I was thinking tonight that we could have a weekly post with quick and easy dinner ideas.
Would anyone be interested? I'll post one each Wednesday. It has to be something easy, quick and reasonably healthy. I often find myself feeling slightly Iron Chefish when I have no idea what to cook for dinner and no time to nip out and get ingredients so I need to make do with what I find at home.
Tonight I had some fresh corn fed chicken breast fillets and not much else. For a change, I had a shot of brilliance and remembered an easy weeknight meal recipe I read at the doctor's surgery on the weekend. I have been known in the past to do a cheeky rip and steal of a good magazine page but with a bouncy toddler to entertain, thieving pages just wasn't possible. Fortunately it was a basic recipe so I managed to store it in my mind. I amended it and tried it this evening,
BBQ Balsamic Chicken with Mashed Potatoes and Steamed Veges
2 Chicken Breast Fillets
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 cup Olive Oil
2 tablespoons Soft Brown Sugar
Mashed Potatoes- I keep riced potatoes in my freezer and when I need them I just add them to some boiling milk with a spoonful of butter. You have perfect mash.
A potato ricer is a great tool to have, you really should get one if you haven't already! To use the ricer you boil the potatoes with the skin on. When cooked you peel and put through the ricer. This is the only way to make good mash, I've seen people boiling peeled potatoes and I don't like it. You fill your potato with water and it doesn't taste so good.
Anyway the frozen riced poato freezes perfectly and I always try to keep a little stockpile for nights like tonight when the little one went to bed late and I wasn't in the mood for cooking much.
Steamed veges- whatever you've got in the fridge/vege patch or freezer.
I had some broad beans in the freezer tonight so I shelled them and gave them a quick steaming and I had a couple of carrots that I cut into little Julienne strips and steamed quickly. Simple!
Now for the chicken you cut it horizontally so you have 4 steak-like pieces. You add the oil, balsamic vinegar and sugar to a bowl mix and add the chicken. Let it sit there while you prepare your veges and set the table.
Throw the chicken on the BBQ about 5 mins per side and serve with the mash and steamed veges.
Healthy, low fat and quick and easy. Everyone has a bottle of olive oil, balsamic vinegar at home and brown sugar of course. Chicken breasts are easy to freeze so you should have them on hand as well.
So there you go, it was really good and really quick. If you have a recipe you wouldn't mind sharing please email me and I will post it next Wednesday. If you have a photo that would be fabulous. I only thought of the picture after we had eaten so it was too late, sorry!
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This is a great idea as I am currently at a loss to what to cook almost every night - I've just lost inspiration lately. I love the sound of this chicken dish so will try and post a new idea for next wed...thanks!
ReplyDeleteOkay. Who are you and what have you done with SD? This sounds far too domesticated...
ReplyDeleteSD - if you're there and being held against your will, give us a sign and we'll send someone with a big bottle of wine and some high heels. We also have people who are experts at de-mopping converts.
Let us know.
I need a potato ricer !!! how do you store the riced potato in the freezer? snaplock bags?
ReplyDeleteOk Ex just for you I will mention that you could if you were so inclined buy already riced potatoes frozen at Ikea so all you really need to do is add milk to a bowl and shove it in the microwave. Oh and I didn't BBQ the chicken, My husband did. The shame! She actually required male help with the cooking.
ReplyDeleteYes Jessica you just throw it in a snaplock bag! You can use the sandwich size bags so then you just add say 1/2 cup of a milk and a bit of butter. You don't even need to use the stove. Shove the riced potato and the milk into a microwave container with a lid on high for 2-3 mins, stir and maybe repreat depending on your micro and it is done. No lumps.
ReplyDeleteC, where do i buy a potato ricer? I want one!
ReplyDeleteAlso, do you have the one that looks like a giant garlic press, or another type?
April you can get them at any big cooking supplies store... I'm trying to think of one out your way. I'm pretty sure the dept stores don't have them but maybe a really big Myer might? I haven't looked. In Sydney we have so many chefs stores so it is really easy to buy these things but in the country I think it might be harder... Mine looks like a big garlic press but round. It was cheap too, maybe $23 or something and I use it all the time. Also for gnochi it is perfect. Let me have a think for you. Maybe I can get one for you and send it?
ReplyDeleteOh April I just thought, you could buy one off ebay? http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Potato-Ricer-Masher-Press-Fruit-Apple-Vegetable-Maker_W0QQitemZ330327582435QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAU_Utensils?hash=item330327582435&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A1%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50
ReplyDeleteOOh delicious! I've recently rediscovered my mum's old 80s trick: chicken thighs (or as she used to, wings/drums, whatever) with soy, honey, fresh sliced ginger, garlic, and some chilli if bub can handle it. Mum would add sesame seeds too, though I've not had any to hand.
ReplyDeleteNB: my reflux baby does NOT like chilli. Or, more accurately, she loves the taste but it keeps her awake with a sore tummy for hours. As does scrambled egg. But that's a complaint for another day.
Great idea Carolyn! I am always looking for new ideas and you have just given me some here! By the way whilst we are on the topic, have you been watching materchef? I have! I love it!
ReplyDeleteI love the old 80's tricks Catherine, I even made a tuna mornay pie the other day. Wyn I haven't seen Masterchef but I was a total Hells Kitchen addict. I hope they bring out a new series I love Gordon even if he does have the face of a shar pei and the morals of a dirty whore I love him.
ReplyDeleteThanks C. General Trader has Potato Ricers, I snapped one up today, as long as some mini tongs and silicone egg rings. That store is like Ikea, you can't just buy one thing!
ReplyDeleteC, thank you! I love you, but unfortuantly, my husband doesnt, as I now have a new toy!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much :D
I use a mouli to make mashed potato, I think it works pretty much the same way, but it's great for when you're making pumpkin soup, or baby food and stuff too.
ReplyDeleteI like making massive quantities of things and freezing them, and the mouli is nice and big for this.
I just wanted to add too, that if mashed potato is too watery, put it back on the stove for a minute and stir.
I'm going to try the chicken tomorrow... or when we next cook. Thanks.
I struggle with easy recipes because despite the cookbook/magazine claims I never have exactly the right stuff in my fridge/pantry.. so I was thrilled to find I had everything I needed for this one. I tried it last night. I served it on a bed of baby spinach and roasted cherry tomatos (popped them in the oven for 5 mins with some garlic and a bil of olive oil) and it received rave reviews.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great idea! I might start posting recipes once a week - they'll definitely be easy as small baby = lack of time and energy ;-)
ReplyDelete