Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken

This smelt very garlicky while cooking but hopefully won't taste too strong :)
It works out at only 6 WW points per serving so will be good with a green salad and some of my fruity potato salad.

4 medium chicken breasts
3 cloves of garlic minced
4 tsp olive oil
2 tbsp brown sugar

Place chicken breasts in a foil covered dish and sprinkle on salt & pepper
Fry the garlic in the oil till slightly cooked
Remove from heat and stir in the sugar
Spread the paste on the chicken breasts
Cook for 35-40 minutes Gas 5 Fan 160 till done (depends on thickness of your chicken)

Potato & Fruit Salad

Found this on the internet a few years ago and really liked it. Having it today with Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken and a Green Salad. Quantities are enough for 4 people.

1 Red Apple diced
15-20 Seedless Grapes halved (mixed colors work well)
10 New Potatoes cooked and diced
4 tbsp mayonnaise or more to your taste

Mix ingredients and chill before serving

Irish Stout & Cheese Bread

I made half of this recipe to go with the Beef Stew and it was quite a sweet tasting bread. The half a loaf cut up into 8 nice chunks. My cheese was medium cheddar but I would use a stronger one next time.

3 cups plain flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup shredded cheese
12 oz Guinness (440 ml)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fan 150
Line a loaf tin with parchment
In a large bowl mix together all ingredients except stout
Add the stout and mix well
Pour into the loaf tin and allow to stand for 20 minutes
Cook in the oven for 40-50 minutes till done (My half only took 30 minutes)

Beef Stew

I did not add the green beans to this stew but added instead 10 mushrooms that needed eating up about 1 hour before stew was finished with some bisto granules to thicken the stock. I cooked it in my slow cooker for 7 hours and the beef was so tender :)

600g Beef-for stew, cubed + few Tbs flour

2 Tbs. Oil

1 medium Onion, sliced

1 Large Carrot, sliced

1 cup Red Wine 

2 garlic cloves, minced

8 new potatoes diced

½ cup Peas, frozen

¼ cup green beans frozen

2 cups Beef stock, more if needed

1/2 -1 cup water

2 Tbsp Rice Vinegar OR White Wine Vinegar and water

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1/2 tsp. parsley

1-2 Bay leaf

1/2 tsp. Sweet Paprika

1/4 tsp. dried thyme

1/4 tsp. dried oregano

Salt and Pepper to taste

1/2 tsp. Brown Sugar 

In a saute pan add oil and season the beef with 1 teaspoon of the salt and flour well each cube of beef, 

In the Dutch oven or large pot (with fitted lid), add oil and sear the beef, for about 2 or 3 minutes per side. Take the beef out and add sliced onion and carrot slices.

Scrape with the spatula or wooden spoon to get all the bits of flour from the bottom of the pan, then add Red Wine, and continue to scrape and mash/mix/to get it all in smooth texture. 

Add garlic, peas, beans and potatoes. Stir and let it boil. Once boiling add liquid, beef stock, water and rice vinegar; let it boil then add tomato paste. 

Add parsley, salt and pepper to taste, brown sugar and the rest of the spices.  

Stir well, cover and let it boil. Once it's boiling, turn the heat on low and let it simmer for at least 3 hours. (Remove the bay leaf after 1 hour) OR place in a slow cooker for 6-8 hours.

Occasionally, lift the lid and see if you need to add more water/or beef stock, stir and continue to simmer until the beef starts to fall apart. 

Serves 4 (WW points = 11)

Oreo Cheesecake Chocolate Cake

Cake made for Centre Parcs get together - came out huge I have another portion made from the layer I cut off the cake top to level it.

Author: OMGChocolateDesserts.com Cook time:  35 mins

For chocolate cake:

·         2 cups sugar

·         1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

·         ¾ cup cocoa

·         1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

·         1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

·         1 teaspoon salt

·         2 eggs

·         1 cup milk

·         ½ cup vegetable oil

·         2 teaspoons vanilla extract

·         1 cup boiling water

For no-baked Oreo cheesecake filling:

·         1½ cups heavy whipping cream

·         8 oz. Cream Cheese-softened

·         ¾ cup powdered sugar

·         12 Oreo Cookies- coarsely crushed

For milk chocolate ganache:

·         8 oz. milk chocolate-finely chopped

·         1 cup heavy whipping cream

For garnish:

·         ½ cup chocolate chips

·         ¾ cup whipped cream

To make the cake:

1.     Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease two 9 inch round baking pans and line the bottom with parchment paper.

2.     In a large bowl stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

3.     Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla and mix on medium speed 2 minutes.

4.     Add boiling water and mix until it’s smooth.

5.     Divide batter into 2 prepared pans and bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

6.     Cool 10 minutes in the pans, than remove from pans to wire racks upside down (this flattens domed cakes) and cool completely.

