Fake away Shredded Crispy Chicken {recipe}

I love my Chinese but too much of it not very good for my waist line. So I went on a search for a version of my favourite that was healthier for me and my family and something that I can cook at home. I came across this one a unislim website a while back but can't remember where. Thankfully I wrote it down and I sharing it with all you lovely people. 

Note: The oven chips take a a bit longer than the chicken so stick these on before you start prepping the rest of the ingredients.

Ingredients (serves 2)

2 Chicken Breasts

1 Onion

3 Spring Onion

1 Chilli (red)

Tsp Chilli Flakes

1 red and green Pepper

Salt

1 wholemeal slice of bread

Garlic

Method

Cut the chicken breasts into strips. 

Whisk the bread, salt and some chilli flakes together in the blender to make breadcrumbs. Dip the Chick into the breadcrumbs and cook in the over for 20 mins on 180c.

Slice everything else up and cook in a wok until just cooked and add the chicken for a few more mins and stir up together.

Oven Chips

Cut up potatoes into thin chip pieces.

Dry with kitchen paper.

Lay on a baking tray lined with grease proof paper and spray with cooking oil and salt.

Cook in the oven until crispy, tossing once or twice through out the cooking time.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I did. I really hit the spot and was sooo filling. I even got a thumbs up from my too kids. 

Winner, winner, chicken dinner!!

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Quick & Easy Tortilla Pizzas

I'm always loosing a battle when it comes to my kids and there dinners.

"I'm not hungry."

"I don't like mash potatoes."

"I want something else."

And so on, and so on.

But I came across a post on Instagram about tortilla bread pizzas.

Genius!

The kids can decorate them by themselves and hopefully eat them.

We tried them the other night and it was an amazing success.

They ate every last crumb and I even thought they were delicious.

All I did was spread some passata or chopped tomatoes on the breads and top with cheese, onion, peppers and ham. You can out what ever you like on your pizzas on these too.

Whack it in the oven for 10 minutes at 200*C and your done.

Bish! Bash! Bosh!

Dinner Done!

If dinner took 10 minutes every night I would be golden.

But I'll settle for one night a week.

Happy Hump Day!

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Banana Bread {recipe}

I hate wasting food. 

Most of our left overs go to the dog, so it not that bad.

But, my dog can't eat bananas.

They are the one food that gets thrown out all the time.

You see, I like my bananas slightly green. I hate it when there is the smallest spot on them. 

I WON'T eat them!!

So they get thrown out.

Hubs was at our friends house doing a job one day and came home raving about this banana bread/cake thing that he had there. 

Couldn't stop talking about it.

So I tracked down the recipe and this is my version of it.

It's more of a cake but I'm calling it bread so it sounds healthier.

*******

Banana Bread

100g butter

100g sugar

2 eggs

150g flour

2 small bananas

180*C

1h 10mins

Makes one loaf

Cream the sugar and butter until soft and creamy

Add the eggs and flour a bit at a time.

Blitz/mash the bananas and add to the mixture.

Put the mixture in a lined loaf tin.

Smooth the top and sprinkle with a little sugar.

Cover the top of the tin with brown paper to stop it browning too soon and burning.

(Learned my lesson there)

Bake.

*******

I'm going to try adding raisins or maybe chocolate chips to the next batch.

I might even make muffins for the kids to take to school.

Everything seems more appetizing when you think it's a treat.

I love mine warm but it's just as nice cold with a little butter.

Hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

No more wasting spotty bananas.

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Gluten free, Wheat free, Yeast free, Dairy free - Dark chocolate and Butter-cream cake

My cousin turned 30 last week. Sssh! Don't tell anyone.

As a gift to her I offered to bake her a birthday cake.

Simple enough you would think.

The thing about this lady is that her diet HAS to be Gluten, wheat, yeast and dairy FREE.

After a bit of research and help from the lovely ladies over at the Irish Parenting Bloggers group I decided to go for this.

A chocolate sponge with buttercream filling covered with melted dark chocolate.

What you'll need:

125g/5oz sugar

6tbsp Sunflower oil

1tbsp Vanilla Extract

1/2 Ripe Banana

150g/6oz Gluten free self raising flour

1tsp of cocoa powder

4tbsp Water

1. Lightly oil or grease proof line a 7" round cake tin.

2. In a bowl, beat together the sugar oil and vanilla.

3. Peel and mash half a ripe banana. Beat it into the sugar mixture.

4. Add the flour, cocoa powder and water and mix well.

5. Pour into you prepared tin and smooth the top.

6. Bake in a preheated oven at 190c/fan170C for 35 minutes.

7. Coll on a wire rack.

The above ingredients are enough to make one sponge. The recipe told me to cut the sponge in half but it didn't rise enough. I baked another one and sandwiched them together with butter cream.

Butter cream recipe.

125g margarine

3tbsp vanilla extract

650g icing sugar

3 tbsp milk (opt)

1. beat the margarine for about 5 minutes. Don't cut on this. You really need to beat the margarine until it's pale and creamy.

