The Best Ever Banana Cake

Gotta love returning from holidays and finding something well past it's date still sitting in the fruit bowl!!!

 

Never fear the optimism of being on holidays can save the day.....

that and the recipe shared by a fellow blogger Julie...

The Best Ever Banana Cake 

I often make the a banana bread but for a change this cake is divine.....and a huge hit with the family.

Trial run...

I had a trial run at my new short working day today......

I am thinking there will be more baking of yummy afternoon tea treats.

The kids thought it was a great I had been home all afternoon.

Maybe it is not so bad after all!!!

{I made Catherine's chocolate cupcakes.}

Welcome to the street..

I did something that was strangely out of my comfort zone yet something I felt compelled to do......

Bake some muffins and take them warm over to the new family that moved in next door to us.

Since when has welcoming someone new into the neighborhood become such a hard thing to do....I had so many what if's...

what if they had food allergies, what if they were suspicious of my intentions, what if they just thought I was plain overly nosey......

Well gladly acting on my compulsion to just be an old fashioned neighbor,  I met with none of the above what if's......instead I  met the loveliest of ladies, met her 9 month old and found out that they were even keen to have a ready made babysitter living next door ( score for Meg) .

I knew that if I didn't pop over briefly in the first few days it could become awkward to make the move.

Have you ever wandered over with home baked goodies to welcome a neighbour....was it a good experience?

I should share my very quick and delicious muffin recipe with you just in case the need ever arises to share them with your neighbours.

 2 cups of self raising flour

3/4 cup of sugar

3/4 cup of milk

1/2 cup of oil

1 tsp of vanilla Essence

2 eggs

1 cup of choc chips

1 cup of frozen berries

Mix dry ingredients together

Mix wet ingredients together

Mix wet and dry together

Bake in oven for approx 15 mins

 

This Week

 Monday began gloomy....heavy...wet....and seemingly hard to move through....one of those crawl back into bed and spend the day reading under the covers.......

but luckily I didn't cause I would have missed all of the good in the week to come...

 A snail mail gift  from the gorgeous Catherine....a gift that arrived in perfect timing to lift the spirits....I love the friendships forged through this space.

Seeing ballet shoes back on our teen...the next leg of her journey to pursue her dreams.

Finding my teen at the sewing machine...stitching up something to keep her new shoes.

 

Slow Cooker Balsamic Beef for dinner....and lunch the next day

Slow Cooked Tomato Soup......also filled the spot through out the week.

 Discovering this box....and upon lifting the lid I was transported back to my 15 year old self.....just wondering if there are some things in there that may help with my own 15 year old and her journey this week......maybe...  or should I just pop the lid back on and put the box back up in the back of the wardrobe.

It's been a week....keeping the lioness at bay.....holding my teens hand....being amazed at how amazing she is.....wondering if we are really doing it all right as parents....thinking that maybe we are on the right track......knowing we are really only beginning and this parenting thing is for the long haul.....

Check out Meghan's family adventure this week.

Winter Warmer to Share

 We are on a soup making train here...our favourite is Pumpkin. Last week we made Minestrone and then at the start of this week we made a Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle.

So when I saw this idea over at Frog,Goose and Bear I knew it was something I wanted to give a go.....

 I have so many new babies arriving in my playgroups over the winter months...and what a perfect little gift to give right before the baby arrives or in that first few days......

It is such a simple idea that even the dad's can make the soup for dinner.....

I went ahead and made three lots up and have already given two away.....the third will go to another family tomorrow awaiting their bub.

Everyone loves a little treat in a jar...and I love to feel like I am helping out in a small way.

If you want a copy of the labels drop Emma an email and she will email them to you....

I know this is not really crafty but i am linking in with Leonie for Show and Tell

Nurturing with soup

Today followed yesterday......

A slow kinder on the emotions day.....

Some soup was in order ....

for the one who came home unwell after an hour at school

for the one who got wet riding his bike home from school

for the one who felt washed out after yesterday

for the one who just loves good hearty home cooked food.

I used this Slow Cooked Chicken Noodle Soup recipe.

It did the trick for all of us.

Not Just any old cake recipe

 Most of the yummiest recipes I have and cook, come from tasting something that one of my wonderful mums bring to playgroup for sharing at morning teas.......

This one is no exception.....it caught my attention because it is gluten free and having someone in my extended family who fits that bill sounded good to me.

One draw back...I don't have a Thermomix and this was a recipe that required one.....insert sad face....that was until one of those lovely mums searched a non Thermomix version.....

and it did not disappoint.........it was a hit for the birthday cake needed for the weekend.....Let me share in case you too want to indulge in a delicious, gluten free, talking point chocolate cake.....

The Magic Bean Cake (AKA Kidney Bean Chocolate Cake)

1 x 420g can kidney beans, drained

1 tablespoon water or coffee

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

70g unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

125g butter

5 eggs

180g sugar

In a food processor, puree the beans, water/coffee, 1 egg and vanilla until smooth. Set aside.

Combine butter and sugar in a food processor or using an electric beater, until pale and fluffy.

Add the remaining eggs one at a time, processing or beating well after each addition.

Add bean mixture and process or beat until combined.

Add sifted cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix well.

Pour batter into a 22cm greased round or ring pan and bake for approximately 35 minutes at 180 C . The cake will spring back when touched and skewer will come out clean when cooked.

(recipe found here) 

There was not much left.....even after they found out what the main ingredient was.

Things I am Loving...

 This week.....

Baking old fashioned Easy Coconut Macaroons...recipe found here....

  At least the tomatoes are loving our heat wave.....

 Gifted cherry tomatoes to me.......and gifting a dozen eggs to someone else from our overflow ...

