Its amazing what you can do with just a few simple ingredients. The other day I had a package of chicken breasts which needed using, along with a few bits and bobs and I created a delicious Chicken Pot Pie for us, with a Puff Pastry Topping and leftovers for a second meal the day after.
There was two largish single chicken breasts in the package. (The equivalent of 4 small ones.) These I covered with some light chicken stock and then poached until tender. I let them cool in the stock and then I shredded them with two forks. I kept the pieces bite sized. I like the rough look of shredded meat rather than cubes. I popped the shredded chicken into an enamel baking dish.
I toyed with the idea of making pot pies like the ones my mother used to buy when I was growing up. My mom made fantastic pot pies from scratch, but every now and then she would buy us some frozen ones which we saw as being a real treat.
I have no idea why. They were mostly white sauce, with some veg and only a tiny bit of meat in them, but then again . . . there is no accounting for taste, right? What do kids know?? They were different than what we normally had, a rare treat, and that made them special to us. Looking back, I would choose my mother's over them any day of the week!
So . . . scratch the white sauce. Instead I decided to use the liquid leftover from poaching the chicken and make a gravy with that, but I am getting ahead of myself here!
First I sauteed some chopped carrot, celery and mushrooms in a bit of butter . . . sweating them until they were tender and almost beginning to caramelise, but you don't want to let them brown. No, no, NO.
Once they were softened I whisked in some flour and then the stock from poaching the chicken. You might need to add a bit of water to give you the full amount. that's okay.
Once it has thickened, you add the frozen peas (I am partial to the petit pois) and some sage along with some seasoning, and then pour the whole lot over the chicken in the baking dish.
Now here is where I got a bit fancy smancy . . . I had a packet of Puff Pastry that was about to go past its sell-by date and so I used a flower shaped cookie cutter and stamped out large rounds to top the hot filling with, brushing them with an egg wash.
I popped it into the oven to bake for about half an hour, just long enough for me to boil some of our garden potatoes . . . .
I served them along side the pot pie, gilded with a bit of melted butter, parsley and seasoning. The whole meal was scrumdiddlyumptiously tasty good! And a fabulous way to make two chicken breasts stretch to either feed four people once, or two people twice! Everyone is a winner!
Yield: 4-6
Chicken Pot Pie with Puffed Pastry Topping
prep time: 30 minscook time: 30 minstotal time: 60 mins
Everybody's favourite. You can make the filling ahead of time, however don't add the pastry topping until the day you want to bake it.
ingredients:
For the filling:
4 single chicken breasts, poached in lightly salted water until tender
3 TBS butter
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 stick celery, trimmed and chopped
4 ounces fresh button mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced
2 TBS flour
560ml chicken stock (2 1/2 cups)
150g frozen peas (1 cup)
1/2 tsp dried sage
salt and black pepper to taste
You will also need:
1 sheet of puff pastry
1 free range egg, beaten together with 2 TBS milk
instructions:
Melt the butter in a skillet over medium high heat.
Add the carrots, celery and mushrooms. Cook, stirring often, until
light brown and tender. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring
occasionally until light brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Whisk in the
chicken stock a little bit at a time, stirring constantly, and bringing
to a low boil. Add the peas and sage. Season to taste with salt and
pepper. Simmer on low for about 15 minutes.
Add the carrots, celery and mushrooms. Cook, stirring often, until
light brown and tender. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring
occasionally until light brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Whisk in the
chicken stock a little bit at a time, stirring constantly, and bringing
to a low boil. Add the peas and sage. Season to taste with salt and
pepper. Simmer on low for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark
5. Have ready a large shallow casserole dish. Shred the chicken with
two forks and put it into the casserole.
5. Have ready a large shallow casserole dish. Shred the chicken with
two forks and put it into the casserole.
Pour the gravy/vegetable mixture over top of the chicken in the casserole
dish. Cut your puff pastry into rounds and place on top of the chicken
filling. Brush with the egg beaten together with the milk. Bake for 25
to 30 minutes until the filling is bubbling and the pastry is golden
brown and puffed. Serve hot.
dish. Cut your puff pastry into rounds and place on top of the chicken
filling. Brush with the egg beaten together with the milk. Bake for 25
to 30 minutes until the filling is bubbling and the pastry is golden
brown and puffed. Serve hot.
