Being very creative in the kichen

What to you think of when teenagers have the house to themselves for more than one night? Maybe you think of them being outrages and inviting their friends over to drink and maybe trash the house down. For me, nope. My parents went away and they trusted me to keep the house intact. Really?

Plus it means, I can have carrots and pineapple for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

I thought you might want to admire some food photos. Which you haven't seen for such a long time. Sorry in advance if it making your tummy rumble. I have warned you. You might even receive a recipe at the end, just in case your tummy is saying feed me, feed me.

I can also make a mess!

Though I can also clear up the mess!!

Most of the time my parents were away, I washed up by hand, I didn't see the point of putting things in the dishwasher. Especially when I use certain things daily! Plus it meant that I was rewarded by hot choco or hot chocolate!! Plus cake. Sorry parents there is none left for you.

I thought my parents gave me £20 pound for food shopping, so I tried to see what's in the cupboard and what's in the freezer. Though some days i fancied cooking whereas not so much. And here is what I created.

It's a bit oragany as someone forgot to change the settings! Though this dish is a tuna hash

I noticed there was some tuna in the cupboard so looked in my student cookbook, and found a dish that doesn't take such a long time to make and was also cheap to make, win-win. Plus it's a good way to make tuna go a long way, It was very yummy! The best thing is that I didn't had to share. I did also had a dollop of HP sauce. I'm not keen on tomato sauce everything that can get dipped is mostly to be HP sauce. Unless chips then it's mayo.

Vegetarian spaghetti bolognese 

I don't like eating a lot of meat, so I tend to eat quite lot of vegetarian food, plus I was doing the parkrun the day after eating this. So I decided to have some pasta. I must say this is the best bolognese I made it was so tasty and juicy and had a different flavour to the normal bolognese. I wonder if my Dad would be able to taste the difference. I better to a taste test to see!

Using the left bolognese sauce to make lasagna!

As the bolognese can be made into other dishes to, I made some extra not for just one person. I could either add curry paste or chilli and eat with rice or baked potatoes. Though I fancied pasta the next day so I made myself some lasagna. Leftovers, are great! Aren't there? Also the lasagna that I made was so tasty as I used whole milk and the proper cheese sauce or the roux sauce as the professionals call it. See my Catering GCSE still comes to play.

The cake is honey cornbread cupcake with cheese frosting. Perfect piping!

I am starting to knit again. I making lots of progress honestly! And it's all my work now! I have made a wonderful friend at my church, who does lots of knitting and makes lovely cakes. So every month we go to each other houses to do some knitting and make cakes. So I thought I could show off to you, with my new knitting skill and my piping cakes skill. Unfortunately not all cakes looked like that. So I shall be doing more cakes baking and getting my piping in tip top.

As I didn't wake up till 12 in the afternoon, of the day I was doing knitting with my friend, I didn't to any food shopping for later that evening. I had about two hours to vacuum the house, oh the hob is dirty I will just clean that up. Oh look the laundry is spilling everywhere, I will just put that in the washing machine and hang it up. Ohmygoodness, the washing up is spilling over the worktop surface. I will quickly to that and put the kettle on for a nice cup of tea. Oh heck, my cup of tea, is cold, I will just put it in the microwave for 30 seconds. Look the table is a mess, I quickly tidy that up. Drink Rebecca! My cup of tea is now perfect temperature to drink. Hang on, what is that in my mouth, it a tea bag that someone forgot to take out.  Now, i'm so sweaty, I just have enough time too jump in the shower, enough time to make myself a cup of coffee and read my book! What it's that time already! Then my Dad saved the day and week, he put my normal money that I get every week separate to the food shopping money. I looked online, to see when the shops close an hour before I looked online. Never mind, it means I can enjoy my evening by going out for dinner. Thanks Dad! I again had pasta, my favorite type, macaroni cheese.

As anyone told, you that I like pasta? In fact every time my Mum asks me 'What would you like for dinner? My reply, 'pasta please' even though we had pasta a few days ago!!!!

Monday pie

I think, before I turn into pasta and get eaten. I should have something else rather than pasta. As I do my running on Monday evening! Yep, you did read that right. And I decided to go in the freezer (not literally), Oh there is mince! Defrost it the microwave. Cook the mince with the onions add some baked beans a dash of worchester sauce put it in the oven for 50 minutes. Bob's you uncle and Nellie's your aunt , you have a meal. Which meant that I could have a shower, a quick shower! And don't forget about the HP sauce!!!!!!

Peanut butter and jam American pancake with a cup of coffee!!!!

I had  a parkrun, didn't want to go. So I had to bribe myself, get up, get ready for running and you can have pancakes. I am trying to get a PB (personal best) with my parkrun, no hope yet. When I do I get a PB  to go to Creams  (Ice cream place)! The next time I pass it when I'm in town. I'm improving but not enough to get a PB. I will keep trying. And another blog post sometime soon about running.

Cup of tea, with a nutella and peanut cake in the mug

It was about 10:05 in the evening, I was reading my book and really fancied peanut butter and a cake. So I decided to put the oven on and get baking. Then my good mind told me not to because I had to wake up early the next day. So I decided to look online how to make microwave cup cake. I found something but the reviews weren't good. So I did what I normally do, bit of bit of this and a bit of that. It turned out really tasty and gooey just like the ones you get in the restaurants. Plus it meant I could get my craving of peanut butter and cake all at once.

