Chicken!

In the US Perdue chickens come in the supermarkets with a pop up timer installed. This is to ensure you do not over cook the chicken. My mother would never trust these timers and on occasion completely ruined a whole chicken.

One notable time the cats wouldn't even eat the chicken.

So to say I can actually cook chicken isn't a big deal, it's just I use a timer and make sure I don't over cook. You know, following the instructions sometimes does work ;)

I found two things that really go well with chicken, tarragon and leek. I don't think I'd ever had leek before last year and hadn't a clue what tarragon was. However I purchased an english pie recipe book and one of the recipes has become my favorite.

Chicken, Leek and Tarragon Pie

1.5 to 2 lbs cooked and shredded chicken
1 carrot chopped
2 celery sticks chopped (optional)
2 onions chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
2 leeks sliced
200 ml stock
150 ml white wine
2tbsp plain flour
150 ml single cream or milk
pepper to taste
2 tsp tarragon (this is an estimate I just dash)
1 short crust pastry (I tend to use the stuff that you just mix water to)


In a medium sauce pan, simmer 1 onion, carrot and celery for 5 minutes. Add half the tarragon.

Add in stock, bring to boil and simmer for 30 minutes.

In another frying pan gently cook leeks and remaining onion with butter for about 5 minutes. Turn the heat up to high add the wine and simmer rapidly for 3-4 minutes until reduced by half. Stir in the flour mix well for 1 minute. Pour in the cream and about 150 ml of the stock. Add in a bit of pepper.

Mix both batches with the shredded chicken and add to the prepared pie shell.

Place pie top over. (optional - you can brush a beaten egg over the top for a better pie top)

Bake at 180 for 30 minutes.

Birthday Cup Cakes

I celebrated my 33rd birthday last Friday. As there seems to be a rule in England that you bring in goodies on your birthday to work I decided chocolate cup cakes were the best option.

There are many chocolate cake recipes and I've tried my fair share. Tuxedo cake is a good one it's made with butter milk which you can find in the US at any supermarket however here in the UK it's a lot harder to find.

I forget where this receipe came from but it is probably the best by far.



Chocolate Cup Cakes

2 Eggs
1 cup butter
2.5 cups plain flour
1 cup cocoa powder
1 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups sugar
1 cup hot water


Cream butter and sugar, add eggs vanilla. Mix well.

Add in cocoa powder and hot water. Mix well

Add in everything else and you guessed it, mix well.

Bake at 350F for 20 minutes for cup cakes

For the icing:-

2 containers of double cream
1/4 cup icing sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder

Mix for 5 minutes at top speed.