Roast Chicken Breasts With A Twist

Most of the time, I really like to cook with Chicken Thighs but there are times when we need a change and these Chicken Breasts were on special. Always love a bargain
This was really loved by the Family, its so simple and quick to prepare
You will see the recipe calls for Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs
I just added a good shake of dried Oregano and some salt and freshly ground black pepper
That seems like Italian to me

4 Boneless Chicken Breasts
1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
2 cloves Garlic, Minced
2 tablespoons Butter
1 Cup Seasoned Italian Breadcrumbs
2 Cups Olive Oil
2 Eggs
1 teaspoon Mustard Powder
1 teaspoon  Sea Salt
1 1/2 tsp Lemon Juice
Zest of 1 Lemon

Preheat the oven to 200C and 

Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet. 

Combine the eggs, ½ cup olive oil, mustard powder, and salt in a blender. 

Drizzle in the remaining olive oil while the blender is on. 

Once the mixture has thickened, add in the lemon juice and stir slowly. 

Combine the cheese, garlic, lemon zest and the olive oil mixture in a bowl and mix well. 

Spread the sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with pepper.

In a small saucepan melt the butter and stir in the breadcrumbs. 

Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the chicken breasts,

 and bake for 30 minutes.

Serve with some Roasted Potatoes and a nice bright Green Vege, in this case Green Beans and Broccoli  Delicious

 

Cranberry and Cilantro Quinoa Salad

Quinoa, Quinoa Quinoa...its only a few years ago that this word was not even in my vocabulary.
BUT now its everywhere.
The Trendy Grain...well...Quinoa isn't really a grain. It's the seed of a plant that's related to spinach, not to wheat. Quinoa first was cultivated in South America, where it grows in the Andes mountain range. Quinoa grows best in cool climates and at high altitudes, generally above 8,000 feet.

So lesson over...it does make a good salad though, also the flakes are excellent to crumb fish for those not wanting to eat  wheat.

Members of our family went grain free for a while and when hunting for recipes to feed them I came across this little beauty

It is really tasty and makes a change from brown rice!!!
So you need

    1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed

    2 cups water  
    Sea salt

    
1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped

    
1/4 cup yellow bell pepper, chopped

    
1 small red onion, finely chopped

    Sea 
Salt and Freshly ground Black Pepper
    1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander
    
1 lime, juiced

    
1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds

    
1/2 cup minced carrots

    
1/2 cup dried cranberries

     Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Add quinoa to pot and cover with the water
Add salt
Bring to the boil
Cover and simmer over low heat till quinoa has absorbed all of the water
15-20 minutes
Scrape into a mixing bowl, and chill in the refrigerator until cold.


Meanwhile place the red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, 
red onion, sliced almonds, carrots, and cranberries into a bowl

Add coriander and lime juice

Mix together 

How about that for colour
Add to the Quinoa
Drizzle over about 3 tablespoons of Olive Oil
Serve

A Tasty Meat Sauce for Pasta

I know we all have our meat sauce that we call our own, this is very similar to one that I usually make, in fact almost identical
Thank you Bon Appetit for the inspiration, I read this in the morning and voila.. on the table for dinner
 It is a meat sauce not a tomato sauce, which I like a lot
I used Rigatoni
Those little ridges capture the sauce perfectly

1 medium onion, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

1 small carrot, peeled, chopped

3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 lb. good ground beef  (20% fat), patted dry

Sea salt

3 oz. thinly sliced Pancetta, finely chopped

1 cup dry white wine

⅓ cup tomato puree, I like to use Passata, not so intense
1 bay leaf

Pinch of finely grated nutmeg

2 cups (or more) homemade chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup milk

1 lb. fresh tagliatelle or pappardelle, or dry rigatoni
2 oz. finely grated Parmesan (about ½ cup), plus more for serving

Pulse onion, celery, and carrot in a food processor until very finely chopped.

Transfer to a small bowl.


Heat oil in a large pot over medium.
Break beef into small clumps (about 1½") and add to pot;
Season lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper 
Cook, stirring occasionally but not breaking meat apart,
until beef is lightly browned but not crisp, 6–8 minutes.
It may be gray in spots (that’s okay!) and still a little pink in the center.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer beef to a medium bowl.



Wipe out pot.
Cook pancetta in pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally,
until pancetta has released some of its fat and is crisp, 6–8 minutes.
Add onion mixture to pot and cook, stirring occasionally,
until vegetables are very soft and beginning to stick to surface, 6–8 minutes.



Return beef to pot and pour in wine.
Reduce heat to medium-low and cook,
smashing down on beef with a wooden spoon, until wine is evaporated,
surface of pot is almost dry, and meat is finely ground, 12–15 minutes.
(The meat should be reduced to what looks like little bits.
It takes a bit of effort, but you can take breaks.)
Add tomato paste, bay leaf, and nutmeg and cook,
stirring occasionally and still pressing down on meat, until tomato paste is slightly darkened,
about 5 minutes.



 Pour stock and milk into pot; add a pinch of salt.

Reduce heat to the lowest setting and cook, stirring occasionally,
until meat is very, very tender, 2–2½ hours.
There shouldn’t be any rapid bubbles at this stage.
Instead, the sauce should release the occasional small bubble or two.
When finished, the sauce should have the texture of and look like a sloppy joe mixture.
If the liquid reduces before the meat is completely tender,
add an extra ½ cup stock and continue cooking.
Discard bay leaf. Taste sauce and adjust seasoning with salt;
keep warm.


Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water.
If using fresh pasta, cook about 3 minutes.
If using dry, cook until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than package directions.


Using tongs, transfer pasta to pot with sauce.
Add 1 cup pasta cooking liquid and ½ cup Parmesan.
Increase heat to medium, bring to a simmer, and cook, tossing constantly,
until pasta is al dente and liquid is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.


Transfer pasta to a platter and top with more Parmesan.



Do Ahead: Sauce can be made 4 days ahead. Cover and chill.



Also sitting on my table, my 2 friends and some beautiful Gardenias
Straight from the Garden