Friday, 1 November 2024

In My Kitchen - November 2024

You know I have to say it - eek!  how did it get this far into the year?  Eight weeks till Christmas?!  And what a mixed bag this year has been.  And storm season has started early!  We had a whizz-bang ripper storm the other night, with huge winds and rain and a wee bit of hail.  Could be the start of something ...

October was a busy one - I made 3 sorts of muffins for our local indie bookstore The Quick Brown Fox for Love Your Bookshop Day.  I picked jaboticabas and made jam, and I made basil paste and mustard, and cake (my fave German chocolate cake).  We went away for a weekend, to one of our happy places - the Granite Belt, home to many vineyards, and fruit farms, and arty people.  

Here's to a splendid November; feel free to join in, everyone.  We're waiting to 'read all about it' !:=) - as they used to say in the movies.  Was that in the old Superman/Clark Kent days with George Reeves?  I sometimes think of the other fella - Christopher Reeve, and how his whole life would have been so different if he had hit his spine just one centimetre to the left or right ...  There but for the grace of God, as they say!  Anyways, here we go!


In My Kitchen:


there were pineapple mini muffins for Love Your Bookshop Day

and corn muffins

and another cookbook

and a (free) Santoku knife from the supermarket

I made mustard - again!  Mr P.'s fave.

and some basil paste (not pesto) - just basil, salt and EVoo

I bought a few goodies on our recent weekend away in Stanthorpe

and a few more things

Yep, another one!  But Nagi is worth the shelfroom!

So, here we are, racing to the end of the year.  I hope everything is going well for everybody!  See you in December, my friends.  Well, or before that, if you read my other posts :=)


Oops, nearly forgot the curveball!


a beautiful bee by Lauren Broughton


c. Sherry M.


Be a part of our friendly IMK community by adding your post here too - everybody welcome!  We'd love to have you visit.  Tell us about your kitchen (and kitchen garden) happenings over the past month.  Dishes you've cooked, preserves you've made, herbs and veg. in your garden, kitchen gadgets, and goings-on.  And one curveball is welcome - whatever you fancy; no need to be kitchen-related.  

The link is open from the first of the month to midnight on the thirteenth of the month, every month.

Options for adding your post to IMK:

1. Add via the Add Link button at the bottom of this post.  Instructions can be found on the sidebar of this page, under the Add your IMK link OR:

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3. Email me: sherrym1au@gmail.com, with your link or any queries about the link process, or if you would like it to be added after the 13th ('cos I'm happy to add it for you later)


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52 comments:

  1. I understand the cookbook dilemma. Last week I weeded through mine, got rid of a couple, and bought two new ones. I guess my theory is if the shelf space remains the same there is no harm, no foul, and I truly only regret getting rid of one of the cookbooks. Thankfully though one of the sons took it.
    Now that I saw the covers of your new one and looked them up online, my chops are salivating thinking I need them!

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    1. i keep trying to stop getting new ones ...

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  2. Your October does look like a lot of fun with some good food and intriguing cookbooks added to your stash.
    Thanks for hosting once again.
    best, mae at maefood.blogspot.com

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    1. thanks Mae. And I think the next 2 months will be even crazier:)

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  3. Hi Sherry! It looks like a wonderful month in your kitchen. The muffins look fabulous and I'm sure the German chocolate cake was too. That was my gram's favorite cake so I have fond memories. Nagi's cookbooks are filled with fun recipes to try and I'm sure this one is too. I love the bee it is just too cute. Have a wonderful month!!

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    1. thank you Lori. Yes am looking forward to delving into Nagi's new book. She is so very popular here. Have a fab Nov!

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  4. You have been a cooking maniac! Those muffins look fabulous and everything sounds so good. Eight weeks? Yikes. And our Thanksgiving is late this year -- that's when I usually start, but I may have to go on the early side. Happy week!

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    1. thanks jeanie. Yep a maniac that's me:) The year is hurtling by isn't it?!

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  5. Hi Sherry, the bee is adorable! I love the labels you have printed for your mustard, and the basil paste is interesting. You will have to offer up how you use it!

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    1. yes she is a lovely artist. Thanks re the labels - Mr P. prints them out for me. Not sure about the basil paste yet; probably just into stir fry type situations :)

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  6. Your muffins look great and I'm so impressed you make your own mustard. Also who doesn't love a new and free knife! Have you made anything from Nagi's new book? I made the spicy peanut noodles and the tapas-y traybake this week and am hoping to make 2 more dishes next week. I can't believe we're in November already - hope storm season is kind to you. Thanks for hosting xx

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    1. Hi Sammie— Your software wouldn’t let me leave a comment. Your post was interesting, but I must say you have more ads than any other blog I read.

