I decided to cook myself some chicken for my supper today. I didn't want anything complicated and so I went to one of my favorite cookbooks for inspiration. Apples for Jam, a cookbook by Tessa Kiros. It is quite simply my favorite cookbook and one which I chose to bring back from the U.K. with me.
I wasn't able to bring many and the fact that I chose this as one of them is a high accolade indeed. It is filled with simple recipes that are very easy to adapt to what you have on hand, using simple ingredients. There is nothing outrageously fancy in the book and yet everything that I have ever cooked ends up tasting magnificent. Proof positive that it is the simple things in life which bring us the most pleasure.
There are really only three ingredients in this recipe. Chicken breast, milk and cheese. The chicken is sliced in half and seasoned, dusted in flour and simply browned. Some cheese is melted over top and it cooks until tender and juicy for a short time in some milk.
See, simple.
I took the opportunity to sauté some sage leaves in the butter before sautéing the chicken. Sage, chicken and cheese are a beautiful combination. It was a good call on my part. I was then able to use the crisp fried sage leaves as a simple yet effective garnish.
This only tasted expensive, but in reality it is a great protein stretcher. I have given quantities for two servings, but everything can very easily be doubled to serve four.
One chicken breast, two slices of cheese, some milk and seasoning, a simple yet very satisfying and delicious dish for two. I call that a win!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CHICKEN SAUTEED WITH CHEESE & MILK
Just a few really simple ingredients. The only thing which might be out of the ordinary is the sage, which is entirely optional. Quick, easy and delicious. This is quite simply fabulous.
- 1/2 TBS each butter and light olive oil
- 1 boneless skinless chicken breast
- 2 fresh sage leaves (optional)
- 1 TBS all purpose plain flour
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 slices provolone cheese
- 1 TBS grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup (60ml) milk
I use salted butter and light olive oil. Light olive oil has all the benefits of extra virgin olive oil, but it from a later pressing, which means it is not as concentrated in flavor, but still has a high smoke temperature and is excellent for use in cooking.
My chicken breast was about the size of my hand. So about a medium to large breast, weighing maybe 5 to 6 ounces. Cut into two fillets, they were the perfect size.
I just happened to have some fresh sage in the house and thought that it would flavor the fat for cooking nicely and crisped up they would make a great garnish to what is basically a very simple looking dish. Crisp fried herbs are lovely.
I used Provolone cheese. The original recipe asked for Fontina, which I could not find. Its okay to use ready grated Parmesan for this. I used regular full fat whole milk. I buy the ultra filtered lactose free milk. It works beautifully in cooking and seems to last a lot longer in the refrigerator than the regular stuff, a plus when you are a person who lives on their own.
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN SAUTEED WITH CHEESE AND MILK
You will be surprised at just how quickly this goes together. I would make sure that my sides were already prepped before beginning to cook this tasty chicken dish.
Take your chicken breast and cut it horizontally into two thinner fillets. Pound lightly between a piece of plastic wrap to the same thickness. Dust with salt and black pepper.
Dust the chicken filets with the flour, shaking off any excess and set aside for a minute.
Put the light olive oil into a medium sized, heavy bottomed non-stick skillet, along with the butter. Heat over medium heat.
As soon as the butter starts to foam, add the sage leaves. Cook until crisp, flipping once. Remove to drain on a piece of paper kitchen toweling and keep warm. (If you are not using sage leaves, proceed to the next step.)
Add the floured chicken fillets to the pan, presentation side up. Cook until brown on the underside. Flip over and cook until golden brown on the other side. Flip one more time so that the presentation side is up. (7 to 8 minutes altogether.)
Add the milk to the skillet and place a slice of cheese on top of each browned piece of chicken. Divide the Parmesan cheese between the two. Cover the skillet with a lid.
Leave to cook for several minutes until the chicken has just cooked through and the cheese has melted nicely. (about 2 minutes.
Serve hot, garnished with a fried sage leaf.
These were tender and juicy and filled with flavor. The cheese went very well. The chicken was soft and unctuously delicious and perfectly cooked. The sage flavored the butter/oil mixture which was a nice touch and made for a lovely garnish on the finished dish.
