One thing my Todd has always wanted to do is to go to a diner to eat. You know . . . just like the ones on the telly that you see in all those American movies.

All chrome and formica . . . and juke boxes, waitresses named Sally, and a coffee cup that has no bottom.

Club sandwiches, gravy fries and mile high pies.





I thought I would try to recreate a Diner meal for him here at home tonight, but in as low fat as possible. One of my favourites back home use to be the Hot Hamburger Sandwich Platter.



A big oval platter, loaded up with hot fries, a huge hamburger pattie on a toasted bun, with oodles of gravy slathered over top and a small bucket of coleslaw on the side. Washed down with an ice cold soda pop. It can't be beat!



It might not be much to look at, but what it lacks in looks, it more than makes up for in flavour. I used extra lean ground steak, which I flavoured with onion powder, garlic, seasoning salt and black pepper . . . lots of onion and garlic. I then divided the meat into four equal shapes and then flattened them as thin as I could into a huge flat irregular sized burgers, so they had lots of little nooks and crannies on the edges.


Because they were really thin, they cooked in quick time and all the moisture stayed inside the burger, so they were moist as well as flavourful, with a nice sear on the outside. The chips . . . why oven baked of course, and cut so thin that they also turned out nicely browned with crisp golden edges.



You can make your own pan gravy if you wish. (I tell you how) or you can just open a tin of beef gravy. Me, I opted for Bisto, coz there is not much fat in it., and it's as easy as boiling the kettle.



Even the coleslaw, my own homemade, was low in fat . . . as I used a fat free mayo and low fat creme fraiche. The only thing I didn't do was to put on a short dress and ask him to "kiss ma grits!" (I also didn't ask for a tip!) Oh, and there was no pie . . . sigh . . .




*Hot Hamburger Platter Dinner*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe 



It's diner food for the UK! A delicious well flavoured hot hamburger patty on a toasted bun half, topped with gravy and served with crispy fries and coleslaw!



1 pound extra lean minced steak
1 TBS minced garlic
1 TBS onion powder
1 tsp seasoned salt
5 TBS flour
1 litre of beef broth
4 large baking potatoes
oil
seasonings for the fries (I like the smoked paprika, sweet red pepper and thyme mix from M&S)
salt and black pepper
Toasted Bun halves
Coleslaw, your own or purchased (See my recipe below)



Preheat the oven to 225*C/425*F/ gas mark 7. Have ready a large baking sheet.


Wash the potatoes and dry well. Cut into thin chips. Toss them onto the baking sheet. Pour about 1 TBS of oil over top along with some of your chosen seasoning and some salt and black pepper. Toss together with your hands. Place into the heated oven and bake for about 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.



Mix together the minced steak, garlic, onion powder, seasoned salt and a bit of salt and lots of black pepper to taste. (You can pinch off a little bit and fry it in a pan to see if you have the seasoning correct if you wish.) Shape into large flat irregular shaped patties.



Place a large skillet over mediium high heat. Add a bit of oil and fry the patties until well browned on both sides and cooked through. Remove and keep warm. Reserve any drippings in the pan. There probably won't be much. You will need about 4 TBS. You can add some butter to the pan drippings to make this up. Once the fat is melted and hot, stir in the flour, whisking it in well. Slowly whisk in the broth a bit at a time, whisking until the gravy thickens. Simmer for several minutes then taste and adjust seasoning as required.



Divide the fries between 4 heated plates. Place a toasted bun half on each and top with a burger. Spoon over some of the gravy, making sure it covers the burger and some of the chips. Serve with coleslaw on the side. Enjoy!


This isn't the greatest photograph, but it is a coleslaw recipe that I use often.  This is how my mom always made it.



*Creamy Coleslaw*
Serves 8 to 10
Printable Recipe



A delciously cream coleslaw that has just the right amount of crunch and flavour!  There is no sogginess here!!



10 ounces of white cabbage, trimmed, cored and very thinly cut
(about 1/2 of a medium cabbage)
5 ounces of carrots, peeled, trimmed and julienned
(1 medium carrot)
4 inches of an English Cucumber, trimmed, seeded and cut into small dice
(Do not peel)
2 - 3 large dessertspoons of good quality mayonnaise
1 TBS of Dijon mustard
2 TBS white wine vinegar
1 tsp caster sugar
1/2 tsp celery salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 tsp onion powder



Place the vegetables into a large bowl.  Whisk together the mustard, mayonnaise, white wine vinegar, sugar, celery salt, black pepper and onion powder.  Mix well.  Pour over the vegetables and toss to coat.  Cover and chill for at least one hour before serving.


Note - the amount of mayonnaise you use depends on the cabbage, some cabbages take more mayonnaise than others.  It also depends on how creamy you like your coleslaw!  

