Spicy Pepper-Bacon Mayonnaise Chicken Sandwich

It’s that time again! Back in London, working away on my coursework and dissertation. This means lunch at uni several times a week. I detest packed lunches. I long to make a nice pasta dish or blitz up a fresh soup. But no. Thwarted by the limited cooking powers of my bookbag, I frequently resort to sandwiches. Last week I had quite the miss-step, attempting to bring a tuna and noodle casserole. Usually an amazing dish, the noodles decided to suck up ALL of the moisture from the mayonnaise leaving me with a bloated and crusty dish. Mmm. But what has been more successful are a few sandwiches. Spicy pepper-bacon mayonnaise chicken sandwich is, well, what it’s name says really.  What makes this better than the spicy bacon chicken sandwiches in shops is I do not have to spend awkward ages picking out lettuce and tomato bits...  plus I can use 'lighter than light' mayo!

You will need:
Ground black pepper
Mayonnaise
Bacon rashers
Chicken (mine is obviously pre-cooked, but do as you like!)
Mini baguettes

In a small dish, add pepper into mayo to desired spice and then crumble in bacon. Cut the ends off the baguette and slice down the side. Spoon in mayo, creating a thick bottom layer.  A second layer of chicken goes over that and, voila!

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Low-Fat Spice Cupcakes

So I wanted to make a cupcake that my diet-conscious parents could enjoy.  Spice cupcakes are made moist by apple butter instead of large amounts of oil.  But by scrapping the buttercream frosting and substituting Cool Whip-Pudding Frosting (recipe below), quite a few more calories and fat disappear.  I suggest loading up on the frosting, as it is fat free and SO TASTY, albeit still reasonably sugary... :P

For the cupcakes, you will need:
1 1/2 cup apple butter
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 Tbsp finely grated orange zest
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp baking soda
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt


Preheat oven to 350°F and place (approx.) 20 paper cupcake holders in cupcake trays.

Whisk together buttermilk, vegetable oil, egg, vanilla extract, orange zest and apple butter in a large bowl.

Combine flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, and dark brown sugar in a second bowl.

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the first bowl.

Spoon into cupcake tray, evenly over approximately 20 holders.

Bake at 350°F for 16-19 minutes.

Cool Whip-Pudding Frosting Recipe
You will need:
8 oz. Fat-Free Cool Whip
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Small package 'cheesecake-flavored' (or vanilla) instant pudding mix
1 cup milk

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1. Prepare pudding with half of the necessary milk (for small package Jell-O pudding, use 1 cup milk).  Let sit until thickened.

2. Beat Cool Whip and powdered sugar into pudding mixture.

3. Frost cupcakes!  Yum!

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Chicken Croquettes

I've got some more comfort food for ya!  Chicken Croquettes are currently filling the ever-constant fried-food void in my life. These are handy, easy to eat, easy to reheat, and even taste great with ketchup...

You will need:

0.80 lbs chicken (any cut)
2 Tbsp butter
2/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp chicken bouillon (1 cube)
1 tsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp onion powder
1 tsp parsley
sage (to taste)
1/2 cup diced mushrooms
1 cup bread crumbs
Canola or Vegetable Oil

1. Cook and shred chicken, set aside.

2. In a pot, melt butter and combine with flour and pepper.

3. Add milk and lemon juice.  Heat and add bouillon, dissolve.

4. Add onion powder, parsley, a sprinkling of sage (to taste), mushrooms, and chicken.  Mix.

5. Crack an egg into a small bowl and beat.

6. Add bread crumbs to another small bowl.

7. Shape chicken/mushroom mixture into small patties.  (Use flour or breadcrumbs to soak-up excess liquid, or add small amounts of milk to increase moisture.)

8. Heat enough oil in a pan to cover at least half of patties.

9. Dip patties into egg, being sure to coat all sides.  Then roll in bread crumbs until coated.

10. Fry croquettes on each side until golden brown.

Note: To reheat, place in oven at 350 until crispy again.

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Red-Bottom Cake

I (err although was probably not the first to do so) invented red-bottom cake a) because it's fun to say and b) because I was inspired by my two favorite cupcakes at Hummingbird Bakery.  This is sinful hybrid of their black-bottomed cupcake and their red velvet cupcake.  Also trying to rectify problems of sinking cream cheese that I've come across in cupcakes, by lightening the mixture with egg whites and piping it over the cake instead of dropping it in large 'globs'.  It seemed to work!  Success!

