Lemon Garlic Chicken for one

Monday, 19 September 2022

Lemon Garlic Chicken for one

 
 



Any of us who are keen cooks will recognize that our journey as a cook goes through several evolutions.  I began my journey as a young girl with a few tentative opportunities in my mother's kitchen.

Not a lot then as mom was not a cook who tolerated children in the kitchen. I was mostly relegated to stirring.  This gradually led to being allowed to help peel vegetables.



Lemon Garlic Chicken 






As a Brownie and a Girl Guide, I cooked to earn merit badges. This also afforded me the opportunity to "practice" things in my mother's kitchen. Making pudding, peeling vegetables, simple things really.


When I got to grade 8 at school I was finally allowed to take Home Economics. By that time my mother had gone back to work and I was already getting supper ready at home, but at that point it was mostly reheating things my mother had prepared ahead of time. 



Lemon Garlic Chicken 




As I got more proficient my mother actually let me cook a few things, but not many as she had a very strict food budget and manner in which she wanted things to go, but I was allowed to make gravy and spaghetti and things like that.

One of my first jobs was as the pastry chef at a hotel here in Nova Scotia. I was responsible for all of the appetizers, first courses and desserts. I love LOVED that job! It didn't really require a lot of skill really. There was a baker who came in and baked the cakes. I had to assemble them, etc. and of course put them out for service.


Lemon Garlic Chicken 




As a young Bride my skills evolved even further and I went to cooking for two to eventually cooking for a family of seven as well as their friends and our extended family members.  Suffice it to say I really enjoyed those years.

I have always had a reputation as being a great and a competent cook. People have always enjoyed sitting at my table. 

Lemon Garlic Chicken
 



Once my children grew up and I moved over to the UK I trained as a chef, which was something I always wanted to do.  I then worked as a personal chef for many years prior to retiring.   I went from cooking silver service dinner parties for 25 people down to cooking for two people again.


And now, after a further transition two years ago, and except for very occasionally, I now cook for mainly for one.  I have to say cooking for one has been the most difficult transition.  Especially as I am a person who loves food and who loves to cook! Another learning curve!


This recipe I am sharing today is for a delicious moist and well flavored chicken breast which marinades for a time in a delicious tenderizing marinade and then is simply roasted to perfection in a moderate oven.  As simple as it is this marinated lemon garlic chicken breast is truly delicious!



Lemon Garlic Chicken
 





WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE LEMON GARLIC CHICKEN FOR ONE


Not a lot really.  Make sure you get yourself the best chicken that you can afford.  Free range if possible and anti-biotics free.


  • 1 fat clove garlic, peeled and chopped
  • 2 TBS fresh lemon juice
  • 1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
  • 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast


Lemon Garlic Chicken 




I kept my garlic fairly chunky for this. I was lucky enough to have some fresh local garlic to use in this recipe and I really wanted to taste it. 

Italian seasoning is a seasoning blend of a variety of herbs, notably marjoram, rosemary, thyme, basil and oregano.  Sometimes a few other things are added. You can easily make your own.  I have an extensive list of make your own herb blends here. 

I really like making my own as then I know how old the herbs are that I have used and exactly what is in each blend.

Lemon Garlic Chicken 





HOW TO MAKE LEMON GARLIC CHICKEN FOR ONE


Nothing really could be easier and if you stick to my timings and instructions you can be assured of perfectly cooked, tender and moist chicken each and every time. 


Whisk the garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, paprika, Italian seasoning, salt and black pepper together in a bowl.


Prick the chicken all over with a fork and then add it to the bowl, turning to coat it in the marinade, and pushing it down to cover. Seal with some plastic cling film and place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 20 minutes. (Pricking the chicken really helps to get the flavors of the marinade into the chicken.)


Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Line a small baking sheet with some aluminum foil and butter the foil. Remove the chicken from the marinade and place onto the baking sheet. (I like to spoon some of the marinade over top, especially the garlic bits.)

