Here and Now #1

Well this is my first time posting a Here and Now Link up, I found it on another blog that I love to follow, Say Little Hen and have been meaning to join in for a while so finally here I am.

Apple and Rhubarb crumble.

Home made sushi.

Love the ambiance of a fire in the living area.

A few of my sweet potatoes.

Our baby Ruby, she wont be able to come on the holiday though :)

Loving // The warmth of a fireplace, even if I have to set my alarm at 1.30 in the morning to keep it going just so its nice and toasty in the morning when we wake up.

Eating // Any of the fresh and home grown veggies from my garden.

Drinking // Coffee, its my vice. Sometimes I think I should drink less....

Feeling // Grateful to spend each day of the school holidays slowing getting into the day with the kids, no matter how crazy they are.

Making // Apple and Rhubarb crumble to have for afters for the next couple of nights.

Thinking // I need to write a list of the little jobs that always seem to be forgotten until they become big jobs.

Dreaming // Of taking our gang on a cool family holiday.

If you would like to like up and share your little thoughts pop on over to Sarah's page Say Little Hen too :)  You will also see some other lovely blogs sharing as well x

My Favourite Banana Bread Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup mashed banana
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 40g melted butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup yogurt
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 1/2 cups plain flour
• 1 cup self-raising flour
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp bicarb soda
• 1/4 cup sunflower and pumpkin seeds

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 160c fan forced. Line loaf pan with baking paper.
2. Combine all the wet ingredients in a large bowl, then stir in the dry ingredients. Mix well then pour into loaf pan.
3. Bake for 1 hour or until tester comes out clean.
4. Cool on a wire rack. (or)
5. Served yummiest warm with a smear of butter.

Banana's and More Banana's.

In the kitchen today I baked banana bread using some of the bananas I picked from my tree a couple of weeks ago. 

Initially we ate heaps fresh, then I froze a few bunches to use for smoothies and ice cream and another couple of bunches were put in the fridge.

They will last longer there but the downside is the skin goes black. The flesh on the inside is still nice and firm for eating. Hubby and I ate them but the kids weren't so keen. 

Eventually they are too ripe for me to eat as well so today I baked. 

This by far is my favourite recipe to use and I also add some extra seeds instead of nuts so its school friendly.

I have my 3rd bunch coming along and today I went out to find another baby bell just starting out. 

Perhaps you could share your tried and tested banana bread recipe.

Banana bread a plenty.

Yummy goodness.

Bunch number 3 on its way.

Baby bell, our 4th cluster of banana's.

Sweet Potato, Fish Cakes and Pesto

The other day in the garden I pulled up the sweet potato crop - all 10kg of it! I also knocked one of my basil bushes over by accident so I picked all the leaves and made pesto. 

Last night we had pesto and chicken pasta for dinner. Using up roast chicken from the night before.

Tonight was a special of sweet potato fishcakes - using all ingredients from the garden, plus an egg from the girls out back and the bonus....fish (black fish) caught by hubby from the beach across the road, served with a side of broccoli. 

Every ingredient on the plate fresh and had not traveled more than 100m to provide a wholesome meal for my beautiful family. So grateful! 

Every ingredient from my garden or across the road from the ocean.

Sweet potato fishcakes and broccoli.

Harvesting.

Yummy homemade pesto.

Pesto and Chicken Pasta.