Normally on my Birthday I would bake myself a cake . . . I do so love a Victorian Sponge. It's my absolute favourite . . . golden brown, moist and stogged full of jam and cream. (I do love my jam too!! If you've been visiting me for a while . . . you already know that!)



This year I decided to have something a little bit different and made myself a cheesecake. Well, i did share it with Todd, I confess . . . I'm not that greedy! I think even I would have a difficult time eating a cheesecake all by myself, but I do think I could give it a good go! (We won't go there . . . )



Anyways, I have this lovely little book called "Easy Desserts" deliciously indulgent treats. It's published by Murdoch Books and is a compilation of a variety of dessert recipes created by different chef peoples. On the back cover it says . . . "No-fuss recipes for irresistible desserts that are guaranteed to bring a smile to everyone's face." I can attest to the truth of that statement. I've made quite a few recipes from the whole of the "easy" books series and they are all good, and . . . as one would expect from their titles . . . easy.



This Vanilla Cheesecake is attributed to Fiona Beckett. I did play with it a bit. I chose to leave off her cooked blueberry topping. I was feeling rather lazy and I quite like this easy topping that I started making years ago using jam for on top of cheesecakes. It's very simply jam whisked together with a bit of honey to loosen it up a bit. I find it goes very well with the richness of the cheese filling. And I am rather lazy . . . I put my hand up . . . anything for an easy life.



I converted the measurements fo North American for my North American Friends and left out her cooked blueberry topping completely. Those are my changes.
The cake itself is rich and yes . . . indulgent, with a creamy cheese filling topped with an even creamier sour cream/yoghurt topping.



The blueberry topping???? Well, it's just the icing on a very delicous and moreish dessert. Do make sure you chill this properly before cutting and do use a wet and very sharp knife to cut. You will have no problems getting perfect slices if you follow those two pieces of advice . . . oh, and line the pan leaving some handles for lifting the ice cold cheesecake out of the pan. I find this works much better than using a springform pan . . .



Oh, and a square pan makes for nice even slices that look very pretty on the plate. I think so anyways. Enjoy! I did! (I am soooo not looking forward to my weigh -in this week!)



*Vanilla Cheesecake with a Simple Topping*
Serves 8 to 10
Printable Recipe

Lush and delicious. I top mine with a mixture of blueberry jam and honey, but you could use any jam you like. It makes an easy topping.

For the crust:
50g of unsalted butter (3 1/2 TBS)
110g of digestive or otehr wheaten biscuits, crushed into fine crumbs
(1 1/4 cup of graham cracker crumbs)

For the first layer:
two (200g) tube of full fat cream cheese (two 7.5 ounce tubs)
2 large free range eggs
100g of caster sugar (1/2 cup of fine sugar)
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

For the Second Layer:
284ml carton of sour cream (1 1/4 cup)
150ml of Greek style yoghurt (2/3 cup)
2 1/2 TBS of caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

To top:
4 to 5 dessert spoons of wild blueberry jam
(I used bon maman)
2 TBS of liquid honey

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Have ready an 9 inch square baking tin. Butter it well. Line it with some baking parchment, leaving an overhang, and then butter the baking parchment.
Set aside.

Melt the butter, cool slightly and then stir in the crushed biscuits. Press evenly and firmly into the base of the pan.

Beat all of the ingredients for the first layer together, making sure they are completely mixed and smooth. Pour over the biscuit base. Smooth over the top. Place onto a baking tray and then bake it in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, until just set. Remove from the oven and set aside for a further 20 minutes in order to let it set up.

Whisk together the ingredients for the second layer, until smooth and completely combined. Spoon this mixture evenly over top of the first layer. Return to the oven and bake for a further 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely. Place in the refrigerator to chill overnight.

The next day, gently warm the blueberry jam. Stir in the honey. Set aside to cool somewhat.

When you are ready to serve the cake. Gently loosen the edges with a sharp knife and lift the cake out onto a cutting board. Wet the knife and carefully cut into 8 or 10 narrow slices. Place each onto a chilled plate and then spoon some of the blueberry sauce over top. Serve.

Note: You don't need to use blueberry jam for the topping. Strawberry, Raspberry, Cherry and Apricot are each also VERY good!



The Toddster cooked me dinner and did a pretty good job. I think he had some help from M&S, but that's ok. I enjoyed it anyways, and I appreciated the effort he took . . . not to mention the thought.

There's not many of us that are not watching our food pennies these days. I know I am feeling the pinch, which means I am working hard to economize and to stretch my food pounds as far as they will go. Making what I do have stretch as far as possible.Economizing doesn't mean that you have to compromise on quality though. Take minced beef for instance. Lots of people will opt for a cheap mince, thinking they are saving money. In reality, this is just a false economy . . . as all of your savings gets poured down the drain in liquid fat . . .

You get what you pay for. I'd rather pay a bit more and have meat that is not only better quality . . . but healthier for my family. You can always stretch it out with other things to make it go that little bit further and save you that little bit extra.

I will always opt to buy a lean or an extra lean packet of beef mince. What I have here today is one recipe for cooking several packets of extra lean mince, that you can then use in several different ways, feeding a family of four each time . . .

In truth, you could probably divide the finished cooked mince into three portions (instead of two) and get three meals out of it, but I have done just two here today. Both are delicious, economical, quick and easy, and (I am hoping) quite different than anything you may have tried before.

First the cooked mince recipe. You can cook this up and then divide it into two or three portions depending on how much you want to economize, then wrap and freeze one (two) portion (s) for use at a later date, (just thaw out overnight in the refrigerator), and one for use today.

This delicious mixture has all of the flavours that you would find in a hamburger, minus the bun . . . there is pickle relish, fried onions, mustard, steak seasoning, etc. And it's fabulous all on it's own . . . truly.

*Burger Mince*
Makes 8 servings worth
(so enough for a casserole and four cheeseburgers!)
Printable Recipe

Delicious minced beef sauteed with all the seasonings and flavourings you might have in a hamburger, cept it's not in a burger. Ready to use in grilled cheese sandwiches and casseroles.

2 pounds extra lean steak mince
1 TBS steak seasoning (Montreal Steak seasoning, or something similar)
1 large onion, peeled and finely minced
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
2 tsp liquid beef bovril
2 TBS of hamburger relish (the pickle stuff you put on burgers)
mild mustard to taste (about 2 tsp does it for me)
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Spray a large nonstick skillet with some nonstick cooking spray. Heat it over medium heat until hot. Crumble in the steak mince. Cook stirring and mashing until it is cooked through completely. (I use my potato masher to cut down on the lumps. That is just my personal preference.) Add the onion and garlic, and continue to cook and stir until the meat is beginning to nicely brown and the onions are softened. Stir in the bovril, hamburger relish, mustard and worcestershire sauce. Cook for several minutes to meld flavours. Taste and adjust seasoning as required with some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

The mince is now ready to use as you wish.

I was sitting here the other night kind of craving a grilled cheese sandwich . . . and yet at the same time I was wanting a burger. You know how it goes . . . at least I hope you do. Tell me I'm not the only glutton in the crowd! Say it ain't so!!

Anyways, I had seen on the telly one day a Grilled Cheese Sandwich Burger . . . that is an actual hamburger which has been grilled in the middle of two Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.




Yes, folks, it does exist. I think this picture is one from Friendly's. One can scarce imagine just how many calories are in one of these babies . . . and I dare say it's not for the faint of heart! Now that's what I call a real mouthful! I was intrigued. It did look rather good . . . and I was betting it also tasted really good . . . but could I dare to ingest that much fat and calories??? Never ever in a million years. I value my life too much!



And so I decided to compromise on something somewhere in the middle . . . and I put together a Grilled Cheese Sandwich which had all of the flavours of a burger . . . kind of like a Grilled Cheese Burger . . . but with only two slices of bread and half the cheese of the restaurant version. Definitely healthier and . . . if you use low fat cheese, not really all that bad for you.



The difficulty comes in trying to photograph it in a way that is actually looks as delicious as it tastes. I am no food stylist when it comes down to that sort of thing . . . but even so, this looks pretty good to me.



You've got all the flavours of a traditional cheeseburger . . . fried onions, sweet pickle relish, mustard . . . ground steak and a few other bits and bob's . . . sandwiched between two tangy slices of strong cheddar, tucked into two buttered slices of bread, (If you really wanted to be a glutton you could butter the sandwiches with garlic butter, but . . . I just couldn't do that to my arteries!) and then grilled until the bread is all toasty . . . the cheese is all gooey . . . and the three together just taste blissfully scrumdiddlyumptiously fabulous!!