You will need:
1 recipe prepared red velvet cake batter or box mix

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8-10 oz. package cream cheese
2 egg whites
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt



1. Prepare cake batter and pour into two greased or parchment-paper-lined cake pans.

2. In a bowl, beat egg whites for several minutes until slightly stiff (not into a meringue).

3. Beat in cream cheese, sugar, and salt.

4. Transfer mixture to a pastry bag (or a large plastic bag and then snip off the corner of the bag) and squeeze out in check pattern over one of the cakes.

5. Cook at recommended temperature/time.

6. Frost with cream cheese frosting (recipe below).

Cream Cheese Frosting
½ cup unsalted butter
16 oz. cream cheese (full fat)
2 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp milk
3-5 cups powdered sugar

1. With an electric mixer, whip room temperature-butter with cream cheese. Note: Cream cheese should be somewhere between fridge-cold and room temperature for desired consistency.

2. Add clear vanilla extract and milk at the point of a butter/cream cheese paste.

3. Beat in powdered sugar (or add to your desired sweetness/consistency).

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Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

Easy creamy cheesecake bars without the fuss of being a proper cheesecake.  These were snatched up before I had even finished cutting them! 

You will need:
1 box chocolate teddy grahams (or chocolate cookies)
1/2 cup butter (melted)
1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
24 oz full-fat cream cheese
3 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup sour cream
6-12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips (12 if drizzling chocolate over top)

1. Place teddy grahams in sturdy plastic bag and crush to crumbs.

2. In a bowl, cream together cream cheese.  Mix in eggs, vanilla, and sour cream. 

3. Fold in 6 oz. chocolate chips.

4. Pour mixture over chocolate crust.

5. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes at 350º.

6. If desired, melt 6 oz chocolate chips in microwave until liquid, stirring occasionally.  Drizzle over cheesecake bars. Warning: bars are difficult to cut cleanly with the drizzled chocolate.  REFRIGERATE!

Get someone to do the leg work for ya ;)

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Cookies!!!!

Hopefully I will get around to posting the wealth of cookies and bars that I have made lately.  I've been a bit lazy with my cooking, making only tried and tested meals, such as tetrazzini, marsala chicken dumplings, and quesadillas.  Desserts on the other hand...... woo!  It's been a busy few weeks...

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Dark Chocolate Cupcakes w/ Peppermint Frosting AKA Ajay's Delight

 

So one of my British BFFs has come to visit me in America over the holidays.  The boy loves him some mint chocolate.  Hence, Ajay's Delight.  A dark chocolate cupcake with peppermint frosting, garnished with a holiday sprinkling of candy cane dust.  Yummers.

Edit: Just adding desserts to the Christmas tag when I noticed this should be updated.  Ajay is not my bff, he is now my husband!  And he still loves these cupcakes, for the record.  

You will need: 
1 recipe dark chocolate cake batter yielding 24 cupcakes, prepared and baked.

Mint Buttercream Frosting
1 cup butter (two sticks) - room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup skim milk
1/2 tsp peppermint extract (or to taste)


1. With an electric mixer, cream the butter.

2. Add milk and peppermint extract.

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

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Mocha Cupcakes w/ Whipped Cream

I have yet another cupcake creation for you... I love coffee and chocolate together.  So much.  So it was really just a matter of time before I combined the two in a cupcake format!  These are also incredibly simple to make if you use the shortcut of a cake mix.  So doooo it.

You will need:
1 recipe dark chocolate cake batter yielding 24 cupcakes, prepared2 Tbsp instant coffee
1 Tbsp dark cocoa powder


1. Prepare cake mix according to package, dissolving instant coffee into the required water before adding.

2. Stir in cocoa powder.

3. Fill cupcake holders and bake!

Whipped Topping
-16 oz Fat-free whipped topping (Cook Whip!)
    (or, create your own whipped cream by whipping heavy cream and adding sugar)
-1 Tbsp of instant coffee, ground to a powder

1. Frost with a generous amount of whipped cream.

2. Crush instant coffee granules to a powder and sprinkle on top for a bitter kick.

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Slow-Cooker Honey-Hoisin Chicken

This tastes sooooo much better than it looks.

