I've been flicking through my cookbooks lately and noticed how recipes, or rather ingredients, have changed over the last 30 years. The gem was in "The Australian Women's Weekly Cooking Class Cookbook" I'd bought in about 1983. It offers 3 recipes under the heading of Vegetables:
Potato Scallops
Chips
French Fried Onion Rings
All deep fried and only the chips weren't dipped in batter before frying.
Prawns on the Barbie? - no they're deep fried too. If the food wasn't deep fried then it was cooked in lashings of butter and cream.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now, for those in the Northern Hemisphere who find themselves inundated with Zucchini here is another idea for cooking them.
Zucchini Paste
Coarsely grate 1 kilo of zuccs. Meanwhile heat 4 tablespoons (can use less) of a good Olive oil in the base of a solid, fairly big saucepan. Once heated to medium add the zuccs, stir and turn down the heat. Do not cover. Continue to cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until all the liquid had evaporated. Season with Salt and Pepper.
Now let it cool then eat on crostini or bruschetta. Alternatively use as a dip or basis for a dip. Add stock and blend or leave as is as a soup - I add risoni.
Is great for entertaining (as long as you can stop yourself from scoffing it all down first) and for using up over-large zuccs that are threatening to become marrows. I like to replace the olive oil with avocado oil (yummo).
Added bonus - moggies unlikey to fancy it.
Now I'm hungry. Huggles and happy eating
Mickle's Pickle: from our World's Southern most Capital City.
28 August, 2008
25 August, 2008
Light Nest
Awww..."Like many other Wellington residents, this thrush has taken to the bright lights of Courtenay Place.
He or she has even decided to take up residence without a care for the hum and buzz of the constantly changing lights or the racket of late night revelry.
Wellington City Council spokesman Richard MacLean was amused that the bird had the good sense to choose the orange, rather than the red light.
He said council traffic control staff would check the roost to see whether it was obstructing the lights or whether it could be left till the chicks flew the nest.
If not, Wellington Zoo or SPCA staff would be called in to see if they could humanely move the nest and its occupants."
He or she has even decided to take up residence without a care for the hum and buzz of the constantly changing lights or the racket of late night revelry.
Wellington City Council spokesman Richard MacLean was amused that the bird had the good sense to choose the orange, rather than the red light.
He said council traffic control staff would check the roost to see whether it was obstructing the lights or whether it could be left till the chicks flew the nest.
If not, Wellington Zoo or SPCA staff would be called in to see if they could humanely move the nest and its occupants."
Safe from moggies
24 August, 2008
Understandable Reason for Loathing
Thankfully this isn't my lad. Sky here same colour as the wet concrete, water falling from it all day. Nothing for it but to cook.
22 August, 2008
Super Brave Zebedee
Okay, folks, you've hopefully picked up that my Zeb is a complete Wussy Cat. A couple of days ago I vaguely heard his "help" howl. I wandered into our wee hallway where the lad was sat inside, looking out the slightly opened front door.
Zeb HISSED and then GROWLED. Very strong stuff from my lad. Turned out, yes there was another cat outside. Zebedee the Brave!!!
A friendly, non-violent tabby wearing a wee collar with a bell attached - for to warn the birdies was there. Just wanting to say hello and be nice, New puss on the block ran away once I came out.
If it was a fighting type cat then Zeb would have howled desperately for rescue. Dear, scared rescued boy that he is - this new tabster could be a welcome friend, only my lad has had such a hard time in the past, that he will lurk with me, and is very threatened by any other felines.
Here, living with me, Zeb's feeling safe and very secure, a safe place to have a decent wash and to get sincere stroking and huggles, and tickles under the chin
Yes, I'm such a Zebby-Cat pushover, and a relieved rescuer of my Zebedee.
Huggles from Me, m'dears, once again snores from him
18 August, 2008
17 August, 2008
Valerie Did It! & The Twins Did It Again!!
From no medals to 5 medals in one day. Naturally NZ's 2 golds were won by women.Valerie won with her first throw of the evening and was never really threatened.
Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell won the Womens Double Sculls gold for the second time, sucessfully defending their Olympic title - by a single onehundreth of a second!
I'm smiling.........
15 August, 2008
Nowt Much to Report
The rain has rained, the lightening has flashed bright light, the Thunder has Thundered - and more is due Saturday morning.
Check up with my GP today and nowt much changed there. Depression still in the same low state (at least it hasn't got worse) all else functioning - or not as frequently happens.
On the plus side, said GP has new "cuffs" for his blood pressure checker.Comes with "Normal" and Supersized = he doesn't need the super sized one for me, Modern gadgets! Then he show me the incy wincy thin one for sproglets - doubt if it would fit around 3 of my fingers.