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This is the kind of cooking I really love to do . . . seeing what I have on hand and then creating something tasty from what's there! It is a good exercise in stretching my imagination, and more often than not works out to be quite delicious in the end! Bon Appetit!
It was quite chilly and rainy the other day and so I decided to make us a nice pot of hot soup for our midday meal. You can't beat a bowl of soup on a cold and drizzly day!
After nosing around the refrigerator I found some ham that needed using as well as some cabbage. I do so love cabbage in a soup and cabbage goes very well with ham! I almost yelled Bingo!
I always keep a variety of chicken stock cubes/pots in my larder. They come in handy for all sorts. Chicken, beef, fish, vegetable, lamb, ham . . . I use them all. They are convenient and work well for all sorts of things.
For this soup I used ham and chicken stocks. You could also use just chicken stock, but I wanted a bit of a smokey flavour.
Cubes of ham are first glazed in a mix of brown sugar and a tiny bit of oil. Try not to overcook the ham, as it can dry out really quickly.
After that you saute leek and onion, and some garlic . . . slowly softened without browning and then simmered in a thickened stock until all are melting tender.
After that you add the some potato and let it simmer until the spuds are tender. Then you add the remaining stock, cabbage, return the ham to the pot and add a bit of white wine vinegar. Trust me on this. It's perfect. While that is simmering make the dumplings.
Who doesn't love dumplings??? Not me! We both adore them in this house. The sight of a dumpling has been known to make my husband jump up and down and rub his hands together in glee! Okay . . . a slight exaggeration, but he does love them a lot!
Cheesy dumplings . . . so good.
These are really tender and delicious. They are the perfect addition to a really tasty soup.
Altogether this is a really, really tasty pot of soup. Nourishing, delicious and filling.
You are going to love this soup. You really are!
Yield: 6
Cabbage & Ham Soup with Cheese Dumplings
prep time: 40 minscook time: 1 hour and 10 minstotal time: 1 hours and 50 mins
Be judicious when you add salt as ham can be quite salty. This is a delicious soup!
ingredients:
For the soup:
60ml vegetable oil (1/4 cup)
350g smoked ham, cut into cubes (11 ounces)
2 tsp soft light brown sugar
2 onions, peeled and thinly sliced
2 leeks, trimmed, washed and thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 TBS plain flour
1 litre ham stock (6 cups)
480ml chicken stock (2 cups)
black pepper to taste, coarsely ground
3 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
1/2 savoy cabbage, finely shredded
1 TBS white wine vinegar
For the dumplings:
30g cold butter, cut into small bits (1 ounce)
280g self raising flour (2 cups)
60g finely grated cheddar cheese (2 ounces)
2 tsp finely chopped thyme
120ml water (1/2 cup)instructions:
Heat 1 TBS of the oil in a large saucepan. Add the ham and sugar.
Saute over high heat, stirring continuously, for about 5 minutes, or
until just golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper
towels. Add the remaining oil along with the leek, garlic and onion.
Reduce heat to low and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally
to make sure they don't catch, without browning. Stir in the flour and
cook for one minute. Remove from the heat and add the ham stock
gradually. Return to the heat and bring to the boil, stirring, then
reduce and cover. Cook for about half an hour. Add the potato to the
pan and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock, ham,
cabbage and vinegar. Season with black pepper. Cook for a further 10
minutes while you make the dumplings.
Saute over high heat, stirring continuously, for about 5 minutes, or
until just golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper
towels. Add the remaining oil along with the leek, garlic and onion.
Reduce heat to low and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally
to make sure they don't catch, without browning. Stir in the flour and
cook for one minute. Remove from the heat and add the ham stock
gradually. Return to the heat and bring to the boil, stirring, then
reduce and cover. Cook for about half an hour. Add the potato to the
pan and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock, ham,
cabbage and vinegar. Season with black pepper. Cook for a further 10
minutes while you make the dumplings.
Sift the
flour into a bowl. Add the butter and rub it in with your fingertips
until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Stir in the cheese and
thyme. Stir in the water to bind the mixture together. Drop by heaped
TBS into the hot soup. Cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until the
dumplings are cooked through, plump and look dry on top.
flour into a bowl. Add the butter and rub it in with your fingertips
until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Stir in the cheese and
thyme. Stir in the water to bind the mixture together. Drop by heaped
TBS into the hot soup. Cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until the
dumplings are cooked through, plump and look dry on top.
