I normally like to bake us something special to have with our breakfast at the weekend. Some weeks it may be a special breakfast cake, or cinnamon buns . . . and other's it will be muffins. We are quite fond of muffins actually . . . they are quick to throw together, they bake up likety split, and the leftovers freeze very well! (It's nice to have some muffins in the freezer to hand when unexpected company comes. They are very easily re-heated in the microwave in just seconds!)



Don't let the fact that I have combined cranberries with cheese throw you off here . . . cheese and fruit are a magic combination, and in fact there are many cheeses available over here that have fruit in them . . . Wensleydale or Stilton with cranberries, or apricots instantly come to mind. Fabulous on a cheese tray, especially when served with digestive biscuits. Delicious!



I am rather fond of cheese muffins you know . . . they're not quite savoury . . . not quite sweet . . . yet altogether scrummy . . . with little gooey flecks of cheese spread throughout . . . wonderful when served warm with soups or stews in a savoury way . . . or warm with jam as a sweet treat.



You can chop up bacon and add it to the mix when making cheese muffins, or onion, or chives. They are even more delicious that way . . . when you are looking for something savoury . . .
But when you want a sweet treat . . . try adding some dried fruit. Most will work well . . . dried apple, chopped for that quintessential combination that is notoriously loved. Apple pie and cheese, who doesn't love it. Dried cherries are nice as well . . . even sultanas, chopped figs, or apricots. All work splendidly . . . I think it's that sweet/savoury combination that is a the real winner here.



Our favourite combination though . . . is dried cranberries with the cheese. Oh my . . . the cranberries add just the right amount of sweet texture . . . that goes so very well with the sharp savouriness of the cheese. I use a mixture of white and dyed cheddar . . . for contrast and colour. You can use only white . . . if you prefer. It makes no difference.



These are moreishly scrummy no matter what. We rather love them a lot!

Especially with lashings of butter spread and melting into all those lovely little baked crevices. Oh, yes . . . I am a naughty girl at times!



*Cranberry and Cheddar Muffins*
Makes 12 medium muffins
Printable Recipe

Delicious flavour combination. Don't knock it til you try it!

150g of plain flour (1 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 TBS caster sugar
1 TBS baking powder
1/2 tsp fine seasalt
240g of grated strong cheddar (A mix of the white and the orange for colour purposes, 2 cups)
150g of dried cranberries (1 cup)
250ml of milk (1 cup)
1 large free range egg
60g of butter, melted (1/4 cup)

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Butter a 12 cup muffin tin and dust with flour, or line with paper liners. Set aside.

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and seasalt together in a bowl. Drop in the cheese and cranberries. Mix together again to evenly distribute both. In a separate measure, beat together the egg, milk and melted butter Tip this into the dry ingredients and mix with a spoon, just to combine. Spoon into the prepared muffin cups, dividing the mixture equally amongst them.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until well risen, golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the centre of one comes out clean.

Are you a fan of muffin tops?? You know those lovely bits of baked muffins that rise above the paper case . . . they are all scrummy and a bit crunchy about the edges and yet muffiny at the same time . . . I know you know what I am talking about, and if you are like me, you love them too!!



I just adore muffin tops! In fact, back in Canada I had a muffin tin that only baked muffin tops! I've searched in vain for one over here to no avail. I tried using a yorkshire pudding tin one day but the end results were not quite the same.



I had some bananas I needed to use up today and so I decided to bake some yummy muffins with them. Don't you love muffins and cupcakes . . . they are just like a little cake that is all for you, every scrap of it.



I found this delicious sounding recipe in a cookbook I have entitled Women's Institute Cakes, by Liz Herbert. The WI is a women's organization over here in the UK. You've probably heard of the film Calendar Girls . . . it was a film based on a fund raiser a WI group did over here for a local hospital, by posing for a nude calendar. They were quite the sensation . . . in any case the WI is known for their cakes. It's a great cookbook. Every recipe I have baked out of it so far has turned out ace . . .



Including these scrummy muffins, which give you lots of moreish muffin top, great banana flavour, and a fab toffee bottom. (Yes the toffee sinks, but that only adds to the flavour as it kind of melts into the muffin on the way down.)



They may not be much to look at? But oh oh boy baby, do they ever taste good! If you only make one banana muffin this year, make this one! Nom! Nom! They are truly fantastic! The best banana muffin I have ever eaten, and I've eaten alot of banana muffins through the years! Mmmmmm . . . mighty good indeed!