Recipe time

 1 egg
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoon peanut butter
2 tablespoon of nutella
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon of coco
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

In a jug or a small bowl, stir the egg, brown sugar, peanut butter, flour, choco, nutella, and baking powder with a fork. Put the mixture in a mug. Microwave for 1 minute. Eat straight away from the mug.

Now if you don't mind, my tummy is saying feed me, feed me. I'm going to make that cake in the mug.

Lots of cooking

This week ended up with a stack of washing up. Thank goodness I own a dishwasher though for some reason I didn't use I just end up making lots of mess and tidying it up.

I thought you might like the clean pile of washing up

I don't know why over a sudden I'm into a mood where I want to cook lots of things and even try something new. I had no friends or relatives over so no entertaining which means no cooking different things or cakes. The main problem was that my folks went away meaning I could to what I wanted to do within reason. Which means I can have carrots and ice cream for dinner! Though I didn't think it was a good meal to have so I decided to use my student cookbook that I got. Which means lots of washing up across the worktop. Though never mention that!

Welsh rarebit

I think the star of the menu this week was the welsh rarebit cheese on toast is my favoruite either for breakfast or lunch. It's quick and easy to make, and so delicious. After some research, it turns out Welsh Rarebit is a specialty recipe for cheese and toast (originally named Welsh rabbit, but probably had a name change to make it a bit more fitting since there's no rabbit in it) Who doesn't like cheese and toast?

Spicy risotto

My other problem is that I haven't been cooking for such a long time. So I flicked through the cookery book and looked at the lovey picture and found a something that I would like to rustle up in the kitchen, Which is the spicy risotto.

Sausage pie

Then I thought well I fancy doing something different but comforting. I decided to make a sausage pie. After all it was a Saturday which means all you want to do is find a recipe which you can eat with just a fork whilst curled up on the sofa and which a good film. Right?

Chocolate cupcakes brownies

Oh and earlier in the week I rustled up a half dozen chocolate brownies cupcakes, which were entirety necessary, I assure you. They used up the remains of some egg whites just perfectly. Plus I really have been craving brownies real ones you know the crispy outsides but insides they are so moist and with some fruit? As if you have fruit in the cakes they count 1 in 5 a day?

Pasta with spicy sausages

I had two sausages left over from Saturday well the other two out of the six went in my spaghetti for a lovely breakfast which kept me through right until my coffee and cake later on the day. So I thought make a spicy pasta with the left over sausages. Which was very yummy and meant that I could read a book while eating.

Misty vegetarian spicy soup and hereby dumplings

I thought before I turn into a sausage, I better cook something else than sausages. I thought about having a vegetarian dishes not because I am one. Just because it's something different. I fancied something warm as it was rather cold but want something to fill me up. I decided to do spicy soup and hereby dumplings. It was extremely spicy I though I picked up a measuring spoon of half teaspoon turns out while I was washing up a half tablespoon. Also don''t stir the soup too much or you will break up the dumplings.

Cauliflower and broccoli cheese

After all I am flexitarian, nope its not a made up word. It is where you or a vegetarian but have days where you like meat. So I cooked cauliflower and broccoli cheese and for some reason the cheese sauce just wasn't thickening. So I phoned for help and while on the phone it manged to thicken up.

Have a hot coco with a cake, it'll make you feel better if you are covering from a cold and if not still have hot coco and cake. And next month is December-it will be snowy. Yes it will. Won't it? Surely?

Chocolate and what cake

That must chocolate and avocado cake.

I remember watching the movie Matilda as a child and being both jealous of and disgusted by the little boy was forced to eat chocolate cake as punishment for a petty crime he didn't commit. The glory was raised up on a pedestal-so thick, decadent and fudgy. I wanted to be right there along with him, fork in hand, shovelling in bite after bite as the crowd cheered "Bruce, Bruce, Bruce!" (and, Rebekah, Rebekah, Rebekah). But we don't get everything we want as a child, just like I never got that fancy notebook Penny always carried around in Inspector Gadget I had rough childhood, clearly.

But when you grow up you realize many things, like children really don't get punished in real life with chocolate cake, it will feel better when it stops hurting (so said my Grandfather), and eating mass amounts of cake will get you nowhere good (so says my mother). But the funny thing is, despite having the realization, the craving chocolate cake (and lots of it) doesn't go away. It's simply accompanied by a guilt fairy that flutters around your head saying "Fatty McFatterson Two Face" as you shovel in colossal bites.

My solution? Make the cake healthy with things like banana, avocado, honey and oat flour. Then you can flick the fairy away and say "Nuh Uh, stupid face. It health food." Problem rectified. Ugh, I hate bossy fairies.

My Mum had an avocado that needs to be used up. I would like to do baking since every holiday my tradition is to bake something. I had a dilemma either make avocado mouse. Or make a chocolate cake. Maybe one day make avocado mouse today the chocolate cake one won. But if you want to make chocolate mouse. Decisions, decisions.

