Showing posts sorted by relevance for query coleslaw. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query coleslaw. Sort by date Show all posts
Simple Simon met a Pie Man going to the fair, said Simple Simon to the Pie Man, let me taste your ware. Said the Pie Man to Simple Simon, show me first your penny. Said Simple Simon to the Pie Man, Indeed I have not any."
Such a sad verse I think! I can remember reading this as a child and feeling very sorry for Simple Simon. Pies have always been one of my favourite things!
Everyone in my family is the same. If it is between two crusts, sitting beneath a crust, or sitting on top of a crust . . . we are ALL over it!
Largely due in fact to my mother's ability to make really fabulous pies, sweet or savoury. We loved the sweet of course . . . but we were also very fond of her savoury pies. I don't think we had a roast dinner when I was growing up that wasn't followed by a tasty pot pie later in the week. My mother had the God given ability to make leftovers taste brand new and just as yummy, if not more yummy than the original dinner!
I like to think I have somewhat inherited that ability in that I, too, can create wonderful things from leftovers. Take for instance this delicious beef stew I made the other night. My Todd really loves a stew, and I do also. Sometimes I put potatoes in the stew, but he really likes potatoes on the side as mash, so more often that not I will do that.
So anyways I made a pretty basic stew for us for tea one night last week, using only beef, carrots, parsnips, onions, celery and swede/turnips/rutabaga . . . leaving out the potato because Todd wanted mash. I had in mind to serve it on two nights as there are only two of us . . . so once again a perfect opportunity for me to make something tasty from leftovers.
This stew is pretty fabulous, and you an double it to serve more people if you would like. Stews are pretty simple dishes to do and they basically (after the initial browning of the meat) cook themselves.
Yield: 4
A Basic Stew
prep time: 30 minscook time: 1 hour and 30 minstotal time: 1 hours and 60 mins
This is the very basic recipe for a delicious stew. You can use beef, or pork, or lamb, or venison and it will come out perfectly every time. The secret is in the browning.
ingredients:
- 1 pound of stewing meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
- (trim of any fat and gristle and discard)
- salt and black pepper
- flour to roll the meat in
- a knob of butter
- 1 onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 stalk of celery, trimmed and chopped
- 3 carrots, peeled and cut into coins
- 1 parsnip, peeled and cut into coins
- 1/2 a small rutabaga (swede) peeled and cut into cubes
- 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 TBS tomato ketchup
- hot water to cover
- beef stock cube
- 1 tsp dried thyme leaves
- 1 bay leaf
instructions:
- Season your meat and roll it in flour to coat. Melt the knob of butter in a large heavy bottomed saucepan. Add the meat and brown it well on all sides working in batches. Don't over crowd your pan or your meat won't brown well. Browning it well is the secret to a nicely coloured gravy. Remove the meat to a bowl as it browns and repeat until all the meat has been browned. Add the onions and celery to the pan. Saute until softened. Return the meat to the pan along with any juices that have accumulated in the bowl. Add enough hot water to barely cover the meat along with the Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, stock cube, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, tightly covered at a slow simmer for about an hour. Add the carrot, parsnip and rutabaga. Cover and cook for about half an hour longer. Add the potato cubes and cover again. Cook for a further 15 to 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the meat is falling apart. Taste and adjust seasoning as required. Serve hot with plenty of crusty bread for sopping up all the juices.
- Note - if you wish a thick gravy you can shake a tablespoon of flour in a jar with about 110ml or 1/2 cup of cold water until smooth. Stir this into the stew and bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Cook for several minutes to cook out the flavour of the flour.
Created using The Recipes Generator
I had in mind the night after to make a simple Pie for us to enjoy, using the leftover stew. Pretty basic really. It was not hard.
I made my own pastry for it, but you could use any store bought ready rolled short crust pastry you can get. Even puff pastry is pretty special.
For myself I prefer to use my Butter Lard Pastry. It is a beautiful pastry that always comes out very flaky and delicious. There is something very magical and flavourful about pastry that is made with both butter and lard. In my opinion it can't be beat!
