Saturday, July 10, 2010

If you spent the day at my house

I would have given you some sandwiches made out of my homemade sourdough bread I baked this morning.
You could have joined us on a walk around the block. Up the end of our road is a small lake and playground with this walking/cycling track. In  the weekends, you'll find lots of children with parents in tow, learning to ride bikes.
Lots of little delights along the way.
Opened up, don't those toadstools look like flowers?
I see the Wattle has started flowering. Not good if  pollen doesn't agree with you but what a magnificent yellow these ones are.
I just love seeing the different coloured Grevilleas. It's not uncommon to find the native parrots feeding on the nectar.
Banksia, another native with it's glorious orangy red flowers.
And how about some dragon hunting? These water dragons are not pretty but I get excited when I spot one catching a few rays.
This is up the road from the supermarket, right in the middle of town. It's a catchment area and a good spot to look for the dragons.
Or trolleys. Dumpers peeve me off, spoiling the environment.
It's a bread making kinda day and we've been fans of the Masterchef series on the telly. I made up this recipe from the show. Schiacciatta con l'uva, a flat bread studded with grapes, drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with raw sugar and eaten warm. It was as yummy as it sounds. Dangerously yummy!
The other half of the dough was used to make a pizza for tea. We're not big fans of pizza but this was another one from the show. Pizza Margharitta. Homemade tomato sauce, basil, semi sundried tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella. I'd definitely make this again. Maybe pizza's not too bad after all.
The main reason for all the baking was to test the new oven we had to get and hey, it doesn't burn everything after five minutes. This is the cleanest it will ever be and since cleaning ovens is one of the worst jobs in the house, I made sure to get a self cleaning one. If only fridges could have that feature.
I hope you're having a lovely weekend, don't forget to enjoy the simple pleasures. I'm going back to sewing now that I'm all cooked out.

65 comments:

Jocelyn said...

Wow your breads sound so delicious! Very lovely pictures.

Anonymous said...

Oh I can smell all the lovely baking and cooking here in Brisbane and yes I too get crancky with people dumping things

cheers
Christine

Jody said...

your house is EXACTLY where I'd like to be - can almost smell the bread rising! And that new clean oven - wow.
Parrots. I cannot even imagine taking a walk in northeastern NY and seeing parrots and dragons! Here it is goldfinch and cardinal - dragon fly and toad! But we too have 'dumpers' and they are a blight no matter where they go. Shame.

luv2quilt2 said...

What a lovely walk!

Andi said...

I'm coming over for dinner!!!

Shari said...

Nothing beats home-baked bread! What a lovely day - and I hate cleaning ovens too!

Laurie in Iowa said...

The breads look yummy... loved seeing all the nature photos too. TFS

Betsy said...

Gosh all the breads look yummy!!! I especially find interesting the one with the grapes. I too have been making my pizza dough-wheat to be exact. Thanks for sharing all those lively treats!!

Abby and Stephanie said...

It's breakfast time and I'd love to taste it all. Any leftovers? YUM!!!

Jess @ Scrappy n Happy said...

I love masterchef too! And I've been baking too! Making banana cakes, lemon curd slice and a beautiful pumpkin fruit cake from my grandmas recipe. It is great weather for cooking!

Cathy @ CabbageQuilts said...

Lovely to go on a virtual walk with you after drooling over all that baking! Sorry to miss you at MO by two days, next time we will have to tee that up a little better!!! xo

Unknown said...

I am with Stephanie! I am sitting here with my cup of tea and would really love a piece of the bread with the grapes. Mmmm.... You oven looks like a convection oven. They are wonderful! We have one too and it does wonderful, not burning your baked items.

Nedra said...

I'll be right over! (I wish)
I didn't know that toadstools opened up. Where have I been all my life? Does everyone else already know this? I am such a city girl.

Terry said...

Congratulations on your new oven! Your breads and pizza look yummy! :0)

Janet said...

Janet
It all looks yummy for your tummy.
What beautiful scenery and it's winter there?
Janet

Mimi said...

I want to go for a walk with you and then have tea. The sites are beautiful and the bread looks yummy.

Diane H said...

Just sat down with my Saturday morning coffee and what a wonderful way to start my day.
Thanks ever so much for the lovely tour and your baking - now I'm starving! Did anyone else notice the blooming Wattle picture next to the Joseph's Coat Quilt Along photo on your sidebar - natures quilt patterns.

Lori said...