Created using The Recipes Generator
The leftovers were even tastier. The dumplings were a bit soggy as they had sat in the soup overnight, but that didn't bother us one bit! We will take dumplings any way we can get them! Bon Appetit!
This recipe I am sharing today is not only very tasty, but also quite family friendly, simple to make and fairly healthy, especially if you use the leanest ground turkey you can buy and a low fat cheddar. It is also very economical! So its a winner all round!
I confess that I am not overly fond of ground beef. It goes back to my childhood I guess. Mom always bought really cheap ground beef. It was fatty and full of gristle and sometimes bits of bone. If there was any gristle or bone in it, it always seemed to end up on my plate and as soon as it hit my teeth I would be gagging! Very unpleasant.
I do eat ground beef now, but not very often and I always grind my own when I do. Did you know that when you are buying ground beef at the shops, the meat in your pack can come from several animals, but if you buy a piece of beef and trim it, then grind it yourself, you know for sure it came from just one.
The protein in Turkey alone could make it a Super Food, but actually this lean meat has much more to offer. It is also chock full of nutrients, particularly niacin, selenium, vitamins B6 and B12, and zinc. These nutrients are heart-healthy and also valuable in helping to lower the risk for cancer.
Turkey is also one of the leanest protein foods and is low in calories, making it an excellent healthy food choice. The selenium in it has been shown to inhibit cancer development, improve the immune system, and aid in the metabolism of our thyroid hormone.
We love turkey and turkey, it seems . . . loves us!
This is really a very easy bake to make. Turkey is browned in a pan along with some finely chopped onion. (Just spray the pan with some low fat cooking spray.) I like to add a few herbs and some salt and black pepper for more flavor. You could also add chopped celery if you wanted to.
This gets spread in a baking dish and topped with a layer of grated cheddar cheese. I use cheddar because it is a favourite of ours and packs a lot of flavour in, so you don't need as much cheese as you would another type. I use a lower fat cheddar. It works beautifully.
You sprinkle the cheese over the cooked turkey in a baking dish and then beat together some baking mix, milk and eggs and pour that over top. Then it is as simple as popping it into a hot oven and baking it until it is done. Presto, you have a delicious entree that the family will love. I often add a layer of chopped cooked vegetables between the layer of turkey and the cheese. Also, very good and healthy too! (I make my own homemade baking mix. The recipe is below.)
Yield: 4
Cheesy Turkey Burger Bake
prep time: 15 minscook time: 30 minstotal time: 45 mins
A simple bake which is not only delicious but very easy to make and family friendly. Serve with your favourite vegetables and salad if you wish!
ingredients:
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 medium onion, finely minced
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp each dried parsley, sage and thyme
salt and black pepper to taste
120g grated strong cheddar cheese (1 cup)
60g baking mix (1/2 cup, something like Bisquick or Tea Bisk)
(Or you can use a homemade version, see link)
240ml whole milk (1 cup)
2 large free range eggs
instructions:
Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Butter an 8 inch square baking dish. Set aside.
Spritz
a skillet with some low fat cooking spray. Add the ground turkey and
chopped onion, and brown until evenly cooked and no longer pink. (I
mash mine with a potato masher as I am cooking it. to help break it
up.) Stir in the garlic powder and herbs. Season to taste with salt
and pepper. Scrape into the baking dish. Spread out into an even
layer. Sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over top. Whisk together the
baking mix, milk and eggs. (Or blitz in a blender to combine.) Pour
over the turkey and cheese.
a skillet with some low fat cooking spray. Add the ground turkey and
chopped onion, and brown until evenly cooked and no longer pink. (I
mash mine with a potato masher as I am cooking it. to help break it
up.) Stir in the garlic powder and herbs. Season to taste with salt
and pepper. Scrape into the baking dish. Spread out into an even
layer. Sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over top. Whisk together the
baking mix, milk and eggs. (Or blitz in a blender to combine.) Pour
over the turkey and cheese.
Bake in the
preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until cooked through and the cheese
has started to turn golden brown. Remove from the oven and let stand
for several minutes before cutting into squares to serve.
preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until cooked through and the cheese
has started to turn golden brown. Remove from the oven and let stand
for several minutes before cutting into squares to serve.
