Winter warmers

With the crisp bite of autumn in the air, getting out of bed gets harder each morning. With my deep red crocheted socks (thanx mom!) I shuffle about the house thinking: "I need more of these". There's just something about homemade winter wear that can't be beaten by a store bought jersey. I love wool. It has the ability to trap one's body heat and create a cozy home for a cold body. And the variety out there is astonishing! Knitted goods and crafts are very trendy at the moment, but be sure to stick with plain colours or a combination of two colours (see examples below). Refrain from using too many colours together. Emerald, grey, eggshell and navy are this seasons trendy colours.

Now is the perfect time to start knitting before winter's glorious fury hits. On my quest for more wooly items, I came across some pretty and practical knitting ideas.

Here are a few items that caught my attention:

I'd love to try some of these patterns, wouldn't you?

Knitting Freak is one website where knitting patterns and tutorials are exchanged. Signing up is quick and easy, and the patterns are mostly free. (And don't we love free!)

Here are some links to free knitting and crocheting patterns:
http://www.free-knitpatterns.com/
http://www.knittingfreak.com/
http://www.redheart.com/
http://www.crochetpatterncentral.com/

Let the knitting begin!

Easy homemade yoghurt

Yoghurt is one of life's amazingly good superfoods. With this easy recipe you can make your own at home in six easy steps. Flavour with chopped fruit or berries, honey with nuts or seeds, cinnamon, molasses, a little jam or enjoy natural.

What you'll need:

1 liter (4 cups)  Full cream milk (preferably raw)

45 ml (3 tbs)     Bulgarian or Greek yoghurt (with live cultures), thinned with a little milk

*You will need a candy or deep fry thermometer to make yoghurt. (Available at Mann&Sons, 

NB Enterprises’ Kitchen Kingdom and other kitchen appliance stores)

Let's get started!

1.     Heat the milk in a large pot, stirring regularly.

2.     When it comes to 80°c, remove from heat and let it cool to 45°c. To speed up this process, the pot can be placed in a sink filled with ice water, but don’t let the temperature drop below 45°c.

3.     Now add the thinned yoghurt to the milk in a circular motion. Do not stir.

4.     Cover with lid or clean hand towel and place pot in a warm, quiet place in the kitchen. Leave undisturbed for 8 hours. (Longer will give a tangier taste)

5.     Drain any excess liquid from yoghurt (using a cheese cloth lined in a colander).

6.     Place yoghurt in a plastic or tupper container and refrigerate.

Enjoy and remember to reserve 45ml for your next batch!

This is how mine turned out: thick and creamy...

To make cottage cheese, allow yoghurt to drain for 4 – 6 hours (step 5). 

*Reserve the weigh in the refrigerator for cooking, baking and soaking grains. It will keep for 

about 5 – 6 months.

Where it all started...

Homemade yogurt, bottled fruits, pickled peppadews, home brewed fruit beer, knitted socks and self-made clothing - it all started with a garden.

I have developed a passion - maybe even an obsession - for gardening. I never understood the fuss, until I got my hands dirty in our own garden.

The buying of the seeds

the preparation of the soil

the planting

the watering

the waiting

watering

waiting...
...

and then!

A tiny spot of bright green starts pushing itself up from under the soil. Oh! It must be one of life’s most magnificent phenomena! The garden soon became lush with various shades of green, and I realised that we have created a living work of art. White and yellow flowers started to appear, after which green fruits slowly developed into a warm palette of bright orange and red. And when the first vegetable is picked, washed and tasted, the masterpiece is completed.

In comparison to a store-bought vegetable, the taste is just indescribable! What have I been missing all this time! And that is when I realised that there is so much more to homemade products than meets the eye. Soon my husband and I started experimenting with cheese making, beer brewing and canning fruits and vegetables.

The wonder of making products yourself is not necessarily the fact that you know exactly what went into your product and that it is whole and good, but the fact that the money you would have spent on a store-bought item is still in your wallet – not in the bank accounts of overly wealthy businessmen.

And the feeling of accomplishment when enjoying your own products is spectacular. It really is a work of art, wouldn't you say?