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    2. thanks sammie. No i haven't got into nagi's book yet but i will. Eek we are having huge storms already with lots of hail! XMAS is so close!!

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    3. Just in reply to Mae - I think you may have Sammie's blog mixed up with another one. There are no ads on Sammie's blog ...

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  7. Replies
    1. thank you Marie. Hubby really loves it so i have to make it a couple of times a year, or more if i give some away - as i often do!

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  8. Nagi is always worth the shelfroom. We got one of those knives too - I'm taking it to Sydney when we go at Christmas as my mother's knives are always crap. Love the bees, the muffins and evrything in between.

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    1. yes she has some great recipes. Nothing better than a good knife! have a great NOV.

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  9. The muffins look nice, and that mustard.

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  10. Enjoy the recipe books and the knife! I'm trying to get a new bread knife the same way.
    Tandy | Lavender and Lime https://tandysinclair.com

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    1. thanks Tandy. It is a really good knife!

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  11. Those muffins look GOOD! You should bake more :-))

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    1. thanks angie. they did turn out well luckily since i was asked to make them for the local bookshop! I do bake a lot!

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  12. You got the new Nagi book! The other one looks really good as well, I think I'm just nostalgic for all things Australian :) Loving the look of all your homemade goodies, especially that missing cupcake, I would have totally had one as well before I took the pic. Have a great month!

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    1. how could i resist? :) Yep i had to have one! they were good. Cheers for a great NOV.

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  13. I got my Santorum knife free from the supermarket, too — and it is my go to knife! Happy November! David (C&L)

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    1. hi david yes i love my new knife! it is really good. I am planning to get more of them as i earn the points ..Happy nov to you too.

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  14. Intrigued by those delicious looking pineapple mini muffins Sherry! Sound like you are doing well. Not long till Christmas now. Ha ha!

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  15. Intrigued by those delicious looking pineapple mini muffins Sherry! Sounds like you're keeping well over there. Not long till Christmas now. Ha ha!

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    1. thanks Neil. They are very delicious i have to say :) Recipe on the blog! Happy Nov to you.

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  16. Oh yum.. your muffins look great. Do you sell your mustard? Lovely bee print.

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    1. thanks Hena. No i just give the mustard to friends :) Yes a lovely bee!

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  17. I love seeing all the wonderful things that go on in your kitchen each month. The mustard especially looks great. This is the time of the year when my cooking/baking really picks up.

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    1. thank you Deb. Yes definitely time for baking!

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  18. I love reading your monthly round-up, much more interest than mine xxx

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  19. It's always nice to pick up some local products when travelling, I have to restrain myself. I still have to buy Nagi's latest book, but of course I will. The bee painting is very clever, we still miss our bees. Love all those muffins. Let's hope November is a great month. What a day, a lot could depend on the outcome of today's BIG election, such a worry.

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    1. I am feeling very worried today about that damn election over there! Terrifying ... Thanks for your comment!

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  20. Your muffins look delicious! I love bees, have a humber of great pictures I've taken and all kinds of bee items :)

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  21. Time really does fly! I can’t believe it’s already November, Christmas is just around the corner. Your October sounds full of deliciousness and creativity! Those muffins for Love Your Bookshop Day must have been a real hit. I’m also loving the sound of that basil paste (definitely a genius idea for keeping the fresh taste of basil). And it seems like your weekend getaway to the Granite Belt was a fantastic inspiration for some local finds.

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    1. thanks Raymund for dropping by.

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  22. Happy November, Sherry! I love all of the muffins from the past month...but those pineapple muffins in particular are calling my name!

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    1. thanks David. You too. Yep pineapple muffins are a real treat :)

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  23. Sounds like an interesting month. Love all your from scratch cooking - curious what you use the basil paste for! Bookshops and baking are always a great combination and I would make a beeline for those corn muffins. I remember going to a supper in a local library in my 20s and it feeling quite wrong to mix books and food but am glad we have moved on from those days! Your new cookbooks reflect my childhood and my recent loves - I remember my mum's battered PWMU cookbook fondly and I have recently been loving Recipe Tin Eats. Enjoy hurtling towards Christmas!

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    1. Basil paste will go into a curry or a stir-fry. Supper in a library? interesting. Crumbs 5 weeks till Boxing Day. Oh my ...

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  24. I try to comment, I hope this works .

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  25. OMG! How time flies! I first 'met' Nagi M on Victoria Challancin's fantastic blog 'Flavors of the Sun' in Mexico when she had just left har illustrious career in finance, bought a home on the Northern Beaches and Dozer was a wee puppy! Now Vicki runs a riad in Marrakesh and Nagi has a second book to tempt us!!!

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    1. Nagi has done so well for herself. Well-loved in Australia.

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