We're having a heat wave, a tropical heat wave! The temperature's rising, it isn't surprising, she certainly can can-can! (Irving Berlin)
Talk about feast and famine. We were just complaining a week or so ago that we hadn't really had much of a summer and wham!
It has hit us with a vengeance, and just in time for our children here in England to go on their summer break. They say tomorrow it could get up to 39*C (about 102*F) which will break all records here in the UK.
Of course with the wicked hot temperatures and high humidity come Thunderstorms, and we had the worst one I have ever seen over here last night about 1 a.m. My husband slept through it.
How he managed that I will never know. I suppose it is one of the benefits of being deaf when you aren't wearing your hearing aids!
So what has that got to do with BBQ Chicken Thighs? Absolutely nothing! I just share it with you as a matter of interest.
These Sticky BBQ Chicken Thighs are fantabulously tasty. I had taken some chicken thighs out of the freezer and left them in the fridge to thaw overnight.
I am never entirely sure what I want to do with these things . . . I cook as the inspiration strikes me.
Chicken thighs are so wonderfully flavourful and rich. Next to the wing they are my favourite part of the chicken! Moist and filled with flavour. Never dry.
I had gotten this jar of Ravish Pineapple & Yuzu Salsa (English Provender) and I thought I would try to incorporate it into some kind of glaze for the chicken.
First I rubbed them all over with my own Homemade BBQ Seasoning Mix. You can find that recipe here.
It is absolutely filled with flavour, all natural ingredients and no nasties there. It makes about 3/4 of a cup of mix, but trust me when I say that won't be a problem. You can use it for all sorts. Not just chicken.
Its spicy and smoky and works great on a variety of meats, poultry, fish and vegetables. You will find that it is something you use frequently and that you will love! It adds incredible flavour to things.
I really love making my own seasoning mixes. I never buy them ready made anymore. Homemade is fresh, and contains no chemicals or preservative.
You rub this all over the chicken pieces first and then roast/grill them for about 15 minutes or so. While they are roasting, you can make up this finger-lickingly tasty glaze. \
I used some of that salsa, but you could use any kind of fruity chutney. Mango would be lovely. To that I added an equal amount of my favourite BBQ sauce, and some liquid honey.
I then drizzled it over the chicken and brushed them with it every now and then until the chicken pieces were tender, and perfectly glazed!
I roasted some vegetables on the side for us to enjoy along with it. Courgettes (zucchini), butternut squash and some new potatoes for the man. All cut into hefty chunks and tossed with some oil and seasonings.
This was another fabtastic meal! Sticky chicken . . . some roasted healthy veg, a salad . . .
I drizzled my salad with Skinny Sauce Ranch Dressing which has no sugar, no carbs, no fat, no dairy, no gluten and no calories.
But trust me, it has plenty of flavour! I love their products. You can enjoy without feeling deprived. They even have Maple Syrup for on your pancakes.
Mu husband had the same, except he enjoyed some of the roasted potatoes and because I had done a lovely large tray of them, there is enough for us to enjoy them again for another meal.
Yield: 2
Sticky BBQ Chicken Thighs
Finger-lickingly tasty. You are going to love these. You begin with a rub, bake and then finish off with a sticky glaze. One word. YUM! This recipe can easily be doubled. You can also cook it on the outside grill, brushing it with the sauce as it cooks and turning it frequently.
ingredients:
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 2 TBS BBQ seasoning (see my own recipe for this)
- 1/2 TBS olive oil
For the glaze:
- 2 TBS fruity chutney or salsa
- 2 TBS your favourite BBQ sauce
- 1 TBS liquid honey
instructions:
How to cook Sticky BBQ Chicken Thighs
- Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Line a small baking tray with some aluminium foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- Rub the chicken thighs all over with the BBQ seasoning. Place them spaced a bit apart on the baking sheet. Drizzle with the oil. Place into the preheated oven and roast for 15 minutes.
- While they are roasting whisk together the chutney, BBQ sauce and honey until well combined. Remove the chicken from the oven. Drizzle and brush this sauce over all of the chicken pieces.
- Roast for a further 20 to 25 minutes until the juices run clear, brushing with the pan drippings every 8 minutes or so. Remove from the oven and put the chicken on a serving platter. Drizzle some of the pan juices over top and serve immediately.
This really was a very tasty meal. Despite the oppressive temperatures. The quantities I have given are for two people only, but you can very easily double or triple it to serve more. This is summer food, easy food. Delicious food.
I really love fish and am especially fond of Cod. It has a lovely mild flavour, almost sweet and a dense flesh. I am not a person that really likes really "fishy" fish that much, or oily fish. The oiliest I can tolerate is salmon. Its just the way I am.
A week or so ago I received a lovely delivery of fish from Seafresh Quality Foods. I made a lovely low carb fish pie with some of it and today I decided to treat us each to a lush piece of the Cod that I still had in the freezer.
