Sweet living 2 2012 02 03月

sweetliving Crafts • DIYs • Food • Green Living • Backyard Sustainability Issue 2

February - March 2012

www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

Inspiring ideas for everyday living

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Issue 2

February - March 2012 sweetliving

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sweetliving Issue 2

February - March 2012

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sweetliving Crafts • DIYs • Food • Green Living • Backyard Sustainability Issue 2

February - March 2012

www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

Preserving your harvest For as long as I can remember it’s been a family tradition to preserve summer’s freshly picked bounty. Plums, pears, peaches, nectarines and cherry guavas – all are bottled or stewed, or made into jams, jellies and chutneys. Cucumbers and zucchini are made into pickles and relishes, and herbs are used to flavour sauces and oils that preserve cheeses.

Sure, it saves money having fresh fruit and vegetables right out of your garden, but it’s the taste sensation that does it for me.

Shop-bought preserves are not a patch on homemade ones, and if you’re lucky enough to have an abundant harvest, you’ll want to put every last peach or zucchini to good use.

In this issue, we’ve put together some of our favourite recipes for preserving homegrown produce – and we asked our readers to send in their family favourites too. Check out these recipes, starting on page 11, then flip over to page 24 to print out your free preserving labels.

We’ve other labels and printable toys for you to download too, starting on page 40. And in our Toy Workshop, which starts on page 31, we have free patterns for you to start crafting your own toys.

Delicious recipes, cute crafts and free downloads – we think it’s enough to inspire a Sweet Living.

Jane www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

Join us on Facebook to get the latest Sweet Living updates, and sign up for our free weekly newsletter from our website.

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contents

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preserving labels 49 20 ways to earn extra cash 24 Free Tap into your talents and turn your Decorate your homemade

New, views, tips & snips

Latest updates, inspiring ideas, thrifty tips and websites we love.

heat pad 10 DIY 1-hour project: make your own

heat pad to soothe aching muscles.

tchentheofmost of your summer From 11the kiMake Preserving your harvest harvest with these heavenly recipes for jams, jellies and chutneys.

hobby or skills into a successful money-making venture.

preserves with these pretty labels, free to download.

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sustainability 53 Backyard Grow Asian veggies, cherry guavas

Toy workshop

Delight young recipients with these crafty projects.

and grapes, and make a salad bench for year-round greens.

studio 40 Printer’s We’ve rounded up some lovely goodies for you to download for free.

Contacts www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz Editor: Jane Wrigglesworth Designer: Geoff Fitzpatrick Editorial enquiries: jane@sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz Advertising enquiries: admin@sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz Readers’ tips: tips@sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz Join us on Facebook

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news, views, tips & snips

Make friends with borax

Sodium borate, also known as borax, is a naturally occurring mineral composed of sodium, boron, oxygen and water. It’s often used in the laundry for brightening, cleaning and deodorising clothes (add ½ cup to your wash load), but it has many other uses around the home, including deterring mice and fleas, inhibiting mould, and cleaning. And it doesn’t contain phosphates or chlorine, which are hazardous to your family and the environment. Head to Care2 to learn five smart ways to use borax in the home.

Lemon juice a natural cleaner

The low pH of lemon juice makes it antibacterial, which means it’s an excellent natural household cleaner. It works by changing the pH level in bacterial cells, creating an acidic environment in which microbes cannot survive. It’s a great kitchen and bathroom cleaner, but it can also be used to whiten laundry, polish furniture, polish copper and brass and remove soap scum. Mix with baking soda to make a cleaning paste, or mix with water for an all-purpose spray-andwipe. Check out the Green Living Tips website for more great lemon cleaning recipes.

Stop dishwashing liquid wastage Those dishwashing liquid bottles seem to be designed to dispense large quantities of liquid, rather than a smidgen.

When you want to wash only a single item, a lot of waste occurs. To get around that, fill a spray bottle with 1 part dishwashing liquid to 10 parts water and mix well. One or two squirts from the spray bottle is enough for small cleaning jobs.

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Play with your food

Kids not eating their food? Make lunchtime a fun event with these clever sandwich suggestions from Funky Lunch. There’s a whole gallery of snaps to peruse, but we particularly like the croc with its snapping jaws. Head to Funky Lunch for more lunchtime treats.

Making ginger beer

“True ginger beer,” according to gingerbeer.org.nz, “is made through fermentation with the probiotic plant bacteria and yeast, creating a fermentation to give the ginger beer a good fizz.”

That means using a ginger beer plant. No, not an actual plant from the garden, but a “composite organism consisting of a fungus, the yeast Saccharomyces florentinus (formerly Saccharomyces pyriformis) and the bacterium Lactobacillus hilgardii (formerly Brevibacterium vermiforme)”.

If you can find true ginger beer plant, good for you. If not, try making your own. Fisher’s Kitchen has a recipe for making ginger beer plant, plus recipes for making the actual ginger beer – both quick versions and not-so-quick versions.

www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

Uses for citrus peel

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade – but don’t throw away the peels.

• Lemon powder can be added to baths for a lovely scent. If you use it for this purpose, there’s no need to roast the peel.

• A piece of orange peel added to a container of brown sugar will keep the sugar from going hard.

• Make your own citrus scented soap. Use this recipe here.

• If a recipe calls for lemon or orange juice, grate the zest from the fruit first and store it for later use. Spread the zest out onto a paper towel and leave to dry before storing in an airtight container. The zest can be used in baking, salads, marinades and couscous.

• Dry peels to use as kindling.

• Whizz up citrus peels in your waste disposer for a fresh aroma.

• Make lemon powder. Before juicing your lemons, peel off strips of zest using a vegetable peeler. Leave to dry, then roast in oven until golden brown. Let cool, then use a food processor to pulverise into a powder. Store in an airtight container. You can also mix with sugar to make lemon sugar, or pepper to make lemon pepper.

5 websites we The Vinegar Institute

Lots of great tips for using vinegar as a cleaner, as a health remedy and as a pest deterrent.

Sorted

It’s been around for a while but we still love it.

There’s plenty of advice on how to set goals, manage your money and budget, plus tips on mortgages, insurance and investment. There are also online goals calculators, budgeting calculators, savings calculators, and mortgage, investment, retirement and kids and student calculators.

Gift-wrapit.com

Need gift-wrapping paper in a hurry? Visit gift-wrapit.com and print out lovely designer paper for free.

Paper Toys

A great site with hundreds of paper toys to print out, including dinosaurs, architectural icons (the Sydney Opera House and the Eiffel Tower included), cars and space shuttles.

Printable Paper Macaron pops

What’s better than a cake? A cake on a stick. Or in this case, a macaron on a stick. Macarons and cake pops are two food trends that are taking the world by storm. Create a buzz by presenting these cute-as-pie treats at your next dinner party or pot luck dinner. There’s a collection of delicious macaron recipes over at Lifestyle Food. www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

This site has more than 900 papers you can download and print for free. There’s graph paper, ledger paper, lined paper, music paper, knitting and quilting graph papers, daily/weekly/ monthly/yearly budget lists, to-do lists, cricket score sheets, and more.

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The thrifty cook Readers’ tried and true tips for saving money in the kitchen.

Ripen an avocado

If you need to ripen an avocado in a hurry, pop it in the microwave on medium-low (30%) for a couple of minutes. It could be a little less or a little more, depending on how ripe the avocado is in the first place.

Sam, Hamilton

Preserve cut lemons

If you have half a lemon left over from cooking or baking, place it cut-side down on a saucer with a little water. It will stay fresh for many days.

Julie, Blenheim

No more squeaks

While in the UK last month, we stayed at our daughter’s flat and several door hinges were squeaky. Hunted around the cupboards for something but there was nothing except Pledge, and it worked! No more squeaky door hinges. So must be the wax in the polish that oiled the hinge.

Anne Cook

Use celery leaves

Throwing away the leaves of celery seems such a waste – especially since they’re edible! They can be chopped and added to stocks, soups and stews, or you can make your own celery salt. Spread the leaves out onto a baking tray and place the tray in the oven on a low heat (70-80degC) until dry.

Allow them to cool, then crumble and mix with salt.

Kim, Auckland Page 8

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Microwave muesli

I make my own healthy muesli to save money. You may like to add more seeds or fruit while the mixture is hot, eg pumpkin seeds, walnuts, banana chips, dried papaya, dried mango, dried apple, etc. Yoghurt-covered raisins can be added when the mixture is quite cool.

• 4 cups rolled oats • ¾ cup coconut • ½ cup wheatgerm • ⅓ cup brown sugar • 3 Tablespoons sesame seeds • ¼ cup sunflower seeds • 12 almonds, cut in half • ¼ cup oil • ⅓ cup honey, runny or melted • 1 cup dried fruit (eg sultanas, chopped dried apricots) • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence (optional) • 1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional) Measure first 9 ingredients into a large microwave bowl and microwave on High for 2 minutes. Stir well. Repeat 2 more times (6 minutes in total), adding the vanilla and cinnamon in the last 2 minutes of cooking. Microwave a further 1 to 1½ minutes on High and immediately stir in 1 cup dried fruit. Leave to cool, stirring occasionally. Store in an airtight container.

