Happy Baking- Banana Muffins

Yesterdays sunshine has disappeared and we've been left with rain and a generally miserably day, so I thought I would do some baking to make the day slightly less depressing.

We had quite a few bananas that needed to be eaten so I thought Banana Muffins would be the perfect rainy day bake!

They're pretty simple to make and are amazing when they're still warm!

What you'll need to do is...

Makes approximately 12 large Muffins

Ingredients-

2 Eggs

125ml Vegetable Oil

260ml Milk

100g Caster Sugar

100g Soft Brown Sugar

400g Self Raising Flour

Generous pinch of salt

3 Ripe Bananas

Handful of Porridge Oats (Optional)

Method-

1) Preheat your oven to 200C and line a muffin tin with cases.

2) Measure the- eggs, oil, milk and both sugars into a mixing bowl and beat together until the sugar has dissolved. 

3) Mash the bananas in a separate bowl, trying to get rid of as many lumps as you can. Then add to the liquid and sugar mixture above.

4) In another bowl add the flour and salt and mix.

5) Pour the banana mixture on top of the flour and salt and carefully mix together- Be careful not to over mix. As soon as all the ingredients are incorporated and there isn't any dry flour, stop!

6) Spoon the mixture into your muffin cases and sprinkle a few oats over the top of each one. 

7) Bake for approximately 25 minutes- until the tops are golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. 

8) Once baked take out of the tin and place on a wire rack to cool before tucking in! 

Step 1

Steps 2, 3 and 4

Step 5

Step 6

Enjoy!

Bank holiday activities

I was rudely awoken this morning at 6:30 to my alarm going off, contemplating the pros and cons to throwing my phone across the room to make it shut up I decided it probably wasn't the best idea! So I snoozed. And snoozed again. And again. And once more for luck! Wow it was hard to get up this morning!

When I was finally awoke I had a terrible problem, being that my head seemed to be glued to the pillow...what a dilemma, should I shower with the pillow attached or just lie in bed a little longer?!...I lay in bed a little longer!

When I was finally out of bed and ready it was off to work I went, ready to decorate lots of cupcakes and cakes for the bank holiday munchers. 

After work I went to meet Sam from work and we joined in the bank holiday fun by taking a wonder around the stalls at a summer fair on Twickenham green. We then bought a lovely little sunflower in a terracotta pot to put on our windowsill, we lovingly named out little flower- sunflorent malouda (guess who choose that one!!) and carried him all the way home, then picked the perfect spot on the windowsill for him to sit and grow...then what should happen but Sam gets his hands on our little flower "it was a bit wonky, I tried to straighten it up" he told me, I walked over to the windowsill to be greeted by what can only be described as a sunflower massacre!! Our poor little sunflorent malouda was sitting in his little pot, surrounded in soft, watered soil...WITH HIS HEAD SITTING RIGHT BESIDE HIM!! So we no longer have a sunflower as a memento from the summer fair, instead we have a piece of green stalk in a pot...fabulous!

To get over the sunflower trauma we decided it was probably best to get out of the house, rather than to stay at the scene of the crime, so wanting to take my birthday picnic basket for a spin we busied ourselves in the kitchen creating a picnic feast. I constantly surprise myself at just how much food I can eat!...oops! 

We packed egg mayonnaise sandwiches, cheese and crackers, hummus and carrots, popcorn, scones, and an orange (purely to make ourselves feel as though we were being healthy!) 

Then off we went...we walked to Crane Park near our house and had ourselves a lovely little picnic, enjoying the rest of the bank holiday sun. 

So there you have it, sunflower trauma and a picnic, how did you spend your bank holiday?

Old age

I've been old for a whole week now so I thought I would update you on how I'm coping.

I'm going to be honest with you, it's not all cruises, gardening and collecting your pension! In fact the thought of being on a boat turns my stomach, our garden is resembling a forest, and my pension pot still sits uncollected with the grand total of £500 in from my time working at the council.

Instead I've found the draw of getting into my pyjamas with a cup of tea and a good book at 9:00 in the evening something that my ageing self just can't resist.

I've also found myself noticing the amount of litter on the streets, fighting the urge to go and pick it up and take it home in my pull along shopping trolly.

When Sam had a mark on his face yesterday rather than pointing it out to him, I whipped out my hanky, gave it a good lick and scrubbed his poor face like it was the toilet.

So next time someone tells you your life will start at 21 don't believe them! For the moment the clock strikes midnight you will be transformed from a cool "kid" to a grumpy woman. Your worries will no longer be if that bottle of vodka will be enough to get you smashed, instead you will be worrying about crows feet and the increasing cost of washing powder and other household essentials! 

Happy Baking- Chocolate Chip Cookies

The weather is having a bit of an identity crisis recently, one minute its glorious sunshine, the next the sky opens and you get drenched!...Just great!...It's making the already long task of getting ready in the morning even more difficult as I never know what to wear!

