RECIPE: CHICKEN AND MUSHROOM PIE

This was tonight’s dinner, courtesy of Mr G, and adapted from Donna Hay’s recipe published in the Telegraph Sunday Magazine. Very yummy. It is going to be my lunch tomorrow too.

Ingredients – serves 4
2 tbsp olive oil
250g button mushrooms
2 cloves garlic
6 chicken thighs – trimmed and chopped
¼ white wine or chicken stock
1 cup pouring cream
Sea salt and cracked pepper to taste
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
1 sheet puff pastry (we recommend Borg’s)
1 egg, lightly beaten

Method
Preheat oven to 200°C.

Heat oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Sauté garlic and mushroom until brown (3-5 mins). Add in chicken and cook until browned (2-3 mins).

Add wine/stock, cream, salt and pepper and cook 3-5 mins until sauce is slightly reduced.

Spoon into 4 x 1 cup capacity ovenproof dishes and place on a baking tray (this will catch any spills).

Cut 4 x 11 cm circles from the pastry and place on top of the chicken mixture. Brush with egg and cook for 20 mins or until the pastry is puffed and golden. Serve with salad or chips.

RECIPE: CHICKEN IN HOISIN AND HOT BEAN SAUCE

I think I have written enough this past few days….so I am saving my typing energy for work tomorrow, he! he! :p

This is what we had for dinner today. Easy peasy. I served this with stir fried Choy Sum (see HERE).

Ingredients
Veg oil for cooking
2 to 3 chicken breast/equivalent amount in thighs if preferred - sliced or cubed to preference
Capsicum - cut into cubes (had none at home so I left it out today)
3-4 cloves garlic - minced
4 spring onions - cut 3 to 4 cm lengths
4 to 5 dried or fresh chillies - halved and deseeded (if you don't like it hot). I leave it in and it's not hot if you use the long variety of either chillies.
4 heaped tbsp Lee Kum Kee Hoisin Sauce
4 heaped tbsp Yeo's Hot Bean Paste
1 carrot (optional) sliced thinly and diagonally. You can also add snow peas if you want. I did not because I had a separate vegetable dish
Handful of cashew nuts
Dash of sesame oil
Onion (optional) - sliced thickly

Method:
Heat oil and fry chicken in batches. Remove and set aside.

Add garlic to the oil and fry for 30 secs. Add in carrot (if using). Fry for a min and add in the chicken. Mix well.

Add in the capsicum (and peas if using) and both the sauces. Mix well. Cook for a minute or two. Add cashews, spring onion (and onion). Fry for 30 secs. Add sesame oil. Turn off heat and serve with rice and stir fried mixed vegetables.

Chicken in Hoisin and Hot Bean Sauce and Stir Fried Choy Sum

RECIPE: SOUPY STIR FRIED CHOY SUM

I would prefer to cut this vegetable into 3-4 cm lengths to cook this but my kids are fussy veg eaters. By cutting it small, I can at least force them to eat it! You can put anything you like in the veg or nothing at all. Today I sliced some fish balls and added to the meal. I put in about half a cup of water as well. You don’t have to add any if you choose not to.

Ingredients
2 bunches of choy sum – cut according to personal preferences
3 cloves garlic – minced
1 onion – sliced (optional)
200g meat or seafood (I used sliced fish balls) – sliced thinly (optional)
1 tsp powdered chicken stock
Salt to taste
Water (optional)
1 tbsp veg oil

Method
Heat wok and fry garlic (and meat if using) in the oil. Add in the sliced vegetables.

Mix well and add the chicken stock, salt and water (if using). Lift when cooked and serve with rice.

GARDENING: EASY CARE INDOOR POT PLANTS - CHLOROPHYTUM OR SPIDER PLANT (I)

Another easy house plant to grow is the “Chlorophytum” or commonly known as the “Spider Plant”. There are so many different varieties and variations of the plant. Another good thing about this plant is that it is so easy to grow and propagate. It sends out little plantlets that you can cut off from the mother plant and just put it into some soil. It is that easy. I have propagated around 10 plants from one plant and have given numerous away to friends and neighbours. And a bonus to boot – you can get it very cheap from nurseries! To ensure a healthy growth, position in good light but away from direct sunlight; water generously in spring to autumn and sparingly in winter; and feed with liquid fertiliser spring to summer. Easy!

Well, here are the few varieties of the Spider plant that I have in my home.

PS: I made the macramé pot hangers myself. More than happy to teach anyone who is interested.