Chicken Divan Casserole

Boy, this casserole sure takes me back. This was one of my children's favourite meals when they were growing up. I haven't made it in a long time. I had a head of broccoli in my veggie drawer today that I wanted to use before it went off.



There are a lot of versions of this floating around that use cream of chicken soup, and you are free to do just that if you wish . . . I prefer it with my homemade cheesy bechamel sauce though . . .



It's like having a bit plate of broccoli cheese and chicken all in one go . . . of course the crisp cracker and cheese topping is awfully scrummy as well.



I add rice to make it a full meal, and a bit heartier. You can either use leftover cooked rice, or one of those pouches of steamed rice. I just happen to always have those in my cupboard. They come in really handy for all sorts and are usually on special. I usually like to use the Tilda brand . . . and I always stock up when they have them on for £1 a piece.



I try to use low fat or half fat ingredients as well . . . which just goes to prove that low fat can be tasty!



As the Toddster tucked into his second helping I was heard to say . . . "I do believe I have found a way to get you to eat your broccoli."



SCORE!! I served ours with a tossed salad on the side. It was all we needed.



*Chicken Divan Casserole*
Serves 4 to 6, depending on appetitesPrintable Recipe

A economical, delicious casserole that is so simple to make! By using low fat ingredients you can also keep it fairly healthy.

1 medium head of fresh broccoli
400g of chicken tenders (about 1 pound)
salt and pepper to taste
1 bay leaf
splash of hot pepper sauce
1 2-serving size pouch of steamed basamati rice (about 2 cups cooked rice)

For the sauce:
2 TBS butter
2 TBS plain flour
500ml of milk (2 cups I use skim), warmed
1/4 tsp curry powder (I use medium)
1 chicken boullion cube
4 ounces grated strong cheddar cheese (1 cup, I use half fat)
2 TBS finely grated Parmesan cheese
salt and white pepper to taste

To top:
a handful of crushed crackers (about 1 cup)
2 ounces grated strong cheddar cheese (1/2 cup)
2 TBS finely grated Parmesan cheese

Place the chicken iinto a saucepan along with cold water to cover. Add some salt and black pepper, the bay leaf and a splash of hot pepper sauce. Bring to the boil. Take off the heat, cover and set aside to cool.

Wash and trim the broccoli. Break up into bite sized florets. Peel the stems and cut into chunks. Steam until crispy tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Melt the butter for the sauce in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour. Cook, stirring for one minute. Whisk in the warm milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until the mixture bubbles and thickens. Crumble in the boullion cube and whisk in along with the cheddar and Parmesan cheeses. Taste and add salt and white pepper to taste. Keep warm.

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Spray a shallow baking dish with cooking spray. Open the rice and sprinkle it over the bottom of the dish. Drain the chicken and break into pieces, sprinkle this over the rice. Top with the broccoli florets and stems. Nap the top with the warm cheese sauce, covering everything completely and allowing it to sink down into the casserole dish. Mix together the topping ingredients. Sprinkle them evenly over top of the casserole. If desired, spritz lightly with cooking spray.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until heated through, bubbling and the topping is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Delicious!

Note: You can use leftover cooked chicken in this as well instead of cooking chicken especially to use. You will need between 2 and 3 cups of cooked chicken depending on how meaty you want your casserole to be. Personally I would rather have more broccoli than anything else! You can also use frozen broccoli florets, thawed. I'd use about 3 to 4 cups of them, but then I am a broccoli nut!

Crusty Chicken Pot Pie Buns

We had the missionaries over for supper the other night and I roasted a couple of chickens and did a nice roast dinner for them. There was lots of veg, and mash and stuffing . . . and for dessert, sticky toffee pudding with cream. Todd said to me, that's a lot of chicken . . . but you know . . . I like to have leftovers. Two chickens equals 4 drumsticks as well, and you know lads and drumsticks!



Anyways, I had all this leftover chicken and was wanting to do something different with it . . . something not like the usual chicken casserole, or chicken sandwiches, enchiladas . . . or whatever. I wanted to something really different.



