Monday, 22 April 2013

Changes

I don't know how you cope with the change of daylight savings (if you have it), but it threw us around a bit this year. I guess it did not help that we laid in on mornings over Easter and then the following week the clocks were turned back. D3 came down with the flu and once she was nearly recovered, Hubby was hit with it; then the rest of us followed. So today, after a few weeks of laying low, consuming gallons of h20 along with numerous hankies, we are all feeling much better and I am planning for a busy week ahead. 

Recently we have been enjoying using up pears in a tart. It is easy to make, delicious with cream or yoghurt and still nice to serve the next day. So here it is:


(that was quick to download!!! My darling hubby updated my laptop over Easter and the changes are proving excellent)



Pear and Cinnamon Tart
Grease a large quiche dish or lamington tin. Heat the oven to 160 degrees.

Place the following in a food processor:
1 egg
½ cup sugar
2 Tb lemon juice
2 Tb yoghurt
¼ c milk
60g melted butter
1 ½ cups SR flour

Blend together until well combined. Spoon into prepared dish and spread out to cover base.
Peel, core and slice 3 pears and place decoratively on top of cake batter.

Bake for 30 minutes or until skewer inserted into centre comes out clean.
Immediately brush the surface with some extra melted butter, sprinkle with cinnamon followed by a sprinkle of sugar. Leave to cool in tin. 


Tips: I melt my butter in a small pyrex jug in the microwave and add a little extra butter so there is some ready to brush the surface when cooked. I have used spelt flour and also tried with wheat flour, no different. I have also cooked it on 180 degrees along with a casserole and it turned out fine. 


Gorgeous sunset the other night. 

Until next time, hope you can cope well with changes. Have a great week....Dot :-)

Thursday, 4 April 2013

Meal Planning 01

Hi, trust you all had a lovely long Easter Weekend. It was good 'indoor weather' in our neck of the woods, so hubby took to sanding some interiors of windows and re-varnishing. We slept in each morning and all enjoyed time around home.


D2 resting her foot with broken toe.


Dusty job!!


But well worth it. They came up beautifully, thanks hubby xx

..............Back to the subject at hand ..................



On the back on the pantry door next to the planner, I have a 'quick list' of ideas to use over the next few days or weeks. This helps me to fill out the planner and save food waste. After a while, most things are crossed off and I can start again with a fresh piece of paper and new ideas (mine and other family members too).  


In this corner on the pantry shelf is storage for all those bits and pieces that need using up. The dates on food is regularly checked, and if it is looming up close it changes place on the shelf. 


And lastly, another very important 'help point' is the shelf at eye level in the fridge where all the 'stuff' that needs using short term. Again, dates are checked around the fridge and/or when items are opened. 

I love to cook food fresh from scratch but enjoy also being creative with leftovers. Thankfully the members of this home love leftovers and enjoy healthy home cooked meals with stacks of variety. They also help in keeping an eye on food preservation and lend a hand in the cooking. 

I hope my thoughts have inspired you, happy planning...Dot