Showing posts with label Quick and Easy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Quick and Easy. Show all posts
I am always on the look out for chicken dishes that are quick and easy to make. I am a no fuss, no muss kind of a person.
I used to do a lot of fiddling about with food when I worked as a personal Chef, and I was being paid to do so, but in my private life, quick and easy is what I like to cook and eat most of the time.
You can call me lazy if you want to, but I just don't like to faff about a lot when it comes to every day eating. I would rather save my efforts for celebratory meals or holidays. I hope I am not alone in that.
Today's recipe is one that I had printed out back in 2007, which I had found on a site which was then called Recipezaar. I used to go on Recipezaar a lot. It was a lovely recipe sharing site and there were loads of really nice people on there.
I got to make friends in real life with a number of them and actually met a few in person. Great people. It is no longer called Recipezaar, and has lost a lot of its charm.
The original owners sold out to a larger company for a great deal of money I believe, and in the process something was lost. It was no longer the friendly community it had once been. In all honesty, I can say I haven't been on there in a very long time. Its a shame really.
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
I don't know why these large companies always want to change what is already working well. I suppose at the end of the day it is all down to money and profits.
I personally think that when you take the humanity out of things, you lose something very special. But hey ho, who am I. Just a normal person, and but a tiny drop in a gargantuan ocean.
Anyways, back to this very simple and delicious chicken recipe. It was one I had found there in 2007 and that I had enjoyed. I had saved the printout in my Big Blue Binder and as you know, only the best recipes get saved into that.
For those of you who don't know, my Big Blue Binder has travelled all over the world with me since I was a very young girl. It is a collection of family recipes, tried and trues, etc. It is priceless.
Last year when I left the UK to move back to Canada, I had to leave almost everything I owned behind, including all of my cookbooks. My Big Blue Binder came with me however. There was no way I was leaving that behind!
I am so very grateful that I had enough forethought at the time to think to include it in what I was bringing. It would have been a real tragedy had I not done so. Like Recipezaar, something really special would have been lost.
This is one of my favorite chicken dishes to make. You can see the original recipe here. I haven't really changed it all that much, with the exception of cooking things a tiny bit differently, adding a bit of spice and white wine instead of stock.
I also cut it down to serve only two people. If you want to serve more, by all means check out the original recipe.
You don't need a lot of fancy ingredients to make it, although prosciutto is certainly not a normal every day ingredient to be sure. It is however a lot more available these days than it used to be.
We are living in a much smaller world than our parents lived in and have an abundance of new and delicious foods to try and to use. Prosciutto is one of them.
Prosciutto is an Italian ham which is cured by drying. Traditionally served in very thin slices, it has a lovely flavor which goes well on its own and with many other things, including chicken.
It is uncooked, but you can eat it as is because it has been preserved by drying. It is great on a chacuterie tray. It has a sweet and meaty flavor, and is slightly salty with a lovely bit of soft buttery fat on the edge that practically melts in the mouth.
I like to pound my chicken a bit before I cook it. I just use the flat end of a meat pounder and give it a few bashes. I then seasoned it all over with salt and pepper.
Remember prosciutto is salty so you won't need a lot of salt, but pepper you can go crazy with! Or as crazy as you want to. I happen to like lots of pepper.
The original recipe did not call for pounding the chicken, but I find that it really helps to tenderize chicken breasts if you do so. Once you have pounded them, you dust them in some flour.
I added some paprika for color and some garlic powder for flavor. I can't leave well enough alone, I know.
The breasts then get fried in a bit of melted butter until they are golden brown on both sides. I find that about 6 minutes on the first side works well, and then 4 on the second.
Once you have browned your chicken its as simple as putting it into a casserole dish and layering on a few more ingredients.
First a slice of that delicious prosciutto. Oh boy . . . it adds a lovely saltiness and helps to protect the chicken from drying out in the oven.
