Menu Monday

Evening everyone, I'm here to announce an exciting collaboration between my blog Because Everything Counts and The Sewing Sisterhood.

Meal planning is big in our home and I've been doing it for around 4 years, saving my sanity and $$.

Read here the first part in my three part series of Why I Menu Plan.

So every Monday I will share my Menu Plan on my blog and then post two recipes here.

To begin with we have;

Beef Bourguignon with Chive DumplingsPrep 20 mins Cook 2hrs 10mins

2 tablespoons olive oil
1.5kg diced beef chuck steak
20g shortcut rindless bacon, halved lengthwise, cut into 1cm strips
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped (I use minced garlic from the jar)
3 medium brown onions, quartered
1 cup red wine
1/2 cup bef stock
1 tablespoon tomato paste
300g button mushrooms, halved

1. Heat half the oil in a large heavy-based, flameprof casserole dish over medium-high heat. Cook beef in batches for 5 to 6 minutes or until browned. Transfer to a bowl.

2. Reduce heat to medium. Heat remaining oil in dish. Add bacon and garlic. Cook stiring for 5 minutes or until bacon is golden.

3. Return beef and juices to dish. Add onion and wine. Bring to the boil. Add stock and paste. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Reserve half the beef for Beef Stroganoff.

4. Add mushrooms, cook covered for a further 15 minutes or until meat and mushrooms are tender. Season with salt and pepper.


Chive dumplings

1 cup self raising flour
50g butter, softened
2 teaspoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup buttermilk (I use regular milk)

Place flour in a bowl. Using fingertips, rub butter into flour until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Make a well in the centre of mixture. Add chives, parsley and buttermilk. Season with salt and pepper. Stir until just combined. Place heaped tablespoons of mixture 2cm apart onto beef mixture. Cook covered for a further 15 minutes or until dumplings are puffed and cooked through. Enjoy!

The recipe sounds big because a half portion is used for another meal ~ Beef Stroganoff. You could just freeze the other portion and use it later.

The second meal we had tonight..very yummy.  Thanks to the lovely chef Kelly from Culinary HQ for this recipe.

Pan roasted chicken thigh with Skordalia

1 red onion sliced
4 pieces of Maryland chicken thighs- skinless and boneless
½ tsp dried herbs
2 tbsp olive oil
1 pc of thinly sliced garlic cloves
10 pc cherry tomatoes
½ preserved lemon
8 slices of coppa or prosciutto
Sea salt
Black pepper

Line a baking tray with baking paper

Marinate the chicken thigh with dried herbs, preserved lemon, salt, pepper and olive oil

Place the sliced onion on a tray and lay over the chicken thigh
Top with the halved cherry tomatoes

Place the sliced coppa over the thigh to cover

Bake in the oven for 35 minutes at 170 degrees

The chicken thigh is cooked when the juices run clear.


Skordalia
2 Potato peeled and diced
1 Parsnip peeled and diced
2 cloves of garlic

½ cup of milk
½ cup of cream
3 tbsp olive oil

Place the vegetables in a pot and cover with cold water, add a pinch of salt and simmer until soft like a mash.

Drain and place back in the pot and mash with the milk, cream and olive oil

Season with sea salt and pepper

Serve with a large scoop of skordalia on a bed of baby spinach, pearl cous cous or chick peas!
Bon appetite!

Menu Monday - Quick & Easy

 
Jade's Bacon & Egg 'Cupcakes' (aka Mini Quiches) 
 

Eggs
Bacon pieces
Bread
Cheese

You need a muffin tray, place one piece of bread in each muffin hole, squishing it in to take shape. If bread isn't fresh, heat slightly in the microwave to make filling the muffin holes easier.

Add 1 teaspoon bacon pieces to each bread cup. Add 1 egg on top. Add another teaspoon of bacon pieces and then sprinkle cheese on top. Place in oven on 180 for 20 mins or until egg is cooked.

Add seasonings to taste.

- Jade from Perfectly Piper

Menu Monday - Savoury Pastries

This week we have a couple of quick and easy savoury pastry recipes for you all!

Chicken Puffs

1 packet of cream of chicken soup mix
8 chicken thighs
6 sheets of puff pastry
butter or marge

Beat the chicken and make it as thin as possible. Lay the chicken on to sheet of pastry - leave the end with not chicken on it so you can roll it.
Mix half to a full packet of soup mix (to taste) with enough butter to cover all the chicken.
Spread thin layer of the butter/soup mix over the top of the chicken and roll, then cut into bite size pieces - I got six from one sheet. Glaze with egg and cook in over on 180 until pastry is golden brown.
  
