Thursday, October 27, 2016

NEW KITCHEN AT FPHQ: OCTOBER 2016

Ever wondered how much work goes into building a new kitchen, or what is involved in beginning a food business from home? I'm going to be sharing the step-by-step stages of planning, approving, buying and assembling/installing our new commercial kitchen at Food Preserving HQ (Western Australia). We're removing the old (small) kitchen and building the new kitchen ourselves, including the tiling and painting - everything except for the plumbing and electrical work - and getting it approved through our local council to make and sell homemade jam (and begin teaching small food preserving classes here once everything is completed by early 2017).
   

New kitchen update: after submitting the building application to our local council, we were notified that one of the previous homeowners removed the wall between the family room and kitchen without council approval. This is a requirement for us to build a new commercial kitchen, so I am now organising a structural engineering company to check over the current kitchen ceiling to ensure it is structurally sound before we continue with the other measurements needed in our building application with the council (they emailed a list of measurements for us to send back, the building officer was so helpful!)
Photocopying: $1.50
Structural Engineering Inspection Fee: TBC
Kitchen cost so far: $310.15 (plus structural engineering inspection fee)

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

FORAGING IN THE PATCH BEFORE SCHOOL

Mornings are usually a quick wander with my children in our garden (aka preserving patch) after I get home from the gym (but before school). I feed our quails and chickens whilst the kids forage for blueberries, mulberries and strawberries. Happy days! Blueberry plants were bought in a group buy on Facebook Group Jetto's Patch, the mulberry tree was a gift from my lovely friend Janet, and the strawberry plants were bought from Bunnings.
 

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

JAMMY LEFTOVERS

Use for jammy leftovers: mix into homemade yoghurt! Fills hungry tummies after swimming lessons while I prepare dinner :) 
[Strawberry Jam Recipe]
   

IT'S WORLD PASTA DAY TODAY!



Did you know today is World Pasta Day? Our children LOVE eating (and helping to make) fresh egg pasta - here's a great recipe - and having a stash of homemade sauces in the freezer, such as this family favourite: Creamy Mushroom & Bacon Pasta. Nothing beats a vegetable-packed spaghetti bolognaise, either, and this one can also be pressure canned!
        
Fresh pasta made from fresh eggs is usually best made and cooked that day, but you can also buy dried pasta in bulk to reduce plastic packaging (and save money) and store in airtight containers. Another use for all those Tupperware containers floating around at FPHQ.
   
PASTA RECIPES
    
What is your favourite pasta dish? 
      
Pressure Canned Bolognaise



Monday, October 24, 2016

MONDAYS WITH MEGAN: 24-30 OCTOBER, 2016

It's a new week Food Preservers! What cooking and crafting projects are you planning this week? #mondayswithmegan
   
After teaching a class on Saturday, I like to spend Mondays planning my week: menu planning, craft projects, housework, activities with my children, etc. Each Monday morning I begin my day with a visit to my local gym, then run the kids to school and do my grocery shopping. I have begun thinking about buying my fruits and vegetables online - do you? I don't buy many "processed foods" because we enjoy homemade alternatives the best and buy my dry ingredients in bulk to reduce plastic packaging and save money. The rest of the week I then go to sport or have my youngest home, so housework, gardening or website work beckons!
   
Menu Planner Printable for Personal Use:
Print and laminate to use each week - we stuck it to our fridge!

http://www.foodpreserving.org/p/printables.html

This Week's Menu:
Menu @ FPHQ this week is pretty basic: lots of fruit and vegetables, good quality protein, homemade bread, yoghurt and cheese. Quick dinners due to swimming lessons on Monday and Tuesday utilising leftovers and bits I've prepared ahead in the freezer. Breakfasts are usually fruit smoothies, toast with beans or egg, yoghurt or fruit salad (pikelets on Sunday morning)
Monday: chicken caesar salad (with homemade mayo and yesterday's rye bread made into croutons)
Tuesday: hot dogs (homemade fat pork sausages with salad, pickles, mustard and cheese)
Wednesday: chicken & vegetable stir-fry
Thursday: barbecue steak (with cold-smoked garlic salt) with mashed potato/carrot/sweet potato and steamed vegetables
Friday: Oven baked fish (seasoned with dukkah), rainbow salad and fries
Saturday: kids' choice
Sunday: beef burgers with last season's tomato relish and dehydrated (rehydrated) caramelised onions and pickled beetroot plus cupcakes to celebrate my youngest daughter turning 5 years old (and a few dozen to bake for Kindy Monday morning!)
   
New Recipes & Articles:
(will be added to www.foodpreserving.org during the week and will come back to link here too)
  • Cheese-Making Articles
  • Cold-Smoking Intro Article
  • Cold-Smoked Garlic Salt Recipe (another great use for cheese salt!)
  • Instant Oats in Jars - my oldest daughter loves making her own porridge while I'm at the gym in the morning. It's quick to measure into a microwave bowl, cook and eat and gives her lots of energy all day long at school. Today I thought of writing up a recipe for various flavours of quick porridge mixes to make and store in jars (or in bulk), utilising dehydrated fruits and other flavours and buying instant or rolled oats in bulk (and mostly plastic free too hooray). Maybe even jars with single portions and dried fruits in them, ready to pour into a bowl, add milk or water, cook and eat.
  • Chia Pudding (refrigerator)
  • Tomato Relish (water bath / bottling)
  • Dehydrated Caramelised Onions (dehydrating)
  • Dehydrated Potatoes
  • Dehydrated Freezer Vegetables
  • Dukkah (won a few first prizes at the Perth Royal Show with this recipe)
  • Coffee Soap for #saturdayscent - using melt and pour soap, mica for a shimmer, used coffee grounds as an exfoliant and decorated with coffee beans as part of my prep for the Christmas Gift Guide (homemade food and non-food projects that are made in under 30 minutes and/or under $20), which will be given away at my Christmas Preserving Class
  • Pikelets
    
Have a lovely week! - Megan

Saturday, October 1, 2016

PERTH GROWING GUIDE: OCTOBER


Amaranth (Amaranthus caudatus)
Planting: sow seeds direct into garden
Location: warm, sunny position, soil not too heavy
Space plants: 50cm apart
Harvest: 7-8 weeks
Companion planting: corn, eggplant, onions, peppers, tomatoes
   
  
  
Angelica (Angelica archangelica)
Planting: sow seeds direct into garden
Location: semi-shade, moist, rich, slightly acidic soil
Space plants: 45cm apart
Harvest: 18 months
Companion planting: mint, lemon balm 
   
  
  
  
Artichokes, Globe (Cynara scolymus)
Planting: direct into garden
Location: sandy soil
Space plants: 160-200cm apart
Harvest: 42-57 weeks
Companion planting: none (needs lots of space)
   
  
  
  
Asparagus (Aspargus officianalis)
Planting: crowns
Location: cool, not too much moisture
Space plants: 20-40cm apart
Harvest: 2-3 years
Companion planting: basil, lettuce, nasturtiums, parsley (avoid garlic, onions, root vegetables)
   

  
    
Asparagus Pea (Lotus tetragonobolus)
Planting: sow seeds direct into garden
Location: moisture, full sun, normal soil
Space plants: 20-25cm apart
Companion planting: none
Maintenance: support with twigs to keep stems off the ground, protect from pests
Harvest: 8-11 weeks (pick early and often when pods are small)