Slap on an apron and lets do some baking!

I was supposed to bake some muffins for the lads lunches yesterday but with NO EGGS this couldn't happen.  So today when I got home armed with the necessary eggs, I knew it just had to happen.  I have an old favourite cook book that has seen better days, but it is full of favourite lunch box treats.

Good old Alison Holst, a kiwi favourite of simple pimple easy peasy things to bake. My kind of baking.

 

With some Bananas past their best by and more than ready to be put into baking, Chocolate & Banana Muffins were the order of the day.

Step One:  Put 2 cups of self raising flour, 1/2 a cup of caster sugar, 1/2 a cup of chocolate chips and 1/2 a teaspoon of salt into a large mixing bowl and give it all a stir.  This lot are called the Dry Ingredients.

Step Two:  Help yourself to a handful of chocolate chips to make sure they are up to standard.  Quality control is of the utmost importance!

Step Three:  Make yourself a hot drink as this baking lark can take some time.

NOTE:  Repeat Steps Two and Three as many times as you require.

Step Four:  Melt 100 grams of butter and set aside to cool off slightly.

Step Five:  Mash 3 bananas and put to one side.  By now you probably need to implement Step Two again as your sugar levels have probably dropped.

Step Six:  In another bowl, yes more dishes, put 1 cup of milk, 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence or extract, 1 beaten egg and those mashed bananas. 

Step Seven:  Now pour the melted butter into the bowl and give it a bit of a stir up so everyone gets to mingle and blend, let's call them the Wet Ingredients.

Step Eight:  Add the Wet Ingredients to the Dry Ingredients.

Step Nine:  Now you get to do some mixing,  but only until the Dry Ingredients are dampened, you don't want it all smooth.

Step Ten:  You can either grease your muffin tray or use paper cups like me.  As I live in a house full of males it only seemed right that I opted for some pretty Pink ones.

Step Eleven:  Spoon the mixture into the cups and then put into your pre heated over set at 220*c.

Step Twelve:  While your muffins are baking away, put that jug of yours on because you will now need to follow Step Three again.

Step Thirteen:  Presentation!!  Make sure you have your freshly baked muffins well displayed so your family can be amazed and impressed with your efforts in the kitchen, which also proves you haven't sat around all day drinking tea and reading magazines!!

Step Fourteen:  The taste test, the most important step in the entire process.  You may as well be first in as you know they will not last much longer than a day.  Mind you, I would rather the baking got eaten than grow mold!!

I pre rewarded myself by going to a couple of Op Shops on my way home from work today.  I love embroidered things so the cloth was destined to be mine at $1.  The skirt on the right is far too small for a buxom wench like myself but I only want the embroidered part.  It is going to get revamped tomorrow as the light has blown in my sewing room so I will wait for the day light.

 

I threw this little lot together today as it was a grey old day outside indeed.  Yesterday was unbelievably gorgeous and WARM!!  I made the most of that weather catching up on washing and taking in my garden through my macro lens.

Promise of good things to come, Daphne, Camellia, and Orchid.

Decaying and going to seed.  I adore skeleton leaves!!

The sun shone all day, the sky was blue until the frothy clouds gathered.

Big has conquered the back yard and now owns it!! He cruised on the deck in the sun with me and the dogs, we played 'happy families'.

 

Mantis, what are you praying for?

Leaves of all colours and shapes.

 Pinks and Reds.

Dew,  Lemons, and Flies!

Purples!!

 Two kinds of Birds!!

 Adorable George.

I'm not a smoker but I do like how it swirls.

 

 Are you in or are you out?

The biggest dilemma for a cat.

Hope you all have an enjoyable week and get to do something that makes you happy.  Remember to SMILE, it is good for your wrinkles!!!