It’s the start of February and, if you’re anything like me, you’ll still have a lot of bills to pay from Christmas. There must be a lot of us in the same boat, just look at the number of programmes on TV showing us how to save. Buying ready-made food is not only one of the most expensive ways to eat, it is also often packed with hidden calories
Food cooked from scratch is usually far cheaper and with less hidden calories your belt will be tightened in more ways than one!
These Easy Peasy Nuggets are one of my grandchildren’s favourite recipes they make at home. The results are even better than a whole bucket of chicken nuggets…and a quarter of the price. Best thing is they can get dirty sticky hands… always fun.
You can make nuggets with lots of things: turkey, pork, strips of red peppers, onion rings.
Make your own fish fingers with strips of fresh haddock prepared in the same way.
Always make sure the nuggets are cooked through and there are no traces of pink.
You can freeze these to cook from frozen. Lay them flat in the freezer so they don’t stick together. Cook for 25-30 minutes if straight from frozen.
To make breadcrumbs just whizz old bread in a blender and dry in a cool oven. Store in a sealed tub for weeks. Easy Peasy!
EASY PEASY CHICKEN NUGGETS
2 free-range eggs
100g fresh breadcrumbs
4 free- range chicken breasts, skinless
3-4 tablespoons plain flour
Sea salt & black pepper
Vegetable oil
Break the eggs into a flat soup plate, season well and beat with a fork.
Lay the breadcrumbs onto another plate.
Lay the chicken breasts between sheets of cling film and use a rolling pin to bash them to thin them down.
Use a sharp knife to cut them into nuggets.
Put the flour into a plastic bag and season with a flat teaspoon of sea salt and plenty of black pepper.
Put the chicken nuggets into the bag and give it a good shake so they are all coated with the flour.
Now dip each nugget in egg and then the breadcrumbs, pressing them down so they get well coated.
Lay them on a plate and pop in the fridge to let them firm up a little.
You can shallow fry these in a frying pan, 10 minutes each side or bake them in the oven.
Switch oven on 190C/Gas 5
Lay them on a non-stick baking tray and drizzle with a little vegetable or olive oil.
Bake for 20 minutes, turning them over halfway through.
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