I enjoyed one piece of the chicken along with some steamed yellow beans and some garlic and butter rice from a pouch of Ben's rice. This was a simple, yet fabulous dinner.
Got more chicken? Looking for more interesting and delicious ways to cook it? Might I suggest the following tasty options!
CRISPY CHICKEN BREASTS WITH A HONEY GARLIC SAUCE - Pounded chicken breasts, double dipped in a spiced flour and egg and then pan fried to juicy perfection. A delicious homemade honey and garlic sauce is drizzled over top just prior to serving. Fabulously tasty!
PAN ROASTED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH THYME - Skin on, boneless chicken breasts are dusted with some seasoning and then browned skin side down in oil. They are then flipped and a knob of butter is added along with some sprigs of thyme. Baste and the pop into a hot oven to finish off. Tender and juicy with a beautifully crisp skin and some tasty pan juices to spoon over top.
Yield: 2 servings
Chicken Sauteed with Cheese & Milk
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 20 Min
Not sure how this works but the chicken always turns out to be juicy and tender. Its a simple dish with a great economy. Quick, easy and delicious.
Ingredients
- 1/2 TBS each butter and light olive oil
- 1 boneless skinless chicken breast
- 2 fresh sage leaves (optional)
- 1 TBS all purpose plain flour
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 slices provolone cheese
- 1 TBS grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup (60ml) milk
Instructions
- Take your chicken breast and cut it horizontally into two thinner fillets. Pound lightly between a piece of plastic wrap until roughly the same thickness. Dust with salt and black pepper.
- Dust the chicken filets with the flour, shaking off any excess and set aside for a minute.
- Put the light olive oil into a medium sized, heavy bottomed non-stick skillet, along with the butter. Heat over medium heat.
- As soon as the butter starts to foam, add the sage leaves. Cook until crisp, flipping once. Remove to drain on a piece of paper kitchen toweling and keep warm. (If you are not using sage leaves, proceed to the next step.)
- Add the floured chicken fillets to the pan, presentation side up. Cook until brown on the underside. Flip over and cook until golden brown on the other side. Flip one more time so that the presentation side is up. (7 to 8 minutes altogether.)
- Add the milk to the skillet and place a slice of cheese on top of each browned piece of chicken. Divide the Parmesan cheese between the two. Cover the skillet with a lid.
- Leave to cook for several minutes until the chicken has just cooked through and the cheese has melted nicely. (about 2 minutes.
- Serve hot, garnished with a fried sage leaf.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
Thanks for visiting! Do come again!!
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Also, if you have not checked out my YouTube Channel yet, do give it a gander. I would really appreciate it, and if you want to subscribe that would be even more appreciated! Thank you so much! It is not really fancy like some people's channels. I am very much learning as I go along, but what you get is authentic at least! There is nothing fake there! No filters, bells or whistles. Filmed in real time and unedited.
I picked up some nice smallish all butter croissants in the grocery store the other day and thought that they would make great slider/hot sandwiches. These were just the right size to serve as hearty appetizers at a get-together or for game nights. Football season is just around the corner!
I decided to make a riff on my Heavenly Ham & Cheese Hots sandwiches. They were a delicious hot sandwich/slider recipe that I had in m Big Blue Binder. I believe I copied the original recipe from one of those "The Best of Bridge" cookbooks many years ago.
Those were the best cookbooks. They were filled with loads of simple, really delicious and approachable recipes compiled by bridge playing groups across Canada.
I used to have several of them, but I left them in the U.K. and have never replaced them. Not yet anyways. I used to take cookbooks out of the library when I was a young bride and hand copy recipes from them on looseleaf paper to put into my Big Blue Binder. This binder is full of lots of gems when it comes to recipes. All of my tried and trues.
Recipes shared with me from family members, friends, magazine clippings, copied from cookbooks, etc. Back in the day before computers put these things at our fingertips. I started collecting recipes in it when I was a teenager and it has traveled back and forth across Canada with me and across the pond and back from the U.K. There was no way I was leaving this treasure behind when I had to come back to Canada!
