What was I thinking?

Sometimes I find myself cooking and baking things I really don't need to! Of course, I love to cook (and I really, really do) but as a busy parent and sane human being you have to draw the line somewhere!

We have a very fruitful apple tree in our garden so today I am trying to cook and bake with apples. I have found myself making various cakes, apple sauce and apple pie but for some strange reason, at 8pm on a Sunday night I find myself baking my own Apple Crisps......

In the supermarket yesterday I picked up one of those pamphlets that has 10 easy midweek recipes, 5 perfect and healthy after school treats for the children etc etc. I agree that many of those recipes are helpful and when I'm running in to the supermarket and running out of meal ideas I use them, but some of those oh so simple recipes and ideas could be made oh so much simpler by just buying them ready made....... One such suggestion is Apple Crisps. Surely life is hard enough without trying to make your own apple crisps? Are those people at the well known supermarket trying to make me feel guilty about not doing everything myself or have they just run out of ideas?

So rant over, I still have the apples...... but, as I do love to cook and the aim of the blog is to offer some helpful recipes and tips, I will do just that. The following recipe is for Banana and Apple Loaf Cake.

All it requires is that you put the ingredients in a bowl, mix them up, put them in a loaf tin and bake. Ta da! Also, this cake will satisfy your desire for something sweet with an afternoon cup of tea but also double up as an after school snack.

Banana and Apple Loaf Cake

150g golden caster sugar
100g unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs, beaten
4 medium-sized ripe bananas, mashed
1 apple, grated
250g self-raising flour
1/2 tsp cinanamon

Preheat oven to 180′C. Grease and line a 900g/2lb loaf tin.

Cream together the sugar, butter and eggs.

Stir in the mashed bananas and apple and sieve in the flour and cinnamon.

Mix well, then tip into the loaf tin and bake for 40-45 mins.

Remove to a wire wrack and cool in the tin for 20-30 mins. Remove from the tin onto the rack and cool completely before slicing.