Caesar Croissant Rolls

 

One thing I always have in my refrigerator is a tin of refrigerated Croissant Roll Dough. Over here the leading brand is Easy Roll and I know in North America it is Pillsbury.  A bit of a cheat, but when you have a tin of those in the fridge a fresh and delicious bread to serve on the side with your meals is never far away! 

 

They are very convenient and easy to use, taste great, and you can do so much with them!   I just love trying out new ways to use them.  This is my latest experiment. 

 

Caesar Croissant Rolls.  Delicious and quick and easy!

 

The tin makes six rolls here in the UK, and I know it is more in North America.  Is it 8?  I can't remember.  It's been about 19 years since I have lived there!

 

I think the ones we have over here are a little bit more like real croissants, but no worries, they will be delicious no matter which ones you use! 

 

You only need a few ingredients, the main one being Caesar Salad Dressing.  I used Pizza Kitchen Caesar Salad Dressing because that is what I had to hand.  I do not recommend using a low fat dressing . . .

 

The regular dressing will give you a much better result and flavour.  I find that when they take the fat out of things, they put sugar in, so go for the full fat version.  I think sugar is much more worse for you than fat. 

 

It also used Garlic Italian Herb Seasoning . . . . 

 

This is the one I always buy and no . . .  I haven't been given any or paid to tell you so.  Its just what I like and what I use, and I use it a lot.  Sometimes I like to brush crackers with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle some of this on and bake.  Very moreish!

 

So anyways, you unroll the croissants and you brush them all over with some Caesar salad dressing and give them a sprinkle of the herb seasoning . . .  you don't need a lot.

 

The other thing you will need is Parmesan cheese.    

 

This is the one I buy.  I use it for cooking and things like this, but for everything else I like to grate my cheese fresh.   This works beautifully in things like these rolls however.

 

 

So you sprinkle that over the unrolled croissants also and then roll them up, from the wide end to the narrow tip.   I like to tuck in the ends a bit so nothing leaks out.  (Yes that is boxed macaroni and cheese  . . .  with tomatoes in it.)

 

Sometimes you just crave what you crave . . . and that is one of my favourite things.  Boxed mac and cheese with a tin of chopped tomatoes mixed into it.

  

Once you get them rolled up, just place them onto a baking paper lined baking sheet, brush with a bit more salad dressing, sprinkle on some of that garlic seasoning, and a bit of cheese and bake.  Bazinga!  Delicious hot rolls with hardly any work and served up pronto! Yum!

Caesar Croissant Rolls

Yield: 6 - 8 (depending on where you live)

Author: Marie Rayner

A snappy little roll filled with flavour that goes well with salads, soups, etc.  Quick and easy to make and oh so tasty!

ingredients:

• 1 tin of refrigerated Croissant dough
• about 6 TBS of good quality Caesar salad dressing
• 6 to 8 TBS grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for dusting
• Garlic Italian seasoning spice mix

instructions:

How to cook Caesar Croissant Rolls

1. Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.  Line a baking tray with baking paper. 
2. Crack open the croissant tin and separate the croissants.  Brush some Caesar Salad Dressing onto each croissant to cover.  Sprinkle with a bit of garlic seasoning and 1 TBS of the grated Parmesan cheese.  Roll up tightly from the wide end to the narrow end, tucking in the ends to seal.  Place onto the prepared baking sheet in a crescent shape.  Brush some salad dressing over top and lightly sprinkle with more Italian seasoning and cheese.
3. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until puffed and golden brown, or according to the package directions.  Serve warm.

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You can see how flaky the rolls over here are.  Really yummy.  So . . .  tell me, what naughty nasty thing do you crave when it comes to eating?  Do you secretly munch on Velveeta cheese?  Do you tuck into a tin of Beefaroni every now and then?  Do you binge on iced Pop Tarts (with or without sprinkles)? Do tell! I really want to know! 

Sour Cream Chicken

   

Baked Sour Cream Chicken.  Baked chicken doesn't get much tastier than this, simple and delicious recipe I am sharing with you today.

The protein of choice in our home is, more often than not, chicken breasts.  Here in the UK, they are relatively in-expensive when compared to the red meats.

 I find they provide a beautiful blank canvas for just about any other flavour you want to put with them. 

 

Because there are only two of us to feed I usually buy free-range organic chicken when I can, and corn fed RSCA approved if I can find it.  

I want to support a more humane method of chicken production as much as I am able to. I know farmers need to make a living, but at what cost . . .  it boggles my mind.

 

It breaks my heart whenever I think of any animal, destined for our plate or not  . . .  being mistreated or treated in any inhumane way.

I strongly believe that one day we will all be held accountable for how we treated these precious gifts we have been given.

 

Meat was given to man for eating . . .  but I believe it is a gift which comes with a responsibility.

