I Love your Love sign

I love a bit of a Love sign, something warming and fuzzy, beaming a lovely message down to you:

The Ultimate Banana Bread

This is an easy recipe that gives perfect results every time. Be sure to use overripe bananas and the right sized tin.

Ingredients

• 285g/10oz plain flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 110g/4oz butter, plus extra for greasing
• 225g/8oz caster sugar
• 2 free-range eggs
• 4 ripe bananas, mashed
• 85ml/3fl oz buttermilk (or normal milk mixed with 1½ tsp lemon juice or vinegar)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

  Preparation method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
  2. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large mixing bowl.
  3. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
     
     
     Watch technique0:50 mins
  4. Add the eggs, mashed bananas, buttermilk and vanilla extract to the butter and sugar mixture and mix well. Fold in the flour mixture.
     
     
     Watch technique0:35 mins
  5. Grease a 20cm x 12.5cm/8in x 5in loaf tin and pour the cake mixture into the tin.
  6. Transfer to the oven and bake for about an hour, or until well-risen and golden-brown.
  7. Remove from the oven and cool in the tin for a few minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
     
     
     
     
     http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/bananabread_85720

We need your 'Words of Wisdom' for next Friday!

We would love your words of wisdom for next Friday's blog.  So get a typing to us!

Here's a starter:
A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination - Our words of wisdom x

A handbag hard at work

A handbag hard at work...

Muffin-topped winter beef stew

Muffin on stew? You’d better believe it – think of it as a lighter alternative to suet dumplings.

Ingredients

For the stew

• 500g braising steaks, cut into bite-sized chunks
• 2 tbsp plain flour, seasoned with pepper and a little salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 450g carrots, cut into chunks
• 2 large parsnips, cut into chunks
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tbsp sundried or regular tomato paste
• 300ml red wine or extra stock
• 450ml vegetable stock

For the topping

• 225g plain flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 140g cheddar, coarsely grated
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 150ml milk

Method

1. Heat oven to 150C/fan 130C/gas 2. Toss the beef in seasoned flour. Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole. Fry the beef over a high heat until browned all over – it’s easiest to do this in batches. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
2. Add 2 tbsp water and the onion to the pan, stir well over a medium heat, scraping up the crusty bits from the bottom of the pan. Lower the heat and fry gently for 10 mins, stirring occasionally until the onions have softened.
3. Tip in the carrots, parsnips and bay leaf, then fry for 2 mins more. Return the beef to the pan, stir in the tomato paste, wine if using, and stock, then bring to the boil. Cover and cook in the oven for 1¾-2 hrs until the meat is tender. Can be made up to 2 days ahead or frozen for up to 1 month. Defrost thoroughly in the fridge before topping and baking. Take out of the oven and increase the temperature to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5.
4. To make the topping, sieve the flour and baking powder into a bowl and add half the cheese. Mix olive oil and milk, then stir into the flour to make a soft, slightly sticky dough. Add more milk, if necessary. Spoon the dough over the meat and vegetables, sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake for about 15 mins until golden, risen and cooked through.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, January 2006

The Ultimate Apple Crumble

This recipe is an all-time favourite of those hankering after the ultimate quick and easy dessert. Serve with nostalgia.

  Ingredients

     For the crumble

• 300g/10½oz plain flour, sieved pinch of salt
• 175g/6oz unrefined brown sugar
• 200g/7oz unsalted butter, cubed at room temperature
• Knob of butter for greasing
  
  
      For the filling
  • 450g/1lb apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1cm/½in pieces
  • 50g/2oz unrefined brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp plain flour
  • 1 pinch of ground cinnamon

    
    

    Preparation method

    1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
    2. Place the flour and sugar in a large bowl and mix well. Taking a few cubes of butter at a time rub into the flour mixture. Keep rubbing until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
       Technique: Rubbing in
       Watch technique0:46 mins
    3. Place the fruit in a large bowl and sprinkle over the sugar, flour and cinnamon. Stir well being careful not to break up the fruit.
    4. Butter a 24cm/9in ovenproof dish. Spoon the fruit mixture into the bottom, then sprinkle the crumble mixture on top.
    5. Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes until the crumble is browned and the fruit mixture bubbling.
    6. Serve with thick cream or custard.
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       

It's nearly Crimbo quote time!

I wrapped my Christmas presents early this year, but I used the wrong paper. See, the paper I used said 'Happy Birthday' on it. I didn't want to waste it so I just wrote 'Jesus' on it - Demetri Martin

Halloween Handbags! Get them out!

Get your stockings and handbags out, your going to be a busy one tonight with this Tick or Treating!

Hook'd have thought?

Don't go for the norm when it comes to hammering things into walls.  Just put up what's lying around. Somehow, I think you'll find they can work in wondrous ways to become beautiful hangers:

Sleepin' Around

Sleepers in your garden give a rustic feel to the place, it oozes charm:

Good Old Mother Hens Chicken Soup!

Pure soul food, this warming, easy chicken soup makes the most of leftover roast chicken.

Ingredients

• 55g/2oz butter
• 2 onions, peeled and sliced
• 2 sticks celery, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
• 25g/2oz plain flour
• 1.2 litres/2 pints chicken stock
• 450g/1lb cooked chicken, skinned and shredded
• 1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
  
  Preparation method
  
  
  1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat and gently fry the onions, celery and carrots until they start to soften.
  2. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring the mixture to the boil, stirring as you do so. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering and simmer for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
  3. Add the cooked chicken and cook until heated through. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in the parsley and serve.
     
     
     
     
     

Words of Wisdom by Gwen

If I wasn't even famous or had any success, I would still wake up and put tons of make-up on, and put on a cool outfit. That's always been who I've been my whole life, so that's never gonna change. I love fashion. I love getting dressed up. I love Halloween, too - Gwen Stefani

Tones of Leather

Sumptuous leather tones that look too good to be true.  We could gawp at these all day...

Weird and wonderful hangers for all sorts

For your bits and bobs that get in the way, why not stick a funky hook or horn onto a wall for your belongings to flaunt their stuff:

Winter Decorations

With the cold weather looming, we better prepare our gardens for the festive season.  Here are a few tips:

Words of Widsom - The Unreasonable Man

The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable man persists in trying to adapt the world to himself.  Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man - George Bernard Shaw, Maxims for Revolutionists

Shhhhhhhh...

Keep this on the low down but... EXCITING TIMES AHEAD, we have a handbag in the pipeline. It will be lush, vintage and pure 'hello come to mama'. Hopefully, fingers crossed by early 2014, yes please!