Chicken Cotoletta (or chicken Schnitzel- italian style!)

Chicken Cotoletta (or chicken Schnitzel- italian style!)

 

This is a staple in my family and extended family. We have cotoletta at pretty much all family functions. It's a real simple recipe that's great hot or cold, easy to cook in large volumes and it's a real crowd pleaser! It's also easy to cook for the family cause you can cook a batch and easily have leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day!
They are shallow fried, so the health factor is a lot lower here than on many of my recipes, but it is better than deep fried.

Time Taken?: About 40 mins- but cutting up the chicken is what takes the time so if you pre-cut you can save time.

2 year old friendly?: Yep- and a great alternative to chicken nuggets or fish fingers.

INGREDIENTS
500g chicken breast fillets, cut into thin (1/2 centimetre thick) slices
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/3 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated (powdered) (confession- I use the dry packet parmesan- never had an issue!!)
A handful of finely chopped parsely
Olive oil to shallow fry (you need to have probably about a 1/2 cup handy- but you may not use all of it)
Salt and pepper

METHOD
In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, parmesan and parsely and add some salt and pepper to season.
Put the beaten eggs into a shallow dish.
Coat each slice of chicken in egg, and then in the breadcrumb mixture.
Completely cover the bottom of a large fry pan in olive oil and heat oil on medium heat.
When oil is hot enough that a test piece of breadcrumb slightly sizzles, cook the chicken slices, in batches, until golden brown, adding more oil to the pan when needed.
Immediately after cooking, place the cutlets on kitchen towel to drain excess oil.
Serve hot, or cold. Good with served with salads, or on sandwhiches and wraps.

Garlic Prawns

Garlic Prawns

 

 

 

So this recipe is not only delish and super quick, it has special significance for me as this is the dish hubby cooked me on the night he proposed (umm, yes garlic and all- but it was yummy so we didn't mind!). We haven't had it in a while, years in fact, so I thought I'd give it another whirl and I must say I think it's re-entering the repertoire from now on!

 

I was a little worried about the healthiness as it uses both butter and cream- two things I love but don't tend to use in my home cooking in the interest of cutting down the calories, but it really doesn't use all that much of either and nothing else in it is particularly naughty- so I think it's okay!

 

Time taken?: 30 mins, and that's only because you need to cook rice. The dish itself is so super quick!

 

2 year old friendly?: Couldn't tell you, he wouldn't even try it! I don't see why not though. The alchohol from the brandy is burned off.

 

Serves about 3, or 2 adults and 2 children

 

INGREDIENTS

20g butter

1/2 small onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, crushed

500g green prawns, peeled

2 tablespoons brandy

1/4 cup cream

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsely

salt and pepper to season

Steamed or bolied white rice, to serve

 

METHOD

Heat butter in medium non-stick frypan. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until slightly softened.

Add prawns and saute until just turning colour.

Add brandy and using gas flame or a long match, ignite the alchohol. Once alchohol has burnt off, add cream and rbing to boil.

Stir in parsely and season to taste.

Serve with rice.



Bolognese Sauce- MY way

Bolognese Sauce- MY way

 

 

 

So I always get asked for my bolognese recipe. Not because people have tried it, but because I have an italian background people assume I make good bolognese. Well- actually they would be right! But not cause it's a recipe handed down through generations, but because this is made the way I like it, tweaked over years and years of practice and taking bits and pieces from different recipies to get it just right! And everyone that tries it loves it! This is not really a work night recipe, it needs time to cook, but it is really simple. It's one of the few things I cook that I have committed to memory.

 

Time Taken?: At least 45 mins, but longer if you have time (to cook the sauce down)

 

2 year old friendly?: Yes! So much so that as soon as he saw his plate with pasta in it he pointed at it eagerly and couldn't get to it quick enough!

 

Serves 4- 6 (makes a LOT of sauce, so it depends on how saucy you like it! The sauce freezes very well also as long as the mince has not previously been frozen)

 

INGREDIENTS

500g beef mince (good quality)

1-2 tbsp olive oil

1 brown onion, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 fresh ripe tomatoes, diced

2 cans tomato puree

2 tbsp tomato paste

1/2 cup red wine (one that you would happily drink)

A good pinch of dried oregano

A handful of fresh basil, torn

1 teaspoon of sugar

Salt and freshly ground pepper- to season

1 500g packet of pasta (any kind you like) to serve

Some freshly grated parmesen, to serve

 

METHOD

Heat oil in a medium saucepan

Cook onion and garlic, stirring, on medium-high until transparent and fragrant

Add mince and cook, stirring, until just browned

Add fresh tomato and stir through to heat for 1 minute

Add puree, paste, wine and herbs and mix well. Add sugar and season generously with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Bring to boil for 5-10 minutes, stirring regularly. Reduce heat to low and simmer for AT LEAST 20 minutes, stirring occassionally.

Cook pasta according to packet instructions.

Serve sauce mixed into the pasta and top generously with freshly grated parmesen.

  



 

*Spicy* Chicken Buritos with Homemade Seasoning

*Spicy* Chicken Buritos with Homemade Seasoning

 

Okay so this one was actually a little too spicy for my hubby and I. We both only just managed it with LOTS of cheese/sour cream and drinks to hand! But if you like spicy food- go for it- and if you don't still try it but perhaps with only half of the seasoning and reserve the other half for next time (that's what I am going to do next time I do this dish).

I wanted to try this as I wanted to make my own seasoning rather than using the packet stuff that uses lots of preservatives etc. At least you know what is in this one!

Time Taken?: Only about 15 minutes. It's almost as quick as the packet ones.

2 year old friendly?: We didn't give him any cause it was too spicy, but if you only use half the seasoning it might be 2 year old friendly (he had the tortilla, cheese and some salad though!)

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS
500g chicken breast, diced
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tomatoes, diced
2 cups of shredded lettuce
1.5 cups shredded light tasty cheese
Some salsa and light sour cream to serve

Seasoning ingredients
11/2 tbsp. chilli powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. paprika
3 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. black pepper

METHOD
Mix together ingredients for seasoning in a bowl.
Put chicken into a plastic bag. Add seasoning (or half if you want it less spicy) and mix chicken and seasoning in the bag to coat.
Heat oil in a large saucepan on medium heat.
Add chicken and cook, stirring, until chicken is cooked through
Serve chicken with salad, tortillas and sauces to taste.