WE have a great duty of care from field to plate.  We need to remember that.

 

This recipe today is a fabulous way of cooking boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  Quite simply FAB U LOUS!!

I am not sure how it works, but the chicken ends up very tender and delicious.  Juicy and never dry.

 

It is so easy to destroy chicken breasts by over-cooking them.  Anyone who has eaten an overcooked, dried out, tough chicken breast knows exactly what I am talking about. 

They can go from perfection to horribly wrong in a matter of an instant. 

  

I don't understand how that happens . . .  especially when they are one of the simplest and easiest things to cook. 

I have eaten far too many dried out pieces of chicken in  my lifetime.  It is all in the timing and I think I have achieved the perfect solution to over-cooked chicken breasts. 

You really need to pay attention to them when you are cooking them. You really do.

 

Bone and skin definitely add flavour to meat, and also help to prevent it from drying out . . .  in the case of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, you don't have those luxuries to rely upon.

 

Careful timing and the addition of layers of flavour are your friend.  In this dish the flavour comes from a tasty layering of textures and flavours  . . .  first the chicken, then a layer of cheese.

I used strong cheddar, but you could also use mozzarella or Swiss, or even Jack. (Pepper jack would be great!)  

On top of that goes sour cream which has been stirred together with some herbs and seasonings and Parmesan cheese.  Then finally an additional sprinkle of Parmesan . . .

  

This chicken always comes out tender, delicious and filled with flavour. You could use Italian Herb & Garlic seasoning rather then the herbs I have suggested if you wish.  

You could switch the herbs over to Tex Mex flavours with chili powder, cumin, coriander  . . .  and a splash of hot sauce.  Its a very forgiving and delicious entree!

Yield: 4

Author: Marie Rayner

Sour Cream Chicken

Not sure how it works, but this chicken ends up deliciously tender and filled with flavour.  Simply scrumptious.

ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast fillets
• 4 slices of cheese (you can use mozzarella, cheddar, Swiss, etc.)
• 120g sour cream (1 cup)
• 135g grated Parmesan cheese, divided (3/4 cup)
• 1 TBS cornflour (cornstarch)
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp each salt and black pepper
• chopped parsley to garnish

instructions:

How to cook Sour Cream Chicken

1. Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/gas mark 5.  Butter a rectangular baking dish.
2. Whisk together the sour cream. 90g of Parmesan (1/2 cup), cornflour, and all of the spices and seasonings.  Lay your chicken pieces, presentation side up in the baking dish in a single layer.  Top each with a slice of cheese and then smother with the sour cream mixture.  Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over top evenly.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 1 hour, or until golden brown and the chicken juices run clear.  Sprinkle with some chopped parsley to serve.

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I served it simply with jacket potatoes that I scrubbed and popped into the oven to bake along side of the chicken, and a mixed salad.  How do you do your jacket potatoes?  I simply wash, dry, prick a few times with a fork and then throw them into the hot oven, right onto the oven racks.  The skins always come out beautifully crisp. I love them! 

 

This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com. 

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Get Well Custard

  

This recipe I am sharing today is a very simple one and yet in its simplicity it is completely delicious. The simple things in life truly are the best!

 

It comes from my Big Blue Binder, which is a recipe binder that I have been saving recipes in for most of my life. It has travelled all the way across Canada and back again, and then across the Atlantic Ocean and the length and breadth of this country also.

 

It is filled to overflowing with faded newspaper and magazine clippings, handwritten pages and notes copied and gifted to me by friends and family through the years. It is truly a treasure trove and a source of not only tastiness, but a history of my culinary journey from childhood on up to where I stand now as a 60 something elderly woman.

 

I can't tell you what the source of this recipe is.  It is hand-written on a page of foolscap paper along with another custard recipe for a simple Cup Custard . . .   Get Well Custard  . . . how could you NOT fall in love with something with that for a  name?

 

Only five ordinary simple ingredients  . . . .  nothing fancy or out of the ordinary  . . .

 

Milk, single cream (light cream), sugar (just a tiny bit), gelatin and vanilla . . . that's it. Simple things.

 

That's not where the simplicity stops however  . . .  you soften the gelatin in the cold milk, and then warm everything together bar the vanilla to help dissolved the gelatin and the sugar . . .

 

You stir the vanilla in at the end.  All you need to do then is to divide it between four dessert cups and chill in the refrigerator until it sets. Mine was completely set in about an hour.

 

It is delicious just as is . . .  which would make it perfect for the sick room and for appetites and tummy's that may still be somewhat tender and recovering from illness  . . .

  

We enjoyed it on the first day with some rhubarb compote  . . .  and today with a mix of fresh berries.

  

It was truly wonderful.  Get Well Custard  . . .  good for the soul and whatever else might ail you.

