Morrisons, one of the major grocery chains here in the UK, recently gave me some samples of their new autumnal range of freshly baked bread to try out. Morrisons boasts more in-store bakers than any other supermarket and produces a whopping 40 millions loaves each year. That's a LOT of bread!
They recently relaunched their baker range to include more than 70 new and improved products, including delicious artisan breads and pastries. I am particularly fond of their Swiss Meusli Loaf (containing raisins, dried apple, oats, sunflower seeds, poppy seeds and flax seeds)!!
Focaccia - Available in two delicious varieties, Sea Salt & Rosemary and Mixed Olive, these tasty breads are ideal for dipping into extra virgin olive oil and Morrisons own Signature Balsamic Vinegar. At £1.99 these are a delicious addition to any party table or buffet.
I love to serve them as a bread along with some hearty soups or stews . . . but enjoyed some here today with their suggestions of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
They both had lovely light textures, but as a real Olive lover . . . the olive one was my absolute favourite. I can see the Sea Salt & Rosemary one going very well with a hearty lamb or beef stew or soup!
The Tiger Paw - Perfect for children, this tear and share bread has a unique crusty mottled exterior, and with rolls in the shape of a tiger's paw. It is ideal for picnics. Fill with some finely sliced ham and all of the family favourite sandwich fillings to create a lovely lunchtime sandwich roll. 70p each or 2 for £1.
Honey & Sunflower Star - This honey enriched bread blends the flavors of nutty sunflowers with the sweetness of honey to create a wonderful tear and share bread that is great with soups or pates. A small version is also available in the Pick and Mix selection for 30p or five for £1. This large loaf goes for £1.59, and I have to say upfront . . . this has always been one of my favorites in their bread range. It has a beautiful flavor and texture and I love the nuttiness of the sunflower seeds, mixed with the sweetness of the honey. I am particularly fond of it spread with softened butter and more honey, and then topped with a slice of cheddar . . . but then I am a bit crazy that way!
Chocolate Twist - Baked fresh in the store these chocolatey delights made with French butter are the perfect breakfast pastry and would be best served up with a nice cup of tea or an ice cold glass of milk. They sell at 2 in a pack for £1. I really enjoyed mine this morning with a nice cup of hot chocolate. Tres magnifique!!
Sourdough Boule - This great all rounder is perfect for sandwiches, as a meal accompaniment or simply with lashings of Morrisons own Jersey Butter. To take your sourdough to a new level why not spread on some of their soft Boilie Cheese with Sundried Tomato Pesto, along with your favourite fillings.
I really enjoyed this fine rustic loaf of bread. It's sturdy and has a nice crumb and flavor, only slightly sour, in a most pleasant way . . . in short, this is the perfect loaf of bread in my opinion. Today I used some of this to make us some delicious BLT sandwiches for our lunch, but of course . . . knowing me as you do, you can just imagine that these were not your ordinary everyday BLT's!
And of course . . . you would be RIGHT! (You know me so well . . . )
This is the way I have been making my BLT's for years. Sometimes I stuff this delicious filling into hollowed out baguettes, perfect for taking on picnics. I have never had anyone turn their noses up at them.
Today I simply presented them on lightly toasted slices of this fantastic Sourdough Boule! It held up wonderfully with the flavors of this particularly tasty filling, and held things together in the best of ways. A less sturdy loaf might not be able to withstand it all . . . but this was perfection.
Imagine . . . a sturdy well flavored loaf, topped with a scrummy Pesto mayonnaise . . . topped with crisp slices of fried streaky bacon and thickly sliced fresh tomatoes . . . but that is not all . . .
Drizzle the tomatoes with a fabulous balsamic house dressing, prepared by your own two hands . . . tangy and sweet, perfect to enhance the flavors of those lovely ripe tomatoes . . . topped with shredded lettuce and another pesto mayo spread slice of that beautiful toasted Sourdough Boule!
Now THAT'S what I call a gooooood sandwich!!
*The World's Best BLT Sandwich*
Serves 4, depending on how hungry you are
Printable Recipe
This is a recipe I had previously posted on Food.com. It truly is the world's best BLT. What makes it the best? Well maybe it's the Pesto Mayo . . . or it could be that lovely Balsamic House Dressing that you drizzle over the tomatoes. Whatever it is, it IS the world's best, hands down. (The version on Food.com is a stuffed Baguette. I have adapted it here today to be made as a normal sandwich.)