This Asian-influenced dish is so simple to make, provided you have a crock pot.  Essentially, you throw all the ingredients in a slow-cooker, and leave it be for several hours.  Then throw it onto some rice or rice noodles!  It is perfectly tangy and spicy.

You will need:
6 skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup soy sauce
2/3 cup honey
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup Hoisin sauce
1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated with a zester
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp red pepper flakes



1. In a slow cooker, add soy sauce, white wine, soy sauce, Hoisin sauce, ginger and pepper.  Stir.

2. Add chicken breasts, trimming as much fat off as possible before doing so.  Pierce chicken several times  on each side to allow liquid inside.

3. Cook for 4 hours on 'low' setting of slow-cooker.  Flip chicken after 2 hours.

4. Skim off any fat that has risen to the surface.

5. Serve with rice or rice noodles.

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Easy Curried Linguine

 
I have found some curries to be really involved or full of vegetables that I find off-putting.  It is in that spirit, that I recommend this incredibly simple recipe for chicken curry linguine.  Another plus to this recipe is the use of cream of chicken soup instead of a heavy cream.  It was not difficult to find an acceptable low-fat cream of chicken soup.  The use of linguine may be counter-intuitive, but the thickness and consistency of the noodle turned out to be my starch of choice for this curry. If you want an idea of how this might taste, just imagine a midwestern mother made a curry casserole.
Once again, this is another recipe that tastes pretty brilliant with veggie-chicken or without any chicken at all, so I have included it in the vegetarian section.

You will need:
2 tins of cream of chicken soup (10.75 oz.)
3 Tbsp tomato paste
1/3 cup water
1 cup button mushrooms
1 1/2 - 2 Tbsp Mild Curry Powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp allspice
Linguine



1. In a medium-sized pot, combine chicken soup, tomato paste, water, mushrooms, curry powder, onion powder, and allspice.

2. In a separate pot, boil water and cook your linguine.  I change the amount each time, though roughly a fistful of pasta will do.

3. As pasta is about to finish, heat curry mixture.

4. Drain water from noodles and immediately add to pot of curry, mix, and heat thoroughly.

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Cran-Apple Cider Sorbet

A nice sorbet in autumn or winter?  While this sorbet may be refreshing on a summer's day, it also has the sweet and spicy cider taste of holidays.  I am also currently toying with the idea of some sort of chai tea sorbet... but I digress.

You will need:
1/2 can apple juice concentrate
1/2 can cranberry juice concentrate
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups applesauce
2 Tbsp lemon juice
3 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp whole cloves




1. Combine apple juice, cranberry juice, lemon juice, and water in a pot.

2. Heat, and add cinnamon sticks and cloves.  Simmer on a low heat until desired level of spice-flavor is achieved.

3. Strain out cloves and cinnamon sticks.

4. Add applesauce and allow to cool.

5. In a freezer-safe mixing bowl, freeze sorbet mixture until it becomes a stiff-slushy consistency.

6. Remove and beat sorbet to break up the ice crystals.

7. Refreeze, remove and beat again just before frozen to refine ice crystals once again.

8. Freeze again.  To serve, let sorbet sit at room temperature for a few minutes.  Enjoy!

NOTE: Alternatively, add sieved mixture to an ice cream maker and finish in the freezer.

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What's for dinner? - English Foods

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In case you hadn't guessed by my sparse updates, I have moved back to England!  Woo! 
There has been a steep decrease in fancy breakfasts as well, as this is about as fancy as it gets now:

To be fair, who wouldn't want to eat a cereal with actual pieces of dark chocolate in it (O MY GOD!).

Moving back to England also means eating like a student again.  Unfortunately, eating like a student basically looks like this:

Not gonna lie, I do love me some Chinese Chow Mein ramen-style noodles.
Now if I could just get one of the house's two blenders to work, I could make No-Bits Broccoli and Potato Soup for dinner!  On a side note: we have four can openers, all of which are broken.  WHY ARE THEY STILL HERE?!

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Sweet n Salty Trail Mix

This colorful concoction is a grab bag of stand-alone snacks.  Though not exactly high-class, there is something very aesthetically appealing about the bright and earthy colors contrasting in a bowl.  These same items work, taste-wise, for the same reason... as the salty plays off the sweet, and vice-versa!  There is no perfect recipe for trail mix, as it really depends on your personal taste.  Though trail mixes often contail small chocolate pieces, dried fruits, mixed nuts, and/or some sort of crunchy bread.