Next you add a slice of Swiss cheese. I love the sweet nutty flavor of Swiss cheese. It works very well here.
Gruyere would also work well as would a nice melty gouda or provolone.
On top of that you sprinkle some grated Parmesan cheese. Again, a bit salty so do be judicious when seasoning your chicken.
The chicken gets place into a shallow baking dish and dotted with some butter. I know . . . but its not a lot of butter and there is no skin on the chicken. Butter just adds a nice nuttiness to the dish.
I pour a bit of white wine around the chicken in the baking dish, which imparts yet another layer of flavor. Always use a wine you wouldn't mind drinking. If it is a wine you enjoy drinking, then it is a wine that will work well with your dish.
It annoys me when people use the cheapest plonk they can find in their cooking. If you wouldn't drink it, then perhaps you shouldn't be cooking with it either!
A short period of time in the oven and voila! You have a delicious main course created with very few ingredients and even less effort! You can't lose!
I served it with some oven roasted vegetables (new potatoes, carrots, cauliflower) and some yellow and green beans I had picked up at the market. This was all very delicious. I think you are going to really like it!
On a side note, are there any recipes in particular that you would like to see me cut down to size for the smaller family? I really want to know!
Chicken with Prosciutto & Cheese
Yield: 2
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 35 Min
This elegant but simple dish is perfectly built for two. Quick and easy to make, you have tender and juicy chicken with beautiful flavors.
Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/4 tsp sweet paprika
- pinch garlic powder
- 2 TBS flour
- 2 TBS butter
- 2 slices of prosciutto
- 2 slices of Swiss cheese (can also use gruyere)
- 2 TBS Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1/4 cup (60ml) white wine (alternately you can use chicken stock)
Instructions
- Pound your chicken lightly and season all over with salt and black pepper. (Remember prosciutto is salty.)Mix the flour, paprika and garlic powder together in a small bag. Shake the chicken pieces in this to coat.
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Have ready a casserole dish large enough to hold pieces of chicken.
- Melt 1 TBS of the butter in a skillet with a heavy bottom over medium high heat. Once it begins to foam, add the chicken pieces top side down and brown, about 6 to 8 minutes, flip over and brown the other side, a further 3 to 4 minutes. Remove to your casserole dish.
- Top each piece of chicken with a slice of prosciutto. Place a slice of cheese on top. of the prosciutto. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on last. Dot with the remaining tablespoon of butter.
- Pour the white wine into the dish around the chicken.
- Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese has melted and begun to turn golden. Let stand for five minutes then serve with some of the casserole juices spooned over top.
Fluffy, creamy and tangy, this old fashioned Lemon Icebox Pie recipe is an old family favourite that goes way back. I think I probably got the original recipe from off a tin of Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed many years ago.
This recipe has sat in my Big Blue Binder for probably over 40 years. It is a fabulously delicious lemon icebox pie recipe that is no bake. Quick, easy and yes, delicious. It also uses no eggs, unlike many of the lemon icebox pie recipes I have seen out there and there is no cooking at all involved.
It basically uses only three ingredients, aside from the crust. Fresh lemon juice and zest. Sweetened Condensed Milk. Pure Vanilla extra, if you are so inclined.
Its optional, but I always add it because lemon and vanilla are perfect partners.
It does use a lot of lemon juice. 1 tsp of the rind and I used the juice from 5 smallish lemons yesterday to get enough. Some lemons are juicier than others.
One way to get a lot of juice from your lemons is to make sure they are at room temperature. I also roll them really well between the palm of my hand and the countertop before juicing them. Works a charm and I always get plenty of juice from each lemon.
This is a fabulous pie to make in the summer months when you are not wanting to heat up your kitchen. I happen to think its a fabulous pie to make any time of the year that you are wanting a quick, easy and delicious lemon dessert!
We love lemon pie in our family, but I don't always have the time or want to be faffing about with a cooked filling. This has to be the easiest lemon filling to make of all time.
