Sweet And Spicy Mango Shrimp

And ooooooo......my daughter loves prawns and loves mangoes, too. So here was a cool recipe for my little one. Trust me, she polished her dinner in 5 minutes and walked into the kitchen with an empty plate in her hands and a smirk on her face. Lol!!!! All I did was gape at her. I had barely sat down when she polished off her dinner right after I cooked and served her.

Her second helping was more prawns and mangoes but no rice. Too much carbs at night.

So, here's another new recipe to try......

Ingredients:-

- 2 tbsps coconut oil

- 1/2 large red onion, diced

- 2 cloves garlic, diced

- 2 tbsps soy sauce

- 2 tbsps lime juice

- 2 tbsps Sweet Thai chili sauce

- 1/4 water

- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

- 500g of deveined prawns, large ones

- 1 mango, chopped

- unsweetened shredded coconut for garnish 

- chopped long green onions for garnishing

- lime for garnish

1. Hear coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

2. Add red onion until soft

3. Add garlic, soy sauce, lime juice, Thai chili sauce, red pepper and shrimp. Toss well and cook till prawns turn pink.

4. Add water after all well mixed

5. Add mango, stir to mix and quickly warm through

6. Pour mixed prawns over warm rice for 1 serving. Garnish with coconut and green onions and lime.

Yum!!! Yum!!! Yum!!! That's all I can say and till my next tested recipe.

Ta ta as my little one always says.

Cilantro Lime Tilapia

I absolutely loved this dish and I learned about new ingredients like quinoa which is packed with protein and great for dinners if you want to keep the carbs down. That's the thing with Asians, we are always having our dinners with rice or noodles and quinoa is a great replacement. Only thing is that in Asia, it's expensive and thus far can only be found in the Organic section.

Well, I'll need to start digging for more quinoa recipes after this one.

Give a try. Easy to prepare and just easy to cook.

Ingredients:-

- 1 cup Uncooked quinoa

- 2 cup water

- 4 tilapia fillets

- smoked paprika

- 1 1/2 cup of corn kernel, steamed 

- 4 tbsps Lime juice

- 1 tsp Garlic powder

- 1 tsp Onion powder

- 1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

- salt/pepper to taste (I didn't use any and it was still good)

1. In a large pot, bring water to boil over high heat.

2. Once boiling, stir in quinoa, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until all water is absorbed.

3. While quinoa is cooking, spray a large pan with oil and hear over medium/high fire

4. Sprinkle each side of tilapia with paprika powder generously and cook till white and flaky. 

5. Once quinoa is ready and fluffed, mix cooked corn, cilantro, garlic powder, onion powder and lime well.

6. Divide the mixed quinoa into 4 servings equally and put a fish each on top of the quinoa mix.

7. Serve immediately.

Super yum. Super high protein. A must try recipe.

My daughter is the judge to all my cooking and she was Oh Yum!!!!

BBQ Beef Pie Pockets

You know, whenever it comes to pies. I always get nervous. Thinking that it's gonna be super difficult and chances I'm going to screw it all up and hence, I've always stayed away from pie looking stuff. If I wanna have a good pie, I'll just go out and have it. With an exception with Cottage Pies which I can pretty much whip up a decent one but anything else that requires pastries????? Uh....no thank you, then.

I guess after my divorce, I've gotten bolder in many aspects of my life. I've begun to....how shall I put it??? Reclaim myself? I'm still in search of me and while I'm doing that, I'm cooking and exploring into new dimensions of cooking which I didn't dare venture in the past.

So, here is to a more daring me.

A much simpler recipe and I was watching my oven like a hawk. Lol!!! 

Ingredients:-

- 500g mince beef

- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce or a little more to ensure all the beef is well covered 

- 1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, Colby Jack or Monterey - your choice)

- 1 cup water + 1 1/2 cup water (separated)

- 4 large squares of pie crust or pastries sheets (normally sold in a large box but can be used for others)

- Preheat oven at 220 Celsius

1. In a large skillet, cook the beef till it turns brown and juice absorbed.

2. Pour BBQ sauce and stir until beef is well coated.

3. Place each sheet and have it cut into 4 of equal sides. I cut 2 large sheets hence I had 8 squares.

4. On a flat cookie baking pan, place cookie paper on it and place 3-4 cut squares on pan.

5. Spoon cooked beef onto the cut squares placed on the pan.

6. Add cheese on top of the beef. 

7. Place other cut square pastries on top of each beef and cheese filled pastry and pinch pastry together to seal.

8. Cut 2 small slits on top of the pastries so that the pies can breathe.

9. Bake between 15-20 mins. (Depends how old your oven is so, best to keep an eye on it)

Serve with some salad. 

My daughter absolutely loved it and had 2 helpings. My maid loved it.

And of course, I loved it. LOL!!!!

One Skillet Cheesy Taco Pasta

Been from the Asian region, it's never very easy looking for certain ingredients for Western recipes which by our Asian culture may sometimes seem alien and sometimes it may even be difficult to look for some of these ingredients and when you actually do find them??? They're actually pretty expensive.

Here's one pretty easy recipe to make. Love all these one skillet mix. Makes it really easy for me to cook and best part is, I always cook a little extra so that my little one has some for lunch the following day.

This was really yummy though I couldn't find non-spicy taco sauce and their mild ones were still super spicy so I mixed it with tomato sauce instead. I didnt fancy watching my little one suffer through her meal. Lol!!!!

