Egg & Mango Chutney Flatbread

January 3, 2020January 1, 2020 Renee Leave a comment

Egg & Mango Chutney Flatbread is fiery and filling.With just five-ingredients, it’s great for any time of day. Quick homemade flatbread is combined with creamy yogurt, perfectly fried eggs, sweet mango chutney and spicy red chili. This combination is totally awesome.

Are you on a new year’s resolution healthy eating kick right now? I probably should be, but I’ve had enough failure at this to know better. I’m learning to accept that I eat what I eat. I don’t have time for all the guilt that comes with dieting. You know I’m feeling guilty about plenty of other things. I’m letting this one go.

At the same time, I’m very pro fresh start. January is such a great opportunity to dig deep and make changes. One of the things I’ve been trying to change lately is the impact I make on the environment. I’m trying to waste less and also to consume more mindfully. I think we’ll be trying to eat less meat this year. But as a pathological vegetable hater, that can be tough.

Eggs are a great way to get your protein and also eat something really really good. Is there anything more dreamy than an oozing egg yolk. It’s like the most primordial indulgence.

This simple Egg & Mango Chutney Flatbread is adapted from a Jamie Oliver recipe from his book 5 Ingredients. This book is nothing but super simple recipes, and the layout is gorgeous. I can’t wait to cook through some of these recipes.

We start by making a simple flatbread with self-rising flour and yogurt, working in a bit of oil if needed. Just mix everything together in a bowl, give it a few smooshes on the counter to bring it all together, roll it out and whack it in a hot pan. It cooks up in about three minutes.

I also prefer this dish when everything is warm, so I fried my eggs. Additionally, I microwaved the yogurt and mango chutney just for a few seconds so they weren’t fridge cold. But that’s totally up to you.

If you want some extra heat, bring the fire with some sliced red chili. Go for as much or as little as you can handle.

There are lots of different textures and flavors going on here. We couldn’t decide whether this dish was more breakfast or dinner, which says to me that you should eat it whenever the hell you want.

Here’s to a delicious year, friends.

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Self-Rising Biscuits

December 9, 2019December 9, 2019 Renee Leave a comment

These Self-Rising Biscuits are light and delicious. Still totally homemade, we get a little insurance with self-rising flour. Make things a little easier on yourself in the morning.

I’ve struggled with biscuit making over the years. My mom didn’t make biscuits from scratch. Consequently, I still have a secret love of canned biscuits. I can eat a whole batch in one go with honey or blackberry jam. It’s possible that I had grandmothers who made proper biscuits, but they were likely using Bisquik without a shred of shame. I can’t really tell you because I had no interest in learning how to cook back then.

My interest in eating biscuits has been omnipresent. I can remember one trip to Hawaii with my family as a child. My dad took us to the same place for breakfast what seemed like every other day because he said they had the best biscuits on the island. Biscuits made an appearance at all times of day in our household. They were a cornerstone of my love affair with carbs.

Now I live in a place that thinks an Oreo is a biscuit, so I have had to learn how to make them the old-fashioned way. But if you don’t have anyone to teach you, they can be tricky. If the dough is too wet, you have a sticky mess. if it’s too try, you have hockey pucks. I think I’m finally starting to get the hang of it.

I’ve adopted this recipe for Self-Rising Biscuits from that quintessential down home cook, The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond. She should know how to make a biscuit, and she didn’t let me down. I like that I get to skip a few steps by not having to measure out any rising agents. You don’t have to worry about mixing up the baking soda and the baking powder (yes, I’ve done that many times), and self-rising flour is usually a bit lighter than all-purpose flour, so you get a lighter biscuit.

I basically always have buttermilk in my fridge because it keeps for ages. You can use lard, shortening, or butter for these biscuits, so just go with whatever you have on hand. And don’t worry if you don’t have a pastry cutter. I think your clean hands are your best tool for mixing up this dough. One last tip, push the cutter straight down into the dough. If you twist it a bunch, the biscuits won’t rise as high.

Quite apart from just diving into these with butter and jam, these are also the biscuits I recently used for this Sausage Egg and Cheese Biscuit with Apple Butter. They were perfection.

There’s never a bad time to eat a biscuit, so you need these Self-Rising Biscuits in your life. You can totally do this. I believe in you.

Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman.

Ultimate Awesome Holiday Recipes

December 4, 2019December 3, 2019 Renee Leave a comment

I’ve gone through my archives and put together the ultimate list of close to a hundred totally awesome holiday recipes. There’s everything you’ll need for brunch, dinner, parties, and more. I’ve got your holiday cooking sorted.

