When was the last time you were on a roller coaster?  Can you remember what it felt like when your tummy tickled as you whooshed down from that top peak?  Then you almost felt sick when the next ascent began…thinking oh no here goes again!!??

Okay guys, that was me yesterday, only I never left my house.  In a nutshell I joined this (maybe no so) new social media called Snapchat. That is the icon pic above with half of my pretty Pit Stella’s face.

As I shared with you on the ABC of YPD I am a techno flub. I don’t have a phobia just that it is a massive challenge.  It is hard to believe I was in the gifted program in school, but I was.  So I get very frustrated with myself when I can’t navigate these 21st century forms of communication.  I only joined Instagram a little over a year ago because my daughter said if I wanted to see pics of my granddaughter regularly it was easier than her emailing them.  I had a very short lived relationship with Facebook as I mentioned the other day. And here I am starting this blog by jumping in the deep end (which by the way was how my older brothers taught me how to swim, by literally throwing me in the deep end of a pool).

But I was so inspired to do this snap chat because of two amazing ladies.  One of whom I haven’t even met in person!  I guess the virtual community is a reality!  And yesterday I made my “story” of preparing  a healthy version of my Lime Bars.  I baked a batch of the naughty ones for the blog last week (click here to see) and they are fab but they do have all the usual suspects.. butter, sugar etc.  So this was really a test to see if I could make a tasty healthier version. Eureka!  I did!  But it literally took me the entire day to do it.

I have very small hands, but seriously I think each of my fingers is a thumb.  Now I know why there is that phrase “I’m all thumbs.”  To get my non snap chat friends up to speed, in order to make your “story” you have to record in 10 sec increments  by pressing and holding this button on your phone.  Try doing that whilst you are holding a microplane while you grate/zest the limes.  Oh and then you have to type in a few words here and there of various instructions.  And of course do the ordinary bits like wash the dishes in between!

There were two things however, that got me through it. One, my cooking songs playlist (heavy on Irish bands of course). Second, my two inspirations Holly and Katrina. They make it look so easy, effortless and they are very entertaining on their snap chats.  They do this in spite of busy professional, family and social lives.  Not to mention that before yesterday, in the week since I had joined and posted just a couple pics,  I only had two followers.  Because of their “shout outs” (a Snap chat seal of approval) of me to their followers,  I now have….more than two!

 By the way, because I now know how to do a screen shot, I was able to take a pic of their shout outs. You see, with snap chat all the stories disappear within 24 hours (hence why Hilary Clinton has been referencing Snap chat lately, but we won’t go into that).

The only caveat is, I love to sing and bop around while I cook and apparently since I am tone hearing impaired, this got Katrina using all sorts of emojis (I even know what those are now too).

This was a seriously fun (oxymoron) kinda day, and Stella had fun too ‘cuz she is my “food focused” twin!  I saw a quote recently that says, ‘First name hungry, last name always.”  Yep, sums it up!  And without further adieu I will sum up this post with some gorgeous lime bars that are, get this, GLUTEN FREE, DAIRY FREE AND SUGAR FREE!!!  So even though I ate one yesterday for that perfunctory cooking show shot “now tasting the final result”, I just might have tucked into another lime bar last night before bed…and no guilt what so ever ‘cuz these bars ROCK!

Ingredients:

For the base/crust:

200 g Pistachios (shelled…this is the hardest part of the whole recipe you put your nails in danger for the process!)

300 g pitted dates

3 Tbps coconut oil

100 g gluten free/sugar free biscuits (I used Nairn’s Oat cakes) but you can leave these out if you want to make it Paleo…just add more nuts

 

For the filling:

4-5 RIPE avocados, depending on size (In the pic I only have 4, but one had some yucky black stuff so I had to throw that part away and used another avocado to make up the difference)

3 Limes (organic and unwaxed if you can find them) juiced plus 1 more for zesting

¾ cup (170 ml) Maple Syrup or Honey (I used a combo of both because I ran out of syrup) sorry I forgot to put that in the pic here

4 Tbsp Coconut Milk

Instructions:

1. Line an 8×8 square pan with parchment paper so it goes up above the pan…you’ll see why later
2. Make the base by blitzing the shelled pistachios in a food processor until somewhat chunky. Then toss in the pitted dates and the coconut oil. Continue whizzing until combined and nice and sticky, just a couple of mins.
3. While the food processor works away, put the biscuits into a large plastic Ziploc bag and then bash them up with a rolling pin until the are crumbs…see I told you, cooking is so therapeutic!  Then pop those into a big bowl and add the pistachio/date mixture and blend all together with your (clean) hands…go on have a sensory experience! Okay, then just use a spoon to mix!
4. Press the mixture into the prepared baking tray…when I say press I mean PRESS down really really hard! Now set aside until your filling is done.
5. To make the filling, cut open the avocados, remove/take out the pit, and scoop out that gorgeous green flesh into the food processor (which obviously you have washed up after you made the base). Then add the lime juice, the maple syrup, coconut milk and whizz it up until it is nice and smooth. Then grate some lime zest (the green skin/peel on the outside of the fruit, but make sure that if you aren’t using organic unwaxed limes, to wash your limes before you grate the peel).  Now give it one final quick blitz! Voila!
6. Pour the filling into the prepared baking pan on top of the crust and smooth well with a palette knife or back of a spoon.
7. Put it into the freezer for at least an hour to an hour and a half (depending on how firm you want it).
8. When it’s done, with both hands carefully remove from the baking pan by lifting the parchment paper up (see this is why you had to make the lining go up above the pan!). Delicately peel down the parchment from the sides so you can then cut it into squares. You must rinse your knife between each cut (sorry to be a pain) to get them to look beautiful!! Some things are just high maintenance!
9. To serve, you could plate them and garnish with wedges of lime, more lime zest, even some whipped coconut cream.

Just to say you could even make these in individual paper lined cupcake trays!

I know you might be thinking, hmmm, does this taste like guacamole! UHH NO my skeptical friends!  It is light, creamy and lime-y lusciousness!  This is where you have to suspend disbelief.  Like the time I made my Chocovado pudding for my cookery class. Normally the students get all the printed out recipes when they arrive (a starter, main and dessert) but on this day I didn’t want them to see the dessert recipe until after they tasted it. In fact I let them taste the pudding before they watched me demo it because I wanted to see if they could tell the secret ingredient and they couldn’t!  It is amazing what our mind tells us based on preconceived notions!

Avocado is one of the all time greatest super foods! I actually used to have an avocado tree just outside the back door when I lived in my dream house in L.A.  But it’s only been in the last couple of years that I have been going outside the box and using it more creatively as opposed to the standard guacamole.  Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but then you kinda need a margarita on the side! Tee hee!

By the way, did you know that among other things, avocado is great for fertility?  Sorry guys, not for you, but for the ladies.  In fact, the avocado mimics a women’s pregnancy by growing, for nine months, that gorgeous seed/stone inside itself.  And surely that momma avocado would want her seed to come out, grow up and live life!  Hence many people like to  DIY the seed/stone into another tree…The miracle of life in action!  And here is a video tutorial by a guy (cuz I didn’t want my boys to feel left out) if you want to give it a try…

 

Okay, I hope you have a great day, and if you don’t feel like giving these lime bars a whirl, I would suggest something else that pushes you outside your comfort zone…’cuz like the cute grandma in the movie Parenthood said…

“You know, when I was nineteen, Grandpa took me on a roller coaster.  Up, down, up, down.  Oh, what a ride!  I always wanted to go again. You know, it was just so interesting to me that a ride could make me so frightened, so scared, so sick, so excited, and so thrilled all together!  Some didn’t like it. They went on the merry-go-round. That just goes around.  Nothing.  I like the roller coaster.  You get more out of it.”

 Thanks for going on this ride with me. I think I’m gonna do a weekly snap chat cooking story and call it “Monday Mayhem” just to keep that tickle in my tummy going!  You should sign up to it if you haven’t already…look if I can do it, anyone can!

I love you guys! You’re the best!

YDP

ps. Fun little factoid, Steve Martin, who stars in the movie Parenthood,  and I went to the same high school, just at different times. And when I met him through a mutual friend, Martin Short,  I reminded him of that.  He simply said in his character Gil’s way, “Cool”.

Ever heard of a ‘hand me up” ?  It’s like a hand me down but instead of getting, say, an item of clothing passed down from your older sister, you get something handed up from your daughter.  And since my daughter has great fashion sense, and I hate to shop for myself, I have benefitted from many a hand me up!  Like this dress. I was taking my first selfie as I wanted to show her how it looked….and a little photo bomb from my pretty Pit Stella!