Then I had a brain storm. WE do like chicken pot pie. We do like chicken sandwiches . . . hmmm . . . the wheels started to turn. What if I put the two things together???



I think it was a few years ago when I shared my Crusty Lasagne Buns with y'all . . . they're wonderfully delicious! I thought to myself . . . why not a Crusty Chicken Pot Pie Bun???? Just the idea sounded fabulous, and I found myself thinking why had I not thought of this before!!!!



I just happened to have some crusty rolls in the house as well . . . also leftover from the roast dinner. I didn't have any leftover gravy . . . so I used cream soup instead, but you could use leftover gravy and it would be even better!!! (I like my pot pies made with leftover gravy. They're the bees knees!) I just used frozen mixed vegetables, thawed out, but if you had leftover vegetables that would be good too.



I had leftover stuffing and so I crumbled some of that on top and it was oooooooohhhh so scrumdiddlyumptious, but you could just make some buttered bread crumbs from the bread that you pull out of the rolls and that would be fine too.

All in all, I decided that these were totally awesome as the kids would say!!!! (DO kids still say that?? I dunno!!)



Nice crusty rolls filled with a scrummy chicken pot pie filling and topped with crumbly stuffing bits and baked until the whole thing is bubbling delish and the stuffing bits are nicely browned on top. No faffing about with pastry or dumplings. Easy peasy lemon squeasy.

Todd says they are a new favourite. I call them fabulous. Sometimes I even surprise myself!



*Crusty Chicken Pot Pie Buns*
Serves 6 - 8 depending on the size of your buns
Printable Recipe

Chicken Pot Pie without the pastry . . . served up in your very own crusty roll. Deliciously different!

1 tin of condensed cream of chicken soup (415g or 10 3/4 ounces)
(In the UK this is the Batchelor's Brand of soups)
1 soup tin of milk
1/2 tsp savoury
1/4 tsp sage
1/4 tsp marjoram
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 large mug fulls of cubed cooked potato
2 large mugfuls of cubed cooked chicken
2 large mugfuls of frozen mixed vegetables, thawed (the one with peas, carrots, corn and beans)
salt and black pepper to taste
6 large crusty rolls (8 if they are not overly large)
leftover stuffing, crumbled, enough to top each bun, optional (can use buttered cracker crumbs, or even
the bread removed from the centre of the buns, crumbled and mixed with a bit of melted butter

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Have ready a baking tray.

Mix together the soup, milk, savoury, sage, marjoram, onion and garlic powders, cooked potato, cooked chicken, and mixed vegetables. Season to taste with some salt and black pepper.

Using a serrated knife, cut a sliver from the top of each bun. Using your fingers hollow each one out, by plucking out the soft bread inside, leaving a shell of about 1/4 inch all round. (Use the plucked out bits and tops to make bread crumbs or treat the birds.) Stuff each empty bun with the chicken mixture, allowing it to come a bit above the top. Place on the baking tray as you finish stuffing each one. Crumble the stuffing over top of each. (If using buttered crumbs sprinkle them over of each.)

Bake in the heated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until crisp and golden brown and bubbling on the insides. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.



Over in The Cottage today, Hot Cross Muffins.

Breakfast Oatmeal Muffins

Here's an oldie but a goodie gleaned from the depths of my Big Blue Binder. I've been making these tasty muffins for years and years.



Hands down they have to be my absolute favourite Oatmeal Muffin of all time. I've tried lots of different ones . . . but I always come back to this recipe. These muffins are moist and stogged full of raisins and nuts, with just enough spice and vanilla to make them oh so scrummy delish.
They make great use of leftover oatmeal so you need never throw out any that's left in the pot after the family has eaten ever, ever again.



In fact . . . I dare say that after you try these tasty little babies, you'll make sure you always have enough oatmeal leftover just so that you can treat yourself and your family!!



Do make sure you butter the pan well though . . . as they do stick. I don't like to use paper liners with them either as they stick to them too and I want to have all that muffin scrumminess in my tumminess! (haha . . . I know . . . don't quit my day job!)



*Breakfast Oatmeal Muffins*
Makes 12
Printable Recipe

These muffins are a great way of using up leftover cooked oatmeal. I often cook extra oatmeal for breakfast so that I can treat us to a batch of these the day after!

