Murder by Eggs, and Seeded Oat Cookies to Die for!

I've not popped into Foodie's Bee Hive for a very long while, and that's because I've been way too busy making boring everyday meals for our young male guests who stay at our BnB while doing their training. I'm sure you will recognize the type of male I'm talking about - give them fried chicken & chips, curries, roast chicken and roast potatoes, beefy casseroles, and they're happy.

Most of the veggies go limp on their plates, crying out to be eaten, so I've learned what to cook, and what not to cook!

It's been very boring for me, as I certainly don't have time to cook 2 menus; whatever they eat for dinner, we also eat!
Most of the regulars who use our accommodation have done their first stint for the year, so will only be back in mid-September again.

While we appreciate the business, it's great just hosting regular guests who eat out or cook for themselves, so I've been inspired to start playing in my favourite playground, the kitchen, again.

Hubby's not demanding when it comes to food, but I think he's tired of just getting cereal, boiled or scrambled eggs, and toast!

I made a tasty tomato, basil & onion sauce and made little 'nests' to poach eggs.
The eggs were perfectly done, still a little wobbly, and not hard-cooked at all.

I was just about to dish up when hubby read a report about avian flu, and that South Africans should avoid eating eggs, or at least make sure it's properly cooked! We both suspected this may be fake news, but I did not want to risk us catching this flu, so the lid went on again to make sure the eggs are properly cooked.
Not the same as runny soft egg yolk, but I wasn't willing to stand in the dock and be accused of:

Murder by Avian-flu contaminated Egg!

Of course, it was a load of hogwash, so I did not have to worry!

Our month-long ex-pat Australian guest left us a ton of treats when he went back home; this Ruby Grapefruit was too beautiful to scoop out so I carefully peeled each segment and served it with breakfast.

May was a month of birthdays and gifts; this pure Maple Syrup was a small gift my nephew brought all the way from Minnesota, when he visited for his birthday. I'm looking forward to enjoying it with pancakes or crumpets! It's absolutely delicious, our local imitation version may as well go and hide in shame somewhere in the nether depths of the pantry :)

When Mom Lily was still alive, she would prod me when the cookie tins were empty, but she's no longer around and I've been lax until I reached the point of being so tired of factory cookies!

Seeded Oat Crunchies it was going to be; I had all the ingredients, and assembled everything before I became glued to my PC.
Why I put it off for so long, I have no idea, as it really is a fuss-free recipe, and with oats, coconut, sunflower, chia, flax, and pumpkin seeds, one can overlook the sugar that goes in. I doubled up the recipe so I could share some with friends, and our new Swedish guest.

Seeded Oat Crunchies Recipe

• 250 gram Butter
• 500 ml Brown Sugar
• 50ml Honey
• 10ml Baking Soda (Bicarbonate of Soda)
• 500ml Cake Flour
• 2ml Salt
• 500ml Coconut
• 500ml rolled Oats
• 250ml mixed Seeds - I used sunflower, chia, flax, and pumpkin seeds

Melt butter, sugar, and honey in a large pot
Add baking soda and stir well
Mix remaining dry ingredients together, make a well in centre
Pour melted ingredients in and mix well

Press dough into a sprayed baking sheet, using fingertips
Bake 15-20 minutes at 170° till a light golden brown - not too long or it becomes too hard
Cut into squares and leave to cool in pan
Store in an airtight container