SPRING CLEANING !!! (Continued)

Serving the Pie

The mixed herbs were useful; indeed, they flavoured the pie and the beef, which was a good enough roast dish,  but it could have been better.  Roast cooking can be tricky, depending upon the cut, the size and the right technique to do it.  I come to a realisation now that I may have to stay with the lamb for a family roast.  The eye round cut was large enough, but because it's too lean, the meat was not juicy and tender as I would have expected.
No rice was served; instead we had baked potatoes, baked pumpkin, boiled peas, it was simple cooking.

No, we did not do the 'spring cleaning', but cleaning up for the garden was necessary to make a safe place for the young kids and for us to be in.
It was good to see that the four grandkids were all well, and were happy running around in the backyard.

In the backyard
 The four grandkids, Mary Rose, Thomas, Henry and Lily.

After all the cleaning up, the outdoor furniture was not used.  The grandkids were happy enough to be playing outside, and Mary Rose loves the garden, she said that we have a beautiful garden.

Pasta making was one of the activities inside the house, the grandkids and their mother had fun to make homemade fettuccine.  It was a long process from start to finish, and the cleaning/clearing up was done by Mel.  The pasta was so delicious, the grandkids loved it, in fact, Thomas and Mary Rose had second helping.  Well done, Melanie!!!  Thanks to Jane for keeping the pasta machine at our storing cupboard, at last, it was useful.

Pasta Making

Melanie with Henry, Lily and Mary Rose

Melanie, Thomas, Henry and Mary Rose

Mary Rose is rolling -slicing the pasta sheet.

The fresh fettuccine

It takes three minutes to boil the fresh pasta.

The last spoon of fettuccine served with tomato sauce,
 it was delicious.

Recipe for the pasta as I remember it: four hundred grams of plain flour mixed with four large eggs. Mix the ingredients together, knead it until smooth and silky.  Rest for a few hours.  Knead it again lightly, cut the dough into eight, roll each dough into thin sheets and work it through the pasta machine to make more delicate, flat sheets.  Cut through the machine to make the fettuccine.  Cook in boiling water-added with salt for three minutes.  Amazingly it was not a lot of mess and cleaning up,  but Melanie did them all.

Meringue with fresh fruits

Other cooking were sweets and one of the family favourites 'bakmi goreng'.  The pie was excellent, especially all the fresh vegetable and herbs are from our garden.
The cooking preparations were done before they arrived, I am blessed to have the time.  Spring feast, indeed it was, everyone loved it.

Vegetable and Cheese Pie with Water Pastry

Vegetable and Cheese Pie is ready to bake.

The Pie-Freshly Baked

The preparations and tidying up the garden were beneficial and fruitful.  The four grandkids had fun and enjoyed the visit.

I am sure they are having fun for the rest of the school holidays, it is a big time for all parents to entertain their children.  They do well, don't they!

Snap Shots 

 MAKING   FACES

They have gone back to Melbourne, they have more places to visit, friends to play with and more reading and assignment for Mel to be done.  Enjoy.


The word Cleaning is Daunting to me, more so Spring cleaning.   But we can enjoy the season, the beautiful Spring times.







Until Next Post
Susy