Orange, Fennel & Black Pepper Chops

 Here we are with day three of the Marmalade challenge and another delicious recipe to share with you in honor of National Marmalade Week.  Orange, Fennel & Black Pepper Chops!   I was sent some delicious Marmalades to cook with earlier this month from the people at Mackays,  in honor of National Marmalade Week  (February 28th to March 6th) and asked would I like to try to create some new recipes using it.   I have risen to the challenge and this is the third recipe I created using their lovely marmalades.  For this one I used their Orange and Lemon with Ginger Marmalade, but I think any flavour would work well.

 

The Toddster loves pork chops and I confess that I do enjoy them occasionally as well.    Because we don't eat them very often I choose to buy a really good chop.   Out door reared, and free range.   I also am partial to the old fashioned ones with the bone in.   They say that the meat closest to the bone is always sweeter and I have to agree.  There is something about that bone that  helps to flavour the meat and to help keep it succulent. 

  

When I was a girl my mother always cooked our pork to death . . . there was a fear of trichinosis back then.  That fear no longer exists with modern farming, etc. and I don't cook our Pork to death these days.  Just until done through suffices for me.  Cooked through and still moist.

 

In this recipe the chops are rubbed with a cracked pepper, fenne and sea salt rub and allowed to sit for several minutes prior to browning . . . 

 

They are then cooked and glazed with a few dollops of that lovely Mackays Marmalade until they are succuently tender, and that glaze has coated them beautiful.  These are at once savoury, and sticky bitter/sweet.  They went down a real treat with some carrots and oven chips on the side!  Quantities given are for two, but these can easily be multiplied for more.  Enjoy!

  

*Orange, Fennel and Black Pepper Chops*

Serves 2

Printable Recipe 

Deliciously tender pork chops, with a savoury fennel and black pepper coating and a sweet orange glaze.  Simple and tasty! 

2 old fashioned bone in free range pork chops

1 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper

1 1/2 tsp fennel seeds, crushed

1 12 tsp sea salt

2 heaped dessertspoons of good quality orange marmalade

1 tsp olive oil 

 

Trim the rind off of the chops, leaving a goodly amount of fat on the edge.  Slash the fat at 1/2 inch intervals, so as to keep the chops flat when cooking.   Mix together the cracked black pepper, fennel and sea salt.   Rub this into the chops all over.  Let stand for ten minutes. 

Heat a skillet large enough to hold both chops in a single layer.  Add the olive oil.  Brown the chops on both sides over medium heat.  Reduce the heat to low.  Top each chop with a dessertspoon of marmalade.  Cover the pan and cook for 5 minutes.  Uncover and flip the chops over.  Cook for a further ten minutes, turning the chops frequently, until they are well cooked through and nicely glazed.   

Serve hot with some of the pan juices spooned over top.

National Marmalade Week runs from 28th Feb - 6th March 2016. National Marmalade Week is organised by the World Marmalade Awards at Dalemain, Penrith. The Awards will take place from 19th-21st March with the main sponsors being Mackays, Fortnum & Mason and Paddington Bear.

Mackays are a family run business that has stayed true to its values of producing small authentic batches for a quality homemade taste. Their soft fruits are sourced from the best local Scottish fruit farms and our bitter marmalade oranges come from the famous Seville region in Spain.

 To find out more do check out their website.
Follow them on Facebook
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BBQ Chicken Thighs

Well, it is day two of my Marmalade challenge and  what a delicious recipe I have to share with you today!  I was sent some delicious Marmalades to cook with earlier this month from the people at Mackays,  in honor of National Marmalade Week  (February 28th to March 6th) and asked would I like to try to create some new recipes using it.   I have risen to the challenge and this is the second recipe I created using their lovely marmalades.  For this one I used their old fashioned Dundee Marmalade, but I think any flavour would work well.



Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are trimmed and then browned off on all sides in a skillet.   A delicious mixture of BBQ sauce, marmalade and soy sauce is then poured over top and they are simmed in this for about 20 minutes . . .  until they are meltingly tender.

