Rice Cakes

Tonight I had some left over cooked rice.
I'd usually make fried rice with it, but I did that 2 nights ago, so I went looking for something else.
I found a recipe on Taste.com.au for rice cakes that used smoked chicken. But I didn't have any chicken so I substituted bacon and added some sour cream to make sure they wouldn't be too dry.

They were really tasty! A bit like mini quiches, but without flour, which is always good for me!

Makes 12

Get This -

1 - 1 1/2 cups cooked basmati rice
4 bacon short cut rashers, diced
2 tablespoons semi-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
1/3 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup grated cheese
1/3 cup grated parmesan
1 tablespoon sour cream
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup basil leaves, finely shredded
3 eggs, lightly beaten
salt and pepper

Do This -

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease a 12 hold muffin pan.
2. Fry the bacon until cooked, then leave to cool.
3. Place rice, bacon, dried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, cheese, parmesan, onions, basil, eggs, salf and pepper into a large bowl. Mix well to combine.
4. Spoon mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until cakes are firm to the touch and light golden. Stand in pan for 5 minutes. Run a flat-edged knife around edges of cakes. Turn onto a wire rack.
5. Serve with salad. Tonight's salad was coral lettuce, cherry tomatoes, red onion, capsicum, lebanese cucumber, fetta and avacado dressed with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

These would also be great lunch box idea.

Pad Thai

This is a version of a recipe I found here.

Image found here

Serves 4

Get This -

250g rice stick noodles

500g chicken thigh fillets, sliced thinly
2 clove garlic, crushed
2 teaspoon grated ginger
1 red capsicum, sliced into thin strips and strips halved
1 large carrot, cut into matchstick
4 spring onions, sliced thinly
2 cups bean sprouts
1 or 2 red thai chilli, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons chopped palm sugar (or brown sugar)
2 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice
3 eggs
fresh roughly chopped coriander leaves
chopped peanuts
Chilli flakes and sesame seeds (optional)

Do This -

• Prepare rice noodles according to directions listed on package.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, lime juice and fish sauce, set aside.
• Heat oil in a wok or large and deep non-stick pan over medium-high heat. 
• Once hot add chicken and saute until cooked through, about 4 - 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate, leaving oil in pan. 
• Add capsicum and carrots and saute 1 - 2 minutes then add garlic, ginger, spring onions and bean sprouts saute 1 minute longer. 
• Push veggies to edges of pan and crack eggs into center. Cook and scramble until eggs have cooked through. 
• Add in chicken, noodles and sauce and toss everything together and cook 1 - 2 minutes.

Serve warm topped with cilantro, peanuts and optional red pepper flakes and sesame seeds.

Honey Soy & Ginger Chicken Noodle Stir Fry

I love a stir-fry!!


Serves 2

Get This -

1 chicken breast, trimmed, cut into strips across the grain
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled, finely chopped
4cm piece ginger, finely grated
1 small onion, cut into thin wedges
1 medium carrot, cut into thin sticks
handful of green beans, trimmed, halved diagonally
(Or whatever stir-fry vegetables you have eg capsicum, snow peas, brocolli, baby corn)
enough noodles for 2 (I prefer rice noodles, but you could use hokkien, udon, stick noodles, or even a packet of 2 minute noodles)

Do This - 

• Combine chicken, soy sauce, honey, garlic and ginger in a bowl.  Let stand for at least 5 minutes to marinate. (An hour in the fridge is better)
• Cook noodles according to the instructions on the pack.
• Drain chicken and reserve marinade.  Heat oil in a large wok or fry pan over a high heat.  Add chicken and stir fry for about 2 minutes, until just cooked.  Remove chicken from wok.
• Add vegetables one at a time and stir-fry until cooked through.
• Add chicken, drained noodles and reserved marinade, combine until heated through.
• Serve with chopped herbs or spring onions.

Chicken BLT Salad

I love salads on a Summer night.
This one is perfect!!




 Serves 4

Get This -

Olive oil
500g single chicken breast fillets
4 lean bacon rashers, excess fat trimmed, cut into thirds
2 baby cos lettuces, leaves separated, washed, dried
2 vine-ripened tomatoes, thickly sliced
1 avocado, halved, stone removed, peeled, thinly sliced
4 boiled eggs
caesar salad dressing

Do This -

• Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Add to the pan and cook for 3 minutes each side or until well browned. Thickly slice the chicken across the grain.
• Add the bacon to the pan and cook for 4 minutes or until crisp.
• Remove the bacon and place chicken back into the pan. Stir until cooked well all through.
• Divide the lettuce, tomato, avocado, chicken and bacon among serving bowls. Drizzle dressing over the top. Finish with a boiled egg cut in half.