Leigh, Torbay

Freezing egg yolks and whites

When recipes call for just egg yolks or egg whites, the other part of the egg usually sits in my fridge for ages, then inevitably gets thrown out. I’ve now learnt how to freeze eggs so that I don’t waste them. For yolks, you need to beat them and add salt and sugar because they don’t freeze well on their own. For 2 egg yolks, beat them and add a pinch of salt and 1 teaspoon sugar. For 4 egg yolks, add 2 teaspoons sugar. Pour into container and freeze.

When thawed, use in baking. For egg whites, beat them as well, add a pinch of salt and pour into container to freeze.

Bailey, Invercargill

Keep bread fresh

Keep bread and cakes fresh by adding half an apple to the container or bag.

Julie, Blenheim

Aluminium foil sharpener

If you want to sharpen a pair of scissors, cut some folded up aluminium foil a few times. Especially good for those scrapbookers who use shaped scissors.

Leigh, Torbay

Beetroot in meat patties

For surplus beetroot, grate and add to homemade meat patties for hamburgers.

Yvonne, Greenhithe

February - March 2012

www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

Gluten-free bread

Since we discovered our toddler was gluten-intolerant, our grocery bills skyrocketed because of all the gluten-free items we were buying. Then a colleague of my partner gave us an old breadmaker, and it’s been a lifesaver. This bread is quite dense and perfect for toasting.

• 1 tablespoon dry instant yeast • 3 cups white rice flour • 1 cup brown rice flour • ½ cup tapioca flour • 1 tablespoon xanthan gum or guar gum • 1 tablespoon sugar (light, unrefined) • 2 teaspoons salt (kelp sea salt is a good option) • 2 tablespoons psyllium • 2 tablespoons whole linseeds • ½ cup walnuts, broken • ½ cup raisins • 3 eggs, lightly beaten • 450ml water • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar • 3 tablespoons sunflower oil Put all ingredients into the breadmaker, yeast first, then dry ingredients, and finally wet ingredients, and put on the gluten-free setting. The linseeds, walnuts and raisins can be replaced with any other fruit, nuts or grains. If the bread is too moist, slightly reduce the water by 20-30ml.

Gluten-free spinach and feta muffins

Cucumber wrappers

• ⅔ cup brown rice flour • ⅔ cup tapioca flour • ⅓ cup buckwheat flour • 1 teaspoon guar gum or xanthan gum • 3-4 cups uncooked spinach (baby spinach is best) • ½ teaspoon salt • 3 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder • 1 tablespoon caster sugar • 1 egg • ¾ cup milk • ½ teaspoon nutmeg • ⅓ cup melted butter • 200g feta cheese, cut into small cubes Preheat oven to 200degC and lightly grease 12 muffin tins. Put all ingredients except the feta cheese into a food processor and mix until the spinach has been chopped and combined with the mixture. Fold the feta into the mixture, then spoon into muffin tins. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until just starting to brown and a skewer comes out clean. Place muffins on a wire rack to cool.

Sue, Waitakeres

Great gluten-free website

Assist the kneading process with a spatula to ensure all wet and dry ingredients are mixed properly.

Looking for ideas for tasty gluten-free food? Check out GlutenFreeKiwi.com. It provides tasty recipes, product reviews, and a gluten-free snack of the day.

Sue, Waitakeres

Michael, Auckland

www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

No nori? No worries. Use strips of cucumber instead. It’s an equally tasty sushi alternative. Use a mandoline or vegetable peeler to cut ribbons of cucumber.

Toni, Wellington

Pizza panache

Round pizzas are so passé. Butterflies, on the other hand, are seriously stylish. Shape your pizza dough into swanky shapes for a fun dinner affair.

Megan, Auckland

Microwave pavlova

I used this recipe when I needed a pav in a hurry. I wasn’t sure how it would turn out, but it worked perfectly! You need:

• 4 egg whites • 1 cup caster sugar • ¾ teaspoon white vinegar • ½ teaspoon vanilla essence Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.

While still beating, slowly add sugar, vinegar and essence. Beat for a few minutes until the sugar has dissolved. You can test by pinching a bit of the meringue mixture between your fingers. You shouldn’t feel any grains of sugar. Pour into an 18cm microwave dish, placing slightly more of the mixture around the edges.

Cook on high for about 3 minutes or until the mixture begins to crack.

Bridget Cook

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Make your own

heat pad Heat pads are perfect for soothing aching muscles and they’re dead easy to make. Our cat pad took no more than an hour to whip up. If making a simple rectangular heat pad, you can bank on less than half an hour. You’ll need fabric and thread, a sewing machine and a filler.

We’ve used rice, but you can also use whole grain wheat, buckwheat, barley or flaxseed. To heat the pad, place in the microwave for 1-3 minutes. Place a cup of water in the microwave while heating.

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Fold fabric in half with right sides together. Place pattern on top and cut out (you’ll end up with two cat shapes). With right sides still together, stitch around the cat pieces, leaving a 100mm opening on the back.

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Draw your pattern freehand. You can draw a cat, dog, horse – any shape that has the potential for a long body. Draw the body long enough to fit around your neck. For our pattern, the distance between the two inside legs measured 210mm. Each paw measured 45mm wide. The distance from the top of the head to the bottom of the front paws measured 300mm. Note: make your pattern fat enough to allow for a 6mm seam all round.

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Clip the curves, being careful not to cut into the seams.

(To clip curves, cut from the raw edge just in from the seam. This allows the fabric to sit straight.)

Turn the fabric right side out and fill with rice. If desired, mix the rice with a few drops of essential oil before filling. Close the opening with a top stitch. www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

sweetliving

Preserving your harvest

Make the most of your summer harvest with these heavenly recipes for jams, jellies and chutneys.

Age-old tradition The art of preserving fruit and vegetables is enjoying a surge in popularity, with more and more people growing their own food. No special equipment is needed for making preserves – just a large, wide-topped stainless steel or enamel saucepan or preserving pan.

Avoid copper, aluminium and unsealed cast-iron pans as they may react with the natural acids in fruit and vegetables and spoil the flavour of your preserves.

A wide top is important as it allows for rapid evaporation during the boiling process.

www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

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A low-down on what’s what Chutneys are a combination of fruit, vegetables, sugar, vinegar and spices. They have a fairly smooth, spreadable consistency, which is achieved by long, slow cooking. The pulp is thick and the fruit and vegetable contents are not easily recognisable. Chutneys are best left for a few weeks to improve in flavour.

Relishes are chunkier and crunchier to the bite as cooking time is shorter. They’re made from vegetables or fruits or a combination of both and may be sweet, tangy or spicy. They generally do not contain the dried fruit that many chutneys do. Relishes do not improve with age.

Mustard pickles, such as chow chow or piccalilli, are made by soaking vegetables or fruit in a salty brine overnight to draw out excess moisture. That, combined with the fact that the vegetables are not cooked for long, means that mustard pickles are usually crunchy.

They are an excellent accompaniment to cheese, cold meats and pies.

Jam is fruit that’s boiled with sugar to reach setting consistency.

Jelly is made by boiling fruit, water and sugar, then straining it through a fine cloth, which results in a clear spread. Jellies may have herbs added to them to make a savoury accompaniment to meat. As jellies have their pulp strained away, the yield is much lower than that of jams.

Pectin

Pectin is a naturally occurring gum-like substance found in barely ripe fruit. When boiled with sugar, pectin causes a thickening, which allows jams and jellies to reach setting consistency. However, a good setting consistency depends on the amount of pectin present in the fruit as well as the amount of acid, which helps the pectin to work. Some fruits are naturally low in pectin, and the pectin content diminishes as fruit matures from fully ripe to overripe.

Testing for pectin

When making jams and jellies, it’s a good idea to test for pectin. Mix 1 teaspoon juice from cooked fruit (before the sugar has been added) with 1 tablespoon methylated spirits, then leave for 1 minute. If a single jelly-like lump forms, a high level of pectin is present. A medium level of pectin is indicated by three or four small lumps. Many small pieces, or a mixture that barely gels at all, indicates very low levels of pectin. At this point, a commercial pectin can be added, or you can make your own (see recipe below).

Fruit that is low in acid (see list) will benefit from the addition of lemon juice.

Pectin & acid ratio in fruit Fruit high in pectin and acid

senberries, Cooking apples, crabapples, boy plums, grapefruit redcurrants, blackcurrants, firm and lemons.

Fruit high in pectin and low

in acid

Fruit low in pectin and high

in acid

nces, feijoas and Dessert apples, blackberries, qui oranges. and tamarillos.

