Happy blogday to me, happy blogday to me!
Yes, folks, it's four (count 'em!) years to the day since I first took to my keyboard and started CookSister. At the time, I knew close to nothing about blogs or the blogging community - all I knew was that reading Jeremy's blog had opened up a whole new world of possibilities for me and that I wanted a blog of my own. I had no idea what an addictive, frustrating, rewarding, time-consuming, satisfying, exhausting and inspiring a journey it was going to be. But clearly the good outweighed the bad, because here I still am.
Highlights over the past year include:
- Being interviewed by the BBC
- Appearing in the BBC's Olive Magazine
- Writing a post a day in November for NaBloPoMo
- Hosting the UK part of the very successful Menu for Hope 2007
- Being a finalist in the category Best Writing in the Food Blog Awards 2007
- Winning Best South African Food Blog and Best South African Overseas Blog in the 2008 South African Blog Awards
I've also cooked some great stuff over the past twelve months, like trout with almonds and samphire, broad bean crostini, Peppermint Crisp fridge tart, raspberry & white chocolate cheesecake, cheese olives, triple ginger layer cake, South African milk tart, sea bass stuffed with fennel and olives; apple-cranberry bran muffins, harira, cranberry ginger caramel pudding, Mamma's scones, tomato & marmalade soup, cranberry & pear upside down cake, peach and cardamom clafoutis, creamy smoked haddock with flageolet beans, and classic fish pie. Phew!
But the main dish I'm re-posting today is one of the very first things I ever blogged - chicken a la King. I blogged it at the request of my friend Greg, but I didn't actually cook it at the time. These days, that would be unthinkable - every recipe I blog has been tried and tested by me! So maybe that's why I've always intended to go back and revisit this dish. As you'll see in my original post, it's the dish I loved most as a child and it is still one of my favourite ways of using up leftover cooked chicken. Although it's properly meant to be made with green pepper, red is what I had and so that's what I used. I hope you enjoy the recipe and I hope that this blog has brought you as much joy as it has brought me over the past four years.
CHICKEN A LA KING (serves 2)
Ingredients
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp plain flour
1 cup milk
2 Tbsp sunflower oil
1 green (or red, or both) pepper, diced
1 amall onion, diced
1 cup quartered button mushrooms
1.5-2 cups cooked diced chicken
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
Method
Heat the oil in a large, shallow saucepan. Add the onion and, when it begins to soften, the red/green pepper. Allow everything to soften over medium heat but don't caramelise the onions - add a bit more oil to the pan if things start to stick. Add the chicken and heat through, adding the mushrooms towards the end.
Melt the butter in a separate pot and when it is completely liquid, stir in the flour. Allow to cook for a minute or two, then whisk in the milk. Allow the sauce to thicken and season with salt and pepper, then pour over the chicken mixture and mix well. A splash of cream may also be added for richness. Serve at once on cooked rice or noodles.
That is fantastic. Happy Blog birthday.
Posted by: barbara | May 24, 2008 at 03:22 AM
Happy Blogiversary to you!!!
And congrats on a great year!
Posted by: katie | May 24, 2008 at 08:42 AM
Happy blog anniversary, Jeanne! Too bad I cannot attend the blog birthday party in London this year :(
Posted by: Pille | May 24, 2008 at 10:31 AM
Happy Blogiversary! I can't think how long I have been reading you for but its at least 3 years, possibly longer! I am going to make Chicken a la king this week for sure. I loved this at boarding school, it's definitely one of my all time South African food favourites. When it was paired with a dessert we called Elephants Dropping I was a happy school girl! (A steamed pudding with jam cooked in huge KOO Apricot Jam tins and served steaming hot with custard. YUM!
Posted by: Sarah | May 24, 2008 at 12:17 PM
Happy Blogaversary to you, Happy Blogaversary to you, you look like a monkey and you smell like one, too!
Ha, ha...that was from the kids to Auntie Jeanne...you know I'd never leave you such a rude comment! ;-)
You've been the best from the beginning, and it's awesome to see how much attention you've gotten over the years...so well deserved! Here's to the next four, my friend!
xxxooo
Posted by: Moira | May 24, 2008 at 05:34 PM
Nice to meet you,
I'm from Japan.
It became reference very much!!
Thank you (^o^)/
Indeed I am sorry,
Please link to this site.
Posted by: sakura | May 25, 2008 at 05:36 AM
Happy blogday!
Posted by: Julia | May 25, 2008 at 11:50 AM
Happy Blog Birthday Jeanne! What a wonderful year you've had and I've loved following it! Indulge and celebrate.
Posted by: Niamh | May 25, 2008 at 12:34 PM
Happy blogversary, Jeanne! That's been quite a year for you. Well done.
Trig
Posted by: Trig | May 25, 2008 at 06:39 PM
Wow! And again Wow! you have an amazing amount of dedication and energy for someone who's been going for four years. Congrats Jeanne, and well done on all your achievements. This Chicken a la king looks yummy and I always use coloured peppers in my chicken pie as green ones give you wind - so you must have known that on a subconscious level. Have a well earned relaxing weekend my friend!
Posted by: african vanielje | May 25, 2008 at 09:24 PM
Happy belated blogiversary Jeanne! Wow, what an achievement, you must be so proud. "addictive, frustrating, rewarding, time-consuming, satisfying, exhausting and inspiring" - Yes, I definitely agree with all of those and you have been doing it over 3 years longer than me!
Posted by: Helen | May 25, 2008 at 09:59 PM
congratulations on your anniversary jeanne!
Posted by: abby | May 26, 2008 at 02:16 PM
Geluk liewe matjie omdat jy verjaar, mag die here jou seen and nog baie jare spaaaaaaaaaaaar!
Posted by: Mel | May 26, 2008 at 03:11 PM
Congratulations - what an amazing time you've had!
Posted by: kittie | May 28, 2008 at 12:40 PM
Thanks to all of you for your lovely blog birthday wishes!
Pille - there's always next year :)
Sarah - oooh, a long-term fan ;-) Thanks for your continued support. Hmm, elephant dropping pudding? Sounds... interesting! I'm guessing chocolate self-saucing pudding or similar? And yes! Koo apricot jam with everything! Breakfast of champions.
Moira - those kids of yours are too cute! Big hugs from Aunty Jeanne. And blush, blush, thank you for your lovely words. You are a great friend & I wish you didn't live so far away - we need more Alize and cliff-shag-marry nights!
Inge - thanks! Sometimes I have no idea where the dedication comes from when all I want to do is lie in front of the TV :o) And I prefer the sweet taste of the red peppers, although the green pepper version tastes like I rememebr from childhood.
Helen - glad somebody else is as conflicted as I am ;-)
Mel - you crazy lady! Thanks for the birthday song - don't know WHEN last somebody sang that to me :)
Posted by: Jeanne | May 28, 2008 at 01:21 PM
Happy belated Blog birthday!
Wishing you many more happy blog birthdays to come =)
Posted by: ilingc | May 28, 2008 at 06:35 PM
happy blogbirthday Jeanne! cheers!
Posted by: zoe / puku | May 29, 2008 at 03:06 AM
Some great highlights there Jeanne, well done!!
My mum makes something like this, minus the peppers and I love it too!
Posted by: Nicisme | May 29, 2008 at 02:13 PM
Happy blog birthday and I love chicken a la king! In fact, tonight's dinner is chicken a la king!
Posted by: Ash | June 02, 2008 at 12:36 PM