Frugal Chicken Pot Pie 85p per quarter of pie!

I've always wanted to make a chicken pot pie, I have no explanation for this, I have just always wanted to.

At the weekend I bought a whole chicken and roasted it...it was quite flavourless so decided it was the perfect time to use the meat for a pie!

I found a recipe online and more or less followed it...

Ingredients and costing:

Items bought:
Chicken (whole £3) only half was used = £1.50
1 tin of carrots (yes tinned...asked me if I care) = 20p
1 tin of garden teas = 20p
1 tin of sweetcorn = 20p
Single cream (not even half used) = 60p
Pastry (total £1.39 - half used rest frozen) = 69p

= £3.39 / 4 (portions)
= 85p (rounded up)

In the cupboard:
1 chicken stock cube
flour (for rolling the pastry)
butter

I followed the recipe which is linked above, in summary:

1. Cream + stock + veg - boil for a bit
2. Drain off the liquid and keep this
3. Melt butter, add flour + stock/cream broth
4. Once thickened add veg and chicken
5. Allow to cool
6. Pre-heat over (180-200C)
7. Roll out pastry and put cover the bottom of the baking tin in pastry
8. Fill pastry shell with the cooled pie mix 
9. Roll out top and put on top of the pie mix. 
10. BAKE (20-25 mins)
11. Cut and serve

The pie was really full and really tasty - the pastry cooked well on the bottom as well.

For more information about the instructions. 

Vanilla and Yogurt Loaf Cake

On a dull and dreary Saturday afternoon the baking bug struck me. I knew I didn't have enough in the cupboards to make a traditional Victoria sponge or brownies, so through the power of guesstimating I made this delish coffee and yogurt loaf.

 I want to post the recipe to Pinterest, but didn't take exact measurements, but I think this is close enough:

Ingredients:

350g plain flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon of vanilla essence 

2 eggs

1 strong shot of coffee

100g butter

100ml Greek yogurt

150g caster sugar.

Steps:

I did this all in the food processor.

1. Preheat the oven to 180'C

2. Grease a loaf tin

3. Cream butter, sugar, vanilla essence and yogurt (this will be more liquid than a normal cream of butter and sugar)

4. Add the two eggs (quickly whizz up)

5. Make a strong shot of coffee and add to mix

6. Quickly add the flour and baking powder 

7. Put into loaf tin and bake for 20-30 minutes. 

This makes quite a heavy cake, which means you eat less than you might with a normal cake. I will be serving it this afternoon when my Mum and Step Dad visit. 

Update:

My Mum and Step Dad really enjoyed this cake, the use of yoghurt made it quite a light cake, you could eat a large slice and not feel like you have splurged on high sugar treat. I don't often eat a lot of the products I make, I normally eat a slice or two and give it away, not because I don't like the taste but because I don't need to eat the whole cake. So I was able to share this cake with my boyfriend (who often ends up with the rest of the baked goods), my family and some friends, everyone enjoyed this mix and were impressed by the guesstimation as no recipe was used. 

Suggestions:

Whilst this cake was full in taste if I was going to make it again I would add more coffee and more vanilla as I like a strong taste of both elements. However this is a personal choice, my parents wouldn't have liked a stronger taste from coffee or vanilla. 

If you are unsure, stick to the recipe and taste the batter and adjust.

Happy Baking. 

Delightfully Domestic

Today I am feeling delightfully domestic.

 I am currently bunny sitting for my friends who have gone on holiday for the week. I have spent a decent amount of time with Mildred (the bunny) before, but today was the first time I was solely responsible for me. Even though I was on edge wanting to make everything perfect, it was very relaxing. I am glad I get to spend every night this week with her.

I went home this weekend and was gifted some home grown apples. So today I made my first apple crumble of the season. 

Normally I make crumble mix by hand, but since moving into my flat my mum gifted me her food processor. Even though it might be the first food processor ever made it has changed my baking life. 

I'm glad my week has started full of domestic greatness as there is a lot of baking to do by the end of the week.

More creative posts to come…but as it is birthday related I have to wait for the birthday to pass before blogging.