I heart my pressure cooker, and Nigella!

I already used my pressure cooker again. I don't think I've ever completed a batch of homemade mashed potatoes in such a short amount of time. It is just so fast, I love it and looking forward to using my pressure cooker more often now. I don't know wha took me so long to use it in the first place!

Nigella provided tonights main course. Chicken is one of those things you can never have too many different ways of preparing. I really do love my "Nigella Express" cookbook. This was an entirely unhealthy way to roast a whole chicken, but surely quite a yummy way to roast a chicken! I used maple-flavored bacon and I cannot tell you how yummy my kitchen smelled while it was cooking. I wish I could watch Nigella on TV but she grates on my nerves for some reason, oh well, at least her cookbook is great! :-)

Brandied-Bacony Chicken

(from "Nigella Express)

1 (2 1/2 to 3-pound) chicken

2 strips bacon (I used maple flavored)

1/4 cup brandy

Heat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a small frying pan, cook the bacon over medium heat until it's crisp and the pan full of gorgeous bacony fat, about 4 minutes. Take the pan off the heat, the bacon out of the pan and straight into the cavity of the chicken, sitting the chicken breast side up in a roasting pan as you do so.

Pour the brandy into the still hot frying pan with bacon grease and let bubble for a minute. Pour the brandy mixture over the chicken. Place the roasting pan into the hot oven and roast for 45 minutes, making sure juices run clear between leg and body. Let rest 10 minutes before carving. Serve with bacon pieces from cavity of chicken.

Quick Garlic Mashed Potatoes

(adapted from "Pressure Cooking for Everyone")

3 pounds medium red-skinned potatoes peeled & cut into 1/2 inch slices

1 medium sized yellow onion, quartered

4 cups water

8 large garlic cloves crushed under a knife & peeled

1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

1/2 cup half-and-half

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup shredded cheese (I used mozzarella)

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

In a 5 to 7 quart pressure cooker, combine the potatoes, onion, water, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Lock the lid in place. Bring to high pressure over high heat. Cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and quick release pressure. Open the lid, tilting away from you to block any escaping steam. Open the lid, tilting it away from you to block any escaping steam. Drain well.

Return the potatoes, onion, and garlic to the warm cooker. Using an electric mixer or potato masher (I used a masher to disguise the onion into the mix), mash the potatoes with half-and-half, butter, and cheese. Season with additional salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Ouefs en cocotte

Oui, oui, sounds fancy, no?

If you haven't figured out by the picture below, ouefs translates into eggs. This is another Nigella recipe from my "Nigella Express" cookbook which I love. I made these for brunch the other day. I was such a nice wife and left my husband sleep in until about, oh, 12:15 or so and I was in the mood for brunch type food. So I made these - they were rich, creamy, and tasty. I had some asparagus in the house and Nigella had suggested that was a good dipper for the eggs. I also made some potatoes and served these with some bread. It was a nice, filling, and a little bit different twist on the usual sunny-side up eggs or omelets I would typically make on a weekend. My husband was a tad confused when I handed him a plate with asparagus and eggs on it, but I reminded him it was nearly 1pm which makes it perfectly acceptable and in the end, he was happy to oblige.

Ouefs en Cocotte










Butter for greasing
6 eggs
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
1 1/2 tablespoons pepper (white preferably but I used black pepper as you can see)
6 tablespoons heavy cream
1 1/2 tabelspoons white truffle oil (I just used EVOO)

Preheat oven to 375F and put a full kettle of water on the stove.

Dip pastry brush in a soft stick of butter and grease 6 ramekins (4oz each) putting them in an ovenproof 9x13 pan as you go.

Crack an egg into each ramekin, followed by 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1 tablespoon cream, and finally 1/4 teaspoon of oil.

Pour boiling water into the pan to come about halfway up each ramekin. Put in oven and bake for 15 minutes. Serve immediately with bread, and/or steamed asparagus.

Montly Muffin Challenge: January

In the spirit of it being the first month of my new endeavor - the monthly muffin challenge, I made 2 different types this month - both from my Nigella Express cookbook - Banana Butterscotch Muffins and Pear & Ginger Muffins. I liked both which both went over well at the slumber party, but I perosnally was a bigger fan of the former which had a bolder taste in my opinion.

