Spice it up! - Mustard & Rosemary Chicken

You may like to try this the next time you plan a menu to entertain invited friends.

Mustard & Rosemary Chicken

Serves 4
Prep time 5 min
Cooking time 15 min

4 (about 680g) chicken breast fillets (I only use hormones free chicken)
1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary leaves, plus extra sprigs, to serve
1 garlic clove, crushed
600g chat potatoes, quartered
250g baby spinach leaves
20g butter
1 lemon, cut into wedges

1. Combine chicken, mustard, juice, oil, rosemary leaves and garlic in a bowl and toss well to coat. (can be kept chilled for several hours to intensify mustard and rosemary flavour)
2. Heat a chargrill plate on high. Cook chicken, in batches, for 6-8 min, until cooked through and browned.
3. Meanwhile, boil, steam or microwave potatoes until just tender. Drain. Place hot potatoes in a large bowl with spinach and butter, toss gently until spinach starts to wilt and butter melts.
4. Serve chicken fillets with potatoes and lemon wedges and top with extra rosemary sprigs.

Pot luck Special - Grilled Chicken & Risoni Salad

Impress your host and friends with this mouthwatering salad when you are invited for a pot luck party!

Grilled Chicken & Risoni Salad

Serves 4
Prep time 15 min
Cooking time 15 min

3 chicken breast fillets
¼ cup (60ml) olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
200g risoni (Risoni is a small rice-shaped pasta, but any small pasta would be fine)
1 red capsicum, diced
1½ cups thinly sliced celery
1 cup (150g) pitted kalamata olives, halved
1 small red onion, finely chopped
¼ cup shredded basil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1. Lightly spray a chargrill with cooking oil spray and heat on medium. Brush chicken with a little olive oil and season with pepper. Cook for 5 min each side or until cooked through. Transfer chicken to a plate, sprinkle with lemon juice and set aside to cool.
2. Meanwhile, cook risoni in a large saucepan of boiling, salted water according to packet directions. Drain, refresh under cold water, drain again. Place in a large bowl with capsicum, celery, olives, onion and basil.
3. Remove chicken from plate, reserving juices. Slice chicken thinly and add to risoni salad.
4. Strain chicken juices into a jug and add vinegar and mustard. Gradually add remaining oil in a stream, whisking until dressing thickens slightly. Pour over salad and toss to combine.

My new found comfort food - Rocket & Prosciutto Pasta

Very satisfying...Yum....

Rocket & Prosciutto Pasta

Serves 4
Prep time 10 min
Cooking time 10 min

500g tagliatelle
⅓cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil
8 thin slices prosciutto, torn
¼cup (50g) chopped semi-dried tomatoes (more if you like, I use 100g)
2 tablespoons kalamata olives
3 garlic cloves, crushed
30g rockets (more if you like, I use 70g)
1 cup (80g) shaved parmesan

1. Cook tagliatelle in a large saucepan of boiling, salted water according to packet directions. Drain, return to saucepan.
2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan on medium. Cook prosciutto for 3 min, until crisp. Stir in tomatoes, olives and garlic and cook for another min. Add to pasta with rocket and remaining oil and toss together well.
3. Season to taste and scatter with parmesan to serve.

Mediterrean Style Pan-Fried Snapper with Tomato, Olives & Basil

Ohhh...this is so good...and healthy! I have made slight changes to the original recipe.

Mediterranean Style Pan-Fried Snapper with Tomato, Olives & Basil

Serves 4
Prep time 5 min
Cooking time 10 min
kj 1905 fat 15g sat fat 3g

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 fish fillets, such as snapper
1 garlic clove, sliced
500g cheery tomatoes
¼cup (60ml) white wine
¼cup (40g) diced kalamata olives
¼cup torn basil leaves
steamed baby potatoes, sliced, to serve (not in picture)

1. Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan on high. Cook fish for 3 min. Turn to cook other side for 2 min, until golden and cooked through. Remove from pan and keep warm.
2. Cook garlic in pan for 10 sec, add tomatoes and cook for 2 min. Add white wine and olives and bring to boil. Add basil and season to taste.
3. Serve fish with tomatoes and sliced potatoes. Drizzle with sauce and serve with a nice bottle of wine.

My recommendation for white wine: Goundrey Unwooded Chardonnay 2006 (Western Australia)

The Simplest Ever Recipe - Tomato Pasta Salad

I came across this recipe 3 years ago and loved it ever since, this any-time pasta is so easy to make and never fails to satisfy. Apart from the pasta, you really don't need to cook any thing else, easy huh?