- If desired you can add a thin layer of cooked vegetables over the
turkey before sprinkling the cheese over top. Chopped broccoli is nice as are
peas/corn/carrots, or chopped cooked spinach,etc.
Created using The Recipes Generator
Yield: 24
Homemade Baking Mix
prep time: cook time: total time:
This is mix which comes in really handy to have in the cupboard, ready to use for making muffins, pancakes and all sorts.
ingredients:
1260g of plain flour (9 cups)
245g milk powder (1 cup)
5 TBS baking powder
50g white sugar (1/4 cup)
1 TBS salt
220g white vegetable shortening (1 cup)instructions:
Whisk flour, dry milk
powder, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl until thoroughly
combined. Cut shortening into dry ingredients with a pastry cutter,
about 1/2 cup at a time, until mixture resembles cornmeal. Store in an
air-tight container for up to 3 months.
To make Waffles:
Measure 260g (2 cups) of the mix into a bowl. Beat together with 310ml
milk (1 1/3 cups), 2 TBS vegetable oil and 1 egg. Pour into centre of
hot greased waffle maker. Close lid. Bake about 5 minutes or until
steaming stops. Remove with a fork and keep warm. Makes about 12.
powder, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl until thoroughly
combined. Cut shortening into dry ingredients with a pastry cutter,
about 1/2 cup at a time, until mixture resembles cornmeal. Store in an
air-tight container for up to 3 months.
To make biscuits/scones:
Measure 260g (2 cups) of the mix into a bowl. Stir in 180ml buttermilk
(3/4 cup) with a fork, Pat out, cut into circles and bake in a
220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7 oven for about 10 minutes. Makes six large
biscuits (scones).
Measure 260g (2 cups) of the mix into a bowl. Stir in 180ml buttermilk
(3/4 cup) with a fork, Pat out, cut into circles and bake in a
220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7 oven for about 10 minutes. Makes six large
biscuits (scones).
To make Pancakes:
Measure 260g (2 cups) of the mix into a bowl. Whisk in 3 TBS sugar, 2
tsp baking powder, 2 TBS vegetable oil and 2 eggs. Whisk together until
smooth. Cook as per regular pancakes on a greased griddle. Drop 1/4
cupful at a time onto hot greased griddle. Cook until the edges are
dry, flip and cook until golden. Makes about 14.
Measure 260g (2 cups) of the mix into a bowl. Whisk in 3 TBS sugar, 2
tsp baking powder, 2 TBS vegetable oil and 2 eggs. Whisk together until
smooth. Cook as per regular pancakes on a greased griddle. Drop 1/4
cupful at a time onto hot greased griddle. Cook until the edges are
dry, flip and cook until golden. Makes about 14.
Measure 260g (2 cups) of the mix into a bowl. Beat together with 310ml
milk (1 1/3 cups), 2 TBS vegetable oil and 1 egg. Pour into centre of
hot greased waffle maker. Close lid. Bake about 5 minutes or until
steaming stops. Remove with a fork and keep warm. Makes about 12.
Created using The Recipes Generator
We had friends pop in the other day when I was making this so I simply popped some vegetable chips into the oven and we had it with them and some steamed baby peas. Everyone loved it. In fact my friend's husband had seconds! Bon Appetit!
I really love blogging about food. I am often asked how can I do this every day. My response? I eat and cook every day so why not share! If I didn't love doing it I wouldn't do it. Its as simple as that! One thing that I also love about it is that I occasionally get to try some new things and stretch my cooking abilities by coming up with new ways to use familiar products. I was recently contacted by the Heritage Brand Branston Pickle and asked to try to come up with a recipe using their products. As you know I do love a challenge and I adore Branston Pickle, so what else could I say but "Sign Me Up!"
Branston Pickle is one of the nation's most beloved pickle products. It has a flavour that is a tiny bit hard to describe. I could say moreish but that wouldn't be doing it justice. It is a rather unique flavour. It is sweet and tangy and spicy and crunchy and goes wonderfully with cheeses and pies and in sandwiches etc. I love a "Cheese and Pickle" sandwich and when I am talking pickle here I am talking Branston's! I was sent a hamper with three samples of the iconic pickle containing a jar of the original large chunk, a jar of the small chunk and their new smooth version!