To make the filling:

1.     In a large mixing bowl mix heavy whipping cream until firm peaks form.

2.     In another mixing bowl beat cream cheese and sugar until it’s smooth.

3.     Combine cream cheese and whipped cream and stir in crushed Oreo.

To make the ganache:

1.     In a sauce pan over a low heat melt chopped milk chocolate, remove from the heat and stir in heavy cream. Stir until it’s smooth and pour over the cake. (if it’s too runny cool it a little until ganache is thickened but still thin enough to drip down the sides of the cake).

To Assemble the Cake:

1.       Spread filling on bottom layer of cooled cake, carefully place the second layer on top of filling, then spoon chocolate ganache on top of the cake. Garnish with chocolate chips and whipped cream if desired.

Apple and Cinnamon Cake

I cooked this and then topped it with a glaze made from applesauce and icing sugar. The cake tastes lovely and cinnamony but I would use a cooking apple next time instead of an eating one.

1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup soft butter
2 eggs beaten
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup Plain Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 cup milk
1 large Apple finely chopped (do at the last minute)

Preheat oven to 350degress 150 Fan
Grease and flour loaf tin - I used liners
Mix brown sugar and cinnamon - set aside
Beat butter with white sugar till soft
Add eggs and vanilla to butter mix with half the flour
Add rest of the flour and baking powder with the milk and stir well

Pour half the batter into the loaf tin
Top with half the apple and half the cinnamon sugar mix
Pour remaining batter into the loaf tin
Top with half the apple and half the cinnamon sugar mix
Bake for 50 minutes till done

Spaghetti Bolonaise

I think this was a recipe from Slimming World but it is 9 WW points including the pasta.

200 g lean mince
1/2 medium onion chopped
1 clove garlic minced
1 carrot finely diced
1 stick celery finely diced
2 tbsp tomato ketchup
1/2 tin chopped tomatoes
1 tsp oregano
Beef Oxo and 2/3 pint water
65g long spaghetti pasta

Brown the mince
Add the chopped onion and garlic and cook till soft
Add the carrot, celery and cook for 5 minutes
Add tomato ketchup, tinned tomatoes, oregano and stock and cook till almost all the liquid absorbed
While mince is cooking boil the pasta till al dente
Add the mushrooms to the sauce and cook for 3-5 minutes till soft

Impossible Coconut Pie

I have made and frozen this (so not sure how it will turn out later). As 4 eggs seemed a lot I just made half in a loaf tin and it has turned out quite thin - would do 2/3 next time. I cut off the ends and it tasted like a coconut egg custard :)

·   2 cups milk

·   1 cup shredded coconut

·   4 eggs

·   1 tsp vanilla extract

·   ½ cup all purpose flour

·   8 tbsp (1 stick or 125 g) butter

·   ¾ cup sugar

·   pinch of ground nutmeg

·   pinch of salt

1.   Place all the ingredients in a blender. Blend well.

2.   Pour into a greased pie plate.

3.   Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes.

4.   Sprinkle grated chocolate on top

Chicken au Chardonnay

Had this with jacket potatoes, peas, cauliflower and ribbon carrots (cooked in butter and honey). Very nice but I did thicken the sauce with some white sauce granules as it was too runny, I cooked it in a covered casserole in the oven for 45 minutes before adding the cream and returning without the lid for the last 10 minutes.

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onions, finely chopped

4-5 strips of bacon/pancetta, chopped

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

4 chicken breasts cut into pieces

400 g mushrooms, whole or halved

500 m/2/3 of a bottle Chardonnay

250 ml/1 cup double/whipping cream
salt & pepper to taste
handful flat leaf chopped parsley

1. Cook bacon or pancetta in a tablespoon of olive oil. Skip oil if bacon is too fatty. Remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate

2. Salt and pepper the chicken pieces and brown them in bacon fat over medium-high heat. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.

3. Cook chopped onion over low heat for 5-7 minutes, add garlic when the onion is tender and translucent and cook for 1 minute longer. Remove cooked onion and garlic to the same plate as chicken and bacon.

4. Add mushrooms to the pan and brown them for 3-5 minutes over medium-high heat.

5. Return chicken, onion, garlic and bacon to the pan, pour wine all over, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to low and simmer for 40 minutes.

6.    Add cream and simmer for 10 minutes longer.

7.    Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.

Recipe from: Julia Frey of Vikalinka

Stuffed Mushrooms

These are a quick appetizer that can be prepared ahead. If you want a more intense cheese flavour mix in some grated parmesan. I used smoked bacon to give a smoky flavour.

