I wanted to make a special dessert for Todd the other night. He is awfully fond of apple desserts. I think apple desserts are one of his favourite types of desserts when it comes right down to it. He loves to wax on about his mother's apple pies . . . but in truth . . . I have never been able to make an apple pie to come up to his mother's exacting standards.
I think that is because I make North American Apple Pies . . . and they are somewhat different. He says his mother's apple pies were solid and highly flavoured with cloves. I like my own mother's apple pies . . . her apples were soft and juicy and flavoured with cinnamon and nutmeg.
He does like all the other apple desserts I make though, and especially this one, which is an old favourite of mine. I have been making this for years and years! In fact the other day when I was making this I sent my oldest son a text to tell him I was making it . . . because making it made me think of him and how much he always loved it.
Do you find that certain foods make you think of certain people? I do. I find that it always makes great dishes taste even more special when you can associate them with a special person and a special memory.
That's the way it is for me and this recipe. I often had to double or triple it when my kids were growing up as it was a real favourite in our home. Shoefly Pie and Apple Pandowdy, makes your eyes light up and your lips say howdy! How can you not love a dessert that has a whole song dedicated to it????
I have to say . . . it's rather impossible not to love THIS version . . . with it's delicious sauce . . . tender apples and that crispy biscuit/scone topping. You break it up a bit before the dessert is finished and push it down into the juices and fruit, which for some odd reason makes it even scrummier!
It may not be the most beautiful dessert in the world, but I have found that the best and tastiest things in life often aren't the prettiest. You'll want to put this on a pan to bake . . . just in case it spills over. Enjoy!
*Apple Pandowdy*
Serves 6 to 8
Printable Recipe
Shoe fly pie and apple pan dowdy, makes your eyes light up and your lips say howdy! One of my favourite desserts. A cross between a pudding and a deep dish apple pie. Serve warm with cream if you wish.
150g of soft light brown sugar (3/4 cup, packed)
25g of plain flour (1/4 cup)
1/4 tsp salt
250ml of water (1 cup)
2 tsp cider vinegar
60ml of molasses (can use a combination of dark and light treacle) (1/4 cup)
1 1/2 pounds cooking apples, peeled and sliced into eighths (4 to 5 cups)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
2 TBS butter
For the topping:
100g of sifted plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
3 TBS cold butter
180ml of milk (3/4 cup)
Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Butter a 12 by 8 by 2 inch glass baking dish. Set aside.
Combine the flour, brown sugar, and salt in a saucepan. Whisk in the water, vinegar and molasses. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until the mixture comes to the boil and thickens. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Arrange the sliced apples in the prepared baking dish. Pour the sauce over top to cover. Sprinkle with the cinnamon and nutmeg and dot with the butter.
To make the topping sift the flour into the bowl along with the baking powder and the salt. Drop in the cold butter and cut it into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two round bladed knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal, the size of peas. Add the milk and stir until all parts are dampened. The mixture should remain somewhat lumpy.
Drop the batter by small spoonfuls onto the top of the apples. It will not cover them completely, but that is how it should be. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven. Break through the biscuit topping with a fork and work it down into the apples. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Serve warm, spooned out into bowls with or without pouring cream if desired.
I was surfing the net the other day and I came across this delicious sounding casserole on the Better Homes and Gardens site.
Cheesy Shell Stuffed Shells. Oh my goodness . . . can you imagine??? Be still my pasta-lovin heart!
Jumbo pasta shells stuffed with macaroni and cheese made with baby pasta shells! Delicious.
They are then cloaked in your favourite tomato pasta sauce and baked, then smothered with more cheese and baked again until the whole thing is all gooey and deliciously scrummy!
I know! G-E-N-I-U-S!! Macaroni and cheese just got better! Macaroni and cheese combined with lasagne!
Oh, mama mia! This is a real winner winner chicken dinner if I don't say so myself.
