Bread Machine Banana Cake

What to do with those soft, nearly black bananas?

I have made this recipe so many times, with my old faithful bread machine. The bread machine I was desperate for, for my wedding, but everyone said I would never use it, and I do - all the time!

This is the easiest cake recipe ever!

Ingredients

• 260g (9 oz) plain flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 150g (5 oz) caster sugar
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 2 bananas

Method

Throw everything in the bread machine, turn on dough setting for 10 mins, then bake setting for 1 hr 10 or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

I often make this for friends, I've given it to a friend who hadn't long had a baby and today I'm taking my little person to a play date and bringing it along too, goes great with a nice cuppa.

I've also made this with kiwi.

Enjoy 

Vegetarian Tacos

I wasn't going to include this, as it's not home cooked food as such, but I thought I'd share an alternative to meat tacos as an easy dinner.

I obviously cheated and used a taco dinner set, the difference is I use quorn. 

The problem in my household is that hubby used to be vegetarian and decided he would eat meat again, but only kosher chicken. Before I met hubby I wasn't vegetarian as such, but hardly ever ate meat, and the meat I did like was red meat, which hubby will not eat! As there is no point making two dinners we eat mostly vegetarian, but I found I missed certain foods, like chilli con carne, spag bol and tacos. I then found quorn and realised I could have my favourite dishes and be healthy.

So here is how we do tacos in my house.....

Ingredients 

• Taco dinner set 
• Iceberg lettuce 
• Grated cheese 
• Quorn mince

Method 

Cook quorn in a frying pan, I normally add a couple of tbsps of water, and then the seasoning mix. 

In separate bowls place some grated cheese, lettuce and salsa. Guacamole, sliced tomatoes and creme fraiche is great with this too.

Easiest tastiest chicken leftover recipe

So what to do with left over roast chicken?

This.....

A bag of salad leaves, some cucumber and carrot batons if available and some cooked chicken.

I tore off some chicken from the carcass and threw it in a bowl with some things I found in the cupboard - light soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, clear honey, sesame oil and some chilli flakes. You can marinate in the fridge for a half an hour or so or serve straight away. Throw chicken on top of salad and veggies and then sprinkle sesame seeds on top.

I'm not a fan of chicken, but loving this at the moment, makes me want to do a roast more often! 

Coconut macaroons

Well I was sorting out the food cupboard as hubby used my last tin of tomatoes, as he couldn't see the 3 jars of pasta sauce! So I figured it was time for a tidy, and I found 3 packets of desiccated coconut. I wish I could remember the reason I kept buying them, I'm sure I was making something tasty at the time, but I've completely forgotten. 

Anyway every Pesach my mother in law kindly brings us macaroons, so thought I'd figure out to make them and share the recipe.

Ingredients 

• 300g dessicated coconut 
• 200g caster sugar
• 3 egg whites 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 

Method 

• In a bowl over a pan of water mix together the eggs and caster sugar until the sugar is dissolved and is a frothy consistency.
• Take off the heat and add coconut and vanilla extract
• Mix thoroughly 
• Place in the fridge for 30 mins to firm up 

There seems to be a few ways to mould the mixture, egg cups, hand, spoon, I actually used an ice cream scoop!

• Place on parchment paper on a baking tray
• Cook until brown and crisp - about 10-15 mins at 200 degrees 
• Cool on a wire rack 

We're off to friends for dinner tonight, so I'm taking some in a gift bag, hope they like it