The sun was finally shinning!

Well we spent a glorious weekend outside, for once it wasnt raining or drizzling or just plain wet.  I got some planting in the veggie patch done finally.  2 types of cabbage (one purple), 6 types of Lettuce, Rocket and Coloured Silverbeet, so thats the Brassica bed planted.  All of these I have grown from seeds in the little hot houses I bought earlier this week.  I am now waiting on more soil to get the Tomatos, chillis and eggplants going.

Sunday, Ian let me play with his new toy,  a ride on mower.  I did the veggie garden where the grass was upto my waist in some places,  I couldnt see the fruit trees bordering the garden for all the grass.   It wasnt as easy as I thought it would be.  definatly made to be used on flat open spaces,  not for swerving around fruit trees and garden beds.  Got the job done though, now it looks much better, and I can even see that all my new fruit trees are  coming along nicely with lots of new foliage.  My Fig tree even has a little fig on it!

It was lovely to see the kids out playing in the sunshine again,  all of them at some point came and helped in the veggie patch too.  Hide and seek is a whole new exciting game on 15 acres but alas there is always one who doesn't get found and gets cross when they have sat in their little hidie spot for too long.  I turned my back on the ride on mower for 2 seconds and Ian had it back and  was mowing every flat spot around the house!  There were animals running everywhere trying to get away.  We let the ducks out for a wander for the first time after clipping a wing each.  they had a ball checking out their new home. The kids thought this was a seriously mean thing to do especially when I told them that it was to stop them being naughty and flying away and that I would consider removing body parts of any naughty children.

Today of course the drizzle was back so spent the day inside pottering around.  For tea tonight I made meatloaf and thought it was about time I shared the recipe.  its one of my goto recipes for a hearty but quickish meal and its great for using up little bits of  veggies that are hanging around in the back of the fridge.

Cauliflower, Peas, Bread Crumbs, Celery, Onion, Carrot

Dell's Meatloaf
Ingredients:

• 500gms mince

• 1 cup bread crumbs

• 1 small onion

• 1 carrot grated

• 1 1/2 cup grated or finely chopped veggies (eg zuccini, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, peas)

• 2 tb sp tomato paste

• 2 tb sp mixed dry herbs

• 1 egg beaten

• 1/4 cup bbq sauce (I use a home made one but bought will do)

Directions:

• preheat oven to 180 degrees, line tray with alfoil/baking paper

• mix mince, bread crumbs, onion carrot, Veggies tomato paste, dry herbs, and egg together in a bowl, mix well with hands

• shape into a 10 x 18 cm rectangle and place on tray

• bake until firm to touch (30 mins approx)

• spoon over bbq sauce and bake for a further 10 mins til golden glazed

• remove from oven stand for 5 mins

• serve with veggies or salad. 

NB  this is fairly mild flavour (for my kids) but I add pepper sauce or any other spicy sauce when making it for us big kids.

I hope you will try it and enjoy it like we do.

Well I am off to do some homework with the kids

Catch ya later.