parley view parsnip. . . random

Monday is just starting and I am swamped with paperwork.

Just a few photos of the weekend.

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A little rain and the desert turns green.

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 The colors on the clouds were so beautiful. 

I think I will have to look for a better phone camera.

Sometimes I just can not get the color right. 

This was a rosy, lavender blue gold clouds.

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And of course just because I can here is your pretty to start the week.

yesh i thehamish gots new toy

i thehamish is likin' this one its' got squeakie'

 shankin' it

 waggie' tail

When I sit at my worktable, someone is always there.

working. . . parsnip

music. . . Wrapped Around Your Little Finger,  The Police

Square Dog Friday. . . thehamish revenge !

Oh My Goodness, no Wednesday or Friday post last week.

Their contract states I must not miss a 

Square Dog post on Friday.

But I did.

Oh My Goodness !  Not dragged to arbitration again !

But thehamish gave me a pass, both he and I have been very ill.

And we are just too tired. I have miss a few Monday and Wednesdays posts.
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Now on to the good stuff.
Lets hit it.
wuff !

Yesh i thehamish is the gud stuff

wuff nice tall person who feeds us

i thehamish is hearin' something

yesh i thehamish is hearin' fud

wait is that chkikin'

bummer no chkikin i thehamish is bereif

what did i thehamish hear i thehamish was hoping for food.

maybe just a hope of chkikin'

woe is me

 woe

This photo was taken right before going to sleep.
I adore gud dug's noses way up close.

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Here is your pretty for the start of the weekend.

I have been entering John's "Blogger contest for the Trelawnyd Flower and Vegetable Show".
 It is his followers way to enter the crazy veggie online contest.

You find a vegetable  from your garden (or bought for us bloggers) and
then think up an idea. It is suppose to be your idea, Not pinterest but...
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The esteemed judge picks a first and second place from the photos taped up in the village hall.
It is a crazy way for John's followers to enter the show even though we live across the pond.
For me it is so much fun to think up an idea and then try to make it. Just fun.
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This was my entry for 2016

My garden grows Prickly Pear Cactus.
 I used the Pads or Nopales and Fruit or Pears for my monster entry this year.
I am still picking out the very thin thorns or glochids from my arms, legs and hands.
What a huge mess.

Last years monster, I love Space Aliens and monsters and take time to really think about
what I will make.
..

 Here is The Angryparsnip disposing of a carrot that everyone
picks and eats instead of trying  how wonderful Parsnips are.
Woe.

 Prickly Pear cactus fruit.

Zombie Walking Dead cactus fruit from last year.
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None won !
Woe
Oh woe oh woe is me.
As thehamish would say.

carrot . . . parsnip
music. . . Tom's Diner, Suzanne Vega

Wednesday in Japan, quick pickles

Weaver and several friends wanted to know how I made Quick Japanese Pickles.

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I grew up  eating Polish foods which has a lot of pickled dishes and pickles.
So I just love anything pickled, along with Japanese and Korean pickled veggies.

One of my favorite foods are Japanese Quick Pickles.

Super easy to make, with none of the bother, for me of the water bath

or special jars and equipment.
You just make them and eat. You can keep them a week

or so if they last that long.
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Green beans, carrots and onions and radishes.

I follow several blogs where they grow their own food and pickle, jar, jam or chutney 

every bit of their crops and it looks so wonderful and tasty. Plus necessary for cold,
icy, wet or snowed in winter where they live.

Quick pickled shallots and green beans. We used them right away for dinner.

As for me I drive just down the street and pick my veggies and fruit there.

If I am making a certain dinner I will plan to make the pickles the day before or that morning.

Mostly I just look in the refrigerator and see if any veggies are there for pickling to eat with my lunch,  dinner or to snack on. 

I will have them on rice for a simple breakfast or lunch you can also add a protein, on a Banh mi
Vietnamese- French sandwich (the way John Grey loves Scotched Eggs I adore Banh mi)
Chopped up and added to Ramen or Pho (Vietnamese Noodle soup)

Fabulous on cheeseburger, next to a main dish or just to munch on.

