This Moment

This Moment was inspired by Soulemama
http://www.soulemama.com/soulemama/

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Courgettes Everywhere

The garden has suddenly decided to give us all its produce. I have courgettes by the bag load and decided to make some preserves, even though it was a nice sunny day and I should have been outside reading a book under a leafy tree.

Summer Chutney
Ingredients
4lb cougettes
2lb 8oz onions
2lb 80z brown sugar
large piece fresh ginger
1/2tsp black pepper
2 pints malt vinegar
2 heads of garlic
2lb 80z tomatoes
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt

Method
1. Slice and dice the courgettes into small pieces
2. Peel the onions, garlic, and ginger
3. Whizz in the food processor to tiny pieces - not pulp.
4. Whizz the tomatoes into tiny pieces - not pupl.
5. Place all ingredients into a large preserving pan.
6. Bring slowly to the boil.
7. Simmer for about 2 hours until thick

Keep stirring from time to time as it gets thicker it will start to stick
Pour into the heated jars and seal

It will need a couple of months to mature - but hey the sample bit tasted real good and I will be serving this with cold meat and cheeses during the Winter.
I may even give a couple of jars away for Christmas



Courgette and Pineapple Jam
Ingredients
2lb courgettes
juice of 2 lemons
1 fresh pineapple
1 bag Jam sugar with added pectin

Method
1. Peel the courgette and cut into chunks
2. Peel the pineapple and cut into chunks
3. Whizz the courgettes and pineapple in the processor until almost chopped.
4. Place all ingredients into a lage preserving pan - give it a good stir
5. Bring slowly to the boil until all sugar has melted
6. Boil rapidly for 4-8 minutes - test for setting

Pour tino hot jars and seal.

Wow? what a great taste.

I have to bake for a garden party on Saturday, so may use this jam in a sponge cake or alternatlively I may just put it in the cupboard and use it in the Winter as a reminder of sunny days and a garden full of courgettes.

Raspberry Jam

Free raspberries. What could be better than out for a walk and picking raspberries from the hedgerow as you go. These raspberries have the best smell. I am sure I ate quite a few on the way home, but enough to make 1 jar of jam

Raspberry Jam
1 lb raspberries
1 lb jam sugar
1 warm jar/lid

Method
1. Wash the jar in hot soapy water, rinse and put into an oven on Gas 2/150C to dry
2. Place the raspberries and sugar into a lage pan and leave for about 30 mins.
3. Once the juices start to run out you can make your jam
4. Bring to boiling point and boil for 5-8 mins stirring all the time. Try not to
break up the rasps too much.
5. Place a little of the jam on a saucer to test if it will set.
6. Remove the jar from the oven and pour in the hot jam.
7. Seal with the lid or wax top and cover.

That first jar of raspberry jam. The smell is heavenly. What will I use it for?
Not sure yet - just want to look at it and smell the rasps.
I may go for another walk to see what else I can find for free. Blackberries will soon be ready for harvesting.

First Sunflower

I planted sunflower seeds way back and kinda fogot about them. Sitting in the garden over the past few weeks I have watched them grow, staked them up with odd sticks and just left them to get on with it. Surprise, Surprise my sunflower has opened up. What a beauty and I can't wait to see the others come out.
Hop you are all having a great weekend. I am, just finished school for 7 weeks - great.

Little Eaton Carnival

We awoke to blue skies and plenty of sunshine - Carnival Day. My sister arrived about 12.30 and we ate a snack of toasted peppers - will give you the recipe later - and fresh orange juice. It was only a short walk to see the parade through the village and onto the village green. What a splendid occassion and so colourful - plenty of atmosphere, laughter and general good heartness.
After the parade we followed the crowds to the green and listend again to the marching band and visited every stall to buy alittle of something - we came back with a bag ful of nothing really but we had a great time. The highlight of the afternoon was a ride on the carousel for me - I had not been on one for years and such a treat to ride high up and see the crowd whirling past as my memory of so long ago.
We sat in the garden for hours talking about our day and the events past and present. Overhead we saw all the balloons that had been released to raise money for the local pre-school group. I wonder how far they would travel before bursting and falling to the ground with thier message.
The sun is still shining as I post this message along with the photographs.

Scarecrow

It is our village carnival this week. I only moved here last year and have never been involved before. Although I am busy out at work all day I have tried to be involved as much as possilbe. There has been a treasure hunt and a duck race. I have made a scarecrow for the garden - she looks quite scary sitting on the garden chair - take a look at the photograph. The actual carnival is on Saturday with a marching band, floats and a big parade - it all sounds exciting and can't wait. Some-one said to me, but the carnival is for families. I don't care who it is for, I am a family and just because my son lives thousands of miles away he is here in spirit and I will enjoy it with my sister.
Photographs to follow.
Hope you all have a good weekend.