Welcome to the Studio
I thought it was about time I introduced myself properly, dear Friends. My name is Kim Rowley and I am an Artist, Multidisciplinary Designer and Educator. I create most every day, and as you can see in this short video, my creative heart is reflected across a wide range of mediums and always in an organic manner. Although most of my work later becomes a tangible item that requires advanced digital skills, I love to begin with basic pencil sketches, ink and paint. More than anything, I believe that art is for everyone so you will always find budget friendly products here on my page.
Given that this is a new chapter for the Studio and me, I felt that I needed a new intro, and most definitely some new photos of me and what I do 📸 I’m still anxious in front of the camera (so please be kind) but I will be sharing more of me going forward as I celebrate all that I am, all that I create and those I hold dear ❤️
Create With Me | Handmade Wrapping
Simple, inexpensive wrapping that is a joy to create and receive! Let's sit down together and wrap those gifts with love this Season.
Homemade Vegetable Stock
The season has certainly shifted here on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. The constant rain that has been with us since last September, has been accompanied by much cooler days. The jumpers finally came out over the weekend and the sniffles came a'callin’ so homemade chicken soup was the order of the day. There’s nothing like fresh, crunchy bread and a steaming bowl of fragrant soup to get you back on your feet and to chase those Winter chills away.
The season has certainly shifted here on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. The constant rain that has been with us since last September, has been accompanied by much cooler days. The jumpers finally came out over the weekend and the sniffles came a'callin’ so homemade chicken soup was the order of the day. There’s nothing like fresh, crunchy bread and a steaming bowl of fragrant soup to get you back on your feet and to chase those Winter chills away.
Most families have their secret recipes that have been handed down through the ages, and ours is no exception. I have tweaked our families Homemade Chicken Soup recipe over the years to suit the tastes of growing children, however nothing has had the impact that this little gem did quite some years ago. All these years on, I can’t remember exactly where I heard this little secret, but it has certainly been a game changer when it comes to our homemade soups and casseroles.
We’ve all heard that the most nutrients are 'just under the skin' in fruits and vegetables and we are more conscious than ever about what we eat and where it comes from. The slow living movement has also been a timely reminder to be more mindful of how we live, to reduce, reuse and recycle. I have to admit, that I have always hated wasting food. I didn’t grow up in a wealthy family and have raised my children to appreciate second hand, vintage, preloved. Don’t get me wrong, new is a wonderful thing, but being a little more careful with how and why we spend our money has allowed us to make memories we otherwise wouldn’t. We’ve lived and renovated, travelled and explored the world in ways we wouldn’t if we had been adverse to getting our hands dirty. As a result, this clever cooking tip has been embraced in our family as not only a tasty alternative but a way to make a difference in our world.
INSTRUCTIONS:
In order to begin the process of making your own Homemade Vegetable Stock, first you must collect the material needed. This is as simple as collecting your usual veggie scraps as you go about your regular, daily meal prep ie. making a salad or stir fry for the evening meal. Instead of discarding the skin from your onion, garlic, ginger, carrots . . . the leaves from the celery, the off-cuts and seeds from a capsicum etc, pop them into a large, resealable bag or big empty container and put them into the freezer (yes, the freezer). This will keep them fresh while you continue to add to your stock supplies over the coming days | weeks. Simply pull this bag | container our when prepping meals and throw your scraps inside. Continue to reseal and freeze each time until your container is full. Expect this process to take a couple of weeks, although you may be surprised just how fast it fills up
When your scrap container is full, simply empty the contents into a slow cooker or large stock pot, cover with water and allow to simmer gently for at least half a day. Honestly, the longer they cook, the better your stock will be. And another little bonus . . . the smell is amazing!
Make sure to add a lid to your slow cooker or pot to ensure the moisture stays inside and doesn’t evaporate. Check on the progress of your stock throughout the day. The water level must remain high and you will notice the water slowly change from clear to a deep, rich, fragrant brown as it absorbs all the nutrients from your vegetable scraps
All that is left to do is to drain the scraps, retaining the stock in a few handy jugs, and discard the soggy vegetable scraps that remain. Make sure to add them to your garden or compost heap - Mother Earth will be ever so grateful you did
THINGS TO NOTE:
DO NOT add meat scraps or egg shells! NO fruit peelings (oranges, apples etc), and NO scraps that are showing signs of spotting or decay
This delicious Vegetable Stock can be made ahead of time - I like to make my stock the day before use, OR pour it into resealable containers and freeze to use at a later date. A little hint: freeze in large volumes for soups and smaller volumes ie. in ice trays, to use on a smaller scale to flavour casseroles and stews
Vegan friendly stock that delivers the ultimate feel good vibes . . . Good for you, Good for the hip pocket and Good for the planet!
Homemade Chicken Soup
Sharing a wonderful family recipe with you today for Homemade Chicken Soup. This one is truly made from scratch my friends - starting with the delicious broth or stock. Perfect for the meat lover or vegetarian | vegan as I will be sharing two recipe options with a full shopping list for each. Truly for the mindful chef who loves to spend a little time in the kitchen.
