Fruits and Vegetables.

In our garden the fruit trees are fruiting, the apple tree is doing well, the pomelo tree has about ten fruits. But the nectarine tree is giving us just about eight, it is strange, the tree is looking so healthy with millions of leaves.  However the potted figs provide me with hope, a few figs fruits are there, and I hope they are maturing for harvest.

The Fruits

Potted Fig

The fig trees are not looking great, I think it is time to be repotted, or maybe it is a good idea to transplant into the ground.

I am happy with my vegetable patch, it is small, and I have a new hose which is fixed close by to make the watering easier.  The herbs have been there for a few years now, the chives, sorrel, mints are at their best.  I planted one tomato which is fruiting now, eggplant and I am so pleased that I harvested one last week. Three capsicums are growing well and showing some flowers soon.  It is a shame that the three vegetables are not ready to fruit at the same time, if they were, I could cook a delicious ratatouille.  The best vegetable which I planted this year successfully are apple cucumber, the seedlings were a gift from Eileen, our neighbour, thank you.  I have been harvesting at least three dozens of cucumbers, they can be very tender and crunchy as long as you pick them at the right time. I suggest, plant this apple cucumber in your garden, they are so suitable for salad, chutney etc. 

Tomato, Eggplant and Capsicum Plants

Apple Cucumber 

The three plants are growing so well intertwining with other plants, and also they are sprawling to the next space happily.  The harvests have been good.

T

Spare a little time daily to care for the plants and the reward is priceless.

I hope you enjoy your garden and have a lot of fun out of it as I do.

It is so good to have fresh fruits, vegetables from our own garden.

Until Next Post

Susy

COOKING MEAT.

Medium Rare.
Perfectly Cooked Meat.

I love meat, and I love eating and cooking it.  But a lot of time, I could not do it right.   Learning more about joints and cuts of meat is essential and understand it well is important too,  that way you could cook them accordingly.  That is the key that I have to have, I had to learn it properly

Thanks to my Kris Kringle for the cookbook, indeed I learnt how to cook red meat better and correctly.  Before I got the book, my experience of cooking the meat was not good enough.  I had to cook a whole fillet of beef, which is the best cut of meat more than once,  the result was either overcooked or almost raw.  Now I know how to do it properly.

I cooked a medium rare of the whole fillet of beef successfully, and I served with simple garnishes which complement the meat beautifully.
These were what I did:
- I trimmed all the sinews and fats from the meat.
- I cut off the ends bit, and I had to make sure that the whole piece is at equal thickness.
- I tied it with string-kitchen twin up to nine knots, for even cooking and easy slicing.
- I rubbed it with oil and seasoned it with a lot of freshly ground black pepper and salt.

The Preparation and the Cooking.

I rubbed the meat with some oil, seasoned with
freshly ground black pepper and generous salt.

To Cook the Beef

I used a terrine dish to cook, but you could use a pan to pan-fry the beef.

I Cooked the beef on a hot temperature 8 -10 minutes to brown all over. Continue coking
 in a hot oven at 220 degrees C for 8 minutes.

Out from the oven, and I
placed it on paper, wrapped in foil
 to rest for 18 minutes or more.

The Beef wrapped in Foil to Rest

The string had to be taken out before slicing.

The meat was cooked in perfection.

Slice Thinly to Serve

Parsley paste in oil was added on a plate to serve the beef.

The meat was served with red wine sauce, baked sweet potato, and avocado dressed
in mustard sauce.

A Delicious and Delightful Beef Dish.

The cooking of the beef was the main part, it was crucial to get it right.  

To serve the meat is up to anyone fancy.  There are a lot of choices on how to garnish beef dishes.

I believe that lean red beef is suitable for any age group, and if we have it once a week on our diet, it is advisable.


More meat cooking is coming soon!

Fresh Fruits for Breakfast,  It is healthy and also a treat.

It is the new year 2016,  and a new healthy diet is for us.  We love fresh fruits and vegetables, and we cannot do without them.
Make the best of fruits in season.  Have them fresh or bake them served with yoghurt for dessert instead of ice cream or cream.


