Daily Prompt: Sliced Bread

Today’s daily prompt asks what we think is the best thing since sliced bread.

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/01/27/daily-prompt-sliced-bread/

Well there are a couple of gadgets and apps that I have that I really think are the bees knees :).

Firstly my Roland BR-1600 digital recorder. This gadget allows me to record my acoustic guitar, bass guitar, electric guitar and piano and create a song, I can even add backing tracks. I do add voice but my singing is not fantastic. So this gadget is the best thing since sliced bread for me.

The next thing is an application that we have on our iPad’s, iPhone’s and Macbook. This application is primarily a recipe organiser but much more. We plan our weekly meals with this, then add the ingredients to a shopping list. It saves time and money and helps us continue eating healthily. The app is called Paprika and is available from – http://www.paprikaapp.com. This for me is the best thing since sliced bread.

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Home made Pasta and Sauce

If you have ever read the label of pasta sauces you will find a number of less than healthy ingredients in there. So we decided it would be better to make our own. That goes for the dry pasta too, it usually has a lot of added salt. So if you add salt yourself you end up with way too much.

Last Christmas we were given a pasta machine. It was only recently that we decided to give it a crack at making it ourselves. We are so glad we did. It may take a little while and a few goes to get the right consistency and texture you want. It does take longer than the dried pasta but it is fun to make.

Here are the results and the recipes, enjoy. You can always substitute dry pasta if you don’t have a pasta machine.

This is for two people, obviously scale to suit how many you are cooking for.

 

Chilli and Lemongrass Chicken

 

Yet again our trusty iPad app Paprika came through. This simply yet very tasty recipe really hit the spot. If you are looking for something light, slightly spicy with a refreshing taste, this will do all of those things, enjoy.

Makes: 4 Ingredients:

• 3 small chillies, chopped
• 1 lemongrass stem (inner core only), finely chopped
• 3cm piece ginger, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves
• 3 tbs honey
• 1 1/2 tbs rice wine
• 3 tsp fish sauce
• 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 700g chicken breast fillets, cubed
• 2 tbs soy sauce (I used sweet soy)
• 1 cup (200g) rice
• 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup Thai basil leaves, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup coriander leaves, roughly chopped
• 200g snow peas, blanched, refreshed, thinly sliced

  Directions:

  1. Whiz chilli, lemongrass, ginger and garlic into a paste. Add honey, mirin, fish sauce and 1 tbs oil and blitz until combined.

  2. Toss chicken in a bowl with half the marinade. Chill for 15 minutes. Combine soy with remaining marinade. Set aside.

  3. Meanwhile, cook the rice according to packet instructions. Keep warm.

  4. Heat 2 tsp oil in a wok or large pan over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken and cook, turning, for 5-8 minutes until browned and sticky. Repeat with remaining 1 tsp oil and chicken. Keep warm.

  5. Meanwhile, toss spring onion, basil, coriander and snow peas with the rice.

  6. Spoon rice into serving bowls and serve topped with chicken and reserved sauce.

 

Pumpkin and Macadamia Soup

Ingredients

1 tbsp macadamia or olive oil
1/2 cup macadamias, roughly chopped
1 small white onion
1 tsp grated ginger
3 cups diced pumpkin
1 apple, chopped
3 cups chicken stock
Natural yoghurt for serving
Roasted macadamias, whole or halved, for garnish

Method

1. Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan, add the chopped macadamias, onion and ginger and sauté for two or three minutes, or until golden brown.
2. Add the pumpkin and apple, and cook it another two or three minutes, then pour the stock over it. Cover it and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the pumpkin is soft.
3. Transfer the mixture to a blender and process it until it’s smooth and creamy.
4. Serve it in large bowls with a swirl of yoghurt and a few roasted macadamias tossed on top for garnish.

 

 

Mango Couscous and Avocado Salad

We have been enjoying a variety of healthy and tasty recipes lately, and this one is no exception. Very tasty, very easy and very healthy. Give it a try, of course you can have more of the couscous if you choose, it just looks nicer on the plate like this.

Ingredients
50 g couscous (1/4 cup)
some cherry tomatoes
1/4 mango
fresh parsley
olive oil
lemon juice
salt and pepper

Method
Put the couscous and some salt in a bowl and pour 100 ml (1/2 cup) hot water over it. Let stand for 5 minutes. Meanwhile quarter the tomatoes, cube the mango and chop the parsley. When the water of the couscous is absorbed, add everything to it and season with olive oil. Generously sprinkle with lemon juice.

