Chicken & Biscuits

This is quick and easy weeknight comfort food ready in under 30 minutes. If it’s the weekend or you’re planning ahead, you can make the chicken and stock ahead of time. I used Bisquik mix to make my biscuits this time, but I will post my recipe for homemade biscuits soon!

Ingredients:

  • 4 Tbsp butter
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 large carrots, diced
  • 1/2 c all purpose flour
  • 2 c milk
  • 2 c chicken stock
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme (best hack for always having fresh herbs)
  • 1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 3 c chopped, cooked chicken (about 2 lbs raw)
  • 1 can of baby peas, drained
  • 1 can of corn, drained
  • salt & pepper
  • Any biscuits – homemade, store-bought or Bisquik

Directions:

  1. Heat the butter over medium-low heat in a large pot. Add the onion, garlic and carrots and cook for about 5 minutes.
  2. Stir in the flour, then whisk in the milk and chicken stock.
  3. Add the thyme, rosemary, cooked chicken, peas and corn.
  4. Allow to cook for 15 minutes until thickened. Add salt & pepper to taste.
  5. Serve over warmed biscuits.
Chicken & Biscuits

Nutritional Information*

  • Servings: 8
  • Calories per serving: 291
  • Total fat: 10.6 g
  • Saturated fat: 4.7 g
  • Total Carbohydrates: 17.2 g
  • Fiber: 4.2 g
  • Sugar: 6.4 g
  • Protein: 42.3 g

*Nutritional information estimated using MyFitnessPal

Simple Chicken Stock

Chicken stock is very easy to make and you can freeze it for future use. Every time I have a recipe that calls for cooked chicken I make this stock and use the chicken for the recipe.

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs chicken parts (breast or leg works best)
  • 1 onion, coarsely chopped (leave skin on)
  • 4 garlic cloves, smashed with the side of a knife (leave skin on)
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 3 celery ribs, coarsely chopped
  • 1 handful parsley, broken in half
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Any fresh herbs (e.g. thyme, rosemary) – best hack for always having fresh herbs
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Place all the ingredients in a large stock pot and add just enough water to cover.
  2. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and allow to simmer vigorously for 30 minutes.
  3. Strain the chicken and vegetables, then put the liquid back in the stock pot. Put the chicken aside for eating or another recipe.
  4. Add 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp pepper to start. Taste, then add more if needed.
  5. Transfer to a storage container and allow to cool in the fridge overnight. In the morning, if any fat has hardened at the top, simply scoop it off with a spoon. You can now place the stock in the freezer or use within a couple of days.

Vegetable Beef Stir-fry

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 c soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp honey
  • 1 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tsp sesame oil
  • 1.5 lbs steak (fast-fry), sliced into strips
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 bunch asparagus, chopped
  • 1/2 small onion, diced
  • 3 green onions, sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 1 yellow pepper, diced
  • 1 Tbsp ginger, minced

Directions:

  1. To make the marinade, combine soy sauce, cornstarch, honey and sesame oil in a small bowl, set aside.
  2. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan. Add beef and brown. Remove from pan and set aside in a large bowl. Pour the marinade over top and let stand.
  3. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to the pan. Add all the vegetables and cook on high heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often.
  4. Add the beef and marinade and continue cooking for another 5 minutes.
Vegetable Beef Stir-fry

Nutritional Information*

  • Servings: 4
  • Calories: 488
  • Total Fat: 30.3 g
  • Saturated Fat: 10.3 g
  • Total Carbohydrates: 16 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 3.4 g
  • Sugar: 8.3 g
  • Protein: 39.5 g

*Nutritional Information estimated using MyFitnessPal

Scottish Shortbread

My Daughter: “Oh, that’s good!” What she meant was so buttery, flaky and yummy.