*I like to add some shaved parmesan as well. You could also have it with croutons.

Roasted Cherry Tomatoes with Pesto Spaghetti

I like this for a quick & easy summer meal.


From Taste.com.au

 

Serves 2

Get This -

• enough spaghetti for 2
• 1 punnet cherry tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons basil pesto
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Do This -

1. Preheat oven to 200degC.
2. Place cherry tomatoes on an oven tray, sprinkle lightly with olive oil and salt. Roast for 15 mins.
3. Cook spaghetti according to the instructions on the pack.
4. Drain the spaghetti and tip back into the saucepan. Mix in the pesto, parmesan and tomatoes. 
5. Serve in 2 bowls and top with shaved parmesan.
6. Finish with some fresh chopped basil if you wish.

Madras Beef Curry

I do love curries.
And this one is a winner.
So easy and so yum.


Just for a change, this is actually my image.
Yes, it's my dinner that I'm eating right now! :)

Serves 2

Get This -

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 400g gravy beef, trimmed, cut into 3cm cubes
• 1/2 large brown onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2cm piece fresh ginger, peeled, grated
• 1/4 cup madras curry paste
• 3 cardamom pods, bruised
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 400g can diced tomatoes
• 1 large potato, peeled, cut into 3cm cubes
• salt & pepper
• 1 stalk spring onions, chopped
• Steamed basmati rice, to serve

Do This -

1. Heat half the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook beef, in batches, for 5 to 6 minutes or until browned. Transfer to a bowl.
2. Heat remaining oil in dish. Add onion, garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onion has softened. Add curry paste and cardamom. Cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Return beef to dish. Add stock, tomatoes and potato. Season with salt & pepper. Cover. Bring to the boil.
3. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 2-3 hours or until beef is tender. Remove and discard cardamom pods. Serve with rice and top with plain yogurt or raita and spring onions.

Spaghetti with Chicken, Cherry Tomatoes and Pesto

This recipe is tweaked from one very similar on Taste.com.au
They used smoked chicken. I've never bought smoked chicken.
So I changed it to barbecued chicken.
Which I buy a lot!

from Taste.com.au

(serves 4)

Get This -

• 350g dried spaghetti pasta
• 135g (1/2 cup) bought basil pesto
• 300g barbecued chicken breast, thinly sliced
• 1 x 250g punnet cherry tomatoes, halved
• 30g (1/2 cup) finely grated parmesan

Do This -

1. Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water following packet directions or until al dente. Drain and return to the pan.
2. Add the pesto, chicken and tomato to the pasta and gently toss until well combined. Place the pan over low heat and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes or until heated through. Add the parmesan to the pasta and toss to combine.
3. Divide the pasta mixture among serving bowls and serve.

Quick and Easy Sausage Rolls

I have posted a sausage roll recipe here before.

And it is very good.

But you know when you want something really quick and really easy for dinner?

Well, this is it!

Makes 8

Get This -

• 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 8 chipolata sausages
• milk for basting

Do This -

1. Preheat oven to 220°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Cut pastry sheets in half.
2. Place 2 sausages along the longest edge of each pastry piece.
3. Roll up to enclose sausages.
4. Place seam-side-down onto baking tray. Cut each long roll in half between sausages.
5. Brush with milk. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden.

Impossible Quiche

I've tweaked a couple of recipes on Taste.com.au to come up with this.
It's good, trust me!

(serves 4)

Get This -

• 125g ham or bacon, chopped
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 carrot, grated
• 1/2 zucchini, grated
• 1/2 cup grated tasty cheese
• 1/3 cup self-raising flour
• Salt & freshly ground pepper, to season
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup milk

Do This -

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease a 5 cup capacity pie dish.
2. Combine and scatter, ham/bacon, onion, grated vegetables and cheese over base of dish.
3. Whisk flour, eggs, milk, salt & pepper together in a large jug and pour over ham mixture. Cook for about 40 minutes or until puffed and golden. Cool slightly. Serve warm or cold.

.

Creamy Chicken Pasta Bake

Serves 4

Get This

250g dried macaroni pasta
2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded
3 bacon rashers, cooked and chopped
100g broccoli
300ml light thickened cream
1 can tomatoes
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Do This

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Lightly grease an  8-cup capacity baking dish.
2. Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling, salted water for 10 minutes or until tender. 
3. Drain pasta and return to saucepan. Add cooked chicken and bacon, broccoli, cream, tomatoes and parmesan. Toss until well combined. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Spoon mixture into prepared dish. Top with mozzarella. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden.