Tuesday 2 September 2008

An afternoon in the kitchen



An unexpected gift of plums meant a spell in the kitchen making some of my Aunty Beryls recipe for chutney! It took a while to thicken up, in fact I started this yesterday and had to stop when i got too tired and start again today! but when it did thicken it was lovely and I got 4 and a half jars of something very like mango chutney. One jar will go to the donor of course along with some courgettes the rest will be in the preserve cupboard ready for Christmas.




Next to the chutney is a banana and choc chip loaf and some muffins, which got a bit overdone in the oven but were still nice to eat, some of which are destined for the freezer and packed lunches. It is a very easy recipe to make and will make 2 small loaves or 12 large muffins.

Here's the recipe:-


Banana Bread
(great for using up those over ripe bananas)

3 very ripe bananas (almost walking) or use defrosted frozen bananas!
pinch of salt
6oz melted butter
1 teaspoon bicarb of soda dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
6 oz caster sugar
1 egg
9 - 10 oz plain flour
An optional extra is a handful of choc chips which is yummy

Smash bananas (food processor is great for this recipe). Add remaining ingredients, mix together. Pour into 2 greased or paper lined 1lb loaf tins or 1 lined 2lb tin or muffin cases. Bake in moderate oven (180C/350F/Gas mark 4) for 45 minutes. If making muffins 15 mins should do. Freezes well and is lovely sliced, toasted & dripping with melted butter.

While this was baking I managed to prep and freeze more runner beans and tomatoes.

Today was another no spend day - NSD 2/15
Dinner today was mainly using up leftovers - left over soya mince chilli made into a shepherds pie with leftover courgette and tomato bake.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love plums! I love banana bread!

Are you doing open invites for christmas Catz?!

Sharon J said...

I'm planning to make some chutney so have my family saving up empty jars for me (I don't use things in jars often enough to get enough empty jars in time so should really have started saving them earlier).

I'm thinking of trying apple & elderberry chutney. Hope it turns out ok :)

Anonymous said...

I love plums and have many. Is plum chutney hard to make?

Anonymous said...

I think Banana bread is the recipe du jour at the moment, I've just made some too - and very tasty it was.

Catz said...

@ move to portugal - Lol! I have so many bananas in the freezer to use up making banana bread I think I could feed all of blogland!

@ Sharon - I'm running out of jars as well! Mmm! Apple and Elderberry sounds lovely!

@ Frugal trenches - I always use the same recipe, my Aunty Beryls (on my blog somewhere) which I use for all fruit and veg, easy peasy and if you have a supply of plums (my favourite) well worth the effort! Let me know if you get stuck and I'll help if I can.

@ Elizabeth - I love banana bread and it freezes well in slices too ready for packed lunches, unexpected guests or picnics.

Yvonne Randall said...

You're a woman after my own heart. Nothing better than a panful of plums. I made so much jam last year that I don't need to make more until next year.

Sharon J said...

I have two carrier bags full of Bramley's that a kind old lady allowed my daughter and her boyfriend to pick from her garden. I'm now just waiting for him to get up the ladder out back and pick the elderberries. I've also got hold of a good few beetroots cheap so 'apple and beetroot' chutney will be on the stove today :)

Catz said...

@ craft fairy - very envious of that suppy of jam, love your blog by the way

@ sharon - sounds great! Don't forget to collect enough jars! I had to scrounge some as I ran out!