Chicken Soup

 WHEN I WAS IN A WHEELCHAIR FOR 6 WEEKS 

AFTER CRACK-FRACTURING MY PELVIS,

Lauren Heydenrych brought us some chicken soup one night.

Simply the BEST!

Thank you Lauren!

We make it often!

We've shared the recipe many times!

Chicken Soup – Lauren Heydenrych – Judy Bray’s method.

Saute together-

1 large chopped onion

2 large grated carrots

Add-

2 chicken breasts

1 litre water (including vegetable stock which I often have)

2 chicken stock cubes

When chicken is cooked, take the breasts out and cool

When chicken is cool, shred

Set aside in 2 portions - 

shredded chicken

Set aside - 

Some ladles of the onion/carrot/stock mix

Mix together -

2 tablespoons corn starch (Maizena)

Barbecue or savoury sauce (I use 2 Steers sachets of BBQ sauce)

1 litre milk (or 3/4 or more litre water if you’re going to use milk powder – I do.) 

(If you use milk powder 

Reserve 1/4 litre or less water with milk powder for 1 litre)

(I found adding the water with milk powder now has resulted in the milk curdling.)

Mix together and cook - 

1 ½ cups frozen peas

1 tin creamstyle sweetcorn

Set aside - 

peas, and corn mixture in 2 portions- 

Set aside-

½ cup cream 

Add first half the shredded chicken to the carrots/onion mix

Stir in the corn starch/sauce mixture (milk/water) to the carrots/onion mix

Heat

Thicken the soup

When soup is hot

Add a 1/2 portion of cooked peas and corn

Stick blend to smooth 

When stick-blended soup is hot and thickened,

Add hot 2^nd portion of peas/corn

Add heated 2^nd portion of shredded chicken

(I like a partly chunky soup)

(If you are using milk powder, add the ¼ cup or less (heated) water with all the milk powder now)

Just before serving

Add ½ cup cream (It sometimes curdles if added too soon)

Delicious – we think!

Enjoy!

Fruit Salad Bursting with Nutrients

 When I feel that little ominous scratchiness in my throat...

I'll go on a boxed apple juice fast for two days.

Apple juice only, as much as I want, whenever I want it.

Many years ago I had a Visiting Teaching Companion 

whose father was a homeopath.

Her children used to come Visiting Teaching with us.

This one morning her son wanted something to eat.

She said, "No, only apple juice for you now."

I later asked her why only apple juice for now...

She explained that whenever they were heading for illness 

they'd go on for two days drinking only apple juice.  

I thought I'd try it too.  It works for me...

I've wondered about other juices...

I haven't found any others that work like plain apple juice.

I sometimes add a tablespoon of barley juice powder.

(Thank you Mary Ann Shearer "The Natural Way.")

(I used to use Barley Life.  

I could buy it easily not far from me here in Gauteng.

When I was in KZN I couldn't find it.

I found Barley Grass powder at Dischem.  

It doesn't mix as easily as Barley Life, 

nor taste as pleasant as Barley Life, 

and I adjusted quite easily and enjoy the same benefit.  

It's also less expensive.

When I got home I found this container of Barley Life in my cupboard.

I'm using it up after sifting and pressing it through the sieve to return it 

from it's lumpy state back into powder.)

And I also drink water when I'm apple juice fasting.

I'll drink good clean water whenever I want it.

I'll also be sure to rinse my mouth out with water after drinking apple juice, 

just to clear my teeth of any acid effect of the apple juice.

(I've tried the apple juice fasting when I'm well.  I can't do it.  

I remember going to the Doctor for something else when I was apple-juice-fasting.  

He looked into my throat and said it was inflamed. 

I didn't feel ill.  I knew I was "under the weather" but, I didn't feel any pain or incapacity.

My lungs feel extra clear, my breathing better than normal.

My joints are completely functional and free of pain.  

I don't usually have any more than a degree sometimes of stiffness.)

After two days or so I choose this fruit salad to eat for breakfast, on an empty stomach.

And then nothing else to eat for an hour or so.

This gives my body the chance to utilize as much as possible from the fruit 

for repairing the imbalances in my body as soon as possible.