Hey, be nice to my GP, the dear man has been pretty much been stuck with me since I was almost 15.
I'm now 43.
Zebedee sleeping without snoring, just gentle moaning. Foolish (18 year) attempt at a lawn still squelchy and grassless (the blackbirds have denuded it of any green). No need for birdies to use their bird bath - can splash about in the puddles.
HAPPY stuff - the Grape Hyacinths have buds plus stems. Buds colouring up nicely, soon will be blue, soon will be SPRING.
Whoops - bad luck Northern Hemispherers, then soon will be your Autumn.
Huggles and care anyway,
Mickle looking forward to Spring food, roll on asparagus.
(Too late, Zebby now snoring loudly!) Nighty Night all.
Check up with my GP today and nowt much changed there. Depression still in the same low state (at least it hasn't got worse) all else functioning - or not as frequently happens.
On the plus side, said GP has new "cuffs" for his blood pressure checker.Comes with "Normal" and Supersized = he doesn't need the super sized one for me, Modern gadgets! Then he show me the incy wincy thin one for sproglets - doubt if it would fit around 3 of my fingers.
Hey, be nice to my GP, the dear man has been pretty much been stuck with me since I was almost 15.
I'm now 43.
Zebedee sleeping without snoring, just gentle moaning. Foolish (18 year) attempt at a lawn still squelchy and grassless (the blackbirds have denuded it of any green). No need for birdies to use their bird bath - can splash about in the puddles.
HAPPY stuff - the Grape Hyacinths have buds plus stems. Buds colouring up nicely, soon will be blue, soon will be SPRING.
Whoops - bad luck Northern Hemispherers, then soon will be your Autumn.
Huggles and care anyway,
Mickle looking forward to Spring food, roll on asparagus.
(Too late, Zebby now snoring loudly!) Nighty Night all.
10 August, 2008
More Valerie Vili
Isn't Valerie beautiful. She grew up with her Mum, who sadly died of cancer when Valerie was just 15. Valerie ended up living in the home of her (still) shotput coach. Here is some stuff from a recent interview that I've taken from a fairfax media site (stuff.co.nz)
Tuesday, 05 August 2008
WELL LOVED: New Zealand gold medal hope Valerie Vili is embracing the support of fellow Kiwis ahead of the Beijing Olympics.
Kiwi Olympic medal hopeful Valerie Vili has departed for China with a distinct plan on how to handle expectations.
"I keep getting asked ‘how are you dealing with the pressure?' It's a good question and the only real answer is that I'm dealing with it the way I always deal with it. I acknowledge it. And I embrace it," she explained.
"Expectation is an amazing thing. I know there is a lot of expectation out there, about how I will perform in Beijing.
"I know there are a lot of hopes and goals that people want me to achieve and that sort of support is incredible.
"And I know the pressure is there, but no one has greater expectations than me. No one is putting more pressure on me ... than me."
Vili said the most important thing to her was to achieve the goals that she and coach Kirsten Hellier had set.
"New Zealand also has to be realistic about things as well," she cautioned. "I know that might be difficult, because my career has been going pretty well in the last year or so.
"But the Olympic Games is different. It has its own pressures.
"I have goals for myself, that I keep for myself. My coach and I have spoken to each other about what we want to do and very soon we will have the opportunity.
"I have waited four years for this chance and I can't tell you how much of an honour it is for me to represent New Zealand in Beijing. To wear the silver fern; to have the whole experience and to know that there are four million people behind me. Four million strong people."
Vili said her Olympic dream had become increasingly vivid since Athens.
"I can still remember when I first started thinking I'd like to go to an Olympics. I was 15 years old, and I was sitting on the couch next to my mum at the hospice and we were watching the Opening Ceremony for the 2000 Sydney Games.
"I remember thinking "one day I want to be a part of that". The next morning mum passed away. That was the start of this.
"As a young kid I had never watched the Olympic Games as such, or followed it, but at that stage in my life, at that moment it hit me. It was pretty amazing. I thought: "I want to be there".
"In just a few days, I will be. Again."
This is Vili's second Olympics after she finished eighth in Athens.
"Now I have the opportunity to do better.
"I can't wait."
WELL LOVED: New Zealand gold medal hope Valerie Vili is embracing the support of fellow Kiwis ahead of the Beijing Olympics.
Kiwi Olympic medal hopeful Valerie Vili has departed for China with a distinct plan on how to handle expectations.
"I keep getting asked ‘how are you dealing with the pressure?' It's a good question and the only real answer is that I'm dealing with it the way I always deal with it. I acknowledge it. And I embrace it," she explained.