4 thick slices of sour dough bread
5 TBS of good quality mayonnaise (I like Hellman's)
3 TBS good quality basil pesto (make your own or use a good
one from the chiller section of your local grocery store)
10 slices of streaky bacon, cooked until crisp
2 large ripe fresh tomatoes, thickly sliced (I always store my tomatoes on the countertop,
it makes them tastier. Never put them in the fridge.)
1 head of red leaf lettuce, washed, dried and shredded
For the house dressing:
(Use any leftovers in salads over the next couple of days)
60ml of balsamic vinegar, best quality (1/4 cup)
3 TBS caster sugar
2 TBS Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp soy sauce
125ml of extra virgin olive oil
First make the house dressing. Place all of the ingredients, with the exception of the olive oil into your blender. With the motor on low, very slowly drizzle in the olive oil, blending until it is thoroughly combined. Set aside.
Preheat the grill or broiler. Toast your slices of bread, very lightly on both sides. Remove from the grill, and keep warm.
Whisk together the mayonnaise and pesto. Spread some of this mixture onto one side of each slice of toasted bread. Top half of the slices with the cooked bacon and top with the sliced tomatoes. Drizzle with some of the house dressing. Place the shredded lettuce onto the other toasted and pesto covered bread slices, dividing it equally. Press the sandwiches together with all of the fillings on the inside and serve. Cut in half on the diagonal to serve.
The Toddster and I both enjoyed these very much.
Many thanks to Katie Hoy of 3MONKEYS communications and Morrisons for affording me this delicious opportunity. All of these fabulous breads are available now at Morrisons throughout the United Kingdom.
- 2 medium/large sweet potatoes
- 1/4 cup (30g) Italian dry bread crumbs
- 1 TBS light olive oil
- 1 TBS BBQ spice
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 small chicken breast fillets (about 5 ounces/145g each)
- 1 TBS BBQ spice
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 TBS light olive oil
- 1 TBS BBQ sauce
- 4 rashers streaky bacon, halved
- handful of fresh baby spinach and baby arugula (rocket)
- 1 beefsteak tomato
- 2 brioche buns, buttered and toasted on the cut sides
- 1/2 cup (110g) mayonnaise
- 1 TBS finely chopped chives
- 1 small clove chicken, peeled and grated
BBQ Chicken BLT's
Ingredients
- 2 medium/large sweet potatoes
- 1/4 cup (30g) Italian dry bread crumbs
- 1 TBS light olive oil
- 1 TBS BBQ spice
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 small chicken breast fillets (about 5 ounces/145g each)
- 1 TBS BBQ spice
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 TBS light olive oil
- 1 TBS BBQ sauce
- 4 rashers streaky bacon, halved
- handful of fresh baby spinach and baby arugula (rocket)
- 1 beefsteak tomato
- 2 brioche buns, buttered and toasted on the cut sides
- 1/2 cup (110g) mayonnaise
- 1 TBS finely chopped chives
- 1 small clove chicken, peeled and grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450*F/230*C/ gas mark 7. Line a baking tray with some baking parchment.
- Wash the sweet potatoes and dry well. Cut into 1/2 inch wedges. Place into a bowl and toss together with the oil, bread crumbs, spice, some salt and some pepper. Coat them well and then spread out on the baking sheet.
- Roast in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.
- Pat the chicken pieces dry with some paper towels and then season generously on both sides with the BBQ spice and some salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a skillet and then brown the chicken pieces until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to the baking sheet in the oven, brush with the BBQ sauce and roast for a further 8 to 10 minutes.
- Cut the rashers of bacon in half crosswise. Wipe out the skillet and then add the bacon. Cook over medium heat, turning occasionally until the bacon is crispy. Remove and keep warm.
- Whisk together the mayonnaise with the garlic and the chopped chives. Set aside.
- Slice the tomato into four thick slices.
- Toast your buns.
- Cut each chicken breast in half horizontally. Spread some of the garlic mayonnaise onto the bottom half of each bun and top each with the chicken slices. Top the chicken with the bacon, tomatoes and then the greens. Place the top bun on top.
