Showing posts sorted by date for query sandwich. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query sandwich. Sort by relevance Show all posts
I think I am probably a combination of a really cheap date and a pain in the arse when it comes to dining out.
I either always opt for the fish and chips (providing I know the providence of the fish and exactly what kind of fish it is.), or I go for the chicken strips. (Again, only if I know that they are totally made from actual strips of chicken breast, not chewed up chicken reconstituted into whole strips.)
I know. Picky me. I have had far too many poorly cooked steaks to want to risk good money chasing after one of those.
More and more however, I am finding that if I really want a delicious meal that is affordable, I will stick to home. You just can't beat good home-cooking.
And I can't afford to eat in fancy restaurants that give you good, cooked from scratch food.
Truth be told, most restaurants today bring in their food frozen and all they are doing is re-heating it.
I can do that at home, thank you very much, and at a fraction of the cost!
These chicken strips I am sharing today are really, really good. Nicely flavoured and spiced and made from real whole chicken breast which has been sliced into strips.
Its always a bit of a faff when you are breading things. There is no getting around it, but I find that if I do it in steps, then things run rather smoothly.
Usually I will cut and bread the chicken earlier in the day, laying it on a plate and putting it in the refrigerator to chill until I am ready to cook it.
This saves me from being rushed at the last minute, at the end of the day, when I am usually really tired.
It also means that the breading has had a nice long time to set up and so it really sticks to the chicken when I go to fry it. Win/win in my books, but you do whatever you find easiest!
On this particular day I decided to whisk together mustard and honey for a dipping sauce. I love honey mustard, and this turned out really nice.
I used French's American style mustard and plain old liquid clover honey.
It was just runny enough to make a lovely dip, and yet not too runny if you know what I mean.
If you want a milder mustard flavour, and a less runny dip, you can whisk in either some mayonnaise or some sour cream, or both.
We were happy with it just as it was. Todd always says that American mustard isn't really mustard. He likes British mustard, which is really, really hot, not mild like American style.
Funny story. When we were first married, I used to make him a bag lunch to take to work each day. I would often put mustard on his ham sandwiches if that was the kind of sandwich I was making, and I used to really smear the mustard onto them, like I would have done back home.
He was so polite, he never said a word. It wasn't until I did it for myself one day that I realised just hot hot it was! Poor Todd. He must have had his head blown off every time!
In any case, this is a really lovely dip for the chicken. Not too spicy and with a tangy sweetness.
It goes really well with the peppery bite of the chicken. YUMMY! We love these.
Yield: 4
Chicken Strips with Honey Mustard Dip
prep time: 25 minscook time: 25 minstotal time: 50 mins
Spicy chicken strips served with a delicious honey mustard dipping sauce.
ingredients:
For the chicken:
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts1 cup plain flour
1 tsp sea salt, rubbed in your fingers until fine
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 large free range eggs
1 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs (if you can't find these, use plain dry
bread crumbs to which you have added some garlic powder, dried parsley
flakes, dried basil and dried oregano)
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan Cheese
unsalted butter
good olive oil
For the sauce:
60ml prepared mustard (1/4 cup)
(I used French's American style mustard)
3 TBS liquid honey
instructions:
Put the chicken breasts on a cutting board and cut through each, diagonally, into four or five large strips.
Take three shallow bowls. In the first one combine the flour, salt and
pepper. In the second one beat the eggs together with 1 TBS water. In
the third one combine the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese. Take
your chicken pieces and, working with one at a time, dredge them into
the flour mixture, then into the beaten egg and then finally roll them
in the breadcrumb mixture to coat. Place them on a plate without
touching until they are all coated. (Your fingers will get all clumped
up with doughy squidge, but that’s OK. Fingers are easily cleaned off!)
Let them sit for about 15 minutes.
Heat 1 TBS of butter along with 1 TBS of olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. When the butter is foaming, turn the heat down to medium low, and cook the chicken
strips in the hot fat for about 3 minutes on each side, just until they
are cooked through. Don’t crowd the pan or they will steam instead of
fry. Add more butter and oil and cook the rest. Serve warm with the
dipping sauce.
While the chicken strips are cooking, whisk together the mustard and liquid honey for the dip.
Easy Peasy.
