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Showing posts sorted by relevance for query lamb. Sort by date Show all posts
This Pasta with Chicken Broth, Butter & Cheese that I am sharing with you today is a beautiful example of simple and uncomplicated foods. Food done well and put together in a most delicious way.
These are my favourie kinds of recipes. I just love them. Its how I like to cook most of the time. I am so done with complications in my life, let alone in my food.
There are several things that I always keep in my larder. One of them is a variety of pasta shapes, from the always popular spaghetti right on down to rice shaped orzo.
I love pasta, and would eat it in any way shape or form. My husband, however . . . is not so sure! More for me!
He does always eat whatever I put in front of him. He is a fan of pinching the pennies, and so he didn't complain overly much when I served him this.
Plus there was still some Baby Sticky Toffee Pudding Cakes, leftover from the other day for afters. Who can complain about that!
Another thing I always keep in my store cupboard is a variety of stock cubes and gel pots. Chicken, vegetable, beef, ham, lamb, etc.
Stock and pasta are the basis of this very simple and yet delicious dish in which pasta is quite simply cooked in a quantity of stock . . . It doesn't get much easier than this.
Cooking the pasta in the stock infuses it with lots of flavour. The starch from the pasta actually serves to thicken the stock somewhat into a sauce,
A miracle of chemistry.
The knob of butter added at the end doesn't hurt either . . . . just sayin' You will hear no complaints from me.
Butter, pasta, cheese . . . all weaknesses.
This is one dish where you want to cook the pasta at a slow simmer. To boil it in the stock would mean that too much of the stock would evaporate.
You want to keep as much of the stock in the pot as possible for that sauce. A low simmer does the trick perfectly.
As you can see, I had plenty of stock left to ladle over the cooked pasta for the sauce. You don't want it to be overly soupy, but neither do you want it to be dry.
I used a very small elbow macaroni for this today, but any small pasta shape works well. Ditali, orzo, any small pasta shape.
You want ideally one that will cook in less then 10 minutes. So make sure you check the package for a cook time.
If you use a good stock you shouldn't need any seasoning, other than coarse black pepper. The stock should be salty enough.
Do make sure you use a quality stock however. Most of the flavour of the dish will becoming from that.
Me, I always like a good grinding of black pepper on everything. My father is the same. He loves a good lot of pepper on everything.
So much so that I am often aghast at just how much he uses and I wonder at how he can taste anything beyond pepper!
Garnished with some freshly grated Parmesan Cheese and a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley this was a real treat for me.
Comfort in a bowl . . . it doesn't get much better than this. Some hot buttered toast on the side goes very well.
Yield: 2
Pasta with Chicken Broth, Butter & Cheese
This is essentially comfort food. Quick to make and very simple. We enjoy it with slices of hot buttered toast.
ingredients:
- 950ml chicken broth (4 cups)
- 230g small pasta shapes (small macaroni, small shells, orzo, ditali, stilleti, etc.) (2 cups)
- 30g butter (1/4 cup)
- 50g finely grated Parmesan Cheese (1/4 cup)
- coarse pepper
- chopped fresh parsley or basil
instructions:
How to cook Pasta with Chicken Broth, Butter & Cheese
- Put the chicken stock into a large heavy based saucepan. Bring to the boil and then stir in the pasta. Reduce immediately to a low simmer. Cook as per pasta package instructions, stirring frequently to prevent it from sticking. Don't be tempted to boil it as you will most definitely run out of stock. This is meant to be cooked at a very slow simmer. Once the pasta is cooked, remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Grind some pepper into the pot and stir.
- Using a slotted spoon, scoop out the pasta to two heated bowls. Ladle any stock left in the saucepan over each, dividing it equally. Sprinkle each with half the cheese and a spoonful of chopped herbs. Serve immediately.
It is the simple meals like this that I enjoy most of all. I have never made it for any more than two people, but if I was going to do so, I would cook it in separate pots. This really is a delicious doddle!
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!
*Perfect Deviled Eggs*
Makes 12 servings
Makes 12 servings
Printable Recipe
I
wish I had a pound for every one of these I have cooked in my
lifetime. I'd be sitting real pretty on a huge pile of dosh right now!
These are excellent. Always the first things to disappear on the
buffet table.
Tips for Creating Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs:
1. Older eggs are a lot easier to peel than newer eggs. I always use eggs that at least one week old, if not older. If you have eggs that are close to their expiration date, so much the better. It's true!
2. Boiled Eggs, should actually NEVER be boiled! Keeping them at a steady simmer is much better. Boiling toughens the yolk. Also, never add salt to the water. I do add a tiny bit of vinegar, which helps them to peel easier.
