Jumble House Fun Learning for Young Children, Jumble House, Recipes

Happy Chicken

Sorry I don’t do quantities which is, I know is very annoying (the family continually say this) but I just throw a bit in, look, taste and adjust! They like the result so what!!

So, is it healthy? Well it depends which advice from our dear UK Government you are referring to! Was it the year they said that cream , cheese, butter and all saturated fat was bad? Or the year they said sugar was the enemy?

So for Happy Chicken which is creamy and delicate but has a great earthy garlic taste and a hint of lemon, look at this link:

Happy Chicken Recipe

Jumble House bread, cooking, Healthy Diet, Learning through Play, Recipes, Science

Delicious Milk Loaf 

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I love really rough, dark, whole grain bread oozing seeds and nuts but nowadays either because of age or IBS, or probably both, my system does NOT like it and objects strongly. 

Unfortunately, most of the foods IT likes, I do NOT! 

So,  I’ve come up with a white Loaf which both of us can enjoy.  ( family and friends with ‘normal uncomplaining guts’ like it as well! ) 


It’s light, moist, tasty and keeps really well. It actually brings to mind the bread Heidi used to take to her Granma who found the  rough brown bread difficult to chew!   But, if you haven’t read HEIDI then you won’t know what I’m talking about! If you have, then you are probably as old as me! 

I use strong white flour and I like to crumble a Vitamin C (ascorbico acid) tablet into the flour as it speeds up the process but not absolutely necessary. I also always use fresh yeast. I just love to watch it frothing and the smell is divine. 

The olive oil should be Extra Virgin and allow three nice big tablespoons. 

The grated carrot seems odd I know but it adds moisture and colour and taste (but it definitely does NOT taste of carrot. Trust me! )

We don’t have an oven at Jumble House so I do have to bake the bread in the Breadmaker but that’s all I use it for as I like to knead the dough myself. If I had an oven I would definitely use that to bake the bread because the crust is infinitely better plus you can make interestingly shaped loaves and cobs and bread rolls.  

Anything else ….. only to say that kids love bread making and it is so good for their coordination and strengthens those little hand muscles in preparation for years of writing!  Real dough is better than playdough cause you can eat the results! White dough is also easier to manipulate than brown.  Get them making little plaited rolls and cobs and all kinds of animal shapes. 

Since I buy fresh yeast in twin packs I sometimes use the second cube mixed with sugar and warm water to blow up a balloon!  (The mixture poured into a plastic water bottle with the balloon over the neck).   It’s a good way of demonstrating just how and why the bread is rising and what makes those little air pockets.  There’s a fun video for kids on my channel showing this. Just click on the link below: 

Link to video for children. All about yeast. Shows how to blow up a balloon with yeast.

Jumble House Creativity, Food, Recipes

Jumble  Mess


If there’s an ‘Eton Mess’ (Strawberries, whipped cream and broken meringue) then I don’t see why we can’t have a ‘Jumble House Mess’!  Actually I had intended to make Eton Mess but then didn’t have any meringue so concocted this instead! 

To be honest I’d prefer a piece of cheese any day but then I’m not normal!  Most people love a dessert, my husband being no exception and he wolfed the lot! 

This can be made with fresh strawberries or mixed berries or even frozen frutta di bosco or fruits of the forest. It’s even nice if you mix the two! 

Ingredients

Berries ..strawberries or fruits of the forest.

Whipped cream – I added a sachet of brown sugar (1 teaspoon) 

Custard. (If English)    crema pasticciera  (If Italian) and if neither then I’m not sure! I used a packet of Birds Custard powder but used less liquid. Half a pint instead of three quarters. 

Di Saronno

Biscuits. I used an Italian biscuit. In England.  Definitely not Digestive Biscuits because they are too rich. Rich Tea are too plain. Maybe ‘Hob nobs’ or similar would work. 

So the method:


First crush the biscuits. 2/3 per person. I put them in a plastic bag and beat them with a rolling pin. Then put a thin layer of the biscuit crumbs at the bottom of the glasses. 

Chop the strawberries into bite sized pieces and soak in Di Saronno for half an hour.  I used one tablespoon per person. If you are using berries or frozen fruits of the forest do the same..