*Banana Banoffee Muffins*
Makes 10
Printable Recipe

The toffee will sink to the bottom while these are baking, but if anything that makes them even more scrummy as it has time to flavour the cake batter on the way down! Delicious warm or cold.

225g plain flour (2 1/4 cups)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
150g golden caster sugar (3/4 cup)
2 medium ripe bananas, mashed
2 large free range eggs, beaten
4 TBS sour cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 ounces butter, melted and cooled (6 TBS)
10 tsp Dulce De Leche or Caramel Toffee

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. LIne a deep bun tin or muffin tray with 10 paper cases. Set aside.

Sift the flour, baking powder, and soda into a bowl. Whisk in the sugar.

Beat together the banana, eggs, sour cream, vanilla and butter.

Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and dump in the wet. Fold together just until amalgamated. Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases. Place a teaspoon of caramel toffee on the centre of each muffin.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until risen, golden and firm to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.



Baking in The Cottage today, Nutty Wheat Bread!

This is a cookery book I have had in my bookcase for a few years now. The Popina Book of Baking, by Isidora Popovic, published by Ryland, Peters & Small. I think I picked it up in Waitrose one day when I was grocery shopping, having immediately fallen in love with the looks of that tart on the cover.



Popina started out in 2000 with a grant from the Prince's Trust and a stall in London's Portobello Market. Their delicious goodies now grace the shelves of many, many gourmet food shops. They specialize in hand-made, organic, additive free sweet and savoury baked goodies, using the finest seasonal ingredients. I've never had the opportunity to taste any of their products . . . but this book, I guess is a way of being able to savour some of their delights in your own home kitchen.



Today I baked the Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe from the book. I didn't change anything from it. I only ever very rarely do the first time I bake something as I want to see what the recipe artist intended first off . . . before I grab the ball and run with it. (I know . . . for someone who is trying to lose weight, I'm very, very naughty to say the least . . . )



These are big cookies and they look really puffy . . . but they are amazingly crisp. The picture in the book showed really flat cookies. Mine were not flat, so I don't know . . . no matter . . . they are delicious anyways.



I didn't get any molten chocolate . . . probably because I used chocolate chips . . . if I had used real chocolate I would have had oodles of molten chocolate goo, which probably in the wrong hands could be rather dangerous . . . a minute on the lips and all that . . .



If you are looking for a lovely fat, crisp chocolate chip cookie filled with lots of milk and dark chocolate goodness, this is the cookie for you.
I think when I make them another time I will add some sultanas or dried cherries. I like a bit of fruit in my chocolate chip cookies . . .



And perhaps some chopped toasted pecans. Those would be a really delicious addition . . . although having said that they are pretty yummy without any additions . . . truly. With a glass of cold milk . . . ummm . . . deeply satisfying, fresh out of the oven.



I can't believe it took me two years to bake something out of this book . . . I think I'm going to try the Cherry Chocolate Truffle Brownies next . . . do you think I should??? Dare I????



Ohhh . . . might be deliciously temptingly dangerous, don't you think??? (Other tasty offerings include such delicious treats as Cheshire Cheese and Apple Straws, Pepper, Pecorino and Thyme Tartlets, Wholemeal Spelt, Carrot, Apple and Pumpkin Seed Muffins and that tasty tart on the cover??? It's a Nectarine and Summer Berry Tart!)



*Popina Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies*
Makes 12 large cookies
Printable Recipe

You can use regular chocolate chips, or cut up your own chocolate for these. Any way you do it, they are fabulous. Eat the cookies warm for some molten chocolate scrummieness!! From the Popino Book of Baking. Plan ahead as the dough needs to chill in the refrigerator before baking.

120g unsalted butter at room temperature (generous half cup, about 4 1/4 ounces)
165g of soft light brown sugar (8/10 cup packed, or scant 14 TBS packed)
1 TBS golden syrup (can use golden corn syrup)
few drops vanilla
1 large free range egg
210g of plain flour (Generous 2 cups)
1/2 tsp baking powder
60g each dark and milk chocolate, chopped (1/3 cup each, or use chocolate chips)

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the syrup, vanilla and egg, beating it in well. Sift together the flour and baking powder. Stir this into the wet ingredients, mixing in well. Stir in the chopped chocolate. Shape the dough into a roll, 2 inches in diameter. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 170*C/325*F/ gas mark 3. Line several baking sheets with baking paper. Set aside.

Remove the dough from the fridge and unwrap. Cut into 12 equal slices. Arrange the cookie dough discs onto the prepared baking trays, leaving plenty of space in between for spreading.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the cookies are pale golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for several minutes. Serve warm for a real taste treat. Store in an airtight container for up to one week.



