Best marinated olive recipe ever

We have an olive tree in our back yard and over the years I have been trying different curing recipes to see which ones delivers the tastiest olives. This one is sensational, so good in fact, that when I am bottling them it is one in the jar and two in the mouth! Ingredients: 5kg green (raw) olives, althought I have also done this with ripe (black) olives. 4 lemons, sliced, rock salt, white vinegar, olive oil, 8 cloves garlic, oregano to taste, dried fennel seeds to taste, bay leaves (chopped or whole to taste), dried chilli flakes to taste. I admit I haven't tried it with the fennel seeds as I haven't got any and at times have substituted the oregano for thyme. The instructions say to crush the olives with the bottom of a jar or bottle (stubbie bottle works well apparently). I did this for the first lot but have also used an olive pipper instead. Don't crush too hard, just enough to split the olive to remove the pip but not enough to lose the shape of the olive. As you crush the olives (or pip them) put them into cold water with 2 of the sliced lemons. Rinse the olives in the water and change water juice. Leave the olives to soak for 24hrs in fresh water to which the remaining lemons have been added. Drain the olives adn put into a shallow bowl, sprinkle with rock salt, allow to stand for 24hrs. By now the olives will be sitting in some liquid. Stir, then drain. Sprinkle with enough vinegar to cover, leave 24hrs. Drain olives, put into a bowl, add a little olive oil and the herbs. Mix well, put into jars. Top with olive oil and seal. Taste test when ready to eat. This recipe is quite forgiving, so don't stress if the olives are left for more than 24hrs at any stage. In the photo there is 4kg of both black and green olives. I went back outside and picked another 3kg, and there is still plenty on the tree.

Children's lunches

My little boy is too young for school yet, but I am already asking myself what do other parents to do stop kids lunches spoiling. During my schooling years I attended 3 different primary schools and 1 high school. Some had indoor or undercover storage for school bags, others only had hooks by the classroom door where bags were exposed to the weather. The weather here is cooling down, but what happens to food in the hot weather when it isn't being refrigerated? I ate vegemite sandwiches all through my school years, so they were probably reasonably safe, but I would hate to think of what ham and cheese sandwiches would look like after a few hours unrefrigerated, exposed to the weather! Here is my tip for avoiding your kids lunches spoiling in their school bags...insulated lunch packs. Placing their sandwich keeper inside an insulated lunch bag or pack, along with a reusable freezer block, will keep their lunches cool for quite a few hours. My mum used to freeze my drink bottle overnight and use this to keep my lunch cool. Wrapping your kids lunch in plastic cling wrap only results in a soggy sandwich, especially if there is some condensation from the freezer pack. It is better to place their lunch is a plastic sandwich keeper (it's reusable after all and the sandwiches won't end up squashed in the bottom of the bag!).

