Sunday, July 22, 2012

The Linen Dilemma

Once upon a time I would walk into an oppie and see a lovely single bed sheet, pick it up, look at it longingly and keep walking. These days I pick them up, squeal internally (or lets face it, sometimes rather loudly) and add them to the stash I'm trying to juggle whilst chasing two kids down aisles and yelling "no, you can't have....!".
Why the change.....well A)we now have single beds in the house. Well, single bed, but since poppet will need one eventually I buy nice ones when I see them, and B) I have started sewing many of them would make great clothes. The problem is, do I keep them as sheets or chop them and turn them into pretty dresses for me and Poppet? Tell me, what would you do?


Green single only....others with set. Even wash fade, great designs, dilemma dilemma.!
I have been grabbing a ridiculous amount of patterns lately....now I just have to learn how to sew with them.

I can see the sheets as some of these. 

Also picked up some great doilies and napkins along with the patterns. 
Along with doilies I've been picking up napkins lately. The doilies are destined for collars and decorations on clothes. The napkins are destined to be....napkins! Yep, some things I think I will keep for their intended purpose!

Any other ideas on how to use this weeks stash? Check out Her Library Adventures for other great Flea Market Finds. 

CC

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Broccoli and sweet potato pie

Yep. Another pie. I think i need to change the name of this to a million things to put in pastry. 

I'm happy with this, the filo pastry is crispy, the fetta is salty and that complements the sweetness of the sweet potato nicely. The middle eastern veg has lots of cumin and coriander and other yummy spices. So, yeah happy!




Surprise, surprise I turned to Belinda Jeffery for inspiration. I picked up her latest offering Belinda Jeffery's collected recipes from the library as soon as the boss was finished with it. (I really should take it back and let others borrow it! I'll add to my pinterest board of books people should buy me if you want to know what to get me for Christmas) The middle eastern baked veg here is inspired by her Middle Eastern vegetables with chickpeas (page 133 if your interested!). I've changed the amounts a bit and omitted the eggplant and the pasta sauce she used...mainly because I had made eggplant parmagiana the night before and couldn't do something so similar so quickly (especially since I'd had the leftovers for lunch!).
From Penguin. Gotta say, I'm not a fan of the photography on the cover... especially since the photo's inside are amazing. Maybe it's just my aversion to meat? 

While still on the subject of the cookbook, go and buy it (or at least pop down to the local library and borrow it once the staff have finished with it ;-). It has some reprints of favourites like her Spicy red lentils with caper and currants (with a dressing that works on almost anything) a Slow cooked salmon with lime and lemongrass butter (that the husband is wanting to cook as soon as he can wipe the drool from his chin) and as per usual some AMAZING looking desserts (raspberry semifredo anyone?)

Now without further ado......pie!



Broccoli and Sweet Potato Pie
6 sheets of filo
2 medium sweet potato (kumara)
1 head broccoli
100g fetta
Handful of chopped dates
Cumin to taste (1 tsp?)
Crushed coriander seeds to taste (1tsp?)
Grated lemon zest (again to taste.....about 1 tsp....sorry about not being precise!)
Olive oil

Preheat oven to 180c

Peel, chop and boil sweet potato and steam the broccoli above it (I'm guessing it would taste better if it was sautéed but this is faster). Remove broccoli when still green and firm. Cook sweet potato until a fork goes through it. Drain
When both cooked empty into a bowl (or the saucepan if your as washing up adverse as me). Stir though spices, fetta and dates. 

I used a cake tin to bake this as that's what I have at the moment. You could go all fancy and use a pie dish. 

Line base of tin with baking paper. Spread sheets over dish so that the ends are sticking way over the edge. (Oil between layers). Add veg mixture and folder pastry over the top. Brush with oil. 

Cook until brown. (About 25 mins)

Middle Eastern Veg
2 Carrots
1 Zucchini
1 Red capsicum
1 Onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp crushed coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup canned chickpeas
lemon juice
Olive oil
Natural yoghurt, coriander, parsely (optional)

Chop veg add to baking dish, pour over oil and spices and swish around the tray. Cook for 1/2 hr at 220c (stir halfway). Add chickpeas and cook for another 10 minutes.

Add lemon juice and herbs. Add a drizzle of yp and would serve yoghurt when you plate it. Om nom nom (really good with an amber ale or a glass of red!)

Note: alter the veg in this to whatever is in season. The whole thing was super cheap and would serve 4 adults. 


Ugly Flora

I had a rare child free day on Wednesday and managed to hit three oppies, take in a movie and eat an eggy breakfast! Bliss!

I've need a sofa bed for a while so when I spotted this in an op shop I hadn't been to before I knew I had to bring her home!. So what if we have no space? So what if I had to put a lounge (that probably matched the house better) in storage? So what if we had to take an entire morning borrowing trailers and shuffling stuff? So what if some people think she is ugly? I shall name her Flora and I shall love her.



I've picked up a bunch of great napkins in recent weeks that I am planning on turning into no sew bunting when I have five minutes. Check back soon to see the results! 

I'm hoping to get more photos up tonight of some great vintage patterns I picked up as well as the napkins (but right now, I am cold in an unheated room as my netbook  needs power and the last episode of Downton and a cup of tea awaits!)

CC

Linking up to Flea Market Finds over at Her Library Adventures