A Day at the Forest : Bacon Noodles

After spending Saturday morning working we decided to get out and take the kids for an adventure, before settling down for more work in the afternoon (my clever hubby illustrates for a kids magazine).

Living only 15 minutes from the Maramarua pine forests it means we have great place to explore with the kids.  Yesterday we found a really good spot.  Good parking on gravel with plenty of room to get the kids out of the car, not wade around knee deep in wet grass like we usually are.  On entering the forest we found a well used track that wound up the hill.  We soon discovered why it was so well worn, the track is used for placing bait and traps for possums.  We were glad our dog was prepared with a muzzle - for just such an thing on our adventure.  After continuing up the hill and filling up a chicken feed bag with pine cones we decided to venture over to an area of fern and eucalyptus trees - leaving our pinecones to collect on our return.  The boys found sticks and straight away starting wacking rotten logs and stomping on rotten stumps - like little boys should.  We kept following a path past the ferns and through more pine forest which eventually lead to a beutiful little sunny grove with a pond and autumn trees.  An unexpected surprise in a pine forest.  We followed the track around the pond, past a big pile of dead possoms, from a nasty looking trap that snaps their necks, and found ourselves walking up the ridge of the hill.

Following the ridge of the hill to the top took us well past our starting position, so a little bit of crashing through the bush downhill - well away from any tracks - was needed to get us back to our bag or pine cones.  By this time, nearly 2 hours since we set off, the kids could barely stand.  They were exhusted, but still happy to be exploring the bush.  So with pine cones retreved and armfuls of tired babies we set of down the trail to the car.

After such a big adventure we were all set for a big hearty dinner - I just didn't have the energy to cook one.  Something easy, tasty and satisfiy was in order.  So I whipped up bacon noodles - I say noodles but it was spaghetti, but that's what Mr 3 calls them.

Bacon 'Noodles'
Serves Four

250g Spaghetti


1T Butter
200g Bacon, Diced
1 Onion, Diced
2T Plain Flour
2C Skim Milk
Pepper
7 Dried Sage Leaves (I have some from my garden this summer)

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook spaghetti.  I added some diced carrot for a bit of vege.
Over medium heat melt the butter.  Add bacon and onion and cook till soft.  Stir in flour and cook until it starts to stick to the base of the pan.  Slowly stir in milk to make a sauce.  Add remaining ingredients and bring to a gentle simmer.  Cook for 5 minutes longer.  Drain pasta - and any veges you've added - and stir into sauce.

Eating well with $130 per week - Week 3

This week has been a little out of the ordinary, Mr 1 has cut down his naps and I've been suffering from a toothache.  Dinners haven't been over exciting and leaving the house some days just seemed impossible.

My usual Tuesday shopping was delayed till we were forced to go out on Thursday evening, after dinner, when the green grocer was shut.  I selected the cheapest fruit and vege I could find at the supermarket - the prices are crazy!  Fruit is about 30 - 40% more expensive than the green grocer and veges twice as expensive, and not nearly as nice or as fresh as what I usually get.  I still had money pocketed from under-spending over the last 2 weeks, so no real harm done.

I also needed a few things from the bulk store in town - the budget is $30 and we spent $20, on baking soda, spelt and rye flours (to add a bit of variety to our loaves) and spices.  I highly recommend finding a bulk store, especially if you like making curries.  I get spices for a quarter of the price as the super market.

Here's the breakdown of this weeks spend:

Countdown $123
Mushrooms
Bananas
Kiwifruit
Mandarins
Apples
Pears
Onions
Carrots
Broccoli
Tinned Tomatoes
Golden Syrup
Coffee
Cheese
Nappies
Milk Powder
Mayonnaise
Yeast
Crackers
Tissues
Dishwasher Powder
Butter x 2
Bread Flour
Baking Powder
Deodorant
Crackers

I never usually by mayonnaise, I make up a jar every now and then for Pappa Bear to use on lunches, made from oil and eggs.  I've been having trouble with the mayo splitting lately though, I think it's got to do with ingredients being so cold, so I brought a back up.

Our menu this week was:

Monday: Sweet Braised Pork

Tuesday: Homemade Pizza with homemade tomato sauce, onion, mushrooms and cheese

Wednesday: Hot chips - this is the day my toothache hit, I thought I was getting sick and felt wiped out by 4pm.  A night off from cooking with a few dollars hot chips and an early night were in order.  I really need to get some meals in the freezer that we can 'heat and eat' on nights like that.

