Cheez-It Chicken Bites

Incase it is not already obvious by the main ingredient in this recipe, I am currently in America visiting family.  I thought I'd try out a couple recipes over the next weeks using ingredients that are easier to find in America.  First up was an idea I'd been holding onto for a while, chicken using flavored crackers as the bread crumbs.  In this case, I have opted for Cheez-Its!  If you can get past their amazing glowing orange exterior, you are sure to love them as much as I did.

You will need:
3 large chicken breasts
3 cups Cheez-Its (original) crackers
1 1/2 cup sour cream
2 tsp spicey brown mustard (or 2 1/2 tsp yellow mustard)
salt and pepper for seasoning
Non-sticking cooking spray or low-cal oil spray

Note: For added cheesiness add in 2-3 Tbsp of cheddar cheese powder to the sour cream/mustard mixture (you can lift this powder from a kraft mac n cheese dinner box or find it in some grocery stores)

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.

2. Rinse chicken and chop into bite size pieces or into chicken strips.

3. Season chicken lightly with salt and pepper.

4. In a food processor or a strong large kitchen bag, crush 3 cups of Cheez-Its to a fine breadcrumb.  Pour into wide bowl or plate and set aside.

5. In a wide bowl, combine 1 1/2 cup sour cream and mustard.  Mix.

6. Coat chicken pieces in sour cream/mustard mixture and dredge in the crushed Cheez-Its.

7. Place on a non-stick greased oven tray.

8. Spray the tops of the chicken with low-cal oil spray for added crispiness and crunch.

9. Bake at 375 F for 30-35 minutes, a few minutes longer if making large chicken strips.

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Tips for Picky Eaters! - Utilizing your taste buds

QUICK TIP!

If it is the taste of vegetables or certain foods you do not like (and not a problem of texture) it may be helpful to think of ways to cover up the offending food.  This is just a quick tip, as I do not have a wealth of experience with this, as my problem is almost always texture.

Some options you have include:

• Spices
• Sugar, Salt, or Pepper
• Sauces
• Other stronger-tasting foods (By stronger-tasting foods I am referring to things such as cheese and chocolate).
• Combining with similar foods
  Example: I hate strawberries, but do not notice them blitzed with other berries in a coulis

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The Diner: Soho

The Diner website

I should have posted this a while ago, but anyways, Manfriend and I went to The Diner in Soho to celebrate his birthday (before heading to the observatory in Hampstead to stargaze).  I have been to The Diner in Camden many times, but never the Soho one.  I must admit, I enjoy the checking out the hipster employee's outfits.  However, I can understand where some people might find this a bit off-putting.

Anyways, I'm always curious as to how the Brits decide to prepare/present American-style food. For this reason, I shunned the usual diner breakfast items and went with corn dogs and sweet potato fries.  The corn dogs were quite a disappointment, as its cornbread jacket was paper-thin.  This left my corn dog tasting of nothing more than a hot dog on a stick.  Not nice.  However, the sweet potato fries were somehow the best I've ever had?!  They stayed crispy through to the end of my meal, even when cold.  AND the portion was out of control (in a good way).  Manfriend had a burger, which he didn't seem to have any complaints about.  He also had 'diner fries'.  The diner fries were steak-cut chips tossed in slightly-hot cajun spices (and also came in an obscenely large portion).  I can confirm that these were quite tasty!

I guess my overall impression of The Diner is, while quite stylish, the food isn't amazing.  However, the prices are pretty reasonable for London standards, so I shall keep returning and, perhaps, make a jump back to the all-day breakfast menu.

Seriously, these fries guys.... seriously.

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Truffle Swirl Cake

I've come up with another short-cut way to an impressive cake.  Although it almost seems a shame to cover the swirls of the mixed yellow/chocolate cake, if ever there was a topping fit to do so, it would be this cold-set ganache.

As far as I can tell, ganache recipes are fairly standard.  This is mine, tailored to the amount necessary for a double layer cake (with a layer of ganache within to hold the two pieces together).  This is done simply because I do not have a lovely springform pan.  I would encourage you to bake the cake this way if you are lucky enough to have a springform pan, as to not interrupt the swirls of the cake.  Additionally, it will make topping the cake easier.

Side note: Why is Firefox telling me ganache is not a word?!  Clearly Firefox has never tasted my friend Cassady's truffles.



For the cake you will need:
1 box chocolate/yellow swirl cake mix (and its ingredient requirements)

For the ganache you will need:
315g (approx 11 oz) dark chocolate, finely chopped
295ml (approx 1 1/4 cups) double cream (heavy cream)

1. Prepare and bake the cake mix according to the mix's own directions/tailored to your pan choice.

2. Allow cake to cool completely.  If your kitchen is warm, it may be useful to chill the cake after it has reached room temperature.

