paramesan chicken in spaghetti

I was reading my daily email from a subscription of Simply Recipes when this article caught my attention. I have all the ingredients in my pantry plus the instruction is very easy...so i gave it a go...this then is our dinner for tonight. I've made a few revisions with the original recipe.
SIMPLE, EASY AND YUMMY!

the way i want my pasta to be..try it!

SAUCE:

1 large yellow onion, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp olive oil

1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes

1 tsp. oregano

pinch of red pepper flakes

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

2 tbsp brown sugar

CHICKEN BREADING:

4 chicken fillet

salt and pepper

1 egg

1 cup breadcrumbs

1 cup paramesan cheese

1/2 cup olive oil

8 oz mozarella cheese

1. For the sauce: Saute the onions and garlic. Add the crushed tomatoes and dried oregano. Simmer. Add the sugar, red pepper flakes and fresh basil. Cook uncovered 10-12 minutes.

2. Season chicken fillet with salt and pepper. Dip in egg and into the breadcrumbs. Pan fry 3 minutes each side or until golden brown.

3. Arrange in a baking dish with the sauce at the bottom. Topped each chicken fillet with mozarella and paramesan cheese. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

4. Serve with spaghetti.

chicken braised in cider with caramelized apples

Wow, can't believe how long time it's been since my last entry. I've been so busy with so many stuff but now that i have some time off from school i just have to update this baby i created 2 years ago.

One of the many chefs that i adore is chef Gordon Ramsey, watching him from Hell's Kitchen isn't enough that i had to get his books. I'm amazed how simple they were to follow and create. This recipe is from one of his books GORDON RAMSEY'S WORLD KITCHEN. You have got to try this..yummy and creamy dish.

In French, this dish is called, POULET A LA NORMANDE...bon appetite!

1 kg. chicken

3 tbsp olive oil

2 thin rash bacon, chopped

300 ml cider

100 ml calvados or brandy

250 ml double cream

2-3 apples

30 g butter

1-2 tsp caster sugar

30 g walnuts, toasted and lightly crushed

salt and pepper

handful of flat-leaf parsley, leaves chopped

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a wide flameproof casserole until hot. Brown the chicken in batches for 2-3 minutes on each side until evenly colored, removing the pieces to a plate when they are ready

2. Add the bacon to the casserole and fry until lightly golden brown. Pour in the cider and Calvados, bring to a boil and let bubble until reduces by 1/3. stir in the cream and thyme leaves.

3. Return the chicken to the casserole, put the lid and place in the oven. Braise for 30-45 minutes until the chicken is tender and just cooked through; remove the breast pieces after 20-25 minutes to avoid overcooking and return them for the last 5 minutes to warm through.

4. Before service, peel, core and thickly slice the apples into rings. Melt the butter in a large frying pan. Sprinkle the apple slices with sugar and fry them in the butter for about 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown.

5. then the chicken is ready, remove the pieces to a warm plate. If you find the sauce too thin, boil it until reduced and thickened to the desired consistency. Season to taste with salt, pepper and a little lemon juice.

6. Return the chicken to the sauce and garnish with the caramelized apples. Sprinkle the walnuts and chopped parsley on top before serving.

chicken shepherd's pie

this is my very first attempt of making a shepherd's pie...thanks to jenny of picky palate one of the many great food blogs that i admire. i have read several recipes for this dish but it was in her post that made it sound so easy. although i have made several replacements for her ingredients since i want to make use of what's available in my pantry. i'm just so happy with the result...oozing creaminess and deliciousness...you've got to try it!!!

oozing with creaminess...hot from the oven....yummmm goodiness!!!!

Mashed Potato Topping

4 pcs large peeled cubed potatoes

½ stick butter

1 Cup shredded mozzarella cheese

¾ Cup warm milk

1 ¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

Meat and Vegetable Layer

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

500 gms cubed chicken breast

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

1 225 gms can green beans, drained

1 225 gms garbanzos, drained

1 415 gms corn kernel, drained

1 250 gms tomato sauce

1 140g chorizo bilbao

1 green and red bell pepper, cubed

1. Place potatoes in a pot with enough water. Boil for 15-20 minutes or until fork-tender. Mash in a blender and add all the remaining ingredients. Set aside.

2. Heat pan with olive oil and saute onions. Stir-fry the chicken breast. Season with salt, pepper and add the chorizo bilbao. Mix the green beans and garbanzos. Cook for 5 minutes before adding the tomato sauce. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Blend in the red and green bell pepper. Lastly the corn kernel. Taste and adjust seasoning according to your preference.

3. Pour chicken mixture in a baking dish. Topped with mashed potaotes and bake for 15-20 minutes.

Rice porridge (lugaw) to the rescue~

i'm always fascinated with rains~somehow it always gives a really good feeling...and so 3 days ago i was feeling high with the sound of raindrops, cool breeze of air..i was all perked up thinking what dishes i can whip up in this cold weather when i got the flu bug...suddenly i was not enjoying the climate anymore and worst of all i couldn't taste anything that i eat(what a bummer!)...i had to practically drag myself out of bed and conjure something to make it all go away...so i decided the usual stuff that i make when someone gets sick...rice porridge (lugaw)...i sauteed the strips of chicken breast in lots of ginger( to help heal my sore throat) and garlic in sesame oil before adding the rice and chicken stock. i added fish sauce to give it a flavor...simmer in low fire...added freshly minced parsley and kani sticks shortly before turning off the fire...it's amazing how much it gives a boost of energy when you're feeling tired and low...