Hello Dear Reader,
Today has been a busy and sociable day and though lovely, it was good to get home. I didn't bake today, I baked on Thursday night and took the goodies into work to share. Nothing cheers a work place more than a bit of cake!
I made fat free tea loaf
You will need
4 tea bags to make a very strong 300ml of tea
300g of mixed fruit
350g of SR flour
1 teaspoon of ground allspice
1 beaten egg.
Make the tea and soak the fruit until the tea is cold
Mix all of the rest of the ingredients together.
Bake as one large cake in a loaf tin for 1 hour at 180/gas 4
or individual muffin cases for 20 minutes.
The loaf is great thinly sliced and served with butter. It's also great with a zesty lemon glaze. Take 50g of icing sugar and drop lemon juice into it until you have the consistency that you would like. It should drop off your spoon so you can drizzle it on top of the cakes.
Chocolate muffins
I used:
4 eggs
225g of butter or marg
225g of SR flour
225g of sugar
2 heaped tablespoons of cocoa
1/4 of a jar of chocolate spread
Mix all of the above together to a smooth batter and spoon into individual muffin cases. Bake at 180 for 20 minutes.
When cool, slice off the top of the cake and spread chocolate spread liberally and replace the 'lid'. Dust with icing sugar.
As ever, I always let you see a close up. I didn't eat any of these but every one enjoyed them, even when I told them that they were entirely made from supermarket basics from Sainsbury's. As usual, even though I was given the ingredients, my opinions are my own. I've always used supermarket basics from one supermarket or another and firmly believe them to be good value and quality. I can now add Sainsbury's the list of 'great basics'. Not just for someone on a budget but for anyone!
Last night, my quilt was still being quilted.
Tonight, my Scrappy Mountain Majesties quilt is backed, quilted and edged. It's going off to London with Paul my PT who's joining the Metropolitan Police at the end of February. It's my thank you for his skills in making me believe in my own strength and health. I'm never going to be physically lazy ever again and I'm never going back to a size 18 ever again! The quilt is a very small thank you for his professional support.
The quilt (except the wadding) is completely made of recycled fabric and is made from shirts. I now have two more quilts to back (both gifts for friends and family) and quilt and then I can complete my scrappy crumb quilt that's going on holiday to France with us this summer. Now that's worth being frugal for and watching the pennies to save up for!
Over to you Dear Reader, who else has a short term financial goal that they are being frugal to save up for? Who else has baked this weekend and what did you make? Who else has finished or is in the middle of a craft project?
Until tomorrow,
Love Froogs xxxxx
I've just looked out chocolate muffins from the freezer for tomorrow's packed lunches. I'm aiming to run the freezer down (will we ever get through all this turkey??) and then I'll do some more baking and freeze things for packed lunches. I still have lots of tubs of stewed apples so I need to think up some recipes to use these up. They must love you at work, bringing them lots of yummy goodies x
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely quilt! They just keep getting better and better!!
ReplyDeleteI used the whey from making yogurt in the crockpot to make three loaves of bread. I have tidied the house and did some mending. Buttons put on, socks mended, and the elastic repaired on some undies.Now I can work on a couple of quilts that I started in the summer. The blocks are done, but they need to be assembled. The quilt looks wonderful, Froogs!
ReplyDeleteBarb
used the whey from making yogurt in the crockpot to make three loaves of bread....... Wow I didnt know you could.. I make yoghurt 3 times a week and was pouring it away!. Please can we have your recipe?
DeleteI am feeling just a little pleased with myself.. I needed to do about 15K worth of repairs to my house and im trying to do them all without borrowing anything from banks etc. On Friday I signed for new doors and windows having scrimped and saved all the money! It took longer than I hoped but thats step 3 of 10 achieved ( I had rewiring done and a woodburner installed14 months ago) Im taking a month off saving to buy the new clothes and shoes we need, then its back on the treadmill for stage 4....replacing the clapped out radiators and converting to gas. Will take about a year......
DeleteHow do you make the yoghurt please?
Deletethe quilt looks wonderful - well done you - love the idea of that lemon glaze on your fat free cakes - may have to have a go at that - thanks for sharing
ReplyDeletethat is so nice that you made your PT a quilt and I love how generous you are with quilting and baking! I made a pay and am crocheting my son a blanket for winter x
ReplyDeleteGuess what I baked this weekend? Your tea loaf! It's cooling now :)
ReplyDeleteI'm also running the freezer down and found some blackberries. They were a welcome find as I thought I had used the last of them. I made blackberry muffins for lunches and visitor treats.
ReplyDeleteThe cake recipe will be ideal for when it is my turn to do staff morning tea. Thanks so much.
ReplyDeleteRecently I finished a Dr Who scarf for my son. Initially he was disappointed that the colours did not quite match as I used my stash. Since then I have found a cross stitch in the pile of UFO's and brought it to the surface as this is a better project for summer time. No baking as it has been too hot but I may make some scones or something today.
ReplyDeleteIT was most thoughtful of you to make a quilt for your PT.
Cakes look delicious. Quilt is great. I Made One of those using Bonnies pattern. Great fun to do. x
ReplyDeletehello! what is that you're lining your bread pan with? a special liner? or coffee filters? i usually just grease my pan and use a little flour but this looks much nicer & neater!