Gill - OzHandmade via Art by Amber 

Pumpkin & Pine Nut Variation

I use the puff pastry sheets from Coles (freezer section), and the Swan Valley pumpkin dip. Spread it on generously (like you would with tomato paste on a pizza), lay slices of ham, then slices of cheese, and sprinkle pine nuts on top. Roll it up, slice and lay on a baking tray, brush with milk and cook at 180C until golden. (usually about 15mins).


Kay from Trinity's Treasures

Menu Monday - Sweet Treats!

This week we have some family favourite sweet treats on the menu!

Brownies

350g (1 1/2c) castor sugar
60g plain flour
80g (2/3c) cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
4 eggs, lightly beaten
200g butter, melted
200g dark choc, roughly chopped
2 tsp vanilla essence

Preheat oven to 160. Line a slice tin with baking paper. Stir together the sugar, cocoa, flour and baking paper in a bowl. Mix in the eggs, butter and the vanilla until combined, then mix in the chocolate. Do not ove-rmix. Pour into the tin and bake for 40-45 minutes or until firm to touch. Leave to cool slightly in the tin before turning onto a wire rack.

- Jodie from Three Little Chickens

World Famous Bikkies

‎1 tin sweetened condensed milk 
1 cup sugar
5 cups self raising milk
1 bag of choc chips
500g margarine or butter

Cream marg and sugar together, then mix in condensed milk. Sift flour in 1 cup at a time. Use about 1 teaspoon of batter per biscuit, you should get 100-120 per batch. Bake at 160/180c for 10-15 minutes or until golden (but before they burn!).

- Amy, independent crafter

Menu Monday - Winter Warmers

After a bit of a break we are back with Menu Monday and we have some winter soups for you!

Spicy Pumpkin Soup

1/2 Jap Pumpkin, chopped
3 medium-large potatoes, chopped
1 Onion, diced
Garlic cloves, crushed
1 litre Vegetable stock
Cumin
Chilli flakes

Place onion and garlic into pot and brown in some olive oil. Once browned add the stock, pumpkin, potatoes, cumin and chilli flakes (both to taste) and bring to the boil. Once boiled cover and let simmer for approx 20 mins or until pumpkin and potatoes are soft. Remove, mash or blend. Serve with dollop of cream and ENJOY!

-Jade from Perfectly Piper

Veggie Lentil Soup

This is a good soup to use up whatever is in the fridge before grocery day, or you can use frozen vegetables to make a super quick, super filling winter dinner. 


Carrot - diced, fresh or frozen
Celery - diced, fresh or frozen
Peas - frozen
Corn - tinned or frozen
Potato - diced
Green beans - chopped into 2-3cm pieces
- or whatever vegetables you have (ie leek, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower...)
Bacon - diced, a generous handful worth (omit for vegetarians)
Onion - diced
Garlic cloves - crushed
Stock (whichever you prefer, use vegetable for vegetarians)
Dried herbs and spices to taste - basil, parsley, chili flakes
1 tin diced tomato
1 tin lentils, drained and rinsed
Olive oil


Heat olive oil in a large saucepan and cook bacon. Add the onion, garlic and herbs and cook for 1-2 minutes, then add vegetables and cook for 3-5 minutes. Add tomato and stock and simmer until the vegetables are soft. Add the lentils and simmer for 10 minutes before serving. 

- Leigh from Sakurako

Menu Monday

This week we have two recipes for you from Linda, one of our independent crafters - as seen in last weeks Sewing Sisterhood Photo Challenge.

Banana & White Choc Chip Muffins 
(adapted from a Taste.com.au recipe)  

Ingredients:

60g margarine
2 cups (300g) SR Flour
1/4 cup raw sugar
1/2 cup (125ml) skim milk
2 eggs
2 over-ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup (100 - 200g) Nestle white choc bits
Vanilla Essence
1 tsp cinnamon

Method: 1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
2. Line a muffin tray with patty cases, or alternatively spray lightly with oil cooking spray
3. Sift flour and cinnamon into a bowl, add the sugar and mix well. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients.
4. Add all the wet ingredients including the mashed banana. Mix until JUST combined.
5. Fold through choc bits.
6. Distribute mixture between 12 muffins, bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Lentil Salad
(Apparently from a Jenny Craig cookbook, featured in OK Magazine Australia)

