Gingerbread and Monkeys

School holidays can be very trying when you have two little Monkeys that need some structured entertaining and Mommy has a heap of work (lets not even mention the housework) to get on with.
Short of time, as working mom's often are, these little treasures were a godsend, Thank-you healthy baking mixes and the fabulous Sweetpea Pantry!

Setting aside some time to get two Monkey-Moos organised, hands washed, ingredients out, and everything measured, we made up the mix as per pack instructions. Leaving the mix to cool. (I grabbed this time to quickly shoot through some more work, the Monkey-Moos grabbed the time to drive some cars and argue about who gets to drive at the front of the traffic!)

Mixture cooled (a bulk load of work done) and once we had all gone through the whole washing hands, sorting through cookie cutters, (arguments over who gets what) and digging out the rolling pins, we are finally set for the FUN bit!

Roll and cut, lift and place on baking tray, repeat. Laughter filled the kitchen as we had amputated teddy bears, earless Easter bunnies and the joy of sharing cookie cutters finally sunk in!
So much fun! Into the oven they go, heavenly gingerbread smell wafting through the house (getting back to work is going to be tough) and two very apparently hungry Monkeys wait as patiently as possible for a taste test!

End result, Healthy, Yummy, Tasty ginger bread treats and Two very happily entertained Monkey-Moos! Success!

Oat and Chocolate Chip Cookies

So last week was half term and I had two sick little Monkey-Moos, saying that, it's was just a cold and fever, croaky voices and snotty noses. But top that off, I was trying to work too. Slightly less successful on the working front than I'd have liked to be, so late nights at the computer it was! (when do I get a half term?)

We started off the week with two Monkeys that didn't really want to Do anything, a little Lego building and then begged for a movie which they curled up under blankets to watch.

Then a day that they both felt much much better (although to hear littlest Monkey-Moo croak you'd think otherwise). Not wanting to head outside as it's still a little cold (and I'd rather they get a bit better first) I thought a batch of yummy homemade cookies would keep them busy and help make them feel a little bit better too (comfort food! )

It was meant to be a team effort but Monkey One disappeared shortly after popping the butter in the bowl, and built Lego instead. So little Croak (as I've decided he should be known for this post) and I set about measuring out the rest of the ingredients, and making up some yummy oat cookies.

I don't often bake Oat cookies with Chocolate chips, as I simply prefer raisins, but for once the batch of cookies was not about me! Croak was being such a good little helper, and once we had one batch of plain Oat cookies in the oven, (yes, plain ones for me, I wasn't about to miss out entirely)
we set about adding in some chocolate chips to the mixture. 

Success! The Monkeys loved them!

Here's the recipe for those of you that want to have a go!

170g unsalted butter (or baking marg)
130g light brown sugar
2 large eggs
130g self raising flour
120g oats
60g chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 170'
Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Then add the eggs one by one, beating well.
Sift in the flour and fold in with the oats. Now's the time to add your chocolate chips.
Spoon nice rounded teaspoonfuls of the mixture onto a greased baking sheet. They tend to spread so don't put them to close together.
Bake for 10-15 minutes in the centre of the oven.
Makes about 35 cookies depending on how much you heap that teaspoon!

Enjoy!