Strawberries, apricots, kiwifruit

Homemade pectin

You can make your own pectin ‘stock’ from fruit that’s high in both pectin and acid, such as cooking apples, crabapples, boysenberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants, firm plums, grapefruit and lemons.

Fruit low in pectin and low in

acid

s.

Figs, peaches, pears and cherrie

Place 1kg of chopped fruit into a saucepan. If using apples and lemons, include skin and core, and pith and pips. Add 750ml water. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 40 minutes until the fruit is soft. Strain through a muslin or jelly bag. Test pectin strength using the methylated spirits method as above. If the mixture forms several small clumps, pour the strained liquid back into the saucepan and boil for another 20 minutes.

The pectin stock can then be added to unset preserves at 150-300ml per 2kg fruit.

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Preserving your harvest Sterilising jars

• Wash jars and lids in hot

soapy water. Place upside down on a clean tea towel to drain.

• Place jars on oven tray, not touching, and put in preheated oven at 180degC for 10 minutes. Put the lids in a saucepan of boiling water, also for 10 minutes.

• Remove jars from oven and lids from saucepan and place on clean tea towel to dry.

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sweetliving Cherry, cinnamon and vanilla jam

When cherries are in season, this recipe is a delicious treat. Impress friends with its superior taste and sophistication. Recipe on page 27.

From The Australian Women’s Weekly Classic Preserves (ACP Books, RRP $34.95). Available from bookstores or online at bookreps.co.nz Photographer: Ian Wallace; Stylist: Louise Pickford.

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Preserving your harvest

Thick-cut dark whisky marmalade

If you love marmalade, you’ll salivate over this dark and whisky-enriched preserve. Recipe on page 26.

From The Australian Women’s Weekly Classic Preserves (ACP Books, RRP $34.95). Photographer: Ian Wallace; Stylist: Louise Pickford. www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

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sweetliving

Freshly baked scones and homemade strawberry jam go hand in hand.

Strawberry jam It may be an all-time favourite but strawberry jam is notoriously difficult to set because of its low pectin levels. You can get around that by using a jam-setting sugar or adding pectin (see homemade recipe on page 12). Recipe for jam on page 27.

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Preserving your harvest

Pear, rhubarb and cinnamon chutney

Serve this flavoursome chutney as part of a cheese platter or with roast pork. Recipe on page 27.

From The Australian Women’s Weekly Classic Preserves (ACP Books, RRP $34.95). Available from bookstores or online at bookreps.co.nz Photographer: Ian Wallace; Stylist: Louise Pickford. www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

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sweetliving Stewed fruit and pear pastries

Stewing fruit is an excellent way to use up your seasonal harvest. Peel, quarter and core fruit. Place in a saucepan with enough water to just cover the fruit, bring to the boil and add sugar to taste. Cook until the fruit is soft.

For extra taste, add cinnamon when stewing apples and pears, and ginger when stewing rhubarb. Use the stewed fruit in crumbles, or as a filling for pastries and tarts, such as these pear pastries (recipe on page 26).

Stewed fruit is the perfect base for many homemade desserts, including crumbles, pies and tarts.

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Preserving your harvest

Hot tip

Substitute blackberries or other berries for blueberries.

Blueberry and apple jam Tangy, aromatic blueberries pair surprisingly well with apples. Try this jam on pikelets, toast, scones, or as a filling for jam tarts. Recipe on page 26.

www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

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sweetliving

Oven-dried tomatoes Love the taste of sun-dried tomatoes? Here’s a cheat’s way of making your own. Dry them in your oven. Preheat oven to 100degC. Half tomatoes and place, cut side up, on oven tray.

Sprinkle lightly with salt. Bake until tomatoes shrivel but before they become brittle (could be 3-5 hours). Allow to cool then place in sterilised jars and top with olive oil.

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Preserving your harvest

Barbecue sauce

This smoky-flavoured sauce is perfect for grilled or barbecued food. For a smoother blend, whizz it up in the food processor before bottling. Recipe on page 27. www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

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Chocolate zucchini biscuits

These biscuits are not only delicious, they’re an excellent means of using up your zucchini harvest. If you have an excess of zucchini in the garden, freeze it for later use. Grated zucchini freezes surprisingly well and can be used in baking and winter stews. Find out how to freeze your zucchini over at Pick Your Own. Chocolate zucchini biscuit recipe on page 26.

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Preserving your harvest

Cherry clafoutis Blueberries, blackberries, boysenberries, gooseberries and raspberries can all be frozen for later use. Use them in pies, muffins, pancakes, clafoutis or baking. To freeze, rinse berries, let them dry, then spread out in a shallow container in a single layer, so the berries are not touching. Place in the freezer until frozen. Remove from freezer, place berries in bags then return to the freezer. Recipe for cherry clafoutis page 26.

www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

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sweetliving

Preserving labels

Decorate your homemade preserves with these pretty labels. They’re yours free to download.

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sweetliving Issue 2 February - March 2012 Page 24 sweetliving Issue 2 February - March 2012

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Free

We’ve made it simple. Just click on the link provided, download the PDF, then print your labels on white card stock.

Or print them on adhesive paper for self-adhesive labels.

load n w do re he click

From the kitchen of

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sweetliving Pear pastries

Cherry clafoutis

• ½ cup flour • ¼ teaspoon salt • 2 eggs • 2 tablespoons sugar • ¾ cup milk • ½ teaspoon vanilla essence • 450g cherries, pitted (can use

• Ready-rolled puff pastry • Milk or beaten egg for glazing • Stewed pears • Slithered almonds

berries)

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter • 2 tablespoons sugar 1. Preheat oven to 220degC. 2. Place first 6 ingredients in a bowl and mix to form a smooth batter.

3. Melt butter in frypan over medium heat. Tilt and swivel the frypan so the butter coats the bottom.

4. Add the cherries and cook until slightly soft (2-3 minutes).

5. Sprinkle over the remaining sugar and cook until the sugar turns into a syrup (1-2 minutes).

6. Transfer cherries and syrup to an oven-proof dish, pour over the batter and bake for about 20 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Don’t open the oven door until the end of baking or your clafoutis may collapse. Serve warm with a dusting of sugar or icing sugar.

Chocolate zucchini biscuits

approximately approximately

• 2 tablespoons treacle • 2 tablespoons whisky

1. Preheat oven to 180degC and grease baking tray.

2. Cream butter and sugar, and add beaten egg and vanilla essence. Mix until well combined.

3. In a separate bowl, mix flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt, then stir into creamed butter mixture.

4. Fold in the grated zucchini.

5. Roll into balls, place on greased tray, flatten slightly and bake 8-10 minutes. Allow biscuits to cool then dust with icing sugar. sweetliving Issue 2

• 4 large oranges (1.2kg) • 2 medium lemons (280g) • 1.5 litres (6 cups) water • 2 cups (440g) white (granulated) sugar,

brown.

10. Don’t throw away any pastry scraps.

Keep them for another time.

Makes 4.

• 2 cups (440g) firmly packed dark brown sugar,

• 125g butter • ½ cup white sugar • ½ cup brown sugar • 1 egg • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence • 2 ¼ cups flour • ⅓ cup cocoa • 1 teaspoon baking soda • ½ teaspoon salt • 1 ¾ cup grated zucchini

Page 26

Thick-cut dark whisky marmalade

1. Preheat oven to 200degC. 2. Toast slithered almonds in frypan and set aside.

3. Cut 12 pear shapes from the pastry and place 4 on a greased oven tray.

4. Use a fork to prick the pastry, leaving a 6mm border free.

5. Brush pastry pears with glazing.

6. On the remaining 8 pear shapes, cut a pear shaped hole in the centre and remove. You are left with pear borders.

7. Place 2 pear borders on top of each full pear shape and brush with glazing.

8. Dollop stewed pears inside the casing and sprinkle almonds on top.

9. Place in oven and bake 15-20 minutes, or until pastry is golden

1. Peel oranges and lemons thickly; slice peel thickly, chop flesh coarsely. Discard seeds.

2. Combine peel, flesh and the water in large saucepan; bring to the boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, about 1 hour or until rind is soft.

3. Measure fruit mixture, allow ½ cup of each sugar for each cup of fruit mixture. Return fruit mixture, sugar and treacle to pan; stir over high heat, without boiling, until sugar dissolves.

Bring to the boil; boil, uncovered, without stirring, about 40 minutes or until marmalade jells when tested. Stir in whisky.

4. Pour hot marmalade into hot sterilised jars; seal immediately. Label and date jars when cold. Makes 5 cups.

Extract from The Australian Women’s Weekly, Classic Preserves (ACP Books, RRP $34.95). Available from bookstores or online at bookreps.co.nz Photographer: Ian Wallace; Stylist: Louise Pickford

February - March 2012

Blueberry and apple jam • 500g blueberries • 2 small cooking apples, peeled, cored and chopped • 1 tablespoon lemon juice • 2 cups sugar

1. Place blueberries, apples and lemon juice into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and gently simmer for 15 minutes, until blueberries soften.