In The Cottage today, a delicious Blackberry Cobbler.

Don't forget to enter my Blogging Event, Come Dine With Me! You can read all about it in the post just below this one. The more the merrier!!

I know what you're thinking . . . She's completely gone "doo-lally" this time . . . off her nut . . . over the twist!!



I mean, come on . . . Fairy Bread??? I say why not! All over this country today people will be waving the Union Jack, cheering, and celebrating the finest piece of news and festivity since the credit crunch started 4 years ago!



We're all well overdue for a smile or two, and some royal festivities . . . so why not go a bit over the twist!



We here . . . Marie, Mitzie and the Toddster . . . will be glued to the telly all day watching a fairy tale wedding unfold . . . why not celebrate with cups of elderflower cordial and Fairy Bread, I say!!!



There are worse ways to celebrate, but I think this is just perfect! Oh . . . we may stog down a cake or two and perhaps a few sausage rolls . . . but the star of this party will be the Fairy Bread I dare say! And why not!! It's pretty. It's fun. It's whimsical and astonishingly tasty! Life is for living!



Just perfect for Fairy Tale Weddings . . . and little girl's tea parties. I think the fairies will heartily approve!



*Fairy Bread*
Servings 4
Printable Recipe

Cute nonsensical fairy bread . . . essentially just buttered bread and sprinkles . . . but something fairies, both big and small just love!

4 slices of white bread
softened butter
an assortment of candy sprinkles
a heart shaped cookie cutter
dolly mixture candies to serve

Butter your slices of bread right to the edges with the softened butter. Cut out hearts with the cookie cutter. You should get at least two hearts per slice depending on the size of your cutter. If you are using a really small one, you may even get four. Sprinkle each cut out with the candy sprinkles and a good measure of love on the buttered side of the bread. Arrange on a cake plate and scatter the dolly mixtures around! Serve to some very grateful fairies. Don't be surprised if it disappears in a twinkle and you have to make it all over again!

As you know on Sundays by the time we get home from church we are starving. I just don't have the energy to make a Sunday lunch so we usually have something quick . . . unless I've had enough forethought to bang something into the slow cooker in the morning . . . and today was not one of those days . . . today was a spaghetti on toast day.



Tis not a problem though, coz Todd knows that later on in the afternoon, when I get my energy back I'll be baking him something scrummy for a late supper. Sometimes it's just bread and jam, but most time it's a real treat for him to enjoy.




The other day when I was re-organizing my kitchen cupboards I discovered that I had no less than 4 packets of dried dates. It's a good thing we love dates! No surprise then, that today I baked something to use up some of those dates . . .



Oh sure I could have made some Sticky Toffee Cake or an equally as scrummy pan of Date and Lemon Scones . . . orrrrrrr even a yummy Date and Nut Loaf. I did none of those things . . . .



Instead I made these deliciously scrummy Date, Pistachio & Honey Slices! I just adore pistachio nuts! I really, really do! Imagine a finger of buttery pastry, just stogged full of a yummy Date & Pistachio filling, and glazed with honey . . . yummo scrummo!!



They may not photograph well, but boy oh boy . . . they sure more than make up for that in taste. If you like Dates, Pistachios and Honey . . . if you like sweet butter pastry . . . then these little babies are for YOU!

Seriously . . . make them NOW!



*Date, Pistachio & Honey Slices*
Makes 12 slices
Printable Recipe

Lovely buttery fingers filled with scrummy dates, honey and crunchy pistachio nuts. Oh-so-moreishly delish!

For the filling:
250g of stone dates (a generous 1/2 pound), chopped
2 TBS lemon juice
2 TBS water
3 ounces pistachio nuts, chopped (a generous half cup)
1 TBS clear honey

For the pastry:
8 ounces plain flour (a scant 2 cups)
1 ounce caster sugar (about 2 TBS)
5 1/2 ounces butter (1/2 cup plus 3 TBS)
4 to 5 TBS cold water

To finish:
milk to glaze
1 TBS clear honey

Place the dates, lemon juice, and water into a saucepan. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Stir in the chopped nuts and honey. Set aside to cool.

Place the flour, sugar and butter into a food processor. Pulse until you have fine crumbs. Mix in just enough water to give you a soft dough. You don't want it to be sticky. Roll out half of the pastry on a lightly floured board to a 12 inch by 8 inch rectangle. Place on a baking sheet. Spread the date/nut mixture on top of this to within 1/2 inch of the edge. Roll out the remaining half of the pastry to fit and place on top. Press to seal the edges all the way around. Trim the edges square and then brush with some milk to glaze. Mark into 12 slices.

