Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program - SSS: Term 2

This week we celebrate National Volunteer Week – a perfect time to thank and acknowledge the work of our wonderful Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program Volunteers. Our chickens continue to be cared for by Laurie, Shaani and Mel who give up weekend and holiday time to do this. In kitchen we are most fortunate to have Jacqui, Lou, Keren, Bev, Mal, Lisa, Kathy and Marilyn – it would be virtually impossible to run our program without this support. And of course we still need more volunteers – do consider joining us please!

For the last two weeks our menu has been:

Ravioli filled with Pear & Cheese - served with a Herb Butter Sauce
Potato Salad
Pumpkin Soup
Italian Vegetable Stew
Grissini

Here are our recipes:

Grissini

This recipe is very popular with our reluctant eaters. A few years ago Grissini sticks were the first food that Regan would eat at the table with us and last week we had a similar experience with Kaitlin and Ryan P.!

(makes 30)

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups warm water

6 tablespoons oil

3 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons sugar

1 cup wholemeal flour

3 cups bread flour

1 tablespoon herbs

1 ½ tablespoons yeast

Method:

· Place ingredients into bread maker in the order listed above

· Press MENU to setting DOUGH

· Press START

· Dough will be ready in 1 ½ hours (this may vary depending on machine)

· Divide into about 30 and roll into snake like pieces

· Place on baking tray and cover with lightly greased plastic wrap

· Leave for 15 minutes to rise

· Bake at 200 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes

Note:

If you do not have a bread maker:

· Mix ingredients as above & knead for 10 minutes

· Cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour (until double in size)

Ravioli:

Pasta

Ingredients:

3 cups pasta flour

2 teaspoons salt

4 eggs

Flour for dusting

Method:

· Place everything into food processor

· Blend until a soft dough is produced – you may need to add one or even two more eggs if the dough feels too dry

· Cover in plastic wrap and leave for at least one hour

· Break into 6 pieces

· For each piece:

· Flatten

· Make into rectangle

· Run through machine on widest setting 6 times – folding it back to original size each time

· Change to next setting and roll once

· Repeat to second thinnest setting (cut in half if it gets too long)

· Dust with flour if pasta gets sticky

· Repeat with other 5 pieces

· Place ½ teaspoon filling in rows along pasta

· Brush water along rows or spray with a water spray bottle

· Cover with more pasta – either fold the sheet over or cover with another sheet

· Use pasta cutter or a knife to cut ravioli

· Make sauce

· Boil ravioli in salted water 4 minutes

· Warm pasta sauce and pour over ravioli to serve

Pear & Cheese Filling & Herb Sauce

Ingredients:

Filling:

250g pears
250g cheese
1 ½ tablespoons cream cheese
1 cup fresh herbs

Sauce:

250g butter
2 tablespoons oil
1 cup fresh herbs

Method:

Pear and Cheese Filling:

· Grate pears and cheese

· Chop herbs

· Mix all filling ingredients together

Herb Sauce:

· Chop herbs

· Melt butter

· Add oil and herbs to butter

Pumpkin Soup

We were delighted to see Freya tucking into our Pumpkin Soup this week.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

3kg pumpkin

2 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves

6 cups water
1 tablespoon stock powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup parsley
1 cup yoghurt
Milk or water to dilute if needed

Method:

· Peel and chop pumpkin and fry in the stockpot with the bay leaves until soft but not brown

· Add stock and water

· Simmer for 20 minutes until pumpkin is tender

· Remove bay leaves

· Blend until smooth using a stick blender

· Taste and add salt and pepper as required

· Add water or milk if soup is too thick

· Chop parsley

· Serve garnished with parsley and yoghurt

Italian Vegetable Stew

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic

1 large onion

800g can tomatoes

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

½ teaspoon dried thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

2kg vegetables
Large bunch fresh herbs

Method:

· Choose vegetables

· Crush garlic

· Chop vegetables and herbs

· Fry vegetables in oil with crushed garlic and dried herbs for about 15 minutes

· Add tomatoes and fresh herbs and boil until all vegetables are tender

· Add salt and pepper to taste

Potato Salad

Ingredients:

2kg potatoes

1 cup chives

Salt and pepper

1 cup whole egg mayonnaise

1 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons white vinegar

1 tablespoon hot water

Method:

· Peel potatoes

· Chop potatoes and chives

· Boil potatoes until tender (about 15 minutes)

· Drain potatoes and cool for 15 minutes

· Mix mayonnaise, sour cream, water and vinegar

· Add salt and pepper to taste

· Mix potatoes and chives in a large bowl (gently)

· Pour mayonnaise mixture over ingredients and mix (gently)

Add caption

We managed to get some snow peas planted last week and also do some weeding and lots of harvesting; unfortunately the weather has restricted us a little this week, but we have been learning some great gardening songs that should help us with our planting and our plant identification.

We still need volunteers for 2015!!

It would be very difficult to run our Program without the assistance of volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering do contact me through school or by my email – pauline.snell@education.tas.gov.au. We are always in need of volunteers in the kitchen and are happy for you to come on a regular basis or just occasionally. There are three options:

08.30 to 11.00 – food preparation and setting up
11.00 to 12.30 – cooking and eating with the students
12.30 to 02.00 – clearing away and washing up

And a few more photos: