Now THAT'S what I call a Baked Potato!

It's no secret.  I love, LOVE potatoes.  Low carb doesn't work for me.  I cannot live without potatoes.  It's as simple as that.  They are my favourite vegetable.   I love them any way I can get them . . . boiled, mashed, steamed, fried . . . but my favourite of all is BAKED!  I just adore baked, or jacket potatoes as they are sometimes called.  In fact my very first meal here in the UK back in 2000 was a jacket potato topped with cheese at a little cafe in Euston station whilst we were waiting to catch our train up here to Chester.  

So as you can imagine I was thrilled when the Bannisters' Farm people asked me if I would like to try some of their frozen potato products.  I am no stranger to the 4 ready baked potatoes packet.  I've been buying them regularly since I first spied them in the shops a couple of years ago.  I just adore them.   You can have one baked and on the table in 6 minutes, which is pretty handy, but if you are like me, you wil love, LOVE them baked in the oven until the skin gets all crispy (the skin is the best part of a baked potato in my opinion).

From their page:

 4 Ready Baked Potatoes

Cross cut and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil

A perfectly baked potato which can be taken out of the freezer and microwaved in a few minutes to give that deliciously traditional baked potato taste.
Our Baked Potatoes are the perfect staple for your freezer – fabulous for a meal for one with some beans, some chilli left over from entertaining friends at the weekend or as an accompaniment to a good old roast chicken and some steamed vegetables to ensure that your family have had a great hearty meal, rich in fibre, low in fat and highly nutritious.

• Traditionally Oven baked
• No nasties added
• Gluten Free
• No added Salt
• Suitable for vegetarians

You can have them on the table in six minutes if you use the microwave and 35 if you use the oven.

 

Fresh out of the oven . . . looking so tasty.  I can't wait to dig my fork in . . . .



Just perfect.  Nice and fluffy inside.   Nice and crisp on the outside.  To me that is the perfect canvas.   One that you can paint on with whatever your little heart desires.    Baked beans . . . cheese . . . baked beans and cheese . . . tuna mayonnaise . . . chili con carne,  curry chicken . . . I can't think of anything savoury that would not go on a baked potato.   Heck, even just sour cream, chopped chives and a bit of salt and pepper is fab . . . add crumbled bacon and I am in heaven!



The other day I had some leftover baked ham and so I used my mom's barbeque sauce recipe, added a tin of pineapple chunks and we had that ladled over the potatoes . . .

 

A bit of grated cheddar and it was just gorgeous . . . fluffy potatoes, crisp skins . . . salty ham . . .



that tangy spicy sauce, with a hint of sweet from the pineapple . . . that gooey rich cheese, melting down into all of that tastiness . . .

What's not to love about that????   (This sauce recipe is one of THE many recipes included in my Recipes to Keep Cookbooklet.  Check it out under the Cookbooklets heading above.)

 

*Mom's Barbeque Sauce*

makes about 3 cups

Printable Recipe    

This is the barbeque sauce my mom has always made.  We always loved it when she would cut up leftover ham into cubes and then bake them in this sauce in the oven.   We would have it with rice and it was really, really good.  You can also add a tin of pineapple chunks, replacing some of the water in the sauce with the juice from the pineapple  That's really good too!  If you do the ham thing, it's really tasty spooned onto a baked potato.  Hot dogs are good in this as well, ,chicke, pork.  It's good with most things! 

225ml tomato ketchup (1 cup)
450ml water (2 cups)
(I used less than that most times, about 1 1/2 cups)
60ml cider vinegar (1/4 cup)
60ml Worcestershire sauce (1/4 cup)
50g of soft light brown sugar
(1/4 cup packed)
(I like a bit more than this.  taste and adjust as desired)
1 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp mild chili powder
1 tsp salt few drops Tabasco sauce
Mom's notes:  I add some soy sauce, chopped or minced onion, chopped celery and a bit of oregano 

 

Basically you just mix together all of the ingredients and pour them over some spareribs, chicken, ham, or whatever in a casserole with a lid, cover tighty and bake in a slow oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.  (160*C/325*F/ gas mark 3)


They also sent me a package of their Littl'uns, same as the bigger ones, except smaller, just right for pint sized appetites.  Only 88 calories a piece, they're great for when you want just a taste of potato and don't want to go whole hog!  Or for those wee ones in the house who aren't quite up to eating a large baked potato.   Just perfect in only 3 minutes in the microwave.



Also included were these tasty Potato Skins, baked and filled with Cheese and Jalapeno

From their page:

Our baked potato skins are best cooked in the oven. But if you can't wait for 20 minutes, then you can use your microwave instead. They'll be a little less crispy, but still equally tasty. These are simply fantastic cooked on your barbeque too, particularly as a starter while your friends wait for the rest to cook! 

I confess I am no stranger to these either.  LLLLLUVERLY.  Not too spicy.  Just right.