2. Add sugar and stir until sugar dissolves.

3. Return to the boil and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until jam reaches setting point.

4. Pour into sterilised jars. www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

Preserving your harvest

Note: Store chutney in a cool, dark place for at least three weeks before opening.

Refrigerate after opening.

Extract from The Australian Women’s Weekly, Classic Preserves (ACP Books, RRP $34.95).

Available from bookstores or online at bookreps.co.nz Photographer: Ian Wallace; Stylist: Louise Pickford

Cherry, cinnamon and vanilla jam

Strawberry jam

• 1.4kg strawberries, hulled • Juice of 4 lemons • 1.4kg sugar

• 1kg (2 pounds) cherries, halved, seeded • 125g (4 ounces) raspberries • 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind • ¼ cup (60ml) lemon juice • ½ cup (125ml) water • 3 cups (660g) white (granulated) sugar,

1. Place strawberries and lemon juice in saucepan and cook over a gentle heat, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes until fruit is soft.

2. Add sugar and cook gently until sugar dissolves.

3. Bring to the boil and cook for 15-20 minutes until setting point is reached, then bottle.

approximately • 1 vanilla bean • 2 cinnamon sticks

1. Combine cherries, raspberries, rind, juice and the water in large saucepan; bring to the boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, about 15 minutes or until cherries are soft.

2. Measure fruit mixture; allow ¾ cup sugar for each cup of fruit mixture. Return fruit mixture and sugar to pan. Split vanilla bean in half lengthways; add to pan with cinnamon sticks. Stir over high heat, without boiling, until sugar dissolves.

Bring to the boil; boil, uncovered, without stirring, about 30 minutes or until jam jells when tested. Discard vanilla bean and cinnamon sticks.

3. Pour hot jam into hot sterilised jars; seal immediately. Label and date jars when cold. Makes 3 cups.

Pear, rhubarb and cinnamon chutney

• 3 medium pears (690g), peeled, cored, chopped coarsely

• 2 medium red onions (340g), chopped finely

• 3 cups (330g) coarsely chopped

rhubarb • 1½ cups (330g) firmly packed light brown sugar • 2 cups (500ml) cider vinegar • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon • 3 fresh long red chillies, sliced thinly • 1 teaspoon coarse cooking salt (kosher salt) 1. Stir ingredients in large saucepan over high heat, without boiling, until sugar dissolves; bring to the boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 50 minutes or until chutney is thick.

2. Spoon hot chutney into hot sterilised jars; seal immediately. Label and date jars when cold. Makes 4 cups. www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

cold water. The skins will easily peel off.

2. Heat oil in saucepan and fry onions for 10 minutes until soft.

3. Add tomatoes and remaining ingredients, stir well, cover and cook gently for 30 minutes.

4. If you want a smooth mixture, place in food processor and blend. Otherwise pour mixture into sterilised jars.

Barbecue Sauce

• 500g tomatoes • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 2 onions, chopped • 500g cooking apples, peeled, cored and chopped

• ¼ cup finely chopped dates • 2 cloves garlic, minced • 1 teaspoon celery salt • 2 tablespoons wholegrain mustard • 2 tablespoons Worcester sauce • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika • 75ml red wine vinegar • 50g brown sugar

Extract from The Australian Women’s Weekly, Classic Preserves (ACP Books, RRP $34.95).

Available from bookstores or online at bookreps.co.nz Photographer: Ian Wallace; Stylist: Louise Pickford

1. Remove tomato skins. Score a cross on the top of each tomato, then place in boiling water for 20-30 seconds until skins split. Remove and place in a bowl of Issue 2

Photo credits: Pages 9 & 19 Viktorija, fotolia; Pages 12, 13 & 17 Ian Wallace; Page 14 Springfield Gallery, fotolia;.

Page 15 Food Pictures, fotolia; Page 16 Matka Wariatka, fotolia; Page 18 Elena Moiseeva, fotolia; Page 22 & 23 Sarsmis, fotolia.

February - March 2012 sweetliving

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sweetliving

Plum and Vanilla Jam

Reader’s

recipes

We asked Sweet Living readers for their favourite recipes for preserving their homegrown harvest. Up for grabs?

Three copies of The Australian Women’s Weekly Classic Preserves. All entrants went into the draw to win a copy – the winning three are Diane Macleod, Glenis Tayor, and Karen Law. The Australian Women’s Weekly Classic Preserves

Jams, Chutneys, Relishes (ACP Books, RRP $34.95) Photographer: Ian Wallace; Stylist: Louise Pickford.

We’re well and truly floored by this beautiful book.

It’s packed full of amazing recipes, stunning photographs and tips and tricks for getting the best out of your homemade preserves. From jams and jellies, to chutneys, pickles and relishes – and much more – this book has everything you need to know to become a master preserver. With almost 100 recipes, some good old classics and others truly innovative, this is a book to treasure for years to come.

Available from bookstores or online at bookreps.co.nz

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sweetliving Issue 2

February - March 2012

“With the glut of plums at the moment this is my current favourite. I’ve made three batches over the past week - every time I taste it I think, just one more batch to savour some more of these amazing plums! It is so easy to make and great on toast or spread between sponge cake layers.” Sarah Peers

• 1kg plums • 1 vanilla bean* • 1kg sugar • Knob of butter (10g) • ½ cup water 1. C ut plums into halves or quarters and remove stones.

2. P lace in pan with the water and whole vanilla bean and simmer until plums are soft and the liquid has reduced by half.

3. A dd sugar and stir.

4. A dd butter and increase heat to take jam to boiling temperature.

5. B oil rapidly (so the jam still boils even when stirring) for 10-15 minutes 6. T est setting point.

7. R emove vanilla bean and bottle. * If you are planning a second batch of this jam you can save some money by putting the vanilla bean in a sealed container in the fridge after use. Use within a few days and you’ll still get heaps of flavour from it whole or it can be split and seeds scraped and placed in a muslin bag in the mix. Star anise can also be added to the muslin bag for a slight aniseed flavour.

www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

Reader’s Lemon and Mustard Seed Relish

“This is stunning with grilled fish, cold meats, curries and on a cheese platter.” Susan Smith

• 3 lemons, washed, chopped and seeds removed

• 1 tablespoon salt

• 3 small onions, diced • 1 ¼ cups cider vinegar • 1 teaspoon ground mixed spice or all spice

• 2 tablespoons mustard seed • 1 cup sugar • ½ cup raisins 1. Place chopped lemons in a bowl and sprinkle with the salt. Cover and leave overnight.

2. In a large saucepan, combine salted lemons with onions, vinegar, mixed spice or all spice, mustard seed, sugar and raisins.

3. Place the pan over a high heat and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for one hour, or until the lemons are soft.

4. Remove pan from heat. Ladle relish into clean, warm jam jars.

Hellfire Chutney

“This is only for those who like it HOT,” warns Janny. “And some do.”

When chopping up chillies she suggests wearing protective gloves.

• 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped roughly

• 4 red capsicums, deseeded and chopped up

• 4 onions, chopped roughly • 8 cloves garlic, peeled • 1 tablespoon salt • ¾ cup white sugar • 50g red chillies, deseeded and chopped

• Malt vinegar 1. Put ingredients into a food processor in batches and chop finely.

2. Place in a stock pot and pour in enough malt vinegar to cover pulp.

3. Bring to a simmering heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.

4. Cool and seal in small jars. www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

recipes

Rhubarb and Apple Relish

Microwave Rhubarb Chutney

• 700g rhubarb, cut into 2cm pieces • 3 large cooking apples, finely

• 500g rhubarb • 500g dates, pitted and chopped • 1 large onion, chopped • ¾ cup brown sugar • 1 ¼ cups vinegar

Keen gardener Glenis Taylor says, “This relish is delicious with anything, but try it with cheese and crackers, chicken, pork or lamb dishes.”

chopped

• 2 large onions, finely chopped • 3 small chillies, deseeded and chopped

• 1 cup sultanas • ⅓ cup glacé ginger, finely chopped • 4 cups sugar • 425ml white wine vinegar • 1 teaspoon salt • 1 tablespoon black mustard seeds 1. Place all ingredients in saucepan.

Bring to the boil, then simmer uncovered for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until mixture thickens.

2. Bottle in sterilised jars. Makes enough to fill four 500ml jars.

Bread and Butter Zucchini Pickles

“A friend gave me this recipe a few years ago and the whole family loves it. Each year we get a glut of zucchini, so it’s great for using up surplus.”

Robin Baxter.

• 1 kg zucchini, washed and thinly sliced

“I’ve had this recipe for about 20 years and it’s still going strong,” says Ann Gordon.

