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. 

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. 

20120903 Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich

My husband finds this sandwich disgusting, but I think this is the ultimate comfort food. Nothing can beat the melted peanut butter and warm banana slices, yummmmmm.

INGREDIENTS
2 slices brown bread
1 banana, sliced
2 tbsp smooth peanut butter

METHOD
1. Spread 1 tbsp of peanut butter onto one side of each slice of bread. Place banana slices onto the peanut buttered side of one slice and top with the other slice.
2. Place it into the panini maker and grill for 2-4 minutes.

20120822 Chicken Pasta Salad

The Netherlands has a "tropical summer" this year as it has been 30+ degree C for the last couple of weeks. So I am too lazy to cook, and have made this easy pasta salad several times already. It's easy and yummy, so why not?

INGREDIENTS
250g cooked pasta
3 hard boiled eggs, cut into small cubes
1 small can of sweet corn, drained
1/3 cup diced pickles
1 cup chicken, cooked and shredded
dried dille
freshly grounded four-season pepper
2-3 tbsp mayonnaise

METHOD
1. In a large bowl, mix the first five ingredients. Mix in as little/much mayo as you like. Season with dille and pepper. Voila!

20120126 Scrambled Eggs

I love scrambled eggs but could never get them right. They either are too runny or have a rubbery texture. This morning I gave scrambled eggs another go and was half satisfied with the result. The eggs tasted good, but I think I overcooked them just a little too long - again! Next time I may add a bit more milk, or simply replace milk with cream. Oh well, that's the fun of cooking - try and try again until you get it right!

INGREDIENTS
2 large eggs
2 tbsp milk
dash of dill
salt
freshly grounded 4-season pepper
25g butter
2 buttered toasts

METHOD
1. Whisk the first 5 ingredients in a bowl until all they are well combined.
2. Heat the butter in a non-sticking pan over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, pour in the egg mixture and let it sit. When the eggs begin to solidify, use a wooden spoon to scrap the eggs from the sides of the pan and fold them over into the middle. Repeat this until eggs are slightly runny and softly set. Remove from the heat and leave it for a bit to continue cooking.
3. Once the runny bits have disappeared, transfer the eggs onto two sliced of buttered toasts.

20120111 Sliced Bananas with Chocolate Sprinkles

I wanted something sweet after my toasts this morning, so I made myself a simple treat - sliced bananas with chocolate sprinkles! This is one of the most common snacks for kids, but my Dutch husband finds it an odd snack. Cultural difference?

20111029 Baked Parmesan Garlic Little Chicken Drumsticks

These were good...finger-licking good! They were so simple to make but so tasty. I served them with some brocoli and baked potatoes. But they would be great finger food to serve at a party too.

(SOURCE: Steamy Kitchen - Baked Parmesan Garlic Chicken Wings)

INGREDIENTS
1tsp dried oregano
1tsp dried rosemary
1/2tsp ground cumin
1/2tsp sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1kg little chicken drumsticks
3tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2tbsp minced fresh basil
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/4cup grated parmesan cheese

METHOD
1. Heat the oven to 220C. Slightly bruise the dried herbs. Season the little drumsticks with the dried herbs, cumin, and salt and pepper.
2. Bake the chicken drumsticks for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the drumsticks turn golden brown. While the drumsticks are baking, mix together the oil, basil, garlic, parmesan cheese, and salt in a small bowl.
3. When the drumsticks are cooked through, toss them with the garlic/cheese mixture sauce.

20110226 Spam Omelette

It was grey and rainy in the morning, so we decided to have a lazy day doing housework at home - I did laundry and baked, and my husband fixed up the curtain rail, cables, and storage racks in the office. So we had Spam omelette served with udon noodles as breakfast before a day of "hard" work. I should have pushed the Spam cubes on one side in order to fold the egg properly. It looked like a scrambled egg instead, but it was yummy anyways.

INGREDIENTS
2 slices of Spam, cubed
2 eggs. slightly beaten
2 tbsp butter
salt and pepper

METHOD
1. Heat the butter in a frying pan over medium heat, and brown the Spam cubes for about 5 minutes. Then add the eggs and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, season with salt and pepper.