Thursday: Pasta with left over tomato sauce from pizza on Tuesday and left over pumpkin soup from lunch

Friday: Pulled Pork, Slaw and Ciabatta - I know we just had this a little while ago but I wanted to share it with my sister/brother in law for dinner

5 days with No Naps!

The past week has been a real eye opener.

I didn't realise how good I had it.  Mr 1 was sleeping about 3.5 hours a day and all of a sudden he has stopped.  Before now I would spend that time doing something special with Mr 3, have lunch, get a couple of chores done and maybe have a cup of tea.

This week has been very different.  Mr 3 is a little over his brother getting into all him games, Mr 1 is very tired and grumpy from midday and mumma is feeling a bit frazzled - along with being ready for bed by 8:30pm.  In the coming weeks I'm sure we'll find a new rhythm.  Our routine will change I will need to utilise the different areas of our house to set the boys up with different things to do.  My Mr 3 is a very independent little soul and thrives on sitting and doing things on his own, so I need to make sure he gets that time.

I will also have to find some more ways for the boys to play in the garden while I toil in the mud - maybe it's about time we got a hut or cubby house set up, I remember having one made of pallets when I was a kid and spending a lot of time in there - I think I see a project coming on!

Today I have been lucky enough to have some Mumma time - that is why I'm writing.  Mr 3 was offered a second day at daycare, which he has just started today, he's only gone one day a week till now.  After playtime and lunch I set up Mr 1 in the porta-cot in the sun, with some books and toys while I vacuumed and then weeded the garden for 15 minutes.  When I came in from the cold Mr 1 was ASLEEP!!

Now that I've had a cuppa and got some writing done - all be it not very entertaining - It's time to get some work done.

Here's to the next faze of being an at home Mum!

Butano Kakani : Sweet Braised Pork

I adore Japanese food.  It's simple, delicious and there's such a huge variety of meals to choose from.

A couple years ago I spent about 6 months getting my hands on every Japanese cook book I could find, trying loads of cooking methods and recipes (I lost a few kilos too, it's so healthy).  I discovered lots of easy meals that I could cook after work and some more involved meals that I could stir and add too while I potted around the house at the weekend.  We still enjoy regular Japanese inspired meals, Sushi is something we all enjoy quite regularly along with my Soba Noodle and Miso Soup.

With purchasing an entire home-kill pig we get a few cuts that I would never usually buy - like pork belly.  Roasted pork belly is nice but makes a huge mess and still retains a lot of the fat - this way of cooking belly is really good, steamed, browned then simmered in a tasty broth, a lot of the fat rendered off.  The miso paste was not in the original recipe but I find it rounds off the dish nicely.

You could steam the pork the day before and refrigerate so it's makes for a faster meal the next day.

Sweet Braised Pork : Butano Kakani
Serves 4

500g Pork Belly, Bones and Skin Removed
1cm Disk of Ginger Root, Skin on
2C Dashi Stock (or Beef Stock if you don't have seaweed and fish flakes hanging around like I do)
3T Mirin
¼C Soy Sauce
¼C Brown Sugar
1t Miso Paste, Heaped

Cut pork belly into 2.5cm cubes and steam over simmering water, covered, for 90 minutes until tender (heaps of fat comes of this way).  Heat a pan over medium heat and brown steamed belly pieces on all sides, drain off fat.  Quarter the piece of ginger and add to the pan with stock, mirin, soy sauce and sugar.  Simmer gently for 45 minutes.  Lift pork out and set aside.  Bring broth to a rolling boil and reduce by a quarter.  Remove from heat and discard ginger pieces.  Thin miso paste with a couple of tablespoons of water then stir into broth.  Return pork to broth to warm then serve with steamed rice and vegetables.  Hot mustard goes really well with this dish.

Something Different : Soft Pretzels

For Sunday lunch we had some day old rye bread and coleslaw on the menu, not too flash - I fancied something fresh and warm with the weather being so wet outside.  After considering a few things like foccacia, bagels and soda bread, I opted for a new recipe - soft pretzels.