My trail mix includes:

• Mini M&Ms
• Dark chocolate M&Ms
• Pretzel sticks
• Caramel popcorn
• Mini marshmallows
• Sun-dried California raisins
• Honey-roasted peanuts

Made vegetarian by removing the marshmallows.  Damn cow marrow.  *shudder*

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Easy Mint Meringues

You will need:
4 egg whites
4 drops of lemon juice
Pinch of salt
1 tsp mint extract
1 1/2 granulated sugar

1. In a large bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer until white and frothy.

2. Add 4 drops of lemon juice, salt, and mint extract.  Slowly add the sugar while beating.

3. Beat mixture until it is able to hold stiff peaks and does not slide out of the bowl if held at an angle or upside-down.  This may take a while, but is very important.  After mixture has thickened is a good time to preheat the oven to 225 °F (about 110 °C)

4. Add mixture to a large pastry bag (or strong plastic bag with a corner cut off to act as a pastry bag).

5. Pipe out in a spiral (see top photo).

6. Bake for 1 1/2 hours at 225 °F. Leave the meringues in the oven for another hour without the heat on. Do not open the oven until after this hour.

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Heart-Shaped BBQ Chicken Pizzas and Mini Pepperoni Pizzas

Scroll down for homemade pizza dough recipe...

Heart-Shaped BBQ Chicken Pizza

For toppings you will need (in this order):

BBQ Sauce, thinned slightly with water

Cooked or grilled chicken pieces

Shredded mozzarella cheese

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Mini Pepperoni Pizzas

For toppings you will need (in this order):
Jar of pizza sauce (or make your own!)
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Pepperoni slices

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Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe

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

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 (mine are thick-crust).

6A. For heart-shaped pizza, there is no real trick.  Simply (and carefully) traced the shape of a heart using a sharp knife.

6B. For mini pizzas, find a suitable-sized cookie cutter or makeshift circle to trace (upside down bowl or cup works fine as well).  Place down on dough and cut around.  Roll out scraps to form 1 last pizza.

7. Grease pan and arrange pizzas.

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 for 10 minutes.  Be sure to have toppings ready.

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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Salsa!

Easy and fresh salsa!


You will need:

1 8 oz. tin tomato sauce
10 oz. diced tomatoes
1/4 onion, chopped
Chipotle chilies to taste, seeds removed (I used 3-small for mild)
1/8 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tso salt
1 Tbsp lime juice

1. Combine all ingredients.

2. Serve as is, or blend to create smooth taco sauce.

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Chop Suey

This version of Chop Suey, should be accredited to my mother.  It was a favorite of mine as a child, as it was a great excuse to get my wee hands on fried rice noodles.  I fear I have never come across these in the UK, though perhaps I have been looking in the wrong place.
This recipe uses water chestnuts and mushrooms as the vegetables, as they are often inoffensive to picky palettes... however you can substitute any vegetables you want.  This recipe is just a guide.

You will need:
2 tins cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 lb ground beef
1 tin water chestnuts
1 cup mushrooms
Oil for frying
Rice noodles



1. In a medium saucepan, add mushroom soup.  Set aside.

2. In a frying pan, brown and crumble ground beef.  Drain fat.  Add beef to mushroom soup.

3. Wipe out pan and add a couple tablespoons of oil.  Fry mushrooms and water chestnuts.

4. Combine with other ingredients.  Heat.

The most flavorful way is to serve over the aforementioned rice noodles, as they add a salty crunch.  However, it may also be served over rice or egg noodles.

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Marsala Chicken Dumplings

 Marsala Chicken Dumplings are a slightly different take on this traditional comfort food. The Marsala wine and pepper give these dumplings a bit of a zing. This is also a great recipe for incorporating vegetables into other tastes and textures that your palate may prefer. I am adding carrots and mushrooms to mine. But you may also wish to add peas, celery, and/or onions. (Remove onion powder from recipe if adding onions).

I broke the recipe down into three sections in order to avoid confusion.  So the first step is to prepare the dumpling dough!


