March 2015

Here we are again, baking update for March now - where did that month go??

My first bake of the month was a square banana and date cake - I had bananas to use up and some chopped dates I found in the back of the cupboard, Googled the two ingredients and this was the result - a lovely light fruit cake

Then a couple of loaves, different days, different tins

I made some plain mini muffins decorated with icing and glace cherries (comic relief related for Jo's work colleagues)
The two cakes on the end are in a new tin I bought (oops) with a little mixture left over from the mini muffins - they are mini flan shaped and would be good for filling etc. Will be experimenting with these this month I think.

Some chocolate chip cookies, a very easy recipe but next time I'll let the mixture cool a bit more before adding the chocolate chips as they melted in more than they should, they still tasted yummy though..

Salted caramel chocolate brownies - very yummy, very gooey and very easy.... what more can I say. They went off to Jo's work colleagues before I realised I hadn't photographed the cut slices.. 

Busy day, I made a big batch of homemade leek and potato soup, some blackberry conserve for my daughter, and sorted out some previously made marmalade which had set a little TOO firmly - rescued now. The sponge was made just because... no reason

Mini Victoria sponges requested for a birthday work treat

Yet another white loaf

Dundee cake :-)

Finally a practice attempt at Easter Biscuits - these were so like the ones i remember from my childhood - will definitely be making them again from this recipe on Easter Saturday 

February 2015 bakes

I cant believe its March already - here is my update for my February baking.

First of all I made some chocolate chip muffins in my mini loaf tin, these were very yummy

Next on the list were some shortbread cookies, they had a sprinkling of cinnamon and sugar on the top.

An old favourite next, cherry bakewell cupcakes requested by my daughter.

New recipe next, malteser blondies, these went down very well with my daughters work colleagues.

I then had a go at an old Red Cross recipe for an egg-less fruit cake, I forgot to take a picture of a slice but it was lovely, and after a few days it was even nicer spread with butter, a little like a malt loaf.

A lovely white loaf, this recipe never fails

A small jar of blueberry sauce made for pancake day

Then I had a go at a mincemeat cake after I found a tub of mincemeat at the back of my fridge. This makes a lovely moist cake.

I then had a go at slow cooker chocolate fudge - wow !!! very very moreish

I then had a go at Mary Berry's shortbread - this was a great success too

Then this weekend I made another lovely white loaf

 Finally this month a recipe I found in last weekends supplement called Grandma's Apple Cake, it took a little preparation as 5 eating apples needed finely slicing but well worth the effort.

January 2015

Time for a quick round up of January - not been too busy this month, so here goes, first some lovely vegetable soup, not actually baking but was delicious and lasted me ages - loads of ingredients and very tasty

Some very delicious salted caramel cupcakes - went down a treat with my daughters work colleagues I'm given to understand ;-)

Some oat and raisin cookies, usual recipe which never fails, although these were a little crispier around the edges, may have left them in for just a minute too long, but middles were still fairly chewy

I tried a new recipe for a cherry and coconut cake - and was very pleased with the result

A sunflower seeded loaf

And the star bake for January - made by me up to and including the plain red icing picture, then decorated by my daughter Karen for her son's 4th birthday party, I think you can guess the theme?

Time to get ready for February baking now, any feedback/comments welcomed. Thanks for looking.  

New Year 2015

Happy New Year to anyone reading this!

I have just realised I have not posted anything to my blog since last June so thought I would do a quick update of some of the things I've made since then. I bought a bread maker in this time, plus a soup maker, so have been experimenting = lovely jams and marmalade in the bread maker too :-)
So I will just put up a few pictures to update the blog, then start baking and experimenting with savoury dishes too this year, and try to update a little more regularly.

First just a few loaves, jams and marmalade jars I have made.

orange and lemon marmalade

Apple and blackberry jam

I also made some cakes and biscuits with my grandchildren in Guildford

And a few cakes, oat and raisin cookies  and mince pies

some individual yorkshire puddings/toad in the holes



                                      



and a birthday cake in stages for my daughter Jo (taken to her work place for everyone to share)

That's mostly it for now, so will save, sign off and upload, and keep on baking
 ;-)