Ingredients:

1 cup dried brown lentils
1 punnet cherry tomatoes
Olive Oil spray
2 tsp olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 x 450gm can baby beets, drained and sliced
100gm rocket leaves
1/4 cup parsley and 1/4 cup mint, both roughly chopped (reserve a few leaves to garnish)
1 brown shallot, diced
50gm reduced fat feta, crumbled
2 tbsp toasted walnuts

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees
2. Place the lentils in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil, then cook for 20 minutes or until tender. Drain well and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, place the cherry tomatoes on a baking tray, spray with spray oil, season with cracked pepper and roast for 10 minutes until the skin is just starting to split.
4. Whisk the olive oil and balsamic vinegar together in a small bowl to combine.
5. To serve, place the lentils and the remaining ingredients together in a large bowl, toss through the dressing and divide into four plates. Top with roasted tomatoes and garnish.

Time Saver: Can substitute cooking your own lentils with two x 400g cans of brown lentils.

Menu Monday

Cupcakes are a favourite in our home - and it seems they are in the home of Little Sew & Sews too!!

Here is Bel's "Never Fail Cupcake Recipe"  (Bel likes to use muffin cases to make BIG ones and folds in things like Choc Chips, Sultanas or Cherries)

Ingredients

2 cups Self Raising flour, sifted

3/4 cup caster sugar

3/4 cup milk

125g butter, melted and cooled

2 x 59g eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon Vanilla essence

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200 deg celsius. Grease or line with cases a 12 capacity muffin pan.  Combine flour and caster sugar in a bowl. Make a well in the centre.
2. Add milk, butter, eggs and vanilla to flour mixture.  Using a large metal spoon, stir gently to combine.  If adding extras, stir them through once the mix is combined.
3. Spoon mixture evenly among the 12 muffin cases.  Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted.  Stand in the pan for 5 minutes before cooling on a wire rack.

Decorate when cooled as desired with frosting or icing.

To share your favourite recipes email me at thesewingsisterhood@live.com.au.  We love to hear what you love making in your home too!!

Tracey
My Obsession Designs

Menu Monday

This weeks recipe comes from the home of Bel of Little Sew & Sews (and who doesn't love a good cheesecake!)

No-bake Cheesecake

Serves: 8

Prep time: 20mins

Chill time: 10-15mins then overnight

INGREDIENTS:

250g plain sweet biscuits (I have used Nice and granita and both were yummo)

125g butter, melted

375g cream cheese, softened

zest of 1 lemon

2 tsp vanilla essence

1/3 cup lemon juice

400g can condensed milk

optional - strawberries and icing sugar to decorate

METHOD:

1. Grease and line a 20cm spring form tin
2. Place biscuits in food processor and finely crush.  Add butter and process until mixed.
3. Press half of the mix into the base of the tine, and press remainder around the sides, using a glass to firm it into place.
4. Refrigerate for 10-15mins
5. Beat cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add lemon rind and vanilla and beat. Add the condensed milk and lemon juice gradually, and beat until smooth and the volume has increased.
6. Pour into the tin and refrigerate overnight.
7. Decorate with strawberries and icing sugar, if desired

Thanks so much to Bel for sharing one of her favourites!  If you have a favourite you would like to share - email it to me at thesewingsisterhood@live.com.au. 

Tracey

My Obsession Designs

Menu Monday

Here is a nice simple recipe for lunch or a light evening meal.  Quick and easy to put together (just the way I like it!)

Spinach & Bacon Slice

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

3 rashers bacon, diced

1 bunch English spinach or 6 large silverbeet leaves, washed and shredded

2 tablespoons self-raising flour

6 x 60g eggs

½ cup milk

1 cup grated tasty cheese

2 tomatoes, sliced

Method:

1. Heat oil in large fry pan.  Add onion, garlic and bacon and stir over heat until onion is softened and bacon in just crisp.  Add spinach to pan.  Stir over heat until spinach is soft and most of the liquid has evaporated.  Transfer spinach mixture to a large bowl to cool slightly.  Stir in flour, then add eggs and milk.  Stir until combined.  Stir in cheese.
2. Pour the mixture into a greased rectangular (5-cup capacity) ovenproof dish.  Arrange tomato slices on top of mixture.  Bake at 180^oC for about 45 minutes until slice is set and lightly browned.