3. Always bring your eggs to room temperature before boiling. They are less likely to crack if you do this.
4. Don't stack your eggs in the pot. Have them laid out in one layer. If you have too many eggs to do this with, you need a larger pot! You only need about 1 inch of water over the top of the eggs. More than that and it takes too long to boil. Less than that and your eggs won't stay covered.
5. As soon as your water comes to the boil, remove your pot from the heat, pop a lid on and let them set in the boiling water for (17 minutes) large eggs, (20 minutes) jumbo eggs. At the end of that time, drain and then run cold water over them until they are cooled down. Let them sit in cold water for about 10 minutes and then drain. For ease of peeling roll them around and allow the shells to crack while they are still in the water. Let sit for a few minutes.
For ease in peeling these things help alot . . . using older eggs, beginning at the large end of the egg, peeling under running cold water. I usually tap the large end on the counter until it cracks, then give the egg a gentle roll all over before peeling them under a slow running tap. You will get perfect results almost 100% of the time.
And now for a giggle. Here's a few things I baked over the past few days for Easter that never made the cut for the blog for aesthetic reasons. In other words, they didn't photograph well.
This is my Easter Lamb Cake. I had always wanted to do an Easter Lamb Cake, but did not have the proper pan. I decided to use a Scottie Dog Shortbread tin, which kinda worked, lol. But I laughed and laughed when I saw it done. Here is the recipe I used for the cake itself, which is a excellent recipe.
*Kentucky Butter Cake*
Makes 12 servings
The other cake I baked was this Easter Basket Cake, which was a recipe I have had in my Big Blue Binder. It was clipped from a magazine and was supposed to be in aid of Sunmaid Raisins and Pet Evaporated Milk. It's a lovely cake. For some odd reason however, this time my cake stuck to the sides of my pan. You win some and you lose some! Its a cake I made quite frequently when my children were growing up.
*Easter Basket Cake*
Makes 15 servingsI don't think I will ever be able to find work as a Cake Decorator, lol. Happy Easter!
New Potato Colcannon. This is a delicious colcannon recipe I wanted to share with you before Saint Patricks' Day on the 17th of March. There is something pretty wonderful that happens when you combine cabbage and potatoes and Ireland.
Its called Colcannon! And its very Irish. This is a slightly healthier version of the original. Created to be low GI and very diabetic friendly.
During the 17th and 18th century in Europe and Ireland, cabbages, potatoes and leeks were considered to be the basic foods of the common serf, man. In other words, most people. Only the very wealthy could afford to eat fancier foods.
Colcannon is the inevitable result of mankind's ability to make lemonade out of lemons. And it is a most delicious way to present these three simple ingredients. This dish however uses milder spring onions rather than the much stronger flavored leek.
A first reference to Colcannon in Irish History was found in the 1735 diary entry of William Bulkely, a traveler from Wales who was introduced to the dish on a Halloween night in Dublin:
“Dined at Cos. Wm. Parry, and also supped there upon a shoulder of mutton roasted and what they call there Coel Callen, which is cabbage boiled, potatoes and parsnips, all this mixed together. They eat well enough, and is a Dish always had in this Kingdom on this night.”
The word colcannon is derived from the Gaelic term “cal ceannann” which means white-headed cabbage. Although generally speaking these days the dish is made from either Kale or the darker green savoy cabbage!
Humble ingredients put together in a most delicious way, this is considered haute cuisine in many multiple Michelin star restaurants. In short this is a beautiful side dish well deserving to be served on any table!
This version I am sharing today boasts the addition of some smoky and salty pancetta. Oh, I just adore bacon and pancetta. Both go so very well with cabbages and potatoes of any kind, hence the addition of pancetta to this dish only makes sense.
New potatoes are considered to be low GI. In order to be considered low GI, a food must have a glucose index score of less than 55. These carbohydrates take longer to break down than their higher GI counterparts, which means that they cause a persons sugar levels to raise much more slowly, which is good news when it comes to controlling your diet as a diabetic.
I love it when the side dish becomes the star of the meal. I am a vegetable lover after all, and could be quite happy if I never ate meat again.
Well, I tell, a bit of a lie there because I would miss a good steak every now and again, and I do kind of like roast chicken and turkey. And a really well done Prime Rib Roast is a magnificent thing to behold and to eat!
Okay . . . I guess it's settled. I just like to eat. But I do have my favorite things and vegetables are one of them!
This Crushed New Potato Colcannon is a delightful side dish! Chock full of lovely savoy cabbage and new potatoes. It is also a perfect side dish to enjoy on Saint Patrick's Day.
I have also used spring onions, which have a nice mild onion flavor, not too harsh. It goes really well with the cabbage.
