Italian Shrimp Pasta

 

Ingredients: (serves 2)

2 portions spaghetti pasta

2 tablespoons oil/extra virgin oil

3 cloves garlic (peeled and chopped)

2 tomatoes (cut into thin wedges)

1/4 cup chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon chicken stock granules

10 shrimps (peeled, deveined and butterflied)

Salt (to taste)

Dashes of ground black pepper

Chopped parsley - for garnish (I did not use)

Methods:

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti until al dente, according to package instructions.  Drain and set aside.
2. In a pan over medium low heat, add the oil.  Saute the garlic until sizzling but not browned.  Add the tomatoes, chicken broth and chicken stock granules.  Once it starts to bubble, add the shrimp.  Cook and stir until the shrimps are cooked through and the tomatoes break down.
3. Add the spaghetti, salt, and a generous dashes of ground black pepper.  Stir to combine well, then turn off the heat.
4. Remove the cooked spaghetti onto serving plates, top with parsley (if using) and serve immediately.

I adapted this recipe from 'Rasa Malaysia' with slight adjustment to suit my cooking preference.

Tomato Shrimp Pasta

Ingredients: (serves 2)

2 portions of pasta (cook according to package instructions and drained)

8-10 shrimps (peeled and deveined)

2 tomatoes (finely diced)

5 cloves garlic (peeled and chopped)

3/4 cups pasta water

Parmesan cheese (amount base on your preference)

Salt and pepper (to taste)

Pinch of sugar

2 tbsp. cooking oil

Methods:

1. In a heated wok, add cooking oil.  Saute garlic until aromatic, then add tomato.  Cook until softened.
2. Add pasta water, stir to combine and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add in pasta, season with salt, pepper and sugar, and let it simmer for a minute.  Next, add in parmesan cheese and let it cook until pasta completely absorbed the sauce.  Switch off heat.
4. Dish the pasta onto serving plates.
5. Sprinkle more parmesan cheese before serving.
6. Enjoy immediately.

This recipe is adapted from 'Janet's Home Cooking' with a slight adjustment to suit my cooking preference.

Chicken Pasta Soup

 Ingredients: (serves 1)

1 portion of pasta (boiled until almost soft but not fully cooked yet)

1 stick celery (cubed)

1/2 carrot (peeled and cubed)

1/2 onion (peeled and chopped)

1/2 cooked chicken breast (cubed)

1 bay leaf

1 bowl water (add more if needed during cooking)

1/4 tsp. chicken stock granules (to taste, and add more if needed)

1/2 tbsp butter

Dash of ground black pepper

Dash of dried parsley

Methods:

1. In a wok/pot over medium heat, melt butter.  Saute onion, carrot and celery until slightly softened.
2. Add water, chicken, chicken stock granules and bay leaf.  Let it come to a boil.
3. Add in pasta, stir and let it boil until the pasta is cooked to your preference.  Taste for correct seasoning.  Add chicken stock granules, if needed.
4. Remove from heat and dish into a serving bowl.  Remove the bay leaf.
5. Garnish with dash of ground black pepper and dried parsley.
6. Serve immediately.

This recipe is adapted from 'allrecipes' by Sherry with slight adjustments to suit my cooking preference.

Baked Chicken With Hoisin-Ginger Marinade

As I've mentioned earlier, due to the hot weather at the place where I am from, I will try as much as possible to spend lesser time in my Kitchen.  Today I am opting for baked chicken; marinating my chicken a day before and pop them into the oven just before meal time.  Letting the oven do the job is the best of all options for now!

This marination recipe is one of my family's favorite.  Previously, I've used this recipe for Chicken Lollipop and it's Simple Yet Yummylicious!  Today I am making use of this marinade ingredients for whole chicken legs, leave them to marinate in the fridge overnight in ziploc bag; in between the marination time I squish the bag and the chicken, turn it over to ensure even marination; remove the ziploc bag out of the fridge to let it rest in room temperature for 30 minutes; bake and serve!  The recipe can be obtain here.

I serve this baked chicken with a side dish of Pasta Salad.  To get the recipe click here.

Since I make a bigger portion of this Pasta Salad, I keep the leftover in the fridge, and have it for my lunch the next day.  Another way of keeping myself away from the hot kitchen on a hot noon.