2. Add half of the icing sugar and mix.

3. Add the Vanilla. Mix until it is absorbed into the mixture.

4. Add the milk if you are using it now. Mix until it is absorbed.

5. Add the remaining icing sugar and mix for a further 5 minutes. The longer you mix it the better you results will be.

And here is the finished product.

She loved it and it tasted fantastic. 

Her boyfriend didn't even know it was made for her special diet.

Not bad for my first special diet bake.

Tried and Tasted : A cooking Link- up

I'm taking a big leap here on the blog today.

I'm launching my very first link-up.

I have linked up with a lot of blogs since I started blogging and I love how easy it is to connect with other through a link-up.

So, I bring you...

I love to cook, bake and try new recipes. 

I'm forever browsing through pinterest, online cooking forums and cook books for new ideas.

What better way to find new ideas and share some of your favourite ones then through a link-up.

So, come back Tuesday, have a look around and link-up.

Don't forget to add the button (on the sidebar) or just link back to my blog.

Who knows, I might even make a pin board.

I'm excited to connect with you lovely blogging beauties.

See you all next Tuesday.

Valentines with the kiddos

Valentines day can be difficult when you have kids.

Babysitters, booking a restaurant, trying to fit it all in to a couple of hours.

It can make it a teeny bit stressful.

But I am certainly going to try make our Stay at home Valentines special for all of us.

To start things off the kiddos got a "Bag of love".

I filled it with a Teddy, sweets and other bits and pieces I had picked up for them.

What do you get for the man who says he has everything?

I made a "Tub of love".

I filled it up with all his favourite sweets and chocolates. Simple but he was happy.

I try and make the food extra dpecial on this day.

Valentines Day Menu

Breakfast

Pancakes 

 Fresh fruit

Topping of your choice

Whipped cream

Dinner

Steak with mash and mixed vegetables 

Fried onions

Garlic bread

Dessert

Chocolate fondue with strawberries, marshmallows and mini cupcakes

Meringue Mess

I'm looking forward to having a quite night at home with the ones I love. Don't get me wrong. I luurve a good date night but I'm kinda looking forward to not having to find a restaurant, babysitter and hold in my stomach all night. I might just throw on a little black number and do my hair. He's worth the effort.

When the kiddos are in bed we will settle down to watch a movie.

Coin toss gets to pick the DVD.

How will you be celebrating Valentines day?

Love to all.

{Recipe} Healthy Cottage pie

I've been following Operation Transformation ever since my mom joined up this year.

I wasn't convinced that the food would be nice but we tried out this and it was yummy.

I decided to give another recipe a try and this is the one I picked.

Cottage Pie

Serves 4

 Ingredients:

450g lean minced beef 

2 x cans of chopped tomatoes with herbs

 600g potatoes, peeled and quartered 

600g frozen mixed carrots, beans, peas and sweetcorn, defrosted 

200g courgettes, grated 

200g fresh cauliflower 

100ml of milk 

1 onion, peeled and finely diced

 1 beef stock cube melted in 50ml of boiling water

 ½ tsp dried thyme

 1 tbsp rapeseed oil 

salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Preheat oven to 180C. 
Put the potatoes into a saucepan of cold water. 
Place the cauliflower in a steamer on top of the potatoes. 
Bring the pot to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. 
When the vegetables are tender mash them together with the milk and a little salt and pepper. Set aside. 
Heat oil in a non-stick saucepan. 
Add the onions and cook for a few minutes until soft.
Add the mince and cook until lightly browned. 

Add tomatoes, courgette, thyme, defrosted vegetables and beef stock. 

Cook for 10 minutes to evaporate excess juices. 

Spoon the mince and vegetable sauce into an ovenproof deep dish. 
Cover with the mashed potato and cauliflower. 
Cook in the oven for 25 minutes. 
Serve

{Recipe} Chicken pineapple curry with pea rice

My mother has been following the Operation transformation program and she has been telling me that the recipes are yummy.

To be honest I didn't believe her.

How could something that healthy be yummy, right?

So we tried out one today to see if she was right.

Chicken pineapple curry with pea rice

 Ingredients:

400g chicken fillets cut in thin strips

2 medium onions, diced

1 yellow pepper and 1 green pepper, diced

1 x  432g can sliced pineapple in its own juice (chop in cubes and reserve the juice)

400ml light coconut milk

3 cloves garlic crushed

1tbsp mild curry powder

2tsp ground coriander

1tsp ground turmeric

200g easy cook rice

200g frozen peas

Method:

Heat a large non stick pan with some oil.

Add the chopped onion, garlic and chicken and fry together until the chicken is browned.

Add the chopped pineapple, chopped yellow and green peppers.

Add the spices and stir well.

Add the coconut milk and the pineapple juice.

Simmer for  10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Meanwhile cook the rice according to instructions on pack.

When nearly cooked add 200g frozen peas, mix well and drain.

Serve with the sauce.

Note: We did have to add a bit of cornflour to make the sauce thicker. We also grated some courgettes and added them in to bulk it up.

I have to admit that it tasted fab. I thought that the lack of salt (which I use way too much of) would be a problem but after a couple of bites I didn't even mind cos it was so tasty. Even the little guy had to get in on the action.