Ingredients:-

- 500g mince beef

- 1/2 cup onions, diced

- 1/2 tsp garlic, diced

- 1 cup water + 1 1/2 cup water (separated)

- 1/4 cup salsa sauce (medium hot)

- 3/4 cup tomato sauce

- 1 cup frozen corn

- 1 packet taco seasoning

- 2 cups pasta (macaroni or penne)

- 1 cup taco sauce

- about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of shredded taco cheese or mostly known as Mexican cheese

- optional toppings of sour cream, green onions or diced tomatoes (well, I couldn't be bothered)

1. In a large skillet, cook the beef till it turns brown and juice absorbed.

2. Then, add the onions and garlic to the beef and mix week for about 2-3 mins.

3. Add one cup of water, salsa, corn and taco seasoning. Stir well.

4. Add in pasta, taco sauce and tomato sauce.

5. Bring to boil and lower to medium heat and cover skillet with a lid.

6. Remember to stir ingredients every now and then.

7. After about 5-7 mins, add another 1 1/2 cup water and stir together and cover.

8. Cook until pasta is tender and continue to stir every now and then.

9. Remove from heat and cover entire skillet with the cheese and let it melt on its own. 

10. Add optional toppings or just serve like that. 

Ta da!!! One simple meal. Of course, for some fussy mummies.....you may serve some salad on the side which I normally do with some Japanese Sesame Dressing.

Give it a shot and feel free to drop me a line.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta

Honestly, I never knew there was ever a Cordon Bleu pasta and when I came across it, took a look at the recipe and went mmmmmmmmm........interesting. And what's best is that it is quite easy to make and while it's baking, one can run around the house and get some work done or like me.....get into the shower especially after a very long day.

And what's best? A hot meal after a good shower....and a quick one, ok? 

So here's the recipe for those pasta and cheese lovers....

Ingredients:- 

- Penne (enough to serve all at home)

- 2 cups heavy cream

- 230g cream cheese

- 1/2 tsp onion powder

- 1/2 tsp garlic salt

- 1 1/2 cup Emmental cheese or Swiss cheese as it's known 

- 2 chicken breasts, cooked and cut into strips 

- 3/4 cup bacon, cooked and chopped

- 3/4 cup diced ham

- breadcrumbs enough to sprinkle

1. Preheat oven to 180 degree Celsius

2. Cook pasta. Drain and set aside.

3. Heat cream cheese on low heat until melted. Stir in heavy cream. Stir until completely combined.

4. Add onion powder and garlic salt.

5. Stir 1 cup of cheese until smooth 

6. Oil the baking dish a little. In a 9x13, layer noodles, chicken, bacon and ham.

7. Pour sauce over the top.

8. Sprinkle top with 1/2 cup cheese and breadcrumbs.

9. Bake for about 15 mins

It's sooooooooo cheesy and it might be a little too much for some. For me, it was yum but I couldn't overtly have extras. The Swiss cheese is really ooooooooo..........

BBQ Sloppy Joes

This is another recipe I've gotten my hands on and it's been twice since I've cooked it and the verdict??? Yum!!! Caitlin loves it, my maid loves it and so do I. It's such an easy recipe to cook and what I like about it is that instead of serving it on burger buns......it is served on dinner rolls. Much smaller and easier to manage especially for kids.

A definite must try at home and with its size, it is even suitable for kiddie parties. I believe it will be an absolute hit.

So here's the recipe but adjust accordingly to how much you're cooking. Mine serves only about for 4 pax so I had to reduce some of the sauces and ingredients or it'll be too salty or too tangy.

- 2 tbsps vegetable oil

- Onions, roughly chopped to about a fist full

- 500g of lean mince beef (serves about for 4 pax) 

- 1 1/2 tbsps tomato paste

- 1/2 cup smoke BBQ sauce

- 1/4 ketchup

- 1 tbsp Worchestershire sauce 

- 1 tbsp soy sauce

- Fresh ground pepper

- 4 to 6 rolls or buns

1. Preheat oven to 180 degree Celsius

2. Heat the oil in a large skillet or pan. Cook onions until translucent and then add beef and cook until the liquid boils off and the meat browns. Should take about 5-10 minutes give and take.

3. Then, add tomato paste until meat is well coated. 

4. Add BBQ sauce, Worchestershire sauce, ketchup, soy sauce and pepper. Bring to boil until sauce thickens.

5. Slice buns or rolls into halves. Wrap each roll or bun in an aluminum foil and warm in oven for about 10 mins

6. Pour some meat into bun or rolls like a burger spread.

And.......eat!!! Have fun.

Spinach Chicken Alfredo French Pizza

Well, I tired out this recipe last month but couldn't update till recently so here it is. Another simple or very simple and easy recipe to make. And most importantly, it's a healthy way of having a pizza.

Ingredients:-

- 1-2 loaves of French breads, sliced into half lengthwise and halved as well

- Some olive oil for the pan or use cookie sheets

- 1/3 cup of Alfredo sauce, more if you wish

- 1/2 cup baby spinach leaves

- 1 large chicken breasts cooked and chopped or sliced

- 1/2 cup sliced mushroom

- 2 cups shredded Mozarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to 180 degree Celsius and at the same time grease a baking cookie pan or use cookie sheets

2. Spread Alfredo sauce on top of the French breads and spread generously.

3. Layer Spinach within your preference.

4. Layer sliced mushrooms within your preference

5. Layer chicken generously 

6. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese over the top.

7. Bake for about 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and slightly brown

It turned out awesome and my little one loved it and there were extras for her lunch the next day. I absolutely love simple recipes like these. Makes me love cooking even more.