Italian Baked Chicken

You won’t have any leftovers with this delicious baked chicken with a crunchy herbed breadcrumbs coating. 

Let’s talk about chicken today.

It’s cold out and I bet you want something hot for dinner tonight. Something hot that is still easy to make on a weeknight and easy on the pocket.

Hey, Christmas is coming and we all have to save some money right?

Some months back, I came across this heavenly Italian Baked Chicken recipe from Samantha over at Five Heart Home. She has a lovely blog and you should definitely check it out if you haven’t already.

This recipe is absolutely amazing. Truly. You have to trust me here.

As with the recipe I shared previously for Baked Salmon with Spicy Coriander Sauce, once again, your blender and oven will do most of the work for you! I used chicken thighs as they are extremely cheap and I happen to love them. I also baked them with the skin on for a bit of sinful indulgence. You can always remove the skin if you prefer.

For the breadcrumbs, I had made them previously and had a batch frozen in the freezer. It was as easy as defrosting some for this dish. I have included the recipe for the herbed breadcrumbs here but to be honest, I used approximates and I just used a mixture of fresh herbs that I had on hand. Feel free to add or subtract as you choose. I recommend making a big batch and freezing up the leftovers as I guarantee you will be making this dish again.

Baked Salmon with Spicy Coriander Sauce

Give baked salmon an Asian twist with this spicy coriander based sauce.

Hello everyone!

I feel like I have been missing from my little blog for a very long time. I am so happy to be able to be back blogging today!

Since the last post I am proud to report that I have successfully run my very first marathon at the Berlin Marathon. I am so blessed that everything went well and I had so much fun. It was definitely one of the happiest days of my life. Just pure unbridled joy – it’s difficult to describe. I guess mostly it really is just conquering all my little demons and proving to myself that I could do it. I am now looking ahead to my next Marathon in London in April 2015.

Easy & Tasty Banana Muffins with Almond Streusel

Super quick, easy and tasty banana muffins with a hint of cinnamon and topped with almond streusel.

Hello everyone!

I happened to chance upon a fantastic banana muffin recipe and I can’t wait to tell you all about it.

This was a chance find on Pinterest. I always find that the best recipes seem to find you instead of you going on an extensive hunt for them. So anyway, you know I love my banana bread and muffins and I have shared my “All- Time Favourite” banana muffin with chocolate chunks and hazelnuts recipe here on Nomsies Kitchen previously.

I do believe that I have now found another recipe to add to the perfect banana muffins recipe list – this super quick, easy and tasty banana muffins topped with almond streusel. It has a touch of cinnamon added in the batter too, I always love the smell of cinnamon in baked goods. I also used a mixture of wholemeal and plain flour here.

Again, with most of my favourite recipes, it is super easy to make and does not require an electric mixer. Just whisk the wet ingredients by hand and add them to the dry ingredients. What a breeze!

Maybe that is not entirely accurate as the almond streusel does require a food processor – to simplify and quicken the process. Like with most of the times when I have used streusel in a recipe, I have always pre-made the streusel in advance. I have mentioned this previously and I am emphasising it again, it is so easy to make in a big batch and freeze in the freezer. It’s even easier if you divide the batch into single portions and bag each portion up. When you need to use it for a recipe, simply take that bag out of the freezer and thaw out in the fridge overnight or on the kitchen counter for a couple of hours before using.

Small forward planning steps in the kitchen go a really long way, as does utilising your freezer to its fullest. If you don’t believe me, just ask Jaime Oliver who has launched a whole new series entitled “Money Saving Meals” and book on how to make budget friendly meals, reduce wastage and utilise your freezer to its full potential.

I hope you try this banana muffins recipe for yourself. If you are feeling indulgent, you should know that these muffins taste really good when warmed, halved and slathered with Nutella. I think it would be a good idea to just fill them with Nutella next time I bake them. Happy baking!

Roasted Green Beans with Panko and Lemon

Lovely vegetarian dish of roasted green beans topped with crisp panko and drizzled with lemon juice.

Hello and Happy Wednesday!

We are in the middle of yet another week and the end of July. How time flies! I am really enjoying and have been making the most of it by going for bike rides and lazy barbecues.

Today I am going to be sharing a vegetable and vegetarian recipe. I chanced upon this recipe from Oh My Veggies while on my daily Pinterest sprees. This is such a lovely side it is one veggie dish that will have you asking for more.

I like that the green beans are simply roasted. While the beans are roasting away, you fry the Panko with some olive oil and garlic to brown and crisp it up. Once the green beans are done, toss the panko over and finish with some lemon zest and juice. The panko really adds a wonderful crunchy texture to the green beans and the fresh lemon zest and juice just lifts the flavours and makes this one delicious dish. I have not seen green beans disappear off the plate so quickly before!