100g of plain flour (1 cup)
200g of soft light brown sugar (1 cup packed)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
125ml of vegetable oil (1/2 cup)
2 large free range eggs beaten
180g of leftover cooked oatmeal cereal (about 1 cup)
150g of raisins (1 cup)
1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans (optional)
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Grease a 12 cup medium muffin tin very well. Set aside.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. Whisk together the leftover oatmeal, eggs, and vanilla. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients only to moisten. Fold in the raisins and nuts (if using). Spoon into the greased muffin cups, dividing the batter evenly amongst them.

Bake for 18 minutes, until well risen and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Let sit in the pan for about 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool somewhat before eating.



Cooking in The Cottage today, some delicious Light and Crispy Fish Fillets.

Ham and Split Pea Soup

One thing that I love most about the Holiday Leftovers is that deliciously meaty ham bone left from the New Year's ham. In these days of austerity, it only makes sense to get as much bang as we can out of the money we spend on our food budget.



I had a mom who could make a delicious soup out of anything, and often did. We never ever minded having soup for supper. It was one of our most looked forward to meals and even now when we go home to visit . . . a visit isn't complete without having a feast on one of her homemade soups at least once. One of our favourite soups that she would make was her Pea Soup. She always used the whole dried yellow peas . . .



I can't get them over here, but I can get the split yellow peas and they taste pretty similar. Mom would simmer the hambone in her special mixture of boiled water, herbs, and peas all afternoon until it was soooo deliciously comforting and filling.



She always put some carrot into it along with some peeled potato. The carrot gave it a bit of colour and an extra depth of flavour . . . she claimed that the potato absorbed any excess salt from the hambone.



We used to love it if we got a piece of the carrot and the potato in our bowl. We saw them as a real treasure. I always made sure that when I made this delicious soup for my family that there was a piece of carrot and potato for each person's bowl.

Coz I'm like that. Fair. This is delicious. Most recipes that are handed down from our mom's are. That's coz there is love attached and a beautiful history.




*Ham and Split Pea Soup*
Serves 4 to 6
Printable Recipe

This was always my favourite soup when I was growing up. My mother always used whole dried peas, but I haven't been able to find them over here. I just use the split and it always tastes pretty good regardless. It requires very little effort and more or less makes itself really.

1 ham hock, or leftover bone from a roasted ham
(make sure there are lots of meaty bits still clinging to the bone)
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced in half lengthwise
and then cut in half again so that you have four pieces
1 large potato, peeled and cut into four large chunks
(my mom always said that the potato absorbed any excess salt from the ham)
1 bay leaf, broken in half
1 tsp of summer savoury (if you cannot find savoury,
use a combination of marjoram and thyme)
freshly ground black pepper
8 cups of boiling water
2 cups split peas (I prefer the yellow ones myself,
but you could also use green ones if you like)

Put all the ingredients into a large pot on top of the stove and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and then skim off any scum that may float to the top, and discard. Partially cover and simmer for an hour and a half or so, until the peas are quite soft and the meat is falling off the bone.

Remove the ham hock from the pot. Discard the skin, any fat and the bone. Cut the meat into large shinks and put it back into the pot. Skim any fat off of the top of the soup that you can and discard. Fish out the bay leaf and discard as well. Taste and adjust seasoning as required, adding salt and pepper to taste. I normally find it doesn't need any salt, but a healthy grinding of black pepper goes down well.

Spoon the hot soup into heated bowls, trying to give each person a piece of potato, carrot and some meat. Enjoy!!!

Note - If you find your soup is too thick, you can add some boiling water to it, adjusting the seasoning as required.



Over in The Cottage today some delicious Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies!

Amazing Leftovers

So here you are. It's boxing day and you have a whole fridge filled with leftovers. What to do . . . what to do . . .

I thought I would give you some tasty ideas this morning to help you use up some of those scrummy leftovers. Of course you could just have a reheat of the leftovers, but it's also nice to dress them up in a few different ways too!

