I did us some lovely Lamb Chops for our New Years Eve Supper last week. I simply rubbed them with a mixture of rosemary, thyme, garlic, sea salt, white pepper, olive oil and a bit of good balsamic vinegar that I mashed together with my mortar and pestle. I let them macerate for a good hour or more while these delicious potatoes were baking and then I quickly grilled them in a hot skillet with a bit of butter for about a minute and a half per side. They were done perfectly!
I actually baked these cookies in early December and am only now just getting to where I can show them to you. There were just so many other things in the queue! That's the holidays for you!
So, Hot Cocoa Cookies. I have adapted this recipe from one that I found on The Recipe Critic. From the moment I saw them, they were cookies that I really wanted to bake.
She got the recipe from Rachel Ray, and well, who knows who Rachel Ray got it from. Maybe Martha Stewart. As they say there is really nothing new under the sun, only new ways of doing things.
With these you get a lovely fudgy, almost "brownie-like" cookie . . . soft and chewy in the middle, just like a good brownie should be . . . Take care not to overbake them . . . to do so would take away from that
brownie-ness. There is some more chocolate tucked underneath the
marshmallow. You bake the cookies first and then add the chocolate to
the top and cover with half a marshmallow, returning them to the oven
very briefly to melt the marshmallow.
Mmmm
. . . these are so good. Just like a warm mug of hot cocoa and a hug. I dusted
them with a bit of cocoa powder just to dress them up a bit. I thought
it looked quite pretty and so did the people I gifted them to.
Delicious was the verdict!
*Hot Cocoa Cookies*
Makes about 4 dozen
Melt
the butter along with the chocolate chips over low heat in a large
saucepan. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool for about 15
minutes. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and
salt. Beat the sugar into the melted chocolate and butter mixture.
Beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the vanilla and the flour
mixture until you have a smooth mixture. It will be like a thick batter
but not stiff like a cookie batter. Cover and chill in the
refrigerator for at least an hour until firm.
Preheat the oven to 170*C/325*F/gas mark 3. Line several baking sheets with baking paper.
Shape the dough into 1 inch balls and place on the baking paper lined baking sheets, leaving 2 inches of space in between. Press down lightly with your fingers to flatten the balls slightly.
Bake for 12 minutes or just until the cookies are puffed and begin to crack. While they are baking cut the marshmallows in half. Top the cut side with 3 or 4 chocolate chips. Take the cookies from the oven and top each with a marshmallow half, cut/chocolate side down. Return to the oven for a further 4 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool. Dust with a bit of cocoa powder. Store in an airight container with wax paper in between.
These are sure to become a real favourite with the family. I hope you will give them a go! Bon Appetit!
I had some apples which I needed to use this week and I was tired of doing the same old same old and so I did a search on google and came up with this. I confess I had my doubts when I encountered this recipe on cooks.com.
It was so simple . . . no crust per se, and no leavening. How could this work? Its been my experience however, that simple things are oftimes the best things, and so I crossed my fingers and went with the flow! I took a chance.
Wow! This was so simple and quick to put together. You just slice the apples and dump them into the pie tin, sprinkle them with a little bit of sugar and cinnamon and then pour the batter over top and bake.
Leave it to the Swedes to come up with something which is totally streamlined and totally tasty. That is their hallmark in design and clearly with cooking also!
The batter is simply melted butter, sugar, an egg and flour. It shouldn't work, but it does . . . amazingly!
The apples are sweet and soft, without being overly so. You will want them to be a bit tart because there is pleny of sweetness in that crisp and buttery batter topping.
Oh boy, oh boy. It is a day later and I cannot walk by this without wanting to dig in and have just a smidgen more.
It is one of the MOST delicious apple desserts I have ever baked. Seriously. Talk about Hygge. Comfort.
Sweet comfort. I know you probably only just started a diet and its too soon to break it, but hey. Some things you just don't want to miss!
*Swedish Apple Pie*
Serves 6
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.
Butter a 9 inch deep fill pie dish. Put the apples into the dish. Sprinkle with the sugar and then the cinnamon. Whisk together the butter, sugar, egg flour and salt until smooth. Stir in the nuts and then pour this over top of the apples to cover. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes until set and golden brown.
Allow to cool until just warm before serving. Cut into wedges to serve. Serve warm with ice cream if desired.
Seriously you really do WANT to bake this. I wouldn't couldn't lie about something as serious as dessert. I guarantee it will become a firm favourite in your repertoire. If you ever find yourself in need of a quick and simple dessert that will blow your guests socks off . . . this is THE one!