Until my daughter got married she wasn’t really into cooking.  I suppose there wasn’t any urgency since she had a mom that cooked and baked everyday.  On top of that her brother also loved to get in the kitchen and cook and is a big foodie (a total grill master too). Growing up I tried to impart kitchen wisdom but she wasn’t interested.  When she got married, however, she called me on a regular basis for recipes, tips and help.  One time in particular when she made her first Thanksgiving Feast she was literally on the phone with me for hours as I walked her through each step.  Now she can bang out pretty much any dish with seemingly ease (while juggling an infant on one hip and a preschooler on the other all while getting her masters in Social Work).  Superwoman!

So lucky for me I now get “hand me up” recipes as well!  This one for Honey Garlic Chicken is so tasty and super easy!  I’ve made it a few times and hubby always says, “restaurant quality.” And I always say, “yea but without the cost.”  It’s from a cooking site called D*@#m Delicious. (but with the actual letters spelled out).  If you click on it you will see what a proper cooking site looks like! Great pics! But I will put the recipe at the bottom of this post as well.

Like most every recipe I try, I have to give it my own spin.  In this one, I substituted prawns/shrimp, another time I used chicken thighs (moister and cheaper than breasts).  I also left out the Sriracha.  And I doubled the recipe for the sauce, well, because it is so good!  I learned the first time I made it that this dish doesn’t reheat very well.  I was bummed ‘cuz I love leftovers.  So the next time I  made it with a pot of rice on the side, and some roasted asparagus.  It says it serves 4, but um… hubby and I just might have polished it all off!  Food coma!!

Just to note that if you are a beekeeper, like a friend of mine from Galway, you too could use your own honey and it would probably be the most incredible version yet.   By the way did you know that honey is the only food that never spoils?  Since ancient times it has been touted for so many medicinal purposes.  I really need to eat more of the stuff.  It’s loaded with vitamins and antioxidants,  it boosts memory, and… I forget what else.  Just kidding (my corny attempt at a joke).  Anyway, it’s not called “liquid gold” for nothing!   It is really good for seasonal allergies too, but just make sure you are having local honey to get all the benefits.

While living in Dublin I was loyal to a local female beekeeper‘s  honey.  On her website she has a lovely quote that sums up the bee:  “Unique among all Gods creatures, only the honeybee improves the environment and preys not on any other species” .  They really are special!  When I spent this past summer in the U. S. with my daughter and family I finally watched the Bee Movie  with my granddaughter.   I loved it!  This animated film only deepened my fascination with God’s miraculous creature.  Hence any and all recipes that use this sweet, supernatural, superfood ingredient get my vote!  And my purchase of matching bee costumes for my granddaughters’ Halloween costumes!  I suggested mom and dad go as bee keepers, but we’ll see.

 

INGREDIENTS

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup Panko*
FOR THE HONEY GARLIC SAUCE
1/3 cup honey, or more, to taste
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Sriracha, optional
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9×13 baking dish or coat with nonstick spray.
Season chicken with salt and pepper, to taste. Working in batches, dip chicken into eggs, then dredge in Panko, pressing to coat.
Add chicken to prepared baking dish. Place into oven and bake until golden brown and crisp, about 15-20 minutes.
In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, combine honey, garlic, soy sauce and Sriracha, if using. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and 1/3 cup water. Stir mixture into the saucepan until thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in chicken and gently toss to combine.
Serve immediately, garnished with green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.

*Panko is a Japanese-style breadcrumb and can be found in the Asian section of your local grocery store.

My version….

I think I have a lot in common with the honey bee and this quote from the Bee Movie was when it hit me, “According to all known laws of aviation, there is no way a bee should be able to fly.  It’s wings are too small to get its fat little body off the ground. The bee, of course, flies anyway, because bees don’t care what humans think is impossible.” Apart from my cooking abilities,  I literally have no other skill sets whatsoever to be doing this blog, as I said yesterday in my disclaimer. But I don’t care!!  ‘Cuz I’m gonna fly anyway!

Life is the flower, love is the honey!

YDP

No recipe today folks….but as you can see I’m a happy camper!  On this post I want to give you some ABCs of Yankee Doodle Paddy.  I suppose you might call it a disclaimer!  How to use this blog at your own risk!

A. APOLOGIZE: I need to apologize for the archaic website/blog. It is in its infancy so I aim to make it more user friendly. I am not a techy person as many of you know (but I can work miracles with pots and pans).  I don’t know a mega byte from a gigga byte,  all I know is that I want another bite of my dinner!  I am very foodie focused that’s for sure.  So you will see lots of that on here.  But I need to sort out tabs for recipes among other things. Rather than wait to get all the jigs and wheels together before I launched, I just decided to jump in the deep end.  I hope you will jump with me and we can hold hands while we do it!  I want to infuse you with enthusiasm for cooking!  Yet because I’m me, I couldn’t just do your basic everyday kinda food blog.  I had to incorporate stories…So until I navigate this and tease them out, if you see a post with “Recipe:” in front of it, then you know you will get a recipe.  Only thing is you have to read to the end (or scroll through if you don’t have time).  Sorry but until I get it all sorted, you have to kinda be an Inspector Gadget and sleuth out the recipes!

B. BALANCE I will aim to balance out the stories of my childhood (which can be a bit tough to read, but they always have a learning lesson) with some stories of life in London, my travels, my time in the entertainment biz (I know some of you want the goss) etc.  I also want to balance the stories so they make sense.  But just so you know, I won’t be telling things in a linear way.  Each new entry will likely jump around in time, but if you get confused just ask me!  And if there is anything you want to see or want to know, even kitchen tips please send me a comment.  I will work at balancing healthy recipes with some treats (‘cuz I do love my treats).  As well, I will be doing some cooking videos!!!  So watch this space!

C. CAVEAT Since caveat also means warning, here goes….

I am not a WRITER!  Living in Dublin for seven years I soaked up the lineage of great Irish writers. But that doesn’t mean I am one.  I am a “share-er” just sharing my story of healing from difficult circumstances by focusing my energies on cooking.

Also, I am not an EDITOR.  And I don’t have one on staff (‘cuz I don’t have a staff like some bloggers). ** (see below) So there are likely to be some mistakes. Therefore unless you are the Grammar Garda or the Punctuation Police, you’re gonna have to deal!  Or send me a note in the comments and I will fix the mistakes.

** My computer auto corrects to Irish/UK spellings, for example Colour not color etc. It does my head in to find and fix all of them. But my excuse for lack of continuity is that I am just doing a Yankee Doodle Paddy joining them up together, America + Ireland= Love.  Some spelled one way and some the other. No bother!

I am not a FOOD STYLIST.  During my five years as the Burger King “counter girl” on TV commercials I worked with many professional well paid food stylist and they do all sorts to make the food look pretty on camera..use toothpicks, spray glycerin etc etc. ! I am more about the taste, but I am working towards getting things to look more appealing I promise!

I am not a FOOD PHOTOGRAPHER. There are loads of them online doing amazing blogs with tons of great photos.  I use my iPhone mostly.  I try my best, but seriously my 4 year old granddaughter could probably take better pics.  But I have an amazing passion for food and cooking and if you take this journey with me you’ll see that no amount of perfect paragraphs, precise plating, or glossy pictures can match it!

I am not a PROFESSIONAL BLOGGER. This blog is here to help.  I’m not going to be getting paid for every click you make.  I don’t want anything from you, in fact I want to give to you!  If I can inspire you to cook more, enjoy life, heal from your past, be more kind, etc that is my purpose.  And if you know anyone that has survived child abuse/neglect, molestation, rape, divorce, serious illness, depression…please give them this web address. Everyone has a story, this is mine.  I can’t change it but I can channel it into something and for me that is LOVE!  And if that helps even one person in pain then maybe they can pass it along and help another!

ps. It’s a great day! When I got home from mass I went on my snap chat and found out I won something!  It was a contest for the best positive quote. Mine was a quote from Maya Angelou. I will be getting a treat in the mail soon. See positivity produces prizes!

Thanks for reading and being my YDPeeps! Lots of love,

YDP xoxo

 

,

It’s been an eventful week.  I should have guessed that by how it started when I got locked out of the house on Monday.

So to recap at week’s end, I ended up in the A&E.  Nothing life threatening just a matter of trying to navigate the health care in another country.

I had been feeling sick for a couple of days and with the weekend approaching didn’t want to be caught out in a bad way.  So I went to the local physicians group not far from the house, walked in and asked for an appointment.  The receptionist said, “Are you registered with us?”  Ah no!  Didn’t know I had to be.  Apparently there are streams of paperwork and approvals and all sorts over here.  I let her know how sick I was and that though I wasn’t registered, since I had just moved here, could I still get an appointment today.  Negative!  I had to fill out the paperwork, then once that was processed they would call me to set up a time to see a nurse.  The soonest that would happen was the end of next week.  Then the nurse would be the one to book the doctor for sometime thereafter, likely a couple more weeks.  Dear God!  It made me miss the great medical coverage and care I had in the U.S. through my union Screen Actors Guild.  However, I have been living away now for seven years and have heard personal stories that it’s not all that it was cracked up to be.  But we won’t go into that!