Ham Leftovers:



We like to have ham, cut into thick slices and fried in butter along side of our fried eggs for a special boxing day breakfast. Just melt some butter and add the ham once it begins to sizzle. Cook until it begins to get crisp on the edges, flip over and repeat on the other side.

You can chop it up and add it to your favourite macaroni and cheese recipe, or to a pan of scallopped potatoes.

Combine it with some of the leftover turkey, and some of that Stilton in a tasty salad!

*Boxing Day Salad*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

100g bag of baby leaf salad greens (about 4 cups)
1 head of red chicory
1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
100g of cooked turkey (1/4 pound)
100g of cooked ham (1/4 pound)
50g chopped toasted walnut pieces (1/4 cup)
2 ounces stilton cheese, crumbled
4 TBS reduced fat caesar salad dressing

Place the salad greens in a large shallow bowl. Break up the red chicory leaves and toss into the bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil Tear the turkey and ham into bits with two forks. combine in a bowl along with the walnut pieces and stilton cheese. Add the salad dressing and mix to combine. Pile this mixture on top of the salad leaves and serve.

It's delicious chopped and mixed with grated cheese and then stuffed into a nice big fluffy baked potato.

Turkey Leftovers:



Of course you can have a plain old turkey sandwich, but why not dress it up a bit and serve it open faced on a rustic piece of bread, topped with some leftover cranberry sauce, some of the leftover stuffing heated and crumbled on top of the cranberry, then the heated sliced turkey and some heated leftover gravy ladled over top. Delicious with a few sliced pickles and some potato crisps on the side!

My mom always made Turkey Pot pies, or Beef Pot pies. We loved them! You can follow the roughly outlined recipe below, which is only a rough guideline of what to do. You can adapt it to whatever it is you have in your fridge. If you are using beef, then use the leftover beef gravy of course!



*Turkey Pot Pie*
Serves 4 to 6
Printable Recipe

2 mugs full of leftover turkey, chopped
2 mugs full of leftover cooked vegetables, chopped
(peas, carrots, corn) If you haven't got any, then you can
use 2 mugs of frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
a handful of roasted potatoes, chopped
1 mug full of leftover turkey gravy
1 mug full of milk
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
1 tsp summer savoury
salt and black pepper to taste
Pastry to cover
milk and beaten egg yolk

Mix together all the ingredients except for the pastry in a large bowl, seasoning to taste with salt and black pepper. Spread into a large round, or oval shallow casserole dish. Roll out your pastry to cover and place over top, venting to allow steam to escape. Brush with a bit of milk and beaten egg yolk. Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes in an oven which has been preheated to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Serve warm.

I think one of the most popular things to do over here in the UK with the leftover turkey is to make a Turkey Curry, but how about Coronation Turkey Salad! Yummo!!

*Coronation Turkey*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

1/2 onion, peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 TBS vegetable oil
1 TBS curry powder
1/2 tsp each ground cumin, ground coriander and ground turmeric
125ml of coconut milk (1/2 cup)
125ml of chicken stock (1/2 cup)
200g of mayonnaise (about 1 cup)
425g of leftover turkey (1 pound)
2 TBS dessicated coconut, toasted in a dry pan until golden brown, then cooled
fresh coriander leaves to garnisn (optional)

Fry the onion and garlic in the oil, until lightly browned. Mix in the spices and let them sizzle for about a minute. Add the coconut milk and chicken stock. Let simmer for about 20 minutes over low heat until the mixture has reduced and you have a thick, creamy, spicy onion mixture in the pan. Allow to cool completely. Whisk in the mayonnaise. Cut the leftover turkey into cubes and place in a large bowl. Pour the curry mayonnaise over top and toss to mix. Sprinkle with the toasted coconut, and garnish with a few torn coriander leaves.

Serve with warmed Chapattis, sliced tomatoes, sliced onion and torn lettuce.



Leftover Vegetables:

We can't be forgetting the leftover Christmas Veg!! I know we all buy in far more than we need, and then end up with it hanging about the fridge. Here's a few different recipes for some dishes using some of that leftover veg so it doesn't get all wilted and go to waste!

