one contented homebody

a vintage inspired life

Monday, August 31, 2015

Tania's Honey Chicken Recipe

This recipe came about by a bit of experimenting and mixing up a couple of recipes I had tried. I changed them here and there and came up with this now family favourite. Serves four.

500gms of cubed chicken breast
3 heaped tablespoons Cornflour (approximate, may need more)
Salt and Pepper to taste
3 eggs, beaten 
oil for frying
1 packet low salt French Onion Soup
1/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon chicken stock powder
1 cup of water

Combine cornflour, salt and pepper in a plastic bag. Toss the cubed chicken into the cornflour. (The chicken pieces should have a nice coating of cornflour on them).

Beat the eggs in a small bowl, then add quite a few pieces of the chicken at a time, I would say ten to twelve pieces. Coat well with the egg.

Preheat oil over medium heat and brown the chicken. 

Once browned (this doesn't take long, a couple of minutes each side), remove the chicken to drain. Then remove the leftover oil from pan.

Next whisk together the soup mix, honey, stock powder and water.

Put chicken back into pan and add the soup mixture.  Bring to boil and then turn down heat and cook for about five minutes or until done.

Enjoy!

Main ingredients.

Frying the chicken, using a wok.

Draining the chicken.

 I serve my honey chicken with stir-fry veggies and rice. 
I use any veggies I have on hand.  This is what went in tonight; diced potato, carrot, onion, garlic, zucchini, mushrooms, capsicum, tomato, broccoli and sweetcorn. I think that's all lol! 
Stir-fry the veggies in a little oil (coconut or olive).  Once they start to soften add some soy sauce and a small dollop of sweet chilli sauce. Stir to combine, then serve.

Stir fry vegetables

 Whoops, silly me forgot to take a photo of the served plate. 
So here is one one half eaten lol!

This is very tasty. Not too hard to cook and not too many ingredients.  I sometimes add a sprinkle of sesame seeds on top of chicken when serving. 

If you have any questions about this recipe please ask, I am only too willing to help.


Monday, August 24, 2015

A Bit of Randomness

While in Adelaide recently we went to the Port Adelaide Sunday markets. I love going to these and finding treasures.

I have wanted a decent sized teapot for some time now as I only had a vintage aluminium one, and I was a bit concerned about using it.  I found this brown English beauty in one of the stalls. It holds six cups.

Phil is a fan of vintage Fire King kitchen ware.  He was so pleased to find some to add to our collection.  They are a favourite of mine too.   

Lastly I found a soap saver.  I already have one of these but it is not in as good condition as the one pictured.  Put velvet soap in the mesh section and wash the dishes the old fashioned way. You need to watch out though as the dishes get very slippery.


I made Annabel's banana cake.  Look at the size of this cake, and I halved the recipe! I substituted the milk/lemon for yoghurt, and iced with chocolate icing. 
You really MUST bake this cake! 

Recently the electricity was out for quite a few hours. We had a storm go through and also maintenance done on the line.
We did have lights as they are solar powered, but we needed the generator going to help out.

The cord going to the house.

 This is what it looked like inside with cords running everywhere.

I had washing to do that couldn't wait.  There was enough power to wash and spin but not to drain the machine.  So I had to wait until the power was back on to drain the water.

Some quick thinking to heat up some pies for my son who always comes home for lunch. I had taken pies out of the freezer and luckily the fire was on so I could heat them up. I become resourceful and felt like I was back in the olden days lol! 
I had run out of bread to make sandwiches.

I put the pies on top of the stove at about 10.30 and by lunch time they were perfect to eat.

 Spring is near. 
We are having more nice warm sunshiny days.
  
A beautiful sunrise we had recently.

Knitting while travelling.
I am making booties for my new grandchild due in January 2016.

 While we were away the girls laid three dozen eggs.  It is great that they are laying again.  Wont be long and we will have broody girls to put some fertile eggs under.
We sell excess eggs to cover the cost of feed.


 I found these in an op shop recently. A Suzanne Grae green jumper and a vintage sheet.

I have a vision to make pretty table napkins from this.

A visit to my parents again and this is what I brought home.  Two bags of organic plain flour and two coconuts.

I mentioned on the Down to Earth Forum  about this gift my grandmother made for me thirty five years ago when I got married the first time.  
It is one of my special treasures.  It is getting a bit tired and worn from use.  I keep my bits and pieces of jewelry in it.



  
And look what I found out in the shed.  I have been drooling over Annabels pretty bottles like the one in this post. And then I remembered these I had found years ago.  Unfortunately they dont have the stoppers. Does anyone know where I could get some? Otherwise I will use corks.
  
I picked these off our trees when I got home. 
Four ice cream containers of quandongs (wild peaches).  Like other fruit, I stew them up with sugar and water.  Definitely need sugar to eat these as they can be quite sour. 

First dessert in my new dish.  Annabel's golden syrup pudding.  So simple and easy, go here for the recipe.

My baby tomato plants I planted before going away.


I am hoping to post more on this blog. Thank you for being patient with me while I get it up and running.


Sunday, August 23, 2015

Menu Plan Monday

Image Credit


Monday: Rogan Josh, rice and stir-fry vegetables

Tuesday: Crumbed Chicken with salad

Wednesday: Rissole casserole with bread rolls

ThursdayChicken curry with rice

Friday: Porcupine meatballs and vegetables

SaturdayMeat pie, mashed potato and vegetables

Sunday:King George Whiting, chips and salad

Desserts: Chocolate pudding, Golden syrup pudding, fruit and ice-cream.



Monday, August 17, 2015

Learning to Become a Cheapskate over at Out Back

If you would like to hear all about my Cheap-skating weekend, I have blogged about it on my other blog Out Back

Hubby is on holidays for the next two weeks.  We are going away for the rest of this week, so I probably wont get to do any posts until I return. See you all when I get back J

Take care,

Sunday, August 9, 2015

Menu Plan Monday

Image Credit


Monday: Crumbed chicken tenders with chips and salad


Wednesday: Apricot chicken, stir-fry veg and rice

Thursday: Soccer night so leftovers or something simple

Friday: Away in Adelaide

Saturday:Adelaide

Sunday: Pizza's

Desserts: Not on the agenda this week


We are waiting for our appetites to return after our illness, so it is a pretty tame menu list this week.  We are travelling to Adelaide Friday so I can attend the Cheapskates workshop on Saturday.  It should be a lot of fun!

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Feeling Under the Weather


After thirteen years of not being sick, I have finally caught the lurgy that is going around.  Special thanks goes to my son who was kind enough to share it with me. He has been unwell since last Thursday and is still home sick.  Diagnosis, "man-flu!" 
I woke up not well on Sunday morning, but have soldiered on until now.

 Today it feels like I have been run over by a truck! Hopefully I can get some much needed rest this week. The housework will have to wait as will everything else...

Luckily I have plenty of vitamin C on hand. Lemon and honey drinks plus mandarin and orange juice straight from the tree.

Be back soon.