I never have any recipes to follow as such just look up random recipes and make sense of them and getting creative in the kitchen. Is baking cooking or more science? I think it is more science and improvisation.

Recipe time

Ingredients

1. 1 large ripe avocado (150g)
2. 300g muscovado sugar
3. 350g self-raising flour
4. 50g coco powder
5. 150g melted chocolate (though I get extra as I like eating chocolate when the rest is melting)
6. 400ml of milk
7. 150ml sunflower oil

Method

• Head over to 180C. Grease your baking tins and if do have baking parchment then draw around the cake tin and cut it and put it in the tin otherwise you would have to wash it up which takes a lot of effort. Though a great excuse to not do your assignment. Put the avocado and the sugar in a food processor and whizz until smooth. Add the rest of the cake ingredients a bowl put the avocado mixture in the bowl with the melted chocolate and use the electric hand mixer to mix the batter with. Until it is to a velvety, liquid batter. Divide the mixture between the tins and bake for 20 minutes or until well risen and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out clean. Then you can like the bowl, no one is watching nor judging.
• Cool in the tins for 5 minutes then turn the cakes onto a rack to cool completely.
• I didn't meant to make a sandwich cake. I went to the corner shop to see if they still sell chocolate fudge so I could put that into the middle. And no they didn't, left my phone out home. OH NO! So I improvised and picked up double cream and chocolate. No! I am not crazy but I can whisk the double cream and melt the chocolate and they you go. If you get extra cream you could put it in coffee. So yummy.
• I haven't ate the cake otherwise my parents won't get to see my master piece. Furthermore if it so tasty, I might eat the whole lot and Dad won't get any. So for now you can admire the pictures. And I write what I think about the cake in the comment section, also my Dad thoughts about it. since he wasn't keen on the Cucumber cake. Hopefully he would like this one if not then a whole cake to myself which I won't be complaining about.

Picture time

Ingredients with a few missing

Who says I can't get chocolate everywhere?

These beautiful cakes are resting and cooling

I could get away it! (maybe not)

Don't worry folks I didn't eat it all I put it in the microwave least's it wasn't in the oven

Ah you probably want to know the oven story. Well Mum was making a surprise chocolate cake for my Dad the best idea my Mum had was to put it in the oven. The same day she used the oven preheated it without checking. You can guess what probably happened? Yes I am afraid my Dad smelled something burning. Mum forget to check to see what is in the oven. This was before I was born and we don't let me Mum forget. Every time you use the oven you have to check even you, you never know what might be lurking in the oven.

Mothly Musings:Feburary

I feel like February is a bit of a troublemaker. It knows how much effort it takes children at school to learn to spell its name. Even now I cannot get to grip of its name. This month has definitely been a troublemaker as we had the storm Imogeon and wasn't it a windy nearly knock me over.

My friends and I had a walked around Farnborough for about an hour and decided to treat ourselves with a cake and coffee and read our books.

It has been full packed month all right. From seeing my Grandparents for lunch, and lots of walking.


Here are some highlights.

February half term zoomed by. I remember telling my family I'm going to have a relaxing week but a productive one for my assignments. Not to sure how but somehow I ended up doing something everyday. I tell you what I got a memory of Goldfish even a Goldfish as a better memory than me. Now that tells you something. Oh no, I do not have Dementia. Honestly.

Day out with my bike to Farnham

Yes I cycled to Farnham and back. Not forgetting a visit to Farnham castle and quick walks near the Farnham town and drop by independent shops. Farnham castle on the crest of a hill overlooking the town of Farnham are the impressive motte and 'shell keep' of a castle founded in 1138 by Henry of Blois, Bishop of Winchester and brother of King Stephen. In medieval times the diocese of Winchester was the richest in England and Farnham was a favourite residence of the bishops. The castle was rebuilt in the late 12th and early 13th centuries, but a viewing platform reveals the buried remains of an easier tower.

After exploring Farnham castle I had a stroll on the high street to look for a cafe but only found that it was busy well what do you expert at 1:00pm? However I found a local pub ordered coffee and asked if it was O.K. to have my lunch that I made at home and of course it was. A good cycle ride deserves lunch and coffee at a pub next to a roasting fire.

It was then time to go back home by following the signs that says Farnborough, then managed to find myself following the path and finger cross it is going to take me a place that I am familiar with it and yes it certainly worked I find myself passing the place where we got my shed from. I also managed getting muddy by following the Blackwater valley path. So most of that journey I was walking, least I managed to get my 10,000 steps in my day. Well more like 39,252 steps I achieved the whole day.

I also stopped in Farnborough and have a warm drink only one answer to that. A mocha. Maybe I will stick to my black coffee now on. I also bumped into someone in Witherspoon's though I am afraid I do not who it was. Such a shame! (If it was you who I saw please a leave a comment. And sorry!)

I then managed to get home with only have the front light flashing red because it needs charging and the rear light decided to turn itself off because it ran out of battery. I was welcomed back home with a kettle being boiled in. Gosh am I old fashioned but a nice cuppa after a cold cycle ride back home is just what I need.

