One of my favourite things to eat is . . . Buffalo Chicken Wings . . . scrummy yeh . . . but not so good for you with all of that skin and fat . . . that's probably why they taste so good. Why does everything that's bad for you have to taste soooo good???? It's not fair I tell ya! It's just not fair!



One way to overcome that problem is to use chicken tenders instead of wings. Made from the tender filet which sits just behind the breast of the chicken . . . it's tender, low in fat, skinless and moist, when cooked properly!



There is a tendon in it though . . . which I always remove. I just pick it out with the tip of a sharp knife . . . and then hold onto it with a piece of paper towel and slide the knife carefully along it . . . until it's totally detached. I just think that the tendon can sometimes be a bit tough . . . and I would rather not have it there. But it is a personal preference.



These tasty buffalo tenders get their flavour from a buttermilk soak, using buttermilk lightly flavoured with hot sauce. Of course you can adjust the heat by using less or more than I have suggested.



They then get rolled in a seasoned flour mix and lightly pan fried in a minimum of oil. I have also baked them before with good results . . . simply by placing them onto a baking sheet which I have sprayed with a low fat cooking spray, and then spraying the filets lightly with a bit of cooking spray. A couple of bursts does the trick. Bake at 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6 for about 10 minutes, turning over halfway through that time. The juices should run clear. But really . . . the amount of oil used in frying them isn't very much at all.



The piece de resistance is the delicious blue cheese dip! Maximum flavour . . . with minimum cheese. Blue cheese has such a strong flavour that you don't really need a lot of it to have an impact. The garlic and red wine vinegar also add to the delicious taste of it.



Altogether these are quite scrummy, and very, very satisfying. I like it when I can skim the fat off of a dish and still enjoy it. It's a win/win situation all round!



*Fiery Chicken Tenders with Blue Cheese Dip*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

Nicely spiced chicken tenders, served along side a chunky blue cheese dip. Fabulously flavourful and low in fat and calories as well.

For the chicken:
124ml of low fat buttermilk (1/2 cup)
1 tsp hot sauce
50g of plain flour (1/2 cup)
1/2 tsp of paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp of thyme, rubbed in your fingertips
1 pound of chicken tenders
1 TBS sunflower oil

For the Dip:
110g of no fat mayonnaise (1/2 cup)
30g of crumbled blue danish blue cheese (1/4 cup)
1 TBS red wine vinegar
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Combine the buttermilk and the hot sauce in a bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, paprika, cayenne and black peppers, salt and thyme. Dip the chicken tenders into the buttermilk mixture and then roll them in the flour mixture to coat.

Heat the oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium high heat. Add the chicken pieces. Cook for 4 minutes on each side, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove and set aside. Keep warm.

Whisk together the mayonnaise, cheese, vinegar, garlic, salt and black pepper.

Serve the warm chicken tenders along with the dip. Delicious!

I had some asparagus in the fridge that needed using up yesterday and was looking for a nice light lunch. Something not too high in calories, but that would be really tasty as well.

English asparagus is really lovely and something that I just can't get enough of during the asparagus season. We are getting to the end of it now, the asparagus season that is. The rest of the year you can always find asparagus in the shops here, but it comes from Peru, Kenya, or some other faraway place, and is pretty tasteless . . . it's been picked ages before it gets to the shops and so you can imagine the blah-ness of it all . . .



I much prefer the fresh stuff that's been just picked. The taste is amazing. Why settle for less.

Asparagus can be a bit sandy so make sure you wash it really well in several changes of cold water. To trim hold the stem between the forefinger and thumb of each hand and bend it just until it snaps. It will naturally snap off just where the tough part ends and the tender part begins. Discard the tough ends. (or save them in the freezer to make a tasty vegetable stock at a future date) I always like to trim the little tags off around the stem as well, as they can be quite bitter.

Even Todd liked this and he is not really a pasta lover. The tastes were fresh and light and we both really enjoyed it.



*Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce, Asparagus and Peas*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe
Delicious pasta with a light sauce with vegetables. The vegetables are cooked until just crispy tender and the whole thing is a wonderful symphony of textures and flavours that really please. Adapted from a recipe in Cooking Light magazine.

8 ounces of uncooked fusilli pasta
1/2 pound of asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch slices
1 cup frozen green peas
1 TBS butter
1 clove of garlic, peeled and minced
1 cup organic vegetable broth
1 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
1/3 cup heavy cream
3 TBS fresh lemon juice (approximately 1 lemon)
the finely grated zest of one lemon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
dash of cayenne pepper
lemon wedges to serve



Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Add the asparagus cuts during the last minute of cooking. Place the peas in a colander. Drain the pasta mixture over top of the peas when done. Set aside.

Heat the butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring until fragrant and slightly softened, about one minute. Combine the broth and cornstarch in a small bowl, stirring to blend well and then stir this into the garlic in the skillet. Bring to the boil, stirring. Cook until thick, stirring constantly for about one minute. Whisk in the cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, pepper and cayenne. Cook and stir for about one minute to heat through. Toss in the pasta and vegetables, stirring to coat well. Garnish with some more freshly ground black pepper if desired and serve with some lemon wedges on the side.

 

I found the cutest little baby bell peppers in the store today and I just couldn't resist picking them up! I am such a sucker for baby anything . . . kittens, puppies, duckings . . . baby vegetables!!

 

Add to the fact that I had also recently seen a recipe somewhere for some stuffed baby bell peppers that looked delicious and well . . . I just HAD to have them!!

 

When I got home though . . . I looked high and low, through every single cookbook I had been devouring over the past few days and do you think I could find that darn recipe????  NO WAY!!!  I could not find it at all . . . MOST annoying!

 

Talk about disappointed . . . but never mind.  I think I managed to come up with something that was pretty delicious irregardless of it not being the one I had originally in mind.

 

I combined traditional Mediterranean flavours . . .   using couscous and chopped marinated Kalamata olives . . . some toasted pine nuts, along with some chopped parsley and mint.

 

Then I added a bit of a middle Eastern twist and added some dried fruit . . . in the form of chopped raisins.  A bit of salt and pepper and olive oil and voila!!  I had something that tasted quite scrummy.

 

Stuffed into baby bell peppers and roasted, this lovely dish came out of the oven looking just beautiful . . . and then I added a few handfuls of mozzarella cheese to the top and allowed it to melt all over it . . . just for some additional protein.

 

These make a fabulous Vegetarian light supper when combined with some salad on the side.  I think they would also make an excellent light starter or even a wonderful addition to a finger food buffet.  (Although if I was expecting people to pick them up, I wouldn't quite bake them for as long as I did.  You would want the peppers to be a bit firmer for handling.)

 

All in all, I would give this 5 stars and two thumbs up!!  Seriously.   They were just wonderful served at room temperature.



 *Stuffed Baby Sweet Bell Peppers*
makes 24 stuffed baby bell pepper halves
Printable Recipe

Easy and delicious.  These make a great  starter and mezzo dish, as well as a delicious main course when served with a salad!!

75g of couscous (1/2 cup)
125ml of boiling water (1/2 cup)
55g of raisins, chopped (1/3 cup)
75g of pine nuts, toasted (1/2 cup)
2 heaped dessertspoons of capers, rinsed of any salt or brine
45g of marinated pitted kalamata olives, drained and chopped (1/4 cup, chopped)
4 TBS coarsely chopped mint and flat leaf parsley, combined
4 TBS olive oil, plus more to drizzle
salt and black pepper to taste
12 baby sweet bell peppers, halved and deseeded (or 6 large ones)
a handful of grated mozzarella cheese
Balsamic vinegar to drizzle (use a good quality)

Place the couscous in a bowl.  Pour the boiling water over top and cover.  Let stand for 5 minutes.  Uncover and stir in the chopped raisins, pine nuts, rinsed capers, chopped olives, mint and parsley and half of the olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Taste and adjust as needed.

Preheat your oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.  Have ready a large baking dish.  Place the pepper halves into the dish.  Stuff each with a portion of the stuffing.  Drizzle with some more olive oil. Cover the baking dish with foil.  Bake for 30 minutes in the heated oven.  Remove the foil and bake for 15 minutes longer.  Remove from the oven and sprinkle some mozzarella cheese on top of each.  Return to the oven for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, until the cheese has melted. 

Remove from the oven and place onto a nice platter.  Drizzle with some Balsamic vinegar and serve.  May be served hot or at room temperature.

 

I got a new cookbook the other day. ( Shhhhh . . . don't tell Todd. He thinks that my cookbooks proliferate all by themselves, and I'm not about to tell him the difference! )  I read an article about the 50 best cookbooks in the UK, and this was on the list . . . I read the reviews about it on Amazon and then I thought, why not and I went for it!