If you can stir things together you can make this! The filling is done in about five minutes once you have all of the ingredients assembled.
I always, always squeeze my own lemons to get the juice for this pie. I would never use the lemon juice that comes in those little lemon squeezers. I don't think they would give you the same flavour.
Maybe it is just me, but they always taste artificial and lack the clean fresh taste of freshly squeezed lemon juice. I have a wooden lemon reamer that works very well to squeeze the juice.
I also have a metal juice squeezer which works even better, plus it catches any seeds that might escape.
Aside from fresh lemon juice (and some zest) the other main ingredient in this is sweetened condensed milk. This is NOT the same thing as evaporated milk, even if they are found in the same section in the grocery store and are both made from milk which has been treated to remove 60% of its water.
One is sweetened and one is not. One is just milk. This is the one with added sugar and it is a lot thicker and creamier because of this. I usually have both kinds in my cupboard.
The evaporated milk comes in handy for making all sorts of things. Creamy sauces for one thing. I always use the low fat one and it makes an excellent substitute for cream in these recipes, especially when you are wanting to reduce your calorie and fat intake.
I like to use it when I make mac and cheese.
The sweetened condensed milk is very handy for making quick and easy desserts such as this one and I also like to use it to make fudge. Both are just really handy ingredients to have on hand.
Lemon juice is essential in helping the pie filling to set up properly. It works just like magic. Just as when making a Lemon Posset, it somehow works to thicken the condensed milk to the perfect consistency.
You do need to leave it to chill in the refrigerator for several hours, four is perfect. At that time, you will see that it cuts like a dream. You get perfect slices and wedges every time.
I used a ready made crust for mine this time. A graham cracker crumb crust. That made for a really convenient dessert to serve with our Easter Dinner.
Yes, this is the perfect dessert for entertaining, not that many of us are able to entertain at the moment. Its perfect for several reasons.
One it is made ahead of time so you don't need to be worrying about it at the last minute when you have about a bazillion other things to do. Second its so easy to make that you can almost make it in your sleep!
Using a ready made crust adds to the ease and simplicity of it.
You can of course, use a prebaked pastry crust if you wish, or make your own crumb crust, using graham crackers or cookie crumbs.
To make a crumb crust simply mix together two cups of crumbs (chocolate cookie, vanilla wafer, graham cracker or gingersnap) with 3 TBS sugar, and 6 TBS of melted butter. Press this mixture into a 9 inch pie dish and bake it at 350*F/180*C for about 8 minutes and then chill until it is completely cold.
Personally I have to say that this pie is really REALLY good when made with gingersnap cookie crumbs. Lemon and ginger are PERFECT partners after all!
But then again, all are good and even a baked pastry crust is very good. Just make sure it is a 9-inch crust. Anything larger and you won't have enough filling.
This pie can also be frozen. I know some people who keep one of these in the freezer to have on hand whenever unexpected company drops by.
Chilled, tightly wrapped in cling film and then aluminum foil, this pie will keep in the freezer for up to two months.
In the refrigerator it will keep for 3 to 4 days. Not that you will have it around that long. Its so delicious that it is bound to be inhaled I guarantee!!
I love to serve it cut into wedges, each cold sweet wedge topped with a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream. I got so used to having cream which wasn't sweetened at all when I was living in the UK, that I really can't abide overly sweetened cream now.
Just sweetened it to your own taste. I don't add the cream until I am ready to serve. For Easter I decorated it with a few sprinkles, but they really aren't necessary!!
In the summer months I like to top it with whipped cream and fresh berries. Its delicious!!
Lemon Icebox Pie
Yield: 8
Prep time: 5 Mininactive time: 4 HourTotal time: 4 H & 5 M
This original sweetened condensed milk Lemon icebox pie recipe uses only three ingredients. Its as simple to make as stirring them together and pouring the mixture into a ready made pie crust!