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 Vegetarian Pad Thai with tofu and crunchy carrots, radishes and cucumbers.

Duck stew with pickled veggies.

The basic brine is Japanese rice or a white vinegar, water some sugar and salt.

It is either cooked or fresh.

That is it. 

Of course you can add some herbs or spices.

If you can make Oshinko which are crunchy pickles that are made by salting

and pressing carrots, radishes or cucumbers. I don't make these but so yummy.

For carrots, green bean (blanched) and cucumbers you will boil 

1 cup of vinegar (rice or white vinegar)

1/2 cup sugar (I never add this much to sweet for me. I use way way less.

1 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds, celery seed and black peppercorn

Bring to a boil.

I never measure so I am just guessing here.
Put veggies in jars add, lemon slices, red pepper flakes, chilies, garlic or whatever you like.

Pour in hot liquid, let cool, cover and refrigerate for at least a day before
eating. Good for a week. If they last that long.
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 Jicama

Garlic and Jalapeno

For onions I just use apple vinegar, water a pinch of salt and sugar mix well.
Use a plastic bag or dish, cover and let sit for at least 15 minutes to a hour at room temperature

Radishes are the same just use rice or white vinegar.

This works well for eating right now or later in the day.
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I have to be careful of nightshades so cooked onions are fine but if I want to eat

a raw onion I need to do a quick pickle or I get a headache after a few bites.

Quick pickling just works great for me.
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Kumquats

Now for something new. I haven't tried this yet but instead of tossing your stems

from  kale  to your chickens or compost you can pickle them !

Shock # 2

Avocado Pickles

What ?
Just what did I say ?

If you want an avocado right away and all you have are hard really rock hard

avocados this is for you.

From "The Kitchen"

I cup vinegar, white or rice.

1 cup of water 

1/2 half cup of sugar (way to sweet for me I will cut way back )

1 tablespoon salt

1/2 teaspoon whole peppercorns 

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (I added more)

Extras:

garlic, mustard seeds (I use) caraway seeds, coriander seeds

Place vinegar, water, sugar, salt peppercorns, red pepper flakes, add any other extras
you want and bring to a boil, stir occasionally to dissolve the sugar and salt.
Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Peel and pit avocado. Slice or cube. Put into jars and pour over the cool brine.
Completely cover the avocados.
Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours. Will keep up to a week.

I thought this too sweet. The next time I make this I will add garlic, onion, chilies
and whatever. While I like my guacamole very natural, salt, pepper, lemon or lime juice,
that's all and Oh My Goodness no tomatoes !
I think  these "pickles" will work with whatever you toss in.
Like Ceviche the acid "cookes the avocado" or so I think !
But really what do I know.

I have "lost" many of my pickled veggies photos.
So the few I did find I hope helps.

Also: Tomorrow is Mountain Day.
So everyone go hug a Mountain and that means you especially Willian !

pickled. . . parsnip
music. . . How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful,  Florence + The Machine

parley view parsnip... clouds rain, rain clouds. . . rain

Some weekend photos of clouds, rain more clouds and some rain.

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 Fast moving wind is pushing the storm west.
Looks like it is traveling east but it is really moving west (right)

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Last week's amazing sunset.

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 If you can make this one bigger, the lines and colors near the land are fabulous.

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 When the sun sets the colors change fast.

 Sundays clouds.

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 Love love love the circle tube cloud.

 Same clouds later in the evening at sunset. Looking north with the sunset colors from the west.


As always, just because I can here is your pretty for the start of the week.

A smiling Hawaiian Kiauea volcano.

update,

I wrote this post Sunday night. 

The Monday morning clouds are thick and full with moisture.

The air if fresh and full of the green rain desert purfume.

 The washes and rivers are all full with the runoff. If I can sometime today I will try to

go out and shot a few photos. 

raining. . . parsnip

music. . . Breathe,  Alexi Murdoch