Slothful long weekend

On a long weekend - five days here in Australia - I have had to make some tough decisions. Read a magazine or have an afternoon nap? Oh the life!

The food's been great! Mum's a great cook and I've eaten a lot. I've burnt off all the calories by turning magazine pages and lifting my cider glass.

Friday she made rice paper rolls. Garlic prawns (I enjoyed eating the scrapings from the prawny garlicky pan), cellophane noodles, mint, and coriander.

She made two dipping sauces - sweet chilli and a lime one.

They were so delicious - better than shop-bought ones

And for dinner, Mum made a gnocchi and pumpkin bake - with homegrown potatoes and pumpkin.

It was served with trout fillets and spinach.

How pretty is the trout skin!

Saturday night was a surprise dinner with friends. It was lovely. For starters there was trout pate, olives, grapes, salami, havarti and blue cheeses.

Main course was this delicious roast pork belly, slow cooked for four hours. The meat was so soft, it fell off the bone.

It was served with spinach and roasted home grown potatoes, pumpkin and beetroot.

Dessert was hot cross bun and butter pudding - recipe is here.

On Sunday Mum and I went back to the town I grew up in to visit some family friends. We were spoilt with wine, cheese and pate, and we took the kids these bunnies and eggs. It was a sunny afternoon and so good to catch up again.

Before catching the bus and train on Monday, Mum and I ate at Baan Sabai Thai in Albury. Such good value and so yummy!

I had the BBQ duck which I had last time.

Mum had seafood salad dressed with lime, coriander and chilli. I tasted a scallop from her plate and it was so juicy.

We realised we wore the same colour too.

Monday night's dinner was a lazy one, but not low fat.  A glass of wine, butter fried mushrooms, leftover duck, and this, a gift from K.. Hot cross rocky road.

 

Yum!