Brownie Points!

good afternoon!

almost every tuesday evening

for the last nearly two years...

i go to bible college.

{i positively can't get enough of learning

what God says through the bible

and understanding the way He works!}

anyway

every tuesday evening 

different people provide food for supper.

we begin early..6.30 pm

and go through to 9.30 pm

with half an hour for supper from about 8 til half past.

i don't know quite how it ends up being 

but very nearly all nights end up being a feast...

and on the nights various ones of us are restricting our food intake,

it's pretty near impossible to resist.

tonight's my turn...

and this is my part of the feast!

...ok, just for suspense,

besides, this is one of my favourite tea towels!

i'm sure i'll get brownie points for this..hehe!

it's actually two packets of 'betty crocker' brownie mix...

one is the 'rainbow brownie',

the other is the 'caramel brownie'.

i was going to bake them separately

but when i poured the first mixture into the pan

i noticed there was no way it was going to fill it...

so i quickly made the other mix

and poured it in too.

{they only take about 2 minutes each to make up!}

when i was getting the packets of brownie mix from woollies,

i just happened to duck into gloria jeans for a coffee..as you would.

i told sam i was running home to make brownies...

{he works there}

and his mum is going to be there tonight.

he asked whether his mum could keep him a couple of pieces...

how could i resist?

so here is a little package for sam...

so sam's mum

will be instructed to put it in the fridge...

and tomorrow

sam will be over for a visit.

of course the four of us here

just had to have a test piece each...

the middle..where the caramel and mini m&ms collide...

it got thumbs up all 'round...

mmmmmmm....

said a slightly fatter foursome!

naturally Carol xox

I'm Grateful for ...Red!

evening all!

as you probably already know ...

i love colour.

today,

i'm crazy about red.

isn't red great?

it's brilliant

not shy

out there in the best possible way

dressy

hot

sassy

exciting....

red cherries

 

my favourite red and white espresso set with my shiney red mug...

my current favourite...just for it's colour!



apple cinnamon muffins...

i just thought i'd do what my mr m...son does,

he piles the ingredients into a bowl

and out comes a lovely cake!

so here goes...this is what i did when i wanted

low gi muffins...

2 cups of wholemeal self raising flour...into a medium bowl,

melt 125 grams butter in the microwave in a small bowl.

cut up 2 medium granny smith apples into small cubes and add to the flour.

put one tablespoon of cinnamon into the flour and apple mixture,

and stir lightly.

add the melted butter to the mixture..mix a little.

add about half a cup of honey (more or less depending on your taste)

add 2 eggs and mix a little more..it will still be a bit stiff.

add 1 cup of milk to the mixture and mix until fully blended.

put one and a half tablespoons into large muffin cases on a muffin tray

and bake at 180 degrees celsius 

for 18 minutes...check at about 15 minutes or when they smell lovely and ready!

cool slightly and eat with a lovely cup of tea or coffee

using your favourite plates and cups!

be careful because an extra dose of gratitude may sneak up on you unexpectedly!

i'm linking up today with 'maxabella loves'...

checking out what other people are grateful for today.

naturally Carol xox 

p.s...i had to buy more photo storage space today...has anyone else had to do this?

Best Ever Carrot Cake...

i know you think you've read it before,

but i'm not kidding you,

this one gets rave reviews

where ever it goes...

it was my night

{week 5 to be precise}

to take something for supper

at bible college.

mmm....i thought

what can i make

that most people would like?

i had a linen party

a couple of months ago

and everyone there

carried on about the carrot cake...

{which i hadn't made for a couple of years,

the recipe had sat forgotten and neglected,

we'd moved on to others instead}

so i made the carrot cake yesterday afternoon

{wouldn't you know it, the electric mixer made loud rattling noises

and gave up, just as i was making the icing,

quarter of an hour before i needed to leave

so it didn't look the best dressed}

anyway i took it along for supper last night

and people raved again!

they all said things like...

'this is the best carrot cake i've ever tasted!'

etc...etc...etc...

so i'm writing it out for you...

just in case

you would like to bake

the best carrot cake ever...

i know somewhere out there

the weather is grey,

bellies need warming up

and you're looking for a good reason

to turn on the oven!

so here goes...

you will need...

3 eggs

1 cup white sugar

3/4 cup cooking oil {i used canola 'cos there is no taste}

1 and a 1/3 cups plain all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt {optional}

1 and a 1/3 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda

1 and a 1/3 teaspoons of baking powder

1 and a 1/3 teaspoons of cinnamon {approx. a little more doesn't matter!}

2 cups of grated carrot {i used the finer side not the chunky side of the grater}

1/2 cup of walnut pieces {or a few more}

1 teaspoon of vanilla essence {optional}



firstly...grease your pan...a square 8 inch pan or a largish round pan.

heat up the oven to 300 degrees fahrenheit or 150 degrees celcius.

beat the eggs and the sugar until pale and frothy.

drizzle the oil in beating as you go.

sift in the dry ingredients and stir into the mixture.

fold in the carrot, walnuts and vanilla essence.

pour mixture into the baking tin and bake for 1 hour.

now here's the icing on the cake...

soften 4 ounces or about 1 medium tub {125 grams) of cream cheese,

add a tablespoon of softened butter

and enough icing sugar {powdered sugar?} to sweeten to your taste..

beat until smooth and spread over the cooled cake.

sorry!

i had wrapped it up in cling film to go,

before i realised i didn't have a pic of the finished cake.

enjoy a piece of cake with your tea and have a fabulous wednesday...

naturally Carol  xox