If you are looking for a worthy candidate for a side dish for your Easter dinner this year, look no further. Twice Baked Mash just might be exactly what you are looking for. Its delicious. Its simple. It goes with everything, and everyone loves it!
When I was a child, my mother sometimes made twice baked potatoes. When that happened, we were all happy campers! She would carefully scoop out the potato pulp from the baked potatoes and mash it together with milk, butter, seasoning and chopped onion and then pile it back into the potato skins and bake then in the oven again until the potato flesh got a nice golden crust on it. They were so good and a real treat!
As a grown up, and with more sophisticated tastes, I added extras to them, like cheese and bacon. Spring onions were more available, so I added those as well as their flavour was milder than the regular onions my mother would have used. They mimicked somewhat the baked potatoes and options for topping them that were often available in restaurants.
It wasn't much of a stretch to replace the butter in the old fashioned ones with cream cheese and sour cream, other things that were becoming more readily available, and adding bacon was another treat!
This recipe today is a rif on all of that except that there is no baking of the potatoes, scooping them out, etc. You just simply peel and boil potatoes as if to make mashed potatoes.
Crisp rashers of bacon are crumbled and stirred in along with some minced spring onions and some seasoning . . . you can leave the bacon out if you want to or if you are watching the fat and calories.
For special occasions, like Easter, I go full fat and leave in the bacon. After all it is a celebration meal. Spread it all into a buttered shallow casserole dish and sprinkle some strong cheddar cheese over top and bake . . .
Until all the ingredients meld together in a creamy deliciousness and that cheese melts on top . . .
You simply garnish the finished dish with more chopped spring onions to serve and everyone's a happy camper.
Oh boy but this is some good . . . rich, creamy and delicious. Going well with any roast and in particular roast ham, which is what we have had for Easter Dinner my whole life.
*Twice Baked Mash*
Serves 6
Serves 6
This makes an excellent side dish and goes with just about everything.
6 medium sized potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
115g herbed cream cheese, softened (4 ounces)
60g sour cream (1/2 cup)
1 spring onion, finely chopped
4 slices of streaky bacon, cooked until crisp and then crumbled
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
60g grated strong cheddar cheese (1/2 cup)
to garnish:
additional chopped spring onion
6 medium sized potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
115g herbed cream cheese, softened (4 ounces)
60g sour cream (1/2 cup)
1 spring onion, finely chopped
4 slices of streaky bacon, cooked until crisp and then crumbled
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
60g grated strong cheddar cheese (1/2 cup)
to garnish:
additional chopped spring onion
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/gas mark 4. Butter a large shallow baking dish. (2 litre/2qt) Set aside.
Place the potatoes into a pot of lightly salted water. Bring to the boil, then simmer, partially covered, for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender and cooked through. Drain well and then return to the pot and mash well with a potato masher until smooth. Stir in the cream cheese, sour cream, spring onions, bacon bits, seasoned pepper and salt, mixing all in until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Spoon this mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over top.
Bake in the heated oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle the additional onions on top and serve.
Another plus for this dish is that it is very easily made ahead of time. Just make it up, sprinkle on the cheese and then refrigerate covered until you are ready to bake it, removing it from the refrigerator and bringing it to room temperature prior to baking. Its also a GREAT take-along, so works well if you have been asked to bring a side dish to a friend or family celebration dinner or covered dish supper! This really is a winning side dish. Bon Appetit!
Are you looking for a quick bake for the family over the Easter Holidays? Dr Oetkers new Bake in the Box Loaf Cake Mixes are perfect for that. I was recently sent one of each flavour to try out. These unique mixes come with their very own box that you both mix and bake them in, which also makes them perfect for students who are living away from home and who don't have a lot of tins and things for baking with. Their smaller size also makes them perfect for the smaller family who don't want to go to the fuss of baking a larger cake that might or might not get eaten.
It comes in three flavours . . Lemon & Poppy Seed, Banana & Chocolate Chip and Double Chocolate.
You just dump the enclosed packet of mix into the special packaging which also serves as a baking container . . .
Add the amount of milk required and stir together until well blended. Specific amounts and instructions are clearly marked for each flavour, both on the baking container itself and on the inside packaging, as well as times, temperatures, etc.
You bake them for ten minutes, draw a knife through them and continue to bake according the package directions. Here they are right out of the oven, freshly baked.
Then all you need to do is to run a knife aroudn the edges and then unfold the edges to loosen the cake from the baking container.