- Serve hot with the sweet potato wedges alongside. If you have any garlic mayo left, it makes a great dip for the fries.
Chicken Cordon Bleu Sliders
ingredients:
- 6 thin slices of deli black forest ham
- 6 thin slices of deli roasted chicken breast
- 6 slices of Swiss style cheese (I use Jarlsberg)
- 6 smallish dinner rolls
- softened butter
- a pinch of herb seasoning salt
- 60g good quality mayonnaise (1/4 cup
- 1 1/2 TBS Dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 TBS liquid honey
- 1 tsp fresh lime juice
- pinch of fine sea salt
instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 200*C/40)*F/ gas mark 6. Line a small baking tray with some aluminium foil and spray lightly with some cooking spray.
- Whisk together all of the sauce ingredients until smooth. Set aside.
- Slice the buns carefully in half through the middle. Spread about a tsp of sauce on the bottom of each bun and place them on the baking tray. Place one slice of ham on each, draped and folded to fit. Top with 1/2 slice of cheese. Top with one slice of chicken, draped and folded. Top with the remaining 1/2 slice of cheese and then divide any remaining cheese amongst the buns. Spread the top halves of the buns on the cut sides with some more honey mustard sauce, and place on top of each filled roll.
- Brush the top of each with some softened butter and sprinkle with some of the herb seasoning mix.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 5 to 6 minutes until the cheese has melted and the sandwiches are heated through. Serve immediately along with any remaining sauce for those who wish to use it.
NOTES:
Make sure you use thinly sliced meat as opposed to shaved meat. I also like to double the sauce so that there is plenty to go around.
Here I am again! Another Sunday, another Meals of the Week Post. This is the day that I like to share with you all of the delicious meals that I have enjoyed at home or out and about over the past week! It seems to be something which you also enjoy seeing and if I can inspire even one of you to cook something delicious then its worth it to me!
All of my life I have been cooking for families. My mother went to work when I was 11 years old and it wasn't long before I was cooking for my parent's, sister and brother. At first it was just reheating things which my mother had already prepared, but eventually as I grew more confident I branched out and began actually cooking things myself.
From there I graduated to cooking for a family of my own. I raised five children and managed to put a delicious and nutritious meal on the table for them every night. I also loved to entertain and we often had guests for supper as well, so I had plenty of training when it came to cooking for crowds!
I had worked as a pastry chef in my younger years and once my nest emptied I went back to college and trained as a proper chef. I then spend a number of years as a personal chef cooking for a family once more. Oh how I enjoyed those years Cooking at the Manor. Living in a beautiful spot in the southwest corner of England, and stretching my cooking capacity to levels I had never thought I would.
I never thought that I would one day be living all on my own, but here I am. I am determined that I will not eat out of cans and boxes. As long as I am capable I want to cook delicious meals for myself My mother lived on her own for many years prior to the last years of her life, and she cooked meals for herself every single night. She is my muse and inspiration.
If I can inspire you who find yourselves as empty nesters or as one who is living on their own, then I am happy to do so. Here are my meals from the past week.
SUNDAY, August 13th - Birthday at Cindy's
Usually on Sundays I have a family dinner with my sister, her husband and my father. Sunday was my birthday so my sister cooked me a slap up meal of Oven BBQ'd Ribs and Roasted vegetables (brussels sprouts, potatoes, sweet potatoes) along with fresh beans from her garden.
My sister makes the best Oven BBQ'd Ribs. I have made them for you on here before and you can find the recipe for them here. They are tender and juicy and succulent.
For my Birthday Cake she made me the most amazing Lemon Cake. It was a triple layer beautifully flavored lemon caked, filled with homemade lemon curd and frosted with a fabulously delicious lemon butter cream frosting. She had decorated it with cute lemon marshmallows. You can find the recipe for this wonderful cake here. It was one of the nicest lemon cakes I have ever eaten! I felt very loved. Thank you sis!
MONDAY, August 14th - Chicken & Bacon Caesar Melt
I had some leftover chicken which needed using up. I felt like having a sandwich for my supper, and had not made one of these in a very long time. This is a simple and yet delicious sandwich that everyone loves. It is very easy to make, as is surprisingly hearty. You can make one or you can make a dozen.
A garlic butter toasted hoagie bun is loaded up with Caesar dressing, thinly sliced red onion and shredded lettuce, hot shredded chicken which has had plenty of cheese melted on top. Onto this goes crisp rashers of smoky streaked bacon and slices of ripe fresh tomato.
Now that is what I call a very tasty sandwich. I enjoyed it all on its own, but you could add some potato chips on the side for the very hearty eater, or a cup of soup.
TUESDAY, August 15th - Cold Plate
I had some cold cuts which needed using up in the refrigerator and so I made myself up a cold plate. Cold plates are something which I love in the summer months. They can be as fancy or as simple as you want to make them. On this day I chose simply to have some sliced ham and yes, cold leftover chicken (to use it all up) with some sliced tomatoes, cucumber, a sliced boiled egg, some tossed salad and some sliced cheese. I also had a baked biscuit with the plate.
Have you ever made 7-Up Biscuits? They are really easy to make. Light and fluffy on the insides and golden brown and crisp on the outsides. I love them with things like salads, cold plates and soups, and I have been known to enjoy a cheeky one or two for my breakfast with jam and butter!
WEDNESDAY, August 16th - Dinner Out with Dad
On Wednesday nights I always go out to dinner with my father and his friend Hazel. We go to a place called the Big Scoop. The food is not the greatest but its not the worse either. Dad wasn't feeling very good this week. He had Haddie Bits and Chips, but could not finish it. Hazel had Fish and Chips. I had a BLT. It was not too bad. Not quite as good as my World's Best BLT, but quite passable.
Its hard to measure up to my World's Best BLT. Seriously. With a Basil Pesto Mayonnaise, crisp bacon, fresh ripe tomatoes, house dressing and lots of lively fresh rocket leaves . . . and a crusty baguette base . . . this is a simple sandwich that is anything but simple. This is bound to become a firm favorite and much requested sandwich.
THURSDAY, August 17th - Honey Mustard Pork Chops
On Thursday I felt like having a hot dinner and so I made myself a quick and easy Honey Mustard Pork Chop which I enjoyed along with a baked potato and some green beans. The pork chop for this is rubbed with some spices and then flash fried on top of the stove, ready to finish off in the oven with a delicious honey mustard glaze.
Perfectly cooked, tender and juicy with beautiful flavors, this really went down a real treat. I only baked one, but the recipe is for two people. You can also easily double it to feed more.
FRIDAY, August 18th - Cheesy Rigatoni with Tuna & Broccoli
I fancied some fish on Friday and so I baked a small batch of my Cheesy Rigatoni with Tuna & Broccoli. The basic recipe is for a Baked Rigatoni with four cheeses. It is rich and indulgent. Tender pieces of rigatoni pasta in a delicious cheese sauce composed of four different cheeses. A recipe from James McNair.
I added some flaked albacore tuna and tender pieces of broccoli. More cheese is scattered over top prior to baking to golden perfection. I froze half to have another time and enjoyed this days portion with a tossed salad and a crusty roll.
I have small foil containers that I freeze things like this in. They have foil lids as well. Easy to take out and just pop into the oven when and as I want a quick and easy meal. Just pop into the oven frozen and covered (350*F/180*C) for about 35 to 40 minutes, until heated through and bubbling. I take the lid of for the last 10 minutes or so of bake time.
SATURDAY, August 19th - Cabbage Rolls
I took some cabbage rolls out of my freezer and enjoyed two for supper along with some rice and a vegetable on the side. Everyone always loves my cabbage rolls. Even me. In the old days I was often asked to bring them to Pot Lucks. They have a beautiful sauce, which has a sweet and sour quality to it.
Now when I make them, I make the full recipe and then freeze them in small containers, each one holding 2 to 3 cabbage rolls. Just pop into a 375*F/190*C oven for about 45 minutes, covered and dinner is served.
I tend to buy my rice these days, already cooked. You can get pouches of ready cooked rice in a variety of flavors. Tilda makes it as does Uncle Ben's. They are the perfect size for two people, or one with leftovers.
And there you have it. My meals of the week for the past week. I think you will agree, it was, once again, a most delicious week! Hopefully you will be inspired to want to cook one or two of the recipes for yourself of your family!
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@aol.com
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