Good Bye 2013, Hello 2014...in London!

It seems like eons ago, but just a few short weeks past we we're in London, visiting Platform 9 and 3/4, celebrating New Year's Eve in the shadow of Big Ben, and tromping through Hyde Park's Winter Wonderland. It's nice to look back in the middle of this very long stressful week to such a lovely holiday.

Cheers to a great trip and to all that 2014 has to offer, on this side of the ocean and the other!

Holiday travels abroad

By now, we're somewhere in the vicinity of this...

...but I'm hoping for a light dusting of snow.

Happy New Years!

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Sticky Toffee pudding: a British tradition. I actually had my first real taste of sticky toffee in the Netherlands and then ate quite a few Sainsbury's ready made puddings for breakfast whilst in London two summers ago. I had always intended to make my own, but so many of the recipes seemed so involved and long, so I just went without pudding...until I stumbled upon this beauty and adapted accordingly: 

Easy Sticky Toffee Pudding for Two (adapted from a Daily Mail recipe)

Golden syrup
1/4 c butter
1/4 c brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 c flour (I use white)
1 banana, mashed
1/4 c chopped, pitted dates
1 tbsp skim milk

Spray two ceramic ramekins well with non-stick spray.

Spoon a heaping teaspoon or two golden syrup into the bottom of each ramekin; set aside.

Cream sugar and butter together.

Add egg and vanilla; beat to combine.

Mix in mashed banana followed by chopped dates.

Fold in flour and stir in milk.

Split mixture between two prepared ramekins, filling both evenly until you've used all the batter. 

Wrap the tops of the ramekins tightly in foil and place if water bath.

Bake for 50 minutes at 355 degrees. (Or until they are sponge-y and golden brown.)

Remove carefully from water bath and take of foil. Invert on a plate and admire the golden syrup pool of deliciousness. Enjoy.

The end result, in all it's glory:

And with it's twin.

They may not be the most beautiful pudding ever presented, but they make up for it in taste, I promise!