Plastic Food Wrap - wrapping your kids lunch at $250 per year

CHOICE magazine always makes for good reading. My husband and I have consulted their website before buying fridges, children's car seats and digital cameras. However I was quite surprised to see that they have also reviewed plastic food wrap. My particular interest in researching this topic was the cling wrap many of us use to wrap our kids sandwiches in or cover bowls of food to be placed in the fridge. On their website they state that they want to phase out risky plastics and mention that cling wrap is made from PVC. PVC is usually hard, so plasticisers are added to make it soft and flexible. "Plasticisers can make up as much as 40% of the plastic material. Phthalates and DEHA (di-(2-ethyhexyl)adipate) are often added as plasticisers to the PVC that’s used for food packaging; again, recent research raises doubts about the safety of these compounds." "BPA and phthalates are endocrine disruptors, meaning they can mimic the body’s natural hormones and thereby cause a raft of health problems. Infants and the very young are most vulnerable to exposure because of their lower body weight and because their growth and development are strongly influenced by hormones; the effects on health can be lifelong. These effects have been seen clearly and consistently in experiments with animals and when people or wildlife have been accidentally exposed to high levels of endocrine disruptors. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a statement calling for more research into the possible harmful effects of BPA, reinforcing growing concerns about its safety. While these compounds are undoubtedly hazardous at high levels of exposure, scientific opinion is divided over the risk from the much lower levels that we’re exposed to every day in our food. There is, however, growing scientific evidence that even at these lower levels of exposure, phthalates and BPA may be causing problems such as infertility, obesity, breast cancer, prostate cancer, heart disease and diabetes." This was taken directly from their website under the heading 'Plastics and Food' by David Oakenfull. This prompted me to investigate further on the internet. There are so many websites talking about the dangers of plastic food wrap, it was hard to know where to start, without spending hours and hours reading. I had a brief read of them, and scrolled down the the Cancer Council website. They mention the following: Some studies have found low levels of di-ethylhexyl adipate (DEHA) when certain types of fatty foods wrapped in plastics, such as meat and cheese, have been ingested. T he amount of chemical absorbed by the food is dependent on the temperature of the plastic wrap and food, the duration of any heating, the type of plastic wrap used, storage time and initial plasticiser content, as well as the type of food. The results of most studies show that the levels of plasticiser that might be consumed as a result of the use of plastic wrap are well below the levels showing toxic effect in animal studies. The International Agency for Research on Cancer states DEHA is not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans. Meaning there is currently inadequate evidence to suggest that this compound causes cancer. They go on to mention that to avoid unnecessary exposure avoid using cling wrap in the microwave unless it is labelled as microwave safe. I must admit I have never looked for this warning on my cling wrap. I have noticed that when I use cling wrap in the microwave it often goes soft and 'melts', creating holes. They also mention using inert containers for cooking or re-heating food instead of cling wrap. So if you are concerned about using cling wrap to store food, or wrap your kids sandwiches for school in, here are my tips: Many schools and day care centres are moving to "Nude Food" policies to eliminate cling wrap. Use air tight or virtually air tight containers to store sandwiches and snacks in. My favourites are the Sandwich Keepers from Tupperware. A student who takes one sandwich and two snacks wrapped in cling wrap equals 100 metres of cling wrap to landfill in one year. This adds up to about $250 per year for the average family. The Sandwich Keepers are $29 for two or $58 for 5, have a life time guarantee, are reusable and think of the money you'll save on cling wrap? There are other lunchboxes available as well. Visit www.tupperware.com.au then email your order through to paulinestips@gmail.com. Interstate and international orders accepted, postage charges may apply.

My Favourite Things

You don't have to be as famous as Oprah to publish your list of Favourite Things. So here's mine. Feel free to add your own in the comments section. 1.Nutri-rich Oil by Nutrimetics. There is 101 uses for this stuff, but my favourite is that I find it is the best leave-in hair conditioner/anti-frizz serum/curl cream there is for my type of hair. I have dry, frizzy, curly hair and the Nutri-rich oil leaves it feeling soft without feeling like there is product in it. Unlike other products that claim to tame the frizz, I find this one really does. I have recently had people comment that my hair seems to be getting curlier as I get older. It is still the same amount of curl, it is just that now I have found a way to tame the frizz, allowing the curls to stand out on their own. Price varies depending on size of container (20ml, 40ml or 60ml) 2.'Taking Charge of Your Fertility' by Toni Weschler. Have you ever wondered why your period is never the 28 days like it is in the text books? This book explains all the tell-tale signs that your body puts out on a daily basis as to where it is in the menstrual cycle. My husband read this book and said it was like reading a manual on women's bodies. At least I now understand mine! Go to tcoyf.com to get your hands on this book. 3.Kugelhopf silicon form by Tupperware. OMG! How did I ever live without this one? I can now make cakes in the microwave that turn out perfect everytime, in a fraction of the time it takes in the oven. And I don't have to worry about my toddler going near a hot oven! $74.95 from Tupperware, and worth every cent! 4.Lego. I loved it as a child and now I love it as a parent. It may be expensive, but it lasts a lifetime. My husband still has his Lego from when he was a child. The educational benefits of Lego are only limited by your imagination. My son loves his Duplo and builds the most magnificent structures from it. My husband and I can't wait until he moves onto the normal Lego so we can play with it too! 5.Play School on ABC TV. There is no better quality television program than this. Educational and entertaining, occasionally contraversial. I love the fact that they still use cardboard boxes and masking tape to make props and toys. There are plenty of great ideas for parents watching this program. 6. Turbo Chef by Tupperware. I always wanted one, now I have one. No more tears while cutting up onions! Unlike other food processors, this one won't leave big chunks of onion in amongst finely chopped bits. Everything gets chopped finely. I love the pull cord action, so easy to use. Also easy to clean. $57.20. 7. 'Sweet Poison' by David Gillespie. Now I also understand my sweet tooth, and can stand up and say "I am a sugarholic." How to lose weight without going on a diet. I lost 4kgs in 4 weeks without dieting. Click on the link on this website for more information. 8. Breville Slow Cooker. I got one for my birthday and LOVE it. Great for making soups, casseroles, roasts, desserts, the list just goes on. Apparently you can even make jam in them, but I haven't tried that yet. RRP around the $60 dollar mark for the large one. 9. Janome Overlocker. Having one of these has helped to give my sewing a more professional touch, and I don't have to worry about material fraying. I can't remember the price, but check it out with your local Janome stockist. 10. Bambooty Easy Night nappies. I have written about these before in my blog. We have had a few nights when these have leaked, but it has always been when Brendon has had a huge drink before bedtime. Otherwise these have saved us money on not having to use disposables at nighttime. We got some at the Pregnancy, Babies and Children's expo and they were about $70 for a pack of three. A box of 72 disposable nappies costs $33, so within about 4 or 5 months the Bambooty's would have paid for themselves. I got these in March, so am half way there. They will do Brendon up until he is toilet trained at night, so I should get quite a while out of these yet. I sell both Tupperware and Nutrimetics, so if you would like more information or to make an order, you can email me on paulinestips.blogspot.com. Yes, I do take international and interstate orders (postage charges do apply).