Ingredients
- 2 cans ( each one being 14 oz/375g) sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)
- 1 tsp fresh lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla (optional)
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) fresh lemon juice
You will also need:
- 1 (9-inch) prebaked pastry or crumb crust
- Whipped cream to serve
Instructions
- Open the milk and pour it into a bowl. Whisk in the lemon zest and vanilla if using.
- Add the lemon juice and whisk until the mixture becomes thick.
- Pour into the prepared pie crust. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least four hours or overnight.
- Serve cut into wedges with a dollop of whipped cream on top.
A lot of us will be baking a ham in the coming weeks for our Easter celebrations. This means many of us will have leftover ham languishing in our refrigerators in the days afterwards. It can be a bit of a challenge at times to present leftovers in a way that our family will enjoy.
That's when I like to use recipes such as this easy ham and pasta casserole. It really doesn't get much easier or tastier than this one.
This ham casserole recipe is one I found in one of my recent cookbook purchases. Better Homes & Gardens 365 Comfort Foods, inspiring meals for every day of the year.
I love books like this. They are filled to overflowing with delicious, family-friendly meals that are usually quite easy to make. Most of the recipes are not complicated and use simple ingredients.
I have ended up in the land of simple eats here at my Sister's house. Both my father and her partner are very simplistic in what they like to eat and so most days it is very simple fare. Meat and potatoes, and veg or a salad.
Not very adventurous to say the least. My father has always been that way. My mother was never allowed to use much more than salt and pepper in her cooking. Nothing has changed. He still balks at anything at all out of the ordinary.
If he gets even a whiff of Parmesan that is it, he becomes very suspicious of what is on his plate. We do sneak some in here and there, but we need to be very judicious to say the least!
He does take a lady friend out for fish and chips every Wednesday night and so we have declared that on Wednesdays we will get a bit more adventurous because he won't be here. This week we are having tacos, and I hope (fingers crossed) next week we can do a curry!
Sometimes you can feel a bit uninspired when it comes to leftovers. My father absolutely does not like leftovers if he knows he is eating leftovers. Funny that. I, myself, love leftovers. And I love being inventive with them.
I thought we might be fairly safe with this casserole because leftover ham is not like other leftover meats. We all enjoy a ham sandwich now and then and what is a ham sandwich, or sliced ham but already cooked ham! A leftover to be honest, no matter how it is packaged up!
One thing I really liked about this easy casserole was that it involved not much more than simply stirring some things together in a casserole dish. You don't even need to cook the macaroni first. It cooks right in the casserole!
You make a loose sauce using some milk and condensed cream of celery soup. If you cannot get condensed soups, then you may make a cream sauce based on 1 1/2 cups of liquid, 1 1/2 TBS of butter and 1 1/2 TBS of flour.
Because it uses cream of celery soup, I would use half milk and half vegetable broth to make the cream sauce, and perhaps add a pinch of celery salt. Once you have made the sauce, then simply whisk in the remaining milk as per the recipe.
I am fairly confident it will work perfectly and you will still end up with a delicious casserole.
Myself, I have a thing about using canned mushrooms. I cannot stand then. When I think about how we used to add to them to a lot of things in years gone by, I can't believe it. They are so rubbery and bland!
Plus I really wonder about the source of them. I am not that happy about eating food-stuffs that come from China. I cannot help it. I just think to myself, no . . . not going there.
This recipe does call for one can of sliced mushrooms, drained. I used a package of sliced cremini mushrooms in the place of the tinned mushrooms.
I just cooked them in a skillet with a tiny bit of butter first. I also added the onions, ham and peppers to the skillet. We had a ham steak and it seemed a bit watery, so I wanted to cook out some of that and I thought if I was going to be browning the mushrooms then why not add all of it.
I was a bit concerned that the ham would release too much water when it was cooking so there was a method to my madness. It worked out perfectly!
Have you ever noticed how watery ham gets when you freeze it??? Where does it all come from! I never freeze ham for that reason. I prefer to use it up in whatever way I can. This was perfect.
