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Monday, August 8, 2011

Recipe from a reader

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Here is a recipe that was sent to me as a comment – thanks, Anonymous! I haven’t had a chance to try it myself yet but thought I should edit and post it here anyway. We can all do with new disguises for chicken! Enjoy.

Hi all at abloggerscookbook.blogspot.com.


Here’s a chicken recipe for you all. What do you think?
Apple brandy chicken
Ingredients:
4 chicken breast halves
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons butter
1/3 cup apple brandy, such as Apple Jack or Calvados
4 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup whipping cream or heavy cream
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/4 teaspoon dried leaf thyme


Preparation:
Flatten chicken; place chicken breast halves between pieces of plastic wrap and gently pound until thinned out and uniform in size.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
In a large heavy skillet, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add chicken breasts.
Cook for about 5 minutes, until browned, then turn.
Add mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes longer.
Add green onions and apple brandy and cook for another minute, until chicken is cooked through and mushrooms are tender.
Add cream and thyme; simmer until thickened.
Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.


See more at http://freerecipesforchicken.info/

Monday, July 11, 2011

And now the work begins...

I have been sharing my recipes with you for the last 78 weeks (390 recipes, plus a few extras), I do hope that you have tried some of them. I have updated all the recipe collections (link buttons on the right), but now the real work begins. Currently I am calculating the nutritional information for each recipe, and trying to pull all my writings and recipes into a cohesive package so that maybe I can get published.

Please continue to visit and browse through the recipes posted here. Thank you to everyone who has visited and left comments, I really appreciate you taking the time.

I wish you healthy eating.

Friday, July 8, 2011

Week 78 Day 5

Pork ‘n’ beans
Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick
Ingredients
½ tsp crushed garlic
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, finely sliced
1 tsp ground coriander
400gm pork fillet, cut in chunks
1 x 400gm tin chopped tomatoes
2 Tblsp tomato paste
1 x 400gm tin mixed beans, rinsed and drained
1 green pepper, chopped
4 naan breads, toasted and cut in fingers

Method
Spray a large pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the onion, garlic and celery for 5 minutes.
Add the coriander and meat.
Cook, stirring, until the meat is sealed and the onion is beginning to brown.
Now add the tomatoes and paste.
Stir well, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add the beans and simmer for another 5 minutes.

Serve with the naan fingers.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Week 78 Day 4

Fish balti
Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick
Ingredients
600gm white fish, cut in chunks
1 onion, finely chopped
½ tsp crushed garlic
1 red chilli, finely chopped
2 tsp crushed ginger
2 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 x 400gm tin chopped tomatoes
30ml fat free dried milk powder
60ml water
2 Tblsp chopped coriander
1 Tblsp chopped mint
4 Tblsp fat free plain yoghurt
320gm basmati rice

Method
Cook the rice in water (or chicken stock).
Once cooked, drain and keep warm.

Spray a large pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the onion, garlic, chilli and ginger for 3 – 4 minutes.
Add the turmeric, cumin and paprika and cook for another minute.

Mix the milk powder to a paste with the water and add to the pan.
Tip in the tomatoes and stir well.
Nestle the fish chunks in the sauce.
Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
Stir through the fresh coriander and mint.

Serve the balti on the rice, topped with yoghurt.

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Week 78 Day 3

Chilly night chicken
Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick
Ingredients
3 skinless chicken breast fillets,
     cut into bite size pieces
½ Tblsp rice wine vinegar
1 onion, sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 leek, sliced
1 parsnip, sliced
2 carrots, sliced
3 courgettes, sliced
1 cup frozen peas
250ml chicken stock
1 Tblsp cornflour, mixed to a paste with 2 Tblsp water

300gm mashing potatoes
200gm orange-fleshed sweet potatoes

Method
Cut the potatoes into chunks and cook in lightly salted water.
Once they are cooked, drain well and mash.
Keep warm.

Sprinkle the vinegar over the cut up chicken.
Spray a large saucepan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the onion, celery and leeks until the onion softens.
Now add the chicken and stir fry until it is ‘sealed’.

Tip the parsnip, carrot and courgettes into the saucepan.
Stir while pouring in the stock.
Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
Add the peas and the cornflour.
Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring, until the sauce has thickened.

Serve the chicken over the mash.

If you need extra warming, add ½ tsp chilli paste with the stock.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Week 78 Day 2

Basil ratatouille with pasta
Serves 4 : Very easy : Very quick
Ingredients
240gm pasta shells
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp crushed garlic (optional)
1 large aubergine, chopped
4 courgettes, sliced
1 green pepper, chopped
1 x 400gm can chopped tomatoes
½ cup water (or veg stock)
½ cup dry red wine
2 Tblsp tomato paste

3 Tblsp chopped fresh basil

4 basil sprigs
4 tsp grated parmesan

Method
Cook the pasta in plenty of lightly salted water until al dente.
Drain and keep warm.

Spray a large sauce pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the onion and garlic until the onion is soft and is beginning to colour.
Tip in the aubergine, courgettes and pepper and stir fry for 5 minutes.
Now add the tomatoes, water, wine and tomato paste.
Stir well, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
Stir through the chopped basil and the cooked pasta shells.

Serve garnished with fresh basil sprigs and parmesan.

Monday, July 4, 2011

Week 78 Day 1

Angelfish with green beans
Serves 4 : Very easy : Takes a little longer
Ingredients
4 angelfish fillets
Black pepper

400gm green beans
½ cup dried yellow split peas
500gm mashing potatoes
10gm butter

2 Tblsp lemon juice
½ tsp crushed garlic
1 Tblsp olive oil

4 tsp Hellmann’s low fat mayo
Chopped parsley

Method
Start the split peas in cold, unsalted water.
Simmer for 30 – 40 minutes until soft.
Drain and keep warm.

Cook the potatoes in lightly salted water (start in cold water*).
Drain well and mash with the butter.
Keep warm.

Steam the beans for 10 minutes.
Drain and dress with the lemon juice, garlic and olive oil.
Keep warm.

Spray a large frying pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the fish, presentation side down, for 5 minutes.
Turn and continue cooking for another 5 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily.
Do not overcook or the fish will be dry.

Serve the angelfish with the mash, beans and split peas.
Garnish with low fat mayo and chopped parsley.

*Always start potatoes and pulses in cold water. Hot water will cook the outside of potatoes to a mush before the inside is done; pulses will stay hard and tough if the cooking water is started hot or salted.