Anyway, our ‘friendly’ receptionist suggested I go to the urgent care or an A&E.  Since I would be driving (which is a rarity over here with all the public transport) I opted for the easiest to get to, which was Queen’s Hospital in Greenwich.  When I walked in I realized why A&E is not a good place to hang out.  But I eventually got seen by a no nonsense African doctor and was prescribed antibiotics, so thankfully I will be on the mend in no time!

No matter how sick I get, from a mini sniffle to the ‘run over by a bus’ variety, two things happen.  One it makes me miss my family back home in America.  Two, it also gives me a greater appreciation for those soldiers in the medical profession taking care of others who are at their worst!  Such a calling right?  But no time EVER were these two things more apparent than when I got really sick back in the autumn of 2011.

I spent 2 ½ weeks in a hospital in Dublin and it wasn’t pretty!  I was desperate for my family but it wasn’t possible for any of them to come.  Side note.. I find it awfully unfair that some people online and in social media gloss over the messy parts of life (leaving their viewers to pine away for a virtual reality that isn’t obtainable).  This, as you have already guessed, isn’t that kind of blog! On Yankee Doodle Paddy we’re keepin’ it real!

Only for the love and support of my hubby who visited everyday, the kindness and care of the hospital staff, and the many prayers, cards and visits from my adopted Irish family I wouldn’t have made it.

During our recent move and the packing and unpacking of our things, I did some of what I call “time travel” thinking back on that period of my life.  While I revisited the beautiful cards from some of my cookery students, my co-workers and the lovely ladies from the American Women’s Club it made me feel very grateful.  So you see, “hoarding” these keepsakes allows me to relive a moment that, at the time was a challenge, but in hindsight was made precious through all the love I received.

My famous chicken soup is a miracle “heal all” for the soul and when anyone is sick I like to whip up a batch for liquid comfort!  But what about when I’m sick?  Well, I have a quick version that I will share with you, so that even if you are by yourself, feeling poorly (as the Irish say) you can easily make a batch to satisfy your own soul!

Repurposing is the key to this gem. It is quicker the more bits and pieces you have on hand in the fridge. If you still have some of the milk roasted chicken you made from yesterday’s post then you are luckier still. Have any left over cooked veg?  What about some steamed rice from last night’s take away?  Super!  The more you have, the more you can repurpose.  No waste!  And you can tweak it to your liking…allergic to garlic, no bother just leave it out.  Not a fan of peas?  Then substitute corn..etc etc.. I’ll post the longer version of my chicken soup another day, but here is the one for not only quick cooking but also for a speedy recovery.

Ingredients:

You need a couple of cups of Chicken stock/broth (this can cause confusion in this part of the world as some think it is a creamy version which it is not. It is the clear one). You can use a stock cube if you don’t happen to have any homemade chicken stock frozen. The cubes usually make 500ml which is grand

Some chopped onion (about a ¼ to half an onion depending on the size)

1 clove of garlic minced

A carrot, peeled and sliced

A stalk of celery sliced

A handful of frozen peas

1 handful of shredded cooked chicken

A handful of cooked rice (follow your package instructions) or you can use some cooked noodles.

Procedure:

Literally,  you just pop the stock in the saucepan/pot on the stove top (the hob) and put in the chopped up veg (except the peas) and bring to the boil. At this juncture if you are so inclined you can put in a small amount of freshly grated ginger (loaded with great healing properties). Cook until the veg is tender, about 10 mins. Then add the chicken, rice and peas. Cook for another couple of minutes until the chicken and rice are heated through and the peas are cooked. Season with freshly ground pepper and salt if desired. If you have any on hand, you can sprinkle some chopped parsley on top like I did.  It is practically like a stew as opposed to a soup. Totally nourishing!

After you’ve enjoyed your delicious self soothing soup, get back into bed under the duvet! That’s what I’m gonna do!

Here’s to good health,

YDP

Good news… since I shared the story of rainbows on here the other day, I saw my first London rainbow practically outside our door!

“You’re mom goes to college.” One of the most classic movie lines EVER! Along with the other famous line from the movie Napolean Dynamite  “Vote for Pedro”, the t-shirt industry got a big boost with folks rocking these #trending phrases.  The only bad thing was the movie came out the summer before my son and I were about to attend the same university together! Timing is everything!

