BBQ Coconut, Lime & Coriander Chicken

This recipe is for a really simple chicken dish that can be cooked on the bbq or in the oven. I find that cooking it on the bbq makes it so much tastier though, and the marinade ensures that it doesn't dry out. You can just as easily replace the chicken breast with boneless chicken thighs and thread them onto skewers, or salmon fillets. Leaving the chicken to marinate overnight gives it a better flavour, but it's not essential if you don't have the time - just leave it as long as you can.

It's a lovely light dish for summer al fresco dining, and makes a refreshing change to bbq sauce.

Chicken breast doesn't take long to cook on the bbq, but make sure that it's cooked all the way through before serving.

Serve with a mango salsa, lime wedges, fresh coriander and steamed rice.

Bbq Coconut, Lime & Coriander Chicken by Helen Jessup on Scribd

Serve with a mango salsa, lime wedges, fresh coriander & steamed rice

This is my entry into the Foodies100/Vita Coco #ReachfortheBeach competition

Family Meals : Paprika Chicken with Chorizo & Olives

I've mentioned before on this blog that I cook the majority of our family meals from scratch, and on most nights of the week. We rarely eat out, and only have takeaways very occasionally, and if we do it's only usually from the local chippy.

We also have very little food waste in this house, which I put down to meal planning (albeit a bit haphazardly at the moment), cooking from scratch, and always using up any leftovers by making them into another meal, freezing them, or eating for lunch the following day.

I also encourage our family to eat our evening meals together as much as possible. It's not always easy with two teenagers though, especially at this time of the year when they're out with their friends for the majority of the evening, so it's often only three of us at the dinner table. At least 3 or 4 times a week we do all manage to sit down together though, and some of our favourite meals involve a large panful of food in the centre of the table with breads, salads and vegetables on the side for everyone to help themselves to.

This article about the benefits of family meals is a very interesting read, and should encourage all families to try and eat together as much as possible. 

• 10 Benefits of Family Meals

This Paprika Chicken dish is one of the many dishes that I enjoy cooking, as I know everyone will enjoy it, and it takes a minimal amount of effort to make. As the majority of the ingredients used are from Iceland's cook from frozen range it means that you can always have a supply of ingredients in the freezer ready to whip up a meal at any time, without the worry that anything is going to go off.

The dish could be served with salad and bread or roast potatoes and steamed vegetables, but I chose to serve it with a large pot of ratatouille (which is always delicious the following day on a jacket potato or pasta), bread rolls (who knew you could buy frozen ready baked bread rolls), and Iceland steamed rice.

Ratatouille is also a great way to use up vegetables from the bottom of the fridge, such as onions, peppers, mushrooms, aubergines, courgettes and tomatoes, as well as carrots, leeks, butternut squash and cabbage. Just like a 'fridge bottom' soup or curry, almost any veg can go into a ratatouille, but using the Iceland Mediterranean Vegetables as a base gives it a great flavour, as well as saving valuable time by not having any chopping to do.

Paprika Chicken with Chorizo & Olives by Helen Jessup on Scribd

This is quite simply one of the easiest, tastiest, cook from [almost] scratch, no chopping, no waste, family meals that you could ever wish to make. That's the #PowerofFrozen!

a commissioned post for Iceland Foods #PowerofFrozen

Maple & Cajun Spiced Chicken Filled Yorkshire Puddings

Another week of Great British Bake Off has gone by and this week was batter week; a new challenge for the bakers. I can understand some of the failures of bread week, as 2.5 hours is not long to make a decent loaf of bread, but I really don't think there was any excuse for some of the seriously bad Yorkshire Puddings this week. If there's one thing we've learnt from batter week it's 'don't mess with the flour', after Tom used chickpea flour in his recipe, and they turned out more like a dense blini than a puffed up, light and airy Yorkshire pudding.

I am the first to admit that Yorkshire Puddings have never been my thing, and they have always been a bit hit and miss in the past - sometimes huge, and sometimes a bit on the dense side. I put my hit and miss efforts down to not having a go-to recipe to use each time, so this week I set about researching and testing some recipes so that in the future my Yorkies will be consistent (and hopefully consistently good!)