Of course I charged it up a bit from the original recipe, using a combination of different cheeses. Can you ever have too much cheese? I love cheese, so the answer is no.
Today I used, drum roll please . . .a crumbly strong cheddar, a creamy rich Stilton, and a salty Parmesan. This was a totally delicious.
I used low fat evaporated milk instead of the cream . . . just to save a few calories. I know, why bother with that much cheese, but I try.
I have to say that it was plenty good if I don't say so myself. But by all means, if calories aren't too worrisome for you, use the cream.
The Toddster . . . well, he is not fond of pasta as you know . . . and pasta stuffed with pasta? Well . . . not much more fonder . . . but meh . . . sometimes a gal has got to do what her pasta loving heart's got to do!
Enjoy!
*Cheesy Shell-Stuffed Shells*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe
Genius! Borrowed from Better Homes and Gardens and adapted for my own use. Easy, economical and delicious!
24 dried Conchiglioni Rigati Shells (jumbo shell macaroni)
8 ounces Conchigliette shells (very tiny baby shell macaroni, 2 cups)
4 ounces Gruyere Cheese, grated (1 cup)
2 ounces Stilton Cheese, grated (1/2 cup)
2 ounces Parmesan Cheese, grated (1/2 cup)
8 ounces strong cheddar cheese, grated (2 cups)
6 fluid ounces of single cream (3/4 cup, you may use an equal amount of
low fat evaporated milk if you wish)
1/8 tsp freshly ground white pepper
24 fluid ounces of your favourite tomato pasta sauce (3 cups, or 750ml)
To top:
2 ounces grated mozzarella cheese (1/2 cup)
1 ounce grated strong cheddar cheese (1/4 cup)
1 ounce of grated Parmesan cheese (1/4 cup)
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F. gas mark 4. Butter a 9 by 13 inch glass baking dish. Set aside.
Cook
the large shells according to the package directions, in a large pot of
lightly salted water. Scoop out with a slotted spoon when done, rinse
and drain. Set aside. Add the mini shells to the boiling water in the
pot and cook them according to the package directions. Drain well and
rinse. Return the pot to the stove. Add the cream and all of the
grated cheeses, except for the topping cheeses. Season with black
pepper. Heat over medium low heat, stirring constantly until the
cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Stir in the cooked small
shells.
Cover the bottom of the prepared baking dish with 125ml
(1/2 cup)of the pasta sauce. Fill the jumbo shells with the cheese-shell
mixture. Place the filled shells in the baking dish. Top with the
remaining pasta sauce. Cover tightly and bake for 30 minutes. Remove
from the oven, uncover and sprinkle with the topping cheeses (mixed
together), and return to the oven to bake for about 15 minutes longer.
Allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving.
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!
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I think that the one protein we eat most of all in this house is chicken, followed closely by fish and then only rarely do we eat red meat. Quite the opposite of when I was growing up where beef was the protein of choice and fish and chicken only rare treats.
I can still remember how excited we would be when my mother would make us Maryland Fried Chicken Breasts for supper, an occasion which happened at the very most possibly twice during the year. Oh my, how delicious it was . . . she would dip the chicken breasts into egg and cracker crumbs and then fry it until it was golden brown and oh so tasty. We always had it with mashed potatoes and gravy. Luvy Jubbly, as Del Boy would say.
I think chicken is much more affordable now than it was when I was growing up. I believe it was Herbert Hoover who promised Americans that if he became President there would be a chicken in every pot and a car in every garage. This was back before the Great Depression. I know not if he succeeded in putting a chicken in every pot . . . but he did become President. I strongly suspect that he didn't, as the great Stock Market Crash of 1929 plunged the world into financial chaos just seven months later, and he was not elected for a second term. Oh the fickleness of politics.
I do so love chicken though . . . It's incredibly versatile and so easy to prepare. It lends itself to a multitude of flavours and methods of preparation. Most of all I love it roasted . . . so that the skin gets all crisp and somewhat sticky . . . whilst the meat inside stays moist and tender.
