Flower or Plant?

I have become quite a fan of little potted flowers on the kitchen table as it cheers up the kitchen. I would usually buy purple orchids that would last for a week or two before the flowers fall off. The Husband is in charge of watering our plants as from experience, I have a tendency to 'kill' them accidentally.

Last weekend I was away in London for a work trip so I missed our usual supermarket trip on Sunday which is also usually when and where I get my flowers. I came home on Monday night to find the plant above on the kitchen table.

I have no idea what it is called but I guess the Husband bought it because it has lovely purple flowers which is the colour of the season for me. It is also lovely to know that he thinks of me when I am not around! :)

If anyone can figure out what this plant is, please let me know!

Fruity Treat!

A fruit plate from the Husband on a Saturday!

It does not look like much but it is the thought that counts that he presents them so appetisingly and in lots of different colours! It did cheer up me up for the weekend! :)

Ginger & Treacle Spiced Traybake!

With the weather turning chilly and autumn approaching, a nice ginger bake sounds like a lovely idea. Once again from my new recipe book, I found this simple ginger and treacle traybake. A bonus with the treacle ingredient as I have a couple of cans to finish up!

This traybake is baked out of 300g self-raising flour, three balls of stem ginger chopped finely, 175g light muscovado sugar, 225g butter, 200g treacle, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, 1 teaspoon of mixed spice, 1 teaspoon of allspice, 4 tablespoons of milk and 4 eggs. Baked for 35 - 40 minutes at 180 degrees or 160 degrees (fan oven), you get a lovely ginger sponge cake. The icing is sifted icing sugar mixed with 3 tablespoons of ginger syrup and another three balls of chopped stem ginger is sprinkled over the spread icing.

This traybake has got rave reviews in the Office!

Pineapple & Cherry Loaf!

I have recently bought a baking book by Mary Berry, who is one of the most fabulous cooks in the UK. Her recipes are easy to follow and her baking looks really tasty!

This pineapple and cherry batter is mixed out of 200g self-raising flour, 100g light brown muscovado sugar, 150g butter and 2 large eggs beaten together before adding 225g sultanas.175g of glace cherries and 227g can of drained pineapple rings/chunks with two tablespoons of pineapple juice. Baked for an hour and a half, you get a lovely moist fruity loaf!

The parent-in-laws and Husband have declared it 'quite good!'

Orange, Oat & Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Another fruity weekend! In an attempt to be healthy, oaty wholemeal cookies always seem like a good idea.

These cookies are baked out of wholemeal flour, baking powder, oats, butter, light brown sugar, egg, vanilla extract, pecans and some of my favourite baking ingredients - bananas, orange zest, coconut and chocolate chips!

The husband has pronounced them 'very good!'

Apple & Raspberry Crumble Squares!

Summer is drawing to a close, so I decided to bake another fruity treat before berries go out of season. This fruity traybake is baked with three layers. The base is baked out of flour, butter, golden caster sugar, egg, self-raising flour, milk and apples. The second layer is a layer of raspberries. The crumble topping is mixed out of butter, golden caster sugar, self-raising flour and lemon zest.

The Husband said the cake is not bad but the raspberries were too tart.