And there you have it, perfectly sized and baked loaf cakes to share with the family. No fuss. No muss, nothing to wash up afterwards and . . .
Quick, easy and quite delicious I thought! And to think all you needed was a bit of milk and a spare 30 minutes.
Dr. Oetker Bake in the Box is a range of tasty loaf cakes that are just like homemade.
Simply tear off the lid, empty the sachet into your box, add milk, mix and bake in the box!
Follow these simple steps and you will have a tasty loaf cake that is perfect to share.
Bake in a box is a simple solution to baking that is quick, easy and there is no washing up.
There are three tasty flavours to choose from: Lemon & Poppy Seed, Double Chocolate and Banana & Choc Chip.
Doctor Oetker Bake in the Box Loaf Cakes, available now in a supermarket near you.
Simply tear off the lid, empty the sachet into your box, add milk, mix and bake in the box!
Follow these simple steps and you will have a tasty loaf cake that is perfect to share.
Bake in a box is a simple solution to baking that is quick, easy and there is no washing up.
There are three tasty flavours to choose from: Lemon & Poppy Seed, Double Chocolate and Banana & Choc Chip.
Doctor Oetker Bake in the Box Loaf Cakes, available now in a supermarket near you.
I am taking advantage of these last cooler days we are having before the weather gets too hot to enjoy comfort meals such as this delicious Smothered Chicken recipe which I am showing you today.
You might think that as a Diabetic and person who is watching the calories that food such as this would be totally off the menu. This dish today proves that not only can you eat comfort foods when you are watching the calories and carbs, but they can also be delicious as well as nutritious!
Effortless and filled with lovely flavour this is such a simple dish to make and it is bound to become a real family favourite. Who says tasty has to be high in fat, carbs and calories!
This homestyle chicken dish has no fat or oil added to it at all, unless you count the spritz of cooking spray that you use to cook the onion and garlic in at the start.
Soften them and add water.
After that you add boneless, skinless chicken to the pan and allow it to simmer until it is cooked through.
Once it is cooked through you add some chicken stock and continue to simmer it until the chicken is meltingly fork tender.
The gravy is thickend with a flour/water mixture and at the very end you stir in chopped spring onions and parsley for a bit of colour and even more flavour.
Altogether, this is very delicious and nobody will even guess that its actually healthy. It only tastes naughty!
*Smothered Chicken*
Serves 6
This
delicious chicken dish only tastes high in fat and calories. This is
the ultimate in comfort food, but its actually low in fat, calories and
carbs. Diabetic friendly. Serve with brown rice if you are diabetic,
otherwise it goes very well with mashed potatoes
salt and black pepper to taste
Spray a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Add the onions and
cook, stirring occasionally over medium heat until beginning to brown.
Stir in the garlic and cook for a minute or so longer. Add the first
amount of water and cook for a further five minutes. Season the chicken
all over with salt and pepper and add to the pan with the onions, garlic
and water. Cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 20 to
30 minutes. Uncover and stir in the chicken broth. Scoop out the
chicken breasts and set aside. Shake together the flour and water and
whisk this into the chicken broth/etc. Cook, stirring constantly, until
the mixture boils and thickens. Return the chicken to the pan, turning
them to coat in the gravy. Cover and cook over low heat for a further
10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the spring onions and parsley. Taste and
adjust seasoning as required with salt and black pepper. Serve hot.
As a diabetic I choose to have mine with brown rice. A complex carbohydrate, which is diabetic friendly and low GI. My husband, the meat and potatoes man, enjoys his with mash. And why not. He shouldn't have to pay for my sins. 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!
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I love cakes which are made with sour cream and yogurt. Adding sour cream or yogurt add moisture and makes for a lovely tender crumb.
This is especially welcome when you are baking a cake to which fresh fruit is going to be added. Fresh fruit can tend to sink to the bottoms of your cakes, but this never seems to happen when I use a batter with sour cream or yogurt added.
My guess is that the fruit can get kind of heavy once it starts to cook and some of its moisture starts to seep out, and by adding the sour cream or yogurt to the cake you create a batter which can stand up well to that occurrence.
That's my theory anyways!
I know that when you are using dried things in cake, like raisins, chocolate or nuts, tossing them with a bit of flour from the recipe helps to prevent them from sinking.
I don't know if that would work with fruit. It could get claggy.which might make it sink more. Any thoughts on this?