 Spontaneously buying myself some flowers to brighten the house......

 The new read on my bedside table....

 A gift for the family made by Meg in her Childcare class.....

.....a gift to represent family.....

 Opening up a bank account for the guy today so he can participate in banking at school....an institute that has been around since I was his age taking my coins to bank at school....oh and the cool money box the bank gave him....

 My new thrifted $1 skirt....and I didn't even go in the store...just dropping things off and it was hanging outside the store.....had to be mine.....

 Baking this Simple Chocolate slice which Catherine posted from here...I am hoping there is some left for our planned family picnic tomorrow....

 The latest drawing by the guy  that have made the way to the wall for display...

We are heading into a long weekend here in Western Australia....it is going to be a hot one.....a few plans made but hopefully making the most of an extra down day.....

Hope yours is a good one too..

Joining in with Meghan and Things I am Loving.

Cookies in a Jar...

Not a new idea...but a simple and lovely gift for those who like to bake.....I have made a whole batch up ready for my hard working volunteers that give of their time every week.

I bought 750ml jars and then followed this recipe to fil them .

I attached a Christmas gift tag with the recipe on the back...these were just a recycled Christmas card.....

Although the recipe calls for you to roll in balls to cook, I did attach a Christmas shaped cookie cutter just for fun.

So another handmade gift sorted on my list . This combined with our teachers gift....means I have achieved far more than I thought I had time for ....so much satisfaction though producing something handmade.

Joining in with Show and Tell  and My Creative Space 

Potato Soup with Chorizo & Parsley

Dinner tonight was 

Potato Soup with Chorizo and Parsley

Super delicous and super simple

Find the recipe here at  

Tall, Short, Tiny & a Pickle

Hayley's Date Slice

Some of the most delicious and easiest sweet treat recipes I bake over and over come as a result of playgroup morning tea.

Running three sessions a week that can be a lot of morning tea treats in a week. The mum's volunteer to bring something simple to share with the other mums....oh and a lot of the kids get to nibble as well.

So my latest treat came from "Hayley"  know here as "Hayley's Date Slice"

375g dates

2/3 cup castor sugar

1pkt Marie biscuits or something suitable for crushing

250g butter

1 egg

coconut to sprinkle on the bottom of the pan.

Line 20-30cm tin with baking paper and sprinkle coconut over the paper.

Melt butter and sugar.

Add dates and cook until they are "jammy"

Take off the heat to cool slightly then stir in the egg.

Crush the biscuits and stir into the mixture.

Spread and press mixture into the baking tin and refrigerate.

Oh it is delicious and I can say I have eaten my fair share of this batch. 

Roast Cinnamon Pumpkin & Feta Salad

 I have been advocating my meal planning and cooking to my talented husband.....I have just been adding in between his deliveries, ordinary plain and simple meals....I have lost my mojo ....well he is so capable I figure I would step back....

Tonight I stepped up...with a recipe my sister gave me.....the husband was impressed....the kids not so much but who's listening to them I say!!

Roast Cinnamon Pumpkin and Feta Salad.... 

800g Peeled Pumpkin

2 cloves of Garlic

1 medium Onion

1 medium Red Capsicum

2 handfuls Baby Spinach 

1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

1 teaspoon of Dried Basil

Olive Oil

50g Walnuts

160g Low Fat Feta

Cut Pumpkin into 2cm pieces

Crush the garlic

Thinly slice the onion

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Line a large baking dish with baking paper.

Place pumpkin, cinnamon,basil and onion in the baking dish and toss to combine. Add olive oil and toss to coat evenly. Bake in oven for 30 mins or until pumpkin is just cooked through.

Add the capsicum and walnuts and bake a further 10 mins or until pumpkin is light golden. Remove for the oven and set aside for 10 mins.

Add the feta and spinach and season with freshly ground black pepper. Toss to combine. Divide salad between plates to serve.

Laziness = Homemade washing powder

Due to the extended long weekend I found myself really not wanting to go near any shops if I didn't have too......

I did run out of washing powder and with the ingredients to make my own sitting in the cupboard just waiting for me to mix them...... 

This seemed like the ideal time.....

so using some soap flakes...washing soda.....and borax

  

I referred to Tammi's ratio of ingredients and ....viola.....

I had a load of washing in the machine in no time..... 

 and then out on the line to capitalise on the most glorious weather  over the Easter weekend.......

I have been told that maybe it is not that great at whitening whites......but for all the other colours  you certainly can't argue with the cost of the batch.

Glad I used my laziness to achieve something. 

Hey check back on Thursday for My Creative space and a little giveaway I have planned.

Things I am loving - Chritmas edition.

This week I am loving......

Finally a slow day at home...nowhere to go in a hurry...chance to clean those floors and hang the washing....

Time to make some gingerbread men with the kids...using this recipe 

Then time to drop off a couple to the neighbours....

Had the pleasure and joy of being able to drop off some Christmas food hampers to some families in our community .....

Time to even sit and watch a whole movie with the family tonight...

I love that it is Friday and we are all home now together for at least a week.....

Some Christmas eve practice is already happening in the house...  

Joining in with other lovelies here.

 

Dinnertime -Calzones

We have two extra big boys hanging with us for a couple of days while my sister takes a holiday.....

what to cook for dinner tonight?

My youngest sister put me onto this recipe for Calzones  

 

They were yummy and i think went down like a treat.....

we are big homemade pizza makers and eaters in this house so making these was very similar.

They are just like a pizza only rolled up...you could fill them with anything that you would put on a pizza normally.

Tonight I just filled mine with cheese, bacon , pizza sauce, baby spinach and tomatoes.

Have you tried these....do you like to make pizza's at home?