Dijon chicken linguine with mushrooms and almonds

- 175g fresh linguine 

- 2 chicken beasts, chopped

- 1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced

- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

- 2 cloves garlic

- salt and pepper to taste 

- 2 oz (4 tablespoons) dry white wine

- 1 cup cream 

- 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 

- 1/8 cup slivered almonds 

1. Heat the oil in a frypan and cook the chicken, garlic and season with salt and pepper. Remove and keep warm.

2. To the pan, add the wine. Simmer and reduce to 1/2. Add the cream, Dijon, salt and pepper.

3. Return the chicken and add the mushrooms. Simmer for 2 minutes. Mix in pasta and top with almonds. 

Chicken Parmesan meatball casserole

I wasn't sure how this would turn out because the meatball recipe seemed to look pretty bland. Not only is this recipe tasty, it's really filling too.

Meatballs:

- 450g chicken mince

- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs 

- 1 egg 

- 1/2 cup Parmesan

- 1/4 cup milk

Sauce:

- 450g pasta 

- 24oz marinara sauce

- 2 cups mozzarella 

1. Cook the pasta 1 minute less than the packet instructs. 

2. Preheat the oven to 230 degrees Celsius. Prepare the meatballs and bake for 10 minutes or until cooked.

3. Add the marinara sauce to a bowl and  Add the drained pasta and meatballs. Stir gently to coat. 

4. Spread 1/2 the mixture into your baking dish, too with mozzarella. Repeat and bake for 20 mins or until cheese has melted. 

Pan seared chicken with balsamic cream sauce

This dish, all I can say is yum! Also, I wouldn't mind this as the filling in a pie either. 

- 1 kg chicken, chopped

- 2 onions, cut into rings and separated 

- 900g mushrooms, sliced

- 1 cup chicken broth

- 2 cups cream

- 6 tablespoons olive oil

- 6 tablespoons butter

- 1 cup shaved Parmesan cheese 

- 6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

- salt and pepper to taste 

1. Sauté the onion in the butter until golden. 

2. Heat the oil and brown the chicken. Remove and keep warm.

3. Add the broth and whisk all the hits off the sides of the pan.

4. Add the cream and vinegar, along with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Add the mushrooms and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the chicken back in. 

6. Add the cheese and stir until melted. 

Mushroom and Asiago chicken

Until today, I had never heard of asiago cheese. Unfortunately my local supermarket doesn't sell it, but a substitute for it is Parmesan. (According to Google)

- 2 large chicken breasts, bashed out thin 

- 2 cups mushrooms, sliced

- 1 clove garlic

- 3 sprigs Thyme

- 1.5 cups dry white wine

- 2 tablespoons butter

- 2 tablespoons olive oil 

- 1/2 cup cream

- 1/2 cup Asiago (or Parmesan) cheese

- salt and pepper to taste 

1. Heat the butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil in a fry pan and cook the chicken. Once cooked, remove and keep warm.

2. Add the rest of the oil to the frypan and add the mushrooms and garlic.

3. Add the wine and thyme.

4. Add the chicken back in the frypan and bring to boil. Simmer covered for 15-20 mins. 

5. Add the cream and heat through. Add the cheese and cook stirring until the cheese melts and the sauce is reduced by 1/2. 

Zucchini Lasagne

- 250g creamed ricotta cheese 

- 250g cottage cheese 

- Parmesan cheese

- mozzarella cheese 

- 2 zucchini 

- tomato pasata 

- fresh lasagne sheets

- salt and pepper to taste 

1. In a bowl, combine the cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, and a little Parmesan (to your liking) together. Slice your zucchini. (Not too thick).

2. Place a little pasata on the bottom of your baking dish.

3. Top with a lasagne sheet.

4. Top with a little cheese mixture.

5. Top with zucchini and season.

6. Repeat these layers until you reach the top of your dish, ending with a lasagne sheet. 

7. Cover sheet with a little pasata and mozzarella cheese. 

8. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius until cheese is browned to your liking. 