Yield: makes 2 (9-inch) crusts
Butter Lard Pastry
This is a beautiful pastry. Flaky just right. You can add a touch of sugar to it if you are making a fruit pie.
ingredients:
- 2 cups all purpose flour (280g)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup butter (76g)
- 1/3 cup lard (or white vegetable shortening) (74g)
- 5 to 6 tablespoons of ice water
- (note: if using for a sweet pie, add 1 or 2 teaspoons of sugar.)
instructions:
- Mix flour with salt, and cut in butter and lard, until you have pieces of fat in the flour about the size of peas. Add ice water, one TBS at a time, tossing it in with a fork until pastry comes together. Form in to a ball and cut in two pieces. Form each into a round flat disc. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Created using The Recipes Generator
Of course I had not put any potatoes in my stew, and I wanted some in my pie. I always have tinned new potatoes in my store cupboard, which are perfect for things like this, or even just for making fried potatoes.
I warmed the stew gently and added a bit of boiling stock to loosen it a tiny bit. You don't need much. You just don't it to be really thick. You want it a bit juicy.
Then I stirred in the sliced potatoes, gently folding them into the stew so as not to break them up too much. After that I just poured the stew into a baking dish and topped it with my pastry. I like to get really fancy when I do a meat pie crust. I always make fancy cuts in it and in this instance I cut out some extra pieces and stuck them on top to decorate it a bit.
You can brush it with some beaten egg (1 small egg, 1 tsp water) which really glazes it up nicely. Or you can brush it with some milk. Heck, you can even just leave it alone. All are great. It just depends on how fiddly you want to be.
Then you just pop it into a hot oven (200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6) and bake until the filling is bubbling away and the pastry is crisp and golden brown. Easy peasy. Everyone is happy. Obviously for a pie for two people, you will only need half the pastry. Just wrap and freeze the other disc for another time. For a pie for more people you can use the whole recipe and just roll it out to cover your casserole dish. I served this with some coleslaw. I am not bragging, but . . . okay maybe a little bit . . . it was some tasty! And it was just leftovers. I love it when that happens! No waste here! Happy days!
We eat a lot of chicken in our house and I am always looking for new things to do with it so that it doesn't get boring. I don't think that I, personally, could ever get bored of it, but my husband sure could! (Men!) I do like to please him if I can, so I am always doing different things with it to keep him happy about eating it!
Chicken is such a versatile ingredient. You can do so much with it and it easily adapts itself to a large variety of different flavours and textures. Today Todd brought home a rotisserie chicken from Costco for us to have for our tea.
I had seen a recipe on the TABLESPOON site for Thai Chicken Salad Wraps that ticked all of my boxes and that I was very keen to try and so I decided to adapt the recipe to what I had in the house and give them a go.
I didn't have any full size tortilla wraps, so I made do with smaller ones and made them as cones. This worked really well for me. I also cut the recipe in half as there are only two of us.
The original recipe used bagged coleslaw mix. I have never seen that over here, but that is not a problem because I have never minded shredding my own. I prefer to shred by hand as grating it would make it far too fine a texture for this purpose. I did grate my carrot.
The original recipe also called for using raw chicken breasts that you poach and cube, which you could certainly easily do. I had already cooked chicken, so I skipped this step!
I love chicken salad and I love Thai flavours, so this seemed like a win/win combination for me. I also love wraps.
The dressing for this salad is really delicious. It is a creamy peanut sauce, with sesame, soy, lime and coriander flavours, along with a bit of heat from some chili flakes. It uses soft light brown sugar, but as I am a diabetic, I used Sukrin Gold brown sugar substitute which worked fine.
Its actually pretty low carb, with the wraps so I would say fairly Diabetic friendly, with plenty of crunch from the vegetables and some from the peanuts, which (although high in fat) are a great source of additional protein.
They were really, really good, although if I make them again (and I really think I will as they are fabulously tasty) I will cut down a bit on the sauce/dressing as it was a bit too much for our liking. Overall however, I would call this a winner/winner chicken dinner!
*Thai Chicken Salad Roll Ups*
Serves 4
These tasty roll ups make a change from the usual chicken salad sandwich! Quick and easy to make as well as being delicious!
