Malted Oat, Coconut and Raisin Cookies

This recipe is from one of my favourite cook books – Donna Hay Modern Classics 2.  This is an awesome cookbook, as well as having a lot of old favourites, there are also some great new recipes too.

The original recipe is Malted Oat and Raisin biscuits, I’ve added the coconut as I think it makes everything taste better.  Feel free to leave it out if you prefer.  These are really yummy & you can also freeze the dough.

 

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup castor sugar

125g butter – softened

1 egg

1/2 cup malted milk powder

1 1/4 cups plain flour

1/4 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda

1/2 cup rolled oats

3/4 cup raisins

1/2 cup desicated coconut

 

• Preheat oven to 160 degrees
• Place the sugars, butter and egg into a mixer bowl and beat until pale and creamy
• Add the milk powder, flour, bicarb soda, rolled oats, raisins and coconut and beat on low speed to combine
• Roll large dessert spoons of mixture into balls and place on baking trays lined with non stick paper, gently flatten balls (I made around 36).
• Bake for 18 -20 minutes or until golden
• Allow to cool on wire racks

Malted Oat, Coconut & Raisin Cookies

Gratitude

A few years ago I bought a ‘Gratitude Journal’ from one of my favourite stores – Kikki K.  At the end of each day I would write in the journal three things that I was grateful for that had happened that day. I recently found the journal whilst trying to clean up our pigsty of a study and sat down to read through it – it was bizzare to think how much my life has changed since then….

23rd August 2010

• Having a productive day at work, although it was busy, still was able to get a lot of things done.
• I made myself go out of the office and have a proper lunch break – great timing as Cue was having a sale!
• Going to my accupuncturist appointment, enjoying the session and coming out feeling so relaxed afterwards

25th September 2010

• Getting my morning walk done before it started to rain.
• Spending time with Scott just relaxing and watching a dvd.
• Motivating myself to do all of the ironing, feeling much happier that it is all done now!

Over the past few weeks I’ve again started sitting down at the end of the day and thinking about three things I am grateful for that day, and writing them down. It’s not a novel, just a few words that I can then look back on and remember that things aren’t so bad.  Even after a challenging day, when I have to REALLY try and wrack my brain to think of something, it’s a nice positive way to end the day.

What I am grateful for…..

• A great husband who is still putting up with me after 11 years
• Although we’ve had a lot of challenges over the past 5 years, we now have two happy and healthy boys
• Walking down to the local park to feed the ducks with the boys
• Watching Liam happily playing outside with the dog
• I have wonderful friends, both old and new who I can always count on
• Taking some time to myself and going for a run/going to the gym
• The weather where we live is fantastic and we can spend lots of time outside
• Being able to enjoy a very social lifestyle whilst I’m off work at the moment!
• Both of the boys are good sleepers – I have a baby who is only waking 1-2 times through the night (really hoping I don’t jinx this) and Liam is still sleeping through
• Enjoying the peace and quiet of early morning feeds whilst having a coffee and watching the sun come up

You don’t always have to be grateful for deep and meaningful things….

• Zaraffa’s is on the way home from Liam’s kindy AND they have a drive through
• Now that it’s getting warmer I am enjoying having Iced Latte’s again – should I be concerned there is a coffee theme going on??
• Walking into Target and there is a spot sale on baby clothes
• Feeling less scruffy after having eyebrows waxed
• Sense of achievement after putting away 3 days worth of washing.. and vowing never to let it build up again… just doesn’t happen though

Will you accept the challenge to think of three things you are grateful for each day?

My Sunrise – 11th August 2013

Nana Doug’s Chocolate Cake

One of the first things I can remember helping mum make is her Nan’s chocolate cake in her trusty old sunbeam mixer (circa early 70s).  The job allocated to my sister and I was the sifting – something I have tried to carry on with my 19 month old with limited success!

30 years later this is still my one of my favourite recipes when I need to make a quick cake.  Nowadays I try to make it a bit healthier – swapping butter for light spread and using skinny milk. Whilst this is still a winner, there is nothing like the original recipe ingredients. All  ingredient amounts are in imperial measurements (I’ve added conversions in brackets).

3oz (85g) butter

2 tablespoons of cocoa

6oz (175g) castor sugar

6oz (175g) self raising Ffour

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoons vanilla essence

1/2 cup of milk

• Preheat oven to 170 degrees (fan forced oven)
• Melt Butter and leave to cool slightly
• Sift Flour and Cocoa into large mixing bowl
• Add all other ingredients and beat together in mixer (Approx 5 minutes)
• Grease tin (can use slice tin, loaf tin, 20cm round tin or ring tin)
• Bake for 25 – 40 minutes, depending on tin used (I baked the cake pictured for 35 minutes in a 20cm round tin).

Chocolate Icing

2 Tablespoons of Cocoa

1/2 Cup of Icing Mixture

1 Teaspoon of Butter/marg

3 – 4 Table spoons of boiling water

• Place Cocoa, Icing Mixture and Butter/Marg into a small bowl
• Start by adding 2 tablespoons of boiling water to bowl and mixing together using a spoon
• Continue to add water until desired consistency is achieved – icing should still be thick enough to easily spread over cake without running everywhere

** This cake can be frozen, I’ve even frozen it before when iced and it has defrosted well.

Yummy Chocolate Cake

FatMumSlim September Photo a Day Challenge

For the last month I have been participating in the FatMumSlim Photo a Day Challenge.  I’ve tried it a couple of times in the past, but have always given up after a week or two.  I’m proud to say I have not missed a day this month!  I’ve really enjoyed it, some days it’s been a challenge to find a subject for the days’ prompt, however it’s been fun to think creatively (some days anyway) and not just be taking photos of the boys and the dog – although they have appeared in a few photos….  I have just used my iPhone for these photos, as it’s the easiest way to upload to instagram – which I am now addicted to instead of Candy Crush (which is a good thing).

The prompt list for September has now been released – see link.  Who is game to join in?  FAQ’s and further information is available on FatMumSlim’s website & you are welcome to follow me on instagram – laurenm8311 or I will be posting on here as well.

Have fun!

Day 23 prompt was ‘Yellow’