 

 The temperature is then turned up so that they cook for a further 10 minutes, until the sauce becomes a thick glaze . . .  creating a tender juicy chicken that is really "finger licking" good!



 You could use any cut of chicken for this, but I chose to use chicken thighs because they don't dry out like breasts do . . .  if you do choose to use breasts you won't have to cook it for as long initially, but you may want to remove them from the pan while you turn up the heat to thicken the sauce, adding them back to the pan for the last few minutes to coat them properly.  (I would halve the intitial cook time in the sauce)



The end result is a really tender and delicious chicken with a sauce that is a bit spicy from the BBQ sauce, sweet/bitter from the marmalade and . . . . dare I say it again?   I must  . . .  FINGER LICKING good!

Your family is sure to love this!

*BBQ Chicken Thighs*

Makes 4 servings

Printable Recipe 

 

Sticky tender chicken that will have your family wanting seconds!  Best make extra!

You will need:
8 boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of any fat

olive oil spray

salt and pepper

For the sauce:
340g BBQ Sauce ( 1 cup) (I used Newman's own hickory sauce)

220g Orange Marmalade (1 cup)

2 TBS soy sauce
 

Season the chicken thighs all over with salt and pepper.  Spray a large skillet (with a tight fitting lid) and heat over medium heat.  Add the chicken thighs in one layer, top side down.  Brown them well on both sides, flipping them after about 5 minutes. (About 10 minutes altogether)

Whisk together all of the sauce ingredients in a saucepan until the marmalade melts and all are well amalgamated together.  Pour this mixture over top of the chicken thighs.   Cover and allow to simmer over medium low heat for about 20 minutes.  Uncover and increase the heat to medium.   Cook for a further 10 minutes, flipping the chicken frequently until it is coated with a lovely thick sauce.  Serve hot.  This is REALLY tasty!

 

National Marmalade Week runs from 28th Feb - 6th March 2016. National Marmalade Week is organised by the World Marmalade Awards at Dalemain, Penrith. The Awards will take place from 19th-21st March with the main sponsors being Mackays, Fortnum & Mason and Paddington Bear.

Mackays, which is family owned and run,  has been producing their Best Selling Dundee Marmalade for over 70 years so you just know that they have it down to a fine art.  It's delicious!  As I said earlier I used the Old Fashioned Dundee for this, but any flavour would work.
 
To find out more do check out their website.
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Tune in tomorrow to see what else I get up to with these delicious marmalades!

Marmalade Cheesecake Crumble Cake

 I was sent some delicious Marmalades to cook with earlier this month in honor of National Marmalade Week and asked would I like to try to create some new recipes using it.  This speaks to two of my great loves  . . . one I love Marmalade, and two, I love to create new things and be challenged.  Everyone's a winner!  (And especially us because we get to try all these new delicious marmalade scrummies!)  First up Marmalade Cheesecake Crumble Cake!



 This delicious creation is like a cross between a pie and a cake  . . .  with it's moreish cake type base and sides, encasing a delicious cheesecake filling which is topped with bittersweet marmalade and a buttery crumble topping!



 This is soooooooo good.  Just look at that rich ribbon of cheese cake running through it!

The Marmalade I will be using this week in all of my recipes comes from Mackays, and I have had three flavours to work with.  Their Vintage Dundee Orange Marmalade, their Orange and Lemon with Ginger Marmalade, and their Pink Grapefruit Marmalade.  All three are delicious!  They also do a Sevile Orange Marmalade, a Three Fruit Marmalade,  regular Dundee Marmalade, Lime and Lemon Marmalade, Orange Marmalade with Whiskey and Orange Marmalade with Champagne . . .  so when it comes to marmalades, you are really spoilt for choice!

Mackays, which is family owned and run,  has been producing their Best Selling Dundee Marmalade for over 70 years so you just know that they have it down to a fine art.  It's delicious!  For this cake I chose to use their Orange and Lemon with Ginger Marmalade and it was absolutely perfect!



The cake base is moist with yogurt and flavoured with mixed spice which goes very well with the gingery flavours of this delicious marmalade .  To make the cake you make a crumble mixture,  a portion of which is combined with yogurt and eggs to form the cake and the remainder of which is combined with chopped toasted walnuts to form the topping.



 This would make the perfect Brunch or weekend Cake, and would also go down a real treat for coffee or teatime breaks!



 Everyone who tried it fell in love with it, which is exactly the response I was looking for!  I created an optional glaze, but we chose just to eat it with a light dusting of icing sugar.  Enjoy!

 

*Marmalade Cheesecake Crumble Cake*

Serves 16

Printable Recipe  

A deliciously simple cake which combines three loves of mine . . .  with it's buttery spice cake base, a cheesecake filling and a Lemon and Ginger marmalade with a nutty crumble topping.  What's not to like! 

For the cake base:

305g of plain flour (2 1/4 cups)

145g of caster sugar (3/4 cup)

172g of butter, cut into bits (3/4 cup)

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1/2 tsp mixed spice

1/4 tsp salt

185g of plain yogurt (3/4 cup

1 medium free range egg

1 tsp vanilla 

For the cheesecake filling:

227g of cream cheese (8 ounces)

48g of caster sugar (1/4 cup)

1 medium free range egg 

You will also need:

110g of orange, lemon and ginger marmalade

60g of chopped toasted walnuts (1/2 cup)

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.  Butter a nine inch spring form pan really well.  Set aside.

Stir the flour, mixed spice and sugar for the base together in a bowl.  Drop in the butter and then rub it in until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Reserve  170g (1 cup) of it and set it  aside.  To the remainder of the flour mixture, stir in the baking powder, soda and salt.   Stir together the yogurt, egg and vanilla.  Stir this into the flour mixture.  Spread this batter in the springform pan, covering the bottom and  2 inches up the sides of the pan.  Set aside.

Whisk together the cream cheese, sugar and egg for the filling until smooth.  Pour this into the cake base.    Whisk the marmalade with a fork to loosen it up.  Carefully spoon this over the cheese mixture.  Stir the chopped toasted walnuts into the reserved crumb mixture.  Spoon this over top of the marmalade to cover.

Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the cheese fillins is set and the crust is a deep golden brown colour.   Allow to stand for fifteen minutes.  Allow to cool to room temperature before serving.  Cut into wedges to serve.

Store any leftovers in the refrigerator



 

Optional Glaze:

65g of icing sugar, sifted into a bowl (1/2 cup)

1 tsp softened butter

1 TBS of lemon juice (you may not need it all)

Whisk together until smooth, only adding enough lemon juice to give you a good drizzle consistency.  Drizzle this haphazardly over top of the cake.

Alternately you can dust with icing sugar, or just leave as is.  It's up to you.


National Marmalade Week runs from 28th Feb - 6th March 2016. National Marmalade Week is organised by the World Marmalade Awards at Dalemain, Penrith. The Awards will take place from 19th-21st March with the main sponsors being Mackays, Fortnum & Mason and Paddington Bear.

Tune in tomorrow to see what else I have come up with using these delicious marmalades.  (I have almost a whole week of Marmalade deliciousness for you to look forward to!)


Mackays are a family run business that has stayed true to its values of producing small authentic batches for a quality homemade taste. Their soft fruits are sourced from the best local Scottish fruit farms and our bitter marmalade oranges come from the famous Seville region in Spain.

The story goes that a Spanish sailing ship took refuge in Dundee during a storm. The rest has become part of Mackays cherished history. Remaining true to their heritage and beliefs they still use the copper pan method which they always have. The small authentic batches these produce are of the highest quality and set us apart.

To find out more do check out their website.
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Rachel's Delicious New Yogurt and some Morning Hacks!

 

Take on the morning with Rachel’s new 0% fat Greek Style yogurt


Rachel’s has launched its 0% Fat Greek Style yogurt range to bring you a collection of sumptuous flavours: Blueberry, Peach & Passion Fruit and Lemon & Ginger. These fruity flavours perfectly complement the thick, silky-smooth Greek Style yogurt for a guilt-free indulgence to help keep your healthy regime on track this year. Eat it as part of your breakfast or straight from the pot, either way is just as mouth-watering.


