Pastarrefic!

I Love Garfield ..He's sooo adorable and funny :)
And there is something we have in common....

We both love ....FOOOOOOD..hehe



If garfield has a food checklist, so do I :)  I like shrimp, fish, veggies, chicken ..haaayy so much to mention but there is one thing that will always be in my toplist....



        P.A.S.T.A

Long before i tried and enjoyed different pasta dishes in Italian Restaurants and in Chilis ...I have my childhood pasta favorite. And this is the typical "pinoy style" -- the ispageti (spaghetti) which is basically sweet. Unlike Italian spaghetti, Filipino spaghetti runs on the sweet side because of added sugar. This childhood spaghetti of mine is very much available in one of the most popular "tindahan" (filipino variety store) in my neighborhood in Bicutan. Almost all people in Bicutan know "Tindahan ni Aling Remy" this store offers different breakfast meals like sopas (creamy noodle soup), lugaw (rice porridge) champorado (chocolate rice porridge), pancit guisado (filipino noodle dish) and  ispageti.

Now, my pasta evolution made me crave for more variety of pasta dishes.
And surprisingly, I began conquering the pasta world but this time inside my very own kitchen :) Come join me in my Pastareffic quest.

Let's take the first path...Preparation and cooking ...

Creamy Chicken Pasta

 I checked recipes in the internet and found Cajun Chicken Pasta recipe. I got so excited because it is almost like Chili's Cajun Chicken pasta. So I copied it but I made some changes by replacing some ingredients.I used corn oil instead of butter and  I just used the basic salt and pepper rather that cajun seasoning. And the secret to it's fantastic taste ---the parmesan cooked with the cream :)

            Try it and it will rock your taste buds ;) hehe

 

Recipe :

prep: 10mins / cook: 15mins / serving: 2

2 chicken breast fillet, skinless
1 tsp. cayenne pepper, 1/8 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp of fresh ground pepper for chicken seasoning
4 tbsp. corn oil
2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
8 ounces penne pasta, cooked al dente and drained

2 roma tomatoes, diced and 1 stalk spring onions for garnish

Procedure:
1. Season the chicken with salt, ground black pepper and cayenne pepper.
2. In a large skillet, put 2 tbsp of corn oil over medium heat.  Add the chicken and turn when needed. Make sure to check with a knife to make sure it is no longer pink.
3.  When the chicken is almost done, in a saucepan combine 2 tbsp. corn oil ,heavy cream, parmesan,salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.  When the cream mixture begins to bubble, add the pasta and remove from heat stirring well.
4.  Once chicken is cooked, cut thin strips on cutting board.  
5.  Spoon the pasta onto a plate and top chicken.
6. Garnish with diced tomatoes, spring onions and parmesan.

You can also serve it with a garlic toast on the side. 

And to complete my Pastareffic quest...here is the best ending :

                       My Mango-Tango Pie :)

Thanks for getting along ...now I'm off to my next kitchen adventure.




Weigh anchor! Hoist the mizzen!!!

Eats Easy and Eats Yummy :)

 

You dont have to be a chef or a cook to come up with a real good food..Who said so? Hmmm... at least ===> ME :) But I believe one must have to be an artist to achieve a " gastronomic delight "  And as I started indulging into kitchen business, I came up with this equation:
                        
               COOKING =ART

In art you've got line, shape, form, space, texture, value and color. Artists manipulate these elements, mix them in with principles of design and compose a piece of art.


These elements are also present in cooking, whereas you create lines and shapes whenever you slice or dice a vegetable or meat; you give your dish a presentable form; when you do your moves space is important  to establish a free-flowing working environment ; you ensure the freshness of your ingredients ,so their texture, value and color  are on your checklist. With all these elements in your cooking..Boom! A delicious feast for the taste buds :)
I love art ... I am an artist in many ways but performing arts is my forte. Dancing and theatre is my passion. And now, my love for art eventually brought me to cooking :)


By the way..i would like to present my very own Piece of Art :)

Spicy Vegetable Fried Rice with Tofu

This dish is easy to do and the ingredients are simple..
prep: 15mins / cook: 15-20 mins / serving: 2
Recipe :

1/2 onion sliced
1 small carrot diced
1 cup chicharo, trimmed    and sliced into halves
1 cup bean sprouts
1/4 cup kernel corn
1 spring onion, sliced
2 cups of cooked rice
100g pack firm tofu
1 egg
150g pack of spicy stir fry paste ( I chose Szechuan )
pinch of salt & pepper

1/4 cup corn oil ( for tofu frying)
2 tbsp corn oil for stir frying veggies


Procedure:

1.  Cook the rice for 10-15 mins.
2. While the rice is on,get a fry pan and deep fry the tofu until it's brown.
3. Then get a wok or large skillet, heat corn oil over high heat and add the Szechuan Stir-fry paste.Stir constantly. While continuing to stir, add successively the onions, carrots, bean sprouts, chicharo( snow peas ) and  spring onions, stir constantly for 2 mins.
4. Add in sliced chili to add up spicy kick in your dish(optional )
5. Slice the fried tofu into chunks and stir in to your veggies.
6. Add and stir in cooked rice and pour 1 beaten egg. Cook for another 2- mins until the flavor and all the ingredients are mixed well.
7. Season with salt and pepper then remove from heat.
8. Serve immediately. 

There you go...Spicy Vegetable Fried rice with Tofu!
Eat's Easy and Eat's Yummy :)

You can also top it with omellete. Me and my Schnucki loved it :)

Mmmmm..Busog-Sarap :)
Next Project : Creamy Pasta and Chicken