Chicken Lasagna

Lasagna was always one of those things on the menu that I was in awe of. Considering I dint know how to pronounce it when I looked at the spelling!  Oh puleez, stop raising your eyebrows and shaking your head in disbelief. That was eons ago! I know how to say it now ‘La-zan-ya’. There. Can we move past this now? Layers of pasta, cheese, meat and sauce - looked complicated! (Ok Ok … NOW I know its nothing but assembly line work). If you have all the components in place you really just need to stand there and go into a trance like state where you slop on pasta, meat, white sauce and cheese in a never-ending sequence. (Again I exaggerate – till you have reached the top of the baking dish is more like it). It does give you a very satisfying feeling at the end of it … mindless repetitive work always takes me into zen mode. (Ask me more about that meditative technique later). For the time being it’s safe to say, make this lasagna for a fleeting feeling of bliss and a longer lasting satisfaction from the big portions that will inevitably land up in your stomach. Say it with me ‘La-zan-ya’.

Chicken Lasagna

Prep time: 25 mins

Cooking time: 25 mins

Serves: 4-6

What you need:

6 no pre-cook required Lasagna sheets

400 gms Chicken mince

100 gms Mozzarella cheese

2 Tbsp Olive oil

6 cloves Garlic, minced

2 Onions, finely chopped

1 tsp Chilli flakes

2 Tomatoes finely chopped

2 Tbsp Tomato Puree

2 Tbsp Tomato ketchup

½ tsp Sugar

1 tsp Basil

1 tsp Oregano

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 portion Cheese Sauce (1 ½ cup milk, 1 ½ Tbsp butter, 3 Tbsp Flour, ½ tsp salt, ½ cup grated Cheddar)

What to do:

Prepare cheese sauce. Keep aside. (Click for recipe http://foodforswaps.blogspot.com/2009/11/pasta-with-peppers-in-cheese-sauce.html). Heat oil in a pan. Add garlic and sauté for a minute on low heat. Toss in minced onion and sauté till transluscent. Add chilli flakes, basil and oregano. Add tomatoes and sauté for 3 mins. Toss in the puree and ketchup and heat through for 2 mins. Add the chicken mince and cook till done.

Preheat oven to 180°C. To assemble – grease a baking dish (9”X9”). Spread a layer of white sauce, then arrange a lasagna sheet. (No pre cook required sheets are a blessing!) Spread the chicken mixture and top with some grated mozzarella. Repeat the layers till you land up with a lasagna sheet. Now top with the remaining white sauce and cheese. Bake the assembly for 25 mins. (or according to time instructions on the lasagna packet). Serve bubbling hot. But blow on it before shoving a spoonful into your mouth!

Everyday Chocolate Cake

What is it about chocolate cake that makes men go weak in the knees? (Women as well… excuse the gender bias!). I am not the biggest chocolate fan… though my friends would beg to disagree. But I can honestly tell you, you can get away with murder if you offer someone a slice of chocolate cake. (OK, maybe not murder but a parking ticket for sure!). I won’t wax eloquent about the awesomeness of chocolate… some things are better experienced. This recipe is for the ‘easiest chocolate cake’ that you can whip up, to receive praise from one and all. Trust me, I have husband, siblings, friends and collegues who have fallen for its charm. My weapon of choice.

Everyday Chocolate Cake

Prep time: 20 mins

Cooking time: 30 mins

Serves: 6-8

What you need:

1 cup Flour

3 Tbsp Cocoa Powder

½ cup Butter

¾ cup Sugar

2 Eggs

1/3 cup Milk

1 tsp Baking powder

¼ tsp Soda Bicarbonate

1 tsp Vanilla essence

a pinch of Salt

Chocolate sauce to serve

What to do:

Preheat oven to 180°C. Ensure all your ingredients are at room temperature. Grease a 9” tin with butter. Finely sieve flour, baking powder, soda and cocoa. Keep aside. Mix vanilla essence in the milk. Keep aside. Cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy in a big bowl. (Electric mixer on low then moving to high or use a whisk). Add room temperature eggs one at a time and beat for 30 seconds after each egg. Beat till everything comes together. 

Now slowly beat the sifted dry ingredients into the egg and butter mixture in three batches, adding the milk between each flour batch. Start and end with the flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as required, and ensure that the batter is evenly mixed. Do not over beat.

Pour the batter into the greased tin and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 30 mins or till a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (Please note that I use a convection oven, increase the time on a regular oven to 35 mins). Remove and allow to cool on a wire rack. Drizzle chocolate sauce and enjoy!