Rachel’s has breakfast in tip-top shape with its latest luxuriously smooth 0% fat organic yogurt. Each of the flavours carries on the Rachel’s tradition, being made with the finest organic ingredients, from locally sourced organic milk and with absolutely no artificial colourings, flavours or preservatives.



Blueberry
Embrace this year’s trend for all things healthy with the delicious Blueberry 0% Fat Greek Style yogurt. With only 79 calories per 100g, the sumptuously thick organic yogurt is filled with delicious soft blueberries to help you to begin the day with your best foot forward. Try topping with granola and mixed with a variety of winter berries for the perfect breakfast.

Peach & Passion Fruit
Start your day with a ray of sunshine and let the tropical twist of this much loved pairing brighten those dark mornings. The sweet taste of juicy peach, blended together with tangy passion fruit in the 0% Fat Greek Style yogurt, is oozing with luscious flavours guaranteed to excite your taste buds. With just 81 calories per 100g, grab a spoon and let its exotic taste take over your senses!

Lemon & Ginger 
Revitalise this February with the citrus aroma of the fresh new Lemon and Ginger 0% Fat Greek Style yogurt. Its thick, silky texture, paired with taste of zesty lemon and delicious chunks of spicy ginger, is packed with extra zing to give you that ‘get up and go’ feeling this month! This distinctive flavour from Rachel’s is the perfect balance of both flavours and is a match made in yogurt heaven. At just 82 calories per 100g, this delicious snack makes for a perfect warming kick this February.

 For the less health conscious consumer, Rachel’s will also be launching a luxurious new Greek StyleBanana & Dulce de Leche yogurt. This takes inspiration from the popular sweet South American treat and is the perfect after-dinner indulgence.


Rachel’s 0% Fat Greek Style flavours range is available from February 2016 in selected retailers, priced at £1.99 (RRP) for a 450g pot.


As we all know, a good morning always sets you up for the rest of the day and as mornings can be a hectic and stressful time, we’re hoping that our new 0% Greek style yogurts will help to make mornings just that little bit easier by offering a breakfast which involves 0% effort.



To celebrate the launch and to mark National Breakfast Week I wanted to share with you some of my morning hacks that help to make my breakfast preparations easier to cope with!

For quick breakfasts on the run that are delicious and very satisfying I keep an assortment of muffins wrapped tightly and individually and in the freezer. So easy to just grab one, nuke it in the microwave for a few seconds and then be on your way. I also do this with tea breads. Simply cut into slices and then frozen, wrapped tightly and with a piece of baking paper in between each slice, you can just take out what you need and believe it or not, popped into the toaster for a few minutes and then buttered, these are delicious. Also Bircher meusli. Simply place your ready made or homemade meusli into a bowl the night before along with some milk and grated apple. Let stand over night and in the morning stir in some fresh fruit and yogurt and presto, breakfast is served and it's healthy and delicious as well!

For more morning hacks be sure to check out these other blogger's tasty tips!



The Work Top

  

All That Time Eating 

  

Kirsty Leanne 

 

April J Harris  

Rachel's Website
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Twitter
Pinterest

Grantham White Gingerbread

One thing which I have always enjoyed cooking since coming over to the UK are the old tradition recipes.  Recipes which have their roots deep in British tradition and which have been around for a very long time . . .  recipes which are a part of the fabric of this beautiful country's history and culture.


 

This is a recipe which is rooted in the Eggleston Family shop which was situated in Grantham early in the 1800's.  It is pale and light, quite unlike the dark, treacle based recipes which we normally associate with Gingerbread.  This is more like a biscuit/cookie . . .  it was said to have come into being when George Eggleston muddled up the ingredients one evening whilst baking with the result being these delicious crisp and buttery cakes.



The recipe has been adapted from a recipe I found in a baking book entitled, Cakes, regional and traditional by Julie Duff. I will confess that it was the name Grantham that piqued my curiostity most of all . . .  I am sure most of you are familiar with the Grantham family of Downton Abby Fame.  Could this have been a teatime treat that that most prestigious family might have enjoyed sampling with their afternoon teas?