375g shredded cooked chicken (3 cups)
150g hand shredded cabbage (I use a mix of white and red) (1 1/2 cups)
1 small carrot, peeled and shredded
3 spring onions, thinly sliced
3 TBS chopped fresh coriander leaf (cilantro)
3 TBS coarsely chopped dry roasted peanuts
3 TBS creamy smooth peanut butter
3 TBS soy sauce
3 TBS lime juice
3 TBS soft light brown sugar (I use a brown sugar substitute)
3 TBS light sesame oil
1 1/2 tsp minced fresh garlic
pinch hot pepper flakes
salt and black pepper to taste
lettuce leaves ( I like baby cos)
8 (6-inch) flour tortillas
Place the chicken in a large bowl. Add the cabbage,
carrot, spring onions, coriander leaf and chopped peanuts. Whisk
together the peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, sesame
oil, garlic, hot pepper flakes and salt and pepper to taste, until
smooth. Pour over the chicken and vegetables and toss to coat
completely.
These are so delicious and very easy to throw together. I just loved them and I think you will too!! Bon Appetit!
I think it was the other week that I heard on the television that people who consume a diet which largely consists of highly processed foods do not live as long as people who don't. This makes sense in many ways. When I was a child we only ever rarely ate processed food, unless you counted processed cheese slices. I went many years considering cheese slices to be, well . . . "Cheese!" Once a year my mother would buy a brick of Cracker Barrel cheese, for Christmas . . . as a treat. Other than that our diet consisted basically of simple food, cooked simply, and from scratch. Anything which might have been processed such as a frozen pot pie was a rarity and considered to be a treat.
Food was pretty basic and seasonal for the most part. We had fresh carrots and turnips, potatoes, cabbage and tinned peas and beans . . . and once in a blue moon tinned corn. In the summer months we would have corn on the cob during corn season and we would fill up on that, and there was always plenty of sliced fresh tomatoes and cucumbers.
Meat was also pretty simple. Once a year our parents would purchase a hind of beef and that was our red meat. Chicken was a very occasional treat, and maybe pork chops every now and then. At Thanksgiving and Christmas we would have a turkey. New Years and Easter brought a ham. Sundays we always had a roast of some kind . . . pork, or beef for the most part. The pork was always cooked the day before and served cold, sliced into very thin slices and there would be mustard on the table to have with it. Sometimes we had pork sausages, which we enjoyed with dollops of mayonnaise, something which I still enjoy to this day. Occasionally we would have fish, but it was not battered fish, or fish fingers . . . my mother would buy a block of Captain Highliners Frozen Fish and it would be cut into portions to feed the family. In the summer we sometimes had tinned salmon served cold on a plate with perhaps some potato salad and coleslaw. Always homemade. Mushrooms came in cans, and my mother made her own soups.
Dessert was a rare treat, served for special occasions, like birthdays or holidays meals. On Fridays we always had hot dogs for supper, I know processed . . . but they would be followed by a dish of ice cream and sometimes we were allowed to spoon jam over top of the ice cream.
We were not allowed to fill up on things like cookies or cakes . . . occasionally my mom would bake an apple pie or a lemon meringue or coconut cream. Sometimes she would buy cake donuts which she would reheat in a paper bag in a low oven. They were delicious, but again a rare treat.
Everything was pretty basic. My father didn't like strange food, or exotic flavours. He liked his food seasoned simply, with salt and with pepper. The only time we ate out in restaurants was when we were moving house.
We picked wild blueberries in the summer and strawberries, which my mother froze to make into pies and such in the winter or strawberry jam. We hardly ever had store bought jam. We had bananas and apples to eat, but otherwise we had mostly tinned fruit. Potato chips were a Saturday night treat, something to eat while Hockey Night in Canada was on. We each got a tiny fruit nappy sized bowl with some chips in it. At Christmas there would be treats like my mother's homemade War Cake and Date Squares, maybe some gumdrop cake, some homemade fudge, a bit of hard candy and barley sugar toys. At Easter we got spoiled with chocolate rabbits and marshmallow eggs. We didn't have soda pop or even cool-aid to drink really, except as an occasional rare treat. We had water and were allowed a glass of milk with our meals and a glass of juice with our breakfast and milk on our cereal. None of us were overweight, and I don't think we ever really felt deprived. At least I didn't.