I've never had fresh pretzels before, only the cracker-like ones from a pack.  I jumped in totally blind and was really pleased, and surprised, with the result.  They have a distinct pretzel taste, a chewy crust and perfect crumb.  I substituted about a fifth of my flour with rye flour to make them extra tasty.

I also tested one batch on conventional bake and one fan forced.  The batch cooked with conventional bake were darker and had a better crust than those cooked on fan forced, so I'll stick with conventional bake next time.

Soft Pretzels
Makes 10 'breakfast' sized pretzels

2t Brown Sugar
22g Yeast, Dried Active or Instant
375ml Water, Blood Temperature
575g Bread Flour, Plus Extra for Dusting
2t Salt, Plus Extra for Topping
¼C Baking Soda
1 Egg

Mix sugar, yeast and warm water and leave to activate for 10 minutes.  Add in flour and salt and stir till it starts to come together into a ball.  Tip out onto work surface and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic (the dough will be quite sticky, just scrape down your hands and bench a couple of times as you go, it will come together).

Dust your work surface to keep the dough from sticking and divide into pieces (I made 10 which turned out about the size of a breakfast bagel).  Form into rounds and rest for 10 minutes.  Roll out into 30cm long sausages and twist into pretzels (I used this diagram).  Lay on a baking tray lined with baking paper and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes then refrigerate for another 30 minutes.

15 minutes before the pretzels are due out of the fridge turn oven onto 220ºC (425F) bake and put a medium sized pan with 1 litre of water on to boil.  When the water comes to the boil add the baking soda - a little at a time, it fizzes like crazy!  Turn water down to medium-low.

Gently remove pretzels from the tray, one at a time, and poach in the baking soda solution for a minute on each side.  Remove with a slotted spoon and return to baking tray.  When all the pretzels are poached beat the egg with 1 tablespoon of water and brush over tops of pretzels - this makes them nice and glossy.  Sprinkle with a little salt and bake for 15 minutes, swapping trays half way through if using conventional bake (which gives a much better colour).

Poached Pretzels

15 Minute Soba Noodle and Miso Soup

This meal is a favourite for us, the perfect dinner for a cold night - a dash of chilli sauce makes it extra warming.

15 Minute Soba Noodle and Miso Soup
Serves 4

3 Bundles of Soba Noodles
4 - 8 eggs (1 or 2 per person)
4T White Miso Paste
1T Soy Sauce
1T Sesame Oil

Extras
Steamed Asian Greens
Fried Shallots
Chilli Sauce
Spring Onion, Finely Sliced
Seaweed Flakes

Put a large and a medium saucepan of water onto high heat.  When small pan begins to simmer crack eggs into pan and poach for 4 minutes on low simmer, place cooked eggs into the bottom of noodle bowls.  Add soba noodles to large pot when boiling and cook for 7 minutes, or until tender.  Drain noodles and rinse with cold water.  In the large empty pot add 3 cups of cold water.  Mix miso paste with to a fourth cup of water and stir until smooth and there are no longer any lumps.  Add thinned miso pan with water and put onto medium heat.  When miso soup is at blood temperature add cooked noodles, soy sauce and sesame oil.  Continue heating till steaming hot (do not boil).  Add chilli sauce and seaweed flakes if using and stir.  Dish noodles and soup over eggs and top with any extras - greens, shallots and spring onion.

We had ours with kale.  I heated a dash of sesame oil over a medium heat.  To the oil I added a minced clove of garlic and a tablespoon of sesame seeds.  When the seeds started to pop I chucked in a big bunch of chopped kale, a tablespoon of soy sauce and a half cup of water and covered with a lid.  When the water had gone the kale was steamed and ready to add to soup.

More Trackies

My boys and I have had a lovely rainy day at home.  We played with playdough for nearly 2 hours, got some drawing and scribbling done, played trains and piano.  While Mr 1 napped helpful Mr 3 was very interested in making more clothes, so we set to work (he is practically living in the one I made him at the weekend).  The pattern we have is super quick and easy so in no time at all we had another track suit made up - this time a hoodie and a set of pants, in a black jersey fleece fabric.  We chose black jersey so his pants will suit for school next winter.

Again, making the clothes myself worked out really cheap - $14 for pants and a hoodie, custom made, longer in the legs and back, just like Mr 3.

My Little Helper - Wearing his new fleece jumper again.

New Track Suit and a Little Copy-Cat

Serious Scribbles!