I love scalloped potatoes, but I adore Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes! This is a fabulous recipe and, unlike most Scalloped Potato recipes, you can have this delicious dish on the table in less than half an hour and it is perfectly sized for just two people, which makes it great for the smaller family!
Most of the work is done on top of the stove, which means that your kitchen stays blessedly cool!
Delicious layers of tender potatoes, melded with grated cheddar cheese and cream . . . a bit of stock, some onion and seasoning . . . topped with a layer of Parmesan cheese that gilds to a golden brown in the oven.
You brown the onions first in a skillet (make sure its oven proof) and then add some garlic and thyme. Some stock and cream are added along with the sliced potatoes and then the mixture simmers, covered for about 12 to 15 minutes . . .
After that you stir in the cheese. Today I used some leftover cheddar I had which was flavoured with beer, leeks and mustard . . . sooooo good . . .
The Parmesan gets sprinkled on top and then a quick roast in a hot oven for 10 minutes and bingo! Your potatoes are done! Tender, rich and delicious, crisp around the edges and golden brown!
What more could a person ask for! We had them with BBQ pork chops and some corn. Yummy!
*Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes*
Serves 2 generouslythe last time with delicious results)
Preheat the oven to 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7. You will need an 8 inch oven-proof skillet with an oven-proof handle.
Toss the grated cheddar with 1 tsp of the cornflour in a small bowl. Toss the grated parmesan with the remaining 1/2 tsp cornflour in another bowl. Set both aside.
Heat the oil in your skillet over medium heat until it begins to shimmer. Add the onion and cook, until softens and turns light golden in colour. Add the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute or so. Add the stock and cream,a long with the salt and pepper. Add the potatoes and turn to coat. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cover and simmer over very low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, until the potatoes are nearly tender.
Remove from the heat. Stir in the cheddar cheese, mixing it in as well as you can and turning the potatoes in it. Press the potatoes into an even layer. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese evenly over top. Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes or so until golden brown and the potatoes are completely tender. Let stand for about 5 minutes or so to cool, prior to serving.
I really hope you will give these a go and if you that you enjoy them as much as we do! Bon Appetit!
I have never lived anywhere that they serve Street Tacos but I have long imagined what they might be like, and this tasty dish today is the result of my imagination going crazy over the years. If I am not even close to what they are really like, don't burst my bubble, because I am really happy with these!!
The meat filling is not made from ground beef, but from beef steaks, thinly sliced and then chopped with a sharp knife into small chunks . . . and then marinated in the juice of a lime along some choice seasonings . . . Tex Mex flavours, cumin, mild chili powder, garlic and onion powders . . .
This gets browned in a skillet with some chopped onion and a green chili, and then it is simmered long and slow over low heat until the meat is tender and falling apart . . .
I made my own Guacamole type of Avocado sauce to serve with them . . . oh boy but it was some good. I could eat it with a spoon.
The Avocado I used for my Avocado cream was the Strong Roots Frozen Ripened Avocado halves! So convenient and easy to use. These Peruvian Avocado Halves (RRP £5.29) are perfectly ripened,
pitted and freshly frozen. With with a bag or two of these in the
freezer it means smoothies and guacamole can be made at anytime along
with anything else that requires avocado. These are available at Whole Foods. I think they're just beautiful!
The smooth coolness of that delicious Avocado Cream went so well with the slight heat of the Taco meat. I don't like my food to bite me back and this had just a tiny bite that wasn't overly obnoxious to me. You could add more chili if you want more heat of course!
I also made my own flour tortillas from scratch. I love homemade tortillas. I have been making them for years and years. They are a hundred times tastier than the ready made ones and are really easy to make. Mine never quite turn out round, but hey ho! They always stretch out of shape when I lift them into the hot pan. It's the flavour that matters most though, so no worries! They are soft and delicious, with just the right number of brown blisters . . . very, VERY good!
I set everything out "Taco Bar" style . . . with a variety of toppings . . . chopped spring onions, sour cream, the avocado cream, chopped tomatoes, chopped ripe olives, shredded lettuce . . . and some grated jack cheese!
You could use Pepper Jack if you really want to kick up the heat. Or add a bottle of hot sauce for those who really like things spicy, or pickled jalapenos . . . that's not me. I am a lover of spicy but tame food. ☺ Altogether these were, very, very nice!
*Street Style Beef Tacos*
Makes 8 nice big tacos
Printable Recipe
Deliciously spiced meat filling in homemade tortillas with a beautifully favoured avocado topping.