4 Large mushrooms
300g Light Cottage Cheese
1/2 Onion finely chopped
4 rashers bacon - no fat
1 Stock cube

Cook bacon until crisp then fry onion in its juices
Snip bacon into bits and mix with onion and cottage cheese
You can leave rest until you are ready to eat them

Cook mushrooms in boiling stock for a few minutes each side to soften slightly
Drain mushrooms and then place on grill pan
Stuff mushrooms with filling and grill for 10-12 minutes until nice and brown
Sprinkle with chopped parsley (optional)

Lamb Shanks braised in Guinness

We had these with a colcannon  made with leeks and kale; I prepared the colcannon and cooked the lamb shanks for 2 hours (the smell was lovely) on the stove top; both were put back in the oven later and then re-heated for 30 minutes. I cooked 4 lamb shanks but there was plenty of meat so I have frozen enough for a dinner for 2

1 yellow onion, diced    

1 celery stalks, diced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

400 ml beef stock

2 Tbs. tomato paste

2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme OR 1 dried

4 lamb shanks, external fat trimmed

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

2 Tbs. olive oil

2 cup red wine OR 400 ml Guinness

Season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper. 

In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil until nearly smoking. 

Add the shanks and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes total. 

Remove to a plate with paper towel to absorb grease.

Pour off excess grease then fry the onion and garlic till slightly brown. 

Add carrots, celery, tomato paste and thyme and stir for a few minutes before adding stock and liquor.

Bring to a simmer, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the pan bottom then add back the lamb. 

Cook very slowly for 2-3 hours until lamb falls off the bone adding more liquid if required.

Remove the lamb to a large casserole dish and using a blender or stick blender puree the liquids and solids until smooth. 

Pour some of the sauce over the shanks and pass the rest alongside.

Berry Clafoutis

This one has mixed berries (raspberries and blueberries) and left out the cinnamon. I made just 2/3 of the amount in () which was plenty for 4 of us and dusted with a little icing sugar.

1 ¼ cups milk (7oz)

½ cup sugar  (2oz)

3 eggs

½ cup flour (3oz)

¼ teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon vanilla

¼ teaspoon lemon zest

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

2 cups berries

1.     Preheat oven to 350° Fan 150

2.     In a blender blend the milk, 1/3 cup of the sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt, lemon zest, cinnamon and flour.

3.     Pour a ¼ inch layer of the batter in a lightly and evenly buttered fireproof baking dish. Place in the oven until batter firms up a bit (a film will set in the pan). Remove from the heat and place the berries/cherries over the batter. Sprinkle on the remaining sugar. Pour on the rest of the batter evenly.

4.     Bake at 350° for about 45 minutes to an hour. The clafouti is done when puffed and brown and a knife plunged in the center comes out clean. Great served warm or room temperature.
Refrigerate leftovers.

Alternative uses 1lb Rhubarb
Cut the rhubarb into 2-inch lengths and put in a baking pan with a good pinch of cinnamon, if using, the juice of 1 orange and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Toss well and roast in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until tender and just beginning to caramelize around the edges. Let cool completely and then drain in a sieve.

Pear Upside Down Cake

This did not rise much which makes me think my wholemeal flour is not a self-raising one - will add baking powder next time I use it. I made it in a loaf tin as I have parchment wrappers pre-cut and put the pears on the bottom rather than the top. I substituted ginger for the cinnamon.

Recipe is River Cottage Caramelized Pear Cake

• 150g unsalted butter, softened

• 125g caster sugar

• 2 medium eggs

• 75g wholemeal self raising flour

• 75g ground almonds

• A good pinch of cinnamon

For the caramelised pears:

• 2 pears (reasonably firm, but not rock hard)

• 25g unsalted butter

• 1 tbsp dark brown sugar

1. Preheat oven to 170°C/gas 3. Grease a 20cm-diameter springform cake tin and line the base with baking parchment.

2. Peel, core and quarter the pears.

3. Melt the 25g butter in a frying pan big enough to take all the pear pieces, over a medium high heat. When it’s bubbling, add the sugar and stir gently until it has dissolved into the butter. Add the pears and cook gently, turning once or twice, until they have softened and are starting to colour – 5-10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

4. In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with the caster sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in one egg at a time, adding a spoonful of the flour with each to stop the mix curdling.

5. Combine the remaining flour, the ground almonds and the cinnamon, and fold into the mixture. Scrape into the prepared tin. Arrange the pears on top and pour on any buttery juices left in the pan.

6. Bake for about 40-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

7. Stand the cake in its tin on a wire rack to cool for a few minutes, then release the tin.

Soda Bread

Made this to have with the One Pot Casserole but it has turned out quite small. Tastes OK but is quite heavy (bicarb must be old)

75g/3oz plain flour

100g/3½oz wholemeal flour

25g/1oz oats

1½ tsp caster sugar

½ tsp salt

½ tsp baking soda

1 tbsp linseeds

175ml/6fl oz natural yoghurt

1.     Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.