Day with my friends

I managed to run 2 hours. No mud in sight. Ah you got to joking. I thought I would do my normal route pass Tesco's and enter Blackwater Valley path pass the church and enter snaprails and go home with a cup of tea. Ah yes, mud enters that equation. I also overrun my run as I was meeting my friends at 12 actualy I got my too friends house around 1:30pm with a stop to a shop to get some biscuits. Though I got always made some. Maybe next time.

If you want to play Nintendo Will with me, you may have to deal with me losing and getting frustrated. I will stick with sports on the Nintendo Will that I can do. A game of tennis anyone? 

Though it was good catch up with my friends someone of them I have not seen since August where has that gone?

Thanks Emily for putting up with us especially the shouting at the TV.

Afternoon with my Great-Grandparents

Grufflo cake

Nope, I unfortunately do not have great-grandparents though just absolutely wonderful grandparents.

I had a couple of hours with my Grandma cleaning my bedroom which had not to done for a long of time. After that hard work cleaning and coughing and re-arranging things. Deserve lunch out, don't you think that? I certainly do and that is what we did. 

We went to Hungry Horse. Yummy. Did some shopping at Tesco's and a cake managed to jump from the shelf to our trolley. Can you believe that? That only means one thing cake and coffee when we get back home. And that is what we did. 

Wash up and managed to pick up my book oh and a few hours doing my assignment. See I did managed to get my assignment in the mix

Chocolate and what?

Well a whole day doing my assignments! Now I might want to do that might though I do have to reward myself with something that taste so good. Right! So what about a chocolate cake with a hidden secret of vegetable to get one of your five a day. 

I found a cucumber in the fridge that needs eating up. I love cucumber and chocolate cake so why not mix it together. I know what you're thinking...... Cucumber? In a cake? Has Rebekah gone made? No I have not gone mad.

I liked this cake, but my Dad wasn't a huge fan (he is a strange bird sometimes). I thought that it tasked like a traditional chocolate zucchini cake, but I did notice a bit of cucumber taste to it. My Dad thought this cake taste like toothpaste. Regardless, I enjoyed the cake and didn't think it was too cucumber-y. In fact, the chocolate and cocoa masked most of the cucumber flavour, so it was similar to just a regular chocolate cake to me.

A day rewarding myself

A whole day to do my assignment so much focussing and staying away from YouTube. Cupcakes saying 'eat me' means each bit of assignment I get though or just when I need a break I have a cake and coffee or a drink of water. And my Mum also got some Doughnuts from the shop they also managed to get a way to my tummy. Strange that. 

Quote of the month

Dad: You are clever, when Mum just cooked a roast dinner on Monday
Mum: I am not clever just mad.
Rebekah: Well all the best people are mad
(Referring to Alice in the wonderland)

Recipe of the month

Coffee and cucumber cake!!

4 TBSP cocoa powder

2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 and 3/4 cups granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dash of milk

About one small cucumber, chopped finely with no seeds if you wish.

1. Directions Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Put about 12 cupcake cases in the cup cake tin.
3. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl if using a handheld mixer, cream the butter and sugar with the paddle attachment on medium speed until light and fluffy.
5. Add the eggs, vanilla and buttermilk and mix until all the ingredients are well incorporated. The batter may look curdled.
6. Turn the mixer to low and gradually add in the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
7. Turn off the mixer and fold in the grated and drained cucumber by hand. 
8. Transfer the batter to your prepared baking pan and smooth out the top with a spatula. 
9. Bake in your preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely before serving if you can wait for that long. I couldn't.

So if you are visiting me soon. Do not be surprised if you have a cake that has weird vegetables and bring your bike I got my next adventure planned out for my day out with my bike. How about going to the city of Bath and explore the Romans Bath? 

Where has time gone?

I have been so busy with college recently, so I have not had time to do my weekly post about what I got up to. I could just about to my Writing Wednesday poems. Sometimes you get more than one. Don't get used to it. I say that a lot don't I then do it next week. How does that work?

I hear, you want me to give you a weekly post, right now. Well do you know, I'm going to do that right now.

I can't believe it's October. Where has September gone? Where has our Summer Holiday gone? Time flies by when you are having fun. Did you know that? So does that mean homework is fun? I will let you decide on that one!

First day at college

I can just about remember it. We didn't had much time to settle in before we started lesson. With two classes in one lesson. Very confusing, for trying to learn new names and too much faces. So much challenges to face in college. I thought college was great fun. Did you thought that? Well to your attention it is great fun after you overcome your challenges. At the moment after each challenge I have I'm faced with another. I remember last year I finished early so could go home do my homework and have so much time on my hands. I'm afraid this year I start late and guess what? I finish late in the evenings. So not much time on my hands.

I'm sure lectures are evil. So you are just about there with getting you never ending of homework and then you are given an assignment with your first two weeks. You hand your assignment in. And said to yourself 'least I can relax for a couple of weeks before another assignment is given in my hands.' NO, think again. What, it can't be. That's not fair. You can rebel as much as you want. Hand it in an assignment and another assignment has flown your way. 

That's college for you.

Parents have gone away for a weekend

What comes to your mind when a teenager parents have gone away for a weekend? Maybe it's the parties, house getting damaged, teenager gets drunk. I'm sorry to disappoint y'all. Mine was very tame. I worked, got home and studied and made dinner and make cakes Then study more and didn't get to sleep until midnight. 

