Mini Cupcakes

Cupcakes : makes 12 small

55g softened margarine
55g castor Sugar
55g flour
1 egg
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
1/2 tsp caramel essence
1- 2 tbls milk

Preheat oven to 190 degrees celcius. Add all ingredients except milk into small bowl, beat till combined - only add enough milk to make a batter with a 'dropping consistency' (it plops into the bowl if you tap it of spoon gently) Put teaspoonfulls into papercase lined mini muffin tin, remembering to leave some batter in the bowl for a preschooler hungriliy eyeing it with spoon in hand.

Bake for 12-14 minutes or until golden.

Icing :
Makes enough for about 3 of these cupcake batches - you can freeze the rest in portions for quick defrosting for next time.

125g softened margarine
500g icing sugar sifted
little hot water
5ml caramel essence

Beat the butter until soft, beat in the icing sugar and add the essence and a dash (tsp) of hot water to help, more if necessary, to make spreadable/pipeable mix.

Once made up, you can colour with food colouring.

Once cupcakes are out the oven - let them cool on a wire rack, before icing and decorating as you wish. Happy baking!

Oatmeal and Sunflower(or peanut) Butter Choc Chip Cookies

125g softened margarine

1/4 cup light brown sugar

3/4 cup demerara sugar

1 small egg or 1/2 jumbo egg, beaten

2 dsp sunflower seed paste (or peanut butter)

3 drops cocon8ut essence

1/2 + 1/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp bicarb (baking soda)

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup oats

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 - 1/3 cup chocholate chips (or chopped up milk chocolate)

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celcius

Beat the maragrine and suage together, add the sunflower paste, stir in, gradually add in the beaten egg while beating, then stir in the coconut essence. Mix in the flour , bicarb (baking soda), salt, and oats, mix. Then add the raisins and choc chips, stir in.

Place tblsfulls onto a prepared cookie sheet (I use a non stick silicone bake mat), and bake for 16- 18 mins or until golden at the edges.

Cool. Feel free to drizzle with MORE chocolate.

Mustardy Chicken on Beany Spinach and Mushrooms

Serves 1
1 small chicken breast, skinned, boned, seasoned with celery salt
1 tsp oil
1 tbls creme fraiche
1tbls wholegrain mustard
2 tsp water
celery salt

Beany Spinach and Shrooms :
1 tsp oil
4 portabello mushrooms, sliced
2 handfulls raw baby spinach
1/4 cup tinned borlotti beans, drained
1 slice black forest ham
celery salt

In a small non stick pan heat tsp oil till hot, sear chicken breast one minute, turn over , sear other side for another min, add creme fraiche, mustard, a little celery salt and water, lid on and simmer 10 - 12 mins or until breast is cooked.

Beany Spinach and Shrooms : while the chicken is cooking, heat the other tsp oil in a small saucepan, add the mushrooms, sizzle for a few mins, add the baby spinach, and the ham, and the beans, cook over medium heat until the spinach is cooked - few mins, season with celery salt.

Place a pile of the spinach mixture in the centre of a plate, top with the chicken and pour over the mustard sauce from the pan. Yum.