Roast in the oven for 25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear. (Chicken temperature will read 165*F/74*C.)


Remove from the oven and tent with a piece of foil. Leave to rest for 10 minutes. Serve hot with rice or orzo and your favorite vegetable or a salad on the side.



Lemon Garlic Chicken 






I served mine with some hot buttered orzo and a microwave steamed cob of sweet local corn. (I am enjoying that corn as long as I can!)  This was really delicious!

It would go well with any kind of pasta or rice, or even potatoes.  I really hope that you will be inspired to want to give it a go!  Tender and juicy delicious! 



Lemon Garlic Chicken



If you are in the same situation as myself and cooking for only one or two people you might also enjoy the following recipes.  Smaller families deserve to eat well also!  And from scratch too!


LAMB WITH LEMON, MINT & POTATOES - Tender lamb chops, perfectly seasoned and then pan-grilled to perfection along with some crushed new potatoes. A most delicious combination! 


CLASSIC POT ROAST FOR TWO -  All of the delicious flavors of a full sized pot roast without all the leftovers.  There is nothing much more satisfying than a fall-apart tender meaty pot roast to feed the soul and tummy on a cool autumnal day. This scaled down version of an old family favourite delivers on all levels! 


GARLIC BUTTER SALMON & BROCCOLI FOR TWO -  Salmon and broccoli are perfect partners. So are salmon and garlic! Put the three together and you have a really delicious entrée that everyone will love.  It is perfectly sized for two but you can very easily multiply the amounts to serve more!



Lemon Garlic Chicken for One

Lemon Garlic Chicken for One

Yield: One
Author: Marie Rayner
Prep time: 25 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 50 Min
Tender, juicy and filled with flavor. This is an excellent dinner for one which cooks in less than half an hour. Serve with rice or hot buttered orzo. A vegetable or salad on the side is very nice. Plan ahead as the chicken need to marinate for at least 20 minutes.

Ingredients

  • 1 fat clove garlic, peeled and chopped
  • 2 TBS fresh lemon juice
  • 1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
  • 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast

Instructions

  1. Whisk the garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, paprika, Italian seasoning, salt and black pepper together in a bowl.
  2. Prick the chicken all over with a fork and then add it to the bowl, turning to coat it in the marinade, and pushing it down to cover. Seal with some plastic cling film and place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 20 minutes.
  3. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4.
  4. Line a small baking sheet with some aluminum foil and butter the foil. Remove the chicken from the marinade and place onto the baking sheet. (I like to spoon some of the marinade over top, especially the garlic bits.)
  5. Roast in the oven for 25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear. (Chicken temperature will read 165*F/74*C)
  6. Remove from the oven and tent with a piece of foil. Leave to rest for 10 minutes.
  7. Serve hot with rice or orzo and your favorite vegetable or a salad on the side.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @marierayner5530 on instagram and hashtag it # marierayner5530






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@aol.com 


 Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again! 



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Ten All Time Favorite French Toast Recipes

Sunday, 18 September 2022

 
French Toast Recipe Round Up




No doubt about it when it comes to the weekend, most people like to pull out the stops a bit when it comes to breakfast and brunch.  There is no better way to do this than to prepare your loved ones a delicious hearty breakfast with French Toast and some bacon, or sausage or both.  A bit of Maple Syrup on the side and you can't ask for a more delicious breakfast! 

French toast at its very basic is a dish composed of stale bread soaked in a sweet, rich, eggy custard and then fried in butter until crisp and golden brown on the outside.  Kind of like a fried bread pudding. The insides all soft and soufflé like. The outside crisp and buttery. Altogether, the combination begging for lashings of some sweet syrup drizzled over top.

Its been called Eggy Bread, Pain Perdu (lost bread), Bombay Toast, Gypsy Toast and Poor Knights of Windsor.  A rose by any other name, it doesn't really matter what you call it, its delicious! And relatively simple to make as well!