1. Place all ingredients into a large casserole dish.

2. Cover and microwave on High for 25-30 minutes or until thickened, stirring every 10 minutes.

3. Allow to cool slightly before bottling.

Makes 5 cups.

Raspberry and Mint Curd

“The mint in this recipe really brings out the raspberry flavour,” says Karen Law.

• 400g raspberries • 8 large sprigs mint • 250g caster sugar • 125g butter • 5 medium-sized eggs 1. P urée raspberries in food processor then strain through sieve, into a double boiler, to remove the pips.

2. C rush or bruise the mint leaves and add to the double boiler with sugar, cubed butter and eggs.

3. H eat gently, whisking frequently until butter has melted and mixture is smooth.

4. C ook slowly for another 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens.

5. P our into sterilised jars.

• 4 onions, thinly sliced • ½ cup salt • 2 ½ cups white or cider vinegar • 1 ½ cups sugar • 4 teaspoons mustard seeds • 1 teaspoons dry mustard • 2 teaspoons ground turmeric 1. Place zucchini and onions in a bowl, sprinkle over salt and cover with cold water. Leave to stand for a couple of hours, then strain.

2. Put vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, mustard powder and turmeric in a saucepan and stir over a gentle heat until sugar dissolves.

3. Bring to the boil then pour over the drained zucchini and onion. Leave to cool completely.

4. Bottle in sterilised jars. These pickles can be eaten straight away or kept in the fridge for several months.

Issue 2

February - March 2012 sweetliving

Page 29

sweetliving Spiced Wild Cherries

Redcurrant Jelly

“The following is my favourite recipe for making redcurrant jelly. No need to hang a dripping jelly bag, but you’re still left with a lovely, clear beautifully coloured jelly full of the flavour of summer!” Kathy Ryan

• Redcurrants • 1 cup sugar to 1 cup of juice 1. Put the redcurrants (no need to worry about leaves, stalks, etc) into a cotton/muslin bag ¬ you could make this from calico or an old but strong sheet. Do not overfill.

2. Run under the tap to clean if you have not already washed the currants in a colander.

3. Squeeze the juice from the currants until only the skins, stalks and seeds remain in the bag.

4. Measure the juice into a large pot or preserving pan and add 1 cup of sugar for every cup of juice.

5. Slowly bring to the boil, and boil steadily for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

6. Pour into clean, hot jars and seal at once.

Lime Honey

“I make lime honey based on the Edmonds Cookery Book’s lemon honey recipe but substitute lemons for lime. It’s delicious.”

Leigh Cuff.

• 500g sugar • 125g butter • 4 eggs • Rind and juice of about 8 limes

1. Grate lime rinds, and juice.

2. Beat eggs slightly.

3. Place all ingredients in a double saucepan. Cook slowly until thick and smooth.

4. Pour into hot jars and cover when cold and store in fridge.

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sweetliving Issue 2

Joanne Costar of Moutere Gold sent in two recipes: Spiced Wild Cherries and Rose Geranium Jelly.

“These have been tried and sold in our store in Upper Moutere.

They are both delicious. The Morello cherries are little sour cherries and this is fabulous with cheeses and patés.”

• 1 kg Morello cherries • 800ml white wine vinegar • 600ml water • 500g brown sugar • 6 whole cloves • 6 juniper berries (slightly crush with back of spoon)

• Zest of one medium-large lemon

• 1 cinnamon stick 1. Combine all ingredients except cherries in pot. Bring to the boil, simmer for 10 minutes.

Rhubarb Chutney

Diane Macleod says this chutney is slightly tart but not too tart. “It’s not as lip-puckering as you might think. The ingredients give it just the right amount of sweet and sour taste sensation.”

• 1kg rhubarb, cut into 2cm pieces • 3 onions, finely chopped • 2 cups sugar • 180ml vinegar • 2 teaspoons curry powder • 1 teaspoon salt • ¼ teaspoon pepper Put all ingredients into a saucepan, bring to the boil and cook for 45 minutes. Bottle in sterilised jars. Makes about 1 litre.

Apple and Rosemary Jelly

“This jelly is superb with cheese and cold meats,” says Linda Youd.

• 2.5kg tart apples, chopped roughly, including skin and core

2. Add cherries and slow boil for 20 minutes.

• Juice of 2 lemons • Sugar • 2 sprigs of rosemary

3. Strain off cherries in colander and split between 4 x 310ml jars.

1. Place apples and lemon juice in saucepan and just cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer until the apples are soft and the liquid has reduced by one-third.

4. Meanwhile, put liquid back on element and boil hard until ready to fill jars.

2. Strain through muslin or jelly bag overnight. Do not squeeze or the jelly will become cloudy.

Rose Geranium Jelly

4. Measure the strained juice and for every 450ml add 450g sugar.

5. Place apple juice, sugar and rosemary into saucepan over low heat, stir until sugar has dissolved, then boil rapidly for 10 minutes, or until setting point is reached. Bottle.

Recipe from Joanne Costar of Moutere Gold.

• 2 kg apples • 2.4 litres of water • 1.8kg sugar • 9 bruised rose geranium leaves

1. Boil apples and water then strain apple through muslin overnight.

2. Boil 2.4 litres of this liquid with sugar and rose geranium leaves.

3. To determine when the jelly point has been reached, place some of the jelly on a cold plate and draw a path through it with the point of a spoon. If the path stays without the jelly running together, the jellying point has been reached.

February - March 2012

www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

sweetliving

Toy workshop

ma

al

s

d e l c y c e R ter

i

www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

There’s something to be said for handmade toys. Delight young recipients with these crafty projects.

Recycle old sweaters

Don’t throw away your old clothes. Turn them into toys. These bodacious bunnies are made entirely from recycled fabrics. The bodies are fashioned from cast-aside sweatshirts, the ears from dress fabric, and the clothing from old sweaters. Even the hats are shaped out of the sleeves and bottoms of sweaters. We’ve found two free bunny patterns for you to download (craftbits.com’s signature bunny; and Sew 4 Home’s funny bunny). Now you just need to hunt through your wardrobe for suitable materials.

Issue 2

February - March 2012 sweetliving

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sweetliving

Margarita

Summertime fairy Margarita may look delicate and demure, says creator Mia Zamora-Johnson, “but don’t let that mistake you. She is a doll that is waiting for any type of play you can imagine.”

Mia’s pattern for making the gorgeous Margarita features over at Petite Purls.

Check it out. While you’re at it, check out Mia’s blog, Owlishly, too.

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sweetliving Issue 2

February - March 2012

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Toy workshop

Crafty critters

These delightful soft toys feature over at Petite Purls. Each was created by a very talented designer, and each has an accompanying pattern for you to try yourself. The whimsical stuffed ewe was created by Chris de LongprÊ from Knitting At KNoon Designs; the marvellous mouse Henrietta (she’s one of a pair) was made by the lovely Rebecca Danger (visit her blog for more free patterns); the grumpy little bunnies (their words not ours) were designed by Aine Marriott; the cutest little fairy was created by Mia Zamora-Johnson. Photos by Brandy Fortune.

www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

Issue 2

February - March 2012 sweetliving

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sweetliving

Regina the Rabbit & Lulu the Lamb These infectiously lovable soft toys are easy to make, says Ashley Mills of The Handmade Home. It’s just “a basic shape for the body, with limbs as extensions,” she says. “The best part about these little guys is that you can basically alter them to fit whatever need you have… whether it be a season, different animal, or just because.” Ashley has provided step-by-step instructions for making your own cute softies. Visit her website, The Handmade Home.

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sweetliving Issue 2

February - March 2012

www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

Toy workshop

Fabric cut-out dolls This animal cut-out project couldn’t be simpler.

Just cut and sew, fill with stuffing, and that’s it.

2

Cut around the animals, adding an extra 10-15mm margin to the shapes. Use the animal shapes as patterns, and cut a backing out of plain fabric for each animal shape.

3

1

Pin front and backs together, with right sides together. Stitch around the animal shape, leaving a small opening somewhere on the body. Turn right side out and stuff animal.

Hand stitch closed.

Choose a fabric that has reasonably large animal or doll illustrations on it.

We bought ours from Spotlight.

www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

Issue 2

February - March 2012 sweetliving

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sweetliving

Finger puppets 101 The quickest way to whip up a finger puppet is to cut felt into animal shapes and hand stitch them together. VoilĂ !

Any arms or wings are simply sewn between the two animal shapes. Add buttons for noses or embroider faces with thread.

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sweetliving Issue 2

February - March 2012

www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

Toy workshop Felt horse

This wee horse is super easy to make. All you need is felt, cotton and stuffing (you can use the stuffing from an old cushion). We’ve even supplied the pattern for you to download. Just click on the link provided to print.

t

r u o 1h c

p r o je

2

Pin the two cut pieces together then, starting from the inside front leg, run around the horse shape, close to the edge, with a zigzag stitch (we’ve used a contrasting coloured cotton). At the mane and tail, sew at the base, not on the edges, leaving the two edges free (as shown). Continue sewing until you reach the inside back leg.