Happy Weekend!
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.
This was the potato gratin I made to go along with our ham for our New Years celebrations. It is not only delicious but very simple to make. It is not low in calories however, so it will remain a once in a blue moon treat!
One of my favourite things has always been the Beef Dip Sandwich.
A beef dip is a sandwich composed of shaved roast beef in a toasted baguette that you dip in a hearty beef broth to eat. Scrummo! I love em!
I also love a good burger . . . and really, who doesn't??
I also love a good burger . . . and really, who doesn't??
This recipe I am showing you today combine the two, with a hearty burger served up in toasted French Bread with a beef broth dip.
I used low salt Soy Sauce in both the meat mix for the burger and in the broth for the dip. I like to try to cut back the salt in our diets as much as possible.
You can by all means use regular soy sauce. It is quite delicious either way.
This is not complicated in the least and very easy to make. Its also quick AND economical!!!! This is not a budget buster by any stretch.
I do use extra lean ground steak which is a bit more pricey than hamburger would be, but then I don't have to pour half of it away in fat and grease.
Hearty, filling, economical and easy. A real family pleaser. What more could you ask for!
A restaurant favourite served up at home with a delicious twist!
1 package of dry onion soup mix (If you can't get the family sized packet, use three single
serving size packets)
2 TBS soy sauce
1 pound of extra lean minced steak
8 (1/2 inch thick) pieces of French Bread, sliced on the diagonal
For the Dip:
250ml of boiling water (1 1/4 cups)
1 beef stock pot
1 TBS low salt soy sauce
cracked black pepper to taste
chopped fresh parsley and sliced dill pickles for garnish (optional)
Heat the grill or broiler in your oven to high. Combine the water, stock pot, soy sauce and pepper in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil, then keep warm at a low simmer until you are ready to eat.
In a medium bowl, combine the minced steak, soup mix, soy sauce, garlic and black pepper. Mix together well and then divide into 4 equal portions. Pat each portion lightly into an oval shaped patty about 1/2 inch thick and large enough to cover the bread.
Place the patties under the broiler/grill (heat to high) and broil for 5 to 6 minutes per side until nicely browned and thoroughly cooked, turning once.
While the meat patties are grilling, toast the bread and butter them on one side.
Place each patty between two slices of toast, buttered side out and cut in half on the diagonal. Place two halves onto each of four heated plates along with a small bowl of the dip for each. Garnish with some sliced dills and chopped parsley if desired. Serve immediately.
*French Dip Burgers*
Serves 4
A restaurant favourite served up at home with a delicious twist!
1 package of dry onion soup mix (If you can't get the family sized packet, use three single
serving size packets)
1/2 tsp ground black pepper or to taste
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed2 TBS soy sauce
1 pound of extra lean minced steak
8 (1/2 inch thick) pieces of French Bread, sliced on the diagonal
softened butter
For the Dip:
1 beef stock pot
1 TBS low salt soy sauce
cracked black pepper to taste
chopped fresh parsley and sliced dill pickles for garnish (optional)
Heat the grill or broiler in your oven to high. Combine the water, stock pot, soy sauce and pepper in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil, then keep warm at a low simmer until you are ready to eat.
In a medium bowl, combine the minced steak, soup mix, soy sauce, garlic and black pepper. Mix together well and then divide into 4 equal portions. Pat each portion lightly into an oval shaped patty about 1/2 inch thick and large enough to cover the bread.
Place the patties under the broiler/grill (heat to high) and broil for 5 to 6 minutes per side until nicely browned and thoroughly cooked, turning once.
While the meat patties are grilling, toast the bread and butter them on one side.
Place each patty between two slices of toast, buttered side out and cut in half on the diagonal. Place two halves onto each of four heated plates along with a small bowl of the dip for each. Garnish with some sliced dills and chopped parsley if desired. Serve immediately.
These are delicious and just that little bit different. My husband really loves them, and I confess I do too! Bon Appetit!
This is a great dish to make on those nights when you are wanting to make something quick and easy but something that the family will still enjoy. Macaroni and Cheese is a popular dish with most people, but when its also a pie, that's a win/win!
Mac and Cheese pie fits the bill on all counts!
Plus it is done in one dish, the mixing the baking, etc. You don't have to cook the macaroni first.
Like magic it cooks in the casserole dish along with everything else.
