This is Milly in the snow, see that look of determination on her face? Well that determination is driving me slightly crazy.
Nobody else got a look in whilst pimping up Mr Snow Man. Every time anyone tried to put anything on the poor fellow, milly would pull it out and replace it. Very carefully like, in her own way. And god help anyone who tried to *help*.
It is a similar situation with food, if you cut it wrong she won’t eat it, if its not the right shape she will want a new one. She butters and spreads her own marmite for toast, and she puts on her own clothes, mainly because she thinks she’s the only one who can do it right… she’s 3.
I am pretty confident that if she woke up one morning and discovered she was the only person left on the planet, she’d be dressed and fed within the hour. Something I can’t say about my son Jack, god love him. Who would just probably lie in his bed, until someone came to *rescue* him..he’s 11… I think its a boy thing.
Anyhow, back to the point, Milly was having one her *moments* the other day with the bananas. They were breaking every-time I opened one and also they were too bendy apparently .
We ended up with five peeled, and fawlorn looking bananas and one very annoyed Milly. I must add at this point, I know I should just make her eat the damn bananas. But I am a weak person, this is not what I want to spend my life arguing about. So, with a flash of inspiration I suggested we make banana bread. Milly LOVES to cook, and seeing as all the bananas were going to get mashed it really wouldn’t matter what shape they were. Not even to one very stubborn toddler. We bunged in some chocolate caramel cadbury buttons and jeez it was good, I mean really, really good. Give it a go and see, happy accidents and grumpy toddlers make the best banana bread, so it happens.
Chocolate Caramel Banana Bread-
4oz melted butter
3 large bananas
3 oz white caster sugar
3oz dark muscovado sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla
4oz plain flour
3 oz of fine wholemeal flour
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
3 bags of cadbury caramel nibbles ( the caramel chocolate button ones )
No need for a mixer for this recipe. Yay! I get a bit sick of those baking shows where everything is done in a kitchen aid….partly because I don’t own one, but still.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Mash the banana in a large bowl, I used a potato masher, which works a treat. Then with a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the both the flours , and stir. Lastly tumble the chocolate buttons. Pour mixture into a buttered 4×8 inch loaf pan. Or two small tins. Bake for 1 hour for the large or around 40 mins for the 2 small. Cool on a rack.
) .
To clean the oven … sometimes
)
