The Humble Hen

Whoever out there is reading this(if anyone) I ask you is there a better, more satisfying smell than the smell of a chicken roasting?! Gets me every time, the smell wafts through the entire house and sets your taste buds wild!

With a large roasting chicken in the fridge and only 2 out of 6 people -3 max- having dinner I was not going to go to the hassle of preparing an entire roast...No Sir. The obvious answer to my chicken dilemma was to, cook the bird and make sandwiches. If I do say so myself I make a mean sandwich!

There's a spice blend mix I've been meaning to use for a while and I finally got my chance :). It's for salmon fillets or chicken breasts but a smothered it over my bird and roasted it in the oven.

Special Spice Mix!

Ingredients-makes enough for 2 large chickens:

-adapted from Domini Kemp.

• 1 Tbsp Ground Coriander
• 1 Tbsp Cumin Seeds
• 1 Tbsp Garlic Powder
• 2 Tbsp Smoked Paprika
• 1 Tbsp Ground Black Pepper
• 1 Tbsp Flaky Sea Salt
• 1 Tbsp Dried Thyme
• 1 Tbsp Oregano

Method:

1. Combine the coriander, garlic powder, paprika, pepper, salt, thyme and oregano.
2. In a pestle & mortar grind the cumin seeds until half is powdered.
3. Add cumin to the other spices and mix to combine evenly.
4. Store in an airtight container.

*If you do not have one or two of the spices don't fret-though the paprika is necessary! Use rosemary instead of thyme or already ground cumins seeds. It is just a guideline, not written in stone!*

Special Spice Chicken Sandwiches

Ingredients:

• Half of the above spice mix.
• 1 Roasting Chicken, bought to room temp.
• Olive Oil
• Whole Grain Bread-(2 slices per person)
• Hummus
• Raita(recipe below)
• Sliced Tomato
• Crispy Lettuce Leaves
• A Bag of Lightly Salted Crisps

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 Degrees Celsius.
2. Place chicken in a roasting dish and rub all over with the olive oil.
3. Rub the entire bird -front, back and a little in the cavity- with your spice mix.
4. Cover with tin foil and roast in your preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours to 1 hr 3/4 hour or until juices run clear.
5. Remove foil for the last half hour to allow the chicken crisp.
6. Remove from oven and allow to come to room temperature before carving and making your sandwiches.
7. Make raita while chicken is cooling.

Raita

Ingredients:

• 3 Tablespoons Natural Yogurt
• 1/4 Cucumber
• 3 Spring Onions
• Salt and Pepper
• Lemon Juice

Method

1. Half the cucumber, de-seed and cut into small cubes.
2. Finely slice the spring onion.
3. Add onion and cucumber to yogurt.
4. Season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice.

Assembling the Sandwich:

1. Lightly toast your sliced bread.
2. Using the hummus as a butter substitute, smear both slices of bread with a decent amount.
3. Lay your slices of carved chicken on the bread followed by sliced tomato, a dollop of raita and some lettuce leaves.
4. Top with remaining slice of bread.
5. Cut into two halves and serve with a handful of crisps.

An Egg A Day Is.....

I woke up this morning with a craving for eggs, and to my delight our egg basket was full:) with 14 organic eggs! Whilst inspecting the eggs I saw that the best before date read 25.03.2010...which is today! Two eggs down after my scrambles eggs I had to find something to do the with the other 12, I was home alone so there was nobody I could pawn an omelet off on...So I decided that I would get my 'Bake On' after college!

10 Raspberry and Blueberry Buttermilk Biscuits, 1 Oaty Banana Bread, 1 Madeira Loaf and 2 Hard Boiled Eggs later....I'm egg free!

Raspberry and Blueberry Buttermilk Biscuits

-adapted from Rachel Allen's Bake.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
• 500g Plain Flour
• 125g Cubed COLD Butter
• 25g Caster Sugar
• 1 Egg
• 275ml Buttermilk
• A Good Handful of Both Raspberries and Blueberries.

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 220 Degrees Celsius(425 F.H)
2. Cube butter and place in fridge until needed.
3. Sift the flour, powder and bicarb into a bowl.
4. Using the tips of your fingers rub the cubed butter into the dry ingredients until fine breadcrumbs appear.
5. Stir in the caster sugar.
6. Beat egg and set aside 1/3 of it-for egg wash.
7. add remaining egg to the buttermilk and combine.
8. Make a well in the flour mixture and pour in the buttermilk.
9. Using a clawed hand or knife mix dough until combined-DO NOT OVER MIX!!
10. Turn out onto a floured surface.
11. Quickly knead to bring the dough together.
12. Divide in half.
13. Take on half and shape into a rectangular shape and roll until 45cm in length or 1cm thick.
14. Repeat with other half.
15. Sprinkle the raspberries and blueberries over one half of the dough and egg wash the edges.
16. Lay the other half on top and push down the edges.
17. Using a knife cut the rectangular shape into triangles.
18. Egg wash and sprinkle with some extra sugar.
19. Bake in preheated oven for 10-15 mins or until golden.
20. Remove, allow to cool slightly as EAT!