I made a wonderful dish just by putting random things in the pan cooked it and put it in the oven. It worked and was very tasty.

Chicken hot pot

I fancied cooking something. But not to sure what. So I looked in the cupboards, fridge and even freezer. And this was the outcome. If you fancy making this dish then here is the recipe. I must say it was very tasty and easy to make but took a while so not good if you are busy in the evening. A great dish to make when you got time on your hands.

Ingredients

• 1 onion 
• 1 garlic
• 1 carrot
• 1 pepper
• 2-3 potatoes (enough to cover the casserole dish)
• 1-2  chicken breast 
• 1 vegetable cube
• 1 can of baked beans
• Splash of Worcestershire sauce

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan oven 200/Gas mark 6
2. Before you start the actual cooking. I find it helpful if I chop all the vegetables before hand. So dice the onion, carrot and use a garlic presser for garlic. Don't forget to slice the potatoes. Just mind you fingers. Make sure you have ten fingers left. How can you forget about the chicken? I cubed the chicken. 
3. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the onions and garlic until they brown slightly. Put in the chicken. 
4. Until the chicken has gone white. You can put the vegetables in. Just wait until it has gone soft then. Meanwhile put the kettle on. I put extra in then I need so I can make a cup of tea.
5. Put the vegetable cube in the jug pour over 900 ml of water in the jug. If you fancy making a tea then you can make a cup of tea. Stir the vegetable cube until it has dissolved in the water. Then put that in the pan. Bring it to the pan.
6. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes, until the veg are tender. Stir in the baked beans and a generous splash of Worcestershire sauce and heat through. Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary.
7. Then this fun bit comes in. Put the contents in the pan to the casserole dish. Place the sliced potatoes on top in layers and cook for 50 minutes. Test the potatoes with a fork to check that they are cooked. If not turn the oven down to 160°C fan oven/180/Gas mark 4 and cook for another 10 minutes.
8. Best of all enjoy.

Carrot cake

Carrot cake

I peeled an extra carrot. I couldn't bin that carrot it would be such as waste. Plus I had no dessert after my main meal. I know what to make, can you. Carrot cake. Yep carrot cake the best cake that is so tasty and doesn't take long to make either. One problem I didn't had a recipe to follow. Who needs a recipe anyway? If you want a recipe than you are in luck! 

Ingredients

• 175g dark brown soft sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 150ml sunflower oil
• 200g self-raising flour
• 2 teaspoons mixed spice
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon 
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
• 1 grated big carrot 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170 Fan/Gas Mark 5. Put 12 paper muffin cases in a muffin tin.
2. Whisk the sugar, eggs and oil together in a bowl for 2-3 minutes until pale and bubbly around the edges. Check that there is no sugar left undissolved.
3. Now sift the flour, mixed spice, cinnamon and bicarbonate of soda into the bowl, then fold all this in gently. Then add the grated carrot.
4. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until well risen and springy to the touch. 
6. Transfers to a wire rack to cool completely. 
7. Best of all enjoy.

If you asked people what their favourite cake was, carrot cake might just come our top, This cake is loved by everyone who tries it and has the added bonus of being pretty easy and cheap to make.

Dad cupcakes 

My attempt of making chocolate and orange cupcakes

My Dad birthday on the 20th September and wanted some cake to take into work. So me being me. Dived in going 'I will make a cake.' I'm looking through all the recipes book either in the house or on the internet sometimes in book stores to get an inspiration. But nothing was coming to me. It wasn't till the morning of making these cakes, I looked at orange and there was chocolate on the table. Why not put them together? I had a final look for recipes that was chocolate and orange cupcakes. I found one. So this isn't my own recipe this time, it's from Marks and Spencer book called 'scrumptious cupcakes perfect pick me-ups'  Since you are are eagering to cook this lovely cupcake, I'm not surprised since is one of your five a day!!

Ingredients 

For the cake

• 155g softened butter
• 115g golden caster sugar
• 1/2 grated orange ( I used about an whole orange)
• 2 eggs
• 115g self-raising flour
• 25g of plain dark chocolate (I used 35g dark chocolate)
• thin stirps candiced orange peel to decorate. I think you can just grate some oragnge and put it on top.

Topping

• 115g plain chocolate broken into pieces. (eat the fine bits, no one is watching you)
• 25g softened butter
• 1 tablespoon of golden syrup.

Method

For candied orange

1. Cut the top and bottom off each orange and score the skin into quarters. Remove the skin (peel and pith, the white part), and cut the skin into strips about ¼" wide. Wrap the oranges in plastic wrap to store for other use. Place the strips of peel in a large saucepan and cover with cold water.

For the cake

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Put 16 paper baking cases in 2 X 12-hole bun tins or put 16 double layer paper cases on a baking tray.
2. Put the butter, sugar and orange rind in a bowl and beat together until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs. Stift in the flour and, using a metal spoon, fold gently into the mixture with the orange juice and grafted chocolate. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases.
3. Bake the cupcakes in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until well risen and springy to the touch. Transfer to the touch. Transfer to a wire racks to cool completely.