Then I might have my breakfast smoothie for mid-morning.

(Separate post.)

Or just more boxed apple juice.  As much as I want.

Then a lettuce, cucumber and tomato salad with a boiled or baked potato for lunch.

Boxed apple juice mid afternoon.

This fruit salad is bursting with healthy vitamins and anti-oxidants 

in my opinion and my experience over many years.

(When I was a Boy Scout Cub leader, more than 30 years ago,

I remember explaining to those 8 - 12 year olds about basic nutrition.

Protein for building strength in the body

Starches for fuel, energy for the body

Vitamins and minerals for repair of the body.  

And... when your car is being repaired, it isn't being built or running...)

My fruit salad recipe...

Cubed fresh papaya, 

a quartered and sliced strawberry, 

10 or so blueberries, 

5 or so red or black seedless grapes cut in half, 

boxed mango juice 

and half a banana - sliced.  

Delicious!

I might do this for 10 days or so until my body 

feels thoroughly cleansed and healthy again.

I haven't been really ill for years.

Last time was when we were in England in 2003 when SARS was virulent.

I wonder if we didn't contract it there...

We were both really soberingly ill then.

And so there I've recorded this...

Partly so that if I can't speak for myself any more one day,

Someone caring for me can read this and know what my body is accustomed to.

What my body has become accustomed to...

And also partly, so that it may be of some use to someone, sometime, somewhere.

I believe we are nudged to what will be useful to us.

And when we come across information we "know" (recognise) the truth for us.

Breakfast Smoothie

Blend 3/4 blender of fresh or frozen spinach with boxed mango juice.

Pour into separate mixing jug.

Chop 1 cored apple, 1 peeled orange, 1 peeled lemon, 3 carrots, 1 beetroot, a thumb knuckle of ginger and 1 peeled pineapple.

Blend two ladlesful at a time with added boxed mango juice.  I usually use about a litre of mango juice for this quantity of fruit and vegetables.  Empty each blending into the mixing jug.

Stir all together.  Ladle into 3 X 750ml glass bottles.

There might be some over, then I ladle into an appropriate smaller bottle. 

 Store in the fridge.  This quantity usually lasts me 9 or 10 days.

Keep separately in the fridge:  1/2 cup each of natural sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds and flax seeds. Grind them together.  I use a coffee grinder.

Each day I stir and pour some of the mixture into my glass for my breakfast smoothie.  Then I add and mix in 3 - 4 glugs (tablespoons?) of cold-pressed flax oil, 1 sprinkle (teaspoon to dessertspoon?) of chia seeds, and 2 tablespoons of ground, flax, pumpkin and natural sesame seeds.

I like to drink as much as I can with a thickish straw, and use a dessertspoon for the last little bit that sometimes has a lump or more that is too thick for the straw.

Enjoy! if you feel inclined to try this smoothie!

Pizza - Delicious!

This is how we make pizza.

Dough:

Mix dry ingredients, then add wet ingredients - 

You can mix it easily with a tablespoon.  It's a beautiful texture!

1 cup flour

1 heaped teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup milk (or milk powder to make 1/3 cup and 1/3 cup water)

1/3 cup cooking oil

Spread and press by hand in baking tray or round pizza pan.

Spread with tomato sauce.

I took frozen chopped yellow peppers and spread them.
Sometimes I use green or red ones - depending what I have in the freezer, or fresh.

I fry onions, add chopped mushrooms and when they're cooked I add extra-lean beef mince.
When it's all cooked I freeze the mixture.
When I want to make pizza I take out a container of the mix and spread it over the peppers.
This was fresh onion, mushrooms and mince this time.

Sprinkle with grated cheddar cheese.

Bake at 190C for 30 minutes.

When the crust is golden brown, take it out.  Let cool slightly and cut.

 

Enjoy!
We had this as it is last Friday.
Sometimes I serve with mixed green salad, avocado, or peas, or peas and carrots.
It's always delicious!

Coronation Chicken

We enjoyed Coronation Chicken at our "86 and 21 celebration last week."
It was very well received.  It is, every time I make it.
I was asked for the recipe.

































Perhaps you would like to make it too.

I used chicken fillets instead of thighs.

