roast beef and gravy (3 peppercorn)

I follow the directions on the roast re: weight, temperature and time needed to cook.  This was medium/well  in the middle.

It was a small roast that fit in my medium size corning dish.  I added a little water before roasting in my toaster oven. I did a dry rub of  Hy's seasoning salt (British Columbia, Canada)  I used the pan drippings and additional water, whisking in a package of peppercorn sauce dry mix.  Bring sauce to a boil for maximum thickness.

Thinly sliced beef with a drizzle of the peppercorn gravy/sauce.

Jane Hornby.com - What to bake and how to bake it + 3 more titles

I was introduced to these cookbooks yesterday (and sampled a blueberry muffin)

What to bake and how to bake it

What to cook and how to cook it

What to cook and how to cook it fresh and easy

Morning coffee and afternoon tea

Costco roast chicken and 3 bean mango salad

Much cheaper than a restaurant (avoid paying a tip).

Eat the chicken while it is hot OR separate it into pieces so it can cool quickly in the fridge (food safety).

I like to put the dressing on a few hours before I eat it - better flavour.

Potato salad - Hellman's has a good recipe on line

Place potatoes in cold water, boil.  After 5 minutes leave them to sit in the boiling water until fork tender.  The skins stay on the potato. You can slip them off if you like.

Cube the potatoes and place in bowl.

Mince, onions, chives or green onions.  Dice celery if you like. I used radishes for crunch and colour.

For the sauce, I mix mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar plus fresh ground pepper.

Stir sauce into salad.  Refrigerate or eat immediately.  You can add chopped hard boil egg.

Chicken cordon blue: home made bread crumbs (seasoned with rosemary and thyme)

Get ingredients together.

Butterfly chicken by slicing in 1/2 lengthwise, not through

I put plastic below and over the chicken and hammer it with the rolling pin to flatten it.

Apopular Chef suggests smacking the chicken with a fry pan.  If you use the method make certain the handle is riveted on.  I broke the handle off a fry pan! 

Stuff the flattened chicken with sliced ham and swiss cheese.

Fold the chicken around the filling.  I rubbed the out side with water to make the crumbs stick.  Egg wash  works well.

I added rosemary and thyme to the bread crumbs.  You can buy panko crumbs or  breadcrumbs..

Chicken on the broiling pan of a counter top oven.

Finished cooking 25 mins at 350.  Finished when juices run clear....remember there is pink ham inside.  You are looking for the chicken part to be white.

Slice in 1/2 diagonally  to make certain chicken is cooked.  Stack on piece on top of the other...use hollandaise sauce if desired.

oil, fat, butter, margarine - the debate

All oils, solids, mayonnaise, peanut butter has 100 kcal in 15 mL (1 Tablespoon) unless low fat.  The decision is personal.  Butter and margarine will burn in a hot pan.  If you like the butter flavour mix it with oil (when melting).

Potatoes - boiled then fried

Potatoes grow under the ground.  Put them in cold water, then boil.

Bring to a heavy boil.  I boiled them for 5 minutes, turned off the heat and let them sit for 20 minutes.

Potatoes sat in the hot water until tender.  I find the skins do not burst if I use this method. I took them all out (so some would cool) the sliced them.

Using all butter would cause the potato slices to burn black.  Oil to use is a matter  of taste.

I added olive oil then a small amount of butter (oil protects butter from burning).  Butter adds flavour.  Non stick pans will develop a coating from using oils.  I keep my crepe pan and small fry pan oil free.

Fry potatoes and flip them to brown evenly.  Mine were greasy so I put them on paper towel, blotted them, then served.

Chocolate balsamic + fresh fruit

Purchased the balsamic at Christmas at Hycroft Manor  (Vancouver, BC)

Yonanas frozen fruit dessert

A $50 machine that takes bananas and any fruit combo you like (see recipe booklet) and gives you a smooth, creamy dessert.  Follow defrost times exactly, especially in this heat!

Strawberry banana......

Fresh green beans - barely boiled

Start with boiling water for any vegetable grown above the ground.

Trim the green beans ends, add to boiling water.

Remember, lid off for the best green colour.  I like my vegetables crisp, not soft.  You can drain the water and add the beans back to the pan and lightly fry in a small amount of butter, season with lemon pepper.

Filo Chicken (phyllo) stuffed with spinach, cheese, onion

Pick up the dough in the freezer section, by pastry shells.  About $4 but it goes a long way.  Once defrosted (in the fridge) you can slice into smaller strips, rewrap and freeze in a ziploc bag or anything that blocks out air. There are recipes inside the box as well as on line.  Greek pastry.

Get all of your ingredients ready.  Once the filo is out you have to work fast so it does not dry out and flake everywhere.

I use baking spray instead of melting butter and brushing it.  Flavour is added with butter, but so are calories and a mess to clean up.  Put the pastry on parchment paper, spray, roll, wrap, spray.

Any combination you desire.  This is butterflied chicken breast (earlier post), fresh spinach, balderson cheese and red onion.  I have also used pesto and asiago cheese.  

Roll chicken in one direction, spray and roll in other direction to enclose the entire package. Spray the completer wrap.  The colour is poor without the spray.

In this heat I use the toaster oven, or the barbecue.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  

Finished - ones on the right were sprayed, the left were not.

Cut in 1/2 to see if they are cooked.  Works well for plating one piece on top of the other, on an angle.  Hollandaise sauce can be served on the side or overtop.

Breadcrumbs - from left over bread

Leave bread out for a day to air dry.  It is ready when it is crunchy.  You can cut cubes before drying.

I tried to roll the bread but it took forever and was not fine enough to bread chicken.

I do not own a food processor so used my blender on the pulse setting

Fine crumbs, no lumps.

Crumbs can be seasoned; I used rosemary and thyme for chicken

I froze left over crumbs without seasoning.  I can use them in meatballs, for coating or on top of a casserole.

Take the blender apart completely.  I store the blade and ring in the glass container, leaving the base off to make sure everything is dry.  IF you have not done this, take the blade off and see what is growing in there!