Chocolate Slice

Kate whipped up this yummy slice last night. Here is the recipe if you would like to give it a whirl too!

Chocolate Slice

1 Cup Weetbix, crushed
1 Cup self-raising flour
3/4 Cup sugar
1 Cup desiccated coconut
2 Tbsp baking cocoa
150g margarine, melted

chocolate icing

2 Tbsp baking cocoa
1 1/2 Cups icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp margarine, softened
1-2 Tbsp hot water

1. Preheat oven to 180 deg C. Grease and line a 20cm x 30cm baking tray.
2. Combine weetbix, flour, sugar, coconut and baking cocoa in a bowl.
3. Add margarine and combine until all ingredients are moist.
4. Press into prepared baking tray and flatten using the back of a spoon.
5. Bake 10-15minutes and allow to cool in tray for 5 minutes.
6. To make icing, sift baking cocoa and icing sugar. Add vanilla, margarine and enough water to form a spreadable consistency. Beat until well combined.
7. When slice is cool, pour chocolate icing over the top and leave to set.
8. Cut into pieces.

ENJOY!

Pikelets

We are a huge fan of pikelets in this house. Hot, straight from the pan with butter and raspberry jam are a favourite for Kate & I. Ella prefers hers just plain. No butter or anything else. Phil likes his with vegemite? Not my cup of tea, but that's the way he likes it. I also love mine with butter, a sprinkle of sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice. Yum!The girls often take them for recess as well. The recipe I use makes about 25. They don't last very long around here though.

Pikelets

 3 eggs
2 C milk
4 Tbsp sugar
3 C SR flour
Salt
2 Tbsp melted butter.

Whisk together eggs, milk and sugar in a bowl. Add sifted flour, a sprinkle of salt and melted butter. Stir until smooth. Cook on both sides in non stick frypan, turning over when bubbles appear. Enjoy!

It was a hit

I made Chicken Tangine with couscous the other night for dinner, and what a hit it was! Both kids cleaned their plates and asked for more! That is almost totally unheard of in this house, as what one usually loves, the other either doesn't or it just "ok!"

It came from this book which I borrowed from the library. We will definitely be having this again!

Chicken tangine with couscous

2 Tbsp olive oil
4 x 180g chicken fillets, trimmed, halved
1 brown onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 Tbsp Moroccan spice mix
400g can diced tomatoes
400g can chickpeas, drained, rinsed
1 zucchini, halved, cut into 1cm pieces
1 1/2 cups couscous
fresh coriander leaves, to serve

1. Heat half the oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan over high heat. Add chicken. Cook for 2 minutes each side or until light golden. Transfer to a plate.

2. Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining oil, onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally for 2 to 3 minutes until onion has softened. Add spice mix. Cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant.

3. Ruturn chicken to pan. Add tomato, chickpeas and zucchini. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer stirring occasionally, for 12 to 15 minutes or until chicken is tender and cooked through. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Meanwhile, place couscous in a large, heatproof bowl. Pour over boiling water. Cover and stand for 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Stir with a fork to separate grains. Spoon couscous onto plates. Spoon over tangine. Sprinkle with coriander, Serve.

Photos from the week

Easy and delicious chocolate balls

Phoebe having a bad moult

The girls at Kates school Mass last night

Ellas after school birthday cake

Seeds were planted

Ella was presenred with her Student Leader badge

One very tall child

The ever sweet Gordon

Marshmallow Slice

This was a huge hit that we whipped up the other night. It's the first time I've tried making marshmallow and it didn't turn out too bad!

There hasn't been much baking going on here lately with it being school holidays and too hot for the oven on any more than it needs to be.

Next time we will try some different colours for the marshmallow and some fancy schmancy toppings!

Easy Muffins!

The kids made these on the weekend, so easy and so yummy!

Baking Day!

We made Queen Cakes today, taken from this book

125g butter
125g sugar
2 eggs
175g flour
1 tsp baking powder
50g sultanas (optional)

Cream butter and sugar, beat in eggs one at a time. Sift in flour and baking powder. Add sultanas. Put into greased patty tins. Bake at 200 deg C, for 10-12 minutes.

Best Ever Choc Chip Muffins!

Ella wanted me to make some choc chip muffins last night for the lunchbox and after school snacks, so I googled and found this easy recipe of Nigella Lawsons! They were so yummy! Infact, we all had one as soon as they were out of the oven, and Phil had another later on! I'm certain they are not going to last long!

This is the recipe I used!

Nigella’s Double Chocolate Chip Muffins

(adapted from The Food Network, Nigella Lawson – Nigella Feasts)
Makes 12

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 tablespoons best quality cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup caster (super fine) sugar
• pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup milk
• 1/3 cup plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• extra 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips, for sprinkling

1. Preheat oven to 400° F.  Line standard muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa, sugar and salt.  Stir in 3/4 cup chocolate chips.
3. Pour all the liquid ingredients, milk, vegetable oil, and egg, into a 2-cup measuring jug.  Using a fork, mix to combine.
4. Using a spatula, mix the wet and dry ingredients together.  Do not over-mix, a lumpy batter makes the best muffins.
5. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.  Using the remaining 1/4-cup chocolate chips, sprinkle each muffin with a few chips.
6. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until the muffins are dark, risen and springy and a cake tester inserted into centre comes out clean.

Sunday Musings!

1. Kate ready for her Year 7 social last week.
2. Traditional Sunday pancakes using a new recipe from this book.
3. Family chocolate cake from this book.
4. Red brightening up the winter garden.
5. Pretty sky.
6. Chickens found the silverbeet!

Today ...

We enjoyed poached eggs for breakfast courtesy of our chickens!

Enjoyed fresh fruit for morning tea

Enjoyed craft with friends

Played with the Sylvanians while I had a wee nap (got up at 4am)

We had some rain which the passionfruit vine lapped up!

The chooks enjoyed the cooler temps after sweltering through weeks of hot weather

There was playing on the ipad

Instagram is popular as well as Skype, Youtube and Facetime

There was chickens on skateboards

There was cuddles with best friends

There was hand feeding the feathered friends

There was a super quick trip to the library half an hour before closing to returned a book that had been reserved. Not much time to choose much.

There was the Sponge Bob Square Pants fan before bedtime!