Chuck's Birthday

Today we went to the Snow's for C's second birthday party. The weather started out as warm with a little chill, sneakily the clouds came in and just as the cake was going to be lit - bam - inside we all ran shaking off rain droplets and wind blown crisp autumnal leaves. Hope you had a great day Chuckles.

Collector's pumpkin festival trip was to be the afternoon's entertainment and was cancelled as a result of the weather but we look forward to going next year. With the cold, pumpkin festival and dark sky's on my mind I now have a hankering for a good old fashioned slow cooked lamb, pumpkin and Guinness pie for dinner?

Braise cubes of baby fennel, carrots, celery and onion in some olive oil till soft, add cubed lamb, 1 bottle of Guinness, 1/2 cup stock, salt, and some cubed pumpkin. Cook covered for 1 half hours in 180 Degree oven, add tomato puree and 2 tablespoons cream (if you like your pumpkin not as soft add after 45 mins cooking in oven) . Transfer to pie dish, cover with puff pastry and cook at 210 Degrees until pastry is brown. The meat and vegetables are really soft this way and disappear into whatever carbs you serve with it (in our case rice) the kids love it. Serve with green salad and croutons.