discovering a simpiler life

discovering a simpiler life

Thursday 5 March 2015

In my kitchen ~ March 2015

Gosh these monthly in my kitchen series roll around quickly!
There has been lots of preserving happening here in my kitchen, and with a new addition of a dehydrator, we are building up our store cupboard nicely.
I've been inundated with tomatoes, like more than half the country I have a guess - but isn't it just lovely.  There is just so much you can do with them, if you are stuck for ideas here's some of my favourite recipes here.  We have also had a bumper chilli crop which we have been making Mr. GW's chilli sauce and pickled hot whole chillis that he is addicted to. 
The chillis we grow are a mixture of birds eye, fire cracker, cayenne, pepper chilli and a heap of self seeded unknown varieties.






I've been making my tomato passata with a new oven roasted recipe I'll post in the coming days if you are after a quick and easy one.  

I dehydrated some of the bounty and then popped them into a jar with some extra virgin olive oil and fresh basil.  So thrilled to be able to do this as it just adds some variety to our preserving.
I used up the end of my peaches but these didn't last very long.
I was totally excited to be gifted these cute and delicious biscuits from Lorraine from Not Quite Nigella as a valentines day give away. I'm going to admit I lived up to my name sake and ate them both while no-one was home with a cup of tea and they were heavenly.  Why do things taste better when they are given to us with 'love' and when you are sneaking them? :)  I actually didn't feel guilty, I savoured every bite.  Glutton, yep!

I received a beautiful but cheeky card in the mail from a dear friend, it's on my kitchen mantal and I chuckle and feel heart warmed every time I read it.

We have been loving the La Nova anchovies in the big jar.  I did a little kitchen experiment  adding them to a potato bake.  It was sliced potatoes, a scattering of anchovies between each layer (there was 3 layers) and then cover with chicken stock and bake at 180c for 30 minutes.  Take out and then micro-plane or grate over some parmesan cheese and pop back into the oven for another 15 minutes or until nice and golden.  What a hit - Delicious!

This is a great chook book but it should be called "The spoilt chook".  Our girls have settled in so well, you can read about their arrival here.
And look what we found yesterday!!! I'm just thrilled to bits :)

So thats me for this month.  If you would like me to pop over to see  your kitchen adventures, leave me a comment :)

Ciao, Jan x

30 comments :

  1. wow those tomatoes look awesome! the card gave me a good giggle too!
    isn't it lovely when they lay? makes you feel special cos they left you a gift :))
    thanx for sharing

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    1. It's an amazing feeling Selina and almost not real!!! Thanks for stopping by :)

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  2. HI Jan, nothing more exciting than your first lot of eggs.... your tomato crop looks amazing....mine have been very slow but are finally getting there...will look up your favourite recipes if I get enough tomatoes. :-)

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    1. I hope you get some sunshine to help things along Suzie.

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  3. I haven't planted tomatoes for a while and miss them. We have some corn growing mostly but have to get sorted with the garden. Regards Kathy A, Brisbane

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  4. Oh I'm looking forward to your oven roasted passata recipe. I stick anchovies into all sorts of things - Rich says he hates them but he doesn't realise he eats them on a weekly basis. Is that mean?! Lucky you getting the cookies in the post - I bet you savoured that cup of tea with them.

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    1. I don't think it mean at all Nancy (if it was an allergy or if he was vegetarian that might be ;)) but my daughter is the same and she howed this dish down!!

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  5. Nothing is better than fresh eggs! Your harvest of chillies and tomatoes was so bountiful. I am so going to try anchovies in a potato bake - what a great idea :)

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    1. Thanks Tandy, and I hope you like the anchovy potato bake!

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  6. Beautiful eggs and produce Jan! And I'm so glad that you enjoyed the cookies! And yes why do secret cookies taste better than regular?

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    1. You couldn't pop some more in the post Lorraine!! :) just tricking xxx

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  7. Jan, your tomato & basil infused olive oil photo is ART -- so vibrant -- and I can just imagine how wonder the flavor is. Loved your lil' labels and "sneaky treat" thoughts ;) and "egg and gingham dress" photo, too! Thanks for sharing your recipe for the anchovy layered potatoes as well. Yum!

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    1. I do hope you don't think that's me in the gingham Kim!! Thats my daughter in her school uniform ;) Thanks for stopping by x

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  8. How exciting to have fresh eggs! The chillies and tomatoes also look so delicious, can't wait until mine come in months from now.

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    1. It's like easter getting the eggs Gretchen!! Thanks for stopping by :)

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  9. Hi Jan, Your tomatoes look amazing, it is that time of the year, isn't it. BTW I tried your link to your tomato recipes and it didn't work. I am not sure whether it is me or not.

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    1. Hi, I just tried it and it worked, it is just the same as clicking on the label 'tomatoes' that you can find on the right hand side of my blog :) Thanks for stopping by x

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  10. That is so weird. that didn't work either. I get a message "Show all posts labelled tomatoes" I clinked that and it stayed on your home page mmmmmmmm

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    1. very strange!! Not sure what else we could do.....

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  11. your own eggs? wonderful. love your produce. tomatoes are the thing at the moment in everyone's kitchen it seems. not here tho due to rabid bush turkeys:)

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    1. What a shame Sherry!!! Little buggers, you'll enjoy next years even more I'm sure!

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  12. The tomatoes and chillies do look fabulous! And home laid eggs, totally envious!
    Kavey (first time joining IMK this month!)

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  13. Thanks for sharing all the lovely goodies in your kitchen Jan! Wonderful tomatoes and chillies. I would really love chooks but am a bit worried about my cats with them. There is so much focus on chickens in permaculture, true little human and garden helpers!

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    1. Jem I was worried about our cat too but she's not really that interested and to be honest, I think now the chooks are older they would give her a run for her money!!! Our chooks are in a totally enclosed pen but our cat could get into their extra run if she wanted too but she hasn't - 4 against 1 she'd lose hands down!!

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  14. It's very exciting that your chooks are settled and laying. With the tomatoes and the chillis you have all the fixing for a 100% GW grown frittata! As to the little biscuits - so cute and why not eat them? Some things are best savoured (gobbled) rather than saved. cheers.

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    1. Such a wonderful thing to make a 100% home grown meal Fiona!! You are right :)

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  15. Finally getting around to all the IMK's for March, just in time for April! LOL!
    Yes I too have an abundance of tomatoes and chillies, so it is chilli Jam, tomato relish and tomato sauce! I do really need a dehydrator! Oh and how great a chooks, so glad that they have settle and you are getting eggs, we get 3 every day now it is wonderful and they are so friendly!

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    1. Can you believe it's nearly April!! Thanks for popping in to say hi Elizabeth x

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