I have to tell you I was so thoroughly impressed with this company's service and the quality of their fish. Everything has been just beautiful. Seafresh is an on line fish monger, which sells quality fish, seafood,
poultry and meat. They have access to some of the best quality products
from Britain and around the world, largely due to the good relationships
they have fostered with their suppliers since 1996, when they began
with the very simple concept of selling high quality frozen foods to
their customers right in the comfort of their own homes.
If you would like to read more about my experience with them, you can click over to that post here. I was really impressed with it from start to finish and I would highly recommend them.
There is nothing more delicious on earth than a beautiful, fresh piece of Cod and this is some of the best. Today I decided to give it a Mediterranean treatment.
The fish is first dipped in a mixture of lemon juice, butter and olive oil and then rolled in flour to coat . . .
The flour is seasoned with Mediterranean flavours . . . ground coriander, sweet Spanish Paprika (Pimenton), ground cumin, salt and black pepper . . .
Once coated with the flour, you brown it briefly on both sides until golden brown . . .
You then add some garlic to the lemon mixture you rolled it in initially and drizzle that over the golden brown fish fillets and bang it into a hot oven briefly . . .
It doesn't take long until it is perfectly cooked, less than 10 minutes or so . . .
It is so easy to overcook fish. One thing I learnt in my chef's training was that most people overcook their fish. Fish continues to cook once you remove it from the heat source, upon standing . . . so if you err on the side of caution, always . . . your fish will always end up perfectly cooked.
Better to take it out when its almost done, than to leave it in too long and risk overcooking it.
And this fish is perfectly cooked . . . flaky and moist . . . and with that coating, so beautifully flavoured.
I enjoyed it with a simple salad . . .
I added a baked potato for Todd. We were both extremely pleased with our dinners. Extremely . . .
Yield: 4
Mediterranean Cod with Lemon & Garlic
Tender, perfectly cooked Cod, moist and delicious with Mediterranean Flavours.
ingredients:
- 4 thick Cod Loins
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- a large handful of fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
- 2 TBS olive oil for frying
To coat the fish:
- 65g plain flour (1/3 cup)
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 3/4 tsp sweet Spanish paprika
- 3/4 tsp ground cumin
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Lemon dressing:
- 5 TBS fresh lemon juice
- 5 TBS good quality olive oil
- 2 TBS melted butter
instructions:
How to cook Mediterranean Cod with Lemon & Garlic
- Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Have ready a heavy oven proof skillet.
- Whisk together the lemon juice, butter and olive oil in a shallow dish.
- Whisk together the flour, coriander, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper in another shallow dish.
- Pat the fish fillets dry, then dip them in the butter mixture and then into the flour, shaking off any excess. Keep the lemon mixture for a bit later on.
- Heat the 2 TBS of oil in the skillet. Add the fish, presentation side down first, and cook over medium heat until golden brown on both sides. (It should not take more than a few minutes per side.)
- Add the garlic to the remaining lemon mixture. Drizzle over the fish and then pop the skillet into the preheated oven. Roast for about 10 minutes, no longer at which time the fish should be translucent and flaking easily with the tines of a fork. (I would begin checking about 6 to 8 minutes in.) Remove from the oven, sprinkle with the parsley and serve immediately.
Just look at how nicely cooked that is. This was one very beautiful piece of fish, thanks to Seafresh.
A few things about Seafresh:
- Same Day dispatch on orders received before 1 PM.
- All packages are carefully hand packed.
- Free delivery on orders above £50, £8 on orders below that amount.
- Responsibly and sustainably sourced.
- Air Blast Frozen at source within 4 hours of being caught.
- Wide variety to choose from.
Follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
I adore the flavours of Buffalo Chicken Wings.
I love the heat of the sauce . . . mingled with the cool richness of the blue cheese dressing, and all of that succulent chicken wing meat.
I think of all the parts of the chicken, I love the wings most of all.
And they are probably the bits that are the worst for you with all that skin and all that fat, but that's probably exactly why they are so tasty, because of that fat and scrumptious skin.
There's a whole lot of flavour packed into those little wings!
I can remember when my children were growing up, and money was scarce, I used to be able to buy big packs of chicken wings for a lot less than I would have had to pay for other chicken parts.
I was always able to just shake them with some seasoning and bake them. Everyone was happy, especially my pocket book.
Of course I am watching my waistline and cholesterol a bit more these days, and so I save things like chicken wings for a rare treat.
Today I applied the flavours of Buffalo Chicken wings to chicken breasts, and quite successfully I might add!
This is a low carb entree that will have everyone smacking their lips. Chicken breasts are stuffed with a lush cheese filling . . . you combine cream cheese and cheddar cheese, and not a lot of each actually. Just enough to keep the chicken nice and moist.
