Chicken, Cranberry and Pistachio Terrine

Once again,  I have tried to recreate a recipe from our favourite place, Green Olive at Red Hill on the Mornington Peninsula.  The description on the menu is Chicken Terrine, Pistachio, Cranberry, Garden Herbs and Farm Made Fruit Chutney.  And it is to die for......

My version is Chicken Terrine, Pistachio, Cranberry, Thyme, Parsley, Mustard and served with Green Olive Farm Made Fruit Chutney.

The verdict.... it was very nice. Compliments from hubby, Noel, and even from daughter Alexandria, who prior to trying it kindly told me "you know I don't like cold meat".

I used chicken breast fillet which I processed myself as I am not a fan of chicken mince. Never have been - to be honest there is just something about it and I do not like the smell of it at all. Therefore I have always processed my own.

This terrine was easier to make than what I thought it would have been.  The flavours worked well together (I guess they have to or Green Olive wouldn't serve it either).    

 

Chicken, Cranberry and Pistachio Terrine

(recipe adapted from taste.com)

 

Serves: 4 - 6

 

cooking spray

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium brown onions, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme

750g chicken fillets, fat trimmed

140 grams fresh breadcrumbs, made from wholegrain bread

1/2 cup unsalted pistachio nuts , shelled

1/2 cup craisins, reduced sugar

2 eggs

2 tablespoons wholegrain mustard

1 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

 

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-low heat and cook the onions for 8-10 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic, parsley and thyme and cook for a further 5 minutes or until the onions are very soft. Cool slightly.

 

Place chicken in a food processor and blend until minced.

 

Combine the onion mixture, chicken mince, breadcrumbs, pistachio nuts, eggs, mustard, salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl and use your hands to mix well.

 

Overlap the long sides of a loaf pan with two 50cm lengths of foil by 8cm.  Line with baking paper and spray with cooking spray.

 

Place the chicken mixture into the baking dish and bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes.

 

Remove from the oven, pull back the foil and then drain off the juices.

 

Re-cover with the foil and then place the terrine in the fridge until cold.

 

Remove the foil and cut into slices and serve with the fruit chutney or relish of your choice.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Honey Sriracha Chicken Pizza

Saturday night "fakeaway" was blown out of the ball park tonight.

 

We have had quite a few pizzas of late so tonight I needed to find a different topping.  So I sat down with my favourite friend, Google, and proceeded to search for that something different.  And OMG when I found this recipe I knew it was what I was having for dinner.  My tastebuds exploded just reading the recipe.

 

Sriracha Chilli Sauce is quite hot and some people find it rough. It's a sauce that I have only predominantly used in Asian cooking.  The chicken mixture was very interesting - actually not too  sweet and not too spicy.  So to spice it up a little more I added jalapeños to the mix.   The bacon complimented the chicken so did the sweetness of the cherry tomatoes. 

 

Every mouthful was a flavour burst - all combined together was magnificent.

 

Go on.. be adventurous give it a go!

Honey Sriracha Chicken Pizza

(Recipe adapted from tablespoon.com)

Makes: 1 large pizza

1/4 cup honey

2 tablespoons orange marmalade

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons lime juice

2 tablespoons sriracha chilli sauce

1 cup cooked chicken, shredded

cooking spray

1 serve Incredibly Easy Pizza Dough

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1/2 cup grated tasty cheese

4 slices rindless bacon, cooked and chopped finely

10 cherry tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup sliced jalapeños

8 baby Bocconcini balls or 1/4 cup grated mozzerella

In a small saucepan combine the honey, soy sauce, orange marmalade, lime juice, and 2 tablespoons sriracha. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat. Simmer 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Once the sauce is thickened, remove from the heat and add the chicken. Toss well.

Preheat oven to 220 degrees Celsius or light pizza oven.

Spray a non stick frying pan with cooking spray. Add chicken and cook over medium to high heat until browned and cooked through. Remove from heat.

Spray a pizza tray with cooking spray.

Shape dough onto pizza tray.