Then put a layer of strawberries (or your chosen berries) on top of the biscuits. Don’t forget the juice!! That’s VERY important! 


Carefully fold the cold custard and whipped cream together then put a big dollop on top of the fruit. 


Now repeat the layers: biscuit crumbs, fruit, cream mixture.

Finish off with some sprinkled biscuit crumbs and a strawberry or berries. 

That’s it! 

Enjoy.

Jumble House cooking, Food, Recipes, Uncategorized

COUNTRY CHICKEN

 


A lovely hearty dish for cooler days. 

Let’s the kids roll the sausage balls for you. They love the sticky jobs that us adults hate! 

This recipe works  really well in the slow cooker or on top of the cooker or can be casseroled on a low heat in the oven. 

Ingredients: 


I know it doesn’t look very appetising but it REALLY does taste delicious when cooked!’

For 4 people: 

4 CHICKEN joints 

3/4 thick good butchers sausages . Preferably with herbs. Linconshire sausages would work well.  Umbrian sausages are SUPERB!   

Two wine glasses of red wine.

One stock cube. Two big Cloves  of garlic. One red onion. 

A pack of back olives with stones. 

Two tins of good chunky tinned tomatoes.

Two teaspoons of oregano. 

Peperoncino or chilli pepper to taste 

One thinly sliced red pepper. 



METHOD: 

First skin the sausage and roll into balls using four . You should get two/ three good sized balls from each. 

Rub the chicken joints with flour. 

Put a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a deep pan. Add the chicken and sausage. Toss on medium heat for just four/five minutes then remove to a plate. 



Add onions and garlic to the pan and cook gently for five minutes. 

Replace chicken and sausage and Pour in the wine. 

Simmer for five minutes then add everything else .

Stir well and then turn down heat and cook with lid on very gently for an hour.  ( or put in the slow cooker or casserole it in the oven).

Taste and adjust seasoning. 

Serve with crispy sauté potatoes and tiny tender peas. 

Jumble House cooking, Food, Healthy Eating, Recipes, Uncategorized

Jumble House Stuffed Peppers 


These peppers are so gorgeous and filling!  Served with a salad they make a delicious, easy and healthy light meal. 

They are best cooked in the oven but if you, like me, don’t have one then it is possible to  use a microwave as you will see from the video: 

The ingredients: 

Large red peppers

Onions, garlic, fresh tomatoes,

Oregano, salt and pepper

Risotto rice

Jumble House cooking, Food, Healthy Eating, Recipes, Uncategorized

Stir Fry 


At Jumble House we like our meals to be healthy AND tasty and, if you have been following our blog you will know that we also like food with a bit of a kick!  Nothing bland! 

I can’t see any point in eating food, healthy or not, if you don’t actually ENJOY it.  Food needs to look good, smell good and taste good and what could  be nicer and more tempting than colourful, crisp vegetables and plump, juice prawns! 
                         Click on this link to be tempted!
This stir-fry is crammed full of colourful vegetables and great smelling spices and herbs. I’ve substituted Tamari Sauce for Soy sauce and lemon juice for Balsamic Vinegar to reduce the sugar content but feel free to experiment! 

The ingredients 


A large thinly sliced red onion.  2/3 cloves of garlic and about 3 teaspoons of chopped fresh ginger. 

A large red pepper and some green vegetables. (Broccoli, Sugar Snap Peas, Mangetout) 

Mushrooms

A carrot cut into thin strips. ( this adds the sweetness ) 

Prawns ( you can substitute cubed chicken or Quorn ) 

Spices:  A pinch of Crushed Chillies and Cumin. I also like to add half a teaspoon of Chinese Spice. 

Sauces: Tamari and Thai Fish Sauce. Lemon Juice plus 2 tablespoons of Marsala or Sherry.

To finish: A few broken cashew nuts and chopped Coriander Leaf.    (Optional) 



Method: 

Pour a couple of tablespoons of olive oil into a wok. Heat. 

Quickly fry the onion, garlic, spices and ginger for about 3 minutes. 

Push to the sides of the wok and add the vegetables that need the most cooking.  Cook on medium heat for  another 3 minutes then push to the side and add more. Continue this process until all the vegetables are in the wok. ( I suggest adding the mushrooms last.). The vegetables should stay crisp so don’t overcook. 