Simple Pasta Salad

With the leftover homemade Thousand Island Dressing in my fridge, I've decided to make another pasta salad for my lunch, using whatever available ingredients in my pantry.

Ingredients: (serves 1)

One portion pasta

Half red capsicum (sliced)

1 Chinese Leek (use the white part only and cubed)

1 tbsp. pitted green olives (halved horizontally)

1/2 tbsp. unsalted butter

Thousand Island Dressing

Sliced cucumbers (for garnishing)

Dried parsley (for garnish)

Methods:

1. In a heated pot with water, boil the pasta with some salt added until al dente or according to your preferred texture.  Dish with a slotted spatula, place into a medium bowl and set aside.
2. In a heated pan, add butter; once the butter is almost melted add capsicum and leeks.  Stir fry until the vege are cooked, remove into the bowl with the pasta.  
3. Add green olives and dressing; stir to mix evenly; remove the pasta salad onto a serving dish; garnish with dried parsley; with sliced cucumbers on the side; and extra Thousand Island Dressing.
4. My lunch is served!

Simple Pasta Salad with Broccoli and Corn Kernels

Having made a batch of Thousand Island Dressing, I've decided to make this simple Pasta Salad for my lunch.  It's indeed 'Simple Yet Yummylicious!' 

Ingredients: (serves 1)

One portion of pasta (any types of your choice)

Some florets of broccoli (cut into smaller pieces)

1/4 cup corn kernels

Cucumber slices - for garnish

Thousand Island Dressing - to get the recipe, click here

Methods:

1. In a heated pot of water, boil the pasta with some salt added until al dente or according to your preferred texture.  Dish with a slotted spatula and place into a medium bowl; and set aside.
2. Blanch the broccoli, dish with a slotted spatula and place it over the pasta.
3. Add corn kernels.
4. Spoon enough Thousand Island Dressing over the pasta, corn and broccoli; stir to mix well until well coated.  Remove  into a serving dish, garnish with cucumber slices; and my lunch is served!

Pasta, Chicken Tenders and Avocado Salad

 

Ingredients: (serves 1)

1/3 cup pasta of your choice

2 tbsp. corn kernels

2 tbsp. green peas

1 piece cooked and sliced breaded chicken tender (for recipe, click here)

1/2 avocado (sliced) - cut and slice only during serving time

1 tbsp. unsalted butter

1/4 cup Japanese Mayonnaise (Kewpie Mayo)

1 tbsp. sweetened condensed milk

1 tbsp. lemon juice (freshly squeeze)

Ground white pepper (to taste)

Methods:

1. In a small bowl, add mayonnaise, condensed milk, lemon juice and pepper.  Stir until well mixed and set aside.
2. Boil a medium pot with water, lightly salted and add a bit of oil. (I prefer to add a bit of oil to prevent the pasta from sticking together).  Add in pasta and cook until tender, drain and set aside.
3. In a heated pan, add butter; when the butter has almost melted, add in corn kernels and green peas.  Stir-fry for about 2 minutes, dish into a large bowl.
4. Add in pasta, and the salad dressing.  Toss gently until all the ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing.
5. Cover with plastic wrap/lid and place in the refrigerator.
6. To serve: spoon the salad into a serving plate, add the sliced chicken tender and sliced avocado at the side.

Healthy Chili Tuna Pasta Salad

I am preparing a healthy side dish to go with my Baked Chicken Drumsticks, from my earlier post.  This side dish is served with loads of butter head lettuce and baby tomatoes.

Ingredients:

1 bowl dry pasta

1 can chili tuna (oil)

1/4 cup green peas

1/4 cup corn kernels

Dash of salt and pepper (to taste)

Butter head lettuce

Baby tomatoes

Methods:

1.  Bring a pot of water to the boil and add some salt and dash of cooking oil.  Add dry pasta and cook according to packet instructions.  Drain and place onto a large bowl.  I add some cooking oil, so the pasta won't stick together.  
2. Place the tuna into a bowl and break it up using a fork.
3. Add tuna, green peas, corn kernels into the pasta.  Season with salt and pepper.
4. Mix thoroughly and serve onto a large plate with butter head lettuce and baby tomatoes.
5. You can garnish with some nuts, if desired.  I did not.