As you have surmised by now, I have my own timing in life and do things a bit differently than most. Because I had my children when I was so young I never attended college at the standard age. I waited until the kids were grown, but when I did go I was gung ho. I was accepted to the top two universities in Los Angeles but chose the one across town from home because they offered me more in scholarship money. For my Irish and UK friends, heads up, college in America is EXPENSIVE! So when schools offer to cover your costs, you kinda have to go with that! Besides that, the university  I chose, USC, has one of the best Communications schools in the country.

What I didn’t expect to happen however, is that my son would end up at the same school. He had been going to high school at a boarding school on the east coast and had no intention of returning to Southern California for uni. But with his last minute change of heart, I offered to back out of USC and attend UCLA (the one closer to home). I told him I didn’t want to cramp his style. He said “No mom, don’t change, it will be cool.” I was delighted! He and I share many things in common besides our love of food and cooking. And to be sharing an alma mater, wow. But as I said in here before, hubby’s words were about to come back to haunt me….just because I have something in my head doesn’t mean the other person does as well. Let’s just say that much to my chagrin, my son and I weren’t meeting up for lunch at the commissary on a regular basis! But he did ask me to lend a hand with his ROTC events and also lead a parents’ club for his fraternity. So mom was a happy clam!

One of the first things I learned in my new classes was about social media. This wasn’t on a professor’s syllabus but I learned it from my cohorts. FACEBOOK was all the rage and all the students were on it. I had never heard of it but when I was told that it would help to coordinate study groups I was all in! One thing about attending college later in life is that you don’t play! I was a dead serious, front row kind of student, much to the annoyance of the other students since I usually messed up the classes that were graded on the curve! So here’s me trying to get up a Facebook profile when I barely knew how to do an email with an attachment. I’m not a “technophobe” but a “technoflub” since I was still using what my kids referred to as a “crank up” computer. Boy things have sure evolved since then! Remember, this was in 2004 when Facebook was only for universities and hadn’t gone mainstream.

I got my page up and running and before long, I was getting “friend” requests from all sorts of people I didn’t recall being in my class. But I accepted hoping it would lead to another study group. Then I noticed that all these other people had a “board/wall” thingy where people could post notes and comments. So one day I asked my son about it and he admitted that he knew all these people who were “friending” me and that there was no way he was letting me have a wall on my profile. He had to draw a line! I guess people might have considered putting things up on it that he wasn’t okay with. He then shared that his buddies and fraternity friends were constantly saying (in a Kip voice) “Your mom goes to college” and it was getting annoying.

So I decided I would give up my Facebook account and I have never gone back. No one can believe that in this day and age I wouldn’t want a Facebook account. But blame it on Napolean Dynamite!   Had it been another year, maybe it wouldn’t have been an issue. But timing is everything! No hard feelings towards the movie, in fact it is still one of my all time favorites. And to show you how much I love it I have a recipe for you that combines some of the elements from the movie.. MILK and CHICKEN! I know, strange combo right? But that is kinda what the movie is about…its different, like me!  By the way, if you haven’t seen it, just the opening credits alone with have you laughing! And if you are like our family, you’ll still be spouting off the quotes every now and again…

This recipe for Milk Roasted Chicken is from my man Jamie Oliver and is super easy, it just takes a bit of time. You will likely have left overs which are great to have on hand for a sambo or salad the next day.

Ingredients

1.5 kg whole free range organic chicken (without large talons…that’s a line from the movie)
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
½ stick cinnamon
1 good handful fresh sage , leaves picked
2 lemons , zest of
10 cloves garlic , skin left on
565 ml milk (Napolean Dynamite would recommend using whole milk)

Procedure

Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas 5, and find a snug-fitting pot for the chicken. Season it generously all over, and fry it in a little olive oil, turning the chicken to get an even colour all over, until golden. It is a bit awkward to brown a whole chicken like this, but its helpful if you use tongs to turn it. Remove from the heat, put the chicken on a plate, and throw away the oil left in the pot. This will leave you with tasty sticky goodness at the bottom of the pan which will give you a lovely caramel flavour later on.

Put your chicken back in the pot with the rest of the ingredients, and cook in the preheated oven for 1½ hours. Baste with the cooking juice from time to time.  The lemon zest will sort of split the milk, making a sauce which is absolutely fantastic.

To serve, pull the meat off the bones and divide it onto your plates. Spoon over plenty of juice and the little curds. And as you can see below I put some of the whole garlic on top which is so yummy and healthy!