1

3

Cut the edges of the mane and tail into a fringe. Stuff the body then sew the belly shut. If you wish, you can stitch on embellishments such as a felt rug with cute buttons.

Cut out the pattern and place on top of felt. We’ve used two contrasting felt colours for the back and front. Cut 2 horse shapes.

Click here to download pattern www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

Issue 2

February - March 2012 sweetliving

Page 37

Want to see your ad in Sweet Living?

Email us at admin@sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

share your

money-saving tips.

email us at

tips@sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

Page 38

sweetliving Issue 2

February - March 2012

www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

Beaded Wire Hearts • • • • •

Ingredients

Equipment

20cm 18 gauge wire • 10cm of 22 gauge wire • 1 metre 28 gauge wire • Seed beads • Selection of small feature beads, 4mm - 6mm

Round Nose Pliers Chain Nose Pliers Wire Cutters A bead mat to work on

Great as a pendant or as a feature on a handmade card or scrapbooking page

Making the Heart

Embellishment

1. Using your round nose pliers, make a spiral on one end of the 18 gauge wire. (Or use the template below to curve the wire around if desired).

1. Take the 28 gauge wire and wrap it 4 times around the 18 gauge wire heart, close to the wire wrap.

2. Make a spiral at the other end of the 18 gauge wire.

3. Make the heart shape by gripping the middle of the 18 gauge wire with chain nose pliers and making a 90° bend in the wire so the 2 spirals are touching OR to make an asymmetrical heart, grip 1/3 of the way along the 18 gauge wire and make a 90° bend.

Then use your fingers to shape the sides of the wire to get the heart shape or follow the curve of one of the pictures.

2. Embellish your heart with the beads, using the fine wire. TRY: • Threading on a seed bead then wrapping 4-5 times around the wire heart. Thread on another seed bead and wrap 4-5 times around the heart. Continue all the way around the inside of the heart.

• Use large seed beads or feature beads as above for a chunkier look, or mix different sizes together, in a pattern, or randomly • Make a smaller heart out of 18 gauge wire and use the 28 gauge wire to wrap it inside the large heart.

• Thread on a line of beads and go from one side of the heart to the other. Wrap the 28 gauge wire around the heart 2-3 times and then thread on another line of beads. Weave back and forth across the heart as desired.

3. Wrap 28 gauge wire 4 times around the heart to finish. Trim excess wire.

For all your beading materials, classes, parties and other fabulous projects visit our beautiful treasure trove of a shop or find us online at

www.thebeadhold.co.nz

161 Point Chevalier Road, Point Chevalier, Auckland www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

Issue 2

09 845 1345

February - March 2012 sweetliving

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sweetliving

Printer's studio

We’ve rounded up some lovely goodies for you to download for free.

Paper craft

Head over to Agence Eureka’s amazing website and print yourself a paper toy. There are all manner of designs to choose from (more than 1000!), including butterflies, cars, dolls, animals, houses, fairy kingdoms, even whole villages. The only problem you’ll have is deciding which you like best. Visit Agence Eureka’s Flickr site to see the entire gallery.

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sweetliving Issue 2

February - March 2012

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Printer's studio Elephant-astic Always wanted your own elephant? Go to Agence Eureka’s website and print one out. If it’s good for enough for maharajas, it’s good enough for you.

www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

Issue 2

February - March 2012 sweetliving

Page 41

sweetliving Race results

Print, cut and fold, and you have yourself a sharp looking racing car, courtesy of Agence Eureka. If you prefer your racing car red, green or yellow, no problem. There’s one each in those colours too.

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sweetliving Issue 2

February - March 2012

www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

Printer's studio Meet Mabel

Mabel is a sensitive soul, says creator Hannah Stevenson. “She loves to go for walks in the woods, read good books and swim in the pond by her home in Sandy Hook, CT.” She loves to go for walks in your neck of the woods too. Download Mabel over at Hannah’s website Lily & Thistle.

There’s another pretty dress for Mabel to download too.

Mabel

Mabel For Personal Use Only. Copyright 2010 Lily&Thistle. All Rights Reserved.

For more outfits or for your own personalized MiniMe Custom Paper Doll, visit www.lilyandthistle.etsy.com

For Personal Use Only. Copyright 2010 Lily&Thistle. All Rights Reserved.

For more outfits or for your own personalized MiniMe Custom Paper Doll, visit www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz Issue 2 February - March 2012 sweetliving www.lilyandthistle.etsy.com

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sweetliving

Printable

bookplates

Download these cute bookplates for children’s reading and exercise books or other belongings.

This book belongs to:

This book belongs to:

This book belongs to:

Click on the link provided, download the PDF, then print your bookplates onto paper. Then cut them out and use spray adhesive or paper glue to glue them at the front of your kids’ reading or exercise books. Alternatively, print them onto full sheet label stock.

This book belongs to:

This book belongs to:

This book belongs to:

e e r F

ad o l n dow here click

sweetliving Issue 2 February - March 2012 Page 48 sweetliving Issue 2 February - March 2012

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sweetliving Issue 2

February - March 2012

www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

Printer's studio

e e r F

ad o l n dow here click

www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

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February - March 2012 sweetliving

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sweetliving

Use these floral banners as bookplates or bookmarks. For bookmarks, download onto white card stock rather than paper. Click on the link provided to download your PDF.

e e r F

ad o l n dow here click

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sweetliving Issue 2

February - March 2012

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Printer's studio Animal house

Cathe Holden’s lovely animal bookplates are yours for the downloading. Cathe devised the bookplates using images from an old German book published in 1832. Use the bookplates for yourself, or present them as gifts. “Use the band at the bottom to wrap around the stack of cut bookplates,” says Cathe. Visit her website Just Something I Made to download the bookplates.

www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

Issue 2

February - March 2012 sweetliving

Page 47

sweetliving

MƑd ? ͘ Ǘʃ W ǫʞǧ Żɖ" ? úǚZ ȯ ȥʊh" »Mƍj ǫŔ ïłZ5¼

ěĨĨƎƧãƎė¬Ʀã

RAINBOWS ׬ƩƎ¬ĄãŽƎ׬Ʃų

# # # # # # # # # ̘ɏ¾i ʯû ȯ ȥʊh ɰƪ0 # # # # # # # # #

QUE SERA, SERA.

Mƍʏʧh ʰǮ ͩ" ʰǮ ͩ$ ŝ Űʟɏ¾i ȋj Ʌɝ ʙ ͢$ ̤[ ɴɋ" ɴɋ$ Que sera, sera

We’re so in love with this print. The very talented Nicole Balch designed it for her daughter Eleanor’s room, based on Doris Day’s famous song, Que sera, sera. Nicole has provided the image as a download, so you can enjoy it on one of your four walls too. Click through to her website Making It Lovely for the download.

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sweetliving Issue 2

February - March 2012

www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

sweetliving

20 ways to earn

extra cash

Need some extra pocket money? Tap into your talents and turn your hobby or skills into a successful money-making venture.

3

Farmers’ markets

4

Rent out a room

5

Sell what you don’t use

Got a green thumb? Sell homegrown produce at your local farmers’ market. Fresh, good-quality fruit and veggies, as well as eggs and other foodstuffs, sell very well at markets. Check with your local market for stallholder information. You need to comply with food safety regulations and may need to apply for a licence. For more information, go to Farmers’ Markets NZ Inc.

1

Crafts

2

Photography

If you’re handy with a needle and thread, making money from crafts is as simple as following your passion. Sewing, quilting, cross-stitching and needle felting – they’re all hobbies that can go from table to turnover. Other crafts such as jewellery making, soap-making, knitting, crocheting and wooden toymaking are good little earners as well. Sell your handmade goodies at craft markets, local stores, or through online outlets such as felt.co.nz.

Good with a camera? Take your hobby to the next level.

Photograph weddings or events, or sell your images through photo libraries. Stock photos are always in demand and the good news is they can be sold several times over. Compare the different photo libraries online to find the most suitable outlet for you.

www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

Bring in money on a regular basis by renting out a spare room. Take in a flatmate or border, or offer a safe and supportive environment to international students. If you live near a university or college, even better. Advertise your room for rent in the local paper or online flatting/rental sites, or contact one of the many international student homestay organisations (find local organisations online).

Antiques in the attic? Clothes stashed away in a cupboard unused? Unused cupboard? Have a garage sale, hold a stall at a flea market or sell them on TradeMe. Or take clothes and shoes to a recycle boutique and let them sell your items on your behalf.