*Spicy Parsnip and Sprout Hash*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

800g of parsnips, peeled and chopped into chunks (1 1/2 pounds)
300g of brussels sprouts, peeled and finely shredded (1/2 pound)
a large handful of frozen peas
the juice of 1/2 lemon
50g of butter (1/4 cup)
1 TBS cumin seeds
1 TBS garam masala
1 red chili, deseeded and chopped
1 bunch of coriander, chopped (reserve a few leaves to garnish)
salt

Place the parsnips in a pan of cold water to cover. Add a pinch of turmeric and salt and bring to the boil. cook for 12 minutes. While the parsnips are cooking, blanch the sprouts in another pan of boiling water for about 3 minutes, until tender, adding the peas for the final minute. Drain all the vegetables well. Tip the drained parsnips back into the pan along with the lemon juice and half the butter. Mash roughly. Beat in the cooked sprouts, peas, cumin, garam masala, chili and coriander. Season to taste with some salt.

Heat the remaining butter in a medium sized non-stick skillet. When it begins to sizzle, tip in the parsnip mixture, pressing it down to form a flat cake. Cook, until it is browned underneat. Turn over carefully with a fish slice. (It may break up but that's ok) Continue cooking until crisp on this side as well. Keep flipping and turning until you have a nicely crisped cake. Slice out onto a heated plate. Garnish with the coriander leaves. Cut into wedges to serve.

*Roast Vegetables with Stilton and Chestnuts*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

3 TBS French Walnut oil
4 large parsnips, peeled and quartered lengthwise
4 large red potatoes, peeled and cut lengthwise into 6 wedges
4 large carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise
2 large onions, peeled and cut into wedges
200g pack of peeled and ready to use chestnuts (1 cup)
(roughly chop)
the juice of one lime
sea sald and freshly ground black pepper
200g Creamy Blue Stilton cheese, crumbled (1/4 pound)

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark6. Place 2 TBS of the oil in a large roasting tin and heat in the oven for 5 minutes. Toss iin the prepared vegetables, giving them a stir to coat with the oil. Roast for one hour until tender, turning occasionally.Mix in the chopped chestnuts and cook for a further 10 minutes. Whisk together the lime juice, remaining TBS of oil and a bit of seasoning. Divide the roasted vegetables between 4 heated serving plates. Scatter with the crumbled stilton and drizzle with the lime dressing. Serve immediately.


Leftover mincemeat and cranberries??? Why not a delicious Spicy Cranberry, Mincemeat and Almond Eve's Pudding!



Spicy Cranberry, Mincemeat and Almond Eve's Pudding*
Serves 4 to 6 depending on appetites
Printable Recipe

The perfect way to use up that half eaten jar of mincemeat lanquishing in the back of your refrigerator!

1 large cooking apple, peeled, cored and chopped
2 TBS water
200g of mincemeat (a generous cup)
100g of cranberries, frozen or fresh (1 cup)
100g of butter (7/8 cup)
100g of golden caster sugar (1/2 cup)
2 large eggs, beaten
75g of self raising flour (2/3 cup)
25g of ground almonds (1/3 cup)
a small handful of flaked toasted almonds

Cream to serve

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Have ready a shallow 11 by 7 baking dish. Set aside.

Place the apple in a pot with the water. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a low simmer, cover and cook for about 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the mincemeat and cranberries. Pour into the baking dish, leveling out.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Sift in the flour and stir in along with the almonds. Spread this mixture over top of the fruit in the baking dish. Level off and then sprinkle with the flaked almonds.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the topping is well risen and golden brown, and the fruit is bubbling beneath. Allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes then, serve warm with some pouring cream. Delicious!

Chicken and Stuffing pie with a sauce of creamed peas and carrots, equally as scrummy when made with leftover Turkey!



*Chicken and Stuffing Pie*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

This may not look like much, but this is absolutly delicious!

