20130827 Pasta with Bolognese Sauce

The first time i use bacon bits in bolognese sauce and it tasted sooooo good! This recipe made quite a huge batch of sauce so I simply freeze half of it for "rainy days". 

Ingredients 

400g minced pork/beef

200g bacon blocks

4 celery stalks, finely diced

4 small carrots, finely diced

2 big garlic cloves, crushed

1 red paprika, finely chopped

2 onions, finely chopped

2 X 400g cans peeled tomatoes with juice

2 rosemary stalks

1tsp dried oregano

Freshly grounded black pepper

Methods

1. In a pan, brown the bacon bits for about 5-10 minutes. Add minced meat and cook about 5 minutes. Transfer the meat to a slow cooker. 

2. In the pan, cook the onions and garlic until fragrant. Transfer them to the slow cooker. 

3. Add the rest of the ingredients to the slow cooker and give it a good stir. Cook on low heat for about 8-10 hours. 

4. Mix the sauce with your favorite cooked pasta, dump the mixed pasta into a casserole dish, scatter with a generous amount of grated cheese, and cook under a hot grill for about 5-10 minutes. Served with fresh ciabatta bread. 

20130825 Martha Stewart's Chicken Curry

I tweaked Martha's recipe a bit by using regular curry powder (couldn't find Jamaican curry powder), using more peas, using more coconut milk instead of adding water, and cooking it in a slow cooker. A very fragrant and soft chicken dish!

Ingredients 

3 chicken legs, each cut into two pieces

3tbsp curry powder

1tsp ground cumin

2 small onions, chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

4 small carrots, thinly sliced

300g frozen peas

450ml coconut milk

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Methods

1. In a pan, heat olive oil and brown chicken for about 5 minutes on each side. Put chicken into the slow cooker. 

2. Brown onion in the pan for about 5 minutes. Add carrots and spices, and cook for about 5 minutes. Pour them into the slow cooker. 

3. Add the frozen peas and coconut milk into the slower cooker. Pour coconut milk all over the dish, and cook on low heat for about 6 hours. 

4. Serve with white basmati rice. 

20130824 Paprika chicken

Ingredients

4 boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips

2tbsp paprika

Salt and freshly grounded black pepper

6 Tasty Tom tomatoes, diced

Olive oil

125ml sour cream

2cups steamed cauliflower

Methods

1. In a bowl, marinate the chicken with paprika and salt and pepper.

2. Heat the olive oil in a pan and brown the chicken for about 5 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate. 

3. Add the onion and brown for about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and 3/4 cup of water, and simmer for about 15 minutes. 

4. Return the chicken to the pan and simmer for another 10-15 minutes. Stir in sour cream and heat through. 

5. Stir in the freshly steamed cauliflower (if cauliflowers are cold, heat through), and serve with white rice.

20130822 Pork in tomato sauce

Ingredients

400g pork strips

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 small onion, finely chopped

2cups broccoli florets

2cups sliced mushrooms

400g canned tomato blocks 

1 rosemary stalk

1/2tsp dried Italian herbs

1/2tsp sugar

Olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Methods

1. Heat oil in the pan and fry garlic and onion briefly. Add the pork and cook for about 5 minutes. 

2. Add the veggie and tomatoes. Add the herbs and sugar. Stir well and simmer for about 10 minutes. 

3. Season to taste. Served with potatoes (I fried 450g of potato cubes, and season them with salt and dried dille).

20130821 Coconuty fish curry

My little one loves this dish, and will eat any veggie that is thrown in (including French beans that are not usually welcomed). pour loads of sauce over the rice and enjoy!

Ingredients

600g white fish filets, cut into big chunks

500g frozen mixed veggie

2tsp Kerrie powder

1/2tsp turmeric powder

1/4tsp ginger powder

1/4tsp ground cumin

1/8tsp chilli powder

Salt and white pepper

Olive oil

250ml coconut milk

1cup white rice + 1cup brown rice, cooked as per instruction

Methods 

1. Season the fish with some salt and white pepper. Heat some olive oil in a pan and fry the fish in batches - about 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove fish from pan and set aside. 