Issue 2

February - March 2012 sweetliving

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sweetliving

6

Put yourself in the picture

You don’t have to be a super model. Many casting agencies require ‘normal’ or even unusual looking characters to serve as extras in TV programmes and films. You may need to pay a small fee to register, but some agencies guarantee work within the first year or your money back. Alternatively, become a life model. Artists and art schools pay for models to pose in the nude. Search on the internet under “becoming a life model” for a place near you.

7

Grow cut flowers

No need to produce flowers on a grand scale – just a small patch of blooms will get you started. Start with annuals, which are prolific and quick growing, meaning sowing to picking can take as little as 3-4 months. Ask your local florist for demand in specific flower types and focus on these. Selling at local markets is an option too. Present pretty potted plants for Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day and Christmas.

8

Planning parties

Turn your passion for planning parties into a budding career. If you have a knack for organising events, become a wedding or event planner, a children’s party planner, even a high tea party planner. If you have a stash of vintage cups and sauces, rent it out for special events. Offer to organise a party for friends for free, then let word of mouth do the talking. Here’s a great article on starting a party planning business.

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Grow roses for confetti

There’s nothing more romantic than sweetsmelling rose-petal confetti. Even better that they’re biodegradable. It doesn’t matter if your rose bushes look scraggly – it’s the petals that are on show. Offer pouches of fresh petals for the bride and groom’s big day.

Florists may be interested in buying from you, or target brides directly by advertising on wedding websites.

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If you’re proficient in a certain subject, share your knowledge with willing students. Night classes are an excellent means of meeting like-minded people and earning a little extra cash. Community education centres like Education for Life are always on the lookout for fresh ideas for courses. Contact your local centre for more information. Private tutoring is another option. Make use of Skype’s free services to offer tuition to out-of-town students.

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Teach a night class

Rent out a ruminant

Got goats? Rent them out to neighbours and property owners to clear their land.

Read all about it here. www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

20 ways to earn

extra cash

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Pet sitting, house sitting, baby sitting

Many pet owners hate the idea of Fido going into a kennel, or sitting at home alone all day devouring the couch. You could be the perfect pet nanny. Advertise your services locally or join a national organisation such as Pet Angels, which takes on sitters, walkers and groomers, as well as house sitters. Prefer people to animals? Babysitting is the way to go.

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Become a marriage celebrant

Love weddings? Become a marriage celebrant and help couples get hitched. The Department of Internal Affairs has everything you need to know about how to become a marriage celebrant. Check it out here.

Make money from your blog

Got a buzzing blog with a constant stream of visitors? Generate money by selling ads for services and products that fit your bill. If you have a crafts blog, for example, craft suppliers may be interested in advertising if the numbers are right. Look at similar blogs and websites to see how they do it. Write an ebook or design a printable pattern to sell too. Or become an affiliate and sell other people’s products.

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Make garden art

Fashion driftwood and recycled materials into works of art.

There’s a market for quirky sculptures and outdoor artwork, including mosaics, water features, driftwood sculptures and arty screens. Find your niche then approach local gift stores or sell at markets or on TradeMe.

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Mow lawns/take up gardening/landscaping

There’s a never-ending demand for lawns to be mowed, weeds to be pulled and landscapes to be beaten into shape. Get your hands dirty and start a small landscaping business to serve the local community. Put flyers in neighbouring letterboxes to advertise your services.

Sing for your supper

If you sing well or play an instrument, get a band together or go solo and play gigs at your local watering hole. Pubs and wine bars pay decent money for bands and singers that can pull in the punters.

Freelance writing

If you know your subject well, approach magazine editors with an idea for a story. Editors are constantly on the lookout for good articles, but if you’re unknown to them, they’ll want to see samples of your writing first.

Send through a portfolio of writing, or better still, write the article, or at least part of it, and submit it. Needless to say, it needs to be original and, most importantly, in the style of the magazine.

www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

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Home party plan consultant

Earn some extra cash by selling jewellery, makeup, lingerie, linen or those famous plastic containers, in someone else’s home. Do your research first. Compare the different companies to find the one that’s right for you.

Become a transcriptionist/ virtual assistant

Earn extra cash transcribing audio or video at home. If you’re a fast and accurate typist, seek out a business that offers transcribing jobs, or join an online job market like elance.com. Alternatively, become a virtual assistant and offer word processing, typing, marketing, desktop publishing, newsletter and administration services, all from the comfort of your own home.

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www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

sweetliving

Backyard sustainability Grow your own veggies, make your own natural pesticides and harvest the healthiest crops.

Plant pak choi and daikon

Asian cuisine now plays such a big part in our lives that Asian veggies are becoming readily available for home gardeners to grow. Nip down to your local garden centre or order in seeds for planting now. Try pak choi (also known as bok choy) and daikon (Japanese radish). Pak choi is a breeze to grow and can be harvested in as little as 45 days after sowing. Autumn and spring is the best time to plant; in warmer months it quickly goes to seed.

Daikon can be eaten raw (grated into salads) or tossed into stir-fries, soups and stews. It’s generally milder and sweeter than ordinary radish.

The roots varies in length from 35 to 50cm, but they’re ready to harvest when they reach 5cm in diameter. After that, it takes just a couple of weeks to over-mature. Depending on the variety, harvesting takes place 50 to 70 days after sowing.

Daikon is also best sown in autumn and spring.

www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

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sweetliving Collecting sunflower seeds

Growing sunflowers? Collect your own sunflower seeds and roast them for a tasty snack.

DIY Plant now

• Sow beetroot, carrots, lettuce, radishes, rocket, silverbeet, spinach and spring onions.

• Plant seedlings of cabbages, cauliflower, broccoli and Brussels sprouts.

• Sow swede and turnips directly into the soil. While turnips are mostly grown as a root crop, their green leafy tops can also be harvested.

They’re rich in beta-carotene and can be cooked as a vegetable, like spinach.

All-in-one pizza oven, grill and smoker

Forget rusty old barbecues and fire pits. Outdoor cooking has come of age. This all-in-one pizza oven, stove, grill and smoker is the mother of all barbies. Bake bread, grill steaks, or cook pizzas in just 3 minutes flat. Owen Geiger over at Mother Earth News has provided step-by-step instructions for making one of your own.

Citrus spray

Zap those pesky aphids and other soft-bodied insects with a homemade citrus spray.

Around late summer you’ll notice the seeds beginning to develop. Cover the heads with frost cloth or a muslin bag to stop the birds from eating the seeds. The seed heads are ready to harvest when the heads start to droop and the backs turn yellow. Cut the flowers, with about 50cm of stem attached, and hang in a dry, well-ventilated spot to dry. When the seeds have loosened, place a piece of chicken wire over a bucket and rub the seed heads back and forth over the wire, letting the seeds fall into the bucket. Pick any remaining seeds out by hand.

Spread the seeds out on a rack until fully dry before storing in an airtight container.

Quick herb cuttings

A jam jar filled with fresh water and placed on a sunny windowsill is the perfect place for growing cuttings. Many herbs root easily in water, including basil, mint, rosemary, oregano, thyme, lemon grass and lemon verbena. Just place cut stems in water and watch the roots grow. Many household plants and perennials will also root this way.

Bring a litre of water to the boil then remove from the heat and add the grated rind from one lemon.

Let it seep overnight.

Use a sieve to strain the mixture then pour into a spray bottle. Apply to leaves and stems of infested plants, ensuring the mix comes into contact with the aphids.

DIY

Plant cherry guavas

DIY salad bench

No room in the garden? Build a ‘garden bed’ on legs. It’s easy and inexpensive, and it means you can harvest fresh salad greens and herbs year-round. Position it close to the kitchen, on a sunny deck or patio, or beside your vegetable garden. Click through to the Sweet Living website for step-by-step instructions.

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Cherry guavas are one of those old-fashioned fruit crops that are making a comeback – and they’re deliciously healthy. They fruit from April to June/July and can be eaten straight from the tree or made into jams, jellies, chutneys and sauces. Both red (Psidium littorale var. longipes) and yellow (Psidium littorale var. littorale) cherry guavas tolerate frosts down to around -5°C. Even if you live in a frost pocket, these compact plants grow and fruit well in containers, which can be moved into a more sheltered spot over winter if necessary. These plants also have good salt tolerance, although young plants should be protected from wind. Look for them at your local garden centre. www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

Backyard sustainability

Grow your own raisins

Using vine leaves

Grapes are one of the most versatile crops you can grow in the backyard. Splash out and buy a couple of vines - one for eating fresh, the other for making raisins or preserves.

Vines can be planted in autumn in warmer areas and late winter or spring in cooler spots. Plant in a sunny spot (sunlight is essential for proper ripening) in free-draining soil, and provide some sort of support. Train against a wall or fence, or espalier your vine against a simple post and wire trellis.

If you’re stuck for space, grow your vine in a half wine barrel and use stakes or a rose umbrella frame to support it.

When fruit is forming, snip off some of the leaves around each bunch of grapes around midsummer so that plenty of sun gets through to ripen the fruit. Cover the vines with netting too if you don’t want to share your bounty with birds.