  

I was sent a really nice piece of kitchen kit a few months back from the people at Eddingtons.



The PL8 Gourmet Slicer.   I've been really putting it through it's paces over the weeks and wanted to tell you all about it today.   Since I've been using it for all sorts, I've kind of thrown together a meal for your viewing pleasure . . .  some really delicious marinated lamb chops with a potato side dish, a deliciously fruity slaw and a tasty dessert, most of which (with the exception of the lamb) I have been able to use this handy piece of kitchen kit for!  In other words . . .  a really "Grate" meal, every pun intended!

As you know we had the missionaries over for supper the other night.  I made them a chicken pot pie and then we had mash with it, along with some salad and coleslaw.  Yes, I do feed them well. 

    

I have to say that these are my all time favourite cookie/bar/square/slices!  I haven't made them in a very long time, and I don't know why.  I used to bake these quite often when my children were growing up.   They are absolutely gorgeous and therein lies the clue.  When the children were around I had lots of hungry mouths to help me eat them . . .  with only two people in the house now, it's a huge temptation that I don't need to indulge in overly frequently!  They are THAT good! 











 

I was recently sent some new products from Bacofoil to try out.   A box of their new Foil Lined Parchment Paper and one of their new Non-stick Kitchen Foil.   I thought the parchment lined foil would be perfect for these squares!  











BacoFoil Lined Parchment is the perfect combination of BacoFoil on one side to insulate and promote even heating and non-stick baking parchment on the other to help protect your food from sticking.  How often have you started to bake something, only to discover that you don't have the required size of pan in the cupboard?  Happens to me a lot. I normally take a risk, cross my fingers and bake it in another size pan, but with this new parchment BacoFoil Lined Parchment that will no longer be a problem . . .



You can fold this special foil to create the right sized pan you need!  It was really easy to do!  I did lay it onto a baking sheet to give it support, just like you would with a silicone baking pan.

 

The results were fabulous!  Not only did my Walnut Slices bake up beautifully, but they did not stick (this can be a problem with meringue toppings) and they were the perfect size.



Once they were cooled, I was quickly able to just pull the foil from beneath them as I lay them on top of a cutting board and then I was able to cut them into lovely perfect slices.  I was well impressed with the performancof the BacoFoil Lined Parchment.  I would buy this.  10 out of 10!  And there is no pan to wash up afterwards.  A real bonus!



These are a beautiful slice to serve as a teatime, coffee break or elevensies treat!  With their buttery cookie like base . . .

 

And their chewy, almost butter-tart like topping, they just cannot fail to please!  I replaced some of the brown sugar this time with some maple sugar that my sister had sent me, for a bit of a maple walnut flavour.  We are nuts about the flavour of Maple and Walnuts together in our house!



If you love walnuts, then you will quite simply adore these delicious bars!  They are incredibly moreish, that's the only danger . . . very difficult to resist.  I hope you will give them a go.  Then you'll see exactly why they are my all time favourite slice!  Perfect with that break-time cuppa, or a nice cold glass of milk.  ☺




*Marie's Favourite Walnut Meringue Slice*
















BacoFoil, non-stick kitchen foil is a smart and simple solution for when you are cooking a meal that had a tendancy to stick to the pan.  Nothing sticks to it.  It's great for grilling, baking, roasting and even freezing.  There is less mess.  (Don't you just HATE HATE having to clean a pan that food has stuck on to.  Especially sticky barbeque sauces, etc.)  It saves on the washing up and it is food safe and hygenic.  It also aids in controling the calories as there is no need to add oil or butter.



I did us simple Hobo Dinners.   There is no recipe really.  You just simply take as many large squares of foil as there are people you are wanting to feed.  Layer on sliced potatoes and onions into the middle of the square.  I used a mix of new and sweet potatoes.   I topped with a mixture of onions and shallots.   Seasoned with some salt, black pepper and a few dollops of harissa paste.  I placed a frozen burger patty on top of each pile of veg and then I sealed it all shut in the foil, like a little pressie, waiting to be opened.

 

After that you can place them onto a tray and bang them into a 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4 oven, or onto the barbecue grill to roast/grill.  About 35 to 40 minutes later . . . open the foil a bit and top with some cheese, bang them back in to melt the cheese and this is what you end up with . . .



A delicious compact meal for one, or two, or three, or four  . . .  with no washing up required.  That is unless you are a Toddster.  His sensabilities would not allow him to eat out of the foil.  (Isn't that the best part of camping???)

  

He had his on a plate with some coleslaw on the side.  What a wuss!  ☺ 

My mixture did stick a bit so I wasn't 100% impressed with this foil.   Just so you know. 

Many thanks to  Chloe and the people at BacoFoil for sending me these new products to try.

Visit BacoFoil for more information.
Follow them on Twitter
Find them on Facebook 

Although I was sent these poducts to try for free, any and all opinions are completely my own and unbiased.