Caribbean water

Even my mum who hardly drinks, enjoyed this cocktail too

6 shots lemon lime soda
1 shot midori
1.5 shots malibu

mix all ingredients in your drinking glass and top with lemon lime soda.

emerald city

This drink is delicious

2 shots malibu
1 shot midori
5 shots blue curacao
1.5 shots sweet and sour mix
lemonade

mix all ingredients together in your drinking glass and top with lemonade. 

electric lemonade

3/4 shot vodka
3/4 shot blue curacao
1 shot sweet and sour mix
lemonade

mix all ingredients in your drinking glass and top with lemonade. 

sex in the driveway

1 shot peach schnapps
1 shot blue curacao
2 shots vodka
lemonade

mix all ingredients in your drinking glass and top with lemonade

sea bottom

I was honestly surprised with the taste of this drink. The taste reminded me of a spider (coke float).

1 shot vodka
1 shot irish cream
1 shot blue curacao
5 shots cola

Fill your drinking glass with the ingredients in tbe listed order. 

the ultimate girly drink

1 shot malibu
1 shot vodka
1 shot cranberry juice
1 shot orange juice

combine all ingredients in your drinking glass. 

liquid valium

The names of some of the these cocktails make me laugh... liquid valium, liquid marijuana,  wonder who came up with the names?

1 shot vodka
1/2 shot blue curacao
equal parts sweet and sour mix and lemonade

mix all together in your drinking glass. 

liquid marijuana

I absolutely adore this cocktail

1/2 shot malibu
1/2 shot bacardi
1/2 shot blue curacao
1/2 shot midori
equal parts sweet and sour mix and pineapple juice

mix all together in your drinking glass. 

blue hawaii

Ok, so when I made this cocktail, I think I put in too much sweet and sour mix because instead of my drink staying blue, it turned green.

3/4 shot malibu
3/4 shot blue curacao
splash pineapple juice
splash sweet and sour mix

mix all liquids in your drinking glass. 

Blue Balls

1/2 shot malibu
1/2 shot blue curacao
1/2 shot peach schnapps
1/4 shot sweet and sour mix
lemonade

combine all liquids in your drinking glass. Top with lemonade

oriental salad dressing

3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon pepper
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 cup peanut oil

blend all ingredients together well.

This dressing can be stored in a jar in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

lemon vinaigrette

1/3 cup olive oil
juice of 1 large lemon
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 small clove garlic

whisk all ingredients together 

pesto creme friache

This goes well with pasta or chicken.

1/4 cup firmly packed basil leaves
1/2 clove garlic
1 tablespoon pinenuts
1 tablespoon finely grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
100g creme friache

1. Process the basil, garlic, pine nuts, and cheese until smooth.
2. In a small bowl, gently stir the basil mixture into the creme friache. 

creamy avocado

1 large avocado
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 cup yoghurt
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic
3/4 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients in a blender until creamy.
Taste to adjust seasonings. 

south Carolina mustard bbq sauce

This sauce is bursting with flavour, but a warning though, it is also bursting with spiciness!

- 1/2 cup yellow mustard
- 1/8 cup honey
- 1/8 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste

mix all ingredients well.

creamy Italian dressing

- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1.5 teaspoons oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon parsley
- 1 clove garlic
- salt and pepper to taste

whisk all ingredients together until smooth. Season with salt and pepper

beetroot hummus

Now that the weather is warming up, I like to turn to salads, fruits and vegetables to eat. This twist on hummus is nice and fresh and goes well with celery and carrot sticks.

- 1 medium roasted beetroot, peeled and diced
- 15oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon tahini paste
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste

Blend all ingredients together until smooth. Add more olive oil if it is too thick.

mango salad dressing

- 1 mango, peeled and chopped
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- salt and pepper to taste

blend all ingredients together well. If it is too thick, add a little more orange juice.