I am on a roll today!

@garymarsh6 (23393)
United Kingdom
February 19, 2017 7:57am CST
Well after a decidedly slow start this morning the first cup of coffee just did not hit the spot after the second I was raring to go for it. I got madame her breakfast and spoke to my son in law who asked if we would consider contributing to a gift my daughter wants for her birthday as he could not quite afford to buy it outright. I told him yes ok we will contribute two thirds of the cost. (Thank goodness that is one less thing I have to contend with). They are coming here later this afternoon so I thought I would knock out some cakes. I have been drawn recently after my Limoncello experiment to lemons and wanted to make a lemon drizzle cake. I like the taste of lemons quite tart and refreshing. I have never made one before so I hope this one will turn out ok. I do not follow recipes and just put what I thnk is needed into the mixture and hope for the best. It is fairly simple just a plain madeira like cake with lemon zest and juice in it I think and then to make some icing with lemon juice and let it trickle over the cake. Well thats my thoughts of how to make it we will see if I am right later. I also saw a hand of bananas in the fruit bowl looking very lonely so I have made a banana cake too. Just flour, eggs, butter, sugar, mixed spice bananas and sultanas should do it. I don't think I have missed anything out. I have also been a bit lazy and instead of cooking a full blown meal which would mean me standing in the kitchen for most of the day I thought I would make a chicken casserole in the slow cooker so after peeling, washing, cleaning and chopping all the contents they went in the slow cooker and that is bubbling away nicely. I have made some chicken soup for my wife for lunch and decided it is time for a coffee for me. There are a few more chores I need to do today because tomorrow I am back at work. I hope you day is going well too. Have a great day!
27 people like this
26 responses
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
19 Feb 17
A banana cake sounds good, but where do you find a curved cake tin?
4 people like this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
19 Feb 17
@LadyDuck Maybe he could borrow a kidney dish from work, but he would need to hide the dish before the guests arrived.
3 people like this
@LadyDuck (455009)
• Switzerland
19 Feb 17
@Asylum Goodness you made me sick. It's surely better he hide the dish.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (455009)
• Switzerland
19 Feb 17
I do not know if Gary has one, but they exist.
3 people like this
@LadyDuck (455009)
• Switzerland
19 Feb 17
I like the taste of lemons, but I prefer to make my cakes using oranges, I made an orange and strawberry cheesecake last week that was very good. We had a nice start of the day, a breakfast at our village cafe and then we crossed the border (we parked and went by foot), to buy the weekly Italian magazines that we usually buy. It was incredibly cold this morning, I know that spring is not for tomorrow.
4 people like this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
19 Feb 17
You kept that cheesecake quiet. Obviously you had no intention of sharing it.
3 people like this
@LadyDuck (455009)
• Switzerland
19 Feb 17
@Asylum I made it for the Valentine's Day and I offered it to my husband Barry.
3 people like this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
19 Feb 17
@LadyDuck I trust that it was heart shaped.
2 people like this
@Tina30219 (81441)
• Onaway, Michigan
20 Feb 17
Your cakes sound yummy I use to bake quite a bit when I was married but since being with my boyfriend I don't do a lot anymore.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
21 Feb 17
You know they say food is the way to the mans heart perhaps you should surprise him!
@Tina30219 (81441)
• Onaway, Michigan
21 Feb 17
@garymarsh6 With him needing to lose weight to have knee surgery we both have been trying to watch the sweet intake.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
21 Feb 17
@Tina30219 That is more important good luck to him!
@amadeo (111956)
• United States
19 Feb 17
Let us know how you make out with the cake
2 people like this
@amadeo (111956)
• United States
19 Feb 17
@garymarsh6 did you have any lemon juice in one of those small plastic lemon.I use this in a pinch
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
19 Feb 17
The banana cake was fine the Lemon cake was ok but I could have done with it being a little bit more lemony. I used two lemons the rind and all the juice. You could taste it but I would have preferred a big lemon taste. Maybe I should have used four lemons.
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
20 Feb 17
@amadeo Sacre bleu et Oh Mon Dieu. No only fresh lemon! LOL
@DianneN (246452)
• United States
19 Feb 17
Wow! You are certainly on a big roll! Hope you all have a great time and enjoy all the vast quantities of food you have prepared! I'm having a very nice relaxing day after my phenomenal week.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
19 Feb 17
Oh @DianneN you would have fallen about laughing at my 2 year old soon to be 3 year old grandson. When he talks he talks just like he has been to public school ( In England a public school is a private privileged school). He sounds so posh it is too hilarious to listen to!
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
20 Feb 17
@DianneN It was one of those moments that happened spontaneously so no video. We were lauging too much although today he told me I had been mean to him yesterday so he does not like me today!
1 person likes this
@DianneN (246452)
• United States
19 Feb 17
@garymarsh6 You should post a video on FB or have you???
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323745)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Feb 17
Is your wife confined to bed after her op? I can imagine lying in bed with the lovely smells of cooking wafting into the room and the anticipation of what is to come. Now I'm making me hungry!
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
21 Feb 17
@JudyEv OH my word above! Never!
