LCChaosandhome

Tag: #easyrecipies

  • Squishy Banana Bread with Melty Choc Chips and dates

    Squishy Banana Bread with Melty Choc Chips and dates

    You know those recipes that sneak into your life and suddenly become your thing? This banana bread is exactly that – simple, reliable, and just a little bit extra thanks to the mix of chocolates and optional dates.

    It’s the perfect bake for when your bananas have gone spotty and you fancy something cosy with a cuppa, without spending all afternoon in the kitchen. One bowl, minimal effort, maximum payoff.
    It’s a great “anytime” loaf: Sunday baking, after-school snacks, packed lunches, or a little treat with your morning coffee. The ripe bananas keep it soft and moist, the white and dark chocolate chips give you pockets of sweetness and richness, and the chopped dates (if you use them) add lovely chewy, caramel-like bites. It feels like a classic banana loaf that’s had a little glow up – still homely and comforting, but just special enough that people will ask you for the recipe.

    Ingredients
    • 100g softened butter
    • 175g caster sugar
    • 2 large eggs
    • 2 ripe bananas, mashed (the spottier the better)
    • 225g self-raising flour
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 2 tbsp milk
    • 100g white chocolate chips
    • 100g dark chocolate chips
    • 100g chopped dates (optional, but lovely for extra chew and sweetness)

    Method

    • Get your tin and oven ready
      Preheat your oven to 180C / 160C fan / Gas Mark 4.
      Lightly grease a 2lb loaf tin, then line the base and sides with baking parchment. This makes it much easier to lift the loaf out later without it sticking or breaking.
    • Mash the bananas
      Peel your ripe bananas and pop them into a small bowl. Mash with a fork until mostly smooth, with just a few little lumps. The riper the bananas, the sweeter and more flavourful your loaf will be.
    • Mix everything in one bowl
      In a large mixing bowl, add the softened butter and caster sugar. Beat them together until well combined and a bit lighter in texture.
      Add the eggs, mashed bananas, self-raising flour, baking powder and milk straight into the same bowl. Using an electric hand mixer or a wooden spoon, beat everything together for about 2 minutes, until you have a smooth, thick batter and everything is well blended.
    • Fill the tin
      Spoon the mixture into your prepared loaf tin. Use the back of a spoon or a spatula to level the surface so it bakes evenly and looks neat once it’s risen.

    • Bake your banana bread
      Place the tin in the preheated oven and bake for about 1 hour. Ovens do vary, so start checking from around 50 minutes.
    • The loaf is ready when it’s well risen, a lovely golden brown on top and a fine skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Don’t worry if you see a little melted chocolate on the skewer – you just don’t want any raw batter.
    • Cool it down (the hardest part!)
      Take the tin out of the oven and leave the banana bread to cool in the tin for a few minutes so it can firm up a little.
      Then carefully lift it out using the parchment, peel off the paper and transfer the loaf to a wire rack to cool completely – or at least until it’s just slightly warm.

    Serving ideas and little tips
    • The absolute best moment is slicing it while it’s still a touch warm, when the chocolate chips are soft and a bit melty and the crumb is tender and moist.
    • It’s delicious on its own, but a thin swipe of butter on a warm slice takes it into full comfort-food territory.
    • The loaf keeps well for a few days in an airtight container, and the flavour actually deepens by the next day.
    • Older slices are lovely lightly toasted under the grill and served with butter for a cosy breakfast or snack.


    • You can easily tweak it: swap the dates for chopped nuts (like walnuts or pecans), or stick to just white or just dark chocolate depending on what you have in the cupboard.
    This is one of those low-effort, high-reward bakes that makes your kitchen smell amazing, looks impressive sliced on a board, and tastes like a warm, homemade hug. Make it once and there’s a good chance you’ll become “the banana bread person” among your friends and family – and you won’t mind one bit.

    Shopping links .. i may get a small commission if you purchase

    kenwood mixer – this is the newer sleeker version than my old workhorse but they are classics ! https://amzn.to/3Qef1AV

    chopped dates – these are lovely and soft https://amzn.to/47AmjF8

    white chocolate chips https://amzn.to/4tHDoWv

    dark chocolate chips https://amzn.to/3OfoN5i

    flour canister https://amzn.to/4moJd8R

    caster sugar canister https://amzn.to/414LVX9

    loaf tin https://amzn.to/3PNShaU

    loaf tin greaseproof liners https://amzn.to/3QeTQ1F

  • My Go-To Feta & Egg Breakfast Wrap 🥬🥚

    My Go-To Feta & Egg Breakfast Wrap 🥬🥚


    Okay, hands up if mornings always feel like a race against the clock 🙋‍♀️ Because same. I swear I blink and it’s suddenly time to leave the house. But I refuse to start my day with a sad granola bar when something this easy and delicious exists!


    This feta and egg breakfast wrap has been my current obsession — it’s super quick, tastes amazing, and makes me feel like I’ve got my life vaguely together (even when I definitely don’t 😅).

    What You’ll Need
    • 1 tsp avocado oil
    • 1 tortilla wrap
    • 1 cup spinach
    • 1 egg
    • 2 tbsp crumbled feta cheese
    • Optional: a drizzle of balsamic glaze, because fancy breakfasts at home are the vibe ✨

    Let’s Make It!
    Heat a little avocado oil in a pan and warm your tortilla for about a minute each side, just to soften it up. Take it out, then throw in your spinach — it’ll wilt in no time.


    Next bit’s the fun part: sprinkle your feta

    in a circle (leave a tiny hole in the middle), crack your egg right in the centre, pop the lid on, and let it cook for about two minutes.