2. Add some more oil and the frozen veggie (NOT thawed!) into the pan. Cook for 5-10 minutes, or until the veggie gets softer. 

3. Add the spices to the veggie and fry until fragrant. Add coconut milk and simmer for 10 minutes. 

4. Add the fish chunks and let it cook for another 5-10 minutes. Season to taste, and served with the cooked rice. 

20130815 Potato & Mozzarella Tortilla

I served this with roasted sausages and pepper, as I found them in the fridge. But I think this would go better with a simple green salad.

Ingredients 

450g potatoes, peeled and thickly sliced 

5 eggs, beaten

4 tasty tom tomatoes, sliced

175g mozzarella ball, torn into small pieces 

1tsp dried dille

Olive oil

Salt and freshly grounded black pepper

Methods 

1. Heat olive oil in a frying pan, and fry the potatoes over medium heat for 10-15 minutes. Season with 1/2 tsp of dille and salt and pepper. 

2. Pour the beaten eggs over the potatoes, and let it cook (without lid) for about 15-20 minutes or until the base is set. 

3. Transfer the tortilla to a baking dish and cook under a hot grill for about 3 minutes. 

4. Remove the dish from the oven and scatter with tomatoes and mozzarella pieces and the rest of the dille. Return the dish under the grill and cook for another 5-10 minutes, or until the tomatoes are soft and mozzarella is melted.

5. Cut into thick wedges and serve right away. 

20130808 Pasta with Tuna & Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, pressed

400g can chopped tomatoes

1/4tsp chilli powder

1tsp dried basil

1tsp sugar

100g can tuna, drained

Black olives, pitted and sliced

2cups pasta

Grated cheese

Freshly grounded black pepper

Olive oil

Methods:

1. Cook the pasta as per instructions on package. 

2. In the meantime, heat the olive oil in a pan and brown the onion. Add garlic, tomatoes, chilli, basil, and sugar. Give it a good stir, bring to a boil, and simmer for 5-10 minutes. 

3. Flake the tuna and add the olives and drained pasta into the sauce. Heat through and serve with a generous amount of grated cheese. 

20130807 New Potato and Mince Curry

I usually use about 150g of frozen spinach for this recipe. But as I ran out of spinach, I have replaced it with frozen peas instead. Yummy as usual! :-)

Ingredients:

350g minced beef

500g new potatoes, halved

1 small onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, pressed 

2tsp ground cumin

2tsp ground coriander 

2tsp kerrie powder

1tsp turmeric

1/2tsp paprika powder

1/4tsp chilli powder

500ml water

1cup frozen peas

125ml Greek yoghurt

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Heat olive oil in a frying pan and brown the onion and mince. 

2. Add the garlic and spices, and fry until fragrant. Add the water, bring to the boil and simmer for half an hour. 

3. Add the frozen peas and cook for another 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the yoghurt. 

4. Served with basmati rice or naan bread. 

20130728 Taco

Ingredients

For the meat...

1/4 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp paprika powder

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp beef bouillon block, broken

freshly ground black pepper

salt

olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

500g lean minced beef

1cup water

And the rest...

8 taco shells

lettuce leaves, chopped

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 jar taco sauce

125ml sour cream

Grated cheese

Method

1. Heat olive oil in a frying pan and brown the meat and onion. 

2. Add the water and rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil them simmer for 20 minutes.

3. Heat the taco shells as per instructions on the packet. 

4. Spoon the meat and basically any veggie you like into the taco shells, and top with taco sauce and sour cream and grated cheese. Eat right away and serve with Desperado!

20130725 Pesto salad with Parma ham

Ingredients:

150g green salad

1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1 tbsp pesto

Freshly grounded black pepper

1 mozzarella ball, torn into small pieces

8-10 slices of Parma ham

1/4 melon, cut into small pieces 

Method:

1. In a salad bowl, mix the first 5 ingredients well. 

2. Place the mixed salad on two plates and lay the Parma ham over them. 

3. Place some melon on the side and serve with some fresh ciabatta bread.