Sauteed Potato Gnocchi with Egg

Oh, I am having such a lazy day today. It's gloomy and dull and I hardly slept a wink at all last night . . . it's a low energy day for me . . . a kind of blah day.



There is no rest for the wicked though . . . because I have had to get things ready for our church ladies group activity tonight (muffins, valentines rice krispie treats and bits and bites) . . . but alas . . . all that work has left me with little or no energy for cooking a big meal. It will be all I can do to just get through the rest of the day.



Spying a package of fresh potato gnocchi in the refrigerator though . . . I wondered if there would be something that I could do with them. I took a boo on Tastespotting at the scrummy food pics on there, but there was nothing that a. struck my fancy b. that I had all the ingredients to make or c. had enough energy to execute.



And then I remembered one of our favourite suppers, Posh Eggs, Chips and Beans!!! I was inspired to use the gnocchi just like potatoes. In fact this was even easier than using potatoes, and a lot quicker too . . .



And so so so tasty! Puffy little potato gnocchi, gilded until golden brown in a mixture of olive oil and butter infused with sage and garlic . . . two fresh organic free range eggs broken over top and fried until the edges of the eggs are crisp, the golden yolks still runny and just waiting for your fork to dip one of those little gilded gnocchi in . . .



I have little or no resistance when I am very tired. I could just as easily be chowing down on chocolates and potato chips . . . I figure this is the lesser of most evils! a light dusting of freshly grated Parmesan completely the picture quite nicely, thanks . . .



Todd didn't complain about it being pasta either . . . I told him they were potato dumplings, which . . . they kinda are, right? In any case he loved them!



*Sauteed Potato Gnocchi with Egg*
Serves 2
Printable Recipe

This makes a hearty, quick and simple supper for two. A variation on my regular posh egg and chips recipe.

500g of refrigerated potato Gnocchi (a generous 1 pound)
2 TBS good quality olive oil
1 TBS butter
2 fat cloves of garlic, peeled and bruised and left whole
3 springs of fresh sage
2 large free range eggs, at room temperature preferably
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Finely grated Parmesan Cheese (grate it yourself, preferably)



Put a pot of lightly salted water on to boil. Place the olive oil and butter in a large nonstick skillet along with the garlic and sage. Heat gently while you cook the gnocchi.

Cook the Gnocchi according to the package directions. Once they are done and float to the surface, scoop out with a slotted spoon and drop into the infused and heated oil/butter mixture. Turn the heat up and cook, stirring occasionally until they begin to turn golden brown and the sage leaves crisp up. If the garlic looks like it is going to burn, lift it out and place on top of some of the gnocchi. Make two hollows in the bed of gnocchi and drop an egg into each.

Cover with a lid and cook over medium low heat, just until the whites are set. Season to taste with some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve at once, divided in half and placed onto heated plates. Sprinkle some cheese on each serving. The gnocchi is delicious dipped into the egg yolks.



Over in The Cottage today, Fish Stick Taco Dogs.

Sticky Lemon Chicken for 2

Because there are only two of us in our house, I have a tendancy to cook smaller amounts a lot of the time. It just makes sense and there's no waste. I have found that most recipes can quite successfully be cut in half.



But then again . . . other recipes that are meant for two can quite successfully be doubled to feed more people as well.



This delicious chicken recipe is just such a recipe. Easy to make for two, or ten! It always turns out moist and scrummy!



Most people overcook their chicken. Dried out chicken breasts are not very tasty at all. If you follow the directions exactly for this recipe you will be rewarded with deliciously moist chicken . . . with a sticky sweet and tangy coating.



The flavours are very Greek I think . . . honey, lemon, oregano, garlic. All you need to complete the meal would be some steamed new potatoes, or rice and a tasty tossed salad on the side.



Your hubby will love this. I guarantee! It's quick, easy . . . and quite, quite tasty if I don't say so myself!



*Sticky Lemon Chicken for 2*
Serves 2

This is deliciously moist with a tangy sweet flavour that is quite scrummy indeed. You can double the ingredients if need be, but keep the cooking time the same.

2 part boned Chicken breasts
(Free range with the skin on)
the finely grated zest of one unwaxed lemon
the juice of one lemon
1 dessertspoon of runny honey
(for a deliciously different flavour try using Greek Honey)
1 TBS light olive oil
1 fat clove of garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
(I like to use Bart freeze dried)
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Line a baking tray with some foil. Set aside.

Whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, honey, and garlic. Place the chicken breasts on the baking tray, skin side up. Sprinkle with some salt and pepper. Pour the lemon juice over all. Sprinkle with the oregano.

Bake in the heated oven for30 minutes, basting with the pan juices every 10 minutes, or until cooked through. The juices should gradually thicken and give the chicken a delicious sticky coating at the end. Allow to stand for 5 minutes to rest before serving. Just wonderful!

NOTICE - The other day I inadvertantly left out 1/4 tsp of baking powder in my 2 Minute Chocolate Chip Cake recipe. Please make sure to add it to your recipe if you have already printed it out. I have amended the recipe now and am sorry if I caused any of you any problems!! Oh, and the two ladies who wanted to know if they could bake it in a regular oven, I can't see why you couldn't. Just bake it for about 10 to 15 minutes until well risen and nicely browned. Or else you can just make my regular Chocolate Chip Cake recipe, which you can find here. I promise you it's also, very, very good, although it will take a bit longer than two minutes before you can indulge in the feasting.




Over in The Cottage today, a very delicious casserole of Cheesy Sweet Potato and Cauliflower.

