Suggestions please

[Tak]

All being well and going properly, on Friday I should be getting one of these (http://www.currys.co.uk/martprd/store/cur_page.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@1216246690.119954218 6@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccdjaddmlledlfkcflgceggdhhmdgmh.0&page=Product&fm=5&sm=3&tm=1&sku=436018&category_oid=) delivered and installed.

It has been nearly 3 years since I've had a cooker and I have never used gas at all so it could prove quite interesting (read: dangerous)

What I'm after is any "christening" meal suggestions. Something nice a easy please :p

Also, having never owned a new cooker before is there anything that I should do before cooking in it/with it for the first time? If it gets installed Friday will I be able to use it Friday evening?

[lostkat]

Awww how exciting. Can't wait til I eventually get a new oven. Congratulations on choosing gas too :) I'd just turn on the oven for an hour or so before you put anything in it to burn off any residue of cleaning stuff on the inside.

How about a nice, simple roast chicken with various veg and roasties?

[Tak]

If I honest I have never cooked more that a breast of chicken and have only used frozen roast potatoes before :o

[leowyatt]

How about a pasta bake? simple enough.

[Tak]

Hmm now thats an idea - haven't done one of them since we moved here

[lostkat]

Roast chicken is easy peasy and so are roasties. They just sound a bit scary to cook.

Pasta bake is also dead easy, good suggestion Matt. Oh and I haven't forgotten I need to scan those recipes in for you btw :)

[Dymetrie]

A proper roast is a good idea (and remarkably easy :)).

Alternatively, how about a toad in the hole, or stuffed marrow, or a lemon meringue, or baked alaska :D

[Tak]

I use to do pasta bakes quite often (always bacon and mushroom though so might have to have a go at a different one). And if I do enough I'm sure the boys would like it too :)

Roast chicken and potatoes is on my "to do" list. Everyone talking about roasting birds over xmas made me really want to try at some point even if only so I can say that I have done it. When I do I'll probably be doing a thread for hints and tips.

[Tak]

Alternatively, how about a toad in the hole, or stuffed marrow, or a lemon meringue, or baked alaska :D

Mic isn't a fan of toad in the hole and isn't overly keen on veg :( And I don't do desserts :p

[Dymetrie]

Mic isn't a fan of toad in the hole and isn't overly keen on veg :( And I don't do desserts :p

So cook that for yourself and cook him oven chips :D

[Belmit]

Mic isn't a fan of toad in the hole and isn't overly keen on veg :(

Bah! Was about to suggest this:

http://www.boat-drinks.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3965

[Tak]

I could get away with the sweetcorn, and maybe the pepper and onion if I chopped them very small from that so could possibly alter it slightly

[Muban]

Oven Fried Chicken (Can be eaten hot or cold) - Can be quite nice if you don't want to do a whole bird at first.

4 chicken breasts
1 ½ oz flour
Salt and pepper
Paprika
1-2 eggs
4-6 tbsp breadcrumbs
4 tbsp butter

Place flour in a freezer bag with salt, pepper and a little paprika. Place chicken in bag and shake until chicken is coated. Dip the chicken in the egg and then roll in breadcrumbs. Place chicken in a buttered dish. Melt the butter and pour over the chicken. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes at 200°c (Gas Mark 6)

Of course there is nothing like a roast dinner. Chicken, Beef, Pork whatever takes your fancy. Home made roasties are the best too, I do mine with just a little garlic granules to make the outsides even crispier and flavoursome :)

[Matblack]

I'm stunned, how can anyone not like Toad in the Hole?

MB

[Dr. Z]

Something l went to post about but lost when I was rickrolled was this reeeaallly simple dish!

Roasted Chicken Breast, Wrapped in Bacon with Potato Rosti

You will need:

2 chicken breasts
6ish rashers of smoked bacon (preferably streaky but up to you)
3 or 4 good sized potatos
Onion
Butter
Olive Oil
Salt/pepper

The chicken bit is easy - wrap the chicken breasts in the bacon, brush with a little olive oil, season with the pepper and lob it in the oven to roast (middle shelf, gas mark 5/6 until cooked and lightly browned)

This bit is a bit harder:

Take the potato and grate it (using short strokes so you dont end up with long strands!). You can boil the potatos first for about 10 minutes which speeds up the cooking time later, but its up to you. Dont forget to peel the potato before you grate it (but not before you boil it).

Put the grated potato into a clean teatowel and press it so that you get as much of the moisture out as possible. This bit stops the potato going soggy as it cooks!