20101203 Kerriebroodje

As I am not feeling well tonight, my husband made us his famous kerriebroodje (literal translation: curry bread) for dinner. Mind you, my husband does not cook unless he got very specific instructions. This is the only dish he could master without any instructions, as he learned how to make this when he was working part time at a local supermarket during college. And I think this was the very first "dish" he made me when we first met 7+ years ago.

INGREDIENTS
1 unbaked baguette, cut in half horizontally
2 small onions, finely chopped
kerrie (curry powder)
a couple slices of cheese

METHOD
1. Heat oven to 225 degree C.
2. Arrange cheese slices on the halves of the bread, then sprinkle finely chopped onions over the cheese. Finally sprinkle kerrie all over the bread. Bake in the oven for about 8 minutes.

20101116 Broccoli Grill

(SOURCE: BBC Good Food Magazine - 101 Meals for Two)

I replaced the wholegrain mustard with freshly ground pepper, as my husband hates mustard and says mustard will give you green hair. The sauce was so heavy and rich. Next time I may use light creme fraiche, use a little more bimi, and replace the cheese with 50g of freshly grated parmesan to make the dish a little lighter.

INGREDIENTS
500g bimi, about 18 stems
200ml creme fraiche
100g grated cheese
freshly ground black pepper
6 slices of ham

METHOD
1. Preheat the grill to high. Bring a pan of water to the boil, add the broccoli and blanch for 2 minutes. Drain and refresh under running cold water.
2. In a small bowl, mix the creme fraiche and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper and half the cheese.
3. Wrap 3 broccoli stems into each slice of ham, then place in a baking dish. Spread the creamy mixture over, sprinkle with the remaining cheese, and grill for 10 minutes until golden and bubbly.

20101027 Chilli Cheese Omelette

(SOURCE: BBC GoodFood 101 Meals for Two)

Such a simple yet delightful quick meal.

INGREDIENTS
2 green onions, finely chopped
handful of fresh coriander, finely chopped
4 large eggs
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp chopped fresh red chilli
50g grated cheese

METHOD
1. Beat two of the eggs together with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a small frying pan then tip in half the onion, coriander and chilli and stir round the pan for a second or two so they soften a little. Pour in the eggs and keep them moing until two third have scrambled.
2. Settle the eggs back down on the base of the pan, scatter over half the cheese and cook for about 1 minute until the omelette is just set and the cheese has melted.
3. Carefully fold the omelette, and slid from the pan to a serving plate. Serve while hot and the cheese is still melting. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make another omelette.

20090216 Quesadillas

(Source: Nigella Express by Nigella Lawson)


This goes really well with a Desperados (tequila-flavored beer)! I used regular ham instead of cured ham so the quesadillas taste less salty.


INGREDIENTS (per wrap)
30g thinly sliced ham
3 coin-sliced slices of jalapeno chilli peppers from a jar
50g grated cheese
1 spring onion, finely sliced
few leaves of coriander
1 tsp olive oil


METHODS
1. Heat a ridged griddle.
2. Place the tortilla wrap on the counter and cover with ham.
3. Over one half only, sprinkle the jalapeno slices, grated cheese, and chopped spring onion. Scatter the coriander leaves over the top. Carefully fold the tortilla wrap in half, fold the un-cheese-topped half over the cheese.
4. Lift this up carefully and brush each side with the olive oil before putting it on the hot griddle; grill for a minute each side.
5. Use a wide spatula to transfer the tortilla to a board or plate and cute into 3 triangles. Eat with some salsa on the side.

20090210 Mozzarella, Ham, and Pesto Pizzas

(SOURCE: Good Food Magazine - 101 Meals for Two)

You may want to line some foil in your oven, as the mozzarella and pesto may drip. I used serranoham last time and it was a little too salty. Serves 2.

INGREDIENTS
4 mini pitta bread
150g pack mozzarella
4 tsp pesto
85g smoked water-thin ham

METHOD
1. Heat the grill to high, put the pittas on the grill rack and heat for about 1 minute while you slice the mozzarella into 5.
2. Turn the pittas over and spread each one with 1 tsp pesto, then top with a mozzarella slice. Pile the hame on top, so it looks quite ruffled, then tear the final mozzarella slic into 4, put it on top of the ham and grind over some black pepper.
3. Return to the grill for 3 to 4 minutes more until melted and starting to turn golden.