****************STAFF ROOM****************

[crace]

Morning! Just opening us up, will come back later to chat. Overslept and way not organised this morning

It must be catching this morning Crace nor am I.

I'm VERY behind today too

im sat here when i should be putting washing out and getting me and dd dressed, shes not backa t nursery till tomorrow!
am thinking about making bread to day!, fruit bread..how do i do it?, what to i need to buy?..i have a shop bought lovely orange with raisings one at min, but very pricy and prob gallons of sugar!, maybe bananaa bread???

I have a nice apricot fruit cake - or an orange tea bread

They are lovely (but both have a fair whack of sugar)

is the orange tea bread easy to make?

Dinner Lady's Banana loaf is easy and yummy I'll grab the recipe when I get back from nursery run if you want it

It's easy - but it takes an overnight soak

please!, ill be in/can check here till about 10am when mindee arrives, then off to park

ooh no good for overnight, want to make one this afty with girls, thanks tho

Morning everyone :0 am thinking of going along to my local cm coffee morning today if mindee ever arrives!!! Never been before does anyone know if they are generally ok or a room full of women trying to out do each other with all the wonderful child frienmdly things they do all week? Stopped going to one of the toddler groups cos I got fed up with ds being compared by all other mums to their ds!

Banana Loaf

2 ripe bananas
175g(6oz) butter or marg
175g(6oz)caster sugar
3 eggs
225g (8oz) self raising flour
half teaspoon baking powder
half teaspoon vanilla essence
half teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 banana for decoration (optional)

preheat over to 180C/350F/Gas 4

Peel bananas and crush with a fork
Beat together butter/marg & sugar then add the eggs alternatively with the flour & baking powder. Fold in crushed banana, vanilla essence & cinnamon

Pour mixture into greased 450g(1lb) loaf tin and top (if you like) with a long thin slice of banana.

Bake in the preheated oven for 40 mins, cool, put on wire tray

OO - I think that is terrible that there is a competition but I know lots of people like that in mine, I just avoid them! I have a good friend like that tho, and her son was born a day earlier than my daughter. So high school! teehee - give it a go, I am sure it will be fun.

Finally got stuff together, done my walking bus duties and had to call and remind mindee 3's mum that she signed him up for Monday ams. Poor girl, so busy - doing her own business raising 4500 chickens and selling the eggs. How cool is that??

Morning gang. I was a bit late getting up too! I've caught up now, mindee having a quick nap and then I think I'll take her to the library for a bit of singing. Does anyone else have toddler time at their libraries?

We have a "rhyme time" every Tues but it's too hard to make it as it's mindees naptime!

Hi Girls!

Wow I havent been on for such a long time!! How is everyone. Free day today, well till thursday actually! Crumbs, all well and good but need the reddies! Hey Ho!

I have a really easy banana bread recipe, so easy even I made it taste good! haha! Do you want it, Looneys sounds very swish doesnt it - MMMMmmmm, might have to bash a few bananas about a bit to make them ripier....hehe, is that a word????

Yes our library does baby and toddler rhyme time on different days, they love it dont they!

Hope your all ok, going to read all the messages to catch up with everyone!!

M XXXX

Yeah, I've just had to shelve it for today, mindee still asleep! Aparently, she was awake at midnight last night ready to play! I'll go to one tomorrow. I am within 10 mins drive from about 5 libraries and they all do a different day for toddler time. Ours are great. They have organised singing for 30 minutes, including getting the shakers out, then a story, then they get the toys out. All free and you could stay for about 2 hours. Much nicer than playgroups, as there's far less people there and no hot drinks to worry about!

yes please madge7..looney..so if i cant find my scales from depths of cupboard..how much is 60z/8oz in spoons or cups terms

Easiest ever Baanana Bread - (Anthony Worral Thompson, Weekend Cook book).

100g (4oz) butter, plus extra for greasing
225g (8oz) self raising flour
100g (4oz) Golden Caster Sugar
3 Ripe Bananas
2 Eggs
6 Tbsp clear honey

Preheat the oven to 180oc/350of/Gas 4.
Lightly butter a 900g (2lb) loaf tin then line the base with grease proof paper.

Sift the flour in a bowl and, using your fingertips, rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrmbs.

Sift the sugar into the flour mixture. Peel and mash the bananas and tip into the bowl with the eggs and honey. Beat well until evenly combined, then transfer into the prepared tin.

Bake the banana bread for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until golden brown and a fine skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cover loosely with foil if it begins to brown too much.

Remove from the oven and leave in the tin for five minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

Wrapped in grease proof paper and foil, it will keep for about 4 days. (although it doesnt last that long in this house!

cool madge but again what about measures if i cant find scales?????

my scales broke ages ago - i just use my plastic jug with measurements for liquid, sugar, flour etc - i'm not sure about cup measurements but you may find something if you google the net

got a jug but think its only got liquid measurents on?!

ahh, i def dont have any scales anymore as ive just seen them outside in dd's playhouse, coverd in spiders and paint!..feck!

just giving baby her bottle but when i can move, i'll see if mine mentions cups

just checked web, it says one cup = 8oz??
will keep looking to see if any more info on there.........................

1 cup = approx 8oz sugar/5oz flour

does that help?