TP's Hawaiian Chicken Burgers

As a lover of the BK [Burger King] Hawaiian Chicken burger, who's actively trying to 'be healthy' and avoid fast food, this was the perfect home made indulgence. 

The man of the house, who shall be known as TP, created these delicious mouth watering temptations on a whim, but they will be on household repeat for sure. 

Burger

• 2 - 3 large free range chicken breasts (500 grams) 
• 3/4 c flour
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper 
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 1 tsp mixed herbs
• 1 tsp turmeric
• oil for cooking - rice bran works well as it has a high heat temperature
• 6 rashers of rindless free range bacon 
• Can of pineapple rings, drained 
• 6 pack of burger buns, sliced

Preheat oven to 220•C and line a baking tray with baking paper. Arrange 6 rashers of bacon on tray, and bake for 15 - 20 mins till at your preferred crispiness. * You can also bake the chips while the bacon is cooking.

Place the chicken between two pieces of cling film and pound with a rolling pin to flatten out.

Remove cling film and pat dry with paper towels. Cut into 6 roughly equally sized pieces.
Combine flour, cayenne, chilli flakes, mixed herbs and turmeric in a bowl. Coat each chicken piece liberally in this mix.

Heat 1/2cm of cooking oil in a frying pan. Fry the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side, till cooked through. You should be able to fit three pieces of chicken in the pan at the same time. Once the chicken is cooked, reduce heat to low and arrange the pineapple rings in the same pan, turning once.

I also like to flick the oven onto grill for a few minutes at the end of cooking, to toast the buns - cut side up - just be careful that they don't burn.

Slaw 

• 1/2 green cabbage, finely shredded
• 4 carrots, peeled and grated
• 1/3 cup whole egg mayonnaise - I go for full fat, but low sugar variety. 
• 2 pineapple rings, finely chopped

Mix all ingredients using two large spoons to incorporate the mayonnaise well. This does take a little time, so be patient. Taste and season with a little salt if required.

To serve: 

• Sweet Chilli sauce - optional - for the burgers
• Sliced tomatoes
• Thick cut oven roasted potato chips. We bought Pam's thick cut, which are just potato and canola oil, no added flavourings or salt. * Bake while the bacon is cooking
• Tomato Sauce - for the chips 

To assemble 

Smear a little chilli sauce on the bottom half of the burger bun, and smear some mayo on the top half. Layer on top of the chilli sauce, cheese, followed by chicken, bacon, pineapple, tomato and a large spoonful of slaw on top. Top with the bun lid and serve alongside extra slaw, chunky fries and tomato sauce. 

Fresh Chicken Noodle Soup

Seriously easy, seriously nutritious, and seriously fast way to get your chicken soup fix. 


I've used a whole chicken, skinned, jointed and breasts removed. I find this is the most cost effective way to make this soup, plus boiling all the bones means that all that goodness is added to the broth. I don't bother using the chicken breast meat in this soup, as it can get tough when poached, and is far more valuable to use for another meal - like my tasty chicken Hawaiian Chicken Burgers, or Chicken Burrito Bowl with Mango Salsa for example. 


Also, DO NOT throw the skin away... I never like wasting anything! Check out this tasty way to make the most of it...  

What to do with #leftover #chicken skin? Salt and bake on a tray at 180•C for 20-30 mins till golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels and devour.... Reserve the fat in a container in the fridge for next time you're roasting potatoes #chickenskin #lard #chickenfriedpotatoes #naughtytreats #youknowyouwantsome

A photo posted by Stef Parker (@sparkmypantry) on Aug 13, 2016 at 11:22pm PDT

Make sure you drain off the fat before it cools. Store in a glass container in the fridge to use the next time you are roasting potatoes. Plus the chicken crackle makes a tasty snack while the soup simmers. 

Ingredients (serves 4): 
Soup 

• 4 cloves garlic 
• 1/4 c sliced fresh ginger
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper
• bunch of coriander - wash and pick the leaves off. Set them aside and use the roots and stalks in the soup
• 1 whole free range chicken, jointed, skin and breast meat removed. 
• 300 grams dried egg noodles 

For the bowls

• 2 spring onions, finely sliced
• 1/4 cabbage, finely shredded
• 6 mushrooms, finely sliced or quartered
• 2 carrots, grated or julienned
• coriander leaves

Joint the chicken, and remove the skin and breast meat. 

Simmer all of the soup ingredients - except the noodles - in a large soup pot for 20 minutes, till the meat is cooked through. 

Meanwhile shred the cabbage - a food processor works well here - grate the carrots, slice the mushrooms and spring onion. Divide the vegetables and coriander leaves, among four large soup bowls. Set aside. 

Remove the chicken - bones and all - from the soup pot, and set aside till cool enough to handle. Now add the noodles and continue boiling for 3 - 10 minutes (according to the packet directions). 

Remove the meat from the chicken bones and divide among the serving bowls. Use tongs to serve the noodles on top, then ladle the boiling broth over it all. Stir, leave for a few minutes to poach the vegetables, and make it cool enough to eat. Serve with soup spoons and chopsticks. 

Mouthwatering Mushroom Cheeseburgers - Healthy Style

Who said burgers are bad for you? Well, who ever it was, was wrong, well at least with these burgers. The reason they're healthy(-er): vegetables. 

I love sneaking veggies into things meaty to make them all that much better for you. Plus filled with a pile of creamy (made with just a dash of sour cream) mushrooms and onions, these are saucy, naughty, delicious, but still nutritious. Just be sure to serve with a salad as well.

