Chicken Carbonara in Red Sauce

Ingredients

Sauce

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp minced garlic

1/2 cup diced onions

1/2 diced bacon

1 cup diced chicken breast

1 cup mixed vegetables (carrots, green peas, corn)

1 cup fresh tomatoes (diced)

1 cup grated cheese

1 cup milk (regular, skimmed - any will do)

1 can (751g or 10LB) tomato and herbs sauce (del monte)

Dash of black pepper

Dash of basil

Dash of oregano

Dash of parsley

Dash of coriander 

Dash of Tabasco hot sauce 

Pasta 

2 cups water 

1 tbsp oil (regular oil)

Dash of salt

Dash of thyme

Garnish (optional)

Parmesan cheese 

Tarragon

Cucumber 

Olives (pitted)

1. Heat olive oil - add garlic and onions - dash of black pepper, basil and oregano. Sautée.

2. When onions are slightly soft - add chicken and bacon. Sautée for 5 minutes. Add mixed vegetables. Mix and let it cook. 

3. When chicken is white - add cheese and milk. Simmer for 5 minutes. 

4. Add dash of tabasco hot sauce and pour in tomatoes. Mix. Pour in tomato sauce. Mix and simmer for 5 minutes as seen on the photo below.

5. Add in parsley and coriander.

Pasta 

1. Bring two cups of water to boil. Add regular oil and dash of salt. 

2. Once water is boiled. Add pasta and simmer for 10 minutes with regular stirring.

3. Once pasta is cook - drain and add a dash of thyme. Mix and let it cool.

Finish product 

I love pasta and I'm proud to say that it's one of my specialty - be it beef, chicken or seafoods - you can count that I make the yummiest one :)

Also, it's my first time to use cucumber as garnish and surprisingly it blended well with the sauce and pasta. And must you wonder why I'm using the twisted pasta - I prefer this over the regular ones. It's easier to dress up and present :) 

PS for boiling the pasta - I suggest that you make it to 2 tbsp of oil instead of just one to make it more flexible after draining :)

Spicy Korean Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients
Korean Instant Noodles
1pc Boiled Egg
2cups Water
1cup Left Over Chickens (or freshly cook choice of meat)
1/2cup Mixed Vegetables
1/2cup Boiled Shrimps (optional)
1cup Parsley (chopped)
1pc Onions (thinly sliced)
1pc Tomato (cut into 4)
3pcs Garlic (crashed)
1tbsp Oil
1tbsp Shrimp Paste
1tbsp Tomato Pesto
1tbsp Sriracha Hot Sauce
Dash of Lea & Perrins
Dash of Black Pepper
Dash of Basil
Dash of Oregano

Cooking Time: 6 Minutes

Garnish
Dash of Thyme
Kimchi (optional)
Onion Stalks

1. In a cooking ware: Pour water, Mixed vegetables, Onions, Garlic, Oil and Dash of black pepper. Mix and simmer for a few seconds.

2. Add in Chicken, tbsp of Shrimp paste, tbsp of Tomato pesto, Dash of oregano, Dash of basil. Mix and simmer for a few seconds.

3. Add Sliced tomatoes

4. Add Noodle powder (came with the noodles cup), Dash of Lea & Perrins, tbsp of Sriracha Hot Sauce.

5. Add instant noodles. Simmer for a few minutes until noodles are soft.

6. Add in Parsley and Onions stalks. Simmer for a few seconds.

Finish off by adding set aside chicken pieces on top, boiled egg, some onion stalks and for this one, I added a piece of Kimchi then some Korean pepper paste.

The first serving that I made a week ago.

PS Don't add in the entire chicken bits on the soup, save some for garnish. 

I know that for this very simple dish, I added in so many ingredients but that is why I call it an experiment. I am into spices. For me it is important to have a flavourful experience as you eat or as one eats because it keeps one guessing on what that taste might be.

Anyhow, if you noticed - I kept saying a few seconds on the procedures, mainly because we all know how to make or prepare instant noodles and it really cooks within seconds, so the key is to make sure that the noodles aren't over cooked. I suggest just let it simmer for a minute then it's good to go.