This is a fabulous method of roasting chicken quickly. It involves removing the back bone and flattening it prior to roasting at a high temperature. The lemon flavour comes in via a rub of lemon zest, sugar and salt which you gently rub beneath the skin of the breast and the thigh . . . and in the delicious braising liquid which is poured around the chicken as it roasts.
The braising liquid is then defatted, reduced and slightly thickened to produce a delicious sauce which is spooned over this tender chicken to serve. Do not mistake it for gravy. Gravy it is not. It is a rich and luscious sauce which just makes something which is so very simple . . . extraordinary!
*Roast Lemon Chicken*
Serves 3 to 4
Printable Recipe
Bake this in an enamel roasting pan, as using an aluminum pan may cause an off flavour from the lemon juice. Deliciously tender chicken with bright fresh flavours.
1 (3 1/2 to 4 pound) whole chicken, giblets removed and discarded
the finely grated zest of 3 large lemons, plus 80ml of lemon juice (1/3 cup)
1 tsp sugar
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
500ml of low sodium chicken broth
water
1 tsp corn flour
3 TBS butter
1 TBS finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
Preheat the oven to 230*C/475*F/ gas mark 8. Have ready a large enamel roasting tin.
Pat the chicken dry and then using sharp kitchen scissors, cut along both sides of the backbone to remove it. Flatten out with the palm of your hand, pressing it down firmly, and tucking the wing tips behind the back. Using your fingers, very carefully loosen the skin covering the breast and thighs. Combine the lemon zest, sugar, and 1 tsp of salt in a small bowl. Rub 2 TBS of the zest mixture beneath the skin of the chicken. Season all over with salt and pepper on the outsides and transfer to the roasting tin.
Whisk the broth, 1 cup of water and the remaining lemon zest mixture together in a beaker. Pour into the roasting tin around the chicken. If the liquid doesn't reach the skin of the thighs, then add a bit more water. Roast in the heated oven until the skin is golden brown and the meat juices run clean when gently pricked with a fork. This will take 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and allow to rest for 20 minutes.
Pour the liquid from the pan along with any chicken juices into a saucepan. (you should have about 375ml/1 1/2 cups) Skim off any fat and discard. Cook over medium high heat until it reduces to about 250ml/1 cup. Whisk the corn flour together with 1 TBS of water and whisk into the saucepan, whisking constantly and simmering until it thickens slightly. Remove from the heat, whisk in the butter and parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. Carve the chicken and serve, passing the sauce at the table.
Prior to Christmas I was sent the nicest cookbook to review. It is called Pure Vanilla by Shauna Sever, of the popular dessert blog, Piece of Cake. I just love Vanilla. If you were to ask me what is my favourite flavour of ice cream, I would say Vanilla Bean . . . I just love the one which is filled with lots of flecks of vanilla. I love Vanilla anything and so I was really happy to get this cookbook.
This really is a beautiful book, just filled with everything you could ever possibly want to know about this most favourite of flavours . . . from it's history and origins, the many kinds of vanilla which are available, how to make your own extracts and liquers, to how to substitute the different varieties for each other in recipes.
And what a fabulous lot of recipes there are!! Sorted into 6 chapters:
1. Breakfasts (Honey Vanilla Granola Clusters, Vanilla Stewed Fruit, Light, Crisp Vanilla Waffles, to name just a few of the 15 Breakfast recipes on offer)
2. Cake and Pies (11 delicious recipes including Vanilla Cloud Cake, Twinkie Bundt Cake, Tres Leches Cake. etc.)
3. Cookies and Bars (Big soft Frosted Vanilla Sugar Cookies, Mini Vanilla Eclairs, Salted Vanilla Chip Oatmeal Cookies along with 12 tasty other recipes.)