We in the Western world are really spoilt for choice when it comes to food. I don't think many of us are what you would call starving and very few of us know what it is like to go well and truly hungry. If we want strawberries in December, we can get them. We have access to some of the most exotic produce from around the world 365 days a year. Eating seasonally is almost a thing of the past, and we are fatter than ever. A lot of families rely on processed foods or takeaways. With both parents working, time is of the essence and nobody really wants to spend hours in the kitchen cooking a meal after working hard all day. Most people just want to relax and quite rightly so. But it's killing us.
Some families rely on box meal plans like Hello Fresh or Gusto where all the pre-packed/planned recipes/ingredients are delivered to your home ready for you to cook up healthy meals quickly and tastily. They are not a bad thing and for the most part pretty healthy, but they come at a premium price.
I will be honest. I don't know how family's manage these days. Good, healthy food, is expensive and becoming more so all the time. It should really be the other way around. Junk food should be expensive and healthy food should be affordable.
I've been really thinking a lot about how we can eat healthier in this house lately. I am a diabetic and I need to watch my carb count and my sugars. Sugar just doesn't come as something white and powdered that you sprinkle on your cereal and bake into your cakes. It is hidden in just about everything, truth be told, and especially in processed foods. They are high in salt, fats and sugars. Low fat goodies are also not so good for you. When they take the fat out of things, they put the flavour back in somehow . . . and it usually comes in the form of sugars.
I baked some really nice little muffins the other morning. They were delicious and had no fat, refined sugars or even flour in them. They were the exception to the rule. I also baked a cake this weekend. I got the recipe from Sugar Free Londoner for a low carb, sugar free, gluten free almond cake. It looked really good, and as you can see from the photograph, even the one I baked looked really good . . .
It cut like a cake . . . as you can see . . . but that is where any resemblance to a real cake ended. It was blah. Blah. Blah. Seriously BLAH! Even Todd, who is my biggest fan ever and thinks I walk on water when it comes to cooking, even he said it was blah. I can't even begin to describe it. The consistency was like a thick almond omelet.
I tried dusting it with some sugar free icing sugar, and serving it with some sliced pears and a dollop of yogurt . . . there is no redeeming it in my opinion. This was totally disappointing. I was expecting cake. I did not get it. I guess the lesson here is clear. Cake is cake. This is not cake, no matter how much you try to dress it up as a cake. More's the pity. And it used a crap load of ground almonds, which aren't cheap and 5 large eggs. (No wonder it tasted like a stodgy almond omelet.)
I think from now on if I want to eat a cake, I will bake and eat a proper cake. No more monkeying around. No more playing around with impostors. I am not ready to give up cake altogether. I like cake. A cup of tea and a slice of cake is one of life's little pleasures.
Now I am wondering about bread. I had clipped some recipes on keto type of breads and even went so far as to buy almond and coconut flours . . . but after this cake experience . . . I am thinking that I am only going to get more of the same eggy omelet things, but in a different shape, something masquerading as bread, but not really bread at all.
Oh, and further in my quest towards healthy eating I recently purchased some turkey sausages the other day. HUGE disappointment. They were pasty and flavourless . . . we did not like them at all. And they were in beef casings. What's up with that? Read the fine print people. You are not always getting what you think you are getting. So for now at least . . . its back to the drawing board.
Perhaps if we just eat plain and simple, REAL food with the occasional treat we would be a lot better off and healthier. People who were living on rationing during WW2 and afterwards were some of the healthiest people ever, despite school dinners. Just my two cents worth. What do you think?? I really want to know.
Are you looking for quick and easy meals to feed your family? We all lead very busy lives. All too often the temptation is there to want to pick up a ready meal or a takeaway.
Having to prepare something fresh and delicious for our families every day can also sometimes seem a bit of a chore. Maybe you find yourself in a bit of a mealtime rut, cooking the same things day in and day out.
Today I am sharing some weeknight dinners that are not only delicious, but quick and easy to make as well. They are also very family friendly and budget friendly.
