Cheesy Pasta Bake with Chicken and Cauliflower

Pasta Bake with Cauliflower & Chicken

Pasta with Chicken & Cauliflower

Ingredients

100g dried macaroni

200g cauliflower, cut into small florets

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 small onion minced

2 teaspoons minced garlic

½ teaspoon oregano

200g skinless boiled chicken chunks

1 tablespoon plain flour

250ml (1 cup) milk

Freshly ground black pepper

40g (1⁄3 cup) grated cheddar cheese

Directions

• Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water for 10 minutes until al dente, adding the cauliflower for the last 1 minutes of cooking. Drain well.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium saucepan on medium. Add onion & garlic and fry for 2 minutes and add the chicken pieces. Cook for 1 minutes. Add cauliflower cook for another 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside to rest for 2-3 minutes.
• Put the flour in the saucepan and gradually whisk in the milk. Cook, stirring, over a medium heat until the sauce thickens and comes to a simmer. Simmer for 2 minutes. Preheat oven to medium.
• Add the pasta, oregano, cauliflower and chicken to the sauce. Season with pepper. Toss to coat.  Put the mixture in oven-proof dish. Sprinkle the cheese over.
• Bake for 5 minutes or until the cheese melts.
• Serve the pasta bake with the salad.

Jamie Oliver's Beer Butt Chicken (*_*)

It's definitely not my recipe. It's Jamie Oliver's
It's really worth a try. All credit goes to Jamie Oliver.

http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/chicken-recipes/beer-butt-chicken

Recipe in his words.....

Ingredients

1 large whole chicken (approx. 1.5kg), preferably free-range or organic

1 x 473 ml can of Budweiser or other lager

For the rub:

1 heaped teaspoon fennel seeds

1 level teaspoon cumin seeds

1 level teaspoon smoked paprika

1 heaped teaspoon brown sugar

1 level teaspoon mild chilli powder

Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

Olive oil

Method

I've never seen this done in Britain, but it's a really fun and effective way to cook chicken. I'm giving you two methods, one in the barbecue and one in the oven – both will give you tasty moist chicken. You need a standard kettle-style barbecue with a lid and a thermometer. Make sure it's tall enough to hold the upright chicken. The steam from the beer cooks the inside of the bird, so the meat ends up lovely and juicy.

Preheat your barbecue or oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. Take your chicken out of the fridge while you make your rub. In a pestle and mortar, bash up your fennel and cumin seeds and mix with the paprika, brown sugar, chilli powder, salt and pepper. Stir in about 3 tablespoons of olive oil until you get a nice paste. Drizzle this rub all over the chicken, inside and out, using your hands to make sure you get it into all the nooks and crannies.

Crack your beer open, have a couple of good swigs so your can is just about half full, then lower your chicken's cavity on to the top of the can so it looks as though the chicken is sitting on the can. A bit undignified, I know, but trust me – it's going to be delicious.

If you're using the barbecue, try to strategically move a small amount of coals to the sides rather than directly underneath the chicken, so the heat radiates around it and cooks it from all angles rather than grills it. The same principle applies to roasting.

Carefully sit the chicken on the bars of your barbecue or in a tray on the very bottom of your oven. Cook for around 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes or until it's golden and delicious and the meat pulls away from the bone and the juices run clear. If this isn't the case (all barbecues and ovens are slightly different) just cook for a bit longer.

Once done, remove the can and loosely cover your chicken with foil and a tea towel while you get some grilled veg, salad or warm breads together – but trust me, it tastes so good you won't need much else.

Best Grilled Chicken

Best Grilled (Roasted / Grilled / Pan fried) Chicken

This recipe is easy, time saving and very tasty. Thanks to my best friend for sharing this recipe with me.