Pumpkin Pancakes | How To Be Awesome on $20 a Day

Breakfast & Brunch

Do you do a big breakfast spread on Christmas morning? I actually prefer it to Christmas dinner. All of these recipes would be a hit.

Honey Whole Wheat Pancakes

Pancetta & Goat Cheese Quiche

Brown Sugar Bacon Biscuits

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Breakfast Pizza

Cheesy Sausage Squares

Herbed Biscuits & Creamy Sausage Gravy

Mini Chocolate Cinnamon Croissants

Maple Bacon Pancake Syrup

Savoury Sausage Bread Pudding

Dutch Baby Bunny

Croissant French Toast with Maple Bacon Whipped Cream

Cayenne Candied Bacon

Starters, Snacks & Nibbles

If you’re hosting an open house or a holiday cocktail party, these recipes are sure to impress your guests.

Wheaten Biscuits

Whipped Ricotta

Bacon Parmesan Cheese Ball

Garlic & Thyme Baked Camembert

Swiss & Bacon Dip

Brie en Croute

Cranberry Brie Bites

Goat Cheese Crostini with Macadamia Nuts & Honey

Cranberry Soy Sausages

Holiday Brie

White Hot Chocolate | How to be Awesome on $20 a Day

Cocktails & Drinks

There’s something to drink for grown ups and kids alike in this collection.

Mistletoe Mocktail

White Hot Chocolate

Cran-Orange-Apple Juice

Chocolate Candy Cane Cocktail

Cranberry Mule

Cranberry Margarita

Vanilla Hot Chocolate for One

Chaitini

Poinsettia Champagne Cocktail

Brown Elephant Cocktail

Pomegranate Margaritas

Spiced Sparkling Cider Cocktail

Red Currant Glazed Ham | How to be Awesome on $20 a Day

For Dinner

Are you cooking for a crowd? Just having a quiet dinner with just the family or your partner? Either way, you’re gonna want to go all out. These recipes are well-loved in our home.

Basically Awesome Roast Chicken

Red Currant Glazed Ham

Brined & Roasted Turkey Breast with Herb Gravy

Ginger-Glazed Gammon Steaks

Cranberry Glazed Turkey Meatloaf

English Potato Gratin

All-American Sweet Potato Casserole

Ridiculously Awesome Mashed Potatoes

Glazed Carrots

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Spiced Maple Butter

Sweet Potato Gratin

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Sweet Potato Rolls

Rosemary Potato Rolls

Buche de Noel | How to be Awesome on $20 a Day

Desserts and Sweet Treats

The holidays are the perfect excuse to have dessert or linger over an afternoon cup of tea or coffee with a sweet treat. There are plenty of options here, from simple to showstopper.

Chocolate Orange Scones

Cinnamon Pull-Apart Cake with Lemon Glaze

Baci di Ricotta

Orange Chocolate Chunk Muffins

Vanilla Ice Cream

Cranberry Bakewell Tart

Buche de Noel

Spice Cupcakes with Maple Frosting

Vanilla Bean Bundt Cake

White Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake

Chocolate Orange Cake

Chocolate Kahlua Bread Pudding

Winter-Spiced Flourless Chocolate Cake

No-Churn Two Ingredient Ice Cream

Maple Cheesecake

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

Pure Pumpkin Cheesecake

Double-Glazed Chai Spice Muffins

Chocolate Orange Mousse

White Chocolate Chip Brownies

Chocolate Cinnamon Bread

Toffee Muffins

Chocolate-Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies | How to be Awesome on $20 a Day

Cookies & Sweets

It’s probably not a holiday party in America without cookies. I think we should spread this tradition around the world. Make some cookies as favors for your holiday parties.

Stem Ginger Biscuits

Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies

Triple Chocolate Cookies

White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Blossoms

Gingerbread Dudes

Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies

Giant Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate-Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies

No-Fail Sugar Cookies

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

Classic Fudge

Jam Tarts

Caramel-Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies

Peanut Butter Fudge

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

White Chocolate Cranberry Macadamia Nut Cookies

Don’t forget to share photos of your awesome recipes on Instagram with the hashtag #awesomeon20!

Honey Whole Wheat Pancakes

November 25, 2019November 23, 2019 Renee Leave a comment

Honey Whole Wheat Pancakes are made with whole wheat flour, high protein Greek yogurt, and honey for natural sweetness. And they’re still every bit as delicious as classic pancakes.

