Chicken in Tomato Sauce

I cannot believe that I haven't put this recipe on here before now.  It is a family favourite and  I was so convinced that I had posted it, that I came looking for it when I had a brain freeze moment whilst cooking dinner this evening.


This recipe really couldn't be simpler - I promise it is foolproof, you could almost do it with your eyes closed (unless you get a sudden brain freeze like I did).  Please don't try to do it with your eyes closed though - just saying.

• 1 tablespoon of cooking oil
• Chicken thigh or breast fillets cut into bite sized pieces (2 breast fillets for 1 or 2 people or  3 - 4 breast fillets or a pack of thigh fillets for about 4 people)
• 2 or 3 mushrooms
• 1 carrot sliced thinly
• 1 teaspoon of mixed herbs
• I can of Cambells Condensed tomato soup
• (1 tablespoon of flour)

If you are making this with just a couple of chicken breasts for 1 or 2 people you don't need the flour.

1. Peel and slice your carrot
2. Slice the mushrooms
3. Put the oil into a pan and heat it then add the chicken and brown it
4. When the chicken is well browned, add the flour (if you are making the larger quantity).  Stir it in to the meat until it is well absorbed, then cook for a few minutes. Omit this step if just using a couple of fillets.
5. Add the contents of the can of soup.  If you have added flour, then you need to use the can and add 3/4 of a can of water. Stir well.
6. Add the carrots, mushrooms and mixed herbs, stirring them in well.
7. Bring to a good simmer but don't boil.  Put the lid on and cook for around 30 minutes stirring from time to time.

I usually serve this with pasta but you can use whatever you prefer.

Freezing for later use

Most of the recipes I have posted here are for more than one person which is fine if you are in a house with other people and you share the cooking.  If however, you are on your own you have the option of either dividing the measurements of the ingredients to make smaller amounts or you could cook the recipes as they are and freeze some for use at a later time.  This would provide for quick meals on those occasions when lectures go on till late or you have some other reason for being late home.  If you can take the food out of the freezer before you go out and leave it to defrost then you can cook it relatively quickly when you get in.   If you don't remember to get it out then most things can be thawed by microwaving it on the defrost setting.  
You do not have to buy expensive containers to store food in the freezer, thoroughly wash and dry your empty spread/butter containers & their lids and save until you need them, they are a good size for individual portions of food.  You could also save any empty plastic takeaway containers.   If you are making something like lasagne or cottage pie then you can buy foil trays with lids for a few pennies in Wilkinsons or in the supermarket.  If using the foil trays put the foiled side of the lid down onto the food and write on the cardboard side what is in the container and the date you froze it.  Do remember though that you cannot put the foil containers in the microwave.  Small self adhesive labels will stick to your plastic tubs to note what they contain and when it was frozen.

Hasselback Potatoes

I love these potatoes and they are very handy if you want roast potatoes in a shorter time, they are also a little healthier than ordinary roast potatoes as you leave the skins on use less fat.
Preheat oven to 200°c or gas 7
Take each potato and scrub clean under running water.  Place the potato on either a wooden or metal spoon and then slice through the potato sideways (the shorter way) to the lip of the spoon so that you don't cut right through the potato.  Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and drizzle each one with sunflower oil and then season with ground salt and pepper according to your preference.   I usually leave  them alone at this point but you can add grated cheese of your choice over the top or cut slices of cheese to stick in between each fan of the potato.


Bake for 35 to 40 minutes

Slow Cooker Chicken Tagine

For this recipe a slow cooker is recommended but if you don't have a slow cooker  you can cook it in a low oven around gas 2 or 150°  for several hours.


This recipe is so easy to prepare and the result is rich, thick, hearty and so 
delicious it melts your heart.

• 6 chicken thighs (skinless and boneless is best)  I strongly recommend thighs as chicken breast meat tends to become dry and a little tasteless
• 1 large onion thinly sliced
• 2 large carrots peeled and sliced thinly
• 50g dried cranberries (sold as Craisins)
• 50 - 60g chopped dried apricots
• 2 tablespoons plain flour
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 garlic cloves - crushed
• *1 - 2 teaspoons of Harissa Paste  (optional)
• 400 mls chicken stock (if you don't have any you can make it from a stock cube and water)
• 1 -2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 -2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• If your chicken thighs have skin and bone then remove and discard the skin then layer them in the bottom of the slow cooker
• Layer the fruit and vegetables over the top of the meat
• In a separate jug or basin mix the flour, stock, tomato puree, lemon juice, and spices together then pour over the meat etc in the slow cooker.  I suggest putting the flour into the basin first and adding a little liquid stirring it to make a paste, then gradually adding a more liquid stirring all the time to prevent lumps forming.
• Cook on high setting for a minimum of 6 hours but the longer you leave it the better it will be.

Serve with rice or cous cous and enjoy the lovely sweet richness of it all.