 

If this first recipe I tried out in it is any indication of the calibre of recipes in this book, Todd's in for a real treat!  I made these sausage burgers today from the book, adapting it slightly.  She called them "Festive Pig in a Bun." but it's hardly Christmas, so they can't be festive today for us.  I just called them fruity sausage baps.  A rose by any other name and all that!

 

She also used crusty buns, but as you can see I used soft floured sesame baps.  I did toast them.
She didn't add any salad leaves.  I added a bed of rocket and I have to say it went very well with the meaty fruitiness of the burgers.  I love rocket.  It's a bit spicy and meaty itself!

 

She recommended perhaps having them with a sprinkling of Stilton. I didn't have any and they tasted fine just as is, but I can definitely see where some stilton melted over top would be a fantastically delicious addition.

 




But my darlings . . . they were fabulous just as is.  They were moist and succulent, with little bits of fruity sweetness, and a moreish little nuttiness from the pinenuts.  I can  tell  that the leftovers are going to be every bit as good, perhaps on their own with a small dollop of mayonnaise???  *Oink* Oink*  Come to mama!




*Fruity Sausage Baps*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

These are sooooo simple and very tasty.  Scrummo yummo!!

8 of your favourite British Bangers
(Use a good lean, well flavoured one, a generous pound in weight)
80g of dried cranberries (Scant cup)
80g of pinenuts (2/3 cup)
4 toasted baps (split in half and toast under the grill, toasting one side only)
(Rolls)
Fresh Rocket Leaves (Arugula)

Preheat the oven to  200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.  Line a large baking tray with baking parchment.  Set aside.

Skin all of the sausages and discard the skins.  Place the meat into a bowl.  Chop the cranberries finely and add to the meat, along with the pinenuts.  Mix well together with your hands.  Shape into 8 balls, flattening the balls into patties.  Place onto the prepared baking tray.

Bake for about 25 minutes, until golden brown and crisped up on the outsides.  They should not be pink on the insides and the juices should run clear. 

Place a  toasted bap bottom on each of four plates.  Top each with a handful of Rocket and two sausage patties.  Top with the top bun halves.  Serve immediately.

WE had ours with potato salad and coleslaw and they were fabulous darlink!

We only ever very seldom have a cooked breakfast. Usually that treat is reserved for special occasions or if we are on holiday at a B&B.



If we are going to have an egg meal, we usually have it as a light supper instead. That's what works for us at any rate. To each his own, I guess.



This is a really simple and fairly quick light supper if you are so inclined. Softly scrambled eggs . . . (Free range and organic if possible. Happy eggs are delicious eggs.)



Crisp bacon . . . (we have the loveliest bacon here in the UK. I always use dry cure, non smoked.)



Juicy roasted tomatoes and red onion wedges, lightly drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and sprinkled with fresh thyme leaves . . . (the edges of the tomatoes and onion lightly caramelized and sweet with the flavours of the vinegar and thyme)



All piled onto a freshly toasted whole wheat bagel. Nom! Nom!

A knife and fork meal. What's not to like!!!



*Breakfast on a Bagel*
Serves 4Printable Recipe

Just what it says. A tasty breakfast served on a toasted bagel.

4 medium ripe tomatoes, halved
1 medium red onion, peeled and cut into thin wedges
1/2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1 TBS good quality Balsamic vinegar
1 TBS fresh thyme leaves and a few sprigs for garnish
8 slices of bacon, smoked or unsmoked, with the rind removed
4 wholemeal bagels, cut in half horizontally
3 TBS butter, at room temperature
8 large free range eggs, beaten
100ml of milk (a generous 1/4 cup)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Put the tomatoes and onions into a shallow roasting tin. Drizzle with the oil and vinegar. Toss together and then spread out, with the cut side of the tomatoes up. Season well and sprinkle with half of the thyme leaves. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until tender. Keep .

Heat the grill to high. Grill the bacon for 3 to 4 minutes, until crisp, turning halways through the grilling. Remove and then toast the bagels under the grill, until golden brown. Spread with half of the butter and keep warm.

Beat together the eggs and milk. Season well. Heat the remaining butter in a nonstick skillet over medium to low heat. Once it begins to foam, pour in the eggs and leave for 30 seconds. Use a wooden spoon to stir briefly, leave to cook again, repeat until the eggs are just set. Remove from the heat.

