A NEW IDEA

So, while I've been looking for new recipes to cook and taste, I got an idea. There are so many different recipes out there and some I thought I'd never try, so, to try and make my choices as mixed up as I could, I have decided to travel around the world via my kitchen. 

Each week, I will be cooking 6 dishes (which will be my dinners), and 1 sweet (to satisfy that sweet tooth mine) from 1 country. 

These countries will be chosen by random... I have written a list of around 70 different countries, and I just drop my finger to one with my eyes shut. 

Pepper Steak

A few years ago, I made a pepper steak, but it blew our heads off! it was coated in black pepper corns and i mean COATED. When I saw this recipe and that it only had 1 teaspoon of pepper, I had to try it.

- 250g beef strips
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1/2 green capsicum, julienned
- 1/2 red capsicum, julienned
- 1/2 onion
- 1 1/2 cloves garlic
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3/4 cup beef broth
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon pepper

1. In a bowl, combine cornstarch, broth,  and soy sauce and set aside.

2. In a frypan, heat the oil and cook the steak. Add the capsicum and onion and cook for 2 minutes.

3. Add the garlic and broth mix. Bring to the boil for 2 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Sprinkle liberally with pepper. 

Bolognaise Sauce

For so many years, I have always wanted to make a bolognaise sauce from scratch instead of using the jar sauce. I'm glad I did, because while it doesn't look like there much stuff in it, it is very tasty.

- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1/2 kg mince      
- 1/2 onion
- 2 teaspoons garlic
- 200g tomato paste
- 1 small tin diced tomatoes
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon italian herbs

1. Heat oil in a large frypan and cook the mince until brown. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 3 minutes.

2. Add the tomato paste and mix for 2 minutes. Pour in the wine and simmer for 2 minutes, continually stirring.

3. Add the rest of the ingredients.

4. Cover with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes. Add a little water if it needs thinning. 

Coq au Riesling

This was the first time I had ever tasted riesling and wasn't sure how it would go with chicken, with it being sweet. I have only used 'dry' wine before. But talk about mouth watering delicious!

- 25g butter
- splash of olive oil          
- 1 onion
- 65g bacon, diced
- 2 cloves garlic
- 4 chicken pieces on the bone
- 125 mushrooms
- 1 cup riesling
- 1/2 cup cream
- salt and pepper


1. Melt the butter and oil together in a frypan.

2. Cook the chicken until brown and remove.

3. Cook the onion bacon together. Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds.

4. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes.

5. Add the cooked chicken and wine and allow to come to the boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

6. Uncover, turn up the heat, add the cream and simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. 

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

I liked this dish a little bit, as, I think it was in the refried beans (or sauce, I've never had that sauce before either), it had a small taste of cloves. I don't like cloves. but it was still eatable.

- 200g chicken
- 1 1/4 cups enchilada sauce    
- 3-4 small flour tortillas
- 1/2 can refried beans


1. Cook and shred your chicken.

2. Preheat oven to 190 degrees celcius. Spread a few tablespoons of the sauce onto the bottom of a glass baking dish. Cover entirely with 1/2 the tortillas. Continue the layering with beans, chicken, cheese, sauce, and tortillas.

3. Cover the top with the remaining sauce and 1/2 the cheese. Cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes, then uncover for an extra 5 minutes until the cheese has started to brown. 

Chicken Yakisoba

I have seen this recipe a few times now, and always amused by the name 'yakisoba'. I finally decide to try it, and it's not yucky at all!

- 1/4 green cabbage
- 1/2 medium onion
- 1 carrot                      
- 1/2 small crown of broccoli
- 1 inch ginger, grated
- 1/2 large chicken breast
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 packet ramen noodles, minus seasonings
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Worcestshire sauce
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1/4 teaspoon hot chilli sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon sugar



1. Prepare your meat and vegetables for stir fryimg. Boil your noodles in a pot of boiling water.

2. Heat the oil, add the ginger, and stir fry for 30 seconds. Add the chicken and cook until cooked through.

3. Add the rest of the vegetables and cook until they have wilted.

4. Drain the soft noodles, and put them back into the same pot along with the sesame oil.

5. In a small jug, combine the soy sauce, Worcestshire sauce, ketchup, chilli sauce and sugar until it is dissolved.

6. Pour the sauce over the vegetables and add the noodles. 

Chicken Tetrazzini

The picture of this recipe looked really yum, and kind of juicy. When I pulled my dish out after following the recipe, it appeared quite dry. Although looking dry, I must say it was still quite delicious.

- 1/2 cup cooked chicken
- olive oil spray                    
- 1/2 tablespoon almonds
- 3/4 cup mushrooms, sliced
- 1/4 cup red capsicum
- 1/2 teaspoon chicken stock powder
- 3oz spaghetti
- 2 tablespoons flour
- pinch of salt and pepper
-  6oz can evaporated milk
- 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon dry sherry
- 1/4 cup water


1. Cook the spaghetti according to packet directions.


2. Fry up the mushrooms and capsicum in a small amount of water until tender. Drain well.


3. In a jar, shake together the 1/4 cup water and flour and shake well until combined. Stir into the vegetables.


4. Stir in the milk, stock powder, salt and pepper. Cook until it has slightly thickened and bubbly. Stir in the cooked spaghetti, chicken, cheese, and sherry.


5. Lightly coat a baking dish with oil spray. Spoon the spaghetti mixture into it, sprinkle with almonds, and bake at 200 degrees celcius for about 10 minutes.