Belinda's Back to Basics Challenge

Sowing seed or Planting

Not really planting weather I suppose.

Planning for The Future - meal planning, the next seasons garden plan, working out storage plans or more long term goals and projects like plans for digging root cellars

I had asked hubby to buy a Super Food Ideas magazine while he was in the city. I think he found it in Woolworths in the end. I got two budget meal ideas, Italian Vegetable Risotto and Salmon and Broad Bean Bake. I am not sure if the weather will cool down for the bake, but usually there is one day, but you can't guarantee that in the North East. I actually remembered to read the recipes before I ordered the fruit and vegetables and bread online.

I used my new system to get my fruit early, and this time, I didn't mess up the funding for it, luckily last time no harm was done. I used to wait until after payday but with changes to how many days they deliver here, I have changed my ordering day to suit.

The fruit coming early was good, we ate watermelon and rockmelon on Thursday to distract us from the extreme heat. We bought chips, something I don't usually do, the fruit shop sells a few things like that on specials. Since it is the last days of the holidays and they are all at home rather than outside, it kept them amused. Their Dad is now back at work.

I was going to take the girls to the regional centre, one daughter finally convinced me to buy a bird, I was going to food shop at the same time. I couldn't shop out of town at all with the hot weather. Our cars have both had problems recently. So hubby got his first batch of groceries at lunch time, a smallish box full. Our local shop has no bags at all. As a consequence I won't be making up my menu until the shopping is more finalised, I have one meal to go on with so far.

Working for the Future - storing food, managing stores, preserving, building that home made cob or solar oven, adding house insulation, saving for manual grain mills etc

Our freezer has been struggling. There is a little room that the previous owners made into a fridge and laundry room. The heat gets trapped a little bit. We found that having a fan on the floor during the hot days (after we defrosted it) blowing air towards the freezer has enabled the water to freeze more quickly in the 2 litre cordial containers we put in there. The freezer after defrosting was at -15oC but nothing froze quickly. Now we can get our frozen water out and sit in on the bench ready for our drinks and when it runs out we get another one out.

Building Community - volunteering, donations, joining an existing community group, forming your own community group, taking a cake to a friend having a hard time, calling someone you just let drift out of your life, etc

We got another small bag of clothes ready to go to the op-shop.

Learn a new Skill

Well this week we are just adding onto any skills we have about managing in the heat, and not giving in and "finding" the money for airconditioning. We had airconditioning for three years before coming here, through the house. Our earlier house only had it in one room, the lounge.

We also had a car without airconditioning until five years ago.

So this week it is to be in the 40s for days. It was 41oC outside at lunchtime Thursday.

We took the plunge so to speak and started easing ourselves back into fishing. Hubby took two kids to the river with a couple of rods and a can to put worms in. My research suggests that some fish in the Murray like boiled eggs!



Here is a recipe for rabbit as I read about rabbits at Sticks and Stones. The recipe is by Beverley Sutherland Smith from the 80s I think.

Braised Rabbit with Onions

"There may seem a large amount of onion slices in this dish, particularly when you place them in the pan and they are piled up like a small mountain, but they cook down considerably and this quantity is needed to make a rich thick sauce. The onion gives a certain amount of sweetness to the sauce. This I love, but if you prefer one with a sharper flavour you can add a teaspoon or two of lemon juice at the finish. Serves 4.

1 rabbit weighing about 1.25kg (2 1/2 lb)
flour
salt and pepper
4g (1 1/2oz) butter
1 tablespoon oil
500g (1lb) onions, cut into wafer-thin slices
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons tomato paste
3/4 cup (6floz) veal or chicken stock or water (2 cubes br)
2 sprigs thyme

Cut the rabbit into portions. There won't be much meat on some of the pieces, but include them all as the flavour from the pieces near the bone is delicious. Dust the rabbit with flour seasoned with salt and pepper.

Melt half the butter and oil in a pan and add the rabbit pieces a few at a time, cooking them on all sides and turning over until they are quite coloured and evenly golden on all sides. As each batch is done, remove and leave aside.

(Keep rabbit warm in oven. Heat over low heat until boiling and then place in oven br).

(Wipe out pan, we ommited this.) Add the remaining oil and butter and the onions. Cook over gentle heat until soft, stirring occasionally. Place a lid or a plate over the pan, and cook until they are quite soft and sweet.

Transfer the onions to a casserole. Mix the garlic with the tomato paste, stock and thyme, and add this to the casserole. Place the rabbit pieces on top in one layer if possible. Cover tightly.

Cook in a moderately slow oven, preheated to 150oC (300oF/Gas2) for about 2 hours or until the meat is very tender and the onions are almost a puree. Discard the sprigs of thyme, and serve with rabbit with onions around each piece."

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