Ginger Beer Plants

photo by mark bonnett

Make your own additive free drink for hyperactive kids! Easy to make & easy to drink.

Making the PLANT (Step 1)

In a large jar mix the following items:

3/4 pint of warm water
2 tsps sugar
2 tsps ground ginger
1tsp yeast granules

Leave to ferment for 3 days.

Store the jar in a warm dry place to help this process along.

photo by  mark bonnett
ginger beer plant

Feeding the ginger beer plant (Step 2)

From the fourth day your plant must be fed daily by adding the following:

1tsp sugar
1tsp ground ginger

The harvest (Step 3)

After feeding your plant for one week, it now becomes time to harvest the crop. You will now need the following items:

Bucket or large pan
Piece of muslin
Bottles
24oz sugar
7 pints of water
Juice of 2 lemons

Strain the plant through the muslin into the bucket (set plant aside to divide later). Add the sugar, 2 pints of warm water & the lemon juice stir until sugar has dissolved. Add the remaining 5 pints of water, mix well. Bottle & store somewhere cool leave for a minimum of 3 days before drinking.

photo by  Mark Bonnett

Splitting the plant (Step 4)

Place half of your plant back in it’s jar and add:

3/4 pint of warm water
2 tsps sugar
2 tsps ground ginger

Then continue from step 2 (you don’t need to wait 3 days before feeding as the culture is already active) the other half can be made up in a new jar & given away or just chucked on the compost heap.

When you get bored with it or go on holiday you can freeze your plant and revive it when you want to try again.

Pizza Pot Pie

Recipe for 4 pot pies

Ingredients:

–         1 pound of pizza dough (homemade or bought)
–         Mozzarella, Munster cheese slices
–         Meatballs (cooked) or whole mushroom
–         Spaghetti sauce
–         Olive oil

pizzapotpie

1.      Brush the inside of a small bowl with olive oil, make sure the bowl is safe to use in the oven

2.   Line the bowl with cheese slices

3.   Add meatballs or mushrooms

4.  Top with sauce

5.   Roll out dough to fit bowl, about ½ inch thickness

6.   Cover the bowl

7.    Bake at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes or until top is golden brown

8.   Remove from oven (optional: brush with melted butter)

9.   Let rest for about 5 minutes, then invert onto a plate and with a spoon remove the bowl

10.Enjoy!