Serve each bagel on a heated plate with a portion of the scrambled eggs spooned over top, a few roasted tomatoes and onions, and 2 slices of bacon. Sprinkle with the remaining thyme leaves and serve immediately.

When I worked down South as a personal Chef, I think I must have cooked these delicious burgers at least once every week for the Lady of the Manor . . . seriously. I never really tasted them myself . . . but I knew that they smelled out of this world while they were cooking and the family seemed to really enjoy them . . . hence my need to make them every week.



That's seven and a half years of Turkey Burgers, once a week . . . add it all up and it amounts to one heck of a lot of juicy and tasty turkey burgers!!



I can't believe that until today, in the two years since I left the Manor . . . I have not cooked them even once! I had always planned to, but always got home after shopping, having forgotten the coriander or some other crucial ingredient.



Today, I didn't forget anything and tonight I finally cooked them. My goodness, but they are truly delicious! Moist and spicy, with just a touch of heat. I use a very mild chili powder . . . as I don't like a lot of heat, but you can adjust the heat up or down as you wish.



With some spicy oven baked potato wedges this made a delicious supper that we ate Al Fresco . . . enjoying this sunny weather while we can. I'm really happy that I finally was able to make them and to see what all the fuss was about. I can tell you I won't be waiting two years to make them again! (I think these would be fabulous with corn relish as well!)



*Spicy Turkey Burgers*
Makes 4 servings

These can be as spicy or not, as you like them. Simply adjust the amount of chili powder. I prefer to use a very mild chili powder myself and on most days would not add the full teaspoon.

1 1/2 pounds of ground turkey, at room temperature
3 TBS finely chopped fresh coriander
1 spring onion, both green and white parts, chopped
1 fat clove of garlic, peeled and minced
1 tsp chili powder (you can use mild or ancho or whatever strength of chili powder floats your boat)
1 tsps fine sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
a pinch of ground cinnamon
non stick cooking spray for the pan

To serve:
toasted burger buns
guacamole (your own homemade, or a good quality store brand)
1 large beefsteak tomato, sliced thickly
some lettuce leaves
finely sliced red onions

Place your ground turkey into a bowl. Add the coriander, spring onion, garlic, chili powder, sea salt, black pepper, ground cumin, ground coriander and ground cinnamon. Mix all in well with your hands. Shape into 4 equal sized round patties, making a gentle dip in the centre of each. (For some reason this helps them not to shrink as much and keeps them thinner so they are not as bulky in the bun.)

Spray a non stick skillet with cooking spray and brown the patties on both sides over medium heat, taking about 5 to 6 minutes per side and cooking until they are cooked through. Try not to mash them down with the spatula too much as this only forces the juiciness out of the burger.

Once cooked through, spread the bottom halves of the toasted buns with some guacamole. Top with some sliced red onions and the cooked burgers. Top the other half of the bun with some lettuce leaves and sliced tomato. Serve immediately and enjoy!

If there is one thing I am guilty of, it's frequently buying more potatoes than we can conceivably use. The potato is one of my favourite vegetables and I just always love to have lots of them around. I have even been known to have nothing but a plate of potatoes for my tea, simply boiled and served with lots of butter, salt and pepper . . . just because I love them so . . .

But . . . I digress.



I love them simply boiled, baked, mashed, fried and I especially love them made into tasty salads. My mother's version of potato salad is one of my favourites. She always diced cold boiled potatoes into small cubes, and then added some grated onion, cubed cucumber, chopped celery, chopped boiled egg and then Kraft Miracle Whip, along with some seasonings. then of course there was that extra special touch of love she put into it. Somehow mine never manages to taste as good as the memory of hers does . . . funny how that goes.

I'm afraid that her potato salad kind of spoiled me for every really enjoying anyone else's . . . and I have never bought a store made potato salad that made me happy . . . stogged full of mayo and lacking in flavour. ugh . . .



I do also really enjoy a potato salad when it's made with a lovely herby vinaigrette dressing. This is one I make from time to time and we always enjoy it . . . tangy and warm and full of lovely bits of salty ham. (Over here I have learned that ham is called gammon, until it is cooked, then it is ham.)

This made an especially delicously light early Spring supper which we ate along with some crusty rolls, after an especially full day of gardening . . . looking out over the patio at our efforts. Life is good.



*Warm Potato Salad with Ham*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

I love potato salads and often make them in various ways. This is one of my favourite versions. I just love the tang of the gerkins and capers along with the saltiness of the ham.