Cut the avocados into halves, leaving the skin on and arrange them on a plate. Fill them with the couscous salad. Sprinkle with olive oil and serve.

 

Birthday Menu for my love

 

 

Tomato and Basil Salmon with Perino Tomatoes and Rocket for two

Looking for a quick and healthy lunch for two, try this. It was delicious and not too filling.

Tomato and Basil Salmon with Perino Tomatoes and Rocket for two

Ingredients
2 Salmon Steaks (Skin on if you like)
1 Roma Tomato (Cut longways into 4)
200g Basil
80g Rocket
Dash of Balsamic Vinegar
16 Perino tomatoes (Like mini Roma Tomatoes) Cut in half

Method
1. Season Salmon with Pepper and salt if desired. (I just use pepper).
2. Cook Salmon season side down in a fry pan with Olive oil until cooked half way through. Season uncooked side.
3. Turn over and cook through to middle. Add the Roma tomatoes and basil to pan.
4. Arrange rocket in centre of plate, add dash of Balsamic Vinegar. Arrange sliced Perino’s around the edge.
5. Serve Salmon on rocket, add Roma’s and Basil on top, season with pepper.

Enjoy…

 

Apple and Pepita Scones

 

Every second weekend we have a long weekend, I work longer in 9 days to get the extra day off a fortnight. So on those weekends we usually make something to have for afternoon tea or a snack. We are also getting towards the end of the month, so the cupboard is slightly bare. So I was at a bit of a loss as to what to make. So I grabbed the last of the self-raising flour, an apple and some pepitas and thought hmmm what can I do with these. This is my creation, which came out really moist and light and tasty.

Ingredients
1 Apple cored and diced (I used Royal Gala, but any will do)
1/4 Cup pepitas (Sunflower seeds) toasted
1 Tablespoon Mixed Spice
2 Cups flour
60g Butter
Milk to combine
Beaten egg to coat

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 C or 150 C for fan forced.
2. Mix flour, mixed spice and butter till they resemble breadcrumbs. (I do this by hand, but can use a blender or mixer).
3. Add the chopped apple and pepitas and mix well.
4. Add a dash of milk until a dough forms, if you accidentally add too much just add a little more flour.
5. Roll to 12mm (1/2″) thick.
6. Use cutter to make scone, knead remnants together until complete. Should make 12 scones.
7. Coat top of scone with beaten egg.
8. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Don’t over bake as they will dry up.
9. For a savoury scone add cheese and chives instead.

 

 

A Romantic Dinner at Home for our 10th Anniversary

We have had a wonderful 10 years together. Throughout that time we have always celebrated special events in a special way. Not always going out for dinner, often making a nice meal at home. Last night was one of those occasions where we stayed home for our anniversary and had a romantic dinner in. It was delicious and romantic, topped off a great day. So here is the menu and recipes.

Entre – Ricotta Toasts with Rocket and Pine Nut Salsa
Main – Thai Roast Chicken with Mango and Apple Salad and Stir-Fried Zucchini
Dessert – Balsamic Blueberries with Vanilla Ice Cream

 

Tasty Tuna and Ricotta Triangles

We try to vary our food daily. So today I had the day off and was trying to figure out what to have for lunch. So I looked in the fridge and cupboard and grabbed a bit of this and a bit of that and whipped up some tasty tuna and ricotta triangles. I thought I would share the recipe with you to give you some inspiration to try to knock something different and tasty up for lunch. Enjoy.

Sorry to the non-metric people.

Ingredients:

150 gram Tin Tuna in Springwater

1 Small Brown Onion (Diced)
1 Tablespoon Coriander (Roughly Chopped)
1 Teaspoon Paprika
100 gram Extra Light Ricotta
50 gram Sun Dried Tomatoes (Finely Chopped)

100 gram No Salt Butter
6 Sheets Filo Pastry

Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
2. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
3. Heat butter until fully melted.
4. Layout a sheet of Filo and coat with melted butter.
5. Add another sheet of Filo and coat with melted butter.
6. Add a final sheet of Filo and coat with melted butter.
7. Cut the sheets down the middle of the short side – leaving to long strips of 3 layers of pastry. 8. Add a quarter of the Tuna mixture to the edge of one of the strips. Shape so it is like a triangle. 9. Fold the pastry on itself until complete.
10. Coat the top with butter.
11. Repeat three more times.
12. Bake in oven for 15 minutes.
13. Leave to cool for 10 minutes and enjoy!