12 years– A lifetime ago and yet just yesterday.  It’s weird how the older you get, the faster time passes.

For this week’s menu I’ve/we’ve gone back to the archives to find a recipe. See, I have nearly ever single issues of Delicious magazine since about 2005. A long story for another day. Anyway, this week we are time travelling back to archives.  2011- when Pete Evans wasn’t cancelled, Matt Preston was thin, and a budget bottle of wine is $10.

It’s like opening a time capsule.  Reading about restaurants about to open that you know are already closed.  Remembering dinner parties and meal failures like ghosts from the past.  Seeing ads for things once longed for but already thrown away or given away. It’s fun paging through an old magazine- I’m sure there’s a word for it in a foreign language- something that makes you nostalgic for the past but also happy you’re in the future. 12 years ago isn’t THAT long ago, but it’s enough time for lots to have changed.

Anyway, we’re heading back to 2011. The June 2011 issue of delicious is one of my favorites – and I’ve come back to it  for a favorite recipe- by request.

Lamb and ale casserole- a great winter dish, even though we’re firmly in spring.

Note:  I am 100000% becoming my mother who refuses to make chili con carne or eat fondue anytime other than the winter.  I see her wisdom and now agree with her.  This is a one off.  A winter dish in spring– because it is delicious and well worth making an exception for!

So that’s our Sunday night meal this week. It’s School Holidays so we’re going to eat lots of fun things – like fish tacos and quinoa-crusted chicken tenders and chips that HOPEFULLY will be fun cooking projects while school is out. We may even try to bake something fun!

We may even complete our trip back in time by watching Toy Story 3 (an Oscar winner in 2011) and listening to Rolling in the Deep by Adele (2011 Record of the Year at the Grammys!)