10 November 2011

Chocolatey Loveliness!

Hi again.
I can happily say that I am finally getting over my tonsillitis and am feeling human again today! Yay!
To celebrate I dug out one of the recipes that I had stored to make on pinterest and I have to say that it is delicious!
I'm a fan of everything sweet and cookie like so I was excited to find this recipe as it fulfills my sweetness requirements but as it also contains two cups of oats, honey instead of sugar and peanut butter to hold it together, it isn't anywhere near as sinful as most recipes out there!
So here it is, a lovely, chocolatey snack bar recipe!

Ingredients:
3tbsp smooth peanut butter (could use crunchy to add extra texture)
3tbsp runny honey
25g butter
2tsp dulce de leche (optional for extra sticky, richness)
1 bag milk chocolate chips
2 cups oats
handful of dried fruit (optional)

Method:
1. Pour the peanut butter, honey, dulce de leche and butter into a microwaveable bowl and heat for 30 seconds. Stir and then heat for a further 30 seconds or until the butter has fully melted.
2. Remove and add the chocolate chips, stirring until mostly melted into the mixture.
3. Add the oats and blend in fully so all are coated in the chocolatey mixture.
4. Stir in the optional dried fruit before tipping into a tray and cooling in the fridge to set for 1 hour.
5. Enjoy :)

I can promise that these treats are definitely worth making, and because they're nice and easy. they are a great, slightly healthier choice to make with children.

Give them a go and let me know what you think :)
Annie x

9 November 2011

Festivity!

Hello-ho-ho!
So, today I am feeling amazingly festive. I know its scarily early to be as excited I am for the christmas period but after a day like today I just can't help it :D
After a week of feeling rubbish due to tonsillitis, I decided to climb out of my pit of illness this morning and do a spot of baking to cheer myself up. The result? A beautiful, fruity, nutty, cinnamon filled christmas cake!
There is nothing more festive than baking a christmas cake I have decided. The smells are wonderful and the ingredients that have to, of course, be bought specially for the occasion each year just scream out winter to me.
I'm now ready to start my shopping, put up the tree and dance around in wooly clothing listening to Slade although I fear that this sort of behaviour may not yet be acceptable. Indeed, my fiancee does not share my enthusiasm at all and insists that celebrating is not allowed until after his birthday on 22nd November. So instead I shall content myself with counting down the days until then and changing my blog background to something a little more festive than should perhaps be allowed this early in November :)
Is anyone else feeling the christmas vibe yet?
Annie x