Ingredients:

  • 2 c all purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 c butter, softened
  • 1/2 c powdered sugar

Directions:

  1. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
  2. Beat butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy (3-4 minutes).
  3. Add flour mixture, beat at low speed just until the dough starts to come together.
  4. Place a piece of plastic wrap on the countertop and turn the dough out onto the plastic wrap.
  5. Squeeze the dough to shape it into a disk. Wrap tightly with the plastic wrap and place in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
  6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out the dough to about 1/2″ thickness.
  7. Cut the dough into rectangles and place on an ungreased baking sheet.
  8. Bake for about 18 minutes until just starting to brown at the edges.
Scottish Shortbread

Nutritional Information*

  • Servings: 12
  • Calories: 90
  • Total Fat: 2.6 g
  • Saturated Fat: 1.3 g
  • Total Carbohydrates: 8.7 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 4.2 g
  • Sugar: 1.1 g
  • Protein: 6.2 g

*Nutritional Information estimated using MyFitnessPal

Hearty Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

  • 5 slices bacon, diced
  • 1 1/2 c carrots, sliced
  • 1 1/2 c celery, diced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 12 c chicken stock
  • 2 c (340 g) dry brown lentils
  • 2 whole bay leaves
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

Directions:

  1. Heat a large pot over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until browned.
  2. Add carrots, celery, onion and garlic. Cook 3-4 minutes.
  3. Add chicken stock, lentils and bay leaves.
  4. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for about 1 hour.
  5. Add black pepper. Remove bay leaves.
  6. Using an hand blend, blend for a couple of seconds, just to thicken, not puree the whole soup. There should still be chunks of vegetables and lentils.
Hearty Lentil Soup

Nutritional Information*

  • Servings: 10
  • Calories: 90
  • Total Fat: 2.6 g
  • Saturated Fat: 1.3 g
  • Total Carbohydrates: 8.7 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 4.2 g
  • Sugar: 1.1 g
  • Protein: 6.2 g

*Nutritional Information estimated using MyFitnessPal

Two Ingredient Bagels

This recipe has been floating around the internet for a couple of years now, so who knows where it started but it’s a good one! The dough can be made into pizza crust, buns or bagels, and sort of has a sourdough flavour. I make my own self-rising flour in a double batch then save the other half for another batch of bagels another time.

I served mine alongside a big bowl of Roasted Butternut Squash & Apple Soup.

Ingredients:

  • 1 c self-rising flour*
  • 1 c 0% plain greek yogurt

*Make your own self-rising flour by combining 1 c all purpose flour with 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1 tsp salt.

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Combine flour & yogurt in a bowl then turn out onto a countertop & knead for a minute or so.
  3. Cut into 4 equal portions and roll each out into a tubular shape. Join the ends and place on a lined baking sheet.
  4. Bake at 350 degrees for 22 minutes.
Two Ingredient Bagels

Nutritional Information*

  • Servings: 4
  • Calories: 148
  • Total Fat: 0.5 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0 g
  • Total Carbohydrates: 25 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 1 g
  • Sugar: 2.1 g
  • Protein: 9.1 g

*Nutritional Information estimated using MyFitnessPal

Rigatoni with Sundried Tomato Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Cook rigatoni according to package directions, until al dente (about 11 minutes).
  2. Combine sundried tomatoes, basil and chicken stock in a blender and blend until smooth.
  3. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Cook garlic for 1-2 minutes.
  4. Pour in tomato mixture, cook for 1 minute.
  5. Add in cream, stir.
  6. Toss in with the cooked pasta. Add parmesan cheese and stir.

*Serve on the side of some well-seasoned flash-fry steaks.

Steak and Rigatoni with Sundried Tomato Cream Sauce

Nutritional Information*

  • Servings: 8
  • Calories: 418
  • Total Fat: 19.7 g
  • Saturated Fat: 5.6 g
  • Total Carbohydrates: 95.1 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 1.9 g
  • Sugar: 2.4 g
  • Protein: 27.5 g

*Nutritional Information estimated using MyFitnessPal

Irish Beef Stew

What makes a stew Irish? Must be the Guinness. Serve with a big hunk of Irish Bannock on the side.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 c all purpose flour
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 3/4 tsp pepper
  • 1 1/2 lbs stewing beef, large dice
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 whole onion, large dice
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 c carrots, large dice
  • 2 medium potatoes, peeled and large dice
  • 1 c celery, large dice
  • 1 c white mushrooms, quartered
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 c stout or Guinness beer
  • 2 c beef broth
  • 1 (28 oz / 796 ml) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme (best hack for always having fresh herbs)
  • 2 whole bay leaves
  • salt & pepper