Some tasty ideas and recipes that are sure to add a bit excitement and interest to your family dinner table, because, lets face it, we all can use a bit of help every now and then!
CHICKEN
Like as not, I often turn to chicken for my choice of protein. Its much healthier than red meats and is so adaptable to a wide variety of recipes and flavors. Here are some of my favorites.
SIMPLE LEMON & HERB CHICKEN - Chicken thighs flavored with lemon and herbs, baked on a baking sheet with potato wedges and asparagus. It doesn't get much easier or tastier, and if you line the baking sheet with aluminum foil, clean-up is minimal! A salad on the side goes wonderfully. The recipe is for two, but can easily be doubled or tripled.
LEMONY CHICKEN AND RICE -This is a smaller batch slow cooker recipe for two, but can easily be doubled to feed more and cooked in a larger crockpot. Tender lemony chicken with lemon, oregano, feta cheese, spinach and cream. What's not to like? The fact that there is only one pot to clean up afterwards is also a huge bonus!
BUTTERMILK CHICKEN - This chicken always turns out delicious and tender with very little effort. It is a real family favorite. Chicken breasts are rolled in flour and dipped in buttermilk before placing in a baking dish. A mix of soup and buttermilk is poured over top and then the whole lot is baked to juicy tender perfection. All you need on the side is some potatoes or rice and a vegetable. Deliciously simple!
CRISPY SHEET PAN CHICKEN & POTATOES - Everything for this delicious chicken dinner cooks on one sheet pan. Crispy coated chicken breasts, green beans, tomatoes and beautifully gilded potatoes. I like to sprinkle some parmesan on top of the finished dish and serve each serving with a wedge of lemon for squeezing.
GROUND BEEF
Ground beef has always been a family favorite. Economical and versatile, it goes together in an abundant of taste tempting and delicious ways that are usually very simple and easy to throw together.
SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE - This is a basic recipe for a from scratch sauce that can be a jumping off point for any number of other recipes. I always used to make a huge pot of this and then freeze it in smaller amounts ready to thaw out and use for a quick dish of Italian style spaghetti, or for in a lasagna.
MOCK LASAGNE CASSEROLE - This is one of those dishes you can use some of that Bolognese sauce for. Macaroni, Bolognese sauce, layered together with ricotta and some other cheeses. Bang it into the oven for half hour and then sit back and enjoy all the pats on the back you are going to get! Again, a nice salad and some crusty bread and Bob's your Uncle. Dinner is served!
KOREAN BEEF - This simple stir fry of ground beef and seasonings is something we all enjoy. Slightly spicy, a bit sticky, Quick, economical and delicious, we like to enjoy it with some boiled or steamed rice. Its fabulously tasty! Everyone loves this.
HAMBURGER GRAVY - This is an old family standby that may not be the most attractive pencil in the box but it is one of the tastiest! Meant to be ladled over some mashed potatoes and rice, my children always enjoyed this with corn on the side.
BBQ BACON CHEESEBURGER SKILLET MACARONI - I never have any leftovers when I make this delicious skillet meal. Ground beef, minced onions, bacon, BBQ Sauce, tomato soup, cheese . . . all together this is one very tasty combination. I used to make this all the time for the missionaries as well and they practically licked their plates clean!
PORK
Like as not, pork is one of the most economical proteins out there today. Sausage, chops, roasts, etc. Today's pork is also quite lean which is why they call it the other white meat I guess!
PORK STEAK WITH MUSHROOM GRAVY - Here you can buy pork minute steaks. Pieces of pork that have been tenderized. They are flash fried along with some mushrooms and then a tasty gravy is made to ladle over top. Pop a few jacket potatoes into the microwave and pop on a frozen or tinned vegetable and a quick, easy and delicious dinner is served!
SHEET PAN PORK TENDERLOIN - Pieces of pork tenderloin are sprinkled with herbs and roasted on a sheet pan together with some sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts. While roasting you can quickly make some mashed potatoes. If you are lucky enough to live in the UK you can buy frozen mashed potato pellets which are incredibly handy to have at the ready in the freezer. Any kind of potato goes well. If you wanted to you could throw in some oven chips at the same time as everything else.
