Chicken Casserole

I've learned this recipe from my american flatmate (many thanks to Heather and her mother's famous recipe) and actually once we cooked it together (I was as silent and useless as I am here :p). Unfortunately, I didn't take any fancy pictures of it but I have this one, which I took while preparing it.

What do you need?

*Frozen broccoli, thawed
*Chicken, cooked (preferably sauteed in butter)
*Can of Cream of Chicken soup
*Mayonnaise
*Lemon juice
*Grated cheese (mature cheddar)
*Bread
*White rice

In a bowl, mix the cream of chicken soup with a large spoonful of mayonnaise and some lemon juice (half of a fresh lemon is fine). Place the cooked chicken and broccoli on the bottom of a greased pan and pour the cream of chicken soup mixture on top, making sure it covers everything. Next you sprinkle the grated cheese on top so that it covers everything, and then you take the bread, and squish/roll it up so that you make breadcrumbs and then cover the entire top with that. One can sprinkle the top of the bread crumbs with a little bit more cheese. Then you heat it for about 30 minutes at a low temperature (like 150 degrees C).

Finally, you can serve it on white rice. (I assume that everyone here knows way more than I do about how to cook rice, so I just skip my rookie comments :p)

I hope you enjoy it!

Read more...

Boston Cream Pie

After a long break, I finally found a bit of time to write up a recipe! This one is a Boston delicacy that we baked with Rosie: Boston Cream Pie. The recipe is from Sweets to the Sweet.




There are three components to prepare. It is a bit labor-intensive but the result is amazing!

Cream filling:

2 egg yolks
1 1/2 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat the yolks in a double boiler, stir in flour, cornstarch, sugar, milk and butter. Cook over boiling water about 20 minutes till thick, stirring constantly. Rosie and I thought that a bit more corn starch could be necessary to get it thicker. Chill mixture. When cold, whip the cream with the vanilla and fold together. Yummy. Refrigerate.

Sponge cake:
3 eggs, separated
1/4 cup cold water
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
3/4 cup cake flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Separate eggs, yolks into a large bowl, whites into smaller. Beat the yolks for 5 minutes, gradually add cold water and beat 1 minute. Add sugar gradually and beat 3 more minutes. Stir in vanilla and lemon zest. In another bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt with a fork. Add to yolk mixture in thirds, folding in. Beat the whites with the cream of tartar till they form soft peaks. Fold into yolk mixture. Turn into 2 ungreased 8" cake pans. Go with 8" and not 8 1/2" (as in the picture -the cakes were not as thick as they could have been). Bake at 325 F for 15-20 minutes till golden and springs back to touch. Cool upside down. Run a sharp knife around outside and remove cakes from pan. Refrigerate. When ready to frost (when cream and cake chilled) make the chocolate icing.

Chocolate icing:
2 squares unsweetened chocolate (2 oz)
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon water
1 egg yolk
3 tablespoons cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Melt chocolate in top of double boiler (or microwave), remove from heat. Beat in sugar and water at once. You need a deep bowl, it sprays around otherwise. Believe me, it does ;) Then add yolk, beat well. Beat in cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, then vanilla. We added a bit more cream to make it a bit more runny. This is one of the best chocolate icing I had. The taste is close to Nutella!

Put the cream filling between cake layers. Spread the chocolate over the top, allowing some to dribble over edges. Ignore the fact that ours did not dribble anywhere ;) Keep cake refrigerated. Enjoy!!!

Read more...