Sharing a wonderful family recipe with you today for Homemade Chicken Soup. This one is truly made from scratch my friends - starting with the delicious broth or stock. Perfect for the meat lover or vegetarian | vegan as I will be sharing two recipe options with a full shopping list for each. Truly for the mindful chef who loves to spend a little time in the kitchen.
This recipe has been handed down through the ages and is one that I remember from when I was a little girl. As with all good recipes, it has been modified through the years by each cook as we all cook intuitively and from the heart. I am therefore, going to share 2 options with you - one for the meat lover which will include chicken, and one for the vegetarian | vegan. Both recipes are so hearty and full of flavour that they are bound to become a favourite.
OPTION 1: Traditional Chicken Broth
Place a whole, organic, free range chicken in a large stock pot
Cover with water and simmer on low for hours - until the meat is falling off the bones
Strain the stock from the chicken and put aside to cool - this will be added to the soup later
Discard the bones and skin and shred the chicken - put aside to be added to the soup later
OPTION 2: Homemade Vegetable Stock
Making this stock, although not complicated, does take a some time, so I have shared the ‘how to’ in the previous post . . . Homemade Vegetable Stock
Defrost a lovely large batch of stock prepped and made earlier or . . .
Strain the stock from your veggie scraps and put aside to cool - this will be added to the soup later
INGREDIENTS:
Approx. 2 kg Organic, Free Range Chicken (Option 1 Only)
Celery - Approx. 1/4 of a Bunch - Chopped
Carrots - 3-4 Large - Diced
Swede - Medium - Chopped
Parsnip - Large - Chopped
Potatoes - 5 x Medium - Peel & Cut in halves or thirds depending on size - Leave chunky
Brown Onions - 2 x Medium - Peel and dice
Garlic - 5 x Cloves - Peel & Dice finely
Ginger Root - 1 x Large Piece - Peel & Dice finely
Olive Oil - 2 x Tablespoons
Curry Powder - 1-2 Tablespoons (to taste)
Vegeta - 1-2 Tablespoons (Option 1 Only) - to taste
Bread - Fresh and crunchy and completely of your choosing
Rice Noodles - 400gm Packet of wok ready noodles - not dehydrated (Optional)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Heat olive oil in deep, heavy base pan | stock pot
Prep brown onions as directed, sauté slowly, on low heat - until clear
Prep ginger root and garlic as directed, add to onions and continue to sauté on low hear until fragrant
Add curry powder, stir gently to combine
Add pre-prepared chicken, stir gently to combine (Option 1 Only)
Add pre-prepared broth or vegetable stock
Add pre-prepared vegetables, stir gently to combine all ingredients
Add lid to pan | pot to retain heat and stop loss of liquid broth | stock
Turn heat up until soup boils then adjust to low heat to retain a gentle simmer. Leave your soup to cook all day to infuse the flavours and allow the vegetables to cook through
Taste at intervals to check flavour - add Vegeta (Option 1) and | or curry powder if required and to suit your taste
THINGS TO NOTE:
You will notice that I added Rice Noodles to the list of ingredients, however I haven’t mentioned them again until now. That’s because they are actually a 3rd option and one that my daughter loves. For those of you who are a lover of “noodle soup”, as Joey would say (Friends reference), or that have little ones who like everything better when it has noodles, try adding some wok ready noodles to your bowl before ladling over the soup. You will note that I don’t say ‘add them to the soup’. That’s because the noodles will overcook and ruin the integrity of both the soup and noodle. Simply open a packet of wok ready noodles (ie. NOT dehydrated noodles and of the rice variety if you are vegan), pop them into a pot or bowl and cover them with boiling water (from the kettle is fine). Loosen them up with a fork before draining the water back off and portioning them out into bowls. Pour piping hot soup over the top and serve
The addition of curry powder should be specific to you and your family and can be omitted if you prefer. We are generally quite generous in our family as we enjoy the flavour and the little bit of heat it brings. If you are taking some soup to an elderly family member or neighbour, I suggest you don't add curry as it can make them cough (this is a little gem I gathered from personal experience). Curry powder can always be added once you have ladled out their portion that way no one misses out on this delicious soup!
When I make soup, I make enough to feed an army! This recipe makes enough to feed a family of 4 for several days
This soup freezes well so don’t be afraid to ladle some into a container to freeze for another day. So good to come home to after a huge day. Just remove from the freezer, transfer to a pot and heat gently for a fabulous dinner in 30 minutes
It’s a little bit magic! I have made this soup for many friends, neighbours and family when they have been unwell and they all swear it is magic. It’s something about the nutrient rich stock | broth, teamed with the vegetables, garlic, ginger and curry that instantly clears the head and sinus passages. I honestly believe that a gift of the heart and your time is the real secret. Either way, I hope you love this gift from my family to yours xo