Because we do Thanksgiving a little later here in Scotland, and because I’m a horrible procrastinator, we only just decided on our Thanksgiving menu. Some things are non-negotiable, obviously. I’ve made Cranberry Glazed Turkey Meatloaf every year since at least 2013, and I’ve converted every guest we’ve had into hardcore meatloaf believers. I know what I’m talking about.

Mashed Potatoes are an absolute must, and my husband always picks Rosemary Potato Rolls as well. There’s gotta be some kind of sweet potato, and this year it’s my Sweet Potato Gratin. My husband picked dessert this time. He’s gone way outside of tradition and opted for Spice Cupcakes. As the cook, I’m happy with anything that can be made the day before. Also, they’re completely awesome.

Oh, and we’re starting things off with a pitcher of Poinsettias, Cranberry Shoyu Sausages, and Holiday Brie to keep everyone happy while I pull dinner together.

We don’t have anybody staying with us this year, but I know a lot of people will have house guests. Having people stay at your house for the holiday weekend is lovely, sometimes it can seem like you spend all your time figuring out how to feed them.

I suggest you let everyone wake up to Honey Whole Wheat Pancakes. These are a slightly healthier version of the classic buttermilk pancakes, but I assure you, they are completely awesome. You may want to double this recipe if you’re feeding several people because they’ll be coming back for more.

We’ve got whole wheat plain or pastry flour in this. Just be sure not to use whole wheat bread flour because that would make your pancakes tough. We’re also adding a bit of cinnamon for depth of flavor. You can use low-fat cow’s milk or planet-based milk here. Greek yogurt replaces buttermilk and melted butter. And honey is standing in for sugar.

You could definitely top these with fresh fruit, or frozen fruit warmed through with another drizzle of honey. Or go the classic butter and maple syrup route. Whatever makes you happy.

There’s nothing better than eating great food with people you love. Keep it going at breakfast with Honey Whole Wheat Pancakes. It’ll be awesome.

Recipe adapted from Seriously Delish by Jessica Merchant.

Apple Butter

November 4, 2019November 3, 2019 Renee 3 Comments

Homemade Apple Butter is easier to make than you might guess. It’s sweet and warmly spiced and will add a unique punch of flavor to so many things. Use up any ugly apples that might be hanging around your house to make this absolutely gorgeous Apple Butter.

I’ve lived in four different states in the US. Five if you count those two months in Texas. I also spent two years in Taiwan, and now I live in Scotland. From here in Glasgow, we’ve been able to travel to six different countries in Europe. I’ve had the opportunity to try a lot of different food in my life which is pretty impressive considering I mainly ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the first 20 years of my life.

For a while, there was this tiny restaurant near us in Honolulu that did American Southern food. It was called Kiss My Grits, and I would drink at least a gallon of sweet tea every time we went there. My favorite thing was their creative biscuit sandwiches. Sadly, they closed down not long after we discovered them, but luckily I was able to remember and create my own easy version of one of their outstanding biscuit creations.

Kiss My Grits made everything, including the pork sausage, from scratch, but for my Sausage Egg & Cheese Biscuit with Apple Butter, I used canned biscuits, Jimmy Dean sausage, and store bought Apple Butter. My lazy version is still pretty damn awesome.

When I wanted to make this again here in Glasgow, I had to go to a bit of effort because one thing you learn from living all over the world is that you can’t get everything everywhere, even from Amazon.

I’m getting better at biscuit-making, and I’ll share the super easy recipe I used for my biscuits soon. Today, though, is all about the Apple Butter.

I was pleasantly surprised to discover how easy it is to make your own Apple Butter. Even just a few apples make plenty to go around. Use any apples you like. Different types of apples will obviously give it a subtle difference in taste. I used the apples I happened to have lying around the house in a moment when I thought I’d surely eat more fruit. I never do.

The only thing you need is a medium sauce pan and a food processor. We don’t even have to peel the apples. Chuck some chopped apples and a few other basic ingredients in a pot. Let them simmer until the apples soften. Puree them in a food processor, then cook this down further with some spices. Put it in a jar and enjoy. It will keep in the fridge in a sealed container for a couple of weeks.

In addition to that biscuit sandwich, you can also use your Apple Butter on a grilled cheese. Spread it on croissants, English muffins, or toast. Serve it with pancakes, waffles or French toast. You could even spoon it over ice cream. You’ll want to make Apple Butter all the time.

I hope you try and love this Apple Butter recipe. We could all use a little more sweetness in our lives.

Recipe adapted from Love and Olive Oil.

If you make this recipe, be sure to take a photo and tag me on Instagram and use the hashtag #awesomeon20.

Category: Breakfast

Egg & Mango Chutney Flatbread

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Self-Rising Biscuits

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