I confess I eat a lot of chicken. It is my protein of choice most of the time, and that is for a few reasons.
One, its higher in protein and lower in fat than most other animal sources of protein. Chicken breast in particular is a great for people who are seeking to lower the fat in their diet and up their protein.
Two, its incredibly versatile, mixing well with a multitude of other flavors and textures. It also used to be cheaper than other proteins, but lately its gone up quite a bit in price. I'm not sure what is behind that.
Finally, I like chicken. I love all of the bird. The legs, thighs, breasts, and especially the wings.
This recipe I am sharing with you today is one of my favorite ways to prepare chicken breasts. Not only is it quick and easy to make, but its delicious.
Because you cut the chicken breasts in half horizontally, it is also a great way to make chicken breasts stretch further and feed more people.
For me that is a win/win situation all around!
.JPG "Pan Fried Chicken with Sage, Garlic & Lemon")
All wonderful flavors and when combined with the mild flavor of chicken, its a fabulous taste combo that can't be beat!
Just think of your favorite roast chicken with stuffing . . . this has the same flavors for the most part, but with an almost instant gratification factor involved!
.JPG "Pan Fried Chicken with Sage, Garlic & Lemon")
.JPG "Pan Fried Chicken with Sage, Garlic & Lemon")
.JPG "Pan Fried Chicken with Sage, Garlic & Lemon")
.JPG "Pan Fried Chicken with Sage, Garlic & Lemon")
.JPG "Pan Fried Chicken with Sage, Garlic & Lemon")
.JPG "Pan Fried Chicken with Sage, Garlic & Lemon")
.JPG "Pan Fried Chicken with Sage, Garlic & Lemon")
.JPG "Pan Fried Chicken with Sage, Garlic & Lemon")
If you are a keen chicken eater as I am, you may be interested in these other quick, easy and delicious chicken breast recipes:
.JPG "Pan Fried Chicken with Sage, Garlic & Lemon")
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE PAN FRIED CHICKEN WITH SAGE, GARLIC & LEMON
Simple ingredients. Nothing very out of the ordinary here, unless you consider fresh sage to be exotic.
- 1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast fillet
- 1 TBS plain all purpose flour
- 6 fresh sage leaves
- 1 clove of garlic, peeled and bruised
- 1 TBS butter
- 1 TBS olive oil
- the juice of half a lemon
- fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
.JPG "Pan Fried Chicken with Sage, Garlic & Lemon")
Buy the best chicken breasts you can afford. There really is a difference in taste. I prefer air chilled, and anti-biotic free. Organic and free range if I can get it, but there is only one of me to please. I can appreciate how a larger family cannot afford to be so picky.
I grow my own sage in the summer months. Fresh sage is also readily available at most grocery stores year round. If you have difficulty finding it, you can use some dried crumbled sage (not powdered). Just add about a teaspoon and go from there. The dried form of sage is much more pungent than fresh.
If you cannot get the sage, you can use fresh thyme in its place. A few sprigs should do the trick beautifully!
Use the freshest lemon and garlic you can find. If you happen to grow your own garlic, so much the better!
.JPG "Pan Fried Chicken with Sage, Garlic & Lemon")
You will need to cut your chicken breast into cutlets. This is very easy to do. Just lay your chicken breast flat out on a cutting board.
You will need a nice sharp knife for this. Don't attempt it with a dull knife, you might cut yourself.
Hold the chicken in place with the heel of your hand and beginning at the thickest end, slice the breast horizontally through the middle.
One thing this also does is to render the meat really tender. I am not sure how that works, or the science behind it, but it's true.
The quantities for this recipe are to feed two people, but can very easily be doubled to feed more.
.JPG "Pan Fried Chicken with Sage, Garlic & Lemon")
HOW TO MAKE PAN FRIED CHICKEN WITH SAGE, GARLIC & LEMON
Using a sharp knife, cut your chicken horizontally into two equal cutlets. (see above.)
Place your chicken cutlets between two sheets of cling film and bash them gently to flatten them out a bit and make them the same thickness. Season them with some salt and pepper and then dust them lightly with flour, patting it on and shaking off any excess.
