Now I know what you are thinking. Chicken sausages. Are you sure? Well I wasn't but before I go any further, let reassure you they are juicy and tasty and perfect for healthy sausage-based recipes for all the family.
This week I enjoyed a hands-on cookery demo and lunch hosted by the #nationsfavourites Richmond with TV celeb, chef, mum and all round lovely person, Angellica Bell.
The event opened my eyes to new ways to cook with sausages. An impressive feat when you bear in mind I have seven children and am already something of an expert of dreaming up new ways to cook affordable food for a large number of people!
Within minutes of the event starting I was inspired by a traditional Toad in the Hole with a clever and simple twist. Angellica microwaved some peas and broccoli and then added them to part-cooked sausages in an ovenproof dish then topped the mix with Yorkshire pudding batter. A one pot meal ideal for busy teatimes but also one I would happily serve friends for a casual chatty supper!
Assembled bloggers were then given a quick masterclass in the art of Yorkshire pudding creation. I was schooled years ago by an ex's mum who hailed from Yorkshire and on the whole I'm proud of my puds.
(As an aside, let me tell you, feeding a big family on a budget is a lot easier with Yorkshire puddings on the menu - they are cheap and filling! My family expect them with every single type of roast, not just beef! We even eat them on Christmas Day!)
Back to the masterclass. We broke an egg into a ramekin. Tipped it into a bowl then guesstimated the same amount of flour and milk to add to it. I used my whisk handle to measure egg depth and then shook flour and poured milk to the same depth.
Then it's all about the whisking. Air makes the puds rise. Bubbles on the surface of the batter is a good sign you've whisked enough. We poured batter into hot fat in a Yorkshire Pudding tray and quickly popped back into the oven
Mine didn't win but I was still very pleased with how it turned out. I filled it with sliced Richmond chicken sausages and some beautiful red wine and onion gravy and it made a tasty appetiser before lunch.
I was pleasantly surprised by the sausages. If I am honest I worried they might be dry and a bit bland. Actually they were tasty and not dry at all.
My children prefer smooth textured sausages so I know they will love them plus I get to have a smug mother moment as Richmond chicken sausages contain 30% less fat and 20% fewer calories than pork sausages but are just as tasty and versatile.
There really are so many ways of serving them and at just £2.50 a pack (RRP available from all major supermarkets) even families on tight budgets can enjoy healthy meals without vast cost with some clever twists on UK faves.
Take sausage, beans and chips for instance which is apparently in the top 3 in the list of ways people like to eat sausages.
We enjoyed the chicken sausages with oven baked potato wedges sprinkled with parmesan for extra flavour. As for the beans, we ditched the tin and made our own by frying finely sliced onions in a splash of oil then cooking plump cannelloni beans with tomato puree, soy sauce, brown sugar, paprika and a pinch of salt and pepper and hey presto, home cooked beans in a saucepan in minutes.
I took some home in a tiny jar and when my daughter (12) spotted them she swiftly nabbed them and after a cautious taste of one, loaded a pile onto her dinner plate.
We also watched Angellica whip up sausage and mash - another British fave-with a choice of gravies (loved the one with balsamic vinegar).
Of course another way Brits like to enjoy bangers is on the barbecue and I think Richmond chicken sausages would be gorgeous cooked on the griddle, wrapped in smoked bacon, skewered and barbecued. Have a water spray on hand to quell any flames which threaten to burn them.
Once cooked, pop them with crisp green salad leaves and tzatziki into pitta bread for the ultimate tasty (and healthy) summer sausage sarnie. Sprinkle the pitta with water and pop on the griddle for a minute before stuffing for soft, warm bread.
Are you inspired? Want to try one of the recipes mentioned or create your own twist on a teatime favourite? I have £25 Tesco vouchers to give away in my easy to enter competition below. Make sure you comment BEFORE you enter your details via the GLEAM app and I've found entries from mobile devices often don't show but DO count as an entry.