I love potatoes.  I could not live without them.  A day without a potato is not a good day for me.  In fact you could take away my chocolate, and I might protest a bit . . . but if you tried to take away my potatoes, I would be really upset.   They are an important part of my life and have been since I was a child.  Happily the Toddster is of the same school of thought.

I used to think a potato was a potato was a potato.   I came to learn later in life and after much experience that all potatoes are not the same and that certain potatoes are better for certain preparations than others.  With some 4000 different varieties of potatoes available worldwide at any given time, it's easy to see where someone could be quite confused when it comes to potatoes and their uses.

There are basically only two main category of potatoes, with only a few exceptions . . . floury potatoes, and waxy potatoes.

Floury potatoes (also called mealy potatoes) are  high in starch with a low water content.  These tend to be older and larger and become almost fluffy when cooked.  Therse are the best for roasting, baking, mashing and chipping.  They tend to break up easily when boiled, so aren't really suitable to prepare just as boiled potatoes.

Waxy potatoes are lower in starch and have a higher water content.  They are firm in texture and normally have a shiny skin.  They tend to keep their shape when cooked, which makes them an excellent choice for boiling, making salads, sauteing or using in gratins.

Potatoes are also classified s being new and old.  You will find most new potatoes are best in salads and he like, but old potatoes are much better for mashing

I can remember one Thanksgiving when I had a whole house full of people, peeling tons of potatoes for mash, only to learn that they were new potatoes and I ended up with glue instead of fluff.  Lesson learnt.

Potatoes don't like light or cold, so are best stored in a cool dark place, but not in the refrigerator.  I store mine in a basket in the closet beneath the stairs.



One of my favourite ways of cooking potatoes is baking them.  (Surprise surprise!)   You can bake just about any kind of potatoes.  I happen to love little baby potatoes washed and dried and then tossed unpeeled in some oil and herbs and then roasted until they are crispy, but my favourite of all is the large floury baked potatoe.  Scrub your potatoes clean under cold running water and then dry them really well with kitchen paper toweling or a clean tea towel.  Prick them all over with a fork and then place them into a  hot oven which has been preheated to 200*C/400*F gas mark 6.  I place mine right on the oven rack.  The air is able to circulate all around them and you end up with a lovely crisp skin.  I happen to think the skin is the best part!  If you want crisp skins, don't rub them with butter or oil of any kind and don't wrap them up in foil.  They will only steam.  Just cook them on the rack until they are tender.   Medium to large potatoes will take approximately an hour to be perfectly done.

Once tender (and I don't recommend pricking them with a fork to find out, unless you want an oven full of burst potato.  Just gently squeeze with a pot holder and if they give, they're done!) you can take them out and they are ready to eat.  I ascribe to the Nigel Slater method of presentation in that you give em a quick light bash with the side of your open hand to burst them open and fluffy them up.   Not too hard, or too slow . . .  fabulous served with lashings of cold butter and salt and pepper, but also pretty wonderful with some sour cream, chives, cheese . . . you name it.  A baked potato is the perfect canvas for all sorts of toppings.  If you have a baked potato, you have a meal.   Coleslaw, baked beans, grated cheddar, chili con carne, meat and gravy.  All good.  (but not all at once, although cheese sprinkled over all of those things on top of a baked spud  is really scrummy to say the least.



Small boiled potatoes, tossed in some butter and parsley make a lovely side dish for many meals.   To prepare this dish for 4 people you will want 3 1/2 pounds of waxy potatoes (A charlotte, or pink fir, or baby new potato all work well)  Peel and slice the potatoes into smaller pieces if they are on the large side.  Put them ito a pan of lightly salted water.  Bring them to the boil and then cook, just until tender.   This will take 10 to 15 minutes depending on the size, and possibly even less if they are very small.  I would fork test them after 8 to 9 minutes.  You only want a little give.  You won't want the potato to break apart.  They should be JUST tender.  Once they are cooked, drain them immediately.  Melt 6 ounces of butter (about 3/4 cup) in a large frying pan and add the potatoes.  Stir them well to coat with the butter and toss with 6 TBS of finely chopped  parsley and a bit of fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper if desired.   Serve immediately.



This is where you will want old potatoes or a nice mealy/floury potato, such as a Maris Piper, King Edward or a Russet, or Yukon Gold.  For four people peel about 5 1/2 pounds of the floury potatoes.  Cut them into evenly sized chunks.  Place them into a saucepan of lightly salted water and bring them to the boil.  Cook, until just tender.  A fork should enter easily.  Drain at once.   Return the drained potatoes to the pan and shake them a bit over the residual heat of the burner and leave to dry, shaking them every 30 seconds or so.  Put them through a potato ricer if you have one, or mash well with a potato masher.  Have ready 180ml of hot whole milk into which you have melted a good knob of butter (3/4 cup milk).  Continue to mash the potatoes adding the milk slowly until you have the consistency you want.   Season to taste with some salt, white pepper and a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg.  If your mash is too stiff, you can stir in a bit more warm milk.

