Gunners' Barracks High Tea

The wonderful folks at the Gunners' Barracks gave us a complimentary Champagne high tea as a thank you gift after our wedding, so we decided to use it to celebrate our three-month-versary over Easter weekend.

It was a bit of a gray day, but the view still looked spectacular.

The husband. Musing over the last time we stood in this exact spot three months earlier.

Elegant china.

Tasty savories - scones, curry triangles and cheese tarts.

The sandwiches and delicacies came wrapped in a napkin to protect them from the predatory kookaburras. The waitstaff told us they liked to target the sandwiches... we laughed and started to eat up. True to the warning, a kookaburra swooped in and snatched a sandwich off a plate and took off before I caught a good look at it. Stealthy little bugger. Seriously impressive sandwich-stealing ninja skills.

The sandwiches - a mere moment before the kookaburra stole one.

Beautiful teas in polished tea pots. Mine was called "blueberry muffin" and indeed tasted like its namesake.

A very civilised way to spend a public holiday.

Amazing view from Georges Head.

Burnt Finger Pasta Bake

I invited some friends over for dinner and made a new dish - vegetable pasta bake. I burned my finger on the saucepan boiling the pasta and spent the next 20 mins with my finger under the cold water tap while directing my fantastic husband on how to finish the meal for me.

The pasta dish tasted amazing and I will be making it again - although in a smaller amount as it made enough to feed about eight people.

Vegetable Pasta Bake (Feeds 6 - 8)


Ingredients

• 500g penne pasta
• 1.5 - 1.7L tomato pasta sauce
• 1 onion
• 4 large carrots, diced
• 1 - 2 large heads of cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1 - 2 large heads of broccoli, cut into florets
• 1 block cheddar cheese, grated

Directions
Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

Lightly grease a large baking dish (30cm - 20cm ish).

Cook pasta until just tender. Drain.

Cook onion and pasta sauce, add pepper.

Place vegetables in a large microwave-safe dish. Nuke on high for 5 mins (or until just tender).

Add pasta and vegetables into the sauce and stir the sauce through.

Spoon into dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle cheese over the top.

Place, covered, in the oven for 20 mins. Remove lid or cover and cook, uncovered, for a further 10 - 15 minutes.

Serve with a side salad. I made a tomato medley salad with mixed green leaves and green capsicum. Dressing was a simple oil and balsamic mix.

Pasta sauce cooking.

Much penne.

Vegetables, pasta and sauce mixed.

In the dish, with cheese sprinkled on top.

Baked and ready to serve.

Medley of tomatoes.

Mixed with greens.