Take three shallow bowls. In the first one combine the flour, salt and
pepper. In the second one beat the eggs together with 1 TBS water. In
the third one combine the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese. Take
your chicken pieces and, working with one at a time, dredge them into
the flour mixture, then into the beaten egg and then finally roll them
in the breadcrumb mixture to coat. Place them on a plate without
touching until they are all coated. (Your fingers will get all clumped
up with doughy squidge, but that’s OK. Fingers are easily cleaned off!)
Let them sit for about 15 minutes.
Heat 1 TBS of butter along with 1 TBS of olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. When the butter is foaming, turn the heat down to medium low, and cook the chicken
strips in the hot fat for about 3 minutes on each side, just until they
are cooked through. Don’t crowd the pan or they will steam instead of
fry. Add more butter and oil and cook the rest. Serve warm with the
dipping sauce.
Easy Peasy.
Created using The Recipes Generator
These are great for game nights when you are watching the football, hockey or rugby, or when your teens are entertaining their friends, and to be honest, they are great for supper, served with your favourite sides. We had homemade sweet potato wedges and peas. Yummy!
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!
I really love blogging about food. I am often asked how can I do this every day. My response? I eat and cook every day so why not share! If I didn't love doing it I wouldn't do it. Its as simple as that! One thing that I also love about it is that I occasionally get to try some new things and stretch my cooking abilities by coming up with new ways to use familiar products. I was recently contacted by the Heritage Brand Branston Pickle and asked to try to come up with a recipe using their products. As you know I do love a challenge and I adore Branston Pickle, so what else could I say but "Sign Me Up!"
Branston Pickle is one of the nation's most beloved pickle products. It has a flavour that is a tiny bit hard to describe. I could say moreish but that wouldn't be doing it justice. It is a rather unique flavour. It is sweet and tangy and spicy and crunchy and goes wonderfully with cheeses and pies and in sandwiches etc. I love a "Cheese and Pickle" sandwich and when I am talking pickle here I am talking Branston's! I was sent a hamper with three samples of the iconic pickle containing a jar of the original large chunk, a jar of the small chunk and their new smooth version!
Made by Crosse & Blackwell, Branston Pickle has been gracing the UK's tables since 1922. A firm favourite it is still made using the same recipe and in the same manner as always in Suffolk's Bury Saint Edmunds.
I decided to use the new smooth version in my favourite ham and cheese croissant sandwiches. I thought it would add an exciting twist not only spread as a thin layer on the bottom slice, but by including it in the buttery glaze that is a part of this recipe which makes these sandwiches so special and delicious! I normally use a mixture of butter, Worcestershire, mustard and honey, but I thought why not use Branston! It would be perfect!
And it actually ended up being a bit easier than my original versio as well as there was only the two ingredients for the glaze. Branston and melted butter, whisked together and brushed on the outsides of the croissants, and on the inside upper portion of croissant. Other than that there is layers of pure Branston, caramelised onions, sliced ham, crisp bacon and a Swiss style cheese!
Every mouthful is a delight . . . the outsides all flakey and crisp and buttery with a slightly moreish tang that is very appealing!
The sweetness of the caramelised onions atop a thin layer of the smooth tangy Branston pickle . . . yumm . . . then the saltiness of both the ham and the bacon . . . the richness of that creamy Swiss cheese . . .
Altogether very, very nice indeed. Actually I can see me using this smooth Branston pickle a lot.
A dollop here, a dollop there it is sure to enhance the flavours of my savoury soups and stews . . . my Bolognese . . . Mac and Cheese . . . spread on hot dogs . . . in gravies . . . I really can't think of anywhere it couldn't be used except for maybe desserts, but give me time . . . I have an idea it would go really well with apples and raisins! (Sort of like mincemeat . . . )
Oh boy the wheels are really turning now. I wish I had more time! But for now . . . enjoy these tasty sandwiches.
Perfect on their own, or accompanied with some crisps or a salad, they are sure to go down a real treat!
I think they would also be a great hit on Game nights when you are watching the footie or the rugby!
Yield: 6
Spicy Ham & Cheese Croissants
prep time: 15 minscook time: 20 minstotal time: 35 mins
Simple hot ham and cheese croissant sandwiches, made extra yummy with a butter and Branston glaze, bacon and caramelised onions. Just plain good.
ingredients:
6 slices of streaky bacon, cooked until crisp and drained on paper towel
1 large onion, peeled and finely sliced
8 TBS butter, divided
3 tsp smooth Branston pickle
Additional Branston for spreading on the croissants
6 medium sized croissants
12 slices of deli ham
6 slices Swiss style cheese
instructions:
Melt 1 TBS of the the butter in a skillet. Add the
sliced onions. Cook over very low heat for 30 minutes until
caramelised, stirring occasionally.
sliced onions. Cook over very low heat for 30 minutes until
caramelised, stirring occasionally.