For the meat filling:
2 pounds extra thin steak
the juice of one lime
2 onions, peeled and chopped
1 green chili, deseeded, trimmed and finely chopped
1 TBS mild chili powder or to taste1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
salt and black pepper to taste
non-stick cooking spray
2 frozen avocado halves, thawed
185g Green yogurt (3/4 cup)
3 TBS fresh lime juice
1 TBS white wine vinegar
1 tsp chipotle in adobo sauce or to taste
fine sea salt to taste
a handful of coriander leaves, chopped (cilantro)
For the tortillas:
280g plain flour
1/2 tsp salt
180ml water (3/4 cup)
3 TBS olive oil
You will also need your preferred taco topping:
shredded lettuce, grated cheese, sliced spring onions, lime wedges,
sliced black olives, chopped fresh tomatoes, sour cream etc.
To make the beef filling. Trim your thinly cut beef steaks of any
fat or sinew along the edges, and in the middle if required. Roll them
up tightly and cut crosswise into thin strips with a really sharp
knife. Cut the strips into bits with the sharp knife. You want 1/4
inch or so small bits. Alternately coarsely chop in a food processor.
You want it chopped into bits but not ground.
Put the
steak into a bowl and add the lime juice and all seasonings. Let stand
for about 15 minutes. Spray a large skillet with the cooking spray and
heat. Add the meat, onions and green chili.Cook over medium heat,
stirring frequently until the meat is browned. Add about 1/4 cup of
water and simmer over very low heat while you make the topping and
tortillas, stirring every now and then. Don't let it boil dry. By the
end of that time the meat will be very tender. Taste and adjust
seasoning as required.
Stir the flour and salt
together in a bowl for the tortillas. Mix together the water and olive
oil. Stir in with a fork. You will have a very sticky dough. Tip out
onto a well floured surface and knead for a minute or so. Cover and let
rest while you make the Avocado topping.
Mash the
avocados well. Stir in the yogurt, lime juice, vinegar, chipotle
chili, sea salt and coriander leaf. Cover and set aside.
Knead
your tortila dough a couple more times and then divide into 8 even
pieces, rolling each into a ball with your hands. Roll each out on a
generously floured surface, to a 7 inch circle, using a well floured
rolling pin. If you stack them together place a piece of cling film or
paper in between.
Heat a large nonstick skillet and
coat with cooking spray. Cook the tortillas one at a time. Cook on one
side until golden brown blisters appear, flip over and repeat on the
other side. This will take about 1 minute per side over medium heat.
Keep warm while you cook the remaining ones.
It won't be long before I made these again. I might even make them for the Missionaries next time they come for supper, doubling everything up of course! They are sure to have hearty appetites if I set these down in front of them! I count these as one of my favourite things so far that I have cooked this year! Provecho!!! (That's Mexican for Bon Appetit!)
Note - Although I was sent the Strong Earth Avocado Halves free for testing purpose and review, I was not required to write a positive review. Any and all opinions are my own.
I was recently asked if I would like to try some of the new size Cadbury Dairy Milk Tiffin Bars to try out. They didn't need to ask me twice! We love Cadbury's Dairy Milk and we love Tiffin, the two together were bound to be gorgeously tasty!
The Cadbury Dairy Milk Tiffin, first produced in 1937, is making a permanent comeback to the UK. Originally launched in 1937, the company stopped making tiffin bars in 1972 before bringing the product back in 1985 and withdrawing it again 2003. Chocolate lovers have been “passionately campaigning” for the return of Cadbury Dairy Milk Tiffin for years.
Katrina Davison, Cadbury Dairy Milk Brand Manager, said “Cadbury Dairy Milk Tiffin has always been a firm favourite amongst chocolate lovers and is perfect for sharing. Last year, we released a limited edition bar in the summer and the response was incredible! With so many fans campaigning for its permanent return on social media, we just knew we had to bring it back for good this time.”
I, for one, am very pleased about this. I love Cadbury's Fruit and Nut Bars, and I ADORE these Tiffin Bars! I love the little crunchy biscuit bits and well, raisins/dried grapes and chocolate do it for me every time. I colour these a resounding success! That same delicious Cadbury's milk chocolare we enjoy filled with crunch and scrumminess! Yes!
Cadbury Dairy Milk Tiffin is available in 200g bars, for a RRP of £2.49 at all major supermarkets.
Note - Although I was sent these free of charge to try, any and all opinions are my own. I love a tiny piece of chocolate at night while we are watching our favourite shows. I save up all my sweetness each day for this little treat. The trick is to hide it from Todd before he eats it all up! Thanks Cadbury! (These bars are meant to be enjoyed by the whole family and not just one person in one go. That would not be wise.)
