Monday Inspiration - Chocolate Banana Bread

Today was a perfect November day, cold and frosty first thing with bright sunshine and blue skies.  On the way home from town I stopped at the top of the hill for a sit down on Chris' bench.  It was a bit chilly so it was nice to head home to do a spot of baking.  A banana cake was called for, to use up my sad looking brown bananas.   

I recently bought Fay Ripley's book "What's for dinner?", after Sister recommended it.  So many yummy easy recipes.  I have already made the Pea and Bacon Soup, Italian Chicken Bake and the Rosemary Polenta Roasties. 

We had a slice of banana bread tonight with a cup of coffee.  It was yummy.

I have also been making the instant banana ice-cream that was all over the internet in the summer.  Freeze your bananas, whizz up in a food processor - eat immediately. Delicious!

Thanks for visiting,
Bakebakegirl

Today's top three Spotify songs:

1. Head over Heels - Tears for Fears
2. No good in goodbye - The Script
3. Prayer in the C - Lillywood 

Monday Review - Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park

This weekend I went to FriendV's holiday cottage in Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park.  We went two years ago,  this time there were 6 of us.   The cottage has no signal or wifi and it is just lovely just to spend quality time with my friends, catching up and laughing a lot!     We all lead such busy lives that it's great that we are able to take time out and relax.  

The views are so amazing and again like last time we had great weather.   The Loch looked like just like a mirror. In the photo below it is hard to see where the water is!  It is nice to go at this time of year as the colours are stunning.  

On Monday before coming home I went to Odds and Ends Coffee in Edinburgh with my Sister. 

This is a brand new coffee shop in Polwarth Crescent, which used to be a small supermarket.  It is a wee bit out of the city centre, in between Bruntsfield and Fountainbridge, but definitely worth a visit.  There was a good choice of cakes and pastries - the pastries were enormous!     Sister and I spotted something called an Apple Bomb - and I'm not sure how to describe it; like a very light, almost hollow doughnut, filled with pieces of cooked apple and cinnamon custard and a chocolate stalk.  It was massive so we shared.   It was gorgeous, very light and as I love cinnamon - it was a big hit with me!  I loved the retro cups and saucers. 

  

Thanks for visiting;
Bakebakegirl

Today's top three Spotify songs:

1. American Pie - Don McLean
2. Sweet Caroline - Neil Diamond
3. Piano Man - Billy Joel

Monday Bake - Cinder Toffee Apple Flapjack

Mmmmmmmm - the title of this weeks bake just makes me go mmmmmmmm!

I spotted this recipe of twitter, however I can't seem to find a link to it - so I took a screenshot of the recipe by NEFF.

I replaced the nuts with raisins.  Minibakebakegirl and I enjoyed the whoosh when she added the bicarb to the caramel.

                        

Today was CatK's first visit to the vets.  He hadn't been in his carrier since we brought him home from the Cats Protection, so about a week ago we put it in the living room and put one of his blankets inside.   Over the week he did go inside it and quite a few times he slept in it.   This morning we managed to get him inside it by putting some treats at the back, once he was fully inside we then attached the front.   He miaowed a lot during the car journey there.  Once at the vets - there was silence - too many dogs in the waiting room!  He was a star at the vets - he let her do all the checks, I held him for his booster but we all came away unscathed - phew!    

                         

He is snoozing on his bed as I type.

Thanks for visiting,

Bakebakegirl

Todays top three Spotify songs:

1. Hand Held in Black and White - Dollar

2. Here Comes The Rain Again - Eurythmics

3. Johnny and Mary - Robert Palmer

Monday Review - Dunbar and Glasgow

We are back home after a lovely week in Edinburgh.  

On Thursday Sister, Minibakebakegirl and I went to Dunbar in East Lothian.  We had coffee at the 1650 cafe when we arrived, a wander round the little independent shops and round the harbour, we saw two seals, and then had lunch at Graze.

After lunch we walked to where the outdoor swimming pool used to be.  

My Sister remembered there are photos of a beauty pagent that my Mum and Dad must have gone to in the 60's - this photo of a photo shows the outdoor pool.

On Saturday Sister and I spent the day shopping in Glasgow.   It has been years since I last went to Glasgow - I think the last time was before Hubby and I were married - which must be over 16 years ago....

We got the train through - our plan was to visit Kelvingrove Art Gallery but we as I had booked afternoon tea for us at 4pm we felt we didn't have enough time - we plan to visit there in February.

We had lunch at The Willow Tearooms.  I had the cullen skink soup with oatcakes which was very tasty.    The cakes in the cabinet looked delicious - might have to go again in February!

We shopped till we dropped at Blythwood Square for afternoon tea.   I had booked this for Sister's birthday.   It was lovely - we scoffed all the sandwiches and scones and then started on the cakes.   However, we were saving the best two till last but we couldn't manage them, our waiter did box them up for us to take home, we managed them later and they were the best two!!

Almond Tart 

Lemon drizzle cake

Raspberry and pink peppercorn macaroon

Chocolate brownie 

Mini chocolate and caramel eclair

Hope you have a good week,
Bakebakegirl

Today's top three Spotify songs:

1. Army Dreamers - Kate Bush
2. The Man With The Child in His Eyes - Kate Bush
3. Wuthering Heights - Kate Bush