SAUSAGE & VEGETABLE SKILLET DINNER - Everything for this easy dinner cooks all in one skillet. Cabbage, potatoes, carrots, thick and meaty banger sausages. Delicious served with some grainy mustard on the side.
BRAISED SAUSAGES WITH APPLE GRAVY - You are going to fall absolutely in love with this delicious apple and bacon pan gravy. Its so tasty that you might even want to double up on it. Meaty succulent sausages, with this delicious gravy, served with some mashed potatoes and a vegetable. This might well be destined to become one of your family favorites!
MAPLE GLAZED PORK CHOPS - Quick and easy these tasty chops are flash fried in a skillet along with some mushrooms. You begin by rub curing the chops with a tasty brown sugar rub. They are then fried and glazed with a simple chicken stock and maple syrup glaze. Can you say delicious?
FISH
THE ULTIMATE FISH FINGER SANDWICH - Children love fingers and so do I. This fish finger sandwich (fish sticks) is sure to be enjoyed with buttery toasted buns, a layer of guacamole (leave out for the fussy ones), a spicy cabbage and carrot coleslaw and cheese!
PISTACHIO & LEMON DUSTED TILAPIA - A very affordable fish, lightly dusted with crushed pistachio nuts and grated lemon zest. Pan fried very simply in butter and served with lemon for squeezing. It goes together very quickly. Enjoy it with some peas and sweet and white potato wedges!
NOVA SCOTIA FISH CHOWDER - People love this chowder. I learned how to make it from my mother in law and have been making it for many, many years. Filled with lots of beautiful haddock, melt in the mouth potatoes, bacon, onions and a rich milky broth. Serve with crackers or bread.
VEGETARIAN
HEARTY VEGETARIAN CHILI - Nicely spiced, thick and luxurious with plenty of vegetables and flavor. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, some guacamole and tortilla chips. Yummy!
MACARONI PEAS - Beautiful to look at with a brilliant green color. With plenty of sweet English Peas, butter, garlic and Parmesan Cheese.
VEGETARIAN PAELLA - A tasty mix of nicely spiced rice, and an abundance of vegetables. Topped with toasted flaked almonds, this is great for when the gardens really get going and the farm stands are filled with an abundance of fresh local vegetables!
OTHER OPTIONS
Of course there are a lot of other options that make for a quick and easy weeknight dinner. Grilled Cheese and soup. Pizzas. Eggs. Breakfast for supper is an option my family always enjoyed!
BREAD AND CHEESE OMELET - This is quite simply one of my favorite suppers. Bread cubes are fried until toasty brown in some butter. Wipe the skillet out, add some beaten eggs for a simple omelet, fill with the butter browned bread cubes and some cheese, along with some spring onions for a real supper time treat!
CRISPY TORTILLA EGGS - I love these eggs so much that I once made them three times in one week. Of course you can enjoy them for a different kind of a breakfast, but they also make fabulously quick suppers. With crisp butter browned tortillas, fried eggs, and cheese. I like to scatter some spring onions over top and drizzle with green Tabasco sauce and sriracha sauce. Yummy Yummy!
GRILLED CHEESE DOGS - Why settle for a grilled cheese sandwich when you can have a Grilled Cheese Dog instead!! Weiners are split and folded open like a book before grilling and topping with cheese. Once the cheese melts, tuck into toasted soft sided buns and serve with your favorite hot dog toppings and some oven chips on the side, or yes, even a cup of tomato soup!!
BAKED CHILI CHEESE DOGS - Hot dogs and cheese are wrapped in croissant/biscuit dough and then baked on top of a dish of canned chili con carne for a quick easy and delicious meal that everyone loves. Convenient and very tasty. All you need on the side is a salad. I like to brush some melted butter on top and sprinkle with some herbs and cheese before baking. Coleslaw is particularly good with this.
And there you have it, a wide variety of tasty dishes to choose from. A bit more inspiring than a takeaway, easy and simple to make. Quick. Delicious. Much more satisfying than just opening a tin or taking a frozen dinner from the freezer!
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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