Ingredients:

1 Chicken (1.2 Kg) cut into 4 Pieces

5 – 6 Garlic cloves (chopped)

Salt around 1 tsp. (to taste)

¼ tsp. Turmeric power

1 tsp. Chicken Masala Powder

1 tsp. Oregano

2 – 3 tbsp. Olive oil

Method of preparation:

1. To make everything very easy, take a roasting tray big enough to place all the chicken pieces. Line it with Aluminium foil.
2. Mix the entire ingredients on lined tray and set it aside for half an hour.
3. If roasting in oven, roast it for 30 minutes on medium heat. If frying on a pan / grill, 5- 7 minutes on each side. 

Greek Lemon Chicken

Greek Lemon Chicken

Serves 2.

Ingredients:

1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 lb. (500 g) chicken thighs

4-6 cloves of garlic

Juice of one lemon

5/8 cup (150 ml) water

1/2 tablespoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon (generous) freshly ground black pepper

Method of Preparation:

Peel and crush or chop garlic, set aside.

Squeeze lemon and add to cup measure.

Fill cup to 600-750 ml with water.

Add olive oil to hot pan and add chicken when oil has begun to get hot. Brown chicken on all sides, approximately 5-10 minutes total, reduce heat.

Add oregano and black pepper; stir into chicken mix.

Add lemon/water mixture and stir gently. Simmer until most of the liquid has been reduced and all of the flavours have been combined; serve with freshly cooked/steamed rice.

Chicken Tandoori

Chicken Tandoori

Ingredients:

Chicken – 600 grams

Red Chilli Powder – 1 tsp.

Lemon Juice – 60 ml.

Yoghurt – 100 grams

Cream – 100 grams.

Ginger/ Garlic Paste – 30 grams.

Cumin Powder – 1 tsp.

Garam Masala – 1 tsp.

Saffron – 1 gram

Orange Colouring – 1 drop

Salt – for seasoning

Method of Preparation:

1.       Preparation: Clean & remove the skin of the chicken, make 3 deep incisions on breast & thighs. On drumstick make 2. Prepare a paste of salt, red chilli and lemon juice. Spread over the chicken evenly and keep aside for 15 minutes.

2.      Marinating: Whisk yoghurt in a large bowl, add remaining ingredients and mix well. Rub the chicken with the marinade. Refrigerate it for 6 hours.

3.      Cooking: Roast in a moderately hot domestic oven (gas or electric for approximately 10 minutes. Alternately if using a charcoal grill, cook the chicken for about the same time.

4.     Preheat the oven to 350°F then cook for 10 minutes. Remove & hang the skewers to let the excess moisture drip off (app. 4 – 5 min) baste with butter & roast again for 3 – 4 minutes for additional cooking.

Easy red Thai chicken curry

Simple spicy Thai curry dish…

Preparation time: 3 mins

Cooking time: 10 mins

Serves: 4 people

Ingredients 

• 1tbsp vegetable oil

• 3tbsp red Thai curry paste

• 4 chicken breasts, around 600g (1lb 5oz), sliced

• 400ml can coconut milk

• 300ml (½ pint) hot chicken or vegetable stock

• Juice of 1 lime

• 200g pack of mixed baby corn and mange tout

• 2tbsp freshly chopped coriander

Directions
1. Heat oil in a wok or large pan; add curry paste. Cook for 2min, add chicken and brown. Add coconut milk, stock, lime juice and baby corn.
2. Bring to boil, add mange tout, reduce heat and simmer for 4-5min until chicken is cooked. Add coriander. Serve immediately.
Cooks tips
If your curry ends up too thick, thin it down with 300ml (½ pint) of water or stock and heat gently to serve - Thai curries are meant to be more soup-like. Keep the pan covered and don't let the sauce evaporate. Simmer only for as long as the meat takes to cook.

Source: - Yahoo Recipes.

Quick and easy recipes for dinner in 10 minutes

Chicken Milanesas

Chicken milanesas with salad
Chicken breasts cook quickly - but even quicker when they're sliced in half.  Serve with a green salad and lemon wedges for squeezing over. Serves 2.