From "Annette Human - Choice Recipes"

I think I got this off the internet when we were in Durban?

Kairos Biscuits

I made these on Sunday and shared them with our neighbours.
The newspaper they are lying on is a 2013 newspaper from England about the birth of Prince George.  :)  Interesting reading whilst I work on this and that!

Carrot and Potato Hash Browns

Grate:

2 Carrots

2 Potatoes

Chop and add to above:

1 onion

Chop and add to above: (Optional)

Spinach/broccoli/cabbage

Add to above: (add more of each if consistency is too crumbly)

3 eggs

½ cup flour

Fold together.

Shallow fry in a pan.

Serve with salad.

Enjoy!

Pizza Dough Recipe

Pizza Dough

(I got this recipe from a young adult, Karen Webster, a long time ago.
Daughter of Rob and Rosemary Webster.

I wonder where she is now...

It works every time!) 

1 cup cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1/3 cup oil

1/3 cup milk (or milk powder and water)

(I put the oil in and keep 1/3 cup milk (water if using milk powder) handy.

I add about a quarter cup and mix the dough with a spoon, and then the last of it if needed.

You get familiar with how it should ‘feel’ and work.

Soft, not sticking to your fingers, easy to work with.

Sometimes I add a little more flour, and sometimes a little more milk/water.)

Press into swiss roll pan or pizza pan

Spread tomato sauce over the dough

Top with whatever pizza toppings you want

Spread with cheese

Bake 180C for about 30 minutes – until pastry is golden brown and cheese is melted.

Chakalaka Chicken Recipe

Chakalaka Chicken – Very Easy!

This recipe came to me from Ronell (Dicks) Wrench (Steve Wrench’s wife.)

2 cups uncooked rice – spread in a baking dish/pan

Salt - sprinkle over rice

3 – 5 chicken breasts – (or cubed or minced beef) space evenly on rice

1 tin tomato and onion mix – spread over rice and chicken breasts

1 tin mild and spicy chakalaka – spread over rice and chicken

2 tins water – pour gently into dish

Bake uncovered 180C for an hour

Remove chicken, shred, return to dish.

 (I let the chicken cool enough so I can finger-shred it.)

(Add more liquid if necessary.)

Serve hot! - with green and/or yellow vegetables and mixed green salad.

Enjoy!

(When I served this last week to Nadia, Ethan, Daena and Cabryn,

they loved it and asked for the recipe.

I didn’t have chakalaka in my cupboard, but I had a tin of Indian Style tomato and onion mix.

I used that instead.  Very good!

Here is a chakalaka recipe for those who can’t find the tins in their stores:

You’ll get the idea of what you can put in and what the end result will be…

6 Roma tomatoes, halved

100 g cauliflower florets

2 cloves garlic, crushed

3 T olive oil

1 T oregano

1 carrot, sliced julienne

1 red bell pepper

1 onion

2 green, deseeded, chillies

1 t ground coriander

1 t ground cumin

1 t garam marsala

1 t curry powder

1 T turmeric

1 T oil

1 cup beef stock

Juice of 1 lemon

Salt and pepper, to taste

Mexican Tamale Pie

Saute together:

1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped green peppers

Add:

1 small teaspoon chilli powder or 1 tablespoon curry powder

Add and brown:
750 grams minced beef or chicken

Mix together and add to above - simmer 20 minutes:
1 can tomato puree or tomato and onion mix
1 can whole corn or fresh corn cut off the cob
1 sachet tomato paste
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Fold in:
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
Pour into baking dish
Top with mashed potato and grill until golden brown
Serve with Cornbread and a green salad

And/or sweet pumpkin

(The original recipe had a mielie-pap topping rather than mashed potato.)

Variation:
If I have some left-over mixed vegetables I use them on their own instead of corn only.

Instead of the tomato puree I use a tin of braai relish 

or a bottle of Roast Veg Pasta sauce.

To my mashed potatoes I add 1 or 2 pureed carrots (Thank you Virgin Atlantic Airlines) and/or ½ or 1 cooked and de-pipped gem squash.

Since some do not like mashed potatoes - 
I serve them separately so those who want them can take.
For those who do not like cheese - 
serve in a dish and those who want cheese can sprinkle it on top.