Finely chop up about 1/4 of the onion and add it to the potato. Gently melt about a 2cm cube of butter and add it to the potato - if you dont have butter, you can use olive oil (or even mix the two 50/50 if you do have butter and like olive oil).

Once you have given that lot a thorough mix its time to get it cooked. What you are looking to do is make little discs about an inch wide and about 1/4in high. Any thicker than this and they will take an absolute age to cook in the middle! Put them on a baking tray and cook them on a medium heat (ideally on the shelf below the chicken) until they are golden brown and cooked in the middle. If you find they are cooking too fast on the outside, move them lower in the oven so that they dont burn.

You can also fry them in a little oil but I prefer them oven-cooked. Experiment and see which way you prefer!

Serve with coleslaw or similar for a really light but excellently tasty meal!

[Dymetrie]

Sounds good that one DRZ :)

But how about splitting each chicken breast open to create a pocket and stuffing said pocket with stilton, spring onions and mushrooms (all chopped up little) before wrapping in bacon?

yummy :D

[Belmit]

I'd also suggest pesto, as an alternative filling. :)

[Dr. Z]

Oh absolutely - you can go to town with filling the breast with things!

Whilst typing out that post I envisaged serving it with a really creamy white wine sauce too rather than coleslaw. I dont like it, but I reckon asparagus would go well with it too if you did that. If anyone experiments with that, let me know!

[SidewinderINC]

Oh absolutely - you can go to town with filling the breast with things!


FNAR!!! ;D

[lostkat]

I do chicken wrapped in bacon and stuffed with "XYZ" quite a lot. Really really easy dish and bloody yumtastic to boot.

[BBx]

Ooooo Sam looks lovely! I need something like that but electric, as the one I have doesn't fit the gap.

:)

BB x

[Tak]

Mic has had to move the cupboard so this will fit in ;D
We had ordered the duel fuel one, explained kitchen set up and everything, wasn't until they tried to deliver it that we discovered we didn't have the correct connection fittings for the electric bit :/ Probably my fault for not realising but still bloody annoying.

[Dymetrie]

that makes no sense...

[Tak]

I have just realised Mic is on nights this weekend so I can do toad in the hole for myself friday night and then the pasta bake for saturday :D

[Dymetrie]

wewt :D

[Tak]

Right...now how the hell do you do toad in the hole? :o

[Dymetrie]

google is your friend ;) (http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/toadinthehole_83871.shtml)

[Tak]

Serves 4

Ingredients
2 free-range eggs

So I need 1/4 of an egg then? ;D

[Dymetrie]

half the batter amounts and make extra batter then have it for pud with syrup or feed it to the boys :)

[lostkat]

You could always make enough batter for 2 people then divide and freeze half?

[Tak]

feed it to the boys :)

Ooo great idea :D

Kate - I didn't realise you could freeze batter :o

[lostkat]

I don't see why you can't.

[vix]

I think you can buy frozen batter so there should be no reason why you can't freeze a batch you have made.

Lovely oven Sam :)

[Tak]

Lovely oven Sam :)

Thank you :) I give it a week before its filthy :o

[Feek]

You could always make enough batter for 2 people then divide and freeze half?

Or make enough batter for two, use enough sausages for two and eat the lot :)

[lostkat]

That's what I'd do..... shhhh!!!

[Tak]

:D

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v205/Takhisis_uk/House/Picture010.jpg

It will not escape :shocked:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v205/Takhisis_uk/House/Picture011.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v205/Takhisis_uk/House/Picture012.jpg

[Mark]

Well I've never seen that one before. I guess that's the ratties plans foiled then - I'm sure they were hatching a plan to make off with it when you weren't looking. :p

Nice cooker there. :)

[vix]

Cool, handy with the glass lid too as you can use it for extra worktop space when you aren't using the hob.

Why is it chained to the wall? It needs it's freedom you know :p

[FakeSnake]

They are chained to the wall, because health and safety have NO common sense.
its to stop them tipping forward.
our AGA is also chained to the wall, how anyone will ever get it to tip forwards ata all, let alone enough to tip over is beyond me. I guess the incredible hulk could do it.. I mean the damn thing weighs about 250kg!

Lovely oven Sam, hope you christened it well.

[Tak]

Its christened me now - up to 3 burns so far :o Think I need to get some oven gloves

[Dymetrie]

Yes, you do...

Silly.

[Tak]

up to 3 burns so far :o

Make that 5 :o

[Tak]

This is me with cheese on toast :o
http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/stove_ownership.png (http://xkcd.com/418/)

[Garp]

LOL... xkcd scores again :)