Just jammin'.......

I cannot believe that a full month has gone by since I last posted! What can I say-it has been an incredibly busy time with us hosting more than 40 different people over the Christmas season!

I hope that you and yours have enjoyed exactly the kind of Holiday Season that has made you happy- I know that we have.

Now- to resume normal transmission!

Yesterday saw a top temperature of 45c here and after surviving that we were relieved to wake up to a much cooler day today. It had also been incredibly windy and when I was watering and pottering in the garden this morning I decided to use some of the winddamaged edibles and make jam.

During my neverending infrequent bloghopping I remembered seeing a recipe for Vanilla Rhubarb Jam and wondered if I could come up with something similiar with what I had on hand.

I painstakingly chopped up in the food processor some rhubarb stalks and 4 small apples-which gave me 8 cups of fruit.

To that I added 3 cups white sugar, a few vanilla pods ( leftover from my homemade vanilla essence), 1 lemon-juice squeezed and added together with the skins and 3/4cup black chai tea.

I let that come to a boil stirring over a medium high heat-then let it bubble for 10 mins or so-until the fruit was soft.

I fished out the lemon peel, vanilla pods and apple cores then tossed in another 3/4 cup sugar mixed with 1/3 packet Jamsetta, stirred until it dissolved and let it slow bubble until I was happy with the consistency.

Into hot jars and voila! Vanilla Chai & Rhubarb Jam. :) This jam has a nice tang to balance out the sweetness and just a hint of the Chai spice...mmmmm.

His Lordship heartily approved-partaking of the fresh jam on homemade sourdough English Muffins.

I do have photos BUT blogger isn't playing nice at the moment!

"Silly Season", Sufficiently Sufficient Style!

Since my last post I have enjoyed a trip to Sydney & Scone to visit with friends-the travel involved was well worth it, as I spent the days with them in tears of laughter-just what I needed before the "Silly Season" sets in!

Today I have finally made our Christmas Pudding-the fruit has been soaking since October. It's a 3-in-1 mix, which also provides for our Christmas Cake ( which I made a couple of weeks back).

Once the pudding has boiled for 4 hours it needs to hang to dry-so here is how I do it! Upturn one of the stools on the kitchen bench, thread through a pole and voila! Pudding Drying contraption!

 

For breakfast this morning His Lordship & I enjoyed homemade strawberry jam ( made in the microwave from our homegrown strawberries) on homemade sourdough English Muffins....mmmmmmmm.

 

Finally-here is a rather ordinary photo of this year's Christmas tree- instead of the red,green & gold I have used for years I have gone for a "vintage" theme-with most ornaments handmade by me! Why yes, yes I am pleased with my efforts! My humility could do with some work though....... ;)

 

No-the angel is not about to swan dive off the top-that's His Lordship's effort-which has been rectified!