Holidays are something that I really cherish, they give Hubby and I a real chance to have some quality time.
We both work full time and Hubby can work anywhere up to between 60 & 70 hours a week (far to much in my opinion)
So for us holidays mean time out for just us and involve a trip once a year to see my parents in NZ and the rest are generally camping holidays over long weekends during the year.
This Easter Hubby and I are off to the Bunya Mountains for a break, some bush walking and some board games. Possibly topped of with some wine and long afternoon siestas.
Most of our camping is done in National Parks and this makes having a few long weekends away during the year affordable as National Park Camping here in Queensland costs $5.15 per adult per night.
What do you do for a cheap holiday or affordable holiday fun?
Wednesday, 20 April 2011
Tuesday, 19 April 2011
Hot Cross Buns - The Great Debate
Traditional, Extra Fruit, No Fruit, No Peel, Chocolate Chip, Double Chocolate Chip, Mocha...
These days there are more options that I know what to do with. But is doesn't really matter as I am a purist and love the good old traditional one full of fruit and peel.
What does matter though is the cost.
How is it that you now pay as much as $5.00 for 6 little air filled buns that probably cost about 1/5 of that to make. I am not sure Hot Cross Buns have ever cost that much, What is the highest price you have seen them for?
Did you know that these tasty little buns have been around for a very long time, possibly as far back as the time of Christ.
In many historically Christian countries, the buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday, with the cross standing as a symbol of the crucifixion.
At one time the buns were seen by Protestant English monarchs as a dangerous hold over of Catholic belief in England. Protestant England attempted to ban the sale of the buns by bakers but they were too popular, and instead Elizabeth I passed a law permitting bakeries to sell them, but only at Easter and Christmas.
We thank goodness they were not banned as I love them and have been baking some this weekend to take away with us camping over Easter.
This recipe makes quite a few buns (1 - 2 doz depending on the size of you buns) and are best eaten fresh. It is not a difficult recipe and although I do not have kids I think this is something they would enjoy. And if you do not like fruit or peel then you can always leave them out. I leave the crosses off mine unless making them for others.
Hot Cross Buns
Buns
1 Cup Milk
1/2 Cup Hot water
2TBSP Sugar
4 tsp Dried Yeast
2 Cups Bread Flour
100gm soft Butter
1/2 Cup Brown sugar
1 Egg
1tsp Salt
1tsp each of Mixed Spice, Ground Cloves, Cinnamon and Vanilla Ess
1 Cup of mixed dried Fruit
2-3 Cups of Bread Flour
For Crosses
60 gm cold butter
1Cup Flour
Glaze
2TBSP Golden Syrup
1TBSP Hot Water
Put Milk, Hot Water and Sugar into a bowl making sure it is at body temperature. Add the yeast and whisk well. Then mix in the first measure of flour, cover and leave to double in size.
In another large bowl cream Butter and sugar. Beat in the egg, spices, vanilla and fruit.
Once the yeast mix has doubled in size tip it into the creamed mix along with 2 cups of the second measure of flour. Mix well then stir in enough flour to make a dough firm enough to turn out on to a board and knead. Knead adding extra flour until the dough is satiny, does not stick to the board and springs back .
Cut into quarters and then into either 4 or 6 again. Shape each piece into a ball the stretch the top and tuck underneath to produce a ball with a smooth surface.
Arrange the balls in a greased cake tin or roasting pan leaving an un-risen bun width between each one.
Cover with Cling wrap or seal in a plastic bag and leave somewhere warm to rise.
While the buns are rising make the mix for the crosses.
Rub the cold butter into the flour and add enough water to make a stiff dough. Roll out thinly on a floured board and cut into strips to make the crosses. When the bus have finished rising carefully brush with milk and lay the strips for the crosses on the buns.
Bake uncovered on 225 degrees C for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.
While baking the buns warm the golden syrup and water together and brush over the buns as soon as they are removed from the oven.
Turn the buns out after 3-5 minutes and serve warm.
They are best eaten within 2 days.
These days there are more options that I know what to do with. But is doesn't really matter as I am a purist and love the good old traditional one full of fruit and peel.
What does matter though is the cost.
How is it that you now pay as much as $5.00 for 6 little air filled buns that probably cost about 1/5 of that to make. I am not sure Hot Cross Buns have ever cost that much, What is the highest price you have seen them for?
Did you know that these tasty little buns have been around for a very long time, possibly as far back as the time of Christ.
In many historically Christian countries, the buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday, with the cross standing as a symbol of the crucifixion.