For the topping

1. Break the chocolate into a heatproof bowl and add the butter and syrup. Set the bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water and heat until melted. Remove from the heat and stir until smooth. Cool until the topping is thick enough to spread. Spread over the cupcakes and decorate each cupcake with a few strips of candied orange peel. Leave to set. 

If you got any candied orange pieces and chocolate, which didn't manage to get a way to your mouth. I know what y'all like. You can always dip in your orange to the chocolate just get prepared to get messy and wash up a messy plate. But you are rewared with a lovely snack with your tea or coffee. 

Poem

I deiced to write a poem to conclude this post. Since this post at the intention of talking about time then somehow got lots of recipes. So lests wrap up with a poem about time. 

Time

time is

the space in which we grow

   without awareness

   in our early years

structured by meals

   arrivals and departures

   light and dark

   hot and cold

   school   studies  play  adventures

   celebrations

and by waiting

   anxiously or not

for things to happen

time is

that feeling

that we may not have enough of it

in our later years

busy with jobs and family and travel

covering long distances in order to

achieve and educate and care

time is

what starts to rush by us

with increasing speed

in our final years

making us wonder

what it really means

that space 

by which we measure 

our lives 

   our universes

      our worlds

time is

Have I been busy?

Welcome to my new title of 'Brilliant Becca Bakes.' How is it on people phones now? Don't worry I won't be changing my title anymore. I might change the link, but I will tell you next time. So you can easy find my blog.

It wasn't intentional that ever since I landed in the UK after my wonderful time in USA I have been making cakes or cookies. There are so yummy and delicious.

All I wanted to do on Monday was to catch up with my great friends Tia and Lawrence. You know where you have tea or coffee or for Tia's case she would have hot cocoa. Then you have to have a bit of cake. Right? So let's make cookies and cakes.

That is exactly what we did. With lots of laughter involved, and talking about random things plus eating the delicious things that just come out of the oven.

Black forest cookies

These delicious (to assure you this word is not my favorite word, honestly) chewy cookies are totally irresistible-so they won't last won't last long. The name 'black forest' traditionally refers to a mix of chocolate and cherries, and there are packed full of both.

Lawrence's creation with marshmallows and cherries in the middle

Ingredients

Vegetable oil or butter for greasing

80g butter, softened

200g caster sugar

1 medium egg, beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract 

165g plain flour

35g cocoa

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda

90g glace cherries, halved

60g dark chocolate grated

Equipment

Two large baking parchment

Two large baking trays

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C Fan/Gas Mark 5. Grease two large baking sheets and line with non-stick baking parchment.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
3. Add the the beaten egg, and vanilla extract and beat into the mixture.
4. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda, and beat in well.
5. Now add the the cherries and grated chocolate (just mind you fingers) and stir into the mixture until evenly distributed.
6. Form balls of mixture roughly the size of a golf bowl and place on the baking parchment, well spaced apart. The mixture will be really sticky, so before handling the dough, briefly run your hands under the cold water tap so they are damp, and then the mixture won't stick to them.
7. You could always put marshmallows on top or even cherries. If you fancied. 
8. Bake the cookies for 12 minutes until they are crispy at the top and edges and the chocolate have melted. When you remove them from the oven, they will still be soft. Leave on the sheets for around 20 minutes to firm up before transferring to a wire rack to cool fully. Can you wait 20 minutes before eating them? We couldn't.
9. Store in an airtight container and eat within 7 days. Once cool, these cookies can be frozen in sealed freezer bags for up to 3 months.

This recipes makes 12-16 cookies.

Black bottom cupcakes

Why choose between chocolate and coffee when you have both? These two-tone cupcakes look great. And with different flavors top and bottom, they definitely taste twice as nice!

Ingredients

250g butter,softened

250g caster sugar

4 medium eggs, beaten

250g self-raising flour

1 heaped tbsp cocoa powder

1 tbsp espresso powder

Equipment

Muffin or fairy cake tray (s)

Paper cases

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C Fan/Gas Mark 5. Line your muffin or fairy cake tray with the appropriately sized paper cases.
2. In a large mixing bowl. Beat together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. 
3. Add the beaten eggs to the butter and sugar mixture a little at a time. Beat well after every addition.
4. When all the egg has been added, sift in the flour and gently fold into the mixture.
5. Now, take a second mixing bowl and transfer half the mixture into it, ensuring the batter is divided evenly between the two.
6. Sift the cocoa powder into one of the bowls. Gently fold in until it is well mixed through. Add the espresso powder to the other bowl of mixture and again, mix in gently and evenly. 
7. Now spoon the two mixture into the cake cases, starting with the chocolate mixture and dividing it evenly among the cakes. Then add a smaller spoonful of the the espresso mixture on top, again dividing this evenly among the cake cases.
8. Bake for 20-25 minutes for muffins and 16-18 minutes for fairy cakes, until they are risen and the sponge springs back when pressed lightly with your finger. Allow to cool fully on a wire rack
9. Store in an airtight container and eat within 3-5 days. Once cool, can be frozen n sealed freezer bags for up 3 months.

I don't think I need to tell you how much this recipes makes as you could count how much there are in the picture? So what is the answer? You got the answer right! If you said 12. Well done you deserve a cake.

