Home Made Chicken Nuggets - Oliver's Favourite !

Some of you may know that I originally started this blog as an online diary / photo album for far away friends and family. For this reason, I make absolutely no apologies for the fact that many of the posts are full of stories and photos of my little boy Oliver - he's basically what started it all.

The last two years, my mum has made us a hard back recipe book of this blog. It's fantastic as it's an album of family recipes and memories. I've got it on ebook version on my iphone and ipad too !

Anyway ....

My dear little Oliver. This recipe is just for you. My gran (Nanny Johnsons mummy) used to make the most wonderful fish and chips. As children, Uncle Simon and I used to get so excited when she made her battered fish for us as a treat.

This is the basic batter recipe I make for your favourite homemade chicken nuggets. Despite not even being quite 4 yo, you helped chop up those potatoes with a great big knife for the wedges. Mummy had to watch your didn't chop off her fingers !

Funnily enough, one of tonight's chicken nuggets looked very much like a tiny oven-ready chicken !

There isn't much too this recipe and no weights etc. I just make it up in volume to suit what I need. You could use this batter for fish too. You are growing up so fast already ! One day you'll be a big boy and off to college / uni or having left home and want to make these yourself.....

About a cup of plain flour

some very cold, sparkling water

pinch of Maldon sea salt
1/4 tsp or so of tumeric

a pinch of garlic granules

Sometimes I add a few chopped fresh herbs. I also add a good sprinkling of cayenne pepper or chilli powder to the batter for daddy and I after I've made yours. The tumeric isn't spicy - 

Add some of the cold, sparking water to the flour and whisk until there are no lumps. It wants to be a little more liquid than a dropping consistency cake mix.

Slice your chicken breasts - each into about 8 pieces. Dip in the batter and then fry in hot sunflower oil for about 5 mins until golden and crispy. If you have a digital thermometer, I normally make sure the oil is about 135 deg C + before I drop them in.

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For the wedges, simply chop the unpeeled potatoes into wedges and pop into a self seal / ziploc type bag. Add some seasoning (cajun spices, garlic granules etc are good too) and a drizzle of olive oil. Close the bag and give it a good shake. Tip on to a baking tray - and bake at about 210deg C until golden and crispy - about 25 mins.

All my love, Mummy xx

Nacho Baked Chicken Breast and Salsa Salad

It's not often I blog about normal meals - generally just about baking ! 

However, this looked so bright and summery I thought I would share it - even if the photo wasn't so good.

I was rather bored with chicken and decided to oomph it up a bit for an evening meal.

Ingredients

chicken breast fillets

chorizo

cheese

Tortilla chips (I used Cheesy Doritios)

egg

for the salsa salad

cherry tomatoes 

a red onion

a green bell pepper

some salt

chilli oil

a lime

First of all , put the cheese and chorizo on top of the chicken breasts. Add some jalapenos if you like.

Smash up (in a plastic bag) 1 good big handfull of tortilla chips per person

Dip the bottom of the chicken breast in some beaten egg and then onto the bashed up tortillas. Brush some beaten egg over the top and cover with more bashed up tortilla chips.

Put on a baking tray and bake at about 180deg C fan oven for 25 mins.

Serve with a salsa salad of green bell pepper, red onion and cherry tomatoes dressed with chilli oil and lime on the side. 

Easy Peasy !

Garlic Parmesan Chicken and Home Grown Veg

I've cropped the first of the vegetables from my veg plot yesterday. It's late this year.....

I was late planting and have done little watering to anything other than the courgettes and beans. It's been so dry and arrid a few potato plants have died. I wasn't expecting any potatoes as they haven't been watered at all - but was pleasantly surprised by a nice haul of little Charlotte potatoes from a withered and dead plant !

These are round yellow zucchini / courgettes. Since then, another 2 were ready tonight. They are very prolific once they get going !

Slice into rounds and put in a roasting dish. Drizzle with olive oil and some fresh herbs (oregano here) and season. 15 minutes in the oven at 180deg C and they're done lovely. I cooked the onion the same way and remaining fennel from the night before.

For the garlic chicken, insert a shap knife lengthways into the chicken breast fillet to make a pocket. Put a good teaspoon of butter inside with some fresh garlic and any other finely minced herbs. Bake in 180degC oven for 20mins.... then scatter over some parmesan and cook for another 10mins

There was plenty of veg without potatoes..... but since they were the first of th year we had some new potatoes with mint too !