I think I'd gain weight if I was at your house for very long!! LOL

It's nice to have such a pretty place to go walking. Thanks for the little tour.

Chartreuse Moose said...

Lovely photos! Great looking breads!
Looks like a perfect day!

Meredith said...

I'd buy a self cleaning fridge. LoL. Enjoy your weekend.

beth said...

what beautiful picture today! I'd love to taste that yummy looking bread!

Crispy said...

Thank you for taking us along on your walk...what a lovely trail!! The bread looks VERY yummy...to hot to bake some though....that is if I ever actually baked bread LOL.

Crispy

Annette said...

Your lovely baked goods look so delicious. Now I am hungry! And I enjoyed going along with you on your walk through photos. Especially the one of the lizard. He reminds me of a little friend who lives at my house: http://sunshineyellow-stitches.blogspot.com/2009/05/sending-flowers.html

FlourishingPalms said...

Thanks heaps for sharing pictures of the flora and fauna in your neighborhood. How fortunate you are to live in such handy natural beauty. I think I'd be on that trail all the time if one were so close to me.

I've been following Masterchef online (commercial free!) since getting hooked when I was in Aus in May. Where are you finding the recipes?

Lucky you to have a new, CLEAN oven. Enjoy baking during your cool weather. I'm NOT baking because it so hot here, but in a couple months I'll be good and ready to try your inspirational yummies.

Steffi´s Candy Quilts said...

Hmm, yummy food!
And what a nice walk! Wish I could have joined you, I suppose it´s cooler than here. I´m almost melting...
What a nice picture of the Banksia! I´ll show this to my dad. He is a woodturner and makes wonderful items out of the Banksia cones. He´s always in search of pictures and literature about these plants.

Mosaic Magpie said...

That pizza looks wonderful!
Debbie

Maggey and Jim said...

Not sure what was in the oven but looked yummy.........
So did the oven, so many racks to have..Wow
Maggey

Kaaren said...

Oh forget the sewing, Janet...just keep on cooking! The aroma has drifted across the many seas and is gently drifting in through my studio window.

I'll have a tiny taste of each, please. *wink*

Daniëlle said...

thanks so much for the lovely photographs and the yummy ones hihi! Mouthwatering the last two!! Too bad we don't have that program here in Holland! Have a nice weekend, Daniëlle

merumo said...

What a relaxing summer day with fun baking and walking around the neighborhood! Did you get some quilty fun time as well?

Anonymous said...

I think you've delighted all of our senses today with imagination of taste, smell and just seeing....oh my!

Carrie said...

Thank you. All the heavenly sights and smells in your kitchen got my mouth watering and then you let me walk it off with a lovely walk through the neighborhood. :)

I love that you baked the sourdough in an oval Dutch oven, and the pizza and other bread looks/sounds divine. But what were the biscuits? Bread ~ and carbs ~ are definitely my weakness. Thank you for making it such a guilt-free "tasting".

Kath said...

I would love to spend the day with you Janet, but I fear my waistline would suffer badly :D

Shirley said...

I'll bring the plonk and my sewing and we are away. I can be there in ooooh! 24 hours. Save me some.
Love Shirley.x

Rhondi said...

Oh that bread looks too yummy!I can almost smell it. No one is using their ovens here right now becaue it's too hot!!

Barb said...

I'll be right over - the oven looks great and the results delicious!
happy weekend

Deb said...

Yummy, they all look delicious! Please can you share your recipe for yor grape bread?????
I love Masterchief, I hope they show the next Aussie series here soon, the first one was great, so much better than ours was.
hugs Deb
Oh to have a new oven (sigh)

Sandy said...

I love the pictures of your environment!!!! So very different from the flowers I see here in MD, USA- and we don't have any litle lizards- Unfortunately we do see things dumpers leave....sheesh.
I can almost, not quite, but almost SMELL your scrumptious looking bread! LOL Sandy

Anonymous said...

Beautiful photographs Janet and I adore the sourdough bread! Such a contrast to where we live, we have frost most mornings and it is very cold here in Victoria. We are also watching Masterchef! That surely is the cleanest oven I have ever seen ~ LOL. Best wishes, Ann

Becky said...

I'd love to go for a walk with you. The photographs are wonderful. I love pizza :) Enjoy your new oven. self-cleaning oven. I'd buy one immediately.

BubzRugz said...