4. Candies and Confections ( 12 scrummy recipes including Vanilla Lollipops, Golden Pear-Vanilla Jam, Vanilla Butter Mints, Vanilla Bean Sea Salt Caramels) There is also a Throw a Vanilla Tasting Party section in this chapter.
5. Custards and Creams (Creamy Vanilla Rice Pudding, Folating Islands, Favourite Vanilla Ice Cream, Coconut and Vanilla Bean Ice Pops . . . just four of the 19 recipes on offer in this tasty chapter.)
6. Drinks (Vanilla Italian Soda, Vanilla Almond Milk, Malted White Hot Chocolate, etc. 9 recipes in total.)
As well, there is a very well written resource section and a handy dandy Vanilla Lover's Cheat Sheet just inside the cover.
It is well written and beautifully photographed. (photographs by Leigh Beisch) and very adaptable to use in the UK, with the exception of very few ingredients which would be difficult to obtain. A lot of times these American Cookbooks ask for a lot of ingredients we just can't get over here, or are unable to find suitable substitutes for. Happy to say that is not the case with this book.
Today I decided to treat Todd and myself to a nice hot drink from the book . . . Malted White Hot Chocolate. This is the picture from the book, along with homemade Vanilla Marshmallows on top . . .
It looked really tasty, and it's been really cold and windy and wet today . . . perfect hot drink weather.
Mine turned out just lovely. I was able to make it low fat as well, by changing some of the higher fat ingredients for low fat ingredients and it was absolutely gorgeous! We loved it! I also made a few other recipes before Christmas from it (Vanilla Creme Cookie Sandwiches, Cherry Vanilla Shortbread Cake Squares, and Ultimate Vanilla Cupcakes), but I can't find my photos for them! They were all fabulous recipes though!
All in all I would highly recommend this book, giving it a resounding 10 out of 10! If Vanilla is one of your favourite flavours as it is mine, you will just LOVE LOVE this book!
*Malted White Hot Chocolate*
Serves 2
Printable Recipe
Oh my goodness. This is decadently delicious. You can make it lower in fat though by using 2%milk and low fat evaporated milk instead of the half and half cream as well as using light malted milk powder. I did and it was still fabulous!
1 cup whole milk (I used 2% milk, 250ml)
1 cup half and half (I used low fat evaporated milk, 250ml)
3 ounces white chocolate, chopped
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup malted milk powder (I used 2 dessertspoons of Horlicks light)
1 tsp pure Vanilla extract or Vanilla bean paste (I used the paste)
Mini marshmallows optional
Combine the milk, half and half, white chocolate bits and salt in a medium saucepan. Stir and heat over medium heat until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is become just hot to the touch. Transfer the mixture to a blender and add the malted milk powder. Cover tightly and blend for 60 seconds. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and reheat just until hot. Do NOT let it boil. Stir in the vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste and serve immediately, with or without some marshmallows on top
PURE VANILLA
irresistible recipes and essential techniques
by Shauna Sever
- ISBN:9781594745966
- Book Dimensions:7½ x 8½
- Page Count:180
- Release Date:November 6, 2012
- Book Price:$22.95/£15.99 UKPublished by Quirk Books.Many thanks to Mat from PGUK and Quirk Books for having sent me my review copy.
I was given a nice bunch of really tasty looking cherry tomatoes the other day, baby plums to be exact and I knew just what I wanted to make with them! It's not really salad season at the moment, but I really fancied a salad. I thought to make a heartier type of salad though, heartier than the usual salad leaves and cucumber/radish combinations. A meal type of salad . . .
I wanted something robust enough to keep Todd happy, and yet salady enough to fool me into thinking I was eating healthy.
I also had a ciabatta loaf that I needed to use. Not quite at it's best, but not at it's worse either.
The best way to bring a tired old loaf back to life is to heat it, or grill it. By slicing the ciabatta into thick slices and brushing them with some olive oil, a light sprinkle of salt and and then grilling it, I brought a tired ciabatta deliciously into the present. Oh my . . . I could have eaten this all on it's own. Especially after I rubbed some tasty raw garlic over it's golden surface.