3. Prepare the ganache by slowly bringing the double cream to a gentle boil.  Remove from heat immediately (do not allow it to scorch or bubble over!) and pour over the chopped dark chocolate in a medium bowl.

4. Set cake on a wire rack over a large backing tray, this will allow excess ganache to drip off when preparing.

5. Allow ganache to cool slightly before spreading a thin layer over the cake to lock-in any stray crumbs. If making a double-layer cake, spread first on the top of the bottom layer, place second layer on and cover all surfaces with thin layer.

6. Allow this thin layer of ganache to set (place in fridge to speed up process) before pouring the remaining ganache over the cake.

7. If ganache has started to thicken, use a flat knife/spatuala to drag the ganache from the center to the side of the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides.

8. I prefer to allow the ganache to set in the fridge before serving.  There is something about cold dark chocolate that I adore, though this quick tempterature change may affect the way the ganache sets so if you're looking for a glisteningly smooth ganache, skip this step.

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Easy Black Forest (of sorts) Cupcakes

Basically, I enjoyed this cake so much that I felt the need to turn it into a cupcake.  So I present an incredibly simple short-cut-filled route to Black Forest Cupcakes.

Note: If you prefer, you can core your cupcakes and fill with the cherry jam instead of having it float on top.  However, that jam WILL leech into the cupcakes, so you'll have to force everyone around you to eat a cupcake before they go bad (I'd give them about 24 hours max). :P  But you'll probably make a lot of friends, so that's fine then! :)

For the cupcakes you will need:
Prepared box chocolate cake mix
1 jar of black cherry jam/preserves


1. Simply bake the cupcakes as directed.

2. Spread a generous amount of cherry jam in the center of the cupcake's top.

3. Frost (recipe below) using an icing bag, as you will need to start from the outside and swirl in, otherwise the frosting will slip around in the jam.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

You will need:

1 cup butter (two sticks) - room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
2 1/2 tsp clear vanilla
1/4 cup skim milk


1. With an electric mixer, cream the butter.

2. Add milk and vanilla.

3. Add powdered sugar and beat, one cup at a time, until smooth.

4. Frost cupcakes.


Note: Serve same day as cupcakes are topped, as jam will seep into the cake and/or the frosting.  If making in advance, store un-frosted until day of serving.

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Happy Easter! (Cereal box basket)

Less money than ever this Easter.  Therefore I turned a box of Golden Grahams cereal into a basket, lined it with paper colored/cut like grass, and filled it with sweets.  Let the Easter celebrations commence!

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Sweet n Sour Chicken Puff Pastry Roll

I'm not really sure what possessed me to do this initially, but I believe I have now perfected my Sweet n Sour Chicken Puff Pastry Roll.  They are certainly unique, although maybe not to everyone's tastes.  I am not completely mad though, as my mostly-sane manfriend is a fan as well.  The savory crunch of the puff pastry goes quite nicely with the sweet and savory taste of the chicken within.  I've found it best served on a bed of sticky rice topped with  more sweet n sour sauce.  However, it may also be at home with some mashed potatoes.

You will need:
Ready-rolled puff pastry (Approx 12 x 10 inches)
2 large chicken breasts, partially cooked
1 egg
1 500g jar of sweet n sour sauce
2 servings of rice (prepared)

Yield: 4 large rolls

1. Partially bake your chicken breasts until you are able to shred the chicken (or simply cut into very thin pieces).

2. Place shredded chicken into a bowl and add sweet n sour sauce (strained of vegetables if undesired) a little bit at a time until the chicken is completely covered, but not so saturated that the sauce will burst out of the pastry when cooked.

3. Lay out puff pastry sheet and roll slightly thinner.

4. Mark off approximately every 3.5-4 inches (depending on how thin you've rolled it) and line up filling as shown in the photo below.

5. Pull bottom of pastry over the top and press the sides together using a fork.  Trim excess dough.

6. Cut lines in top of pastry to allow venting.  (See second photo below).

7. In a small bowl, beat 1 egg and brush eggwash onto rolls to give it an appetizing shine.

8. Bake at approx 350 F/175 C for 15-20 minutes (unless this varies greatly from the instructions on your puff pastry packaging).

9. Serve on a bed of white rice, drizzled in the remaining sweet n sour sauce.

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I heart hearts?

I just realised my last three recipes contained heart shapes.  When did this site become so girly?  Oops!  I promise, no hearts in my next recipe.

