Sunday, March 11, 2007

Fun Monday #8


I thought I'd post my Fun Monday post on my Sunday as it is in fact Monday down under, (also I have a busy morning tomorrow so it leaves me time to be tempted by all your yummy recipes). I was going to post three recipes giving you a three course meal but ran out of time, in fact you are lucky to have the dessert because there was only one slice left by the time I remembered to take a picture. I also have to appologise for the bad photographs. I'm no photographer and it's hard to take a photo of a steaming dish when your stomach is telling you it wants to eat the dish not wait whilst you flaff around taking pictures.

The first recipe I have chosen is a firm favourite in our house and I end up making it most weeks in fact we call it cheesy chicken. It is tasty enough to serve to guests and very easy to prepare in advance. I got this recipe from The Avoca Cafe Cookbook.

BAKED CHICKEN WITH PARMESAN and WHOLEGRAIN MUSTARD
(often referred to as Italian chicken)

8 chicken breasts skinned and diced
4 oz(110g) Parmesan cheese freshly grated
2 tablespoons wholegrain mustard
110g/ ¾ pt double cream
300ml/ ½ pt chicken stock.
Parmesan shavings, to garnish.
(Serves 8)

Place the diced chicken on an ovenproof dish, cover with the cheese mustard and mix well. then add cream, stock and season with freshly ground black pepper and bake, uncovered in pre-heated oven 180 oC for 30 mins.
Remove from oven, the recipe calls for you to pour off sauce from chicken and whist until smooth, if you wish you can thicken it by whisking in a nugget of butter and flour together over the heat. I choose the easy option and serve it as it comes out of the oven, pouring the chicken and sauce over freshly cooked white rice. It's delicious served with salad and fresh, crusty bread.


For dessert I highly recommend Gateaux Diane. This is a favourite in Joules family and I learnt this recipe from his mother. My Bristol family were very impressed when I made it for a family barbeque last summer. Again it is easy to prepare in advance and the chocolate and rum cream give it the wow factor.

Gateaux Dianne

6 egg whites
12oz caster sugar
500ml double cream
300g milk chocolate (I'm sure you could use dark if you prefer)
3 tblsp dark rum.

Whist the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Whisk in the caster sugar so that the mixture is thick and glossy.

Prepare three baking trays with parchment paper or lightly oil the trays. Spread the mixture over the trays in a circle shape, I make them as big as a pizza baking tray. These can be made days in advance if you wish.

Cook for 1 1/2 hours 110 oC.

I find this bit easy but other people mess it up by over whipping or something. I melt the chocolate in the microwave for two minutes and stir it. Add the melted chocolate to the cream and rum and whisk until a nice thick consistency. Take care not to over whisk the cream. The cream can also be made hours in advance.

Sandwich meringue layers together with a layer of cream and put cream on top. Sprinkle over some grated choc and enjoy!!!

If you are bringing this somewhere the meringue stays hard for quite a long time unlike pavlova!

I hope you enjoyed reading about our favourite meals and that you may even be tempted to try and make them yourselves.

Below is a list of all this weeks Fun Monday participants. I don't have Paige's URL if anyone can help me out please do, also if I've missed anyone out let me know and I'll add you to the list.

Sabrina
Nikki
Lisa
Enidd
Margaret
Amy W
Bethany
Little Miss Moi
Frannie
Lotta
Liza
Paige
Elena Jane
Jenn
Steffi
Min
Karmyn
Dodo
Robin
Mommiebear2
Tiggerlane
Sally
Vicki
Willowtree
Swampwitch
Chrisb
The artist formerly known as purpleworms
2crazzie4u
Sam
Erik
Girl con queso
Stephanie

The wonderful enidd formerly known as enid has agreed to host next weeks Fun Monday so pop over to say hello and sign up for whatever challenge she may have in store for us.

44 comments:

Sam said...

count me in!

Anonymous said...

Oh....MY! This looks delicious--dinner and dessert! I'm laughing, though, Beccy, because of the measurements (I'll have to convert). AND, I don't know what "castor sugar" is...can I use regular refined?

Thanks for hosting, I'm gonna work on mine, I suppose :). Sick kid...little sleep...it's gonna have to be something "easy" for me to "get" to :/.

frannie said...

Mine is up, even though it is Sunday...

good thing my hubby is a scientist, so I can get him to do all the conversions for me. :)

Anonymous said...

The chicken sounds very nice and I like the sound of the dessert but I'm not a fan of rum flavoured things.

Anonymous said...

Yum - That desert looks absolutely delicious....and more importantly, EASY!

Barbara said...

I think even my husband could make that chicken dish. It looks so easy.

Anonymous said...

enidd fancies the pud too. she loves meringue and thinks it looks yummy. (she typed pub instead of pud there. she must say, she fancies the pub too.)

Beccy said...

Sam consider yourself counted!

I'm afraid I'm no good with conversions although I know there is a website that converts for you, will check it out!

I'm looking forward to checking yours out Frannie.

Fatman, it doesn't have a strong rum taste.

Very easy Karmyn and it always impresses.

I think so to Barbara, I hope he makes it for you.

Prehaps enidd could eat the pud in the pub, that sounds good to me!

Anonymous said...

That chicken sounds wonderful and so simple! I think I have most of those ingredients and am going to try it! The dessert looks great too. I'm going to try not to make it, but I bet I will.