ReplyDeleteCake tin liners
DeleteGorgeous treats and a really beautiful quilt.
ReplyDeleteSan xx
The loaf looks great, I'll make one tonight!
ReplyDeleteI love the quilt too, it's lovely to see the old shirts being repurposed and reused too.and a lovely gift for your personal trainer and friend :)
What a fantastic quilt and the baking looks scrummy!! Your gluten free recipes are great and I will be testing these out on my daughter.......You are such an inspiration.
ReplyDeleteWow, your loaf cakes look lovely and moist. I always use supermarket basics, may as well save money :-) x
ReplyDeleteI love shirt quilts too - and yours looks great!
ReplyDeleteLove the tea loaf recipe too - plan to buy mixed fruit this week and make it for the weekend. Thanks for sharing!
Hi there, I very rarely comment on blogs but I just had to say the quilt is absolutely gorgeous. Love the tea loaf, I have made these since my children were little, all grown now, but never thought to put an icing on. Keep on posting, I will keep on lurking, my goals are also coming nearer each day.
ReplyDeleteLynda x
Beautiful quilt Froogs! Ps. I want a job with you if you make cakes like that for your colleagues. They look scrummy. X
ReplyDeleteYou're being especially nice to everyone cakes AND quilts :-)
ReplyDeleteI bet that's something he'll treasure, it's a work of art!
Most beautiful quilt you've ever made (among the ones we've seen at least). The pattern is so unusual and the colours are perfect !
ReplyDeleteMy goodness you have been busy, the baking looks very inviting and the quilt is gorgeous! I'm sure it will be special to him. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeletePeg x
Hi Jane, I will definitely be trying these recipes, my little girls will love those chocolate muffins. The quilt you made is just beautiful. Thanks for sharing with us, your blog is the only thing that I read that makes any sense to me right now. My friends don't know what it is like for me and my family all I here is tales of fancy holidays and fancy restaurants and £100 dresses. It gets me down sometimes listening to it. My concerns right now are just about making sure I have enough food to make a dinner and where I'm going to find the money to pay for school shoes or to get my hair cut. I just love reading your blog, thanks for the inspiration, x
ReplyDeleteHi Michala, I've felt like you for years. We struggled for ages to make ends meet to clear huge amounts of debt. We did without holidays, meals out, new clothes, fancy gadgets etc. By the way, I learned to cut my hair myself because we were so skint!! What you're not hearing is how much debt lots of people are running up to finance their lifestyle. Looking back, I realise that living on so little in order to become debt free has made me figure out what the priorities are in life. I've learned that lots of things I used to regard as important aren't really important and that all children need and want is love and time spent with them (eg baking chocolate muffins with them - my son loves this). Sometimes it can feel lonely and isolating living the frugal life, but there are lots of us out here doing just that and we can form our own little communities through blogs like this. Stick with it, don't give up and enjoy being with your family. You are teaching them the important things in life; to be confident and not to spend money to impress people xx
DeleteThanks Sue, very wise words. You used just the word I'm feeling right now 'isolated', although as you said I can come to a place like this blog for support and encouragement. Thanks also for reminding me that trying to become debt free has made me realise so much about what is really important to me. I would so love to take my girls to the theatre or out to cafes but actually all they really need is my time and love and I have oodles of that for them. I was feeling very sorry for myself this weekend I really appreciate your comments, x
DeleteTea cake sounds good & as for the quilting you've got the feel-good factor down to a fine art!
ReplyDeleteX
The quilt is absolutely beautiful! You inspired me so much that I have cleared my cupboards found all the unfinished jobs and had been quilting all weekend. thank you
ReplyDeletehave the tea loaf in the oven as I speak, I've made it to give to my sister who has to follow a fat free diet (major health problems ). I will give you her verdict tomorrow. keep up to good work , i look forward to your blog everyday.xxx
ReplyDeleteI want to COPY this quilt! Love it. I'm always cooking simple food for family and ALWAYS in the middle of a sewing, crochet or weaving project! Way too many things in life that inspire me. ;)
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love this quilt. My dream home is a small cabin in the woods and when I see this quilt that is my first thought. I am interested in your tea loaf. I never heard of such. The fruits[ are they fresh such as apples, raisins... or frozen or canned (if frozen or canned do you drain off extra liquid). Have you tried this with flavored teas if so can you suggest any combinations. I love tea and have many flavors. This recipe is so simple and made from staples I keep around. The no-added sugar is a real bonus, not to mention it looks very appetizing.
ReplyDeleteThis needs real strong tea the fruit is dried fruit raisins currants and sultanas and dried mixed peel
DeleteHad to come back and post again, now that I've eaten half the tea loaf. It is a wonderful treat, and next time I make it I'll blog about it and link back to your post, if that's okay with you, froogs!
ReplyDeleteThe tea loaf has got the thumbs up from my sister & my OH. I think it will be a regular on my baking days from now on. Thanks for the recipe.xxx
ReplyDeleteGorgeous quilt!
ReplyDeleteYour quilt looks absolutely gorgeous, Paul must have been so touched and delighted with such a thoughtful gift!
ReplyDeleteA bit late to the party - but made the tea loaf yesterday and just had a slice for (almost) elevensies at work - DELICIOUS. Thank you VERY much for sharing all your wisdom and your delicious recipes. Truly appreciated.
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