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Bake the slice for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown. Brush the warm slice with the remaining honey and then remove to cool on a wire rack. Cut into 12 individual slices along the marks you made previously. Store in an airtight container and serve as a nice treat with your cuppa or pack into lunch boxes. Always scrummily welcome!

I hate to show you a cake recipe two days in a row on here, but I baked this the other day, and just haven't been able to get it in. I wanted to show it to you before it got lost in the mire that is called my cooking photos folder!! Besides they are two very different kinds of cake!



It is no secret that apple and cheese go together very well. They are a beautiful marriage of tart/sweet and tangy/rich flavours. Back home we always had a nice thick slice of cheddar served along with our apple pie. It would be unthinkable not to have it!



In fact you often see apple pies baked in a cheddar pastry, although to be honest, I'd rather have an actual slice of cheese with my pie.



This is a delicious cake, stogged full of little bits of apple and grated cheddar cheese. The apple provides a sweetness that is the perfect foil for the richness of the cheddar cheese, which melts into the cake batter, giving it a delicious tang!



It's not a light cake . . . but somewhat heavy . . . but oh so very good, especially with some Maple Sweetened Whipped Cream serve along side.



But . . . it doesn't stop there. Cut the cake into thin slices the day after and toast them until golden brown, then spread them with cold butter for an additional taste treat . . .



Oh, I know . . . I'm a very, very bad girl. But you love me anyways, right?



*Apple and Cheddar Cheese Cake*
Makes one 9 inch round cake
Printable Recipe

A lovely rich caked stogged full of lovely bits of apple and the wonderful tang of cheddar cheese. Serve warm with some Maple Sweetened whipped cream for a real treat!

3 ounces of plain flour (3/4 cup)
2.8 ounces fine cornmeal (Polenta) (1/2 cup)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 ounces of butter, softened (1/2 cup)
5 ounces of caster sugar (3/4 cup)
2 large free range eggs
6 TBS whole milk
4 ounces strong cheddar cheese, grated (1 cup)
1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped (1/4 inch dice)

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/Gas mark 4. Butter a 9 inch round cake tin. Line the bottom with paper and butter the paper. Set aside.

Whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.

Cream together the butter and sugar with an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl often. Reduce the speed to low and add half of the flour mixture. Stir in teh milk and then stur in the remaining flour mixture, just until combined. Fold in the cheese and apple. Turn the batter out into the prepared pan. Smooth the top over and then bake in the heated oven for about 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack. Flip back over to the right side and cool to just warm before serving.

Serve cut into wedges with whipped cream that has been lightly sweetened with some Maple Syrup (before whipping) if desired. (About 1 tsp of Maple Syrup per 250ml (1 cup) of cream) Store any uneaten cake in an airtight container for up to two days at room temperature. (The leftovers are very nice sliced thinly, toasted lightly and spread with butter)

Don't you just love it when all your ducks line up in a row. This is something that I have wanted to make for a very long time, but I just never happened to have all the ingredients in the house at the same time.



I had some rolo's leftover from my Pampered Chef Party last month and I wanted to use some of them up. We are invited out for supper tonight so I thought that if I made some Rolo Pretzel Turtles I would have something really scrummy and homemade to bring as a hostess gift.



I never like to go visiting empty handed, do you?

Oh my . . . these are sooooo yummy. And so very easy to make! Almost too easy. They're too easy to eat as well . . . so I think I'm taking some flowers instead of . . . um . . . Rolo Pretzel Turtles. Gifts you make for other people don't have any calories in them . . . right?



Don't judge me. Sigh . . . I am so wicked, and I have zip willpower. Obviously!




*Rolo Pretzel Turtles*
Makes as many as you have pretzels, rolos and nuts to make
Printable Recipe

This recipe is a doddle and oh so scrummy. Dangerous.

Rolo chocolate candies
mini salted pretzels
toasted whole pecan nuts



Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Lay out your pretzels on a lightly buttered baking sheet. Top each pretzel with a rolo candy, top side up. Bake in the oven for 3 to 5 minutes. You want the rolo to be soft, but not melted. Remove from the oven and immediately press a toasted pecan nut onto the top of each, squashing the rolo down a bit. Don't be too heavy handed though as you don't want the goodness to squish out the bottoms. Eat warm. Eat cold. Just EAT! Yummo!