Spiced Pear and Fruit Cake

The other day I was looking at what fruit we had got and what needed using. I found 3 pears that were ready for eating, or in my case, baking with!
So, as I usually do, I got my baking thinking cap on and decided to use them to make a cake.
This is the end result:

Spiced Pear and Mixed Fruit Cake

Ingredients:

150g butter softened
150g caster sugar
3 eggs
200g self raising flour
1tspn mixed spice
1tspn cinnamon
100g mixed fruit with citrus peel
3 pears, peeled and cut into cubes

Method:

Heat your oven to 180C, gas mark 4, 350F
1: Cream the butter
2: Once the butter has been creamed add the caster sugar and mix until light
3: Mix together the flour, mixed spice and cinnamon
4: Add the eggs one at a time adding a spoon of the flour mix to prevent curdling
5: Once all of the eggs have been added sift the flour and mix
6: Add the mixed fruit and cubes of pear and mix until evenly blended together
7: Put the cake mix into a prepared cake tin and bake for approx 1 hour or until a knife comes out clean when placed through the middle

This cake is delicious eaten warm served with ice cream or cream and just as yummy when cold!

Enjoy x

Back to School and Back to Routine!

Yay!!!
It is that time of year. At last, it's back to school day!!!
Please don't get me wrong. It has been lovely to have Joseph at home but the last week has been a tough one and it is going to be nice to have a routine to set my mind to.
This morning Joseph was absolutely full of beans! He was so excited to go back to school and see all of his friends. I am lucky to be able to say, so far, touch wood, I have never had a problem getting Joseph to go to school. He was up and ready to go!
This morning I took him to school in the car so that me and the twins could continue on out to do a spot of shopping. I decided to be brave and park near to school and walk down with the twins holding my hands. They were little stars! I felt so proud of them they both held my hand and walked to the playground, they stood with me whilst we watched Joseph go into school. They even waved to him which was so adorable to see. I looked at them and realised that just over the 6 weeks holidays they have developed so much and are learning about the world around them. I think that they will miss Joseph a bit. I know that I will miss having a little helper around!
After we had a steady walk back to the car off we went to have a walk around the shops and buy a few bits. I had not planned to go out this morning but our chickens have got red mites so we needed something to clean their coop. It was hubby's idea for me to go out. Admittedly I wasn't keen to start with but once we got out I felt so much better. It was lovely to just be out with the twins, strolling around and forgetting all of my worries. After a bad nights sleep the fresh air has done me the world of good! Sometime I think my hubby knows what I need more than I know myself!
I have been trying to keep myself busy to keep my mind off things. This is ok for a while and then something will make me think of my grandad or remind me of him and I go crashing down. But each day that goes by I am having less of these moments. This doesn't mean its getting easier, it just means that I am learning to cope better with my grief. However I know the hardest day is yet to come. So until then I will continue as I am and tackle that hurdle when it comes.
As we all keep saying, one day at a time.
Thankfully, today has started well.

The Last Day Of Summer

Today is Joseph's last day of the summer holidays.
Tomorrow he moves up into class 4!
Today his job is to do some last minute homework. He has a holidays scrap book to complete so we have been looking through photographs to print out. There are some lovely pictures that I wanted to share.
When I look back at the beginning of the school holidays they seem like such a long time ago. So much has happened in the last 6 weeks.
I have to admit that I am looking forward to tomorrow and getting back into our daily school routine! It has been lovely having the three children at home but it has, at times, been a challenge! But, all in all, Joseph has been good and has spent the majority of the holidays playing with friends in the garden so I really cannot complain!
Here are Joseph's holiday pictures for his scrap book:

 

 

I think that these photographs show that Joseph has had a lovely summer holidays.

Now bring on the new school year, work hard, try your best and you will do great x

Silent Sunday

The Month Ahead......

Wow!!
It is September already!!
I cannot believe how quick this year is flying by.
September is going to be a busy month.
Here is a round up of what is coming up this month for our family.

* First we'll be getting back into a school routine of walks to and from school, homework, reading, spelling tests, early nights and manic mornings!

* We, sadly, have to say a final goodbye a very special man who will always remain close in our hearts.

* Joseph turns 9! I still cannot believe how grown up he is becoming. As he grows so does my pride.

* There are couple of holidays planned. Unfortunately not for us, but for people close that we will miss while they are away.

* The twins turn 19 months.

These are just the events that I can think of!
Of course these will be topped with lots more baking cakes and bread, new recipes, new ideas, twins will develop and learn more, Joseph will gain more knowledge at school and will no doubt try to push the boundaries more, me and hubby will carry on having our date nights and enjoying any spare moment we get to relax together, and the season will start to change in our garden.
Lots of ups and a huge down to get through but, as always, we will get through it together.
As a family x

Great Bloggers Bake Off - Mediterranean Roasted Vegetable Loaf

I love Great British Bake Off so when I saw that a Great Bloggers Bake Off was running I had to join in! Unfortunately I was too late for week ones challenge which was cake so I was determined that I would be ready for week two, bread!
I love baking anything but I do love baking bread. I love the feeling of mixing all of the individual ingredients together with my hands and feeling it transform into one lovely silky dough.
So I got my baking thinking cap on and came up with this recipe!

Mediterranean Roasted Vegetable Loaf

 

 

Ingredients:

Makes 2 loaves
 

250g strong white bread flour

250g strong wholemeal flour

10g yeast

10g salt

2tbspn olive oil

320ml warm water (approx add as needed)

 

1/2 red onion

1/2 orange pepper

3 mushrooms

1 courgette

Italian herbs

Mozzarella cheese

Mature Cheddar cheese



 

 

Method:

 

1: Put both flours in a large mixing bowl

2: Add the yeast to one side and the salt to the other

3: Add the olive oil

4: Add half of the water and start to mix, add more water as needed until you have a rough dough and all of the flour is mixed in

5: Put a small amount of olive oil on the side and start to knead the dough

6: Knead for about 10 minutes until you have a smooth stretchy dough

7: Place in a well oiled bowl, cover and leave to prove for at least an hour or until doubled in size

8: While the dough is proving, prepare the vegetables for roasting. Preheat the oven to 200C. Once heated put 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a dish and place in the oven to heat

9: Chop the vegetables into small chunks

 

 

 

10: Place the chopped vegetables into the hot oil and sprinkle with the herbs. Roast for approx 20 minutes

11: Once the vegetables have been roasted remove from the oven and leave to cool down

12: Once the dough has at least doubled in size remove from the bowl and re knead to knock the air out. Knead until the dough is smooth again

13: Flatten out the dough into a rectangular shape, take the roasted vegetables and place down the middle of the dough

14: Sprinkle some grated mozzarella and mature cheddar cheese over the top of the vegetables

 

 

15: Roll one side of the dough over the vegetables, then roll the opposite side over and turn over the ends

16: Flip the dough over so that the join is on the bottom

17: Place some grated cheese on the top and sprinkle with herbs

 

 

 

 

18: Place in the preheated oven and bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until golden and when tapped on the base and the loaf sounds hollow

 

 

19: Cool on a cooling rack and enjoy with a salad or with cheese or just as it is!



Enjoy!

http://www.thecrazykitchen.co.uk/p/the-great-bloggers-bake-off.html 

http://www.mummymishaps.co.uk/category/gbbo