Walks then cakes, makes and bakes

Saturday - the sun shone (erm above the clouds methinks) but at least it was dry and bright, so we grabbed our walking boots, a young friend and set off. We went over the tops to Wycoller. We older wiser (ok - less agile) walkers chatted as we went along whilst the boys hopped puddles, cleared streams, hid in the bracken and ran through the woodland. It was a lovely cathartic walk where we could breathe in that beautiful clear autumnal air.

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A really wet and rainy Sunday ................Perfect!

Perfect for making a model house for a school project

Perfect for baking brownies and flapjacks.

Perfect weather for staying in, having the fire on and finishing homework.

So that's exactly what we did.

I have neglected my 52 recipes for a while now so thought with the boys hindrance help I'd reduce our egg mountain with a bit of baking and improve my new recipe tally.

Or so I thought.

I ended up the bottle-washer to their 'chef' status..... so, I don't think I can really add their baking to my list.....but I am going to anyway!

Peanut Butter Brownies

I often linger, longingly, at Smitten Kitchen's web site, which has the effect of sometimes inspiring me, sometimes shaming me but always making me hungry for more. Recently I've not had the inclination nor the weather for cooking but as I said earlier - today was perfect.

Eldest quickly commandeered this recipe, and with Gallic style flourishes he took over the kitchen and I was left translating the American weights and measures and washing up for him. Still the kitchen, then the house was filled with the warm scent of baking.

Now, if one son bakes, by the law of the universe and all that is good and great - the other one has to do too (aargh!)
SO, after lunch, Youngest had the chance for a bit of baking and tasting and smacking of lips and licking of fingers and made Flapjacks

We've made a variant of this biscuit often which we know as  'Viking biscuits'  but as this recipe was different enough for me, I added it to my 52 new recipes. The recipe came from 'Cakes & bakes from my mother's kitchen'  which is absolutely sinful and tempting all in one drool making book.

So this baking session has with the help of my boys has brought up my tally to 32 and 33 in my challenge to reach 52 new recipes cooked this year!

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