Some recipes have an exact weight of flour and a certain number of eggs, but they don't always say whether the eggs are medium or large, so surely that has to interfere with the batter consistency? As my memory is often poor when it comes to remembering exact quantities I would also need to make sure that I have this recipe written down somewhere safe (and then remember where that safe place was) if I was to use this method. Then there is the method where you weigh the eggs in a bowl (out of the shell) and then use this weight to base the quantity of the other ingredients on. This is the method I use for baking sponge cakes (weighing the eggs in their shell for cakes) as it then doesn't matter what size your eggs are, and it's easy to increase your quantity of batter based on the number of eggs you want to use (or have).

One important point that I've discovered works best, is to have the batter at room temperature before you use it, so once you've made it you should leave it to rest for a couple of hours at room temperature.

Another important point to bear in mind is the cooking temperature. It's really important to have your oven temperature high and make sure the oil in your pan is, quite literally, smoking hot. The best way that I've found to do this is to pop the muffin pan into the oven as you turn it on to the highest temperature that your oven will go to, and then once the oven has reached that temperature (when the indicator light goes off) the oil will be hot enough to add your batter, at which point I turn the oven down to a more reasonable 200-210C.

The final very important point to remember,  is to be patient. DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR until the cooking time has passed - which for my puddings was 20-25 minutes. If you open the door any sooner they could flop.

Everyone has their own preference for the fat they use to cook the puddings, whether it's sunflower oil, lard or beef dripping, but I personally prefer to use Trex, a solid vegetable fat, which I also use for roast potatoes.

Now that I've mastered the pud I think we'll be eating a lot more of them around here, and not just with a roast dinner. I've made filled Yorkshire puddings before, and we now always have them on Christmas Eve, but they're also lovely as a dessert, or even for breakfast with a spoonful of Nutella or drizzle of maple syrup!

I decided that my Yorkshire puddings for Great Bloggers Bake Off would be filled with chicken, which had been roasted in cajun spices and drizzled with maple syrup, and was inspired by my trip to London last weekend where myself and my teen daughter enjoyed a southern style afternoon tea at Ma Pluckers.

The roast chicken was stripped from the bone and basted in cooking juices and a drizzle of Maple syrup along with an extra sprinkling of cajun spices, before being loaded into the Yorkshire puddings. A couple of these served with some home made coleslaw and a corn on the cob makes a delicious meal which can be thrown together in minutes, if you've prepared the chicken and puddings in advance.

Yorkshire Puddings - makes 15-18

206g plain flour

pinch of salt

4 medium eggs (weighing 206g out of their shells)

206g skimmed milk

206g water

vegetable fat or oil 

• add the flour and salt to a large bowl
• whisk in the eggs, milk and water until smooth
• set aside for a couple of hours at room temperature before using
• add half a tsp of fat to each cell of your muffin pans and place the pans into the oven
• turn the oven temperature to maximum and leave until the oven reaches temperature
• remove the pan from the oven and quickly half fill each cell with batter (pouring the batter from a jug helps)
• return the tin to the oven and turn the temperature down to approx 210C
• cook for 20-25 minutes without opening the oven door

Maple & Cajun Spiced Chicken (for the filling)

roast chicken, shredded off the bone

cooking juices from the chicken (fat drained)

maple syrup

cajun seasoning 

• drizzle the shredded chicken with some of the cooking juices and a drizzle of maple syrup, so the chicken is moist, but not wet
• sprinkle on some of the cajun seasoning, to taste
• set aside until you're ready to fill your yorkshire puddings - the chicken can be served cold or warmed up before piling into the puddings

These were absolutely delicious, and I'll definitely be making them again - maybe even on Christmas Eve!

