An Old Favourite

We had Donna and her boys round for morning tea today. Although Donna and I, along with our respective younger offspring, catch up fairly regularly, the two 'big kids' don't get to see each other all that often. While we were all living in Red Dirt Central we saw each other at least three times a week and generally spoke to each other nearly every day. As long time readers would know we were very sad when they left town to come back to Perth and it has been wonderful to see them again since we've been back. Of course we stayed in touch with phone calls and emails (and she knew all about our happenings from this blog!) but nothing beats actually being in the same room. It was lovely to spend the morning catching up on all the news, sharing some yummy treats and watching the kids having a great time playing together.

I had grand plans to get up early and bake something fabulous but... let's just say I slept late then spent ages on the phone chatting to my brother and ended up throwing together an old, old, old favourite. Our after-school babysitter used to make this when I was in primary school and I loved it. I haven't made it for ages, probably 18months or more, and it was just as good as ever.

Chocolate Fruit Slice

The Australian Women's Weekly Cakes and Slices Cookbook

125g butter

1 cup self-raising flour

2 tablespoons cocoa

1/2 cup castor sugar

1 cup coconut

1/2 cup mixed fruit

1/4 cup chopped pecan nuts (I tend to use whatever I have in the cupboards, sometimes walnuts, sometimes just crushed peanuts)

Grease a 19cm x 29cm lamington pan, line base and sides with paper, grease well (um... well, I just chucked some greaseproof paper in the tin and was done).

Melt butter in saucepan, stir in sifted flour and cocoa, sugar, coconut, fruit and pecans. Press into prepared pan, bake in moderate over for about 20 minutes.

Leave in pan to cool (unless, like me, you're in a hurry - then pull it out and let it cool, still in the paper, on a chopping board). Spread with chocolate icing, sprinkle with extra coconut and slice.

Donna also bought a plate of goodies with her and they were terrific. She got the recipe for these Pick-Me-Up Muesli Bars from Ellie's blog and was very apologetic that hers weren't as pretty as Ellie's. I have to say that they tasted wonderful and prettiness, while having it's place in the world, is over-rated LOL.