I also used ranch seasoning to give it a bit more flavour. You can make your own or use some from a packet of dry ranch dressing.
Stuffed into a pocket you cut into the chicken breasts, they keep the chicken moist.
It also means that the chicken (because its been split) doesn't need as long to cook, which helps even more to keep it moist.
You brush the chicken pieces generously with Buffalo sauce before cooking, and again once or twice while they are cooking . . .
Once done you drizzle the cooked chicken with a lush low carb blue cheese sauce. It all sounds very indulgent doesn't it?
For a low carb meal I served it with my favourite Little Gem Salad and steamed yellow wax beans.
I adore Baby Gem lettuce and wax beans. Altogether this was one of my favourite low carb meals ever!
Yield: 2
Stuffed Buffalo Chicken for Two
This delicious low carb chicken dish can easily be doubled to serve more people.
ingredients:
For the chicken:
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast fillets
- 4 TBS cream cheese
- 4 TBS grated strong cheddar cheese
- 1 TBS ranch seasoning
- 60ml buffalo sauce (1/4 cup)
- 2 tsp chopped fresh parsley
For the Blue Cheese Dressing:
- 2 1/2 ounces blue cheese crumbled
- 6 TBS Greek yogurt
- 4 TBS mayonnaise
- 1 TBS finely chopped fresh parsley
- salt and black pepper to taste
- heavy cream or water to thin
instructions:
How to cook Stuffed Buffalo Chicken for Two
- First make the dressing. Whisk all of the ingredients together, mashing the blue cheese until it is finely crumbled. Thin as desired with either cream or water. Set aside for the flavours to develop while you cook the chicken. This will keep for several days in the refrigerator in a covered container.
- Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Lightly spritz a baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Using a sharp knife make a pocket in the edge of each chicken breast, taking care not to cut all the way through. Mash together the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and ranch seasoning. Stuff half into each chicken pocket. Place into the baking dish and brush generously with Buffalo sauce. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, brushing with more buffalo sauce every 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for a few minutes before serving. Drizzle with some Blue Cheese Dressing and sprinkle with parsley to serve.
For Todd who is not trying to lose weight, I added a baked potato. We were both very happy. I think you will be too. You can also easily double the amounts to serve more than two people. Trust me when I say, this is so, so, SO delicious!
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!
This is probably one of my favourite Banana Breads. It is the one I used to make for my boss when I worked at the Manor. The Mr loved it for breakfast in the mornings.
For him I would have to toast it beneath the grill in the toaster oven until it was golden brown and crisp on the edges, almost burnt, but not quite. He wanted it very crisp.
After that I would lay slivers of cold sweet butter onto its surface and serve it to him on a hot plate while the butter was still melting down into those crisp edges and golden surface . . . he really did enjoy it.
No small wonder as it is a truly beautiful banana bread. Moist and rich. It is the sour cream that makes it so . . .
He liked it with toasted pecan nuts . . . I prefer it with toasted English walnuts . . . a love that hearkens back to my father's own love for walnuts . . . maple walnut was his favourite ice cream. As it is mine.
I like to sprinkle more chopped walnuts onto the surface of the loaf prior to baking . . . they look really nice sitting there on top . . .
This is a loaf that cuts beautifully on the first day. Most loaves you need to wait overnight to slice. Not this one.
Todd enjoys it in thick slices spread with softened butter . . .
It really is a lovely bread, on the first day, and on the second day, the third, the fourth . . . and so on and so on . . .trust me when I say you won't have it hanging around for long.
Yield: one medium loaf
Rich Banana Bread
Moist and delicious and studded with crunchy toasted walnuts. Everything a good banana bread should be.
ingredients:
- 120g butter, melted (1/2 cup)
- 190g sugar (1 cup)
- 2 large free range eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 210g plain flour (1 1/2 cups)
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 60g sour cream (1/2 cup)
- 60g chopped toasted walnuts, plus more to sprinkle on top (1/2 cup)
- 2 medium bananas peeled and pureed
instructions:
How to cook Rich Banana Bread
- Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter a medium loaf tin (9X5) and line with baking paper. Set aside.
- Sift the flour, soda and salt together. Set aside.
- Whisk together the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture until smooth, then fold in the sour cream and bananas. Stir in the walnuts. Spread batter in the prepared pan, levelling the top. Sprinkle with a few more walnut pieces if desired.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes, until well rise and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave in the tin to cool for about 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Cut into slices to serve. We like it buttered. Store any leftovers in an airtight container and use within 4 to 5 days. This also freezes well.
I had this bottle of Monin Butterscotch syrup and I thought it would add a special touch to just brush some of it on top of the loaf while it was still warm . . .
I think I was inspired . . . it made something which was already perfectly delicious even more so!
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