To find out more about the Banister's Farm potato products check out their page.

Follow them on Facebook
Check out their tasty recipes. 

The Bannister's Farm potatoe products are available at most of the main supermarkets here in the UK.. 

In all honesty, I feel they are superior to the other frozen ones on offer in the shops.  Seriously.  Two thumbs up from the Rayner Family.  Closest to homemade you can find, in a fraction of the time that it would take to do from scratch.  Many thanks for sending me these to review.

Note - Although I was sent products free of charge to try out, my opinions are honest and my own.

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Wings, chips and a really cool machine!

Do you like chicken wings and chips as much as I do???  Do you hate the mess, agro and smell caused from deep frying???   Well, have I got a great kitchen gadget for you!!


 

We recently got a Tefal AW950040 Family ActiFry Fryer  in  Black from Argos.  This was something I had wanted for a very long time.  My friend Angie (may she rest in peace) had gotten one a couple of years ago and raved about how good it was. The Actifry Fryer is a machine that uses new cooking technology to create crisp fries and other foods with virtually no oil.  I love chips, but I don't love all the fat and calories in them, so they are a very rare treat in this house.

The first thing I cooked in the ActiFry Fryer was chips.  I just had to see if they were as good as promised.  I apologize ahead of time for the lousy photos. ( I hate the problems I  with natural light in these late autumn/winter months.)  Egg and Chips was on the menu.  Normally I do oven chips but this time I used the fryer and I have to say . . . they turned out really well.

 

I followed the instructions which came with the machine exactly and we were rewarded with nicely crisp, yet low fat chips!



You just cut up your potatoes, rinse and dry them and then pop them into the fryer with a spoonful of oil, measured in the oil measurer that comes with the machine.  Thirty minutes later you are the lucky recipients of crisp and golden fries, with very little fat added.  Every few minutes, I peered into the machine, and nothing much seemed to be happening . . . at first. The potatoes were being stirred by the revolving arm, very, very slowly.  It wasn't long though before that began to change!  It was rather amazing actually.



The Toddster is rather fond of an egg and chips supper every now and then and he was well pleased with  the way the chips turned out.  So was I.  Call me a happy camper.

But it is a rather large machine and I have very limited space in my kitchen . . . was the Actifry more than a one trick pony??  Next up Chicken Wings.   I adore chicken wings, but I don't adore all of that fat and those calories.    I especially love Chinese Chicken wings . . .



I created a batter using flour, corn flour, egg and some salt and cayenne.  I coated the wing pieces in this mixture, dumped them into the fryer, set the timer and let the magic happen.  At first I despaired that they would turn out . . . I literally had to stop watching it . . .

 

No need to fear however as thirty five minutes later we had crisp golden and spicy chicken wings!  Result!!



I created a spicy sweet sauce to toss them in so that they would be finger licking good.  I love sauced crisp wings.  Don't you? 



Created with honey, soy, fresh ginger root, muscovado sugar, rice wine vinegar and red chilies, this was the perfect sauce to toss with those crisp little babies.

 

I also added some chopped roasted peanuts and toasted sesame seeds for extra crunch, texture and flavour.  Oh boy, were these ever good.  I have some more chicken wings in the fridge and am going to hot wings next.  I can't wait!  (NO worries if you don't have an actifry, you can cook these tasty little wings the old fashioned way in hot oil.)

*Sweet and Spicy Chicken Wings*

Makes 4 servings

Printable Recipe  

These were done in my T-Fal acti-fry machine.  I will include instructions at the end to do them without an acti-fry machine.  They are wonderfully delicious.  Crisp and spicey and sweet!

About a dozen chicken wings, jointed,
tips removed and discarded

(giving you 24 pieces)

35g of plain flour (1/4 cup)

30g corn flour (1/4 cup)

1 large free range egg, beaten

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste

1 TBS peanut oil

For the Sauce:

125ml of water (1/2 cup)

1 TBS finely grated fresh ginger root

1 1/2 TBS dark soy sauce

100g soft light brown muscovado sugar (1/2 cup packed)

3 TBS seasoned rice wine vinegar

120ml of golden syrup or honey (1/2 cup)

1 tsp crushed chilies (I used Gourmet Garden)

To finish:

35g roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped (1/3 cup)

2 TBS sesame seeds, toasted  

  

Mix the flour, cornflour, egg, salt and cayenne pepper together in a bowl.  Dry your wings well with some paper kitchen towelling and then toss them into the batter to coat them thoroughly, mixing with your hands.  (They are the best tools invented!)  Dump them into the ActiFry machine.  Drizzle with the oil.  Close the lid to the machine and cook for 35 minutes.

While the wings are cooking, make the sauce.  Combine the water, ginger, soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar and golden syrup/honey in a large saucepan.   Bring to the boil and then reduce to a quick simmer, allowing it to reduce to a syrupy thick sauce.  Turn out the burner and keep warm.

