Lasagna (or... as the brits spell it... Lasagne)

Lasagna is a hearty casserole that is much easier to prepare than it looks. Like almost every dish I talk about, this one too has a story. My love for lasagna started in my junior year at college (go Owls!). I had this roommate who's mom sent over some lasagna for us after she had spent the weekend at home. The lasagna was pretty darn good and better than most I had tried... I remember ranting and raving about how good it was. Many years later, I decided to give a recipe I found online a try, and VOILA!!!!

Here is what you need;

Ground beef or ground turkey
Onions (optional)
Tomato/spaghetti sauce
Lasagna pasta sheets
Part skim ricotta cheese (can substitute cottage cheese if you want)
Part skim shredded mozzarella cheese
Salt, pepper and Italian seasonings

What to do;

Step 1: Heat a pan, add cooking spray and brown the meat. Once browned, add thinly sliced onions (optional) and allow to cook about 5 minutes longer.



Step 2: Add the tomato/spaghetti sauce and seasonings and leave to cook on medium heat until it reaches a boil.



Step 3: Heat up water in a pot, add lasagna sheet and parboil (cook until tender but not all the way).



Step 4: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and then, grab a casserole dish. Place a layer of meat sauce at the bottom of the dish.



Step 5: Add a layer of lasagna pasta.



Step 6: Spread the ricotta cheese over the lasagna sheet and then sprinkle a layer of mozzarella.



Step 7: Repeat the layering steps (in that order), until dish is full. Finish with a layer of mozzarella and sauce.



Step 8: Cook in the oven for 30 - 45 minutes. The lasagna is done when the sides bubble over and the top layer slightly browns. Leave to cool down and set for about 10 minutes, then serve.

Result... a yummy dish that you can serve as dinner or lunch. Serve alone, or with a side of steamed veggies and garlic toast. Enjoy!!!!!!

Home-style country fried chicken

There would probably always be debates as to which fast food restaurant makes the best fried chicken. Be it KFC, Popeye's, Churchs' or your local mom and pop's. Every once in a while, we all crave that seasoned, battered fried chicken.

Satisfying as it might be, there was always 'that voice', reminding me how unhealthy fried chicken can be. This inspired me to come up with a somewhat healthy version - that trims the fat, without compromising on taste.

What you need:
Canola or vegetable oil for deep frying
Skinless chicken pieces (I prefer chicken thighs)
Flour
Spices (salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper, curry powder, thyme, seasoned salt/all purpose seasonings)

What to do:
Season chicken with a combination of spices (to your taste)
Allow to sit for at least an hour
Coat seasoned chicken with flour lightly
Heat up oil in a frying pan
Slowly drop chicken pieces in oil
Flip every 2-3 minutes making sure not to burn on either side, until cooked (it should take about 10-15 minutes depending on the size of each piece - poke with a fork to make sure cooked all the way)

How to serve:
Serve with your favorite sides. I chose to serve mine with corn on the cob, pesto pasta and coleslaw. Enjoy!

p.s - you can place on a baking sheet and cook in a 450 degree oven, flipping to make sure browned on all sides - instead of frying, to reduce the fat even further. Tastes great!

Italian herbs and garlic chicken

Dried spices are just as good!

Don't worry if you are not able to get your hands on some fresh garlic or basil or thyme or whatever. Or, maybe you just would rather buy the dried stuff because it has a much longer shelf-life. You can still prepare flavorful and tasty dishes.

Here is a recipe for what I call 'Italian herbs and garlic chicken'.

What you need:
Garlic powder
Italian seasoning
Salt
Black pepper
Chicken (I used skinless thighs and drumstick)

What to do:
Season chicken generously with garlic and italian seasonings
Add salt and pepper to your taste
Mix properly making sure chicken is covered properly in seasonings on all sides
Leave to marinate for 30 minutes to an hour (the longer, the intenser the flavor)
Place in a 450 degree Fahrenheit oven for 30 - 45 minutes (until cooked) - make sure to check every 10 minutes or so, and turn over - to prevent overcooking on either side.

Enjoy with coleslaw, fries, a baked potato, or whatever side you like!

Flavor Packed Stuffing

Stuffing is not just for Thanksgiving and Christmas!

Kraft makes a pretty decent stove top stuffing (my fav is the cornbread). Nice as it is following the directions on the box, I wouldn't be me if I didn't try to figure out a way to make it mine.

My suggestion: Jazz it up a bit by replacing the water with chicken stock (canned is fine). Add turkey bacon chopped up in bite sized pieces.

Result: A yummy side to serve with chicken, steak, turkey or whatever you like.

I love Calamari!

Five minutes away from my former residence, and across the 'Constitution Beach' in Boston, lies a simple but excellent place to eat. At 'Royal Roast Beef and Seafood', I expectantly order the fried calamari platter, served with your choice of fries or rice pilaf and coleslaw, which I am sure will tantalize my taste buds.

If you've read my other entries, you know that whenever I try something new, and I love it, I have to attempt to recreate it (or something similar). So... when I stumbled upon a really affordable bag of frozen calamari rings at the grocery store, the challenge was on!