Ingredients
small handful freshly chopped parsley
55g Panko breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp plain flour
1 chicken breast, sliced in half along the depth to make two thinner breast steaks
sunflower oil, for frying
sea salt flakes

Method
1.    In a shallow bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and parsley. Crack the egg into another bowl and beat. Tip the flour into a third bowl.
2.    Season the chicken breast halves with salt. Dip first in the flour, then into the egg and finally into the breadcrumbs, pressing them down to coat.
3.    Fry the breadcrumbed chicken in the oil, on a medium to high heat, for about 3 minutes on each side. Check the chicken is cooked through completely, scatter with sea salt flakes and serve with the lemon wedges and a salad.

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Sea bass fillets with basil and lemon couscous and grilled vine tomatoes

Sea bass with lemon and basil cous cous and grilled vine tomatoes

A healthy supper for two and ready in 10 minutes.

Ingredients
100g couscous
Extra-virgin olive oil (and regular olive oil, for frying)
100g cherry tomatoes on the vine
sea salt flakes
2 boneless sea bass fillets (skin on)
juice of half a lemon
2 tbsp chopped basil leaves

Method
1.    Boil the kettle. Tip the couscous into a mixing bowl and drizzle in 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil. Pour the boiling water over the grains until they're just covered, and cover with cling film. Leave to one side.
2.    Arrange the vine tomatoes onto a foil-lined grill tray. Season with salt and black pepper and drizzle with a little olive oil. Slide under a medium grill.
3.    Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a wide, non-stick pan. Lay the fillets, skin side down, into the hot pan, and fry for 3 minutes. Gently turn them over and fry for another 2 minutes.
4.    Check the couscous - it should now be tender. Squeeze in the lemon juice and stir in the basil. Season the couscous with a little salt and check the fish is cooked through. Serve the fish with the couscous and the tomatoes on the side.

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Pappardelle with garlic, parsley and chilli flakes

Pappardelle with chilli flakes garlic parsley
Depending on its shape, dried pasta cooks in about 10-12 minutes. Cut this time in under half by using fresh pasta. Serves 2, generously.

Ingredients
250g fresh pappardelle (or any other fresh pasta shape)
olive oil
quarter of a teaspoon dried chilli flakes
small handful freshly chopped parsley
1 chunky garlic clove, finely chopped or grated
Parmesan cheese, for serving

Method
1.    Drop the pappardelle into slightly salted water. While it cooks, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a non-stick frying pan and fry the garlic and chilli flakes until aromatic. Keep frying on a low heat and add in the parsley, stirring.
2.    Once the pasta is cooked, lift it out with tongs and toss in the frying pan, until coated in the herby oil and flecked with the parsley and chilli. Serve immediately, with grated Parmesan cheese.

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Quesadillas and Cheesy Nachos

10 minute quesadillas and cheesy nachos
For a quick, informal snack try these quesadillas, made with tasty Lancashire cheese, chorizo and red onion. Great with a salad or some dips on the side. Makes 6 triangles (enough for 2 servings).

Ingredients
100g Tasty Lancashire cheese (we used Mrs Kirkham's Farmhouse)
1 mild green chilli, sliced
75g tortilla corn chips
2 tortilla wraps
half a small red onion, peeled and sliced thinly
6 slices thinly sliced chorizo

Method
1.    Set your oven to 220C. Tip the tortilla chips into a shallow ovenproof dish. Crumble 20g of the Lancashire cheese over the top and scatter over the chilli slices. Slide into the oven.
2.    Put a dry, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Fill one half of each tortilla wrap with a sprinkling of the remaining cheese, a few red onion slices and 3 chorizo slices. Fold the wraps over and push down to seal. Dry-fry the quesadillas for about 2-3 minutes on each side, and then transfer to a board. Cut each tortilla into three wedges and serve with the nachos, which by now should be warmed and oozy with cheese.

Source: http://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/blogs/jo-romero/quick-easy-recipes-dinner-10-minutes-165450729.html