SUNDAY ROAST YORKSHIRE PUDDINGS, FRESH OUT OF THE OVEN (one resembling Peppa Pig)

They're not uniform but they'll do for me #yorkshirepuddings #greatbloggersbakeoff #gbbo #bakeoff #batterweek #batter #instafood #foodie #foodpic #foodpics #foodphotography #food #foodblogger #instablogger

A photo posted by Helen (@thecrazykitchen) on Sep 17, 2016 at 5:23am PDT

ONE OF THE MANY BATCHES BAKED OVER THE WEEKEND




I am joining in with the Mummy Mishaps Great Bloggers Bake Off

Chicken and Vegetables in Barbecue Sauce

This is a lovely family dish that's easy to prepare, and great for midweek meals. It's full of veggies and tender chicken breast. You could use boneless chicken thighs instead, which makes it even tastier, but just increase the cooking time a little.

Chicken and Vegetables in Barbecue Sauce - serves 4/5

1 tbsp olive oil

4 skinless & boneless chicken breasts, halved

5 tbsp barbecue sauce (I used Heinz Classic barbecue sauce)

1 large onion, sliced

3 peppers (red, green & orange), sliced

1 courgette, sliced

beef stock cube

200ml boiling water

400g tin of chopped tomatoes

• heat the oil in a large lidded frying pan or skillet 
• add 1 tbsp of the barbecue sauce
• add the chicken breasts and fry for a few minutes each side until browned and the sauce starts to caramelise
• remove the chicken from the pan and set aside
• add the onion, peppers & courgette to the pan and fry for a few minutes until starting to soften
• dissolve the stock cube in the water and stir in the tomatoes and remaining barbecue sauce
• pour the sauce into the pan and stir to combine the vegetables
• bring to a simmer, place the lid on and simmer gently for 20 minutes
• add the chicken back in and simmer for an additional 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through
• serve with rice

Stir Fry Chicken, Sweet Potato & Pine Nuts

A couple of months ago I bought a copy of Lean in 15 by Joe Wicks, the Body Coach. I half heartedly followed a couple of recipes but never really got stuck into the book. After enjoying a very unhealthy (but extremely fun) weekend in Portugal with 12 of my friends this past weekend I was craving healthy food again. Over the weekend we discussed Lean in 15, and one of my friends mentioned a couple of her favourite recipes, which made me dig my book out as soon as I got home.

I've so far tried out In a Hurry Curry Fried Rice, Chicken with Smoked Paprika & Almonds and Cheesy Chorizo & Spinach which were all really delicious, and inspired me to make this chicken and sweet potato dish.

I made this version in my Actifry, but it could also be made using the oven & stove top.

Stir Fry Chicken, Sweet Potato & Pine Nuts - serves 1

1 small sweet potato

pinch of chilli flakes

2 tsp coconut oil

chicken breast

handful of cherry tomatoes, halved

handful of green beans

salt & pepper

tbsp pine nuts

• wash the sweet potato and slice into 1cm strips
• add the sweet potato to the Actifry pan along with 1 tsp of coconut oil and the chilli flakes
• cook for 10 minutes
• cut the chicken into 1cm strips and add to the Actifry, along with the tomatoes, beans & a pinch of salt & pepper 
• cook for a further 10 minutes*, adding the pine nuts 5 minutes before the end of cooking time

*may take a little more or less time depending on the size of your chicken pieces/model of machine

If you're looking for inspiration for breakfast, lunch or evening meals for yourself or the family then I really do recommend this book for quick, easy & tasty meals (affiliate link)

Slow Cooker Marmite Chicken and Vegetables

Life has been getting in the way a bit recently, and almost another week has gone by without me sharing any recipes on this blog. I promise to try and improve things over the next few weeks, and share some delicious sweet treats, but in the meantime you're going to have to make do with another slow cooker recipe. It's a great recipe for busy families as it only takes a few minutes to prepare, which means it can be done before leaving for work in the morning.

Marmite is a great flavour enhancer, and I often add a spoonful here and there, but this dish was flavoured entirely with the lovely stuff - just don't tell the husband as he hates it! (mwahahahaha) It also makes a great gravy, and the cooking juices from this dish can be thickened with a little cornflour to make a delicious gravy to pour over.