Accompanied with wilted spinach or greens (I served it with sautéed kale topped with streaky bacon) and some mashed or steamed baby potatoes it makes a most satisfying meal!

 If I was on Facebook I’d accept your friend request even if I don’t do study groups anymore! But since I’m not, you can just leave a comment and I promise to write you back,

I say love.. it is a flower,

YDP

I love rainbows!!!! I mean who wouldn’t? A true natural wonder! And it’s one of the things I miss about Ireland. I never tire of seeing rainbows. I’m like a little kid on Christmas morning and I get so excited I feel like I could bust out of my skin! When I was at the Ballymaloe Cookery School in County Cork if I saw a rainbow outside I would run for my camera and snap away, as I did here.

But growing up I was exposed to a different sort of rainbow. I mentioned here before that my mother was a drug dealer. I know it sounds strange to say it in such a matter of fact way, but it was indeed fact. Day in and day out I saw these nefarious characters come and go through the house taking baggies of different drugs and leaving behind a wad of cash (or if my mom was feeling generous it would go on their account to be paid another day). It only occurred to me a few years ago that all of these customers of hers had names with colors in it. Steve Green, Cheryl Black, Mike White, Dave Brown and so on and so on. And looking at their drugs of choice from this vantage point, it makes sense. Steve Green bought marijuana, which is green.  Cheryl Black bought barbiturates, or downers (also called, what else, Black Beauties). Mike White bought speed, uppers (they were white looking pills). Dave Brown bought a brown sticky kind of paste thing called Hash.

Of course no kid should have to know these things and maybe it was better I only had this epiphany later in life. But the good news is, I don’t even have to change their names  to protect the (not so) innocent. These were their code names, or shall was say customer account user names!

Because we were so poor (my mom used any and all profits to support her own drug habit) we never had an afternoon snack when we returned home from school. But raising my own kids and being the foodie that I am I made sure that each day after school we had special time to sit, chat and eat. My daughter and son shared the goings on of their day before they “hit the books” of homework. So I tried to make sure what they were eating was somewhat healthy.

Their favorite treat was a big platter of colorful veggies with my famous spinach dip. This was great since many kids their age had an aversion to vegetables. They also loved a big platter of freshly cut fruit with a (kinda naughty) marshmallow dip. It is amazing how beautiful and vibrant fruits and veggies are. Since we eat not only with our mouths but also our eyes, it is great to have something that is so good for us but also looks gorg too! And placing these dips into a hallowed out cabbage (for the spinach dip) and a hallowed out half of a pineapple (for the fruit dip) is a a real WOW presentation!

Spinach Dip ingredients

1 10 oz box of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained (it is important that you squeeze the spinach to get as much of the liquid out as possible) or you can use fresh spinach, steamed and squeezed of liquid.
2 1/2 tablespoons of Knorr Leek Recipe Mix (about 3/4 of the package)
2 cups sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sliced green onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp dried dill
1 tsp Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix (don’t actually make the dressing just use the dried ingredients from the package)
Preparation
Pour all ingredients into a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth. Put into a hollowed out cabbage or other veg (such as a pepper) and serve with your favorite cut up veggies. This can also be used as a dip with pita crackers etc. Great for entertaining a crowd! It lasts in the fridge for several days.

Marshmallow Dip Ingredients:

1 pkg Cream Cheese (let soften at room temp)

1 jar “Fluff” Marshmallow

Preparation

Place into a food processor or use a mixer to blend them together. Put into a bowl or into a hollowed out pineapple half. Serve with freshly cut fruit.

 

I hope you enjoy these healthy treats and they take you somewhere over the rainbow, way up high!!! And I’m not talking about “that” kind of high! But a natural healthy one!

With colorful love,

YDP

No, the title of this post isn’t indicative of the weather report for London guys, but likely it is for Los Angeles….it’s always hot and sunny in L.A.!

Last night with hubby away, my pretty Pit Stella and I went over to our local for some gastro pub grub for dinner (I love that dogs are allowed in pubs over here).

We sat with a lovely couple. The guy was English and the girl was Brazilian. We were commiserating about the high cost of housing over here in London and then of course got onto the subject of the weather! Aw it made me feel like I was back home in Ireland. That is defo the number one topic of convo isn’t it? But honestly, it is a great leveler. No matter your age, ethnicity or bank account the weather makes us even!

