Winter warmers - Minestrone soup & herb scones

Finally it rained last night! It has been dry across Western Australia throughout March-April-May, causing grave concerns particularly among farmers, but finally the drought has broken and winter has arrived. Though we need much more rain, so keep it coming! rain let it rain!

And it has certainly been cold, perfect soup weather. Last weekend I made Minestrone soup, so I thought I'd share the recipe with you here. 

MINESTRONE SOUP

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 clove garlic

1 large onion

60g ham or bacon

2 sticks celery

1 or 2 large carrots, diced

1 potato cubed

1 x 410g can kidney beans, drained

6 ½ cups beef stock (made with beef stock cubes) - see note

1 x 140g can Tomato paste

½ small cabbage heart, shredded

½ teaspoon rosemary, oregano and basil

1 teaspoon chopped parsley

few handfuls small size shell noodles

Crush garlic, chop onion, and ham and fry gently in hot oil.  Dice celery, and carrot, drain kidney beans, and drop them into the pot and toss the lot around.  Add stock, tomato paste, rosemary and parsley.  Cover and simmer for 1 hour.  Then add shredded cabbage and shell noodles, and cook another 20 minutes.

Serve, sprinkled with grated or Parmesan cheese. 

Note: Usually during summer if I have an abundance of tomatoes I make tomato soup and freeze it in tubs, and then use this for the base for my minestrone soup, instead of using the beef stock and tomato paste. Although I still do add a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste to the minestrone soup. 

And herb scones

1 egg

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1 dessertspoon sugar (if making sweet scones)

¾ cup milk

2 cups SR flour

½ teaspoons salt

For savoury scones – chopped herbs – parsley, oregano, sage, rosemary, chives,

and ½ cup grated cheese

You can also add some finely chopped sun dried tomatoes

                             

Beat egg and sugar (if using) together.  Add melted butter to milk.  Sift flour and salt together. 

NOTE - If making savoury scones, add chopped herbs and ½ cup grated cheese to flour mixture now. 

Make well in the centre of the flour mixture, and stir in egg mixture and milk.  Mix to soft dough.  Turn onto floured board and knead very lightly, only till all combined.  Pat or roll out to about 2cm thickness.  Cut with scone cutter.  Place on lightly greased tray.  Brush with cold milk.  Cook at 230C for 10-12 minutes.

Update -  Maggie from Normandy as just asked me about the plates. They are a special find in an antique shop a few years ago. I love them.  These old French plates - Sarreguemines. were tucked away along the back wall. The proprietor said they were from the 1850s, but my research tells me more likely early 1900s - but do I care? not a bit! I love them!
I have 4 plates and all 4 have a different designs - perfect! 

 And finally, what can be better in winter than curling up in front of the fire with a rug, a mug of soup, and a good book. Oh, and don't forget the ugg boots!

What is your favourite winter soup? Perhaps you'd like to share in the comments. 
Thank you so much for stopping by. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week. 

You might also like: 

It's winter in Western Australia

Winter soup warmers in my winter garden

Pumpkin soup autumn warmer

I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!
 

Mosaic Monday
Our World Tuesday
Through My Lens 
Image-in-ing
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global
Travel Photo Thursday 
The Lovin' Life Team over at Lifestyle Fifty
Sky Watch Friday

Autumn in Western Australia, Golden Valley Tree Park, Balingup

Leaves flutter down

    golden, orange, red, purples and dusky browns,

reflecting the hues of the late afternoon autumn light

   as it breaks through the sky's thin grey winter cloak,

and leafless branches

   stretch up toward the sun, shivering, 

stripped bare of their summer clothing. 
                                                                                                            by Jill, June 2017

My simple little ode to autumn, but still... here I have written and shared it. I've read a lot about "mindfulness" in the last couple of months, especially in a new magazine called "Breathe". Have you seen Breathe on your magazine shelves? 

Mindfulness is seeing, feeling, observing, absorbing, being still, just being..... or as Breathe says: "some of the key principles of mindfulness are, being open to new things, focusing on the present moment and being fully aware of what your body and mind are feeling."

Last week we went down to the Golden Valley Tree Park in Balingup, in Western Australia's south west, an hour or so from home.

 The area that comprises the park was first settled in 1898 by Frank and Margaret Cleverland.  Their home was built of bricks made from clay dug from nearby Yungerup Spring. The original 20 plantings of exotic species by Olwyn Cleverland during 1930-1940's has grown to an impressive world collection of over 250 species, represented by over 1000 individual specimens. The Park, which is heritage listed, is maintained by volunteers and sponsorship. From its first plantings over 100 years ago the the Golden Valley Tree Park is now the largest arboretum in Western Australia.

Australian trees are ever-green, so very little changes in the Australian bush in autumn, so the tree park is a lovely place to visit in autumn to see the blaze of fall colour. In fact any time of year the park gives up its delights. We are going to go back in spring to the Australian Collection when our bush is at its best with wildflowers.  I shared a post about the Australian bush in autumn a couple of weeks ago. Here is the link if you missed it - Down in the woods today

We knew we would be late for the autumn flush of colour, as we were last year, but still it was a lovely day, though a cloudy, with a slight rain drizzle, no wind and a temperature perfect for walking. 

There are pockets of startling bright gorgeousness. This is Tupelo Nyssa Sylvatica from the USA. 

there are paths to explore

places to sit

new fruits to discover. Thankfully many of the trees in the park are labeled. I 'usually' take photos of signs, as it makes it much easier to identify things later.  Here you can see clockwise from top left hand corner.... China Locust pod, Red Mexican Hawthorne, Mexican Hawthorne, Black Alder from Europe and West Asia, Chinese Pistachio, and Carob from the Mediterranean.

gorgeous leaves. Such a luscious treat for us evergreen Aussies. 

and there are places to shelter from the rain and watch it roll in over the hills in a misty cloud

 I hope you have enjoyed this little look at the Balingup Golden Valley Tree Park. I hope those of you in Australia or Western Australia try to visit some time. You might also like:

Autumn - Season of change - Balingup

Autumn in the Golden Valley Tree Park, Balingup

 
Thank you so much for stopping by. Do you have a tree park that you love to visit? Perhaps you'd like to tell us about it in your comments. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week.

I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!
 

Mosaic Monday
Our World Tuesday
Through My Lens 
Image-in-ing
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global
Travel Photo Thursday 
The Lovin' Life Team over at Lifestyle Fifty
Sky Watch Friday