking - above a plaited white loaf and below my trusty no knead bread


I've tried my hand at my first ever focaccia using this recipe from 
Silvia Colloca's blog with fantastic success I'm very pleased to say and I'll be making it again as soon as I can trust myself not to inhale it.
In my kitchen has been lots of soup for the freezer.  With the colder weather I usually have soup for lunch each day.  This is the beginning of vegetable soup cooked with chicken stock, a parmesan rind and the left over corn cob that is taken out once the vegies are tender.  I added some pasta, rice and homemade tomato passata.  It made 10 serves for a few $$'s.
Not making it into my kitchen has been these radish's.  Mr. GW and I eat as garden snacks and give the spoils to our girls greedy girls below.
In my kitchen has been the most amazing eggs.  Set your eyes on the 90 gram baby below!!! It was a double yolker.



 My kitchen went from this to.....
to this! Ta-dah!  We weren't planning a kitchen reno quite yet, but on our weekly trip to Bunnings, I found this stainless -anti-fingerproof(!!!) cabinet for a bargain price.  It's for a man cave (hence the anti-fingerproof stainless I think) but it's perfect for my kitchen.  Mr. GW changed the wheels though as the original ones were very large (they are to be repurposed onto my wine barrels for the courtyard ;) waste not want not).It's not a perfect fit but it will be once the whole kitchen is re-done sometime in the next few years...or if I see the right thing it could be next week!
In my kitchen is my new baby.  I've been waiting years for her.  My very own KitchenAid!! (squeel!!)  I haven't named her yet - any ideas?  Kitchenaid have a deal on at the moment for Mothers day, giving you a free $300 food processor so that sealed it's fate.

and finally, in my kitchen is my new second hand camera!!  I'm thrilled with it too but I just have to work out how to use it so my photos will benefit.

That's enough excitement for one month!
Thanks for stopping by, I love getting your comments and visiting as many of the fellow In my kitchen contributors as possible.

Ciao, Jan x

38 comments :

  1. Gosh your kitchen has been busy...love the cabinet and excited about all the food you have been growing and bread you have been baking since you started your little blog....what a lovely journey. Kathy

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    1. It is a lovely journey :) I'm really loving the bread baking and plan more types in the coming months.

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  2. You are so busy Jan! And congratulations on your new addition to your kitchen! You must be so excited! Thank you too for the lovely jar of chilli sauce. I can't wait to make some dumplings to eat it with :)

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    1. Oh Lorraine, in all my haste of making sure the jar was well padded so it didn't smash this time, I didn't put the label on it!!! I hope you enjoy it x

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  3. The plaited bread is a little bit impressive Jan! I would be standing in the kitchen just staring at that cabinet if I were you - it's just gorgeous.

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    1. Thanks Nancy, that plaited beauty was yum! I wonder if I can do a braid.....xxx

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  4. I’m on an economy drive at the moment as we too are having a biggish renovation this year. My catchphrase at present is ‘Let’s do this….no, actually we won’t. We should be saving our pennies’. I already do the pumpkin seeds that way for snacks and you’ve seen I make sourdough crackers. Now I’m going to do your potato peeling idea. Thanks for the inspiration! xx

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  5. Wow, what a lovely kitchen reno Jan, you must be stoked. Great addition too with your KitchenAid. I'm glad you finally have one, they are fab. I have one, a second hand one from someone who rarely used it, but hey, it now lives in my kitchen!!! I never thought of naming it... but if you are after ideas for yours... how about KromillA? (she's chrome like, your kitchen now has oodles of chrome, and its a KA). Have a great day, cheers, Kirsty

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    1. Haha I love the name thanks Kirsty, I might just run with that :) Thanks for stopping by x

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  6. What a warm and welcoming post that brightened my day! Love your bread, tomato and onion pie...I could go on!
    Thanks for this month's kitchen view too!

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    1. Thanks Joanne!! Happy I could brighten your day x

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  7. I'm so sorry to hear you're feeling crap - I hope they get your medication sorted for you soon! Great stuff in your kitchen this month though - LOVE the stainless steel (fingerprint-proof? amazing!) cabinet and your gorgeous garden produce. Bread is looking amazing as well! Your chookies seem very happy! :)

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    1. Celia the fingerprint proof is ah-mazing!!!!! Thanks for providing bread inspiration, I'll be trying some from your blog this coming month and I can hardly wait....xxx

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  8. Oooh there are so many wonderful things here. Tomato and onion pie is a family essential for us too, especially at christmas. Never thought to give it a name, thanks! That workbench is a great idea, keep us posted on how it pans out. "Tight Arse Treats", now that's a winner for branding in my book. Wish my chooks were laying, but sadly stopped at Easter. Eyes watering at that big google!

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    1. Yes I'm all about the tight arse treats :) Sorry to hear that about your chooks, I'd be devastated if that happens! So far so good with the work bench - way too cool for a shed xxx

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  9. Hope you feel better soon and love your new KitchenAid... I would not be without mine. How lovely to have your own fresh egg and large one too :)

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    1. Thanks Moya :) I can't imagine our life without the chickens or the eggs now! Very lucky x

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  10. What a tasty instalment. Love your new cabinet too.
    Have a super day.
    :-) Mandy xo

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  11. Congratulations on your new kitchen! It looks like you've been making some amazing things in it. I especially love the sound of your adapted Anzac biscuits - un-Australian as it is, I do find the traditional sort a bit plain!

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    1. You should give them a try Kari - nothing plain about them!! Only trouble is stopping at one ;) x

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  12. I have serious bread and cabinet envy.

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  13. Love all of your kitchen adventures Jan! Hope you feel better very quickly....you sure are productive for someone who doesn't feel 100%! :)

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    1. Thanks so much Jem, the kitchen adventures keep me going xxx

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  14. Jan, your kitchen re-do is GORGEOUS -- sooooo happy for you! I'm also loving your links... tomato & onion pie, focaccia, et al... thank you!

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  15. What a difference a new cabinet makes in your kitchen! Looks fantastic! And your new KitchenAid goes perfectly ;) Your free range eggs are just wonderful - your girls know how to look after you. All you dishes are making me hungry. Good luck with your new camera, it won't take long to figure out.

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    1. I'm a bit bummed about the camera Nicole, I've sold it on as it didn't do what I had hoped so back to the drawing boards!! x

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  16. so many good things in your kitchen Jan. wow. the bread looks divine. lucky you getting a kitchen aid. and the new cupboards -wow. and the tomatoes and the camera and the beautiful eggs. well i could go on and on. great post!

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    1. I'm so addicted to making the bread Sherry :D Thanks for stopping by

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  17. So much delicious cooking but I must say, that kitchen find is gorgeous, serendipity too as it's a pretty darn good fit even as is!

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  18. Oh I enjoy looking around your kitchen - lots of good stuff - that new kitchen cabinet makes me a little envious. And now wonder your kitchen and cooking cheers you up - so much great food and good ideas - the potato skin chips look great (I love the skin on roast potatoes), your breads look so professional and your anzac biscuits sound great. Hope you get the medication sorted to suit you.

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    1. Thanks so much Johanna :) The potato skins are a firm favourite in our house now. Thanks for stopping by x

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  19. Congrats on the kitchen Reno, looks fantastic. I will have to remember your kohlrabi preparation when our's grow a little more, sounds delicious. We grow spaghetti squash and jut love it. I love to roast it and put pesto and chicken on it.

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    1. We are so happy with it Gretchen, thanks :) Mmm your spaghetti squash sounds yummy

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