In any case these delicious mini-sandwiches are a riff on the original and very delicious. I hope you will be inspired to give them a go!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE BUTTERY CROISSANT HAM & CHEESE HOTS
Just a few simple ingredients. If you use the best you can get of every simple ingredient, you can be sure that your sandwiches will be amazing!
For the butter sauce:
- 1/3 cup (80g) butter, melted
- 1/2 TBS Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp soft light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 tsp onion powder, not salt
- 1/2 TBS poppy seeds
For the sandwiches:
- six very small croissants (no more than 3 inches in size)
- 2 TBS full fat mayonnaise
- 2 TBS ranch dressing
- 6 slices of good quality deli-ham
- 3 slices of Swiss cheese, cut in half
My croissants were very tiny all butter croissants that I got in the bakery section of the grocery store. There were 10 in the box. They were very tiny, no more than 2 1/2 to 3 inches in side. They were perfect for this.
I use salted butter. That is all I keep in my house. It works fine. I find that the butter available today is not as salty as it used to be and you can use it for just about anything. If I think it will be a problem, I just cut back on any salt in the recipe.
Don't leave out the brown sugar. It is an integral part of the glaze for these tasty sandwiches.
I used Grandpa Sikorski's deli ham. It is an excellent ham and worked beautifully in this. I used a low fat Swiss cheese because that is all I could get at the store. It worked out fine.
You don't have to use Swiss cheese if you don't want to. You could also use a cheddar, or any good melting cheese actually. I like Swiss for its sweet and nutty flavor notes.
HOW TO MAKE BUTTERY CROISSANT HAM & CHEESE HOTS
These are very simple to make and are delicious. Great for entertaining. You can easily double or triple the recipe.
Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a small baking dish large enough to hold all of the croissants in one layer. (Mine was 7 by 11 inches.)
Whisk together all of the topping ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Whisk together the mayonnaise and ranch dressing to combine in another small bowl.
Cut the croissants in half through the middle. Spread the bottom halves with the mayonnaise mixture and place cut side up in the baking dish.
Top each croissant half with a slice of ham, folded and pleated to fit. Place a half slice of cheese over top of the ham, and then the tops of the croissants over top of the cheese, cut sides down.
Brush the tops and sides of each croissant with the butter mixture, using it all up. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5 to 10 minutes longer, until golden brown and the cheese has melted.
Serve hot.
These were the perfect little bites. No more than two or three bites per sandwich. Not much bigger than a Hawaiian roll. One would make a great appetizer. Two would make a fabulous lunch or light supper.
I enjoyed two of them as a lunch with a few cheeky potato chips on the side. But if you were serving them as a meal some air fryer chips would be really nice on the side, and/or a salad or some coleslaw!
If you are a fan of the hot sandwich, you will probably also really enjoy the following taste tempters!
FRIED EGG AND CHEESE TOASTIES - A hot mess of a sandwich that is deliciously edible with a fried egg, some cheese and toasted bread. Served up with some hash brown waffles. Not very pretty and a bit messy to eat, but boy oh boy does it ever taste good!
CROISSANT REUBEN SANDWICH - This juicy homemade Reuben Sandwich recipe, using flaky and buttery fresh all-butter croissants is a real winner! Not traditional, but incredibly tasty! I also added a tasty homemade Thousand Island Dressing. This delicious sandwich was everything a good Reuben sandwich should be!
Yield: 6 small sandwiches
Buttery Croissant Ham & Cheese Hots
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 40 Min
This is a small batch version of an old favorite, using small croissants instead of slider buns. You can serve this as either an appetizer for six, or for a tailgate party, or as a main dish for three. They are delicious any which way you choose.
Ingredients
For the butter sauce:
- 1/3 cup (80g) butter, melted
- 1/2 TBS Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp soft light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 tsp onion powder, not salt
- 1/2 TBS poppy seeds
For the sandwiches:
- six very small croissants (no more than 3 inches in size)
- 2 TBS full fat mayonnaise
- 2 TBS ranch dressing
- 6 slices of good quality deli-ham
- 3 slices of Swiss cheese, cut in half
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a small baking dish large enough to hold all of the croissants in one layer. (Mine was 7 by 11 inches.)
