Hasselback Chicken...

This is a very easy chicken dish - you could prepare it earlier then bake when needed...

~

Slash cuts intothe chicken breasts...

~

https://www.facebook.com/Joolz64/posts/10206391150039631

~
If that link doesn't work, here is the recipe...

 
Here’s What You’ll Need:
Splash of oil
50g Fresh Spinach
50G Ricotta Cheese
2 Chicken Breasts
20g Cheddar Cheese
Paprika
Salt
Pepper

Method:
1.) Cook the spinach on a medium heat in a splash of oil for 3-5 minutes until it is slightly wilted.
2.) Stir in the ricotta and cook for a further 30-60 seconds. Allow to cool.
3.) Cut slits into the chicken breasts about 1cm apart but don’t cut all the way through - about 75% of the way down is what you should aim for, but don’t stress over it.
4.) Stuff all of the spinach and ricotta mixture into the slits.
5.) Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
6.) Grate the cheddar and sprinkle it generously on top.
7.) Shake a good bit of ground paprika over the chicken to add some colour and flavour.
8.) Bake in the centre of a pre-heated oven for 20-25 minutes 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6 until the cheese has melted and the juices are clear.
9.) Have it!
~

Stuff with ricotta and spinach mix...

~

Top with grated cheese...

~

Bake at 200C until the chicken is cooked.

Here it is fresh out of the oven and ready to eat with a salad.

~

Cheers - Joolz xx

Tomato Relish...

I did a stock-take of my jam cupboard the other day and found a few treasures (6 jars of dried apricot jam from 01/2015) but sadly there was no relish, just some bread and butter pickles.

~ 

I was lucky to grab this bucket of lovely sauce tomatoes at our Foodland store for $7.50 - 6 kilos!

~

Next I got out my Green and Gold book to track down the recipe. 

~

I cut up the tomatoes on Friday night and threw on "a handful of salt" which made me question how big that handful should be...then left them overnight. We were going out so I didnt get to cut up the onions.  I did that Saturday morning using my food processor.  I still had tears rolling down my cheeks!

~

This is the large stock pot I use.  It belonged to my mum.

~

I used the 12 pound recipe...

~

I got it going on the stove...

~

I boiled it away for about an hour and a half all up...

~

I use a cut down plastic milk carton as my jar filler...

~

Twenty two lovely jars of relish and it taste just like it used to when I was a child...

~

I'll give some away then the rest will go into the back of my pantry.  Its delicious with cold meat, especially corned beef and nice with cheese and biscuits.

~

Yesterday and today I binge-watched Season 6 and the finale of Downton Abbey. I really enjoyed it, especially the fashions. I have never seen such a long running drama keep so true to their attention to detail. All costumes were exquisite!  If you didn't watch it, I urge you to give it a go. 

~

I did manage to do something productive today - white bread rolls. Gus is in charge of a lamb chop dinner so its been a good weekend.

Cheers - Joolz xx 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 

 

 

Nice long weekend...

After my bread making on Sunday, I decided to take it easy.

~

I had three pots of tea over the afternoon...

~

i read a little of Rhonda's book...

~

I found this recipe for Hot Cross Buffins.  I'll be making these on Easter weekend!

~

I got to thinking about how much blue and white I have in my home...so I set to and took pictures of some of it.  And it is only some of it!
~

~

~~

~

~

This event is on in a few weeks time so I texted a few of my friends and organised a girls day out.  It should be fun!

~

(Recipe book pic)

Forgot to say that Gus made this chicken dish on Saturday night - very yummy!

~

~

This is my walk-in linen cupboard - stuffed full at the moment.  

~

My stock piles - hubby's deodorant purchased for $2 instead of $3.90, shaving cream $2.90, shampoo/conditioners $2.72, Colgate twin toothbrushes $2.07, Pears hand wash $1.74 - all  half price! 

I only buy the brands we normally use, when they are out at half price.   It's a waste buying brands you don't  like just because they're cheap.  I can go weeks without buying laundry detergent, dishwasher tabs and toiletries.  When things come out at half price, I just need to buy a few to keep the stockpile topped up.

~

I found nally got to my study and gave it a clean!  Oh, so much dust as the desk had been covered in all sorts of crap!  So bad that I hadnt been using the computer at all!

~

This corner still needs attention.  Those manilla folders need to go in the Tax stacker and previous year expired files need to be burned to make room.  I need to wait until our fire season ends at the end of this month then we can have a paddock fire and burn them.

~

I still have a mountain of cook books sitting in piles (here and in the kitchen).  I really need a book case!

~

So there we are, a bit of tidying which has made me feel a bit better. I hate clutter!

~

What did you get up to this weekend?

Cheers - Joolz xx

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

Lamb Koftas and yoghurt flatbread...

Another Julie Goodwin meal from her book...

http://www.booktopia.com.au/homemade-takeaway-julie-goodwin/prod9780733632136.html

~

The flatbreads are so easy - mix SR flour and Greek yoghurt together to form a dough. I halved the recipe and made 6 flatbreads.

~

I used olive oil spray in my hot pan (instead of olive oil). They puff up quickly, about 40 seconds each side should do it.

~

With the remaining yoghurt I had, I added fresh mint, garlic, salt and peps and a teaspoon of sugar.

I had salad greens, tomato and kalamata olives. I also had a pot of hommus dip.

~

Spread flatbread with hommus, break up a lamb kofta, top with salad then yoghurt sauce.  Roll up and enjoy!

~

The koftas were tasty - ingredients include minced lamb, garlic, onion, dried coriander and chilli, egg, salt and pepper.  I just shaped into thick sausage shapes and pan-fried until browned. I then finished them off in the oven so they were cooked the through perfectly.

~

A great, healthy meal that felt like takeaway.

~

Cheers - Joolz xx

Overnight Sally Sourdough...

I followed Celia's tutorial for this bread...

https://figjamandlimecordial.com/2014/12/12/an-overnight-sourdough-in-pictures/

I began feeding my Sally starter on Friday afternoon but she was still sluggish yesterday so I just tipped that out and started again. Naughty Sally!

~

So starting over, at 1pm I fed 1/2 cup of starter with 1/4 cup bakers flour and water...

4.30pm I fed it 1/2 cup flour and water...

Then I promply forgot about it as I got busy making dinner later thst evening. It wasn't until we were going to bed that I remembered it. 

~

I peered in at Sally and she was nicely bubbly and ready to party!

So at 11pm (!) I am mixing dough in my mixer, crazy lady style!

~

Sally had risen to the top of my big bowl this morning ~ good girl!

~

I decided I'd make a pistachio and cranberry loaf and a plain loaf...

~ 

Deliciously fluffy dough plopped out of the bowl...

~

I folded in the thirds...

~

...and divided it in two.

~

I shaped the first loaf just by gently pulling the outer edged into the middle, round and around...

~

...then plopped it into the cane banneton which I hope I have floured enough!

~

The second loaf, I massaged in some pistachios and cranberrys, just turning the fruit and nuts in until they disappeared, then added more to do the same. 

~

I have no idea how this will turn out but we'll give it a go.

~

Here it is all combined...

~

Both loaves ready to prove...

~

Hooray! It came out of the banneton without sticking! Happy dance!

~

Celia says to "slash with panache"...

~

~

45 minutes later...

~

Yum!

I sliced it immediately to see how it was. I'm hoping the fruit/nut distribution will be better through the middle of the loaf.

It is delicious!

~

Cheers - Joolz xx