This is a good basic recipe for mash.  You can really switch this up very easily by adding some grated cheese and a bit of finely grated onion, some mashed roasted garlic, some sour cream or even a bit of mild blue cheese.  Just be careful not to add too much.



Once you have mastered Mashed Potatoes it is very easy to make Duchess Potatoes, which are a fancier richer version of Mash, which is grilled in a hot oven until lightly browned.

For four people you will need 5 1/2 pounds of floury potatoes.  Peel and slice the potatoes into small pieces.  Put them into a saucepan of lightly salted water to cover. Bring to the boil.   Cook until just tender and then drain at once.  Return to the pot and place over the residual heat of the burner, shaking the pan lightly to dry the potatoes out.   Put the potatoes through a food milk or potato rices, then add a knob of butter and 3 egg yolks, whisking them in carefully and thoroughly.  Season with fine salt, fine pepper and nutmeg.  Place into a piping bag with a fluted nozzle and pipe small mounds onto a lightly greased baking sheet.  Place under a heated gril and grill until they are nicely coloured.



I don't know anyone that doesn't love Potato Croquettes.  You can buy frozen versions but they are largely disappointing.  The best ones (as with everything) are the ones you make yourself.   For four servings you will need 1 recipe of the Duchesse Potatoes.  (See above.)  You will also want a shallow bowl of plain flour, a shallow bowl filled with 4 egg whites into which you have beaten a spash of oil, a shallow bowl of fine dry bread crumbs and some hot oil for cooking.  These are best made ahead and chilled before frying.  Place the duchesse potatoes into a piping bag you have fitted with a large plain nozzle.  Pipe the potatoes out into long strips on lightly greased or waxed baking paper.  Cut into 2 inch lengths.  Roll each piece in the flour.  Season the egg white mixture with some salt and pepper.  Roll the floured pieces in the egg whites and then drop them into the bread crumbs, rolling them to coat them well.  Place onto a lined baking sheet and chill in the refrigerator.  When you are ready to cook them heat some cooking oil to 180*C/350*F.  Carefully lower the crouquettes into the hot oil and brown on all sides.  Serve hot.



You can't get a nicer type of potato to serve with a nicely roasted joint of beef or lamb than Potatoes Dauphinoise.  Tender slices of potato baked in a seasoned mixture of milk and cream, which has been flavoured with garlic, nutmeg and cheese.   For four people you will need 3 1/2 pounds of floury potatoes.   Grease a large oven proof shallow glass baking dish with some butter.  Place 950ml of whole milk (4 cups)  and 950ml of double (heavy) cream (2 cups) into a saucepan along with one peeled clove of garlic which you have bruised.  Heat gently just to the boiling point, then remove and set aside to infuse for several minutes.  Season to taste with some salt, black pepper and freshly grated nutmeg.  Peel and cut the potatoes into 1/8 inch slices. Place them into the prepared baking dish.  Strain the milk/cream mixture over top of the potatoes to cover.  Sprinkle with  3 ounces of grated cheddar cheese and dot with some butter.  Cover with a layer of buttered foil and bake in an oven you have preheated to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4 for one hour.  Check to see if the potatoes are tender.  If they are not bake for about 15 minutes longer.  Once they are tender you can uncover the potatoes and place then under a heated grill and grill until the cheese is golden brown.



They call fries "Chips" over here in the UK, and no matter what you call them, I can think of nobody that doesn't love a good "chip!"   For great chips you will want a nice floury potato.  To serve 4 people you will want 4 very large floury potatoes.  Peel the potatoes and rise them under cold water.  Dry them with some kitchen paper and then cut them into strips about 1/2 inch wide and 2 to 3 inches long.  Dry them again.  Half fill a deep fat fryer or a deep, heavy based pan with sunflower oil or lard.  Heat it to 150*C/300*F.  Fry the potatoes in batches for 5 to 8 minutes until they are soft, but still very pale.  This is called oil blanching.  Lift them out and drain them.  (You can prepare the chips up to this stage several hours in advance.)  When you are ready to serve the chips, raise the oil temperature to 200*C/400*F.   Return the chips, again in batched and fry them for an additional 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown and crisp.   Drain well on kitchen paper toweling and then sprinkle generously with some coarse sea salt and malt vinegar if desired.  Serve hot.



If you are interested in more potato recipes you can click here and it will open up all of my recipes which contain potatoes, including this recipe for fail proof perfect Classic Roasted Potatoes.  There is literally something there to please most tastes and appetites. 

Enjoy!