Bread making and cleaning

We had a busy day yesterday and I am in danger of making you think, if you do not know me, that I am some kind of domestic genius or indeed domestic obsessive.

I discovered a recipe book entitled "Baking" on a shelf in my Mums caravan and borrowed it. This may be increased to "stole it". In it I found this great recipe for soda bread. All ordinary ingredients, no yeast or waiting or bread maker. Are you impressed? I was, at the risk of sounding really sad. The littler boy helped too I have to confess before I take all the credit.

He and I spent a chunk of the morning cleaning. A necessity. I love the fact that as I am using no chemicals he can get involved. He took on the job of the vinegar rinse in the bathroom. I did the soap/bicarb and he rinsed.................and rinsed ..........and rinsed. He just loved that spray and the result is a bathroom that smells a little like the local chippie!! (Minus the deep fried smell!) Still the bathroom is clean, the asthma is not triggered and all for a few pence. You cannot beat it.

The little girl and the littler boy also decided to get involved with the clean up after dinner. Quite right too since it is 95% their mess. My favourite discovery on this cleaning journey is my spray bottle with water and two squooshes of dish washing liquid (ASDA's eco is great!). It cleans all my surfaces fab and the kids fight over having a turn. Wish you could have seem them at (and on!) the dining room table spraying and shooting their cloths up and down. One shiny table, two happy kids and one less job for me.

Back to the bread................................. . It looked fab and the first slice tasted fab as did these chunks.

This large chunk of uncooked dough in the middle was less appealing. Ah the joys of different oven temperatures! Next time I hope it may be impressive all the way thru. Actually that was kind of what I had been discussing with some folks last night but that is another story!