Things we should know about Cats/ Kittens. ( I thought I knew but I've forgotten what it's like to have one )

- they require alot of time

- they may forget how to use the litter / poop

- they will use more tissue paper / toilet paper than you

- they do what they want, when they want.

- they are the boss of you

- if their plate is empty, it doesn't mean that you have to refill

- if you left a raincoat dangling of the chair, it's your fault if they rip it to shreds.

- they make really smelly poop and sometimes they smear it everywhere

- they only want to sit where you want to sit

A banana bread for Yae.

I buy alot of bananas and they always go too brown before I have time to eat them, so I make alot of bananan bread. They are good for gifting, most people like them, even the picky ones.

One of my earliest memory of banana bread was in college, I did not like baking nor did i know how to use a home oven. I had a friend Yae, whom I met in college who loved baking, and I remember her talking about baking quite alot. One time she stayed over and before she left for college, she woke me up and said that she had left a piece of banana bread that she had made in the fridge and told me to try it. ( I wasn't very interested still and just said yes to be polite of course, I was 19, I was still at a post rebellion age where i just couldn't be bothered with anything )  After a day or two, I saw a cake wrapped in a plastic bag looking abit sorry and squishy. I opened it and gave it a sniff and was not sure whether to take a bite or bin it. I took a bite after looking at it suspiciously and it was creamy, and soft and moist, it still had small bits of bananas in it and til this day, i still think it is the best one i've ever eaten. I never said anyting to Yae, but if you are reading this and you probably forgot about it. Thank you!

Yae also took me at my first ever farmers market in Santa Monica and introduced me to Trader's Joe. :)

This recipe is given to me by someone at work. The origins of the recipe comes from The Bread Bible by Rose Beranbaum. Dried cranberries have been replaced by fresh blueberries.

Banana Blueberry Walnut Bread

Ingredients

Will fit a 900g loaf tin.

113g butter, 200g sugar

2 eggs, 1 very ripe banana mashed, 1 tsp vanilla essence

1 cup walnut ( toasted ) 2 cup + 1 tbsp plain flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt

2 cup blueberries

Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add eggs.

Beat in bananas, vanilla essence.

Add flour, baking soda, salt and mix well.

Fold in Walnuts & blueberries. Be gentle while folding in blueberries so they are not broken.

Bake for 40 mins at 170c.

Meet Lucy

This is the basket she came in.

Lucy loves peering out of the window and sun bathing.

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

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Recipe - makes 2 8" tin

Ingredients.

Cake.

175g butter, 195g sugar

4 eggs, zest of 2 lemons, juice of 1 lemon

100g ground almond, 125g flour, 30g poppy seed

Icing.

3 oz soften butter, 6 oz cream cheese ( at room temperature ), 2.5 cup of icing sugar.

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Fully line your 8" tin with parchment paper, this will stick!

To make the cake,

Beat butter and sugar until soft and fluffy, add eggs one at a time.

Mixture will curdle but it is okay.

Add flour, poppy seed and ground almond in 2s. Add lemon juice.

Mix well.

Bake cake at 170c for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

To make the icing,

beat butter until soft and fluffy.

Add cream cheese, and beat until smooth.

Add icing sugar and lemon juice and beat well.

I store my cream cheese icing in the fridge as i like it slightly firm when i do the icing.

Enjoy!

Bits and bobs.

Our dinner tonight. Wild rice with walnuts and vegetables.

Recipe here

waiting dogs

at leila's with tommy and yunne.

brownies at work.

scones at home.

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neon tabs

some of my favorite books

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finished chocolate bread

Sticky toffee pudding

See you soon.

 

Chocolate bread

Making chocolate bread is perfect for rainy and gloomy days.

I've never made chocolate bread.

The mixture was really wet and I was very very worried.

I added walnuts and chocolate chips.

More pictures of finished bread tommorow.

Recipe from David Lebovitz.