I am usually greeted with a look of confusion when I tell people that I don't like Hot Cross Buns. There's something about the smell, I think it's the cinnamon, that just turns me off. I have the same problem with Raisin Toast. But I thought it was about time to suck it up and I figured if I made them myself then I'd be more inclined to enjoy them. It's raining and dark ...
Recipes
Vegan Chocolate Cake
(These are the berry version - mini cupcakes with raspberries, and raspberry glaze) I actually use this recipe quite a bit, and not because it's vegan, but just because it's yum! The recipe gets a good workout during Lent, and is a great last minute recipe because I always have everything in the pantry. It's also a great recipe for anyone with an egg or dairy allergy. To ...
Cranberry and Pistachio Biscotti
I like my biscotti pretty thin, that way I don't need to worry about chipping a tooth when I bite into one. This recipe is great for gifts and can be done in several stages if you don't have the time to do it all at once. Because the recipe doesn't use any butter, these keep really well and stay nice and crispy. Cranberry and Pistachio Biscotti makes about 70 3/4 cup ...
Baked Beans from Scratch
Baked beans are Man food. Every boy I know loves them! Girls, not so much. And think I know why. We are all subject to canned baked beans as kids. They're horrible, overly sweet mush, with nondescript flavour. This can put a person off for life! Make them yourself however, and they're a treat!Full of fibre and protein, this is a good meal for babies too. Under 12 months, I ...
5 (Almost) Instant Toddler Snacks
Here is a quick list of things that I make sure I always have on hand, so that when the cupboard seems bare, there is still some healthy options for my hungry little boy. These are some alternative suggestions to the normal fruit, yogurt, toast and dip that you might think of. I'm a bit unimaginative when it comes to snacks, so it's always good to have several options. As ...
Thai Beef Salad
This recipe is on high rotation at our place during Summer. It's pretty quick to put together, although you do need to marinade the steak. The longer the better, but if you forget, 15 mins is better than nothing. I have left the marinade off before, but it's just not the same. We put noodles in to make it more of a dinner, but you can leave them out for a light meal. Thai ...
Valentine’s Day Sundae
They say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach and I suspect this applies to a lot of girls too...it certainly does for me! Hubby and I both have a huge sweet tooth and for Valentine's Day we decided to make up our own little sundaes.You won't find anything fancy on this blog for Valentine's Day. No heart shaped macarons or 10 layer pink ombre cakes...just something ...
Make your own Baking Powder
You probably think I'm crazy for even suggesting this, but I promise you there's method to my madness. For years now I've been making my own self raising flour. It's just plain (all purpose) flour mixed with baking powder. Nice and simple. I like knowing it's fresh when I make it, rather than sitting in the cupboard for ages and it also means I can store less in the pantry ...
Strawberry Sauce for Free!
This syrup is great for using up strawberries that aren't quite up to eating standard. You know, those ones you bought and then forgot about? You can also collect the tops you cut off (leaves included) and make the sauce from them. My sister in law said this was the best thing she's ever eaten! Pretty delicious for food scraps. If you don't have the lemon juice handy, don't ...
Candy Cane Brownies
I love to put Candy Canes on the Christmas tree, but we seem to forget that they're there and I've always got some leftover after I take down the tree. Chocolate and mint go great together and this recipe is a delicious way to use up any leftover candy canes. The mixture is all made up in the saucepan, so you don't have too many dishes to clean up. Candy Cane ...
Lemon Curd
Lemon Curd is delicious on all sorts of things. Toast, waffles, crepes, sandwiched between 2 layers of cake...the list goes on. It's easy to make and this recipe is simpler than a lot of others as it doesn't use a double boiler. It keeps well in a sterilised jar and even freezes pretty well. I think it loses a little bit of it's silkiness, but nothing major. It also makes a ...
DIY Sugar Scrub: Great for mechanics
My brother is a mechanic and all-round handy guy, so often has grubby hands. I made up a pot of this to give to him for Christmas. It's lovely and moisturising for hard working, dry hands. It's great to use after a day gardening, cleaning or even packing (I always find my hands get really dirty and dried out packing boxes). The sugar scrubs off all the muck, and the honey and ...