I can't believe it has taken me so long to post this delicious recipe. I actually cooked this way back in the Spring, but then the weather started getting hot and I didn't think it was the time of year that people would enjoy cooking and eating this kind of food.
With autumn in the offing, however, I think its about time I brought it forward! This be pretty good eating! Its delicious and I don't want anyone to miss out on it!
It's a great casserole to make when you have leftover ham and potatoes. I usually cook extra potatoes if I am boiling them, just so that I can make dishes like this. You can never have too many leftover cooked potatoes. They always get used up.
When I have baked a ham, I always chop up the extras and bang them in the freezer, just to have on hand when we are wanting something a bit heartier, but that won't break the bank! It also comes in very handy and gets used up.
I have also been known to buy a slab of ham just to make this, but you could probably use sliced ham or tinned ham if you really wanted to, with no problem at all.
I expect you could even use frankfurters/hotdogs, or sliced smoked sausage, or even bacon. The only criteria is that it be smoky.
Cooked potatoes are layered with a mixture of sautéed onions, sauerkraut and ham in a buttered shallow casserole dish.
I love dishes like this that you sort of putter together. That could be a hard thing to describe, puttering something together, but if you are a cook of any age or length of time I am sure you will know what I mean by it.
Puttering is a kind of a mindless activity which requires no thought really. Just simple actions done with care and deliberation simply and by hand.
I love sauerkraut myself. Its always been a favorite of mine. I suppose that is why this is called German Casserole, because of the use of sauerkraut. My sister makes her own kraut from scratch. I have not been brave enough yet.
I suppose I am too afraid of poisoning myself. I have had food poisoning several times in my life and I am not likely to want to repeat that performance again!
I still can't really face chicken parmesan since the last time I had it. It wasn't the chicken that did it to me, but chicken parm was the last thing I ate before it hit. 'Nuf said! I never want a repeat of that experience! No. No. No.
Of course if you are not a big fan of sauerkraut you could use thinly sliced cabbage that you can saute in butter along with the onions and ham. Its really, REALLY good done that way also!
There is a nice layer of cheese on top. I think toppings like cheese and breadcrumbs are some of the things which make most casseroles automatically taste better! I do so love a good casserole!
There is a nice layer of cheese on top. I think toppings like cheese and breadcrumbs are some of the things which make most casseroles automatically taste better! I do so love a good casserole!
Quick and economical as well. This is a real family favorite. A gem, and an excellent do-over for leftover potatoes and ham.
German Casserole
Yield: 4 - 6
prep time: 15 Mcook time: 30 Mtotal time: 45 M
A great casserole that uses up leftovers in a very delicious way! Simple and easy to make and a quick bake. You will need leftover cooked ham and potatoes.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cubed cooked smoked ham
- 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
- 3 TBS butter
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 2 pounds cooked potatoes, peeled and sliced
- 795g jar or sauerkraut, drained, rinsed and drained again (28 ounce can)
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 large free range eggs
- 4 TBS milk
- 240g grated strong cheddar cheese (I use a mix of orange and white for colour) (2 cups)
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Melt the butter in a large skillet until it begins to foam. Add the onion and ham. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is softened, without browning. Add the drained and rinsed sauerkraut and paprika and mix well together.
- Place half of your sliced potatoes in a buttered 9 inch casserole dish. Season with salt and pepper. Spread the ham and sauerkraut mixture over top. Cover with the remaining potatoes. Season again. Beat together the eggs and milk. Pour this over the potatoes. Sprinkle with the grated cheese.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until heated through and the cheese is bubbly. Serve hot.
Now doesn't that look tasty! Some crusty bread spread with cold butter goes really well with this, and if you can find rye bread, so much the better!
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I love cherry pies. Most of my life I have just used the cherry filling for pies that you get in a tin. I always have had a couple of tins of that in the cupboard. Its what I use for my Chocolate Cherry Squares, and its great spooned over cheesecake, and its great in pies, of course!
I have been oggling this photo for cherry pie envelopes on Pinterest for a very long time, attributed to Liz Bushong. You can see her tutorial for making them here. They are gorgeous and I have wanted to try this for quite a while! Hers look so beautiful!
Hahaha, not sure if you would call this a pinterest fail or not!! I have to laugh when I look at it in comparison to Liz's! You just got to laugh at yourself dont you? Yes, you do! Its not healthy to take life too seriously!
I couldn't find any pie filling at the shops and I tried three. So I decided to make my own, from scratch and it turned out really well! I used two containers of frozen cherries that I picked up at the shops when I couldn't find any tinned filling . . . and I just winged it, and was very pleased with the results.