On a side note, I felt as those the kitchen gods had it out for me this weekend. While putting my muffin tin full of my first batch in the oven with just my right hand (mind you, my left one was still in some pain from the night before), I lost my grip on the pan and it then tilted off of the rack and went splat....upside down on my oven door. Batter, EVERYWHERE, oozing down in between the crack of my oven door and where it meets the oven...into the the drawer under the oven. Almost all of the pans I had under there had to make a trip to the dishwasher because of it. All was lost...and a mess.

Honestly if I had found it as humorous at the time that I do now (ok, I'll admit, I still don't find it particularly amusing), I probably would have snapped a picture of the debacle, however, needless to say I was one UNhappy camper. Luckily my husband did "damage control" since I was far too annoyed with myself to do much cleaning up. Also lucky for me, I had enough bananas to make another batch. Never a dull moment I tell ya.

Banana Butterscotch Muffins

1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 2/3 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3)
1 cup butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 400F and line a 12-cup mufin pan with paper liners.

Measure the oil into a large glass measuring cup and beat in eggs.

Combine all dry ingredients except for butterscotch chips in a large bowl. Then add in liquid ingredients followed by mashed bananas. Once combined, fold in butterscotch chips.

Divide equal quantities of batter into muffin pan. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.


Pear and Ginger Muffins

1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup plus 6 teaspoons packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon honey
2 eggs
1/2 cup peeled and chopped pears, about 1/4 inch dice


Preheat oven to 400F and line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper muffin cups.

Measure into a bowl the flour, granulated sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, baking powder, and ground ginger.

In a large mesuring cup, whisk together wet ingredients. Then blend these ingredients into the dry ingredients. Lastly, mix in diced pairs and divide batter evenly among muffin cups.

Sprinkle each muffin with 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar before placing in oven. Bake for 18 minutes and remove to cooling rack once done. Best eaten warm.

I burnt something, but it wasn't dinner!!!

Friday night I came home from a long day at work. I wanted to try a recipe from my Nigella Express cookbook for a Spanish Omelet. Cooking helps me unwind. All I can think of while I'm putting it together is how I can't wait to have it because 1) I had something very similar when I went to Spain in high school and 2) I've been craving breakfast for dinner for awhile now.

Everything was going fine. After putting the pan under the broiler for 5 minutes, I grabbed my oven mits and took it out of the oven. I then took the mits off so I could grab a plate to turn the omelet over onto. I placed the plate on top of the pan, put the oven mit on my right hand (my dominant one) and planned on using my left hand to steady the plate. All is going well, right?

What happened next defies all reason and logic. For some reason, I decided to grab the handle of the pan with my LEFT hand. Immediately, a flood of expletives left my mouth and I ran to the sink to run cold water over my hand. After hearing me yell several of those lovely words my husband ran in from the living room to survey the damage and said my middle finger was the worst (it blistered instantly) and the rest of my hand just looked red.

My wonderful husband then took over the rest of my duties, turning the omelet onto the plate. Taking pictures of it for the blog, and serving me. I spent the rest of the night on the couch watching the Celtics game with an ice pack on my hand.

The omelet was delicious, but next time I need to unwind after a long day at work I think I'll stick with a glass of wine.....

Spanish Omelet
(as adapted from "Nigella Express")




About 5 baby new potatoes quartered
5 eggs
3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
3 scallions, finely sliced
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 teaspoon butter
drop of olive oil

Cook new potatoes in boiling water for about 10 minutes or until cooked through, then drain.

Preheat your broiler while you start the omelet.

Whisk eggs in bowl, then add cheese, scallions, and season with salt and pepper. Add potato chunks to mixture.

Heat the butter and oil in a small over-proof skillet, and once hot pour egg mixture and cook gently on medium heat for about 5 minutes.

Once the bottom of the omelet has set, do not turn it. Place skillet in over under the broiler for about 5 minutes or until top is set. Turn omelet upside down onto plate to let cool. Cut into 4 large or 8 smaller wedges for serving.