July 2021 Issue #191

Hello,

What fun that we both love gardening. Thanks for joining me.

1) Mr Chips chips
2) Eco gardening tips
3) Pappardelle Pasta & Veg

Years ago I used to love the sign outside a Mr Chips shop here, saying: "Please Mr Chips can I have some Mr Chips chips."

Eco gardening tips

• Bird feed
  Don't waste left over fat; mix some rolled oats in the fat and feed to birds. Or pour the fat into a container. Keep in fridge and when there's enough, mix with rolled oats or bird seed until it's crumbly and easy to manage. This is a good way to feed birds as the fat doesn't stay in lumps and stick to their beaks and feathers.

  
  

• Staggered
  Not you, but your veggies! Stagger your plantings so you can harvest all year. It's so hard for some gardeners to do, but c'mon be disciplined and do what Thomas Jefferson did at Monticello Gardens in Virginia, US... "plant a thimbleful of lettuce seeds every Monday."

  He did this from Feb to Sept, and depending where you live, you can too, as well as lots of in-season seeds. Even tiny gardens can stagger seeds, maybe ¼ thimbleful every Mon—that's if you can find a thimble!




• Bamboo stakes
  Bamboo makes excellent stakes. Don't worry about bamboo growing from stakes, it wont. You can safely poke them in the ground, even if they are freshly cut. They are a species of grass, and you can't grow grass from a leaf, which is what a bamboo stalk is. It needs a bit of root to grow.

Raised Garden Fabric Planter Bed

Looking for a tidy way to grow plants?

This all new natural fabric planter bed is easy to set up, easy to move, easy to maintain and super easy to enjoy the rewards!

Keeps out burrowing pests and helps stop wandering dogs. Kids love their own small raised garden, and you can have a larger size. Check them out here.

Pappardelle Pasta & Veg

Mmm, creamy and delicious. Thanks to Olivia Galletly/NZ House & Garden

Ingredients

• 400g pappardelle pasta
• 2 carrots, peeled
• 2 parsnips, peeled
• 4 shallots, peeled
• 1 knob of butter
• 1 Tbln olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 200ml cream
• Leaves from 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• ¼ cup grated parmesan, plus extra to serve sprinkled on top
• ½ tsp lemon zest
• Salt and pepper to season
• 1 Tbln lemon juice.

Method

1. Slice the parsnips, carrots and shallots into very thin discs. A mandolin is good for this.
2. Heat oil and butter in a large frypan over medium heat. Add parsnips and carrots, fry until the edges become golden and crispy, then remove from pan.
3. Add shallots to pan and fry until golden and crisp. Remove from pan and set aside from the veg.
4. Add garlic and fresh thyme to pan and fry for 1 minute – don’t let the garlic brown. Add cream and half of the grated parmesan and simmer until thickened.
5. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Cook pappardelle according to packet instructions or until tender (7-10 minutes). Reserve ⅓ cup of the pasta water and drain off the rest.
6. Add pasta water to the cream along with the fried parsnips, carrots and half the shallots. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Add remaining parmesan, lemon zest and juice and stir through. Season.
7. Stir the pasta through sauce and serve topped with remaining fried shallots and extra parmesan cheese.
8. Serve with a crisp green salad or steamed greens.

Preparation time: Approximately 15-20 minutes
Cooking time: Approximately 10-12 minutes
Serves: 4

Live, love and garden
Megan