I buy a bag of gem squash, pierce them ( they can explode - not pretty!) and cook them.
I let them cool, cut, depip, scrape out flesh and put in 1 gem squash portions in the freezer.

When they are frozen I pop them out of the bowls and put them in a plastic bag.
I take out what I need when I want it.
I always add a gem squash to my mashed potatoes - 
The mashed potatoes are a lovely golden colour - and it adds a vegetable!

Thanks Joyce Levy and the first Sheila Bibb for the original Recipe!

Mom's Biscuits

Biscuits – Philippa Powrie (Judy Bray’s Mother)

(there was always a roll of biscuit dough in the freezer – wonderful for unexpected visitors – 

4 minute oven warm-up and 12 minutes max baking… 

and there would be fresh biscuits! Selena, my Mom’s helper, used to make the dough –

 this is her method developed over time from the original recipe.)

250 + 30g butter                                    half melt     (we don’t know why the extra 30g…)

4 cups sugar                                         stir in

5 teaspoons vanilla in a cup

fill up to ¾ cup with milk (less milk?)     add to above

4 eggs                                                 

6 cups flour

7 teaspoons baking powder                   sift into bowl, add liquid

2 teaspoons salt                                   

Bake at 180 - 200C in TEAspoonsful, 6 at a time (they spread,) on a baking sheet or…

 – even better…

form into sausages with circumference of 6 – 8cm

loosely wax paper wrap each sausage in so that they do not stick together…

(if the mix is wettish sometimes I roll each sausage in flour to make it easier to handle)

put in freezer to harden - or keep there until whenever needed

When baking:  set oven to 180 - 200C

When the oven is ready,

take out a sausage of well chilled biscuit dough,

cut into 1/3 cm rounds,

place 6 on buttered baking sheet,

brush with melted butter and bake – 

the biscuits will “rise” then plop and brown around the edges… 

that’s when they are ready.  (We timed 8 - 12 minutes, depending on the oven.)

Remove from the baking sheet immediately

allow to cool on a cooling rack.   Enjoy!

MOM’s ORIGINAL RECIPE

 3 cups sugar

250g butter                               grate into sugar blend

4 eggs

4 teaspoons vanilla                    put in and mix thoroughly, add to above

8 tablespoons milk

6 cups flour

7 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons salt                        blend together, mix to above                             

roll into sausages, cover with wax paper, put in freezer to harden

cut from frozen into thinnish slices

Bake 180C – 200C about 8 – 10 minutes, depending on your oven

Stick together with apricot jam (optional) and/or dip ½ of round in melted chocolate – 

Fabulously decadent for special occasions…!         

Cinnamon Rolls

Kayla Westpfahl made these for us when they came for supper

last week.

They were delicious!

I asked for the recipe.

I made them for last weekend.

Mixing them with my Kenwood Chef mixer and the dough hook

caused the mixer to strain and the machine to go poof!

And smoke poured out of the back and front of it.

Glenn took it apart and after he and Douglas trying to get parts for it

declared it past repair - they do not make spare parts for my 23 year old mixer any more.

...A pause to respect my mixer that has served me so well...

And... I was so thrilled to see my dough rising so beautifully!

Baking in the oven.

This is Paula Deen's recipe.
When it came out of the oven I put an icing glaze on it while it was still warm.

I can heartily recommend these delicious cinnamon rolls!

You will find it on the internet at
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/cinnamon-rolls-recipe.html

if you want to try them too.
Sorry... I don't know how to link yet...

There... I did it - I think...

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/cinnamon-rolls-recipe.html

Very good I must say!

Thank you Kayla for introducing us to these.

I will make them again - for a special occasion!

Broccoli Chicken Casserole

Broccoli Chicken Casserole 
(Angela (Bray) Baxter's home economics recipe book

Arrange in a casserole dish:

500g broccoli boiled/steamed
500g cooked chicken cubed/shredded

Combine and pour over broccoli and chicken:

250ml mayonaise
250g tinned/sauted mushrooms
5ml curry powder
5ml lemon juice
30g melted butter

Top casserole with:

grated cheese
breadcrumbs

Bake in 190C oven until cheese melts and breadcrumbs crisp
Serve with vegetables and salad.