Homemade jam

Make the most of fruit gluts and try to make make your own jam. Especially when you can go blackberry picking, I did some blackberry picking at my grandparents house. It can't be fresh than that. Homemade jam is so delicious on homemade bread or even scones. How about Victoria sponge cake? 

Ingredients 

651g blackberries 

651g granulated sugar

knob of butter

Method

1. Put the fruit into a preserving pan or large heavy-based saucepan. For blackberries, add 50ml of water and 1½ tbsp of lemon juice;  Bring to the boil.
2. Lower the heat. For blackberries, simmer for 15 minutes. The fruit should be soft.
3. Tip in the sugar, stir over a very low heat until the sugar has completely dissolved. Raise the heat, bring to a full rolling boil, then rapidly boil blackberries for 10-12 minutes,  don’t stir though – until the setting point of 105C is reached.
4. Remove from the heat, skim off any excess scum, then stir a knob of butter across the surface (this helps to dissolve any remaining scum). Leave for about 15 mins so the fruit can settle. Pour into sterilized jars, label and seal.

This recipe makes three of those jars in the picture and a half of a normal one. 

Snake in a hole

This dish is a bit of fun-it's the kind of recipe that makes the kids laugh, and ultimately we're all big kids at heart Don't be mistaken by appearances, it's super delicious and I know you folks are going to make it and love it. It's a cross between a roasted meatloaf and meatball, surrounded by our favorite Yorkshire pudding that cooks up around it and, if that's not enough, it;s finished with a kiss of sweet onion gravy. 

Ingredients

120g plain flour

2 large eggs

100ml semi-skimmed milk

4 sprigs of fresh rosemary

2 slices of stale bread

500g minced beef

1 heaped teaspoon wholegrain mustard

1 sweet potato

Olive oil

2 red onions

1 beef stock cube

Balsamic vinegar

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6. Put 100g of flour into a jug with a pinch of salt, whisk in the eggs, then gradually add the milk until you have a smooth batter, and put aside. Pick the rosemary leaves and put half into a food processor, then blitz with the bread to make breadcrumbs. Add the beef, a pinch of salt and pepper, add the mustard. Peel and coarsely grate in the sweet potato (this will keep the meatloaf really juicy) and pulse until combined. Shape into the a snake about 4 cm thick (be as realistic as you like) drizzle with a lug of oil and rub it all over. Place in an extra-large oiled roasting tray. (roughly 30 cm X 35 cm) Roast for 20 minutes)

Meanwhile, to make the gravy, peel and slice the onions and put them into a pan on a medium heat with a lug of oil. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until softened, stirring regularly. Once soft, stir in the remaining flour , crumble in the stock cube and pour 500 ml of water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 20 minutes, or until you're happy with the consistency. Season to perfection, add a splash of balsamic, to taste and keep warm. If you want mashed potato then peel them but them in the pan with boiling water with the lid until there taste right to you or until you can stick in a fork. Then drain the water out, put a dash of milk if you like. I think it is easier to mash the potato with a bit of milk. Oh and put some butter in as it makes the potato more fluffy. 

When the time's up on the oven, slide out the snake tray, scatter in the remaining rosemary leaves and quickly and carefully pour in the batter. Return to the oven for around 25 minutes, or until the Yorkshire is golden and puffed up-don't be temped to open the oven while it's cooking. Serve the tray in the middle of the table, pour the gravy around the snake and serve with a pot of mustard and steamed seasonal greens or big bowl of peas on the side.

The recipe for snake in the hole should serve 4-6 people. Or two hungry adults it was so tasty. 

Mom and Dad don't get used to me making cakes and cookies every week. Though you might get more homemade jam, it's so easy to make and more healthier for you. Please let me know if you are going to make any of things I mentioned on this post or other post I did. By using the comments downstairs. 

So do you think I have been busy this week? I think I have. 

What a cake!

So Thursday one of my friend met up and have picnic at Crowthrone and wondered to a cafe and had hot chocolate then next discussion was what cake to make for my friend birthday so we got pen and paper to write ideas down.

Can you see where this is coming?

So the next day, I can't really say morning as I didn't get up till 12:00pm it must because I read my book far to late again. Well it is the holiday or shall I say a more well deserved break. So I got the washing to do, and the boring chores at of the way, Got one of my Mom's crockery books out came Nigella Lawson book who has a whole chapter of chocolate cakes. Asked my friend to come to mine and bake a cake. We made the chocolate Malteaser cake this recipe was from the Nigella Lawson book Feast book.

Now lets begin the fun. Well ish you know measuring the ingredients before in-case you need to pop to the shop to get anything. Mom kitchen as a few cooking things. There were only three things to get which were the Coco since I used Mom for making hot coco, butter and Horlicks. I made cakes numerous of times but never came across using Horlicks in cakes before. I also remembered the chocolate tip that Martha suggested last year, if you're making chocolate cake and use cocoa you would also need the chocolate for a more deeper chocolate flavor. 

So we finished measuring the ingredients out. While my friend Tia was greasing the tins I was grating the chocolate. Who needs the gym these days while you can make cake? OK you might put on weight that you just loosed. 