Fluffy Cheese Omlette

One of the most satisfying things you can have for brekkie is a nice cheese omelette. (Yes…I like this spelling in comparison to the plain old ‘omelet’). Its feels decadent but it’s very healthy, And it’s definitely more inspiring than just plain toast and orange juice. No kidding, but a cheese omelette is considered special breakfast in my place. I always make it when my sister spends the night at my place and we have lazy conversations over it the next morning. Whip it up on any day in under 5 mins and I ensure it will sit pretty and happy in your stomach till lunch break.

Fluffy Cheese Omelette

Prep time: 2 mins

Cooking time: 5 mins

Serves: 1

What you need:

2 Med Eggs

1 Tbsp Water

25gm/ 1 cube of Cheese (Cheddar)

A dash of Butter

Salt and freshly ground Pepper

What to do:

Ensure the eggs are at room temperature. Crack them open into a bowl, add a tablespoon of water and whisk to get some air into the mixture and till the white and yellows are nicely blended. (NOT stiff!) Heat a non stick pan. Smear some butter to grease the pan. Pour the egg mixture in. Reduce the heat to low. Let the eggs just start to set. Grate the cheese onto one half of the omlette. When the egg looks about set, fold the non cheese part over the cheese half, so that you have a nice semi circle. Pat the edges down so that it seals the contents in. Wait till it starts to fluff up (30 secs). Season with salt and pepper. Now slide the omlette into a plate and enjoy a sunny morning!! 

Coq Au Vin with a Twist

 Coq Au Vin simply means Chicken in Wine. The French sure know how to make simple things sound so ooh-la-la. Traditionally Coq Au Vin is made with red wine and mushrooms. This recipe however is made with white wine and green olives. The result is simply delish! Use chicken pieces with the skin on - this gives it a lovely brown color on the outside, while keeping the flesh inside nice and juicy. Serve it with some mashed potatoes or some buttered carrots to make a complete meal. This takes 50 mins tops to make, so if you want to impress the family on a weekday… I’d say go for it.

Coq Au Vin with a Twist

Prep time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 40 mins

Serves: 4

What you need:

1 kg Chicken, cut into serving pieces

1 Onion, sliced

12 Garlic cloves, to taste, crushed

1 tsp dried Thyme

2 cups dry white wine

1 cup pitted Green Olives (16-18)

1 bay leaf

1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

1-2 Tbsp Butter

Salt and Black Pepper

What to do:

Heat a deep heavy frying pan. When hot, add a splash of oil and set the chicken pieces skin side down. Cook over medium heat until browned, about 10 mins. Turn and brown the other side, 5-8 mins more. Transfer the chicken pieces to a plate ans set aside.

Drain the excess fat from the frying pan, leaving about 1 Tbsp. Add the sliced onion and ½ tsp salt and cook until soft, about 5 ins. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for a minute more. Add the wine and stir, scraping up any bits that cling to the pan. Bring to the boil and boil for a minute. Stir in the olives. Return the chicken pieces to the pan. Add the bay leaf and season lightly with pepper. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 20-30 mins.

Transfer the chicken pieces to a warmed plate. Stir the lemon juice into the sauce. Whisk in the butter to thicken the sauce slightly. Spoon over the chicken and serve.

Spirulina Spaghetti with Garlic Butter

Spirulina is a blue-green algae which is being developed as the superfood of the future. Spirulina is 70% complete protein in comparison to beef which is only 22% - it has all amino acids in complete balance. That being said, you can imagine why I fell for the fancy all organic packing of the spirulina spaghetti. I thought I’d toss it with Garlic butter to serve as a simple sauce so that the flavor of the spirulina can shine through. And shine through it did… actually all I could taste was the spirulina! It was a completely new taste on my palate… sea like, veggie like, earth like.... I don’t like!!! The co-resident graciously took a small portion and insisted that he was really full. I on the other hand had to prove that I had an iron gut and frankly bit off more than I could chew! On the whole … what’s life without a little jolt to the palate once in a while?? Recommended for the earth mother loving organic farming people who are definitely going to heaven. I on the other hand, will ch-ease my way through hell.

Spaghetti with Garlic Butter

Prep time: 5 mins

Cooking time: 20 mins

Serves: 2

What you need:

250 gms Spirulina Spaghetti/ 400 gms Fresh Home-made Pasta

15 cloves of Garlic, minced

50 gms Butter

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Grated Parmesan to serve

What to do:

Boil the Spaghetti in water according to the instructions on the packet. Heat the oil in a saucepan, add butter and wait till it bubbles. Toss in the minced garlic and sauté for a minute. Turn off the heat, so that the garlic slowly releases its flavor in the oil. Toss with the boiled and drained spaghetti. Season with salt and pepper. Grate some parmesan and serve hot!

Note: This recipe is fabulous with fresh home-made pasta for a quick first course or to serve on the side of a more elaborate dish.