Kinder, Küche, Kirche

Off to the church, bright and early for the Tanzanian Fund Raiser for Tom and Alex. Weather wasn't too good, and I think that may have kept a few away, but I think we raised around £200 [Carole was still counting when I left] The cakes were phenomenal, and here is a picture of Carole spreading jam and cream on the scones. Debbie bought her handmade cards, and I had some craft bits as well.

Debbie's new card rack adds to the professional appearance, of her display, I think.

Made some chicken'n' veg soup for lunch, and baked the last two pretzels which were in the freezer.

They are about 15cm across - here shown on tea-plates. I bought a pack of eight frozen pretzels, a few months back, on Liz's advice, when we saw them at a German Market in Chester.

The soup was a proper Orts Meal, made with leftovers from last night's dinner. The plates are ones which were cleared out of the KMFC kitchen cupboards at a Work Day a few years back.Being a thrift soul, I find it hard to resist freebies like that! At first glance, they look identical, but one reads "Kirby Muxloe Nonconformist Church" and the other says "Kirby Muxloe Free Church". Why did they order plates with two different names? Particularly as our Trust Deeds say we should be known as KMFC. "There is nothing in the whole world so unbecoming to a woman as a Nonconformist conscience" observes Wilde in Lady Windermere's Fan. I think I disagree with him on that one.

Being busy chatting, and trying to sell stuff this morning, I completely forgot to buy a cake for tomorrow. Our retiring Link Missionaries, John and Norma Clark, are coming to the Evening Service, which is to be preceded by a "Bring&Share Tea". So I am actually making some Banana Bread to take. This definitely changes the status of the event to a Faith Tea!

No pictures of the cake, as it is still baking, but here is the Tala Cook's Measure I used whilst preparing it. It is so wonderfully Retro in style, and easy to measure stuff, then bung it in the processor, whizz it up and bake. Good Cone!

My loaf "tin" is a silicone one from Aldi - but this was a false economy, as it tends to distort in the oven. So I have to put it inside a larger metal one. This means I still get all the benefits of non-stick, easy-to-turn-out. Silly Cone!

My recipe is from Shirley Goode - she was always popping up on TV, and in magazines back in the early 80's when our children were tiny and our income was too. A plump, jolly lady, her aim was to spend as little as possible, but feed her family well. Some of her ideas were better than others. This is a good one, well tried and tested - I have modified her method though, for speed and convenience.

SHIRLEY GOODE'S BANANA BREAD

1 egg

2 or 3 very ripe bananas [such as the manky brown ones languishing in the fruit bowl!]

1 heaped dessertspoonful apricot jam [or marmalade]

8oz self raising flour

1 level teaspoonful baking powder

3oz butter or margarine

3oz granulated sugar

1 heaped dessertspoonful chopped nuts [optional]

PLUS 1 teaspoonful chopped nuts [optional]

Preheat oven to 180C/Gas4

Put all the ingredients in a food processor, in the order given [apart from final tsp nuts, if using]

Blend thoroughly

Pour into 1lb loaf tin [greased and floured, unless silicone]

Sprinkle remaining nuts over top of loaf.

Bake 30 minutes. Check - if too brown, cover with foil.

Bake further 10-15 minutes till golden brown and firm.

Cool on wire rack.

My girls are much better cake-bakers than I am. Liz gave me a copy of Nigella Lawson's "Domestic Goddess" a few Christmases back. That has some good cakes in it. Mind you, I do take issue with NL's comment that until recently cupcakes have been forgotten in British Kitchens. "Cupcake" is an American-ism, we Brits make - and have always made, FAIRY cakes. Furthermore, if NL had spent her life attending Faith Teas, as I have, she would know that Baptist Women up and down the land have been producing brilliant fairy cakes, regularly, for centuries! The Pastor announces a Faith Tea, and they rush to their kitchens to bake, under compulsion from their Nonconformist Consciences!