Tomato Pasta Salad

Serves 10 (as an accompaniment)

Prep time 10 min

Cooking time 10-12 min

Just a few ingredients like these:

500g small shell pasta

250g (1½ cup) semi-dried tomatoes, chopped (I got them from the deli in supermarket)

50g (¼cup) baby capers or if large, chopped

½ cup chopped chives

Dressing

80ml (⅓cup) Olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 garlic cloves, crushed

You can whoop up the simplest pasta salad like this:

1. Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water following packet directions, until al Dante. Drain and place in a large serving dish or bowl. Add tomatoes, capers and chives, and toss well to combine.
2. Make dressing by placing ingredients in a screw-top jar and shake well. Add to warm pasta, season to taste and toss to combine. Serve warm or at room temperature.
   

Refreshing taste of Summer - Chicken with Mango Salsa

I wasn't quite sure about this recipe at first but it surprised me pleasantly. The ingredients were so simple and it was a breeze to cook. It was so refreshing we are going to have it again soon. :)

Chicken with Mango Salsa

Serves 4

Prep time 10 min

Cooking time 10 min

1 mango, diced

1 Lebanese cucumber, diced

½ small red onion, diced (other types of onions will be too spicy)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon paprika (aka hiam jueo hoon)

4 chicken breast fillets

500g long grain white rice

1. Combine mango, cucumber and onion with 1 teaspoon of olive oil.
2. Combine remaining oil and paprika and brush over chicken. Heat a lightly oiled frying pan on medium. Cook chicken for 4 minutes each side, until browned and cooked through.
3. Meanwhile, heat rice according to packet directions and divide between 4 serving plates. Top with sliced chicken, spoon over salsa and serve.

Casual Comfort Food - Spinach, Bacon & Pine Nuts Pasta

I'm a fan of Parmesan cheese and if you are too, you would love this dish. :D


Spinach, Bacon & Pine Nuts Pasta



Serves 4

Per serving 25.1g fat 2847kj (680cal)

4 bacon rashers (280g), sliced thinly
¼ cup (40g) pine nuts
2 cloves garlic, crushed
500g pappardelle pasta
200g baby spinach leaves
⅓ cup (25g) grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice

1. Place bacon in small, non-stick frying pan; cook, stir until browned. Add pine nuts and garlic; cook, stirring, until browned.
2. Meanwhile, cook pasta in large saucepan of boiling water, uncovered, until just tender. Reserve cup (60ml) of the cooking liquid, then drain pasta. Return pasta to saucepan.
3. Add spinach, cheese, bacon mixture, oil juice and reserved cooking liquid to pasta; toss to combine. Sprinkle with extra Parmesan cheese flakes, if desired.

Sensational Summer Recipe - Prawn & Calamari Spaghetti

Prawn & Calamari Spaghetti

Serves 4
Prep time 15 min
Cooking time 12 min
KJ 1760 fat 2g

500g Spaghetti
Cooking oil spray
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 small red chilli, sliced
pinch of saffron threads
1 cup (250ml) white wine (use one you would drink)
500g green prawns, shelled devined, tail intact
250g squid tubes, cleaned and sliced.
250g cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup chopped parsley

1. Cook spaghetti in a large saucepan of boiling, salted water according to packet directions. Drain
2. Lightly spray a frying pan with oil and heat on medium. Cook onion, garlic and chilli for 2 minutes, until soft. Add Saffron and wine. Increase heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring, until reduced by one-third.
3. Stir in prawns, squid and tomatoes. Cook for another 5 minutes, until prawns are pink and squid is tender. Mix in spaghetti and parsley. Serve.

A hearty meal - Pork Cutlets with Capsicum Sauce

I know...my heart wasn't in taking pictures then, it took me a long time to prepare this dish, so it had already passed our usual dinner time; I was super hungry and the food in front of me smells so delicious. I can only think of curing my hunger. Not only this picture was taken under bad lighting condition, I forgot to buy parsley too... so it doesn't look that nice. :=(

However, despite all that, I enjoyed my meal, I think it tasted beautiful. :D

Pork Cutlets with Capsicum Sauce

This capsicum sauce is commonly known as peperonata, and can also be served with crusty bread or stirred through pasta.


Serves 4
Prep time 20 min
Cooking time 50 min

2 red capsicums
2 yellow capsicums
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
400g can chopped tomatoes
4 pork cutlets
Steamed chat potatoes
Chopped parsley to serve

1. Preheat oven to 180ºc (160ºc if you are using fan-forced oven). Place capsicum on a baking tray and roast for 30-35 minutes, until soft. Remove from oven, place in plastic bag and cool.
2. Peel and halve capsicums. Remove seeds and membrane and slice flesh into things strips. Heat oil in a frying pan on medium. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden.
3. Reduce heat to low. Stir in garlic, capsicum and tomato and cook for 10 minutes, until sauce thickens. Season to taste. (I usually put no salt or pepper in my cooking, its up to you)
4. Meanwhile, preheat a chargrill on high and cook pork for 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden and cooked through. Toss potatoes in a little parsley and serve with pork and capsicum sauce.