At one time the buns were seen by Protestant English monarchs as a dangerous hold over of Catholic belief in England. Protestant England attempted to ban the sale of the buns by bakers but they were too popular, and instead Elizabeth I passed a law permitting bakeries to sell them, but only at Easter and Christmas.
We thank goodness they were not banned as I love them and have been baking some this weekend to take away with us camping over Easter.
 |
| A few of the Un-Crossed Buns |
This recipe makes quite a few buns (1 - 2 doz depending on the size of you buns) and are best eaten fresh. It is not a difficult recipe and although I do not have kids I think this is something they would enjoy. And if you do not like fruit or peel then you can always leave them out. I leave the crosses off mine unless making them for others.
Hot Cross Buns
Buns
1 Cup Milk
1/2 Cup Hot water
2TBSP Sugar
4 tsp Dried Yeast
2 Cups Bread Flour
100gm soft Butter
1/2 Cup Brown sugar
1 Egg
1tsp Salt
1tsp each of Mixed Spice, Ground Cloves, Cinnamon and Vanilla Ess
1 Cup of mixed dried Fruit
2-3 Cups of Bread Flour
For Crosses
60 gm cold butter
1Cup Flour
Glaze
2TBSP Golden Syrup
1TBSP Hot Water
Put Milk, Hot Water and Sugar into a bowl making sure it is at body temperature. Add the yeast and whisk well. Then mix in the first measure of flour, cover and leave to double in size.
In another large bowl cream Butter and sugar. Beat in the egg, spices, vanilla and fruit.
Once the yeast mix has doubled in size tip it into the creamed mix along with 2 cups of the second measure of flour. Mix well then stir in enough flour to make a dough firm enough to turn out on to a board and knead. Knead adding extra flour until the dough is satiny, does not stick to the board and springs back .
Cut into quarters and then into either 4 or 6 again. Shape each piece into a ball the stretch the top and tuck underneath to produce a ball with a smooth surface.
Arrange the balls in a greased cake tin or roasting pan leaving an un-risen bun width between each one.
Cover with Cling wrap or seal in a plastic bag and leave somewhere warm to rise.
While the buns are rising make the mix for the crosses.
Rub the cold butter into the flour and add enough water to make a stiff dough. Roll out thinly on a floured board and cut into strips to make the crosses. When the bus have finished rising carefully brush with milk and lay the strips for the crosses on the buns.
Bake uncovered on 225 degrees C for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.
While baking the buns warm the golden syrup and water together and brush over the buns as soon as they are removed from the oven.
Turn the buns out after 3-5 minutes and serve warm.
They are best eaten within 2 days.
Monday, 18 April 2011
Just call me Queen of the Show Pavilion
Well I really was being quite cheeky when I suggested that I might win for my egg and Rosella entries at the local show.
But apparently my entries were worthy of a 1st and 2nd for Rosella's (yes you can enter as many times as you like) and a 1st for eggs.
I don't really think I should get all the credit though, if any.
I sure didn't lay the eggs but I did pick the best ones and pack them in a carton, and as for the Rosella's, well they were the result of 5 seed in the ground, 4 that grew into bushes and produced fruit which I deftly picked weighed and packed for my 2 x 500 gm entries.
So what about my winnings? $10 in total as well as little certificates that I can stick to the wall in the garden shed. Not bad for my $3 entry fees.
I am planning more entries for next year so look out all you Gardner's in the district, I might have found my calling.
But apparently my entries were worthy of a 1st and 2nd for Rosella's (yes you can enter as many times as you like) and a 1st for eggs.
I don't really think I should get all the credit though, if any.
I sure didn't lay the eggs but I did pick the best ones and pack them in a carton, and as for the Rosella's, well they were the result of 5 seed in the ground, 4 that grew into bushes and produced fruit which I deftly picked weighed and packed for my 2 x 500 gm entries.
So what about my winnings? $10 in total as well as little certificates that I can stick to the wall in the garden shed. Not bad for my $3 entry fees.
I am planning more entries for next year so look out all you Gardner's in the district, I might have found my calling.
Thursday, 14 April 2011
Off to the Show
This weekend is the annual country show for the town near where I live.
It is not a big show but if last year (the first year I attended as a spectator) was anything to go by, there are some keen gardeners and cooks in the area.
Last year I went only as a spectator but this year I am going to enter a couple of categories, Eggs and Rosella's since they are what I have.
This year I got hold of a show schedule for the pavilion section but not until it was way too late to think about entering most if not all of the categories.
But it does give me a heads up for next year and allow me to plan my baking, preserving, planting and craft in time for next years show.