Stand in dish for 5 minutes before cutting into squares.  Serve warm with salad and crusty bread if desired.

Variation:

Complete step 1, but instead of adding milk and eggs add some cream and the cheese and stir through some cooked pasta until heated through.  Makes a very yummy pasta sauce!


Do you have a favourite recipe that you would like to share?  Email me at thesewingsisterhood@live.com.au with your recipes and I will share one from a blog follower each week.

Enjoy your slice (or pasta!)

Tracey
My Obsession Designs

Menu Monday

For this weeks recipe, I am going to fall back on my heritage...

I am first generation (born) Australian.  My Mum is a Kiwi and my Dad is from America (although he grew up in Australia from the age of 10).  My Grandmother (Dad's Mum) brought with her lots of recipes that are traditional in the USA.  One of my favourites growing up was her Homemade Apple Pie.

I remember as a child going to a Church Pot Luck Dinner and was so excited when I saw an Apple Pie on the table - that was definately MY dessert!!!  What shock and disappointment I felt as I took a mouthful of this Apple Pie - I spat it out in disgust and promptly stated "I don't like this "Australian" Apple Pie (ie: one without the delicious flavours of cinnamon and nutmeg).  I laugh now, thinking how embarrassed my Grandma must have been!  I guess I assumed that EVERYONE had experienced such bliss as my Grandma's Apple Pie.

My Grandma is not so well these days, and finds it hard to stand in the kitchen for long periods of time, so the task of baking pies has fallen into my hands.  I hope that one day my Grandchildren will love my pies as much as I love my Grandma's! (although I am still perfecting the scrumptious shortcrust pastry she used to make).

So here it is for you all to try - and I hope you love it as much as I do!

Apple Pie

Ingredients:

Crust:

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup margarine

5 tablespoons water

** If you don't want to have a go at your own crust, just use the frozen shortcrust pastry from the frozen food section**

Filling:

6-8 apples

½ cup sugar

¼ cup flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

Dot of margarine

Method:

Crust:

1. Rub margarine into combined flour and salt until mixture is crumbly.
2. Add water, mix until firm dough.  Divide mixture in half.  Roll out one half and place in a greased pie flan.

Filling:

1. Peel and slice apples.
2. Mix together sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg.
3. Layer apples into prepared pie flan, sprinkling with cinnamon mixture between each layer.
4. Dot with margarine and cover with top crust
5. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon

Bake at 200^oC for 15 minutes, then 150^oC until done



Tracey
My Obsession Designs

Menu Monday

With only weeks (or days) left until our house goes from 5 to 6 (eek!!), I am loving quick, easy, simple recipes!  I certainly don't feel like standing in the kitchen for hours labouring (no pun intended) over dinner to end up with the sound of "I don't like this" in my ears....

This menu is one of those that does not receive that reception - and it's quick and easy to boot!

Chicken & Macaroni Bake

Ingredients:

2 Cups Macaroni

¼ cup Olive Oil

4 Chicken Breast Fillets

1 Medium Carrot, chopped

1 Medium Onion, chopped

3 Rashers Bacon, chopped

2 Medium Zucchini, chopped

440g Can Tomato Soup

1/3 Cup Sour Cream

Salt and Freshly ground pepper to taste

1½ Cups Grated Cheddar Cheese

Method:

1. Trim chicken of excess fat and sinew.  Preheat oven to moderate 180^oC
2. Cook macaroni in large pan of rapidly boiling water with a little oil added until just tender.
3. Slice chicken breasts into cubes.  Heat oil in heavy based pan.  Cook chicken quickly over high heat until browned but not cooked through.  Drain on paper towel
4. Cook onion, carrot & bacon on medium heat for 10 minutes.  Add zucchini & soup.  Bring to boil, simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat
5. Combine pasta, chicken, tomato mixture & sour cream.  Spread into shallow dish, top with cheese.  Bake for 20 minutes until golden.

I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does!

Tracey

My Obsession Designs

Menu Monday: Baked Apples

Wow, what a busy weekend I’ve had!!  2 days at The Mummy Tree Markets at Sanctuary Cove.  Now it’s time to get myself all organized.  Less than 7 weeks until our baby arrives and still have much to organize here!

Which got me thinking…. How do you organize your favourite recipes?  I have a little A5 folder for all my well loved recipes.  I have made up some “stationery” on my computer. When I find a recipe that like to use over and over again, rather than trying to remember which book or magazine it came from, I type it up on my stationery, print it out and put it in my folder.  I would love to hear how your sort through your fav’s at home!