- Whisk together all of the topping ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Whisk together the mayonnaise and ranch dressing to combine in another small bowl.
- Cut the croissants in half through the middle. Spread the bottom halves with the mayonnaise mixture and place cut side up in the baking dish.
- Top each croissant half with a slice of ham, folded and pleated to fit. Place a half slice of cheese over top of the ham, and then the tops of the croissants over top of the cheese, cut sides down.
- Brush the tops and sides of each croissant with the butter mixture, using it all up. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5 to 10 minutes longer, until golden brown and the cheese has melted.
- Serve hot.
Thanks for visiting! Do come again!!
If you like what you see here, why not consider signing up for my newsletter and/or subscribing/following me on Grow. You can also bookmark my recipes via the Grow platform. Check out the heart on the right hand side of the screen.
Also, if you have not checked out my YouTube Channel yet, do give it a gander. I would really appreciate it, and if you want to subscribe that would be even more appreciated! Thank you so much! It is not really fancy like some people's channels. I am very much learning as I go along, but what you get is authentic at least! There is nothing fake there! No filters, bells or whistles. Filmed in real time and unedited!
I was cleaning my freezer one day a number of weeks back. I like to do it about every six months or so. It helps me to keep an eye on what is stored in there and to remind me of things I may have forgotten and gives me a chance to use them up before their best by date.
I hate waste and it is easy to lose sight of just what is in the deep freeze, so cleaning it every six months is my trick to keeping on top of it all.
When I was cleaning it that day I noticed a small bone in Prime Rib roast that I had picked up at the grocery store for 50% off one day as it was on it's sell by date several months back.
It was just a small one, perfectly sized for two people. Although I had double bagged it in zip lock bags, I felt that I should take it out and cook it before it was too late. It was just the right size for me to enjoy on the day and then to enjoy in sandwiches and hash for two days afterwards. For me, it was a delicious economy.
That is the thing about things like roasts and whole chickens. You might initially see the as being expensive and they are, but the more meals you can get out of one the more you will bring down the cost of buying one. So whilst this had initially cost me $15 (half of $30) I got three meals from it so it was worth the cost.
When you look at it that way it is not so bad. In any case although it was not a really special occasion or anything, I did really enjoy this rare treat. I figure I am worth it.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE EASY PRIME RIB FOR TWO
This is a very delicious cut of beef. Tender and juicy. It doesn't require anything too complicated to ensure that it turns out perfect.
- 2.5 lb. (1 kg) prime rib standing roast
- 2 TBS coarse sea salt
- 1 TBS cracked black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 TBS light olive oil
For me a Prime Rib cut of beef is the most delicious cut of beef that you can buy. They are very pricy but there is a reason for that. Cooked properly it melts in the mouth.
Choose a piece of beef that has a nice cap of fat on the top and which is generously marbled without a lot of visible sinew. The fat will melt as the beef cooks basting the meat with plenty of flavor.
I like to use plenty of coarse sea salt and coarse black pepper when prepping my roast for the oven. Make sure you take your roast out well ahead of time. At least half an hour prior to roasting it, but preferably an hour.
Do not salt or pepper until just before roasting. Don't worry about the amount of salt, most of it will be washed away by the melting fat from the meat as it cooks. It will not be overly salty when done.
HOW TO COOK EASY PRIME RIB FOR TWO
If you follow the directions succinctly your roast will turn out perfect. Trust me on this. If you like your roast done more, then simply cook it a bit longer. A prime cut of beef deserves to be cooked with skill and perfection.
I think it's best to cook meat always from room temperature so plan ahead and take your meat out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before you plan on cooking it. Pre-heat your oven to 250*C/480*F. Have ready a heavy bottomed roasting tin or a heavy bottomed skillet which is oven-proof.
When you are ready to cook it, season your meat liberally all over with the sale, pepper and garlic powder. Do this just prior to cooking to prevent the same from drawing out the blood and juices of the meat.