I use my homemade baking mix for this. I always have it in the cupboard. You can find the recipe for that here. Or you can just buy it ready made.
You could use Bisquick or Teabisk. I just use my own homemade one though.
Once it is baked it cuts easily into squares (if you have baked it in a square dish) or wedges if you have baked it in a pie dish.
Just look at how tasty that looks. Pass me my fork!
All you need on the side is some veg or a salad. I like to serve it with meatloaf, or hot dogs. You could also serve it with fish fingers or chicken nuggets, fingers, etc.
Kids love this. Grownups do too. Its really, really good.
*Mac and Cheese Pie*
Serves 6
salt and pepper to taste
30g additional grated cheddar cheese (1/4 cup)
Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Buter a 10 inch pie dish or an 8 inch square baking dish, or six custard cups.
Mix the first amount of cheese with the macaroni. Spread out in the prepared baking dish. Combine the milk, tabasco sauce, eggs, baking mix and seasoning until well blended. Pour over the macaroni in the dish.
Bake, uncovered for about 40 minutes. A knife inserted near the centre should come out clean. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake for an additional several minutes until the cheese melts. Let stand for 10 minutes before cuting ito squares or wedges to serve.
This makes the perfect weeknight supper. Your family will love it. Bon appetit!
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!
We always said that my mom could make soup out of anything and its true. My mom makes the best soup in the world. Everyone always says I could make a meal out of anything, and that is also true. I am the Queen of Casseroles and best user-upper of leftovers you could ever want to meet. I guarantee that this recipe I am showing you here today will make you the Queen of Casseroles too, and that nothing edible in your kitchen will ever go to waste again!
With this basic Mix and Match Casserole recipe you will never find yourself at a loss as to what to do with your leftover veg, or meat . . . not even your leftover starches will be safe. You will be able to find a use for all of it, guaranteed!
And not only that, but your family will be gobbling up your leftovers pronto because these casseroles are just so delicious. Each casserole is simply a basic combination of protein, vegetable, carbohydrate, sauce, and toppings.
Which can be used in any number of combinations! For instance today, I used some leftover baked ham, leftover cooked potato, swede (rutabaga) and green beans, a bit of chopped celery, onion and frozen sliced mushrooms, half a tin of creamed corn, along with some cracker crumbs and grated cheese on top. Easy peasy and Todd said that it was the most delicious thing he had ever eaten.
And all it was, was . . . . leftovers. bits and bobs of this and that. Not enough of any one thing to do anything major with, but just enough of everything that put all together we had something pretty delicious. In fact I was wishing I had had some leftover turkey to throw in there as well because that would have been pretty tasty.
The combinations are endless. You don't need to use cream soups if you don't want to, you can make a simple white sauce using 1 TBS flour, 1 TBS butter and 1 cup of warm milk (for one cup of sauce) Simply melt the butter, whisk in the flour, cook for a minute and then whisk in the milk, along with some seasoning, and cook until thick. To make a cheese sauce just whisk in some grated cheese and a bit of tabasco. Another easy cream sauce can be made by whisking together 2 eggs (beaten) and 1 cup of milk. No need to cook. Just whisk it all together with some seasoning, and mix into the casserole. It will cook in the oven and make a delicious sauce.
Even mayonnaise works, or leftover gravy (so much the better!) or even half mayonnaise and half sour cream. All work beautifully. You can be your own magician and work the magic with whatever you have that is available for you to use. Like I said, the combinations are endless. Enjoy!
*Basic Mix and Match Casserole*
Serves 2
Select and prepare the ingredients of your choice. Place the protein, starch, and veg in a large bowl and mix together. Mix together the sauce, flavour ingredients and herbs which you are using in another measure. Fold this into the protein mixture and then spread the mixture into the prepared casserole. Sprinkle with the topping.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, covered. Uncover and bake for a further 15 minutes, or until bubbling and heated through.
This is very easy to multiply up.
Note: Today I used diced ham, green beans, mushrooms, swede, potato, onions, celery, creamed corn, thyme and parsley. I topped with cheddar and cracker crumbs. It was delicious!
I hope you are getting really excited now at that refrigerator full of leftovers and that the wheels are turning. What will you make? I would love to hear the combinations you come up with! Shoot me a comment below and share with us what you have done.
I can still remember the very first time I tasted French Onion Soup. It was when I had been married for the first time. My husband and I were students at a University back home. We had a pair of friends who were very modern and living together, a very much unheard of thing back in those days in the bible-belt of Canada. (I know I am dating myself here.)
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