Made by Crosse & Blackwell, Branston Pickle has been gracing the UK's tables since 1922. A firm favourite it is still made using the same recipe and in the same manner as always in Suffolk's Bury Saint Edmunds.
I decided to use the new smooth version in my favourite ham and cheese croissant sandwiches. I thought it would add an exciting twist not only spread as a thin layer on the bottom slice, but by including it in the buttery glaze that is a part of this recipe which makes these sandwiches so special and delicious! I normally use a mixture of butter, Worcestershire, mustard and honey, but I thought why not use Branston! It would be perfect!
And it actually ended up being a bit easier than my original versio as well as there was only the two ingredients for the glaze. Branston and melted butter, whisked together and brushed on the outsides of the croissants, and on the inside upper portion of croissant. Other than that there is layers of pure Branston, caramelised onions, sliced ham, crisp bacon and a Swiss style cheese!
Every mouthful is a delight . . . the outsides all flakey and crisp and buttery with a slightly moreish tang that is very appealing!
The sweetness of the caramelised onions atop a thin layer of the smooth tangy Branston pickle . . . yumm . . . then the saltiness of both the ham and the bacon . . . the richness of that creamy Swiss cheese . . .
Altogether very, very nice indeed. Actually I can see me using this smooth Branston pickle a lot.
A dollop here, a dollop there it is sure to enhance the flavours of my savoury soups and stews . . . my Bolognese . . . Mac and Cheese . . . spread on hot dogs . . . in gravies . . . I really can't think of anywhere it couldn't be used except for maybe desserts, but give me time . . . I have an idea it would go really well with apples and raisins! (Sort of like mincemeat . . . )
Oh boy the wheels are really turning now. I wish I had more time! But for now . . . enjoy these tasty sandwiches.
Perfect on their own, or accompanied with some crisps or a salad, they are sure to go down a real treat!
I think they would also be a great hit on Game nights when you are watching the footie or the rugby!
Yield: 6
Spicy Ham & Cheese Croissants
prep time: 15 minscook time: 20 minstotal time: 35 mins
Simple hot ham and cheese croissant sandwiches, made extra yummy with a butter and Branston glaze, bacon and caramelised onions. Just plain good.
ingredients:
6 slices of streaky bacon, cooked until crisp and drained on paper towel
1 large onion, peeled and finely sliced
8 TBS butter, divided
3 tsp smooth Branston pickle
Additional Branston for spreading on the croissants
6 medium sized croissants
12 slices of deli ham
6 slices Swiss style cheese
instructions:
Melt 1 TBS of the the butter in a skillet. Add the
sliced onions. Cook over very low heat for 30 minutes until
caramelised, stirring occasionally.
sliced onions. Cook over very low heat for 30 minutes until
caramelised, stirring occasionally.
Preheat the oven to180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.
Melt
the remaining butter and whisk together with the Branston pickle
until smooth. Have ready a large enough baking dish to hold all of the
croissants in one layer. Cut each croissant in half through the middles
horizontally. Brush the bottom side of the bottoms of each croissant
with some of the butter mixture. Lay out in the baking dish in one
layer. Spread a bit of Branston pickle on the cut side and then
divide the caramelised onions between each evenly. Top with the sliced
ham, two slices of bacon and a slice of cheese, folded to fit. Brush
the cut sides of the top halves of the croissants with half of the
remaining butter mixture and place on top of the cheese. Drizzle the
remaining butter mixture over top of each. Cover with aluminium foil and
bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
the remaining butter and whisk together with the Branston pickle
until smooth. Have ready a large enough baking dish to hold all of the
croissants in one layer. Cut each croissant in half through the middles
horizontally. Brush the bottom side of the bottoms of each croissant
with some of the butter mixture. Lay out in the baking dish in one
layer. Spread a bit of Branston pickle on the cut side and then
divide the caramelised onions between each evenly. Top with the sliced
ham, two slices of bacon and a slice of cheese, folded to fit. Brush
the cut sides of the top halves of the croissants with half of the
remaining butter mixture and place on top of the cheese. Drizzle the
remaining butter mixture over top of each. Cover with aluminium foil and
bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Created using The Recipes Generator
Branston Pickle is available at all grocery shops and convenience stores across the UK. Do be sure to check out their website for more information and a host of other recipes and ways to use, along with information about their other products and pickles.
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Bon Appetit!
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