I've been in a big baking mood recently and I wanted to share a recipe I came across with you. I think it's a perfect recipe to go with the crazy weather and these cookies are perfect for picnics in the sun, or with a cup of tea with the rain hammering down outside...They've also been tried and tested on my boyfriend and house mates and seemed to go down well!

As always, enjoy, and please ask if you've got any questions about the recipe or method!

Makes 12-14 cookies

These cookies are a little bit crisp on the outside, and lovely and gooey on the inside...Mmm

Ingredients-

125g Butter

100g Light, soft brown sugar

125g Caster Sugar

1 Egg- Beaten

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

225g Self Raising Flour- Or 225g Plain Flour and 1.5 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

200g Chocolate Chips

Method-

1) Preheat your oven to 180C and line your baking trays with baking parchment  You want to space the cookies out well as they will spread during cooking, so 2 or 3 trays will be enough. 

2) Cream the butter and both sugars in a bowl until the mixture turns lighter in colour, and "fluffy" a couple of minutes should be enough. 

3) Add the beaten egg and the vanilla extract to the cream mixture and mix again.

4) Sift the flour and the salt over the mixture and mix through.

5) Add the chocolate chips and mix so they are evenly through the mixture.

6) Take approximately 1 heaped tablespoon of the mixture, and place it onto the lined baking tray- Making sure to leave space between each cookie.

7) Cook for approximately 10-12 minutes, depending on how gooey you want them in the middle.

8) When you've taken them out of the oven let them cool on the trays for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.

9) EAT!!! They are delicious when still warm, but will last well in an air tight container until the weather gets a bit warmer for that picnic! 

21st birthday, part one and two

This week I officially became old! That's right I hit the the big 21. Gone are my youthful days, to be replaced by knitting, slippers and an alarming obsession with cats...it's all down hill from here! 

  

Part one of my birthday, was my actual birthday, spent with my Boyfriend and Parents. My Mum and Dad arrived at our house at about 11:00 singing a fantastic rendition of happy birthday! We hugged, chatted, went for lunch, shopped, and chatted some more...there's nothing better than a cup of tea and a hug for your parents...no matter how old you are! 

In the evening I was taken to Jamies Italian for dinner (my favourite restaurant!) by my parents and Sam...and bloody good it was too! We got given a free bottle of prosecco because it was my birthday. The whole meal was lovely...until they bought a cake out, complete with candles and all the staff singing happy birthday. The only thing I managed to do was to hide my face and turn a rather dark shade of red...but it was soon all forgotten when I tucked into the cake! 

The evening ended with Sam and I getting into bed at 10:30 and watching friends...who said we're not rock and roll?!

Part two of my birthday took place last night. Me and a group of friends went to the Wimbledon dog races.

We paid for a 6pack package which meant we got entry, a programme, a drink, food, a £2 bet, and a £6 voucher to use if you want to come again- pretty good for £12. 

I've never been to dog or horse racing before so I had no idea what to expect. There were more Middle-aged, bald men than i thought there would be, and a few more people than I thought.

I managed to win on the first race I bet on and then thought I was unstoppable...it turns out though that I am stoppable. And that was the only race I won for the whole evening!...Oops! But I still won and that's good enough for me! The evening was spent betting, losing, and chatting with friends...can't get much better than that really!

Only 9 years till I'm 30!!!

It's so hard being a goddess

There are so many more issues to deal with when living on the mainland and trying to maintain your goddess stature at all times. The thing that always tries to ruin me is the train.

I breeze into Waterloo station after a day at university, browse the shelves of marks and spencer to find something to curb my goddess hunger. 

I scroll through the train times and find my platform then float in my goddess like manor over to my platform...

Then...oh shit...people are running. Are they running for my train? Oh bugger they are. I guess I need to run...

So I start running towards my platform now, looking no more like a bay watch babe than Mr blobby. 

I slap my Oyster card onto the reader at the barrier, dash up the platform, hit the button for the train doors and jump inside. Explaining a "phew" as I do so. I half expect the cartridge to start cheering, I've made it! I'm on the train. But they don't...moody buggers! So I take a seat...

And the train doesn't leave for another 10 minutes...oops! 

Just enough time to sort my hair out after all that running then! 

Train- 1

Me- 0

Look how far I've come!

Well, my first year at uni is fast coming to an end and I'm currently busy finishing course work and revising for my exam.

I'm actually so proud of how far I've come over the last couple of years, and the last year in particular. It feels incredibly good to be able to say a big stuff you to everyone who thought I would be back on Scilly within a month and dropping out of uni!

When I did go back at Easter for a visit I found myself trying to reassure everyone that I'm really not lying, I really am happy in London!