My first attempt at friend calamari fell a little flat. The flour did not stick to the calamari, and although I was not 100% sure, I suspected that I had figured out what I had done wrong - the calamari needed to be patted dry before they were tossed in the flour.

A few weeks later, I embarked on my second attempt. This time, with a huge smile on my face, I had my 'eureka' moment. As a salute to 'Royal Roast Beef and Seafood', that evening, I enjoyed a scrumptious meal of fried calamari, herb roasted potatoes and sweet corn on the side.

Fried Calamari : Pat dry the defrosted calamari rings with a paper towel; Grab a bowl, and mix in some flour, salt and cayenne pepper; Heat up some cooking oil in a pan; Toss the calamari in the seasoned flour; Shake off the excess flour and dip individually in the heated oil - don't overcrowd; Cook on each side for about two minutes/until golden brown ; Drain on a paper towel.
Herb roasted potatoes : Wash medium sized red potatoes in a bowl; Cut up into bite sized pieces; Spray an oven safe dish with cooking oil; Place potatoes in the dish and season with Italian seasonings, black pepper and salt (use only about half of desired amount of seasonings); Mix properly and place in a 450degree Fahrenheit oven; Bake for about 20 - 25 minutes; Remove from oven, add the other half of seasonings and coat with cooking spray, then toss carefully; Place back in the oven for another 20-25 minutes or until cooked(starts to brown).

Serve the fried calamari with the potatoes and some heated up canned or frozen sweet corn or whatever vegetables you like. Enjoy!

* I served my meal on a paper plate to mirror the takeaway box I usually eat my fried calamari out of... lol!

Best Chicken Curry

I made my first chicken curry when I was about 15 or so. My mum had these British cooking books at home, and I often went through them imagining being able to prepare each and every meal some day.
However, my ability to actually prepare most of these meals was limited, as the ingredients that you can pick up from your local grocer in England are not quite the same in Nigeria or Cote d'Ivoire.
On one bored afternoon, as I was looking through the cookbooks one more time, I stumbled upon the chicken curry recipe and discovered that we actually had all the ingredients at home. Thanks to my dear mum, who indulged all my cooking experiments, starting that day, I added one more dish to my repetoire.
The recipe in the book included a few ingredients like diced apples, which acted as a thickening agent of sorts, which after years of experimenting, I have decided to leave out. Depending on my mood, I add ingredients such as diced red and green peppers, or carrots; and sometimes leave out flour, tomatoes or even coconut milk. However, the following is a simple and well tested recipe which will be a crowd pleaser.
Ingredients
Diced up chicken (preferably dark meat, although white meat is excellent too)
Spices (curry powder, cayenne pepper, salt, thyme, mixed spiced (seasoned salt), ground garlic, ground ginger)
Onions (diced)
Diced tomatoes ( 1 small tomato for 6-8 thighs)
Coconut milk (1/4 a cup)
Flour (about a leveled tablespoon)
Oil (about a tablespoon)
Water (1/2 a cup)
Preparation
Season the chicken with the combination of all spices and leave to marinate for at least an hour
Heat up pan and add oil
Add chicken and brown on all sides until tender (make sure completely cooked to your liking)
Add diced onion, cook until tender
Add tomatoes (optional), cook until tender
Add about a tablespoon of curry powder, mix thoroughly
Add coconut milk, stir
Dissolve flour in water and add to chicken
The curry sauce will start to thicken.... add more water if necessary
If necessary add salt, pepper and other spices to taste
Allow to simmer on low heat for 10 - 15 minutes continuously stirring.

Serve with white or brown rice and enjoy!

*I used chicken breast and added diced carrots to the one in the picture.
** I have used other recipes which pretty much involved tossing all of the ingredients in a pot and simmering on low heat, until the chicken is cooked.... works well for goat and lamb but not the best with chicken.

Semi-homemade mini pizza

The first time I made these pizzas was in July last year, for my sister's bday. I was thinking up ideas for appetizers, but didn't want anything too complicated or expensive.
Pizzas are really easy to make, but the toughest part is preparing the dough. As much as I love to cook, I am not one for waiting for yeast to rise, or kneading dough; and ready made pizza dough(if you find it), can be pretty expensive.
So... I decided to try 'biscuit dough'. I am always thinking of substitute ingredients.Pillsbury grands are pretty excellent for these, but any brand will do.

What you need:
I pack of biscuit dough (usually 8 in a pack)
Shredded mozzarella cheese (I use part-skim)
Pasta sauce or home made tomato sauce (I like to season mine with Italian seasoning)
Toppings - I love pepperoni (but have used turkey bacon and onions too)

Preparation:
Separate the biscuits, flattening each one to desired thickness
Place on a baking sheet/pan
Spread some sauce on each one
Add toppings (be careful not to pile too high)
Add as much cheese as desired, that can fit on each round

Bake in oven according to specified in the instructions for the biscuits - usually at 325 for about 20 mins.

It will be a crowd pleaser! Plus it looks all rustic, which is kinda cool!

p.s - note that the biscuits can be quite salty, so adjust salt in homemade sauce.
I used turkey bacon for the pizzas in the pic.
This is also a great meal to do with the kids.