    You get this gorgeous melty, golden egg situation that smells so good.

    Slide it all onto your tortilla, drizzle with balsamic glaze, fold it up, and that’s breakfast done! 🥙

    Why You Need This Wrap in Your Life
    It’s seriously foolproof — five minutes, one pan, and no weird ingredients. Plus, it’s healthy-ish but still hits that “oooo yum” comfort food note.
    You can totally mix it up too: swap feta for cheddar, add avocado slices, or maybe a bit of chilli if you like a kick.

    I’ve been making this non-stop lately and honestly can’t get enough. It’s the kind of breakfast that looks fancy but takes less effort than making toast 😂
    Would you try this? Or are you more of a sweet breakfast person? Let me know in the comments because I love getting new breakfast ideas from you all!

    shopping links – i may get a small commision if you buy

    kitchen scales https://amzn.to/4bNL17G

    chopping board set https://amzn.to/4scJGvU

    super cute ceramic egg holder https://amzn.to/4vkYyv8

    pan set https://amzn.to/41aNToV

  • 🍪 Soft & Gooey Mini Egg Cookies – Our Favourite Easter Bake 🐣💐

    🍪 Soft & Gooey Mini Egg Cookies – Our Favourite Easter Bake 🐣💐

    Every Easter, our kitchen starts to smell like pure happiness — that mix of butter, sugar, and melting chocolate means one thing: Mini Egg Cookies are back.This recipe has become a bit of a spring tradition for us. The first batch never makes it to the cooling rack because the moment those cookies come out of the oven, still warm and soft in the middle, we can’t resist breaking one open. The pastel colours of the Mini Eggs peek through the golden dough, and the centres stay deliciously gooey — it’s comfort and nostalgia in every bite.

    💕 Why You’ll Love These Cookies
    They’re simple to make — no fancy mixers, no tricky steps — just classic, homely baking. Yet they look like something from a bakery window. The mix of white and dark chocolate chunks gives a lovely balance of sweet and rich, while the crushed Mini Eggs bring that irresistible Easter crunch and colour.
    Whether you’re baking with little ones, creating gifts for friends, or just enjoying a quiet weekend bake (our favourite kind of self-care), these cookies are joyful, a little messy, and absolutely delicious.

    🧺 Ingredients
    • 175g softened butter
    • 200g light brown soft sugar
    • 100g golden caster sugar
    • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
    • 1 large egg
    • 250g plain flour
    • ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
    • Pinch of sea salt
    • 50g white chocolate, chopped
    • 100g dark chocolate, chopped
    • 100g Mini Eggs, lightly crushed (save a few large pieces for decorating)

    🥣 Method

    • Preheat & prepare: Heat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan) and line two baking trays with parchment.
      Tip: If your kitchen is cool, leave the butter out a little longer — soft butter makes all the difference for that light, fluffy texture at the start.
    • Cream the base: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, both sugars, and vanilla extract until pale and creamy. You can use a hand‑held whisk, but mixing by hand works just as well (and makes your kitchen smell heavenly).
    • Add the egg: Crack in your egg, then mix again until smooth and glossy.
    • Form the dough: Add the flour, bicarbonate of soda, and a pinch of salt. Fold gently until everything comes together — it should feel thick and a little sticky.
    • Add the magic: Stir through the white and dark chocolate chunks and about half of your crushed Mini Eggs. Save the bigger, prettier pieces to press on top later — they’ll make the cookies look beautiful when baked.
    • Shape & chill: Scoop out golf ball‑sized mounds of dough and place them on the trays (4–6 per tray so they have room to spread). For that perfect chunky bakery-style cookie, chill the dough for 30 minutes before baking.
    • Bake to perfection: Bake for 15–18 minutes, swapping trays halfway through. You want the edges golden and just set, but the middles still soft and pale. That’s the secret to the gooey texture.
    • Cool & serve: Leave the cookies on the tray for 10 minutes to finish setting, then move them to a cooling rack. It’s honestly worth waiting a few minutes before biting in — but if a little melted chocolate ends up on your fingers, that’s part of the fun.

    🌷 A Few Baking Notes
    • If you prefer crispy cookies, add a couple of extra minutes to the baking time.
    • Freeze‑ahead tip: shape the dough balls, place them on a tray to freeze, then store in a container for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen, adding 2–3 minutes to the time.
    • They make a lovely homemade gift — stack a few, tie them up in a clear bag with ribbon, and add a little Easter tag.

    💬 Final Thoughts
    Sometimes the simplest bakes are the most special. These cookies don’t just taste amazing; they bring everyone into the kitchen — chatting, laughing, stealing bits of dough when they think no one’s looking.
    So pour yourself a cuppa, pop on a playlist, and bake a tray. When that first batch comes out warm and golden, you’ll understand why these have become our Easter tradition.
    🐣💐 Happy baking from our kitchen to yours.

    MiniEggCookies #EasterBakes #HomeBaking #CookieRecipe #SpringTreats #UKBakers #BakingTok #LCLivingKitchen

    Links – small commission paid

    Russell Hobbs hand blenderhttps://amzn.to/41AA0QS

    Tala self raising flour tin https://amzn.to/4s3CeDk

    Tala plain flour tin https://amzn.to/416gWdd

    Tala sugar tin https://amzn.to/4sZMn5r

    Baking tray https://amzn.to/4dRbwu0

    Measuring spoons https://amzn.to/4rWdSex

    Kitchen scales https://amzn.to/4thgZPq

    Wire cooling rack https://amzn.to/4dOxbD9