Autumn in Hastings

Walked in to town today, lovely breezy warm day. Spent some time searching for florists wire - not sure it actually exists, think maybe I need to find some thin galvanised wire...sometimes making craft more difficult than it should be.

Would love to share some great craft ideas for autumnal activities but seem a bit stuck at present. Instead decided to make and freeze some easy veggie sausage rolls, they look great, and always go down really well whenever we have a bit of a party or get together. The best thing is the recipe, and how simple it is.

Easy veggie sausage rolls

1 pack ready made puff pastry
150g pack sosmix
half a red onion - finely chopped
bit of vegetable oil
a little milk
poppy seeds

To make

Take the puff pastry out of the fridge about 15 minutes prior to using
Heat the oven to about Gas Mark 6
Oil a baking tray
Make the sosmix according to packet instructions and leave stand for about ten minutes meanwhile...
Fry the red onion in some vegetable oil until soft - about five minutes
Mix the onion in to the sosmix
Roll out the pastry to about 3cm thickness
Put a sausage shape in to the pastry, roll it up, then cut it in to bite sized chunky pieces
Score 2 or 3 lines on top of sos rolls
Brush milk on to sos rolls
Sprinkle poppy seeds on to about half (allowing for people who don't like seeds, aka some children
Put sos rolls on baking tray in oven
Check after about 15 -20 minutes
When golden brown take out of oven, leave a couple of minutes, take off baking tray to cool
Ready to eat hot or cold.

If freezing them to eat later put uncoolked sos rolls on tray in freezer, when frozen pop in freezer bags. Pop back on a greased tray when needed and in pre-heated oven.

I promise you they will go down amazingly well with veggie's and non-veggie's alike.

My other favourite easy buffet ideas are to make a big pot of vegetable soup, have some posh -ish bread ready to have with it, and a selection of cheeses. This is ideal for winter suppers, and can be again prepared in advance and frozen.

I might also make some easy cheese sticks, and some savoury swizzlers, even easier then the sausage roll recipe - just puff pastry strips brushed with marmite and ketchup, twisted up, then cooked in the oven. Can't believe how much I like them for how not healthy they are. I think this winter I'm going to continue to try to make hummus, it never quite works for me, usually just too oily, or too much tahini, or I don't know just not right.