We are back in Wagga. I’m glad we didn’t wait another day because the trip might have been a bit too much for Dave otherwise.

We left Canberra in warm and sunny conditions and arrived back in Wagga to clouds, and rain on the way. I packed up and brought home most of the clothes I had been accumulating in Canberra and am now sorting them back into my wardrobe here. We will spend the week here, next week hopefully Dave will be OK by himself and then the following week, when he should be coping with what should be his last lot of Chemo side effects either one of the kids or some friends will look after him.

Not long after we got here today, my beautiful sister Bek and her two gorgeous kids popped over for a visit. Dave  immediately got cuddles from all three – he likes cuddles almost as much as me! Even though he really wanted to lie down after the drive he sat up with them and heard all about their recent trip to Fiji and all the other goings on of a 11 and 7 year old. Who knows if we ever will get grandkids but having ‘younger’ nieces and nephews is almost as good I reckon! You can spoil them and indulge them and then hand them back to their parents when they are high on excitement and sugar.  Just like my parents did with my kids when they were younger!!!

Bek, the kids and I then took Leroy and Daryl (her and my dog)  on a fairly long walk up on the hills behind our house. The kids loved the mud on the dirt path across the hill and both dogs are now muddy too, and exhausted which is good.

Dave has been sound asleep since we went on our walk so now that I’m back, apart form typing this blog I decided to make myself useful. I made some salted caramel spread which I have put into sealed jars and will give the Chemo nurses next week when Dave has his (hopefully) last treatment. I’ll share the recipe with you this week sometime. I’m compiling a list of the ’50 ways to use salted caramel spread’, so your input would be great. Its what we will cover in next weeks ABC session.

I have now also made a batch of sausage rolls for Will and Dave to have for afternoon tea. Will is due home any minute. This time I used Pamela’s recipe. As editor of Women’s weekly cookbooks she probably has more recipe cred them me but hey, I’m working on it 😉

(I put my recipe on the blog a few weeks ago but cant find it now!)

I didn’t follow the recipe exactly, I didn’t have any parsley so added some chopped spring onions instead. I also added a finely chopped carrot.

Pamela’s Sausage Roll Recipe

(I made a 1/2 recipe which made 18 small ones)

 

INGREDIENTS

500g sausage mince

500g beef mince (not lean)

1 brown onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons bbq sauce

½ cup panko or fresh breadcrumbs

1 egg

6 sheets puff pastry

1 egg, extra

 

METHOD

Preheat oven to hot (200ºC). Line oven trays with Glad Bake.

Combine minces, onion, parsley, tomato paste, bbq sauce, breadcrumbs, egg, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Spoon mixture into a large piping bag (without piping tube).

Cut each sheet of pastry in half. Brush long sides with extra egg. Pipe meat along one long edge, roll tightly to seal.

Cut into 6 pieces. Place on oven trays, about 3cm apart. Brush with egg, cut holes in tops.

Bake about 25 minutes.

 

I am sitting out the back typing this looking out from the verandah at the rain, which has now arrived and looks set in. I do like a rainy afternoon sometimes.