My mum used to make a pie called Shooter’s Pie when I was so much younger (I’m getting to that stage when I don’t remember actual ages anymore, it’s just all ‘when I was young’). It was one of my favourite things she used to make (especially with the soggy deep-fried chips that she so excelled at!). Anyway, now our chickens are laying 4 eggs a day, I decided one of these pies might be a great way to use some up. Mum couldn’t find the recipe again, and although she attempted to remember, it’s simple enough that I was able to make it my own way from scratch.

Ingredients

• 500g Puff Pastry (I use the Jus-Rol freezer stuff)
• 500g Sausage Meat
• 4 eggs
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• Herbs (about 1 tbsp of basil, marjoram, and sage)

Method

1. So, first boil the eggs, until hard boiled (about 10 minutes), and, when done, cool quickly in cold water (this avoids the black surround to the yolks)
2. Pre-heat the oven to 180^oC
3. Mix the sausage meat, onion and herbs in a mixing bowl
4. Roll the pastry into a rectangle big enough to fit a baking tray, and place it on a non-stick pad on a tray (or grease the tray very well)
5. Take about half of the sausage meat mix and lay it in a rectangle down the centre of the pastry
6. Make an indentation in the mix, and place the eggs in line down the centre
   [photopress:IMG_4701_1.jpg,thumb,centered]
7. Take the rest of the sausage meat mix and cover the eggs with it
8. Brush the parcel with beaten egg to help the pastry stick to it.
9. Now fold the pastry up and over the parcel, to create the pie. Plait the top if you like. Use beaten egg to stick the pastry to itself, and pinch the edges to seal the pastry
10. Brush the outside of the pastry with beaten egg
    [photopress:IMG_4702_1.jpg,thumb,centered]
11. Bake for 40 minutes
    [photopress:IMG_4706_1.jpg,thumb,centered]

[photopress:IMG_4710_1.jpg,thumb,centered]

Very scrummy!! I made some fried potatoes (yeah, proper chips) and carrots with it. It’s so good you’ll almost certainly be going back for seconds!! Both Daisy and I did.

Last Thursday I was involved in a ‘talent’ night at my work. There were lots of quality acts playing – and there was me, too. I played my guitar and keyboard, although I bodged up the one guitar tune I played (partly due to the EQ on my guitar being set maximum treble) and one of the tunes I played on my keyboard I had to restart because I got my fingers in a knot!! I played a medely of ragtime tunes and that seemed to go down pretty well.

Anyway, courtesy of David Liang, here’s a couple of pictures of me on the night.

[photopress:165080892_838fdd4994_o_1.jpg,thumb,centered]

[photopress:165080894_d2f36ba4b6_o_1.jpg,thumb,centered]

Today was my sister’s birthday. She’s 36 already; crikey doesn’t time fly. That, of course, means that I’m 30 this year! Ouch.

Here she is playing with her rather nice new toy: a Sony W70.

[photopress:DSC_5633.jpg,thumb,centered]

Blimey, what a scorcher! It’s been a constant 23 degrees C in the shade here – absolutely lovely.

My Uncle Gwyn arrived on Friday. He lives in Mooloolaba on the East Coast of Australia, but has been travelling around the world for the last 2 months. He flew to New Zealand, then to Los Angeles, then to Houston, Texas where he met his in-laws. Then he flew, via a number of stops to Puerto Rico where he leapt on a yacht with a couple of people and helped sail it up the east coast of America, through Barbados and various amazing looking places. At Annapolis, Baltimore, he jumped ship and caught a flight to the UK, where he’s here to see more in-laws in Wales, and, of course, his sister (my mum). He’s quite the adventurer and completely obsessed with all things maritime. Makes me feel quite a boring person, really.

Here’s Gwyn, with his late wife Pat (my auntie), and his parents (my grandparents), Mary and John (although I only really remember them as Gran and Grandpa).

[photopress:Gwyn_Mary_Pat_and_John_on_Rata__small_.jpg,thumb,centered]

So, we’re going up to my folks tonight to have a meal with them. We were going to take a rhubarb crumble, but I didn’t get chance to make it. I’ve been busy today. I spent the morning working I had to finish the first draft of some documents. After lunch, I went around the house washing all the windows, then I shredded some old tree bits, cleaned out the chickens, cut the grass, and now I’ve got to go and shower because I’m a tad sweaty

Hope you all had a great weekend…. Tomorrow I’ve got one of those stupid day-long team-building exercise things. UGH!