.JPG "Pan Fried Chicken with Sage, Garlic & Lemon")
Heat the oil and 1/2 of the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Once it begins to foam, add the chicken, and brown lightly on both sides. Cook until the juices run clear.
Add the garlic and the sage to the pan along with the remaining butter. Squeeze in the lemon juice and let it bubble up a minute. Serve immediately with some of the lemony juices spooned over each cutlet.
.JPG "Pan Fried Chicken with Sage, Garlic & Lemon")
That's it really. It is that simple. If your chicken breast is really large you might even get three cutlets from it. The thinner the cutlet the quicker it cooks.
If your garlic or sage start to burn, lift them up onto the pieces of chicken. I love how nice and crisp the sage leaves become in this.
And the garlic gets really mellow and buttery.
.JPG "Pan Fried Chicken with Sage, Garlic & Lemon")
The lemon juice, chicken juices and butter make a fabulous sauce that is so delicious spooned over those tender pieces of chicken.
As I said, the flavors in this are simply beautiful.
I enjoy it on its own with a salad on the side (ideally low carb), but if you are wanting a carb to serve it goes well with pasta, rice or potatoes. Steamed broccoli and asparagus are also very nice with this.
This is a beautiful chicken dish that I would serve to company without any hesitation on my part. Everyone always loves it!
.JPG "Pan Fried Chicken with Sage, Garlic & Lemon")
PAN ROASTED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH THYME -I have used boneless, skin-on chicken breasts for this, but thighs would also work well. You can also use bone in or boneless skinless chicken, but the cook times would need adjusting. These are simple to make, moist and delicious with a crisp skin and beautiful flavour.
GRILLED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH CHIMICHURRI SAUCE - Chimichurri Sauce may not be a sauce you are familiar with. Its a lovely lush and spicy sauce which hails from Argentina. In this case it goes perfectly with tender juicy grilled chicken breasts. A fantastic combination! The chicken is marinated in some of that delicious sauce prior to cooking as well. Delicious!
Pan Fried Chicken with Sage, Garlic & Lemon
Yield: 2
Cook time: 15 MinTotal time: 15 Min
This tender moist chicken is a real favorite in my kitchen. The pan sauce is flavored with sage, garlic and lemon and is delicious spooned over top of the chicken cutlets.
Ingredients
- 1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast fillet
- 1 TBS plain all purpose flour
- 6 fresh sage leaves
- 1 clove of garlic, peeled and bruised
- 1 TBS butter
- 1 TBS olive oil
- the juice of half a lemon
- fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Using a sharp knife, cut your chicken horizontally into two equal cutlets.
- Place your chicken cutlets between two sheets of cling film and bash them gently to flatten them out a bit. Season them with some salt and pepper and then dust them lightly with flour, patting it on and shaking off any excess.
- Heat the oil and 1/2 of the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Once it begins to foam, add the chicken, and brown lightly on both sides. Cook until the juices run clear.
- Add the garlic and the sage to the pan along with the remaining butter. Squeeze in the lemon juice and let it bubble up a minute. Serve immediately with some of the lemony juices spooned over each cutlet.
Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again!
One appliance that I always made good use of when I lived in the UK was my bread machine/maker. I had one for over 20 years and used it all the time, at least once or twice a week.
I used it to make baked loaves and I used it to make doughs. They are very handy appliances to have.
I had not been going to replace it because there is just me in the house now, but I finally got tired of the bread that is available in the shops here. I don't like the size of the loaves, nor do I like how sweet they are. I decided to cave and buy myself another bread machine.
This is the model I purchased. The Panasonic Automatic Bread Maker Model# SD-RD250. This is the bread machine I have been using for over 20 years. I went through two of them in the UK. My friend Jo, who was the housekeeper at the Manor for a few of the years that I worked there, had this particular model also.
We both swear by them. They are the best machines going. They make beautiful bread and are quite a manageable size. I like the fact that they have a fruit and nut dispenser.
Bread machines come in handy for all sorts, not just making bread. Pizza doughs, cakes, pasta dough, etc.
Yesterday I decided to make my old basic rustic loaf that I used to always make in the UK. It is a beautiful loaf of bread. Not 100% whole wheat but a beautiful combination of wheats, whole grain and other wise.