Spicy Nonya Fried Rice

If you like your fried rice with a twist, this is the recipe for you. Super savoury and slightly spicy, this is my favourite fried rice recipe! 

Hello!

Here is another Nonya recipe for you. It is a recipe for spicy Nonya fried rice. I must say it is my favourite fried rice recipe because it is so flavourful and really hits the spot.

I have previously given a little insight on Nonya cuisine and its origins. You can read about that in my post for Nonya Chicken Curry.

This recipe’s Nonya influence is evident in its use of dried prawns and lots of shallots and garlic. It also calls for a tablespoon of chilli paste.

If you are afraid of spicy food, you can always reduce the chilli in the recipe or omit it altogether. I have not cooked it without chilli before so I am unable to comment on whether that will have an impact on the taste.

On the other hand, if you can handle your spicy food, you might want to add an additional tablespoon of chilli paste.

Coffee Cake with Almond Streusel (Updated Version)

I thought of sharing an updated version of this coffee cake with almond streusel. I previously posted this in January 2014. This time, I used crème fraiche instead of sour cream and Baileys Cream. I also added a layer of streusel inside the cake. Hope you like it just as much!

Hello and a very happy Wednesday to you!

Have you been busy baking or do you firmly believe in not using the oven during the summer heat? As for me, I do not mind using the oven in the heat. After all, I am originally from a tropical country.

In any event, I thought of sharing an updated version of this coffee cake with almond streusel. I had previously posted this in January of this year. This time round, I used crème fraiche instead of a combination of sour cream and thick Baileys Cream. I also added a layer of almond streusel inside the cake. The last change I made was adhering to grand master Thomas Keller’s original instructions of finishing off the cake with a dusting of icing sugar, cocoa powder and cinnamon.

What did all the changes result in? Here is my conclusion.

I didn’t think the texture of the cake changed much with the use of crème fraiche, it was just as soft and fluffy. In any event, the original recipe does state that you can use either crème fraiche or sour cream.

However, I love streusel and the addition of more streusel inside the cake makes it even better, I love how the streusel on the inside is all melted and adds flavour to the cake whereas the streusel on top still gives it a lovely crunch. The added cinnamon and cocoa powder also provides a nice flavour and smell.

For the technical aspects of the cake, this time I also followed the original instructions from Thomas Keller and piped the batter into the cake tin instead of spooning it all in. To be honest, I am not sure if it made a big difference. Both times, this cake has come out very evenly. So, perhaps next time I will skip this step. Anything that saves on washing up is good.

All in, this is definitely a perfect tea time cake. Soft and fluffy cake texture with delicious almond streusel inside and on top.

As mentioned before, if you need to make the almond streusel afresh, do give yourself some extra time as the almond streusel must be rested and chilled for at least 2 hours before you use it.

Savoury Yam Cake

This is a savoury breakfast food, snack or even tea time treat that is very popular in Malaysian-Chinese cooking. It is made out of a batter consisting of yam and rice flour which is then steamed and topped with a range of savoury toppings including crispy shallots, sesame seeds, and scallions. Best eaten with sriracha sauce!

Hello!

This Monday I am sharing a recipe for Yam Cake.

Yam cake is a savoury breakfast food, snack or even tea time treat that is very popular in Malaysian-Chinese cooking. It is made out of a batter consisting of yam and rice flour which is then steamed and topped with a range of savoury toppings including crispy shallots, sesame seeds, and scallions. Best eaten with sriracha sauce.

I absolutely love yam cake and when I was a child I used to eat it for breakfast every Sunday morning.

If you like yam and have not tried this before, you should definitely try this. I bet you will be hooked!

If you are an old hand at making yam cake, I also urge you to give this recipe a try as the texture is very nice. Smooth and just soft enough, without being mushy. It is also relatively easy to prepare.

I have a very small steamer so when I made this I had to pour the batter into two separate 6” cake tins and steam them one at a time. It is well worth it though as we had this delicious yam cake to eat over the whole of last weekend.

Aglio Olio Pasta (with Cherry Tomatoes and Spinach)

This is the easiest pasta dish you can ever make. A firm lunch time favourite at Nomsies Kitchen!

Hello, how are you?

I hope everything is going well for you. I have been busy in the kitchen experimenting with some bread recipes. I hope to have the post done and up by the end of this week.

Meanwhile, I am sharing this recipe for Aglio Olio Pasta. I added in some cherry tomatoes and spinach, just because I like my veggies. Purists will say it is not true aglio olio pasta but hey, it works for me. Gives good colour too!

I know I just shared a recipe for sausage and bacon pasta last week. Don’t quite know why I am in such a mood for pasta.

A good (and also non-purist) twist to this dish is to add some tuna in just after you have sauté the garlic. Good for all you runners out there who need your protein!

