Golden Fish and Chips

Ever since I had authentic fish and chips in London, I have craved that crispy, golden fried goodness! Some places come close, others don't even qualify to be called fish and chips. This homemade version I came up with yesterday is about as close as I can come to the english perfection I had years ago! Prepare yourselves for sheer deep fried goodness!



Golden Fish and Chips by Erin Taylor

For the batter:

mix together in bowl:

1 3/4 C. flour
2 egg yolks (I used egg substitute and it worked great!)
1 tsp. salt
dash pepper
1/4 C. apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 C. (or more) Club Soda or tonic water (more if you want thinner batter.)

Place batter in refrigerator while prepping potatoes and fish (helps de-activate the gluten.)

4-8 large fish fillets (may cut into smaller 2" chunks)- cod, halibut, tilapia (a firm fish for frying)
4 med. baking potatoes, cut in strips for french fries, soaked in cold water

Crisco, Peanut oil, or Coconut oil for frying

Heat oil in deep skillet. Keep on medium heat so it doesn't smoke or get too hot. Drain water from potatoes and pat dry both potatoes and fish. Dredge potatoes* and fish in batter. (* for a lighter, crispier fry, you may wait until finished with the fish, then thin the batter a bit to do the fries in. Or you can opt to not batter the fries and just fry them "naked".) Fry on medium heat until golden on all sides. About 4 minutes. If it browns too quickly reduce heat and cool oil before continuing.

Place finished pieces on paper towel, salt to taste, and place in warm oven to keep warm.
Serve with homemade tartar sauce and/or malt vinegar

Homemade Tartar Sauce

1/2 C. mayonaise
1/2 C. sour cream
2 dill pickle quarters, chopped finely
2 tsp. lemon juice (or pickle juice)
1 tsp dill weed
1 tsp garlic salt or season salt of your choice ( I use greek seasoning)

mix together and refridgerate until serving

Love Your Husband Chicken

Three words: Creamy, Warm, Delicious! I made this casserole up tonight with what I had on hand and it was amazingly delicious. I call it Love Your Husband chicken because he said I must love him a lot to feed him this! Very easy to make, and even easier to eat.

Love Your Husband Chicken by Erin Taylor

Preheat Oven to  375deg.

Use a medium casserole dish, or 8 X 9 baking dish, spray with pan spray.

Spread 1 C. Uncooked Rice (I used Jasmine, but any white or long grain rice will do) in bottom of baking dish.

Pour 1 C. Water over rice.

Sprinkle 1 C. Frozen peas over rice.

Lay 6 Chicken Thighs (deboned, no skin, opened up flat) across peas and rice.

Sprinkle with a little salt for flavor.

Chop 1/2 large Red Bell Pepper and sprinkle over Chicken Thighs.

In mixing bowl combine:

1 can Cream of Mushroom, celery, or chicken soup,
1 C. finely grated Parmesan Cheese
2 tsp. Garlic powder or salt
1 C. Water

Pour sauce mixture over chicken. Using a spoon, move each chicken piece aside to allow sauce to seep down through the cracks on the sides and in the middle.

Finally, chop two slices of uncooked Bacon and sprinkle on top of casserole. Place, uncovered, in preheated oven and bake for 1 hour until sauce is bubbly and beginning to brown a bit on the sides, and chicken is fully cooked in the middle.

 

Shrimp and Pumpkin Creole Soup

I love pumkin soup- you know, the kind with warm spices of cinnamon and nutmeg? Well, my husband does NOT like that kind. So today I made pumkin soup but added creole spice and shrimp. Hello, new favorite! And perfect for a chilly winter day!

Shrimp and Pumpkin Creole Soup by Erin Taylor

2 C. pumkin puree (I used fresh, but canned would work great.)
1 Quart chicken stock (or 1 Qt. water and 1 Tbsp. chicken bouillon)
2 C. water (for thicker soup, add less water, for thinner, add more.)
1/4 C. chopped red bell pepper
1/4 C. chopped celery
1 Tbsp chopped onion
1 C. chopped uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails off
1 Tbsp Creole Spice
1/2 C. powdered milk
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
*(optional) 1 Tbsp bacon bits  (adds a bit of smokey flavor)
Salt to taste

In medium pot combine all ingredients. (If soup is too thick, thin with water to desired consistancy.)  Heat on medium stirring often for about 10 minutes. Using stick blender, or regular blender, puree all contents of pot until nice and smooth in texture. Return to heat and simmer on low for 15 minutes to let all flavors combine.

Great with cornbread!

Stuffed Baked Potato Soup

Take a delicious baked potato, now make it into a soup... voila! I've had baked potato soup before and loved it. This is just a little more glorified version, but very easy to make. Perfect for a rainy summer evening supper with warm Lion House rolls!

Stuffed Baked Potato Soup by Erin Taylor

4 medium russet potatoes-

       Bake potatoes, unwrapped- at 450 degrees for about 30 minutes or until center is soft.

       Remove potatoes from oven when finished and cut into 1" pieces, skin and all.

       Place large pot on stove top and add:

5 Cups Milk
1 C. frozen, mixed vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, carrot mix is great.)
1/4 C. bacon bits
1/4 C. butter (1/2 stick)

Add potato chunks and heat on medium until vegetables are soft and potatoes are beginning to fall apart.

Next, using a stick blender, blend soup into a creamy smooth consistancy.

Add:
2-4 C. water, depending on how thick you want your soup
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1/2 C. sour cream
1 C. cheddar cheese
1 - 2 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp chicken gravy powder or 1 tsp chicken bouillon (optional)

Turn heat to low and cover; let simmer stirring occasionally until ready to serve.

Note: this soup recipe is very flexible, meaning you can have it thick and creamy if you want by adding less liquid, or thin it out with more. You can also add ham, green onions, spinach, sausage, or anything you think you'd love on your baked potato! Try it!