Parmesan Chicken Breasts with Crispy Proscuitto

I am always up for chicken. Its not something I ever get tired of. I could eat it every night of the week. I'm not fussy about which part I eat either . . . I love the thighs, I love the breasts, I love the wings. I adore roasted chicken, fried, baked, simmered . . . I just love chicken in any way shape or form!



I was really excited when I found a video on YouTube of Jamie Oliver making some really simple, and tasty Parmesan Chicken Breasts with Crispy Posh Ham! It looked quick, easy and so delicious! I'm always looking for different ways to cook chicken breasts. They are like a blank canvas that takes to all sorts of flavours and textures.



Of course that is one of Jamie's talents isn't it??? He makes cooking look fun and easy, and delicious as well! He's done a lot to inspire young people to want to cook and to eat better!



I made this for our supper last night and it was fabulous! This would work very well served up with some mash and a vegetable, or even alone with a tossed salad. It was moist and delicious and had a wonderful crust of cripsy ham. Oh so yummy!!



If you'd like to see Jamie make it, just watch the video below. I guarantee if you like chicken, you'll be wanting to make this before the week is out!



*Parmesan Chicken Breasts with Crispy Prosciutto*
Serves 2
Printable Recipe

Moist and tender chicken underneath a crust of crisp Prosciutto ham and meltingly tasty Parmesan cheese. What's not to like?

30g of freshly grated Parmesan Cheese (about 1/3 cup)
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 skinless boneless free range chicken breasts
freshly ground black pepper
1 free range lemon
6 slices of prosciutto
olive oil
good quality balsamic vinegar

Place your chicken breasts between some sling film and bash them out with a rolling pin so that they are an equal width throughout. Sprinkle each with some freshly ground black pepper and a little freshly grated lemon zest. sprinkle the leaves of one sprig of thyme over each. Cover with the Parmesan cheese, dividing it equally amongst the chicken breasts. Lay 3 slices of prosciutto over each breast, overlapping them slightly and covering the cheese. Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with the remaining thyme leaves.

Put a non stick frying pan over medium heat. Carefully transfer the chicken breasts to the pan, prosciutto side down. Cook for 3 minutes on each side, turning halfway through the cooking time until the ham is crispy and the chicken is cooked through.

If desired drizzle with a bit of balsamic vinegar and some olive oil to serve.

Fruity Chicken Curry

There are some things in life that you just can't live without. Thinks like hugs and love . . . chocolate and cherries . . . puppy snuffles, good chips, bacon, and . . . ok, I'll admit it . . . curry!!



I had only ever had curry once before I moved over here in 2000. An acquaintance of mine in Suffield, Alberta, who also happened to be a Brit, had us over for a party one time and she made a killer curry! Wowser! It was fantastic. Spicy and delicious and quite unlike anything I had ever tasted. Her name was (K)Cathy Giles, and I have been looking for her since I moved over here to no avail. She was a Mancurian or maybe even a Liverpudlian. I only know she was from the North West and her hubby was named Mick . . . she had two sons and a daughter, Louise, and she made a mean curry!!



I have come to really love curry since moving here and have also come to realize there are many different kinds. I do love a good Indian, but last summer I was introduced to Thai Curries and I adore them too!



I was craving a curry today, and remembered a rather tasty one I had seen on Kevin's page, Closet Cooking. It was fruity and looked spectacularly delicious, with distinct Thai Flavours. It was also quick and easy and I am rather lazy at times, you know . . .



I was sadly lacking in a few ingredients though, the main one being fresh apricots. Ok, the only one being fresh apricots. I do, however, always have several tins of them in the larder. They come in really handy to make cakes and crumbles and all sorts!



It would seem they also come in very handy when making this delicious curry because . . . we quite, quite liked it! I have adapted his recipe a bit to my own tastes and methods, and this is what you see here, but by all means hop on over and see his original recipe. You won't regret it as he has a fabulous cooking blog and always cooks the most interesting foods!

If you don't want a lot of faff (ie. Peeling and stoning of fresh apricots) then . . . just cook my adaption. Either way I'm sure you will agree, this is one mighty tasty curry. (You can adjust the heat by upping or downing the amount of curry paste. Just sayin is all . . . ) You won't need any salt either, as fish sauce is quite salty.




*Fruity Chicken Curry*
Serves 2
Printable Recipe

Loosely based on a Thai Curry, this is quick, easy and quite delicious! (Plus it uses stuff that I always have around!)

1 410g tin of apricot halves in juice, well drained
1 heaped dessertspoon of apricot preserves
2 TBS Thai Fish Sauce
the juice and zest of half a lime
1 TBS oil
2 to 3 TBS of red Thai curry paste (I used Blue Dragon)
3 large free range boneless, skinless chicken fillets, chopped into bite sized pieces
small handful of fresh coriander, finely chopped (Cilantro)
1 small red chili, thinly sliced

Place 8 apricot halves in a blender along with the apricot preserves, fish sauce and lime zest and juice. Blitz to puree. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a deep skillet. Add 1 TBS of the curry paste and heat and then throw in the chicken pieces. Cook and stir until no longer pink. Pour in the mixture from the blender. Allow to simmer on a slow bubble for about 10 minutes, stir in the remainder of the apricot halves, cut into 1/2 inch chunks, the coriander and the rest of the curry paste to taste. (I like it a bit zippy, so use about another 1 1/2 TBS, but you do it according to your own tastes.)

Serve spooned over top of some warm basamati rice and garnish with some thinly sliced red chili. Delish!



By the way I can't really use chopsticks. I've never been able to get the knack of them . . . I use the jab and stab method. Works for me! ( I know . . . I'm such a neandrathal!)