Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012

How do you feel about 2011?  I generally have mixed feelings about every year, but this one in particular seemed to be falling on the not so good side of life.  So much so, that I was pretty well wishing it away.

But then, at the last minute, here came this little fella - to remind me that there is always a fresh start, that nothing is ever all bad and things can always be redeemed, even at the last minute.

 

Happy New Year, everyone.

Here's to new beginnings.

Muesli Squares

Have you ever made your own muesli bars?  If not, you should try!  It's super easy and you can put in whatever grains, seeds, nuts or fruit you like!  Or leave them out if you don't like.  It's really versatile and the combinations are as limited as your imagination and taste buds will allow.

I found my recipe here, but I changed it to suit my own ingredients because while I was cleaning out my pantry recently, I discovered this...

I think I may have bought it at the beginning of the year with lots of good intentions to start eating a nice healthy breakfast (it is awesomely delicious mixed with greek yoghurt and fresh blueberries), but somehow it got pushed to the back of the cupboard and forgotton.  Since the best before date is the end of the month, I figured there was no way I could slog through a whole box of muesli  in a few weeks, so muesli bars (or squares, in my case) would be perfect!

Instead of including a whole heap of seperate dry ingredients, I simply added up the amount needed in the original recipe (five cups), used the muesli (which came to four cups) and topped it up with the last of Miss Six's cornflakes, the last of a packet of craisins (dried cranberries) and some extra sultanas to make the five cups.  Not only did I get some yummy muesli treats, but I got more space in my pantry too!

So here's my recipe...

Homemade Muesli Squares

Ingredients

5 cups of dry ingredients (cereal, grains, dried fruits, seeds, nuts, whatever you like)
125g unsalted butter
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup brown sugar

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.  Grease and line a 3cm deep, 16cm x 28cm (base) baking pan with baking paper. Cook your dry ingredients (without fruit, although I didn't bother seperating the stuff that was already in the muesli) in a frying pan over medium heat, stirring, for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden.

Transfer to a bowl. Set aside to cool. Stir in dried fruit if you are adding extra.

 

2. Cook butter, honey and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes or until sugar dissolves. 

Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, without stirring, for 7 minutes or until mixture forms a soft ball when a little is dropped into ice-cold water. Add to dry ingredients. Stir until combined

3. Spoon mixture into pan. Use a large metal spoon to press down firmly.

Cook in oven for 5-7 minutes.  Allow to cool. Cut into squares - it may still be quite soft but will harden up a bit on refridgeration. Store in an airtight container (I put baking paper between layers to stop the pieces sticking together)  in the fridge.

Obviously these are designated snackage for myself and the hubby as the muesli I used is not nut-allergy friendly for Miss Six (it has almonds, which she is actually not allergic to, but just in case) so I am working on a nut free version for her to take in her lunchbox to school.

Here's the finished product with a little more blue/green love and a sneek peak of my latest crochet project.

 

Yum!  If you'd like some more baking inspiration, head on over to the girls at A Spoonful Of Sugar for some yummy ideas and links to which you can add your own delicious treats!
Happy baking!

Blue And Green Shall Not Be Seen...

Unless you happen to come to my place...

The Most Delicious Easiest Peasiest Banana Cake Ever

Can you believe that we still have these sitting in our pantry?

I think it's testament to how much choc Miss Six actually received at Easter time!  I must admit though, since it's hard to buy nut free chocolate for her at other times of the year, we all tend to go overboard a bit.

So anyhow, I suggested to Miss Six that we could add some of her chocolate to some nice lunchbox treats which would mean that not only would she get to eat chocolate at school (not something I normally let her do) but that we'd be able to get through a bit more of that stash.  She whole heartedly agreed and was even generous enough to say that she didn't mind sharing one or two treats with me because "the baby might like to try some of my choc too."  Awww, caring and sharing!

So I turned to my most favourite banana cake recipe which I just love to make into cupcakes.  If you are  short of time and want something yumalicious that you can make in an instant for lunchboxes or afternoon teas or special treats - this is definately it!  I found the recipe a while ago here and it's been one of my most used recipes ever since.  I can imagine it would even make a pretty nice birthday cake with some chocolate or cream cheese icing. You can also go mad with toppings such as choc chips, cinnamon or coffee sugar (you know the large granulated stuff?)  And it's so very easy with hardly any washing up - I wish every cake recipe was like this one!

Quick and Easy Banana Cake

Ingredients
125g butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 tspn vanilla essence (I use extract, it's nicer!  Yes, I am an essence snob)
1 egg
2 ripe bananas, mashed (older bananas taste better)
1 1/2 cups of self raising flour
1/4 cup milk
As much as you like of broken choc pieces or choc chips if you want these through the cake.  We used broken pieces of two large bunnies for the cake mixture and a smaller one for the tops.

Method

1. Melt butter, sugar and essence (extract!) in a medium sized saucepan.
2. Remove from heat
3. Add mashed bananas and stir through until blended
4. Add egg and mix in well.  Stir in flour, add milk and mix in lightly.
5. Stir through your choc if you are using it.
6. Spoon into patty papers or pour into non-stick cake tin
7..  Bake at 170 deg celcius for approx 40 minutes (or about 15-20 minutes for muffins/cupcakes and 6 minutes for mini muffins or fairy cakes)


Before baking...

 

And after...

 

And with a sprinkle of icing sugar and a hot cup of tea, here was my the baby's share...

Miss Six rated them as "Extra-extra-yum!"  and from the amount of kicking I was receiving before I ate to the complete stillness afterwards, I can only assume the baby did too.

Finally!

Lookit!  I have FINALLY  finished Miss Six's crocheted granny square throw.

Wow.  I think I started this last winter? (Yes, I did!)  What an effort.  I have to say, stitching it all together was not my most favourite thing....it was not at all soothing like the hooking together of each little square was.  And it took ages and ages and ages.   

But I'm pretty impressed with the final product (as is Miss Six) so I guess that makes it worth it!  Miss Six has asked for me to emboider a name tag with her birth date (similar to gorgoeus Felix's) to sew on as well.  At least that won't take me a year!