The original recipe called for only half the cheese that I used. I felt it could use more, so I doubled it. (I know, I'm shameless!) I stirred half of it into the casserole and sprinkled the remaining half on top for the last 10 minutes of baking.
You could pop it under a grill for a few minutes if you wanted a golden brown topping, but I didn't bother. We had it with salad and boiled carrots. I think some crusty bread would have gone perfectly.
Dad enjoyed it. Job done.
One Step Ham Casserole
Yield: 4
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 50 Mininactive time: 10 MinTotal time: 1 H & 15 M
This delicious casserole is as simple as stirring together a few ingredients, and then baking. You can use tinned ingredients or you can use my suggestions in the notes for using fresh ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (360ml) milk
- 1 (10.75oz/300g) tin of condensed cream of celery soup
- 2 cups diced cooked ham
- 1 cup (150g) dried elbow macaroni
- 1( 4-oz /115g) tin of sliced mushrooms, drained
- 2 TBS diced red pepper
- 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup (235g) grated cheddar cheese, divided (I use strong)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375*F/190*C/gas mark 5.
- You will need a 2 liter/2 QT casserole dish. Add the soup to the dish (ungreased) and slowly whisk in the milk. Stir in the ham, macaroni, peppers, mushrooms, and onion, combining well together.
- Cover tightly with a lid or aluminum foil.
- Bake, undisturbed for about 40 minutes, or until the macaroni is tender. Remove from the oven.
- Stir half of the cheese into the macaroni mixture and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.
- Return to the oven and bake for a further 10 minutes, uncovered. Remove from the oven and let sit for about 10 minutes before serving. Delicious!
Notes:
I really don't like tinned mushrooms and so I choose to use fresh mushrooms which I sauté in a skillet until browned. I then add the to the casserole as above. I use about 2 cups sliced. If you like you can also brown the ham a little bit along with the peppers and onion at the same time.
Triple Chocolate Fudge Cake. Our Dan was saying earlier in the week that he was craving a chocolate cake. I knew just the cake to bake him. This sinfully decadent Triple Chocolate Fudge Cake!
This delicious and easy chocolate cake is probably one of the quickest and easiest chocolate cakes you can make and it packs a fabulously tasty triple whammy of chocolarte flavours! A hat-trick of moist chocolate decadence!!
There are quite a few recipes for Swiss Chicken on the internet it seems, but none quite like this delicious chicken recipe I am sharing with you today.
Yes, it is a mushroom swiss chicken recipe, like the others, but that is where all similarities end. This contains no cream soup, unlike many of the others.
This Swiss Chicken is very easy to make and yet one of the most flavourful chicken dish ever! Despite not being made with a tinned soup.
Instead you create a simple sauce, which is poured over top. Read on and I will let you in on my secret for making the most delicious, moist and incredible chicken entrée for your family ever!
To be honest I am not really sure why this is called Swiss Chicken. Yes, there is some Gruyere or Swiss cheese involved, but really that is the only thing Swiss about it!
Like I said, no cream of whatever soup. Instead there is a lush and creamy rich sauce which gilds those perfectly golden sautéed pieces of chicken breast meat. Flavoured only with cream and Tarragon and some seasoning.
Oh, and a tiny bit of Brandy. You could also use white wine or dry sherry. Am I the only one who has a collection of tiny bottles of liqueurs and spirits to use in cooking? Small bottles of wine? And I repeat they are only used for cooking.
I don't drink alcohol (for religious reasons) but I am not adverse to cooking with it. My ex Bishop's wife cooked with it all the time so if its okay for her, its okay for me.
You begin by gently pounding boneless, skinless chicken breasts until they are the same thickness throughout. This is so that they will cook in like time.
Once pounded, they are seasoned and lightly coated with flour before browning to perfection in some butter/olive oil. Don't be shy. I like to put a nice golden crust on these!
Once browned, they are popped into a baking dish, ready to be topped with everything else. You will need to brown some mushrooms and garlic in the pan drippings. Be very careful about the mushrooms you choose.
You don't want to choose a mushroom which will turn the pan juices grey and unappealing. I think a nice chestnut or white button mushroom works well here. I have a secret to perfectly browning mushrooms.
And that is to leave them completely alone for the five first minutes or so of cooking them. Don't be tempted to stir them, or agitate them in any way. Just leave them to sit and get all gilded brown in those lovely pan juices.
Patience is truly a virtue here. Once you see them starting to turn golden you can give them a little stir and then leave them again, for a little while longer. Your reward for your patience will be perfectly cooked and golden mushrooms, with lovely crisp edges.
Now is the time to stir in the cream and the tarragon. Oh, and the brandy. Just let it bubble up and then pour it over the golden pieces of chicken. Make sure you get plenty of mushrooms on each slice.
And that's it. Pop a slice of cheese over top and bake it in the oven until the sauce is bubbling, the chicken is cooked through and that lovely cheese has melted perfectly on top.
Nothing could really be easier. And, if you follow my instructions implicitly, you end up with perfectly cooked, no hint of dryness, chicken breasts.
I love cooking with chicken breasts. They make a beautiful canvas on which to paint most flavours, but if improperly cooked (ie. over cooked) they can be dry and dull.
The trick is to not over do it. Once you have gilded them nice and golden brown, they really only need a short cook-time in the oven.
I find that if I pop them into the oven while I am making that sauce, it is sufficient time in order for them to cook through thoroughly.
You will know they are cooked through when the juices run clear when you prick them with a fork. If there is any hint of pink at all, simply return them to the oven for a few more minutes.
Better safe than sorry! (And this comes from someone who has experienced food poisoning. Not nice, not wanting to experience it again. Never from chicken though. It was coleslaw.) So do make sure they are cooked through just to be safe.
This really is an incredibly simple to make and delicious supper option. It uses very few ingredients and goes together in a flash!
Easy and delicious, it is sure to be something your family is going to love. Be prepared for it to become an often requested supper entree! You have been warned!
Creamy Swiss Chicken
Yield: 4
prep time: 10 Mincook time: 20 Mintotal time: 30 Min
Filled with lovely flavours. This is a very simple dish. Tender moist chicken topped with a creamy mushroom sauce and gruyere cheese.
Ingredients
- 4 (200g/7oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- salt, pepper and plain flour to dust
- 1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
- 1 TBS butter
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
- 1/2 pound (200g)mushrooms, sliced
- 1 TBS chopped fresh Tarragon (or 1/2 TBS dried)
- 1/2 cup (120ml) whipping cream
- 1 TBS brandy
- 4 large slices Gruyere or Swiss Cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Have ready a baking tray.
- Place your chicken between two pieces of plastic cling film and pound lightly until they are each about 1/2 inch thick. Season with salt and black pepper and dust lightly with flour.
- Heat half of the olive oil and butter in a large skillet. Add the chicken breasts presentation sides down, and brown on one side for approximately 3 minutes until golden. Flip over and brown on the other side for a further 3 minutes.
- Place onto the baking tray and pop into the oven while you make the sauce.
- Add the remaining butter and oil to the pan drippings. Throw in the mushrooms and garlic and cook over medium heat until the mushrooms have softened.
- Add the tarragon, cream and brandy. Stir over high heat for about 2 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced and thickened.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and spoon the hot sauce over top, dividing it equally amongst the four pieces.
- Top each with a slice of cheese and pop back into the oven for about 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Serve immediately.
Easy peasy this is. Actually it is beautiful dinner party fare, and would make a brilliant option for Valentine's Day Supper. It is quick and easy to make, and yet tastes like you have been slaving all day over it. I served with English petit pois and roasted potatoes. Yum.
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 Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Social Icons