Slow Cooker Marmite Chicken and Vegetables - serves 4/5

65g Marmite

2 tbsp boiling water
800g skinless & boneless chicken thighs

3 leeks, sliced

2 corn on the cob, sliced

1kg Charlotte potatoes

tbsp cornflour mixed with a little water

fresh Thyme

• Mix the Marmite with the water
• Place the chicken in a large bowl and add the Marmite & water, and mix to coat well
• Add the leeks, corn and potatoes to a slow cooker
• Add the chicken to the slow cooker and give it a quick stir
• Cook on medium for 5 hours
• Spoon everything into an ovenproof dish, setting the juices aside
• Place under a hot grill for a few minutes to give the potatoes some colour
• Bring the juices to the boil and add a little of the cornflour to thicken for your gravy
• Serve scattered with fresh thyme 

For more ideas for using Marmite in recipes have a look at my Pinterest board.

Follow The Crazy Kitchen's board Marmite recipes on Pinterest.

Chicken & Chorizo Paella

When I had my new induction hob fitted a few months ago, one of the silly things that I was pleased about was that my paella pan worked on it when many of my other pans didn't. I didn't use it very often but didn't feel ready to part with it.

As the majority of the family isn't keen on seafood I've never made a seafood paella, and instead use chicken & chorizo, which gives the dish some rich Spanish flavours. I don't know why I don't cook this more often as it really is simple, yet tastes so good and the family loves it. One pot dishes are always a winner too, as there's not much in the way of washing up either.

 

Chicken & Chorizo Paella - serves 4/5

3-4 chicken breast fillets

pinch Saffron strands

2 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 red pepper, deseeded & chopped

1 green pepper, deseeded & chopped

1 onion, chopped

100g chorizo, sliced

350g paella rice

50ml white wine

800ml hot chicken or vegetable stock

1 tsp paprika
fresh parsley, chopped

lemon wedges

• Cut the chicken breasts into strips
• add the saffron strands to a small dish and pour approx 30ml boiling water over
• heat the oil in a paella pan (or large frying pan)
• add the chicken and fry over a high heat until browned on the outside, & remove from the pan & set aside (it will finish cooking later)
• turn the heat to medium and add the garlic, peppers, onion & chorizo
• fry for 5-10 minutes until the onion starts to soften
• add the rice and stir for 1 minute
• add the wine, & 750ml of the stock, along with the saffron strands & water and paprika
• bring to the boil whilst stirring
• turn the heat down, cover with a lid or sheet of foil and simmer for 15 minutes - check after 10 minutes and add more stock if needed
• after 15 minutes turn the heat off and leave covered for 10 minutes before serving
• scatter with chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges

Summer Roast Chicken with Lemon and Olives

We've had some changeable weather this week. One minute it will be brilliant sunshine, and the next it will be pouring with rain. Yesterday the window cleaner came, so I knew it would rain, it always does. I'd planned to cook dinner on the bbq but didn't fancy getting a soaking, so instead I cooked this chicken dish in the oven. It's perfect for this time of the year as it doesn't take much preparation, which means that you can go and enjoy the sunshine (if you're lucky enough to have some).

I served it straight from the oven with steamed broccoli, but it can even be served cold with a salad.

Summer Roast Chicken with Lemon and Olives - serves 4

8 chicken thighs
1kg baby new potatoes
handful of olives
2-3 lemons, quartered
olive oil
sea salt
fresh herbs - I used rosemary

• arrange the chicken, potatoes & olives in a large roasting dish
• squeeze the lemons over everything and then add these to the pan
• drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and scatter with fresh herbs
• bake in a preheated 180C oven for around 1 hour, until the chicken is cooked all the way through and the potatoes are tender

Chicken & Fennel in a Creamy White Wine Sauce

Hands up all those who are starting some kind of healthy eating regime now that Christmas and New Year are done & dusted? Well. that's probably most of is then. It's lovely to kick back, relax and over indulge a little over the festive period, but it's also nice to get back on the wagon and start putting a bit more of the healthy stuff inside our bodies to make us less sluggish on these cold and dark mornings.