This simple salad recipe is adapted from 'thedevilwearssalad.com' with adjustments to suit my cooking preference.

Ham and Broccoli Pasta

This Pasta recipe is so easy to pull together in one pan and it makes such a yummylicious meal.  I will make this 'keeper recipe' again and again, especially for my lunch, as it's so easy to make a portion of it.  If you love pasta, then this is one great recipe to try.

Ingredients:

1 portion pasta (cooked according to package directions)

1/2 cup broccoli florets (boiled and drained)

1 piece Ham (cut into strips)

1/2 onion (chopped)

2 tbsp. milk

Dash of salt

Dash of ground white pepper

1 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

Some chopped spring onions (for garnish)

Methods:

1. In a heated pan, add butter, saute onions until fragrant, then add ham, milk,  salt, pepper and parmesan cheese.  Stir until heated through and cheese is melted.  Return pasta and broccoli to pan and toss to combine.
2. Dish onto a serving plate, garnish with spring onions, and enjoy!

This recipe is adapted from 'Taste of Home' by Jana Cathey, Ada, Michigan with some adjustments to suit my cooking preferences.

Farmer's Omelette

This omelette recipe is one of my family's favorite, once upon a very long time ago.  All these years I've forgotten about it.  It was only until recently that I bought a packet of macaroni, intending to cook a breakfast dish, then memories flash back to this Farmer's Omelette.  If I am not mistaken, I adapt this recipe from a Women's Magazine.  Pasta lovers would love this recipe.  It is indeed my great honor to share this recipe with all my readers out there...

Ingredients: (Serves 1)
2 eggs (cracked into a bowl and beaten) - add dash of ground white pepper
1/2 small onion (peeled and chopped)
1 sprig Chinese chives/spring onions (finely sliced)
1 small tomato (remove seeds and diced)
1 portion cooked macaroni 
2 slices luncheon meat (pan fried and set aside)
1" cubed salted butter
Serve with tomato/chili sauce

Methods:

1. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat, add butter and once melted add the onions until fairly soft.  
2. Pour beaten eggs on to pan and sprinkle with tomatoes, Chinese chives/spring onions and macaroni.  Cook over low heat until the omelette is cooked.  Dish onto a serving plate.
3. Serve with fried luncheon meat and tomato or chili sauce.

Notes:

1. Other ingredients such as longbeans, french beans, yellow/red capsicum can also be used to replace any of the above ingredients.  
2. Bacon and ham can also be used instead of luncheon meat.  It all depends on what is available in your pantry.

Hong Kong Style Macaroni Soup

When I came across this macaroni recipe online recently, my memories flashes back to our trips in Hong Kong.  It's my Uncle's favorite morning breakfast as it is a delicious light meal ideal for breakfast. This breakfast dish is normally served with milk tea, a piece of bread and a fried egg.  Milk Tea is a popular tea in Hong Kong.  It makes me happy to be able to prepare this light and healthy breakfast in my home kitchen.

Ingredients: (Serves 2)
2 portions of macaroni 
1/2 tbsp. salt
2 tsp. olive oil
Chicken bones
Chicken stock granules (to season chicken broth)
Grounded white pepper (to season chicken broth)
2 sunny side up eggs
2 pieces luncheon meat/ham

Methods:

1. To prepare chicken broth, bring a medium pot of water to a boil, pour some over the chicken bones placed in a bowl to blanch, drain and put back into the pot to continue to boil.  Skim away any scum on the surface.  When done, filter broth through a wire mesh.  Season with chicken stock granules and pepper.
2. Cook macaroni until al dente.  Mix with 2 tsp. of olive oil to prevent from sticking.
3. Pan-fry luncheon meat or ham, cut into strips and set aside in a plate.
4. Place macaroni in a bowl.  Ladle hot soup over it and put the luncheon meat/ham on the top.  Place the fried eggs in 2 separate small plate, and serve at the side with the macaroni soup.
5. Good morning and enjoy this light breakfast....

This recipe is adapted from 'tasteasianfood.com' with very slight amendment to suit my cooking preference.