Post Christmas Bake

Firstly my apologies for not updating this for a couple of months, I became quite ill and it took a while to recover. That said I was well enough to bake goodies just in time for Christmas and as usual some things worked and some things..... well they just went drastically wrong!
I'm going to add some photos of one or two bits just to prove my point and as always I will explain what worked and why, as well as what didn't. My usual brutally honest taste testers are back on board and we will start 2012 as we mean to go on!! albeit slightly chubbier than before Christmas! 

Which is something I have been thinking about. Having watched my weight slowly climb over the last 2 years and having blamed everything from snacking on the children's left overs, not having to do as many school runs now all my children go full time, and being happy (I met a lovely man who likes to cook and eat food too and doesn't expect his date to eat lettuce when out eating a meal and thinks less of you should not at least attempt a dessert) How do I continue to bake all the wonderful foods I like and try out new ones if I'm not going to taste them? how do I find that balance between continuing to enjoy food and not piling on more weight?

Like I said these are things I have been thinking about..... I haven't come up with any answers, I've decided that everything in moderation is the start, and low fat options should be looked at as well as some special recipes especially for dieters to be considered. Apart from that I think I can relate to comedian Sarah Milican when she says in her stand up shows that 'she's going to watch her weight....not actually do anything about it but she'll watch it'.

So with all that in mind you'd think my first proper bake of 2012 should be a healthy one but that really wouldn't be me so I'm going bake things that can be used in packed lunches- cookies, cupcakes, normal cake etc because having wondered down the cake isle of Tesco this morning and realised that I would need a mortgage to buy the stuff I needed for 5 packed lunches and snacks for a week I thought sod it I'll bake them myself!