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
20 Feb 17
She is up now thankfully because I went back to work today. It is also her birthday today. I could tell she was getting better on Saturday because she started to moan!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323745)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Feb 17
@garymarsh6 (Bristling) as opposed to men who moan from Day One!
1 person likes this
@allknowing (130088)
• India
20 Feb 17
I can visualise you being busy getting ready for company. Seem you enjoy what you are doing. Life is all about being at peace with one's activity
1 person likes this
@allknowing (130088)
• India
20 Feb 17
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
20 Feb 17
Yes you should do it because you want to do it and not because you have to!
1 person likes this
• Preston, England
21 Feb 17
the cakes sound great - good job we do't have to put our home addresses on Mylot or you would have had us all round to your place for tea tonight
1 person likes this
• Preston, England
25 Feb 17
@garymarsh6 very small portions for each though lol
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
24 Feb 17
Well I guess they would have fed the five thousand!
1 person likes this
• United States
19 Feb 17
You are a treasure Gary! What a great chef you are and so good to your family there. I know your cooking is top notch..sounds so very delicious. I hope your Sunday is brilliant. Mine is fine here.
1 person likes this
• United States
20 Feb 17
@garymarsh6 You are a great man Gary..put your feet up now you deserve it. Yes that word is a no no..is it not used over there then? It is a slur over here.
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
19 Feb 17
Glad you are having a good day too. My family have all gone and I have cleared everything away and it is all (something) and span once again! ( How very odd it won't allow me to use the word spi-ck) I must admit I feel quite whacked this evening so intend to do very little more for the rest of the evening just catch up on here for a while.
1 person likes this
• United States
20 Feb 17
I love anything Lemony. Lemon Meringue is my favorite of the desserts but I also enjoy just plain lemon bars. The tartness does contrast nicely with the sweetness. You wouldn't wish to have anything I've baked however, as I am not very good at it. I even somehow ruined cake pops (balls of cake put on a stick?) with my niece several years ago. She didn't act upset but she clearly hasn't asked me to help her with baking since.
1 person likes this
• United States
20 Feb 17
@garymarsh6 Good taste doesn't always make for steady hands in the kitchen. I can cook, but baking is another thing altogether. hah.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
20 Feb 17
Arr I am sure you are a delightful cook. You have good taste !
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61050)
• United States
20 Feb 17
What do you use for leavening in your cakes? No baking powder or soda or is it in your flour mixture already? Sounds lovely though. I personally use a recipe, I may adjust it but I use it as the starting point.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61050)
• United States
21 Feb 17
@garymarsh6 I never use self-rising and I think in the US it is not common to use it. We add the leavening.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
20 Feb 17
We have basically two types of flour Plain or self-raising. Self raising has baking soda added already but I remember when I was at college they the chef tutor told us always add a tablespoon of hot water to the mixture because as the cake cooks the water will turn to steam and help the cake rise! The plain flour we would make pastry or biscuits (cookies) or something like shortbread!
1 person likes this
@bluesa (15023)
• Johannesburg, South Africa
21 Feb 17
Good grief! Gary! You were on hyper speed there! Oh I would've loved some of that banana cake or the lemon drizzle cake. @garymarsh6 you could be a chef. I hope your week is going well!
1 person likes this
@bluesa (15023)
• Johannesburg, South Africa
22 Feb 17
@garymarsh6 , thank you. We're trucking on :)
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
21 Feb 17
All good here thanks Catherine hope all is well with you and your mum!
1 person likes this
@pgntwo (22412)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
19 Feb 17
Lemon drizzle cake sounds the part!
1 person likes this
@pgntwo (22412)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
19 Feb 17
@garymarsh6 Well, guess what you'll be baking next weekend then, with added zest ;)
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
19 Feb 17
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
19 Feb 17
First attempt ok but by no where near perfect I need to use more lemon!
1 person likes this
@just4him (303377)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
22 Feb 17
I didn't know you liked to cook and bake. The lemon cake sounds good, so does the banana cake.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
23 Feb 17
I am quite a good cook. We did a competition a few years ago and I won so I think I can cook fairly well.
@1hopefulman (45125)
• Canada
21 Feb 17
After reading your post, I looked around and saw that there are some bananas that are ripe for the eating. Have a nice visit!
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
21 Feb 17
We love bananas.
1 person likes this
22 Feb 17
I was very lazy too today. I was so tired.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
24 Feb 17
Sometimes it is good to have a chill out day!
@rina110383 (24497)
20 Feb 17
I had a chicken soup yesterday. I had stomach flu for 2 days and now I feel better.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
20 Feb 17
Chicken soup has been proven to have medical healing properties by boosting the immune system!
1 person likes this
@tzwrites (4836)
• Romania
20 Feb 17
You actually made a lot of food...I get bored after making one soup
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
20 Feb 17
I don't mind cooking.
@Yadah04 (3365)
• Philippines
20 Feb 17
so sweet of you. i have a great day so far thank you.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
20 Feb 17
I am glad you are having a great day!
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40250)
• United States
21 Feb 17
What is that item you want to mix with your bananas? Sultana? I'm unfamiliar with that
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
21 Feb 17
A sultana is similar to a raisin but they are seedless.