I am a 42 year old stay-at home wife to a loving but busy husband, Mum of 2 children (now young adults) who are in the process of leaving my nest and ‘Mum’ to 3 gorgeous and cuddly dogs who barely leave my side! I am currently taking an OU BA Science with Honours degree which I will complete next summer after 8 years (yes, that’s eight). So I find myself at one of lifes cross-roads and have decided to start this blog as baking and food in general has been a love/obsession of mine. I have a theory that if you love food you love life.Tumblr (3.0; @mariaskitchennet)http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/I can’t believe it - it’s been one year! And so this is my last ‘Maria’s...http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/30948407764http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/30948407764Wed, 05 Sep 2012 16:21:00 -0400 I can’t believe it’s nearly been a year! I have wanted to bake these gorgeous little...http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/30734362963http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/30734362963Sun, 02 Sep 2012 13:10:45 -0400How can I be seasonal and eat a chocolate cake? Nigella of course!! Nigella must be a chocolate...http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/30255659134http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/30255659134Sun, 26 Aug 2012 14:32:11 -0400I can’t stop thinking of my lovely Nan while I’m making these. I’m visiting her...http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/29777255981http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/29777255981Sun, 19 Aug 2012 16:26:45 -0400I have some brownies left over (a rare problem in this house) and there’s even only so much a...http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/28984388271http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/28984388271Wed, 08 Aug 2012 11:42:00 -0400 It’s summer but it’s raining. My heating is off and on still and we’re entering...http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/28417335501http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/28417335501Tue, 31 Jul 2012 12:46:32 -0400Summer’s here! Here in the SE we have enjoyed 3 whole days of sunshine. That may be it for the...http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/28147226848http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/28147226848Fri, 27 Jul 2012 16:45:27 -0400 I’m thinking tropical paradise… white beaches, blue skies, the warmth of sun on your...http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/27476126130http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/27476126130Wed, 18 Jul 2012 07:03:49 -0400I wanted to bake something with blueberries because they are so gorgeous this time of year. I feel...http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/27119082136http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/27119082136Fri, 13 Jul 2012 08:04:18 -0400I’ve always wanted to make this! You can make this with a tart shell but I just fancy this...http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/26499413711http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/26499413711Wed, 04 Jul 2012 13:06:08 -0400So its summer and it hasn’t stopped raining. This calls for one thing - chocolate cake! With...http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/26064063648http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/26064063648Thu, 28 Jun 2012 06:25:56 -0400I’ve decided if Summer won’t come to us, we’ll have to go to Summer! So this week...http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/25646647789http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/25646647789Fri, 22 Jun 2012 10:40:00 -0400I’m slightly obsessed by almonds - toasted in granola, fermented into Disaronno, ground and...http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/25227066701http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/25227066701Sat, 16 Jun 2012 11:00:20 -0400I have been waiting to make this for so long - and due to my daughter going through a home-made...http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/24558089956http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/24558089956Wed, 06 Jun 2012 16:40:31 -0400I’m a huge fan of our Queen so I wanted to celebrate her (our) Jubilee with something special....http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/24272225772http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/24272225772Sat, 02 Jun 2012 13:47:57 -0400So this week my daughter is 20 which calls for a sophisticated and totally delicious cake. Fiona is...http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/23603177069http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/23603177069Wed, 23 May 2012 06:47:33 -0400This has to be my poshest cake to date. It is a sophisticated sounding mix of rosewater, pistachio...http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/23103615753http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/23103615753Tue, 15 May 2012 10:20:00 -0400Baking and strawberries are both very cheery things - so combining them is bound to cheer up this...http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/22718561214http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/22718561214Wed, 09 May 2012 11:48:00 -0400It’s rhubarb season! I really fancied putting rhubarb and strawberry together, a flavour that...http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/22199186795http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/22199186795Tue, 01 May 2012 13:00:05 -0400Garibaldis, or squashed fly biscuits, I think, should have a retro come-back. As a kid my Mum used...http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/21975027134http://mariaskitchennet.tumblr.com/post/21975027134Sat, 28 Apr 2012 09:36:05 -0400