Probably not  . . .  it was probably more suited to those servants enjoying a mid afternoon cuppa before their evening duties upstairs begin as they dance attendance to the needs of the family they live to serve.  It's far too rustic to be enjoyed upstairs . . .  it's a dunker, plain and simple, and I just cannot imagine the Dowager dunking anything, truth be told.



 Dunking might have been considered far too crude . . .  and these tasty babies beg to be dunked . . . delicious on their own  . . .  once dunked  . . . they become quite magical.



I enjoyed mine with a nice hot cuppa Newby Rooiboos Orange tea.  It was perfect.  I do hope that you will take the opportunity to bake these delightful biscuits . . .  you will not be sorry.  They're not pretty . . .  but where they may fall short in the looks department, they more than make up for in the taste department.

 

*Grantham White Gingerbread*

Makes about 24 pieces

Printable Recipe 

This is quite different than the dark treacle based cake we usually associate with Gingerbread.  Instead they are lovely and crisp at the edges, chewy in the middle gingerbread biscuit/cookie that is not entirely uncomfortable with being dunked.  Delicious! 

115g of butter (1/2 cup) room temperature

275g soft light brown sugar (1 1/4 cups packed)

1 large free range egg

225g of self raising flour (1 1/2 cups plus 2 TBS)

1 level tablespoon of ground ginger

(Yes, this is correct 1 TBS) 


 

 

Preheat the oven to 160*C/325*F/ gas mark 3.  Butter a large baking sheet.  Set aside.

Cream the butter and brown sugar together with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy.  Beat in the egg.  Sift the flour and ginger into the bowl and stir together until you have a firm dough.  Knead gently a few times to totally incorporate and then break off into 24 equal pieces, rolling each into a ball and placing it onto the buttered baking tray.  Leave plenty of space for them to spread out.

Bake in the centre of the oven until very pale golden brown and crisp, about 30 minutes baking time.  allow to stand on the tray for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.  Store in an airtight container.

Note:  Mine did run together a bit when baking, but that was not a problem as I used a very small spatula to cut mark cuts in them before they cooled and before lifting them off of the baking tray.



I do believe that this is the type of biscuit that might have tempted Lord Grantham down into the kitchen to indulge in after dark, when all the servants have been settled into bed . . .  a midnight snack for he and Cora.  Not that he would ever admit to doing such a thing . . . shhhhh!  Don't tell on him!



I'm quite sure he would enjoy every crisp, buttery and gingery little nibble.  Bon Appetit!

Bagel Hole Eggs

I have to confess that, aside from feeding the Missionaries, I haven't been doing a great deal of cooking lately.  I've been quite tired and not really feeling all that well.  No appetite.  We are having the Elders for tea tonight and I am making them a curry, but for Todd's lunch I  cooked him delicious Bagel Hole Eggs!  Like Egg in the hole, but with a bagel instead of bread.  ☺



Todd really loves eggs and he really enjoyed this.  I liked it because it was simple and quick to make.

 

I used whole wheat bagels because that is the way we roll around here . .  but you could use whatever kind of bagels you want to.



I'm not quite sure how cinnamon and raisin bagels would work . . .  to each their own, but I am thinking that onion and garlic bagels would be awesome.



A few slices of bacon or frizzled ham on the side would also not go amiss . . .



This would be great for a family weekend breakfast!  Or for when the kids have a friend stay overnight!
 Enjoy!

 

*Bagel Hole Eggs*

Serves 2

Printable Recipe 

This is like fried bread but with an egg in the middle.  Delicious. 

1 whole wheat bagel

1 TBS butter

2 large free range eggs

flaked sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 

 

Using a serrated bread knife, slice the bagel through the centre horizontally.  I try to use bagels with large holes.  If you don't think your holes are large enough, then you can make the hole a bit larger by removing some of the bread.

Melt 1/2 TBS of the butter in a nonstick skillet.  Once it begins to foam, place one bagel half into the melted butter, cut side down. into the skillet.  Crack one of the eggs into a bowl.  Pour into the bagel hole.  If some spills over that is to be expected. It's okay.  Cover and cook over medium heat until the egg is set to your preference.  Transfer to a plate and keep warm in a low oven.   Repeat with the remaining butter, bagel half and egg.   Once you have both cooked, season them with some salt and black pepper and serve immediately.