Sweet or savory, it appears in the cuisine of almost every culture and is much beloved by all. When I was growing up it was a delicious alternative served for lunch on Fridays when many families did not eat meat.  My children looked forward to having it for a weekend breakfast.  There are some who enjoy it for dessert.

It is a really fabulous way to use up stale bread of any kind. You can turn almost anything into French Toast.  French or Italian Bread, Brioche, Croissants, buns, biscuits, etc. I have even turned donuts into French toast with success.  In short if it is even close to bread and stale and can soak up an egg custard easily, and lends itself to frying in butter, you can French toast it!

Today I am sharing my Ten Favorite Ways to make French Toast.  All are simple. All are delicious.  All are weekend worthy, or even holiday worthy!  Enjoy!




Buttermilk French Toast

 



BUTTERMILK FRENCH TOAST -Crisp on the outside and rich on the inside with a soufflé-like buttermilk custard that is oh so delicious! Thick slices of bread are soaked in a lemon and vanilla buttermilk custard and then left to sit on a wire rack over a baking sheet so that the custard has time to settle before frying in butter. Once fried to a crisp golden brown, the toast is baked for a few minutes longer in a moderate oven,


French Toast Fingers




FRENCH TOAST FINGERS - you can use any kind of crisp breakfast cereal to coat them. Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Captain Crunch, Cookie Crisp, etc. If it is crisp and be crushed it is perfect for this use. Using cereal like this to coat the French Toast Sticks also has the added appeal of being a tad bit naughty. Children love dipping these.



small batch oven french toast





SMALL BATCH OVEN FRENCH TOAST - Perfect for serving with crisp bacon or breakfast sausage, or (dare I say it?) both! Not too sweet and perfectly spiced, this delicious recipe is sized for the smaller family. Small families deserve to eat delicious things without any waste!


Lemon French Toast



LEMON FRENCH TOAST WITH STRAWBERRIES & MAPLE SYRUP - Lemon is a wonderful fruit enhancer.  I adore the flavour of lemons and I try to incorporate them in a lot of my cooking.French toast, nicely flavoured with lemon and topped with delicious summer berries. This is quite simply fabulous!


PEACHES & CREAM FRENCH TOAST



PEACHES & CREAM FRENCH TOAST - Nothing could be simpler or more delicious. You can also use sliced apple if you don't want to use peaches, or if you want a Peach Melba kind of finish, sprinkle it with a few fresh raspberries to serve. 


Hot Cross Bun French Toast



HOT CROSS BUN FRENCH TOAST - Oh my goodness. Rich and fruity, with a touch of orange liqueur. This is fabulously fluffy and delicious served with sausage, bacon and of course lashings of maple syrup.


Berry and cream croissant french toast

 


BERRIES & CREAM CROISSANT FRENCH TOAST FOR TWO - Croissants, jam, cream cheese, eggs, fruit  . . .  what's not to love about that! You get flaky butter bits of croissant . . .  along with souflee-like bread pudding bits  . . .  interspersed with pockets of wild blueberry jam and nuggets of rich cream cheese  . . .  oh my goodness! Add a dollop or two of x-tra thick cream and some maple syrup to serve and you have died and gone to heaven.


Raspberry Bakewell French Toast




RASPBERRY BAKEWELL FRENCH TOAST - A delicious breakfast take on the always popular Bakewell Tart.  Almond flavoured French Toast made with buttery croissants, topped with sugar crusted flaked almonds and served with a raspberry syrup.  Delicious!


pAIN PERDU



PAIN PERDU WITH CREAM CHEESE & BLUEBERRY SYRUPS - A delicious Pain Perdu with Cream Cheese and Blueberry Syrups . . . the Pain Perdu, all crisp and golden on the outside . . . but creamy and custardy inside . . . served up hot and gilded with not one . . . but two fabulicious syrups. YES!! not just one . . . but TWO tasty syrups 


Lemon Raspberry French Toast



LEMON RASBERRY FRENCH TOAST - Quite simply delicious with a lemon cream cheese and fresh fruit filling. This fabulous version of French Toast is perfectly sized for just two people but can easily be multiplied to serve more.