I am looking forward to sharing new recipes with you this year.



Until Next Post
Susy.

Happy New Year.

My Very Best Wishes for The New Year 2016 to You All.  May the New Year Bring Happiness,  Good Health and Prosperity.

Our Breakfast for The New Year, 1-1-2016

I am looking forward to a fruitful and a healthy new year, and also I wish to spend more time with family.

I will continue, and I hope I could share exciting stories and recipes through my posts in 2016.

Happy New Year

God Bless.

Susy

Happy Christmas 2015

I wish you had a happy and enjoyable Christmas 2015,  as we did.
We had a happy gathering with our first daughter Melanie, her husband Lance and their children: Mary Rose, Thomas, Henry and Lily.

Started off in Christmas Eve, we had a lovely afternoon tea in our backyard.  Christmas day was so good, as my oldest grand child-Mary Rose set up the table, it looked so pretty, perfect and festive.  Thank you, Mary Rose.

The Christmas Dinner was very successful, Melanie did the starter- beautiful giant prawns with a leafy salad.

Turkey and it's trimming were excellent, but it looked brown, maybe I basted with extra orange juice.  Even though the turkey looked dark but it was moist, not dry. The delicious turkey was complemented by fine wine, thanks, Mel.

Simple and fresh
The sweet dessert was well received by the family but mainly by the grandkids.  Chocolates were there for the grandchildren, they love chocolates, they enjoyed fine chocolates, especially the one from aunt Jane who lives in the Netherlands. Thanks, Jane, Ed and Milo for the chocolates.

We had a grand day, an afternoon snooze and informal evening. We were looking forward to another gathering in the boxing day.  Susan and Tris came from Melbourne, it was a good catch up time for everyone. I received a good book, a gift from my Kris Kringle, thank you Tritan,

I tried my best to serve a lovely Boxing Day Dinner-Roast Loin Pork, with baked whole apples and gravy. Garnished with roast potato, sweet potato, and mixed greens-broccoli, snow peas and asparagus. Followed by a leafy salad with a home-baked sliced fillet of pork, covered in chicken mouse, pistachio nuts, wrapped in prosciutto. The dessert was layered meringue with strawberries and topped with raspberries, served with extra fresh fruits-mango, kiwi and cherries. So good and sweet.
We had a lovely day at the boxing day, a good company and we enjoyed delicious food, and the grandkids opened more presents from aunty Susan.

Everyone left at seven o'clock for Melbourne.  The house becomes so empty, I looked back and say, I am so lucky to be able to see and to spend time with my family this Christmas. Now it is my time to have a rest.

PICTURES

The Cooking and Preparation for Christmas 2015.

Beautiful Cooking for Beautiful Season

The Christmas Cake

Turkey

There were a lot more dishes I prepared for the season, come to think of it,  I am amazed at myself the fact that I could manage them very well under my condition,. I have not been fit for the past few months.  Indeed I congratulate myself, I know that I could do better otherwise, but it was good enough, as the family were happy and enjoyed the festivity.

It has been a long time that the children have not been home for Christmas, the girls took a turn to host the Christmas Party, and they did it so well.  But this year, I voluntary to do it, and I did not do badly under the circumstances.

PICTURES
Photos of the family, the children and grandchildren
Afternoon Tea in the Backyard.
Lumpia, Resoles, Almond cake filled with preserved
fruits in brandy, and chocolate ring cake with cherries.

It was hot in the backyard, we did not stay there

too long.

Christmas Morning

Opening Gifts

Christmas Dinner

Boxing Day
We were ten, with Susan and Tris

Christmas is over, and we are looking forward to the New Year 2016.  And I hope. It brings good health, happiness and prosperity to us all.


Today is a hot day, and it is the New Year's Eve, I gathered beautiful flowers, some of them are the last blooms from my garden.  They look so colourful and attractive for our table.

Enjoy the last day of the year 2015, have a happy party, keep safe and well.

Beautiful Flowers for The Last Day of the Year 2015

We had a Happy Christmas 2015.


Love And God Bless
Thank You All
Susy