Tia and I helped each other during the baking process. We divided the mixture between two cake tins. This is where I thought oh no because the mixture didn't look enough to fill the cake tins. But you know the oven as magical powers to rise cakes? So we were praying that cakes would rise. While the oven was doing it's magical powers Tia and I were washing up. The boring bit. Well before the boring bit we had some some chocolate bits that couldn't be grated those managed to find a way in a mouths. Who can't resit a bit dark chocolate?

So you know the oven as magical powers? I'm afraid ours is lacking magical powers.  We put the cakes out of the tins to the wire racks and let them cool down. At last minute thing we made another layer for the cake as the first batch was very thin and we are not happy with it. This time it was just made by coco and all in method as it was the easiest and quickest. Again a quick pop to the shop for some things. 

This time the oven definitely had magical powers. It was at the top of the cake tin. So our oven as definitely proved us wrong. We let it cool down then worked out how to use my Mom's processor to make the icing. We also had a go at piping the icing. A new skill that Tia has learned. 

Now comes the bit where the cake comes to life. You know decorating the cake without eating it? Oh by the way, just watch those Malteaser's rolling off the cake to the floor. You can eat those. Five second rule.  We put chocolate fudge icing between the layers of the cake then the homemade icing around the cake. Oh shall I say that was the general idea. If time was on our side I would pipe the icing around the cake. Though time was not on our side.  

Photos time 

Making the cake 

Tia working out how to use baking parchment 

Tia cracking one of the many eggs 

Me beating the eggs and sugar

Tia folding the mixture 

Now the cake is in the oven. You know what that means don't you? Indeed it is. Time to eat the bowl not literally but lick the mixture that is left and get chocolate everywhere. Who said you can't be toddler again and get chocolate everywhere.

Time to get chocolate everywhere

Tia licking her fingers

Big spoon vs little spoon

Tia eating the bowl

me eating the ladle

Oven didn't do it's magic

Two little cakes

Time to do another layer of cake

Tia with the second cake

Now that is what I call a chocolate cake!!

Time for making icing

Tia putting the grated chocolate in the food procesor

The final touches, and the result is this!

What a cake!

Um success? 

I gathered up my poems that I either did or been given by my wonderful friends. Some who are no longer with us. Such as Martha but she wrote such a wonderful poem that I would like to share with you all.

The Cake I'd Bake For You

If our relationship was a cake
What ingredients would it have?
How long do we have to bake
To get the desirable taste of love

An ounce of respect and care
A handful of faith and grace
This kind of cake is rare
So be careful not to waste

Those of you who want to have a go at this cake. Here is the recipe for the top and bottom layer.

For the cake
150g soft brown sugar (muscavado sugar is best for flavour)
100g caster sugar
3 large eggs
175ml milk
15g unsalted butter
2 tablespoons Horlicks powder
175g plain flour
25g cocoa, sieved
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

Take whatever you need out of the fridge so that all the ingredients can come to room temperature (though it's not so crucial here, since you're heating the milk and butter and whisking the eggs.

Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 3/170C. Butter and line two 20cm loose-bottomed sandwich cake tins with baking parchment.

Whisk together the sugars and eggs until light and frothy. Heat the milk, butter and Horlicks powder in a small saucepan until the butter has melted and the mixture is hot but not boiling. Beat the milk mixture into the eggs a little at a time. Fold in the dry ingredients thoroughly. Divide the cake batter evenly between the two tins and bake in the oven for 25 minutes, by which time the cakes should have risen and will spring back when pressed gently. Let them cool on a rack for about 5-10 minutes and then turn them out of their tins.

And here is the recipe for the middle layer

200g caster sugar
200g softened butter (or out of the fridge just put it in the microwave about 30 secs)
4 eggs, beaten,
200g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking power
2 tbsp milk
I think we put about 2tbsp of Coco

Now comes the easy bit of the recipe. All you need to do is put everthingi n the large bowl, beat all the cake ingredients together until you have a smooth, soft batter. In the oven it goes about 30 mins just check to see when you put a knife if it comes clean then it is done if not in the oven for another minute until it comes clean.

Now the recipe for the icing

For the icing and decoration
250g icing sugar
1 teaspoon cocoa
45g Horlicks
125g soft unsalted butter
2 tablespoons boiling water
2 x 37g packets Maltesers
if you want to cheat you can buy a chocolate fudge icing to put between the layers of the cake

Once the cakes are cold, you can get on with the icing. I use a processor just because it makes life easier: you don't need to sieve the icing sugar. So: put the icing sugar, cocoa and Horlicks in the processor and blitz to remove all lumps. Add the butter and process again. Stop, scrape down, and start again, pouring the boiling water down the funnel with the motor running until you have a smooth buttercream.

Sandwich the cold sponges with half of the buttercream, and then ice the top with what is left, creating a swirly pattern rather than a smooth surface. Stud the outside edge, about 1cm in, with a ring of Maltesers or use them to decorate the top in which-ever way pleases you.

We put the icing around the cake using the knife. If time is on your sides and you feel comfortable using a piping bag you can pipe around the whole cake on the sides to make a more spectacular effect. Just be careful not to show your friends otherwise you will get friends asking you to bake a cake for them.

Best of all have fun being a toddler when licking the bowl.

Makes 8-10 slices.