Chocolate Brownies #AfterEightBakes

I've been left to my own devices ( which is bliss ) I have had a very challenging time lately so I need these little spaces of 'me time ' though it should hip of me to say 'Hygge' time the Danish way of taking care of yourself .

And now I'm doing this I'm beginning to find myself again , I know you're thinking how can you lose yourself , I mean I didn't just turn up at the local lost and found office to find myself waiting for me .

• 128g Buttery spread
• 5g Sugar
• 2 Teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 4 Eggs
• 90g Cocoa
• 128g All purpose flour
• Half a teaspoon of baking powder
• Half a pack of 300g After Eights Mints
• Powdered Icing sugar for dusting

1. Heat oven to 180c (350F) and grease a13x9x2- inch baking tray.
2. Add melted butter, sugar and vanilla extract to a big bowl and mix with a spoon.
3. Add eggs, one at a time and mix between each addition.
4. Add cocoa and mix until well blended.
5. Add flour, baking powder and salt and mix with an electric mixer until blended well.
6. Pour 3/4 of the batter over the baking tray, place After Eights chocolates evenly over the first layer and cover them with the remaining batter.
7. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the toothpick comes out slightly sticky.
8. Completely cool, cut into 20 slices ans sprinkle with powdered sugar.
9. Enjoy.

Disclosure the lovely folk from After Eight send me the ingredients to cook with . Cat update the cat is still sulking at me for some unknown reason.

Today My Cat Dislikes Me

This morning I confidently strolled into the kitchen ready to pray at the alter of the toaster and the holy tea pot of joy when I spotted the cat , I waved and said hello ; then it just looked at me and walked out the cat flap .Bemused I went to consume my toast and drink my tea and pushed thoughts aside that my cat was unhappy with me . After I went back into the kitchen where I spied the cat sitting on the mat ( they're so blooming stereotypical aren't they !?) Jack looks at me and goes back out the cat flap .... now I'm starting to get really paranoid .

So I go out the kitchen again ( I hear the cat flap go ) Jack has obviously come in again so I pop my head round the door to say a tentative hi and he's back out the cat flap . I go to the door look through the glass and show my sorrowful face , I make a heart shape with my fingers. Then Jack came back in and sat under the kitchen trolley for one hour 19 minutes ( maybe longer ) I don't know as I had to go to my job as a teaching assistant .

I returned home wishing in my heart Jack would be waiting for me with joy in his heart , my heart soared as I saw him so I sang to him , I sang Elvis "Are you lonesome tonight ?" 

Straight out the cat flap , then back in .

I mildly swore at the cat and was made to apologise .

Apologise to the cat that is .

My husband said " you know Jack only likes me singing Spice Girls"

This is true as I caught my husband singing " this is what you want what you really really want !" as he was feeding the cat treats .

I ask you I haven't a hope in hell have I ?!

Though I could sing Abba at Jack " THANK you for the meowsic"

Don't You Just Love Some Words ?

Don't you just love some words ? Today I love " hunker " Hunker down : feeling toasty just saying it . A hug with a word

So I'm going to hunker down with a cup of tea

Bettys Tea Room The Fizz Of Luxury : Lady Betty Afternoon Tea

The other week during half term while my husband and son where on a father / son trip I decided to take myself to York . Whilst my trip to York was a jolly as I was doing York on the cheap , I decided I needed to have a fizz of luxury so I booked myself a treat in Betty's tea room. Before all you grammar gurus scream at me that there is no apostrophe in Bettys tea room they explain why here .

Are you all happy now ? then I'll continue .


I went for tea at Bettys at their tea rooms rooms in York at the exquisite Belmont rooms which is like stepping back into the 1920s . When you arrive you have hang your coat on a coat rack just outside the tearooms ( so not throwing it over the back of the chair ) you enter the tea rooms unencumbered  and you are politely shown to your seats by a waitress or waitress .

If you have booked for the champagne tea then you are asked which type of champagne you would like or a Kir Royale cocktail ( I like this cocktail a lot but I feel I need a few more just to make absoteldy sure ! ) 

Did you know that Bettys started in 1919 so that is nearly 100 years of making the most exquisite teas and all this experience has been distilled in the wonderful tea experience Bettys provides today.

The afternoon treat must be booked in advance, and costs £32.95 per person (£39.95 per person with champagne). 

I began with the Bettys tea  from ( their own blend ) , and then the afternoon Darjeeling, a lovely accompaniment to our prawn cocktail starter served with a creamy avocado puree.

This was followed by bite-sized smoked salmon, cream cheese and dill roulade and miniature gala pie with quail eggs — The best things in the world certainly do come in small packages. The salmon tasted so beautifully fresh and the gala pie had a near-perfect crust.

The sandwiches when you first see them you think ' that will never fill me !" but I assure you it will , and you can have as many sandwiches as you wish . And if you wish to drink all the tea in the world you can ! The only think that is not unlimited is the cakes and scones but oh my the choice .

To sit back and relax whilst drinking tea was heaven scent even though I was on my own I wasn't really, there were couples celebrating occasions . Polite nods and quick chats were partaken and it was so very civilsed in the most British of way.

One scone was sultana and the other was Yorkshire Lavender complete with cream and Bettys own jam recipe. I am just getting hungry writing this recap of my half term adventures , oh how I would love a one of their tantalising cakes right now !

Disclosure : I took myself to York without Mr T as he was on a break with our son. yes the tea was expensive but oh my what an experience and one I would very much like to repeat again

HungryHouse Chinese Food Order Review

We all have one of those evenings sometimes when everyone it feels like is running late and you can't possibly juggle loads of teas (3 separate teas in my case )and you want something quick yet easy . But you want a dinner / tea that is worth while and not to be left thinking that really isn't enough or worth my money . 

I don't very often turn to takeaways but when I do I like to order from a company where I know I can choose the type of food I want and read what others think of the place. We all decided all on ordering a Chinese when Mr J and J decided to roll into the house. The thing I like about ordering from HungryHouse is that the website is very easy to negotiate ( whispers there's even an app you can download ~ oooh magic )

You just tap into your postcode ...

And then choose the type of food you want in our case Chinese ..

Our Chinese came to £31 plus 2 (delivery) for 3 people but reality there was food enough for 5 people , now I'm not the best when it comes to food presentation , I mean I think I would have got thrown off the Bake Off tent in the first week due to my shocking talents ! The proof as they say is in the pudding and there were just empty plates at the end of the day resulting in any all empty plates.