Pumpkin and herb damper

Pumpkins are ripening in gardens now, if not, gardeners have picked them, and are cutting them up for use.

This handy, quick and rustic damper recipe is good for mopping up casserole juices, for dipping in soups, or just because with a spread of butter or cream cheese.

If you don't have pumpkin ready, mashed potato works just as well.

Pumpkin Damper
1 cup mashed pumpkin
3 cups self-raising flour
3 teaspoons margarine
2 tablespoons dried herbs
1/4 teaspoon salt
pepper
1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 220C.

In a bowl, add flour, salt, pepper and herbs. 
(optional extras here could be 1 teaspoon of cumin for a pumpkin damper, or 1 tspn paprika for a potato damper)

Rub margarine into flour.

Mix the pumpkin with the milk, then add to the flour until a soft dough forms.

Place the dough onto a greased tray and press into a 25 cm round. Cut the round into 8 segments, 2cm deep.
(you could sprinkle the top here with pepita seeds or sesame seeds if you like)

Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180C for 20-30 minutes.

April #onemothergarden

The view from the front door, which is a sliding door, so the view
is the same when the door is shut :)

Just Joey

Mr Lincoln. Very apt, I have a new nephew named Lincoln :)

Penstemon

Chicago peace

No idea what this one is called, but it's pretty and smells gorgeous

Sally Holmes

Seduction

After I took photos, Summer picked grass.  I have really been enjoying her company the days
when Izzy is at kindy. She still has remnants of lunch on her face, sausage roll with
sauce and a chocolate donut.

Passionfruit self saucing pudding

Don't think I am complaining, I secretly love it when someone comes round and plonks a bag full of fresh homegrown food on my kitchen bench. It means I get to cook something new.

A week ago my sister brought over a heap of passionfruit. My first thought was what the heck am I going to do with all those. The look on my face must have read the same, she said "You don't have to have them." I had my poker face on when my sister in law sat a bag of quinces on the bench yesterday!

It's happening more and more frequently. An uncle I have hardly anything to do with left a bag of spuds, a box of apples and a bag of peaches at my brothers place for me. Do I scream give me all your unwanted food stuffs?!

Turns out Summer is a real fan of passionfruit, could eat them all day. I'd probably let her but the resulting mess in her nappies isn't pretty! I am slowly convincing myself to start toilet training her, maybe after the school holidays. I may have psyched myself up by then. It has to happen sometime soon. Oh, the joy.....

I did drop off some passionfruit iced vanilla slice and some passionfruit pudding off at my sisters to say thanks for the fruit. I also made some passionfruit custards, baked in teacups, so good! Me and hubby ate those. They weren't going anywhere!

This is the recipe I made up for the pudding :) It's delicious :D

Passionfruit self saucing pudding

2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons Self Raising flour
pinch salt
1 cup low fat milk
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup dessicated coconut
1/4 cup passionfruit pulp(with seeds)
1 tablespoon sugar

Preheat oven to 180 C.

Separate eggs.
Beat egg yolks with the half cup of sugar.
Beat in milk, flour, lemon juice, salt and passionfruit.
Beat egg white until frothy, add the tablespoon of sugar and beat until soft peaks form.
Fold the egg white mixture into passionfruit mix.
Pour into a greased dish. Stand dish in a pan of cold water, so water goes half way up the sides of the dish.
Bake for 40-50 minutes.

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An InLinkz Link-up

A week of sticky notes

The last week I have joined in with Emily at Have a laugh on me for her #projectcalmdownmum.

I can relate so much to it. I am definitely one to lose my shit when things get hairy with the kids.

It is something I feel guilty about and try hard to curb.

Em has really got her fingers in the right pie with this one. An Instagram friend asked me about the project yesterday and I was happy to fill her in. She commented it helped her, seeing the notes, she felt better because she realised she wasn't alone in her shit cracking ways.

She said, she realised, it doesn't matter how someone is dressed, or acts in public, we are all in the same boat when it comes to parenting. This shiz is hard, and we are not perfect, sometimes we lose our shit.

What is important, is that we see the need to change our attitude and habits(one sticky note at a time). 

The note I posted before going here

Stuck on the kettle, coz coffee is my friend, and that makes me happy

Oh, having a cow is my speciality. Something I learnt from my mum o-0

Where's my frickin medal wand?.....

So important to calm down before you let a heap of sparks fly, yet so hard to do in that
moment before losing your shizzle and having a total hissy fit. Mine usually includes
a few f words. Also not cool when the 4 year old thinks its funny
to get the 2 year old to repeat said f words. Lots of giggles and shame,
shame from the mummy o_0

The calendar on the fridge. It's a day to day battle.

#yodashitgoddammityodashityodashit 

One of Izzys many contributions to the cause. I am sure this says
'Hang in there Mum, you're doin' alright' xx Yeah well maybe
it is just a heap of i's and two's and p's!!! Oh look and an 'f' at the end.
Just like muma!! Ahem.....