Haphazard Baking...

I've never been one to obey the rules... when it comes to cooking and baking that is. Then and only then - of course! I often alter recipes so much (and don't write anything down) that when it comes time to make it again I make something totally different. Usually this isn't really an issue - I mean, things turn out and taste good anyways (most of the time) BUT... I have no measuring cups here so am guessing recipes and quantities... a new venture in guesswork and baking. I made banana muffins today (they are THE BEST!)and they turned out - even with my advanced measuring tools (see below).


In our haste to get out of Winnipeg or, rather, in our haste to get to Russia we forgot a lot of "essentials" that we usually bring with us overseas. We were SUPER rushed to pack and get organized because turn around time from the Olympic qualification tournament in Puerto Rico to flights to Toronto was nil - this was all exacerbated by the fact that the documents we needed to get our visas were late and then lost... (it was super stressful) but we left anyways and, yes, left a lot of things in Winnipeg. Some of the things that we usually bring with us but forgot include: a plastic bendy spatula, cheese slicer, Euro-plugged hand held blender, silicon bakeware, and measuring cups. And FOOD... we usually make maple syrup and barbeque sauce a top priority. Geez... what were we thinking! Of course, one can usually find these things in Europe, but we haven't had any luck here. As far as the kitchen stuff goes, we could buy some of these things but when I think about how many cheese slicers and spatulas and lasagna dishes we've bought... we could stock a small store. So, we've only purchased a few things here - a cookie sheet that doubles as a roasting pan, a frying pan and a pot (we had one... but sans lid). So the kitchen is not fully equipped by any means, but I can still make muffins. And eat them too.



Here is my thrown together recipe (from a delicious recipe written down in a cookbook.. in Winnipeg)

3 smashed bananas
3/4 cup of brown sugar
1 egg
about 1 1/2 cups of flour
a teaspoon of baking soda (or powder)
a small chunk of melted butter (maybe around 1/4 cup?)
chocolate chunks (yum)
I think that's it... 350 until they're done.

One more recipe that I LOVE... another throw it together one but very healthy and vegetarian (or not.. add meat if yee like)... LENTIL STEW: (doesn't really sound that appealing but it is super yummy)

sautee some onions
add about a cup of lentils... stir stir stir
add about 1 1/2 litres of broth
AND potato chunks, carrot rounds, a can of diced tomatoes... and whatever else...
bring to a boil, then let it simmer away, until all is cooked and ENJOY!

(p.s. Reading this recipe makes me think of Amelia Bedelia... I wonder how she would make these recipes?... I'm hoping that someone knows this lady and her innumerable talents - a character from kids books!)