Can't beet a root #openslather

Boggy is known for his 'dad joke' sayings. 'You can't beet-a-root', is one of those. It's said when the fact that beetroot is on the dinner plate, comes up in conversation at the table. Probably not appropriate in front of posh company.

Izzy has confidently come out with it at our tea time in a matter-of-fact way, being quite pleased with herself. Little dag.

With the onset of warmer weather, a can of beetroot is always in the pantry. I serve it up with salads, we all love it except for Izzy, so in her case you CAN beet a root(vegetable that is)! Even Summer has a go at it.

I've tried to grow them before with not much success. I'm having another go with some heirloom beetroot seedlings I got from my brother in law. I think they are different colours to the normal beetroot. If nothing else goes right, at least I can use the leaves in salads.

If you're into companion planting they grow well with onions, silverbeet, lettuce, cabbage and dwarf beans, but not well with taller beans.

I have mine growing in a wine barrel with a cherry tomato, well see how they go.

I got some off Mum that she's just pulled up and put them in jars.

Bake for two hours at 180 degrees in a tray covered with foil. Put the bigger ones around the outsides of the tray and the smaller ones in the middle. Let cool in the tray.

With gloves on, peel and slice or quarter, however you like them.

Put the slices into cold sterilised jars. To sterilise jars I put them in a 150 degree oven for about 15 minutes. Always put cold into cold jars and hot into hot jars, you might crack or shatter the glass otherwise.

Take a cup of liquid, use any juice from the pan, if any, with water.
Mix with one cup of vinegar.
Pour this into the jar to cover the beetroot.
I chucked a bay leaf in each jar with two peppercorns as well. 

You may have to make more depending on how much you have to jar.

Keep the jars in the fridge.

Are you a beetroot fan? How do you love to eat yours?

From black suede to pink wink #openslather

Boggy changed jobs a few weeks ago, he's back driving a truck to Portland from the Mount everyday again. More money(fist pump) and a much happier hubby.

He had a week off before starting the new job and decided that Izzy needed a pink wall. This room used to Jakes, and the black suede wall served him well, but it was time to make it a bit more girly.

There were a couple of photos at the start of the wall, but too
much 'brickies cleavage' showing ;)

I bought some new pink blockout curtains from KMart for thirty bucks, bargain. Izzy has been sleeping in until 8 most mornings, I'm not sure if they have something to do with it, but I am not complaining one bit. Best $30 I've spent in a while. 

I know I wouldn't have got curtains ready to go at Spotlight for that price, and after the crappy time I had with their service and two kids in tow last time I was there, I wasn't keen to go back.

We had some left over ceiling white in the shed, and used this to lighten the wall, before Boggy put the pink on. He did a fantastic job, for someone who has never liked to paint, maybe because he never had a little girl to paint pink walls for ;)

Yes, Izzy has a queen size bed, she moved right on in to Jakeys old bed.
The painting on the wall is one he did at school too. It's been hanging
in this same spot for years. 

Inspired by thirty minutes gardening with the husband

I don't know about you, there are some times when I just want to punch my husband in the throat. I've said before he's not a gardeners arsehole, and listening to him moan and complain while half arsedly help me pull ivy from the garden has inspired the following.

An arvo at AAMI, Port vs Carlton

On Saturday arvo, along with forty five thousand others, we made our way to AAMI Stadium in West Lakes, for the last of the AFL home and away matches. 

It was a snap decision earlier in the week to go and see Port Adelaide take on Carlton. It's the first time we'd been to AAMI, and the girls first ever AFL footy match. 

It was packed, the atmosphere was awesome, and the kids were perfect. The only complaint from Izzy was when she couldn't hear my phone from all the noise in the last quarter, she took numerous photos of the back of the head of the man in front of us. Summer slept through most of the last half and woke to chants of 'Power, power, power', and the raucous that comes with a close tussle.

Port dominated up until the last quarter when Carlton came back from nowhere to win by a point. I like to think Kenny (the port coach) told the boys to take it easy in that last quarter, to save themselves for this weekends final against Collingwood. That's my theory for Port losing and I'm sticking by it. 

I heard a Carlton supporter yell out "Carlton are playing like shit, and we're still beating them", keep thinking that sunshine, they let you have it. 

I haven't really followed much of Collingwoods games this season, so I'll will be torn watching this Saturday night. I'm a sucker for going for the underdog, so I think my heart will be with Port. I am a South Australian after all. 

The sun sunk below the members stand during half time, so we got some reprieve after that. Lots of sunscreen before then.

Dad's influence. Throwing undies up into the fan, and watching them fly around the room.
It had us all cackling in the hotel room that morning.

Stuff with Dad