Preheat the oven to180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.
Melt
the remaining butter and whisk together with the Branston pickle
until smooth. Have ready a large enough baking dish to hold all of the
croissants in one layer. Cut each croissant in half through the middles
horizontally. Brush the bottom side of the bottoms of each croissant
with some of the butter mixture. Lay out in the baking dish in one
layer. Spread a bit of Branston pickle on the cut side and then
divide the caramelised onions between each evenly. Top with the sliced
ham, two slices of bacon and a slice of cheese, folded to fit. Brush
the cut sides of the top halves of the croissants with half of the
remaining butter mixture and place on top of the cheese. Drizzle the
remaining butter mixture over top of each. Cover with aluminium foil and
bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
the remaining butter and whisk together with the Branston pickle
until smooth. Have ready a large enough baking dish to hold all of the
croissants in one layer. Cut each croissant in half through the middles
horizontally. Brush the bottom side of the bottoms of each croissant
with some of the butter mixture. Lay out in the baking dish in one
layer. Spread a bit of Branston pickle on the cut side and then
divide the caramelised onions between each evenly. Top with the sliced
ham, two slices of bacon and a slice of cheese, folded to fit. Brush
the cut sides of the top halves of the croissants with half of the
remaining butter mixture and place on top of the cheese. Drizzle the
remaining butter mixture over top of each. Cover with aluminium foil and
bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Created using The Recipes Generator
Branston Pickle is available at all grocery shops and convenience stores across the UK. Do be sure to check out their website for more information and a host of other recipes and ways to use, along with information about their other products and pickles.
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Bon Appetit!
I am always trying to spice up our side dishes a bit, trying to make them a bit more interesting than just boiled or steamed veg. Don't get me wrong, I adore boiled or steamed veg (so long as they are crispy tender and not cooked to death), but every now and then I like to shake things up a tiny bit and add some extra flavours.
Its very easy to do, and it doesn't necessarily mean that you have to add a lot of calories either. Today I added some fresh garden thyme, a bit of honey and some lime zest and juice to the carrots with fabulous taste results. Carrots and Thyme really go well together as does thyme. I was a bit dubious about adding the lime, but with the honey, it went really well. I also added chopped parsley to help pretty them up a bit more as the thyme and lime zest were not showing very well.
These really are delicious and quite adaptable to other flavours as well!
This is a recipe which is very easily doubled or halved as well. I halved it as there are just the two of us, and it worked really well. We had plenty and I still had some to share with Mitzie. She love, LOVES carrots!
Yield: 4
Carrots with Honey, Lime & Thyme
One of our favourite ways to enjoy carrots. These make a great side dish for the holidays. Recipe can be easily doubled.
ingredients:
1 1/2 TBS butter
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into juilienne strips
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves, or 1/2 tsp dried
2 TBS water
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into juilienne strips
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves, or 1/2 tsp dried
2 TBS water
1 TBS fresh lime juice
the finely grated zest of 1/2 lime
1/2 tsp honeyinstructions:
Melt
the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the carrots,
stirring well to coat. Saute, stirring often, for about 3 minutes. Add
the thyme, stock, lime juice, zest and honey. Cover and cook over low heat for 5 to 10
minutes until the carrots are nice and tender. Remove with a slotted
spoon and arrange in a serving dish. Delicious!
the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the carrots,
stirring well to coat. Saute, stirring often, for about 3 minutes. Add
the thyme, stock, lime juice, zest and honey. Cover and cook over low heat for 5 to 10
minutes until the carrots are nice and tender. Remove with a slotted
spoon and arrange in a serving dish. Delicious!
Created using The Recipes Generator
Recently I've been working hard on trying to control my portions and I got myself this Deluxe Meal Portion Control Tool. I find it is really doing a great job of helping me with this!!
I had moved to a sandwich sized plate for my meals a few years ago, which was a positive step in the right direction, but you know . . . you can pile things up as high as you like on a sandwich plate without really realising what you are actually doing.