Grilling it gave the bread some tasty looking toasty grill marks. The olive oil, a wonderful depth of richness, nicer even than butter. The salt and garlic made it just perfectly tasty all round.
Cut into cubes and tossed with the ripe tomatoes, some basil and some cheese, and then dressed with a red wine vinegar dressing, this went down a real treat!
Kinda like pizza in the raw . . . but shhh . . . don't tell Todd. He's not overly fond of Pizza, but he thought this was deliciously different.
To quote him . . . "It made a nice change." I'd happily call that a great result!!
Enjoy!
*Grilled Bread Salad with Basil and Cherry Tomatoes*
Serves 8
Printable Recipe
Toasty bread, tossed together with cherry tomatoes, basil, and mini mozarella cheeses in a red wine vinegar and olive oil dressing. So delicious!
1 medium ciabatta loaf, sliced lengthwise into
1 inch thick slices (about 1/2 pound)
4 ounces extra virgin olive oil (1/2 cup), plus
extra for oiling the grill pan
fine sea salt
1 fat clove of garlic, peeled and halved
1 pint of cherry or baby plum tomatoes, halved
(I keep mine on the counter, where they ripen really nicely)
8 spring onions, trimed and thinly sliced (both the white and green parts)
12 large fresh basil leaves, torn into bits
2 ounces good quality red wine vinegar (1/4 cup)
8 ounces fresh mini mozzarella's
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat a heavy grill pan over medium high heat. Brush with oil. Lightly brush the bread on both sides with some of the olive oil, and season lightly with salt. Place into the heated grill pan and cook until it gets nicely browned, and gets some good grill marks all over. Turn over and grill the other side. Remove from the pan and rub all over on both sides with the cut side of the garlic. Discard the garlic when done. Set the bread aside to cool.
Place the halved tomatoes into a large shallow bowl along with the spring onion and basil. Cut or tear the bread into one inch cubes. Add to the bowl along with the tomatoes. Whisk the remaining oil together with the vinegar. Sprinkle over the bread mixture and toss together well. Let sit for a time at room temperature before serving. (Can allow to sit for up to 2 hours) Just before serving add the mini cheeses and season all with a bit of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
I picked up a package of already cooked ham hock bits in the grocery shop the other day. I was really excited when I found them because this is the type of ingredient I just love to discover.
Something which is tasty, versatile and that I just know I am going to enjoy using. Win/win/win!
Best of all, it was separated into two smaller portions, so I knew I could use one and freeze the other for another time, and it was inexpensive . . . another bonus! Ham hocks are actually quite a wonderful ingredient.
They give you a lot of tasty bang for your pound/buck. You can buy them either already cooked or ready to cook yourself, the end result being lots of tender meat that comes in handy for making casseroles and the like.
Delicious and economical meals like this tasty Ham Hock, Peas & Creamy Noodle dish which you can have on the table in approximately the time it takes you to boil some noodles!
Seriously! Cheap, easy, quick and tasty! What more could you want in a weeknight supper dish!
I used Malfalda noodles the other night, because I love their crinkly curly edges, kind of like tiny bite sized lasagne noodles.
They are perfect for this dish because they let all off that delicious sauce nestle into all those little crinkles . . .
I always have frozen peas in the freezer. I prefer the petit pois, because they're smaller, more tender and tastier/sweeter in my opinion . . . and I am a frozen pea snob.
Peas are not my favourite vegetable really, and if I am going to eat them, I want to eat the tiny ones. I hate overgrown starchy peas. UGH! They are just one of my pet peeves. Its a texture thing.
The peas add a nice touch of colour and some extra texture, which goes very well with the ham hock bits and the sauce. I'll be honest that this wasn't Todd's favourite meal, but that is because he SAYS he hates pasta.