1 1/2 pounds of new potatoes, peeled
4 ounces cooked ham, chopped or thinly sliced (1/4 pound)
2 shallots, peeled and chopped
2 TBS tiny capers, rinsed and drained well
8 french gerkins, chopped
3 TBS chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

For the Dressing:
1 TBS red wine vinegar
1 tsp grainy Dijon mustard
4 TBS olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the potatoes in a pot of salted water and bring to the boil. Cook until just fork tender and then drain and place into a bowl. Cut any large ones into smaller pieces. Add the ham, shallots, capers, gherkins and parsley. Gently toss together.

Whisk the vinegar and mustard together in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Season to taste with some salt and pepper. Pour over the potatoes and toss to blend together all the flavours. Allow to set for 10 to 15 minutes before serving, in order to allow the potatoes to absorb the dressing. Serve warm.

Back home I used to love to go to the local Chinese restaurant in town on occasion for a special meal. The owners were friends of my parents and had been for years. You order by a number. I always ordered a number 4. Sweet and Sour Chicken Balls, Beef and Broccoli, Egg Fried Rice and an Egg Roll. It was my favourite meal. I have tried to make my own Beef and Broccoli at home before, but it never tastes the same. I don't know why.



This restaurant used to be called the Shaker Restaurant when I was a teen . . . and it was where we used to hang out after school drinking cokes and eating chips. It had those quaint booths and all . . . it was the place to go if you wanted to check out all the hunkaroonies in the town. Anyways . . . I digress!!



Sweet and Sour Chicken Balls. Love them . . . but they're not all that good for you are they? Dipped in batter and deep fried . . . tsk tsk. Very naughty, but totally delicious.

These lovely wraps are a way of fulfilling the craving you might have for Sweet and Sour Chicken Balls . . . except nothing is deep fried and they're quite healthy. You simply make the sauce and pour it over the chicken filets (tenders) and then bake them in the oven until the sauce thickens and gets all sweet and sour scrummy.



I cheat and use one of those pouches of ready cooked basamati rice, the two serving size . . . it stretches easily to help fill at least 4 wraps, if not more.



Of course you could just have that delicious chicken on it's own as a main course with some rice and vegetables . . . it's just as tasty that way . . . but these wraps are extra delish . . . a bit of crunch from the fresh lettuce . . . that tender sweet and sour chicken . . . some tasty rice . . . layered together and wrapped up in a warm whole wheat tortilla!



Wowsa . . . wowsa!! Dey be mighty good if I don't say so myself. I think I sometimes come up with the most delicious ideas, don't you? And it's even better when they are kinda, sorta . . . healthy!!



*Sweet and Sour Chicken Wraps*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

These are one of the best things I've eaten lately. Toasty warm wheat tortillas wrapped around sweet and sour chicken tenders, lettuce and chinese rice. Yummo! Plan ahead as the chicken needs to cook for about 1 hour before you make the wraps.

For the chicken:
1 400g pack of chicken mini fillets (tenders You will need 2 to 3 per person)
garlic salt
black pepper
2 TBS corn flour (cornstarch)
125ml of white vinegar (1/2 cup)
145g sugar (3/4 cup)
125ml of chicken broth (1/2 cup)
4 TBS tomato ketchup
1 TBS dark soy sauce

To finish:
1 pouch of cooked oriental stir fry basamati rice (2 serving size)
1/2 small head of lettuce, shredded (about 2 cups)
4 large whole wheat tortillas

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Place the chicken filet pieces into a shallow baking dish. Dust with garlic salt and black pepper. Whisk together the cornflour, sugar, vinegar, broth, ketchup and soy sauce. Pour this mixture over the chicken pieces, and stir to coat. Bake in the preheated oven until very tender and glazed. The sauce will be nice and thick. Take out of the oven and proceed as follows.

Heat the pouch of rice in the microwave according to package directions. Set aside.

Heat 4 tortillas in the microwave as per package directions. Lay each on a heated plate. Place 1/4 of the lettuce down the middle of each heated tortilla. Top with 1/4 of the pouch of heated rice and then with 2 or 3 glazed chicken tenders. Close each wrap and serve immediately.

PSSSTT!! The winner of the Cillit Bang All in One Cleaner is commentor number 4 as chosen by a random number generator. (Sorry don't know how to post a picture of that, or even take one.) Gil you are the winner. If you could e-mail me your details I'll make sure they get one out to you as soon as! Thanks all for entering. Wish I could give one to each of you!