Directions:

  1. Combine flour, 3/4 tsp salt and 3/4 tsp pepper in a large freezer bag. Toss in beef to coat.
  2. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large pot. Place flour-coated beef in the hot oil, browning in batches and setting aside on a plate. When done, set aside the remaining flour mixture for later.
  3. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to the pot again. Add in onion, garlic, carrots, potatoes, mushrooms and celery. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
  4. Add in the tomato paste and 1 Tbsp of the remaining flour mixture, and stir.
  5. Add in beer, scraping the bottom of the pot to get all the cooked-on bits up.
  6. Add the beef broth, canned tomatoes, thyme and bay leaves.
  7. Add in the cooked beef, bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer.
  8. Cover and cook over low heat for about 2 hours.
  9. Season with salt & pepper.
Irish Beef Stew & Irish Bannock

Nutritional Information*

  • Servings: 6
  • Calories: 220
  • Total Fat: 7 g
  • Saturated Fat: 3.2 g
  • Total Carbohydrates: 34.3 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 1.3 g
  • Sugar: 4.3 g
  • Protein: 5.3 g

*Nutritional Information estimated using MyFitnessPal

Irish Bannock

Here’s a tip when a recipe tells you to “cut in” cold butter. Use a cheese grater to grate the butter into the flour then use your fingers to rub it into even smaller pieces.

Here’s another tip for kneading dough. Sprinkle a little bit of flour on the kneading surface and on top of the dough then start kneading. As soon as the dough starts to stick to the countertop, sprinkle with a little bit more flour. Keep doing this until the dough stops being sticky.

Ingredients:

  • 2 c all purpose flour
  • 2 Tbsp white sugar
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 Tbsp cold butter
  • 1 c buttermilk

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the cold butter (see the tip above).
  3. Add the buttermilk and stir together.
  4. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes.
  5. Place the dough in a single ball on a lightly oiled cookie sheet.
  6. Cut and 1/2 inch cross in the top of the dough.
  7. Bake for 40 minutes.
  8. Serve on the side of Irish Stew.
Irish Bannock

Nutritional Information*

  • Servings: 6
  • Calories: 220
  • Total Fat: 7 g
  • Saturated Fat: 3.2 g
  • Total Carbohydrates: 34.3 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 1.3 g
  • Sugar: 4.3 g
  • Protein: 5.3 g

*Nutritional Information estimated using MyFitnessPal

Roasted Butternut Squash & Apple Soup

Ingredients:

  • 1 whole butternut squash, peeled, seeded and 1-inch diced
  • 2 Tbsp + 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • salt & pepper
  • 1/2 small onion, diced
  • 1 Tbsp grated ginger root
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 6 c chicken stock
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme (best hack for always having fresh herbs)
  • 1/2 small apple, peeled, seeded and diced
  • 1/4 c half-and-half cream.

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine the butternut squash with 1 Tbsp of olive oil and salt & pepper in a glass 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake for 1 hour until cooked and starting to brown & caramelize. Take out and set aside to cool a little.
  2. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large pot. Add onion, ginger root and garlic, cook for 2-3 minutes.
  3. Add apple and thyme, stir. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil for 5 minutes.
  4. Add the cooked squash and take off heat.
  5. Use an emersion hand-blender to blend until smooth, or use a counter-top blend to blend in small batches.
  6. Stir in cream and serve.
Roasted Butternut Squash & Apple Soup

Nutritional Information*

Yield: 7 cups. Each serving is 1 1/2 c of soup

  • Servings: 4
  • Calories: 211
  • Total Fat: 10.1 g
  • Saturated Fat: 1.8 g
  • Total Carbohydrates: 30.4 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 8.3 g
  • Sugar: 10.1 g
  • Protein: 3.2 g

*Nutritional Information estimated using MyFitnessPal