Cover the pizza with tomato paste.  Sprinkle with grated tasty cheese. Evenly spread with the chicken mixture.

Top with bacon , tomatoes, jalapeños and Bocconcini (mozzarella) over the top.

 

Cooked for 10 - 15 minutes or until base is crispy and cheese is golden and melted.

 

 

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Chicken Carbonara Pizza

Yes this can only be from a teenager.... Alex hates pizza but adores Chicken Carbonara Pizza! Go figure?  Normally Alex will eat everything else but pizza.  When we said we were having pizza tonight before she could complain I said do you want your Chicken Carbonara Pizza?  The answer was yes!

 

Having said this - it's one of the easiest pizzas to make!  Very few ingredients equals one happy teenager.  So as far as I am concerned it's a win-win.

 

We obviously use a home made pizza base but you could use a pre brought pizza base or pita bread - that's up to you.

 

I guess pizzas are great as you can choose your own toppings - but who can go wrong with juicy tender chicken smothered in everyone's favourite creamy cheesy bacon carbonara?

 

 

Chicken Carbonara Pizza

 

Serves: 2 hungry teenagers (LOL)

 

cooking spray

1 chicken fillet, diced

1 serve of Incredibly Easy Pizza Dough

tomato paste, optional

425 gram tub of LaTina Creamy Carbonara

1/2 cup grated tasty cheese

Preheat oven to 220 degrees Celsius or light pizza oven.

 

Spray a non stick frying pan with cooking spray.  Add chicken and cook over medium to high heat until browned and cooked through.  Remove from heat.

 

Spray a pizza tray with cooking spray. 

 

Shape dough onto pizza tray.

 

Spread with tomato paste if using.

 

Top with cooked diced chicken.,

 

Smother with Creamy Carbonara Sauce.

 

Sprinkle evenly with grated cheese,.

 

Cooked for 10 - 15 minutes or until base is crispy and cheese is golden and melted.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Incredibly Easy Pizza Dough (or Bread Dough)

Noel is normally the pizza dough maker.  In fact I have to say the patience he has had experimenting with all types of pizza dough recipes has been great - I am sure that he has cursed the fact that we brought him a pizza oven for his birthday!  LOL!

 

Anyways, we tried this recipe the last time we made pizzas and it was really yum as a pizza base. The recipe doubles as bread day also, which I must say is great also.

 

It is a very light pizza base, once cooked.  A little sticky to work with - but Noel swears by the fact that the wetter the dough the better the pizza base.

 

 

Incredibly Easy Pizza Dough (or Bread Dough)

(recipe sourced from Poh's Kitchen)

 

Makes: 4 pizza bases or 2 loaves of bread

 

600 grams plain white flour (best to use good strong baker's flour - higher in protein)

4 teaspoons dried yeast

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

400ml water

Mix one tablespoon of flour, the sugar and yeast with a couple of tablespoons of tepid water and allow to stand for 20 minutes.

 

In a large bowl mix flour, one tablespoon of olive oil and salt.

 

Add yeast mixture and enough water to make up a firm dough and mix well.

 

Cover bowl with damp tea towel and leave in a warm place for an hour.

 

Remove dough to a floured workbench and knead for five or six minutes.

 

Divide dough into 4 and shape onto pizza trays.  Top with your favourite toppings and bake.

 

To make bread:

 

Divide dough into two, knead each into a loaf shape, put in oiled bread tin, cover with damp tea towel and leave in a warm place for an hour.

 

Before baking, sprinkle surface of each loaf with flour.

 

Bake in moderately hot oven (200°C) for about 45 minutes, or until top is golden brown and bottom is light brown. Tap the bottom, it should sound hollow.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Pork, Artichoke and Spinach Meatloaf

Meatloaf - just an easy dish to prepare and everyone loves it!  But the great thing about meatloaf is that you can honestly use any meat and any flavourings and it is always delicious.

 

Normally when we cook meatloaf we always use beef mince... not sure why?  Just seem to always do.  Well this time was totally different as I had found a recipe for a pork meatloaf that really intrigued me.