Once the wings are cooked, toss them into the saucepan with the sauce and add the chopped peanuts and sesame seeds.  The wings should be coated completely with the sauce and covered with the crunchy bits.  Delicious!

Note: for conventional cooking once you have the wings coated in the batter deep fry them in a pot of hot oil (177*C-193*C/350*F-380*F) until crisp and cooked through.  Drain well on paper towels and then toss with the sauce as above.



Guess who else is a fan of the Acti Fry??  I am in good company.   Just sayin is all . . .



The Tefal Actifry Family can hold up to 1.5kg enough to feed the whole family! The unique patented technology makes for healthier crisps and chips without those horrible greasy odours. One spoon of oil to cook your favourite fresh food with no preheating. The transparent lid makes it easier to see your food as it cooks.   All removable parts are also dishwasher safe, which makes cleaning up a breeze.   If I could find one thing wrong with it, it would be the size of it as it is rather hefty, but the results I got using it more than make up for that one simple drawback.

Right now you can buy one at Argos for £149.99, which is a saving of  £70 from off the regular price of  £219.99.  Is it worth it??  I think so.

I was really happy with the service from Argos as well.  Delivery was quick and everything arrived in short order and perfect shape. 



Colour me happy!!

Gardener's Pie

 

 Back during the war years there wasn't a lot of meat to go around and so families often dined on such favourites as Woolton Pie, which  was an adaptable dish of vegetables, created at the Savoy Hotel in London by its then Maitre Chef de Cuisine, Francis Latry.



It was one of a number of recipes commended to the British public by the Ministry of Food during the Second World War to enable a nutritional diet to be maintained despite shortages and rationing of many types of food, especially meat.  



It wasn't named after the chef, but after the 1st Lord Woolton, Frederick Marquis, who became the Minster of Food here in the UK in 1940.  It was a simple  recipe which involved dicing and cooking potatoes (or parsnips), cauliflower, swede, carrots and, possibly, turnip.



Rolled oats and chopped spring onions were added to the thickened vegetable water which was poured over the vegetables themselves. The dish was topped with potato pastry and grated cheese and served with vegetable gravy. The recipe could be adapted to reflect the availability and seasonality of ingredients.  And most people had Victory Gardens in the back yard and grew a lot of their own veg, so it was quite practical and filling as well.

 

This isn't a Woolton Pie per se which I am showing you here today, however loosely based upon it, but a sort of Veggie Shepherd's pie.  There is no oats involved.  There is no pastry.  Just lots of tasty vegetables and a nice hot topping of cheesey mash.  



It's so tasty, I guarantee you won't miss the meat, but if you have any die hard carnivores in the family, you could always offer this in smaller portions and serve a few chops on the side.  Myself, I could quite happily sit down to a plate of this and nothing else.

*Gardener's Pie*

Serves 6

Printable Recipe  


This all vegetable pie might be filled with humble ingredients, but there’s nothing humble about the taste. This makes a delicious lunch or supper dish. It’s also a great accompaniment to roast beef or lamb if you really must have some meat, but trust me when I say that it is truly satisfying on it’s own.  

For the filling:

1kg of assorted mixed vegetables (2.2 pounds)

(I used a peeled onion, a celery stick, a large carrot, a large piece of Swede,

1/2 a cauliflower, a couple jerusalem artichokes, a leek,a small celeriac, a sweet potato)

2 TBS olive oil

vegetable stock

1/2 tsp summer savory

salt and pepper to taste

For the Topping:
2 pounds of floury potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
(use a King Edward, Maris Piper, or good Idaho potato)
2 ounces butter
¼ cup of sour cream
1 TBS finely grated onion
Salt and pepper to taste
4 ounces grated strong cheddar cheese
A little warmed milk if necessary

Pre-heat the oven to 220*C/450*F/gas mark 7.

Peel and chop the onion. Peel and dice all the other vegetables into a uniform dice. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and vegetables and cook them over medium high heat, stirring from time to time until they just start to colour. Add enough stock to just barely keep them from sticking to the pan and reduce the heat to medium low and cook, stirring occasionally until all the liquid has evaporated and the vegetables are still crispy tender. Season them to taste with some salt and a good grinding of pepper. Stir in the herbs, and then pop the whole mixture into a pie dish. It may seem a bit dry, but not to worry, the final baking in the oven will release all those delicious vegetable juices.

For the topping put the potatoes into a pan of salted boiling water and cook them until they are fork tender. Drain well and return the potatoes to the pan. Give them a good shake over the still warm burner to dry them out a bit and then mash them well along with the butter and sour cream. Stir in the cheese and grated onion. Add only enough milk to make them nice and fluffy. You don’t want the mixture to be too loose. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Pile the fluffy mash on top of the cooked vegetables and bang the pie dish into the heated oven. Cook for about 15 to 20 minutes until the topping is nicely browned. Serve hot.