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@aol.com 



 Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again! 


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Spiced Chocolate Pumpkin Cake

Saturday, 17 September 2022

Spiced Chocolate Pumpkin Cake

 


This cake I have baked today comes from a baking book by Yossy Arefi entitled Snacking Cakes.  Simple treats for anytime cravings.  I was wanting to bake something pumpkin, but I was also wanting to bake something different.

This cake looked interesting.  Chocolate and pumpkin are flavors that go really well together.  Chocolate and spice work well. Pumpkin and spice work well. I felt the three would work really well together.  I was not wrong!



Spiced Chocolate Pumpkin Cake





This is one incredibly moist and dense chocolate cake. The pumpkin makes it so. You don't really taste the pumpkin in the batter. At least I can't.  But I do taste the spice.  I think the chocolate somewhat overpowers the taste of pumpkin.

It is thoroughly studded with sweet and decadent chocolate chips.  Which is not a really bad thing. I love biting into a cake and then having my teeth hit the rich creaminess of a chocolate chip. You can use either milk or semi-sweet.


Spiced Chocolate Pumpkin Cake
 




I don't know why I bake chocolate desserts.  They are notoriously difficult to photograph and make them look decent.  Why is that???

I apologize for the poor looking pictures of this cake. I am not a professional photographer and so I didn't really know how to make them look as delicious as this cake really is.  Please don't let them put you off! 


Spiced Chocolate Pumpkin Cake
 



I know that anything with chocolate is going to photograph very badly and yet I will still bake chocolate things.  I must be a sucker for punishment, lol

Or I am just a glutton who can't get enough chocolate. You take your pick!  Sucker or glutton. I am content either way. Maybe I am both! haha


Spiced Chocolate Pumpkin Cake 




WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE SPICED CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN CAKE

Simple baking cupboard ingredients plus some tinned pumpkin puree.  Tis the season for pumpkins and spice and all that!
 

For the cake:
  • 3/4 cup (150g) soft light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 large free range eggs
  • 1 cup (230g) pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) light olive oil
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • pinch cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 cup (45g) unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder
  • 1 cup (140g) plain all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 cup (85g) chocolate chips
For the glaze:
  • 1 cup (130g) icing sugar, sifted
  • 1 TBS pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
  • 1 TBS whole milk (or as needed)
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • pinch cayenne
  • pinch ground cloves
  • pinch salt

Spiced Chocolate Pumpkin Cake
 





True confessions here. I did not have Dutch Process cocoa powder. I just used ordinary cocoa powder. Dutch cocoa powder tends to have a much deeper color than regular cocoa powder and  so if you use it your cake will be darker in color.


Another true confession. I think I actually left the milk out of the cake batter?  Say what!  I know!  But in writing it up I could not remember putting it in. My cake turned out fine however, so maybe I did and just can't remember doing so.  Yes, its one of those days. 


Spiced Chocolate Pumpkin Cake

 



Another true confession here. I cut the glaze ingredients in half for my cake. I am trying to cut back a bit on sugar if I can and felt that half the glaze would be sufficient. I think that was the right choice for me.

In the book the author suggests an alternative topping.  For a loaf cake mix together 1 TBS granulated sugar along with 1/4 tsp cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne.  Sprinkle this over top prior to baking.

I think I would have personally enjoyed this more than the glaze.  A bit of heat. A bit of sweet. A bit of crunch.



Spiced Chocolate Pumpkin Cake 





HOW TO MAKE SPICED CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN CAKE

I know I say it all the time, but its true. A very easy cake to throw together. 


Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a 9 X 5 X 3 inch loaf tin. Line with baking paper leaving an overhang at the sides for lifting out.

