I thought that it would make the perfect dinner for today when I knew time was short and my energy would be flagging. I actually put them together this morning before I left and stuck them in the refrigerator, ready to throw into the oven for my supper tonight.
I did take them out about half an hour before I cooked them in order to bring them to room temperature. Here you have a delicious mix of sweet and white potatoes, along with broccoli, topped with chicken, cheese and bacon, with the flavors of ranch dressing running through out.
- 1 medium baking potato, peeled and cut into six chunks
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into six chinks
- 1 small broccoli crown, trimmed and broken into florets
- 2 smallish boneless, skinless chicken breast portions
- 1 TBS dry ranch dressing powder, divided
- 1/2 TBS canola oil
- 1/2 cup (60g) grated cheddar cheese, divided
- 3 rashers crisp cooked bacon, crumbled
I have always been a huge fan of foil cooking. Especially in the summer months when we can just throw the packs on the grill. If you are too, you may enjoy the following:
GRILLED CHICKEN FOIL PACKS - I give you three different versions here for ways to make chicken foil pack dinners. There is a Sweet and Sour Chicken pack, a Hunter's Chicken and Potato pack and a Honey Mustard Chicken pack. All are equally delicious!
You can cook anything in a foil pack like this. Salmon fillets are nice. Pork, lamb, beef. You can really use your imagination and put them together very easily. If you have children you can let them put together their own. Children love to think they are cooking! These really are great for camping or cookouts!
Cheesy Ranch Chicken & Bacon Foil Packs
Ingredients
- 1 medium baking potato, peeled and cut into six chunks
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into six chinks
- 1 small broccoli crown, trimmed and broken into florets
- 2 smallish boneless, skinless chicken breast portions
- 1 TBS dry ranch dressing powder, divided
- 1/2 TBS canola oil
- 1/2 cup (60g) grated cheddar cheese, divided
- 3 rashers crisp cooked bacon, crumbled
Instructions
- Preheat your outdoor grill to medium high. Alternately preheat your oven to 425*F/230*C/ gas mark 6.
- Tear four strips of aluminum foil measuring 8 inches wide. Stack them one on top of the other, making two piles.
- Place both potatoes and the broccoli in a bowl. Toss together with 1/2 of the ranch dressing mix and the oil. Divide the mixture evenly between the foil stacks, leaving a nice border around the edges.
- Top each pile of vegetables with 1 of the chicken breasts. Season the chicken with the other 1/2 TBS of ranch dressing mix. Top with half of the cheese and half of the bacon.
- Pull the foil up over the chicken and vegetables to meet in the centre. Pleat closed. Crimp the foil at both ends to completely contain the chicken. Place both foil packets onto a baking sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven or on the grill for 20 to 25 minutes, at which time the vegetables should be cooked and tender, the chicken juices should run clear and the cheese will have melted.
- Be extremely careful when opening the packets due to steam escaping. Serve hot.
- 3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 medium onion, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 2 1/2 TBS peeled and chopped fresh ginger
- 12 ounces (340g) coconut milk (unsweetened)
- 2 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 TBS light olive oil
- 3 cups (710ml) vegetable stock
- 1 TBS Curry powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 TBS fresh lemon juice
- salt and black pepper to taste
- a drizzle of coconut milk
- toasted sweetened coconut
Some other soups here in The English Kitchen which you may enjoy are:
QUICK AND EASY CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP - This deliciously simple soup is a great soup to make when you have neither the time nor the inclination to make soup from the bones of a chicken carcass. Use a good quality chicken stock and Bob's your uncle!
SPICED CARROT SOUP - This delicious soup makes good use of onions, garlic, and carrots . . . some grated fresh ginger root . . . warm spices. These are cooked in chicken stock until the carrots are meltingly tender . . . be warned it smells heavenly when it is cooking. A quick blitz with a stick blender or in a regular blender and you have one very tasty soup! Nice and velvety. The best carrot soup ever.
Curried Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 medium onion, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 2 1/2 TBS peeled and chopped fresh ginger
- 12 ounces (340g) coconut milk (unsweetened)
- 2 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 TBS light olive oil
- 3 cups (710ml) vegetable stock
- 1 TBS Curry powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 TBS fresh lemon juice
- salt and black pepper to taste
- a drizzle of coconut milk
- toasted sweetened coconut
Instructions
- Heat the oil in the instant pot on the sauté setting. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger. Cook and stir for several minutes until the onions have softened and are just starting to brown at the edges.
- Stir in the curry powder and thyme. Sauté for a minute until very fragrant.
- Add the chopped sweet potatoes, apple and vegetable stock, along with 1/2 tsp salt. Place the lid of the instant pot on top. Secure and set vent. Cook at high pressure for 10 minutes.
- Quick release, open the lid.
- Add the coconut milk and then puree the soup using an immersion blender until smooth. (You can also do this in a regular blender in batches.)
- Press the soup through a sieve if you want it really smooth. Discard any solids.
- Return to the Instant pot and heat through on the sauté setting. Whisk in the lemon juice and black pepper. Taste and adjust accordingly. You may need to add some more salt.