Savoy cabbage is quite a mild flavored cabbage. If you were to use leeks, or even regular onions, you run the risk of them overpowering the dish.
This is a case where you want to be able to taste the cabbage. Another reason I chose savoy is because it is has such a pretty green color and Saint Patrick's Day is all about the green!
This is a side dish that goes together really quickly once you have the individual elements of it ready to go. I sautéed the prosciutto first in a skillet, reserving the drippings for the finish.
The cabbage itself, was lightly steamed, so as to help preserve that rich green color. The potatoes were boiled in lightly salted water, just until they were fork tender.
You could actually do all of these things earlier in the day or the night before so that when the time came, you could quickly and easily just throw the dish together.
Spring onions/scallions are cooked in the pan drippings, just long enough to wilt them without browning. Once you've done that you quickly add the potatoes to the pan, heating them through and crushing them a bit in the process.
Then you add the cabbage and prosciutto, gently tossing everything together and heating both as well. A knob of butter is optionally thrown in at the end to add a bit of richness, but I can tell you, this beautiful side dish is every bit as delicious without it. ''
This was served simply with some grilled bangers/sausages, steamed carrots and a spoonful of grainy Dijon mustard. It would also go well with grilled pork or lamb chops, or even grilled chicken.
In fact, this is pretty tasty all on its own. Not to confess or anything, but I could be quite happy with just a plate of this and nothing else!!
Crushed New Potato Colcannon
Yield: 4
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 35 Min
A healthier version of an old Irish favorite. Its delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 pounds (600g) new potatoes, unpeeled, washed well and cut in half
- 3/4 pound (400g) savoy cabbage, washed, trimmed and coarsely shredded
- 2 tsp sunflower oil
- 4 rashers prosciutto, cut into 1/2 inch slices
- 6 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced (scallions)
- 2 TBS (25g) butter, cubed (optional)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the prosciutto into a large skillet, along with the oil. Cook, until crisp. Scoop out and drain on paper towels.
- Set the skillet aside for now and reserve the pan drippings.
- Put the potatoes into a saucepan of lightly salted water. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 18 to 20 minutes until tender. Drain well.
- Cook the cabbage in boiling water for about 3 minutes, until just tender. Drain well, run under cold water and drain again.
- Reheat the drippings in the skillet. Add the spring onions to the skillet and soften without coloring.
- Add the cabbage and heat through. Drop in the potatoes and lightly crush.
- Stir through the prosciutto and season to taste. If you are using butter, stir it in now.
- Serve hot.
Thank you for visiting! Do come again!
I had a medical appointment today about an hours away from where I live. You know how those go. Your appointment is at a certain time. They want you to be there early to register and then you often sit waiting for quite a while after your appointment time before you even get in.
I knew that by the time I got home I would be really tired and I wouldn't feel a lot like cooking. I also knew however that I would be hungry and so I decided to make myself something quick and easy for my supper today.
I spied this recipe for Cheesy Ranch Chicken & Bacon Foil packs on the Kitchn the other day. They looked really simple and tasty to do.
I love foil pack cooking. These little foil pack dinners are really easy to make and cook very quickly. They are also very convenient. You can make them up ahead of time and just throw them in the oven or on the grill when you want to cook them.
I thought that it would make the perfect dinner for today when I knew time was short and my energy would be flagging. I actually put them together this morning before I left and stuck them in the refrigerator, ready to throw into the oven for my supper tonight.
I did take them out about half an hour before I cooked them in order to bring them to room temperature. Here you have a delicious mix of sweet and white potatoes, along with broccoli, topped with chicken, cheese and bacon, with the flavors of ranch dressing running through out.
Here in North America Dry Ranch Salad dressing is quite available. You can buy it in most grocery stores and online. I know that is not the case in some other countries. You can easily make your own however.
You will need 1 cup (140g) buttermilk powder, 4 tablespoons dried parsley, 2 tablespoons garlic salt , 2 tablespoons onion powder, 4 teaspoons dried chives, 2 teaspoons dried dill weed, 3 teaspoons salt, and 2 teaspoons pepper.
Just mix it all together in a food processor or spice grinder, give it a quick blitz, and Bob's your uncle. Dry Ranch Dressing Mix. Keep it stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container ready to use when you need some. It comes in very handy. It will keep for about six months.
I know that buttermilk powder can also be hard to come by and I have a confession, when I lived in the UK I used dry milk powder. It wasn't quite as tangy, but it still worked well.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CHEESY RANCH CHICKEN & BACON FOIL PACKETS
Quantities are for two basic servings You could multiply to feed more if you wish. It is very easily done.