In any case this is a beautiful cake, with a lovely moist crumb. Its light in texture and filled with pockets of sweet tart raspberries.
This is really nice as its not an overly sweet cake. It works well.
It makes a great cake to enjoy for breakfast or brunch, or for with your afternoon cuppa. I love cakes that are perfect for any time!
Mind you, I am the type of person who can eat cake any time!
This Raspberry Yogurt Cake also makes a nice light dessert, especially if you choose to serve it warm with a nice scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
That is the Canuck in me. Wanting ice cream and cake. In the UK they would probably prefer a dollop of clotted cream and I won't argue with that incredibly delicious option!
You could also use blueberries or blackberries if you wanted to, or even a mixture. I have often been tempted to use diced peaches.
I think peached would go very well, especially if you used a mix of raspberries and peaches. Then it would be like a Peach Melba Yogurt Cake.
You just scatter the fruit over top of the batter after you spread it in the pan, and they sink down into place as the cake bakes.
They mostly end up in the middle and leave little pockets/dimples over the surface of the cake, which I think adds to its attractiveness.
It is not a cake that needs icing. Its perfecly delicious without it, however I do like to dust it with a bit of icing sugar to dress it up a bit, but that is completely optional.
It also helps to accentuate those delicious raspberry dimples a little bit more. Very Pretty.
In any case if you are looking for a simple, easy and delicious cake to bake this weekend, then this baby is the one you are looking for!
*Raspberry Yogurt Cake*
Makes 1 9-inch cake
Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Butter a 9 inch round baking tin and line the bottom with paper.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, soda and salt. Set aside.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until risen and golden brown and the top springs back when lightly touched. Place on a wire rack to cool for about half an hour to 40 minutes. Lift out of the pan to a plate and dust with icing sugar before serving cut into wedges.
Oh boy, looking at these pictures this morning is tempting me to want to cut myself a piece and enjoy it with my morning cuppa, and I think I might do just that! Cake for breakfast. Its a very good thing.
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!
I got a really good deal at the grocery shop the other day on some plums. A whole punnet for only 25 pence! How could I resist! We love plums! They were as hard as a rock, of course, but that is not a problem if you plan on cooking them, in a crumble or a cake . . . but I had something else in mind.
When you can't get good fresh plums in season however, this is an excellent way to prepare them. Poached plums. Beautifully tender plums, with a lovely vanilla scented
and flavoured syrup spooned over top, with just a hint of lemon.
They are equally as good served with a dollop of tangy Greek Yoghurt or Creme Fraiche.
One bite and I was back in Austria where we holidayed one year . . . each morning they served us these lovely poached plums for breakfast, along with yoghurt and meusli. It was a gorgeously delicious and healthy breakfast.
One bite and I was back in Austria where we holidayed one year . . . each morning they served us these lovely poached plums for breakfast, along with yoghurt and meusli. It was a gorgeously delicious and healthy breakfast.
Poaching fruit is the perfect thing to do with supermarket fruit that you know will annoyingly rot before it actually ripens. Actually hard fruits are just wonderful done this way. It gives them new life. We like this with vanilla ice cream, but a dollop of Greek yoghurt or Creme Fraiche is always lovely too. You also don't need to keep the spices at just vanilla. Try using some bruised cardamom pods, cinnamon or cloves along with the vanilla!
8 plums, washed, cut in half and stoned
1 litre of water (4 cups)
190g caster sugar (1 cup)
a strip of lemon peel, no pith
the juice of half a lemon
1/2 a vanilla bean, split lengthwise
a strip of lemon peel, no pith
the juice of half a lemon
1/2 a vanilla bean, split lengthwise
Place the water, sugar, lemon peel, and lemon juice in a deep skillet,
just large enough to hold all the plum halves in a single layer. Bring
to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the vanilla bean,
scraping out the seeds into the mixture. Simmer for about 5 minutes,
then add the plums cut side down. Simmer for about 3 minutes. Flip
them over and simmer for another 3 to 4 minutes, just until they have
surrendered their firmness and absorbed some of the syrup. They should
be just tender to the tip of a knife. Scoop the plums out immediately
to a bowl and allow to cool to room temperature. Cool the syrup down
as well. Spoon the fruit into dessert bowls and spoon some cooled
syrup over each serving. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a
dollop of Greek Yoghurt or Creme Fraiche. Store any leftovers in the
refrigerator.
I am so happy that lighter days are here and grateful for sunnier days as well. My food pictures turn out so much nicer!
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