Yum, yum and yum. I love all your pictures there and the idea of enjoying the simple pleasures - am off to make a plunger coffee and sit with hubz to watch the birds.... hugz

Cardygirl said...

Yum...your house must smell beautiful! Love the dragon!

Chookyblue...... said...

the day looks pretty good at your place........lovely fungi things.....and I didn't realise they had the recipe on there for the bread........it looked great......

Wendi said...

Hmm,
Wish I could have visited for the day!
Your area is lovely, and I can nearly smell the baking from the computer screen!

Anonymous said...

Oh yum! I love Master Chef too. What are we going to do when it finishes in a few short weeks? ;o(

Gorgeous photos. Those banksias are so beautiful. You live in a gorgeous area. :o)

Julia said...

Nothing beats home-baked bread...yum! my pet hate too..I hate cleaning ovens and fridges too!
Julia ♥

jean said...

Janet, What a lovely post, love the photos of the bush. Your bread looks delicious as does the pizza, I am a fan of homemade pizza it really beats the takeaway pizza. I too love Masterchef but have been away for 9 days so have missed so much of it. I will be watching tonight though.

Thimbleanna said...

Lots of yummy cooking Janet -- it looks delicious! And how beautiful your area is -- even with that big ol' creepy crawlie thing there in the middle LOL!

Quilts And Pieces said...

Oh does that bread and pizza look wonderful! Wish I could come over for a bite! And I loved all your nature pictures. I loved the look of those Banksia. That is a pretty cool pic. Too hot here for baking. We picked up chicken because we were all too hot and lazy today!

Lisa said...

Janet, I will never get tired of seeing all your wonderful Australian flora and fauna! What a beautiful country you live in.

Munaiba said...

Your sourdough bread looks fantastic. The other bread that you adapted from the Masterchef show I was thinking of making savoury and using kalamata olives instead of grapes. Your's look really delicious.

antique quilter said...

the bread looks so yummy but that pizza is calling my name looks so good!
thanks for the pictures of your neighborhood
always fun to see
Kathie

Rachaeldaisy said...

What a wonderful day! I could smell that bread in the photo, and I've put pizza on my meal plan for this week after seeing yours. I didn't even know you could get self cleaning ovens, a brilliant idea!! You're so right, cleaning ovens is the worst job!! The flowers are lovely and the mushies are so much fun, aren't they. Thanks for taking us for a walk through your neighborhood and your kitchen.

Nat Palaskas said...

Nice post Janet. Thanks for taking us for a walk in the wood with you. The cooking looks yummy. I must try your sourdough recipe one day too - Hugs Nat

*karendianne. said...

Janet, your environment intrigues me. I thank you so, so much for sharing this. I love the flowers. They're so interesting, aren't they? So different from what I ever get to see and the dragons... I think they're pretty in their own way. Actually, I love them. They open my mind the sense of the World and how long we've been here (or how few the years). When I was enjoying your photos of the cooking I thought to myself how everything you do is beautiful. You are one of those people that can't help being creative and making everything "nice." I admire and aspire to that! :) Dreaming on, *karendianne.

Deb said...

Yum - you're making me hungry. I love the sound of the schiacciatta. What an amazing post. Lovely bushland you have close by.

Sue-Anne said...

Now I am really hungry! I saw that episode of Masterchef with the bread making and yours is right up there with the experts!
I loved your photos of your walk and those toadstools opened up are gorgeous!

Nieves said...

Your home sounds like heaven...

Carol said...

Can I come for a visit?

Janet said...

I could use a self cleaning fridge too! Can I come over for a piece of that pizza? It looks SO yummy! The dragon pictures are so interesting - my son would love to see dragons on a walk in our neighborhood.

Dixie Howard said...

Love the visual walk around your neighborhood. Hubby and I ride our bikes on the trail to the river, so I'll have to blog about that one of these days. The pictures of your bread and pizza are so amazing that I can almost smell it! Looks wonderful.

Kim D. said...

Oh yummy, all the breads look so good. I love pizza, but I know it isn't the best for you. Thanks for sharing your little walk with us.

Carrie P. said...

Oh, girl, you are making me hungry. I would rather eat those things than dessert.
wow, what a great place to walk and view nature. Love your little dragons and those orange flowers are so cool.

Sew Create It - Jane said...

ooooh you are making me hungry!

Your bread looks so delicious!

Nanette Merrill said...

Hmm. That gives me a great idea about using other pans for cottage type bread. I'm sure it tasted lovely.