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Pepperoni and Bacon Pizza

Sooo sick of cardboard frozen pizzas with tomato paste sauce, yet can't afford Pizza Hut!  Time to make my own pizza... This was made for Valentines dinner, it just took me THAT long to post. Awesome dedication to my blog, I know.

You will need:
1 packet quick rise-dry yeast
1 cup water
2 Tbsp oil
1/2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups flour
4 slices thick-cut bacon
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1 package large pepperoni

1. Combine dry ingredients: salt, sugar, flour, and yeast in a medium bowl.

2. Heat water to 130 F, immediately add water (once heated) and oil.  Stir until thick.

3. Turn dough onto floured surface, kneading for 5 minutes.

4. Return dough to bowl and cover with kitchen towel, let sit for 5 minutes.

5. Roll out dough, keeping in mind it will rise to nearly twice its height (I prefer thick-crust).

7. Grease pan and place pizza crust in center.

8. Use fork to poke holes in dough.

9. Cover with kitchen towel and let rest for 15 minutes.  Preheat oven to 400 F.

10. Bake at 400 F (200 C) for 10 minutes.  Be sure to have toppings ready.  In this case, I strained some pizza sauce to remove onion bits, grated the mozzarella cheese, and sliced up the bacon.

11. Remove pizza crusts from oven, and cover with toppings.

12. Replace in oven, generally 5-10 minutes, or until cheese has melted or slightly browned.

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Tips for Picky Eaters! - Sauces

 

 Photo by Ladybug Carnage flickr

I love sauces.  I have a small collection that takes up far too much space in our fridge. Now when I say 'collection' I am not actually kidding. 

List of sauces currently in my flat:
Ketchup
American-Style Mustard
Sweet n Sour Sauce
Soy Sauce
Marinara Sauce
Sweet Thai Chili Sauce
Honey-Chili Sauce
Honey
BBQ Sauce
Bourbon BBQ Sauce
Mayonnaise
Piri Piri Mayonnaise
Worcestershire Sauce
Sweet Chili and Ginger Relish
Salsa
Nacho cheese
French Dressing (American style)
Lemon Juice
Lime Juice
and various gravys can be whipped up at a moment's notice

Sometimes when you're a picky eater like myself, you end up eating the same thing over and over and over again in order to avoid aversive tastes.  Especially if you are unable to spend time cooking a grand dinner. Sometimes it IS better to just stick with what you know, especially if you have one food you like that is actually healthy for you.  Sauces are one of the best ways of changing things up.  My love affair with sauces started after sampling the array of british and indian sauces at my boyfriend's parent's house while eating chip shop chips.
But let us take lean chicken breast as an example.  I have invented many different ways of jazzing this up.  One of my favorites is by making Orange Chicken.  I'm also a fan of Sweet n Sour Lime Chicken.

It may also be useful to peruse the sauce isle(s) of your own supermarket and try something new.  

If you're in America, I'm aware that many large supermarkets offer a huge array of BBQ sauces and chinese/japanese cooking sauces. YUM.

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Sweet Potato (American) Biscuits

 

These biscuits are soft and savory.  I found them to taste great with butter (and maybe sprinkled with a bit of sugar!) or with honey.  They are also ideal for sneaking sweet potato into your diet!

You will need:
1 large sweet potato
2 cups flour
5 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 cup butter
2/4 cup milk




1. Wash and cook sweet potato (either bake or microwave for 6-7 minutes, poke with fork to vent)

2. Allow potato to cool and scoop out and mash insides.  Measure out about 3/4 cup.

3. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a bowl.

4. Using a pastry blender (or two knives/forks), cut butter into dry mixture.

5. Mix in sweet potato and milk, careful not to overmix.

6. Roll dough out to about 1 inch height and cut out shapes using cookie cutters.  The tops of glasses work well for this if you don't have any cookie cutters!

7. Bake at 400°F/200°C on a non-stick surface, greasing if necessary for around 10-12 minutes.

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Triple Layer Black Forest Jam Cake

 Here is the recipe for the Black Forest cake from my Valentines post.  I've always been a sucker for the taste of chocolate and cherry together...... but not so much a fan of actual cherries.  For this reason, I have modified the typical Black Forest cake recipe accordingly.  I've also used a fluffier frosting than usual, the recipe for which can be found below.  It includes more milk and uses flour as a thickener in addition to the icing sugar.  However I'm sure a normal vanilla buttercream would be yummy as well!

You will need:
1 box dark chocolate or devil's food cake mix
(and necessary ingredients for mix)

1. Prepare and bake the cake mix, distributing the mix amongst 3 cake pans.  Reduce baking time accordingly (as smaller cakes will cook faster).