Beccy said...

Lol Min, be warned if you make the dessert once you will be hooked!

Anonymous said...

Beccy...Delish ! Now if I could just convert and cook at the same time. Mine is going up as soon as I fly away on my broom. Apologies now for now 'totally' following directions, but why should I start now? Thanks for being the hostess with the mostess. And, also, thanks for the links to your blogbuddies places.

Pamela said...

I can't believe the things people are cooking. To darn yummy -- looks like food for the Gods.

I'm going to go hide under the kitchen sink -- after looking at all this stuff.

Trixie Twatwaffle said...

OK - because I cannot sleep, I posted mine. And because I am a horrible participant, I do not have pictures... Seriously - spent the weekend at Mark's. He's on some "let's eat healthy" kick. My recipes are definitely NOT healthy. :) But they are all yummy.

Girl con Queso said...

Oooo! I'm going to play too! I've got a great one. Homemade all-natural Thin Mint cookies. Check it!

Beccy said...

I'm intrigued Swampy!

Pamela, I hope you have comfy cushions under your sink!

Yummy sounds good to me Margaret.

Girl con queso, those sound good, have added you to the list.

Ailsa said...

Mmmm sounds delicious. I'll definately be trying both recipes.

Steffi said...

Hi Beccy, very delicious recipe!Thank you.I will try it!

Anonymous said...

Rum cream. I'm drooling over here.

Amy W said...

I can't wait to try these recipes! Great idea and good job!

Sabrina said...

I have notecards pasted up inside the cupboards in my kitchen with conversions--I write in a new one each time I look something up. There's a website for it, but I always Google! Looks great and do-able!!! Thanks!

Woodlandmama said...

Great chicken recipe I'll have to teach it to my husband so he can have six recipes instead of the five he normally makes! I'm not even going to try the dessert though, the last thing I need is more yummy things I'm not supposed to eat but really want to.

Anonymous said...

my stomach is growling and i just finished breakfast.

Beccy said...

That's great to know Ailsa.

Hope you enjoy it Steffi.

Jenny did I mention just how yummy rum cream is. I'm not a big cream fan but I can eat copious amounts of this.

Thanks Amy, it's been great to get new recipes.

Sabrina it wasn't long ago that I purchased a set of cups so that I can make all the recipes I find on the internet.

Liza your husband has five more recipes than mine. Hie idea of providing dinner is a frozen pizza or a takeaway!

Beccy said...

I know the feeling Nikki.

Anonymous said...

My family is going to love that chicken dish. Let's face it- I'm going tolove the dessert so much that they won't get any!

Anonymous said...

Beccy,
Looks great! That's good to know about the meringue, I hate a soggy one.
I'm afraid I spazzed a bit, my post was ready, but I didn't post it last night, as I've been doing, will have to do it when I get home from work!
Williams Sonoma cookbooks have both sets of measurements for every recipe. Very convenient!

Beccy said...

Bethany I would challenge you to eat the dessert all by yourself, yummy as it is, it is also very sweet. One slice is about all I can manage!

Lisa, I'll look forward to reading your post later. That sounds like a great book to have, I don't know how to convert but as I now have cups that's not a problem.

The very nice man said...

Dammit!! I like all of that and now have to change my foot plan for the week to incorporate this!

Anonymous said...

Beccy - I saw your comment at Mom O Matic.

I just wanted to let you know what Cool Whip is:

Cool Whip is nothing more than thick whipped cream in a tub (bought frozen) - for us lazy Americans.

Anonymous said...

Such a cruel thing to do to someone on a diet...

I'm totally stealing that chicken recipe though! YUM!

Beccy said...

Your foot plan Erik? Do you eat with your feet? (I'm only teasing)!

Karmyn we can get our cream already whipped but not frozen. I have to admit that the whipped stuff doesn't taste as nice so I always whip my own with an electric beater.

Beccy said...

Sorry catwoman, it's a dish well worth breaking the diet for!

Anonymous said...

Oops. I'm glad I came back through and checked this out. I forgot I had signed up.

Here's my url:

www.theaverylaneexperience.com

Lemme go post something real quick!

Thanks!

dodo said...

yet again i forgot all about it. i need to schedule myself a memo or something. yours looks delicious, especially the chicken

Beccy said...

Thanks Paige, looking forward to your post.

Dodo, you showed us a nice bedroom instead!

willowtree said...

Wow!! Just wow! That all looks brilliant, and I'm guessing it tastes good too.

Sidetracked Home Executive said...

Ooooh yum! Both dishes look divine! ::drool drool::

Thanks for thinking of us folk down under :o))

Beccy said...

Willowtree it tastes really good!

Sam, I'm so thoughful (blush blush)!

mommiebear2 said...

BAKED CHICKEN WITH PARMESAN and WHOLEGRAIN MUSTARD -- Looks yummy! I have printed out the recipe for my family!

sallywrites said...

Wow Beccy!! 40 comments!!!!!!

Nice recipes!!!!

Beccy said...

It's soooo good mommiebear2.

41 now Sally!

Sidetracked Home Executive said...

Beccy!! Look at all these comments! I can only dream of this many comments, lol.

You go girl ;o)

Anonymous said...

oooh - anything with double cream is good by me!

Beccy said...

I think I'm still in shock Sam!

Double cream is my favourite, it's not that well known here in Ireland but you get it anywhere in the UK.