- 1 medium baking potato, peeled and cut into six chunks
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into six chinks
- 1 small broccoli crown, trimmed and broken into florets
- 2 smallish boneless, skinless chicken breast portions
- 1 TBS dry ranch dressing powder, divided
- 1/2 TBS canola oil
- 1/2 cup (60g) grated cheddar cheese, divided
- 3 rashers crisp cooked bacon, crumbled
Each one of my potatoes was about the size of my fist. I have a smallish hand so not overly large. My broccoli crown was also on the small size, I guess I got about 1 cup of florets from it, so 1/2 cup for each packet.
If you don't like broccoli you can use any other vegetable that you do like. Cut green beans, cauliflower, sliced carrots, halved brussels sprouts, etc. Just bear in mind that they need to cook in the specified time.
HOW TO MAKE CHEESY RANCH CHICKEN & BACON FOIL PACKS
Nothing could be easier. The hardest part is folding the foil over the chicken and vegetables, but if you cut your foil large enough, this is a real doddle too.
Preheat your outdoor grill to medium high. Alternately preheat your oven to 425*F/230*C/ gas mark 6.
Tear four strips of aluminum foil measuring 8 inches wide. Stack them one on top of the other, making two piles.
Place both potatoes and the broccoli in a bowl. Toss together with 1/2 of the ranch dressing mix and the oil. Divide the mixture evenly between the foil stacks, leaving a nice border around the edges.
Top each pile of vegetables with 1 of the chicken breasts. Season the chicken with the other 1/2 TBS of ranch dressing mix. Top with half of the cheese and half of the bacon.
Pull the foil up over the chicken and vegetables to meet in the centre. Pleat closed. Crimp the foil at both ends to completely contain the chicken. Place both foil packets onto a baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven or on the grill for 20 to 25 minutes, at which time the vegetables should be cooked and tender, the chicken juices should run clear and the cheese will have melted.
Take great care when opening as the steam from these is very hot.
You could round out the meal with some garlic bread which could be thrown in the oven along side of the foil packets, or a packaged salad or coleslaw. Today I could be bothered with anything as I was just that tired from all the running around.
It was also garbage day and I had to get all my garbage ready to put out by the road for tomorrow. Days like that I wish I did have a man around to do that chore for me. I know, that is sexist. Like garbage is a man job. lol
To my way of thinking, it is, but alas, I have to do what I have to do! There are worse things to suffer through! 😏
I have always been a huge fan of foil cooking. Especially in the summer months when we can just throw the packs on the grill. If you are too, you may enjoy the following:
GRILLED CHICKEN FOIL PACKS - I give you three different versions here for ways to make chicken foil pack dinners. There is a Sweet and Sour Chicken pack, a Hunter's Chicken and Potato pack and a Honey Mustard Chicken pack. All are equally delicious!
You can cook anything in a foil pack like this. Salmon fillets are nice. Pork, lamb, beef. You can really use your imagination and put them together very easily. If you have children you can let them put together their own. Children love to think they are cooking! These really are great for camping or cookouts!
Yield: 2
Cheesy Ranch Chicken & Bacon Foil Packs
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 35 Min
Quick, easy and delicious. No fuss, no muss and very little to clean up. You can cook this easy dinner for two in the oven or on the grill.
Ingredients
- 1 medium baking potato, peeled and cut into six chunks
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into six chinks
- 1 small broccoli crown, trimmed and broken into florets
- 2 smallish boneless, skinless chicken breast portions
- 1 TBS dry ranch dressing powder, divided
- 1/2 TBS canola oil
- 1/2 cup (60g) grated cheddar cheese, divided
- 3 rashers crisp cooked bacon, crumbled
Instructions
- Preheat your outdoor grill to medium high. Alternately preheat your oven to 425*F/230*C/ gas mark 6.
- Tear four strips of aluminum foil measuring 8 inches wide. Stack them one on top of the other, making two piles.
- Place both potatoes and the broccoli in a bowl. Toss together with 1/2 of the ranch dressing mix and the oil. Divide the mixture evenly between the foil stacks, leaving a nice border around the edges.
- Top each pile of vegetables with 1 of the chicken breasts. Season the chicken with the other 1/2 TBS of ranch dressing mix. Top with half of the cheese and half of the bacon.
- Pull the foil up over the chicken and vegetables to meet in the centre. Pleat closed. Crimp the foil at both ends to completely contain the chicken. Place both foil packets onto a baking sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven or on the grill for 20 to 25 minutes, at which time the vegetables should be cooked and tender, the chicken juices should run clear and the cheese will have melted.
- Be extremely careful when opening the packets due to steam escaping. Serve hot.
Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again!
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