Each section is clearly marked. There are two for fruits and vegetables. One for Starch, meaning potatoes, rice, pasta, etc.
It is surprising just how much 1 cup of vegetables amounts to! I have always tended to load up on the carbs and protein . . . but this helps to balance things out a lot better.
It is much easier to be accountable when you know exactly what you are putting on your plate.
The fourth section is perfectly sized for a portion of protein. As you can see, even a portion of meat with some gravy fits into the protein space, so that you are getting just the right amount, no more or no less.
Now that's what I call a well proportioned plate. As a Type Two Diabetic I really need to watch my portion controls, especially when it comes to carbohydrates. This Deluxe Meal Portion Control is really helping me to do that! I am really grateful for it! It is helping me to organise my nutrition, maintain a healthy diet and control my portion sizes, and it is dishwasher safe, which is great! Do check out the link. There is free shipping within the continental US, and there is only a small charge to ship it worldwide. I had mine within a week of ordering it. At the moment it is also available for $8.99 USD, which is lightly less than half of the normal price. You can't lose! Do check out the link to find out more! Thanks!
Today is the day I turn 63. However did that happen? Wasn't I just 16 a few days ago? I don't know how it happened, but it has and there is no lamenting it.
I am 63. This is the cake I make myself every year for my Birthday. Raspberry Celebration cake. It makes the aging go down a tiny bit easier.
Every year I say I'm not going to bake myself a cake . . . but then, I beak down and baked one anyway. I have lots of things to celebrate after all.
My Birthday (of course!) for one. I reckon every year after fifty five is a milestone. (Even if the Queen doesn't send me a card.)
A clean bill of health from my Doctor! (Blood Glucose levels 4.1, blood pressure 120/78, Iron Levels normal.) It's all good. Yes, I do need to lose weight, but . . . one thing at a time!
And the anniversary of the arrival of a furry little bundle of joy named Mitzie. (Eight years today!)
Life is good and so is this cake. A deliciously buttery sponge, filled with fresh raspberries and baked into two moist layers.
Sandwiched together with a lovely vanilla butter cream icing and some seedless raspberry jam, and then drizzled with more sweetness. This is one very moreishly scrummy cake.
It won't help my sugar levels, but I reckon one thin slice won't hurt and we will be having a houseful of missionaries over later today to polish off the rest!
shhh . . . don't burst my bubble!
*Raspberry Celebration Cake*
Cuts into 12 scrummy slices
Printable Recipe
This is the cake I always bake for summer birthdays. A light moist sponge, filled with lovely raspberries, butter cream icing and seedless raspberry preserves. Top with a sweet glaze and serve with more raspberries.
For the Cake:
175g of caster sugar (3/4 plus 1/8 cup)
175g of butter, softened (13 TBS)
4 large free range eggs, separated
100g self raising flour (a scant 3/4 cup)
1 tsp baking powder
100g ground almonds (1 scan't cup)
a few drops of almond extract
125g of fresh raspberries (a heaped cup)
For the buttercream:
75g of butter, softened (1/4 cup approx.)
125g icing sugar, sifted (about 3/4 cup)
few drops vanilla
For the glaze:
100ml icing sugar sifted (1/3 cup approx.)
water to thin
Also about 4 heaped dessertspoons of seedless raspberry jam
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/Gas mark 4. Butter two 8 inch sandwich cake tins. Line the bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside.
Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks. Sift the flour and baking powder over the creamed mixture and then fold in using a metal spoon. Fold in the ground almonds and exract. Fold only until all traces of the flour have disappeared.
Beat the egg whites until they just hold their shape. Fold them in gently, by thirds, being careful not to overmix and lose the lightness of the whites. Lightly fold in the berries. Divide between the two prepared cake tins and level off carefully.
Bake in the heated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, just until they test done. A toothpick inserted in the centre should come out clean and they should spring back when lightly touched on top.
Remove from the oven. Let cool in the tins for five minutes, then tip out onto wire racks, peel off the baking paper and allow to cool completely.
Make the buttercream by beating together all the ingredients until smooth and creamy.
Place one cake, bottom side up on a cake plate. Spread completely with all the buttercream. Spread the raspberry jam over top of the buttercream and then top with the other cake layer, placing it right side up. Whisk together the icing sugar for the glaze and enough water to make a smooth drizzable mixture. Drizzle decoratively over the top of the cake. Allow to set, then dust with more icng sugar if desired.
Bon Appetit!
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