For the frosting you will need:
1/2 cup milk
5-6 Tbsp flour
3-4 cups powdered icing sugar
1 cup (220g) slightly-softened unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla

Cherry or Black Cherry Jam/Preserves (approx 1 cup)

1. Prepare frosting by creaming butter, sugar, milk, vanilla, and sugar.

2. Continue beating mixture, and add in flour 1 Tbsp at a time until desired consistency.

3. Spread jam on the bottoms of the top 2 cake layers.

4. Spread frosting on the top of bottom two cake layers and stack cake.

5. Frost the remaining surfaces and decorate however you see fit!  Mine is (quite obviously) a valentines cake, the decoration frosting has been colored using extra jam.

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Valentines Feast!

I made a heart-themed dinner! :D

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Orion's Lounge: Quick Dishes for the Woman in a Hurry

Tavis over at Orion's Lounge has found a vintage cookbook that is far more amusing than my own 1969 Betty Crocker cookbook.  Read about it here!

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Soft Chocolate Cappucino Cookie Sandwiches

Yet another incarnation of this recipe from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook! In this version, I retained almost the same recipe for the base, but changed a few of the amounts/substituted heavy cream for yoghurt.  (Okay, not as healthy as what they were going for, but it's all I had).  The cookies turn out cake-like, a bit like the cookies in a chocolate whoopie pie.  But perhaps even more chocolatey.  Yum!


You will need:
1/3 cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tbsp instant coffee granules
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
2 egg whites
1/3 cup heavy cream cream
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Approx 1 1/2 cups sweet whipped cream topping (prepared)


Yield: Approx 14 cookies/7 cookie sandwiches


Paraphrased and modified recipe:  Bake at 350 °F (approx 175 °C)

1. Beat butter or margarine for 30 secs.

2. Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, cocoa, coffee, baking soda, and cinnamon and beat until combined.

3. Beat in egg whites and heavy cream until combined.

4. Beat in flour.  If mixer stalls, finish mixing by hand, as dough becomes quite stiff.

5. Drop dough, about 2 Tbsp worth, about 2 inches apart on a lightly greased cookie sheet.

6. Bake at 350 °F for 8-10 min.

7. Allow to cool, and spread whipped cream on one cookie and top with the second cookie.  Voila!

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Turkey Burgers

For a healthier alternative to red meat burgers, you might want to try making your own turkey burgers.  This was my own first attempt, but they turned out quite yummy!  Here is the recipe I used...

You will need:

1 small/medium egg
4 Tbsp breadcrumbs
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1.5lbs/380g turkey breast mince

Yield: Approx 4 large burgers

1. Combine 1 egg, breadcrumbs, onion power, pepper, salt, with the turkey mince.

2. Divide mixture by 4 and roll each into a ball before pressing flat to desired width.

3. Fry burgers on a medium-low heat in a covered frying pan, flipping occasionally, until cooked through.

4. Serve on a toasted bun and your preferred burger toppings.

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Continental Breakfast Cupcake

Okay, so I've clearly been unemployed too long.  Also I've been making too many cupcakes and full English breakfasts.  At which point I must have stared at the two, cross-eyed, and thought 'You know what this cupcake needs?  More toast and bacon.'

Per cupcake, you will need:
1 piece half-cooked bacon
1 slice of bread
1 egg

1. Cut a circular center out of your slice of bread, making it as large as possible.

2. Flatten slightly and press gently into a muffin tin to form a cup.

3. Line the cup with BACON!!!

4. Crack an egg into a liquid measuring cup before guiding the yolk to the front with a spoon.  Spoon yolk into the cupcake first, then fill with the egg whites, careful not to overflow.

5. Bake at 350 F/175 C for 15-20 minutes.

Serving suggestion: Extra BACON?  Or maybe some toast with jam?
If you fancy a full English breakfast cupcake, perhaps it would be a good idea to 'frost' your cupcakes with some baked beans.  Or balance some mushrooms on top? 
Alternative method: Replace toast with PANCAKES.  Though I have not tried this yet.  If you attempt this, I'd suggest greasing the muffin tins.


Apologies for the excitable capslocking :D

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Cranberry Cupcakes w/ Cranberry Cream Cheese Frosting

Yes, I've made a second version of cranberry cupcakes.  For the record, this one is totally superior to the other, at least in taste!  For a more intense frosting/filling, do not use a 'smooth' version of cranberry sauce.  However, a smooth cranberry jam or sauce should go down a treat for picky eaters.