I've been exercising over the new year and have been out for a few run/walks, including both new year's eve and new year's day, so I haven't felt too guilty about putting away a few extra calories of chocolate, but now that the husband is back to work and kids back at school it's time to eat proper, regular meals again, without any snacking on chocolate santas or reindeer in between.

This chicken dish feels very indulgent with it's creamy sauce, however with just 150ml of reduced fat creme fraiche in the sauce it's a bit kinder on the waistline than a sauce made with double cream. As is the case with many of the meals I cook, it's a very simple one pot dish that can just be thrown in the oven whilst you go off and do something more exciting - like exercising for instance!

Chicken & Fennel in a Creamy White Wine Sauce - serves 4

tbsp olive oil
4 boneless chicken breast (skin on)
2 fennel bulbs, trimmed & halved
2 large onions, peeled & quartered
small handful of fresh Thyme
ground black pepper
250ml Lindeman's Bin 95 Sauvignon Blanc
150ml reduced fat creme fraiche

• Heat the oil in a wide & shallow ovenproof pan (or you can transfer to a casserole dish)
• Place the chicken breasts in, skin side down
• Fry until the chicken skin is lightly browned
• Turn the chicken over (or transfer to the casserole dish)
• Add the onions, fennel, thyme & a few twists of black pepper
• Pour in the wine
• Cover and bake in a preheated 180C oven for 45 minutes before removing the lid and cooking for a further 15 minutes
• Ensure the chicken is cooked all the way through and the vegetables are tender
• Remove the chicken & vegetables from the pan & set aside
• Whisk the creme fraiche into the pan
• Serve the chicken & vegetables on a bed of potato and butternut squash mash & spoon the sauce over

This post has been commissioned by Lindeman's

Chicken & Chorizo Risotto

Most people enjoy going on holiday for a break from the usual routine, which normally involves the cooking. I, on the other hand, enjoy going on a self catering holiday to do more cooking than I might do at home. I love cooking, but at home it can become a bit of a chore when there are time constraints, work to be done, and kids pestering as they're hungry. On holiday it's a lot more relaxing, and even when cooking in the middle of a weekday it's ok to enjoy a glass of wine whilst making lunch.

This past weekend we took a break away in a cottage in the middle of the Welsh countryside to get away from the craziness of pre-Christmas. All the presents had been bought and wrapped and all the food that could be bought and prepped in advance had been. I planned a menu beforehand and took receipt of an online grocery order to make sure we had enough food to see us through the weekend.

The kids enjoyed exploring the grounds, as well as playing some good old fashioned board games, whilst I spent some enjoyable quality time in the kitchen, which you would in a lovely kitchen like this, with amazing views.

I decided to make a risotto for a late lunch on Saturday afternoon, which we enjoyed before sitting down to watch Free Willy - got to love all the old movies on over Christmas! This recipe would also be a great way to use up some of that leftover turkey - just add it towards the end of cooking time instead of the chicken.

Chicken & Chorizo Risotto - serves 4/5

large knob of butter

1 large onion, chopped

1 clove of garlic, crushed

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

100g Chorizo, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

500g chicken breast, cut into strips

100g baby chestnut mushrooms, sliced

350g arborio rice

150ml Lindeman's Bin 65 Chardonnay

1 litre chicken stock

salt & pepper to season

• Heat the butter in a large pan
• Add the onion and fry over a medium heat until softened
• Add in the garlic and paprika and fry for a couple of minutes
• Add the chorizo and red pepper and fry for a couple of minutes more before adding the chicken breast and stirring well
• Add the mushrooms and rice and then stir in the wine
• Once the wine has been absorbed add the stock a little at a time, adding more when it has been absorbed
• Cook until all the stock has been added and the rice is tender
• Add salt and pepper to taste
• Serve with some thin slices or grated cheese

This post has been commissioned by Lindeman's