Adapted from a recipe I saw on Food 52. 

Bon Appetit!

Hasselback Turkey Divans

 I've seen a lot of "hasselback" type of dishes on Pinterest these past few weeks.   Hasselback Potatoes have long been popular . . .  baking type of potatoes, sliced crosswise every quarter of an inch almost all the way through but staying intact on the bottm, and brushed with an herby garlic butter and baked until the potato edges are all tender on the insides and crisp and buttery at the edges.  They are now doing it with meats.  I've seen a LOT of chicken dishes done this way lately.  When I picked up two turkey breast tenderloin fillets at the shop the other day, I immediately had in mind to cook them in the Hasselback manner!



One of my favourite turkey dishes has always been Turkey Divan.  I love it . . . delicious chunks of turkey, with broccoli and cheese.  So good.  When I thought of doing a "hasselback" turkey dish, the idea of using broccoli and cheese immediately came to mine!



These turkey tenderloins are seasoned and then sliced almost all the way through . . .  crosswise . . .  at half inch intervals and the the open sections are stuffed with a delicious broccoli and cheese stuffing.



 The stuffing is composed of a nice amount of lightly cooked broccoli, which is chopped into smaller bits . .  . mixed with four kinds of cheese and some sauteed onion.  I chose to use low fat strong cheddar, in both white and orange . . .  some gouda for it's melting properties . . .  and a bit of gooeyness  . . .  and then a few tablespoons of cream cheese to bind it all together with some black pepper for seasoning.  The cheese adds enough saltiness I think.



 I wasn't sure how it was going to work, but I went with it, took a chance and thankfully it turned out beautifully!  I roasted if for half an hour covered . . .  and then another half an hour uncovered so that the cheese got little crispy bits and the turkey all golden brown . . .  it was done perfectly, but I do suggest you test it about 45 minutes in just to be sure.

 

You don't want to risk overcooking it and drying it out  Altogether this was stunningly delicious!  It was so attractive as well, very taste tempting.  I served it with some mashed sweet potatoes and garden peas for a delicious entree that fed four people quite generously.



 

*Hasselback Turkey Divans*

Serves 4

Printable Recipe 

I almost hate to call these hasselbacks because that is potatoes right, but this is an idea I copied from the delicious potatoes which are sliced in this same way, except this is turkey tenderloin fillets, sliced and stuffed with a delicious broccoli and cheese stuffing. 

two turkey breast tenderloins (each about 340g in weight or 12 ounces each)

1 small head of broccoli, cooked until crispy tender and chopped

1/2 medium onion, peeled and finely minced

1 tsp butter

60g of grated strong cheddar cheese (I used the 30% less fat one) (1/2 cup)

30g of grated low fat orange cheddar cheese ( again used the 30% less fat)  (1/4 cup)

30g of grated gouda cheese (a melty cheese) (1/4 cup)

2 TBS lower fat cream cheese

freshly ground black pepper 

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.  Lightly spritz a baking dish large enough to hold the turkey tenderloins comfortably with some low fat cooking spray.

Melt the butter in a small skillet and add the onion.  Cook until tender.  Add this to the chopped cooked broccoli.  Cut the turkey breast tenderloins almost all the way through to the bottom every 1/2 inch all the way down the length of them.  Season with some salt and pepper.  Place into the baking dish.

Mix together the cheeses with the chopped broccoli and onions until well blended, seasoning them with some freshly ground black pepper.   Stuff this mixture down into the slits which you have cut into the tenderloins, dividing the mixture between the two.  Cover lightly with foil and then place into the heated oven.   Roast for 1/2 hour, then remove the foil and roast for a further half hour, or until the juices from the turkey run clear and it tests cooked through.

Allow to stand for several minutes before cutting each one in half and serving.



Bon appetit!

PS - Here is a tiny peek at how they look inside, just so you know.  More scrumminess!