Chocolate chip cookies

Again ! We're now stuck in house moving hell - it was all going fine. A completion date agreed and we were ready to roll. Hurrah we thought. No. Suddenly our buyers solicitor started dragging his feet and not returning calls to our solicitor. Our first exchange date came and went and then suddenly we were looking at it being very tight to make our second exchange date and thus completion. After a few frantic phonecalls it would seem that the idiot solicitor can't tell the difference between the 5th and the 15th *imagine me banging my head against a wall here*. SO, the upshot of it all is that we are having to shunt everything on 2 weeks. I am beyond cross and very frustrated about the whole thing. I'd quite like to take out my frustration on said solicitor but I'll just have to imagine that in my head !!

Anyway, this has meant that I've been seriously running down the fridge, freezer and cupboards in preparation for moving, only to find I've got another 2 weeks to feed my family before I can do a good restock. This is the explanation of the lack of blog posts. It's hard to blog when you're eating increasingly bizarre freezer teas.

Today in desperation the boy and I made chocolate chip cookies and God they were GOOOOD ! It made everything slightly more bearable. These cookies have the right amount of squidgy and crunch and a batch really isn't going to last the day. I originally got this recipe from a fellow blogger a long time ago. It's so long ago though I've forgotten where and when so I can't even name check them - so sorry to whoever you are and thanks for the greatest cookies !

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
makes approx 18

100g butter - I have also used Stork and it was fine
75g soft light brown sugar
2 T golden syrup
175g self-raising flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
100g chocolate chips - you can sub nuts, fruit or anything really here, all yummy.

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy
Then add the syrup, vanilla and flour - it will get really tough to mix now ! Finally add the choc chips.
Spoon onto baking trays in little balls and spaced well apart
Bake at 180C for 8-10 minutes. They will be very soft when they come out of the oven but that's fine.
Cool on a wire tray and try not to scoff all at once.

Pikelets

I wanted to make pikelets as I'd just discovered a recipe on a forum I use. When I was a kid my Aunt who had lived in New Zealand, used to make these with me and we'd eat them warm from the griddle or cold with butter and jam for tea.

PIKELETS (with thanks to Jann !)

Make loads but be prepared for them all to be eaten on the same day !

2 cups of plain flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup milk

1 tsp baking soda

1.5 tsp cream of tartar

2 eggs

1 tbsp butter

1 tsp golden syrup

Mix all the ingredients apart from the butter and syrup in a large bowl

Melt the butter and syrup over a low heat and add to the other ingredients

Lightly butter a large frying pan or griddle

Cook the mixture in tablespoonfuls for a couple of minutes each side until brown

Serve warm or cold as they are or with butter and jam or even whipped cream !

Meal planning Monday - July 18th

Goodness me, another Monday. I am ashamed I've managed the princely sum of no new blog posts since last week - apologies !

So, this week...

Monday : Roasted chicken breast & vegetables with sundried tomato dressing and herbed wholemeal couscous
Tuesday : Meatball and pea pilaff
Wednesday : Salmon tikka naan
Thursday : Bacon & mushroom pasta
Friday : Homemade burgers
Saturday : Toad in the hole
Sunday : Roast chicken and salads - having a little lunch gathering