Todays recipe comes from Jane at Lil Pip.  Following last weeks winter warmer, we have another – but this time a scrumptious dessert.

Baked Apples

Core apple

Stuff with either a mixture of sultanas and cinnamon or as an alternative, dried fruit and cinnamon (try dried apricot, dried dates and dried prunes all chopped up).

Place in a small baking dish. Put a small knob of butter or margarine on top (about a good teaspoon).

Bake in a moderate oven for 30-40 minutes. Serve hot with your choice of custard, ice cream or cream.

Remember – we would love to hear what recipes are a hit in your household.  Email them to thesewingsisterhood@live.com.au and we will share it with our blog followers next week.

Until then!

Tracey
My Obsession Designs

Menu Monday (on Tuesday)

The long weekend interupted my schedule somewhat and I didn't realise it was actually Monday until quite late last night (oops!)  So Menu Monday has been moved to Tuesday for this week!

I don't know what it's been like in your neck of the woods, but the past week in Brisbane has been quite cold and dismal, which has made me think of some of those yummy meals that really are comfort food!!

One that I especially love is Pea and Ham soup (well mine actually is more like Pea and Ham Stew...)  It smells absolutely delish as it is cooking away on the stove or slow cooker and goes perfectly with some fresh bread.... yum.....

Pea and Ham Soup

Ingredients:

1 Ham Hock

3 onions, diced

3 carrots, diced

6 gloves garlic

3 celery stalks, cut

3 tomatoes, chopped

Thyme

½ cup barley

2½ cups green split peas

2½ - 3L water

Method:

1. Place ham hock in a pot and cover with water.  Bring to boil.  Remove from water and discard the water.
2. Stir onions, carrots, garlic and celery in olive oil until golden brown.
3. Add tomatoes, thyme, barley and green split peas.  Place ham hock on top and cover with water.
4. Simmer for approx 2½ hours.  Add more water if necessary.

I like to cook mine in the slow cooker and just let it simmer all day long.  If you want it to be more "soupy", take it off earlier or if you are like me and like it to be a bit more like a stew, let it cook for longer....

I think I better run off to the shops to buy a ham hock!

Enjoy

Tracey
My Obsession Designs

Menu Monday: "Nanna's Lemon Meringue Pie"

Wow, how is it that Monday is almost over.... I had full intentions of getting todays scrumptious recipe up by 9am, but here we are at the other end of the day already!!

Given that we are now officially in winter, there will be a few "winter warmer" recipes making their appearance here over the next few weeks.  If you have a great winter warmer, please share it with us by emailing thesewingsisterhood@live.com.au.  We would love to be able to share some of your favourite recipes too!!

Todays recipe comes from Bec at Baby Chilli.  I will certainly be trying this one out in the following weeks!

Nanna's Lemon Meringue Pie

Base:
180g of plain crushed biscuits - I add one packet around 250g (gota love a great base) with 90g of melted butter - make it around 120-150ml if adding a whole packet press firmly into a 23cm pie dish and chill

Filling:
1 can condensed milk,
1/2 cup lemon juice (I add 3/4 cup to make it extra tangy)
3 lightly beaten egg yolks (save the whites) (I add 5 eggs as I add more lemon juice)

mix together well and then pour over the chilled base

Meringue top:
beat the egg whites until they are stiff gradually adding 1/2 cup castor sugar (add 3/4 cup if using 5 egg whites)

spoon or pipe on top of the lemon filling. I spoon it on and then use a fork to make the spikes.

bake in a moderate oven for 15 minutes. If I have time I cook at 150 degrees fan forced for over 30 minutes to allow the meringue to brown nicely. how devine does that smell!! hmm might make it now :) You can serve it hot or cold but let it sit for about 10 minutes first after taking out of the oven as it will be runny otherwise.

Enjoy your Lemon Meringue Pie and we will catch you next week with something as equally delicious!

Tracey
My Obsession Designs

Menu Monday

Menu Monday has been AWOL for a few weeks, but we are back with a yummy Lamb Recipe for you tonight.  There is a list of great recipes to follow in the coming weeks.

We would love to hear your favourite recipes, so if you have one you would like to share email us at thesewingsisterhood@live.com.au and each week we will feature a recipe from us (The Sisterhood) and one from you, our wonderful followers.