Handy tips for quick meals for the time poor

How fast is 'fast food'? You go out of your way on the way home, wait in a queue to be served, hand over your hard-earned money, wait for your meal, wait at the traffic lights while your dinner gets cold on the front seat of the car and go home to eat a luke warm, bland tasting meal in a box with soggy chips? The only thing fast about fast food is how quick you eat it when you get home. Here are my tips for preparing truly fast meals at home. 1. Plan ahead. Last night I made butter chicken and rice. Tonight I am planning to make Fried Rice out of Poh's Kitchen cookbook, so when I made the rice for last night, I cooked double the amount I needed and put half of it in the fridge for tonight's dinner. I'm already half prepared for tonight's meal, which is handy as I am going out tonight and need something quick to make and eat before I go. 2. Have a cooking day. Chose a day when you aren't too busy and set aside some time to cook up meals for the week. If you want to use your ingredients while they are still fresh, have your cooking day after you have done your grocery shopping. Yesterday I did my food shopping, came home and put soup in the slow cooker for meals later this week. I have a busy week ahead, so it's nice to know that some meals are already made and just need to be pulled out of the freezer. 3. Freeze your leftovers. When cooking meals, make a bit extra than what is needed and pop them in the freezer for those nights when you don't feel like cooking or are running short on time. When freezing meals or left overs, use containers that seal properly to avoid any leaking of the contents but also to stop any airborne bugs getting in (such as listeria if putting the containers in the fridge). Label the container with what is in it. There is nothing worse than pulling something out of the freezer and not knowing what it is, as often frozen meals are hard to identify what they are. When labelling the meal, also write the date, as a general rule, meals shouldn't be left in the freezer any longer than 3 months. Writing the number of serves on it can be handy if you need to feed more than one person. In the photo at the top of this article, I have used a container that can go straight from the freezer to the microwave, has a vent to let the steam out, and have written on it with a whiteboard marker 'mince and veg, 5/3/12, x 2'. When reheating meals, only ever use your microwave on 50% or medium. The food is already dead, so no need to kill it again. Avoid just hitting the start button, as this will give you 100% power. Do you know if your container can go straight from the freezer to the microwave? Check the bottom of the container for the icons that show it is freezer and microwave safe. Also check the instructions on the packaging when you buy it from the shop or with the demonstrator if you buy it from a party plan demonstration. Microwave containers may warp if used on high instead of medium. This will affect how well the seals work on it, and may make the plastic porous, allowing it to absorb stains and odours from the food. You may find you void any guarantee on the product if it shows signs of having been used on high. To top it off, it tastes much better than the stuff from the fast food outlet. Still not convinced? Here is a story of what happened to my husband and I... One day we were out much later than we expected. On the way home we realised we didn't have anything organised for dinner. Although we live in a city, the particular roads we were travelling along didn't have any fast food outlets along them (and my husband and I are not big fans of fast food anyway, but I would settle for Indian or Chinese). We worked out that to get Chinese for dinner, we would have to go out of our way. Being tired, we just wanted to go home. We had a think about what was in the fridge and realised we could make Fried Rice ourselves. When we got home, I chucked the rice in a bowl of water, into the microwave (takes about 14 minutes). I chopped vegies and quickly fried them in the wok with a bit of soy sauce, mixed the cooked rice in and we had a delicious meal. My husband commented how much cheaper it was to make it ourselves than go to the Chinese restaurant. I pointed out that it took about 15 minutes to prepare and cook this meal...if we had have gone out of our way to the Chinese restaurant on the way home, we wouldn't even be in the door yet. While I was cooking he was getting our son bathed and into his pj's for the evening. It tasted great, was cheap to make and we got to eat it while it was still hot!