Wasps can be a pest; they’re attracted to the ripening grapes. Remove any overripe bunches of grapes from your vine and set up traps if you see them loitering. Pour sugar syrup into a narrownecked bottle. The wasps will sniff it out and crawl inside, but they won’t be able to fly out.

When it comes to harvesting, do the taste test first; sugar content changes throughout the harvest season and the berries won’t ripen once picked.

Making raisins

Raisins are simply dried grapes and all you need for drying purposes is sun. Traditionally, grapes are dried right in the vineyard in between the rows of vines, which, depending on the temperature, can take between two and four weeks.

As the grapes dry, moisture evaporates and the fruit is left with a more concentrated sugar content. As sugar is a natural preservative, it provides the dried fruit with a longer shelf life.

Fancy dolmades for dinner?

Grapevine leaves make superb edible wrappers which, when cooked slowly, develop a rich lemony flavour. Vine leaves are best picked late spring/early summer when they’re still tender and haven’t been sprayed with pesticides or fungicides. Blanch them before use; cut off the stems then plunge the leaves into boiling water for a maximum of two minutes.

Scoop them out, then refresh in cold water. Pat dry before using. When stuffing, lay them vein-side up.

You can freeze fresh leaves for future use too. Wash, dry and place them in a plastic bag. They’ll keep in the freezer for a year.

The grapes most often used for drying are table grapes (as opposed to wine grapes) and, in the commercial world at least, Malaga, Muscat, Sultana and Thompson Seedless varieties are among the most commonly used. Each has a high sugar content with soft skins and a rich flavour. But by far the most widely grown raisin grape is the Thompson Seedless variety. Don’t worry if you don’t have any of these varieties – for homegrown purposes, any grape will do.

Four kilograms of fresh grapes are needed to produce 1kg of raisins.

Pick bunches of grapes when ripe (or use supermarket grapes), then rinse and pat dry. Pick the grapes off the bunch and remove any stems. Place the individual fruit on a clean tray and spread them out so they’re not touching one another. Place the tray in direct sunlight.

Check the grapes regularly for progress. Intense heat and sun may produce raisins in as little as a week, but it generally takes between two and four weeks. You can then store your raisins in an airtight container. www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

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sweetliving Blotchy tomatoes

Blotchy ripening is often caused by a combination of shade and cool temperatures followed by bright sunny weather. It may also be caused by a potassium deficiency. You’ll first see light green or brown blotches on the green fruit. As the fruit matures, these patches gradually turn yellow while the rest of the fruit reddens, resulting in uneven ripening. When cut open, the fruit walls are sometimes dark brown.

Prevention • Feed with a specific tomato fertiliser, which is high in potassium, and remove excessive leaves to allow light through.

Tomatoes - what went wrong?

While pests and diseases are often to blame for tomato disorders, the weather’s silly shenanigans, poor gardening practices, and even the tomato variety may cause skins to split, become blotchy, or develop sunken black spots. Here’s a guide to common tomato disorders and how to prevent them next time round.

Wacky shapes can be the result of poor pollination or insect damage at the early stages of fruit development.

Pollination problems may occur when temperatures are low and skies are cloudy, a combination which interferes with the growth of the pollen tubes and normal fertilisation.

Prevention

Green shoulders

• Grow tomatoes in a warm, well-lit area. Protect from cold in the early stages of growth.

Green or yellow shoulders that remain hard are the result of exposure to high temperatures and direct sunlight. Normally chlorophyll breaks down as the fruit ripens, but in some tomato varieties, during high temperatures, it fails to do so.

This is fairly common with heirloom varieties.

Prevention • Shade cloth and foliage cover will help reduce the occurrence of green shoulders.

Cracked skin

Concentric or radial cracks around the stem end and along the sides are caused by a sudden increase in water levels.

When the plant suddenly receives a good deal of water following a dry spell, the fruit cells rapidly expand and burst, causing the skin to split. Certain cherry tomato varieties, such as ‘Sweet 100’, are prone to cracking. Too much nitrogen also causes skins to split.

Prevention • Keep the soil evenly moist. Mulching will help prevent soil from drying out.

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Misshapen fruit

sweetliving Issue 2

February - March 2012

Blossom end rot

Irregular watering is usually the cause of blossom end rot, a disorder that causes sunken, blackish-brown areas at the bottom (blossom end) of the fruit. While blossom end rot generally indicates a calcium deficiency, it’s likely to be caused by irregular watering or a sudden fluctuation in water levels, as lack of water prevents the mineral’s uptake. Acid soils and damage to roots can also prevent proper uptake of calcium.

Prevention • Keep the soil’s pH around 6.5.

• Water regularly and evenly and mulch to conserve soil moisture.

• Some tomato varieties are more susceptible to blossom end rot than others. Grow several different varieties and take note of which grow best.

Catfacing

Catfacing is a term that describes misshapen fruit with scars and cavities on the blossom end. It’s caused by the abnormal development of the flower bud before opening, which is often due to low temperatures when plants are young. It occurs most often on the first fruits formed, when temperatures are lower in spring, and again in autumn when temperatures drop, if plants are still setting fruit. Excessive wind and high nitrogen soil levels may also damage blossoms.

Prevention • Plant later in the season and shelter plants from wind and cold.

• Avoid high-nitrogen fertilisers. www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

Elegance in a vase

A bunch of blooms in a single vase is a feast for the senses, but a tray with several small vases of single stems looks equally striking. Pick flowers or seed heads from your garden, or divvy up a bouquet for a sumptuous display.

www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

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February - March 2012 sweetliving

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Freshen up your next paint job with Resene Zylone Sheen VOC Free, which combines the popular low sheen of Resene Zylone Sheen without the unwanted volatile organic compounds (VOCs) for better indoor air quality.

Improved air quality can help prevent headaches, asthma, nausea, respiratory complaints and allergic reactions. And to suit all tastes, Resene Zylone Sheen VOC Free is available in a wide range of popular Resene colours using Resene non VOC tinters.

Now that’s fresh thinking.

Available exclusively from Resene.

0800 RESENE (737 363) www.resene.co.nz

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Backyard sustainability

Nifty, thrifty readers’ tips Tried and true methods to save money in the garden.

Earwig trap

Earwigs fall into two camps: good bugs and bad bugs.

They eat aphids and mites, so they are useful garden predators, but they also like to feed on tender new plant growth (like vegetable seedlings), soft fruit (like strawberries) and flower buds. Earwigs are active at night, hiding during the day in pretty much any dark, confined space, particularly if it’s moist. Make a trap that mimics their favourite hiding places. Roll up sections of newspaper, secure with a rubber band and dip in water until wet through. Place these newspaper traps in problem areas and check them each morning for earwigs.

Shake any into a bucket of soapy water to kill them.

Another method is to fill an old tuna can with vegetable oil (about 2cm deep) and leave it on the ground near your plants. Earwigs will crawl in and drown.

Winner!

Sow seeds in eggshells

I usually put my eggshells in the compost bin but I leave some aside for sowing seeds. I fill them with seed-raising mix, then sow the seeds on top. When big enough I plant eggshell and all in the garden.

Margaret, Dunedin

Cuttings in florist’s foam

Winner!

When my late friend first told me about this idea, I was sceptical, but I decided to give it a go anyway, and it worked! When taking cuttings of plants, place them into a 2.5cm square cube of moist florist’s foam. Keep it moist. When you see roots coming out the sides, plant the whole thing into a container and keep growing until big enough to plant in the ground.

Ann, Nelson

Recycling drawers

When the inorganic rubbish collection comes around, I grab the drawers out of old chests, drill holes in them and use them as planter boxes. They’re free and I love the idea of recycling.

Gillian, Auckland

Paper plus

Paper put through the shredder makes an excellent mulch for the garden. Just spread it around your vegetables.

Joanna, Auckland

Sharing crops

Growing your own veggies can be annoying when all of the veggies planted mature at the same time, so we have got together with our neighbours and share. We all grow different veggies and fruit, and have enough to use and bottle or store for later. We also have all different trees which we share the fruit from, including lemons, plums, feijoas, persimmon, peaches and avocado. It means less waste, less time (as each neighbour can share the effort), and an added bonus is you get to know your neighbours!

Rebekah, Hamilton

Catch snails

Place small terracotta pots upside down on garden stakes in your veggie patch. Next morning check it out. Snails love to hide in these small ‘houses’ during the day.

Kate, Wanganui www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

Send us your tips Share your best money-saving tips for backyard sustainability and be in to win! The two best tips printed here will each win a $100 gardening voucher. Email us at: tips@sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz

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next issue

sweetliving

Out April 2012 Gorgeous gifts to make for Mum Scrumptious high tea recipes Free printable gift tags and gift boxes Create fabulous floral bouquets Cheese-making Wooden toys to make Readers’ money-saving tips

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