Cooking With Friends.

Guilty Pleasure Confession : 

Safe to say that it is only the best show to have been created! 

Obsessed is an understatement. 

You know you have an attachment issue when you start referencing quotes to fit the situations of your everyday life. 

Yes, we do own the box-set.

Yes, I have watched every single episode...five times. 

Should I be ashamed? Never! 

Anyone who says they don't like Friends is a silly human being. What is there not to love? 

I will even go as far to admit that I did in fact purchase Season One of 'Joey,' hoping to hold onto what was left of the Friends era. Success or not, I love me some Friends!

Here comes to embarrassing part...

My devotion does not stop at the box set and Joey spin-off. Oh no, it doesn't stop there my friends!

Introducing:

Cooking With Friends.

Now, before you judge me - think about it.

It's a clever concept don't you think? The book is fantastic. It holds every recipe imaginable - from 'New York Urban Eats' to 'Holiday Cooking.' Who wouldn't want to eat the lasagna that Monica makes repeatedly throughout the series? Or the pizza which is often ordered?

The best one by far though is 'Phoebe's Fabulous Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies.'

Honestly, they are the best Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies that you will ever taste!

Seeing as it is currently Sunday, I decided to dust off the cookbook and crack into these cookies.

Recipe taken from 'Cooking With Friends'

Ingredients: 

12 tablespoons of unsalted butter (1 1/2 Sticks)

3/4 cup of firmly packed brown-sugar

2/3 cup of granulated sugar 

1 large egg

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

2 cups of old-fashioned rolled oats

1 1/4 cups of flour

3/4 teaspoon of baking powder

3/4 teaspoon of baking soda

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1 1/2 cup of raisins

- Preheat over to 375

Cream the butter and sugars with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Beat in egg and vanilla until smooth

Stir together the oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Stir the dry ingredients into the batter until just combined. Stir in the raisins. 

Drop the dough by heaping tablespoons onto 2 large baking sheets (no need to grease them), leaving 2 inches between each ball of dough. Bake until cookies are golden brown, 12 - 15 minutes. Cool cookies on sheet for several minutes and then transfer them to a rack to cool further.

(Makes about 24 large cookies)

Do I even need to suggest how you enjoy them?!

Pop some Friends on the telly and eat away!

Sunday.

Sunday.

You either hate it or you love it. 

Last week, i hated it.

This week, we are on better terms.

I am a strong believer that Sunday is a day of rest. A day to do absolutely nothing and feel a-okay about it. Besides attempting to remove a very stubborn patch of pink nail-polish (which was spilt on my bright, white carpet) little to nothing was achieved on my behalf today. All except one beautiful thing.

Apple Upside Down Sponge Cake. 

With my darling father (who despises baked apple) away for the week, it was the perfect time to sneak this baby into the menu. I have been searching for the perfect recipe for yonks, trawling through the internet hoping that I would come on to a winner. I suddenly decided, to hell with recipes! So, I present to you my first ever impromptu baking creation!

I have dabbled in a bit of baking in the past. I tend to stick with my 'go-to' recipes. Your run-of-the-mill brownie and chocolate-chip cookie. Simple, yet delicious. It's all we are ever looking for isn't it? 

A few of my baking endeavors.

Want to walk on the wild side with me? 

Want to open the oven one to many times to make sure that what you have mixed together will actually bake?

Give this simple, delightful wee sponge cake a go!

Ingredients:

2 Bramley apples - peeled and chopped into thin slices.

1 Tablespoon of Brown Sugar

1/2 Teaspoon of Cinnamon (LOVE a bit of cinnamon!)

1/4 Teaspoon of All Spice

1/4 Teaspoon of Nutmeg

Sponge:

1/2 Cup of Sugar

125 Grams of Self-Raising Flour

100 Grams of Unsalted Butter

2 Eggs

1 Teaspoon of Vanilla.

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees. 

Prepare your baking pan with butter and baking paper, positioned at the bottom of the pan.

1. Place the peeled and chopped apples into a bowl. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, all-spice and nutmeg. Toss to combine. 

Arrange the apples in a cute little design at the bottom of your prepared baking dish. Get creative!

2. To make the sponge, weigh out sugar, self-raising flour and butter. Beat with electric mixed. Add eggs, one at a time. Whip to a light, fluffy consistency. Add the vanilla. 

3. Spread the sponge mixture over the apples. Pop it all into the oven and let it bake for 20 - 25 minutes. 

Might i suggest you indulge in this with a cup of tea?!