Top Tips for reducing your shopping bill, without changing where you shop or what you buy.

Tired of wasting money on fuel and time chasing the cheapest price on groceries? Have a favourite shop or prefer to support your local supermarket? Here's how you can reduce your shopping bill and and still shop where you like. Here's the surprise factor. Reducing your shopping bill has very little to do with the actual supermarket, it has a lot to do with what happens at home. Tip 1: Organise your pantry. Is your pantry a mess? Are the items in your pantry tied up with rubber bands? Are your cracker biscuits stale when you go to eat them? Or are the mice getting to eat them before you do? Do you have two packets of icing sugar, both open? Putting your food in clear, plastic containers, that seal air tight and are stackable can help to avoid these problems. Clear containers that are labelled make it easier to find what is in your pantry. Look at the photo of the Rice Bubbles. By looking at the box you can't tell how much is left, not to mention that the bag doesn't seal to keep the contents fresh. The plastic container shows how much is left, and the contents stay fresher for longer.

This is a photo of my pantry. It is easy for me to find what I want and see what needs replacing.

When writing your shopping list this will help you to keep an eye on what is on special and buy it before you run out. It will also mean you don't waste money doubling up unnecessarily. Air tight containers also stop ants, mice and weavils (unless they are in the food when you buy it). Tip 2: Use a whiteboard marker to write the use by date on your plastic containers. You will then know when something is past its due date, saving extra trips to the shop to replace items that are no longer fresh. The marker washes off easily. Tip 3: How's your soup drawer? What's that, you ask? It's your vegie crisper in your fridge. Many new fridges have humidity controlled vegie crispers so you can adjust how much humidity your fruits and vegies are getting. I have one of those fridges. Great idea, unfortunately doesn't really work. Different vegies (and fruits) require different levels of humidity. For example, broccoli is a 'heavy breather', so requires a lot of ventilation and humidity to stay fresh. Carrots don't require as much, so why would you put them in the same drawer? Placing your goods in clear plastic containers with humidity control tabs and corregated bases will prolong the life of your vegies and fruit. You can place items that have the same breathing rate in together, and separate those that don't. The corregations allow the juices to drain to the bottom, but keep the produce up out of it. Consequently, no more soupy mess in the bottom of your vegie crisper (hence 'soup drawer'). You won't be throwing out and replacing your produce as often. You can always use the vegie crisper to store your alcohol, or remove it altogether to make more room in your fridge. Tip 4: Check out the specials in your junk mail and on-line. Many supermarkets are on-line these days, so you can check out what's on special before you leave home. Beware that the prices on their shop-at-home service may be higher than what's in the shop. Junk mail only shows some of the specials. On my shopping list I note any items that I will buy if they are on special. These are items that I am running low on, but don't necessarily need to buy that week. By following these tips I saved $22 on my last trip to the supermarket (total shopping was $169). My favourite supermarket prints how much you have saved by buying items on special on the bottom of the docket, which is a handy feature. These tips will help you save money on your shopping bill by helping you to plan your shopping list, reducing the number of trips you make to the shop each week to top-up purchases and can reduce how much food you throw out.

April Garden update

It has now been 4 months since I started my vegie garden. Things have slowed down a bit, so I took the opportunity last weekend to rip out what was dying off, mix some compost and manure into the soil, and get ready to plant my winter crop. The planting will take place this weekend, so I have allowed the week for the soil to 'settle'. Going through my little note pad, as at todays date, it has produced 41.39kg of food! It is interesting to see what has waxed or waned during that time. Zucchinis are still going strong, despite several bouts of powdery mildew. I have ripped out two of the three plants, and now just have one big plant. Strawberries stopped producing and came back again. Capsicums are still going berzerk. Tomatoes have dropped right off as they are nearly at the end of their season. Spinach and basil are still going strong. Lettuce went to seed, germinated and now producing again. Oranges, lemons and olives are starting to change colour and ripening. Honeydews have died off but there is still one hiding behind the tomato bushes. Eggplant is now getting big seeing that the tomato bushes are thinning out and has plenty of flowers and little eggplants on it. I have noticed that the price of Zucchinis in the shops has gone up to $5.99/kg. I picked one earlier this week that was 630g...so that would have cost me about $3.77 to buy at the shop. That one zucchini has recouped the cost of buying the zucchini seedlings all those months ago. If you have one square metre of garden available, go ahead and plant a vegie patch. If I took the average price of the fruits and vegetables to be valued at $4.99/kg in the shops, my garden has saved me $206 in four months! Fantastic value, as I am sure I have recouped the cost of my garden, so anything after this is a real saving!