- Ladle hot soup into heated bowls. Garnish each serving with a drizzle of coconut milk and a scattering of toasted coconut.
Notes
This can be done on the stove top but it will take longer to cook. Sauté onion, ginger, and garlic in oil over medium heat, until softened. Add the curry powder and thyme and cook for a few more minutes until fragrant. Add the chopped sweet potato and apple, along with the stock. Season with 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and simmer for about 25 to 30 minutes, half covered until the vegetables/fruit are tender. Add the coconut milk. Blend until smooth with a stick blender. Push through a sieve for a smoother finish, discarding any solids. Whisk in the lemon and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve as above.
Here I am with another Meals of the week post, this one from the 26th of March to the 1st of April. I think I will be making this a regular thing. I have always been interested in what other people are eating on a daily basis and I think other people will be interested in the things that I eat on a daily basis, at least for my main meals anyways.
If nothing else this could serve as inspiration for people who are finding themselves in a bit of rut when it comes to meal planning and the like. I am a senior citizen who lives on my own. Just myself and my two cats.
When a person lives on their own there can be a tendency to get into a bit of a rut cooking-wise, or even to maybe get a bit lazy, wanting just to open tins or have frozen dinners. I have even found myself doing that from time to time.
I thought this would be a way to keep myself more focused on planning, cooking and eating better meals. Convenience foods are often loads with salt and are not really all that good for you, so this is probably a healthier way of eating.
I do eat out every Wednesday with my father and his friends, but I will always try to give you a recipe that you can make in the place of that eat out meal, or even to prepare that eat out meal for yourself. (This week it was fish and chips.)
I have supper at my sister's most Sundays, but I will also provide a recipe whereby you can replicate what we have eaten there as well.
Food and eating really doesn't have to be complicated and its entirely possible to prepare for yourself healthy and delicious meals that don't cost the moon without having to resort to frozen dinners and tin cans. Well, most of the time anyways!
You can add sliced hotdogs to this, or ham or whatever, or just leave it plain. I added sliced hotdogs. I served a simple salad on the side, of lettuce, peas, cheese, and red onions in a simple homemade mayo vinaigrette dressing. This was simple, easy on the budget and incredibly delicious.
TUESDAY, MARCH 27TH - Pineapple Glazed Ham Steaks
Ham steaks, browned and covered in a sweet brown sugar, Dijon mustard and pineapple juice and crushed pineapple mixture and simmered in a skillet until the ham is tender and sweetly glazed. Lightly spiced with a pinch of cloves, a few maraschino cherries are added near the end to pretty it up.
Tender, juicy and delicious, this is the perfect holiday dinner option for the smaller family or anyone who doesn't want to cook a full ham. You can be enjoying it in about half an hour's time which isn't bad for a meal like this!
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29TH - Fish and Chips
On Wednesday nights I always go out for supper with my father and two of his lady friends. We go to a local eatery. This weeks special was a haddock burger and potato skins, which really did not appeal so I fell back on my favorite fish and chips.
I also had a baby dish of soft ice cream to finish, a rare treat. If you would like to make your own fish and chips you can check out my recipe for a Beer Battered Fish here.
THURSDAY, MARCH 30th - Pierogi Stuffed Shells
Although I had cooked these on the Wednesday I did not eat them until Thursday. Happy to say they sheltered very well overnight and reheated well. Rich and delicious. Everything you love in a pierogi but stuffed into a tender large pasta shell. Delicious served with sour cream and additional fried onions.
Even the leftovers were delicious. I had some for breakfast (don't judge me!) a few mornings in a row, lightly heated up in the microwave. Still delicious!
FRIDAY MARCH 31ST - Fish Cakes and Beans
I actually went out to lunch with two of my close friends on Friday. We went to a place in Kingston called The Green Elephant Cafe. I had the pork smash burger which was a thin pork patty with sauerkraut, fried onions, fried mushrooms, cheese and a garlic mayonnaise. There was also sliced tomatoes on it. It was really good.
I wasn't really all that hungry come supper time, so I heated myself up some baked beans and had them with a couple of small frozen fish cakes that my sister had given me one time. It was hearty and satisfying, although the fish cakes were not near as good as my own homemade ones. You can find the recipe for those here. These are the fish cakes I always used to make for the family I worked for at the Manor. They are excellent.
.JPG "Fried Chicken Tacos")
SATURDAY APRIL 1ST - Fried Chicken Tacos
It was our church's Spring General conference so I knew I wouldn't have time to cook a really big meal for myself. I settled on these delicious tacos. This time I used some leftover chicken that I had in my freezer which worked out beautifully. They went together in no time and were delicious. I had the usual taco toppings on them. Lettuce, chopped peppers, spring onions, some sour cream, and a bit of salsa as I didn't have any fresh tomatoes in the house.
This was quick, easy, filling and delicious. Plus it enabled me to use up some of the things languishing in my freezer and vegetable drawer!
And those were the meals I enjoyed this week. Did you enjoy anything that you might want to share with us. I really want to know! Lets share with each other!
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
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