Oaty Banana Bread

Ingredients:

• 150g Plain Flour
• 120g Rolled Uncooked Oats
• 1/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• Pinch of Salt
• 1 Whole Egg
• 2 Egg Whites
• 3 Fresh Bananas
• 100g Soft Light Brown Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil.

Method

1. Place flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder,sugar and cinnamon in a mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
2. Mash banana with a fork in a separate bowl, add beaten egg,oil and mix to combine.
3. Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients until combined-should be like a thick batter.
4. In a clean bowl with a whisk, whisk egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff.
5. In two stages fold the whites carefully into the batter.
6. Pour into prepared loaf tin, smooth top and run the back of a baby spoon down the centre.
7. Place in preheated oven and bake for 40-50mins.
8. Remove, cool for 5 mins in tin before removing.
9. Cool a little longer,slice and enjoy!

Madeira Loaf

Ingredient:

• 350g Self Raising Flour
• 275g Caster Sugar
• 275g Softened Butter
• 1 1/2 Teaspoon Almond/Vanilla Extract
• 5 Eggs

Method:

1. Line a loaf tin with a double layer of greaseproof paper and preheat oven to 150 Degrees Celsius.
2. Cream sugar and butter together until fluffy with electric mixer.
3. Add each egg separately, beating well after each addition.
4. Sieve flour and add to egg mixture mixing to combine.
5. Pour into prepared tin and bake for 1 1/2 hours to 1 3/4 hours.
6. Remove, cool in tin for 10mins before cooling completely.
7. Put on kettle, slice loaf and Enjoy!

A Whopping Bean Stew!

I have a SERIOUS affection for beans, tortilla wraps and all things that go with wraps and beans! I'm not to sure if it's 100% sane or healthy but gawd they are so good! I cannot think of a better meal then a big bowl of bean stew, a tall stack of tortilla wraps, homemade guacamole, hummus, sour cream and salsa.....YUM!

OH GOD I CANNOT WAIT FOR DINNER!!

Bean Stew with ALL the trimmings:)

Ingredients:

• 200g-300g canned beans drained or dried, soaked overnight covered in water eg kidney, soya beans, chickpeas, aduki, pimento, cannellini etc
• 6 Smoked streaky bacon rasher-optional
• Half a red pepper, cut into strips
• Half a orange pepper, cut into strips
• Half a yellow pepper, cut into strips
• 1 White Onion, cut into half moons
• 1 Red Onion, cut into half moons
• 4 Garlic Cloves, crushed
• 1 Large Carrot, Sliced
• 1 Tablespoon Tomato Puree
• 500ml Beef/Veg Stock
• 1 Tin Tomatoes/ Passata
• 2 Teaspoon Fresh chopped Thyme/Rosemary
• 1 Teaspoon Dried Chili Flakes
• Bunch Chopped Fresh Parsley

Method:

1. Cut bacon into cubes and fry in olive oil in a big pot until crisp-remove with a slotted spoon,drain on paper towel.
2. Add the onions and sauté for 3-5 mins, then add garlic, carrot and peppers.
3. Stir in tomato purée and evenly coat all the vegetables.
4. Stir in the drained beans, chili flakes and rosemary/thyme and season well with salt and pepper.
5. Add the tinned tomato and enough stock just to cover it.
6. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 mins.
7. Before serving stir in the freshly chopped parsley.

Simple Homemade Guacamole:

2 Avocados-scooped and mashed

1 Lime-juiced

Handful of Coriander/Cilantro-chopped

Salt and Pepper

Mix all ingredients together.

Easy Homemade Salsa:

10-15 Cherry Tomatoes-Halved

Half a red onion-diced fine-ish

Half a lime-Juiced

Salt and Pepper

A few dashes of Tabasco--according to taste!

Mix all ingredients together

Serve Bean Stew with:

Simple Homemade guacamole

Easy Homemade Salsa

An 8 pack of tortilla wraps-(2 per person)

Grated cheddar cheese

Sour cream

Hummus

Enjoy EVERY last beany bite!