notsmokinjo

So wrong but bless his cotton socks and its not like we all don't know so fella just like him...

Thanks Jane... perfect.

tomorrow night's dinner will be a simple beef stew... with the usual root vegies.

So we don't have rednecks... we have Bogans and this motorised, clothesline slip n slide for Australia day.....

These are awesome... do the house twice a year... and do the shed at least once a quarter.... set it off, leave it be, spiders be gone....

Considering the earlier dedication I recieved from @Sslip all I can say is the trumped up troubadour gives proof of Melbourne's superiority over Sydney so, in the spirit of giving that is Christmas in July here is a special one just for Lord Slip n Slide... because I have it on good authority this is one of his favourite things, and well while there is no accounting for taste and despite my personal misgivings this ones for you me Lord... And its not even an annoying awful song or anything

Confession: 24 hours before I went into the shed I set of a spider bomb.... I am definitely not a fan of our 8 legged natives and am more the happy to poison the lot of them.

so Reci is that cos you can't beat a root? (maybe that doesn't translate outside Australia)

OK... so growing up it wasn't christmas night until one of the little uncles played this at the christmas party and then we watched grandma throw her slippers with the accuracy of dead eyed dick at the back of their head as they bolted out the door.... she never frickin missed, even in her late 80s... never missed. Now remember this is in the swearing thread and I'm an Aussie... so expect the C word... this is not kid friendly....

Definitely didn't light up @Jetblack ... not sure that guilt was what I was feeling... more shock that I was pretty cruisey with the whole craves/thoughts thing then out of nowhere really strong smoking craves, all the time for about a week straight, it was so different to what I had been doing. Already one of those, except I threw away a quit that was >6 years... this time is completely different to that quit (which ended over a decade ago) and I mean completely different... the difference between the two are so extreme that I can't apply anything from that quit to this... except stubbornly clinging to not smoking... because they really are completely different and its a fantastic difference.

-9

Its the kids first day back at school... term 3 here we come.... so cos I'm a nice mum I'll make her her favourite dinner.... sticky ribs with mash, peas and carrots. (OK so its ribs, 1 tblspn of mash, 20 peas (yep she counts) and 3 disks of carrot)

-7

-6

-4

Verdun Howell .... played the last two games of the season and the 4 weeks of finals with his jaw wired after taking a rough bump 6 weeks out of the season end... real men play aussie rules... 66 Premiership player, 59 Brownlow Medalist, Tasmanian, Australian and St Kilda football hall of famer.

-4 ...beetroot recipes posted Fluffy

OK so I stumbled across this Jam recipe this summer when I didn't have enough peaches to make a full batch of peach jam and needed more fruit... opened the freezer and now this is the only jam my dad eats... Peach & Raspberry Jam 600g peeled and de-seeded peaches (fresh)... roughly chopped 500g frozen raspberries (cos that's what was in the freezer) 3 Tablespoons lemon juice 1kg Jam setting sugar (normally the rule is 1kg of fruit to 1kg of jam setting sugar... but for some reason this jam works better with the extra hundred g of fruit) 1. Put the fruit and juice in a medium saucepan. Bring to the boil. 2. Continue boiling on a medium heat, stirring occasionally for 4 minutes or until the raspberries have completely broken down. (just like stewing apples, let the fruit break down) 3. Add sugar and bring back to the boil. Boil for 5 minutes. 4. Remove pan from heat, do the wrinkle test, then return to heat for 2 minutes if not ready.. keep going until ready.... I the time is affected by the temp and humidity on the day.. sometimes up to 10mins before its ready. 5. Spoon into sterile jars and seal. (If you do step 3 just until the sugar disolves its a really yummy topping for ice cream because it stays thick but runny)

The Wrinkle Test So when making jams and relishes/chutneys you need to test if its ready... I got taught to use the wrinkle test.... so pop a saucer in the freezer before you start making the jam... when you think the jam is done take the saucer out of the freezer, spoon a bit on, let it sit for about 30 seconds then test see below: If it doesn't wrinkle, pop it back on the heat for another 2 minutes and re-test. I also found this on You Tube which is a different way... but not how I was taught..

Reci - my mum could make anything she cooked taste like clagg... I was blessed to have awesome grandmas, aunties and even my grandad was a wiz in the kitchen. Dad's pretty good too and being one of so many kids he even knows how to knit. @Wee fluffy me here are the Beetroot recipes... I have to ask, do you just love beetroot cos its purple? Have you tried roasting it with your other vegies? It roasts up like carrots or parsnips only it tastes better. (OK so I have included her comments in brackets that she wrote into the recipe for me) Grandma's Beetroot Jam 1 kg raw beetroot, peeled & grated 1 brown onion sliced thinly ... (I use a medium onion but you can use a large one) 2 cups orange unsweetened orange juice (don't be lazy, squeeze your own) 1 cup Soft Brown Sugar .... firmly packed in. ¾ cup apple cider vinegar 1-2 teaspoons of all cinamon 1 pinch nutmeg 1 pinch cloves (or not, I know you don't like it) 1. Put all ingredients except the beetroot into the jam pot (medium sized saucepan) bring to the boil and reduce heat to simmer. 2. Simmer until half the juice has reduced. 3. Add the beetroot, bring back to the simmer and keep simmering until all the juice is gone. 4. on a frozen plate do the wrinkle test when ready put in sterile jars and seal. [I'll find something to explain this] Add in the grated beetroot and cook uncovered until nearly all the juice is gone. Will keep in the fridge for about 6 weeks..... (everything keeps in the fridge, especially in summer)... this recipe makes about 5 cups, so about 4 jars worth. Aunty Pat's Beetroot Relish 1 Tbsp oil 1 brown onion, finely chopped 2 long (sweet) red chillies, deseeded, finely chopped .... so this is optional, I don't get to use this much because I live with sooks in my life who don't like chillies... can usually get away with 1/2 a long sweet red chilli.... have in despiration used a red capsicum (about 1/2 ... um I think capsicum is bell pepper??) 3 cloves garlic, crushed (or 3 heaped teaspoons from the jar stuff) 3cm piece fresh ginger, peeled, finely grated (Or 3 heaped teaspoons from the jar stuff) 1-2 tsp cumin seeds 2 tsp ground coriander (optional because lots of people hate the flavour of coriander... which I think is also known as Chilantro?) 2 tsp salt 1-2 tsp ground Allspice (pimento) ... NOT MIXED SPICE. 1kg beetroot, washed, peeled & grated APROX 1 cup malt vinegar 500g Jam Setting Sugar (any supermarket will sell this in at least one brand... means you don't have to fiddle with pectin and stuff or do the stupid cornflour trick) 1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Add onion, chilli, garlic and ginger and stir until well combined. Cook for 8 minutes or until onion mixture is softened. 2. Stir in cumin seeds, coriander, salt and all spice. Cook for 2 minutes or until aromatic. 3. Add beetroot and vinegar, you need a full cup or enough extra to make sure all ingredients are covered. Stir until combined and mixture comes to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes or until beetroot is tender. 4. Add sugar, increase heat and bring mixture to the boil then simmer on high for 10 minutes or until mixture thickens. ... use the wrinkle test to see if its ready. 5. Spoon into sterilised jars.

-1 .....

1

Wait... I'm tryin' to find me recipe book... cos I need to get the beetroot relish recipe for Fluffy McRainbow... you just know its going to be in the last place I look

^^ no need to ask Sslip... my dad gave me a well rounded education Colin Cowdrey