Mix together 1 tablespoon of Tamari Sauce,  1 tablespoon of Fish sauce and 2 tablespoon of sherry/Marsala or similar and add to the pan with the prawns. Cook until the prawns are cooked and a nice healthy pink (if using fresh ones) or heated through (frozen variety). Taste and add more spices/liquid as necessary. 

Stir in a handful of cashews. Sprinkle with chopped coriander leaf and a teaspoon of sesame oil and serve with rice or noodles. 

Jumble House Creativity, Food, Recipes

Maisie’s Ragu with Pici


Ingredients: 

For four starter sized portions.

400 Grams of lean mince (mixed pork and beef is best) 

One packet of pancetta (smoked is best) 

Handful of chopped mushrooms 

A jar of tomato passata or a tin of finely chopped plum tomatoes or make your own passata by blending a large tin of plum tomatoes

A couple of bay leaves and two teaspoons of oregano  

One stock cube ….if needed 

A stick of celery (only if you like the taste of celery!) and a large red onion

One large or two smaller cloves of garlic

Half a teaspoon of nutmeg and a teaspoon of oregano. Pinch of Chilli . 

A small glass of red wine

Half a cup or small carton of single cream or milk. 

Method: 

Put chopped onion and garlic with the pancetta in a medium saucepan 

No oil needed. Cook on high heat till cooked and good deep pink colour. ..about five minutes

Add meat and cook for a further five minutes on high heat. 

Add everything else except the cream or milk.

Add the wine and then boil for two minutes to evaporate the alcohol.

Add milk or cream and turn down heat.

Put on lid and simmer gently for forty minutes. Keep checking. If it is going dry add more passata

After forty minutes it should be nice and creamy and rich. Taste and season with black pepper. 

If not thick enough add tomato purée. 

Bring a large pan to the boil. Add a teaspoon of salt.

You will need about 2/3 ozs  of Pici per person as a starter.

Drop Pici in bubbling water for about fifteen minutes. Keep testing.

When al dente transfer directly from water into the pan of sauce. Stir gently and heat for two minutes until the pasta is well coated.

Serve with grated Parmeasan cheese. 

Enjoy! 

You can watch this being made here:  ( please subscribe to our channel!) 

Maisie’s Ragu and Pici


Do visit our channel for more delicious recipes and art and craft and science and travel and …………… ! 

The Jumbles Channel

Jumble House Creativity, Families, Food, Healthy Eating, Recipes

Sugar!!!!!!!!

                     Read the BLOG here.          

We cut sugar out  this week because we wanted to get rid of our coughs and colds.  BUT after reading this very open, informative and funny blog we will be looking at that sweet monster a little bit closer!  We knew that bad bacteria find sugary foods very yummy but there’s a lot more to it than that! 

There’s some great tasting recipes there too. 

Jumble House Creativity, Healthy Eating, Recipes

Helping ourselves to get better

The Jumbles are a bit poorly. Coughs, sneezes,sore throats. 

They have seen their GP and are taking the medicine but they are also trying to help themselves.

They believe that eating the right food helps. That a drink of Honey and lemon in hot water soothes a sore throats . 

That sugary foods should be avoided because bad bacteria love sugar and so breed. 

Of course it is very important that everyone seeks advice from their own GP before acting on advice from anywhere else. 

The recipe for Maisie’s Clear Chicken broth is here. It  is also very good with noodles. 

To watch the complete video click on the link below: 

               Click on here to watch the video

Ingredients for soup or noodles in broth. 

Two pieces of chicken on the bone cause Hines make good stock 

One onion chopped fine

I can or peas or equivalent in frozen peas. 

2 carrots ..better grated otherwise chop very fine.

1 clove of garlic.

Maisie also added a courgette but you could add o her greens like cabbage or spinach depending on taste. 

Method

All you do is put everything in a pan with a stock cube and cover with water ..about two inches above the ingredients. 

Bring to the boil then cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes till everything is tender and the chicken is cooked. 

Remove the chicken and take out the ones. Chop into small pieces and put back. 

Taste and season. 

Serve on it’s own or use as a base for noodles.