Sunday, April 7, 2013
Spaghetti with anchovies, garlic and chillies.
Anchovies get a bad rap! Although I personally love them!! Some might think they don't like them, but including them in a recipe can flavour the recipe without tasting like actual anchovies! In this recipe, they melt into the oil, and leave a salty, creamy consistency which is unbeaten by any other ingredient- anchovies can take a bland recipe and change into into a recipe with wow!!! Try it and see for yourself! And this recipe is easy!!!
1 pkg spaghetti
A splash of olive oil, generous splash!
2 or 3 anchovies (I use the ones in the jar with olive oil), minced
1/2 fresh red chili, minced (you may use chili flakes instead)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup or so capers
A small container cherry tomatoes, halved
Fresh basil.
Pepper
In a pot of boiling water, boil the spaghetti until al dente.
Add oil to a hot pan and fry the anchovies, garlic and chilies, stirring to melt.
Add halved cherry tomatoes and capers, until all combined.
Add to cooked spaghetti and season with pepper and fresh basil. Yum!!!
Paula's tip,of the week:
Keep olive oil in a dark cool place. Heat and light spoil olive oil and make it taste sour and bitter!
Have a great week everyone!
Friday, March 29, 2013
Easter morning asparagus and eggs!
Easter morning is a time with family so why not share this easy, fresh, egg and asparagus recipe! So good! I don't include measurements for this recipe as it really is very easy, and it all depends on how many people are at your Easter breakfast table. Happy Easter everyone! To you, and all of your friends a families!
Ingredients:
Fresh asparagus - I try to go with four per person, so whe picking up your bunches, count the sprigs!
Two eggs per person
Butter
Lemon
Thyme, chopped
Salt and pepper (course salt looks best)
You will need a non stick pan, a small sauce pan and a large blanching pot.
First, blanch your asparagus! Set a large bowl filled with ice
water by a large pot of salted boiling water. Place the asparagus in the boiling water until it turns bright green, then place it right into the water bowl. This will stop it from cooking any further. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, begin melting butter- go ahead and use more than you think- this will be your sauce and you will need quite a bit. Be sure you leave your heat on low and melt it slowly. Soon you will see it start to foam and turn brown. At this time, add a salt and pepper to it, and the chopped thyme. While the butter is melting, cook your eggs- sunny side up for this recipe works best, but you can flip them over if you prefer. Just keep in mind that you want the yolk to be runny
somewhat. I make two per person.
On serving plates, one for each person, place the asparagusmon a diagonal, sprinkle them with the juice of a lemon, and some course salt and peoper. Place the eggs on the asparagus so the tips peak out from the eggs. Now, spoon the brown butter on the eggs, and on the tips of the asparagus. As the eggs break, the asparagus, the egg yolk and the brown butter mix and it is sooo tasty!!!! Try it and see! Let me know what you think!
Happe Easter to all!!!
Ingredients:
Fresh asparagus - I try to go with four per person, so whe picking up your bunches, count the sprigs!
Two eggs per person
Butter
Lemon
Thyme, chopped
Salt and pepper (course salt looks best)
You will need a non stick pan, a small sauce pan and a large blanching pot.
First, blanch your asparagus! Set a large bowl filled with ice
water by a large pot of salted boiling water. Place the asparagus in the boiling water until it turns bright green, then place it right into the water bowl. This will stop it from cooking any further. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, begin melting butter- go ahead and use more than you think- this will be your sauce and you will need quite a bit. Be sure you leave your heat on low and melt it slowly. Soon you will see it start to foam and turn brown. At this time, add a salt and pepper to it, and the chopped thyme. While the butter is melting, cook your eggs- sunny side up for this recipe works best, but you can flip them over if you prefer. Just keep in mind that you want the yolk to be runny
somewhat. I make two per person.
On serving plates, one for each person, place the asparagusmon a diagonal, sprinkle them with the juice of a lemon, and some course salt and peoper. Place the eggs on the asparagus so the tips peak out from the eggs. Now, spoon the brown butter on the eggs, and on the tips of the asparagus. As the eggs break, the asparagus, the egg yolk and the brown butter mix and it is sooo tasty!!!! Try it and see! Let me know what you think!
Happe Easter to all!!!
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Welcome to Paula's Kitchen
Hi food lovers!!! Welcome to my new blog!! Those of you who have been following me on my "easy recipes" blog, I hope you will follow me on my new blog- Paula's Kitchen! I have recently began my own home based business by the same name, and am now catering small jobs and baking treats for friends and clients in the Kanata/Ottawa area, as well as doing some catering business for a friend in her cafe in Kanata! I am very excited and am hoping to have all of your support in my new endeavour! So, without further delay, here is my first recipe! It is an easy Mexican lasagna which I decided to try out on my family a few days ago and they loved it!!!! So, try it and any feed back would be most welcome!
Easy Chicken Mexican Lasagna
Ingredients:
Left over chicken, shredded, about five cups
6 medium size tortillas
1/2 jalapeño pepper, chopped finely
1/2 onion, finely chopped
Splash of oil
3 cups of salsa, divided, plus more for the top (as much or as little as you desire)
3 Tblsp butter
3 Tblsp flour
3 cups milk
1/2 cup cream cheese (room temp works best)
Chili powder ( I used about 2 Tblsp, but you can use as much or as little at you like)
1 tsp cumin
Shredded cheddar cheese (try the new habanero shredded cheese for extra kick!)
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray a 8x12 casserole dish with cooking spray
In a small fry pan, sauté the jalapeño pepper with the onion and a little splash of oil, until softened, and set aside to cool a little bit. In a bowl, combine the chicken with the jalapeño and onion mixture, half the chili powder, the cumin, and a cup of the salsa. Set aside. Melt the butter on med heat in a medium sauce pan, then slowly add the flour, whisking the whole time. Whisk the flour and butter for a minute or so, then slowly, whisking the whole time, add the milk. Let the milk mixture come to a boil, slowly (you don't want to scorch the milk!) whisking every minute or so, until it begins to bubble, and thicken. I only takes a minute or so once it bubbles. Add the cream cheese and the rest of the chili powder. Whisk until the cream cheese it melted in. Set aside to cool a little bit.
Line the casserole dish with two tortillas, and start layering with the chicken mixture first, then the milk mixture, then some shredded cheese, the salsa, and then begin again with a layer of tortillas. You should have enough for three layers, ending with tortillas, but really, it's up to you how many layers you want - more chicken per layer equals less layers! Just be sure that you have enough milk mixture left over for the top - I cover it with the milk mixture, and then dab some salsa on top and top with shredded cheese!
Bake for 20 minutes and serve!!! I served it with home made guacamole and sour cream but it really is good as is! Hope you enjoy it!
Cheers to all,
P
Easy Chicken Mexican Lasagna
Ingredients:
Left over chicken, shredded, about five cups
6 medium size tortillas
1/2 jalapeño pepper, chopped finely
1/2 onion, finely chopped
Splash of oil
3 cups of salsa, divided, plus more for the top (as much or as little as you desire)
3 Tblsp butter
3 Tblsp flour
3 cups milk
1/2 cup cream cheese (room temp works best)
Chili powder ( I used about 2 Tblsp, but you can use as much or as little at you like)
1 tsp cumin
Shredded cheddar cheese (try the new habanero shredded cheese for extra kick!)
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray a 8x12 casserole dish with cooking spray
In a small fry pan, sauté the jalapeño pepper with the onion and a little splash of oil, until softened, and set aside to cool a little bit. In a bowl, combine the chicken with the jalapeño and onion mixture, half the chili powder, the cumin, and a cup of the salsa. Set aside. Melt the butter on med heat in a medium sauce pan, then slowly add the flour, whisking the whole time. Whisk the flour and butter for a minute or so, then slowly, whisking the whole time, add the milk. Let the milk mixture come to a boil, slowly (you don't want to scorch the milk!) whisking every minute or so, until it begins to bubble, and thicken. I only takes a minute or so once it bubbles. Add the cream cheese and the rest of the chili powder. Whisk until the cream cheese it melted in. Set aside to cool a little bit.
Line the casserole dish with two tortillas, and start layering with the chicken mixture first, then the milk mixture, then some shredded cheese, the salsa, and then begin again with a layer of tortillas. You should have enough for three layers, ending with tortillas, but really, it's up to you how many layers you want - more chicken per layer equals less layers! Just be sure that you have enough milk mixture left over for the top - I cover it with the milk mixture, and then dab some salsa on top and top with shredded cheese!
Bake for 20 minutes and serve!!! I served it with home made guacamole and sour cream but it really is good as is! Hope you enjoy it!
Cheers to all,
P
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