As a once in a bluemoon treat this went down really well. I served them up with homemade oven fries . . . sweet potato and baking potatoes cut into half moons, tossed with a bit of olive oil and some herbs and spices and then baked in a hot oven until they were crispy. "Diner" food . . . cept it's at home.

Go on . . . tuck in . . . you know you want to. Just one bite, ok? (With a bit of ketchup on the side for dipping. Nom Nom!)



*Grilled Cheese Burgers*
Makes 4
Printable Recipe

Deliciously different.

8 slices of a sturdy white bread
8 slices of sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 of a recipe of Burger Mince
softened buttter
4 slices of streaky bacon cooked crisp (optional)

Lay half of the bread slices out onto a cutting board. Cover each with one slice of the cheese. Top each slice of cheese with 1/4th of the cooked mince and then another slice of cheese. Top with the final four slices of bread. Spread the outsided with softened butter. Heat the oven to low and have a baking pan ready.

Heat a large nonstick skillet. Cook two sandwiches at a time until they are golden brown on one side, flipping halfway through the cooking time to brown the other side. Place in the warm oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining two sandwiches. Cut each sandwich in half on the diagonal to serve.



I used the other half of the mince recipe to make a delicious casserole to take to a pot luck supper we were having at the church last Friday evening. I couldn't really spoon into it to show you just how delicious it was . . . but I did manage to take a few tasty pics of the outsides of it I think . . .



I tucked this fabulously flavourful beef mixture into the centre of two lucious layers of homemade macaroni and cheese . . . rich and creamy . . . cheesey delish! Then I topped it with some more cheese, buttered bread crumbs . . . and to make it even scrummier several slices of semi crisp bacon . . .



Baked in the oven for about 20 minutes so that the crumbs got all crispy and the bacon got all crisp-ier . . . and the meat mixture melted into all that mac & cheese surrounding it . . .

F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S!!! Dare I say that??? It was though . . . I would call this "empty dish delish" . . . because that is what I brought home . . . an empty dish. (I love it when that happens!!)

That can't be bad! You're family will love this, and so will you, because not only is it extra scrummy . . . but it's also quick and easy . . . perfect for those nights when you are just too pooped to work very hard at cooking a meal. A bit of a green salad on the side, and perhaps a french loaf and . . . easy peasy, lemon squeasy . . . you've fed the family a delicious meal.



*Cheeseburger Mac & Cheese*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

Macaroni and Cheese with a delicious burger layer in the centre and topped with crispy bacon.

One four serving recipe of macaroni and cheese
one half of the Burger mince recipe
4 slices of streaky bacon, partially cooked and cut in half
1/2 cup of soft white bread crumbs
1 TBS melted butter
4 ounces of strong cheddar cheese, grated (about 1 cup)

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter a square casserole dish. Layer it in the following manner: 1/2 of the mac and cheese, the burger mince, the remaining half of the mac and cheese.
Combine the bread crumbs with the melted butter. Stir in the shredded cheese. Sprinkle over top of the casserole. Top with the bacon slices.

For this casserole today I used my Cheater's Mac & Cheese Recipe, which worked very well, but you can use any Mac & and Cheese recipe you want to use.

Bake in the heated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until nicely browned and heated through. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Another good way to use this cooked mince mixture it to make up a recipe of biscuit or scone dough. Pat it out to a large rectangle and then spread the dough with some mustard and ketchup. Sprinkle with half of the cooked mince (4 servings) and then press the mince in slightly. Roll up in a tight roll and then cut into 1 inch slices. Bake in a hot oven until golden brown. You can also sprinkle the tops with cheese before baking. Delicious!

I normally like to bake us something special to have with our breakfast at the weekend. Some weeks it may be a special breakfast cake, or cinnamon buns . . . and other's it will be muffins. We are quite fond of muffins actually . . . they are quick to throw together, they bake up likety split, and the leftovers freeze very well! (It's nice to have some muffins in the freezer to hand when unexpected company comes. They are very easily re-heated in the microwave in just seconds!)



Don't let the fact that I have combined cranberries with cheese throw you off here . . . cheese and fruit are a magic combination, and in fact there are many cheeses available over here that have fruit in them . . . Wensleydale or Stilton with cranberries, or apricots instantly come to mind. Fabulous on a cheese tray, especially when served with digestive biscuits. Delicious!



I am rather fond of cheese muffins you know . . . they're not quite savoury . . . not quite sweet . . . yet altogether scrummy . . . with little gooey flecks of cheese spread throughout . . . wonderful when served warm with soups or stews in a savoury way . . . or warm with jam as a sweet treat.



You can chop up bacon and add it to the mix when making cheese muffins, or onion, or chives. They are even more delicious that way . . . when you are looking for something savoury . . .
But when you want a sweet treat . . . try adding some dried fruit. Most will work well . . . dried apple, chopped for that quintessential combination that is notoriously loved. Apple pie and cheese, who doesn't love it. Dried cherries are nice as well . . . even sultanas, chopped figs, or apricots. All work splendidly . . . I think it's that sweet/savoury combination that is a the real winner here.



Our favourite combination though . . . is dried cranberries with the cheese. Oh my . . . the cranberries add just the right amount of sweet texture . . . that goes so very well with the sharp savouriness of the cheese. I use a mixture of white and dyed cheddar . . . for contrast and colour. You can use only white . . . if you prefer. It makes no difference.



These are moreishly scrummy no matter what. We rather love them a lot!

Especially with lashings of butter spread and melting into all those lovely little baked crevices. Oh, yes . . . I am a naughty girl at times!



*Cranberry and Cheddar Muffins*
Makes 12 medium muffins
Printable Recipe

Delicious flavour combination. Don't knock it til you try it!

150g of plain flour (1 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 TBS caster sugar
1 TBS baking powder
1/2 tsp fine seasalt
240g of grated strong cheddar (A mix of the white and the orange for colour purposes, 2 cups)
150g of dried cranberries (1 cup)
250ml of milk (1 cup)
1 large free range egg
60g of butter, melted (1/4 cup)

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Butter a 12 cup muffin tin and dust with flour, or line with paper liners. Set aside.

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and seasalt together in a bowl. Drop in the cheese and cranberries. Mix together again to evenly distribute both. In a separate measure, beat together the egg, milk and melted butter Tip this into the dry ingredients and mix with a spoon, just to combine. Spoon into the prepared muffin cups, dividing the mixture equally amongst them.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until well risen, golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the centre of one comes out clean.

You may remember me mentioning earlier this season how horribly my rhubarb was doing . . . for the second year in a row no less . . . and we'd very generously fed it with manure last autumn too . . . The Toddster wanted to get rid of the plants and start again. I said no . . . let's move them and give them another chance, and so . . . we did. Guess what??? We are now enjoying a lovely second crop!!! (I love it when I'm right. ☺)



Rhubarb is one of my favourite fruits . . . and yes, I do know that technically it is a vegetable, and NOT a fruit . . . but I enjoy it in the same way as I do a fruit. It has been ever so . . .
When I was a young girl, my mother would treat us every spring to a thick stick of fresh rhubarb . . . raw. We would each be given a little bowl of sugar and we would sit there, dipping the ends of our stick of rhubarb in the sugar and then sucking on it . . . eventually biting off the ends only to do it all over again, until . . . the stick of rhubarb, and the sugar were all gone.



Oh my, how my jaw and cheeks used to ache at that intitial sour bite, only slightly tinged with sweet . . . but then again, those aching cheeks were part of the pleasure. We would sit there and suck and chew and try to outdo each other with sour faces . . . what fun it was.

It's been a very long time since I have sucked on a raw stick of rhubarb, sugar or not . . . I much prefer to succumb to it's pleasures in other ways . . . and none of them very sour, more apt to deliver a soft moan of delight, rather than a jaw aching wince.



I love rhubarb pie . . . the crust all flakey and buttery, so crisp that it crackles slightly when you dip a fork into it . . . golden crumbs scattering across your plate . . . and then that unctuously delicious rhubarb filling. Oh my . . . tis wonderful . . . expecially when served warm with an ice cold scoop of vanilla ice cream gilding it's surface and melting down into all of that sweet and buttery toothsome delight, in slow rivelets of cold pleasure . . .



Or in a crumble . . . sweet scrummy joy . . . with a rich buttery and oaty crumble on top . . . almost like a flapjack. Tis custard we enjoy with a nice rhubarb crumble . . . rhubarb and custard being a flavour marriage made in heaven. Warm custard please . . . and lashings of it.



Then again . . . there are these lovely little rhubarb puddings . . . with slices of fresh pink rhubarb . . . baked into, and all nestled amidst a cakey type of pudding . . . almondy and short . . . moreishly and delightfully tart . . . with just a touch of sweet glaze and crunch from the demerara sugar you've sprinkled on top before baking. Vanilla bean ice cream is lovely with this as well . . . but then again . . .



So is a huge dollop of plain . . . full fat farm yoghurt. There is nothing to take away from the sweet tartness of the rhubarb . . . and yet it works so perfectly . . . tis unctuous and rich . . . and just a tiny bit sinful, but then . . . why not. We only live once.



You would be forgiven for thinking this very plain and unimaginably boring . . . but then again . . . you would . . . quite simply be . . . very, very wrong.



*Rhubarb Puddings*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

Light and easy. Beautiful served warm or cold, with or without vanilla bean ice-cream.

150g of caster sugar (superfine, 2/3 cup)
3 large free range eggs
250ml of no fat evaporated milk (1 cup)
(This is the carnation type of milk, not the sweetened condensed. You may also use single cream, if you wish.)
120g of ground almonds (1 cup)
1 tsp pure vanilla extact
5 to 6 thin stalks of fresh rhubarb, cut to fit the casseroles.
2 TBS demerara sugar (coarse sugar)
vanilla ice cream to serve (optional)

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter 4 small individual casserole ramekins. (You will want them to each hold about 250ml or 1 cup.)

Measure the caster sugar, eggs, milk, ground almonds and vanilla into a bowl. Whisk together to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dishes, dividing it equally amongst them. Top each pudding with some of the rhubarb stalks. Sprinkle each with some of the demerara sugar. Bake for 25 minutes, or until set. Serve warm or cold with Ice-cream.

Note: you can also top this with summer berries if that's what you have. It's really delicious that way too.

If I'm not mistaken, I do believe that this pudding is gluten free.

I have to say up front that one of my absolute favourite flavours has to be ginger. I love it in any way shape or form. It's wonderful, dried and powdered . . . and sprinkled into spicy cake and cookie batters. I love it freshly grated . . . and cooked up into wonderfully fragrant stir fries and sauces. I also like to make a delicious lemon and ginger tea with the fresh ginger root. (It's just wonderful steepedin boiling water, along with the juice and zest of half a lemon . . . and then served with a bit of honey and a great cure all for when you have the sniffles . . .)






I love to eat it candied, well . . . just like it was candy! You can keep your sour coated candies . . . I'll choose a nice firey piece of candied ginger over them any day of the week! Candied ginger and chocolate?? It's a marriage made in heaven . . . especially when coated in dark chocolate.

I also love it preserved in syrup. I keep a jar or two of those tasty sweet and spicy nuggets in my larder at all times . . . just waiting to be used in a recipe or two, and I often glaze my cooked carrots with a mixture of butter and a teaspoon or two of the delicious syrup from the jar. Have you ever tried the syrup spooned over vanilla ice cream? FABULOUSLY delish! Trust me . . . and add a few chopped bits of the ginger as well. You'll thank me for it, yes . . . you will!



I'm happy to say that ginger is a real favourite flavour of my Todd's as well. Something that we can obsess over and share together. It's a wonderful thing!



I made these tasty cheesecake squares the other day. Just the perfect chilled dessert for a hot summer day. (They do eat a lot of spice in hot countries don't they?) This really fit the bill for this time of year! Todd scarfed down two of these delicious squares at one sitting and was rooting through the fridge to find another one only a few hours later.

Ahh men . . . what can you do, but love them . . .



*Ginger Cheesecake Squares*
Makes 12 squares
Printable Recipe

Imagine a smooth and creamy cheesecake stogged full of tiny bits of candied ginger, floating atop a crisp base created from crushed gingernut biscuits. Top the whole thing with some sweetened whipped cream and more candied ginger and you have a wonderfully refreshing summer dessert, fit for a king, or at least the king of my castle at any rate!

For the crust:
200g ginger flavoured biscuits, finely crushed
60g unsalted butter, melted
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

For the filling:
500g (2 large containers) of cream cheese (Philadelphia)
124 ml (1/2 cup) golden syrup
2 TBS caster sugar (superfine)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup finely chopped candied ginger
125 ml (1/2 cup) whipping cream, lightly whipped

For the topping:
125ml (1/2 cup) whipping cream
2 tsp caster sugar
1/4 cup candied ginger, thinly sliced



Pre-heat the oven to 170*C/325*F. Lightly grease a 9 inch square baking tin and line with some baking paper, leaving the paper hanging over the edges so as to make the squares easier to lift out when you go to serve it.

Combine the biscuit crumbs for the crust, along with the butter and cinnamon. Press into the base of the tin. Pop into the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes, or until firm.

Beat the cream cheese, golden syrup and sugar for the filling with an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in the ginger and the lightly whipped cream. Pour over the base. Bake in the heated oven for about 25 minutes, or until just set. Turn off the oven heat and allow to cool in the oven, with the door propped slightly ajar.

Beat the cream for the topping together with the sugar, until soft peaks form. Spread over the cooled cheeesecake base. Pop into the refrigerator and chill for several hours before serving. To serve, cut into squares and top each square with some of the sliced candied ginger. Delicious!

Note: By large I mean the 8 ounce containers of philadelphia!

There is something deeply satisfying about a buttery, breaded and spiced breast of chicken baked until crisp . . . yet still fork tender on the insides . . . served alongside of a crisp and flavourful slaw . . . eaten out on the patio on a warm summer evening . . . shared with the one you love.



This is the perfect summer supper pour deux. The bread crumbs . . . all savoury and buttery . . . gilding the chicken breasts in a golden crisp blanket . . . with just a hint of spice. It won't smack you in the face . . . but it's there . . .



The chicken all tender and moist beneath that buttery blanket . . . perfectly cooked . . . juicy and still succulent. I favour cornfed organic chicken myself . . . it has lots of flavour.



Don't feel guilty about those buttery crumbs . . . if you are going to take off the skin, you've just got to replace it with something flavourful to help keep that delicious chicken meat from drying out . . . you won't regret it . . .



And that slaw . . . crisp and slightly anisey flavoured . . . fennel goes so well in a summer slaw . . . don't you think??? Save a few of the tender fronds to garnish the slaw . . . I did and it looks so perfectly pretty . . .



With just enough tartness from the lemon juice, which helps to cut through the richness of the mayonnaise . . . the touch of caster sugar, just taking the edge off the lemon. But . . . you can leave it out if you would rather.



We prefer just a bit of sweetness . . . along with that tart lemon, nippy chives, refreshing parsley . . . and rich mayo . . . perfect with the fennel. Did you know that there are male and female fennel bulbs??? There are . . . the long thin ones are males . . . the short rounder ones are female.



Moi . . . je préfère les femmes . . . they're prettier.
Just sayin, is all . . .



Can you not almost taste it now??? Crisp, buttery . . . moist chicken . . . with the perfect, crunchy and tangy slaw. I'll forgive you if you lick the screen . . . just don't let anyone else catch you . . .



*Crispy Baked Chicken for Two, with Fennel Slaw*
Serves 2
Printable Recipe

Crisp chicken, with a bit of a kick . . . served up with a tangy fennel slaw.

100g of soft white bread crumbs (1 1/2 cups)
50g of butter, melted (3 1/2 TBS)
1 tsp of smoked paprika with sweet red pepper and thyme * (see below)
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 (200g) boneless, skinless chicken fillets (ab0ut 6 ounces each)
Fresh Lemon Wedges to serve

For the Slaw:
1 large bulb of fennel, very thinly sliced
2 TBS finely chopped fresh chives
a handful of fresh flat leaft parsley, coarsely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1 TBS full fat mayonnaise
1 TBS fresh lemon juice
1 tsp caster sugar
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Have a baking dish lightly buttered and ready to use.

Place the chicken breasts, one at a time into a heavy duty zip lock bag. Bash them out a bit with a rolling pin. You want them about 1/3 of an inch all over. Place into the baking dish. Sprinkle with some salt and black pepper

Mix together the bread crumbs, butter and seasoning mix. Sprinkle this over top of the chicken fillets, dividing it equally amongst them.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned and the juices run clear.

Make the fennel Slaw while the chicken is cooking. Slice the fennel really thinly into a bowl. (I use my mandoline.) Tip in the mayonnaise, lemon juice, sugar, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as required. Stir in the fresh herbs, just before using.

Serve each chicken breast on a plate along with a portion of the fennel slaw and a few lemon wedges for squeezing over the chicken fillets if desired.

*To make your own herb spice mixture:

1 TBS smoked paprika (Pimenton)
1 TBS dried red pepper flakes
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 tsp regular paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp black pepper

Stir all together and keep in a tightly covered container in a dark place.