So when I got talking about how the weather in Los Angeles is literally the same 24/7…365… hot and sunny…blah blah.. the guy puts his hands over the girl’s ears. Like EAR MUFFS! Movie reference here…“Old School” and you can youtube it yourself at your own risk it if you need to see what I am talking about. But he did that because she, being from Brazil, misses the sunny weather.

What I then endeavored to do was explain the myriad of reasons why constant good weather is actually not a good thing. No, I’m not nuts. Just hear me out. First of all, when you have no seasons but the same weather over and over, day after day, you lose track of time. Literally, an entire decade can pass and you’re like, “What the..?” Where as living in a place with seasons to punctuate your memory is much more vivid. Trust me, everyone who lived through the winter of 2010/2011 in Ireland remembers exactly where they were. I myself had to walk to and from work through the snow. Luckily for me I had no incidences, which is strange considering how clumsy I am. I still feel sorry for the one guy who slipped on the icy footpath here.  I wonder where he is today? Things that make you go hmmm…

Back to the story, another reason why constant good weather isn’t a good thing is no one wants to watch the weather report. Over here, people do pay attention to the weather report, on tele, on the radio and even now on their smart phones. This is because it is so changeable. But the news stations in L.A. got smart. They hired former Playboy Playmate Bunnies to give the weather report. Then people (uh mostly guys) would indeed tune in. Maybe not to see how their wardrobe choices for the following day would be affected. But to see how “Suzy Storm” or “Haily Hurricane” looked. Oh yea they actually changed their names to give them a hint of an expert meteorologist sound. P.S. I couldn’t give the actual names of these people without clearance, but these aren’t far off!

And finally, nice weather is great when you are on your hols (that’s short for holidays my American friends). Perfect for laying on the beach and drinking your Margarita with the cute little umbrella in it (thinking about your pals back at home laughing knowing they’re using real umbrellas in the rainy Irish weather). But day in and day out running errands, walking the dog, etc, etc, you are in a constant state of hot and sweaty! You get sunburned simply from going from your car inside to the grocery store! Plus it is harder to get energized for work when all you want to do is jump into a swimming pool!

But one good thing (and sure, I may be giving out, but there are some good things) about the nice weather in L.A. is that you can eat much healthier. Since you are in shorts 365 you do want to feel good, and with smoothies and salads readily available anywhere you do slip into that mode without effort. However, in this part of the world you’re not thinking about a lovely salad when you are cold and damp come January. All you want is a Shepherd’s Pie and an Apple Crumble!

So before we get to that juncture, let’s enjoy this healthy recipe for Turkey Lettuce Cups. And if you are in L.A., well you can have this all year long! It is lovely for lunch, or a mild evening dinner. And served with a quick and light version of fried rice on the side you’re good to go! It’s also great for those of us that might have limited cooking utilities. For instance, one of my former cookery students just emailed to say they have no oven in their new university accommodations. There’s only a hob (stove top) to cook with and because of a food intolerance needs recipes asap that aren’t simply boiled pasta!

Dude, this can like totally be made gluten free and it’s so awesome, dairy free and paleo…OMG,  I sound like I’m back in L.A. right now. Minus the hot and sunny weather!

Ingredients:

1 lb (453 g) lean ground (called ‘minced’ over here) turkey or chicken
3 carrots (peeled and grated/shredded)
1 bunch green onions (diced)
20-30 fresh basil leaves (chopped)
1/4 c. (59 ml) soy sauce (can substitute with a Tamari gluten free sauce)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons minced garlic
1/3 c. (78 ml)  olive oil
*1 tsp freshly grated ginger

Choice of lettuce for the cups:  iceberg, romaine, little gems or butter lettuce

1.Heat olive oil in skillet on medium heat and add garlic, cooking for a couple of minutes  but careful not to burn.

.2. Add meat to pan with the ginger,  half of the soy sauce and half of the brown sugar and cook for about 10 minutes until the meat is totally cooked through.

3. Once the meat is cooked and browned, add remaining brown sugar and soy sauce, chopped basil, shredded carrots, and diced green onions. Stir quickly for one minute and remove from heat (vegetables should still be a bit crunchy) and cover with a lid.

Serve by putting the cooked meat in the lettuce cups. You can jazz it up by sprinkling some crushed up peanuts or almonds. Also you can drizzle with sriracha if you want it spicy or my fav is a drizzle of pomegranate molasses for a tangy sweetness!

*Note: For those of you who are not a fan of ginger, and you know who you are, you can omit this from the recipe with no problemo.

Keep Coolio!

YDP