Three Sisters Planting system

This year, I'm going to try something new at the allotment.  I always have the best intentions, then when I get to planting, I get bored with the preparation so I bung everything in a well-it-looks-straight-to-me fashion and I'm totally sure that in a few months time I'll remember what I planted in which half of the bed! It's a system that seems to work for me, but I'm intrigued by this one and really AM going to do it properly.  Honest.

I've got the corn on the windowsill growing nicely, just planted the beans seeds, some squash are coming up - so I'm ready to start this Tuesday 23 April 2013.  There.  Date set.  Must achieve!

And because I'm a very honest person, I'm not even going to pretend that this Native American system is even remotely my idea!  Although I can't remember where I first heard about it, this was the most informative site I found, with plans I could understand (and hopefully follow - which would be no fault of theirs if I didn't!)  How to set out your bed 

Incase you can't be bothered reading about it in full, what I'm basically going to do is have sweetcorn, beans and squashes all growing in the same bed.  In a nutshell there are lots of mounds of mud, the corn is planted first (4 in a diamond shapes leaving space between the mounds) , then when they get taller the beans are planted (4 in a square, in the same space as the corn) then the squash is planted in between the corn/bean mounds.  The idea is that the corn supports the beans and the squash restricts the weeds, and lots of blah, blah, blah about nutrients and water used.

I'll keep you updated and put in photos as it progresses, because I'm quietly confident on this one, and because I can't help but experiment, I'm going to try it with the dwarf varieties as well!

17 Aug 2012 - Finally....there's bean success

 After 3 attempts at growing any kind of legumes this year, we have finally got signs of life!  Our persistance has now paid off!   Therew are broad beans and generic peas on the rows by the stake-ends, and nasturtium in the middle - quite easy to see which  leaves they are!  Very happy!

broad beans

broad beans & nasturtium

peas & nasturtium

There was a visitor to the neighbour's potato patch.... running away when I started taking photos, but I was quicker this time!

Lazy Risotto

This is one of my favourite recipes to make - partly because before this, I was rubbish at cooking rice (could kill a man with my rice, just by throwing it at him!)

In my true fashion, you'll be noticing a pattern with my cooking...... it uses one pot, and I don't stick to the recipe much.  Officially, it's Bacon & Leek Risotto.  I've done that a few times, highly recommend you try the original as well as my combinations, and then, pretty soon you'll be making it up as you go along!  My version is in brackets, you'll get the picture.

Technically, it serves 1 - it's a large portion, doubling the recipe serves 3.

1 Leek, sliced (brocolli, sprouts, cabbage, beans)

all the ingredients!

Some Bacon, cut up (tuna, chicken, corned beef, sandwich ham, kippers)
Oil for frying the above
3 types of herbs, about 1 teaspoon each (whatever I've got, spices or herbs)
1/3 oxo cube, other brands available (who cuts one of those up?!  Just don't add salt)
Salt (only if you cut up the oxo cube)
125ml uncooked rice, it might sound odd, but do measure it in mls (300ml serves 4)
Boil the kettle - you'll need 3 times the volume of the rice measured out

Preheat oven to 180c (160c for fan).  You'll need a saucpan with a lid that can go in the oven, or transfer to lidded dish when hob-work is done.

Fry the vege, when soft transfer to a bowl so you can fry off the meat.  When the meat's cooked, put the vege back in and mix.  Add in the herbs, oxo cube, salt and rice, stir for a few minutes to wake up the rice.  Add the water and stir until boiling. 

chicken & leek risotto

Put the lid on and put in the oven, 
Walk away for 40 mins. 
Serve! 

It's also really nice having for lunch the next day,
hot or cold.

Bean and Cheese Casserole

Today we had friends come for Sunday lunch and I felt like doing something a little different to a roast (will find out if they appreciated it later!)

It's an Alison Holst recipe from a book I've had for decades, "Meals Without Meat", but the oldies are usually the goodies.  I'm a religiously one-pot cook.  Don't speak to me if there is more than one pot on the go, it's the only time I can't multi-task!

Anyway, peer pressure from the lovely Claire, I've taken pics so maybe she can convince her boys to eat what they grow (even if it is beans!)

This serves 8, and in my usual fashion, I put in what I thought was right, rather than muck around with such trivialities like halving the recipe!  It looks like lots of ingredients, but most of it's probably in the cupboard anyway.  Here's the official version (my measurements in brackets)

2 cups pinto or kidney beans (1 tin kidney beans)
3 onions (some homegrown red onions)
2 large or 2 medium cooking apples (2 bramley apples, odd shaped)
2 tablespoons oil (some in the pan)
1 teaspoon chilli powder, to taste (some curry powder cos chilli hates me)
1 teaspoon mustard powder (couple of pinches)
1 teaspoon oreganum (didn't have any, mixed herbs'll do)
1 teaspoon salt (may have forgotten this)
black pepper (yay, measurements match!)
4 tomatoes, chopped (tin of plum tomatoes, bashed when stirring)
1/4 cup white wine (leftover white wine from last night)
2 cups grated cheddar or mozzarella cheese (grated lots, it was yellow)

Here's a pic of the home grown stuff.  Will be serving the broadbeans (shelled) and spinach on the side.  Hope you noticed the cookbook holder - kettle, chopping board and peg (no, I don't want a proper one) Pure class!

Spinach and unshelled broad beans, some shelled broad beans and red onions

 The stressy part - two pots here!!!!  Cook the beans for about an hour to soften (kidney beans should boil for about 15 mins).  Chop and saute the onions and apples.











Put everything in a casserole dish and bake for 30 mins at 180 (160 if it's fan oven).  Relax, back to one pot ;-)

Stir in grated cheese and return to oven for another 10 mins. 

Serve with crusty bread and veges.  Voila!

27 Dec 2011 - first planting

Well, it's a bit late, but the broadbeans are in.  As we inherited lots of tyres, I planted 13 beans round each (a good number!) and will grow herbs, bulbs or flowers in the middle of the tyres later.

Forgot my string, but quietly confident that the canes won't blow away.....