If I plan things correctly and the weather favours me in the garden I will know as "Queen of the Show Pavilion" with my multiple and wonderful entries.
Am I taking this too seriously? (Keeping in mind that entry to each class is $1.00 and first prize is $4.00)
Well for now it is off to the show to drop in my entries for this year. I will be going back on the weekend to check out the competition and to no doubt collect my winnings. Over-confident? Never.
It is not a big show but if last year (the first year I attended as a spectator) was anything to go by, there are some keen gardeners and cooks in the area.
Last year I went only as a spectator but this year I am going to enter a couple of categories, Eggs and Rosella's since they are what I have.
This year I got hold of a show schedule for the pavilion section but not until it was way too late to think about entering most if not all of the categories.
But it does give me a heads up for next year and allow me to plan my baking, preserving, planting and craft in time for next years show.
If I plan things correctly and the weather favours me in the garden I will know as "Queen of the Show Pavilion" with my multiple and wonderful entries.
Am I taking this too seriously? (Keeping in mind that entry to each class is $1.00 and first prize is $4.00)
Well for now it is off to the show to drop in my entries for this year. I will be going back on the weekend to check out the competition and to no doubt collect my winnings. Over-confident? Never.
Wednesday, 13 April 2011
Cooking with Rosellas
Last week I began harvesting my Rosella's. Until now I had never grown them before let alone cooked with them and needless to say I have learnt a few things along the way.
First of all Rosella's do not store well regardless of if they are left whole or the calyx's picked off. I wanted to test their life span out so I put a bowl of unpeeled ones and the flesh of some peeled ones in the fridge to see what happened over a few days.
The short answer is they went limp.
Now I was quite surprised at this because the information I found advised that you stored the Rosella's in the fridge while you waited to harvest more over the coming days/week before making your jam etc.
And then I thought well maybe it doesn't matter if they went limp when you were just going to cook them up anyway.
So that is what I did.
I stewed up the limp little Rosella's that had already been peeled and peeled some of the ones I hadn't. Into a pot they went with a bit of water and some lemon juice. Once they were stewed up I added some sugar as all the recipes I had found advised that the sugar should be added to the cooked pulp eg for jam it is 1 cup of sugar to 1 cup of pulp.
Now if you have never eaten Rosella's I would describe them as being not that different to Rhubarb. Not in flavour but in the astringent taste they have and the amount of sugar taken to tone it down. So I figured that because stewed Rhubarb went nicely on breakfast then so would Rosella's.
And I was right.
Now the photo does not do the stewed Rosella's any justice. Once stewed they were an intense crimson colour and de-lish. It would make a fab ice cream topping and I might try mixing some into muffin mix to see if I get pink Rosella flavoured muffins.
I am looking forward to experimenting with my Rosella's to see if they work in other things that I would normally us Rhubarb for like Apple and Rosella crumble. I am also going to invite some of the older local ladies I know to come and pick some if they want as I expect we will have far too many for just the 2 of us, neither of whom have a sweet tooth.
So if anyone has some great recipes they think I should try let me know.
First of all Rosella's do not store well regardless of if they are left whole or the calyx's picked off. I wanted to test their life span out so I put a bowl of unpeeled ones and the flesh of some peeled ones in the fridge to see what happened over a few days.
The short answer is they went limp.
Now I was quite surprised at this because the information I found advised that you stored the Rosella's in the fridge while you waited to harvest more over the coming days/week before making your jam etc.
And then I thought well maybe it doesn't matter if they went limp when you were just going to cook them up anyway.
So that is what I did.
I stewed up the limp little Rosella's that had already been peeled and peeled some of the ones I hadn't. Into a pot they went with a bit of water and some lemon juice. Once they were stewed up I added some sugar as all the recipes I had found advised that the sugar should be added to the cooked pulp eg for jam it is 1 cup of sugar to 1 cup of pulp.
Now if you have never eaten Rosella's I would describe them as being not that different to Rhubarb. Not in flavour but in the astringent taste they have and the amount of sugar taken to tone it down. So I figured that because stewed Rhubarb went nicely on breakfast then so would Rosella's.
And I was right.
 |
| Stewed Rosella's and Wheatbix P.S That was far to much stewed fruit on my poor little wheaties |
I am looking forward to experimenting with my Rosella's to see if they work in other things that I would normally us Rhubarb for like Apple and Rosella crumble. I am also going to invite some of the older local ladies I know to come and pick some if they want as I expect we will have far too many for just the 2 of us, neither of whom have a sweet tooth.
So if anyone has some great recipes they think I should try let me know.
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