Ingredients (Serves 6):

• 600grams of beef mince
• 1 large zucchini, grated
• 1 large carrot, grated
• salt and pepper 
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 6 - 8 button mushrooms, sliced
• 3 tbsp worcestershire sauce 
• 3 tbsp of sour cream 
• 6 slices of cheddar cheese (edam, tasty colby etc) 
• gherkins (enough for 6 burgers) 
• mayonnaise 
• bbq (or tomato) sauce*
• 6 good quality buns - I used ciabatta buns, baps or turkish bread pockets would also work well 
• oven roasted potato chips to serve (optional) 
• salad greens to serve

Method: 

Preheat oven to 220c and line a tray with greaseproof paper**. I prefer to cook my burger patties in the oven, it makes it easier, no worry about burning, sticking, or falling apart. Just put them in and leave them be. 

In a large bowl mix grated zucchini, carrot, mince, egg and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Get your hands in there to mix it really well. Form meat into 6 evenly sized patties and place them evenly on the baking tray. Bake for 20 - 30 minutes till cooked through, flipping once. 

Meanwhile, heat oil in a frying pan over a low heat, slowly cook onions and garlic until beginning to soften. Next add the mushrooms and continue cooking for five more minutes, till mushrooms are cooked down. Add worcestershire sauce and sour cream, stir till combined and remove from heat. 

Check the patties and place a slice of cheese on top of each for the last few minutes of cooking. 

Cut buns open and spread bbq sauce on the bottom and a little mayo on the top. Place the meat patty with cheese on top of the bbq sauce, add a dollop of the creamy mushrooms, a couple of gherkins, then put the top on the bun. 

Serve with a side green salad and maybe some oven roasted chips. 

*  If you're feeling creative try my homemade BBQ sauce recipe 

** Greaseproof paper is optional, but it makes clean up so much easier. 

BYOB: Build Your Own Burgers

BBB: Build Better Burgers 
Either I had too much time on my hands or I was being an OCD [Overly Controlling Daughter] during a BBQ at my parents this weekend. 
Making a diagram to make sure everyone built their burgers the best way!

Follow this BYOB guide and be sure for a mouth watering feast. Sure enough everyone did follow it and let's just say the table was rather quiet to busy enjoying our burgers!  Feel free to swap steak for meat pattie, or steak and cheese for chicken tenderloins and feta. 

Cupcake Burgers with French Frie Shortbread

I made these a couple of years ago for my friends 35th birthday. They were a great hit. Though a little confusing to eat as they really did look like burgers and fries. I found the idea on a website which included making paper cup packaging for the chips, which you could theme to the birthday person if you wanted. Or make them just for the sake of it. 

For the ‘Burger Bun’

• 1 and 1 / 2 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 / 2 cup plain yogurt
• 3 large eggs
• drops of vanilla
• 1 / 2 cup canola oil or sunflower
• sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Place 12 paper muffin cups in a form for muffins or pies.

Sift flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl and set aside less.

Cooked burger buns, cupcake cases removed and sliced

Add the sugar, yogurt, whole eggs and vanilla and mix well until thoroughly uniform. Add the flour mixture and stir, until blended. Then add the oil and incorporate gently with a large spatula.

Place dough in prepared muffin cups, filling only halfway. Sprinkle a bit of sesame seeds and bake for approximately 20 to 25 minutes, or until they pass the toothpick test. 

Remove from pan and cool on a rack until warm. Remove the paper muffin cups.

For the ‘Meat Pattie’ aka Chocolate Brownie (this is the same brownie I used in my Icecream recipe I blogged last year) 

• 100g unsalted butter
• 1 cup flour
• 1 / 4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 / 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 pinch of salt
• 220g dark chocolate, chopped. Whittaker's 82% Dark Ghana is best, but any chocolate over 50% cocoa will suffice
• 1 1 / 4 cup sugar
• 3 eggs

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Butter and flour a 20x30cm baking dish.

Sift the flour, cocoa, salt and yeast. Reserve.

In a heat resistant bowl, melt in a double boiler (or microwave at 30 second intervals) the chocolate and butter. 

Mix sugar and eggs, one at a time. Add the flour mixture and mix gently until smooth.

Proceed to the prepared pan and bake for about 25 minutes (stick a toothpick, is ready when go out with crumbs clinging). Let cool.

For the Cheese, Lettuce & Tomato Sauce

• Prepared fondant or royal icing.
• Red, Green & Yellow food colouring.

For the “cheese“ a dye portion of the fondant with a few drops of the yellow dye. Knead well, roll out with a rolling pin & cut into squares

For the “lettuce“ dye a portion of the fondant with green dye. Rol to very thin slices and cut with the help of a round cookie cutter. Press edges with fingers to irregular shape.

For the “ketchup“ mix  with red food coloring until desired color. Place in a plastic bag and cut the tip to use.

For the “meat” with the help of a round cookie cutter, cut the brownie slices carefully.

Cut the vanilla muffins in half and assemble the burgers as you like.

French Frie Shortbread

Shortbread going into the oven

• 2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon (2 grams) salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) (226 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup (60 grams) powdered (confectioners or icing) sugar
• 1 teaspoon (4 grams) pure vanilla extract

Shortbreads: 

In a separate bowl whisk the flour with the salt.  Set aside.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter until smooth and creamy (about 1 minute). 

Add the sugar and beat until smooth (about 2 minutes).  Beat in the vanilla extract. 

Gently stir in the flour mixture just until incorporated.  

Flatten the dough into a disk shape, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill the dough for at least an hour or until firm.  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) with the rack in the middle of the oven.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough into a 1/4 inch (.6 cm) thick circle.  Cut into slices and remove alternate ones so they can spread.  

Place on the prepared baking sheets and place in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes. (This will firm up the dough so the cookies will maintain their shape when baked.) 

Sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes, or until cookies are very lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack