Baked Penne with Turkey Sausages

Taking baby steps to healthy eating. Sometimes its just difficult to give up the foods you love, but instead of removing everything, try simple substitutions. Turkey is known to be one of the leanest meats, so if you can replace some of your meat recipes with turkey, right there you're working your way to healthier, leaner you.
Enjoy this pasta, not only leaner, but easy and quick. The whole family will love it.

Ingredients:

200 g of Penne pasta
5 turkey sausages
1/2 red minced onion
1/2 green pepper diced
1 small jalapeno pepper chopped
2 cloves of minced garlic
1 chicken bouillon cube
100 ml of tomato sauce
100 ml of red wine
2 tbsp Olive oil
Emmental Cheese
Chopped parsley
salt
pepper

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to Broiler position.
Cook pasta according to package instructions.
In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, pepper and chili and mix around until the onion starts to crisp. Chop the sausages and add to the onion mix. Cook for about 5-8 minutes. Season to taste.
In a small bowl mix the wine, tomato sauce and bouillon together. Add the sauce to the sausages and let simmer on low heat.
Without straining add the pasta to the sausage mixture, along with 2 tbsp. of the pasta cooking water. Mix well so that the pasta is coated with the sauce.
Place the pasta in a baking dish. Sprinkle grated emmental cheese, and place in the oven for a couple of minutes until cheese has melted and is golden brown.
Served with chopped parsely.

Great quick meal, lower in fat due to the turkey and simply delicious for the family.

Chicken Samosas Baked not Fried

I love Indian food, and every chance I get I will try a new Indian restaurant or even a new recipe, but what gets me every time are those delicious starters Samosas. I was always afraid to make them because of the dough and the frying (not a fan of frying at home). Although making the dough may not be all that complicated, I'm sure you'll all agree that if we can simplify a dish, why not! So I went out and bought some sheets of brik pastry (first time using them) and looked up some recipes, not satisfied with all the different recipes, I decided to take this and that from each one and I have to say for the first time ... it worked out pretty well.

Ingredients for about 6 Samosas

200 g of chicken breast
2 tbsp. of olive oil
1 small minced onion
2 cloves of minced garlic
1 tsp. of turmeric or curry powder
1 tsp. of coriander powder
1/2 tsp. of cumin
2 tbsp. of coconut milk or water
3 mint leaves
1 chili pepper
Pinch of Nutmeg
Salt
Lemon Juice
3 sheets of brik pastry

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 200ºC
Using a food processor, add the chicken, turmeric, coriander, cumin, water, mint, chili pepper, nutmeg. Process until everything is well chopped and mixed.
In a saucepan heat olive oil, add onion and garlic and cook until golden.
Add the chicken mix, and mix around until fully cooked, check for seasoning and add salt as necessary. Use a fork to dismantle and lumps of chicken. Sprinkle with some drops of lemon juice.
Lay the brik pasty on the counter (some come already with wax paper, if not, use some wax paper so that the  pastry doesn't stick to the counter).
Start to fold the samosas (see diagram), close the ends by rubbing some lukewarm water.

Place on a cooking sheet, and put in the oven.
Ready when they're golden brown. (aprox. 10-12min)
Serve as a starter, appetizer, or serve with rice as a main dish.

Chicken Wellington with Red Cabbage

This is my version of a well known classic, the Beef Wellington. I like experimenting with classics but sometimes we need to put our spin on it. Since red meat is something that rarely enters our household, so there goes the beef part of it, then mushrooms ... my hat goes out to all of you that enjoy this fungi, but some of us are just not so keen on them, so scrap the mushrooms. Now you may think ... "How can it be called a Wellington if you just took out some of the main ingredients?" Well maybe you're right I shouldn't call it a Wellington (with all due respect to the classics), but here it is, my so-called Chicken Wellington served with Red Cabbage and Mashed Potatoes. Try it out, and then tell me if you like my spin on it.

For two, you will need ...

1 Large Boneless Chicken Breast (aprox. 300g)
15 pitless black olives
1 package of puff pastry
3 cloves of garlic
1 small red cabbage
1 small red onion
1 egg
2 potatoes
4 prosciutto slices
1/2 cup of red wine
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/2 lemon
2 tbsp. Butter
1/2 cup of milk
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Nutmeg
Dry Oregano

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 200º C

1. Start by having all your ingredients ready "mise en place", for this particular recipe it's very helpful. 
2. Prepare the utensils you need, 2 frying pans (1 for chicken and 1 for cabbage) 1 microwave bowl, 1 roasting pan, knives, cutting boards, plastic wrap, bowl.
3. Cut up your cabbage in 1 cm thick slices
4. Cut your potatoes with the skin on in half
5. Season chicken with salt and pepper (easy on the salt, as the prosciutto is salty)
6. In a small frying pan add a bit of olive oil and place the chicken breast, allow to cook on medium heat about 5 minutes each side. When done let it rest.
7. In a mini food processor, add 2 cloves of garlic, olives, 1 tbsp. of olive oil, salt, a pinch of dry oregano.  Pulse it until you have a course mixture. 
8. On the counter top (or table top) place plastic wrap (about 40 cm), align the 4 prosciutto slices and spread the olive mixture on top.
9. Place the chicken on top of the prosciutto, and with the help of the plastic wrap start rolling and tucking  to have a secure tight roll. Set aside in the refrigerator.
10. Start on the cabbage: Add about 2 tbsp. of olive oil, the red wine, the vinegar, the cabbage, onion, 1 clove of garlic finely chopped, salt and pepper, to a deep frying pan. On high heat cover the pan until it starts boiling, then reduce to medium heat and allow to cook well covered until the chicken is ready.
11. Mashed Potatoes: Here's an easy way, in a microwaveable bowl add the potatoes cut in half with the skin on, and half a lemon. Cover with plastic wrap, and cook on high (900 W) for 13 minutes. 
12. Remove the puff pastry from the package (depending on the brand some already come with wax paper so that you don't need to dust the counter top with flour, if not, add a bit of flour to the counter top.) Carefully remove the plastic wrap from the chicken and place the roll in the middle of the pastry, wrap the pastry around the chicken tucking in the sides. With scraps of pastry decorate the top of the roll.
13. Place the chicken in a roasting pan and with the egg wash brush the whole roll.
14. Let cook in the oven for 20 minutes.
15. When the potatoes are done add the milk, butter, salt and nutmeg and mash until you have the desired consistency. 
16. Remove the cabbage from the heat.
17. Remove the chicken from the oven and serve with the cabbage and mashed potatoes.

Sounds complicated, but really isn't, I just wanted to give you a detailed step by step for this recipe, obviously you too can make it your own.

Shake 'n Bake Pork Parmigiana

I love cooking from scratch, but sometimes easy and uncomplicated are necessary. Sure its easy to do your normal Shake 'n Bake, and after a long day you don't want to slave over the stove for the family dinner. In stead of always having the same thing, why don't we spruce it up a bit. All you have to do is the tomato sauce, although you can buy any flavored sauce (Tomato and Basil,  Marinara, Roasted Garlic, etc.) which will be quicker and taste just as good.

Ingredients:

4 Pork Chops

1 pack of Shake 'n Bake Pork Crispy

Mozzarella Cheese

Spaghetti

Tomato Sauce

   1 Small Red Onion

   2 Cloves of Garlic

   3 Tbsp. Olive Oil

   1 Chili Pepper

   1 small can of crushed tomatoes

   Bunch of Basil

   Salt

   Pepper

Directions:

Pre-heat oven at 200ºC

Start by preparing your tomato sauce (if making from scratch). In a pre-heated frying pan add olive oil, onion and garlic, cook until it just starts to brown. Add the crushed tomatoes, chili pepper, basil and season. Let sauce boil and reduce for a couple of minutes. Set aside.

Prepare the Shake'n Bake Pork Chops, and add them to a baking pan and cook in middle of the oven for about 15 minutes.

Remove the pork chops, spoon the tomato sauce over each chop and then sprinkle the cheese. Set the oven to broil, and cook until cheese is lightly browned.

Serve with spaghetti and remainder sauce.

A meal the whole family will enjoy.

Apple Crumble 101

This has to be the easiest way to make apple crumble and the quickest, and that's why I called it Apple Crumble 101, I will surely have other recipes but this is the basic and its quick and easy to impress, it will look like you slaved over the oven.

Ingredients:

Fruit Base Mixture 
2 large apples peeled and cut in pieces
1/2 cup of sugar
1 tbsp. of all purpose flour
1 tsp. of cinnamon
1/2 tsp. of vanilla extract
1/2 tsp of softened butter
2 tbsp. of port wine
__________________
1/2 cup of all purpose flour
1/2 cup of sugar
1/4 tsp. of baking soda
1 tbsp. of butter
pinch of salt
1 lightly beaten egg  



Preparation:
Place the fruit base mixture ingredients in a bowl and mix lightly. Divide the fruit mixture evenly between the 4 ramekins; on top of each place little square of butter on top of each and set aside.  With the remainder of the ingredients place them in a bowl or a blender and mix well . Spoon the mixture over the four in equal parts. (The mixture will spread throughout the cooking process)   Place in oven at 200º C for about 20 minutes.

Remove and serve warm.

Simple Easy Apple Pie

Ingredients:



1 Recipe of Basic Pie Crust (or pre-bought pie crust)
3 - 4 Sweet Apples
1 Tbsp. of white sugar
1 tsp. of cinnamon
1 Tbsp. of butter
1/2 cup of water
Pinch of Salt
Icing Sugar

Preparation



Peel and pit the apples and slice in quarters. In a saucepan add the water, apples, salt and allow to cook on medium heat until the apples are well cooked (almost mashed looking).  Mix once in a while to avoid sticking.  When ready place the mixture in the blender and add the cinnamon, butter and the sugar and mix well. Extend the dough into a rectangle. In the middle of the rectangle, place the apple mixture. Cut strips of about 1 cm wide on the edges of the dough. Wrap the apple mixture in a criss cross format with the strips almost making it look like a braid.  Place the apple pie in a pre-heated oven of 180ºC  for about 20-25 min (or until golden brown on top)
Sprinkle with icing sugar.
 Also can be served with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.

Roasted Chicken with Garlic and Potatoes

Ideal dish for two, easy, quick and just simply delicious.

Ingredients:

50  g. butter
4  quarters chicken
3  large potatoes
12  cloves garlic
 salt
 pepper
2  tbs. honey
1  tbs. soy sauce (optional)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 200º C

Place the butter in the roasting pan and melt in the oven. When the butter has melted, place the 4 quarters of chicken, potatoes, onion, and garlic cloves into the pan. Season with salt and black pepper and toss to coat well the chicken and the potatoes.

Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes, basting a couple of times and brushing with the honey and soy mixture.

Return to the oven for another 15/20 minutes until chicken is golden brown and potatoes are tender . 

Transfer to serving plate and serve.

Tuna Empanada

Ingredients

Dough:
500 gr flour
2dl Olive Oil
2 dl green white wine
1 Egg gem 
Refined Salt

Filling:
2 cans tuna in olive oil
1 / 2 can of tomato chunks 
4 tablespoons tomato paste
1 / 2 green pepper
1 / 2 red pepper
1 / 2 can of corn
Black pitted olives
2 cloves garlic
1 onion
Olive oil to taste
White wine to taste
Pepper (preferably freshly ground)

Preparation:
In a bowl place the flour with a hole in the middle where you pour the wine and olive oil.  Add a little salt to taste and work the ingredients until the  dough starts to come together and there are no lumps. Form into a ball. Let stand while preparing the filling.
For the filling:  place the olive oil in a saucepan along with chopped onions and fry a little.  Then add the diced tomatoes and tomato paste.  Add chopped garlic, diced peppers, olives and corn into small pieces, cook on medium heat adding a little white wine and repeat as necessary not allowing it to dry too much, when you find that the peppers are almost cooked, add the drained tuna, season with salt and pepper and cook without stirring much.
Divide the dough in two pieces. Extend one piece of the dough carefully with a rolling pin and cover the pie tray. Punch lightly the bottom with a fork to avoid air bubbles. Place the tuna mixture in the tray and close the empanada with the remainder dough also extended into a circle.  With your fingertips and close the edges of the empanada so that there is no risk of filling spilling. Pinch the empanada lightly with a fork, eat the egg yolk and brush the entire top.  Bake at 150 º C for about 30 to 40 minutes.
Serve cold.
(The original recipe for tuna empanada, you can check http://www.acocinar.com/empanada.htm )

Oven Baked Chicken Legs

Ingredients for 2 people:

2 Chicken Legs
2 cloves garlic
1 Bouillon of chicken broth
1 can of tomatoes into chunks
12 pitted olives
White Wine / Whisky
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper

Preparation:

In an oven prepared tray drizzle the bottom with olive oil and place the crushed garlic, rosemary and bouilloun pieces. Place chicken legs on top of the preparation and season with salt, pepper, more rosemary, tomatoes, olives and white wine or whiskey. Bake in preheated oven at 180 degrees covered with a silver for approx. 40 minutes. Uncover and let brown for 10-15 minutes. Serve with rice or mashed potatoes.