Cooking without Gas

Last Sunday, while talking to my kids in their "Story Room" aka the library/toy room, 

we heard an explosive POP and shattering of glass. 

The Mr and I raced to see what had happened and found this in the kitchen: 

Needless to say I was shaken and my mind full of the what if's ?

On any other Sunday I would have been standing in front of it cooking dinner 

at the time this happened, the kids would have been coming and going to talk to me 

while they awaited dinner, it could have been much worse. 

Thankfully that was not the case, the Mr had distracted us and we were all safe. 

The Mr helped me clean up the shards of glass and he calmed my nerves.

So one week on, I am still waiting for the new glass to be fitted  but I had a strong desire to bake 

lunch box treats.

The result....no bake muesli bars !

So tasty!

When you are on a winning team

I feel like I have spent a lifetime, playing away games on a losing team.
Today I realised, I still play a lot of away games, but now I am on a winning team.

The highlights included lunch with the Mr's Mumma and Pappa at Henry's Bakery in Lismore,
buying new boots that have glitter on them, laying topless in the glorious winter sunshine, afternoon lounging in bed and a ton of laughter.

But it was tonight that I realised that I was on the winning team.
Mr and I had our A-game on and in a coordinated effort we created one of the most delicious meals
I have ever experienced.

We commenced with an entrée of Tiger bread bruschetta, fresh tomato's from the Mr's Mumma's garden.
Followed by Spaghetti Bolognese with fresh grated cheese.
And finally pecan pie, made completely from scratch.
We nervously but enthusiastically started with out making pastry, together we learnt about pastry consistency dough,  the need to rest pastry and blind baking.
There were some missteps, like me putting the butter in the filling mix and forgetting to melt it, which led to me picking the butter back out so we could melt it.
but the end product was delicious, and hell that is what it is all about.

It was a glorious kitchen adventure and I look forward to so many more.

Sunday Baking

At the request of the beautiful Kel K

Mrs Mac's Banana Bread

Ingredients

1 and 3/4 cups of Self raising flour

1/4 cup of Plain flour

2/3 cup of brown sugar ( firmly packed )

2 - 3 over ripe bananas ( if they are huge cavendish ones use 2, if they are lady finger, which are my fave use 3 or 4 )

1/2 cup milk

2 eggs lightly beaten

50gms butter melted and cooled

1tsp Vanilla Essence

50gms of crushed walnuts

Method

Pre-heat oven to 180C - Grease and line a loaf tin

Sift flours into a large bowl and stir in sugar

combine banana, milk , eggs, butter and vanilla in a medium bowl

Add banana mix to the dry ingredients and toss in the walnuts

stir until just combined ( the mixture should be just moist and have lumps in it)

Bake in oven for 45 - 50 min ( at 30 min mark, remove from oven cover with foil and return to oven foe remaining 15 - 20 min, this allows the top to brown but not get burnt !!!)

now get it out cut off the end slice, smear it with butter or honey and ENJOY !

*please note i forgot to stir in my walnuts so i sprinkled them on the top !!

Weekend Away

Knitting By Lisa - Photo by CourtneyBiscuits by Amanda
Floral Arrangement by Mabs - Brownies by Amanda

Tea Cups by Ellie

Vintage Book by Burnetts Books, Uralla, NSW