Chicken Potato Salad

Ingredients

4pcs     Potato (boiled - cubes)

1pc      Chicken Fillet (boiled in tsp of oil and salt - cubes)

3pcs     Boiled Eggs (cubes)

1cup     Mixed Vegetables (carrots, corns, peas)

1/2cup  Regular Cheese (grated)

1pc      Onions (sliced - diced)

1/2cup  Sliced Mushrooms

1cup     Mayonnaise 

1/4cup  Deep Fried Meat (optional)

Dash of Black Pepper

Dash of Minced Garlic

Dash of Basil Leaves

Garnish: Parsley, Onion Stalks, Fruit of Choice (optional) Dash of Thyme

Cooking Time: 

15mins for Boiled Eggs, Chicken

10mins for Mixed Vegetables and Potatoes

• Don't overcook Potatoes because you're not making a mashed potato salad. Once Potatoes are fair enough soft - meaning not too hard and too soft - it's good to go.

1. In a large bowl: Add Potato, Chicken and sprinkle with Black Pepper and Minced Garlic. MIX.

2. Add in Onions, Mixed Vegetables, Mushroom and Sprinkle with Basil. MIX.

3. Add in Cheese, Egg and Mayonnaise. MIX

4. Add in Parsley and mix well.

Finish Product :) Garnished with Onion Stalk and be creative. For the photo above, I sliced some grapes and circled it around the salad.

Hope this was of help. Potato salads are so easy to make. And you also have the option to add in some fruits on the salad itself like apples or pineapples :)

Twisted Semi Fried Chicken in Strips

Another weekend and another cooking experiment. 

Ingredients

• Chicken Fillet 

• Beef Strips (you can also use Bacon, optional)

• Potatoes (cubes/sliced)

• Mixed Vegetables (diced carrots and green peas)2

• Crashed Garlic

• Onions (cut into 2)

• Bell Peppers

• Cheese

• Tomato Salsa

• Onions Stalks 

• Boiled Egg(s)

• Black Pepper, Oregano, Barbecue Seasoning (to taste)

• White or Red Wine (to taste, optional)

• Tablespoon of Cooking Oil

• Tablespoon of Butter

Preparation and Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Before cooking, make sure that all ingredients are well washed via running water. I know that the lists I've indicated seems to be quite a lot but these are all readily available at home (i supposed). While preparing make sure to boil the eggs first to that it's all cool down once every is cook.

1. Season Chicken Fillet with Black Pepper, Oregano and Barbecue Seasoning then wrap Beef Strips around.

2. In a large pan, aligned each wrapped chicken fillet and dash with oil then sprinkle crashed garlic. After 3 minutes, spread vegetables (potato, mixed vegetables and onions) around the meat. Let stand for a few minutes until natural oil from the wrapped chicken shows off. Sautee vegetables now and then and cook chicken until tender. Sprinkle in a little dash of wine to taste and bring the flavour.

3. Once the meat is almost cook and ready add in butter to add glow to the food.

For Bell Pepper. Wash and clean. Cut on the middle straight and take off the seeds. Make sure no seeds are inside before you put in sliced cheese. Cook for a few minutes along with the meat in the pan.

PS The frying pan that I used for cooking this recipe is specially specified for cooking fish and meats in a charcoaled style. If you're not a fan of frying, you can also opt for baking. The procedure is less time consuming, cos you just have to place all ingredients in the pan and set the oven for a specific time, say, 25 minutes the most or to be sure just check on the meat and once it's ready, you can just turn it off and serve.

For a healthier more organic Tomato Salsa, you can create your own by cooking freshly picked tomatoes - cubes (from the supermarket :p), along with a little oil (a tablespoon). Bring to boil and then add on a dash of black pepper and preferred spices.

Finish Product. As you can see, I just cut the boiled egg into half, added my Tomato Salsa Mix (readily available in the store) and the onions stalks to art it out then I sprinkled in some Basil all over.

This is how the entire setting would look like if you bake this recipe instead of frying. Almost the same thing, I'm just not oven friendly :D

I'm no chef nor am I good at cooking. I just like to eat and experiment at times. I hope that if you readers would try making this, you'd give me some notes here about your experience and how it turned out. :) 

'Til next time. And I absolutely have no idea if I'm making any sense for this entry but for the love of food :)