He always eats it though . . . and sometimes even goes back for seconds, which he did when I served this . . . probably because he does love peas and ham.
The sauce is simple and easy to put together, and very tasty. Ham hock, tender and juicy. Frozen petit pois.
Tender noodles . . . and a delicious sauce, all put together and on the table in literally minutes. Win/win/win/win/win!!! I do hope you'll give it a try!
*Ham Hock, Peas & Creamy Noodles*
Serves 4 to 6
Printable Recipe
In
the time that it takes you to cook some pasta, you can have a delicious
and filling supper on the table. Your family will love this.
2 TBS butter
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 cup of chicken stock
1 cup of single cream
16 ounces of cooked and coarsely shredded ham hock
1 mug full of frozen petit pois, thawed
1 TBS lemon juice
the finely grated zest of 1/2 un-waxed lemon
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 pound of your favourite pasta, uncooked (I like to use malfalda because it has lots of curly edges)
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to the boil. Tip in the pasta and cook according to the package directions.
While
the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the onions and cook,
stirring frequently until they are beginning to turn golden brown. Tip
in the broth and single cream. Bring to the boil then reduce to as
quick simmer and cook until it begins to thicken up somewhat. Tip in
the ham hock and peas. Season to taste with some salt and pepper. Stir
in the lemon zest and juice. Stir in the pasta. Stir to combine and
heat through. Serve immediately.
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!
Easy Cinnamon Puffs. Nothing could be easier or tastier than these puff pastry cinnamon twists.
I always love those little puff pastry creations you can buy at the grocery shops over here. They call them Danish Pastries, but really . . . they are not like any Danish Pastries which I am well acquainted with.
I am a sucker for anything in pastry . . . especially sweet things in pastry, but you know . . . those fancy pastries don't come cheap!
The truth is that, for probably not much more than the cost of a packet of puff pastry, you can actually get multiple tasty treats, which are not only delicious, but very easy to make as well.
Today I just simply spread it with some softened butter and sprinkled it with brown sugar and cinnamon. Then I sprinkled milk chocolate chips over top, rolled it up, cut it into slices and then baked them.
Easy peasy, lemon squeasy! But there are so many other things you could do to jazz it up even more, like adding some toasted and chopped nuts, or bits of dried fruit.
This is a simple idea that you can grab and run with like the wind.
Food is supposed to be fun and inspiring, and so is cooking! Enjoy it! Life is too short not to.
*Easy Cinnamon Puffs*
Makes 12
Printable Recipe
Nothing could be easier. A lot cheaper than buying the ready made ones in the shops! So tasty too! In fact, downright delectable!
1 packet of ready roll all butter puff pastry
(One sheet, about 15 by 12 inches, thawed if frozen)
softened butter
100g soft light brown sugar (1/2 cup packed)
2 tsp ground cinnamon
90g of milk chocolate chips (1/2 cup)
1 egg yolk beaten with a touch of water
To glaze:
130g icing sugar, sifted (1 cup)
few drops vanilla
milk
Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Line a large baking tray with some baking paper, or two smaller ones.
Unroll your puff pastry. Spread it all over with the softened butter. Mix together the cinnamon and brown sugar. Sprinkle this evenly over top. Sprinkle evenly with the chocolate chips. Roll up from the short end, pressing all together tightly. Using a sharp knife cut into 1 inch slices. Carefully slide them onto the prepared baking tray. Flatten each one slightly with your hand by pressing down gently. Brush each with some of the beaten egg. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until puffed and golden brown. Some of the filling will ooze out, but that's ok. Immediately upon removal from the oven scoop them off onto a wire rack to cool completely before proceeding.
Whisk together the icing sugar, vanilla and enough milk to give you a thick drizzle. Drizzle this decoratively over top of the puffs. Enjoy!
Note: You can go whole hog with these and add chopped toasted pecans or walnuts, chopped raisins, or cranberries. Make them your own!
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!
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