Armoniche & Chunky Mushroom & Italian Sausages

Hubs bought this one day last week while we were doing groceries, we have never saw this type of pasta here, well maybe never been that obvious to us at least. I have no idea why he decided to buy it - but it means ME cooking it one day.

Today I decided to try it. And guess what? I like it! Armoniche is most likely designed after a gladiator's armour... and so I read. When cooked, it is soft and so easy to eat. I love the wavy texture, reminds me of mussles in a way...

Well I made this with a very simple sauce. Here goes....

Recipe

1 can pasta sauce (I used Prego's Basil, Garlic & Tomato)
4-5 coves garlic, sliced
Half of a large onion, chopped
Half of a carrot, finely chopped
1 celery stick, chopped
4 big fresh white button mushrooms, chopped
2 Italian sausages (I used Ayamas Italian), finely sliced
Half a cup of shredded cheese (I used mozzarella)

Half a packet or Armaniche pasta, boiled according to instruction.

Heat olive oil, stir fry garlic and onion until aromatic. Add the chopped vegetables, leaving the mushrooms until later. Add some water, about half a cup, let the carrots soften and then add pasta sauce. Add the mushrooms and sausages, stir. Add the cheese and stir.

Serve over the pasta and enjoy!

While Away

Hello world.

Inactively away from my favourite food blog, I have been very busy with my pregnancy, moving homes and study. With my 'kitchen' still packed in various boxes, it is sad that I can't do what I love doing - cooking and blogging about it.

My love...

While cooking may be my passion, I have recently gave birth to my daughter, the love of my life (besides hubba of course). She was born on 22 November 2010. We named her Almira Zahraa, meaning beautiful princess.

Wishing everyone a great year ahead and hope to see you all soon again.

Sardines with Mixed Vegetables

This is a simple healthy recipe I made for dinner tonight. Have been quite busy and pregnant-tired, I still cook sometimes, but more of simple foods that I can eat :-) Perhaps I shall add in some healthy recipes to cook during pregnancy in here..

Recipe:: Sardines with Mixed Vegetables

1 small can of sardines, including the tomato juice
1/4 carrot, thinly chopped
6 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 of a large red bell pepper (capsicum), roughly chopped
1/3 of a celery stick, thinly sliced
1 small red onion, chopped
1 green chili, sliced
1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
dash of black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

Easy and does not take much time.. heat up the pan with olive and fry the onions, tomatoes, carrots and celery until soften. Add the sardines along with its tomato juice. Throw in the rest of the ingredients in and stir, breaking the sardines to smaller pieces (don't totally mash them tho).
Serve while still hot with brown bread and a glass of cool juice.
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Sardines are very rich in iron, whilst the fresh tomatoes, celery, carrots and red pepper adds all the vitamins that is soo good to help our body absorb the iron. Not to mention this dinner is low in fat! :-)

Chocolate Chip Muffins

Hubs was asleep. We just came back from an almost full day outing, from breakfast to visiting my parents to shopping - it is hot, and driving home seemed like a long, long journey.. Zzzz.. All I wanted to do when I reach home is to just fall onto my comfy bed and doze off... Until ten minutes later, I just could not sleep or rest. And so I woke up, tried to organise some of my clothes and then thought, my kitchen. Some clean up would be good for the kitchen..

Then I stared at those baking pans and ingredients that Ihave not touched in a few months - since I got pregnant. What a waste it would be to just leave them until they expire... I have not had any mood to cook, not even a plain simple fried rice in 3 months since I found out I am pregnant. Well, before that I was busy studying for an exam. My blog has been left abandoned - till I baked my chocolate chip muffins today.

Here they are. My muffins. All nice and yummy. I placed one just beside hubs in the bedroom, he was half awake, and I told him, "There is a little present for you beside the bed when you wake up.". 5..4..3..2..1.. I heard him yelling at me that I made muffins? He he he... It is so nice to surprise someone you love when they least expect it, no?
:: Recipe Chocolate Chip Muffins ::

250gm plain flour
175gm castor sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tbp cocoa powder
90ml cooking oil
150ml milk
1 large egg
1tsp vanilla essence
1 cup chocolate chips (for sprinkling)

Preheat oven at 200 degrees C.

Mix the all of the ingredients (except chocolate chips) in a mixing bowl, the mixture will be watery.

Place cupcakes on a baking tray and pour the mixture, half full. Sprinkle some chocolate chips and bake until ready.

Baked Fish with Soy Dipping Sauce

Lately, been craving for fish. I loved the baked pomfret fish I made a few weeks back, and decided to have more. It's slightly different, especially the dipping sauce I made. It is very delicious and I bet you would really love it!

I would suggest to get medium sized fish for this, and the ikan kembung (Indian Mackerel) is perfect for this!

:: Baked Fish with Soy Dipping Sauce ::

5 Indian Mackerel (Ikan Kembung)
1 small lemongras, thinly sliced
10 thinly sliced lemon pieces
5 Daun Limau Purut (Kaffir Lime Leaves)
3 shallots, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon olive oil
Aluminium foil, enough to cover fish while baking

:: Soy Dipping Sauce ::
3 tablespoon kicap lemak manis (dark sweet soy sauce)
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1/4 large tomato, chopped
3 cili padi (Bird's eye chili), chopped
1 tablespoon lime juice

Preheat your oven (medium heat). Wash and trim fish. Rub oil and cover the fishes with turmeric powder, including the inside parts. Stuff the inside of the fish with some lemongrass, lime leaves and shallots.

On the aluminium foil, arrange some lemon slices and arrange fish on it. Add a few more lemon slices on top of the fish and seal the aluminium foil. You may want to leave a small hole on top to let off some stream.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the fish is cooked. Serve with dipping sauce.

To make the dipping sauce, combine all ingredients in a dipping sauce bowl.

Note:
Try it with your favourite fish.
You can add a small cut of banana leaf on the aluminium foil to give it more taste.