Spring Flowers

Our clocks went forward by one hour this morning here in the UK and I suddenly noticed all the Spring flowers in my garden.

Tornado - Steam Train

I am just back after spending the day seeing and actually having a ride on the best steam train ever. The Tornado was completed last year by enthusiasts at a cost of £18 million pounds. The train will be in service soon travelling from York to St. Pancras - London. Today the train was visiting the little station of Rothley in Leicestershire and my sister just happens to live in the village - so of course we were there on the station ready and waiting for the ride of a life time. I have travelled on steam trains before - the best one is from Fort William to Mallaig on the west coast of Scotland - and of course as a young girl I went on steam trains - but this train is just awesome. The sound of the steam, hissing and puffing along and the whistle - what a sound. As you can gather I really had a great day. I am just off the phone to my son in Savannah telling him about my day and making sure that he checks his messages to look at the photographs.
Have attached a few for you to see for yourself.

Cake in a Mug

Wow what a busy week - reports, cooking, meetings and unravelling.
As I sat with my morning coffee and reading the newspaper I came across an article about making a cake in a mug. Well I was so excited and every class that came that day had to watch me make a cake in a mug. So easy and we really enjoyed eating the result. It needs to be eaten immediately as it tends to go hard after awhile - by hey a cake in 3 minutes - you can't get better than that for a quick pick me up in the afternoon.

Cake in a Mug
4 tabsp. SR flour
4 tabsp. caster sugar
3 tabsp sunflower oil
3 tabsp milk
1 tabsp cocoa
handful choc chips
1 egg

Mix all ingredients together in a mixing bowl.
Pour into a mug
Microwave for 3 minutes
turn out onto a plate or just eat straight from the mug

It will rise above the rim of the mug but just leave it and ENJOY

Unravelling

So excited, just signed in to start this course on Monday and for the next eight weeks.
http://susannahconway.com/e-courses

Tote Bags

I have been busy making bags for a craft fair and have used recycle fabric to make some Tote Bags and of course my favourite little bags - so easy to make.

Sticky Ginger Top Cake

Where has the last week gone? Gone on school work, reports and administration up to my ears. I have really missed everyone and have quite a bit of catching up to do.
One piece of good news is that I have been accepted on the 'unravelling' course and can't wait to get started.
This week at school we are making this recipe for Sticky Ginger Top Cake. We are only making a small one so you could double the recipe if you fancy it.

Sticky Ginger Top Cake
Ingredients
25g butter
1 tabsp. golden syrup
1 tabsp. soft brown sugar
4 glace cherries - chopped
1 ball stem ginger - chopped
Cake
50g butter
50g caster sugar
50g SR flour
1 egg
1 tsp ground ginger
Method
1. Pre-heat oven to Gas 5/190C
2. Place butter, golden syrup and brown sugar into small bowl
3. Microwave for 1 min
4. Add chopped glace cherries and ginger
5. Place this mixture into base of small foil tray
6. Place all cake ingredients into a mixing bowl and cream together
with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy
7. Cover syrup mixture with cake topping and spread out alittle -
don't worry if you find there is too much syrupy mixture
8. Bake for 15 - 20 mins until cake is well risen and springs back
when touched.
9. Remove from the oven and cool for 2 mins
10 Turn cake upside down on a plate

You now have a sticky ginger top cake
The smell when cooking is amazing and it looks rather like jewels.
I will post photographs once the class have made a few of the cakes.

You could use other fruits like pineapples or apricots or even a mixture of apples and pears. Your choice. Enjoy!!!!