*Harissa Paste can be found near the spices in most good supermarkets.

Cakes v. dinners

My original intention with this site was to provide easy and inexpensive recipes to provide good wholesome food for students who were possibly away from home cooking for the first time. I hadn't  intended to give recipes for cakes etc  because they weren't totally necessary but hearing this morning from a student who was so in need of a lift, I changed my mind so now I have put on two recipes.  One is for an utterly scrummy chocolate cake and the other is for carrot muffins which are so incredibly quick and easy to make in addition to which they are so light and taste fabulous.   Although the primary purpose of food is to provide the fuel for our bodies it is also a great social tool and as socialising is a huge part of university life I have decided that it is just as important.  I will try to keep the recipes to those which are not hugely expensive because budgets still need to be borne in mind.  You will however need a little extra equipment if you are going to bake as well as cook so I will try to remember to indicate what you may need at the top of each recipe.

Carrot muffins

This recipe couldn't be easier to make and tastes light and delicious.  You will need a 12 hole muffin tin and a pack of paper muffin cases.

Heat the oven to 180c (or 160c if it has a fan) gas reg 4

• 175g dark brown sugar
• 100g wholemeal self raising flour
• 100g self raising flour
• 1tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 teaspoons mixed spice
• finely grated peel of 1 orange
• 2 eggs
• 150ml sunflower oil
• 200g carrots - grated

• Place one muffin case in each of the holes of the muffin tin
• Mix all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl along with the finely grated orange peel.
• Whisk together the eggs and oil then stir into the dry ingredients along with the grated carrot.
• Divide the mixture evenly between the 12 muffin holes and bake for approximately 20 minutes.  Slide a cocktail stick into a muffin, if it comes out clean they are cooked but if not leave in the over for a couple of minutes then repeat with a different muffin.
• When cooked remove from oven and leave to cool.

To top them, mix together 300g of cream cheese with 100g icing sugar and 1 tsp of vanilla essence, spread thickly on top of the muffins.

For those who are in need of cheering up - the best, richest, most moist Chocolate Cake ever

The title says it all - this chocolate cake, if done right, is incredible.  Scrumptious.
You will need two 7" cake tins or a roasting tin and baking parchment 


Preheat the oven to 180c  350f or gas reg 4

• 2oz cocoa (definitely NOT drinking chocolate)
• ⅓ pint of warm water (around 7fl oz)
• 4½ oz trex or spry or White Flora
• 10½ oz caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 7 oz self raising flour

• Grease and line (with baking parchment) two 7" sandwich cake tins or an 8"x12" roasting tin.
• 
  
•  Mix the cocoa with the water to make a smooth paste, set it aside to cool.
• Put the fat and the sugar into a mixing bowl and cream them together until soft.
• Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
• Fold in the flour with a metal spoon (do not beat or bang - folding means to stir it in gently with the side of a metal spoon in a figure of 8 pattern.  
• Stir in the cocoa mix until it is just mixed with the rest of the ingredients - don't overwork it.
• Spoon it into the prepared tins 
• Place in the oven for 40 -50 mins or until cooked, then allow to cool in the tin.

To test if a cake is cooked gently press on the surface with the pad of your finger, if it leaves a depression then it isn't done but if it springs back to its former shape it is cooked.


If you have made this cake in two sandwich tins then you need something to sandwich the two halves together.  The simplest solution is whipped cream - yummmm.  Alternatively you could make a butter icing with 

• 3oz icing sugar
• 1oz cocoa
• 1oz butter 
• a tablespoon of chocolate spread
• a drizzle of cold water

• sieve the icing sugar and cocoa powder into a bowl, add the butter and chocolate spread and mix together.  It won't come together very well at first and will be to thick but persevere. 
• Put the cold water into a jug or a cup - don't try to do it from the tap as you could get too much and that would make the icing too thin.  Drizzle a little at a time into the icing mixture and keep mixing until you have the perfect spreadable consistency which is thick enough to stay put on the cake. 

If you have made the cake in a roasting tin it will be to thin to cut in half but you could still spread the gorgeous chocolatey butter icing on the top or if you feel brave there is a very tricky but utterly delicious caramel icing which can go with it.  For this you will need:

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3oz butter
• 5 tablespoons water 
• 12 oz icing sugar

• Place the sugar in a small thick based pan and heat gently until it melts and turns golden brown.  DO NOT STIR OR ADD WATER AT THIS STAGE.  
• Remove from heat, allow to cool slightly, add butter and water and stir to mix.  Beat in icing sugar and spread it over the cake whilst the icing is still warm then leave to set whilst you scrape out the pan and eat whatever you can dig out.

(Be sure to follow these instructions carefully or you may end up with toffee stuck firmly to the bottom of your pan)

When the icing has set use a long, sharp knife to cut the cake into squares.