2.     Stir all of the ingredients, except the yoghurt, together in a bowl. Add most of the yoghurt and mix together to a soft dough. Add a little extra yoghurt if the dough is dry.

3.     Tip the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead for a few minutes until smooth.

4.     Shape into round loaf and put on the baking tray. Flatten slightly with your hand then mark a deep X on the top using a knife. Make sure to cut almost all the way to the bottom of the dough, so that the middle of the bread cooks all the way through.

5.     Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes.

Chicken One Pot

This is smelling super while cooking and it has butter beans which I love :)

I made half for 2 of us using cut up chicken breasts and substituted a carrot for the tomato puree as Ricky not over keen on a tomato flavour

·         1.2 kg of your favorite chicken parts (I used a mix)

·         2 onions, peeled and sliced

·         4 cloves of garlic , chopped

·         ½ cup of celery - 1 cm cubes

·         A few sprigs of thyme or rosemary

·         2 tbsp flour

·         2 tbsp tomato puree

·         650ml chicken stock

·         1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes

·         1 x 400g tin butter beans (or any other beans that you prefer), drained

·         Salt and ground black pepper

·         Olive oil

Place a large dutch oven or heavy lidded pan on a medium heat. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper.

Drizzle about 2 tbsp olive oil into the pan.

Add the chicken pieces and cook for about 5 minutes on a medium/high heat or until golden brown.

Remove the chicken from the pan and keep aside.

In the same pot, add 1 more tablespoon of olive oil and add the onions and herbs to the pan and cook for at least 5 minutes.

Add in garlic, fry for a further 30 seconds and stir in the tomato puree.

Add in the flour and cook for 2 minutes.

At this point, you can add the canned tomatoes, stock and season with salt and black pepper.

Simmer the sauce for about 5 minutes.

Add the chicken pieces, celery and beans.

Bring to the boil then turn down to a simmer. Place the lid on and cook on the stove, under low heat for around 1 hour.

Althernatively, you can cook this in the oven.

Serve with rice, bread or mashed potatoes.

Adapted from recipe by Maya Kitchenette

Quick Cinnamon Buns

I wanted to make something with yeast and this fitted the bill. I just made half the recipe and still did 11 smaller buns - worked out at 5 WW points each

They cooked in 20 minutes but next time would have the gas lower as they are a little well done on top. Have eaten my one for today and it was lovely :)

FOR THE DOUGH:

·         1¼ cups/310ml milk hot milk (about 110F/ 43C)

·         1 packet instant dry yeast

·         ¼ cup/50g sugar

·         1 large egg at room temperature

·         ¼ cup/55g butter, melted

·         3 – 4 cups/470g all-purpose/plain flour

FOR THE FILLING:

·         4 tablespoons softened butter, plus more for pan

·         ¼ cup/50g light brown sugar

·         2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

FOR THE GLAZE:

·         4 tablespoons cream cheese

·         1 cup/125g powdered/icing sugar

·         ½ tsp vanilla extract

1.       In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in a ¼ cup of the hot milk and set aside.

2.       In a large bowl mix milk, sugar, melted butter and egg.

3.       Add 2 cups of flour and mix until smooth. Add yeast mixture. Mix in remaining flour until dough is easy to handle.

4.       Knead dough on lightly floured surface for 5 minutes. Place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside.

5.       To rise:

6.       Place an 8-ounce cup of hot water into the microwave and heat on high for 3 minutes to moisten the oven.

7.       Remove the mug and place the bowl with the dough into the microwave and heat on it’s lowest setting (10% power) for 3 minutes.

8.       Then let the dough rest in the microwave for 3 minutes.

9.       Heat the dough (still on it’s lowest setting) for another 3 minutes.

10.   then let the dough rest in the microwave for 5 minutes.

11.   When doubled in size, punch down dough.

12.   Roll out on a floured surface into a 15 by 9-inch rectangle.

13.   Spread butter all over dough. Mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over buttered dough.

14.   Beginning at the 15-inch side, role up dough and pinch edge together to seal. Cut into 10 – 12 slices.

15.   Coat the bottom of a non metal baking pan with butter. Place the cinnamon rolls on the pan with a bit of room for the second rise (about 2 inches).

16.   Preheat the oven to 350f/175c

17.   repeat the rising process in the microwave.

18.   Bake on 350f/175c for 20 – 30 minutes or until golden brown.

19.   Meanwhile, In a mixing bowl whisk together cream cheese powdered sugar and ½ tsp vanilla extract.

20.   Add in more milk as needed 1 teaspoon at a time until it is the desired consistency. Spread over slightly cooled rolls.

Recipe adapted from ErrinsKitchen.com