Get Well Custard

Yield: 4

Author: Marie Rayner

Quite simply delicious. Serve with berries or fruit.

ingredients:

• 1 TBS powdered gelatin (the equivalent of 4 gelatin sheets)
• 2 TBS sugar
• 240ml single cream (1 cup)
• 240ml whole milk (1 cup)
• 1 tsp vanilla

instructions:

How to cook Get Well Custard

1. Soften the gelatin in the milk in a saucepan for 5 minutes. (If you are using leaf gelatin, soak in cold water for 5 minutes, then remove and squeeze out any excess water. Add the softened sheets to the milk in a saucepan)  Add the cream and sugar.  Heat over low heat, stirring until the gelatin and sugar have dissolved completely.  Whisk in the vanilla. Pour into dessert cups and chill until firm.

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I can't think of what wouldn't go with this  . . .  a dollop of jam, a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar and nutmeg  . . .  tinned peaches or fruit cocktail . . . you are simply going to fall in love with this wonderful, wonderful dessert. Not too sweet.  Just right. 

Creamy Tomato & Basil Soup

 

On Monday (as I write this) it is really difficult to believe that Summer is only a few weeks away.  The rain is bucketing down and there is a very chilly wind blowing.   Its not nice out there at all . . .  but it is a bank holiday Monday and running true to form!

 

I decided it was the perfect day for some soup.  We won't have many more of those as the warm temperatures and wall to wall sunshine will soon be upon us and we will be revelling in all of it and enjoying grills and salads.  (How's that for positive thinking and hope!)

  

This soup recipe I am sharing today is a really lovely soup.  I adore Tomato Soup of any kind. I think of all the soups, tomato soups and chicken soups are my favourites.

  

It uses simple ingredients that you probably have in your larder and refrigerator . . .

 

Simple ingredients like carrots, celery and onions  . . .  chopped fine into a mirepoix as it is officially called . . .  aromatics . . . a flavour trinity which also adds a ton of flavour to the soup.

 

There is garlic as well, another aromatic, but also a great flavour booster.  You don't have to use as much as I do, but we love garlic . . .

 

It also uses tinned tomatoes.  You know my favourite kinds of tinned tomatoes . . . Cirio. They are the best and I always have tins of them in my cupboard.

 

Other than that you just need some stock, milk and Parmesan cheese . . .  along with some dried herbs and seasonings of course.

 

If you want to keep it vegetarian, you can use vegetable stock, otherwise use chicken stock. 

 

Todd likes bread with his soup, but the Canadian in me longs for something crispy.  I had some of those flat thin Foccacia breads in the freezer from Deli - Kitchen, so I took one out and spread both slices with some butter, sprinkled them with garlic Italian seasoning and some cheese, baking them until crisp . . .

  

Cut into slices on the angle they went beautifully with this simple yet quite delicious soup!  I sprinkled more Parmesan cheese on top to serve.  You could blitz it until smooth, but I like the texture from the minced vegetables.

Yield: 6

Author: Marie Rayner

Creamy Tomato & Basil Soup

A great tummy warmer. Simple to make and oh so tasty!

ingredients:

• 4 stalks celery, trimmed and coarsely chopped
• 4 medium carrots, peeled, trimmed and coarsely chopped
• 1 medium onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 3 TBS butter
• 2 TBS light olive oil
• 35g plain flour (1/4 cup)
• 960ml chicken or vegetable stock (4 cups)
• 2 (400g) tins chopped tomatoes in juice, undrained (2 14-oz tins)
• 1 TBS dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
• pinch red pepper flakes
• 1 bay leaf, broken in half
• 240ml to 360ml milk (1 to 1 1/2 cups)
• 180g freshly grated Parmesan Cheese (1 cup)

You will also need:

• freshly grated Parmesan cheese to garnish

instructions:

How to cook Creamy Tomato & Basil Soup

1. Put all of your fresh vegetables, along with the garlic, into a food processor.  Blitz until they are really finely chopped.  Heat the butter and oil over moderate heat.  Add the vegetables.  Cook and stir without browning to soften slightly, for about 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the flour. Cook for a minute longer. Gradually whisk in the broth.  Add the tinned tomatoes (undrained) and the herbs and seasonings, along with the broken bay leaf.  Bring to the boil, then reduce to a slow simmer.  Cook over medium low heat for about 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are all fairly soft.  Stir in the Parmesan cheese to melt and then enough of the milk to give you a proper consistency.  Heat through without boiling.  Remove and discard the bay leaf.  Ladle into heated bowls to serve, garnishing each bowl with some freshly grated cheese.

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The crisp breads were the perfect accompaniment.  I can't believe the glutton in me devoured them all . . .  I was still nibbling on them in the evening while we watched some telly.   A bit naughty, but very nice.