£25 Tesco Voucher Giveaway
Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post
This week I enjoyed a hands-on cookery demo and lunch hosted by the #nationsfavourites Richmond with TV celeb, chef, mum and all round lovely person, Angellica Bell.
The event opened my eyes to new ways to cook with sausages. An impressive feat when you bear in mind I have seven children and am already something of an expert of dreaming up new ways to cook affordable food for a large number of people!
Within minutes of the event starting I was inspired by a traditional Toad in the Hole with a clever and simple twist. Angellica microwaved some peas and broccoli and then added them to part-cooked sausages in an ovenproof dish then topped the mix with Yorkshire pudding batter. A one pot meal ideal for busy teatimes but also one I would happily serve friends for a casual chatty supper!
Assembled bloggers were then given a quick masterclass in the art of Yorkshire pudding creation. I was schooled years ago by an ex's mum who hailed from Yorkshire and on the whole I'm proud of my puds.
(As an aside, let me tell you, feeding a big family on a budget is a lot easier with Yorkshire puddings on the menu - they are cheap and filling! My family expect them with every single type of roast, not just beef! We even eat them on Christmas Day!)
Back to the masterclass. We broke an egg into a ramekin. Tipped it into a bowl then guesstimated the same amount of flour and milk to add to it. I used my whisk handle to measure egg depth and then shook flour and poured milk to the same depth.
Then it's all about the whisking. Air makes the puds rise. Bubbles on the surface of the batter is a good sign you've whisked enough. We poured batter into hot fat in a Yorkshire Pudding tray and quickly popped back into the oven
Mine didn't win but I was still very pleased with how it turned out. I filled it with sliced Richmond chicken sausages and some beautiful red wine and onion gravy and it made a tasty appetiser before lunch.
I was pleasantly surprised by the sausages. If I am honest I worried they might be dry and a bit bland. Actually they were tasty and not dry at all.
My children prefer smooth textured sausages so I know they will love them plus I get to have a smug mother moment as Richmond chicken sausages contain 30% less fat and 20% fewer calories than pork sausages but are just as tasty and versatile.
There really are so many ways of serving them and at just £2.50 a pack (RRP available from all major supermarkets) even families on tight budgets can enjoy healthy meals without vast cost with some clever twists on UK faves.
Take sausage, beans and chips for instance which is apparently in the top 3 in the list of ways people like to eat sausages.
We enjoyed the chicken sausages with oven baked potato wedges sprinkled with parmesan for extra flavour. As for the beans, we ditched the tin and made our own by frying finely sliced onions in a splash of oil then cooking plump cannelloni beans with tomato puree, soy sauce, brown sugar, paprika and a pinch of salt and pepper and hey presto, home cooked beans in a saucepan in minutes.
I took some home in a tiny jar and when my daughter (12) spotted them she swiftly nabbed them and after a cautious taste of one, loaded a pile onto her dinner plate.
We also watched Angellica whip up sausage and mash - another British fave-with a choice of gravies (loved the one with balsamic vinegar).
Of course another way Brits like to enjoy bangers is on the barbecue and I think Richmond chicken sausages would be gorgeous cooked on the griddle, wrapped in smoked bacon, skewered and barbecued. Have a water spray on hand to quell any flames which threaten to burn them.
Once cooked, pop them with crisp green salad leaves and tzatziki into pitta bread for the ultimate tasty (and healthy) summer sausage sarnie. Sprinkle the pitta with water and pop on the griddle for a minute before stuffing for soft, warm bread.
Are you inspired? Want to try one of the recipes mentioned or create your own twist on a teatime favourite? I have £25 Tesco vouchers to give away in my easy to enter competition below. Make sure you comment BEFORE you enter your details via the GLEAM app and I've found entries from mobile devices often don't show but DO count as an entry.
£25 Tesco Voucher Giveaway
Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post