Vintage goodies galore

I have come to realize something about myself as I age. I have great potential to be a seriously awesome hoarder.
It's in my genes! My Nana is a hoarder, I'm pretty sure my mum is too and I really, really think I would be fantastic at it!!!
I have these great memories from my childhood, and maybe you have some similar as I know that people from my Nana's generation didn't throw ANYTHING away. Or maybe you don't and as it turns out my family is just plain weird!!!

Every Sunday we would go to my Nana's house, for as long as I can remember, that's just what our family did and still do..for me at least until I moved to Canada at the age of 26.
After we had eaten our "Tea" or dinner, we usually would play a board game, watch Walt Disney or 60 minutes and if we were lucky, on a warm summer evening, we would be allowed to go look for treasure in Nana's garage.
Nana and Poppy's garage was more like a covered carport or lean to, attached to the side of a shed that housed their caravan and seasonal stuff.

In that carport, there may have been a car buried under all the "stuff", I'm not altogether sure but my brain is not letting me access that information.
Now remember, I'm about 8 years old and to me, that garage was like stumbling upon the cave of Ali Baba and his forty thieves.
We would ask Nana if we could go pick something from the garage to take home, sometimes she would say yes and sometimes she would decline and we would sulk and go find something else to do. BUT......if she said yes, my two sisters and I would race to that hoard pile of treasure and climb up to the top of the "Stuff" and look for something fantastic to take home.
It was dark in there...and dusty...and soooooo much fun!!!

I don't recollect any of the objects that I selected so much as the thrill of the hunt..and climbing up as high as possible so I could maybe find that perfect something to be mine. In my mind I picture the scene to be like something out of a Dr Seuss story and I'm positive that the garage was not, in fact, filled to the ceiling with stuff but probably just had lots of boxes stacked around mixed in with important, necessary objects.
But that's my happy memory and I'm planning to keep it that way.

So I'm pretty sure that's where my hoarding gene was burned into my soul.

Now I'm not talking about being the type of hoarder that keeps stuff like clothing, garbage and useless stuff around. I'm more of a vintage/ furniture/ tchotchke type of hoarder.
I especially like going to thrift store's, the one's run by little old ladies where the store layout had no rhyme or reason and you really have to dig for your treasure. Remember, I'm all about the thrill of the hunt!!!!!

There is a fantastic antique store in Enderby which I pop into a couple of times a year. I usually end up leaving empty handed as I am married to a non hoarder and I can't justify purchasing 95% of what I would really love to bring home.
My mum was here recently so we took a family excursion to the store and spent a good hour in there looking at all of the treasures. My hubby was on the hunt for antique razors, his new addiction. Zoe collects old bottles and picked up a few lovely ones.
And me????? Well, I just took some great pictures of all of the things I wished I could bring home with me.

If you ever find yourself in Enderby with some time to kill, go check out Jerry's Antiques.

Pork, spinach, feta and pear sausage rolls.

As a mum of two, I can confidently say that some of the most rewarding and fulfilling moments that I have enjoyed are the one's that centre around feeding my family.
To me food is not just sustenance, it's also a declaration of my love for my tribe. And by tribe I also mean my friends and their families.
Food is love...good food, made with care for the one's you hold most dear.
Whether it's cooking with my children and passing on family recipes and techniques or simply cooking FOR them, there's not too many moments these days where we are all centred around the family table at the same time.
Life is busy, hectic and at times down right insane......you all know what I'm talking about.
I enjoyed a yummy meal tonight with my girls, hubby MIA,  probably on his way home from a long day at work. Not unlike every other night, we try our best to have at least one meal, each week day, all together.
Some days there is happy chatter and catching up on the events of the day; these moments usually occur when all of the stars align at just the right moment ( the food is well received!) and all parties have had an awesome day and are in good moods!!
Other days there are cranky kids, who don't want to eat what I have cooked, making for a cranky mum and dad who are left wondering why can't we all just GET ALONG?? REALLY???? It's the one time of the day we get to all be together, sitting, without distraction and the food becomes a battle of wits between the kids and the parents.
My kids are older now, and I'm proud to say there are not too many things that my kids won't eat...mushrooms for example.
But I find as the main food prep slave in the house, I do get stuck in a rut and struggle to keep things interesting at the dinner table. Sometimes I find myself on Pinterest scanning through all the beautiful food styling and recipes, I'm pinning like a woman possessed yet don't seem to get around to actually making anything I pin.
My compromise tonight was to take a recipe I found on Pinterest and tweak it to my liking.
SUCCESS!! Not only did my kids eat it without complaining, they actually went back for seconds and thirds. The recipe even made enough for the kids to take some for school tomorrow, as long as hubby doesn't go in for seconds.
UPDATE: Hubby only left two sausage rolls for the kids to fight over.

Pork, spinach, feta and pear sausage rolls.
Makes 16 rolls.


300g frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
500g ground pork sausage
1 cup of crumbled feta
1 cup of Panko breadcrumbs
5 green onions, chopped
1 red pear, finely diced
2 tablespoons of Italian seasoning
salt and pepper

1 pkg pre-made puff pastry, defrosted
1 egg, beaten
Parmesan cheese

Preheat your oven to 375f and line a large baking tray with parchment paper. 
I found that during baking the sausage roll released a lot of oil, so use either a tray with sides or place another tray underneath to catch the hot oil.

In a large bowl combine the sausage, spinach, feta, breadcrumbs, onions, pear, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
Mix well.

I used plain old No-name frozen spinach, Maple leaf pork sausage, Skotidakis feta and Presidents choice frozen puff pastry.

Cut the pastry sheets in half. 

Divide the spinach mixture into 4 equal portions, place down the centre of each of the 4 pastry halves. 

Brush a little of the beaten egg along the longer edge and roll to cover the filling.

Cut each roll in half so that you have 16 rolls and place them, seam-side down, on the prepared baking tray.

I scored and x into the top of each roll, brushed each roll with beaten egg and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 25 -30 minutes, until golden.

I served these hot from the oven with a side salad full of veggies, mango and more feta and some homemade tomato chilli jam.

nom nom!!!!