Friday, March 16, 2018

Week 11: Broccoli Fries

The Recipe
1 bundle of broccoli
Olive Oil
Salt

Remove the dry part of the stem, but leave the rest. Cut the broccoli into "fries" and lay out on a baking sheet. Sprinkle liberally with olive oil and salt.

Bake at 200C for 20-30 minutes. The tops should be fairly brown.

The Verdict
Super easy to make, and I really liked it! Definitely one of my favourite ways of making broccoli now :)

Monday, March 12, 2018

Week 10: Crispy Chicken Cordon Bleu

The Recipe
450g chicken breasts
Salt, pepper, Garlic powder, cayenne pepper
Cheese (I used cheddar, but I don't think it matters too much)
100g sliced ham
Flour
1 egg
Bread crumbs
Oil for cooking.

Creamy Dijon Sauce
2 tbsp butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1.5 tbsp flour
1 cup milk
1.5-2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1.5dl shredded Parmesan cheese

On a cutting board, place a chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound until about 1cm thick with a meat mallet or rolling pin. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder and cayenne pepper. Remove the top layer of plastic wrap and place a layer of ham and a layer of cheese. Wrap the chicken tightly in plastic wrap and twist the the wrap on the sides. Tie up the ends, and put the chicken in the fridge for 30 minutes to "set".

In three different plates put flour, beaten egg and bread crumbs and coat the chicken with each in turn.

Heat oil in a cast iron pan or wok until very hot. Cook chicken for about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to an ovenproof dish and cook in oven for an additional 15-20 minutes until cooked through.

Meanwhile prepare the sauce by melting the butter in a small pot and cooking the garlic until soft. Add in flour and whisk until thoroughly incorporated. Add milk and whisk until fully combined. Continue whisking until the sauce comes to a simmer. Add mustard, salt, pepper and parmesan cheese. Whisk to combine until all the cheese has melted and the sauce is nice and thick.

Serve chicken with baked potatoes and baked broccoli.

The Verdict
Both DH and I liked it well enough, but it's a LOT of work for something that's just liked "well enough", so I probably won't be making the chicken again... too much of a hassle for the output. I could very well see myself making the sauce again though - that one was really good!

Monday, March 5, 2018

Week 9: Sausage & Potato Bake

The Recipe
~300g sliced sausages
8 potatoes, quartered
2 bell peppers, diced
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
salt and pepper according to taste
olive oil

Preheat the oven to 200C.

In an ovenproof dish, add potatoes, sausages and bell pepper. Cut the butter into small cubes and place on top. Drizzle with olive oil and seasonings.

The Verdict
Very easy, but also very boring. I think that was mostly due to the sausages though... I tried to get some more expensive ones in the hope that they'd be better, but honestly, plain hot dog sausages would probably have tasted better. It's a good "empty the fridge" dish, and DH liked it, so I'll probably make it again eventually.