Dumpling Recipe
You’ll need:
2 cups all-purpose
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
4 ½ Tbsp soft margarine or butter
1 cup of milk

1. Add flour, baking powder, and salt to a medium sized bowl.

2. Using two forks or a pastry blender to cut margarine into mixture.

3. Add milk and stir.

4. Cover with cling film and refrigerate.

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Next, prepare the broth and chicken.

You will need:
3 medium skinless chicken breasts
4 cups chicken stock
(or 4 tsp chicken bouillon dissolved in 4 cups water)

1. Remove any fat from chicken breast and cut each in half (for faster cooking).

2. Bring chicken stock to a boil in a medium-sized pot and add chicken, reduce to a simmer and cook chicken thoroughly.

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When chicken is nearly-cooked, begin sauce mixture.

Sauce Recipe
You will need:
6 Tbsp butter
8 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/4 cup Marsala wine
1/4 tsp finely-crushed thyme (optional)
¼ tsp paprika
1 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 carrot
5 oz. fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup heavy cream
The broth and chicken from previous section

1. Chop vegetables and refrigerate.

2. In a large pot, melt butter on medium heat. Mix in 8 Tbsp flour and brown for 3-4 minutes.

3. Add Marsala wine.

4. Holding a strainer over larger pot, add broth to pot while retaining the chicken (which you can return to the pot).

5. Add thyme, paprika, black pepper, onion powder, and cayenne pepper and stir. Allow sauce to thicken.

6. While sauce thickens, chop chicken into bite-size pieces.

7. Add chicken, mushrooms, carrots, and heavy cream to mixture.

8. Retrieve the dumpling dough and drop by the tablespoonful into the sauce (for smaller dumplings, drop by the teaspoonful).

9. Cover pot and allow to simmer on a low heat for 15 minutes, cooking the dumplings.

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Double Dark Chocolate S'mores

What is better than a regular s'mores sandwich?  Answer: One made with dark chocolate and chocolate graham crackers.  This makes the perfect last summer-dessert-hoorah!

I shall be departing for the UK and starting my masters degree very soon!  No worries, as I have plenty of recipes saved up to tide the blog over until I get a flat.

You will need:
Marshmallows
Dark chocolate candy bar
Chocolate-flavored graham crackers

I suppose most Americans are fully-capable of building a s'more, but for anyone else reading that somehow manages to get their hands on some graham crackers... simply layer the chocolate on the cracker, with the marshmallows on the very top.

There are several ways to toast the marshmallows, the most rustic being on the ends of sticks over a campfire.  Failing that, you can toast them over heated coals.  But, perhaps the most accessible way to toast the marshmallows is to make your s'more, leave it open-faced, and pop it in the oven on a low 'broil' until the marshmallows puff up and brown.

Once everything inside has melted, simply pop another chocolate graham cracker on top! 

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Slow-Cooker Cocktail Meatballs

Today the whole house smells like Christmas.  Though not necessarily out of season, this recipe is a family favorite that we usually make for parties around Christmas time, as they are always a hit.  Cocktail meatballs have this sweet tang that, quite literally, makes you salivate.  There is something about the combination of the Worcestershire sauce and the sweetened chili sauce that has this mouthwatering effect.  The recipe is slightly modified from one found in this yummy, yet notorious cookbook.


You will need:
2 lbs ground beef
1 cup plain bread crumbs
2 1/2 tsps onion powder
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 eggs
2 Tbsp parsley
2 tsps salt
1/4 tsp pepper
approx 1/3 cup shortening (for frying)
20 oz. grape jelly
24 oz. chili sauce  (two bottles, do not confuse with
                            sweet chili dipping sauce)

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, bread crumbs, onion powder, milk, Worcestershire sauce, eggs, parsley, salt, and pepper.  You may have to get your hands in there to do this effectively.

2. Now comes the tedious part, you must shape mixture into many 1-inch balls.

3. Melt shortening in a large skillet, and fry meatballs, several at time.  Roll them around while cooking in order to develop a crusty outside.

4. While meatballs are frying, combine chili sauce and grape jelly in slow cooker.  I strain my chili sauce through a sieve and into the slow cooker, as I do not appreciate scraping off the tiny pieces of onion once cooked.

5. Add meatballs to slow cooker as they finish frying.

6. Cook on 'low' setting for 3 hours.

Cocktail Meatballs can be served as toothpick-impaled appetizers or hearty sandwiches.

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