Ingredients: 6 tablespoons unsalted butter or stick margarine, softened
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup sour cream or organic yogurt
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Glaze
1/3 cup superfine granulated sugar
Juice of 1 lemon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8 1/2-inch loaf pan. Cream together the butter and brown sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat in eggs and mix well. Add the sour cream and lemon zest, and beat until smooth.

In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and sea salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and mix well. Fold in chopped nuts, if desired. Spoon the batter into the greased loaf pan, and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean.

Remove the bread from the oven, and make tiny holes in the top with a toothpick.

In a glass measuring cup whisk together the granulated sugar and lemon juice, until the sugar is dissolved. Slowly pour the lemon glaze on top of the loaf while it is still warm, allowing the glaze to seep into the bread. Set the loaf on a rack to cool for about 15 minutes. Turn it out of the pan and cool completely.

Makes 1 loaf.

May is a month that fairies love. Show them your appreciation and give the kids a great project by making them some furniture!
Items needed:
twigs, vines, dried flowers
needle and thread
scrap material
scissors
hot glue gun-be sure little fingers are safe!
pruners to cut the twigs-again watch those little fingers

Directions:

Decide what you’re going to make. We’ll make a chair, to give you an example. Cut the twigs in this manner – one long, bendable piece that will form the back legs and back of the chair, and four equal lengthen twigs which will form the two front legs and the seat. The chair should stand no more than four inches tall (including the back)

Bend the long twig and hot glue one of the smaller pieces in between the two ends where you want the seat to be. This will be the back of the seat. Hot glue on each side of the bent twig facing towards you a smaller twig; these will be the sides of the seat. Glue the front piece of the seat to these side twigs. Glue the two front legs to the seat so that the chair legs are even. If you wish, wrap the vines around the chair back and legs. Cut the scrap material to form a “back” and a “seat” – these are NOT to be as wide as the chair, but will fit inside of the twigs. Using your needle and thread, attach the material to the chair using a whip stitch. Hot glue small dried flowers at the top of the chair. This technique can be used to make all kinds of fairy furniture, from tables to beds, to sofas – all of which are sure to delight your fairies as much as your children!

Oat Cakes

Here is a tasty way to enjoy traditional Beltane oats.

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups oat flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup butter
1 egg
1 cup mashed banana
1 3/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp each nutmeg and cinnamon
PREPARATION:
Preheat your oven to 350F. Stir the flour, baking powder, and brown sugar together until well blended. Cut in butter, and then add egg and fruit. Drop filled tablespoons of dough onto a greased cookie sheet, leaving 2 inches between each.

Bake 15 min.