It slices like a dream and has a beautiful texture, equal to or better than any store bought loaf out there. In fact I would say that is is better than.
I would even go so far as to say that this is the best bread machine recipe. And I never make those claims unless I am telling the truth.
.JPG "60/40 flour")
In the UK I used to use a combination of white and rye flours to make this particular loaf of bread. Here in Canada this is the flour I used. It is an organic 60/40 flour blend manufactured by Anita's Mill. I was unable to buy rye flour locally.
I went on line and this is what I found and I thought it sounded perfect. It is a blend of organic white and whole grain sprouted wheat, spelt and rye flours.
It made a beautiful loaf.
.JPG "Basic Rustic Loaf (bread machine)")
HINTS AND TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST BREAD IN A BREAD MACHINE
1. Measure by weight and not volume. Weight is a much more precise way to measure. You can't go wrong. I have a set of digital scales that I use. I just pop the bread pan onto them and measure away. My scales measure in grams, Kg, pounds and ounces, milliliters, etc. I started baking by weight when I lived in the UK and I would now never bake any other way.
.JPG "Basic Rustic Loaf (bread machine)")
2. Bread machine loaves work best with bread flour. Bread flour can also be labeled "Best for Bread" or "High Gluten flour."
3. You can use regular flour, but if you do I recommend adding Vital Wheat Gluten to the recipe. This helps to boost the protein content of the bread.
4. Measure very carefully. If you don't add enough flour, no matter the type of flour you use, the bread will collapse and is often uncooked in the center. If you add too much flour, you will end up with a dense, hard heavy ball.
.JPG "Basic Rustic Loaf (bread machine)")
5. I add Vital Wheat Gluten to all of my recipes for bread making in a bread machine. You can purchase it online. It helps to yield a much better loaf, helping the loaf to rise higher with a nicer texture than without.
Vital wheat gluten is best stored in the refrigerator (for up to one year), but you can store it on the counter if you think you will use it up within two months (highly unlikely for the home baker.)
.JPG "Vital Wheat Gluten")
Note - Vital Wheat Gluten is not the same as Vital Wheat Gluten Flour. Vital Wheat Gluten is much more concentrated and not to be confused with the flour.
.JPG "Basic Rustic Loaf (bread machine)")
6. Yeast is a vital component in making yeasted breads! Duh. It can come in many forms. I recommend using yeast which is prepared specifically for use in the bread machine. I store my yeast in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator.
7. Salt is another important component in bread making. Do not however, let the salt touch the yeast. Salt is important in bread making, not only as a flavor enhancer, but also in controlling the level of yeast fermentation.
.JPG "Basic Rustic Loaf (bread machine)")
8. Follow the recommendations when it comes to the order of adding ingredients to your machine. There are reasons why some machines put the dry ingredients first and the wet last. Others might recommend putting in the wet first and the dry last. YOU NEED TO FOLLOW THE EXACT ORDER AS RECOMMENDED BY YOUR PARTICULAR MODEL!!
Most of the time when a recipe fails it is because the baker fails to follow the correct directions as per the machine they are using.
.JPG "Basic Rustic Loaf (bread machine)")
BASIC STEPS OF BREAD MACHINE BAKING
What you the baker need to do:
- select the recipe you wish to use
- assemble your equipment and ingredients on your workspace
- measure the raw ingredients into the bread pan according to the machine recommendations
- program the control panel according to your machine instructions and press start
- check the dough consistency after a little bit and if need be adjust accordingly.
.JPG "Basic Rustic Loaf (bread machine)")
What your machine will do:
- mix the dough
- knead
- first rise
- punch down/deflate dough
- second rise
- punch down/deflate dough
- third rise
- bake the bread
When using the dough cycle your machine will beep to let you know your dough is ready to take out, shape and proceed as per your particular recipe. I like to use the dough cycle to make pizza doughs, bread rolls, etc. The machine always does an excellent job of kneading.
This easy bread machine recipe that I used today resulted in a beautiful loaf of bread. As you can see the texture was spot on. It was light and moist, not dry in the least and had a beautiful crust.
