Baking...

Has been a while since I have baked due to having access to a local Co-Op but have decided to start again as we were buying the wrong sorts of baked goods....

1st on the go was a White loaf of bread in the bread maker to treat the girls....

2nd was a melt and mix Banana Cake I found on the  Simple Savings site...

                                                           Melt and mix banana Cake

 375ml sour cream

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

125g unsalted butter, melted

1 cup caster sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 3/4 cups plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 ripe bananas, mashed

Preheat oven to 180C. Grease and line 20x20cm tin with baking paper. I use a Silicone "tin"...

In a large bowl, mix together the sour cream and bicarbonate of soda, set aside.... After 5 minutes stir in the melted butter, sugar and eggs. 

In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Gradually fold in the sour cream mixture, followed by the bananas.

Bake for 1-11/2 hours or until a skewer comes out clean. Set aside and cool in tins for about 20 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

I like to add Choc Chips as well but didn't this time due to needing them for the Muesli Slice...  

3rd was a batch of Muesli slice/bar also found on SS & altered to fit what ever we have in the house... 

                                                             Muesli Bar/Slice

6 crushed weet bix

3 cups of Vogels Muesli (Cheap from the Co-Op)

2 cup Aldi Brand tropical mix  (Cheap from the Co-Op)

1 cup of sultanas

2/3 cup of choc chips

1 tin condensed milk

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the condensed milk and stir until mixed through. Press into greased or lined tin and bake for 15-30min at 180 degrees.... I found it helps the texture of the bars if you pull the tin out ½ way through & press the mixture firmly down again....I like to cut it while it is still warm..... Less crumbly that way....

Have a great one all !!!!


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Dairy Spread....

 Made some up some Dairy spread this morning.... It's easy to make & we know what goes into it...
 I use a Ratio of 2:1 Butter & Rice Bran Oil... It works out heaps cheaper than buying the "spreadable" butters & is a lot better to cook with as you get the butter flavour but it doesn't burn like normal butter due to the oil content... Taste great on sandwiches & toast as well....
Method : Just add the softened Butter to a mixing bowl & beat or whisk with Electric Beaters/Stand Mixer... When the butter is all smooth & creamy add the Rice Bran Oil a bit at a time.... I keep  Whisking it until it becomes pale & increases in volume.... I store it in decor 500ml containers & freeze until needed....
Costing : 
1Kg butter $4.58
500ml R/Bran oil   $1.63 (4L for $13 at Woolies on sale & I have a small stockpile..)
This works out to be  $0.42 per 100g or $2.10 for a 500g tub....
 The closest everyday cheapest equivalent is Aldi at $2.99 for 500g....
We don't like the Aldi brand due to it having Canola oil in it & that it spits everywhere when using it in cooking due to the water content.... Have been making this version of Dairy spread for a few years now after modifying a Recipe we found on the Simple Savings Site....



Have lifted this from a post on our garden blog, Bits Out the Back.....




Have a great one all....

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