It turned out lovely and red, with no food colouring added and with all natural ingredients. Just the cherries, some sugar and some cornflour, with a bit of butter and almond flavouring added at the end.
You don't need to be adding any water to the cherries at all . . . once they thaw out while you are cooking this, they release plenty of moisture on their own.
I actually made the filling the night before. I packed it into a container and let it cool, then I covered it and put it into the refrigerator overnight so it was nice and cold when I went to make my pie envelopes.
I cut my pastry squares using my fluted pastry roller cutter thingie so that the squares would have a pretty edge. I also cut out little hearts to decorate the fronts, but I think I should have cut larger hearts as they got lost in the baking. They may not be very purty . . . . but they sure tasted good! Especially with a dollop of Devon Clotted Cream spooned on top!
*Cherry Pie Filling*
Makes enough for one pie
Whisk the cornflour and sugar together in a saucepan. Stir in the cherries and let sit for about half an hour or so. By this time they will have started to thaw out. Cook, stirring constantly over medium low heat until the cherries are all thawed and the juices have been released. Increase the heat to medium, and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and bubbles. Cook for a further two minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and almond extract. Let sit until cooled. Store, covered, in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.
Note - This can also be frozen. Pack the cold filling into a freezer container, leaving one inch of headspace, cover tightly and freeze. You can also make this using fresh pitted cherries.
This cherry pie filling was really simple to make and tasted a bazillion times better than the tinned stuff. I think I will make it from scratch from now on when I want to make a cherry pie . . .no preservatives and all natural ingredients, and way less sugar. I like my pies a bit on the tart side, but if you like them sweeter you can use a bit more sugar if you like. I wouldn't add much more however, because I think this amount is just right. Of course a lot depends on the kind of cherries you use. I used Morello which are a bit tarter than sweet cherries. You can find my favourite pasty recipe here. Bon Appetit!
Today's recipe is a traditional one that I have adapted from a great National Trust cookery book I have entitled, Complete Traditional Recipe Book, by Sarah Eddington. I love these old traditional recipes. There is always a story behind them. They are also very simple and uncomplicated as well as being very delicious!
They are also known as Ashby Statutes Cakes, which have traditionally been baked to enjoy during the travelling Summer Fun Fairs of July, August and September. I think they are very similar to Welsh Cakes, or biscuits.
To me they seem to be somewhat of a cross between a cookie and a pastry . . . nice and buttery . . .and short, but not as short as a shortbread biscuit would be . . .
Welsh cakes are very similar in shape and size and also dusted with castor sugar . . . but are studded with raisins and flavoured with spice.
These are not studded with raisins alone . . . nor is there any spice . . .instead they are studded with a mix of dried fruit and chopped nuts. I have used glace cherries, sultanas, currants and citrus peel, along with chopped toasted hazelnuts.
I chopped the cherries very fine, and then I chopped the other fruits also. Not too fine, mind . . . just fine enough to make them easier to stamp out. Nothing worse than a whole raisin or a nut ruining the look of your biscuit by jamming the cutter.
These are beautiful dunkers . . . be it in a nice hot cuppa or a glass of milk . . . which makes them perfect for elevensies, or coffee break or afterschool, or with your afternoon cup of tea.
I love a good dunking biscuit don't you? Its a bit of a comfort thing I believe . . . and these are very comforting. I do love these fabulous traditional foods of these beautiful Islands, and all of their the history and folklore behind them!
*Langley Wakes Cakes*
Makes approx. 16 1/2 tsp baking powder
and finely chopped toasted hazelnuts)
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Line several large baking sheets with some baking paper. Set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Sift together the flour and baking powder. Stir in the dried fruit and nuts. Add to the creamed mixture, alternating with the well beaten egg, stirring until you have a batter which is stiff enough for rolling out. You don't want it too sticky.
Lightly flour your countertop. Working with half of the dough at a time, roll out approximately 1/3 of an inch thick, using a lightly floured rolling pin. Take a 3-inch fluted round cutter and stamp out rounds. Transfer to a baking sheet, leaving about an inch of space in between each. Add the scraps to the second half of the dough and lightly knead together, roll out again as before and stamp out more rounds, again placing them onto the baking sheets. Repeat until you have used all the dough.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown on the edges. Sprinkle with additional caster sugar and leave on the baking sheets to cool for about 5 minutes prior to scooping off to a wire rack to finish cooling completely. Store in an airtight container. These will keep for several days.
I love the idea of sprinkling hot biscuit/cookies with fine sugar right when they come out of the oven. The heat from the cookie makes it stick, and it adds a glorious gild to that tasty lily! Fire up the oven, you won't want to miss out on these! Bon Appetit!
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