I enjoyed some last night, simply buttered and with some of my homemade Honey & Strawberry Jam. This morning I enjoyed a slice toasted and simply buttered.
Enjoy being the key word. Last week I made a loaf of French Bread in it according to the directions which came with the machine. It was gorgeous with a beautiful crisp crust. Cindy Dan and Dad were here and they also enjoyed it. That loaf disappeared in the blink of an eye!
Small family or large family, if you have never purchased a bread machine I have to ask the question, "What are you waiting for?" Its a purchase you will never regret. I guarantee! With the proper research, I am sure you can find one that is perfect for your own needs and budget.
I recommend this one because it is the one which works best for me, and I am not being paid to tell you that. This is simply my truth.
Basic Rustic Loaf (bread machine)
Yield: 1 medium loaf
This is the perfect loaf of bread for every day, with a beautiful texture and crust. The time taken is variable according to your own bread machine. I have a Panasonic SD-RD250 and it takes 4 hours start to finish.
Ingredients
- 1 tsp dry yeast (easy yeast, for bread makers)
- 420g (4 1/4 cups) 60/40 bakers blend organic flour
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 TBS dry milk powder
- 1 TBS Vital Wheat Gluten
- 1 TBS sugar
- 1 1/2 TBS butter
- 280ml (9 1/2 fluid ounces) water
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients into the bread machine according to the manufacturers instructions.
- Bake on Basic bread, medium sized loaf, light crust.
Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again!
This recipe I am sharing with you today is for the best sour cream blueberry muffins! They are moist and delicious, filled with plenty of berries and the recipe is perfectly sized for the smaller family, making only six beautiful muffins.
Blueberry muffins are one of my absolute all-time favorite muffins. No surprise there as blueberries are one of my favorite fruits!
.JPG "Sour Cream Blueberry Muffins")
This recipe is a beautiful one. They always turn out tender and moist, probably due to the use of sour cream in the batter.
There are no bells or whistles. Just simple ingredients and techniques. Good food done well speaks for itself don't you think?
.JPG "Sour Cream Blueberry Muffins")
I am lucky enough to live in a place where wild blueberries grow in abundance. So much so that they were a thing that I took very much for granted when I was a child. We used to be able to pick them right in our back yard!
It was not until I moved to the UK and that I truly came to appreciate these little blue jeweled beauties for their true worth. When I first moved over there you could not find blueberries in any of the shops.
Happily they were much more abundant by the time I moved back to Canada. They were the cultivated ones, but beggars can't be choosers. We actually were growing our own in our back yard.
.JPG "Sour Cream Blueberry Muffins")
When I was growing up my mother would put us to work every summer picking wild blueberries for the freezer and the winter to come. She would give us each an ice cream bucket. (Ice cream came in nice plastic buckets back in those days.) Our orders would be to fill our buckets.
Oh but it was back breaking work. Squatting down in the bush, picking those berries. Wild blueberries grow close to the ground and are very tiny in comparison to the cultivated ones, but as with any wild berry the flavor is incomparable. Sweet and concentrated.
.JPG "Sour Cream Blueberry Muffins")
Mom was not really one to waste blueberries on things like muffins or pancakes. Not even cakes. Hers were always destined to be made into pies. My father loved blueberry pie, or bear pie as it is also lovingly referred to.
Bear pie because bears love blueberries too and the danger has always been that when you are picking them during berry season you will come across a bear or two or three. I was always very conscious of that face and always kept an active eye out for them!
.JPG "Sour Cream Blueberry Muffins")
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE SOUR CREAM BLUEBERRY MUFFINS
Simple ingredients done well. That's always been my promise to you!
- 1 large free range egg, lightly beaten
- 1/3 cup (63g) granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup (63g) soft light brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- pinch nutmeg
- 3/4 cup fresh blueberries, plus extra to top
- 1/4 cup (60ml) vegetable oil
- 1/4 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup (140g) plain all purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup (60g) dairy sour cream
.JPG "Sour Cream Blueberry Muffins")
Both kinds of blueberries work well in these muffins, cultivated or wild. Today I used cultivated ones as it is not quite blueberry season here yet, and truth be told, I am way past crouching in the grass to pick my own berries.