If you're looking for healthy, tasty recipes head on over to the recipe pages and check out some of the other ones. I'm looking forward to trying out a few more.

{Recipe} Chicken Schnitzel

I love chicken. You can do so much with it. Have it plain or dress it up.

Today, I dressed it up.

Serves 4

4 Chicken breasts

flour, for dusting

2 eggs, lightly beaten

280g of fresh breadcrumbs

salt and black pepper

olive oil for shallow frying

Cut each chicken breast in hale, cutting diagonally through the middle to make 2 thin fillets. Place between 2 sheets of cling film and press lightly to flatten slightly.

Place flour, eggs and breadcrumbs in separate bowls. Season breadcrumbs with salt and pepper.

Working one at a time, dip the fillets in flour then egg and breadcrumbs. Make sure they are well coated. Place on a plate on baking paper and put in the fridge for 10 minutes.

Heat two tablespoons of oil in a non stick pan and cook in batches. Cook for 2-3 mins on each side or until golden brown and cooked through.

Serve with mash and veg or beans.

This went down a treat in my house and I pretty sure it's going to become one of our monthly dinners.

Happy cooking!!

All Occasions Cake.

I'm linking up today with AP from ILYMTC for two posts. I should a have done this yesterday but we won't even get started on yesterday.

I'm linking up for The dog days {of winter} are over and Hey, That's Pin-tastic!

This weeks link-up is for the dog days is "make it". I am very proud to say I made these.

Here is the start recipe that I use. I just double it if I'm using a bigger tin or different shape.

5oz Flour

6 -8 oz Sugar

3 Eggs 

3 floz Water

Separate the eggs.

Mix the sugar, egg yolks and water until light and foamy.

Add the flour.

Beat the egg white until in stiff peaks.

Add to the other mixture.

Decide into 2, 8 inch tins lined and floured.

Bake at 180c for 15 to 39 minutes.

DIY Mini Pizzas

My daughter always wants to get those awful mini pizzas and swear she will eat them this time.

And like a fool I buy them and the dag ends up getting them.

I hate waste.

There is no need for it.

Hubs doesn't est pizza so we normally have it when he's not around for dinner.

In an attempt to not waste more money and food I decided to get 1 large pizza to feed all 3 of us.

But in a mad fit of 5 year old drama queen, J decided she wanted mini pizza and wasn't going to eat my grown-up pizza.

So my Mom brain got to thinking and that is where these little beauties came from.

All I did was cut the pizza up with a cookie cutter and I had mini pizzas.

She LOVED them and I now don't have to get those awful cardboard things.

Happy Hump Day Everyone!!

Eve's pudding {Recipe}

Today I'm sharing one of my favourite dessert recipes with you. It is the yummiest and easiest dessert you will ever make.

 Now it is not very good for your waste line if you have it every week but for special occasions you can't go wrong with this little beauty. It's the dish I carry to all the parties and I never have any left over.

Ingredients: 

4 cooking apples

sugar

100g butter

100g sugar

150g flour

2 eggs

Peel and slice you apples and sprinkle them with sugar. I never measure this sugar. I just put enough to coat the apples and make them sweet.

Next, cream your sugar and butter until pale and creamy. Add your flour and eggs bit by bit unitl all combined. Add a drop of milk if the mixture is dry.

Spread the mixture over the apples and sprinkle more sugar over the top. This will give a nice crunch to the top when it's cooked.

Cook at 180c for 40 minutes.

Serve warm with cream or custard. Or whatever why you like it.

Trust me when I say this will go fast so get in there first for your helping.

I'll be making this for Christmas day. I can't wait.

Happy Eating!!

Tangled Birthday Bash : Hey, That's Pin-tastic!

Linking up today for Hey, That's Pin-tastic! over at I love you more than carrots. An amazing link-up where you make, make, create or decorate something you have pinned on Pinterest.
Today I'm talking about my Tangled Birthday Bash

This past week in our house has been a big week. My daughter turned 5!
She wanted to have a Tangled birthday party and where do you go when you need inspiration... Pinterest.

I found loads of ideas on how to do a Tangled party and make her birthday, In her words, "best party ever". I also wanted to spend as little money as possible (i'm trying to be frugal not cheap) but make it fab at the same time. I think I succeeded.

I'll be doing more posts on the birthday this week so check back if your looking for some cheap and cute ideas.

For now here are some photos of the Birthday bash.

I have to thank Molly over at Stilettos and Diapers for the idea of the photo props. Check out her little man Mustache Bash here. You can find the links for the props I used here and here.

Found this guy on Google images and printed it off. 

I found a printable for these gorgeous cupcake toppers here. I also used them to match up the party hats too. Just printed them on card and cut them out.

Marshmallow trees. Cute and yummy!!

 These are water balloons that i sowed together. She got such a surprise after school when she saw these.

My masterpiece of a cake. I made it! I even shocked myself at how good it turned out.

Happy Birthday Princess!! Love you.

If there is anything you want to know about anything you saw in the post, let me know. Just leave a comment and I'll give you the details.

Don't forget to check back over the coming week where I will be showing you how I made the backdrop and the bunting.

Happy Pinning!!