Raspberry and Banana Bread by Donna Hay

I am posting this recipe for a fellow Tweeter @madeit and thought some others out there may also enjoy it. This is one of the best banana breads I have ever had and the addition of raspberries adds an extra dimension that makes it impossible for me to refuse! I hope you and your family enjoy it as much as we do.

Raspberry and banana bread

125g butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups plain flour sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder, sifted
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda, sifted
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas
125g raspberries, fresh or fozen (fresh is best, frozen ones end up a little gritty as you add them into the recipe frozen)

Preheat oven to 160 on baking function. Place butter and sugar in a bowl of an electric mixer and beat until pale and creamy. Gradually add the eggs and beat well. Fold through flour, vanilla, baking powder and bicarb soda. Add the banana and raspberries and gently fold through to combine. Sppon mixture into a lightly greased and lined 10 x 21cm tin. bake for 1 hour 10 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Allow to cool completely before removing from tin. serves 6-8

**Tip: Use very ripe bananas as they will keep the loaf moist and intensify the flavour.

Thanks Donna Hay - yet another great recipe for us.

Its going to be a massive weekend

Of work that is! I posted an update recently to let you all know that we are going back to Mathilda's Market on Sunday 22nd August and now we have been accepted into the Somers Winter Market on Saturday 21st August.

So whilst that's very exciting imagine my surprise when I realized that we also have the Flemington Market on the same weekend!! Yep that's right on the Sunday - it's time to start Cloning, or ringing in helpers (yes Sally that means you!)

This will be the first time we will be attending and am looking forward to it as the location is a little bit special - its at the Coolart Wetlands & Homestead, Lord Somers Road, Somers. Everything I have read about the homestead says its going to be an amazing location and we're holding out hope for a day of great weather.

The Somers Winter Market is a boutique market held annually. To check out their website and the list of other stallholders that will be joining us click on the image above.

Its a coup - oh and give us some feedback on the website

Hi I’m Lisa’s sister Sally and today I am taking over her blog! Ssshhhh she doesn’t know :)

Why? Because I can, you see I look after the Olive’s Tree website so have the details to get in and I am looking for feedback on the new website. Let’s see how long it takes her to realise!

So what do I have to do with Olive’s Tree? Well I am what some people would call a ring in. A few months ago Lis invited me over for dinner in exchange for some advice on what she should do for a website, you see as my Mum says I “work in IT” which really means I have the most knowledge in the family about that thing we call the internet! So one dinner and some basic advice later and I have a part time job in Website support, PR management, business advisor, and general dogs body.

You see that’s the best thing about sisters - I help Lis with Olive’s Tree and she gets to help me with things she’s good at. Things like fashion advice, home design tips and anything else I can rope her into really. Growing up Lis always had the good clothes which I was always borrowing and getting her to do my make-up trying to keep up and be a girlie girl.

And that really hasn’t changed, Lisa is still into fashion, design and generally just beautiful things. She was born with an eye for it and hence she has created Olives Tree and through her beautiful work she can create.

I thought I would share with you a photo from when we were kids - it's one of my favourites! Check out the wallpaper! And whats with the pajama tops tucked into our pants - thanks Mum.

BTW I'm on the left and Lisa is on the right.

Enough reminiscing Sally (yes I am talking to myself, it’s normal, for me) the whole point of me taking over the blog was to ask you what you think about the website and to ask if you have any advice on how we can improve the website or blog. If you do feel free to email me (sallycdavies@gmail.com) and let me know or post your comments below - if you don’t give me a list of things to work on then I’m sure Lis will!

Until next time......

New Organic range is on its way

I thought I would share with you a new range we have planned. The fabric is an organic cotton which I jut love from the Mona Luna range and will be available for both boys and girls. I ordered it today so its still a couple of weeks away from being on the website.

We think that this range will be really popular and we would love to hear your feedback on it.

Mum gets a surprise at the Craft & Quilt show

On Saturday I decided to brave the crowds and head to the Craft & Quilt show in Melbourne. I've never been one for shows but I had an alternative purpose in mind - to replace Mums 35 year old sewing machine.

My sister, Sally & I have been talking about it (or scheming, either way!) for a couple if weeks now and have been testing out all the new models to try and determine the best one for mum. We decided on a Janome, I have one that was my grandmothers and it's still going strong and mum had recently bought a Brother but after 2 service returns in the first 12 months she is still having issues with it and it's boxed up ready to go back.


They say that a tradesman is only as good as his tools and I think it also applies to those of us who sew. When we got to the show and we were checking out the available options Mum thought we were looking for me - I wish. We decided to grab a coffee and Sally told mum we were going to buy her the machine. She was a bit higher I think and was (unusually) short of something to say!!


But of course she accepted and back to the Janome stand we went. They didn't actually have the 6600 on display but we got to play on a 6500 and decided that it was just as good. So there we have it a new machine for Mum. She gets to pick it up on Thursday at Metro Sewing Southland and it comes complete with a lesson on how to use it. Janome you've dine it again, excellent product, excellent service - maybe my daughter will be using that machine in 30 years time, I certainly hope so!

Oh and how was the show? It was good there was plenty to learn and Sally finally found an Owl pattern she likes (it's been awhile). She had a first go at it on Saturday afternoon and it looks promising - just need to get that new machine for the blanket stitch!

We are going back to Mathilda's

After such a successful market last time we are heading back to Mathilda's Market in August. This time it will be held at Hawthorn Town Hall so looking forward to a new and exciting venue.

Mitchy

Today I thought I would introduce you to Mitchy (well Mitchell actually), our dog. Mitchy came into our lives in 2001 and has been a constant source of affection ever since. At the time we already had another dog, Molly, but we lost her recently and Mitchell remains. Not that he minds too much, he does love to have his own time.

Mitchell's story is not all roses - when he was only a couple of years old a tradesman we had at the house left the front gate open and he ran out on the road and was hit by a car. Fortunately (although I didn't feel that way at the time) I was home and I had to scrape him off the road and race him to the vet where I was told there was no hope. I pleaded with them to try and save him. It was a long road and he spent weeks at the animal hospital but eventually he came home. Even then there was lots of extra care required but it was worth every bit - 8 years on we have a loving friend.

I always wonder how animals seem to be able to read our moods. If ever I (or anyone he knows) is ever feeling down Mitch has a way of giving so much love they can't help but smile and the day looks better. He has this gorgeous habit of coming up to you on the couch and snuggling his nuzzle into your neck and absolutely loves a hug.

Now with the addition of Miss Polly (Olive) Mitchell has a new challenge to deal with. He is still adjusting and generally keeps his distance as at the moment she loves pulling his hair (the feeling is not reciprocated) and touching his feet (which he hates!). But hopefully they will grow together and become good friends as I can honestly say that there is no other relationship like that with a pet and I would love for her to have that - it has certainly served me well.To close this post off I would like to thank my vet who did his best with both Mitchell and Molly to save their lives from various afflictions and make their lives better when they have had issues (Mitchell has ongoing arthritis from the accident). You do an amazing job with them but also with us, your honesty has helped over the years to make the right decisions for the dogs, and for us. So thank you!