Of course I added more basil in as well. Just to show off and make use of my little basil plant that is still alive!

Mushroom Salad

For days when you do not want to spend too much time cooking but still don’t want to eat a cold salad, try this wonderful warm mushroom salad with crisp bacon bits. A great salad for summer or even the colder months.

A big hello to you!

Today I want to share a recipe for a gorgeous warm mushroom salad. Yes, it has bacon in it. Hurray!

I don’t know about you, but there are days when I just don’t want to spend too much time cooking yet at the same time, don’t want to eat an entirely cold salad.

It is for exactly those kinds of days when you could use a salad like this. The only cooking involve is sautéing the mushrooms and cooking the bacon. I cook the bacon in a pan, without any oil, just to get it done and slightly crisp.

All you have to do next is open a bag of pre-packed mixed salad leaves – or chop up your salad leaves of choice and layer the mushrooms and bacon on top. I also added some cut sundried tomatoes and topped it off with some chopped parsley – just to get some more colour in for a pretty looking and great tasting salad.

Sausage and Bacon Pasta

Utterly delicious sausage and bacon pasta for those days when only pasta will do.

Hello hello!

How’s the weather like where you are? It is a rainy day over here in Newcastle. The good thing about that is that I don’t have to water my plants, so I shall not complain.

With the rain and all, I really feel like it has to be a pasta day. Warm and filling, just the thing I need. I used some leftover sausages I had from making hot dogs over the weekend. Add some bacon into the mix and there we have it, scrumptious sausage and bacon pasta!

For the sauce, I used passata and just added seasoning and herbs. I also used a little bit of brandy just to give the sauce some body.

I don’t know if you can tell from the photos but I used some scallion flavoured tagliatelle. It has a slight green hue to it. I was unsure of whether it would go with this pasta but it did. In fact, it added some vege flavour to the otherwise meaty dish. Obviously, you can just use whichever pasta you have.

I am also quite pleased that my basil plant is surviving this year. I bought one of the Basil pots from Asda 2 weeks ago and it has not died or wilted on me just yet. Apparently there is a difference between watering from the bottom of the pot and from the top. The instructions always say “water from the bottom” of course I never listened until now. So, that might be why. You live you learn!

Sago Gula Melaka

A truly classic Malaysian dessert. Served cold with coconut milk and Gula Melaka syrup, it is perfect on a hot day!

Hello hello!

I am introducing a classic Malaysian dessert on Nomsies Kitchen today. It is Sago with Gula Melaka.

It is rather simple to make. Sago pearls are boiled with water and then chilled to make little puddings. It is then served with coconut milk and Gula Melaka (palm sugar syrup). It is really easy to do as most of the time used in its preparation is actually inactive time. My British friends have told me it is somewhat similar to rice pudding.

This dessert is perfect eaten on a hot day. A bite of this and you can just imagine that you are at a beach resort in the Tropics. Ahh, now who wouldn’t want that?

Mustard Roast Potatoes

Super savoury roast potatoes that you will not be able to stop eating! Crisp and fluffy, you don’t even need to par-boil them first. Superb side dish!

Hello!

How are we doing today? Who is up for some tasty roasted potatoes with mustard?

These roasted fluffy beauties are so delicious. I first made them a couple of days back and since then have not been able to stop craving them. So I just had to make them again. They are sensational and just take regular roasted potatoes up another level.

No need for par-boiling the potatoes here. Well, you can if you want but I skipped this step and the potatoes were still fluffy on the inside and crisp on the outside. Potato heaven.

I used two types of mustards here, English mustard and wholegrain mustard. I love English mustard here for the zing and bite it adds to the flavours. If you can’t take it, just wholegrain or regular mustard will work too.

Fish Congee

A classic one-pot meal, you can never turn down a bowl of steaming fish congee.

Hello and happy Friday!

I hope you had a great week and are looking forward to a fun-filled weekend! I am having such a good time watching the World Cup, I tell you, I have been experiencing a lack of voice from all the shouting I have been doing at my TV. It’s a rest day from the football today so I thought I might catch up on my blogging.

Since I have been cooking for one this week, it has been really slow food wise. I cook something and it takes me 2 days to finish the whole lot. It’s good in a way, as that means I have more time to do other things. Ideally, I should be telling you that I have been uber productive and spring cleaned the house and ran a 100 miles but no, it’s more like watching football with the Kardashians and the Fashion Police in between.  

Anyway, one of my easy one-pot meals for one is fish congee. I love congee and always order it when I have dim sum. At home, I make this really easy fish congee with cod fish. It’s just putting everything in a pot and leaving it to boil. I can never refuse a bowl of this comforting congee and I hope you try it for yourself.

Note my Brazilian colours place mats!