You will need:
1 box vanilla cake mix (and its specified ingredients)
100g smooth cranberry sauce
100g (full fat) cream cheese (room temperature)
150g butter (room temperature)

3-4 Cups powdered (icing) sugar

1. Prepare vanilla cake mix and pour into lined cupcake tins.

2. Gently add 3-4 1/8 tsp drops of cranberry sauce to different areas of each cupcake (see photo).  Alternatively, you can put a layer of cake batter, then a big ole plop of the cranberry sauce, and cover with more cake batter.

3. Bake cupcakes as directed.

Cranberry Cream Cheese Frosting:

1. Beat cream cheese, butter, and cranberry sauce.

2. Slowly beat in powdered sugar.


I also suggest topping with anything orange you may have (zest, orange flavored buttons, etc)

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Sween n Sour Turkey Meatballs

A healthier alternative to sweet n sour meatballs, are my sweet n sour turkey (or substitute chicken) meatballs!

You will need:
1 jar sweet n sour sauce (simple!)
1 lb ground turkey/chicken
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 large egg
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt and Pepper to taste
Vegetable oil

1. Combine all ingredients in large bowl.

2. Roll mixture into (approx.) 1 inch balls

3. In a large frying pan/skillet, cover the bottom of the pan with vegetable oil and sear the outsides of the meatballs.  Reduce heat and allow meatballs to finish cooking.

4. Drain excess oil and add sweet n sour sauce.  Heat on low, covering all meatballs.

5. Serve with white or brown rice.

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100th Post: Deep fried heaven

It is the 100th post anniversary of this blog.

I have decided to celebrate by making a pictorial list of my favorite fried food ideas, because I'm non sequitur like that and I now have access to a deep fryer.

General Tso's Chicken/Orange Chicken

Double-fried 'frites' AKA french fries, AKA chips from Maison Anton in Brussels

    hollyeats.com

Deep-fried cheesecake

 arbys.com

Corn dogs

IntangibleArts

Deep-Fried Coke

Chimichanga

Chicken Fried Steak (with country gravy = even better!)

Popcorn Chicken > Fried Chicken/Chicken Strips (more fried coating to meat ratio!)

Sorry for the fatty post :(   ... Except not really.

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Mozzarella Sticks Marinara Burger

This burger is inspired by my mini-obsession with TGI Friday's Cheesy Bacon Cheeseburger.  However, mine is lacking bacon, and is using marinara sauce.  The marinara sauce causes the burger to be quite salty, so in the future I might go for a lower-sodium option.

You will need:
2 Mozzarella sticks
Slice of cheese (I went for Kraft singles)
Marinara sauce (alternatively, a good substitute for this is BBQ sauce Mmm!)
1 burger or veggie burger
1 bun

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Double Gloucester Mac N Cheese

I wasn't sure exactly how this would work, but I thought I'd have a go at making mac n cheese out of my favorite type of cheese: Double Gloucester.  I'd say it was a resounding success!!! :D  This mac n cheese is somewhere between a mild and a sharp cheddar, with the pleasing orange color my american eyes expect from mac n cheese.

You will need:

1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup milk
2 Tbsp margarine
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp american-style yellow mustard
2 Tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
250g Double Gloucester cheese (2.5 cups shredded)
3/4 cup water
1 3/4 cup mini shell noodles


1. Cook noodles according to package directions

2. Grate cheese and set aside 1/2 cup.

3. In a saucepan, add water and dissolve cornstarch.  Add salt, pepper, mustard, evaporated milk, milk, and butter.  Stir constantly over a medium heat until sauce boils, letting it boil for about a minute. 

4. Immediately stir in cheese, allowing it to melt.  Top with remaining 1/2 cup.

5. Add cooked noodles to mixture.

6. Grease casserole dish and pour in macaroni and cheese.

7. Bake at 350F/180C for approx 20-25 minutes, less in fan-assisted ovens.

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Cookout Quesadillas: Cheeseburger

Part 2 of cookout quesadillas..... Another simple recipe, perfect for little ones!  (Or me.)

You will need:
1 White Flour Tortilla
1 1/2-2 Hamburgers
4 Slices Kraft American Singles Cheese
Thin-Sliced Pickles (Optional)
Ketchup/Mustard/BBQ Sauce etc for dipping

1. Grill or cook hamburgers and slice into thin strips.

2. Place tortilla in pan and cover entire tortilla evenly with cheese slices.

3. Place strips of hamburger over 1/2 of tortilla. Add in pickles if you fancy.

4. Heat over medium heat, lifting tortilla periodically to check for browning.  When desired color/crunch has been been achieved, simply fold one half all the way over the other, as though you were making an omelet.

5. Cut in half or fourths and dip in ketchup/mustard/whatever you please.

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