Tonights family favourite comes to you on behalf of Bel from Little Sew & Sews.  We hope you enjoy!

Tracey
My Obsession Designs

Moroccan Lamb with Orange Couscous

(serves 4)

Ingredients for Lamb

800g lamb fillets, cubed

1 brown onion, finely sliced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

2 dsp ground cumin

1 dsp ground coriander

1 tsp hot paprika

2 cinnamon sticks

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 cups beef stock

1 x 400g tin of tomatoes

Ingredients for citrus couscous

1 x 500g pkt couscous

40g butter

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

juice and zest of 2 lemons

2 oranges peeled, pith removed and cut into segments

pinch sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp finely chopped continental parsley, and some for garnish if desired

Method for Lamb

In a large pot saute onion and garlic in oil for a few minutes. Add cumin, coriander, paprika and cinnamon and cook for another two minutes.

Add cubed lamb and combine well to coat the lamb.  Cook for two minutes. Add stock, tinned tomatoes and cinnamon sticks.  Simmer for an

hour until lamb is tender and sauce is syrupy.

Method for couscous

Place couscous in a large bowl and pour over boiling water to about 1.5cm above the couscous.  Allow to stand for about five minutes, until water

is absorbed. Stir through butter and oil.  Season to taste and add lemon juice, zest, orange segments and parsley. Combine well.

Serve couscous in pasta bowls. Top with lamb mix and garnish with parsley if desired.

Introducing Menu Monday

Introducing Menu Monday….

I don’t mind cooking dinner, but the one thing that I often struggle with is deciding what to cook.  I like quick and easy, because let’s face it – we are all busy, but I do get bored with the same meals over and over again.  Mince is a nice quick option in our home, but I do get a little bit sick of cooking Spaghetti Bolognaise, Cottage Pie and Tacos over and over again (although the kids actually LOVE these ones!).  So I for one am looking for some alternative mince recipe ideas!  We also eat a lot of chicken, but again, I tend to cook the same things and am often looking in recipe magazines for new ideas.

So what is Menu Monday??  Each Monday we, the ladies of The Sewing Sisterhood will share with you one of our favourite recipes.  Something that is loved in our homes - a tried and true meal idea that you can love too.  But it might not just be dinner – we might throw in a dessert or a cake or maybe even a nice lunch idea, who knows what might come up!

We also invite you to email us your favourite recipe.  Each week we will feature one of ours and one of yours.  If you have a yummy recipe you would like to share email us at thesewingsisterhood@live.com.au.  We would love to hear about the favourite foods in your home!

So this week we are going to start off with a well worn recipe in my home.  It actually comes from a Readers Digest Recipe Book that must be close to 30 years old.  I remember Mum cooking out of it when I was a kid and in her travels to Op Shops she has picked up one for me and each of my siblings!  This one is loved by everyone – Mr 4, Mr 3, Miss 15mths (but she eats anything) as well as my husband and myself.

Chicken Scaloppine

Ingredients:

2 whole chicken breasts (4 halves) skinned and boned (I generally cook about 500gms for our family)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ cup plain flour

½ teaspoon salt

Pinch black pepper

40g butter or margarine

Grated rind of 1 lemon

2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped

1/3 cup finely chopped parsley

½ cup chicken stock

Method:

1. Lay each half chicken breast on the work surface, place your hand flat over it, and cutting parallel to your hand, slice the breast in two.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy medium sized frying pan over moderately high heat.  In a shallow dish, combine the flour, salt and pepper.  Press the chicken into the flour mixture, coating the pieces on both sides.  Shake off any excess flour.  Place half the pieces in the pan and brown them for 1 minute on each side.  Transfer to a warm plate.  Cook the remaining breast in the same way.
3. Add the butter to the pan, along with the lemon rind, garlic and parsley.  Add the chicken stock, scraping up any brown bits stuck to the pan.  Bring the liquid to a boil and let it cook until it thickens slightly.
4. Return the breasts to the pan, along with any accumulated juices, and coat with the sauce.
5. Serve with mashed or boiled potatoes and veges

Things to note:  If you like lots of sauce or gravy with your meals, just increase the chicken stock to 1 cup.  The flour that coats the chicken will thicken the sauce up nicely. 

When filleting the chicken I normally cut it quite thin (and end up with 3 or 4 slices out of the breast) depending on how thick they end up.  They will cook quicker this way and tend to go a bit further.

Enjoy!

Tracey

My Obsession Designs