2 celery ribs, trimmed and chopped
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
2 TBS butter
8 ounces stuffing crumbs, or crushed croutons (2 cups)
1/2 tsp rubbed sage
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp marjoram
pinch ground nutmeg
1 TBS parsley flakes
salt and black pepper to taste
1 large free range egg, beaten
375ml of warm chicken broth (1 1/2 cups)
2 cups of chopped cooked chicken
To serve:
Creamed peas and carrots (optional)

Melt the butter in a frying pan. Add the onion and celery. Saute without colouring until soft, stirring frequently. Set aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter a 9 inch pie dish. Set aside.

Tip the bread crumbs into a bowl along with the sage, thyme, marjoram, nutmeg and parsley flakes. Mix together well. Stir in the broth, beaten egg and sauteed vegetables. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the chicken. Mix well. Spread this mixture into the buttered pie dish.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until set and lightly browned.

Serve cut into wedges along with some creamed peas and carrots spooned over top if desired. A tossed salad goes very well with this.



*Creamed Peas and Carrots*
Serves 4
Printable recipe

Delicous served over crackers, biscuits, toast, fish cakes or my tasty Chicken Stuffing Pie.

2 TBS butter
2 TBS plain flour
1 pint of milk
salt and pepper to taste
cooked peas and carrots to taste
(I like a larger ratio of sauce to veg, but some people like more veg than sauce)

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour. Slowly whisk in the milk. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until thickened. Reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer for about five minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the vegetables and heat through.

Leftover Ham??? How about a delicious Ham and Mac Bake!



*Ham and Mac Bake*
Serves 4 to 6
Printable Recipe

This is a wonderful casserole that is not only very tasty, but also very easy on the budget as well. My children always loved it when they were growing up and it was something different to do with the ham that was leftover from Easter. I often buy a slap of ham at the shops so that I can make this as well.

1/2 pound of macaroni (1 2/3 cups)
1/4 cup butter (2 ounces)
1/4 cup flour (1.5 ounces)
2 TBS Dijon mustard
salt to taste
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cups milk (5ooml)
2 TBS soft light brown sugar, packed
2 cups cubed, fully cooked ham (about half a pound)
2 medium eating apples, peeled and thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
1 cup soft bread crumbs (about 1 1/4 slices)
2 TBS butter melted

Cook the macaroni in lightly salted boiling water until done, according to the packet directions. Drain well, rinse with cold water and drain again. Set aside until needed.

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ Gas mark 4. Melt the 1/4 cup of butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring, for one minute over low heat. Blend in the mustard, salt, pepper and sugar. In the meantime bring the milk just to the boil. (Just until bubbles appear around the edges) Slowly whisk the heated milk into the flour mixture, cooking and stirring it until thickened, smooth and bubbly. Stir in the cooked macaroni, ham and apple slices. Turn into a greased 2 litre casserole dish.

Toss the bread crumbs with the 2 TBS butter and sprinkle evenly over top of the casserole. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned on top.

Deliciously different Barbequed Turkey Pizza, with a tangy barbeque cranberry sauced base!



*Barbequed Turkey Pizza*
Makes 1 (12 inch) pizza
Printable Recipe

A delicious pizza that is perfect for using up some more of that leftover Christmas Turkey!


For the dough:
250ml warm water ( 1 cup)
2 TBS olive oil
1 TBS sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp active dry yeast
13 ounced white bread flour ( 3 cups)

For the caramelized onions:
2 red onions, peeled and thinly sliced
a glug of olive oil
seasalt and freshly ground black pepper
1 TBS balsamic vinegar

For the sauce:
4 fluid ounces of barbeque sauce
a dessertspoon of whole berry cranberry sauce

To Top:
8 ounces cubed cooked turkey breast (1/2 pound)
8 ounces mixed grated cheeses (mozzarella, gouda and cheddar)
2 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese



Put the dough ingredients into your automatic breadmaker according to the directions for your particular breadmaker, following the dough cycle. In the meantime heat a bit of oil in a frying pan. Add the onions. Cook and stir over medium heat until they begin to wilt. Add some seasoning and the balsamic vinegar. Turn the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally until golden and caramelized. Set aside to cool.