I would not ever turn down the offer of some already picked however! That would be a real bonus!
I use full fat sour cream and large free range eggs. You can use plain yogurt in the place of the sour cream if you wish to. It works just as well.
.JPG "Sour Cream Blueberry Muffins")
HINTS AND TIPS FOR MAKING GOOD MUFFINS
1. have all of your ingredients at room temperature. Most baking recipes work best when everything it at an equal temperature and if things are cold then your timings will be off.
2. Mix the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients separately in separate bowls. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, combining everything just until the dry ingredients are evenly dampened. Over-mixing is the enemy of muffins, and toughens them, by developing too much gluten. In fact, lumps are preferable.
3. Fill your muffin cups almost to the top of the tin. This will give you a beautiful crown.
4. If you don't have a six cup muffin tin, you can use a 12 cup tin, using every alternate hole in the tin and filling the empty holes half up with water. This will prevent your tin from buckling and warping.
.JPG "Sour Cream Blueberry Muffins")
HOW TO MAKE SOUR CREAM BLUEBERRY MUFFINS
These are very easy to make and if you bear in mind my tips (see above) you can pretty much be assured of success every time.
Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/gas mark 6. Butter a six cup regular sized muffin cup really well or line with paper liners.
Whisk together the flour, soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg to combine.
In another bowl whisk together the egg, oil, both sugars, vanilla and sour cream to combine.
Stir half of the flour into the wet ingredients, folding together just to combine. Fold in the remaining flour, again just until the flour is all incorporated. Gently fold in the berries.
Divide between the prepared muffin cups equally. Place several berries in the top of each muffin decoratively.
.JPG "Sour Cream Blueberry Muffins")
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of one comes out clean.
Cool in the pan for a few minutes before tipping out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container. You can reheat them in the microwave for a few seconds.
These also freeze very well. Just wrap them airtight and pop them into the freezer. Use up within three to four months. These are so good though, I doubt you will have any leftover to freeze.
.JPG "Sour Cream Blueberry Muffins")
Just look at all those juicy blueberries. I love a muffin that doesn't stint on the add ins, don't you? Why call it a blueberry muffin if you are only going to add a few!
Also look at the lovely holes and tunnels. That is the mark of a good muffin. This is the exact texture you are looking for!
.JPG "Sour Cream Blueberry Muffins")
If you enjoy blueberries as much as I do, you might enjoy some of my other blueberry recipes. I guarantee each one to be delicious and simple.
BLUEBERRY MUFFIN CAKE - The recipe makes one small loaf sized blueberry cake. Moist and deliciously filled with berries and topped with a buttery streusel crumble and sweet glaze.
BLUEBERRY CUSTARD PIE - This is my favorite blueberry pie. This delicious twist on blueberry pie like that old favorite amped up, with a lush and creamy custard filling, topped with a wonderfully moreish sweet, crisp and buttery streusel topping.
BLUEBERRY BUTTERMILK PANCAKES - I am always impressed with how tall, light and fluffy these beautiful pancakes are. They are a favorite breakfast treat any time of the year!
Sour Cream Blueberry Muffins (small batch)
Yield: 6
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 35 Min
Bakery quality muffins you can bake at home, downsized recipe for the smaller family. Moist and filled with loads of lovely berries.
Ingredients
- 1 large free range egg, lightly beaten
- 1/3 cup (63g) granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup (63g) soft light brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- pinch nutmeg
- 3/4 cup fresh blueberries, plus extra to top
- 1/4 cup (60ml) vegetable oil
- 1/4 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup (140g) plain all purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup (60g) dairy sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/gas mark 6. Butter a six cup regular sized muffin cup really well or line with paper liners.
- Whisk together the flour, soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg to combine.
- In another bowl whisk together the egg, oil, both sugars, vanilla and sour cream to combine.
- Stir half of the flour into the wet ingredients, folding together just to combine. Fold in the remaining flour, again just until the flour is all incorporated. Gently fold in the berries.
- Divide between the prepared muffin cups equally. Place several berries in the top of each muffin decoratively.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of one comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for a few minutes before tipping out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container. You can reheat them in the microwave for a few seconds.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Social Icons