Respect our Community

                                     

                                      Thanks to Vic and Helen for their 50th Anniversary!

                                                                        

Golden Weddings -                                            

how the time has flown - the

photo board tells it all!

A carving set, a

family heirloom

shiny as if new.

The wooden handle

poised, used in turn 

by young & old.

Fruit plus Madeira cakes

sliced and shared by

folks all wished

the best as functions

come & go.

If cakes & bread

where the only thing

cut by knives how

happy we would

be! But proposed

motorways may slice

our landscape

and tear our

neighbourhood

in three!

Where will the children

play at school while

trucks pollute the air?

How can our friends

move when money

is so scarce? Consider

us, John Key, the families

who've stayed here long

enough to celebrate their

golden years and make

this community -

truly theirs!

Crockpot Chicken

Crockpots feed families and are great for those who arrive home tired and can't think what to cook.

Take 3 or 4 carrots and slice them chunky.

Slice 1 or 2 onions and a stick of celery and include some crushed garlic.

Put these in the crockpot with a tin of tomatoes,

2 teaspoons of Panch Puran (Bengali 5 spice mixture of cumin, fennel, fenugreek, brown mustard, and nigella (kalonji) in equal amounts) Don't panic if you don't have these spices!

1 teaspoon of tumeric

and half a teaspoon of chilli flakes or a whole green chilli.

Add a whole chicken or as many legs or thighs of chicken you can accommodate in your crockpot.

Cook on low for 6 hours or more. Thicken the juice if required. Serve with vegetables and rice or potatoes.

Beetroot Tart in Cornwall Park.

This picture of the beetroot tart was taken one hot, steamy Sunday afternoon in Cornwall Park, Auckland, as we listened to the delightful tunes of the Dalewool Brass Band, playing in the rotunda.
As the band is playing, it is easy for our eyes to wonder over the other people ,who have gathered to feast there eyes, ears and mouths on their favourite band and picnic food. To our right are a couple in their 80's with portable table, portable chairs and crystal glasses with white wine. The chips and dip came out and a great time was had. Meanwhile back to us, we drank fruit juice ate Marjorie's Tea Loaf and Beetroot  Tart.  I have finally found the recipe !! So here it is-

BEETROOT,WALNUT & FETA TARTS.
For 4 tarts.
1 sheet frozen flaky puff pastry                   Onion Jam {see recipe below}
1 medium tin beetroot, finely chopped          1 250 pkt walnuts chopped.
1 250 pkt, feta cheese

 ONION JAM.
1. Peel and finely chop 3 brown or red onions your choice.
2. In a pan add 2-3 tab oil, add onions and fry till brown on medium heat.
3.In a bowl mix 1/2cup brown sugar,2tab balsamic vinegar and mix together..
4. Add to onions in pan and cook to reduce about 20minutes.  Cool.
5. On a baking tray, place 1 sheet of pastry.
6. Cut pastry in half then half again so you have 4 pieces
7. score a square 1/4 inch from edge.
8. Place equal amounts of onion jam, chopped beetroot, walnuts and feta on top of pastry inside the scored edge.
9.place in oven 180ocelius,for 20minutes  yum yum

Summer

 

 

 

 

 

Summer

 

'Twenty-six degrees with a light breeze,'

the radio announcer intones.

She must be bored this summer!

Auckland's volcanic cones blaze brown,

nearby playing fields almost bare and

mowing lawns creates clouds of dust.

Water tanks only dribble and stop in rural spots

and farmers have to sell hungry stock.

 

But, in Cornwall Park we blister, some with

crystal glasses full of wine; we take tea

in china cups, a slice of cake mixed through

with chippy chocolate, all listening to the band

who play dressed in black - on this the hottest

Sunday at 2 o'clock!

 

Home to water celery, silverbeet, herbs and peppers.

Cucumber plant has done its dash - so have I

with water rates still rising.

My supermarket hosts peaches, nectarines and plums

plus courgettes. And, like a soldier's polished army boots

aubergines beg to meet with mozzarella, toms and basil green.

But, I have got a recipe for a spicy dish, cooked on top,

in a wok - for who wants to face the oven's heat when

inside our home the sun's warmth is trapped!



 

 

Take 1 large eggplant or 2 sm. ones. Cube and soaked for a while in salted water.
Turn on electric or gas ring to threequarters hot and in your woklike saucepan put in
2 tablespoons of oil.
Sprinkle in 1 teaspn tumeric, half a teaspn. of cumin seeds and a few chilli flakes.
Watch them carefully else they'll burn.
Next put in 1 sliced onion, 2 sliced sticks of celery, 3 cloves of garlic or a teaspn of minced garlic and sitr.
When heated through put in 1 or 2 sliced courgettes, one sliced red pepper, stir.
Rinse the eggplant and add to the wok. Stir so the tumeric colours everything.
Chop herbs - coriander, basil, parsley - whatever you've got in your garden- and add to wok.
Tip in a tin of Italian tomatoes. Stir and cover and turn down the heat.
Stir every now and again until eggplant and courgettes are cooked.
Serve with brown rice. Enough for 3 -4 people.

The rest of Christmas Mince Tarts.

Well who knows , the hidden forces going on that decide the blog is finished and publishes it before I have finished. Her is the rest of the pastry part.

Roll sweet short pastry until its 3mm thick. Mini -muffin pans make lovely little pies. For these you will need to cut 6cm rounds and press them gently into non-stick sprayed pans. Drop a heaped teaspoon of fruit mince into each one, then finish by placing a star , or other shape  of pastry on top before baking at 180oC for 10-12minutes or until the pastry begins to brown. If you want slightly larger pies in patty tins you'll need an 8-9cm cutter.  enjoy

Christmas Mince Pies

It has been a long time since I posted, I apologize, no real excuse except life did get in the way!!! Now I have semi-retired there will be more posting from myself and my friend.