Measure the brown sugar and eggs into a bowl. Beat with an electric whisk until light and foamy. Whisk in the pumpkin puree, oil, milk, cinnamon, salt and cayenne until smooth. Whisk in the cocoa powder.


Whisk the flour, baking powder and soda together. Stir this into the wet mixture to combine thoroughly. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Pour into the prepared loaf tin, smooth the top over.



Spiced Chocolate Pumpkin Cake 






Bake in the preheated oven got 55 to 65 minutes. When done a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean and the top should spring back when lightly touched.

Leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before lifting out onto a wire rack to cool completely.


To make the glaze, whisk all of the ingredients together to give you a nice smooth drizzle icing. Spoon this over the cake and allow to set before cutting into slices to serve.


Spiced Chocolate Pumpkin Cake 




If you are a fan of Mexican type of chocolate cakes then you will really love this cake. It packs a lovely bit of spice and some heat from the cayenne, which is totally optional by the way.

You will also love the creamy bits of chocolate studding the cake. I know I do. 

If you wanted to you could skip the pumpkin glaze and do a chocolate one in its place. If I make the cake again, and I probably will, I think I will do a chocolate glaze.  

For a quick and easy chocolate glaze whisk together 1 cup (1030g) icing sugar, 3 TBS sifted unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 TBS very soft butter and two to three TBS of boiling water until smooth and pourable.  Pour over your cake and allow to set before slicing. 



Spiced Chocolate Pumpkin Cake






If you are in the mood for baking with pumpkin (and who isn't at this time of year) you may also enjoy the following:


PUMPKIN, ORANGE & CRANBERRY BREAD - This pumpkin bread recipe makes the best pumpkin bread ever and that is all down to my mother-in-laws secret ingredient, which is frozen orange juice concentrate.  Yes, frozen orange juice concentrate.  This was not something I could get in the UK either, but it was an ingredient that I learned to adapt.  This adds a lovely touch of orange flavor.

PUMPKIN STREUSEL CAKE -  A dense and spicy pumpkin Bundt cake with a ribbon of brown sugar streusel running through it. Delicious!!!  This smells heavenly when it is baking. You have been warned!


Spiced Chocolate Pumpkin Cake

Spiced Chocolate Pumpkin Cake

Yield: Makes one 9 X 5 X 2 inch loaf cake
Author: Marie Rayner
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 65 MinTotal time: 1 H & 15 M
This is a lightly spiced cake, packed with plenty of chocolate. Its moist from the use of pumpkin and sports a lush pumpkin glaze.

Ingredients

For the cake:
  • 3/4 cup (150g) soft light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 large free range eggs
  • 1 cup (230g) pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) light olive oil
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • pinch cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 cup (45g) unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder
  • 1 cup (140g) plain all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 cup (85g) chocolate chips
For the glaze:
  • 1 cup (130g) icing sugar, sifted
  • 1 TBS pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
  • 1 TBS whole milk (or as needed)
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • pinch cayenne
  • pinch ground cloves
  • pinch salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a 9 X 5 X 3 inch loaf tin. Line with baking paper leaving an overhang at the sides for lifting out.
  2. Measure the brown sugar and eggs into a bowl. Beat with an electric whisk until light and foamy. Whisk in the pumpkin puree, oil, milk, cinnamon, salt and cayenne until smooth. Whisk in the cocoa powder.
  3. Whisk the flour, baking powder and soda together. Stir this into the wet mixture to combine thoroughly. Fold in the chocolate chips.
  4. Pour into the prepared loaf tin, smooth the top over.
  5. Bake in the preheated oven got 55 to 65 minutes. When done a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean and the top should spring back when lightly touched.
  6. Leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before lifting out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  7. To make the glaze, whisk all of the ingredients together to give you a nice smooth drizzle icing. Spoon this over the cake and allow to set before cutting into slices to serve.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @marierayner5530 on instagram and hashtag it # marierayner5530
Spiced Chocolate Pumpkin Cake





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@aol.com 


 Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again! 


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