 

Pork mixed with spinach, home roasted capsicums, artichoke hearts - what a flavour combination.   The subtle hint of lemon and thyme gave the meatloaf a nice touch but the sticky topping finished the dish off perfectly.

 

As usual we had some beautiful soft bap rolls and accompanied with our favourite Creamy Coleslaw Supreme.

 

Quite simple to make, this dish can be cooked either in the oven or the slow cooker and I am sure your family will enjoy.

 

 

Pork, Artichoke and Spinach Meatloaf

(recipe adapted from Weight Watchers Real Food Slow)

 

Serves: 4

SmartPoints per serve: 8

 

cooking spray

2 red capsicum

500 grams lean pork mince

1 1/2 cups fresh wholegrain breadcrumbs

1 brown onion, finely chopped

300 grams artichoke hearts in brine, drained

100 grams baby spinach, chopped finely

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

salt

freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup sweet chilli sauce

1 tablespoon tomato sauce

 

Preheat grill.

 

Line a baking tray with foil and spray with cooking spray.

 

Cut capsicum into quarters and deseed.  Place on baking tray skin side up.  Grill until black.  Turn off grill and remove capsicum and place in a plastic bag to sweat.  Allow to cool.  

 

Once cooled remove all the blackened skin from capsicum.  Chopped finely and place in large bowl.

 

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

 

Add mince, breadcrumbs, onion, artichoke, spinach, rind, juice, thyme and 2 tablespoons chilli sauce to capsicum.  Season with salt and pepper.  Mix until well combined.

 

Line baking tray with cooking paper.  Shape mixture onto tray into a 20 cm x 10cm loaf shape.

 

 

Bake in oven for 20 minutes.

 

Combine remaining chilli sauce and tomato sauce in a small jug and spoon over top of meatloaf.

 

 

Return meatloaf to oven and cook for 20 - 25 minutes or until cooked through.

 

To cook in slow cooker:

 

Shape mixture into 20 cm x 10 cm loaf shape in a 4.5 litre slow cooker. 

 

Combine remaining chilli sauce and tomato sauce in a small jug and spoon over top of meatloaf.

 

Cook, covered, on low for 6 hours (3 hours on high).

 

Serve with a salad, if desired.

 

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

 

 

 

 

Chicken with Walnut Sage Chilli and Lemon

Work has been so busy of late that my meals this week have been planned with two words in mind... quick and easy.  This recipe covered both quick and easy.

Plain Jane chicken fillets covered in a topping I would never have thought of cooking,  That is until I saw the recipe of course.

The chicken was tender and juicy while the crumble style topping was bursting with flavour.  The nuttiness of the walnuts combined with the garlic and chilli complimented each other with a burst every now and then from the crispy butter soaked sage leaves.

On the table in under an hour with the use of one baking dish and one frying pan.... a recipe perfectly made for mid week cooking.

Chicken with Walnut Sage Chilli and Lemon

(Recipe adapted from WW Eat Well Diabetes Cookbook)

Serves: 4
SmartPoints per serve: 8

700 grams baby potatoes

cooking spray

sea salt

2 teaspoons olive oil

4 x 150 gram lean chicken breast fillets

2 teaspoons reduced fat butter or spread

1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/4 cup fresh sage leaves

1 long fresh red chilli, deseeded, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons lemon juice

freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 220 degrees Celsius.

Spread potatoes on a large baking tray and lightly spray with cooking spray.  Sprinkle with sea salt.  Bake, turning once hallway through cooking, for 30 - 40 minutes or until golden and tender.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat.  Cooked for 5 - 6 minutes each side or until cooked through.  Transfer to a plate.  Cover with foil and set aside to rest for 5 minutes.

Melt butter or spread in the same pan over medium heat.  Cook walnuts, garlic, sage and chilli, stirring for 5 minutes or until walnuts are golden.  Add juice and stir until heated through.  Season with black pepper, to taste.

Top chicken with walnut mixture and serve with baked potatoes and other steamed vegetables of your choice.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)