Heat the oil in a roasting tin or in an iron skillet over high heat. Add your roast and sear it on all both sides.
Lower the oven temperature to 220*C/425*F. Roast the beef in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and baste with the pan juices. Lower the oven temperature to 180*C/350*F.
Return the beef to the oven and roast for a further 15 minutes per pound of beef, plus an extra 15 minutes. The end result will be a perfectly cooked joint, pink in the middle without being overdone.
Leave to rest for 15 minutes, lightly tented with some aluminum foil before serving. Cut into slices to serve along with some of the pan juices spooned over top.
This turned out perfectly with the perfect pink interior. I like my beef medium rare. It was lovely. The outside was beautifully seared with lots of juicy caramelized beef flavors, and yielded just enough tasty pan juices to serve spooned over the meat.
I enjoyed with some creamy mash and a Yorkshire pudding, some creamed horseradish and a few peas and carrots (not shown). It was delicious.
NOTE - This is something I actually cooked a number of weeks back, but am only getting to share with you now, just in case anyone was wondering.
Here are two perfect sides that go perfectly well with Roast beef. I promise you will enjoy these tasty recipes as well.
GENIUS YORKSHIRE PUDDINGS - My late father in law was a cook in the army for many, many years. This is his recipe for Yorkshire puddings and I have to say it is an excellent recipe. These always turn out amazing! (Just look at the picture of the cooked roast with the puddings!) They always rise nice and tall and are lovely and crisp, with a perfect pocket in the center to hold any gravy or juices!
PERFECT CREAMY MASHED POTATOES - I love mashed potatoes with roast beef. I like roast potatoes also, but mash is my favorite. This recipe yields the perfect mash. Light, fluffy and creamy, with delicious flavor. Enjoy it with a pat of butter on top or with some gravy ladled over top. You choose.
PERFECT GRAVY FROM SCRATCH - This is the perfect gravy to make when you don't have a lot of pan drippings to use. It turns out lovely and rich every time. Its just right with this recipe for roast beef. I use beef stock and always add a teaspoon of creamed horseradish to give it a tiny zip!
Yield: 2 servings
Perfect Prime Rib for Two
Tender, juicy and perfectly cooked. This recipe is sized just for two people. I like to serve it au jus. (with the pan juices) Enough for a decent meal and then perhaps a few leftovers for sandwiches or a hash.
Ingredients
- 2.5 lb. (1 kg) prime rib standing roast
- 2 TBS coarse sea salt
- 1 TBS cracked black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 TBS light olive oil
Instructions
- I think it's best to cook meat always from room temperature so plan ahead and take your meat out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before you plan on cooking it. Pre-heat your oven to 250*C/480*F.
- When you are ready to cook it, season your meat liberally all over with the sale, pepper and garlic powder. Do this just prior to cooking to prevent the same from drawing out the blood and juices of the meat.
- Heat the oil in a roasting tin or in an iron skillet over high heat. Add your roast and sear it on all both sides.
- Lower the oven temperature to 220*C/425*F. Roast the beef in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and baste with the pan juices. Lower the oven temperature to 180*C/350*F.
- Return the beef to the oven and roast for a further 15 minutes per pound of beef, plus an extra 15 minutes. The end result will be a perfectly cooked joint, pink in the middle without being overdone.
- Leave to rest for 15 minutes, lightly tented with some aluminum foil before serving. Cut into slices to serve along with some of the pan juices spooned over top.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
Thanks for visiting! Do come again!!
If you like what you see here, why not consider signing up for my newsletter and/or subscribing/following me on Grow. You can also bookmark my recipes via the Grow platform. Check out the heart on the right hand side of the screen.
Also, if you have not checked out my YouTube Channel yet, do give it a gander. I would really appreciate it, and if you want to subscribe that would be even more appreciated! Thank you so much! It is not really fancy like some people's channels. I am very much learning as I go along, but what you get is authentic at least! There is nothing fake there! No filters, bells or whistles. Filmed in real time and unedited!
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