Enjoy!

Scotcheroos

Thank you Food Nanny for this recipe...
As I often do - I have adapted it a little.

SCOTCHEROOS

Bring gently to slow boil:

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla

Take the mixture off the stove.
Add and stir in thoroughly:

1/2 cup peanut butter (I used smooth)
Pour into and blend gently and thoroughly:

2 and 1/2 cups rice crispies breakfast cereal

Drop by spoonsfull onto buttered flat pan.
Put into fridge to chill.

I like them like this...
They taste very good!
No gluten!

I halved the original recipe.
The recipe calls for pouring the hot mixture in a pan and covering with chocolate and caramel chips which will melt with the heat of the hot mixture.  
Thereafter the Food Nanny says cut the Scotcheroos into squares.

I tried drizzling melted chocolate over the Scotcheroos the way I make them in individual portions.  
I prefer them without the chocolate.

Breakfast Fruit and Vegetable Smoothie

Towards better and better physical health...

First thing in the morning -

A glass of water.

A squeeze of fresh lemon or dose of ginger tea added is so good!

A little later apple juice to the second groove of this bottle,

water to the third groove of this bottle,

and two teaspoons of Barley Life powder.

Shake it together and drink.

(This picture is of the mix partially drunk.)

  For breakfast I have had fruit or salad for years.

At present I enjoy a vegetable and fruit smoothie instead or as well.

Here is the recipe for you John.

One peeled and de-pipped sliced lemon

One peeled and de-pipped sliced orange
(you can de-pip the slices quite easily)

Two de-cored and chopped apples

Two or three chopped carrots

1/2 chopped beetroot

One sprig mint

Three big leaves of chopped spinach

1/3 chopped pineapple (optional)

Small piece of fresh chopped ginger (optional)

Put the chopped ingredients into a food processor*.
Whizz until finer.

Transfer to a bowl.

Add boxed 100% fruit juice 
- mango or apple juice is what I use.
(I'm sure freshly juiced would be better...
I'm not there yet!)

Stick blend until fine*.

*Or put all the ingredients in a jug blender or smoothie maker.
Much easier if you have one.

Pour into storage bottles or containers.

This quantity makes almost 2 X 750ml bottles.

Keep in fridge for a couple of days' breakfasts.

I put three or four dessertspoons full in a glass,

and fill up with more mango or apple juice.

I sip mine through a thick straw and 'chew' it as well. 

Sustaining!

This morning I added two teaspoons of

my blend of equal quantities of

unbleached sesame seeds

flax seeds

pumpkin seeds

Which I grind periodically in a coffee mill and store in the fridge.

 I also added a tablespoon of
cold pressed and cold processed flax oil.

My smoothie was very good!

Glenn is joining me in having the smoothie for breakfast.

He has the veg and fruit smoothie for lunch as well.

In between snacks for me are raw nuts, fruit or fruit juice.

I hope this helps us both along to better physical health...

I feel nourished and sustained.

"Macaroni Cheese" Recipe

This was in the oven too long.

Dinner was delayed.

Usually the dish is moister and the top less crisp and brown.

It was delicious - as always - nevertheless!

 

Macaroni Cheese as my Mother made it (Philippa Powrie)

Get out your baking dish
Pour in raw macaroni until half full
Pour raw macaroni into salted boiling water in a pot on the stove
Boil macaroni until soft enough.

In the meantime:

Butter the baking dish.
Sprinkle with salt – I use Ina Parma Green onion salt.

Chop an onion

Sauté.

Chop a tomato.

When the macaroni is soft, drain and

add the sautéed onions
add the raw chopped tomato
fold together and pour into your greased baking dish
sprinkle with salt.

Mix together

1 ½ cups milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs (optional)

Pour the liquid over the macaroni

Cover with grated cheddar cheese
Cover to stop the top from getting too crisp whilst the milk mixture is setting

Remove cover baking dish near the end and let the cheese grill slightly

Bake 200c for about 30 minutes until milk mixture is set.

Serve with brightly coloured vegetables as well as fresh salad.

Enjoy!