One Pan Mustard-Pepper Baked Chicken

This is one of my favourite go to tricks for when I want something different. It's quick, easy and you only need one pan as the name suggests. This recipe is inspired by Nigella's One Pan Sage and Onion Chicken and Sausage. I've skipped the sausage since I didn't have it stashed in the fridge this time, but the results even without it are remarkable and that's made me quite happy with the end result.

Stay tuned for my next recipe,  Home made apple pie!

INGREDIENTS:
1 whole pre-cut chicken (skin on or off- whichever way you like
100gms butter cut into small cubes
2 tablespoons Aatash Foods - Super Chef's​ English Mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
250gms baby potatoes halved or big potatoes cut into wedges
2 red onions quatered
1 whole pod of garlic (peeled, individual cloves crushed by hand)

METHOD:

Step 1: Preheat oven to 250 degrees

Step 2: Line a flat baking pan (if you're metal) with aluminium foil. This makes cleaning afterward easier.

Step 3: Rub butter on each piece of chicken. Try inserting small cubes of butter into the more meaty pieces like drumsticks, thighs and breast pieces. This helps the meatier pieces remain succulent.

Step 4: Arrange the chicken in the pan. In the gaps add the potatoes, garlic and onions. See picture below, you want the pan to look a little crowded.


Step 5: Add the mustard and rub it into all the ingredients in the pan. Flatten them out once more and cover the pan with aluminium foil. Set aside for a few minutes

Step 6: Place the pan into the oven set to 250degrees for 50 minutes and then for 20 minutes at 225degrees without the foil covering it. To allow it to brown a little.
IF you're using a fan oven, then 250 degrees covered for 35 minutes alone would suffice.

Step 7: Serve hot with garlic toasties :) For the health conscious there's always chapatis ;)

Leftover Rice Pudding (for Two)

I've started cooking for two lately.. and I must admit, I quite enjoy it. After a long day at work, THIS is what keeps me sane. Oh, and if you're wondering what I meant by cooking for two, I wanted  to use this as an excuse to announce I got hitched (about a month ago) and thereby distract you from the fact that I haven't blogged in the longest time.

I've spent over a year playing busy working girl & bride-to-be, which meant yes—I haven't baked or cooked in over a year. 2014 hasn't really been a favorite but hey! I can't complain, all the effort payed off, I started 2015 with a big bang wedding and a whole new chapter of life.

A glimpse of our D-day :)

So getting back to where I started, I've been cooking for two lately, and while I quite enjoy it, I'm constantly finding ways to minimize wastage and create something new with leftovers. And while I might not always be able to judge exact quantities to cook for two, which is a tough call with both of us always on the go, as long as leftovers are being used up, I am a satisfied soul.

This leftover rice pudding is a product of--leftover rice from Sunday afternoon rice. Here's the recipe:

INGREDIENTS:
A plateful of leftover rice
Milk 1 and a 1/2 cups
Sugar (to taste) 5tbspns
Butter 2 tbspn
Vanilla essence 1 tbspn
1 egg
All purpose flour 1tbspn

METHOD:
1. Pour milk in a slightly larger microwave dish, add the rice, butter and half the sugar and heat for about 6 minutes at 3 minute intervals.

2. In a separate bowl whisk eggs, sugar, vanilla and flour.
3. Temper the egg mixture by adding a little bit of the hot milk mixture by constantly whisking it and adding a spoon at a time. This is to keep the egg from curdling.
4. Combine the egg and milk mixture and whisk thoroughly.
5. Pour the liquid pudding into a buttered tin. (I used a 6x6 inch tin)
6. Bake in a preheated over at 180 degrees C for 50 minutes. If you like the top browned, just bump up the heat to 200 degrees for the last 10 minutes and keep a close eye to keep it from burning.

TIP: You're looking for a slight wobbly yet firm texture to know when it is done.