Once the dough cycle has completed on your machine, remove the dogh and punch down. Let rest for 10 minutes. Roll the dough out to fit into your pizza pan leaving a bit of an overhang. Butter the pan with some white vegetable shortening. Sprinkle with some fine polenta or cornmeal if desired. Place the crust in the pan, and fold the edge over to make a lip. Stir together the barbecue sauce and cranberry sauce. Spread over the top of the crust. Top with the caramelized onions and chopped turkey breast. Sprinkle with the cheeses and Parmesan.

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 5. Bake the pizza on the bottom rack of the oven for about 15 minutes, then move it to the top rack and bake for 10 to 15 minutes longer until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. remove from the oven and allow to rest for about 10 minutes before cutting into wedges to serve.

Optional Topping additions:
Slivered green peppers
sweetcorn kernels
sliced mushrooms
chopped roasted green chillies

Leftover Christmas Pudding? How about a Christmas Pudding Trifle!



*Christmas Pudding Trifle*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

A delicious trifle which consists of a lovely rich custard baked over top of some crumbled Christmas pudding until wobbly. Chilled and then covered with amaretti biscuits, brandy cream, flaked almonds and silver balls, this is probably one of the nicest trifles I've ever eaten . . .

300ml of milk (1 1/4 cups)
200ml of double cream (3/4 cup whipping cream)
freshly grated nutmeg
6 large free range egg yolks
70g caster sugar (about 1/3 cup)
Leftover Christmas pudding (It's up to you how much)
12 crisp amaretti biscuits
150ml of double cream (about 2/3 cup), whipped lightly with a dash of brandy
1 TBS Toasted Flaked almonds
Silver balls

Preheat the oven to 110*C/225*F/ gas mark 1/4. Place 6 200ml containers on a baking tray. Crumble some Christmas Pudding into the bottom of each. You can use as much as you want. I crumbled about 1 TBS of the stuff into each container, so that it was about 1/2 inch deep. Set aside.

Heat the milk and double cream together, along with a grating of nutmeg, just to the boil. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until pale. Whisk in the heated milk mixture, whisking constantly. Strain this mixture into the prepared pots, dividing it equally amongst them. Grate a little more nutmeg on top. Bake in the heatred oven for 30 to 40 minutes, just until set. The centre should still have a slight wobble. Remove from the oven. Cool to room temperature and then chill in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.

Just before serving, whip the cream softly along with a dash of brandy, or brandy flavouring. Crumble 2 amaretti biscuits over top of each pudding, then top with some whipped brandy cream. Sprinkle some toasted almonds and silver balls over top of each and serve.

Leftover Roast Beef?? A tasty Cottage Pie with a Potato and Parsnip Mash Topping fits the bill perfectly!



*Cottage Pie with Potato and Parsnip Mash Topping*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

This is a delicious way of using up some of the leftovers from your Sunday Lunch. You can make this with fresh ground beef of course, but we love it made with chopped leftover roast beef. I also like to use any leftover cooked vegetables in the filling as well. Usually it's just peas and carrots, but sometimes there is some swede as well. Just make sure you chop your cooked carrots and or swede into roughly the same size as the peas. French beans chopped are also nice. You can use leftover gravy if you wish, but I normally don't have any leftover so have made my own sauce.

2 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
3 large parsnips, peeled and cut into coins
1 spring of thyme
a knob of butter and a splash of milk
salt and pepper to taste
For the filling:
2 cups chopped leftover cooked roast beef
1 cup leftover cooked vegetables, chopped into small bits
2 medium onion, peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
2 TBS plain flour
4 cups boiling water
3 to 4 beef bouillion cubes
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 heaped dessert spoon of tomato ketchup
1 TBS horseradish sauce
Salt and black pepper to taste



Place the potatoes, parsnips and thyme into a saucepan of slightly salted water. Bring to the boil. Cook until the potatoes are soft, then drain well, discarding the stem from the thyme. Mash well, adding a knob of butter and some milk. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Place the leftover roast and onions in a large skillet, with any beef drippings that you may have. If not you may need to use a bit of oil. Cook and stir until the onions are softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for a further minute or so until fragrant. Sprinkle with the flour and stir it in. Stir in the boiling water until the sauce thickens. Crumble the bouillion cubes in, stirring until they are completely melted. You may need the full 4 depending on how much of a beefy flavour you want. Stir in the worcestershire sauce, ketchup and horseradish sauce. Mix all in well. Season to taste with some salt and pepper. Pour this mixture into a shallow baking dish.

Spoon the parsnip mash over top in a rustic manner.

Bang into a pre-heated 200*C/400*F oven and bake until the filling is bubbling and the mash is beginning to brown. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes or so before serving. Delicious!

I'll be back tomorrow with something new. In the meantime Happy Holidays!



In The Cottage today a delicious Gratin of Root Vegetables with Blue Cheese!

Re-Purposed Biscuit (scone) Breakfast Casserole

I like to think that I can be pretty thrifty. I hate waste and I try to use up every scrap of what I produce or buy foodwise. Did you know that in a recent study it was found that half of the food produced worldwide is wasted???? I know! Amazing to think of, in light of the fact that upwards of 30,000 people in the world die of starvation each day. It's mind boggling, and so very very sad.



I can remember as a child being forced to eat everything on my plate and told that there were children starving in Africa that would love to have what I had to eat. I often felt like telling my mother that if they wanted it, she was quite welcome to package whatever it was up and send it to them . . . in any case, I always ate it, whether I liked it or not. I'd still be sitting at my mother's dining table had I not!



Food is wasted in incredible amounts each day, and whilst there is nothing we can do about a lot of it, we can control how much we waste ourselves in our own homes and families. I just love re-purposing food . . . things like creating tasty casseroles and dishes from leftover meats, cheeses, cakes, cookies, etc.! There is no end to what you can do with them if you just stretch beyond your comfort zone just a teensie bit.



Delicious things like this fabulous breakfast casserole which I cooked today that used up the leftover Black Pepper Biscuits that we had yesterday. You needn't use black pepper biscuits though . . . or scones . . . you can use any you wish, plain, savoury or even sweet. (Although in the sweeter ones I might leave out the mustard and add some chopped fruit and or nuts. In the case of apple or stone fruits, some cheeses actually go very well, especially cheddar.)



It's also a good way of using up those dry ends of cheese in the fridge that would not get used otherwise. Just sayin is all . . .



Yes . . . that is Maple Syrup on mine. Don't judge me. A bit of bacon would have also gone down really well . . . floppy crispy please! (NO, that is not a contradiction in terms, it's how I like my bacon . . . floppy in some parts and crispy in others. ☺)



*Re-purposed Biscuit Breakfast Casserole*
serves 6 - 8, depending on appetites
Printable Recipe

This is one of those delightful breakfast casseroles you put together the night before and bake in the morning. It also works if you make it in the morning and bake it at night for supper. Heck, I've even baked it right away and it's always delicious! Makes great use of those leftover biscuit (scones) you want to get used up!

6 TBS unsalted butter, melted
300g of torn biscuit (scone) pieces (about 3 heaped cups)
9 large free range eggs, beaten
16 ounces grated cheese (strong cheddar, Emmenthal, Gruyere, Blue, or
whatever cheese or combination you like)
1 1/2 to 2 TBS Dijon mustard
(The milder in flavour the cheese you have used, the more mustard you will want)
Dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
750ml of milk (3 cups)
fine seasalt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the biscuit bits in a large bowl. Pour the melted butter over and toss together. Let sit for a few minutes, so that the biscuits absorb the butter. Toss in the cheese. Beat the eggs, milk, mustard and any seasoning you are using together in a large measure. Pour this over top of the biscuit bits and cheese. Give it a good stir and then cover and let sit in the refrigerator overnight (all day or not as required)

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter a 13 by 9 by 2 inch baking dish. Pour the mixture into the baking dish.

Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 30 minutes longer, until the eggs are set and a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean. Serve warm.

Note: you may scale this up or down. For each additional biscuit, add another egg 2 tsp of butter, 1 ounce of cheese, 1/2 tsp of mustard and approximately 80ml (1/3 cup) of milk. You may also add some chopped fresh herbs, up to 2 TBS if you so desire.



Over in The Cottage today you will find some delicious Heavenly Eggs Benedict!