For those of you who don't know the background story, I started suffering with panic attacks when I was at college, it made everything difficult and I really struggled with being away. So much so that when the first year of my course finished I decided not to enrol for the second year. Instead I went back to Scilly and managed to get an apprenticeship at the Council. During all of this it made things which I used to love doing, a massive challenge. Even going to the shops would bring on a panic attack. It's fair to say that the person that came back from college wasn't the same one that left. I came back a nervous wreck, the only plus side being that I lost a lot of weight and was probably the thinnest I've ever been! It took a lot of encouragement for me to get help for my panic attacks, but finally I made an appointment to see a counsellor and also started getting hypnotherapy. I can't explain how much those steps changed me! Over time I started feeling more like me, my panic attacks reduced and I felt confident enough to do new things.

That's when the move to London came into play. My boyfriend was already in his first year at uni and for a long time we both thought it would mean 3 years apart, until I literally woke up one day and decided I wanted to go...and how glad I am I did! I'm not going to pretend like it's been a walk in the park, the month before I left was a really nervous time for me, and I was constantly worried about how I would cope.

On my first day of uni I felt so sick and nervous I could barely say a word to anyone, and yet I got through it, and during the process I've made some amazing people, who are now friends and I'm studying something that in so passionate about!

I still get the occasional panic attack but to be honest most of the time I forget about them.

So I just want to reassure you, once more that yes, I really really am happy in London, I don't want to come back to Scilly, and actually I'm a little bit sad about this year coming to an end! But I'm also so excited about what the future has in store for me!

The return of the sandwich...my favourite places!

Gone are the days when a sandwich was just two pieces of bread filled with cheese or ham, this simple meal has had a bit of a reinvention recently, new interesting fillings and better bread options are making the sandwich a must have lunch time treat again!
I've recently tried out a few sandwich shops that I really think are worth a visit!

The first is the Alberts Deli in Richmond, tucked away from the main shopping street but no more than 5 minutes walk and you arrive outside this little shop front. They've recently won an award for Deli of the year in London and once you've stepped inside its easy to see why! The shelves are filled with amazing products that are otherwise hard to find and make amazing foody gifts, chocolate pasta, salmon terrine and tea pigs tea are just a small glimpse at the amazing selection they carry. Then there's the array of fresh and homemade cakes, quiches, frittatas and salads that fill the deli counter. If none of that takes your fancy then they have an amazing sandwich menu, my personal favourite being chicken, crispy bacon, avocado, rocket and pesto mayonnaise...amazing! You definitely get your moneys worth here as the sandwiches are really well filled and you can taste that really good produce has been used! If you're a vegetarian they also have a delicious and inventive section for you to choose from!
Take a peek next time you're in Richmond! www.thealbertsdeli.com

Next up is a place that I've recently tried out in Kingston, called The Terrace.
It's just off the market square and has possibly the biggest sandwich menu I've ever seen! This place offers plenty of outside seating making it a perfect place for a sunny day but they've also got plenty of seating inside! The menu itself is amazing and I opted for the smoked salmon and cream cheese sandwich to then be offered an amazing selection of bread to choose from- their signature sliced wholemeal, sesame bagels, focaccia, paninis and ciabatta are just a few of the varieties on offer! I went for the ciabatta which I had toasted and it didn't disappoint, the filling was generous, fresh and tasted delicious!
www.terraceeatery.co.uk

The last place I think you need to try is Cook and Garcia, again in Richmond but this time on the main shopping street. Their sandwich menu is smaller than the others but I think, perfectly formed. I've been here a few times and had "the Italian job" every time, Parma Ham, mozarella, tomato and pesto, they've also got a variety of breads available and my favourite is the seeded ciabatta, so good when toasted! My boyfriend had had the "humdinger" a few times when we've been which is roasted vegetables, humous and feta, unlike some vegetarian sandwiches that leave you craving meat this was so tasty you didn't even notice it was veggie! In fact it was so good we tried to re create it at home, not as successfully I might add so we went back the next week!
www.cookandgarcia.co.uk

The thing I like about these places is the personal service you get. Everything is served with a smile and the staff are so helpful and friendly, unlike some of the large chains where you're just a number! Hope you enjoy these places and happy lunching!

A lovely summers day

I think it's fair to say that summer is here, and doesn't everything seem so much better when viewed in the warm glow of the sun!

I've been battling with my uni work for the last couple of weeks, and in three weeks everything should be handed in and I can enjoy the summer. But for the meantime I'm been unsuccessfully working towards a 4000 word essay amongst others. I'm pretty sure the only thing that has been keeping me from going crazy are sunny days spent with Sam exploring the parks and having lunch in the sun. For those few hours that I've been away from the computer it's been easy to forget about the impending deadlines I've got and instead to daydream about the rest of the summer!

This afternoon was one of those lovely times, it was spent picnicing in the park just next to our house :) It's sometimes hard to remember I'm in London when surrounded by the trees and grass...How lucky am I to live next to this!?