"Expectation is an amazing thing. I know there is a lot of expectation out there, about how I will perform in Beijing.
"I know there are a lot of hopes and goals that people want me to achieve and that sort of support is incredible.
"And I know the pressure is there, but no one has greater expectations than me. No one is putting more pressure on me ... than me."
Vili said the most important thing to her was to achieve the goals that she and coach Kirsten Hellier had set.
"New Zealand also has to be realistic about things as well," she cautioned. "I know that might be difficult, because my career has been going pretty well in the last year or so.
"But the Olympic Games is different. It has its own pressures.
"I have goals for myself, that I keep for myself. My coach and I have spoken to each other about what we want to do and very soon we will have the opportunity.
"I have waited four years for this chance and I can't tell you how much of an honour it is for me to represent New Zealand in Beijing. To wear the silver fern; to have the whole experience and to know that there are four million people behind me. Four million strong people."
Vili said her Olympic dream had become increasingly vivid since Athens.
"I can still remember when I first started thinking I'd like to go to an Olympics. I was 15 years old, and I was sitting on the couch next to my mum at the hospice and we were watching the Opening Ceremony for the 2000 Sydney Games.
"I remember thinking "one day I want to be a part of that". The next morning mum passed away. That was the start of this.
"As a young kid I had never watched the Olympic Games as such, or followed it, but at that stage in my life, at that moment it hit me. It was pretty amazing. I thought: "I want to be there".
"In just a few days, I will be. Again."
This is Vili's second Olympics after she finished eighth in Athens.
"Now I have the opportunity to do better.
"I can't wait."
Mickle is just a wee bit biased towards Valerie....
Huggles from me and loud snores from Zebedee
08 August, 2008
Valerie Vili, NZ Olympian
Valerie is an incredible young woman, who has lived through much, and remains her amazing self. Here is some info about this beautiful, strong, skilled and talented, Happily Married young woman, an achiever.
Valerie is a shot putter, current World Champion
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valerie_Vili
Very Happily married to Bertrand Vili, a disc thrower from French Polynesia.
Just keep an eye out for Valerie. She sez it like it is, and she knows, she has been there.
Valerie is 1 foot 1 inch taller than me at 6 foot 4, and not only skilled and talented, but incredibly beautiful.
Yes , I am so so a Valerie Vili supporter,
hope some of you can join me
sending a hugely smiling amount of love and strength and care for Valerie,
from the Michelle in Wellywood xxxxxxxxx VVxxxxxxxxz
Valerie is a shot putter, current World Champion
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valerie_Vili
Very Happily married to Bertrand Vili, a disc thrower from French Polynesia.
Just keep an eye out for Valerie. She sez it like it is, and she knows, she has been there.
Valerie is 1 foot 1 inch taller than me at 6 foot 4, and not only skilled and talented, but incredibly beautiful.
Yes , I am so so a Valerie Vili supporter,
hope some of you can join me
sending a hugely smiling amount of love and strength and care for Valerie,
from the Michelle in Wellywood xxxxxxxxx VVxxxxxxxxz
05 August, 2008
Slip Sliding Away
Slip Sliding Away No.1It has been incredible wet over the last week so the ground in Welly is absolutely saturated. Today I squelched across my attempt at a lawn, checking things were okay.
But at least I still have a lawn. In the first photo the woman who lives there went to hang out the washing and noticed a crack across the lawn. Soon after most of the lawn had gone.
And the university students living here heard a WHOOSH at about 6 in the morning. Thought nothing of it until the Fire Service woke them 2 hours later and insisited on immediate evacuation. This place lost 2/3rds of the lawn, a paved patio and a barbeque the students had only recently built.
There are about another 20 slips around Wellington.
Slip Sliding away No.2
A large cooking oil spill is caused traffic chaos in Auckland city today.
The oil was being carried by a truck when the spill occurred near a motorway off ramp about 2.30pm. The oil quickly spread to nearby streets. "The problem is the oil has made the roads very slippery."
It is not yet known exactly how much oil was spilt, but it is believed a tap came loose on the truck, allowing the oil to flow freely.
Once again, Fire Service to the rescue
It will be fine tomorrow - I've already loaded up the clothes line as I catch up on the washing. Yes, it is a rotary clothes line. No, it is not a Hills Hoist - but my dear Mum has one!
Huggles from Mickle and the Purr-ball
01 August, 2008
Happy Switzerland Day
Today is the Swiss National Day. I have no idea what should be said/eaten/done, however to dear (blog-found) friends in CH - have a good one!
Yes, this includes you: Sylv and your gang, NSDJ, G&T and the Macs.
Huggles and care
Yes, this includes you: Sylv and your gang, NSDJ, G&T and the Macs.
Huggles and care
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